Well I never knew. Thanks for teaching me something.
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I am not pure snark, gifs, and asshattery, just the horn 
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Wow. Pretty. Kudos.
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Love your needle tips!
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So, I’d been wanting a bluetooth keyboard and trackpad for a while. I spilled water on my laptop keyboard and fried a few of the keys, so I could finally justify the purchase.
First, let me say: quality of life significantly improved. all the more so, due to my screen constantly blinking out, I need to use my flatscreen as a monitor. Plugging the computer in to the monitor and power over by the TV stand and using the keyboard remotely is a godsend.
But of course, nothing ever works how you envision it will when you order it. These things were designed for tabletop use and I want them both on my table and also in my lap.
First step was affixing the 'pad to the 'board. (apologies for terrible pix)
This was done first with steel tape, but the edges needed reinforcement with gorilla tape after a day. (the wood bit came later, as I’ll explain.)
So far. so good, except when it wasn’t in my lap, the build rested on both components’ battery cases which left the 'pad cantilevered in the air; it was was straining the tape and not possible to use on a flat surface. The typing angle of the 'board was a bit flat, as well. Both issues solved by crafting a spacer-wedge out of construction foam and held together with some glue and an overlay of steel tape which also keeps the colors themed nicely.
Cool thing is, it isn’t affixed to the 'board at all, it just wedges in between both battery cases with friction (shown separately and upside-down)
Before I ordered it, I assumed the whole trackpad clicked like it was a Trouble pop-o-matic bubble (which it really ought to.) After it arrived, I didn’t think the pad was clickable at first and I was using the “tap” setup (which was too sensitive and kept selecting stuff when I didn’t want to) but then I realized that the click buttons are in the feet. Again, not compatible with lap use, so I had to affix the board under there. That part could work better, I’d size it a bit differently if I were to do it again, but it’s still pretty good. I’m pretty happy with how it all works right now.
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Finished a short fantasia for novice cellist and experienced organist in time for Christmas, demo here:
This may be subject to some change: potential problems for a novice would be the low range of the opening and the relatively long notes of the middle section, but I’m waiting for the novice in question to try it out before I change anything. (The novice in question is a fairly quick study.)
I’m currently working on a chorale prelude (about half-done, a big one for the genre, estimate about 6+ minutes, doppio pedale), and trying to get going again on some sketches that are hanging fire - very hard to pick up where one leaves off after a significant interruption, at least for me.
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cool!
(the organ is ever-so-slightly overpowering the cello in the mix, IMO)
speaking of cello, I just found out about this chamber music recording. it’s not my normal milieu but i thought it was pretty great
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Thank you. Yeah, the mix is a slightly rough MIDI demo. For a real performance, I would depend on the organist keeping the registration soft enough to allow the 'cello to come through. In the middle section with the longer notes in the 'cello, that’s a little less necessary - the cello is more or less accompanying the organ (although those long notes are actually Gregorian chant - that is an Agnus Dei).
Rachel’s is pleasant, but, for all they claim influence by Michael Nyman, there seems to be some Debussy in the background. (There probably is in Nyman as well.) That’s OK. Debussy is a gateway drug into classical music - at least it was for me…
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I have a few of those, mine fall off the smaller needles too easily. Gave me a sad 'cause they’re so cute. I use the construction road cone shaped ones, they stick well on every size so far (never tried knitting with 1" diameter tree branches, so YMMV).
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Black and white or color?
I’m in the late planning stages of building some shelves in our dinning room/library. Plans are done, lists are made, cut diagrams for the plywood are done.
Next I need to set up for painting- which is tough, since it’s currently 19F here and the paint I’m using needs 50F minimum, so I’m building a paint booth in the basement utility room. Once that is done, work can properly start.
I’ve been doing more mending of clothing too- a bunch of machine darning, and just yesterday I hand darned some wool socks- though, now that I’ve done it, I’d rather have fixed them via felting but I a) didn’t have any wool and b) didn’t have any felting needles, so… yeah. I’ll need to get some of both of those things, as I will surely have more socks to fix sooner rather than later.
To go on the (to-be-made) shelves, I’m putting a 1972-era stereo. That means some silver-faced amp/tuner and a record player, but also some lovely vintage KLH speakers. These are such beauties, honestly- the walnut on them is awesome. But the tweeter is missing on one, and finding working vintage tweeters for these is both expensive and leaves them prone to failure- so: I finally found a contemporary replacement that’s designed to match, so two of those got ordered. BUT the mount hole they need is smaller than the original, so I’ll need to measure & make a wooden spacer and get that installed. In the meantime, I cleaned the walnut exterior, gave it a light 600 grit sanding, and two coats of oil and god damn do they look good. I also need to re-cover the fabric covers- the old fabric is ghastly, and a nice cream/beige would looks so. damn. classy.
That is (I think) the current list.
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Monochrome! I went back to film to strip out a lot of the decisions. Square format, monochrome, one 85mm lens, it’s all helped with composition and figuring out what story to tell.
I don’t even think I’ve sent a roll of color through it…
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The sky sort of reminds me of a van goth painting. Don’t know if thats what your going for. Looks good though.
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Nice!
I’ve always liked shorter lenses more- I’ve got a 40 I’m smitten with.
Square format? Are you shooting 120?
Yeah, I used a Kowa for a while but it was really frustrating, the build quality just wasn’t high enough, and as I started to wane on 120 a friend of mine was giving up his 500 C/M and I love it. He just wanted it to get used and I offer to let him run it when he comes to New York. 
Damn. Rough life shooting a Hassy.
I keep meaning to borrow my dad’s Bronica- I’ve just got too many of my own cameras (and too many other projects going in general).
This morning I just started to take apart a Konica C35 Automatic who’s meter wasn’t working- I’m guessing it’s a dead connection from the battery to the eye, but I won’t know until I get a bit deeper in…
120 is fun- I’ve got the stuff to develop it too, but so. little. time.
Okay. I’ve been on the road for about 50 days, from Austin heading to the border near San Diego by bicycle with my paints and camping gear. As of this writing, I’m in Benson, Arizona, planning to cut over to interstate 8 after Tucson near Casa Grande, and try to make it to the coast.
I can’t hook my smartphone to the desktop computers, but there are a couple more paintings up at my Instagram - kellyhicksscreenkiss - that I did for a rancher out in west Texas. One of his dog that passed away the weekend I showed up, and two more of his cattle out on his ranch property next to the Rio Grande river.
This is the first time I’ve attempted miniatures. Original size is 6"X8". Surprising how it takes almost as much time as a full-sized painting.
Not sure when I’ll have time to post again, but any new paintings will show up on my Instagram account.
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Mashed up this as a 3D model (which is online) and then hollowed it out (less material) and had Shapeways.com print it in powdered stainless steal, which they then polished. Arrived today.
This is a little over two inches tall.
I should be clear. The mashup model that I link to is one that I made. I didn’t do the original modeling of the Buddha or the Stormtrooper Helmet though.
When I am dead, this little statue will live on.
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You peeps are off. The. Hook.
Seriously.
Geez, I’m gonna have two days of downtime soon, what the hell am I gonna make?
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Thanksmutating Dinner.
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