Jan
05
2019

My First Ever PC Build!

Posted in Technology |
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Well, it’s been a while since I posted on the blog. What better way that with another DIY post!

I’ve been talking about buying a new computer for a while. Ever since my Asus X53 laptop started slowing down on me earlier last year (I bought it back in 2012), and the battery becoming useless, I decided I need something reliable that would serve me well when I needed to do any graphic or web design work (and wouldn’t take 5 minutes to boot up Photoshop). Maybe finally I could have a system that will be able to handle any of the video editing I’ve been meaning to do for my cooking business. Something that’s a bit “future-proof”.

So after a lot of research I thought, “Hey, I’ve taught an introduction to computer engineering class before. Why not try and build my own computer with the specs that I need?”

All the components I purchased for my first PC build.

All the components I purchased for my first PC build.

Enter PC Partpicker. I cannot say enough how much of a godsend that website has been when it came. To picking all the components I needed for my new PC build, and making sure that each of those parts were compatible. The forum and review sections helped a lot. After I started a build with the site, and doing my own research on the parts I needed for a computer that would be best for my creative needs, I had a list.

I’m sure your thinking, why not buy a pre-assembled computer at Best Buy? Well, I wanted control over exactly what was inside of my PC. And besides, the iMac Pro I initially wanted would’ve cost me an arm and a leg.

In order not to back out of this endeavor I bought the case first (Fractal Define R6) online, so it sad shipped to me before Christmas. No turning back now!

I knew it was going to be expensive, but thankfully Boxing Day sales saved me about 30% of the price of the majority of the components. I had the toughest time choosing the processor, because it was a toss-up between the i7 8700k (6 cores, 12 threads) and the i7 9700k (8 cores, 8 threads), but I opted for the later since video editing was only a portion of what needed this computer for, some Adobe programs are still single threaded, and better for overclocking if I choose to do that in the future.

I ordered all the parts mostly from Canada Computers and Newegg. Once everything was shipped and picked up from the store, I was ready to build.

YouTube was a valuable resource for me, as viewed several videos that were helpful for beginners as they started to build their first PC.

After unboxing all the parts, I skimmed through all the manuals just to make sure I had all the parts and was starting things right. I dropped in the Intel CPU onto the motherboard (Asus Prime Z390). A bit nerve-wracking because in every DIY building tutorial they said never to touch the pins. I also made sure I grounded myself to avoid shorting out the sensitive equipment with static electricity… so no wool socks for me, and I touched the metal case frequently to be extra safe.

I also installed two sticks of ram (32GB total). I originally wanted to get the white Corsair Vengeance memory, but the black version was in sale for $80 less.

Getting the I/O shield to fit into the chassis was a bit of a pain, but I got it slotted in properly after a few minutes. Then I screwed in the bracket that would support the liquid cooler on the back of the motherboard, and put it aside as I worked on other components.

Focussing on the radiator for the AIO (Corsair H100i PRO), I dismantled the top of my Fractal R6 chassis in order to reveal a mesh plate and a metal gate that would hold it.

Trying to get the radiator on seemed simple enough. I had to figure out which direction to orient the fans to (as I wanted an intake). Didn’t notice until later that there were a couple of small arrows on the fan’s casing that tells you that.

After installing my M.2 SSD under the heatsink, I finally secured the motherboard to the case with the 8 screws provided. Then I started to connect some of the front panel headers to the appropriate pins.

The AIO pump was easy enough to install, except for realizing at the last second that I had the wrong screws in the the bracket, so I couldn’t fit the pump over the CPU. I had to put the protective plastic backing back on the pump so I didn’t damage the thermal paste, took out the bracket from the back of the motherboard (thank goodness I could see the back from the other side of the case), and replace it with the correct screws (LGA 1151).

Getting the mesh vent back on the top of my Fractal R6 case was a pain. For some reason the holes weren’t lining up correctly. I figured that if it was fitting in correct when I took. It out, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be fitting now. I looked at the manual and wondered why my mesh vent was in a reverse orientation than the picture. Was this a manufacturing defect? No. It’s just that I screwed in the radiator on the opposite site… Lol. Whoops! Also one of the screws were interfering with the radiator fitting in properly under the vent, so after I removed one it slid in fine (I just hope the radiator and fans don’t drop on my graphics card in a few months!).

Cabling: What a nightmare at first! I think I’ll need glasses after this after trying to read all that miniscule print on the motherboard. And those single pins for the front panel buttons were ridiculous… Why can’t they have this as a single block? Thank goodness gir needle nosed pliers. After searching for a bit and consulting the manual, I was able to track down all the correct pins and match them to the cables (the multiple USB headers were a bit confusing).

I had already put the power supply in the bottom of the chassis, which had all the correct cables connected. I drew them through the nearest slots on the chassis where they’d come close to the correct pins on the motherboard. Getting all those cables managed neatly was a challenge too, but it’s a good thing the Fractal R6 has some great cable management features.

The cable issue that gave me the most stress was connecting my AIO and case fans to the motherboard. My chassis came with a PWM hub, so initially I plugged my three case fans into that. Connected that to a SATA cable for power and I thought I was done. Nope! There were extra cables! Some of them I had no idea what connections they were for, especially that “Molex” 4 pin connector that I had plugged into a peripheral cord, and then figured out I didn’t need it after all!

I got so confused because the Fractal manual said to connect the hub to CPU_FAN, but that’s ether my AIO needed to be connected! After much Googling, and finding out a lot of people had the same question, I learned I can point the hub towards CPU_OPT and keep the AIO header in CPU_FAN.

Initially, I wanted to purchase a motherboard with built-in Wi-Fi (because there’s no network cable in the room I have my computer in), but the Asus Prime 390-A was on sale and so was the wireless adaptor.

Last but not least, the graphic card was the last to go in. The Asus GeForce GTX 1060 is gorgeous! I wish I had the extra cash to purchase the adaptor from Fractal and vertically mount it in order to show off it’s full glory (but I was also worried about the fan exhaust being so close to the glass panel).

After adding some hook and loop straps to keep things neat and tidy, everything seemed complete. Time to boot up!

Holding my breath I plugged in the power cord, connected the monitor, keyboard and mouse and hoped for the best. I pressed the power button on the front of the chassis and it turned on! Fans were moving, lights were glowing… The only thing is that the monitor had no picture.

It's allliiiivvvee!

It’s allliiiivvvee!

I removed the display port cable I had and tried it again. Nothing. I hoped there was nothing wrong with the graphics card. I tried plugging the monitor directly into the motherboards I/O. Still nothing. Then I took a closer look at the motherboard manual: “Turn on the devices in the following order: Monitor, External Storage Devices, System Power.” Whoops! I forgot to plug my monitor in the first time I booted up, and did so after the computer was already on. No wonder! I tried it again and it worked!

But now there was an error message:” an m.2 sata device has been detected in the m.2_2 socket… Fatal error.”

Noooo! So close! So I looked back in my motherboard’s manual and noticed where the second m.2 slot is located on the motherboard. Back to the drawing board!

Whoops... Installed the m.2 card in the wrong slot at first!

Whoops… Installed the m.2 card in the wrong slot at first!

After I meticulously removed the m.2 card from the incorrect slot, I placed it where it was supposed to go and hoped for the best. Turning the computer back on and waited. The LEDs lit up, but then I hear a faint click and it looked like the computer shut off! Then it went on and off again. I was about to cry wondering if I shorted out the motherboard after dropping that screw in it when I was moving the m.2. But then it went on again. I looked at the screen and I see the BIOS booting up!

Yay… It worked! I change a few of the settings in the BIOS (focussing on the ram limitations, and other recommended settings), then I installed Windows 10, formatted the extra three drives and was done! 😁

Even though this process took me about 6 hours total, I spent about half the time reviewing YouTube videos, going over the various manuals, and fixing the small mistakes with set-up. If I were to do think again, I could brobably get it down in less than half the time. I’m definitely proud of myself. I’ve learned a lot from this process, and more confident about my knowledge about the inner workings of computers.

I am now a full-fledged nerd. 🤓





Here’s the total part list if you’re wondering. Everything came up to about $2500 (my poor credit card), but almost everything was at a discounted price.

  • CPU: Intel – Core i7-9700K 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor
  • CPU Cooler: Corsair – H100i PRO 75 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler
  • Motherboard: Asus – PRIME Z390-A ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
  • Memory: Corsair – Vengeance LPX 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory
  • Storage: Samsung – 860 Evo 250 GB 2.5″ Solid State Drive (for my media cache and scratch disk) 
  • Storage: Samsung – 860 Evo 500 GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive (for my operating mystem, apps and programs)
  • Storage: Samsung – 860 Evo 1 TB 2.5″ Solid State Drive (my working drive) 
  • Storage: Seagate – FireCuda 2 TB 3.5″ 7200RPM Hybrid Internal Hard Drive (my archive, media storage and video exports)
  • Video Card: Asus – GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6 GB Dual Video Card
  • Case: Fractal Design – Design Define R6 USB-C – TG ATX Mid Tower Case
  • Power Supply: EVGA – SuperNOVA G3 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply
  • Wireless Network Adapter: Asus – PCE-AC55BT PCI-Express x1 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Adapter

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Aug
31
2016

DIY Michonne Costume: Part 2

Posted in DIY |
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Fan Expo is just around the corner again, and as usual I’m getting totally excited about my cosplay this year! I figured three years is way too long to post the part 2 I promised to my original blog post, but here it is. :D

I’ll be reusing my Michonne cosplay (thank goodness The Walking Dead is such a hit) for one day of the event, and going to test out my Storm cosplay for the rest (but that’s another post). My Michonne cosply was a hit when I wore it at conventions or Halloween. People actually thought I was the real Danai Guerra for a second while I was walking around the Fan Expo grounds in costume the last few years. ;) I had a lot of people at Fan Expo complimenting my Michonne costume and asking for photos. It was a great experience and proved that all the hard work I put into the detail was worth it.

A photo posted by Monique (@blaquecat) on

Now, I’m not one for measuring–I usually just eyeball things when I’m making crafts–so when I was creating the saya for the katana and Michonne trademark cloak from the second season of The Walking Dead, I just went with the flow. But if you want to try your hand at making your own Michonne costume this Halloween, here’s a list of materials and some basic instructions that you’ll need.

Cloak

  • Burlap (I picked up mine in a large, single package from Michael’s)
  • 2 metres of lining fabric (burlap is itchy!)
  • a brown shoelaces (for the neck string)
  • Glue gun
  • sewing machine (it’s going to be hard on your hand using a thick needle for the burlap)
DIY Michonne Hooded Cloak

My homemade hooded cloak inspired by The Walking Dead character, Michonne.

I looked online to find a suitable sewing pattern for my cloak. It was quite the task as I didn’t realize how many different versions there were out there. So I didn’t use a direct pattern (I loosely followed this outline though). I guestimated the general shape that I wanted my Michonne cloak to be, cut it out, stitched it together and prayed for the best!

I traced the outline for my cloak on the layered pieces of cloth and burlap and cut them both out (you’ll need a second piece of fabric besides the burlap, because it’s hella itchy). Using my heavy-duty needle on my sewing machine, I was able to sew all around the edges. When I got to the end, I made sure I left a 6-inch-long gap so that I was able to then pull the cloak through this hole and turn it inside out so that the seams didn’t show. Then I was able to neatly stitch that up and I was left with a neatly sewn cloak.

A close-up look of the two-tone cloak fabric

A close-up look of the two-tone cloak fabric that I sewed together, then flipped inside-out.

Reinforced stitching

I reinforced the stitching around the edges for a cleaner look.

At this point I tried it on. The hood part was tricky. It was way too big for my head so I ended up stitching a straight line at the peak of the hood (inside out), then when I flipped it back out the right way it fit me better, and not cover my entire face when it was on my head (meh… I guess measuring beforehand would’ve came in handy after all).

A makeshift fastener for my cloak

I had some leftover pieces of shoe-lacing that I used for the neck tie, so I stitched it to some fabric and then to the cloak.

When it came to the clasp to hold the hood around my face, I had to brainstorm what was best. The fabric was too thick to install the grommets I had, so I looped together and sewed some brown shoe laces to a small piece of fabric and attached it to the bottom front of the hood. My sewing needle actually broke when I was trying to sew everything together, so I hand-stitched this part. I was then able to lace the other shoelace in between to act as a fastener.

Me in my Michonne cosplay

Me in my Michonne cosplay (don’t I look like I’m gonna kick some zombie butt?)

Katana Saya/Scabbard

  • 2 large mailing tubes (to hold the foam sword)
  • 2 metres of white lacing
  • Heavy wire paperclips or keyring wires
  • a roll of brown duct tape
  • glue gun
  • some scraps of cardboard

Making this was fun! The foam sword I bought a couple years ago didn’t come with one, so I went on YouTube to see how they designed real katana scabbards or sayas (here’s another good one). I found some good, heavy-duty poster rolls that fit my fake sword perfectly.

Cardboard to form the saya/scabbard

I used a thick poster tube, sliced it lengthwise, then secured it with duct tape in order to form the saya for Michonne’s katana sword.

Since I had two separate tubes so that it would be long enough, I cut about 2 inches into the top of one of them just so I can collapse it a bit so that I could squeeze it into the other one, to make a continuous tube. I reinforced this gap with brown duct tape (which mimicked the leather on Michonne’s saya). I flattened the tube a bit to give it a cylinder shape. After that was done, I used some left over cardboard, cut out an oval shape and taped it to one end with the brown duct tape.

Neatly, I continued to wrap the length of the tube with the tape to make it seem like it had that “leatherish” feel, being sure to make sure the seal was strong, and lining what was visible of the open end a bit.

Wrapping the saya

It was actually pretty fun to lace this up.

Wrapping the saya with the white lacing (can be found at any fabric store… similar to shoe lacing) was fun to do. I found a cool site that shows how to do it properly (this YouTube video, and  is also helpful), so I just mimicked that, being sure to reinforce with some hot glue along the way.

As for the smaller lacing at the back of the saya, I just got some white yarn threads and hot glued them down to make it look like the “leather” was being sewn into.

The finished product!

The finished product!

The strap was easy. I found a brown belt at Value Village and just cut it in on the opposite side of the buckle. Using a heavy-duty paper clips, I MacGuyver-ed loops that would attach it to the saya, reinforcing heavily with duct tape.

Go figure that a year after I hand-made the saya for the katana, they started making affordable replicas for both. Oh, well!

And there you have it: A custom, DIY Michonne-inspired cloak and saya for all you Walking Dead fans! If you have any more questions, comments or even pics of your own Michonne cosplay, I’d love to hear from you. :)

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Jan
31
2016

Class Review: KTX Fitness Cycling with Keith Thompson

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Rants & Raves |
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If you’re active on social media, you probably might have come across this video of a hip-hop inspired cycling class:

YouTube Preview Image

When I found out that KTX Fitness instructor Keith Thompson was going to be in Toronto, I jumped at the chance to sign up. Was it because I was an active spinner? No. Personally, I haven’t been on a bicycle in over a decade and I never even seen a spin bike up close. But I registered for the class because it looked fun.

Too often there is a monotony attributed to the gym scene. Even various fitness classes can become tedious with repetitive moves and the same drawn out down beat playing on the speaker.  When I saw the video of Keith’s cycle class, it looked like everyone was full of energy and his entertaining and positive attitude shown through (the twerking part in the above vid just sealed the deal for me). Here’s a video of him when he was on the Queen Latifa Show:

YouTube Preview Image

The Cleveland, Ohio native led four classes this weekend and the guest instruction took place at the sleek Rocket Cycle spinning studio on St. Clair West, which opened a couple years ago. Rocket Cycle’s decor is very clean and modern The staff was very friendly. I loved the large lockers (no padlock needed), and the elegant-looking water station. Don’t have indoor cycling shoes? Rocket Cycle can lend you a pair for the class (though, I’m curing the guy who took the last size 10… I had to squeeze into a 9.5). Plus, they clean the whole studio between each class and provide a fresh towel on each bike. On the downside, Rocket Cycle is located right above World Class Bakery, so after burning which I think was 800 calories, I earned them back by buying a lemon shortbread cookie and a Nanaimo bar (you win some, you lose some).

Not used to the indoor cycling shoes, it took me a minute to figure out how to latch them on to the bike. When I realized I couldn’t dismount easily like if I were wearing regular runners on a bicycle, I worked up the nerve to innocently ask the nice lady beside me how to get off (excuse me for not wanting to break the shoes and use more force to dislodge them). Now that I knew how to make a quick escape and not be the sole person stuck to a bike in case the fire alarm went off, I was ready to warm up.

I made a few adjustments to the seat, but spinning seemed comfortable enough. Keith started the class with about 10 minutes of “warm-up”. I was cursing myself after the first 5 for actually signing up for this class, because my legs were already killing me.

Now I’m a pretty athletic woman. I’ve always been involved in sports and activities. But the older you get the more your body rejects the notion of you forcing itself to do work, rather than sit on your couch and eat a bowl of ice cream. So I haven’t been in my best shape, metabolism-wise, recently. So to go into this cold was an error on my part. But once I got into the music it actually became a lot easier. Keith also gave us lots of quick mini-water breaks while on our bikes, which was great (I think I downed almost a litre).

Keith’s playlist is awesome. A bunch of upbeat, hip hop tracks definitely make you forget that your muscles are tearing while riding a stationary bike and bouncing up and down. I personally enjoyed the R&B slow jams he played, during which I could catch my breath. There was enough body changing movements on the bike that allowed us to use more of our bodies and get a full workout. I was nervous at the fact that Keith was walking (I guess I should say dancing) up and down the aisle observing everyone’s spinning technique and positively motivating us. I surprised myself by actually keeping up with the majority of the exercises in the one-hour class that required us to stay up from the seat.

YouTube Preview Image

It’s no surprise that KTX Fitness has become so popular. Keith Thompson’s passion and energy is contagious, and I can actually say that I would try the class again. The step classes he offers actually appeal to me as well, so I’ll be on the lookout for those if and when he comes back to Toronto, or if I even venture down to the Atlanta, Georgia area. KTX Fitness is highly recommended if you’re looking for a great workout that you will actually have fun doing.

Now I’m just waiting to see how sore my body will be tomorrow.

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Sep
08
2015

Apologies!

Posted in General |
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Whoa! I can’t believe I haven’t wrote anything on my blog this year! My sincere apologies to all my readers for that. I’ve been preoccupied working on my new website and business, Now You’re Cooking. And I’m also a bit of a procrastinator.

I have a few posts coming up though: One on my recent experience at Toronto’s Fan Expo and the Part 2 of my Michonne cosplay costume (finally).

Stay tuned! :-)

Dec
05
2014

The Shoebox Project

Posted in Inspiration |
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A couple weeks ago I was watching the evening news and saw that they were doing coverage on the Raptor wives/girlfriends showing their support for women living in GTA shelters by helping collect gifts for The Shoebox Project:

The Shoebox Project was founded in 2011 by four sisters-in-law – Caroline Mulroney Lapham and Jessica, Vanessa and Katy Mulroney.

We were looking for a hands-on way to give back in our community. We asked our friends to fill a shoebox with little luxuries that they would enjoy, to decorate the box and drop it off to us. We delivered our gift boxes along with the hundred others we received to more women that we could have expected. Through word-of-mouth, and social media, we have grown in a big way!

YouTube Preview Image

I wish I knew about this project earlier. I would’ve totally had a “Shoebox Party” and invited all my friends to come over and fill and decorate their own shoe boxes.

I tend to shop a little too much at times, so I usually have a load of extra, unopened stuff that I can do without (lotions, shampoo, hordes of toothbrushes). What better way to but these items to good use than by giving them to someone in more need than yourself? To top off my shoe box I picked up a few other beauty items and treats. Wrapped it up, stuck on a bow, wrote a nice message on the gift tag and it was good to go. Good thing I had a big, size 12 shoe box to fit everything into!

In a single day, thousands of women are housed in shelters across Canada. This is such a worthy cause, because there are so many women who are experiencing difficult times. I’m glad to know that I’m able to help brighten the holiday season for a woman who may have experienced abuse, poverty or mental illness, by filling up a shoe box with meaningful goodies.

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