The "Lobster" Edition :: Issue #045 | Rusty's Electric Dreams

Rusty’s Electric Dreams :: Issue #045 :: The “Lobster” Edition :: 08:12:2015

Rusty’s Electric Dreams, an inbox zine by pop culture activist Rusty Blazenhoff
Issue #045 :: The “Lobster” Edition :: 08:12:2015

Lobsters…

This week I am traveling with SJ to Cape Cod, so I thought it was the right time to do a “lobster” issue. If anyone wants to see us while we’re visiting…send me a note: rusty@blazenhoff.com

— Rusty Blazenhoff

p.s. It wasn’t a rock! It was a ROCK LOBSTER!

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

“Mighty on Product Hunt

[Have something nice to say? Say it and I’ll include it on my Press page.]

Clown trash can :: photo by Rusty Blazenhoff

This space
intentionally left red

As seen on the Internets

A human hamster wheel made of 36 iMac boxes!

The sad story of Grady Stiles, aka “Lobster Boy,” is not for the faint of heart.

:: Unicorn Squirrel Feeder
:: http://mcphee.com/shop/unicorn-squirrel-feeder.html

:: Awesome people hanging out together
:: http://awesomepeoplehangingouttogether.tumblr.com/

:: “Could an Old-School Tube Amp Make the Music You Love Sound Better?”
:: http://www.collectorsweekly.com/could-an-old-school-tube-amp

:: The Big Bad Book of Bill Murray (out 9/15)
:: http://amzn.to/1Th1t30

:: “Norman and Pee-wee: A Big Psycho Adventure”
:: http://www.beutlerink.com/blog/big_psycho_adventure/

:: “After decades of semi-secrecy, a commune for L.G.B.T.Q. nonconformists has slowly begun to join the mainstream.”
:: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/magazine/out-of-the-woods.html

:: The McLobster Roll is real
:: https://flic.kr/p/whpgnm

Artist-in-residence: August 2015

Thomas KinkaDEVO by Mark Blackwell

Thomas KinkaDEVO by Mark Blackwell

Oddball Films presents Meet Mr. Product

“Oddball Films welcomes authors, historians and collectors Warren Dotz and Masud Husain and to our Cinema Soiree Series, a monthly event featuring visiting authors, filmmakers and curators presenting and sharing cinema insights and films.

Dotz and Husain will be in person discussing their two recent collaborations: Meet Mr. Product and Mr Product: The Graphic Art of Advertisingâ€™s Magnificent Mascots 1960-1985, a set of books that illustrate the story of the advertising mascot in America. This vibrant, colorful tribute to pop culture, treats readers to icons such as Capâ€™n Crunch, Goofy Grape, and Chokey the Smog Dog, as well as hundreds of rare and little-known characters that will surprise even the most avid fans and collectors of advertising ephemera. Husain will be discussing his collection and the genesis of the how the books came to be.

Dotz will be available for informal questions after the screenings. Warren Dotz recently had a six month long exhibition at SFO, A World of Characters: Advertising icons from the Warren Dotz Collection; one of the most popular exhibitions at the airport ever. We’ll be screening filmmaker Jan Starmann’s short documentary highlighting the expansive and colorful exhibit. Jan will be present to introduce the video along with his perspectives. Oddball will be also screening dozens of Vintage Commercials from the archive, illustrating some of the characters that entice us to purchase cereal, mufflers, tuna and more!”

[8/20] “Meet Mr. Product” at Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street San Francisco

Admission: $10.00 Limited Seating RSVP to RSVP@oddballfilm.com or (415) 558-8117

Adventures in Online Dating: Foot Pr0n Star

Soapy Soles Foot Scrubber

Part two…the meet up

Recap: I meet Joe the foot pr0n guy one afternoon at the foot pr0n hot spot, the El Cerrito Starbucks. We have an awkward conversation where I try to decide whether he is 1. safe and 2. fun. Answers: 1. Probably? and 2. Emphatically not.

He stresses he is a professional, but won’t let me have access to his website. Heâ€™s sure I’ll understand. I do not. WTF?

After coffee, Joe walks me to my car, and we get in for a moment so he can inspect my feet. This is a strange experience. My feet are not sexy to me, so giving him my foot to look at felt as impersonal as handing him a pen– it turns out that foot pr0n Cherry is very blase. I can tell he’s a bit excited, yet he’s being as professional as possible in an inherently creepy situation, and this is oddly reassuring..

One friend says I should have walked over the website thing, but Matt (that foolhardy adventurer) said, “Cherry Zonkowski, the only difference between a foot pr0n star and a foot whore is the documentation. It doesn’t really affect the safety.Just take the pepper spray gun I got you for Christmas.” When he gave it to me, he said, “Cherry Zonkowski, you like to pull shenanigans. Stay safe.” (Matt loves my name and never misses a chance to say it.)

I decide I’ll do it. Of course I do. A story is beckoning, and I really can’t refuse.

Next week: a Squirrel kills my career in foot pr0n.

NEXT WEEK: Foot pR0n part 3, in a 3 part series.

Part one can be found here.

—Cherry Terror

Cherry “Terror” Zonkowski is a local writer and storyteller; she has performed all over the Bay Area at Bawdy Storytelling, the Marsh, Fireside and more. Check out her tweet stream @cherryterror.

Have a question about online dating you’d like Cherry to answer? Send her an email: cherryterror@gmail.com

R.I.P. Justin Bill Hunter

Aw you guys, my friend Justin died in his sleep the other day. He was far too young to die. He was tall and strong, as well as gentle and kind. He gave great bear hugs. He was always sweet and funny, and…damnit, now I’m crying.

When I was running my estate sale business, I hired him to help me. He was the perfect person for the job. When I started my blog, he immediately stepped up to contribute some posts. His post on selling used dentures still gets a lot of traffic.

Recently, after seeing him perform as his “Bear-Cake” character, I told him that if he could do that, he could do anything. We talked about being fearless, and he agreed his performances gave him strength and courage in his everyday life.

Ok…so here’s the ask.

A real entrepreneur, he ran his own business, but unfortunately didn’t carry insurance. So now his wife, Tristy, is faced with HUGE funeral expenses.

If you have the means, would you throw a few bucks her way?

Please send $$ directly to her via Paypal and choose “Send money to friends and family” to avoid fees.
SEND FUNDS TO: tristy20@gmail.com

Thank you all, and hug your loved ones a little tighter today.

xo, Rusty.

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Tell the Others.

It’s not a cult. YET.

Events of note

Rusty Blazenhoff in red lobster claws :: photo by Epiphany Jordan

Get your own Giant Lobster Claws at Archie McPhee!

United States
[August] Everyhere Logistics’ roadtrip

Alameda, California
[8/22] Wine, Women, and Song at Rhythmix

Austin, Texas
[10/9-10/12] Camp Grounded

Black Rock City, Nevada
[8/30-9/7] Burning Man

Chatham, Massachusetts
[8/25] Jazz Festival – Sarah Swain

Edinburgh, UK
[Until 8/31] Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Fairfield, California
[9/26-9/27] Candypalooza at Jelly Belly Factory

Germany
[8/16-12/16] The World of Tim Burton at Max Ernst Museum BrÃ¼hl des LVR

Henderson, North Carolina
[8/27-8/30] Camp Grounded, “Where Grownups Go to Unplug, Get Away, and Be Kids Again.”

Hyannis, Massachusetts
[8/15] The Psychedelic Furs & The Church at the Cape Cod Melody Tent

Lake Iseo, Italy

[6/18/16 to 7/3/16] Christo’s Floating Piers (Who wants to go?!)

Las Vegas
[Ongoing] Akhob, an immersive “Ganzfeld effect” experience by artist James Turrell at Louis Vuitton [by appt only: 702-730-3150] HIGHLY recommended!

London
[Until 9/27] Secret Cinema Presents Star Wars [Tickets]

[July 2016] EVA London 2016

Los Angeles

[8/16] Janeane Garofalo at Largo [Tickets][8/22] Pee-wee’s Big Adventure showing at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 7:15 PM door [Tickets]
Rumor has it that Paul Reubens will be there!

[TBD September] ALONE | Reflection

[TBD October] ALONE | Absorbtion

[9/23] Mortified: a night of adults telling stories about their lives by sharing their most mortifying childhood artifacts (diaries, letters, lyrics, poems, home movies)â€¦ in front of total strangers.

Lucca, Italy
[10/29-11/1] Lucca Comics & Games 2015

Marrakech, Morocco
[9/11-9/13] Oasis

New York City
[Until 8/16] Penn & Teller on Broadway [Tickets]

[9/26-9/27] World Maker Faire New York [Tickets]

Oakland

[8/14] Fairyland For Grownups at Children’s Fairyland[8/15] Mortified: a night of adults telling stories about their lives by sharing their most mortifying childhood artifacts (diaries, letters, lyrics, poems, home movies)â€¦ in front of total strangers.

[9/26] Grace Jones at Fox Theater [Tickets]

[10/24] FIGMENT Oakland, a free, inclusive, participatory art event

Paris

[10/10] Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton

Pasadena, California
[11/21-11/22] Designercon

Portland, Oregon
[9/3-9/4] Mortified: a night of adults telling stories about their lives by sharing their most mortifying childhood artifacts (diaries, letters, lyrics, poems, home movies)â€¦ in front of total strangers.

Provincetown, Massachusetts
[8/15-8/21] Carnival 2015: Candy Land

Riverside, California
[9/18-9/20] Boing Boing’s Weekend of Wonder at Mission Inn

[5/20-5/22/16] Beyond Brookledge at Mission Inn

San Diego
[8/13-8/16] Tiki Oasis (SPACE-THEMED!)

San Francisco
[8/14-8/16] ForteFemme

[8/14] Mortified: a night of adults telling stories about their lives by sharing their most mortifying childhood artifacts (diaries, letters, lyrics, poems, home movies)â€¦ in front of total strangers.

[8/20] “Meet Mr. Product” at Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street, $10, Limited Seating RSVP to RSVP@oddballfilm.com or (415) 558-8117

[8/22] The Real Numbers at International Pop Overthrow Festival, Hotel Utah

[8/22] Charles Phoenix “Retro Disneyland slideshow” at the Walt Disney Family Museum

[8/26] The Dancehall of Beautiful Radiant Things at Verdi Club, 8 PM
Use the code word “dreams” for 20% off your ticket purchase

[9/9] Fireside Storytelling: Storyteller’s Choice, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[9/16] Bawdy Storytelling: “Sapiosexual” [Save the date]

[9/19] San Francisco Comedy Competition

[9/27] Folsom Street Fair

[10/2-10/4] Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 2015

[10/7] Fireside Storytelling: Saved the Day, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[10/29] TEDxSanFrancisco at Pier 70

[11/2015] Flying Robot international Film Festival (submissions taken until 9/15)

[11/4] Fireside Storytelling: Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[12/3] Fireside Storytelling: Mind. Blown., 8 PM, Chez Poulet, $15

[12/31] PATTI SMITH & HER BAND perform Horses in its entirety this New Year’s Eve at The Fillmore! [Tickets]

Santa Fe, New Mexico
[9/4] Zozobra

Seattle
“The Obscure, the Charming and the Odd: Mark Pahlow’s Guide to Seattle”

Spain
[7/4-7/10/16] Nowhere

West Barnstable, Massachusetts
[8/15] W. Barnstable Village Festival 9 AM to 3:30 PM

Heads up!
~~ [10/9-10/11] Kinky Salon. DEEP HEDONISM. Secret location

Want to speak for Odd Salon? Fill out this form.

If YOU would like to co-curate an issue of Rusty’s Electric Dreams, I’d love to hear your idea! Please email me: rusty@blazenhoff.com.

Know about a cool event? Share it. I’ll do my best to include it in the next issue.

Apply to the DENT conference scholarship program.

“The world is my lobster.” –Henry J. Tillman

ILYIRL

*Did you get a blue ribbon from me that reads, “I Like You, In Real Life”?

Yes, I did thank you.
No, but I would like to. I believe you like me IRL. Email me and let me know.
No, and I’m not sure you like me IRL. I want one for $2.75 each. Paypal: blazenhoff@yahoo.com. Send: your name (that you would like on the ribbon) and mailing address
Yes, and now I’d like to gift one (or more) at $2.75 each. Paypal: blazenhoff@yahoo.com. Send: your name and mailing address. Ribbons will be blank.

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is a weekly inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff. These personally curated missives are beacons to signal and celebrate the global tribe of weird, wonderful, and “different” people (“the Others“).

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I told you this was a long one.