Blog du Wren

New Crosswords!

After taking a bit of a break from crossword creation, I'm back at it. I posted a while ago about the puzzle I submitted to the New York Times. Well, I got a very cordial "no-way bub" response*, so that means I can now make it available to ya'll! It can be found here or at on the games page.

Since then, I've put together two new ones, both of which I think are pretty dang neat. They can both be found over at the games page as well. Format wise, I've forgone the html online version in favor of just .pdf and .puz. If you're greatly missing the html version, let me know and I'll resurrect it.

One puzzle is worth calling attention to: A Reason For Celebrating was created as a welcome to the world for baby Soren (although in reality, it'll be at least 8 months before he's figuring out "Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity spot" in 4 letters.)

Anyway, do the puzzles, share them with your puzzle-oriented friends, and let me know what you think. I've farmed a few more out in hopes of getting published, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll no doubt keep you posted on if anything ever comes of that. In the meantime, I'll keep cranking out puzzles. Because if nothing else, I certainly enjoy them.

Wednesday February 20 2013

File under: games

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Welcome Baby Soren!

In case you haven't heard the exciting news, Jule and Katy recently welcomed a happy and healthy baby Soren into this world. From all accounts, all the birthy things went well, although us men-folk are sometimes spared those details so for the full story, you'll have to go to the source or Auntie Fern or Uma. I can tell you he's a big baby, tipping the scales at 9lbs!

It's high on my agenda to get down there and get in some good uncling time soon. Until then, I will be watching the Baby Soren picture stream and you can too. It's linked to over in the right hand column* or here.

Saturday February 16 2013

File under: family

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7th(!) Annual Roses Are Red Breakout

This year's entreaty for Roses are red poems is coming a little late. That means you better get your submission in pronto! And remember, the more entries the more fun! (Rules as always: gotta use either "Rose" or "red" in the poem and it must follow the standard Roses are red rhyming/stress scheme.) Happy composing!

oses are red that much is true but there isn't a flower that can hold a candle to you	'll make you a rose In your choice of hues If you don't care What chemicals I use
or 7 years now I've rapped about roses How many more years Til this tradition decomposes

Wednesday February 13 2013

File under: poetry, holidays

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Lazy and Easy

This photo, taken of last night's sunset and then pretty-ified with instagram, is meant to represent what I'm up to: chillin'. While I can't, for the life of me, think of what I've been busy with the previous 6 months or so, I feel like I haven't gotten a proper chance to indulge the lazy life that I once knew so well. These past couple weeks have been a return to that easy life, and it's been so nice.

Lazy and easy doesn't mean I'm not productive. I'm working on all the projects that have built up for me over the past months, both for myself and for others. I'm making websites, printing troothpicks, , writing*, making crosswords*, and getting travel plans ironed out.

Lazy and easy, however, does mean that there is time for non-productivity too. I'm catching up on reading, tv, baking, and lots of Words and Scramble with Friends*. It's easy to let myself enjoy this because I know it's not meant to last. With spring travel then summer circus season just around the bend, I better enjoy the lazy life while I can.

Saturday February 9 2013

File under: misc

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Beard Post - Interactive Edition

It has been a really long time since I've made a beard post*. This is partially because I've been bearded more than normal this past year, and partially because I'm having a hard time coming up with new beard art ideas. This time around, however, I thought I try to employ a little technological fanciness for some fun.

The Sweep

The Fade

If you aren't using Internet Explorer, click here to see the fun canvas version. (If you are using Internet Explorer, click here to learn why you're doing it wrong.)

Sunday February 3 2013

File under: beard

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Upcoming Travel

The last year and a half have been the least travelly of my adult life. Besides a few short domestic trips (Maine, Las Vegas), two stints with the circus (Alasqua, Oregon), and a handful of trips to Portland, I've mostly been hanging out in good old Northwest Washington. While it's been nice to see what the sedentary life is all about*, the travel urge has been growing. I happy to announce that plans are in the works!

Firstly, Della and I are headed to Hawaii at the end of February, with the current plan being Maui for 5ish days and Oahu for 4ish days. Besides a frisbee tournament on Maui and visiting some friends on Oahu, we don't have any huge agenda. Also, that means we are open to suggestion (including, but not limited to, friend-of-a-friend hookups! Otherwise the plan is to camp on the beach eat sand flies.)

Secondly, and [I can't help but saying] way more excitingly, is that we are going on a cruise!!!(!!!) Of all the ways I picture myself travelling, a cruise is probably towards the bottom of the list*. But an opportunistic traveller takes what he can get. It turns out that if you keep your eyes open, you can get ridiculously good cruise deals.

Our cruise goes from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Lisbon, Portugal, with stops on St. Thomas and Sint Maartin. It's 10 days with [all-you-can-eat] food and room included*. And what was the price? $299pp! Of course with taxes and mandatory gratuity, that price jumps to more like $470pp and you have to get yourself to Puerto Rico and back from Portugal, but still! I'm stoked.

It's my hope, that since I'm already in Europe, I will putz around there a bit afterwards, but that's all yet to be decided. April/May of 2013 is going to be a heck of a ride!

Just the thought of getting back on the road has me more excited than I can convey. Hopefully, besides a healthy tan, some awesome new experiences, and a few more places to add to my "been there" list, I'll also get a few fun blog posts out of it. So stay tuned!

Thursday January 31 2013

File under: travel

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Ken Jennings at Village Books

I'm not much of a celebrity hound. If I passed Usher on the streets of Anacortes, 1) I totally wouldn't recognize him and 2) if he was pointed out to me, I gaze curiously for a moment and then move on. But there are a few people out there who do get true celebrity status in my eyes. Last night, I got to go see one of them speak.

Ken Jennings first attained fame through an epic run on Jeopardy!, earning a cool $3.7mil. Since then, he's taken to writing books. I've read Braniac, a history of trivia interwoven with his experience on Jeopardy! and Maphead, a great look at geography nerds of all types. I recommend them both highly.

Last night, he was speaking a Village Books in Bellingham about his latest book Because I Said So!, an interesting look into the facts behind the myths and lies our parents told us when we were kids. He recounted some of the facts from the book and they were quite funny. I don't know if I've ever go to hear an author speak, and I was pleasantly surprised by the experience.

Afterwards, I stood in line to get a book signed only to realize it was already signed! Solution: have him sign it !

Celebrity-ism is funny to me, but also neat. All in all, a neat experience!

Friday January 25 2013

File under: books

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Performance Videos

Remember those recent posts where I mentioned some of the performing I've been doing? Well, I found some video evidence. First we have me and Della's rope performed at the Lookout Arts Circus Campout* this past August. Awesome costumes by Della.

Next week have a clip from this month's Vaudevillingham. It was a piece we wrote for Frank's birthday party. We performed it in the early V-ham show and people liked it so much, they had us close the late show. Good times.

Monday January 21 2013

File under: circus, juggling

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Hot Pizza! Get Your Hot Pizza!

Scene opens on water cooler with 2 people standing around
You:	Wicked cold this weekend, eh? What did you end up doing?
Me:	Oh, you know, the usual: hung out at the quarry, caught up on computer work, dressed as a giant slice of pizza and juggled fire on the late night streets of Bellingham, much to the delight of the drunkards. Nothing too exciting..
You:	Ga?
Me:	I've told you about the quarry, right? It's this circus hippie commune where we all—
You:	Yes, yes, I know about the quarry. What was that part about dressing like a slice of pizza and juggling fire?!?
Me:	Oh, that. La Fiamma wood fire pizza is doing this promotion thing with the Bellingham Circus Guild to try and promote it's new late-night pizza by the slice. Della talked me into it. We thought: pizza juggling fire...wood fire pizza...get it? Get it?? We had a great time and even made a little bit of money in tips (plus a nice gift certificate), so that lets me maintain my "professional juggler" status for another year.
You:	Professional?
Me:	Sure. Any time you get paid for something, you're a professional at it, right?
You	So you are saying that that time I won $5 on video poker makes me a professional poker player?
Me:	Technically, yes, but we're getting off topic. Besides juggling fire, I did some fun rope tricks (people loved those), and general circus/juggling merriment. Good times.
You:	Riiiiight. Anyway, I think I hear my boss calling me. Those TPS reports aren't going to file themselves, you know.
You slowly backs away from the water cooler while scene fades to black

Monday January 14 2013

File under: juggling, circus

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Friday Comics 2 - Another Freaking Book!!!!

The moment you've all been waiting for is finally here! Friday Comics 2, a compilation of the best of my* Friday Comics in the last 2 years (since the first book came out), is hot off the presses and ready to find its way to your bookshelf (or coffee table or toilet reading stand*). We're talking 48 full color, painstakingly drawn*, hilarious comics in this handsome book. How can you say no?*

I went with a different form factor this time around, and am very pleased with how it turned out. It makes for slightly larger comics than the last book, so no strained eyes in reading those hilarious captions.

So get them while they're hot. Like last time, I'm asking $10 a copy to offset printing and shipping costs ($8 if I hand deliver). Or if you'd like to order a copy of the first book as well, I'll do a combo pack for $15 ($12 hand delivered). Contact me for details and we'll work it out. Thank you for supporting local "art".

Friday January 11 2013

File under: comics, books

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