Scape

notes to myself about Scape

2008-07-17T02:50:03Z

wow I just realized I will actually be competing in Canada ON Scape's b-day o_O

I was going through emails tonight searching for links to help a friend but I got caught up coming across lots of neat stuff revealing Scape's chronological process...
...
On Aug 3, 2007, at 8:16 AM, wrote:
Yeah we'll do dinner on saturday. OH -I actually finished my mascot last night!! I can't wait to show you! It's been almost 6 months since I started it now -man what a journey ;)
***
So August the 2nd it is then.

Quick Bagpipe Update

2008-07-15T11:21:11Z

Had a killer busy piping weekend -our band is the host band for our local highland games of course so we had to play A LOT -started thursday afternoon and did not finish until sunday evening.

I got a 6th place and a 1st place! Hellsyeah my 1st 1st hahah
Had to stop by walmart for a plate holder and a shadow box since i have three medals so far -woot -never thought i'd have to find a place to put medals lol

Today I am hoping to play downtown on my lunch break -I've asked before about street musicians and the town is totally cool with it but I need to ask about putting a little sign in my pipe case about all tips going to the band so we can get to Canada next month.

Oh yeah -don't know if I mentioned that but our band is going to Canada LOL -North American Pipe Band Championships baby! woot

Anyways -back to work with me!

wow -parades take it out of ya!

2008-07-04T20:23:58Z

jotting stuff for memories sake before a much needed nap...

suited up just behind the church where all the skateboarder kids could not see me -even though i was just hanging out with them, when i came around the corner they kept audibly wondering who i was since when handed a skate board on a dare by another i ollied it a few times and even attempted a few kick flips.

As our earthfriendly group was last to go -we got to watch the rest of the parade go by where i tried feebly to ham it up. finally we hit the street and it just got better and better as realized this was it! I could pretty much do whatever I wanted and people were all over it! Sticking with the earth friendly group who were picking up trash and trying to promote recycling, I would find a wrapper or can on the ground and pretend to eat it before putting it in someone's orange trashbag -also a great moment was in the middle of the street in a huge crowd apparently -I was trying to pick up a flat piece of paper (which is obviously difficult) and after 5 tries i was ready to give up but managed to snag a corner and pick it up -the whole street cheered LOL so I did a dramatic victory dance ROFL

Had to keep moving pretty quickly so the paw games of thumbwrestling got nixed in favor of simple highfives. Posed for a few cameras, posed with some kids now and then, nibbled/nosed a few video cameras but missed quite a few as I often had to jog a bit to keep up with the group. oh yeah other fun trash thing -as people in the crowed would go to drop a can in the bag I would point at my mouth and beg and they'd get a kick out of it -even had someone try digging in the bag to retrieve something to feed me with lol

paused a few times with my pool noodle to "lean" on it only to have it collapse where i would fall over and then look it over and pretend to muscle up and bend it -at which point it would stay straight -then shrug and go back to leaning on it and it would bend and i'd fall over again.

ummmm -waggled my nose at the horses behinds lol -oh differences in pipe band and mascot -pipeband has to uhhh walk through whatever horses leave -mascots can walk around it ;)

oh Another thing totally awesome thing about parades -you can pretty much do the same silly skit stuff over and over again because your audience is completely new every 100 feet or so ;)

The thing that took it out of me most were the kid's highfives -the adults were easy but the kids you have to get down for -all that bending/leaning/squatting -holy cow -jogging in suit was way easier LOL

oh i want to say super props to Lucky the evil dog and all the other cool ppl who taught/shared at the AC performance panels -magic!! All that stuff was so totally awesome and amazing -I hardly had a kid at all this time who was afraid to highfive -it works like a charm, simply highfive mom and dad first and you are almost guaranteed a paw! lol Only had two the wouldn't and so it was just a wave then.

I know there's more but can't think of it.
Yeah piping is sooooo much easier -you just march and play and then all of a sudden the parade is over -fursuiting is so much more fun but wow what a work out -and people want you on both sides of the street at once! LOL heard a lot of people sad the goat didn't visit but man I just could not get to them all =/

Oh last one -the eight kids in a row squatting on the curb -I got down to highfive and hopped from one to the other all in a row LOL -now it is time for bed -ooof

if any one reads this -Listen to Lucky!! drink your water and do your stretches!! gah
sooooooo much fun
okies time for sleeeeeep

QUICK POST

2008-07-04T01:34:12Z

Yay I am going to be fursuiting in the town parade tomorrow! I'm hanging out with the group at the end of the parade promoting recycling, anti-littering and also the equine 4H group. I'm bringing my tin can prop to *munch* on ;)

The day after AC I bought $5 crocs to start my next fursuit -so it's official again -the day after a convention is becoming a special day to me now -a day to remember, a day to make a statement to myself and step off on the right foot -after all, that is how Scape began -joining the Fursuit list the day after FWA06 and starting construction the day after FWA07 =)

Last bit... Oryx is now my new wallpaper -he's so Kyoooot! I've got a pretty big monitor so his fuzzy nose is actually close to life size lol

Need pics!!

2008-07-01T15:27:18Z

YAY AC was soooooo much fun! My brain is bubbling. I'm am going out the door to work but wanted to catch pics as early as possible so I can add to my giant "Wall of Happy" photo board -please send me links!!! =)

just three more days till...

2008-06-23T14:02:57Z

just three more days till...
Tony Ringtail throws me over his shoulder,
I get a famous hug from Bradhound,
I have sushi with JackTalon,
play chanters with Tank,
dig Tansunn's radio show live,
dance with Neopantyger,
visit Sophie, Allykat and Xian at art tables
And a hundred more wicked awesome things!!!

mascot head fan

2008-05-28T11:55:28Z

neato! Ticker, the mascot for a family entertainment place that's sort of local came up for the special edition of the show. Of course I was all excited and while I had a moment, asked if I could check out the head since I've not really seen the insides of many other costumes. Ticker's escort was like "are you the guy who puts fans in heads? 'cuz we really need one!" Hahaha somebody must have said something lol -I was like yeah -here's my business card and also got to show them the photo in my wallet of Scape and my wife =)
So hopefully in the not too distant future I might be making a trip to radioshack and playing around with a pretty well known local rodent -yays!

Hells yeah!

2008-05-26T14:42:47Z

http://de.eurosport.yahoo.com/25052008/71/bild/a-bagpipe-band-marches-down-the-front-stretch-during-pre.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=061h_W_Gnto

played pipes in front of 130,000 ppl today

2008-05-26T04:38:32Z

just got home from the lowes motor speedway cocacola 600. massed bands stood around for what amounted to hours on end in the hot sun on pavement that cooked my toes in my shoes. there were skydivers and airforce color guard and country singers and tele-evangelist and blackhawk-uh1-appache helicopters and 1000 army soldiers and army gun salute and f14 fly-over and they even blew up some 'buildings' about a hundred damn feet away from us lol
duuuude -got to play in front 130,000 ppl o_O -with one of those cool crane boom tv cameras and everything
that was one funky fresh feeling -that and tapping out along side the army ranks over the finish line right after the cut-off from amazing grace where the stands rrrroared -wow that was something else
and thennnnnnn the cars -WHAT!? I CANT HEAR YOU! I CANT -I CANT HEAR YOU
glad i kept my ear plugs handy lol
I called rob and he got a huge kick out of it haha he also wants me to bring scape when i visit so we can do story hour at barnes and noble with his girlfriend who runs that for all the kids
need a shower
need sleep

I'm going to AC o_O

2008-05-18T03:58:48Z

yep it's official.

Been chatting with HugeWolf about the ride. Tank and the gang got together and squeezed me in -you guys... I just can't say thank you enough. I'm trying to get a little something together to say thanks.
I'm still in shock. I guess as it gets closer I'll start freaking out more and more.
my goodness only 40 days left -i've already started packing stuff haha

o_O

Dear God, I put Scape in the wash tonight

2008-05-11T04:11:56Z

Please let him be ok, Lord.

I started fursuit dancing on monday night, and then tuesday night i did it again, felt like it on wednesday too and then thursday all day i could not wait to get home from work and of course friday well... Scape actually finally started to get funky after five nights in a row (was too busy tonight to make it a record six lol. He has been thoroughly dried every night in between but since his completion, first public outing on Halloween plus a ton of other gigs in between now and then; he finally needed a bath. I am making a cup of tea to stay up late and make sure he gets on the drying gadget and snuggled comfy up with three fans for the night.
*sigh*

/me apologises for last post

2008-05-04T05:07:07Z

just info i didn't want to lose which i have actually done before -probably should learn to use the "just me" entry mode lol -but hmm the comments are entertaining heehee ;)

scape_the_goat @ 2008-05-03T21:21:00

2008-05-04T02:18:01Z

500 2016 125grain 28-1/4" Easton xx75 Gamegetter, nock point 5/16", fistmele 8-5/16", string b50 16 strand 55", silencer top 11" bottom 14-3/4" Bear Kodiak Hunter 58" 45#

Traditional Archery

2008-05-01T22:58:26Z

So I thought archery for me had gone the way of the freestyle flatland bike, the street rollerblading and the snowboarding, but lo, it may return, more powerful than ever before ;)
At the highland games of all places (see previous post lol) under the lunch tent and on top of a pile of band equipment there lies a quiver full of arrows. Nice arrows. Cedar arrows. With feather fletches o_O OK so who's arrows are these!? Of course no one knows but a little while later I find it is one of the bandmember's dad's and I finally meet up with him and we get to chatting -he does long bow at the few highland games that hold comps so scratch on that but I do off the shelf recurve so it now appears I may get to tag along with him to the state championships this month LOL
I suck needless to say -but hey, archery is fun ;)
another funky small world moment yayers

Curse you, Sheep! ...and Border Collie ;)

2008-04-21T13:52:17Z

Super weekend but... crazy o_O

The day was a little rainy with some blue sky here and there. We marched in playing and circled up, eyes locked on Pipemajor's fingers. About ten yards behind him a herd of sheep broke onto the field pursued by black and white lightning. They charged us multiple times, banking just before crashing into the band -the collie all the while zooming around the circle close enough to brush kilts. Despite all this we did not make a single note mistake and held onto a steady drone sound! After a perfect cut-off we counter marched off the field and partied down for that amazing set before we received troubling word. Unfortunately we had picked up tempo almost unnoticeably but apparently just enough to finish 9 seconds under the minimum time limit which resulted in... DQ no. way. dude
Never in the 35 year history of our band! wow what a shock
There were some heated moments when we gathered around to decide what to do as it appeared there may be a chance at a re-play since another band apparently had the same thing happen with the border collie actually breaking straight through their circle, but then news came that they were not getting a replay and since they came in 7 seconds under that they were DQed also. We decided to take it like good sports since we realized that "rules are rules and fair is fair".
WOW
Oh well -the board of games planning will be receiving some letters from a few bands I'm sure and we are working on a new set already to make sure that never happens again ;)

Other than that the haggis pastries and Irn-Bru were topnotch, many adventures were had and good times =)

Also -my solo competition -I got up on the boards and started off with a small mistake in the first part -another in the second part, I figured I was sunk so I relaxed and settled into the tune and played the 3rd part nicely and then perhaps relaxed a little too much and ended the forth part with a little chirp. As usual I cut the cut notes and dotted the dotted notes a little too much on this tune and figured I would probably not place. A few hours later the results were in and -omg- i got 4th! Holy cow dude -with this tune I have now placed 6th, 5th, 3rd and 4th -all I need is 2nd and 1st LOL I believe I can do it if I just clean it up a bit ;) yayers So I came home with my second medal ever =)

Haha -a little later on sunday the sheep came tearing across an adjacent field where we were gathered out of the sun for lunch and it was utterly amusing to watch a band member, 65 and grey bearded jogging after the sheep and waving his fist while cursing in his thick Scottish accent "hey you f***ers!" LOL this is also a good spot to quote a good friend and bandmate "I think this may be the first time the Scots ever got screwed by the sheep!"

my feet hurt
Oh -and a bought a border collie plushie ;)

Concert was...

2008-04-12T05:21:39Z

pure awesome =)
The weather was perfect, pipes were totally in tune, Alasdair played like a frikkin maniac.
I'm still wearing my kilt lol
got photos -hopefully I'll receive them soon
Thanks to friends who said a prayer for me!
time fur bed

I got busted by the cops!

2008-04-10T03:07:12Z

After the gameshow last night two cops pulled up on me playing my pipes in the parking lot downtown o_O
The one gets my license and starts calling in the numbers on it and tells me someone doesn't appreciate my playing (meanwhile a small crowd of people who had gathered all cheered "we appreciate your playing!") LOL
Anyways, he tells me he always wanted to learn to play and had been thinking about lessons so I handed him my piper business card haha! Oh well -all in all it was a bum deal cuz I played in that parking lot once a week all last year and got in some seriously good practice sessions -even trying to be conscious of the not so nearby apartments by not playing past 9pm -ok maybe 5 minutes past heehee. Dern though, some new cranky student must've moved in this year -oh well everyone is entitled -just gotta get practice in where I can... somewhere else =/

yay romping videos!

2008-03-29T13:55:47Z

i'm gonna post really quick since i haven't left the house yet and my coffee is still brewing...

These are videos from easter weekend when Wallywolf visited us and we got to romp with Rory husky on his maiden voyage lol -plus Hugewolf and Magnus joined us and much fun ensued...

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Hope i posted that correctly

fun fun!

new news

2008-03-25T15:31:25Z

again gotsta make it quick....

Hospital gig fell through on Friday -but the good news is Wallywolf and I met with the Regional Coordinator and she is all about bringing it on! lol She got lots of info and contacts from Wally with the hospital he works at so it will eventually become more solid than ever. The hospital she is at is pioneering many wonderful programs for patients but my local hospital is still pretty conservative and since my local Coordinator went on vacation, some administration ppl decided to pull the plug as they are not familiar at all with these types of programs. Oh well -it looks like it will work out even better here in the future ;)
Aside from that, Scape was out four times in two days! We strolled downtown Boone and got to do a good bit of interacting there especially with some ladies at a store we walked into -they even followed us out to dance some more! Then it was off to the park way for some practice video. oh might as well mention that we had a truly awesome Haggis dinner (Caledonian Kitchen frikkin' rocks!) with Neeps and Tatties and I piped the Haggis in with 'the Green Hills of Tyrol' just for good measure ;)
Saturday was awesome where we met WallyWolf, Rory Husky, Magnus, Hugewolf and Shanthi Dragon (my kitty -but she was there just for lunch) and then we were off to Blowingrock where we romped for a good two hours downtown and interacted with tons of people -what a blast! after that it was local pizza joint for dinner and then on to the Boone Mall for about 45 minutes of fursuit fun. I need to write them a thank you card -they were super accommodating and helpful -got us a back room to change in and a table too!
welp -that was not really quick at all but i feel good 'cuz i haven't written in my journal in a while. There was tons more that happened this weekend but I'll see if i can write more later.
welp -it's back to work now!

Two crazy things

2008-03-20T17:55:23Z

Good Lord -I hardly have any time lately but i figure I have just GOT to make this post!

keeping it short...

I am going to be volunteering as Scape the Goat on Friday mornings at the local hospital! Tomorrow is my first day!! Also, Wallywolf is coming up for the weekend and he is gracious enough to go with me tomorrow -plus we are looking forward to romping out on the Blue Ridge Parkway to get some photos and maybe even play some sets on the pipes -this time in tune and in control! haha

Next crazy thing -It appears I am lined up to play the pipes as guests arrive to a small concert put on by... Alasdair Fraser! OMG
woooo boy I'm getting butterflies as I type this lol!

ok back to work with me!
*hugs* to all!

FWA -Boy did I learn a few things!

2008-02-22T13:43:24Z

Well, first of all I will say that I had the time of my life. This is the most sentimental, fun, awesome good time I've ever had -I've never looked forward to something more.

This year though, I am full of sadness. Since it was my first time attending a convention as a fursuiter -I discovered I really had no idea what I was doing, thus I missed many many opportunities to meet new friends and spend more time with old ones. One of my biggest regrets is not budgeting better time to get from place to place. Unfortunately I was in the mindset of getting ready for something fifteen minutes before hand which was 10 to suit up and 5 to walk there -so I really felt like I was hurrying everywhere with no time to stop and play or get photos. I don't want Scape to be remembered as just the waving goat. Next time It will be very different and a ton more fun!

I gotta say Thank you once again to all the great performers I've met and am learning from -I love you guys very much and I want to make you proud -I just can't wait to see you again!! *hhhhugs* =)

Crazy Furida Trip wrap-up

2008-01-25T15:57:20Z

WOW Y'all!!!

Thank you everyone who watched FPS! I had such an amazing trip all together! (I'm going to put an exclamation mark at the end of every sentence!) haha
Let me just write a little run down here since I am waiting while installing new software...

OK
Friday I got up at 1:30am and hit the road at 2am. I made it to Tilt's house at about noon in time for a good little hangout. Snap E. Tiger and FirePup showed up and we all took the grand tour of Tilt's unreal hand restored Pinball machine and classic car collection. SK1 arrived (big hug!) and then we headed off for the 50s burger joint. I had to split for band practice back in Altamonte springs for 7pm. we tuned our pipes and drums in the room right across from ol' whats-his-name the sound effects guy on police academy who was booked for comedy at the hotel lol -but i went straight to be after that. Saturday we headed to the highland games in Wintersprings where we were treated to being in the presence of the House of Edgar Schotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band while they tuned up (frikkin amazing sound) then my camera phone broke just as they marched to the field and played a bunch of sets -gah!
We tuned up and nervously circled up and played our first set in a light mist -sounded pretty good, then stood off to the side and got ready for the grade 4b challenge up -the sun came out, we marched out playing this time, circled up and just hit it. Joe and Crssafox arrived in time to catch it and Kofu got there as we played massed bands where they announced the winners of the band competitions... us!!! we won both dern competitions!! We marched off to glory (what a feeling) and then I split to meet up with my friends where we headed off to Arabian Nights dinner in Kissimmee.
We had a blast there and hugged Kofu goodnight and then headed back to Crssa and Joe's for the night. got up Sunday morning and got to see Joe's inner workings on his wicked second life building stuff and also saw Crssa's secret project ;) and then had to head straight over to SK1's place in Tampa where we headed out for Funday Pawpet Show. Got in some hangout time while we drove to Kissimmee and then it was on... -got to meet all those cool crazy folks and Tron Guy, TRWolf and Squire too. Tron guy did Roll Call and I heard a lot of your names in there! ;) It was over the top awesome but it went by so quick and sadly didn't really get the chance to hangout though. Then it was off to a good late dinner with SK and to bed. got up at 3am when SK had to get up for work, eventually meandered over to a Starbucks for coffee and to watch the show, got to chat with a piper friend in Scotland and Wallywolf in Raleigh before he went to work. Practiced pipe music before SK got out of work -then headed over to the bowling alley for 6 games of watching that boy dominate (look out fursuit bowling world!!) Ordered Dominoes where Scape and SK greeted the driver and I got to sign my first receipt as a goat lol! Scape got a bear hug from Pudge the polar bear and got to check out all of SK's amazing puppets. Stayed up late watching MXC dvds and hit the hay. Had breakfast before heading back out at 10:30am and got back home to my wife at 10:30pm.
WOW what a weekend
Ok -software's done -back to work with me.
Thank you all so much! FPS was the bizombdiziggity!
*hugs all*

See you at FWA!! =)

Scape on FPS and January busy getting ready for Florida

2008-01-14T13:08:48Z

January has turned out to be super busy but at least this time its all fun stuff -Piping and furry stuff -yay!

Scape is gonna be on the Funday Pawpet Show!!! I can't believe it -i got word back from YappyFox so it's on!! This Sunday the 20th ;)

Trying to get all my junk together and think of everything I can to make sure it's a good trip in Furida -hoping to hangout with SK, Tilt, Joe and Crssa, and possibly Kofu and some other friends definitely each at some point but crossing the fingers that we can somehow manage to all be in the same spot at the same time lol. I'm still thinking a good dinner on saturday night might be possible.

Been trying to squeeze in as much pipe practice as possible plus it never fails, every time before a big competition -something, just something has to go wrong with the pipes -this time my chanter ended up needing to be replaced o_O and then my drone reeds were all out of whack -nothing i could not have fixed if i could have worked on them but with so little time, could not get them to behave before the last practice.

If there anyone i was supposed to email or anything please just remind me -i've spent the last couple weeks feeling like i've forgotten something and i've lost some of my notes and lists of things to do =(

Furida is gonna be a blast! Can't wait to see you all soon!!!

scape_the_goat @ 2008-01-10T07:48:00

2008-01-10T12:51:12Z

I feel sick. I just read the news. I really hope everyone in Florida is ok. I pray for everyone involved in that accident.

BUSY BUSY

2007-12-04T22:26:49Z

Just incase anyone actually reads my journal, I thought I'd mention that I've been working upwards of fifteen hour days -so I haven't kept up with lj much at all unfortunately. I miss reading about how y'all are doing! I've done a few interesting things that would merit an entry or two here also but just not much time to post -especially with dial-up still at home =/
oh well -just figured i'd mention it and hope y'all are doing well.