Just Visiting : The JELL-O Gallery

I remember the rides up to the Renaissance Faire, we used to pass a sign that said Jell-O Museum was off the next exit. We'd talk about going, and never have manage to go see it. But that doesn't mean that it doesn't sound like a lot of fun. It's still on my to do list, and I'm going to tell you why.

The JELL-O Gallery
23 East Main Street
Le Roy, New York 14482

This is a fun museum. It's not something that can be seen everywhere. True, Jell-o can be seen in stores, and be made at home. But it is intriguing to think there is a place where you can see a more detailed rendering of the history of the wiggly jiggly treat.

Open year round, with a minimal admission fee, you can take your family here and not feel as though it was a waste of time. Kids love sweet things, and they are likely to find the toys and various memorabilia interesting.

I myself am curious to see if they have the old disney jell-o molds there, or even some of the odd advertising boxes that have been done associated to different movies and shows over the years. Things like that I find interesting.

The museum is open during varying hours. So I know if I want to go it's going to have to be planned out more than driving past the advertising billboard. And if you're thinking about going, please check their website. The online shop even shows some of the merchandise available there. And I have to say it's mostly reasonable.

I still want to go to this museum. So if you're going, can I go with you? ^_~

Just Visiting : Darien Lake

Darien Lake is an amusement park in Western New York. I've been to this amusement park many times in my life. It's passed through different hands, and they've tried a variety of different approaches to stay afloat. But it's always been a good time, whether you go there in a big group or a small one doesn't matter.

So far this season I've been to the park three times. So I'm  not making an uninformed post. But I have to admit that it's changed a bit since the last time that I was there. This isn't a good or a bad thing, it's just an observation.

The amusement park and the water park were both open when I was there this past Sunday. So that means you should pack your swimsuits and towels, and maybe an extra set of clothes if you're heading out for the day. There's a variety of rides that are kid friendly throughout the park, and as some of you know there's still the same roller coasters. So there's coasters, various medium thrill rides, and a few classics. The ferris wheel is really something if You want to get a birds eye view of the park.

What did I see that I liked? Moose on the Loose, was an interesting experience. You ride a moose around on a track. You can ride alone or double with a child. I got lucky enough to take one of my nephews on. I was a bit... shocked. It's a ride even adults seem to like. Not a bad thing, it's comical, cute, and well, just fun in general. I also liked the plastic drums that are set up in the center of the kiddie park. They're in the area where there used to be a ball pit or something of that nature. But now there's these interesting plastic drums and picnic tables.

Oh! Yes you can take food in with you but your cooler must fit into a certain size. So the smaller it is the better, or break up things into peoples backpacks. Because as usual, it can be expensive to feed a large group when you're out.

How did I manage to go to the park three times already this year? I could fib and say that I sneaked in under the fence, but that wouldn't be true. A number of my family members have season passes for the park. They were able to get me into the park using their free entry passes for guests. Each season pass holder gets a few of these, so it helps to balance out if you want to bring someone else to the park with you. A ticket for the park includes BOTH the water park and the amusement park. And I do think if you live in the area and intend to go, it's worthwhile to have a season pass. Since it does offer unlimited entry for the park.

Darien Lake
9993 Allegheny Road
Darien Center, NY 14040

The hours really vary a lot this year. So I can't really give you a set schedule. What I do advise you to do if you're going to be heading up that way, is to check the online schedule. Their online schedule lists the dates and times that they're open as well as the events that you can expect to see. They're having a wide variety of concerts through this year, so if you're a music buff check it out.

Just Visiting : Shakespeare in Delaware Park : Measure for Measure

July 25th through August 18th you lucky folks out in Buffalo have a chance to enjoy yet another Shakespeare play. Shakespeare in Delaware Park is presenting Measure for Measure. If you missed their presentation of Hamlet, don't fret. They may not be presenting Hamlet, but this comedy is sure to amuse you.

Unlike some other versions of this play you may have seen, the company has taken the liberty of making it into a western. Yes, that's right a Shakespeare western. Not that might sound a bit odd to those of you who are hesitant to watch even the more modern Romeo and Juliet renditions, but live theater is a horse of a different color.

I do want to remind you, that seating and parking for the play is on a first come first serve basis. Take a blanket, some snacks and be ready to get comfortable. The play is free, though during intermission they do pass a hat to help with funding, so figure, if you can, about the price of a movie or so.

Measure for Measure
Shakespeare in Delaware Park
7:30 pm Tuesdays through Sundays
July 25th through August 18th

Machu Picchu

Cartoons are amazing things. They cross cultures and can sometimes be full of fun vibrant examples of art. I hope you enjoy watching this one as much as I have.

Late Night TV or...

What's On The Tube When You Can't Sleep.

So to be honest, I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. Which means I've been trying a few different solutions. I've tries counting sheep. Tried sleeping aids. Now am trying TV.

Sunday night I watched The Black Dahlia.  I flipped it on because the title sounded interesting. I've always been interested in crime, and I have my own morbid interest in seeing how people look at the unsolved ones. This movie surprised me on multiple levels. The costumes were done well, and the characters presented were believable.

But what surprised me more than anything else was the lesbian undertones in the film. Not only that it was there, but in the way that the film showed this as being accepted. It was an interesting thing to see considering how some people react to the idea now. But as with many films that are made these days about crime, it was full of fiction. There are a number of websites devoted to debunking the fictions around the crime, and many believe that the crime will never be solved. Which is unfortunately likely the sad truth.

Monday night I watched a movie from 1941 called Dive Bomber. It was a good movie, even if it was old. To be honest I didn't realize it was as old as it turns out to be. The colors in it are wonderful, and the story does provoke curiosity. Is it a fact or fiction film?

According to what I can find it's fiction. There's a number of different statements about the film that indicate this. Dive Bomber was not the usual type of film that I would watch. But it does fit in with the things that I have been writing about on the blog recently. It does reflect some points of  naval history, as well as look at some interesting concerns about flight. I think a lot of us take the secure safety of flights now for granted.

The planes in the film were really interesting, some of them were very colorful. According to what I've read there are a number of people that enjoy the film because of the planes that are shown in it. They were interesting to see. Planes are always interesting, a little more so than cars. I mean, after all, they fly.

Beyond that I've been watching a show on Animal Planet about River Monsters. I am not one that enjoys fishing, but it's fascinating to see the types of creatures that live underwater. Some of them really are monsters. But they're real. I guess in some ways that's the scariest part.

But on the most part, I'm watching a little bit of TV now and then... I wonder if it's going to do anything more than rot my brain.

The Backwater Gospel

Happy Birthday.

Through The Camera Lens

The world we live in is a place full of beautiful things. We often take it for granted, used to it's existence in our lives. When someone takes a moment to reflect on it though, we are amazed. Sometimes we have forgotten that the world can be beautiful. We get into this space in our minds where it is all ugly. But it is only as ugly as we want it to be. There is always something beautiful to be seen.

When I have a camera in my hands, I want to take pictures of everything I see. It doesn't matter what it is. I just want to be able to remember it. I will admit here, that my memory isn't all that good, I forget things very fast, and pictures are one of the things I have figured out that helps me to stay cohesive. But that's a whole different bushel of bananas.

When it comes to taking a picture, there is no right or wrong in my opinion. The purpose of the picture is to capture something that you see with your own eyes,enabling you to see this view in the future. Cloud formations, plants, animals, they are all different every time you see them. Although some people will say that they aren't I pose this questions. Are they permanent fixtures? Clouds move, rain falls, animals run and burrow. Plants change as the seasons move in turn. What you see one day may be gone the next, in some cases far faster than in others.

So what do we take pictures of? Should we just take them haphazardly for no reason? No, that's not what I'm trying to get  you to do. Instead you should think about what you're taking a picture of. Because when someone asks you what a picture is of or what it is for, you should have something to say.

An example. The other day Polke A. Dot and I went to Balboa Park. It was a rather busy day at the park, and there were a lot of people there. I was very surprised by this fact. We ended up slightly lost, though it meant we got to see a few areas in the park I hadn't seen yet. I was impressed by the beautiful buildings there (I always seem to be, every time I go there something new pops out at me).

We were walking around enjoying the slight breeze and people watching. When I noticed the interesting detailing along the building that houses the Sporting Museum here in San Diego. It's reminiscent of Aztec or Mayan work, and it's lovely. So here are two of the pictures that I took. They are very simple, and focus mostly on one thing.

Now why is it that out of all the pictures I took that day(around 15), These are the two that I like? For one thing they are timeless. There is no time in the picture, no people, no animals, nothing living. The top one does have some shadowing and light dabbling from the sunlight getting through the trees, but it adds to the shadowing in the sculpt detailing. The second one though, with the shift from the usual perspective is probably my favorite picture I took while we were at the park. I just like the way it feels.

You don't have to just take pictures people will immediately recognize. I wouldn't have a clue what these pictures were actually of if I hadn't taken them myself. So remember that what you see through your camera lens can be used for many things. Don't play it safe forever, especially now that many of us are using digital cameras. There's no film to develop, it's a low commitment level...

Take the picture!

Want to know a Secret about Polke a Dot?

 

Polke A Dots birthday is coming up in two weeks. Which means he's getting OLD! So here's the plan, I'd LOVE for you all to drop him a message or an ecard into his email. Or if you're braver you can send him a birthday card at home (if you need the address email me and we can see about it)

So here's is his email address : polke(DOT)a(DOT)dot(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Just replace the (dot) with a . and the (at) with an @ and you can send him wishes for his birthday.

Now, if you know  him a little more and think you would like to really make his day, he's mentioned a few things that he would like for his birthday. He'd love to see the new Iron Man 3 movie. He'd really enjoy some Yankee Candle Apple scented things, or their chocolate scented items. Or clothes, he could use some new socks or a few t-shirts. He wears an XL these days >.<.

So anyways, thanks for reading, and I know he isn't going to appreciate that I posted this, but tough potatoes.

Music Monday Playlist (3)

This weeks song list is a little bit different. I hope you all enjoy listening as much as I did selecting the songs for you. The song we're going to "feature" for the video today is a mashup by Titus Jones. Enjoy, and remember to share if you find something you like. We're always looking for something new here.

Megan and Liz - Princess Charming
Jim's Big Ego - Stress
Johnny Cash & June Carter - Jackson
Beach Boys - Disney Girls
Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself
Brad Paisley - Camouflage
Christina Grimmie - Advice
Daddy Dewdrop - Chick a Boom
Jon Anderson - Loved By The Sun
Schnuffel Bunny - Snuggle Song
Titus Jones - Teenage Kids
Walk off The Earth - From Me To You
Ludo - Lake Pontchartrain
DJ Schmolli - Rock of Ages
Simple Plan - Jet Lag
Steam Powered Giraffe - I am not Alone
Greens Keepers - Lotion
Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song
Jamie-Lynn Sigler - Pressure
Kasey Chambers - Not Pretty Enough
The All American Rejects - Move Along
Plumb - Stranded
Xandria - Mermaids
Motion City Soundtrack - The Future Freaks Me Out
Tokyo Mew Mew - My Sweet Heart
Oliver and Company - Once Upon A Time In New York City
John Mayer - Waiting on the World to Change
Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You into the Dark

YAY! Mail!

So... the good news? Is I got mail today!

The bad news is what I got.

I got a birthday card from the casino in NY. AKA Useless information XD.

Oh well. And it's super early too. I wonder what I can expect to find later this month?

~_~

Mornings & Bats

 So it's another sunny morning here on the west coast. Outside there are some birds chirping, not any particular kind, just birds. I can't see them, but they're loud so I know they're there. It's Friday, there's not really a rush on the street here. Then again, it's a side street, there isn't usually a rush. But am still stretching and yawning from where I am.

And because it IS morning, and I'm not sure what to tell you all at the moment, we're gonna see two pictures that were sent my way by a friend ^_^. They make me smile, and am betting those of you who know me best will understand why. I don't own the images, I just enjoy them.

This is how I feel in the morning.

Batman & The Haunted Mansion, how can you NOT love this one?

Okay folks! Sorry for making it short today. Let's just say I've got a bit on my mind, maybe I will fill you in later this weekend, or maybe, just maybe later today if I can think of how to explain. In any case I hope you have a wonderful day. Remember, the only one who can truly limit your potential is you.