Kind of rough day...
Mood:  not sure
Now Playing: traffic
Topic: bullshit

Yesterday was kind of tough.  Not really interesting, just tough.  Class sucked.  I just didn't get it.  It was trying, not fun.  And people were patronizing, which is usual.  Either way, my enjoyment has to come from me I suppose.  It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. 

And then my helper didn't show.  Wouldn't answer his phone either.  He did actually call in and left a voicemail, but if you can't pick up the phone, there's a problem.  If you can't call people back, there's a problem.  But then, I knew that before yesterday.  Thing is it's really hard to fire him because he's living with my folks.  I don't know why that makes him my responsibility but it kind of does.  I still think I'm just going to cut him loose though.  I'm tired of his psychodrama.  Every day it's the same problems.  Not new problems mind you, just the same ones.  New problems would at least be progress. 

Felt so bad yesterday that I went out and bought a new vacuum.  It's super nice, and was fairly cheap for a canister vac.  Got it at Sam's.  Fucker's wouldn't take my card though.  My bank is somewhat obtuse for some reason.  I had to run out to the truck and get an actual check. 

 One good thing.  Buying a new vacuum got everybody off their ass and we started cleaning the house.  Yaaay!  We actually have clean dishes!

I think I'm going to spend some time tonight on making a jo out of some oak I've got down at the shop.  I've got plenty, and it will be fairly simple once I set up the saw for it.  I might add some endcaps or something for kicks.  I've got bits and pieces of some exotics that I need to use up.

 I'll post a pic if I get very far.

update for the day. Bokuto #1 complete!
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: Blessed Silence
Topic: News!

Well, I went down to the shop tonight rather than go to the dojo.  Monday nights are generally fun, but I'd rather do the morning classes than the evening classes.  More time at home with my son and wife. 

As to what I got done, not much at work, but I did get my first bokuto (bokken) done today.  I used soft maple for three reasons: I had it so I didn't have to buy it, it was a nice straight-grained piece, and soft maple is relatively easy to machine and finish.

Speaking of that, I did not finish it yet.  I have yet to finish sand it.  First 100 grit, then 150, then 220.  I might go 320 if I go shellac.  Scratch marks show with shellac much worse than with lacquer.  Besides, I need to do a nice deep french polish on that thing so I can hang it on my mantle and look to it proudly.  Kind of like the first time you got laid.  Yeah, it kind of sucked, and nobody knew what they were doing, but hey, you got laid!

Tomorrow will be a tough day so I'm refusing to think about it.  When you think about a difficult problem beforehand, it just builds it up into something that feels monumental if not insurmountable.  Or at least, that's what happens for me.  So, I just sketch out a basic plan and let things fall where they may.  Not much you can do after that.

Hmmm..
Mood:  chatty
Now Playing: silence
Topic: Info

Ohayo!  Or should I say konbonwa?  Where ever and when ever you are, hello. 

 I started a blog because I enjoyed my last blog, even though I kind of let it die.  Well, I sort of had to.  It's a long story.

 But then, we are back again, and I thought I'd start another one.  Don't really care who reads this, so I'll try to be honest as possible. Maybe that will make it interesting. 

 anyway, I was looking around today at making my own bokken.  It seems most of the articles out there are for people who have no idea what woodworking is or how to get started.  And so, I'll post my own little demo for both bokken and jo.  Really, though, I'm only doing it because I want to make a bokken with bo-hi and a sturdy jo.  The jo I might laminate simply because it would make it much stronger.  I'll go over why in a separate article that will then be moved to my static page here at tripod. 

Honestly, I started a blog because I feel like I have something to share.  Simply that, nothing more, really.  No, that's a good thing.  Wanting to and feeling like you can share are good things.