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  1. hey it's felix
    Latest Entry

    hey guys it's been almost a year but i'm back for some unknown reason

     

    gosh i haven't even looked at any new content on here yet

    and lmao my age in the sidebar is still 15, gj felix (i'm gonna need to fix up this hole of a blog)

     

    looking forward to seeing you all around, i might even post my most recent MOC in BBC ; )

     

  2. Are you a Brony? do you want to meet other brony's and become part of an elite group? Well here is your chance! I will posting a list of every Brony (MLP fan) on this very blog page. For the vets, nice to see you, for the new comers:

     

    herd.jpg

     

     

    • --Calamity--
    • Zerothemaster
    • Vinyl Scratch
    • lunaticCircuitry
    • Evex is back baby YEAH
    • ckmc
    • Daiker
    • Skarloth
    • Pinkie Pie
    • Zatth
    • Necro
    • Rarity
    • Laughin'Man
    • Pinkamina Diane Pie
    • Utah
    • The true Zedd of Ponypower

  3. For those of you who weren't aware, The Three Virtues podcast has just posted an interview with Dark709! Well actually, the interview has been up for almost three weeks now, but I only discovered it was up yesterday. :P It's great fun to listen to if you haven't already - it's nice to finally hear the dude's voice, and it's funny just for all the awkward, breathless pauses as Eljay and Kahi try to avoid having a heart attack while talking to the most famous BZPower comic maker ever. :lol: (On a side note to the TTV cast, I really enjoyed Alena in this interview - in past interviews I found her somewhat distracting, but here I think she really managed to anchor the interview, perhaps because Eljay and Kahi had so many awkward pauses...)

     

    But there was a very specific part of the interview that really intrigued me, and that was when Dark was asked about what might make for a not-so-good comic series. Here's the quote of his answer:

     

    DARK709: When people get too immersed in the storyline of their comics, it can become really complicated and then newcomers who try to read the comics it will be really hard to follow...you're not going to want to be confused by the storyline and see tons of inside jokes that don't make any sense to you. I think it's important to appeal to a really wide audience, with a simple storyline, really good humor, and funny characters.

     

    KAHI: What about people who right off the bat want more of a serious, plot-based series? What do you have in advice for that?

     

    DARK709: I think history shows us that a lot of the series that were completely focused on the storyline and had no humor didn't really fare so well. Didn't get many posts and everything. I mean the top three most popular comic authors, Nuparurocks, Gavla and myself, focus on a lot of humor and everything. I still think it's important to focus on storyline, but just not so much that your whole series is focused around it. Except for if you want to do a movie, where its cool visuals and everything, I think it's easier for people to watch an animation rather than a comic when they're trying to follow a complex storyline.

     

    (Kahi mentions seeing plot-based series that work in some occasional jokes and a little humor)

     

    DARK709: That's the kind of mix that I think is important. But also if you're going to do a storyline comic that's just focused on the storyline, I think you're going to have to really commit yourself to do amazing graphics and make a comic like every two days. I know Gavla releases a comic every two days and his comics are really storyline focused. I think it's important to get those comics out really fast.

     

    Now there's a lot to go into here, so I'll start with a bit of a summary - there is some good advice about how to work with a serious comic series, but there's also some assertions about the forum I don't entirely agree with. But starting with where Dark ended during this exchange, I think there is some good advice: have some decent graphics (which I'd say works for you if you're doing a humor-based series as well) and be consistent with your updates - you are telling a story, so you got to make sure you actually tell it, lest people get bored waiting for the next part.

     

    But the part that raised doubts for me was where Dark said that storyline-based comic series haven't fared well on BZPower, which didn't seem to fit my experience of the comic forum. Dark backs up his statement by saying that the most popular comic makers on the forum are those who do humor-based series. This is indeed true, but I think it might have more to do with some of the elements that define humor and storyline-based series.

     

    When you're focused on a plot, you're telling a story - and every story has a beginning, a middle, and (most importantly for my argument here) an end (whether such a series actually makes it to the end is a different question altogether, and after telling one story you could jump right into another). But in a humor-based series there generally isn't a definite end unless you impose one on the series. As long as you can match your characters to one humorous situation after another, you can do a strip comic series pretty much forever. So it fits that the longest-running topics on the comics forum would be humor-based series.

     

    But then there's the question of popularity. I do think Dark has a point about the issue of complexity in comic series and how newcomers can get confused with the storyline and inside jokes - this is something I had to deal with when I retired and decided to get more serious about looking at other people's series. But I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. You do narrow your audience when you introduce complexity, but there are people who demand a serious plot-focused series and are willing to invest the time to read it. Ask your parents if they understood the Bionicle storyline when you were following it - most likely they're going to say no, because they didn't take the time that you took to get to know the characters and what was going on. So yes, you might be sacrificing some popularity in doing a complex story, but you also earn some really dedicated, hard-core fans.

     

    But having said all these reasons for why serious series are generally not as popular as humor-based ones, there's still the basic question: is it true? Does history really show that plot-focused, humor-less comic series just don't make it here?

     

    I think I may have found evidence otherwise. Looking through the most popular topics on the forum (in terms of replies), I found several series that were very storyline-focused. Now, there's those series that are heavily story-focused but have a fair amount of humor, like Dark suggested: Generic Quest (50 pages of posts) and Legends of the Matoran (20 pages). But then I found some series that seem to have virtually no humor, and were still popular: The Mercenus Chronicles (31 pages), The Fourth Wall (22 pages, almost double the number of comics), and The Legend Of Destr (17 pages). However, all these examples are defunct series - probably the best example of an active storyline-based series I could think of was Cloud 9, which has little humor but is gaining in popularity - the topic only has five pages so far, but that's not too shabby for a series that's less than a year old. None of these series seemed to have comics being posted every other day like Dark suggested you have to do, but they did all have pretty good graphics, ranging from solid to stellar.

     

    ...And then I found it. The series that seemed to contradict everything Dark said about what a serious storyline-based comic series has to do. That's right...I'm talking about Nosferatu. It is a series that is completely focused on storyline, with almost zero humor (in fact, they were really quite dark), the graphics are...well, they're okay for their time but they're still a little amateurish (like I'm one to talk... :P ), and over more than a year he only made 53 comics - not bad, but not exactly every other day. And yet, it's the 20th most popular topic in the comics forum (14th in terms of views!), with 40 pages of posts. I'd say that's faring pretty well. I guess the question then becomes whether there was something unusual about Nosferatu's success, but I don't feel like I'm in a position to knowledgeably answer that.

     

    I get where Dark is coming from here, but I think his interpretation of the comics forum reflects a fairly narrow viewpoint of the forum. We're all guilty of that to some extent, the trick is just to realize there's a whole other side to the forum that you, the casual comic reader, just frankly don't know about. I'm still trying to find that other side of the forum, and I've barely hit the tip of the iceberg. But like I said, there's some good advice from Dark and the interview is still great to listen to. I definitely recommend it, as it gives a good look into someone who is still one of the most dynamic figures in the comics forum.

  4. Hey all,

     

    The prints I am selling on B/S/T are on sale for one more day! This would be a great time to pick one up if you haven't already.

    http://www.bzpower.c...cle-print-sale/

     

    Thanks for any support you can give!

     

    A reminder that the pictures in the thread are real-life photos of the prints, and if anyone wants to see the original digital images, I can supply them via PM.

    Feel free to message me with any questions!

     

    -Orion (Haecceity)

  5. I am a scientist

    I can observe

    Describe, categorize, dissect,

    Even worship

    Marvel at the genius and splendor of design

    Bear witness with a scholar’s reverence

    To the perfect unity of each part

     

    But I am a scientist

    And so I watch in silence

    And can only wonder

    At the craft of the creators, the artists, the architects

     

    -Helio

  6. Xelaot
    Latest Entry
    Sorry guys. I've been browsing other sites, and forgot all about this one. :/
  7. P~M
    Latest Entry

    I just had the silly idea of some sort of "MOC Boot Camp" where a bunch of talented (and well-known) builders get together and come up with a sort of training program for prospective MOCers, or just anyone who wants to get better at Bionicle building. It could be in the format of a video series, or a picture-and-text post, or whatever, really.

     

    Bloggers, what do you think? Has anything like this been done before? Does anyone want to participate?

  8. Yay! Temporary Premier Membership perks. Time to write a blog like I'm sure a ton of other people are doing! Only I'm doing it with... MYTHOLOGY. For the sake of clarification, since the term has such a wide and uncertain range as of exactly what it covers, I'm using Mythology in this instance to reference Religions which no longer have large groups of remaining followers.

     

    I personally love reading about religions throughout the world, and some of the most awesome ones are those which have fallen out of favor. I'm sure a lot of people know at least something about a Mythology, be it the ever present Hellenistic Greek or the rising prominence of Scandinavian Norse (For those in the United States at least). There are also quite a few Mythologies that have a small prominence, but that nobody really knows more than a few characters of, such as Anubis, Horus, and possibly Bast from Egypt, to use their Roman names, Quetzalcoatl among the Mexica Aztec, and occasionally Dagon, usually in the Lovecraftian form instead of multiple Mesopotamian regions.

     

    Which brings my rumbling to an end to ask the question this blog was made for:

     

    Do YOU have a favorite myth? The death of Hodr? The underworld ballgame of Hunahpa and Xbalanque? The clever trickery of Anansi?

    Perhaps a favorite character from Mythology? The foolish Coyote in one of his many forms? The troublesome Susano'o? One of the mysterious and earth-shaking Rainbow serpents?

    Or even a favorite mythology as a whole? The little-known Etruscan? The ancient Sumerian? The clever myths of the Russian Chukchi?

     

    If you do, feel free to share!

  9. Urgh... I feel there is now no need to post entries anymore... as no one reads this... Hmmm...

     

    Might as while post something...

    • Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen figures are coming out Friday at 5pm. Going to my local Walmart at 8 to pickup most of them (also, spares me the fear of seeing someone I know, which I always do :fear: )
    • My Bionicle eBay topic is up HERE, there's more to be added, though. Act quickly, the auctions added end on Wednesday :) .
    • My School Music Video (If anyone wants to hear more about it, I'll post another entry about that) is making me more popular.
    • My "crush" I mentioned a while back said no. :(
    • The other girls that have crushes on me/like me seem to be boiling down to something to say to me, since school ends soon.
    • BTW, school ends for me in 12 days (7 school days).
    That's all I have for now. =)

     

    I may post some art later... but I don't know.

  10. BBBBalta
    Latest Entry

    Logged on today and found by complete coincidence that August 6 was the day I had joined BZPower back in 2010. Thought that was interesting.

     

    Then I looked at my last blog entry and realized that I unknowingly made that one on the sixth of August as well, two years ago.

     

    Weird.

     

    Of course as I write this it's now past midnight were I live.

  11. It’s been some time since my last blog entry or even my last burst of activity on BZPower.

    I may post this in S&T later once I’ve re-worked it into more a concrete theory and less of jumble of words my brain has spat out onto the blog post.

     

    As a further development of my theory outlined in my previous blog post about the functions of different types of Matoran in the Matoran Universe, I outlined what I believed to be the function of the Bo-Matoran as a method of maintenance of the various flora made from organic Protodermis throughout the Mata-Nui robot.

     

    The primary point of this theory is a look into the question: Why only flora?

     

    We've been told by Greg and several references in the universe that the entirety of the matoran universe is comprised of various forms of Protodermis.

    "Protodermis is the material which makes up the Matoran Universe and
    all
    living things and objects inside it."

     

    Now Matoran, like all other sapient species in the matoran universe are made up of a combination of mechanical and organic components. The mechanical components are comprised of pure solid protodermis whilst the organic components are comprised of what is reffered to as organic protodermis.

     

    "Organic Protodermis is a type of Protodermis that makes up
    all the organic tissue
    in the Matoran Universe."

    Organic tissue is not only found in the sapient species, but also is what makes up all of the Flora in the Matoran Universe.

     

    "The plants of the Matoran universe are made
    entirely of Protodermis
    , distinguishing themselves from plants of other worlds."

    Toa of the Green are able to manipulate this Flora, tapping into the Protodermis which comprises the plant-life, manipulating and also creating it. Some of the Flora in the MU (such as Karzahni and Morbuzakh) even had varying degree's of sentience, making the only real difference between flora and fauna the presence of solid protodermis and shape of being. This creates an interesting question, if a plant entirely made up of organic protodermis can be sentient, then that form of organic protodermis must be capable of forming at least some variety of brain equivalent capable of higher thought and function, similar at least in composition to the organic parts of the brain that lies within a Toa.

     

    With the above knowledge I see it as a reasonable thought process that if the Toa of the Green are able to control the organic protodermis that comprises the various forms of flora throughout the matoran universe including those that are sentient; they should be also control and manipulate the organic protodermis that lies within matoran or any of the other humanoid inhabitants of the MU.

     

    As far as I know I don't believe we've had direct confirmation from Greg that a Toa of the Green can't do this. I believe that there are a few reasons which could plausibly explain why we have not seen such usage of the Green in the story-line thus-far whilst allowing for it's inclusion.

    1. Unethical behavior / Breaking the Toa Code. Toa are upright paragons of right and justice, manipulation someone's internal organs can quite easily be seen a fighting dirty or as unethical. This is the same reason why there were no elemental Toa of Acid, despite there being Bohrok of this element. Despite this being seen as unethical to use on enemies, I still believe this can work as a part of the range of powers that the Toa could utilize.
    2. No significant Toa of Green in the Lore. In the entirety of the BIONICLE storyline, we only ever encountered one Toa of the Green: A Toa from Lhikan's past team who died to an attack by the Frostelus. Also due to the Frostelus nature of being sentient Rahi, point 1 would aid in why we never saw him use this power.
    3. Experience required / Hard to control Power. The internal organics of a living humanoid integrated with machinery and programming would be incredibly complicated, it would take a lot of practice and finesse to do so and it may be something everyday Toa of the Green may not be able to accomplish.
    4. Too complicated to explain to children. This is fairly self-explanatory, in the same way that psionics did not have large story presence, the green is easier to explain as being simply plant life to children, they can easily understand a plant Toa, but explaining that the plant guy can also manipulated organic components of the Matoran? Not so much. Luckily the ending of the official story line removes this restriction.
    5. Possibly confusion with Life Powers. Toa of the Green were introduced during the 2006-2008 story line surrounding the Mask of Life, while the Mask of life doesn't explicitly manipulate organics in any way. It's manipulation of the "Life force" inside every living thing in the Matoran Universe could potentially cause some confusion with an element which could manipulated Flora and to a limited extent Fauna. However, Life is a very different "element" In that all of it's powers are in relation to "Life-Force" while the organic protodermis is simply another form of protodermis. A Toa of Iron, Psionics and the Green could create a being with organic, biomechanical and programmed components but the being would not have the "Life-Force" component analogous to a soul if you will. It would simply be a robot or a golem-like creation.

    With these five reasons in mind, I don't believe that they necessarily mean that non-flora organic manipulation is off the table for Toa of the Green, I've got a few reasons why I believe this would be rather a neat addition to the canon.

    1. Interesting and more in depth power usage. Self explanatory really, it could have a lot of interesting applications and could be used both in and out of combat and give Teams a reason for taking a Toa of the Green to environments which do not have plants.
    2. Introducing a 'Healer' element. Aside from Gali Nuva in the 2003 Mask of Light movie, we have never really had the healer trope in a group of Toa, with the ability to create and manipulate the organic protodermis inside their allies. Toa of the Green could become healers for the group, repairing their damaged organics in the same way a Toa of Iron would mend armor. Gali's healing scene can be explained that the exposure to water was helping the organics that had been damaged in Tahu heal slowly with exposure to water. A Toa of the Green would have been able to heal him at a much greater rate. The Toa of Green's knowledge of poisons and toxins from various plants could aid in this role greatly.
    3. Making the most of an ambiguous name. Has Greg decided to name the element "Plant-life" or "Jungle" we wouldn't have this opportunity. The fact that's it's called "the Green" allows us to associate it not with just plants but all organic protodermis. This can easily be explained by having the raw form of organic protodermis take on a green color when channeled for creation of plants or healing.
    4. Possible explanation for lack of Toa of Green. The Makuta actively wiped out Toa of the most powerful elements that they saw as a threat to themselves. Magnetism, Iron, and Plasma were all hunted down. If the Makuta wished to hide their new lack of organic components from Toa in their continued masquerade, Toa of the Green would pose a problem.
    5. Completion of a Self-Maintaining MU. It's been stated before that the Matoran working is what keeps the Matoran universe working. In my previous blog post from 2010, I outlined the various matoran and the purposes that they fulfill in the robot. However there was one missing maintenance job as there was nothing responsible for organic protodermis in sapient beings.
      If the Toa of the Green gain the ability to manipulate and repair the organics within humanoid lifeforms in the Matoran Universe, all aspects of lifeforms inside the MU are now self-relying and maintaining.
      Toa of Iron can maintain and repair armor and solid protodermis in the mechanical components of beings.
      Toa of Psionics can maintain and fix mental errors and programming malfunctions in the minds of beings.
      Toa of The Green can maintain, and heal injuries and organic protodermis in the bodies of beings.

    I've gather a few further thoughts and references on why the organic components of Matoran and Toa would need some form maintenance.

     

    We were told in 2001 that the original Toa Mata had all of their organic components decayed due to their prolonged inactivity and hibernation and possibly the environmental factors associated with being floating in a tube for 1000 years. The Toa also lost their memories as an effect of this, leading me to conclude that the majority of their memories must have been stored in their organic protodermis components or the majority of their 'brain'.

    The Mechanical components, made of solid protodermis must have included at least some form of rudimentary secondary brain for survival reactions such as putting themselves back together and basic motion and lower brain function.This would be a core part of Matoran/Toa base programming installed into their machinery.

    I'd imagine this would be a similar to how the human body can react to pain before passing on a pain signal to the brain itself, allowing the body to operate on its own in a limited capacity. Similarly the matoran/Toa can operate on it's own until the organics are repaired as seen by the Toa Mata and Matoran hibernated in the spheres . I'd imagine that the Matoran in Karzahni in disrepair were also in a similar state but kept this way as it was stated that Karzahni "stripped them of their identities". This would have been achieved by removing the organics and thus memories and a little bit of reprogramming.

    The Toa Mata not only lost all of their memories but also their training and skills, this shows that the organic components are vital for continuing functionality of Toa. The organic components healed on their own slowly, but it was years before any of them regained their memories.

    The Metru-nui refugee's also lost their memories and required the pure Toa energy of six Toa simply to awaken them. Potentially, we could still have six Toa Metru running around if there had been a Toa of the Green amongst them.

     

    As I said at the start, this theory is still a work in progress and I'd appreciate any feedback and criticism that you may have to offer.

     

    Thanks for reading.

    - Roki

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    Mikerahk
    Latest Entry

    The Red Night

     

     

    I danced to the beat of the sun,

    My bretheren next to me.

    Dedication to Apollo,

    We danced for him.

     

    We danced for her as well,

    for the sweet Moon.

    We danced to the howl of the wolf,

    They joined in, yelping and screaming.

     

    And so did we scream,

    until at last we were silenced.

    The dawn came,

    We were bathed in red daylight.

     

    Observing our red skin,

    Our fresh tattoos.

    We danced on the red clay,

    Until the day was over.

     

    And once more.

  12. blogs_blog_523

    • 54
      entries
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    Recent Entries

    Guest
    Latest Entry

    I haven't been here for so long. I don't know how long I'll be back either.

     

    Yoshi

  13. I've seen great improvements ever since I started drawing pixel art, even more so than I did with regular digital art.

     

    Oh, and BZP's activity has been shrinking dramatically as of late.

  14. So as I said in the title-this is probably my last blog entry for a while, either until July or I get premier.

    So today we got the ballad on field, so we've got two movements of the show on field.

    Woohoo!

    See you all later.

  15. Yes, this is my spam library. Most spam posts can be found here.

     

    And no this isn't agianst the rules so quit asking jeffey!.....Teach you to mess around in my html....

     

    If you'd like to help with my cause search up spam topics, check them against the library, then pm them to me

    Just a couple rules.

     

    1. No discussing any of the banned members that make some of these posts.

    2. No flaming.

    3.No asking why am i doing this.

    If any of these rules are violated your post will be deleted! Now on to the posts.

     

    if you are one of the members who posted one of the spam messages and are offended just pm me and i'll take it off just don't flame me in the topic k?

     

    ~A~

    all hail the great spirit!

    a question about the admins

    another question about admins

    aroma

    ~B~

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    bionicle fun

    ~C~

    clifg

    can we uze dis forum

    ~D~

    drk 709 rule 1

    don't clik here!? should u?

    don't post here!

    do damage rpg here!

    do i smell bad?

    ~E~

     

    ~F~

    fire

    fish

    favorite food

    ~G~

     

    ~H~

    her Y nw rpg

    Hi

    ~I~

    ida

    Inhabitints Of Gumutari Nui

    i traced zyrals pic

    i found out somthing really important

    i found this cool thing!

    i haev a question

    ~J~

     

    ~K~

     

    ~L~

    lewa1s firt comedey

    ~M~

    my theory

    my big fat greek epic

    mye nuw gaem

    my nw relijen

    ~N~

     

    ~O~

    offical paper topik

    ~P~

    pm myself!

    ~Q~

    qstion lol

    ~R~

    random topic!

    ~S~

    secret stomach message

    smiles

    spam

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    secret topik

    ~T~

    toenail topic

    this is the non spam topic

    the toas stori

    ~U~

    umb...hi?

    ~V~

     

    ~W~

    wuts my name?

    ~X~

     

    ~Y~

     

    ~Z~

     

    More to come.

  16. So as a family tradition, we all open our presents on Christmas Eve (I would like to believe that it's because my eager Dad cannot wait).

    So, being the only pony fan in my household (while the others remain neutral about it), my parents got me a grey t-shirt with Rainbow Dash, and under her are rainbow letters that read, "20% Cooler." I love it :lol:. And to match that, they got me a Rainbow Dash toy as a lighthearted joke. :P

    I got a couple of other things, along with three Portal shirts, making a total of four for me. :D

     

    Also, my sister got an Ezio toy, and my brother got a Halo Hammer Brute toy. As we were discussing, which one would win if those two were put in a cage match? I'm placing my bets on Ezio. :P

  17. Hello, BZPeople! This is Dallior, with a SUPER SPOOPY CONTEST!!1!11one!

     

    All or most of you probably have a self-MOC; a Technic/System rendition of yourself that you use on the forums. Most of you could build your self-MOC in an instant if given the parts... but could you draw it?

     

    This contest aims to check out your art skills; to see how well you can recreate your self-MOC with non LEGO parts! Be it on paper, digital, clay, what have you, you need to make your self-MOC exist outside of the realm of your countertop.

     

    The entries are due by... umm... July 27? Yeah, it's random, but why not?

     

    THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE a copper huna of victory A SPECIAL PRIZE. Not sure what yet; I just need to get this going before my premier membership ends soon. :P

     

    Happy arting!

    (also if you could share this around here that would be great kthxbai)

  18. Cleofan119
    Latest Entry

    Not that any of you really care, but today marks my 3-year anniversary here.

  19. I was born! Yep, today is my 19th birthday. The Keyblade Master of Light has brought it to my attention that I was born on Sputnik day. :)

     

    Also, two days ago was my two year anniversery of joining this fine site. I got my Avohkii, even though it was a day late. :P

     

    Add to that that I just passed my behind-the-wheel driving test less than an hour ago, and it makes for a pretty dang good day. :D

     

    Even if my AC 14 topic isn't doing too well... :/

  20. -IGNITION-
    Latest Entry

    Had to create this for a photography competition, I thought it was pretty cool and worth sharing, enjoy.

     

    owenmorganlego.jpg

  21. Twenty-Two
    Latest Entry

    The Hodag in Hodag!

     

    A while back I blogged about how various regions have their specific weather patterns. California has the Santa Anas. Well, regions have their own personal spiffy-stories as well. Like Hodag with the Hodag.

     

    I'm not going to give this story justice, this much I know, so let me apologize to any Hodag, Wisconsonians now. I was only there for a week! Freezing my buns off! Remembing something (while granted, quite cute) like this just was not in the cards!

     

    So apparently in the late 1800s some guy decided to pretend that he was attacked by some ghoulish creature. He apparently managed to capture it and called it the Hodag. I can't quite remember size specifications, but it apparently enjoys white bulldogs.

     

    So, upon entering the town of Hodag, you can see a bronze sculpture of this beastie.

     

    Hodag is apparently on the way to Rhineland(er? Apologies, can't remember that either), where our "official" stay for the trip was located. Along the way my step-father's son gives him a call and asks if we can meet up with him in Hodag to take some stuff out of his car for him; he was going to pick up my step-father's former wife at the airport and didn't have any room for her and her stuff in his car. This gives my step-father the opportunity to tell us all about this crazy statue that's in Hodag and just wait 'til you see it . . .

     

    So we get into Hodag. And we see it. It's really hard to miss.

     

    "What the [heck] is that thing?" I blurt out from the back of our Jeep. Yes, I did not say heck, I said the other word.

     

    My mother and step-father turn to look, and my mother voices the same wonder as my step-father says, "That's the thing! That's the statue I've been telling you about!"

     

    We are --- quaintly amused. And promptly start giving it mean names. I call it a fecalith. And at times I would refer to it as "It's a 'What the [heck] is that thing?'"

     

    Note: The term fecalith means a dried pile of stone and feces. Yep, that's right, poop! This will be a running theme in my Wisconsin blogs. By the way, my fascination with the term fecalith comes from the book detailing the true meaning of Festivus. No Seinfeld fan, casual or obsessive, should be without it in his or her bookshelf.

     

    So yay, we saw the Hodag in Hodag. How fascinating. My step-brother was still en route to Hodag when we got in, so we had us some lunch'ens. The place was nice and cute and quaint, a little pub in town. Their hot chocolate wasn't as good as they silly slide-factory's stuff, but it was decent. And the whipped cream didn't make it all that terrible.

     

    This would be my third burger since our trip began.

     

    Afterwards we drive around the extremely tiny town for a few minutes. I mean, this thing is small. You could walk it in less than fifteen minutes -- in California. No way I'm walkin' in this weather! Heck no!

     

    We pass by a couple antique shops and -- a bookstore! Not one of those chain things you'll see in developed-town, but a mom-and-pop! You won't se those in California! So while my parents check out the antique shop, I warm myself in the bookstore.

     

    They had the smallest science-fiction section I have ever seen. I was decidedly non-plussed with that. They also, of all things, had a plush Hodag for sale! I was tempted, but its design was eerily similar to a Beanie-Babie I've seen, and the price they were asking for didn't seem all that reasonable in my opinion so -- I didn't get it. Oh well. It was relatively cute.

     

    My step-brother met up with us here, along with his best man. We talked, we chatted, we caught up, and then we were on our way to Rhineland -- I think it's 'er. Rhinelander. We stayed in the Best Western Derby Inn. Nice, small, cute, quaint little place.

     

    During this portion of our trip I would have my own room. Not bad! I could lounge, nap, play Magic: The Gathering against myself, read my books or the Amazing Spider-Man graphic novels I brought along with me . . . Fun stuff.

     

    As we were getting settled in my step-brother called his father to invite us to meet the parents of his wife-to-be. We would meet at Beartchy's (pronounced "bear-cheese" with the possessive apostrophe, "bear-chee" without I guess), a local grill/restaurant-type thing.

     

    Mmmm, more food!

     

    Up next: Meeting the new additions to the family tree!

     

    Until next time!

  22. Snelly
    Latest Entry

    This blog is my property.

  23. I want to get around to photographing my full MoC collection soon. The characters will be photographed individually, and then as a group. I am talking way too technically. Later.

     

    ~Y

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