What makes a maker?

[LightWave93]

I was in a long-distance relationship for three and a half years. I'd get to see my partner once every two weeks, maybe once a month depending how circumstances played out (shifts at work, her family commitments etc). If there's one thing I can say about LDR's it's that you grow to appreciate your partner and time spent with them a lot more, you literally value every second as opposed to seeing them too frequently and it becoming a bit mundane. I remember travelling to see my ex and always feeling the excitement to see her, each and every time. You also get to know that person more because you spend less time, especially early on, getting physical. Lack of contact wasn't an issue in my case because we had similar interests and we text a ton. Ultimately didn't work for other reasons, but it being long-distance wasn't one of them.

 

Sometimes mate, you just have to take a chance. Yes, there are logistics to consider and sometimes it's harder for others depending on their needs, desires, etc, but I'd like to think once you do start falling for someone the obstacles are worth overcoming.

[maker]

I don't know, maybe it would be better to at least have some form of relationship rather than nothing at all. I do get that it takes away the possibility of smothering each other when you get to see your partner only on the weekends or every other week, perhaps it is a better way to 'ease in' into something long term and avoid some of the usual mistakes. Maybe I should reconsider my options and give it a shot.

[WithLove]

If you do reconsider, I would make it explicitly clear in your profile that you live xxx miles away from the capital, so you're looking for someone that is just as willing to travel as you are. Of course, I'd try to make that sound better Maybe "I like seeing and enjoying new things, and being xxx away from (Capital), there are plenty of road trips in my future; looking forward to sharing them with someone!" or something like that.

[LightWave93]

I don't know, maybe it would be better to at least have some form of relationship rather than nothing at all. I do get that it takes away the possibility of smothering each other when you get to see your partner only on the weekends or every other week, perhaps it is a better way to 'ease in' into something long term and avoid some of the usual mistakes. Maybe I should reconsider my options and give it a shot.

 

At the end of the day bud if you're not happy with x circumstance then of course don't force yourself into it, I'm just saying that long-distance has never been something that I perceive to be an issue and experiencing such a relationship only strengthened that belief. There's a lot more factors to take into consideration more-so than the distance, I think, such as availability of both partners, so it's just a case of what works out best for you.

 

Whatever you choose, best of luck. If anything, you really do seem like a genuinely good bloke.

[maker]

Yeah, distance is just one issue on that long, long list. And even then, this supposes that I'll be able to get a date. Better give my head some rest and call it a day.

 

And thanks, I'm afraid that being a 'good bloke' just doesn't cut it and never really did.

[maker]

Some days might just change your perspective on things. Today I was helping out a female friend of mine, just gave her a lift after work since she needed to pick up her own car from a garage and had no means of getting there on time.

No complaints, nothing that would make the (short) trip unpleasant. She gave me money for gasoline and insisted on buying me some sweets (completely unnecessary if you ask me) before we parted ways. If only all interaction with women were like this.

[WithLove]

I guess you aren't attracted to her if you didn't ask her out?

[maker]

There's nothing wrong with her as far as looks go, she actually is really pretty and does some work on the side as a model. She has a long term boyfriend, I would never even consider going there. Maybe that's why I am at ease around her?

[WithLove]

Ah, I see. It's good that you don't want someone that's already involved with someone else.

[maker]

Argh, nothing beats getting back from work only to find out that the 3D print you've started in the morning partially failed. Good thing that I still have enough time to reprint the part, but it still irks me when things fail like that, completely out of my control.

[maker]

Nothing interesting to report, no significant victories or breakthroughs on the dating front. While I was busy with my commission and quite stressed about meeting my deadline, an expat from Russia added me on Tinder. She seemed nice, smart, even pretty but for whatever reason, she decided to block me on the day I was supposed to finish my project, even though I tried to explain that I'll be incredibly busy for a couple of days. Meh, nothing lost, nothing gained.

The commission was a success and that means I can share even less information about what I'm working on. Fingers crossed that it will lead to a bigger project, commissioned by Blizzard themselves. More work and fewer women make for a happy maker.

[WithLove]

Ahh, there you are! I was just thinking about you yesterday and thought that I hadn't seen you on in awhile!

 

A commission from Blizzard would be incredible! I hope you get it!

 

Tinder is probably one of those instant gratification apps. I wouldn't think too seriously about it.

[maker]

I had little time for any interaction, in the real world or on the internet. And it seems that staying away from this site has been really beneficial for my mental state, perhaps that's something worth exploring. While I'm really glad that some online acquaintances think of me every now and then, you shouldn't make a pattern of it. It'll be far less disappointing when I won't be here.

 

Doing stuff directly for Blizzard is a really big maybe. From what I've been told by the guy who actually presented them with my work in progress, they were really stoked - in part because the prop maker they hired produced crap that was just awful under close inspection. I guess that in the land of the blind, the one eyed maker is king.

 

I suppose it is a good time to delete all the dating apps and stop clinging to false hope, nothing panned out of all the matches I got and the 'privilege' of jumping through hoops and loops to then be allowed to drive somewhere for a date isn't as exciting as I thought it would be.

[maker]

In more unrelated news, I've finally managed to pass the competency certification that's necessary to add more groups to my gun license. More guns = more fun, right? The musket is yet to arrive, still hoping that I didn't get just swindled out of those 400 dollars (equivalent) that I had to pay up front.

[maker]

One more piece for the big puzzle and a big (and effectively useless) shoutout to Sugatsune UK. Their awesome sales rep was able to source parts that are officially out of production and on top of that, he seems to like my project so much that he offered a discount even on an order as minuscule as mine. I suppose some days are just lucky.

Things are shaping up for a really busy September, with all the projects that need to be finished, I'll have one more reason for not even trying to date. Nobody is looking for someone who doesn't have time for them.

[maker]

F**k my luck, this was really short lived. Apparently the Italians at Pedersoli don't suffer only from poor quality control but they also don't work over the summer. Guns that were ordered in June are still not finished, with a possible delivery date towards the end of September. I always thought that this was a theme only for factories in Spain, to request payment up front and then come up with excused instead of a finished product.

 

Meh, nobody reads these rants anyway.

[maker]

This journal already looks like one big rant but what the hell.

 

This time a longer one, one that involves a cheapskate female cosplayer. Since the scope of my commissions varies from project to project, sometimes I only do rough builds on prints that need to be finished by the commissioner - most of the time it's for financial reasons. I foolishly agreed to a small discount in exchange for a supposed promo to her fanbase, two months later I don't have the promised promotion of what I consider to be quality work, nor the money for postage and today I've found out that she's spreading claims that the material I print from is somehow cheap and faulty because it "ruined her paintojb" on the prop.

In reality, she undercoated the prop gun with paint that was incompatible with the lacquer top coat of fake chrome. The chrome wrinkled and turned nasty in places, apparently all my fault.

 

It's fun times like these that prompted me to create an actual blacklist for commissions.

[WithLove]

Still here and still reading, but haven't posted since your "While I'm really glad that some online acquaintances think of me every now and then, you shouldn't make a pattern of it. It'll be far less disappointing when I won't be here" comment.

 

What can you do about her spreading incorrect claims about your work?

[maker]

I'm thinking of calling her out on it in public, possibly on her facebook page but what I've got so far are just bits and breadcrumbs from mutual friends, no hard evidence or screenshots. And I could probably do a test piece with the same exact fake chrome that looks right, that should be the best weapon against misinformation and sheer stupidity like this.

 

Granted, my comment wasn't all that nice but I'm still on the fence about leaving ENA because of the damage that it does to my mental state.

[Jabron1]

No no no no no no no no no.

 

Alright, I sort of understand. Cosplayers are hot. She dresses up in sexy clothes.

 

Never give a woman money ever.

 

You are the value here. She should want to be around you for your male presence. Giving her money puts you in the category of all the other idiots, that don't get it.

 

The only thing that I ever offer a woman is a night out, and my presence. That is enough... Or she can jog on to another idiot to leech off of.

 

Do not call her out in public. Never get upset over rejection from a woman. Learn your lesson instead.

[maker]

Guess I didn't explain the situation clearly.

 

Some cosplayers are hot, most are not. This one is somewhere in the middle, definitely not interesting due to her personality flaws. Not hot and not so bright.

I know better than to give women money, my mistake was to treat her like any other customer and charge for shipping based on actual cost and not with a flat rate.

 

This isn't about rejection, I need to take steps in order to stop her from badmouthing my work as a prop maker.

 

No no no no no no no no no.

 

Alright, I sort of understand. Cosplayers are hot. She dresses up in sexy clothes.

 

Never give a woman money ever.

 

You are the value here. She should want to be around you for your male presence. Giving her money puts you in the category of all the other idiots, that don't get it.

 

The only thing that I ever offer a woman is a night out, and my presence. That is enough... Or she can jog on to another idiot to leech off of.

 

Do not call her out in public. Never get upset over rejection from a woman. Learn your lesson instead.

[maker]

Had a somewhat "deep" talk with a friend at work. He's been struggling with women for years, right now he feels desperate because no matter how many he tries to approach, not one seems to be interested or is already taken. He's can definitely talk with women and hold conversation, doesn't shy away from approaching women anywhere (to the point of being cringeworthy) and even this act of desperation yields nothing.

Apparently he's down over not being even able to get laid, so he's contemplating paid options.

Never ever do I want to get into a similar situation, to have my mental health hinge on women and their fickle preferences.

[maker]

Today I'll deviate from rants and women, probably because it's a rather nice Friday, everything went smooth at work and if I'm lucky, my chances of having to interact with women over the weekend are pretty slim.

 

I guess some will consider me to be a prime material for a psychiatric ward for sharing this, I don't really mind at this point. I've been living (because struggling is too harsh of a term) with recurring fantasies, sometimes even dreams of being killed in combat. Note that I've never been in a firefight or any sort of real combat situation, my limited experience only comes from years of milsim and airsoft fun so I doubt this is some form of PTSD. I really can't put a finger on when exactly did this start, I never made a big deal out of it because these ideas and fantasies don't affect my day to day life and I have little incentive or even the possibility to act upon them. Should I just brush it off as one of many weird interests and keep chugging along?

[WithLove]

I think those of us involved in gaming and even other people that take gaming seriously have thoughts like this. Unless it starts affecting your reality and taking away your focus from your every day life, I don't think it's much cause for concern.

[maker]

Yeah, I suppose it's just a weird fascination with it that comes with gaming, airsofting or any other combat simulation. No reason to worry, not trying to kill myself just yet

 

Finished another commission, a big batch of tshirts with heat transfer vinyls. Even the thin lines turned out nice so fingers crossed that the customer will like the finished product. I'm now printing automotive prototype parts for my daily job, somehow my boss found out that I have a 3D printer and some experience with it and asked if I could make some prototype parts for a possible presentation to VW. While our company has a small workshop, it's mostly geared up for finishing stuff that has been printed for us by someone else, maybe I'll even convince them to buy a printer or two.

 

Some complete moron at the local gaming place went through the storage and trashed all of our 'terrain' and buildings for Warhammer. Most of it was made out of cardboard and foamcore so it had little real value, except now I have to come up with a way to rebuild everything. Still not sure who did it or what was his motivation.