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Stefan's Year in Review
(2009 Edition)

December

Arlan C. Sprague Oct 23, 1964 - Dec 29, 2009
My good friend, Arlan Sprague died on Tuesday, Dec 29th. Arlan and I went to college together and kept in touch through the years. I will fondly remember our heated political discussions and our ski trips to Lake Placid. He enjoyed living in Washington D.C. and had several inventions in development. He was a funny and brilliant man. Arlan worked for many years as a computer programmer with IBM, then as an independent computer consultant, and most recently for Comcast. He famously spent some time working for Celera on the Human Genome Project. Arlan had a history of health problems, but it was liver cancer that finally beat him. He leaves a wife Nancy and two children: Emma and Ryan. We will all miss him terribly.

A Very Rivet Christmas at Spring4th was a bust. It was poorly attended and the performance, if it occurred, happened too late for me. I left at 1:45am. There were a few attractive women but they were being swamped with suitors which isn't really my idea of a fun night out. The dance floor was empty the entire night - Even die-hard dancers were afraid to go out there. Sorry Kane.

As expected, Avatar was visually stunning with amazing beauty and special effects. The story however was lacking. The in-your-face environmental agenda aside, it was the same movie as Dances with Wolves. An injured soldier goes off to the wilderness, lives with the natives, falls in love, then betrays his people to defend the indigenous people who are the underdog. The corporation in the movie is unrealistically portrayed as greedy and without morals while the commanding general is just a cartoon from a bad 1950's comic book. From a physics stand point, the Halleluya mountains should have been moving in the wind or at least rocking a little: Being stationary in the air was totally wrong and the vines and stuff were absurd. The avatar idea is okay but they needed to explain the technology better: How was the signal received? How was the avatar powered? Why use biological avatars instead of mechanical ones? If the Na'vi could link with the other animals and plants why couldn't they ask or direct the animals for help? I liked the movie but it wasn't great and the 3D was wasted.

The only thing I can say about the Phobia Christmas Evil Party at Spring4th is that it wasn't great. It was a very cold night, so the usual crowd didn't show up, and it was miserable to mingle outside. The play room was filled with guys standing around talking and the small inside room was empty showing bad films all night. The main dance room had decent music and a few people dancing most of the time. The first performance was weak and I left not long after. I didn't take enough pictures to do a gallery either. So overall I have to say I was disappointed.

I had fun at the Secretroom Xmas Party. The performances were great and several people asked me to take pictures for them which was very cool. Pictures are coming

November

I was invited to participate in a photo shoot with Jeff, Mojo and Joi which was very exciting. The models were very accommodating which was critical to that type of shoot. I think everyone had a good time and got the shots they wanted. I'm grateful that I got to play along. Some of my shots came out awesome, but they are too extreme for me to post. Thanks to December, Pixie, Poison, Grace, and Mika for being such good sports.

Thanksgiving dinner with friends was nice. A political/religious discussion got heated but that is the fault of the National Review. (Free speech vs the Establishment Clause)

I was a little let down by the attendance at the Secretroom Rodeo Party. There was a pretty good crowd but very few people dressed for the theme. The guest star, Maya Sinstress put on two exciting but brief shows. Maybe people are still recovering from Halloween or just saving their pennies for the holidays.
Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

The 10th Annual Indian Festival & Pow-Wow at Stone Mountain had more booths and was much bigger than previous years, but there was less food. The Frybread line took over an hour. The exhibits were interesting and the music and dance were fun. Parking continues to be a problem.

Vivian Night at the Secretroom Rodeo Party

October

The Secretroom Halloween Party - Erotic Evil 2 at 2High Studios was fun but did not live up to my expectations. Good crowd but not as well attended or exciting as last year. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

Geocities has closed and I am sad. I made my first website on Geocites and bought a mug with my address on it. I kept it running for 17 years until today. It only took me a few hours to move everything but I'm sure I'll be fixing broken links for years.

The Generation Drop Anniversary Party at Spring4th was not what I'd hoped. It was a high energy lingerie rave with bright lights, lasers, and hot dancers but not the huge crowd I'd expected. There were photo opportunities but mostly not. The three music rooms never really took off or filled then emptied quickly as the people shifted between the rooms. The main room was dead most of the night while the smaller room in the other building was frequently too crowded to move. The rain earlier in the day had soaked most of the seating so they didn't open the garden until the wee hours. I ran into a few friends and took some fun photos. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

Colbie Caillat at the Variety playhouse October 19, 2009

Colbie Caillat put on an awesome show at the Variety playhouse. She sang several songs from her new CD, Breakthrough and a few from her first CD, Coco. She also sang a cover of Don't You Wish Your Girlfirend was Hot Like Me (by the Pussycat Dolls) which was very well received.

She didn't tell as many stories as she did last year but she had a lot more interaction with the audience. She joked with one guy that he could be her boyfriend for ”Right now“ which was funny. Later she took a camera from a person and took her own picture with it and then lay down on the floor so she could take her own picture with the fan. Throughout the show she shook hands and high-fived people in the front.

She talked a length about her stage fright and how the last year has been a breakthrough overcoming it. She thanked the fans for singing along and being supportive too.

There were dozens of people taking pictures, texting, and recording the show, so I expect to see a lot of it on the web.

Howie Day and Trevor Hall opened. It was funny to hear so many girls screaming that they loved them but nobody through anything like I was expecting. I ended up throwing away my extra ticket because no one wanted to go to a Monday concert.

It was cold, but the rain stopped and the sun came out for the Little 5 Points Halloween Parade. The parade seemed longer than last year but wasn't nearly as colorful or exciting. The crowd was a little lighter too. My favourite marchers were the giant skeletons. The pirate skeletons were awesome. There was also a very pretty Cruella DaVille with a pair of dalmations that was pretty impressive too.

We made the mistake of trying to eat inside the EAYC. The place wasn't very crowded but the staff was panicked and frayed anyway. We did have fun sharing a table though. Next time we'll stick with the street food. Pictures are coming.

Little 5 Points Halloween Parade 2009

Secretroom 1st Halloween 2009

I have to admit this year's Secretroom Halloween Fetish Party at the Jungle Club wasn't as good as last year's. Maybe it was screwy because they are having two parties and this was the early one two weeks before Halloween. Most people didn't dress up and there were too many people in jeans.

I took several good pictures and the performances were very well done but I hope the second party is better. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

On the left, that's The Flasher with a very sexy Sarah doing something naughty.

Colin Hay played an outstanding show at the Variety playhouse. He could easily have been a stand-up comedian, telling very funny stories. He lives in California and told a funny one about seeing Batman on the street leaving LAX. He recently toured with Ringo and told a funny story about looking across the stage and being dumbstruck that he was on stage with a Beatle. He poked fun at Sting's shoulders and did a funny skit about the parents of U2's the Edge coming to terms with his new name. Colin's language was quite crude: I think he said fuck twenty times. Mostly he sang the new stuff but threw in a few of his earlier solo songs and three Men At Work songs: Down Under, Overkill and Who Can It Be Now. But he did those songs with such different music they were almost unrecognizable. The audience was very quite and respectful which was very strange and unusual.

September

I took way too many pictures at the Secretroom Pirates and Pajamas party and it was a lot of work to sort and edit all 600 images. There were lots of cool people, a thrilling performance by Goddess Shea, a great pirate costume contest and a well used playroom furnished by Liberator. I think everyone had a great time. I encouraged some very bad behavior but what do you expect from a bunch of pirates?

The party actually had a dual theme: Pirates and Pajamas: The lingerie was nice but I didn't appreciate the ninjas crashing. The Gallery is posted. (Write me for the entry code)

On the right are the Pirate costume contest finalists: Sabrina in the brown corset won first place, Asterid in the center was 2nd and Siva on the right showing all her skin was 3rd.

Pirate contest finalists

Carrie Rodrigues put on a great show at Eddie's Attic. She's definatly a country singer but more toward the rock and folk side than the western side. She had great stange presence and a powerful voice. Her greatest skill though is her fiddle playing which is very dramatic. Rebecca Pronsky and Samantha Murphy also played and were enjoyable if not as skilled.

DragonCon has ended. This year had many good points and bad. The people were awesome with many good costumes and outfits. I attended a few excellent panels by an Emory lawyer, Elonka of Wikipedia, and a few big stars like William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew. The contests were great and the parties awesome.

Vu - an Orion Slave girl from Star Trek
Vu - an Orion Slave girl from Star Trek

Crowding was a major problem though: The volume of people was too much and made for horrible lines. I spent six hours in three lines. Overcrowding also meant I missed panels I really wanted to see: like the Genetic Opera panel and the Dollhouse panel. The organization was horrible too with lines getting separated and lost, lines being outside in the heat or rain, and just being forced to wait in lines meant missing several panels. Crowding in the Marriott and photography bans in the Hyatt also resulted in hundreds of missed photo opportunities. The convention being spread out in four hotels resulted in a lot of walking, skipped panels because they were too far away or getting lost in the confusion.

The highlight for me was still the costumes and photography. The new camera was amazing and I got thousands of good pictures which will take a while to edit. Almost everyone was willing to play along and pose and stuff so I could get great pictures. The gallery will be awesome. BUT - I think I'm done with DragonCon.

August

Attention System, Julia Dream and the Awakening played a fun show at the Spring4th center. VJ Anthony added to the night with cool videos. The turnout was light but we still had a good time.

A special shout out to DJ Aesthetic for arranging the show - Thanks

On the right is Leesa from the band the Awakening. It took several tries to get the camera setting just right to balance the lights and exposure. This was my first real opportunity with the new camera. It has so many options I was really overwhelmed. But with its awesome capability I got some incredible images that I am very proud of. Judge for yourself: Pictures are posted.

Leesa from the Awakening

the Dukes at the 2009 Atl Soapbox Derby

I was so disappointed by the Red Bull Soap box Races that I don't know where to start. I guess the layout was the worst part. They blocked off the street and lined it with hay bales in such a way that nobody could see the races. They also lined the area with so much fencing that it was almost impossible to move around. The people involved were told NOT to pose for pictures? What sense is that? Finally, the supplementary food booths were very weak and it was so hot I didn't stick around.

It's really a shame because several teams put a lot of effort into their carts and the creativity was awesome!

The Ikaros Art Collective Gallery opening at Art Space International was fun. There were exciting pictures from several different artists on display. It's a huge space and many other artists took advantage of the opportunity to display their work too. They had an assortment of foods and wines available which was nice. Unfortunately the air-conditioning was lacking and a shortage of places to sit made the event uncomfortable. I waited for the Evil Sarah performance then left. I didn't break out the camera.

Lust performed a fun show at the Clermont Lounge. Lot's of their fans showed up for a raucous good time. The girls were wearing Batgirl costumes while the guys wore Robin costumes. Does anybody know the chick with the red Mohawk? The Clermont is usually very serious about no photography but as long as I was shooting only the band they didn't mind as much.

lust plays the clermont lounge

I will always remember Gail as one of my nicer co-workers. She was funny and added color to an otherwise tame place to work. I will also fondly remember her loud laugh. When she retired two years ago, to enjoy more time with her horses, I was very happy for her. I visited her not long after to see the barn complete with cats, dogs, and horses: It was a wonderful day. She said that she was so busy in retirement she couldn't figure out how she'd ever had time to go to work. I wanted to see her a few more times but she was always too busy. I don't understand why her golden years were cut so short. She was only 62. You will be missed.

Voodoo Velkro

Horrible Children organized a huge dance party called War Room 2: Judgment Day. It was a rave of competing DJs at Beyond, a large warehouse, with Voodoo Velkro performing. There were lots of lasers and strobe lights.

It was good, but they didn't quite get it right. The entrance was really hard to find, there was no A/C which made the place terribly hot: Many people were unhappy.

Adding to the entertainment, a suspension group pierced several people with large hooks and attached them to the rafters with ropes and bungee cord. After hoisting them up there we swung around for the cheering crowd.

I however had a great time and took lot's of pictures.

The August Phobia party was a birthday party for one of the organizers: Tabby, whom I don't really know. A good crowd showed up and several people took full advantage of the playroom which eclipsed the performances in the main room. I socialized and made a few new friends. It was warm outside and people were crowded and a little uncomfortable so I didn't get as many pictures as I should have. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

Several people weren't excited about the opening G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra but I went to see it anyway. It had some great action and special effects so I enjoyed it. Like the cartoon it was created from, the plot was far-fetched and unrealistic but that's okay: It's just a movie. I thought the references to the toys and cartoons really added to the movie. I really likes the sexy women in the movie - woof! Since I went to the early show and had time to kill I also saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince which I thought was adequate. I'm not a big Harry Potter fan and don't get into it but it was a fine movie.

I caught Land of the Lost at the discount theater. Good thing because it was very weak. I do like Anna Friel though and thought she was pretty good. Most of the movie was just silly.

July

I tried to kill myself at Road Atlanta riding a Yamaha R1. Some how I survived. I did scare myself senseless and had to remind myself that what I was experiencing was not a video game.

Tom Hanks' Angels and Demons was okay. It wasn't as complex or controversial as The DaVinci Code but it was entertaining.

Bam group shot

Two days of partying at the Secretroom SkinTwo Pre-party was great. I had way too much fun, made new friends and took lots of pictures.

Friday at BAM Art Space was relatively casual: The place has a beautiful settings perfectly made for socializing. Inside is pretty with trees, fountains and waterfalls: outside is a large terraced garden. Most people talked, danced, or watched the body painting. Bam doesn't have a liquor license so they offered the food and drink for free but took donations at the end of the night.

Saturday night at the Jungle was off the hook. Awesome performances, happy people, wonderful outfits and a most excellent fashion show. The party had a medical theme and many people dressed well. There were lots of nurses and doctors. Most people however just dressed for the fetish theme either in latex or lingerie. The fashion show had a puppet plot where the girls were pierced, strings were attached and they became marionette - really bizarre.

Jade Vixen spent most of the night socializing and posing for pictures which was really nice. Eden Wells came out after her show and posed for a few shots but spent most of the night back stage. I was preoccupied and missed the last show with Defenzmechanism, sorry Soosie and Carissa.

On the left are a few special guests, the hosts, and the fashion designer from Baby Loves Latex: Aisha, JB, Lily, Renee, Dax, Beth, Jsin, Warren, Defenzmechanizm and Kip.

Pictures are posted (Write me for the entry code)

Jsin and crew introduced a new club event at Door44. It's a fancy club with a dark rose theme in the Crescent Ave area. A few of his regular folks showed up and mixed with the trendy crowd for an interesting dynamic one person described as a scene from West Side Story. I got to meet some new people which was nice. But since it's so small it quickly got too crowded to be fun.

The stage area was especially small and there's no changing room so the shows were brief. But Rachel, Jezebel, Siva and Scargrrl tried their best. During the night, the staff gave lessons on using the stripper poll which was funny. Several drunk girls tried the poll and the other platform: A few missed but weren't hurt.

I took several pictures throughout the night. It's the kind of place where people go to be seen, so everyone wanted their picture taken: Except the staff who all declined to be photographed in their sexy new uniforms. It's a beautifully decorated bar but parking is a pain in the arse and half the place is roped off as a VIP area which is needlessly pretentious. The music wasn't very good and drink prices were a little high - I don't think I'll be going back.
Pictures are posted (Write me for the entry code)

Jezebel n Stephanie at Door 44 Jul 09
Jezebel n Stephanie

I went down to the Landmark theater to see Moon. It's a very interesting and thought provoking movie about a lone mane stationed an isolated moonbase. He starts having hallucinations but that's not really the movie. It's more about the lonliness at first. I won't say there are surprising twists and turns because it's a slow moving psychological mystery not really a suspense thriller. Most importantly it opens many ethical questions for debate. I really enjoyed it.

I'd heard mixed reviews of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine so I waited until it came to Picture Show at Merchants Exchange. I too was disappointed. While there was considerable action I kept waiting for the plot to get interesting. I actually thought the best part of the movie was the opening credits: Watching them fight in all the different wars. I didn't like that Logan couldn't kill his brother even though he was a psycopath and the bad guy general was just too flat. There were several plot holes too: Why did Logan loose his memory when shot in the head? He doesn't in the first movie when he's shot in the head on the front porch. And if his skull is made of Atomatium, how come bullets don't just bounce off?

June

We caught Race to Witch Mountain at the cheapie theater and it was just what I'd expected. A few effects, a little action and bad guys in black suits being inept. It wasn't very good but for a dollar it was nice to get out of the house.

After 11 years my 1998 Micron Desktop PC finally failed. Last fall I bought a new Dell desktop PC because my 98 machine had regular issues and couldn't display many of the newer websites. But I liked the old software and don't like Vista. Besides I use my laptop most of the time anyway. Alas, change has come. Since I backed it up regularly I only lost a few bookmarks and a few recent changes - No biggie.

I made a quick trip north for a family function. It was nice to see some old friends and distant relations. The service was unpleasent but the reception wasn't bad. Flying was quite inconvenient and the surprise fee for my first checked bag was unwelcome.

Evil Sarah takes the stageThe Secretroom Hellraiser Horror party at the Jungle Club was amazing. AMF Korsets brought their bizarre fashion from Berlin and dressed up several models for an awesome fashion show. Several of the costumes involved elaborate body piercings that were truly horrific. Krucifixation had lip and back piercing while Kara had arm and back piercing all attached to elaborate headdresses. Other masks were airbrushed to resemble flesh that was quite creepy.

Additionally, Gia Nova, Kerri Taylor, Evil Sarah (in red body paint and on fire to the right), and Defenz Mechanism participated in a great stage show that hopefully will appear on Youtube. Fire and suspensions are a good combination.

I spent the the night running around, camera in hand, like a maniac and got some great pictures. Knowing the models and getting a backstage pass really helped. There were two staff photographers with light setups that probably got better pictures but my shots give a very different perspective. Besides, I got a lot of audience participation.

Unfortunatley it wasn't well attended: I'm sure many people will look at the pictures and hear stories and regret that they missed this show. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

Pushing Daisies is over. The last episode was broadcast late on a Saturday night without any advertising so I'm sure most people missed it. Still, it was a fun episode and it was reedited to give fans a happy ending and some closure. I was not disappointed though there are several loose ends. I was happy that Chuck told her sisters that she's alive and Emerson published his book and found his daughter. It was nice that Lily and Vivian went back to work as The Darling Mermaid Darlings and left the house. It was cute that Randy Man and Olive got together. But I'm disappointed that the issue with Chuck's father didn't get resolved nor did Chuck and Ned have personal resolution. Can't wait for the DVD set.

The June Phobia party at Sp4th started out slow but turned into a huge success. There were two excellent performances courtesy of Effie's Club Follies. The first show was a high-brow woman that transforms and abuses her maid. The second show was a very titillating scene from Brokeback Mountain with very sexy women in frilly chaps. There was dancing, socializing, and some very entertaining use of the furniture. I took lot's of pictures of the mayhem on and off the stage. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

I caught the opening of The Girlfriend Experience at Midtown Art Cinema. I was very disappointed. I don't know exactly what I was expecting but that boring day-in-the-life story was so mundane it was boring. Sasha Grey was beautiful but since nothing ever happened it was a waste of her beauty and the audience's time. It was just an hour of people complaining about the economy.

May

Kara gets her cakeThe Secretroom Military Fetish party at the Jungle Club was outstanding. Lot's of people got dressed up and dressed down mixing a variety of military uniforms, apocalyptical mayhem and severe boots. The boys and girls looked awesome.

The early show was a birthday surprise for Kara, complete with cake and spankings. An interrogation scene followed that was so intense people were concerned for the safety of the victim who was being tortured to the delight of all. The late show was a very kinky boot worshiping line of sexy women and a boot loving slave.

A great time was had by all. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

Terminator: Salvation was action packed and thrilling but still left me wanting. I guess it didn't have the heart of the original movies: It was too cold. But it was a fun ride.

I caught the Nicholas Cage movie Knowing. I'm glad I only paid $1 to see it at the cheapie theater because it was very weak. It was a suspense thriller with not much thrill. His character, a drunk and depressed single father was almost unwatchable. The movie ends with such an anti-climatic finish that everyone in the movie theater actually moaned. Skip renting the video and don't bother watching it on TV either.

The Quiet Roar benefit for the Good Mews Animal Shelter at the Doo Gallery was fun. Hosted by Ms. Purrrrr (Shellie Schmals) and Mz. Meow (Christina Bibby) it was an Evening of Art & Fashion inspired by Hello Kitty.

Several artists and groups contributed to a successful event. So my thanks to VONschmalhausen, Syrens of the South, PinUpGirl! Cosmetics, Sweatshop by Tiq, and Social 360.

Lots of photographers were there to capture the fun but few actually posed people which I found very surprising. I found it too hectic inside so I took a few brave folks outside where it was less crowded and had nicer backdrops. I'm pretty happy with the results. I also took advantage of the pre-fashion show meeting to get a group shot. You can see my gallery here.

Quiet Roar Models

I really enjoyed the Blastoff Burlesque Stimulus Package show. It was creative and very well done. I especially enjoyed the aerial hoop performer Darcy. As a venue for this type of show the Icehouse wasn't so great. It was a long show and we had to stand in one place for two hours which was uncomfortable.

Star Trek was a very entertaining and exciting movie but I'm not happy about the whole alternate timeline crap. There were too many changes and technical errors for me but the acting and special effects were very well done.

I was really disappointed with the May Phobia party at Sp4th mostly because of the rain. The venue is just not prepared for bad weather and there was no place to sit and everyone being wet really spoiled the fun. Since the performances didn't start until late and with the new alcohol rules drinking had to stop early - So I left without taking a single picture.

The King Tut exhibit at the Atlanta Civic Center was very interesting. I didn't realize that Tutankhamun was his birth name but his royal name was Neb-Kheperu-re There were a lot of Egyptian artifacts to see and the descriptions were written on multiple sides to help traffic flow. Overall, a worthwhile display: It took me two hours to see it all. My one complaint is that there was a greater variety of pharaohs represented than just Tutankhamun and none of the famous Tutankhamun gold items were on display. It should have been more accurately titled the Ancient Pharaohs Exhibit.

The Agoraphobia party was very disappointing. Pouring rain, poor turnout, poorly dressed people, lack of entertainment, and an increased security presence made me leave early.

April

I got some good pictures at the Lunatic Lounge party. Several people took Judas' lead and wore clown makeup but I was more impressed by the sexy outfits. There were several glowstick dancers and Prentice Suspensions performed.

The Spring4th center continues their conversion to a full bar with better decorations and more outside seating. Unfortunately that also means a more serious attitude and less fun which may explain the moderate turnout. Even though I stayed very late, I couldn't hang for the 4am blood wrestling.

Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

Judas Moon and friends at Lunatic Lounge

I made my first sojourn to the infamous Clermont Lounge to see a surprise reunion performance of Catfight! They opened for Lust and the Accidents. Lust was costumed as Mariaci, I assume in honor of the upcoming Cinco de Mayo next week. The venue is as tacky and seedy as I've heard and the dancers, although enthusiastic at times, are less than attractive. About 100 people came out for the show and included a bachelor party. Fun was had until the wee hours but I left at 12:30. (Sorry no pictures allowed)

Clown girls Andrea, Dayna and Alisa at the Chaos party
Andrea, Dayna & Alisa

The Cyberaver Carnival of Chaos was pretty good. There weren't any stage shows and the people were not dressed to the extreme but there were a lot of pretty people to photograph and Melissa and friends put on another cool trapeze show. I experimented a lot with long exposures to get some of the cool glow-stick action.

A big thanks to the Andrea, Dayna, Kara, Bunny and Alisa for the mini-photo shoots with me. That was big fun and the highlight of my night.

I still think the Jungle Club is still a poor location choice for this party. The flow sucks with too many obstacles. The decor is lame and the door policy too harsh.

Pictures are posted   Write me for the entry code

Jennifer Daniels played a good show Eddie's Attic for her new CD - Come Undone. Naked Blue opened the show and then stayed to play cello and keyboards in the band along with a drummer and guitarist. The music was a little rough and there were many new songs that need to be perfected but over all it was great fun. I'm happy for them that the show sold out, but with the new tables and limited standing room that's only about 200 people - “It's not Carnegie Hall,” Jen joked.

The show was dominated by talk of her and Jeff's new twins: Colin and Kate born January 12th. Eddie said he had hoped they would bring them but Jen said they would have stolen the show. Later Jen joked about reconciling being a Rock-Star and a Mom by using Bob's office to pump some milk. The audience really loved her.

On a sour note, service at Eddie's was terrible. After 30 minutes of waiting I went to the bar for my first drink. Two hours later no waitress had come to take my order, ask about the empty glass or offer to take it away. A menu sat in front of me all night. Service has been bad before but I think they're in real trouble now and had better do something to get their act together.

Jennifer Daniels

Don Henry, Sally Barris and Tom Kimmel played a nice show at Eddie's Attic. They were billed as the Waymores but did their usual in-the-round performance. I recorded Don's songs and sent him a DVD.

On the right is my first attempt at making a video - Back on the Farm Again. The camera was on tripod but it looks like everything is moving and the curtains are blowing. I'm not sure if that's the image stabilization in the camera or the floor really moves that much. Still, I think it turned out pretty good.

March

Monsters vs. Aliens was cute but not extraordinary. I think I paid too much for it too. We went to a 3D matinee and enjoyed ourselves. But I didn't leaved thrilled by such a simple movie with very little for adults.

Saint Patrick's Day was pretty uneventful - Only a few folks wore green and no fancy celebrating. The cafeteria at work got it all wrong playing Scottish bag pipes for music and serving shepherds pie - but I ate it anyway.

The Secretroom Geisha party was pretty cool despite several issues. First it was cold and raining which made the trip in miserable and discouraged attendence. Then some idiot outside security guy insisted on searching everyone which was terrible and time consuming. Once inside the new layout made for awful traffic and crowding. The western decor sucks! But in the end I had fun and made some new friends. There were some beautiful outfits and makeup. The aerial team was particularly impressive but my pictures didn't capture their artistry.

Pictures are posted Write me for the entry code

The Secretroom Geisha girls

We caught the Adam Sandler movie: Bedtime Stories at the Picture Show at Merchants Walk. It was surprisingly good for a kiddy movie. It was the only thing playing when we got there so we gave it a chance. All the little kids laughing really added a pleasant mood.

Kristen and Soosie at Phobia

The Agoraphobia Productions party at Sp4th was fun. Overall, I wasn't too impressed but the music and comraderie were fun. I'm not sure why Soosie was dressed as a bunny, maybe an Easter thing, but nobody could resist petting her ears. There were several outrageous outfits which make the gallery worth seeing. Pictures are posted. (Write me for the entry code)

I was disappointed by the the High Museum's exhibit of China's Terracotta Army. I paid a lot of money and waited in line for very few soldiers. The display says there are 7,000 clay soldiers but I only saw a dozen and many of them were broken. I thought if they were going to make all that effort then the display would be much more impressive with dozens of samples. I understand that many are broken but you don't bring them 2,000 miles - You bring the good ones! It was interesting but not worth the effort - The Discovery channel shows are much better.

A few of us went to see The Watchmen. It was good but very strange with the whole good guys are the bad guys thing. A few of my friends were traumatized by the CGI little Dr. Manhattan and the reviews seemed to be obsessed with it too. It clearly detracted from the film. Like many others, I was most impressed by the intensity of the Rorschach character.

February

We went to The Swallow at the Hollow to see Craig Carothers and Don Henry play. As always, fun was had by all. I made a video but I'm not sure it's good enough for the web.

Marti Gras was not very exciting. I bought a King Cake to work and the cafeteria served some cajun flavoured stuff but otherwise nothing special.

The refinancing on my house went pretty well even though it took a month longer than expected. I got rid of PMI, cut my bill by $100 per month, lowered my interest rate 2.15% and cut the term by nine years, Overall I did very well. If I can make a few extra payments I may have this paid off before I die after all.

My first Lunatic lounge Party at Sp4th was pretty good. The energy level was subdued but many people were having fun. It was cold and the fashion was mostly heavy coats so not too many pictures either but the performances were intense. Later they broke out the kiddy pools for the blood wrestling which isn't as much fun as it sounds but still kept me entertained all night. Pictures are posted (Write me for the entry code)

Mon Cherie's Reunion Party at the Masquerade was disappointing. Once again I was reminded that I really don't fit in with that crowd. Even though the place was crowded I felt very lonely. It was too dark and crowded so the few pix I took didn't come out. I left pretty early.

Judas Moon and Mojo at Lunatic Lounge

Tiger Tiger put on a good show at the Star Community Bar. I'd never seen them before and didn't know what to expect - Old style rock & Roll it turns out. They were pretty good and the crowd really got into it. The bar was really crowded. Anna and the Lost Cause opened and were fair. I didn't stick around for the Fleshtones

I thought Coraline was good. The plot was thin and the 3D affects were underutilized but it was entertaining and beautiful. I liked the colors and the style but I guess that's a given.

The first Agoraphobia party of the year was disappointing. The crowd showed up late and very few people dressed up, I guess due to the cold. The first show was okay, the second was weak, but the third was both bizarre, creepy and great. The folks from Singlecell made a special trip to do the third show and were impressive in costume and theme. The play room had been renovated and was too small and too crowded which was also a let down. I didn't get enough pictures for a gallery and just sent a few out to the Singlecell folks.

General Bearagard Lee on Groundhog Day 2009

I skipped work to see General Beauragard Lee (Georgia's official Groundhog) at the Yellow River Game Ranch for Groundhog Day. He didn't see his shadow so we're expecting an early Spring here in the South. It was pretty cool to see the TV stations and lots of little kids excited about the show. About a hundred people showed up for free cocoa and T-shirts. I'm glad I got to be part of the celebration.

I didn't get a great picture but Beau is just coming out the front door. Read the story or watch the video on NBC 11 Alive.

We celebrated the Chinese New Year by going to the festival at the Chinese Cultural Center. As always the food was great but it was very crowded. Different schools put on dances and music which was fun. Maybe they could put up a tent outside next year.

January

I've got a Good news - Bad news thing going. My pictures were published in a magazine - Yeh!. But it wasn't with my permission - Bummer. A porn magazine used some pictures off my password protected website and put them in their monthly guide to the Atlanta sex industry. A club I frequent got some publicity which makes me happy but at the same time I'm angry that I was violated. I sent the magazine a nasty letter.

Follow-up: It turns out the event promoter selected and authorized use of my pictures - I guess she didn't understand our agreement that I should be contacted first. I'll have to communicate that better.

The Martini-Girl fashion show at Live at Emory was a lot of fun. It was a talk show with interviews, music and stuff. Eva brought some models and did a mini-fashion show which was very popular. Before and after the show I took the models around the Dobbs Center for some photos. After Eva was interviewed by the host Tim, he interviewed the writer of “Doc Hollywood” Neil Shulman who was very interesting and also funny. Later we went to the after party and had more fun.Martini-Girl at Emory

I saw Underworld: Rise of the Lycans on the big screen. It was okay but not great. They answered some of the questions and the action was pretty good. I thought the costumes would be better but instead the budget was mostly spent on the wolves.

Kooza the current Cirque du Soleil show was excellent. We really enjoyed the Wheel of Death, the juggler and the acrobats. The other stuff was pretty standard. Except during our show the guy fell off the high-wire which you don't get to see too often. The costumes in the second half were really awesome. I got tickets in the front row which turned out not to be a good thing: too close - Note for next time.

Hoopsie Daisy

Blast-off Burlesque put on a wonderful show at the Alcove gallery called Mysterious Mysteries of the unknown. Great job Barb!! The acts had a James Bond theme with lot's of spies and sexy babes. I was most impressed by the Hoopsy Daisy, the sexy unicorn hoola-hoop performer on the left and bigfoot and his cavegirls. Dancers in Emma Peel style black catsuits really drove the crowd wild and Calu as a demon devouring a poor catholic school girl was totally hot. I was not amused by the two side-show guys whom I thought were lame. We've seen people eat light bulbs and worms many times before and didn't need to see the other stuff he ate. A few pictures are posted.

I drove past the venue, the Alcove gallery several times before I found it. It had no lights and the sign was hidden by the animal hospital sign which didn't have a number. Luckily on the third pass I saw the line of people wrapped around the building and parked across the street at the drugstore.

Today the Moon Tomorrow the Sun played a good show at the E.A.R.L. The place filled up quickly and everyone had a really good time. It's Elephant opened and they were okay but it was a long day for me so I didn't stick around for Longwave.

I was very proud to attend the rally for Israel. The world press makes it seem like everyone is against Israel for defending its people from terrorism which is very sad. The people in Israel, especially those in Sderot live in constant fear. All efforts to negotiate a peace have been rebuffed.

At the rally, I was impressed by the speeches of Ambassador Reda Mansour, General Consul for Israel in the Southeastern U.S. and Dr. Wolpe, Director of Ethics from Emory University. It was an inspiring event. There were many temple groups and church groups in attendance. I'm disappointed the media didn't cover the event better. I would have thought a 4000 person rally would have made the news but it didn't.

You can still see video of their speeches on-line.

If you look real hard, I'm on the right in the picture.

Atlanta Pro-Israel Rally Jan 2009

Happy New Year!

My new year started at a great party hosted by Secretroom. The entertainment was awesome and the guests were lot's of fun. I especially loved the fire dancer - Emerald. Pictures are posted and came out great. Write me for the entry code.

You can still visit the news archives from: 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, or 1998.

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All pictures are the property of Stefan and are not to be posted on other websites or published in any medium without express written permission. Questions, comments, and corrections are always welcome.


Created Oct. 10, 1995
Fixed 24 June 2017
© 2017 Stefan Oestreicher.
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Spun By Stefan