Category: Creations

Around 2000, I created version 2.0 of this humble blog. I made a batch of icons for the nifty rollover buttons (that still work!) that connected the world to the categories that where my life. The original files of those icons where lost when a hard drive failed on my computer (please always back up your files before you learn the hard way).

Now, seven years later, I got the bug to create a few of the old images and put them on an 8th anniversary sticker, soon to get printed. Sticker may vary from image above. The sticker is only one of the two above btw. I flipped it so you wouldn’t have to flip your computer to read the upside-down part.

The fist with the brush is my Creations icon, and the molotov cocktail is my Politics icon. What better way to honor another year of my blog, and the creative/destructive forces that have happened personally and publicly, than with this fun new design.

Any donation over $1.00 will get you a few of these 2-n-1 gems via the US Postal Service. Out of country? Please donate $2.00 or more. Owe you a favor? I might mail you some whether you want them or not! Remember, the HappyFeetTravels project is a labor of love. Eventually, I’d love to break even….

Every year, Last Gasp, a fine distributor of comix, graphic novels, and a bit of everything else, throws a benefit party for another amazing Mission District institution, Martin de Porres. For one night only, long-time cultural facilitator Ron Turner (the man behind Last Gasp) opens up his whole warehouse for those in-the-know to drop some funds for the food kitchen, eat some free burritos, drink some free beer, and walk around all the crazy items that Last Gasp has collected over the years.

Though Jello Biafra, SF Guardian’s Bruce Brugmann, Warren Hinkle, Chuck Sperry, V. Vale, $teve Ra$pa, and others that I do not know by face walked the floors, I chose to shoot the items on the walls and shelves for fun.

Thanks to Al at Al’s Comics for having the “invitation only” invite and getting me in.

Hmm. The nicotine smokers were outside at the back entrance. Wonder where all that purple smoke came from???

An amazing poster dating to the early 20th century. Who knew that the magician could conjure cute demons.

Continue reading “Last Gasp Xmas Party Photos”

Thought you’d enjoy a few of the pics I shot on the road these past weeks. Am still trying to move in and catch up here in SF. Being gone seven months sure makes returning a bit more dramatic!

Um, this was hanging on the wall at my co-worker Liz’ place in Des Moines. Too funny to not document!

Right next to the Holiday Inn where I slept my first night after Chicago, this sad barn sat by the parking lot. Felt like it was waiting to be developed into a KFC/Taco Bell/BP station. 🙁

Continue reading “Pics On the Road”

Introduction

Since 1999, I have had the amazing opportunity of working in a specific performance niche: Dinner Theater. I started with the Funky Puppet Circus Supper, and then either performed in and/or organized the Funky Puppet Supper II through IV (all at CELLspace). In 2005 and 2006, I also worked with Circo Romani and CounterPULSE’s Feast of Fools and Friends as Stage Manager and consultant, and with Teatro ZinZanni as a Box Office Rep (got to see the show about times and hang out backstage a bit).

So I wasn’t too surprised when the Shotgun Players approached me to be their stage manager for a dinner theater fundraiser they had planned in April of this year. Unfortunately, I was in Vermont at the time training for my Sensible Priorities carnival games gig. I still wanted to help out, so I offered to give them advice on how to throw a DIY, low/no-budget, dinner theater event. They were pleased with the offer, so I took a few days to write out everything I could think of that goes into producing dinner theater.

Now, CounterPULSE is about to have their second Feast of Fools fundraiser. I’m still on their em list, so felt that the time was ripe for taking a fresh look at the brainstorm I sent to Shotgun. I wanted to post this anyway, because I think that this is a powerful framework to use to make amazing, multidimensional performance art. I have so many great memories of these productions, and have always felt blessed to be part of the cast and crew of these events. Usually put together with glue and string, and a big pot of stone soup, these events bring together a group of people who do what they do for the love of it. So much work needs to go into a DIY dinner theater production, so a lot of love and dedication makes it happen.

Hopefully, someone reading this might attempt to throw their own dinner theater show. If you have any questions beyond this essay, please feel free to contact me.

Note: The shows I have worked with are referenced throughout this text as examples of how to, and not to, create your own dinner theater show: Puppet Supper, Teatro ZinZanni, Circo Romani, and Feast of Fools

Continue reading “Create Your Own Dinner Theater Show”

I only took a few photos that weren’t stencils. Since I brought my digital camera along this year, I thought I’d actually show you all a few other creations that graced the playa.

A huge peace sign rises out of the playa, but no peace for us this week. I didn’t see a lot of obvious politically-themed art at Burning Man in 2002, so was glad to see at least a dozen pieces overtly speaking to the times in 2006.

When I arrived to BRC on Monday, everyone buzzed about the “Belgian Waffle.” By the end of the week, the artist had protested the nickname in the playa papers (yes, there are papers printed at BRC), so all PC citizens corrected their language to speak about the mighty Uchronia, a message from the future. I missed watching this amazing structure burn, but saw the video on it’s web site. Rumor told that the artists wanted specially-sized pieces of wood, and thought that they’d lose their order in customs. So they bought a second order of wood and ended up with a huge pile that went unused. Critics tagged this structure as wasted “dead trees” and word was out that it shouldn’t be burned. No matter, with the Temple being small and unimpressive, the Waffle stunned the population throughout the week with DJs, light shows, and huge shadows thrown across this alien architecture.

Continue reading “Burning Man 2006 Photos”

I.

dear ms. peep;

where dost thou sheep go?

little lamB

>hook< now now dear sweet puffy thing inspired cute nosey legged pillow chew l v r s l :p :o ;>

Continue reading “baaAaA baa~instaPloEtr}”