At least when I only update a couple of times a year I get lots to write!
Lots of new stuff since my last update. The biggest is that I've switched jobs. I'm still working at the hospital, but I've taken a mostly administrative position on the night shift in the substance abuse department. It's nice to be in a position where I'm not wearing scrubs, and it pays a lot better, plus its full time. Hopefully that means in the next few months we can start digging our way out of the hole that the recent increases in cost of living have put us in. Should be bringing in about double what I am now. I'm really hoping that Mira will be able to quit her job once my paychecks start coming in. Her boss is a screaming raging asshole, and she's always coming home stressed.
After about 100,000 miles in the last four years, my car died on the road. It's starting to become a habit. The last one died in iron mountain, again after about 100,000 miles, of a worn out tranny. This one blew the computer. Of course these weren't NEW cars, so I've certainly got my money's worth out of them. The downside is that I've had to resurrect my truck, which has only been driven twice in the past two years. It took a bit of tinkering to get it up and running again. I really hadn't driven it since I made a new slave cylinder for the clutch. I had forgotten how frustrating it is commuting through traffic in a great big stick shift. At least it gets me there. I'm keeping my eyes open for something more fuel efficient though, and starting to think that the electric car project that I've been thinking about should move off of the drawing board. Option number two, which has also been on the drawing board, and was the original reason I picked up the truck a couple of years ago, is to do the FEMA wood gas conversion, and start running it on charcoal. Unfortunately, after getting under it while tracing wires, and coming face to face with just how rusty and nasty the drivetrain is, I'm not really sure how many miles more it's going to be good for, so it might be pointless to try and convert it.
SCA is looking up, and hopefully we'll have more money for hobbies soon. Met some new folks in the last few weeks who look like they're really interested, so maybe the shire will grow back to where it was a couple of years ago. I miss having a big shire. So many of our folks have gotten forcefully shoved back into 'real life' or have dropped into the World of Warcraft that it's been a wonder we're still around at all. Mostly I chalk that up to Mira. She really wants to see this one survive.
As of may, I'm another year older, and another year closer to lying about my age. Feeling like I'm in pretty good shape though. Mira and I have been walking, and getting out of the house on a pretty regular basis, and actually seeing more of each other than when I was afternoon shift. Looking forward to getting a bit more time in armour as well. Working on some armour projects so I can fight in gear that actually fits. I need to get the chainmail link cutter set back up, so that Mira and I can make me up a Byrnie. Last week I cut out a frame for a new helm and welded it, so hopefully this week I can get the panels dished out and get it put together. I need to make a basket hilt, a boss for my shield, some joint protection, a gorget... Basically need everything. Relying on loaner gear has really set me back.
Missing having a game going. I really need to find myself a group of players again so that I can DM. I've found myself wandering through game accessory websites, planning dungeon encounters, and such. Anyone feeling like they'd be willing to make a time commitment? That's always been the biggest problem: I've never really been good at writing scenarios where there could be a 'peanut butter jar' to keep inactive characters in while their players were skipping game, or could only show up for every fourth or fifth session.
I'm sure that there's more in the way of update, but this is all that springs to mind right now.
A.
After about 100,000 miles in the last four years, my car died on the road. It's starting to become a habit. The last one died in iron mountain, again after about 100,000 miles, of a worn out tranny. This one blew the computer. Of course these weren't NEW cars, so I've certainly got my money's worth out of them. The downside is that I've had to resurrect my truck, which has only been driven twice in the past two years. It took a bit of tinkering to get it up and running again. I really hadn't driven it since I made a new slave cylinder for the clutch. I had forgotten how frustrating it is commuting through traffic in a great big stick shift. At least it gets me there. I'm keeping my eyes open for something more fuel efficient though, and starting to think that the electric car project that I've been thinking about should move off of the drawing board. Option number two, which has also been on the drawing board, and was the original reason I picked up the truck a couple of years ago, is to do the FEMA wood gas conversion, and start running it on charcoal. Unfortunately, after getting under it while tracing wires, and coming face to face with just how rusty and nasty the drivetrain is, I'm not really sure how many miles more it's going to be good for, so it might be pointless to try and convert it.
SCA is looking up, and hopefully we'll have more money for hobbies soon. Met some new folks in the last few weeks who look like they're really interested, so maybe the shire will grow back to where it was a couple of years ago. I miss having a big shire. So many of our folks have gotten forcefully shoved back into 'real life' or have dropped into the World of Warcraft that it's been a wonder we're still around at all. Mostly I chalk that up to Mira. She really wants to see this one survive.
As of may, I'm another year older, and another year closer to lying about my age. Feeling like I'm in pretty good shape though. Mira and I have been walking, and getting out of the house on a pretty regular basis, and actually seeing more of each other than when I was afternoon shift. Looking forward to getting a bit more time in armour as well. Working on some armour projects so I can fight in gear that actually fits. I need to get the chainmail link cutter set back up, so that Mira and I can make me up a Byrnie. Last week I cut out a frame for a new helm and welded it, so hopefully this week I can get the panels dished out and get it put together. I need to make a basket hilt, a boss for my shield, some joint protection, a gorget... Basically need everything. Relying on loaner gear has really set me back.
Missing having a game going. I really need to find myself a group of players again so that I can DM. I've found myself wandering through game accessory websites, planning dungeon encounters, and such. Anyone feeling like they'd be willing to make a time commitment? That's always been the biggest problem: I've never really been good at writing scenarios where there could be a 'peanut butter jar' to keep inactive characters in while their players were skipping game, or could only show up for every fourth or fifth session.
I'm sure that there's more in the way of update, but this is all that springs to mind right now.
A.