No San Diego Comic Con for me this year, but I still have had a busy weekend home here in Memphis.

Friday night after work Nicki and I attended the summer Broad Avenue Art Walk.

It happens a few times a year (next one will be this fall) and has many of the shops, studios, and galleries on the block participate.

This time there was live music and dancing performances outdoors.

This time at the West Memorials gallery (my day job) we had art and photographs by three artists.

Paintings and folk art by Alex Warble.

Carousel photos by Nicole C. Perugini.

And poster art by Tom Foster.

That’s Tom.

We had a great turnout!

After enjoying some wine and cheese at West we headed east up Broad.

After checking out several spaces that way we came back down to Hollywood and over to a photography studio…

and caught a glass blowing demo across the street.

It was a lot of fun to watch, and we’ll have to go watch her play roller derby sometime!

It started to get late so we headed back across the street.

Then called it a night.

The next day Nicki headed over to Comics and Collectibles for their “Not At Comic Con” day. Picked up my pull list comics, a Joker Toon Tumbler glass, Nicki a Star Wars: Clone Wars trade, took a free shot of Red Bull, entered a Dark Horse contest, and picked up a couple passes to Scott Pilgrim for next week. After that we headed to Micheal’s to pick up some canvases for my upcoming art show and by Books-a-million to do some shopping. Nicki kept me updated on all the comic con news as we drove around. Watched a bit online when we got home (Gail Simone, Buddy Christ, Bender, and protesting Baptists all in one video- only at San Diego!) and some on G4 (not  lot of comic book coverage- much like San Diego). It was a great “Not At Comic Con” day, just didn’t see as many celebs as I normally do in San Diego.

Congrats to my Bushi Tales partner Dave Beaty for getting the chance to sign at the DC Comics booth on Saturday!

Lin

Tags: art show, Broad Avenue Art Walk, comic books, comics, Comics and Collectibles, Dark Horse Comics, dave beaty, dc comics, G4, Gail Simone, Lin Workman, Memphis, Nicki, San Diego Comic Con, star wars, Tom Foster, Toon Tumblers, West Memorials, westmemorials.com

This Saturday night Nicki and I got to go to see the Memphis Redbirds play the Nashville Sounds at Autozone Park in downtown Memphis.

Thanks to her day job ILS, we got to see the game and eat BBQ, nachos, hot dogs and more on the 1st base party deck.

We had a great time watching the game with several of her fellow co-workers.

The game was fun, but the Redbirds lost.

After the game we got to watch a Buggs Bunny baseball cartoon and then…FIREWORKS!

They were awesome!

After the game Nicki and I walked around downtown for a bit to wait for the crowds to thin out.

I’m surprised that the mosquitoes down by the river didn’t fly off with us!

When we got back to the parking garage the traffic was still pretty thick so we went up to the roof of the garage.

The traffic finally died down and we headed south.

Lin

Another one of my Empire Strikes Back sketch cards has sold on ebay.

Admiral Ozzel (markers)- sold for $79.99 (+s/h).

Michael Sheard played Admiral Ozzel in Empire (the first officer to be forced choked by Darth Vader- and over a video conference call!)

He was a fan favorite at our local con- Midsouthcon.

This was taken at the last MSC he attended in 2005. (That’s Timmy, me, Michael and Dave.)

He passed away later that year at age 65.

He had written three autobiographies on his career, Yes, Mr. Bronson — Memoirs of a Bum Actor, Yes, Admiral — Sci-Fi and Further Memories, and Yes, School’s Out — Sci Fi Conventions, Parties and Much, Much More!

Lin

Tags: Admiral Ozzel, bum, Bushi Tales, conventions, darth vader, dave beaty, Empire, Lin Workman, Memphis, Memphis FanForce, Michael Sheard, puppets, sci-fi, sketch card, sketchcard, SMT, star wars, Suspicious Mind Trick, The Empire Strikes Back, the force, Topps