"Two Dudes in a Dragon Suit"
A long time ago, when photos were black and white, two dudes got in a dragon costume. I don’t know why they did this, or what they were doing. I don’t know what their names were or where they were from. Looking at their photo, I really don’t know a whole lot about them. I do know, however, that moments before their photo was taken, those two guys had this conversation.
“What is that?”
“What is what?”
“What are you wearing?”
“Uhm, clothes.”
“No, I mean, you’re wearing jeans and sneakers. Dragons don’t wear jeans and sneakers.”
“So what?”
“It ruins the illusion.”
“’Ruins the illusion?’ Are you kidding me? Do you really think we’d look like a real dragon if I dressed like you?”
“Of course not, but do you expect people to take us seriously if the dragon is wearing jeans and sneakers?”
“I doubt they’d take us seriously at all. Jeans and sneakers, dress shoes and khakis, I really doubt it’s going to matter.”
“Pfff, your hopeless. Just get in already.”
“Can’t I have the front?”
“No, I have the front.”
“Why can’t I have it?”
“Because this whole thing was my idea.”
“I know. That’s why you should be in the back, as punishment.”
“Well excuse me for being creative. If you really didn’t want to be here than you could have just said no.”
“I did. Multiple times.”
“But you eventually said yes. Now c’mon, get into the groove man! We’ve gotta move like a dragon.”
“Uggh.”
“Bend over more! The dragon’s butt can’t be as high as its head.”
“This has got to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Yeah right. You remember when you got your hand stuck in that…”
“Ok, Ok, fine. This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever done that I knew was dumb before I did it.”
“I still find that hard to believe. Besides, its not dumb, its artistic.”
“Yeah, sure, remind me, what’s the difference?”
“Look, look! Someone’s going to take our picture!”
“I don’t want anyone to take our picture.”
“But what if we end up in the paper? Wouldn’t it be cool if someone wrote about us?”
“I don’t want anyone to write about us. Not now, not ever.”
The Spark Newsletter photograph, AR.0035
"Time and Man"
New beginnings begin again
Hand in hand, time and man
Often guided by passion
Passion for acceptance?
Barren earth
Gaea awaits, Ready for man to impregnate
Men abound
In all colors
Stuck in time with each other
Good riddance, dear friend
Here I am, to begin again
Groundbreaking for the construction of Mecklenburg Hall (Van Every) in 1965. AR.0034 - Time Capsule Collection slides.
Here I am
Oh! I’m so happy.
No! My eyes couldn’t say it any louder
Not just any opportunity
My opportunity.
Sign me up for generational hope.
Thats right world, get ready cause I’m comin for
YOU!
You thought you could shut me down But
Here I am
Thats right world you take all your henchman
Doing all your dirty work
Racism, Hatred, Judgement
Thats all you got?
Gone ‘head now.
Here I am.
Diane Davis (right) flashes a smile for the camera while a student completes paperwork in the former Learning Resources Center. AR.0035 The Spark.
"An Automobiles Mantra"
We've sat here for so long. This lot used to be empty... now we occupy the space. We sit here untouched and unused; not a day goes by when we wish to do our one job. It's funny how humans used the term "getting turned on" to describe a state of sexual arousal, because to us, getting turned on means we can fulfill our purposes. Suddenly, the old, semi-rusted hinges to the driver's side door of the yellow chevy creak open. The old leather seats on the inside cough up dust as the behind of a human plops down. Keys jangle and thrash about as the driver looks for the ignition key to start the lemon up. He slowly inserts the key into the ignition as to not cause any damage to the already old car. The first attempt at starting it the engine coughs a bit as if it wants to start but dies after a few seconds. However, the second go around sends the engine into a fit of energy and producing a cacophony of horrendous noises. After the old contraption has settled down a bit, the gear shift is thrown into reverse and the car slowly begins to roll out of place. After all this time of sitting in that lot with all the other cars, all the hope they had lost, one finally feels fulfillment. The driver takes a right onto a main road out of the lot filled with clunkers. It take more than a minute for the chevy to reach cruising speed, but once it does it's set. After the driver has driven roughly a mile and a half down the main road he takes a right into another lot filled with cars. The primary difference between this new lot and the previous is this: the cars in this lot are ripped to pieces; each car infested with humans pulling parts. The old chevy is driven to the far back right corner of the lot where it is parked and turned off. The purpose of the car has been fulfilled, now it serves a new purpose: giving what it has to offer so others can uphold their purpose.
The Spark Newsletter image of cars parked on the Central campus in the 1970s. There were not as many designated parking lots during this time., AR.0035.
"Larp in Renaissance"
It had started a simple gathering once a year, a meeting between renaissance fans. But then it grew into something more. More people began attending, and bigger events were set up for this. This was where it began. A few people turned into a few hundred, and suddenly a tradition was formed. Once a year for three weekends, everyone would travel back in time, to a simple age of Knights, Lords and ladies. Large ham bones, jousting tournaments and large pints of ale.
Families, couples, and all matters of people come now. Not just medieval enthusiasts, but now people looking to have a fun time out somewhere new that you would not see every day, a unique place straight out out of a book. Children have an experience that they never forget, with little souvenirs that last only a few months, and the adults have the memories of it forever saved in the pictures they took during their time there. Adults buy things that last a bit longer, things that end up in the back of the garage, forgotten after some time, but bringing back all of the memories of the time spent in the one place that only comes around once a year. It makes for planning another trip to be rather exciting.
Something like this can start small, but turn into something bigger than anything that one person or group could imagine. Just like the circus. Something that started with just a few people, turning int something that travels about all over the country. A few guys dressing up in armor and waving around a few wooden swords, now Several dozen guys having formal tournaments to see just who is the strongest in the eyes of the 'king' and 'queen'. Its a tradition born from humble beginnings, a few people acting out a different period in time for fun, to people entertaining the masses by taking them away from the cities and bringing them to a town long gone.
We see this all the time, just like with large companies, starting from the garage and turning int multi billion dollar companies. This photo could be the very first that was ever taken of it, or perhaps it was simply a photo of some people doing a simple reenactment, but either way, it could have been the inspiration for the actual festival.
The Spark Newsletter image of two knights on Central Campus, AR.0035.