Anim: Hindsight in 2020

[Anim07734]

Anim stood on his path once again, unsure of where he was beyond that fact.  His surroundings had changed dramatically, while he was focused on other things.  He had changed as well, in ways he was also unsure of.  But he had stalled for too long already, and standing still wasn't helping him assess the changes, both within and without.  It was past time to start moving again, and to remember who he was.

 

Anim, god of death, keeper of souls, walker of the path...

 

I've been meaning to make a challenge for a while, and life has lined up to make the new year a good time to get back on track.  So that's what I'm going to do.  The biggest thing I've learned over the past year is that my motivations have changed drastically.  I used to be angry about everything (reality sucks, and humans are the worst part), and could channel that into improving myself.

 

But then, this happened:

 

And now I'm happier than I've ever been and it's lasted for longer.  The anger is still there, but it doesn't drive me.  So I'm relearning how to motivate myself to stay on track, and deciding what track I want to be on.

 

In the interest of simplicity, my goals for this challenge are:

-Workout - 3x per week, minimum.  For the time being, I'm going to allow strenuous projects, but the ultimate goal is to make a dedicated workout plan I can follow reliably.

-Projects - Currently working on a drawing desk for one niece and need to make a sewing desk for another, I need to get everything cut and ready for stain/poly so I can take advantage of any good weather days to get them done by March.

-Cosplay - My next assignment is making the fiancee an Arwen dress for Pensacon (end of February).  I'd like to have it done by the end of this challenge, so I have time to work on other costumes.

-Extras

- Attic work - I need to finish, or at least make progress on, insulating my attic while its still cool enough to be in it.

- Etsy store - The fiancee and I want to start an Etsy store for our random decorations and cosplay accessories, so I need to finish researching the legal requirements to make sure we have everything covered before we do.

 

More to come when it's not 2AM.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Congrats man! Following.

[Manarelle]

Hey hey, following again. Glad to hear about the shift away from angry, even if it's weird to readjust and find new motivation. 

 

I am still in awe of how many amazing costumes you make in a year. Looking forward to seeing Arwen - do you already have yours ready? 

[Anim07734]

My fiancee wants Arwen's dress from the coronation scene at the end of RotK, so I'm going to do Aragorn's battle outfit from the fight outside Mordor (because I'm not making the armor for the coronation outfit).  She agreed to make the shoulder and arm pads and bracers for me, since I won't have time to do that and her dress, but most of mine is actually getting ordered off Amazon.

 

But if I can get everything else done in time, I want to start making a new Nightcrawler outfit.  Especially since I already have everything to do so, and just need to actually put in the time.

[Manarelle]

18 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

(because I'm not making the armor for the coronation outfit).

 

Yup, understood. Looking forward to pictures, if you feel so inclined to share.

 

[starsapart]

It's so good to see a familiar face, and I love your goals! I've always been in awe of your cosplay skills.  Following along.

[Anim07734]

Side goal I meant to write down for rebuilding motivation is to be more active on the forums, and I've decided to do that by posting more pictures and upping my gif game.

 

So here's my last 2 finished projects:

Corner shelf for my nephew's "outdoorsman" themed room.  It's going to be a tree trunk and I plan to make tree branch shelves to go above it for his b-day next year.  

 

 

My new work/storage bench made from 3 scavenged ammo crates and some left over plywood.  The far side has 45degree angled sides, which have been super convenient for bracing pieces for sanding.  And it's the same height as my tablesaw and miter saw to help support large pieces.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

1 hour ago, Anim07734 said:

Corner shelf for my nephew's "outdoorsman" themed room.  It's going to be a tree trunk and I plan to make tree branch shelves to go above it for his b-day next year.  

 

Dude, you even cosplay furniture. You are next level for sure.

[Manarelle]

18 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

My new work/storage bench made from 3 scavenged ammo crates and some left over plywood.  The far side has 45degree angled sides, which have been super convenient for bracing pieces for sanding.  And it's the same height as my tablesaw and miter saw to help support large pieces.

 

Love the fitting shelves for hardware, and especially the hangars for the hand tools. I r jealous.  

[WhiteGhost]

Following along   

 

That woodcrafting stuff looks great

[raptron]

NEAT PROJECTS.

[Anim07734]

Week 0 showed progress. 

-Workout - I only got 2 "workouts,"  but I also caught up on sleep.  So I'm calling it a win.

-Projects - I'm working on my plan for the sewing desk, so I should be able to start on it this weekend.  Got the drawing desk setup in the guestroom, so I can put on the last coat of stain next time we get a warm, dry day.

-Cosplay - Decided to finally try this "mockup the pattern first" concept with Arwen (it took us 6mo to find the fabric and I don't want to ruin it).  Got the first mockup done last week, and *surprise* it doesn't fit a real person.  So now I'm taking it apart and modifying it to fit the Fiancee's curves.

-Extras - It was too hot to work in the attic, because Florida x_x, so I spent some time reorganizing my Magic cards (that I've been meaning to sell for years) to a format that matches the online buying site I found.  My plan it to get those sold and use the money as starting cash for our Etsy.

 

I also took a break from all my planned stuff to paint a mini I've been meaning to get to:

The Purple Worm is a classic DnD monster known for swallowing it's meals whole.  For reference, a person occupies one of those grid squares during combat (representing a 5x5ft space).

[WhiteGhost]

That purple worm looks great

[Manarelle]

8 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

-Workout - I only got 2 "workouts,"  but I also caught up on sleep.  So I'm calling it a win.

 

Oh heck yes that's an awesome win. Setting the stage for future wins. 

 

8 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

-Cosplay - Decided to finally try this "mockup the pattern first" concept with Arwen (it took us 6mo to find the fabric and I don't want to ruin it).  Got the first mockup done last week, and *surprise* it doesn't fit a real person.  So now I'm taking it apart and modifying it to fit the Fiancee's curves.

 

This is so freaking annoying. I don't think I've had a single sewing pattern work right the first time - they're always either super big or super small, and have some aspect that is wildly misproportioned. It took me way too long to figure out, but the pattern I'm using for the Taboo/ Valkyrie vests even has the triangle to match sides together in the wrong place. Ok, sorry, rant over. Grats on finding the fabric, and good luck with the mockup. 

 

Mini looks awesome.... and huge.... 

[Anim07734]

2 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

That purple worm looks great

I'm especially proud of the simplicity, since I'm trying to reduce the time I spend on each model.  7 colors on the worm, with an extra 6 on the base (reusing the black and red from the worm).

 

31 minutes ago, Manarelle said:

This is so freaking annoying. I don't think I've had a single sewing pattern work right the first time - they're always either super big or super small, and have some aspect that is wildly misproportioned. It took me way too long to figure out, but the pattern I'm using for the Taboo/ Valkyrie vests even has the triangle to match sides together in the wrong place. Ok, sorry, rant over. Grats on finding the fabric, and good luck with the mockup. 

It's worth ranting about.  The only problem I've had with men's patterns is finding the right size, but women's patterns... just, what were you thinking?  It seems like most of them were designed for the vague idea of what a woman might look like, then tailored to fit a rail thin model.  At least I'm getting better at adjusting the pattern for my Fiancee, and if I continue with the mockups, I'll be able to remake them much easier.

[Snickie]

10 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

It was too hot [...], because Florida x_x

I feel this. 

[Manarelle]

21 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

It's worth ranting about.  The only problem I've had with men's patterns is finding the right size, but women's patterns... just, what were you thinking?  It seems like most of them were designed for the vague idea of what a woman might look like, then tailored to fit a rail thin model.  At least I'm getting better at adjusting the pattern for my Fiancee, and if I continue with the mockups, I'll be able to remake them much easier.

 

You're not wrong. Good to know men's patterns are fairly decent though - if the gentleman is getting into cosplay, I'll need to make things for him, too. I feel like women's patterns (and clothing) are, yes, made to fit rail thin ideals an then just "well that's your problem" if you're not that. 

 

21 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

I'm especially proud of the simplicity, since I'm trying to reduce the time I spend on each model.  7 colors on the worm, with an extra 6 on the base (reusing the black and red from the worm).

 

As you should be. I wouldn't have said that was trying to be simple, it looks badass.

[raptron]

Excellent worm.

[WhiteGhost]

On 1/7/2020 at 11:17 PM, Anim07734 said:

I'm especially proud of the simplicity

Simplicity is not a word I would have used to describe that paint job.  Extra props for making it look that great with such a limited palette 

[Anim07734]

 

-Workout - I only got 2 workouts, again.  Need to get better at heading off my excuses.  

-Projects - Nothing.

-Cosplay - Got the next iteration in mocking up the Arwen dress done last weekend, but my Fiancee's been sick all week, so it hasn't gotten a fitting yet.

-Extras - Almost done with the Magic card resort, then I can quit using that as an excuse to put off other stuff.

 

The Fiancee's new job is getting frustrating.  They know she took a pay cut to go there (and, more importantly, get somewhere less stressful), but promised she'd get 40hr weeks to minimize the financial hit.  Last week she got 35 hrs, and she's scheduled for less than 30 this week...  And the boss's boss who writes the schedule was unresponsive when she asked for an extra day.  She hasn't said she wants to start looking for something else (partly because she's been sick for almost 2 weeks now), but that's the direction I'm looking if this keeps up.  Not that I get a say beyond "I'll always be here, whatever you decide."

 

In more fun news, I decided to spend the x-mas/b-day money from my parents on starting my next tattoo (adding to my crest I got last year):

 

 

Planning to go back sometime next month to get them all colored.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I strongly, strongly approve of your taste in tattoos.

[WhiteGhost]

Those tats are great!

[Anim07734]

I've already forgotten most of last week, so here's my update:

-Workout - 3 workouts in the week (finally) and have 3 planned for this week.

-Projects - Started on the sewing desk.  Made less progress than I'd like, but its a start.

-Cosplay - 3rd iteration for Arwen is ready for fitting.

-Extras - Used the holiday weekend to finish sorting Magic cards and selling the ones I could.  They currently only want 1/4 of my cards, but they're paying almost double what I hoped to get for the entire set, so I'll take it.  I just have to wait a couple weeks for shipping, grading, and finalizing the order, then I'll have money to start our Etsy store and get my tattoo finish, with the rest going towards wedding prep.

[Manarelle]

10 hours ago, Anim07734 said:

They currently only want 1/4 of my cards, but they're paying almost double what I hoped to get for the entire set, so I'll take it

 

DANG. Congrats! Nice work on the workouts, too. 

[Anim07734]

Since I'm trying to do more pictures, here was my workout last Saturday and again this morning:

Friends decided to take advantage of the cooler weather to help us clean up our backyard and start making it usable.  (I only did a ~20% of the work, personally.)  There's still a lot of work left, like digging out root balls and tree trimming.  But I now have access to the entire yard to do so.

 

 

Also, I've been meaning to ask, but does anyone have ideas on how to drum up interest in the minichallenges/sidequests?  It's demotivating to repeatedly put in the work to create them, and then have interest peter out halfway through the challenge.  Is it time to just throw in the towel and focus on PVP challenges to motivate me?