Creating quietly whimsical adventures, both real and imagined
Heading out on the first clear day, I thought it would be wise to take the whole area first, staking out the boundary lines. I started on one edge, and picked out a defined marker, as the forest seemed to stretch on wildly beyond that point. I used a method of measuring by gait, where …
I did some poking around the site, and decided it safe enough to map; no crocodiles or giant rocs attacked during any part of the trip. Once that decision was made, it seemed like a good idea to find out where I was! So I hooked up the astrolabe and headed outside. Blessedly it was …
My next two tools have to do with measurement! When you do official land measurement, it’s important to use pre-measured chains or ropes that you can lay down evenly. For informal mapping though, it’s easy enough to either use a pre-measured length of rope OR… The power of feet! I actually measured my gait by walking …
On my mapping adventure, the compass is the real star of the surveying show! With a compass you can: – Find horizontal angles (super important) – Calculate which direction you’re facing – With an extra-fancy compass, you can also measure vertical angles accurately, so you can find elevations (the height of a feature) or even …
I wanted to start this series with the single-most important tool for surveying an area and making a map. My first thought was the compass, but on second thought, the most important tool of all is… well, the most “boring:” The notebook. Especially important in the early days of mapping, the log book contained all …
Beginning my quest to map a local nature reserve with pre-1500s mapping tools (learn more here), the first hurdle is figuring out exactly what I need. The first step is to figure out how areas were mapped in the 15th century. Really, you just pick a starting point, measure the angle and distance to another …
As you can see, I’m having a bit of upper respiratory trouble this week! I’d like to take this opportunity to step in and speak about being gentle with yourself. _____ Everyone loves a good training montage. We get to see the hero pushing their bodies to the limit each day and eventually meeting their …
I wanted to take a moment to talk about the importance of finishing and skill building. So you would think that a draft that’s been edited, rewritten, reviewed, edited, rewritten… would be good to go right? Not necessarily. Skills grow and taste grows along with them. As your skills grow, you become aware of things …
Still running the #shareyourworld game on Twitter. You get to tell me, in a tweet (if possible), what your world is about. I’m noticing two trends: We confuse story with world. We don’t know why we’re building. Sometimes I’ll get replies that tell me plot. “Scott the magical dog goes on an adventure to Doom …
I’ve listened to this song dozens of times and thought it was a great tune inspiring a lady to be with the guy she loves. Until last night, I didn’t hear it as general advice. I just realized that the beginning of your journey isn’t working toward a dream, but searching to discover what your dream …