June 26, 2014 in 750 Words

So I've been trying a new thing for me the last few weeks... I've been trying to get up and go to sleep with my body's natural rhythms instead of using the clock to tell me when I should be asleep and when I should be awake. It's going pretty well... some nights I end up going to bed later than others, but I find that if I'm working on the computer, it takes me longer to feel tired... so I try to keep from the net or computer after about *:30 or so. I find myself going to bed by 10 if I do that... and I'm usually up around 6 am, as opposed to having the clock get me up at 6:30 so tired and icked that I can't move. I used to hit the snooze button till after 7:30, mainly because I hated getting up. Now I practically jump out of bed at a little before 6:00. Kind of makes me wonder if it'll continue this way in the winter time, or if it's a summer only thing.

So, Norman, my dragon has wings and eyes, and I'm going to be finishing up the tail soon. Probably after I finish this. The dragon's a lot of fun to make, and I'm glad that I finally sat down and started to seriously work on him. I'm going to end up making a buttload of them, I think. And probably none of them will be belts yet... that'll be for the next set, me thinks.

Made an order to West Coast Chainmaile. I got all the rings I need for the large scale flowers, as well as the rings I need for Dragonscale. Ooo.. I love Dragonscale weave, it's so pretty, but it takes twice as long as any other weaves I know. You do a line, flip it over, and do the other line on the back side, then flip it over and do another line. It's also the only weave I know that you make the piece as long as you need it, all in one setting, and then go and make it wider. Most weaves you make as wide as you need it and then go and add length. I'm going to have to figure out how to put two pieces of dragonscale together side by side and connect them, or else I'm going to go nuts. Specially since I think I got the rings to make a belt out of Dragonscale. That's going to be beautiful, i know it is, but I can't imagine how much work it's going to be.

I still have to fairly price my European 6:1 belts because I have a couple people asking for those. It's a pain in the ass, pricing things, because I have to keep it affordable for my target audience, but everyone tells me I sell it too cheaply -- that I don't account for my time. Well, if I accounted for all the time I put into the damned things, I'd end up selling all my jewelry at outrageous prices. My Niobium and Titanium bracelets are priced so that if I sell one bracelet, I make all the money I put into those metals back... specially since I only put a little bit into them at a time. I don't pay attention to the time I spend, mainly because I use it as a hobby and an escape.

I'm thinking I'm going to need to get a stopwatch so I can keep track of exactly how long it takes me to do the stuff. I can't just say "Well, I started working on it at 8 and I finished it at 10, so that's two hours" mainly because I hardly ever dedicate myself completely to the maile. I could be working on a piece while watching T.V. or writing or playing games or all sorts of things. So, a stopwatch would be a lot better... when I start losing my maile enthusiasm, I can turn off the watch and then when I start actually working on the maile again, I can turn it back on. Yes... a stopwatch!

PNW Nerdfest is canceled. The money's already spent. That's kind of sad, in my mind, that as soon as I get into a windfall of money, it's already spent... but it's on good things. Mom felt bad bout taking money from my business, until I reminded her that part of the debt problem we're having now is because I had to take the 435.00 out of the day to day living budget. I'm paying for the Comcast for the month... I also bought the rings with the money. Which is awesome. Means the two hundred I put away can stay away and Mom and I can pay for my next show with the money she was going to put on the Comcast.