It's weird...I've updated some of the other blogs I keep, but not this one.

OK, time for Geekback, where I just throw out observations in random access mode.

1.) It's time to rename Pope Benedict the 16th or whatever number he is. He's now Pope Maledict the Nothingth. If you know anything about Latin root words you would understand the appropriateness of the name. What a fucking dick. He did everything but declare a new round of the Crusades. Gasoline, meet match. When Dubya and he get together it's going to be a freaking love fest.

2.) They finally found a permanent name for "Xena," the dwarf planet that upstaged Pluto. It's now Eris. So far Robert Anton Wilson hasn't weighed in on this yet. But I bet there are lots of happy Discordians out there. Fnord.

3.) I've mentioned it other places, but why not here: I have opened up Hardware Store Jedi again because I'm preparing to do version 2.0 of my hardware lightsabre tutorial. I have to give 'nuff respect to Random Sabers, the company that made this all possible. They made me two "naked" sabre hilt blanks, basically a couple of aircraft-grade aluminum tubes that are 1" in diameter and 9.5" in length, (these are custom specs, not the standard "practice saber" they sell which is 1.25" in diameter and 11" in length) with a hole drilled near the top to admit a hex-head set screw. These sabre hilt blanks actually can be fitted with solid "stunt" blades for things like kata and theatrical "fighting" and even sparring, although one needs to be really careful of exactly what you use for that last purpose.

I bought two blue acrylic blades from Random Sabers to go with the hilt blanks, but those are strictly for kata and "lookin' purdy" as my buddy Jim Smith would put it. I'm looking at using rattan for actual "stunt blades," and also maybe doing foam rubber covered "blades" for casual whacking around and being silly. Unfortunately I didn't grab any pool noodles while they were still available, so the foam covered "safety" blades will have to wait until mid-Spring when they bring the Summer pool toys out at the 99 Cent store and Dollar Tree. Of course, I put "safety" in quotes because even after you pad down a sabre blade it is not 100% harmless.

4.) I'm trying to get into the groove of being a student again, but after 4 months off it's really painful to shift back into that headspace. I'm still walking around with post Comic-Con withdrawal. "Post-con syndrome." I was supposed to go to a grad school fair at Woodbury today but I got the time of the fair confuzzled with the time the Common Threads club was having what used to be called a "White Elephant Sale" but they referred to as a "vintage clothing sale." I missed the grad school fair. However, I did make the rummage sale event. Not much truly vintage clothing there, mostly stuff of '80s and '90s vintage, but there were three boxes full of patterns, some from the '60s and '70s so I suppose that also makes them vintage but most were pretty recent. And the ones I grabbed for $0.10/ea are recent...the oldest is from 1985. That one I can't even use, because it's a little girl size dress. However, it *does* show me how a Sailor blouse is constructed. Which is a good thing, because I want to make a Seifuku blouse one of these days.

The Common Threads club is starting to get to know me...one of the professors who's a faculty advisor asked me if I figured out what I was going to do with the huge honkin' pile of black cotton/poly twill I bought at the fabric sale. After finding the Sailor dress pattern I started thinking..."hmm...black twill...Seifuku...ok, goth-loli Seifuku!" Sugoi! Kakkou-ii! Kawaii!

One thing though...I will have to find a pleated skirt somewhere. Because pleats just look like too much of a hassle for a sewing padawan like myself. However, I do have all that fabric...gotta figure out SOMETHING to do with all that. I wonder if the outfit will look OK with just a regular skirt, not a pleated one. Oh well, something to think about, anyway.

5.) I'm very, very frustrated with the California election. Why is Angelides rolling over and playing dead? It's after Labor Day, dude...start the campaign, for crissake! Grumble grumble...