Picture This…
With just 12 days to go, I had thought about plagiarising another Christmas poem for Mikmas, but last week, while waiting for my car to be serviced, I got completely sidetracked by a web-based program called Pincel. And by sidetracked, I mean completely absorbed—the car was ready before I even noticed I had been waiting long.
The week before, I had been searching for an image or two of Mik to add to the Mik Challenge page for future rookies to reference. I found a single blurry photo and thought I might try sharpening the image and got some very unexpected results.
I never had the privilege of knowing Mik, so I hope someone can tell me if my rendering did him justice.
While exploring Pincel, I discovered another set of features that convert portraits into simple line drawings and cartoon-style images. Quick WARNING: the Cartoon Yourself feature in Pincel is dangerously addictive, can be both enjoyable, yet somewhat frustrating. It’s great for setting a scene, but fine-tuning the image can be a challenge. That said, Pincel excels at enhancing tiny, blurry, and incomplete photos, and occasionally produces something truely unexpected and remarkable.
By the time my car was ready, I realised I hadn’t looked at my watch for a couple hours, and the thought occurred to me…Why not try to see if ’Twas the Night Before Mikmas could be illustrated.
With that in mind:
—Any resemblance to any LargeScale Centralian citizen or their profile shot is haphazardly coincidental.
—Special mention and thanks to Leon, Rooster & Cliff
…Cliff, for his photojournalism & travel photography.
…Roster, for labelling & posting heaps of candid photos over the years, of guys that he never met and never knew personally.
…Leon and Leons everywhere (i.e. everyone else), for posting their personal appearances in LargeScale Centralia over the years.
—And without mentioning it’s all their fault that there was enough source material on LSC that this edition was even possible, we begin…
T’was the Night Before Mikmas
T’was the night before Mikmas, when all through the shed
Every one was just waiting for Dave_Taylor’s new thread
Their iPads were hung, by their workbenches with care,
In hopes that Mik’s Challenge, soon would be there;
Erik’s clan were nestled all snug in their beds;
While plans from Kidzilla growled in their heads;
And “Herself” in her board shorts and I in my cap,
Had just settled our trains down, for a short summer nap,
When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my lazyboy to see what was the matter.
Away to the garden, I flew like a flash,
Tripping over a rake and despite a big crash…
The lights on my railway, just gave off a warm glow,
Gave a lustre to small houses, not far down below.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight “G-scale” rein-deer!
With a washer and dryer so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be Saint Mik…
More followers than Rod Stewart, his challenges came
And he whistled, for builders, and called them by name:
"Now, Sinsley! Now, Lukzu! Now Townsend and Hilyer!
Marconi! And Kormsen! And Turbo and Rooster!
To the top of the dryer! Get your pens out and just scrawl!
Now stash away! Stash away! Stash away all!
Most of the parts for the build, they generally supply
And in this challenge they get, just thirty dollars to buy.
So back to their sheds, the builders they flew
With a box full of scraps, and some Tightbond called “TWO”—
Then a new message posted, came down from Bob Cope,
To succeed in this challenge, you need both “Napkins and Hope”!
Yet the details for the drawings, of each little piece,
Seemed all very difficult. …should I just call my niece?
As I planned in my head, and was just turning around,
A post from Bruce Chandler, was there to confound!
He was dressed in a bow tie, and a tuxedo to boot;
To build with just napkins, he went on to refute!
With a history of great builds, he had done quite far back,
I wished just for Mikmas, Bruce might share a great hack.
As the new guy asked questions, to become luminescent
The thread… it diverted… to the past, from the present.
A post from the past, Pete Lassen shared us the list,
Of past L-S-C members, and many were missed.
While Dennis admitted to being, the guy known as #14
Jon posted it was Boomer, he wanted back on the team.
More questions than answers, in this thread did abound.
Like Roundy-Round Memberships and memories less sound.
Sean then arrived, with more LSC memories to share.
#29 was still posting! …but he now had… grey hair.
Happy memories came up, and as they were discussed;
Joy that their musings were archived; “In Bob”, we entrust.
Going back to the archive, pulling threads off the shelf
I laughed with their banter, in spite of myself.
Got on with some reading, new thoughts in my head
Soon gave me to know, I had nothing to dread.
I’ll buy one hundred napkins, sometime this mid-week.
And fill all my boxes; with scrap pieces to tweak.
Yet now, I find my self waking, in the same lazyboy chair
Wondering it it really had happened; was he really right there?
New LSC messages flashing, but they’re just out of sight.
Soooo… Merry Mikmas and to all, and to all a good night!
