Today was actually my first real day off in a couple of weeks. I've been working six day weeks with only Tuesday off, but the Tuesday isn't really a day of rest as that is my spider shipping day. So, the "SPIDERSHOPPE" is still open on Tuesdays. So after a stretch of 17 or 18 working days in a row why did I set my alarm for o' dark thirty? Because I had a BTS Committee meeting to attend!
No, I didn't take a red eye to the Hilton in Bracknell, UK, west of London, where the meeting was held at noon (6 a.m., my time). I attended the three and a half hour meeting via Skype. In my underpants!
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Here is my view of the meeting from the perspective of Mark Pennell. I nodded off a few times, but for 3.5 hours I sat here at my desk and took part in the meeting. Straight ahead is Chairman Peter Kirk. On either side of him are Ange and Ray Hale. The hands belong to Kim Pennell and the shaved head bloke behind them is Lee Cole who is blocking his wife Shelley. Across from them is the membership team of Phil and Erin, and the closest on the right side of the screen is Dr. Stuart Longhorn, BTS Treasurer. Out of picture is Mark, whose laptop was showing the committee my sleepy carcass (bottom right inset image) and Martin Nicholas who was to Mark's left. This is our entire BTS committee taking care of the business of running the world's greatest and longest running tarantula society. |
As I mentioned previously, I am taking the reins of the Journal of the British Tarantula Society and it will be my number one priority when it comes to the tarantula hobby. During the meeting we decided that Pete will serve as editor for the next Journal, which he and I are currently editing articles for, and then I will pilot it moving forward. For those of you who remember my ARACHNOCULTURE magazine (2005-2007), one of my features was "Inner View". This was my interview with some of arachnoculture's leading forces. The first was Rick West, followed by Andrew Smith, Elizabeth Mulé, Steve Nunn, Ray Gabriel, and Volker von Wirth with Martin Huber. As I take over as Editor of the Journal, an interview feature will return. This time BTS membership co-administrator Phil Geraghty will interview me for the first issue with me at the helm. I expect one question will be: "Why the hell is a bloody American editing a British society's publication?
One other thing decided at the BTS meeting this morning/afternoon was with regards to the competition at the annual May Exhibition. I will be judging the photography and artwork categories and also will be photographing the entered spiders and scorpions instead of Peter Kirk. The live spider and scorpion categories will be judged by Mark Pennell and Stuart Longhorn, perhaps with the aid of a "guest judge" likely to be mon ami Jean-Michel Verdez.
After the meeting I just wanted to crawl back into bed but I had some errands that needed to be taken care of. One included buying Tiger lager and Jameson's whiskey for my ArachnoParty at my home Friday, October 9. I came home so exhausted that I fell back asleep immediately and missed my scheduled noon rendezvous with Randy Martinez to deliver him some spiders. When I woke again at 3:30 p.m. I had to send apologies and reschedule.
Yes, time flies, and Mark Pennell will be here NEXT SUNDAY!!! Can't wait to see my mate and spend a week with him. It also means that one week from Tuesday will be spent finishing the tattooing of my right sleeve! We have one more major piece to add to my "tricep" and then loads of roses and stuff for gap filling. Have some surprises in store for Mark and we'll also go shooting at least twice. On Saturday morning after the party all of those who sleep over at my house will join me for breakfast at a local restaurant and then Chad, Mark and I will hit the range to make some smoke and noise.
I am hoping some of the party attendees will help me out by taking home some of the empty jars, containers and cages that used to hold many tarantulas. After Tuesday's ship-out, my collection will be really small and I am now going to end this blog to work on further slashing a few prices on my remaining closeout list and perhaps add a few more things. I will be dismantling some of the shelving racks this week and reclaiming my spider room as an office that holds a small collection of spiders. Transitions. Changes. All for the good and mental health. Sell off spiders, buy yourself your dream $4000 handgun (Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special). Win, win.
Catch y'all soon ... MJ
2 comments:
4000 dollar handgun......ummm yeah ...Mike if you show this much enthusiasm with guns as you have mygals....you will go very far...
I appreciate all you have taught me and hope I will still be able to use you as reference material.
Apple
Not only can you use me as a resource, but you can use my library next Thursday. See y'all when you arrive. Think I'm to work 2-8 Thurs as Mark is tattooing 3-9, but I may see if someone will work for me. Friday I was going to work too so I won't be around that much but you can always run out to Andy's for a bit.
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