Because It Makes Me Happy

I just left the hottest room in our house.   It’s not so much a room as that closet I wrote about the other day that I “found” to store the 3D printing supplies.   It is hot in the room because there is a dehumidifier that, in its mission to keep humidity low for the filaments, also increases the temperature as it pulls moisture from the air. 

Instead of a collection of bins with desiccant at the bottom of each, positioned in different spots around the mechanical, I mean 3D printing room, all the filaments are in one glorious spot.   I can walk into this little closet under the stairs, turn on the light, shut the door behind me and look at the filaments.   And that makes me happy. 

Because there is just so much potential in those spools of plastic.   I can print almost anything.   I stand in the filament room (for I have now named it that) and think about what I want to print next.   Or, maybe I already have a project in mind and I’m deciding what filament would be best for the job.   Either way, it’s good times in that little, cramped, hot, dry room. 

Sometimes I’m not sure what to print next.   I’m looking for something to print that’s useful or interesting or that someone might like.   I was happy therefore, when my mother-in-law suggested napkin holders when she brought the children back from an overnight visit on Sunday.   

She always sets her table to match the season or time of year or event, making her tables festive and fun.   She has a collection of napkin holders and lately, the children go around and collect everyone’s napkin holder before the meal starts, divide them up and then play with them.  My mother-in-law’s suggestion was to print napkin holders for Halloween. 

She and I looked online and today I’ve been printing pumpkin, owl and cauldron napkin holders.  I’m moving on to other options the children will have fun with when there isn’t a specific holiday.   I was standing in the filament room picking out the best color for a unicorn napkin ring just before writing this post.   Next I’m going to try and figure out what filament I have that closest matches narwals.  

I like a good project.  And I love the new filament room.  

The Big Boy Update:  My son has been late to leave in the morning.   My husband and I had a bit of a heated discussion about it because he just has no natural consequence if he’s not on time.   We’re trying to figure out what a good consequence would be that he would care about that would motivate him to stay focused and not get distracted in the mornings.   He could easily be on time, he just gets distracted on the way.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter has been wearing her mask this week during the Google Meets in preparation for going to school next week.   She hates it.   I told her we all did at first and even now, we don’t like it.   But it gets easier and you don’t hate it as much.