My Brother Hank

I mailed my brother Hank his birthday card today. The card is late (I'm terrible about mailing stuff) but I don't think he'll mind. The reason for that is because the card has a picture of a beautiful girl on it and Hank loves pictures of beautiful women. But most importantly, it has a $25 gift card to Olive Garden in it. Hank LOVES food and Olive Garden restaurants have very good food. I doubt there is a restaurant Hank likes more. Also Hank will also get a delight in spending someone elses money. While Hank is a wonderful person and a real character, he can also be something of a tightwad. He doesn't like spending his own money but he'll gladly help you spend yours!

While we're on the subject of Hank, let me tell you a little about him. He is pretty incredible. If ever a kid was born with the deck stacked against him, it was Hank. Hank should have been a perfectly normal kid but thanks to a drunk anesthesiologist at birth, he suffered irreparable brain damage. He subsequently underwent something like 19 operations to try to fix the damage. The last operation he underwent was the most radical. One problem that they discovered was that Hank's brain was sending to strong a signal to him limbs. When Hank would try to reach for something, he ended knocking the object away instead of grasping it. Because of this, Hank had to be strapped down in a wheel chair so he wouldn't try to grasp something when someone tried to feed him. The doctors decided that if they trimmed back one of the nerves in Hank's back, it would cut back the signal and enable Hank to grasp onto objects instead of knocking them away. The surgery worked. Hank can now push his wheelchair by himself if he wishes.

Because of the brain damage, Hank can't talk properly. However, thanks to the wonders of computer technology, Hank can communicate. Hank uses a keyboard that scrolls through words and when Hank hears a word he wants to say, he hits the keyboard. Through the keyboard, Hank is able to put together complete intelligible sentences. The keyboard has also enabled Hank to show that he is a very intelligent young man.

When you first look at Hank, you might not guess what an interesting character he is. However, once you get to know him, you might a mischievous character. I remember the time he stole some of my ice cream. I was home visiting and I decided to buy some Hagen Dazs ice cream at one of the local supermarkets. I put the ice cream in the fridge and broke it out from time to time to have some. I can't remember if Hank saw me eat some of it but he definitely knew it was there. At the time, my sister Ellie would come over and my Dad occasionally asked her if she would feed Hank. One day she came over while I was home and Dad asked her to feed Hank his lunch. Usually, Hank will have for dessert some cheap ice cream that Dad buys in large five gallon buckets. For some reason, Ellie didn't see Hank's ice cream. She did see the Hagen Dazs. She foolishly asked Hank if the Hagen Dazs was his. Hank looked around (presumably to see if I was there) and then quickly nodded YES! Ellie spooned out some of the ice cream and started serving it to him. As luck would have it, I walked out to the dining room where Ellie was feeding Hank and saw my Hagen Dazs out. I asked what was up. Ellie realized she'd been had. Hank had a big shit eating smile on his face. This was years ago but Hank still remembers and still laughs when I rag on him about stealing some of my ice cream.

This brief blog should give you some idea of what my brother Hank is like. He's a real character though also a wonderful person. He is a prime example of someone who has worked hard to overcome some terrible breaks in life. I plan to write more about him in the future. For now, I hope Bottomless Pit (as far as food is concerned) enjoys him Olive Garden gift card. Happy Belated Birthday Bro!

Post Office Interview

This past Thursday, I had an interview with the local Post Office. While the Post Office isn't my first choice career wise, it does has some advantages. Once you get hired on, you have excellent job security. Also, it pays well and my prior military service is a big plus with them. The interview itself went well though I wish I'd completed my job history before I arrived. I ended up having to rush to finish that. The Postmaster showed me what I'd be doing. Basically, I'd go in in the morning and spend 3 to 4 hours sorting the mail for my route then, I drive out to my route and deliver it. It looks like pretty simple work. It's just time consuming and dull. Still, it is a good paying job ($16.24 an hour) and has more of a future than my job with Medieval Times. The one big down side to the job as far as I can see that I'll have to work as a temporary mail carrier for a year and a half before I'll be able to get hired on permanently. One encouraging thing the Postmaster said was that I was likely to get more than one day a week. The one day a week of work was one of the biggest drawbacks I had with trying to hire on with the Post Office.

The Postmaster said he'd recommend they hire me. I asked when I could expect an answer on whether they would or not. He said I should hear from them in two weeks. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it pans out. If so, things will definitely look brighter.

Exercise

I've been trying to get myself to exercise somewhat regularly lately. I've found that my waist size has been growing and I know why. I haven't done enough push aways at the table and enough push-ups at my apartment complex's fitness center. Last week, I managed to get to the fitness center three times and rode the aerobicycle 50 minutes each time knocking 18 miles and burning at least 710 calories. I was pleased with myself. This week, I managed to get over there twice. I'm not the biggest fan of exercise but, if I don't want to turn into a blimp, I'm going to need to get over to the fitness center and ride the bike. We'll see how it goes.

Medieval Times Update

Monday, the Medieval Times I work at held their auction night. What auction night is is where employees use the medieval money they've earned to bid on items the particular castle has put up for auction. What is medieval money you asked and why does the castle put up various items up for auction? Medieval money is an incentive to get employees to a) be on time for work and have their costume or uniform look good and b) go the extra mile i.e. help set up for a special event or make your sales quota. Used properly, it is (I think) a really good reward tool for employees. Now, if you're going to give out medieval money, you have to have something the employees can buy with it. That's why the particular castle goes out and buys various items that it puts up for auction. For this particular auction, the castle I work at had approximately $2,000 worth of stuff for bid. There were gift certificates, perfume and soap sets, food, a tv/dvd player, a mystery gift which ended up being four cans of WD-40 and a bicycle, and a foldable lawn chair. The one item I would've liked to have won was the cordless power drill. I doubt I'd use it much but, it could've been handy. Overall, I think it's a nice program and a good way to reward the employees. Since I'm new, I didn't have squat for medieval money but, I look forward to the next auction where hopefully I will and I'll be able to win something. We'll see.

College

I got to meet with my college advisor today. I needed to find out what English categories (Poetry, Drama, American Authors, British Authors, etc.) I needed to take classes in to finish my degree. I also needed to know what classes the University of Maryland was offering this summer would satisfy those categories. It turned out there was only one class they were offering this summer that would help me satisfy the remaining requirements for my degree. I'll be taking 20th Century British Women Writers. The summer semester can be a problem in that the number of classes drop considerably. To make matters worse, I need classes that cover very specific areas. Luckily, Maryland did have one course that would work.

After I found out what class I needed to take, I decided to sign up for it. I didn't want to take a chance the class would fill up if I waited. That's when I got another shock, Maryland's tuition rates went up. Maryland doesn't consider me a state resident yet so I have to pay the out-of-state. For a three credit hour course, it cost me $1,348! Serious ouch! Thankfully, I'll be considered a Maryland resident next semester. That will save me over $600 per class. Thankfully too, I'll only have three classes to go at that point.

Lord of the Rings Update

I found out about two interesting webpages. The first has five pictures of the new Lord of the Rings film exhibition in Wellington, New Zealand. What is particularly noteworthy about the pictures are the ones showing the Umbarian corsair ship and the model of Minas Tirith. It would be so cool to get to see those models close up. The link to the page having the pictures is: http://www.theonering.net/scrapbook/group/1888/. 

The second noteworthy webpage is one that has a short interview with Sir Ian McKellen. McKellen reveals in the interview that he initially thought Peter Jackson was over his head with the Lord of the Rings movies and he expected them to flop spectacularly. This page can be found at: http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=179288700&p=y79z894x6.

UPDATE 12/30/12: The t-shirts mentioned in this last paragraph aren't available anymore from Sir Ian McKellen's website sadly. Nor did my order go through for reasons I forget now.

Lastly, I finally ordered two Gandalf t-shirts. Sir Ian is something of an artist and did a self portrait of himself as Gandalf. This drawing was made into something that could be pressed onto a t-shirt. I thought it was neat looking plus I really liked the fact that McKellen was willing to answer questions from fans about the Lord of the Rings movies. Today was the day I finally got around to ordering a couple of the t-shirts. I plan to keep one for myself and put one in the family Christmas grab bag. The Christmas grab bag is a family tradition whereby everyone buys stuff during the year for the grab bag. On Christmas day, when we get together, we dump all the stuff into the bag. Then, the bag is dumped out and the fun begins. Each member of the family gets a turn taking something from the pile. It gets interesting when there is an item that two or more members of the family want. If you might be interested in the t-shirt, it can be found at: (DELETED).

Work

The past week has been a down and up week work wise. Tuesday, I received news that the company I was hoping to go to work for (the one I took the March 6th test for) may have dumped me and didn't even have the decency to tell me. I was absolutely floored. Dealing with civilian employers this past year has been a real eye opener. I never knew companies treated prospective employees like crap. I feel more and more that I was fortunate to serve in the Air Force. You may work some crappy and LONG hours but, the Air Force does take care of its people. I can't say the same for civilian firms.

I did get one nice bit of news. I have an interview with the Post Office this Thursday. The job pays $16.24 an hour. The drawbacks are I would only get one day a week of work. I would have to work for them for at least a year before I could have a chance of being hired on full-time and permanently, and I won't receive any benefits. Still, it would get my foot in the door with them. Supposedly, once you get hired on permanently, you have to really screw up to get fired by the Post Office. The job security is very appealing. One of the requirements of the job is that I must be able to prove that I've had a spotless driving record for the last five years. Back in September, I changed my drivers license from Florida to Maryland. Unfortunately, I forgot what my Florida drivers license was. I've been searching high and low since. I finally found it this morning and requested a copy of my Florida driving record. I received that this afternoon. Now all I have to do is fill out the rest of the forms. That promises to take a while. Still, a job with the Post Office might be a very good thing. We'll see if it happens.

My job at Medieval Times goes well. I'm finally getting the hang of it. I now know when to do various things like turn on and off the air conditioning in the arena, set out trash cans, and store chairs and tables. I continue to find the job a real challenge in dealing with the customers. Today for instance, a customer came back to see about what could be done about something they'd bought today. The particular item fell apart and they wanted to know if they could get a replacement. I had to figure out to handle the problem. I ended taking them to one of the sales people in the gift shop who did replace the item. Another problem I encountered today was people wanting to look around the gift shop. The problem with that was it was closed. The gift shop people were busy selling items to people who were watching one the two shows today (we do two shows on Sundays). I had to nicely tell them that the gift shop was closed and gave them what I hoped was an accurate time when the gift shop would reopen. Lastly, I found out what my work schedule will be like this week. To my delight, I'll get to work 37 hours this week. With the 41 I put in this past week, I should receive a decent paycheck in a couple weeks. The money I'm earning at Medieval Times is helping. I'll be enrolling at the University of Maryland for the summer semester. The paycheck I earn from Medieval Times will help me pay for the class I'll be taking. Tomorrow, the castle will be having an auction where employees can use Medieval money they've earned to win various prizes. While I won't be able to win anything, I plan to attend to see what they auction off. It should be interesting. I'll let you know what happens.

Cheers for now!

Book Review

I finished Truman Capote's In Cold Blood for my college class. The book is brilliantly written and researched. Capote tells of the murder of an entire family in a small town in Kansas. Thanks to Capote's meticulous research, Capote is able to tell the story in chronological order starting with events just prior to the murders. He then goes on to tell about the investigation, how the murderers were caught, tried, and finally hung. Capote draws the reader into the story and helps them to get to know the family that is killed. One feels acutely the horror of what was done to them. We also learn about the two men responsible for the murders. One is a man who as a child just couldn't get a break and had a very traumatic childhood. The other is a man who perhaps wasn't sufficiently disciplined as a child and got into bigger and bigger trouble. Both men clearly have problems.

One particularly interesting feature of the novel is that Capote doesn't pass any judgments on any of the people in the novel. He also doesn't try to argue for a particular cause. When the prosecution goes for the death penalty for the two murderers. Capote doesn't try to argue for or against capital punishment. He tells the story in a perfectly neutral tone. Capote does a brilliant job of getting the reader's attention and then holding it. At the end of the story, Capote not only tells of how one of the detectives involved in catching the murderers found closure, he helps the reader find closure too. The reader finishes the story saddened by what happened but like one of the girl's who knew the murdered daughter, we move on. Life is like that.

If you want to read a gripping story of murder, crime solving, and justice, you may want to read In Cold Blood. It is a superbly written story that draws the reader in, shocks and wrenches them by what happens, and leaves us a bit wiser by what happens. It is definitely worth reading.

Medieval Times Update

I drove out to the Baltimore Medieval Times where I work to try out my new Linksys Wireless Notebook Adapter with SpeedBooster on my laptop. I bought the adapter so I could take advantage of the new wireless internet service they're offering. I'd never messed with this type of wireless connection before. The way I usually hook-up to the internet is with a Sprint PCS Connection card. The card enables the user to hook-up to the internet any where in the U.S. where they can pick up a Sprint cell phone signal. It's really handy and with the EV-DO upgrade, speeds of up to 2 megabytes per second are possible. Still, the new service at Medieval Times promised a connection of FIVE megabytes per second. I found out the computer technician who told me that got it wrong. I got ELEVEN megabytes per second! I couldn't believe the incredible speed. I tested it on the trailers for Chronicles of Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It was awesome! The trailers loaded immediately and there weren't any breaks while they played. Less demanding webpages came up in mere seconds. I was ecstatic. If you want some awesome internet connectivity and live within driving range of the Baltimore Medieval Times, you'll want to check it out.

P.S.

If you want a good tasting drink, you might want to try a Creamice with caramel flavoring. I tried one of those today and it was Good! Cost for one is $4.

Lord of the Rings Update

I found out where I wish I could travel to this summer. I found out that the Lord of the Rings film exhibition has opened in Wellington, New Zealand. You say you already saw that in Indianapolis. You're right BUT the smart people at the Museum of New Zealand and Peter Jackson updated it and they're showing new items that were never shown in the previous exhibition. For example, they show the crown that Aragorn is crowned with in the Return of the King. They also show the incredible model of Minas Tirith. The show also features the only model WETA Workshop made of a Umbarian pirate ship. WETA summarily changed the look of the model, photographed it, and combined the photos so it looks like there are five different Umbarian ships. Jackson and members of the cast also made new videos to show at the exhibition. All the new props and interviews make the exhibition sound awesome. The only problem is how far it is to New Zealand. I suspect I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope the new exhibition comes back to the U.S. There have to be plenty of museums in the U.S. that would be glad to host it. We'll see. If you can make it to the Wellington, the exhibition runs from April 14th to August 20th. Admission is $12 for adults and $6.50 for children 4 to 14 years of age (all prices are in New Zealand dollars). For an additional $6 for adults and $3 for children, visitors can take a one hour guided tour of the exhibition. Once the tour is over, visitors are free to see the exhibition on their own. For additional information on the exhibition, see http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/rings/default.html.

Book Review - Companion History to Gods and Generals

Greenwich Workshop Press published a companion history to the Civil War movie Gods and Generals. This history feature the art of Mort Kunstler. For those of you who don't know, Mort Kunstler is one of the premier artists who do drawings and paintings on the American Civil War. His artwork is historically correct and beautifully done. I wish I owned some of Kunstler's art as it is so wonderfully done. For now, the book by Greenwich Workshop will have to do. The book features outstanding paintings of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and Union Generals Winfield Hancock and Joshua Chamberlain. The book is a delight for the Civil War buff or the reader interested U.S. history. Kunstler's drawings beautifully capture the essence of these great men as well as the incredible events they took part in. I suspect Kunstler had a big influence on the movie Gods and Generals like Alan Lee and John Howe did on the Lord of the Rings movies. If you're a American civil war buff or a person fascinated with U.S. history, this book would be for you. The drawings really capture some of the great moments during the tumultuous Civil War as well as the leaders who played such a big part in it.

Book Review - Narnia Beyond The Wardrobe

Recently, I finished reading books about the Chronicles of Narnia movie and a supplement to Gods and Generals. First, I'll review the Chronicles of Narnia book.

The book is published by Harper Collins Publishers. It is called an official guide to Narnia. It tells of C.S. Lewis's life, some of the friends he knew including J. R. R. Tolkien, and how the Chronicles came to be written. It's an interesting book if you want to know the history of the Chronicles. It also has some interesting comments by Lewis. One thing that saddened me about the Chronicles was that Susan Pevensie stops believing in Aslan and Narnia. She gets caught up in being all grown-up. At the end of the The Last Battle it is Susan who is left behind in the shadow earth. A reader mentioned how sad this was to Lewis. Lewis replied that it was possible that Susan might turn away from her new self and in time make her own to Aslan's land like her parents do. We'll never know if she does but one can always hope.

The book also has some nice pictures from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe movie. One interesting thing I found about the book is that it doesn't acknowledge all the references to Christianity in the book. This may have to do with how Disney Corporation handled the movie. Disney claimed the movie was just a fantasy movie though to other groups, it acknowledged the fact that Lewis was a celebrated CHRISTIAN writer. I suspect the Harper Collins Publishers chose to duck the issue about the references to Christianity in the Chronicles. Overall, I was pleased with the book. Page wise, it comes in at 127 pages making it an easy read. I found some of the information in it really interesting. I never know that Tolkien criticized the Chronicles because he felt Lewis wasn't consistent in his mythology. Lewis did pull parts from a number of different mythological groups. Yet, I think Tolkien was wrong in his criticism. Lewis strove to make the books fun and took bits and pieces from where ever he liked so long as it helped to make the books enjoyable and aided in the messages Lewis tried to send in the books. Also, Lewis was writing the books for children. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings on the other hand I believe is very much oriented toward an adult reader. My only complaint with Lewis is I wish he'd written more books in the Chronicles. Seven books wasn't nearly enough.

In conclusion, I want to mention one comment Lewis made about himself. Lewis believed that before he died he would be forgotten as a writer. As events turned out, Lewis couldn't have been more wrong. If anything, I think he remains more popular than ever and with more Chronicle movies on the horizon, his popularity promises to increase further. If you haven't read the Chronicles and you like fantasy, I'd highly recommend them to you. The books were written for children but people of all ages can find enjoyment in Lewis's wonderful Chronicles of Narnia series.

What I've Been Up To

Hello all, I figured it was time to update my blog on what I've been up to lately. First, there hasn't been any word on the test I took the beginning of March. That is both good and bad. Good because if I'd failed the test, they definitely would've let me know by now. Bad because I'm still waiting for word that I hopefully passed it. This makes life hard because I'm big time in limbo. I'm trying not to stress about it but it isn't easy. My friend Tami reminded me that I'm a child of God and that he hasn't let me down yet. All true but, I still don't know where God wants my life to go. That's why it would be so nice to get the test results back. Then I'd know where I'm supposed to go. As it is, I get to stumble along wondering how things are going to work out. We'll see.

I got to help out at SHARE last Friday. They were setting up for the volunteer appreciation day and so I got to help set up tables and chairs. The appreciation day was this past Saturday. I haven't heard how it went (the rain may have decreased attendance) but I hope it went well. SHARE is an awesome organization. I also finally got my official SHARE jacket while I was there. I was delighted with that. Now, I can look like an official member of SHARE.

College wise, I got to try to work with a group of fellow students on the poems of William Carlos Williams. He was an American poet who became a mentor to other American poets like Allan Ginsburg. His poems concentrated on nature, using simple language, and despair. I found I didn't care for his poetry. I also could see where it influenced Ginsburg's poetry. In regards to the group, I managed to hear from one other team member who was very anxious that the group post something. I used his input and my own and posted an analysis of William's poem The Tract. Hopefully, Professor Champ was pleased with my group post. I've found from previous experience that it is very hard to get groups to work well together in online classes. Repeatedly members that were assigned to the group don't take part and yet get credit for the work done. This time was no different. Oh well. At least my own butt was covered and I can continue to move forward in the class. I get to start reading Truman Capote's In Cold Blood this week. The novel is superbly written but it is a very grim novel as it tells of the murder of an entire family in a small Kansas town. Once I finish it, I plan to post a book review on it so I'll stop talking about it for now.

My work at Medieval Times goes well. I continue to try to learn more about the job and do my best dealing with the customers. Sometimes this can be when they decide to be jerks. This past Sunday, the man who had played King Alfonso hung up his crown after three years of playing the role and moved to a managerial position at the castle. I was sorry to see him go as I felt he was the best there in the role of the king. The managerial position he took over is a tough one. He'll be in charge of the arena. What that means is that he directs all the food servers, decides when any customers can go into the arena, and he decides when the show will start. It's a very tough job though I think he'll be up to the job. The guy is really sharp and watches out for his folks. My feeling about management is if you take care of your people, they'll take care of you. I think he follows that dictum. Still, he'll definitely have his hands full.

Play Review

Last week, I had to read The Glass Menagerie. It is a powerful play that is considered a classic. It is about the dysfunctional Winfield family. It is a story of people trapped in frustrated lives that aren't going any where. The mother of the family Amanda is a woman who is abandoned by her husband and left with two children to raise. She is a woman who lives in the past as the past was a time of beautiful clothes and fun times whereas the present is one of hardship and little hope. The children Tom and Laura have their own battles to fight. Laura is crippled by unknown circumstances as a child and has to wear a leg brace. The leg brace so embarrasses Laura that it causes her to withdraw from people and ultimately from high school. Tom finishes high school and goes to work at a shoe warehouse in order to help support the family. Tom is a dreamer and poet who is frustrated with his life. He is going no where and knows it. He wants adventure but has no chance of finding it as long as he's stuck supporting his mother and sister. Amanda wants a better future for her children and is determined they will get what she considers a better future even if she has to nag and push them to get it. Amanda however fails to see how her children really are or what they want. The result is the children fight back. Laura by now is so painfully shy that she can't take the typing classes her mother pays for without getting sick. She ends up lying to her mother about going to them. Amanda ultimately finds out and comes up with a new scheme to give Laura a future but again fails to take into account how Laura truly is. Amanda tries to get Tom to give up the movies he loves so he can use the money to go to night school. She fails to see that the movies are the only escape for Tom. Things ultimately come to a head when Amanda gets Tom to introduce Laura to a friend at work. Laura remembers the friend from her school days and finds him charming. The friend flirts with Laura and for a few moments Laura leaves her self-made world for the real world till the friends brings her shatteringly down by revealing he is in love with another girl. Laura will retreat to the world of her glass animals presumably never to return. Amanda rails on Tom for not knowing of the man's love for another girl and it is the last straw for Tom. Shortly after, he is fired and abandons his mother and sister to join the merchant marine. However, Tom doesn't escape his sister for he feels guilt the rest of his life for abandoning her. We meet the older and wiser Tom at the beginning of the play when dressed as a sailor, he opens the play setting the stage for all the action that follows.

The play is extremely powerful and heartbreakingly sad. One feels for Tom who ultimately for his own sake must abandon his family if he is to avoid the same dilusionary worlds his mother and sister are trapped in. One must also feel some sadness for Laura. She is actually a very nice girl but, she has become so withdrawn that she has no chance of any future happiness. In regards to Amanda, I found I have mixed feelings about her. I admire her for wanting what is best for her children but hate her for constant nagging on her children. She wants what she perceives as best for her children and fails to take into account how what they feel or how they truly are. At the end of the play, Amanda seeks to console the devastated Laura and yet her consolement will undoubtedly ensure Laura continues to live in her make believe world. The play is a great tragedy.

While the play isn't at all cheerful or fun, it is still a great play and deserves its place among the classics. It is a gripping tale of a dysfunctional family. I would strongly recommend if you like plays, that you go see it or read the play. It really is masterpiece of modern theater.

Movie Review

I don't remember what flight it was where I first watched Secondhand Lions but I remember I liked the movie then and after watching it again on DVD, I found I still think it is a wonderful film. The movie tells of a boy (Walter) that is left by his lying no-good mother with two eccentric great-uncles. The uncles disappeared for over 40 years and had just recently returned. The uncles returned rich but gave no explanation where they got the money. All kinds of wild rumors were flying about where they got it. Walter will go through various mis-adventures with his eccentric uncles and in the process learn about values, faith, and what it means to be a man. His eccentric uncles turn out to be two extraordinary men who lived incredible lives worthy of an action adventure novel. The uncles never would've returned to Texas except that they made the cardinal sin of growing old. The uncles themselves feel they've lived past their useful time but Walter gives them a new purpose in life. They in turn change Walter for the better and presumably make him the man they would wish to make any boy into. It's a wonderful story with loads of laughs and a few tears. I would heartily recommend this movie to anyone. If you have time, rent or buy Secondhand Lions.

Medieval Times Update

I got to work at Medieval Times again last night. It was interesting and frustrating. Frustrating because I had some more learning experiences and that can be rough because they can make me feel like such a dumb ass. Case in point was they had a large group that held a ceremony before the first show. They set up an awards stand in the dais. The dais is where the King and Princess sit and perform for most of the show. I'd never helped break down stuff (not that it was terribly difficult) before for that and so was slightly lost figuring out what they needed done.

I also had a case where some folks from the first show wanted to get an autograph from the Blue Knight. Someone told them they could see the Blue Knight after the show. Whoever that person was, they got it wrong though I tried to see if we could some how accomodate them. One thing I've learned at Medieval Times is you try to keep the customer happy (within reason) if possible. In this case, it wasn't possible. On nights where we have two shows (Saturdays and Sundays), the King, Princess, Lord Chancellor, Knight Marshal, and the six Knights only come out after the second show to sign autographs and have pictures taken. On nights where there is a single show (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights), they will come out after the show to sign autographs and have pictures taken with guests afterwards. I suspect that's what the person was thinking who told the folks they would come out afterwards.

Another thing I learned was that Medieval Times has special shows for Senior Citizens. These shows are like the Matinee shows in that they start earlier in the day (11 a.m. I believe). They are different from matinees in that special procedures and arrangements are made for Seniors. For example, Seniors can go directly into the arena to their seat once they've received their seating assignment vice the normal procedure of waiting to be called in based on the color of their seat. Additional personnel are at the show to help provide assistance to any that need it to get to their seat. Also, certain lights are left on to make it easier for Seniors to find their seats. There are other things Medieval Times does to make the show easier and a more enjoyable experience during these special shows but I don't know what all those special procedures are. I'll find out this Wednesday when I get to work my first Senior Citizen show. I look forward to doing what I can to make their visit more visit more enjoyable.

FYI, seating at Medieval Times is based on color. There are six color sections at Medieval Times. The six colors are: Red, Black & White, Yellow, Blue, Red & Yellow, and Green. People are assigned to specific tables in these sections but when called to go into the arena, they are called by their color of the paper crowns they're issued i.e. Red, Yellow, Blue, etc. Each of these color sections corresponds with a particular knight i.e. if you are assigned a seat in the Red section, you root for the Red Knight.

Concerning the recently installed wireless internet connection at the Baltimore Medieval Times, I found out you may need a wireless notebook adapter in order to use it. (I know I will for my Dell XPS Notebook computer.) The adapter should be the standard one that works for all such wireless spots such as those you find in cafes, airports, etc.

Lastly, please remember any information provided here is NOT official Medieval Times information nor is it guaranteed to be accurate. Any information you use from this site is used at your own risk. I try to be as accurate as possible BUT I do make mistakes. Also, all information and opinions are my own and NOT those of ANY Medieval Times location or its parent organization. Any questions or complaints about this blog site should be addressed to ME, NOT Medieval Times. If you want the OFFICIAL or ABSOLUTELY accurate information on Medieval Times, please use their website (a link is provided on my blog), contact the appropriate castle, or the parent organization.