Huzzah...in the cold drizzle

[cornerofmadness]

I went to the Renn fest as it was the last weekend for it and I figured after the debacle of Bob fest I deserved to go.It started out okay but by the end it was drizzling. It was cold. I loved it until again the end when I came out of the henna tent and it had dropped what felt like 5 degrees (taking it into the 40s) It started raining in earnest once I was on the way home.

I had fun. I stopped at the tangier outlet to use LJS/taco bell's rest room because there is NO rest stop (outside of one less than 10 miles away from Jackson) on the entire 90 mile trip and I refuse to use those port-a-potties because there's always an inch of piss and I'm in a gown. So I go to get something off the dollar menu (because I would feel bad if I didn't) and these two older twits are trying to order off the menu. The kid was about to lose it serving them. I'm thinking it's FAST FOOD, not a high end restaurant. Get your shit burrito or greasy fish and move on. I just want a damn caramel apple empenada so I don't feel guilty for peeing in their rest room. The kid said 'you stood in line for that?' rolling his eyes at the couple. But he was very bright and cheery and told me I'd have fun even if it rained because rain was period too.

I did have fun but I know I said this last year but I do think maybe this time, I mean it. I should probably do with this what I do with the Dublin Irish fest and go every other year. I know all the shows and most of the vendors but I did learn something that makes me wonder how feasible this place will remain. THey charge 1000$ for a spot and that wasn't even in the buildings. Nor did it cover the tent or insurance and I'm like wow...no wonder some vendors aren't back. AND the cell tower had gone down and I had to pay cash more than I wanted to.

I did spend too much money. I had two tea pots in hand...did I buy them? No i did not (is proud). I had many pendants in hand. Did I buy them...yes some.(Is ashamed. I have an insane amount. I need to start getting rid of some). Did I buy wall art even though I have no space (hangs head).

What I really wanted was a corset because I could use that for steampunk. I couldn't find one under 150-200$. No, just no. I'm sorry. I try so hard to support artisans but that's more than double what I can get nicer looking ones for online.


I did get my brother a dirk. I was really happy with it. It's a Knight Templar blade. The old guy who sold it to me said 'look, it has a Celtic sheath of leather.' Ooo, great. I reach for it but he takes it away. 'Let me get you a new one.' I get it back all wrapped up. When I got it home, I unwrapped it to take a picture.

See, cool? Notice how I have the blade over the metal end of the sheath? That's because what that old bastard didn't want me to see was it has SWATISKAS on the end. OMFG. I am so pissed off. I am either going to glue or weld some cabachons over it or tell my brother to throw the sheath out. I also plan to lodge a complaint. This is one of the biggest dealers at the fair. There is no excuse for that. I should have paid more attention too. But still, who would have expected that?

There were a ton of Knights Templar running around. I didn't get a good pic of the two cute young men (I was about to when their girls ran up and started dragging them around)

still trying the selfie. I suck.

the jewelry which looks like butt expect the rainbow moonstone. From left to right, a purple-bronze druzy (half off, 15$!) and under it, baby dragon earrings, the rainbow moonstone (from the same people with the damn sword), and a horse carved in jade. I kinda regret this one but it was on sale also half off.

The art I got was from Aradani studios. I've bought from both brothers many times. This time I got dark arts and his brother's Prometheus Unbound which i don't see on the site. Really nice guys too. Geeky. I like that.

I did get a few little gifts for evil_little_dog & silvrethorn. I was going to get ELD the werewolf brew from the tea dude but it was roobis which I think she dislikes as much as I do (if I'm wrong, oh well). He still didn't have any of that maple one I got a couple years ago. sigh.

Even if I do go back next year I really DO think I'm done with the henna ladies. I got them to do a small symbol of Awen (cheap) but it's SO pale it looks 2 weeks old. I don't have a pic yet. I swear they're watering down their mix. Seriously. This is the second or third time I've gotten one that didn't come out half as good as others I've had.

I did get some story ideas on the drive so that's something but I'm disliking how my brain is getting stuck in creative ruts, replaying the same scene for months on end in my head.

Parisian butt plug art


Soldier’s room kept the same for 100 years It needs some restoration work

Proof God hates us and wants us to be terrified (arachnaphobes avoid)

Comments

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I am totally laughing at the butt plug. Dear Mr. McCartney - I'm not sure if this is well-played or not, but it IS highly amusing. - One of your fans.

I love that rainbow moonstone. Purty.

That's so not good about the sheath. Ewwww. Ewww. Ewww. Scottish dirks should NEVER have swastikas on them.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

the butt plug is made of amusment and failure (someone already knifed it)

it is. It's sizeable too

no not good at all. it's insulting

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Yes, of course, someone knifed it.

Of course it is. :D

Terribly insulting, and one wonders how they got away with selling them without someone seeing them. Or were the blades 'behind the counter'?

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

of course

no tiny and delicate for me

the blades were out the sheath was not.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Because we can't leave things alone.

Of course, because you're a tiny and delicate person.

Ah, okay, that makes sense, then. In all the worst ways.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

true

also true

yes it does. It speaks to the intent to decieve

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Oh, definitely. Which is just wrong. And somewhat creepy.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

agreed

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I'm really sure you know that swastikas go way back before the nazis, (http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/ancientart/f/swastika.htm) and were even used among the ancient Celts, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika#Celts) but still mentioning it because that is a cool dirk.

And sure, yeah, that's a tree....

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I do know that but like Sears found out recently when someone tried to bring it back as a Buddhist thing, no one wants to see it reclaimed

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

We do have them in Buddhist art, for sure. But what it means to people who see it is the important thing, I guess. Sad for a Hindu friend who has a beautiful chest with big swastikas on it.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yeah exactly. I felt a little bad for Sears since it was their marketplace and a third party vendor from Asia and they claimed it was Asian art (it was a ring). It didn't go well. This stuff is probably made in Asia too. Either way, I wasn't pleased with it.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

hahaha I didn't see they tried to call the butt plug a tree

[ishte.livejournal.com]

Well now, the swastika symbol had been used by the Knights Templar. It is also used around the world with various meanings, many of them good luck charms etc. I don't agree with the vendor trying to hide it from you though to get the sale.  That's not cool. If they're worried about the swastika's bad rep after WWII then they might have used the tetragrammaton instead, but I just wanted to put it out there that it was a legitimate symbol that was used by the Templar in their time.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know it was but like I said to mamculuna the Nazis have pretty much soiled that symbol and I suspect it will remain so for another century or two. And yes, hiding it from me was what really made me angry

[ishte.livejournal.com]

Yeah.  That bait and switch thing is unconscionable. definitely complaint worthy.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yes it is

[silvrethorn.livejournal.com]

I think your old bastard was passing off Nazi knockoffs as Celtic. That looks like a Maltese cross on the pommel, which the Nazis were almost as fond of as swastikas. Whatever, he probably got them cheap, in lots, and figured nobody would know the difference. Do complain about him, and maybe the faire organizers won't let him come back.

You need to get out of your creative rut before NaNo starts. You don't want to be doing something you're already tired of. Which reminds me--I repaired a book about the Depression this past Friday, and noticed that 1932 was an election year, Hoover vs. Roosevelt. And I thought, politics and presidential campaigns being what they are, in the Soldiers of the Sun world, surely the candidates and/or their supporters would summon demons to assure their own election or kill off their opponents. If your businessmen knew about demons, you _know_ politicians did. And demonic interference would explain how Hoover, Warren G. Harding, and several other presidents ever got into office. I can totally see the Soldiers being called upon to safeguard FDR against demonic attack. Hoover, on the other hand, was running for re-election on the "Depression? What Depression? I don't see any Depression!" platform and absolutely deserves to have his head ripped off by a demon.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

That idea was more or less used in the X-Files, except using a Djinn, whose image showed up with Mussolini and Nixon when Mulder started researching her. However, the story involved some really dumb guys, rather than power hungry politicians.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I have no recollection of that at all

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

One of the funner episodes of Season 8.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

ah

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

You could very much be right. That could be a Maltese cross. I will complain (I doubt it'll matter. this crew is in three actual buildings. They probably bring in more money than the rest of the faire combined).

True. well I'm not so much tired of it just scenes (actually not for this but for the SF thing my brain would probably rather write.)

Hmmm, excellent point. They would definitely be pro- FDR are a group. I might have to see if I can work a little of that in (maybe in the next rewrite if they take it or after they reject it and I go back to the drawing board).

[0-mother-0.livejournal.com]

RE the sword/dagger: that's pretty much classic bait and switch. you really do need to complain

glad you had fun though

and cool links!

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yes it very much is

I did have fun though. I usually do and as usual spend far too much money

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

yeah the vendor annoys me more than an ill-thought out attempted revival of that symbol.

thank you

everyone likes that 'tree' (butt plug, sorry, dude, that's no tree)

that spider shouldn't be

[dragonydreams.livejournal.com]

Glad you had fun at the faire. Even if you were lied to (if by omission) about dirk.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thanks. I definitely did