Summer Project

As the winter term of school wraps up I find myself trying to find a summer project.  My first thought was that I would make a hiking staff.  Something that I have done before, often in fact.  I have made them for others and have 8 sitting in my shop and assorted walking sticks and canes in the far corner of my room.  So my girlfriend has told that I should think of something else to make.  So I have made a short list of things I could make.

1) Cabinetmaker's Tool Chest- a large wooden tool chest that where used to transport a woodworker's tools from place to place.

2) Jewelry Box- A box for jewels to be kept in.

3) Wooden Shield- Because they are always fun to put up on the wall.

4) Wooden Sword- Also fun for the wall

5) Brief Case- Wooden brief that can hold a lap top and papers.

6) Clock- Never made one before and maybe fun.

7) Bird House- Very first grade, but also could be fun.

8) Limber Jack- A wooden doll that you can make dance by tapping a board.

9) Mechanical Toy- A toy or some such that when a crank is turned it does something.

10) A Major Piece- A buffet and hutch or something like that. It would be a large task, but if I can sell it then I could make it work.

So I am going to need to think about this for a bit. Once I decide I will most likely do a few post about it. If any one has any thoughts or suggestions I would be most pleased to hear them.

School + Report = No blog last week

So as you can see I did not get a post up last Friday. I am not pleased about that. I promised myself I would post every Friday and would not let stuff get in the way of my doing that. Sadly I had a report to do and I had to focus on that before I could do anything else. Such is the life when you are in school I guess. So over the next few weeks, until my exams are done, I may not be able to make my weekly post on time. I hope to get one up every week, but it may not happen.

Some times we most do with out what we enjoy as we work toward the greater good.

How can a 3-year-old toddler be an alcoholic? | Sympatico.ca News

This article was linked to me by my girlfriend. She was shocked by it, as am I. As a nurse it will be part of my job to educate the public about how to live healthy lives. As part of that I am posting this link so that you can see and read about something that should never happen. As it says in the piece the children are not getting booze and smokes for themselves. Parents who supply their young children, babies in this case, should forfeit their rights to being parents.

How can a 3-year-old toddler be an alcoholic? | Sympatico.ca News

Support

One of the biggest problems I have found with being in a long distance relationship is not being able to be there for each other in person in times of crisis. This past week my Grandmother past away and my girlfriend was unable to come home. This was not easy for me or for her. I greatly wished that she could have been there with me as I went through all the events one must attend when a loved one passes. She wishes she could have been there as well. But such is the nature of being apart. As a couple you need to accept that things will come up and all you will really be able to give or receive is moral and emotional support. You most make do with kind and supportive words when deep down all you want is to be held.


A long distance relationship, like any relationship is about accepting the good with the bad. The sickness and the health. Some times that means pulling up your socks and making do with the support that the person who loves you deeply is able to give. Along with that it is also important to let them know how much you love them and how what they are able to do means so much to you.


I would rather have the support of a woman who loves me deeply, then a hug from a woman who does not support me.  

Random Japandom!: Of all the days to come to Tokyo!

This is the Blog of a friend of my sister. She was in Japan at the time of the recent Earthquake. After reading this the event became much more real to me. I invite you to read it as well.


Random Japandom!: Of all the days to come to Tokyo!: "I arrived in Tokyo around 11:30 am yesterday after spending the past 3 months living in the mountains. Decided to come a couple days before ..."

eReader Week.

Last week I went to visit my girlfriend at school for a week. We got very lucky and not so in others that our school reading weeks fell after each other this year. She was able to spend a week at home while I was in school, and I was able to spend a week with her after she returned. We got to spend to two wonderful weeks together, but due to school we really only had the evenings.

I took this week long trip as a chance to really start using my ereader that I was given as a gift on my last birthday. Like many people I read a great deal for enjoyment and so a have a back log of books I am hoping to read. I am getting through it, but I still have a few paper books to go before I really start wanting/ needing to get more. I plan to start doing my buying in the form of ebooks. I am just not there yet.

My ebook week was most enjoyable. It went so well chances are the trend will continue that I take it when I travel rather then paper books. Some of that maybe do to the extras I have got for it now. I now have a very nice cover and a light that works very well. I had been having a issue with lighting. I find with the ereader I need better lighting then I would if I was reading a paper book. Also just this past week a got a gel skin for it. The gel skin does not do all that much. Mostly protects the body from scratches while I am reading, but the heavier cover does most of the protecting when it is sitting around or in my bag. The gel skin also makes it stand out. The body of the ereader is black. The red cover that is now on it means I will be less likely to lose it or getting mixed up with someone else's.   

The ereader really is great for travel. It takes up very little space and weight when compared to the 3 or 4 novels I would have taken. Also, I discovered it takes up less space to read. I had a six hour train ride when I came home. Most of the time I simply held the ereader in my right hand as a read. When when I did hold it in both hands at no point did I feel cramped or that I was elbowing the person in the seat beside me. Also after hours of reading at no point did I feel my wrists or arms were getting tired.

All my thoughts seemed to be agreed with about half way through the train ride. Another man got on and sat in the row of seats in front of me. He pulled out his ereader as well and when he did the woman sitting beside him asked him what he thought of it.  He told her that it was good for trips. The book he was reading in it was over 1000 pages and he would not be read such a large book while traveling if he had to lug it around. He also told her that he still loves paper books (has over 5 full book cases at home), but for travel it is nice.

Claddagh

How to wear Claddagh ring (link)

My Claddagh Ring

The first time I heard about the Claddagh ring was on a show called "The Distract".That has very little to do with my writing today other then to let you know I never knew the impact it would have on my life, and that at the time that is came to matter I already had a slight knowledge of it.

A few weeks after I started dating my girlfriend we were in a coffee shop and I noticed her Claddagh ring was on her right hand and the heart was facing toward her body. It was at this point I really understood that this young woman who I had known for years, and just recently started to see in a new light, had deeper feelings for me then I first thought.

For those of you who do not know Claddagh rings are, they are an Irish ring that is worn to show if you are in a relationship or not. It also can show at what stage you are in that relationship. For someone who was not born with the luck to be part of the Irish this piece of the culture really is most interesting. No have things laid out so clearly is very nice. If nothing else it is a way of showing where you are to your partner without having one of those awkward "talks".

I have posted photos of my ring and how it is worn in its' different meanings. My ring is not normal in that it does not have a crown in the design as many do. From what I have seen this tends to happen in the men's bands. Most likely because it is more difficult to include in the design. I have heard that some designs remove it trying to so the removal of the British crown from Ireland. This is not the idea in my case, but I have spoken to some who have assumed it was.

How ring is warn to show that you are single.

How ring is worn to show that you are in a relationship.  

How ring is was worn to show that you are in a committed relationship.
Possibly engaged.  

How ring is worn to show that you are married or at least engaged.