Big Bear Faire, Highland War, and a pool table

Did the Big Bear Renaissance Faire again this year. It was the best year yet. I took the dragons. It was Kaida's first REAL faire. She went to Market Night in Redlands a couple times for practice, but this was her first full-on faire/camping event.

We weren't there the first weekend.

SECOND weekend went really well, except that I tried a new kind of heat supply for the dragons, and it ran out during the night. They were fine, no ill after effects, but they were VERY happy to be left out in the sun for a bit in the morning. I put them on the little folding stool I re-furbished using the scraps from Kevin's vest.

While they were out on the little stool in the guild yard, Tia thought it would be a good idea to go on a little adventure. She attempted to walk off the edge of the stool, but Smaug stopped her. He put one of his big dragon-hands on the base of her tail, then flopped his head down on the middle of her back as if to say "No, you stay HERE!". It worked, she stayed. Smaug keeps his girls in line.

Gallows Humor's CreEPy CD: Gypsy tested, DRAGON approved!

THIRD weekend was much better. I brought backups and more backups of the heating stuff, and they had lasting heat through the night. Tiamat popped out of the travel carrier like a little Jack-in-the-box in the morning, followed by Kaida. Smaug is a lazy bum and didn't want to come out right away. He isn't a big fan of mornings. They also had wings for third weekend. During second weekend, I had a little girl tell me that they couldn't be REAL dragons, because they didn't have wings... well, I solved that.


Smaug wanted nothing to do with the wings, but Tiamat wore hers for a good 45 minutes before she stepped on one, and decided they weren't so great.

Kaida is still too little for hers. Once I had them finished, I realized they probably weighed as much as she did. Maybe next time when she is a little bigger.

That CreEPy CD was the last one we had for the weekend, and was auctioned off. It went for $40. I should have had Smaug do an ink-print of his foot on it... Everyone ELSE signed it, and he's kind of become the official un-official mascot for Gallows Humor.


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Went to Highland War (an SCA event) in Victorville over the weekend.

Yes, I took the dragons. Of COURSE I took the dragons. They would never have forgiven me if I left them home.

They got a LOT of attention. So many people came over to love on them, and snuggle them, and carry them around camp. It was great.

And Smaug got to pretend to be the Pirate King.

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I finally got a pool table. Highland War didn't have a lot of booths for shopping, so when I got home, I still had pretty much all of the money I had set aside for shopping over the weekend. I hit up Craigslist and found a nice pool table for cheap.

Craigslist rocks!

Overdue Update

The brightest stars burn the fastest.

Our band was doing really well. We had gigs at most of the smaller faires in Southern California, were sold out on CDs, had a great sound and enough songs for multiple sets. Not bad for a first year band. Then stuff happened and we lost one of our sopranos. We have not been able to find a replacement, and that has kind of killed the band, unfortunately.

I have been trying to work on getting another band together with a couple friends (Brain-child of one of those friends) It is slow going, but it has potential.

Clan Darksail:  Great Western War, 2012

I went to my first SCA event last October - Great Western War at Lake Evans. I played with the pirates of Clan Darksail, but I still wore my Gallows Guild gypsy costume. I got a pair of really cool, handmade curly-toed shoes for my costume too, but I need to make myself a legit, non-hollywood-ish pirate costume. 

Galloween: Aces of Hearts and Spades

I met the most AWESOME guy at the war, and we have been dating ever since. He still amazes me with his awesomeness.

He likes to go out and meet new people.

I also acquired a Bearded dragon around the end of October. His name is Smaug.

Southern Faire is in full swing at Irwindale Dam, and I have switched groups this year. Most of my Faire "career" I have been playing with Clan Maccolin/St. Andrews guild,  but this year I am playing with the border reivers. It's a lot of fun.

I am taking 2 weeks off from Irwindale faire to go play with Gallows Humor at Escondido Faire. I will be back at Irwindale for closing weekend.

Graduation Mandolin

I Graduated.

I walked on June 8, 2012 in a stuffy burgundy cap and gown and everything.

My mom, stepdad, sister, and a bunch of my friends were there. A couple of them were even walking with me... There were four of us graduating together.

My grandma got me a mandolin for my graduation present.

Did I play the mandolin 2 weeks ago? Nope. Not even a little bit. The only time I had even touched one was when Zach had me hold his for like 2 minutes at the Big Bear renfair.

My mandolin arrived Monday afternoon. I knew how to play 2 songs by the end of the evening.

Today is Wednesday, and I play mandolin as well as I play the guitar... Better, in fact. It is a smaller instrument, so the frets are closer together. This means that chords that I couldn't play on the guitar because my fingers didn't reach are no longer a problem.

I love this thing!

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Big Bear Pirate Faire, June 2-3, 2012

Was a blast.

My band had 5 sets a day for 2 days and started selling our first full(ish) length CD.

I met new people, hung out with my friends in Gallows Humor, had hot tub time and hotel room parties after hours. What more could you ask for?

Northwoods Resort in Big Bear is amazing, by the way. If you're ever looking for accommodations in Big Bear, go with them.

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Big Bear Victorian Faire, June 9-10, 2012

My band was only up there on Saturday. We had 5 sets again, and sold a few more CDs.

Most of the band was costumed out of my closet. Perks of having a band mate who makes costumes I guess.

We stayed at Northwoods again, had more hot tub time Saturday night, then a few of us invaded Denny's.

Sunday was awesome too. It has been a long time since I had a whole day at a renfaire that I had NO obligations, and could just run around and do what I wanted.

So I filmed Gallows Humor shows.


OH. My band's website is now up and functional... although a bit skeletal still.
Pardon My French

Vyrago: The Beginning

Not exactly sure where I want to go with this thing yet, it just sounded fun. Kind of playing with a piratey theme, at least for now anyway. I've been using the pseudonym Vyrago for a few years now - it's a deliberate misspelling of the word "virago" which is defined as "a strong or willful potentially warlike woman". Seemed like a good name for a me, as I have an unhealthy obsession with pirates, weapons, and explosives.

Spent the evening with a gypsy the other night, was the best time I have had in a long while. I highly recommend it.

Set up for the renaissance faire in Irwindale starts this weekend, I can't wait.

Not a whole lot else on my mind tonight, so I leave you with some literary art:

            Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

        In the fell clutch of circumstance
        I have not winced nor cried aloud.
        Under the bludgeonings of chance
        My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

        It matters not how strait the gate,
        How charged with punishments the scroll,
        I am the master of my fate:
        I am the captain of my soul.
                ~ William Ernest Henley (1849–1903)