What are you working on now?

amadeus

Apply directly to the forehead
Joined
Aug 30, 2001
Messages
40,172
Location
Weasel City
We have threads on YouTube, movies, TV, music.

How about other projects that you're working on?

I mean things you are learning, studying, or building. Not necessarily around your job, though if you find it interesting enough and it's worth your time to talk about, it's totally welcome too.
 
We're building a new roof for my seaside salacot [roofed patio]. I was thinking about installing a replacement nifa-leaf one but my driver lobbied hard for a metal roof. We have the metal panels, now with rustproofing, primer coat, and azure blue paint. It should last for years and years. Actual construction starts Monday. :hammer:

One of my evil kitties climbed up on my sofa today and began sharpening his claws. :evil: We have neither scratching posts nor hemp rope here. Tuesday, we go into Tag where I'll buy some bolts of canvas to see if we can build something. :please:
 
I tried to look up what a salacot was, and all I got were pictures of hats that look like the kind of thing the British wore in late 19th century India. I'm guessing what you're building is probably not a hat at all.

I'm trying to learn C++ again, which is something that's been an off-and-on process for a while now. I decided to take my time doing it, do a little bit each day and not stress myself out over it. It's going to be a continuous learning process, and given that I sometimes have downtime hours at work where I'm unsupervised (yippie) I can learn a little bit each day.
 
I don't have the energy to work on things outside of work or health. And even then.

I recently finished working with a graphic designer to finally give my business a logo after putting it off for over two years. It looks pretty rad.
 
I don't have the energy to work on things outside of work or health. And even then.
That’s why I’m doing it in bite-sized chunks rather than eating the whole plate at once.

I recently finished working with a graphic designer to finally give my business a logo after putting it off for over two years. It looks pretty rad.
Should’a asked me! Fun fact: Phil Hartman did album design before he got into comedy.
 
I'm working on converting a chest freezer into a 4 tap kegerator. Last weekend I put it on castors so I can easily roll it around.

I'm going to use flat 1/2" boards I scavenged from pallets to create a frame around the sides. Then I'll remove the lid and put a 2"×6" collar around the top then mount the lid on the collar and insulate the inside. The outside of the collar will be flush with the frame boards so I can cover the whole thing in laminate to give it a finished look.

The collar is where I'll put the faucets so I'm not drilling into the freezer body risking hitting the refrigerant lines. Then I'll cover the lid with the same laminate I used on the sides to complete the aesthetic. Finally I'll hang a couple removable drip trays under the faucets.

The plan is to have 2 beer taps, 1 hard seltzer tap (I've been making those now to help with the waistline), and a dedicated soda tap for the kids. Whenever we make rootbeer at work my boss let's me fill one of my kegs for the boys.

This is a project I've wanted to do ever since I started homebrewing. I just finally got around to starting it.
 
One of my evil kitties climbed up on my sofa today and began sharpening his claws. :evil: We have neither scratching posts nor hemp rope here. Tuesday, we go into Tag where I'll buy some bolts of canvas to see if we can build something. :please:
Claw-clipping is one of the jobs you should learn ASAP. :nono:

Otherwise they will rip your furniture, maybe your curtains (if they climb curtains; you'll need to train them not to do that or your curtains will be shredded), and you'll be at risk of scratches and ripped clothing. They could also get themselves caught in fabric, rugs, or screens, risking injury if their claws aren't kept clipped. And finally, since you have two cats, they could injure each other when playing if their claws aren't clipped.

There are special clippers you can get, or use a regular nail clipper (I do, since cat claws are much easier than dog claws). You'll have to figure out how to wrestle the cats so they'll be still for this, and understand that even though they scream and holler like they're being murdered, they're really fine as long as you don't draw blood. They also like to do the "limp as spaghetti" thing with their muscles so they can get away, but I don't allow that. Be ready for it, because they will probably try it.

How I approach claw clippings is to first let the cat see me clip my own nails. Then I say, "Okay, your turn," and it seems to help a little that if I have to go through it, so do they. Maddy gets hugs and cuddles before and after, and if I start the job when she's asleep, I usually get most of it done before she starts seriously objecting.
 
Not really a project but I'm apartment hunting and it's a drag. I'm far enough out from the move where I can't really do anything but make lists of complexes to follow up on later. There are some decent rate cuts due to covid and I'm super tempted to lock in an apartment early and pay double rent for a bit but that would wipe out any rent savings to be had. So all I can do is make lists and start getting rid of stuff in anticipation of the move.
 
I mentioned it elsewhere already, I want to learn Backgammon, Go and Shogi, but have not started yet.
I learnt backgammon from my Armenian boss and a Bedouin friend in Egypt.

Later I taught my wife to play backgammon and cribbage, and now she can often beat me at both of them.
 
Claw-clipping is one of the jobs you should learn ASAP. :nono:
:hatsoff:Thanks for the advice, Valka. It's always most welcome.

Tuesday I'm heading into Tag, where I'm planning on buying canvas to build scratching posts and nail clippers for babies. :yup: A squirt gun could come in handy. :ar15:...and kitty litter. [The only place to get it is at one vet, who'll bring it in by special order.]

The kittens came at an inopportune time. My original plan was, after my roofing project is done, to have my carpenter build two cat trees/platforms, each topped with a cat bed high enough for the cat to look out my windows. a ramp topped with canvas brings the cat up there. Below would be a litter box [a technology unheard of on my backwards island.] One cat tree would be in my bedroom and the other, downstairs near the TV. Only then would I get my cat. That was the plan. :dunno:

:think: I'll have to fashion my own cat toys as well. :yup: I'm imagining a clump of feathers on a homemade fishing pole. And maybe some ping pong balls. I wonder if I can get my hands on a laser pointer. Wearing out kitties will dissuade them from getting into trouble. :D
 
First draft of my book is at two chapters to go.

I have (I think) completed representing CFC well in an internet wide Forum Mafia tournament. I competed at a decent level, and also put the CFC Mafia community back "on the map" as a good place for visitors to play a game now and then.

Those two things have consumed a large portion of my time over the past couple months.
 
Not really a project but I'm apartment hunting and it's a drag. I'm far enough out from the move where I can't really do anything but make lists of complexes to follow up on later. There are some decent rate cuts due to covid and I'm super tempted to lock in an apartment early and pay double rent for a bit but that would wipe out any rent savings to be had. So all I can do is make lists and start getting rid of stuff in anticipation of the move.
I think you could reasonably call it a project. After all, it involves money and physical labor that produces a tangible object (a place to live).

Is there a lot of competition for apartments in your area? Is the vacancy rate low? If the answer to either of these is yes, then you should at least talk to the landlords or rental companies and let them know you're searching. That way you'll be known to them and even if they don't have anything suitable for you right away (or you're not moving right away), they might steer you to suites ahead of other clients or you might be able to negotiate a better deal (with incentives or perks) if they already know you.

With my own situation, I have the advantage of being known to the manager and leasing agent, and some of the maintenance staff and security. They all know I'm quiet, don't do drugs, and the one time the cops had to come here that involved me was not my fault (another tenant tried pushing his way in here after midnight and when I called customer service to make a security report, they told me to call the cops as well; security did a better job of handling the situation than the cops did). I've tried to be a good neighbor over the years, helping when I could and pointing out when something around the building needed to be fixed or changed because it was unsafe for the mobility-impaired tenants, and that does help.

Being a long-time tenant in this building (over 7 years), I'm entitled to some breaks the newer tenants don't get, like complimentary carpet steaming, and I get to keep my parking space (that I share with one other tenant since I don't have a vehicle, she and her husband have two, and they won't lower my rent if I give the space up; my housekeeping helper is also allowed to park there and have a key to the building, which is something negotiated with the previous manager).

The deal I negotiated with the manager for this move means I don't have to be out of my current apartment until October 23, and they're scheduled to finish the repairs on the place I'm moving into on September 30. So that still gives me an entire month to pack, and he said I could have the keys to the new place on October 1 as he knows it's going to take a long time for me to move my smaller things (which I'm doing to save $$$$ on the movers; that's going to take a lot of trips, 2 bankers' boxes at a time on my walker, but it's how I did my last move). I've also been promised the help of 2 of the staff here for 2 hours to help with the heavier stuff that I can't handle, and with some of my safety things. Ideally the movers will just need to deal with the extremely heavy or difficult things that I would never trust to anyone but a professional. I'd trust the local guys to move a basic dresser, but nothing breakable or fragile or electronic. That's best left to the pros.

As a result, while I didn't get the suite I wanted on the top floor, I did get one that's workable, and I've been allowed to dictate most of the changes I want made (or that I don't want made, to avoid it being classed as an upgraded suite that would cost more than I can afford). I told the manager that I care more about function than aesthetics (like don't harp on the color of the doors matching the walls; if I could have exactly what I wanted, the walls would be painted light green and I'd have wood doors and absolutely nothing here would be beige). When I still lived in the family home, we had wood paneling, wallpaper with a grey brick/ivy motif, and while the carpet was a shade of brown, that was the best compromise we did at the time it was installed, to accommodate the variety of shades of cat and dog hair that would be shed on it. Maddy is black, the carpet is beige, so it doesn't match at all here. I am most relaxed surrounded by nature colors, not some bland designer's black/white/beige idea of what "goes with everything".

So, to sum up, I suggest that when you find places you like, contact the landlord or leasing agent, and let them know you're interested in the location and approximately when. If you aren't ready to move quite yet, ask them to keep you informed of when new vacancies are about to be available (they should know these things at least 30 days in advance of anything being posted online or in the newspaper). They may be able to suggest possibilities that you would never find on your own.
 
First draft of my book is at two chapters to go.
Congratulations man! That's awesome.
I think you could reasonably call it a project. After all, it involves money and physical labor that produces a tangible object (a place to live).

Is there a lot of competition for apartments in your area? Is the vacancy rate low?
Yes and yes. There's been a slight decline in rents with Covid but not much as these apartments cater to upper middle class professionals that have been largely insulated from the economic downturn. If we were willing to move into LA proper or one of the directly-adjacent towns, it's a whole different story and rents there are down quite a lot. Unfortunately that would put us out of commuting range for the Mrs when she goes back to in-person classes next year so it's not an option even though I would consider it.

I do plan on reaching out to some of the landlords in the next month or so once we've narrowed down the list of complexes to choose from. Most of the landlords are faceless megacorps though so I have next to no bargaining/negotiating leverage unless the downturn gets significantly worse.
 
I've been working on an interactive politics website. At some point I might share it with OT because you fine people might like it and would provide good feedback.

I'm also trying to become fluent in French and I practice for 30-60 minutes every day.
 
I've been writing a science fiction short story, and brushing up on my C++ and Python skills, as well as some Linux. A friend of mine gave me one of those Raspberry Pi thingies and I want to turn it into a computer status display.
 
Mostly waiting for this cursed year to end.
 
Back
Top Bottom