Moebius 1/32 Cylon Raider Part 003

OK, a snag in the planning stage. Apparently, there is a problem with attaching the 0805 LEDs to the edge of the board for soldering. One way is to use White glue. Which was all fine but there is a long drying time and not only that, the glue dries very fast by the time you apply the second dot for the second LED. And I have not even attached the LEDs yet.

So, not wanting to give up easily, I decided to use another approach with is to solder all the negative tabs of the 0805 LEDs to the 'simulated' copper track. But alas, it failed too.

What am I going to do?

Once you solder the second LED, the heat from the Soldering Iron would melt the solder on the first LED. This is not good because if this was to be done en masse, it would be very labour intensive and hair-oulling experience.

A day in the Life of a (Temp) Househusband Part 2

By mid-afternoon, its times to fetch Kristine back from the school. But before that, I have to get Kaelynn first since hers finished minutes before Kristine. I guess I can get used to this for a few weeks, I suppose, or until my Mom gets back on her feet.

Some parents are already starting to wait outside the school.

The girls making their own lime-ade after lunch.

Come Dinner time, it was off to Mid-Valley to get some much needed items for Mom at the Hospital.

Our Dinner at the Foodcourt.

The girls are enjoying themselves with their meal, esp the one with the big sausage

So far, so good. But I sense that something is going to break, being the pessimistic person that I am. Already I have seen signs that my Dad's attention goes to Mom instead of anyone else.

Mom's Stroke II

I think I am still stunned from all this. I mean, just this morning, even when I had to turn back to get Kristine's glasses, I did not feel much anger nor the impulsive feeling of making everyone knows that I am pissed off. Maybe its me aging, or maybe, its just shock.

My Wife told me that Mom's left side was affected and apart from that, she was quite alert although she could not speak much.

So, with everyone sleeping while I was the chauffer for the girls, I just felt that there should be something more I can do. My sister would be rushing back from Singapore today too, to see what else can be done. So, right now, I just need to do what I can do for the moment. But I did some small talk with the Wife, perhaps, I can just resign from the current company, and hope to do part-time with my ex-Boss, at least this will solve the problem of chauffering the girls and still be able to pay for the bills.

And just this morning, when I saw RM20.00 lying on the floor near when I was buying some nasi lemak for the family, it just did not occur to me that I could just scoop it up and take it. Rather, I was standing guard on the crumpled notes and looking around, seeing which person dropped it. After feeling that none of them was the one, I just left.

Something is wrong with me. I could still have just taken it...

Moebius 1/32 Cylon Raider Part 002

So, how?
With my Mom in the Hospital, I guess the only thinkg I can do now is to just make sure the Family is OK. And this project, I guess, could be the way to my freedom. So far, I have examined the Model Kit and but the looks of it, lighting is possible. Not only that, if I do this carefully, there would be no cutting or any plastic deformation if i can help it. My hopes with this Kit is to help generate some in come for the months to come.

But its also a challenge I could not resist.

I have temporarily set up my R&D 'base' on this table

Looking at the Model part, there is no way a 3mm LED would fit

And looking at the kit's visor, the only choice would be to use SMD LEDs.

I am planning to use the 0805 LED, which is thick enough for a PCB so I can solder it sideways on the board's edge

Time to dig out my old Notebook because I would need it for programming the chip

Being a Temporary Househusband Part 1

Since I have taken three day's leave, its time to get things into order as best as we can. But whatever it is, we have to make sure the girls do not miss school if we can help it. For now, my Mom is in UH and so, my Dad goes there to make sure she is OK. As for me, I will fetch the girls to and from school.

Which is not a problem until you realise that they are at different ends of the Federal Highway. And have different time tables...

Kristine starts at seven-ish while Kaelynn's is at eleven. OK, got it.

Except for Mondays and Fridays, Kristine's school ends at... whoa, whoa, whoa! This is getting complicated! After trying to memorise the schedule and getting an earful from my Wife, I think I got it. And in the middle of all this, there is housework to be done and also, making sure whoever is in the house, gets lunch. Plus, the kids, too when they come home. By the time all this is done, its four in the afternoon.

And by night, after Dinner, we take turns to go up and visit Mom while the other waits in the car. Once its over, we go home to put the kids to bed while I return to get my Dad. It not that we don't want to pay for the parking but it feels kinda lonely at the car park. Furthermore, my Dad said so.

Kaelynn likes to accompany her sister to school, which is something new to her as usually, I drop Kristine off on my way to the Office.

Three hours later, it was her turn

An hour later, lunch is ready. I can cook but it no point sending everyone to the Hospital too.

Yum-yum. My reward for the day.