27 August 10:00
Olpe, Germany
Breakfast here is not a very dramatic affair: cold cuts, cheese, and bread, just like we would have
for lunch back home. The coffee is very good but quite stronger than I am used to. I sat with three
Germans, a girl from Sweden and a very jolly lady from Czechoslovakia. Sorry -- the Czech Republic,
now. I am not going to make that mistake again. Everyone speaks English -- mostly -- so I am no
longer worried about my inability to speak German. I only know "Wo ist die Toilette?"
All of the programming events are conducted in English, too, which I suppose is necessary when we
have people here who speak a dozen different languages. I got to meet some of the artists whose work I
have been admiring on the Internet for a long time. There is quite a lot of talent here, all around.
The guest of honor is an animator who is making a CG movie about a tiger-warrior. I may go to his
workshop later.
I had the honor of meeting Gregor, the man in the Kchierath costume. The very moment he walked into
the room I knew that it was him. He has big, expressive dark eyes, just like the suit, and you can
recognize the same subtle movements and mannerisms, just like a cat. I approached him from behind
after he sat down and said, "You're the catcoon!"
He almost jumped out of his skin, poor fellow. Then he laughed and said, "When I am Kchierath,
I am Kchierath. When I am Gregor, I am Gregor. Now, I am Gregor." That is an impressive
attitude! I am afraid I turned into something of a blathery fanboy, which embarrasses me a little, but
he did not seem to mind. I imagine he gets that sort of thing a lot. I found out that he is an
automotive engineer. That explains how he has gotten the ears to work so perfectly, and the eyes. We
talked together for quite a while. He is a sweet, shy-looking little man, very friendly, and his
English is much better out of the suit. I mentioned that. "It must be easier to speak English
when you don't have a muzzle and sharp teeth."
"Ja ja!" he said, laughing. "The poor catcoon has as much trouble with
English as he does with German."
It seems that
he likes to
use the costume in Live Action Role Play (LARP) events, especially in the
fall when the leaves are starting to turn. I told him very honestly that he is the most talented
costumer I have ever seen. He almost crawled into his shoes and turned as red as the juice we were
drinking. Then I asked if he could show me the mechanism that makes the costume's ears move, but he
only gave me a crafty smile and said, "Trade secret!" He is really into gadgets and has
designed a lot of the high-tech mechanisms in German automobiles, so this might well be something he
picked up "in the shop."
I am not going to attend any panels or workshops before lunch. Instead, I will sit out on the grass
and draw. There are two sketchbooks in line right now. An Englishman also asked me for a full color
commission. Interestingly enough, I had more difficulty understanding him than many of the Germans.
He is going to pay me 100 Euros ($130). Yow!
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