Screw the term 40 miler. I was going "all out"; I’m taking the museum of curiosities on the road.

The Museum of Curiosities is the public side of my personal collection, a collection that has been busting at the seams almost since I started it. With little space left in the glass front cabinet in the kitchen, and things piled up in the office, I have decided that this collection needed a larger home, or at least for now a larger audience.

The first chance to come my way was at Arisia, a science fiction fantasy convention just outside of Boston. Having no experience in this sort of thing, I thought the best idea would be to just jump right in, both feet, sink or swim I was going for it.

My background is in the theatre, I had been a scenic designer, lighting designer, pyro-technition, and prop master in my years in the professional theatre, but this would be different, this "theatrical presentation" would have me as the face of it, not hiding safely back stage. Still I thought I could manage to come up with an entertaining, "entertainment" for lack of a better term.

First things first, what is it I’m trying to do? Here is where the theatre background comes in… its all about the show, if the two vocations, museum curator, and thespian had anything in common it was the presentation elements, and with my museum the "show" was to be as important as the product, or the items I’m showing.

Scratching my head, and asking my better half, and we settled on "Eight Corner Globe" as the production company name, as it sounded "slightly off" and generated an easy to visualize image, that I thought would evoke the "olden days" you know, that vague era of "days gone by" not as old as "ye olden days" but not new as yesterday. Once a name was settled upon, a snappy logo design to sell the image was easy enough. Next came the hard part, who the hell am I to present mysteries and curiosities from the eight corners of the globe? Seemed like Scott doesn’t hold a position of mystery let alone authority, so Professor Badger was born. Prof. Badger can speak with authority on most any subject, and is an expert in all things fantastic. In other words, my new persona had no problem with a bold faced lie if needed. My Girl Friday became Elle Emenope (say it fast) with long legs, short shorts, top hat and tails, she became my outside talker. If she couldn’t stop a wandering crowd, no one could.

With only a couple of weeks since committing to attending the event, I had to get my ass in gear. Display cases had to be built, official letterhead, and signage had to be designed, and let’s face it, funny facial hair had to be grown. The professor is nothing without a split beard to hide behind.