Oh no!

It's my birthday!

I heard from Toru in Tokyo and Rukmin in Sri Lanka with birthday greetings!

My health is improving and I have decided to take a cruise to Mexico for some additional rest. Jim and I leave tomorrow night! Jim almost did not make it because he has no passport or birth certificate available. Lucky for him and I, his father had a baptism certificate which works as well with US customs! We thought that we need a break from the stress levels lately.

Yesterday, We saw the "Da Vinci Code" film which I thought was a faithful version of the book, a little slow but I enjoyed it immensely. Dinner at a tapas restaurant "Tango Tu Tu" in CityWalk and I bought a RUR 2000 robot for myself as well as a Fossil leather messenger bag.

Good and Bad News

The good news is that my blood pressure has stablized with the new meds. Although they cost $40 as opposed to the old one at $10, Hopefully I will be on these pills a short time. My doctor ordered me to rest up and take a easy.

Bad News....My best friend Jim lost his job today. Life sucks but I think it will only do him good. He is moving back to my place from Victorville. I don't have any room for him but for a temp solution, it should be fine.

More Alarms Sounded!

Latest info...

Friday, a day after my emergency room visit, I went to a doctor to do a followup. I was given a a prescription for the remaining vertigo dizziness and something for my very high blood pressure. I drove to the doctor which was a little difficult being so dizzy. They gave me meds to lower my pressure and succeded in the office.

Today, I had another followup to see how the meds were working. The staff and the doctor were alarmed how high my blood pressure was, I was give two different doses of meds and finally after a 4 hour visit (outside hour lunch), I was released. Originally after the first dose of meds, the doctor wanted to send me back to the emergency room! Luckily I escaped that senario and was given another kind of medication and ordered to return on Tuesday afternoon.

And so it goes...

Beaten by the Breach!

This is just a short update which will be edited later on.

Wednesday night or early Thursday am around 3:30, I was rushed to the hospital because I was unable to get off my sofa with a case, then unknown, of vertigo due to an ear infection. This was proceded by vomiting , sweats and the inability to walk around.

I am fine now but this was a scare of inpending strokes or a heart attack in the future. Of course it happened the same day I vowed to change my lifestyle!

More later... when I fully recover.

Bad sleepless night

On Tuesday, Jim came down (2 Hours!) from Victorville for dinner and a movie. We ran some errands to the bank and stopped at Rosie's BBQ for some Tri Tip and the Salad bar. I pigged out!

We went looking for a movie... Jim wanted me to see "V for Vendetta" which he said was really good. (good but liberal). The only place it was playing was at the IMAX at Universal City. So off we went just in time for a 7 pm showing. I had time before the film to introduce myself to Jody at "The Great Wound Up". He is toy robot dealer at CityWalk. So then on to the movie, only one problem, there was a special screening of "Poseidon" and there was no Vendetta! The box office attendent made a call and then gave us free tickets ($11. each!) to "An American Haunting ", our second choice. We did mention to her that we traveled far to see Vendetta. We even got the $10 parking fee back with a coupon they give to everyone entitling you to $10 worth of food at CityWalk or inside the movie theatre! I bought some Peanut M&Ms and a Cherry Coke. And then that is when I started feeling not great. After a the good looking gothic but fair film (wait for the DVD), we checked out CityWalk. I bought a new wallet at Fossil (nice leather goods besides watches). We returned to my house and Jim left soon after after he finished signing up for Phoenix surf because of my success with it.

http://www.alloverlainc.com/jay/Phoenix.htm

I watched Conan at the Chicago Theatre and tried to get to sleep around 2am...my stomach was bothering me. Finally at 4 am, I gave up and swore to make a change in my life! I started my DVR with last night's Elvis theme "American Idol" and started on the treadmill for a entire hour, 1.53 miles at 1.7 mph, incline 2.0 and and burned 383 calories! And I feel great! The "New Me" had begun along with my new sucessful financial situation and business! Goal 100 pounds to lose! One hour walking was a great start after the Chicago trip.

Once more into the breech dear friends!....

Chicago on my own...

Monday, April 24, 2006
Chicago

Just a draft version...

I woke up at 9 am at "The Drake" and went to the Executive Club and a terrific free breakfast overlooking the lake. I used their free Internet access to send out some emails and check on business.

I then walked a 1/2 mile to the local Kinkos to send out the new souveniers to home. And to transfer to disc the photos on my camera's card which was completely filled. The clerk sent me to CVS, where I got a great deal on a CD transfer and a new Flash card.

I took the red line train to the famous Loop, where I transfered to the train to Oak Park.
Oak Park is a beautiful suburb filled wih Victorian homes on tree line streets and around 12 Frank Lloyd Wright homes including his own Studio.

I spent the whole day there taking a 1 mile self walking tour and a guided tour to his Home and Studio. I took a fast taxi to his Unity Temple just before it closed. After my visit, I dropped my Nikon camera on his tiles! The camera was no longer working and made a terrible sound

Unity Temple and its Ceiling

I stopped at a friendly camera shop but they could not help but I bought a disposible camera. Next I was off back to Chicago to visit Wrigley Field and few bars for entertainment including dinner.

More details and photos later....

"Frankie"

The Official annoucement of a Robots Inc. Exclusive (Http://RobotsInc.biz)

"Frankie"

The Piston Action Robot in All Chrome, Limited Numbered Edition of 240

with original box art by Russell Tate, Sydney, Australia

Arriving in June 2006 (tentative) No Pre-orders

For updates sign up at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RobotsInc/

Botstock Redux Vol 3

Botstock V3.0
April 23, 2006
Chicago, IL

A day at the museum, The Drake Hotel, Spamalot and "The Magnificent Mile"!

Chicago! My kind of town!

The next morning after breakfast and more chatting, the plan was to leave at 10:30am for a noon luncheon in our honor at the "Chicago Museum of Science and Industry". I think it is the best museum that I have ever seen including the Smithsonian.

http://www.msichicago.org/

Mike and I left in his van for Chicago and arrived 30 minutes early. It was a beautiful day with the Sear Tower and the skyline looking majestic.

Our group announced ourselves to the museum staff who insisted that we missed the event on Saturday! We explained that we were the event and Robert Lesser who own the robots in their exhibit was attending! After a few phone calls, it became clear that the general staff was not informed but the food staff was because of our luncheon. Finally, the one of the curators, Katheen McCarthy, (Director of Collections) appeared and led us to the "Presidents' Room" in which a buffet was set up with a small collection of robots and complimentary robot keychains. The staff welcome us and questions were asked by both sides. It was a pleasent event making us feel very welcome. Thanks Kathy!

She then led us to The Robert Lesser Collection.

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/robots/index.html

Kathy along with Robert, we were given a tour of an incredible collection or rare and vintage tin toys and boxes .
Robert smiled for photos and answered every question in the friendiest manner possible and always listened to your comments attentively.

There was the famous "Gang of 5"... (3 here) $$$$$$$$!

and a full size talking Robby greeted vistors.

After the curator took us on a VIP tour of their new DaVinci exhibit which just opened that week!

http://www.msichicago.org/temp_exhibit/leonardo/index.html

It included mockups of his inventions, a page of a codex

and figures from current time who are inspired by DaVinci.

Such as Mark Rosheim and Laurie Anderson

On the way out I purchased a CD ROM of the codex, a book of his Codexes and and book about his robots. Recently, Da Vinci has been credited with the invention of the car, a robot and a computer (programmed stage display below).

After the Da Vinci tour were were taken to the German Uboat U505 It was captured by the Americans in 1944 completely intact with a Enigma code machine. You are given a tour inside! Fantastic!

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/U505/index.html

We saw a mock up of a full size Lunar Lander, the original Apollo 8 capsule and a Mercury capsule.

I had found out from the other Alphadromers that there was a toy top making machine that you could make a Botock III souvenier. I said my goodbyes and rushed off tho the machine to make two. One for Russell in Sydney and one for me. I had a reject on the first one and had to start over! All the time I was rushing, the museum had taken longer than planned and I had 5:30 dinner reservations before the 7:30pm "Monty Python's Spamalot" musical comedy play and I had to check into the hotel! I was rushing because my ride to the Drake Hotel was already sitting in his van waiting for 30 minutes! So I course I had gotten a rejected top!

http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/toymaker3000/index.html

Mike drove me to the Drake Hotel and on the way we pasted the Buckingham Fountain (turned on the day before for the season!) and Soldiers' Field along the beautiful blue green and huge Lake Michigan.

I arrived at the "The Drake" with its grand lobby filled with "The Red Hat Society " women.

How great! I checked in asked the clerk to change my reservation to 6 and went to my huge "Executive" room to shower and grab a taxi to the restaurant "Chicago 21" next to the Cadillac Palace theatre. I had a delicous dinner of grilled calamari and a pork chop with an espresso cream dessert. And a good Merlot.

The play was terrific, Funny, great songs. The women in front of me told me she had seen the earlier tryouts and thought this was a lot better, tighter and funnier. I bought some souveniers, a program , a can of Spam for $10.! and a killer rabbit puppet. Watch "Monty Python and the Holy Grail "on DVD.

I then walked a over a mile up the "Magnificent Mile" with beautiful view of the Chicago River (which direction of flow was changed!). The stores were closed but it was a pleasant walk along their Rodeo Drive. A little windy of course!

Back to the Hotel and watched a Houdini special on the Discovery Channel. Slept on a terrific 800 thread count bed at 1am

More on Monday!

Botstock Redux Vol 2

So continues the saga....

Saturday April 22, 2006
St Charles, IL

Early morning around 9am, I go downstairs to the lobby for a free breakfast with the other Alphadromers for cinnimon rolls, coffee and chat.

Gernot, Robert Lesser and Dirk

After breakfast I decides to ship my recent robot purchases home. I decided that the post office would be considerly cheaper (by $100.) than the UPS store. The hotel manager offered to have his staff drive me to the post office andthen to the fairgrounds. Perfect! since I am depending on transportation from others. I sent the package out at the post office and I am taken to the antique toy show at the fairgrounds around 10:30 am.

Since I am considered a exhibitor, I had paid $35 for an early entry pass which allows me to arrive a day before the general public (poor people) when the dealers are setting up. There was approxiately 6 buildings (sheds) labeled "Poultry, "Bovine" etc. In each building I found thousands of toys from my youth and earlier. I walked over 4 hours total with a hot dog and rubarb pie for lunch. I managed to meet many dealers and collectors such as Wiliam Gallagher, who had written a few books on Japanese toys (I bought 2 autographed and shipped)

Wiilam Gallagher

Gernot & I at a booth

Larry from Cybertoys, Richard Dean from Studio City , CA, is making a documentry of robot collectors called "Metal Men" . Many of the collectors from Alphdrome had a couple of tables to sell some robots. Robert Lesser whose collection was at the museum was there too. I made a contact with the Japanese visitors from Toy Cafe in Osaka, I will be in touch! At the filmakers interviewing area (in LA for my interview), I met the talkative MachineMan (Mike) who is a Johnny 5 fan.

He make fantastic models of the robot! (above) I found out that he was broke and was sleeping in his van, so I invited him to the extra bed in my room for the night, He accepted. We drove back to the hotel in his van. He gave a requested robot to Robert Lesser.

Here is what I bought at the fairgrounds:

Testujin Vintage Speedboat from Larry at CyberToys!

Piston Robot and box CHEAP!

Back at the hotel at 5:30, it was time for the offical s.w.a.g .meeting. Robert Lesser was given autographed art by the members and a special robot with a slideshow monitor built in it's chest showing earlier Botstocks. It was designed by John Rigg (Robot Hut).

Robert receives from John Rigg his robot!

The swag included, Daryl's Flying saucer toys, Gernot's and Dirk's Mini Die cast Special Edition Mechanized robot in red, Andy Hill's Botstock Poster, a Botstock t shirt...

a Robby keychain from Robert and Pat, many DVDs of robot music, toy commericals and the Lesser Collection from John and Steve.

My new robot "Frankie" which was announced to the public for the first time had a great reception. (Thanks Pat & Jay)I was only able to show the box art cover on a t shirt since the robot is not released yet. Robert Lesser requested a T shirt so I mailed him one and received a nice thank you note.

After the meeting, it was off the the special dinner of all Alphadromers and friends at a good steak restaurant. I led a toast to Robert Lesser and to the absent Brian Hayes, the creator of Alphadrome. A few members decided to go to a bar in St Charles after dinner. It was a young crowd with blaring music and was not condusive to talking. Around 12am, we returned to the lobby of the hotel and chatted, myself, Mik , Joe K , Brian, John and Steve. It was an informal chat until 2am. It was terrific! Back to the room with Mike in tow. I did not get much sleep that night.

Vol 3 on Sunday!