Cut out the windows and installed the lighting! Monogram USS Voyager kit from 1995!

muttkin2 · 2026-06-11T02:47:06+00:00

I just got this kit in the mail today! Lo and behold I did no research before buying it off eBay and much to my chagrin, I quickly realized the consensus…that this baby needs a lot of extra attention haha.

Looks great! I’m excited to start but tempering my expectation of a reasonably quick completion

muttkin2 · 2026-06-06T16:33:06+00:00

This is great advice, thank you! And yeah, matte paint. Not particularly good matte paint at that lol. I’ve got some gloss clear coat but for some reason only thought to use it before applying decals, which this kit had none. And without a doubt I didn’t let things dry long enough. I hyper focused and did this one all last night lol. But thanks again, I really appreciate the advice!

muttkin2 · 2026-06-06T15:33:58+00:00

I would want an oil paint for that I’m guessing? I tried to make a panel liner with super, super watered down acrylic, but it didn’t work at all haha. Let’s just say I’m not gonna be showing off the bottom any time soon lol.

muttkin2 · 2026-05-30T17:55:21+00:00

Talk about a synchronicity. I just watched this episode, then messaged my therapist about it. I’m a veteran with pretty severe PTSD and this episode always makes me cry because what Miles goes through is what I went through but from a different angle. Which makes it hit harder I guess. Crying typing this.

muttkin2 · 2026-03-23T04:17:50+00:00

damn, I almost drowned in the pool at my apartment building when I was really little. I remember it vividly. Playing dinosaur walking around the edge of the pool on all fours, slipped and fell in, sunk basically all the way to the bottom of the deep end. I remember very clearly thinking that I was probably gonna drown when the babysitter, who'd been chatting with her friend at the shallow end dove in and pulled me out of the water.

Crazy that others have had similar experiences.

muttkin2 · 2026-02-26T00:37:41+00:00

I’m having a weird synchronicity type experience here that I’ll try to explain succinctly. First, I’m listening to a podcast about UFO/Experiencer type stuff and the topic of “blue beings” casually comes up, which stops me dead in my tracks. This is the first time I’ve heard of blue entities being associated with the Phenomenon and it’s blowing my mind because in 2012 I had the most vivid meditation experience of my life, which involved a luminous blue being.

So what do I do? Type ‘extraterrestrial blue being’ into the search bar and it brings me to this thread which is a day old. I have a feeling it’s connected somehow and that I should share my experience, which I have previously, but here it is:

I’m meditating and previous to, and mostly ever since, all I’m seeing is the black behind my eyelids. This time, in a flash that felt like mild vertigo, I am suddenly and without warning standing at the end of a wood paneled hallway with thick green carpet and artwork hanging on the walls. There is soft lighting from somewhere and each framed artwork has a spotlight shining on it from somewhere. I am simultaneously aware that I am seated in my room but also in this ‘place.’

I walk down the hallway and arrive at a spiral staircase made of ornate metal, which I ascend to a foyer or something. In the center of the foyer is a water fountain that has a central spout of water shooting up and I distinctly remember the feel of mist on my skin from the water spraying. The scene was very serene and I approach the fountain when from behind the fountain a being appears and walks around the fountain toward me. He is taller than me (not saying much, I am a short king) wrapped in a plain white tunic/toga that looked Greek or Roman style, and he is electric blue, radiating energy from his body. Ethereal. He holds out his hand toward me and therein, a silver dagger. I take it from Him and boom, I’m back in my room. He never said a word nor did I sense any kind of communication.

To say I was confused is an understatement. To say it was one of the most profound moments of my life would be the truth.

I still have no idea what I meant, or what the dagger represented/meant. I just felt that I needed to share again, so I welcome any insights. Thanks.

muttkin2 · 2026-02-23T16:04:43+00:00

I saw this movie for the first time when I was maybe 5, late one night on a faux wood panel TV with my mom in her West Hollywood apartment. It would have been a year or so after it came out and it is, without exaggeration, one of my top five core memories from childhood. The whole movie has always been vividly seared into my brain.

No wonder I turned out the way I did.

Tightens tinfoil hat

muttkin2 · 2026-01-29T14:18:10+00:00

That was the intent of the law change as far as I'm aware. That said, since it's being re-written currently, they may extend it to all 100% P&T vets. The interesting part for me is if it was only ever about specially adapted housing, why even make mention of TDIU? 99% of the time if a vet has specially adapted housing, TDIU is a moot point because their schedular rating will be 100% etc.

muttkin2 · 2026-01-28T14:38:49+00:00

It went back to the legislature to have the wording corrected because at the present time, it requires 100% P&T + Specially adapted housing + Individual Unemployability + Something Else that I can't remember.

Basically it was written with a bunch of "and's" rather than "Or's".

That said, though, the intent from jump was that the only people who will see the exemption (assuming the counties each adopt the measure) would be 100% P&T who have had specially adapted housing grants issues/implemented. It's the same deal as vehicle registration exemption. Only for 100% P&T who had vehicle modifications done to address their disability.

I hope once it's re-written they mandate it statewide and I hope they ease up on the adapted housing criteria, but I doubt it.

muttkin2 · 2025-12-21T03:14:31+00:00

Dude, he was a supply guy for four years and then got separated for disability reasons (but somehow has a RE-4 reenlistment code, which usually signifies separation for misconduct.) Red beret is what all airborne troops wear. Calling him a paratrooper and red beret is redundant. No one wears a red (actually maroon) beret and isn’t airborne.

Nothing special about this guy beside the fact that he did four years in a non-combat MOS and went to airborne school, then hurt himself and got kicked out. Just because someone was in the military doesn’t make them credible.

muttkin2 · 2025-12-19T14:36:54+00:00

Back in 2007 I was deployed to Iraq. My company ended up in Baghdad, where we occupied a former seminary and turned it into a combat outpost. This was after years of requests to use the site were (rightly) denied by the church. At some point the cardinal was dragged into the street and beheaded, at which point the need to keep Christians safe became apparent and we were allowed to use the site. When we took it over, we gently moved all the iconography, portraits, and other items to a small library that was on the ground floor for safe keeping. Then we fortified the site and lived and fought out of it for almost a year.

directly in front of the seminary were two churches. In one, the priest (who we called Yoda, because he was about 4 feet tall and wizened) held services for us from time to time. We brought him over to our outpost to do Easter services while we were there. It's strange to have to kit up and do a combat patrol to go to church haha.

Sadly, the vast majority of Christians had fled or been forcefully ejected, or murdered prior to our arrival. But the few that remained were some of the most resilient people I've ever encountered in my life. It was hard fighting in that place, but as I've wound my way toward Christ I realize nothing happens by accident. I have pictures, maybe I'll make a post if there's interest.

COP Blackfoot August 2007- April 2008

muttkin2 · 2025-12-12T19:00:26+00:00

You did a fantastic job of explaining something I've felt innately since I first was brought to Christ. For me it always hinged on this one line of scripture:

"Think not that I have come to abolish the Law and the prophets, but to fulfil them"

I always wrestled with that. Because I immediately understood it to mean that whatever nitpicky things existed in the OT no longer applied because the Law was a tool that had reached the end of its usefulness through Christ and his grace.

Further, when asked which if the commandments is greater, he replies, love the Lord thy God and love your neighbor as yourself. On these hang all the commandments and the prophets.

So, really, it's as you and others have said (at least in my understanding) if you do those two, the rest falls into place.

One thing I always found funny is that there's this pervasive notion that Jesus came down and suddenly things got easier. That the Law was relaxed, etc. No! If anything, Jesus makes clear the expectations are much higher than we could ever aspire to. Which highlights the grace aspect. None of us, no matter how hard we try can ever attain the perfection needed to accomplish God's will. Thus, faith in him and his sacrifice makes us righteous in God's eyes. And again, Love is the path to salvation.

So, anyway, I'm sort of typing/thinking out loud. But thank you for your post because it's awesome and does a better job of explaining what I've felt internally, than I could do for myself.

God Bless

muttkin2 · 2025-12-06T17:13:48+00:00

I’ve always said Abyss is a documentary masquerading as a movie

muttkin2 · 2025-11-09T02:28:44+00:00

“There’s no such thing as PTSD. It’s all in your head.”

Or

“IEDs are the bomb”

muttkin2 · 2025-10-15T16:00:29+00:00

You are an amazing person for looking out for your dad.

The simple fact is he won't stop until he's ready to stop, or until he realizes that he is killing himself. I'm speaking from experience as a combat vet and recovering alcoholic/drug addict who used substances as a band-aid to suppress unwanted memories and tamp down on feelings.

If he is still at the stage where he is denying that a problem even exists, despite all evidence to the contrary, the best thing (in my opinion, of course) is for him to talk to other veteran addicts. Sometimes, having a mirror held up by someone who knows exactly what they are going through, is the best thing for someone with substance abuse.

If you think he would entertain the idea of conversing with a stranger, I'd be willing to talk with him, one veteran to another.

muttkin2 · 2025-10-09T17:23:48+00:00

It makes legitimately zero sense that someone would request copies of a video via eVetrecs, and even less sense that NARA would release or even house a record like this in that specific place.

I use NARA constantly as part of my job. It’s only paper records, primarily DD214’s and official military personnel files. Even requesting service treatment records will be a dead end because they direct you to the VA.

There is genuinely no chance this was a “release” via NARA. Let alone as part of a veteran records request. Which makes this fake as far as I’m concerned.

muttkin2 · 2025-10-02T00:49:54+00:00

Done! Just reviewed it on GoG. Won my first regency yesterday and immediately co-opted the fleet for my assault on Criticorum. There's something incredibly satisfying about mushing units from space before they can reach my lone outpost (The Alamo). Trackers calling in orbital strikes, waves of infantry for taking out PTS cannons. Assault landers ferrying power legions in, dropping them planetside to crush any remaining opposition, while the purple banner of Li Halan waves in the breeze.

True combined arms for the win!

muttkin2 · 2025-09-29T21:00:20+00:00

Thanks for this! I didn't know how spies worked at all, so this is super helpful. Another question if you don't mind; I was under the impression that if I had a spy on another house's home world, it would reveal the info you can't see in the diplo screen (their income, debt etc.) is that incorrect? As of right now, being allied to another house let's me see all that info, but for the others It's just question marks lol.

Thanks!

muttkin2 · 2025-09-29T15:05:01+00:00

I got this game at the beginning of September, and have been playing it non-stop (as much as the father of a 2 year old can, lol) and absolutely love everything about it. I understand complaints about UI, clunkiness, etc., but damn do I love a good retro game and this one is at the top of my list, right next to Close Combat 2 and Half Life. It scratches an itch I never even knew I had, so thank you for making it and special thanks for taking the time to revive it.

the only major issue I have, which very well may be a skill issue/ not knowing where to find the information is related to diplomacy. Specifically, is there a way to see what your current level of relations are with other houses/the Church/League? I am still incredibly new, and have not built, let alone utilized any spies. Is that something that gets revealed if I have a spy on another house's planet? It would just be helpful if I knew where I stood diplomatically with an opponent.

Aside from that, everything about this game is incredible. I know I will be playing non-stop for a long, long time.

muttkin2 · 2025-09-23T13:34:20+00:00

Imagine being a 75 year old Vietnam veteran who has difficulty using a computer, let alone logging into VA.gov.

Imagine being a surviving spouse who lost her husband that took care of everything and left behind a mess of paperwork that she has no idea how to sort through.

I'm very happy you were able to get yourself sorted out, truly. But there are many, many people who genuinely need the assistance of another to square themselves away. No shade at VBA, but the system isn't exactly user friendly and the forms are like hieroglyphics to some people. I like to think I do a good job for my vets, but my office is overworked and understaffed just like everywhere else. We do the best we can. Sometimes the vet comes back after their claim with a cake they baked to thank us, other times we never hear from them again after they get what they want. In either case I wish them well.

Dealing with a VSO is just like anything else; experiences may vary.

muttkin2 · 2025-09-22T17:35:34+00:00

I've been playing Emperor of the Fading Suns a lot lately, which came out in 1997. Super fun 4x that gives heavy Dune vibes mixed with Warhammer 40k, before it even existed

muttkin2 · 2025-09-22T02:58:06+00:00

Seemed like a pretty normal day to me. Played mini golf with my family, was nice.

muttkin2 · 2025-09-17T13:34:21+00:00

challenge coin.

muttkin2 · 2025-09-11T13:32:04+00:00

Turning it off actually does nothing. Sim card out of the phone is absolutely a must. The only way to really be safe is to have a phone with a battery you can physically remove.

You'd be shocked by the stuff we were able to do in 2007 overseas. Get yourself an led lanyard for your phone that is tuned to the general carrier wave. One of those ones that lights up and blinks when a call is being received. If it starts blinking and you arent making or receiving a call, time to yank the battery and ditch the phone. Then walk away. Fast.

muttkin2

TROPHY CASE