Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[Stitchawl]

Packing my gear... two bags full. One with weapons (three foils and three épées, assorted extra repair parts, body wires, replacement blades, 2 masks, two gloves, and uniform,) and one with clothes and toys for three days. I just finished making up a new batch of my 'Super Duper Mega Energy Bars' and put them in the fridge to harden up a bit and blend the flavors. Camera stuff is sorted and packed, 16 home-packaged tea bags packed, American Express Card, guitar picks (who knows? I might get lucky,) and an umbrella. I think I'm ready...
Over there, over there
Send the word, send the word over there
That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming
The drums are rum-tumming everywhere

So prepare, say a prayer
Send the word, send the word to beware
We'll be over there, we're coming over
And we won't come back till it's over over there.

Next stop... Bangkok!


Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

Good luck! We expect pictures! Never mind that you are 5 to 6 adventures behind in that department!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

Good luck! We expect pictures! Never mind that you are 5 to 6 adventures behind in that department!

Uh... yeah... Well, about that.... See, I've been experimenting with my new video camera, which really is pretty easy to use. It's the back end that's causing me problems. Well, that and the videography too.

I'm able to capture, in stunning color, hours of boring footage.
I guess videographers know what to look for when they shoot. I don't.
Then there is the editing. I'm trying to learn how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, the video software that is to moving pictures as Adobe Photoshop is to still pictures. It ain't easy... So far I can get the cut and the pastes, and even the transitions, but I can't get the exposure and contrast correction part yet, nor slow down sections so they can be seen smoothly and long enough. (Remember, I'm shooting from a moving motorcycle.) It's coming, but it's coming slowly.

Between trying to learn the software, making electronic test boxes, modifying fencing weapons (I've been molding and casting lead counter-weights to fit the handles so as to change the balance point of my weapons,) playing guitar, playing ping pong with my wife, answering e-mails, and surfing all the best porn sites on the Internet, I just have so little free time these days... Now, this weekend is a lost cause, as I'll be away until Monday night, although I will be bringing a copy of Video Editing for Complete Idiots, or what ever the name is of the book I bought to read on the trip.

Patience is a virtue, they say. Of course, I always wondered why 'Hurry the F@#k Up!' isn't a virtue?

Don't look for me 'til you see me coming.

Stitchawl

[kindlekitten]

Likely story! It's all the hours at the salon!

[Quexos]

Watching a show called "Masters of Horror" and it's better than I thought it would be, not mind-blowing but okay !

[kindlekitten]

Resisting getting up. I have a kitty blanket at the moment. It's been raining for over 24 hours. Bleh

[Rumpelteazer]

Waiting for this week's There's No Such Thing As A Fish podcast to be uploaded. Normally I listen to it on Saturday night but I'm really in the mood for some fun facts tonight.

[kindlekitten]

Procrastinating
again
I need to start packing, wash clothes, wash my hair (I can't find my comb). My room is still in summer mode and I can't get the window behind the cat condo down. It's probably in the mid 50's here

And this should probably go into the vent and rant thread. But I still can't find my comb

[Rumpelteazer]

Taking a look at my planning for next week. Which is really boring.

What I really want to do is order some new creative stuff and start working on a new project. But on November 5 the annual hobby fair starts and I expect I can get all, or at least most, of the stuff I want there for less than ordering online. So I have to force myself to wait and keep myself busy with making lists.

[Stitchawl]

Home again, after a delightful weekend of sword fighting adventure.
Six of us from the club entered the competition, including the Fencing Master's daughter. Her first tournament! She did pretty well too. She won two of her five 'pool' matches, but it wasn't enough to make the cut-off for the next round of elimination pools.

Four of us went all the way to the semi-finals, where each of us was soundly, thoroughly, and roundly trounced! Although I was 45 years older than my opponent in the semi-finals, and far more experienced, there is no question that he not only was faster and had more energy, he really did 'out-think' me as well! He played me like a fish, and beat me 15-9!
It was 'almost' a pleasure to lose to him. 'Almost.' One of our club members beat an Olympic fencer in his elimination pool bout, and made a name for the Chiang Mai Fencing Club. We were just about the only 'old people' at the tournament. Most of the Thai National team, many from the Malaysia National Team, and two Olympic fencers who left the team four years ago were fencing this weekend. All in their 20's and 30's. The coach of the Hungarian National team was there, but he didn't fence. Lots of heavy competition at this meet!

So now I'm cleaning my equipment, re-taping the Foil blades, grinding out the nicks and gouges in the edges of the Foils and Épées, testing the body cords for breakages in the wires, and putting my uniform into the washing machine. There's another tournament at the end of next month to plan for!

Stitchawl

[Rumpelteazer]

Looking, once more, for a watch. Which is hard with my metal allergy. Yesterday I came across the Swatch Sistem51. The hinge pin is made out of metal, so there are a couple of tiny metal points on the side, but hopefully that isn't a problem. The casing is made out of plastic, the band from leather and the buckle is plastic.

I also like that it hasn't got a battery. You charge it by movement or by turning the crown. Without movement the charge lasts 90 hours. And best of all it's affordable at €130.

There's a Swatch store nearby, so after work this afternoon I'll go by to check it out.

[kindlekitten]

Trying to get at least a few more hours sleep at 0330 in the morning. Yet another long day looming tomorrow

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Looking, once more, for a watch. Which is hard with my metal allergy. Yesterday I came across the Swatch Sistem51. The hinge pin is made out of metal, so there are a couple of tiny metal points on the side, but hopefully that isn't a problem. The casing is made out of plastic, the band from leather and the buckle is plastic.

I also like that it hasn't got a battery. You charge it by movement or by turning the crown. Without movement the charge lasts 90 hours. And best of all it's affordable at €130.

There's a Swatch store nearby, so after work this afternoon I'll go by to check it out.

A lot of folks have stopped wearing watches in favor of checking the time on their phones. As most phones are plastic, would this be a solution you might be interested in?

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

Trying to get at least a few more hours sleep at 0330 in the morning. Yet another long day looming tomorrow

At least here there's a long night coming in a few days in which to catch up on sleep. Is Washington subject to Daylight Savings Time?

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

A lot of folks have stopped wearing watches in favor of checking the time on their phones. As most phones are plastic, would this be a solution you might be interested in?

I want it mostly for when I'm working in our store. Keeping my phone on my is impractical because I have a tendency to bump into things and I don't want to keep it in the office/workshop because of security reason (sales people, representatives and the occasional customer come into the space).

The local Swatch store has it in stock and I tried it out on my wrist. Although it's big it isn't too big for my wrist and I prefer a big watch over a small one. The salesperson did point out to me that the Sistem51 is a men's watch, not that I care about that.