Society for Aesthetic Deletions

As those close to me know, my husband's brother is a wrestler. No, not like the kind you see in the Olympics.

The kind you see on the WWE.

He has been on TV twice; once in a "filler match" on the WWF when they were in Providence just as wrestling was becoming hella popular again. He didn't have a "name," just called Bob Evans, and his match was against a wrestler named Atom Bomb. And yes, he lost. I have this on video somewhere.

He's been called a few times again and gone, but never made it into the ring. He was on TV again though, as part of a posse, designed to taunt the other wrestlers his guy was fighting. I did not see this, nor have it on tape, but my in-laws do, somewhere.

He has chosen to keep on with his wrestling, but from the other side of things. He has opened up a school, Slamtech, to teach people professional wrestling.

And the local paper, The Providence Journal, has done an article [free registration required] on his school.

Alas, the pictures in the actual newspaper didn't make it into the online version, but it's still a neat read. If you're interested in this kind of thing.

This is my new blogchalk:
United States, Massachusetts, Fall River, The Flint, English, Julia, Female, 31-35, Role-Playing Games, Writing. :)

Blogchalking now includes interests has has more icons from which to choose.

Though this reminds me more of the fancloak/Warder's cloak from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, it looks like someone's trying to patent an invisibility cloak.

The idea hinges on carefully mimicking background lighting conditions to help render an object invisible, similar to how a chameleon blends in with its surroundings. The rear and front surfaces of an object are covered with a material containing an array of photodetectors and light emitters respectively.

Courtesy of Slashdot.

- Which Legolas are You? -

[sort of a first-timer...I answered one once long ago. Have now decided to add it in as a regular thing.]

PromoGuy's Monday Mission 2.35

1. What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you on a date?
These things don't apply to me. See, I never dated. I pretty much went from having no boyfriend to seeing him exclusively for a long-term period of time.

2. Do you eat your veggies?
All save lima beans and brussel sprouts!

3. Most people are comfortable going to the bathroom in front of at least one person. Has anyone ever used the restroom in front of you that you wish wouldn't have? What happened and how bad was it?
Nope, not that I recall, anyway.

4. Have you ever had a bad online transaction? You know, the item wasn't what you thought it would be, you got totally ripped-off, no refunds, it just plain sucked? What's the story there?
Again, no. I've been very lucky.

5. Ever have a current love find any old love letters (or similar item) you kept that probably should have been thrown away? How did that turn out?
No. Actually, I threw away a whole bunch of old cards and letters from the boyfriend previous to the husband, because I thought the husband would be upset by them. We talked later, and he said he would have been fine with me keeping them. I guess I should have asked first!

6. A secretary at work was telling me about a trip she took to Mardi Gras. She showed off her beaded necklaces and proudly said she "earned' each and every one of them (for those not familiar with this tradition, ladies walking up Burbon St. in New Orleans will flash people who are upon the balconies, in return the guys will throw them worthless plastic necklaces). I was shocked, I had no idea this quiet gal had a wild side. Was there ever a time when you did something totally outrageous because you knew no one would know who you were, or maybe didn't care even if they did?
Nope. Wow, lots of "no" answers this week. I wish I was a bit more outrageous when I was younger, but the Catholic Guilt kept me pretty well in line. I'd do some things now, if I but had the opportunity.

7. Hey, what happened to you last night? I waited forever!
I was here! Where were you??

BONUS: I know I could break you down, but what good would it do?
Darn, had to look this one up. I'm usually good about these bonuses, too.

Anyway...what are you thinking? There are some things you can't hide.

Cooking with Lava

It is what it sounds like.

Courtesy of a question at Slashdot, filtered out of the questions to be sent to Alton Brown.

Wow. This is actually so me.

I told myself I wasn't going to blog this. But alas, here it is...

Harry Potter Nimbus 2000 Broom

Kids can now "fly" a Nimbus 2000 broomstick just like the members of their favorite Quidditch team. A replica of the broom Harry uses in the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the Nimbus 2000 features a grooved stick and handle for easy riding. Enhancing the excitement are the vibrating effects and magical swooping and whooshing sounds the broom makes when on.

Be sure to read the reviews section.

Wedding days: Others troubles.

Wedding cakes: Surprised staff.

Hotel rooms: Never comfy.

Beach dunes: Horseneck walking.

Football games: TV off.

Hurricanes: Nasty wind.

Okay, for those who might want explanations of some of these answers, you can go further...

I am going to be away tomorrow and Friday at training for our new Netscreen firewall, so don't expect much from me during the day. Hopefully you'll all be quiet so I can have an easy time catching up on things. Heh.

Sorry for the vacancy lately, folks. I will do some catching up tomorrow, though!

After the training on Friday and Saturday, I really didn't want to get near a computer. So I didn't. I finished reading the ElfQuest graphic novels (for research for something I'm going to be collaborating on with someone) that we have here (1-4), and then on Saturday I went into work with my boss for the Netscreen installation.

With only one minor glitch, we got it to work, but it took a good portion of the day. Then it was home to nap a bit, then chat with folks after Feng Shui.

Today Lou and I went and saw My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which is hysterical and I highly recommend it. And then it was the Sunday game, so not a lot of time to play catch-up.

But look for more posts tomorrow!

1. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why?
I have so many. Pronunciation is a huge one for me. People who say nucular instead of nuclear. Things like that, as a former boss used to say, go up my ass sideways.

2. What irritating habits do you have?
Many. I always think I'm right, and rarely ever admit to being wrong. I so rarely am wrong, though...(hee)

I interrupt people. When I meet someone or a group of people for the first time, I interrupt them and also hog the conversation. It's something I've only recently noticed, and I'm trying to fix it.

I want things to be my way, and will fight and fuss until they are.

I also think that everyone should think like and be like me. It really irritates me when people don't act like I expect them to, because they aren't me. But the only person who knows this about me is Lou. Well, and everyone reading this now.

3. Have you tried to change the irritating habits or just let them be?
I've tried to change. Or at least be aware of it. It doesn't always work, but I do try.

4. What grosses you out more than anything else? Why?
Any sex act involving bodily waste of any sort. No, I've never seen it, nor do I want to. Ick.

5. What one thing can you never see yourself doing that other people do?
Getting a part of my body pierced that is not my ears. Just Say No.

1. How do you picture your funeral?
I don't want one.

I want my organs to be donated, and my body cremated, and the ashes placed in the dirt where a birch tree is planted, hopefully on my own yard or a family member's.

Then I'd like people to have a party where they can remember me and tell each other stories about me and cry and laugh and be there for each other, and for Lou. Because if I'm dead and he's not, he is SO going to need that support.

2. As a juror, you are sworn to not discuss with anyone the details of the trial you're impaneled for. Do you (would you) anyway?
No, I wouldn't. I've been there, I've done that. And I did not speak at all until it was all over.

That said, if I would be tempted, it would be to talk with Lou about it. But he understands the need for privacy (it's a big thing with is job, though not so much as when he worked at the opiate clinic), so he wouldn't pressure me to talk either.

3. Would you rather live someplace where it's always between 80-90 degrees F both day and night, or someplace where it's always 40-50 degrees F? (For you metric types, that's 26-32C or 4-10C.)
Oh, 80-90, please! I love the warmth. I'd miss being able to curl up cozy in front of a fireplace, but I'd deal.

As long as it's not too humid, or too dry. We need to take the humidity level into account here.

Well, turns out that the firewall installation was not quite perfect.

The Southside, a part of our office that is not directly connected to the rest of our office, comes back to our wiring closet on fiber.

It was outside of the firewall loop, so they couldn't get anywhere, except to each other's machines. Printing was even an issue.

A missed step, and one that's not easily fixable. We could have given them all static IPs, and the printers too, and that would have worked. They would not be going out the firewall then, though.

Or we could take the firewall out, and wait for Brown's CIT department to come over/call and help us figure out a solution.

We took out the firewall, and now are awaiting Brown's bitching. Here's hoping we can solve this one pretty easily.

Farscape To End

"...Unfortunately, despite our best efforts to reach a broader audience, Farscape has been unable to grow beyond its core fan base. That, coupled with the extreme and growing cost of production, has led to the difficult decision to end the series at the conclusion of season four."

I can name three or four people who have just started watching it this year or late last. This is just so much frelling dren.

Courtesy of Farscape Lives' Livejournal.

Put down the drink! Don't blame me if stuff shoots our your nose when reading this entry!

From Cassandra Claire's other Livejournal...

(Cassie is trying to get into the CoS premiere...)

Editor: Isn't your beat television anyway?

Me: Technically, perhaps. Now about the Harry Potter premiere...

Editor: Speaking of LOTR, have you ever read these Very Secret Diaries things?

Me: Never heard of them.

More here.

Since this is my question, it's about time I answer it!

That said, how do you keep the mood? And once lost, how do you try to bring everyone back? Can you? Is it even possible?

And what do you do with that one player who is always the first one to crack a joke and break up the tension you've built to so carefully, no matter how many times you've asked/warned him/her not to do that?

Courtesy of PromoGuy, I give unto you, selected entries from the Beloit College "Mindset List" for the Class of 2006.

The Mission has been moved to the excerpt for any readers who really don't want to read about 9/11.

According to Which member of the Royal House of Amber are you?, I am Llewella.

I may blog more tonight, but I'm not sure. If you want to know where I spent my 9/11 last year, look here.

I did it.

As I wrote in the Weight Watchers Support weblog, I made it the six weigh-ins of not being more than two pounds over goal.

I would still like to lose five more pounds. But I am giving myself until Christmas to do that. I will keep trying, but I won't push myself unless I really have to (which I may).

However, I have done it. It's taken me just over two and a half years, but I'm there. I'm not done...I need to keep on the program, and not let myself go.

But I can do it. I've been doing it.

And now, to support my fellow ladies in getting to their goals, and my lovely husband. Without all of their support, I never would have made it.

1. If you knew that in one year you would die, suddenly, how would you change anything about the way you are now living?
I'd take more risks. Go skydiving, like I said before. Do all the things I have wanted to do but couldn't. However, I would really try to not drop myself into so much debt doing said things that my loved ones are paying for it YEARS later.

2. Your father-in-law is foreign-born, and you've just learned that he was an agent of long-standing for a nation that is very unfriendly toward yours. Do you report him to the authorities? Is your answer any different if he's still acting as an agent?
If he was an agent and is no more, I would think about it, but probably not. I'd discuss it with my husband, and figure out what we should do together.

If I knew that he was still an agent, yes, I would report him. I would still talk about it with my husband, so he would know my thoughts. But it wouldn't stop me from reporting him if my husband didn't want me to.

3. If you could stand at the pinnacle of any man-made or natural object, what would it be?
I'd love to stand at the top of Mt. Everest. But only if I could get there and down without all the in-between steps.

Known as the only one who can control Josh Lyman, she answers to his every bellow. She has a thing for Yo-Yo Ma, philately, and Josh... but won't act on it. Although hired on the Bartlet Campaign by pure luck, Donnatella has now proven herself to be a valuable asset.
:: Which West Wing character are you? ::

Heh. Lou was Sam, of course.

It has to be YOUR way. But when it isn't, you panic, but hold your ground. You keep your gun pointed and trigger finger ready, but you'd never really hurt anyone. Though you like being tough, feeling control, you often enjoy blending in and being part of the ordinary human race. Take the What Pulp Fiction Character Are You? quiz.

Heh. Lou got Pumpkin. We really are a matched set.

Courtesy of Doyce and ***Dave.

Just call me a lemming...

Find Your Spot

Tells me that my ideal locations are:

1) Lewiston, ME

2) Carlisle, PA

3) Harrisburg, PA

4) Albany, NY

5) Nashua, NH

6) Manchester, NH

7) Portland, ME

8) Altoona, PA

9) Ocala, FL

10) Charleston, SC

11) Long Island, NY

12) Biloxi-Gulfport, MS

13) Bremerton, WA

14) Philadephia, PA

15) Erie, PA

16) Tallahassee, FL

17) Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FL

18) Syracuse, NY

19) Coral Springs, FL

20) Buffalo, NY

21) Reading, PA

22) Gainesville, FL

23) Lancaster, PA

24) Bangor, ME

I'm very upset that there are NO locations in Massachusetts or Rhode Island in here. And I don't think it's house costs that'd rule out my states.

Harumph.

1. What was/is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Algebra. It was so much fun, and easy. At least, at the time it was.

2. Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Mr. Weymouth. 8th grade Algebra teacher (of course). I distinctly recall him teaching us a math problem without words at one point. One student had difficulty grasping the concept he was trying to show, so using just the chalkboard and chalk, and his hands following down step to step, he explained it to the whole class and the kid, and the kid got it.

That scene has always stuck with me.

1st Runner Up would have to be Mr. Crowley. Choral teacher throughout high school, and also Speech & Debate teacher in my Senior year. He was a lot of fun, and could teach just about anything and make it enjoyable.

3. What is your favorite memory of school?
Favorite? I don't know that I have one. I do recall fondly walking into the big auditorium in high school for chorus practice, and wearing our coats because it was unheated. Mr. Crowley would always tell us it was "Brisk!" not cold. And lots of warm-ups to get our vocal cords er...warmed up.

I also recall him bringing out "We Need a Little Christmas" in May one year, when rehearsal wasn't going well, and we all needed a break. He just started in on the opening keys, and we all blasted that song into smithereens. Great way to let off steam when things aren't going well.

Damn. I miss chorus.

4. What was your favorite recess game?
I don't recall a favorite one, recess was so long ago. Probably something like jumprope.

5. What did you hate most about school?
Oh, lots of things at the time. One has to be hearing the cries of "Stork" as I passed upperclassmen in the hall (I was tall and very thin my freshman year). Though I took that nickname and made it my own, with a few friends and their embarrassing nicknames.

But I'd have to go with the easiest. Homework. I hated homework.

A year ago today I posted my first post in this blog.

Thank you, Danielle, for reminding me. I remembered yesterday, but forgot today. Too busy at work.

Of course, it was the only post in September. October was pretty sparse, and November. It wasn't until earlier this year that I started blogging more actively.

But a year ago today, I started this blog. Not my first attempt, but this one stuck out where the others didn't.

Happy Anniversary to SfAD!

Looks like John Kovalic is a fan of our favorite cancelled show.

1. Do you have a favorite piece of poetry or prose written by someone else? Care to share it?
I love Robert Frost. Just about any of his will do for me, but I had to read Birches in school for Speech & Debate (my choice), and it's always held a special place in my heart.

2. In High School, did you enjoy creative writing? Do you currently do any other writing in addition to your Blog?
I didn't do much writing like that in high school, though I do have some old stories I worked on at that time somewhere. I did like writing, but I don't recall doing a lot of it.

I have a blog for my writing, and I've not been doing a lot of that lately. I'm spending too much time reading others' works than working on my own. A flaw of mine that I don't know how to truly break. I also write elsewhere, but again, that suffers from my reading too much.

3. Have you ever noticed that the Blog entries you least expect to get the most comments do, and those you expect to generate a lot of feedback don't? Which Blog entry of yours surprised you by getting a lot of comments? Which one did you think would generate a lot but didn't?
None, really. I don't write for comments, so when I get them, I'm always surprised, and most of the time pleased!

4. Sometimes you get a chance to make a lifestyle change that has a huge impact on the course your life takes. That is, a moment where something became very clear to you, and that realization changed your life, such as: the need to leave a relationship, to stop an addiction, to bond with someone, to start a new career, and so on. Have you ever had an "awakening" moment in your life?
I don't really want to talk about the one I can think of. I was in a relationship at the time, and I made a bad decision, and realized too late that I shoudn't have made that decision. To this day I still regret everything that happened - it still haunts me. But it's in the past, and I'll never do anything like that again.

5. Then there are other times where you can have a huge impact on someone else's life. You suggest they see a doctor, stop them from taking that last drink, or maybe just say some kind words at the moment. Have you made a lasting positive impact on the life of someone else?
Before Lou and I were involved, actually one of the first times we'd really talked, I discovered that he was...umm...rather too nice when it came to his friends. They were taking horrible advantage of him, and he hadn't really realized it. I told him at the time (he was going to leave my house, drive 20 minutes to pick up a friend's wife who "didn't want to take the bus" and bring her home. It was about a ten minute drive from her workplace to her house, and then he was going to come back to finish our stuff - it was gaming-related) that he was too nice. And then I showed him what real friends were like.

He eventually stopped hanging around the others so much, and didn't let them take advantage of him anymore.

And he didn't make the trip to take the girl home that night.

6. Are there any charities or organizations which you support? How did you come to be involved with them?
No, nothing really. Lou used to support WGBH out of Boston, but after the whole "selling of the names to political parties" debacle, he refused to give them any more money. We also occasionally give to police charities (for kids going to the circus, etc.) or other things, but not regularly.

7. Care to collaborate with me? Help me out and write the rest of this poem:

I drifted though a dream last night,
visions full of colors bright.
My thoughts began to drift to you,
and in an instant we were two.

I touched your hand,
We began to blend,
Filled with a feeling
that should have no end.

----

This will require too much thought. Maybe later.

BONUS: Hey cutie, what's up with this attitude?
Darn, don't recognize this one at all. Ah, there it is!

I treat you sweet...but you never say thanks!

This week's Game WISH, a bit late, but done.

How do you like to build character backgrounds? Do you think they are important or not? Do you prefer to write an elaborate background, or fill in later? Do you find character quizzes like the one in the ADRPG or related exercises like the round of questions in Everway character development to be useful?

I think the last time I created a very detailed background for a character was for an online Amber game. I had done up this background with another player, to the point of having conference (aka chat) sessions doing background development, and tarot readings, and all manner of detailed background stories. Maeve was one frelled-up character.

And in the first session of the game, the GM took us to an alternate Amber, and tried to have my character blamed for the death of an NPC there.

Yes, in the real world, she had killed this NPC. But in this alternate world, she didn't, and it had no impact on the character or the game, really. It was an alternate universe and the details were entirely different. The GM expected it to have a great impact on Maeve, and she just shrugged it off.

Now, if she had done that in the real world, THEN I'd have been all over that.

I know, it's just one game, but I think it very nearly ended me on doing lots of details for a game where I don't know to where it's headed.

I think at least something of a background is important, though a lot depends on the game that is being played. Amber games pretty much require a detailed background, because of the variety of shadow from where the character could be, and their interactions with the elders.

For Lou's new D&D game, I have a basic background (Sophia Pilar Highbridge is the daughter of a local tavern owner, and he wanted her to be able to handle herself and any possibly rowdy patrons, so she learned unarmed fighting from the local monk), and will probably write more. But I'm not compelled to do so anymore.

I also tend to have a lot of my character background in my head. It's all there, and I usually tell the GM what it is, but it is often never written down. This is bad, I know. I do the same thing for my NPCs, but there it's okay because it's all for me and what I choose to reveal.

I also like playing the character for a session or two, like Ginger does, and seeing how what I had envisioned plays out. Often the character changes, sometimes subtly, sometimes not-so-subtly. Just like no plot survives contact with the players, hardly any character survives contact with the plot/other characters.

I do like character quizzes, ala the ones from the Amber books. In fact, I asked my players in WEF some questions, and then asked them much later to reply to them again, to see if there was a difference. I've also asked my players in ATF some questions, and while it was voluntary, I did get answers from some of them. I was going to code them into character pages, but never got around to it beyond the first character, who is no longer one of the PCs. Many of these were stolen from Sarah's To Reign in Hell quiz.

I do think it's a good idea, if you're going to pose quizzes to your players, to not require (if you do) them to submit them until after they've played the character a few times. Get them into the feel of the character, and their reactions. Or if you do require it up front, then allow the player to change their answers if need be.

Now I just have to work on a page for ATD of my own. Pardon the sparseness of the pages, it's Lou's first attempts at HTML.

Tachyon TV takes on the Farscape Cancellation in a brilliant parody, Crackers Do Matter.

Please read with a sense of humor, please.

Checking with Extreme Tracking tells me that many folks are finding me because of this entry.

I'm on the first page of the Google entries for Nimbus 2000, or "Nimbus 2000," and the second page at Yahoo. Hello, folks!

Variations that have found me include "vibrating broom" and "nimbus 2000 broomstick."

Other searches that have led to me include:

Nasty words in our society
september 2002 opiate
nucular right or wrong
where is julia going ~ that's what I'd like to know!
secret society on connie chung live ~ Sorry folks, I've no clue what society was on that show

And the usual "julia", "aesthetic", and "deletions." It seems I'm number one at Altavista for "deletions" searches.

Of the last 20 search engine referrers, just over half were Nimbus 2000 referrals.

Can you do this kind of checking via logs from your host? Or do you really need one of these trackers? Anyone? Might be another reason to switch hosts...

While we may have to wait until October 9 for Birds of Prey, you can see the animated Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman on Gotham Girls.

Five episodes so far, five more to come!

Flash required to view.

1. If, by sacrificing your life, you could contribute so much to the world that you would be honored in all nations ... (a) would you be willing to do so? (b) would you be willing to do so if someone else you thoroughly despise would get all the credit while you went unrecognized?
I'm assuming that by "contribute so much" I'm doing something like curing cancer or somesuch. Honor's not that important to me, so I'd do it in both cases. I'd know I did a job well done, who cares if someone knows?

I work in tech support. Often I'm thanked for doing things that were of no real import (like recreating someone's deleted calendar). And I'm not thanked for doing thing that take me hours of my own time. (no Kate, this does not refer to YOU...you thank and appreciate me all the time!)

So honor and glory don't mean a lot to me.

2. You discover, unexpectedly, that a former friend (who you no longer like) has given your name as a character reference for a job application. The ex-friend is qualified for the job, but do you give them an honest thumbs-up?
Yes, I would. I can't say that I wouldn't drop hints about whatever issue caused our friendship to break up (if I thought it was his/her fault, and not my own), but if it was a job they could do, I'd tell them that they could.

I would not hesitate to mention flaws in the ex-friend's personality if asked, though.

3. If you could write a sequel to any movie you wanted, what movie would it be?
This is a tough question. Most of the movies I've seen that I can think to sequalize already have sequels.

I think, in the interest of answering this today, I'm going to have to go with my first answer. The Last Starfighter. Just imagine what we can do to that movie with the technology today. Though we'd be without Robert Preston. *sniff*

Schoolteachers are finding that students these days aren't practicing proper grammar and spelling. And, according to the New York Times article [free registration required], they don't see anything wrong.

Literally. They're not aware they're doing it, they see it so much.

Ms. Brecker once handed in a midterm exam riddled with instant-messaging shorthand. "I had an hour to write an essay on Romeo and Juliet," she said. "I just wanted to finish before my time was up. I was writing fast and carelessly. I spelled 'you' 'u.' " She got a C.

"They would be trying to make a point in a paper, they would put a smiley face in the end," said Ms. Weaver, who teaches at Alvernia College in Reading, Pa. "If they were presenting an argument and they needed to present an opposite view, they would put a frown."

Courtesy of Slashdot.

David Kemper and Richard Manning discuss the cancellation, our efforts and where to go from here

That's it, Pat, Betsy, Kevin. I'm not going to loan you the tapes any more. Watch it on your own.

Damn. I had a Nielson book at one time. For a month, when I was living in Providence. We were supposed to write everything that we watched down in a book though - no box to automatically keep track of the shows we watched.

I will watch in January. Even if nothing ever happens, they will be the best 11 episodes ever.

I have faith.

1. Would you say that you're good at keeping in touch with people?
No, not really. I don't keep touch with my family at all. My friends, when I see them, or talk to them on IM. Which leads me to the next question...

2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: e-mail, telephone, snail mail, blog comments, or meeting in person? Why?
Email. I've fallen off the phone thing, though I was never really one of those teenagers who spent all their time on the phone. I did go through a phase in my early twenties where I talked a lot on the phone to my boyfriend who was very far away from me. We had very high phone bills.

But I'm more of an email/IM communicator now. I rarely ever use snail mail. I do meet up with people in person, and have just recently gotten in touch with an old high school friend for lunch once, and we're meeting again next week.

3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it?
I use Fire at work because I'm on OSX, and Trillian at home, since I'm on XP. I use all the services (AIM, Y!M, ICQ, and MSN Messenger) to talk to various people, and I have different screen names to separate some folk from others. Unfortunately, Fire can't do multiple logins like Trillian yet, but I deal.

I use Fire daily, but I've been cutting back on the Trillian use at home. I've been wanting to do some of my writing when I'm at home on the laptop, and I find that I end up chatting instead of writing when I have it open. So I use Trillian maybe twice a week.

4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away?
Some years back, the answer to this would have been the opposite of now. But now, all my close friends live nearby.

5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person, or do you believe that "distance makes the heart grow fonder"?
Heh. Having been involved in two long-distance relationships that didn't last, I have learned my lesson. Out of Sight = Out of Mind. Believe me.

Our President. Yes, Our President.

If anyone can tell me where that image comes from, I'd be eternally grateful. I found it on someone's livejournal with no attribution.

Top 100 Banned Books

These are the ones I've read:

And for those of you counting, you'll note that A Wrinkle in Time is not on here. No, I've never read it. I didn't get into fantasy/sf until high school, and then it was Tolkien or nobody. And I never went back and read many of the "classics" of young adult/children's literature.

For those of you with an appreciation for the wonder that is Eddie Izzard, I give you Bloke in a Dress - Quotes.

And thanks to Anne, I know that Dress to Kill is coming out on DVD at the end of November. Woo!

1. When I was young, my Mom would always drink a cold Dr. Pepper in the morning. Me, I can go either way. I like a Cold Frappucchino in the Summer months and switch to warm Mocha Espresso in the Fall. Do you like to drink warm beverages in the morning or do you prefer yours cold?
Hot. Hot tea, preferably. Though I know people who take their caffeine only in cold form, I am not one of them.

2. Have you ever been so upset with someone that you wanted to get revenge? What did you do? Or if you didn't, what would you like to have done?
Not that I can recall. There are some folk I'd like to get revenge on, but I don't recall every doing it.

3. Sometimes I can look back at my past and see so many things that I was too naive to take advantage of. A time where I could have moved ahead in my career if only I'd chosen to move, the High School girlfriend who said she would do anything if I just asked, and so on. Looking back, are there any opportunities you missed out on that you can see now but didn't realize then?
Sure, but I don't regret not taking any of them. I do recall that there was one guy in college who was interested in me, but I didn't see it (I was too busy trying to pursue someone else). On the last day of school, either for my freshman year or possibly before Christmas break my sophomore year (wherein I did not return to school due to lack of funds), said guy came up to me, and told me about how I missed the opportunity to fully appreciate the glory that was he. Or something to that effect. I had always thought he was interested in the girl he hung out with, so I never did anything. After that hug in the hallway, I walked on and just laughed at his overinflated ego.

4. Today I tried on my black slacks, and they are just a skosh too tight (yeah it's a real word, look it up). Of course, I wore them anyway. Are there any clothes you refuse to throw away even though they don't (and never will) fit? Why do you keep them?
Yes. I have a skirt that's a size 8. I had ordered a size 10 once upon a time, and it was too big, so I sent it back and got the 8. I wore it on the trip to England, Ireland, and Wales (it was a great travel skirt), and then it got hung up in the closet. I will never fit into it again, but I don't want to give it away.

I also have a neat little dress I got for a party, and then also wore to my brother-in-law's second wedding. I can fit back into that again...if I just lose a *little bit* more weight.

And then, there's the t-shirt collection.

5. Although my speech classes eliminated most if it, I still have a little Okie accent left. I say "Git" instead of "Get" and "Collar" instead of "Colour." Do you have an accent? Are there any phrases or words you say that tip folks that "you aren't from around these parts?"
I'm not that much of a New Englanda, though a few words slip in here and there. More colloquialisms than an accent. Wicked, for one, or as we say it here, wikkid! I'm sure there are others, but not that come to mind.

6. Speaking of phrases, it really drives me nuts when folks say "very unique" (Unique has no degrees, it is either unique or it isn't) or "irregardless" (not a real word). Are there any words folks misspell or incorrect uses of words that simply drive you insane?
Nucular. That's my biggest pet peeve.

7. I am guilty of using pet names a bit too often, like "honey," "babe," and "sweetie." However, currently, no one uses any pet names on me (and I think I'd like one). Are there any pet names that you like to be called? Any you don't? Do you (or did you) have any pet names for your partner?
We call each other "Hon" and "Honey." We get really sweet and icky when we want the other to do something for us (like go down three flights into the basement to get laundry). That's about as sickly sweet as we get, I think.

I personally have another pet peeve - when a waitperson calls me honey or hon, and they do not know me. THAT really pisses me off. No one that doesn't know me is allowed to call me by those names, nor by sweetheart.

BONUS: Why you so fly?
Funky Cold Medina, my man!

If I lived in Middle-Earth, it would be in:

The Bay of Belfalas

The sea is calling you too. The heat, the ocean, and moderate population of people is sufficient for you. You may not be much of a beach person, but the coastline environment provides the best balanced combination of everything: nature & urbanization, seclusion & socializing, and especially the moderate weather conditions; however, you can bear the heat quite easily.

Take the"Where in Middle-Earth Would I Live?" Quiz

by skepticism

Courtesy of Anne and ***Dave.

What do you think about cross-gender characters (i.e., men playing female characters and women playing male characters)? What about GMs playing them as NPCs?

I've seen it done well and I've seen it done not-so-well. I've also seen the guys with fetishes - only playing female characters, and those overly endowed and wanting sex all the time.

I've been fortunate enough to not see the reverse with the women I've seen played. I haven't played with a huge variety of women, but they've managed to stay away from the stereotypes.

As a GM, I think I've done a decent job of playing male NPCs. I have one as my main NPC in my ATF game. I think I've done an okay job with Tallis, and with his cohort, Zel.

As brief NPCs, I don't have a complaint about any male GM I've encountered doing a female character. I can't recall any GM doing a long-term female NPC, so I'm not really qualified to comment.

And if someone can play an elf, dwarf, or mutated space alien, why can't they play cross-gender?

What I'd love to see is someone play a hermaphrodite or neuter as a long-term character!

Quiz here.

In order, my top three are Neil Gaiman, Kevin Smith, and Scott McCloud.

Guess I should get back to finishing that Sandman you loaned me, eh Paula?

And I suppose I should show this to one of my co-workers, who is Scott McCloud's sister-in-law.

Courtesy of Michael, whose blog has no online quizzes or such frou-frou.

Star Wars: Collecting | LEGO Ultimate Collector Star Destroyer

Oh, I SO want this!

†Experienced the full might of the Empire's powerful warship with LEGO's upcoming Ultimate Collectors series Imperial Star Destroyer set. With over 3,000 bricks, this is the biggest LEGO kit ever sold. When completed, the Star Destroyer is almost a meter (three feet) long. The set comes complete with a display stand and placard.

Based on the design of the Devastator, Darth Vader's Star Destroyer in Episode IV, the vessel includes a mini-model of the Tantive IV, Princess Leia's Rebel blockade runner seen at the start of A New Hope. The blockade runner, only available with the Star Destroyer, is the first of an upcoming collection of similar-sized mini-vehicles.

Courtesy of Slashdot.

Run for your Life!

If only this was a USB hub, then I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I really don't need a four-port firewire hub.

Courtesy of TidBITS, my boss, and Jack Gulick, who really needs to start his own blog, the Non-Euclidean Staircase.

1. You're driving late at night through a deserted but safe neighborhood. Suddenly, a dog darts out in front of your car and you hit it. Do you stop to see how injured it is? If you found it was dead, and had a tag with the owner's address and phone number, what would you do?

It would probably depend, as much as I hate to say it. If I thought I had really hit it head on, I don't think I would stop. I would not be able to handle it - I'd be an emotional wreck.

But if I had just clipped it, I would try to stop and find the dog. If I had a tag, I'd pull out the cellphone and try and call the home.

If I had found it dead, I still would call. I'd want someone to do the same for me. But then again, I wouldn't leave my dogs out to roam the neighborhood (ahem!).

2. Your job makes you privy to the fact that your company is illegally dumping toxic material. An anonymous tip to the authorities isn't likely to produce any results. Do you risk your job by publicly bringing your firm's crimes to the attention of the authorities?

Hell yes I would! I can find a job elsewhere. I do not want to attribute to the dumping of toxic chemicals, even by not reporting it.

But how an educational research department at Brown would be dumping toxic chemicals is beyond me.

3. If you were sent on assignment to rate the ten best small towns in America, what particular criteria would be the most important to you?

Friendliness of the people would be on the list. Scenery - small towns have to have nice scenery. I can't think of anything else right now to put on the list.

We got a letter from our landlord Tuesday that as of November 1, he's raising our rent. For more about our money issues, keep reading.

Sluggy Freelance has been doing a Harry Potter parody, and now they have their own sorting hat! (Flash required) Since the image is so large, I made it a pop-up.

My Hoggelrynth House

Get Sorted!

1. What are your favorite ways to relax and unwind?

Reading. Reading a really good book. And watching TV. I also like playing and watching video games, usually one of the fighting games on our PS2.

I like to walk (on the beach especially) and bike ride, but they don't pop first in my head for relaxation.

2. What do you do the moment you get home from work/school/errands?

Drop my purse on the counter, take off my shoes and my socks (if worn), and plop on the loveseat. Then turn on the TV.

3. What are your favorite aromatherapeutic smells?

I don't really have any that I use regularly, but I do love the smell of vanilla. Smells like baking. MMmm....

4. Do you feel more relaxed with a group of friends or hanging out by yourself?

By myself. I can relax with friends, but if I had to pick one or the other, I'd like to be alone with a book to relax.

5. What is something that you feel is relaxing but most people don't?

Watching Lou play Tomb Raider (any version). Though he can get tense and frustrated (and I can too), it's a way of relaxing and having fun.

Exploding Dog has some really neat pictures, and another site has desktop pictures of some of the images.

I found this a while ago, and have just found it again (the desktop images, that is). So I figured making a blog entry would enable me to find it if I lose it once more.

He also illustrated a neat story over at The Morning News.

I need to think up something cool to submit for a drawing. Hey Anne, should I use "If it's going to screw me, it might as well be green?"

1. Who has authority over you?

Immediate authority? Lou, my husband. Though he rarely ever uses it. :) Other than that, and the police and all that stuff, my mom, and me. That's it.

2. Where do you go to get a feeling of community?

My hit list, on the side there. My livejournal (damn, but that is a serious community!). My gaming group.

My family is my family, but not really a community.

3. What do you do, or have you done, in your life that "goes against the tide?"

I proposed to Lou. Got him a ring and everything. I got married with just my mom and Lou's parents present, and we had a party months later for everyone to celebrate our wedding. I went to college for Equestrian Studies.

4. Guilt can be a powerful weapon. Those who have mastered its power can very good at getting what they want. Have you ever used guilt to get you what you want? Have you ever had it used on you? How did you react?

Sure, who hasn't to both of those? Resent? Maybe, but if I choose to let guilt get to me (and I rarely do anymore), then it's my issue.

5. I was walking through the mall Friday night and saw a lot of teenagers who dressed really wild and just acted like idiots - not caring who was looking or what others thought. And I remember being that way, having that kind of freedom. I must have looked like a fool then too. Did you ever do anything in public with your friends as a teenager that you would never do today? Tell me about that.

Nope. I was terribly afraid of being caught. That Catholic Guilt was invested in me. See above. I was such a good girl...

6. I don't watch the television show "Survivor," but I did notice they allow each contestant to bring one "luxury item" to the deserted island with them (make-up, a book, etc.). If you were to go to an island for three months, what five "luxury items" would you bring and why?

Considering that I applied for Survivor (and was turned down), I put on the list my first choice of Lou's Swiss Army Knife (this is close to his, but he doesn't have two saws). I have the CyberTool, which wouldn't be as helpful as who needs screwdrivers on a tropical island?

Second choice was a journal and pen.

But you're letting me pick three other things. Hmm. I'd probably take a flag of some kind, huge, like Colby had. It can easily double as helping with the shelter, which is probably why they wouldn't allow it. The most recent Robert Jordan book, which I just haven't had time to get started reading. Oh, above that, I'd take A Civil Campaign. Lou's rereading it, and leaving it about the house. When I come upon it, I must pick it up and open to a page and start reading. It makes me smile, and I think I'd be needing a lot of that about day 10.

7. If you would have had a choice, in which time period would you have like to have lived? Why?

This one. I like modern conveniences too much. I like computers. If I knew what the future was like, I might go there.

And while I like Medieval stuff, I don't think I could live there. Or in Jacobite Scotland, like another imaginary person did.

BONUS: Where do you dare me to draw the line?

You got the body, now you want the soul, too??

In MOV format and in Real Player format.

Editing work calendar to include December 18 as a holiday.

Courtesy of Slashdot.