| Moving |
[Sep. 1st, 2009|10:54 am] |
We have left Texas. We are moving to Richmond, Virginia. So glad to be shut of Texas. Some of the people there are really terrific. Most of them suck rocks. The state in general sucks rocks. It's way too damn hot, the politicians are so determined to support the GOP that they blatantly ignore facts, and they still execute prisoners with enthusiasm, and never admit it when it's proved they killed an innocent man. Virginia may not be much better, but at least it's not Texas.
In other news, I'm waiting to hear from Derakon, the guy who did those magnificent ray-traced tutorials on how to make maille. His website went down quite some time ago. I hope he has those pages archived somewhere. |
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| How long? |
[Feb. 11th, 2009|05:27 pm] |
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Not sure how long it's been. I keep this account mainly so I can follow Ursula Vernon's LJ. All I can really think of is creebing about my job, and nobody really wants to hear that, much less read it. Sorry, no funny here. |
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| Post Conference Exhaustion |
[Mar. 19th, 2005|09:42 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  rejuvenated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | the happy whine of the server | ] |
But it's a good exhaustion. I worked my butt off, for three straight days plus part of a fourth, but I feel like I seriously accomplished something. Over this past weekend, well, let's see.
Thursday was move-in and set-up, and I made a couple of pre-show sales to other vendors and conference staff. Serious stuff, necklaces, not minor little doodads. Lots of talking with people and schmoozing and renewing contacts from last year and the like.
Friday the conference began. Wow. I don't have the attendance figures, but the Sheraton was packed. I know my wife said something about over twelve hundred at some point, but I don't know if that was an early figure, or a comparison with last year, or what. What I do know is that I had people at my table pretty much the whole day, except when I was teaching classes. There were LOTS of people whose kids hadn't been able to get into my classes, and this despite teaching four classes as opposed to last year's one. No triple booking this year, for which I was profoundly grateful. So, one beginning class, one advanced class, with Bethany from the Northwest HOUSE group at the beginning class, whcih was greatly appreciated. She's a mailler, self-taught, with impressive skills, and an outfit you have to see to believe. There's this complicated bodice, in e4-1 for the main part and j4-1 for the lower section, with hp3-1 and spiral swags, done in bright aluminum with pink and purple and blue for accents. Then she's got a belt with lots of swags and stuff, and handflowers, and armlets, and a necklace, and so forth. Very impressive work. I met her at the Halloween dance, and invited her to attend my classes as a co-instructor. She was very helpful, and we got through e4-1 in record time. The afternoon advanced class, no Bethany, she was busy, but I struggled through teaching Byzantine, ending with a happy group of kids with lengthy bits of chain. In between and around, I taught several kids basic maille at my booth, sometimes one, a couple of times two, with lots of customers zooming around and wow was it busy. By the end of the night, it was all I could do to order Chinese delivery to the hotel room and collapse.
Saturday was substantially busier. Holy cow, was it frantic. By this point, I had people buying loose rings like crazy. I had to stop selling loose rings to make sure I had enough for my afternoon class. I ran out of ring containers and was selling them by the scoop in brown paper lunch bags. I ran out of business cards. My wife suggested I take a pieceof spare posterboard from the vendor hall control table na dmake a sign about group rates for lessons, which I did, and got dozens of inquiries. I should listen to my wife better, especially considering that she's the marketing person for Nwyvre WeaveWyrks. I'm good at building stuff, and running the table, and all, but she's got a lot more vision of the market and what will do well. So group rates are going up on the website, and I'm going to American Science and Surplue tomorrow to buy LOTS more containers and start building kits, and have to find a source for wholesale pliers by the case. Bethany was at both the beginning class in the morning and the advanced class in the afternoon, and very helpful both times. The other kids looked at what she was wearing and just marveled. I had a dozen or so kids go through the booth for individual lessons, and some from the classes come by the booth to get in extra weaving time, including one girl who I had to take the pliers away from because she started griping about her hands cramping up but wouldn't stop weaving. When your hands start to hurt, it's time to put the pliers down, before you do yourself an injury. By the end of the day, I'd sold so many loose rings in 5/16" 16g bright aluminum that I was able to toss the big coffee cans I'd brought them in, and bring the last remnants home in backup tape cartridge boxes like I keep my anodized raw rings in. Out of something like four pounds of bright aluminum, I brought home a handful each of open and closed. I sold off six of the small canisters of anodized aluminum in 18g 3/16" to a staffer whose daughter wanted to get more seriously into maille. Yeah, by the end of the show I was selling my own supplies. The preliminary financials say that we did about double the business this year as last year. My wife wants to start booking us into other homeschooler conferences. I say, go for it.
Sunday was checkout from the hotel and the obligatory trip to Mitsuwa, the Japanese shopping mall in Arlington Heights. No way was I going to be in the neighborhood for four days and not pop by Mitsuwa. Mmmm, an donuts. A heavenly marriage of East and West, deep-fried sugar bombs filled with sweet red bean paste. Marvelous. And we brought home sesame oil for the wok so the stir fry will taste right, and plenty of instant miso soup, and a few other goodies.
Monday I was dragging badly, and having to majorly overcaffeinate to stay awake at work, and fell asleep when I got home, but it's a good tired. I taught something like 24 kids in formal classes, and probably that many, I lost count, too darned busy at the booth to keep count, in the vendor hall. It's such an amazing feeling to see someone pick up pliers and realize they can accomplish something. I really like the feeling I get when teaching. Maybe, with luck, the maille business will expand to the point where it becomes my day job. That would be so sweet.
But in the meantime, I have a book to write, and inventory to do, and the financials to complete, and taxes to pay, and all the usual post show detritus to handle. We're adding more textiles, Tiffany is working on scarves and shawls and the like, and she wants to start carrying potholder looms and weaving cards and such. She's the marketing person, I say, sure, let's do it, and see what happens. I've got serious inquiries about group lessons and workshops and birthday parties to handle. I've got a website to update. I should be doing all that instead of LJing but what the heck, got to tell somebody about this even if it's just anonymous readers, assuming I have any :).
Oh, and I ordered over $200 worth of rings from Ring Lord this week, biggest order I've put in to them yet, seven pounds of aluminum, three of the big stuff I use for teaching and making kits and stuff like that, and the rest all anodized in lots of pretty colors. More about that later. I'll try to remember to post an inventory of the order when it arrives. |
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| Progress Report |
[Feb. 16th, 2005|11:53 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | None, stuck at work | ] |
The short fiction piece for Burning Desires is in second draft, and has passed the Wife Test. Now to copy it into the document, and deal with a few other issues. I have to do a map of the ceramics complex, drop in a few quotes from Robin Laws' Throal book, add a glossary of dwarf and ork language and other in-game terms, and touch up the adventure in several other ways. I hope to get this thing off to the editor in the next couple of weeks, so that it can go to blueline.
Put in some time on the Maille book, but it's kind of stuck due to the photos my father in law shot being pretty much useless. My wife and I think he didn't take it seriously - oh look, the kids are writing a book, isn't that cute. Never mind that I'm in my early forties. Anyway, the black and white shots he did are badly framed, some of them are out of focus, and the background is busy. My wife says she'll do the reshoot, with a plain white background, and looking over my shoulder so as to see what I see. Got to get working on that seriously. It was supposed to be completely done in time for the homeschooling conference next month, but I just don't see that happening.
Work continues on the 20g stainless steel lamp. You can see my earlier works at Nwyvre WeaveWyrks. This one's going to be a cross between the hot air balloon design and the Moroccan hourglass, with a large canopy, then Byzantine web going down to a small holding basket for the candle. After that, I'll finish a basketball-net lantern in stainless and unpolished black steel, then start thinking about what I'm gong to do with the fish votive glasses I got from Freecycle. I also need to do proper sketches, in my logbook, for the ideas I've roughed out in the notebook I carry around.
Feeling really groggy today. May try and get a nap before dinner. |
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| Denmark Pending |
[Feb. 15th, 2005|12:52 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  grumpy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Interminable bridge call | ] |
So I got my bonus check in. The taxes took a HUGE bite out of it, nearly a fourth, but a lot of that will come back next year. We're still going to Denmark. Dates are set - departure on May 13, return on May 29th. Just me and the wife, kids being parked at grandparents' for the duration. I've made the necessary official announcement at work, scheduled coverage, and Tiffany has booked the airplane tickets. Gods, I am NOT looking forward to flying. I haven't been on an airplane since 9/11, and have heard SO many horror stories about airport security. Eight and a half hours without my pliers. I'm going to go screaming insance from the boredom. I just hope my Gameboy battery holds out, and I may take the first of the atevi novels with me, although I really don't have time for starting a new series. Could always take my Mayan history book with me, that I haven't had time to read, and hope that they let me take a notebook and a pen so I can take notes. Have to do research on what's allowed. Beginning to wonder when the airlines will start requiring people to strip naked before boarding. After all, you could beat somebody to death with your shoe, or strangle them with your underwear. |
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| Meme of the Moment: My SuperPowers |
[Feb. 14th, 2005|12:26 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  geeky | ] |
1. Entropy movement. I can keep the computers running long after they should have died, but the car and my shoes take the wear and tear instead. My wife drives the minivan. The passenger side, where I sit, is falling apart.
2. Ease travel. I can get pretty much anywhere. Red lights turn green if I'm in a hurry. Train and bus schedules are no mystery to me. On the downside, if I don't want to go to a place, green lights turn red, trains stop running, and obstacles leap into my path.
3. Plotline memory. I can remember the storyline and character development of every story I've ever read, every roleplaying campaign I've ever been in, and every movie and TV show I've ever seen. |
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| State of things |
[Feb. 14th, 2005|12:06 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  tired | ] |
News:
- Charles from DeCordene' got the order mixup sorted out, so I now have all the steel I ordered, plus some extra. Had to pay for the extra, but that's fair. The bronze is still backordered, but no big deal there, I'm in no hurry for it. The stainless was the important stuff.
- My wife is taking weaving classes, and has scrounged up several small looms from Freecycle. She plans on having salable goods in the near future.
Current projects:
- The Iron Man coif is on hold while I work on other more pressing items.
- The book is making slow progress. Haven't written anything on it in a while, but plan to this afternoon. I'm getting into a schedule of spending two afternoons a week at a coffeehouse on my way home from work, writing. We'll see how that goes. Thus far, it's produced the short fiction piece that was all that was missing from my Earthdawn adventure.
- Lantern in 20g stainless steel is proceeding slowly. I've got the top expansion, and some of the byzantine modules for the side, done. I'm working on adding the second connector row to the big macrame ring for the top expansion, and that's being slow and painful. But then it's 20g steel in 5/32" rings, I knew it was going to be slow and painful when I started it. No excuses. Keep plugging away at it.
Next show:
- Illinois State Homeschool Conference in March. E-mail me if you want details.
- After that, not too sure, but will probably be at the Belvidere Art Show, and will definitely be at Mephit Furmeet. More details later.
Dayjob:
Continues apace. Being delegated more and more responsibilities, so I hope a pay increase and title bump are forthcoming. We'll see.
Got to figure out how to include pictures in this thing. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 13th, 2004|10:08 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | grumpy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Sarah McLachlan - Mirroball | ] |
Got my shipment from TRL (http://www.theringlord.com), despite the best efforts of UPS. Ask me what Brown has done to me. Go ahead, ask me.
Tuesday I had to go out of town for a funeral. A friend came over and stayed in the apartment, waiting for the UPS delivery guy. Moron delivery guy apparently doesn't even try the buzzer, just leaves a sticky note on the door saying the first delivery attempt has been made. I get a call from friend who gives me the 800 number from the sticky note and the tracking number. I call the 800 number, and navigate through the VRU to have the package held at the customer pickup location out in Northbrook. I get a confirmation number from the VRU, saying that no further delivery attempts will be made, and that the package will be held for pickup until the 15th. No problem, I'm coming back from the funeral on the 12th. Plenty of time. The next day, I get a call from friend, who lucky break just happens to be at the apartment walking the dog and watering the plants. UPS just dropped off my ring shipment from TRL. So much for the confirmation number, the VRU, and UPS' promise to hold my package for pickup.
I suppose I should consider myself lucky. The last shipment took three tries to get it delivered, as the driver was too stupid to read the note on the buzzer that said "buzzer not working properly, please keep buzzing until we answer". The shipment before that, no idea what happened to it. Best guessis the driver either stole it or tossed it in a dumpster, as it did not show up at my place, nor at the alternate delivery site, and yet the driver signed it off as delivered. No signature from the person who took the delivery, just a driver signature saying it was dropped off. So much for $65 worth of rings.
The good news is that now I can get back to work on the Starfleet and Klingon inlays. And I get to call UPS and call them a bunch of thumping morons again. The fun has really worn off of that, though. It's just tiresome calling someone stupid when they're too dumb to care. |
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| Another day |
[Dec. 7th, 2004|07:49 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  bouncy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Garmarna - Vedergallningen | ] |
Shows:
Midwest Furfest was a smashing success. We sold a huge amount of stuff, including some items that had been in our inventory for a while and just hadn't found the right person. A few commissions, always welcome, and we got to trade a necklace to  Ursula Vernon for some spiffy prints. No pictures unfortunately :( as our camera was in the shop.
Next show is the Illinois state-wide homeschooling conference in March. Link to their website and more information forthcoming, watch this space. We'll be in the vendor hall. I'll be teaching four classes in maille, my wife will be teaching nautical knotwork, and my eldest son will be doing some rolegaming workshops. We hope to have the book out by then, but no guarantees unfortunately. Hang in there.
Current Projects
Commissions, as mentioned above. Guy at Furfest who, last year, commissioned a Starfleet emblem inlay, this year ordered another one, and also wants a Klingon banner. I'll post the patterns and work in progress scans in the next day or so.
Corey's dragon is done. Photos and pattern to follow.
General Info
Our website is up! Come see Nwyvre WeaveWyrks at our new online home! |
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| Head Explody |
[Jun. 11th, 2004|02:53 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  uncomfortable | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Tingstad & Rumbel, Acoustic Garden | ] |
Trying to learn how to think like a manager, and to be successful as such, without buying into the reality model behind the process.
Not sure it's possible to succeed in the corporate business world without selling at least part of my soul. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 24th, 2004|11:22 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  morose | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Garmarna - Vedergallnigen | ] |
Political meme worth spreading:
Patriotism |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 24th, 2004|10:31 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  angry | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Garmarna - Vedergallnigen | ] |
Show sucked. Tornado watch came out an hour after the show opened, and the crowds stayed away in droves. Dunno how we're going to pay for the trip to Tennessee now. The family reunion may get cancelled, at least for us. So much for my abilities as a provider. I can't bring in enough money no matter what the hell I do. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 21st, 2004|10:24 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  distressed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Afro Celt Soundsystem - Release | ] |
I have come to the conclusion that so-called "political skills" are more talent than learned ability. Either you have the innate gift for it, or you don't. If you have it, then a little practice is all that's needed. if you don't have the gift, then years of work, studying rulesets, working through simulations and roleplay, and endless practice will only result in you being slightly less graceless.
I don't have the gift.
And I'm on a management track now. I am so hosed. |
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| Meme of the Moment |
[May. 19th, 2004|12:31 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  aggravated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Blackmore's Night - Under a Violet Moon | ] |
1. Copy and paste this: [font color=yourusername][b]yourusername[/b][/font] into your journal.
2. Replace [] with <>
Let's see what color I am...
tarliman
Beyond that, did you realize that half the people you meet are of below average intelligence? That the good guys have to follow the rules, so the bad guys generally win? Welcome to reality. It's not so much a check as a brick wall at 200 kph. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 14th, 2004|10:32 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  exhausted | ] |
| [ | music |
| | David Arkenstone - Return of the Guardians | ] |
I need to start writing these entries some other time than when I first get in to work. Might have something more meaningful to say, and less creebing. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 12th, 2004|11:18 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  pleased | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Steve Roach | ] |
The stainless lantern is done! Now to get a disposable camera, take pictures, and find a host so I can start including pics in my LJ. Got a bracelet repair to do still, a couple of commissions to work on, and a lot of other stuff, but a major project has been completed and I am nicely chuffed. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 11th, 2004|10:33 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  gloomy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Llewellyn - Celtic Legends II | ] |
Still working on the lantern. Having to replace the top expansion, as the expansion I had done earlier and used for it was too large, and looked bad. Dunno what I'll do with it, but it'll get used. Replaced with a straight-up four row circular expansion out to 60 rings.
No news on the writing front.
There was a street preacher on the L tonight, spewing more venom than Osama bin Laden. Now, I support the First Amendment as much as the next Jeffersonian Democrat / Libertarian / whatever. This guy has the right to his opinion, and he has the right to express it, and in a public place, I just have to put up with it. However, he was going on with so much hatred and vengeance and condemnation and hellfire that I almost changed trains to get away from it. He's supposed to be fronting for a Prince of Peace, and he's using fear and intimidation as recruiting techniques? No thanks. If he thought his approach would bring more converts, well, maybe it will, but certainly not me. I'll stay Pagan, thanks, having gone through enough getting to where I am, and being adamant about refusing attempts to sway my beliefs through violence or the threat thereof, whether physical or spiritual. And in my book, being told I will burn in hellfire for all of eternity constitutes a threat of spiritual violence. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 7th, 2004|10:39 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  chipper | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Buddha Bar I | ] |
Yay! My stainless came in! I can try and finish the stainless lantern for the show on 5/23!
Unfortunately, I'm also feeling crappy. Got some kind of upper respiratory infection, sore throat, cough, etc. The good news is, I may have a legitimate reason to cut the ED session short. I'll keep my Cepacol on the GM table, and if I get coughing too bad, I'll have to stop talking. Session ends.
Sunday is plants day. We have many herbs and vegetables to put out in the courtyard. Dirt therapy. I have missed my garden something fierce. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 6th, 2004|10:37 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | tired | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Tulku - Transcendence | ] |
If you need X number of parts to complete a project, you will have X-1 in stock.
I had to put aside the latest necklace I'm working on, while riding the L tonight, to set up rings. Ran out of green opens right in the middle of a Byz module. OTOH, I met a gamer who's been around since the D&D three-booklet set. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 5th, 2004|10:28 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | angry | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Bel Canto - White Out Conditions | ] |
Out of money. Out of medication. Probably going to spend the weekend on Xanax, because that's all I have left. Fragging overdrafts, fragging Spirit Fayre that cost us an arm and a leg, never enough money no matter how hard I work. And I lost a byz module on the L tonight, having to put stuff away because of a stupid Cubs night game and a big crowd at Addison. Couldn't find it after I dropped it. Rings and effort just gone, wasted, another damn setback. |
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