Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Albright - Saget = Awesome
What a day! In the morning, we got to hear a witty and insightful look at the past few decades of U.S. foreign Policy by Madeliene Albright. In the evening, an abortive attempt to see Bob Saget and see how far down he went to find a lowest common denominator in comedy...which instead ended in observations of friends having just a little too much to drink and saying far, far funnier things.
Labels: Politics, Sheer Awesome
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Saturday, April 12, 2008
Garfield Minus Garfield
I used to read Garfield when I was younger. I even had quite a number of the collected books, and was a regular watcher of the Garfield / U.S. Acres half hour on Saturday mornings. But then I grew to find the warped humor of the Far Side and the whimsical and poignant humor of Calvin and Hobbes more to my taste, and the orange tabby went to the wayside.Garfied minus Garfield, however, has brought me back. Others have attempted to do the same, by erasing Garfield's thought bubbles or substituting a more realistic cat drawing for Garfield (Realfield), but none are quite as bizarre or sad as this version: Garfield has been removed entirely, so Jon Arbuckle talks to himself, coming off as lonely, schizophrenic, and completely miserable. It should just be sad, but it comes off as hysterical, because it pushes the normalcy (or dare I say it, the Nermal-cy) of the original and makes it extremely surreal - and yet I can still identify with Jon and his reactions to the world around him.
Go Now! Garfied minus Garfield!
But please come back.
Labels: Fun on the Web, Hey Kids - Comics, Sheer Awesome
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Powerpuff Z
I don't know - the Powerpuff girls lose some of their charm when they are redone in anime. There's something a tad uncomfortable about taking the characters that originally around seven or eight and re-imagining them as teenage Sailor Moon type characters - especially given that I think they are still supposed to be seven or eight in this version. Mojo Jojo, however, is always awesome.Labels: Cute Overlord, Mojo Jojo, Sheer Awesome
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Friday, April 04, 2008
Ash and Xena
I gave into a ten year itch this week and purchased my first honest to goodness comic book - Army of Darkness / Xena: Why Not? The title sells itself, no?
The comic book store certainly didn't do a good job of it. Ten years later and it';s still like it was the last time I was in there - it reeked of clove cigarettes, the employees were way too busy counting inventory or playing Magic the Gathering to ask me if I needed help, and the stacks were incomprehensibly laid out. On top of that, the clerk informed me I needed to make a ten dollar minimum purchase to use a credit card.
I ended up waiting and going to another store.
I wish I could say it was worth the wait, The comic almost hit the right tone, but just missed the mark. If anything, Ash came off as denser than in the movies, and felt rather out of character. I wanted to love it, but it did fall short.
Maybe reading summaries on the web is an effective placebo.
Labels: Hey Kids - Comics, Sheer Awesome
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Eastwood and Cash
I had the strangest dream last night. I was watching a music video fir a new Johnny Cash song, released after his death. It was a soulful ballad about a Ring of Fire, but in this song the Ring of Fire was also a metaphor for clairvoyance and seeing the future. In the video, Client Eastwood played a small time con man whose family possesses second sight.In the beginning of the the song, a flashback shows how Clint's dad could see Clint's older brother having a heart attack while flying a fighter jet. His father reaches through a ring of fire and revives his brother.
At the end of the song, Clint performs some elaborate con in Miami Beach, culminating in two hypnotized men blocking traffic on a beach-front avenue. As Clint's older brother, who is now a policeman, arrives to direct traffic, Clint steps out and hugs him as a Ring of Fire appears in the sky. The ring turns out to be an enormous asteroid that hits the sea and everyone is drowned in a tremendous tidal wave.
I really wish I could remember the lyrics. It really did sound like Johnny in my head.
Labels: Guitarmaggedon, My Musical 2 Cents, Sheer Awesome, We Who Are About to Rock
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Thursday, February 28, 2008
When Creative Suite Attacks
What happens when the good doctor Vector Frankenstein loses control of his creation? Pixel Armageddon, that's what.You'll never look at a Flash timeline the same way again. See it here and here.
Labels: Graphic Design, Sheer Awesome
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
Puttin' on the Ritz!
Kristin and I won a Silver Addy at this years local Advertising Federation awards cermony. We went all out for the twenties theme - I tried hard to look like Gary Cooper, with all white tux and tails, and Kristin channeled Clara Bow with a period jewlery, a bob cut, and a pillbox hat. Union Design & Photo was recognized for our campaign work for Books Open the World, including website, annual report, and logo and stationery.Labels: Graphic Design, Sheer Awesome
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Saturday, January 19, 2008
Vector Magic
Stanford has created an amazing tool called Vector Magic. Vector Magic converts bitmap images to vector images, through a Flash interface. Stanford's logarithm is amazing - it produces nearly perfect line artwork 100% of the time. For anyone out there who has tried to use the Live Trace feature in Illustrator, know that this is better by a factor of 1000 - it can take even the most finicky woodcut illustration and produce a perfect vector in almost no time flat.My coworker on campus now swears by it - she does a lot of illustration work by hand, and it has proved invaluable to her in transferring that work for department posters. Go over and give it a try - it's not often that you get to see the way the trick is done.
Unless you are friends with Val Valentino or Mitch Pileggi, that is.
Labels: Fun on the Web, Graphic Design, Sheer Awesome, Spot the Pop Culture Reference
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Saturday, December 29, 2007
The Holidaze
Happy New Year, all!
We had a fantastic time over the holiday break, taking a much deserved and much needed two week trip to Northern Georgia. Kristin and I got to have several honest-to-goodness nights out on the town, and the kids had a blast visiting their grandparents. Parker proved that he can have fun for hours with just a handful of hangers (really), and Kira proved quite adept at climbing stairs, as botha human and as a cat.
Kira and Parker getting into the holiday spirit, and staying still for the just one second.
Kira and Parker on their first time on bicycles.
Lucille's Mountain Inn, the fantastic bed and breakfast Kristin and I stayed in on our out of town anniversary present.
William the Conqueror's Def Comedy Jam is in the house!
The kids take a moment to fish with a bear at Goats on the Roof General Store (yes there are indeed goats on the roof).
Parker strikes a pose at the Georgia Aquarium.
The piranha disturbingly await their next victim....er, meal.....at the Georgia Aquarium.
Parker gets up and personal with a Penguin - at least, as personal as three inch glass can allow you to be.
Kira and Aunt Shelli on an insanely cold December night.
Pay no attention to the large scaly gentleman behind you. Nothing to see here.
Labels: And We Are Rather Puny, Homeschooling, Kira, Let Kids be Kids, Parker, Sheer Awesome
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Friday, December 28, 2007
Five Islands: Madeira
Here is the second entry in Parker's and my review of islands of the world that we would like to visit:
One of the most unique features of the island are the levadas, a series of stone aqueducts and tunnels created by the original Portuguese settlers to bring water from the north side of the island to the south. These stone troughs are often wide enough to allow for hiking along the edge. In some places the levadas are in level territory, but in others the aqueducts go high into the mountains, and walking them becomes a delicate balancing act, particularly is one suffers from vertigo. I'd like to think I could walk on one of these, but if the photos I've seen are any indication, some of them are probably a little too agoraphobia-inducing for my tastes.
The New Years' fireworks celebration holds the Guinness Record for being the world's largest. Parker is eager to see that, as am I.
Labels: Homeschooling, Parker, Sheer Awesome, Where in the World
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Saturday, December 15, 2007
Peace on Earth
And finally, a song that warms the cockles of my heart, from one of the most unlikely duos of all time. One of Bing Crosby's last performances, actually.
I looked for this song on CD for a long, long, time. When I finally found a copy of it, on a punk Christmas compilation (which is also where I first heard Fairytales of New York for the first time), I rushed back out to the car to play it for Kristin.
As the song ended, I said "That's a pretty little song"...just seconds before Bing said the exact same thing.
Bing and I are in complete agreement over this one. I dare you to say different.
Labels: Holiday Daze, Sheer Awesome, We Who Are About to Rock
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The Fairytale of New York
Of course, I have soft spot for this song - definitely one of my favorite nontraditional Christmas songs. It's Irish, it's punk, it's irreverant, and so much fun to sing along to.
Labels: Holiday Daze, Sheer Awesome, We Who Are About to Rock
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Ding Dong It's the Christmas Song
No holiday video retrospective would be complete without the awesome power of Gunther, Sweden's self-styled sex machine. Gunther tries to live up to the Village People maxim that macho men have mustaches, and the sincerity he gives to the image he tries to portray to the world is unparalleled.
Labels: Holiday Daze, Sheer Awesome, We Who Are About to Rock
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The Curse of the Holiday Album
Remember Billy Mack from Love Actually? The aging rocker who scored an unlikely Christmas hit with his ghastly Christmas reworking of a golden oldie?
Billy Idol has done him one better.
Labels: Holiday Daze, Sheer Awesome, We Who Are About to Rock
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Monday, November 26, 2007
Revisionist History...Lucas Style
Celebrating the almost-true life of a scruffy-looking nerfherder from Illinois who became our greatest president. From the creator of PVP, and available at his store at Half-Pixel.
Labels: Fun on the Web, Sheer Awesome, Star Wars
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The Sad Case of Beta Ray Bill
Let's be honest: I love my toys. It's a strange dichotomy - at home, we're paring down our material goods to some manageable number, and perform some secret middle-of-the-night culls of the children's accumulated goods, banishing those than make annoying noises or were made in some Chinese sweat-shop to the consignment bins. At work, however, I have a large book case dedicated to the collected figures of my childhood (and, I must admit, some more recently purchased): G.I. Joes, Transformers, Star Wars figures, Marvel super-heroes, Simpsons figures, and a motley crew from across multiple dimensions vie for shelf space and to be the Master of their particular Universe. It's a spectacle, and one that is hidden partially by a column, so casual passersby do not get the effect until they have entered the office. I have been told on more than one occasion that I have the coolest office on campus - and not always by just a student. The last comment I was given was that I could populate an entire planet with those shelves, and that's probably true - if the planet were about the size of B612. Maybe that's where Secret Wars took place.
Lately I read a book that started changing my opinions on the subject. Toy Wars chronicles the toy industry through the twentieth century, the current state of toy production in China, and the continual need to market ever younger to sell their toys, especially with sexual imagery. A great deal of the book looks at the Bratz phenomena, and is especially disturbing as the creator of the doll chain sees no problem with the over-sexualization of pre-teens, down to toddlers, because the audience demands it. There may be an audience demand from the target market, but responsible adults - parents, community leaders, and yes, toy-makers themselves- are supposed to act as gatekeepers to determine the level of acceptability for an age bracket.
Reading the book hardened my resolve to continue my boycott of China and to work towards curbing the effects of marketing and consumerism.
And yet, three weeks later, I found myself in the lines of a Toys R Us with a massive action figure in my hands, looking eagerly to being able to put him on my shelf at work.
Why?
Because it was Beta Ray Bill.
Beta Ray Bill, one of the few, and first beings other than Thor that was worthy of lifting the hammer Mjolnir. Beta Ray Bill, the goat-faced alien carbon copy clone of Thor. Completely goofy, completely ridiculous, and completely Awesome.
It was then that I realized that my concepts of 'cool' and 'awesome' can trump my loftier ideals when it comes to an impulse buy. But by that moment it was purchased and in a bag, and I was out the door.
Beta Ray Bill has now sat in the back of car ever since, in a bag. I can't bring myself to take him back, and I can't bring myself to take him out of his plastic coffin and add him to the community in my office. He sits, demanding to be let loose on ilk such as Ego the Living Planet, Jack of Hearts, or the Super-Skrull.
It also doesn't help that sitting right next to him in that membrane is one-sixth of MODOK: the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing.
Again, completely awesome and ridiculous all-in-one.
Kristin asked me at IHOP a few weeks back why I needed to get stuff like this. Since Awesome is not really a valid or defensible argument, I'll take this moment to elaborate on the other items like Beta Ray Bill that have been tempting my scruples:
I want Little Cthulhu because I know if I'm about to be eaten by an eldritch evil from beyond the stars, I'd rather say 'Awwwwwwww' than 'AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!'. Also, one can't help but love the terrified weeble-wobbles it come with that fit perfectly in their hands. And this also seems like a little bit of Lovecraft that Kristin could begrudgingly accept.
This is single-handedly the essence of the joy of comic books distilled into three inches of PVC plastic. This is Kurt Wagner at his finest - not angsty like in the X-Men movie, but the swashbuckling, acrobatic, joyful Kurt that has always been a treat to read. I can't help but smile when I see this.
If there is any rock star that deserves to have an action figure, it is Freddy Mercury. If not only for his flamboyant style, he provided the theme music for both The Highlander and Flash Gordon, and is thereby a de facto member of the super-hero community. Plus, his tour outfit appears to be the inspiration for The Ray's costume, which I always thought was pretty sharp.
Speaking of Flash, Alex Toth was designed these amazingly detailed Flash and Ming figures based off on the 1980s movie. I consider this film to be one of the best science fiction space operas of all time, and given that I dressed as Vultan for last Halloween, it's understandable if I have a fondness for these figures. Plus the manufacturers promise more if the the sales for these are high enough. There could a Klytus, Kala, Dale, Zarkov, and Vultan in the future, and that's a collection I'd be willing to risk the Galaxy of Pleasure for.
From the practical side, I'd say that the Herculoids were the first example of a family working together to solve problems in adverse conditions, and an example of the symbiosis man can have with living creatures and the land. From an emotional side, I can't see how anyone can resist a rock ape, an armored armadillo that shoots explosive balls of energy from his thorn, a laser-firing dragon, not one, but two two protoplasmic balls of goo that can mimic anything Reed Richards could do with his body, and three humans who would give Lord Greystroke a run for his money. And least any sane person.
It's Blue Falcon and Dynomutt! The strange pairing of a serious superhero character and a goofy sidekick that was a cross between Scooby-Doo and Inspector Gadget always held my interest as a child, and I admire Toynami's ability to capture the pairs differing art style in these figures perfectly. 
If I had enough money that I burned a stack of two for kindling, I'd probably get most of the Soul of Chogokin series, which transforms the 2.99 Shogun Warrior figures of my youth into incredibly detailed and ultra-expensive models only available in Japan. And despite my love for Grandizer and his saucer ship, the great Space Dragon whose head becomes the torso for the robot Gaiking has to be first choice. The tiny head with enormous horns does the trick - it's like the Devil from Legend were suddenly to become a giant sixty-foot tall robot. 
Logical rationale can't express reasons for the Panda Z. It's just Awesome.
Labels: Cute Overlord, My Heroes Have Always Worn Spandex, Sheer Awesome, Toys
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Monday, September 17, 2007
Carcassone
Parker and I explored via Google Earth the town of Carcassonne in Southern France. One of the few fortified towns of Europe to never be conquered, it was restored in 1853 by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, and became a World Heritage Site in 1997.
It is one of the most intact examples of a medieval town in Europe today, and one can't help but fall in love with it on first sight. if we ever get back to the Continent, it will definitely be on the itinerary. Although Parker is endlessly fascinated by castles, most castles in Europe today are in some sort of decay or disorder - eventually they were breached, and conservation efforts there are more inclined to preserve it as it is rather than to restore it. Carcassonne would give Parker a better understanding of what architecture and life was in that time more than the crumbling masonry of most of the fortresses of the age.
Labels: Homeschooling, Parker, Sheer Awesome, Where in the World
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Friday, July 20, 2007
Take-G Toys Are GO!!
Unfortunately (and obviously), these things are hard to come by and are priced pretty expensively - however, take G does have a few mass produced wooden products that might just be even cuter.
Speaking of cute, have you seen "My Little Cthulhu"? He makes unspeakable, eldritch terror downright adorable - and, being plastic to boot, he's ever more eeeevil.
Labels: Cute Overlord, Let Kids be Kids, Sheer Awesome, Shogun Warriors
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Life's a Beach
Our weekend of 'relaxation' at Jacksonville Beach with my mom and Aunt Margie took a turn for the worst almost the moment we stepped our onto the golden sands. I did a poor job of girding Kristin for the sun's pummeling - and she develop a severe that would last for several weeks. Just twenty minutes later, while picking up Kira, I consigned my glasses to the briny deep - or at the very least, to a group of curious minnows in three feet of water.
Kristin and I spent most of the rest of the day shopping for glasses, a task turned Herculean ordeal by the sheer number of frames that are now manufactured in China. The only United States made glasses in the store where the stylish roll shades they gave me after dilating my eyes, MADE IN USA stamped proudly across the brow of the plastic.
In the end, I selected three frames. My main glasses now have stylish wood accents that underscore they are Italian...while wearing them,I feel like I'm skimming across Lake Como in my Cris-Craft on the way to Clooney's villa:
My second pair of glasses are from Japan. They actually use fishing line cut into the groove of the glass to hold the lenses in, which makes the glasses nearly invisible on my face:
Finally, I got a pair of sunglasses from Italy.
The lenses are tinted with an amber filter: it takes some getting used to, as things seem so much different when I'm wearing them. For example, I took these right outside the office:
The trip did get better after that. I learned Rummy in between smearing Aloe across Kristin's tortured back, and we saw the new Harry Potter, as well as read the last Harry Potter. Mom ran into an old high school friend she hadn't seen for for twenty years at the library. And Parker got to learn about geology, the weather, and marine biology.
Labels: Anti-Fun, Art, Parker, Sheer Awesome, Spot the Pop Culture Reference
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Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Is Your Thirst Ready
I salute the cardboard artist who had the inspiration to erect this artwork next to a decimated brick wall:
Thanks for allowing me to teach my children the time honored clarion call of the Man of Juice, who is, as we all know, second only to OMAC.
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Monday, February 12, 2007
Happy Birthday Jane!
Labels: Art, Sheer Awesome, Spot the Pop Culture Reference
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Going on a Trip in Our Favorite Rocketship
I find myself reading a lot of blogs regarding Disney lately, primarily the ones regarding a populist urge to get the Parks to take better care in maintaining current rides and in making healthy decisions for the parks' growth. My two favorites are ReImagineering and EpcotCentral.EpcotCentral really got me thinking of how this park could be retooled. It really is my favorite for just being in - it's landscaping, buildings, design of the walkways, and lighting make it a joy to just stroll through, without having a particular destination in mind. However, what makes it fun for me makes it precisely not fun for kids - walking only captures their imagination for so long (thank the heavens for amply number of ducks and bunnies to pick up the slack).
Ride and attraction wise, Epcot has in recent years been catering to a more teen audience, and this leaves the little ones out in the cold. With the loss of Horizons, Universe of Energy, and Body Wars, there's far less to take the little tykes on, and Mission to Mars, Test Track, and Soarin' don't make up for it, given the minimum height requirements. So what to do?
EpcotCenter has recently railed against the inclusion of Kim Possible as an attraction at Epcot. Currently, teens gets clues from a Kim Possible character that resides in the remains of the original ImageWorks facility on the second floor of the Imagination pavilion (now only open for special events). The clues take the teens to various places around the World Showcase to earn some sort of prize.
I don't share EpcotCentral's hate for the concept behind the Kim Possible quest; getting an audience to actively participate in the parks that otherwise wouldn't is always a good idea. But I'd argue they used the wrong set of characters, and missed out on a golden opportunity to get young kids interested in Epcot.
They should have used the Little Einsteins.
For those who have not seen them, the Little Einsteins are a group of multicultural children who travel around the world in an anthropomorphic rocket on various missions. Along the way, they introduce children to different pieces of classical music, as well as famous works of art. Currently, the characters hang out in the backlots of MGM.
To me, this is a much more logical fit for Epcot. Teens now have thrill rides in the park to garner their interest: little children don't. But now, they could interact with characters they are most likely familiar with (Little Einsteins airs daily on Playhouse Disney). Disney could reopen the second floor ImageWorks area: it's sounds and light oriented interactive displays go hand in hand with the lessons that are taught in the series, and would create a welcome area for parents with younger children to take their children and let them loose. From there, the Einsteins could send children on a mission: to gather clues from various pavilions in the World Showcase (these missions could also vary, to encourage repeat visits). Then, each of the missions would be tied to the unique art and music of that country - given that most of the pavilions already showcase art and music from the host country, it would be easy to integrate into the existing infrastructure with very little additional costs to the company). It enforces the ideals behind Epcot's founding (learning and fostering a better understanding of world cultures), expands on the show's basic concepts, and builds a fun and enjoyable experience for the children who otherwise would also grow up with the opinion that Epcot is the park with nothing to do.
I oughtta be an Imagineer, I tell ya.
Labels: Disney, Sheer Awesome
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Monday, January 08, 2007
Old Spice Will Swallow Your Soul
"Bruce Campbell: Corporate Spokesman".This is just fantastic - check out the neverending ship. Few men can pull off a cravat and make it look manly. And if you really pay attention, you might see a handy chainsaw in the corner.
The only possibly cooler deodorant commercial Bruce could have done would have involved 30 thousand gallons of fake blood and the catchphrase:
"Listen up you primates! This - is my SPEEDSTICK!"
Labels: Sheer Awesome
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Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Your Daily Dose of Karate Bear-Fighting
Everyone should check out Chris Sim’s Invincible Super-Blog. Written by a comic shop employee, it reads often what I’ve come to expect Clerks would sound like if I ever took the time to watch it. From the outlandish hijinks of the Golden Age to the groan-inducing inanity of the Modern, it’s the best way to keep up on comics and all that entails without having to mortgage your house for monthly subscriptions.Labels: Fun on the Web, My Heroes Have Always Worn Spandex, Sheer Awesome
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Guitarmaggedon and Cello on Earth
Micheal and I went to Common Grounds to see Rasputina, the world’s first and probably only alternative cello band. Their show was opened by ABerdeen City, a racous rock group with some deft guitar work by the most sardonic, laconic, and disassociated guitarist of all time (the fact he could play well while holding the guitar below his knees, or over his head, or next to his face, was simply incredible).
I'm getting old. I had to use ear plugs halfway through the performance. That brought the music down to an appreciable level. The place was thoroughly dominated by the club girl, whose personal presence could have supplied the entire Eastern Seaboard's electrical grid for several decades. Perhaps theis complex equation can explain her inherent magnetism:
Labels: Guitarmaggedon, Sheer Awesome, We Who Are About to Rock
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Monday, November 27, 2006
Tremble before the Terrifying Tryptophantom!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It was potluck at our, and Michael, Ligia, and Michal joined us for the holiday. We celbrated the ability to come together as an extended family, and learned many life lessons:
- Heavy Cream will catch fire under a hot stove element. (This will now be reenacted every year as the Eternal Thanksgiving Flame, symbolizing the Puritan's discovery of fire).
- Burning heavy cream will attract approximately 30-40 flies from nowhere. This is either clear cut proof that abiogenesis does occur or that Beezlebub made a silent appearance at the potluck.
- I’ll always forget to serve the dish cooked in the microwave.
- Playdough will form class crystals shards if left long enough alone.
- Sherlock Holmes learned how to identify hundreds of tobaccos by taste, probably during an opium rant. But he probably didn’t sample the tobacco Sir Walter Raleigh was buried with. Unless he had had a lot of opium.
- There a lot of things that second baseman Bill Wambsganss can do all by himself during a World Series Game. And some of them are legal.
- The Trypnophantom would be an awesome name for a Silver Age villain. Especially if he utilized the Drumzzzzzzticks of Doom!
Thanks to everyone who made out Thanksgiving at home memorable and for proving to us that we can throw a low-key party that people will enjoy – even with kids underfoot.
Labels: Holiday Daze, My Heroes Have Always Worn Spandex, Sheer Awesome, The Secret of Fire, Who the Hell is Bill Wambsganss
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Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Grand Theft Auto: Newberry
Newberry had its own little crime spree last week. Someone apparently went around the neighborhoods and found the unlocked cars and absconded with whatever they could take. Regrettably, this included us, although asll they got was the spare monitor for the DVD player in the van. I narrowed it down to the two most likely suspects:
After all, anyone could tell it was either the work of a brilliant mastermind or a no-account deadbeat crook.
Turned out to to be the latter – two high school kids committed the dirty deeds. They were that unique combination of brave and stupid, as they decided to steal guns…straight out of an unlocked Alachua County police cruiser! Maybe comparing them to Slyde is being too generous…this seems to be more in line with the criminal genius of this smart-dressed individual:
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Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Zany, Crazy, G-Rated Fun
It’s important at time to let off steam. I think zany stunts are the way to do it. Not zany as in Jackass, but zany as in funny and that doesn’t involve pain. Here’s a couple of ideas I have been bandying about:
Flash Gordon's Day
I’ve been inspired by my turn as Vultan for Halloween. Wouldn’t it be great is we could turn Flash Gordon into a Shakespeare-in-the-Park type play, performed once a year with a live band providing backup for Queen’s score. To promote it, hawkmen go around canvas the few weeks before the event, proclaiming the date to be "Flash Gordon’s Day!". I think this would be an awesome event on college campuses everywhere.
Random Acts of ChasingPeople love a great chase. Dress as Hana Barbera Wasky Racers, Spy versus Spy, or Stormtroopers and Rebels (this is an awesome and cheap outfit, by the by)…anything that gets peoples attention and will bring a smile to your face.
Better yet, try and get large groups of similarly themed people to chase each other around. Best bets: Pirates versus Ninjas, or Monkeys versus Roboto. Everyone loves 'em.
Highlander: The GameThis idea kind of combines the top two. Based on the Assassin game, players have to walk about carrying concealed toy or SCA-like pvp swords. Players are issued the cell phone number of their target, but are not given their name or what they look like. The attacker can call their target on their phone and describe where they are (this mimics the Quickening – especially if the phones are set to vibrate). Once they have sought each other out, the two must sword duel until one ‘beheads’ the other, and inherits their immortal target. Of course, said sword fight should happen in a deserted locale or people will freak, just like in Assassin.
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Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Gordon's Alive?!
For Halloween, I decided to shed the ‘Quiet Guy’ image I’ve been been garnering around the College. Quiet Guys all end up doing something Horrible That No One ExpectsTM, so I figured it would be a good time to move out of the rut before someone expects me to go postal.
For Hallows Eve, I became the one person in the world that is never subdued….
Vultan, King of the Hawkmen!
Granted, my version of Vultan looks rather Roman, but it’s not like Vultan has been portrayed in any consistent manner over the years:
Traditional Alex Raymond Vultan.
Vultan of the Buster Crabbe serials.
Vultan, Brian Blessed-ized!
Modern Vultan.
The costume was open to interpretation. Many identified me as an avenging archangel ( most specifically, Ben Affleck in Dogma, Leonardo Dicaprio in Romeo and Juliet, a centurion, a gladiator, and, best of all, Trojan Man!
After lunch, I sojourned to Turlington Plaza, climbed atop a table, and proceeded to scream out the following stirring soliloquy that even silenced and, dare I say…humbled, our permanent professional Bible-Thumpers:
“Onward my Brave Hawkmen. Let this be known forever as Flash Gordon’s Day! Hawkmen sortie…..DIIIIVE!”
One of the biblical hecklers, awed by the acoustics, rejoined “That’s the way to do it!”
I then ran around to the hub for a second performance, where I was given a standing ovation and calls for encores.
I feel I reclaimed maybe a little of that regret for not performing in the Music Man fifteen years ago. Thanks, Brian Blessed, for giving me a VOICE. Onward, indeed.
Labels: Hooray for Hollywood, Science Fiction, Sheer Awesome
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