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So many things are going on lately. Last weekend Gwen and I spent Saturday at the International Steampunk City Festival here in Waltham, MA - it was a heck of a lot of fun, and if I'd had my shit together I would have gone all-out costume wise. My shit was not together enough for that, but I have big ideas for next time (hopefully there will be a next time!).
It started to pour half-way through the day and we took refuge in the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation where they had a huge Steampunk exhibit. I am completely enamoured of the huge cast iron stoves that have been retro-fitted with modern cooktops and such. So so pretty.
And the Steampunked guitars were incredibly cool. And if they hadn't been over a hundred dollars, one of the Steampunk flash drive might have come home with me.
I also really liked the girl who was upcycling silver plated items - old tea services and such, by stripping off the ugly tarnished silverplate and kiln-firing shiny single-colored enamel. Very very pretty stuff. Old shapes in modern shiny colors. And while that old ugly silverplated stuff handed down might not be so serviceable anymore as tarnished and looking a little sketchy, this girl is making it useable again.
Things they did right: the event "program" was in the style of a newspaper - so damned cool. Using the entirety of downtown Waltham. Choosing a good weekend - even if it did rain. Getting all the entertainment they were able to - from the Steampunked guitars to the Morris dancers to the guy who made his own small organ and "Magestic Bellowphone" to the hurdy-gurty players - it was a lot of fun.
Things they did wrong: Having one of their vendor/performance spaces hard to find and get to. A limited access building was not conducive to what they were trying to do. Because of the rain, having some of their vendors outside was a bit of a gamble. They could have used more signage. And their pre-event Web site was difficult to navigate.
On the whole I'd go back next year.
Oh! and I got the new computer last Friday - thank goodness! I am still getting used to the more spread out keyboard, and the trackpad/button combo. And well, having things slightly different. Like, I have the most up-to-date version of Word. Which has far more bells and whistles and everything is in different spots - and I've had to use the help menu several times when I'm trying to do the simplest of things. The problem is Word is just NOT that SIMPLE anymore. I'll get used to it.
In other things - plans for Ascendio move apace. Look for some thrilling announcements very very soon.
And I think my mom and I are going to take a little trip into Boston tomorrow for some Mom-Daughter time. We'll likely be home in time for lunch, but the morning should be very enjoyable.
How the heck is is the middle of May already?
It started to pour half-way through the day and we took refuge in the Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation where they had a huge Steampunk exhibit. I am completely enamoured of the huge cast iron stoves that have been retro-fitted with modern cooktops and such. So so pretty.
And the Steampunked guitars were incredibly cool. And if they hadn't been over a hundred dollars, one of the Steampunk flash drive might have come home with me.
I also really liked the girl who was upcycling silver plated items - old tea services and such, by stripping off the ugly tarnished silverplate and kiln-firing shiny single-colored enamel. Very very pretty stuff. Old shapes in modern shiny colors. And while that old ugly silverplated stuff handed down might not be so serviceable anymore as tarnished and looking a little sketchy, this girl is making it useable again.
Things they did right: the event "program" was in the style of a newspaper - so damned cool. Using the entirety of downtown Waltham. Choosing a good weekend - even if it did rain. Getting all the entertainment they were able to - from the Steampunked guitars to the Morris dancers to the guy who made his own small organ and "Magestic Bellowphone" to the hurdy-gurty players - it was a lot of fun.
Things they did wrong: Having one of their vendor/performance spaces hard to find and get to. A limited access building was not conducive to what they were trying to do. Because of the rain, having some of their vendors outside was a bit of a gamble. They could have used more signage. And their pre-event Web site was difficult to navigate.
On the whole I'd go back next year.
Oh! and I got the new computer last Friday - thank goodness! I am still getting used to the more spread out keyboard, and the trackpad/button combo. And well, having things slightly different. Like, I have the most up-to-date version of Word. Which has far more bells and whistles and everything is in different spots - and I've had to use the help menu several times when I'm trying to do the simplest of things. The problem is Word is just NOT that SIMPLE anymore. I'll get used to it.
In other things - plans for Ascendio move apace. Look for some thrilling announcements very very soon.
And I think my mom and I are going to take a little trip into Boston tomorrow for some Mom-Daughter time. We'll likely be home in time for lunch, but the morning should be very enjoyable.
How the heck is is the middle of May already?
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