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Monthly Archives: April 2013

Whimsey: March

This was from the March 2013 Whimseybox.  At least, I think it’s the March 2013 Whimseybox.  The last box I got, which I thought was for April, is also labelled March.  I’m in the midst of investigating this mystery.

Anyway, this box is for a DIY sewn notebook.  You might remember that I am no stranger (two links) to sewn book bindings.  The binding method for this project was simpler than what I did for the swap and involves less material.

So, in the box were a cardstock cover for the notebook, eight sheets of paper, a small assortment of waxed twine, a small paper awl, and…a length of wire?  That maybe is supposed to be a needle?  At least, the instructions mention a needle and the only thing I had left in the box was this length of wire.  I’m really not sure what it was for.  It’s too short to use as binding material.  It really doesn’t make a very good needle since it’s just wire.  I actually had to email Whimseybox about that.  And…I got the fastest response ever (EVAR!) to my question.  Turns out the wire can be used to sew (I haven’t really figure out how) but a needle was indeed left out of my box (which they’ve sent to me).

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Anyway, directions are pretty simple.  You have to fold all the sheets of paper in half and then bore three holes into the center fold.  They recommended a hole in the center and then one on either side of the center hole about 1.5″ from the edge of the paper.  You then use those holes to help you make appropriate holes in the cover, which was nicely pre-scored.  Then you sew everything together.  Nothing so fancy as a Coptic book binding, since there’s only one signature.  You start from the center on the outside of the book and pull your twine through (I have a vast collection of needles and didn’t need to wait for one to be sent to me) leaving a bit of a tail on the outside.  Then you go from the inside bottom hole through the outside top hole and then back out the inside middle hole.  Tie off.  Tada!  Notebook!

Here is there’s:

And here’s mine:

Lighting has been a bit of a challenge at the new hotel I'm in for this week.

Lighting has been a bit of a challenge at the new hotel I’m in for this week.

They suggested decorating with washi tape.  I opted to draw all over it instead.  Well, start drawing.  It was going to be my project while staying at the hotel this week.  But…I forgot to bring the Sharpies (or really, Bic Permanent Markers) I had meant to use.  Then I lent my boss my good ink pen that was my backup and he didn’t return it.  So I just started doodling with a ballpoint.  It’ll have to be finished at a later date.

So…um.  This is a pretty simple project.  I was able to complete it in less than an hour (this will include the doodling).  You might remember that each box is 15$.  In this case, 15$ gets you a few sheets of paper, some twine, a needle, and a paper awl (which is probably my favorite part of the box).  And convenience.  And I will leave you with that.

Lots of people use something called a “door” to go in and out of their houses…

Oh, those NPCs.  Always saying the weirdest things.  In this case, our superfluous usage of quotation marks comes from one of the toads in one of the Mario RPGs.  I don’t remember which one.  But at least you know it occurred in the first half of the game because of my unusually severe final boss syndrome symptoms when playing Mario themed RPGs.

But anyway, have you ever considered what it takes to be an NPC?  It’s probably hard work coming up with non sequiturs (especially the kind that actually propels the story forward) when asked about how to get to the next castle, or whether or not the blacksmith’s spunky daughter was kidnapped by monsters that dwell in a nearby cave, or whether the potions are on sale today, or what happened to the burned out fountain in the middle of the town square, etc.  I mean, would you know to answer that the goats have been unusually restive at night, or pies are your favorite dessert, or the well at the edge of town used to have magical properties but is now dry?  You probably wouldn’t.

Coming up with just one non sequiturs that somehow unfolds the storyline is hard enough.  How about when you have to come up with a LIST of possible answers to a question a playable character asks?  And what if it’s a list that the playable character then has to choose from?  And then you, the NPC, has to be able to deliver a dissertation on that particular subject?  Even if it isn’t relevant to the storyline or gameplay?  It’s tough work, says I.

So what do you do if your fondest desire is to become an NPC?  Surely they should have some kind of trade school where you can learn these skills.  Well…huzzah!  They do!  Just inside Commerce, CA, there is an NPC College!  I know, because I often pass by the building of said college when I’m commuting to Clib.  I haven’t looked into their program or anything, since I already have a career that I am satisfied with, but I would assume they have professors or something lecturing on the theories of proper NPCing.  They probably have labs and stuff where they can do field work and get some hands-on experience.  I wonder if they have internships.  I bet they have to play this simulation game to help them learn how to interact with the really difficult playable characters.

Um…ok, so this NPC college isn’t really an NPC college.  It’s really NPCollege and I just read it wrong the first time I drove by and saw the sign.  But all that stuff above?  It’s approximately what went through my mind when I saw “NPC college.”  I kind of which there was such a thing as an NPC college.  But as it turns out, this NPC college, which is really NPCollege, is another one of those technical schools.  It looks like they specialize in…well, what you see a lot of the technical college specialize in on those TV ads of yore, with the listing of all possible programs they offer.  Sugh.

And also, I was going to draw something for this post…but I just lack the motivation to do any such thing.  So, you go doodleless.  Doo-da, doo-da…