Preparation

Each year the fraternities and sororities at Oklahoma State University construct elaborate decorations for our annual homecoming celebration, and on Friday night before the big football game everyone in town heads to campus for an event called Walkaround. It really is a sight to behold, with fifty thousand people milling around, live music playing, vendors selling all sorts of food, games for the kids, and of course the massive decorations--many of which feature animatronic moving parts. The Alumni Association bills the weekend as "America's Greatest Homecoming Celebration," and while I can't verify that claim with authority, I can say that it sure is a cool experience.

This year I went down on Thursday night as the final preparations were being made, with the intention of getting a few pictures as the decorations (or "decks,") were being assembled. I had hoped to get a shot of someone welding so I could get spark trails, but it was not meant to be--the welding was all finished at thi