Hey!  Sure, I'm  'The Flippist'...but I'm also Ben, a friendly/quiet/sassy dork.

Growing up, my dad collected all sorts of weird records, books, and antique toys.  He had so much stuff, he even had his own room for it all.  I would sit with him and there was always something new and interesting to look at.  One day he brought out a Mickey Mouse flipbook, and I remember being in awe of what I assumed was somehow real magic in the palm of my hands.  It sparked in me a love of animation and flipbooks.  Here I am now, decades later...a professional FLIPBOOK MAKER! 

Here are some dreams of mine in no particular order:  Please help if you can. 

• I would like to make a flipbook for Sesame Street someday.

• I would like to be invited to some sort of fancy award ceremony (I don't need to be nominated or win anything)…just to watch & eat nice hors d’oeuvres.

• I would like to have more friends in St. Louis and/or penpals anywhere. If you’re in the St. Louis area…please let’s be pals if you’re not a maniac.

• I would like to drive around The U.S. and see a few national parks and stay in cheap hotels and eat at tiny local diners.

• I would like to do more on-site flipbooks that require me to travel…send me somewhere please??

• I want to use flipbooks to help bring people together and share common bonds in a simple fun way.

• I would like to see the northern lights.

• I would love to be the judge of some food festival contest (Pie? BBQ? Eggrolls? I'm not picky.)

• I want to travel somewhere special with friends. I’ve just had so few friend trips…sounds nice.

• I would like to poke flowing lava with a stick.

• I would like to go to a Stevie Wonder concert. That’s easy enough, I just haven’t had a chance to see him yet and he’s a music god to me.

• I would like to see (in person) an original frame of Gertie the Dinosaur by Winsor McCay

• It may be dumb but I just want Steven Speilberg and/or John Williams to acknowledge my existence on this earth even for like a second…a nod works.

• I want to take my amazing mom on a crazy special trip someday

• I’d like to write best song ever recorded, although I don’t know how to write songs or play any instruments.

I deeply enjoy Prince, 60s/70s Motown & Funk, Pee-wee Herman, metal detecting, garage sale shopping, as well as both historical, scientific, and antique-related t.v. shows.

Below is a video of the coolest thing that has ever happened to me, getting engaged on the set of Pee-wee’s Playhouse: