2649 make it impossible for lighting designers who work in Texas to work on projects without being licensed as either an electrician, architect, engineer, landscape architect, or interior designer. If Texas passes this bill, there will probably be more bills just like this in other states. Read more at Jim on Light.

Here’s what I wrote to the state senator who represents my old area of Dallas. Feel free to use any of it that you would like:

Senator –

I am writing to urge you to vote NO on HB 2649. HB 2649 has been drafted without any input from lighting designers, and restricts the practice of lighting design to members of other professions and trades, such as architects, engineers and electricians. There are no provisions in the legislation for establishing a licensing standard for lighting designers.

I have a personal investment in this bill. My husband is a Lighting Designer. He is a professional in his craft, having received a Masters in Lighting Design from The Ohio State University and soon to receive a Masters in Architectural Lighting from KTH in Sweden. Additionally, he has taught lighting design as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. He is also a member of the United Scenic Artists union, having had his professional credentials evaluated by his peers.

All of these accolades, education and experience will mean nothing if this bill passes. He is not an architect, interior designer, or engineer. He is a small business owner who provides Lighting Design consultation and services. He will be out of business if this bill passes.

Please consider the economic impact of this legislation. Professional, practicing Lighting Designers in Texas will be out of work.

The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) does not support House Bill 2649. Please consider doing the same.

Texans, please call your senator and tell them to VOTE NO on 2649.

• female-sounding voice, who sounds kind of like the lead singer of The Cranberries
• driving beat
• may or may not contain lyrics including “with you” and “told me” (very helpful, I know)

The beginning of the Arcade Fire’s “Rebellion (Lies)” makes me think of this song. Every time it comes up in my playlist, I think to myself, “HEY, self, it’s that cool song!” but it isn’t. Here’s “Rebellion (Lies)” for reference:

Internet, can you name that tune?

I’ll be slowly working the old static content back in, and making it more mine, but this is the official re-start.

You may need to adjust your RSS feed URL if you had the old /randomthoughts/ domain set in your reader. The new feed is at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/alargehead/.

Miss me?

I also need to burn up some unused massages at Massage Envy — Oklahoma City knows not of its wonders.

Who wants to get some Mai’s? Maybe Friday night?

Friday night, we had dinner at our next door neighbors’. They also invited another new couple in town and the couple that lives across the street. We all had a great time, eating and drinking too much.

It’s nice to finally make some new friends here. Being new to town and working from home, I haven’t really met many people. I’m hoping that is starting to change. This month, there’s a MetaFilter Meetup and there’s supposed to be a RefreshOKC meeting, so I’m thinking I’ll get to meet a few more web nerds like myself.

• We did make the move to Oklahoma City.
• We sold the Dallas house.
• Jim started his job.
• I got to keep mine, but work from home.
• With my team’s manager leaving for a job at eBay, and his replacement being moved to manage another team, I’m now co-leading our small web team.
• We had to put sweet little Rutherford to sleep — one of the hardest things I’ve ever done
• I bought a totally awesome domain for an idea I’ve had mulling around in my head
• Tonight we’re having dinner with our neighbors and I need to go get ready

• $725 would get you a 3 bedroom with 1 bathroom that stunk of cat pee
• $800 would get you a place that had great space, but was last updated in 1970, carpets and appliances included
• $850 would get you a house that needs a new pier in the foundation, and is cracked from floor to ceiling in the living room, plus the hot water constantly runs in the bathtub

Now you Californians and New Yorkers might think that these prices are great, but they are not down here! You can pay a mortgage on a good house here with those sorts of monthly payments. So, we crunched some numbers, and it looks like we’re better off buying again.

So, we’re buying again.

Lowe’s rejoices.