Saturday, 13 August 2011
More pictures!
Soon. When I'm done editing them. It's taking a lot longer than I expected because the battery died, and I can't find my charger anywhere. So they're stuck on my camera for the time being.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
I am one. We are many.
Guest post time! I know, right? Pretty god damn awesome, I'd say so. My good friend Mike Mackinnon had a moment, and wrote it all out. I happened to agree pretty strongly with what he said.
So read on, and please leave your comments below. And share the fuck out of this, because I think it's pretty neat, and if I think it's neat, fair chance at least one other person might too. I copied this from the info section of the facebook page. (<-that is the link you should click)
Also, you should probably share this post. Shameless self promotion, one of the few things I'm good at.
I am one. We are many.
Why do we fight? Why do we fall into line every time our 'leaders' have a squabble. Why do we accept their law as word. They offer images of anarchy, bloodshed, war and greed, yet they showcase it themselves under 'justified pretenses'.
I am human. No different from you, or your parents, their parents before them. We exist on this planet together, and separate at once. We have thoughts of hatred implated into our heads for the most minute of differences. Ethics, morality, skin. Is that truly what we allow to define us as people? In the end, we're all the same. Merely having made different choices. In the end,
I am one. We are many.
We tag along, thinking 'this is how it is', and 'we need to make the best of what we have.' I can't speak for the world, nor would I try, however, in America, the system has become broken, and corrupt. Those with money are those with power. The American people don't vote for who they believe in, anymore. They vote for the lesser of two evils. In the end, what do we fight for, but the ideals and needs of those with money?
We stand up for everything but ourselves. We fight for what 'they' believe in. Gone are the days when the majority rules. Gone are the days when we stand up for ourselves. Gone are the days where we stand up for OUR beliefs.
We have lived on this planet for millenia, now. We have adapted, and grown as people. Yet, we still remain a mess of nations. Countries. Continents. These aren't masses of land. They're defining lines on where one people begin, and another end. Lines to not be crossed. Alien from one another, and alienated from one another. And we accept this is how it should be, not because we believe it, but because it's what we were told, and we accept it willingly.
A world united. A concept so crazy, and so foreign to most people, before they even bother thinking about it, it gets dismissed. A simple concept, too complex for anyone to believe in. We all work together to some end, and we all fight for our passions. I am human. You are my brother, in this world. You are my sister, in this world. You are my family, despite everything I've been warned of. And me?
I am one. And together, under the same banner of free thought and acceptance. Open mindedness and creativity. Peaceful actions and thought.
An Earth united.
We are many, and we are one.
(I wish I had epiphanies this great and remembered to write them down . .)
So read on, and please leave your comments below. And share the fuck out of this, because I think it's pretty neat, and if I think it's neat, fair chance at least one other person might too. I copied this from the info section of the facebook page. (<-that is the link you should click)
Also, you should probably share this post. Shameless self promotion, one of the few things I'm good at.
I am one. We are many.
Why do we fight? Why do we fall into line every time our 'leaders' have a squabble. Why do we accept their law as word. They offer images of anarchy, bloodshed, war and greed, yet they showcase it themselves under 'justified pretenses'.
I am human. No different from you, or your parents, their parents before them. We exist on this planet together, and separate at once. We have thoughts of hatred implated into our heads for the most minute of differences. Ethics, morality, skin. Is that truly what we allow to define us as people? In the end, we're all the same. Merely having made different choices. In the end,
I am one. We are many.
We tag along, thinking 'this is how it is', and 'we need to make the best of what we have.' I can't speak for the world, nor would I try, however, in America, the system has become broken, and corrupt. Those with money are those with power. The American people don't vote for who they believe in, anymore. They vote for the lesser of two evils. In the end, what do we fight for, but the ideals and needs of those with money?
We stand up for everything but ourselves. We fight for what 'they' believe in. Gone are the days when the majority rules. Gone are the days when we stand up for ourselves. Gone are the days where we stand up for OUR beliefs.
We have lived on this planet for millenia, now. We have adapted, and grown as people. Yet, we still remain a mess of nations. Countries. Continents. These aren't masses of land. They're defining lines on where one people begin, and another end. Lines to not be crossed. Alien from one another, and alienated from one another. And we accept this is how it should be, not because we believe it, but because it's what we were told, and we accept it willingly.
A world united. A concept so crazy, and so foreign to most people, before they even bother thinking about it, it gets dismissed. A simple concept, too complex for anyone to believe in. We all work together to some end, and we all fight for our passions. I am human. You are my brother, in this world. You are my sister, in this world. You are my family, despite everything I've been warned of. And me?
I am one. And together, under the same banner of free thought and acceptance. Open mindedness and creativity. Peaceful actions and thought.
An Earth united.
We are many, and we are one.
(I wish I had epiphanies this great and remembered to write them down . .)
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Checkmate, Bitches
Since it's Sunday afternoon, and I don't have a whole lot to do today, I might as well show you one of the things that's been keeping me busy lately.
When I moved into the room I'm in now, the woman who was here before left some stuff behind. Well, she pretty much left everything behind and took off overseas, never to be seen again. She left behind things like a unicycle, juggling stuff, and I hear rumours she owned an accordian. I have come to the conclusion this woman was a bear-trainer. Did I mention she was Russian?
Anyways, some of the contents of this pile of stuff included a full set of woodcarving tools, a bunch of different files and rasps, a big block of stuff, and a bunch of sandpaper.
Now, I didn't know what this big block of stuff was. It was heavy. I thought it was some kind of composite material for beginner carvers, so we (roomate Rob and I) went ahead and cut it in half, so we could each have one. Then we decided to carve a chess piece, and see who's turned out to be more mind-blowingly awesome.
Sorry some of them are so insanely blurry. It was really low light, the flash made it all invisible, and I was way too lazy to get my tripod to balance it, and the focus was off.
That's the gentleman's way of saying I was drunk. Yeah, we decided to have a beer-fueled carve-off. It went better than the unicycle contest, which left me with bloody shins and a bruised ego.
Turns out this stuff wasn't a composite at all, it was soapstone. I've been looking everywhere in K-W for a place that sells this stuff, if anyone knows somewhere, let me know.
Of course you can't tell I put the tape there because the camera isn't focused. It's a good I'm here to explain what's going on.
I believe at that point the beer got more important than the camera, I don't really have any more shots of it being worked on. Unfortunately Rob dropped his, and he was making the top parts pretty narrow, so it broke. I'll throw finished shots of all of them at the end. Except Robs, because I don't have one.
All of them? What, there's more? But Josh, with such a busy and active lifestyle, how could you possibly have found time to carve more than one piece?
Well, Dear Readers, it's all about balance. I have to balance my extremely strenuous and hectic life with calm, soothing activities like this. I also read to orphans in the hospital on my spare time.
Anyways, the next one i carved was supposed to be a knight at first, but I accidentally chopped it's face off while i was doing rough cuts with a small saw. Whoops. Now it's a pawn.
Alright. I am getting super tired of resizing photos and uploading them. Thankfully this is the last one, for now. And there's only three because I wasn't taking pictures the whole time.
I did the knight outside, thankfully. Lot less mess to clean up. I decided to try doing it wet to cut down on the dust. That worked super well, and was easier.
The next few pictures are the finished pieces. They're still wet, after sanding and polishing and sanding and sanding.
Yeah, they have a lot of rough spots and assymetrical areas, but I'm still really proud of them. I've never carved something out of a block like this before. Each one took at least 4 hours, a lot more with the polishing and sanding. For me to sit in one spot and focus on absolutely anything at all for four hours is nothing short of a miracle.
Let me know if you find this interesting, and if anyone does, I'll do this every time i carve something. But focused.
When I moved into the room I'm in now, the woman who was here before left some stuff behind. Well, she pretty much left everything behind and took off overseas, never to be seen again. She left behind things like a unicycle, juggling stuff, and I hear rumours she owned an accordian. I have come to the conclusion this woman was a bear-trainer. Did I mention she was Russian?
Anyways, some of the contents of this pile of stuff included a full set of woodcarving tools, a bunch of different files and rasps, a big block of stuff, and a bunch of sandpaper.
Now, I didn't know what this big block of stuff was. It was heavy. I thought it was some kind of composite material for beginner carvers, so we (roomate Rob and I) went ahead and cut it in half, so we could each have one. Then we decided to carve a chess piece, and see who's turned out to be more mind-blowingly awesome.
Sorry some of them are so insanely blurry. It was really low light, the flash made it all invisible, and I was way too lazy to get my tripod to balance it, and the focus was off.
That's the gentleman's way of saying I was drunk. Yeah, we decided to have a beer-fueled carve-off. It went better than the unicycle contest, which left me with bloody shins and a bruised ego.
 |
| The original cut-up block |
 |
| After taking that edge off, and evening it up somewhat |
 | |
| After I rounded it out. I put a piece of masking tape on it to mark where I wanted the top to be. |
 |
| Rob Carving away at his chunk |
 |
| How to cut yourself, step one |
 |
| After I scraped out the middle with a file and chisel |
 |
| Not the finished product, but the rough shape. |
I believe at that point the beer got more important than the camera, I don't really have any more shots of it being worked on. Unfortunately Rob dropped his, and he was making the top parts pretty narrow, so it broke. I'll throw finished shots of all of them at the end. Except Robs, because I don't have one.
All of them? What, there's more? But Josh, with such a busy and active lifestyle, how could you possibly have found time to carve more than one piece?
Well, Dear Readers, it's all about balance. I have to balance my extremely strenuous and hectic life with calm, soothing activities like this. I also read to orphans in the hospital on my spare time.
Anyways, the next one i carved was supposed to be a knight at first, but I accidentally chopped it's face off while i was doing rough cuts with a small saw. Whoops. Now it's a pawn.
 |
| Nice, clean area. Note the lack of dust on every conceivable surface. Good times. |
 |
| The (out of focus) Block! |
 |
| The (out of focus) Cylinder! If this was a picture of the dust, I'd be set |
 |
| Again, using masking tape to tell me where not to file |
 |
| Starting to flatten out the top. More work than I realized. About 4 hours more. |
 |
| Almost done. |
 | ||
| Size Reference. Though I guess you don't have anything to compare the rook too, so it's not much of a reference at all. |
Alright. I am getting super tired of resizing photos and uploading them. Thankfully this is the last one, for now. And there's only three because I wasn't taking pictures the whole time.
 |
| The block. I didn't cut the face off this time. |
 |
| Starting to cut in underneath |
 |
| The rough, rough shape. |
I did the knight outside, thankfully. Lot less mess to clean up. I decided to try doing it wet to cut down on the dust. That worked super well, and was easier.
The next few pictures are the finished pieces. They're still wet, after sanding and polishing and sanding and sanding.
Yeah, they have a lot of rough spots and assymetrical areas, but I'm still really proud of them. I've never carved something out of a block like this before. Each one took at least 4 hours, a lot more with the polishing and sanding. For me to sit in one spot and focus on absolutely anything at all for four hours is nothing short of a miracle.
Let me know if you find this interesting, and if anyone does, I'll do this every time i carve something. But focused.
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
The start of something new
I'm in the middle of fixing iPhoto and copying all my pictures off of my camera. But when I'm done doing that, I'm going to write a couple new posts. Not a whole lot of words, but I want to post a bunch of the photos I've taken recently.
I'm in the middle of copying over 700 of them. They're huge. I've been deleting seasons of TV shows as they copy to make sure I don't run out of space. I guess spring clean up should be done for more than just the house . . .
Alright. I have a pile of pictures from my parent's place I want to put up here. So I'm going too. Feel free to criticize, or flatter. Or show up at my door in sexy attire (if female) or a case of beer and chicken wings (if male). Yes, I realize that the pictures are running off the page and stuff, but they're still perfectly pictoral and i'm not fixing them.
I'm in the middle of copying over 700 of them. They're huge. I've been deleting seasons of TV shows as they copy to make sure I don't run out of space. I guess spring clean up should be done for more than just the house . . .
Alright. I have a pile of pictures from my parent's place I want to put up here. So I'm going too. Feel free to criticize, or flatter. Or show up at my door in sexy attire (if female) or a case of beer and chicken wings (if male). Yes, I realize that the pictures are running off the page and stuff, but they're still perfectly pictoral and i'm not fixing them.
Monday, 30 May 2011
IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAND
Also, hey. A thousand one hundred page views? Even though it's not over nine thousand, and more than one thousand of them were from me, I'm pretty happy with that.
Thanks, guys.
Thanks, guys.
Well, What The Fuck, Man?
Man being me.
As I have gathered from the millions up literal millions of emails I have received from every single recognized country, republic or struggling nation, everyone wants to know
Well, What The Fuck?
How could you provide us with such consistent entertainment, and then just fall off of the face of the earth for a month and a bit? What The Fuck, Man?
Well, I'd like to start with an apology. First.
Sorry to my probable millions (billions?) of loyal, dedicated readers. I have been all sorts of things lately, busy being one of them. Lazy being another. Boring would probably fit right up there too. I know, a contradictory cocktail, but there it is.
Busy. I have moved. I live in the actual town of Waterloo now, not the outlying (and very amish) town of Drayton. Also busy for crazier reasons which will be explained further down the line.
Lazy because between everything that's going on, I've been spending my downtime playing Mortal Kombat and Castle Crashers.
Oh, sorry. I got distracted by season thee of Sons of Anarchy. Jesus, that first episode was wild. This is a good start.
Anyways. Where was I. Right, apologizing.
Now that that's over with.
Just to preface this next mini story, I'm not digging for sympathy or angling for anything. Unless it's charity in the form of grilled cheese. In which case, that's exactly what I'm angling for. I had a shit run of luck this past week, and the week is over. Let's hope the run is too.
This past week. On the way home from work monday, a goose was struck by a vehicle, and sprayed goose blood up my arm. Thankfully most or all of it missed my clothes. I stopped in a convenience store and picked up a bottle of water to wash my arm off. At this point I was in a super pissy mood.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I lost my wallet a day or two previous, everything except my passport and Birth Certificate. Including my rent for June. Balls.
So, super pissy mood. I finally get home, after the traumatizing goose incident (It was tragic, the other one just stood on the other side of the road, honking at it's mate to stop playin' and go make baby geese. But it wasn't playing around, it was lying on it's back with it's proud wings all broken and feet splayed awkwardly in the air). . .
Yeah. After that heartbreaker, I really just wanted to get home and relax for awhile. I get home, and my roomate says ,"Yo man, the basements flooded."
"Wait, the basement we live in?"
"Yeah man, it's fuuucked"
Thankfully it wasn't THAT bad, some mopping up and whatever and we were alright.
The next few days were relatively quiet and uninteresting. I played a lot of guitar in the sun. Replaced wallet stuff (including the wallet). Updated my resume, talked with OSAP (The Fucking Devil personally runs that place).
And then, tonight. Tonight the rains came in abundance, and while I was working. Well, and walking home, but I was smart enough to take the bus this time.
So I get home, and we are all the proud new owners of a swimming pool!
[oscar music] I have to take this moment to personally thank Omaid Alif. This fucking hero remembered that I had all my electronics on the floor, and ran to my room and saved them. My laptop, amp, pedal, and a few other things. This guy saved them all. Thousands of dollars of stuff between them. Without his bravery, I could not sit here and write this post this very moment. Thank you. [/oscar music]
I've been busy with some other things too. Like I said, I picked up my guitar again, it's been a few months. I started carving soapstone too, I made some badass chess pieces that I'll post pictures of when I take them off of my camera in the next day or two. I also acquired a doctorate in neural surgery, and built several orphanariums (NEW WORD!)
But now, it's 3:44, and I just want to finish this so I can go to sleep. So instead of giving you a proper conclusion, I'm just going to go to sleep so I can pretend to accomplish something before noon.
And now it's the next day. Just like I said, I'm updating it. I like that it said I posted it between midnight and one though, that makes me seem far more normal. That's when I started it and got distracted by Sons of Anarchy.
I guess you're expecting some kind of conclusion now. I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't have one. I don't have a conclusion. So instead, I'm going to highly, highly recommend you check out my good friend Josh Huard's Blog.
Also, later today (or tomorrow, or whenever I get around to it) I will be posting piles and piles of pictures. I will have a photo entry! And then, maybe some sort of contest where people can make up a story for each picture. And the winner gets something neat.
Yeah, awesome.
As I have gathered from the millions up literal millions of emails I have received from every single recognized country, republic or struggling nation, everyone wants to know
Well, What The Fuck?
How could you provide us with such consistent entertainment, and then just fall off of the face of the earth for a month and a bit? What The Fuck, Man?
Well, I'd like to start with an apology. First.
Sorry to my probable millions (billions?) of loyal, dedicated readers. I have been all sorts of things lately, busy being one of them. Lazy being another. Boring would probably fit right up there too. I know, a contradictory cocktail, but there it is.
Busy. I have moved. I live in the actual town of Waterloo now, not the outlying (and very amish) town of Drayton. Also busy for crazier reasons which will be explained further down the line.
Lazy because between everything that's going on, I've been spending my downtime playing Mortal Kombat and Castle Crashers.
Oh, sorry. I got distracted by season thee of Sons of Anarchy. Jesus, that first episode was wild. This is a good start.
Anyways. Where was I. Right, apologizing.
Now that that's over with.
Just to preface this next mini story, I'm not digging for sympathy or angling for anything. Unless it's charity in the form of grilled cheese. In which case, that's exactly what I'm angling for. I had a shit run of luck this past week, and the week is over. Let's hope the run is too.
This past week. On the way home from work monday, a goose was struck by a vehicle, and sprayed goose blood up my arm. Thankfully most or all of it missed my clothes. I stopped in a convenience store and picked up a bottle of water to wash my arm off. At this point I was in a super pissy mood.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I lost my wallet a day or two previous, everything except my passport and Birth Certificate. Including my rent for June. Balls.
So, super pissy mood. I finally get home, after the traumatizing goose incident (It was tragic, the other one just stood on the other side of the road, honking at it's mate to stop playin' and go make baby geese. But it wasn't playing around, it was lying on it's back with it's proud wings all broken and feet splayed awkwardly in the air). . .
Yeah. After that heartbreaker, I really just wanted to get home and relax for awhile. I get home, and my roomate says ,"Yo man, the basements flooded."
"Wait, the basement we live in?"
"Yeah man, it's fuuucked"
Thankfully it wasn't THAT bad, some mopping up and whatever and we were alright.
The next few days were relatively quiet and uninteresting. I played a lot of guitar in the sun. Replaced wallet stuff (including the wallet). Updated my resume, talked with OSAP (The Fucking Devil personally runs that place).
And then, tonight. Tonight the rains came in abundance, and while I was working. Well, and walking home, but I was smart enough to take the bus this time.
So I get home, and we are all the proud new owners of a swimming pool!
[oscar music] I have to take this moment to personally thank Omaid Alif. This fucking hero remembered that I had all my electronics on the floor, and ran to my room and saved them. My laptop, amp, pedal, and a few other things. This guy saved them all. Thousands of dollars of stuff between them. Without his bravery, I could not sit here and write this post this very moment. Thank you. [/oscar music]
I've been busy with some other things too. Like I said, I picked up my guitar again, it's been a few months. I started carving soapstone too, I made some badass chess pieces that I'll post pictures of when I take them off of my camera in the next day or two. I also acquired a doctorate in neural surgery, and built several orphanariums (NEW WORD!)
But now, it's 3:44, and I just want to finish this so I can go to sleep. So instead of giving you a proper conclusion, I'm just going to go to sleep so I can pretend to accomplish something before noon.
And now it's the next day. Just like I said, I'm updating it. I like that it said I posted it between midnight and one though, that makes me seem far more normal. That's when I started it and got distracted by Sons of Anarchy.
I guess you're expecting some kind of conclusion now. I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't have one. I don't have a conclusion. So instead, I'm going to highly, highly recommend you check out my good friend Josh Huard's Blog.
Also, later today (or tomorrow, or whenever I get around to it) I will be posting piles and piles of pictures. I will have a photo entry! And then, maybe some sort of contest where people can make up a story for each picture. And the winner gets something neat.
Yeah, awesome.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Banhammer!
Well, these aren't the two most interesting stories, but I should immortalize them on the internet so I don't forget them in my senior years.
Story 1: The time I was banned for life from Galaxy Cinemas in Midland.
It was an honest accident. I don't even remember when it was. . I was pretty young. I don't think it was really all that long after it opened. A bunch of us had gone to the movies, or a birthday party or something. Some event, taking place at a theater. It was just afterwards, and we were hanging out in the lobby. I was waiting for someone to get off the payphone, just leaning against a wall. Then, it happened.
I felt a slight bump against my shoulder, and didn't think anything of it. Until the alarms went off. I guess the cover that was on the fire alarm was itself also an alarm, and my errant shoulder bump had set it off. They cleared everyone out. And a very clearly pissed young lady asked me to never, ever come back.
I mean, they didn't remember me even a month later, so I couldn't have pissed them off that bad.
Story 2: The time I was banned from GOLF ITSELF
Ok, let me preface this by saying I am not a golfer. I am a driving range fanatic. There's a very simple reason behind this. I can hit that ball like Tiger Woods. I can drive that sucker until I can't see it anymore. But I can't aim it. Not even in the slightest.
"But Josh", I'm sure you're protesting, "Golf is a Gentleman's sport. Why don't you just learn, like everyone else?"
Well, treasured reader, the simple answer is I Don't Care. Golf is boring. I mean, it's fun for the first few holes, then it's just the same thing. You're walking after a ball, and hitting it. I think I can manage the 9-hole courses, but a full 18-hole game of whacktheball? No thanks.
Anyways. I was on a 9-hole course. It was the ninth hole, so I was understandably bored out of my skull at that point. So I drove the ball.
I mean, normally, that's how a shot should start. Except this was a VERY short hole. I mean, if I'd known something about golf, maybe I could have selected the proper club, and I never would have been banned, and I would have grown up to be the next PGA master, but we'll never know.
So I drove the ball. Much, much farther than it should have gone. You know, uh. . into the clubhouse. That drew someone's attention. So when the next when rebounded off of a tree in the parking lot into an SUV, they got pretty pissed. And asked me to never come back.
I didn't even break anything, I feel my rights were infringed upon.
I'll keep adding to this as I remember other places I was banned from. I'm sure there's more.
Story 1: The time I was banned for life from Galaxy Cinemas in Midland.
It was an honest accident. I don't even remember when it was. . I was pretty young. I don't think it was really all that long after it opened. A bunch of us had gone to the movies, or a birthday party or something. Some event, taking place at a theater. It was just afterwards, and we were hanging out in the lobby. I was waiting for someone to get off the payphone, just leaning against a wall. Then, it happened.
I felt a slight bump against my shoulder, and didn't think anything of it. Until the alarms went off. I guess the cover that was on the fire alarm was itself also an alarm, and my errant shoulder bump had set it off. They cleared everyone out. And a very clearly pissed young lady asked me to never, ever come back.
I mean, they didn't remember me even a month later, so I couldn't have pissed them off that bad.
Story 2: The time I was banned from GOLF ITSELF
Ok, let me preface this by saying I am not a golfer. I am a driving range fanatic. There's a very simple reason behind this. I can hit that ball like Tiger Woods. I can drive that sucker until I can't see it anymore. But I can't aim it. Not even in the slightest.
"But Josh", I'm sure you're protesting, "Golf is a Gentleman's sport. Why don't you just learn, like everyone else?"
Well, treasured reader, the simple answer is I Don't Care. Golf is boring. I mean, it's fun for the first few holes, then it's just the same thing. You're walking after a ball, and hitting it. I think I can manage the 9-hole courses, but a full 18-hole game of whacktheball? No thanks.
Anyways. I was on a 9-hole course. It was the ninth hole, so I was understandably bored out of my skull at that point. So I drove the ball.
I mean, normally, that's how a shot should start. Except this was a VERY short hole. I mean, if I'd known something about golf, maybe I could have selected the proper club, and I never would have been banned, and I would have grown up to be the next PGA master, but we'll never know.
So I drove the ball. Much, much farther than it should have gone. You know, uh. . into the clubhouse. That drew someone's attention. So when the next when rebounded off of a tree in the parking lot into an SUV, they got pretty pissed. And asked me to never come back.
I didn't even break anything, I feel my rights were infringed upon.
I'll keep adding to this as I remember other places I was banned from. I'm sure there's more.
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