Devious Journal Entry

Where to start?  Well, let me present myself once again, as some of you may know me from the long-forgotten past in the Steampunk community while others may not.

My name is Admiral J. Wilhelm, head of the United States Office of Atmospheric Research aboard the USAS Orca. For those who may not know, the Orca, was formerly known as the CSAA Alamo, and is a high-altitude finned-dirigible which I commandeered, as a young captain, during the Franco-American Battle over Mexican territory, near the end of the War against the Confederate States and the European Invasion Forces headed by the French.

In the real world, when I started at Livejournal in the fall of 2009, I used to roam the halls of Seaholm Steam and Diesel, the first Steampunk group in Austin Texas (seaholm-steam.livejournal.com), and naturally, I roamed the global Steampunk community at Brassgoggles (brassgoggles.co.uk).  Unfortunately, the Livejournal forum fizzled out of existence to be replaced by various forums in Austin, Texas.

Ever since, I have been quite active in the new fora. As it turns out, Seaholm Steam and Diesel eventually transformed itself into Texas Steampunks (texassteampunks.ning.com).  But not to be forgotten is the emergence of other offshoots fron the ancient forum, and in particular, The Austin Steampunk Society (www.facebook.com/), the new forum Texas Steampunk (texas-steampunk.com), and the ever-ubiquitous Airship Isabella (www.airshipisabellaproductions.com).

Some of their illustrious members found themselves either at the Steampunk Bible Release in Austin's United States Arts Authority (steampunkbible.com/2011/05/admiral-j-wilhelm-talks-about-austins-various-steampunk-groups), or at San Antonio's Aetherfest this turn of May in 2011 (aetherfest.tumblr.com/).

But I have not restrained myself within the English speaking parts of the Empire.  I also have had the immense pleasure of helping with the beginnings of Steampunk Mexico, the first Steampunk forum in Mexico (steampunk.mexico-foro.com), which as a community has grown at supersonic speeds and risen to stratospheric heights ever since it's inception nearly a year ago!  Suffice it to say the latter group sports an exotic brand of Steampunk, have started their own webcast radio station, and also have as a new member, a man of the cloth who builds vampire-obliterating weapons!  (Seriously, how cool is that?).  Steampunk Mexico, also have just participated in the anachronistic-oriented literature/cosplay/comics convention known as Cronopia in the Mexican arts-mecca city of Guadalajara (you can read the related news at the Texan and Mexican fora above).

As for my activity in my quarters aboard the USAS Orca, I have not been twiddling my thumbs! Not at all, dear ladies and gentlemen.  Over the past two years, I have been building a number of artifacts and contraptions to help my scientific endeavours over the Arctic, like for example my Calculation Engines (Stempunk PC's), various time travel related paraphernalia like my Bronze-Glass (TM) wrist-watches, a Victorian Boombox (for those lonely nights), and as of late my portable iCog (TM) Tactile and iCog Dione(TM) embalages (cases) for the iPod and iPhone portable-Oracle and communication machines. o_Q  All devices of course developed for me by my own private business endeavour, Victorian Steam Calculation Engine Co. (www.etsy.com/shop/VictorianSteampunk ) located along the banks of the Colorado river in our fair City of Austin.

I hope to bring you more news as these become available over the aether.  So you see ladies and Gentlemen I have been quite busy while on my present expedition, and that is my explanation for my long absence.

Without anything else to add, ladies and gentlemen I bid you farewell until our next meeting.

Your humble servant,

J. Wilhelm
USAS Orca