Monthly Archives: March 2017

Picture of Today 3/29/2017, Grounded Nature..

For this day in the Pacific Northwest, was trapped between the wet, gloomy morning and the sunny, windy evening.

In between, there was work and errands. Some phone calls were made, and I engaged in the usual mundane small talk, to somewhat expedite the usual hump day dragging on. For my second break, I did take a little time out of the daily routine to dip a tea bag (Earl Grey) and walked outside.

And, I noticed a small area of stones halfway planted into the ground, around a corner. Still wet the stones were, cleaned from the torrenting morning showers.Yet, peaceful and somewhat cozy in the grassy growth holding them tight. Such was the rocky site to ponder and bind with. I sipped my tea to the last drop and stared down, thinking of almost nothing until taking a quick snap from the phonecam.

And then, that break ended as I returned back to the daily routine.

– Orion T

Pictures of Yesterday 3/25/2017, Looking Out the Window…

Photo Mar 25, 12 43 53 PM

Yesterday, I worked some extra hours.

Among the free coffee and snacks, I now appreciate that our workplace has many windows. Such that I may enjoy the beautiful day, of which I am otherwise missing out on a good long walk. Still, there was much to appreciate in the small area occasionally gazed upon. The morning rains stop, then a lengthy blast of the sunshine (and then, more rain just as I finished work…sigh).

Here below, are some window captures from the uppest floor; a nice opportunity to open a few windows and stick my camera outside, being that most of the staff was out and out of the way.

Photo Mar 25, 12 41 36 PMPhoto Mar 25, 12 42 43 PMPhoto Mar 25, 12 43 44 PM

– Orion T

Pictures and notes by Traveling Orion, (Orion Tippens). For external use for public use, please contact and obtain permission first.

Book Sale Shenanigans

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Woah, look at the all the books!

This, being the highlight of my winter end weekend, at the annual Friends of the Seattle Public Library Book Sale. This was my fourth year in attendance, now held at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. Over 100,000 items, including Music CD, movie DVDs, audiobooks, vinyl records, and many, many books.

Many, many people joined in this massive treasure hunt. Many of them resellers, for which there are sure profits. Others, treasure hunters looking for rare finds. Some just like the cheap thrills and the joy of finding such. I can’t resist, especially at the $1.00 to $4.00 prices for each item.

So here, are some sights up close inside the massive hullabaloo…

History!!

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Literature!

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Rare Books!

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Half my catch, mostly comics and graphic novels. The other half contained mostly larger books and hardcovers (mostly odd fiction, biographies, and history).

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Good fun, though I will probably not get around to reading many of these anytime soon.

– Orion T

The Long Winter in the Pacific Northwest…

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According to a recent article in the Seattle Times, there were only three full sunny days in Seattle, with mild temperature since October start.

The last of them was a month ago on February 13th, a month ago. The other days have been a mix of gloom and rain. And compared to the prior years, the trees have shown barely any sign of bloom and leafing. I personally miss the cherry blossoms, which would normally bloom in the pics above. But not all is melancholy, for the days here are what you make of them.

There is a feeling of just another natural cycle taking place. Perhaps, the spirit of nature or whatever you believe is in control, making up for the prior warmer years. I feel the need to enjoy whatever is offered. And there is plenty of natural beauty. You just have to look up and around.

But, I really hope the cherry blossoms come around soon.

– Orion T

Picture of Today 3/5/2017, The Heart of the Emerald City Comic Con..

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I spent much of this past weekend at the 2017 Emerald City Comic Con, here in Seattle.

Many attended, for which this was its 15th year in annual rotation showcasing the latest in geek culture through various guests, events, and merch. The good portions were the plentiful choice of awesome products, the many attendees in colorful cosplay, some cool guests, and plentiful opportunities to make new friends and discover new obsessions. The sad portions ran the lack of promotion towards the current comic book industry. Its artist alley ended up in a separate smaller space above the main floors, benefitting less for reaching out to possible new fans. The comic dealers and publishers were kept further to the back, while non-comic dealers carried a heavier presence in the main hall showroom. TV and movie celebs were promoted far more to the audience, with barely any marketing toward the new and exciting stuff happening in the comic industry. This is sadly the direction of many “comic cons” lately. I wish they would just stop pretending to emphasize that.

All that aside, I still love these events. The interaction is still there. I met a few creative people, whose work I have enjoyed past and present. I took part in some fantastic gatherings, bought a lot of cool things, and enjoyed myself with friends here and there. I will post more on the details in the near future.For now, I must rest. Excitement on a large scale can also be exhilarating.

– Orion T

In the above picture is Barry Kitson, a comic book professional artist from a wide range of well-known Marvel and DC comics titles.The character in the picture is Angela, a heavenly warrior currently residing in the Marvel Comics universe. Barry was sketching all weekend for the Hero Initiative, a non-profit charity helping comic creators in a time of desperate need. For more info, visit www.heroinitiative.org.