Author: Séa

Spring (and Summertime) LARP

I want to continue LARPing over the summer. I have scheduled a first springtime LARP after the end of Planet Homeschool. I am inviting friends who could LARP at Planet Homeschool and friends who could’t. This is a also chance to expand our LARP to a larger area that is better for LARPing and to play for a longer time.

FYI: LARP is Live Action Role Playing, also known as Grown Up Make Believe.

Here are the details:

Summertime LARP

Wednesday, May 18, 2016
10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Tony Schmidt Regional Park
3500 Lake Johanna Blvd
Arden Hills, MN 55112

Live Action Role Playing! Also known as Grown Up Make Believe. This is a multiverse LARP — characters and costumes may come from any genre or era or story or …. The story for this LARP is continually evolving and is written cooperatively by all players, so there is no group leader. While the group may choose to follow someone for a particular campaign on a particular day, any Emperors, Dictators, Generals, or CEOs will be promptly overthrown!

Summertime LARP Rules

    1. Safety first.
    2. Always be nice.
    3. Never say “No” to another person’s idea.
    4. Those who wish to duel must do so in slow motion and tap lightly.

Costumes are encouraged but optional.

Bring provisions (that is, a picnic lunch).

This is an all-weather LARP taking place outside, so plan your outfit accordingly.

This is also a judgement-free LARP. If someone makes a choice with which you disagree, whether it be what they’re saying, what they’re wearing, or what they’re doing, take it as an opportunity to learn … or at least to practice being kind.

RSVP requested.

Adult supervision is not provided.

For more information on Tony Schmidt Regional Park, visit bit.ly/tony-schmidt.

Sanding Paper Pulp — Terran Astromech Droid Assembly Works (TADAW)

On April 17, I take the dome outside to sand it …
… and sand, and sand, and sand, and sand, and sand. This stuff is hard as rock. I used 40 grit sandpaper, and it hardly making a dent.
Mom goes back online. Reads several blog posts about NOT using papier-mâché pulp to smooth papier-mâché. Seems we should have used gesso instead. The bloggers say that the gesso will fill in the bumps and lumps, while papier-mâché pulp is usually lumpy no matter how much you break it up and mix.

I take a week off from the build to prep for the first Tripoli Minnesota High Power Rocketry Club Launch of the spring — which we then miss for reasons not related to R2D2 building.

On April 18, I get to visit the shop of another local R2D2 builder, AimeeD!

On April 23, I apply a layer of gesso. It fills in the tiny holes, but thick as it is, it’s not going to help with the large lumps.

Paper Pulp — Terran Astromech Droid Assembly Works (TADAW)

Things go horribly wrong, although I won’t know that for a while yet.

Mom does some quick internet research. Too quick it turns out. She reads ONE blog post about using papier-mâché pulp to smooth the finish of a papier-mâché project, so we walk to Michael’s and back for a box of FastMâché.

It’s goopy and sloppy!

It doesn’t exactly smooth on easily.

It mostly sticks to my hands.

But it does seem to be covering the newspaper with uniform whiteness.

THAT’S NO MOON!

Mom says we can sand it smooth. She reads the instructions and tells me that it’s easiest to sand when it’s “leather dry.”

She will be wrong about this.

Terran Astromech Droid Assembly Works (TADAW)

I have decided to build a full-size functioning astromech droid. This project will take years to complete, so for this spring, I am focusing on getting a functioning radar eye with a hidden camera and getting the dome to rotate via remote control.

But first I needed a dome. Having a tight budget, I decided to make one from papier-mâché. I used my mom’s 18-inch yoga ball as the form.

But she made me cover it in plastic wrap because she says she wants it back.

I used dilute Tacky Glue for the papier-mâché paste.

And I used regular newspaper stripes for the paper.

The first layer looks pretty darn good. I can see R2 hiding in there.

Invitation to 3rd Period LARP

I would like to invite those who have third period free to join me for LARPing (Live Action Role Playing).

I have been a happy participant of the second-period LARP group this past Fall Session, but I’ve decided to take advantage of a second-period opportunity (that is, “take a class”). I am sad to not be free to participate in the second-period LARP group. I am hopeful that others will be willing to join me for some Live Action Role Play from 12:30pm to 1:45pm, most likely starting during the lunch period and so overlapping with the second-period LARP group from 12pm to 12:30pm.

Following the practices of the second-period LARP group, there are two strict rules:

1. Be nice.
2. Never say no to another person’s idea.

Also, players who wish to duel should do so in slow motion and tap lightly.

Costumes are encouraged but optional. This is an all-weather LARP taking place outside, so plan your outfit accordingly. (Should the weather be really dreadful, the group may opt for LARP storytelling in the student lounge.)