Yeah, not much to write without sharing too much snarky information. Trying to resist the pull of the pissy pants. Then again I've been on the edge of a sinus induced headache for two days now, so...
Since I wouldn't be saying anything nice, it is better not to say anything at all.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
back to crochet
Raine likes the crobots. You knew she would, didn't you. She has been telling me which ones she wants, and what colors I should use. I told her that I would make her one after I got done with the ones for my students, since I wasn't sure how long they would take, and I knew she would still be around after school was out.
She kept looking at them, and finally borrowed the book to look through. Then, she got pen and paper and drew one of her own. It is named Springbot. It has, as she put it, a TV head (don't forget the angry eyebrows, Mom) and springs for legs. She even demonstrated for me the placement of the legs, and how the bot would stand up.
Well, I got busy on him, since I had just finished one and they have been going pretty quickly. AND I thought the one she came up with looked pretty good. Well, the crochet part went like a charm. Then I tried my wire wrapping trick for spring legs, but they just weren't stiff enough. Carl suggested that I do a little wider wrap and insert the smaller spring inside the larger one. That is better, but still not quite... right. I think I am going to have to try this one again, and crochet some legs and wrap the wire around that. Or else, I need to get a stiffer wire. Or maybe find some springs to just attach. Still... here's how it all looks so far.
Monday, April 11, 2011
argh! taxes
I know I'm not alone in this. Tax season. Getting them figured out and paid for. Dreading it. Refund? Owe? How much? How much?!?
I appreciate the benefits that paying taxes provides, on local, state and federal levels. Oh sure, I'm not blind or ignorant. I know a lot of it gets wasted. A lot. Still, good things are supported. My job is supported. Sort of. I get that. I still have to complain.
The lower tax withdrawal rate did something for Ron and I this year. Yeah. It meant we owed money to the IRS. Do we have it in our bank account to whip up a check with? Of course not. We'll pay it, even though we will probably have to make payments. I'll also go in and get my withholding rate adjusted so that we are closer to the mark for next April 15th. But here's how it translates for me right now.
For the third year in a row, now, I have not gotten a raise. (Have you noticed anything about the cost of living? Yeah, its gone up.) This year, my contribution to the retirement fund is increasing. Now, I'm in favor of having a retirement fund. I'm even hoping to retire some day, and use it. On an immediate level, though, I notice it reduces my income. The amount I bring home gets smaller. So, here is the tax debt. Not only will paying it off reduce my discretionary income, but withholding more for next year will reduce it by a similar amount. Effectively, my paycheck is shrinking. My workload hasn't shrunk. My hours have not decreased. My pay - however - has. I'm sure there are those who will say it is my own fault. I won't say they are wrong - at least to some degree, I agree. Still, I don't think it is all of my own creation or fabrication.
Just thought it needed ranting about.
I appreciate the benefits that paying taxes provides, on local, state and federal levels. Oh sure, I'm not blind or ignorant. I know a lot of it gets wasted. A lot. Still, good things are supported. My job is supported. Sort of. I get that. I still have to complain.
The lower tax withdrawal rate did something for Ron and I this year. Yeah. It meant we owed money to the IRS. Do we have it in our bank account to whip up a check with? Of course not. We'll pay it, even though we will probably have to make payments. I'll also go in and get my withholding rate adjusted so that we are closer to the mark for next April 15th. But here's how it translates for me right now.
For the third year in a row, now, I have not gotten a raise. (Have you noticed anything about the cost of living? Yeah, its gone up.) This year, my contribution to the retirement fund is increasing. Now, I'm in favor of having a retirement fund. I'm even hoping to retire some day, and use it. On an immediate level, though, I notice it reduces my income. The amount I bring home gets smaller. So, here is the tax debt. Not only will paying it off reduce my discretionary income, but withholding more for next year will reduce it by a similar amount. Effectively, my paycheck is shrinking. My workload hasn't shrunk. My hours have not decreased. My pay - however - has. I'm sure there are those who will say it is my own fault. I won't say they are wrong - at least to some degree, I agree. Still, I don't think it is all of my own creation or fabrication.
Just thought it needed ranting about.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
crafty weekend
It has been a pleasingly crafty weekend. Besides the amigurumi I posted previously, I got several others done, which I shared on facebook, which was fun. I finished the zombie bot, and did one called mechanobot as well. A couple of the patterns include springs from retractable pens. I had some beading wire that I tried wrapping around the crochet hook (which is a pretty small one for these guys) and making my own spring. I think it turns out pretty well on both of these critters.
I got to sew with Roxanne, even though she had a paper which she needed to finish writing. These afternoons sewing are as therapeutic for her as they are for me.
I got there a little later than I like, though. Then, the serger just wasn't sewing right and I had to spend some time troubleshooting. Of course I had left the manual and the little bag of tools at home, so that didn't help. Still, I rethreaded it several times, and adjusted the dials a bit. I'm starting to learn which dial does what, which is pretty good. Finally we got started on the sewing. We worked on a shell and short sleeved jacket for her mom. The shell is done but a little handwork, tacking down the neck facing. The jacket just needed the closures, if her mom wants them. Once she tries it on, and has a chance to look at it finished we can decide on what we'll do about them. These pieces will go with the blue skirt we made two weeks ago. I promise, pictures when she tries them on for us.
Friday, April 8, 2011
lovely evening
With the time change, and the extended by one hour daylight in the evening, Raine has been having neighborhood play time every day this week. I'm for it, as there are quite a few kids in the neighborhood, including right across the street, and two houses down, and even catty-cornered over our back fence. It is one of the reasons I like the neighborhood, actually. Kids on bikes. Now, Raine isn't riding her bike yet. We haven't had, up until now, the all the other kids are riding theirs, and you aren't going fast enough reason for her to learn. I think the tires will get aired up tomorrow, though, and I'll bet she's riding it within the week. When she's ready, she's ready.
As for me, I got to have a little end of the week creative recharge. I got to catch a couple rerun episodes of Project Runway that I had not seen before. Remember I was resistant to watching? Yeah, missed a few seasons. While I watched, I got to work on the zombie bot amigurumi. He isn't finished yet, although he is constructed. Yes, that is a bit of stuffing showing at the top of his arm. No, its not supposed to be sewed on all the way, he's the _zombie_ robot... I got a new bag of polyfill that I opened up this evening to stuff this little guy with. It is ... well, odd, I guess. Kind of slippery or something. I'm not really sure how to describe my experience with the stuffing. It didn't want to stay in the body parts. I had to twist it to be able to stuff the little legs because this stuff just wouldn't go in the little cavities. I've never had stuffing do that before.
I also thought I would show off the space mouse, who turned out pretty well, I thought.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
saying good bye
A friend of mine passed away this past weekend. When I got to thinking about it, I figured out that I had known him for almost 20 years. Actually it could have been longer.
He's one of my gamer friends, and as such, was an awesome gamer. By that I don't mean that he was extra good at it, or could figure out any situation. He just had a lot of fun with it, and made a game fun, as well, since he obviously enjoyed them so much. He practiced good sportsmanship, whether winning or loosing. When he ran a game - Call of Cthulhu - he made awesome props to go with his adventure. He built models. He had books for you to look in and a Sears catalog from the 1920's for you to shop from. He would pull out a box of costume bits for you to pick out pieces so you could look like your character, and have the items your character would carry. And, yes, if you picked up that mysterious box that he set out in the middle of the table, you could consider that your character also picked it up... and if you opened it, be ready for the consequences. Man, it was hard to resist them, too, because it was just so darned cool!
Beyond being a gamer who welcomed almost anyone to his gaming table, Ed was just a really nice man. He and his wife, both. They loved hosting the gaming group. They have been, for me, one of the couples that serve as a life example for me. They are mentors without even trying, by living their best life. That's who I want to be when I grow up.
Some of the other past and present members of the gaming group have expressed similar feelings to mine, which just confirms the validity of them, I think. The world is a poorer place without Ed. Still, his spirit and love of gaming live on in his gaming friends. I wish peace to his family and friends.
He's one of my gamer friends, and as such, was an awesome gamer. By that I don't mean that he was extra good at it, or could figure out any situation. He just had a lot of fun with it, and made a game fun, as well, since he obviously enjoyed them so much. He practiced good sportsmanship, whether winning or loosing. When he ran a game - Call of Cthulhu - he made awesome props to go with his adventure. He built models. He had books for you to look in and a Sears catalog from the 1920's for you to shop from. He would pull out a box of costume bits for you to pick out pieces so you could look like your character, and have the items your character would carry. And, yes, if you picked up that mysterious box that he set out in the middle of the table, you could consider that your character also picked it up... and if you opened it, be ready for the consequences. Man, it was hard to resist them, too, because it was just so darned cool!
Beyond being a gamer who welcomed almost anyone to his gaming table, Ed was just a really nice man. He and his wife, both. They loved hosting the gaming group. They have been, for me, one of the couples that serve as a life example for me. They are mentors without even trying, by living their best life. That's who I want to be when I grow up.
Some of the other past and present members of the gaming group have expressed similar feelings to mine, which just confirms the validity of them, I think. The world is a poorer place without Ed. Still, his spirit and love of gaming live on in his gaming friends. I wish peace to his family and friends.
Monday, April 4, 2011
the crobots, part 1
Over the weekend, I got two of the crobot amigurumi finished. The grey one is the dog bot, and the other is wheelie. I'm enjoying working on them. Not only are they quick to crochet, I'm having a fun time decorating them. No, they aren't exactly like the ones in the book, especially after decorating, but that is what makes them unique! And even more fun.
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