Style, or lack there of...

I worked for 11 plus years in the environmental wastewater equipment field when I got out of college (where I was relatively recognizable, albeit for eclectic head wear), As you can imagine from both the waste and equipment in the former job description, there were days when what I wore to work was burnt as soon as I made it home. Clothing myself was an odd mix of being able to call on city managers and supervisors, and then needing to be able to crawl under a piece of heavy equipment to work on it, with these two things often happening within minutes of each other. Luckily, the company gave me a bit of a wardrobe budget for replacement clothing so I did not have too much of an issue with having a wardrobe.

What I did have a problem with is defining a personal style.
Mainly for two reasons:

1) The aforementioned job, of which allowed very little style other than business/ technician professional
2) The fact that I am a male of considerable size. 4 to 5 xl, depending on the cut of what ever it is.

"Where is this going?", you ask.

Well, for one (literally) due to the economy I am no longer working for said company, which is, of course, currently in this case both a blessing and a curse. However, it has left me with a wardrobe consisting of mostly ex-work garments, many of which either have my name and ex company logo on them, or have been used as a work garment, acquiring some minor damage. More importantly, and to get to the point of all this, I still lack a sense of personal style.

Granted, I purchased some of these items, and I like some of them. I just need to to figure out what to do with them...

So here it begins.

I am going to try to finally define and build what I want as a personal style (it only took 40 some years, but I got there). I have some solid pieces of wardrobe that I like and are not in too bad a shape that I can't work with them. I have an idea of where I would like to go with it, and some friends that can help me modify accordingly. More importantly, I don't have someone sitting over my proverbial shoulder telling me yes or no. My judge is me alone. I may fail mightily at some things, but a change must come. I need it. Badly. So...

The first project is going to be putting a rolled hem on my khaki BDUs. I have worn BDUs for years as they are comfortable and cheap (rephrase that to read inexpensive) as far a big wear goes, and at this point I don't think I can live without cargo pockets. I just want them to have a bit more 'formality' to them, and I have always liked rolled hems. Plus, if they look hideous, I can always straight hem them.

It is it a place to start. Small, but a starting point none the less. Attempting this style thing, no, doing this, is surprisingly important to me for some reason. Even if I decide that I have it all wrong.

Those who I don't get to see regularly, I will keep you informed through images.

I have so felt this way....

Dude, I know. I know...

Sigh.

wierd

I don't know why, but for the last 2 days I have felt...well...empty. Not in a ennui kind of way. Literally hollow, empty. No particular reason. Its not sorry-for-myself type stuff, week-back-after-vacation stuff (after all I spent my vacation at home doing school work), or loneliness. I just feel physically empty (and yes, I have eaten lunch).

WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have called the entire north american continent (yes folks, us and canada, they don't have a rep in mexico) to find these damn parts. EVERYONE is waiting for the parts shipment from Italy, which is due in September. I personally would loose my job for not maintaining stock properly. At least my customer is understanding. So far...

Brainstorm!

ouuuuuuuuh!

Did I just get an idea!

Based on the end of the previous post, how about a jabberwocky hunt? It could be set up like a sporting clays shoot with participants having to move to different stations and hit a moving target at each one. There are a bunch of models to design from, including a competitive woods shoot that they still do in actual airgun competitions. Space to do it would be the main issue.

Could be fun. Hey, you safari types!

Extra points for steampunk paintball or airsoft guns, but you can use what you have. Different categories maybe?

Steampunk guns

Well, it has happened. I finally got off my buttox and started to make to damn things.

Let me rephrase that. I have started to pull the materials together. I already had a pistol, but now I have a long gun to mod. Big deal, you say. Everyone is moding guns, you say.

Yes, but as I said before somewhere on this blog thing, I am making them work.

Now granted, I have no way of making miniature leyden spheres, but I can make the guns.

What in the name of the sacred bean are you talking about you loon, you ask.

Well, to recap, I am building a steam/diesel transitional persona based on the vernsian.
The guns in 20,000 leagues were air guns that shot miniature leyden (look it up you lazy bums) spheres. What is the modern equivalent...paintball guns. Air guns that shoot spherical objects.

BA AAAAAAAAAAH!

So, I have an old paintball pistol that is still functional that I will be steaming out, and I have just found a tippman a-5 used that I will be modding. I have found a company that already makes custom weapon shrouds for the mil-sim people and they have one that I can screw around with to get the effect I want. Then it is just accessorizing.

Isn't it always down to the acessories?

Did I mention that they will still be functional paintball guns when I am done? Anyone up for a steampunk paintball team?

Again with the changing!

Yep, Again.

What I am going to be adapting to now is a more pan polynesian persona. 5 bucks 5 bucks. Sorry.

I can work with this. It just brings me back to the Maori thing. Not that I have a problem with that mind you. It seems to be the stuff that WANTS to be made, as it keeps falling into my lap. I just don't want to be monotonous. I also don't want to piss anyone off.

For those of you who don't know me, and most of the people who would see me in this stuff and get excited wouldn't know me or my background (and honestly not even care), I am a LARGE white guy, who for the almost 3 years before he moved to Atlanta, spent at least 5 nights a week and most of the weekend with Kalena's Polynesian Ohana, a hula school in Orlando, drumming for Tahitian, doing Wero (Maori challenge), and hanging out with my Samoan, Hawaiian, and Chamorro family. I miss them like gangbusters. I have never come across such a strong sense of family and community in my life. I am proud to be able to say I am a part of it, even after so much time.

And if any of you out there have a problem with a fat haole, palagi, pakeha, or...whatever dancing and drumming, get out and do it yourself.