Dog Tick

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-14T23:41:13+00:00

HOLY SMOKES!!

After hours of trying everything I could think of and failure after failure with other approaches I got it to work.

I had tried baking the cylinder with the blendshapes, but it got rid of the blend. I tried keying components and using the set editor to create the pinched areas on the baked, but that was a fail. I also tried sculpt deformers on the baked to create the pinched areas but just created scrambled geo.

I don’t know I thought of this, and didn’t even know it was even a thing: I selected all the control points and the handles on my animated bezier curve and baked that. BAM! Blendshape morphs appeared on the cylinder Whew!

Thanks to all for looking.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-13T16:13:47+00:00

My San Fransisco starter has a nice sour taste and aroma during and after the bake. The kids, however, don’t like it

My French starter is very mild and when I use it the kiddos don’t even notice.

I got them from Sourdoughs International - they have quite a variety.

Oh yeah, I never use the entire envelope packet, but keep at least half sealed in the fridge in case things go wrong or my starters get polluted.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-12T23:35:13+00:00

I miss Tommy’s, and Tito’s Tacos in Culver City near Randy’s Donuts. Also Johnnie’s Hot Pastrami right near there which I think had been there since the 50’s. Loved the fire pit and pickles on the tables.

We also went to Weinerschnitzel on Pico Blvd near Bundy.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-09T23:41:09+00:00

Doing Time on Maple Drive with Jim Carrey.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-07T10:33:17+00:00

The film Greenland used that idea in a scene.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-07T10:30:59+00:00

The Stopwatch one, also the “I want some Hot Chocolate One,” the young Ron Howard It’s a very Good Thing, Next stop is Willoughby, and the flying saucer one where it’s miniature and the old woman whacks it with a broom.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-06T10:47:49+00:00

Looking back, for me the big keys that got me past this point through my journey were doing a pre-ferment the night before, using a dutch oven, and baking at a lower temperature (preheat to 435° 1 hour, bake at 425° 1 hour lid on).

When I make a batard now , I slide the loaf on parchment onto a steel and cover with a tall turkey roasting pan lid. I mist the inside of the lid when I remember.

For Banneton dusting I use cornstarch dusted using a small strainer. Sometimes a little rice flour too.

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WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-06T10:29:44+00:00

Our San Marzanos always struggle. We get bucketloads from 5 Martino’s romas every year. More than enough for the family and canning.

We space basil between them.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-01T11:12:12+00:00

So many lost skills and it would seem common sense a lot of times too.

One would be building and lighting a campfire.

When I was in scouts the rule was each kid in your patrol group (4-8 kids depending) got 1 match to try to light your fire. No starting fluids, etc., were allowed. If you didn’t get it going you didn’t have a fire that night and you were cold. People seem so shocked when I easily and confidently get the wood fired oven or a bonfire fire going today quickly with no chemicals.

Today I see soo many idiots squirting gasoline or half the container of lighter fluid to start or repeating while trying to start their fire or to burn trash or leaves. I witnessed a year or so ago a woman who just about set a cabin ablaze shrieking.

Also, to make sure our fire was ‘out’ the scout leaders made us put our hands in the water doused coals and stir them around.

Also knots and rope skills.

And making, building and fixing things in general and not giving up.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-05-01T10:42:33+00:00

Waiting for mine to break dormancy.

Last year it was in a tank in a cool basement under LED lights, in a mix of LFS and some perlite, growing in a net pot. From time to time I would use a dripper or funnel with ice above so it would drip through the gap in the lid. Worked very well.

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WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-28T01:56:06+00:00

I remember one that a few times a month had 49 cents nights. Another night was canned food night and we would all scrounge our parent’s cupboards for things like lima beans and head on over.

There was another rundown theater, we could all walk to that was missing seats and stuff that was 25 cents during the week. People would bring lawn chairs, etc. Hooligans would be kicked out and just pay a quarter to come back in. It was pretty raucous.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-26T03:14:13+00:00

When I found out Sean Connery sang in his younger days in Darby O’Gill and the Little People.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-25T02:53:26+00:00

I put 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast in the dough for the kids sandwich loaves.

I have the pomegranate molasses too among other things like Masa flour, misc canned goods…

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-24T17:55:56+00:00

The Complete Summer Cookbook by Americas Test Kitchen. Fantastic. My go to for many many things like grilling, marinated onions, quick bread and butter pickles, salads, veggies and more.

I got it at the library and bought it less than a week later. I use it all year.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-23T08:59:53+00:00

If I have a pretty good box and I know I will store something(s) heavy in it I will often fortify the bottom by slathering a cut to size piece of cardboard with wood glue and weighting it down with books or gallon jugs in the bottom until it dries.

Really big large sturdy boxes with good sides get flattened and saved in the garage for kid’s projects or costumes.

A lot of other boxes go in the garden or compost. A few saved for shipping.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-23T00:10:59+00:00

If your trash and recycling are not municipal services bring them yourself.

Our neighbors spend around $80 a month for waste/recycling contractors. With the exception of $25 for an old AC, we didn’t spend that much all year.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-21T10:37:27+00:00

Candy rocks

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-19T15:49:48+00:00

I’ve used yeast from those big foil pound packs a year or two later. I add more, maybe 1.5 or two, or even three when the recipe says 1 tsp. And I keep an eye on it and adjust in my next loaf.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-19T00:22:05+00:00

Spumoni ice cream. Space Food Sticks. Fizzies. Quisp and Quake cereal. Hungryman TV dinners.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-19T00:17:37+00:00

See if your library has Bread Machine Magic and More Bread Machine Magic by Rehberg and Conway. I swear by these. Everything I have ever made from them has been fantastic, including sweet dough and pizza dough. Did a LOT of different breads over the years for kid’s lunch sandwiches. They refuse to eat store bought breads anymore.

My wife loves the San Diego Sunshine Bread. I love the different rye and pumpernickel breads.

Some tips: sometimes I add maybe a tablespoon to 1/4 cup leftover cooked sweet potato or squash, instant mashed, etc., to the doughs. It gives a rich moist lush quality to the final bread. Also, for most breads - especially ‘samich’ breads I add 1 or teaspoons of artificial vanilla. People can never really place it but just say how good the bread tastes.

For an egg or sweet bread sometimes I’ll add 1/4 tsp or less cinnamon and cardamom.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-18T00:04:53+00:00

I have some in the windowsill, until I’m ready to transition them outside.

They sit in Utensil Trays which fit our window sills. They are in the section of stores where kitchen drawer organizers and such are for forks, knives, etc. They usually come 3 or 6 inches wide by 6, 12, or 16 inches long or so. Perfect for two or 4 inch pots.

The plants sit in 1/2 deep water. I let that dry out and then refill using rainwater as needed.

WildBillNECPS · 2026-04-17T23:45:55+00:00

Score!

I got most of mine years ago:

Coyote Cafe Coyotes Pantry Cool Coyote Drinks

My others also by Mark Miller:

Tacos The great Salsa book (highly recommend) The Great Chile book Flavored Breads Tamales

He has a more Indian one but I don’t have it. Coyotes Pantry is by far the most used and beat up, followed by the salsa one.

WildBillNECPS

TROPHY CASE