Silmarillion Writers' Guild

Another work event recently. I ran into a colleague from my first “proper” job; I’ve moved between industries enough that it never occurred to me that might happen, but that job and my current job are somewhat adjacent. It did happen! We recognised each other! I try to be opportunistic about Learning Stuff, so I asked for some resource recommendations.

I started working on a basic pattern template so that I can make some clothes for myself. The instructions are for drafting a dress pattern, but I’m simplifying it dramatically (because I am but a humble beginner) to make a waistcoat type thing. It’s surprisingly... empowering? (dreadful word)... to take detailed measurements of oneself, understand the relationship between them, and realise exactly why certain garments just never seem to fit right. In my case, dresses (long torso) and jackets (broad shoulders). And then you start to notice how many other people are all stuck wearing clothes that only sort of fit them. But that feels a little judgmental and a sign I’m getting ahead of myself: I am still only at basic waistcoating. Still, I think that understanding one’s own proportions is a good place to start, better than following a standard pattern and becoming frustrated by it. I plan to make a sample book for my scraps of fabric.

I’ve realised how dreary I find digital photography, so I’m committing myself more exclusively to analogue. I think perhaps I got rid of my digital light meter because the battery had leaked, and now they’re terribly expensive, so I bought a secondhand analogue one. It’s pleasingly weighty, cleverly designed, and doesn’t require any battery. I have dreams, of course, of being able to light meter by eye à la Jane Bown. The advance lever on my 35mm is stuck, so I will try to get it repaired this weekend. I have made a dent in my backlog of film that needs processing — I should get three rolls back soon.

I’ve made a fairly concerted return to physical media of late — music, film, etc — and I avoid using my computer to enjoy these things. It’s a rather “broke 20something” cliché to use one’s laptop for everything (and of course I was a broke 20something so I can’t judge); now I really love having a little radio so that I can listen to music without feeling the urge to check my emails or review some file. I’m aware, of course, that to complain about ~this modern age~ is to sound a) like an old fogey or b) unaware that these problems also existed in the past in a slightly different guise. But still I think it beneficial to limit one’s engagement with things that demand our attention on multiple fronts at any given time, which computers and smartphones do.

In conclusion: I probably needed to spend more of my time on hobbies. And long may that continue.

Oh! And I finished HMS Surprise (quite compulsive reading). When I told my (O’Brian fan) friend that I was starting with that one, she said sadly, “Oh but you’ll miss the character introductions.” I ignored her good advice, but I’ll probably read Master and Commander next. I confess to a soft spot for Killick.

The dog is perfectly well, or would be if he would stop running through puddles and nursing his paw. I had to stick a cone on him. He doesn’t like it, and he keeps bumping into things, but he is managing it quite well and his paw is nearly healed enough that I should be able to take it off soon. He is very darling and intelligent, but unfortunately an escape artist and a coward (would he let me look at his mortal wound? no).

PS. I will endeavour to catch up on my flist; I am very much behind. (Heatwave!)