Everfree Northwest! · 1:54pm May 12th, 2017
The Admiral is in Seattle!
And when I arrived, it was raining, thus validating everything that I believe about the city. One of the locals says that it doesn't always rain in Seattle, but I choose not to believe him.
Anyways, those of you who have met me at other conventions know that I'll be wearing an Admiral Biscuit shirt, although be aware that there are other people besides myself who have them. And odds are good that I'll be hanging out at Twilight's Writing Room a lot, because that's where all the authors are, or at least so I'm led to believe. They even have a hangout starting at 8 or 9pm (depending on which day it is) and I plan to be there for that.
Plus a lot of writing panels, so I can learn things like how to write a female character. 
It's weird and kinda disorienting to go west and cross a bunch of time zones. This morning, I got woken up when one of my friends back home sent a group message on Slack, and the first thing I thought was that it was odd that he was up at 5:30 in the morning; then I remembered in Michigan time it was a much more reasonable 8:30.
Also, speaking of flying west, my flight passed almost directly over my house [1]. I mentioned that to my seatmate, although he didn't seem all that impressed by it. I was really hoping that I could actually see my house, but I couldn't get a good angle out of the window of the airplane. If there had been a window in the belly, that would have been just perfect. Unfortunately, Delta doesn't fly glass-bottom 737s, which is a real shame.
__________________________________________________________
[1] Out my left-side window, I could see an intersection which is about 3 miles south of my house; given the angle that I could see at, the airplane must have been almost directly over my house
In other news, when I left, the roof of my house was half-finished. they'd gotten all the old stuff off, the new decking up and all covered with ice guard, and they'd replaced all the fascia boards. On the south side, the ends of the rafters were so rotten, they had to put extensions on for the fascia boards (luckily, the rot didn't extend up to the walls). The damage to the addition wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be, which is nice--that saved me some money. But they did find that whoever installed the roof thought it was a good idea to put a rubber roof on the last two feet of the addition . . . and then shingle over it. Which was where the worst leak was.
Also, just because it's funny in hindsight, there were a few smallish trees (maybe 20 feet tall) that were too close to the house, and so while I was getting things ready for the roofers, I decided I was gonna cut them down since it would make it easier for them, and since they had to go anyways. Well, things were going well until I got to the third one, and I didn't notice until I'd notched the trunk that it was leaning towards the house.
And then I got the Sawzall stuck in the tree, and broke the blade holder off it.
Well, I wasn't going to let the tree win, and since I'd already made it through most of the trunk, I just tossed some of my 66 feet of black nylon rope around it, stood a ways back, and pulled.
That worked, and when the tree was on its way down was when I discovered that i should have been about five feet further back than I actually was. Oops! Good thing that the branches at the top of the tree are small and skinny and didn't hurt too much.
I actually find it amusing, the rain here is like a defensive measure. Every day this week was sunny, until yesterday, when the conventioners started coming in. Then it decided to open up. Also, will be lookin for you there!
Oh, he's a lumberjack and he's ok....
Hope to see you around!
4529607
I'm pretty sure it's more a matter of Biscuit bringing rain with him where'er his path doth wander. Think about it: his last post was about how it was raining inside his abode, and then on the very day he wended his way westward, the once-sunny Seattle-area skies closed up with cloud and opened up with rain. He denies the obvious connection, tries to pass it off as but the sole state of the local clime, but the truth is readily apparent to any who merely look - and see.
Though I suppose it's possible you have something to do with it too, Cloudhammer.
Well of course it doesn't always rain in Seattle. In the winter, it snows.
4529641
My official area of responsibility is the Tacoma/JBLM weather zone, I wouldn't even consider entering someone else's zone and causing any sort of precipitation-based event
4529649
Only on rare and ephemeral occasion. Rumors of nontrivial snowfall forever abound, but those in the know realize 'tis but pablum for the masses, smothering their righteous will with empty soothing promises that this time things will be different, and the burden of school and jobly toil shall be finally undone by the coming of the veil of white.
4529654
Ah, my most sincere apologies. I shall be sure to return my attentions to their proper target forthwith.
I'm just going to leave my phone number on all these EFNW posts: 714-496-3119 hit me up if you want to hang out or know where I am so you can avoid me.
4529619 I have to...I just have to. Forgive me (or not).
I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day.
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.
I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea
He cut down trees, he eat his lunch
He go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays he go shopping and has buttered scones for tea.
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars.
He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women's clothing and hangs around in bars.
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.
I cut down trees, I wear high heels
Suspendies and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear pappa.
He cuts down trees, he wears high heels?
Suspendies...and a bra?
...He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.
...He's/I'm a lumberjack and he's/I'm OK
He/I sleep all night and he/I work all day.
I regret nothing!
But how much coffee have you had so far?
I can confirm he is indeed here. Chatted with him and Skywriter.
yeah there's probably a reason for that.
wow, I didn't realize it was that bad.
Hope you enjoy the convention.
I just realized that "Lumberjack" might be a relative of Applejack's.
<Apple trees don't live forever, y'know.)
If you want a good chance of clear weather, visit Seattle in June, July, or August. September might work too, but no promises.
Or, you could do like I did, and settle on the dry side of the state, where the grapes and apples come from.
Added comment, just because I can: A lot of airliners have video screens for the passengers to buy and watch video programming, and some include a free channel giving basic information about the flight, so here's the thing we need. Have a downward-facing camera on the fuselage, linked to the free video channel! Isn't that brilliant? I think it's brilliant. I'd like to stick an adhesive bomb-sight on the screen over certain areas. It would be therapeutic, pushing the button on my clicky-pen and making little descending-note whistling and explosion sounds while the other passengers give me odd looks...
What?!
Planes with glas bottom would be awesome, 'cept that with all the luggage and the machinery, we would not be able to see anything anyway.
Life is so unfair.
Cutting down trees with a sawzall.
Seems legit.
Wonder Woman's holding onto her invisible jet copyright with a deathgrip.
4529607
Well, I think that 4529641 had the right theory, 'cause when I got back to Michigan, it started to rain over here. And our flight had to swerve to avoid stormclouds.
I feel that we missed each other, didn't we? Or am I totally not realizing that we did meet each other? Things got kind of blurry by day two and three.
4529619
Now I feel the need to put on women's clothing and hang around in bars.
We actually performed that song (and a few others) for Mock Rock in high school. We didn't win, but that was only because the judges had no taste.
4529623
I feel that I missed you, too, somehow. It wasn't that big a con . . . maybe next time I'll have a room party.
4529641
And when I got back home, within a couple of days it was raining again. Although not in my house anymore; while I was in Seattle, the roofers finished up and now I have a leak-free roof. And also a huge pile of shingles, boards, and whatnot to dispose of. Sigh.
4529649
Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. That's a very good point.
4529685
When I was in high school, we performed it for Mock Rock. Didn't win, which was unfortunate; I assume that was because the judges had no taste in music. One of our singers 'passed out' on the long note towards the end, and he did it with a broken collarbone. Man knew how to take a fall.
4529693
Three or four per day. Whether that's cups or pots, I'm not saying.
4529775
Not a good reason, though. Oh, sure, they'd have to find somewhere else to put the cargo, but surely they could figure something out.
Heck, a system of cameras would be pretty cool. A couple of good belly cams, one in the nose . . . it doesn't seem to me like that would be overly expensive.
And for the pilots, a couple of them looking at the airframe might not be a bad idea, either.
It wasn't terrible (that was the roof on the addition--it was probably less than a year from partial collapse when it got fixed) but it wasn't good, either.
I did! It was all sorts of fun times, although I got kinda sleep deprived, and a mild case of con crud.
4530100
Yeah, the cargo would probably get in the way. Maybe just a system of cameras--not as good as seeing the real thing, but better than nothing.
I know. Ah well, what can you do?
4530616
Hey, you've got to use the tools you've got, y'know?
I don't have a chainsaw (partially because I figure there's good odds I'd cut my own leg off with it by mistake), and I sure wasn't going to use a handsaw.
If they'd been a little bit smaller in diameter, I might have used my circular saw.
Incidentally, speaking of the tools at hand, did you know that Dodge Caravans are somewhat off-road capable, while towing a truck? Because they are.
4533769
That's rather unfortunate.
Although an invisible jet seems like a bit of a liability. The risk of a midair collision would be pretty high with that thing. Does it even have a transponder in it?
4530051
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Well, an axe pony is a legit background character, so. . . .
Unfortunately, unless they move when EFNW is next year, I wouldn't be making it out in the summertime.
Also, I didn't know that they grew grapes in Washington.
I think it's a good idea, too. It seems like it wouldn't be that expensive, either.
Both my flights had the videoscreens (although they were broken on the return flight) and it did have a map that showed where the airplane was. It wasn't interactive, though, which was too bad--I would have liked to be able to zoom in, so that I could see more closely, rather than just 'oh, we're over Minnesota now.'
You could certainly bring some along. Maybe a vinyl cling type, so that you could take it back off and reuse it for the next flight. I'm not sure what the TSA would think of it, though.
4539224
It's no worries. It was my first American con, so I was a little jet lagged and in awe of how much was the same but different compared to the ones back home, meaning I might have walked by you and not noticed either.
It was great meeting you there! Thanks for taking the time to talk. I saw you picking up your bag to leave after I finally let you go on Saturday evening and thought "Shit, he's been trying to escape." I've been trying to cure myself of that.
4539235
yeah that actually be pretty cool.
4539387
If you remember seeing a big hairy guy (which admittedly doesn't narrow it down all that much) who was wearing a blue shirt that said "Admiral Biscuit since 1977" and a black baseball cap that said "Biscuit," that was me.
4539513
Yeah, same here! I always like meeting my readers and getting the chance to talk about pony stories or whatever else. Plus it's super awesome that you're from Michigan. If you ever happen to be back in Michigan (and closer than the frozen U.P.), drop me a line and maybe we can meet up!
Eh, no worries there. I'd been about on my way out of the room when you showed up, 'cause nobody new was arriving, and I thought that I might as well make it a kinda early night since there wasn't anything going on. And then I didn't wind up making it out the door anyways, 'cause someone else came in that I wanted to talk to and we wound up chatting for another hour or so.
4539240
Nice. Dat fwd, I guess. Then again, k car derivatives have always been pretty hearty cars.
4539521
I think I do remember seeing the cap. I remember thinking " why does it say biscuit?" , but now in hindsight it makes sense. I was the guy wandering about in a kilt
4539577
Yeah, I can't complain about that at all. Once the front wheels hit wet clay, though, it's all over. Then again, the tires aren't exactly meant for off-road use, so that hardly surprising.
Did a fair bit of bumper pushing with it, too, and it's held up to that remarkably well.
4539894
I think I do remember seeing the cap. I remember thinking " why does it say biscuit?" , but now in hindsight it makes sense. I was the guy
I saw two guys in a kilt--one was a Utilikilt, and the other one was a more traditional kilt.
4540058
I was the one in the traditional kilt. Although I was impressed with the utilikilt!
4540629
Those things are cool. Sooner or later I'm gonna buy one.
4541512
Yeah, all the pockets would be great for all the pony merch!