Meet TurtleBoy!

I haven't told you about this..ahem..man in my life....who's known around here affectionately as TurtleBoy...but seriously, this dude has consumed much of my time during the past few weeks...day and night...recently I've even been on the floor with him! Wow! He's something....big hard muscles, a six pack, and a personality to die for! And, he doesn't talk back...what more could you ask for in a guy?

Here's the TurtleBoy story: During the fall of 2005, the University of Maryland invited regional and local artists to offer their ideas about how to transform a cast resin terrapin into a one-of-a-kind Fear the Turtle sculpture that would become a centerpiece of the university's 150th Anniversary celebration. You can see the TurtleBoy story from beginning to end here.

This is my crew! And, that's what TurtleBoy looked like naked. My design...called Taste the Tradition...was one of those chosen. I nicknamed him TurtleBoy...or TB for short. Our deadline for finishing TB is today, April14th...and we made the deadline...hooray...TurtleBoy is a real turtle! TurtleBoy is sponsored by Phillips Seafood Restaurant...anyone who's been to Ocean City knows Phillips...nowadays they also have numerous restaurants in the Baltimore and Washington, DC area.

So, this is what TurtleBoy looks like now...the finished product. We have a big celebration on campus on April 29th called Maryland Day where he will have his first showing. After that he will travel to OC (which he's very excited about) to welcome folks coming the Phillips Seafood Restaurant. This project has been so much fun...I just can't tell you. When I first saw the sculpture naked I was like...okay...we can do this. But, when I was putting on the first coat of paint (Ralph Lauren, of course) I began to get attached to him...I really got to know him, you know...like intimately...that's when he got his nickname...TurtleBoy.

It's going to be hard to say goodbye...but I know that I can go see him again in Ocean City on the boardwalk...my TurtleBoy...all grown up and ready to rock!