Category: SitRep

Slowly Getting Things Done (SGTD®)

• Shoe resole project is done. Shoes have been worn and didn’t even fall apart or anything. They definitely weigh more (what with all the rubber I’ve added…), but they’re totally comfortable and ready for the autumn.
• Bike #2 (the Burrito Slayer) is completely ready for my vacation next week. Pedals got swapped, and I even managed to ride it on a bit of a shakedown- so that’s great. I’d love to eventually swap the handlebar, but that’s nothing like a priority.
• Nearly all the picture framing queue has been dealt with- there are two longer-range items that need frames, but for now much of the backlog has been dealt with.  A bit of hanging to do as a result, but that’s mostly fun. It’s good to have much of the collection finally up on walls to be seen.
• New shoulder bag design is making progress. I’ve had a couple of good ideas about straps and modularity, so I’m slowly getting towards being ready to source materials and start cutting. I’m still aiming for a very different esthetic than some of my other bag builds, and I’m trying (!) to mostly work with what I’ve got around here already (instead of some god-awful huge order of all-new stuff).
• My new store is (slowly) coming along. I’ve re-designed the first patch offering there (which still isn’t for sale…) after reading some more about the process. Much of the text I’d originally included was going to be far too small to work, so I’ve removed much of it. The result, I think, is less complicated and better on the whole. I’m not entirely ready to pull the trigger on production yet, but closer.

For a host of reasons I’d rather not go into here, it’s not been a great week. But I’ve been chipping away at the lists and the projects and I’m determined through shear perseverance to make things better. SO THERE.

The state of things (short version):

• My Jeans Shop shoes are nearly done. Commando soles have gone on with just some tiny detail work to finish and I’ll be able to (finally!) wear them again. They’re a great fall shoe, so the timing even works.
• “New” bike saddle hasn’t exploded in flames yet. So that’s great.
• I’ve made a teeny bit of progress on my new custom sneakers- but that’s ever-so-slightly back burnered until I clear one or two other things off the docket first.
• Speaking of other projects: I’ve been working on the design for a series of patches. Good old-fashion embroidered patches with iron-on backing. I’ve got two mostly done, and another two in design progress. Be forewarned, though: these will be shortish runs. You’ll find them (eventually) here.
• Slow, slow, slow progress on the new shoulder bag. Stumbled upon a lovely way to do the bottom of the bag, and I’ve been collecting reference pictures of bags to help work out some of the other details about size & construction. Still trying to get away from so much of the “tactical” look but retain functionality and durability.

Another one!

• Bike seat is done. It came out pretty well, I think- though, to my eyes not perfect. That’s ok, as I’m just going to park my butt on this thing and pedal, so perfect was only ever going to be a temporary condition anyway. I ended up using some vinyl to cover it (instead of leather), as it was cheaper, readily available, and would bother me less if I screwed up. I figure if I’m wildly dissatisfied I can always rip everything off and start over. [edit: held up on the first ride!]
• My dad and I have been working on a IoT project for my garage doors- it’ll give me the ability to monitor their state remotely. I’ve got most of the hardware installed, and now it’s on to debugging.
• Three shoe projects in the works, now.
  • One: me finally getting around to finishing a resoling project on a pair of Jeans Shop shoes I’ve had for ages. I’ve decided to convert them to treaded soles while I’m at it too, for a bit more all-season traction. I need to grab another 8-10 1″ Spring Clamps (and remove the rubber from them) to finish this.
  • Two: My customization of a pair of sneakers is slowly moving forward. It’s looking more and more like I won’t be able to get a pair of the shoes I’ve coveted for so long, so it’s time to start looking at DIY options. Side note: did you know you can totally just buy big sheets of cork in specified thicknesses? Super useful.
  • Three: A pair of Tim’s-Not-Tom’s shoes for my wife are starting to come together, too. I’ve got materials for the uppers, lining, footbed, and midsole. Still looking at options for the outsole, though- I’ve not been overly pleased with what I’ve found for this previously. Tom’s combines the midsole and outsole in their shoes- it appears to be EVA foam with rubber strands baked in, and I’ve not found a source for that directly. Wouldn’t mind a bit more traction for these, too.
• Shoulder bag v4 is still on my brain. I’m trying to design it to retain the features and functionality I want, but with a less “tactical” look to the thing. Less black Cordura and webbing; more earth tones and subtlety. That means some of the fabric I had earmarked won’t work anymore, so back to sourcing that.
• Starting another long-term project for my bike. I’ll be a hand built part of the drivetrain, and I’ve already got the slab of brass I’ll need to build it. I’m going to need to actually get my vise mounted again to do this one, though. And some soft jaws for it. And my wits about me, as it were. And maybe upgrade some of my files.

Projects abound.

• Working on the newsletter [HSP #83] to go out soon, I hope. It’s been so busy for the last few weeks that having time to find content has been tough- hopefully I’ll be out of most of that soon.
• My favorite bicycle saddle is pretty hard to find in it’s original incarnation. I’m luck to have one on my road bike, but I’ve been itching for another for a mountain bike for a while now- and I’ve sort-of had it. My second saddle was in a sorry state- all the leather and padding for the front half had worn off, and it was pretty much unusable in that state. So I decided to take a swing a re-working it. Currently, the padding is (I think) pretty much done- now it’s time to source leather and figure out how to best mount that.
• There’s a pair of shoes I’ve had my eye on for a long time. They were super rare and wildly expensive- and I was unwilling to spend the sort of money required. Now, though, there’s a new version being released. More robust, less expensive, and lovely in every way. But: there’s a decent chance I won’t be able to get my hands on a pair- or that the price will still be too much to stomach. So: a new shoe project for me, then. Still working on some details (and how far down this rabbit hole I want to go), but progress none the less.
• Holy smokes, remember that keyboard project from a year ago I was working on? Yeah, that. Progress! I have firmware up and running on it- still lots to sort out, but it’s kind of working now. Still plenty to do, but it’s closer to being done than ever before. Everything is tiny and hard to solder, and the firmware (while easier than I feared) is still a byzantine and borderline occult process. Regardless: I’ll be able to say I built this keyboard by hand from scratch. So that’s something, I suppose.
• There’s been some (but, if I’m honest, not tons) of progress on the new shoulder bag project. I’m pretty sure I have the hardware I need- and even much/most of the fabric. But there’s some research to be done and an order to put in for the rest, and I just haven’t had a lot of time to devote to it recently.

Oh how time flies in the summer.

• Went on vacation- and I took much of that time off the internet as well. Got outside more, ate (too much) food, and played with happy kids in a pool.
• Updated the bio every-so-slightly here. A little less focus on the past, maybe a little more focus on the future.
• A new shoe project (slowly) making progress- I’ll share more as things come along, but right now I’m still in the “amassing supplies and logistics” phase of these things. Indeed, I haven’t entirely settled on the model of shoe I’ll be modifying for this, though a Vans Classic Slip-On is high on the list.
• The long-dormant new-shoulder-bag project is back! I’ve had some inspiration (finally!) about what I want to be different about this new bag (as compared to the existing & failing shoulder bag I currently use). I even have many/most of the materials in stock- I’ll need a couple small things, but that’s it.
• Just ordered most of the supplies to overhaul my best shock fork for my mountain bike. It’s long overdue, so it’ll be good to have it feeling plush and buttery soon. Of course I’ve never overhauled one of these before, so there’s that. And a bunch of the parts I need are on backorder, so I’m waiting as well. After, I’m looking at maybe a drivetrain modification. We’ll see.

Time, once again, for an update.

• I’ve seen a big (for me!) bump in newsletter subscriptions. That’s awesome! I have no idea where these folks have all come from (or who sent them my way)! Puts a bit of pressure on me to get the next edition out, anyway…
• Tom Sachs has a new NikeCraft website up (with a new movie!) that’s pretty neat. I’d add it to my “Required Viewing” playlist, but it’s not hosted on YouTube, so…
• On that note, I’ve been building a bunch of boxes/crates to better organize things. Finally built a box for 7″ records I’ve needed for a few years(!), a box to organize my index cards, and the start of a new art-supply cart for the studio. I’ll have spots for tools and markers and whatnot, but it’s capped by some paper storage and a smallish bookshelf, letting me keep reference books close to where I’m working. Need to build a wheeled stand for the whole thing, now.
• I’ve beed riding bikes more (again), and I’m starting to get some of my groove back. I still have “off” rides from time to time, but some confidence and practice is paying off. Maybe (just, maybe) some fitness is coming along. Also, finally have the bike running properly- though my fork needs an overhaul (and I’m loath to send it out for maintenance, but I’ve never overhauled one like this, and I’d similarly loath to have any bike downtime, so…)
• Starting to think about and plan a new pegboard setup in the garage- right now I’ve got too much 2nd tier stuff in 1st tier placements. I’ve got a single 4′ x 8′ board right now, but I’m looking at making that a true 8′ x 8′.
• I still need to build the 2nd small parts rack (and the accessories that go with it). I finally located space in the studio/office for it to live, so I suppose it’s time to fire up the saw…

Once again.

• So the Shelf Project v2 is finally done. Plenty of work, but worth the effort, I think. Those chairs aren’t for sitting, btw- that’s why there’s (deliberately) no headroom above them. Sentimental, those…

• Small Parts Storage Unit 1 is completed. It’s loaded with some of my parts cases, but I’ll be building a second just like this very soon- that will have removable inserts for holding plano boxes of very small parts, as well as some shelf units to hold 2nd tier tools (like my sewing machine and typewriter).

• HSP #1 Hardcopy is out in the wild. This is a shot of the master copy. Download is here.

Still do do:

• 2 record boxes for holding 7″ records (or, as you might call them, 45’s)
• Aforementioned second parts box rack
• A flat file for holding large pieces of art. Sometimes called a “map file.”
• Starting to look at better monitor options for the home office.
• Starting to shoot more video again- my new Glif came in (finally!), and so I can put my lovely phone to better use.
• A new desk surface on my desk. It’s currently metal, but I’d like a nice slab of wood (with some features to better suit my “standard” setup). Currently thinking about double-thick 3/4″ plywood, but that may change.
• New custom shock mounts for my car’s rear shock absorbers. This simply requires some available downtime.
• Started working on HSP #2 hardcopy. Currently amassing material.

New Stuff:

• Vol 1 of the HSP (Happy Shiny People) zine is live over here. It’s an honest-to-god, made-from-paper labor of love. I used pens and scissors and glue to make an old-school zine from the good ‘ol days. Same bizarro content as the newsletter but in a much stranger wrapper. Download a copy, print it out, fold and staple, and send me a picture of one of these in the wild. Then go make your own. It’s fun.
• Shelf Project #2 has started- half the hardware is on the wall (the rest needs some modifications first), and the shelves are cut, assembled, and sanded. Finish next, then assembly. I’m really looking forward to these being done- besides addressing a storage problem, the shelves themselves function a bit as an art install of their own- sort of a meta-project, and one of those times when (properly done) the whole can surpass the sum of it’s parts.
• In reference to Shelf Project #2, that means a careful examination of the current book storage and periodical archive. The new shelving is for a particular class of books and artifacts, and I still need to go through the deep storage and suss out and items from there that belong in the new install. I’ve got a small batch pulled currently, but I know there’s a bunch more buried in there.
• Small Parts Storage Project v3. I’ve moved to a new(ish) sorting box setup, and this will be some shelving/racks for them. They’re based on the modular shelving Tom Sachs uses a lot in some of his installs, and they’ll live out-of-the-way in the basement studio area. Casters on the bottom (I think…), and they should also provide storage for some 2nd-line tools (things like the sewing machine, typewriter, soldering iron, usw). I formerly (and still somewhat) used a selection of Plano sorting boxes, but as some of my small parts are don’t work well in those, I’ve had to branch out. Still working on an insert for the new shelving to also handle legacy storage boxes.
• Working on an ancient keyboard for the home rig. It’s a Dell QuietKey RT7D5JTW, and it’s got a pretty decent feel to it- much better than the old Apple keyboard I’ve been banging around on. Problem, though: it has a PS/2 connector (instead of USB), so I found an active PS/2 to USB adaptor, and that’s working great. Next problem: some of the keys are ugly and bothersome legends on them. Easy fix: paint them. Right now keys are slowly being sanded and painted (one by one, god help me) black, but I’m adding silver sharpie to some of the edges, and it starts to look like the keys were made of metal, painted black, and now the worn paint is showing metal through it. Eventually I’ll have to paint the case, too. Third problem: the command key is in the wrong place. It should be right next to the spacebar, but for whatever reason it’s one over from that. Drives me nuts. So, tonight I’m going to make a custom keyboard map and rework all that.

Here’s where I stand (currently, anyway…):

• Despite it looking like the weather was on the verge of changing (into spring), that’s not happened. So all the wood-based projects have to continue to wait a bit longer. Which is fine, in reality, because I’ve not yet finished designing them.
• A bunch of new framing projects just fell into my lap- the re-discovery of some art by my wife means some large frames (30×44″ for the work itself, with the frames being somewhat larger than that…) need to get dealt with. Also mats. And glass.
• I’ve been working on a new “Required” list- a compendium of readings, movies, music, and items that I feel are/should be required in my world. Inspired by Tom Sach’s latest notebooks and the references in the back. Take a look at his here. I do keep a relatively-up-to-date “Required Viewing” YouTube playlist here, if you want to work your way through that.
• Working on a new project for myself, and I’m hesitant to give to many details yet. It’s one of those where I’m not sure anything will ever come of it, or if it’s just a step to the next thing. Regardless, I’m getting all organized with notes and lists and folders and whatnot. It feels good to get the juices flowing, sometimes, regardless of what might (or might not) come of it. Building things is good, you know? Even when those things are just knowledge structures.
• Starting to read up on the rigging of zip lines. Kids want one, but I’ve only ever rigged them with rope, and this would be a wire-rope situation, so there’s plenty of differences. Learning is fun. Have I mentioned that?

I went to EdCampBoston this last weekend, and I thought I should share some thoughts here (and take the chance to digest and capture what I learned while I was at it).

It was a nice big (though not overwhelming) crowd in a lovely space (thanks, Microsoft!), and the organizers did (as always) a great job… organizing. Big thanks to them!

If you’ve never been to an EdCamp (or to an UNconference), they’re pretty neat- there are no pre-set sessions: just  bunch of rooms and time slots and a stack of post-its for people to use to propose their own sessions. If you’re not in love with what you’re seeing, you can start your own session. In practice, I’ve found it works really well- many of the sessions aren’t about people standing up at the front and presenting, but more about conversations that people want to have.

I went to four sessions before I had to leave. First, a conversation about using VR in classrooms (in which I was able to relate some of the experimenting I’ve done on the subject…). I was happy to hear about how much of this was going on in K-12, and it reaffirmed my belief that there are applications aplenty for it in High Education. As the methods for consumption (and creation) become more mainstream, it’s really only going to get easier to integrate.

Next up was Dan Callahan’s session about The Chaortic Path, a lens that I’d not spent too much time thinking about (though I will now). Somebody much more talented than I made a lovely graphic for it. I got to contribute this comment:

The universe tends towards chaos, and our job is to teach students how to do the human thing and push back towards order. #edcampBOS

— Tim Calvin (@nothingfuture) March 11, 2017

Which now, a day later, reminds me of this recent Kevin Kelly tweet:  

Humans are experts at inefficiency. All art, discovery, innovation, creation, are inherently inefficient. Efficiency is for robots, not us. — Kevin Kelly (@kevin2kelly) March 10, 2017

Then, I went to a nice quiet and thoughtful session led by Ben Schersten about teaching introverts, and as a result I’ve added Susan Caine’s Quiet to my reading list. I also got to trot out my perpetual recommendation for Make Space, an outstanding guide to helping design spaces that foster creativity. I’m still amazed by how many folks equate introversion with either anxiety or shyness. Totally not the same thing, folks.

After lunch it was back to Dan’s session about designing PD that people will LOVE– not something I do a ton of these days, but a subject that’s always worth talking about. Great graphics coming out of that, and some really impressive work. Groups left with full-blown plans for PD that (with a teeny bit of polishing) would be ready to roll out in any district.

Concepts for Professional Development that people will LOVE. #edcampBOS #HumanCenteredDesign @LUMAInstitute pic.twitter.com/d0MeLAqNY0

— Dan Callahan (@dancallahan) March 11, 2017

So: a wonderful use of my Saturday. I got to see a bunch of friends I’d not seen in far too long, got to talk with some talented and driven folks, and got to learn a few things as well. Maybe I’ll see you all there next year.