Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:54:57 +0000

I went back to New York in Bloom yesterday afternoon, but I didn't have the chance to post any photographs yesterday evening. However, I did want to share this last batch, which includes some truly wonderful arrangements, before returning to the workaday world of electronic records, digital preservation, and related matters.

New York in Bloom 2010 is now over, and, with the exception of a single arrangement that graces the information desk in the lobby of the Cultural Education Center, all of the flowers are gone. However, the State Museum's exhibits are still in place -- and the State Archives and the State Library, which occupy the upper floors of the building, are also waiting for you here in Albany. And, of course, New York in Bloom will return next February . . . .

A word about these photographs: they're a mere sampling of what New York in Bloom offers. There were approximately 150 arrangements at New York in Bloom this year, and a blog simply isn't suitable for posting mass quantities of photos; however, if you like what you see here, you might want to check out several great photostreams on Flickr). In addition, I somehow failed to make it into the Fire Engine Hall and some other spaces, so I didn't get to see at least a dozen arrangements. Finally, there were several stunning arrangements that photographed poorly because it was physically impossible for me to compose a good shot or because the light level was too low. (Although the State Museum allows flash photography in most -- but not all -- of its exhibit spaces, the flash distracts other visitors and as a cultural heritage professional I worry about the cumulative effect of UV light upon objects that can't be shielded.)

I'm not sure where you will find 10 quality non-random minis available for $10. I really don't think that is a viable price level.

Personally I have benefited from waiting before buying the last 3 sets. There was obviously a lot of overstock of them as I was able to buy them from Miniature Market at 50% off the RRP. Having said that, I don't know if I would have bought a case at the full RRP.

I am just about at the level now where I have the monsters I need to cover just about any encounter in the 3.5E MM. There are a few minis I still need (and there are some monsters which still don't have a mini made for them) but, even then, I can generally come up with a close proxy.

Depending on the minis they made, I would still be interested in more monsters, but I think I have exhausted my desire for PC minis. I haven't bought a single mini from the PHB mini line and if they put those minis back in the MM mini line I would be less likely to buy more of the MM minis.

Olaf the Stout