Like I said in my last journal, I'm moving again so watch my other account

I'm not entirely sure why I decided to go with my real name on this, aside from having a slight fursona crisis at the time. It's not so much that I don't identify by my real name or that I'm worried about being "outed", my furry status is pretty well known by everyone in town, it just seems too formal.

I originally created this as a separate account for uploading music, but since I haven't really done much in that department I end doing most of my uploading on my original account now designated my art account. Now I'm doing more photography, and I'll soon have a fursuit. At the moment, I'm considering just abandoning my two main accounts and just combining them in to one.

Check back later, and I'll link it.

We've had five great episodes so far, and every week we get just a little better. We need your help to go further!

We're always looking for stuff to talk about, so if you have any topics for us to talk about, send them in! We're also desperately in need of new hardware and software.

Have any news? Interesting conversationals? Extra few dollars on paypal?

Send them in to strikepaw.studios@gmail.com

And as always, tune in to watch us live every Friday 5PM Central time!
http://ustream.tv/channel/claws-convo

Dog urine is apparently very dangerous

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCMiIqkLMGs

I've been playing Planetside 2 for days.

I needed a distraction.

So I came here and posted a random journal which has no purpose.

Except to say I went to  nbowa's new years party, and it was awesome.

Everyone was there. Except for those who weren't, and those who weren't there wish they where there.

pictures (and soon one video) are up on http://iowafurries.webs.com

Now I look at porn. then sleep. then play more planetside teewww I mean play guitar and maybe record something maybe I dunno

I got a new camera :3

It'll not only take really nice stills at 14 megapixels, but it'll do 1080p video at 30FPS, or at a lower resolution 280FPS high speed. It's also waterproof, shock proof, and dust proof. I'm going to be having some fun with this

I've got good news, and I've got less good news.

 dantepadfoot managed to track down four more co-hosts, all from the same part of SE Iowa!! While it's extremely exciting to have this much participation, it opens up a whole new can of worms.

We need more mixer and more mic to do the job. It's roughly $250 worth of equipment that we simply don't have, and that's more then my monthly rent and internet combined! Might possibly make it work with what we've got, but my confidence is rather low.

In addition to needing the stuff to capture our various noises, we're currently restricted to using my little ASUS K84L laptop with 4GB of RAM and a duel core 2.1GHz processor. While it's okay for doing most stuff, it's not so okay for broadcasting live streaming video. It doesn't have enough USB power to handle high end audio at the same time as the webcam, nor the processing power or RAM to record and edit video of length, nor the processor speed to avoid excessive A/V lag. Aside from that, it's just a laptop, not meant for prolonged heavy usage as required by the planned Strikepaw Studio projects.

Having browsed for parts on my favorite website for computer components, I've pulled together a list of hardware plus an OS which, while not perfect, should do the job. $700 is the estimate which I've come up with. Roughly equivalent to a little over 3 months rent.

And I have no credit nor regular employment.

I'm not sure what everyone else, our meeting was rain checked today, but I would guess that they're not in any situation to buy expensive studio equipment. So I ask for just a little help.

Paypal donations can go to thecheguar@gmail.com

Many thanks :3

I just noticed that the rear suspension on my truck is going to need mostly replaced. The hangers and shackles on both sides are broken, and it's got a broken leaf spring on the left side. There's a spot in the corner of the bed where part of the broken shackle has cut through the sheet metal and is now sticking through it (which is what brought my attention to it).

Looks like my truck is going to be out of commission for at least a couple weeks, if not longer. I'll have to put the hauling jobs on hold for now. Also, the fursuit I so desperately wanted to commission will have to wait a very long time :(

I'm nearly finished with Chapter 4 of Black Haven. Interesting how I never thought of myself as a writer of novels, yet here I am toiling away on this one. I've even got a squeal started which takes place on Earth following the events of Black Haven, this one following Breeg after he climbs from the wreckage of a shuttle.

Check out the blog I made for Black Haven
http://chronicalsofbreeg.blogspot.com/

Warcat is still just me, myself, and I. I've put up a couple flyers, but I haven't gotten any calls yet. Hard to find a good bassist, harder to find a metal keyboardist, and damn near impossible to find a drummer.

As far as Strikepaw Studios, I'm still wrestling with the idea of holding off for a little while longer on building the desktop, because I really want a fursuit. A realistic partial of Striker is around $1K, or $100/month, and I can have some real fun with it.

I've hit the occasional bump along the way, but progress is being made. As the Buddhist teachings go, one must let go of negative thoughts and feelings and seek inner peace. I do this in my own way, and after the smoke clears, I am more peaceful then before. I really don't get angry if someone insults me, or if I fail at something. I'm disappointed when I recognize a source of negative emotion, but I learn from it and move on. I've always believed anger to be extremely destructive, and each time I've felt rage I have tried to channel it in to something constructive.

Viewpoints change with new knowledge. Mine is no different, given there's solid reasoning and evidence. I've always supported ideas that can potentially make the world a better place. Sometimes a blend of ideas (i.e. mixing capitalism and socialism) is more beneficial then one or the other. All ideas can be improved, all ideas can be wrong. I'm I wrong to vote for Obama this November? My logic and my gut tell me its the right choice, but I might be proven wrong. Same thing with the Christian god. I don't know if he's real. I don't think there is a god. Evidence all points to there being no need for one. Yet, I could be wrong just as I believe most religions are wrong. I'm perfectly fine with it.

Regardless of who's wrong or right, it's not relevant. Finding the answers, solving problems, and making tomorrow just a little bit brighter... THAT is what matters.

That said, I leave you with a vlog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDk0.....p;feature=plcp

From my blog, I'm branching out in to a whole new spectrum of vlogging, podcasting, and DJing on internet radio. New live shoutcast radio streams every Wednesday, weekly episodes of Basement Tapes, and vlogs added almost daily (4-6 times a week!). Still a long way to go, limited to my laptop for all the editing, but it's a starting point. I'm pretty busy now, trying to polish the formats, editing, recording, and attracting the attention of potential sponsors.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCheguar

Follow my blog
http://cheguar.blogspot.com

Subscribe to my podcast
http://thecheguar.podbean.com

Tune in to Cheguar Radio (Every Wednesday 2pm-9PM CDST)
http://myradiostream.com/cheguar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8CsprJ9bMQ

Direct webcam recording. Be advised

I'm still searching for a drummer and bassist in or near SE Iowa/NE Missouri to join my power metal band,  warcat. Contact me if you're interested, must be with in reasonable driving distance of Centerville Iowa and able to attend regular practice sessions.

It's the point of no return! I am at long last going to MFF. My $30 registration is payed, arrangements for room and ride have been made, and I've got money coming in October. Nothing to stop me now. I am there!

Foxicon, deliberately or not, did alienate itself. Regardless of who's currently in charge, the bitter fact is that events of the past still cling to it like a parasite simply because the individuals involved could not bury the hatchet, despite my best efforts to repair the situation behind the scenes. Since I left last fall (due to personal reasons), the convention slowly faded in to obscurity. Part of this is because I was in charge of social media, and they never found anyone to take my place. Do I want it to fail? No. However, I'm no longer part of Foxicon. If I was asked... begged to come back, I would consider it, but I doubt that will ever happen. To be honest, I don't think I want to ever return to Foxicon. It's better if I go on to do my own thing.

I would like to start fresh. I'd like to start a mini-convention which could serve as a stepping stone. A non-incorporated, 1 day annual convention geared to a smaller crowd that's cheap to operate and cheap to attend. It'll have the feel of a large meet, with the addition of live entertainers and a dealer's den. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity. I would call it the South Central Iowa Furry Convention, or SciFur.

First off, this journal is not meant as an attack on any individual or organization. It is my own observation, and nothing more. I've always been enthusiastic about having a furry convention here in Iowa, and I'm always going to support any effort that promises results to the best of my ability. However, the current staff of Foxicon has decided to alienate itself from the rest of the community. At this point, I do not agree with the way Mina is operating Foxicon. Don't get me wrong, she's a great business person, but a business mindset isn't going to win the hearts and minds of the community (Occupy Wall St. is proof of this).

As of right now, there are two main groups here in Iowa, Foxicon and Cedar Rapids. I have spoke with both parties, and they both agreed that they would be able to put up with each other. Collaboration is going to be necessary in order for a convention to be successful. If we can start fresh on this, I'd be willing to step up as a director. I don't know much about running a convention and I'm a terrible conversationalist, but if there's any common ground, I usually find it.

The current Foxicon administration, from what I hear, is making slow but steady progress but is held up with the process of incorporating. While being recognized by the government as an LLC or non-profit is helpful in the long term, I believe it's unnecessary for the short term. You have to learn to crawl before you can learn to walk, and I believe it's better for now to keep things small.

How would I do it?
Simplicity, simplicity. Start with just a small one day con to get the ball rolling. It's cheap to attend, cheap and easy to run, and grabs attention. Use only as much space as you know you're going to use. It's okay to run out of space, because it means you're doing something right. This small, one day event serves as a catalyst for future, much larger conventions. Venues want to know that an event is going to draw a crowd and make them money. If you've got a single day event that draws a crowd, they're going to recognize that and give you good deal for a larger event.

Here's whats going on right now
-I learned "Ballad Of Serenity". I'll be recording it soon
-Hotel arrangements are set for MFF. I'll be registering as soon as the money gets transfered to PayPal.
-I got a free 15" LCD monitor. Just need to salvage a cable and I'll be playing Skyrim in style
-Might go to the Iowa state fare Friday
-Relationship status is still single
-I found my soldering iron. Got my pickup switch working again
-Still need brake pads & shoes on my truck. I've got a ride to MFF though, so it can wait a little while longer.
-That "Revolution" show looks interesting.
-Going to try Voc Rehab one last time. Maybe.
-I've got Monster in the fridge.
-A journalist from a British news paper is couch hopping at my place for a few days later this month. Could be interesting.
-The Game
-Still need a drummer. Centerville is lacking in that department.
-I'm thinking maybe having a full time front man might make the band's writing process more fluid. I dunno
-Trying to think of ways to get the parts I need to build a new desktop. $550 I do not have at the moment.
-Hauling brush to the dump is good money
-I wish I had my own chain saw
-Take care of your teeth, kids. Dental work sucks. Trust me.
-I re-arranged my studio/office/entertainment station. It's now functional...ish
-I got nine lives, cat's eyes, usin every one I'm never gonna die, cause I'm back. yes I'm back in black.
-I want a super realistic fursuit badly, but it must wait a couple more years. Desktop computer must come first.
-I want to build desktop computers for people.

In the obsolete definition, it means someone who's truthful. A more modern definition is a prophet.

Aside from being truthful, I've caught on to trends, both consciously and subconsciously, from which I've been coming up with predictions. These predictions, given adequate data trends, often come true. I've had weird dreams (the only dreams I remember) that end up happening... maybe this is something I should look in to.

I want to get Strikepaw Studios up and running ASAP. I still need to build a desktop system to do all the heavy lifting of post production and live broadcast, get a bigger mixer and more mics, then slap it all together. Also need to come up with material/format for a show, then execute it once the studio hardware is in place.

Right now all I have is my laptop and a Behringer Xenyx 502. This would work fine for a small, one man operation, but unfortunately I alone cant produce enough entertainment value for a full 10 minutes, let alone a full 1-hour show. Moreover, this laptop (although a decent machine) is really nothing more then a glorified net book that wasn't designed to be a desktop replacement.

It will cost about $600 to buy all the parts I need to build the desktop (re-using the HDD, and DVD-RW from my old, warn out HP). At the rate things are going, it will take me >2 years to save up that much on my own (I don't use credit). If you're interested in knowing what I'm putting in to it, I've got a public wish list on NewEgg.com (search Strikepaw Studios).

I'll accept cash or hardware, the latter being preferred. I'll also be looking for hosts for the UStream podcast thing.

 tips Paypal: thecheguar[at]gmail.com

I'm hosting one on July 14th, starting around 5PM until about 10. BYO snacks & beverage. Feel free to bring a game or two. Weather permitting, we'll travel to near by Sharron Bluff State Park for a hike. If everyone brings a little cash, there's a Pizza Hut and a Subway a block away.

You'll need:
-$5 for food
-Footwear & Clothing appropriate for backwoods hiking
(Disclaimer: Poison Ivy, biting insects, and steep terrain present in Sharron Bluff. Come Prepared)

Map
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msi.....4db5&msa=0

Call or text my Google Voice number @ (515) 216-0927 for information

Please RSVP

EDIT: Date Changed

All is well. Finally building up some savings for the first time in years, hopefully my transmission with 155K miles on it holds out (no slipping, but it tends to get clunky at slow speeds on the 1st to 2nd shift... guess I'll just drive fast), and I can get my brake pads & shoes replaced before too long. I'm also going to beg for new tires. With any luck, ol' Kreiger should be ready for the drive to MFF come November, and I'll have enough left over to actually afford it.

 warcat still needs a drummer and a bassist. Found another guitarist in Knoxville, a real artist who's great not only with a guitar but makes movies as well. Cool dude. He can also play drums, but nether one of us have a set. I'm able to use my dad's garage for practice (hopefully that remains so), but meanwhile my little mixer has found use for practice in the air conditioning of my apartment.

Still stuck with just my laptop, so recording gets a little cumbersome with just 2 USB ports (thereby requiring me to unplug my external HHD or my mouse). Combat Arms, oddly, runs better on it... at leased until some one gasses me or lights me on fire, causing my screen to go black x_x. Once I get $2.5K (and nothing breaks first), I'm planning to build a new desktop system. It'll have a Sabertooth MoBo, 6-core processor, and for the sake of silence, a fan-less graphics card. Great thing about about a Sabertooth, it's got zoned cooling with a thermal radar, so no problems there. Add on a USB mixer, and eventual studio rack, and I'll have a nice little studio rig. Looks like it'll be a ways down the road, though.

:Warcat: is an all original power metal band based out of Centerville, Iowa. We're looking for a drummer, bassist, and keyboard player. Must be willing and able to collaborate on a weekly basis on new material. Send an e-mail to thecheguar[at]gmail.com for more information, or note me.

Pass it along

It's even more so now that I'm living alone. There's just not much to do, except to add a line to a song or play around with my guitar, making little progress ether way. Gaming kills the time, but playing WoW with out a guild or Combat Arms without a clan, more or less alone, just seems to be loosing it's luster to be come just another distraction to make the day go by faster. I've also come to realize that Secondlife isn't all that much fun unless your life is dedicated to a fictional world. Sure, Doomed Spaceship is a fun RP, but it's more or less dead most of the time.

Projects I have many of, which would usually keep me occupied if not for writers block and a lack of a dedicated desktop computer (mine is in a box, in peaces...not really going anywhere. I'm using my Laptop right now... it has only 2 USB ports, which kind of sucks). I've been planning to build a new dedicated studio computer from the ground up, but at a projected cost of $2,500 +shipping, it's not happening for a while. Soon I'll have a little more money coming in, not much but I'll be able to get back on the road to a small degree. I'm dead set on MFF, but it's going to be close as hell (btw ask about the MFF Convoy).

Hate putting things on hold, but that's what's happening. Lack of support, both moral and monetary, and my own problems with concentration have put many dents in my otherwise flawless plans. Brain lock. That's it. Thanks, PDD-NOS, you make my life a breeze. I... forget what I was going to... what is... OOH A PENNY!

(fyi this is typically the kind of thing I save for my Live Journal, but I posted here just for the hell of it)

Revamping the studio to advance it from it's 'test' configuration

http://cheguar.blogspot.com/2012/05.....w-studios.html

and so on.