Healing Fireball

In an attempt to better ourselves through yarn reading, Chris and I journeyed into the city to visit the Philadelphia Book Fair at the Free Library last Sunday. We certainly did not go for the sole purpose of meeting the inimitable Yarn Harlot, who was there giving a talk and signing copies of her new book, if that’s what you’re thinking. (Chris tells me to keep the knitting-related news items to a minimum. I don’t understand why yarn and gaming have to be mutually exclusive, but whatever.) My apologies to the Yarn Harlot for the photo:

The library was very efficient with moving people, though, so I didn’t get to take a picture with the sock, alas.

While I was hanging out with the knitty people, Chris went to hear the discussion by the folks from LibraryThing. (Visit our Library!) They talked mostly about the implementation of interesting new features, and I have to say, it keeps getting better over there. I especially like that you can now label books with the Date Started and the Date Read, so I can finally keep track of that sort of thing. (As an aside, Chris nixed my idea of doing book reviews, unless they were gaming-related or themed. He didn’t think the geeks would like to hear about Atonement. Maybe I should take a survey).

At this point, it started raining. We putzed around, and it started to rain harder. So we jogged over to the nearby Franklin Institute (sorry, it’s “The Franklin” now, it seems) to purchase some appropriately dorky drip-free umbrellas. By that point, everything was beginning to close up and we headed home. Hopefully we’ll have better weather next year, and we can actually use the tote bags for new books we brought along.

Where we live in New Jersey the fair season starts with the Mercer County Lions Club Fair in Mercer County Park.  There really is not much to this fair.  The grounds are a large open field in Mercer Park the stages are either the portable rollaway kind or areas that have been cordoned off with plastic fencing and cones.  The food is served out of a collection of grease trucks or from portable carts.  But the price is right at only $7 and the profits go to a good cause.  Plus the number of vendors has steadily grown every year and it provides a place to get costuming and equipment before the larger more organized fairs start.   

This year was no exception and we had a fine day with a clear sky and constant breeze when we went.  We are always glad when fair season starts as we get to see some friends that we only see at fairs and this time was no different. Our friends at Lusty Leather had a booth as normal and we spent some time talking to them and browsing their new products.  Round Table Jousting with our friends from Period Productions put on a fine jousting show and the local troop of musketeers put on several firing demonstrations.  All and all it was an enjoyable trip and a great way to start the fair season.

         
~Chris Baldi “The Healer”~
     ~May 21, 2008~

Arrr! Welcome to my first real report on a faire.  Well, as many of you probably know, I am a performer at the NJ Renaissance Kingdom and Faire.  After recent meetings with the other performers I can offer you a tantalizing glimpse at this year’s story.

This year we will be themed as the rowdy colony of Tortuga, an exotic land of pirates and rogues where any who wishes to avoid the law can hide.  But there is trouble in paradise as frictions between the English and French abroad have boiled over to the colonies and Tortuga is no different.  Will the colony ally itself with one of these powers, will it stay independent or will infighting tear the colony apart?  Well, that’s all I can reveal for now but to find out how this story ends come and join us weekends in June or go to www.NJkingdom.com for more information.
~Chris Baldi “The Healer”~        
        ~May 4, 2008~

I would like to start this entry by first acknowledging that I have not been fulfilling the promises I made in the early entries about my visions for both the blog and the web page.  Unfortunately, between work our publishing schedule and my other responsibilities I have admittedly neglected the web page and I apologize. That said, I have been working on several new categories for the blog and updates for the ones we already have so expect more activity in the coming months.

To start this new phase off right, I would like to unveil our new category – the Faire and Con Report.  For those of you who don’t know, when I am not gaming in the summer, one of our major activities is to attend Renaissance faires.  My wife and I even work for the local NJ Renaissance Kingdom and Faire.  In fact, the Healing Fireball Publications brand was founded specifically to brand the pirate and knight guides I wrote for publication at this faire.  So, since Renaissance faires have been so much a part of both mine and Healing Fireball’s history it only seemed right to create a category about them.

So what will you find in this category?  Well I’m glad you asked – my hope is that each one of these reviews will give a travelogue of our trip to a faire or convention.  With my wife’s help, I hope to post pictures of our day and descriptions of our experience.  In some cases I hop to offer a plot teaser for the faire’s main story line.  I will offer links to the faire’s main web page and to some of the shops we our friendly with.  Finally, I hope to add a Faire and Con link section to the links section of the blog.  So until next time –
~Chris Baldi “The Healer”~     
       ~May 3, 2008~