From balloon-request@cvs.rochester.edu Mon Aug 28 21:32:45 1995 id AA18496; Mon, 28 Aug 95 21:16:22 EDT Message-Id: Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 11:11:27 +1000 To: balloon@cvs.rochester.edu From: Simon.James@agsci.utas.edu.au (Simon James) Subject: Re: A few things... Chris writes: >Friday night I experienced a couple of firsts for me: >Numbness in my fingers from being cold! [snip] Greetings Chris et al., What a day it's been for me, first I get a package of balloon books from T Meyers (thanks T), then Noel provides a very nice one balloon dragon which is sitting in front of me in purple... not it's best colour, I think a red one, slightly more sinusoidal(?) with shorter back legs and a longer tail will look good but anyway thanks Noel. Finally Chris introduces a topic I was about to launch into as well... Gloves. Does anyone do it in gloves. It'd save your frosty fingers and according to Ken Stillman it reduces squeaking (Qualetex is adding to many mice to the mix, I say cut back on the mice) and popping (add more turtles for longivity). So who uses gloves? And what sort do you use? Ken says, "... to the advanced balloonist gloves should be your best friend", he makes it bold and underlines it so he must be serious. Are we talking calf-skin flying gloves, latex hand-up-your-bottom gloves or Acme Balloon-a-glove (only $5.99 with free set of steak knives)?? Can anyone put some light on this matter? So on to the books I just got (40 minutes ago).. Getting balloon books is a very random process I say reviews reviews reviews for the BalloonIntro is the answer.. Here to keep the ball rolling are quick impressions of the following; Dewey's Bubble Buddies by Ralph Dewey -- First impressions were good; fairly bulky, smells nice, green cover, picture of Jesus on page 2. Then to page fifteen with twisting instructions, well written but basic. Then *blam* into some great medium to complex figures. This is a must-own book, this is *not*, "here's a dog, give it a longer neck and it's a giraffe". Each model has a little inovation; a great squirrel, an alley cat, a clever owl, another frog and the kangaroo with joey :) There are other models (10 in all) plus games (monkey shimmy :) and routines. I was very impressed. Dewey's Mammoth Multiple Balloons by Ralph Dewey -- Hmm, I was expecting something with multiple 260's, this book is about how to make basic animals out of all those different balloons you get in party packs (312's-341's plus 260's and a few odd ones). The book is thin, the models basic and the cover a sort of murky brown-purple. Not so impressed. Awesome Balloons by Flash! by Ken Stillman -- This A4 book starts off with some basics; good advice, a dog, a parrot then gets into the good stuff. Flash has drawn all the bubbles by computer so it's all fairly clear. The section for advanced balloonists begins on pg7 and starts with some enigmatic advice on gloves which I have yet to fathom then launches into an array of multiple balloon clown faces and bodies and ends in a very authentic looking multiple balloon genie in a lamp. This is a great book if, like me, your only big creation is an ostrich (thanks Larry :). I think these will be very fine models to leave the party child with. A good book to own. Till soon, Simon.