As we close in on the last month of MINIons I remember that this is also the start of the Holidaze. I hope, if you have a tree, it’s festive (No tree this year for us- Hemi is depressed) and that your holiday shopping is almost done. Just remember to plan ahead for that extra large electricity bill after you get your house ready for the season. 
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A Year in MINIons- MINIon #0121
As we close in on the last month of MINIons I remember that this is also the start of the Holidaze. I hope, if you have a tree, it’s festive (No tree this year for us- Hemi is depressed) and that your holiday shopping is almost done. Just remember to plan ahead for that extra large electricity bill after you get your house ready for the season. A Year in MINIons- MINIon #C3P0
Okay- so I know that in Star Wars VII that Threepio has a red arm… so what?!?! Who cares if the LEGO minifig now also has a red arm? After the prequels I’m going to reserve the right to draw my cybernetic monkeys the way they looked in 1977. If I actually like the new film I can always go back and “correct” this drawing, just like George “corrected” the first three films… ugh.
The big question usually asked of any “geek” is “Star Trek or Star Wars?” I believe I have said before, I’m torn on this topic. Both franchises are a part of my youth. I have fond memories of things related to each. Star Trek- I remember taking one Labor Day (or maybe Memorial Day) weekend and moving my TV outside so I could “catch some rays” without missing the massive Star Trek marathon- resulting in 2nd degree burns. Yes, it hurt. Yes I have scars to prove it. Would I do it again? Watch the marathon? Yes. Try to look like I actually lived in Southern California? Not so much. As for Star Wars- for those of us who saw it when it first was released… it was amazing. before that, science fiction and fantasy films had been kind of two dimensional- this just kind of made your mind go “Ka-Boom!” I was too old to get into the toys, but Star Wars was probably my first time attempting cosplay. Then, changes happened to both and while I still love them- each has had their set backs. Only time will tell if I will embrace either universe as I once had done. To quote Threepio- “This is madness!” A Year in MINIons- MINIon #4244
Have you ever opened a drawer and looked down and think “Which t-shirt should I wear today?” I’ll admit during the week this isn’t a problem (the question becomes “Which bowtie should I wear today?”), on the weekend it can be difficult. MINI? Doctor Who? Mini? Superhero? Just plain weird? So many choices and with so many limited run t-shirt companies on the web, more every day. Today marks the beginning of the 5th Annual Geeky T-Shirt Week. (It’s an internet/Facebook thing) So today I’m wearing a nice grey shirt with the TARDIS on it that I picked up in South Carolina on Free Comic Book Day a couple years ago. Pretty mild when it comes to geek level, most people now recognize the reference and the design makes it pretty easy to cover up. On a scale from 1 (a common logo) to 5 (The ROTJ characters: Klaatu Birrada & Nicto disco dancing with Gort – no, it doesn’t exist, I guess I have some drawing to do) I’d give this one around a 2.
Yes, I do have an entire box of MINI Cooper related t-shirts that I bring out for MTTS, because if your going where 15 straight days of MINI Cooper t-shirts you need to be prepared.
For the record I do won a “geek.” t-shirt. I picked it up on my birthday a while ago from ThinkGeek.com. I liked it so much I actually bought another one when the first one wore out. So what is your geekiest t-shirt? You know the one, you wear it and people scratch their heads trying to figure out the meaning. Only a very few smile because they are from your geek tribe and get the significance of your choice. A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1878
My parents tried to be fair, and initially fairness, meant if one kid did something, the other kid kinda had to do it too. This was an advantage in some ways and a disadvantage in others (as the second kid there were advantages and disadvantages). You see, my older brother was an athlete, I am not. Sometime in my young life I decided to stop competing and enjoy life. Before that decision came SCUBA lessons- maybe this was the moment where it sunk in. You see my older brother, besides being athletic, was really interested in Marine Biology. At some point my parents had him take SCUBA lessons. He was young for the class, but committed to succeeding because he like the ocean, and wanted to be swimming with sharks. Whether I asked to be included or not, I don’t remember, but one day I was taken to SCUBA lessons, so I too could learn. I still feel sorry for our instructor. I think I got most the classroom stuff- it was Math and Science, it was the application portion that wasn’t my cup of tea. In a swimming pool, practicing wasn’t too bad, but…
The class went to a cove/beach near where we lived to get some real life experience, before venturing out further. This was also our test to make sure we could accomplish some safety things. We all got out there and each took turns with the instructor going down (maybe 10 feet, could have been twenty, felt like a mile) to the bottom and clearing our regulator, and mask using various methods. When my turn came up, I went down fine, and got through the first part clearing my regulator. It wasn’t that bad, so now I needed to flood my mask and clear it… sounds easy. I go to flood my mask and in the process knock the regulator out of my mouth. I can’t see, I can’t breathe, and I’m underwater. All I want to do is get to the surface (note: you should never attempt a rapid ascent, bad things can happen). My poor instructor tried to stop me, and gets kicked by my flippers a few times. Ummm… I survived (I think) the instructor wrote it off to immaturity. I was able to go on other field trips, but not allowed to submerge until I could pass. (I never passed, I never tried again.) The next trip was to Catalina Island. Did I mention that as a kid, I suffered from motion sickness… after that trip I don’t remember going back for any more lessons. A Year in MINIons- MINIon #B0G0
Well it’s Black Friday… due some mix up with the space time continuum, Friday actually started yesterday. I know this is a tradition in many families to go out on this Friday and push and shove and scream and assault people so you can save up to 30 – 50% on something you really didn’t need anyway, I’ve never been one of those people. I do remember going out one Black Friday to get a new vacuum cleaner (Yes, exciting, isn’t it) We went in the afternoon, to a store that had already been attacked by the swarms. Walked in and bought a vacuum. It seems since it was something useful, it was passed over by the mob.
If this is your thing – be safe. Remember- it’s not how much you saved, but how much you spent that really matters. Best of luck finding that one thing you are willing to kill someone over. May the odds always be in your favor. A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1620
Happy Thursday! OK, for those folks in the United States- Happy Day Before Black Friday! I know there used to be a holiday around this time, but for the life of me, I can’t recall what it was called. I know it had something to do with turkey, and maybe football? Oh well, must not have been very important. I’m just glad, you might even say “thankful” that this challenge is coming to an end. This is definitely the home stretch, less than 40 MINIons to go… which means there isn’t that much time to finish my Christmas shopping! A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1863
Being nostalgic for a moment, remember when you were in elementary school and the day before Thanksgiving the school lunch was something they called “turkey?” It seemed like many schools wanted to replicate the first Thanksgiving (before football). Many of my old (if I’m old, then you’re old) students may recognize the MINIon’s headwear as something they wore at these “feasts.” This was before we stopped candy coating history and kids actually thought everyone in history books were nice. At one school I taught at the principal had delivered an edict that the students should attend this feast as pilgrims or indians (nowadays we say Native Americans or indigenous peoples) so the kids made either a black hat, white bonnet (for the girls), or a headband with feathers from I believe the Hollywood tribe. I was a rebel… I decided to have my class go as turkeys. I drew out the plans for this “hat.” and let the class personalize it however they wanted. One clever student added wings to each side. That became part of the design because when you walked down the hallway, the wings flapped! It was hysterical! Afterwards the kids would bring their turkeys home to decorate their Thanksgiving table.
Yes, I got in trouble with this principal… my students had fun, and the day before any school break all you want is no one getting hurt. A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1124
Today is officially “Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day” I figured the only unique talent i have is drawing monkeys… so here’s my celebration. I hope you took some time today to celebrate your unique talent… within the limits of the law.
Those of you who have had the misfortune of seeing me draw might have noticed that I use a non-photo blue pencil for most of my sketching, then come back and ink the drawing, later scanning it into the computer, and coloring it digitally. It can be time consuming, but I just haven’t gotten to the point where I’m comfortable drawing entirely on the computer… maybe someday, but not now- for now my unique talent of drawing monkeys will continue to be old school. A Year in MINIons- MINIon #1306
My family is “Scotch-Irish” according to my grandfather, on my mother’s side, that meant that we were Irish, but left Ireland after being accused of “sheep rustling” then left for America. So the ancestors spent time in Scotland (a place I have yet to visit) and Bruce is a Family Name… but weirdly only with middle names. The only one my family not to go by our middle name (never do this to a kid- it confuses the system & causes them untold pain) was my uncle, “Robert Bruce,” who went by “Bob.” I’ve tracked the family to the first or second census in Indiana. Which means at least part of me is a hoosier sin before statehood. The amusing thing is the red hair- It actually comes from my grandmother’s side which was very German. I had a chance to visit Baden-Baden and can’t really understand why they would leave. Unless it had something about locals not allowed in the casino. One regret I have is that my parents (after meeting a long lost family member in Scotland, sent me a wonderful scarf with the family tartan… I wore it every cold day and even brought it on a trip to New York. I was inexperienced in wearing scarves, it blew off me- and lost it… i remember the tartan differently, but sadly I’ve slept since then. A Year in MINIons- MINIon AZ85
I have been known to play a game or two in my day. As a kid there was a game store near where my first job was. I’d get my paycheck, run to get it cashed at the grocery store, then run back to see what new games were there. OK, I may have also stopped by the candy shop for gummi bears, but most of my money went to games. I remember playing a different table top games and a bunch of different role playing games. Recently I’ve tried to get back into gaming and I’ve taken the first step- I buy games. but I tend not to play them that often. Last week I had the chance to play King of New York- a game in which you are a giant monster trying to survive and gain fame to be the “King of New York.” this was for a spot in the national tournament at GenCon in August. I won the game that mattered and lost every other game after that. Today was a little different my local game shop (Saltire Games) was having an “Asmoday” an event from Asmodee Games. Today’s was the game “Cash ‘n Guns” which if you couldn’t tell from the title deals with cash and guns… basically whoever can survive and accumulate the most loot wins. It’s a fun game but not for everyone and you really need more than four people to make it interesting. So today’s MINIon comes from that game, think Reservoir Dogs, but a cute and cuddly version, with foam guns.
After that I played “Villainy” Which I actually own, but have never played. Now I have… still lost, but I never worry about winning- competition tends to bring out a side of me I don’t like much.