Spirit Suds

Oranges at Play

2012-02-09T19:34:00.004-06:00

So, I was sitting at the table looking at the oranges that no one will eat. I guess they are just too cute.

There was little left to do, but document a moment of their day.

I used the Canon Vixia to take some still shots of the little guys at play. Then, found some music, "Silly Fun", Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com. Rounding it out with a few sound effects, www.flasherdot.org, www.soundjay.com and me using Linux Multimedia Studio (LMMS)to create the "force" sound effect. All edited with Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.0. At last, I've figured out how to make a wobbling "force" beam using Vegas. For me, this is a major accomplishment. Maybe I'll do a tutorial on it.

It would seem, I've got too much time on my hands. Perhaps, though it's possible this little exercise in stop motion animation might come in handy one day. In the meantime, I'll just keep honing my skills. It doesn't hurt that it's loads of fun!

On Hold

2012-02-08T13:41:00.004-06:00

So, I was on hold the other day, attempting to get business done. Just something simple, really.

You'd think getting a simple thing done wouldn't take so long, but somehow it did. I just needed to correct a few things on an account. Easy enough. No biggie. And it wasn't really, once a human spoke to me everything was fine.

But, the waiting on hold began to get on my nerves, and I'm normally a peaceful kinda gal. First of all, I really don't like to make phone calls. Or even talk on the phone, because my hearing isn't all that great. I tend to misunderstand what's being said, and have to make assumptions a lot. Either that or ask them to repeat nearly everything that's been said. But no, it wasn't the wait that bothered me. Nope.

It was that music!

The butchering of perfectly beautiful classical music by blasting a terrible rendering of it as loudly as possible. It crackled, whined and groaned through the tiny speakers on my phone. I suppose I could have turned it down a bit, but I knew I'd not hear when a human would speak. So, I pulled it away from my ear and waited a while.

And then, the human spoke. He was very kind and knew just what to do. Though, he took each correction one at a time. So, yes, he put me on hold, after each correction. It began to get comical almost. And since I had to get these corrections done, I sat there, listening to the screaming violins as though they were right in my face shouting, "CAN...YOU... HEAR...ME? HUH? HUH?" in ever increasing pace. And each time he'd return, I could scarcely hear his voice, as, somehow, the connection was suddenly quite poor.

Eventually, I got everything done with that particular account. Despite being driven nearly mad by what would seem an overly eager and very robust orchestra. Then, it was on to another phone call I had to make.

And wouldn't you know, I'd been cursed. That phone call yielded the very same music! Gah!

A Leisurely Drive and Laptop Things

2012-02-07T22:30:00.010-06:00

It's not like I really need an excuse to use the new software I've come across. I say it's new, though only because it's new to me. The software just happened to come with the new laptop I was forced to get. The old one, how I loved it so, was full to the brim of miscellaneous software, pics, vids and goodness knows how much music was stashed away in those little compartments, folders, files. The thought of walls full of dusty old filing cabinets stuffed with yellowing pages, half of them in the folder, the other half spilling out, some on the floor, or simply filed in an unknown place (file 13), just crept into my head. That's what's inside that old laptop.

I wonder if most people get their money's worth out of their laptops. I know I have. And it will still be visited from time to time. The time, when I find time, to "clean house" as it were. At the moment, it has been relegated to portable DVD player for the kiddos and the machine they can use to visit the Starfall website.
"Sports Car" Laptop

I worry the new machine will meet a similar fate. I really should learn to edit and store only the good stuff on an external drive. I'm a hoarder, of sorts. Though the contents of my house may be sparse, one need only take a look at me ol' laptop to know the truth! It won't be long before the keys on this new sports car computing device will be polished smooth and shiny, the "f" and "j" home-key bumps worn flush.

And so, in a very roundabout way, I've come to this. The editing software that I made the vid with, Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.

Now, I've heard of the Vegas Movie Studio stuff for years. I envied those who had it, simply because it could do that chromakey thing. You know, so you can make your background transparent then put some other background in, pretend you were in beautiful France or on the beach somewhere. Silly, I realize. There are more important things going on in the world, to be sure. Yet it had always fascinated me. Funnily enough, I found the software I was using at the time, Cyberlink PowerDirector had the same feature. I'd just not uncovered it yet. Or, maybe it didn't always have that feature? I've upgraded the software a few times, so who knows. Even so, I just knew Vegas was somehow better.

Here's what I know, PowerDirector is extremely easy to use. It has a nice package and can do a pretty fair job of editing and producing some decent stuff. Rendering is super fast. Did I say "super"? (O.o)

Vegas, on the other hand, well, let's just say when I first tried it out, I thought I'd never learn how to use it. Maybe I was expecting it to be similar to the other stuff. It's not. It has me intrigued, because it's a bit of a challenge. It's something new. Although, not very pretty or slick. It seems, there's loads of stuff that can be done with it. For starters, in the version I have, which is not "pro" unfortunately, you can put up to 10 video tracks! What? Seriously. Methinks that's pretty cool, because how else are you gonna chromakey a bunch of stuff without all those layers? Not to mention, you can also put, I believe, 10 tracks of audio. What? I know! Pretty neat! And then, there's the control factor. You have much more control over each maneuver through adding, subtracting keyframes which adds motion or creates some other change. Okay, to be fair, PowerDirector has a little bit of that, too. But, only a little. It's how I managed to create the kaleidoscope effect in my previous posts, Kaleidoscope Experiment II and Kaleidoscope Experiment III. Which, one may notice, part III turned out a bit better, simply because I finally learned how to fine tune and manipulate the keyframes.

So, I guess after comparing the two pieces of software, PowerDirector and Vegas, I'd say if a person were looking for ease of use, go with PowerDirector, it's awesome! However, if one wanted more control and the ability to put in all those extra tracks, definitely go with Vegas. I have to admit, I've crashed them both several times whilst testing out their features. You sort of learn to save your work frequently, just in case. Still, I managed to put several layers of video and music into that vid up there, get it rendered and uploaded to YouTube. I think it crashed so much because the vid of the drive was a huge file, HD no less. And I squished it together on the timeline to speed it up. It wasn't happy about it. Not happy at all. I also threw in a little animation I made on Anime Studio Pro 6. I really want Vegas Pro. Just sayin'.

I'd better get this posted, so I can see what other trouble (software) I can get myself into.

Kaleidoscope Experiment III

2012-02-05T01:57:00.002-06:00

It had to be done. This one is a final edit of the second experiment. I had finally learned how to fine tune the kaleidoscope effect in PowerDirector 8. It took a while, but in the end, this, the third one, is my favorite.

I suspect, in the future, I'll be doing more of these, using different images, of course. The reason, the peacefulness I feel when gazing into the changing patterns. And too, the beautiful music I've happened across. Kevin MacLeod is kind enough to offer it for the public's use in any project one might dream up.

It would seem, the days of late have been a bit stressful. Time zooms without me, as though I'm in one of those videos standing still with all the many people and cars, mere streaks, rushing by. It's a chaos. Though not entirely unpleasant. More of a distraction from the unpleasant.

Still, I miss those days when it seemed the world spun slower. To what end will this ever increasing speed take us? Well, I suppose we know the answer. What's the hurry, I wonder. And so, I like to make these kaleidoscope things...

Kaleidoscope Experiment II

2012-02-03T00:49:00.004-06:00

Sometimes, it's just nice to hear some nice music and not see anything in particular whilst doing it. Not anything with a defined shape, that is. If music had shape, though, I imagine it would be a flowing morphing one. It would have color and on occasion, not.

I gathered some pics I'd taken last year, along with a few graphics I'd created, and dropped them on the PowerDirector8 timeline. There's a neat feature in the software for automatically creating pans, zooms and fades of still images. I clicked on that. Then, I applied the kaleidoscope effect. A few tweaks and it was time to finish editing on the Sony Vegas Movie Studio software.

The music, "Willow and the Light" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). It took me a long time to find a piece that felt right. This one seemed to suit. I think it reminded me of an epic video game I'd played a while ago. Loads of adventure that one had.

In the final edit, I cycled the vid twice, but applied a "light-ray" effect on the second cut. I could have done more with that, I thought it was pretty. Maybe next time.

Here you go~~

Simple Head Turn Animation Using Anime Studio Pro 6

2012-01-31T20:24:00.003-06:00

In keeping with the whole tutorial theme of late, I thought I'd put together this truly simple little head turn animation.

Now, I'm not the best artist in the world, so a 2d character turning its head is a little tricky for me. There are several ways to animate the movement. The one I'm using is a switch layer technique.

All one need do is make a few different drawings of a character's pose. The layers the drawings are in are then dragged into a switch layer. That's where the magic happens. The switch layer. (*.-)

By advancing the timeline, and selecting different images in the switch layer along the way, the character comes alive.

It's good to have this stuff documented. I have a tendency to forget how to use some of my favorite software. Maybe these tutorials will keep me focused! Ha!

Test Drive: Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.0

2012-01-29T06:03:00.004-06:00

Yep, I've got some new software to test.

This one is Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10.0 . That was a mouthful!

Okay, I'm just learning how to use this software. It isn't quite as simple as my old movie editing stuff, Cyberlink PowerDirector. I still like the PowerDirector, by the way. It's fast. Really, fast! But, for certain, Vegas Movie Studio gives one a wee bit more control over some things. Or maybe, I should say, lots more control.

I scrapped together some pieces of video, then put some music I'd made on the LMMS software with it. It was a quick hack job, to be sure. Though, it was enough to get my feet wet with the program.

Problems I ran into, other than not knowing what in the world I was doing, were fairly minimal. A couple times, during rendering, some memory warnings popped up. These were false warnings, as my system is brand new and has more than enough RAM memory. I'd read about a fix for this issue, as it appears to be a somewhat common software issue. I attempted the fix, but ended up with a non-functioning program. After undoing the mess, and restarting the computer, I managed to render the vid and upload it straight to YouTube.

Here's the result of my efforts:

When I have more time, I'm sure my next vid will be stellar. Ha! I laugh, because I know a bit of spare time is elusive. Even so, I'll do my best to make a more entertaining creation!

Binding Points to Bones Part 2: Bind Points

2012-01-25T13:08:00.002-06:00

Part 2 is up.

And now, on to the next project!

(^.^)/

Binding Points to Bones Part1: Placing Bones

2012-01-24T15:38:00.004-06:00

Here it is, as promised. After two BSoD events and numerous other interruptions, I've managed to patch together this tutorial. Well, part 1, at least.

Basically, I've just drawn a shape, created a bone layer, put the shape in it, then placed some bones over the shape. Because the shape has points in it, I'll later be able to assign those points to any particular bone. The bones can then be moved to create movement in the shape.

The main thing to know about placing the bones, is that they are in the proper sequence. If you get one wonky and out of place, the whole animation will foul up. Still, with a little experimentation, you may choose to create a little oddness in your animation by "misplacing" the bone order. Or, even add bones outside of the image and manipulate it in other ways.

That's about it for this one. I'll get part 2 finished as soon as possible, lest the dreaded Blue Screen gets me!

The music for this vid is "Wallpaper" by Kevin MacLeod of incompetech.com.

Almost There

2012-01-22T23:40:00.005-06:00

So, today, I'd meant to put together that quick tutorial I'd mentioned in the last post.

It's almost there. When I say "almost there", I'm using my best impression of the pilot in that Star Wars scene. You know the one, when the Death Star is soon to meet its demise. And, yes, I'm staying on target.

I've got the vid together, but it needs a voice. Methinks it will be pretty dull with no sound, and what with all the reading that would have to be done. I'll get to it. And soon.

Creating a voice-over is no small thing around here. The noise is a bit difficult to get around. Still, it can be done with a touch of ingenuity, if the noise isn't too terribly loud. The free software application, Audacity, can actually handle it pretty well. There's a Remove Noise feature that does a fairly decent job. I've used it on nearly all the vids I've recently posted, though with the slightest bit of distortion. Still, you'd never know the little guy was playing Star Wars Lego on the PS3 in the background!

But, today was a little different. There's been goings on that could not be edited out. It's Chinese New Year!

Maybe tomorrow I'll get some work done. Soon, there's to be an equipment change I'm very much looking forward to, though not likely tomorrow. There may be some talk of it later.

In the meantime...
Gong Xi Fa Cai! \(^.^)/

Bones Layer Test- Anime Studio Pro 6

2012-01-21T15:39:00.005-06:00

Recently, I revisited some old software that had been languishing on my laptop, Anime Studio Pro 6.

Now, I love this software, it's by far one of my favorite software purchases. But, I just haven't had much time to experiment with it. Still, every now and again, I revisit it and sort of re-learn it. Haha! I have to, since I can't retain the knowledge, for some reason. (O.o)

My latest lesson to myself has been using the bone layer function. With the bone layer, you can place a "skeleton" of sorts over an image you've drawn. Then by binding certain points in the drawing to the bones, you can animate the thing.

Pretty cool, huh?

I couldn't wait to give it a go, so I hurriedly scratched together a pic or two, admittedly they are out-of-proportion humanoids, but still. Then, I created a bone layer and drag a pic into it. I put some bones in there, and bound them up to parts of the picture using the "bind points" feature.

Here's the result of my quick work:

I particularly liked the light dancer in this one. I think I'll do a little more with that idea a bit later. The music was fun, too. The music, by Kevin MacLeod of incompetech.com, is called, "Cut and Run". He's got loads of nice stuff.

This little lesson seems ripe for a tutorial, so I'd better get busy making one.
(^.^)d

Switch Layer Tutorial Part 3!

2012-01-17T22:52:00.003-06:00

At last!

After much crashing of my ancient, fossil of a laptop (I'm petting it lovingly as I write this), and much gnashing o' what's left of my teeth, I've finished the final installment of the Switch Layer Tutorial Series. Yes, that should be bold font, as though it were being said in a grand way, though not loud and obnoxious, I hope.

Honestly, it was fun to do, though I'd rather have a bit more time for it. That, and maybe a touch more disk space. (O.o) A new laptop is in order. Though I've no idea what I really need. This will be in my thoughts for a while.

Now, on to other projects I suppose. I'm certain I've some sort of attention disorder. Of course, that topic is nothing new. Too bad I'm not focused on one subject long enough to make a living out of it! Ha!

Switch Layer Tutorial Part 2

2012-01-16T12:31:00.003-06:00

As suspected, it took me all night, and, yep, there will be a part 3.

Should these vids prove un-useful to others, I know I'll get good use of them. Too many times have I learned how to do something with a piece of software, only to forget it all later!

It's just that I don't have loads of time to use the computer consistently. There's that, and the fact that my computer is completely full! Believe it or not, I've managed to use up nearly every byte. This despite putting lots of stuff on an external hard drive.

I'm really pushing for a new laptop. We'll see where that goes! Ha!

Now, onward to Part 3. But first, laundry~~~

Switch Layer Tutorial Part 1

2012-01-15T05:54:00.003-06:00

Well, it took me all night, but it's done. Just part one, though. It'll likely take me another night to complete Part 2. I'm not sure, but there may even be a third one!

This video is probably best viewed full screen, since there are wee details that are hard to see on that tiny box.

Disclaimer: Nope. I'm not a pro animator, so don't go expecting any great shakes.

Just enjoy the vid and maybe get a touch interested in animating for kicks, like I do. :o) I also enjoy doing the voice overs. Puts my Blue Yeti to good use.

Now, what's going to be in Part 2? I think I'll try to keep it short, for one thing. I will create several layers of the mouth image, naming each layer for the sound the mouth shape will look like. Then, alter the images to fit the sound. After all that, the layers will be put into a switch layer. Yep, looks like a trilogy in the making. At least. (O.o)

G'nite!

Animation Dreams

2012-01-13T12:44:00.011-06:00

The other day, I decided to dust off some old software I haven't used in quite some time. The software, Anime Studio Pro 6.

I don't know what made me do it. There's not much time to be had, what with living and all that. But, learning to create animation has been sort of a dream of mine.

It started years ago, when I first learned to do an animated GIF on an old piece of software. The name of it escapes me, though it was part of an earlier version Photoshop. ImageReady, or some such item. Nevertheless, Out there on the web somewhere, there are likely several of my early GIFs floating around. They aren't very good. Still, the experience was enjoyable.

Shortly after the episode of GIF love, came the earlier versions of DrawPlus. Now you're talkin'! Finally, real animation could be created and saved as movies. I still use DrawPlus from time to time. I can create some nifty SWF movies. The other day, just for fun, I created a small machine of some sort. If you like, you can look at it HERE. It's a wee little thing, complete with sound effects and a couple of buttons. On the webpage, you'll notice my scrawlings alongside the "machine". Yeah, I have way too much time on my hands.

So, the project was a bit time-consuming. I had to re-learn how to start and stop the sound effects, as well as, the animation of the different elements. Still working on that. I'm a tinkerer, to be sure, thus the whole process took far longer than it should have. Hopefully, I'll retain what I've learned and won't need to learn it all over again the next time! Pretty much the whole project grew from my curiosity about layering SWF files within and under an image.

My latest project took much less time than "Machine". However, I'm certain it could be improved. I'm not very good at this animation stuff. Though I guess it's okay since anything I know about it is self-taught and, well, it's not my day job. Haha!

The slightly technical part of it:
I used Anime Studio Pro 6 to create the animation. The mouth, eyes and eyebrows were animated using switch layers. A switch layer is a layer containing different interpretations of say, a mouth. The software can synchronize those images to music or other audio, such as speech, automatically. Basically, what needs to be done is, the mouth needs to be drawn in its various positions; opened, closed, wide open, etc. Those images are placed into a switch layer. The software sorts it out to a degree, matching it to the audio. Although, a bit of tweaking must be done. I really want to do a tutorial on this. I've seen other tutorials about it, which are pretty good, but seem show it a bit more complicated than it really is.

Anyway, the following video is the result of my latest "animation dream". The audio is me, reading a blog post. The music is "How It Begins" by Kevin MacLeod from incompetech.com. This short vid is a bit wild with the particle animated background, I realize. I had no idea it would turn out that way, since the particles were created using a script. The final four hour rendering of the movie differed slightly from what I saw whilst editing. Yep, four hours! That's why it is left as is. ;o)

***UPDATE***
I just found the "reduce particles" option for better rendering of the above video. Yippee! Here's the improved version.

Just for reference, the video below is an earlier attempt at animation using audio sync and switch layers.

There'll be more of this in the future.

a few words

2011-12-15T15:40:00.002-06:00

In the past, I wrote a lot. Maybe I should begin again. And soon.

At long last, we have some rain! This is indeed quite momentous of an occasion, though our area has nowhere near the amount of water needed for drought recovery. Still, the rain brightens my mood.

I love the dreariness of a gray day. I've a tendency to daydream, so the gloom creates the perfect conditions for a bit of inspiration. Methinks, Washington State, or perhaps Oregon, might be the perfect area for one such as me. No matter, time is what eludes me now.

As it is, I must run out into the mist and fetch a member of our clan. Once complete, preparations for a short jaunt on the road will ensue. I look forward to the chaos. I'll be sure to snap a pic or two.

And now, I'm off...

Bike Ride and the Sky

2011-09-19T00:41:00.017-05:00

Turn off background music here, then come back up.

Sometimes the stress of the days mount to a point the only relief is a lengthy bike ride.

Last weekend needed such an event. And though the ride brought us down familiar paths, somehow things didn't look quite the same.

Perhaps, it is the openness one feels whilst perched atop a two-wheeled pedal-clad transport that magnifies a sense of difference. There is little to protect you from the world's ambiance. You get it all, in your face. The scent and taste of the air. The sounds, rushing engines, their hot breaths shooshing alongside, sticky tires crackling on the pavement. And the sweeter tunes, gentle snapping of windblown leaves. Birds, as they count your presence, with warning for others, as you enter their domain of the natural.

Life's pace slows a bit, focusing sharply on the moment.

My photos seem to capture a feeling of difference, if not oddness, about the day. Odd, though not unpleasant.

On our journey we made a stop at a new place, freshly built. Hydrous at Allen Station had its opening on Saturday. If ever we want to wakeboard by cable, we know where to go.

Pretty cool, this. Though, initially when I'd noticed the new hole being dug in our town, along with the destruction of trees and a patch of nature, I had reservations. A touch of sadness. Still, it is nice to see interesting things, such as this, coming to Allen. Incidentally, the very popular Edge Skate Park is located just across the street from Hydrous.

Fun stuff! Loads of activities for the kiddos around here. And the place just keeps growing.
A peek at Hydrous at Allen Station's pro shop.

We pressed on, making our way a tad deeper into the small swath of "wilderness".

As we have many times before, we stopped to view a place of mystery.
The "Mysterious Spot" as we like to call it.
I don't know why we feel this place is mysterious. There's a strange feeling we get when visiting it. An odd energy if you will. Even so, we are drawn to it. It could be that the spot seems isolated from the rest of the busy town. Maybe the sound of the falling water drowns out the traffic of the nearby Highway 75, making it seem like we are in the middle of nowhere. Or perhaps, it is just the mere age of the Old Stone Dam that has us imagining those who were before us. In any case, we'll likely continue to visit the spot, on occasion, for as long as we live here.
The wee ones in the trailer attached to my bike. The husband, Nikon D200 in hand.
Just up the hill from the apparent isolation is this:
Another new addition, Cabela's. Outdoor stuff, yay!
When Cabela's arrived, there was nothing to do but smile. I love these kinds of stores. It can't be helped.

All the while, the children reminded me we had to stop at a playground. Not just any playground, mind you, though this town has several lovely ones. It must be a particular one not anywhere near the bike trail we were on. So, off we went.

Past the high school and the, quite enormous-looking, future football stadium.
Allen Eagles Stadium currently under construction. I can't help but marvel at the size of this thing. Allen High School in its entirety is a thing to behold.

Rolling on, we finally made it to "the one".
The playground of choice for the day.
A visit to the store followed, for snacks and whatnot. Else the ride would've been incomplete.

That day, Saturday, a wrap.

Sunday came, and so did rain. To be sure, there was celebration. The extreme summer heat and drought had been taking a toll on our psyche. At last, a break.

After the hard work of the previous weekend, this one was much appreciated.

Peaceful and sweet.
Frequent backyard visitor.
Photos by Shauna Chan. Nikon D80, with circular polarizer and in-camera red filter for B&W photos.

Amazon.com Widgets

Plumbing Nightmare: Our Latest Fix Project

2011-09-15T23:49:00.018-05:00

For a while now, we've known about a wee little problem with a certain section of plumbing in our house. We tried to overlook the issue, though quite recently, we had no choice but to pay it mind. All whilst trying not to pay much of anything else!

Days ago, the kitchen sink did its tri-monthly clog-up. A simple fix, one might think. Luckily there is a proper pipe cleanout located just outside. This cleanout we left open long enough to finish some dishes and laundry, since the clothes washer in the garage was also affected. Leaving the cleanout open gave the water a better place to go. In the yard, and not in the house or garage. Perhaps, it isn't acceptable to let greywater go all over the backyard, though it seems such a waste not to do just that! Most of it flowed neatly into a small garden area. Great for watering the plants during this horrid drought we're having.

Later, much later, the husband got out the rusty ol' pipe snake and set to work. We both worked at it. It wouldn't budge. The clog, that is. I'm not even sure we got to the clog. A nice electric drain auger would have come in handy at about that time. You know the kind. The one the plumber brings that gets through the clog in less than 30 minutes. Then you get to pay nearly 300 bucks for the thrill of seeing water draining freely from your sink. Yep, that would have been handy. But we wanted to save money and use the one with no power behind it, with no reel to wind it up on, to keep it organized. Sure we could have rented a decent auger, but who needs it? Ha! If a person wants to save a couple hundred dollars to clear fairly simple clogs, I'd have to recommend renting either an electric auger or at least one that operates manually on a reel. Home Depot rents drain augers, among other handy tools. Kudos to the Depot.
Simple pipe snake stored in a 5 gallon bucket.
After many tiring hours, what seemed like days, of plugging away at the pipe in the hot of the day, we finally punched through! Thrilled we were. Jubilant. High-fiving and all that.

Yes, the auger made it through a blockage of some sort. But, the drain still would not drain. A mystery.

Now, after some past experience with this particular drain line, a clog usually would cause water to seep up through cracks in the concrete slab in the garage. I know, it's a pretty horrific thing, because that's a sign of a break in the pipe somewhere under the house. And normally, after we have cleared the clog, water would no longer seep through the cracks. Buying us some time, helping us to avoid having to pay thousands of dollars for someone to break the concrete and fix the broken pipe. Normally, the water stays out, except for this last time.

It was time to get serious, take action.

First, we dug a hole outside the garage near where we knew the kitchen drain line and washing machine drain line both entered the main line. The soil was very moist. I hoped the break could be accessed from outside so we dug deeper; the soil became sloppy stinky black mud. That was a good sign we were in the right area. We ran some water through the drain line to see where the water came from. Sadly, the water did not bubble up through an easily accessed pipe in the ground. Nope, instead, it spewed from somewhere in the foundation. Still, at least we knew the general location.

Chisel time. At this, I laugh.
Hammer and assorted chisels with strike guards. Nice, no?
Okay, here's what not to do. Don't go expecting a little hand chisel and hammer to break through several inches of a concrete foundation quickly. It's sort of like trying to dig your way out of prison with a spoon. At least, that's what I felt like I was doing. Nope, instead, just forgo that chisel, at least until you need to chip around delicate pipes and whatnot. We spent a little, less than $100, and rented a jackhammer from Home Depot for 24 hours, since we weren't sure how much pipe was damaged or how much concrete we'd need to break.

I managed to lift the jackhammer, though its 70 pound weight seemed a bit difficult to control. I didn't even want to think about actually turning it on! So to save the rest of the house from damage, the husband operated the machine.
Jackhammer handywork, whilst wee concrete chisel looks on.
Breaking concrete with a jackhammer makes life much easier. Because we had already chiseled out a 4-inch hole into the foundation using the concrete chisel, it wasn't difficult creating a starting point for the heavy machinery. I've read elsewhere, it's a good idea to score the concrete with a circular saw that has a diamond blade on it. It creates a starting point for a jackhammer or even a chisel. In any case, use caution. Debris needs to be cleaned out of the hole periodically to avoid having concrete projectiles flying about no matter which method is used. And a jackhammer is loud and cumbersome. One should use proper safety gear when operating it. The job is noisy and it is dirty. But it can be done. If we can do it . . . well, you know the rest. Ha! Ha!

Our first discovery, an expected pipe. This pipe runs from the water heater, which is actually quite a distance away. I knew it was there, under the concrete, because the open end of it sticks out of the foundation on the side of the house. The other end of it is connected to the water heater pressure relief valve. What I didn't expect was that it would be smashed nearly flat. I was certain this had happened during the building of the house, since the jackhammer didn't have contact with it. The pipe is hard copper. Whatever hit it must have been big! This would need to be repaired as well. What a neat discovery.
Smashed hard copper pipe running from hot water heater temperature and pressure (T&P) relief valve.
Much digging and removing of broken concrete and stinky, sticky black mud went on. Eventually, we managed to tunnel through from the inside of the garage to the outside. We found the drain pipe in question! And we found exactly where the break was. Still encased in concrete.

Out came the chisel. With surgical precision the 2 inch broken cast iron pipe was at last exposed! It's good to be careful with cast iron. In some cases it may be very fragile and thin. One wouldn't want to do further unnecessary damage.
The culprit!
Now, I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but that is no joint just below the big crack. Nope, that is a cast iron pipe completely snapped in two! The separation is uneven which is most likely caused by the severe shifting of the foundation. This, of course, is what happens to homes in the northern parts of Texas. Blame it on the soil, or clay, that swells in the rain and shrinks tremendously in times of drought.

How to fix it? Decisions, decisions.

I suppose one could have the cast iron replaced. I've no idea the cost for such a repair, though I've heard it is a bit high. I thought of replacing it with PVC pipe. This may have been a good option, however, this particular pipe is part of the stack that runs up through the roof. I'm not sure we should be cutting out big portions of the base of such a heavy cast iron stack! We opted for what may be a temporary fix, but one that seems to work pretty well for now.

The Fernco flexible coupling is made for applications such as this. It is a flexible, yet durable, rubber sleeve that stands up to the elements and even drain cleaning chemicals. There is also a Fernco shielded coupling, which is said to be stronger. It is similar to the flexible coupler, though it includes a metal shield around it. We weren't able to use the shielded coupler due to the limited space we had to work in and due to the bend in the pipe.

To apply the Fernco flexible coupler, about an inch or so of pipe had to be cut away with a diamond grit blade on the sawzall. Cutting cast iron is no easy task. It's thick and our pipe was in good condition despite the break, not as fragile as we'd expected. We used a sawzall, which took some time, but it worked well. Others recommend using a diamond blade on a grinder. I've even read that one fellow used a chisel, which, he said, took forever!

It was not easy to fit the sleeve over the two pieces of pipe. Although, with two people working at it, one inside the garage and one out, we managed to get the coupler in place, strapped, tightened. The next step was to test for leaks.
2" Flexible Fernco coupler.
We turned the water on. No leaks. Hurrah! But, the drain was still clogged!

Yes, it goes on.

You see, before we patched up the broken pipe, we ran the snake through it, we thought pretty far. Apparently, we didn't go far enough. But there was no way either of us wanted to maneuver that Fernco coupler again. So up on the house the husband went with the snake.

No dice.

Using the cleanout by the kitchen didn't work, the snake was too short. There were no other cleanouts available, except for the mangled mess of drain pipe and vent for the washing machine. Sigh. I was afraid of that.

Alright, let me explain. Since the time we've lived here, I have not understood why the washing machine plumbing is the way it is. I'm not an expert, having only limited plumbing experience, but even a plumber once said he didn't understand why it was set up the way it is. First, it is 1 1/2 inch PVC attached to the cast iron vent stack at the base. Next, there is a short straight length of PVC attached to the trap (the bend created to block sewer gases). After all that the pipe goes straight up to what I believe is a cleanout. And once again, the pipe bends tightly and goes straight up, with an opening for the washing machine to drain into, after which it continues on to form another vent inside the garage. I don't know why all the bends are necessary. I know for certain the "cleanout" is useless, the bend there is much too tight. And I wonder if the added vent is superfluous.

I truly thought about rebuilding the plumbing for the washing machine drain. I really wanted a good cleanout. Time was slipping away; the project needed to be complete soon!

I opted for a simpler approach. Leaving most of the PVC in place, I thought it best to make a cut with the sawzall right before it entered the cast iron line. This would leave room for the pipe snake to do its work. The added bonus, I could put a Fernco coupler there. If there is a clogged line in the future, we can remove the Fernco coupler and just clean it out.

Off to Home Depot for the gazillionth time the husband went to get the flexible coupler and PVC parts if necessary.

Whilst he was away, I patched the 3/4" hard copper pipe that had been smashed using a copper pipe cutting tool, sandpaper to clean the copper, a torch, flux, silver solder, 3/4" hard copper pipe cut to length and 3/4" copper couplings. I cut the existing copper line in smooth places to insure a good fit, cleaned surfaces to be joined with the sandpaper, dry fit the pieces together, then took them apart to apply flux to the surfaces to be joined. After that, I put the pieces together, heated the joints with the torch, then applied the silver solder, allowing it to be drawn into the joint.

Smashed 3/4" hard copper pipe repair.
Almost done!

I made room for the pipe snake and worked to clean out the pipe. It took a while. With loads of persistence and a great length of the pipe snake, I broke through the blockage. Just to be sure, I turned on the water in the kitchen. If the blockage was cleared, no water should come up through the cleanout. Luckily, it didn't. Just to be sure, I went out to the main cleanout near the road to see if the water was running through and out to the city sewer line.

Main cleanout.

Success! Everything was running smoothly. No mud, no debris, just clear water running through.

What a relief.

When all was done, we buttoned up the pipe with the Fernco.
Note: It was impossible to unscrew the threaded PVC fitting from the cast iron. The PVC broke off at the fitting, thus we sheared it flush with the cast iron. To reattach the PVC to the cast iron, we used a Fernco coupler that went from a 1 1/2 inch on one side to 2 inch on the other.
Black pipe(r) is the cast iron stack. Ferno coupler 1 1/2" to 2" joins PVC to cast iron at cast iron fitting.
The only thing left to do is patch up that gaping hole in the concrete.

In the end, I'd say this fix may have saved us a bundle, for now anyway. I'll keep my eyes on it and I'll keep you posted!

Amazon.com Widgets

mid-summer blue

2011-07-15T01:32:00.008-05:00

July, already. And nearing its end, no less.

The weeks are speeding by mysteriously, silently. I've only just noticed it.

No. The noticing started a day or so ago, when the sky in the day was the deepest of blue. Not just any blue. The scarce puffs of clouds were small chips of snowy bergs floating in a bottomless sea.

At the time, whilst marveling at the crisp clarity of the sky, I thought about taking a picture. Over the years, one of my favorite subjects to capture is cloud structure or simply the relationship a cloud has to the sun, or to the blue. But no. I did not rush to get the camera. I must have thought there was still time.

The next day presented itself in similar fashion. The sky an incredibly clear deep blue. Only a few small clouds for contrast. Still, I did not have camera in hand. So unlike me. But there it is.

What's been occupying my mind, creating a deficiency of attention, are the inside things. Computer work. And the sudden silly desire to acquire audio recording equipment. Techno-ADD, again. Since, after all, it's been hot outside. Really hot. Over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This, for what seems like weeks. No rain to speak of. The grass is crunchy. The earth cracked, parched, baked. The leaves on the trees are beginning to show stress, curling, turning brown around the edges.

For this, we stay inside. There is little to be done in the hot.

At the beginning of summer, we busied ourselves with travel and swam a lot. It became nearly a daily event, the swimming. We tried to take a break from it and go for bike rides instead. But the heat sapped the energy, and the joy we'd normally find from such journeys. The crystal water of the pool was indeed much more inviting. The laze of an evening spent floating belly-up to the sky, waiting for the first stars to appear, pure bliss.

And then, it happened... The pool filter pump broke! And rather unceremoniously at that.

I found the water still, one day, the pump soundless. My job (one I've chosen) is to maintain the more than 4,000 gallon pool. And being a somewhat handy person, I grabbed the tools, unhooked the filter and proceeded to take the machine apart, hoping the fix would be easy.

But no. The plastic impeller had snapped in two. The thin plastic covering the magnet had worn away, the magnet corroded. These things could not be replaced on this particular pump. The model being somewhat cheaply made. Wish I had known sooner.

It would take a week to get a new filter pump. I'd become so addicted to our daily swim. The ritual of it. Not having to think too much about what would entertain the day. A week seemed near forever.

Though in that time, that small speck of time within the year, I could see the summer's haste to be over. Suddenly noticing it being mid-July. August will soon arrive. And with it, school will begin. For my youngest daughter this is all new.

And there it is. The root of it all. The youngest daughter, kindergarten. And in a year our little boy will follow. Before we know, the eldest daughter will graduate high school.

My mind is spinning. The time has gone so quickly. Though I'm certain I've done my best to relish each day. To squeeze every drop of simply being. Which, oddly, only trebled time's speed even more.

It happens on occasion. The sharp realization. That splash of ice water on the face forcing awareness of the truth. These 100 degree days only seem to last longer. Platinum bright, thick, syrupy and languid as they are.

Yet here time is. Rushing along just the same.

I suppose it's us, the grown-ups, willfully miring ourselves in some sameness. Stuck in a limbo, not moving forward. Not changing. Pleasantly fooling ourselves with pattern.

Whatever. It was fun.

Now it's time to get down to business. But don't forget the camera!

2 hours north

2011-06-22T01:41:00.017-05:00

It was Saturday, early afternoon. A blue funk had fallen over the household.

With funds having run dry from our A-Kon adventure the weekend prior, our exuberance had begun to wane. The hot arid wind blowing across the treetops didn't help much either. A dusty atmosphere, thick on our tongues. The sun, white hot. The sky, platinum. The heat measuring 103 Fahrenheit.

I could feel the tension. Something had to be done to lift the heaviness from our souls. There was only one refreshment that could ease our unpleasant state. Road trip!

And so, with renewed giddiness, we packed hastily those things one might need for the road. And tossed in the camping gear, just in case.
Scarcely a cloud to be found.
As we rolled along the glaring highway, I scanned the sky. Incredibly bright it was. Though, off in the distance I could see a small tower of clouds forming. Funny, I mused. Wouldn't it be interesting if that was developing into a storm directly over our destination spot? Then I cursed myself for forgetting to bring the polarizer lens for my camera, to help cut the glare of the road a bit. And to help bring out the definition of that distant cloud.

When sans polarizer, I often resort to shooting black and white photos selecting the in-camera red filter option. It helps some, but still. Frustrating a skoche.

The road unfolded, we neared the border, and there it was. The cloud formation, growing taller, flattening out around the edges. And yes, it appeared to be very near our goal area of interest. I had to consult the weather radar to be sure. Yes, there it was, the only severe thunderstorm on the map! Sitting on top of the highway we traveled.

Now this might sound tragic. After all, this was a lake-swimming overnight-camping trip of sorts we had planned. Sort of. One might think rain might ruin such an occasion. But no, my excitement only grew. We'd not seen rain in what seemed like forever! We had to celebrate the moment.
Ominous, no?

As we came through then around the storm to its northern side, I noticed the clouds somewhat striated in the tower. Perhaps there was some rotation there. I later learned a small tornado touched down in an area we had just driven through. Perhaps this photo is of that very storm system.

No matter. Because whatever rain that may have fallen, or lightning that crashed to the ground, was well to the south and east of the lake. Our camping spot.

It was getting late in the day. Quickly we searched for a good place to set up the tent. The choices were few, as it was Father's Day weekend. Though we did manage to make our home for the night near the lake's edge. Good for swimming.

It took us no time to get the tent ready. With sweat pouring down our faces, it was time for a swim. And so we did. The little ones enjoyed riding the small waves made by the occasional boat passing by. The sandy beach was a pleasure as well. Even the eldest daughter enjoyed the cool water.

Time for a snack. Back to camp we went.
Snacktime!
"Take my picture by the grass!" he said.
Venturing.
The night fell fast upon us, but we were not yet through. Though the wind was a bit stiff, a fair fire had to be built. Even now we wonder if it were a wise decision. The land was parched. Grass browned in places. We were very careful to mind the flames and sparks.

A useful tip for those who like to pack lightly, or for those who tend to forget an important item like a lantern...

Make yourself a handy sack lantern! Here I have used a small flashlight, a Wal-Mart sack, and a roll of paper towels. Just stick the flashlight in the paper towel roll, puff up the sack a bit and put it over the light. The glow is just bright enough to see what you're doing. Cozy.

Finally exhausted, we all five crawled into the tent. Sleeping was not easy. The heat and humidity made for an uncomfortable time of it. The youngest daughter and I stayed awake most of the night. We made good use of our time watching a raccoon scavenge around picnic tables. Sara remarked that she'd not seen a raccoon like that before. I suspect she thought they'd be a bit more cartoonish and friendly looking. Even still, she admitted he was sort of cute.

The wind picked up, yet it offered no cooling relief. It only blew the tent around wildly and teased that it might refresh us. The moon rose and shown itself brightly through the fabric walls. Lovely. I found myself gazing at it for a good part of the night. And then, it was over. The sun began to cast pink on the clouds.

A quick bite to eat and down the tent came. We wasted no time. The stifling hot of day would soon return. Laughing and silly, homeward bound we were. Ah, another successful trip on the road. I look forward to the next one!

Pleasant Chaos--A-Kon 22

2011-06-21T12:54:00.010-05:00

Turn background music off here, then come back up! (^.^)/

It has been little more than a week since A-Kon 22 and already the dates are set for A-Kon 23.

Where to begin?

First, in honor of the event, I'm listening to Ephixa's Lost Woods Dubstep Remix. I can not tell you how many times I heard this at the convention. And so, it has found a sunny place in my mind.

There, the mood is set.

What is A-Kon? It is a 3-day event of mad fun! Where you will find loads of anime-related information. You can meet people in the gaming industry. Artists. There are educational panels on a variety of anime topics. One can play games. Many people cosplay favorite characters. If you like, you can be in a cosplay skit. Also, you'll find loads of anime-based merch. There are rave dances, an abundance of glow! And the concerts... my favorite! This year two Japanese bands! That alone is worth the cost of registration. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

One might say our family had been preparing for the convention for nearly a year. Costumes were planned. We pre-registered months in advance. It's much cheaper that way. And we reserved our hotel room well in advance. Rooms go fast!

And so, off we went early Friday, the first day. Truck packed with food, frocks and full of excitement.

When we arrived, parking was close to impossible. And a touch pricey. It was to be expected. A-Kon is a huge event. And well, it is Dallas.

After finding a place, far, far away..... We managed to get the hotel room and make the trek to the infamous pre-reg line. A very long maze-like line that encircled the entire room. And that room is very large. Though, because we brought our young children with us, A-Kon staff took pity on us and placed us near the very front of the line. Nice! This occurred more than once throughout the convention, I might add. Benefits. Haha! Also, it is worth noting, small children are very much welcome at the event. There are very few exceptions regarding this.

We received our pre-reg badges and moved on to the madness.

Here is just a glimpse of us and some of what we saw.

Yes, I dressed up as something. Though the only photo I have of the ensemble is blurry! This, because everyone was in a tremendous hurry to hit the convention floors. I snapped the photo with kids under foot, their way out the door. Did I mention it was hot?! Whew!

My costume, in the beginning, was to resemble Riese, from the steampunk series of that name. It wound up being a mish-mash of pieces, though still very much steampunk. I even made my own aged-look brassy-like goggles. I do have the exact ammo belt Riese has. I'm very proud of that. Actually, in our household, we have two! Husband sported one of them, complete with snacks, cellphone and cash. Mine contained a brass nautical compass. Handy, no doubt.

The eldest daughter and her friend dressed as popular anime characters and had many photos taken of them. My little man chose to be a ninja. Little daughter, opted for Sailor Moon. Her ensemble was a last minute decision and put together rather quickly out of what was on hand. She received many compliments and relished it every bit.

And so, we went with the flow. The huge crowd, like a river winding through large rooms and small corridors.

The big event on Friday, the concert. Two Japanese bands. Blood Stain Child and D for the first time in the U.S. What a privilege it was to see them!

And now, I have learned what visual kei is. Men dressed in feminine clothing with a full face of makeup can be very appealing and oddly quite masculine.

The interesting thing is they are indeed beautiful to look at, though their music is very metal and hard. A fascinating contradiction. I was transfixed and instantly a fan of both groups. Though D is particularly seductive.

The voices of Blood Stain Child clash, but in a vibrant harmonious way. The harshness of Ryo's voice is the edge. The beautiful Sophia's sweet melodious voice is like light winding through the rubble.

Then there is D. The visually stunning D. Their performance took my breath away. They instantly commanded the stage and my attention was fixed. And though the songs are sung in Japanese language I do not know, the beautiful voice of Asagi is so full of emotion, I was pulled into understanding. I could go on and on. But, I'll spare you the gush and keep the sweet memory to myself. Let's just say, the audience was very much a part of the journey. And it was lovely.

My only regret, the one thing I'm very sad about missing was the autograph sessions with both bands. We may never see the groups again, I realize. Every opportunity to savor the experience must be taken. And I missed it! Never again, I vow. Next year will be different.

As for the rest of the convention...
The rave, my second favorite thing to attend. I've always loved dance music. And glow sticks! The two combined, well, it is almost a heaven.

There were so many events. To be sure, I missed many of them. And, as the year before, I have learned what I overlooked and pledge to not miss so much!

In a nutshell, that is my experience. I suppose one can never get too old for such random fun. \(^.^)/

summer wind

2011-06-20T13:55:00.003-05:00

Outside the window, I see the limbs and leaves of the trees dance in a dry hot wind.

It is summer. It has made itself known, leaving its mark in the cracks of the parched earth. The sun, relentlessly piercing through a dusty haze, baking the streets, sidewalks and lawns.

You can taste the air. Powdery on the tongue, stinging the throat. What moisture the heat doesn't steal away, the wind strips.

It is said we may get a spot of rain tomorrow, though I'll not hold my breath waiting. No, in the meantime, I'll do my best to find appreciation for the extreme warmth.

Indeed, there are moments when I feel the scorch of sun on my face and shoulders and relish it. Perhaps, it is because it reminds there is a freedom about summer. It is the time we skimp on clothing and travel to random places. And, we swim.

Such a free feeling, floating in the sweet coolness of a pool or lake.

It seems the summer has only begun, yet we've managed at least a couple of adventures already.

One such was a trip to Dallas for the three-day affair, A-Kon 22. I almost think this particular subject requires a separate post! There is too much to mention, I can scarcely think. So, I'll save it for later.

Shortly after the A-Kon convention ended, the itch to venture the roadways hit. On the spur, and almost too late in the day, we quickly packed the truck and pointed north, making way to the closest lake we're most fond of. The journey would take us more than 2 hours, though not unpleasant, the drive is part of the allure. A complete departure from the seductive madness and thrill of A-kon.
It was hot, 103ºF! In my haste, I'd forgotten my polarizer lens, so the glare is evident.

This subject, too, will require more attention than I am able to give it at the moment. Tonight, maybe, when there are less pressing matters to tend to.

For now, I'll consider taking the children out in the hot for a swim~~~

blooms

2011-04-11T01:35:00.005-05:00

There's a storm tonight. It is welcome.
The dryness of these early days of spring can surely use relief.

Before the roiling dark clouds loomed, photos of the season's first blooms had to be taken. These blooms will no doubt be beaten and perhaps shattered by the heavy rain and wind.

I can hear the rumble of thunder, the furious song of the chimes.
The rain has come at last.

Time to take a peek and breathe in the freshness...

End of March

2011-03-30T03:23:00.003-05:00

The end of March is near. It comes too soon, it seems.

When it arrives, and even before, thoughts of someone important wash through my mind, filling the quiet corners. A shimmering melancholy.

It matters little how much space one puts between themselves and a place of sadness. Nor does time matter, the sorrow sits in the pit of one's soul. Lingering...

Laundry and the Moon

2011-03-23T02:48:00.006-05:00

Tonight, I'm up late. Nothing new, really. The washing machine is cycling, sans clothes. That's the thing about newfangled front-load machines, they need to be... washed.

It's my own doing. I'd forgotten a blanket was still in there a day or so ago. Yes, that long. And the whole machine became a bit, shall we say, musty. So, the machine needed a bleach bath. It takes a while. An hour or so.

I'd like to blame this on the moon. The "Supermoon", that is.

If it hadn't been for the building excitement of that moon, so-called, super, I'd have remembered that blanket, to be sure. As it was, though, a little road trip was in order. To celebrate the moon o' course. The import of the soggy blanket lost.

Yes, I took a camera. A drive without a camera is sort of pointless. Especially when the moon in its superness is involved. But because we started the drive late, as is often the case, we were no where near a good picture-taking place. The moon, pinkish-purple and oddly shaped, broke the horizon before the truck could find a decent exit.

Aiyaaa... the gas prices!

Nevertheless, pictures from the shotgun side were taken! At 70 miles per hour, no less. Now that in itself is sort of super, no?

Orangish spot, the Supermoon breaks the horizon... 70mph!

Admittedly, they aren't the best pictures. Seventy miles per hour... through a dirty window... shotgun side.

As for the superiority of the moon. Well, the husband was not so impressed, claiming this moon was "faux super". He'd seen a truly large moon years ago. As for me, maybe it was more like Supermoon in its alter ego--like the Clark Kent of Supermoons. Because, after all, it is the moon and has no need to prove itself or be overly flashy. It's the moon! And I like it, no matter.

So, the trip was worth it. Bad pics, smelly wet blanket in the machine, and all. The moment was made special for whatever reason, big moon or no.

Thanks Buddy!

Cheers to the Supermoon for getting this family in one place at the same time!

Supermoon!

And when clouds cover the lights in the sky, there is always time for a little artistic photography of the seemingly mundane.

Art o' the dark road...

Somewhere...

Luckily, I'm easily amused, sort of low-maintenance. Unlike the newfangled washing machine.

At last! It's clean. Time to do the laundry...