Last weekend was a charity event and a world record breaking event in one. I was there as a sponsor, participant and staff member. As staff, I walked around in a tight fitting Spider-Man suit for several hours. The amount of attention from the public is quite a bit, for that that was just some joke. After that weekend, when I was at the local gym, I thought that I get a lot less attention when walking around in the dressing room with hardly any or no clothes on, than walking in a full body covering suit in a public area.

Today, I got an email from a friend of mine from Taiwan back from the days of my last year of school (1995). Before coming to work today, somebody reversed his car into mine with hardly any damage. I also went past Readers Den to pick up my subscription that has arrived. The people there mentioned to me the new date of Free Comic Book Day which is going to be taking place on 5 May 2007.

I made a mistake yesterday

Yesterday, somebody sent a person to pick up a costume which was apparently booked but not marked on my website as being booked. The costume was out at the time, because it wasn't previously marked so that I could rent it out to whoever wanted it. Apparently this person phoned me sometime last week, but I could not remember the telephone call at all. I do get a lot of phone calls on a daily basis while I am working at the time. A telephone conversation from one week ago is ancient history what me concerns, since there have been so many things happening since then. A reminder beginning of the week would have been good, or an email, so that I can mark the costume on my website as booked and for which date. Normally I check through my emails on a daily basis and do this processing, so that things like yesterday do not happen.

To whoever got disappointed last night, as I said to you one the telephone: I do apologise for what has happened.

On another note: There are a couple of cases when people book costumes, by either email, telephone or coming in person and then I never hear from them again. At some poitn in time, when a specific costume is requested by multiple people, and I haven't heard from those people for a long time, I have to make a decision if I will allow it to be rented out, when time is running out. In many cases, the people who book costumes do not want to leave contact details, and I cannot always chase everybody either.

78 hours world record spinning event

For four days this last weekend (18 to 21 August 2006), a charity/fund raiser spinning event took place upstairs at N1 City in Cape Town (South Africa).

If officially recognised, the event will be the new Guinness World Record for spinning (two people alternating). The last record was 72 hours and 15 minutes. This new one is at 92 hours (if officially recognised).

I was one of the sponsors, I took part in the spinning (more than one hour), and I helped out at the event as well (dressed in my Spider-Man suit and posing for photos).

After spending four days for several hours at that event, and most of those in costume, I have had enough. The constant attention by everybody is tiring. I had a chat with lots of people. Some were sponsors, some were participants and some just spectators.

After going to my gym (Planet Fitness was one of the sponsors), I realised, that it is easier to walk with hardly any clothing on through the dressing room to the showers, than it is to walk in a public place in a noticeable costume. I was really glad, that I had a mask on.

The three weeks before this event, I was in that same suit downstairs at Mugg & Bean every Saturday for five to six hours. Those Saturdays were there to lead up to the event, and to do some fundraising for the six year old Leukaemia patient. Mugg and Bean was a big sponsor of the event.

Another crazy weekend coming up

This coming weekend is going to be yet another crazy one when it comes to superhero costumes being rented. From the 18th of August 2006 until the 21st is a major event at N1 city, where a couple of my costumes are going to be used. The entire event is a charity event where a Guiness World record in spinning is supposed to be broken. I will be there doing random appearances in various costumes. The last couple of weekends, I was already at N1 City in my Spider-Man suit.

Today, my phone has been going crazy when several people were asking for superhero costumes for this weekend. Yesterday there were several enquiries from Johannesburg by phone and email. Some superhero costumes have already been booked, and I am expecting a wild rush coming on. My costume rental home business is busy this month.

What makes this weekend even more crazy, is that I am randomly not at home, I am also visiting friends and have to pick up some, due to work related issues. That event is taking up my time, I have to go shopping on Saturday and be at that event. Saturday afternoon I am visiting a friend. Sunday I am expecting costumes to be returned.