{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn","title":"Church of Nu-topia","subtitle":"Come worship at my altar","author":{"name":"N. Vivian"},"link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"service.feed","type":"application\/x.atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom","title":"Church of Nu-topia"}}],"updated":"2012-10-31T17:40:01Z","entry":[{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:484725","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/484725.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=484725"}}],"title":"My Cotton Candy Bingo Board!","published":"2012-10-31T05:06:02Z","updated":"2012-10-31T17:40:01Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"fanfiction"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"writing"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"cotton candy bingo"}}],"content":"
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\tHuddling under covers\t<\/td>\tCut\t<\/td>\tCrush \/ Infatuation\t<\/td>\tGrandparents \/ Grandchildren\t<\/td>\tSleeping\t<\/td><\/tr>\n
\tHolidays\t<\/td>\tGlowing with happiness\t<\/td>\tDedicating a song on the radio\t<\/td>\tCute\t<\/td>\tFuture\t<\/td><\/tr>\n
\tCongratulations\t<\/td>\tReading\t<\/td>\tWILD CARD\t<\/td>\tClothes in closet, toothbrush by sink \u2013 already moved in together without noticing\t<\/td>\tSinging in the shower\t<\/td><\/tr>\n
\tChildhood sweethearts\t<\/td>\tPeace\t<\/td>\tNight in\t<\/td>\tLight\t<\/td>\tDreams\t<\/td><\/tr>\n
\tFriends become lovers\t<\/td>\tAdulthood\t<\/td>\tLazy day
<\/td>		\tLaughter\t<\/td>\tPlaying music\t<\/td><\/tr><\/table><\/div>

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:484262","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/484262.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=484262"}}],"title":"Ranty Today","published":"2012-07-10T20:48:58Z","updated":"2012-07-10T20:49:50Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"my body hates me"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"rant-tastic"}}],"content":"So, as of Sunday evening, I found myself bleeding again. If, somehow, you're not aware, I have Ulcertive Colitis, which means that when I start bleeding, it's a very unpleasant thing. You can look up the wheres and hows and whys on your own. Wikipedia exists, dammit.

Having breakthrough bleeding now is especially concerning because my next Remicaid treatment isn't for another 2 weeks. If I were only a week away from my treatment, we could drop from 5 weeks to 4 and be done with it, but now I'm showing symptoms after only 3 weeks and I can't get infusions in any intervals shorter than 4 weeks. Since it's only<\/i> blood and pain, my doctor hopes that it's a response to environmental things, like too much fiber in my diet and boldily tolls taken by the heat & stress, but, like so much with Remicaid, there's a lot of 'wait and see.' I'm to increase my Asacol up to 4 pills twice daily and hope that helps, because otherwise we might have to go back to mesalamine suppositories and fuck that right in the face.

Huh. The first time I was prescribed those, I couldn't even admit what the medication was. Is this personal growth? Or just an out-pouring of my 'enh, fuckit' mentality. WHO KNOWS?

After this upcoming Remicaid appointment, they'll all be scheduled for 4 week intervals instead of 5. Hopefully that's enough to keep me going, because otherwise, I'm off Remicaid and onto something else. My doctor outlined my possibilities for me back when I dropped from 7 weeks to 5 and they look fairly grim:

*Try Humira (30% of patients who stop responding to Remicaid respond to Humira)
*Ingest pig parasites (assuming insurance covers them and they're beyond the testing phase)
*Get surgery.

In all, these are not exciting options.

Right now, I'm in a small-to moderate amount of pain, like a 3-4 \"resting\" pain scale. The pain can spike, but I'm pretty solidly at a 3-4. It feels like lower back pain and--you know that pain you get when you're so hungry you feel kinda hollow and it hurts? I feel kinda like that. I'm also more tired than usual and need to rest more because, surprise! Pain and slight bleeding and attacking your own insides puts a strain on your body.

I'm hoping that in a day or two I can buck up and feel philosophical about all of this bullshit, but right now, I'm pissed off, grumpy, and hating on everything.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:484023","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/484023.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=484023"}}],"title":"No Fourth of July Party","published":"2012-06-26T00:00:04Z","updated":"2012-06-26T00:42:15Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"party"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"our house in the middle of our street"}}],"content":"Sorry folks. Just no time. Hopefully next year!

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:483667","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/483667.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=483667"}}],"title":"It's My Toph's Birthday","published":"2012-06-12T02:38:06Z","updated":"2012-06-12T02:38:06Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"birthday wishes"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"tophical"}}],"content":"

You're my best friend, darling. Forever. I love you. Happy birthday, sweetheart.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:483527","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/483527.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=483527"}}],"title":"Memeage","published":"2012-06-07T22:52:50Z","updated":"2012-06-08T03:23:05Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"accountability"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"memes & quizzes"}}],"content":"via \"[profile]<\/a>la_marquise_de_<\/b><\/a><\/span>

The rules:

1. Go to page 77 (or 7th) of your current ms
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines \u2013 sentences or paragraphs \u2013 and post them as they\u2019re written. No cheating.

___________________________

Anyone who thinks children are innately good is a fool. Children lie, steal, cheat, and attempt to harm others in order to get what they want. Children are innocent and may not understand that to hit another child in order to get their toy or sweet roll is wrong and hurtful, but that innocence does not make them good. The other child\u2019s desire to hit back is also innocent and understandable, but still does not come from a place of innate goodness. Empathy, compassion, and a desire to help others is a legacy adults pass along to the children in their lives, hopefully before the child is to old to absorb it.

No. Children are not innately good. They are simply educable.
____________________________


Truth in advertising: This is actually the opening paragraph of my MS because I don't have anymore than that written. BUT I HAVE A NEW MS AND SO I WANTED TO PLAY.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:483130","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/483130.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=483130"}}],"title":"Story Wars LARP apps","published":"2012-05-25T11:05:28Z","updated":"2012-05-25T19:56:52Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"not real people"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"larping"}}],"content":"I app'd nine<\/s> eight? different characters. I know that a good 1\/3 of my sources are unknown to the GMs, but that didn't stop me, mostly because I enjoy being difficult.

Anyway, I app'd the following (in order of how badly I want this character):

Surreal<\/b>, Black Jewels series<\/i>. I can't tell you how much I want to play her. WHORE-ASSASSIN-WITCH. If the Black Jewels series were better known, I'd say she was my first pick. However, I don't think I'll get her. On the one hand? Sads. On the other? It possibly makes me more likely to get my next choice.

Natasha Romanoff<\/b>, Avengers<\/i>. It will be a crazy mashup of movieverse, comics, and a beautiful fic written by \"[personal<\/a>gyzym<\/b><\/a><\/span>. WHATEVER, I DO WHAT I WANT. (And by that, I mean, what the GMs say). Anyway, gymnast assassin who manipulates people by using their own expectations (and her own vulnerabilities) against them? YES PLZ.


River Song<\/b>, Doctor Who<\/i>. River is AWESOME. And I was less than impressed with the way the show handled her upbringing. I think a few semesters at a crazy school might help her.

Emma Frost<\/b>, Marvel 616<\/i>. Breeding, darling. Top class breeding.

Glorianna Belladonna<\/b>, Landscapes of Ephemera<\/i>. Another character from an obscure canon. But her magic is fun, so...

Azula<\/b>, Avatar: TLA<\/i>. Powerful, cunning, scheming, and batshit crazy? I CAN PLAY THIS. No probs!

Vin<\/b>, Mistborn Trilogy<\/i>. Street rat pretending to be noble while working to bring down an evil empire with all the magics? TOTALLY NOT A TROPE OF MINE. RLY.

Jane Ellsworth<\/b>, Shades of Milk and Honey<\/i>. Probably the most obscure of my obscure canons and lowest on my list. Her magic is cool and who doesn't wanna be Lizzie Bennet with magic?

EDIT: People I should have app'd but did not (because I am an idiot)--

*LANA KANE FROM ARCHER (Hello and\/or DUH, self!)

*Gender-swapped Locke Lamora (THERE'S EVEN A POSSIBLE JEAN. HOW IS THIS NOT AMAZING?!)

*Parker from Leverage

*Emily Thorne\/Amanda Clark

I thought I app'd nine, but I can only think of eight right now. This might be because it's ridic o'clock in the morning for me. \"[personal<\/a>darkoni<\/b><\/a><\/span>, who was my ninth? Or am I crazy and only app'd eight?

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:482863","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/482863.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=482863"}}],"title":"Rough Day","published":"2012-05-16T05:59:05Z","updated":"2012-05-16T06:13:37Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"i will destroy humanity"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"books"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"our house in the middle of our street"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"memes & quizzes"}}],"content":"So yesterday I--
*Drove to and from CT in the pouring rain, sharing the road with assholes,
*Made my mom cry (unintentionally)
*Got dragged to Wal*Mart, possibly in retaliation for the crying thing,
*Found out our tenant is potentially moving out as early as June,
*Got stung by a wasp. A dead wasp,
*Helped the husband deal with a leaking roof where 'deal' means 'fret, call roofers, throw down towels, hope for the best'
*Found out said moving tenant is actually racist (\"[I don't]...want to sound racist, but there are a lot of Hispanics in the neighborhood.\")

After all of that, I've decided I need something as a pickmeup. Personally, I drank a bit (black cherry rum 'n cokes, mmm), but in the vein of being more social and NOT drinking tomorrow when I get up, this is where I turn to you, gentle readers.

SUGGEST TO ME BOOKS I SHOULD BUY, POSSIBLY ON MY KINDLE!

Sure, I have no money to buy new books, BUT WHATEVER. I like hearing about new things to read and samples are the best thing EVAR. (I kid, I kid, but they are pretty cool.) So, hit me! Title, author, why you think I'd enjoy it (if you're so inclined...). Whatever you want to include to help convince me to read it. Suggest as many as you like! Yay!

BONUS QUESTION: If you could see me LARPing as any character from books, TV, movies, comics, or other media, who would it be? Why?

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:482779","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/482779.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=482779"}}],"title":"My Current Dilemma in Song Form","published":"2012-05-07T19:54:30Z","updated":"2012-05-07T19:59:29Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"stroll down memory lane"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"larping"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"gaming"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"youtubed"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"geekery"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"it seemed like a good idea at the time"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"books"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"musicality"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"black jewels series"}}],"content":"(\"[profile]<\/a>darkoni42<\/b><\/a><\/span>, I hope this gets me bonus points somehow)

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
It's supposed to end after the song, I'm not sure why it doesn't. Enh, oh well.<\/small><\/center>

(Warning: Links may contain spoilers)

Who should I be?
There's so many sides to me.
I could be gorgeous or poor,
A queen or a whore.
It's all up up to me.
So who should I be?
Who could<\/i> I be?
Who should I be?

I could be Lale the assassin<\/a>,
But Azula<\/a>'d make me proud!
Or I could become girl!Locke Lamora<\/a>
Though I dunno if gender-swap is allowed.

Who should I be?
There's so many sides to me.
I could be a Melisande<\/a>, a Karla<\/a>,
An Emma<\/a>, a Vin<\/a>.
Ass-kicking girls who all like to win!

Who should I be?
It's all up to me,
Who should I be?<\/i>

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:482141","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/482141.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=482141"}}],"title":"Standing With Planned Parenthood","published":"2012-05-03T21:30:32Z","updated":"2012-05-03T21:30:32Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"psa"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"herding cats"}}],"content":"Okay, so there's the PP post going around my f-list; I'm proud to have been able to start a few threads of it myself. Anyway, as I was going to buy myself an orange V-gift (and the P-flag rhino), I stopped and realized that it might be better sent as a gift to someone. But, dammit, I<\/i> want the \"I Stand with PP\" v-gift on MY profile page. Sure, I could send someone else the gift (like any of the people reposting it on their lists), but what if I didn't get one back? MY PROFILE PAGE MIGHT NOT SHOW HOW MUCH I LOVE PLANNED PARENTHOOD! But what if a BUNCH of people sent me the gifts? My profile page would look awesome, yes, but I'd feel bad if I didn't return the favor and I don't have all the monies. And then some OTHER poor person's profile might look unloved.

Truly, this was a conundrum of mind-bending proportions. OMG WHAT TO DO?!??!!?!?1111ONE

All joking aside, I decided to set up this post where people can ping in and offer to sponsor someone's PP v-gift in the $1, $5, and $10 denominations. Tag off someone, offer to swap V-gifts, and voila! We all get v-gifts, our profile pages are shiny, and Planned Parenthood gets lots of money.

It's that last one that means the most."},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:481959","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/481959.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=481959"}}],"title":"Help Us Support Planned Parenthood","published":"2012-05-03T13:43:38Z","updated":"2012-05-03T13:43:38Z","content":"Originally posted by <\/a>tinylegacies<\/b><\/a>
<\/a>theljstaff<\/b><\/a>
send a specially designed Planned Parenthood vgift<\/a> to your friends to help support this cause. (And if you need someone to send it to, <\/a>frank<\/b><\/a>
http:\/\/www.plannedparenthood.org\/<\/a>

-The LiveJournal Team

(If you'd like to help spread the word that we're raising funds for Planned Parenthood, you can crosspost this entry in your own journal or community by using the repost button below!)
<\/lj-repost><\/center><\/div><\/div>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:481532","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/481532.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=481532"}}],"title":"Return to Mavella","published":"2012-04-25T00:06:11Z","updated":"2012-04-25T00:09:11Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"fanfiction"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"larping"}}],"content":"Festival this weekend saw the first run of Jesriah<\/i>, which was a game set in the same universe as the acclaimed LARP, The Prince Comes of Age<\/i>. In Jesriah, however, the PCoA canon that the GMs used was from the first run, where Cessan marries Jinjiera instead of Sarah. That in mind, I'm writing a new fic, one that takes the events of our game and mashes them up with the new canon ending.



The clock read five minutes to midnight as the herald struck his staff three times against the marble tiles of the floor. The party had reached a fever-pitch, loud and raucous as the guests indulged in Ferlis's wares and worked off the adrenaline of not one nor two but three<\/i> full-scale melee battles, but the room quieted almost instantly as each blow echoed through the room. It was possible that some people had forgotten there was more to the evening than simply a celebration of Cessan's nativity. At midnight he would turn eighteen; more important than that, at midnight he would have to name his bride, who, upon the birth of their first child, would become the future Queen of Mavella. All eyes swung to him, the air heavy with expectation as they waited to discover who he would choose.

Cessan lifted his head from Sara's shoulder with a disbelieving, \"It's that time already?\" For once, his confusion did not have a chemical source; Sara had forbidden Ferlis from supplying him anything stronger than champagne after eleven. She'd had a lecture all prepared for them, about how he was going to be making a choice that would impact the entire queendom and he owed it to everyone to make it clear-headed, but they hadn't given her the chance. Ferlis had shrugged and said it would be better to wait until after the announcement so they could celebrate, and Cessan had simply flopped down beside her and rested his head on her shoulder and dozed. It had been a very long party for him. First there had been the ultraviolent (Akhun had tried explaining that there was no 'n' in the name, but Cessan had fought<\/i> the wretched thing and ultraviolent it certainly was!), and then discovering he was half-demon, and then the battle with the automaton assassin, followed by going up against a real and true actual<\/i> demon from the catacombs. He had every reason to be sleepy, drat it all.

\"That time,\" Sara agreed, poking him in the side when he groaned and tried to rest back down again. \"You ready?\"

Cessan frowned. \"If I say no, do you think they'll let me think about it for a few more weeks?\" He gave her his best hopeful puppy eyes. \"I promise to think about it every day until then!\"

Giving him a gentle smile, Sara rose and offered him her hand. Unlike most of the ladies in his mother's court, her hand was strong, covered with callouses, rough from years of swordplay. He hadn't truly understood how good she was with her sword until she'd saved his life tonight. Multiple times. \"Just listen to your heart,\" she reminded him softly as she helped him up. \"Think of your people, yes, but also think of yourself. Think of the woman who will be best for you and<\/i> your country. Choose the woman you think you can love.\"

He closed his eyes, letting her usual good sense wash over him. Choose the woman you think you can love.<\/i> \"I will, Sara,\" he promised, leaning forward to brush his lips across her cheek. \"I'll choose the right girl. I think I finally know who she is.\"

\"Well, hurry up,\" Ferlis complained while his date nibbled the side of his neck--and his sister looked on in disapproval. \"I've got a lot of money riding on this.\"

\"And, you know, only the future of the entire country,\" Maxa jibed. \"But let's not lose sight of Ferlis's gold.\"

\"There are bets?!\" Cessan asked, trying not to facepalm.

\"More like gentlemen's wagers,\" Ferlis replied. Cessan started to relax, only to tense up again when Maxa added, \"Only because we weren't allowed to place bets with the real bookies. They claimed we'd have too much of an advantage.\"

\"All of Fairview's<\/i> in on this?!\"

\"Indeed!\" Ed proclaimed grandly--and tipsily. \"In fact, I have two-to-one odds on you choosing the lovely--\" Several hands clamped over his mouth before he could finish.

\"Cessan, with the right stakes, you can find an idiot willing to bet the sun will rise in the west tomorrow,\" Ferlis said, hastily trying to distract Cessan's attention again.

\"And before you tell us what the stakes were to make you take that bet, idiot,\" Eluen interrupted, \"Cessan's got about two minutes to make his choice. Stop blathering on and let him go.\"

\"Fun-pire,\" Ferlis, Maxa, and Cessan muttered in unison. Sara and Eluen rolled their eyes and pointed towards the dais where the herald waited with increasing impatience.



The walk up to the dais seemed very long to Cessan. He was acutely aware of his prospective brides; by tradition, they had lined up at the foot of the dais, so his eyes would remain on them for the entire length of the room. Septima looked relaxed, almost thoughtful, except for the way her eyes kept scanning the room, her hand twitching towards the weapon that was not on her belt. Serena's face was composed as usual, her tranquil expression giving nothing away. Jinjiera wasn't as good as hiding her feelings as the other two; she looked hopeful, though her knuckles were white where she was clinging to her newfound sister's hand. She had the most riding on his decision, he knew. She'd talked to him about her father and her country's oppressive laws, keeping women as chattel, less important than men. If he married another, she'd have to go back to that place.

He willed his legs not to shake as he climbed the stairs, wishing he'd ignored Sara and asked Ferlis for something to calm him anyway. He wanted to grumble at her--he was a prince! he was of age! he could take whatever he wanted!--but he knew she'd just been taking care of him. Like she always did. Like she always had. Like she always would. That thought steadied him as he turned and began his brief speech.

\"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for celebrating my birthday with me. While it's definitely one we will always remember--though with a bit more fighting than we'd anticipated, I think--the time has come for me to turn this party from memorable to historical. It's time for me to choose the lady that will be my wife and the queen of my home in the years to come.\" Here, he was supposed to talk about how the ladies he didn't choose were still wonderful and beautiful and he was sure that any one of them would be able to grace his arm and rule his country well, but Cessan found his mouth going dry and his tongue in knots. He couldn't draw this out any longer. Not for their benefit, but his own. The weight of everyone's expectant stare was getting to be a little much, even for him. \"The next queen of Mavella will be...\"

He looked out at the crowd, his eyes going to Sara almost by instinct. She tapped her heart three times and offered him a sweet smile. Trust your heart.<\/i> She was right; just like always. He knew which lady he should ask to marry him; his heart was telling him this was the right thing to do.

\"Princess Jinjiera!\"<\/a>

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:481200","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/481200.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=481200"}}],"title":"High Tea Costuming","published":"2012-04-19T21:43:52Z","updated":"2012-04-19T21:44:34Z","category":{"@attributes":{"term":"larping"}},"content":"So, folks what are playing in High Tea--what are you wearing?

Funny how I'm not stressing over what I'm wearing for Interesting Times. It's not a historically accurate gown at all, but since the game is fantasy, I don't really care how accurate my costuming is. But since High Tea is practically grounded in history, I'd like to not flub the costuming TOO badly.

Oy.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:480895","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/480895.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=480895"}}],"title":"I'm Starting to Think We Need an Intervention...","published":"2012-04-09T23:26:51Z","updated":"2012-04-09T23:27:15Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"not real people"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"gaming"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"ic writeup"}}],"content":"I am starting to have mixed feelings about my friends. On the one hand, they're my friends! They care about me and want to help me and I'm pretty sure they have my best interest at heart because I am naive and a little stupid at people<\/s>. On the other hand, I can't really ignore how many glaring flaws they have. I'm not saying I expect them to be perfect or anything! But...maybe a little less prone to outright murder?

After we got close to the Mormon compound, we pulled into an abandoned Wal-Mart to rest for the day, reconnoiter, and let Shelly sleep. The parking lot had a lot of abandoned cars (filled with zombies which made me sad to see) and I tried to scavenge some stuff for our car, since it got attacked by the land-squiddy thing. (Also, in the store, I found a lot of useful, nifty stuff, including some DVDs! And a DVD player! There were lots and lots of movies, including some good stuff from when I was little, and a bunch of old, boring grownup movies, like the dumb space movie about robots and a farm boy. Blech.) But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

So, on our way to park, we started talking about what we should do about the vampire that talked to Shelly and thinks we're coming to rescue him. I mentioned we'd need another bodybag, in case we get out during the day, but I guess everyone else thinks that we should kill him, EVEN THOUGH HE TOTALLY THINKS WE'RE COMING TO SAVE HIM AND HAS BEEN USEFUL TO US WITH INFORMATION AND EVERYTHING. Everyone else thinks he's too strong and might upset the balance of power back in Vegas. But wouldn't it be useful to have a strong vampire on our side? He could help us stop the Mormons! But Tabitha says he's TOO strong and Shelly says that he'll probably wait for us to free him, then kill us and eat us.

I think that betraying someone just because you think they're gonna betray you first is wrong. Maybe he's only thinking about killing us and eating us because he thinks we're going to kill him for being so strong and old. It's a circle of violence and mistrust that doesn't end! But if both sides would just hold on for a moment, they'd see that we could both be useful to one another!

Anyway, the conversation where everyone basically said that we're going to kill an innocent vampire out of hand because they're scared of him made me so mad, I left in a huff to go scavenge the cars and the Wal-Mart and stuff. After I got my super-awesome haul (the place had been pretty cleaned out, but I knew there was more stuff and I found it!), I brought it back to the car to store. Except the back of the car smelled like pee, which was weird. I didn't think<\/i> anyone was that gross? So I started pulling stuff out to find the source of the smell and found a little boy wedged in the trunk. I guess he's not a little<\/i> boy, he's about 13, but he acts just like a kid.

He was unconscious when I found him, with a concussion and a broken arm. I healed him some and he came around and asked for Jack. Turns out he's Jack's kid! I didn't even know Jack HAD a kid! He never talked about him, for all that he's all, \"blah blah family pack blah blah blah.\" I guess the kid didn't count because he wasn't a werewolf yet, just a kindred. And the kid wanted to spend more time with his dad because Jack is seriously never home and more involved with the younger werewolves when he IS home (I think he's an absentee dad. Mom used to talk about those a lot) and maybe just act out to get attention, so he snuck into the car with us. Jack wanted to send him home, but we're a million miles away, and then he wanted the kid to stay in the car, but I pointed out that what if there was a fire, so finally Jack just got all snarly at us. But what if the car WERE on fire? Wouldn't he rather his son not burn to death?

And then he growled because his son wasn't trained, and I pointed out he was never going to GET trained if Jack kept coddling him and that I'd been on my own since I was younger than that kid, and Jack just kept getting madder. He has a terrible temper. And doesn't like hearing he's wrong about things. Which is UNFAIR! I don't see why I can't make good points just because Jack doesn't want to hear them! And then I pointed out that Jack is never home to teach his some anyway--WHICH IS TRUE!--and Jack went beserk on me! He just frenzied and tried to kill me! But then his son dove in the way to protect me (even though I had already dodged because I don't wait around for people to hopefully help ME!) and Jack killed him! No, seriously, he did! His claws went right through him and it was awful! Poor kid was practically in half!

But I guess the shock of being horribly murdered by your own dad<\/i> was enough to trigger his first transformation, so he came back and lunged at his dad, also in a berserker rage. Jack kinda knocked him out of the way and clawed open my chest!

Then he calmed down and gave him and me some fancy magic juice that healed us, and he and his son kept acting like what happened was a GOOD thing. I don't understand! How is giving into a crazy rage a good thing, especially when it could so easily have turned into the death of your only son and the only (?) Bastet in the whole west?!

I'm rethinking the status of our friendship. I don't know if I want to keep being friends with Jack, but then, didn't I do the same thing to Ben just a few weeks ago? And he<\/i> forgave me. Maybe I should take some time and think about how I feel. All I do know is that on the ride home, Jack's son is sitting bitch between him and Tabitha. I'm sitting out of gouging distance. I don't like sucking chest wounds, I really don't.<\/a>

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:480736","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/480736.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=480736"}}],"title":"50 Shades of Grey","published":"2012-04-08T21:23:26Z","updated":"2012-04-08T21:23:26Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"it seemed like a good idea at the time"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"books"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"friends"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"herding cats"}}],"content":"For those of you who wished to follow along, we'll be starting the ebook tomorrow and reading two chapters a day for the next two weeks.

Quoth \"[personal<\/a>ladyscience<\/b><\/a><\/span>:

I was going to put together questions, like a real reading club, but OMG IT'S SO AWFUL I CAN'T. Just start up an e-mail chain when you feel the urge. I doubt anyone will mind if someone reads ahead and talks about it- I don't think there is a whole lot of plot to spoil in this thing.<\/i>

Ping here if you are in and would like a copy of this literary treasure! (No, seriously, if you're responding to this post, I'm going to assume you want a copy and will send it to you via email.)

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:480294","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/480294.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=480294"}}],"title":"Do You Have Too Many Braincells And Don't Want to Bother with Drugs?","published":"2012-04-03T19:51:52Z","updated":"2012-04-03T19:57:59Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"i will destroy humanity"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"whiskey tango foxtrot"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"the internet is for [x]"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"why am i dumb?"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"friends"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"reviews"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"it seemed like a good idea at the time"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"something less stupid plz"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"books"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"herding cats"}}],"content":"Alternate title: My friends are fucked up.

Soooo, \"[personal<\/a>ladyscience<\/b><\/a><\/span> and \"[personal<\/a>krafey<\/b><\/a><\/span>\/\"[profile]<\/a>how_low_am_i<\/b><\/a><\/span> have gotten a 'complimentary' e-copy of the delightful novel Fifty Shades of Gray<\/i>, a BDSM romance novel that began its life as a Twilight fanfic. A non-parody<\/i> fanfic, in fact. Hey, tens of thousands of bored, Vicodin-addicted housewives can't be wrong, can they?

Anyway, in their wisdom (term used as loosely as possible), my friends (also used as loosely as possible) have decided that this book needs to be read. Together, of course, because pain shared is pain...shared...or something. Misery loves company. Some shit like that. So, starting next week (I think?), we will be reading Fifty Shades of Gray<\/i>. And discussing it. By 'discussion,' I'm guessing that we'll mostly be bitching and talking about WTF?!? THIS GOT PUBLISHED?!? AND OPTIONED?!?, but, hey. There could be something approaching literary merit there.

Who knows? Stranger things have happened!

And again, because misery loves company, I'm offering this possibility to you, gentle reader. Do you find it impossible to look away from a trainwreck and\/or resist a double-dog dare over the internet? Do you find yourself wishing you were dumber, so that you could better interact with the jackasses around you? Is booze no longer killing the pain? Do you like complimentary e-books? Would you like to join us in reading and discussing a possible (but not likely) literary masterwork? If any of these things are true, you should join our e-read along!

Please? Please? DON'T MAKE US READ THIS ALONE!

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:480009","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/480009.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=480009"}}],"title":"Voice Post","published":"2012-03-21T17:05:57Z","updated":"2012-03-21T17:05:57Z","content":""},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:479976","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/479976.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=479976"}}],"title":"Today was a hard day...","published":"2012-03-13T05:50:04Z","updated":"2012-03-13T05:50:04Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"not real people"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"gaming"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"ic writeup"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"saddities"}}],"content":"Excerpts from Raniah's*<\/small> journal...

...Today was an excellent day for sneaking! I was on my way to take a good look at the 'Restricted' section of the Luxor (His Nibs gave me authorization!), when I saw Jack and Tabitha talking to one another in the dining room. I HAD to know what they were talking about, so I snuck under a nearby table to listen. I was a little worried about Tabitha spotting me (it's like she has eyes in the back of her head sometimes!), but not Jack; he's already proven he's as unobservant as a stick. Neither of them noticed me (I AM THE BEST AT SNEAKING, YAY!), but I think they were talking in one another's heads. Because they would start to say something good and then fall silent! It was so frustrating! And the other person wouldn't reach out and choke the answer from the first person, which I would do if the other person just stopped talking as soon as they reached a good point, so they MUST have been talking in secret.

I'm going to have to sneak into Tabitha's apartment some time. There are secrets there. I just KNOW it.

After they stopped talking, I continued on upstairs to where it got Restricted. I spent a long time prowling around in air vents and ducks and above the ceiling. I love drop ceilings. They must have been invented by a Bastet. I found some cool places, including what looked almost like a mini-lounge area, filled with lots of book cases and things. The room off of that was filled with big drawers, built right in the middle of the walls! They were padlocked and I was GONNA call His Nibs to see if I could get him to stick his head through the drawers and see what was inside, because sometimes padlocks keep people from sneaking in, and other times they're to keep things from getting out, but then I had to call him anyway because the whole stupid room was blocked by invisible walls. Even the ceiling! I HATE<\/a> invisible walls. At least this time I wasn't running though.

So I called His Nibs to come in and see if he could get through it. He could, but only a little--he clawed a circle so tine even he had to struggle to get through. He peered into the drawers and said they were filled with dead bodies. Except we don't think they're dead-dead; they weren't stinky or rotting and the drawers weren't that cold. They didn't have stakes in their hearts, but it was daytime, and Shelly looks a lot like she's dead in the day time. But why would they have vampires all padlocked away? Shouldn't they be earning their keep, too?

Since I couldn't get down into the room to explore, I went back out into the first room. There was a cabinet that they wanted me to go through (it was locked, which is practically an invitation, right?) and found a lot of cups and bowls and knives and things. I'd say it was like a china cabinet, but nothing matched and there were no plates or forks. Also, the last people to put stuff away weren't very neat; the whole cabinet reeked of blood. I'm not going to cast aspersions on other people's cleanliness, but when everyone gets sick from eating off of dirty plates, no one can say I didn't tell them so.

Okay, well, I didn't tell anyway. BUT I THOUGHT IT. And that's what counts.

There were also lots of bookshelves everywhere. That was nice, because I'm finding out just how ignorant I am. I checked out the locked bookshelf first, but all the books were written in foreign languages or hurt my eyes to look at. I got into a staring contest with an eyeball in a book spine, and I won! Stupid eyeball. I'm a cat!

I'm almost positive<\/i> that bookshelf was filled with magic books.

The other ones weren't locked and seemed more regular. There were a bunch of books about the weirdos in the city, but none about the Bastet (which is sadmaking, but understandable. We're not stupid enough to leave all our secrets written DOWN!)

Then what, pray tell, are you doing now, my dear? Also, I do not believe 'His Nibs' is a respectful way to discuss His Majesty, the King of Cats.<\/font>

BY SELINE, I TOLD YOU TO STOP READING MY DIARY! IT'S LIKE BRAIN WADING!<\/font>

So I stole a few of the books about the weirdos and brought them back with me so I can learn more about things. I fluffed the remaining books so it wouldn't be obvious they were missing and snuck back out. But I wasn't done. Oh no. There was still somewhere else I had to go: Sheol<\/s> Sioal<\/s> Shall<\/s> Shialdred's room. (If she wanted me to spell her name right, she would have had an easier name!) I snuck through more vents and got into her quarters. She was writing in a big book; I don't know what language it was, but it wasn't English. Or Devanagari, but I think it had a similar root. Some of the characters looked kind of the same. She was humming something, too. It was pretty, but I don't know the song. I didn't go into her suite and look around; she's the head of all the weirdos and she didn't get there by being careless. Instead, I just watched and loosened the screws around the vent and then she got a phone call. She went into what I thought was a closet, but it might be a whole new room or it might be MAGIC and while I wanted to sneak in and look around and maybe find some secrets, I decided I'd done enough prep work for one day and crept back out.

Still, now I have some news books and stuff to think about!<\/a>

...Today was a day for talking. But talking made me sad. I was sneaking after Tabitha, because I want to know more about her. I just KNOW she has secrets! I've been trying to find out where she lives, so I can sneak in when she was busy, but I haven't been able to find her hotel room. And today she spotted me! I don't even know how! She didn't even turn around! There's something sneaky about her.

But since she knew I was there, I asked if we could talk, because she somehow knows EVERYTHING. She knows more about being a Bastet than I do! And even Shuldred respects her and confides in her. She didn't bring me back to her room (dammit!) but we did talk.

And she told me about the Impurgeum. I think that's spelled right. Cause it was a purge! A purge of almost all the Changing Breeds. By the Garou! Because they thought that we had secrets (which we did, duh) and that we were evil and corrupt. Which we weren't! They killed off almost all Mokolays and the Guh-rowls, and the Annie-somethings, and maybe even the Nagas! They tried to kill off all the Bastets, but we were too sneaky and cunning for them, which is why there's a lot of us left. Or there were, before the End of Everything. I don't think I like the Garou anymore. Or the Korvax, because they told the Garou where everyone could be found in exchange for not getting killed themselves.

(The Korvax do NOT speak for the trees. I asked Tabitha about it. She said that that book (and the Cat in the Hat) weren't secret books for Bastets. But that Cat is so tricksy and smart! But Tabitha is smart too, and said no.)

But, anyway, Tabitha told me to talk to Jack about the war before I decided whether or not I wanted to talk to him anymore. She said he might have a good reason for not telling me all of this. I hope for his sake he does.

I also told Tabitha about the Dark Day. With Mom. I hope she still likes me.

Dammit! I just realized that I had so much to think about after that talk, I forgot about tailing her afterwards! Ugh! But, on the other hand, I learned a lot. And even if they aren't secrets, they're new to me.<\/a>

...OH NO! THE BABY! How could I have forgotten about the baby?! We have to find it! But...I'm so sleepy. I can barely keep my eyes open. It's gettng hard to rite. I shld leave a note for Shelly. 1st I gotta hide my diary. So glad Mr. T's back in his super-hidey spot. With traps. Why am I so sleepy? Maybe I shld ask

Why, what is this? A diary left out? A lesser cat would read this, but not I! I will just put this back in the very clever and secret hiding place it goes. Not that I know where that is. If this ends up in the right place, it is a fortuitous and lucky accident!<\/font><\/a>




...I AM THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD! I shouldn't be allowed near good people! I should be...I don't know, declawed and put into a cage or kept far away from people so I can't hurt anyone. It's like the Dark Day, but WORSE, because I'm not a kitten anymore. I know how to control myself. And it wasn't an accident.

I hurt Ben today.

I fell asleep again. Sometimes I do that. I fall asleep for days and days and days and I can't be woken up at all. Shelly saw me do this before, in the desert, but I guess this time she got scared. So she asked Ben to come up to our room and look around for the books I've been hiding and see if there's any information in there about my sleepy spells.

THEY ARE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS TO ME! AND I AM AWFUL!<\/i>

Because, you see, I didn't know that! I just know that I woke up this morning and looked around and there was Ben, on Shelly's bed, with Mr. T! I was so scared I didn't even think! I just switched to my Chatro form and attacked him! I raked him but good with my claws. Blood was everywhere! I ripped right through his clothes and his skin and left gouges on his ribs! And I was gonna hurt him again--but he gave me back Mr. T's mirror. Then Shelly woke up and explained that they were just trying to help me and I realized how bad Ben was hurt and how awful I was for attacking a friend and felt really, really bad! I licked his wounds healed and then felt just AWFUL and I started thinking about how this was just as bad as the Dark Day, when I pushed Mama, except at least she was trying to hurt me and Ben was just helping and I am a horrible, horrible person!

Maybe I have rabies?

So I just turned and ran away, breaking down my door to try to get out of there. Ben called for me to wait and for a minute I almost wanted<\/i> to, but I couldn't face him after being so awful. I turned into my panther form and just ran and ran and ran. I couldn't even think, I just had to get away. I didn't even know where I went, until I found myself in the vents in Sheoldrud's room. She heard me crying and convinced me to come out and gave me warm milk and let me nap. She tried to tell me that I'm not awful, but she's wrong. I am.

I think tomorrow morning, I'm going to go back to the room and get my stuff. Shelly deserves better than to room with an...with an animal.<\/a>


_____________________________
*<\/small> My Bagheera Bastet in \"[profile]<\/a>ddrpolaris<\/b><\/a><\/span>'s Post-Apocalyptic OWoD campaign. She is young, only 19, and was 6\/7 when the Apocalypse happened. Considering my ignorance of almost everything WoD related, her ignorance is quite handy because I don't have to pretend like I don't know any of the things she wouldn't know, yay!

Raniah is a different character for me: young, relatively innocent, non-manipulative, forthright, direct, and noble in her own, chaotic good kind of way. She is one of the nicest, kindest, and least selfish people in the party. This can only end poorly for her, as \"[personal<\/a>k1ttycat<\/b><\/a><\/span> and \"[profile]<\/a>thorgodoft<\/b><\/a><\/span> are also playing. Their characters are...less nice.<\/a>

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:479206","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/479206.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=479206"}}],"title":"Prince Comes of Age fic...","published":"2012-03-10T06:15:34Z","updated":"2012-03-10T06:15:34Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"fanfiction"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"larping"}}],"content":"The post was too large for a single LJ post, so if you're interested, please follow this handy link over to Dreamwidth<\/a>!"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:478748","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/478748.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=478748"}}],"title":"Gathering information for no reason at all, la...","published":"2012-03-10T03:41:43Z","updated":"2012-03-10T03:41:43Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"pollsy mcpollsalot"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"party"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"sailor moon"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"herding cats"}}],"content":"MOAR POLLS. CLICK THE CLICKY-BOXES, YAY!

View Poll: Sailor Moon TUB<\/a><\/div>

How would you feel about attending a weekend-long slumber party featuring 80's cartoons, sugary cereals, board games, jello-shots, and whatever other slumber party things we decide to do?

TAKE THE POLL AND TELL ME!
View Poll: 80's Slumber Party Cartoon Extravaganza!<\/a><\/div>

Anything else you'd like to share in the comments?

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:478084","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/478084.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=478084"}}],"title":"Help Me Choose My Next Book","published":"2012-03-09T00:24:29Z","updated":"2012-03-09T00:24:29Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"kindle"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"books"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"pollsy mcpollsalot"}}],"content":"
View Poll: Help Me Choose My Next Book<\/a><\/div>


Feel free to suggest another book in the comments and\/or explain and argue for your choice! No spoilers, please, but additional consideration is given to books that have compelling arguments why I need to own that book right this minute.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:477547","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/477547.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=477547"}}],"title":"I am so proud of her!","published":"2012-03-08T03:20:34Z","updated":"2012-03-08T03:20:34Z","category":{"@attributes":{"term":"friends"}},"content":"\"[profile]<\/a>k1ttycat<\/b><\/a><\/span>: What did you do in sports and gymnastics today?

K1tten (her 3 year old daughter): I played hockey. I wasn't very good, but I won't give up.

SO MUCH PRIDE!

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:477366","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/477366.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=477366"}}],"title":"I Blame Any Number of People Who Are Not Me...","published":"2012-03-07T00:44:40Z","updated":"2012-03-07T00:45:01Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"fanfiction"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"intercon"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"larping"}}],"content":"\"Tonight had been his coming of age party, but he hadn\u2019t expected to grow up quite so fast...\"<\/i>

1800 words in, no end in sight. Hell they haven't even gotten into the same room yet.

Oi, me.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:477082","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/477082.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=477082"}}],"title":"I'm a Kitty!","published":"2012-02-28T01:20:42Z","updated":"2012-02-28T01:21:31Z","content":"When last we left our intrepid adventurers...<\/i>

If I never see another river again, I can die happily and go to the plane of catnip.

So after Jack and I came back around (we'd circled around to repair the electrical thingies--look I can repair, doesn't mean I know all the fancy technical talk) to the dam, I noticed there was a trap in the road. Because I am awesome that way. So we got out and I shifted into my panther form and then used the gift Silent Stalker to creep through the woods in utter silence and stealth.

UNLIKE JACK, WHO APPARENTLY LOST NOT ONLY HIS EYE, BUT ALSO BOTH EARS AND POSSIBLY HIS NOSE. How anyone can sneak that poorly is beyond me. Maybe he's never been in the woods before?

His Majesty is telling me I should be less judgmental of the shortcomings of others. But really, I am at a loss about how anyone could be that bad at sneaking!

Anyway, I<\/s> we<\/i> were sneaking, and then I saw some bad guys carrying Shelly's body. I thought she was dead! It was very sad. And then they saw JACK<\/s> us (but really Jack), they swapped out their clips with silver bullets (with crosses on them!) and shot Jack repeatedly. They never shot at me because I was sneaky.

But then I was really, really upset because they had killed by new best friend AND SHOT JACK WITH SILVER! So I charged them, stealthily and in secret. I was a shadow amongst shadows! I was like a breath of silver mist across the moon! I was the swift wind of winter, cutting to the bone and carrying the promise of death!

There was an invisible wall. It hurt.

But then I broke through the shield and watched as an evil lady tossed Shelly over the edge of the dam and dove over herself. I was already dodging a bad guy, and so I leapt over the edge after Shelly's body because I wasn't going to let her body get washed away. So I spent a lot of time wandering around in the water.

I LOATHE SWIMMING.

But I rescued Shelly, and I dragged her to shore, and then I saw a body bag and I asked Jack (cause we were talking in each other's heads which is kinda weird, but His Majesty seemed to think that it's probably okay.) At first he said we didn't care about it, so I got out of the water, but then he said we DID care about it, so BACK INTO THE STUPID WATER I went. I swam after the bag and dragged it to the shore, JUST IN TIME FOR A GIANT, STUPID WAVE that came and washed over me! It was awful! I was drenched and soaked and gross and dirty!

I managed to keep the bag from getting washed away, as a SECOND giant wave washed over me. UGH. But I was still on my toes and looked up in time to see Shelly's body WASHING AWAY AGAIN, CARRIED BY THE STUPID WAVE. So I hauled the bag further up and went back in to get Shelly's body. I got her and the dam and swapped to my middle phase and trudged, trudged, trudged, trudged, and trudged more, carrying them both back.

It took me a long time to get there, but I set Shelly's body down and went over to take care of Jack because he'd gotten all shot up with silver. I did some immediate & emergency surgery, plucking all but a few up the bullets out of his chest and then licked him back to health, because Jack is my friend and even though he's kinda stodgy and grumpy and can't sneak worth a damn, I'm not gonna let him stay hurt if I can help it.

Then I think there was an explosion downstairs or something, but I was kind of busy bringing Jack back to life. Then I went downstairs to check out the computers and I was incredibly sneaky and cunning about using Mr. Trick to investigate them.

The next day, there was a spirit-spider with a camera on it. I asked His Nibs and Mr. T about it. He told me a lot about the Technocrazy and a bunch of other stuff. He thinks the spider was trapped on the wrong side of the Umbra, and someone found it and tampered with it, and I'm not sure what I think of that. I think I'll talk to Jack and Shelly and maybe Tabitha about that. Sneakily.

Oh! And Shelly is alive again! Yay! It turns out that getting stabbed isn't as fatal to vampires as I thought. There was another, stinky vampire, but he tried to hurt her, so she flung him over the edge of the dam. If I'd known he was just gonna be like that, I wouldn't have spent so much time in the water swimming after him. Ugh.

Now we're just waiting to go home. I need a bath.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:476861","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/476861.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=476861"}}],"title":"For those not following me on Twitter","published":"2012-02-16T09:19:27Z","updated":"2012-02-16T09:19:27Z","category":[{"@attributes":{"term":"worcester blues"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"i will destroy humanity"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"doomnation"}},{"@attributes":{"term":"tophical"}}],"content":"At around 12:30 this morning, \"[profile]<\/a>ddrpolaris<\/b><\/a><\/span> was rear-ended at the stoplight at the intersection of Park and Institute. The driver got out of his car to ascertain that \"[profile]<\/a>ddrpolaris<\/b><\/a><\/span> was okay, and hearing his muffled, \"I think so?\" as he searched for his glasses, said driver immediately dove back into his car and drove away. \"[profile]<\/a>ddrpolaris<\/b><\/a><\/span> didn't get more than the basic description of the other vehicle and no license plate number, what with having to find his glasses that had gone flying in the collision and a general state of, \"No, srsly, wtf?\"

Police were called and reports filed. \"[personal<\/a>ladyscience<\/b><\/a><\/span> and I arrived a few minutes later. The back end of his car is pretty totaled; the back door is crushed, the bumper is hanging, the back window is smashed, and the rear lights are gone. Hopefully, though, because it's all glass and body work, it won't be too expensive to replace and repair, and his insurance won't be a dick about things. I'm more dubious about the dicking about than the inexpensive, but then, I've dealt with (health) insurance a lot and am all kinds of jaded.

We brought \"[profile]<\/a>ddrpolaris<\/b><\/a><\/span> to UMass Memorial Lake Campus ER and waited while he was seen. Preliminary diagnosis is just muscle strain and pain, for which he's supposed to ice it tonight, heat it tomorrow, and take ibuprofen for the pain. If it continues to hurt, he'll be calling his doctor on Monday. We took a quick trip to Marlboro so he could get his work laptop and work from home on Friday, since tomorrow will be devoted to sleeping and having everything. There seems to be no grievous damage to him (though his neck is already fucked up and didn't need the help), though he'll be monitoring himself over the next few days.

Tomorrow, he's gonna be Restypants McGee, so please limit contact to emails and whatall and only call if it's truly important?

Thanks.

Now, excuse me. I have to hunt down every douchebag with a white pickup truck in the Tri-State area.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"},{"id":"urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:shadowravyn:476591","link":[{"@attributes":{"rel":"alternate","type":"text\/html","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/476591.html"}},{"@attributes":{"rel":"self","type":"text\/xml","href":"https:\/\/shadowravyn.livejournal.com\/data\/atom\/?itemid=476591"}}],"title":"This appears to be a thing to do...","published":"2012-02-09T17:01:49Z","updated":"2012-02-10T00:02:48Z","category":{"@attributes":{"term":"memes & quizzes"}},"content":"\"My<\/a>
Get your own valentinr<\/a>

More of an update later in the week, I promise.

[Moving over to Dreamwidth. Catch me over there as booksomewench. This entry cross-posted to both sites. Feel free to comment here or there.]<\/small>"}]}