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Hobbies - A thread for other things we kill time doing.
- Thread starter aparch
- Start date
Proud2baLaker
Master of Science
I should post some pics from the instruction booklet which talks about how each addition was made and during what time period. I also have several pics taken as I was building it and it it is kind of interesting to like build the pieta and choir area towards the front (back from the outside, front from the inside if that makes sense) and the ambulatory area around it right up to the ceiling and then move forward to the podium and transept nearly completing that before moving on to the nave and its associated ambulatories and then the two towers before the rest of the roof is built. Then you go back to areas you already built to add things to the outside that were added later (some of the buttresses for example were there from the beginning but others came later). I wanted to pace myself and have it take a bit longer but I got into a groove and got it done faster than I hoped. Haha.
MissThundercat
Are the cis okay?
One day, I will not be able to get off the floor. But it is not this day.
MissThundercat
Are the cis okay?
3rd place out of 3. Congratulations to Jordan Michelle for taking the Amateur Drag Queen of the Year crown and Coca Cola Caliente for the Professional!
But compared to the other pageants I've been in this year, this was not a DFL (dead f-cking last) and it doesn't feel like a DFL.
I read through the judges' comments, and several of them noted drastic improvement, including increased confidence and better presentation overall. The other comments were gentle corrections, things that can be worked on.
When my comedy fell flat, I knew it. I wanted so badly to go upstairs and start the "poor, pitiful me" act. I also wanted so badly to start ripping myself apart for everything, but I reminded myself that part of the creative process is trying things that may or may not work, and I'm not the Pirates or Angels or (insert MLB team usually out of contention by May 1). When I spoke to Gabriella Stratton Galore and husband after the show, I was told to keep working at it. And when someone like Gabriella tells me that I've improved, that's something I can hang my hat on.
On the way home last night, I thought of Anthony Bourdain:
"Maybe that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting place of the mind; no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom...is realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go."
But I thought of Dean Karnazes too:
"Most people never get there. They're afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not constantly demanding more from yourself--expanding and learning as you go--you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip."
And I am so grateful to be on an extraordinary trip with others who want more out of life, are pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, and aren't afraid to be embarrassed.
But compared to the other pageants I've been in this year, this was not a DFL (dead f-cking last) and it doesn't feel like a DFL.
I read through the judges' comments, and several of them noted drastic improvement, including increased confidence and better presentation overall. The other comments were gentle corrections, things that can be worked on.
When my comedy fell flat, I knew it. I wanted so badly to go upstairs and start the "poor, pitiful me" act. I also wanted so badly to start ripping myself apart for everything, but I reminded myself that part of the creative process is trying things that may or may not work, and I'm not the Pirates or Angels or (insert MLB team usually out of contention by May 1). When I spoke to Gabriella Stratton Galore and husband after the show, I was told to keep working at it. And when someone like Gabriella tells me that I've improved, that's something I can hang my hat on.
On the way home last night, I thought of Anthony Bourdain:
"Maybe that’s enlightenment enough: to know that there is no final resting place of the mind; no moment of smug clarity. Perhaps wisdom...is realizing how small I am, and unwise, and how far I have yet to go."
But I thought of Dean Karnazes too:
"Most people never get there. They're afraid or unwilling to demand enough of themselves and take the easy road, the path of least resistance. But struggling and suffering, as I now saw it, were the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not constantly demanding more from yourself--expanding and learning as you go--you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip."
And I am so grateful to be on an extraordinary trip with others who want more out of life, are pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, and aren't afraid to be embarrassed.
MissThundercat
Are the cis okay?
One of the critiques I got Sunday night was "your gown walk music can be no longer than 2 minutes." So last night, I started listening to WWE theme music and figuring out which ones would work.
Possible choices include-
Medal (Kurt Angle), Symphony No. 9 in E Minor (Gunther), My Time (Triple H), Head of the Table (Roman Reigns), and Demon In Your Dreams (Rhea Ripley).
Possible choices include-
Medal (Kurt Angle), Symphony No. 9 in E Minor (Gunther), My Time (Triple H), Head of the Table (Roman Reigns), and Demon In Your Dreams (Rhea Ripley).
Kepler
I loafe and invite my soul
Tonight I rigged up a Rube Goldberg configuration to get continuous power to my scope, so I have increased my max exposure from 2 to 10 hours. For proof of concept I am going after the Crescent Nebula, a very faint diaphanous gas cloud which it appears only exposures topping 5+ hours can get decent imagery of. I am just going to continuously holding it and see what develops. We have zero low/mid/high cloud cover tonight and the moon is pretty far from the range. The main kill joy is and always will be the light pollution -- metro Phoenix where I live has a higher Bortle than metro Manhattan.
wolverineTrumpet
not particularly bad
Michigan Speed Puzzling Championship is this weekend. I will compete, but my times will not be competitive. My goal is to finish in the allotted time, and hopefully not come in last place.
The last Super Saturday I participated in I came in last place at my location....but something like 460ish place nation wide, out of 580 for the solo competition. But the random person I was paired with we came in 3rd at our location for pairs, and 4th for pairs relay.
The last Super Saturday I participated in I came in last place at my location....but something like 460ish place nation wide, out of 580 for the solo competition. But the random person I was paired with we came in 3rd at our location for pairs, and 4th for pairs relay.
Kepler
I loafe and invite my soul
Good luck!!! Have a blast!
Proud2baLaker
Master of Science
Speaking of Jigsaw Puzzles. The LEGO Group just continues to come up with new ways to extract money from me. And for the most part I just go along with it...
These are just the 4 I bought when I saw them at the store yesterday. There were several other new ones. I already have 12 other LEGO jigsaw puzzles...
This one has proven to be the most challenging one so far:
These are just the 4 I bought when I saw them at the store yesterday. There were several other new ones. I already have 12 other LEGO jigsaw puzzles...
This one has proven to be the most challenging one so far:
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Have you looked into any of their name brand competitors that have sprouted up since their brick patents expired? Some of their designs intrigue me, but they don’t appear in many stores yet.
I saw that even Hot Wheels has even started releasing some car builds based upon their old car designs.
Proud2baLaker
Master of Science
I have not. Lumibricks is one that I know is "popular" as it does have a lower price point and often comes with lighting kits. I get a lot of non Lego brand stuff when I buy bulk boxes from Goodwill. I can tell the difference immediately. The quality just isn't there in my view. Not as good of fit. Colors seem off. Slight differences in size of parts compared to the "same" part for lego (e.g. an off brand thin "plate" is often slightly thicker than a Lego one). One thing that was common with some of the less reputable off brands was them stealing original designs people did with Lego and releasing them as sets without credit or compensation to the original designer. That also soured me to some off brands.
For better or worse I am LEGO loyal.
Proud2baLaker
Master of Science
RE: Not seeing them in stores. I see the Hot Wheels and Mega Blocks in stores still. And Brick Craft. I think there might be one or two other off brands I see here and there. Hot wheels really will only have the cars likely and not other designs so it will be popular with folks who already gravitate to the Speed Champions and some of the Technic stuff at Lego. Mega Blocks did/does a lot of Halo stuff I think but I have never been a fan of their bricks. They are some of the ones that I always felt were poorer quality. Anything outside of those and you are likely only going to see them online or in specialty toy stores.
Brick Craft is interesting. I see it at Walmart here. They have some Futurama sets that I have eyeballed. The Planet Express Ship and a buildable Bender are here at my local Walmart (they make the Planet Express building too and other. The cost is low so I have thought about it but I need to do some more research on them to see what quality might be like. They also do a bunch of botanical themed stuff too (Bricktanicals is their line). But just by looking at the pictures on the box, I can tell I wont like them. Too blocky still while the LEGO botanicals seem to do a much better job of recreating the plants and making them look more realistic. Most of what I see on the BrickCraft website is either the Bricktanicals or licensed stuff LEGO is unlikely to touch. Because of this, they have no minifigures or comparable that I can see. And just looking at the pics on their website, I dont know. People claim the quality is good from what I can find but I do not like the looks of some of their stuff.
For the cost, someone wanting to just try some building would probably enjoy the off brands. But if you want minifigures or want certain themes, or have other tastes/preferences, LEGO is really the best (and sometimes only) option.
It is kind of crazy how popular LEGO became in the last 5-10 years. Used to only be at toy stores and big box stores. Now I see it at other stores I wouldn't expect. Tons of independent brick and mortar stores. Franchises and chains (some good, some questionable, *cough* bricks and minifigs *cough*). Or maybe the alogrithim is just making it look like its more popular?
Kepler
I loafe and invite my soul
A trip through the solar system:
Neptune
Uranus with Oberon (@8:30) and Titania (@6:30)
Saturn (rings obscured by glare; sorry) with Iapetus, Rhea, Dionne (farther to nearer above); Tethys (looks like a tiny nub @7:00), and Titan (nearer to farther below)
Jupiter with the four Jovian Moons Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede
Neptune
Uranus with Oberon (@8:30) and Titania (@6:30)
Saturn (rings obscured by glare; sorry) with Iapetus, Rhea, Dionne (farther to nearer above); Tethys (looks like a tiny nub @7:00), and Titan (nearer to farther below)
Jupiter with the four Jovian Moons Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede