This explains a lot.

Everyone is kneaded out of the same dough but not baked in the same oven. -Yiddish proverb

This explains it.

Life is something that happens when you can’t get to sleep. -Fran Leibowitz, author (b. 1950)

Aint’t this the truth!

The time to begin most things is ten years ago.

10 Red Shift Cruise Diary

Friday to Sunday, 9 – 11 April 2010 – I had read for a while and then got a good night’s sleep.  I straggled into the kitchen to find Don & Peggy much too awake.  French Toast, bacon & hash browns was a fine start to the morning.

I finally gathered up my “stuff” and headed down to Richmond.  It was cloudy and had one spit of rain on the drive.  Otherwise it was pretty good, tho there was a fair amount of traffic.  I found the hotel after one false start.  By later in the day the sun was out and the weather delightful. 

The room was quite nice, tho I did have two problems.  The supposed internet connection was not on.  The cable connection never did work and the wireless was disgustingly slow.

The con was a non-event for me.  As I wasn’t on the program, the con decided not to give me a free membership, even tho I had been a past FGoH.  So I didn’t join.  The parties were open & I was able to sit around and meet up with friends old and new.  Okay, it is an ego thing.  Yes, I’m a legend in my own mind.  Actually, had I not been doing the trip, I would have checked before hand and not driven down.  No membership, no appearance.  Other than that and the wretched internet connections, I had a good time.  I met a bunch of quite interesting folk in addition to those I already knew. 

After taking a picture of my first Vette Girl, Leona Wisoker, also famous author, I called it a day and headed down the pike to Burlington, NC, & the Motel 6.  I got a light dinner nearby, read, and crashed out fairly early.

10 Red Shift Cruise Diary

Thursday, 8 April 2010 – While I didn’t sleep all that well, I did wake up more or less rested.  Go figure.  Cat hadn’t left for work so we were able to get the password from her son so I could access the wireless system in the house.  I was able to catch up a little bit on the computer.  I did have a moment’s scare when the cat jumped on my lap which also had my laptop.  In getting it off, it ripped of one of the keys.  Thankfully, I was able to press it back on.  I don’t care for cats.  Did I mention that?  Now to get the show on the road, turn on Red Shif, and head south to Fredericksburg and the Lundry’s.

The drive down to the Lundry’s, actually Peggy’s place was quite pleasant.  Until I got to I-95, actually quite close to Peggy’s, traffic was light.  The nasty traffic was only for a short while.  

When I arrived Don made appropriate comments about “rich bachelors.”  Peggy thought it was pretty.  Don did like the heads up display.  We spent a pleasant time over nibbles and drinks chatting and catching up.  The was followed by an excellent dinner.  I was even allowed a couple of Don’s Oatmeal cookies for dessert.  The champagne I brought would have to wait until I come by in August.  

The had been clouding up during the day.  That night we had rain & thunder.

10 Red Shift Cruise Diary

Wednesday, 7 April 2010 – Up way too early.  I was able to finish packing & loading the car in about  hours.  I had barely, thank goodness, started when I remembered I had left something important back home.  Sigh!  About 45 minutes I was finally on my way. 

The drive down to Lebanon, PA was under sunny skies and increasingly warm temps.  The temp climbed into the lower 90’s!  I soon had to put on Red Shift’s AC.  It worked just fine.  The car ran very well getting about 28 mpg.  About as good as my old Saturn. 

I met up with Ann Rudolph at her  coffee shop, The Mad Hatter.  Coffee and good conversation followed.  We hadn’t had a chance to just natter in a while.  We had to cut things short as she was having a phone interview for a job in the DC area.  My fingers are crossed. 

More mellow after coffee, ice cream & a muffin, I headed on down the road to Lancaster, PA.  I got there early so I sucked up some Dr. Pepper at McDonald’s until she arrived home from work.  We then headed over to the Cat’s Meow for dinner.  The specialize in burgers.  It was a good burger.  Cat was properly appreciative of Red Shift.  🙂 

By the time we got home it was time for crashing out.  We had both had a long day.  I did get to meet Ned, her roomer.  I read for awhile and then turned out the light.

RED SHIFT, single, red 2010 Corvette Coupe seeks beauteous young ladies for photo op!

Now that I have your attention, I can proceed.  🙂

When I first started talking about buying a Vette, several female friends inquired about getting their pictures taken with the car.  I said, fine.  Then they asked if I was going to put the photos  together in a book when I got enough.  Hmm.  This is something else.  Oh, what the hell.

So I got my “Model Release Form” prepared and am ready to move on.  Any beauteous young lady [All ladies are beauteous and young by definition.  If nothing else, I’ve learned THAT! in my 71 years.] who wishes to be photographed with “Red Shift” should contact me so that we can arrange for the shot.  [I live in upstate NY, but Red Shift does travel a little bit.]  The lady will choose the apparel for the day.

I have no idea if I’ll get enough photos to make up a book, but this will be done with an eye on having fun.

Red Shift can be contacted thru his driver & servant, jan howard finder at jan.finder@gmail.com .

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

The 3rd Conference On Middle-Earth

I received the first submission for a paper.  It looks interesting and not something I would normally be familiar with.  Is good!

The 3rd Conference On Middle-Earth

In my infinite wisdom [and inability to learn from past mistakes, how many cons & conferences have I run now?] I will be chairing a Tolkien conference in the Boston area at the end of March 2011.

What:  The 3rd Conference On Middle-Earth

When: Saturday, 26 March 2011 [The Green Dragon, the con suite, will be open on Friday evening, 25 March.]

Where: Westford Regency Inn, Westford, MA; $119 per night.

What:  Program – Single track mainly papers with a few panels.
One can  find the “Call For Papers” at the web site.
Tentative begin time will be 0900 on Saturday.  There may be a paper or panel or two after the banquet.
Small book room of 3 to 5 tables.
Membership:  $25 Thru 2 November 2010.
Banquet on Saturday evening:  $30 Thru 2 November 2010.

Join early and often!  🙂

Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo!

Not all those who wander are lost.

Thain Peregrin Took II
thain@3rdcome.org
www.3rdcome.org
Great Smials
Tuckborough, The Shire

Let’s picket them

Since the the Westboro Baptist Church likes to use the 1st Amendment as a crutch to do their picketing, maybe it is time for others to picket them.  Get in their f ace a little bit.

Yes, the 1st Amendment does allow for bigoted, racist morons [I’m probably insulting true morons here.] to voice their cancerous scum into the air.

A bunch of degenerate attercops.