Boldly going... How the heck did I get lost???

Wednesday morning I decided I would walk down to the local library, now I had walked home from here once before so I didn't think this would be so difficult.

Well was I ever wrong.  When I walked home, I nearly missed getting back, until I saw a church sign that told me I was close to where I live, well I had started off on the right path, but realized that no where in my line of sight was that Church sign.  I felt I had to be going the wrong way, so I went back and restarted.

Big mistake, I ended up instead of heading toward downtown, and near the library, toward the inner city of where I live, ie where all the restaurants, hotels and gas stations are.  I kept going back to this one area where the White Castle restaurant is located, and kept getting more lost.  I ended up near a Hoods furniture store and then ended up near a semi-tarry.

I followed the path, until I got to Lance Lane and decided to follow this, for this would intersect with Mill Street   which is near where the Library is.

Well I found my way to Mill Street, south Mill, the Library is off Main Street, not Mill, and I ended up at my mother in laws house instead of the Library, although I thought I was close to the library, when I wasn't.

My mother in law found me waiting at her front porch and had a chuckle, she could not believe I could get lost trying to get to the library.

Well today, I ended up walking successfully to the library, talk about an unexpected adventure.

I only wish I had my camera.  Oh well, such is life.


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An evening of Live Music and Art

Last night, my wife and I went to Jefferson College, in Hillsboro Missouri to attend a free Jazz concert and live art presentation.

The first hour of the presentation was a contemporary Jazz group called Koplantno, depending on the day of the week, and which concert you attend, the name will mean a variety of things from the Hawaiian word for sugar that is an homage to their Polynesian drummer to it being Kono's Plant, not Dano's or ChinHo's or Steve O's, but Kono's.

The jazz is a mix of styles of Jazz greats such as Buddy Collette and his swinging shepherds, Buddy Rich, Dave Brubeck, Chuck Mangonie and Nelson Rangel.

The Jazz can be very laid back, or very aggressive and contemporary.  The Quartet features Brian Lewis Smith on Trumpet, Keys and Laptop, Drew Morton on Bases and Synthis, Rob Barner on Drums, Samples and Vibraphone, and Joel Vanderheyden on Saxophone.

The second half of the presentation featured a live digital movie created on the spot, featuring an animated character named Stubby McGee a stick figure who walks through a world that constantly changes, yet Stubby manages to move forward, never stopped by what changes.

The presentation is amazing.

Here is a sample of KoplantNo live from the performance at Jefferson College, last night.

Mixed Good and Fair Photos of my Academy B-24J Liberator in 1/72nd Scale

These photos represent a combination of a current kit, by Academy model co, of the Consolidated B-24J Liberator in 1/72nd scale, with Decals scavenged and re made from the old MPC Profile Series of the B-24J Liberator from the the 1960's.  The stripes on the wings were hand painted using acrylic paints.  The main body of the B-24 was painted using oil based and acrylic paints, and the model took 3 years to build and 30 years to complete this particular version.

I said 30 years because I have tried twice before to build this exact version, and have failed, of course back in the day, the kit was $3.25, paints were .50 a bottle, glue was .75 a tube and MPC, Revelle, Matchbox and Aurora were the main manufacturers of scale model kits.  A lot has changed, and not for the better.  MPC went out of production in the early 2000's the last of the star wars kits, bought out by Revelle, and the only place you can find the old Profile Series kits is on Ebay and no guarantee of being able to purchase or condition.

I will post more and better photos, when I have the chance.

Some photos

What follows is a mix of some recent photos

One of the local gas stations getting into the Halloween mood.

My most recent model, the Academy B-24 Liberator with markings from the old MPC Profile series kit, and hand painted wing stripes.

Two final photos of the forest at Convergys Parking Lot, beautiful.

Two photos of the flowers blooming at Convergys.

Two photos of me, by my wife.  I shaved my hair in support of my Nephew Lane, who is receiving therapy for Leukemia and was afraid of losing his hair.  In the second photo I am wearing my new glasses, I look like Drew Carrey.

Four photos taken at a special retreat here in Missouri.  It is beautiful and unspoiled and a place you really can get away from the maddening crowd.

My mother in Law in a prayerful moment.

Detailed shot of the Full moon, a few nights back.

Last two shots, of the cutest little kid on the planet, my step grand daughter Izabella the amazing.  Please note, in the second photo she is wearing one of my old work shirts from when I worked at the Auraria campus Bookstore.  The shirt was about five times too large for her.

The great cat, penguin war

Once upon a time, a long time ago... the cats ruled the earth.

Now the cats were gentle rules, all they asked for was fresh bowls of water, some petting 100 times a day, and to be fed.  They treated the humans well, until one day... The day the Penguins invaded.

The Penguins were from another planet, well they had to be, for you see they were these strange swimming birds that lived in the coldest regions of the planet earth, they were deceitful creatures who named one of the most barren and coldest places Greenland, and the warmest and nicest places Iceland.

All was fine until she came to a small burg called Podunk.  Podunk is a small city in the middle of nowhere, okay it is in  Missouri.  But all had been quiet in Podunk, then the Queen Penguin, disguised as a mellow quiet woman priest arrived.

When the queen arrived, her Penguin army followed, they came as gifts and in peace... Haa!

They began to take over, not just in Podunk, but Denver, and shudder Hollywood.  Movies were made about the gentle loving Penguins, new merchandise was released featuring the Penguins... Soon the loving wonderful cats began to be forgotten, they were abandoned outside churches, no surprise these churches were run by the queen Penguin.

Soon the cats had enough, they had tried to coexist with these swimming birds, but could not,  Their homes had been taken from them, where they had lived in warm wonderful homes, now they were having to be... well cats, and chase mice.

One night it began, the Cat leader, a black and white cat, named Moondancer announced his plan to take back the earth,

"Meow, mew, merow, meeeow, meeew meeeoooowww."  Translated, he said "Cats, give me your whiskers,  It made no sense, but Moondancer had been on the street a little too long.  He then said to his cat minions, that it was time to take back the earth, that all cats would unite and send the dread Penguins back to their frigid places.

Just then one of the other cats, a  tabby, named Merlin Mewed,  "Only problem Moondancer, we gave you our whiskers, we can't even tell where you are, much less the dread enemy Penguins."

Moondancer looked out upon the cats, and it was true they had given him their whiskers.  He was the last cat who could see.  Suddenly it came to him like a bolt of lightning.

"My fellow cats, stay here.  I shall return."

Before any of the other cats could protest, he slipped away.  He managed to get to KATT Radio and took over the broadcast.

"This next tune goes out to all the swimming birds, out there.  We cats, want to be cool with you.  Come to the party at  West City Park.  We will be laying down some cool tunes and have some fish to share."

Moondancer departed and went back to where the cats were , they were all mewing up a storm.  He meowed loudly, and silence descended.

"Okay cats, the Penguins are on their way.  We will rip them to pieces, when they arrive."

"Meeeeowwww"  It was Taunia the Cat, she was pure black, unlike Moondancer, she crept forward and stopped inches from him.  She sniffed him and then spoke.

"You took my brothers and sisters whiskers from them, you made them blind, now you expect them to be minions and destroy the Penguins for you?  Meeeeoooowww not happening.  Some of us arrived after you left, we have no ill will with the Penguins, yes they took some of our places, but we became demanding of the humans, 100 times a day to be petted, that was too much to expect, and fancy smancy feast all the time  Some of us ended up so fat we couldn't move.  You did this to us."

Moondancer froze, he realized that he was not going to win.

He fled into the night, just as the Penguins arrived. 

"So wheres the fish and tunes cat?"

Taunia stared in disbelief, she saw the queen Penguin, towering over her. 

"Mew, mew did this?  Why Meow?"

"I am queen of all the Penguins, and it is my duty to rule this world.  Your friend was right, too bad, you turned your fellow cats against him.  Now where are the fish and tunes... cat?"

"Call me Taunia, you non flying bird.  I am the true leader of the cats, now apologize or prepare to fight.  Meow!"

"If a fight is what you want, so be it.  Penguins attack!"

Mews and Squawks filled the night, claws ripped and fur flew as the Penguins and cats fought.  The battle was raging and suddenly a light descended from the heavens.  Was it aliens from another world... Worse it was Dogs.

"Hey, we heard their was to be a party, count us in."

Taunia and the lead Penguin looked at each other.

"Squawk, squaccck Squuuuaaaacccck?"   "Mew Merow, Meow Meooow"

Suddenly the Penguins and cats united to take on the dogs,  did they win???

To BE CONTINUED IN Dogs Day, Cats and Penguins Night... The Epic continues.