May 3rd

I can't believe this. It is so awesome, I have to share it.

So, we (the museum, and the H.M.S. Surprise and the Californian) were invited to participate in the Fleet Week celebrations the first week of May. Yesterday, the Captain shared with us the general plan. The Surprise and the Californian are going to duke it out three times, in three different spots on the bay, for the benefit of the public. Which means, obviously, that the Surprise is going to get guns! We are getting 4 small guns, 2 long guns and 2 swivel guns, as well as a guest crew of 9 gunners on board to man them. The guns will all be small, 6 pounders or less, but still. They will make lots of noise, and lots of smoke.

I can't imagine a better day. What's more, after the gun battles on the bay, that afternoon is the trial day for the Red Bull Air Race. So, we get to hang out at the Museum all afternoon, watching little trick planes doing sick stunts all around the bay. Sweet, eh?

There is progress on the wheel too. We've been scratching away at the Surprise's wheel for months now, off and on, getting a few hours in here and there. Yesterday we made a lot of progress. I started sanding down an area that had been really weathered and grey, and now the mahogany wood is rosie pink. It will look so beautiful when we oil the wood. We need at least a couple of weeks of nonstop hot weather to dry out the wood before we redo the varnish, so for now, to protect the wood till summer gets on for real, we're going to coat it in lynseed oil. No matter what, it will look so much better. Instead of being yellowish/brownish and peeling, it will be a beautiful, deep rosie brown. It will be so satisfying to see it finished.

Well, that's all for now.

Cheers!

Once

The mail came today. and as expected there was a little red envelope in the mail box. I pull it out and take it up to my apartment. There is a movie in this little red envelope. I pull it out. It is new to me...one that I’ve never seen before. I set it down on the bookcase, next to my tv.

It sits and waits patiently. Will I watch it today? Tonight? Maybe not. I’m not in the mood. I’m not sure about it. I’ve never seen this movie before, and though several people have said it was good, I have no idea whether or not I will like it. The main characters in the movie won a big award recently, and they seemed really cool. But still...it sits and waits.

A few days pass. I’ve watched about 12 movies in the time past, but still, it waits patiently for me to take it out of its little white envelope and put it in my xbox. The afternoon has come, and its peaceful out, with the sun streaming in and it seems like a good time to try it.

It plays as I work. It is so far a very nice film. Very genuine and the characters seem like real people. The song they are singing together is the one that they won the big award for. It is beautiful. The music of the film helps me feel the sculpture I’m working. It helps the clay move better. Now I want the soundtrack so that I can listen to it and work to it.

The movie is over now, and it was one of the most beautiful, simple, charming movies I’ve seen in a long time. I’m glad the sun was shining just right, and that it was a Saturday afternoon, and that I finally got the guts up to watch it. It was perfect.