prof_folderol

Everyone is welcome, just look for a brown fedora and brass goggles and that will be me.

Epoch Coffee
221 W North Loop Blvd.
Austin, TX 78751

The tenth meetup feels like one of those 'milestone' things... not quite a new millennium, but a pretty big deal since getting Steamfolks to show up is like herding cats!  ;^}

ALSO... A few of us attended the ArcAttack show here in Austin last night and actually have a picture:

That's Baron Pablo, Arvis and JJ Folderol in back with Parsec (Front guy for ArcAttack) in front.
We've definately got a western influence going on...

ALSO ALSO... We've started up a new discussion/contact/events site on Ning for the Texas Steampunks.

Join up, start a discussion for your city/locality and pass the word along.

http://texassteampunks.ning.com/


JJ

j_wilhelm

Dear colleagues:

I hope you had a very pleasant holiday season.  I just got word back from Ms. S.J. Chambers, and it looks that we're included in the "Master Index"  of the Steampunk Bible, although that does not automatically qualify the entries to publish photos or articles in the book, mostly due to space limitations.  The selection of suitable candidates for publication will be announced later this January.

Yesterday I spent a sleepless night at our forum in brassgoggles.co.uk, discussing some crazy ideas about putting sails on a Zeppelin.   Well, being who I am, I had to expound on the subject, and I had a little bit of an epiphany / "acid trip" (see this entry:   http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,21122.0.html ) I couldn't resist drawing this just for the fun of it!!

j_wilhelm

Esteemed Colleagues:
 
Below I attach my submission to the "Steampunk Bible," currently being compiled by Mr. Jeff VanderMeer and Ms. S.J. Chambers ( ref. http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2009/10/25/seeking-steampunks-for-fun-and-archiving/ and http://www.sjchambers.org/news.html )




S. J. Chambers, Master Archivist

                                                               December 14, 2009

Dear Ms. Chambers:

  I write to you from our fair City of Austin, in the Republic of Texas, in reference to Mr. VanderMeer's excellent efforts on the creation of the "Steampunk Bible." Among our local and very loosely-knit steampunk circles I go by the name of "J. Wilhelm" (http://community.livejournal.com/seaholm_steam/).
 
  I just wanted to add my small contribution by exposing some of the very beginnings of this movement here in Austin, as there seems to be no slow-down, as some might suggest. Quite to the contrary, the movement is still emergent, and there is a fair amount of interest from people who still don't know about Steampunk and Neo-Victoriana, but are first exposed to this movement. This place is a good snapshot of the "beginning processes," so to speak. So new is the Art in the Austin/San Antonio area, that we are still just barely discovering one another after a year-or-so in the blog circles (e.g. refer to these blog entries: http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1502.375 ) .

  For my part, my contribution is limited to the manufacture of "Calculation Engines" (i.e. computers), of which I think that Austin is a natural location for this type of industry (http://www.victoriansteam.baroquestone.com). My devices, are just a meek re-interpretation of the work done by the "steampunk elders," a.k.a. Jake Von Slatt, and Nagy "Datamancer," but the local response to my machines from the public has been positive (in spite of the simplicity of my efforts). My point being that the public is certainly fascinated by this style, provided the right exposure. I look forward to the release of Mr. VanderMeer's Steampunk Bible. Please feel free to contact me or the members at the Seaholm Steam & Diesel blog group if you require any more information.
 
Sincerely, J. "Wilhelm" Dunn
Aeronautical Engineer and Calculation Engine Fabricator

prof_folderol

On Wednesday 02Dec -- if you're interested in coffee and a chat with strange people who dress funny -- we'll be meeting at the family-friendly Kneaded Pleasures Bakery Cafe.

3573 Far West Blvd
Austin, Texas
(512) 527-0699

That's about 1-1/2 blocks west of Mopac next to the Post Office.

We'll be there from about 6:00 p.m. until the closing at 9:00 p.m. and then move to Epoch if anyone still has a coffee and BS jones.

Again, Kneaded Pleasures is family-friendly so you can bring your mini-minions.

JJ

j_wilhelm

Good Day Ladies and Gentlemen:

I thought I should introduce myself to the Austin group. My name is John "Wilhelm" Dunn. I've barely discovered your group (including Seaholm Steam and Diesel) since last week. I don't know if I can be considered a Steampunker (I don't dress up or follow the lifestyle), but I am definetely involved in the manufacture of items that fit the category . This is an endeavor I just started as an additional enterprise, mostly out of severe need for financial supplement due to the fact that I am an unemployed aerospace aeronautical engineer. Anyone in need of air-worthy vessels?

To give a you a spoiler, here I present my "Calculation Engines," of which I thought that Austin is a natural place to produce these type of artifacts:

I look forward to meeting you all.

Regards,

J. Wilhelm

(“J_Wilhelm” in LJ, have patience with me, never used LJ before until today….I’m just setting up now…LJ’s “hundreds of trained monkeys” don’t really impress me, in fact I find them really confusing)