Auction results!

A little background story: I don't get up early in the morning unless the house is on fire. However, I was out the door and on the way to Winter Oasis at 9am last Saturday. Pretty impressive for a lazy bed warmer like me.

Anyway, upon arrival and check in at the troll, I discovered that there were a couple of tables set up for me and a few items for the auction had already been dropped off. So I got changed into the quick garb, and went out to the tables to start processing the donations. More tables had to be found. More bid sheets had to be copied. I'm just glad I remembered to bring pencils...

The bidding started out a little slow, but I knew that we had all day to work it. There were items coming in all day, even as late as 4pm, for a total of 75 donations. I had the herald announce during court that the auction would end 15 minutes after court was over, and then the mad rush started. I'm super glad I had a couple of friends to help, because the tables were mobbed with late bidders trying to win their favorite item.

It was fun to watch the bidding wars, and know that every time someone put down an additional dollar or two, someone else would come along and bid up again. Knowing that it all went to a worthy cause, I didn't feel guilty at all!

Though I did not get to attend any of the classes, or see much of the performances, I could hear the music and I got to speak with pretty much everyone there. A small trade of my time to help a friend.

In the end, we raised $1978.50 for Don Talan Andolini! I was able to deliver the donations, cards and gifts to him yesterday and he was very, very grateful that we all love him so much.

Although I did not win any of the items I bid on, I came home richer in heart.

Auctions, Benefits and Tourneys for Talan Andolini

Now, I try not to name names on this blog (to protect the innocent as well as the guilty) but this is a special case. My *Don, Talan Andolini, has injured himself in a pretty severe skiing accident.

You see, when he's not swiftly stabbing people with epees, he likes to swiftly ride down a mountain with two flat sticks attached to his feet. He also teaches people to do this crazy sport at Eldora Resort. Well, snow being kind of persnickety on the edges of the trail, he caught an icy patch and ended up getting really intimate with a tree. So intimate, in fact, that he was admitted to a private room at Denver Health on the 18th of January and might not be out until the 31st.

Fortunately, only his right leg was injured. If he had not avoided the first tree, he might have been another name in the paper alongside the several other people who have died on the white slopes of death this year. Can you tell I'm not a big fan of skiing? Thought so.

Anyway, you can imagine how much such a luxurious stay will cost him. With the two helicopter rides he had to take, plus the surgeries, he's looking at a medical bill with LOTS of zeros at the end.

Remember that last entry where I mentioned you should come to Winter Oasis? Well, we are having a silent auction there to help him out with his medical bills. If you are coming to the event and have any items you would like to donate, please see me. Also, bring money to buy something - there's going to be all manner of nifty-giftys that are super affordable. If you have nothing to give or spend, please bring cards or letters, and I will make sure he gets them.

As for the "Six Million Dollar Don", he's doing better, and was able to stand up briefly today. The doctors feel confident that he will not only ski again, but he will also fence again as well. There will probably be a long period of rehabilitation, and it could be a long time before he's 100%, but at least he isn't going to get amputated, like I believed last friday.

Watch this space for more information about the upcoming "Lives Fencing Tourney" at Northern Colorado Fencers where the prize will be a blade made by none other than Don Ian of Nightsgate!! Trust me, I've been fighting with a borrowed schlaegger that he made, and I swear it's at LEAST +2 to hit. It doesn't glow around Orcs, though.

Also there will be a benefit concert/dinner which I'm helping to plan with Eldora Resort and The Gondolier. Two GREAT Boulder bands, Blue Sky Invention and Analog Quartet, have tentatively agreed to play FREE to help him out. We're still working on the place, but I'll let you know.

Both of these events should take place around the end of February to early March, the concert being on a Monday and the tourney being on a Sunday. They may be a day apart or a week apart, I have yet to get it confirmed.

If you cannot make it to Winter Oasis, the benefit concert or Lives Tourney, but feel like donating any spare change, please email me through my profile to the left, and I'll get back to you with his real name and address to send stuff to.

FYI(*Don/Donya is the title that a fencer may bear when he/she receives the Order of the White Scarf award from their Kingdom)

Winter Oasis Approaches...

Dust off your dumbek. Untangle your turbans. Gather up your ghawazees...

Get ready for Winter Oasis on January 29th. Even if you've never done the 'middle eastern' persona, you can just throw on a long t-tunic and belt it with a scarf. Add some kohl around your eyes. Sit on pillows and feast upon the glorious buffet that awaits you...

We in the Outlands sure know how to bust out the awesome props when it comes to events like this. Of course, we have some of the very best musicians in the entire Known World, and I am not just saying that because I'm living with one. If you'd like to experience musicians, drummers and singers making GOOD middle eastern music, make sure you attend this event.

Makes some of those 'other' drum circles seem downright lame by comparison. But then, you may turn into a drum snob like me. Hmm...speaking of drums, we should all take a look at this cartoon about dumbek players.

Oh, yes, the Sultan and Sultana of the Outlands, Ibrahim and Ileana, will be there as well. Lets all make a good show for them, shall we?

One more thing: no drinky-drinky-bangy-bangy, ok?

Worth 1000 has a swordfight image contest

Worth1000.com is a great place for photoshop junkies to get inspired, compete or even try and find work.

Every now and then they sponsor image manipulation contests that have a medieval or renaissance flavor. This is the first one I've seen where the source image was actually taken at an SCA tournament. Check out all the ways people have doctored up this great swordfight.

If you've got the time for browsing, check out Animal Renaissance 1, 2, 3, and 4, Childhood Renaissance 1 and 2, If Pirates Ruled, and wow, there's just too many different ones to list. Just check out the directory.

First good dent in my fencing mask

So at fencing practice on Sunday, I took a hit to the face that resulted in a 1/2 inch deep dent in the mesh of my mask. It landed right in front of my left eye, just to the side of the crest that runs down the center of the mesh.

Now, the denter threw a perfect straight shot just as I was coming in for the kill. That is what is called a trainwreck.

He was of course apologetic about denting my equipment, but hey, I like battle scars on my armor. That means it was doing its job of protecting ME.

I can explain the severity of this dent with a few points: (ha ha, get it? points?)

Anyway...

#1. Perfectly placed shot. I need to parry better.

#2. The mesh of my mask is starting to get fatigued. I need to buy a new mask. That's OK, the hood was eaten by mice anyway.

#3. The denter was using a borrowed electric epee. No rubber tip means the force of the blow was not dispersed as well. The denter needs his own SCA legal epee.

Well, at least the damn blade didn't break.

I did experience the strange feeling that some of us get when we do this historical fencing thing. If we were fighting a REAL duel with REAL swords, I would right now be eyeless and suffering, or dead. Pretty amazing to think this kind of thing was commonplace in the 16th century.

I bet I'd look sexy in an eyepatch.

Virtual Job interview

Well, I had my virtual job interview last night in Second Life. I even dressed my avatar up in somewhat more professional clothing. I was really hoping this was going to be for the marketing position, but it was for the "Liason" opening instead.

It's been probably near 6 weeks since I applied, and I thought they tossed my resume. Apparently, there is a great deal of competition, so I'm happy they took the time to talk to me at all. Still have yet to hear what the pay scale is, but if I like it and I get the job, I get to use my home computer to 'go to work' in this vast virtual community. I could be like one of the hordes of computer programmers that are known to work in their bathrobes or underwear (yes, you know who you are...).

An apology to my mailing list

For those of you who received my anonymous email the other day asking you to check out this blog, I'm sorry that I wasn't more clear on who I am. I realized after sending it out to a huge list of friends, relatives, SCA, Renfair, fencing and RPG contacts that some of you might find this cloak and dagger stuff a bit annoying.

Of course you've never seen my gmail address before. I copied your addresses over to that account from my hotmail one. I'm a dork. I'm sorry. As I mentioned to one of you who called me out on this..."at least I haven't received any death threats." But the tongue lashings have been severe.

I'm am simply trying to establish myself with a pseudonym, so that I can proceed with my 'writing' career (or pipe dream) with a fresh start, so that response, criticism, or praise (yeah, right) might be unbiased. Because I know my friends love me, and would tell me this is good even if it sucks donkey butt. So I wanted to show you what I was doing, without telling you who I am.

I'm pretty much sucking donkey butt right now for the abuse of your email addresses. Keep 'em coming. I deserve it.

Is there a Second Life job in my future?

I applied to Linden Labs (the company behind Second Life) what seems like many moons ago for a couple of different positions. I just got an email saying they want to interview me. Still not sure if it is for the Liason or the Marketing position, but hey, beggars can't be choosers.

Sweet!!

Serenity RPG!!

Here's a link to RPG.net's forum where people are discussing the upcoming role playing game based on Serenity!

So if I haven't told you anything about Serenity yet, I'm sorry. I'm still re-watching the Firefly DVD that the BF and I got for Christmas. (Thanks B & C - you still need to come over and watch some episodes...)

Anyway, if you haven't seen Firefly yet, I strongly suggest you either:

A. Borrow the DVD set from a friend
B. Go buy it - if you like sci-fi and/or westerns, you'll love it.




Once you get a copy, check out the easter egg. (Which only makes sense if you watch the episode titled Jaynestown.

Get yourself ready for the September release!! More news as it becomes available!

Cursed Boots of Pain on EBay!

Cursed Boots of Pain - funny, this guy has my sense of humor! I had to paste this poor mans' description of the boots he is selling on Ebay. Here's a link to the auction in question, which will no doubt go away at some point in the future, so without further adieu....

The story:

After a soggy wet Lilies war last year. I decided that it would be good to have new pair of boots. I wanted boots I could fight in, and that would last a long time. So I bought some 9-10 oz natural tan leather, the same stuff you might make armor from, and set out to make myself a pair of boots. I got the boots done, and they fit too tight.

So my buddy Aidon and I went to the local leather shop to try to find some sort of leather lotion or softener. The guy sold me some stuff called “saddle butter”, he said it would make them all soft and comfy and they would break in well. “just use a heat gun to warm them up and paint this stuff on them.” Great! So I go home, I don’t have a heat gun so I fire up the kitchen oven and warm up the boots. I start taking glops of this saddle butter and rubbing it into the boots. The smell was very familiar but did not register with me right at first. All done! The boots are very soft and floppy. So I put them out on the counter to dry. I come back 30 minutes later and they are hard as a rock. I look at the label on the saddle butter. “Bee’s wax, Carnauba wax, Paraffin wax…” F#ckin great! I just Cuir Bouilli my boots. So now they are still too tight, and they are hard as a f#ckin rock. I try to force them on with a shoe horn. I try to grease my foot with vegetable oil. I can barely get them on, but they are so tight they hurt. I try walking around the block a few time to see if that helps but to no avail.

So I call my Dad. Dad says to take rubbing alcohol and water 1:1 and rub them inside the boots and put them on. That will stretch them out to fit. So I mix up the boot stretch cocktail and, being a little impatient, I rub it all over the boots inside and out. Then shoe horn them back on. I get about five steps before the sensation of a burning fiery agony reaches my lizard brain. Unknown to me at that time I had rubbed an open blister on the top of my fourth toe in the vegetable oil attempt to stretch them out. Now the alcohol was hitting open nerves. Screaming in agony, I drop to the floor, and try to pull the boots of pain off my feet. They wont give, they stretched just enough to get a good suction and weren’t going anywhere. My buddy Aidon was there for this entire ordeal, but can’t help me because he’s incapacitated with laughter. “get them off! Get them off!” I scream. He grabs my right foot and pulls on the boot. Pulls hard enough that he pulls me down the hall way of my house. My shirt rolls up and the carpet puts a long red burn across the small of my back. He still can’t get the boot off, so he tries to put his foot on something to lend leverage so he can pull harder. Unfortunately, the item he chooses to brace against was my groin. So now I’ve got a 300 pound dude standing on my nutz while my foot is on fire. Suddenly the boot comes free. Aidon is sent sprawling backward and I’m just glad he’s not standing on my junk anymore. Then I hear that tell-tale dull thud. The sort of dull thud that drywall make when a 300 pound dude knocks a hole in it the size of his back. I look up, Aidon is holding the boot still, and “sitting” in the hole he created in my wall.

O-Kay… Here’s the deal.

This auction is for this particular pair of cursed SCA boots of pain. I’m never making another pair of these again. I’m not in the business of selling boots. I just want these gone.

I wear a size 11 Wide (EEEE). And they fit really tight. Someone who is a size 10.5 could probably break them in.
9-10 oz natural tan leather.
Dyed Oxblood Red
Cuir Bouilli and distressed with alcohol
Crepe sole

I’ll ship them UPS, unless you live in Calontir and want to meet me at an event for handoff.


I'm pretty impressed. Too bad they aren't my size.

Young Blades - New TV Show on PAX: Pre-review/Preview

I caught a brief glimpse of the "Young Blades" trailer while flipping through channels the other day, and went straight onto Google to see if I was indeed just hallucinating.

I was not. Sigh.

Please, go to the website and click on 'view the trailer'. Everything else that happens to you for the rest of the day will seem great by comparison.

Granted, I cannot give a real 'review' of this show until I've actually seen it, but I'm not going to hold my breath that the fight scenes will be any good, the costuming will be anywhere near accurate or the acting will be any better than my 9th grade high school play.

Poor Dumas is probably rolling in his grave. Or trying to stab himself in the eyes so he doesn't have to watch this pablum.

Go read the original version of the Three Musketeers online! Or, get the 1974 move "The Three Musketeers" from Amazon. At least that movie was pretty close to his story.