A year ago, I went through the very frustrating process of trying to get help from Novation tech support to remove the unnecessary flashing light display on the Launchpad X due to flashing lights being a known migraine trigger. At the time, it did not go well, but it inspired my essay on accessibility and technology entitled “Rock Salt.” Today, I received the following message:
“[W]e have released the 1.0.5 update for Launchpad Mini Mk3 and Launchpad X that will disable the Vegas mode display when a PC connection is unavailable (as you had requested).”
Even though I returned the product a year ago, it’s good to know the company took this concern seriously. There’s always room to grow.
Experimental track “In the Foyer with a Candlestick” is up now on SoundCloud and Bandcamp, along with other work from the as yet unreleased EP “And in Time of War.” Check it out and share with friends!
“In the Foyer with a Candlestick” on SoundCloud and Bandcamp. Track artwork by Suzanne Skaar, 2022. All rights reserved.
On a related note for those wondering: I decided to stop pseudo-hiding behind a pseudonym (DJ Living Wage) for the sake of sharing some of my more experimental work. It was funny for a minute, and who knows? Maybe I’ll change my mind again in the future… But in the meantime, you can find me at suzanneskaar on both sites.
My goal of getting limited runs of No, Mine! Studios merchandise into stores in Tacoma and Olympia is closer than before. I applied for a reseller permit today, my first button machine is on its way, and I’m finishing up packaging designs to be sent to the printer this weekend.
Getting my business up and running wouldn’t have been possible without support from the Tacoma Arts Commission/ Tacoma Artist Initiative Program, friends and clients who have purchased work over the years, venues who have hosted shows, other artists with whom I have had the privilege of collaborating, and, last but not least, my daughter and co-parent. Thank you all!
Keeping a 4th grade creative genius on task in remote school while also working on my own projects has been challenging at times. I am not always aware that she has an assignment due until she loudly announces, “Oh no! I was supposed to do this by [time in the past/ two minutes from the current time]!!!” Many times while I am trying to concentrate, The Childwill barge in to ask questions which could have been written down and/ or Googled for later when she had time. I don’t want to ignore her, but kids at this age need to learn how to prioritize tasks on their own, and sometimes Mom just needs to finish a thought.
So we went old school. While she was sleeping last Sunday night, my co-parent installed a new 2’x3′ corkboard on the wall above her workspace. I taped cool LED lights around the edge of the board and cleaned her desk to give her a fresh start. In the morning, I gave her a stack of Post-It notes and pins. As I handed her the Post-Its, I stated they would only be used for writing down tasks, due dates, and questions related to school.
Chaos ensued. In a matter of hours, the board and her freshly organized workspace had transformed into Post-It Alley. She had perfected Origami frogs, developed an amazing new line of cartoon characters, and somehow missed even more deadlines because she was spending too much time “organizing.” To top it off, it wasn’t long before she burst into my workspace to ask this absolutely life or death question: “Mom, can I have more push-pins?”
Suffice it to say, the few remaining Post-Its were confiscated. I re-approached the drawing board, and designed a series of organizational headers and task cards for her use instead. I intentionally left a couple of blank cards in the design so she can cut out the squares and improvise as needed — ideas of projects to work on independently, plans for world domination, etc. The board looks a lot more organized, and she still has space to color and customize cards that get placed on the board.
Category headings by Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved. PDF available for personal and educational use at no cost.
Task card samples by Suzanne Skaar, 2021. All rights reserved. PDF available for personal and educational use at no cost.
I am sharing the file for those who’d like to print it out here. It’s free for personal and educational use. If you find this kind of resource useful, you can contribute to studio expenses/ buy me a coffee here. You can also comment below with suggestions for additional cards/ themes. I’d be happy to post additional versions in the future. Please share this blog post with friends who might need it. And if you haven’t yet, please like and follow No, Mine! Studios on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.
For those following along, here’s some of the latest progress on my as yet untitled dinosaur game. Let me know what you think in the comments below! If you’d like to show your support for this project, please follow No, Mine! Studios (nominestudios) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.
Thank you!
— Suzanne
Progress on as yet untitled dino game. Graphics and sound by Suzanne Skaar, No, Mine! Studios. 2021. All rights reserved.
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