SMICK.NET | Website of Mike Smick Graphics and Web Developer

Halloween 2005

Just like last year we had a whole lot of kids coming to the door for candy. It’s a fun holiday. So many cute kids. The whole time, Juri and I were worried that we were running out of candy, and we had to scour the cabinets for stuff. We found a stash of coffee candy and that worked for the rest of the evening. When the kids got home, you know they threw it out, but still. I was so stressed about the candy thing, like “crap, I should run to the store.”

Then something happened. A mother brought her son up to the door. He was dressed in a little superman outfit. He was being carried by his mother in her arms. She supported him as he smiled at me, not speaking a word. I could feel his thank you as I put a piece of candy into the bag she carried for him. He seemed to either be crippled or have some sort of physical / mental debilitating situation, and he just smiled at me as I said hello. Think of this. You have this silly little holiday with kids everywhere, clamboring for candy. My neighbor Jeph hates it, he can’t stand the kids, so he darkens the house on these nights probably because some selfish kids bothered him one time before.

Then you have a mom who is so determined to have her son participate in all this that she carries him from house to house so he can be there to have a Halloween. That is culture, man and that is someone of the highest character. The strength to manifest for the both of them the joy of this silly holiday evening is remarkable and I really have appreciation for them. To them, it didn’t matter we just had some coffee candy to give out. What mattered was her son’s experience, to smile at neighbors and have a life as he should, being apart of all the silly little things people do, to experience what others do outside of his situation because he deserves that chance.

October 31, 2005 at 9:40 pm | general, writing | No comment

The Moleskine

I love when I find something that I can use to help facilitate new ideas and help me remember. Today I was in a discount store and I picked up a moleskine notebook. This little wonder isn’t much different than your average handheld notebook, but the leather feels rich. The killer elastic band and the quality binding make it the notebook you want to carrry with you everwhere. I wrote eight pages on the train and I am now hooked.

September 27, 2005 at 12:10 am | writing | No comment

published

I opened the front screen door to my house and a package flipped out onto the porch. It has arrived. I’m not sure when my book will actually be in stores at this point, but getting this early copy was a nice surprise today. When I was little, the thought of having my own book was something I was always intrigued with. The truth is that it’s not really my book. It’s our book. No not YOU the reader. I mean there are some fantastic authors that worked with me, bailed me out, and put this book together. If it was just me writing, the book would never see the light of day. No joke either.

September 12, 2005 at 12:12 am | design, general, graphics, writing | No comment

publish your own book

Have you ever wanted to publish a book on your own? Do you think no publisher will ever pick it up? Perhaps your writing skill isn’t where you want it to be, so you’ve just given up all together? Maybe you have an idea and you need an outlet. Maybe you want to create a booklet for giving to just a small number of friends. You can do it. In fact, you can write your book and have only one copy made for under $20. Isn’t that amazing? On demand printing and publishing is your dream come true. Here are some resources for you. You will need to create the documents for the book or pamphlet somehow digitally. So you might pick up Openoffice.org

Some tools to easily publish your book online

March 28, 2005 at 1:14 am | books, tools, writing | No comment

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