Don’t piss-off Mother Nature. Jesus I don’t care about…just don’t piss-off Mother Nature!”

Maybe if I get to know this person I’ll become famous?!

It’s been some time since we’ve published a “People Pulse” feature, but the recipient of this particular piece is one awesome dude! If you’re not addicted to this guy’s enthusiasm after learning a little about him then you’re crazy!

Q: Before getting started, what’s one fun fact about yourself you’d like people to know?
A: I regularly write letters to my 93 year old great aunt Dotty and she handwrites me a note for every letter I send. I cherish the love and the insights in those letters. They are inspiration, family history and wisdom all in five pages of chicken scratched notes. It’s an amazing correspondence that has brought good things into my life.

Also….the proper way to spell my name is B-O-B. Please note that there is only one “O”

Q: How long have you lived in the Central Florida area?
A: 28 years. I moved to Central Florida in 1981 to attend UCF I graduated in 1984 (U Can Finish…in three years with a Business (Marketing) major, and a Computer Science minor – Woo Hoo!) I have been here ever since.

Q: What do you enjoy most about Central Florida?
A:  Central Florida has so many amazing possibilities. I love the arts community here. We have some AMAZING visual and performing artists in this community. In addition to their artistic gifts, so many of these people are very fun and kind folks. Thankfully, we are discovering more and more ways to incorporate the arts into the fabric of our communities. With all these brilliant people wandering around, it always feels like we are on the verge of something great.

Q: You’re an awesome artist! Have you always been creative in this format?
A: Thanks for the kind words. I love them. I have been an artist since I was a child. Picasso says that all children are artists; the problem is keeping the artist in them as they grow up. I agree with him.

I am into two kinds of art right now…drawing and photomontage collage. I love scratchboard and charcoal and pencil and ink. I love powerful images and love the challenge of taking something very cool and giving it a whole new meaning by surrounding it with new a visual context or story

Q: Where do you find inspiration for your art?
A: Everywhere. There’s a Calvin and Hobbes title that best describes my view of creative inspiration…”Treasure, Treasure Everywhere” I wrote a column for a national magazine called “The Quest for Creative Inspiration” and learned from people who are far more creative than I am, that there are a billion ways to find your inspiration and to stoke your creative spark. I’m in the process of trying them all.

There are themes that tend to permeate the art that I have created so far: People, religion, hope, beauty, love, war and wonder. I also love contrasts and paradoxes. That makes me sound deeper than I am. But it’s true.

Q: Is your artwork available for purchase?
A: Yes…I’m not currently showing at any galleries or art festivals, but I have been selling a bit of art this year…which is great. I do it for love and the money seems to show up. That’s beautiful reinforcement…but not why I do it. Of people want to buy my art they can e-mail me at bob@flightofideas.net.

Q: In addition to your artwork, you’re also an actor. How did you get started acting?
A: My first public performance was on stage as the letter “w”. With my brother and three of my sisters we spelled out the word “Amway”. Mom and Dad were very successful (Diamond) direct distributors in the Amway Corporation…back in the very early days of the company. They didn’t hesitate to get the kids involved. We were the Osmonds of the Amway Corporation. My only line was “W is for work, which is not for me!” It killed.

I acted in a few plays in high school. Fun fact: The girl I married was an usherette at my last high school performance.

I didn’t act again (other than on the business stage) until 1999 when I enrolled in an improv class at SAK Comedy Lab in Orlando. After a couple of years of classes, I began performing improv with SAK’s Lab Rats and I currently perform with SAK’s Gen S and Ensemble Troupes as a performer and a host. It is great fun and a great challenge to my brain (and my courage) to jump on stage without an agenda and work with my playmates to take whatever the audience offers as inspiration and weave it into a funny, often poignant, scene.

This stuff is also great training for thinking on your feet in business and in life.

Q: Do you perform regularly in the Central Florida area?
A: I perform every week, often multiple times a week. It’s an addiction. But I intend to eventually get on the improv methadone program.

Q: Is there a creative platform you enjoy more than others?
A: Improv is my performing love. Street Painting (watercolor pastel), drawing in pencil, charcoal and ink and photomontage collage are my visual arts loves.

I also love film as a medium and intend to see what I can do with that powerful communication tool.

Q: Are there any “movers & shakers” in the arts Community we should be familiar with other than yourself?
A: Oh there are many…people like Beth Marshall the maven of the Orlando Fringe Festival, Anna McCambridge who champions Visual Fringe every year and is an amazing artist herself, Margot Knight who runs United Arts of Central Florida so deftly and Dave RussellTerry Olson two of the Founding Fathers of SAK Comedy lab. Dave is now the Artistic and Managing Director of SAK and Terry is the head of Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs. andI love so many of the artists at McCrae Studios: Dina Mack, Larry Moore and the Whipples (John and Lynn) are among of my favorites. Jeff Wirth is constantly stretching the boundaries of interactive performance, and you should see Jessica Mariko and the gang at DRIP dance and speak with their performances. Mark Baratelli is emerging as a force for the arts with his Taco Truck and Mobile Art Show and his City Arts Blog. And have you seen any of Thomas Thorspecken‘s illustrations? He drew every day in 2009…amazing details. Finally, I also love Lee Jones who is the president of the Florida Chalk Artist’s Association. She helps artists break into the medium of street painting. You don’t have to travel very far to find wonderful advocates for the arts.

Read More…

Party time, party time! It’s Mardi, Mardi, Mardi time!

Universal Orlando Resort has just released the line-up for this year’s talent for Mardi Gras at Universal Studios. Many of the performers have appeared at the Mardi Gras event time-and-time again (please, can we give KC & The Sunshine Band and Kool and The Gang a reprieve?), but several are interesting and I’d definitely be up for seeing!

Artists like:

• Heart
• Blondie
• Sheryl Crow

Here’s a full line-up of the bands and performers (of course, times & talent subject to change):

Mardi Gras concerts run every Saturday evening from February 6th through April 17th. Times vary so be sure to confirm yours before heading-out to the park.
For complete information on to purchase tickets* for this year’s Universal Studios Mardi Gras click here.

If you’ve never been to Mardi Gras it’s an extremely fun event, and the concerts are value-added with your admission ticket.

* this is not an affiliate link, and we do not receive any money if you buy tickets

“Sorry!”
“You sank my Battleship!”
“Connect Four!”

These are just a few of the things you might’ve heard shouted-out if you visited Retro Game Night at the Orange County Regional History Center in downtown Orlando last night. Some friends and I decided to check-it-out, and I have to say we had a blast! Definitely well-worth the $5 admission fee.

There were board games galore, old-school home video games, arcade games, and retro snacks! In addition to the games & snacks there was also a visit from some…ummm, friends.

You can view more photos of Retro Game Night in the slideshow below, or by visiting our Flickr profile.

For something different and affordable to do to kick-start your weekend, you should consider the next retro game night.

Does your iPhone have a Jew app?”

“I used to think I was smart, ’til I got my friends.”

(Location: Downtown Orlando’s Orange County Regional History Center at Retro Game Night.)

Lauren Conrad … or “LC” as she is famously known … is coming to Borders in Winter Park Village for a book signing of her new book, “Sweet Little Lies.”

Borders Ink is a section within Borders stores geared toward teens.

What: Lauren Conrad Book Signing
Where: Borders Winter Park Village
When: February 9, 2010 – 7 p.m.

Last night I had the opportunity to catch Midlake at one of my favorite music venues in Orlando, The Social. Great show, great venue and an awesome crowd.

I feel like Midlake falls under the radar, even though they’ve been together since ’99 and put out their first CD in 2004. One of the best things about their sound is that it has a timeless feel to it. Listen to their last CD, “The Trials of Van Occupanther,” and you’ll hear what I mean.

I’ve heard of a five-year plan, but….

Now this is right up my alley! Retro Game Night at the Orange County Regional History Center? Heck ya! At least I can feel like a kid again for just one night.

This coming Friday night you can meet-up with friends–or make new ones–and play classics like Parcheesi, Pictionary, and Chinese Checkers, and even games like Clue, Battleship, Candy Land, Scrabble, Mystery Date, Twister, video games, and many more. Plus, if you’ve never visited the History Center it’s an opportunity for you to do so.

The games begin at 7pm and last through midnight. While there, you can enjoy free snacks as well as a cash bar (for adult beverages). Admission is free for center members; non-members pay $5 cash. The best part: “retro attire” is highly encouraged.

Will we see you there? For this and other upcoming events at the History Center click here.

Location:

65 East Central Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32801
407.836.8500