We Have a Float

With our design variance being denied, we made the decision to gmove on to our second-choice design.  Its called "Mechanicla Medlodies" and was the concept of my good friend, Dustin, who serves as our chief engineer/construction/animation guy.  I hate it. 

We don't yet have a rendering to show, so I'll try to describe it:  It has some robots on it and they're surrounded by musical things - think stacks of cymbals, pinwheels, pipe organs (I call them periscopes), horns, drums, xylophones, and other noise-makers.    I saw absolutely nothing to tie it together.

Its the opposite of Rainforest Fiesta, which I loved from the first second.  I saw Rainforest and immediately knew what to do with it - large tropicals, fruits, bright colors, orchids hanging from the trees; it was the float I'd always wanted to build.

But robots with muscial stuff??  Its a mechanical float, an engineer's float, a flaot on which Dustin can explore the question of, "just how many things can I make move?"  Did I mention that Dustin's a rocket scientist in real life?  Did I mention that I hate this float?  What was I supposed to do with this?  The float was busy; I was afraid that once I got material and color on it, it would just become busier. 

So, I called Jacob, our artist.  "Watcha thinkin' here?" I asked. I wasn't happy wth the answer - bright, primary colors (those can be hard to come by in floral material, I thought) and lots of geometric shapes.  "Uh-huh", I said, still not enthused.  "What colors are you thinking for the robots?"  "Red and yellow, even if we have to do them in float mums."  Red and yellow robots!!??  In float mums??!!  That just sent me over the edge.  I got off the phone. 

"Red and yellow robots in float mums??!!" I said to Brian.  Admittedly, I was a little hysterical.  "We need to call Dustin", he said.

So, the first official float-related, late night, phone call to Dustin was placed last Thursday.  "Its a floating cacaphony!" I complained.  "A floating what?" both Dustin and Brian asked.   "A cacaphony!"  "Bright, primary colors?!  Red and yellow robots?!" O.k., o.k., so I was a little hysterical again.  I get like that. 

Dustin sent us a few more line drawings.  Ahhh . . . the internet can be so helpful.  We took bits of one and pieces of another and finally came up with a float.  It still has robots and a cacaphony of musical stuff, but at least we nixed the red and yellow on the robots.  I found places to put roses and Dustin can still see how many things he can make move.  It took an hour and 38 minutes, but I don't think I hate it quite as much.