A Good Time at the 2011 IPMS Gateway Invitational

Last Saturday (10 September), I helped run the IPMS/Gateway to the West Invitational model contest and swap meet, which was held at Hitter's Choice Cages in Eureka, Missouri. We had a good time with the show, which drew a good crowd of people and model contest entries (192 for the latter). The vendors there seems happy, and we raised some money for Toys for Tots through our raffle. I helped judge the contest, in which one of my three entries took third place. (Of course, not in a category I was judging!) My '69 Camaro Z/28 SS was third in Out of the Box -- Non-military. It was my first award at a local show in quite a few years, so I'm real happy about it.

The next day, IPMS/Gateway held its annual picnic at Charles Forrester Park in Vinita Park. I arrived after refereeing girls' soccer at St. Louis U. High that morning. We had a fine time: the club provided meat (burgers and brats) and beverages (soda, beer and water), while the attendees brought side dishes (I brought in two bags of chips). IPMS/Gateway meets this Tuesday night at Calvary Presbyterian Church. Hope to see you there. Info at www.ipms-gateway.com.

The previous Wednesday night (7 Sept.), I was at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis' Forest Park for a book signing and panel discussion. I bought a copy of the new book by Dave Lange, "Soccer Made in St. Louis," which is an illustrated history of the game in this area. There was a panel discussion on the state of soccer in St. Louis and the United States, which was quite interesting. Before and after that discussion, I got the book signed by several soccer personalities mentioned in the book, as well as by Lange and Bill McDermott, who wrote the foreword and moderated the discussion. I shall prize this book.

Speaking of printed matters, I did finally get the temp work done late last week. The assignment finally came through to the agency, and I got in it. It was a typing job, for a marketing agency's client, with some proofreading along the way. I got it done at home and turned it in to the marketing firm, which greatly appreciated my effort. I'm hoping to hear back today on another temp assignment I'm up for. In the meantime, I edited a pair of short columns for Naturally Autistic Magazine, and some biography cards for several honorees at next weekend's Naturally Autistic People Awards in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Speaking of Naturally Autistic, I was a panelist this past Wednesday afternoon on the Naturally Autistic Radio program Adult Speak. It was a nice program, although I did not contribute too much to it compared to other panelists. A week and a half earlier, on Sun., 4 Sept., I co-hosted the monthly Writer's Block program, also on Naturally Autistic Radio. Info on these and other shows at www.naturallyautistic.com.

That's it for now. Later

.