FlishFun.com

I was way too wiped out to post last night, but Show is finally over:

Look at it all bein’ packed up. Well, at least the most grueling part of show is over… the behind the scenes work has been happening all day today. I’ll place my bet that we made over $200,000 during show this time… which is a major haul. It’ll be days before we have a final number, but I’ve seen some of the preliminaries and it looks swell. So, what kinds of things did we learn during show this time? Well, for one… I love models:

They just make show great! I also learned that you should never question anything. What do dancers have to do with a hair show? Couldn’t tell ya, but here they were:

They were a huge hit, but I still have no idea why they were there! I’ll tell ya, the show was completely packed this time, I know I haven’t been to many, but the last few paled in comparison. There were people everywhere, and I was told that most of the special shows ended up being standing room only towards the end. Some action (or inaction) shots:

Now that we have all that out of the way, I did wanna talk a bit about what I could only call “scams” but because of length those will probably be my next couple posts. In short, beware Ion Cleanse and LED Light Therepy, unless you like giving away money. If that is the case, I’ll take as much as you’d like to give!

Finally check out this neat place called St. Baldrick’s… from their site:

St. Baldrick’s is the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for childhood cancer research. Thousands of volunteers shave their heads in solidarity of children with cancer, while requesting donations of support from friends and family.

At a St. Baldrick’s event, something amazing happens. People who normally shy away from the very thought of childhood cancer find themselves compelled to support this cause after looking into the face of these brave children who are smiling broadly as their friends and family members proudly display their newly shorn heads.

Volunteers and donors see it can be fun to support a serious cause. Young cancer patients and survivors see how many people care. And researchers see St. Baldrick’s funds helping to find cures!

How awesome is that? As a cancer survivor myself, I think this is truly a great program… so did Scott (on the right), as you can see below:

All in all, it was a great Show, but I don’t think I’ll be fully recovered until this weekend… it’s a rough job, but someone has to do it!

Can’t talk… show. Crowds!

Models!

Nudity (missed that pic, sorry fellas!)!

More tomorrow!

It’s that time again… my company’s bi-annual trade-show is this weekend and it’s my job to check badges (otherwise I wouldn’t be up before 5:00!).  I’m hoping to possibly snag some pics this year, as I’ve missed out every other year, so we’ll have to see what happens.

Sadly on days like this I’m going to miss anything news worthy, so I’m hoping it’ll be a slow news day.  For those wanting something to tide them over… how about this, Obama now says (in a nutshell) that he didn’t realize his pastor was crazy because he never heard sermons like that when he went (link):

 Wright was, but is no longer, a member of one of the Obama campaign’s advisory committees. Wright has not been active in campaign, Obama said, and with the pastor retiring from the pulpit Obama said he doesn’t see an issue in his family remaining part of the congregation.

“If I thought that was the repeated tenor of the church then I wouldn’t feel comfortable, but frankly that has not been my experience at Trinity United Church of Christ.

Aparently Wright hasn’t been active in the campaign either.  Really, Barack, who is active in the campaign?  Whenever something like this happens they’re either “not part of my paid staff” or “not active” or something.  Does anyone work for you?  Well, I know who pays you… apparently Tony Rezko has been givin’ you more than you said before:

But in a 90-minute interview with Tribune reporters and editors, Obama disclosed that Rezko had raised more for Obama’s earlier political campaigns than previously known, gathering as much as $250,000 for the first three offices he sought.

Oops!  I’m sure it was “just a mistake” because he was “young and inexperienced”, right guys?  Right?  It was his first day on the job, right?  Can’t blame the new guy!

Last night Jess and I braved a horrible storm to go check out the World Famous Lipizzaner Horses down at the Qwest Center, and let me tell you… totally worth it.

For those of you who don’t know about the Lipizzaners, here is a quick history of their rescue (click the link for their full info):

World War II presented perhaps the greatest threat ever faced by the Lipizzan breed. The breeding stock was taken by the Nazis from Piber to a German-run stud farm at Hostau, in what today is the Czech Republic. Threatened by bombing raids, the stallions later evacuated Vienna for St. Martin’s, in upper Austria. Under the leadership of Alois Podhajsky, then the director of the Spanish Riding School, both the stallions and the equestrian traditions were preserved. However, there were still harsh challenges; while safe from aerial attacks, there was little food for human or animals, and starving refugees sometimes attempted to steal the horses, viewing them as a source of meat.

In 1945, the United States Army took control of St. Martins. General George S. Patton, of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Group, had been a fellow equestrian competitor with Podhajsky in the Olympic Games prior to the war. The two men renewed their acquaintance, and after an impressive performance by the remaining horses and riders of the school in front of Patton and Undersecretary of War Robert Patterson, the Americans agreed to place the stallions under the protection of the United States until they could safely be returned to the people of Austria after the war.

When Hostau fell behind Soviet lines, captured German officers, under interrogation by U.S. Army Captain Ferdinand Sperl, reported the Lipizzans’ location and asked the Americans to rescue the horses before they fell into Soviet hands, because it was feared they would be slaughtered for horsemeat. Patton issued orders, and on April 28, 1945, Colonel Charles H. Reed, Sperl’s superior officer, with members of Troops A, C and F of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, conducted a raid behind Soviet lines and accepted the surrender of the Germans at Hostau. Reed later said that the surrender was “more a fiesta than a military operation, as the German troops drew up an honor guard and saluted the American troops as they came in.” Although only 250 Lipizzans survived the war, the breed was saved.

Wow… they must be an awesome breed of horse, no? Well, I’ll tell you, watching them was incredible. I was originally not sure I’d like the show as it’s considered “horse ballet”, but it’s really much more. They pull off military maneuvers as well as tell the history of the breed and how they’re selected. Very interesting. The show itself was about 90 minutes (including the 15 min intermission) and featured about 8 different horses (all but 2 were Lipizzaners, the other 2 were Andalusian). Here are a few pics I took:

Not bad for my old camera! The seats we were in didn’t hurt, either. Jessica is completely enthralled with the horses now and odds are we’ll be going back the next time they’re in town… and I don’t think I’ll mind at all!