The "Postal activities" Edition :: Issue #231, Rusty's Electric Dreams

“The cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing.”

An inbox zine for positive deviants and the people who love them
Issue #231 :: The “Postal activities” Edition :: 08:14:2019

Postal activities

Howdy to all the new readers who learned about me through the Archie McPhee podcast! I’m thrilled you found your way to my inbox zine. And thank you to everyone who wrote me personally to say hello.

It was my first time as a guest on a podcast, any podcast, and the episode was released shortly after last week’s issue was published. So, if you haven’t yet heard it yet, I think you’re in for a pleasant surprise. In it, I talk about some of my favorite things: Fluff (and how my superfandom with it began), Fairyland (and its future postal activities), and blogging (and how it relates to thrifting). I was actually able to listen to it without cringing at the sound of my own voice (though I absolutely say one word way too many times).

A big thanks to my podcast pals Heff, Shana, and David. Here we are post-podcast at Archie McPhee’s HQ:

— Rusty Blazenhoff

P.S. Special thanks to my financial supporters, new and ongoing!

As seen on the Internets

It’s called a “beeza”: To raise awareness about the importance of bees, Papa John’s made them miniature pollen and flower pizzas.

—-

:: Disney and Khan Academy offers Imagineering in a Box, a free video series!
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/08/11/glendale-comes-to-you.html

:: “Not your average escape room”: The Privilege of Escape
:: http://creativetime.org/the-privilege-of-escape
:: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/arts/design/escape-room-creative-time.html

:: “King of the Hill” as anime
:: https://boingboing.net/2019/08/02/propane-genesis-evangelion.html

:: Forty years of “Fresh Air”
:: https://freshairarchive.org

:: Make candy corn at home
:: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/candy-corn-recipe

:: Oldie but a goodie: In China, Pizza Hut killed salad bars because people were making giant “salad towers” via
:: https://kotaku.com/how-chinese-ingenuity-destroyed-salad-bars-at-pizza-hut-834835079

:: Silly hats for cats made from their own fur
:: https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2019/08/cat-hats

:: “Penn Jillette Performed a Séance at a Steven Spielberg Party”
:: https://www.wired.com/story/penn-jillette-spielberg-seance

:: Hack your dreams with an ancient (and completely legal) Mexican herb
:: https://mashable.com/feature/liminal-dreams-hacking-jennifer-dumpert

Real things you can actually buy: yay!

Now open for business: When was the last time your cat looked really good — like, Instagram good? Blazenhoff’s Wigs for Cats pop-up boutique is here for a short time. Our team of experts will determine the perfect wig for your feline fur-friend! Don’t believe me? Take a look for yourself. (Don’t have a cat? Sorry to hear that! Well, don’t sweat it. We’ve got you(r jar of Fluff) covered too!)

Real thing I actually made: yay!

Revisiting puzzle mashups: You might recall the biggest blog post I’ve ever written in my entire career was about Tim Klein’s most-excellent puzzle mashups — it went mega-viral!

Well, I had the pleasure of meeting Tim in person on my recent trip! Not only did he drive his Yarn Car (a 1967 Imperial tastefully decorated with five miles of yarn) but he brought several magazines to show me. The magazines were from around the world and they all featured his puzzle mashups. Even Oprah got in on the fun!

As Tim and I were talking, I was reminded that I made one (and never shared it!). It’s called, “Land of the Free Breakfast.” Thanks for the inspiration, Tim!

Featured Events

[SAN FRANCISCO :: 9/5-9/14] The 28th annual San Francisco Fringe Festival is full of surprises! It all happens at the EXIT Theatre.
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Hayward, CA

[8/18] Bell Plastics Annual Public Open House, 10 AM to 5 PM, Free, All ages

New York City
See what RED pal Oriana Leckert has picked as the must-go-to events in the Big Apple!

Oakland, CA
[All summer] Oakland Heritage Alliance has some swell walking tours lined up, $15 each/non-members

[THIS FRIDAY 8/16] It’s rare, but Children’s Fairyland sometimes opens its fairy gates to adults who want to attend without kids. Your next opportunity is August 16 from 7 PM to 10 PM for #Fairyland4Grownups. Tickets are SOLD OUT.

[8/24] SIGNMAN: John Law, a retrospective of John Law’s work at Pro Arts Gallery, Closing reception, 8 PM to 10 PM

[9/27] Drawn Together, an after-hours live-art event for grownups at Children’s Fairyland, 6 PM to 9 PM (tickets not yet available)

[10/12-2/16] The Smithsonian’s No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man exhibit is coming to Oakland Museum of California. Volunteer opportunities are available.

[10/17-10/19] Autumn Lights Festival at Lake Merritt Gardens

[11/8] No Spectators opening party at the Oakland Museum, 5 PM to 9 PM

Portland, OR
[8/24] Star Wars Minute and the Movie by Minutes podcasting community are gathering for a day of live podcasting, games, and socializing at The Clinton Street Theater, 12 PM to 6 PM, Tickets

[Until 10/30] Portland’s “Duchess of Felt” LeBrie Rich has a new show called Sugar Spin at COLAB Architecture + Urban Design. It features 15 of her new (needle-felted and stitched) candy package sculptures (the Whitman’s Sampler looks good enough to eat!).

[9/17] LeBrie’s Artist’s Talk

San Francisco, CA
[Until 10/31] Christian Cagigal’s legendary San Francisco Ghost Hunt is back. I went on this walking tour last year and learned all kinds of weird San Francisco history. Do recommend!

[8/15] Speechless Live: The Speechless Experiment at Public Works SF, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM, Tickets

[8/17] Stochastic Labs presents Reclaiming the Future, 12 PM to 6 PM at Cowell Theater, Fort Mason, Tickets $20

[Dates between now and 9/21] Artist Kasey Smith keeps a map of all the ghost signs in San Francisco. You know, the old handprinted advertising signs on the side of buildings that were just never painted over. And now she’s hosting Tenderloin Ghost Sign Walking Tours until September 21. Not to be missed! Tickets are $15.

[9/17] The EPS (“Erstwhile Philatelic Society”) will be giving a talk at the Adventure Design Group, 7 PM to 9 PM, Free

San Jose, CA
[Now] “Surreal Sublime” at San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art

Walnut Creek, CA
[Until 9/15] Blow Up II: Inflatable Contemporary Art at Bedford Gallery

USA and Canada

[various dates] Immersive listings

Know about a cool happening? Send me the info and I’ll share it with the class!

:: Banksy (apparently said this) ::

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a (mostly) weekly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff for positive deviants and the people who love them.

Described as, “One of the most inspiring, weird and off-kilter collections of curated kitschy ephemera for the big-brained.” People like it.

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Publisher and Editor-in-Chief: Rusty Blazenhoff

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