[ 15 ] TK-23108 BAZINGA Troop Log [social media consent]

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Troop 13 and 14 : Christmas troops December 16 and 17, 2023 in support of the Pattison Children's Hospital.

 

Yet another "bonus" troop for me because it is a three hour drive with usually bad weather but we are still without any snow here and most days above freezing temperatures so away I went!  I really hadn't done much in the way of planning for this one as I was sure it would be a bust for me.  This will be the last troop of 2023 and we have nothing coming up now for at least a couple months, but you never know when that may change and perhaps make possible another bonus troop for me this winter.  I wouldn't have guessed I'd ever manage to get into this armor 14 different times in my first year.  I was expecting five at best!

 

This one was in a busy mall and we had just about a non-stop line for photos once things got rolling.  They were both half day events but the second day we ran past the time we expected to be finished because there were still so many people in line and we wanted to do our best for the charity.  Everyone sucked it up and got it done.

 

Initially I wasn't sure if I would feel okay with breaking character and outfitting myself with a candy cane blaster and Christmas lights, but the cause was worth it and we have so much fun together that in the end I didn't mind.  And, it was nice not to haul around a heavy blaster all day and just swing a light candy cane instead.  It also made for a great way to poke the other members in the photobooth to see if they would react.

 

There are always stories and my best one this time was a little girl who took my hand and was trying to lead me away.  I may still be lost if I hadn't had to get back to work as this was repeated five different times each time she saw me again.  There was also a little guy who probably wasn't a year old yet who would not take his eyes off me in the photo area to look at the camera so I had to step out so they could get a good picture with everyone else with him looking at the camera.  Usually that age they just scream when they see me!

 

I liked this angle because it klnda looked off-worldly like and because earlier when I was standing there by myself I apparently gave one if the mall security guys a mild heart attack.  He was just arriving for his shift and looked up to see a stormtrooper looking down on him.  I guess he wasn't expecting that!

 

 

Always fun to hang out with Obi-wan.  He told me he likes interactions with me best because (most times) I play the part to entertain the people:

 

 

We seem to be not to sure about that Jawa... keeping our distance just to be safe:

 

 

Our mando family.  The kids are in the Galactic Academy and next year dad is working on all new costumes for them:

 

 

Not very often I get to troop with @wook1138 which is treat.  He provided the last round of Q&A for weeks while I was determining if I was going to pull the trigger on buying the armor.  Now I just need to get him in his TK armor.  I would still love to have more of us in it at the same time:

 

 

Usually @GilesWoodward and I are never in costume at the same time so it was nice to work the crowd together as we patrolled the area.  Once again, when us TKs arrive on the scene we attract the people.  We try not to let it go to our heads (at least not too much):

 

 

At the end of it all this cane just was too short to be of any use to my sore back and legs after standing so much:

 

 

And that is a wrap for 2023!  I learned a ton this past year and not once did it ever get boring wearing that armor.  Exact opposite really.  I even have the dressing part mostly tweaked now that I am almost able to fully get into it without any help (mostly need a set of eyes for the final check) and the icomm mic gets sitting in the proper position finally.  If I could do it all without my glasses I'd slap the hardhat headgear back in for the final comfort fit, but even if it does take me five minutes to screw on that helmet around my glasses it fits darn well when it does get on and I have very good sight lines.  Just keep those kids away from the first couple feet in front and it's all good!

 

A number of reels made by one of our members:

 

(1) Facebook

(1) Facebook

(2) Facebook

 

Bart

Edited April 1 by BAZINGA

[BAZINGA[TK]]

Troop 15: Draggins Car Show in Saskatoon supporting Children's Easter Seal.  March 29 and 30 although I was only able to make it for the second day.

 

First troop of the year for most of the Saskatchewan crew.  I had my second eye surgery five week prior to this troop and it will be another week until I get a new eye glass prescription so any long drives just are too hard for me to handle right now.  I had wrote this one off because it was three hours away and there was no good logistics to get there and back.  All was not lost though as a random conversation with a friend here led to the revelation that he was going up to the show for most of the day and was going by himself so he had room for me to catch a ride!  One day for part of the day is better than no days so off we went.

 

I had been reading communications from the crew from day 1 and they were short staffed and very busy.  This show was two 12 hour days and they were trying to cover the entire 12 hours each day.  I didn't fully appreciate how nuts it was until I got into it.  I spent an hour at the club table then the next 4+ hours in armor with maybe two five minute breaks (a new personal best).  By the end of it I didn't know if I was living in the SW universe as a stormtrooper, was hallucinating, was having fun or was just dreaming it all.  At one point before the four hour mark I was going to shed the armor and work the table then someone said, "If you can keep at it longer it's really helping the photobooth when a stormtrooper is milling about." so I got in the flow of traffic and just kept directing them into the photo area.  Well it was either me or a robot by that time, not really sure.  I was on auto-pilot.

 

There is always room for some fun though!

 

This is my friend that got me to the show.  Not a huge SW fan really, but a car fan.  Also the first friend, not part of the costuming groups, to pose with me so it was kinda special for me.

 

 

Just standing around by myself for a few seconds.

 

 

The guy beside me is a big geek.  The other two were there to humor him I think.  He wanted me in the boat, but it required going up a ladder/step thing then a big step then a two  foot step down into the boat.  They assured me they all had emergency medical training if I didn't make it however I still had to decline the adventure of getting into the boat.  However, after I left @wook1138 took a stab at it and got into the boat.  Now I am bound by some kind or honor or challenge or embarrassment to find a boat to get into without getting hurt or climb a tree or some other feat of dexterity while in plastic.  Oh dear.

 

 

At least I was able to keep my head on my shoulders even though my neck and shoulders were killing me by this time which was around the four hour mark.

 

 

I demonstrated how well I could blend into a car show.  If you look very carefully you can see me.

 

 

Oh look, some nice coloured lights!  My friend acted as a handler to get me to this part of the show and he practically ran me there!  He found it amusing and commented how many times I was pulled over for a photo.  I hadn't even thought about it actually.  As we were powering through packed areas of people I kind of forget I was the stormtrooper in the room.  Nothing to see here, just taking a jog through a car show.  It's perfectly normal.  Carry on.

 

 

I finally found the droid I've been looking for and this time there was no old man in a dusty bathrobe to tell me otherwise!  One of my buddies built R2.  He's in both the 501st and the Droid Builders.

 

 

DOs and GMLs look away.  There was only one of these photos taken at the end and I had a costume malfunction so the image needed a bit of touch up.  I think my body was trying to tell me it had enough and it was time to get out of the plastic or it was going to let it fall off me.  @wook1138 and I had a short photobooth session with just two of us contending with a number of rebels giving us the gears.

 

 

I was there only for a quarter of the total time for this troop and I was sore and dragging my butt.  I have no idea how the others managed it for much, much longer.  I had another oddity with the icomm not working properly.  I hope it is just the battery this time and not needed another repair.  I have to check that yet.  It would make a fast ticking noise then it would work for an extended period then stop working until it was unplugged and the process repeated.  I fiddled with it a bit on those little breaks but really didn't have time to change batteries or mess with it.

 

Next two troops are back to back over May 4, 6 and 7 so it will be a busy one.  By then I should be back to somewhat normal vision (crossing fingers) and can get around to these longer drives again.

 

I was really bummed when I thought I was going to miss this one.  I didn't realize how much I needed to get to it until I was at it with my friends.  I hadn't seen most of them since before Christmas.  It was still just so much fun and almost everyone is excited to see us, talk to us and get photos.  All the sore muscles were worth it.

 

Bart

Edited April 4 by BAZINGA

[dblcross[TK]]

5 hours ago, BAZINGA said:

I demonstrated how well I could blend into a car show.  If you look very carefully you can see me.

This is some of the best camouflage work I've ever seen done!

[dblcross[TK]]

5 hours ago, BAZINGA said:

I hope it is just the battery this time and not needed another repair.  I have to check that yet.  It would make a fast ticking noise then it would work for an extended period then stop working until it was unplugged and the process repeated.  I fiddled with it a bit on those little breaks but really didn't have time to change batteries or mess with it.

The battery needs to be replaced. There's a mod that helps you change out the battery for a bigger one that holds a charge better.

 

[Sithping[TK]]

Sounds like you had an amazing time, Bart!