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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Puke-arama: Night 2! The fun never ends... And the snow is falling, and I'm cranky from a hectic day at work, and I'm exhausted from a lack of uninterrupted sleep. I do have several new comic books that I picked up at lunch, though, all but $5 of which were free thanks to my $20 rebate kicking in! So it's not all bad. :-) In other news, you don't want to mess with me. Either of me! The allergy thing is odd, though. Either way, I'm a bad mofo. Shut yo'mouth! Your Supervillain Career by NinjaDinerYour NameYour Claim to FameAn…

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Being the DM is tough work

All kids are germans. Not as in country of origin, but as in spreaders of sickness. Hoarders, too, I think, as they just pass their colds around amongst themselves and anyone else worn down enough to get in on the fun. "At least it's not the flu" has little meaning at this point, as once again, the kids are getting sick after a week's respite. I'd almost welcome a bout with something more serious over these terribly inconvenient bugs they keep catching. As if maybe one good one would harden the immune system against the lesser ones and let them…

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Chapter Two: A Change in Plans

Village Stethlan, Ches 1st (The Claw of the Sunsets), 1372 DR (The Year of Wild Magic)

The two stone towers guarding the bridge that crossed the Hazur River and led into the Village Stethlan were just visible on the horizon a half mile away to the south. The quintet had put about the same distance between themselves and the small port of Bixburg where the fishing boat had dropped them off an hour or so earlier. They had spent some time browsing the small market for native trinkets and fruits while Krell attempted to replenish the contents of his stomach that he’d lost into the River during the latter part of their trip.

“I will ne’er understand human’s fascination with creatures of the sea!” he complained, dismayed by the limited options offered by the lone fry shack – fresh fish and chips fried in boar’s fat – settling for two orders of raw chips and a mug of warm Stethlan Pale Ale. “At least they know how to craft a hearty brew.”

It was the first thing all five had agreed on and they’d joined Krell in a friendly round before setting out on the road south.

The loftily-named Hazur Promenade was a packed dirt highway that served as the primary trading route for the nomadic humans that lived on and worked the farmlands and light forests of central Tashalar, and supplied the small villages and ports along the River with everything from food and drink to timber and furs. They’d passed two caravans already, both heading north back to Bixburg, neither with any news of interest on the road to Stethlan.

The woodline had been cleared fifty yards from the road on their right, the angry river flowed freely on their left and the only shadows cast were their own which grew longer by the minute as the sun was well on its way to disappearing into the west. Though it offered relatively safe passage, the potential yuan-ti raid or griffon ambush caused them to pick up their pace a bit, wanting to make the village ahead of nightfall.

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

THE HANGED MAN Suspended decision. Initiation, divination, prophecy. Turning point in psychic powers. Trust in inner voice. Suspension, change, reversal, boredom, abandonment, sacrifice, readjustment, improvement, rebirth. He usually represents a time of feeling in limbo, being stuck or being prevented from moving forward. He's usually depicted hanging upside down with his hands tied - that's just what it feels like! We need to remain flexible and willing to let go of things, it's probably a time for sacrifice. Like the man in this card from the Murciano Tarot, don't sweat it, take some time out and be patient. External Meaning:…

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Pumpkin Seeds: 1/12/2004

1. I can't stand people who barely know their own jobs getting snippy and trying to tell other people how to do theirs. My boss has the worst phone manners with people in other departments, as well as with customer service people at other companies. And if I have to hear one more time about "When I was a publisher...," I just may snap. Get over it! Your Publisher days are over and, at the rate you're going, your marketing days aren't looking too bright, either. 2. Thanks to bonehead plays by Brett Favre and the Packer D, we get…

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

Sedaris on Writing

Onion: Does being a full-time writer limit your experiences and give you less to write about? David Sedaris: Yes. It was never a goal of mine to be a full-time writer. I know other people who would never feel that they were a writer as long as they had another job, but I never felt that way. You meet people who say, "Oh, I'd like to do such-and-such, but I don't have the time." But it always seemed to me like you make the time. And if you have a wife or a job, if you have kids or whatever,…

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An arm with a tattoo: "I was made for the library, not the classroom."

20 things you may not know about me

Okay, okay! Not sure if I can come up with 20 things you may not know about me (especially if you’ve read this journal regularly the over the past year) but I’ll give it a shot and try not to repeat anything. Take your pick in laying the blame for this: Dawn, Tony or RAC.

1. I skipped the first two weeks of all of my classes my senior year in High School. I lied my way back into all but one, my Health class, a half-year requirement. Took in the final semester and had to take my final on a different day thanks to a schedule conflict. The test was misplaced and not graded and the day before graduation, at rehearsal, I was told I wasn’t graduating. They found it later that day and everything worked out but I was as scared as I’d ever been for those few hours.

2. I was on the Winter Track team that year. Hurdles and the 400m relay. Nearly blacked out during my first relay competition. Went from 1st to 5th in my first hurdles event after tripping over the last hurdle. The assistant coach was also my Meterology teacher (half-year elective, anyone?) and gave 5 points towards the final grade for every individual medal won. I won two medals. I got a 75 in the class. (Side note: He was also a Jets fan, his stated reason for letting me back into his Oceanography class after missing two weeks, per #1.)

3. I smoked weed for the first time that year, in the courtyard where most people openly smoked cigarettes. This was Lakeland High School, the school I was uprooted from Mt. Vernon for at the end of the 11th grade because it had better test scores and was in “a better environment.” Translation: white neighborhood.

4. I turned down a scholarship to the School of Visual Arts (film) in 1987 to concentrate on being a full-time Jehovah’s Witness.

5. My first roommate after I left home (and the JW’s) in 1988 had a girlfriend that was on Pan Am’s Flight 108 that crashed in Lockerbie that year. We had a Christmas party planned for that weekend and she was to come down for it and stay for the week.

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