Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Of Tigers And Baboon Butts: A General Life Update

We're leaving for Dragon Con in 18 hours and I haven't packed a thing.

Huh.

::Merrily continues procrastinating::

So hey, before my life becomes wall-to-wall Dragon Con madness for the next 6 days, I thought I'd update you guys on some good stuff.

First and foremost, JOHN HAS A CPAP MACHINE!

The machine is just a loan, as the drama of getting the right one continues (a story for another time), but the wonderful news is that John's been adapting pretty well. His sister sent us a few different masks to try: one gave him a big blister on his nose, another made him feel like he can't breath, but I think the 3rd was just right? 

There's a lot more to this story, and at some point I may sit down and write it all out, but for now let me just say that Bill over at Florida Lung is a saint, loading John up with free equipment (again, as a loan) to ensure John could start as soon as possible, and taking so much extra time to show genuine care for us. In fact, that entire staff there has been phenomenal: they moved heaven, earth, and bureaucratic red tape to get all of John's testing & approvals done in under 2 weeks, which usually takes at least 6. I still get a little weepy just thinking about it.

 

We did have another little scare when John took the mask off in his sleep, so he's been wearing the pool noodle bumpers again, plus he added extra Velcro to the mask to make it harder to remove. Fingers crossed this is all just part of the adjustment period!

***

Now as your reward for reading through all the Serious Life Stuff, here's Eva with a shaved baboon butt:

MADE YA LOOK.

OK, that's just her blanket folded funny, but this thumbnail on my phone made me cackle.

And here's Suki being introduced to Terrence:


 ***

In other good news, we've started making something we've never attempted before:


If this works, it's gonna be HUGE. Literally.

One more hint:


 This was our first proof-of-concept, just testing some techniques. 

I AM EXCITE.

Especially since John does all the sewing. 

***

We went out to try the new Krispy Kreme Reese's peanut butter donuts... FOR SCIENCE:

When John jokingly protested that one of our donuts was too small, the lady plopped a second one on top. There are definitely perks to being married to a flirty extrovert.

Eva will now demonstrate John's flirting technique:

 "How YOU doin'?"

***

I've spent the last month or more trying The Curly Girl Method, which is just... ridiculous. LOL. I can't really recommend it unless you're bored and have too much money.

That said, I did come away with a few helpful things:


That Garnier Fructis hair mask (orange tub) is my favorite, highly recommend. You can find it at any Walmart or Target for like $6. I also like to "buff" my hair some nights (aka pull a fabric tube over it) because it keeps the hair out of my face.

(Hold up, I went to link the hair mask and discovered it's less than $3 Prime on Amazon. Dang, guess I'm ordering online now!)

I've stopped trying so hard with Curly Girl on everything else, though, and I'm learning to just embrace my Summer frizz.

***

Random games from my Story:


Some of my favorite entries included "A really expensive cat toy?" and "A fire hazard."

Which, actually...

... is not wrong.

***

I've been seeing an uptick in Real Life Meetups over on Fans of Epbot, and I can't tell you how happy that makes me. I've been hinting around at trying to get something official off the ground - a way to help you guys connect offline - but that's gonna take time and energy I don't have just yet. So in the meantime, the fact that a lot of you are already in spin-off groups and scheduling meets is everything.

Then this happened after a meet in Portland:


First a message and then a snail-mailed card!

YOU GUYS. 

Thank you.

***

I've been slacking on my outfits posts, but every day that I can, I really do like putting together cute outfits. And even though I don't wear makeup most days, I still try to peek over my phone sometimes to remind myself my face isn't so bad. Gotta keep that battle plan going. (How are you doing with that, btw? Still taking selfies?)


My tragic biography title: "Loves Cardigans, But Lives In Florida."
 
Our old A/C can barely keep it at 78 in here, so most of these sweaters come off right after the photo, ha.

Tried a funky color combo with this one:


 Back to the ever-looming Dragon Con, John designed and ordered new shirts for us to wear:

 
SWEET STAY PUFT!

This is my favorite pin design, so John just tweaked it (and added the slime patches at my request) for the shirt.

That's a round-about way of telling you that Epbot t-shirts are hopefully on the way! We're testing out a new company for quality, since the printing from our TeePublic order cracked and fell apart after 3 washes. I've purchased too many expensive art shirts with designs that washed away to ever do that to you guys. But if these hold up, then you can expect to order some shiny new Epbot shirts in time for the holidays. FINGERS CROSSED. 

***
I told John people would probably think my Stay Puft 'bot is a Stranger Things reference, since Scoops Ahoy is everywhere right now. We looked at each other for a sec... and then of course had to make this happen:


John also made a Marriot Carpet 'bot! Which is a total in-joke, but if you've even been to Dragon Con, you get it. We'll be giving these out this weekend, so be sure to look for us if you're there!

***

And finally, please help me convince John that his hair is NOT too high here:

 

I cut John's hair, and last week we tried a new style with a slight pompadour. John liked it at first, but then the next day squashed it back down because he was afraid it looked silly. So if you're with me and think it looks cool, chime in, k?


And now that I've rambled on for far too long, I guess I should go start packing. I hope you're well, and that I'll get to see you in a few days! Or if not, then I hope you have the best weekend EVER. Please follow along in my Stories to keep me company; I'll be doing my best to document all the wonderful, geeky silliness there.


****

I've had several folks ask about our Amazon link, since a new policy required we take it off the sidebar. Don't worry, I still have all my Amazon lists and recommended products at www.amazon.com/shop/epbot, so feel free to bookmark that for future shopping! As always, anything you buy through my Amazon links gives us a small percentage, so thanks for thinking of us.

You can also toss us a few bucks directly through Paypal, should you ever have too much money but don't feel like trying the Curly Girl Method. ;)

Thanks, gang. Love you.

59 comments:

  1. Can you tell us more about the hair tube?! Because I need to keep my hair off my face, but the just-tie-it-back method pulls out a lot of hair and hurts like heck some nights. :(

    John, that hair style looks absolutely amazing! Go ahead and pomp it up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think she meant the Buff tube - https://buffusa.com/shop-buff/multifunctional-headwear-category/original-family.html You can probably also find them in other online places, and there are videos on YouTube for various wear ideas.

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    2. What Ivy said! I think they sell them at Target or Walmart, too; a friend bought me mine. They're just stretchy cotton tubes.

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  2. John's hair looks great! Pass it on!

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  3. Please please please say that your huge mystery project is Baymax cosplay.

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    Replies
    1. Given Jen's ever so slight Ghostbusters fixation, It HAS to be Mr Staypuft!!!!!

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    2. Oh, and John's new do is Hot! (not Florida. hot, mind you, but like Johnny Depp Cry Baby Hawt!

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    3. My first guess was Baymax also but the Mr Staypuft makes sense too!

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    4. Hmmm, you're right. Staypuft is highly plausible. I'll try to contain my disappointment with the knowledge that the techniques would transfer very well.

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    5. Second picture of the mystery project reminds me of the hammer hands carnival game scene from Beetlejuice.

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  4. Also, two thumbs up for John's spiffy hair.

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  5. As someone who has very curly hair and has tried the curly girl method, I can safely say that it's not worth trying unless, like you said, you have lots of extra money and time. The curly girl method left my hair all clumpy with product and didn't actually improve the curls. Just use shampoo and conditioner for curly hair and call it quits!
    I'm of the opinion that John's hair looks fabulous, he should keep it that way.
    Oooooh, is the secret project a giant Thor hammer? I will die of happiness if it is.

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  6. Damn. John looks fantastic. Are those also new glasses? Gorgeous.

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  7. John's hair looks great. In fact, I would pull a single curl down a little onto his forehead, (a la Elvis) to give him an alternate look.

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    Replies
    1. Ohh, he actually DOES have what I call his Superman curl; one that tends to dip down over his forehead. It's most adorbs.

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    2. AKA TV's Frank hair, if you're a MSTie

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    3. I was gonna say, "CATEGORY IS: TV'S FRANK REALNESS", but I don't want John to take it wrong, because I really do think it looks supercute. But... maybe more combed back on the sides instead of the side-sweep? My weirdo Daddy used to call that look a D.A., short for Duck's Ass; he was a greaser before it let it grow out and went/stayed hippie. Wear it that way with a thigh length coat with a black velvet collar and a pair of "brothel Creeper" shoes, and you can work the retro Teddy Boy (English greaser) look. Have fun with it!

      Your Pal,

      Storm the Klingon

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    4. Forgive me for replying to myself, but I JUST flashed on what an awesome Dapper Day/mash-up sort of thing it would be to dress like Teds in the different colour scheme of the Wizarding houses; it would be retro AND English. I don't even jam on Harry Potter, but a guy dressed like a Slytherin Teddy Boy would be a total knicker-dropper, and no mistake.

      Oh, and maybe some Mod Wizards! Mondrian Pop Art dresses in house colours! F.A.B!

      ROCK!

      Storm the Klingon

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  8. John is rocking that look. It looks great, adds height, makes his face look thinner. You guys ROCK

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  9. Love the Cat Baboon Butt shot. And Suki "supervising" the sewing. My Maine Coons like to "help" when the cutting board is on the floor. Fabric needs cat sliding contests to get it flat, right?

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  10. As someone who would like to abandon most of my expensive products (after I finish the current bottles, because I paid for them, dammit) - how fine is your hair? I'd like to try your orange tub stuff, but adding it to dry hair sounds like it would make my baby-fine hair greasy and/or pasted to my skull. But if you say you have really fine hair, I am willing to try it.

    Although I might keep my all-natural shampoo from an etsy seller just because I love her fragrances. Where else can I get shampoo that smells like lavender, apples, and oak (which is like a wonderfully humid forest)?

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    Replies
    1. That shampoo sounds like it smells AMAZING. And good call with your question: my hair isn't fine AT ALL - it's got tree trunk strands and is mega course. So if you use that mask I'd just use it as a conditioner on wet hair & rinse it out.

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    2. Her scent list is incredibly long - I just order stuff in whatever scent comes up first then ask for the one I want, she doesn't list stuff in all of them, there are too many. That page also has the name of her Etsy shop, though not a link.

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    3. I also have ultra fine hair, and most of what the Curly Girl method recommends makes my hair lank and greasy. I also swim, so I need to wash my hair far more often.

      I have tried those masks, and Jen is right - they work ok when you rinse them out, but I found them just too heavy for fine hair. Having said that, I do use a leave in conditioner, but it's very light, and I use maybe a scant dime sized dollop for my entire head (scrunched in damp) (my hair is slighly below shoulders wet, slightly above dry).

      I hope this isn't too long, but I wanted to reach out because it seems like fine curly hair is less common, and sometimes I feel like I'm the only one! (I know that's silly, but you know....)

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    4. Please share your shampoo sellers name? Dying to smell some here...

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  11. John's hair looks great! Super handsome.

    With the CPAP, several of my family members have one: they said the adjustment period was about a month, but once that adjustment was over, they can't sleep well without it.

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    1. It took my dad almost 2 years to fully adjust to his CPAP machine. Eventually he took to wearing the mask for about an hour before bed, not attached to the machine. But this was 10+ years ago, and the masks and machines were significantly larger then. His first several masks covered both his nose and mouth. His current mask only covers his nose.

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  12. I know you guys are going to be super busy for Dragoncon, but if you have time in Atlanta and would like to visit the burbs, I have some recommendations for your next trip. Also, does it not suck that the largest cosplay con and the largest book fair happen on the same weekend at the same time?!?

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  13. John's hair looks great! Yay for getting a CPAP so quickly! I've had mine for around 10 years now. Can't wait to see DragonCon pics!

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  14. Love the funky color combo outfit. And John, the hair looks great that way.

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  15. John's hair looks amazing! Then again John is also one of the most gorgeous men I've ever seen in my life, so of course his hair is amazing.

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  16. Epbot T-shirts? I'll take one for every day of the week. ;)

    John, your hair looks great!

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  17. John's hair looks great! I'm curious about Terrence. Is he just for snuggling, or is there something he does that makes it easier to sleep with the CPAP?

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  18. I am so delighted for John that he has his CPAP, and a mask that doesn’t damage the skin on his nose! Honestly, my machine has changed my life. I refer to it as my “Dumbo in bondage” look, but in all seriousness, I refuse to sleep without it because it makes me feel so much better.

    You have looked fabulous in the outfits this week. Keep rocking those colours! ❤️❤️❤️

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  19. Thanks to your selfie, I can't stop thinking that Nibbola should be the name of a mirror-universe Aladdin fan-fic. (The small "a" passing for a stylized "o" or "u")

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  20. John's hair looks great! Glad he's sleeping better. As for your hair...have you tried the Lus products? I used them the first time last night and really like it. It's just shampoo, conditioner, and a leave in all-in-one curl styling product. I felt my hair held the curl much better. I have had frizz grow as the day goes on but think its because I can't stop touching my hair now! Haha!

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  21. 2 things, John, listen to Jen. The hair is great!

    2nd, my husband has worn a cpap for 11 years. Buy some Ayr gel for your nose. Even if your machine has a humidifier, it will halp with rubs from the mask.

    Enjoy the con!

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  22. John's new haircut is great. It's a slightly updated take on his previous style without straying from his aesthetic. I know, it probably feels so far out there to him even though it's not. Sometimes it takes time to get used to change.

    Re: CPAP: your story reminds me so much of our journey when my husband got his CPAP (including the number of breathing stops per hour!). It's been many years, and it took awhile to get everything sorted out and find equipment that works and just get used to it all, but I can't overstate the improvements it made for both of our lives. I'm really glad to hear it's working for you guys, too - hang in there, it's a process, and you WILL figure it all out.

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  23. My husbot used a CPAP for many years. He put off getting a CPAP as he was claustrophobic. He settled on the type of mask that utilized nose pillows and adapted after only a week which was a major feat for him. He could not believe the difference in how he felt. The CPAP went everywhere after that, camping, on cruises, and vacations at resorts. :)

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  24. As a fellow Curly (though not a "Curly Girl" girl, as I am also not made of money), I find NOT washing my hair as often makes a big difference. Once or twice a week, max, unless I've been doing something really sweaty/dirty. I get it wet every day, but don't rub it with a towel, just wrap up the turban and let it absorb for a while. A non-terry towel to wrap it with helps, also.

    Congrats on the cpap, that can be a frustrating experience. Glad it's working out for John!

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  25. John's hair looks great...keep it!

    CPAP masks can be challenging to find the right one. I have one that works really well, until I get the new one. If I don't put a little padding on my "nose bump" it will get blistered. But then after a few days it must stretch out a little bit, because then it is so much more comfortable. Glad he gets a chance to try out what works for him. I think the tendency to want to pull it off will lessen as he adjusts, it did for me. I got a nice traveling case with mine and it goes everywhere I go. I even take it on the airplane as a carry-on, because it is a medical device it doesn't count as one of my items.

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  26. Tell John that his look is fierce and that hair is workin; like that moment in Stranger Things season 4 where Steve says: forget the dress code and rocks his amazing mane!

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  27. I agree with every one, John's hair does wonders for his eyes. It draws the viewers eyes up to his wonderful michevious sparkle.

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  28. 1. John, the hair looks great that way. I'd say indulge your wife, but we all know you are AMAZING at that anyway.
    2. Keep up the battle with the CPAP. We found that the weirdest and potentially most uncomfortable-looking mask worked the best. Figures. Once y'all have the routine down, you BOTH will sleep better.
    3. Have a blast at DragonCon!

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    1. EDIT: So I had to prove I wasn't a robot to post this. Forever on I'll imagine the "Epbot" when asked this… actually that image will make it less insulting!!

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  29. I like the hair, but it makes you self-conscious then ditch it. Though as a wife I must add, that you might like the attention the new 'do gets you from your lovely other half and it might be worth at least wearing around the house ;)

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  30. I've been on CPAP for four months now and last night was the first time I took it off in my sleep. I was lovingly cradling it so the whooshing noise woke me up. I have no idea what I was dreaming to make me hug the mask but it must have been one crazy dream.

    I wish I had some good CPAP tips to pass on but I have nothing to offer but encouragement and that I felt so much better even after a single night that my "unicorn horn" is my new best buddy.

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  31. A CPAP hose stand helped me keep from tangling or pulling my mask off. Similar to this: https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/north-american-healthcare-cpap-hose-holder/ID=prod6062820-product?ext=gooKBM_PLA_-_Home_Medical&pla&adtype=pla&kpid=sku6057938&sst=_k_EAIaIQobChMImMWrnLan5AIVia_sCh10awviEAQYAiABEgL88_D_BwE_k_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImMWrnLan5AIVia_sCh10awviEAQYAiABEgL88_D_BwE

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  32. You should totally put some glow in the dark paint over the slime spots on the shirt. Even just as a funsies for you.

    I love the hair, John. Keep it!

    So glad you got the sleep stuff sorted (even on loan). :D

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  33. As someone with curly hair for 56 years - in and out of fashion - I am bemused by the sudden requirement for huge numbers of products. My hair gets shampoo, conditioner and regular treatments with blue hair dye. Advantage of it being grey and white now is that I can just use deposit color and it stays on well! The purpose of marketing is to convince you that how you look now is wrong or bad, and that you need to buy stuff to correct that. Your hair is gorgeous, you are beautiful, and you do not need any product to make you lovely. So there. Also - John, the hair is awesome. We live in a wondrous age where there is no single right look for anybody. You can do your own thing and rock it. So do what makes YOU happy. Because that is what makes you look awesome, being happy in your skin - and hair!

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  34. Congrats on the CPAP! And for the record, you and John both have kickass hair.

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  35. I want that to be a reinhardt cosplay...

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  36. its normal to take the mask off now and then in your sleep, if it becomes habit theres various fixes, but mittens help - makes it too hard to do. I dont do it that often so dont tend to worry. The main add ons i rely on are xylimelts for dry mouth (in scotland they are pretty much online only, all praise Canada for selling them in real life cause i had forgotten mine!)and mask liner to protect the skin - I DIY (and you can get fancy), but i do use a resmed gel gekko, but i think it is liquicell which gets better reviews. hopefully he feels the benefit of treatment soon - i was lucky and noticed pretty quick!

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  37. Jen have you tried any of the other garnier tubs? I heard goji is amazing. All of the youtube reviewers love it too. I earned a 3.00 amazing gift card so I got to try the orange tub for like .14 cents. Liking it as a leave in so far. Thanks!

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  38. My best tool for my curly hair is Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam. It smells wonderful - like coconut. I put it generously on wet/damp hair, scrunch, and let air dry. I usually wash my hair every other or every two days. Second day hair - I just slightly dampen out the frizz and the sculpting foam "reactivates". If they ever discontinue the product, I'm out of luck! You can find it at the walmart or JC Penney salon very often on buy one get one sales, or I sometimes order on Amazon. They make a little bottle you can try out without buying the full size!

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  39. I find that while I am not a strict CGM, a lot of the techniques and recommended products are helpful. It is a process, not a "one and done".

    Find groups on FB, check out different YouTube videos and try different products that are designed to do what you're using them for. I found adding a curl cream and trimming off my ends really made a difference for me.

    I was a little disappointed by your facile dismissal of a method that works very well for many people.

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