So this month has been a rough one and one of my New Year resolutions is to be more vigilant about posting on this blog, especially with a new book coming out later this Spring.
Recently, we re-released The Emerald Slippers of Oz with a new Introduction by Roger Baum, great grandson of L. Frank Baum; Royal Historian and author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900). We were very pleased with his kind words and continued to be honored by his wonderful support of our work. It had always been my goal to return Oz to the original vision of L. Frank Baum, that of a child's tale of fantasy and adventure. His support and reviews by The Baum Bugle tell me that I have succeeded.
Now, the newest work of Oz has begun and last night, I was able to complete the first short story in our new compilation of short stories entitled: Tails of Oz.
In case you're curious, Tails of Oz will be a collection of short stories, with each story featuring an animal in Oz who has a tail... hence the unusual title.
Each story will also feature an illustration by a different artists with a goal of giving new and upcoming artists a venue to showcase their artistic ability.
This first story is about a Flying Sock Monkey of Oz and I am most pleased.
Happy New Year and a lovely Oz to all!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Return of The Emerald Slipper of Oz!
It has been a few weeks since my last posting. I've attended 3 funerals in the last 6 weeks. In addition, the madness of the holidays, along with the sadness of observing the one-year anniversary of the passing of our beloved granddaughter, Heavenlee has drawn my attention away from current projects, including one for my good friend and co-author, Ron Baxley, Jr.
I intend to remedy that situation fairly soon and those of you who are looking forward to future works can expect volumes 1& 2 of our Oz/Wonderland series to make it to Kindle, Nook, Smashwords and other relevant e-book websites in time for Christmas.
The Emerald Slippers of Oz will also be arriving along those same e-book avenues as we ramp up for the holidays.
If you look in from the outside, it's often hard to discern why things take so long and progress seems maddeningly slow, but from my own personal point of view, Time passes in an instant and before I know it, months have gone by.
Such is the nature of Life.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
I intend to remedy that situation fairly soon and those of you who are looking forward to future works can expect volumes 1& 2 of our Oz/Wonderland series to make it to Kindle, Nook, Smashwords and other relevant e-book websites in time for Christmas.
The Emerald Slippers of Oz will also be arriving along those same e-book avenues as we ramp up for the holidays.
If you look in from the outside, it's often hard to discern why things take so long and progress seems maddeningly slow, but from my own personal point of view, Time passes in an instant and before I know it, months have gone by.
Such is the nature of Life.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Facebook and Their Repression of Free Speech!
The most
interesting thing just happened. I tried to post the following on the CNN
Facebook page where they are promoting a Ted Turner documentary about all his great
achievements.
"Don't
forget Ted Turner's greatest achievement. He married Hanoi Jane, a.k.a: Jane
Fonda, a traitor to this great nation. If you think I'm kidding, just Google
Hanoi Jane or ask a Vietnam Vet."
I'm
curious why CNN refuses to allow free speech on the FB page? Especially when
it's only the truth? Perhaps CNN prefers the company of traitors than that of
honest, decent Americans?
After several attempts to post this, I tried from my own FB page and now I can't post this information. It would seem that Facebook supports repression of free speech as well. Go figure?
Here's a link to what I assume is a US Marine Corps website that gives some accurate information.
Take it or leave it, we must never forget who supports this country and who does not.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Wizard of Oz and The Patchwork Girl of Oz Silent Film
In my last post, I featured a film about the Land of Oz which was not produced by L. Frank Baum, but which was based on both his books and stage play.
Here is an example of how L. Frank Baum went about making a silent film adaptation of his book, The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914).
It is an odd film, to say the least, but L. Frank Baum had decided to further cash in on the popularity of his Oz children’s books by producing his own motion picture adaptations. This allowed him to control the cinematic productions, presumably to ensure they captured the tone of his books, but also to reap more profits than if he’d simply license the stories to another film company. The adaptations were inexpensively and imaginatively made, but the company lasted only a few months before production was suspended.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) features the familiar Baum characters, including Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion, and also other characters that are familiar to Oz book fans, including Scraps, the patchwork girl.
In a supporting role as Dorothy is Mildred Harris, only four years before she became the first wife of Charles Chaplin.
This was one of several films Baum produced and each has its own uniqueness and odd flavor. These were, after all, very different times than today and moving pictures was still in its infancy.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Here is an example of how L. Frank Baum went about making a silent film adaptation of his book, The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914).
It is an odd film, to say the least, but L. Frank Baum had decided to further cash in on the popularity of his Oz children’s books by producing his own motion picture adaptations. This allowed him to control the cinematic productions, presumably to ensure they captured the tone of his books, but also to reap more profits than if he’d simply license the stories to another film company. The adaptations were inexpensively and imaginatively made, but the company lasted only a few months before production was suspended.
The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914) features the familiar Baum characters, including Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman and the Cowardly Lion, and also other characters that are familiar to Oz book fans, including Scraps, the patchwork girl.
In a supporting role as Dorothy is Mildred Harris, only four years before she became the first wife of Charles Chaplin.
This was one of several films Baum produced and each has its own uniqueness and odd flavor. These were, after all, very different times than today and moving pictures was still in its infancy.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Monday, September 16, 2013
Wizard of Oz and the Silent Films of L. Frank Baum
With the upcoming premier of the original 1939 MGM film, The Wizard of Oz; now in 3-D, I thought I would visit a number of topics related to L. Frank Baum, his books about Oz and his efforts to make them more appealing to the masses... and maybe make a buck or two in the process.
L. Frank Baum, of course, is the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and 13 other books (sequels) about the Land of Oz, as well as other children's books which weren't quite as well loved as his Oz stories.
The Oz Wiki describes L. Frank Baum's movie venture thus:
"In 1914, having moved to Hollywood years earlier, Baum started his own film production company, The Oz Film Manufacturing Company, which came as an outgrowth of the Uplifters. He served as its president, and principal producer and screenwriter. The rest of the board consisted of Louis F. Gottschalk, Harry Marston Haldeman, and Clarence R. Rundel. The films were directed by J. Farrell MacDonald, with casts that included Violet MacMillan, Vivian Reed, Mildred Harris, Juanita Hansen, Pierre Couderc, Mai Welles, Louise Emmons, J. Charles Haydon, and early appearances by Harold Lloyd and Hal Roach. Richard Rosson appeared in one of the films, whose younger brother Harold Rosson photographed The Wizard of Oz (1939). After little success probing the unrealized children's film market, Baum came clean about who wrote The Last Egyptian and made a film of it (portions of which are included in Decasia), but the Oz name had, for the time being, become box office poison and even a name change to Dramatic Feature Films and transfer of ownership to Frank Joslyn Baum did not help. Unlike with The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays, Baum invested none of his own money in the venture, but the stress probably took its toll on its health."
Here's an example of how Oz was portrayed in the silent film era.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a 1910 silent fantasy film and the earliest surviving film version of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, made by the Selig Polyscope Company without Baum's direct input. It was created to fulfill a contractual obligation associated with Baum's personal bankruptcy caused by The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays, from which it was once thought to have been derived. It was partly based on the 1902 stage musical, though much of the film deals with the Wicked Witch of the West, who does not appear in the musical
We'll take a look at the musical in our next installment about L. Frank Baum and The Wizard of Oz.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
L. Frank Baum, of course, is the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and 13 other books (sequels) about the Land of Oz, as well as other children's books which weren't quite as well loved as his Oz stories.
The Oz Wiki describes L. Frank Baum's movie venture thus:
"In 1914, having moved to Hollywood years earlier, Baum started his own film production company, The Oz Film Manufacturing Company, which came as an outgrowth of the Uplifters. He served as its president, and principal producer and screenwriter. The rest of the board consisted of Louis F. Gottschalk, Harry Marston Haldeman, and Clarence R. Rundel. The films were directed by J. Farrell MacDonald, with casts that included Violet MacMillan, Vivian Reed, Mildred Harris, Juanita Hansen, Pierre Couderc, Mai Welles, Louise Emmons, J. Charles Haydon, and early appearances by Harold Lloyd and Hal Roach. Richard Rosson appeared in one of the films, whose younger brother Harold Rosson photographed The Wizard of Oz (1939). After little success probing the unrealized children's film market, Baum came clean about who wrote The Last Egyptian and made a film of it (portions of which are included in Decasia), but the Oz name had, for the time being, become box office poison and even a name change to Dramatic Feature Films and transfer of ownership to Frank Joslyn Baum did not help. Unlike with The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays, Baum invested none of his own money in the venture, but the stress probably took its toll on its health."
Here's an example of how Oz was portrayed in the silent film era.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a 1910 silent fantasy film and the earliest surviving film version of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, made by the Selig Polyscope Company without Baum's direct input. It was created to fulfill a contractual obligation associated with Baum's personal bankruptcy caused by The Fairylogue and Radio-Plays, from which it was once thought to have been derived. It was partly based on the 1902 stage musical, though much of the film deals with the Wicked Witch of the West, who does not appear in the musical
We'll take a look at the musical in our next installment about L. Frank Baum and The Wizard of Oz.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
The Passing of the Legendary Flowerpot Munchkin!
Today is a sad day in the Land of Oz; for we have lost legendary Flowerpot Munchkin Margaret Pellegrini.
From Wikipedia comes the following:
"Margaret Pellegrini (September 23, 1923 – August 7, 2013) was an American actress and one of the last three surviving munchkins from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the other two being Jerry Maren and Ruth Robinson Duccini, making Pellegrini one of only two surviving female Munchkins from the film."
As you can see, this is why she was known as the Flowerpot Munchkin. She was also a Sleepy Head Munchkin.
I had the honor of meeting Margarette Pellegrini on numerous occasions, and though I did not know her well, I'm proud to say that I knew her... and she knew me and my wife.
A kinder, more gentler person you couldn't ask for in Margarette Pellegrini. Her kindness was legendary, as I found out at Oz-Stravaganza 2010 in Chittenango, New York.
I had met Margarette the year before at the Chesterton Wizard of Oz festival in Chesterton, Indiana when I first introduced Magician of Oz to the Land of Oz. It was a brief meeting but she was kind and thoughtful and complimented my shirt.
The following year was Oz-Stravaganza 2010 in Chittenango, New York, to which I was an invited author and part of Author's Alley, which was making its debut that year.
There were so many memories of that festival, but one stands out above all others.
My wife and I had arrived at Oz-Stravaganza! 2010 on Friday afternoon and attended the opening festivities at Chittenango High School, where we saw Margarette and her fellow Munchkins and Munchkins-by-marriage during the stage show. Margarette's banter with John Fricke was incredible and she literally stole the show. Margarette is the one on the far left.
Oddly enough though, our fondest memory of Margarette and her fellow Munchkins and Munchkins-by-marriage came during the evening at our hotel.
Once we checked in and settled down, we decided to grab a bite to eat at the Oz-pitality room down the hall, which was made available to us as guests of Oz-Stravaganza! 2010.
My wife and I had started making up a plate of goodies when the door swung open and the 5 Munchkin guests who we had seen only an hour before at the high school came bounding in, full of energy and life and looking for a "snackipoo."
As I was surrounded by Munchkins, I looked up to see my wife absolutely dumbstruck by the whole event. She had hoped to see these fine folks and was pleased at the evenings performance earlier but, here we stood, surrounded by Munchkins and feeling like Dorothy in Munchkin City. Everyone was polite, cordial and quite entertaining in their excitement.
I introduced myself and my wife to these wonderful people and they returned the introductions with joy, happiness and genuine affection. Jerry Marin sidled up to me and told me that my wife "was a real dish." I had to agree with him wholeheartedly.
Margarette, in particular, remembered meeting me last year in Indiana, which certainly made me feel very special. She then paid my wife the most lovely compliment and we left them with our head in the clouds and over the rainbow.
For the next several hours, we couldn't even think of sleeping as we were quite giddy at our chance encounter with these wonderful legends of Oz. Amanda was particularly taken by Margarette Pellegrini and fell in love with her kind spirit and generous heart.
The following year at Oz-Stravaganza 2011, my wife and I were particularly pleased when Margarette came by to say hi and reacquaint herself with Amanda and myself. Once again, we found ourselves chatting with Margarette and as you can see, my wife is simply enamored by Margarette's charm.
She even recalled meeting Amanda the year before and complimented her once again. Amanda made a concerned remark about Margartte's hand, which had been bandaged and Margarette called it her 'bum wing."
From Wikipedia comes the following:
"Margaret Pellegrini (September 23, 1923 – August 7, 2013) was an American actress and one of the last three surviving munchkins from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, the other two being Jerry Maren and Ruth Robinson Duccini, making Pellegrini one of only two surviving female Munchkins from the film."
As you can see, this is why she was known as the Flowerpot Munchkin. She was also a Sleepy Head Munchkin.
I had the honor of meeting Margarette Pellegrini on numerous occasions, and though I did not know her well, I'm proud to say that I knew her... and she knew me and my wife.
A kinder, more gentler person you couldn't ask for in Margarette Pellegrini. Her kindness was legendary, as I found out at Oz-Stravaganza 2010 in Chittenango, New York.
I had met Margarette the year before at the Chesterton Wizard of Oz festival in Chesterton, Indiana when I first introduced Magician of Oz to the Land of Oz. It was a brief meeting but she was kind and thoughtful and complimented my shirt.
The following year was Oz-Stravaganza 2010 in Chittenango, New York, to which I was an invited author and part of Author's Alley, which was making its debut that year.
There were so many memories of that festival, but one stands out above all others.
My wife and I had arrived at Oz-Stravaganza! 2010 on Friday afternoon and attended the opening festivities at Chittenango High School, where we saw Margarette and her fellow Munchkins and Munchkins-by-marriage during the stage show. Margarette's banter with John Fricke was incredible and she literally stole the show. Margarette is the one on the far left.
Oddly enough though, our fondest memory of Margarette and her fellow Munchkins and Munchkins-by-marriage came during the evening at our hotel.
Once we checked in and settled down, we decided to grab a bite to eat at the Oz-pitality room down the hall, which was made available to us as guests of Oz-Stravaganza! 2010.
My wife and I had started making up a plate of goodies when the door swung open and the 5 Munchkin guests who we had seen only an hour before at the high school came bounding in, full of energy and life and looking for a "snackipoo."
As I was surrounded by Munchkins, I looked up to see my wife absolutely dumbstruck by the whole event. She had hoped to see these fine folks and was pleased at the evenings performance earlier but, here we stood, surrounded by Munchkins and feeling like Dorothy in Munchkin City. Everyone was polite, cordial and quite entertaining in their excitement.
I introduced myself and my wife to these wonderful people and they returned the introductions with joy, happiness and genuine affection. Jerry Marin sidled up to me and told me that my wife "was a real dish." I had to agree with him wholeheartedly.
Margarette, in particular, remembered meeting me last year in Indiana, which certainly made me feel very special. She then paid my wife the most lovely compliment and we left them with our head in the clouds and over the rainbow.
For the next several hours, we couldn't even think of sleeping as we were quite giddy at our chance encounter with these wonderful legends of Oz. Amanda was particularly taken by Margarette Pellegrini and fell in love with her kind spirit and generous heart.
The following year at Oz-Stravaganza 2011, my wife and I were particularly pleased when Margarette came by to say hi and reacquaint herself with Amanda and myself. Once again, we found ourselves chatting with Margarette and as you can see, my wife is simply enamored by Margarette's charm.
She even recalled meeting Amanda the year before and complimented her once again. Amanda made a concerned remark about Margartte's hand, which had been bandaged and Margarette called it her 'bum wing."
Such was the kindness of Margarette Pellegrini.
Later that weekend, while attending a premier of a most astonishing display of dresses worn by Judy Garland, which was courtesy of Michael Siewert and was held at the All Things Oz museum in downtown Chittenango, I happened upon Margarette Pellegrini once more. She was admiring some of the old books on display when I took the opportunity to do a little sleight-of-hand magic for her amusement. It was a simple thing but she reacted wonderfully and hugged me warmly.
I will never forget that moment for as long as I live. Once again, she complimented me on my choice of shirts.
At the Sunday closing ceremonies, Margarette again stole the show from John Fricke, who genuinely enjoys being upstaged by his good friend.
The following year, at Oz-Stravaganza! 2012, the Friday evening opening show was stupendous.
It included an appearance by Margarette Pellegrinni (left), as well as Myrna Swensen (middle), Munchkin by marriage and
Caren Marsh-Doll (right), stand-in for Judy Garland from the Wizard of Oz movie.
Margarette
Pellegrinni did something I've never seen before. She left John
Fricke, (our host for the evening and a really nice guy), speechless
when she commented on her pay rate for the movie ($50.00 per week) and
Toto's higher paycheck ($125.00 per week). "Where's Toto now?" she asked
John. After a quizzical look from our host, she replied; "He's pushing
up daisies and I'm still here!!!". It brought the house down and John
Fricke was speechless. What a hoot.
The next day saw the most amazing gathering of Oz I have ever seen appeared before my very eyes... and of course, there's Margarette Pellegrini, beaming with her usual charm and elegance.
In case you're curious, that's Roger Baum (great grandson of L. Frank Baum) upper left, Andrea DeShields (Broadway star of The Wiz, 1976) upper right, Caren Marsh-Doll (Judy Garland stand-in during filming of Wizard of Oz) center, Myrna Swensen (Munchkin-by-marriage) lower left and Margarette Pellegrini (Flowerpot Munchkin) lower right.
Margarette Pellegrini was the most kind, generous and wonderful ambassador of Oz anyone could ever ask for. She accepted her role with grace and charm and felt honored by her role in the 1939 MGM Wizard of Oz movie.
We were honored by her presence in our lives and we will remember her for as long as we walk this earth.
She has now crossed the Shifting Sands and joins her fellow Munchkins in Munchkin City. The Land of Oz has grown more lofty by her arrival.
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Poor Customer Service at Steak 'n Shake!
UPDATE: AUG. 9, 2013
I received an email message from Steak 'n Shake requesting that I contact them at their toll-free number to provide more information about the poor customer service at the Mattoon, Illinois location. Given that I had loads of final exams to grade and such, it wasn't until today that I was able to attend to this matter. I called at 7:08pm and was placed on hold until 7:14pm. It would seem that long wait times are indicative of the customer service one can expect from Steak 'n Shake. The gentleman on the other end, named Al Jamar was polite enough and I have no complaints regarding his end of the transaction, but I am still NOT satisfied with Steak 'n Shakes' customer service. I'm curious what Time will bring to this matter.
__________________________________________________________________________________
AUG. 6, 2013
So, today I found myself at the local Steak 'n Shake in Mattoon, Illinois for lunch. Normally, I go there after classes but today I thought I would get in between final exams, which is always a maddening time.
I arrived at 12:49pm and was promptly seated, then it would seem that I was forgotten as I sat there for 14 minutes awaiting someone to take my order. I gots a thing for the Chili 5-Way and a Chocolate Shake and I figured I had enough time in between exams to enjoy lunch before I had to get back , administer said exam and then spend the rest of the afternoon grading both sets of exams.
Now, it should be noted that there were only 5 occupied tables, including my own, so the place certainly wasn't very busy at all. had there been a full restaurant, I would have gladly understood the wait time and probably would have grabbed a quick bite at McDonald's (not my preferred choice but it will do in a pinch). Such was not the case however.
During my 14 minute wait, I observed another couple enter, be seated by a hostess and then promptly attended to and their order taken. In fact, by the time a hostess finally arrived at my table, the other couple's order was being presented to them.
Needless to say, I was none to happy and running short on time. I requested the manager and explained the situation to him. To his credit, he was polite and courteous, though I neglected to get his name. He offered to take my order, but by then, time was against me and I had to get back to school.
Now I'm about to grade exams on an empty stomach and not satisfied with the customer service at
Steak 'n Shake. I will certainly keep this experience in mind when next I choose a place to dine at during my lunch hour, once classes begin anew later this month.
I did notice on the way out a sign that stated "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and let's just say I was NOT satisfied.
James C. Wallace II
I received an email message from Steak 'n Shake requesting that I contact them at their toll-free number to provide more information about the poor customer service at the Mattoon, Illinois location. Given that I had loads of final exams to grade and such, it wasn't until today that I was able to attend to this matter. I called at 7:08pm and was placed on hold until 7:14pm. It would seem that long wait times are indicative of the customer service one can expect from Steak 'n Shake. The gentleman on the other end, named Al Jamar was polite enough and I have no complaints regarding his end of the transaction, but I am still NOT satisfied with Steak 'n Shakes' customer service. I'm curious what Time will bring to this matter.
__________________________________________________________________________________
AUG. 6, 2013
So, today I found myself at the local Steak 'n Shake in Mattoon, Illinois for lunch. Normally, I go there after classes but today I thought I would get in between final exams, which is always a maddening time.
I arrived at 12:49pm and was promptly seated, then it would seem that I was forgotten as I sat there for 14 minutes awaiting someone to take my order. I gots a thing for the Chili 5-Way and a Chocolate Shake and I figured I had enough time in between exams to enjoy lunch before I had to get back , administer said exam and then spend the rest of the afternoon grading both sets of exams.
Now, it should be noted that there were only 5 occupied tables, including my own, so the place certainly wasn't very busy at all. had there been a full restaurant, I would have gladly understood the wait time and probably would have grabbed a quick bite at McDonald's (not my preferred choice but it will do in a pinch). Such was not the case however.
During my 14 minute wait, I observed another couple enter, be seated by a hostess and then promptly attended to and their order taken. In fact, by the time a hostess finally arrived at my table, the other couple's order was being presented to them.
Needless to say, I was none to happy and running short on time. I requested the manager and explained the situation to him. To his credit, he was polite and courteous, though I neglected to get his name. He offered to take my order, but by then, time was against me and I had to get back to school.
Now I'm about to grade exams on an empty stomach and not satisfied with the customer service at
Steak 'n Shake. I will certainly keep this experience in mind when next I choose a place to dine at during my lunch hour, once classes begin anew later this month.
I did notice on the way out a sign that stated "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and let's just say I was NOT satisfied.
James C. Wallace II
Sunday, July 28, 2013
The Brickyard 400; Part 1... Before the Race!
Today saw me travelling to Indianapolis for my 20th Brickyard 400 NASCAR race. I've been going since the 1st race, 20 years ago and haven't missed a year yet.
I was fortunate enough to recive a free ticket this year, thanks to a good friend, which makes attending much easier for this penny-poor teacher.
As usual, I made it there with plenty of time to walk about and enjoy the surroundings. Of course, I headed for the back nine of the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course, which winds its way both inside and outside the track. Be sure to click on the image for the full panorama and you can see the Turn 3 stands on the right.
I ended up at my usual spot, but I soon discovered that it's only half the fun when there's only one. I did make a fine discovery at the bridge however. If you click on the image to enlarge it, look closely downstream, you'll see a lovely Blue Heron, looking for a fine meal.
Then it was on to the Pagoda and the Yard of Brick, which runs quite a ways into the infield, it seems.
I was fortunate enough to recive a free ticket this year, thanks to a good friend, which makes attending much easier for this penny-poor teacher.
As usual, I made it there with plenty of time to walk about and enjoy the surroundings. Of course, I headed for the back nine of the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course, which winds its way both inside and outside the track. Be sure to click on the image for the full panorama and you can see the Turn 3 stands on the right.
I ended up at my usual spot, but I soon discovered that it's only half the fun when there's only one. I did make a fine discovery at the bridge however. If you click on the image to enlarge it, look closely downstream, you'll see a lovely Blue Heron, looking for a fine meal.
Looks like he don't like company as he took off when I got near him (I think it was a him).
On the way back to the track, I came across 2 horse power that had left Gasoline Alley.
On the way towards the Pagoda and my seats, I passed through the Mile of Merchandise. At least they're promoting recycling.
I gots me a hankering for some Crown Royal!!!
Next time, I'll show you some of the technical stuff behind NASCAR and the fun stuff kids and grownups like, including Corvettes!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Twitter Wars: The Net Strikes Back!
The Empire has grown in power and Luke Skywalker has abandoned his Jedi training to save his friends from the clutches of Darth Vadar. Now, the first battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vadar concludes...
[Vader has just cut off Luke's right hand, which has his lightsaber]
Darth Vader: There is no escape! Don't make me destroy you. Luke, you do not yet realize your importance. You've only begun to discover your power! Join me, and I will complete your training! With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict, and bring order to the galaxy.
Luke Skywalker: [angrily] I'll never join you!
Vader: If only you knew the power of the Twitter. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your Twitter.
Skywalker: He told me enough! He told me you killed it!
Vader: No, I am your Twitter.
Skywalker: [shocked] No. No! That's not true! That's impossible!
Vader: Search your feelings; you know it to be true!
Skywalker: NOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOO!!!
Vader: Luke, you can destroy the Twitter. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny! Join me, and together, we can rule the galaxy as father and son! Come with me. It is the only way.
[Luke lets go of the projection and falls into the shaft]
And thus it was in the early days of the Twitter-verse. I know, for I was there.
In the year 2006, Twitter was born; dark and menacing, lurking in the shadows but for a few months until the Internet Machine caught wind of it and thus, the Dark Side was born.
I joined in the early days, knowing little and doing even less. The ways of the Dark Side were quaint and easy, requiring only opposable thumbs whenever possible. For you see, Twitter was the bastard child of text messaging… but alas, I have never sent a text message. Ever!
My presence was low within the folds of the Dark Side and I learned little of the ways of Twitter, owing to my lack of texting perception. Only Time and the occasional stroll down the Digital Brick Road brought me those who hunger for my Tweets!
My followers are many, though I know them not. They number in the thousands, yet they are but names on a screen, minions of the Twitter who secretly speak out loud in crowded rooms of silence. How can one befriend a faceless name?
… and then there was Oz.
For Oz, the Dark Side was not those for whom their album collection contains a special entry of pink. It was instead, the Kindle and the ways of the screen.
Soon, the old Wizard retired, paving the way for the new Magician of Oz, who embraced the ways of the screen; of swiping fingers and digital bookmarks and endless power cords.
The Twitter still grew in power and influence across the land of Net, infecting all with its Darkness and the lust for the Kindle.
Before long, the Two had become One as Kindle and Twitter embraced; and the Magician of Oz, whose Shadow Demon and Family grew larger and more profitable, watched while the One intertwined among its own kind… Even Pickleless & Blu~
If this seems like an epic tale, told by a fool, full of pomp and fury, signifying absolutely nothing, then I’d be Shakespeare and you’d be reading this on parchment… but you’re not!
I never got Twitter because Twitter never got me. It requires a mindset that harkens upon our youth. It is they for whom Twitter works best. No one cares what I had for dinner and where I am at the moment.
Kindle too, is the way of the modern mind. Endless pages that never dog-ear and grow dimmer or brighter upon demand. And it is Twitter that allows me to sell Magician of Oz to like-minded folks who appreciate a story of Oz in a digital age while I bask in the self denial; that I have not returned to the Dark Side.
As you can tell, I’m not quite right in the head, but I know when to embrace a marketing effort that has proven to sell books, even if the books are nothing but photons and magnetic fields. As it stands now, all my books, be they The Royal Magician of Oz Trilogy or The Ozian Adventure of Pickleless & Blu, in digital format, outsell the product of trees, 10 to 1, thanks to the Dark Side of Twitter… and even FaceBook.
I still won’t ever send a text message… Ever!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
[Vader has just cut off Luke's right hand, which has his lightsaber]
Darth Vader: There is no escape! Don't make me destroy you. Luke, you do not yet realize your importance. You've only begun to discover your power! Join me, and I will complete your training! With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict, and bring order to the galaxy.
Luke Skywalker: [angrily] I'll never join you!
Vader: If only you knew the power of the Twitter. Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your Twitter.
Skywalker: He told me enough! He told me you killed it!
Vader: No, I am your Twitter.
Skywalker: [shocked] No. No! That's not true! That's impossible!
Vader: Search your feelings; you know it to be true!
Skywalker: NOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOO!!!
Vader: Luke, you can destroy the Twitter. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny! Join me, and together, we can rule the galaxy as father and son! Come with me. It is the only way.
[Luke lets go of the projection and falls into the shaft]
And thus it was in the early days of the Twitter-verse. I know, for I was there.
In the year 2006, Twitter was born; dark and menacing, lurking in the shadows but for a few months until the Internet Machine caught wind of it and thus, the Dark Side was born.
I joined in the early days, knowing little and doing even less. The ways of the Dark Side were quaint and easy, requiring only opposable thumbs whenever possible. For you see, Twitter was the bastard child of text messaging… but alas, I have never sent a text message. Ever!
My presence was low within the folds of the Dark Side and I learned little of the ways of Twitter, owing to my lack of texting perception. Only Time and the occasional stroll down the Digital Brick Road brought me those who hunger for my Tweets!
My followers are many, though I know them not. They number in the thousands, yet they are but names on a screen, minions of the Twitter who secretly speak out loud in crowded rooms of silence. How can one befriend a faceless name?
… and then there was Oz.
Soon, the old Wizard retired, paving the way for the new Magician of Oz, who embraced the ways of the screen; of swiping fingers and digital bookmarks and endless power cords.
The Twitter still grew in power and influence across the land of Net, infecting all with its Darkness and the lust for the Kindle.
Before long, the Two had become One as Kindle and Twitter embraced; and the Magician of Oz, whose Shadow Demon and Family grew larger and more profitable, watched while the One intertwined among its own kind… Even Pickleless & Blu~
If this seems like an epic tale, told by a fool, full of pomp and fury, signifying absolutely nothing, then I’d be Shakespeare and you’d be reading this on parchment… but you’re not!
I never got Twitter because Twitter never got me. It requires a mindset that harkens upon our youth. It is they for whom Twitter works best. No one cares what I had for dinner and where I am at the moment.
Kindle too, is the way of the modern mind. Endless pages that never dog-ear and grow dimmer or brighter upon demand. And it is Twitter that allows me to sell Magician of Oz to like-minded folks who appreciate a story of Oz in a digital age while I bask in the self denial; that I have not returned to the Dark Side.
As you can tell, I’m not quite right in the head, but I know when to embrace a marketing effort that has proven to sell books, even if the books are nothing but photons and magnetic fields. As it stands now, all my books, be they The Royal Magician of Oz Trilogy or The Ozian Adventure of Pickleless & Blu, in digital format, outsell the product of trees, 10 to 1, thanks to the Dark Side of Twitter… and even FaceBook.
I still won’t ever send a text message… Ever!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The Indy 500 !!! What A Race~ Part III
Finaly, we find ourselves wrapping up my journey to the Indy 500 this year and as you may recall from my last posting, we had just left the Hall of Fame Museum within the grounds of the IMS track.
One of the nice things about the hours leading up to the race is the Fan Zone, which has loads of stuff, swag and Corvettes!!!
Them's some purty cars...
We also did the usual stuff, including the virtual racing games in the Chevy tent. I won this year!!!!!
Naturally, there's always at least one Indy car people get their pictures taken next to it. We were no exception.
I also found the little bastard that wouldn't let me ride him an hour or so before! I showed him who was 'da man!!!!
Of course, wearing an Amercian Flag outfit, which I've done now for over 20 years, everyone wants a picture with me, be it a really tall Uncle Sam or various other fans of this great country!!!
God Bless America!!!
One of the most unique things that happened this year was an episode of Serendipidy when Brion and I ran into his brother, Derek. 300,000 people and we run into his brother. What a hoot!!!
Finally, we get to our seats just in time for the opening ceremonies, including a wonderful flyby by a B-17 Bomber and some P-51 Fighters, all from World War 2.
Then, the fun really begins with the Parade Laps leading up to the start of the Indy 500. As you can see, we had really good seats.
Here's the I-Phone video I took of the start of the race, just to give you a feel for just how exciting and intense it truly is!
What a start!!! This was the most contested race we've ever seen. The weather was perfect and the Indy Brats were even better this year!!!
Next year, we hope to be in Turn 4, a place we've never seen the race from before. Till then, race on!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
The Indy 500 !!! What A Race~ Part II
So, when last we left our heroes, they were headed for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum several hours before the race.
Now, if you've never visited the Hall of Fame Museum located on the inside of Turn Two of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, better known as the Indy 500 track, do yourself a favor and go! At $5.00, it's a bargin and we had time to kill and neither of us had ever been in it during any of our previous sojourns to the track prior to the race.
The museum is filled with all things Indy 500, and a bit more. Here we see the first winning car from the first Indy 500, driven by Ray Harroun (with a relief driver named Cyrus Patschke); it's a Marmon Wasp.
They even had a display of old motorcycles, which makes sense now that they have motorcycle races at the track.
Finally, we made our way out after about an hour and headed for the pagoda, but was stopped short by crowds and the scene of our 2nd incident of madness last year.
We thought better of it and turned back to find our seats. Why tempt the racing gods this year?
When next I blog, I'll talk about the run-up to the race and the race itself. it was a magnificant day all around!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Now, if you've never visited the Hall of Fame Museum located on the inside of Turn Two of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, better known as the Indy 500 track, do yourself a favor and go! At $5.00, it's a bargin and we had time to kill and neither of us had ever been in it during any of our previous sojourns to the track prior to the race.
The museum is filled with all things Indy 500, and a bit more. Here we see the first winning car from the first Indy 500, driven by Ray Harroun (with a relief driver named Cyrus Patschke); it's a Marmon Wasp.
I love the rear view mirror on this beast!
There were rows upon rows of cars, all of whom were Indy 500 winners.
Man, there sure were a lot of cars! Of particular interest for me was some of the most beautiful grill-work on the front of these vehicles.
Of course, there were some other cars, including my personal favorite, the 1957 "SS" Corvette!
And I don't believe this car ran on the track, but it did go really fast on the Bonneville Salt Flats!
They even had a display of old motorcycles, which makes sense now that they have motorcycle races at the track.
And of course, NASCAR shows up as well.
We thought better of it and turned back to find our seats. Why tempt the racing gods this year?
When next I blog, I'll talk about the run-up to the race and the race itself. it was a magnificant day all around!!!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Monday, May 27, 2013
The Indy 500 !!! What A Race~ Part I
So yesterday was my annual trek to the Indianapolis 500 and has been since 1988. It used to be my father that I would go with, but alas, he joined Houdini across The Shifting Sands in 1992. Greg Putman took over that role for a few years, then Brion came along. For us now, it's a 13-year tradition that ranks pretty darn high on our list of best 500's. Year 1 really set the bar high as our best ever, but this year's was nearly as good.
As always, we meet at Steak-and-Shake in Plainsfield and head to the track. This year, we met at 7:30am (uugghh!! I am not a morning person) and through our usual good planning and luck, we were parked and walking to the track by 8:05am.
After the usual routine of entry, which was thorough and speedy, we made it back to the Back Nine; part of the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course; where we caught up on the previous year's madness.
Cops notwithstanding, we soon discovered easy access to the track,
but I behaved myself. Besides, this was pre-race and it was closed and locked when we returned after the 2nd yellow.
The scene of our madness from last year was also exposed,
just like last year when we had some fun. You can just make out my American Flag outfit to Brion's left.
This was a restart and below is the result. Amazing video!!!
Never been closer! The concusion wave from those cars is impossible to simulate. This year, the spot was manned by a yellow-shirt, which we appreciated.
We spent some time in the Fan-Zone, where I ran into some snail from a new movie called "Turbo." Little bastard wouldn't let me ride him!
James C. Wallace II
As always, we meet at Steak-and-Shake in Plainsfield and head to the track. This year, we met at 7:30am (uugghh!! I am not a morning person) and through our usual good planning and luck, we were parked and walking to the track by 8:05am.
After the usual routine of entry, which was thorough and speedy, we made it back to the Back Nine; part of the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course; where we caught up on the previous year's madness.
You wouldn't think just a 5 minute casual walk from here, cars will be zipping by at over 230 miles-per-hour. I found a golf ball here this year and brought it home. I'll try it out next time I play.
Getting there early was crucial, as we saw long lines once we made it to the outside of Turn Two. There were greater police presence this year than we could ever recall. As you can see, the Stye was full. Last year, we remembered only 1 car present.
Cops notwithstanding, we soon discovered easy access to the track,
The scene of our madness from last year was also exposed,
just like last year when we had some fun. You can just make out my American Flag outfit to Brion's left.
This was a restart and below is the result. Amazing video!!!
Never been closer! The concusion wave from those cars is impossible to simulate. This year, the spot was manned by a yellow-shirt, which we appreciated.
We spent some time in the Fan-Zone, where I ran into some snail from a new movie called "Turbo." Little bastard wouldn't let me ride him!
When next I blog, perhaps tomorrow, I'll take you into the Indy 500 museum inside the Indianapolis Raceway in Part II. A fun place for all lovers of cars and things that go Vroom!
James C. Wallace II
Royal Liaison of Oz
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Emerald Slippers of Oz has reached a milestone!
Over the last few months, my wife Amanda and I have been deeply engrossed in the completion of our first novel as co-authors.
It is titled: The Emerald Slippers of Oz and was originally an idea of my wife, who had expressed an interest in writing.
When we first met 30 years ago, she dabbled in poetry and I had always encouraged her to write more and express herself.
30 years later, she finally took my advice and came up with a wonderful idea for a very nice storyline. Why did it take her 30 years? Well, there's 5 kids to raise, 14 grandkids and dealing with my idiosyncracies.
Finally, we have completed the writing and I now throw myself into the editing, proof-reading and formatting needed to make this book a reality.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting loads of info on aspects of the process and decisions taken to make this book uniquely ours.
Look for an official release on the Summer Solstice!
Per Ardua Ad Alta!
James C. Wallace I
Royal Liaison of Oz
It is titled: The Emerald Slippers of Oz and was originally an idea of my wife, who had expressed an interest in writing.
When we first met 30 years ago, she dabbled in poetry and I had always encouraged her to write more and express herself.
30 years later, she finally took my advice and came up with a wonderful idea for a very nice storyline. Why did it take her 30 years? Well, there's 5 kids to raise, 14 grandkids and dealing with my idiosyncracies.
Finally, we have completed the writing and I now throw myself into the editing, proof-reading and formatting needed to make this book a reality.
Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting loads of info on aspects of the process and decisions taken to make this book uniquely ours.
Look for an official release on the Summer Solstice!
Per Ardua Ad Alta!
James C. Wallace I
Royal Liaison of Oz
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