No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on November 23, 2016

I have a few of them.

I am very thankful for all the friends I have in my life.

There are those who knew me back in the day as they say. I still have friends that I met back in elementary school. We stay in touch and the Internet has made it easier for us to do so. They know what is going on in my life through this web log and various social media platforms (Why do I see the Ewok village every time I say social media platforms?) I have a standing lunch date with one friend on boxing day which we have pretty much made every year.

There are those who met me in college where I became one of the theater kids. We had our places that we would haunt. Post show the usual question was ‘where are the Indigo Girls playing’ and we would go there. I became a member of Alpha Psi Omega the Mu Beta cast.

There are those that I met through conventions. Some of my closest friends I made at conventions are still some of my closest friends. They have my back no matter what and I have theirs. I like meeting my fellow fans and talking to them about the stuff that we love. There are people who I only see at conventions and on the Internet but we still stay in touch between seeing each other.

There are those that I have met through Peter. Peter and I have three sets of friends, Friends that were his before we met, friends that were mine before we met, and our mutual friends that we knew before we met. The mutual friends pretty much thought it was a good idea that we got together since they knew us both and figured we were pretty compatible. His friends and my friends could see how good we were with each other and accepted us as a couple.

There are the friends I have made through puppetry. I have made a lot of friends either because my puppets or because we share a common love for puppetry.
One thing I like about going to DragonCon is knowing that I get to hang out with my tribe for a weekend. Heck, I met Peter because I made a Klingon puppet and we became friends because of that.

There are my theater friends who I have had the pleasure of working with. When you have a show in common, you have a shared experience that only you know what it is really like to do Hedda Gabler for six or seven shows a week (hint we made it policy to tell a joke before going home just to try to lighten our mood).

There are my costuming friends some who make costumes professionally and some who make them for a hobby but all are fabulous. I have learned so many tricks and tips on how to use materials that I would never think of for a costume but work as well. We bounce ideas off of each other and give each other easier ways to do things or solve weird costume problems like how to add pockets to a skin-tight costume.

I am grateful to all my friends for being my friend.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 22, 2016

I think I am pretty good at creating puppets and costumes for puppets. I get compliments on my detail work from all kinds of people. The Doctor Strange puppet was ooo’d and ah’d for the fact that I scarred the back of the hands and he had his sling ring, which was a detail that no one noticed until after the film premiered. I know I still have to revise the cape a bit to be really happy with it.

I am thankful that I can do that and for all the people along the way who have taught me so many skills that make it possible for me to make these puppets.

I am thankful that my mother taught me how to sew both hand stitch and sewing machine.

I am thankful to all the puppeteers who have shown me various tricks to building puppets over the years. I try to pass that on by showing others how I make mine so that they can take what I do and make it their own. At this point in my life, I feel like teaching is what I should be doing so it is nice to help others have fun with puppets.

I am thankful for all the costumers over the years who have shown me how they did things. Makes my life easier when I am not re-inventing the wheel each time I want to try something new.

I am thankful that I can make the costumes that Caroline wants. My ratio of clothing for puppets to people evens out just a tick when I add in her costumes. When she was little I just had to size up my puppet patterns. Now I have to make her adult sized costumes and I am learning from those that I can also make normal clothing for people.

I am thankful that I am considered well versed enough to judge workmanship for costumes at conventions. I have learned a thing or two being behind the judge’s desk. I love seeing how people go about the process of making what they see on the screen or page or in their head a reality.

I am thankful of the opportunities that come from my being crafty. I have had some interesting adventures in my life because I can do what I do.

I am thankful for the people I have met because I make puppets and the like. I would not be married to Peter if I hadn’t built a Klingon puppet that he bought. I would not have the group of friends I have if I hadn’t made puppets and costumes. I wouldn’t be participating in the puppetry track at DragonCon and other conventions. There would be no Caroline in the world.

Most of my life now happened because I can take fabric and make something from it.

I am grateful for all the crafty things I have learned and all I have done with that knowledge over the years.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 21, 2016

This week I think I am going to do what so many other people are doing on the Internet and talk about what I am thankful.

Today’s topic is Fandom.

Without having participated in Fandom, I would not have met my husband or have the group of friends I have or the jobs I have had or….well there are so many things that came to me because I was a science fiction fan.

I am thankful for my husband’s fans. This past weekend we were at the New Jersey Comic Expo in Edison New Jersey. I sat next to Peter while he signed autographs and talked to the fans. A number of people came up and told Peter what his writing had meant to them. How his work had helped them or others deal with a problem that they were having. How his comics were some of the first that they read and loved. And you would think we would be use to this by now but it still touches me that all these people were helped or entertained by my husband. Heck, Peter’s writings were entertaining me before we met. So thank you Fans, know that we appreciate you.

I am thankful for our friends who are in the business. Many of them entertained me with their works before I met them and became friends. Some were friends who then made a name for themselves in the industry. Going to a convention can be fun for me because I get to see people that I have met through Peter or the convention circuit and catch up on news and the like. If I have a question on a variety of topics, I have a list of people I can go to and get answer. Even better when I can go to the creator of the material and ask them what they were doing. I have learned a lot about the entertainment industry through my friends. So thanks Pros, know that we appreciate our friendship with you.

I am thankful for the friends who are fans and the fans who are friends. I have met a lot of people due to various fandoms I have been of. I have my Star Trek buddies, the Whovians, the Star Wars gang, and many others. Some of these people have known me since I was a teenager and, I think, neither of us like to think back on how far that was. Others I have met because we first ‘met’ online and then actually got to meet at a convention. There are fans that knew Peter before he was Peter David that are my friends. They have amusing stories to tell about Peter before he became a pro. There are the people I just meet at a convention and we just click. I have a number of friends in that category. Thank you fan friends, know that I love and appreciate each and every one of you.

I am thankful for conventions because, honestly, I would not be were I am today without conventions. I met my husband at a convention. I have met friends at conventions. I have worked in various roles at conventions allowing me to meet more people. Conventions are a touchstone of fandom for me. It reminds me how full of life fandom can be. I had a great time this weekend watching families walk around and each person being excited about something that was at the convention. A number of the families did some great group costumes. And it was nice that the girls were having a much fun as the boys talking to each other about comics, films, and television. Very few people had their ‘I am here to make them happy’ face on. Thank you to everyone who runs and works conventions, we wouldn’t be there without you.

If you had told me that when I first entered fandom that eventually I would know people who worked on the material that I was enjoying, I would have laughed. But now I am friends with people who got me through some rather dark times in my life. I really think that they have no idea how much what they did back then helped me come to where I am now. Their work gave me hope and a reason to make it to the next week or month or year. It may sound trivial to keep living to be able to see what happens next in a fictional world but it did keep me alive when that was the bright point in my life. Thank guys and gals, I really wouldn’t have been here without you.

I am grateful for fandom for more reasons than I can list.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 18, 2016

This is the first film from J.K. Rowling’s Wizard World that I didn’t know the ending to. All the Harry Potter films came out after the books so we knew where the story was going before stepping into the movie theater. This one I purposely avoid reading about or watching the videos or seeking spoilers out on line. The only thing I saw, other than the commercials on TV, was Eddie Redmayne’s defense of being a Hufflepuff which was pretty amusing but had chuck-all to do with the film.

Caroline has been speculating with her friends since she first heard that they were making this film and they came up with some pretty wild theories based on the book the movie is named after.

The movie is based on a book that Ms. Rowling wrote for the Comic Relief charity and was published first back in 2001. It was published with another book entitled Qudditch through the Ages proving that Harry Potter fans want more information about the world she created. Ariel got these books when they came out. Caroline got her own set and the Tale of the Beetlebard when the books came out in hard cover back in 2013.

I wondered how they were going to take a book that is basically a guide to magical creatures and turn it into a film. It would be like taking the Star Wars guide to lightsabers and turning it into a cinema experience.

They did a fine job of it and I, as a customer, and quite satisfied with my experience.

Using the author of the book, Newt Scamander, as the main character was very clever. Setting it in America was an interesting idea and expands the franchise to our shores. Setting it in the 1920s was an excellent idea not only because it is before Harry Potter even existed much less James and Lilly but it is a time period that we know about but not too well. You could see this sort of adventure happening at that time.

Overall I though the story was enjoyable. The characters and creatures were introduced in good fashion so I was able to follow who was who without difficulty. The set design was sumptuous and the costume design better be up for an Oscar this year.

There were the off jokes about what British people call something and what an American calls it. There was the fish out of water character when a Muggle gets dragging into the whole situation. There were family secrets revealed and a lot of set up for further films but none of it felt like setup for the next film but very much a part of this film.

Now I understand why everyone is hot on Eddie Redmayne. He is a fine actor who does a lot with what could have been a one note character but between the writing and his acting, I enjoyed finding out more about someone that is best known as the author of a book in the Wizarding World. His quest is a noble one and I will go see more of it if they make it. I especially enjoyed how he interacted with people and then how he interacted with the creatures. The contrast was amazing.

The rest of the cast did a fine job. Dan Folger was a lot of fun as Kowalski who finds out the hard way that magic is real. Ezra Miller is an actor to watch. I foresee a long and diverse acting career for him. Alison Sudol was a find for me. I loved how she played her character. Katherine Waterson was good as Tina. The writing served her well in revealing her character’s past.

I do think it needs to be seen on the large screen especially when we are introduced to the creatures because there is a lot going on in the corners. 3-D was interesting and there were a couple of scenes that looked cool but it is not necessary to really enjoy the film.

I didn’t find out until after I saw the film that this is the first of five films planned for this series and I am looking forward to all five.

I am grateful for an enjoyable film that entertained me and left me wanting more.

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Posted By Kathleen David on November 16, 2016

Yes, I know it is Wednesday but I wrote this yesterday and due to the hot water heater issue and other things that happened, I am posting it today. Which is a prime example of what I wrote yesterday

There is a saying that I read that states “Life is what happens when you make plans.”

And I have plans. I have lots of plans of things I need to do and things I want to do.

I have a plan of how I am going to do said things and even a timetable upon which I should be complete with one project or another.

I read how a well thought out plan will allow one to achieve their goals.

Spiffy.

But what is not in that plan is what happens from day to day and breath to breath. My day can change with a phone call or even a text message or a family member informing me that my services will be needed by said family member.

It is not that I don’t get any ‘me’ time. I take it to go to the gym and not worry about anything for about two hours.

But life does go on and things need to be done. And responsibility becomes the watchword of the day.

Carving time out of desperation to get a project done doesn’t give one much leisure time to work on it. You just kind of get it done and hope for the best.

Right now I want to go back and revise my Doctor Strange and Mordo puppets to match what I know now about the costumes and I want to build an Ancient One based on the costume that I have photos of from SDCC although the yellow outfit is very tempting. Also I might make a Kaecilius puppet because of the eye challenge. And I might be showing these at Dragon Con next year or doing something with them in the puppet slam.

I need to get a puppet done for a friend who has been more than patience with me. I have promised another friend a puppet for a gag they want to do. There are several promises I that need to keep.

I talk every year about setting up a site for my puppets to sell and haven’t done that. Caroline and I do have an etsy space that we are going to be using soon. Again the word soon is being used. I need to make business cards for people who are interested in my work. I need to put myself out there and find a way to sell more puppets because I do build them for sale not to sit around my house with a few exceptions that I have grown very fond of. And it is not like a lot of people haven’t given me a lot of advice on this subject. I just need to get to it and do it.

I have ideas and I have ambitions now I just need to find the time to make those a reality.

I have to factor in limitations like how steady are my hands today? Or can I sit and sew on the machine without too much discomfort? Or can I get to the materials that I need for the project?

I will admit that right now I am frustrated by a number of things and there are other factors that are increasing that frustration.

So I will sit down and yet again sort out how I will be tackling the set of things that I need or want to do and then trying to implement a plan so I can actually do them.

Let’s see how far I can get before life decides that I need to be doing something else.

I am grateful for the time I have to be creative.

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