So I watched the solar eclipse today on my lunch break. It was set up to be a disappointment: the weather was cloudy all day. At one point, not long before we were due for partiality, the clouds burst into a thundering downpour (of which I was blissfully [!] unaware, absorbed in my work trying to convince unseen strangers to insure their own bodies against all manner of mishap and misfortune, a surprisingly challenging task). Soon enough, however, the rain stopped and lunchtime rolled around.
Sunday morning:
I get up at nine a.m., about as bright and chipper as one of the living dead on account of having stayed up most of the night installing Ubuntu Linux and burning two DVDs. The clock seems to skip ahead ten minutes for every five that I experience in this sluggish morning-after state. My morning routine takes me almost the full hour, and by the time I'm fully dressed and ready to go, it's already well past ten. I am definitely late for church.
I'm dressed in my best, with a
Scroll down below the annoying Lillipütties content block. That's the BCii Reading List. It's pretty empty as yet, with just three stories, but I do intend to fill it out with more. If you'd like to help, just send me a PM linking to the story/stories you think should be included.
Just a note: a story that gets selected will most likely break from convention in some way, and do it exceptionally well. No run-of-the-mill Bionicle fan fiction need apply. I'm on the lookout for gems!
-BC
For some time now, I've been a man in search of his Life Purpose. Well, if you want to look at it another way, I've been at it all my life. A person's Life Purpose isn't always something they're conscious of -- sadly, some people appear to be completely lost when it comes to defining theirs. But everyone has one, there's no question about it to my mind.
Life Purpose is a many-faceted thing. The most basic, universal element of it, I find, is just to experience life! This is very simple, yet m
Ever wonder about UFOs? You don't hear as much about them these days, but back in the 1950s, sightings were commonplace and widely reported in the mainstream media. All kinds of rational explanations have been given for the observed phenomena, but those who've witnessed a UFO maintain that what they saw was not a weather balloon, a meteor, or anything else of this mundane world.
I don't care if you're a believer, cautious believer, skeptic, or non-believer. Just check out this story. If the i
It's the Phantoka commercial song, Gravity Hurts. None of the previous songs officially linked with Bionicle have been close to this good, in my opinion. I've probably listened to this song twenty times in two days. It's a powerful anthem, I think, with a powerful message, if you know how to listen. And, boy, those vocals are really something, not to mention the artistry on drums, keyboard and guitar.
Click to listen - right click and Save as to download
Tension is rising
Gravity hurts
I knew this latest Epics contest was going to turn out some gems, but I never expected anything on the level of Tolkien's entry, Unknowledge. READ IT OR REGRET NOT READING IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. So there.
-BC
(Click for image)
For the Storyline and Theories contest, obviously.
Here's the entry post.
Here's the MOC topic.
And here's the bio in case you're too lazy to click the links above:
Cheers,
-BC
Even years ago, in my teens, I remember how I used to long for something that was missing from my life. Inner peace, serenity, a connexion to the center of my being. Now, looking back, I wonder how I went so long without actually doing something about it.
In more recent times, I've known about the benefits of meditation and I've sought information on various techniques. I've tried out a couple of recordings that were supposed to help achieve the Alpha state of mind, where "conscious" thought
I return to the blog known as Siilivaara with so much to say. But let me, I pray you, begin with the not so pleasant news.
The W+E Project, that great and shining endeavour so full of promise for the future, has been terminated.
Now, I am not here to complain that life's not fair. I have no bitterness about this. The fact of the matter is, this is the way it had to go. I have chosen a different path, one which the woman who was to be my wife does not wish to follow.
I am exceedingly tha
As you may know, I'm studying in the field of forestry for the second year now. It's a great field: lots of exciting opportunities and challenges, plenty of work available, an endless supply of new things to learn, a prospect for the future. My school is great, too: my courses are giving me the qualifications to work in a wide range of positions across many different fields, I'm receiving a top-notch education in Forestry, and I've gotten to know some really awesome people.
So what's up with
... more properly referred to as Bionicle® Lillipütties!
The idea of this project is simple enough: Build a massive horde of cookie-cutter Bionicle figures. But why?
Why not?
I've established my rep as a MOCist. I'm not very prolific, but I do have a rep. I've done some cool stuff in the past, and I will most likely continue my sporadic output of BCii-brand MOCs. This project is my particular little pet, the black sheep of the family, if you will. I'm aware that it scores a zero for ori
*Sigh...*
My PE bar is full. Full!
And I was doing such a good job of keeping it at +4. Had to go and ruin it, didn't I?
Oh well. At least I get a copper mask out of the deal.
-BC
... wait for it...
That's right, folks. I have returned from my phantom lurkingness to announce a winner in the Great Hedgehog Hill Kanohi Contest (see previous entry for details). I apologize for the delay.
And so now we're all burning with anticipation to find out who it was that came up with a winning name and power for my original, exclusive Kanohi mask, right?
It is none other than...
... the amazing...
... the talented...
... a person w
Well, if this isn't a bolt out of the blue...
About a year and a half ago, I drew this mask.
("Ooh!")
After recently reading bonesiii's blog entry Vector Art In Powerpoint: Quality, Inexpensive, Easy with great interest, I felt inspired to try my hand at transforming my sketch into a professional-quality image.
I wasn't content to use Powerpoint exclusively. For one thing, the Office gradient tool is extremely limited in functionality. Since I own a copy of PhotoShop Elements 2.0
Chapter subtitles! (Once again, freely translated. Spoiler tags to save on real estate.)
» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «
Comments? Anyone?
Some of these subtitles seem pretty odd without their actual content to explain and substantiate what they're trying to say... But you get a rough idea of what the book is about. Maybe.
Enough to maybe shake you up.
-BC
Just as a little indication of what the book is like, here are the chapter titles (freely translated):
1. To the reader
2. On paradoxicality
3. Humility: out of weakness, strength
4. If you seek security, live dangerously
5. You will receive that which you are prepared to give up
6. The less you do, the more you will achieve
7. Only alone can you be together
8. Only together can you be alone
9. If you seek eternity, live in the here and now
Thoughts on these?
-BC
Big news. Really big news.
My girlfriend and I got engaged.
I proposed on the 24th and we celebrated on the 31st with a Finnish-style engagement party.
We both got rings.
A matching pair.
14k gold.
9 grams of gold for $220 Canadian.
That's a screaming deal, folks.
But that's beside the point.
I. AM. ENGAGED.
TO. MY. AWESOME. GIRLFRIEND.
YES!
-BC
I've been away. A million and one things have happened.
In order of relevance to this blog:
1. I no longer build with LEGO bricks.
2. I am selling my collection of LEGO bricks.
3. The above has not come about easily.
4. School has started.
5. I leave for Vancouver on Sunday and will return to Finland on the 7th of September.
Best regards,
-BC
Canada vs. Finland for the gold! Wooo! It's the Land of Hockey versus the Other Land of Hockey! Go Canada! Go Finland! One of you has to win! How can I lose? Hah hah!
It's moments like this I love being a dual citizen...
-BC
I was updating my "How Embarrassing!" content block and I noticed I now have one gross Bionicle sets. That's a dozen dozen. 144. CXLIV if you're into Latin.
Maybe it's time to stop buying them. I've just recently gotten into trading. It's a fun way to get MOC parts without growing my overall total amount of parts.
-BC
