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Instagram: April 30, 2017 at 08:45PM
May. 1st, 2017 03:45 amIt was cold and wet at Japan Festival Boston today, but at least my dress was super cute! JSK/OTKs/bows are #metamorphose , blouse is #fanplusfriend and everything else is offbrand. Eventually I'll get the hang of not making weird faces in selfies! #egl #lolitafashion
So I'm working on throwing together Mikazuki's battle outfit for Anime Central, which is in five weeks (oh god I don't want to think about that). Like a lot of the Touken Ranbu designs, there is kind of a lot going on, so I thought I would break down the components and make some notes of them for my own reference, and maybe that will be helpful for other people out there, too :) This post is going to be the big fabric bits, because they're sort of the foundation of the outfit.
Most of these pieces are actually pretty close to traditional Heian era garments - I'm using Reconstructing History's Heian men's clothing pattern as a base for most of it.
-Kosode: This is really only visible on the concept/reference art - on the in-game sprites, it only shows as the innermost white collar at his neckline. Important, though, because this is what actually covers your arms and sides! His is pretty much the same as historical versions, or a slight varation on a modern kimono - narrower body, no front tuck, ends about knee-length I'm using a white cotton sateen because I had a bunch already, and I'm a sweaty person so I need an under-layer that's machine washable. Mostly done already because I can sew kimono in my sleep, practically.
-Hitoe: The white layer that's mostly visible, right under the blue one. It's pretty close to Heian hitoe, with two exceptions, both in the sleeve area - one is that the sleeves look to be all one piece, instead of made up of two pieces (which is more an artifact of traditional Japanese fabric widths than anything), and then the sleeves are open on the bottom and wrist edge, as well as the body edge. So I'm going to take the traditional hitoe pattern, cut the sleeves as one block, and then line them because the edges are super-visible when they're open like that and I have enough hemming as it is. I think I'm going to buy some white polyester chirimen (chirimen is a type of tight crepe weave that is easily the most common fabric used for kimono). Normally I'd buy a bolt of vintage kimono silk from Ichiroya - you can get them for ~$50 plus shipping, and they're 15m or so - but 1) a lot of the whites tend to have discolored with age and 2) they're traditional width, which is about 15" and thus too narrow for me to do the sleeves in one piece for. Thankfully Tomato has 44" polyester chirimen for ~$14/m on their Rakuten store.
-Kariginu: The giant blue monstrosity. Like the hitoe, this mostly only differs from the traditional cut in having single-piece sleeves that are open all the way around. I'm lining the whole thing because there are a lot of visible edges/insides, and I have the feeling the fabric I'm using is going to be fray-tastic. It's a royal blue brocade with the sayagata pattern woven in - it's a little bigger, with slightly thicker lines than the patterning on Mikazuki's kariginu, but honestly, it's probably as close as you're going to get without actually weaving your own (don't do that, please). Okuyama sells it online, though I was lucky enough that a friend was willing to pick some up in person for me when she was in Tokyo last month, which saved me a bunch on shipping. My sewing project for today, I think!
-Hakama: The only part of this that isn't mostly-Heian in style. Hakama were part of Heian ensembles, but they had fewer pleats than modern styles, and were waaaay longer so they could be gathered up at the ankles and have a nice poof. The pleat arrangement and length on Mikazuki's place them pretty solidly in 'modern' (19th century to present) style. Round Earth's hakama pattern is my go-to for that, though I may leav off the backboard (which is solidly a 20th century martial arts addition). I'm airbrushing the gradient on a heavy matte polyester satin, which, uh, is an adventure. And probably a whole post to itself at some point.
Next time: armor, armor, and more armor!
Most of these pieces are actually pretty close to traditional Heian era garments - I'm using Reconstructing History's Heian men's clothing pattern as a base for most of it.
-Kosode: This is really only visible on the concept/reference art - on the in-game sprites, it only shows as the innermost white collar at his neckline. Important, though, because this is what actually covers your arms and sides! His is pretty much the same as historical versions, or a slight varation on a modern kimono - narrower body, no front tuck, ends about knee-length I'm using a white cotton sateen because I had a bunch already, and I'm a sweaty person so I need an under-layer that's machine washable. Mostly done already because I can sew kimono in my sleep, practically.
-Hitoe: The white layer that's mostly visible, right under the blue one. It's pretty close to Heian hitoe, with two exceptions, both in the sleeve area - one is that the sleeves look to be all one piece, instead of made up of two pieces (which is more an artifact of traditional Japanese fabric widths than anything), and then the sleeves are open on the bottom and wrist edge, as well as the body edge. So I'm going to take the traditional hitoe pattern, cut the sleeves as one block, and then line them because the edges are super-visible when they're open like that and I have enough hemming as it is. I think I'm going to buy some white polyester chirimen (chirimen is a type of tight crepe weave that is easily the most common fabric used for kimono). Normally I'd buy a bolt of vintage kimono silk from Ichiroya - you can get them for ~$50 plus shipping, and they're 15m or so - but 1) a lot of the whites tend to have discolored with age and 2) they're traditional width, which is about 15" and thus too narrow for me to do the sleeves in one piece for. Thankfully Tomato has 44" polyester chirimen for ~$14/m on their Rakuten store.
-Kariginu: The giant blue monstrosity. Like the hitoe, this mostly only differs from the traditional cut in having single-piece sleeves that are open all the way around. I'm lining the whole thing because there are a lot of visible edges/insides, and I have the feeling the fabric I'm using is going to be fray-tastic. It's a royal blue brocade with the sayagata pattern woven in - it's a little bigger, with slightly thicker lines than the patterning on Mikazuki's kariginu, but honestly, it's probably as close as you're going to get without actually weaving your own (don't do that, please). Okuyama sells it online, though I was lucky enough that a friend was willing to pick some up in person for me when she was in Tokyo last month, which saved me a bunch on shipping. My sewing project for today, I think!
-Hakama: The only part of this that isn't mostly-Heian in style. Hakama were part of Heian ensembles, but they had fewer pleats than modern styles, and were waaaay longer so they could be gathered up at the ankles and have a nice poof. The pleat arrangement and length on Mikazuki's place them pretty solidly in 'modern' (19th century to present) style. Round Earth's hakama pattern is my go-to for that, though I may leav off the backboard (which is solidly a 20th century martial arts addition). I'm airbrushing the gradient on a heavy matte polyester satin, which, uh, is an adventure. And probably a whole post to itself at some point.
Next time: armor, armor, and more armor!
April is a busy month
Apr. 14th, 2017 08:01 amA short list of things that have been happening, some of which may get more elaboration later:
-Anime Boston, where I ran the Cosplay Repair Station and did not get nearly enough sleep, but had a good time anyway.
-We held Hackathon 10 and 5/7ths at work - I got pulled in to be on the decor committee (because an event run by a Burning Man regular does not do things by half-measures), and frankly it looked awesome. I will definitely be posting some photos of that, because I was so happy with it (and am still sad we had to return the office kitchen to just a kitchen)
-Python. So much Python.
-Whatever we're calling this most recent mass-exodus from LJ. I may actually finally turn off crossposting and go back and lock my entries there (not deleting, though, because I'd rather keep control of the username)
-Anime Boston, where I ran the Cosplay Repair Station and did not get nearly enough sleep, but had a good time anyway.
-We held Hackathon 10 and 5/7ths at work - I got pulled in to be on the decor committee (because an event run by a Burning Man regular does not do things by half-measures), and frankly it looked awesome. I will definitely be posting some photos of that, because I was so happy with it (and am still sad we had to return the office kitchen to just a kitchen)
-Python. So much Python.
-Whatever we're calling this most recent mass-exodus from LJ. I may actually finally turn off crossposting and go back and lock my entries there (not deleting, though, because I'd rather keep control of the username)
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C H A R A C T E R;
NAME: Toushizou Hijikata
CANON: Peacemaker Kurogane
POINT IN CANON: N/A (AU)
AGE: 34
APPEARANCE: Hijikata’s appearance is close to canon - however, his left arm has been replaced with a cybernetic replacement, owing to injury, and he has some very light scarring on his upper chest and the left side of his face from the same incident, though you’d have to know it was there to spot it. His hair is also much shorter - he’s only been growing it out for about two years, so loose, it’s midback. His clothing is modern business-wear, if frequently rumpled because he just doesn’t care.
CANON HISTORY: History (written by Andy, used with player and mod permission)
CANON PERSONALITY: The side of Toshizou most people see is that of the ‘oni vice-commander’. Where Kondou and Yamanami are the kind ones among Shinsengumi command, the task falls to Hijikata to be the harsh one, enforcing discipline with an iron fist. He is responsible for drafting the Shinsengumi code to which all members are sworn, where the only punishment is sepukku.
It’s not a particularly forced role for him - Toshi is, by nature, a somewhat gruff individual. He’s blunt about expressing displeasure, and as he holds individuals around him (as well as himself) to very high standards, he’s displeased often. He’s the type that seems to love to have something to complain about. He can also be ruthless in his pursuit of greater goals - as evidenced by the code. He feels such measures are necessary to make the units cohesive, and protect Kyoto and Japan. He often butts heads with Yamanami, who takes a more moderate stance on the matter. Some of this is out of a striving for legitimacy as a samurai as well - unlike many of his companions in the Shinsengumi, Hijikata was born to a farming family, and not a bushi family. Becoming samurai was something he longed for from a young age, and having acquired that rank through his position with the Shinsengumi, he does as much as he can to not tarnish that reputation or that of those around him.
Despite all this, he’s a good person at heart, if rarely a nice person. He truly believes in his path and his goals, that they are the proper, honorable thing to do, and he’s willing to sacrifice himself for his country and ideals. He also does care about others around him, even if he’s not particularly good at showing it. Tetsu takes his assignment as a page as an insult, but Hijikata’s reasoning in the choice was to protect the boy from the full harshness of life as Shinsengumi; a page would not be required to adhere to the Shinsengumi code for instance and would thus not be forced to face the punishments it decrees.
He also shows a gruff sort of protectiveness towards Souji Okita, fussing over him at the first signs of illness and the like. He is also far more likely to give in to Souji’s whims, and while he’ll complain and glare the whole way, he will allow himself to be dragged out for candy-shopping or the like. Some of this is rooted in his tendency to blame himself for things he sees as being his fault, even if the connection is, in reality, only tangential, and he holds onto that self-blame for a long, long time. With Souji, he blames himself for Souji taking up the blade at a young age, and for the trauma Souji has suffered as a result. His resulting overprotectiveness of the Shinsengumi’s most skilled fighter is an attempt to make up for those past wrongs.
POINT OF DEPARTURE: PG + AU - previously a native of the universe of [Bad username or unknown identity: ”newbabylon”]
History:
Toshizou Hijikata was born the youngest son of a lower-middle class family on L4. He had five siblings, the oldest brother of whom more or less raised the rest of the family after their parents died - his mother when he was young, of pulmonary fibrosis from work conditions and pollution on the lower levels, coupled with congenital lung defects, and his father not long after, from natural causes. His older brother took over the family business, but Toshi knew he didn’t have the temperament for business, and decided for a career in the police force - he had a strong desire to make the world around him better, and to help keep his family from walking the edge of poverty.
Despite his background, and relatively young age when he joined the force (which is to say, as soon as they’d take him), Toshizou was intelligent, and had a forceful personality that rapidly got him noticed by higher ups - though not always in helpful ways. He quickly gained a reputation for strategic skill and firm dedication to the ideals of justice. While he was climbing the ranks, one of his elder sisters began showing signs of the same pollution-induced illness that killed their mother, and Toshi sent more and more of his savings to his family to help with her treatment. He also managed to gain his precinct a reputation a one of the less corrupt ones, among the NBPD - while he couldn’t single-handedly take of all the problems in his station, he did what he could.
When he was twenty-four, he received a major boost in rank, despite his relatively young age, and was made head of newly formed counter-terrorism unit. They operated efficiently and effectively for nearly a year - Toshizou’s tactical skills being particularly well suited to small-unit work. Then, disaster struck - they were sent in to a situation involving explosives they believe to be disarmed, but were not. The explosives were triggered, killing two members of the team, and seriously injuring several others, Toshizou included. Given the choice between an attempt at salvaging his left arm, with a good chance of permanent nerve damage, pain, and disfiguration, or a cybernetic replacement, his slightly pain-and-drug delirious answer was ‘cut the damn thing off’.
While on desk duty following the incident, as it was unclear how the team would move forward, he was given an offer by Eden Technologies - train one their own in weapons skills and tactics, and in exchange, his sister’s health problems would be taken care of at no cost, with far better quality than the family could afford. He reluctantly agreed, and took on the job - only to discover the man he was supposed to be training was a child, still, the product of an in-house experiment in bioware and gene manipulation testing.
He found the idea of the experiment distasteful, but followed through with his end of the deal for his sister’s sake. As he worked with the boy, he found a certain amount of fondness for him, despite his odd nature - growing up in the lab was a far different experience than growing up in the world outside, but Hijikata did his best to show him respect as a human, not just as a weapon.
When the scientists in charge of the project realized their specimen was not performing up to expectations, Hijikata was given an order to dispose of him, rather than get corp hands dirty. Angry at the way they’d treated him as an object rather than a person, he took the young man and fled to the lower levels, until the it was clear the corp had given up interest in pursuing the pair - Hijikata wasn’t about to sell the boy out to a rival, after all.
Once things calmed down, he set up shop ostensibly as private detective - though while an ex-cop, he gets sent a lot of the stuff his old precinct can't deal with easily through 'official' channels, leaving him and Souji to play a bit of vigilante justice.
Personality:
Toshi’s personality and point of view on the things surrounding him are very similar to canon, due to the parallels his origins between both worlds. As an officer, he treated his position as lawkeeper with a great deal of respect, far more than many of his coworkers, which lead to a certain amount of metaphorical head-butting. He doesn’t have quite as much guilt associated with Souji, though having taught the boy to fight and kill, he feels a certain respoonsibility for him, and as in canon, the two are very close.
ABILITIES: Hijikata’s main skills are a combination of in-born and a lot of hard training - as an officer, he became proficient in firearms and hand-to-hand combat, and he’s taught himself traditional swordforms - a slightly esoteric hobby, in this day and age, but one he enjoys. He’s also a skilled tactician and leader, and capable of making quick decisions in heated moments. His cyberarm is also stronger than the average human (and stronger than his other arm), though given that the rest of his body is vanilla human, this mostly just results in the ability to be really awesome at crushing things with his mighty metal fist.
INVENTORY: Cyberarm, now-useless smartphone, equally useless New Bablyon ID chip and credits, concealed carry shoulder rig with large calibre handgun and spare clip, pocket multitool, crumpled packages of cigarettes, bad attitude.
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?
The game this version comes from was very short-lived, so there’s no carryover CR aside from things with Souji
NAME: Toushizou Hijikata
CANON: Peacemaker Kurogane
POINT IN CANON: N/A (AU)
AGE: 34
APPEARANCE: Hijikata’s appearance is close to canon - however, his left arm has been replaced with a cybernetic replacement, owing to injury, and he has some very light scarring on his upper chest and the left side of his face from the same incident, though you’d have to know it was there to spot it. His hair is also much shorter - he’s only been growing it out for about two years, so loose, it’s midback. His clothing is modern business-wear, if frequently rumpled because he just doesn’t care.
CANON HISTORY: History (written by Andy, used with player and mod permission)
CANON PERSONALITY: The side of Toshizou most people see is that of the ‘oni vice-commander’. Where Kondou and Yamanami are the kind ones among Shinsengumi command, the task falls to Hijikata to be the harsh one, enforcing discipline with an iron fist. He is responsible for drafting the Shinsengumi code to which all members are sworn, where the only punishment is sepukku.
It’s not a particularly forced role for him - Toshi is, by nature, a somewhat gruff individual. He’s blunt about expressing displeasure, and as he holds individuals around him (as well as himself) to very high standards, he’s displeased often. He’s the type that seems to love to have something to complain about. He can also be ruthless in his pursuit of greater goals - as evidenced by the code. He feels such measures are necessary to make the units cohesive, and protect Kyoto and Japan. He often butts heads with Yamanami, who takes a more moderate stance on the matter. Some of this is out of a striving for legitimacy as a samurai as well - unlike many of his companions in the Shinsengumi, Hijikata was born to a farming family, and not a bushi family. Becoming samurai was something he longed for from a young age, and having acquired that rank through his position with the Shinsengumi, he does as much as he can to not tarnish that reputation or that of those around him.
Despite all this, he’s a good person at heart, if rarely a nice person. He truly believes in his path and his goals, that they are the proper, honorable thing to do, and he’s willing to sacrifice himself for his country and ideals. He also does care about others around him, even if he’s not particularly good at showing it. Tetsu takes his assignment as a page as an insult, but Hijikata’s reasoning in the choice was to protect the boy from the full harshness of life as Shinsengumi; a page would not be required to adhere to the Shinsengumi code for instance and would thus not be forced to face the punishments it decrees.
He also shows a gruff sort of protectiveness towards Souji Okita, fussing over him at the first signs of illness and the like. He is also far more likely to give in to Souji’s whims, and while he’ll complain and glare the whole way, he will allow himself to be dragged out for candy-shopping or the like. Some of this is rooted in his tendency to blame himself for things he sees as being his fault, even if the connection is, in reality, only tangential, and he holds onto that self-blame for a long, long time. With Souji, he blames himself for Souji taking up the blade at a young age, and for the trauma Souji has suffered as a result. His resulting overprotectiveness of the Shinsengumi’s most skilled fighter is an attempt to make up for those past wrongs.
POINT OF DEPARTURE: PG + AU - previously a native of the universe of [Bad username or unknown identity: ”newbabylon”]
History:
Toshizou Hijikata was born the youngest son of a lower-middle class family on L4. He had five siblings, the oldest brother of whom more or less raised the rest of the family after their parents died - his mother when he was young, of pulmonary fibrosis from work conditions and pollution on the lower levels, coupled with congenital lung defects, and his father not long after, from natural causes. His older brother took over the family business, but Toshi knew he didn’t have the temperament for business, and decided for a career in the police force - he had a strong desire to make the world around him better, and to help keep his family from walking the edge of poverty.
Despite his background, and relatively young age when he joined the force (which is to say, as soon as they’d take him), Toshizou was intelligent, and had a forceful personality that rapidly got him noticed by higher ups - though not always in helpful ways. He quickly gained a reputation for strategic skill and firm dedication to the ideals of justice. While he was climbing the ranks, one of his elder sisters began showing signs of the same pollution-induced illness that killed their mother, and Toshi sent more and more of his savings to his family to help with her treatment. He also managed to gain his precinct a reputation a one of the less corrupt ones, among the NBPD - while he couldn’t single-handedly take of all the problems in his station, he did what he could.
When he was twenty-four, he received a major boost in rank, despite his relatively young age, and was made head of newly formed counter-terrorism unit. They operated efficiently and effectively for nearly a year - Toshizou’s tactical skills being particularly well suited to small-unit work. Then, disaster struck - they were sent in to a situation involving explosives they believe to be disarmed, but were not. The explosives were triggered, killing two members of the team, and seriously injuring several others, Toshizou included. Given the choice between an attempt at salvaging his left arm, with a good chance of permanent nerve damage, pain, and disfiguration, or a cybernetic replacement, his slightly pain-and-drug delirious answer was ‘cut the damn thing off’.
While on desk duty following the incident, as it was unclear how the team would move forward, he was given an offer by Eden Technologies - train one their own in weapons skills and tactics, and in exchange, his sister’s health problems would be taken care of at no cost, with far better quality than the family could afford. He reluctantly agreed, and took on the job - only to discover the man he was supposed to be training was a child, still, the product of an in-house experiment in bioware and gene manipulation testing.
He found the idea of the experiment distasteful, but followed through with his end of the deal for his sister’s sake. As he worked with the boy, he found a certain amount of fondness for him, despite his odd nature - growing up in the lab was a far different experience than growing up in the world outside, but Hijikata did his best to show him respect as a human, not just as a weapon.
When the scientists in charge of the project realized their specimen was not performing up to expectations, Hijikata was given an order to dispose of him, rather than get corp hands dirty. Angry at the way they’d treated him as an object rather than a person, he took the young man and fled to the lower levels, until the it was clear the corp had given up interest in pursuing the pair - Hijikata wasn’t about to sell the boy out to a rival, after all.
Once things calmed down, he set up shop ostensibly as private detective - though while an ex-cop, he gets sent a lot of the stuff his old precinct can't deal with easily through 'official' channels, leaving him and Souji to play a bit of vigilante justice.
Personality:
Toshi’s personality and point of view on the things surrounding him are very similar to canon, due to the parallels his origins between both worlds. As an officer, he treated his position as lawkeeper with a great deal of respect, far more than many of his coworkers, which lead to a certain amount of metaphorical head-butting. He doesn’t have quite as much guilt associated with Souji, though having taught the boy to fight and kill, he feels a certain respoonsibility for him, and as in canon, the two are very close.
ABILITIES: Hijikata’s main skills are a combination of in-born and a lot of hard training - as an officer, he became proficient in firearms and hand-to-hand combat, and he’s taught himself traditional swordforms - a slightly esoteric hobby, in this day and age, but one he enjoys. He’s also a skilled tactician and leader, and capable of making quick decisions in heated moments. His cyberarm is also stronger than the average human (and stronger than his other arm), though given that the rest of his body is vanilla human, this mostly just results in the ability to be really awesome at crushing things with his mighty metal fist.
INVENTORY: Cyberarm, now-useless smartphone, equally useless New Bablyon ID chip and credits, concealed carry shoulder rig with large calibre handgun and spare clip, pocket multitool, crumpled packages of cigarettes, bad attitude.
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?
The game this version comes from was very short-lived, so there’s no carryover CR aside from things with Souji
(no subject)
Jan. 30th, 2013 09:44 pmI will post something of substance someday maybe, but for now, I will not so stealthily drop a link to my thread on the love meme. Because it's nice to have all those little things to look at when I need it.
In 2012, I:
-started volunteering for DW
-had my car vandalized
-got my first 'unconventional' piercings
-went to a (awesome) steampunk con
-went to a real grown-up technical conference
-began the process of lifehacking
I kind of shy away from the idea of New Year's resolutions because, well, they always end up broken, but we'll call these New Year's goals. Things to strive towards, without beating myself up too much if I slip up along the way.
-stick to the two new habits I started near the end of 2012 - flossing my teeth and picking up around the house daily.
-cross some things off my 'want to learn'/'want to read'/'want to watch' list
-get a career-job.
-started volunteering for DW
-had my car vandalized
-got my first 'unconventional' piercings
-went to a (awesome) steampunk con
-went to a real grown-up technical conference
-began the process of lifehacking
I kind of shy away from the idea of New Year's resolutions because, well, they always end up broken, but we'll call these New Year's goals. Things to strive towards, without beating myself up too much if I slip up along the way.
-stick to the two new habits I started near the end of 2012 - flossing my teeth and picking up around the house daily.
-cross some things off my 'want to learn'/'want to read'/'want to watch' list
-get a career-job.
A moment of calm
Dec. 11th, 2012 12:10 amToday wound down with this weird sense of calm anticipation. No major nervousness - though of course as soon as I say that, I start to think 'well, I should do this or that...'. Teslacon has come and gone - it was a ton of fun, despite the various injuries or illnesses we all went into the con with. J got some great photos, which I'll share once we retouch them. Thinking of making a fun little crew webpage, too.
I've also got most of my Christmas crafting done - mostly putting finishing touches on things, and I think it'll all be done this week. I'm actually going home for Christmas for the first time in a few years, which will be really nice.
Pretty much the one thing that feels lacking is the employment situation - I'm still sending my resume out, doing what networking I can, but no bites. I feel like, I dunno, that I'm missing something. Some big 'How To Get A Job' secret that the rest of the world knows and I don't. I know the reality of it is the economy, and the fact that I'm here on a visa, but it's still super-frustrating.
I've also got most of my Christmas crafting done - mostly putting finishing touches on things, and I think it'll all be done this week. I'm actually going home for Christmas for the first time in a few years, which will be really nice.
Pretty much the one thing that feels lacking is the employment situation - I'm still sending my resume out, doing what networking I can, but no bites. I feel like, I dunno, that I'm missing something. Some big 'How To Get A Job' secret that the rest of the world knows and I don't. I know the reality of it is the economy, and the fact that I'm here on a visa, but it's still super-frustrating.
An introduction to DW layout CSS
Nov. 17th, 2012 06:19 pmStarting caveat - while I used custom layouts on LJ, and occasionally tweaked some, I never wrote any CSS overrides from scratch, mostly because I remember when S2 went live and I went 'LAYERS? A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE? WHAT IS THIS SHIT I'M NEVER MAKING MY OWN LAYOUTS AGAIN'. So while I can answer a lot of questions about how DW does things, I don't know the answer to 'what's the equivalent of this LJ element in DW?'. I also do not know the answer to 'I broke my imported core1 layout, how do I fix it.' I'm also assuming you know CSS and HTML, but not necessarily any other programming language.
( Onward! )
( Onward! )
Finding The Gap
Oct. 27th, 2012 01:01 amI've just started taking a course online on design via Coursera, and our first week challenge (due by Sunday... yep I kind of left that one off, go me) is to find 'gaps' - some place in our lives that there is a problem that can be solved by design (using design in a very loose sense - the course is a general principles/process type thing, so it's not necessarily an aesthetic-design thing). One of these is going to be the basis for the term project, and we have to have access to five other people who share the same 'gap' - the prof would prefer in-person access but I do not have five people I interact with on even a weekly basis in-person so YEP NO. So! This is a brainstorming post, mostly, and I would love people to chime in with a 'yes I'd like that too' if, well, they would.
-Marginalia (working title for the eReader quote db project, see previous post)
-Pantry tracker (what do I have? When did I buy it? Seemed popular idea-wise in #dw)
-FUCKING WIZARD LAYERS (I will probably not tackle this but it drives me up the wall)
-FUCKING LAYER EDITOR (...see above, though Fey has given me a possible solution)
-Something to introduce recipe variety on a basic level (I love whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com in principle but most of the recipes include things I don't have, and I hate shopping)
-work-out reminder/incentives?
-semi-flexible scheduler for practicing artsy stuff (there was a discussion on learning and routines in reddit, and about how it's far better to do something EVERY DAY than a few days a week or something)
-something organization something something (my house is a constant disaster. I don't even know where to start)
-a script/extension for me to annotate my buglist on Bugzilla (because I hate going 'okay, I think I have patches in for these four for review, and this one depends on another bug, and...' because it's not easily visualized)
-highlight reddit posts by subreddit they appear in (can you tell I like visual cues?)
-Marginalia (working title for the eReader quote db project, see previous post)
-Pantry tracker (what do I have? When did I buy it? Seemed popular idea-wise in #dw)
-FUCKING WIZARD LAYERS (I will probably not tackle this but it drives me up the wall)
-FUCKING LAYER EDITOR (...see above, though Fey has given me a possible solution)
-Something to introduce recipe variety on a basic level (I love whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com in principle but most of the recipes include things I don't have, and I hate shopping)
-work-out reminder/incentives?
-semi-flexible scheduler for practicing artsy stuff (there was a discussion on learning and routines in reddit, and about how it's far better to do something EVERY DAY than a few days a week or something)
-something organization something something (my house is a constant disaster. I don't even know where to start)
-a script/extension for me to annotate my buglist on Bugzilla (because I hate going 'okay, I think I have patches in for these four for review, and this one depends on another bug, and...' because it's not easily visualized)
-highlight reddit posts by subreddit they appear in (can you tell I like visual cues?)
Throwing this out there while it's in my brain all fresh - someone on the xda-dev forums posted how to access the B&N Nook's annotations DB files, along with suggestions for auto-syncing them via Dropbox (basically a symlink from the user-accessible folders into the root folders). This is all well and good but I am a Huge Nerd and I desire MORE. So basically my rough draft goes something like this:
1) Figure out how to sync the file with my personal server automatically, along with automating import of the SQLite .db file into a server database (this maaaay get tricksy if only because the Nook appears to have some issues identifying what file it's pointing with sideloaded books, which is why annotations seem to vanish, but I'm willing to hack at it - manually tagging books an author when the Nook goes weird)
2) Something to take this database and generate slightly more human-parsable HTML pages of it - annotations and highlights sorted by book, with a separate (dynamically generated) page for each one so I can be fancy and link them and shit. Editing would be nice, but I'm willing to sacrifice that to 'have to do on commandline' - mostly it's that touch screen highlighting is kind of hit or miss so a lot of my highlights have clipped words.
3) MAKE PRETTY WEBPAGE YAY.
(2) is kind of my sticking point because I do know know how to write the things that glue databases and HTML-formatted content together. I know they exist! I know they are usually in PHP and Perl! But I could use some guidance, particularly on the 'okay we've pulled it out of the database, now how do we sent it for formatting?' part - I've worked a bit with straight-up SQL in pulling and pushing data in and out of databases, so I'm more familiar with that end of things.
Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
1) Figure out how to sync the file with my personal server automatically, along with automating import of the SQLite .db file into a server database (this maaaay get tricksy if only because the Nook appears to have some issues identifying what file it's pointing with sideloaded books, which is why annotations seem to vanish, but I'm willing to hack at it - manually tagging books an author when the Nook goes weird)
2) Something to take this database and generate slightly more human-parsable HTML pages of it - annotations and highlights sorted by book, with a separate (dynamically generated) page for each one so I can be fancy and link them and shit. Editing would be nice, but I'm willing to sacrifice that to 'have to do on commandline' - mostly it's that touch screen highlighting is kind of hit or miss so a lot of my highlights have clipped words.
3) MAKE PRETTY WEBPAGE YAY.
(2) is kind of my sticking point because I do know know how to write the things that glue databases and HTML-formatted content together. I know they exist! I know they are usually in PHP and Perl! But I could use some guidance, particularly on the 'okay we've pulled it out of the database, now how do we sent it for formatting?' part - I've worked a bit with straight-up SQL in pulling and pushing data in and out of databases, so I'm more familiar with that end of things.
Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
The Eternal Quest for Employment
Oct. 16th, 2012 01:16 amSo I've been kind of down lately care of unemployment - it's the sort of situation that's bad enough normally, but I have the extra joy hanging over my head of knowing my current visa expires next summer and as it stands, I'm not in a position to get another one, because, you guessed it, lack of job experience.
I've spent the last two weeks or so contemplating doing freelance web design - started making a portfolio site, doing lots of reading on freelancing, etc. And I came to the conclusion tonight that I don't think I can. I'm a pretty good web designer. Over the broad category of anyone who's made a webpage, I think I can safely put myself in 'above average'. But I lack the talent for creativity and innovation necessary to be pro, to make enough to make a living off it. I don't know if that's something I could improve over time, or if it's just some quirk of luck that makes some people innovative and others not. But I don't really have the time to practice and find out.
And then I sat back and thought - you know what? I have a skill set already that I'm pretty damn good at by most measurements I've seen, which is hands-on betnchwork in molecular biology. I am a pro at this. Except, of course, for the part where nobody will pay me to do what I'm good at. And I know that some of this is the economy, and some of this is the deeply messed up way academia works these days, and some of this is just not knowing enough people (and having no idea how to meet more - seriously, where do biologists hang out?). But I think tomorrow I'm going to call a place or two to ask about volunteer work, and maybe I'll actually do that Masters program application.
I've spent the last two weeks or so contemplating doing freelance web design - started making a portfolio site, doing lots of reading on freelancing, etc. And I came to the conclusion tonight that I don't think I can. I'm a pretty good web designer. Over the broad category of anyone who's made a webpage, I think I can safely put myself in 'above average'. But I lack the talent for creativity and innovation necessary to be pro, to make enough to make a living off it. I don't know if that's something I could improve over time, or if it's just some quirk of luck that makes some people innovative and others not. But I don't really have the time to practice and find out.
And then I sat back and thought - you know what? I have a skill set already that I'm pretty damn good at by most measurements I've seen, which is hands-on betnchwork in molecular biology. I am a pro at this. Except, of course, for the part where nobody will pay me to do what I'm good at. And I know that some of this is the economy, and some of this is the deeply messed up way academia works these days, and some of this is just not knowing enough people (and having no idea how to meet more - seriously, where do biologists hang out?). But I think tomorrow I'm going to call a place or two to ask about volunteer work, and maybe I'll actually do that Masters program application.
Web Design/Freelancing
Sep. 25th, 2012 05:29 pmSo, this is kind of... seeking mentorship? Advice? Feedback? I'm not even entirely sure what. Basically doing styles work for Dreamwidth has rekindled my enjoyment of doing design work, which kind of got buried under university for a number of years there. And I've been having a hell of a time finding any kind of job, and know already I don't mind working to spec (a few of my DW designs have been like that, actually) or working with other people's code. I also know I'm good at fluid design and CSS.
The problem is that I have no sense of how 'good' my work is. I mean, I've been doing this for over a decade, but most of the old stuff is dreadfully mired in fandom trends popular in the mid-2000s. I'm also not a graphic designer - I will spare you all the second-hand embarassment of my drawing attempts at the moment, but suffice to say original art past simple vector designs are right out. And, well, I also have no idea how to start this.
Help?
The problem is that I have no sense of how 'good' my work is. I mean, I've been doing this for over a decade, but most of the old stuff is dreadfully mired in fandom trends popular in the mid-2000s. I'm also not a graphic designer - I will spare you all the second-hand embarassment of my drawing attempts at the moment, but suffice to say original art past simple vector designs are right out. And, well, I also have no idea how to start this.
Help?
(no subject)
Aug. 29th, 2012 10:29 pmSo a friend (hi Yana) reminded me that oh, I need to post more. Which is true, I've mostly been microblogging because 1) I keep my microblog locked, 2) nobody here cares about RP shenanigans, and 3) also nobody cares about my spammy, spammy thoughts on fandom (I make running-commentary plurks when reading stuff). So in news people might actually care about:
-Frustrating job laid me off, which effectively resolved my dilemma if I should quit and search harder for something that wasn't pure physical labor at insane overtime.
-I have been swimming in a sea of CSS, mostly working on things for Dreamwidth instead of, oh, any of my own sites. But it's like slacking off productively!
-I have failed utterly at working on learning any other coding language (aside from a bit of S2 and that doesn't count)
-I have pretty much managed to keep to my cleaning goal.
-I'm considering trying to save up for a new car because 1) the crazy lady next door keeps threatening to have mine towed and 2) some jackass smashed one of my windows in and 3) the car is sixteen years old and showing it's age.
-Started reading Marvel comics. If I disappear, I've fallen too deep into the abyss. Don't follow me.
I'm also starting to realize I need to upgrade my personal blog - it's still running Moveable Type 4.1 which is... years old. And uses tables for layout, and now that I look, has no wide content handler. And the layout is a little embarassingly old-school in light of my DW stuff. Options are most likely either upgrading MT which has the pro of a templating language I know and the con of being owned by Six Apart who I'm not fond off after how they handled LJ, or switching to Wordpress. I don't know if the Wordpress templating system has gotten less complex since I first looked at in like 2005, but I've become a better coder, and it does seem to be the blogging software these days. Thoughts, anyone?
-Frustrating job laid me off, which effectively resolved my dilemma if I should quit and search harder for something that wasn't pure physical labor at insane overtime.
-I have been swimming in a sea of CSS, mostly working on things for Dreamwidth instead of, oh, any of my own sites. But it's like slacking off productively!
-I have failed utterly at working on learning any other coding language (aside from a bit of S2 and that doesn't count)
-I have pretty much managed to keep to my cleaning goal.
-I'm considering trying to save up for a new car because 1) the crazy lady next door keeps threatening to have mine towed and 2) some jackass smashed one of my windows in and 3) the car is sixteen years old and showing it's age.
-Started reading Marvel comics. If I disappear, I've fallen too deep into the abyss. Don't follow me.
I'm also starting to realize I need to upgrade my personal blog - it's still running Moveable Type 4.1 which is... years old. And uses tables for layout, and now that I look, has no wide content handler. And the layout is a little embarassingly old-school in light of my DW stuff. Options are most likely either upgrading MT which has the pro of a templating language I know and the con of being owned by Six Apart who I'm not fond off after how they handled LJ, or switching to Wordpress. I don't know if the Wordpress templating system has gotten less complex since I first looked at in like 2005, but I've become a better coder, and it does seem to be the blogging software these days. Thoughts, anyone?
