Post RCFM: Monday in Huntsville

[vakkotaur]

Monday there were some helium balloons left and since I'd never tried talking with helium, I went to the trouble of untying one. There was some change in voice, but I caught myself trying to talking in a higher pitch. I wonder how much is the helium and how much of the effect is from "helping" the helium along. After that, KT, JJ, Chaka, and I went out in search of breakfast or lunch.

We wound up at the IHOP again, which wasn't bad. A bunch of other furs showed up not long after and they were seated first. That annoyed JJ for a moment until I explained they went to the smoking section. JJ (okkay, Draconis) was a bit silly (go figure) and had a glass of water sent to the other table. We heard a "Thank you!" in unison, and a bit later we got the empty glass back. There were further games with a waitress or two as salt shakers moved or got refilled and such, and the sweetener packet container was moved/held hostage/swapped. The waitress did get a good tip.

Then we went to the Space Center. It seems very commercial, and aging poorly in places, but there is plenty of really interesting stuff. The Explorer launch control panel looks crude, but then it was made fast and its job wasn't to be pretty - it was get a satellite into orbit with 1957, oops, 1958 technology. Later, I climbed into the Apollo Command Module simulator with JJ. The thing didn't work, but it was an experience to get an idea of just how little room the CM had. The control panel looks complicated for a moment, and then you realize that this thing is a space ship that can go to the moon.. and it hits you how terribly simply looking the panel really is. There was the actual Apollo 16 command module which was rightfully fenced off. The size was the same as the simulator and it was obvious that the heat shield had been used. It was really something to see the real thing and realize where it had been. A lunar lander display was impressively large.. again until you realize what it did and it still seemed large, but also amazing it was no larger. I don't know how long I stood just looking at the lander display and the Apollo 16 Command Module. The outside displays were impressive. Things might not seem that big.. until you get close.. and then when you look at them and see that even accounting for perspective, some rockets are several times the height of the trees.

When we got back to hotel I spotted Chaka's fursuit head and gloves and asked if I could try them. He was agreeable, so try them I did. That wasn't bad, and Chaka suggested trying the full suit but I was still a bit tired from walking around the Space Center. After I'd rested a bit, and had more water, I changed into a pair of tights (ones I seldom wear at renfaires anymore) and an old, but clean t-shirt. I then climbed into the full Chaka outfit. It took a bit of doing to get into the body section and the feet were a bit tricky but not too bad. The headpiece and gloves were fairly easy.. though some adjustment was needed and I couldn't see everything I probably had to. One nice thing was that the gridded eyes had a pinhole camera effect so I could see fairly well, where I could see at all, without my glasses.

A few pictures were taken in the room. One of Chaka and Chaka.. or Chaka and an impostor.. but which is which? While it was warm, it wasn't too warm yet, so I ventured out of the room (after making sure someone had a key card!). There weren't many folks left, but there were a few furs in the lounge and they took a couple pictures. I went downstairs and "met" them. I found out later there was some puzzlement as they knew Chaka, so who was that walking around as Chaka.. with Chaka? Someone asked for a picture of themselves with me, and I obliged for a photo or two. I then went outside and posed for a couple shots with my car. Then I'd had enough for a while, and there really wasn't much reason to keep on in suit since so few folks were still around, and we went back to the room where the real Chaka eventually managed to extricate me from his suit. And then I took a much needed shower.

The suiting experience showed me a few things. First, I think I like it. Second, the problem of eyewear might not be a problem, with the pinhole camera effect. The vision range is lousy anyway, so I don't need to see fantastically well - just well enough to avoid running into things or falling in holes. I think I can manage that. Third, I'm not at all ready for a full-body suit. A "half suit" as I've thought about (head, feet, gloves, tail) would be more workable. It'd likely also be a bit less expensive, and - here's the big one - be less of a heat problem for me And finally or perhaps the real firstly, shedding pounds would be a Good Idea - less insulation trapping heat in!

In the evening we went to a party we'd been invited to, at the residence of brodycatsmouth. Nexus was also going, but didn't have a ride. Well, he did now, if just barely. The Corolla can hold five, though not all that comfortably. The party seemed to be a way to get rid of some of the con leftovers (not necessarily stuff that was out, but stuff that went unused that would go bad if not eaten fairly soon). Overall it was pretty good. There was band, I forget which one (they all are too loud for me - I found I liked it best outside when they played inside. Amplification does not increase quality, especially when overused). Nexus had a few good stories, and mentioned his transportation problem again, but it seemed to have been take care of, though perhaps in a non-ideal way. He would get a ride to Texas, but it be by way of Atlanta, which is not the right direction from Huntsville.

When things got a bit quieter, someone popped in a tape of Penn & Teller's TV show "Bullshit" where they debunk various things. I sat through the PETA episode and that was enough. The shtick is be outraged (and some things should cause outrage) and use language that can be used on cable but not on broadcast.. but it just gets tiring after a while. I think they could make their point better a bit more calmly, but then I'm not their target audience. After that, we all (well, the five of us) went back to the hotel. Nexus disappeared into his room, and we into ours. I offered JJ or Chaka the use of a bed, since I had a sleeping bag with me, but they insisted on not using the bed - or the sleeping bag. I was surprised, but I was also too tired to argue.

Comments

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Helium really does have the reputed effect, I assure you. There are provisos, however. One is that you need to really get a good lung full of it. If it is mixed with ordinary air, the effect is greatly reduced. Another is that balloons that have been filled hours earlier (sounds like 24 hours or more in the case you describe) will no longer have "pure" helium. Helium is nearly as good at slipping through membranes as hydrogen is. It gradually escapes right through the walls of the balloon, leaving only the "impurities" (mainly nitrogen I think) that were mixed with it in the tank. ;)

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

The second part could explain it. It was at least 12 hours and it was plain that the balloon were not quite fully filled. I did make a point of deep breathing to have plenty of oxygen before I inhaled from the balloon with fairly empty lungs. Perhaps sometime I'll have a chance with "fresher" helium.

[nefaria.livejournal.com]

Be careful not to overdose on the helium. It's harmless and inert, but there's no oxygen in it. If you take every other breath from a helium balloon, you're only getting half as much oxygen as you need, which can cause dizziness and fainting.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

That's why I was deep breathing before trying the helium, to get my oxygen levels up a bit. I was also taking several breaths of air between each try of the helium.

[kinkyturtle.livejournal.com]

Heh, in the lobby, one guy asked me who was in the Chaka suit. I said, "Guess!" But he had no idea.