A fun day out, but not so much so when I got home

Yesterday I went grocery shopping. It was a gorgeous day. I believe our high temp was 68 F (about 21 C). I dug out my shorts and a sleeveless top (as an aside, I don't like short sleeves. I go directly from sleeveless to long sleeves) and headed out to do my shopping.

While out, I was struck by how many cars in the parking lot had broken tail lights. Two examples show how people deal with the problem, a real ticket magnet in Kansas.

After shopping and putting my groceries away, I decided it might be the last nice day for awhile, since the weather is supposed to turn cold, with rain and possible snow tonight (Feb. 2). So I headed to the local neighborhood park I helped design back in the late 1990s, before I got into altered art.

However, as I was trying to upload my photos, I got the "new and improved" blogger. Because I like to keep my photos off site, and because it saves space I need for this blog, I saved everything, then tried to upload them.

Instead, I got the message you see below:

I had barely started typing in the URL when I got the message. In case you can't read it, it reads: "Make sure the image is public. If it is protected by a password, or on an internal network, we will not be able to read it."

I centered the image on the page, as I have done since I learned it was the best way to show your photos. Then I decided to see how it looked in Preview, which is now found in the top line of the page. What I found was my image

was no longer centered on the page. How could that happen, when I had clearly chosen "centered?" I guess we shall see how it looks once it is published, but I'm betting my images will no longer be centered. And of course, I can no longer store my images off site to save blog space.

Yep, I'm on a rant!!!!! Blogger also changed my font!

To make matters worse, Blogger (actually GOOGLE, who owns Blogger and has for some time, now) wants to make SURE they can get to my photos. No more keeping them someplace they don't have access to. All my files are public, even the ones I chose to keep from public view, like my restricted access Altered Book class I taught in 2009! Google found out I (and I'm sure a few other folks) was using an off site storage source and decided they wanted unprecedented access to my computer and my images! Am I mad?? YES. You bet!

So now my doubts have set in. First, for the class I will be teaching, and for the future of this blog. Once my storage has run out, I will have to BUY space, or move on. I am impressed with people who have chosen to use other blog sites, but blogger has been so easy to access, it is hard to move. And like many people, I don't want to spend time learning a new program.

Although I am still on my high horse, I decided to show the rest of my photos, and my thoughts as I took my walk. Of course, I had to change the way I uploaded the photos, using a very low resolution, which took away some of the beauty of the park.

As I mentioned earlier, it was a beautiful day, and I was enjoying the fading light as the sun began to set .

As I approached the playground area (there is also a ball diamond and concrete chess tables set up on the other end of this over 7 acre park), my thoughts turned to the class I will be teaching.

I headed for the "big girl (and boy) swings, and sat for awhile, enjoying the last of the sun, and contemplating this upcoming class. I knew there would be some awesome artists who would be checking in to check out the lessons. I "know" through my blog contact with them, there are painters, artists who journal daily, those who sketch,

and those who make mixed media and collage far better than anything I could ever create. After swinging for awhile, I decided to check out the rest of the play area.

I contemplated sitting on the bench, but was turned off by the way gangs had spray painted the beautiful tree and bench. Why do people want to deface anything so lovely, well put together, and meant for community enjoyment?

As I headed around one of the interlocking circular sidewalks, I was struck by more and more self doubt.

Passing by the "little people swings, the jungle bars (saved and moved from before the park was upgraded and changed), the rocker, and the slide (purchased by the Neighborhood Association through "sweat equity), I headed for one of three picnic areas (the other two are located on the other side of the ball diamond). Once again, I sat and contemplated things like, would anyone actually show up to take this class, would anyone post their work, would I be able to get "Mr. Linky" to work, and a dozen other questions and fears I suddenly faced

Of course, as I was leaving, I realized one of the benches was missing. How had that happened, I asked myself.

Then I was pulled out of my self doubts and saw that others were now in the park, walking the bike path.

And suddenly I was no longer alone, and no longer overwhelmed. The sun was setting, but I was feeling much better. It's good to have self-doubt, but do it when no one is looking. I went home a very happy person, at least until blogger started messing with my life!


I would like to know if anyone else is having this much trouble with their blogs, and how you feel about this! BTW, if my blogger account has been sabotaged and/or deleted, we will all know why! It's because of my big mouth. After all, I try to tell it like I see it.


UPDATE: I just found the icon that takes me back to the ORIGINAL Blogger interface. I'm thrilled. Now I can go back to creating the pages I want, although I still can't use my off site storage area anymore.