FDM joints are always a little stiff when they're new. When I print a plate of those cubes, I have to spend at least an hour with each one breaking them in. Such a chore lol
I looked for other models from your faves lists, and there's a million 40K models, but it's such a complex ecosystem, and I couldn't tell what was cool or even authentic, so I stayed away.
@ThatNickGuy Amazon says you should have your gift by December 9. I apologize for how late it is. I tried to do two other ideas but both fell through in spectacular fashion. But Amazon to the rescue.
FDM joints are always a little stiff when they're new. When I print a plate of those cubes, I have to spend at least an hour with each one breaking them in. Such a chore lol
I looked for other models from your faves lists, and there's a million 40K models, but it's such a complex ecosystem, and I couldn't tell what was cool or even authentic, so I stayed away.
That one laying down looks nothing like the picture! Yes, it was me all along! I was trying hard to find two that were different yet about the same size. I figured having multiple Ruffs & Tuffs wasn't a bad thing!
That one laying down looks nothing like the picture! Yes, it was me all along! I was trying hard to find two that were different yet about the same size. I figured having multiple Ruffs & Tuffs wasn't a bad thing!
Yay it arrived! Handmade with sarcasm and swearing by me!
I had hoped to include a second more festive piece but ran out of time, so work snark won out.
@Tinwhistler My partner loved the pin and they immediately pinned it onto their backpack. They also loved the highland cow. It sits on their desk now. Also, I don't know how but I completely missed the letter inside! It fell out from the packing paper as I was about to break down the box. I apologize greatly for missing it.
Well, technically it's a dove, but close enough, right? So what's in this box? Well, according to the label...
it's ..."Snacks." Ok, but what kind of snacks? Foreign ones, obviously.
Let's get this box open, supervised by a curious (and possibly hopeful?) Zaphod.
Yes, that's my real arm. I do my own stunts.
Atop the pile of snacks, a note:
Hey, Zaphod? Down here, boy. Anyway...
>Hi Pat!
> I present to you a selection of some of my favorite snacks from Taiwan!
> Two items of particular note, the snacks with the green packaging and buck-toothed fellow can also serve as a good luck charm. The Chinese name of the snack is a pun on the Chinese phrase for "well-behaved", so if you put the bag of snacks on something you want to behave well, such as a moody printer, the snack gods may use their magic to fix it. This is why HCGLNS has been known to call them the "magic potato chips". They're actually not potato chips, they're coconut-flavored puff snacks.
> Secondly, the blue pack of noodles, they look like instant noodles (and can be eaten that way if you want to cook them), but they're meant to be crushed up in the pack, flavored with the flavoring packet, then eaten dry like chips.
> For the rest, I'll let your adventurous spirit take over!
> Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a joyous new year to you!
>Love,
>[redacted]/bhamv3
I immediately tried to put the chips to work on making something more "well-behaved" as you suggested.
"Why you do dis?" -- Zaphod, probably.
Here's a picture of all six of the included packages:
...and here is what I get for removing the magic potato chips too soon before they've had the chance to work.
No, Zaphod. It's too small. You won't fit, trust me on this.
Thanks, @bhamv3 !
A wild pigeon has appeared! View attachment 50275
Well, technically it's a dove, but close enough, right? So what's in this box? Well, according to the label... View attachment 50282
it's ..."Snacks." Ok, but what kind of snacks? Foreign ones, obviously.
Let's get this box open, supervised by a curious (and possibly hopeful?) Zaphod. View attachment 50277
Yes, that's my real arm. I do my own stunts.
Atop the pile of snacks, a note: View attachment 50278
Hey, Zaphod? Down here, boy. Anyway...
>Hi Pat!
> I present to you a selection of some of my favorite snacks from Taiwan!
> Two items of particular note, the snacks with the green packaging and buck-toothed fellow can also serve as a good luck charm. The Chinese name of the snack is a pun on the Chinese phrase for "well-behaved", so if you put the bag of snacks on something you want to behave well, such as a moody printer, the snack gods may use their magic to fix it. This is why HCGLNS has been known to call them the "magic potato chips". They're actually not potato chips, they're coconut-flavored puff snacks.
> Secondly, the blue pack of noodles, they look like instant noodles (and can be eaten that way if you want to cook them), but they're meant to be crushed up in the pack, flavored with the flavoring packet, then eaten dry like chips.
> For the rest, I'll let your adventurous spirit take over!
> Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a joyous new year to you!
>Love,
>[redacted]/bhamv3
I immediately tried to put the chips to work on making something more "well-behaved" as you suggested. View attachment 50279
"Why you do dis?" -- Zaphod, probably.
Here's a picture of all six of the included packages: View attachment 50280
...and here is what I get for removing the magic potato chips too soon before they've had the chance to work. View attachment 50281
No, Zaphod. It's too small. You won't fit, trust me on this.
Thanks, @bhamv3 !
These are all snacks that I've enjoyed since my childhood and/or now. If you want a few more details on what they are:
The pinkish package are puffs with a sweet filling, they've been around since the 80s and they primarily feature three flavors, milk, chocolate, and strawberry. This particular one is strawberry flavored. They occasionally produce other flavors too, like coffee and lemon, but they're not considered "classic" flavors. Apparently these puffs have even contributed to Taiwan's diplomatic efforts, as foreign dignitaries often end up liking them very much so we use them as gifts. For example, the President of Paraguay got a few boxes of puffs as a gift when he won reelection.
The transparent packaging with individual packets of crackers inside are rice crackers from a company called Want Want. Want Want used to be a food company, but is now an international conglomerate with their fingers in a bunch of pies. They even own a newspaper and TV station. These rice crackers have been around since the 60s, and were basically the basis for the Want Want company's eventual growth and success.
The red and white pack of crackers are savory crackers with sweet nougat inside. This one is a relatively recent one, having been first released around 2010, I believe.
Finally, the orange chocolate bar is called "77 chocolate" because the company first released this chocolate bar in 1977, so it's a familiar treat for many kids who grew up in the 80s, 90s, etc.
Oh, also, forgot to mention. That red and white plastic bag? That's also a type of plastic bag that's been around since I was a wee lad, and I believe it was first produced in the 1950s. Show that bag to any middle-aged or elderly Taiwanese person and they'll immediately recognize it.
Oho! My first day off and a weekend coming. And a wild box appears outside at like 6:30 am!
Inside the box is a bag, some cardboard things that I can only assume are for packing? Oh, and two rolls of tape. Not sure if they were part of the gift but my wife said she'll put them to good use!
And a card! Love the heated seats reference! Attention to detail!
Uh oh. What am I in for?
Gift one: Novelty suspenders. Okay so this one might be unintentionally funny. My late father in his last decade or so of life, wore suspenders ALL THE TIME! I still have a couple of pairs hanging in my closet because they were his. If you remembered that, @Dei then you are freaking amazing. If you didn't, it was still well done. Will I wear them and post a picture later? Maybe...
A Colorado Buffaloes plush. Ouch. Right to the throat with that one. I think I deserved that. He'll go on the shelf by my desk as a reminder to be better. (Still hate Sanders, though.)
POETRY FOR NEANDERTHALS!!!! We played this game on vacation in Alabama a couple months ago and it was great fun! Now all I need are friends in person and I'd be golden! There's a place nearby that has board game night. Think I might just have to go. I'll be the creepy old guy with the inflatable club!
And, of course, the obligatory cat picture. I have to admit she didn't want to climb in there initially. The dogs kept distracting her. But she made it eventually.
Once again, thanks, @Dei ! I love all three although my wife loves the suspenders more than anything and my dogs really, really, REALLY want the buffalo. But they can't have it. It's mine! Merry Christmas!
Oh noes! @bhamv3 your final package is mysteriously delayed.
Tracking info shows it was delayed today three separate times when it should have been out for delivery.
It has a new delivery date of "...by Dec 21, we promise!"
I had no idea it was going to be such an adventure to get them to you. Don't leave those books lying around at work, your coworkers might read them and get some very interesting (and wrong!) ideas about how to English.
For anyone who doesn't know, these are collections best described as "How not to do it" when writing the English language. From student paper malapropisms ("Magellan circumcised the world with a 100-foot clipper") to ironic product naming (Chevrolet's "Nova" car). I admit I have never read any of these books, but I've had countless excerpts from them sent to me over the last few decades.
The pens and notebook? Well, sometimes you just have to write stuff down/take notes, and that seemed like it would be a much easier (and stylish!) solution than scribbling on the back of your hand/arm. The pens are supposed to be very nice. My wife is fussy about pens but really likes one of the other models from that company. Hopefully three will be enough to still have at least one left over after someone else permanently "borrows" one (or more) of them.
In the dark of night, when all hope of postal service seems lost, a truck is heard in the driveway, and what to my wondering eyes should appear... but a suspicious box!
A box filled with paper... this was personally packed! And smells lightly of mint? What could it be?
What could it be? But a card, a cookbook, and a whole lot of tea!
Thank you so much @Frank !! The tea's all look fabulous and seem quite varied. I remember Silk Road from my time out west - they are excellent as a rule. We've already spent some time flipping through the cookbook, and will likely be using one of the recipes for Christmas dinner (we were already planning on ham, and now it will be glazed and sauced as per the book!) Also, the photography in the cookbook is top notch, as are the little in-universe recipe write-ups at the top of each entry.
I'm really looking forward to testing out all the tea, and trying some new recipes. And @Eriol appreciated the shout-out in the card too.
Sometimes, the Amazonian elves need some help.
So I sent my wife out to collect what they didn't want to hand deliver.
It's a box! With bags!
Let's open the small green bag first - it's a book about eels! Everyone knows I'm really into eels! (it's from my wishlist, thanks! Been wanting it for a while)
Next: the big bag!
It's a cardboard cube! In paper!
Thanks Santa Bandit! My wife's complaining, but it'll definitely be featured in many a party table to come
In the dark of night, when all hope of postal service seems lost, a truck is heard in the driveway, and what to my wondering eyes should appear... but a suspicious box!
Thank you so much @Frank !! The tea's all look fabulous and seem quite varied. I remember Silk Road from my time out west - they are excellent as a rule. We've already spent some time flipping through the cookbook, and will likely be using one of the recipes for Christmas dinner (we were already planning on ham, and now it will be glazed and sauced as per the book!) Also, the photography in the cookbook is top notch, as are the little in-universe recipe write-ups at the top of each entry.
I'm really looking forward to testing out all the tea, and trying some new recipes. And @Eriol appreciated the shout-out in the card too.
It’s Star Wars comics! And Vader-centric ones at that! Sweet!
There were notes, but no name, so I can’t thank my Secret Santa directly. Thank you anyway, anonymous Santa person!
I’m probably going to read them over the break since we’re not really doing anything.
View attachment 50380
It’s Star Wars comics! And Vader-centric ones at that! Sweet!
There were notes, but no name, so I can’t thank my Secret Santa directly. Thank you anyway, anonymous Santa person!
I’m probably going to read them over the break since we’re not really doing anything.
