2009 Panoply Arts Festival

This past weekend I took in annual local arts festival that I hadn't been to in many years. Panoply (http://www.panoply.org/) turned out to be a really enjoyable time, with beautiful weather, inspiring exhibits, and, of course, good company in Kim.

Panoply typically blocks off a section of downtown Huntsville every year for the festivities. In addition to art by various venders from all over the US, there were various musical acts ranging from country fiddlers, to Indonesian dancing. Something that struck me were the booths devoted to particular countries. Korea, China, India, and Australia were just a few represented and offered activities and displays for the curious. I thought this was wonderful, in that Huntsville really does have a wide and various cultural population. From the Indian ladies in their saries to the Chinese dragon that headed the parade, I was impressed.

The food offerings were standard fair. No really. Same stuff you'd findat a fair. Whether you wanted Polish Sausage or a shrimp poboy, there was much to choose from. Kim and I opted for lime-aides, mine coming in a green "yard o' ale" container. Most tasty, especially on a progressively warmer day. The funnel cakes and Ben & Jerry's ice cream were also pretty tempting.

There were free craft projects for the kids. Crazy Hats, Disco Fish, and painting come to mind. The mascots were out as well. Kids of all ages took pictures with Scooby Doo and the Geiko Gecko, who was a lot bigger in person. Well, the camera does add a few pounds...;)

Overall, if you're an artsy/creative/bohemian type, or you just like a good festival, Panoply is a worthwhile afternoon.

Soul Burger

One of the great things about being a theme park enthusiast and traveler is that you run across some unique and memorable places to eat, some times right in your own town.

My coworkers and I ate at Soul Burger (a couple of us for the first time) about 2 weeks ago. The food was tasty, the atmosphere was homey and energetic, and it was just a fun place that most definitely demanded to be part of our lunch rotation.

Sadly, the week after our visit, it closed.

Needless to say, I was bummed. I'd planned to go a second time, see if the food was just as good, and then write a review here. Instead, a certain librarian in her ultimate wisdom suggested a tribute. Capital idea good lady, and I owe you one. ;)

Soul Burger was a mom and pop style restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama near Bob Wallace and Triana. The first things you saw as you entered the hole-in-the-wall restaurant were the black and red checkered counter, and the menu written on cloudy white, backlit panels up above the window to the kitchen. On the walls were picture of the hostess, whom we'll get to in a moment, with various people. There were pictures of family and friends, taped and tacked, up on the wall, along with framed articles and reviews. In tribute to President Obama, his wife, and a couple other notable politicians, there were special burger concoctions. I remember the Michelle Obama burger being "sweet and spicey" or something similar.

Looking around the small room, you noticed there were a lot of chairs and tables crammed into a very small space. The feeling was like being in someone's kitchen, and there was much warmth to the atmosphere. Rolls of paper towels sat on the tables, further underscoring the laid back vibe. Up on the other walls were pictures of different HUGE stacked burgers that people had eaten and won challenges against. The Triple Big Daddy would make even Paul Bunyon think twice. Yep, that crazy big.

Now we come to the soul of Soul Burger, the hostess. I never did catch her name, but her personality was unmistakeable. Imagine a glowing, happy, and loud cross between Pearl Bailey and Aretha Franklin behind the counter. "Hey baby! Welcome to Soul Burger! What can I getcha sweetie?" was what you'd be greeted with. You just instantly liked this lady. You couldn't help it. It made you smile and it made you feel at ease. And WOW the energy she put out! And, oh by the way, you were also hit full force with the freight train of heavenly smells from the clattering kitchen behind her.

As I ordered the staple Soul Burger with cheese combo, I joked with her. "What would you like on that?" Pearl said. "I'll take it as it comes, that's the best way, " I replied. "You're right baby." Pearl happily fired back. "Now do you think I'm going to come in here and tell you how to make your burger? No. You give the chef room to be creative and enjoy his art. That's the best way," I countered, leaning on the counter and putting my hand on my hip. Pearl laughed loud, grinned proudly and said, "Oh I like you!"

The chef's art was wonderful. Very seriously, the best burger I've ever eaten in 34 years on the planet. Tasty, juicy, tender, and yes, you could taste the southern style love. The Soul Burger truly lived up to it's name. Dunno what the seasoning was, and it really didn't matter. I was hooked at the first bite. Epic! When we left, I had to say thank you to Pearl and company. Doing anything less just wasn't right, especially for all the warmth and hospitality in the place.

We'll end this tale on a happy and comical note: the Virgin Welcome. Yes, one of my coworkers had said it was his first time at Soul Burger. Before he could finish the sentence, Pearl whirled around like a cyclone, grabbed a huge hand bell from the pick-up window behind her, and yelled at the top of her lungs "We got a VIRGIN!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" The whole placed joined in to almost defening roar, while several of us laughed to practically tears.

After the noise and cheers settled, Pearl smiled sweetly and said "Welcome to Soul Burger. Our house is now your house baby and you're always welcome."

Blogging Buffet & Nerdly News

Time once again for the random fun stuff that makes my world go round. And off we go!

• Last weekend's U.S. Space and Rocket Center (http://www.spacecamp.com/) trip with Kimberly Richardson was a blast. Got some wonderful pics and vids and laughed a lot. Great fun and looking forward to this weekend at Panoply (http://www.panoply.org/) Huntsville's Art Festival. For those interested, Ms. Richardson's book, Tales from a Goth Librarian, can be purchased on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Tales+from+a+Goth+Librarian) and some of the Barnes & Noblesites. The MidSouth Con guest author will also be hosting a book signing in July, in Memphis, Tennessee. More details on that, plus an interview, coming soon.
• Cowabunga Bay, the new water fortress in Utah is growing by leaps and bounds. It's massive! Seriously! Check it out here: http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49343. Congrats once again to Shane Huish and company.
• Ok, the bad news...I'm out of Coaster Crew's IdiotFEST at Myrtle Beach in June. Yes, Booo to me. Just not enough time or dollars, given my other commitments to Steampunk, etc. In fairness, a couple cons, acruise, and a couple small trips also got the axe, in the name of resources. As much as I'd like to do all those things and more, I'd beone VERY broke nerd. That said, I wish Coaster Crew (a GREAT group of folks) a terrific time and I'm definitely there in comedic spirit. On aside note, there's a possibility I might be able to do the annual Kalahari trip in Sandusky Ohio.
• Diamondback opened this past weekend at Kings Island, and I have to say it looks terrific. LOVE the custom trains and it really adds so much tothe skyline of the park. Looking forward to my Diamondback Lava Light and plushie when I visit in the next couple years.
• Seaworld Orlando's Manta's custom painted trains look smashing! No offense to the Superman or Tatsu fans, but the paint job on this new flyer is just gorgeous. If there's similar detail on a possible Coaster Dynamix Statix model for Manta or Diamondback, I'm sold.
• Speaking of flying coasters, Nighthawk is looking good as well in it's new paint, though the running gag is at it should be called Dayhawk, what with the blue and yellow and all.
• The Revengers have returned! Rock Band 2 is reestablished at Luke and Jake's and we unleashed some serious pent-up shreddage last night. All of us were fueled by either NOS, Rockstar, Mello Yellow, Krispy Kreme donuts, or combos there of. Not only did I play guitar, but tried drums for the first time and loved it! And Ballroom Blitz on easy nearly destroyed me. Seriously! Now I know why I played keyboards and guitar. Even so, there was a little part of me that wondered if the drum kit makers would build a spinning drum cage like what Tommy Lee used to have. That would be cool! ;)
• Wrote another chapter on the sci-fi story yesterday (Wednesday). This would chapter 15 and it's starting to flush out more of the story and tie together a few fragmented things. Roughly 13 pages thus far. To the folks interested, I'll try to get copies out this next week to you so you can shred it and give general thoughts.
• Tried a new workout routine the focuses on push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. Very easy to do and a nice change up from the free weights. Think this will be a winner. Oh yeah, it's now the next day, and I'm most stiff...
• The gaming bug is hitting again. I'm considering an Xbox 360 to play the Star Wars games, with a side of Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Legos. Naturally, if Battlefront 3 is released, I'll be all over that like destroyer droids on Jedi's.
• Still considering and designing stilt creature costumes. I'm also going to wait until 2010 to take the stilts to DragonCon. While I'd love to have them, I'm too inexperienced, and that's a big hazard. Much better to wait, get some more experience, and try out the rig at a smaller con.
• To all my Second Life friends, I know I've been scarce, but trust me, I haven't forgotten anyone and I'm still working on a new pc dedicated to inworld stuff and more time with you all. It's gonna take some time to get the rig together, but rest assured you all are never far away from my thoughts, no matter how crazy life gets. Second Life is a big part of the blog, especially in the winter time, so I'm not bailing on it or all the great folks I've come to know. ;)

Hope you all enjoy the ramblings and thank you to the regular readers and supporters out there. The encouragement is ALWAYS appreciated. Thanks!

2009 U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Had a chance this past weekend to get out to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center / Space Camp (http://www.spacecamp.com/) and see what's new with the museum. Author Kimberly Richardson (Tales from a Goth Librarian) was in town and I was fortunate enough to join her for a pilgrimage and all around space geek-out.

It's been a bit over a year now since the Davidson wing housing the Saturn 5 rocket opened, and the USSRC has added quit a bit to the new space. Was great to see everything from mock-ups of the new Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle to a Darth Vader replica costume from The Empire Strikes Back. Also good to know that the new Star Trek movie will be playing on the Imax screen at the space center, as well as the theatres around town. This continues the trend of regular movies like The Dark Knight, Star Wars Episode 2, etc, using the dome screen.

The Orange County Choppers Liberty Bike (made of scrap copper from the Statue of Liberty) was no longer on display, however, the Mir Baseblock exhibit was still around. There were a couple new additions like the Moon Buggy Simulator and large black curtains with fiber optic lights or LEDs near the Space Camp training floor.

For those that didn't already know, the space center is home to some flat rides and amusement park attractions:

• IMAX dome theatre
• 3-D theatre
• Space Shot - S&S Shot Tower
• G-Force - Gravitron
• Energy Depletion Zone - Space themed Soft Play playground with frog hopper for the younglings.
• Mars Mission - Motion Simulator similar to Star Tours
• Mars Climbing Wall

Some new gift shop swag this year, most notable new magnets with the space shuttle on them. Also some 3-D space shuttle and astronaut in an MMU magnets. Either a monkey or lemur in a space suit plushies were everywhere. Best swag was the astronaut or alien souvenir tall cup over in the food court. I got the astronaut filled with cherry Icee and a shrimp basket with fries for about $12. As you can see, I believe tasteful souvenirs and healthy eating.

Like my trip last year with my buddy Jake, Kimberly made for equally entertaining company and I was delighted to have her along for the ride. Was there any major Sci-Fi movie in the past couple decades we DIDN'T reference? Star Wars, Star Trek, Demolition Man, Robocop, and 2001 were just a few examples.

All in all, it was another great visit despite the heavy rains that moved in during the afternoon. Most happy to have the company, and it definitely made the day more enjoyable.

How To Make a Yarn Cthulu

...or where I went horribly wrong trying to make a yarn octopus.

Yes friends, there's a story here, so grab a cold drink and have a laugh at my expense (as if you haven't already.)

Every so often I get the creative itch to learn or build something. It's just an out of nowhere desire. Well I saw this Yarn Octopus tutorial (http://www.lovetosew.com/yarncraftoctopus.htm) and decided to try it...while running on 2 hours sleep and a bottle of Guiness. Yep, not good and kiddies, don't try this at home. Ok?

So after work I ran errands and hit up Hobby Lobby for crafting supplies. I needed googly eyes (like on those little puff ball weeples/fuzzy things with the sticky feet that were insanely popular in the 80's). Two different colors of yarn and a styrofoam ball would also be needed.

Mistake Number 1: Instead of googly eyes like those explicitely stated in the directions, I chose some bright green cat eyes that seemed more octo-like and, were frankly cooler.

Mistake Number 2: After snickering like a 6 year old over the blatantly suggestive and clever styrofoam ball packaging (which conveniently came shrink wrapped in pairs) I neglected to read the size. The tutorial called for a 3 inch ball. I bought a pair of 4 inch balls. Yes, my balls were too big. Go figure.

Mistake Number 3: The yarn I selected was too thin and would not cover the oversized styrofoam ball. But it was purple and green and grey and looked cool, so who knew?

After getting home with supplies and being VERY tired after a full workday and 2 hours of sleep, I decided to have a beer and relax while crafting. Keep in mind, while I am roughly 170, I am still a lightweight and had not eaten in at least a couple hours. I plugged in the hot glue gun and opened a refreshing (and bitter) bottle Guiness. It wasn't long before fatigue and suds took their toll.

While measuring out 32, 36 inch strings per the instructions, I noticed the tape measure becoming less and less relevant. Soon the strings were 36, 38, 42, eh who cares... They were also not covering the ball effectively (which I still did not realize was the wrong size at this point). To compensate, I cut MORE strings and hap hazardly tied them around the base of the ball per the instructions. (I'll give you a moment to snicker and toss out a whatever twisted jokes that spring to mind. It's cool. I understand.)

Now, my yarn octopus had random bald spots and about 64 or more tendrils that would eventually need to be braided into 8 arms. Yep, time to glue on the cat eyes that were more octo-like. I took the first eye and shot way too much hot glue all over the backing post. I then inserted it into the nearest bald spot, trying in vain to de-emphasize it. Hot glue squished out all around it and stuck to my fingers. That's burn number one. The glue also spider webbed between my fingers and the top side of the eye and cooled. Great. Now one-eyed Cthulu had eye crispies.

Did I learn from this? Nooo. I did the same thing AGAIN, AND dripped hot glue on my fingers BEFORE even putting the second eye into the styrofoam. You guessed it. More squishy, more burny, more cussy, and all while talking with a friend on the phone, who was laughing at me. Well, she had good reason.

At this point what was supposed to be a cute and creative yarn octopus easy enough for a brownie troop to make in an evening, looked like a balding, crappy Cthulu with eye mucus. It was time to give it up and try to salvage the project (and a few scraps of dignity).

So there you have it. Yet another of my shining moments. Laugh heartily at my shame. Incidentally, I do not recommend tipsy or otherwise tired crafting, since, as you see, bad things can happen. Learn from this well and repeat it not.

Will I attempt another yarn octopus? Now that I am the wiser and reasonably rested, yes. Will post the results when that happens. Until then, I leave you with this bit of crafting wisdom:

"Hey, you have a to break a few eggs to make a rib roast." ;)

Blogging Buffet & Nerdly News

Time for random coaster and life stuff, so here we go:

• Hard Rock Park is now officially Freestyle Music Park. Jokes and WTF's aside, I still hold out hope the ownership learns from the mistakes ofthe previous and gets this unique park in a better position. Despite all the craziness of the past few months, I STILL have a gut feeling a waterpark and rapids will be coming soon in season 2 or 3.
• Proslide's (http://www.proslide.com/index.php) Tantrum Twist (a Tornado slide hybrid) will be debuting at a couple US water parks this summer. Imagine a typical 4-person raft slide with a mini enclosed Tornado in acouple places along the run. Either that or imagine hamster habitrail tubes and you get a decent idea. I'm hoping to check this out along withfinally getting Bowl and Tornado credits this summer.
• Getting ready for some trips now that the weather has warmed up. Right now one of the big ones is Coaster Crew's IdiotFEST in Myrtle Beach SC, including a visit to Freestyle Music Park and other local attractions. Tentative dates are June 6-7, but holding off on hotel reservations until the park REALLY opens. Dragon Con in Atlanta Georgia, September 4-7 is another. My Steampunk Airship mates and I will be there for the festivities and much geekiness. Other trips of varying size are also in the works.
• On the stilt front, I'm still researching stilt costumes and putting together ideas as well as places to do some walking. So far fantasy cons and local holiday parades are the best possibilities once I get proficient. Also eyeing some new kinds of stilts and accessories.
• Enjoyed calling in to the In The Loop podcast Monday night. Always apleasure to talk with Pat, John, Clint, and the gang over on BlogTalkRadio.com. Also, continued thanks for all the rapids and water ride pics during everybody's travels. ALL, and especially the sentiments behind them still brighten my day.
• Construction has slowed on Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Something to do with the lift hill evac system. Hopefully a heart-line twist is a good fix and brings smiles to all us anxious enthusiasts. ;) Regardless, I'm digging how the new coaster looks and really think it brings a lot tothe Universal Studios skyline. It really is good to see them get a unique answer to Universal Japan's Hollywood Dream coaster.
• Entrances and village roof lines are taking shape over at Islands of Adventure in the forthcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter. While I feel the drastic changes to the area will still make for a great new island, I can't help but miss the Enchanted Oak and Dueling Dragons statues. Those were just really neat, original landmarks.
• El Dorado and Americana Wheel (formerly Geauga Lake) join last season's Dominator at King's Dominion this year. Glad to see them operating again, however, the placement seems a bit sketchy based on what pictures I've seen. Even so, the new views from Americana are impressive and give people a fresh perspective on King's Dominion.
• Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened up Sesame Street Forrest of Fun recently. Grover's Alpine Express is a welcome coaster addition and it's terrific that BGE now has an updated kiddie area on par with Shamu's Happy Harbour at the Sea World parks. On a side note, Prince Elmo's Spire is clever word play. Kudo's to those design and marketing folks whom I bet are fans of a particular 80's movie.
• Holiday World's Pilgrim's Plunge monster shoot-the-shoots ride is near completion with sporadic boat testing. I really see this as a new and welcome icon for the already progressive park and it's lively staff. Holiday World is also home to an O.D. Hopkins Rapids ride (similar to Hydro Surge at the former Myrtle Beach Pavilion) that is a rarity these days.
• Cowabunga Bay(http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=49343) water park construction is in full swing in Draper, Utah. It's slated to be " TheWorld's Biggest Water Playground". Sign me up and big congrats to Shane Huish. Always good to see another water park, especially from a fellow creative, historian, and enthusiast.
• Lastly on the Steampunk front, there will be a series of craft and prop building days with the Revenger crew in preparation for photo shoots later this summer. Other events are also in the works. Details coming soon.

Queso Shark vs. Salsa Shark

Yep, another great dinner at Chili's with Luke and Jake on wednesday night after workout. Buffy, you were awesome as always and oh, what you had to put up with! Thanks again for being so sweet to us. We also had a "Chili-Conference" with Kim and Sid at their local Chili's, in Memphis, eating the same chips, salsa, and cheese queso, at the exact same time. A good time was had by all. Quote of the night, "I'm a shark."

Of Good Conversation

I had the pleasure of talking with a dear friend tonight and we both gravitated to a simple point. It was so refreshing to talk to another person who not only thought, but observed life and wanted to learn more of it's various aspects.

I'm going to put the one-liners and movie quotes to the side for this entry and focus on the intellectual side, something I rarely let out.

Our discussion ranged from why people are the way the are, what influences the disturbed mind, to how much society has changed in the past several years. To really talk openly and earnestly about those things was like sipping a fine wine, savoring each moment for what it was, and gleening enjoyment from it. I even learned a few things about other people's perspectives, and the delicate art of conversation sans the modern competetive overtones that tend to irritated those involved. This was truly an open and positive exchange just about life.

To those who've experienced it, good conversation is rare, and you often walk away a better and more aware person. To those who haven't, it's difficult to relate to, and appears snobbish, even grating on one's insecurities.

Here's what I've ultimately learned and what I'm STILL working on:

• Be open to the topic with careful regard to your own and others limitations.
• Listen, don't just wait for your turn to talk.
• Don't compete. The idea is to talk with someone, not win a meaningless prize or contest.
• Share your experiences in a way that others can relate to.
• Say a lot with a little. Great depth and meaning can come from just a couple sentances.
• A little humor now and then never hurts.
• Do something useful and positive with the knowledge gained.

Am I full of myself here? No. Do have an ego or attitude? No. Am I attempting to pass on some good and valuable info that chain reaction some positive things in various aspects of life? Yes.

As always, thank you to all who indulge my quirky creativity and random inspiration. If it brightens your day or brings a smile, or even causes you to do something that ultimately benefits the world, I am fullfilled as an artist and content as a person. :)

2009 Big Spring Park Steampunk Photo Shoot

Even the best laid plans can change. So was the case Saturday for our latest photo shoot.

The A.S. Revenger crew along with one of our sister airship crews and some other fine adventurers found ourselves at the charming Big Spring Park, in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. All were treated to a breezy sunny day, puppies, bemused on-lookers and more.

Big Spring Park offered no shortage of photo spots, from the various fountains and rock wall, to the Japanese bridge and light house. In between photo ops, various crew members talked and joked with the curious among the citizenry. "What is Steampunk," was the common question. "Think Jules Vern, H.G. Wells, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, or Wild Wild West, " was the easiest answer. Sometime the gas lamp lit. Some times not. Regardless, the locals were friendly and even included us in a few pictures. The Air Force ROTC Ball crowd and their photographers were great fun, and we all appreciate them inviting us to join their shoot. Hope it was a good time for them. The gentlemen in their mess dress uniforms and the ladies in their gowns were an impressive site.

Then there were the puppies. Playful little dust mops that just made everyone in range melt with "awww". It seems they were doing their own photo shoots and and just having a ball. A few of us got to hold them for a bit between pictures. Just as sweet and friendly as you please.

On a warm day, ice cream is always a treat, so during the down time (and for some comic relief) a few of the Revenger crew members patroned a local merchant. According to Capt. Quin, the purveyor seemed to think he would be yanked from his carriage. Heavens no! We just wanted refreshment, and it was our day off from pirating.

The spring weather saw flower blooms and budding romance. It seems there were a few couples in the making amongst the crews.

Last, but certainly not least on this day notables, Professor Phalin did brandish a keen eye and excellent timing in his photographic work. He captured some wonderful moments and should be commended for such. Thank you, my friend. Thank you.

While some adventures carried off to other events, most found a good meal at the Revenger's dock to celebrate the day. Professor Sid cooked an excellent pork tenderloin, as Phalin regailed us with embarassing stories. Yes, good food, good friends, and a good day with all.

Writing the Crazy Sci-Fi Dream Story

Not long ago on Facebook, I mentioned a crazy intense dream involving aliens and a bunch of just random scenes. I also got a mild clue from the creative energy of the universe that said "Foundation of a series." Yes, a cryptic feeling indeed. Even so, I've started putting this dream and it's random scenes to digital paper, with a possible aim at publishing the work in the next few years.

As you can imagine, entering the publishing/author/literary world is like going to a Japanese theme park. It's something completely new and different for me, that looks pretty exciting from the outside. Once again, it's also a chance to learn some new things, be creative, and grow as a person.

So far, I have a general premise flushed out, a handful of main characters, and about 12 small chapters of sorts, and several easter eggs thrown in for fun. Needless to say, this is only the beginning and there is a TON of proofing, rereading, grammar checking, sculpting yet to do to make all the elements gel. All the parts I saw in the original dream are typed up, almost verbatim.

Backing up just a little, yes, I have a knack for creative writing and obviously like to do it enough to keep this blog going. Now if you would've told me I'd take ANY interest in loose journalism, or anything literary, I'd have said you were off your trolley (Thanks Tracey!). Why? I'm just not a big reader. While I can appreciate a good work, sitting down with a novel is just not something I enjoy as much as other things in life. Reading isn't a bad thing at all, it's just not my first or preferred way to entertain myself. Conversely, I will read things on the Internet from time to time if there's a desire to learn about a topic or how to do something new. Otherwise, my head's in other things.

For the record, a good reference library is an excellent tool, and reading can do wonders for one's vocabulary. Despite not being into reading, these benefits just can't be ignored.

So here's the plan. I'll keep developing the sci-fi story and keep everybody updated on the progress. A couple of you who've expressed interest will likely get a copy of what I've done so far for feedback. The constructive criticism and tuning would be much appreciated.

I seriously have no clue where this will lead, but it'll be yet another adventure and good learning experience. Should I actually get published, we may all need therapy and a good stiff drink while scratching our heads as to what the hell just happened. ;)