---
title: 'Pictures and Painting'
description: New skills and fun hobbies I've picked up
date: 2026-02-01T02:02:05-08:00
thumbnail: /img/02-feb-2026/moon.jpg
article: true
---

# Moving Apartments and Mindsets

For some reason or another I've been hesitant to publish works that I experiment
with on this website because I've not felt that the work was "on-brand" enough.
After way too much deliberation I realize that creating _is_ what I do and often
I'm going to experiment with how I make stuff. Moving recently has pushed me to
fully realize I should let out what I do; even if it just stream of concious
type postings.

So below is the start of what I want to do fully...

## Woodworking and Repurposing a Harbor Freight Toolbox

Quick context: my new apartment is much bigger and thus I can justify having
furniture like a :sparkle: dining table :sparkle:

To make a toolbox a piece of proper furniture though was going to take some
effort because this is what I was starting with.

{{< pic "/img/02-feb-2026/before.jpg" >}}


First order of business was making an actual top for my new table for which I
chose red oak and surfaced with my new Taytool Benchplan No. 4.

{{< pic "/img/02-feb-2026/shavings.jpg" >}}

The shavings I was getting were  actually very nice and I was able to plane down
to a very reflective surface in the end :smile: . Though I realize it's hard to
see there is some reflection coming off of the table top in the picture below.
_Random oak chunk for comparison_.

{{< pic "/img/02-feb-2026/sheen.jpg" >}}

Next was sanding and painting but that's all boring stuff :yawning_face:. The
_close to final rendition of the table looks something like this :sunglasses:

{{< pic "/img/02-feb-2026/after.jpg" >}}

### Future for the table?

Definitely going to add some shelf liners and drinks to the bottom tray, maybe
even  some wood edges to make it a little more comfortable to rest your feet 
on the bottom but we'll just have to mess around and find out :wink:

## Random Photography

Lately I've been exploring random cities and have started messing around with
taking pictures of cool places that I visit.


From a subway in San Fransisco

{{< pic "/img/02-feb-2026/subway.jpg" >}}

And a nice picture of one of my favorite rooftops in the San Diego Skyline.

{{< pic "/img/02-feb-2026/moon.jpg" >}}