tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91580903866859866572024-03-13T15:44:52.174-05:00Phoole Wor(l)dJane the Phoole (a/k/a street performer A-E Shapera) is Milwaukee's Official Jester!Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.comBlogger262125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-84643364830290190752011-02-09T20:52:00.000-06:002011-02-09T20:52:14.437-06:00Farewell, Phoole Wor(l)d - What Ho, Wordpress!With hosting and heaps of help from MBTC, I have moved the Phoole Blague to<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://blog.phoole.com/">blog.phoole.com</a> </span></div><br />
I have enjoyed Blogger - we've had loads of fun together, and Blogger has seen me through some wild travels and trials! Now I'm looking forward to new adventures in formatting at the new blague. But I won't be updating this one, so you'll want to update your Most Favoritest Sites Evar to include the New Phoole Blague over on the Phoole domain. I know all change is traumatic, even good change, but I think you'll like what you see!Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-56299127591176470992011-02-03T14:22:00.000-06:002011-02-03T14:22:50.867-06:00Crowing Over Fools! A Fool Fabric Contest Winner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7154/crow_clowns-01_shop_preview.png?1295973929" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7154/crow_clowns-01_shop_preview.png?1295973929" width="320" /></a></div>Frequenters of the excellent fabric-makery site <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/contests/66">Spoonflower </a>voted <a href="http://greencouchdesigns.com/">Cynthia Frenette</a>'s <i><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/457154">Crows Clowning Around</a></i> as their favorite Fools and Jesters Fabric! Congratulations, Cynthia! Here are the other top ten vote-getters:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #271a13; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2. jesters_n_fools by janiris</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/453199" style="color: #17518e; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="jesters_n_fools" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/3199/rjesters_n_fools_shop_preview.png?1295637902" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="jesters_n_fools by janiris" width="190" /></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3. jokers by kec19</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/448129" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="jokers" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0044/8129/jokers__color_shop_preview.png?1295886880" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="jokers by kec19" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4. Acrobatic Jesters & Fools by simboko</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/457266" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Acrobatic Jesters & Fools" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7266/rrjesters2_shop_preview.png?1296098618" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Acrobatic Jesters & Fools by simboko" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">5. Court Jester by jennartdesigns</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/452339" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Court Jester" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/2339/rfool_v2_shop_preview.png?1295567017" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Court Jester by jennartdesigns" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">6. Silly Wiggle Scribble by decobot</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/457764" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Silly Wiggle Scribble" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7764/rsillywiggle_shop_preview.png?1296012525" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Silly Wiggle Scribble by decobot" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">7. Clowns&buttons! by bora</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/455961" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Clowns&buttons!" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/5961/rclowntjes_shop_preview.png?1295941983" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Clowns&buttons! by bora" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">8. 23 jesters and 1 fool by betje</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/453777" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="23 jesters and 1 fool" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/3777/argylejestersBG3.ai_shop_preview.png?1295855722" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="23 jesters and 1 fool by betje" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">9. Lady Jokers by catru</span></div><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/452985" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="Lady Jokers" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/2985/rLady_Jokers_shop_preview.png?1295706992" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Lady Jokers by catru" width="190" /></span></a></div><div class="contest_design_box block" style="float: left; height: 240px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 3px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 3px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 200px;"><div class="design_name" style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10. Little Clown by newmom</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #17518e; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/457694" style="color: #17518e; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Little Clown ( zoom as usual:)" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7694/rrCLOWN.ai_shop_preview.png?1296008662" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" title="Little Clown ( zoom as usual:) by newmom" width="190" /></a> </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My own <i>personal </i>favorite, I think, has to be this one: <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/457534">Medieval Jesters by rengal</a><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7534/rrjestersdub_highres.png?1296190184" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="http://www.spoonflower.com/design_thumbnails/0045/7534/rrjestersdub_highres.png?1296190184" width="640" /></a></div><br />
But I'm going to be acquiring yards of PLENTY of the fabric designs submitted! You can too - shop all of the submissions<a href="http://blog.spoonflower.com/2011/02/crowing-about-fabric-announcing-our-jokers-fools-contest-winner.html#more"> here!</a>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-28324622047367393392011-02-03T08:53:00.000-06:002011-02-03T08:53:04.519-06:00Behold Optimist Prime!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nvtB7cETRXSvXAHRyDRcGPt96OumXsjWdqMRkXrcpZJ6n9IQ5XphfjAvtxx6EfoLrl5-pWL6emTiokRL1rw_i9vi5JnyNgysKNtIxtsnjfzmSxjjVdSF0t-GK3vPaaIzO0-z5oIHpy0z/s1600/OptimistPrime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nvtB7cETRXSvXAHRyDRcGPt96OumXsjWdqMRkXrcpZJ6n9IQ5XphfjAvtxx6EfoLrl5-pWL6emTiokRL1rw_i9vi5JnyNgysKNtIxtsnjfzmSxjjVdSF0t-GK3vPaaIzO0-z5oIHpy0z/s400/OptimistPrime.jpg" width="340" /></a></div>This is Optimist Prime! I made him out of pictures I found on teh intarwebz, and maybe he will become the mascot of the <a href="http://optimisttheatre.wordpress.com/optimist-theatres-will-ness-program/">Willness Program</a>, which raises funds for <a href="http://optimisttheatre.org/">Optimist Theatre</a>! They're the brilliant people who do Milwaukee's <a href="http://optimisttheatre.org/in_the_park">Free Shakespeare in the Park</a>. And here is<a href="http://www.geiswood.com/optimistprime.html"> a link to a page put up by beloved geniuses Stephen Geis and Sandy Wood</a>, wherein their robot butler Fred performs as the voice of Optimist Prime. EXCELLENT!Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-65863271976415101312011-01-28T08:34:00.000-06:002011-01-28T08:34:54.901-06:00Foolish Fabric Contest!Cheers to <a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters/new?contest_id=66">Spoonflower!</a> They're a delightful company who lets users upload images in order to create their own custom printed fabrics, and they have these brilliant contests all the time that result in dazzling arrays of excellent designs. I wrote them a couple of weeks ago, suggesting they do a Jesters and Fools image contest, and they DID! This morning I received their newsletter, containing the following:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkW58_y6KUO7-8fM-SAm89kS5chGQsqa1fytZJhE0PAvNItAwOcHedvmJMDRIUrHaOE5MlGbJZYKfQA2q2iEp6kbsIAw_QsK2TiQIV0KwrQUyd_r50F1GUKAo0TJ4VfLVhUuIJbhdsxce/s1600/joker_collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkW58_y6KUO7-8fM-SAm89kS5chGQsqa1fytZJhE0PAvNItAwOcHedvmJMDRIUrHaOE5MlGbJZYKfQA2q2iEp6kbsIAw_QsK2TiQIV0KwrQUyd_r50F1GUKAo0TJ4VfLVhUuIJbhdsxce/s640/joker_collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="subTitle" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">Our Most Foolish Fabric Contest</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The Fabric Of the Week contest theme this week is jokers & fools, which has a long and illustrious tradition as an artistic subject. Believe it or not, the person who wrote to suggest that we make fools the subject of a fabric design contest is actually the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1296224700_10"><a href="http://phoole.com/">official jester</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">of the city of Milwaukee. Who knew that there were official fools! [Please commence sardonic commentary here.] Of course the real fools' contest this month will, arguably, be the Spoonflower staff design contest.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1296224700_11"><a href="http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters/new?contest_id=66">Vote For Jokers & Fools Fabrics</a></span></strong></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><br />
</strong></span></div><div style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I'm blown away! It's a great day for Fool-dom. Go ahead and vote! Meanwhile, I have some serious shopping to do - I need at least a yard of every single one of these!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-77454012384627401492010-12-23T12:25:00.002-06:002010-12-23T12:36:28.486-06:00The Will-Ness Program: A Brave New World for A-E & Jane the Phoole!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_656MlNuD71OQCq32x8XrV1nD7znZ27_ONYH_dyXtL2CiHDrRndw-I6Fxy4g-eUr7U9C2jVMUCI0quPGnEIlFjPpoijO-GtFy0h0v9vuWXeOFBbZ5MtUP2iLMkmo8GM4PC2GN1MQNVYHq/s1600/shakespeare-large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_656MlNuD71OQCq32x8XrV1nD7znZ27_ONYH_dyXtL2CiHDrRndw-I6Fxy4g-eUr7U9C2jVMUCI0quPGnEIlFjPpoijO-GtFy0h0v9vuWXeOFBbZ5MtUP2iLMkmo8GM4PC2GN1MQNVYHq/s320/shakespeare-large.gif" width="270" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>“O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world / That has such people in't!”</i> – Wm. Shakespeare’s THE TEMPEST 5:1</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Won’t you please consider sponsoring me for a new adventure? A performing company I support is launching a special fundraising drive in the form of a new kind of marathon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Milwaukee</st1:city></st1:place>’s non-profit <a href="http://www.optimisttheatre.org/">Optimist Theatre</a> produces Free Shakespeare in the Park, bringing the greatest plays in the English language to an under-served public via Equity-level artists. I believe in them, I admire them, and I support their mission. Their inaugural production last year was THE TEMPEST, and it ruled. It shook the entire community with its vibrant life, and it got capacity crowds and rave reviews. They’re producing TWELFTH NIGHT this coming Spring, and to help them raise funds to make this and all of their endeavors the best they can be, I’m joining their Will-Ness Program.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>From January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011, I am committing to losing at least 40 pounds and improving my physical fitness through regular exercise and improved nutrition. </b> My metabolism has always been my enemy, but my participation in the Will-Ness Program (hooray for groaner puns!) marks my first formal attack on purposefully improving my health. I'm investing in a recumbent exercise bike -- for ease on my hurty knees -- and alternating weights workouts with cardio and yoga for daily invigoration, and, on the advice of my excellent physician, I'm using <a href="http://www.myfooddiary.com/">My Food Diary</a> to monitor and improve what I eat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sponsors can watch my progress online, either through my own webpage or through Optimist Theatre's page (details to be determined), and Optimist Theatre will request sponsor donations every other month based on the amount of pounds lost per 2-month period. For example, if you were to commit $3 per pound, and I lose my expected target of pounds (7 lbs), you’d get a request from Optimist Theatre for $21. If I didn’t lose weight, or if I gained it back, you’d pay nothing. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Optimist Theatre’s Free Shakespeare in the Park builds a bridge across the ages and brings universal human truths to audiences at no charge. To help them, I would be thrilled and honored if you could sponsor me in this adventure. Any level of sponsorship is welcome! If you can sponsor $5 per pound, that’s fantastic; if you can only afford $.50 or $1 per pound, every little bit helps. Just email me at <a href="mailto:jane@phoole.com">jane@phoole.com</a> and let me know what you’d plan on pledging, and I will then send you a simple pledge form to complete and return. It's that easy!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://optimisttheatre.wordpress.com/optimist-theatres-will-ness-program/">Click here for much more information on the program. </a> I hope you'll consider sponsoring improved health for your friend and Phoole AND for the community at large!<a href="http://www.optimisttheatre.org/">http://www.optimisttheatre.org/</a></span></div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-45706538283172827592010-12-08T11:50:00.005-06:002010-12-08T12:02:10.315-06:00Of Monkeys, Dogs, and Phooles<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5gzaPKXgi8M9Wv5xrp_39weGe1EdAUMIVUjskkYaO8pGy0dcJYky68bgqg8idOY2tqx5ZAdW_Elfk-9h4xftkb86WtAIvK-aVdLFTCbF2L84T1SJ8FD6r5U-mTwmNg8tZfGmuc7XJXRV/s1600/fool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5gzaPKXgi8M9Wv5xrp_39weGe1EdAUMIVUjskkYaO8pGy0dcJYky68bgqg8idOY2tqx5ZAdW_Elfk-9h4xftkb86WtAIvK-aVdLFTCbF2L84T1SJ8FD6r5U-mTwmNg8tZfGmuc7XJXRV/s320/fool.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Vagabond," equivalent of "The Fool" card <br />
from <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/17-9780738701615-0">Brian Williams' SHIP OF FOOLS Tarot</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16px;">A warning: This essay is a bit serious-ish. And there is swearing in it. But if you can bear it, I hope you'll read it.</span><br />
<div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After my mother died over a decade ago, I went through an extremely miserable and difficult time, during which I hit absolute bottom -- my mother had been an alcoholic, and I had been a textbook example of a co-dependent enabler. My mother had frequently told me that I was the reason she drank: if I were present, she drank because she couldn't stand what a disappointment I was, and if I were absent, she drank because I had abandoned her. She once said to me, "Why would you want to be an actress? You're fat and disgusting. Why would you deliberately ask people to look at you?" After she died, my subconscious continued to castigate me on her behalf: I loathed myself; I felt hideous and unloveable; I felt untalented and worthless; I felt like a gigantic fraud who'd be found out at any moment. I'd always over-sought approval, and, according to much-missed friend, advisor and Adlerian therapist Sherwin Rubenstein (R.I.P), I probably always will, but at the time, my chorus of inner condemnations reverberated throughout every part of my life. I welcomed and encouraged hateful exploitation and abuse from every quarter - relationships, dayjobs, shows, friendships. I lost all hope. So I began to shop for a therapist.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I eventually ended up with a fantastic counselor, but the first therapist I visited, after listening to me for an hour, said merely this:</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"You know what the problem with YOU is? You're too nice. The world is full of assholes, and if you're going to survive, you have to become an asshole too."</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shocked, I fired him after that one session. I feebly shopped my desolation around until I happened on a wonderful counselor who, through simple grandmotherly truths, genuinely helped me rebound into the silly girl with whom you spend time nowadays.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But that awful statement smoldered, buried, in my brain ever since that day. "You have to become an asshole too." I just didn't want to believe it, regardless of the evidence.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know I'm always going on about Machiavelli, but he and his work fascinate me. Inextricably entangled in Renaissance politics, he resisted playing the game, and when the game finally brought him down, THE PRINCE was his warning to future players. As enticing and exciting as the game of social dominance appears, I don't want to play it. I played it briefly; it's a lot of work, and it yields no useful reward whatsoever.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, swallowing my anxiety about that statement from my first therapist, I rebuilt my life. In play, I turned the corner and discovered the audience, and the bliss I found in connecting with patrons obliterated everything else. It drove me to maximize my game, push my research, develop my brand, get more gigs, and only take the gigs I really wanted to take. Even if that first counselor were right - even if it were impossible to succeed by making people happy, if the only solution were to armor myself with cynicism and bitter distrust - I would try to prove the opposite.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I then directed the Street Theatre cast at the Bristol Renaissance Faire for ten years, and with them, I tried to share positivity, inclusion, and elevation. I worked to encourage characters who would esteem patrons at higher social status than themselves, include patrons in the fun, and make the characters' success contingent on patrons' involvement and enjoyment. The brilliant Douglas Mumaw and David Woolley inspired me with the Swordsmen's tag line: "Share the Niceness." And so many other successful walkaround performers, whether they played heroes who already championed the audience or villains who included patrons in their evil empires, gave me hope that inclusion, elevation, esteem and invested excitement could prevail over bitterness, hierarchichal obsession, and cynicism.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Still, that statement hung with me, crackling in the back of my mind. I've always been haunted by the fear that maybe he was right. Maybe people are simply horrible, and it's not possible to survive without becoming horrible too. I enjoy <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780226501178-0">Dario Maestripieri's book MACACHIAVELLIAN INTELLIGENCE: HOW RHESUS MACACQUES AND HUMANS HAVE CONQUERED THE WORLD</a>, because I think monkeys are hilarious, and I like watching them mirror human qualities -- but at the same time, the book fills me with dread, because Maestripieri posits that one chief factor in human and rhesus macacque world dominance is the fact that both species adhere to a strict social hierarchy, in which sycophants gain advantage by supplicating their betters, and in which niceness is a liability, not an asset.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was horrified further to realize that this Machiavellian paradigm played out fully in so many spheres in my life. Creative, helpful people are constantly supplanted by scheming, talentless flatterers. People who dedicate themselves fully to their work and to the betterment of organizations or communities are run over by servile supplicants kissing the backsides of the people in power. Experience, discipline and brilliance are traded in for obsequiousness and compliance. Power wants nothing but more power, and nowhere in the Great Chain of Being does there appear to be room for someone who just wants to make people happy.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So: last night, I watched a NOVA program about dogs called <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html">DOGS DECODED</a>.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5rOIRSHoc7k?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5rOIRSHoc7k?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Humans are genetically quite close to the monkeys and apes whose Machiavellian antics amuse (AND dismay) me so mightily. But the species who's responsible for human civilization? It's dogs. Puppehs. I learned immense, mind-blowing things about dogs and their relationships with people, and it shook my world. You have to see this program. It's genuinely mind-blowing. You can <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/nature/dogs-decoded.html">read a transcript of the show here</a>, and<a href="http://movies.netflix.com/WiSearch?oq=dogs+de&ac_posn=1&v1=Dogs+Decoded:+Nova&search_submit="> if you have Netflix, it's available for instant viewing</a>, or you can <a href="http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=10775966&cp=&kw=dogs+decoded&origkw=dogs+decoded&sr=1">buy a DVD of the show here</a>. Dogs have been by our side for tens of thousands of years, and they helped humans grow from hunter-gatherers to civilized beings. Through domestication (domestic dogs are descended from wolves), dogs are adept at reading human emotion, and they're the only animal that does that without training. Dogs have developed barks that humans instinctively, correctly interpret for meaning. Dogs respond to human pointing gestures, regardless of whether or not they've been trained to do so. Through the generations needed for full domestication of the canine species, humans originally selected "nice" dogs for breeding - and as dogs were bred for "niceness," all of the other variations (for which breeders currently select) emerged on their own.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And because humans have lived with dogs for so many tens of thousands of years, we've evolved a very special bond with one another, convergently. When a dog interacts with the dog's owner, the interaction triggers the release of oxytocin in the hypothalamus. Oxytocin is a peptide hormone, and it's the same one that's released in the hypothalamus of mothers and babies while babies are nursing. It's the chemical key to that primal bond. It lowers the heart rate and blood pressure, and it reduces stress levels. Experiencing frequent oxytocin triggering extends your life.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Playing with your dog - being happy - is good for you, in other words. It's very, very good for you. Everyone I know who has dogs who's reading this right now is saying, "Duh." But I don't have a dog (and I'll have to get a lot of allergy shots when I DO get a dog), so I didn't innately understand this. And this idea exploded my heart.</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because, after I'd watched the entire show, and processed and digested it, I thought:</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"What if I'm actually helping people after all?"</span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br style="line-height: 16px;" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When one plays as a walkaround character at Renaissance Faires, one frequently hears, "Oh, you're so good! You should be in REAL theater." It's a lot like this cartoon. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><object height="390" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/jwplayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashvars"value="height=390&width=480&file=http://newvideos.xtranormal.com/web_final_lo/472d09e0-f660-11df-a3ce-003048d69c21_6.mp4&image=http://newvideos.xtranormal.com/web_final_lo/472d09e0-f660-11df-a3ce-003048d69c21_6.jpg&link=http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7776407&searchbar=false&autostart=false"/><embed src="http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/jwplayer.swf" width="480" height="390" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="height=390&width=480&file=http://newvideos.xtranormal.com/web_final_lo/472d09e0-f660-11df-a3ce-003048d69c21_6.mp4&image=http://newvideos.xtranormal.com/web_final_lo/472d09e0-f660-11df-a3ce-003048d69c21_6.jpg&link=http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/7776407&searchbar=false&autostart=false"></embed></object><object height="390" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/embedded-xnl-stats.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/players/embedded-xnl-stats.swf" width="1" height="1" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So I'm constantly told that no matter how I strive to make my product awesome, chances are it's regarded as silly, amateurish and inconsequential on the List of Things That Actually Make a Difference in Life. And throughout our culture, we are, all of us, continually reminded that individuals do not matter, that everyone is replaceable, and that real reward only comes if you are a sycophant or a cruel tyrant. Add to that my own personal inner chorus of judges (thanks, Mom!), and every little day becomes a daunting prospect.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">But this program, full of wagging tails and happy barks and oxytocin releases, made me think:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Am I less like a monkey, and more like a dog?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it possible that patrons derive a genuine benefit from spending time with me? Are we doing something greater than merely wasting time together talking rubbish? Is our shared play good for our health? Can our time spent enjoying each other actually be improving both of our lives? Am I relieving people's stress so that they can, in turn, maybe help other people?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is it okay to just make people happy?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Am I actually <i>useful</i>?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It shakes me to think that that might be true.</span></div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-9021945527638166622010-12-07T15:58:00.000-06:002010-12-07T15:58:03.544-06:00Pow! Mayor and Phoole Collide With Your Face at High Speeds!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steventownshend/2692784953/" title="Two Fools by The Townshend, on Flickr"><img alt="Two Fools" height="336" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/2692784953_0551e436af.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Amazing photo by Steven Townshend<br />
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Richard Weber, as Bristol's Lord Mayor Egads Newcastle, is one of the most amazing people ever. This photo, much like <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2009/08/egads-jane-by-ivan-phillips.html">this one</a>, conveys what it's like to play in the street with him. ALSO: he is very beautiful, both from a distance AND up close - a difficult feat for most, but he makes it look easy! I didn't actually chomp his face after this instant. Not that I recall, anyway! Cheers again to Steven Townshend for the fab snappery!Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-90538179856109945432010-12-06T12:59:00.000-06:002010-12-06T12:59:30.525-06:00Grrrrrrrrr!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/steventownshend/5238189041/" title="The Faso and the Fool by The Townshend, on Flickr"><img alt="The Faso and the Fool" height="336" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5001/5238189041_7163313f63.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Massively brilliant photo snappery by Steven Townshend!</span><br />
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While I'm cataloguing and preparing delightful memories of this past weekend's super-fun times at Her Majesty's Winter Renaissance Faire, let's indulge in a Bristol Renaissance Faire reverie for a moment. This hilarious 2010 precious moment is brought to you by Steven Townshend, and it shows Fasso and Jane in a typical heartwarming embrace, which closely resembles a life-and-death battle for snorgling dominance. WHO WILL WIN? It is an eternal struggle.Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-25189073617079543112010-12-03T10:48:00.002-06:002010-12-04T08:49:45.743-06:00Her Majesty's Winter Renaissance Faire! Saturday ONLY, December 4, 10am-8pm!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4184488339/" title="MadFaireJaneMonkey1bySandyMorseHall by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="MadFaireJaneMonkey1bySandyMorseHall" height="438" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2566/4184488339_ac7682d786.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Jane the Phoole at Her Majesty's Midwinter Faire 2009, with her brand-new BAD MONKEY! Photo by Dawn Krot</span><br />
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I'll see you <b><i>tomorrow </i></b>for frolicksome frivolity and festive folly at <a href="http://www.winterrenfair.webs.com/">Her Majesty's Winter Renaissance Faire</a> (lower your speaker volume before clicking!) in Madison, Wisconsin! I've missed you since we goofed off at <a href="http://strongholdcenter.org/englishfaire.html">Stronghold Olde English Faire</a>, and I'm sure we all of us have plenty of new adventures to recount and laughs in which to heartily indulge!<br />
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<b>Where?</b> 614 Westgate Mall, Madison, WI, 53711 - down on the right next to Woodcraft!<br />
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<b>Where can I stay locally if I want to spend the weekend in town?</b> Rooms at the <a href="http://www.radisson.com/madison-hotel-wi-53719/madison">Madison Radisson</a> are offered at a discounted rate of $79.00 for anyone who is attending Her Majesty's Winter Renaissance Faire and wants to stay tonight, December 3rd, or tomorrow night, December 4th.<br />
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<b>When? </b> Saturday, December 4, 2010, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.<br />
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<b>How much?</b> "How <i>little</i>?" you mean! Tickets are available <a href="http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Cheap_as_Free">cheap-as-free</a> at the door for a scant $7.00! <i>Advance tickets are only $6.00</i> and can be procured at <a href="http://www.ravenworksip.com/">Ravenworks</a> in person or by phone at 608-630-2348 (ask for Raven). Children under 5 years of age are admitted to the Faire free of charge!<br />
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<b>Who's joining Jane there?</b> <i><b>Phoole Faves aplenty! </b></i><br />
<ul><li><a href="http://www.stgeorgebristol.org/">Her Majesty and Her Majesty's Court</a>, introducing the electric and scintillating Marybeth Townsend in the role of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, First Queen of England to rule by that name, Queen of England, Ireland, Wales, France & the Virginias etc.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.gsmbristol.org/">The Guilde of St. Michael</a>, Trayn'd Bandes, engaging you in Elizabethan military life, weapons training, barber surgery, and fun times galore</li>
<li>Brilliant craftspeople demonstrating their talents and selling their wares! From the event's own website (lower your speaker volume before clicking - there's surprisingly loud music!) <a href="http://www.winterrenfair.webs.com/">here</a>: "Our vendors have Renaissance clothing, cloaks, capes, leather goods, swords, shields, jewelry of all sorts, handthrown pottery and Renaissance dinnerware, lampwork beads, and a host of other wonderful items. We also have tarot readers, astrologers, mystical magical items and more. Vendors include Hearthstone Arts, Relics, Ravenworks, Tyme Travel Photography, Sheldon's Pewter, Sir Rocky Rococco's, Ingrid the Crafty, Tom's Jewels, <a href="http://ollinsworddesign.com/">Ollin's Swords</a> (A Phoole Fave),Grandma's Cookies and more...</li>
<li>Delightful musicians, jugglers and storytellers with fare for every age</li>
<li><b><i>You!</i></b></li>
</ul>I always have hilarious adventures at this event. It's low-key, cozy, and intimate, and I always have time for quality chit-chattery on many and divers subjects with everyone. <b><i>On the morrow, then, good cousins!</i></b><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-88377727804485449702010-11-19T17:09:00.001-06:002010-11-19T23:30:16.259-06:00Being Their Guest: Walt Disney World and Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Part 1<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186622643/" title="DSC_0052 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0052" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5186622643_622c1a7df7.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
So Much Magic! by Tom Charney<br />
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I went on an <b>actual vacation</b> last week! I traveled on an airplane without hauling my gigantic blue trunk of Jane the Phoole clothes along with me. And while that in itself was novel, the newness of being in places where Other People had to engage Me in environmental interactive entertainment was beyond delightful. I had a fantastic time visiting the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/">Magic Kingdom</a>, <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/">EPCOT</a> and <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/">Disney's Hollywood Studios</a>, and then cheating on Disney for a day with a side-trip to Universal Studios' <a href="http://www.universalorlando.com/Amusement_Parks/Islands_of_Adventure/harrypotter/wizarding_world_of_harry_potter.aspx?__source=ps.google.hp&s_kwcid=TC|4328|wizarding%20world%20harry%20potter||S||8711913481">The Wizarding World of Harry Potter</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5188498510/" title="DSC_0011 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0011" height="333" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1295/5188498510_b5a45a3f11.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
First View of the Magic by Tom Charney<br />
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I'd never been to <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/">Walt Disney World</a> before this trip - I'd been to <a href="http://disneyland.disney.go.com/">Disneyland</a> in California (and you must ask me about that trip. <i>What a strange trip it was!</i> It included adventures with former <a href="http://renfair.com/bristol/">Bristol Renaissance Faire</a> Puritans <a href="http://www.ericforsberg.com/">Eric Forsberg</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1616961/">Maurice McNicholas</a>. If I haven't done so yet, make me tell you the story about the three of us on <a href="http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/space-mountain/">Space Mountain</a> and <a href="http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/star-tours/">Star Tours</a>), but I hadn't really encountered any character interaction there, and I was much younger, less experienced, and less invested as a performer, so back then, I wasn't really switched-on for scrutinizing What Worked. <br />
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But on this trip, I was overwhelmed with glee from the first moment I walked through the gates. Yikes, it's powerfully detailed there. No holes. Everything is designed, and I really dug it. We visited the Magic Kingdom the day we landed, and we stayed until midnight, getting our minds blown by fantastic live music all over the place, parades, fireworks of unbelievably high quality and astronomical expense, and bizarre, unexplainable, possibly-supernatural experiences on three rides which you'll have to ask me about in person next time we congregate.<br />
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I know I'm extremely late to the party on this, but there is good customer service at these parks. Everyone was cheerful, slightly crazy in the way that we like, and solicitous. Even the ducks on the super-manicured lawnlets seemed helpful:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186621697/" title="DSC_0056 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0056" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5186621697_c51cc6b6c0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Solicitous Duck by Tom Charney<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186660027/" title="DSC_0110 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0110" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/5186660027_9b4de5c63e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Cartoony Hodge-Podgery of Fantasyland by Tom Charney<br />
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Many years ago I visited <a href="http://www.rothenburg.de/index.php?get=121">Rothenburg ob der Tauber</a>, and I found a <a href="http://www.photos4travel.com/travel-guides/germany/pictures/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber-bavaria">house</a> there that was yellow and tall and crooked (<a href="http://www.photos4travel.com/travel-guides/germany/pictures/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber-bavaria">this link</a> goes to a page that has a picture of it) which I'd decided needed to be replicated for Jane the Phoole's house, just plonked down on the grounds of Hampton Court Palace somewhere. When I arrived in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, so much of it reminded me of Rothenburg, except with wider, flatter streets, but still very silly and charming. We rode <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/attractions/peter-pans-flight/">Peter Pan's Flight</a>, which I recommend, and in Adventureland, we rode <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/attractions/pirates-of-the-caribbean/">Pirates of the Caribbean</a> two and a half times -- and I'll have to tell you about the half next time we meet!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186667127/" title="DSC_0114 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0114" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5186667127_38c86607ed.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Ridiculously Perfect Castle Shot by Tom Charney<br />
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We stayed for <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/special-events/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party/">Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party</a>, which was exactly as described: Merry, Christmas, and Party. Hot chocolate, SNOW, special parades with fabulous holiday costumes, and extra mind-blowing fireworks. We dug everyone in the parades, especially all of the female performers who danced the entire paved parade route in 2 1/2" heels, showing what looked like genuine smiles of joy the entire time, and the Toy Soldiers, who marched and actually played practical instruments really very well while wearing the equivalent of full suits of armor:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5187338848/" title="DSC_0208 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0208" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/5187338848_456599e3bc.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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Caboosing the parade was the Santaman himself, who greeted a small girl seated near us during the parade, called her BY NAME, and wished her a Happy Birthday. The look on her face was too magical. We thought it might seem skeevy to take a pic of her, though, so here is a shot of the Man With the Bag instead:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186747805/" title="DSC_0220 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0220" height="333" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/5186747805_b6992abd8a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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We stayed in the Magic Kingdom until midnight, looking at everything, enjoying so many families having so much fun everywhere, absorbing the details, from the second-story shop windows, to the gradation of forestry and gardens from land to land, to the intense theming of every little thing, to the attention given to each guest by each character in every encounter. Characters there manage to make every encounter feel like it's their first and most exciting of the day, even through extended hours. <br />
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The next day we devoured <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/">Epcot's World Showcase</a>, where naturally I went crazy over the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/united-kingdom-pavilion/">United Kingdom Pavilion</a> and its charming Arthurian-Legends street show:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186763121/" title="DSC_0233 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0233" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1017/5186763121_8971a5795c.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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And of course we let a couple of hours slip away from us as we dallied in <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/italy-pavilion/">Italy</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5186800319/" title="DSC_0274 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0274" height="333" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1397/5186800319_936fefefea.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5187403966/" title="DSC_0275 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0275" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5187403966_9d5beba6fb.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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We had an excellent pranzo at Tutto Italia Ristorante, watching <i>le sorelle Ziti</i> play with the crowd, doing the fake Italian stuff which we all love so well in the world of the Renaissance Faire. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5187419080/" title="DSC_0292 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0292" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1040/5187419080_4b2d5017ec.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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I dug how they amassed a crowd immediately, simply by appearing on the sidewalk outside the pavilion, drew their crowd along with them, and instantly integrated them into the act. Disney audiences seem to arrive ready to play, and they require no warm-up at all -- you can just leap directly into involving them in the action, without needing to go to any lengths to play low-dominance or exposition. Young or old, they're all just ready to be a part of the game. It was invigorating to be a part of that kind of crowd. And all of the players we encountered pushed guests just a little bit, whether through danger games or just a little gentle mockery, all to delighted audience response.<br />
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But I had to ask our server, Eduardo from Napoli (with whom I'd enjoyed using almost all of the Italian I remember in <i>chiacchierare</i>), whether he thought it was strange that the park didn't hire an actual native Italian street act for the pavilion, and that led to a sweet discussion of the real beautiful things about <i>actual </i>Italian culture and living. Eduardo asked, "When you were in Italy, what did you love most about the country?" I replied that on all of my visits, especially on our honeymoon, I appreciated above all the rhythm of life there -- the slow, casual, calm, <i>human </i>pace of enjoying life. "Ah, you make me cry!" exclaimed Eduardo; "The rhythm of life, that's it. I miss it so much. Ah!"<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5187434484/" title="DSC_0309 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0309" height="500" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1269/5187434484_221337b687.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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In the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/germany-pavilion/">Germany pavilion</a>, we liked this statue of St. George, and we enjoyed the silly automaton clock too:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/5187433682/" title="DSC_0308 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0308" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5187433682_f0cecdf614.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Photo by Tom Charney<br />
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We didn't spend much time in FutureWorld, apart from an awesome freaky voyage to Mars on <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/mission-space-pavilion/">Mission:Space</a>. And we laughed our faces completely off during <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/entertainment/turtle-talk-with-crush/">Turtle Talk With Crush</a>, which is a must-experience if you go. It's hilarious. Can't figure out how it's done, but Crush interacts with the crowd, and it is <i>hysterically </i>funny. On my next trip I'll definitely try <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/attractions/test-track/">Test Track</a>, which we just didn't get to for whatever reason.<br />
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I'm out of writing time now, but as soon as I can, I have many, many more Orlando adventures to share. The next day of our trip was spent in the village of Hogsmeade -- and butterbeer, I'm here to tell you, is very, very yummmz.Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-60580990084123985702010-11-02T12:46:00.000-05:002010-11-02T12:46:27.289-05:00Phoole Fave: Omega Restaurant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmnkY2OcqBSMR67fZGbPmQLU1hrhW5343xd-KR1ZPvPTfnOPgUbbl23chrtfx0YtJExuE2Z-0EHbOW4hEH0NA3xxFl1fQgRQfw2oF1svlqJ12Jb4rPINJak2sDJYWaeoN3GOvewEhL6EA/s640/Omega.jpg" width="640" /></div><a href="http://www.omegaon27.com/">http://www.omegaon27.com/</a><br />
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Not many things in Milwaukee are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Fortunately, one of my favorite restaurants is open forever and always! Break your fast, lunch, dine, sup or get your midnight munch on at Omega for their encyclopedic menu, tasty food, hasty service, irresistible bakery, and fantastic staff. <br />
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At the end of a Hallowe'ekend of total chaos and madness, we (MBTC, Jiggins and I) collapsed into a booth at Omega, delighted to find many of the staff costumed for the occasion. Here are some blurry picutres I took with my PhoolePhone:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsuNCVxJ0zh3j-FnMiE59C8y10aknAF66IApi6oHg9tqawoFpiSlRKduq4Ct2m5Fw8pTHJQHBR0Bj3UkCnkJnLSN8aBCglBTuKna6TAh1E8RlBLjt5ePfZhD2KRdzWjK-gmsp7Wghvcs-/s1600/IMAG0089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsuNCVxJ0zh3j-FnMiE59C8y10aknAF66IApi6oHg9tqawoFpiSlRKduq4Ct2m5Fw8pTHJQHBR0Bj3UkCnkJnLSN8aBCglBTuKna6TAh1E8RlBLjt5ePfZhD2KRdzWjK-gmsp7Wghvcs-/s320/IMAG0089.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VPcVZZC7d8D1rEHpGzbxPWkbzsiG1cyGb_zd86qH39p1mwm4ef6PwKLJiE6ng1iuRXl07DCn65P2V8vlgVEV6qKhWdynfYbqFzAwt8x8iovB3aUxnSgabuKkW-ZqyBRrSNS5mg8NiV9o/s1600/IMAG0091.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1VPcVZZC7d8D1rEHpGzbxPWkbzsiG1cyGb_zd86qH39p1mwm4ef6PwKLJiE6ng1iuRXl07DCn65P2V8vlgVEV6qKhWdynfYbqFzAwt8x8iovB3aUxnSgabuKkW-ZqyBRrSNS5mg8NiV9o/s320/IMAG0091.jpg" width="191" /></a></div>In addition to these characters, there was also a cheerful slow-moving fireman who remembered me from the Bristol Renaissance Faire (even though I was dressed in what passes for Normal Human Clothes except for a ridiculous hat) and a couple of other charming costumes too.<br />
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Chomp there today, and you can tell them Jane the Phoole sent you, but that might not mean anything until lots of you tell them that, and even then, it might just be confusing! But it will be strangely satisfying at the same time. Enjoy!<br />
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</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-10584688929359616612010-10-15T12:50:00.002-05:002010-10-15T15:55:53.065-05:00Jane the Phoole Gives a Terribly Impressive Talk: American Association of University Women, Milwaukee, Nov. 6, 2010!Come hear Jane the Phoole discourse on her most favorite subject in the world besides bad monkeys - Jane the Phoole - at the November meeting of the <a href="http://www.aauw.org/">American Association of University Women</a>'s <a href="http://www.aauw-wi.org/branches/milwaukee">Milwaukee Branch</a>!<br />
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<b>When? </b> Saturday, November 6, 2010. My talk begins at 1:00 p.m., and it will be followed by Questions and Answers!<br />
<ul><li>If you like the really inspiring things the AAUW does and are considering joining the organization (<a href="http://www.aauw.org/">visit their website here for more information</a>), contact the branch's Secretary, Kathe Bogdan (<a href="mailto:aauwmilbr@milwpc.com">click here to email her</a>, or call 414-276-6820) to inquire about attending the pre-talk social from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.</li>
<li>If you'd like to join Jane the Phoole and the Milwaukee branch of the AAUW for a luncheon before the talk, contact Kathe (see the previous paragraph) to make a luncheon reservation. Luncheon is from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the cost is $15.00 per person, which will be collected at the door.</li>
</ul><div><b>Where? </b> The Astor Hotel, 924 East Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. The luncheon and the talk will be held in one of the two large banquet rooms on the main floor; on the day of the event, signs will guide you to the room.</div><br />
<b>How Much?</b> The luncheon is $15 - reservations are required (see above). There is no admission charge for the talk!<br />
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<b>Wherever Shall I Park?</b> Use the parking for the Astor Hotel. It's gated; you push the button and say, "I'm with AAUW, Apt. 202," and they let you in. There's no fee for parking.<br />
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I owe many thanks to Phoole Friend Julie Ferris for arranging this magnificent display of effusion -- she's the chapter's <s>Foundations Chair</s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> VP of Programming and President Elect</span>, among the many amazing things she does. Cheers, Julie!<br />
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I'm looking forward to this immensely - it'll be a treat to talk about Jane the Phoole in a slightly-less-distracting environment, and I'll be discussing facets of being a female Elizabethan royal fool that are extremely interesting to me and, I hope, highly amusing to you!Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-87182936325266917722010-10-07T13:10:00.003-05:002010-10-19T16:13:46.965-05:00Phoole-o-ween Fun Times Galore!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4043905503/" title="Halloween Smile, Custom, Semmerling & Schaefer Mask Studios 2009 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img alt="Halloween Smile, Custom, Semmerling & Schaefer Mask Studios 2009" height="374" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3533/4043905503_41949428b1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Halloween Smile Mask by Jeff Semmerling of Semmerling and Schaefer Studios. <a href="http://www.maskartists.com/catalog/larger/Smile4.html">Order yours today, and tell 'em Jane the Phoole says they're brilliant!</a><br />
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So many Halloween Hijinks abound this month! Come dress up and Phoole around with me at a couple of brilliantly fun Halloween events coming up:<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Halloween Bash With the Outta State Plates - Jane the Phoole's In the House!</span></span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFm5LZ3vYmAZyN5lyhb5buMQCHT0xP8b76V5n7gvBzI94C9bstYyAyB_qjB0B2ssoADjvXSJcXAnT9dwFVpoMKGUwFQpKFfH1zyEWz3Vlnc2sRgJ2OazBWvh1IIo5UBF0-nxFOfr7jhMzj/s1600/Outta+State+Plates+2010+Halloween+Dance+Party.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFm5LZ3vYmAZyN5lyhb5buMQCHT0xP8b76V5n7gvBzI94C9bstYyAyB_qjB0B2ssoADjvXSJcXAnT9dwFVpoMKGUwFQpKFfH1zyEWz3Vlnc2sRgJ2OazBWvh1IIo5UBF0-nxFOfr7jhMzj/s1600/Outta+State+Plates+2010+Halloween+Dance+Party.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
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Come dance with me at the Outta State Plates' Halloween Bash on Friday, October 29th!<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">What:</span></b> Halloween Dance Party With the Outta State Plates and Jane the Phoole! My hurrrrsband, Tom, a/k/a Fasso Latido or MBTC, plays guitar and sings vintage dance rock 'n' roll with them, and they're fantastic. Admission includes delicious hors d'oeuvres, snacks, beer and soda. And of course there'll be a costume contest with prizes!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><b>Where:</b></span> Knights of Columbus Hall, 3200 S. 103rd Street, Greenfield, WI 53227 (just south of Oklahoma Avenue) <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=3200+South+103rd+St.,+Greenfield+%C2%A0WI&sll=42.987132,-88.0404&sspn=0.010517,0.01929&gl=us&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=3200+S+103rd+St,+Greenfield,+Milwaukee,+Wisconsin+53227&ll=42.987038,-88.040378&spn=0.010517,0.01929&z=16&iwloc=A">Click here for directions.</a><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">When:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"> </span></b> Friday, October 29th, 2010, 8:00 p.m. until Midnight!<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Whom: </span></b> Everyone! <b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><s>I'll be there debuting a brand-new Halloween-themed motley!</s> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Alas, it won't be done in time. But it'll be that much more exciting next Halloween, when I actually finish building it! I'll wear my new pastoral blue motley instead.</span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">How Much: </span></b> $20, or 2 for $35! Admission includes delicious hors d'oeuvres, snacks, beer and soda.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Tales of the Macabre / Halloween Party at Milwaukee Gay Arts Center - Jane the Phoole Hob-Nobs With You!</span></span></b><br />
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<img src="http://www.milwaukeegayartscenter.org/MGAC/Theatre_files/goats_and_monkeys_no_footer.png" /><br />
<a href="http://www.goatsandmonkeys.org/home.html">Goats and Monkeys,</a> an ensemble risen from the ashes of the late great Milwaukee Shakespeare, present an evening of readings of spooky Halloween tales while the <a href="http://www.milwaukeegayartscenter.org/MGAC/Theatre.html">Milwaukee Gay Arts Center</a> throws a fabulous Halloween bash! Dress up, come out, and play with me there! Phoole Friends Marcella Kearns and Bill Jackson perform with Nick Harazin and Courtney Jones.<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><b>Where:</b></span> 703 South 2nd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204 <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=map:703+S+2nd+Street+Milwaukee,+WI+53204&fb=1&gl=us&hnear=Kenosha,+WI+53142&view=map&cid=10184764669365529812&iwloc=A&ved=0CIQBEKUG&sa=X&ei=4AuuTNK7GoXSNMOr3dQJ">Click here for directions.</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">When:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"> </span></b> Friday, October 30th, 2010, doors open at 7:00 p.m. I won't be able to be there all night, as I've got Phoole's Errands to make, but I should be there until at least 9pm! Stay on top of my <a href="http://twitter.com/phoole">Tweets</a> to be in the know!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">How Much: </span></b> Donation suggested -- if there is a minimum suggested donation, watch this space for updates!<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Secret Historian: Author Justin Spring Speaks!</span></span></b><br />
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Also of note at the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, coming up sooner, on October 14, 2010:<br />
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<div class="paragraph_style_2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; color: #584d4d; font-family: Arial-BoldItalicMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0pt; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none;"></div><blockquote>SECRET HISTORIAN</blockquote><span class="style_1" style="font-family: Arial-BoldItalicMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25px;"></span><br />
<span class="style_1" style="font-family: Arial-BoldItalicMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25px;"></span><br />
<span class="style_1" style="font-family: Arial-BoldItalicMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25px;"><blockquote>The Life and Times of Samuel Steward</blockquote></span><br />
<blockquote>by Justin Spring</blockquote><blockquote>Reading & Author’s Reception </blockquote><blockquote>October 14th, 2010</blockquote><blockquote>6:00 PM</blockquote><blockquote>FREE admission, refreshments served</blockquote><blockquote>Books available for purchase on-site through Outwords Books</blockquote><blockquote>Justin Spring is a writer specializing in twentieth-century American art and culture, and the author of many monographs, catalogs, museum publications, and books, including Fairfield Porter: A Life in Art and Paul Cadmus: The Male Nude.</blockquote><blockquote>“[An] absorbing act of biographical excavation . . . The probity and expansive vision of Spring’s work is a reminder that a great, outspread terrain of gay history remains to be mapped . . . One suspects there are many more stories of that time worth telling, and too few treasure-packed attics.” </blockquote><blockquote>—Mark Harris, The New York Times Book Review</blockquote><div class="paragraph_style_7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I won't be able to make this one, unfortunately, as I'm already booked that evening! Boo. But please attend and then tell me all about it! It's noteworthy that the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center has been able to provide the venue for this excellent writer's reading and reception. Enjoy!</span></div><div class="paragraph_style_7" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; color: black; font-family: ArialMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none;"><br />
</div></div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-67632617004390342932010-09-29T16:19:00.001-05:002010-09-29T17:50:37.914-05:00Stronghold Olde English Faire! Oct. 2 & 3 2010, Oregon, Illinois<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Na35w9N3cVor7h8gvJjYadwyTKHNWQvPg4ru893Koq3Z3HuXWZeQkDX24BVo5N8dOA84wjYT-S3kQByxOFpiOYDTNAMo9rhV8FBNeOZsStx67Jl-d-Jqc3rpSgzeDe-h4mX7KJRe-MyF/s400/Stronghold2010.jpg" width="400" /></div>Join me, Jane the Phoole, at the <a href="http://strongholdcenter.org/englishfaire.html">Stronghold Olde English Faire</a> this coming weekend! Click <a href="http://strongholdcenter.org/englishfaire.html">here</a> for every li'l detail about this <a href="http://strongholdcenter.org/englishfaire.html">delightful event</a> at the scenic Stronghold Castle. Phoole Friend Odorferious Thunderbottom will be there selling ThunderPickles (he's a Privy-Keeper, and <a href="http://privycouncil.webs.com/">here's his eye-searing Privy Council site</a>), and there will be droves of other fun frolickers besides, including Phoole Faves <a href="http://www.stgeorgebristol.org/">the Guild of St. George</a> and the deranged Anne Sommerset, Lady Percy, the Countess of Northumberland in her first visit to the Burleigh household -- brawling imminent! On the subject of brawling, Phoole Skoolmaster <a href="http://www.stmartinsacademy.com/">Bob Charron of St. Martin's Academy of Medieval Arms</a> <s>will</s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> may possibly</span><span></span> join Phoole Faves <a href="http://www.gsmbristol.org/?page_id=2">the Guild of St. Michael</a> for demonstrations of the principles of Fior dei Liberi's <a href="http://www.stmartinsacademy.com/researchfiore.htm">Il Fior di Battaglia</a>, and in any case, the Trayn'd Bands always deliver action-packed fun! Phoole Faves <a href="http://oghamduo.wordpress.com/">the Ogham Duo</a> are among the many excellent music acts. And there are many more treats besides. It's one weekend only, so hie thee thither with all speed!Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-6871513617842960142010-08-18T14:04:00.024-05:002010-08-19T16:01:50.730-05:00PERSIA! PERSIA! PERSIA! Or: Jane the Phoole in an Exciting Adventure with the 300 Battle<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905379886/" title="300 Battle Victory by Steve Spitzer by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4905379886_66710befe3.jpg" width="500" height="424" alt="300 Battle Victory by Steve Spitzer" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">By Steve Spitzer: A victory romp for Jane the Phoole, rabid Sir Thomas Radclyffe the Earl of Sussex (portrayed by Frank Skony), Gertrude the Bringer of Total Rampaging Death (portrayed by Sandra Howard), and silent assassin Lady Ann Seymour the Countess of Warwick (portrayed by Mary Hough).</span><div><br /></div><div>What made me take up arms against a sea of Barbarians last Sunday? Was it the soul-cringe I've felt the past several months that life is short and should be enjoyed sans prohibition at all times? Was it the surprising and endless kindness of the Barbarians themselves (savage though they could seem)? Was it boiling frustration with the endless, pointless, ego-fertilizing Machiavellian machinations surrounding me in nearly every social sphere? Was it a burning need to smash people with stuff?</div><div><br /></div><div>Regardless of the root of it, I woke up this past Sunday morning with a death wish. I hurtled through my morning with what my venerable college roommate Paul Herbert (a/k/a "PHB," which is short for "Paul Herbert's Butt") would call "Thanatos-Glam" or "Than-Glam," which is that feeling you get when you're on a subway platform, and you get very close to the dangerous precipice, and something in you says, "You could just tumble over." I don't know where the feeling came from, but there it was, pushing me to do even sillier things than I usually do.</div><div><br /></div><div>I quickly understood that I wasn't the only person enthralled with Than-Glam that day -- everyone was up to strange heroics on Sunday. At the morning <a href="http://www.hanlon-lees.com/">Joust of Skill</a> (mind your speaker volume if you click - the music will terrify you if you aren't careful), a young man named Keith approached the dais with two wingmen, humbly asking if anyone ever proposed to their fiancées at the Joust. I assured him that it would be brilliant to do so, and it <i>was</i>, and his sweet Lady Heather nodded vigorous, joyously-tearful assent when the question came, eliciting thunderous cheers from the excited crowd:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905373653/" title="Proposal by Satine Keala by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4905373653_b44c3741e5.jpg" width="500" height="438" alt="Proposal by Satine Keala" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Photo by the beautiful Satine Keala</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Then Sir Maximillian and Master of Arms Sir Mauldron got up to a world of hijinks during the tournament itself. In one moment, Sir Maximillian (portrayed by longtime Phoole friend and <a href="http://www.maxxempire.com/">brilliant leather mask artist</a>, the legendary Matthew Mansour) rode slowly over toward the dais, made eye contact with me, and just started singing, "Did you ever know that you're my heeeeerooooo...", which naturally killed everyone on the dais with explosive guffaws. In another, Sir Maximillian and his mighty steed Kilvarough managed to <i>sneak up</i> on the Master of Arms; after nearly leaping out of his saddle in surprise, Sir Mauldron snapped, "Get away from me, or I'll stab you!" Again we all barked with mirth -- and the dais was jam-packed, by the way, full of beautiful people. And at some point the Quintain attacked Sir Wilfort and unhorsed him, which I confess I don't understand, and later his horse's caparison just <i>flew away</i>, which made even less sense! Wyckham Field was Bizzarro-Land Sunday morning, and it was a delightful time of Big Laffs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Feeling strangely invincible, I remembered that Lady Warwick and I had planned to get ourselves some weapons and join <a href="http://www.barbarianbattles.com/">Barbarian Battles</a> for their 300 Battle that afternoon. So I drifted up the hill with Phooligan genius Ivan Phillips and Mistress of Misrule Magnolia May in tow, and I selected my weapon. As Ivan notes, it had a strange effect on me:</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904790067/" title="Sword's Strange Effect by Ivan Phillips by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4904790067_e21464d28a.jpg" width="331" height="500" alt="Sword's Strange Effect by Ivan Phillips" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;">Photo by the brilliant Ivan Phillips. MBTC calls this "The Angry Hamster Face" and it is not often allowed at home.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.barbarianbattles.com/">Barbarian Battles</a> are a company of merchant-adventurers at the Bristol Renaissance Faire and many other excellent venues around the world, and they deal in sheer, unadulterated adrenaline. They allow patrons to try out their less-harmful (not harmless, of course, if wielded dangerously and without caution, but useful in conscientious brandishment) daggers, swords, warhammers, spears, pikes, throwing stars, throwing daggers and more, and they offer these weapons for sale. All day, you can enjoy patrons and participants alike whacking one another silly with these things, and I'm here to tell you this: it's a joy to behold, and it's an even greater joy to join in! </div><div><br /></div><div>At 4:30 p.m. every show day at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, Barbarian Battles organize what they call The 300 Battle, essentially a reenactment of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae">Battle of Thermopylae</a>. (I haven't seen <a href="http://www.300ondvd.com/">the movie</a>, but from a glance at the trailer, it's exactly completely correct, albeit in full color.) <a href="http://www.stgeorgebristol.org/cast/2009/AnneSeymour.html">Lady Warwick</a> and I had made up our minds to join in Sunday's battle, and I'd <a href="http://twitter.com/phoole">Tweeted</a> my intentions that morning, so we were committed to action. The day before, the too-kind Barbarians presented me with one of their excellent stout short swords, but I wanted to buy a gigantic two-hander sword, because in my tiny brain, it made sense to compensate for my little Tyrannosaurus-Rex-proportioned flipper arms with a monster sword. Of course that doesn't actually work, but it amused me at the time, and I had fun running around town brandishing the thing:</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905380236/" title="Jane Attacks Little John by Ivan Phillips by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4905380236_2f26265d7d.jpg" width="500" height="331" alt="Jane Attacks Little John by Ivan Phillips" /></a><div>Photo of Jane on her way to attack Little John by Ivan Phillips</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904790017/" title="Jane the Barbarian with Marian and Little John by Ivan Phillips by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4904790017_39086a44dd.jpg" width="500" height="347" alt="Jane the Barbarian with Marian and Little John by Ivan Phillips" /></a><div>Jane the Barbarian with Maid Marian (Stephanie Murphy) and Little John (Heath Denikas) by Ivan Phillips</div><div><br /></div><div>So I carried the frightening foam instrument of Phoolish destruction around with me all day. I ran off to show the thing to <a href="http://chrisivanovich.com/chrisivanovich.com/Renn_Faire_Act.html">Ivanovich the Impossibilist</a> and <a href="http://www.liesofbrian.com/SHOWS/ren.html">Dinty the Moor</a>, and they agreed I was completely terrifying and warlike; and everyone we encountered approached with a measure more approbation than usual, which interested me. </div><div><br /></div><div>Excitement about the battle sparked all over town! Phoole Friends working at the Front Gate reported patrons had been asking, "Where's the tiltyard? When is Jane the Phoole in the big fight? Are we here in time to see it go down?" Phooligans checked in from all quarters reporting they'd be in the stands cheering us on. And my very own barbarian horde, the Nation of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-took-a-picture-with-Dark-Cloud-Leather/138158909538715">Dark Cloud</a>, surprised me with their reaction to my announcement about joining in the battle.</div><div><br /></div><div>His Majesty King Zavier of Dark Cloud himself came forward and said, "Jane, we'll be your guards in the battle. Just tell us when and where."</div><div><br /></div><div>I was really moved by this -- I got a little choked up. I mean, it's not every day you have a King of a Barbarian Horde declare not only his fealty to your cause but also offer to defend your silly hide in a massive war! I'm serious when I tell you that that was an intense little moment. </div><div><br /></div><div>And the hours between flew by, as I toddled around the city waving this enormous sword around, daring patrons not to laugh at my awful, horrible jokes. Everyone was delightfully obliging. Then I collected King Zavier and his two Lieutenants, and we went back to Barbarian Battles for a briefing on the order of battle. Once the Battle Barbarians had instructed us, patiently and clearly, on how the battle would proceed (I was very excited about everything, so I had to ask them to explain things very simply and with a little repetition -- you know how I get), the Dark Cloud legion retired to their pavilion to prepare, and I descended the hill toward Bristol Castle to retrieve Lady Warwick.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.stgeorgebristol.org/cast/2009/ThomasRadclyffe.html">Sir Thomas Radclyffe the Earl of Sussex</a> decided he wanted to fight too, and Lady Warwick invited <a href="http://www.stgeorgebristol.org/cast/2009/GertrudeBridgewater.html">Mistress Gertrude Bridgewater</a>, Mistress of the Bedchamber in the Sussex household (formerly of the Norris household) to vent her frustrations in the fray as well, and Gertrude was beside herself in glee at the invitation. We happy four trudged back up the hill to make ready for the Battle of the 300.</div><div><br /></div><div>The forest fairly vibrated with the energy of the fighters and their supporters preparing for battle. Phooligans clustered around us, some revving us up for the clash, some providing gentle well-intentioned warnings about what we were about to face. It occurred to us for the first time that we might well get the ever-living snot kicked out of us, and that we'd be running around on the sand at Wyckham Field, which was dusty, gritty, and, by the late afternoon, baked to a blinding glare. But a razor-fanged King Zavier and his tall, black-clad Lieutenants arrived and met the Noble Party, and said to us: "We'll look out for you. No one will touch you." </div><div><br /></div><div>And as absurd as the whole situation may seem, in that moment, we were bathed in golden shining tingly protective reassurance. I thought, "I will never have this feeling again. I'd better savor it."</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bristol Renaissance Faire's own Royal Brass came to blast fanfares for the battle, which humbled and awed me completely. I wish they had a website; I'd like to link to it and connect you to them. They really make the entire show, and Pete, Jim, Tom and Jennifer always make me feel like I'm in a Really Exciting Movie of Thrilling Moments of Pageantry when they play.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then it was TIME. The Barbarian Battles barbarians led the martial procession down the hill to the tiltyard, beating their weapons against their shields, representing the Spartans; and the Persian team's barbarian Generals allowed the Phoole Party to lead their part of the march, chanting "PERSIA! PERSIA! PERSIA!" all the way. Swords aloft, marching and chanting, my heart began to pound, and I realized we were a part of something much larger than ourselves, much more ancient, much more powerful than I'd reckoned for as an afternoon's amusement. Gertrude was beside me, and I thought I heard her growl more than once, and I wondered if she would suddenly change into a slavering werewolf and devour the enemy, but I put that down to those <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sookie-Stackhouse-8-copy-Boxed-ebook/dp/B002QCJO0M/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282239792&sr=1-3">novels</a> I've been consuming lately. And I admit that I turned to Warwick and murmured, sotto voce, "I think maybe we might be about to die." We laughed, but I think we may all have wondered, just even only a little, if we'd survive.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jFnERp5qxPm266Rr7CCjnh9ISbNNadnMSecjj3_jBFS1rnxmZGP7Jv0UOOatKfvQciqdgXZQSH5dMEVgrpONjpi11auGdSc02TE4lORHZI9Je12zt3Zl2bgCRh_YAMn89XQqm4gTfmCG/s1600/300+Battle+Procession+by+Arely+Arias.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jFnERp5qxPm266Rr7CCjnh9ISbNNadnMSecjj3_jBFS1rnxmZGP7Jv0UOOatKfvQciqdgXZQSH5dMEVgrpONjpi11auGdSc02TE4lORHZI9Je12zt3Zl2bgCRh_YAMn89XQqm4gTfmCG/s400/300+Battle+Procession+by+Arely+Arias.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507179989770576722" /></a><div>Entering Wyckham Field, we were stunned and thrilled by the patrons packing the stands - and on the dais, <a href="http://www.stgeorgebristol.org/cast/2009/RobertDudley.html">Sir Robert Dudley the Earl of Leycestre</a> presided, ready to provide color commentary during the battle. The dais was jammed full of the glitterati of the Elizabethan age -- Lord Mayor Egads Newcastle was in attendance, as was the young Christopher Marlowe, Her Majesty's Dwarf Thomasina, and a host of dazzling characters besides.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then someone cried havoc, and we let slip the dogs of war!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789975/" title="300 Battle Chant by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4904789975_4244c06253.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="300 Battle Chant by Cara Strong" /></a><div>Photo by Cara Strong</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789941/" title="300 Battle Victory Moment by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4904789941_949364ecbe.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="300 Battle Victory Moment by Cara Strong" /></a><div>Photo by Cara Strong</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789895/" title="300 Battle Not Dead Yet by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4904789895_1548ce2eae.jpg" width="367" height="500" alt="300 Battle Not Dead Yet by Cara Strong" /></a><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789895/" title="300 Battle Not Dead Yet by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Cara Strong<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905380082/" title="300 Battle Charge by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4905380082_8e2a1c89a5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="300 Battle Charge by Cara Strong" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905380082/" title="300 Battle Charge by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Cara Strong<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789833/" title="300 Battle Jane Retreats by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4904789833_65f19e0dba.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="300 Battle Jane Retreats by Cara Strong" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789833/" title="300 Battle Jane Retreats by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Cara Strong<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905380012/" title="300 Battle Lines by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4905380012_f0e4d4a8d1.jpg" width="367" height="500" alt="300 Battle Lines by Cara Strong" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905380012/" title="300 Battle Lines by Cara Strong by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Cara Strong<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789751/" title="300 Battle Charge by James Martin by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4904789751_2902ea8bb6.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="300 Battle Charge by James Martin" /></a></div><div>Photo by James Martin</div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789751/" title="300 Battle Charge by James Martin by Phoole, on Flickr"></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789709/" title="300 Battle Calling Out the Barbarians by Laura Kresch by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4904789709_12da857475.jpg" width="276" height="500" alt="300 Battle Calling Out the Barbarians by Laura Kresch" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4904789709/" title="300 Battle Calling Out the Barbarians by Laura Kresch by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Laura Kresch<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4905379918/" title="Unto the Breach by Laura Kresch by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4905379918_d68f29f2b1.jpg" width="500" height="445" alt="Unto the Breach by Laura Kresch" /></a><br /></div><div>Photo by Laura Kresch</div><div><br /></div><div>I know "epic" is a word overworn, but it applies. EPIC BATTLE! And Gertrude was the fiercest among us, charging in again and again, wiping out, face-planting, getting back up, and returning to the front line. Warwick and I began delivering some strategy for the younger fighters -- we'd block for them with our ridiculous huge gowns, making holes for them to get through the Spartan defenses, if their sheer terror didn't stop them in their tracks, which it often did. Sussex clamored through the lines, limbs gangling everywhere - over the din, I heard Lord Leycester comment, "And now there seems to be an orangutan on the field -- no, sorry, that's just Lord Sussex." Dust and sand filled the air and ground our teeth. Battle cries soared, and swords thudded on shields and shoulders and backs. And throughout, little boys with big swords kept encouraging us: "Ladies, you're doing <i>really well</i>. Jane, you're doing a good job!" And that too was overwhelming. </div><div><br /></div><div>And then the day was ours! Persia broke through the Spartan defense for the seventh time and seized the trophy helm, and the victory cry went up. Valiant soldiers returned loaner weapons to the indulgent Barbarian Battle horde, and the Barbarian Queen took Gertrude's sword from her hands with a kind of reverence that made our hearts swell with lung-burning pride. Later, Barbarian Battles and their fierce-but-kind Queen would honor our Gertrude with a gift of a sword for her to keep, and I think each of us, we few, we happy four, we band of usually-merely-decorative Nobles on Progress, shed a tear of proud joy for Gertrude, our surprise Berserker protectress. </div><div><br /></div><div>None of us will ever forget that day, that march, those cries, the frenzied fray, and if you've never tried Barbarian Battles or engaged in the 300, I hope this little tale inspires you to heft some of their swords and give them a swing. There's something in the experience that defies description, and you and your fellow-fighters will share a bond thereafter that's unlikely to be forged in any less fiery a furnace than the sizzling sands of Wyckham field!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-1959370446114361012010-08-13T09:45:00.002-05:002010-08-13T10:04:10.869-05:00Jane the Phoole is a Certified Kilt Inspector!<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4888296014/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4888296014_a14b530816.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /> <span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4888296014/">Jane the Phoole is a Certified Kilt Inspector</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/phoole/">Phoole</a>.</span></div> <p class="flickr-yourcomment"> I don't yet know what duties come with this title, but I look forward to finding out! Cheers to enthusiastic Phooligans Clay and Randi Stiller for the honor!</p>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-75695009223438518682010-08-12T10:13:00.002-05:002011-01-18T10:44:06.025-06:00The Bristol Renaissance Faire's Guilde of St. Lawrence Babysits A REAL DUCK<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5vp3nHAvaDl9oEaW_ZoAFY9D4SVlj04rYS5LNXA-EikJ5-TpwRT-QUiiYzE0oLt6S8kqO_YFvMplA2yw2m-iYqVtH1UR4mGcbGUs4qXawpFf1B_7ZlYTX2FMJm5RXwmRt7wQ0O11-EdZ/s1600/Fluffy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5vp3nHAvaDl9oEaW_ZoAFY9D4SVlj04rYS5LNXA-EikJ5-TpwRT-QUiiYzE0oLt6S8kqO_YFvMplA2yw2m-iYqVtH1UR4mGcbGUs4qXawpFf1B_7ZlYTX2FMJm5RXwmRt7wQ0O11-EdZ/s640/Fluffy.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>(Photo by Phoole Fave and Super-Genius <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1488113616139&set=a.1488110576063.61796.1632922140&pid=1165509&id=1632922140">Ivan Phillips</a>.)<br />
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All the best people I know have been receiving discouraging news lately, and we've all been feeling a bit run down by the oppressive heat and humidity, and by oppressive oppressors. So I thought I would just mention that if you visit the Dirty Duck Inn at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, of which the Guilde of St. Lawrence are proprietors, and you do so in the late afternoon, you may encounter AN ACTUAL DUCK.<br />
<br />
Last Saturday, in my guise as Jane the Phoole, well-dressed blurter of idiocies and occasional wisdoms, I was tooling around in the wake of some powerful Counties: the Earl of Leycester and the Countesses of Sussex and Warwick were there, and a servant of the Sussex household colloquially known as "Pie Boy" because he is content to be paid for his services in pies; and I'm too addled to recall who else was in the company, but there we were, idly sauntering to the North end of the city close to day's end.<br />
<br />
We were hard by the Inn, and the Earl said, "Let's go frighten the lower classes -- they never get to see us up close." This sounded fun, so we breached the innyard and caused a conflagration of shocked and terrified bows and curtsies and other abasings, which, I can tell you, always warms the cockles.<br />
<br />
And then, out from under a countertop, a white duck slapped his way out onto the cobbles directly in front of our little raiding party. He had bright orange webbed feet and a little Doc-Emmett-Brown tuft of feathers puffing out the back of his head, as if his little duck brain had exploded, and he tilted his head around, exactly as if animated by Nick Park, quizzically assessing all of us as we guffawed in surprise.<br />
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"Where is the innkeeper?!" thundered the Earl, and Master Peter Cabot leapt handily over a table and presented himself in a sweeping reverance (I seem to recall -- though of course in my memory now, the whole episode has turned into a Very Exciting Short Film with dramatic music and tight edits and heightened drama, so it's possible that didn't actually happen).<br />
<br />
"How, fellow, didst thou come by this duck?" asked the flustered Earl. (Small animals and large birds of all kinds are a tremendous laff-riot novelty with the visiting nobility on Progress at Bristol, you may have gathered by now.)<br />
<br />
And calmly as anything, Master Cabot replied, quietly, "Why, my Lord Earl, God hath provided us with this duck."<br />
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And for some reason, that struck us all as the Funniest Thing Anyone Ever Said Ever, and we fell about laughing, the duck surveying us with mute wonderment the while.<br />
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After I have pretended to be a functioning adult in modern society for a while longer, I will have more amusing little anecdotes with which to distract you, but I hope you have enjoyed this duck tale in the meantime.Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-87314371921179471052010-08-06T08:23:00.003-05:002010-08-06T08:33:27.246-05:00Phoole Friend Martin Soan's Awesome Viddy for the Robin Hood Tax<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a7dJ71htp5s&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a7dJ71htp5s&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><div>Here's a video by the hilarious <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2010/05/muncaster-reveries-last-chapter-or-back.html">Martin Soan</a>, whom I met along with his hilarious and brilliant wife Vivienne at <a href="http://www.muncaster.co.uk/festival-fools-2010">Muncaster Castle's</a> International Jester Tournament in 2007. It's for an <a href="http://robinhoodtax.org/">excellent cause</a> (one also supported by <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=qYtNwmXKIvM&feature=related">delightful vids by the delicious Bill Nighy</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div>Also: Keep an eye out for a Semmerling-Schaefer Mask Studios smile mask, which makes a special appearance in the video! I sent one to the Soans after they made me laugh my face completely off throughout the '07 Festival of Fools. You need one too, you know - and they're easily buy-able <a href="http://www.maskartists.com/catalog/larger/Smile4.html">here</a>. Get yours today, 'coz you're never fully dressed without a Semmerling Smile!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-29290785352984455512010-07-21T11:15:00.002-05:002010-07-21T11:27:06.541-05:00Muncaster Review LIVE! Bristol Renaissance Faire's Friends of Faire Garden 7/25 2-4pm<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704557005/" title="DSC_0766 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4704557005_29980c45ed.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0766" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Photo by Tom Charney</span></div><div><br /></div><div>This coming Sunday, July 25, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., I'll be talking about my most recent journey to Muncaster Castle to the assembled beloved crazies at the <a href="http://renfair.com/bristol">Bristol Renaissance Faire</a>'s <a href="http://www.renfair.com/bristol/join/friends_of_faire.asp">Friends of Faire</a> Garden!</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're not a member of Friends of Faire, a scant $5 gets you a single-weekend membership -- email Dayna Thomas at nlraf_unilady@yahoo.com for more details. While many of our adventures will be posted here on the Phoole Wor(l)d blague, there's at least one anecdote that can only be related in person, so you'll want to get there and hear it straight from the Phoole's mouth!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-87482403389898243552010-07-16T15:25:00.003-05:002010-07-16T16:26:24.999-05:00Open Wide the Gates! Weekend 1, Bristol Renaissance Faire 2010<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4799526597/" title="Phoole Aglow by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4799526597_7fafd3a2d0.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Phoole Aglow" /></a><div>Brilliant snappery by Brent Price II; find more heart-expanding work by this fine Phooligan at http://www.stunninglight.com/ </div><div><br /></div><div>I've only just fully recovered from Opening Weekend at the Bristol Renaissance Faire - and it's a good thing, too, because tomorrow's Weekend 2! Her Majesty's Progress in Bristol is full of international intrigue, romance, derring-do, devoted and adored mad Phooligans a-plenty, a joust by Phoole Faves the Hanlon-Lees that will <i><b>blow your mind</b></i> with everything from horror to hilarity, and -- yes! -- PORPENTINES. Here are some more of the magic moments:</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4799526553/" title="Phoole's Gate by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4799526553_4156e8c093.jpg" width="304" height="500" alt="Phoole's Gate" /></a><div>Photo by Larry Maka</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800160124/" title="Phoole Fun! by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4800160124_9897914e5a.jpg" width="335" height="500" alt="Phoole Fun!" /></a><div>Photo by Kayoz Swicago, with more amazing work at http://yourphotoworld.com/</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800160302/" title="Jane, Egads and Magnolia: The Triumverate of Doom by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4800160302_ee35bd6c71.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Jane, Egads and Magnolia: The Triumverate of Doom" /></a><div>Photo by Deniiiiiiise Prohaska! I am not actually drunk in this picture, although over on the FaceBook, T. Stacy Hicks captioned this one as "Drunk, Drunker, Drunkest." With Jenni Glueckstein as Magnolia May and Richard Weber as Lord Mayor Egads Newcastle.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800160316/" title="I have no idea where I am by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4800160316_637781521d.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="I have no idea where I am" /></a><div>Another precious moment from Denise Prohaska. T. Stacy Hicks captioned this one: "She has no idea where she is right now."</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800160352/" title="Jane Conceals the Identities of Several Pirates by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4800160352_3914ee5ab8.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Jane Conceals the Identities of Several Pirates" /></a><div>Photo by James Tampa. These pirates needed to keep their identities a secret, and I happened to have a package of false moustaches, which I had just received as a gift from indulgent and generous Phooligans Clay and Randi Stiller. <i>These moustaches shall be mentioned again later.</i></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800160370/" title="Joy Blast! by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4800160370_a1e76fe1c0.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Joy Blast!" /></a><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800160370/" title="Joy Blast! by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Joy Blast! Photo by James Tampa. Gabriel, the tiny fool on the right, blasts people with joy! I recommend it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Phooligan Photo-Taker Extraordinaire Ivan Phillips captured many little moments with a lens of magnificence this past Sunday, and I hope you enjoy these little glimpses. The glamor? He captures it. Let me show you it. The following several moments transpired during an encounter with Sir Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leycestre, Her Majesty's Master of Horse -- and one of Her Grace's other best friends. T. Stacy Hicks and I portray Leycestre and Jane as friends who have faced a great deal together, and Phooligans enjoy the pauses from intrigue which punctuate our adventures:</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565707/" title="Jane the Phoole by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4789565707_21b913f6a4.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="Jane the Phoole" /></a><div>Photo by Ivan Phillips</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565719/" title="Untitled by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4789565719_6ec251018f.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="" /></a><div>T. Stacy Hicks as Sir Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leycestre, Master of Her Majesty's Horse; photo by Ivan Phillips</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565799/" title="Untitled by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4789565799_a64a074489.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="" /></a></div><div>Photo by Ivan Phillips</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565745/" title="Untitled by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4789565745_5437a80b2c.jpg" width="331" height="500" alt="" /></a><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565745/" title="Untitled by theta_sigma, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Ivan Phillips, composition and framing once again by Caravaggio, I think</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565869/" title="Untitled by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4789565869_d4581be348.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="" /></a><div>Photo by Ivan Phillips, and doesn't this look like a movie still? Somebody get us a movie.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789565965/" title="The Monkey List! by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4789565965_dc64195ec5.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="The Monkey List!" /></a><div>Photo by Ivan Phillips: "The Monkey List!"</div><div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetasigma/4789566063/" title="Jane the Phoole and Magnolia May by theta_sigma, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4789566063_c918ee81b4.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="Jane the Phoole and Magnolia May" /></a></div><div>Photo by Ivan Phillips, with Jenni Glueckstein as Magnolia May, Bristol's Mistress of Misrule</div><div><br /></div><div>And now: PORPENTINES. Porkchop the Porpentine's adventures from last year are chronicled <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/Porkchop%20the%20Porpentine">here</a>. But Porkchop's not the only porpentine on the block now, for he has a new baby sister. And her name is:</div><div><br /></div><div>BEANS!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800273258/" title="BeansDenise by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4800273258_d7dd77570f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BeansDenise" /></a><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800273258/" title="BeansDenise by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Denise Prohaska. Here Beans snuzzles Magnolia May's fingers, making us all wonder if chompage would shortly ensue.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4799645691/" title="BeansSleeve by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4799645691_ef0217dc64.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BeansSleeve" /></a><div>Beans was born on April 1, 2010. She's an April Fool's Porpentine Baby!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4799649949/" title="BeansCutenessDestroysYou by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4799649949_056a75f724.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BeansCutenessDestroysYou" /></a><div><div>Photo by Denise Prohaska. You cannot handle this much cuteness. No one can. Just fall down.</div></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800286934/" title="BeansMay by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4800286934_b8230f5934.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="BeansMay" /></a><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800286934/" title="BeansMay by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Photo by Denise Prohaska. Can you stand it? You can't!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800291484/" title="Porkchop vs Mayor's Fan by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4800291484_f8a4d1c7dd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Porkchop vs Mayor's Fan" /></a><div>Photo by Denise Prohaska. Here, Porkchop gleefully devours Lord Mayor Egads Newcastle's deleeeeecious fan.</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4800297386/" title="Beans On May by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4800297386_ce5914ee99.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Beans On May" /></a><div>Photo by Denise Prohaska. There's nothing in the world that can't be improved by letting a baby porpentine clamber up your cleavage!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4799671061/" title="PorkchopAscendsEgads by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4799671061_3d2fc28019.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PorkchopAscendsEgads" /></a><div>Photo by Denise Prohaska. Here, Porkchop begins his ascent of the Lord Mayor. Brent Price II was on hand as well, and <a href="http://www.stunninglight.com/Art/Bristol-Ren-Faire/12936353_WpoRp#935161077_H2Lwb">here</a> is a series of pictures he took of the rest of Porkchop's Adventure On Top of the Lord Mayor's Head. <a href="http://www.stunninglight.com/Art/Bristol-Ren-Faire/12936353_WpoRp#935161077_H2Lwb">Click and enjoy!</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-54234360811219303512010-07-08T09:00:00.004-05:002010-07-08T09:28:59.646-05:00The Bristol Renaissance Faire Opens Saturday 7/10/2010!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrkQTRect7sevJhYzL2caOkupwHYo76ABX3YSfKHacGdkNIxtFl5wZtChAF9o998iWTRU-rm0PwQxD6krKIeAY7mlP0h7wgZK0Ge3WFySVeHeP0qdS_IWQQRcTBEVwNzKnUMShtkoT7Tx/s1600/BristolPureFun2010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 566px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrkQTRect7sevJhYzL2caOkupwHYo76ABX3YSfKHacGdkNIxtFl5wZtChAF9o998iWTRU-rm0PwQxD6krKIeAY7mlP0h7wgZK0Ge3WFySVeHeP0qdS_IWQQRcTBEVwNzKnUMShtkoT7Tx/s400/BristolPureFun2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491536110797551362" /></a><br /><div>I am PURE FUN! So is the <a href="http://renfair.com/bristol">Bristol Renaissance Faire</a>, opening this weekend in Kenosha, WI and running every Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day, including Labor Day Monday (that's 6 September for my UK Phooligans), rain or shine!</div><div><br /></div><div>I get to have a line during the Opening of the Gates Ceremony - be there early (my guess is 9:45 a.m. would be a great time to jostle for a listening position) or you'll miss it!</div><div><br /></div><div>Every Faire day at 11:00 a.m., they're letting me be the Mistress of Ceremonies for the Joust of Skill at Wyckham Field -- <i>DESPITE </i>the things I've done in the past! Or, perhaps, <b>because</b> of them...? </div><div><br /></div><div>And at the Globe Stage just before 1:00 p.m., His Highness Prince Hercules Francois, duc d'Anjou et Alencon, or the Prince of France for short, and the Lord Mayor (I think! I hope!) and I will be goofing it up with the crowds in anticipation of Her Majesty's arrival. Who'll be the lucky lady selected for double-barrel wooing on the Queen's behalf? Stunt double call is at the Globe Stage just before 1:oo p.m.!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-13030644700933561242010-07-07T10:25:00.009-05:002010-07-07T16:51:46.157-05:00Phoole's Pilgrimage, Part 5: The Festival of Fools Begins!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705050852/" title="DSC_0654 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4705050852_cf1cf35acd.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0654" /></a><br />Photos by Tom Charney - An unstable girl in a stable yard<div><br /></div><div><i>(This chapter continues the tale from where I left off </i><a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/phooles-pilgrimage-part-4-sadie-snail.html"><i>here</i></a><i>. Click </i><a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/Festival%20of%20Fools%202010"><i>here</i></a><i> to get all of the chapters in the story so far.)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Bright sunshine and deep blue skies awoke us Sunday morning. We crept down to Creeping Kate's Kitchens for breakfast. Like all good castles, Muncaster has converted their stables to an eatery, with some of the stall partitions still standing to divide the dining room into cozy little nooks. At breakfast, we both ate cereal with milk, which we cannot do at home -- there's something about American milk that makes both Tom and I quite ill! But UK milk has no adverse effect on us whatever. It's the <i>little </i>things.</div><div><br /></div><div>On our way back up to our room in the Coachman's Quarters, I had a little reunion with the thoroughly-upstanding <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.joel-dickinson.co.uk%2F&h=3549aogbZef7NA-5qKdc9s1TKrw">Joel Dickinson</a> and the excellent Iain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">McNicol</span> (who doesn't have a webpage, as far as I can tell, but why not <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1473271490&v=wall&so=90">nip over to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">FaceBook</span> and ask to be his friend</a>?), who would also be performing throughout the entire Festival. Joel was there to do his gently-brilliant interactive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">walkaround</span> juggling, tricks and magic gig, having added some delightful sleight-of-hand since we last played together in 2007, and running Circus Workshops for the patrons at intervals throughout the day in the big marquee tent on the stable-yard lawn. And Iain coordinated the other walkarounds and contributed his own very funny performance as his rustic local farmer character, complete with bunny puppet. I felt a bit of an idiot not recognizing Iain right away when we encountered him that morning -- the last time I'd seen him, we'd both been in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">biggins</span>-caps, the wearing of which impairs my memory greatly. But it was great to see them again. It was yet another little confirmation that I hadn't just dreamed <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/Festival%20of%20Fools%202007">my first trip</a>; it had actually happened, and there are extant witnesses.</div><div><br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704412565/" title="DSC_0656 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4704412565_45c55168d9.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0656" /></a><div>I took a moment to freak out over the fantastic poster of me hanging in the stable yard on the front of the gift shop. Thanks to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Muncaster's</span> PR Guru, I am even more super-unbelievably-internationally-famous than ever. And the PR Guru's name? Quite coincidentally, it is Steve Bishop. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Phooligans</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Phoole</span> Friends who have been with me through my entire career will remember<a href="http://www.fairephotography.com/RenFaire.8-9-2008/index4.html"> </a><a href="http://www.fairephotography.com/RenFaire.8-9-2008/pictures/picture-46.jpg">a different Stephen Bishop</a>, who used to be the Bristol Renaissance <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Faire's</span> head costumer, and who used to portray the Russian Ambassador to Elizabeth's Court. He had hilarious eating habits, it will be remembered. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Muncaster's</span> Steve Bishop has a diametrically-opposed temperament to the Russian Ambassador of yore; he's rather reserved and quiet, and it's very funny to Tom and I that such different people have the same name.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704425563/" title="DSC_0667 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1294/4704425563_d37dfaefd5.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0667" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then we were out with the guests! I'm completely spoiled for UK audiences: at the very least, patrons at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Muncaster</span> humor Jane the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Phoole</span>, responding to assumptions with assumptions of their own, and it makes me work to keep up with their clever inventiveness. Very rarely do UK patrons refuse interaction -- small children may be shy at a first encounter with my very-overdressed character, but every grownup we met was ready to incorporate me into their world, with handy comebacks at every turn. I enthused wildly about the temperament of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Muncaster</span> guests <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/jane-phoole-we-have-jokes-for-you.html">here</a> on my last voyage, and the 2010 Festival of Fools guests didn't disappoint!</div><div><br /></div><div>We enjoyed a hilarious act by Jason the Juggling Jester, who had been one of the competitors in 2007 (when I made my own feeble attempt). His show has really grown. It's extremely funny, has lots of hilarious audience-interaction moments, and I wish I had a website for him to tag with little videos all over it, just to share it with you -- we genuinely dug his show, and I hope he's there the next time we're there. His act is tight <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">timewise</span>, and his running gags are endearing, slightly dangerous, and very fun!</div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, this was Tom's first visit to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Muncaster</span>, and the sights filled his eyes and heart with wonder, as they always do mine. Here are some vistas, courtesy the camera of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">MBTC</span>:</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704409371/" title="DSC_0653 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4704409371_fdbac4f1f9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0653" /></a><br /></div><div>Our window, and the blue sky that greeted us Sunday morning.</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704411601/" title="DSC_0655 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4704411601_ea25fe5aef.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0655" /></a></div><div>The Nose Bag, a little snack shop in the Stable Yard.</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705055922/" title="DSC_0658 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4705055922_0a1b3ea3bd.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0658" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705055922/" title="DSC_0658 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Ancient Stable Yard wall.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704416921/" title="DSC_0659 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4704416921_431988f91e.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0659" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704416921/" title="DSC_0659 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Coachmen's Quarters.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704417955/" title="DSC_0660 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1303/4704417955_4d04d66573.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0660" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704417955/" title="DSC_0660 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Skylights and chimney-stacks over Creeping Kate's Kitchens.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705060974/" title="DSC_0662 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1304/4705060974_2f8eb0b3af.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0662" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705060974/" title="DSC_0662 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Another view out another window in our room.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705071310/" title="DSC_0671 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1290/4705071310_917aed80cd.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0671" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704432425/" title="DSC_0673 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1280/4704432425_bec55ec4fb.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0673" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704432425/" title="DSC_0673 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>The road separating the Owlery (left) from the Coachmen's Quarters (right). Our rooms were up on top; our windows were the four furthest on top.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704433505/" title="DSC_0674 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4704433505_0e7554a527.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0674" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704433505/" title="DSC_0674 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>A pond, home to ducks and a few geese.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704435139/" title="DSC_0675 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4019/4704435139_539d0026a0.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0675" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704437905/" title="DSC_0677 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4704437905_7b6ced4dec.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0677" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704440851/" title="DSC_0679 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4704440851_99fee1324c.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0679" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705090656/" title="DSC_0684 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4705090656_3759402d44.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0684" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705090656/" title="DSC_0684 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>Can you even stand it? I can't. Makes the heart skip a beat every time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705091680/" title="DSC_0685 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1300/4705091680_c4090254d0.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0685" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704452227/" title="DSC_0687 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4704452227_13c61bbfb1.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0687" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704452227/" title="DSC_0687 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>It just looks like that. Really. But more so.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704453101/" title="DSC_0688 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4704453101_2e0061204c.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0688" /></a></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704453101/" title="DSC_0688 by Phoole, on Flickr"></a>In the left foreground, you can see just an edge of the glorious ancient rhododendron plant that's over 150 years old. It's huge and beautiful.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4704455415/" title="DSC_0690 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4704455415_d5222a30bc.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0690" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705099848/" title="DSC_0693 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4705099848_361c879e0b.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0693" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The clock on the castle works properly and marks the hours with a clear chime. Back home, Tom and I rely on our mobile phones (and his nifty TokyoFlash watches) to tell us the time, but we could barely get any mobile signal at the castle, and Tom was Fasso Latido most of the trip, so we came to rely on the castle bells for the hours, especially as the position of the sun was completely unreliable as a time-telling tool, since the sun stays up in the sky much longer there than it does in the Midwest US. The "magic hour" photographers crave at dusk lasts much longer than an hour in Cumbria. The chiming of the clock was just another one of those covetous, authentic little history-glimpses for which we live. </div><div><br /></div><div>We met a variety of hilarious guests that day, including a rowdy table of holidaymakers who pointed to one of their number and said, "Oi! He's a knight, you know. Knighted yesterday. No, honestly he was!" I turned to the fellow they'd indicated, and he confirmed, "Yep, I'm Sir Mike now." </div><div><br /></div><div>I had to laugh, because back home, I get that a lot! US audiences are fascinated with obvious class-based social systems. US society spends so much effort pretending to be egalitarian; when US audiences get a chance to goof off, they like to openly acknowledge the class systems they secretly covet. So when patrons back home announce themselves as royalty or nobility, I take it in stride, and I often beat them to it by making up outrageous titles and new names. I think I learned this particular habit from T. Stacy Hicks, when I found him naming audience women "Lady Iphigenia Throgbottom" and so on. "Rumbleseat" is another favorite surname of his. I've stolen that gag, haven't I? Well, I will give him some of my gags in return when we next convene, and maybe we can call it even. </div><div><br /></div><div>But it was odd to encounter UK patrons naming themselves with glamorous titles. "Sir Mike?" I giggled. "Please can't I call you 'Sir Michael,' just so it sounds more proper? It's a bit like calling you 'Sir Jeff' or 'Sir Steve.' It just doesn't flow somehow." Fasso and Jane had fun goofing with that whole group -- they were lively and silly and kept us entertained too.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705103290/" title="DSC_0695 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4705103290_21ca517998.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="DSC_0695" /></a><br /></div><div>As the crowd began to thin toward three o'clock, we wandered back to the castle proper, where we accepted the little audio-tour hand-transmitter thingies and made our way through the hallowed halls of the beautiful old place. I took my own Tom Fool to see the famous panel painting of Thomas Skelton, fool to the Penningtons in the late 16th century and early 17th century, the Fool who inspired the Festival. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the stairs up to Tom Fool's painting, we were alarmed to find three genuine Canova relief panels which I'd somehow missed during my last visit -- I've now been in the presence of actual Canova sculptures in five different countries, including the Vatican. We discovered a portrait of Dame Askew upstairs, dated "1574" right on the painting, which made us hyperventilate a bit, because, as we like to say at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, we've been doing "1574 since 1989." (Learn all about the Pennington family history <a href="http://www.ancestryuk.com/pennington__http.htm">here</a>.) And in the Tapestry Room, we had little heart attacks upon scrutinizing the fireplace, discovering the date "1588" inscribed in the back panels, with maritime-themed andirons and decorations. Despite the fact that one of Tom's characters, <a href="http://sadleir.org/about_us.htm">Sir Ralph Sadleir</a>, died in 1588, that year makes the heart leap for us Elizabethan enthusiasts, being the year of the defeat of the Armada. </div><div><br /></div><div>While we were having our minds blown by the fireplace, a patron scooted past the doorway to the room, stopped, came back and did a big double-take. We turned around to grin at him with the little audio-tour gadgets in our hands, and he laughed in surprise. "I thought you were waxworks!" he said. "You look perfect in this room, you know?" And we <i>did</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>We took in as much of the castle as we could, and when we realized we were the only non-Penningtons left in the building, we grudgingly trudged toward the door. But we spent a few delightful minutes chatting with Phyllida Pennington and Patrick Gordon-Duff-Pennington (I like including their surnames because I love all of the hyphens. I have a hyphen in my first name, and I just giggle over any hyphenated names, especially surnames with more than one hyphen). Phyllida, alarmingly, had been working the door at the castle. She is young at heart, to be certain, but of advanced years, and it was sobering to realize that, as much privilege as the family enjoyed in prior centuries and generations, now the castle's maintenance is a great deal of hard work, and the entire family is devoted to the estate's intense upkeep and elaborate events. Patrick loves the gardens wholeheartedly, and those gardens are a lot to love, especially as the entire vasty estate exceeds eighty acres and includes hundreds of diverse species. And Phyllida dons her kirtle, wimple and veil and acts the part charmingly as she welcomes guests to tour the halls. Tom and I admire them intensely, and it was humbling and invigorating to be able to chat with them, however briefly. We didn't want to make their day any longer than it needed to be, though, so we excused ourselves after a bit and went to enjoy the waning sun on the cannon bank.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4705173640/" title="DSC_0748 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1302/4705173640_0ec7909184.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0748" /></a></div><div>Here I'm taking in the sight of the gigantic rhododendron I've mentioned above. The thing is epic in scale! And when one's wearing 20 yards of upholstery fabric, one wants to sit on as many low stone walls as possible. It's just what's done.</div><div><br /></div><div>We toddled back toward the stable-yard lawn to see what stragglers were left after the day's entertainments, and we were delighted to find that most of the patrons we'd seen all day were still there, lazing about on the lawn, practicing circus tricks they'd learned from Joel's workshops during the day, and drinking a last pint while listening to the big sound of the <a href="http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk/royal-music-makers-still-1.700029?referrerPath=2.5534">Holborn Hill Royal Brass Band</a>, which we greatly enjoyed. Sadie commanded us to have pints, so, knowing her to be quite fierce, we obeyed quickly, and basked in marches and overtures by the marquee while chatting with Sadie and Stuart, a production manager at the castle who loves gorillas. We talked monkey and gorilla behavior extensively, and it was one of those perfect times you remember for the rest of your life: brass band, Tom Fool Ale from the Jennings Brewery, marquee, lawn, happy people, and talk of all kinds of monkeys and apes. </div><div><br /></div><div>During the happiness, though, we realized we'd forgotten to eat supper, and we'd also failed to ask the kitchens to send plates up to our room for us. So once we dragged ourselves back to the Coachman's Quarters to change (and wash the glue out of my hair, as mentioned in my 2007 tale <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2010/05/muncaster-reveries-last-chapter-or-back.html">here</a>), we decided to try to walk into Ravenglass to get a bite at the Ratty Arms.</div><div><br /></div><div>While the walk was scenic and beautiful and perfect, it was also long -- it took us an hour to climb the hills and descend the valleys along the narrow road, dodging fast cars on unaccustomed sides of the road (it was only our second day abroad), and by the time we made the Arms, the kitchen there had closed as well. So we resigned ourselves to -- more pints! And a packet of crisps. We took our meager supper out on the deck by the La'al Ratty narrow-gauge railway.</div><div><br /></div><div>After a short while, a woman came out of the Arms, chatting on her phone, and presently we recognized her as having been part of the "Sir Mike" party earlier that day! We wondered if she would recognize us "out of drag." I caught her eye at one point and smiled, and asked her, "Did you enjoy the Castle today?" She looked puzzled for a fraction of a second; then realization popped her eyes wide, and she hung up on her call, saying, "I've gotta go - there are entertainers from the Castle here!" and she promptly sat down with us, grinning madly. </div><div><br /></div><div>She looked Tom in the eyes and commanded, "All right. Talk to me. In your voice." Tom carried on with his Fasso-standard Chico Marx impression, and she shook her head broadly. "No no, I want to hear how <i>you </i>sound. What do you really talk like?" Tom smiled and said, in his best John Lennon voice, "Should I pretend to be from Liverpool?" She looked grave and admonished, "Oh no. Don't do that. No. You shouldn't. Come on!" And we gave in and talked like Americans from Milwaukee, introducing ourselves in real life. Her name's Mo, and she's married to Sir Mike!</div><div><br /></div><div>I had to know why everyone in their party was insisting he was called "Sir Mike," and she told us a Most Surprising Tale of Heroism and Gallantry!</div><div><br /></div><div>Mo and Mike live on <a href="http://www.pielisland.co.uk/">Piel Island</a>, which has a fascinating history, and, curiously, has its own <a href="http://www.pielisland.co.uk/index.php?page=knights">King</a>. Not surprisingly, the ancient and scenic island welcomes many tourists, and it happened that on that Monday, a vicar from somewhere else in the UK had been visiting Piel Island. The vicar had had some kind of accident and had fallen into the water, and he would have <b>drowned </b>if Mike hadn't leapt into the foam and <b>SAVED HIS LIFE</b>. <i>For real.</i> And the King of Piel Island had knighted Mike, making him Sir Mike, a Knight of Piel Island.</div><div><br /></div><div>I immediately felt like a Giant Jerk for having made fun of Sir Mike before, and I said so. "No, he enjoyed you immensely!" Mo reassured me. But I asked Mo to convey to Sir Mike my admiration and assure him that, had I not assumed him to be like the faux-knights of home, I would have deferred to him much more mightily! We chatted on with Mo for a good bit more, and she told us all about the Furness Peninsula and Barrow and the charming and relaxing sights to see and things to do there. On our next trip, we really must include a day or two visiting the area. Mo said, "Just mention Mo and Mike when you're there; everyone knows us." I felt certain that was true. </div><div><br /></div><div>And then she returned to her party, grinning, and we realized we'd had several pints and not a lot to eat -- and that the walk home was going to be long and silly! And it was. As we tottered back toward the road, a black cat appeared out of nowhere (black cats are <i>good </i>luck in British superstition, I'm told) and ran up to Tom directly, as if saying, "Oh, Tom's here! There you are, Tom!" He has that power over most animals; it's as if he's known throughout the Jungian unconscious of all critters, and they're really excited when they get to meet him in real life. We saw another cat further down the road, as we struggled up the farmland hills near Muncaster, but that cat was firmly feral, regarding us for the briefest of moments, just registering Tom's presence for a second, then lunging back into the tall grass, hunting a vole or some other little running furry thing. </div><div><br /></div><div>We got back to our comfortable room and collapsed, and that was our first day at the Festival of Fools! In the next chapter, we'll meet a Dog Called Smiley, get mistaken for the King and Queen of Muncaster, and have even more silly adventures. Click back often!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-71992327970655195582010-06-16T15:23:00.002-05:002010-06-16T15:26:09.533-05:00Bellissima Mama Zini<style type="text/css">.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }</style><div class="flickr-frame"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajs-pics/3651241728/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/3651241728_659c68d0af.jpg" class="flickr-photo" alt="" /></a><br /> <span class="flickr-caption"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajs-pics/3651241728/">ND131 863</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/ajs-pics/">A J Stevens</a>.</span></div> <p class="flickr-yourcomment"> I'm no good at writing about serious things.<br /><br />Frieda Paras-Jones passed away yesterday.<br /><br />In addition to being a couture genius, a design wizard, a fabric-shopping Genie of terrifying power, and a not-to-be-withstood force for truth and good in any project she worked on, she was a pioneer in creating the art form that is now my career: Looking Amazing while Walking Around Talking to People. Not content to simply make, design and oversee the most amazing clothes, she created and guided brilliant characters, playing incredible ones herself, like the irrepressible perfect hilarious Mama Zini, Italian mother to 47 bambini, all born in the same year. Poor Mama!<br /><br />T. Stacy Hicks, another of my mentors and former Guildemaster of the Bristol Renaissance Faire's Guilde of St. George, wrote this about Frieda:<br /><br />"It is with the heaviest heart I have ever felt that I send out this news. Yesterday afternoon Frieda Parras-Jones passed away quite suddenly. Most of us know she and her husband Guy from their business at BRF where they operate under Muscovy Trading Company. Some of us remember her as Mama Zini and a select few of us remember her as Mary, Lady Sidney. None of you will ever understand the impact that Frieda had on the Guilde of St. George at BRF but suffice to say that the standards she set decades ago are among the founding principles of our group; so much of what we do, wear, and are that is so commonplace it passes as understood and daily routine in our Guilde is a direct reflection of the work and practices she helped form in the early days of the court in California.<br /><br />"Plans and arrangements have not been set. When I spoke with Guy this evening he wanted everyone in Wisconsin to know that she was completely at ease and in no pain. I spoke with Frieda this afternoon, just in our routine of checking in with each other, and she was her usual brassy, happy, dishy, bitchy self. Thank you all for understanding that Guy would like some privacy at this time, but he's still making plans to be here this summer."<br /><br />And Andrew Elkins, General Manager of RPFS, writes this:<br /><br />"Below please find the official announcement on behalf of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire and Guy Jones on the passing of Frieda Paras-Jones.<br /><br />"It is with great sadness and loss that the Renaissance Pleasure Faire must announce the sudden and tragic passing of Frieda Paras-Jones, Costume Designer, loving wife, dear friend and long-time member of our Faire family. She passed away peacefully late yesterday afternoon after lying down for a nap. Her influence and vision for the Faire was second-to-none and will be whole-heartedly missed. Guy, Frieda’s husband, has expressed his gratitude in the support offered. At this time, he is focusing on the necessary arrangements. There will be a private service for family only, but there will be a memorial service at the Northern California Faire this fall and we will certainly have a memorial at the 2011 Renaissance Pleasure Faire. Guy has asked that during this difficult period that he not receive any phone calls or flowers. Please wait until he contacts you or reaches out through a message from us. At this time, all the family has been notified. You are now invited to express publicly on Facebook or other forums your feelings of loss and memories of this wonderful, beautiful, creative woman who we dearly loved.<br /><br />"ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Nothing can express the pain and hole in my chest at the loss of Frieda. She was my friend, co-worker and someone I held in high-esteem and with great love in my heart. Her passing is a great loss to Guy, the Faire, our community and personally. She was at the top her game. We were working on many exciting projects for the faire in the near and upcoming future. She had a hand in all of them. She would tell me that the show must go on and it will, but everything I do will be influenced by her incredible vision and creativity and I do it in her memory. All she ever wanted was for us to be at our best, but she was the best of us. I will miss her terribly."<br /><br />She was the best of us -- that is beautifully said. I miss her so much already.<br /><br />Many thanks to A. J. Stevens for the kind permission to use the brilliant shot above of Frieda Paras-Jones as Mama Zini, horsing around with Her Majesty's Master of the Horse, Sir Robert Dudley (played by T. Stacy Hicks) at Renaissance Entertainment Productions' Renaissance Pleasure Faire South last Spring.</p>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-51171416131664020782010-06-15T16:06:00.003-05:002010-06-15T17:06:50.197-05:00Phoole's Pilgrimage, Part 4: Sadie, a Snail, and the Room of Requirement<i>(This entry continues the tale from where I left off <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/phooles-pilgrimage-part-3-in-which.html">here</a>. Click <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/Festival%20of%20Fools%202010">here</a> to get all of the chapters in the story so far.)</i><div><br /></div><div>It never really occurred to us before, but in getting to know Muncaster's Events Coordinator, Sadie, a bit better on this trip, we realized that Sadie is the UK version of our friend Mary. Exhibit A:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4701344505/" title="CIMG0211 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1286/4701344505_58274e254f.jpg" width="374" height="500" alt="CIMG0211" /></a><br /></div><div>This is a picture I took of Sadie (using my Palm Pre), near Sca Fell. It looks like a lot of pictures of Mary anywhere, except that Mary will occasionally allow her picture to be taken, as long as she's got her tongue stuck out at the camera. </div><div><br /></div><div>The similarities between Sades and Maaaary (as we call her) don't end there. Either of them could have subbed in for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAA5e6oH2Zs">Jack Palance in </a><u><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAA5e6oH2Zs">City Slickers</a></u>. Either of them could also reenact any of Calamity Jane's Pony Express rides. They are, in a word, tough! We should be glad they're on our side, and that they've got healthy senses of humor.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tom and I are both Anglophiles, and of the two of us, I'm possibly the bigger Gigantic Geek for All Things British. I was raised on BBC TV <i>and</i> radio, comedy <i>and </i>drama, and a steady diet of Wodehouse, Wilde, Tolkien, Douglas Adams and Stephen Fry from a very young age, and the default setting in my brain has always been, "If it's funny, clever, cultured and articulate, chances are it's British." </div><div><br /></div><div>So, in getting to know Sadie better, it was so strange to hear her extol the virtues of American things! We were driving into a caravan park to drop off brochures to attract visitors to the Festival, and we laughed at how many campers had satellite-TV dishes hanging off of their tents and caravans, whereat Sadie revealed she'd lived in some pretty rough places, herding cattle on the Great Plains. She's lived and worked on cattle ranches across North America (you can learn more about the ranch she worked on in Montana <a href="http://montanaforreal.blogspot.com/">here</a>); she misses Hershey bars; she loves <u>True Blood</u>; she grew up watching <u>The Dukes of Hazzard</u>, and when we showed her photos of Tom and his best friends clambering into the General Lee, she flipped. While I often daydream about just upping and moving permanently to the isles where my motley make so much more sense, she's practicing with the bullwhip she got while driving cattle in Australia and learning deep South slang. She's a real cowgirl who's had crazy adventures all over the world, and after that conversation, we frequently joked about just trading places with her -- sending her back to the States to rope and ride, and moving in with her folks and her dogs and doing her jobs in the UK for her. </div><div><br /></div><div>Another thing she has in common with Maaaary is this: she has two dogs, of the same breed, one of which is calm, the other of which is completely, utterly koo-koo. But we'll meet her hilarious puppehs in a later chapter.</div><div><br /></div><div>So after devouring a thoroughly wonderful meal at the <a href="http://www.brookhouseinn.co.uk/2008/brookhouse-inn.html">Brook House Inn</a> (in Eskdale, quite close to the tiny town of Boot, which became important a few days later in our trip), Sadie took us to see more fells and deep lakes and verdant rolling sheep-covered hills. In honor of our friend Rico, Tom found a good rock to throw out into the lake:</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4701981058/" title="CIMG0214 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1276/4701981058_dc3859844f.jpg" width="500" height="374" alt="CIMG0214" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And we saw this huge snail, which was curious to us, because back home, the snails are tiny:</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoole/4701982174/" title="CIMG0215 by Phoole, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4701982174_192f40d825.jpg" width="374" height="500" alt="CIMG0215" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then Sadie took us back to Muncaster, to settle in for the first good night's sleep since leaving the US. We didn't, though, because the sun-staying-up-nearly-all-night thing is a huge novelty when you first arrive, and we weren't sleepy enough yet. We went for a little stroll around -- I had to show Tom the <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/kaboom.html">cannon bank</a>, the <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-first-muncaster-vista-i-fainted.html">brain-melting vistas</a>, and <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/tom-tree-feel-it.html">Tom Fool's Tree</a>, for starters. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we'd wandered around to the lawn side of the Castle, where the <a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2008/01/muncaster-kingdom-of-fools-stage.html">Kingdom of Fools' stage</a> gets set up, we found Peter Frost-Pennington and his son Ewan grappling with a tent, preparing for the arrival of <a href="http://maximusvi.terapad.com/index.cfm?fa=contentCalendar.events">Maximus</a>, a Roman Soldier who'd be there during the Festival of Fools, recruiting and training young soldiers and gladiators. (We learned a great deal more about the Roman history of the area a few days later.) We helped get the tent put up, and it was delightful to pass a bit of time with Peter and Ewan. They're hilarious, much funnier than we are, not that it's a race, but there it is. And then Peter said, "Have you ever visited this room? I don't think you have."</div><div><br /></div><div>And there he indicated a door we'd never really noticed before, probably because it's as old and beautiful as the rest of the castle, and it blended into the rusticated stone and vines. And Peter showed us the room behind the giant old door. It was definitely J. K. Rowling's <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Room_of_Requirement">Room of Requirement</a>, containing wonders. You're going to have to trust me on this one -- we didn't feel like we should photograph anything there. But Antiques Roadshow could spend a two-week special on this room, and we felt humbled and really pretty giddy that we got to have a look. </div><div><br /></div><div>When the sun finally started to actually set, we knew we'd be doomed if we didn't rest up for opening day of the Festival, so we bid our hosts goodnight and climbed up to the Coachman's Quarters, prepped costumes and props for the next day, fell into our incredibly comfortable beds, and passed out. (If you click <a href="http://www.muncaster.co.uk/node/74">here</a> and then select the Virtual Tour of the "double room [disabled access]," you can see the actual room we stayed in.)</div><div><br /></div><div>In Part 5, the Festival of Fools begins!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9158090386685986657.post-17709477980816328512010-06-11T16:33:00.004-05:002010-06-11T17:06:33.866-05:00Phoole's Pilgrimage, Part 3, In Which The Lodgings Are Fantastic<i>(This entry continues the tale from where I left off </i><a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2010/06/phooles-pilgrimage-muncaster-castle_07.html"><i>here</i></a><i>. Click </i><a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/search/label/Festival%20of%20Fools%202010"><i>here</i></a><i> to get all the chapters in the story.)</i><br /><br />So <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/apr/05/muncaster-castle-peter-frost-pennington">Peter Frost-Pennington</a> met us at the Ratty Arms (an excellent pub in Ravenglass, conveniently situated at the train station, waiting to gather you into its, um, arms) and cheerfully chided us over our repeated and bizarre travel delays. It's always good to see Peter -- he inspires confidence. He hefted our luggage and drove us up the winding roads to the castle, warning us: "Sadie's having kittens, you know! She'll be relieved you're finally here." She was! Introductions all around, check-in at reception, and we lugged luggage up to the room.<div><br /></div><div>THE ROOM. We had Room 1 in the Coachmen's Quarters. Nice big room, with windows on two opposite sides. On one side, we had a view of the courtyard, so we could watch people bustling behind the scenes to get things done and see the other guests and fools arrive with their entourages and families. On the other side, we had the owlery. <i>Very Hogwarts.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Now, in my travels, I end up having to wash a lot of glue off of my head. (<i>See my account of the end of my last visit to Muncaster </i><a href="http://phooleworld.blogspot.com/2010/05/muncaster-reveries-last-chapter-or-back.html"><i>here</i></a>.) As a result, I become keenly aware of How Awesome Showers Are. Until recently, my most favorite shower in the world was the one at The Dome, which is a private residence maintained by some Brilliant Delightful Well-Loved Friends of Mine. The shower in the Subterranean Suite at the Dome has the water pressure of a firehose, which is exactly what you want after performing for nine consecutive hours in 100-degree Fahrenheit heat and 100-percent humidity in 100 pounds of upholstery fabric! The water-cannon-like force smashes you up against the opposite side of the shower cabinet, and you let it. You love it! It's brilliant.</div><div><br /></div><div>A close second favorite to this shower is my shower at my bungalow. Excellent water pressure, and apparently it's heated by the center of the sun itself. Unbelievably lobsterfying hot water. Very wonderful.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I'm here to tell you that the shower in Room 1 at Muncaster Castle's Coachman's Quarters is my favorite shower in the world. I hope my beloved pals at The Dome forgive me for cheating on them, but the experience of voluntarily waterboarding myself in their basement now comes a close second to the shower that unglued my head for my Muncaster week. When you book your Muncaster holiday, try to book this room. Between the views and the shower, you'll barely have time for tourism, but it is well worth it!</div><div><br /></div><div>So we chucked our bags into the room, marveled slack-jawed at the lodgings, and then tumbled back downstairs to Sadie's car, and she whisked us off for a drive up to Unbelievably Beautiful Scenery and a completely amazingly delicious meal at the <a href="http://www.brookhouseinn.co.uk/2008/brookhouse-inn.html">Brook House Inn</a>. Tom went mad for the beef-and-beer pie, and I devoured Sadie's recommendation, which was the bleu-cheese chicken. The Inn is a Free House, which means, I learned, that you can get Lots of Different Brewers' Beers and Ales there, instead of the place being beholden to a single brewery.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I have to continue the story in Part 4, wherein we learn about Sadie's True Calling: COWGIRL!</div>Jane the Phoolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09050310955375093717noreply@blogger.com0