![]() This is so much quicker than manually investigating and adjusting each row as Microsoft describes on their website. Just select the cells and then use the following tool: Either of these actions should heighten the row to fit the text in the merged cells. When a group of cells in a row are merged and the text wraps to two or more lines, double-clicking the row border just to the left of column A (or Format>Row>Autofit) auto-heights the row to one line of text. ![]() It is quite time consuming to manually adjust every row. Is there a way to copy row heights or another way I can automatically adjust? I have over 200 rows I must adjust as each week as a new tab is created with some of the same plus added criteria. Each row, according to the data entered, is of various sizes. ![]() The AutoFit Row Height does not apply and if you double click the row it defaults to 15.
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He became the costume designer after asking what costumes the actors would wear in the poster, and the set designer when the regular one got sick. The quality of the material persuaded Kaluta to create the show poster. Lee wrote all the drafts of the script, with some dialogue suggestions from Susan Norfleet and Dale Place. Įlaine Lee's first draft was on a stack of 5x7 index cards. Kaluta was impressed by the wit and range of their second play: he recalled thinking: "If they're going to do a science fiction play, they're going to do it very well". Elaine Lee was subsequently impressed by seeing Kaluta's art in the West Side Comics store, on a poster showcasing The Studio, an art collective he shared with Barry Windsor Smith, Jeffrey Jones, and Berni Wrightson. Kaluta, a neighbor who often sketched there, approached them asking, "Are you science fiction fans?" Elaine kept his card for the future. The Lee sisters were at a Manhattan bar/cafe called The Library, discussing ideas over a pile of science fiction magazines when illustrator Michael Wm. The Lees wrote their own plays for the company to star in, starting with Brief Cases.ĭuring the writing of a second play, The Contamination of the Kokomo Lounge, Elaine began pulling together ideas for a science fiction play. Seeing a lack of range and depth in the roles being offered to female actors, she formed a Manhattan theatre company with her sister, Susan Norfleet Lee, and actor friends which they called Wild Hair Productions. She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her work on the long-running NBC soap opera The Doctors she portrayed the troubled Mildred Trumble, a character modeled after Sissy Spacek's character, Pinky Rose from Robert Altman's film 3 Women. An audioplay adaption was recorded in 2010, and released on CD and download.Įlaine Lee was an actor in the late 1970s New York City theatre and television scene. The script of the play ( ISBN 978-0-88145-023-1) was published in 1985 and is still available. The Starstruck play was produced in 1980, with another staging in 1983. ![]() ![]() A strange and gleefully corrupt future version of the Girl Guides, the Galactic Girl Guides, are introduced in a subplot that leads to the climax. The story is set in the future, and features several strong female lead characters. Kaluta played a major role in visual aspects of the play, working on sets, costumes and promotional material. The serio-comic stories follow Captain Galatia 9 and her running partner, Brucilla The Muscle, as they navigate madcap scenarios and surreal misadventures in between the galactic infighting.Įlaine Lee herself played the adventurous lead, Captain Galatia 9, while Lee's sister, Susan Norfleet Lee played her rowdy pilot, Brucilla the Muscle. The Dread Dictator has fallen and a power vacuum sparks a chess game of eccentric players scheming for control. The story is set in an anarchic future in which humanity spans the universe. Also, the series is cited for the progressiveness of its rich and complex structure: Starstruck preceded Watchmen in using innovations like nonlinear storytelling, overlapping dialogue, multiple story threads, back-up text, unreliable narrators, adjunct stories, underlying themes, recurring symbols, and an almost symphonic interconnectedness. Kaluta, an esteemed veteran of comics and illustration, is often commended for the virtuosity and imaginative detail of his artwork. Most noted is the predominantly female cast, portrayed by Lee with a range and nuance that confounds gender stereotypes. Since its inception, Starstruck has built a cult audience and critical acclaim from peers, periodicals, and fans for the sophistication of its storytelling. It was collected in a revised and recolored hardcover book form as Starstruck Deluxe Edition in 2011. The series, epic in scope, has been carried across multiple comic companies, amongst them Epic Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and IDW Publishing. Kaluta their primary collaborators are colorist Lee Moyer and letterer Todd Klein. Starstruck, in comics form, has been produced at various intervals since 1982 by writer Elaine Lee and artist Michael Wm. It is based on the off-Broadway stage play of the same name written by Elaine Lee, with contributions from Susan Norfleet Lee and Dale Place. Starstruck is an American science fiction comic book series. Lee Moyer (Epic: Elaine Lee, Steve Oliff)Īrchie Goodwin (Epic), Randy Stradley (Dark Horse), Scott Dunbier (IDW) Todd Klein (Epic: Ken Bruzenak, John Workman) 7 serialized stories ( Ilustracion+Comix Internacional). ![]() Preparation is key to survival as you want to ensure that you have a good melee and ranged weapon that aren’t close to breaking, a healthy amount of food that aren’t close to spoiling and enough space in your inventory for when you find more materials. This then subsequently makes crafting difficult as I spent a lot of time dropping items to make space, getting items out of a basket, crafting my desired item and then finding space in my basket and bags in order to not leave anything behind. There always seems to be a lot more items than there are free inventory slots and even when you upgrade your bags and build baskets and bag holders to put onto your ship, it never seems like enough. Windbound provides the satisfaction that comes with enjoying the fruits of your labour, seeing your inventory expand and your ship made out of grass and rope become a sea-faring vessel that battles the wildest of storms.Īs Windbound is all about gathering resources to upgrade your arsenal, inventory management can quickly become a headache. It’s very satisfying to upgrade your weapons from a stick into something that can take down a ferocious beast. In the exact same fashion as the pumpkin, the Night Stalker gear will be added straight to the blessing shrine.Kara is a fierce warrior who is well versed in survival combat. Bow has lower base damage to make up for extra arrow.
That being said, Frozenbyte also tried to ensure that no one character would ever become essential to solving any one particular game breaking puzzle, which means that it is always up to the players themselves to decide which solution works best for them, something that allows for a far greater flexibility of action than is seen in some other similar games such as Recoil Games' Rochard (2011). Frozenbyte did a very good job of making each of these characters feel indispensable while playing the game, with each having very specific and useful abilities that the others lack, ensuring that all three of the heroes get a significant amount of screen time throughout the course of the game. Trine 2 takes full advantage of the possibilities that having three playable characters can offer, with one being able to switch between all three in single-player mode or have each player cycle between the bunch of them while playing cooperatively. The original game chronicled the events that led to these three becoming united as one powerful force by touching the Trine, a mystical object that allows for the joining of souls, as well as conveniently bringing our characters back to life whenever the need arises, which it quite often does. Zoya, meanwhile, is a rather counter-intuitively eye catching thief who uses her grappling hook and bow to sneak through the night unheard and unseen, often for nefarious purposes. ![]() Pontius is a proud and noble knight of significant girth and less than average intelligence, who nevertheless is a stout fighter and a man of great physical and moral strength. Amadeus is a somewhat cowardly and self-indulgent wizard who nevertheless means well and can use his magical powers to move and conjure objects. While Frozenbyte's heart is clearly in the right place, it has most definitely developed a tendency of keeping us waiting before sharing with us some of its regard.įor those unfamiliar with the franchise, the main thing that sets it apart from other similar physics platformers is that it allows players to take control of three unique heroes in order to solve a variety of puzzles and battle enemies, an idea that first originated for them with the release of Shadowgrounds: Survivor (2007). This trend continued with the release of the Goblin Menace expansion, which remained unavailable on our platform until the Linux release of Steam, and even longer for those of use who refuse to play any game that employs DRM, with the expansion content not being accessible to us until the release of Trine 2: Complete Story as part of Humble Indie Bundle 9 (2013). While these releases were once again handled by an independent third-party porting house called Alternative Games, the original developer of the series, Frozenbyte, later committed to handling the Linux port of their next game Trine 2 themselves, although us Linux gamers still needed to tolerate a delay of several months before we were actually able to play the game. Later that year came word that a port of Trine was expected to be released for Linux in the near future, with it finally arriving alongside updated and improved Shadowgrounds ports in the form of the Humble Frozenbyte Bundle (2011). As such, I accordingly became quite confident that this situation would at some point improve upon itself. By this point some of Frozenbyte's earlier titles in the Shadowgrounds series (2005-2007) had already arrived on Linux in the form of somewhat underwhelming third-party ports, but with the knowledge I had gained from their policy regarding screenshots, I had discovered that the game's original developers were well capable of trying new and better methods of interacting with their community. This is a sadly underused marketing technique which also provides the added benefit of allowing a company's game titles to have beautifully well illustrated articles on Wikipedia. ![]() The original Trine (2009) first became notable to me after I had discovered that its developer Frozenbyte had given full permission to redistribute certain screenshots of the game under a Creative Commons license as long as an attribution back to them was preserved. Hard Drive: 500 GB Western Digital Caviar Black System Specifications:ĭesktop Environment: Xfce with composting Memory: 4 Gigabytes DDR3 PC10666, 1333 MHz ![]() ![]() Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE 3.2 Ghz ![]() ![]() Rebuilding a Zone will reward the player at set milestones various items, including the Zone's respective character. Each Zone will appear in a ruined state when first unlocked, and can be restored by collecting Animals and using Gems. Sonic Dash currently has seven different Zones. There are five different upgrades per character, and each upgrade rewards XP for the player's Score Multiplier.Ĭharacters Playable characters Base characters Character As the player closes in on one of the default high scores during a run, a countdown appears on the side of the screen that shows how many points are left before the player beats the character's high score.Įach character has a unique upgrade profile, allowing the player to improve their performance during a run. This list includes default high scores for the characters that appear in this game, with Sonic acting as the player. Sonic Dash features a high score listing in which the players can get themselves on. In addition, when the game starts, the player can use a Headstart or a Super Headstart to boost through the Zone for a short period of time, akin to the normal Dash Boost. These Boosters are obtained through certain means and can be equipped on the title screen. In addition to the standard game, the player can equip their character with different Boosters and power-ups to collect points more easily. In addition, certain characters are able to double the amount of certain Animals they have collected to make it easier for the player to unlock new buildings. As the player completes the Zone, a gauge will be steadily filled and grant them different awards and a character when filled. These buildings, however, can only be completed by collecting Gems through a variety of means. Once the game ends, the player will be able to claim the collected Animals and use them to unlock new buildings to construct throughout the Zones. In addition, touching the Springs will affect the game depending on the screen they have, and thus can send the player to another Zone, add loops and corkscrews to the Zone they are in, or fight a boss.Īs the player progresses, they will be able to collect Animals, which are obtained by destroying Badniks. Failing to perform the tricks, however, will not award the player any Rings and leave them vulnerable to certain obstacles until they find Rings. Doing so successfully will award the player ten, twenty, thirty, fifty, or even one-hundred Rings, though ten and twenty Rings are by far the most common. Once they touch a Spring, the character will have all of their Rings banked automatically, and they will have to perform a certain combination of four tricks by sliding their finger towards a requested direction, akin to Trick Actions. These are purely for currency and do not play the same role Rings go within the game.Īt certain points, the player will encounter three different Springs with screens above them. In addition to the normal Rings, the player can encounter Red Star Rings, albeit very rarely. Whenever the player gets a Game Over, they can choose to continue playing by either watching an ad or by paying a certain amount of Red Star Rings. ![]() However, Rings can't protect the player from most obstacles such as pits. Touching those same obstacles without having a single Ring will end the game. ![]() When the character hits a Badnik without Rolling, a Bomb or a set of spikes, while carrying at least one single Ring, the player will lose all of their Rings, making them vulnerable to obstacles of the same kind. When Rings are collected, the Dash Meter at the bottom of the screen fills, and when it is full, the player can perform the Dash Boost, in which the character automatically blasts through obstacles. Like most other Sonic games, they can be collected across the tracks and can be used as currency in the main menu or as a method of protection in the Zones themselves. In these sections, the camera will move much more slowly and the character will have to Homing Attack their way through some Choppers that will appear. Some bottomless pits can be very large and extend towards the three spaces. Some obstacles that can be found include bottomless pits and Badniks, the latter of which can be destroyed with a Roll. To avoid obstacles in the character's path, they can Jump, Roll, and use the Quick Step. The tracks in Sonic Dash are full of obstacles the player has to avoid. The goal is simply to run as far as possible. The player directs their selected character through never-ending 3D Zones with three different spaces, moving forward at all times. Sonic Dash is an endless runner, it is very similar to the gameplay of the Temple Run and Subway Surfers video games. Sonic in Seaside Hill Zone, as of version 4.19.1. ![]() In short, importing games from any of the previously mentioned sources only requires you to log into each platform, give the necessary permissions, and that’s about it. Thankfully, this process is quite automated which basically means that it’s extremely user-friendly. Effortlessly import and organize your games across platforms into one sleek appĪs mentioned before, the most defining selling point for this app is its ability to import all your games from other distributon platforms (and some consoles) and build and organize them into a so-called master collection. Whatever you choose to do and regardless of your experience with similar clients, working with GOG Galaxy feels like a walk in the park. There’s no denying that the product has come a long way since its early close Beta days and it’s safe to say that it looks miles more modern from the most popular gaming platform out there Steam. The first thing that becomes apparent when you log into the GOG Galaxy client is just how good it looks. GOG Galaxy was created to make it as easy as possible for you to bring together all your games, and your friends from other distribution platforms under one, unified roof. Whether you prefer the simple term of an all-in-one launcher or the geekier, LOTR-inspired definition of “one launcher to rule them all,” we don’t judge. Now out of closed Beta, GOG Galaxy 2.0 (open Beta) is a very interesting app that promises to unify all your PC games in one cool looking and quite functional client/launcher. The frustration of trying to figure out which games are where (most of which are on DRM-reliant platforms such as Steam, Origin, Uplay, and Epic) and having to deal with all the shenanigans associated with these platforms may very well come to an end soon with the help of GOG Galaxy. If you were to ask any passionate gamer what is in his or her opinion the biggest problem of the modern-day gaming industry, there’s a very good chance the response will have something to do with the hustle of juggling between multiple platform launchers. ![]() Once they are dark red, almost black, remove chiles from the oil and let them cool off.Ĥ. Return the oil pot into the stove and add the 3 Morita chiles watch carefully, because this Moritas tend to inflate like balloons. Remove pot from heat and take out all the fried chiles to cool down a bit.ģ. If you see some of the chiles getting darker faster than others, remove promptly and keep frying the rest.Ģ. Place all the Arbol chiles and carefully toss constantly until all chiles look dark mahogany red but not burt. In a medium size pot place oil and warm up over medium heat. About 64-68 dry chiles de arbol, between 3.5” to 4” long approx.Ģ large garlic cloves (I used Ajo Criollo, its mild and very aromatic)ġ. Salsa Mucha Muchacha AKA Salsa Macha Makes 8-10 oz Jarĥ0gr. Bare with me and follow along, you are a few steps from salsa heaven. Please do not be alarmed when you read the ingredients on the recipe, I know 64-68 chiles can be excessive, but this is exactly the type of salsa preparation that shows the versatility of chiles and the multiple spectrum of flavor versus heat, that chiles can offer. Afterwards, a tamed pleasant spice lingers on your tongue and warms up your tastebuds leaving you wanting more. The spicy notes from the arbol bring depth and a settle spiciness, then just when you think your mouth its gonna be on fire, the chile Moritas hit you with their bright, sweet spicy almost like cherry flavor and all starts to mellows down, following by the hint of sharp garlic, salt and nutty notes from the oils. The flavor on this salsa its like no other, is intense chili, smoky and nutty. I always remember making this salsa and my tastebuds salivate every time, its my ultimate craving. Later on, I adapted the recipe using my favorite chile, Chile de arbol and a hint of Morita. I remember dearly those days because no matter what we had we always ended up with a delicious breakfast and this salsa was always on the menu. It was absolutely fantastic and we would eat endless pots of beans and totopos, eggs, orange wedges, cucumbers, jicama, soups, you name it, this salsa was the excuse to prepare anything and everything. Ultiminio taught me how to make this salsa with chiles Moritas from his hometown Chiapas. ![]() You get the picture, but this salsa, THIS SALSA always brought everything together. Usually I had beans and he had one egg and I had another egg, a piece of cheese, a lost potato, tostadas or tortillas… and Coffee always was in both pantries. So in less time than you imagine, we were gathering ingredients to make breakfast happen. We knew Sundays were for refrigerator inventory. On the weekends we used to scream at each other from our little balconies: ~Vecina!, Vecino!Whats for breakfast?… I lived at apartment No.3 and Ultiminio lived on the first level. Bottom floor for a small retail area top tree levels for three little apartments. Yes, that was his name he was such a great friend and had a great charisma. I had a neighbor who became one of my best friends, Ultiminio. This recipe has a back story from my single years. This salsa will make your heart sing, and speak in tongues. From smoking, toasting, roasting, frying, charring, grilling, steaming, boiling, its an endless combination that ends with a delicious result and the best accent for a meal. The level of spiciness can be tamed by the cook and by combining different chiles one can create new flavors. Chiles are one of my dearest ingredients because by preparing them in different ways they transform and have multiple flavors and textures to offer far beyond simply spicy and hot. In the chile kingdom and its spice scale, this Mucha muchacha salsa has the best flavor and intensity in my opinion. Recipes, Cooking & Art Direction: Mariana Nuño Ruiz McEnroe | Photography: Ian McEnroe | ![]() These deep shades give off a masculine feel while also providing just the right amount of femininity. If you have a room with lots of natural light, this color combo may be for you. This welcoming color combination implements some color without taking it too far. A pewter closet, bed, and window framing paired with cream-colored linens and walls will give a nice contrast to peach curtains and throw pillows. Pewter and peach are such a fun and happy color combination. Incorporating a quality taupe bed cover will create an inviting and comfortable feel. Deep purple walls and a red patterned decorative blanket will give the room a rich, moody vibe. Incorporate some burgundy accents and animal print, and there you have it – a unique and exotic room to call your own.Īnother out-of-the-ordinary, eye-catching color combination is purple, red, and taupe. Flood those walls with black paint to make this daring color scheme stand out. Wanting to make a statement? Black, burgundy, and camel shout high-end luxury and sophistication. With this hit color duo, you will get a restful night’s sleep in no time. This light and simple color combination should not go unnoticed. Light-colored walls with a plush rug and some strategically placed metallics will make your bedroom the star of your home. Let’s talk about this modern and serene color combination. Have fun with it, and add a funky patterned black and white headboard or duvet bedding set to make it unique. Throw in some olive-green walls, and you’ve got a classic hit and a big pop of color. ![]() These soft hues, paired with some greenery and light-colored walls, will have you relaxed in no time.īlack and white have always been a timeless and classy pair. ![]() They add tranquility to any room and maintain their timeless charm. Probably one of the most popular color combinations is oatmeal and sage. Small details and added accents will pull the room together and make it cohesive. When implementing colors, it’s not just about the big statement pieces. Don’t underestimate the power of a great color combination. Turmeric linen duvet colors, peach bed sheets and pillow shams, some greenery, and a large white woven rug give the aura of a warm Arizona sunset right at home.īy now, you should be starting to get the gist of how to implement some color combinations into your space. This pop of warm color adds beautiful sunset vibes to any space. If a deep moss green is too bold for your liking, replacing it with a sage shade is an easy way to lighten your space.Īnother fun, bold color combination is turmeric and peach. Moss green walls, light-colored artwork, and a rustic bedside table will free your nature-filled heart and help you get a good night’s sleep. A bold burnt orange wall and grey textured bedding will have you smiling ear to ear at the results.Įarth tones will have you letting go of the stress from the day and grabbing hold of warmth and comfort. These intense colors are a great combination if you want to feel like you are being wrapped up in a sunny oasis. Burnt orange and grey add excitement to your space while making you feel warm and fuzzy inside. If you’re not sure how to execute these colors in your space, start by grabbing a bucket of soft yellow paint for an accent wall, looking at some pale yellow sheet sets, a white waffle duvet cover, and a fun periwinkle blue lounge chair to make your room pop and pull it all together.Īre soft colors not filling you with excitement? Try this bold color combination. These colors give off cheerful vibes in waves. If you want your room to express peace and happiness, pale yellow and periwinkle blue are your colors. Pick out some lavender bed sheets and a pale champagne duvet cover, and you’ll be ready to throw yourself into bed once you hit the threshold. Adding some colors like champagne and lavender will pair well and can send the message of calm relaxation with some modest luxury. Now, let’s jump in and set you up for success in creating a private getaway right at home. The colors and attitude of your paradise should make you want to dive into your bed covers and stay there. It’s almost the new year, so out with the old and in with the new! But what kind of new are you picturing, and where do you start? Well, you start with the most fun part: Color!ĭeciding on your color palette will set the mood and shape the tone you want to set for your bedroom. You’ve finally decided that it’s time to upgrade your bedroom. ![]() Map-Centric Design The iRadar experience is all about the map. Now you can rely on a real-time network of detectors for superior situational awareness while you are driving. In addition, when an iRadar detects a radar or laser alert it automatically shares this data with the rest of the iRadar Community. Community members can report and warn other users of live police, caution areas, and photo enforcement areas. The power of community The connection to your iPhone provides access to the iRadar Community. Incorporating Cobra's highest-performing and most compact detection technology, iRadar ATOM's Bluetooth connectivity turns your iPhone into the detector's display, giving you warnings of upcoming red light and speed cameras. The Cobra iRadar ATOM radar detector-along with your iPhone or iPod touch and the iRadar app-lets you take advantage of a community of detectors for accurate alerts about safety and enforcement threats on roads all around. The item is securely packaged in Original box.Ĭobra Electronics iRAD 950 iRadar ATOM Radar Detector The unit has been fully tested and is completely functional.Ĭobra Electronics iRadar ATOM Radar Detector The Sorrow was born sometime during the early 1900s to early 1910s.This Cobra Electronics iRadar ATOM Radar Detector is in great working condition. The Sorrow and The Boss fought together as part of the Cobra Unit during World War II and participated in the Allied landing at Normandy in 1944. During D-Day, The Boss was pregnant with her and The Sorrow's child and she gave birth to their son, who was then taken from them by agents of the Philosophers.Īfter the war, The Sorrow worked for the Soviet Union. He also converted a double agent planted in the Soviet Union by The Boss over to their side and gave fake analysis of the schematics of one of the Sputnik models. The Sorrow was unaware that The Boss was the one who planted the sleeper agent in the first place. After The Boss' failure in the Mercury Mission, The Sorrow and The Boss encountered each other in Tselinoyarsk in 1962. The Sorrow was ultimately killed by The Boss, at his own request, in order to ensure the safety of their son, whom the Philosophers had threatened to kill if both were to survive. ![]() " He was then killed by a bullet to the left eye that shattered his glasses.īefore he died, The Sorrow told The Boss that "the spirit of the warrior always be with. Operation Snake Eater See also: Virtuous Mission and Operation Snake Eater His son would later become a major in GRU, codenamed Ocelot. The Sorrow's remains near Dolinovodno in 1964. In September 1964, during the Virtuous Mission, the surviving Cobras were reunited with The Boss, who had returned to Tselinoyarsk. The unit, under the employ of GRU colonel Volgin, were there to capture Soviet rocket scientist Nikolai Sokolov, whom CIA agent Naked Snake, was attempting to extract himself. The Boss' presence attracted the attention of The Sorrow's spirit, which had remained in Tselinoyarsk since his death. His spirit accompanied the rest of the Cobras, without their knowledge, as they made off with their prize, after Snake was thrown from the Dolinovodno bridge by The Boss. The Sorrow's remains were later seen by an injured Snake, before his rescue from Tselinoyarsk, located on the riverbank on which he had washed up. The ghost of The Sorrow appeared to Naked Snake on several occasions, during the latter's return to Tselinoyarsk in Operation Snake Eater. As he did so, he often cried blood and was accompanied by rain falling from the sky. The Sorrow observed Snake during the events of his mission, and occasionally offered helpful hints, such as a key radio frequency. The Fury also mentioned joining The Sorrow in death, after being defeated by Snake in battle, realizing that The Boss would be the only Cobra left. ![]() I worked on after finishing the Basic Mechanical Watch course, and I took great satisfaction in servicing and restoring this old Vostok to its original condition. My favourite project so far was an old USSR-era military-issue Vostok. ‘I’ve always liked the aesthetics of older watches and the workings of mechanical watch movements which is shown by my extensive collection, probably numbering around 150 pieces. For example, I help to run a Russian watch group on Facebook, which has nearly 10,000 members. ‘It’s a fast-growing sector of watch collecting. ‘I intend to service and repair Russian watches on a professional basis as a part-time career in the future,’ Jamie adds. As well as working on privately owned clocks and watches, horologists are also employed in museums, auction houses and antiques dealers. The BHI counts current and erstwhile Clockmakers to the Palace of Westminster among its members – someone has to look after Big Ben and the many clocks in Parliament. Many others are successfully self-employed. It is worth noting that, while horology is at its heart a solitary pursuit, many horologists work for watchmaking houses (anything from small individual firms to Swiss giants such as Patek Philippe) or repair businesses. I have a particular interest in vintage watches made by older Russian companies such as Vostok, Poljot and Raketa, especially the military watches they produced.’ Where do horologists work? ‘You might have to get used to doing things on your own, but as in most military technical environments, many aspects of the job are heavily supervised. ‘I believe horology as a career could really suit any ex-Service people who are mechanically minded,’ says Jamie. People are also often very attached to family heirloom clocks and watches, wanting to restore them or keep them well maintained. The luxury watch market has a very loyal and passionate customer base that loves the technology, innovation and artistry of high-end timepieces. ![]() One corporate BHI member saw its postal watch repair business for vintage and pocket watches increase threefold during lockdown. Professional BHI members (membership is open to professionals, enthusiasts and indeed anyone who wishes to join) report months’ worth of work on their benches at any given time, and staff at Upton Hall frequently receive calls from people seeking a watch or clock repairer. It may be a niche field, but the work is undoubtedly out there. For full details of how to make the most of your ELC, refer to the in-depth features elsewhere on this website. Under the ELC scheme, a wide range of learning can be taken, provided it is offered by an approved provider listed on the ELC website and is at level 3 or above. Indeed, many people found it to be a worthwhile pursuit during pandemic restrictions. These are completed in the student’s own time and at their own pace, with the option to take examinations for an officially accredited and globally recognised professional qualification if they so choose. It is worth noting that, as well as short courses such as these, which are run at the BHI’s headquarters at Upton Hall in Newark, Nottinghamshire, the Institute also runs distance learning programmes. Being taught by an instructor who had such a genuine passion for his subject made both courses extremely interesting and enjoyable from beginning to end.’ ‘The tutor, John Murphy FBHI, was brilliant. ‘I’ve taken two short courses with the British Horological Institute (BHI): Basic Mechanical Watch, and Service and Repair of Day Date Automatic Watches,’ continues Jamie. I’ve set up a workshop in the spare room with all the tools and equipment I need.’ What courses are available? ‘As an engineer who has spent most of his military career working on aircraft, I’ve always been interested in the technical side of how things work, and watches were an ideal way for me to further explore this interest in all things mechanical at home. ‘My interest in watchmaking started about 15 years ago when I bought some old Russian watches on eBay and did some amateur tinkering,’ he says. Sgt Jamie McGuiness, a Weapons Technician based at RAF Wittering, certainly thinks so. Surely, then, horology – the study of clocks and watches – is a promising field for mechanically minded ex-Service people. ![]() It evolved from there and continues to evolve today as a feat of technical engineering that is also a desirable accessory for both men and women. A pocket watch adapted for a wrist strap was ideal, and so the wristwatch was born. By the time of WWI, the military badly needed a timekeeping device that was clear, accurate and immediately accessible, while keeping both hands free. What makes horology (the study of clocks and watches) an ideal hobby – or even a promising new career direction – for practically minded Service leavers? |
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