One of the best parts about the Todcast is it gives me a chance to expand a little more colorfully and with others on some of the stories that appear in the current edition, which means if you take the opportunity to check it out this week, you will get an interesting re-imagining about what Assateague Island would look like if they put Burley Oak owner Bryan Brushmiller and photographer and graphic designer Trevor Dunt in charge of the plan.
In case you missed the story (see Page 7 in the Bayside Gazette), the National Park Service is coming up with a plan to deal with the fact that the island is changing and that this change is likely to accelerate over the coming years.
One possibility, the one that caught Bryan and Trevor’s imaginations, is a vision of a nearly auto-free Assateague Island. If the ocean takes the parking lots or a storm takes the bridge or both, a ferry system combined with canoe rentals might be installed for overflow or all parking.
Trevor used the word post-apocalyptic, imagining an island given completely back to nature where weird and wonderful things occurred. Also horses.
In Bryan’s view, he’d rebrand the new wilderness park a la Fantasy Island, complete with an actor to yell De Ferry! De Ferry! and ring a bell as each boat approached. More likely than not, though, neither man will be appointed head of the National Park Service, so it’s probably best to come up with a plan that doesn’t rely on their particular visions.
Todd, Trevor and I also revisited the notion that having a Facebook page isn’t really the same as being a professional photographer or even having an actual business. Fortunately, enough people have missed that memo that the social media site is good for hours of entertainment just scrolling through the photography business pages counting matching turtlenecks.
There will be plenty about it in the weeks to come but during his State of the Beer Address — the State of the Beer is strong — Bryan talked about a bracket competition Burley Oak will participate in that is judged by popular vote. Keep your eyes peeled for how to vote because it’s kind of a matter of civic pride. Also: he’s pulled away from the crowd, producing more beer this week than people were able to drink. But there’s still the weekend yet.
Other commentary includes a potential new New Year’s Eve in Berlin and plenty of Fiddlers Convention stories.
Feel free to join us 6 p.m. each Tuesday for the Happy Hour Todcast at Burley Oak Brewery. If something tragic keeps you from coming out you can always check out the resulting recording Thursday afternoon by subscribing on iTunes. It’s free, fun and only requires a half-hour listening investment. Fair warning before you listen: Put on your irony hats, kids. It’s all in good clean fun.