At renaissance faires it's not unusual to find folks dressed as and acting the supposed part of faeries. Some of these use glitter, and not always the nice gel kind. The fine, loose glitter is their "faerie dust." There's a problem, though: it gets everywhere and sticks to garb. Even through washing. A severe encounter can mean finding glitter for quite a long time - even after you thought you were finally rid of it.

So when I found this comment regarding glitter, it was something that amused me enough to quote for the amusement of faire folk:

"...glitter is the herpes of craft supplies." -- sheryl67

Current Mood: amused

This past Friday I posted to see if anyone would be in in Sioux Falls for a pre-Siouxland supper. I found out that for different reasons the folks I would usually see then and there won't be around this year. My folks travel plans have also changed and rather than returning from Rapid City or points further west this coming weekend, they're still home this week and will driving to Fairmont on Friday.

So instead of supper in Sioux Falls, it looks like it'll be supper in Fairmont with family. I'm not sure how the rest of the weekend will go. I do know that Jay and I will be doing something different this year. We'll be staying in Sioux Falls Sunday night. This is so jmaynard can catch a Monday morning flight to Atlanta so he can pick up his airplane next week. Then I drive home.

Current Mood: good

Shortly after Midwest FurFest there were a few postings about how many folks were seen around "headless" rather than in full fursuit. This triggered a few arguments and there seem to be two camps: "It's just a costume, big deal." and "Don't spoil the magic." Each has there points. But it occurs to me that while the visible part is the "headlessness" that it's not the root of issue. The real issue might be a disagreement about what is the stage and what is backstage, or if there is a stage at all.

( All the World's a Stage )

Current Mood: contemplative

I've heard the term "dangerous weapon" and find it rather silly. If a weapon isn't dangerous, does it really qualify as a weapon? Or maybe it's one that even used properly would be likely to harm the user? That'd be a dangerous weapon. A properly maintained weapon is not a danger in itself. Yet even things not intended to be effective weapons can be a problem when in the hands of dangerous people.

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Current Mood: calm

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Current Mood: calm

jmaynard summed up our the final day of MNRF. I realized again just how much I don't like huge crowds. I like the first day of MNRF much better than the last day as there are fewer people. The first day is by no means empty, but if I want to get from point A to point B the first day, at worst I have to weave through folks a bit. On the last day, it's more of a struggle to even maintain momentum.

The will-call window was taking payment for next year's season passes at an alleged discount. Jay and I decided not to get season passes for next year. A friend might be getting us comp tickets. If not, well, I realized I was going almost every weekend mainly to "get my money's worth" out of the pass, and to see a few friends. If I end up paying for individual tickets, it can still be savings by my simply not going every weekend. I don't need to go every weekend. It'd be nice to have some weekends of not really doing anything - or perhaps I should say, where I can more easily do something else.

This coming weekend (Oct. 2-3) I plan on not doing too much. I could go to Albert Lea for the Big Island Rendezvous, but there's not all that much of a reason for me to do so. It'd likely chew up about 4 or 5 hours of my time.

The next weekend (Oct. 9-10) , I plan on being at the Des Moines fall fair - and I'm not expecting much as it's being put on the same folks (person) that puts on IRF. I'm going to see a few friends, really, and to see irpooh's theatrical performance.

The weekend after (Oct 16-17), Saturday evening is the Siouxland Harvest Feast. And then my faire season will be over. Then my concern will turn toward the upcoming holidays and to MFF in November.

Also, I expect to catch up on COLT during October. I'm halfway or more through dealing with issue #18 and then only 19 and 20 will be left. They might even get taken care of before I get the next new issue. It's getting close, I feel a bit of a need to press on and finish things. Last night I felt a bit guilty about not doing anything with #18 even though I was ahead. It will be nice to be caught up.

jmaynard summed up our the final day of MNRF. I realized again just how much I don't like huge crowds. I like the first day of MNRF much better than the last day as there are fewer people. The first day is by no means empty, but if I want to get from point A to point B the first day, at worst I have to weave through folks a bit. On the last day, it's more of a struggle to even maintain momentum.

The will-call window was taking payment for next year's season passes at an alleged discount. Jay and I decided not to get season passes for next year. A friend might be getting us comp tickets. If not, well, I realized I was going almost every weekend mainly to "get my money's worth" out of the pass, and to see a few friends. If I end up paying for individual tickets, it can still be savings by my simply not going every weekend. I don't need to go every weekend. It'd be nice to have some weekends of not really doing anything - or perhaps I should say, where I can more easily do something else.

This coming weekend (Oct. 2-3) I plan on not doing too much. I could go to Albert Lea for the Big Island Rendezvous, but there's not all that much of a reason for me to do so. It'd likely chew up about 4 or 5 hours of my time.

The next weekend (Oct. 9-10) , I plan on being at the Des Moines fall fair - and I'm not expecting much as it's being put on the same folks (person) that puts on IRF. I'm going to see a few friends, really, and to see irpooh's theatrical performance.

The weekend after (Oct 16-17), Saturday evening is the Siouxland Harvest Feast. And then my faire season will be over. Then my concern will turn toward the upcoming holidays and to MFF in November.

Also, I expect to catch up on COLT during October. I'm halfway or more through dealing with issue #18 and then only 19 and 20 will be left. They might even get taken care of before I get the next new issue. It's getting close, I feel a bit of a need to press on and finish things. Last night I felt a bit guilty about not doing anything with #18 even though I was ahead. It will be nice to be caught up.

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* At work during the heavy rains last week, I felt the curious feeling that I normally only notice in the Winter during a storm. I can't really describe this feeling, but I recognized it right away, and it was odd to have it during a Summer storm.

* On the way to MNRF (Saturday September 18) the car passed the 90,000 mile mark on the odometer. This post shows that 80,000 miles was passed on January 5 this year. I'm putting more miles on the Corolla this year since I'm driving more than the last couple years. The last couple years, Jay drove his RX300 on most longer trips. But he's not been around for much of time I'm on going any distance this year.

* I am amused by going to a RenFest and getting offered a computer, or parts thereof. It seems a bit surreal. Not that I'm complaining, mind. I already have a use in mind, should things work out. And after seeing how things have gone with jmaynard since April, it's not all that surreal.

* Also amusing were the couple guys, in garb, who came up to me in the morning at MNRF and treated my walking stick as if it were a real horse, even being careful not approach from behind.

* Having a cooler of icewater available on the drive home helped considerably. I can drive up to Shakopee in the cool morning without needing water, but the hotter afternoon demands more hydration. I got home and felt pretty good.

* It's finally Fall, or Autumn if you prefer, and that means an end to annoyingly high temperatures. Sure, it has been a bit cooler this Summer, but the peaks were still annoying. I'm feeling more alive again. I like this season. It cools down, the humidity drops, and the bugs disappear. October is pretty much the ideal month, to me, in regards to climate.

Current Mood: chipper

jmaynard pretty much summed up IRF: It was meeting with friends who happened to be at a faire rather than going to see a faire. I got to meet a couple ponies I hadn't met before, as well as a miniature horse who seems to have gotten quite used to people (he wasn't that used to people this Spring, I was told).

We didn't go out to supper with anyone from faire, which was a bit unusual. On the other hand, there supposedly was some gathering scheduled to start at 8:00 PM Saturday that was "only about 10 minutes away." Even with a long wait for a table, Jay and I were finished with our meal by 8:00 PM. And the next day we heard someone say that "10 minutes away" was more like 40.

The first year Jay and I went to IRF we went for just one day, returned on Sunday, and did MNRF on Monday. Something like that might happen next year. Neither of us really sees a reason to spend two days at IRF. One day seems sufficient to see all we care to see and then some. Whether we do MNRF that weekend is open. It might be good to have a full day of not doing much of anything.

We stopped at a comic shop in Mason City so I could pick up a copy of Looney Tunes 118. This issue is all Duck Dodgers and all written by Earl Kress, one of the few folks I don't mind writing everything in an issue. The interesting thing is that the stories don't strictly follow the Classic Era and previous comics line. Instead, they use some elements of the Duck Dodgers television cartoon. I need to find out more and maybe start taping that show. I'd also like to ask Tom Minton a few things about the show and the comic - I figure there can hardly be a more authoritative source than the producer-director... who also writes for the show.

Current Mood: blah

Saturday was spent at MNRF. This time I arrived a bit before opening gate and saw that the pre-gate show was about like last years, though I didn't see (or hear) much of it being well back from things. Once inside, I met Mistress Bawd and gave her prints of some photos I'd taken at Siouxland. All but one were pretty good, and one really turned out well. I had been snapping away, trying to take the picture when she wasn't singing. I was concentrating on her mouth, really. She leaned over (at about a 30 degree angle to me, not facing me head on) and *FLASH*. She paused to playfully scold me a bit about that - but later felt the need to tell me she was just playing the part. The resulting photo (no, I don't have it scanned - but she might get it scanned) turned out well. It's actually fairly tasteful compared to what it could so easily have been.

I watched and listened to Bawd again later when she performed at the Queen's Pub. All around, a good performance. She seems to have a knack, though, for catching me unprepared. I didn't have a verse ready for "Roll Your Leg Over" when she figured I did. Every time I think of one, someone uses it, and I haven't come up with one of my own. Perhaps I should give it a bit of thought. Chances are if I'm actually ready, I'll never be asked again. (This is not a solicitation for helpful suggestions - if I were to do that, this post be friends-locks and behind an LJ-cut with a warning before it.)

More time was spent chatting with rillaspins, though not so much in the morning. I stopped by mainly to let her know my folks would be at there and would stopping by. I went off to see if I could find the Zilch the Tory Steller or the Molly Hares, as I had a few more photos. I did catch up with Zilch (and I have yet to any of his acts at MNRF this year. That will be rectified, even if just on Signed Saturday)

When I got back to Rilla's grove, my folks were there chatting with here. Now Rilla has an idea of how I got this way... The folks and I wondered about a bit, and I did manage to drop off the remaining photos in the Molly Hares' wagon. Let's see. We saw Tuey's juggling act, some Morris dancing mainly since that's the best way to get a good seat for Vilification Tennis, which my mother hadn't really seen before. (She knew better than to admit it when they asked who hadn't seen it before.) There must have been more, I don't recall it.

Well, there was Bawd's act, but they decided they go do something else or maybe just leave to get home at a reasonable hour. As mentioned above, I stayed for her act. Afterward, I took a few pictures (no bending over this time) of her, standing in front of the flowers and water behind the Queen's Pub. It's a really nice background.

Sometime during the day I caught up with the part of Vagabond (normally a two man musical act, but one isn't available this season) and bought a CD to replace a stretched tape. Also found where a different soap vendor was located, but they didn't have the thing I was looking for. When I asked about it, they said they didn't carry with them as it wasn't a big seller, but if I called and reminded them Friday they'd pack up some for me to pick on Saturday.

Back at Rilla's grove I sat and chatted a bit more. Tom, who I'd seen (and had seen me) at Rosenthorne last year talked a bit. I jokingly mentioned Free Bird and got quite a scowl about that. I don't know what the attraction is with Free Bird that some people seem to have.

The only downsides to the day happened after I left the festival. I stopped for supper at a Hardee's in St. Peter. That wasn't bad, but I got a Sprite. When I was on the road again I noticed a sore throat starting, and the Sprite seemed to make it worse. What gives? Is this a reaction to carbonation? To sugar water? Or did the day's dust finally catch up with me? Or a long delayed reaction to that Guinness? The other downside was the bad news about Jay's father and United losing his luggage. I was under the impression that the gate-checked bag with the costume had been lost, but it was the normally checked bag. I should have known. Had it been the costume that was lost, there would likely have been enough heat for helium fusion.

Sunday was slow, overall, but ended with a trip to Minneapolis to pick up Jay's suitcase, the handling of which had been bungled yet more. To make the trip a bit more useful, we stopped at my sister's place and I retrieved the windbreaker I'd left behind a while ago. The three of us went out to Khan's Mongolian Barbecue and ate. And ate. I'm still feeling rather full. I overspiced my first bowl, and I was trying to follow the "mildly spicy" guide, too. I goofed, but in a good way. I think the spiciness just overwhelmed my sore throat and I'm feeling rather better, though still not as well as I'd like. Jay and I took my sister back to her house and then headed for home ourselves. Today might feel long - we got back just after midnight.

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Current Mood: full

This Summer is being weird. It's August. August, the month normally filled with days of oppressive heat. This August has been different. In northern Minnesota new low temperature records have been set in the last few days. It got down to 23 F in Embarrass. Yep, below freezing.

The highs have also been on the low side, for August. It was nice, last Saturday going to MnRF and not having to deal with the heat like year. But I'm wondering what the future holds. If this keeps up (down?) will I see it snow at the faire next month?

The overnight low for Shakopee is forecast to be 43 F with a high tomorrow of 75 F. And that's with a clear sky. It'll be nice, though I might need to consider a cloak in the morning.

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Current Mood: chipper

It seems like I spent most of the day talking to, or listening to, rillaspins but there was more to the day than that. I might not have done all that much in the way of watching acts, but I had fun with what I did do.

I got started a bit later than planned, so I didn't see how the opening ceremonies were done without the King, but I'd heard later that it was pretty much the same concept as last year, only with just the Queen. Also, the trumpeters supposedly actually played some music rather than just fanfares. I might try to see (and hear) that at least once this year.

Once inside, I was making my way to Rilla's grove and encountered the unicorn as I did. I had to play a bit and scritch the unicorn and "kiss" her hoof - that got a good reaction from her. I don't know if anyone was watching, so if there was any more reaction, I didn't see it. This was repeated later in the day when I saw the unicorn again and I was told that was the new person learning how to go about things. The second time we weren't in a crowd and I heard the handler compliment the unicorn on her silent interaction. I did not try to make off with the unicorn as in a previous year...

I had the feeling that I had forgotten something. I had. There were some photos from Siouxland that I intend to give to Mistress Bawd. They completely slipped my mind until I was talking with Rilla. I'll have to find those photos this week and have them ready for next weekend.

There was a new street bit this year. Or at least I saw one new street bit yesterday. There might well have been much more, but I was in or near Rilla's grove most of the day. In this bit two fellows hold up a canvas hung from a horizontal pole. On this canvas is a picture of two large draft horses who've been dubbed Chestnut and Buttermilk. There are two cutouts so it's a bit where you can get your picture taken (your or your friends' camera) as a horse. But that's not all, folks. Then they turn it all around and it's a picture of two horses from the other end, tails up flying in the breeze. It's surprising how many people are willing to have their picture taken that way. There were a couple couples who wanted their picture taken but didn't have a third member of the party and one person can't hold up the canvas alone, so I got drafted into taking a couple pictures. One guy tried to tip me (did I look like part of the bit? I may have.) and eventually I just accepted - and then put that in the tip basket since I wasn't part of the bit, at least not officially. Not that I didn't have my fun with it, too. When it wasn't too active I'd look out from behind the canvas (when it was front-side out) and ask people who came by "Is this my good side? Would you like to see my other side?" but that didn't seem to get much. Rilla had brought out some carrots and celery for a few folks at one of the picnic tables near or in her grove. I was offered, and accepted. I did get a couple good reactions (looks, a smile or chuckle) when I stood behind the canvas and looked through it (again, front side out!) and ate a carrot. I got Rilla to take a couple pictures of that, but I have quite a bit of that roll of film to shoot before I get it developed.

Later I made my way to Sunrise River (they say they'll have their web site better in a while...) and was looking at (and sniffing) the varieties of soap displayed. The layout is such that my back was to checkout area. As I was looking I heard from behind me, "That's the wintermint guy!" and a quick explanation that I bought a lot of their wintermint (wintergreen and peppermint) glycerin soap. A moment later a young lady addressed me, "I bet you're looking for wintermint." Surprisingly, I was actually looking for something else, which I was told they had, but it wasn't wrapped and ready for display. That didn't stop them from making a sale, however. I was offered what I wanted, and asked if not being wrapped and labelled would be a problem. I assured her it would not be. She also told they were discontinuing the wintermint glycerin soap. They would still have wintermint, but in the lye soap form. I took advantage of this to buy most of the wintermint glycerin soap they had at a steep (at least 50%) discount. When checking out I expressed some disappointment at the change and was assured that the new version would be as good as the old. I replied that I'd be the judge of that. They laughed and told me if it wasn't, I could special order a batch of the glycerin version. We'll see. They did not have the new, lye version yet, so I won't know for a while if it really is as good.

That was pretty much the day, at least as I can remember it.

Current Mood: cheerful

This is not a good year for the Iowa faires.

One in western Iowa in October is no more as the organizer(s) decided it was too much work for not enough (if any) payback.

The Des Moines faire changed sites just days before it happened. The original site was underwater.

Waterloo faire was cancelled for this year due to site, and other, problems. The site was underwater, and the weekend it is held has many events (of which it was once part) that use up the alternate venues in the area.

Now another faire, ARA in Osceola has cancelled for this year. The site is above water, but evidently suddenly drowning in red tape that was never a problem before.

Hotel reservations for Jay and I for ARA were made in just the last day or two. Those can now be cancelled as well.

The one bit of good news in all this is that now without ARA, I have nothing keeping me from attending the King's Island faire in Minnesota on the weekend that Minstrosity will be there. (Hrm, maybe Lindey's is a possibility.) At least nothing in my own schedule will muck things up. Hopefully by then (a week and a half from now) Hwy 169 will again be navigable. There was enough rain, fast enough, recently that part of it just north of Mankato is closed due to mudslides.

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Current Mood: blank

Now, Siouxland did it again. If there were a textbook example of a good, if perhaps not perfect, small faire, Siouxland would be it. Rather than go into great detail, I'll just say that this is what happens there's a lot of "giveadamn" about keeping things fun. My folks, Jay, and I all had a good time.

Current Mood: pleased

Q: What is your attraction to Ren Faire?

A: A mix of things, I think. By now, it's something of a sense of inclusion in addition to the acts and such. For the faires I go to now it's partly to see the acts and partly to see my friends. It doesn't hurt that there's more than a bit of overlap there. Also, the various acts make it a bit like a variety show, but with more than one thing going on, I can "play editor" to my own script and see what I want - or at least try to.

My first faire was the Minnesota Renaissance Festival which is one of the bigger ones. My sister asked if I'd like to go and so I went, mainly just curious. I'm not sure I went the next year, but I did go back to MnRF eventually. It was largely just a diversion after WB stopped making and airing good cartoons. That and I got curious after going a couple weekends one year. Once to check things out, and again for Taurmania - or maybe the Taurmania group went the first weekend. After that, I went to see what all there was and it was something to do. Somewhere in here I decided it was time to dress the part, or at least close to it.

The next year was Taurmania II a bit to my surprise. Another trip to MnRF was planned for that and it was the first year jmaynard and I went in garb. I went the first weekend and it was the hottest in some time - but I found I was surprisingly comfortable, which is unusual. I don't like heat all that much. I went back several times, partly to relay messages for bronxelf.

I had thought about going to a faire in the Spring that year but didn't check on things until too late. I skipped the Iowa Renaissance Festival that year partly for its distance and also for the message relaying. But there was Wybreg in October. There I first encountered the Washer Well Wenches and JP and also Danza Mystique. It didn't hurt that I also met an Icelandic pony there. Wybreg was small, a "soft site" (no permanent structures, for those wondering) and very different from MnRF. At first I felt I might have wasted a lot of time and money to be there. Then I started to experience it and instead of being just a customer or just a member of an audience, something clicked. I've liked the smaller faires ever since.

I still go to MnRF, and after The Pub web board on At The Faire took off, I began to know a few more folks there as well. I've been to the Texas Renaissance Festival and it is quite impressive. Even there, it was nice how Jay knew a few folks, or they knew him.

But looking it all over, I find I prefer the smaller faires (at least if they're done reasonably well - I have had the misfortune to blunder into one that was a misfire) which seem to be friendlier and more inclusive or have more interaction. Of course, knowing people at the smaller faire I go to helps quite a bit, too. But even Rosenthorne last year where I started out not really knowing anyone holds up to what I've found. There's more "give-a-damn" and not as much of a "gimme-your-money-NEXT!" feeling at the smaller faires.

I should say that generally the performers and most vendors at larger faires act just like those at a smaller faires. The larger faire setting itself seems to throw things off. Then maybe it's that my one big faire is MnRF which might not be the best example.

Current Mood: relaxed

I had been informed last night that the rumor was that the Nishna River RenFaire was no more. Today I went looking for the Nishna topic on At The Faire's web board and didn't find it in the usual place. Now it's in the the defunct listings.

Well, that frees up a weekend in October, I guess. But it's a weekend I won't be seeing many folks I know - it would have been the only time I'd have seen RST[1] this year. Nishna was a nice way to wrap up a faire season.

Nishna isn't the first October faire in Iowa that has ended. There was also Wybreg, which was fun though it looked small at first.

Now, what will I do with October? Rest, I suppose.

[1] Last night I was looking through things I had set aside for my trip to Huntsville. I found a small alarm clock that I had somehow managed to miss. I had thought there was one more before I went and got the last one. Oh well. Now I also have my own alarm clock for motel stays.

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Nobody, really. I use the name Valentine Payne for some faire related things, however.

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Current Mood: mischievous

I'm still pondering Rocket City Furmeet though I likely won't be able to do anything about it until sometime in February. But now something else is happening on the very same, Memorial Day, weekend: The new Des Moines Renaissance Faire. This fair will take place at the site that Salisbury Faire once used and it's being put together by a group that not only has some experience but is successful at it.

Before, the choice was really easy: if I had the time and money, I'd go to RCFM. Now it's not quite so easy.

Pro Faire: The Faire is would be cheaper to go to since it's only a few hours drive. There'd be no hassles with airport check-in. I'd see some folks I know and haven't seen for several months. I don't know, but it might be a chance to see Minstrosity - which I won't see at Waterloo this year as I'll be in Sioux Falls that weekend. If I took any time off work, it'd be only an afternoon.

Pro RCFM: I'd see a smaller, and I'd expect therefore friendlier (not that AnthroCon was unfriendly - it was just so easy to be lost in a sea of people) furmeet. RCFM is established, at least in that this is the second time for it. I'd meet at least one person, KinkyTurtle, I wouldn't have seen in months. I'd almost certainly meet others I've only read about or such. While getting there wouldn't be cheap, the admission is low and it might be the least expensive way to find if furmeets agree with me or if AnthroCon was trying to tell me something. Also, it'd still be somewhat new to me.

Anti Faire: It's yet another Iowa faire, and there'll be a few more in the year, with many (though not all) of the same people. While the site and organization is proven, it's still a new faire and will likely have new faire problems. It will be at the mercy of the weather. Sure, all faires says 'rain or shine' but all but the lightest rain stops things pretty much dead unless there's good cover.

Anti RCFM: It'll mean either dealing with the hassles of commercial air travel, or a two day drive (maps.yahoo.com says 16 hours each way - I can do 12 hours on the road in a day, but it isn't something I'd want to do. Eight is a reasonable limit). Either way it's more expensive than Des Moines. I'll need to take at least one full day off work and probably two, three or four if I drive it.

A couple other factors are: One, that the very next weekend is the Siouxland Renaissance Festival and I'd like to get my folks to visit it, which means finding them a room for a couple nights as well. And as they'd be visiting, that's probably more time off work. Not that I'm against taking time off, I just have to balance it so I do so without problems. And two, I don't know Jay's schedule (neither does he, for sure). While I can fly alone just fine, I've never done the rental car bit myself and am always leery of driving around a strange place. Doing so in a strange car wouldn't help.

Somehow, I'm still leaning toward RCFM. If it were just me alone, I'd probably take the extra days off and drive it. I'd still have to drive in unfamiliar areas, but at least I'd have a car I know.

Current Mood: Pondering

I've mentioned that a faire in Sioux Falls, SD and a faire in Waterloo, IA happen to conflict in 2004. Yesterday, another faire - this one in Elk River[1], MN announced they would have a five(!) weekend run starting on the same weekend as Sioux Falls and Waterloo.

But wait, there's more! Not only that, now another faire in the Twin Cities area has just announced a four(!) weekend run also starting on the very same weekend as the other three.

So now four faires not all that far apart will be on the same initial weekend, and the two with longer runs are closest to each other and conflicting all along (except for the final weekend of Elk River, which is July 3-4 of all times).

The Elk River and Twin Cities faires are the fission products of Rosenthorne, so some of this is expected, but still. Sheesh.

[1] Northwest of the Twin Cities by not all that much. And for more fun, they're calling themselves the Stirling Renaissance Faire, so it sounds like Sterling as well.

Current Mood: cynical
Current Music: Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! - The Beatles

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