Blog Post #4—The Midpoint (4)

Preface:
As I write this blog post, I'm listening to the "Have a Great Day!" playlist on Spotify, and it is absolutely fantastic—10/10 would recommend.

Hey guys!  Before you all start yelling at me about how I didn't make an Extra Blog Post with my interview, LET ME EXPLAIN!  The video interview with Heidi Brann took a lot more time to cut down, and even when I keep only the essential parts, it's still ~25 minutes.  Additionally, this past week has been r o u g h, in terms of having time to talk about what I've been doing, due to a lot of factors.  However, this post will give a nice overview of what I've done in my absence and also address some stuff, like the interview.

So first off, I finally fixed the issue with getting the reeds to close.  By making the staples (corks) a little bit narrower around the metal part (see picture below), I've made it so the shaped gouges can wrap nicely around it without any gaps.

Two Weeks Ago vs. Two Days Ago

The right staple is much narrower,
and more suitable for tying the reed!

However, *with every success, a new problem grows present.  As I stated in my timeline at the beginning of this project, by Week 4 I wanted to have posted my interview as well as have made a "working reed," and, well, that did not happen.  As I write to you, fellow readers, my keyboard covered in reed dust, I can firmly state that I do not have a working reed.

Oof.  Talk about a letdown!  It's extremely frustrating to realize that a month into a project, you can't meet the expectation you've set for yourself at this point.  I will have to adjust my timeline so that hopefully next week I'll have the working reed(???).  This is a major setback, though I can't say it's one I didn't anticipate coming.  After all, "perfecting" the process of making reeds is a lifetime pursuit.

BUT FEAR NOT, FELLOW READERS; I SHALL PREVAIL!

Some good has come out of this week, and it's that I finally feel confident in how I'm scraping the reed.  Additionally, I have a fairly good idea as to how to make a reed without assistance; it's only a matter of (perfect) practicing and perfecting.

Anyways, that's really it for this week.  Don't worry, I'm also mentally reprimanding myself for my lack of work production this week... Trust me, I know.  This next week will be better, though!  I am currently working on a reed, of which the tip looks very similar to the company bought one I use.

the tip colors are very alike!
(store bought vs. my own)

Also, since this is the midpoint of the project, here's a picture of all 8 reeds I've made / scraped since Week 1 until Now.

a moment of silence for Reed #3
who didn't make it in any shape or form
#RIPinPeace

If you compare Week 1 to now, you can see that I'm really starting to get the hang of the scraping, especially so that the color varies in different parts of the reed.

Now, finally, the moment you've all been waiting for... MY INTERVIEW:










Hm?  There's no video, you say?  Yeah... funny story 'bout that.  So, 6 hours ago (2:00 PM) prior to posting this, I had it all planned out: I'd finish editing the interview, make a little concluding part, adjust the sound, save the file as a Movie, and upload it.  So there I am, excited to save the video.  My finger triumphantly clicks the "Save movie" button in the top right corner.  1%... 2%... 5%... 17%... 20%—

i love to suffer endlessly with no mercy whatsoever

So, yeah.  Dammit (censorship is key [are you proud of me, Dana?]).  As a Middle School survivor, I know that you never delete the videos you use in Movie Maker until you're done the video you're making, so something's wrong here that's out of my control.  My journey to the Tech Office is being planned as we speak, and as for the video... I will upload it (as an Extra post) as soon as the Technology Gods conclude that they've punished me enough for creating group chats that contain the same general 5 people in different combinations.  As a great blogger once said only 8 paragraphs before this: Oof.

OVERALL, this  past week has been a handful of ups and downs, all of which have contributed to my utmost frustration and satisfaction.  However, I still have half the project to go, and that fact will keep me going.

Here's to a better week, folks—thanks for reading!

- OMB

P.S. Sorry for the long post again... Hold habits die hard?

*Wow what a deep quote by your's truly.  Victor Hugo whom???

For Blog Post #3 I commented on: Zarrow, Stevens, and Acuna