The Forests Will Echo With Laughter
I knew February could go one of two ways it could really suck or it would be really awesome.
There was a good chance my dad would make a visit out here and that would mean I'd get out of the house and away from the shop.
At the begining of February I finally published the sketch book after 2 months of tedious editing.
Even after the final editing I found the publisher cut off dialogue, and some of the art itself.
I'm still annoyed about it and I'm glad no one had any interest in it.
It isn't perfect and I'd rather not even see anyone but myself with a copy anyway.
I'll probably end up taking it down but at least it was cheap to publish compared to the usual self-publishing company I go through.
I also started on building a canvas from the old laminate and plywood.
I should've been more thoughtful about the initial gluing.
Realizing the canvas would be too heavy with the plywood I started routing it out from the inside with the laminate already glued on.
I got nervous about the router bit since it started burning the edges.
Not that this is a great router anyway and I certainly got what I paid for, total crap.
I swapped out a brand new router bit and I thought I had it in the colet nice and tight.
Apparently not because it fell out of the colette while still spinning shooting a few sparks out and going straight through the other side of the laminate.
That went the canvas.
Sure I could fill it with saw dust, and patch another piece of laminate in but by then I would've already started on the painting.
I ended up going to a craft's store and buying a mid-size canvas and got started the next day.
I used a photo reference for this one which I don't usually do and after a good six hours painting it didn't resemble a whole lot from the photo.
I decided to let the paint saturate the rest of that day and go back to it.
I tried to repair the tree previously written of in "Poisoning the Well"
I thought it would be doable, just get some rope together hoist it up, clear out the joints so I can fit it with glue, and hope for a dry week so the glue could do its thing.
The problem wasn't the glue, nor was it the rope, it was me, I put all available rope I had that I typically use to climb with and made sure everything was nice and tight to the branch.
I tied two sides of the rope to another fallen branch shaped like a wishbone.
The plan was to pull or push it til the damn thing lifted and fit into the place of the joints.
I got the rope on in about an hours time, making figure eight knots, and double knots to make sure it wouldn't slip.
It didn't slip but I just wasn't strong enough to hoist it up from the wishbone.
The rope by the end of my effort that day was so tight that I could stand on it with both feet.
Which was both a testament to the tensile strength of the rope and the strength of the branch on the other side.
The thing had to way at least 100 pounds and there was no way I'd be able to keep that over my shoulders at that height for more then a few seconds.
The next day I looked at it and decided there was no way I could do this alone and forget getting help.
I undid the knots and took the rope back home I didn't want anyone taking it and most likely misusing it.
I was a bit sad about it but at least I got a good workout carrying logs all around.
There was no family superbowl thing for me this year and by the half I was already sore over the game.
Shutting it off and instead reading Island's in The Stream by Hemingway.
I ordered a pizza and my grandmother didn't really pay attention to what I was saying when I said, "I will pay for it online." She paid them on top of the transaction I made making it instead a $30 pizza.
At that point I was starting to really wonder if me being here is any good to her and if I am hurting myself too by digging in here.
When I first moved over here in August of 2012 I was on high alert.
When I left from New York that month I'd already been on high alert too.
I didn't really know anybody here other then a few friends from days long gone.
I didn't even know how this would work out and if I would be able to dig in.
I had to make sure I wasn't too comfortable yet.
So it still meant, checking my back, making sure all my shit was together, practicing yoga regularly and keeping my senses still very sharp.
By January of 2013 I thought I could relax a little so I went down from that high alert state because I thought I could and I did.
By the middle of that year I was working back up to being on high alert again, not knowing who or what to trust.
Right around January when things started going upside down again I was definitely going to have to be on high alert again.
Checking my back to make sure there isn't anyone there, looking on the other side of the street to make sure I don't run into anybody I don't want to, counting every penny in my pocket and keeping my tongue as closely tied as possible.
I've consistently had that I'm trapped feeling and its become more amplified with my grandmother at my back.
With the shop here I couldn't really dig out and likely all the tools and machines I'd bought over the months would have to be liquidated if it came to that.
If I had to wait for Dave to teach me how to sharpen my chisels I'd be waiting til the end of time.
So I figured what the hell they are old chisels give it a shot, watch a few tutorials and have at it.
I couldn't tell if I was making progress despite spending an hour honing the various chisels with the wetstone.
It only seemed to be worse while testing it on the laminate and some thicker plywood.
I ended up calling Dave up and he warned me that I could do hours of damage in minutes.
This of course stopped me cold and I decided that maybe I should just get new chisels already.
I was hoping I'd get to see him that weekend when I had the rental car again.
I would never be able to properly explain my impatience with all this without coming off as completely insane.
I decided to still remain patient about it and worked on the painting for my friend.
It was starting to look really great toward the 10th but I was starting to get that itchy feeling that if I started over-painting it would dull the final painting maybe even tearing the canvas too.
On that weekend I checked out this specialized lumber yard that I'd wanted to look into months ago.
I found it easily enough without getting too lost and ended up buying two Rosewood Bridge blanks.
I think Indian Rosewood because of the smell, Brazilian has a sweeter smell but I could be wrong.
I also picked up a pair of wood worker's gloves from them which would save me cuts, and scratches from carving, sawing and smudging the wood from my fingertips.
They had a lot of wood in there probably a million dollars worth of wood easy.
I also decided to make the trip up to San Jose to pick up a new video card I probably didn't need but wanted.
The easy part was getting there the hard part was getting out, and I was lost for a good hour trying to find my way out of back streets to 101 and eventually found myself on 17 headed for home.
It rained, poured and I was terribly nervous driving the rental.
A couple of speeding truck drivers drove me out of lanes and others honked because I was going the speed limit.
Sorry buddy you can take the chance if you want but not as long as your behind me!
By the time I got home I was exhausted and just too tired to even think.
I slept pretty good had an odd feeling about something or rather seeing something.
From time to time I'll run into an echo.
Sometimes I'll be thinking about something or someone and I'll recognize them not soon after.
Most normal people would say, :"Its all in your mind."
Sorry, no, not for me and the scary thing is it could actually be that person.
From time to time I'll walk into a dream in reality too.
In the past I used to seek out these echoes and try to make them happen.
I've realized for a while now that even if you walk into a dream even if it is a great dream the moment has passed, you've experienced the dream, congratulations!
No one but yourself will reward you for your experience.
So good or bad I try to avoid all dreams.
Why seek something that may or may not even happen in reality anyway?
My dad did end up making the trip out and the timing had to be perfect.
The weather cleared up, and my grandmother was due for another gambling adventure.
It ended up being a really good time, and we made the trip up to San Francisco, Big Sur, and even a short hike.
I was a bit annoyed about the reliance placed on the GPS Navigational thing.
They suck, terribly, and I've had more luck with a Road Atlas and a pen then with the stupid thing blasting, "TURN RIGHT....TURN RIGHT..." into my ear lobes.
Fortunately I didn't have to drive otherwise I'd be deliberately going left, and would have chucked the thing out the window.
It was good to get out of the house, spend time with my dad, and just be able to relax for the most part.
He ended up buying me a new pair of chisels too which ended up making a major difference compared to the old ones.
The old chisels are shot probably from my meddling with the wetstone.
He handled the hike too pretty well considering he just had knee surgery.
I would've liked my brother to come out too but I knew that wasn't going to happen.
Thinking back to the month it wasn't all that bad, I painted, finished the wall clock for my dad, and had time for two trips out of the house with my dad that was all a breathe of fresh air.
With the months end and a new month beginning I am about ready to resume work on the guitar.
I can't tell how the rest of this year will look but I hope I at least get the next six months of good, productive, low stress times.
As always keepin' it ▢
-Astral Samurai
There was a good chance my dad would make a visit out here and that would mean I'd get out of the house and away from the shop.
At the begining of February I finally published the sketch book after 2 months of tedious editing.
Even after the final editing I found the publisher cut off dialogue, and some of the art itself.
I'm still annoyed about it and I'm glad no one had any interest in it.
It isn't perfect and I'd rather not even see anyone but myself with a copy anyway.
I'll probably end up taking it down but at least it was cheap to publish compared to the usual self-publishing company I go through.
I also started on building a canvas from the old laminate and plywood.
I should've been more thoughtful about the initial gluing.
Realizing the canvas would be too heavy with the plywood I started routing it out from the inside with the laminate already glued on.
I got nervous about the router bit since it started burning the edges.
Not that this is a great router anyway and I certainly got what I paid for, total crap.
I swapped out a brand new router bit and I thought I had it in the colet nice and tight.
Apparently not because it fell out of the colette while still spinning shooting a few sparks out and going straight through the other side of the laminate.
That went the canvas.
Sure I could fill it with saw dust, and patch another piece of laminate in but by then I would've already started on the painting.
I ended up going to a craft's store and buying a mid-size canvas and got started the next day.
I used a photo reference for this one which I don't usually do and after a good six hours painting it didn't resemble a whole lot from the photo.
I decided to let the paint saturate the rest of that day and go back to it.
I tried to repair the tree previously written of in "Poisoning the Well"
I thought it would be doable, just get some rope together hoist it up, clear out the joints so I can fit it with glue, and hope for a dry week so the glue could do its thing.
The problem wasn't the glue, nor was it the rope, it was me, I put all available rope I had that I typically use to climb with and made sure everything was nice and tight to the branch.
I tied two sides of the rope to another fallen branch shaped like a wishbone.
The plan was to pull or push it til the damn thing lifted and fit into the place of the joints.
I got the rope on in about an hours time, making figure eight knots, and double knots to make sure it wouldn't slip.
It didn't slip but I just wasn't strong enough to hoist it up from the wishbone.
The rope by the end of my effort that day was so tight that I could stand on it with both feet.
Which was both a testament to the tensile strength of the rope and the strength of the branch on the other side.
The thing had to way at least 100 pounds and there was no way I'd be able to keep that over my shoulders at that height for more then a few seconds.
The next day I looked at it and decided there was no way I could do this alone and forget getting help.
I undid the knots and took the rope back home I didn't want anyone taking it and most likely misusing it.
I was a bit sad about it but at least I got a good workout carrying logs all around.
There was no family superbowl thing for me this year and by the half I was already sore over the game.
Shutting it off and instead reading Island's in The Stream by Hemingway.
I ordered a pizza and my grandmother didn't really pay attention to what I was saying when I said, "I will pay for it online." She paid them on top of the transaction I made making it instead a $30 pizza.
At that point I was starting to really wonder if me being here is any good to her and if I am hurting myself too by digging in here.
When I first moved over here in August of 2012 I was on high alert.
When I left from New York that month I'd already been on high alert too.
I didn't really know anybody here other then a few friends from days long gone.
I didn't even know how this would work out and if I would be able to dig in.
I had to make sure I wasn't too comfortable yet.
So it still meant, checking my back, making sure all my shit was together, practicing yoga regularly and keeping my senses still very sharp.
By January of 2013 I thought I could relax a little so I went down from that high alert state because I thought I could and I did.
By the middle of that year I was working back up to being on high alert again, not knowing who or what to trust.
Right around January when things started going upside down again I was definitely going to have to be on high alert again.
Checking my back to make sure there isn't anyone there, looking on the other side of the street to make sure I don't run into anybody I don't want to, counting every penny in my pocket and keeping my tongue as closely tied as possible.
I've consistently had that I'm trapped feeling and its become more amplified with my grandmother at my back.
With the shop here I couldn't really dig out and likely all the tools and machines I'd bought over the months would have to be liquidated if it came to that.
If I had to wait for Dave to teach me how to sharpen my chisels I'd be waiting til the end of time.
So I figured what the hell they are old chisels give it a shot, watch a few tutorials and have at it.
I couldn't tell if I was making progress despite spending an hour honing the various chisels with the wetstone.
It only seemed to be worse while testing it on the laminate and some thicker plywood.
I ended up calling Dave up and he warned me that I could do hours of damage in minutes.
This of course stopped me cold and I decided that maybe I should just get new chisels already.
I was hoping I'd get to see him that weekend when I had the rental car again.
I would never be able to properly explain my impatience with all this without coming off as completely insane.
I decided to still remain patient about it and worked on the painting for my friend.
It was starting to look really great toward the 10th but I was starting to get that itchy feeling that if I started over-painting it would dull the final painting maybe even tearing the canvas too.
On that weekend I checked out this specialized lumber yard that I'd wanted to look into months ago.
I found it easily enough without getting too lost and ended up buying two Rosewood Bridge blanks.
I think Indian Rosewood because of the smell, Brazilian has a sweeter smell but I could be wrong.
I also picked up a pair of wood worker's gloves from them which would save me cuts, and scratches from carving, sawing and smudging the wood from my fingertips.
They had a lot of wood in there probably a million dollars worth of wood easy.
I also decided to make the trip up to San Jose to pick up a new video card I probably didn't need but wanted.
The easy part was getting there the hard part was getting out, and I was lost for a good hour trying to find my way out of back streets to 101 and eventually found myself on 17 headed for home.
It rained, poured and I was terribly nervous driving the rental.
A couple of speeding truck drivers drove me out of lanes and others honked because I was going the speed limit.
Sorry buddy you can take the chance if you want but not as long as your behind me!
By the time I got home I was exhausted and just too tired to even think.
I slept pretty good had an odd feeling about something or rather seeing something.
From time to time I'll run into an echo.
Sometimes I'll be thinking about something or someone and I'll recognize them not soon after.
Most normal people would say, :"Its all in your mind."
Sorry, no, not for me and the scary thing is it could actually be that person.
From time to time I'll walk into a dream in reality too.
In the past I used to seek out these echoes and try to make them happen.
I've realized for a while now that even if you walk into a dream even if it is a great dream the moment has passed, you've experienced the dream, congratulations!
No one but yourself will reward you for your experience.
So good or bad I try to avoid all dreams.
Why seek something that may or may not even happen in reality anyway?
My dad did end up making the trip out and the timing had to be perfect.
The weather cleared up, and my grandmother was due for another gambling adventure.
It ended up being a really good time, and we made the trip up to San Francisco, Big Sur, and even a short hike.
I was a bit annoyed about the reliance placed on the GPS Navigational thing.
They suck, terribly, and I've had more luck with a Road Atlas and a pen then with the stupid thing blasting, "TURN RIGHT....TURN RIGHT..." into my ear lobes.
Fortunately I didn't have to drive otherwise I'd be deliberately going left, and would have chucked the thing out the window.
It was good to get out of the house, spend time with my dad, and just be able to relax for the most part.
He ended up buying me a new pair of chisels too which ended up making a major difference compared to the old ones.
The old chisels are shot probably from my meddling with the wetstone.
He handled the hike too pretty well considering he just had knee surgery.
I would've liked my brother to come out too but I knew that wasn't going to happen.
Thinking back to the month it wasn't all that bad, I painted, finished the wall clock for my dad, and had time for two trips out of the house with my dad that was all a breathe of fresh air.
With the months end and a new month beginning I am about ready to resume work on the guitar.
I can't tell how the rest of this year will look but I hope I at least get the next six months of good, productive, low stress times.
As always keepin' it ▢
-Astral Samurai
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