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1. I was just handed a memo that says mental_floss will have a table at Georgia’s Decatur Book Festival in September. We’ve had a good time meeting readers at festivals in the past, and we’d like to get to more of them. Any suggestions?
2. According to a 2005 survey commissioned by TiVo, here are the top TV dads of all time: 1. Cliff Huxtable (The Cosby Show); 2. Sheriff Andy Taylor (The Andy Griffith Show); 3. Pa Ingalls (Little House on the Prairie); 4. Howard Cunningham (Happy Days); 5. Ward Cleaver (Leave it to Beaver). Which TV, movie, or literature dads would get your vote?
3. What’s the biggest non-restaurant, non-contractor tip you’ve ever given someone? While Brett Savage and I were driving from Los Angeles to Denville (NJ) in 2000, my ‘93 Mercury Sable broke down several times. The first incident occurred about 10 miles outside of Silverthorne, Colorado. When we found someone willing to tow us to the nearest service station, I gave him all the money I had in my wallet after paying for the ride ($40). By the time we broke down again the next day near Denver, I’d been to the ATM. But after splurging on Pizza Hut Thin n’ Crispy Pizza, a Milky Way, and Gatorade, I could only tip a $5. But enough about me.
4. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve bought on eBay? (If you’ve never bought anything weird on eBay, you can talk about an odd garage sale purchase.)
* * * * *
Last week, I begged for technical support for my personal website, which had been ruthlessly hacked. Reader Jim Hegarty volunteered his time and expertise and had my digital house back in order by Sunday. The extended family members who are the totality of my readership are delighted.
If you’re looking for tech help, Jim runs an internet marketing and web development company in Eastern Pennsylvania called Vulpine Industries. If your business has a website that isn’t performing well, give Jim a call — (610) 442-2196. He’s earned my full endorsement!
[And thanks to the handful of other folks who offered to lend a hand. You spoil me.]
Comments (32)
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Viva Vienna! – Over Memorial Day weekend every year in Vienna, VA just outside DC
Celebrate Fairfax – early June, same geographic area
Unfortunately, we just had both :( But there’s always next year! :)
posted by Hastings on 6-19-2009 at 1:03 pm
Hastings, don’t forget the Herndon Festival!
posted by Casey on 6-19-2009 at 1:07 pm
strangest thing I ever bought at a yard sale was a kangaroo scrotum that had been made into a little coinpurse (it looked and felt like very soft leather). Apparently, it had been a souvenir from Australia. I paid about 50 cents for it, but got every penny’s worth whenever I’d hand it to someone and ask them to guess what they were holding.
posted by Pete on 6-19-2009 at 1:15 pm
Thanks Casey! See, Northern Virginia is the place to come!
posted by Hastings on 6-19-2009 at 1:19 pm
Aw, I grew up in NoVA! Yay!
posted by Milly on 6-19-2009 at 1:24 pm
Big on Bloor (in Toronto, ON) It’s actually happening tomorrow, June 20, if anyone’s in the area (I hope I attached the link correctly…)
There’s also the annual Tulip festival in Ottawa, ON. It happens in May every year and is very culture-oriented. I think flossers would fit right in.
posted by ac on 6-19-2009 at 1:24 pm
4: Weirdest things I’ve bought on eBay: a button that reads, “TRUST NO ONE” (the X-Files mantra), a glass Das Boot, and a black 2-piece suit.
posted by Jake on 6-19-2009 at 1:27 pm
2. The best literature and movie dad of all time, in my opinion, is Atticus Finch, from “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Beats the multi-colored sweaters off of Cliff Huxtable.
3. I gave a kid with a pickup truck $20 for jumping my car at a truck stop in Michigan. Even used my own cables.
posted by Walter on 6-19-2009 at 1:37 pm
2. I always liked Jason Seaver.
3. I guess it qualifies as a tip — I gave my neighbor’s twelve-year-old son $50 after he caught two bats that were in my house.
4. A few years ago, I bought an autographed San Diego Chicken baseball card for my boyfriend.
posted by Kendra on 6-19-2009 at 1:39 pm
I guess there are a lot of mental floss fans here in Northern Virginia, I’m at my office in Vienna right now! (I’m a receptionist, so goofing off on the internet is a vital component of my job)
2. I’d like to nominate my all time favorite father of literature – Atticus Finch.
posted by Elizabeth on 6-19-2009 at 1:41 pm
Walter & Elizabeth – I’m with you. Atticus Finch is #1
Pete – that is the best yard sale purchase I have heard of. Wish I had found it
posted by JaneM on 6-19-2009 at 2:07 pm
I was just looking at information about the Decatur Book Festival when I saw this post! I am thinking about going.
As for TV dads, I’ve always liked Mike Brady.
posted by Krista on 6-19-2009 at 2:18 pm
1. Rochester, NY Lilac festival!
posted by Greta on 6-19-2009 at 2:29 pm
2. Michael Bluth – Arrested Development
posted by susan on 6-19-2009 at 2:48 pm
The RC Cola & Moon Pie festival in Bell Buckle, TN is this weekend. You can see the world’s largest Moon Pie and snack on a fried Moon Pie!
posted by Kellie on 6-19-2009 at 3:57 pm
For those of you that live in NJ. The first link is for smaller streetfair type things. The second gives you a reason to drink. And the third gives you a reason to drink until you want a big balloon to take you away from it all.
nj.com/festivals/#
newjerseywines.com/festivals.html
balloonfestival.com/
posted by Di on 6-19-2009 at 4:04 pm
Movie dad Gil (Steve Martin) in Parenthood is completely fallible and somehow manages to be a good father.
Biggest tip we ever gave was to a guide in the Galapagos ($200) plus the captain and crew (another $200). They were great. If you ever go, cruise with the Nemo II and make Peter is your guide.
posted by Di on 6-19-2009 at 4:50 pm
1. I live in Mount Airy, North Carolina and we have the Mayberry Days festival in September (go to visitmayberry.com) and then we have the Autumn Leaves Festival in October, which is MUCH more popular with locals, since all the locals are almost sick of hearing about Andy Griffith by now
2. Atticus Finch is a memorable dad from literature
3. I haven’t received any cash tips for anything, but I once received a gift card to a restaurant from one of my high school students. That was nice, considering that high school teachers don’t really get presents anymore.
4. I once bought a bundle of old letters on ebay, without knowing anything about them, other than they were written from a wife to her husband, who was working away from home in another city. The letters seemed a bit strange, but full of “normal” everyday husband & wife stuff, then there is a letter from the man, saying that if anyone finds the letters, he was murdered by his wife’s family, who hated him. It has always been a mystery to me….
posted by Jessica on 6-19-2009 at 5:01 pm
I just realized that you wanted the biggest tip we ever GAVE, not received. I gave $10 to a guy playing blues on the street in Asheville, NC.
posted by Jessica on 6-19-2009 at 5:04 pm
Birmingham, Alabama has several. First of all, there’s City Stages every June, Brewfest the first weekend in June, Stokin’ the Fire (barbeque) in late August/early September, Pinson Alabama (right outside of Birmingham) has the Butterbean Festival the last weekend of August….All these festivals have lots of food, music, and awesome people!
posted by Bex on 6-19-2009 at 5:07 pm
2. I think Atticus Finch is just the ideal father figure. He was automatic in most of our minds here, including mine.
For TV dads, I’d give Rupert Giles a surrogate father status in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
My dad reminds me of Jimmy Stewart. Even if he isn’t playing a dad in a movie, I believe he’d be a good dad.
posted by c on 6-19-2009 at 7:42 pm
the Texas Book Festival happens every year in Austin, with the city’s unofficial motto being “Keep Austin Weird” I think y’all would fit in great.
posted by Kris on 6-19-2009 at 8:49 pm
3. While traveling in Norway, my husband and I arrived in a very small town where we had booked our hostel stay. Little did we know until we arrived, the only place to stay in town was closed and in the process of being torn down. We were hundreds of miles from any where to stay, no phone, and not speaking a word of Norwegian.
The foreman on the hostel destruction job found us a room to stay in so we bought him a six pack. With the exchange rate and taxes, it was about $45 worth of beer. Totally worth it.
posted by Miss Priss on 6-19-2009 at 10:54 pm
1. At the corner of 16th and Georgetown Road in Indianapolis the night before the Indy 500. Not an official ‘festival’ but weird nonetheless and with the vendors along the roadsides, it should qualify to some degree.
posted by Jim on 6-19-2009 at 11:49 pm
3. $20 to the sacker at the grocery store.
4. Strangest thing I bought off ebay was an egg cuber. After peeling the egg, you push into the square holder and screw on the lid. After a few minutes minutes, the egg would hold the square form. Made cool deviled eggs but took forever!
posted by JVK on 6-20-2009 at 1:09 am
Biggest tip I’ve given someone was $100 and two batches of cookies to the tattoo artist who did the portrait on my arm (featured on a Metal Floss blog! Click name for link).
posted by Haily on 6-20-2009 at 4:29 am
I won $2800 on a hand of poker a couple months ago (Hearts Royal Flush earned a jackpot of $2600 and high hand of the hour added $200 on… plus the $30 or so from the pot)
I tipped the dealer $120, the guy I was heads up against $100 and bought the table a round of drinks.
posted by Kevin on 6-20-2009 at 12:16 pm
Oyster Festival in Norwalk, CT!!! Usually held in the beginning of September – BEST way to end a summer!
posted by Alli on 6-20-2009 at 5:16 pm
1) International Horseradish Festival in Collinsville IL. :)
posted by Patrick J. on 6-20-2009 at 7:46 pm
not a festival but what about the American Library Association convention? The Unshelved group is always there, you’d be an excellent addition. This year, Chicago in July!
posted by carol on 6-20-2009 at 10:52 pm
1- St. James Art Show in Louisville, KY. You will thank me many times over.
2- Chuck Conners, the Rifleman, hands down! “Paw, Paw!”
3-The biggest tip I ever gave, was after a morning of eating scrambled eggs at the beach, I tipped everyone off as to “NOT GO IN THERE!”
4- Weirdest eBay purchase was a mini-wood burned card by Thomas Brooks, titled “The Egg Thief”. It depicts a guilt-ridden, Ant-like creature, with an Easter egg in its clutch. Quite Cool.
posted by Nt4thBook on 6-21-2009 at 12:48 am
How about the GLBT Pride festival in Salem, Oregon in August?
posted by dyedinthewoolcynic on 6-22-2009 at 1:01 am