Tell him to buy me 30 acres of land

Continuing on with the 26th Annual Arizona Renaissance Festival: the Best Part!

My Royal Press Pass - which they made me return!

At last! The Steam Pirate Airships!

I am giddy with excitement! Look at that top hat and goggles!

Ooh, the sign has a cameo like the one I gave Clementine!

I am overcome with excitement.

"You've got a friend in me."

I am the Queen of the world! Or the airship! Or the octopus! Whee!

Getting ready to see my boney prince Bobbie.

Momma making sure I look my best for Ded Bob.

"Look into my eye sockets...."

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

Watching Ded Bob flirt with other women. He is dead to Me.

Snuggle close, Ded Bob, snuggle close.

Hmm, it looks like The Tortuga Twins like The Big Bang Theory, too.

Always looking for new parasols, I'm saddened that this vendor has none my size, but this is close!

I can't wait to go again. Have you gone yet? What is your favorite part?


Click here to see the first half of my Renaissance Adventure.

The Proton Resurgence

Geek alert!

Grandpoppa's lifelong comic hero is guest starring tonight on The Big Bang Theory.

Yes folks, that is correct. Deadpan genius Bob Newhart is scheduled to appear when Sheldon and Leonard hire Professor Proton (Newhart), the host of their favorite childhood TV show, to perform. 

Newhart is an American stand-up comedian and actor noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery. Newhart came to prominence in the 1960s with his album of comedic monologues The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart.

Newhart later starred in situation comedies: first as psychologist Dr. Robert "Bob" Hartley on the 1970s sitcom The Bob Newhart Show and then as innkeeper Dick Loudon on the 1980s sitcom Newhart. 

Incidentally, Newhart told a 2005 interviewer for PBS's American Masters that his favorite stand-up routine is "Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue," in which a slick promoter has to deal with the reluctance of the eccentric President to agree to efforts to boost his image.

The mind boggles....

The Hawking excitation

I've got to love a man that can laugh at himself.

Case in point: Stephen Hawking.

Professor Stephen Hawking, known for being a theoretical physicist, has played himself on numerous television shows and has been portrayed in even more.

My favorites? Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Big Bang Theory, of course.

At the beginning of the ST:TNG Season 6 cliffhanger, "Descent, Part 1," Lt. Commander Data is seen playing poker with holographic depictions of Hawking, Sir Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein. Hawking portrayed his own hologram for this episode, making him the only guest in any Star Trek series to play himself.

(When taking a tour of the set, Hawking allegedly paused at the Warp core, smiled, and said, "I'm working on that." He also requested, and was allowed, to sit in the captain's chair of the Enterprise-D.)

And tonight he will be appearing as a guest star on The Big Bang Theory! When Howard Wolowitz gets to work with Hawking, Sheldon Cooper (above) is willing to do anything to meet his hero.

Me too!

The HO-Scale Theory

I was delighted to see Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory shares my newly discovered enthusiasm for trains, so I had to investigate his recent purchase of a Bachmann Rail King.

You'll rule the rails with the impressive Bachmann Rail King Electric Train Set. This 130-piece, HO-scale set takes your railroading empire to new heights, with miniature people and structures bringing the entire scene to life. Featuring Bachmann's exclusive E-Z Track snap-fit track and roadbed system, this set includes an EMD GP40 Sante Fe locomotive, three cars, and caboose, and it rides on a 47" x 38" oval track (13 pieces) with an included speed controller and power adapter. To complete the scene, the set also includes a signal bridge, 36 figures, 24 utility poles, and 48 signs. Engine dimensions: 7"L x 1.75"W x 2"H.

I'd heard of Lionel model trains before but not Bachmann, so I dug a little deeper: 

Originally founded in 1833 by Henry Carlisle, the company originally specialized in vanity products such as parasol handles and Spanish combs made of ivory horns. Its target market was the Southern aristocracy and after the Civil War it continued to make other types of hair ornaments and handles for walking canes out of tortoise shell and ivory.

Carlisle's and Bachmann's firms merged in 1899. By 1902 Bachmann's started to use celluloid for its products and began experimenting in plastic around 1912. Bachmann entered the trains market with its N scale trains products in June 1968.

Bachmann's is now the largest seller of model trains in the world specializing in inexpensive, high-quality, entry-level train sets. By 1992 all cars were manufactured in China.

 

The Dead Meemaw card

To Evil Wil Wheaton,

Well played sir.

You said on your blog, "I am literally playing The Dead Meemaw Card so that you'll watch me on The Big Bang Theory tonight."

I did, but even I did not anticipate such a dastardly move.

How much did you pay Brent Spiner to do that, huh? I've read the comments and know how some think you really are a nice guy now. Ha!

You and I know the truth, and I have the proof.

Who else would dare lay a silver Sharpie upon Me!

Did you hope the silver Sharpie would silence Me?

Never!

I'm watching you Wheaton.

Your Mortal Enemy,
Steampunk Addie