The brain went splat but didn’t splatter

Part two of the body parts adventure. I must note that I am overwhelmed with the vast number of texts, emails, and calls of concerns about my mental and emotional welfare from friends who follow my pinterest. It would have gone totally unnoticed if it was October. Really, who pins such horrors year round? uh, me. All those who truly know me would never be shocked at anything I pin but then again it is like Facebook, an open window to my soul – ha ha!!!!! or should I say, BAHHH HAAAAA HAAAAA!!!!

Young Frankenstein opens this week. Took the brain to the theater for a test run. Folks, this was not an easy task. I was assigned to create a brain that would go splat but not splatter. The gummy bear version with the mega packets of gelatin would not hold up to the steamy stage lighting. Splat…splatter…mush…oops- clean up on the path to the castle!!! Silicone is the key to the ultimate splat but not splatter of matter. Must add here that one must choose one’s words wisely when going into the prop creation shop called Home Depot.  When asked what I needed caulking for, without a slight thought I responded, “for a brain.” That was definitely not what the home improvement specialist had in mind as one of the multi uses of silicone caulking. Talking about a priceless moment. The nice man got me the best pseudo brain matter compound available and continued to pick my brain for other creative ways to use the common household items to be found in the vast aisles of the behemoth store. Towards the end of the grand tour of Home Depot via the eyes of a prop jock he asked how in the world did I get so creative.

I pondered that thought as I was moving about the lab creating of glowing golp and ogre dandruff (yep, that one got your attention didn’t it?). My conclusion is that I wasn’t forced to read at a second grade in kindergarten nor was I adding double-digit numbers. I learned to socialize, open my own milk carton, and got to run free for extended periods of time on the playground. If I didn’t have something, no one would buy it for me I just had to make it or make do. I wasn’t glued to the television or a gaming system though Atari was popular back then. I grew up on a farm so the woods and pasture gave me a million story moments as I built forts, played spy, and blazed trails late into the night on weekends. I wasn’t doing homework until midnight. I learned manners. Read books for pleasure on topics I enjoyed without taking some computerized test to prove I read it for some paper award and party at the end of the year. Yes, I will say openly that I do believe Accelerated Reader is one of the worst things to happen in the schools. I was a free learner who tapped my creative mind to design, draw, make, imagine, etc.  Off my soapbox now.

A student asked me how I came up with the splat not splatter matter. My response was I just put a little thought on the problem and sorted through a couple of thousands of scenarios until something was within my budget and looked like fun to do, that is how that happened. You would have thought I spoke some foreign language. Then came the worse response, “I could never do that.”

I do believe there will be some mischief on the set to get these kids’ minds in gear. Stay tune to part three – The Brain does Matter!!!

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The body part farm

Cover of Gross Grub (Kidbacks)

Not every day one is asked to procure a brain and other body parts, unless you design sets and props. But when I was asked, it was a giggle moment. I am also the queen of Halloween so my stock pile of gross things is ever-growing. My talent to create props plus my love of all things Halloween set me up for the task of procuring these lab of horrors for an upcoming spring production of  Young Frankenstein. Admit to being up to the challenge as well as delighted that my skills and hobbies led to me being highly sought out for the task. Not just anyone has a jar of eyeballs and ears about the house.

As a former teacher it was always fun to bring in such to the classroom. I tended to go towards the edible sorts having the students join me in creating the annual “Gross Grub” feast. But gross grub specialities have been in the family recipe books for years. I especially love making the peanutbutter and white chocolate eye balls

The gross grub meal has been a Halloween tradition in my family since my son was 5 years old. I had a hard time getting him to eat healthy. But as we know many 5-year-old boys are in to the total gross bit so out of that came forth the gross grub meals. We had “worms in the mud” which were cut hot dogs in baked beans. We had “litter box delight” which was nothing more than cheese rice with extended home-made meatballs shaped like… well, what is often found in litter boxes. A favorite is “finger foods” which are sometimes biscuits or carrot sticks, etc, cut and shapes like fingers to be dipped in a variety of dips. I have a special recipe for nuclear dip which is green and kind of glows. If you are not on the creative side then just add green food coloring to just about anything. It makes it look gross and usually will be gobbled up quickly.

Check out the book posted if you are interested in preparing some interesting and gross meals. Have tried them all over the years to which I can say they are all quite tastey as well as a shocking visual to the eye.

I learned quick how to get the veggies in without a notice. These ideas are not on the visual gross side but the content is often thought of as gross by kids. I put spinach in lasagna or any Italian dish. Often in sweet potato recipes I will add carrots as well. Just grind up the offending icky veggies and place in sauces to mask the green color and the kids will never know the difference. Then after a few years break the news that they have eaten such and delight in the faces they make when they realize they have munched down on those icky veggies for years. Bahaaaahaaaa!!!!

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