Red-Handed Jill

Heh - I'm already damn near invisible. For whatever reason I have a particular talent for hiding in plain sight. For example, I've literally sat down next to people who have known me for years and they never knew I was sitting next to them (and we're talking about people who knew me well sitting on BOTH sides of me.) Or got from Point A to Point B with no one seeing me, even though they were in the same room. This happens all the time. And I'm a chameleon. When I've dressed differently (i.e. a suit or formal dress), my own mother has had trouble recognising me. I've been told on many occasions that I should have been a spy. And yes, I have walked into the men's locker room on more than one occasion, but I was trying to get their attention so I have as yet not tried out my skulking abilities in that venue.

Yeah, but how would you know where you were going? What if you mis-judged and ended up inside a rock or something? Or would it be teleportation to a place you can see from where you currently are?

I'd say it would be a toss-up between being able to move VERY fast (perhaps through the air) and the ability to instantly understand a foreign language upon encountering it. Although, in traffic I often wish I could move cars with my mind - there are so many people out there who have no business being on the road.

It's been my observation that most bullies peak while they are in school - sad, that. I wonder if on some level they realise this so they feel the need to punish other people for their pathetic lives.

Happy birthday! Hope you get to make lots of noise of the bang or boom variety on this day!

I'd say send it so I get it after the 21st. I'll be scrambling or gone until I get back from Ojai. And the folks house-sitting for me aren't going to be able to cover that project...

I was bullied when quite young by a couple of kids that from how I heard of their older lives are most likely dead or in jail by now - I'm sure their parents are SO proud of them... Otherwise, I was also the person to stand up for others who were bullied, since I was a pretty scrappy kid and protective by nature. I was also instrumental for getting a bullying teacher fired - she had no business whatsoever being around kids but once she made my brother bleed that was the last straw as far as I was concerned.

Aye - maybe this is just the start of a completely new, exciting chapter in your life. Onwards and upwards, as they say!

I'll be hanging out with Ransom and Iron Bess at Ojai. Girly day is Saturday, right?

Thanks! I just sent some ideas and hints for that table. Good luck!

Heh - I have a sketch I did on a Post-It. I might try to find something along the same lines as a vase, but that can be taken apart. Any suggestions?

Flaming peaches, perhaps? Peel and slice peaches, then saute them in a pan with a bit of butter and brown sugar. When they have softened a bit, pour a bit of rum into the pan and light this on fire (NOTE: do not have the stove fan on at this time...) When the flames die down, spoon the mixture over vanilla ice cream. You could also dehydrate them.

I'm running into a dilemma with regards to my weapon design and could really use some ideas. The inspiration for the design was started by a copper toilet float. I figure I'll use that at the rear end of the weapon and build the rest of it around the rod that screws into the float. I wanted the main part of the weapon to be bulbous and figured on using a vase, which I can cut down as needed, then figure out what I wanted for the front of the weapon. Jack offered to carve a handle for it and then I'd be set. Here's my dilemma: I want to incorporate a gauge, perhaps some lights and a sound chip, to be powered by batteries and hooked up to a rheostat so that it can "cycle up". In order for this to work, the battery and wires need to go someplace and my original thought was for it to be inside the vase. However, in order for the vase to not rattle around on the brass toilet float rod, I would need to weld a washer onto the opening of the vase. This would make it impossible for me to get at the inner workings, such as when the battery died. Any suggestions on how to get around this?

Aye - may this birthday go... ummm... swimmingly for you! Seriously, though - here's hoping you have a GREAT birthday!

Selling it so soon? He just got the damn thing built, it seems. It spent some time in the Bay 'o Saint Francis - I didn't get to see it up close and personal, though. Another boat did, though - crashed into it, in fact.

I wouldn't mind owning one of these: 0-60 in 3.7 seconds... Tesla Motors

The man behind the Davenriche European Martial Arts School (historic edged weapons training) once told me that a woman's wider hips allow for more mobility when swinging a sword, so she has a distinct advantage. Also, the fact that a woman's center of gravity is lower makes her more nimble in close quarters fighting. And since speed and skill will always beat size and strength, particularly when fighting with edged weapons, a woman who applies herself can do really well. I've been fighting with edged weapons for - geez, thirty years now - and can tell you from experience that this is true.

If we're lucky boats will be involved at some point. We're going to spend a few days in the Netherlands and Belgium - Jack's working in Amsterdam in September and there's a break in his schedule so he's arranging for me to fly over during that time. We're doing the whirlwind tour. And I get back on the 16th and Jack gets back on the 17th - just in time to drive down to Ojai.

Just a heads-up: I'll be out of the country and then at Ojai from September 9th through the 21st, so don't try to send me a sketchbook during that time...

Brass Goggles, a steampunk forum.

Aye - seconded. Let's move on, folks - nothing to see here...

Oi Petee - which weekend are you going?

If you can find it, I HIGHLY recommend "My Old Man and the Sea" by Daniel and David Hays. It's the story - in journal form - of the first Americans to sail around Cape Horn in a boat smaller than 30' - and they did it without a motor or electronic navigational equipment (sextant and compass only.) It's an amazing book!

Damn - that's a heck of a lot of crap to deal with in one day. Hope the rest of the week is better!