The Continuing Adventures of Jud

I just got back from a spur of the moment run to the theater- saw Sleven, with Bruce Willis and a whole bunch of other big names, though the actual lead was by a nobody. Rather low key but quite satisfying. And a few really "in your face moments", but mostly a literary piece. And a love story! As for happy ending… See it (without kids!!!) I would recommend it- say 3 out of four “J’s”)

Other than that, am working on Me & Tange revisions- just redid the chapter on the Homosassa Srpings State Wildlife Park and made great improvements! Changed many of the pictures and am very happy! I had to re-do that chapter cause just after I went to press the local carving club, Nature Coast Wood Carvers, which did the "quilt" that is featured, added 12 more squares to it! So I did a re-shoot and am printing larger versions of each square this time, thus adding three pages- had to add a fouth for layout purposes so used that opportunity to use larger versions of two of my best shots. I also added a note dedicating the section to MJ, my friend from Boston, which is in fact why that chapter was put there in the first place. I didn't find out about the carvings there until later!

Of course, this, being an early chapter, means I have to re number and re PDF every page thereafter to change the page numbers! A few more chapters are being revised significantly too, with major additional material on one of the artists, and maybe a few more pieces added to . Even going to have a couple of pages on Margaritaville!

Lot of work, but I love it- when you finally get the page design (mostly picture book) just right, not only for the page you are working, but for the two pages facing, and even the flow to the next, it is so great!

One other note: Apollo in Black and White, my major piece on the Apollo 11 moon landing is now in a museum- sorta! Check out "My Little Space Museum"!

And I want to put out a thanks! to the Citrus County Chroncle for the link! It is one of the few major newspapers I have seen that tends to lean toward the positive! Nice job!

Hi! A friend just sent me a postcard (raving about my book, hehehee...) and said she was glad she finally found someone sutiable for this particular postcard.

Indeed!

The piece is titled Still Life, by Aubert-Henri-Joseph Parent (1753-1789) in Limewood; incised under the base are the words "Aubert Parent Fecit an. 1789"; Height is 2' 3 1/8"; W: 1' 6 7/8". It is from the J Paul Getty Museum in Malibu, CA.

While you are out and about browsing, check this site out too! Funky!!!!!

-Jud

Her name is HEATHER JANSCH and her website is

Way back in the 70's, I had a Kodak "Pocket 40" instamatic 110 film size camera. I loved that camera. Being so small, fairly unique at the time, people didn't even know when I was shooting, and it also allowed me to keep it with me at all times, unobtrusively- had it on a belt pouch, could get it out almost instantly, and it enabled me to get all those wonderful candid shots I love!

Digital cameras are great! Especailly being able to take one shot and look at it, rather than having to fill a roll of film- comes in handy when trying to shoot progress shots of a woodcarving or other project. But, that shutter delay is a killer!

-Jud

Photos of AFV Taping up at

Suwanee River Woodcarvers Round up photos at

Both reports below.

Enjoy!

Spent two days in Orlando, initiated with being selected as an extra for the filming of America's Funniest Home Videos at the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday!

In brief... arrived at WDW a couple hours early, headed over to Wilderness Lodge to hang out, then to parking lot “Dopey” at the appointed hour of 6. There were a couple of hundred already lined up randomly along the fence at the front of the lot... Many of the people there are regulars as extras in the Orlando area (I too am now on the list) and others are serious about using this to get noticed for future acting gigs. Others just go for the free ticket for a future visit to whatever park is filming (another guy had just done Universal). After about 15 minutes, the production crew set up the check in tables and started checking our names against the list and giving out red wristbands that went anywhere except the wrist, and passing us through to the next waiting area. Then we were escorted in groups of 100 over to the monorail; at Magic Kingdom, we waited to go through the turnstile, then were led through a backstage area and out again at the

restaurant just to the side of the entrance to Tomorrow Land, where a production person informed us that filming wouldn't start till 10 (it was now about 7) and we should go have fun then return after the fireworks. I did: Splash Mountain, twice; Big Thunder Mountain twice; Buzz, (made “Space Ace”); Stitch, which has had some modifications and is even better- remember I am one of the ones who likes it! In fact, now, I think it is actually really good! Space was closed, as was Pirates, so did the people mover, and, as I rode, the fireworks started. Learned a new trick about shooting fireworks. Then back to restaurant, and then, after the regular guests left, we were all led out to Main Street. While most of us were playing earlier, apparently production returned to the meet spot and grabbed those hanging around for the actual studio audience as opposed to general public filling Main Street. So we filmed various takes and sequences and audience reactions, all completely independent of each other or anything that actually happened- going to be interesting to see what comes of it on THE AIRDATE OF MAY 19th. The show is actually a “best of all time award” show, and the winner was actually taped first. No, I can't tell! I think this was so the finalists could leave instead of hanging around till 2:30! At the announcement of the winner, they set off a separate fireworks show over the castle- real nice! In my first location on Main Street, I could see a monitor and there was one scene, if it stands, where you may see a white dot waving back and forth over Tom Bergeron’s right (viewers left) shoulder: that is I. Other than that, I suspect I will just be one of the specs that make up a crowd scene: no close-ups that I know of. But my location at all times will be over his right shoulder and on Main street, each time a bit further back, most near the far end of the crowd.

There was a whole thing with AFV T-shirts, fodder to appease and control the crowd on Main Street, and the birth of the legend of “the girl in the green shirt”!

During the taping, the director kept needing to do it again as there were “holes” in the street over Tom’s shoulder. That was us- the crowd on Main Street. We were told to move back. Again and again this happened. Eventually, the announcer spotted “the lady in the green T-shirt” who was way in back and after that, he simply directed her to move back and the rest of us to fill in. Over the time this went on, this must have been repeated- both with and without takes in between- ten or more times, so it became a standard line, “the lady in the green T-shirt”. Later the announcer with remote microphone came out to her and awarded her a much-coveted AFV T-shirt. Later as he returned randomly handing out the last of them, I called out that I had actually been the first person in back (had gone back to have a ciggie) and he gave me one.

At the end, Tom Bergeron stayed for photos and autographs and there was a line of about 300 as I passed to the exit. Amazing! As we made our way out, we were each handed a ticket to any WDW park: one day/one park- no park hopping. The transport back to the lot was handled by Mears cause apparently there were union issues with keeping the monorail or Disney Busses running, 5 buses carrying 50 people at a time... didn’t take too long, but it was 4am before I was laying down in the back of my van in a parking lot in Kissimmee. Ready to go by noon and headed up to Sea World as the TV ads had announced the new Shamu show was on, but it wasn't, still just abbreviated training shows, still fun. Mostly just hung out, but did do Atlantis which just underwent rehab and was better and fun, though way underdone- needs more. And Artic, which is a good time, and of course spent some time with "my" penguins- was there when the window washer came out and had to keep batting loving penguins out of her way! LOL!

Last Wednesday I loaded the van with the usual accoutrements for an overnight stay and added to that my woodcarving seat and tools and headed up to Manatee Springs State Park about an hour north of me for the 2nd annual Suwannee River Wood Carvers Round Up.


For those of you who have no idea what that is, it is not an attempt to lock all the woodcarvers away, but rather to let them all out. Time to get out of the shop and gather together with other woodcarvers, even from across the pond, and carve, take some day courses with noted names in the carving world, socialize with like minded fellows, and enjoy the great outdoors.

I arrived about 2, saw Lucille at the sign in booth, then spotted old friends Sandie and Ol Don, then the organizer of the event, Jim O’Dea welcomed me and told me where to set up. I then borrowed a cart volunteered by carver Pam and set up my canopy and display, drove my van to the adjoining camp site, parked it, walked back to show area, and did a tour of the area and started with the photos. Met co-organizer Tony Erickson, and he told me to grab an instructor’s hat, so I decided I would teach non-powered sharpening on an on-demand basis. This also obligated me to produce a segment for the cane that was being put together with carvings from each instructor to be raffled off to cover costs of putting on the event.

A few minutes with Tony also revealed that he was teaching much more than just how to carve his incredible bark houses - and we quickly passed into a brief discussion on art. I was thrilled with a couple of his pieces and he snuck up behind me while I was looking at one and presented a very tall cane he had done for my inspection. It was incredible! A museum piece! The entire surface was carved in perfectly executed sharp cuts creating a climbing collection of fantasy dwellings from the bottom to the very tip of the top. The sharpness of the cuts, and the clarity of design and flow just awed me and I spent the next several minutes trying to get a good shot of it.

As I moved on from there, I started thinking about what to do for my cane segment. That night, the evening “spit n’ whittle” was sparsely attended and quickly over due to the coolness and many mosquitoes.

Thursday, I got up, showered, and headed right over to the area and picked out a spot at Pete’s table where he was just arriving and getting set up. I slapped my five dollars down on the table in front of him and said, “I’m in!” I chose the Tudor rose for project and bought a blank of most excellent basswood, screwed it to my Power Arm vice, and prepared to carve. I had little interest in the project itself, but great interest in learning the techniques used by a master carver to create such things. The apparent shape of a subject is not always the way the cuts are made, and by the end of the day, I learned those secret cuts for this one. I was happy. Pete spent the day jumping from person to person across two tents full of students, each crying out for his attention. His skill was unquestionable, and his teaching superb, but the overall structure was somewhat chaotic. Still, by the end of the day, I knew I had advanced in my carving skills, exactly what I had wanted to achieve. I did take a break during the day to stroll out on the boardwalk that ran through the wet lands along the side of the “river run” that ran the short distance from the manatee springs right at the campground out to the main river, the Suwannee- as in the Suwannee river. That night we attended a special performance of the head park ranger, performing on the side as the “Suwannee Cracker” at the park amphitheater. He entertained us for about an hour with his music and tales, including to my delight, explaining the derivation of the term cracker, and how it was that Kissimmee was historically a cattle town. Some of us then hit “Sandie’s Café” for a bit of TV before bed. Survivor.

Instead of bed, I headed over to the enclosed area of our display that had electric lighting to get a start on my cane segment and carved until 11, finishing the basic overall shape and went to bed in the van with a feeling of relief at my progress. I decided I would take the next day off to finish the segment knowing that my speed of production would need the whole day to insure completion for the Saturday deadline.

Friday, I did indeed spend the day whittling on my segment while sitting under my canopy and occasionally gave a quick sharpening lesson to some interested carver. By quitting time, I was well along, but as usual, had a lot of tiny detail cuts to make, mostly utilitarian and boring and time consuming. Also during the day, I found out that the Round up was far short of raising the amount of money needed to cover expenses and thus in danger of not returning the next year, so I jumped in and offered my services as “barker” for raffle ticket sales. Over a couple of hours, I probably managed to alienate any future relationships with the attendees, but did move ticket sales to a higher level. That night was the big pot luck dinner, and as the main course was a stew to which a packet pf unknown seasoning had been added, I couldn’t risk possible gluten poisoning, so drove out of the park to get something at Taco Bell. I returned with it and joined the group.

Saturday I continued work on my segment desperately cutting out little bits and finally finishing and then asking Jim about his washing technique. He supplied a bottle of blue Dawn, and I put a quarter size glob in my hands, wet the block briefly under the faucet, and washed it between my hands. Then scrubbed it all over with a toothbrush and voila! Clean! Pencil marks and all hand oils and dirt- pure white, and as Jim had said, so pretty now I wouldn’t want to give it up! But that didn’t stop him from grabbing it and sticking it on the cane. Lucille joined me about 11 and we made another round for ticket sales, and then a short time later, about noon, called the crowd to attention and with as much drama as we could muster, drew the winning ticket. Unfortunately, the name called was not present, but a call to the number on the ticket turned out to be his cell phone and he had just left and said he would be right back to claim his prize. The presentation was made about an hour later. Meanwhile, several other tickets were drawn for consolation prizes of T-shirts and a ball cap.

At 3 that afternoon, Jim called folks together for the Carvin Jack contest and had to draw lots to cull the sign ups down to the limit of 8 contestants. Two hours later, time was called, and the judges spent a few minutes making their decision. Given the short time of two hours there were no masterpieces created, and in fact, only one piece was actually finished, but it was a fun time for all and the winner was quite happy with his prize of the Carvin Jack, a special knife with several blades more along the lines of shaped gouges than the traditional flat blades of the carving knife.

Dinner that night was hot dogs, and after dinner, I was called upon to auction off an extra cane segment that had come in after the cane had been done and gone. It was a beauty but I knew we would need more than one item to get an auction warmed up, so Jim put together a bag of carving blocks, and another vendor gave a beautifully decorated gourd. The auction went well, and when the bidding on the block started to slow, suddenly four more bidders jumped in and away we went again. After the auction, Sandie set up a blanket trade, where anyone who had anything they wanted to trade put it on the blanket and others would put some item they were offering for it on the edge of the blanket. The original person would then select what he wanted or take his item back. This went around a few times until all was done and provided some laughs and a few items now moving to somewhere where they were more wanted. I offered a CD of all my photos of the event and it went well, covering my gas home.

Sunday, I again set up my display and then set up my carving seat at Pete’s station and took another day with him, this time working on a classic acanthus leaf motif. I didn’t get anywhere near to completion, and by noon was pretty much wiped out after all the activities and the poor sleep over the previous four nights, but I once again managed to learn some significant lessons,

-Jud