Cheers for the well wishes guys.

Im starting to think this thread is cursed.

No Mike!!!(sorry for shouting there....lol)

This thread is just a thread. It has no special powers.

We are the ones cursed, by time, and circumstance.

We, the accursed, merely share this thin thread,

to exchange even more accursed experiences.

But not to celebrate the accursed experiences,

but the experiences that bring us together,

not as the accursed, but as men, as people,

as those drawn together by a common bond.

To share the pain of agony, and the joy

of accomplishment.

Mike, we are not just words on the screen.

We are here.

We are with you man.

Your sounding very poetic tonight.

I was just havin a wee joke, tryin to raise the spirits.

Alot of you guys talk about prayer, thats something i dont understand. I get that you guys have faith in something bigger, but i dont get how prayer works. Dont get me wrong, i thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I just dont understand it, or religion in general i suppose.

(Forum mods, please dont lock this down cos of me, im just voicing thoughts, not trying to stir or anything)

Mikey:

I'm a little farther down the road than yourself,

so I don't joke about relatives dying, because they do, and often.

If this clarifies things as you brought religion up: hey, this is not about religion,

this is not about politics, it is simply about service to the ones in your family.

But to put us back on your original track, I was only talking about our service to family.

I was talking about the things we do to comfort and help

in very real ways, not just with "kind wishes", but to really aid the people

in our families whom have suffered strife. Mike, as you know by now,

it is not easy. It takes real work, and it deprives us of hobby time, and

all kinds of other time.

These realities can rob us of the time we enjoy building kits, walking in the park, cutting the lawn,

and sharing the fruits of our labours with others.

There was a hobby shop half way between my house and my mom's hospital,

so I gained much of my collection there. The owner became very familiar with

my mom's issues and my collection interests.

I'm talking about taking 36 days off over a period of 2

years to attend a relative for their chemo. 100 hours hobby time lost.

I'm talking about visiting a relative in hospital, driving 3 hours

one way just to be with them for 20 minutes, because they do not

have the strength to see you another 10 minutes. 120 hours hobby time lost.(60 days)

I'm talking about negotiating with health care services to see that

they, the suffering, are getting the right treatment and their doctors

are all on the same page.

Forget metaphysics, I am talking about the personal sacrifice necessary to watch

someone die because they wanted you there. I have a pile of styrene unbuilt

because of the exit throes of others. We do it.

It becomes rather matter-of-fact, this is life, move on.

This is just what happens to guys like me, right about now.

Between funerals, I build kits!

Forget metaphysical issues, we work on hobbies, and share a bit of

life's pain along the way, because we become friends.

If you choose to suffer those self-imposed obligations, and many of us here have done that,

we are here, we all go through that Mike.

Here's hoping she gets past it, all the best with that Mike.

We are here man.

Styrene is my religion.

PS: apologies for any arithmetic errors, I only spend 3 hours a day celebrating styrene.

I haven't been to a funeral in 4 weeks, amazing.

Mikey:

Dang I hate it when I get all preachy like that, I've been a bit on edge lately.

Okay, like I said,

it's great to get back to the kits....

I'm installing the ducts for the F-4P,

here's hoping the weekend passes with

nothing more than a bit of scratch.....

I'm sorry to hear that.  I have a cousin with MS.  She lives n CT.  It's never easy seeing someone you love ill.  I wish her all the best.

Rich

Scorpiomikey

Just got a message from my step sister. She has MS (known that for a while) just got the MRI results back, things are not flash.

So, getting back to the build, here's the problem that somehow

I didn't pay attention to way back when when I started gluing stuff together

in the Phantom GB:

Revell made the port side longer than the starboard side;

The gap goes all the way to the intakes:

Port intake is noticeably longer:

I don't think i am going to adjust it, at this rate I'll never get her finished. Once the wing section is back in place it won't look so bad, the tolerances on this kit are way off no matter where you measure anyways.

Thanks for the support guys.

Damn man, that looked like a real mare of a kit.

Hey, Guys, I'm back. Had to do a clean install of windows to get everything working again. BTW, I'll be closing my Yahoo email account so if you need my new email addy, PM me.

Mikey, really sorry to hear the bad news about your sister. We'll all be praying for a miracle.

Dom, looks interesing bud. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Russ

Yeah Russ, nice to see you back, it's a whole new world since you left...lol

"interesting" describes this project for sure. I can't believe what I thought was a tiny local

tolerance issue extended all the way out to the intakes........

Mike says it is a "mare of a kit", and I can hear Rich already...."beotch"....

so I guess that makes it a "beotch mare".....

Bockscar

So, getting back to the build, here's the problem that somehow

I didn't pay attention to way back when when I started gluing stuff together

in the Phantom GB:

Revell made the port side longer than the starboard side;

The gap goes all the way to the intakes:

Port intake is noticeably longer:

I don't think i am going to adjust it, at this rate I'll never get her finished. Once the wing section is back in place it won't look so bad, the tolerances on this kit are way off no matter where you measure anyways.

Hi Dom,

It seems to me that at this point it has become more of a mission than a project!   

Ken

Striker8241

Hey, Guys, I'm back. Had to do a clean install of windows to get everything working again. BTW, I'll be closing my Yahoo email account so if you need my new email addy, PM me.

Mikey, really sorry to hear the bad news about your sister. We'll all be praying for a miracle.

Dom, looks interesing bud. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Russ

Argh!  Man I hate that.  You don't realize how much work that is until you have to do it.  You forget how many settings you had set, programs that you had installed, etc.  Since I am in that line of work I have it down to a science but still, it is a pain.  Especially if you are not able to recover any of the data before hand.

Ken

Yes Ken,

it is a mission;

this left-in-a-black-car-on-a-hot-summer-day-sun-stroke-warped, mis-designed, massive head ache, beotch-mare,

this is the kit that lead me to Berny, and you guys.

It will be finished. It will be a 'Geasel':

"At George AFB, CA, I was in the 35th TFTW, 20th TFTS.  When talking on the radio to maintenance control I used the term "That Geasel Outfit" referring to the 37th TFS also at George AFB.  That afternoon at the laugh in, the Wing King asked me if it was me that had called them that?  I told him yes it was, thinking I might be in trouble.  He said he liked the term and from then on he and others would call them that." -Berny

Dom

Bockscar

Yes Ken,

it is a mission;

this left-in-a-black-car-on-a-hot-summer-day-sun-stroke-warped, mis-designed, massive head ache, beotch-mare,

this is the kit that lead me to Berny, and you guys.

It will be finished. It will be a 'Geasel':

"At George AFB, CA, I was in the 35th TFTW, 20th TFTS.  When talking on the radio to maintenance control I used the term "That Geasel Outfit" referring to the 37th TFS also at George AFB.  That afternoon at the laugh in, the Wing King asked me if it was me that had called them that?  I told him yes it was, thinking I might be in trouble.  He said he liked the term and from then on he and others would call them that." -Berny

Dom

Hi Dom,

I remember Berny telling that story.  Pretty cool.

Ken

Hey Kbuzz (the other Ken),

If you are still monitoring this thread, I got the front page updated with your finished build.  Photobucket was having a problem last night so I couldn't upload your picture.  They are working tonight so it is up.

Ken

Ouch Russ...  I hate it when Windows completely pooches up..  I'm praying I don't ever have to do a reinstall here.  When we moved, I lost two of our Windows 7 disks and licenses.  So If i ever have to reinstall on my machine, or Marissa's, I will have to get another license.  I hate Mickeysloth...

LMAO..  At least I know I'm not the only one with kit issues. lol

Son Of Medicine Man

Striker8241

Hey, Guys, I'm back. Had to do a clean install of windows to get everything working again. BTW, I'll be closing my Yahoo email account so if you need my new email addy, PM me.

Mikey, really sorry to hear the bad news about your sister. We'll all be praying for a miracle.

Dom, looks interesing bud. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Russ

Yeh, I totally agree.  I've been in IT and the computer industry in general for a long long time, and I have yet to see a re-installation go 100% smoothly.  Since I build all my own systems, I don't have as many driver and interop issues, but it's still a pain.  I just rebuilt Deb's machine for her Bday, and amazingly, even installing a new motherboard, CPU and memory, I didn't have to do a reinstall..  A lot of updates after I put her hard drives back in, but that was it.  That has NEVER happened to me before, on a total brain transplant.

Rich

Argh!  Man I hate that.  You don't realize how much work that is until you have to do it.  You forget how many settings you had set, programs that you had installed, etc.  Since I am in that line of work I have it down to a science but still, it is a pain.  Especially if you are not able to recover any of the data before hand.

Ken

Rich:

Wasn't there a show called LEX that dealt with brain transplants?

Uhhhh....Weren't Triffids like that....just wondrin'

Bockscar

Rich:

Wasn't there a show called LEX that dealt with brain transplants?

Uhhhh....Weren't Triffids like that....just wondrin'

Sparrowhyperion

Bockscar

Rich:

Wasn't there a show called LEX that dealt with brain transplants?

Uhhhh....Weren't Triffids like that....just wondrin'

No, Lexx was the show about the security guard, the robot head, the dead guy, and the half nympho, half cluster lizard babe, on the giant starship that was also a giant insect that could blow up planets....  Triffids just ate people..

I remember that show.  I watched the first two seasons but never saw the last two.  It was entertaining.

Ken

Sparrowhyperion

Bockscar

Rich:

Wasn't there a show called LEX that dealt with brain transplants?

Uhhhh....Weren't Triffids like that....just wondrin'

No, Lexx was the show about the security guard, the robot head, the dead guy, and the half nympho, half cluster lizard babe, on the giant starship that was also a giant insect that could blow up planets....  Triffids just ate people..

Didn't Lexx the TV head get transplanted onto a psycho-killer's body,

and his girlfriend got into her victims' minds to pleasure them as they were being

sorta' absorbed into her intestines, you know, like being invited to TV dinner, but you

turn out be the the Swiss Family Swansons entree,

and that lady stole someone's heart......

Lexx stole someone's body....

and other characters were eating hamburger leftovers......

Not quite Soylent Green, but hey, gosh knows those characters

were definitely into recycling........brains, hearts, bodies, old TV sets, psycho criminals......

old Star Trek plots.......lol

Right, Triffids just ate people.......gosh, all those years of being cajoled into eating

your veggies, then the veggans, and then......the veggan nightmare......Triffids......lol

Yeah, Triffids only eat things with a face......lol

Remember Killer Klowns from Outer Space......lol

sticking the straws into those big cotton candy cocoons? -Yummo......

Bockscar

Sparrowhyperion

Bockscar

Rich:

Wasn't there a show called LEX that dealt with brain transplants?

Uhhhh....Weren't Triffids like that....just wondrin'

No, Lexx was the show about the security guard, the robot head, the dead guy, and the half nympho, half cluster lizard babe, on the giant starship that was also a giant insect that could blow up planets....  Triffids just ate people..

It's all coming back to me......

Didn't Lexx the TV head get transplanted onto a psycho-killer's body,

and his girlfriend got into her victims' minds to pleasure them as they were being

sorta' absorbed into her intestines, you know, like being invited to TV dinner, but you

turn out be the the Swiss Family Swansons entree,

and that lady stole someone's heart......

Lexx stole someone's body....

and other characters were eating hamburger leftovers......

Not quite Soylent Green, but hey, gosh knows those characters

were definitely into recycling........brains, hearts, bodies, old TV sets, psycho criminals......

old Star Trek plots.......lol

Right, Triffids just ate people.......gosh, all those years of being cajoled into eating

your veggies, then the veggans, and then......the veggan nightmare......Triffids......lol

Yeah, Triffids only eat things with a face......lol

Remember Killer Klowns from Outer Space......lol

sticking the straws into those big cotton candy cocoons? -Yummo......

Here is a link that describes the show Lexx:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexx 

It was out there, pretty funny.  I mean the ship, the Lexx, sort of resembled a dragonfly without wings.

Yeah, I remember Killer Klowns from Outer Space.  Another out there movie. 

Ken

So here is the proverbial 'root' of the Revell over-extension.

They gota way with it because tolerances were so wonkey,

no one would notice anyways:

If I cut along that line, I can solve most of the problem.

Right???

Errrr.saw or blade.....hmmmmmmm....

Bockscar

So here is the proverbial 'root' of the Revell over-extension.

They gota way with it because tolerances were so wonkey,

no one would notice anyways:

If I cut along that line, I can solve most of the problem.

Right???

Errrr.saw or blade.....hmmmmmmm....

Chop chop! 

So i cut 1/32/ off, and it yielded 1/16th. I used an XActoid knife. Chainsaw?

I will post pictures. Good news, i'll just use Putty, to fill the gap. I could show you, but you would want to buy a chain saw.

I fixed the wing thickness as well, tough, as it was previously CA bonded; I could show you, but you would want to buy a chain saw.

I fixed the ducts, I put a band around them: I could show you, but you would want to steal a chain saw.

I reinforced the wing roots: I could show you, but I hear people running to gas up chain saws.

Everytime I go to snip here, it goes snap there: wanna see?....lol......chainsaws?

hmmmm....it's fall......hmmmmm.....leaf mulcher.....hmmmm...wooooodchipper.......yessss........ooops

it's a mission......

Hey guys just got on, seems something is up with the cable company, fuzzy TV the other day and no ISP for the last two...

Mike: Sorry to hear about your sister. I'm not sure what to say other than if you ever just want someone to talk to we're here for you. As to prayer I can't really explain- I think it's kinda the idea of taking your problems and handing them up to a higher authority. If you ever should want to know more I'd recommend grabbing something by CS Lewis from the library - he can explain things a great deal better than me. 'A Grief Observed' which he wrote after the death of his wife is a particularly gut-wrenching explanation of  why does so much @%#@ happen to good people.

The best reason I have to support the higher authority idea,

is that I've suffered under the lower authority of people all my life,

and apparently all they care about is their own authority, and their own goodness.

Oh well, back to mediocre authority, as good as it gets.

I love good people, but I don't like do-gooders, i.e. lower authorities whom do higher good,

because, Cliff, "Not only must good be done; it must also be seen to be done." ...

It's an explanation of why so much 'goodness' happens to @%#@  people. - people are

@%#@, so lower authorities do good to elevate the @%#@ in people, and then good is seen to be done.

If people were not @%#@, then how could good ever be seen to be done?

A coin has two opposite sides, but without the opposite side, the other side would not exist, and the coin would not exist. So it is with goodness and @%#@. The currency of authority.

Yes, @%#@ is the foil of life, the other side, and do-gooders could never be seen to be doing good

without that brilliant backdrop and opposite of @%#@.  Good can only be seen when juxtaposed with @%#@.

If that doesn't make sense, Cliff, you need to get back to believing in lower authorities,

you know, people. They have good intentions. They are seen to be good. Golden brick roads, made of good bricks....a perfect path........paved with good intentions........

Have a good day.....lol

Gosh, thank the higher authority for @%#@!!!

Without it, there would be no good at all.

Not much going on the last few weeks with the build. I was off work the previous week and had little time to build. It seems I hate sitting in the house, because it gives me too much time to think and find it necessary to find other things to do. I did paint a little on the A-7 here and there but seem to find it hard to get into it.

Part of my vacation week was spent dealing with Mom's car, one day trying to deal with battery and alternator issues and then another full day running around getting it transferred into my name! Going back and forth to the courthouse, emissions testing, insurance agents, banks and so on, it was a total of 9 stops before I was done. After it was over with, I was drained physically and emotionally.  I still have to deal with the house soon, and that will be a major pain.

I did manage a few day trips up the hill, and some in-town pleasure trips. It felt good to do so as I couldn't get away at all for for the last several years. So much freedom I gave up for all that, and even now it's hard to not feel guilt when I get away.

This week was also bad to try to get back to the work bench as I just got off a 6 day work week, most being 10 hour days and one was from 8 a.m to nearly 10 p.m. I sat down last night in a attempt to build but ended up falling asleep at the desk. I did do a little more painting before the sandman got me. Camo paint jobs are so tedious anyway.

Have to wait and see what this week holds for me. Maybe things will settle down down with the coming of fall, though I dread the upcoming Holidays.