clouds: two layers of anxiety

Trouble is rarely ever simple:

two layers to this anxiety.

better run.

Rock displaying on the "water plain"

When we go out hiking or camping we are VERY likely to come back with a rock or two.

these rocks act as sort of a souvenir of the trip, so it seems fitting that we should have a way to present them (at least until they get lost in our landscape). This would also give me a location to organize our collection of "keepers". my other initial goal with this project is to teach the boys about the elements of composition in 3D.

in summary our project is a sort of simplified residential back yard version of a Japanese contemplation rock garden.

the idea is simple: create a large plain of smaller rock that will act as a body of water and then position smaller rocks that will function as small islands.

our scale is very small so i opted for sand as the water. the sand is also easier for picking out debris because it just sits on top versus getting in between the larger pebbles.

to add to the fun, we are making little boats to really help them along in the transition of imaging a large sandbox as a body of water.

back yard rock display with boats

 copper boats vs steel boats, working on our scale

my next step in this project is to see how we can also turn it into a sort of Battle Ship game.

i think a small armada on each side with catapults, like our indoor Crush the Castle game.

back yard rock display with boats

backyard rock display with boats

 the steel from this boat is the binding for railroad tie bails

other materials are bamboo skewers and some scrap cedar.

making boats for backyard rock display

a quick plug for these Milwaukee Markers. these are really holding up well. very good for marking on abused surfaces, metal and wood.

Chronodex week 23 through 27- photographed with a knolling theme

I have found that taking a knolling themed photograph is an excellent way to compliment my chronodex experience.

knolling is the process of arranging (organizing) a focused group of tools that were used for a particular purpose. in my case, i am using the tools i employed for that particular chronodex.

to summarize,  i am simply reinforcing the notion of organization by taking an image of an organized layout to frame a method of time organization.

chronodex 6.2.2015,  "pocket time piece chronodex"

chrono 6.8.2015, "pocket hook chronodex"

chronodex 6.9.2015, "rabbit border chronodex"

chronodex 6.14.2015, "chronodex off the page"

chronodex 6.14.2015, "simply making circles chronodex"

chronodex 6.19.2015, "long lasting chronodex"

chronodex 6.26.2015, "back to work with a vengeance chronodex"

chronodex 6.28.2015, "standing border chronodex"

chronodex 7.3.2015, "festival balls chronodex"

there are sessions when i do not have time to photograph the chronodex

 and 

to be honest i sort of feel incomplete.

Belknap Bluegrass hammer restored- used properly

Another very satisfying hammer restoration. 

The stamped Belknap clover worn from years of service

and

despite the amount of use the face and claw were in EXCELLENT condition.

obviously the owner used this hammer to its proper purpose. too many people use a carpentry hammer like this for demolitions work (we are all guilty of that at least every now and then, myself included), but this just destroys the tool. this is one of those situations i can only hope the next owner will treat this striker as well as the first did.

Belknap Bluegrass hammer used properly, history is still evident in the cheeks.

chronodex week 18 through 22 - nothing wrong with simple categories

The chronodex is summarized as a "visually oriented time management tool"

to make this work one must take a moment to define the day.

this can be as simple or as complex as the individual needs. i must stress here, that there is no 

"only way". the depth of categorization just depends on the visual uniqueness of the user, complexity of identifying obligations specifically and the degree of task management comments applied to each time block.

i am using the chronodex to "simply" identify free time on the days i work so i can set realistic expectations for my personal endeavors.  

i subscribe to a very simple classifications for my time management.  

i have 3 simple categories:

1. absolute obligations

2. potential obligations

3. open time

i will explain another time but i use index cards to slipped next to my chronodex for my 

task management entries.  

to add to the simplicity, i tend to use only two colors on my clock face: 

red is for sleep (an absolute obligations) 

and

black for all other absolute & potential obligations.

what is left are the blank spots and those (potential) open blocks. 

oh, how i look forward to those open blocks!

chronodex 4.28.2015 and 4.29.2015
"when two days overlap" chronodex
 doane pocket notebook
green radar eraser
pentel kerry pencil
tombow eraser
esterbrook clip #20
pilot 78G B

chronodex 4.28.2015 and 4.29.2015
"when two days overlap" chronodex
 doane pocket notebook
green radar eraser
pentel kerry pencil
tombow eraser
esterbrook clip #20
pilot 78G B

chronodex 5.1.2015
"two towers chronodex"
kaweco al sport fountain pen
bullet pencil from metalshopct
esterbrook clip No 20
doane pocket notebook

chronodex 5.10.2015
"wreathed chronodex"
TWSBI 580 with stub nib
red radar eraser
esterbrook No 20 clip
doane pocket notebook

chronodex 5.15.2015
"circle chronodex"

chronodex 5.18.2015
"hangman chronodex"

chronodex 5.15.2015
"too much" chronodex

chronodex 5.17.2015
rocketship chronodex
 

chronodex 5.22.2015
"point off the page chronodex"

chronodex 5.23.2015
"borders galore chronodex"

 chronodex 5.24.2015 video

chronodex 5.25.2015
"Memorial Day Chronodex"
Nebraska is the 37th star

chronodex 5.26.2015
"two days of borders for one chronodex"

chronodex 5.27.2015
"Pen Addict" chronodex

Damaged calm

Time to run!

A few words on the nick that kept bleeding

How many times has this happened! something VERY minor happens and then all of a sudden everything grinds to a halt.

I had just finished putting a sharp edge a small cleaver for a fellow when i simply reached over it to grab a pencil (goldfaber 12212B). in that motion i so ever lightly bumped the knife with my thumb.

When something so minor grinds everything to a halt.
1.1 stub nib for scale.

straight into some sort of blood vessel because damn if that nick didn't just keep volunteering blood. tried to work but had to keep stopping because it would keep opening up. at one point i had a tissue wadded up on the end with about a foot of electricians tape tightly binding it.

finally concerned that my finger was going to turn blue and fall off, i had to stop working

what a waste of time, there was no real pain, no chance of infection and no loss of limb, 

but 

that was that.

for the record i am a very careful worker but even the most careful amongst us will have an accident every now and then.