http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2370/2067241183_45ac21b3a2.jpg

Pharyngula, in PZ's usual ceph-obsessed style, points out that the Cephalopod Appreciation Society (do we know these people?) in Seattle has sponsored an exhibit of Archibald Dux and friends (http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/12/seattle_i_am_seething_with_env.php) who show their mantles around here on occasion. The opening fandango is on the 7th, and apparently the squiddy-plushies will be around through 12/29.

http://blog.mcleodresidence.com/2007/11/press-release-b.html
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/328305/

I haven't found evidence that RSVPs are requested...

As it happens, by Cthonic Providence :cthulhu:, I have a 4-hour layover in Seattle on 12/7 so I was expecting to be sitting around the airport from 7pm to 11pm... I'm now wondering if there is a solution involving some quick cab rides that would let me drop in on this...

Monty, you absolutely have to go! Great town anyway, if even for just a few hours...

Monty, you absolutely have to go! Great town anyway, if even for just a few hours...

I'm certainly going to make an effort... but flight times and weather delays and whatnot are always a concern...

Oooooooh... I'm in Seattle... so going to check it out! I was not aware we had a cephalopod appreciation society, I think I will need to investigate that as well!

Oooooooh... I'm in Seattle... so going to check it out! I was not aware we had a cephalopod appreciation society, I think I will need to investigate that as well!

Cool! Hopefully I'll get to meet you there... PM me if you want to coordinate that, although I'll be subject to the whims of air travel...

Monty, you ought to email them and find out where it is, Sea-Tac is a quite distance from a lot of Seattle. Strike that. Check out this link.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-google-dd&utm_medium=ha

Monty, you ought to email them and find out where it is, Sea-Tac is a quite distance from a lot of Seattle. Strike that. Check out this link.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-google-dd&utm_medium=ha

Thanks. The link doesn't work for me, but unless I somehow got the wrong airport, my google maps query says it taks 23 minutes. Of course, I don't know how much that's reduced by rush hour traffic around 7pm on Fridays... but I figured I could cab there in < 1 hour, stay for 1 hour, pre-call a cab to go back around 9-9:30 to get back for my 10:55 flight... Of course, if I'm delayed enough that I'm cutting it close, I really don't want to miss my connection...

I was actually immensely pleased to see that google maps now also gives "how to take public transportation" directions as an option, but that was 47 minutes and subject to timetables, so I think it's not too practical for this situation...

WOO HOO. I think I will actually be heading through Seattle about that time for another octopus collecting trip to Rosario Beach Marine Labs. If I make it I will have to take pictures and post them back here for all to see.

WOO HOO. I think I will actually be heading through Seattle about that time for another octopus collecting trip to Rosario Beach Marine Labs. If I make it I will have to take pictures and post them back here for all to see.

Awesome! It's always fun meeting TONMO folks... I wonder if a TONMOcon T-shirts is too informal for this sort of an event... I've never been to an art exhibit opening for stuffed cephalopods before...

edit: this (http://www.tonmo.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=5114&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1185135907) is an example of what I look like wearing a TONMOcon shirt, meeting TONMO people, and being mildly confused about air travel details, since I have no idea how to recognize either of you...

I'm curious about these inky cocktails.

Well, I made it to the art opening, and back to the airport, where I await my plane... I failed to find any other TONMOers (or at least any that introduced themselves as such), although I did meet Sierra, the head of the Seattle Cephalopod Appreciation Society, and I volunteered to be a blindfolded artist trying to draw a giant squid as one of the 12 or so poets read her poem... I didn't win the grand art prize, but I did get a free squid fishing lure. I also didn't recognize Cassandra from pictures, I'm not sure if she was there or not... I should have looked up what Roland Anderson looks like in case he was lurking at the periphery.

I wish I'd brought a stack of "if you like this sort of thing, check out TONMO" cards or something. There were a lot of good ceph clothing items and such, I'll post some pics in a bit (I'm not sure I have time to get them off the camera and upload them before my plane boards.)

The "Squid Ink Cocktails" were approximately blue Hawaiis with an eyedropper of ink (not sure if it was legitimate squid ink or black food coloring.) They also had calamari appetizers with a waiver that the Cephalopod Appreciation Society did not condone or encourage that.

All in all, a fun time, and the gallery and crowd were great. Unfortunately, I didn't quite come out of my shell too quickly, so I didn't strike up conversations with many people... it was unfortunate that I had to leave to be sure of getting back to the airport immediately after the poetry and such, so one I was a bit more social, I had to leave... but I nevertheless give the event high marks, and I'm pleased to have gotten the adventure of visiting an art opening in a city I don't know my way around where I don't know anyone during an air travel layover.

edit: pictures are uploading to http://www.lorax.org/~monty/Stuffed_squid

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Unfortunately I was unable to make it. My octopus collection trip was pushed back by a week, so I was stuck on the east side of Washington during the event.