JT

Turned on the water to water the tomatoes, leaning over the hose winder. The hornets who have decided to next in the hose minder took umbrage and stung me 3 times, finger, arm and back. We'll have a discussion about renter perogatives and privacy a little after dark.

With a stick.

Ow!

( Read more... )

LAVAY SMITH!
http://www.downtowncampbell.com/subsites/bigband/schedule.php

Saturday afternoon, Campbell. Hmmm.

Taking suggestions for artworks that you see, briefly, from the corner of your eye in the local settings that remind you that the genus loci are still there. Goal is to have work parties to make them, then take pictures of them for a while while the environment and people modify them. Theme is the spirits of these places around us, which both emerge from the earth and have been brought along with us from other places. Any mythology, ancient, modern, historical, fantastical, will do.

So far:

Silhouette (sp) deermen--cutouts in the bushes along the freeways, with antlers, which when glimpsed are the silhouettes of deer spirits or shaman.

Freeway Earth Spirits--lips, nose, eyes, emerging from the sound barrier walls.

NeonPelli: Kokopelli figure out of EL wire that flashes on and off after headlights sweep over it. Mod 1 is headlight responsiveness, mod 2 is to have the musical instrument change: Flute, saxophone, tubapelli!

Corriboggles: little grasping ovalheaded figures with reflective eyes, made out of cardboard, distributed in an area.

*****

First work party in two weeks. More later.

(1) This has been a pro wierd post.

( You are about to view content that may not be appropriate for minors. )

Some fun things:
1. Return of Cheap Salsa. By buying veggies wisely, I can make a quart or two of fresh salsa for about $4. No, really. And it's GOOD.
2. New Alton Brown cookbook, FEASTING ON ASPHALT The River Run. Road Trip! Which I found at
3. The Sunnyvale Library, where I also picked up some CD's to rip and found out they have the original Zatoichi movies, which I can watch while eating
4. Cheap summer fruit--stone fruit--cherries, peaches, apricots, berries.
All this AND I got to play in the dirt today. Rawk! Congrats to Gaybri"L" on his wedding, and yes, that's badly mis-spelt. Rich, no seriously, many happy returns.

The SCA is full of magic, learning and fun, if you are open to it. Once mundane cares and fears fall away, magical things can happen, such as:

"Hemm knight!" Sitting on the ground with a foam sword in my hand, and 19 month old N. comes toddling up (it's what he does!) He's well trained to only attack another sword (although his control is a bit erratic, he's not trying to hit me, but well I'm a BIG target) and he does it with total concentration and enthusiasm. And having a helm and a shield makes one a knight, and someone he can hit. I also got to have bouts with about 5 other young swordfighters. Including a 6 year (?) old who can throw a pump fake with a left/right draw, and got a solid thump on the gut (But it's such a BIG target) which meant I needed to ask Maestro Allesandro to curry me later...

"So Tall!" Master Vyncent brought some of his works, including the chopines, to the event. As he sat vigil, the Princess of the Mists exclaimed that she would like to try them. She was so enthused about standing in them that she came back and tried walking in them. Then walking into court with them, then walking out of court with them. Her enthusiam was as clear burning as her son's with a sword. What happens when a woman who is 5'4" becomes 6'4"? It's an amazingly better perspective.

"Big Pig!" Vittoria held a tavern on Saturday night, the Lily and Sword. For dinner (13 cen german) she roasted a pig. I helped pull it off the rack and off the spit and carve it, which I had never done. Very very very cool. I stole a trotter and sold it in the tavern, and for a little time while the slightly undone parts of the pig were on the grill I became "Cracklin' John" walking through the tavern giving out cracklin' to those who wanted it. Next time, though, we'll have a cleaver. And having people fight over who got the head? Priceless, when they found out they were sitting next to each other.

"Clean Hands". Did some dishwashing. I swear I'm going to develop a crew to do this; it's not hard with a little organization, but it's a disaster if you don't think about it a little. Scrape and sort first! Get the food you're saving put away! Rant! Rave!

"Sweet Music" At the end of the evening (somewhat early) I went into the tavern. Moishe, Vyncent and Vittoria were hunched over her lyrics book, singing early (Cantigas de Maria) songs. I requested a time of "Ave Maria". Six or seven of us sang those words, listening to each other, trading melody and improvisation. WOW! It was wonderful. Then the three did a song from the Orkneys, in thirds all the way through. Then some other songs, where we picked up the chorus. Gregory played his bladderpipe for us. It was a timeless moment, gathered around the candles on the table, pavilions outlined across the field, breathing the music into the dark air.

I've resolved to pick a pictoral reference, and finish a costume and accessories to become that person. I think the first one of these shall be one of the http://www.wga.hu/art/l/limbourg/01janvie.jpg
beer drinking guys on the right--thanks to Constanza, I have the lovely houppelond already!

I have a Birthday Wish. It's my birthday celebration next week (Thanks Mom for all that hard work!) and what I want is ( blown out candles indicate )

Stolen from...well, everyone, it's a meme, right?

You're in a mall, and get three things: 1. A weapon, 2. A soundtrack, and 3. A sidekick.  Who?

That's easy.   1 weapon?  Long bladed boarspear.  With a flashlight taped to it.    One song?  "Dies Irae" so I can sing along.   1 sidekick?   Well, for carnage, medical assistance, and general wisecracks, I'd have to say my brother Kurt is the man.   Plus, if it's a major weapons system, he can probably use it. 
Now, what weapon he takes?  There's a question.  I will ask him, I'm sure we'll get a good answer.

...in truth, for zombies, I'm rather partial to a well stocked APC, but how do you get those into a mall?  WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING IN A MALL ANYWAY?   This is a nightmare question anyway you look at it.

Cut to protect your pixels!
( Dear Rome )

I recommend it.   More of an extended movie video than a serious movie, it treats well the distinction between a child's world and an adults, and also that good things can grow from bad ideas.   And...OMG! The costumes, the settings...it's a visual feast that needs to be seen on the big screen. 

http://thefallthemovie.com/

The coat of Luigi, the explosives expert ("Boom!")    The armor of the henchmen!  The priest's image turning into the pitilless desert!   The heaviness of the bag!  Charles Darwin! 

I will see it again. 

Oh, and the trailer?  Completely true, completely false.

googly googly googly go away!

War ok, blew a bunch of straps.  

Fu continues.   Need to grow a manchu.

Got 6 Roma's in on May Day, two more in today, so 8 tomatoes total.   Must resist planting 20 more.  Put the corn in the ground, but it was too long in the  flat so probably won't survive.   but...tomatoes!

Got pumpkin, zucchini and some cuke seeds into pots. 

Need to envision the whole thing and clean up the place.  Perhaps a birthday cleanup day?

Better than the green cascading out of me, although I do feel better...not great, but better.  More sleep and juice.

CARDBOARD:  www.foldschool.com

COOL VIDEO:  GOMI Style on Youtube

1. Neverhaul Was.   Finally got to tour it.    
2. Secret Eating Society:  Offal Tacos!  They lied, it was just sheep cheeks.  Tasty!  http://www.secreteatingsociety.com/
3. Naval Wars with Ball bearings:  Remote control boats.
4. Swaporamarama.  Wish I'd taken time to play.
5. Funnel Cakes.  MMMM.   Boiler bar show with coffee and funnel cakes!

Engineers without Borders!  Oh, wait, I said only 5...    http://www.ewb-usa.org/

Cool Savonius Wind Turbines:  www.spinpower.org 
Pringles Can Version:  http://www.instructables.com/id/Pringles-Wind-Turbine-Pleech---Version-One/

Love Apples (Tomatoes) local site:  http://loveapplefarm.typepad.com/growbetterveggies/love-apple-farms-2008-tom.html
(That's their list of heirlooms available.)

Zen Fire Gardens, and the Boiler Bar:  www.firegardens.com and boy, do these guys have fun stuff!

http://peak.org/~jeremy/hexagons ; some very cool geometry toys

Grey Water info:  http://www.greywaterguerrillas.com/

GOO!  www.galaxygoo.org

Odd....   HotChixDig.com   "Fighting Global Warming One Pin-Up at a Time"

Wow, enough for today.   I was busy yesterday, and that doesn't include the working with SVEC, the wandering around, the wedding rehearsal discovery (Hi Seth!)...or the 12' high Tesla coils.

Maker's Fair.  Worth it.

1. Saw the sun danced up on the baylands (Deer Creek pulled 'em over.)   Still want to be a Morris Dancer.  Perhaps I should go buy a Morris?
Nah, project cars never work for me.   It was cool.  The Wolf Creek side (all 5th/6th graders) showed what a lack of caffiene combined with sticks can do, and there was a new side, wearing Orange Highway Safety Vests, and the fool had a shovel.  Got some luck (face paint off a dancer).  Hmm, there was conditioner or lotion in that luck.

2. In honor, transplanted one pot into a large plot (volunteer unknown tomato, 2 basils, added 2 marigolds) and planted two small pots...sorry, seeded two small pots with Thai basil.  Also got the back yard chopped back slightly. 

3. News today interesting:  Albert Hofman has died at age 102, at least they're using one of his more famous creations for medicine in Switzerland.   http://news.google.com/news?btcid=f869258178ca03aa ; (good commentary)
Memresistor nanotech demo'ed.    http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/04/scientists-prov.html
(Will have some amazing results)
and finally, Bay Area air still sucks. 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/01/BAQF10EI56.DTL

Still, from my point of view?  Better than it was in the late 70's. 

Anyway, Happy Birthday MayDayBabe and NorthernLupe!

At the feast, to the feasters, I commented that there would be more glasses--possibly two per person (wine and ale).

Wow.  Was I ever wrong.  Much closer:  one per two feasters. And the sources are confused.  But really, looking at pictures, there just aren't that many vessels around, often all stored at the butler's table.   The manuals (Caxton's esp.) only mention don't get drunk, and wipe your lips between meat and drink, as thus not to grease the cup.    So, in truth, there wasn't a lot of drinking vessels.   The book mentioned below says that 4 men got a gallon of ale, which puts them drinking a quart each at dinner...or 4 cups, right?   Obviously, I need more research on this before I speak with any authority.

Are the amounts correct?  How was it served, and drunk?  How was this dealt with?

Secondly, I identified "messes" with estates, based on the manual.  Another interpretation puts the "mes" as a plate or dish of food that all of that "mes" would share (reference below).  Also, while I interpreted the manual as having different seatings (after the first feast, the gentlemen who served it would sit to table, and the next lower set of servers would serve them dinner, and so on) this source


http://books.google.com/books?id=bJkXw2DNItoC&pg=PA159&lpg=PA159&dq=%22messes%22+in+medieval+feasting&source=web&ots=e5yMTO4bfy&sig=XZ6tFGGpn1hKEXZIRZre31kce9E&hl=en

Which I don't entirely agree with their interpretation of the first source, but they have multiple sources.  I should get my hands on this...but I really don't have time right now.  Or money.

Interestingly enough, they knew of forks in England, they just didn't use them.  And the spoons were often of silver (ref. source above.)

Dang, ADAB!  (Adult DIstractio  A BuTTERFLY!  OOOH!)

Shiny.  

So if I told you you should have two glasses, one for wine and one for ale, I apologize.   I'm going to go have some wine to wash this crow down with.

Overall:  Excellent.  Well dressed guests, servers did fantastic, heck the whole staff!  Butler, must have for other feasts! 
Worked: serving, seating, having kitchen team/garnish team/servers/officers (panter, butler).   Trenchers!   Manchet! Carving!
Didn't work so well: Not enough glasses, which made for a huge load on the drink staff.   Some confusion on communications.  Curious interplay between certain people being "in Persona" becoming very irritating to the staff as they "played" their persona.  **

Overall, I'd do it again.  The organization worked.  Musicians excellent.

Disasters:  Well, me.  Completely stressed out by stupid things, specifically 1. seating by OP rank and the highschoolness of it all (and the large numbers of conversations that were generated, mainly concerning about 4 people) and 2. transporting the tables.  Easy when you have a van. Not so easy when you don't.  Wasted hours and hours trying to sort these out, and in the end, improvisation (sit within your mess) with a little assistance (ladies as beautiful as these cannot be separated) and the kind assistance of others (Brian and Rachel SAVE on the table).  GREAT crew. 

Minor notes:  If we had enough glasses, we could have had the standard drink (ale for them, water in some form for us) in pitchers on the table for the servers to refill, as the books mention.  A lot less running would have occurred!

Two platters for the chickens would allow the carver to carve one side onto the second platter which the server could then begin serving.

Having a food table to keep the kitchen and servers separate worked well.   Add a sideboard where the dishes could be pulled out would have made the system flawless; servers would not have bothered the kitchen staff.

**Ok, I have to relate one of  those odd breaches: a certain peer playing an Islamic sent a server back to the kitchen multiple times (basically, for every dish) concerning what was in the dish and could he eat it.   He was playing a diplomat in a faraway court where his religious dietary concerns might not be known.  But the kitchen staff had taken that into account, and already prepared for it.   They were a bit put out that he should think them so careless.   Perceptions of hospitality differ, and who is right?  Solution would have been to run it all through the marshall, who would make the appropriate responses.   The server didn't twig to what was going on, and hadn't been told to stay out of the kitchen.

Vignette two:  Grace is cool.  But the Almoner doesn't know how to pronounce or actually sing church latin, which leads to a severe disconnect in the latin mass fans.   It's probably even more period than doing it right, though!  no, it's not, but it does take the "this is religous" sting out of it.  

Yes, I'd do it again, but...I'd like to experiment with lots of small changes that would make a big difference.  And I have to say, WOW on this one.   I haven' t even related some of the fun...the dancing requested, the confusion over fanfares, the forks! 

And it was one of those places, oh so rare, where looking in any direction (but up) we looked like a medieval picture.  The linens, the trenchers, spoons, knives, serving dishes, glasses--wish I'd gotten a bunch of pictures.   The clothes, the people!  The set of women in simple italian next to the simple englishwomen!  The nobles in their richer clothes!   The Barons on Bench (Wilhelm, Cat, Antonio).  The Queen sending her wine down to be tasted by her Baron!  Sending wine and water thither and yon! 

Gah, out of time...more later.

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Sure, no problem.  I teach High School science, math and engineering.  I make people cry ALL THE TIME.   'snot my fault they can't cope... 

Long Term Sub until the end of the school year for an alternative school in SJ (that's downsizing and didn't hire all their teachers back.)  Much better than day to day subbing!  So, LTS, then Tech School, then Tech job.   Off for a bit of Provo!