cn3wton, Battle log of Ages

[cn3wton]

A summary of the past week/weekend.

 

Things have been going really great at work. I have been focused more and completing tasks and overall doing good work. I still need to get my schedule nailed down. Its ok for me to come in a bit late every now and then but I really want to start getting their at 8am more often. One so I can leave earlier and 2 so I am a bit more consistent for the people working under me.

 

I have had lingering after effects of the cold/whatever the hell I had going on 2 weeks ago. I think I am coming out the other side but I am still quite tired more often than I would like. I am hoping that resolves itself soon. If it extends to the weekend I am going to need to make a trip to get it checked out.

 

Diet wise and weight wise I am on a consistent trajectory. Things are getting better but nothing is perfect. And thats ok. As my signature states "progress not perfection."

 

This past weekend I went to the casino with my mother. She had a free nights stay and tickets to see a female comedian who I shall not name but shes somewhat popular and it was god awful. Horrible raunchy jokes that where just bad. I ended up walking out with my mother after a joke about COVID. I knew it was bad and I tried to tell me mom to skip it and just enjoy the other parts of the casino, but she really wanted to go. I had told her I would skip it but she called me while she was waiting in the theater and convinced me to come down. We met quite a few other people who skipped out on the show. I have nothing against people that enjoy that type of comedy, but its just not for me. Everyone has their own tastes.

 

I enjoy gambling as a social event and to win small amounts of money from time to time. I never go into a casino expecting to walk out richer. It's not why I go. I enjoy and love the game CRAPS. I am far from an expert but I enjoy every aspect of it. Especially throwing the dice. Betting has just enough strategy involved and the other players are rarely as hostile as players can be at games such as blackjack. I understand that a lot of people and are heavily dead set against gambling. And I respect that. I can see and have fallen into the trap that gambling can present. Its hard to win a lot of money and then not get a little hooked. It takes massive self discipline similar to alcohol. I enjoy playing and would never push anyone into it if they aren't comfortable.

 

This past weekend was a bust. I tried some new strategies that didn't pay off. And that's okay. I am looking at building my own portable table at home to practice throwing from and maybe play some for fun games with friends or those interested in learning. The idea of craps being a game of skill is highly debated. Some say that no matter what you do you can't control the dice. Others say you can and should. I don't necessarily buy into either camp. All I know is that certain throws wouldn't be banned if it weren't possible to control the dice in some way, and certain etiquette rules wouldn't exist either. 

 

There is a fantastic buffet at the casino. Due to covid you get one take out container that people behind glass fill with what you want for you. Its a pretty good idea and great system. I was proud of myself as I barely ate 1/4 of what i had them put in the container. The leftovers will be eaten up by my father.

 

All in all things are still going good and I intend to keep it that way.

[cn3wton]

I have returned to my battle log for a time!

 

Yesterday the leashes I bought for Ryker came in. They are thinner slip leads. The thinness allows me to wrap it around just behind his head and for it to stay there. This provides more control and input to him, It was startling how as soon as I put the leash on he "remembered" what we used to do. Door exercises were he doesn't just bolt out. Staying beside me while walking and focusing on me and where I am going. We did many stops which he nailed, but it will take some time for him to relearn to focus on me. He's a very curious inquisitive dog. Always looking around at whats going on. I love that about him, but at the same time it causes him to act out. Barking and other undesirable behaviors.

 

Behaviors that are all on for me for letting them continue and progress to this point. The walk was in our back field on my Uncles runway. Which meant I got some distance in along with the training. This should help settle him. I am also going to actively start working on getting rid of his tendency to jump. 

 

Again all things that are my fault. He needs to be shown what to do and what not to do. I'm not concerned with him being a show dog or trained to some crazy high level. But I want him to have the best life possible. Meaning I want him to be able to interact with people without knocking them over. And not bark when he can't reach everyone at a party. These things will come in time.

 

My weight fluttered back up again. Yesterday was a "fat guy day". Which meant my habits reared their ugly head. It started off very well with avoiding an unnecessary breakfast and getting back into intermittent fasting. Work brought in lunch for everyone which was chicken BBQ. And I did fairly good here as well. However on my way home I called my parents. My dad is going in for carpal tunnel surgery today and I wanted to get them something good for dinner. They chose texas roadhouse. And instead of being happy with the meal because I was "hungry" I ordered boneless chicken wings as well. So I devoured those and 2 rolls on my way home. I call days like these "fat guy days" because I forget discipline and throw the diet out the window. But I am not gonna let days like this get to me and define me.

 

I am going to be chilling here in the battle log for a bit. I am undecided on wether or not I am going to do the next challenge or not. We shall see.

[Elastigirl]

We all have days like that. The important thing is getting back in the game. Another thought is to look back and see what made you stumble.How can you prepare yourself so that next time  you will make choices that line up better with your goals?

[cn3wton]

So the weight loss is in a funky spot because of everything going on. I wont say I am off the rails, but I am seeing signs of that. So recommitting today seems like a wise choice.

 

Weeded the entire garden by hand because it was so overgrown I could hardly see some of the good plants. Was a lot of work and I am still sore from sunday. But perhaps the worst thing is that I didnt wear gloves so a lot of the cuticles at the base of my nails got damaged and are a bit sensitive. Ive dealt with them before but its just annoying.

 

 

[cn3wton]

So its been a bit. Life has been nuts but in a good way. The weight is not necessarily falling off but I haven't gained a ton either. So the last few days I have been focusing on that again and really getting back into intermittent fasting and its working great!

 

I took Futuras masterclass on abstract spraypaint art. It's something I've never done and I've never really understood abstract art so I wanted to try it out. I watched the entire series, then when right to the local Ollies for some cheap canvas and spraypaint to give it a shot. I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars to add unneeded pressure. And This is some progress pics of the first piece I did. It is far from done I think as the Black mess on the right was a mistake and me taking it too far. But I am going to try to reintroduce some white and see where it goes. Worse case I just paint the whole thing white and start again! I got 12 canvases from ollies for super cheap along with cheap spraypaint so its all about having fun and not worrying about anything and it was very very freeing as an artist. I typically do portraiture and figure work and always get caught up on realism, proportions, etc etc etc. It was nice to just paint for paintings sake.

 

Let me know what you think!

[deftona]

I love it! It reminds me of a moody, blurry close up of the stamens of a flower. 

[cn3wton]

58 minutes ago, deftona said:

I love it! It reminds me of a moody, blurry close up of the stamens of a flower. 

What is cool is everyone I have shown this to has seen something different. 

[Shello]

Oooh, I quite like it and it sounds like fun to do.  

[deftona]

8 minutes ago, cn3wton said:

What is cool is everyone I have shown this to has seen something different. 

 

That's the beauty of abstract art! It's like a Rorschach test

[cn3wton]

8 minutes ago, Shello said:

Oooh, I quite like it and it sounds like fun to do.  

It really was a blast! I intend to do more tonight!

8 minutes ago, deftona said:

 

That's the beauty of abstract art! It's like a Rorschach test

Yes I am beginning to see the appeal!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I see the stamens in the first pic but the second one is powered up superheroes blazing through space in close formation about to lay a beatdown on some villains. The theme song is playing louder and louder. 

[cn3wton]

7 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

I see the stamens in the first pic but the second one is powered up superheroes blazing through space in close formation about to lay a beatdown on some villains. The theme song is playing louder and louder. 

 

See I thought of that effect as the "comet" effect but yea I def see that too!

[Elastigirl]

Very cool, but apparently I have no imagination, because I have no idea what it looks like.😄

[cn3wton]

16 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Very cool, but apparently I have no imagination, because I have no idea what it looks like.😄

Haha thats okay too! I have no idea what im doing soooo

[cn3wton]

Last night I did another abstract piece. This time a triptych. Also known as 3 pieces that make one.

 

It was a lot of fun to do and that is what is most important.

 

 

I might take seperate photos of each panel later tonight. I set them apart to dry and some of the panels look better on their own I think.

[cn3wton]

I am finally feeling motivated to do fun maker style things. Which is freaking sweet.

 

Last night I did not do another abstract painting, instead I decided to make a foam prop weapon/dagger. There is a local LARP I am considering trying out. It's part LARP part reenactment style. No ducttape, no sneakers, you need to look like you belong in the space and the time period. So the foam weapons have to have a passable level of realism. Weapons are expensive and I've always wanted to make some so I gave it a go.

 

I ordered "good" materials online. But decided that I couldn't wait so I stopped a few places on my way home to get materials. The fiberglass rod and the floor mat foam being the 2 big pieces. I also bought 2 larger tools that I've been wanting forever so what better time than now right?

 

I wanted to keep the first one simple so I decided to do a dagger that is within requirements for the Larp. Which are 16" from bottom of handle to tip of weapon minimum. 5/8" of foam between core material and striking surfaces, all non striking surfaces that arent the handle must have 3/8" of foam minimum.  So I drew up my template and gave it a shot.

 

I decided to do just the plade and attack a simple handle afterwards. I sketched out the basic shape of Aragorns dagger than adjusted to meet specs for safety. Marking where the core material would go at its center. In retrospect I should have started with a simpler shape because compound curves. But we will get to that part.

 

After cutting out the template I used a dremel to carve out a place for the fiberglass core to sit. That way I could sandwich the foam together around it flush. I put it between two boards and clamped it for 15 minutes while the glue dried.

 

 

After 15 minutes I pulled it out and was pleasently happy but saw some places where I could certainly improve. Since I am currently hand routing the space for the core its hard to ensure perfect alignment. Which is okay I can just sand the edges flush. But if I put the edge as the bare minimum from the edge and have to remove ANYTHING then its out of safety spec for the game. But thats okay this isn't meant to be a final product anyways.

 

 

I took the "knife" to the sanders I had. In retrospect I should have done some tests before diving right in. But live and learn. I used my 4" wide belt sander to get the edges flush then knock in a basic edge bevel where I could. Then I decided to try out my 1" wide belt sander... And it ripped into one side of my project like it was its job. Ruining the piece. But thats okay I flipped it over and tried hand sanding the other side and using a dremel to figure out work flow. This first attempt will be a good test piece and reminder for future projects.

 

Undeterred I decided to make an ACTUAL simple weapon. I followed the same steps and I am pretty happy with where I got before having to turn in for the night. I sanded it up to 600 grit and will grab a heat gun to try to achieve a nice smooth finish. But all in all I think it oculd be passible with just a bit more work. I will move on to testing paint!

 

 

At the end of the night I had fun, which was awesome. I didn't get angry or discouraged with the initial failure. And I shared these same photos with the group to get some tips and guidance to ensure I'm not making any blatant mistakes. I can't wait to share more photos with you as these progress!

[Elastigirl]

Very cool! And bonus points for not getting angry or frustrated with your first attempts. The struggle with that is real. 

[DarK_RaideR]

On 8/10/2021 at 8:34 PM, cn3wton said:

See I thought of that effect as the "comet" effect but yea I def see that too!

Yup, I was seeing a meteor or asteroid shower myself.

[cn3wton]

On 8/12/2021 at 4:06 PM, Elastigirl said:

Very cool! And bonus points for not getting angry or frustrated with your first attempts. The struggle with that is real. 

 

Yes I was very happy. Usually I hold myself to unrealistic expectations and get frustrated and angry when it isn't perfect. I need to realize that I havent done this for years and am a master at it. And set realistic expectations. Its been a huge help and I am loving the projects!

 

On 8/13/2021 at 5:11 AM, DarK_RaideR said:

Yup, I was seeing a meteor or asteroid shower myself.

 

I am hopefully going to do another one tonight. I am having fun making and sharing them!

[cn3wton]

Last night I did a bit of sketching while watching suicide squad. So I figured I wouls start with the art stuff first!

 

One character is pretty obvkous, the other is just random sketching and not really any specific character.

 

When I was on my way home after my dentist appointment the interior designer let me know he couldn't make it. This is the 4th cancelation which is a bit of a drag. I wish he would just be honest and say "its going to take more itme because I am swamped" or SOMETHING. Instead of canceling 1-2 hours beforehand.

 

So I got home and my mother was down letting the dog out. She had forgotten that I had the dentist appointment but she relaxed in the lounger lawn chair in my garage and we chatted and relaxed as Ryker lounged on his dog bed. My Dad bought me a table saw off of Facebook Marketplace, and he came down to check it out with me. It will be a good starter one and more than enough for the projects I will use it for. We all relaxed for an hour or so before getting to other stuff.

 

The "good" foam came in for making more LARP weapons, but I forgot to grab the correct glue so I decided to wait and pick that up today before trying to make another one. I also got a blade sharpener to sharpen the knives. 

 

Diet wise things are going okay. I need to get a bit more focused but I have kept everything under control. My weight hasn't skyrocketed like it normally does when I go off the wagon and thats good. I was actually doing really well yesterday, but was feeling a bit lazy and went in earlier than normal the last few weeks to watch TV. This ineveitably led to me being hungry and eating more than I should.

 

All in all things are trending in the right direction and I am happy, and thats most important.

[cn3wton]

Last night some more foam and supplies came for more boffer weapons. I rushed every step and got pretty frustrated. The cuts where bad, the glue was bad, the finish was bad. It just all fell apart. I got a bit frustrated but took a breath and fixed everything. Sharpened the knife, changed out for a higher grit on my belt sander, and organized my workbench a bit. With a level head I used the now failed short sword to test the changes and the results were night and day. I will be trying again soon, armed with the knowledge I gleamed from the failure.

 

Yesterday I had to break my fast early. Well I didn't need to I did. With garbage from the vending machine so my weight fluttered up a bit. Not going to sweat it just keep pushing forward.

[Elastigirl]

Yay for working through the frustration.And for realizing that the first poor efforts were due to you rushing. That's one of my mistakes too. I just want to get it done, and then I rush, and mess it up.

[WhiteGhost]

Looking forward to seeing what the finished weapon looks like

[cn3wton]

On 8/18/2021 at 11:35 AM, Elastigirl said:

Yay for working through the frustration.And for realizing that the first poor efforts were due to you rushing. That's one of my mistakes too. I just want to get it done, and then I rush, and mess it up.

 

Yes. When I used to do vinyl wraps as a job I always told every person I trained that you should never rush. And if you think you've messed something up take a step back and take a breath. You can usually fix it but if you panic and try to fix it it rarely works out. I should take my own advice with this!

 

13 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

Looking forward to seeing what the finished weapon looks like

 

I am excited to share them!

 

Last night I stopped on my way home to get some better supplys to make the weapons with. I got home a bit later and was excited to try everything out. Everything went pretty good until final sanding. Where I rushed and once again ruined another piece. I got frustrated again but took a second and turned it into another learning experience. I cut the back side off and decided to test a few techniques on it. I managed to find a way to get a pretty smooth surface that I was happy with.

 

Basically the issue I am having is intricate details and curves. I cant reach these with my belt sander so I tried to hand sand it with 80 grit. Which ripped it apart. Frustration ensued. So I cut the bad side off, played with the belt sander to learn and then tried hand sanding with a few different tools for much better results. I also learned that once gluing I need to give it a bit more time to dry (like 24 to 48 hours) if I am going to use heat to smooth anything because it wont hold as well until fully cured.

 

On to the next!

[Elastigirl]

This was my husband's Christmas gift

Sanding Detailer Finishing Kit, Finer Grits, 24 piece - Sanding Blocks - Amazon.com

It's a hand sander that allows you to get into little place