Got to the doc's this morning, getting a blood test to check for magnesium and calcium levels and another ECG/EKG (?) check on the heart and the murmur.  Everything so far looks great, told doc about the pains in my quads and thinks it might be something that will be looked for in the bloodwork. 

As to the heart and bp apparently I'm postcard perfect but since there has been a history of checks before, including my dental surgery over 3 years ago we're gonna get another look at the heart and its behaviour lately.  But all indications are that I am indeed getting to the healthiest I've been for a long time - thanks to those who egged me on and gave a couple kicks in the pants. ;)

Bonus:  Thanks to valkryor I have a new place to visit daily, CakeWrecks.  And no there will NOT be delicious cake at the end, the cake is a lie... hell it's beyond a lie it's wtf :P

For the second year in a row a summer lightning and hailstorm has given us a bonus of sorts: 

...a large tree limb crashing down on our driveway.

... and this time again fortunately with no car underneath.

Definitely a change of luck for the best.

Also I had to walk home in the rain which was ok enough as I had a decent enough jacket, but it was black.  I had thought to attach one of my new mini-LED flashlights for $3 earlier in the day to my backpack strap as a handy grab and go with velcro.  Was a very wise move as I used it twice to signal cars that I'm sure at least one of them didn't even see me as she turned left with her young son in passenger seat from Lancaster to Weber - glad at least I made eye contact with them and I was able to scoot back out of the way. 

I know I've been laughed at for how cautious I can be about safety but I'm sure when it comes down to it I think drivers can appreciate my efforts to make sure I don't become a hood ornament.

EDIT - I added a picture, upon further review this branch is much smaller than last year's but still large enough.

- I think some people my have played a version of this game before in the arcade, it's a cute time waster :
http://www.yukyuk.com/games_downloads/cat_herder/cat_herder2.shtml

- The downside of getting back on track and better technology is having to be forced to use the new Vista

- Random silly (NSFW due to forced bovine copulation) http://ircpics.com/img.php?id=20839

- New slogan for livejournal - "LiveJournal - Giving people the balls to say something online that would probably get them ripped off in real life."

- People confuse me, and I hope a couple things that made me go 'huh?' get clarified soon.  Weirdness.

- More pics from the con coming in, have also discovered further potential in the video camera I brought with me... quite the handy little recorder.  Many thanks to the plethora of people who grabbed me to say hi, and the "you should have done that thing long ago" comments, t'was cool.  Also many thanks who got photos of my new outfit as I neglected to get a shot of the finished work when I was too busy seeing friends and taking pics of their works.

- Random wi-fi finding while on assignment makes the time go by a bit quicker, duh... but it diverts the eyes a little too easily.  It all started when using the MS streets and trips program and it tried to auto update, and thus Pandora's box opens :P  Sometime later I'll go into detail about my part-time gig, as it is I do it more for the experience than the pay.

- Finally got the weight bench installed and workshop/workout room set up.  I think I've cut as much weight as is healthy and I hover between 235-240 now, the doctor appointment is tomorrow morning to both get the quad muscle looked at as well as a check up on hr & bp.  I may be verging on the point of paranoia when it comes to my training and exercise regimen but I want to make sure things are humming along as safely as possible - I literally don't want to kill myself in the quest to get healthy while doing it at a comfortable, steady pace.  I just can't believe how much I let things slide, pics of me from the other weekend are of pretty much a different person from pics taken in July, August and October of last year.

- "And now I know, and knowing is half the battle."  I wonder what the other half is?  Guns? 

- Much more on my mind and I think it'll stay there instead, discretion is the better part of valour. 

www.neoengel.com/polaris22.html

enjoy. ;)

Here's some of the workable video and pics I took of that sojourn into the protected woodland near my place.  Enjoy.

In case the embedding doesn't work http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npW7S1P_Yvc

Today we have a double-shot of youtube awesome.

First off is a fresh off the press video of my friend who dressed as Kaylee in her first ever costume at her first ever convention and at her first ever masquerade. She had an awesome time and I think her Kaylee costume is amazing, I whipped up a video to share pics of the costume with video from the masquerade.


(link in case embedding doesn't work) http://youtube.com/watch?v=DsPBB4_Z8_o

This second video is of the Dr. Who Skit, featuring my friend gaelfling  's first time at Polaris and on their stage as well - and winning awards as too! Way to go! (He's the 6th to appear in the skit)


(link in case embedding doesn't work, video isn't mine) http://youtube.com/watch?v=O7CE2WkEExo

Enjoy.

Went for a walk in Shantz Park near Stanley Park Mall in Kitchener, starting the trail off Ottawa St. and leaving at River Road.

I must post pics and vids for this... I was testing the video camera mounted on my backpack and got rolling just in time to see 6 deer!

There was one bold one I caught with my still camera on the trail and I must have gotten within 30 feet of it before it took off, I saw 2 others with it nearby off the trail, another 2 more on the opposite side of the trail and then when leaving the site about halfway through the woods, a fawn scampered through the bush to meet up with the others.

Whoa!... pretty cool.  I'll get the pics and vids up soonest.  I'm also delayed in getting a recap video done from the past weekend.  Hopefully by early next week they'll be done.

I've nagged enough with this, my right quadriceps have been hurtin' since last Tuesday, the pain subsided a bit for the con (yay blisters from shifted walking to accommodate) and has built up again after JuJitsu class this past Tuesday.  At first I thought I overused a muscle but this feels different.

At about 5pm today I almost tumbled down the stairs as the leg gave out.  :(

This ain't good...time for a professional.  I hate having to see the Doc, he's a great guy but ... you know...

Combine a CO2 injection system into the blade of a knife and you get this: www.waspknife.com

It's a knife specifically designed to pierce skin (human or animal) and end life by injecting frozen compressed Carbon Dioxide (kinda redundant as compressed CO2 is friggin cold, regardless) into the organs to freeze/expand them.

Yikes.

I'm all for keeping up to date with intentionally non-lethal deterrent devices (tasers, sonic scramblers, light amplification shooters, etc) but this is a whole new realm of nasty.

This photo comes courtesy of Marianne at Alliance Imperiale, it's my friend as Kaylee.  It was her first time at a con ever, first time on stage ever and she's hooked. 

She's also looking for photos of her outfit, if anyone has anything please email@neoengel.com, thank you :)

Thanks to James and Jopwie I got some really cool shots to add to my gallery, these are just great!  Thank you :)




[ clicky ]


[ clicky ]

I'll have the rest up soon :)  And If there's more pics, please send them my way ;)

I got the video to co-operate to an acceptable level (despite previous successful testing, the video editing software decided not to work with the original high quality footage so I had to improvise) and though this is not the official video from the Colonial Marines, it's pretty cool regardless.

You'll see in the video how I mounted the video camera on top of the Pulse Rifle.

Link in case embedding doesn't work: http://youtube.com/watch?v=btltlzWjtR8
POLARIS 22 COLONY SWEEP (Unofficial amateur video)



The highlight of the show was definitely wookiemart's Power Loader from the Aliens film ABSOFREAKINLUTELYAWESOME! :)

Enjoy the video and please send photos to email@neoengel.com, I neglected to get pics of my costume but got some of others but the tried and true digital camera messed up.

Thanks again to all who warmly welcomed me and offered support and complimented the outfit, glad I brought a few smiles to faces :)

EDIT - yes I discovered indeed how bright those LEDs on my headset and shoulder are and will be more careful in the future :)

I got the video into my computer, but for some reason I am unable to edit the video like it successfully did when testing it out.  Got to try different software and give it another go instead of just posting the raw footage, also found out that much of the video taken is too shaky to watch unless arranged in a montage... still should work out ok, this was a first time test run.

In other news, here's a great shot on my camera to get the ball rolling, quite the hottie there too eh?  I neglected to get a single shot of just my finished costume, if anyone has anything please send it my way :)



That is one fine lookin' woman right there :)

Got enough sleep and started to unpack, as well as transfer photos and vids into computer.   The camera worked out well mounted on the rifle but it's a bit shaky at parts, have to edit it together in a montage as well as extract scenes with image grabber as still photos.

But I think yesterday made for a successful test run of the outfit for Dcon on Labour Day weekend and all the kinks should be worked out.  I'm also quite proud of how well the outfit looked and the responses it got (trimming up certainly helped the look too). :)

Was a good time and will have stuff to share soon after I plug away at some details.

Got back from my day at the races, an overwhelming success with seeing friends and the costume was very well received (still have camera flashes in my eyes).  The neatest part was when it dawned on people that the camera mounted on my rifle was actually video recording... makes for some interesting reactions :P

I'm back home safe, waiting word from last part of convoy's safe arrival home before I rest.

Oddly enough although I am self declared permanently retired (yeah I heard that one before, but it's for sure this time) I was able to utilize my wits and concom contacts to help a friend in need and make sure things worked out well for her.  Phew :)

No more typing, me tired.  Have some photos and a metric buttload of video to edit - but that will be for later ;)

...It's 7-11, FREE SLURPEE DAY!

Hopefully that'll help remind me I just got older :P

First - teh silleh...



On the crappier side of things, the attempts to mount the video camera hands free didn't work out, but it'll still mount alright on either the pulse rifle or Longshot.

The secondary surprise costume is finished in half the time and cost ($4.81) predicted and is going to be totally kick ass and in great company :)

I'm also pleased to find out another friend of mine letting me know they'll be stopping by this Saturday and I look forward to actually making it :)

[ click for larger size ]

Finally got the artwork all done for the costume and the first photos of it will be of its field test hopefully this weekend, keeping the finished product a surprise.  Ironically considering the name of the dice roll (Snake-Eyes) I'll be bringing a GIJoe costume that isn't of our favourite commando-ninja :O

The painting wasn't the greatest, but I'm just happy I didn't screw up the camo paintjob. :D

Does anyone here know if there's still going to /b/ another protest at the Church of $cientology sometime this month?  I fail at google and other sources came up empty, however I thought that I read that there was something in the works for it Saturday.

I'm otherwise engaged that day but I know of a few other folks curious about it too.

Please pardon the randomness, I return you now to your normal LJ viewing :)

EDIT:  I got some help from Toronto LJ, there is a protest planned on Saturday July 12, same time I'll be at Polaris with the AI folks.

More info here: http://www.anonymoustoronto.org/index.php/Planned_Protests

All indications are looking like the odds of me making it Saturday to Polaris after all went up from 50% to 75%.  I'm looking forward to meeting up with folks who insist on passing along birthday regards, but it's on Friday and I'm trying to disavow getting older - I certainly don't feel it though :)

I already have my gift to myself for it (Colonial Marine costume and M41A Pulse Rifle), so a passing wave and a smile will be kinda nice instead.

Again to those who help out all year of for an hour, as a paying attendee I say thank you and good luck with the show.  I know full well how (don't get me started) how thankless and rough it can be to be a volunteer and get used in ways you never signed on for (again don't get me started).  My crew and I are looking forward to a good old geek-fest.

Cheers.

Caveat.  Yes there will be people (as always) that I'd rather not talk with and probably likewise - if people make the minimal effort to not say or do (further) stupid things, I can certainly do the same and I think we will all have a great weekend.  I'm going there to aid in ridding the colony of the alien infestation dammits (security insisted a repeat of it last year :)), and if I'm lucky there might be some juicy colonists' daughters I have to rescue from their virginity.

Ok, I've seen ALIENS TOO MANY TIMES NOW! :P

Ok I'm detecting a pattern here.  I'm normally quite aware of my email usage and make notable steps to keep certain addresses within certain circles, though I've been sharing my account for msn a bit more over this past year.  So far so good, but there's two weird things going on this week.

1) Once again I had someone add me to msn and solicit me for cybersex/camwhoring.  I knew it wasn't likely to be someone I knew when the user pic was a naked woman ... and then to make sure my 2 inquiries to 'her' identity were ignored with only A/S/L? postings and then something that shall not be posted here.  Heh, gotta love marketing tactics that play on the direct lure of a sexual experience...

2) I got another email to the same account used for msn and from what I can translate it's Russian or East-European mail order bride pitches.  I'll get right on that, yup, especially when it's the same write-up for two different pictures :P

Yeah... The internet, it is for porn.

And in the category for WTF, I give you Sunday's Toronto SunshineGirl.  I have no idea why they would post that her most memorable meeting was with the wrestler who later committed double-murder-suicide.  Now I know why I tend to not bother with that crappy paper, even if it's free to read - I think it leads to brain cell loss as evident in their even worsening standards.

I am so tempted to use this as part of the USCM costume, I'm currently sourcing out some material that matches the current camo used by the Canadian Forces.  If I can walk down the street and find shops selling knock-off pants, jackets and shorts I should theoretically find what I need :P

Here's what it looks like so far:


[ Click for larger size ]

Again hats off to gaelfling for the amazing work.  In the side view the cargo pockets are visible as well as the horseshoe turned dagger in the boot.  I love the new boots too... cheapest ones I ever had.  Yes and as noted by a friend of mine the shirt looks a bit big on me, I promise I'm not starving myself. ;)

- Happy Caturday!

- Tomorrow I get my very first kilt, ever.  Thanks to a fortuitous run-in with old friend/recent lj-add gaelfling while costume part gathering for Jen, and a half-down deposit - I'll be getting something even cooler than a Utili-kilt.  A utilikilt is a cross between a kilt with modern materials and those nifty side pockets sen in fatigues.  I'm getting one in a digital camo pattern for cheap, always wanted one but the brand name stuff is super expensive  In return for the cheaper price I'm offering up some promo work and modeling of the product as well (Gosh, me, on camera, noooooo :P).

- Apparently there's another $cientology protest set for next Saturday, July 12th.  Anyone interested and not previously engaged might be interested, I'll look for details for anything happening in Toronto for it.

- My crew and I will be going to tcon for the Saturday utilizing the costume pass option.  I'm mainly going on request of friends who want to see me as well as those in the USCM colony sweep, this being a bit of a dress rehearsal for our DCon exploits.  And for other matters, all I can say is that I'm looking forward to a good time, taking pics, vids and geeking out - I just hope that certain people are smart enough to cease and desist with teh dumb and enjoy a weekend of fun.

- Paradise Toronto Comicon funs the same weekend as Tcon, but over at Exhibition Place, it'll be interesting to see how it goes all things considered.

- Good luck to the volunteers running the shows, gods bless your hard work and passion to make it happen, wish I could still help out but with all the stress I've been through and other advice I've taken I just can't do it anymore.  I'm still fielding requests for photo archives, security questions, etc and I don't mind doing that on the dl, but I'm not comfortable doing anything above that despite a few offers, gotta CMA.

- I've transformed my place into a functional workshop and workout area, and I'm still deciding on a name to hang on it.  I could call it the Pit, after the nickname for the secret base the GIJoes had early in the Marvel Comics run (also.  Or I can call it the bunk, as in "I'll be in my bunk."
...Temperature outside is 28C, in the Pit/Bunk it's 18C.  Sometimes it's like walking into a fridge, handy for the summer.

- Got a bit of a surprise, glad I keep records handy and organized amongst the clutter.  My course costs are due next week, not the week after.  D'oh!  I've got the cash, just glad I caught that.

- Side project I was working on will likely be shelved until October for Hallowe'en.  If I had more time to make it better, sure it would come along but I just don't have time for every project these days... shame because it's $33.17 of hilarity (labour not included).

- No this is not a repeat, copper thieves got burned badly again at the same location where someone else tried the same thing previously in May at the old BF Goodrich lot.  I say let Darwin get proven right over and over again as the average IQ of the city gets raised by people trying this.  I mean is copper THAT important and expensive?  At least they're not robbing banks, for now. 

- Galbadia Hotel will likely close down soon, from what I understand it's bandwidth and resource costs.  It's noted for its collection of hard to find soundtracks from video games and anime and their forum is a virtual cornucopia of sound grabs often sharing film scores before they're officially released.  I'm not saying I download from there ;) but if someone is interested in such stuff, give them a visit.

I've got more random in my head, but I'm better off leaving it for now and working on a few more things before heading out tonight, g'day.

My first kitty, Mimi, used to tunnel anywhere she could... into the couch, under blankets and sheets and of course up pant legs and in shirts. 

This picture just plain rocks.  Happy early Caturday! :D

http://www.labelmaker2600.com/

Take an image and turn it into box art like the stuff from the old Atari 2600 video game system.

I don't know of anyone who would be interested in this at all (coughgurudatacough). :P