Wednesday, January 05, 2022

It's not you, it's me


Dating Online during Covid-19

This is the perspective of a man in his sixties, who has recently​ and reluctantly​ returned to the dating app scene​.​

You may have a lot of questions when you decide to dip your toes back into the dating pool, especially since we live in the Trying Age of Covid. By engaging yourself online​, essentially exposing a hastily assembled shopping list of what you seek in a partner​, you'll have the same issues that the average person has, plus a​ bonus barrier of what to do once you ​[1] establish a common interest, [2] find that you're within a day's travel of each other, [3] have sufficient overlapping time (and interest), [4] ​decide to meet in person.​ ​

Generally, I consider myself a nice guy, kind, ​certainly ​not rich, and not someone who would cut ​you off on the freeway. ​I'm an average height, quick to open doors and smile to ​most ​everyone I meet. Humorous​ in a bit off-center​ way​, smart, literate, ​fairly well-read​, good hygiene, passable sense of fashion and so on. I am the guy who​'ll help your old mom get something from the top shelf at the market​ or assist the elderly or disabled​ without a second thought. I am an average Joe like you.

I don't have the dashing features of a celebrity or the photographic memory of a stage act, but that is part of the job description for artists. I haven't grown up beyond occasionally exaggerating to make a point. I'm just a ​pretty nice guy looking for ​"​my ​own" nice woman, for my ​next ​best friend, for my advocate, ​for ​the person I want to do things for and with​ foremost​, the first pair of eyes I see in the morning and the last at night, the lips that know how and when to find my own perfectly. And often.

Apps, anyone?
I'm not looking to date. My preference is not to search online for what I strongly believe should be a physical, real, visceral person who​, by coincidence, serendipity, karma or just plain luck, happens to be in the vicinity of where I happen to be​, open to finding someone, maybe like me​.

Dating apps: I'll admit, I have a real love-hate relationship when it comes to using one. I'm currently on several. When it comes to finding candidates, some tools work better than others, some don't work at all. Not to 'score more,' as an adolescent male might suggest, but to see and be seen.
My goal is to make an easy connection with someone who thinks I'm a good match at least.

Yes, I have a car.
One of the sites even asks if you have a car. No matter what distance you specify for a reasonable distance when looking for a potential partner, I regularly receive matches from about four and a half hours away, which is not what I'd consider the 'impulsive date' range, which is the distance you'd be willing to travel for a last minute concert, film, or event.

It's unlikely you will find your perfect match, if such a thing ever existed or might ever exist. Let's take a look at why. It is important for both of you to look for clearly stated characteristics that will narrow the search quickly and help you find the perfect partner. Another crucial factor comes into play when the two " perfect pieces " of the perfect couple puzzle have the 'partnership need ' occur simultaneously. It must be within a reasonable geographical range and also include whether they have had other experiences in the past that enabled them to better define perfection for them in the context of a 'couple' partnership and what that might look like. You must ​further be able to ​recognize her when you find her.

Looks a little off to me.
In a perfect world, we could have hard and fast rules about what is attractive and what isn't, since visual appeal is the driving force behind connections, at least online. I have written this from a binary male point of view. Please make adjustments as necessary if you identify in any other way.
What I'm trying to say is that as we age, oh boy especially as we age, skin tends to sag a little and to ​more closely ​resemble a type of Crêpe papier on the neck, under arms, thighs and other exposed surfaces.​ It's normal, right? I'm not the only one this is happening to, right? Breathe.

On top of categories common on most apps, like age*, education, political stance, religious stance, height, body type, degree of activeness, and so on, there should also be a free class that demonstrated how to use the camera on your phone.
*In terms of age, I dated a wonderful woman who was beautiful, accomplished, and confident. Her personality was playful and loving. When we broke up, she returned online at a much younger age than the one I knew her to be. 
When it comes to setting a comfortable age range, should we consider some leeway if women (and men) are going to lie about their true age? Taking this a step further, what is age, anyway? Then there are those who dismiss the age difference out of hand and a few others who seem fixated on that single issue. While I've seen people act much older than they are, I enjoy physical activities, things, and am younger in the sense that I am playful, positive, and joyful.

Beautiful by nature.
Drawing eyebrows on the face, lipstick liners, photos that are too far away to be of any use, bad dental hygiene, bad posture, photos that aren't flattering or in which the woman is largely obscured by a pet or flowers, bathroom lighting, women who have no concept of what a natural expression looks like should all be optional categories that can be checked off. If your body is on the larger side, avoid having your photo taken at a buffet bar, as it will make you look like you're doubling down.
Apparently, men are no different. In the past, I have heard of people embellishing photos by hiding beer guts, hiding behind sunglasses, not smiling, slouching, wearing a big hat, or simply drinking beer. Oh boy, I know I could use an advocate for my own online reputation!
A person of reasonable aptitude wouldn't allow such things on the internet, but here they are. Interested?

Out of this world.
Once a notable scientist was asked how likely it was that intelligent life could exist elsewhere, and he created a formula called Drakes Equation. If you're more interested in alien civilizations than dating, look here.
The reason I'm bringing this up is the fact that dating sites earn money by offering everyone an endless selection of potential partners with the bonus of access to filtering features, the ability to reply or to chat for just so much more a month.

Can you tell what I'm thinking?
​Here's a completely​-​a​​t-random list of the ​next 10 women's expressions as I randomly scroll on the site I'm on:
1. Looking up at the camera makes my wrinkles less noticeable.
2. It's only my mouth in a smile shape, my eyes are normally like this. I bite through leather like this.
3. Leaning forward to look interested; i just look uncomfortable. Don't look at my cleavage.
4. Really, you're going to take my photo in the store? I'll try to look uncomfortable.
5. I'm sitting on a couch but I'm definitely surprised to see myself in my smartphone.
6. Yes, I'm in a crowded restaurant and the window's right behind me. No way you're getting details.
7. I saw this hairstyle in the 60's and I'm still working it. Maybe if I half-blink with one eye...
8. This photo has not at all been run through all the instagram filters to the point of obscurity.
9. This is how I laugh, although my eyes tell you I've died on the inside.
10. Look how close yet completely out of focus I can get my face to fill the whole screen.

​I'm sure that the men on the search would yield an abundance of obvious gaffes, but I haven't been on that side of the screen myself!​

It's a party thing!
I believe it would be a good idea to set aside a couple of hours and to spend those hours reviewing my online dating options - which sounds like going through a​ lot of sifting and sorting​, doesn't it?
​What I'd really like is a woman who cares about ​me, not ​necessarily in a ​romanti​c way​, to look over our shoulders on the online app ​and ​to see what we don't see, "oh, no-she's not self-aware, overconfident, she's had her lips done, she doesn't have good body awareness, she has no friends, she looks like trouble-she's four and a half hours away! Yes, four and a half hours is too far!
​I'd volunteer for my female friends, if they choose to have me look over their shoulders as their advocate. There's a good theme for a potentially caustic​ adult party game!

How has your experience been with online dating?
I would like to hear from you​, please share!​



Friday, August 28, 2020

What the heck is "fractional share investing" or Micro Investing, and is it for me?



In this brief article I'm going to let you know how easy it is to get a free share of a stock worth between $2 and $200, but first, what the heck is Fractional Share investing (FSE) or micro investing?

This is not legal or scientific information. Stock market investors should be aware that there's a
financial risk to investing, and this is not the forum to cover those risks. Caveat Emptor (buyer beware)!

FSE is a relatively recent term to identify ownership opportunities in owning a portion of a share of stock. As I write this, Apple and Google shares have recently split and remain for the most part unaffordable to the casual and new investors.

Stocks 101: When the value of a share goes up, the investor gains a dividend based on the new
value of the stock. Conversely when it goes down, value is lost with some stock investment firms suggesting that the stock owner remain invested instead of selling for a loss based on the historical fluctuations of the stock market, or "the market". Things go up and down (and up and down) as a general rule of thumb.

Paying for a stock or partial share and expecting it to always go up is a sure way to lose your shirt (SMH).

So here's where I show you how to get a free share worth from $2-$200. Really. Sign up at Robinhood, one of the first micro investment companies and still the only one (that I know of) giving away a random share of stock to sign up. No investment necessary, there is no obligation to buy anything or to stand on a corner and tell everyone about the free share you just got (unless you want to earn another free share yourself)!

To paraphrase The College Investor, "Robinhood has been the biggest player in commission-free investing for years, revolutionizing the industry with app-based investing several years ago.

However, Robinhood just announced that they will support fractional share investing, and allow Dividend Reinvestment (DRiP). This is huge because Robinhood is already one of the best places to invest for free. Adding in this feature makes them a more robust investing platform."

According to Investopedia:
Who Robinhood Is For
Robinhood is best suited for newcomers to investing who want to trade small quantities, including fractional shares, and require little in terms of research beyond seeing what others are trading. Robinhood's overall simplicity makes the app and website very easy to use, and charging zero commissions appeals to extremely cost-conscious investors who trade small quantities. That said, the offerings are very light on research and analysis, and there are serious questions about the quality of the trade executions. 

Pros
Trading costs are very low and cryptocurrency trades can be placed in small quantities
Very simple and easy to use
Customers have instant access to deposited cash

Cons
Trades appear to be routed to generate payment for order flow, not best price
Quotes do not stream, and are a bit delayed
There is very little research or resources available

 





With so many chances of getting a really good stock that may grow and grow, this is a good time to check it out for yourself.

A free stock, a little look around the world of investing ops, ... What have you got to lose?

Friday, September 07, 2012

Diablo Evacuation, What can I do?

If this is an emergency at this very moment, you have only two options:

Before an emergency, decide on how and where you will meet up with children, family members, partners or friends. During an emergency, the telephone lines may not be accessible. Try to remain calm to be a more responsible participant.

[1] Grab anything important and head out of town*
*See Evacuation Zone Maps and Routes below. You will very likely be stuck in a massive traffic jam on US 101 and frontage or access roads. Read up on this further below or print this out and read while you're stopped in the expected traffic jams. There is only one freeway route to the North or South.
If you are South of Diablo Canyon, go South as far as Solvang, Santa Ynez or Buellton (about 50 miles as the radiation drift goes).
If you are North of Diablo Canyon, head towards King City, Soledad, Greenfield or beyond.

Remember, you will be competing with roughly 100,000 others for an unreserved hotel room. Good luck with that. See What to Stockpile for Evacuation Attempt below.

[2] Shelter yourself in place**
**See Suggested Shelter-In-Place Procedures outlined below.
As the inevitable immense evacuation traffic jams are unavoidable, this may be the best temporary solution unless the radiation leak or uncontrolled meltdown persists or becomes worse. Sheltering in place requires shutting out every source of air that can get into your house. You will need to seal every window edge and opening, every door around the perimeter, any skylight(s), any vents that may be exposed to outside air intrusion, as well.
Water may become contaminated as well. See What to Stockpile for Shelter-in-Place below.



* Evacuation Zone Maps and Routes
Evacuation options on routes: North 101, North Highway 1, South 101, South Hwy 1.
The routes mentioned can come to a full stop with typical rush hour traffic patterns, and will be almost useless with the majority of the population attempting to use these traditional routes.
Highway 1 is one lane each direction for the most part, and re-joins 101 in several areas.
Frontage roads are not available for several areas adjacent to 101 for geographical reasons.

Coming up:**

** Suggested Shelter-In-Place Procedures and Supplies.

** What to Stockpile for Shelter-in-Place

** What to keep for evacuation attempts

** How to contact family and friends

** What to do if you become separated from your children

** How long do you have to wait before it's safe.

**Help me to gather links and to create a useful resource for information for an emergency, write to me at cubans@gmail.com, thank you.

Links
Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility http://a4nr.org
Evacuation zone- 50 mile radius map
"Levels of Emergencies" by SLO Planning Commission
Planning Checklist (leaves all planning up to you, but still marginally helpful)
"Protective Action Zone" from Diablo Canyon,
         presumes no possibility of danger beyond 10 miles. Woefully out of date. Fukushima's minimum safety zone for exposure of any length of time is 50 miles, and the greater area is to the West of Fukushima, which in Japan happens to be over the ocean. With prevailing Westerly winds here, the area may be greater.
This Map from SLO County planning shows evacuation routes on U.S. 101 for up to 20 miles. Not actually useful for a moderate to large scale problem requiring evacuation.




Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mating Dance

scary-lady
I am NOT my deep-rooted paranoia
The Mating Dance,
or Why You're Not Getting Any Replies* on your Online Dating Site. *or the wrong kind of replies.

Each one of the 7 or 8 billion people on our planet is single at some point in their lives; almost everyone is born single (I'm fairly certain about this), according to accepted scientific evidence.

Alone again
 I couldn't pick you out of a two-person lineup.
Are we on a dating site? With all the social site venues, it can be easy to make a mistake. You may have a vision of what the ideal partner would look like and may spot him or her on a site like FaceBook or LinkedIn, but are those legitimate dating sites? Make sure you're not flirting on a business or other social site. Do NOT send love notes, sexts or flirty messages to people you meet on Business networks: LinkedIn, Quora and sites similar to these. Stick to sites that specifically refer to themselves clearly as and for the purpose of meeting a potential partner. While this may seem forehead-slappingly simple, for the sake of this brief article I'm assuming you don't know Jack.


To begin: Many may find themselves single after a breakup or divorce which was their idea, of course, and are destined to either repeat a pattern of romance and partnership or, having had an awakening of sorts, decide that they will try to take an active part in owning the responsibility for their own actions within and without a relationship.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, as that is better suited for a post on philosophy and sociology.


images
This is a good day for me.
Forefront in one's newly-single

male lymbic mind is, "Why (or how) do we sabotage our own efforts?", part one, the dating site profile photo. This is, of course, presuming that there remains a reasoning center that is intact within the libidinous male mind, testosterone poisoning notwithstanding of course.

Dating Site Photos
What NOT to do If you're a woman, read on. Men, we will deal with you in an upcoming blog. For the time being, you may want to pass this blog link to women you know. Anonymously.

Rule #1 
No one is photogenic all the time
Females, if you consider yourself particularly unattractive even by your own standards, do NOT pose next to flowers, kittens or puppies. Let me tell you why this is not a good idea.
This is sad as it just makes an average man want the flowers and prop pets more than you.
Also important: Do not stare into a camera with a look of desperation, a raised eyebrow, a sad puppy dog look or looking up as if to a forgiving master. A male viewer will instinctively click "continue browsing". If your photos are from the same selfie angle, we're going to assume youhave no real friends.
Selfies should stay on the shelfies unless the resulting photo gives an insight into your personality more so than perhaps into your cleavage unless you consider that to be your best 'selling feature'. 

Screen Shot 2013-11-18 at 9.27.27 AM
Pure character nirvana.
If you're standing so far from the photographer that we can't tell you from the mob surrounding the Eiffel tower, you're standing too danged far away to serve any purpose other than bragging rights. As men, we don't want to see your vacation book, we want to see who you are, even if the photos have been judiciously vetted to favor the most flattering ones. A closeup, a candid and a full body shot will tell us what we need to know, even if we don't know to ask.

Rule #2 Historical archives, special (peculiar) interests and Kodachrome Slides There's so much to go over.
redneck-with-guns
Because this makes ya hot, right? And plus I have bullets and a man thong.

Trucks, motorcycles and guns
If you feature these prominently in your bio and don't get much past hunters, mechanics, bikers and their kind, well, maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere for you. Go figure.

Have a collection of questionable or very niche appeal? Try swapmeets and fetish sites or keep it to yourself until you've established a rapport with your person of interest.


Are your photos over 20 years old (you know who you are), then clearly identify them as an historical artifact, ancient history or whatever else may be appropriate. We can recognize that photos of photos aren't current.

I personally don't want to date someone 20 years younger, but when I meet you for the first time, I really want to know that I'm not meeting your mom (because of the photo's age and graniness).

Of course you were a cute baby, but who are you now? We want to see character lines and your eyes, not a yellowing scrapbook. 

If you don't have friends nearby and would rather let your webcam capture your blue-tinged face, turn on your webcam. Congratulations, you now appeal to cyanotics. And for gosh's sake, clean up the background! You get all this and more.

Blue computer face + a backlight. Firing on all cylinders here
Turn on a light in the house (but NOT behind you!). Ghostly apparitions only appeal to vampires and loners.


No picture? Well, that's how daddy met mommy. Back in the day, I took a true leap of faith. I agreed to meet a woman whose classified ad said everything I wanted to read and still I was somewhat traumatized meeting IRL.
I don't know if I've learned much from that experience or have allowed it to fester in my writer's mind as a worst-case scenario all this time, but I will not meet someone who I have not seen beforehand. There's something to be said for physical attraction, even a slight one, and much to be said for having abslutley none whatsoever. No doubt it will re-emerge as a warning to others in some form. That's not me in the photo.

horseatthesea_crpd
But tinder said it was okay.
Horses and ridiculously tremendous dogs in your photos:
What are you trying to tell us?

Do you prefer the unquestioning loyalty of an animal that you groom, feed and clean up after? I think I speak for a small but earnest population of men that think it would be nice to put our lives on pause and to be groomed, fed and ridden (or walked) all day, every day. Think about that for a moment.

You know who you are. There is an interesting psychological machination where men may feel that they now have to compete for your favors with said livestock and beasts. Make it clear you're looking for a partner, not another pet to ride. Ew.
Or... something to think about for a special-interest site.


czara1_couple.png
Photo with ex: Alright, sometimes it's tough to photoshop, crop or physically remove an ex from a photo, but think about how they must feel to be on your dating site. C'mon. Your neighborhood kid can probably help you to photoshop him or her out of your historical document.

Are your pictures there to show suitors what you expect as a partner or are they there to embarrass him for having lost you somehow, or what exactly? Does he know you posted his (or her) photo all over the internet? Not cool. If you need help, send me the photo and I'll crop them out. Or maybe an emoji will do nicely. Play fair and no one gets hurt.

images-1
SO hungry for you.

Bathrooms, stalls and selfies.
No, don't take your phone into the bathroom, ever.
Please. Really. Don't. It's surprising how many photos taken in less-than-sterile situations actually make it onto dating sites.

Surprises. Yeah, no. Not exactly what you had in mind for a match? 
This happens. Just be upfront and cut the date short. Save face and save money on a most forgettable experience. It's best in the long view to be clear and upfront when something is just not going to work out.


Making duck face kissy pouts: No. Don't. Why are you doing this? Stop. Oh, the humanity.

imgres
Am I dating you or your daughter, sister or
your mom? 
Which one are you? Too much work, pass.
Photos in a group:
OK- Which one are you? This isn't Russian Roulette! Women seem to synchronize all things over time from monthly cycles to hairstyles and makeup. You never see just one Goth or one Kardashian, right?
If you're standing in a 2-shot or group shot, don't make me look through every single photo to figure out which one is you. I can't. I won't. The photos are very small on sites like POF and Mingle, and it's just too much of a gamble.
I may just go to another listing (or site) instead of chancing the horror of meeting you and be expecting your daughter, grandmother or dead best friend. Sorry, but it's a thing.

Screen Shot 2013-11-18 at 9.27.17 AMScanned photos If you honestly don't know how to work a scanner, you can pay me to scan this crap for you. Seriously, old photos being scanned is like watching a copy of a copied VHS tape. We'll know it's not recent and the graininess tends to obscure your face beyond the measurable purpose of using it in the first place.

asd Out of focus photos:
So that's what you look like with a four-beer goggles on?
Oh, Liz, Liz, Liz. Liz?
Or Herb Villachaize?
What's the point again?
Welcome to pixel hell.


Soft focus may have worked for Elizabeth Taylor (might have but she's dead and still pissing me off for making me think I needed stronger glasses) but it defeats the purpose of posting a photo by which we can identify features.




Really? It doesn't get more attractive than this.
Flowery,  Chipmunk Ear, dog face and the Plain Eerie. 
You are the only person in the room that thinks that by applying raccoon noses and ears, a lapping dog tongue or fairy bits and explosions to your photo as an embellishment  will somehow make you more attractive and unique.
An unscientific scan of photos posted by women this very morning shows that about 30% of the photos have been doctored by an "enhancement" app that obscures, colors or erases any and all character lines. Do NOT set your camera app to embellish your photos. This is very "10-years-ago" and not well-regarded by anyone after 3rd or 4th grade, depending on your school district. Hey, Alabama- it's on it's way. Honestly. Lose the twinkly crap and the Forestville accessories, sparkles, special effects, tints, embellishments, "cute" anything or those puffy kissy lip poses.
Really and please.

images
Final thoughts, shots with horrible lighting, endless 
décolletés and silhouettes.

A brief reminder that the purpose of a photo on a dating site is to visually represent the person in it. I don't want to see if you're artsy as much as I want to see YOU. A closeup, a full body shot, an action shot, preferably without your ex in it.

Shooting with the sun behind the subject is like staring at a Rorschach Test of ink blots. You can make out whatever you imagine in the blotch, but are certain to be disappointed in person (and to do poorly in the test). Use lighting that is flattering (soft lights) and not from behind you.

Is it nipply in here or is it just me?
Busted.
I'm no longer thinking of dating- now I wanna mate. A photo of your bust is probably something not to include online. Showing your chest will appeal to a certain demographic audience (95-100% of heterosexual males by my best guess). If you receive emails bordering on lustful and sexual innuendo, consider that your sole purpose online may to serve as a warning to others as far as what not to do online.
And frankly, speaking as a red-blooded male, it's hard enough to be online without having to remember that there are other perks to being in a relationship, like intimacy, right? So showing your bits may work against meeting a partner who's interested in your other parts: A personality, sense of humor, compassion, lifestyle and so on. We know that women have breasts. Move on.

That's about it. Isn't it?
images-3

I believe that we should be able to openly share our (mis)adventures so that the dating community as a whole may be able to learn from each other and our own gaffes. We should be able to see what the others of our gender are up to, and what leads to a happy relationship, and what doesn't. I personally would appreciate hearing constructive criticism from all.

Would you share some of your best/worst emails and meetings? Enquiring minds want to to know!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Nuclear evacuation zone for central California?









So what is with the Diablo (PG&E) evacuation plan? A simple fender bender on 101 will bring 101 to a standstill (try the daily commute from San Luis Obispo and you will know what I mean).

PG&E MUST be mandated to construct specific buildings for mass evacuation way-stations; these would be places you can go to for temporary shelter during the initial problem(s)/incident(s); a time when the roads are going to be least passable.

PG&E currently designates school gyms and other buildings which are in NO WAY resistant to gamma radiation or to most fallout or plumes from a nuclear emergency, as emergency evacuation zones. The most ridiculous is the Santa Maria Calif high school evac. zone, which is well within 20 miles of the plant. Perhaps because it is on the other side of the county line, somehow the nuclear problems stop there.

We need public outcry, not only Mothers for Peace, in order to garner more media attention to this immediate and pressing problem.
Write your politician.
Lois Capps
Sam Blakslee
Other state representatives and the Governor

Make some noise.
After all, it's your life, your family's lives, and everybody you work with, play with and count upon. Every day.
Write now, call now and make an effort, even if only one email, to say that:

"I'm seriously concerned that there are no realistic provisions for a nuclear emergency in our area. Make PG&E construct buildings that are effective, temporary evacuation and effort-coordination designations A school gym or a library is not adequate or designed to protect me or my family and friends from gamma radiation, and the highways here are wholly inadequate for evacuation purposes. We need to act now; the time for planning is over."

Writing a personal note is priceless; let your politicians know that this is important to you, to me and to everyone within at least a 50 mile radius of Diablo Canyon.

Look at the map again, and consider the last time you were on the freeway in rush hour traffic.
Now, write a letter.

Joe

Monday, July 20, 2009

Making Cast Concrete Pavers

Custom molded team pavers from our art or your design.
Making concrete "pavers" or stepping stones, monuments, milestones, headstones and more with your wording.
This is a basic outline for semi-experienced do-it-yourselfers. Complete information is available on each part of this outline elsewhere on the web.

Custom address concrete block
[1] Decide on the size of the layout and create a rough sketch. This is the time to measure out the area
where the final product or resulting cast forms will be placed. Concrete can be heavy and have sharp corners, so measure it out first.

[2] To your layout, add any text or ornamentation you like. Mold letters may be found for purchase online or through letterbank.com. Professionals use reverse cast metal letters, and often the newest cast rubber letters, which are significantly less costly.

[3] Measure the text size and create or order letters. Remember, the letters will be indented into the finished concrete, and so must be reversed to read correctly.

[3 option] Order ready-to-mold one-piece reusable rubber molds from LetterBank.
Some Examples here and here.

[4] Place and secure the letters and/or casting shapes to your form, or place and pour a wet solution of concrete over the letters. Avoid rocks and very coarse gravel, as this will cause pockets or gaps in the finished product. In this example, there is a silicone spray being put on the pan to help in removing set concrete.

Vaseline is also brushed into the mold itself to assist in removing highly detailed molds from set concrete.







































[5] Once the concrete sets (usually overnight at least), remove the letter forms carefully. Allow the concrete to cure for an additional 5-7 days before placing in the desired location.

[6] Be creative! Concrete is fairly inexpensive and will last a long time. You can add concrete color dyes when mixing for various artistic projects.



For additional information, contact us at
MyDIYsigns@gmail.com or @LetterBank on Twitter.



Send feedback, comments and questions. We';; answer them as best we can.

Happy DIY!


Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Cambria Beach

Just a short hour on the beach in beautiful Cambria, CA. We're about half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. No hint of city here.

Moonrise, moon set




Just a few photos from an inspired day.