Monday, December 16, 2013

So it looks like I got promoted....

The decision to travel around working at festivals and faires was made before I had a plan of where I was going to work at each one. I put my faith in my friends and the powers of the universe. 

I was not disappointed.

At the first faire of my year, I will be selling flutes and ocarinas (Crap! I have to learn to play the ocarina!) out of a cart. Hopefully I'm a witty and charismatic while selling as I am wandering around. For the next three faires after that - Scarborough, Colorado, and Minnesota - I have been asked to be the face of Visions in Wood, a local woodcarver. Along with an assortment of product (wooden toys, scroll art, and wands), I will also be equipped with a tent to sell out of.

Ooooooh, the times...they shall be fun. And if they aren't fun, they should at least be interesting. 

Either way, this life, I shall live it, and I will live it well.

Toodles!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

New phone!

So after many months of dealing with my phone's battery draining much quicker than it should (as well as a few other minor issues), I finally went to the store and browsed phones and pricing plans.  Picked up a slightly smaller phone for $0 down and not much tacked on to my monthly bill. Score one for me!

But wait.....there's more.

Turns out this slightly smaller phone is also slightly slower than I'd prefer. In addition, I had really gotten used to that large screen coming in handy for maps and reading text updates. I waffle about spending a fifty dollar restocking fee or just dealing with the minor inconvenience of smaller screen and marginally slower loading of apps.

Back to the store! Zoooom!

So, once again I'm looking at my options of fancy schmancy phones that don't require much down (hopefully nothing) and also don't increase my bill much. Choices are narrowed down to Galaxy 3 and Sony Xperia Z. Both are pretty comparable in features and speed, but the Xperia has one feature that is particularly appealing, especially since I'll be travelling and exposed to the elements a little more regularly. 

It's waterproof. WATER. PROOF! 

Only rated for 3ft for 30 minutes (or something to that effect), and it's not exactly made to be used as an underwater phone or camera, but enough that one can drop it in a puddle or sink and it will be fine. After watching several videos on Youtube, I decided to test it out. Sure enough, it operates underwater with no ill effect. It's been about a week and I'm pretty pleased 

Yay!!! So I've got a new phone that has a nice camera, pretty decent speakers for music, and shouldn't get all goobered up in the rain. Hopefully this one holds up for a while.



Sunday, December 08, 2013

I got hitched a few days ago!

Or at least my truck did. Took some doin', but I got 'er done.  Even though the temperature was slowly dropping to near freezing (and I'm talking literally near freezing), I installed the hitch receiver on to my Element with relative ease. Laying on cold concrete, holding metal tools, working with cold metal pieces, and a "cool" breeze, I made it happen. Frequent breaks were made to run inside and warm up and drink a little more rum&drPepper.

As it was dark by the time I finished, and super cold out, pics did not happen as planned. Eventually when it's at least moderately warmer and light out, I'll have pics. Facebook will be the first to see them. I may post one here.

And there's a good possibility that I may have a trailer (4'x8') available for a wicked cheap price.

**fingers crossed**

See ya next time!
Chris

Thursday, December 05, 2013

Gah! It's cold! But hitches don't care!

Short little post regarding weather and car maintenance. Somehow, and it may just be selective memory working here, but it seems that most times I have an auto project to work on, the weather turns sour.

I remember in particular one time I was working on my VW bus and had to either put in or take out the engine. Well, that day Mother Nature in all her care and generosity decided to bath everything with a powerwasher. No gentle drizzle. No light fog. Downpour! Deluge! Maelstrom!   ...   So I push the van far enough into the garage as I could, mixed a big ol' rum & coke, and made things happen. 

(Another time I couldn't feel my fingers while adjusting the valve clearances in winter in New York)

Today I'm installing a trailer hitch to my Element. It rained earlier so the ground is damp, but that's a minor thing. It's cold. So I'm bundling up, mixing me a big ol' rum & drPepper, and making things happen. At least the wiring portion is mainly inside the car.

Plans are to have a few pics later to put up.

Or at least one of a finished procedure.

Or a drunk me.

Maybe both.

Wednesday, December 04, 2013

And time for another change in life!

I have made my decision.

From my introduction to renaissance festivals (both to work or attend), I have wanted to travel around the country with the rest of the "rennies". Before committing myself to the road in a rickety VW bus and no savings, I wanted to get a degree, a more reliable car, and perhaps some savings.

After ten years, I think I'm ready. I've got an Associates Degree (took me 7 years but goal attained) in a mobile trade, Web Design. There's a reliable car that hauls a bunch of stuff and has plenty of room to sleep in is paid off in the driveway. We won't really get into the contents of my savings account.

As Meatloaf says, "Don't be sad; two out of three ain't bad."

Things have been going pretty well lately and my life is in a place that I think it might be time. I've been discussing opportunities and plans with a few of my traveling friends, and have been met with many responses of support and lots of statements of "About time! What took you so long?"

Trailer hitch is on the way, decent prospect for trailer (on which to build a mini-camper), and after I build/buy a cartop cargo box, I should be set to hit the road. I've a job lined up to start things out at Sherwood faire over towards Austin. Prospective lineup of travel will be on to Scarborough Ren Faire (Apr-May), then onward to Colorado (June-July), followed by either Michigan or Minnesota (Aug - Sept), and back home to Tex Ren Fest (Oct-Nov) to bed down for the winter.

That's just a plan though. All of it depends on where I can find work...and look at all these options I have from which to choose.  Here's another list organized by month. Several of my friends I've talked to have not known that there was more than one ren faire or that there were others across the country. For those of my local friends that like to travel and can afford to do so, keep track of me on Facebook and use me as an excuse to visit another festival around the country.

Now, it's crashtime in the hammock.

G'nite all ya'll...see ya!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Such infrequent updates....

So I'm going to try to get back into updating a little more often. A lot has happened and a lot is (hopefully) going to be happening.

These things happen to include weed-whacking and picking up a few things in the backyard. So greater detail will be shared afterwards.

Thank you for your attention.

And now back to your irregularly scheduled programs.