Mission

No, she's definitely a badass. (You are stirring the pot, aren't you? She's smarter than that. She explains the flaws in my understanding of quantum physics to me when no one's looking.) However, it reminds me of a quote... "You know how a year to a person is like seven years to a dog?" "Is one of us supposed to be a DOG in this scenario?" However, Duchess has little of Sally's attitude from my experiences. Her attitude is more like Major Motoko Kusanagi. And now, appropros of nothing in this situation, but more fodder for Jim, a Mad magazine panel.

No. That's like asking for three more wishes. (Although I can see what that would appeal to you.)

Actually, black lights work great on glow-in-the-dark makeup. They charge glow make-up in much less time that regular incandescent bulbs. That's why it's what we use in haunted houses to quickly re-charge the stuff - we usually put a light-switch in the room so it can be turned on between patrons or get one of those cheap little black lights with the switch already mounted on them. (Although those don't last very long in the rough-and-tumble world of HHs from my experience. The switches and wiring in them are really cheap.) Oddly, the biggest problems we've found with glow make-up is that when it gets good and charged, you can't see if it's anywhere near your eyes because everything else is dark! The glare off your glowing face can blind you. A classic glow setting trick is to get several glow-in-the-dark masks in a really dark setting and then stand very still. The patrons usually know one of the things is a person, but they rarely guess which one. (The longer you wait, the more nervous they get.) It works even better if you can put one of the masks on something that you can move a little because it makes people think the moving mask is the person. Another great take on it I saw was a group who made a room like that and packed it with 4 or 5 people in glow masks. The patrons thought only one of them was real (because that's how it usually works). Needless to say, this worked quite well; giving the haunt workers much joy as they counted the number of people who wet themselves. (Seriously. That's the gold standard of good room design for haunt workers. )

Well, the gibbet cage is done and now it is disassembled. However, I am undertaking the work on the skeleton's skin this weekend. However, since there probably won't be a pic of the finished setup (as I am not reassembling the cage because it has 5000 separate screws and nuts), I thought I'd post photos of the thing as we used it in Columbus in September: Here are some close-ups of the paint work on the cage without the skeleton in it:

1 to 1?! Great Scott, man! Put all your money on Duchess. I sure am. (She's younger and meaner than me. Plus she can belly-dance.) "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." -Mark Twain

If you could only have one job for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be? Note that I don't mean, if it were 1700 and you could only have one job, I mean right here, right now. (Warning - we tend to project our current situation into the future and that causes us to overlook potential possibilities. Don't fall willingly into that psychological trap.)

What clued you in to the existence of the pub? In my case, it was Ed Foxe who was on another forum with me and recommended that I check this place out. What drew you into sailing about these waters?

If you go that route, I recommend using less lip gloss. (It doesn't seem very piratey.) I still think my idea is better. It's classic ghost pirate. And this is classic ghost monkey pirate:

There's only one possible way to do it with style:

I wouldn't think of it. (I could get hurt. These are pretend surgeon's hands.) (So...you unlocked it!) "The keys...THE KEYS!" (Fumbles with the keys and the ignition.) "Try the big one." (Strips the gears going into reverse.) "Can you play any other tunes?" (Smashes into the ruins.) "Want me to drive?" (Hits something else, maybe Jaws.) "Women drivers." "Quiet!"

Sorry, this part of the "How to begin?" thread seemed to be going awfully far adrift, so I set it free. (Maybe Harry'll see it and chime in.)

Gee...coastal morphology. I had to look that one up. It seems to me that the concern was something about scaffolding along the wall, hurricane. The last I heard of it was in May, so you probably know more than I.

Several random topics that must be put into the pensieve... I have been watching season 1 of Danger Man. It is surprisingly fast-moving and intricate for a half hour show with such a lame name. I understand they switched to an hour format in later seasons. I wonder if it will just make it seem like other British hour-long shows from that era or if it will increase the intricacy of the plots? I stumbled across Pink Martini totally by accident and am in the process of acquiring all their albums. This is sort of interesting: http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx I paid $2.99 yesterday. There ain't no woman like the one-eyed Gott.

First off, I never said anything about this being a non-topic. (Really, go back and look.) Second...you pinned the non-topic?! (There, now I said it.) You should really be modding Beyond... Third, I can bend the unspoon with my mind (as far as you know.) "From what you tell me, it sounds like you can only use your telekinetic powers when you're really angry!" "Then I'll only use them when I'm really angry!" "That's what I just said!! Can you hear me or is there a wee goblin in your head eating my words!?" "I... don't think there's a goblin in there..."

I don't know the state of the beach at the fort, but Key West cannot maintain a natural beach because of the coral reef, the composition of the Keys (also coral) and some other factors that Blackjohn might be able to explain. So they're constantly bringing in sand to build up any Key West beach because the ocean gradually wears it away. It seems to me they were working on part of the beach in Fort Taylor when we were down there last year. The bigger question in my mind is whether the fort will be open. They had a massive restoration and repair job scheduled for the buildings there this year. When I talked with the Bone Island folks in May, they were still unsure about the state of the fort for November.

You're confusing me with crossover quotes... Say, your ID appears in italics when you're in your forum at the bottom. Interesting. Actually, I only sing when I'm drunk or really happy. And alone. (I must have been drunk if any of you from PiP recall otherwise.)

It didn't make sense with the rest of the post. Sorry about that. Here's another one: "I'm not a criminal. Oh that makes me seem even more like a criminal, doesn't it?" (I would say we were getting off topic, but I'm not entirely sure what the topic was. Maybe we should hum a shanty...)

Hm. Yes. Highly appropriate in this case. I'd carry a (period appropriate black powder) weapon around this particular forum if I were you. I always do. "Great, a wannabe preacher with a gun... "

Now, I have advised the lass thusly as well, but I must say... I like sleeping in a bed with a fan buzzing away by my head, drowning out the noise of the environs. Snoring hammock-sleepers, late-night revelers, people scratching their bums and such-like noises are not your ship's surgeon's cup of tea. (We won't even consider the psychic effects of waking up to the sight of people skinny-dipping first thing in the morning.) Plus I like to be able to get away from the sturm und drang and meditate on life with what is apparently more frequency than most. So it's worth the extra guilders if you're a "one wolf" to have a separate shore dwelling when in port. (Besides which, there are many period precedents for it, specifically in the case of captains, surgeons and clergymen.) (Well, ok, not for the fan part.)

Say, that is nice. Now can you make a surgeon's amputation saw? I have two designs for you to consider...

Rotten Tomatoes is reporting (and noting that this news should be taken with a large grain of salt) that Tim Burton might direct POTC4. Wouldn't that be something? (I don't know what, but it would definitely be something. Is it possible to make the series even quirkier?) Tim likes the macabre...maybe they'll bring back the undead pirates and get rid of any further traces of that sentimental slop about the Flying Dutchman, Calypso and the sea/human crew. They're also talking about someone playing Jack's brother, but I'd say it's awful early for such speculation as Bess suggests it isn't even being seriously worked on. The original source for RT is this: http://www.cinemablend.com/new.php?id=10465

Doesn't it sort of depend on how they play him? I can't see Downey playing straight hero. Heck, I can't quite see him taking 'period' very seriously. If they want a sardonic, snarky Blood, Downey might work. John Goodman. (John Goodman is so cool.)

Er, well, sort of...how well do you like to walk? (It's a very green thing to do, so it's in fashion just now...) The only places you'll find closer are quite a bit more expensive. Last year I stayed at a guest house that was closer by a good bit, but which I do not recommend based on the thickness of the price and the thinness of the walls. (Ah, splendid, the upstairs neighbors are "in love". Alas, I do not wish to be notified of this all night long at regular intervals.) The Banyan (a condo community thing) is also closer, but again, more pricey. (A very nice place to stay, though.) For big box hotels, the two I mentioned are about as good as it gets. Most of the rest of them are in New town. Not where you want to be if you're walking as the fort is in Old town about 3-4 miles away. Still, the path from the fort gate to the fort proper is probably a good 1/4 - 1/2 mile, so anywhere from outside is a hike. (You may want to bring your bike. I have a junky bike down there already.)

Hear, hear! Maker of fine fids!

The cheapest, closest. reasonablest hotels I know of are the Best Western Hibiscus and the Southernmost Hotel. The best deal I've found (and it's a lot closer than those hotels) is to rent a condo in the Truman Annex near the fort entrance. If that intrigues you, see this thread. At the end of it, though...hotels are pricey in Key West. It might be cheaper to purchase the canvas and set up a period campsite! The cheapest place to stay is at the Fort. As the inimitable Patrick Hand says, "Where else can you legally sleep by the ocean, under the stars in Key West for free?" (Note that Patrick's site is a hammock with a small tarp stretched over top of it.) (Also note: He may not have actually said it like that. I'm probably paraphrasing. When we recall things, we actually remember bits and pieces and then fill in the details with recent experiences and think that we have really good memory. Isn't that fascinating? But I digress... )