Rude a Men Tree

I worked all day Saturday on the cottage set. You may not see much difference but let explain what was done. I took off all the wooden dowel pins off the bottoms of all the wall panels. I then screwed in long zinc screws into the spots where the dowels were. Then I hacked off all the heads of the screws, thus now the panels have strong metal pins to slide into the set floor. I found that the panels leaned when in the holes. I figured out that the 1/4 inch ply the set set is made from isn't enough thickness to hold the pins snugly upright. I hot-glued blocks of wood to the underside of the set and drilled holes all the way through them. Then I made rudimentary wooden links to brace each panel against the next. I realize as I type this that I could have chosen to use large bolts and nuts and created actual tiedowns for each panel, which is tempting. However, now that this is already done and seems sturdy and serviceable, I'll keep it as is. At least it will be faster to pull a dowel, swing the hinge over, and lift up a wall panel, probably with one hand, if needed. Next up: Adding more foam roots to the tree and then papier mache over it and the two walls that flank it.

Welp, that was good. Saturday I indeed got down to boogie with the project and really popped a cherry. It never fails that there is a very solid reason for my not progressing with projects. When I force through the inertia and really begin again, sure enough the reason for the inactivity becomes self-evident. It's hard! I spent the first several hours scowling and whining up a storm, "I don't know how to do this!", "I don't know what I'm doooooinggggg", that sort of thing. Hims made me a trough of coffee and a gave me a sweet treat to get me rolling. He tried to get me to see how lucky I was, that my problems were non-existent. It didn't work. I must be a genuine brat deep down. But then I got some perspective.

It was cold, as it has been, and a Free Range (aka homeless) fellow that we hire for odd jobs was happy because he was booking into a local SRO hotel and would be able to stay out of the rain and cold Saturday night, plug-in his second-hand electric blanket and have a hot shower with some gift bath wash. But I don't think he made it, as some of the people whose cars he had washed left without him catching them for payment. That did the trick for me though. Quit being a wussy, Shelley, get on with this.

It seemed after that I got a hold of things and persisted in my theoretically enjoyable, creative tasks. More importantly, I found my inner gonads. I know what I'm doing with this. All the way through. The film in every aspect. I guess I dropped trying to do it right and just found a way to do it my way. Doing all the things required to make this film my way is completely within my grasp. I know how I want to do this. I know how.

After that things went very well. Slow, but very well. The slow pace is fine with me as long as I'm moving it forward at all.

Mike Brent suggested that if I were able to drive myself to work on Halfland the way I did for our Christmas cards, I'd be doing really well. I think what made me work on the cards was the firm date of the holiday approaching. I can re-negotiate myself on other projects forever but Christmas is December 25th period. And as Sven Bonnichsen pointed out, I'd do well to have the skosh more organization that a production schedule would provide. It would need to be a real schedule though, not my self-imposed end-of-the-year one that came and went undone. I need real date goal for this. Not a crazy rushed one, something doable, but really there.

And I'm proud to introduce, the best friend I could ever have, one so incredible I could never even have dreamt one this good, a man who loves and supports me in this absolute craziness, in his first ever blog experience, my husband, Paul Kaye, (aka, Ullyses?)Notes On Notes From Halfland

Comments

  1. welcome, pk! since i can't get enough halfland, i'm looking forward to your notes on these notes!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes!!! Progress!!!! And Notes on Notes! This is too cool!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ya Shelley, back at it! There is nothing like getting your hands dirty to make you feel like progress is being made.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yay. I had no idea you were so into Halfland, Gretchin! That's so cool!

    Yay, Mike and Mark! Thank you for being so encouraging!

    (Oh, and to everyone, when you read Paul's blog, imagine the words being spoken with an English accent. The guys got a genuine, permanent one. I know, I've tested it. tee hee.)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good deal!

    I know its hard to get the train rolling sometimes.....but as soon as you push through you always feel good after progress was made.

    It also becomes easier the more you break through......A good Habit forms of not falling to the procrastination virus.

    Its all looking good though..
    .you seem to have a online support system all here to cheer on your progress.

    the set is looking good too!

    you have a flavor all your own.

    jriggity

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you, Justin. Great advice. I plan to keep this habit rolling.

    Yes, the crew here are the best in the whole world. The support that has formed around these blogs is making more difference than anything I could ever imagine. Before the interhosen, where could you get such kind and caring people, who share your passion for something like stop motion animation, from around the country and world? Nowheresville.

    Remarkable!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm so happy to see Halfland is getting your attention again. I'm sure all the Halflanders are rejoicing (especially Rana, since her cottage is looking so nice and cozy), I know I am!
    About your previous post: Thanks for featuring my work on your inspiration notes... I'm blushing, again.

    ReplyDelete
  8. GO SHELLEY!! Progress is exciting, go do your thing! And its always nice to have encouraging spousal support, kudos to the King of Halfland for that :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Hila!!! It's so funny you said "Halflanders" I had written that as my first line in this post "Hello there, Halflanders!" and then deleted it, hee.

    Um, could you please fly over here today and help me build the set? m.kay? that would be great. I'll cook all the food for the several months it'll take and make up up a nice guest bed in the studio? no? ok.

    Hey, Jeffery, thanks for getting the my thing thing. The idea of doing my thing has made all the difference here. All hail the King.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would love to fly over! food and a bed? I'm there! :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment