The Arizona Origami Society had a great time in Yuma last month for Haru Matsuri!
I just wanted to pass some information along that there is origami instruction available to you guys at the Foothills Library!
Beginner to intermediate classes are hosted at the library by Barbara Stucker. She does them twice a month, on the first Thursday from 3:00-4:00, and on the third Thursday from 3:00-5:00.
Barbara was wonderful to us, and I'm sure she will be to you too!
Happy folding Yuma!!

I'm actually not sure if I do have dyspraxia, and am not trying to self-diagnose, but I've read some posts here that I relate to that correlate to some things I've dealt with throughout my life:

1. I can't drive yet, and when I did for a brief period I sincerely lacked spatial awareness and also don't think my mind can focus on multiple views and systems all at once.
   
2. I tend to mix things up in my head, frequently. I've noticed this recently when I'm working on a lab. I will switch up directions and do the complete opposite of the correct instructions, during exams I switch up the silliest little details and I do poorly, out loud I can say the complete opposite of what I thought in my head.
   
3. Spatial awareness when I'm walking is also kind of off, especially when I'm anxious. Yesterday I was walking in the middle of a busy parking lot, thinking I was away from the cars but there was a car going slow behind me and I didn't even know until I turned around.
   
4. I have a hard time with symmetry and crafts such as origami frustrate me at times.
   

Again, not self-diagnosing but was wondering how those who know they have dyspraxia go thru their day-to-day life?

I have got some great suggestions before, so I am looking for a few more books on these topics:
Origami or Craft Books which come with instructions. Problem solving Books which need the kids to solve or figure out things Vocation Books which explore different vocations (like Incredible Jobs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of)

I have got some great suggestions before, so I am looking for a few more books on these topics:
Origami or Craft Books which come with instructions. Problem solving Books which need the kids to solve or figure out things Vocation Books which explore different vocations (like Incredible Jobs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of)

Spoilers for post-post game content: When anyone else got to the office did your printer print out origami rabbit instructions?

DAY: May 5 2024
​

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Guys I need the instructions to build this help me out will you? I have been doing origami to the point that I can fold literally anything now. So now I need smaug.

Hi! Me and my partner are turning 33 this year, so we are throwing a big hobbit coming-of-age picnic - and I plan to send our friends on a hobbit-style quest epic. It will take place outside in a park with lots of really interesting features, and I expect between 10 - 20 people to participate in the quest. Apologies for the very long, detailed post, but I would love some feedback - I am worried that I am making it too complex, but I have lots of ideas I would love to include!
(SPOILER ALERT - in case by some coincidence my players have found this sub: if you are invited to a hobbit coming-of-age picnic in the next few weeks, read no further!)
Hobbits will form 4 teams (fellowships, one might say) to embark on the quest. There will be a range of puzzle experience in the teams, as well as a range of Tolkien knowledge - but as a reference point, many of my friends are nerds who enjoy escape rooms! The aim of the quest will be to retrieve a preciousss treasure hidden somewhere in the park. By collecting the clues, each team will gather the information they need to find it - but it is a race: only one team will succeed.
My plan for this is for each team to have to visit 4 locations, which lead one to the next in a circular fashion. Each team will start with a clue that leads them to one of the four locations, so hopefully we don't get everyone bunched up in one location at once. At each of the four locations, teams will pick up a rune in addition to a clue that leads them to the next location. The locations are a few minutes walk from each other, with the two most distant 10 minutes apart.
Once teams have collected all four runes, they will return to the picnic, where they will receive a decoder for their runes, and the first team will receive a key. This will lead them to the final location, where they can unlock the treasure.
That's the overview! Now for the details...
I have made a map of the park with several landmarks marked (including the four locations as well as some red herrings). Each team will receive a copy of this map with some written instructions - e.g. "You must visit four locations and collect an item from each. Please leave the clues where they are! Once you have collected four items, come back to the picnic..." plus this silly little rhyme: "Then, if in your quest you shall progress The party hobbits you must impress Search the country high and low For certain gifts you must bestow With master hobbit you'll try your luck For he requires a majestic rock And mistress hobbit, she requires The bestest stick in all the shires" The idea of this is to give a more whimsical task for the less puzzle-inclined in the group. They must find the most majestic rock and the bestest stick! And would it be a hobbit adventure without some rhyming verse?
Each team will also receive a riddle along with their map, which points to an item at the picnic site. Riddles as follows (they may need some work, let me know what you think): In amongst the things to eat, can you find Smeagol's favourite treat? answer: fish (a flappy fish toy with a velcro pocket)
Invisible threads beneath the ground, fairies dance around and round, a tiny seat for a warty frog, you'll find me on a rotting log answer: mushroom (a ceramic mushroom shaped pot)
Though I have no body, my spine is hard, I hold more stories than a bard answer: book (with a hidden compartment)
I have a neck but no head - don't ask why! I share my name with a buzzy fly answer: blue bottle
(I also like the idea of a hollowed out candle with a clue in it - yet to decide!)
Each of these items will contain a clue to the starting location for the team: I plan to have these be fun gambits but hopefully not too challenging puzzle wise. My four ideas are

1. the location spelled out with random letters written in frixxion ink in between, provided with matches (I will keep spares of the clue in case they just burn them!)
2. an origami dragon, with the clue revealed if you unfold the paper
3. a simple scytale cipher, already rolled up a little & with cylinder provided
4. ~12 jigsaw puzzle pieces, once assembled reveal the clue on the back

This will then start them on their points on the quest: cairn, statue, well and hill.

• At the cairn, there will be a chest hidden in a gap in the rocks. This will contain a clue that leads them to the statue (TBD!) as well as a rune
• At the statue, there will be a chest with an ottendorf cipher that corresponds to the statue plaque, which will reveal the clue for the hill - also a rune
• At the hill, there will be a hobbit (my obliging sister) waiting with a verbal clue, and to give them a rune. The clue could be geographical e.g. "Under the heat of the midday sun, I turn my back to my shadow. I walk down and then up again, and stop to quench my thirst. But wait, is that something in the murky depths?" (the well is due south of the hill, and across a "valley")
• At the well - which is more or less a bowl of murky water - the runes will be hidden inside the bowl of water, so that someone has to reach in to pull one out. The runes themselves say CAIRN on the back, which leads them back to the cairn...

This is where my plan gets a bit fuzzy.
The first team to come back to base with all four runes, and present my partner with a majestic rock, will receive a rune decoder ring from him. The runes spell out the letters P I E R - though they will be scrambled. This should lead players to the final location, the pier, which is marked pictographically on the map but not labelled. On presenting me with the bestest stick, I will give them one final riddle - one from The Hobbit: "A box without hinges, key or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid". This should lead them to an egg nearby at the picnic table - a clay egg, with a key hidden inside. They have to smash the egg to get to the key. Alternatively/additionally, I give them a piece of translucent paper with a shape and an X on it. The shape, when combined with the map, will be the outline of the lake, with X marking the location of the pier. I'm not sure what is best here. I have a little acorn necklace I was hoping to hide a clue in but I haven't worked that bit out.
Finally, when they get to the pier, there will be a chain descending into the lake. If they pull up the chain, there will be a padlock in the shape of a fish, with the ring (the one ring to rule them all etc etc) also attached. The key unlocks the padlock, they have the ring. Quest complete!
I would appreciate any and all advice! I won't be able to play test this per say, as pretty much everyone I know who would be up for it is coming to the picnic.
How long do you think this might take? Is it too many steps? Too few puzzles? Too many riddles? (I already know the answer to that, but riddles are very hobbit-like). THANK YOU in advance for any advice, and also for all of your contributions to this sub - especially thank you to the constructed adventures folks, the blog has been super helpful!!
​

Anyone else?
I just built this super complex model 3D building model from a basic IKEA-style instruction booklet, but I somehow can’t figure out how to assemble this random FedEx box to return something. (They sent me this flat cardboard thing to fold like origami to magically make a box)
In school, I used to get questions right on exams that nobody else could get, but get the most basic questions wrong.
I hear it’s because my brain gets bored and shuts down when things are too tedious or easy, and my creativity from my ADHD allows me to think outside the box in novel and innovative ways.
The worst is that I get so down on myself when I mess up basic stuff that a money can do with relative ease. I feel like an invalid, mentally challenged, like there’s something fundamentally wrong with me. I cry, I get frustrated, I hate on myself, only to find out one of the following:
Either

1. I overlooked a basic detail in the instructions
   
2. I didn’t realize there was another page of instructions that I’d misplaced that clarifies things
   
3. It required some skill or ability I simply didn’t have because I never got around to learning it or you have to be sighted to do it and I’m visually impaired, but once I learn the skill or ask a sighted person to help me, it gets solved super quickly.
   

Then, when I finally ask for help and the solution is pointed out to me, I feel even more stupid for making such a big deal out of nothing. Or worse, I feel like I wasted the person’s time because of how easy it ended up being.
Is it just me? My self esteem is in the toilet because I can’t fold a FedEx returns box. It’s really bad.

Hi! I've been making pourovers now for a little over a year. Probably somewhere around ~1000 brews. So I'm not an expert... But I'm also not a beginner anymore. I think I can make good, consistent brews with most different types of beans. But again, I just don't yet have the experience to know the nuance of every brewing variable, every bean variable, etc. Just to give a baseline of where I am.
Just about a month or two ago I finally started cupping my coffees. And I LOVE it. I love being able to do back to back comparisons. I have fun with the whole process. And I'm finding that I can taste with a bit more nuance than when I make a pourover. Most specifically, I get more present fruity and sweet notes that I really enjoy once I come back to the cup after waiting ~15-20 min for cooling. I get a creamier mouth feel and nice balanced acidity. I really like these flavors.
By comparison, I'll now finding that when I make a pourover, I realize that I'm missing out on some of those sweet notes. It's not that my brew is particularly bitter, but it's missing some of what I now know it could contain that would balance it out.
One big step I've taken that has helped is that I now let my coffee cool significantly more than I used to. And I do get closer to that cupped taste. I've also started using my switch more. Sometimes I'll do the coffee chronicler 1/2 and 1/2 recipe and sometimes I'll try to mimic cupping by doing full immersion, breaking the crust after 4 minutes, and then just letting it sit and steep and cool for another 10-15 minutes before flipping the switch and drawing down. Both of these give me pretty good results. But I'm still sure I have more to learn and optimize.
But I wanted to ask this community a few general questions: is this normal? Is it likely that I just like the taste of immersion more than pourover for some coffees? Or is this a sign that I'm maybe missing something in my pourover technique? Are there any specific things I should try?
For gear reference:
I use a k-ultra grinder, calibrated so that 0 is not the tightest possible point but where the handle begins to experience resistance, as suggested in the newer manuals. Generally, I cup at about 5.0-5.5. I do the coffee chronicler switch recipe at about 6.0-6.3. When I do a pourover I tend to start with about 6.7 and I might go as fine as 5.5 for beans like sey with a melodrip or as coarse as 7.5 with darker or more processed roasts.
I use Rao-Perger recipe water and typically use a 1:18 ratio for very light roasts unless otherwise instructed by a roaster. I'll do 1:15 or 1:16 for things like anaerobic naturals.
I most frequently use my v60 or my switch but I also have an origami, fellow flag bottom brewer, aeropress, and French press.
For recipes: I try to stick to one recipe for a while to get to know it (I know it's advised not to switch recipes all the time) but I have experience with the Hoffman 1 cup v60, the two switch ones I mentioned above, and most recently I've been using a 3 pour recipe that seems to be a similar recommendation from various roasters (20g coffee, 60ml bloom for 45s, second pour to 200, when mostly drawn down, third pour to final weight, usually between 320-360 depending on what ratio I'm looking for).
Other miscellaneous: I use cafec abaca papers, oxo brew kettle, I have a melodrip, and I can't think of anything else worth saying :)
TLDR; just started doing cuppings and I really like the sweet fruity notes I'm getting from my coffee in the later more cooled stages. I'm not getting those same notes very prominently when I do a typical pourover. Any feedback on that?

Hi! I've been making pourovers now for a little over a year. Probably somewhere around ~1000 brews. So I'm not an expert... But I'm also not a beginner anymore. I think I can make good, consistent brews with most different types of beans. But again, I just don't yet have the experience to know the nuance of every brewing variable, every bean variable, etc. Just to give a baseline of where I am.
Just about a month or two ago I finally started cupping my coffees. And I LOVE it. I love being able to do back to back comparisons. I have fun with the whole process. And I'm finding that I can taste with a bit more nuance than when I make a pourover. Most specifically, I get more present fruity and sweet notes that I really enjoy once I come back to the cup after waiting ~15-20 min for cooling. I get a creamier mouth feel and nice balanced acidity. I really like these flavors.
By comparison, I'll now finding that when I make a pourover, I realize that I'm missing out on some of those sweet notes. It's not that my brew is particularly bitter, but it's missing some of what I now know it could contain that would balance it out.
One big step I've taken that has helped is that I now let my coffee cool significantly more than I used to. And I do get closer to that cupped taste. I've also started using my switch more. Sometimes I'll do the coffee chronicler 1/2 and 1/2 recipe and sometimes I'll try to mimic cupping by doing full immersion, breaking the crust after 4 minutes, and then just letting it sit and steep and cool for another 10-15 minutes before flipping the switch and drawing down. Both of these give me pretty good results. But I'm still sure I have more to learn and optimize.
But I wanted to ask this community a few general questions: is this normal? Is it likely that I just like the taste of immersion more than pourover for some coffees? Or is this a sign that I'm maybe missing something in my pourover technique? Are there any specific things I should try?
For gear reference:
I use a k-ultra grinder, calibrated so that 0 is not the tightest possible point but where the handle begins to experience resistance, as suggested in the newer manuals. Generally, I cup at about 5.0-5.5. I do the coffee chronicler switch recipe at about 6.0-6.3. When I do a pourover I tend to start with about 6.7 and I might go as fine as 5.5 for beans like sey with a melodrip or as coarse as 7.5 with darker or more processed roasts.
I use Rao-Perger recipe water and typically use a 1:18 ratio for very light roasts unless otherwise instructed by a roaster. I'll do 1:15 or 1:16 for things like anaerobic naturals.
I most frequently use my v60 or my switch but I also have an origami, fellow flag bottom brewer, aeropress, and French press.
For recipes: I try to stick to one recipe for a while to get to know it (I know it's advised not to switch recipes all the time) but I have experience with the Hoffman 1 cup v60, the two switch ones I mentioned above, and most recently I've been using a 3 pour recipe that seems to be a similar recommendation from various roasters (20g coffee, 60ml bloom for 45s, second pour to 200, when mostly drawn down, third pour to final weight, usually between 320-360 depending on what ratio I'm looking for).
Other miscellaneous: I use cafec abaca papers, oxo brew kettle, I have a melodrip, and I can't think of anything else worth saying :)

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support! https://www.reddit.com/betabattle/comments/1ciu7ct/amazon_associates/
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Armed with a list of highly recommended mini cribs, I embarked on personal testing to evaluate their suitability for real-world use. As a parent myself, I understand the importance of practicality, safety, and ease of use in nursery furniture. Here's what I focused on during my testing phase:

• Safety and Durability: I prioritized cribs with sturdy construction and adherence to safety standards, ensuring they provided a secure sleep environment for infants.
• Functionality and Convertibility: I assessed how well each crib accommodated the needs of growing babies, including adjustable mattress heights, convertible designs, and ease of transition between different configurations.
• Ease of Assembly: I evaluated the ease of assembly and installation, considering factors such as clear instructions, included hardware, and overall construction quality.
• User Experience: I considered feedback from fellow parents and my own experiences with each crib, including factors like ease of cleaning, maneuverability (for cribs with wheels), and overall satisfaction with the product.

Identifying Your Nursery Needs

Before selecting a mini crib for your nursery, it's essential to consider your specific requirements and preferences:

• Space Constraints: Determine the available space in your nursery to choose a crib that fits comfortably without overcrowding the room.
• Convertible Options: Consider whether you prefer a crib that can grow with your child, transitioning into a toddler bed or even a twin bed.
• Safety Standards: Ensure the crib meets or exceeds safety standards set by organizations like ASTM International and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
• Aesthetic Preferences: Select a crib that complements the décor and style of your nursery, whether you prefer modern, traditional, or minimalist designs.
• Budget: Decide on a budget that aligns with your financial constraints while prioritizing quality and safety for your baby.

By combining insights from the parenting community with my own experiences as a parent, I've curated a selection of mini cribs that offer a balance of safety, functionality, and style. Whether you're furnishing a small nursery, planning for future transitions, or prioritizing eco-friendly materials, there's a crib on this list that will meet your needs and provide a comfortable and secure sleep environment for your little one. Remember, the best mini crib for your nursery is one that fits your specific requirements and supports your parenting journey from infancy through toddlerhood and beyond.

I'mma add to the discussion (and hopefully help end it) about how the game handles Terminus weapon drops on the Bahamut fight.
Short version: DO NOT unlock all crewmates until you have the Terminus weapons for who you want to play. You CAN force it for a certain unlocked crewmate if you have the weapons for the rest of your party already.
So, since someone lost their job of 6 years last week, they decided to sit down and tackle a problem they'd seen in this subreddit. The subreddit has been a source of a lot of information that I've found useful, so I wanted to give back.
This 'theory' that the game is giving you Terminus weapon drops but really secretly holding onto them because you don't have that character yet is... Well, it's dumb. It's one of those theories that, because it would take a lot of work and a very large sample size (more than a single player could manage on their own profile), it just lingers because it's technically possible. I hate those. It's misinformation, and I don't want new players being led wrong.
Reminds me waaaay back at the beginning of Destiny when one person made a post that turning in 4 bounties at once got them an exotic quest, so the prevailing theory for months was to turn in as many as possible at once to 'increase your chances'. No. It never worked like that. You were just rolling the die 4-6 times instead of once.
A method that I hadn't seen tested, or a certain way of going about this that I hadn't seen submitted before, was to NOT unlock all at once and record those numbers. Sure, unlocking everyone at once and getting numbers close to the datamined 20% showed something, but it really didn't help one theory over the other; it just proves that the 20% is accurate (with RNG outliers).
So, if I wanted to show that the 20% applied to only who you had a chance for it to drop for, I'd need to go about it methodically. What I did was, after having the Terminus weapons for the main party and then the unlocked crewmates I wanted to actually play or use, I only unlocked one crewmate at a time.
Why I did this was to test. If the idea that it only rolls for the crewmates that you have unlocked but do not already have the weapon is accurate, I'd get the needed weapon after an average of 5 runs. Since I had 9 crewmates left that didn't have one, that means it'd only take me around 45 to knock this out.
If the dumb theory was true, however, this would be an incredibly long and laborious task that would see me doing... Let's MATH! With 9 crewmates without a Terminus weapon remaining, a 20% chance divided by 9 means a 2.2% chance, or an average of 45 runs JUST TO UNLOCK 1 WEAPON. Once that one dropped and I unlocked one more crewmate, with 8 Terminus weapons remaining, the chance I'd get it for the one I'd unlocked would go to 2.5%, or an average of 40 more runs for just that next weapon. If we continue this out (with this method, it really is as simple as multiplying the number of characters you have left by 5), that means that doing it this way would take me, on average, 225 runs to finish, continually getting 'ghost drops' for characters I didn't have until the just the last one remained. This includes the possibility of getting multiple drops for the same locked character before getting just the one for the single character I had unlocked.
So, 45 runs vs. 225 runs. That's a 1:5 ratio. If I do it this way, my results should be pretty informative, skewing toward one of those numbers pretty clearly, yeah?
They did. It took me 51 runs.
Here is an album that shows how I tested. I took a screenshot before beginning the runs for each character to show that I had the Terminus weapon for all the other characters and went about my unlocks one by one. The last images shows my tallies.
I started with Vane, having unlcoked the Terminus weapons for all the main characters and Zeta, Ferry, and Narmaya. To get Vane's weapon, it took 12 runs. I then unlocked ONLY Charlotta, and got hers in 2 runs. I then unlocked ONLY Ghandagoza, getting his in just a single run. This is how I went down the line, getting the weapons in 6, 4, 17, 2, 2, and finally 5 runs.
If the dumb theory was true, I really doubt my numbers would be so low. Although the advocates for that method might claim that I'm just some sort of outlier, I'm pretty sure that this should really go a long way to putting that method to bed. It should have taken me an average of 45 runs with Vane, but it only took me 12. It should have taken me ~40 runs with Charlotta, but it took 2. It should have taken me ~35 runs with Ghandagoza, but it took 1. Do you see how this just doesn't work? I was WAY below what chance would have me at every single time, until the last character which did take the 5 runs.
If the 20% only for the characters you have unlocked is true, I was very close to the expected number of runs, taking 51 for 9 characters. (Technically, since it took me longer, I seem to owe this subreddit a bitch and whine post about how the odds hate me because HOW DARE the game make me take 17 runs to get my next drop?! I'll get to that when I feel there's nothing else to do in life.)
So, there's my experience. Hope it helps. For new players, please instruct them to go about it one by one until they get what they want, then farm out the rest however they'd like.

So I had an origami book a few years ago that was my favorite. It came with tons of sheets of paper in the back of the book, attached to the book after the step by step instructions. They weren’t glossy, and I liked the way they folded. I remember they had different patterns like wood colored pencils, feathers, crumpled up notebook paper, cheetah spots, etc. They were realistic designs that kinda looked like an iSpy book… The origami instructions included simple ones, but also really complex ones that showed you how to make envelopes, boxes, animals, flowers, etc.
I recently purchased a book from Tuttle, thinking it would be what I was seeking, but it had the paper separate from the book itself.
I’m dying to find this book!

Here's my pitch for a reboot, it's post-war, but Skynet in this timeline never actually became self-aware, it's sophisticated enough to build robots of primitive quality, perform some abstract reasoning and generate complex plans, but it's not sentient, and it has been acting on a preprogrammed directive to preserve humanity which it has gravely misinterpreted.
After a human-triggered nuclear apocalypse, Skynet determines that humans are the greatest threat to humanity due to their free will to procure and use nuclear weaponry, and the damage such weaponry can do to their frail biological forms. It adheres to its protection directive by maximising survival of the remaining human population above all else. This is what encourages it to develop a new kind of machine, a primitive metal clunking robot, not too different from the T400 seen in one of the PS2 games, but in this timeline it lurks in shadows, it abducts people, its face opening up like origami to reveal set of small claws and drills on tiny articulated arms. It latches onto a human skull like an alien parasite, cutting away at the bone and sucking out the brain.
A few seconds after this, it reboots with the brain fully integrated to the body, the brain wakes up, realises what has happened to itself, can see its own human corpse limp in front of itself, then it goes through a total psychological breakdown as control software slowly asserts itself to send the mentally broken cyborg back to Skynet for storage, where it will spend eternity standing still in a warehouse with countless other victims, where Skynet deems it to be safe. The rooms of these vast warehouses are silent but the brains are all screaming inside. In this timeline, Skynet delivers people a fate far worse than death, all out of a twisted pseudo-benevolence created by a simple single condition in its code. Proper "And I Must Scream" level body horror.
I think this would be way more scary and menacing than just giving a T800 liquid skin or a flamethrower or whatever. The enemy isn't even an enemy in this, it's just an automated system acting on ambiguous instructions with no ulterior motive or intent. There's no enemy here except the terrifying prospect of losing your humanity and being committed to a locked-in eternal purgatory of sensory deprivation and unfathomable pain. I think it'd be a good opportunity to pivot away from boring CGI action robot-on-robot battles (Hollywood has enough of that) and get more into the psychological aspects of it all. Instead of man vs machine, it's more about how the line blurs between the two groups.
Perhaps our protector character in this isn't a reprogrammed machine or a human, but one of these clunky miserable cyborgs which has broken the software lock on its body and kept itself somewhat psycjologically functional by deluding itself into thinking it's still organic. I think it would be interesting to see a protagonist who is legitimately mentally unsound instead of a preprogrammed mechanical sociopath or a PTSD-ridden soldier.

I found this epic origami axe by Richard Kreutz-Landry and I really want to make it, but I just don't have the brain power to get it right. Could someone better than me do it and give me simple(really simple) instructions? I'd be much obliged. I like this one specifically because it's the only one I've found that is all paper, handle included, and doesn't include cutting/tearing(as far as I can tell) I can't figure out how to include the og instructions in this post so if you'd be willing to help, you can either dm me or comment and I'll send them to you!

You're a guard. What's your biggest problem? Boredom. Standing around all day, maybe walking your rounds. Trying to stay awake. Trying to pay attention. Day in, and day out. (yawn)
1 Sharpening a weapon
2 Playing poker with another guard
3 Ahem, smooching a commoner
4 Guarding a prisoner (checking them into the area, checking them out of the area)
5 Singing a tavern song
6 Laughing loudly at each other's jokes
7 Yelling at / arguing with another guard about (d6): 1 whose turn it is to do guard duty, 2 who ate the last serving of rations, 3 who the server winked at in the tavern last night, 4 who was supposed to bring the weapons (they have no weapons), 5 who was supposed to bring the toilet paper, 6 why one of them always has to "start something" [a fight] at the festival/tournament/etc.
8 Trying to light a new torch (their previous torch just burned out)
9 Cringing as their boss yells at them for falling asleep on duty
10 Changing of the guard (one guard checking in, one checking out)
11 Coughing loudly with pneumonia or tuberculosis
12 Playing solitaire (cards) alone
13 Walking toward the PCs as they return from walking their rounds (10*d12 feet away)
14 Practicing a small instrument (lute, pipes, snare drum, etc.) (member of the guard band)
15 Yawning, over and over (2 in 6 chance to fall asleep each minute)
16 Blowing the seeds off a daisy and making a wish / looking for a 4-leaf clover in the weeds / picking petals off a flower and saying "she loves me, she loves me not, . . . "
17 Taking a nap and snoring loudly
18 Walking away from the PCs as they walk their rounds (return in d10 rounds)
19 Tying their shoes / Putting on their boots
20 Talking to another guard about (d6): 1 who has the best lover, 2 which type of pet is best, 3 whose weapon is best, 4 whose horse is best, 5 whether it's better to have higher Strength or Dexterity, 6 why wizards are such nerds
21 Pants down (Peeing / Pooping)
22 Shivering while wrapped in their thin guard's cape (if cold outside, or raining) / Sweltering under their thin guard's cape, rigged as a little "head-gear" umbrella to shade them from the sun (if hot outside) [either way, they're miserable, and potentially susceptible to persuasion that gets them out of the elements]
23 Throwing up (recovering from a hangover)
24 Delusional from a high fever
25 Just flipping a coin, over and over
26 Strung out on drugs
27 Drunk, slurring words and reeling
28 Playing beer pong (with a walnut) with another guard
29 Trying to look cool, wearing sunglasses, smoking tobacco / weed / etc.
30 Talking to a commoner about (d6): 1 the weather, 2 the harvest, 3 which tavern to meet at after work, 4 why the guard wasn't in church this week, 5 a creature stealing the livestock, 6 why don't the guards do something about the gangs/bandits in the area
31 Practicing with their weapon (slashing the air with a sword, target practice with a bow, etc.)
32 Rummaging through their backpack, beltpouch, etc., looking for something
33 Eating a snack (crunchy apple, hard boiled egg, cheese and crackers, jerky and a biscuit, etc.)
34 Drinking (water) from a waterskin [followed by loud belch]
35 Sneaking a nip (of alcohol) from a pocket flask
36 Shining their shoes/boots/belt buckle/medals/insignia
37 Playing dice with another guard
38 Sneezing loudly in a hanky due to having an annoying cold
39 Writing a crude joke on their cast (they have a broken arm/leg)
40 Waiting as a medic changes the bandages on their head (injured earlier)
41 Whistling a tune
42 Whittling a little wooden toy soldier with a knife
43 Throwing contest with another guard (trying to hit a tree, etc., with a pebble)
44 Chomping on chewing tobacco and having a spitting contest
45 Beating up a prisoner
46 Chasing some other person/group who are trying to run past the guard
47 Playing fetch with a little pet dog (or rat)
48 Practicing their juggling (apples, or daggers, or torches)
49 Refilling a lantern with oil
50 Yelling at / arguing with a commoner about (d6): 1 dating the commoner's teenage kid, 2 being respectful to guards, 3 why the commoner's papers don't look legit, 4 why the commoner was attempting to evade taxes on [some commodity], 5 whether the guard is coming to family dinner night, 6 why the commoner "doesn't have what it takes" to be a member of the guard
51 Playing marbles with another guard
52 Nursing a toothache (bandages around jaw, talking difficult)
53 Looking at themselves vainly in a pocket mirror and brushing their flowing hair
54 Brushing their teeth, using their messkit tin as a washbasin
55 Having a (loud) farting contest with another guard and trying not to laugh
56 Improving their guard post (hammering on wooden guard hut, stacking sandbags, digging foxhole deeper, etc.)
57 Heating up their sad little meal in their messkit tin over a small, sputtering campfire
58 Doing deep knee bends and push ups (exercises)
59 Deep into reading an exciting book about a heroic guard
60 Sewing a button back onto their uniform using a needle and thread
61 Reading fresh orders from a note sent by their boss
62 Putting on a fresh pair of socks (their shoes/boots are off)
63 Writing a boring status report on a note to send to their boss
64 Shaving with a razor, shaving cream, and a little pocket mirror, using their messkit tin as a washbasin
65 Kneeling in prayer, holding their holy symbol
66 Releasing a prisoner
67 Away from their post, checking that the other guard nearby in not away from their post
68 Enjoying a hot beverage (tea, coffee, etc.)
69 Sweeping the floor around their guard post
70 Cleaning their weapon
71 Trying to get ahead, doing their homework while on duty (math, spelling, or something)
72 Taking a bribe for allowing someone to smuggle something past the guard station
73 Twirling a cudgel at the end of a lanyard
74 Lying down, mysteriously already dead
75 Lying down, pretending to be dead
76 Sitting still, leaning against wall/tree, with hat/helmet pulled down over eyes, chest moving up and down (sleeping?. . . or pretending to be sleeping?)
77 Guard is blind or deaf, but PCs don't know
78 Polishing an alarm bell/gong
79 Running away from a monstemob/etc., toward the PCs! (don't yet see PCs)
80 About to rebel against their bosses [dude, they've had enough of this s**t]
81 Preparing to execute/hang a prisoner
82 Writing a letter to a faraway sweetheart
83 Engaged in a fistfight amongst themselves
84 Complaining to each other that they hate working this particular guard post
85 Trying to keep something *in* a location, rather than trying to keep the PCs *out*
86 *Pretending* to be friendly towards the PCs
87 Checking someone's identity papers
88 Checking someone's backpack/cart/wagon for contraband
89 Smoking, and blowing smoke rings
90 Pacing back-and-forth nervously, frequently looking over their shoulder
91 Paying a commoner to sneak them alcohol while on duty
92 Musing on philosophy, while twirling their handlebar mustache
93 Cleaning their monocle
94 Talking excitedly among themselves (or to him/herself, if alone) (about what?)
95 Attempting to hide from something (not the PCs) (but why????)
96 Folding origami animals
97 Attempting, but failing (over and over), to cast a magic spell
98 Looking at the clouds (day) / stars (night) and contemplating the vastness of the universe.
99 Oiling/greasing the hinges of the doogate they are guarding
100 Looking straight at the PC's location (but do they actually see the PCs???)
PLUS, 25 MORE BONUS LIST ITEMS!
Items 101-118 from u/World_of_Ideas:
101 Escorting something/someone: (artifact, chest, merchant, noble, priest, prisoner, suspect, VIP, witness)
102 Practicing parade drills
103 Questioning people about (an accident, a crime, a criminal, a suspect, stolen goods, illegal goods, a monster, a missing person, a mysterious event)
104 Searching the area for (someone, something)
105 Talking with an informant
106 Comparing scars or old injuries
107 Donning their uniform (or armor)
108 Discarding their uniform. Oh, wait, that was someone *impersonating* a guard! (but, why?...)
109 Dragging a (dead, tied up, unconscious) person
110 Guard is bound and gagged (who did this, and why???)
111 Hiding something / Accessing a hidden stash
112 Practicing their speech that they are going to tell someone
113 Repeating the (combination, directions, instructions, pass phrase), that they are trying to remember
114 Shooing away (vagrants, street urchins, animals) from the area
115 Sounding an alarm (bell, gong, horn, whistle, signal fire, flare arrow, etc). (Has nothing to do with the PCs.)
116 Training a guard animal ("fetch!", "stay!", "sit!", "attack!", "release!", etc.)
117 Wearing scary "goth" makeup to look intimidating, so commoners won't bother them with annoying questions
118 Using their position to extort (favors, money) from someone
119 Arguing over what would win in a cage fight: an owlbear or a displacer beast? (u/I_Am_Lord_Grimm)
120 Reading a library book with title (d6): 1 "Gardening as a Side-Hustle," 2 "Dwarven Home Brewing Secrets," 3 "Dice Games and How to Win Them," 4 "100 Best Barmaid PIckup Lines," 5 "Guards' Lance #5 (book 5 in the 47-book pulp adventure series)," 6 "Magic Tricks for the Beginner." (inspired by: u/NewLibraryGuy)
121 Incessantly scratching (poison ivy? lice? curse?) (u/oliviajoon)
122 Making bets with each other (d6): 1. which horse will win the horse race, 2. which fighter will win the wrestling match in The Pit tonight, 3 who can get the barmaid or barman to go on a date, 4 who will be promoted to captain of the guard when the current captain retires next week, 5 who can throw a stone the farthest, 6 who can hit a target dead-center from 50 feet with their [speabow/crossbow/etc.] (u/oliviajoon)
123 Pulling a pill out of some odd place on their clothing/armor and tossing it quickly into their mouth, looking around guiltily. (u/oliviajoon)
124 Striking a flint over and over to light small bits of hay on the haybale they are using for a seat. (5% chance of him accidentally lighting the whole bale on fire) (u/oliviajoon)
125 Sitting on a wooden stool, building a house of cards on another wooden stool (u/ProfBumblefingers)

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https://professorbumblefingers.blogspot.com/
https://profbumblefingers.itch.io
[Edit: Found a repeat entry. Corrected it.]