The “Spangled” Edition :: Issue #326, Rusty’s Electric Dreams





“As soon as I saw you, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.”

— Winnie the Pooh



An inbox zine for positive deviants and the people who love them
Issue #326 :: The “Spangled” Edition :: 07:27:2022

Spangled…

This slightly lost introvert is back from a magical weekend in the woods with…strangers. And, some of those strangers have now become friends!

If you’re looking for a way to tap into adventure and are in the SF Bay Area, I highly recommend looking into the Explorers Guild. It’s the passion project of my pal Dr. Professor, who I met a few years back through another cool indie art-group, and it basically marries scouting (yes, you can earn badges) with storytelling and light improv. 

Ok, let me back this up a little. A few months ago, a friend told me that I needed to “embrace ambiguity” more. So, I’ve been sitting with that advice, wondering how to do just that. 

I’m already a bit of a hermit, happy to be alone for the most part. But the pandemic has left me more isolated and lonely than usual. Also during the past few years, I’ve been examining my relationships and learning how to separate the “wheat from the chaff.” All of this has left me wondering, who do I want in my life now, and how do I meet them? Pandemic or not, in my experience, meeting new friends as an adult can be hard.

So when my 17-year-old took a big step towards independence by setting off on a four-day backpacking trip with her boyfriend, I set off on a different kind of independent journey—an off-grid campout in Muir Woods with the Explorers Guild. 

And, wow, am I glad I did. I marched for miles amongst old growth redwoods, learned to play a new-to-me group guessing game called Botticelli, helped lure a dragon and, quite unexpectedly, made some new and meaningful connections.

In other words, I gently hugged ambiguity and lived to tell about it. 

— Rusty Blazenhoff
P.S. Curious about the Explorers Guild? The first step is getting on their email list! The second step? Go do awesome things with some fine folx.

As seen on the Internets



Thanks, Scott!

:: Crafter wins first place for her ‘punk rock flophouse’ dollhouse
:: boingboing.net/2022/07/25/punk-rock-flophouse-a-converted-1981-dollhouse-wins-crafts-competition.html

:: There’s a steampunk and fantasy museum in Transylvania (!)
:: boredpanda.com/first-steampunk-museum-fantasy-house-cluj-napoca-romania-steampunk-transylvania Thanks, Carolyn (who visited recently!)

:: Swoon: Vintage roller skating labels
:: thepieshops.substack.com/p/the-collection-collection-volume-6e6

:: Never a dull moment with this guy! via
:: instagram.com/studiobenedetto

:: What Dutch kids do over summer vacation: Huttendorp
:: creative-originator-1127.ck.page/posts/dutch-treat-huttendorp

:: Huttendorp reminds me of Adventure Playgrounds, esp the one in Berkeley
:: berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/parks-recreation/facilities/adventure-playground

:: LOL: “Things to See & Do at the Emotional State Fair
:: thenib.com/the-emotional-state-fair

:: Interesting story about a woman who started a mobile sober bar in New Orleans
:: nola.eater.com/black-entrepreneurs-leading-new-orleans-nonalcoholic-sober-bar-movement

:: AI made Goodnight Moon absolutely terrifying
:: youtu.be/C9ImnP2EIy4

:: Stay in a crazy cool Romanian gypsy wagon? Yes, please.
:: hipcamp.com/en-US/california/the-ranch-in-topanga/the-gypsy-wagon-in-topanga-w-views

Real things you can actually make: yay!

Blanket statement: I was today years old when I learned about “barn quilts.” They’re painted quilt blocks used as decoration. Normally they are one-offs painted on wood but the artist of these, Renee Martin, used aluminum squares and covered her entire fence. I’m totally in love with the look and I’m not even a quilter!
via (FB link)

Real things you can actually buy: way!


Fun with Electricity toy playset and a 100% genuine Thoughts and Prayers "toy"

Thanks, Greg!

Featured Events

FUN STUFF

[San Francisco, CA :: 8/13] Already trying to figure out what small object I’d like to “ceremoniously lose” for the Fun Stuff: Lost and Found event in August. I’m sure I’ve got something that needs to go around here! Happens at Raining Chainsaws, 1789 Egbert Ave. 7:30 p.m. doors/8:30 p.m. show. $10 to $30.
 

BAY AREA, CA+
[Berkeley :: Full moons] Moonstruck: a wild concert series (get on their list)

[Berkeley :: 7/30] Josh Kornbluth’s Citizen Brain

[SF and Oakland :: dates in August + September] Killing My Lobster’s new show: My Parents Came To America, And All They Got Was A Kid Who Does Comedy

[Guerneville (Russian River) :: Fridays 2 to 4 p.m.] Artist Spy Emerson (of Hook-Up Truck fame) is hosting Hugs Farm, a KGGV 95.1 FM radio show that promises music, meditation, and a therapy cow. 

[Point San Pablo, Richmond :: ongoing] Earlier this year, I heard about a “pop-up sauna” in Richmond called good hot and wasted no time gathering some friends for an outing. The saunas themselves are on little trailers and look out at the bay, which is available for the brave to take a cold plunge! The site is a little off the beaten path, down past a coded gate at Terminal 4 Recreation Area, but well worth the trip. After an hour and a half of getting toasty, our group sat outside for the potluck picnic we brought, and complimentary hot tea from the management. For 18+ peeps only.



Jeff Goran’s A Lighter or a Spoon 

Rusty’s Electric Dreams is an inbox zine by Rusty Blazenhoff for positive deviants and the people who love them. If this was forwarded to you, please consider subscribing yourself.

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