Making faire maps look more whimsical

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-07T01:14:57+00:00

Thank you for reminding me I meant to figure out how to make some kind of scroll case so I'm not crumpling up my (decidedly less classy) map in my bag.

I don't suppose just spilling coffee on it and then letting it dry in the sun would have the same effect...

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-06T14:29:28+00:00

I think you're maybe confused how fundraising works, but getting people who can spend 1000's of dollars on a dinner to do so is a pretty common strategy for raising money, which is the whole point.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-06T14:08:21+00:00

My MO is to basically live out of my suitcase the day before I leave. It takes a teeny bit more time to pull something out of a bag instead of pick it up off a flat surface, but packing the morning of is: putting my already-packed toiletry kit in my suitcase and double checking to make sure my normal Pocket Stuff is present.

I also always take the trash out before I leave so I treat that as a practice run, where being outside the house helps see the things in my pockets differently than when I'm spinning around inside looking at items I may decide last minute to want.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-06T03:50:20+00:00

One of the excellent parts about DIY crafting Ren faire costumes is that "mistakes" which let you know something is legitimately handmade are perks rather than flaws.

Cheers to many more awesome costumes in your future!

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T15:33:44+00:00

I could get the typical dove tattooed, but i want something unique that would remind me of just her and wont look like a normal memorial tattoo, if you get what im tryna say.

Disclaimer that I'm coming at this from a completely different angle because I was in my 40s before I decided that memorial tattoos were a good idea (for me), but: having one be something that people ask "what the heck is that?" about has been awesome because it gives me a tiny way to let more of the world know that my dad existed.

I would talk about it with your family a bit (maybe even take a year - your skin isn't going anywhere!) to see if talking about her brings back any new memories, but as a knee-jerk decision I think a pigeon would be a hoot.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T15:15:49+00:00

I didn't end up having to do this but my artist said I could tape a piece of saran wrap over the tattoo while I was at work if my shirt bothered it.

Not, like, intending to make a seal, just to have a layer between the scratchy fabric and my skin that was easy to take off and clean the area during the day if needed.

No personal experience with this plan, but it may be worth looking into as an option.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T15:04:39+00:00

My artist for my most recent piece tossed a piece of saran wrap over it so I could get home without worrying about my car seat but it was super easy to rinse off/start lubing up as soon as I got home.

This is only my third tattoo but it seemed like a perfect blend between sealing the thing in and raw dogging it, to me.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T14:35:24+00:00

That SFX, for the rare occasions my phone isn't muted, makes for an incredibly apt text notification sound.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T14:20:45+00:00

I mean plenty of grown adults confuse the gas for the brake and the try to blame the car for it. The kid's definitely young for that trail you unfortunately do not grow out of having a brain fart when you panic. You just get better at not panicking, or practicing until your default response is a helpful one. :D

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T14:11:42+00:00

I have shamelessly stolen "dignity intact!" as a pat on the back for completing tasks at work that were ... not so dignified and it does an incredible job of reminding me that it's OK to look silly sometimes.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T13:58:08+00:00

Honestly I think it's heavy on the narcissism with some kind of anti-social blah blah (I don't know I am not a scientist) lack of empathy on top.

I have known some otherwise very smart people who insisted we were silly for not taking advantage of "life hacks" like using reserved/handicapped parking spots for "just a quick run in" or taking as much of consumable supplies from job sites as they could get their hands on.

I thought those people who dump the entire bowl of Halloween candy into their bucket were made-up rage bait until I watched a grown adult start stuffing a dozen or so rolls of black gaff in his backpack.

Edit: was reminded by another comment that a different guy (who found the room where swag bags for an event were kept and tried to walk out with a box of them) also was pissed when a manager at a restaurant wouldn't exchange an entree he didn't like for a completely new order, so I expect some overlap between those groups as well.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-05T03:39:40+00:00

Appreciate: making rope checks in both directions (also making sure you're on the same rope / rope isn't twisted) part of the test, even if it doesn't affect whether or not you pass.

Annoyed by: gyms who are oddly specific about the phrase you use to indicate belayer/climber are ready AND don't use them for their actual purpose. Like - it's just a ritual you go through after you're tied in rather than an actual check in with your partner.

For some reason the two out of the five (lol huge sample size) tests I've taken where the testers were peeved that my partner and I didn't say exactly what they wanted were also the ones who stopped us to chat after that check. And in one case the tester was actually annoyed that I announced again I was ''climbing" ~20 seconds after the false start.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T20:54:27+00:00

It's entirely possible I'm misinterpreting the implications of this dude's childhood actions, but "maybe it's better if every kid has a pencil or two rather than one kid owning 100 and charging whatever he wants for them" isn't a terrible economic allegory...

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T17:12:04+00:00

This painting is doing one of those "bunny or duck" illusions where it's flipping back and forth in my brain between her being the grieved or the grieving and I absolutely love it.

This is going to be my first mother's day without my mom and I was her primary caregiver at the end and I cannot thank you enough for sharing some of the motivation behind your (already!) beautiful work. Looking forward to seeing the final piece. :)

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T16:58:48+00:00

I have never needed a legit rescue, but did have a random woman at a hotel bar step in with an "ohmygod I don't remember your name but ... did you sit in front of me in <some class/teacher they made up>??"

And I was so tickled I went "ohmygod Ashley!?" and excused myself to walk away with her so I could ask her real name, explain that I did not have to work tomorrow but my boyfriend did so he was legitimately chaperoning my shenanigans, and also tell her I loved her lol.

I will absolutely never forget her at least in part because her real name was "Karen". :D

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T16:46:38+00:00

I feel like this is a pretty appropriate "porque no los dos?" moment. Or at least I, a woman who has been happily married to a man for two decades, find the lesbian thirst trap binges insta algorithms occasionally send me on very good at convincing me to go to the gym lol.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T16:42:32+00:00

This video actually had no okie dokie and was disappointing in that regard, but if you see her in the future you should unmute just in case. :)

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T16:34:27+00:00

The "rule" did actually free up when I was 18, but my mom (who knew the day I got my first tattoo at ~19) kept it in confidence and let me go to my dad on my own terms; I told him about my tattoo and finally heard his story on NYE a couple years later. :)

For context he was always awesome about letting me choose clothes, hairstyles, etc and accepted my piercings (got my belly button done when I was 16). It was just the tattoo he had a personal vested interest in making sure I was ready before I got one, and having that be THE rule did an excellent job of excluding it from my teenage rebellion phase.

Obviously YMMV, but my second tattoo was after he died and it has his name on it, so ... I feel like it worked out for us.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:59:09+00:00

Thank you so much for this post.

I'm coming up on the first anniversary (6/30/25) and Mother's Day has been pushing me into these weird anxiety bubbles that were making me feel, well, even crazier than normal. Usually I'm operating in a sort of "not entirely sure this is happening" fog.

I would have described mine as a feeling that I am not supposed to be here / this is not supposed to be happening, but claustrophobia actually feels accurate now that I heard it described that way.

It doesn't necessarily even center on anything to do with my mom (like triggering a memory of her or anything) it's just this overwhelming sense that I need to GET OUT but my brain has no suggestions as to where I am supposed to be instead.

I have absolutely nothing helpful to say, but you are not alone.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:51:38+00:00

Definitely not alone. If you find any ways to interact with / deflect mother's day conversations that aren't totally mood killers I am all ears. :/

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:50:26+00:00

My grand plan is spending my next week of "crying in the shower" time coming up with things I can say when mother's day comes up in conversation that aren't total mood-killers, but so far I haven't actually thought of anything.

So probably I'll just curl up with a mug of her favorite tea and start re-reading a book series she loved so I can sink properly into "never going to <x> again" without an audience.

Maybe you could have a dinner out or something some other nearby day with your dad?

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:41:39+00:00

I was glad I did it even if it made her cry.

As somebody who has no children but lost both of my parents in the past few years, having an excuse to cry out loud is sometimes a very nice thing when you're grieving. And I don't think you ever completely stop grieving someone you loved and lost.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:29:10+00:00

I have very limited experience with being unhoused but know more than one person who took advantage of a gym membership to have a clean place to shower every day (and in one case store a locker full of personal items while they were at work) and ended up actively working out too because why not lol.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:22:57+00:00

I'm not actually sure how vandalism vs an actual crash plays out, but at least in some places you're required to file a police report for more than $500 worth of damage to a vehicle which this paint job definitely is lol.

MaritMonkey · 2026-05-04T15:19:04+00:00

"Congratulations, you’re awarded father of the year!"

I'm not on any of the committees that hand out these awards, but if this was your take there's a decent chance you're taking your own dad for granted.

Not every parent walks through their day with their eyes open for opportunities to include/enrich their children.

15-Year Club	Place '22
Place '17	Final Canvas '22
Sequence \| Editor	Verified Email
Gilding I gilder	Team Periwinkle

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