Three more structures for my model railroad

My friends who are into model railroading ask me what my future model railroad will be based upon.  I tell them that my model railroad will exist in an alternative Earth where magic and myths exist.  My railroad exists to supply both civilian and military customers.  One side of the layout would be a port, while the other side a defensive line to defend against attacks by evil fantasy creatures.  Goods and passengers would move to and from the port to the defensive line.  There would be intermediate passenger stations, freight depots, and trackside industries between the port and the defensive line.  Moreover, good fantasy creatures would be assisting the humans to defend themselves.  The good fantasy creatures would have homes and businesses alongside human homes and businesses.  I plan to write short stories based on my layout, with photos of my layout as illustrations for my stories.

When planning your model railroad, you should ask yourself why your railroad exists.  What industries your railroad serves and if there is passenger service.  How do you deal with the classic problem of open top cars during operating sessions?  This has been named the loaded cars in / empty cars out arrangement with a shipping industry, such as a coal mine, separated by a backdrop or tall hill from a coal-fired power station or a coaling tower.  The solution is for your loaded cars to come from the mine to the station or coaling tower, while the empty cars go from the station or coaling tower to the mine.  Under the backdrop or hill, there is a hidden, short connection from the mine to the station, creating a loop for both loaded cars and empty cars.

What time frame is your model railroad based upon?  For example, building a model railroad based on the American Civil War of April 12 1861 to April 9 1865 would be a great choice as you have short trains moving at slow speeds.  Add military modeling with military trains with cannon and siege mortars mounted on flatcars.  You could include one casemate ironclad and monitor ironclad secured to dock mooring lines.  These ships are ready to take on supplies and crews from the adjacent, dockside railroad spur.

My Crown Pickle Works - Pickle Plant for my model railroad

I built this Crown Pickle Works model when I was attending the University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD).  Someday, I might live in a home of my own and I will use this model on my home layout.  My home layout would have sufficient square footage to have a model train room for a loop to loop model railroad designed for continuous running and switching operations.

Who’s that MLP pony?

That pony is Vinyl Scratch, also known as DJ Pon3.  I must be a true Brony to own a Vinyl Scratch plush.  I think that my next plush could be an Octavia Melody plush.  In the one hundredth Friendship is Magic episode; it shows that Octavia lives in the same home as Vinyl Scratch.

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part Seven

I never imagined that by wearing my costume that I would cause that kind of strong emotional and physical reactions in someone else.  However, I’ve heard about - but never actually seen - someone who was laughing so hard that they peed on themselves.

I would without doubt use an easier to read font if I were to remake my University of Minnesota Duluth class presentation.  In fact, because I have more education and experience, I would make a much better presentation in 2020.

At least once in your life you should attend at least one fan convention that is aligned with your interests.  If you don’t know which of the many Twin Cities conventions to attend, try an all-inclusive convention such as CONvergence.  CONvergence is an annual convention for fans of Science Fiction and Fantasy in all media.  So, if you have any interest in science fiction and fantasy, CONvergence is an excellent gateway convention to attend.  With my last picture and caption, my Anime Detour 2005 presentation is concluded.

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part Six

I use clothing as visual statements.  While attending MLP-MSP F in June 14 - 16, 2019, I was the only attendee who wore a fedora hat.  Also, I wore my German Trachten Jacket making me the only attendee who wore any type of blazer.  I enjoy appearing slightly different than those around me.

In the year 2005, I had no idea that in the fourteenth day of March 2020 as a result of the pandemic announcements made by the state of Minnesota, Anime Detour leadership in conjunction with their parent organization Anime Twin Cities, Inc had chosen to cancel the 2020 Anime Detour convention.  I hope that in the year 2021 that an actual, real world Anime Detour convention will happen at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.

I hope my readers will consider attending the Anime Detour convention in 2021.  After all that has happened in the year 2020, we all need to take a three day vacation, with old and new friends, while enjoying some of the world's best entertainment!

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part Five

I made my University of Minnesota Duluth class presentation before the World Wide Web was widely available.  Thus, at that time I don’t take into account thousands of sites such as Anime News Network that inform the fan base of Japanese animation and Japanese comics that might interest those in the fandom.

In addition, my mind is blown that I can watch Japanese animation and read Japanese comics on my phone.  I’m surprised at how far technology has advanced in fifteen years.  I wonder how technology will advance in the next fifteen years.  How will Japanese animation be made, marketed, and enjoyed by fans in 2035?

I know several of my friends who give passing attention to beautiful women when they are wearing ordinary clothing.  But, when the same women are wearing colorful costumes they become demigoddesses worthy of double takes in the eyes of these people.  I admit that I’ve done that at conventions when viewing beautiful woman wearing beautiful costumes.

“I love going to places where I can sit and people watch, take in the colors of their clothes, the wrinkles they have around their eyes when they smile, their body language when meeting one another, and sometimes I even eavesdrop on their conversations - wink!”
― Helen Edwards, Nothing Sexier Than Freedom

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part Four

Fan conventions are events to enjoy and purchase symbolic artifacts that express deep meaning to those who know what they are.  The meaning of these artifacts changes from fan to fan and from generation to generation of fans.  Wearing my Minnesota Vikings hat is the same as wearing my Sailor Jupiter cosplay costume.  These things are symbolic artifacts that express my interest in a particular media franchise.

If I were to create this presentation in 2020, I certainly would include things that I left out of this presentation.  I would include details about my travel to the convention hotel before the convention started and then my return back home after the convention ended.  I would include more images of the hotel itself.  I would also include information about Anime Detour room parties, the food that I ate, and short interviews with the convention staff along with the hotel staff.

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part Three

The main point to attend a fan convention is to meet other fans, listen and participate in panels, attend musical events, shop for specialized items at the vender hall, meet the guests of honor, enjoy a few drinks during the convention’s pub crawl, and have fun doing many other things.

This reminds me of a fictional character named Pinstriped Loudmouth, who was voiced by actor Roger Rose from JUSTICE LEAGUE: WAR (2014).  He said, “I cross-dress in a Wonder Woman costume outfit. It makes me feel powerful.”  I cross-dress in a Sailor Jupiter costume outfit. Wearing that costume also makes me feel powerful.”

"What makes you unique makes you strong. This you must use. Yourself, you must always be."

―Yoda, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV series)

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part Two

I took these cute images at Anime Detour 2005.  I have a great time at this convention and so did many other fans.

Years later, I then reworked these images into a UMD Journalism class project.  I would do a much better job at making this presentation in 2020 because I’m a better journalist now.

I attended Anime Detour 2005, Part One

This special event was held at the Ramada Inn Airport Hotel and Thunderbird Convention Center within Bloomington, Minnesota.  I hope that since the Hotel and Convention Center has been demolished that someone will build a new Hotel and Thunderbird Convention Center on the same ground.

What I wrote for one of my UMD journalism class assignments

 

I wrote these condensed headlines as radio and television advertisements meant to be broadcast before the local news broadcasts.

For breakfast, I will make blueberry waffles, with blueberries and whipped cream

For the next few days, I will eat blueberry waffles, topped with blueberries and whipped cream for my breakfast.  I’m sure that I will put cute fruit faces on my blueberry waffles.  Also, that reminds me of my mother topping my pancakes and waffles with cute fruit faces.

Smoky, my friend’s nice black cat

My friend, who does want to be identified, let me photograph Smoky her nice black cat.

I read in a book about cat behavior that if a cat shows you their belly that means that they trust you.

Cover Letter

 

My cover letter that I hope will persuade someone to hire me for my multifaceted education, experience, and skills in creative writing, game design, page design, and photography.

Blueprints used for my Railroad Model Craftsman magazine article

I sent these blueprints, along with slides and specialized hobby magazines to Railroad Model Craftsman (RMC) for an article about Duluth’s Endion Station that was published in April 2003.  Because of RMC copyright, I can’t post the article in my blog.  But, I can post the blueprints that my article is based upon.

This is the ground floor plan of Duluth’s Endion Station.

This is the second story plan of Duluth’s Endion Station.

There are details of the roof of Duluth’s Endion Station.

A building report for Duluth’s Endion Station created by hand many years ago.

These are the plans for reimagining Duluth’s Endion Station as an architecture office.

I was not aware that Duluth’s Endion Station at least had plans for a small basement.  I have no idea if that basement was ever built or remained just an idea in the blueprint.

The last blueprint shows the outside of Duluth’s Endion Station with the new stone and brick edition where it was connected to a now demolished attached freight shed, visually balancing the structure with the other end.

My two response letters about the foolish plans made by the Duluth Waterfront Collective

The only way this plan will work is to first create a bypass for north and south traffic on Interstate 35.  Fortunately, there is a real world example of how that can be done.  The village of Vossevangen, Norway had traffic congestion on the European route E16 that is a main west-east road that runs through their village.  Instead of widening the E16 road in their village, taking out businesses and homes, a bypass tunnel with roundabouts on both ends was built instead.

I believe that a similar bypass tunnel, two lanes each way, from Duluth's Point of Rocks under Downtown Duluth, and exiting north of the Lakewalk Parking lot at Holiday Station could make your plan workable.  Also, make the intersections into two lane roundabouts instead of four-way stop intersections.

Without these additions on your plan, the stop and go traffic will increase travel times, idling engines will increase downtown carbon dioxide, drivers will take Superior Street to avoid the backup of traffic on the main highway, and result in the defeat of the real reason why Interstate 35 was built in Downtown Duluth to begin with.

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First, I’m wondering why the North Shore Scenic Railroad is not depicted in your illustrations?  This is the same track that could within a ten or twenty years also carry commuter trains from Duluth to Two Harbors and back.

Second, how will runners attending Grandma's Marathon go across Interstate 35 at a grade intersection crossing?  Have you talked to Grandma's Marathon management about this?

Third, while we need better pedestrian access to and from Canal Park, improving pedestrian access on the existing bridges is much better than the vanity project proposed here.

Lastly, practice defensive walking and never assume that a driver will stop for you, even if you have the green light.  Take responsibility for your own safety and the safety of others while walking and driving.

Anime Girls Generator program

I made this cute Anime Girl image using the Anime Girls Generator program several years ago.  It also gives my followers insights into what I find attractive that are influenced by many years of watching Japanese animation.

If you are interested in making Anime Girl images, please use this link to the Danny Choo archive to then download this program.  However, I can’t guarantee that this link will still be active when you attempt to visit this page.

https://archive.dannychoo.com/en/posts/anime-girls-generator

I noticed a mistake in the fall 2020 Campus Coupons book.

I noticed that in the Perkins coupon on page seven had both the “Expires 12/31/20” date followed by the “Expires 5/31/20” date.  I have never seen any coupon before now with two different expires dates.  Whoever edited this coupon didn’t pay attention to the “Expires 5/31/20” date.

I am the owner of a Minnesota Vikings Football Club hat

I found my hat in a storage box a few days ago.  It is a mystery to me as to who bought this hat and how it got into my apartment.

Tracey put up these posters for free face masks for HRA residents

Whenever I see genuine, powerful, and unexpected acts of kindness for other people, I have new hope for the future of the human race.

All eligible voters who are US citizens need to do this in November 2020

If you want to save representative democracy and the rule of law, while limiting greenhouse gasses to create less than two degrees of global warming, you must do this in November 2020.

I made my third mock-up newspaper page for one of my UMD Duluth journalism classes.

I made this page to describe my love for walking and biking Minnesota public trails.  I have ridden my bike the entire length of the Willard Munger State Trail; while I hope to bike more of these state trails in the upcoming years.

I made another mock-up newspaper page for one of my UMD Duluth journalism classes.

This newspaper page would be even better in 2020, because I have improved my journalism skills.  In addition, I found that if you write on topics that you love, then the act of writing becomes much easier and gives you great joy.

I made this mock-up newspaper page for one of my UMD Duluth journalism classes.

You can tell that I really love Anime!  In fact, I have been a fan of Japanese animation since I was a child.  I hope that I can attend the next Anime Detour that will be held from April 2nd to April 4th 2021 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Minneapolis.

Two cultural artifacts of the Coronavirus Pandemic

These two posters on green paper, put on the King Manor Fifth Floor bulletin board, were posted here in March.  Yet, no one has taken these posters down, while nearly all Rainbow Community Center events have been postponed for the foreseeable future.  I think this is the first time I’ve ever written the word “foreseeable”.

At King Manor, the west elevator has been out of service for at least six weeks.

Frank told me that HRA management is considering installing new elevators.  I hope that HRA managers do something soon, because if the east elevator breaks down, many mobility impaired residents will be unable to leave floors three, four, and five.

I found the public art installation "Unweaving" in the Sister Cities Park in Duluth.

 

Created by Minnesota artist Tia Keobounpheng, these artworks tells the stories of the unweaving of communities, cultures, and traditions.  At the same time the artworks describes how each twenty-first century individual has become disconnected from our inherited history.  The artworks will be on exhibit in the park until the end of October.

This is my Father’s favorite stories about me as a child, Part Two.

 

Once, one of my Father’s friends lit up a cigarette.

I walked up to him and then asked, “Do you know what those things can do to you?”

My Father’s friend quickly snuffed out his cigarette.

This is my Father’s favorite stories about me as a child, Part One.

Once, one of my Father’s friends asked me if I had any brothers.

 

I replied by saying, “Yes, I have two brothers”.

 

My Father’s friend asked me what their names are.

 

I replied by saying, “Icky and Snake”.

 

Then my Father’s friend asked me what my name is.

 

I said “My name is Crackers”.

King Manor’s fourth floor bulletin board for September 1, 2020

The worldwide impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reaches all the way into the lives of King Manor residents.