Thread "The 2009 Rant, Vent, and Share thread" in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 8:05PM, May. 14, 2009

You must be in fantastic condition. I recall decades ago when I used to train in martial arts for an hour and a half and then TEACH a martial arts class for another hour and a half – or sometimes teach first and then train. It was exhausting to do that day after day but one does get in fantastic shape.

i'm not in too fantastic shape. i've only been doing TKD for 1 year, with many breaks due to me being gone, so i only have about 6 months of training. the classes are also only 45-50 minutes long, because he teaches so many classes. tonights the first night i've done something other than TKD, because it normally runs to far into the night for me. so starting at 6 and ending at 830 actually work better, and then i would get into that great shape. but then again, if i make my new job, i dont know if they have a school out there. however on the bright side, the new job is nothing but a gym rat job when i'm home.

sounds like you were in great shape. what did you do?

Posted at 1:05AM, May. 15, 2009

Printers

Uh. I hate them. I haven't bought a new one for home use since my last one ran out of ink a few years ago. :)
The printers at work can do the printing for me. ;)

The printer I used to use at home was a Lexmark laser printer. It was pretty good. The ink lasted AGES, the whole printer lasted AGES. Super reliable, very, very long lasting

At work we use Cannon laser printers. I'd never use an inkjet, they just run out way too fast- the cartridges are cheaper because you use them up so very fast. The Cannons at work are ok, they do a hell of a lot of printing.
——————

They make me hate printers even more now though, since I discovered the particulated, heated ink partials cause lung problems! :gem:
-When the printer would work I'd smell this odour that was like a heated cleaning spray. Then my chest would get a bit tight. Later when I walked or exercised after work my lungs didn't seem to have the same capacity as usual and I'd wheeze and cough…
I didn't make the connection. I thought I had a virus or something… Except it was going on for months. I was even starting to worry that it was something nastier. :(

It wasn't till I was listening to a science report on the radio about a test that was done on laser printers that showed they caused exactly that problem that I realised what might be the true cause.

So now during printing I just hold my breath if I'm near the printer. And it works! I've been doing that for a while now, not breathing in when the printers produce their stink and my breathing is normal. I don't have that wheezing thing anymore.

Posted at 3:05AM, May. 15, 2009

Damn sorry to hear that Ryu, i know the internet isn't much but if you ever want to shoot me a pq i'll listen (and hopefully save some innocent girls from your wrath ;)

Thanks Skullbie! :) I really appreciate that!

Yeah. She was at a friend's house. I tend to over-react. But for some reason, I thought she thought I was going to go crazy or something.

I pretty much worked out for a reaaaallly long time. I did like, 5 or something rounds of shadowboxing (which is where you stand by a mirror, and pretty much do a minute or two of punches, and then a minute or two of defense). It definitely works, because my arms ache today.

I also did a wall-sit, an incredibly short run, jumping jacks, and endless amounts of push-ups.
Also, don't forget the ab roller!

Haha.

I started penciling Page 22 yesterday as well, and it's coming along fantastically.
Now I'm in a great mood, it's Friday, and for some reason, I can't stop listening to "Earthquake" by Family Force 5.

Posted at 4:05AM, May. 15, 2009

i'm not nervous….not nervous at all….

Posted at 5:05AM, May. 15, 2009

Because I'm also a ridiculous person who wants to ensure my own unhappiness and whine about it to strangers on the internet.

No worries; only a socially inadequate person could come up with a genius comic strip like Izzy. You win some, you lose some.

Share: I made enough money from my webcomic to buy my first tablet - A4 Wacom Intuos. This makes everything so easy - have you tried painting with a trackball? And as for pressure sensitivity - this brings me to my rant…

Rant: Read so many times on this forum that GIMP doesn't support pressure sensitivity, I actually believed it too. Turns out it's just as sensitive as you want it, so if you use GIMP and you want pressure sensitivity, TRY SWITCHING IT ON.

Posted at 5:05AM, May. 15, 2009

I would get a tablet, but I'm too poor/cheap.

It doesn't help that there is a possibility that I will be tossing away over one thousand dollars (out of pocket) into summer school.

I really don't know if I will or will not. It all depends on my test scores. On tests that I took a week ago and my teacher is too evil to post the grades. They don't realize these until the 21st. So I might be crazy for a week. I think my stomach acid has already made a sizable dent in the lining of my stomach.

Just to reinterate:

If I get an A in the class: I'll die of shock cause that is impossible
If I get a B in the class: I'll be happy and summer will be an endless party until grad school.
If I get a C in the class: I have to take summer school and get an A.
1)If I get an A. It is good. I go to grad school on time.
2) If I get lower than an A. I just blew $1,000, will probably have no chance of signing up for classes. Have to finish up my major. And apply to grad school on another campus.
If I get a D in the class: I won't be on. Look for me dead and buried in the backyard. And know that my parents are strict.

So. On the 21st, I can be in a state of euphoria or depression. Pulling for euphoria. The thing is that the test grade is with twice a regular test grade, so anything can happen. It will have a large impact on my final grade.

Posted at 6:05AM, May. 15, 2009

sounds like you were in great shape. what did you do?

My core system was a Korean combination or hybrid martial arts system called Chayonryu. The master had at least four different black belts and he devised this system so that the student would be simultaneously earning four different black belts [four martial arts] while gaining a Chayonryu blackbelt. As a result it took between four to six years for a full time student to earn his CYR blackbelt. Anyway the four melded art forms were a northern form of kungfu and Korean Hapkido and original Taekwondo and one of the Japanese Karate systems. Very rugged, very demanding, and the sparring sessions were – frankly – simply brutal in nature.

Once my dedicated practice managed to aggravate a pre-existing spinal injury to the point [just before I would have gotten my brown belt]that I had to drop out I switched over to training in the softer side of MA . . . such as Yang style taijiquan. It wasn't anywhere nearly as physically satisfying but it did teach me to have micromanaged control over my physical movements.

All that is very well and good, but it was decades ago and today I am your average late middle-aged former jock with a significant belly. Between the end of my Martial arts training and today I spent half a decade doing serious weight training, but that's a story for another day.

——————————-

ozoneocean, I try never to underestimate how little value business has in regards to the health of their employees. So I'm not the least surprised that your laser printers produce toxic fumes while operating. It seems par for the course, really. If you ever wanted to make a real statement, though, you might consider keeping a commercial standard gas mask on hand. In the United States you can find them in most hardware stores because commercial painters use them when spraying. Anyway, pull on that bad boy whenever you have to use your printer and see what happens.

———————————

Ironscarf . . . What?! Are you serious?! GIMP does have a pressure sensitive feature just like Photoshop? That is so cool! I don't own a tablet but the impossible could happen some day and I might even advance our of the graphics art dark ages. It will be nice, if that ever happens, to know that I don't have to pony up a lot of money just to get a pressure sensitive Photoshop program when the GIMP will do the job.

How, by the way, do you access it via the menus?

Posted at 6:05AM, May. 15, 2009

grades

I hope you get an A.
It will be funny watching you react. :)

ozoneocean, I try never to underestimate how little value business has in regards to the health of their employees. So I'm not the least surprised that your laser printers produce toxic fumes while operating. It seems par for the course, really. If you ever wanted to make a real statement, though, you might consider keeping a commercial standard gas mask on hand. In the United States you can find them in most hardware stores because commercial painters use them when spraying. Anyway, pull on that bad boy whenever you have to use your printer and see what happens.

I have one with the toughest filters commercially available… But I discovered to my cost they their value is rather limited. Filters can only stop so much… Gasses are too much for them.
-Painters and builders don't use a real gas-mask, it can only stop fine practicals.

What you need in my case is a full respirator. Heh, so holding your breath is more effective with fumes.

But I couldn't do that to the people a work, they're too nice. I've just been moving the printer further away, which works too. I imagine the toner condenses again as it cools, so the further away you are while that's happening, the safer.

———————-
I thought your name was "clittoryhorse" in the forum just now… o_O
Heh, that reminds me of when I was in primary school and I wrote a sci-fi story with aliens in it called "clittorissons". The teachers were so impressed I got a prize and they published it in the school magazine.
-… but when I read it in there they'd changed the name to "plittorissions" :(

Posted at 6:05AM, May. 15, 2009

I need to catch up on my ranting…

1.) It's almost impossible to read webcomics on this phone. And I'm goin' through Internet withdrawl.

2.) I went ahead and said the hll with my doc, and upped my anti-psycotic/ mood stabilizing meds myself. Can't up the stuff for the pmdd, though, on account of I'm already on an unusually high dose.

3.) One of my good friends keeps flirtin' with me ruthlessly. He's done this since i was 14 amd he was 24 (yeah, i know) but it's like, out and out tryin' to get me in the sack now. Which would be okay but for the fact that he's got aside and I've got my partner of 7 years. Not a good thing. But kind of flattering, nonetheless, as I don't get that a lot. :(

Posted at 7:05AM, May. 15, 2009

I have one with the toughest filters commercially available… But I discovered to my cost they their value is rather limited. Filters can only stop so much… Gasses are too much for them.
-Painters and builders don't use a real gas-mask, it can only stop fine practicals.

What you need in my case is a full respirator. Heh, so holding your breath is more effective with fumes.

Yeah I know, but most people don't know, and it would have been the gesture that counts. ;) But since you like the people that you work for, it's a non-issue anyway. :spin:

I thought your name was "clittoryhorse" in the forum just now… o_O
Heh, that reminds me of when I was in primary school and I wrote a sci-fi story with aliens in it called "clittorissons". The teachers were so impressed I got a prize and they published it in the school magazine.
-… but when I read it in there they'd changed the name to "plittorissions"

Ha! Isn't that just like a school system! Charleyhorse is a nickname my late uncle hung on me back when I was still in my single digit years. I was sort of a pain in the arse to him at times, and so the name was appropriate. I resorted to it as a 'net name to pay homage to his memory. I miss that guy. He was the best uncle a nephew could have had.

Posted at 7:05AM, May. 15, 2009

But kind of flattering, nonetheless, as I don't get that a lot. :(

You're joking right? We've all seen the pics gal. Well all know you look hot.

You're trickn' us ;)

Posted at 7:05AM, May. 15, 2009

battleship models
But the scale man! The scale!

lol! The Viking ship is 1/60th scale and the Battleships are 1/600th scale. Hmmm ten times bigger… Viking ship it is. Maybe I'll finish up my USS Constitution I got bogged down with the detail painting. Modern ships are so much easier. (I have a bunch of destroyers and cruisers too) Grey and tan decks. Even the green or brown upperdecks are easier and the red linoleum of the IJN. And USN deck blue is so pretty. Even Prince of Wales' dazzle camouflage was more fun than all that brown and the white stripe across the gun ports.

I took a ton of pictures for the next chapter, then cut half the dialogue! After that back to the horses, but the figures are all villains. Eeevil.

And since I'm working this weekend and Monday, I could have all the pictures edited. Work is so slow working a midnight shift that it's me and laptop. Though saving PSDs on a 10 year old laptop… any day now… any day…

Yesterday at work I had a two hour conversation with a born-again about the Bible. I never revealed that I was an atheist I just discussed the theology as they believe it, not how I interpret it. I know I can't convert them but I can explore their belief system and their psychology without antagonizing them. Then they always go into prosthytizing God-ah mode seeing the atheist as Satan incarnate. lol!

Posted at 7:05AM, May. 15, 2009

grades
I hope you get an A.
It will be funny watching you react. :)

What do you mean by "watching me react?" o.O Are you peeping through my window?

Posted at 8:05AM, May. 15, 2009

How, by the way, do you access it via the menus?

If it's not already enabled when you plug in a tablet…
- File-> Preferences-> Input Devices-> "Configure Extended Input Devices".
- Under "Device" you will have 3 settings: Cursor, Eraser and Stylus. Set them from "Disabled" to "Screen".

:)

Posted at 8:05AM, May. 15, 2009

Thanks Ironscarf, I just placed that into my GIMP notes file.

Posted at 8:05AM, May. 15, 2009

grades
I hope you get an A.
It will be funny watching you react. :)
What do you mean by "watching me react?" o.O Are you peeping through my window?

No, no, nothing like that. It's part of the Drunk Duck TOS, didn't you know… there's a webcam set up in EVERYONE'S home, and a private forum for people to watch other DD'ers from.

… not really, but I'm sure that's coming to *SOME* sites eventually…

Posted at 9:05AM, May. 15, 2009

My core system was a Korean combination or hybrid martial arts system called Chayonryu. The master had at least four different black belts and he devised this system so that the student would be simultaneously earning four different black belts [four martial arts] while gaining a Chayonryu blackbelt. As a result it took between four to six years for a full time student to earn his CYR blackbelt. Anyway the four melded art forms were a northern form of kungfu and Korean Hapkido and original Taekwondo and one of the Japanese Karate systems. Very rugged, very demanding, and the sparring sessions were – frankly – simply brutal in nature.

that sounds deliciously delectable…i dont know why but i love beating myself up at the gym, and at TKD…maybe because i've always been a trial by error learner. and my sparring has improved 10 fold.

seeing the atheist as Satan incarnate

i dont see it that way. i dislike it when people of my belief going around spouting like that. They're supposed to be like "God loves you, and Jesus died for you, take it how you will". but no, most people just go nuts and be like "saaataaaan!! you're saaataaan!"

the first test i did……less than goal on….however the second test, i knew 40 of the answers without even looking at the choices. i totally owned it, and then told it i'd call it back later…..but i'm not going to. i just wanted the benefits….

Posted at 9:05AM, May. 15, 2009

What do you mean by "watching me react?" o.O Are you peeping through my window?

Why would I do that? o_O

The camera's in your shower head.

Posted at 9:05AM, May. 15, 2009

What do you mean by "watching me react?" o.O Are you peeping through my window?
Why would I do that? o_O

The camera's in your shower head.

XD. I'm sorry I could resist a little gag like that. Kinda walked right into it. Thanks for the smile!

Moving days are stressful…

Funny momement:

Someone called and asked me where they were on the waiting list for carts. I said, "You are number 3."

"So, how many people are ahead of me?" (She also said it in a superior tone like I was the slow one.)

Posted at 10:05AM, May. 15, 2009

Someone called and asked me where they were on the waiting list for carts. I said, "You are number 3."

"So, how many people are ahead of me?" (She also said it in a superior tone like I was the slow one.)

notalwaysright.com

GO.

Posted at 10:05AM, May. 15, 2009

*dances happy dance* my finals are over, YAY!

Posted at 10:05AM, May. 15, 2009

Someone called and asked me where they were on the waiting list for carts. I said, "You are number 3."

"So, how many people are ahead of me?" (She also said it in a superior tone like I was the slow one.)
notalwaysright.com

GO.

XD the best part is my reply. "Well. If you are 3 that means that 1 and 2 are head of you. 1…2…3."

Posted at 12:05PM, May. 15, 2009

I . . . can't . . . do . . . it!

Due to laziness on my part I mowed the front yard two weeks ago but not the back yard. Today I cut the front and then pushed the lawn mower to the back and began mowing grass that was between twelve and fifteen inches high and I physically ran out of gas at about the half way mark. Literally between one step and the next I realized that I no longer had the necessary stamina to finish the chore.

Sigh . . . one of the thrills of getting older. So tomorrow I will crank up the lawn mower again and finish what I started today. So, will I learn my lesson and NOT skip a back yard mowing session again? No, probably not. I can ALWAYS manage to talk myself out of mowing the back yard as long as it remains optional. Unfortunately, this time it's no longer an option. I have to cut that grass or go purchase a flame thrower!

Posted at 1:05PM, May. 15, 2009

I . . . can't . . . do . . . it!

Due to laziness on my part I mowed the front yard two weeks ago but not the back yard. Today I cut the front and then pushed the lawn mower to the back and began mowing grass that was between twelve and fifteen inches high and I physically ran out of gas at about the half way mark. Literally between one step and the next I realized that I no longer had the necessary stamina to finish the chore.

Sigh . . . one of the thrills of getting older. So tomorrow I will crank up the lawn mower again and finish what I started today. So, will I learn my lesson and NOT skip a back yard mowing session again? No, probably not. I can ALWAYS manage to talk myself out of mowing the back yard as long as it remains optional. Unfortunately, this time it's no longer an option. I have to cut that grass or go purchase a flame thrower!

I have about 2 1/2 acres. If I used a push mower, I'd have to literally be mowing every single day of the summer.

Thank GOD for riding mowers.

>Net

Posted at 1:05PM, May. 15, 2009

I have to cut that grass or go purchase a flame thrower!

Admit it; you already have a place marked out in the garage for that flame thrower.
—

I got my 'all you needed to know about swine flu' leaflet through the door today, same as every other household in the UK. I don't know how many millions it cost to organise and carry out this huge logistical exercise, but all it actually says is, if you sneeze, use a tissue.

If we needed a leaflet to tell us that, maybe it's time for a mass extinction event anyway.