Posted in Spam and eggs on November 23rd, 2009 by Ang
I can’t say I really want a lot more than this. I’m poor, everyone is poor, and I’m only posting this to my blog so it will RSS to Facebook where my Dad and sister can see it easily. And considering I’ll be bringing whatever I get back from Florida on a plane with me (or I guess we COULD ship things…) I gotta travel light.__New Mouse and Keyboard, preferrably black (to match my rig) and wireless. Red is always anacceptable color.New computer speakers, I got stuck with the shitty ones.Joann’s gift cardMichael’s gift cardPurses are good, I like purses…New sunglasses!Earrings! (surgical stainless steel only. No plastic. My ears get funky.)1st holes: 8 gauge2nd holes: 14 gaugeCartilage: 16 gauge3rd holes could be a nice present!Tattoos are good too! Now accepting donations for new ink.Donations for any sort of white plastic armor projects is always good too.FENCING EQUIPMENT. I mostly need a rapier and a main gauche/dagger. It can’t be foil or epee, it has to be rapier or schlager blades.—-More stuff may be added as it comes to me…That’s all though.
Last night I experienced Star Wars: In Concert at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI, courtesy of Lucasfilm in thanks for trooping the event with the 501st Legion New England Garrison.
Over time, some events have gotten monotonous, especially for those of us who dress as the silent Royal Guard. Essentially I know I have to put on the helmet, control my breathing, and basically act as a novelty for those that wish to take pictures with me. I have to admit that for a time the gig was losing it’s luster, and I would find myself more often than not, praying for a swift end to the event than having to stand around any longer. Trooping had become a chore, and I started to dislike it.
My life in 2009 pretty much started to crumble around me and just progressively didn’t seem it was going to improve, so instead of spreading any negativity I could be resonating, I realized it was time for a break from a lot of things.
I took the summer off from trooping, and decided that I wasn’t going to really do anything until an upcoming convention we have here in Massachusetts called Super Megafest. It even came to the point where as the convention drew nearer, I was even considering not doing it. However, before the date of Megafest arrived, I noticed the marquee at the Dunkin Donuts Center read, “Star Wars in Concert” and I was curious, having knowing nothing about this and it seemingly come out of left field.
Realizing that I was probably far more out of the loop than I thought, I went back to the NEG board and discovered that yes; we had been contact to troop the concert in Manchester, NH, and then eventually Boston and Providence. After doing a bit of research on the event on my own time, I decided that if the opportunity presented itself, that I would go ahead and troop the show. I couldn’t afford to go, but it at least seemed like a fun chance to go and do something so high profile.
Providence was given a primer troop and we were invited to be on PBS during a pledge session in which tickets to Star Wars in Concert were being offered as a gift. I went in rather unprepared, and not even sure of the condition of my helmet from being pent up in storage downstairs, but I decided that I needed to do this, I needed to represent the home team, as Rhode Island seldom gets anything interesting outside of Hasbro events.
The PBS troop turned out to go very well. The staff was very nice and accommodating to our needs and even offered us catered food. It’s always very odd for me when we receive the celebrity treatment, so I didn’t so much as take a soda. However, it woke something up in me, I could feel the want to troop again, the need to get out there and do my job for nerd and country, if you will. The fire was back and I could hardly wait for the Providence concert to arrive.
To our surprise, we were to be given complimentary tickets to see the show, which is always nice, but not something I’ve come to expect. I do this because I want to and I have fun with it as a costumer, not so much as any special kickbacks we may receive from time to time. If anything, I was more excited about the chance to see screen-used costumes and props in the traveling exhibit, even though I got to see some of them in the When Science Meets Imagination show a few years back. Artifacts and relics of movies’ past become more coveted for those who design and wear costumes, and hearing through the grapevine that they had a touring Royal Guard, I knew I needed to get research pictures taken. I had a brief moment of anxiety knowing that a picture of me in costume had to go to Lucasfilm for approval, but I calmed myself, and waited for the week to go by.
When the day of the show arrived, I realized how ridiculously giddy I had gotten over it. The fan was back all of a sudden, and she was ready to go. She was also ready to wreak havoc if her roommate couldn’t drive her down there in time to get in. I paced uncomfortably up and down my driveway for about 20 minutes, waiting always-too impatiently for my ride to show up. Fortunately it being a holiday, traffic into Providence was lessened, so I was able to get in with time to spare.
I walked in with my tub and Forcepike in its snazzy bag and met up with the rest of the group, greeted with moderate enthusiasm as we all waited to see what would happen next. The staff for the show was eager to work with us and handed out our comp’ed tickets without question after checking our names on the list.Then the group of us; totes, bags, and artificial weaponry from a Galaxy Far Far Away, were escorted to our green room within the arena. From a distance I could catch snippets of the exhibit, and upon seeing Han Solo frozen in carbonite, I felt like I was going to explode into shards of fangirl, but I refrained.
None of us wasted anytime getting dressed, including myself who takes a total of five minutes. Enthusiasm was heavy in the air and when we were all done with twenty minutes to spare, we all shared a laugh over it, because such things seldom happen. Some fans that had behind-the-scenes wristbands came down to meet us and get a few pictures. They were a handful of 20-something tattooed men, but the minute we came out from behind the curtain to talk to them and show them our costumes, you could literally see their inner child and fan ignite within and they became visibly excited. This was a great psych-out for me, as any actor or musician would do before a performance, and it started to make sense again. We do this for the fans, fans like us, and the thousands of fans waiting for us upstairs.
It’s difficult to sometimes maintain a level of stoic professionalism when you want to jump right in and be apart of the community, but in the words of Palpatine, we had to “Do what must be done.”
It wasn’t long before we were swarmed, and I quickly took my post at the most comfortable and guard-like area I could find and slipped immediately into my character. That motionless yet ominous and often frightening faceless figure that flanked Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi.
It was quick to see these weren’t convention-going fans that some of us were accustomed to. These were parents, grandparents, children, teenagers, even workers in the civic center who just became instantly dazzled by the magic that is Star Wars and how it may have touched them at some point in their lives. It came back to me again more, that Star Wars is more than just a few sci-fi movies, that it truly is a modern cultural phenomenon.
I admit my night was made when a young man, probably late teens, thin, and dressed rather scene, approached me, hand over his mouth in shock and went, “You’re my favorite!” and threw his arms around me in a way that actually scared me a bit for the safety of my helmet, but I knew he was just totally caught up in the moment. He wasn’t going to hurt me, he was making sure that every single one of his friends got a picture though as he blabbered on and on about the Royal Guard.
We were granted great seats by the Dunkin Donuts Center, but in the end I don’t think it mattered, it didn’t matter where you sat or whom you were with, because I felt the unity of the fandom. We’ve all heard the songs, we’ve all seen the movies, but the power of seeing it together in a completely different way live gave it a really unique feeling. There were thousands of us moving our mouths silently in unison to our favorite quotes, our jaws agape as we saw the podracers take off to the music as the foreground and the sound effects as the background.
Some of us hurried to get back into costume to see the crowd off, to give them the final touch to their evening. I even saw some people with tears in their eyes.
There was no one bickering over which movie was better or how the prequels weren’t good or how much they hated a certain character. Everyone was too spellbound by his or her love of Star Wars to feel anything remotely negative. We’ll often joke that Star Wars fans hate Star Wars, but I think last night proved something quite the contrary.
We don’t just love it; it’s a part of us, and I don’t think I can take another break away from it again.
That I do not use this blog as much as I probably should. Or at least for anything useful, so I’m thinking of getting rid of it, or at least putting it somewhere else where Southsideofthesky.net doesn’t point to it, and using that domain for something else.
I don’t know. I’m too lazy to do web work right now, so we’ll see. Bwua.
Against my better judgment lads, I’ve parch-a-ment and ink
I can’t resist the Muses call after having ale to drink
And how the Muse does stir me in her garb of Turkish men,
shouting orders to her crew from the bowsprit at the stem.
Hi did de doe, across the waves we go,
But one can’t plant their wild oats,
When there’s no tilled earth to sow.
The hull is filled with silken goods of such amazing worth,
But not a single thread compares to the Captain in her berth.
Although I have nae seen it, I know that it is true,
For every night I dream it and wake to the morning dew.
Hi did de doe, across the waves we go,
But one can’t plant their wild oats,
When there’s no tilled earth to sow.
For who would stand and say to one of Siracusian stock,
“Let us retire to your cabin for a game of hen and cock?”
And though I have no fear to swim - there is no land in sight,
much like the chance that I may win my desire in the night.
Hi did de doe, across the waves we go,
But one can’t plant their wild oats,
When there’s no tilled earth to sow.
Instead I drink another cup and write another line,
and wonder if upon this trip, I’ll ever find the time,
or courage to approach the Lady who commands the seas
and ask her if she has the time to teach a bit to me.
Hi did de doe, across the waves we go,
How can one plant those wild oats,
When there’s no tilled earth to sow?
- Lewys ap Deykin
Anno Societatis XLIV
Somewhere on the Open Seas
My SQL database was screwy for a bit, but it appears that the blog is back up and runnin’s now. Maybe I’ll do a really real update soonish.
Went to Anime Boston, had lots of fun with the Penny Dreadfuls and my new steampunk fiends friends, and I’m moving from Providence to Pawtucket this weekend into a new place with some SCA friends until I can get my bearings into finding a place of my own. BULLY!
Booze of your choosing. I recommend hard liquor and shot glasses if you’re really hardcore. If not, beer will also work. Just be careful about breaking the seal too early. You can also do some Manishevitz wine if you’re feeling extra kosher!
Ten Commandments DVD. You will probably not make it to the 2nd disc, but it’s good to have anyway.
A group of friends who find the movie as hysterical as you do.
Snacks, such as matzo, are optional.
HOW TO PLAY:
Pour you and your friends a tall something, and pop the DVD in. If the movie is televised (they don’t do this much anymore), this also works, but bear in mind the rules for seal breakage. Drinking is permitted between required swigs.
The basis of this drinking game is taking shots or good-sized gulps of your beverage when certain events happen in the film, the basic break down is as follows:
Anyone (Pharaoh, Nefrertiri, etc) says “Moses” repeatedly, take the amount of drinks that they say his name.
Pharaoh Seti says “So let it be written, so let it be done.” Take 2 drinks.
Ramses says, “So let it be written, so let it be done.”, Take 1 drink and say, “Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.”
Ramses swats himself with the fly flogger thingy: 2 drinks.
Charlton Heston overacts (Yeah, I know…): 1 drink.
Baka (Vincent Price) comes on screen, quote “She’s so amusing”, and take a drink.
Dathan (Edward G. Robinson) comes on screen, go “Nyaaaah” and take a drink.
Someone refers to Jethro, say “Tull”, and take a drink.
Nefretiri has a nip slip (just keep watching…): 2 drinks
Nefretiri sluts it up with either Moses or Ramses: 1 drink
“IT’S A MAN!” Jethro’s daughters needlessly flirt with Moses about his sandals: Just chug for this scene, it’s painful.
The main dramatic score restarts at any time in the film: 1 drink.
-If you make it this far-
Drink for every plague, we do this shit for science!
Stand up and recite the commandments in the same tone as “God” does, and point at the TV and flail as if it is your very hand that burns the words on the tablets. Drink for every commandment. By this time you should be feeling pretty good anyway! Yeah, that’s right, THROW those tablets into the chasm!
I add new stuff every year, so this isn’t even probably half of the things I’ll require this year. And I start making shit up as I go too.
SEAL BREAKAGE RULE:
When you drink this much, it’s inevitable. So, by the grace of god and DVDs, when a bathroom run occurs, it’s required to pause the DVD so you can’t escape drinking. If it’s on TV, use TIVO. If you don’t have TIVO or a DVD player, WAYSA?
Actual quote from a customer in Germany (Fnordius is his Etsy name, even!)
“I am an a reenactment group that portrays a mercenary company in the 15th century, mostly active in the German provinces. Due to my American accent and half Gaelic ancestry (the other half French), I thought it best to dress in the manner of an Irish soldier (many Irish mercenaries fought in the War of the Roses at that time, and it is not unreasonable to imagine one travelling to Europe and joining a local company, as the German provinces were embroiled in the Hussite wars). Thus your leine seemed the most authentic, one I could combine with a long gambeson/clotard, braes and trews. The ionar and the sack sleeves often seen are, like you say on your page, a fashion that came 100 years later.”
So not only is another Discordian ordering from me half-way around the world, but he’s also impressed with the fact I have a really-real historically accurate item I’m offering.
Oh yeah, the kicker of course being that my own SCA Household is late period mercenaries…You know.
And considering I’ll be bringing whatever I get back from Florida on a plane with me (or I guess we COULD ship things…) I gotta travel light.__New Mouse and Keyboard, preferrably black (to match my rig) and wireless. Red is always anacceptable color.New computer speakers, I got stuck with the shitty ones.Joann’s gift cardMichael’s gift cardPurses are good, I like purses…New sunglasses!Earrings! (surgical stainless steel only. No plastic. My ears get funky.)1st holes: 8 gauge2nd holes: 14 gaugeCartilage: 16 gauge3rd holes could be a nice present!Tattoos are good too! Now accepting donations for new ink.Donations for any sort of white plastic armor projects is always good too.FENCING EQUIPMENT. I mostly need a rapier and a main gauche/dagger. It can’t be foil or epee, it has to be rapier or schlager blades.—-More stuff may be added as it comes to me…That’s all though.
