As the holidays are rapidly upon us, I thought TONMO denizens might appreciate seeing what we substituted for an evergreen Christmas tree in our house in 2002 (see attachment).

Those who have read the Burning Man, Burning Squid (http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1550&start=0) thread will recognize Inky, last seen on top of a desert shelter dome (also seen in my avatar on the left).

This year, we'll remember to get the arms and tentacles from the garage...

- Ika-san

PS I am sure that the metalworking artists here could come up with a lovely ceph-oriented design for a menorah, though some interpretations of the kosher food laws could make this rather ironic...

PS I am sure that the metalworking artists here could come up with a lovely ceph-oriented design for a menorah, though some interpretations of the kosher food laws could make this rather ironic...

that raises an interesting question or two.... while they are molluscs, cephs cant be called shellfish....and while an octo is bottom dweeling an probably more prone to scavenge, squid are definitely more pelagic.... i wonder where cuttles would fit in.....

Hello ika-san,

Welcome to TONMO. I've heard tell that you were the mastermind behind Inky's, so a hearty welcome to you and your fellow Blacklight Aquarists. Inky does look a bit shorn without his armature. In fact, wrapped in lights and huddled in a corner, he looks much the way I do on a typical New Year's Day.

I am sure that the metalworking artists here could come up with a lovely ceph-oriented design for a menorah, though some interpretations of the kosher food laws could make this rather ironic...

Ah, yes, the cephalopod exclusion. Considering how easy it is to muck up the cooking of a squid, cuttle or octo, I think the kosher prohibition of cephs is as much a gesture of culinary frustration as anything else.

Couldn't you just attach nine of Inky's arms, fit them with candles amd call it a season?

Yours truly,

Clem

Ika-San,

Are you really from Folsom? I'm from Sacramento! How's it goin? Welcome to TONMO!

Sushi and Sake!

John

this might be worthy of a whole different conversation, but would certain species of squid with scales pass the kosher requirments of having scales and fins?

:read: + :beer: = :?:

I am sitting in the Salt Lake City airport, about to catch a connecting flight, but I couldn't resist posting these...

By popular demand, here are two pictures of the 2003 Christmas squid display, this time with more arms and some Japanese characters (ika, of course), to add to the festive theming.

Happy holidays to all!

- Ika-san

PS Yes, I and the other masterminds behind Architeuthis plagiae (I cannot claim sole credit :) ) are in Folsom, CA just outside Sacramento. Thanks for the welcome!

ika-san,

Beautiful.

Clem

Fantastic! I want one! 8)

And a great group photo in front of the tree:

www.blaqua.com

(and for those following on late (http://www.blaqua.com/images/misc/houseofsquid_sm.jpg)).

Good stuff - you could start a trend ;)

Emps

Nice squid-tree thing. I would buy a squid Manorah, doesn't matter if it is kosher or not. We aren't going to eat it. Anyways most Jews don't keep kosher.

Folks,

Let me say up front that I do not care for compulsory yuletide activities. If someone says, "Let's decorate the Christmas tree, " I'm apt to say, "Why?" or, "Won't that just bring back painful childhood memories of your drunken family?" So, this past Christmas, when my mom announced that we (me, my brother and mom) would be building graham-cracker houses decorated with sugar and candies, I was primed for a very sullen evening.

Things brightened when I remembered that I was a difficult person, and could do as I damn well pleased with the comestible construction materials to hand. Why not build a diving board above a gumdrop pool?

'Bleak' and 'typical' could well have described the result, so I decided to add a small, bear-shaped cookie to the diorama. 'Suicide-inducing' was what I got, so I turned it into a confectionary spectacle in the mode of the great 1930s Hollywood musicals, which I hate but cannot avert my sight from. An unbroken chain of singing, dancing bears jumping into and out of a gumdrop pool, ala Busby Berkely. Perfect. No. The line of cloned bears reminded me bitterly of George Lucas.

What the diorama really needed was a squid, a black licorice squid with bulging red eyes to cut into the line of ursine drones and rescue the Christmas spirit.

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=2139

Sweet dreams.

:twisted:

Clem

:shock: :roflmao: :notworth:

FYI, those "small, bear-shaped cookies" are Chocolate Teddy Grahams, veritable mana for moderm-day children under the age of 10.... they're a staple in our home!

Genius.

Here's another view:

http://www.tonmo.com/phpBB/download.php?id=2150

:twisted:

Clem

Clem, are you implying that your mother isn't proud?

Here at TONMO we know what's good!

Melissa