"Slinging"

"SLINGING." Yeah, that's the term my 13-year-old cousin made for practicing with the weapon I showed him. Well, I wasn't fully responsible, since he is also a huge fan of the Ranger's Apprentice series (which I introduced to him, so come to think of it I guess I was. lol) and just loves working with weapons.

Another iconic story involving the sling, that I especially love, is "David and Goliath." And to think I barely heard of it until just last semester in history class. I think as a kid all I heard was 'a giant defeated by a boy with a slingshot,' and I had no idea that this was the same story. I'm glad I heard the whole thing this time, so it actually makes sense.

So, I really wanted to learn the weapon. I even did a video blog about this.
    So what I did was I took a piece of durable fabric and sewed it together to make the pouch, and added two strings.It didn't stay that way, though, since squared corners can make it drag and effect your throwing with it, so i folded the corners and eventually replaced the string. I mean, lets face it. Are you really expecting a ROCK sling to hold together with just two pieces of string?

So I replaced the string with para-cord, and stapled two strips of sandpaper to the inside of the pouch to keep whatever ammo (rocks, golf balls, whatever) into it just a little better.

I kinda hated the staples being in it though, (and you can't use a sewing machine for that) so I took them out and hot-glued the strips.

As a result of taking the sling with me to a play at Mont co (that was supposed to be outside, which is why i took it), I really didn't wanna go anywhere without it.
When I went to my sister's college graduation and we were just walking around taking pictures, I found a bunch of smooth rounded stones near a grate, so I 'sorted through them' when nobody was looking, picked one up and put it in my pocket.

And then later I thought, 'If I really need sandpaper to keep the ammo in, then this probably isn't a good material for it.' So I made a different sling, this time cutting off a piece of a long rubber exercise band to make the pouch. Every day I would take my sling with me to school, and after my class was over I would go outside to the parking lot and practice throwing rocks in the river. It was grand.

BUT... I ran into a very frustrating and panicky accident. Mid-throw, a corner of the pouch ripped off (i had attached a grommet cause it had broken before) and landed in the river with the rock I had thrown.

I must have sworn half a dozen times panicking and hoping it wouldn't go too far. It floated close-by so I climbed down to the bank and grabbed it before it could float away.
So, for anyone who's interested in making a sling... NEVER USE RUBBER! EVER!

But in a way it was a good thing. I was kind of worried for some time about it breaking, and so now I knew for sure it wouldn't last. Now I knew I had to go to the best, classic, and most durable material possible for it: Leather. Yeah, it's legit.
  I cut a big squarish piece in half and used one of the two for the pouch, and used cording (left from what I had made a beaded totem necklace from) for the strings.

Important Tips:

1. The ends of a sling are essential. On end has to have a knot you pinch (NOT GRIP!) with your forefinger and thumb, and the other string has a loop that goes around your middle finger.

2. The length of the 'strings' should be roughly  the same length as your arm, so what I do is tie the knots before unrolling the cord and measuring. Then I add another few inches so I have room to tie them to the pouch and have a little remaining.

Later I noticed my golf balls weren't flying as far, which led to the conclusion that the pouch may have been a bit too heavy. So i trimmed about an inch and a half total from the pouch, 'cause I didn't want to risk making it too small.

And it works great.

After a while my cousin Caius asked me to teach him, so I had him use my first one (which I still have as an extra), and he got so excited about that I just had to make a good one for him. So i used the rest of the leather to make a copy (the picture here isn't of his, it's mine after it got trimmed).

Later, when I went to my friends' graduation ceremony I took the sling and one stone with me as usual, and on my way out of the "Wildcat stadium" I picked up three more.

Hopefully soon I can find another, and make it five stones like in the story.

So, the sling is a really fun weapon. And the best thing is, since it's basically a strip of leather and not the kind of weapon you'd get at DICK'S, it won't get confiscated or anything if you carry it around. I'm good at doing arc-shooting and going forward, but I don't know how to aim yet. Maybe when (and if) I figure out how, I'll have to do a blog about it too. I don't know, we'll just have to see.

NYC for "Peter and the Starcatcher"

All right, now I have another selection of stories to tell. This one is about my second trip to NYC to see a show. This one is about seeing Peter and the Starcatcher, and other stuff that went on while in (or on the way to) the city.

I was dropped off at Mont Co the Pottstown campus to wait for the bus. I met up with my friends Scott and Sharii, who then told me the bus was parked at the next building (North Hall) instead of up front like we were originally told. As soon as more people showed up, we walked from South to North Hall and got on the huge bus which was parked just around the corner. Soon enough we were moving, going down street after street. I spent a while chatting with Scott and Sharii since I didn't know anyone else on the bus. After about forty-five minutes we made it to the Blue Bell campus. Not everyone was going to see the show though. Some of them were going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We got more passengers, nearly filling the bus. A guy named Jonathan sat next to me and we talked a while to kill some time I guess.
    And then there was that incredible feeling of coming into the city. I still wasn't used to seeing such tall buildings and crowded streets. "I wouldn't want to live here though." I said. "Too crowded, traffice, not enough trees or wildlife..." I guess it comes from living near the woods for over a decade.

    After getting off the bus, we got our tickets from Mike (the man supervising now, we picked him up at Blue Bell) and were told to meet back around 1:30, then we kinda split. Having only been to NYC one other time, I didn't (and still don't) know the city at all so I needed to find a friend/group who did. Jonathan and I chased Scott and Sharii down the block and tagged along for that reason, walking down what felt like an endless sidewalk with a crossing every minute or so. "Another reason I wouldn't want to live here." I thought, smelling the air. "Too much cigarette smoke." We walked and walked and walked until we came to a small pizza shop with just a few tables to sit at. While the three of them ate pizza I took a Chewy bar out of my jacket pocket and ate that. I took a few pictures ad we watched a bit of the news on the TV on the wall.
    After pizza we walked even longer (Jonathan and I were having trouble keeping up several times) until we came to a nondescript building with a heavy glass door. walking through it, we went through a shabby blank hallway and stepping into an elevator that had just enough room to hold the four of us. "Oh god I hate elevators." I said, which led to Jonathan mentioning Tower of Terror, and then me and Scott telling him to shut up since I'm claustrophobic and was a bit freaked out. The elevator went six floors and then stopped, letting us out to another hallway that led to a dim and fascinating magic shop. [Scott and Sharii are magicians, so I've been told, so it doesn't come to too much surprise.] There were some things like magic kits, knives, huge coins, books, displays of real Houdini handcuffs, keys, and a bunch of other stuff like magic show DVDs. When I checked the time, it was about 12:55 so we had to get back. We took a wider elevator down and walked (sometimes sprinting like before) down the crowded street until having a couple of brief "We're lost" kind of moments. But we stumbled across the theater a bit by accident, went in and got to the seats assigned by our tickets.

***

The auditorium wasn't huge, but it was big enough to hold two sections of seats (meaning one on the ground and one on the wall above us). It's a shame no photography was allowed, because the stage looked great (especially from third row where we sat). Classic red velvet curtain, and the frame looked like various worn metals like copper, brass, etc. The design was indescribable, and it also had various items like kitchen utensils, oven timers, spades, made of the same material and partially camouflaged by the giant frame. At the top there was even a large decoration shaped like a pineapple, and a "seahorse" on either side of it near a top corner of the giant frame.

    The show was good. Music, some actors narrating, a lot of humor (so at some points it was easy to tell what was a spoof even though I haven't read the book), the kind of stuff that makes me think "I REALLY need to read this book." A lot of stage effects like strobe lights, drums sounds, and plenty of props were good measure and helped to add emphasis.
[after the intermission, there was a musical number done by almost all the guys and the one girl, and they were all dressed up like mermaids. Everyone sure found that amusing. Mostly I was thinking "What...?" It was very weird]

    Oh it WAS funny. Especially when "Black Stache" (son-to-be Hook) loses his hand. He slams the lid of a trunk on it by mistake, and repeats "oh my god" in different ways with painful yet hysterical expressions. The audience laughed really hard (it lasted about a full minute). I could barely breathe from laughter, my eyes were watering and I couldn't contain myself.

    So overall the show was great. I told myself over and over to remember to get the book.

    After the show and getting back with the bigger group, the man who played Black Stache came out and met us. Apparently he knows Mike, so he talked a bit and we got pictures with him. I actually got to hold two fingers behind his head. "I couldn't resist." I said. "I can never resist. It's my signature thing."

So... that was fun.

***

On the way home on the bus, I asked Jonathan a riddle I had heard in an interview with Andy Serkis ("It has no top or bottom but it can hold flesh, bones and blood all at the same time." the answer was "a ring"). When he couldn't guess, Scott and Sharii joined in. After I asked another one, the guy sitting in front of Jonathan asked a riddle and we all tried guessing. Then Scott asked a few, the guy in front did some more and then a man sitting behind Scott asked us. Due to the sun setting on our darkening bus during this fun game, I said "We should call this our own Riddles in the Dark." I did a Gollum voice a few times which made them laugh, and the riddles were fun. Sometimes when we/I couldn't think of anything, we/I would give a random answer. For example,

"What has four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, three in the evening and twelve at night?" -Scott (the answer is human, being carried by mourners after death hence the 'night')

"You, on Friday." -me

So I'd say the day turned out good. Hopefully next time I go there, I can just explore and relax.

The Rabbit

I was outside on a cool evening with my bow and arrow, shooting at the hay bale I have kept and practiced on for three years. It was getting darker but it was still easy to see where I was shooting and where my arrows landed. Unfortunately, I have recently developed this nasty habit of breaking the nocks (the thing at the end of an arrow keeping it hooked into the bowstring) on many arrows, by hitting them with other arrows by accident. At least I now have a box of replacement nocks that I can put on and fix before shooting again.

But only having six functional arrows left in the quiver on my back wasn't the worst issue that day, though. When I went to retrieve my shot arrows, I saw a brown rabbit hopping slowly through the two acres of back yard. It came closer and closer, and by the time I had one of my missed arrows nocked into the bowstring, it was within easy shooting distance.
    A strange feeling flowed through me, a dark and sudden urge to draw back the string to my jaw and release the black-shafted arrow in the rabbit's direction. 'I could hit it easy.' I thought, with my three gloved fingers hooked around the arrow. The animal was barely moving, and I was less than ten meters away. Why shouldn't I give it a try...?
    WHAT?! NO!
    A horrible vision came to me. A vision of.... my arrow flying through the air, penetrating the rabbit's flesh and out the other side. I recover the arrow, pulling it out of the dead rabbit, its shaft stained with blood and stomach waste. My dad after tending  to his vegetable garden sees this scene with a look of sadness and disappointment. "Why?" he says. "Why would you shoot it?" I cannot think of a reason other than sheer ruthless pleasure of shooting game. My reply... "I don't know."
Why would I want to shoot down an innocent and beautiful animal? It had never done me any harm, nor anyone else. It was just sitting there curiously wandering the yard by itself.
    With that 25-30lb recurve bow loaded, I held the rabbit's life in my hands (much like David to King Saul). I could have bent it and shot an aimed arrow, but I didn't. The thing that troubles me most is why. Why did I have that urge? I had never gone hunting before, nor do I ever plan to since killing for sport is just wrong and I love wildlife.
    It wasn't specifically killing the rabbit that I was urged to do, but plainly shooting it for fun, for a more interesting target practice. But looking at the thought that ran through my head, what the hell is the difference?! I was tempted by a dark side of my soul, the very thing that I promised myself I wouldn't give in to. Only a strong enough will and fear of corruption made me walk away, back to the tree where I was to stand and aim at the hay bale.

The Origins of BLADE RUST

There's a large landscape full of mountains and geyser fields as far as the naked eye can see. This place is called Geige. On a mountaintop that snows all year is a village called Munsinniss. A mile past the outskirts of the village and on the side of a cliff is the entrance to the mine; the one where each of these villagers works for the third decade of his or her life.

(Oh yeah, and did I mention that the villagers are dwarves? Hmm. Must have missed that little detail)

BLADE RUST follows through the eyes of Arisad, a thirty-year-old [young by dwarf standards] graduate who has yet to grow his beard past stubble and whiskers the color of rust.

Now that his three decades are over, he can now choose to stay in the mines or leave and be assigned to a teacher. Though he is interested in the mines, he wants to be as far away from his physically abusive boss as possible. So he signs out of the mines, but because of his being a 'red dwarf', the leaders are prejudiced and do not assign him. Displeased, Arisad's defiant and [blonde-bearded] brave older brother Norice takes him as his apprentice, training him to be a warrior like him. Soon the two find themselves on the run from the law during which time Munsinniss seems to crumble.

It's kind of strange how the idea for this story came to mind. For one thing, I was watching the third STAR WARS prequel on the way to visit relatives in New York when I thought of it. [I know. Random, right?] Anyway, there was a book series I had previously been writing for a year and a half based on stuff from A Practical Guide to Dragon Magic, but thinking practically I thought, "I really don't think there's a future for it unless I get permission from that author." And as you might guess, there's probably less than a snowball's chance in hell of that happening.

     But the thing is, the world it took place in was 100% my design. I'd made tactical and color-coded maps, the whole nine yards. Why waste it? So the idea was to create a sequel that has little to no references of the other books, and could act as if those events never occurred. So really, it can coexist but it doesn't have to for any reason.

     I thought of dwarves and then did some digging. "Where do dwarves start out?" I asked myself. "They had to have been young once, to have grown their massive beards and turn old." Other questions I asked myself were things like "Why do they dig in mines all the time?" and "if dwarves dig/mine all the time, does that necessarily mean it works out for the better often?" Arisad, for example, loses his interest in working these particular mines near home because of his new boss who comes around a few years into his work period. The young dwarf gets kicked, hit and a bunch of other things as the others do [but more to him because he is a red dwarf and some don't trust the remaining few anymore].

The book has reached 250 pages and is being edited and proofread at various times. I hope at this point it will be easier to write the second and third books since I have the overall plot of book 2 mostly figured out. 'Cause now I have to figure out what happens between page 26 of COAL DUST and the stuff I already planned, and sort of link them together. Yes, I have gotten writers block on several occasions, and I still do a lot which really pisses me off.
Sometimes it lasts for days, but it doesn't stop me because so far I'm proud of this supposed masterpiece that started last July. There's brotherhood, loyalty, fear, courage, hardships, and the question that's puzzled people for generations- "What am I supposed to do?"

Easter

I see I haven't typed a blog here in a while. That's because I did one on "Storylane" and by now those entries are WAY out of date (I haven't done one of them in a while either, and frankly I like this one better) so there's not much point putting them in. I might do one or two as a flashback or something but not now.

Ok, Easter weekend. Saturday, my parents and I left early in the morning to visit my sister Kaitlin at Susquehanna. I didn't bother putting the portable DVD player in the car since the ride isn't that long, but I still got bored now and again so I tried to kill time by playing THE HOBBIT: An Unexpected Journey in my head. I kept getting off track since I love playing parts of it to myself (almost regularly) but that kept my spirits up 'cause I knew by the time I could even get halfway through the movie we would already be at the campus.

We planned to hang out for the day and just 'get out of the house' as if we weren't out already. :) It was fun seeing Kaitlin again and moving around that afternoon. We went to a big mall, and it made me glad to have brought my phone since we ended up splitting not too far in. Mom was helping Kaitlin with dress-shopping in Boscov's, I think. Dad just hung around (as far as I know), and I went to one of my favorite store chains, JOANN Fabrics. Yeah you probably don't see a guy in a fabric store very often, but that's actually one reason I like it. It's the kind of store I can look around in without anything (like choices of fabric/thread, etc) being obvious. It might not make sense if I try to explain it, but it does to me. I just love the different kinds of designs, the textures and details, craft-work and all.
Anyway, I looked in aisle after aisle until I came across racks with eyelets (little metal rings to close the edges on holes in fabric, like for shoelaces or something) and the kind of puncher used to put them into fabric. Since I didn't have any money with me I planned to visit the store near home and look there, but when I found my dad he helped me get a pack of eyelets and the puncher. Surprised and excited, I could barely wait to check into the hotel so I could get started.

We all met up and sat on a bench after browsing through a BOOKS-A-MILLION, and Kaitlin checked showtimes to see if there was anything good to watch. This way we could pass time before checking in (we had to wait till three, I don't get why but whatever). The three of them were interested in seeing THE HOST, a film I had heard of but wasn't entirely sure of. There were a few actors I was familiar with starring in it, so that contributed some. I didn't wanna be a stick in the mud and just hang out myself while they all went to the movies (I've been wanting to see THE CROODS for a while). 'And who knows?' I thought. 'I bet it's cool.'
So we all went to the theatre next door and saw the movie. I have to say it was impressive as a sci-fi. Once was enough, but still it was good.

We finally checked into the hotel and moved in our small amount of luggage. After having dinner at Perkin's [I got a Belgian waffle just 'cause I was urged to and was hungry. It was ok but I wouldn't go for another one] we came back to the room and I got to work almost right away. I took off my blue hood (one that I had made just over a month ago out of a giant t-shirt (to look like Kili's from THE HOBBIT) undid the para-cord laces from the shoulder piece and punched the eyelets into the holes before putting the gray laces back in. It looks great  and is finally finished. Now I know I can do this with the next [few] hoods I make in the future :)

It was the same hotel me, mom ad Kaitlin checked into on June 29th, 2011 [I had tagged along and we all had to share a room, I only got two hours of sleep because of snoring, and ironically both hours of sleep were on the floor instead of the bed I had to share with Kaitlin] a.k.a. "The Worst Night of my Life." But this time there were two rooms, mom and dad split from me and Kaitlin so there were no problems with snoring. I mean, I could hear dad once or twice (through the door!!!!!!) while watching SUPER 8 on my laptop, but when we tried to sleep it was quiet. Thank God!


Easter Sunday
We moved Kaitlin back in her dorm and drove home. Well, not exactly like that. On the way, dad kept pulling over to every gas station we saw (saw three, two were closed), something about not enough oil in the engine of the car. He ran to get oil and filled it, and minutes later on a long straight road... the car just "died." Somehow it just screwed up and wouldn't run. Dad walked out to a call-box nearby and just seconds later a truck came. The mechanic (or whatever he was) was probably already there and saw the car on the side of the road.
After several boring minutes of waiting in the car and eating some Easter candy while it rained, a tow truck came along. So the three of us got in, dad in the front and me and mom in the back seat. Although it can barely be called a back seat since it was small and cramped enough to hold two empty dog carriers snug. :( We were dropped off at a Toyota place and the three of us walked around (waiting for my uncle to pick us up) in case worst came to worst that mom would need a new car eventually. It was still raining a little, which made me glad to have kept my hood on.
After MORE boring minutes, my dad's younger brother came in his vehicle and we moved our luggage into it easy. It was about an hour before we got home, and could finally relax.

SO... yeah. Not really the best way to have spent Easter Sunday. But it was ok, I guess.

Hurricane Sandy

THANK GOD IT'S OVER! I mean, Hurricane Sandy itself only lasted a couple days where I am, but the power-outages and all lasted a couple more.

The wind and rain was just freaky. The power first went out, I think, two days in. That was when without internet we would get bored.
Most of my time was spent editing videos and working on my dwarf book, BLADE RUST (which for now I will save for future blogs). At least having no access to the internet gave me time to work on some more productive projects like the two I just listed, along with reading the Appendices in The Lord of the Rings, and thinking about how repair/upgrade the atlatl I've been making with my dad.

If you don't know what an atlatl is, it's a very native hunting weapon like a boomerang or a bow. I learned about it from reading the BROTHERBAND Chronicles books. With it you shoot meter-long darts that look more like giant arrows. Rather than fire from a bow, you use a throwing stick that hooks into the back of the dart. And when you throw with the handle, it adds more force and power into it.
Of course, right now I can only think of the modifications to the weapon, like figuring out just the right way to make the darts, and of course to make a second throwing stick with a small platform at the bottom of the stick for the dart to rest on, so I can hold the handle with all of my fingers and it might add more force. I can only experiment for now.

I drove to GameStop today to look for the LEGO Lord of the Rings videogame (give me something to do that doesn't require the net or to just get out of the house). But because of the hurricane, delivery was slowed down or something. I think I'll get it for Christmas instead. At least it gives me another thing to look forward to.

The house runs on a generator when the power goes out, but we turn it off at night so that was hard to get used to at first with just one lantern lighting my room and the hallway. At least now, on Halloween, the power came back on and I have the ability to post my blog. I heard the power at Mont Co is back on, too. And just in time for me to go to a couple of good media classes where I don't have to wake up early.

Halloween Bash at Mont Co

I take off my plastic ring and HUNGER GAMES wristband, swapping the pentagram necklace for the Bronze Oak Leaf. I later get out of dad's truck with a camouflage cloak wrapped over my shoulders and carrying a heavy bag of candy. As soon as I walk in, there are a few people sitting at a table. Once I get to it, my friend Leyna comes out and answers when they ask if I'm in the drama club (responsible for the party). "So you don't have to pay." one of them says. So I didn't even need my five bucks and ID.
    Walking into the darkened cafe, I ask where I should put the bag of candy. Leyna puts it on top of a vending machine to serve as 'extra' in case the other stuff runs out. I don't see that happening, though. Its mostly cubed fruit, but there are also treats like soda and gum. I'm just glad there isn't any beer. If no one eats the candy, it's more for me then! :)

    I spend quite a bit of time leaning against the wall with my hood up, or at the snack table eating chips. I talk to a few of my other theatre class/drama club friends like Ryland, Dominic, and making one or two new friends. Like James with his wizard garb.

There's a DJ with the system and everything, playing lively beat music and getting everyone on their feet. Well, most of them. There isn't too big of a crowd until before nine PM, (I got here at quarter to eight, fifteen minutes before it was supposed to start) and then thing's get a bit crazy. Of course to some people, it would be considered normal. But to me, it's insane.

 

Dancing. Yeah, most of us get to our feet and went crazy. And when I say "us" and "our" I mean INCLUDING ME! Yeah, I actually do a lot of break-dancing (which I never ever ever ever ever ever thought I would EVER see myself do in a million years) during it. See, it started when I was talking with my friend Dominic saying I can barely dance except a couple things I've seen, and he said it was good. So when there's a bigger group, I just walk up there and join in, going crazy. I even incorporated a lot of my martial arts moves (like punches and high kicks in sync with the music). I even made up a few small dances like "The Ranger", "Gollum", and "Indiana Jones." With that one, I would wave my fist and say [in the beat of the song playing]: "I HATE SNAKES, JOCK! I HATE 'EM!" I think they enjoyed that.

When I was doing one of my kicks, 'SNAP/POP!' goes my leg. From the inside, I mean. Swearing angrily and quietly (at least, compared to the music blaring through the huge speakers), I limp back to a chair I had previously claimed next to Dominic, attempting to nurse my sore leg.

After a while, Leyna comes over and brings us both out on the floor. I do as much as I can, without bending my right leg too low. Of course I get worn out, hot and sweaty, (several times) which makes me take my cloak off a few times over the four hour duration of the party. When I sit down, I try to take as many good pictures as I can. (I couldn't get one of all of us in a 'conga line' which I really enjoyed, hence the reason I didn't take my camera out of my pocket)

 I did manage to get these, though :)

Me, Ryland, Leyna, and a few others sort of work together and try to get James to dance after finding him sitting on one of the couches. Not the best results (he barely moved) but at least we got him off his butt.

After all that at midnight, after a bunch of us have left, the lights come back on and I decide to hang around for a while with the remainders and pick some stuff up. I guess I just don't want to leave 'till the others do and then there's nothing to keep me here. I did help a bit, picking up the strings of lights and shoving them in a plastic bag. I think I felt my phone vibrate with a text, but I don't bother to look at it yet.
Not wanting to forget, I reach for the bag of candy on top of the machine. James helps me get it down, after which I take off my cloak and use to wrap/cover it up.

We are later told we all have five minutes to leave so I say "see ya" to my friends, who fortunately I will be reunited with on Monday for theatre class and drama club!



10/28/12
aw crap I just found out about Hurricane Sandy and classes are cancelled Monday and Tuesday. I don't have class on Tuesday anyway, but... UGH! But at least I have Intro to Theatre on Wednesday (if it doesn't end up cancelled too)