Shannon's [Design] Reality

Suggestions for Green Web Hosting?

Shannon Elizabeth McInerney (DesigningReality | Shannon McInerney Photography) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:06:11 -0500

Can anyone suggest a good, quality company for web hosting, that is at least 100% GREEN? Does anyone use an "enviornmentally friendly" host?

Thanks for any suggestions!

~SHANNON~

Would you sit and eat at this restaurant?! I wouldn't be brave enough!

Shannon Elizabeth McInerney (DesigningReality | Shannon McInerney Photography) — Thu, 10 May 2007 11:04:41 -0500

As a designer of corporate interiors I browse through many corporate furniture websites. I found this 'picture of the month' of the National Art Center in Japan on the Fritz Hansen Website. It's one of my new favorites!

Would you sit on these Fritz Hansen chairs and eat at this restaurant? I don't think I could get passed my fear of heights for this one, no matter how good the food was!

What an interesting architectural space though! Japanese architecture is so amazingly beautiful and really pushes the envelope for new and exciting design ideas!

My Strength: A 26.2 mile journey into finding myself…

Shannon Elizabeth McInerney (DesigningReality | Shannon McInerney Photography) — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:28:34 -0500

"I can do anything I put my mind to; I just can't give up..."

In February of 2006 I walked into the Bethpage Public Library to sit in on a fundraising meeting for Team in Training (TNT), an endurance training program for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This meeting was for participants in TNT, in order to get tips from past participants on how to reach their fundraising goals. It was the most inspirational meeting I had ever been to, I was surrounded by so many genuinely real people who were all here for one reason, to fight and find a cure for Leukemia and related diseases. I had no idea that at the end of this meeting I would make a life changing decision.

After about an hour the meeting commenced and one of the coordinators pulled me aside. With a bright cheery happy face she said "So which event do you want to sign up for, I have all the paperwork right here for you." Without even so much as a second thought I signed my name on the dotted line and checked the box for the full marathon on June 4^th, 2006, the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon, a full 26.2 miles. I handed her my registration check and agreed to raise the $4000 fundraising minimum for this event. She handed me a package with a t-shirt, water bottle, informational packets and a Training Schedule! "You'll do great Shannon and you will have so much fun doing this! You will be amazed at what you can accomplish!" she said. It wasn't until I walked to my car that I realized what I had just done. "Am I CRAZY! Am I insane?! I can't even run one mile let alone 20 something miles!" My legs started to get weak just realizing how nervous I was about the decision I had just made! "Could I really do something like this?!... of course I could, I can do anything... right? Right???"

I showed up for my first training at 7am at Stony Brook University that Saturday. There were about 12 others including my coach Tony. This had been the second long run practice for the TEAM and I was two weeks behind due to late registration. The TEAM looked great, but I couldn't even run one mile before I had to walk, I barely completed the 3 miles (walking the last two). I was in trouble! My legs and back hurt for a week afterward! I was 24, in good shape (I thought), a former competitive swimmer, how could I be this bad at running?! Maybe I should just give up now?

After that practice I went out and bought a Garmin GPS Watch and tons of training gear. I followed the training guide, ate healthy, and ran alone for weeks and weeks (okay I slacked a little, a lot). I was too afraid to face another TEAM practice and fall behind, so I did all the training on my own (what a regrettable mistake!). I had no one to encourage me and all I kept hearing from everyone was "Why are you doing this Shannon? It's a waste of time." I was doing it for all Cancer survivors, all Cancer patients, especially my Honored Patient Hero Kevin (pictured with another TEAM participant), a 15 year old fellow Long Islander living with Leukemia. I was doing it for ME, to prove to myself that I really could do anything I put my mind to, no matter what anyone else said!

Not going to the TEAM practices, I kept falling further behind every week because I didn't have the coaches there to guide me along, I didn't have my fellow teammates there for the encouragement, I set my pace too fast and wasn't able to complete the long runs. I finished the Long Island Half Marathon in May (a training practice run for us) in 2 hours and 34 minutes, not bad for a first timer, and I felt GREAT afterwards! I felt so accomplished with that heavy medal around my neck; yet, everyone kept telling me "stop here, forget about the full marathon, it's too much."

It was about 4 weeks before the marathon when I decided to go back to the TEAMpractices, now being held at Bethpage State Park. I could not believe what I had been missing out on, such amazing people with so much encouragement. The ages ranged from 20-60, people from all backgrounds, from all races, all had different reasons for being there. Most, like me, had never run a day in their life before doing this. Some had children with Leukemia, one had a husband with Myeloma, and others just wanted to get in shape. For all of us, this was our first marathon. We trained as a TEAMand ran our last practice run (20 miles) the weekend before the race. I barely finished the mileage that day, only completing 18 miles of it, walking a lot... so I was scared to know what would happen during the real race in San Diego the following week. My coaches tried to convince me to only do the half marathon... but I was determined... I could do anything I said, I've come too far to give up now! For the next week I took it easy and ate a lot of pasta! I convinced myself that I really could do anything, no matter how much others tried to discourage me.

My mom and I flew to San Diego that Friday, after sitting on the tarmac at JFK for 5 hours due to a bad thunderstorm we arrived in San Diego at 2am. We attended the Marathon Expo and the Team in Training Pasta Party at the Convention Center, where over one thousand participants gathered with their family and friends and fellow teammates. We heard emotional and inspirational stories from Cancer survivors... I prepared myself for what was to come the next morning.

5am Balboa Park San Diego, its was dark and foggy and we had one hour to race time. I was so nervous. Would I finish?! Would I make it all the way? Would I get hurt? Would all of those negative comments I heard along the way about not being able to finish come true!? Maybe everyone was right?!

I cleared these thoughts from my head and just went with the flow. With our purple TNT singlets on, surrounded by tens of thousands, our TEAM started down the path towards our 26.2 mile journey that would change our lives forever. It was a beautiful tour of the city of San Diego. Half way into it I separated from my little group of 4 and slowed down my pace, the pain was setting in and I was fatigued, I had pebbles in my sneakers and I was hot and sunburned! I was now running alone, but still had the spirit of the TEAM with me. As I passed the Half Marathon finish line, I contemplated stopping there, but for some reason I kept going. With no one to talk to, with no one but myself to give me encouragement, I passed the 18 mile marker and just wanted to give up so bad, the pain was increasing, but I just kept telling myself "I can do anything, I can do this, just don't give up..."

I stopped to get the pebbles out of my sneakers and accidentally tied my shoelace too tight, it put a crease in the front of the sneaker and pressed on my toes... it was painful and I had to just run with it!!

I started to walk and couldn't start running again, it was too painful, my toe felt broken, it was hot and I wanted to quit! At mile 25 or so I turned onto the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Point Loma and had one more mile to the finish. As I passed the military personnel cheering me on at the final water stations, hundreds of families in the stands cheering on their loved ones, I got the strength to run again. I saw my mom along the fence and she held up the flowers she bought for me... I crossed the finish line limping in stride in just under 7 hours! As they put that medal around my neck and handed me my hard earned slippers, I was filled with so much emotion.... I just ran a marathon!!!! I actually did it! Nothing could ever take away this feeling of such accomplishment. No one could ever again tell me I couldn't do something. As I crossed the finish line I realized I did a whole lot more than just run 26.2 miles, I established a higher standard within myself.

That night we had our Team in Training victory party at the San Diego Convention Center. With our medals around our necks we gleamed with a happiness that no one else but our fellow teammates could understand. We wore our medals proudly in honor of all those in the fight again Cancer...

I went home from this Marathon with a new philosophy on life, that old saying that "you can do anything you put your mind to" had sunk into my mind finally, after 24 years. For so long I had let other people's doubts in me keep me from following my dreams and I finally broke down that wall. Never again would I let myself think, even for one minute, that anything was impossible.

"Impossible is nothing."

When you truly believe that you can do anything you put your mind to, no matter what the obstacle, not matter how big or small, you will accomplish more than you ever imagined! Whether it's starting up a Staging and Design business as I am doing now, whether its selling the house everyone finds repulsive, the small things, the big things... you can conquer it all!

AVG FREE: Highly recommended FREE Virus and Spyware Software

Shannon Elizabeth McInerney (DesigningReality | Shannon McInerney Photography) — Tue, 01 May 2007 15:00:30 -0500

FREE Virus Protection!?... It works GREAT?!... It's EASY to use?!... Where do I get it?!...

AVG Free is a great, free tool that everyone should be taking full advantage of! I have been using it for years now and recommend it to everyone I know! They offer a free version for your (non-commercial) personal useand they also offer paid subscription versions for your commercial business needs. I would personally recommend AVG Free for your personal home computers and/or laptops over every other software, especially Norton Anti-Virus (which I despise, but I won't go there now).

No one should leave their computer(s) unprotected, as Virus', Spyware, and the like find their ways into even the most watchful user's computer! It is so easy to protect your computer and AVG provides a great free option!

To get AVG Free, simply type in "AVG Free"in any search engine, such as Google or Yahoo!, or visit their WEBSITE.

You will notice when the page opens, there are three links in the center of the page:

AVG Anti-Virus Free
AVG Anti-Software Free
AVG Anti-Rootkit Free

If you click on the link for AVG Anti-Virus Free, it will take you to a new screen, where you will see a chart with three options (three levels of protection). The two labeled "Internet Security" and "Anti-Virus Pro" and part of the paid subscription version (you can read more about what they offer on the site).

For the free version you will want the one labeled "Anti-Virus Free"... click the Download button, which will take you to a new screen. (Remember, this is for non-commercial personal use only!) Scroll down the page a little and choose the file to download. For Windows you will want the one labeled "AVG Free for Windows Installation Files". They also have user guides, license agreements, etc, below that if you want to download them as well. Click the link and follow the installation instructions.

Follow these same steps to install the AVG Anti-Spywareas well. Each should take approximately 20 minutes depending on your Internet connection speeds and computer know-how!

Once installed, AVG will pop up every time you start your computer and download the most recent updates in a matter of seconds all by itself (you can turn this option off but then you have to remember to update the software yourself!) To run a scan of your computer, open the program and run a full system scan. The program will come back and tell you all of the Virus/Spyware it found and ask what you want to do with it (most often you just delete it).

Enjoy! Let me know if you use it and how much you love it! ;-)

~SHANNON~

I want to become Active on ActiveRain!!

Shannon Elizabeth McInerney (DesigningReality | Shannon McInerney Photography) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:42:51 -0500

Hello All!

I've been a member on ActiveRain for a few months now, but have never posted. Actually, my only real interaction with this site was when one of my photos I posted to Localism was chosen as a Featured Photo by Jonathan! I was so excited since that was the first reason I joined ActiveRain, to share my photos on Localism.

I found this site when I was doing research on Home Staging and I saw that they were looking for photos from members to start up a new site (Localism). So I joined just to post my photos, which I have a lot of!! After a few days I realized what this site actually was... an AMAZING resource for Staging and Real Estate and Photography, exactly what I was looking for for years, all in one place!!

I've been researching the Home Staging profession for a couple of years now, taking in as much information as I could about the field and everything to do with it, so I could make a clear decision on whether it was something I wanted to pursue seriously. Having a Bachelor of Architecture Degree, I have a great background in architecture and design, and I have always had a passion for Photography, Real Estate, Interior Design and Decorating, and everything else related! After all my research I decided that Home Staging would be the perfect blend of everything I love to do!

Currently I work in the Contract Furniture business, designing offices and the like, and yes I have designed my share of Real Estate offices as well! I've also worked with various Architecture and Design firms in the NYC area. I plan on staying in this field until I have a well established Design business (including Home Staging!) Wishful thinking? I hope not!

I've been working on developing my own website and I am creating it on my own, which is why its taking me some time to get it up and running! I am also in the process of getting my own design business up and running, trying to build a client base and a strong portfolio. ActiveRain has been an AWESOME help to me, providing me with some many answers and so many creative ideas!(Even though I have just been a fly on the wall to this point!) I have enjoyed every minute that I spend on this site and I just can't get enough!

So from this point on, I don't want to be just a fly on the wall. After reading though all of the old blogs on ActiveRain I feel like I already know everyone , but no one knows me! So here I am to start blogging! (I hope I didn't talk to much!)

Now off to edit my profile... I need to find a better photo of myself!

:-) SHANNON