tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73007303188894051782024-02-08T11:29:54.142-05:00Fleeting HistoryMister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-66547943308244603582013-07-11T19:03:00.000-04:002013-07-11T19:03:02.958-04:00Up In The Sky! It's Your Friendly Neighborhood... The Long Awaited Recap of My NYCC 2012 ExperienceWarning Gang!!!! This one's a doozie!<br />
<br />
<br />
If 2011's one day was a culture shock (it was! but awesome!! ) Than the four days I committed to NYCC 2012 was full immersion -- and at one point when Kevin Bacon was at the DC Comics booth I WAS fully immersed in people gridlocking the aisle, with NYCC staff trying to yank me by the collar or sleeve in the opposite direction I was heading just to break up the human wall. Fortunately I won out after explaining I was the sole person they were trying to open the egress for!!<br />
<br />
The shuttle busses, new last year, started AFTER the show, and for whatever reason MTA busses weren't cycling when I exited Grand Central Terminal to 42nd St. so I hooved it, until such a time I missed my turn and wound up an equal number of blocks in the opposite direction, so I arrived at the Jacob Javits Center 45 minutes later than I intended. No matter. I grabbed a sausage from a vending cart and after the last bite, went inside.<br />
<br />
At the entrance were building block constructs of fantastical subjects:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262313525/" title="World Of Warcraft by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/9262313525_9296936585.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="World Of Warcraft"></a><br />
<br />
While I never got into them at the time, I recognize the significance of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262313677/" title="Mighty Morphin Power Rangers by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/9262313677_b8aa5b8c89.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"></a><br />
<br />
Lego Hulk, while it stood as tall as many people, I think it's still scaled down ;)<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262313889/" title="Lego Hulk by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5476/9262313889_58b56ff389.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Lego Hulk"></a><br />
<br />
For 2012, I was a lot more interactive with the show. I attended a slew of panels over the four days, beginning Thursday evening with a panel discussing power and sexuality in comics. The first half dealt with Mexican comics and class portrayal (each social class having been imbued with a level of power) the second half dealt with Marvel Comics' portrayal of its heroines and the inverse of power to sexuality: overly simplifying the wonderful essay sexy superheroines are shown to not be powerfully strong unless they become less feminine. Carol Danvers, in her skimpy black Ms. Marvel costume, while still quite powerful was portrayed as having less power than in her Binary phase. She-Hulk was another example. I'd love to provide a link, but I don't know if the essay has been published or if it's online.<br />
<br />
After that panel, I finished my circuit around the show floor and branched off into other areas of the show before closing.<br />
<br />
Friday morning I again got a slightly delayed start, and was overwhelmed by the amount of people funneling through the doors. <br />
<br />
I had a mission on Friday. I wanted to attend six panels. I made it to the first panel room with fifteen minutes to spare, and saw a line waiting. I overheard someone complaining about the long wait for the IGN Theater presentations and rethought my strategy. I abandoned my plans for the first panel and headed right for Marvel's All New X-Men panel on the opposite end of the floor, getting a spot sixth in line. I only had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for the doors to open. No problem, I've waited nine hours for a plane departure and thirteen for a train that never came. This wait was cake, and there were fellow fans to talk with. During that time, I bobbed over to the hot dog vendor fifteen feet away and ordered lunch.<br />
<br />
"Can you break large bills?" I asked, realizing that's all I had left.<br />
<br />
"Honey have you seen our prices?" the cashier joked, "Of course we can." Hey It's New York. I learned very young everything costs more, it's a way of life.<br />
<br />
The panel was all I hoped and more. About halfway through Axel Alonso asks if anyone in the audience was wearing an X-Men costume, with no immediate answer, "Anyone wearing an X-Men t-shirt?" I jumped from my front row seat as someone far behind me yelled "Cyclops was right!" So Axel invited that dude to the stage to read a fresh off the press, not even bound proof of "All New X-Men #1" that arrived in the Marvel office just three days prior and then told me I would get to read it next. (I had to wait a whole month after for the issue to hit my local comic shop shelf) It was an awesome opportunity on what coincidentally was my birthday weekend. I can say I shared the stage with some of the X-Men scribes. There indeed was an X-Men costumed audience member, dressed as Emma Frost, who also got to preview the issue. She wasn't immediately seen behind one of the huge columns.<br />
<br />
The next panel followed immediately after in the same room, another Marvel panel discussing the Re-evolution line of titles and Marvel NOW. <br />
<br />
I spent most of Friday on the lower level of the Javits, as that's where the panels were held. the next panel I wanted to attend was the Marvel Prose Novel discussion. Beginning when I was in college, Byron Price began publishing paperbacks featuring Marvel's heroes & villains (which continued through BP books until the early 2000s). I enjoyed these novels as it broke the characters out of certain constraints. The length of a novel vs a comic allows for depth and a greater level of humanity to be added to the characters, so I was excited to hear more novels would be published, totaling four, all adaptations of popular arcs published in comic form. When it came time for questions from the audience I mentioned how I enjoyed the older paperbacks, to which Peter David expressed his gratitude with the well known arm movement and "Yes!" as if he'd just gotten a strike in bowling and I asked if there were plans for any others to follow. that of course depended upon the sales of these recent four.<br />
<br />
Dinner came next and then the Friday night costume contest. Cosplay at NYCC ranges from simple budget to highly thought out, and cosplayers themselves come from all walks of life, even this Flash Labrador.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262773051/" title="Flash Labrador by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5479/9262773051_0f8d6079eb.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Flash Labrador"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262773223/" title="Untitled by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7330/9262773223_628b368839.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262773413/" title="Friday Night's Costume Contest Winners by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7457/9262773413_74e98a5d54.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Friday Night's Costume Contest Winners"></a><br />
<br />
Even though it was getting late, there was still a lot to see. One of my favorite displays was the building blocks<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262773595/" title="The Justice League Building by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/9262773595_bc649a85ab.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="The Justice League Building"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262773761/" title="X-Men Battle Sentinels by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5468/9262773761_ba28bb3383.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="X-Men Battle Sentinels"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9262773899/" title="At-Ats by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2833/9262773899_8e577782a5.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="At-Ats"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265607066/" title="Hulk Smash! by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7447/9265607066_47a9ff630b.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Hulk Smash!"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265607260/" title="Stronger Than A Locomotive by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3667/9265607260_f685832110.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Stronger Than A Locomotive"></a><br />
<br />
At Nine PM was "The Psychology of Cosplay" panel. It was quite popular and its line wrapped around itself three times. I may have been close to the front but I still had difficulty finding a seat. Before long it was standing room only, and it ran over. I left before I wanted to because I was dictated by the Metro North train schedule and needed to make the last train home from Grand Central. (Four round trips on the train are still cheaper than one night in a Manhattan hotel.)<br />
<br />
Saturday morning came all too quickly after such a late night Friday. Saturday is THE day if you can only make one of the four. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265812966/" title="Ewok Attacks Stormtrooper by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/9265812966_68ddceb500.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Ewok Attacks Stormtrooper"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265813110/" title="Obi Wan by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7410/9265813110_40fc1624d6.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Obi Wan"></a><br />
<br />
I had a mission this day too. The Facebook cosplay group East Coast Avengers put out a general call for area cosplayers and photographers alike for a group shot. Once everyone had arrived and the agreed upon time reached their Captain America yelled "East Coast Avengers...ASSEMBLE!" in a voice which resonated throughout the building. My heart swelled with pride, I was an assembling photog, and imagined I was feeling what heroes like Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, Falcon, Wasp, and so many others must feel. <br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265813196/" title="East Coast Avengers Assemble! by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/9265813196_4113d1fe00.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="East Coast Avengers Assemble!"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265813336/" title="All In Group Shot by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5454/9265813336_3a34f2fbe8.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="All In Group Shot"></a><br />
From the group photo, and various related poses, we all went en masse to the Marvel booth for the Marvel Costume Contest. Lots of True Believers made wonderful costumes.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265813450/" title="Gambit by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3751/9265813450_fda498653e.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Gambit"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9265813562/" title="Ghost Rider by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/9265813562_e8440b96b7.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Ghost Rider"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9263085591/" title="Hobgoblin vs War Machine by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7427/9263085591_69da9351cc.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Hobgoblin vs War Machine"></a><br />
Everyone present figured this was the first time Hobgoblin and War Machine met up. (Wonder if Jameson at The Daily Bugle is interested in my photo...)<br />
<br />
The Marvel NOW Avengers panel came next followed shortly after by the Writers Room, featuring well known scribes Grant Morrison, Brian K Vaughn and I think Jonathan Hickman (sorry memory fails! ). Now I wasn't found of Mr. Morrison for what he did in X-Men in 2001 but my opinion of him totally changed from the start of discussion. It was refreshing to learn as an amateur writer that they as professionals go through the same things I do during the writing process and they even shared a technique for me to use when the story isn't progressing forward.<br />
<br />
Dinner followed and so did the shuttle bus back to Grand Central.<br />
<br />
Sunday morning I discovered I was thoroughly exhausted but I still dragged my sore carcass to the train station for one last day once again arriving just in time to get in line for the panel I wanted to attend. (Cool thing here was my outlining one of my own tales in margins of my show souvenir book while waiting in line). <br />
<br />
Following the "Women of Marvel" panel, also quite full I'll add -- one in the audience was dressed as Captain America with "Coulson Lives" written on the back of the helmet, foreshadowing long ahead of time Cheese's revival in the upcoming series "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." -- well after the panel was lunch and another cycle around the show floor before closing the place down in the early afternoon. Four very active days and I still didn't see the whole show, but that was my choice, I could have done so.<br />
<br />
I'll leave this recount with pics of two of my faves from Sunday. Deadpool in the Uncanny X-Force costume and Harley Quinn as Bat Girl. One of the things I enjoy about the cons is when cosplayers mingle, creating unorthodox match-ups across publishing lines, genres or realities.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9263259851/" title="Harley Quinn as Bat Girl by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5456/9263259851_5af399077c.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Harley Quinn as Bat Girl"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/9263259943/" title="Uncanny X-Force Deadpool by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3774/9263259943_dbb054f7e8.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Uncanny X-Force Deadpool"></a><br />
Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-79519104606008222172013-06-08T20:11:00.001-04:002013-06-08T20:11:42.367-04:00The Beauty Of NewtownA lot has happened since my last entry and it's taken me some time to get my thoughts on this particular topic in order. The trouble is; I'm caught in the middle of both sides of the so-called gun issue. On the one side, I'm all about not allowing my nation's government to curb, abridge or even remove any of my civil liberties nor my inalienable rights. I also work for a law enforcement agency and was even taught some basic hand gun safety growing up. I know full-well guns in the hands of responsible people are safe.<br />
<br />
But also, the tragedy of December 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School, while geographically close to my home is also emotionally close to my home as well. In addition to an old school mate of mine's friends losing their beloved daughter, the son of a fellow train club member of mine lost three of his friends (the son is a student at a different Newtown elementary school and was not in physical danger that day). Additionally, another friend of mine, from when I used to be a railroad brakeman, lives within walking distance of Sandy Hook Elementary. So you see it's been rough for me to find my perspective and even as I write this, I don't have my thoughts firmed up, I'm certain I never will. It's a heartbreak and in my experience, heartbreak doesn't heal well -- it may never.<br />
<br />
The tragic part of it is not being able to punish the wrong doer. He not only stole 26 lives, 20 of which never got the chance to experience the wonderament of life -- those little moments of awe one notices as they mature and progress through adulthood. They're denied the splendor of a rainbow, the unspoken bond between scion and parent over hunting or fishing or hiking, etc., and we're denied a culpable fall guy to avenge their lives.<br />
<br />
But what's sadder is the lobbying that swelled out of control with the aim (no pun intended) to tighten gun control laws to be even stricter. The tragic fact of nearly every school and workplace shooting is the killer finds his or her way around the laws.<br />
<br />
Lastly, Newtown affects me one other way:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/numsom/264449918/" title="P&W CT-2x at Newtown Station by open strings, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/105/264449918_41482c1ef2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="P&W CT-2x at Newtown Station"></a><br />
Here's some of my favorite things in this image:<br />
- a train (one I handled when it was being loaded at the stone quarry earlier that day)<br />
- the red building is the former Newtown, CT, passenger station, now home to Cave Comics and Burgerittoville. At New York Comic Con in 2012 the person sitting next to me during the Marvel X-Men panel said it best "there's nothing better than going to Cave Comics and reading your new issues while eating a Burgeritto."<br />
<br />
What's Burgerittoville? It's a restaurant that specializes in hamburgers wrapped in a soft tortilla shell instead of on a bun. A ham<b>burger</b> bur<b>itto</b> if you will. (I'm overdue for another visit myself)<br />
<br />
And finally, what you don't see in this picture are the seven friends also photographing this rare event of a train on this stretch of railroad in daylight.<br />
<br />
Newtown, CT, is one of those quiet, unassuming stereotypical small towns everyone experiences nostalgia over, not to mention everything it holds dear for me.<br />
<br />
Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-51782853199909650972012-12-14T10:20:00.002-05:002012-12-14T10:20:21.740-05:00How About Some Retooling?So, you've read the earlier post regarding a potential reality show I wrote about. Well, at work the other evening I devised what I initially thought was a new premise until I began ruminating verbosely about it to my coworkers.<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, American Idol has run its course. Really. Basically, people watch it for the train wreck of those who audition and aren't chosen for Hollywood. So I surmised taking all of the reality shows out there: American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, America's Got Talent, etc. etc. You'll have a great judges pool to boot. That'll also give you plenty of sensational spectacles to laugh/cringe at/with/for.<br />
<br />
Then it dawned on me...<br />
<br />
That's "The Gong Show"<br />
<br />
Then I figured someone could just bring that back (again) and I realized, today's viewing audience doesn't exactly relate to Chuck Barris, so I figured I'd concede to letting Ryan Seacrest host it. Obviously, this is probably just another pipe dream and if it actually does take off, I won't get any monetary compensation anyway...but it'd be cool if I did.<br />
<br />
Anyway, what do I know?Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-36088186318146394592012-08-29T15:51:00.003-04:002012-08-29T15:51:59.214-04:00Beautiful Tranquility<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889171644/" title="The Light Of God by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7889171644_f6fb035ed7_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="The Light Of God"></a><br />
If ever a fictional place came to life out of a book or movie, it would be Letchworth State Park.<br />
<br />
I first visited Letchworth over Labor Day weekend in 2009 and immediately fell in love with the place. If I were to marry again, I'd wish the ceremony and associated photographs to be in the park. Additionally, upon my death, whenever that my be, I wish my ashes be dispersed in the park (if possible). I've not been anywhere else as peaceful and beautiful as Letchworth. More often than not, "Wow" escaped my lips compelled by the sheer natural wonder of nature's creation, respectfully adapted by a thoughtful mankind.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889147354/" title="The Footbridge by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7889147354_112791813e_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="The Footbridge"></a><br />
Upon glimpsing the footbridge from high above peeking out from behind tree branches, I sought out the path which would bring me down to it.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889159304/" title="From the Cathedral by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8298/7889159304_aa3141fa9f_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="From the Cathedral"></a><br />
At nearly every turn, there's a breathtaking view in the park<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889184410/" title="big sweeping Bend by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7889184410_c555db2a86_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="big sweeping Bend"></a><br />
But the real reason I ever ventured to Letchworth to begin with was for scenic train photographs. In 2009, I fell short of discovering a spot in the park and dedicated nearly two and a half hours this trip searching for it with a great success. Nature and the railroad cooperated for a brief wait and well-lit results<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889196384/" title="CP on Portageville Trestle by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8178/7889196384_382ab6c2d5_n.jpg" width="214" height="320" alt="CP on Portageville Trestle"></a><br />
Upon returning to the Upper Falls area, located under the railroad trestle, I stumbled upon an unexpected surprise<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889208882/" title="Catwoman by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/7889208882_29d0d8c9f1_n.jpg" width="214" height="320" alt="Catwoman"></a><br />
Catwoman was awaiting bicyclists who were on a fundraising ride, rather ironic considering the previous weekend I spent all of Saturday at a local comics convention.<br />
I didn't know which section of the park to stay in!!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7889248384/" title="Eastbound NS train On Portageville Trestle by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8312/7889248384_961b7128ae_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="Eastbound NS train On Portageville Trestle"></a><br />
As with the last time, I enjoyed my visit to the park, and already want to go back there again.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-39184688575648384542012-08-19T19:53:00.001-04:002012-08-21T09:41:06.557-04:003rd Annual ComiCONNSo it's been another year since the last "Show For The Fans By The Fans" and I must say, third time's the charm so far. In the Spring it seemed ComiCONN was battling against the odds, coming off of a bout against Hurricane Irene in 2011 and appropriate venues seemingly non-existant.<br />
<br />
<br />
Well, the Trumbull, CT, Marriot stepped up to the challenge and a date was set for the Third Annual ComiCONN.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7818972194/" title="Larger Than Life Mural by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7818972194_62e4fb1ca0_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="Larger Than Life Mural"></a><br />
World reknown artists and writers attended the show on August 18, 2012 and likely helped to contribute to the overwhelmingly unexpected crowd which pushed the limits of local fire codes, and caused the cosplayers to move outside for the public photo sessions (an improvement in my opinion, especially once the weather improved). <br />
<br />
I bought a few prints, got some comics autographed, and took nearly 300 images of costumed heroes and villains from home-made to near professional level. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7818986250/" title="Stay Puff by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8297/7818986250_59490b14ee_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="Stay Puff "></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7819066862/" title="Anime Had A Bigger Presence by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8427/7819066862_9bcc57ea7c_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="Anime Had A Bigger Presence"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7819052800/" title="Gargoyles by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8294/7819052800_e4bc6743e9_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="Gargoyles"></a><br />
One group in particular touted nearly three dozen cosplayers and was very impressive.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7819080124/" title="Hero Army Assembled by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7819080124_ffc4c06ae0_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="Hero Army Assembled"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7819094208/" title="Interior Group Photo Session by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7110/7819094208_4d0a40802f_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="Interior Group Photo Session"></a><br />
Harley Quinn, Deadpool and, my personal favorite, Lady Deadpool personified their characters as if they'd jumped right off of the page. Even the Tony Stark in glowing Iron Man armor (with shades and carrying his headpiece) was true to his character (right down to the numerous heroines hanging off of him throughout the afternoon) and he could turn right around and relate to a little kid with ease. They were a great group, as you can see.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/7819027248/" title="Avengers Assemble by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8282/7819027248_e6d22d82c5_n.jpg" width="320" height="214" alt="Avengers Assemble"></a><br />
Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-45405327154494688562012-06-07T10:53:00.000-04:002012-06-07T10:53:33.376-04:00Bizarro ShowPeople, as a rule, don't like performance art. No one goes to a concert to watch an avant garde performer act weird. One purposesly CHOOSES to go to a theatre to willingly watch performance art. There's nothing wrong with that, and I'm fully in support of it. Had I more money, I'd support the arts. Alas, I can't, other than the occasional motion picture, audio compilation (cd or record), concert, or musical theatre. I'd go to a play also, but again, no money means no attendance. Oh, and I forgot books. Books I can do. I can read between calls for help at work, but I'm getting off topic. <br />
<br />
My mind was wandering the other day while in the bathroom, and that's how I devised my opening lines. I imagined one's typical band of popular musicians (be they country, rock, pop, rap, or whatever genre one enjoys) putting on an enjoyable show for its fans, then suddenly doing something so unorthodox as standing on stage silent for 23 minutes (there's a recorded piece whose title I forget but it's just that. The composition requires the performers to rest for such a duration) or something as avant garde as pretending to be swans in front of rear projected footage of something totally unrelated showing on a screen behind them, then picking up their instruments again and suddenly they're a genre band again. Yeah, I'm scary like that. Just listen to my mp3 player...Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-66714352736475332582012-05-30T16:44:00.001-04:002012-05-30T16:44:14.057-04:00Any Moment My Wall Will Be Gone And a Dude Will Have Fallen Through My CeilingLet me quickly set the scene, as I'm usually too long winded for my own good -- not that I'm complaining...<br />
<br />
So, there's eight units in my condominium building, four per floor, two each per floor per front and back. The lower back unit behind my upper front one caught fire in January 2012, casuing me much consternation and a continuing lack of securital sense at home since.<br />
<br />
Following the fire, my downstairs neighbors, those immediately below my unit, underwent partial renovation from water damage caused by an incident in December 2011 (their walls being open to expose the studs helped extinguish the fire handily). Now, I work overnights; since I've never been a morning person, the workload is much more to my capabilities, and it's the furthest away from a co-worker who, at the time, I was experiencing friction with.<br />
<br />
Renovation and sleep are more combustible than me and that co-worker ever were.<br />
<br />
I made it through the downstairs remodelling relatively unscathed as it was a lot of drywall finishing; that is some pneumatic nail gunning and/or screw gun work. There was some hammering, but for the most part I chose to stay at home and try to sleep through it.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to the end of April 2012 and work to rebuild the two fire damaged units immediately behind me (top and bottom floors) began in earnest. Rather more specifically, the one top floor immediately behind me. I almost wonder if it were to be better homeless than the contractors cutting everything out with a saws-all and scabbing in replacement framework.<br />
<br />
Okay, wishing one's self homeless is not good karma, but it's so frustrating (not to mention insanity invoking) to hear the rafters vibrate above me, forty feet away from where they're cutting (or ARE they on the other side of my ceiling after all...?).<br />
<br />
The thumping of thge nail gun, the thrum of the air compressor, the radio and even the dude singing along with such are all quite tolerable and I've proven already I can sleep through that. In fact, I've come to find great irrational reassurance the guys are there working while I sleep because if something else catastrophic were to occur, they're awake to rouse me for an evacuation. But the saws-all and the sledgehammer banging have gotten to become more than I can stand. It's as if any minute they'll cut through my wall or one of them will fall through my ceiling while I try to sleep. Not to mention, the other night my downstairs neighbor, immediately below me, revealed a crucial truss was deemed of questionable condition as a result of the fire. Had it needed to be replaced, I would be staying someplace else, my cats would be either in a shelter of some foster home, and my place would be a bigger wreck than it already is with no ceiling or walls of its own. I'm at my wits end.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-55738025426163649512012-04-14T16:30:00.009-04:002012-04-14T17:46:40.239-04:00Titanic Railroad????<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/numsom/889345289/" title="CV 4559-4924-4923 Palmer diamond 9-3-1989 by open strings, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1354/889345289_0fe59ce2cc_n.jpg" width="320" height="215" alt="CV 4559-4924-4923 Palmer diamond 9-3-1989"></a><br />What, pray tell, does a photo of a train have to do with the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic?<br /><br />Actually, more than one might think. I refer you to Larry Lowenthal's "Titanic Railroad:The Southern New England" (Marker Press Brimfield, MA 1998) for the full story, but to briefly summarize, Charles Melville Hays was the driving figurehead of the Grand Trunk Railroad. At the height of the JP Morgan/Charles Mellen reign of forming a monopolistic transportation system in the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad, Hays was aiming for his own route in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to compete with what was basically the only other railroad in region. (The relatively tiny Central Vermont Railway running north to south from New London, CT to St Albans, VT, was a Grand Trunk RR affiliation). Hays proposed "Southern New England RR" would have run from a port at Providence, RI, to the Central Vermont yard in Palmer, MA (where the above photo was taken on September 3, 1989).<br /><br />Hays was a passenger aboard the Titanic returning from Europe following another trip to garner support and potential funding for the SNE construction. We all know the outcome of Titanic, and Hays was among the majority who perished. In spite of this, construction commenced on the SNE in fits and starts unitl finally ending altogether in 1915, leaving graded right-of-ways and unadorned concrete piers awaiting bridges and rails which will never come.<br /><br />How would the rail scene be different had Titanic not sunk? Perhaps today's Providence & Worcester Railroad might have a competitior between Providence, RI, and Central Massachusetts in the New England Central RR (successor of Central Vermont which was sold out of the GT parent Canadian National family in the mid 1990s) instead of an interchange partner at Willimantic, CT, numerous miles out of the way. Perhaps, as history has shown, the SNE would have become just what it is: an abandooned railroad grade through having succumbed as much of the NYNH&H superlative secondary lines throughout the region due to that area's slowly eroding economy. <br /><br />To this day, 100 years later, concrete monoliths and other telltale features can still be located if one cares to look hard enough. I myself will make the adventure sometime in the future, though I don't know when, but at least when the leaves aren't in the way. <br /><br />The SNE lives on, however, in its mystique but also at least in one model railroad form, documented in Model Railroader magazine.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-19546610632709170722012-03-01T07:43:00.003-05:002012-04-21T21:21:33.919-04:00My Almost Two Encounters With Davy JonesWhile I was enrolled as a student in Pennsylvania's Susquehanna University, Davy Jones, of The Monkees owned a farm in the geographical area and was spotted numerous times downtown by fellow students of mine. <br /><br />I never got to meet him.<br /><br />I came close -- twice -- each time missing him by one day. The first time was early in my college years and he was enjoying dinner at a popular local restaurant the night before I ate there myself. You guessed it, later in my college years, he ate at this very same restaurant the night AFTER I had.<br /><br />Now this is only relevant because I've been an avid fan of The Monkees from gaining sentience (which coincidentally falls around their 10th anniversary of 1976, not the MTV catapulted 20th anniversary in 1986) when Boston's channel 56 ran The Monkees tv series in early afternoons back to back with the Banana Splits. Fortunately, my inability to ever meet Davy had no negative effect upon my meeting his fellow bandmates Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz closer to home.<br /><br />Thanks for all of the wonderful music (some of the album tracks are better than the singles) and for the wonderful memories (everybody remembers the Brady Bunch appearance, does anyone remember the Scooby Doo episodes?). With Davy's passing my winning concert tickets to their 45th anniversary tour in June 2011 are that much more special, as the tour came to an abrupt, confusing end shortly thereafter.<br /><br />Rest in peace, Artful DodgerMister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-37414453840812439372012-01-22T18:16:00.004-05:002012-01-22T18:36:58.618-05:00A Lobster I Can Fight, A Fire I Cannot Part IIYou might remember in July 2010 the condo building next door to the one I live in suffered a devastating fire, and to this day occupants are finally just moving back home. If I thought (as I did then) that was too close for comfort imagine my heartbreak when I heard a young woman crying outside my window minutes before my alarm clock chimed for me to get ready for work the other night. <br /><br />Then I heard the sirens followed by "What's on fire?"<br /><br />Off went the covers, on went the work clothes (though I WAS in violation of dress code as since I would likely be evacuated I was going to save an X-Men shirt or two), grabbed my SD cards, cooler and work bag and a pair of special model train locomotives before the FD was pounding on my door.<br /><br />So it was happening again, but now in my own building.<br /><br />It was surrealistic being inside a burning building checking all of cats's hiding spaces to evacuate them, staying just ahead of the fire which clawed its way through a neighbor's kitchen soffet. By the Lord's grace I was making it out of my bedroom with the last cat when thin white/gray smoke began filling my hallway. Time was up, no saving the bishoujo, photos, trains or music beyond the mp3 player I tossed in my bag.<br /><br />"I'm out, I'm out!" I yelled to the fire department awaiting me and the cats, as I bled from the scratches the neurotic Himalayan gave me on face, neck and hands.<br /><br />Once I'd booked off of work and called my family to assure them I was okay I mentally checked off what meant the most to me to salvage after this disaster. <br /><br />Fortunately, not all was lost. In fact, five hours after the 911 call myself and six other units were cleared for occupancy -- the blaze confined to the originating unit and the one above. Vent holes had been cut into the building, but it was spared significant water damage due to the fire being caught so quickly.<br /><br />Of course, my place smells like I sat around the campfire, but I'm so lucky that's all. There's no visible smoke damage and no water damage from the fire. (And so soon after replacing that comics run, phew).<br /><br />I'm concerned though, as I had the water heater flood in December and the fire scare the other night; I fear there'll be a plague of locusts in February! (Just kidding)Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-45907945501561203392012-01-03T01:25:00.005-05:002012-01-04T00:19:10.360-05:00Rebuilding the ArchivesThe Communications Dept partook in a Secret Santa exchange this past Holiday Season. Even at work, people know I like superheroes and my Secret Santa gifted me with a gift certificate to one of the many comic shops located in the region where I live.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6632872865/" title="Uncanny 354 Variant by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6632872865_dcd35541c8_m.jpg" width="158" height="240" alt="Uncanny 354 Variant"></a><br />Naturally, on one of my days off I took advantage of the gift certificate to fill in the holes of my X-Men collection; to replace what I sold when I was married, thinking that part of me was past (and it was at the time, but it's come back). I'm happy to say I've completed the run I originally had of Uncanny X-Men when I first started collecting the title with #319 (and originally stopping around #397 or so). Now more than eight years since I last had these issues, and one year since I started grabbing up back issues again, I have back what I first had in one of the titles (only a dozen or so more to rebuild!)Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-51226025500482230272011-12-30T21:08:00.003-05:002011-12-30T21:31:45.675-05:00R.I.P. The HeathenI've been a few people in my employment lifetime: a fast food employee, stone quarry laborer, disc & karaoke jockey, and emergency services dispatcher. That's quite a range of tasks, I'll admit. Along the way, I've worked with many an interesting person. None of whom would normally earn a blog post.<br /><br /><br /><br />However;<br /><br /><br /><br />One can't deny the stuff of legend. through the magic if recollection (and the lack of special effects on this board) we travel back in time to the booming mid-nineteen nineties; when I was at the quarry earning twice as much as I used to at the fast food joint under a freckle faced red headed girl, yet with half the stress. Times were good, except for the nasty seasonal lay-off every Winter (who wants to do construction when the ground and stock piles are frozen?) So when it came time for call-back in the Spring, I was open to do anything just so I could have a paycheck again. <br /><br />This one particular Spring I was called back prior to the commencement of second shift production, which meant I'd be on the maintenance crew. I was intimidated, because the maintenance crew was a tightly knit, small crew of burly manly men. I could never hold my own among these guys. Yet there I was. The maintenance foreman was nicknamed The Heathen because he could out muscle and out endure anyone on his crew. Quarry legends have him hauling weighty electric motors up numerous flights of stairs all by himself. Another story has him pushing up a one foot square wooden truss beam by himself for it to be jacked as it was sagging under its heavy load and old age (in other words he was pushing against an entire section of floor in the building!) and yes, I'd witnessed his strength first hand. He expected almost as much from his men, yet if you put your best foot forward and you were reliable, he could be your best friend too. Many a night when the weather was nice in the Summer and the work was on schedule, there'd be a cookout for dinner. That's camaraderie. Over time, my muscles bulked up enough from the workload and I too could hold my own with the crew, even earning the moniker myself!<br /><br />Alas, all of that machismo took its toll. In later years The Heathen was watching from the sidelines; back and muscles no longer invulnerable. Sadly, we lost our friend Heathen this week. He will be missed.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-21506069647382414802011-12-19T12:47:00.005-05:002011-12-19T12:58:12.439-05:00Facebook, You Fool and Fickle FriendI know I've blogged about this before. The only reason I even set up a Facebook account was so that I could search for a crush I had throughout the later half of my public school years, just out of curiousity whatever had become of her; only to no avail.<br /><br />Today I logged into Facebook, one of the few times each year that I do, and I'm bombared with a list -- a SUPER LONG LIST that is -- of people I might know and whom I might wish to friend. Well, once I realize the page is going to keep adding all of these folks (like a sick six degrees of friends of Mr. Oz) I'm just about to bail out of that page when her name flashes across the screen, freezing me in my seat and prompting this entry. <br /><br />Before I'm even logged into Fleeting History I've decided I'm over her. I;m not going to friend her just to glean what's happened or happening. I'm over her. Obviously not enough to have kept me from writing this entry, but I'm still not going to friend her. That's a part of my life that's best left alone. <br /><br />IN the so mentioned previous entry about this I concluded any relationship would never have worked based on things I learned about myself through my failed marriage. THAT still holds true also.<br /><br />But, oh, Facebook, you evil, demented friend for revealing her avatar to me. That's as cruel as the April Fool's Day joke from Jr High School.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-40271860390702522952011-10-21T20:57:00.001-04:002011-10-21T20:57:50.531-04:00Lunatic Fringe<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6267503673/" title="Lunatic Fringe by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6267503673_c5c9da88f7.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Lunatic Fringe"></a><br />I KNEW you were out there...Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-16082783254992742102011-10-17T23:00:00.011-04:002011-10-18T00:22:22.682-04:00I Destroyed My Ankle on the Journey to Heaven and Back2011 has been a relatively good year to me. Granted I've had my share of frustration throughout the year but I've also been lucky. How many people can say they've attended two comics conventions (besides vendors and professional cosplayers that is).<br /><br />That's right. The day Hurricane Irene made landfall in New York City I was attending the second annual ComiCONN (I split for home to rest for work ahead of the storm's arrival). Fast forward approximately six weeks and I made the trek to New York City's Jacob Javits Center for New York Comic Con. Of course, I had to buy a multi-day pass to get in on Saturday because the single Saturday tickets had sold out before I could guarantee someone filling in for me at work, but it was worth it.<br /><br />I clocked off of work at end of tour 7am Saturday morning, stopped at home to change clothes, and headed right out for the train station getting into Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal sometime after ten (I wasn't too worried about time). Immediately exiting onto 42nd St I saw a group of cosplayers headed for the Con, including The Baroness<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255795247/" title="0001_Baroness by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/6255795247_2508905377.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="0001_Baroness"></a><br />Following that photo I power walked a good six blocks (hence the ankle injury) for another group of costumed folk en route to the convention. <br /><br />Upon arrival it was as if I walked into an actual Superhero Convention. You're familiar with the political party conventions or say carpenter's conventions or policeman's conventions? Imagine the same kind of event but with superheroes<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255799471/" title="DC Heroes by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6174/6255799471_89bd782576.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DC Heroes"></a><br />A veritable Who's Who of crime fighting AND villainy were in attendance.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256330896/" title="0029_Ms Marvel & Wonder Man by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6256330896_1eb425b96a.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="0029_Ms Marvel & Wonder Man"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256334168/" title="0057_Juggernaut by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6256334168_429a8d8911.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="0057_Juggernaut"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256335980/" title="DSC_1519-Spider-Man by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6256335980_510f609d77.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="DSC_1519-Spider-Man"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255807429/" title="0085_Dr Doom by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6255807429_eb396d2d15.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="0085_Dr Doom"></a><br />The Nutmeggers who put on ComiCONN do a fantastic job, but New York Comic Con is an incredible experience. The convention immerses you into the character's world and it's as if you're really hanging out with and talking to your idols from the printed page or big and little screens.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256338794/" title="DSC_1567-Mystique by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6055/6256338794_ea1f2a2c59.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="DSC_1567-Mystique"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255816883/" title="DSC_1627-Poison Ivy & The Penguin by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6255816883_713a11e521.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="DSC_1627-Poison Ivy & The Penguin"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256354662/" title="Magneto by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6114/6256354662_c82b74627b.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Magneto"></a><br />What might have been cool would have been to have Magneto at the Chevrolet display where he could have acted as if he were using his mutant powers to levitate the car (which was actually a giant balloon in the shape of a Chevy which flew about people's heads. An Obi Wan cosplayer though did take advantage of the situation and made like he used The Force to levitate the car over our heads)<br /><br />Many of the costumes were very well done also:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255822453/" title="Red Skull by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6225/6255822453_174d37fe49.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="Red Skull"></a><br />Including those which lit up:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256345896/" title="DSC_1614-Iron Man by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6164/6256345896_a367f5a796.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="DSC_1614-Iron Man"></a><br />Iron Man's repulsors and Jubilees "fireworks" at her fingertips<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255812483/" title="X-Men by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6255812483_6441298129.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="X-Men "></a><br />Of course Star Trek and Star Wars were well represented<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256332438/" title="0045-Starfleet member by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6256332438_14d3be8dab.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="0045-Starfleet member"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256344214/" title="DSC_1591-Kotobukiya Carbonite Mold by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6215/6256344214_2335068b93.jpg" width="334" height="500" alt="DSC_1591-Kotobukiya Carbonite Mold"></a><br />I think it'd be pretty cool to have frozen Han Solo cubes in my beverage or Solo shaped chocolates in a dish. <br /><br />But I digress. The whole reason I attend is for the heroes and it's pretty neat, in my opinion when characters mix it up, like Waldo's Avengers<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6256351422/" title="Waldo's Avengers? by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6256351422_e860404d8d.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Waldo's Avengers?"></a><br />So not only was Waldo found, but a Green Lantern and Luigi assembled too!<br /><br />Sadly, my day had to wind down. My tired body (which had been up almost around the clock at this point) didn't have the stamina to endure the long food lines (though I admit it's pretty neat mingling among heroes doing such mundane things as eat lunch and share stories) but alas, I could no longer hang. It was time to trudge my aching ankle the dozen or so blocks back to Grand Central Terminal and a well needed restful train ride. As I began the trek my eyes caught another group of heroes gathering outside the center and how fitting they belonged to a group close to my heart<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6255827427/" title="X-Men Exterior by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6255827427_e197cd0710.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="X-Men Exterior"></a><br />So yes, being immersed in New York Comic Con was certainly a heavenly experience for me. It was an eye opening experience (like moving up to major league baseball from little league) and I have a better idea what to try when next I visit NYCC or even in the future maybe the granddaddy of all: San Diego.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-65064548807766889492011-09-19T12:43:00.010-04:002011-10-18T21:13:14.069-04:00I was the ugly bearded guy with sunburn and vacuous look in his eyes.That's how one might describe my appearance at Susquehanna University's Homecoming 2011 this past weekend (September 16-18).<br /><br />Now, as I'm a story teller I have to start at the beginning. Thursday I left work after the graveyard shift and made sure I had everything packed for my trip the next morning. I still needed to print out some writing pieces to bring just in case I got to participate in an alumni reading. Well, I wanted a bedtime snack (at what's considered traditionally as lunch time) and while gnawing on my last handful of spicy trail mix I noticed my trusty steed had a flat. Not surprising per se because there's all kinds of debris on the ground from the roof replacement debacle at HQ. That turned out to be an omen.<br /><br />I was frustrated because bedtime was now abolished in favor of getting my flat fixed. In reality, both front tires got replaced. Now, before my trip I not only needed to print out the pieces I wanted to read (and failed to find one) but I also needed to get the lugs retorqued after the first 25 miles. Okay no big deal, I don't REALLY need to be on campus until 4pm.<br /><br />By the time I was done arguing with my parents' computer I had been awake for over 36 hours, but I got the important stuff done and hit the road for the four to five hour trip to Selinsgrove, PA.<br /><br />The drive was fine. Now, I'd been aware of flooding along the Susquehanna River throughout the region, but seeing first hand how families were STILL recovering over a week later was an eye opener. West Nanticoke and Shickshinny were gutting their basements filling roll-off dumpsters and piling destroyed items in large masses at the curb. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6259328310/" title="Flood Aftermath by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/6259328310_00d67f097d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Flood Aftermath"></a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6259327440/" title="Ruined Items from flooding by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6259327440_6cf2c02dcb.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Ruined Items from flooding"></a><br />Skid steers were scraping mud like snow removal from parking lots and driveways (PennDOT should be commended for leaving nary a trace of earth on Route 11 so soon after the flood). In Bloomsburg, Fisher's Creek and the mighty Susquehanna both rose to converge upon the causeway which holds the fairgrounds and a neighborhood, opening up the earth and swallowing two homes up to their second floors.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6259326586/" title="Bloomsburg Damage by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6259326586_fd534be7b2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Bloomsburg Damage"></a><br />A gazebo roof was balanced by Mother Nature against the water side of the railing on the Route 11 bridge over Fisher's Creek. The National Guard was keeping order. I could easily believe the area to be a war zone.<br /><br />I made it into Selinsgrove with about 15 minutes to spare and immediately set about attending the events I'd signed up for Friday night. There was a bittersweet memorial for a beloved instructor -- long time fixture on campus and following a fantastic off-campus dinner at Hoss's (of my own choice) I was back on school grounds for the ghosts and legends tour. The theme for Homecoming 2011 was Fear (hmm, wonder if it has anything to do with a certain Marvel Comics event or if Fear is a trend this season, like warm hues in fashion...achem I digress).<br /><br />The tour Friday night was enjoyable but not very scary. Given more investigative time the SU Paranormal Society might have had a more informative and spooky event -- which they made up for with Saturday night's Haunted House -- but I'm getting ahead of myself. <br /><br />Saturday morning I'd slept in feeling a bit under the weather. Likely the tainted air of the smoking room (I don't smoke and can be easily affected by it)combined with over 48 hours of no sleep the previous two days. Ultimately, that meant by the time I would make the pig roast lunch and catch up with classmates for our 15th reunion I would need to be at my next function, so I went to the Communications Department reception for noon. That was enjoyable as I got to mingle with my beloved former student advisor. The other side of the coin, however were the couples stopping by. I felt some pangs of loneliness. <br /><br />My beacon of hope and intellect in the sea of uncertainty (my advisor from above) suggested I take in the book reading next on the agenda, which I hadn't originally intended, but she always pointed me in the right direction back in the day so I went and listened, stopping at the 9/11 memorial for that service along the way. (It came out of nowhere, it was listed TBA in all of the fliers. I happened to be in the right place at the right time for it).<br /><br />There was a little bit of time to add some morsels to my system in order to partake a pain reliever (how did I EVER power-walk that campus 15 years ago? My ankles STILL hurt!) and then it was on to the Writer's Institute reception, where I got the warmest of receptions from the one person I recognized in the room, the department head. Turns out, I was the only author present who never benefited from a writing Major, as the program came into fruition the semester after I graduated. However, those who minored in writing were also invited, hence my being welcomed. <br /><br />Here's where the other hiccup occurred. The Homecoming parade was scheduled and published to be at 4:30 pm. They ran it early so I missed all of the floats which were supposed to depict horror movies. B'ah!!!<br /><br />So back ALL THE WAY ACROSS CAMPUS AGAIN for the alumni reading (which I wasn't a part of due to timing constraints which would have precluded me being behind the podium even if I had been able to RSVP sooner -- there's actually more to the story but due to space and time constraints those details aren't important at this time). Regardless I'm still bummed because I like to orate. (obviously right?)<br /><br />Then, you guessed it 100% back to the opposite end of campus for the alumni dinner, which is winding down as it was concurrent with the alumni reading I'd just left from. <br /><br />After dinner, back across campus AGAIN for the Haunted House. The Paranormal Club transformed the Chapel for the night. Some I've heard from since have said it was silly or hokey, but that's the nature of these attractions which need to be all ages. Hey, costumes, acting and decorations were all good -- especially the freaky thunderstorm and lightning in the auditorium of the building). I even got surprised by a decoration hanging into the hallway in the dark. That's my measure of a good attraction.<br /><br />Once more back across the campus for the Badlees concert and one more last time back to the car. I wrote on Facebook I felt as if I watched everything (except the parade *frowns* instead of living it. All in all a bittersweet time overall. One really can't metaphorically go home again. I pined that night tweeting away in my hotel room that I was born too soon (instead of too late as in the old popular song) and wished I was the person I am now back then, things would be so different now. But then I rationalized I'd just get myself into trouble somehow anyway, and basically my feelings of loneliness are what's behind my ruminations anyways. Realizing this, I'm not sure how many future reunions I'll be attending. I've become the dirty old man ogling the women like who we used to make fun of in our younger days. It's very sobering. <br /><br />So after tallying the scores, the low points outnumber the highs this year, the only thing that's the University's fault is events held concurrently with other events but admittedly there's only so few hours in a day. That's why agendas are drawn and followed by attendees. I just tried too much I think and had high expectations borne from nostalgia. <br /><br />After checking out of the hotel and psyching myself up to be home and asleep to go back to work on graveyard shift I pointed the van home and made a brief visit atop Shikellamy's profile for some photos.<br /><br />I navigated the steep decline with no troubles and headed for a bite to eat and pit stop in Danville. As I eased to a stop at the intersection of Routes 11 and 54 the brake pedal suddenly lost pressure and went to the floor, allowing the van to gain momentum and run the red light. THANKFULLY being a Sunday no one else was on the road at that moment. One last let down for the weekend and additional expense on an already pricey adventure. <br /><br />So I limped all the way home, 200 or so remaining miles without brakes. Yeah, fun. Then, I couldn't sleep once I made it home. That graveyard shift was difficult.<br /><br />How was YOUR last adventure?Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-9191037351330336792011-09-11T07:00:00.001-04:002011-09-11T12:00:02.475-04:00Our Banner Yet Waves<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/6130533899/" title="Never Forget by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6130533899_437c82e78e.jpg" width="500" height="335" alt="Never Forget"></a><br />Two symbols of freedom are represented in this slide. Obviously, the twin towers of the World Trade Center as they appeared on a beautiful May 1991 day. Also, a point belonging to the Statue of Liberty can be seen on the left. That's because this view was photographed from inside Miss Liberty's crown.<br /><br />This post is my tribute to those victims we lost (I knew two of them).<br /><br />I wrote the following on October 1, 2001 to get some emotions on paper:<br /><br />"Our Banner Yet Waves"<br /><br />I can't believe what just happened today<br />in a neighborhood that's not far away<br />This blind hatred for you and me<br />People running and no one can see<br /><br />At first I was surprised<br />at those unfriendly skies<br />Such a beautiful day<br />We all had not much to say<br /><br />Well, it's not Jericho<br />It's New York dontcha know<br />Our freedom's at stake<br />In these terrorists's wake<br /><br />With Mixed Information<br />The news washed over the nation<br />The Twin Towers had fallen<br />Our great land was balling<br /><br />We'll never find all who are lost<br />The loss of life's a high cost<br />While I know we're all hoping<br />This great nation is coping<br /><br />And now our ire's in rage<br />This man must be put away<br />For what he did to our friends<br />Our nightmares will never end<br /><br />Well, it's not Jericho<br />It's New York dontcha know<br />Our freedom's at stake<br />In these terrorists's wake<br /><br />Our memories won't fade<br />of the heroes that day<br />Whose resolve makes us strong<br />And Our Banner Yet Waves<br /><br />--Mark J Osmun revised 9/9/2011Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-14648841195714989692011-08-26T19:46:00.003-04:002011-08-26T19:52:05.474-04:00Another bizarre concoction from the brainImagine, if you will, Hamlet in the late 1960s just crossing the border into the early 1970s. Okay, the visuals are all your own, so don't blame me if you're suddenly picturing paisley print shirts and super wide flared bell bottoms, unkept scraggly hair and bandanas.
<br />
<br />Hamlet, being the (then) modern day hippie counter culturist holds up the skull of his dear departed friend and begins to sing (with apologies to Dion DiMucci)
<br />
<br />"Anybody here, see my old friend Yuric? Can you tell me where he's gone? I thought I saw him walking up over the hills with Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and John"*
<br />
<br />(Originally Abraham, Martin & John)Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-61002666701157330892011-06-26T15:46:00.003-04:002011-06-26T15:55:29.483-04:00If There's A Rock & Roll Heaven(title from The Righteous Brothers song of the same name) <br /><br />RIP Clarence Clemens, big man of Bruce Springstein's E Street Band. Saxophonist extraodinaire, who also played on numerous big hits (including a duet of his with Jackson Browne).<br /><br />We know darn well Santa brought him that saxophone way back on that chilly boardwalk night immortalized in song, and he's playing it now on stage inside the Pearly Gates.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-62415757202153037232011-06-25T21:38:00.002-04:002011-06-26T15:46:07.349-04:00Ah, Just One More Thing...Lt. Columbo, actor Peter Falk passed. May he rest in peaceMister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-25603365733964301942011-05-09T19:57:00.005-04:002011-05-09T20:07:13.693-04:00Dangerous ImaginationBack in the early days of the 20th Century, as travel became popular, especially cross-country rail travel, entrepreneur Fred Harvey set up hotels and restaurants for the weary travelers to enjoy some amenities away from their homes. the waitresses became known as Harvey Girls and were expected to follow strict policies while in Harvey's employ. Upon mention of a Harvey Girl one will picture the long black dress with starched white apron hanging from neck to hem.<br /><br />Well, what would happen if these ladies were Lee Harvey Oswald girls? Certainly travelers wouldn't make it much past Dallas before encountering black leather bustier clad goth chicks in fishnet stockings with hardware pierced faces.<br /><br />THAT would be a wild west for sure; good, bad and such. Just another tidbit from the warped mind that is mine.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-2141737203643957212011-05-08T20:53:00.005-04:002011-06-25T21:43:20.934-04:00For My MomThis Mother's Day my Mom is recuperating at a physical therapy rehab facility following knee replacement surgery. It done gave out after 35 plus years of dealing with arthritis. Now, I'm not a smushy "aw isn't that a nice sentiment" card kind of guy. I'm the one who buys the Maxine Shoebox cards kind of humor. So I presented Mom with a card about Good moms letting their kids lick the electric mixer beaters but GREAT moms turn the mixer off first.<br /><br />She loved it.<br /><br />BECAUSE once she made a pumpkin pie, but super talented cook that she is pulled the mixer out of the bowl before shutting it off, so pie mix went splattering ALL over the kitchen. 25 some odd years later I still laugh about it, and every once in a blue moon will bring it up to her. (Of course my family has MANY embarrassing moments -- some inappropriate for blogging!)<br /><br />But on the schmaltzy, romantic, sentimental side of the equation -- despite the pie mess -- I have a great mom fer sure.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-14983564809041141952011-04-26T20:25:00.005-04:002011-04-26T20:58:47.877-04:00Horses, Whiskey, Women & The LootA tip of the writer's cap to Tom T Hall, whose lyric I've altered slightly for this title.<br /><br />It dawned on me listening to his "Faster Horses (the Cowboy and the Poet)" that a lot of the common sense people used to learn came from those who came before's experiences and observations -- a good amount of which was then passed along in song and text. Personally, I can't recall a modern day song which conveys wisdom. In fact, not since the mid 1980s can I put a finger on a tune which might relay some tidbit of education.<br /><br />I think that lack of passing along such information has contributed to what our Global Society has become. Because of the political correctness of not wishing to offend any one single being, such lines and topics are being shied away from. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how it seems to me in casual observation.<br /><br />Sure, at some point I'll contradict myself and eludicate about how imbibing of that magical amount of alcohol will turn the partaker into a blithering idiot -- I've seen it enough throughout my professional careers -- or how whatever certain topic I feel shouldn't be posed to impressionable beings is readily accessible to them, but hey, that'd be alright so long as they learn the right and wrong of it and make the appropriate decision wisely. Well, that much sounds like a load of Buffalo Chips, but that's my reasoning.<br /><br />Nowadays, it's all about flash and eye-candy -- and while I'm all about the eye-candy -- lest we not forget how we get to enjoy all of that awesome visual stimulation. It's by being smart, taking the lumps when you have to, working hard for what you believe in, and being true to one's self -- for like the poet who gets called out by the cowboy in "Faster Horses" other people can see through the charade and one will just wind up alienated. <br /><br />So, irregardless of how embarrassing a situation was to go through, share it with the next generation. Extemporate even the inane, forging past their reactions, for -- as I did growing up -- they do actually listen and figure things out, though it may take longer for some. Though, again, to overly generalize, I fear this rationalization is fading away from society, and I greatly miss it.<br /><br />Can the mysteries of life be summed into four words? Perhaps not, but every three and a half or four minutes clue us in.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-46891039885197217982011-04-08T17:57:00.004-04:002011-04-08T18:09:40.665-04:00Look! MORE X-MenIndeed it's true! I knew 18 months ago I had more good guys than bad guys and that I needed to rectify that situation. Additionally, Feral Female at Thoughts from a Yodelling Goatherder challenged me to do a Nightcrawler. I stepped up to the task and voila:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/5601135345/" title="Crawler Close Up by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5601135345_dd529d659d.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Crawler Close Up"></a><br />Kurt Wagner hangs from the eaves of the florist's shop by his prehensile tail awaiting the cue to teleport into the fray below.<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/5601721082/" title="Crawler Overview by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5601721082_0ec3f2c4f6.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Crawler Overview"></a><br />And what's a battle with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants without Magneto?<br />He's as much a staple to the mythos as Cyclops. <br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleetinghistory/5601137459/" title="Magneto Battle by Fleeting History, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5601137459_e1216f65a0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Magneto Battle"></a><br />So there you have it. Sure the good still out balances the evil, but isn't that how justice prevails?Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300730318889405178.post-3645152776875325602011-03-11T19:11:00.003-05:002011-03-11T19:19:52.652-05:00New Paparazzi TV ShowThe fascination the American Public has with their celebrity actors/actresses, sports figures, and entertainers is legendary. That's why the tabloids sell so well and programs like Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, and TMZ garner such a following.<br /><br />So I thought, why not spill it all? Even the embarrassing little routine stuff in one's life that no one should ever hear or see and mash that with a popular colloquialism for a program called TMI: Too Much Information. It could be an hour long, the first 30 minutes full of snippets and sound/visual bites about gross surgeries or poor private habits when one thinks no one is watching and the second half could be devoted to has been stars who would otherwise wind up on their own self-produced reality show and/or Dancing With The Stars.<br /><br />And why stop there? Some animals are celebrities too, we can show them watering the backyard -- potty humor still sells.Mister Ozhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06571110706858054577noreply@blogger.com1