A Sunday Afternoon Update

I am being inundated lately with strange dreams... I wake up as tired as I was when I fell asleep... haunted and perplexed all day by flashbacks from strange dreams. It's been my intention for a very long time to keep a dream journal, but I've never really started.

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Allow me to delve a little deeper into the Facebook posts below ... 

you may have caught these a couple of afternoons ago on my FB news feed.... 

Kim Comer Jackson

19 hours ago near Metropolis via mobile

Standing on the corner of north avenue in an apron holding 3 pieces of ham... trying to catch a dog. I normally charge more for

this...

Kim Comer Jackson

17 hours ago near Paducah via mobile

I am pleased to announce that run-away-Pop was captured shortly after his escape ... and Mendy don't think for a minute I didn't almost go back for the camera :0) talk about missing some tremendous footage! To top it off I had on 1 of my hippy hats & my superman t shirt with my apron... purple cleaning gloves hanging out of my pocket and flailing in the wind... I can't begin to fathom how ridiculous I looked running down the street..

The breakdown of all of that is that I was on a cleaning and remixing gig and as I sat on the stoop having a ciggy, I attempted to pet the dog through the crack in the door at which time he nudged through the door and slowly meandered onto the stoop.  He sat down, he seemed like he was going to stay... he didn't.


Off we went around Marberry Drive, about six feet at a time... I'd get almost to him and he'd run a few feet more... As I began to hear the sound of traffic grow louder, I looked up and realized that Pop and I were about two houses away from North Avenue... 


A man looked up at me and grinned as he mowed his yard... I made one of those "panicked twisty faces" I like to make and shouted, "I'm trying to catch that dog... and if I catch 'im, I'm gonna ride him back!" ... did I mention this dog Pop weighs probably about 160 pounds? 


I stood on the corner of North Avenue and Marberry Drive watching Pop roam towards the road... I would truly give anything to have video and audio of the event... There was a lot of "Holy F*cking Sh*t, Pop! What the H*ll are you doing to me?" and "Oh this is ridiculous... this just can't be happening..."  


Then... a familiar face in a car turning into Marberry... the teenager who lives in the house that I'm working on... Hallelujah! Except for now, the son of the homeowner knows that I've accidentally let the dog out...


The young man got out of the car and left it running as he chased Pop across North Avenue.  I was now standing beside a running Honda on the corner of the busiest street in town at juuuuuust the time when everyone was traveling home from work, wearing a blue apron, a hippie hat, a Superman t-shirt and purple gloves ... holding a handful of ham.  


As I stood there and pondered if I should move this running vehicle down to the house and call the Mom/homeowner, I saw another familiar face... the Mom, well speak of the little lovey - here she is right now, and who's that with her in the vehicle?  Well, it's the son and Pop, of course... 


As she pulled to a stop, the son and Pop got in the Honda and I relinquished my handful of ham to the son.  I hopped into her vehicle (actually hoping that I was still in good graces enough to get a ride back down to the house) ... on our ride back to the house, we determined that Pop had found a sucker and I had obviously let her come home to more discombobulation that intended... 


In the end, she was in good spirits and Pop was safe... 
If no one's killed or maimed, it can be fixed - a'men?!


Anywho ... I'm about to take off now for what will hopefully be the last day on this cleaning and remixing project.  It's been a bit difficult as the son spends more time in the house than I had realized at the initial consultation - he's a delightfully charming young fella, but he can mess the daylights out of a house... 


As I left the house a couple of days ago, I poked my head into the den to say goodbye as this fellow and his buddy played a video game... I said, "You mentioned you weren't working tonight and I wanted to let you know you could save your Mom a little chunk by doing the dishes in the kitchen..."  
"Okay..", he said.


"Also, could you tell me ... is there anything I need to know about starting the mower?  Your Mom's timeline for project completion is this weekend and I know that was on her list.." 
"I'm gonna do it...", he said.


"Okay ... that and the dishes then ... we've got a deal?" 


"Yup!", he said cheerfully....


Now ... I'll come back later and tell you how that turned out ... 
I think you probably already know... 


Were we really all procrastinating, contankerous, know-it-all teenagers at one time?
Yikes...


Have a grand and groovy day!! 
Don't text and Drive!! 

A Thursday Evening Wrap Up at 12:30 in the A.M. on Friday...

Is it Thursday evening?
The Holiday has me as confused as all daylights...
***
I've been working this week on the last phase of a project that began in January.

BEFORE

Immediately After

After Mounting TV on Wall, removing superfluous furniture and
Adding a Second Column of Shelving

*** 

I've also been working more shooting time into my daily routine and I've been putting more focus on Flawn Ocho...  As far as the KCoJax Local Flavor branch goes - I had planned to find a very lofty location from which to capture last night's Independence Day fireworks.

In fact, on Tuesday afternoon as I crossed the I-24 bridge while driving home after a quick trip to Paducah I pondered whether or not there are still any friends of the family working at E.E.I..  My dad's been retired from there for many years, but I've heard many times from him about the phenomenal Fourth of July view from the tops of the decks at the plant and I was wishing then that I would've thought of that location early enough to try and worm my way in somehow.

Tuesday night I crept around town to spy a couple of shots of the moon and continued to wish with all of my might that friends would call with a spot for me on a boat... that would be my ideal location - 

I captured the images below on Tuesday Evening... 

*** 

I returned home in a flurry on Wednesday afternoon from hanging shelves .. still not quite sure where I would perch myself to view the Metropolis Fireworks.  I got cleaned up and readied myself for wherever I might wind up and stepped out onto the back patio to ponder my next move.

I lit a ciggy and scanned the sky as I evaluated the pros and cons of locations.  I'd had invitations to join friends at two different places, one of which I think would've been an incredible view - but I was feeling hermitish and didn't really feel like meeting up with people.

After I found I couldn't get onto the roof of the Ocho without causing a scene, I decided to just hop in my car and see where I wound up - but I went in the direction of Dorothy Miller Park.  I arrived by the 3rd shot of fireworks or so and using my phone to light my path scurried among the people all sprawled out on their blankets in an attempt to get as close to the river as I could.  

My goal for shooting the fireworks was to experiment with shutter speed and aperture settings.  I've been doing that a bit with some night shooting, but as a real test I wanted to try something as vivid and delightfully active as fireworks.  Per usual, my decision to run late was not a good one - causing me to sit by a gaggle of folks who'd brought their cocktails along with them - thus they were extraordinarily and abruptly noisy...  causing me to be a bit jittery... and making me wish I'd brought a tripod along... 

Nervous Firworks

This one reminds me of "Sideshow Bob"...

Getting out of the mess of traffic wasn't "too" terribly bad, although I am really hoping that teleportation becomes a mainstream form of transportation in my lifetime - because obviously that would've made it quicker still...

Until Next Time...

Have A Grand and Groovy Day

and
Don't Text and Drive!

For More Info on my projects
Google KCoJax,  Flawn Ocho,  Ocho-rific

A Quickie About Coolers...

Good Morning Gang!  I just sat down for a java break and wanted to share with you a super inexpensive idea for organizing

your "fishin' coolers"
or pretty much anything else with a handle...

Enjoy!



More to Come from this project as I have time to edit the footage...
Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel (there's a link on this page)
so you don't miss anything that will change your life!

Have a Grand and Groovy Day!
If You Liked It ~ Share It!

Please and Thanks!

A Quick Few Pics of What's Shaking Today...

The "Mud Room"
Then and Now

I'm in a bit of a hurry, but I'm so pleased with the pre-wrap up on this "Mud Room", I had to show you the "Then and Now"s .... these are not the "Before and After"s .... those will include video and tips ...

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Then

Now

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Then

Then

Then

Then

 

Now

Now

Now

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Now

Now

Now

Now

Now

Now

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Then

Then

Then

Now

Now

Now

Now

   

Now

I hope you're excited to see the final footage on this room ...
I can assure you I'm excited to edit it and put it together with tips and tricks.
I'm down to 7 hours until I need to be walking out the door on this project ...
please send good vibes ...
Have a grand and groovy day ...
If You Liked It ~ Share It!

Please and Thanks!

A Saturday Morning Update - 02.11.12

Oh what a week it's been! It has absolutely flown by, primarily because of scrambling around to keep my head afloat.  I've started to realize that if I had an investor to relieve immediate stress, an answering service and a paid assistant I'd be extremely financially comfortable within a year, tops...

I've almost remedied the answering service problem... One of my dearest friends owns "the answering service" ... and by "the answering service" I do mean the only locally owned answering service in our region.  Anywho, I'm going to ask him if we can trade out some marketing, video and whatnot down at the TAS for a very basic answering contract so that I can start advertising without missing calls.  I don't like to answer my phone and haven't in many years... I'm not going to start now when such a gem as this is available.

I took a drive to Fancy Farm on Tuesday to handle some business and took some great video footage.  In addition to that I've been using the video on my phone a LOT this week as I'm going to start incorporating videos into my blogs as you may have seen *here*... and eventually, I hope to occasionally post "only a vlog".

I have everything charging up now and I'm hoping to leave within the hour to return to work at a remix site at which our homeowner is away for the weekend.  We've completed one room and have three other areas in a "ready to remix" state right now.  You can see the *Before Footage of *A Den Remix* below...



You can see *After Photos* of the project *here* and I'll be bringing you some video footage of the completed project in the coming week, along with tips, totals and instructions whenever possible.

Today and tomorrow will be spent tying up loose ends in the three rooms that are "mid-remix".  I've been so excited for today all week I could nearly scream and I plan to shoot a lot of footage...  so if you're a fan of  decorating, be sure to bookmark this blog!

Here are a few very random pics from the spaces I'm working on today to peak your interest...

A Catch All Mud Room

A Cleaning Supply Area

A Junk Room

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At some point today I'm also going to run out to "the farmhouse" to collect new footage.  We shot the following before footage in one of the bedrooms at the farmhouse last week and I'm SO excited to see the finished room....


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I'm still SO far behind on things I think I'm first, but I am catching up and I can't say enough positive things about the new doctor I've been seeing.  More about that later, but in short .. my *gloomy Gus-edness* feels like it's lifting for the first time in years...
Have a Grand and Groovy Day!
If You Liked It ~ Share It!

Please and Thanks!

12/23/2011 - ::KCoJax Art:: and How in the Name of Peter, Paul and Mary did it get to be December?!

Everyone always says that as we get older the years pass by faster and I'm starting to believe it!  

I can't believe it's already the end of December, but I don't think I've ever been as ready for the fresh start of a new year as I am now.  2010 has been the chisel on the clay in a big way!

Currently I'm cleaning a few houses and one office building a week to pay my way.  This is beginning to allow me a lot more time to work on my projects - many of which I've mentioned here - many of which I'm going to mention here.

I'm so far behind I think I might be first on everything!  Actually - while quippy, that's completely untrue.  I know I have a multitude of people waiting for a multitude of things from me right now and the last thing that I am is first :)

I'm about to take off for the day to finish up on a new house that I started yesterday, I have quite a few pics to finish up for folks for Christmas, a cleaning event here at three and I'm working a painting that was a little more than I bargained for...

This painting will be done just as soon as possible and I'll be posting progress pics very soon.  It's to go over the TV in the living room of my maiden remixing client.  It's been a challenge and I'm happy to say that (so don't feel bad, B) :)  -  But I'm used to doing either abstract work or something that's in my head.

To recreate the piece he saw that he liked and incorporate some of the other elements that he liked in other paintings has required me to teach myself a couple of things.... and learning things is always groovy!

Have a grand and groovy day!

12/17/2010 - Waking Late, Horoscopes and Being Your OWN Person -

I love to wake up 2 hours late to my mother knocking on my door.  I hope she was on the way to another destination and didn't drive all the way to my apartment just because I wasn't answering the phone, but I was too groggy to even ask - I'm just glad she came here because I can't imagine how late I would've slept if she hadn't.  I don't think I've heard one alarm go off this morning and I've mentioned before that my alarms are an extravaganza of Calypso music and crowing roosters...

That was the first time I'd overslept in ages - due this time to being exhausted -

I was happy to read my horoscope this morning - as I'd just sent a FB comment regarding a question I was asked yesterday.  I was afraid it sounded too harsh - but this horoscope puts me right at ease :)

Express yourself to the fullest today, Gemini. Feel free to take an unconventional approach when it comes to dealing with your emotions. Try not to let others cajole you into thinking you need to fit into an artificial construct of what you need to be and what you need to think. All you need to do is think for yourself. Fight the established norms and be your own person. 

...I'm generally pretty unconventional anyway and I've never been big on letting others cajole me into any way of thinking.... and I'm pretty skilled (at least in the last few years) at fighting established norms and being my own person... and it seems I'm getting better at it on a daily basis.

I'm off today to finish a re-mix project during the first half of the day and then hopefully stopping to visit with a business owner in Paducah who has requested help with a website, Facebook and all of the other online social networking tools that we find it so tough to live without in this day and age ... my last job of the day will be a housekeeping gig in Paducah.  This weekend, I have two photo shoots and a walk-through for a new housekeeping gig.

These are the things that I'm doing now to "pay my way" so I can focus as much time as possible on building my income stream by doing things I thoroughly enjoy...feel free to subscribe to stay up to date and/or email me at KimAJackson2010@gmail.com to schedule a consultation for redecorating, housekeeping or anything else I've mentioned :)

Have a grand and groovy day!

12/16/2010 - "OH the MAGNOLIAS!" ...but it's getting there...

***

Well gang - I am whooped, but it's a good kind of whooped...

and so help me God, if I ever have to look at a magnolia again I'm going to shriek

and not in a good way.

***

What began as a way to make a bit of extra cash and help a friend has turned into one of the most magnificently glorious days I've spent doing "one of my dream jobs" in a bit.  

I've moved furniture, I've put sinkers in walls, I've climbed, I've hoisted, 

I've hammered and I've measured (though not a lot on the measuring, because I like to eye-ball it).  

It looks as if the remix in progress is going to be a success!

Take one distraught man who has too many magnolias in his house ...

add one friend who loves interior design, 

is used to doing things as inexpensively as humanly possible 

and is very recently self employed ... 

and after a shopping/psychoanalyzing trip and a few days,

things will begin to fall into place...

More pics tomorrow evening when the project is complete!!

If you're interested in scheduling a design consultation 

- please reach me via email - 

KimAJackson2010@gmail.com

12/16/2010 - Oh Kim Jackson, How're You Gonna Pay Your Way This Week?

Where to even begin ....?

Several of you have been keeping track with me on how I'm surviving ... jobless ... at Christmas-time so I'll fill you in on what I'm doing to pay my way this week - I've picked up an interior design project.

I've always said that if I could do anything on earth to earn my living that one of those things would be interior design.  I used to get in trouble for moving my room around when I was ..like.. nine or ten.  I can remember blaring my favorite album (which at the time was the Oak Ridge Boys) and grunting, forcing every little tiny muscle in my body to push my canopy bed or lift a TV and then having Mom or Dad venture upstairs to find out what in the name of all that's sacred and Holy was happening - only to find that I've made it half-way across the room with the canopy bed - then they'd step in and say I was "gonna hurt myself" and blah blah blah....

As time went on and I had my own home, I found that if I wanted the vintage 32" tube TV and it's encompassing media cabinet on the other side of the room; that it was easier for me to just do it than try to arrange assistance.

So today I venture off to undertake this design project.

No names of course - but I have a very dear friend who has realized recently that he never really made his home his own after he and his former wife parted ways.  This was of course pointed out to him by a pal who made fun of the magnolias and Home Interior on the walls...

He texted one morning to schedule a phone call.  As that's a rarity for this particular pal, I called him right away.  In a regulated fluster he explained to me that he'd been walking around a few home stores and realizing that he saw things he liked, but he didn't know what he needed or how to put any of it together...

I assured him that re-mixing a home and going back to my own home is beyond a shadow of a doubt, one of my specialties and we decided that we would start the project right away.

For those of you who think .... "Gee whizOwillackers, Kim Comer Jackson - I need the "chi of an ex exercised from MY place!!" .... I'm going to explain to you in a later blog the process we've gone through and how much this will set you back.  

I'm absolutely testing this out as a business model for a new income stream for myself and I will be beyond tickled if it will jive out for me :)

While I was perusing around on YouTube watching Dick Cavett videos for my other project, the Ocho-rific Song o the Day; I found this incredible video of Katharine Hepburn rearranging the furniture on the Dick Cavett Show.  I felt it's fitting for today. :)   It won't embed, but the link's below - She was a jewel! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neduJ38MiDQ

For those of you who have my super-top-secret TUMBLR link, feel free to take a look as that's probably where I'll be posting pics for Fidget :)

Have a grand and groovy day!!