Live From The Banks Of The Mighty Tennessee River Saturday Night...
(That would be the group The Holleys doing their #2 ranked hit in 1972, "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress"...I'm bumping it down a couple of steps in Key and adding a Harmonica solo...should be interesting...)
Showing posts with label Theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theater. Show all posts
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Stairing On Stage
Making Sawdust...
This is more complicated than I thought, but we're coming along nicely...
This is more complicated than I thought, but we're coming along nicely...
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Professions Getting In The Way Of My Avocations
Distracting Distractions
Oh...I don't know...what's going on here on the banks of the mighty Tennessee River these days?
Not much writing if you haven't noticed...
Still screwing around with a whole bunch of steel at work--fine tuning our design and the drawings of the never ending Coke quench tower and stair tower projects.
Then there's the much anticipated upcoming glorious return to our Little Island and the Georgia Coast on Friday for a four day engagement in the set building business at Brunswick's Ritz Theater--this adventure's subject being the set for the play The Little_Foxes.
It's basically a giant staircase complete with handrails and a balcony that disappears upstage and off stage left (six years ago I couldn't tell my up stage from my down stage and stage right was a mystery to me also--I did know port and starboard and abeam and astern if needed however.)
I also have some real estate business interests to take care of in as much as this week my plumber finished new water supply piping from the city's water meter to two bathrooms, a utility room, and the kitchen of the never ending renovation project.
I have to schedule the plumbing inspection on Friday or Monday and the electrician starts work today installing a new electrical service entrance, panel, and all new wiring in the 1959 vintage structure.
Here inside my office and basement I have a number of electronic restorations in progress. The simplest is a 1944 wooden cabinet GE table radio I stole on E-bay that just needs new speaker cloth before it takes up residence in the living room foyer.
Projects #2 and #3 are again both old antique radios...a 1930's vintage battery powered Philco "Tombstone" farm radio (anyone got a 90.5 volt battery you're not using?) and a 1948's vintage Philco table radio like the one I lost in my house fire. Both radios need restoration of their electronic guts but I have downloaded the circuit diagrams and I have my soldering iron ready to get to work when we get back in town.
Then there is what I call the "Old Dell Laptop Computer Restoration Project" involving two old machines I've been dragging around in various stages of disrepair as "back-ups" to my current HP wide screen portable.
Since one machine had a dead display and the other suffered from a forgotten password, I guess their serviceability as "back-ups" are sort of like all of the combined forces of NATO and the United Nations could be considered "back-ups" for a couple of F-22 fighters and a division of US Marines.
Once again it was E-Bay to the rescue as I bought one lot of two Dell 640's in various stages of disrepair to get a working display, a cheep new copy of Windows 2000 XP Professional to keep Vista from wrecking further havoc on our network, and a USB hard drive caddy to allow me to recover the Photos and other files off both machines' hard disks before reformatting and installing the aforementioned 2000 XP and dancing the dance of success--having $5000 worth of computers (in 2003 dollars) working for less than $200 in parts and effort.
Just call me "Super Genius"...
Meanwhile, little Missy The Turbo Pup is getting her beach bag and bathing suits together, and we're really looking forward to getting her some exercise on the beach as they relaxed the leash laws on Labor day weekend and she can get back to her old ways of galloping unfettered along the surf in a 50 yard circle around us. She's certainly a little girl moulded in her dad's image of professional beach bum(ette.)
Other good news is that my company has recently been awarded some work which allows me to return to my Mechanical Engineering roots in Process Design and Thermodynamics, and my old college roommate Rusty's firm is partnering with us in the first of what we hope will be an ongoing series of systems which will increase my visibility and value to the firm.
I'm a much better Mechanical Engineer than I am a Structural Designer, but it's nice to brush up on the steel world after a seven year hiatus and let the synapses reconnect before moving back into Warp Drive.
I have to admit that the one thing I've learned the hard way over the past ten years is to not let my personal self esteem be singularly connected to my professional successes (or company failures), thus the wide ranging scope and variety of endeavors I find myself involved with today.
That said...I hope y'all all have a peachy day...If you will...
Oh...I don't know...what's going on here on the banks of the mighty Tennessee River these days?
Not much writing if you haven't noticed...
Still screwing around with a whole bunch of steel at work--fine tuning our design and the drawings of the never ending Coke quench tower and stair tower projects.
Then there's the much anticipated upcoming glorious return to our Little Island and the Georgia Coast on Friday for a four day engagement in the set building business at Brunswick's Ritz Theater--this adventure's subject being the set for the play The Little_Foxes.
It's basically a giant staircase complete with handrails and a balcony that disappears upstage and off stage left (six years ago I couldn't tell my up stage from my down stage and stage right was a mystery to me also--I did know port and starboard and abeam and astern if needed however.)
I also have some real estate business interests to take care of in as much as this week my plumber finished new water supply piping from the city's water meter to two bathrooms, a utility room, and the kitchen of the never ending renovation project.
I have to schedule the plumbing inspection on Friday or Monday and the electrician starts work today installing a new electrical service entrance, panel, and all new wiring in the 1959 vintage structure.
Here inside my office and basement I have a number of electronic restorations in progress. The simplest is a 1944 wooden cabinet GE table radio I stole on E-bay that just needs new speaker cloth before it takes up residence in the living room foyer.
Projects #2 and #3 are again both old antique radios...a 1930's vintage battery powered Philco "Tombstone" farm radio (anyone got a 90.5 volt battery you're not using?) and a 1948's vintage Philco table radio like the one I lost in my house fire. Both radios need restoration of their electronic guts but I have downloaded the circuit diagrams and I have my soldering iron ready to get to work when we get back in town.
Then there is what I call the "Old Dell Laptop Computer Restoration Project" involving two old machines I've been dragging around in various stages of disrepair as "back-ups" to my current HP wide screen portable.
Since one machine had a dead display and the other suffered from a forgotten password, I guess their serviceability as "back-ups" are sort of like all of the combined forces of NATO and the United Nations could be considered "back-ups" for a couple of F-22 fighters and a division of US Marines.
Once again it was E-Bay to the rescue as I bought one lot of two Dell 640's in various stages of disrepair to get a working display, a cheep new copy of Windows 2000 XP Professional to keep Vista from wrecking further havoc on our network, and a USB hard drive caddy to allow me to recover the Photos and other files off both machines' hard disks before reformatting and installing the aforementioned 2000 XP and dancing the dance of success--having $5000 worth of computers (in 2003 dollars) working for less than $200 in parts and effort.
Just call me "Super Genius"...
Meanwhile, little Missy The Turbo Pup is getting her beach bag and bathing suits together, and we're really looking forward to getting her some exercise on the beach as they relaxed the leash laws on Labor day weekend and she can get back to her old ways of galloping unfettered along the surf in a 50 yard circle around us. She's certainly a little girl moulded in her dad's image of professional beach bum(ette.)
Other good news is that my company has recently been awarded some work which allows me to return to my Mechanical Engineering roots in Process Design and Thermodynamics, and my old college roommate Rusty's firm is partnering with us in the first of what we hope will be an ongoing series of systems which will increase my visibility and value to the firm.
I'm a much better Mechanical Engineer than I am a Structural Designer, but it's nice to brush up on the steel world after a seven year hiatus and let the synapses reconnect before moving back into Warp Drive.
I have to admit that the one thing I've learned the hard way over the past ten years is to not let my personal self esteem be singularly connected to my professional successes (or company failures), thus the wide ranging scope and variety of endeavors I find myself involved with today.
That said...I hope y'all all have a peachy day...If you will...
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
"Wherefore By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them"
Why I haven't Been To A Movie Theater In Over Six Years...
Apparently that British dude who appears in the new Batman movie is in deep doodoo for pushing his family around in a swank London Hotel.
Go figure.
Apparently that British dude who appears in the new Batman movie is in deep doodoo for pushing his family around in a swank London Hotel.
Go figure.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Strike The Set
Yet Another Successful Dickens' Production
Last night we had dinner with five friends over at Christies in Brunswick and attended the latest show at the Ritz Theater.
All and all a successful evening, I think.
This wasn't my favorite version of the script for "A Christmas Carol", the but Mayor Thompson did his usual good job as Scrooge and the kids danced and mumbled their way through the dialogue in good order with no awkward pauses or obvious missed lines.
The Ghost of Christmas Future Puppet came out pretty well, and I already have some ideas for using parts of it again in a future season in slightly modified form.
I guess now it's time to start my Pizza crust rising for the evening meal while we wander over to take Mr. Ghost Puppet apart after this afternoon's matinee show and break the simple set back down into individual panels and pieces.
It's always sad for me to tear down the world you build for one of these shows, even if it's imaginary and the residents that live and die there are just actors. Fortunately we're spending a half hour making posed still photos of some of the scenes before it all evaporates into every ones' memories.
Photo postings to follow later...
Last night we had dinner with five friends over at Christies in Brunswick and attended the latest show at the Ritz Theater.
All and all a successful evening, I think.
This wasn't my favorite version of the script for "A Christmas Carol", the but Mayor Thompson did his usual good job as Scrooge and the kids danced and mumbled their way through the dialogue in good order with no awkward pauses or obvious missed lines.
The Ghost of Christmas Future Puppet came out pretty well, and I already have some ideas for using parts of it again in a future season in slightly modified form.
I guess now it's time to start my Pizza crust rising for the evening meal while we wander over to take Mr. Ghost Puppet apart after this afternoon's matinee show and break the simple set back down into individual panels and pieces.
It's always sad for me to tear down the world you build for one of these shows, even if it's imaginary and the residents that live and die there are just actors. Fortunately we're spending a half hour making posed still photos of some of the scenes before it all evaporates into every ones' memories.
Photo postings to follow later...
Monday, December 03, 2007
Back To The Real World
Building Fantasy...
Well, I reluctantly walked out of the Ritz Theater a little after 3 PM Sunday afternoon having turned over my set and giant puppet to the actors and stage crew.
I've done all I can do with it...the rest is up to them.
I think that I just might feel like the parent of a little first grader on the first day of school....I sure hope everything performs as expected.
On projects like this there are always things that you would have liked to have done or could have done differently in retrospect, but I think that I exceeded 90% of my own expectations and the cast was pretty impressed with the results of my efforts. I got the electronics installed just in time for a couple of trial runs and the strobe light eyes really make the scene effective and scary.
Now I have to buckle down and turn my attention back to my for-profit construction efforts with the arrival of the new windows and a few thousand pounds of unmixed concrete this week.
I wish that someone would volunteer to come over and help me for a few days for free...but that's not how the world works.
.
Well, I reluctantly walked out of the Ritz Theater a little after 3 PM Sunday afternoon having turned over my set and giant puppet to the actors and stage crew.
I've done all I can do with it...the rest is up to them.
I think that I just might feel like the parent of a little first grader on the first day of school....I sure hope everything performs as expected.
On projects like this there are always things that you would have liked to have done or could have done differently in retrospect, but I think that I exceeded 90% of my own expectations and the cast was pretty impressed with the results of my efforts. I got the electronics installed just in time for a couple of trial runs and the strobe light eyes really make the scene effective and scary.
Now I have to buckle down and turn my attention back to my for-profit construction efforts with the arrival of the new windows and a few thousand pounds of unmixed concrete this week.
I wish that someone would volunteer to come over and help me for a few days for free...but that's not how the world works.
.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
All The Math I Needed To Know
I Learned By The Ninth Grade...
From time to time in my public service career I have some interesting revelations and insights about teaching science and math to today's children.
Since I don't have any kids of my own, it is through my work with the theater and one of the local high schools which brings me into contact with the occasional rare student that asks the question: "how did you figure that out?"
In answering these little darlin's questions, of course I could as a matter of pride drag out my calculus books and differential equations textbook--all giant, dusty hardcover tomes with which my instructors tortured me while I was attempting to make my way through the first couple of years at Georgia Tech back in the late 1970's.
Instead, thus far I've resisted that urge and tried to keep things simple.
I usually just mention how I use a handheld calculator to solve simple little things like the Pythagorean Theorem and Sine/Cosine/Tangent functions that most college bound children learn in middle school.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure how far my attempts at putting a practical insight into the use of apparently mundane subjects goes when it comes to inspiring academic excellence, but I'm darn sure of how easy my ongoing mastery of those subjects makes my life on a day to day basis.
Tonight I'm working on the pre-planning for the final Ghost of Christmas Future fabrication later this morning, and in that process a working knowledge of basic geometry concepts are all that I need to lay out the shape of the "tether lanyard" that keeps Mr. Ghost Puppet from crashing down across Scrooge while "leaning down in the middle of his face with flashing red strobe light eyes." (you know what I mean here Rusty...)
I did have to cheat a little by employing some of my Sophomore year college Statics Structures class to fine tune the details, but the basic geometry was still the key to problem.
I really wish that our schools could employ more hands-on educational solutions instead of computer labs and diversity sermons--employing things like balsa wood, wooden dowels, or PVC pipe in lab sessions in order to demonstrate the usefulness of mathematics concepts. I'm building giant pyramids featured on football fields and humongous puppets seen on the theater stage using the exact same simple concepts.
At the same time, it would also be nice if they taught things like (real) economics, household budgeting, credit management, and how to balance a checkbook.
Is it just ME???
From time to time in my public service career I have some interesting revelations and insights about teaching science and math to today's children.
Since I don't have any kids of my own, it is through my work with the theater and one of the local high schools which brings me into contact with the occasional rare student that asks the question: "how did you figure that out?"
In answering these little darlin's questions, of course I could as a matter of pride drag out my calculus books and differential equations textbook--all giant, dusty hardcover tomes with which my instructors tortured me while I was attempting to make my way through the first couple of years at Georgia Tech back in the late 1970's.
Instead, thus far I've resisted that urge and tried to keep things simple.
I usually just mention how I use a handheld calculator to solve simple little things like the Pythagorean Theorem and Sine/Cosine/Tangent functions that most college bound children learn in middle school.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure how far my attempts at putting a practical insight into the use of apparently mundane subjects goes when it comes to inspiring academic excellence, but I'm darn sure of how easy my ongoing mastery of those subjects makes my life on a day to day basis.
Tonight I'm working on the pre-planning for the final Ghost of Christmas Future fabrication later this morning, and in that process a working knowledge of basic geometry concepts are all that I need to lay out the shape of the "tether lanyard" that keeps Mr. Ghost Puppet from crashing down across Scrooge while "leaning down in the middle of his face with flashing red strobe light eyes." (you know what I mean here Rusty...)
I did have to cheat a little by employing some of my Sophomore year college Statics Structures class to fine tune the details, but the basic geometry was still the key to problem.
I really wish that our schools could employ more hands-on educational solutions instead of computer labs and diversity sermons--employing things like balsa wood, wooden dowels, or PVC pipe in lab sessions in order to demonstrate the usefulness of mathematics concepts. I'm building giant pyramids featured on football fields and humongous puppets seen on the theater stage using the exact same simple concepts.
At the same time, it would also be nice if they taught things like (real) economics, household budgeting, credit management, and how to balance a checkbook.
Is it just ME???
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Do You Need A Hand With That?
I've Got A Few Extra...Hands that is...
At the risk of appearing to be pompous, I thought that I'd give everyone a look at the new HP computer and 22" widescreen monitor presently residing back in Pat's office.
(don't worry, it's not done yet...I'm just waiting for a secondary application of foam to set up so I can do some more carving.)
.
At the risk of appearing to be pompous, I thought that I'd give everyone a look at the new HP computer and 22" widescreen monitor presently residing back in Pat's office.
My "Ghost of Christmas Future" hands are also seen there wandering around testing out the keyboard at the moment.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid to go out into the Garage right now because this thing is lurking around in the shadows.
(don't worry, it's not done yet...I'm just waiting for a secondary application of foam to set up so I can do some more carving.)
.
Friday, November 30, 2007
New Hands Clapping
Head Stuck In A Vise...
I made a hasty visit to the theater for a couple of hours yesterday to do some work, and I took my new giant hands along with me to let them get used to the venue they'd be working in starting next Tuesday and to meet the theater staff.
In addition to putting a few finishing touches on the set, while we were there I also took the opportunity to introduce my giant hands to their new arms and spine.
Everyone got along just fabulously, although they came back home with me last night in order to help me with their giant skull head which is still in fabrication mode.
Currently this morning I'm glancing at my wristwatch every few minutes and tapping my foot on the floor (and drumming my giant wood and latex fingers on the table) while we're waiting on the second casting of Great Stuff expandable foam (four cans worth) to cure around the internal plywood support bracket so I can release my monstrosity from the 18" x 18" x 16" high cardboard box it currently resides within.
Today is a big day in the two week construction window with the fabrication of the separate copper toothed jaw in the morning and the carving and finishing of the balance of the skeletal head with a latex resin and fiber mesh material that arrived via UPS from New York City yesterday.
Then there is the final assembly of the electrical system with things like soldering of wires, heat shrink tubing, rechargable batteries, switches, strobe controller cirucits, and problems as yet to be discovered that always pop up at the last minute while trying to do good deeds.
You'll have to excuse me, because I've got to go check what's going on with my my head now (something that many readers have been saying that I should do for a few years.)
I made a hasty visit to the theater for a couple of hours yesterday to do some work, and I took my new giant hands along with me to let them get used to the venue they'd be working in starting next Tuesday and to meet the theater staff.
In addition to putting a few finishing touches on the set, while we were there I also took the opportunity to introduce my giant hands to their new arms and spine.
Everyone got along just fabulously, although they came back home with me last night in order to help me with their giant skull head which is still in fabrication mode.
Currently this morning I'm glancing at my wristwatch every few minutes and tapping my foot on the floor (and drumming my giant wood and latex fingers on the table) while we're waiting on the second casting of Great Stuff expandable foam (four cans worth) to cure around the internal plywood support bracket so I can release my monstrosity from the 18" x 18" x 16" high cardboard box it currently resides within.
Today is a big day in the two week construction window with the fabrication of the separate copper toothed jaw in the morning and the carving and finishing of the balance of the skeletal head with a latex resin and fiber mesh material that arrived via UPS from New York City yesterday.
Then there is the final assembly of the electrical system with things like soldering of wires, heat shrink tubing, rechargable batteries, switches, strobe controller cirucits, and problems as yet to be discovered that always pop up at the last minute while trying to do good deeds.
You'll have to excuse me, because I've got to go check what's going on with my my head now (something that many readers have been saying that I should do for a few years.)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Hands Take Shape
Larger Than Life...And Capable of Changing Channels
Here's a look at the goings on on my kitchen table recently (the remote control laying there is over 8" long):
Here's a look at the goings on on my kitchen table recently (the remote control laying there is over 8" long):
(click on the photo for a bigger view)
The hand in the foreground has a couple of coats of gauze and liquid latex already in place, and the one in the background gives you a glimpse of the 20 pieces of wooden dowel ranging in diameter from 3/8" to 7/8" that makes up the wired together "skeleton."
I've already got the head half cast out of expandable urethane foam and the electrical components (red strobe eyes and blue lighting for the inside of the mouth) are mocked up and working.
This thing is going to cause some kids to pee their pants if we're not careful.
I guess that I'm just a baaaaaaaaaddddddDDDDDD man.
I believe that I'll wear that description with honor.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Dickens Set Complete
Ghost Puppet Still In Skeletal Form...
Well, the good news is that I'm basically done with the sawdust phase of my Christmas set construction effort this year.
That is, of course, because the current project represents the simplest version of the three productions of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" that I've supported at Brunswick's Ritz Theater thus far.
Heather wanted a really simple backdrop this year because there are 29 kids and 1 adult in the cast and complex sets and gaggles of children generally don't mix in the theater business--particularly when the kids are all under the age of 12 years old.
My air compressor, pneumatic brad gun, and stapler made quick work of the thin plywood panels and wooden trim installation, and now I'm down to finish casting and detailing the foam Ghost Puppet of Christmas Future's head and wiring together it's giant dowel segmented hands.
Of course there is the little detail of installing the electrical wiring for the red strobe light eyes and green strobes in the mouth, but those are just last minute details that I have until the weekend to work out.
Tomorrow will see the foam casting process completed, followed by some shopping for final supplies as we begin the mad rush toward opening night on December 4th.
Then there has to be some Christmas shopping thrown in for good measure, but I've pretty well got the list figured out and it's just a matter of getting it into boxes and out on a UPS truck.
Hope y'all are all having as much fun as I'm having these days...
Well, the good news is that I'm basically done with the sawdust phase of my Christmas set construction effort this year.
That is, of course, because the current project represents the simplest version of the three productions of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" that I've supported at Brunswick's Ritz Theater thus far.
Heather wanted a really simple backdrop this year because there are 29 kids and 1 adult in the cast and complex sets and gaggles of children generally don't mix in the theater business--particularly when the kids are all under the age of 12 years old.
My air compressor, pneumatic brad gun, and stapler made quick work of the thin plywood panels and wooden trim installation, and now I'm down to finish casting and detailing the foam Ghost Puppet of Christmas Future's head and wiring together it's giant dowel segmented hands.
Of course there is the little detail of installing the electrical wiring for the red strobe light eyes and green strobes in the mouth, but those are just last minute details that I have until the weekend to work out.
Tomorrow will see the foam casting process completed, followed by some shopping for final supplies as we begin the mad rush toward opening night on December 4th.
Then there has to be some Christmas shopping thrown in for good measure, but I've pretty well got the list figured out and it's just a matter of getting it into boxes and out on a UPS truck.
Hope y'all are all having as much fun as I'm having these days...
Sunday, November 25, 2007
I'm A Theater Scab
Crossing The Picket Lines
It hadn't even occurred to me until reading the Internet News this morning that I might be accidentally breaking some kind of "Union Rules" via my involvement with the set construction over at the Ritz Theater this past week.
Should I be looking over my shoulder in downtown Brunswick for some of the "Stage Hands Union Thugs" skulking around in the shadows?
After all, I'm not a Union Member.
I'm not much of a fan of Unions either.
I understand why Unions have existed through history, but I also think that today most unions and most fervent union memberseat used kitty litter are dope smoking inbred morons are the equivalent of gangsters because they choose to hold a gun to the heads of their employers rather than work for a living and let market forces determine their pay scale and benefits.
Gone are the days when unions fought child labor abuses and deadly workplace conditions--now they want two months of paid "family leave" and six figure income for stock boys working at Wal Mart.
I've never been in a union and to me union mentality is the equivalent of college Fraternity mentality--mindless group think--with the emphasis being on "mental" and the underlying concept being the support of a bunch of otherwise useless and weak morons that can't hold a job and justify their pay without the threat from some outside force or "workplace action."
These latest strikes by the Screen Writers Guild and the Stage Hands crowd is a perfect example. What a bunch of useless overpaid losers. I guess that the Patchouli Vendors Association and the Cannabis Clothing and Furniture Covering Vendors of America Local #666 can't be far behind on the walk out list--then we're in real trouble
Way back in the early 1980's I had the pleasure of working as a the lead non-union employee for my manufacturing company doing the start up of a custom compressed air dryer installed in a paper mill in New Bern North Carolina.
New Bern was a beautiful idyllic town on the river tributary Atlantic coast region near the southern end of North Carolina's outer banks and Ocracoke island. I ended up spending several weeks there and the location was awesome to behold.
BUT...
the Weyerhauser Paper mill was staffed with inbred, slack jawed, mouth breathing UNION MEMBERS that couldn't get over the bad feelings that still lingered there from an extended strike which was finally broken by management in the mid 1970's.
They had separate bathrooms and break rooms for union and non-union employees.
They had pay phones and coke machines that you couldn't use unless you had a Union Card in you wallet.
All of this Bullshit from LIBERALS...DEMOCRATS by and large...the one in the same people that today criticise conservatives for being divisive and closed minded.
So any way, these highly paid UNION ASSHOLES couldn't understand why myself and my co-worker should be allowed to enter what they considered to be "Their Paper Mill" (although it was actually owned by the stockholders of Weyerhauser corporation) and be allowed to do electrical work and millwright work in support of our non-union Georgia employer.
Warranty work included in the base price of the equipment. Something like one hundred thousand dollars at the time.
I'm lucky to be here today writing this blog posting, because if it were up to at least one of the lovely UNION EMPLOYEES at that Weyerhauser Mill, I would be dead today because the individual thought it would be funny to reactivate the dedicated 480 volt three phase high amperage circuit breaker powering our equipment while we were away from the plant and if I hadn't elected to check the breaker before beginning work I would be dead Dead DEAD right now.
Of course this coincided with the Union writing a formal complaint stating that we were't electrical union members and therefore presented a hazard and were unsafe to work in the plant.
All I have to say is..."Screw those UNION ASSHOLES", because this home boy had enough sense to buy a couple of padlocks and change the circuit breaker at my company's expense in order to lock and tag off the power supply in order to preventtheir predicted accident premeditated Murder.
All of that crap over "employment issues"
Imagine that?
.
It hadn't even occurred to me until reading the Internet News this morning that I might be accidentally breaking some kind of "Union Rules" via my involvement with the set construction over at the Ritz Theater this past week.
Should I be looking over my shoulder in downtown Brunswick for some of the "Stage Hands Union Thugs" skulking around in the shadows?
After all, I'm not a Union Member.
I'm not much of a fan of Unions either.
I understand why Unions have existed through history, but I also think that today most unions and most fervent union members
Gone are the days when unions fought child labor abuses and deadly workplace conditions--now they want two months of paid "family leave" and six figure income for stock boys working at Wal Mart.
I've never been in a union and to me union mentality is the equivalent of college Fraternity mentality--mindless group think--with the emphasis being on "mental" and the underlying concept being the support of a bunch of otherwise useless and weak morons that can't hold a job and justify their pay without the threat from some outside force or "workplace action."
These latest strikes by the Screen Writers Guild and the Stage Hands crowd is a perfect example. What a bunch of useless overpaid losers. I guess that the Patchouli Vendors Association and the Cannabis Clothing and Furniture Covering Vendors of America Local #666 can't be far behind on the walk out list--then we're in real trouble
Way back in the early 1980's I had the pleasure of working as a the lead non-union employee for my manufacturing company doing the start up of a custom compressed air dryer installed in a paper mill in New Bern North Carolina.
New Bern was a beautiful idyllic town on the river tributary Atlantic coast region near the southern end of North Carolina's outer banks and Ocracoke island. I ended up spending several weeks there and the location was awesome to behold.
BUT...
the Weyerhauser Paper mill was staffed with inbred, slack jawed, mouth breathing UNION MEMBERS that couldn't get over the bad feelings that still lingered there from an extended strike which was finally broken by management in the mid 1970's.
They had separate bathrooms and break rooms for union and non-union employees.
They had pay phones and coke machines that you couldn't use unless you had a Union Card in you wallet.
All of this Bullshit from LIBERALS...DEMOCRATS by and large...the one in the same people that today criticise conservatives for being divisive and closed minded.
So any way, these highly paid UNION ASSHOLES couldn't understand why myself and my co-worker should be allowed to enter what they considered to be "Their Paper Mill" (although it was actually owned by the stockholders of Weyerhauser corporation) and be allowed to do electrical work and millwright work in support of our non-union Georgia employer.
Warranty work included in the base price of the equipment. Something like one hundred thousand dollars at the time.
I'm lucky to be here today writing this blog posting, because if it were up to at least one of the lovely UNION EMPLOYEES at that Weyerhauser Mill, I would be dead today because the individual thought it would be funny to reactivate the dedicated 480 volt three phase high amperage circuit breaker powering our equipment while we were away from the plant and if I hadn't elected to check the breaker before beginning work I would be dead Dead DEAD right now.
Of course this coincided with the Union writing a formal complaint stating that we were't electrical union members and therefore presented a hazard and were unsafe to work in the plant.
All I have to say is..."Screw those UNION ASSHOLES", because this home boy had enough sense to buy a couple of padlocks and change the circuit breaker at my company's expense in order to lock and tag off the power supply in order to prevent
All of that crap over "employment issues"
Imagine that?
.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Burp
Kitchen Clean...Coma Over With
I was awakened this morning from my lethargic daze about eleven by Heather at the Theater calling me on the telephone. It seems that I'm needed on the stage today with power tools in hand, so me and the PVC framework of the Ghost Puppet are heading over for a few hours of sawdust and hammering/nailing.
Actually, there's very little hammering because everything that isn't secured with a portable screw gun is connected with staples or brads using my new Craftsman air compressor and the appropriate pneumatic gun. I love moving my construction efforts from the dark ages into the 21st century in a single 12 month period of time. All it takes is money...
I'm proud to report that my epic cooking saga yielded a Thanksgiving dinner which was deemed a success, and surprisingly the Oysters Rockefeller and Prosciutto wrapped Sea Scallop appetizers were the biggest hit. I couldn't believe that I was able to get a dozen decent oysters at Harris Teeter for $2.99, especially since our local oysters are inedible because of industrial pollution and everything has to be shipped over here from the Florida Gulf coast.
So I'm off to Ace Hardware for a couple of items, then I stumble around and sweat over the final backdrop panel assembly before mounting Mr. Ghost Puppet's framework and fine tuning it's shape a little.
Watch your toes if you are going to the mall.
.
I was awakened this morning from my lethargic daze about eleven by Heather at the Theater calling me on the telephone. It seems that I'm needed on the stage today with power tools in hand, so me and the PVC framework of the Ghost Puppet are heading over for a few hours of sawdust and hammering/nailing.
Actually, there's very little hammering because everything that isn't secured with a portable screw gun is connected with staples or brads using my new Craftsman air compressor and the appropriate pneumatic gun. I love moving my construction efforts from the dark ages into the 21st century in a single 12 month period of time. All it takes is money...
I'm proud to report that my epic cooking saga yielded a Thanksgiving dinner which was deemed a success, and surprisingly the Oysters Rockefeller and Prosciutto wrapped Sea Scallop appetizers were the biggest hit. I couldn't believe that I was able to get a dozen decent oysters at Harris Teeter for $2.99, especially since our local oysters are inedible because of industrial pollution and everything has to be shipped over here from the Florida Gulf coast.
So I'm off to Ace Hardware for a couple of items, then I stumble around and sweat over the final backdrop panel assembly before mounting Mr. Ghost Puppet's framework and fine tuning it's shape a little.
Watch your toes if you are going to the mall.
.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
I'm Busting My Skull
Designing Theater Set Parts...That Is
As of Monday morning at 10:30 AM I was in full construction mode building this year's rendition of my idea for the Set of Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" opening down at Brunswick's Ritz Theater begining December 4th.
The stage decking is in place and I'm now working on the plywood backdrop panels, along with my first theatrical puppet.
Here's my inspiration for what "The Ghost of Christmas Future's" head is going to look like:
As of Monday morning at 10:30 AM I was in full construction mode building this year's rendition of my idea for the Set of Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" opening down at Brunswick's Ritz Theater begining December 4th.
The stage decking is in place and I'm now working on the plywood backdrop panels, along with my first theatrical puppet.
Here's my inspiration for what "The Ghost of Christmas Future's" head is going to look like:
I found it over here at this site.
My version of this skull will be about 18" high, 15" wide, and 16" deep with an articulated jaw and it will sit on top of a 12' high body with a 10' arm span.
The current plan is for it to appear on stage from behind Scrooge's bed, do it's scene with sound effects (including glowing LED eyes) but no spoken lines, then disappear the same way it came in.
Needless to say I'm...
B U S Y ! ! !
.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Marley's London...
Haven't I Been Here Before?
I swore that I was going to write something glib and compelling (or boorish and infuriating--depending on your political leanings) this evening, but I can't get my mind off my new theater set project.
I've had the privilege of designing and building the set for Brunswick's Ritz Theater's annual Christmas production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" for three years running now.
Working with Heather and Rob and the rest of theater staff is a pleasure, and they always do an excellent job with the casting and end up putting on a wonderful series of shows seen by about three thousand people over the short production run each year.
Two seasons ago I was challenged with building a set that was entirely contained within a giant trunk or "treasure chest" that could be opened up to reveal it's contents during the play.
Here's the set in the closed position with the members of the Cast presenting the Giant Key in preparation of opening it up:
and here it is opened up:
Last season's show was a more traditional production only requiring storefront scenes and Scrooge's bedroom, so here's what Heather and I came up with (we went tall and wide as you can see):
(that's my buddy Brunswick Mayor Brian Thompson there center stage left playing Scrooge)
Now this year's show presents yet another entirely new challenge, with a minimalistic set designed again for Mayor Thompson's portrayal of Scrooge, with the balance of the cast being pre-teen aged actors.
The coolest part of this set will be the design of a giant eerie "Ghost of Christmas Future" puppet with illuminated eyes, a throbbing red heart, and glowing ribs and hands.
Needless to say it's right up my alley, and my mind is racing over the possibilities. I'll be at Radio Shack as soon as it opens tomorrow morning to start looking at electronic doo-dads to include in my design.
Wish me luck, if you will...
I swore that I was going to write something glib and compelling (or boorish and infuriating--depending on your political leanings) this evening, but I can't get my mind off my new theater set project.
I've had the privilege of designing and building the set for Brunswick's Ritz Theater's annual Christmas production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" for three years running now.
Working with Heather and Rob and the rest of theater staff is a pleasure, and they always do an excellent job with the casting and end up putting on a wonderful series of shows seen by about three thousand people over the short production run each year.
Two seasons ago I was challenged with building a set that was entirely contained within a giant trunk or "treasure chest" that could be opened up to reveal it's contents during the play.
Here's the set in the closed position with the members of the Cast presenting the Giant Key in preparation of opening it up:
and here it is opened up:
Last season's show was a more traditional production only requiring storefront scenes and Scrooge's bedroom, so here's what Heather and I came up with (we went tall and wide as you can see):
(that's my buddy Brunswick Mayor Brian Thompson there center stage left playing Scrooge)
Now this year's show presents yet another entirely new challenge, with a minimalistic set designed again for Mayor Thompson's portrayal of Scrooge, with the balance of the cast being pre-teen aged actors.
The coolest part of this set will be the design of a giant eerie "Ghost of Christmas Future" puppet with illuminated eyes, a throbbing red heart, and glowing ribs and hands.
Needless to say it's right up my alley, and my mind is racing over the possibilities. I'll be at Radio Shack as soon as it opens tomorrow morning to start looking at electronic doo-dads to include in my design.
Wish me luck, if you will...
Monday, October 01, 2007
Miss Moneypenny Gonna Miss Work
Sean Connery & Roger Moore Lost A Great Love Interest...
I'm sad to report that Q's secretary, Miss Moneypenny, passed away yesterday:
The James Bond movies have never been quite the same in the past few years for all of us older fans, and now it will be even harder to recapture the glory days.
I'm sad to report that Q's secretary, Miss Moneypenny, passed away yesterday:
The James Bond movies have never been quite the same in the past few years for all of us older fans, and now it will be even harder to recapture the glory days.
