UKOUG 2009 – Distinguished Black

I am presenting since 2007. My first “appearance” was in Birmingham and as Alex Gorbachev said in one of his blog posts, this conference is special for me. Probably also due to the X-mas atmosphere outside; everything has a comfy and warm look and feel (despite the weather). From time to time, I ***SPAM*** people with a small token of “Thank You”. “Small” is actually not that true, in this case you could kill someone or something with it. Its a “thanks” for time spend to clear some stuff up for me and or supported/pushed me in taking the extra mile (despite my lack of confidence, thinking I had it not in me). Anyway…

Since 2006, my token of saying “Thank You” to some people; I give away totally useless, but also a typical Dutch traditional present. No, not stuff to smoke, also not Dutch liquorice (candy), but wooden clogs. Some of those “spammed” people even dare to show this – LOL – like Alex during his Hotsos presentation in 2008 (see: “The Latest OAK Table Member“). Holland isn’t very preserving regarding its traditions, so this is also my way of keeping it alive.

On a side note, regarding “alive”, Alex lost his clogs due to the Australian customs service, apparently they thought clogs are actually “alive” and therefore he wasn’t able to move it back from Australia to Canada… Ehhh? I wonder what is more “alive” in Australia that fits this definition…

I wanted to give Doug some clogs as well, but due to the time pressure I wasn’t able to bring some originals during the UKOUG Conference in 2008. In all I was lucky enough that year, due to the fact that I met Mario who actually wanted to meet that Doug fellow…

A good prank needs some decent preparation after all !

Doug has something with stuff that has to be “distinguished black”  and a certain degree of woman approval (see “OOW 2009 – Swag Round-up“), so an idea was born…

The making of “Distinguished Black” Clogs

There are a lot of different (painted) variations but I started out with a blank one.
Evolution: from wood towards a clog

The stuff I needed for this exercise, was a lot of coffee, time and the following…

Stuff needed (besides a lot of coffee)
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I got some raw blank clogs (you probably have to be Cary Millsap to actually make them from scratch) and painted them with “hoogglans” (DU) black.
Coffee, Sandpaper & Courage
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I did this during a week multiple times (I think 6 times total) and in between I sometimes dared to use sandpaper to make it more shiny…(if not only to get rid of the mistakes I made during my newbie attempt)

Coffee, Sandpaper & Courage
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Coffee, Sandpaper & Courage
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Coffee, Sandpaper & Courage
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Coffee, Sandpaper & Courage
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Some fiddling around with Microsoft Powerpoint and some test prints give me the “ACE” (Director) label/designation that I needed to paint, in gold, on those already very very shiny black clogs…

Creating the ACE part
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Creating the ACE part
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Creating the ACE part
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At this stage I had the following end result…

Clogs with almost finished ACE label
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Clogs with almost finished ACE label
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After some extra protective paint layers (approx. 4) and the finishing “ACE Director” (approved) sticker, I ended up with the following result…

End result - All shiny and in Distinguished Black
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Not bad for a first attempt. Now just hoping that Doug won’t travel with those clogs abroad. Someone from customs might think they are alive…

😎

Marco Gralike Written by:

8 Comments

  1. December 1

    Ah! I only just saw this. Things make more sense now 😉

  2. December 1

    Wow! Just read the post properly and I’m slightly overwhelmed by the effort you put in to this. They looked so good I assumed you’d got someone to make them!

    I’m touched. Thanks, man …

  3. December 1

    Originality comes with a price 😉 Anyway, your welcome.

  4. Mark
    December 1

    Cool 😉 too bad I’m not an Ace else I would order them right away.

  5. December 1

    Sorry Mark, uniqueness is guaranteed 😎

  6. Carol D
    December 7

    Sweet clogs, Marco! Guess I need to earn them! Glad you lads had a great time in Merry ‘Ole England. Hopefully we will show you a better time in Michigan next September!

  7. Stanley
    December 10

    I Stanley as the Original ACE Director feels I should have clogs (little ones to pin on me, I don’t have legs).

  8. Gary
    December 13

    “Alex lost his clogs due to the Australian customs ”
    Australian quarantine (rather than customs) are very alert to incoming wildlife.

    http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/super-termites-trapped-in-mass-extermination/story-e6freuy9-1225806767620
    “It has taken 18 months, one of the largest tarps ever made and close to $60,000 of taxpayers’ money but experts believe they have beaten an infestation of super termites….The termites were thought to have arrived here in a wooden frame the previous owner bought in Brazil.”

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