the Strangeness that is my life

[salamanca]

Ok, that gamer employee I have at the winter job. The one that keeps sending the random odd texts I mention on occassion. Yeah, he just sent out a mass text reading: "Game night sunday at my MOM's house. Anyone interested?". Starting with the fact he does not live at his mom's, let me point out my curiousity about the location. I don't know where his mom lives but that could be corrected if I RSVP. My first response is to actually respond to this with some series of horrible inquiries such as "are you trying to fix me up?" or "not sure, is mom cute?". But then I realized I don't really have time to game this weekend so who cares.

[salamanca]

So I got an offer to do some work at the renn faire (which starts in a couple days). The friend I helped out last year is planning on doing a "magic mirror" and a talking skull and crossbones set up that entails hiding behind a screen and chatting with the kids and passersby at select times during the day. Now, we all know I will chat with damn near anybody and you get to fiddle with this unseen so that can be all sorts of fun. However, seeing as how I am paying to get in and this job pays NOTHING, I think I shall be passing. This by the way is typical for our little faire. Expect the entertainment cast to volunteer time effort and skills. At.least they let the cast in for free. (not that we mention it, lest management get ideas)

[Rebecca Iavelli]

Hey Dave, ever get your car fixed yet?

[salamanca]

Well, let me make a short review of my week:. MONDAY, worked extra long day to clean up after the holiday weekend but it was a nice day. TUESDAY, did a lot of stuff that turned out to be worthless wastes of effort thanks to deluge of rain that wrecked all that. WEDNESDAY, built a 18 foot long bridge with nothing but my bare hands, a hammer, shovel and handsaw (and some lumber) to replace one ruined by said deluge. (because I can do anything). TODAY: bumbled around cleaning up debris and not being nearly as awesome as yesterday. TOMORROW: I do 3 days worth of work in 1 day because it will finally be dry enough to do that. SATURDAY, I am wearing a sword around because that's in fashion around here again. SUNDAY, I think that may call for an even bigger sword.

[salamanca]

Probably not entirely fixed. Cars are sneaky like that. But I can see in the dark. Today's odd thing:. I dined at Olive Garden today (no idea why, they were not crowded for a change). And about halfway into the meal, the waitress (who had already managed to try to hardsell me on wine, their 3 specials featuring dairy based sauces, a 2 person special despite my being alone, AND brought a cream based dipping sauce out with the appetizer AFTER I explained the no dairy issue) asks me if I have enough sauce on my pasta. That question is now vexing me because I can only think of a couple reasons a restaurant would ask that. 1- The population regularly dining there have become so gluttonous that they constantly demand extra sauce so it has become policy to offer it. 2- the restaurant has cut back portions then offers more to keep the hungry happy and the meek from adding to serving costs. 3- the waitress realized the staff skimped on my particular serving and instead of calling them on it before serving it, opted to ask me later. For the record, none of these options make me feel good.

[Lady Grace]

Well, there's a reason Olive Garden isn't a profitable brand these days.

[salamanca]

That probably has more to do with restaurants having a specific lifespan of marketable sales before people start taking a chain for granted. Somebody shows up with a new brand in the same theme and steals the customer base solely by being new and more trendy. Sometimes the same company does it to themselves (brown derby becomes roadhouse which turns into texas roadhouse). Red Lobster is pushing toward extinction. TGIFriday is probably about 15 years away. One can only hope Applebees follows suit.

[Rebecca Iavelli]

Have fun tomorrow Dave, playing with your sword.

[salamanca]

What a weird day. Ok, I know that day one of the renn faire is going to be about stopping, saying hello to the people I have not seen in a year (and lots of hugging people I would prefer not to be hugged by but that's a faire thing). But today it took me an hour to traverse the first 150 yards into the park. Then it got slower. In 6 hours I not only failed to complete much more than 1lap (and I have in a pinch covered that loop in 15 minutes before), I actually still owe some visits. But the cast seems a little more solid than recent memory. Highlight of the day was a friend commenting about making breakfast while filling his flasks for the day who suddenly realized he had a better recipe for scotch eggs currently in his hands.

[salamanca]

Last night I thought up the worst idea ever for a stage show... A ventriloquist act where the dummy performs as a mime.

[salamanca]

Today was the dryest rainy day in faire history. We had a short shower right when the thing opened and the forecast was calling for possible torrential horribleness that scared everyone off from a lovely blue sky afternoon. We did, however, build a small bridge over a 6 inch wide rivulet of water running off the mermaid pond out of strips of old bark to keep the patrons safe. I have also been asked to repeat the infamous larp by multiple cast members. And my pirate friend bought and fired his new deck gun today. (yep, he got himself a pirate ship swivel gun about 2 and a half feet long that fires a 1 inch projectile). And I have talked the King into diverting the parade at some point to the privy so that he may conduct the royal business on his other throne while the rest of the troupe waits. (because one must always wait for the king). MISCHIEF MANAGED.

[Rebecca Iavelli]

Glad you had fun for your opening weekend. Sounds like you were on game!

You know, after mulling on it a couple of days, I don't see how bad your stage idea regarding the mime puppet could be, considering that they did a "underwater concert" in the Florida Keys. Now I know that water does transmit sounds, but I really doubt that much "music" was heard underwater, where everyone was expelling air bubbles, with their breathing gear. (Unless of course it was all about bubble music - breathing in musical sequence.)

[salamanca]

Actually, sound carries very well in water...that's how sonar works.

[Rebecca Iavelli]

I know, but how could they hear anything over their own breathing, as the bubbles would have had their own sounds too, and with all that breathing, I would figure it would have blocked out a lot of the music, which I wonder exactly what they used for instruments under water, with no electricity.

[salamanca]

Um...every orchestral instrument in the world predates electricity.

[salamanca]

Ok, this was a good one:. The renn faire cast and regulars stop at my favorite local diner after every faire day ends. Mind you being screwball cast and social patrons, despite the faire ending at 7 we don't show up until between 8:30 and 9:20 so we usually close the place. Last night we had the new hostess and the worst waitress and the kids were later than usual so it was a bit of a debacle. (but nothing out of line just very confused). So I dropped in for dinner today after running errands and the backroom they seat us in is under MAJOR renovation. They have a work crew in, tarps up, the works. So I joke with the owner that it was fine when I left but what did the stragglers do towreck the place?. He cracked up and starts fabricating this story about how bad the kids behaved just playing off my lead. By the time I was finished he had me texting the cast manager and a couple others that were there late telling them the owner had thrown me out for what they did and threatening to bill us for repairs. I had to go back inside to show him the worried replies from the cast. We had a very good laugh before letting them off the hook.

[Rebecca Iavelli]

I guess you just don't understand my question. I know lots of instruments were before the use of electricity, though the picture I saw showed the two men who were playing guitars underwater. They did not look like acoustic guitars, and it didn't show any other instruments. So I guess until I myself go to an underwater (in the water, not in a building under water) concert, I'll never understand how they actually created music that could be heard as music over the sound of breathing bubbles.

[salamanca]

1- waterproof speakers still make noise so none of the instruments needs be submerged. 2- that "concert" was a couple of divers mimicking a concert. 3- nobody ever said the audience needs to be underwater. They can float on the surface with an ear in the water.

[Rebecca Iavelli]

Ah, well that may help explain it to me. Even though I have been trying to figure out how they would do it, without getting electrified, I just couldn't figure out how they would do it. Now I can sort of understand, though why they would want to do it is just way beyond me. Easier to keep out of the water and listen to music.

[salamanca]

Ok, renn faire pregame is getting better than the actual event. Last night we had musical entertainment from 2 performers and a couple vendors, there was fire eating,breathing and twirling. Plus we fired off a cannon. Our pirate captain commissioned a swivel gun and it got finished last week. This is the sort you see in the movies mounted on the ship rails. For those of you feeling adventurous, it fires a 1 inch ball, and weighs about 38 pounds so you could carry it if you are feeling mighty. It also does not kick very much so you could fire it from the hip (which we did). It's loud but not thundrous. And now I kinda want one.

[Black Jack Rackham]

You only "KINDA" want one??? I admire your restraint

[Rebecca Iavelli]

What would you do with one? Fire it at the Electrical workers taking over your ruined forest?

I'll admit though it does sound fun to play with. A long time ago, my cousin David, got the instructions to a potato gun and made one of them. It had quite a kick, and boy, did it really make some "mashed potatos" when the potato fired hit something solid like a tree or wall.

[salamanca]

Yeah only kinda. It's not a cheap item to start with, then you have to buy powder and fuses, probably a casting kit for shot because the local gun shop is not going to carry lead balls that size, plus a burner to melt that lead shot for the mold... Not to mention cleaning and a general need for entertaining targets. (and the power line guys are long done and gone). I think if I were shopping I would prefer his sidekick's double barrel pistol. Side note, I built a special mug for the end of the day toast where we walk in big circles and clank mugs. I built it out of a 30 gallon barrel.

[salamanca]

Ok, so it's second faire weekend, the horribly named "alternate reality, time-travel weekend" (because the owner can't comprehend what steampunk means). So we had our regular flood of Doctor Who teens (in either a blue suit or fez because apparently there are only 2 Doctors). And we had a lot of brass goggles and cogs. And an entire squad of legend of zelda cosplayers and anime stupidity that belongs someplace else. AND A DR. HORRIBLE THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHY HE WAS THERE. Bad weather saturday lead to a larger crowd than I expected. Today, we had a good second week crowd. So this week's highlights:. 1- if you want attention, have a cool prop. I built our pirate captain a new mug out of a 30 gallon wooden barrel (pics will get posted or linked when I see then). It may be the coolest thing I ever put on the grounds (but i'm still partial to the portable confession window). 2- I bought a marshmellow catapult today...seige warfare next week to ensue. 3- PETA is now protesting the elephant that is there for people to ride. We sent them a tray of sausages from the irish food vendor to be neighborly. 4- important teachable moment. If you are on multiple heart medications, it may be unwise to accept a sip from every flask that you see. Moreso if you are a small person. His ride ditched him and it's a good thing we have a talented team of EMTs and a pair of noble patrons willing to haul him to his most upset parent's house. (i was not involved but I heard ALL about it). 5- locking your keys in the trunk is a bad idea. AAA lockout service is a good idea. Stayed late at the local diner keeping a friend company waiting for said service and thinking up explanations for the fiance who was at home. (and got a very gracious thank you today for that).

[smafdi]

pfft of course there are only 2 doctors, pertwee and eccleston duh!

*note* those are not my top 2, but def in my top 10*

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