USS Walter Mondale SSN-612

Self Sound Orchestra on the USS Walter Mondale

2009-02-19T11:41:00.000-08:00

A longer cut taken by Ensign McConnell

Shantytown Post Mortem

2009-02-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

On February 15th, the USS Walter Mondale was decommissioned and dismantled. On February 16th, its parts were taken to an undisclosed location.

Say what you will about our submarine, but we were never in danger of blowing up the ocean.

That said, Mission Accomplished. Thanks for coming, visiting, loaning us all sorts of stuff, and not calling it a boot with Dan Rather painted on the side.

Mondale Blurb, Second Hand, To Wit

2009-02-09T21:25:00.000-08:00

A second or third time shanty-goer told us that she e-mailed Mr. Mondale about our shanty and he replied with something along the lines of:

"What a great honor. Is it made out of butter?"

While the second part of this message could be taken as a non-sequitur or a reason to worry about Mr. Mondale, he was likely referencing the great midwestern tradition of honoring people by carving their busts out of butter; an honor he has probably become exhausted with.

Self Sound Orchestra on the Mondale

2009-02-09T21:21:00.000-08:00

Danny Siegelman and his intrepid crew rocked our shanty out, if you wanted to know.

'NLIMBO

2009-02-09T20:34:00.001-08:00

Shanty, cont'd

2009-02-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

Weekend of January 31st

Weekend of February 7th

Videos to come. This thing is killin' me.

Further Adventures of Jerks and a Fake Submarine

2009-01-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

Things continue:

Modesty Crowns the Spirit

2009-01-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

A moment ago I saw Walter Mondale and his wife trailing behind Al and Tipper Gore at the Inauguration ceremony. I am guessing this is why he hasn't shown up to bless our shanty yet.

Busy standing in pea coats behind four inches of bulletproof glass.

Our current mission has been marred by high winds, the indignant Mr. Heater, doors slightly less preferable than a screen door (to the man who tried to sell us one, get bent), and the less-than-resilient nature of hot glue.

The spirit remains strong, and our mission is well underway.

The following people are the true friends of submariners, freedom, and shanty sciences:
Rachel Michienzi - For helping when we resisted it, for enduring the cold when it is, in fact, your most hated thing.
Shawn Michienzi - For loaning tools, wisdom, and not outright telling us we had no idea what we were doing.
Erik Johnsen - For bringing tech theater know-how into one of the few places it may apply.
Trevor Murphy - For also utilizing his tech theater skills outside of advancing the causes of total dorks.
Chris Knoepfler - For coming time and time again, knowing how to use a protractor.
Benjamin Geary - For endless encouragement, help, kind words, and a van.
Kathy Geary - Without her encouragement by proxy and parcels of food, I would likely be dead.
Sarah Huff - For pulling through at the last moment with popcorn and know-how. (also rum)
Kate Chanba - For coming to help when so many flaked out, and providing tea and tarts and a place to charge batteries.
Madeline Helling + Friends - For coming out of nowhere to help, and filling our gaps on the ramp.
Laird Plastics - For providing coroplast at a reasonable price and to two dirty kids on the coldest day of the year.
Danny Siegelman - For help and enthusiasm throughout.
The Stenciling Crew - For adding the stern and wise visage of Mr. Mondale onto our conn tower with stunning artistic skill.
The folks at the prop company who I cannot quite remember the names of - For providing their construction know-how and having an amazing dumpster.
David Pitman - For help and encouragement time and time again when we look the most like chumps.

As we have been a needy shanty, I would like to extend my most powerful and genuine gratitude to the other members of the Medicine Lake Art Shanty Projects. We have been borrowing, and you have been tolerant and gracious. Especially the Artists With No Discipline at the Ship in a Bottle shanty, which is extraordinarily amazing.

The USS Walter Mondale will continue to develop and improve over the coming weeks. Come out and join us.

Also, it is not a boot. It could be "ein Boot", but not the one for feet.

Inspiration

2009-01-06T01:44:00.000-08:00

Heaven truly is for those too afraid of the nothingness of death.

Retroactive "BLOG" Statement 001

2009-01-05T20:25:00.000-08:00

Herein are the tales of the assembly, adventures, and current progress on the USS Walter Mondale SSN-612. The Walter Mondale is a submersible sea vessel named after the senator, ambassador, vice-president, great patriot, and great Minnesotan Walter Mondale. The submarine was ordered and began assembly in early 1984 in anticipation of Mr. Mondale's election to the office of the President of the United States. Unfortunately, he did not rise to that highest of offices. He instead devoted his life to various other pursuits befitting of such a noble statesman, including (but not limited to) ensuring a prolonged peace with the former Empire of Japan, being a surrogate for the late Paul Wellstone(!), co-chairing shit, and being a popular guest lecturer.

His enduring commitment to modesty, second-bannanaing, legislative integrity are all honored in every rivet and bulkhead of our mighty ship.

Keep an eye out here in the coming days as we chronicle the many tales of the USS WALTER MONDALE (SSN-612), the ship with the saltiest jowls this side of the Marianas Trench!

(A ridiculously proud part of the Medicine Lake Art Shanty Projects, deploying on Medicine Lake on January 17th until February 14th, 2009)