Subject:
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NASA-Houston Meeting (TEXLUG Meet #4) Wrap-Up (et al)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.org.us.texlug
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Date:
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Tue, 1 Apr 2003 05:48:53 GMT
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Viewed:
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3852 times
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(Page 1)
Hiya Group.
Just wanted to get this posted before I forgot all the details of the
weekend and also, as you all know, I can only engage in real self-worship
and my past-time of grandstanding by seeing my words displayed in splendor
on the INTERNET. ;-> Gawrsh, folks...
It was nice seeing the old faces and meeting those with new ones (hey that
did't come out right...). What I meant was it was a pleasure to see your
faces when I walked in (no, that's not it either...). Er...it was a genuine
privelege to say hello to the meat of your faces...I mean...er, you know
what I mean.
Incidentally, a more serious message from Mark: He enjoyed meeting all of
you and had a really, really good time. He was a little nervous at first
because he has to lug that bottle of 02 everywhere, it makes him
self-conscious, and subsequently he does not get out much (and I do mean not
much at all). I owe a debt of gratitude to each and everyone of you for
making Mark feel so welcome. That says something about the character of this
group as well as the integrity of each of its members. Truly, you folks are
awesome.
======================================
As for my sorry-a$$ed self,
Lessons Learned from this Trip:
1) ALWAYS, WITHOUT FAIL, check the TEXLUG websites (TJ's and this one) every
single day and night starting about a week before the event. It's amazing
the level of ignorance I found myself in upon arrival in planet Hoo-stun
(er, south thereof).
2) NEVER, EVER, let a desk clerk on duty in the lobby of a hotel or motel in
or near a major US metropolitan area feed you BS about how they can't accept
a credit card unless it's the one you registered with, and on that note:
a) WHATEVER HAPPENS, do not surrender 95% of your cash in payment of
said motel services in desperation; find another motel or sell 'em a
sob story. But keep the cash!!!
b) And insist upon speaking to someone whose English vocabulary is not
limited to 27 words. Rots o' Ruck!
3) ALWAYS register for your motel with the credit card you intend to pay the
bill with (yeah, I know...DUH! But you have to understand my roller-coaster
financial history and the bad luck that seems to work hand-in-hand with it...)
4) ALWAYS save for the event by calculating how much cash you THINK you'll
need, and multiply that amount by 2.5; this is the amount you will actually
need...minimum! (again...DUH! But I had just started a new job that entailed
a 60% paycut from my previous job of 22 months hence...)
5) NEVER AGAIN transport a MOC that you are not willing to unload/load twice
in one weekend (or more)...no matter how much durned LEGO you got! (in case
anyone is wondering, this one, well in fact all of these, but this one in
PARTICULAR, is directed solely at me, no one else. I was elated to see
everyone's LEGO and accompanying gear, so no bashing on my part here).
I shoulda' followed Mark's example...
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(Page 3)
I wonder if I'll ever remember to pick up the roll of film from HEB that I
dropped off last week...I didn't even shoot all the exposures in the roll.
Tom, son, damned sorry we missed ya but I hope the back is better. I know
Mark would have enjoyed meeting you.
I was glad to meet the "new" folks...Chris S.(our host), Laura...er..."II",
Tanya (of TJ fame and co-builder! Wow!), Sinjin, and Chris M. And it was
nice seeing some of ya "quiet" folks, too: Shawn "Cool Dude" Gibson,
Christina (co-builder of Anthony "Hamburger Connection" Sava) and award for
"Most Quiet", and Steve "Serious Crane" Arnold. As for you regular bums: TJ,
Laura H, and Anthony, when are you folks gonna get a hobby and stop
following me around every place I go, huh? :-o
Oh yeah, and just in case you hadn't noticed...TOOKIE'S WAS FRIGGIN'
AWESOME!! A capital idea, Anthony, me old dragon-man, simply capital.
======================================
Hey, it was great winning the first door prize for this event, and I have
attempted to make use of the parts in that NBA set. I tried to make a
Pachinko machine at first (kind of a Japanese upright pinball game) and
using the three basketballs as the Pachinko balls. But I couldn't get the
launcher to work, and eventually I scrapped the project (about four nights
ago). Back to the drawing board.
Currently, I am heavily engaged in the alternate project, this time a
pinball machine, something I have made successfully in the past. I haven't
built one in about three years, and this one has some new additions I am
trying for the first time:
- Side-button-activated flippers; a first for me because you had to
manually "flip" the flippers yourself with my old pinball machines by
actually grabbing the things and rotating them yourself...pretty lame. These
are based on the resistance offered by good old-fashioned thick rubber bands
and little Technic assistance. Prototype built...awaiting adaptation to the
real deal.
- Automatic ball return; not sure where to install this on the machine,
but basically it is simply a Technic tread operated by the LEGO 1.5V
motor...the ball lands on one side and is delivered to where I need it to
go...!Viola! Whoops, better make that 'Presto'. Prototype built...also
awaiting full model adaptation.
- Launcher. Not built. I always have trouble with these buggers.
Getting snagged inside the launch tube or ending up too heavy to propel the
ball and all that rot. I am currently contemplating something involving
Technic pins and more rubber bands, but will it be powerful enough to send
that ball uphill to the top? More on this later...
Three non-LEGO elements I am using in this project are of course the rubber
bands, a 1/2-inch "Steelie" ball, and a 1/8" thick sheet of plexiglass for
the cover. The ball I have used before, the rubber bands and plexiglass
cover are firsts for this attempt.
I can't use the LEGO basketballs due to their small size in relation to the
machine I am trying to build, and also, they just don't have the weight that
a good "steelie" has.
======================================
In closing:
Right then, we will aim for a Pirate/Castle/Medieval/Cathederal theme
thingie for Meeting #5, an event for which we should send Tom Reed a
JUDICIAL SUMMONS: "Mr Reed: You are hereby notified to report to (location
disclosed later)...yada yada...and do not be late. Sincerely, your deranged
friends at TEXLUG"
Pat Hough...out
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