December 2021 News
Oh gosh it's time. Hey December.
One day I'm going to never be cold again. Unsure how but I'll figure it out. Subscribe to this channel and smash that mf like button to make sure not to miss a thing. Or something.
For the record, I never want one of these updates to stand in the way of actual progress. If I ever have to choose, creating (which means editing right now) will supersede the update.
Edits
Would you believe I'm not done yet? Because I'm not.
Schala
I haven't spoken on her lately. I should.
Looking back, she's yet to be defined in any meaningful way on this blog. That won't change today. But I'll tell you this: my firstborne is a math major who graduates in the spring. He's been a sounding board for Schala since her inception but is lately finding his place in her design. He fashioned some formulas using nonlinear dynamics and chaos theory that allowed us to create a prototype of her majesty. They look a little something like this:
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| I'm sorry it's so vague. Just know that those waves (sinusoids if you're a nerd) are all chasing one another. They're chasing an unobtainable balance, exactly as hoped. This was a huge breakthrough. |
Is it playable? sort of
Presentable? hard no
The problem is that even in its current state it is highly stealable.
Schala is a project that if I don't hurry up and build, someone else will. That horrifying fact looms over me all the time but I will not let it disrupt my current endeavor: finishing V&V - an Epic Fantasy Fiction Novel featuring magic, monsters, and mayhem.
Pics from my phone
Speaking of being cold, my brother and my firstborne and I went camping the other weekend. I wasn't actually too cold, having learned to layer upon layer my clothing. Here are some pics
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| Arrival and setup! And throw back some yard beer cos why not? |
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| Scratch-made Chicken soup! (yes that's noodles of ramen, but without the accompanying spices) |
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| Sunset on day 1 |
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| Sunrise on day 2 |
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| Sausage & Eggs |
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| Coffee |
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| path to the river to go wash dishes |
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| KICKIN' IT. I busted some woods-yoga on a full belly then napped it up. I'd do it all over, and in colder weather, for this. No cell service, data, clock, obligations. For mental rejuvenations, I cannot recommend this enough. |
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| Din din! (you might have noticed that FOOD was a major theme of this trip) |
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| Skewers on coals. I have plans to improve on these. |
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| The fellows did fellow stuff. I pulled an old man and photo'd them. |
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| Sunrise on day 3 Easily the most magical vistas thus far |
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| vistas, contd. |
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| vistas, fin |
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| Taters n peps (and coffee obviously) |
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| Breaking it down (my heart breaks in remembrance) |
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| Leaving no trace |
As far as rough camping goes, this might have been my favorite experience. I've had far worse. And I came out of it with plans on how to improve. My only regret is that the very best weather for camping (COLD) comes with the least hours of daylight. Ah well.
Next Month
Does it matter? Dwelling on all these pictures has rekindled the zen in my heart that the trip ignited. What else matters than the moments we can feel with our very fingertips? Tell someone nearby how you feel. Let the stress out of your shoulders. Forgive someone who hasn't earned it. Focus on your mind and your heart and your lungs and those who need you. Release the hate. Release the judgment. Hug a tree if you must, I don't care.
I'll see you when I see you.
dtl