Phases of paper mache

First, you get enormous balloons and blow one up. Rest.



Then, you figure out how to make it stay still.



An upended stool is a good start, but any air movement whatsoever will make it drift away. So you tether it with a makeshift clip twist tied to the stool. And you get to work.

After hours of effort, you will be halfway done.



And then, just as you feel like you are making good progress, the balloon will shift and suddenly be punctured by the twist tie. So your final product looks like this.



Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to weep in a corner for a while.

8/19 - Elephant makes a very tall friend

Our company had a fun summer event today, with jumpy houses and games and wandering performers.

 The stilt lady thought Elephant was very cute.  He thought she was a fancy giraffe.

8/25 - Moustacheless Mario is so fancy

I went to get my hair did, and Mario made a fancy friend.

I'm so fancy

You already know

I'm in the fast lane

From L.A. to Mario

I'm so fancy

Can't you taste this gold?

Remember my name

'Bout to blow

2/27 - Keeping Pidove off the statue

We went for a work lunch at an upscale Chinese place, and the first thing Pidove wanted to do was sit on this giant statue.  (No!)

We did like the looks of our fortune.  And given the rain we've had lately, it should happen soon!

The renovation project finally reached my team.  We will be sitting in temporary spots until the rest of the floor is remodeled, and then we'll move to our final location.  No idea where my desk will be on Monday!

2/26 - Pidove likes a deep dish

Pidove and I met my old pal Xak for dinner.  I was very careful to get the mermaid picture in the background, but didn't realize until later that the mermaid's tail was giving him (Xak, not Pidove) bunny ears.

Whoopsie!  Sorry!!  At least the pizza was fantastic and the company even better still.  :)

2/10 - Pinkie Pie loves meetings!

Pinkie Pie was so excited about coming to one of my meetings that she drew all kinds of happy stuff about it.  Isn't she cute?

1/29 - Bullseye takes art class with Frog and Toad

They told him art takes a steady hand.  (Bulleye does not have hands!)
They told him art takes a clear head.  (Bulleye can do this!)
They told him art sometimes requires sweat and tears.  (This will make Bullseye rusty!)

Bullseye decided he would rather look at art instead.  Smart Bullseye.

     * Spelling words in bold.

[fun note for grownups -- the original photo had Frog (or Toad?) male-enhanced by some nice tagger in the BART station.  I have since made the photo suitable for younger viewers.]

Then we had dinner with Jeanine, who caught me up on all the news from my old job, and took Bullseye's name a bit literally...

7/30 - Army Guy 2 is in the moment

Or, I should say, he is pointing to the moment.  How can you be in the moment if it drives away before you can board?

Or, as David noted:  "I guess the moment passed him by…"  I hate it when that happens.

7/26 - Trayger sees some sights

What a funny ad for a vet office!

Can you find Trayger?  He’s trying to be camouflaged.

6/27 - Carrot Head is playful

First, he jumped for joy with this boy.

Then, he played Duck Duck Goose with these safety cones.

5/16 - Plate of Carrots has an exciting day

First, we learned not to play with electricity.

Then, POC went for a sail on a pirate ship.  They tried to tell us it was art, but if it sails, we’re outta here.

4/16 - Stunt Team #03 locks up the win

We walked right by a line of nine locks.

How many locks are there in this picture?  How many are hiding?

3/22 - Blue Monster Truck plays chicken

Blue Monster Truck wanted to race with this yellow car, but it had to take The Man to work.

Then, he tried to play chicken with a basket of roosters, but that didn't go so well either.

At least, the Shoe Wiz was happy to get a ride.  (Although... why wouldn't he use his magic to make flying shoes?)

3/13 - Army Guy finds it taxing

Had my tax appointment today, and Army Guy felt he should help clean up the place.

We also found this very cool steampunk water valve (?) nearby.

More wisdom from the streets:

3/12 - Army Guy looks for primary colors

He found BLUE (a fresh coat, even) on this fire hydrant.

Then he tried to put out this YELLOW fire.

We meant to look for RED, but then thought my alleged sinus issue from this morning might be a cold, so we decided to rest instead.  (I am not getting sick.  I am not getting sick.  I am not getting sick.)

3/06 - Alienist gets into a staring contest with a girl on the bus

It wasn’t really a fair contest.  I don’t think he has eyelids!

Alienist thinks this plant is his mom.  I can see a family resemblance…  can you?

2/27 - Green Piggie looks in trees for eggs

Well, that was his plan, but these baby redwoods were too tall for him to climb.

Here, Green Piggie goes artsy.  The bricks remind him of the blocks he uses in the Angry Birds game.

2/20 - Cheetah Ball is all over the map

This mosaic is in the shape of San Francisco!

Cheetah Ball says "It's all Greek to me."  She would like the lady statue to put on some pants. And maybe use some of the pillars as soccer goal posts.  Thank you.

2/06 - Stunt Team #03 dreams of being a princess

Not just any princess, but a Disney princess on ice.  If you dare to dream, anything can happen.

Stunt Team #03 gets artsy. He says “I moss you very much.”  I'm lichen it a lot.

1/23 - Dino likes the new arrangement

There are new flowers in the lobby and Dino wanted to eat sniff them.

Remember when we went to see the monarch butterflies?  And they explained how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly by shedding its skin to turn into a chrysalis.  Inside there, it turns into caterpillar goo, completely dissolving and somehow reforming into a beautiful butterfly, with all its caterpillar memories intact.  (Um, wow.)

Who remembers the word for that process?  Go ahead…  Raise your hand if you know it… Metamorphosis!

Not sure what this drab painting has to do with a transformational miracle, other than having the same name, but Dino liked it.  Good enough for me.