UPDATE (09.17.06)—Website at Last, CUP/Westgate Store, Toksa Ake!

TODAY's (Sunday) weather temp is on the 80s—so there you go... A great reason to go out and escape from the obligatory monthly-bills funk and consecutive days of rain. Come over to West Asheville—and pore over The Bonfires Sunday Yard Sale. Apart from the Philippine crafts & products that we’ve started selling last weekend, we have new “found treasures” to dig through – from 50 cents to $7 (all items, negotiable). Check it out—we have an awesome collection of 70s LP records... and more.

I WOULD like to make special mention of my friend (artist/painter) Daniel Stuelpnagel of Baltimore who had a successful exhibition in Hawaii. Danny’s one of the most avid followers of The Bonfires in Baltimore and Washington, DC. Since summer last year, the dude has been unstoppable. He launched one exhibit to the other. Part of his email, “... looking forward to hopefully relaxing a bit along with work for the show in Maui. Your energy has inspired me a lot since we met; keep up the good work! Aloha and love, Danny.”
It always feels good to know that my pushiness, persistence and stubbornness kind of inspire and motivate other people. I am very proud of that strange, weird attitude of mine. I am never adversely affected or frustrated by criticisms, detractors, or skeptics. Because of that, I don’t see defeat or failure – it’s hard to fail when you simply get up and do it again each time you fall. More than anything else, I LOVE what I am doing and I am having fun doing these things. Those who tried to shoot the madness down or downplay the Yoda-kicked energy, most of them, are gone... But we are still here.

YES, IT’S FINAL. We now have a small (10x10) space or display store at the Center for Unlimited Possibilities (CUP) in Westgate Mall (West Asheville). CUP occupies the huge space that a religious “bargain/thrift” store used to have. [Monthly rent for the space is $180 + I think $75 for annual CUP membership.) The store officially opens on the first week of October.
Apart from the few crafts&things from the Philippines (and Indie/Wander/Blue Sky copies), we don’t have a lot to display or sell at this point in time. So if you have anything to sell or display, you are invited to share the small space with the Traveling Bonfires. (So far, it’s only artist Jen Bowen who signified interest in displaying/showing her paintings there.) Put your own price, we’ll maybe add $2 that go to The Bonfires—CUP gets 20% from all merchandise that get sold. They will have two check-out counters. But you are also invited to sit there and be the volunteer salesperson. Me and/or Marta will visit the space at least once a day.
CUP will have regular, ongoing activities—so we expect a minimum of 200 people getting in and out of the center on a daily basis. I also submitted a proposal to hold regular (possibly weekly) filmshowings there. As ever, we will focus on multicultural cinema.

OTHER NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
[ ] Finally, our long-overdue website – for Traveling Bonfires and Loved by the Buffalo Publications (publisher of The Indie, Wander and Blue Sky Asheville), combined – is now under construction. Local artist Jen Bowen is doing the design, development and some more. We expect to have it viewable in a month’s time. [Thanks to Matt Mulder for the design of the Loved by the Buffalo logo.]
[ ] As I have already announced – please mark Sept 30 (10:06am to 11am) on your calendar. I will be interviewed by Virato (VIRATO LIVE!) at Revolution Radio on that day, 10:05 Sept 30. Details (time, pod/webcast, radio broadcast etc), go to--http://viratolive.com/#09-30-1-06
[ ] Ingles will be donating candies and pastries to kids in the event of our “Bonfires for Vampires: Bonfires for Peace at Pritchard Park” on Oct 20, 4pm to 10pm. Touch Samadhi DJs will be back. It will be an all-costume Halloween gathering. We will hand our surprise gift/s to The Most Weirdly Awesome Costume.
[ ] We repeat, our Ford 1984 Super Wagon is for sale. Cost is negotiable, get in touch with Marta The Nicer. The van is currently parked at Ingles parking lot in Merrimon Avenue—where Marta works from 6am to 3pm.

THANKS DEPARTMENT: To Tom & Debi Athos, and their staff, for Organicfest (Sept 9), and Kitty Love and her staff & volunteers for Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival (Sept 10). For their donations (for The Bonfires yard sale): Mike Hopping, Cheryl (of Ingles-Merrimon)... for some significant work and implements (Rena Wright, Kevin Innes, Matt Mulder, Karen Helman, Janis Rose, Dale & Loretta Hoffman).

This is a relatively shorter Update, but I guess, that is good. Now, I gotta go back to my movie (“Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia”). As ever – live good, love good, and eat good food!

Toksa Ake!
--Pasckie
Asheville NC.
12:56midnight. Sunday.