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Xero Style
6/2/22
Long time friend and kick-ass software engineer Xero has started a new YouTube channel where he discusses cyberpunk pocket trash style. He has always had a taste for aesthetics and is now spreading his virus via his YouTube channel, Xero Style.
While most of the video are about DIY fashion there are some covering hacking and hardware manipulation. I'm looking forward to see this channel grow and the neat content that will come from it.
Bart's Mart Art
7/7/21
It had been some time since I was in any kind of art show but, along with new friend and skilled artist Francesko we held an art show at the local bottle shop, Bart's Mart.
The event was sponsored by Wicked Weed no less and they were serving up free drinks along with a bunch of free merch.
J-B Weld a Bicycle Peddle to the Crank Arm
7/11/15
I have started riding a bicycle recently for exercise because jogging all the time is boring. I bought a Vilano kit bike and put it together. I must not have tightened the right peddle enough though because after about 200 miles, the peddle started to feel like it was shifting when I peddled. I would tighten it back up and it would go away for a little while and come back. Then after some time the peddle was visibly lopsided and hanging out of the crank arm and it wasn't long till it fell off.
Looking at the crank arm it was pretty stripped out and the threading on the peddle was messed up too. I figured I would have to get a new arm and peddle but thought I might try and fix it with J-B Weld. I looked on the Internet and found one other person who had done this [unsuccessfully], however it was with a mountain bike and I am just ridding a street bike and don't intend to put hard stress on the peddle. I cleared off the peddle and arm with rubbing alcohol and then placed some tape on the back of the arm to seal the bottom of the arm hole. I mixed the J-B and glopped it into the arm hole then pushed the peddle down in. After that I took some rubber bands and wrapped them around the peddle and arm to secure the peddle while the J-B dries. I waited for two days (J-B requires one day to set) before I decided to take it out for a test run.
Conclusion
It doesn't work. Maybe if the threads weren't so stripped but even then it's doubtful. I set out on my bike planning an 8 mile ride to test the peddle. About 2 miles in I run into a friend and we went a little further past the end of the trail. We went somewhere between 12-15 miles. About three blocks away from my apartment I felt the peddle get loose. I look down and can see the J-B cracking. Then within seconds the peddle comes right off.Happy New Year, New Site!
1/1/13
Happy New Year! I have a new site layout! I was going for an increased display area, as well as using the whole page. It was back in 2008 when I design DonovanH 2.0 and have plans to make it still usable, after I finish up all of the details with the new DH 3.0. I still have a working copy up of my Flash based student site. There is a nice little tool I had on there for showing off type face on line though. It's been a while since I have messed with font making but have often hand drawn letter sets.
Last year was quite an adventure, with a lot of learning experiences and travel. This year I turn 30! So I have to plan for one of the most epic adventures around my birth date. I'm looking forward to making some more art and hopefully make more time to get my other experiments done. Anyways, stay tuned for more posts about the interesting things I do and experience.
The Return of DonovanH
7/16/12
Well, it has certainly been a while since I have made any sort of update to this website/blog. Trust me, it's not because I have been slacking, far from it. I have been burning the candle at booth ends, with a blow torch going at the center as well!
Since I last wrote I have learned a great deal about Blender 3D modeling tool, became a Ron Paul delegate, shot a (no-budget) commercial for Matt Riednhour who is running for County Commissioner, attended serveral awesome music shows such as World Inferno Friendship Society and Less Than Jake, started doing pottery again, helped oranize and make the website for Conservatives Against Unconstitutional Wars, changed my sites backend from XML to SQL, also I have made much more art work, designed logos, shot some nice photography, and finally moved my entire website from (the lame) Host for Web to Dreamhost! Indeed friends I have been busy
Not only have I been busy but some of my friends have been up to their own epic ventures. Mr. Pi (Paul Makarov) has been writing a song a day for well over 70 days and doesn't plan to stop until he has a years worth! Fellow cyber ninja Mike Logic has launched his new multi-media campaign, Windy City Slick, and has many new plans up his sleave (as usual). My good friend Xero has taken to making some interesting stencils as well as developing a whole new theme for his website. Finally, some long time friends of mine, Chris and Cara are getting married! I'll be driving 7 hours to wish them well and bring good luck and drunken shenanigans to their reception!
CyberMonkeyDev.com
3/19/11
After a little work and planning I have offically registered my own business and I have also gotten the website for it up and running. As of March 14th, 2011 CyberMonkeyDev.com is up live!
The site is all my design and programming however for the monkey mascot type character I turned to the expertice of one
Steven Burnett-Wynn
, who turned this,
into this,
If you didn't know Steven is also the same guy who illustrated about 80% of the childrens games in my games section. He is good at what he does and great to work with. I can always rely on him to give life to my concepts.
Now it's to get a phone number for the company and business cards. I also need to seek guidance in marketing. Right now I have a marketing/sales consultant who works on commission. This is good, but only a temporary plan.
Charlotte, Photography, and Penguins
3/13/11
So as mentioned previously I have moved to Charlotte NC, and in case I haven't mentioned before I started my own company called Cyber Monkey Development, but more on that later. Right before I moved to Charlotte a nice lady in my pottery lab, named Ginger, gave me an old Pentex ME Super manual camera. Now that I finally have a manual camera again I can take real pictures, capture real light, not that digital rubbish fake light.
Honestly, I have yet to get real film and take it out for some shooting. However I have been practicing and finding spots I want to shoot. Here are some pictures I have taken with my digital camera, around the city of Charlotte.
Individual image viewing dose not currently work...
I do plan on returning to where my best shots where taken with my digital camera and capture real light with my manual. Anyways, I need a lot of practice. I am still a novice when it comes to photography, though I do know the ropes.
On a completely unrelated note. I have had a couple days where I haven't been swamped with work, so I did something I haven't done in quite some time. I played a video game! Seems like over the years I have made more games then I have played. Anyways, the game that has stolen hours of my time and replaced them with enjoyment is called Freedroid RPG, and it is awesome! It is also completely free.
Freedroid RPG is developed on Linux environments but has a version for Windows systems too. It reminds me of a more live action Chrono Trigger. Your character is the Linux penguin "Tux" and you get all kinds of crazy abilities to control robots, which comes in handy, for in this world robots went crazy and started killing everyone. It's up to you to help defeat the robots! Anyways if you have some time to kill download this game and check it out.
WeAreChangeDC.org BETA up!
6/30/10
So recently I have launched the BETA version of WeAreChangeDC.org after starting on the project waaaaaaay back in January. Why the delay? Well, I have been doing a lot of work with Artist Web Builders and have not had to much time to devote to the site. Also the first half of 2010 has been filled with many ups and downs. Im glad I have at least been able to devote more of my time to doing art this year.
Also coinciding with the launch of WeAreChangeDC.org , I have been working with the group to hold a protest of the Federal Reserve on July 3rd, in Washington DC, us locals call the place to District of Criminals. For those who are not in the know about the Fed I would encourage you watch the movie below. With that I thank you for reading and wish you a merry day.
Video no longer hosted @ http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-1656880303867390173&hl=en&fs=true
Jordan
6/5/10
Prince of the Pavement
4/3/10
Sites are no longer active
In the busy hustle of life I have almost forgotten to share with you (my readers and friends) the joyous news that your Donovan was actually featured on a music CD! Now it's nothing major, just a brief sampling of a guitar riff I came up with while hanging out with friend and multi-talented sound producer Mike Logic of Doom City Audio, but still was something I was very happy to get to be a part of.
Take a listen :)
Happy 22!
1/1/10
WOW, 2009, that was a heck of a year no? Happy 22!
After a friend posted the date on facebook I mistook it for binary. She posted the date as 010110 or (1/1/10), that was a rather neat concept I had not concidered, after all how often do we have binary days (10110 = 22, neat yes?), ha, well not since 2001 I say.
Normally I am not the type to assign new years resolutions for my self, but as things have taken a chaotic turn in my life many opportunities have arisen to change. If nothing else I want to adventure more. I had spent way to much of 2009 in my office making all sorts of programmy and designish things. Then again knowing my self even if I am not working on a paid side project I'll be doing something interesting with my box of electric currents (Skate-er-Guy 2?). Non-the less to make it easier I have a nice fresh new laptop that will make traveling and working easier.
Another thing that I'm forcing myself to do is, I want to make a piece of art at least once a month. Last year was a horrible year as far as me expanding my artistic range. I made some half decent pottery, but nothing like I used to do when I was fresh out of college. So even if it's just photo realistic drawing, I gotta get back in it.
In general my new years resolution is to do that which makes me feel young again. Im going to do all those fun things I regret not making time for in 2009, so here is to it, HAPPY 22!
Chicago
10/25/09
So, I have been to two major cities for the first time this year. The first being New York City, which was awesome but I was only there for a day (9/11/09) and it was raining the whole time. The second being Chicago, and it was awesome! I went to visit my sister for her birthday and get out of the DC area for a week. I had a fun filled week of hanging out with my sisters and their friends, skating, eating at awesome vegan restaurants and doing your basic toristy type things. I went to the sears tower and stood in a glass booth 103 floors above the city. I went to Millenium park at night and saw all kinds of interesting lights and scupltures. All and all I would recommend going to Chicago some time for those who have not, it's a fun place to venture about.
Appalachian Trail
7/2/09
I was luck enough to get some time off work and decided I have not been on a good hike in a while, so! I decided to go hike a section of the Appleachian trail. This is my second hike on the trail, and I forgot how mountainous the trail was. I had two souls brave enough to venture with me, John and Bosko, members of We Are Change Virginia. Togeather we went on an awesome 4 day 50+ mile hike. Above is a little slide I put togeather of the pictures we took out on the trail.
Kirupa Art Contest, 2nd!
4/16/09
WIN!
Ok, well I didn't get 1st, but I did manage to get entered in the Kirupa.com draw yourself competition and win 2nd! I was pretty happy to be recognized for having some small degree of artistic skill and the $100 prize is nice too!
One point of hilarity I would like to point out is that all though I got 2nd place I actually got the the 3rd highest amount of votes. That is to say that I was beaten by "None (Just show me the results!)", LOL++! So I am 2nd place but beat by none, wow, that statement could be open to a whole set of interpretations.
Purple Cauliflower
3/15/09
Some times in life colors all blend together and the great feats of nature and man seem mundane and trivial. At what point do trees become un-interesting, when every last one is different? When do you lose interest in problem solving when any problem has an unthinkable amount of solutions? Life being in the abstract, non-biological, is the interpretation of the one "living" it. Variety being the abstract "spice" of the abstract "life", and I a lover of spice, crave variety. Recently my view of variety has been aroused by one of the most beautiful vegetables I have ever seen, the purple cauliflower.
Now I have seen a lot of different plants in my life. I am a life long lover of nature, and have even worked on a farm, yet I have never seen purple cauliflower, and this puts a whole new spin on how i see other things. Well this little bit of acknowledgment has kicked my right brian into action.
Since my first encounter with the purple cauliflower I have been taking things more slowly and from an increased array of perspectives. Tomorrow I plan on eating the cauliflower and shall consider a variety of ways to perpare the dish. Which brings me back to variety, ummm. I had found the purple cauliflower when visiting a MOM's store I had never patroned.
Variety brings about more variety, but you must open up your boundaries to find it. Count the rings in a tree, count the trees in a ring. Count the rings in base 2, 8, 10, 16 and yes even 13.Anyways, go some where new find your purple cauliflower and notice the intricacies of life, because variety is a spice that grows every where. INSPIRATION!!!
Paul is FREE!
1/29/09
I am pleased to say that a client and friend of mine Paul Jacob has beaten his case in Oklahoma! Finally he can get back to what is important like assisting people with petition's and supporting ballot initiatives. For those who don't know, Paul caught fire from Oklahoma after aiding the citizens of that state on a petition. If you would like to know more, visit the site I did for Free Paul Jacob! On a final note looking at this picture makes me think a hair cut should be in my near future.
freepauljacob.com is no longer active
Election Judge
1/16/08
I have been asked to participate on the Maryland Board of Elections for the coming Presidential Election! I am honored to serve and make sure the election process happens in a fair and just manor. For those who are not aware the Maryland primary election is February 12th, and the general election is November 4th.
Here is an interesting fact I have learned during the election judge classes, if you sign you name a ballot and leave it blank it still counts as a vote! No kidding, these are votes of no-confidence.