of bridges and beagles!

It's happening, y'all!
First, I received this email, dated September 26th, from the screenplay writer and director of the project.

Dear backer of The Bridge Partner,
As part of your reward we have below a link to the Full Digital package, which includes:
- The Bridge Partner shooting script
- The Bridge Partner Original Score, composed by Miles Hankins
- Peter S. Beagle's 52/50 Project: A selection of poetry and lyrics created weekly by Peter to celebrate the 50th anniversary of selling his first novel.
Thank you so much! If your reward tier includes other items, you can look forward to recieving them in the coming weeks. The actual film will not be sent out until the conclusion of the festival run.

Regards,
Gabriel Olson and The Bridge Partner Team

Amount pledged: $36.00 USD to The Bridge Partner - based on the story by Peter S. Beagle by Gabriel Olson
Reward: THE FULL DIGITAL PACKAGE! In addition to everything at the $25 level, we'll send you a private link to download the film's score and a copy of the script! AND a digital copy of the "52/50 Project," an E-book with 53 original poems and song lyrics by Peter S. Beagle, accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

Now, I have printed - and bound - the Beagle book!
Well, it isn't so much a book as a collection of poems - some meant to be sung!
This was a special project the author had created in celebration of his fiftieth anniversary of first being published. To commemorate the occasion, he wrote a poem (or a song lyric) every week for a year.
They were to be available by email-subscription only.
The very first was sent out in honor of his 70th birthday, on April 20, 2009.
I missed all of them...
but I have them now!
All fifty-three!
Nice to have that bonus!
(smile)

hopeful musings on speculative relationships

When I received the hardcopy of the book, I also received this print.
I immediately hung it on my kickstarter wall.
Mike Manomivibul's oh-so-romantic image strikes a chord deep within my being, the need of a living creature to connect with another.
(swoon)
I wish I could say my reaction to his story, "Made 2 Be 2gether", was as strong. Sadly, I found the imagery to be confusing, even though the page layouts clearly speak of his poetic heart. I fear the loss of understanding is certainly mine.
I do pledge to continue to strive to understand this tale of two robots, separated by man's greed and war. His is the only one that I cannot quite "get." Perhaps you could read it and let me know your take on it?
Here's the link to the store. Trust me, the pittance asked for this anthology, with art inked by six different artists, will be money well spent.
Not yet convinced? Let's see if I can convince your head that this is deserving of your heart and your wallet.
Tyrell Cannon and Scott Kroll are the men behind the concept. Each have two contributions which serve to bookend the tales in this kickstarter-funded anthology. Cannon's "Burning Heart" would have been right at home in the mid 1900's with the science fiction romances of that period. He presents a husband and wife scientific team, trying to save a dying planet... and their dying relationship. Very nicely done!
His other tale, a sweet one at the end of the book, has two astronauts who used to pass each other in "Corridor-C", secretly attracted but silent. Suddenly, circumstances shift and they discover each other. But is their discovery too late?
Kroll's two pieces are very different from each other, with only one containing humans. "This Thing Called Love" features an automaton which feigns ignorance while acting as a matchmaker for two human coworkers. Nice grokspanner, there!
(smile!)
"4 Out Of 5" is a distinctly different tale, not only from Kroll's other piece, but from every other tale in the book. It poses the query of what to do when you have only four of the five genders needed for gratification. Interesting, right? The starfish-like pentopuses are distinguishable by their upper markings, so pay attention... or purchase the "Making Love" zine for the key. (You can even read this tale on his tumblr site.)
The last of the male writers, Daniel Warren Johnson, is another "Calvin And Hobbes" fan, like Tyrell Cannon... and me! Not that Watterson's work has anything in common with Johnson's tale, "The Purest Form". No, look more to the futuristic Marines of Space-Mullet to find out what drives this warrior to success on the battlefield.
Of the two entries by female artists, I have already waxed rhapsodic about the beautiful tale of love by Rinko Endo. "The Same Moon" remains my favorite in this anthology, with its fabulous ink work and wistful tone. (She's an art therapist, by the way, so she has experience at opening herself up, through drawing, and encourages others to also do so.)
Isabella Rotman is a talented young woman, too, using her art as self-therapy. Brava! "The Dream Program" considers the case of a machine which falls in love with one of the humans in its charge. Beautifully inked, floral and lush... with a nice twist in the tale itself.
So, you see, there is an excellent variety of stories here, just as love has many sides to consider, whether one is human, alien, or machine. I highly recommend the book.
Highly.
I am so proud of these writers! Bravo to all!

christmas tree ornament for me!

Oh, yeeeaaaahhh.
I have something that Chuck Norris has.
No, not crazy mad martial arts skills. Those are strictly his.
However, like him, I now own one of Dan Hunter's carved Christmas tree ornaments, complete with gold star at the top.
How sweet is that?!
Moreover, the package arrived yesterday afternoon during the Family Gathering at my house! I immediately opened the envelope to share my kickstarter rewards with all, commenting about Chuck Norris as I did so.
My stepsister said "Chuck Norris? Really? That's funny! This morning, when I turned on the television, his show, "Walker, Texas Ranger", was on and we sat right there and watched it!"
Nice coincidence, n'est-ce pas?
I think my stepdad had to smile at that, too.

I'm quite pleased with the gift package and the stocking ornaments, too. They'll be gracing my Christmas tree for future holiday seasons!
But, do you know what really pleases me about this kickstarter project?
To satisfy the number of rewards which had to be carved and painted, Dan enlisted the aid of his girlfriend. They were able to enjoy each others company, over an extended period of time, while doing something to benefit others.
How very fortunate they are!
My gratitude to both of you!
Here's to your health and hearts!

pandamonium artwork!

She's here!!!
Robin, the dieselpunk pirate panda, is here!!!
In a plain white envelope, she traveled to my home.
I had thought there might be a Christmas card enclosed.
Even better!
Thank you so much, Patrick! I have so enjoyed being a backer of your kickstarter project.
I am so looking forward to the book's arrival!

i've been dieselpunk'd!

After participating in a variety of events today, I came home to... my reward postcard!!!
Such a beauty it is, n'est-ce pas?

Tome Wilson inscribed it:
Dear Faustina,
Today we are the shapers of the world of tomorrow.
For the future!
Tome

Marvelous words!!!
Less than two months ago, I had supported the "Dieselpunks Will Not Fall" project on kickstarter. I had mentioned here two other projects from my past which could be classified under the umbrella of "dieselpunk".
Silly me.
I have actually supported quite a few others which I had not known to inhabit that same realm! Goodness, in the category occupied by Cthulhu, I have helped birth four creative progeny! The first was not derived from kickstarter, but was a locally "crowd-sourced" fundraising event. There was art! There were readings! There was even music! I walked away with a mask of Cthulhu (for me!) and many items which traveled to waiting hands in El Cerrito. A very fine two-evening event!
Then, in 2011, my stepdad died and I found myself enriched with free money left over from my mother's retirement account. I set aside a grand to enrich the world with new creations and searched kickstarter for inspiration. I found wrapping paper with Cthulhu images! What a treat for my dear friend JinHi! What a nice way to show my appreciation for having been part of her Lovecrafted fundraiser!
Then I was off and running! On a single evening in June of 2012, I found two more projects related to the world of Lovecraft. The first was a new play, created by Boom Bat Gesture. Perhaps the term "performance art" is more relevant than "play"... yes, definitely! When the DVD recording of the finished theatrical piece arrived six months later, I was quite pleased!
The other project backed on that summer eve has not yet found its way to completion. That is through no fault of its creator, Ezra Claverie. He has written the play and the two short stories, as promised, and forwarded them to me in PDF style. However, the hardcover version of his work, which I have awaited for more than two years, may never exist. No worries! I have recently printed the volume and hope to soon find time to read and review. Stay tuned to read all about it!
Meanwhile, I hope to spend a some time exploring the website I helped sustain.
Later, y'all!

shadows out of providence heading for savannah

Ezra Claverie's original works are finally seeing the light of day!
Well, in PDF version, at least.
He's been having serious issues with a ne'er-do-well shyster who has taken the funds designated for the printing of the book...and skated off into the darkness with them.
What a sad and frustrating story for a creative spirit.
(Although it should be noted that I have a sad story from a backer's side.)
True to his oath to provide rewards to his faithful supporters on kickstarter, Ezra sent his tome, via email, out into the world.
That was back in late September.
Now, I've printed the book for myself.
Isn't it a beauty?
Of course, I still look forward to one day having the book, as he had intended it to be, in my hands.
For now, this will do.
I'll try to read it during the winter break from school...

kickstarter abusers, beware!

He left me no recourse.

After hearing naught from "Nick" for two years concerning his "adventure documentary" in the wilds of Georgia, I decided I would do for his project as I had done for the musical by Accio Actors. Namely, I would snap photos from the video trailer and write my follow-up post using those shots. This is one of those photos I took.

Today, I discovered that "Nick" is actually
Nick McGregor,
an actor
who pulled a fast one
on the good folks at kickstarter.com,
as well as on all who supported his projects.
How do I know his identity?
This photo (on the right) is on his biography page at imdb.com.
It would be impossible for him to claim "mistaken identity" clad in that cap and those shorts.

Three of the five projects he posted on kickstarter are duplicates, even using the exact same dialogue for the introductory videos and the exact same "Update" messages! Twice, he claimed that a backer had ripped him off by pledging a large sum and then reneging.
When I made a cursory investigation of his pledges today, I realized the scam. No such backers had ever pledged those sums to his projects. He had fabricated the existence of those people so he could keep our pledged funds. I guess he simply wanted the money. Nick McGregor is the one who most disappointed me. I had trusted him, giving financial support for his documentary twice, after he had failed in his first attempt.
I've reported the abuse to kickstarter and will be curious to see what happens now. "Nick" has not returned to that website since fall of 2012, so I doubt they will be able to pursue him. Unless, like me, they track him down to his home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Perhaps he could be forced to repay his backers.
Perhaps.
What is that saying? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
Well, then I admit to being ashamed that I did not notice the pattern of his projects before now.
Moral of the story?
Don't support projects for people who don't even use their full names.
I know, in hindsight, that course of action is clearly the only sensible one...
...but, maybe, it's not so clear in these many years after Cher, Madonna, and other one-name stars in the entertainment world.
Crowd-sourcing sites should insist that creators who are not yet brand names use their real names and have some source to vouch for their credentials, such as they may be.
New creators can "thank" scammers like Nick McGregor for making their search for funds even more difficult.

oskar and klaus find bigfoot!

Those two cats certainly lead a busy life!
Check out their Friskies music video with Grumpy Cat and friends! That fundraiser for hungry kittehs everywhere was featured in the "Huffington Post"!
You can also read about it here, in the Rolling Stone!!!
Even Jon Stewart featured them on "The Daily Show"!!!!
Oskar and Klaus have so many adventures together!
The bfe and I do, too.
That's one of the reasons I am so excited about the timing of this book's arrival. You see, my bfe (best friend extraordinaire) has a birthday later this very week! I had so hoped to be able to surprise him with this extra special treat, and, thanks to Mick Szydlowski and company, that hope is reality!
I must be doing something right!
I believe I was directed toward kickstarter at just the right time to find this project. Not only would my support benefit the production of the book - and the audiobook! - but the reward would be a magnificent gift for my favorite "thirteen-year-old boy" (his words for himself).
Like Bigfoot, my friend is an excellent cook, using fancy recipes that I would never prepare. Dinners at his place are a treat for the eyes as well as the tastebuds and nose!
Like Bigfoot, he also has recently become a jazz aficionado and has quite a record collection. How cool is that?
And, like Bigfoot, he likes hot tea and has a tea kettle.
Unlike Bigfoot, he is not allergic to cats and has two old ladies he loves dearly. His two girls, Chloe and Contessa, would certainly have quite a fun time with such gentlemanly cats as Oskar and Klaus!
However, Seattle is quite a long haul from this city by the sea.
I do so hope the kittehs here will be read this glorious adventure, perhaps as a bedtime tale to inspire sweet dreams...
I'll be sure that happens!

What about the patch, you ask?

That belongs to me!

I'm thrilled to belong to "an INCLUSIVE club for anyone who seeks to make each day an adventure"!

hand-made christmas ornaments

My very first project in kickstarter's new "Crafts" category is one which is in memory of my stepdad.
He was a whittler, too.
He gave me one of his "ball in a cage" pieces as a Christmas ornament one year, long ago. It was fashioned from plain, unfinished wood and is a cherished possession.
Dan Hunter paints his Christmas ornaments in the bright colors of the holiday. Like my stepdad, he's Georgia-born and raised. Dan lives in Texas, now.
The project is already funded. In fact, it's already hit its first stretch goal and is trying for the second stretch goal of $750.
That's part of the reason I added my thirty-three dollars to the pile.
I want to have one of those candy cane ornaments.
Candy cane, you say? The project only promises to deliver ornaments patterned after stockings and presents at that reward level!
True, that is how it originally was written.
But read this.

Update #1
Sep 16 2014
STAFF PICK!
Wow! This project was selected as a staff pick! Someone up there must sure love Christmas! In celebration of this, I have decided to release another ornament. This is a limited edition ornament, only five, that's right, FIVE, will ever be made. It will be the Christmas tree, but instead of green, it will be painted gold.
"But wait," you're thinking, "Why is this ornament so special?"
Well let me tell you. Not only will it be painted gold. It will have actual gold dust mixed into the paint! Now that's exciting! Jump on this soon, because these ornaments won't last long. I might even pledge one myself.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

I felt the stretch goals needed something more, so I'm introducing a new ornament with a $750 stretch goal. If we hit $750, I will release "The Candy Cane." It may be creepy, but there is no better way to remember an old man sneaking into your room while you are sleeping and leaving a candy cane under your pillow than hanging this guy on your tree.

Thank you everyone for your support, and I look forward to celebrating the holidays with you!
Dan

Pretty sweet! I can almost taste that peppermint goodness now!

the android's astrological companion

Yes, I have already completed the categories for "Art", "Comics", and "Literature". Those pieces of my kickstarter backer "pie" were completed quite a while back, multiple times.
But I couldn't resist!
You see, I like the name, too. It reminds me of Tanith Lee's "The Silver Metal Lover" and Isaac Asimov's robot novels that I so enjoyed in my younger years.
This art book of short stories promises to be quite lovely and will be right at home beside my copy of "Speculative Relationships", wouldn't you agree? I think they will be a most winning couple!
I do so appreciate Cody Vrosh providing me an opportunity to help bring this project to life. Honestly, I don't know that he really needs to utilize the services of kickstarter to advance his work. He already has his own bookpress and screenprinting workshop, known as Binary Winter.
Perhaps he's simply wanting to spread the gospel, too.
That dieselpunk-flavored, modern creed with comic coloration.
One NOVA-sized cup for me, please!
That means my paltry forty-three dollars will gain the PDF, the signed hardback copy of the book, AND a signed print - of my choice! I'll make sure my "Kickstarter Rewards Wall" has a waiting space beside the cover print from "Speculative Relationships".
Together on the wall AND on the bookshelf!
That's for sure, too. This is another project I'm joining late, as its active time ends tomorrow. This is also another project which has well outstripped its funding goal. The creator has chosen to expand the rewards into additional levels as "stretch goals" are reached.
In fact, I'll not only receive the NOVA package, but also an additional book! This one is titled "The Zodiac of Teeth" and should make friends easily on the bookshelf with "Creature disComforts".
Very nice perk!

dieselpunks will not fall

Woohoo! I'm on my way to restoring my backer stats!
What better way to begin than to merge old and new in the realm of dieselpunks? To quote the dieselpunkencyclopedia website, the movement combines the look and feel of the 1920's to 1950's with "postmodern sensibilities from a counter-cultural viewpoint" to create "a distinct style of visual art, music, motion pictures, fiction, and engineering".
This is hardly the first project I have backed with these elements. Even though the two other projects weren't specified as "dieselpunk", they most assuredly are.
(They were both local, too, which is another plus in my book.)
In September of 2011, "The Flight" was not yet off the ground, but I went ahead and bought my ticket to ride! A beautifully crafted film eventually emerged, with definite dieselpunk aspects in the story, costumes, and cinematography.
Then, in January of 2012, another project caught my eye, promising to make Education come ALIVE! They made good on that promise, too. Inspired by the works of Nice One, a Chicago artist, students helped create a blend of art-deco-colored wall murals which featured modernistic, goggle-clad explorers. Children and dieselpunk - now, that's a way to start a revolution!
For all I know, the artists who created those two projects are followers of the online magazine and social network devoted to the dieselpunk art movement. First created in 2009 by Emmy-winning artist Tome Wilson, the site is now in danger of shutting down.
Why?
Lack of money.
The overhead for maintaining the five-year archive of art, music, and history is $3500.
That payment is due next month.
So, the funding goal for the project was set for that amount, not one penny more nor less.
In return, the creator pledges to help expand the site, encouraging the creation of new artists and new books and films and music.
Get the picture?
The creator wants to help spread the gospel, as well as maintain the place of worship.
Amen, I say!
He has even already surpassed his humble goal. My funds certainly aren't going to be the "make or break" addition to the success of the project.
Still, I wanted to be in on this.
Even if fifteen bucks isn't much these days, back in the 1920's, that sum held true worth. It's also 50% more than the minimum needed to receive a "handwritten dieselpunk postcard" from Mr. Wilson.
I'll be looking forward to that piece of mail.

pardon me, my stats are slipping

Yikes!
I popped over to kickstarter.com to update my backer information, as I've recently received more rewards for successful projects I've supported. Nice to keep up to date with that, you know!
As I had noted in March, I had allowed that responsibility to slip past, unaware of that page in my profile. No more! I have been working fervently to remedy that situation, writing reviews of the fabulous rewards the project creators have graced me with, even friending them on facebook.com or linkedin.com and posting my links on their pages.
THAT has been very gratifying to both me and them. They are reminded that there is an appreciative audience for their creative outlet. I am reminded of how much I enjoy being a responsive part of that audience.
Definitely: win, win!
So, as I was saying, today I took a moment to update my backer information.
After all, I wanted to let Marty Kelley know that his red-cape-bedecked book had traveled safely to my waiting hands and would soon continue on its journey as a birthday gift to my nephew, Conner.
And, while on that "Backer history" page, I noticed an odd thing.
My "pie" didn't look right.
In March of this year, the "pie" had thirteen colorful wedges. Each brightly-hued wedge represented that I had given financial support to at least one project in the category represented in the "pie".
In March of this year, my "pie" was complete.
No more.
Two white wedges, nearly bisecting the "pie" into halves, stared blackly at me.
I ran my cursor over the wedges.
"Crafts"???
"Journalism"???
Say what???
Yikes!

Sadly, the two white wedges are real.
Shortly after I had anteed up on "The Broken Hearts Table", the folks in charge at kickstarter made a few changes. Noticing that some of the subcategories had generated quite a few projects, two were deemed worthy of becoming slices in the pie of categories.
The announcement was posted in their blog on June 11 of this year.
Seriously, I only missed knowing about this by two days.
Then again, I imagine I was notified by email about the new post in their blog, but, at the time, I didn't truly comprehend its meaning.
Those two white wedges in my "pie" gave the news the needed impact.
I am certainly conscious of it now.
Time to complete my "pie" again!

muralcle is just a memory now

This morning, the wrecking crew came over to Habersham Street. Some of the backers were there, too, as well as friends of the artists whose work was portrayed on the Wall.
By the time I arrived in late morning, the middle section and the right portion had been partially dismantled.
One nice thing: the workers were very considerate of the fact that this was an artistic endeavor which was to be destroyed. Great care has been taken to salvage those portions which are to be given new homes.
Matt had been dragging whole concrete bricks up toward the front of the street, laying out neat rows to help folks find the images they wanted to cherish, their portraits captured on the concrete.
I looked, but my triangulated face was not there.
Up toward the wall I went! One by one, I turned over bricks, searching for mine, hoping it had not been destroyed, hoping the brick might be nearly whole and not shattered.
Hoping, hoping, hoping.
Twice I ended up on the ground. I had left the house so hurriedly that I had just slipped on my sandals, not "real" shoes. Twice, I stepped on a corner of broken brick and my foot slipped out from the shoe, landing me on my buttocks. BAM! The first fall resulted in a couple of scrapes; the next time, only my ego was bruised.
If only I had looked straight ahead of me that first time I fell.
My image would have been about at eye level, there on the lower left portion of the wall, below the gaping hole.
After my second misstep, I busied myself with turning all the fallen bricks face-up. That slowed me down, made me start paying more attention to the colors and patterns on the bricks. I realized that the two large sections I had just turned over, each consisting of three bricks still fused together, would have come from the same section where my image once was. Maybe my face was still on a section in that area!
And so it was.
On part of the wall which had not yet been dismantled, a section partly hidden by tar paper.

For now, the block rests on my living room floor.
I brought home eight and a half other blocks from the site.
I was careful to not take any blocks which had portraits on them; I am well aware of the value of such art. The blocks I rescued from the site have only splashes and swooshes and lines of color upon them. Somewhere in my back yard, those blocks will be grouped together to tell their stories.
Hopefully, that will be soon.

imagination is a superpower!

"A Cape!" has arrived!

I am so thrilled!

Today, "A Cape!" arrived in my mailbox!

Not literally a cape, of course.
Sure, there could have been a cape there, but I did not order one, so it would have been a huge surprise for me if a cape arrived at my house.

I knew this was coming, even though I had not personally ordered it.
Marty Kelley ordered it for me.


Well, not actually for me.

The book is for my nephew, Conner.
He's one of the most fearless boys I've ever met. He's never met a wall he couldn't climb, a tree that stood in his way, or any obstacle that truly was.
He starts the first grade next fall.
As I said before, when I saw this project on kickstarter, I immediately thought of this particular nephew and knew I had to support the author in honor of Conner.

Just look at that personalized autograph!

Conner is going to love it!

I think his big brother, Merritt, is going to be a little jealous.
That's okay.
I have another project's reward for him.



I haven't decided what I'll do with the poster.
Maybe I'll give that to Conner, too.
Maybe it will find a place on my Kickstarter Wall in my Ocean Room.
I still have a couple of months to decide on that.

But I am for sure keeping the bookmark!

Look at the sheer glee on his face!

What jubilation at being young and invincible!

I especially like this side, of course!
It echoes Einstein's thoughts on imagination being more important than knowledge.

But I also like the imagery.
The little boy leaps into the air, crashes down, and still flashes a 'thumbs up!" to signal that all is well.
Keep on trying, just keep on trying!

Great message.

GH the girl travels to Tallahassee

At long last! "God Help The Girl" is in the United States and will holiday this very weekend in Tallahassee, Florida!
Of course I will be there.
I'll even be sporting that snazzy badge I made. Cool, right?
Oh, come on, I won't be getting my real enameled "CREW" pin until the DVD has been made and released. That's when I, and one hundred two other collaborators at this reward level - will receive our special packages with the DVD, the T-shirt, the enamel pin badge, and "the exclusively designed poster from the film". The actual date is rather up in the air, as it is dependent upon the date of the DVD's release in my area of the world.
So, until then, I shall make do.
That is, I shall make my own badge, based on the photo of the enamel pin badge created for the musical.
I am traveling with my bfe (that's best friend extraordinaire) and will be staying with my blue-sky cousin and her family. It is my ardent hope that we shall all go to the Saturday screening at the All Saints Cinema. With good fortune on my side, I hope we can view it one more time, early Sunday afternoon, at that same location, before the bfe and I head back to Savannah.
The Tallahassee Film Society is hosting the screenings. I have no idea how they came to do so. Perhaps the proximity of Florida State University, with its College of Motion Picture Arts held some sway over the booking? Perhaps Stuart Murdoch's collaborator Barry Mendel has ties to the area?
I honestly do not know.
I'm just elated that the musical will soon be close enough to set my toes tappin', while also allowing me time to visit with family I see too seldom.
I'm going to enjoy seeing my name in the credits, too.
I hope to get a screen shot of that.
If naught else, it will be quite wonderful to have my cousin, her family, my Aunt Linda, and my bfe sitting right there with me on a fine Saturday evening in the South, witnessing the work done with some of Mama's money.
I know she will be there, too.

speculative relationships at the broken hearts table

I really needed this today.
The finished products are not yet on their way, but I received two emails from kickstarter projects I've backed.
The second arrived this afternoon, from Scott Kroll, of "Speculative Relationships: A SciFi Romance Comics Anthology". As part of the rewards for my support, I have been granted early access to the finished product, via weblink. I was also sent the weblink for the backstory on the making of the anthology.
(If you want them, just click here for the anthology and here for the "Making Love" ezine. Well worth the sawbuck for the pair!)
Beautiful! Just the thing I needed to help clear my mind from the great loss I have felt for the past two days.
The story I chose to read first was Rinko Endo's, "The Same Moon". Anyone who knows me will affirm that I have an attraction to the moon, whether beneficial or maddening depends on the day.
(smile)
Her tale was just the therapy I needed. Such a sweet story about a thug and her healer! I don't know why, but I could totally relate to the thug. Perhaps it's from my recently dregged memories of my days as a sailor in Panama, when I had weapons practice every month for proficiency with 45's and M-16's. That was necessary in case the secured facility where I worked was ever overrun by terrorists.
I was very skilled with those weapons.
I really loved her story.
I'm going to ration out the stories, maybe read just one a day for the next week or so, make them last a bit longer. That will allow me to get the full benefit of each, to better appreciate both the artistry of the work and the tale itself.
I've skimmed through the "Making Love" 'zine. Nice little tidbits in there for each artist - very nicely arranged! I look forward to taking my time and perusing every page, at a leisurely pace, perhaps while sipping a cup of hot tea and periodically glancing out at a weeping sky...
The other reward actually arrived by email on Wednesday, but I was a bit swamped at the time. You see, I teach and I had scheduled a test for my students that day. Then, last Friday, I had diddybopped off to Atlanta for Dragon*Con, test unwritten. I ended up spending most of Tuesday and Wednesday making up for my fun weekend.
(Still worth it!)
This afternoon, while awaiting the last inning and a half of a championship playoff game, i was taking care of a backlog of emails. Fortunately, a soundtrack was awaiting me, buried in the forwarded jokes and transferred photos and fb messages.
Those hard-working Titshaw brothers, whilst making their next film, "The Broken Hearts Table", had taken a time-out to compile a songlist.
No, the movie is not a musical.
These "Monthly Music Mixes (lasting one-year) that inspired The Broken Hearts Table" began this month. Woohoo! Fourteen songs, all by different artists, some remakes of old favorites, some new tunes, most absolutely without equal. "Sad, Sad City", by Ghostland Observatory, and Mayer Hawthorne's "A Long Time" were especially welcomed by my exhausted brain.
Actually, their September Music Mix is quite good for reading about Speculative Relationships. Seriously. That Ghostland Observatory tune is especially, and incredibly, appropriate.
I'll have to check and see if the brothers will allow me to release their playlist, so you can judge the truth of my words.

laundry piling up at my house

The making of a DVD can take quite a bit of time. As I have found, that process can easily add months, even years, to the reward finding its way to waiting hands, eyes, and ears.
Such has certainly been the case here.
But, at last, "The Laundromat" has opened for me!
When I last wrote, it was to share the update from Vanessa Yee. Her kickstarter project, a documentary with many interviews, was in the process of being completed and was gathering good reviews along the way.
Now, the T-shirt is on me, the bumper sticker is going on my Kickstarter Wall in my Ocean Room, and the button will soon be in the hands of my favorite laundry owner, Nami.
I have not yet had time to review the DVD, but I hope to do so very soon.
You'll be the first to know!
Meanwhile, you can enjoy the trailer for it here.
You can also visit her fabulous site... where you can air your laundry in a safe space.

allegiance to takei

Yes, that Takei, the one who was Mr. Sulu on "Star Trek" for so many years.
Now, he is on a trek of his own: to get a WW II-era musical, "Allegiance", onto a Broadway stage.
Yes, I did say "musical".
Yes, I did say "World War II".
Yes, I realize those things don't normally go together, though they certainly have before.
Will this show have battle scenes?
I don't know, but I doubt it.
The story is from the point of view of a Japanese-ancestry family living and working in America when Pearl Harbor was bombed...and the aftermath of a country gone to war on its own citizens.
George Takei was a boy 5 years old when his family, and many others, were imprisoned behind barbed-wire fences in desolate locations. Their only crime was having Japanese heritage.
Incredible to think that this country went so crazy as to lock up thousands of Japanese-American citizens, whether they were men, women, or children.
Incredible... and very sad.
But now, as part of his legacy to the USA and to the world, Takei is ready to share that history with all of us.
What a worthy cause!
And so, mere moments ago, in anticipation of the play's Broadway debut, I have bought into his dream!
For a mere five dollars, I now own Priority Access Pass #08713 for "Allegiance"!!!
That means, once it has been accepted by one of the 41 theatres on Broadway for its run, I will be once of the first to be allowed to purchase tickets!
Who knows?
I just may have to make a run up to New York City for that auspicious occasion!
It has been a very, very, very long time since I last saw a play on Broadway. The play was "Lunch Hour", with Sam Waterston and Gilda Radner, back in February of 1981, before my tour of duty in Okinawa.
(smile)
I'll keep watching for more news...
and say a little prayer for this worthy piece of history.

creature (dis)comforts of home

Oh, my! Such lovely, cool-scary, monsters!
Oh, pardon me - not monsters, creatures.
That indicates that these beings came from imagination, not from an egg or a uterus.

That imagination belongs to the GoggleGals, Jessica Feinberg and Alese Lea Taylor, creators of this kickstarter-funded book.
And poster, as shown above.

And two unique bookmarks.

And fabulous prints of the individual creatures!
(More on that in just a second!

Even the back of the book bears the searing mark of their fertile imagination!

I just love the way they autographed this book for me!

"FOR GREAT-AUNT FAUSTINA - BEWARE THE CREATURES!"

and

"crunch"

Such marvelous fun!






But, I must admit, my most prized rewards from these young women are Jellie Oculari and the Orange Gnawzler.
I know, they sound like something that would appear in a B-grade, late-night old-timey science fiction flick, don't they? I'm sure my fondness for those goofy movies from my youth is part of the reason I am charmed by these creatures, of all of those produced by the GoggleGals.
These were the two I could not live without.

The Snaggle-Toothed Orange Gnawzler

Shaggy and fuzzy
orange yellow on top
please don't be misled by its cute fluffy mop.
Sneaking up the stairs
hunting late into the night
It's seeking out toenails
to nibble and bite!

Jellie Oculari

Swims in the water
floats through the sky
If you don't see him coming he'll
steal your eyes.


Bwah ha ha!!!
He is definitely my favorite!
Now, they both grace a wall in my Ocean Room, a wall dedicated to the display of my treasures acquired from the support of kickstarter projects.
And Jellie, with his many aqua eyes, looks perfectly at home there, swimming along without a care in the world!

there's a new queen bee in Chicago!

(No, this bee is not from Illinois, but Georgia. I wrote about him here. I just thought the photo was appropriate for this post, too.)

Today, I received an email that made me cry.
Tears of happineess, tears of joy, tears of gratitude.
Thank you, Jana, for sharing your news... and making me part of it.
This is truly why I support projects on kickstarter. I want to believe that Mama's money is helping people achieve their dreams, make a difference, pay it forward.

Update #12
Jul 25 2014 1:40 PM
Third Summer

Hello Backers,

I just wanted to share some thoughts I had the other day.

I was out checking on two of my hives down in Fuller Park, one of which was queenless. Sometimes hives become queenless because she gets squished or injured, sometimes it's just a mystery. This time, I had killed her. She wasn't a good queen. She didn't lay eggs consistently, and earlier in the year the colony had sacbrood. Since the queen is the only bee laying eggs in the whole hive, a viral disease like sacbrood originates with the queen. It was a painful Executive Decision but I knew it would be better for the colony in the long run.

After I got rid of the original queen, we transferred over queen cells (young, pupating queens) from the other healthy hive nearby. Soon a virgin queen would emerge from one of those cells, and after she's mated, the colony would accept her as the new matriarch. I left the garden, and hoped that everything would go as planned.

I came back a week later, and even though I knew a queen had already emerged, they are so small before they are mated and laying eggs that it's hard to spot them. They look like any other worker bee — almost. But, I just wanted to peek inside the hive anyways. I opened up the hive and carefully removed a frame, and OH MAN! I spotted the virgin queen! There she was, looking trim and not quite regal yet. How on EARTH did I spot her? And how lucky was I... She was on the first frame I grabbed! She walked amongst the other worker bees, who don't regard her with much respect yet. I can't explain it, but, queen bees, even when not yet mated, walk around with this... "air" about them. Like they have something on their mind. I mean, I know they don't, but I was so impressed by my trained eye that I could spot her.

I carefully put the frame back into the hive, closed the lid, and got on my bike. The sun was shining and just starting to get low in the sky; it was a heavenly Chicago summer afternoon. I was done with beekeeping for the day, and what a perfect way to end it. Getting to see a virgin queen, one small insect that was about to make a dangerous journey out of the hive to mate with neighborhood drones. I couldn't believe it. Suddenly I became overwhelmed with emotions (this happens often while beekeeping) and I started to cry. I thought about how this is my life now. That I get to do this every week and that it's the most fulfilling thing I have ever done.

I want to share this because I would not be beekeeping in this capacity if it wasn't for my Kickstarter backers. You guys LITERALLY (and I am using this word appropriately) changed my entire life. You, who donated a little bit of money, collectively changed my life. I wanted to share this because my project was a unique one... It wasn't a product or an event, it was an ambitious idea that I couldn't do by myself. You really took a risk with this one, but there is so much your money has done.

Not only has it changed my life, it's changed the lives of countless urban gardeners, neighbors, and community groups who now have a positive relationship with pollinators. Children all over Chicagoland who were once scared now care about bees now because of Bike a Bee, or as they know me, "the bee girl." Bike a Bee's education efforts are the most important aspect of the project for me.

On a personal level, my favorite accomplishment with Bike a Bee has been mentoring Abby, an intern I took on last year. Abby worked with me almost every day I went beekeeping last year, and I got to see her turn into a fantastic beekeeper. She even got to be a part of the business side, helping us become a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit. This year, Abby is caring for her own Bike a Bee hives and also beekeeping with me (we really love working together). The other night she told me she couldn't imagine a life without beekeeping. So not only did you change my life, you changed Abby's.

The long and short of it is: I don't think a lot of people on Kickstarter realize that they are changing people's lives when they throw $20 at a project. I just wanted to remind you that you are, and while I am enjoying my third summer beekeeping, I want to thank you with all of my heart for backing this project back in the winter of 2012.

- Jana (+ the bees)

I am so touched that she wrote this, to share her news and her gratitude.
Her mother must be very proud of her - I am.

the broken hearts table

Truth be told, this is what started my recent bout of activity in the kickstarter universe. You know, the one in which I backed six book projects in less than an hour on a Tuesday morning last week.
Whew. I was a busy Fliss!
But this was the project I had first checked out that day.
You see, on June 1st, the brothers Titshaw (Brian and Matthew) screened their previous film at Muse Arts Warehouse to grab some attention for this new venture.
Good move.
The screening was free, which certainly appealed to many at the early afternoon show. Also, as "The Space Jockey Pursuit" is offered as a reward for several of the funding levels in this new kickstarter project, the free screening generated financial interest. (All puns intended!)
My forty-three remaining birthday bucks is helping to make that last push for the goal of $11500, which must be met in the next two days.
Honestly, I think they'll succeed. I'm almost their 200th backer, so that tells you they must be doing something right.
So, no worries.
I'm very much looking forward to owning my own DVD copy of that quirky movie of a brother helping another to attain his dream of being in a film about a space jockey. Quite funny and touching!
I'll also receive a plethora of other goodies! Digital Wallpaper, a signed postcard from the filmmakers (you know how much I love those!), a video thank-you, a digital download of the aforementioned space jockey film, and a subscription to the Making of the Broken Hearts Table (filled with juicy bits like behind the scenes footage!).
As the icing on the wedding cake, I also get a sneak preview of the first ten minutes of "The Broken Hearts Table"!!!
Won't it be super-special if that viewing is held at Muse Arts???

speculative relationships: a sci-fi romance comics anthology

I could most definitely use a little romance in my life.
Everyone can, n'est-ce pas?
When it comes to love between different species, science fiction has always been there to say: why not?
Tyrell Cannon and the other five artists in this 80-page collection agree with that philosophy. Together, they have contributed eight stories to stroke that romantic beast purring deep in my soul.
Mike Manomivibul, in conjunction with providing the cover art for the book, has a tale of two robots, searching the world over to be reunited. To be perfectly honest, it is that cover art, with the questing hand reaching out for the touch of another, that captured my heart. I'll hope his story bears up to that predispostion on my part.
Isabella Rotman offers dreamers on a traveling spaceship. Her art is lush and has a medieval fantasy edge. Very pretty!
Daniel Warren Johnson combines action and comedy in his other work. This tale of a cyborg in an alien war promises to keep the attention point on!
Rinko Endo is an art therapist, offering her tale through a manga lens. The star-crossed love tapestry of an alien and a human is of the ages, but newly woven.
Scott Kroll has two contributions to the anthology. The story which most has my interest postulates a five-gendered species, with love only if all are present. I wonder if they will have flavors, like quarks do?
Then there's the initiator of this kickstarter campaign, Tyrell Cannon. He also contributes two pieces, one which speaks in the voice of "Gravity", while the other features a modern chapter in the Adam and Eve saga.
Can you tell I'm hooked?
Apparently, I'm not the only one. Four hundred, thirty-seven others made sure they had surpassed their $9000 goal yesterday.
So, as the 438th backer, I've added $28 of birthday money to their pile, to help make this book the best it can be.
I'm committing to Going Steady with them. In return, I'm getting pinned in the form of a physical copy fo the book to hold in my hands and close to my heart, a print of the cover to frame and hang on the wall above my bed, and a PDF of the "Making Love" zine, so I will know all the work which was done to make this love my own.
I am nearly breathless with antici-pa-tion!

horizon anthology

This anthology poses the question: What happens after the hero wins?
Indeed, what does happen?
"The Incredibles" showed us the aftermath. All of the heroes were forced to go undercover, forgo their super-identities, phase their superpowers into "standby" mode. Sure, eventually, an evil power forces them back into the open, but again clad in their supergarb. After that evil uprising is quelled, they continue living as (near)regular folks, at least in appearance, when not called into action.
Jeremy Lawson, the initiator of this kickstarter project, has joined up with fourteen other talented artists, from near and far. Together, they have created a 144-page, full-color work of visual literature, which they want to share with us.
Nice, right?
The ringleader is a Savannah artist, transplanted from Texas (but we won't hold that against him). (smile!) He's done a great job of keeping interest alive in the project. They're on their last day today and are more than $1000 over their original goal! Woohoo!!!
Now, there's a push to try to hit that magical $10,000 mark. You want your copy of the book to be hardcover, right? I would!
So, more of my birthday money into a worthy creation! I've sent them forty-four buckaroos. As my reward, I'll be receiving a copy of the book, of course, with my name in the acknowledgements. Nice!!!
I'll also receive a PDF download of the book and a digital wallpaper pack of the cover art.
That's pretty nice, too!
And, because they had attained their initial goal, I will also be granted two Kickstarter Exclusive art prints!!! Sah-weet!!!
Now, let's hope they hit that hardcover stretch goal...

adventures of oskar & klaus: the search for bigfoot

Okay! This will be the first audiobook I have supported on kickstarter!
True, when Mick Syzdlowski and Travis Bossard, best buddies and co-authors, first announced this project, all they were trying to do was print a 32-page hardcover version of the book. The book would also be illustrated by Alex Novoseltsev, so some funds would be used to pay the artist.
That's cool.
The story is about Oskar, the blind cat, and his good buddy, Klaus.
That is really cool.
A blind cat? And his cat companion, who helps look out for him on their adventures?
When has that ever been done before???
Count me in!
Apparently, many agree with me.
On the same day that they announced the project on kickstarter, they attained their goal.
Seriously.
On that first day, they raised more than the $10,000 needed for the book.
That encouraged them to think more grandly. Rather than have only the book for those with visual acuity, why not also have an audio version for the blind?
That would require much, much, much more money. Like, at least $50,000.
Why not go for it? The project has until June 6th to collect funding, so that would give them 29 days - and much good word-of-mouth advertising - to see if it could be done.
Why not, indeed?
That course of action has worked out very well. By the time I had joined as a backer this morning, they were already well past $40,000 and still had three days left.
Bravo!!!
They have even already cast the voice of Bigfoot! Will Braden, a well-known man in the world of "Henri, le Chat Noir" has signed on for the role.
What will I get for my $29 of birthday money?
You mean, besides the satisfaction of helping a well-deserving project?
Let me tell you what I get.
An actual copy of the beautifully-illustrated book.
An embroidered patch for the Oskar & Klaus Adventure Sociery!!! Woohoo!!!
A digital wallpaper pack of the art in the book!!!
A digital download of the audio version of the book!!! (I just know they're going to hit that stretch goal!! Positive thoughts!!!)
This is going to be good, y'all.

pandamonium: a steampunk adventure

Adventure!!!
That's my magic word, y'all.
So, that was the first item that caught my attention: that one word, adventure.
But a steampunk adventure??? Are you kidding me???
With a Panda?!?!
Well... that sounds too cool to miss!
The cherry on top?
The panda is female.
Yep, Patrick Scullin has given the world a steampunk Panda heroine!
Of course, this isn't his first foray into the world of female leads. He's the author of a comic strip that features a geeky brother and sister duo. Click here for a cool tribute to both science fiction and sibling rivalry.
I like that the book is already written.
I like that it is even already available, in a trade format.
But I especially like that the author wants to dress it up, make it fully illustrated, turn it into a treasure.
It hasn't yet hit its funding goal, but I'm sure it will. The deadline is still a week away and all the author lacks is $500.
I want to help him make it there with some of my birthday money from my stepmom. So, he gets $37 and I'll get the fully illustrated book, autographed by him! And an autographed art print!! And a collectible bookmark - which I just may give to my stepmom.
You know, to share my surfeit of riches.
I really think she will enjoy that. She may want to read the book, too!

a cape!

TA DAAAAHHHH!!!!
A cape is magical, right?!?!
You can be a superhero, just like Superman, which I hope Sam Johnson's nephew will aspire to be, which I know Sam aspired to be.
The red cape is definitely what drew me toward this "Ending Soon" kickstarter project.
What kept me here, though, is the preview offered by first-time publisher, Marty Kelley. In it, he talks about the use of a pillowcase as a cape.
Hey! I remember my brothers doing that!
How cool!
This guy knows what he's talking about with this children's book!
He's had plenty of experience, having written several books for young readers. In addition, he's illustrated several books for other writers. And I am sure his years as a 2nd-grade teacher have been an enormous asset, too.
Why do I have an interest? I have a nephew who is quite energetic and not attracted to books, though it isn't for lack of trying on my part. This book, however, may be just the thing to grab his attention!
(Are you reading this, Conner? Nah, I didn't think so. But you will!!)
So why did I throw $29 of my birthday money from my stepmom into this?
After all, it was an "Ending Soon" (as in tomorrow morning) project, but not local. Also, it met its funding goal about two weeks ago.
So, again, why did I join its list of backers?
Yeah, sure, I want the autographed book and the poster and the postcard!!! Of course, he'll be getting all except that postcard. That will be mine, mine, mine!
But, I also hope Mr. Kelley will attain his stretch goal.
You see, if he hits $10,000, he's going to donate a box of the books to The Children's Literacy Foundation. That's a very admirable goal.
I hope he makes it.

creature DIScomforts

Oh, my! This is definitely for me, me, me!!!
A book of disgustingly cute monsters, with poetry!!!
Jessica Feinberg must be aware that I recently had a birthday and that I would want some super-cool memento to always henceforth remind me of this time of my life. So, for me, and for me alone, she started this project on kickstarter.
So very kind of her, don't you agree?
Say what? Why would I be attracted to such a thing??
Well, you should be aware that "Monsters, Inc." is one of my all-time favorite movies.
Like, in the top five.
At one point in time, I had the opportunity to buy a life-size Sully, furry self and all. I was in San Francisco, with my SAR friend, Paul, at this kooky coffee shop filled with movie memorabilia. I was cruising the aisles, admiring the goods, when I rounded a corner and there they were: Sully and Mike, life-size and totally awesome!!!
Why didn't I buy him on the spot?
Well, two reasons intervened. First, he was with Mike. I would have had to buy both of them. They're BFF's; you can't split them up like that.
Secondly, and this is perhaps the more important, the cost of getting him back to Savannah would have been numbing. After all, I had flown there and would fly back. I certainly did not have the funds to buy him - and Mike - airfare for the return home.
So, they had to remain in that coffee shop in California.
I totally get that.
Now, I have the opportunity to attain creepy-cute monsters of my own!!!
Thanks to the creative talents of Jessica and her best friend, Alese Taylor. Actually, the added flavor of two best friends working to create these creepy-cute monsters and writing poems about them makes this irresistible to me.
Truly.
I'm even catching the project at its beginning, so I'll be one of the first backers, showing my support right from the start.
Coincidence, my dear, that I should find this project at this time?
Sure, if you say so...
but I happen to love coincidences!
As proof, I've invested my birthday number of dollars into this venture, right here and now.
In return, I shall receive not one, but TWO autographed copies of the hardcover book. I will definitely plan to share one of those, and this story, with one of my dear greatnieces or greatnephews. That will be an awesome Christmas gift for one of them!
I will also receive two bookmarks - definitely will share those! (Maybe!)
And - oh, Yeah - ba DWHOMP DWHOMP.
Two 8x8 prints will be gracing my newly created "fliss" wall in my Ocean Room.
Two 8x8 prints of monsters of my choice - tika tika, ba DWHOMP DWHOMP.
Oh, Yeah.
(In case you're wondering, go back and review that part in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" when they're admiring that sports car in Cameron's dad's showroom/garage. Right?!?)
Yes, August is looking mighty fine right now, filled with lovely gifts!

regaining my footing, kind sir

I know you may be wondering what brought me back to kickstarter after all this time.
After all, it's been nearly a year since I last fished for art in this flowing stream.
Truly, that time last May might not even count, as I knew several of those involved with Ol' Devil Sherman & the Mint Juleps.
Well, I guess there have been three recent prods in this direction.
Just a few days ago, I was anointed as one of the benevolent ones. As I am now Fliss of kickstarter, I found my lack of involvement with the site to be a little troubling. After all, how can I be of help to the creative ones if I don't seek them out?
The second prod was also just a few days ago. I actually gave one of my prized rewards, a first issue comic, to a friend for his birthday. That has, surprisingly, left a hole that begs to be filled.
The third reason for my return has to be the recent Fliss Film Festival. The bfe and I will certainly have another, possibly two more, before my river of rewards has been fished out. But then what?
Perhaps it's time to don the waders and cast the hook out there, one more time.
Or maybe more. Who knows?
I do have a birthday coming up, so I can give myself - and others in the world - some new creations to enjoy and share and be inspired by!!!
I'm excited, aren't you?
Woohoo!!!

the bridge partner and peter s. beagle

When an esteemed author and screenwriter of fantasy was asked by a master storyteller to write a mystery and agrees to do so, that's pretty interesting.
When that short story then becomes one of those in the "Best American Mystery Stories 2012" later that year, well, that's pretty noteworthy.
Especially to a fan of both fantasy and mystery.
Like myself.
Especially when the mystery focuses on two strong female characters.
And is not centered around a man.
That's very interesting.
Now, the short story is to be a short film.
Thanks go to Gabriel Olson, who not only wrote the screenplay and will direct, but had the good sense to involve Peter S. Beagle, author of the story, in his endeavors. What kind of work does he do? Can he weave a tale that keeps the interest?
Well, venture down to his brag-reel on the kickstarter page and judge for yourself. (I especially like the Coca-Cola commercial that features the two roommates with a couch problem. Very funny!)
Now, then, I don't want you to think that I joined this parade at the start.
Oh, no. I've tagged on to the tail end, along with 274 other latecomers. You see, they met goal on March 24, after only 14 days, with the first 212 backers on kickstarter.
Very impressive!
That goal was $21,000.
So they added a stretch goal... and another... and another....
Now, their original deadline is later tonight. Their last stretch goal of $45,000 is within grasp.
My little $36 will still help!
And I'll be treated to the downloads of the film and the score... and I will receive the script!
And... ta da!!! A copy of some new poems and song lyrics by the fantasy writer! Sah-weet!
You bet I'm in!

silencer, out to do good in the world

Yesterday, my dear friend Hai turned 34. I gave him this kickstarter reward.
Why?
Well, he is, and has perhaps always been, a big fan of comic books and graphic novels.
Secondly, he recently shared with me that he is an artist (he draws and his mom gave him a nice set of colored pencils for his birthday this year).
And, like the guys in Silencer, he was a college student until his graduation a year ago.
Also like them, he is a techhead (though he tries to keep that part quiet).
These are all valid reasons for this first issue being an ideal gift for him.
Mostly, though, I think I gave it to him in memory of Sam Johnson.

You see, Sam and Hai became friends at The Comic Box, years ago.
The memory of my dear friend Sam was the reason I backed this project three years ago.
Sam, aka Blaxstone, was very much into Superman lore and always rooted for good to triumph over the evil in the world.
Hai tells me he is working on being one of the good guys.
I hope Silencer will encourage him along his path.

Now, lest you think I didn't make a back-up copy of the issue, try again.
Of course I did.
It won't have the quality of the original, but I can enjoy it whenever I want.
But it's good to know that someone who will cherish it as I did now owns it.
Safe hands.

fliss of kickstarter

Lately, I've been announcing myself to be "Fliss of Kickstarter" to folks. Well, not to say that I'm going around town doing that, of course; I've done it on LinkedIn, as I invite those I have supported to join my network there. People might think I had lost my mind more so than normal if I proclaimed in person my presence as Fliss of Kickstarter. But I believe in my heart the philosophy expressed by Robin Williams in an interview, "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it.".
My spark of madness seems to manifest as doing good unto others.
I know, strange superpower, right?
Still, as Fliss of Kickstarter, I am able to do good by helping the dreams of others to come true. In turn, I receive a rekindling of the fire in my soul, the fire which keeps my heart from becoming chilled by the deep sadness of the world.
I also, as I have written much of late, received some physical manifestations of dreams made real. I truly do enjoy that; it's always heartwarming to see a new tree bring forth first the flowers of things to come, then actual fruit for all to enjoy. Sweet!
Today, I shared an especially juicy morsel with my dear friend Hai. Tomorrow is his birthday.
He is aware that I have backed some projects on kickstarter, as I have talked about a couple of times of late. I've worn two of my rewards, T-shirts from "The Restaurant Job" and the SeeSAW Muralcle.
I had already let him watch one of the films I had supported. His forte is film and theatre, academically, and I thought he would appreciate the uniqueness of the film "Chalk Talk", which has no dialogue except written words on a chalkboard. Yeah, it is a bit of a "chick flick" - but he did watch the whole thing and seemed to enjoy it before he headed off to other venues.
Hai has a lot of creative interests, including drawing, comic books, and superheroes. So, in honor of his birthday, what better gift could I give than Silencer? This first edition, brand new superhero, created by Ethan Wright, is the best way to show him how very special he is to me.
So, now that I have gone all sappy, one last message: I love you, Hai! Happy 34th!