Novica & Forum Members Tips & Product Reviews Pt 11
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Keeping a sense of humor is a good sign:-)
@Novica That's funny!
An image to showcase 20 Unique Smiles HD for Genesis 8 Female(s). It's a great product. Here I followed PedroFurtadoArts tip to use each of the 20 smiles at 5%. Using also Sonia hair. Skin is Mackenzie (with Altern 8).
@xmasrose (aka tulipe) - that's a lovely portrait; her expression is wonderful, i see a hint of mischief in her eyes. :)
~Gen
Thanks Gen.
You're right she is up to something, but what is it?
Nadezhda (Gen8F) X-Fashion Sci Bodysuit 7 (Gen8F) Cute Bob Hair (Gen3/8F)
The skin is not out of the box, I added more reflectivity and added metallicity. I upped the saturation and you may want to consider playing with that when you add metallicity to the skin.
The bodysuit has a nice set of textures and I like not having to purchase another product to get those. I don't like that the gray glove doesn't match the gray of the bodysuit, I showed it out of the box but I'd definitely darken it. Note the title is a SCI bodysuit, not a Sci Fi, in case you ever do a search for it.
The hair took 55 minutes to render in this portrait, on a Titan computer- so yep, you are looking at long render times.
@xmasrose She looks quite lovely, that is vibrant smile!
First, this image is amazing. Nadezhda looks great with your tweaks! As for the hair, it may take longer than other hairs to render, but it is the most realistic 3d bob hair yet, imo.
One thing I'd like to point out about Redz' fiber mesh hair: She uses a mesh scalp and parents the fiber hair to the scalp. That allows you hide the hair in the viewport, but you'll still see the scalp and know the figure has hair. And with 4.11, you can use the new "Visible in Viewport" setting to hide the hair in the viewport without hiding it in the render; Something instances via Ultrascatter having been doing for some time now.
@Novica, good to see you online. How are you feeling?
You don't need Ultrascatter to do that with an instance. Just create the instance(s), select it/them, go to the Parameters tab and under "Instancing" set "Instance Preview" to "Off." Interesting that they're adding this functionality to normal items in 4.11 though.
@ladair
I'm feeling fine, not quite back to normal with any totally bending over actions, but the incisions were miniscule (was a laproscopic/robotic surgery) and the two sides ones have healed. The belly button was where the main action was, so it's a bit sore.
I decided back in early November to start exercising intensively to prepare for the surgery, and to lose weight, and to stay off the computer more. I am walking every day and loving it! I'll post my distances sometime soon.
Headed for bed, my son has to BE at an appointment at 8:30am so I need to see if I can get some sleep. :) Thanks for asking how I'm doing, appreciate all of you!
To anyone who gets the https://www.daz3d.com/x-fashion-trench-coat-for-genesis-8-females, what does it look like if you put a layer of clothing under it (blouse or sweater, and a pencil skirt, or anything really), since it's only shown by itself.
(waves at Novica and sends get well-vibes)
Okay, here's where my mindset has been since mid-November, this is really off topic so feel free to skip it if you are just looking for product reviews :)
I was going through boxes and old photos, and really missing my Army officer days at Fort Carson, Colorado. You know when you have a job or experience which makes you feel so good you wish you could get it back? Looking at those pictures, what I remember is being athletic, in shape, thin (118- 123) and able to do things without much effort. Being in the young 20's with a spring in my step. Well, at 62, I wanted to get that feeling back as much as possible. I didn't like the amount of time the past six years which I put in on my computer, and not spending outdoor, quality time exercising and with my horse (first Nova, now Stetson.) I am paying to have a horse boarded, and not visiting him hardly at all.
That also goes back to my Army experience, I had horses then, too. So I decided it would be a challege worth doing, to get as much of those early 20's experiences back. So I started walking in earnest to lose the weight and get OUTSIDE exercising, and doing an hour of exercising in the evenings to tone. (That's on hold for a couple months so my insides can heal. Talking situps, etc.) This has also helped tremendously in not spending money on more products, which I simply don't need. Last week, one day I didn't even get on the computer at all. First time in six years I didn't shop, didn't care. Love that feeling!
I work on my son's video game animations in between walking sessions, am watching video tutorials on it, etc- so I don't walk continuously.
You're not supposed to just stay on the computer (blood clots- get up and walk!) so I'd been doing that anyway all these years. The changes are walking and watching television- no sitting on the couch,and when I get up I have a healthy glass of orange juice then go walk immediately first thing in the day. Then I come in and eat- you eat less/ are less hungry. So I walk before meals and don't feel very hungry. Then I walk before I go to bed and it helps me sleep.
And one of my sons is now exercising on the glider, and my husband has started lifting weights again!
It was hard in November, because remember I broke my foot and toes? (Five fractures confirmed by Xray.) So I started small (less than a mile)
Here's the distances starting November 16th in miles for each day:
.95 2.6 4.2 5.4 5.5 5.0 6.4 7.3 8.3 12.5 9.2 10.0 8.1 10.3 11.3 17.7 TOTAL 124.4 miles Total calories burned 9,356.25
Here's the distances starting December 1st in miles for each day:
14.5 13.7 14.2 9.2
.64 Day of major surgery, ovaries and fallopian tubes removed
0 Day 1 after surgery- On pain killers, slept all day
1.0 Day 2 after surgery, no more pain pills, going cold turkey. (Very addictive)
3.0 Day 3 after surgery, VERY bad day. Walking made me feel better, but that night, no sleep at all. Really wanted to walk more, but not pushing it.
1.0 Day 4 after surgery, tired. Slept most of the day.
11.0 Day 5 after surgery, walking felt great.
10.80 Day 6 after surgery, walking really helping with bloating going down and cramping.
20.4 One week after surgery (Dec 12th)
Since then, Dec 13th to 19th:
13.1
17.9
18.2
23.5
21.3
20.3
24.0 (Today) Total miles walked month of December through the 19th: 237.24 Total calories: 17,798.5
Total weight loss: 12 pounds. I've already achieved the goal which was estimated to be met around February 7th!
And that is with sensible eating, but still having a bowl of ice cream, a soda, chocolate candy, etc as treats in moderation (about 1/2 bottle of Pepsi instead of a bottle or two a day) and Edie's Slow Churned Ice Cream (ONLY 100 calories for half a cup (full bowl) which is HALF the calories of other ice cream. And it's delicious!
I'm feeling great, looking really good (my pool guy said Good Lord! How'd you drop that weight? as it's only been literally one month and I hadn't seen him.) So if you want to shed some pounds-
JUST WALK and cut back on the junk food/fattening cheeses/soda/candy and DRINK A LOT OF WATER. It's filling and it also helps your body process the food. The other thing- SLEEP. Your body processes and eliminates more of the food when you get more sleep.
I won't keep all this weight off forever but I am sure enjoying it- yep, enjoying the walking (listening to music) and relaxing, instead of being on the computer. And most of the walking is done INSIDE THE HOUSE. Just back and forth through the Great Room! So my goal is another 10-15 pounds, but probably reducing the miles walked and taking more time to get this second batch of weight cranked down, through more diet than exercise.
So that's why I haven't been on the forums much and I don't intend to go back to spending so much time here. It's been detrimental to my physical health due to eating while I am on the computer, and sitting still for long periods of time. I'm going to start walking with Stetson too, but he has to build up to it. He also wants to put his head down and eat, but there's no green grass right now so that would be a good time to start. Florida still has 60 degree days, but it varies. It's nice walking weather.
And I feel like an Army officer again, nice and fit, and slimming down. Although the ankles have aches and pains with arthritis from the two ankle injuries a year ago, once I start walking I'm good to go. So mission accomplished and the year 2019 is going to be even better!
Wow, good for you! You could walk all the way over to the other coast to visit me at this rate!
*applauds* Well done, Novica!
And I can attest to the power of just plain walking - I used to think that I was reasonably active, but in the first half of this year I got a step counter, and so I was able to set actual, 'real' goals. I'm now walking a minimum of 9000 steps a day, and have lost about 8 to 10 kilos since I started. And it's pretty easy to include in your day as well: I walk to work in the morning (usually take the bus back), I can walk to the shops, I walk a lot inside as well (I can walk circles in my apartment) - set up a render or start cooking: walk until whatever I'm doing is done.
At first, the cats thought I'd gone mad when I was walking around the house, but they've accepted it now ('okay, Mum is weird, but as long as she feeds us, and at least sits down occasionally so we have our lap back, it's okay...')
Good for you, Novica. Keep up the great progress!
That's great Novica - coudl you do a couple of miles a week for me, to?
It was an aim of mine to do more exercise once I stopped work, but all I have really done is walk into town and back (a few miles) a couple of times a week. Met up with an old work colleague for a drink and found he does 14km each morning - almost needed another pint to get over that!!!!
That's fantastic! I've started going back to the gym and and going back to the low carb/keto way of eating and am really looking forward to feeling better, its been a rough couple of months. I usually do 4 days at the gym - weights, then run a couple of miles or do the elliptical, I switch it up because I get bored - in the summer I run at the park with shelter dogs, since mine has been officially forbidden to run anymore, she is too old and her poor joints just aren't up for it.(did you know that many animal shelters have programs that let you volunteer and take dogs to the park for a walk or run? Good for you and for the dogs!)
I've really struggled since right before Thanksgiving with eating the wrong things and have had multiple terrible migraines so I haven't done much but go to work then come home and go to bed. So your post was a good reminder that I WILL feel better if I just get up and do it.
Great work Novica!
But exercise is relative. We have a young friend who is an Olympian with Rio under her belt and her eyes on Tokyo. She has to work at not overtraining. She eats like a couple of teenage boys on top of that and her body fat percentage must be in the single digits. She's still in good health, but the toll on these athletes is astronishing. In her sport a surprising number need knee replacements in their thirties and the majority have undergone some kind of surgery.
But after 35 it's mostly maintence for all of us..
Way to go, Novica! It sure is easy to get stuck in a rut, so I applaud you for getting out there and sticking to it! The Mediterranean Diet works for me (olive oil instead of butter, salmon instead of steak, veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts, beans, oatmeal, etc.), and keeps me fuller longer. My wife is on it too, which makes it much easier to stay with it, so it's great to hear that your family is there with you supporting you. We have an outdoor staircase nearby that we use to do stairs.
I'm so sorry to hear about the migraines- I have those occasionally and feel drained for a few days afterward. I read water was one of the best ways to get rid of them so I really hit that hard when it starts coming on. I'm jealous that you can run- my ankles (remember those injuries?) aren't really good for that anymore, but I may try it for limited distances and see how the ankles hold up. Here's hoping your migraines will get better and things smooth out for you!
GOOD FOR YOU, @Novica -- sounds like you've made great lifestyle changes/decisions that you can realistically live with day to day, which is surely a critical factor in sticking with it. :) I was having shoulder and wrist joint issues, very painful, which I realized was from too much, and too long at a stretch, intensive work times at computer, and I thought the Fitbit tracker might be good for nagging me to take hourly breaks and get some steps and time away from the keyboard & mouse, and that proved to be a good start for me. I'd also just noticed trouble buttoning my jeans... so I started logging my food intake etc, and my weight, and setting the daily step/mileage goals and pretty quickly nipped a swelling abdomen/hip before it really got going.
Nowadays, after so long with the Fitbit lifestyle, I don't bother with entering my foods etc, just mind my steps/activity, and can pretty easily and intuitively work out my diet each day to stay in my zone, so it is pretty painless to stay on track, and at 60 definitely feel better than I did a couple years ago. Like Novica mentioned, I also try to be mindful about computer time, but I also wall-mounted a monitor on an articulated, adjustable arm so I can use that computer seated, or standing, and alternating helps break up the sitting as well as changes up the mouse/keyboard dynamics. Another help for lessening computer time for me is the Amazon devices. I used to get all my news from my computer and smartphone, but now I can listen to the various news podcasts on my Echo devices while moving around the house doing chores etc, so that's a big plus. (it doesn't eliminate all my computer/phone news/current events reading but does greatly reduce and focus it.) Absolutely can feel the difference the walking and mindful regular activity have made in my joints and overall sense of health! I can certainly recommend the Fitbit Charge 2 (& the new Charge 3) as good tools for anyone looking for a fitness tracker device to help make lifestyle changes-- most of my extended family have also gotten aboard and swear by their Fitbits too.
~Gen
Glad to hear your recovery is coming along. Good luck with the life style changes. I got myself a standup desk this fall which lets me sit or stand which has been very useful.
Happy Solstice
The dark Goddess gathers all Her fallen Blossoms unto the warm earth to await new birth.
(c) by Raven Hail, from Ravensong: Cherokee Indian Poetry.
2018-12-21 21:30:27.033 Total Rendering Time: 9 hours 35 minutes 17.98 seconds
77% done
Click on image for full size.
I'm starting to absolutely HATE the December 20's. Right now I have ANOTHER cat who will have to be put to sleep in a few hours. Last year, remember Misty and Spinner? That was in the December 20's and then January.
Now it's Tikki. She couldn't breathe so I got some Vicks ointment and diluted it in water, and put it in a vaporizer/humidifier and put her and it in the middle bathroom. It's doing the trick enough to get her breathing without the mucous congestion sounds. First thing in the morning (about 7am) I'll be calling the vet to take her in.
I got Tikki in 2008 when my cat, O'Malley, was put to sleep. Tikki was from Eglin Air Force Base's rescue group, and she is always the one who will sleep with you. She and Purina, another cat, are buddies. I'll post some pictures soon, but I need to go get a couple hours of sleep.
I'm so sorry to hear about Tikki, @Novica. It's so hard to lose our furry friends, they become such a big part of our lives.
Sending you lots of hugs.
Just got back about fifteen minutes ago, Tikki went to Rainbow Bridge at 9:15am and it was a very peaceful passing. I'm doing okay, it was a big relief for the vet to fit her in this morning and for Tikki to not suffer. So hug your pets today! :)
Ugh so sorry Novica, that just sucks.
I can also recommed Fitbit highly. I don't know how all of them work but I can set a reminder on mine for how many steps an hour I want to as a minimum and it will remind me 15 minutes before the hour is up if I haven't met that goal. It helps me get up and move every hour. I work in an office so that's been super helpful for me.
Sorry to hear of your loss
Nice, I've been wanting to render Stonehenge too. I have a picture I bought while visiting there of the Hale-Bopp Comet flying past Stonehenge. Even though the photo is pre-digital from the 90s I think they have enhanced it for the print that they sell. You have probably seen it yourself if you have visited Stonehenge's giftshop yourself.