March 11, 2012

The weather has been warm lately...a little too warm for this time of year and that makes me wonder what the summer will bring. Last year we didn't have that many truly hot days. Also, with the question of weather comes the question of gardening. I have my tomato plants and pepper plants started and they are coming along nicely. I don't think I will plant much in the way of annuals at all this year because I just don't want to water plants all summer if it is hot and dry. It is usually enough to keep the vegetable garden watered. Generally, the prairie plants will survive ok, so I won't be adding anything new in this year as the price of water here in Mokena is going up again...and dramatically.

I tried to enjoy the last week or so of relative calm and finish up some loose costuming ends. As the weather warms and outside duties call, there will be less time for fooling around making costumes. Also, my calendar is getting full with a couple restoration workdays and several trooping events. This week alone I have chainsaw safety training on Wednesday, a trooping event in IN on Friday after work, a workday on Saturday at Messenger Woods and then another trooping event on Sunday. With the price of gas, I better really budget wisely with the next paycheck....most of my paycheck looks like it will head straight into the gas tank.

I did have extra gasoline money last weekend so I went to Champaign IL for a "Bowl for Kid's Sake" in my Rebel Commander costume. This bowling event benefitted the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization. I brought Artoo along too ...lol..he hasn't been out much.

This morning I did finish a second shirt for my new Rebel Commander costume - the second one is sleevless for those warm weather trooping events.

March 4, 2012

It is great to be back on line! I received my new modem in the mail on Monday and hooked everything up and it actually works! Yesterday I discovered television shows that I can watch for free. I was a big follower of the Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America" show. The past 2 seasons were hilarious and I was regretting not being able to watch the new season as I disconnected my cable service too. Well, Food Network had the first three episodes at their on-line site that I could watch...for free...and...best of all...with no commercials! I have to say that this year is even more funny than the previous seasons. There were a few times I laughed so hard that tears came to my eyes.

The whole reason to disconnect cable and telephone was to save money. Between getting rid of those two things, I am saving about $100.00 a month. This will help a LOT, but in all reality, the price of gasoline will eat up that amount in a heartbeat. Well, at least I will be able to drive a few places besides to work!

I also sealed the deal this week for a new agent for homeowner's and auto insurance. My old agents were increasing my bill substancially and gave me a "you have no choice" response when I asked if there was a way to lower my coverage a bit to save money. The "you have no choice" response really got me mad...yes...I do have a choice..and that is to tell YOU goodbye and go elsewhere.

I also finished another costume. This time I did a New Republic Jedi costume. I started on it Friday night and by Monday night I was done. One thing about having no internet or television...you have LOTS of time to do other things. I used the pattern for the tunic that I have been using for most of my other Jedi costumes but this time I decided to alter the pattern as there were some parts of that pattern that didn't make sense, or did not fit well. I also put my limited leatherworkings skills to make a new belt, lightsaber clip and to dye an old holster from dark mahogany to black. I also fixed an old droid caller I had laying around. New Republic Jedi have some much different elements on the belt and blasters can be added...so I did.

Today I am heading down to Champaign IL for a "Star Wars" costume event called "Bowl for Kids Sake". Thanks to eliminating some "luxuries" I have enough money for gas!

February 21, 2012

Well, life certainly got interesting a couple weeks ago. As part of my New Year's Resolution, and getting another absurd bill from the phone company I decided to "disconnect" from the outside world. I called AT&T and had my phone disconnected and then called Comcast and had my cable stopped. One thing I didn't figure was losing internet too. I thought I had DSL, which in teory would mean that with my modem I would still have internet even without a telephone number...but after wasting hours trying to get through to someone at AT&T, I took all my paperwork and went to a local AT&T to find that I never had DSL but rather had high speed dial up...no phone number...no internet. So then began the search for replacement internet. To make a long story short, options are really few. So after a fruitless week, I signed up with AT&T for U-Verse Internet only. I still will have no phone and no television, but that's ok. I can work out that stuff later.

With no internet and no television to distract me, I started and finished (in record time) a new Rebel costume. I finished my Rebel Fleet Commander costume and submitted it and it got approved already. This time I really tried to make sure that I made no mistakes. This was another pretty much "make from scratch" costume, and entailed making another jacket, but this time I actually made the jacket so it fit me and was not two sizes too big. One thing is certain, I still have lots of weight to lose.

I also managed to do a few events.

I wanted to get out to wear my Naboo Pilot costume on the weekend of the premier of The Phantom Menace in 3D. I had the Dick Wunderlich Memorial workday on the Saturday of the release so I didn't make any of the "big deal" events, so I settled for going to the Legoland event on Sunday. As I suspected, the public was not impressed with the costume and most everybody walked by me without a second look....go figure. You would think that I would get used to being passed by without a thought, but, I guess it never gets easy especially when one puts so much effort into a costume as I did with the Naboo Pilot.

Another event I did was really kind a "last minute". I had been following a request for the Midwest Garrison to do a wedding at, of all places, Trump Tower International downtown. This event was one that a bucket was necessary. Since I sold my old Gunner helmet and am still awaiting the new helmet to arrive, my only choice was doing Stormtrooper. Sigh....not my favorite costume to wear because I am vertically challenged.

Boy, lol...did this event turn out to be one that will be remembered. The costumed participants first got a run through with the "Wedding Planner" and with the "Videographer/Director" on what we were supposed to do...complete with a pivot on the right foot...yeah...try that on a runner on carpet....and where EXACTLY we were to stand....yeah...find that exact spot in a dark room with a Stormtrooper helmet on. At any rate, our presence was a complete secret from everyone - the only ones that knew were the Bride, Groom and a couple of the groomsmen. We were hidden in a hallway until the end of the ceremony...we then marched in and took up our positions along the aisle and then the bride, groom, wedding party and guests marched between us. We then had to go to the reception and "hang out" for photos. We were in there for probably an hour or more. Then Mr. "director" had us doing all sorts of other things that included going up and down the stairs while he filmed...again...try doing that in a dark stairwell in Stormtrooper thigh and shin pieces and a helmet that you can barely see out of. Anyone who has not actually worn one of these costumes has no idea how difficult getting around can sometimes be.

We also took a break and went out front of Trump Tower and it is always amazing to see that whether someone is rich or poor, they all seem to know "Star Wars", and boy....did I get a chance to see how the rich live.

Today I think I am going to go to the movies and see my first 3D movie....The Phantom Menace. I have never been very enamored of the idea of 3D and have never bothered to watch any of the other movies in 3D...so maybe the time has come.

January 14, 2012

Well, winter finally came on Thursday of this week. After enjoying a winter so far that had no snow on the ground, the ground is now covered in about 8 inches of snow. I am not sure whether it is a good thing or not. One good thing is that since there IS snow on the ground, we can burn brush piles at todays restoration workday. I don't know if the snow will still be here for the Frozen Butts workday (which is a week from today) because the weather forecast calls for rain on Monday and rain really melts snow quickly. I am good with it either way.

I have spent the last three weeks feverishly working on my Naboo Pilot costume. I got nearly all the pieces done when I found out that there were costume standards for the costume and I have to re-make the undertunic completely and need to add mock pockets to the large outer jacket. So, my progress is set back a bit.
I have almost got the undertunic finished, I have been working on it this morning. I am almost done also with the boots. I have everything glued up and applied, I just need to finish the straps. It always seems as though there is something to "finish up".

This coming week I really have to concentrate on getting ready for the "Frozen Butts" workday. I have door prizes to buy, food to make, and a check of supplies and needs for the pot luck. I think I have mostly everything I need except door prizes. Since money has been extra tight this year, I have not been out looking for door prizes. I know that I will end up giving some of my homemade canned goods/jams as door prizes.

I did do a birthday party troop event on Sunday night in Tinley Park. I wore my X-Wing Pilot costume because I needed to be wearing that costume to see if the Hoth Snowspeeder Pilot jacket that I had Heather finish up for me fit...and it did. So, that is yet another costume that needs a few things and it will be done as well.

January 1, 2012

Happy New Year?

Well, we will have to see about that! Each year for the past several years I have been hoping for a better year, and it just has not happened. The economy has taken its toll on my ability to go places and do things and and at this stage of my life, after working non stop for 45 years, I have just hoped for better.

So...

New Years Resolutions 2012...

I resolve to end the year weighing less than I did when it began. I ended 2011 weighing less than I did January a year ago....so I hope to keep this trend.

I do vow to try to eat better overall...my eating habits are random and not as good as they should be. I need to do at least some cooking rather than eating the prepackaged foods that make up most of my diet....the Lean Cuisines and canned soups that I live on.

I resolve to take a better look at what money I have and currently earn, how I spend it, and how to make what I have go farther.

I resolve to get to Celebration 6.

One thing that I have been working on the last week or so has been my latest costume adventure, the Naboo Pilot costume. I hope to have this costume ready for the release of "The Phantom Menace" in 3D next month. I am moving along pretty well and should have the leather harness done by the end of this weekend. I am awaiting the shin guards and hope those come in the next two weeks so I can concentrate on finding the necessary boots to pair the shinguards with.

The only other piece needed will be the large outer jacket. I am not sure that piece will be 100% necessary to present the costume...so I will leave that for "if I have time" before the movie is released.

Yesterday I took down the Christmas lights outside and took a nice fitness walk and did actually cook something. Also, I made a "smoothie" out of an orange, apple, banana and some strawberries....no juice added...just a few ice cubes. It was really good!

Today I am heading over to Brookfield Zoo to take down the items from the Midwest Garrison and Nar Shaddaa Base community Christmas trees that we put up. It will be interesting to see what is left.

I also plan to finish up on the leather harness for the Naboo Pilot today. I had to glue up several pieces yesterday and now that those are dry, I can move on to final assembly and adding the "greeblies". The greeblies might require some sewing....dunno...will have to play that by ear and take yet another look at what reference photos I have on that piece.

December 25, 2011

Well, I guess a Merry Christmas is in order. This is going to be a very quiet Christmas as I am spending it at home by myself. No big deal....got lots of projects and things to keep me busy. Yesterday I ran errands, took a fitness walk, worked on my latest costume effort and even cooked a little. I am also trying to get more of those extra material Star Wars Bluray discs watched.

Last weekend I spent both Friday night and part of Saturday at Martino Junior High School in New Lenox at a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. Two of the teachers at Martino did this event last year and repeated it this year. They had one of the teacher's massive Star Wars collection on display and had Star Wars inspired games and activities. Us Star Wars costume geeks attended to enhance the atmosphere of the event. I brought Artoo on Friday night and then left him there until Saturday which was much easier than lugging him back and forth both days. This event was lots of fun and I really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere.

Well, almost another year shot to hell. I take comfort in that I did, after all, keep all of my 2011 New Years resolutions...

I purged the house BIG time

I finished a bunch of costume projects

and

I ended the year weighing less than when I began.

So, what of 2012....

Well, I resolve to try to end the year weighing less again...and I resolve to make it to Celebration 6 in Orlando in August....and that is about it.

December 13, 2011

December is flying along at breakneck speed. Why am I not surprised? Christmas is not such a busy thing for me as I don't get into the holiday shopping thing. My family does a really subdued Christmas grab bag that is actually rather fun instead of stressful. I finished up the cookies I intend to mail and have those packages ready to be shipped out today.

On December 4th, I co-ordinated the annual Toy Con Charity Toy Show. We raised about $180.00 for Children's Treasure Chest for Pediatric Oncology. This event is always laid back and we had a large number of costumes turn out. I brought two costumes this time as I needed some photos taken of each of them. The Endor costume needed photos for a trading card and the Rebel Vanguard needed photos to submit the costume. As always, it was great fun and we raised some money also.

I did a restoration workday on Saturday. I didn't bring my chainsaw as I am really trying to cut back on sawing because of the damage to my hands that has been done already. I ended up leading the workday because the FPDWC employee ended up in afib right before the workday. Everything turned out ok and we got a lot of work done and prep work was accomplished in advance of the Frozen Butts workday when we will likely finish the project there.

I went into Walmart to return something last week when a display of Bluray players caught my eye. I did it...I finally purchased a Bluray player to play my latest (and hopefully final) release of Star Wars. I purchased the Bluray edition the night it was released at the event we did at the Orland Walmart but was never able to play it. This LG Bluray was really easy to hook up and Sunday I watched the first disk that I wanted to see which was the deleted scenes and extra material from the Original Trilogy. WOW! There is so much on that disk! It took me most of the afternoon to get through it all.

I also got to the movies last week on Tuesday to see the latest Eclipse movie "Breaking Dawn". I was kind of a snooze but is a set up for the final installment (which should be MUCH better).