Tag: vacation

SubscribeStar Saturday: Epic Universe: Super Mario World

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Today’s post is a SubscribeStar Saturday exclusive.  To read the full post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more.  For a full rundown of everything your subscription gets, click here.

My family and I took our annual-ish trip to Universal Studios earlier this week (Dr. Wife, sadly, is still in the depths of residency, so she was unable to join us).  This year’s trip was a bit different from those of yesteryear, however:  we visited Universal’s new park, Epic Universe, on our last day in Orlando.

Epic Universe has been in the works for years, and suffered (I believe) some delays due to The Age of The Virus.  The wait and the delays were worth it—it was truly, as my younger brother put it, the “theme park of the twenty-first century.”

The premise behind Epic Universe is that a central hub of celestial-themed rides and attractions leads to various “universes” or worlds.  Each one is accessed through a portal, and once you’re in one of the worlds, you are in it.  You can’t see the other worlds or the main hub until you leave that specific world.  Instead of areas blending together gradually, they’re distinct little pocket universes.

That separation greatly enhances the immersion.  When we were in Super Mario World—the subject of today’s post—it felt like we were inhabiting the world of Super Mario Brothers.  When we were in Dark Universe, the monster world, it was like being in an old Universal or Hammer horror flick.  The Harry Potter Ministry of Magic was akin to walking the streets of Paris—and so on.

Epic Universe consists of four separate worlds:  Super Mario World; Dark Universe; the Ministry of Magic (Paris); and the Island of Berk, from the How to Train Your Dragon film franchise.  There is also the Celestial Park hub area, which features the park’s signature coaster, Starlight Racers, and a celestial carousel at the center.

Today, I want to dive into the first of these worlds, the world of Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, Bowser, and the rest—Super Mario World.

To read the rest of this post, subscribe to my SubscribeStar page for $1 a month or more.

Universal Studios

The Portly Politico2 Comments

Yours portly is with his family in Orlando, Florida, at Universal Studios. Dr. Wife, sadly, is not with us; she’s on a difficult hospital in-patient rotation. Residency is the gift thar keeps on giving!

Here’s a picture from last night as the park was shutting down:

More to come.

Happy Sunday!

—TPP

Memorable Monday: Happy Labor Day [2025]!; New Releases!

The Portly PoliticoLeave a comment

Pick up my newest releases, Electrock III: Euroclydon and Säx, for 50% with promo code storm (promo code is good for any release and works through 1 October 2025).

Another glorious Labor Day has dawned here in the United States.  I hate the Communists, but God Bless those red diaper babies for getting us a random day off in September.

This Labor Day is particularly auspicious:  I’m releasing two albums today, Electrock III: Euroclydon and Säx.  I was hoping to release a third, Ringtone Circus, but my distributor, CD Baby, took issue with the use of the word “Ringtone” in the title.  Apparently, that set off some kind of filter against what they call “pre-cut ringtones,” which they do not and will not distribute.

I pointed out that I was using the name euphemistically, and that the pieces are not ringtones, but, alas, I had to change the title of the album and its related track.  So now I’ll be releasing the album as Triple Deluxe on Monday, 15 September 2025.

I’m also working on Spooky Season IV, which still has a long way to go before it’s ready for distribution and release.  It will likely be my last full-length release for the year, with Leftovers V landing the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Otherwise, I’m not sure what today has in store for yours portly.  I do know that the first couple of weeks of school have already kicked my butt (but they’ve been awesome), so I’m hoping to catch up on some rest today.  Dr. Fiancée has to work, sadly, but such is residency.

With that, here is 2 September 2024’s “Memorable Monday: Happy Labor Day [2024]!“:

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TBT^4: Summertime Schedule Begins

The Portly Politico8 Comments

Well, here we are again—another summer vacation, which means another school year in the books.  This past academic year was not nearly as taxing as the one that came before, but I am always amazed by how exhausting teaching can be, even though I have lived it for over fifteen years now.  March through May are always a mad dash, and then—as I have noted many times before—everything just… stops.

Not precisely, though.  I’ll do my annual Minecraft Camp next week.  Dr. Fiancée and I are also in the depths of wedding planning.  And I am looking forward to my annual visit to Indianapolis to see my older brother.

Every year I think about what I will do with the time, and every year I find that I fail to meet the breadth of my ambitions.  I do want to put in some more work on Offensive Poems: With Pictures, as I think that could be a fun project and might actually move some copies.  Otherwise, I’ll do some more digital composing.

One thing I am looking forward to is the return of the afternoon nap.  Goodness, how I love a good siesta!

With that, here is 30 May 2024’s “TBT^2: Summertime Schedule Begins“:

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TBT^2: Summertime Schedule Begins

The Portly Politico25 Comments

Not to rub it in or anything, dear readers, but today marks the first true day of my summer vacation.  Who knows how I’ve started this auspicious day?  Perhaps I lounged decadently while sipping coffee.  Perhaps my dog is licking my feet.  Maybe I’m still asleep—gasp!

Well, it’s an interesting little dip here—this extended weekend, of sorts, before I start my summer camps next week.  I always relish this transitory moment before camps begin, as it’s a good chance to decompress.

Whatever I end up doing, maybe I’ll finally get some work done on my planned third book, Offensive Poetry: With Pictures.  I largely abandoned the Sunday Doodles book, but perhaps I should revive that old chestnut, too.  I’ve got all summer to figure it out—mwahahahahaha!

With that, here is 9 June 2022’s “TBT: Summertime Schedule Begins“:

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