Blogposts – Page 54 – My Geek Odyssey

Ancient Family Secret – I can’t cook.

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Bruce

I don’t cook… Ever. Okay once or twice a year and it’s usually a casserole of some kind. I make a killer mac & cheese- It’s genetic, kinda my mutant super power. No recipe needed, I just throw stuff together and it’s not that bad. However sometimes you have to cook, sometimes you need to go back and try something that you grew up with (like Mac & Cheese) and tweak it. I think most generations do this. Sometimes by choice, other times because Grandma never really wrote down the recipe and and while everyone kinda knows the ingredients, they just can’t capture what they remember. Hint- the secret is usually powdered bat entrails, but they are really hard to find.

So recently some friends decided to get together and do something interesting- a Beer & Food Pairing Dinner. Everyone bring a couple dishes and some beer to go along with them. While wine pairings have been going on for years, beer pairings are fairly new. Our friend, Dieter, Brewmaster at Heinzelmannchen Brewery in Sylva, North Carolina is great at this.. Sadly, we didn’t had the opportunity to chat with him before this dinner. So as Sue and I sat around we thought about dishes we liked and what might work with them. The internet came to the rescue and Iwe found a number of sites dealing with parings and what goes with what. We even looked at the one suggested by the hosts. After a quick trip to Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati we had some of what we needed. Now it was up to me to cook.

It being summer I volunteered to figure out our portion of the menu and decided to use some family recipes, since I figured most people would not know about these and I could always blame my family if they were inedible. So I started out with my mom’s infamous barbecue sauce, this was a staple of summer when I was growing up always done on pork ribs. Each generation changes the recipe a little this one started off as my grandmother’s barbecue sauce and as the story goes- my mother, as a newlywed, accidentally mixed up the ingredients. So when my dad had this later at my grandmother’s house he thought there was something wrong. Later they found out that when the recipe said “mustard” it meant to put in wet mustard… my mother had put in dry mustard which kicked it up a notch or two. Since then, dry mustard has always been used in the recipe. When I got married I tried it out and made another change, instead of pork ribs (which it still is great on) I decided slow cooking a pork loin in the sauce was an improvement.

The other family recipe we are going with are “Hermits.” This was the cookie Grandfather Nelson would make anytime he visited, so it’s my comfort food. I taste them and I think of him and all he meant to me, so these are special cookies for me and I hope I do them justice. Especially since the first batch I had to throw out because we broke the mixer attachment to our food processor and I thought that no one should have to eat little pieces of broken plastic in their cookies.

—

Here are the ancient family recipes (nutritional value undetermined):

Pulled pork in the infamous barbecue sauce

Sandie’s Barbecue Sauce (this has been quadrupled from the original to provide what I felt was enough sauce)

1 cup vinegar
2 cups water
8 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons pepper
6 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 thick slices of a lemon
4 sliced onions
1 cup butter
2 cups ketchup
8 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1-2 slabs of babyback ribs

pre-boil ribs on stove
Makes sauce by combining the above, heat on stove
either grill ribs outside or in oven at 350-400 degrees
constantly baste ribs with the sauce

My changes- use a good size hunk of pork loin (large enough to fit in a slow cooker)

Put pork loin (uncooked) into slow cooker
Make sauce by combining on stove
pour sauce over the pork loin
set to cook for 8-10 hours
After around 6 hours tear pork loin to make pulled pork.
Let it set the rest of the time.

It is better reheated so making it a day out isn’t a bad idea.

—

Hermits

3/4 cup of shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 cup (about three small snack size boxes) raisins

Mix together the first four ingredients
Stir in the last six ingredients (raisins last)
Shape into rolls
Sprinkle sugar on them
put three across on a cookie sheet, flatten somewhat
Bake 20 minutes at 375 degrees for chewy ones, longer for crispier ones
cut rolls diagonally to make individual cookies.

How have I tweaked the recipe? I added another small snack box of raisins…

—

There are those people who are cooking geeks, My grandfather loved to bake. My older brother loves to spend hours getting things just right for a meal. Me, I’m happy heading over to the pizza place. That said these little bits from my culinary genetics are things that not only taste great, but for me hold so many memories that even if they didn’t I still would take time every few years to make them. Sue has some of the same dishes from her family, but I’ll leave those for another day… since we usually have them over the Holidays.

Miles Ahead- Learning how to drive all over again

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Bruce

Remember Drivers Ed? Some high school teacher earning a little extra money by taking their life in their hands teaching kids with learner’s permits how to parallel park. This was definitely nothing like that. Miles Ahead is a MINI Performance Motoring School held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Instructors are race car drivers. Sue and I had the opportunity to be a part of their third Performance Motoring class yesterday, which was interesting, to put it mildly. They have had a MINI Teen Motoring School since 2011 that I would recommend for any parent who wants their young driver to be safer on the road.

So Sunday morning we arrived at the hallowed ground of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to see three rows of MINI Coopers (2013 White Silver & Black Automatic John Cooper Works MINI Cooper S Hardtop models to be precise) Each with names on the roof denoting the driver of that car for the day. Two cars had two names on them, everyone else was going solo. The school started with introductions and a brief history of the track. We were told the philosophy of the school – which was to give us the “basic tools to enjoy a track day or autocross.” In my opinion the key component to any driving school is the opportunity to practice what you have been taught in the classroom. To do this Miles Ahead uses a portion of the F1 road course for instruction along with a large parking lot. For the morning we were divided into three groups of four MINIs- Each group rotated from station to station. Communication was via radio only, and was one way- instructor to students. As a teacher all I could think of was how funny this scenario would be in a school… or how sad that so many classrooms are still like this- teacher talks- kids listen.

During the morning we focused on the basics, apexes, skidding, braking, testing our limits and those of the JCW MINI. While many true enthusiasts might giggle at the use of an automatic, I really think that it took away one element that would have detracted from what we were working on. If I had to worry about shifting on top of everything else… I just remember my last instructor at Phil Wick’s as we headed around the course- “Now aim towards that cone, when I tell you hit the brakes, shift into second, and turn hard right. – Now!” I was flummoxed and confused at what to do first…his response – “That’s OK we’ll get it next time around.” We didn’t get it the next time, or the time after that.

Starting out on the skid pad, it was not pretty.

After lunch three groups became two as we headed out to practice the skills we hopefully picked up in the morning on the road course and the autocross. Sue and I may have needed a little more time to pick up skills… Miles Ahead had opened up the road course portion of the Speedway (the inner section turning it into a short course). Run south, run north, change lead car, rinse and repeat. As drivers got more confident with their abilities and the course, speeds increased. There was a time when the instructors stopped to go over the importance of hitting the apex… something I rarely saw them do. I had been driving most of the time- after attempting to make a driver switch when we weren’t supposed to. So when Sue finally got to take the wheel, everyone was limber and going at a pretty quick pace. When the radio crackled with “Now let’s go faster” I could see Sue visibly tense up. Fortunately for her it was only for two laps before we switched to the autocross practice.

I did an autocross in 2006, it was a funny story, I was terrible at it- after three runs, they told me I had disqualified on each run for going the wrong way… For those people who don’t know about autocross, a track is drawn on large flat area – parking lot, tarmac, etc. and defined further by cones. If you knock over a cone, time is added. This course had been created by changing the area where the skid pad was in the morning. Sue took the MINI and practiced on the course. When asked, I decided to turn it down and said “Sue didn’t have that much time on the road, let her have my time on the autocross.” Sue was back to having some fun and I did what I usually do on track days, take pictures– which made me happy.

On the Autocross, missing cones right & left!

After a quick break we went out for the last part of the day with the warning (advice) to not push it, to try using what we had learned and to take it up a notch or two – but nothing wild and crazy. So Sue started off on the road course and I hung on for dear life. “Keep proper spacing… keep looking ahead…” kept coming from the radio, I think they could have just recorded it and put it on an infinite loop. I started to try to help Sue as I could tell, after 23 years of marriage, that she was getting a bit frustrated. After one lap, I remembered how I felt after Sue would try to give me advice on the golf course and shut my mouth and held on. When my turn came, I felt a little out of it, but decided that I needed to go at my pace, and if I end up with the nickname Captain Slow, so be it. I practiced on hitting the apex and trail braking and trying to put into practice what I had heard in the classroom and practiced in the morning. The last lap I was in the back position and all I heard over the radio was “Maybe that lap was a little too hot” I had no idea what had happened because I was much more than 5 car lengths away from the car in front of me.

After each driver in our group attempted four consistent laps on the autocross, we returned to the classroom and had the option of taking a “hot lap” with an instructor… I turned them down, since I know that going as fast as a professional driver can go through all those turns I would probably just throw up, and the cleaning bill for those Alcantara seats would be outrageous.

As I think about how things went I ask myself- How good was I my third day of teaching? Don’t ask. I feel sorry for that class. How good was my comic on the third strip? Don’t ask. I can’t believe I actually published some of the early strips. To judge Miles Ahead completely on their third class is unfair. I had a nice day, driving my version of fast, and learned (and refined) some skills. I should have asked questions of the instructors when I had the chance. While that is not normally in my nature, it is something that might have improved the experience for both Sue and for me. All I know from feedback is we as a class did “great!” and made “lot’s of improvement!” I had an art teacher in high school who would tell every student their work was “Great! I love it!” did we ever learn how to make our art better? Not really. Did they meet their mission, to give us the basic tools to enjoy a track day or autocross? I’m not sure Sue gained any confidence in her abilities – if anything she may have lost some. For me- I’m fine, but then again I’m not as competitive as Sue, or worried about what other people think. She’s still going over the autocross times (she took a photo of them), and muttering about how she still doesn’t know what she needs to do to improve.

On the track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Now- Would I do it again, if given the chance? Yes. Would Sue? I’m not so sure about that. If she did, it wouldn’t be in a shared car- we had been warned, but that was our only option for the day. Sharing a car made us both feel behind as whoever was driving was always trying to catch up. That and being only the third class I’m guessing the instructors really hadn’t figured out how to deal with switching drivers. I think this experience has also reminded us that if we really want learn something, we are going to have to ask questions (difficult when you are told and reminded not to use the radios) and be more assertive. I think if we had spoken up more we would have gotten the feedback we needed, then again- Sue did take one of those “hot laps” and asked the driver specifically about how he knew it was time to brake or turn, the answer- “You know in your gut.”

I’d like to thank Ted, Stephan, Kevin, Dan, and Ryan for putting up with us (and the monkey) for the day, and if a Law Enforcement Officer pulls me over anytime soon, I’ll make sure to tell them that you said I was supposed to practice my skills and they should talk with you, I know I’ve got your cards somewhere around here.

If you want to see most of the pictures of the day check out my Flickr Set.

Some say he's just a stuffed monkey but all we know is he's called "The Stig!" — Some say he’s just a stuffed monkey but all we know is he’s called “The Stig!”

Torn between two lovers…

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Bruce

“Being a geek is all about being honest about what you enjoy and not being afraid to demonstrate that affection. It means never having to play it cool about how much you like something. It’s basically a license to proudly emote on a somewhat childish level rather than behave like a supposed adult. Being a geek is extremely liberating.” – Simon Pegg

That is one of my favorite quotes about being a geek, but for me, I am torn sometimes between what I am really passionate about. I divide my passions into a couple categories: Comics, MINI Coopers, Geocaching, and now a little Lego. Aside from that there’s some dabbling in Doctor Who, Star Trek, (old school) Star Wars, Technology, Animation, Gaming, and well, you get the idea. So while a Sports Geek may only have to deal with this competition during those brief times when various seasons overlap, I tend to have to deal with it all the time.

A colorful chart showing my divided loyalties... Charts make any article look academic and important. — A colorful chart showing my divided loyalties… Charts make any article look academic and important.

Am I a full-fledged Geek when it comes to my passions? Not really, as I have traveled and met other geeks there are times when I feel unworthy to call myself a geek. Ask me in general about Doctor Who- I’m covered. Ask me specifics about a certain episode from the time of the 4th Doctor (the one with the scarf) Heck, pick a Doctor… I know people who know it, I’m just not one of them. Ask me about a specific comic book series, I probably can answer it, ask me about who the writer or artist was… maybe. In general I’m pretty good with Geocaching rules, but there are people out ther much more knowledgable than me, fortunately I live with someone I can consult with, and it’s not Cecil. I try to know my limitations… Compared to a “normal” person? Yes, I have more knowledge and am passionate about some pretty strange stuff, but I know people who make me look normal. No matter what, I seem to be the goto guy among many of my friends when it comes to all of these topics- Sometimes I feel like I need to study before going out with certain groups. I do love going to comic book conventions, I feel as if I belong, I’m with “My People” but there is always a part of me that thinks someone will point and scream “Fraud!” since I don’t have the exact encyclopedic knowledge as others. Going back to sports, years ago my parents gave me for my birthday a Brooklyn Dodgers jacket. I liked it cause it was retro, and my grandfather grew up on Brooklyn. Stupidly I wore it to a baseball game one day- It seemed like everyone asked me about important Dodgers games- I was lost. That jacket now has a special place in my closet, I rarely take it out, because I’m not a baseball geek. I still think it’s cool, and one of these days I might just wear it again, but for now…

This quandary about my divided loyalties tends to come up more in the Summer when I have a little more idle time on my hands and try to figure out what I should do with it. Yes, I know, “pet the cat” is always an acceptable answer and Hemi appreciates that you have not forgotten him. Do I detail Alfie and Tink? Do I draw a comic? Do I read a comic? Do I finish sorting my Lego bricks and start building a MOC (Legospeak for My Own Creation)? Do I go and find a cache to continue my streak (the streak as of today stands at two days in a row)? Do I place a cache? Do I prepare for my presentation about iPads? Do I work on stuff for school? Do I finally look at some games that I have never opened? Do I just draw something, anything? Do I clean around the house? Do I pet the cat? Do I work on a blog entry about the issues of being a geek with too many passions? I know I’m not alone in this crisis, but focus can sometimes be a little – Look! A squirrel!

Why do I bring this up? I’m working on a variety of little projects right now, one of those being a long My Geek Odyssey adventure story… and I’m stuck on where to start. I have ideas- too many ideas to rationally deal with, which is why the comic, even with it being summer, is coming out sporadically. I’m trying to figure out when do I start it, knowing once it’s started I’m going to need to work hard and more importantly, consistently on it to finish it. I’ve decided to try some different things out and start posting other bits and bobs as I get this literal monkey off my back. Some posts will cover other areas of my geekiness. For example: I’m driving a MINI Cooper on a track on Sunday as part of a performance driving school. I appreciate your patience as I tackle something which has morphed into my creativity challenge of the year, I hope you like the end result… I hope I like the end result.

Tips on being the World’s Worst Classic Car Owner

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Bruce

2465784809_59d0b16dbe_o — Tink at Deal’s Gap waiting for the Midnight Run on the Tail of the Dragon.

My first MINI cooper was purchased in 2005 after a horrible board meeting that I was in charge of, normally after a bad day I have some candy, or ice cream, this tells you how bad I thought the meeting had gone. So after a year of ownership was was knee deep in the MINI community and I had the chance to purchase a “classic” Mini. Right hand drive, 4 speed, in pretty good shape at least that’s what I thought.

“Tink” (longtime readers of the comic will know of stories that involve Tink) has been a faithful companion and has been on many long road trips. This is not a tale of the joys of owning a classic car, this is a story of neglect. Well after the initial fun of owning a classic started to wear off. Not that it really ever does, but a MINI or a Mini are fun cars to drive so it becomes a choice as to which fun car do you drive. If I had the choice between a Mini and a Honda, I think Tink would get out of the garage a lot more.

First thing you need to understand is that We have a 2 car garage… and three cars. So while it is easy to fit all them in, it can be a chore to get Tink out since it requires playing Tetris to move the cars around. Not being a morning person, it is usually easier to take the Roadster since all I have to do to is pull straight out. Besides that, I do not consider myself an expert on cars- yes, I like them but turning a wrench is not something I ever learned to do when growing up. I was taught to take the car to a mechanic and nod my head knowingly, while he spoke in some weird language. When he was done, I handed him money and drove off. This is not the best course of action with a classic car, you really should understand something about how the car works… silly me.

2465788769_ed617595bb_o — Tink in North Carolina

So after purchasing Tink I took her to my regular MINI mechanic who gave her the once over and told me there would be some work that needed to be done. No problem, I was happy to get the car running well. Parts were ordered, we started heading off on some trips and ended up breaking a few things along the way (steering? who needs steering?). So when we got back and the parts were not to be seen and we realized that a steering rod for a right hand drive car is different than one for a left hand drive, it was time to start considering other options. That and the mechanic I was using was planning to move. I found a great little garage that tore the car down, and gave me a laundry list of things that needed to be fixed. I nodded knowingly and wrote a check.

Tink was doing great and then winter kicked in… the garage became the home of the poor little Mini and as Spring arrived with rain, there she stayed. When I finally got around to getting her out of the garage… her battery was dead. This was the original battery so I simply replaced it (Yes, I did it myself) and off we went. There were a few other issues as the years went on mostly due to my neglect. Which is what you really can’t do. So when summer arrived this year after ignoring Tink for over a year (The new Roadster was such fun to drive…) I gave her a once over- flat tires, and again a dead battery. So I added getting Tink working to my summer to do list. Today I started on that project. First was getting the old battery charged, or replaced. Fortunately, the battery was basically unused so recharging (for free) was all it needed. Now, I’ve gone ahead and ordered tires, now if you think this is a simple task, it kinda sorta is. After a quick search online I decided to call the local tire store I go to and ask if they could get them for me.

Yes, I can turn a wrench… If I had one and knew what to do with it!

“Do you carry Yokohama?” I asked.

“Yes, what size do you need?”

“165-70-10”

“Did you say 10?”

“Yes?” I could then hear tapping at the computer.

“It might take a while, can I call you back?”

“Sure”

For those not in the know 10 is the diameter of the wheel the tire goes on,to compare, the Roadster has 17’s. 10’s to quote MINI advertising are “Not Normal.” When I got the call back, I decided that the white walls at $300 each were a little too much for Tink (although they would have been cute), but in about a week I will have four new tires (the tires that were originally on Tink when I bought her are still on her, 3 Dunlops and a Yokohama) and it will be time to go and play a bit. Actually play time will happen after I have her checked out by the mechanic to make sure everything is still working and we didn’t end up with mice or raccoons nesting in the engine.

So what have I learned about classic car ownership? I really need a three car garage. I need some tools, and I need to learn a bit more about cars. Mostly I cannot neglect the classic car, I need to take time, at least once a month, to check on things and keep the battery on a tender (which I do own) when I’m not planning on driving.

Brickworld & Superman Day at Hall of Heroes! Geek Nirvana in Only 3 Days!

Posted on June 16, 2013 by Bruce

Crowds around the Lego CUUSOO unveiling at Brickworld Chicago

After some deliberation as to when we would head north and for how long- Sue Cecil, and I headed up Thursday to Brickworld Chicago. If you had told me at this time last year that I would be going to a Lego show I probably would have laughed. In the Fall of last year when I had just started my new job, I decided to to attend Brickworld Fort Wayne to learn more since both schools had spent a bazillion dollars on Lego. I then joined the IndyLUG specifically to learn more and see about creating a partnership between the schools and the AFOL (Adult Fans Of Lego) Community. On the way back I picked up my first kit (a Sopwith Camel) to see if I still could build after not touching Lego bricks since I was 12. It’s funny how jobs change your outlook on things. So after a year as a Magnet Integration Specialist I’m off to Chicago and my 4th Lego event. I decided to take this one easy and not display (I’m glad, my builds are still amateurish in comparison), just see what it’s about and decide how involved I want to get next year.

"I'm a leaf on the wind" — “I’m a leaf on the wind”

Unlike other Lego events I have attended this one had actual workshops and presentations not just displays. While I like looking at the creativity involved in a MOC (My Own Creation) I was really happy to learn some stuff while I was in attendance. Without even time to check my goodie bag and get my badge on I headed to my first workshop on Microbuilding. Microbuilding is where you build things in a smaller scale, a 1×2 plate is about the size of a car in this scale, and that tends to be one of many constants. Being late I missed a bit of the lecture portion and had to dive right in making a used car lot. As I look at how I want to proceed in my Lego Journey This is a type of build that really fascinates me. It requires a lot of creativity and unique uses for brick. By the time the workshop was over I had a couple ideas, a lighting system for my build and over two gallon bags of miscellaneous brick to build with. Not a bad start. More information about microbuilds can be found at the TwinLUG Website. My thoughts right now are to play around in this scale and see what I can create that might be worthy of display next year.

So after a quick bite to eat I headed to my next workshop presented by a Legoland designer. This was fascinating, but in the immortal words of Barbie, “Math class is hard!” I knew I was in trouble, not about the math, but when he said “Lego Digital Designer is a great program, but it is really difficult to use if you don’t have a mouse.” Using the school laptop without a mouse, I decided after a few valiant efforts that I would head downstairs and check out the exhibit hall.

Brickworld Chicago gives builders time to get their creations built, unlike some other shows where it seems like there is a bit of rush with only a day to put things together, here you have two. So my first trip to the exhibit hall I saw a number of empty tables, some of which remained so up until Friday night. As I looked around one thing I really liked was the variety of displays. Since I had only attended local shows previously you tend to see the same displays from the same people. It’s kind of like going to MINI car club meeting, you see the same cars and you can only say “nice car” so many times. My Flickr Page has some shots of various displays, but I know I missed a lot and some still weren’t finished when I did my final walk through Friday night. Of the displays that stuck in my mind I’d start with “The Wizard of Oz” this was massive and plotted out the entire film scene by scene. It was awesome and one of many displays that took inspiration from literature and film, There were reproductions of comic book characters and pages, scenes from Charlie and Factory, video game builds, even Herschel’s Farmhouse from the Walking Dead. TV themed builds are works of love from people who really are into a specific show. If you look at Lego online you are bound to discover the Firefly/Serenity build. When I went to Fort Wayne I dreamed of seeing this one. It is massive and completely accurate down to the Minifigs. It wasn’t at Fort Wayne, it wasn’t in Greenfield, it wasn’t at Brickworld Indy, it was in Chicago! Yes, it was impressive. Take a look at my Flickr to see some of the interesting things there (not everything)

As you wander you notice that displays tend to fall into a couple different groups- Science Fiction, Fantasy, Medieval, etc, and Trains. A great number of builds have some sort of train on them no matter what genre they are. It might be futuristic mine cars on an alien planet, it might be a steampunk train going around a fantasy city… trains seem to be a big part of Lego culture.

So Friday rolls around and I head back to attend some sessions, I had a number highlighted and ended getting to two. The first one was KidsWorld which may seem strange, but there is some logic to it. As an educator, I always like to see how other people present ideas to kids and what these experts think are the important facts that all kids should know. The room was mostly younger kids averaging somewhere around 1st or 2nd grade. THe Talk focused on building techniques specifically the three things you need for a superior build- Sturdy construction, Detail, and you have to like it. The talk focused a lot on SNOT (Studs Not On Top). I doubt I would normally hear a presenter showing a slide and asking “Where do you see the SNOT on this?” The 9 year old in me wanted to giggle. The session ended with us all heading to the Exhibit Hall and looking at various builds and seeing how they used the techniques outlined. I know I learned a lot, and now I just need to see about putting it into practice.

I then decided to look at Steampunk in Lego which was fascinating. The presentation went on to highlight many Steampunk artists that work in Lego and what they have built along with the history of Steampunk inside and outside Lego. With Lego Master Builder Academy Level 4 being Steampunk… it is definitely looking up for Lego & Stempunk although it looks like I’m going to need a lot more nets and ice cream scoops!

"We're off to see the Wizard!" — “We’re off to see the Wizard!”

The last session I attended was a Q&A from Lego about their support of the Lego Community. It was interesting as a newbie to see how Lego goes about rewarding the various clubs around the country and just how many clubs there are!

The day concluded with something special, the unveiling of a new kit. This happened during the Charity Auction which I attempted to participate in kind of like the one at C2E2 the prices went sky high quickly, good for the charities, but for a newcomer, I was overwhelmed. So the kits were brought out one at a time for the film crews and the audience. The first one was massive… the Sydney Opera House. The funny thing was so many people were awed, not by the build, but by the 48×48 blue baseplate it sat on. After everyone stopped there the CUUSOO set was unveiled. For those unaware of Lego CUUSOO is another way in which lego reaches out to their fan base. Enthusiasts build a creation, post pictures and try to get votes, any that get 10,000 votes are then considered to be made into a kit. There are licensing issues, and other things that may stop a kit, but it is a really cool process. So in January they should have ready to be in stores the Mars Curiosity Rover! I’m sure my vote helped.

And for me that was Brickworld Chicago. Did I miss out on things? Yes, the Pinewood Derby races, the rubberband powered dragster races, the boat races in the hotel pool, and many other activities… I also missed the public days of the show, so I could visit another thing on my Geek Bucket List, The Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum in Elkhart, IN.

Yes, I’m a geek, I collect Comics and have been doing so since I was a kid. I tend to stay away from many of the other Comic Book related stuff out there, unless it really jumps. I’m still kicking myself for not getting a Rocketeer Helmet when they first came out… Some people aren’t like that. One has taken his collecting to a new level by building a museum. Now years ago there was a museum in Indianapolis that focused on Comics, it had some really interesting pieces, and went bankrupt within months of opening. This one, is a little different. Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum is in a building that looks like the Hall of Justice from Superfriends. It is an amazing place for the comic book geek. Sue, Cecil, and I headed to Elkhart on the way home from Chicago for their Superman Day (Superman’s 75th Anniversary and the release of the new movie) Avoiding a bit of the rain we came in to a crowded place with kids and people dressed up. The prize of the collection is Adam West’s Batman costume, donated by Adam West. Outside of that the walls of both floors are filled with comic books, and comic book related memorabilia. Fortunately, they are divided by hero, so the Flash section was easy to find. I was very impressed and recommend if you happen to be a comic book geek to take the detour and head to the Hall of Heroes. Check out the Flickr Set of the visit While there is did pick up a Superman Robot Sculpture by Jimm Showman… I’d really like to get a few of his robots for around school.

EdCamp Indy 2013 – Comics in the Classroom #edcampindy

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Bruce

Today was EdCamp Indy! I know you’d be amazed to know I talked about Comics in the Classroom, here’s the basics of my presentation including things that I had completely forgot since I was presenting off the cuff. reminding me that I really need to get a basic comics in education presentation done and put it on the cloud for just such occasions…

The Basics of Comic Creation-

Have the students consider using non-photo blue pencils. I recommend Prismacolor Verithin which can be found at most art supply stores or online. What this allows you to do is draw your artwork then ink over it (I use various sized Micron pens) and when you scan your artwork (in black & white- bitmap) the blue line disappears so it’s like having a magical eraser. You can introduce the concept of chromakey to older students at this time. Many companies produce “comic book paper” which has the margins in blue line.

Right now I use Photoshop Elements to color and add words to my comic- it is fairly inexpensive (comes free with most scanners). “Comic Life” is a great place to start and is available in Mac or PC (Learn something new every day) if you want to discuss balloon placement and layout since you can use photographs. Manga Studio was also mentioned as a PC program for comic creation.

But I Can’t Draw!-

Just like any skill, drawing is something that comes with time and practice. The more you do anything, the better you get. My suggestion to start would be to use Mark Kistler’s Draw Squad in your classroom for some quick drawing lessons. These are basic and can replace a day or two of penmanship lessons in the lower grades since it will actually help the students gain more fine motor control than just making a page of lower case d’s. There are 180 lessons in the book so it fits almost perfectly with a school year. He also has switched to lessons online which shows just how old I am, I used Mark Kistler with my first graders. For real simple basics try Ed Emberly books. For specific characters you can always use some the Walt Foster “How to Draw” books. For classic Superheroes How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way or Ty Templeton’s How to Draw the DC Universe (unfortunately some of these might be out of print and therefore really pricey).

As for putting together a comic look at Comic Book Design by Gary Spencer Millidge

Project Ideas-

You can start with something simple like taking a scene from a story and having the students recreate that in comic book form. As readers they will need to focus on the details in the descriptions so those are included in the illustration. What color was Laura’s dress? her hair? What happened when she filled her pocket with the smooth rocks from the shore of the lake? All of these need to be included to help tell the story.

Go to Unshelved.com and look at the entries in their book club while as this became popular they added more reviews many are still done in Comic Book Form like these examples from Gregor the Overlander or The Lightning Thief . Have the students do a comic form review of a book.

Have them use a comic to illustrate a science experiment or a scientific principle.

One school I work with has their 6th graders create a superhero based on the powers and abilities from an animal adaptation. The students then create a secret origin and draw the comic version, sharing it with other students at a school “Comic-Con.”

Resources-

Reading With Pictures– Online 501c3 promoting comic books in the classroom. The group has an online community for sharing lessons. After the success of their Kickstarter campaign for their Anthology, they have completed another campaign for the “Graphic Textbook” which should be available in late 2013. The textbook is an experiment in how to use comics to deliver classroom content. It includes such stories as “Abraham Lincoln: Action President, and a brief explanation of Newton’s laws of motion.

Diamond Bookshelf– the online (and print newsletter from Diamond Comics which is the company that distributes comics to all those comic shops everywhere. The newsletter is focused on the benefits of comics in libraries and classrooms.

Classroom Comic Library elementary to middle school (or at least a start)-

Use the A Parent’s Guide to the Best Kids Comics as another resource or find your nearest comic shop and chat with them.

Bone by Jeff Smith

Amelia Rules by Jimmy Gownley

Mouse Guard by David Petersen Legends of the Guard is a great way to look at how various writers and artists deal with working in the same “universe”

The Wizard of Oz by Eric Shanower & Skottie Young

The Dreamland Chronicles by Christian Scott Salva This is originally a webcomic so you can read the entire thing online.

Little Guardians by Ed Cho & Lee Cherolis Also a web comic Ed & Lee are from Indianapolis and I’m sure would love to chat with kids about the process.

Solution Squad by Jim McClain & Rose McClain Jim is a middle school math teacher who uses his heroes to help his students understand math concepts. He has done some great presentations on using comics in the classroom.

-I know a lot of this is in the genre of fantasy… sue me, it’s what I like.

Questions? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?-

I have addressed a few of the questions already but one that came up that needs to be addressed was “Do you let your reluctant readers read comics?” While many people would say “No,” I have a different viewpoint in my classroom. When the year starts off and I give them tour of the classroom we stop at the graphic novel section of my classroom library and I let the students know the rules of what you can and cannot read in the classroom. Comics BOOKS are fine reading material, comic STRIPs… not so much. A comic book follows the rules of any story- there are characters, setting, plot, and other pieces determined by the specific genre of the piece… a comic STRIP, not so much. A comic STRIP (Garfield, Calvin & Hobbes, etc.) is kind of like reading a joke book. Three panels then the punchline… so unless you are working on just phonics, sequencing, or vocabulary skills, a student isn’t going to get anything out of it. A comic book, or trade paperback, encompasses a story arc, and deals with things I can talk to the student about in a conference. Orson Scott Card once told the story of when he was a graduate assistant (and I paraphrase) Everyone else was using great works of literature in their classes, he looked at what the students needed to know and created a reading list in which he could teach those topics… instead of Hamlet he had the class read The Princess Bride. The students weren’t bogged down by the language and actually could see the concepts he wanted them to know. If I want my students to understand the “Heroes Journey” I won’t have 4th graders read Beowulf, but I might have them read Gregor the Overlander which is engaging to them and has the same concepts or maybe Binky the Space Cat is an even better choice to start off with.

So What do I do Next?-

Go out to your local comic shop and talk to them about what they think would be good ideas for your classroom or library. Ignore the concept of “Comic Book Guy” from the Simpson- if he exists his comic shop is soon to go bankrupt.

Remember to celebrate Free Comic Book Day the first weekend in May and the little known Halloween Comicfest– it happened last year, haven’t heard yet about it going on this year.

Check out your local Comic Book Convention! Fort Wayne has one, Kokomo has one, Indianapolis is getting one in March. This is just a sampling of what’s available.

Just remember- to check out every comic you put in your library, just because it’s a comic doesn’t mean it is safe for your classroom. Only you know what your community will allow.

It must be Wednesday… Mike Kunkel’s Herobear and the Kid Special #1

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Bruce

I know, I know… where’s the comic?!? I would love to say “I’ve got one ready”, or “All I need to do it one more thing” but, I’m not quite sure how to answer that question. Right now I’m still working on stuff for school (Yes, I am a teacher, yes it is Summer vacation, but that doesn’t mean I stop working no matter what politicians and the media say about teachers). I hope to start getting back into the swing of things soon after I come back from a few conferences, get the bills paid, get the invasive honeysuckle out of the backyard, and the cat vomit cleaned up off the floor (Hemi’s fine, just hairball season). Enough with lame excuses today is Wednesday or as any comic book geek would know “New Comic Book Day!”

For the summer (forcing me to make sure I get to Comic Carnival each Wednesday) I have decided to review at least one comic in my stack for the week… I’d like to start off by talking about one all ages comic that was in my stack today- Mike Kunkel’s “Herobear and the Kid” Special #1. Originally published by Astonished Comics and now being published by Boom! the comic is a the story of Tyler (think of Chuck Jones’- Ralph Phillips“) and his toy bear that transforms into Herobear. I won’t give away any spoilers from the first arc “The Inheritance” but in my opinion it is a great all ages comic that almost any kid could really get into.

This issue starts off quickly with almost no recap of the first story arc after years of the comic being on hiatus (sound familiar?) It’s school picture day for Tyler and he has to (with the help of Herobear) stop the evil Von Klon from doing something nasty with ginormous rubber ducks… see almost no spoilers!

The one thing that I have always enjoyed about this comic is the artwork… It’s black and white with just a splash of red (Herobear’s cape), besides that the actual art is a “rough animation style” so it is extremely loose, but also helps budding artists to see some of the actual pencil work behind the finished artwork. Which is why I have used it as examples when I teach cartooning.

As many of us have experienced when a creator takes a break from a project for a long time sometimes the return effort doesn’t always meet with our expectations. Take George Lucas and episodes 1, 2 & 3, Robert Lynn Aspirin when he started back on the Myth Adventures series- while they weren’t all bad, as a fan I was expecting more and it seemed like the creators had lost some of the important pieces of the universe they had created. Mike Kunkel, after a first reading, seems to have not lost his connection with Tyler & Herobear’s world, which makes me very happy. I’m holding off on judging everything in Herobear and the Kid just because I really don’t want to dig out my old issues or break the seal on the hardcover trade I have. Upon first reading the story is solid, and similar to what I recall, the artwork is similar, although over the years, it seems that Kunkel’s style has shifted slightly and isn’t exactly as I remember. I’m one to talk looking at how my style has changed over the years.

It looks like Boom! will be reprinting the original story arc starting in August and my only hope is that Mike can keep up the regular pace of a monthly (or even bimonthly) comic- I’m getting old and waiting almost a year between issues makes me grumpy. That said- this Wednesday brought me a little joy and inspiration with Mike Kunkel’s Herobear & the Kid #1. If you have an Elementary school age kid or are a kid yourself I’d check it out at your local comic shop. “Remember your childhood and pass it on.”

Warning: Spoilers Ahead Star Trek & Doctor Who Musings

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Bruce

This weekend had two things going on that for a geek like me were exciting- Star Trek Into Darkness opened and the Doctor Who Season Finale aired.

I have held off posting my thoughts about Star Trek Into Darkness until now not because I didn’t want to talk about it, but because I was actually pretty conflicted about how I felt about the film. I wanted to check out other reviews (spoiler filled or not) and really try to wrap my head around what was going on. Let’s start off with something simple and not spoilerish at all- I had the chance to see the film Wednesday at a local theatre in 3-D thanks to Comic Carnival North (My local comic shop) and Dan who handed me two passes one for Sue and one for me with the advice “show up early.” In some cities “Show up early” means “Camp out days ahead of time” in Indiana it usually means “arrive before the closing credits role.” Sue and I went out for a quick bite and arrived about an hour before the film was scheduled to start- the line had already formed, but it wasn’t too bad. We got to our seats and then sat. The theatre’s air conditioning was either off or broken so it started to get really hot. I would comment on the PR person trying to convince us to go to their website, who kept calling us “Star Trekkies,” but it was almost too sad to mention. SO 9:00 rolls around and… nothing. A little after nine and nothing, A little after, a little after nine and the lights start to dim, you could feel the tension in the theatre grow the theme music starts and… nothing. A blank screen. They try again- same result. We see the taskbar of the digital projector and they try again… this time a picture! except since this was the 3-D version it was all messed up. Stop again, reset try one more time… I have frankly forgotten how many times they reset, but then the movie started and everyone quieted down. Now for the spoilers.

I’m not going to go into too much detail on hyper analyze what was going on… I’m actually writing this more for me to try to figure out what the purpose of the film was (besides making money) and how it fit or doesn’t fit in the Star Trek universe. I’m going to post this as almost a wish list.

I wish John Harrison was just John Harrison – I was hoping that this new reimagined universe would have new villains not repurposed ones. While it worked well in the overall story, and made sense they way it was explained, I was hoping that this would be something different.

As a friend said- I wish they would quit messing around with the Klingons… I can understand how the new timeline shifted the balance, but I don’t see how the destruction of Vulcan or Nero’s little time travel escapades changed Klingon physiology and how they look. That said I don’t have anything against the new style of Klingon, I’m just wondering how necessary it was. Then again someone could say the same thing about the Klingons from the series and those who appeared in the first film.

If this had been the third film in the series I guess I wouldn’t be that nitpicky about it, but since it is basically a remake of Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan (without the Space Seed setting it up) I’m concerned that the next film will be a remake of Search for Spock and so on and so forth… Will Sybok come into the series at some point?

While I did enjoy the role flip in the engine room scene at the end, I was waiting for Kirk to say ‘The needs of the many…”

Why did Spock contact Spock? Was it really necessary? or was it just to get the “Star Trekkies” excited?

As many have said – this was the film that needed to be made to get a certain monkey off the back of the writers- since everyone would be asking about if Khan would come back every time they make a film- he has, and now it’s done, time to move on. There have been rumors about a possible TV series, but those are just that- rumors.

I do plan on seeing it again? If only to rewatch the Simon Pegg scenes. Was it a horrible film- no not at all, I just was expecting more. As for 3-D I want to repeat that I have yet to see a film that has used 3-D in a way that makes it work for me. Save your money… Although I am considering seeing it in IMAX to see if there really is a big difference. I remember seeing Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom in a regular theatre and then on a massive screen, it did make a difference. Then again as someone commented that they are waiting for a holodeck version- so am I.

The point I keep stumbling over is that I really, really like Ultimate Spider-Man (this will make sense, just be patience). When Marvel comics had Bendis rework Spider-Man for a new audience, he did so masterfully. You started back at the beginning, old villains came back in new and sometimes more powerful roles. They really did a great job (including the clone saga). Even to the point of killing Peter Parker and then bringing in a new Spider-Man. So since I liked what happened there, why am I so mixed up in my feeling towards Into Darkness? It’s the same thing just a different universe!

I am looking forward to seeing Darth Vader come back in Star Wars 7 after the Death Star falls into a wormhole and…

—

Now to this Season of Doctor Who- where time is not linear, but kind of a big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff.

So the Doctor is transfixed with Clara who died in the Dalek Asylum, and Victorian London and is now in present day… Why is she so important? Why is she so special? Moffat has continued leaving breadcrumbs through every episode that will ultimately get picked up by the audience. An example of this was the first series with Matt Smith we end up seeing that the doctor at the end had come back at various times (talking with Amy on the ship filled with weeping angels comes to mind) The audience doesn’t notice, until the final episode. This time, thanks to the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, he is now going to drop the impossible girl everywhere, and it makes sense (in some sort of timey-wimey way). When the season finale started with all those clips from the various incarnations I was blown away. I feel like I need to go back and check out the graveyard and see who is actually buried there. Now for some spoilers or things that I am thinking about…

So The Great Intelligence, Clara, and the Doctor are now going to zoom around in the Doctor’s time line… I did like Clara telling the first incarnation not to take “that TARDIS, take this one the navigation’s a bit off but…” So are we going to find Clara is the reason for so many things that have happened?

In the realm of Science Fiction is this possible? The rules can be made up and messed around, but there has to be an explanation- the question is will Matt Smith and Clara be interacting with all the incarnations of the Doctor or will it just be Clara (I’m assuming it will be both). So many stories have so many different twists to what is possible in time travel, “All You Zombies…” by Robert Heinlein is just one example of some weird stuff in time travel as is “By His Bootstraps” also by Heinlein.

The biggest question I have is if John Hurt is an incarnation of the Doctor (before he was called the Doctor) doesn’t that make Matt Smith the twelfth and final incarnation? or is there some Timelord rule about this? The Master has come back many times past his 12 regenerations- but then again the Master is a little loopy now.

As for which was better Star Trek Into Darkness or The Name of the Doctor… until I get another chance to see Star Trek… The Doctor is ahead.

Guilty Geeky Pleasures

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Bruce

While I’ve posted this before (I’m sure it’s around here somewhere) I thought it might be nice to update the list of some of the geeky things you might want to explore and my plans for some of my geeky passions for 2013.

—

Podcasts-

Yes, these have been around for what seems like forever, but I’m always amazed at the number of people who still have no idea about what they are. A podcast is a simple interweb audio show it comes out on a regular basis and they cover a large number of topics. When I first heard about podcasting in 2005 I starting looking around and amazingly enough while I add a few here and there a few I’ve stuck with since the beginning- my top (not in any order) are:

Decoder Ring Theatre – Pure escapism from Toronto. The shows alternate (for the most part) between the Red Panda (Canada’s Greatest Super Hero) and Black Jack Justice (with Trixie Dixon, Girl Detective). Both are set in the 1930’s and 40’s and are in the style of the old-time radio serials. The Red Panda will actually get a comic book treatment in Comixology at the end of the month- an announced Feb 27 release date from Monkey Brain Comics. Many times this podcast is what makes me happy during the week.

Podcacher – Family friendly podcast all about Geocaching. When I attended a computer education conference in sunny San Diego I decided to stop in on a session that really changed my life. It was all about this thing called geocaching (gee-oh-cash-ing). Sonny and Sandy are now friends and if you are interested in learning about caching I highly recommend it. It is well produced, and filled with lots of great information.

White Roof Radio – The MINI Cooper podcast. I bought my first MINI in 2005 and started listening to the podcast around that time. The format is a roundtable discussion hosted by DB & Todd with regular appearances by Chad, Gabe, and Nathaniel. The topic is MINI Coopers. While sometimes it gets technical especially when dealing with wheels and tires its a great way to get to know what is happening in the MINI Community. I will admit there have been times when I have skipped a bit especially when they are discussing in depth events I can’t attend. I almost wish they would exercise the Zaxxon rule* but over the years, Todd & DB have become close friends (again one of those great things about podcasts is they are put together by real people) and I enjoy listening to the discussion each week.

Pop Culture Happy Hour – I’m trying to figure out how I stubbled upon this podcast, but it quickly became a favorite. PCHH is put together at NPR and is a weekly roundtable discussion about pop culture. Linda, Trey, Stephen, and Glen have opened my eyes to many parts of pop culture and have added some pieces to my vocabulary including “What’s making me happy this week” and the Zaxxon Rule*

—

Kickstarter–

It’s a crowdfunding site in which you donate money to “kickstart” someone’s project. There are hundreds of options and the rule is the creator of the project set’s a goal. If the goal is met by a certain date- you get charged, if it isn’t you are out nothing. The cool thing for most projects the backers get a reward in return for their support. in some cases it’s something as simple as “gee, thanks!” in other cases it might be some really cool items. Every project is different. I recommend just checking out some of the Kickstarter geekiness there seems to something for almost every kind of geek.

—

Comics-

I have always loved comics. For as long as I remember I have read comics. The problem right now as a long time reader of comics is that the major comics publishers seem to be trying to attract a new audience or bring back lapsed readers. So for me, I get confused as to what to read since the creative teams or story lines are getting all mixed up. I liked Captain America, but now he’s battling evil in another dimension. Don’t even get me started with what DC has done to the Teen Titans…

So while I still try to keep up with my old titles (though I keep bouncing between reading Batman & Superman) there are a few titles that I have stuck with- please note not all of these are “all ages.”

Fables- Bill Willingham’s story of what if the characters form fairy tales were real and had been exiled to our world? Not for kids, but frankly much better than some of the TV shows presently on with the premise (although I am a fan of Grimm)

Mouse Guard- David Petersen’s wonder tales of “mice with swords” but it is so much more than that. the artwork is wonderful and the tales compelling. I’m now being very patient waiting for the next issue about the “Black Axe”

The Walking Dead- Yes, it was a comic before it was a TV show. Robert Kirkman’s story of survival after the zombie apocalypse. while in black & white still not for kids.

Invincible- I’ve been reading this since issue #1 and issue #100 just arrived this week. to overly simplify it- it’s the story of Superman’s son, except… I don’t want to give anything away. Like Harry Potter where the first books were for younger kids, the same rule applies, not really for kids, especially as the story has become more violent and dark.

Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man- Again another one of those I’ve been reading since the beginning. This started off as a retelling of the Spider-Man story for a new audience. The villains may have the same name, but slightly different powers and origins, making it really cool. Until they decided to kill Spider-Man. THings then became interesting as we discover another spider in the lab escapes and bites another kid and what happens after that. The first part of the story parallels the final issues of Peter Parker as Spider-Man which makes it even better.

While I have issues (and have mentioned them before) about crossover events and how they tend to make me stop reading a title. Once or twice, I can understand, but most of these things cover multiple issues and frankly they don’t need to- the red sky issues in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Hence my hesitance to read Batman or Superman.

What’s on my pull list? (a pull list is what a comic shop has for regular customers, I’ve had a pull list at Comic Carnival for close to 20 years now- to the point where Dan knows when I’ve missed something and will add it back) So here’s what usually is on mine: Earth 2, Fairest, Justice League, Justice League of America, Fables, Flash, Teen Titans, Unwritten, Ultimate Comics: X-Men, Spider-Man and, Ultimates, Captain America… then there are various titles that I bounce around with.

As for comic conventions I’m planning right now on attending C2E2 in Chicago, but will be skipping SDCC this year.

—

Games-

I’m still enjoying Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars X-Wing Miniature game. Cecil still thinks I should play an Imperial squadron… I like the game play, and while I have a few games on my shelf (right now Settlers of Catan, Munchkin, Quarriors, and Monty Python Fluxx) finding the time and the opponents seem to be the biggest issue. I am planning on attending GenCon this year (it’s local) and hopefully will branch out and actually play some games instead of just spending money in the Hall.

As for video games- I completed and throughly enjoyed “the Room” on the iPad. and when I think about it the Walking Dead and Bad Piggies are quick diversions.

—

Lego-

Yes, this is new and while coming back to Lego after 30+ years it’s like finding an old friend. While I still don’t understand the cost or the various sets or story lines. I am enjoying myself. The thing I like the most is it tends to be relaxing. I can build a kit and really can relax while doing it. Although as with many of my interests I do go a little overboard. I have promised to put together a display for Brickworld Indy and it has required me to actually attempt to create MOCs (My Own Creation) that I’m not quite sure of how well I’m doing. This is also causing me to buy more bricks than I ever thought. It all started with a visit to Brickworld Fort Wayne and thinking about using Lego Brick more at school and now, I’ve working on two different displays of Lego projects at both schools and one of my own.

—

Geocaching-

I still am caching and once the weather settles down have planned to put out a couple new series of caches. While I’m slowing down (weather related and other things) IndianaGeocaching.com is going well and keeping me busy.

—

MINI-

My initial plan at the end of 2011 was to keep my 2005 Cooper S until the rumored new John Cooper Works GP out, trade it in and have a new GP. In June that all changed and we went with plan “B” which has been wonderful (although all the hype about the GP is tiring). I cannot say how much fun it was taking Alfie (the Roadster) cross country. I really do love this new car, almost as much as my first MINI. Once Spring starts I have a few things on my list. First is new tire for Alfie, then I’m planning on spending the summer working on a much neglected Tink. With everything that has been going on Tink is in need of a lot of TLC and that is the next thing. Besides new tires, she needs a new battery and just another once over in the shop. I really feel bad how much I’ve neglected the classic and I hope that this summer I’ll have the time to get out there and get her back into running order to keep some miles off of Alfie.

—

Finally, I’ve made the decision in order to keep my sanity- My Geek Odyssey the comic will be posted once a week, this is at least a schedule I can keep up with.

SO I’ve thrown down my list of geeky suggestions and plans any thoughts? Did I forget something? Do have something you think I should try out? Tim at Comic Carnival did suggest this week that I read the Batman & Robin Annual #1 which was a wonderful story, so thanks for the suggestion.

—

*The Zaxxon Rule: from Pop Culture Happy Hour. Limiting discussion (or in some cases eliminating discussion) on something that not everyone has the opportunity to experience. This came about in the “What’s making me happy” segment specifically when Stephen Thompson for weeks would talk about a classic Zaxxon arcade game he was purchasing from Craig’s List. I feel that many podcasts could benefit from adding this rule- one of the nice things about podcasts is you can add “Very Special” episodes focused on “Zaxxon” topics for those who care.

My Studio/Cecil’s Lair Redecorating Update

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Bruce

While I was hoping 2013 would start off giving me more time to draw (it hasn’t- I’ve been updating the challenge cache list on IndianaGeocaching.com again, and again, and again.) I took some of the school break to rework my studio. This was nice until Sue and I went out for lunch one day. There’s a quirky little neighborhood in Indianapolis called Fountain Square. I have the right to call it “quirky” since I was told my beloved and also somewhat quirky grandmother grew up in the area. Since then urban blight hit it and now it has returned being a neat place for evenings and a number of my friends who are home brewers hang out there. As we were eating lunch at the Red Lion Grog House Sue noticed a new store across the street. The window had ginormous sock monkeys in the window which since Cecil was with us is always a draw. We came in a looked around Rogue Decor and was suitably impressed. While there were some of the typical trendy things you see in other shops, this place had some really unique items. Some things caught my eye for school since they were re-engineered pieces or looking very mechanical. Others caught my eye for me. I bought a little spiral notebook made for the cover of an old book ‘My First Science Experiments.” I buy these things and never use them… I never want to ruin the pristine pages- someday that will change. As we walked out I took one more look around especially focusing on the old drafting table in the front.

My "new" drawing table... Working on the lineage- circa 1920 I believe. Looking forward to drawing on it. — My “new” drawing table… Working on the lineage- circa 1920 I believe. Looking forward to drawing on it.

We were back the next week looking around again before going out to another old downtown neighborhood with some friends, and Sue asked “So are you going to regret not getting this?” My answer was a simple “Probably.” The next thing we did was buy the drafting table. Here’s the thing- as you might already know- I have a drafting table. It’s nice, it’s new, it’s got a glass top, it’s got a lot of storage, and it’s now housed in the “Pit of Despair” aka the basement.

You see when I first set up my studio years ago I had figured out the table I wanted to draw on, it was sleek, it was modern, and it was a lot of money. Sue actually bought it for me as a “Birthday/Christmas present”, but due to issues with acquiring the correct Russian birch for the veneer, they canceled the order, gave her back her money and that was that. A few years later I decided to go with something almost as good… A nice glass topped drafting ordered on line, put together by me, and I have enjoyed it for years now. It just wasn’t exactly what I had envisioned. It was functional, it was modern and while nice, I knew it wasn’t the table I would keep for the rest of my life. You see creative geeks sometimes get fond of the materials they use. A specific kind of pen, pencil or brush. My glass drafting table did the job, but it was missing something- I can’t describe it, it just was.

This “new” drafting table I see as one I will keep until it is sold in an estate sale when I die. I have yet to draw on it, but like when I first pulled up in my MINI and someone said “That’s exactly the car I could picture you driving” this is exactly the drafting table I could picture myself drawing on. I’m taking today to get the Studio organized again to make way for the new addition and figure out “workflow” and “ergonomics”, and big important words like that. I’ll post pictures once it is here and set up and update this blog post. Hopefully this will bring about a new inspiration for My Geek Odyssey.

Category: Blogposts