And we're off!

- laptop? check!
- breakfast? check!
- complete disregard for body's circadian rhythms? check!

Welcome to blogathon 2008 where I will be writing all day and all night to raise money for Vital Ground (http://www.vitalground.org). Bears are near and dear to my heart, the closest thing I have to a spirit animal and the idea of a world where there are no bears is horrifying to me. Vital Ground's mission is to assure that grizzly bears always have a place to roam. Check out their website!

A few bits of info you may find useful regarding my fiction which you will be seeing at different points throughout the event. The main character in my story is Kaden Laura Shea, born on February 20, 1980 to an Irish father and english/american mother. She has dual citizenship and spent large chunks of her early life at her grandparents home in the west ireland countryside. Other characters you will meet include Corinna (rini), Justin, Jaime, Adrian and Michelle who range from 3 years older than Kaden to 3 years younger. You may also meet her family and some of her early life friends. Each time i post a piece of fiction about these characters I will give you the location and date that the story is occurring to provide a reference point as it moves between Ireland, New England, California, and who knows where else. It's not a finished work after all!

Thanks a million for reading me, sponsoring me, and caring for the Grizzly Bears!

And we're off!

- laptop? check!
- breakfast? check!
- complete disregard for body's circadian rhythms? check!

Welcome to blogathon 2008 where I will be writing all day and all night to raise money for Vital Ground (http://www.vitalground.org). Bears are near and dear to my heart, the closest thing I have to a spirit animal and the idea of a world where there are no bears is horrifying to me. Vital Ground's mission is to assure that grizzly bears always have a place to roam. Check out their website!

A few bits of info you may find useful regarding my fiction which you will be seeing at different points throughout the event. The main character in my story is Kaden Laura Shea, born on February 20, 1980 to an Irish father and english/american mother. She has dual citizenship and spent large chunks of her early life at her grandparents home in the west ireland countryside. Other characters you will meet include Corinna (rini), Justin, Jaime, Adrian and Michelle who range from 3 years older than Kaden to 3 years younger. You may also meet her family and some of her early life friends. Each time i post a piece of fiction about these characters I will give you the location and date that the story is occurring to provide a reference point as it moves between Ireland, New England, California, and who knows where else. It's not a finished work after all!

Thanks a million for reading me, sponsoring me, and caring for the Grizzly Bears!

The promised bear content!

Welcome to the first bit of bear content in 2008 blogging for BEARS!

Doug Seus, the founder of Vital Ground, has had a lot to say about the personalities of bears. His experiences with bears lead him to believe that they are just as varied as humans. Some have great senses of humour, some not so much. Some have lots of deep thoughts, others would rather just play. Some are active all the time, some just want to lay around. We can see evidence of this in photos which show bears in different positions and situations, playing, caring for their young, resting, hunting, sometimes I'm not sure what they're doing. Anyway I've always felt that, cute as lolcats are, lolbears have just as much potential.

Fortunately someone agrees with me. A few weeks ago feste_sylvain's youngest daughter put together the following lolbears video on youtube:

If fan fiction is of interest to you, check out wired_lizard's journal where she is writing fan fic of the Marvel Comics universe all day and night to raise money for Planned Parenthood.

And don't forget to head to http://www.vitalground.org! comment here if you're donating!

The promised bear content!

Welcome to the first bit of bear content in 2008 blogging for BEARS!

Doug Seus, the founder of Vital Ground, has had a lot to say about the personalities of bears. His experiences with bears lead him to believe that they are just as varied as humans. Some have great senses of humour, some not so much. Some have lots of deep thoughts, others would rather just play. Some are active all the time, some just want to lay around. We can see evidence of this in photos which show bears in different positions and situations, playing, caring for their young, resting, hunting, sometimes I'm not sure what they're doing. Anyway I've always felt that, cute as lolcats are, lolbears have just as much potential.

Fortunately someone agrees with me. A few weeks ago feste_sylvain's youngest daughter put together the following lolbears video on youtube:

If fan fiction is of interest to you, check out wired_lizard's journal where she is writing fan fic of the Marvel Comics universe all day and night to raise money for Planned Parenthood.

And don't forget to head to http://www.vitalground.org! comment here if you're donating!

(fiction) Summer morning

June 21, 1999, Somerville Massachusetts-

Something tickled at the corner of Kaden's awareness. For a moment she considered allowing herself to wake up and investigate but the soft texture of the pillow won out and she rolled over, draping her arm around her sleeping partner and drifting back to sleep. That lasted for a few moments...

"FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!"

*WHOMP*

The something that had been tickling at a corner landed sprawled out on the futon, pieces of it stretching to poke both Kaden and Rini's bodies out of somnalescence. Kaden rubbed at her eyes and grumbled something unintelligible as she gazed on Jaime's satisfied face, blonde curls bouncing down his neck.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Rini growled as she slammed a pillow against Jaime's chest.
"I'm waking you up! It's the first day of summer! We're going to the cape! Beach time!"
"Wait, wha...?" At this point Kaden had gotten as far as being able to produce sound but her comprehension was sorely lacking. "Who is we, exactly?"
"Never mind who, exactly how are we doing this? For that matter, how did you get into the apartment?" Rini was less overtly hostile by this point but she would still need some convincing if she was to do anything other than lie in her bed for the next several hours.
"Justin's coming. he's got a car. He's already in the kitchen brewing the coffee."
"You've gotta be fucking kidding." At the thought of spending almost 2 hours crammed into Justin's tiny tercel hatchback, Kaden was becoming a little hostile herself!
"It's not so bad. Come on, you're gonna hang around here all day? No AC in the house, its gonna hit 90 by noon."
"We're not talking you out of this are we." It wasn't a question. Rini was up out of bed digging through Kaden's dresser "Where are the bathing suits?"
"I don't have any. I swim in gym shorts and a tank. We can go by your place on the way."
"Excellent, we'll leave in an hour!" and with that Jaime left the room, closing the door behind him.
"What the hell just happened?" Rini said to the back of the door.
"Don't ask me, he's your boyfriend."
***

I know, not terribly interesting or revealing but this scene came to me yesterday and I just thought it was so adorable.
If you're reading today, don't forget to check out slipjig's journal. He will be writing lists every half hour. Lists of what? You'll have to read to find out. He is blogging today for the American Cancer Society.

To sponsor me comment or e-mail me with your donation amount and then head to http://www.vitalground.org to donate.

(fiction) Summer morning

June 21, 1999, Somerville Massachusetts-

Something tickled at the corner of Kaden's awareness. For a moment she considered allowing herself to wake up and investigate but the soft texture of the pillow won out and she rolled over, draping her arm around her sleeping partner and drifting back to sleep. That lasted for a few moments...

"FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!"

*WHOMP*

The something that had been tickling at a corner landed sprawled out on the futon, pieces of it stretching to poke both Kaden and Rini's bodies out of somnalescence. Kaden rubbed at her eyes and grumbled something unintelligible as she gazed on Jaime's satisfied face, blonde curls bouncing down his neck.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Rini growled as she slammed a pillow against Jaime's chest.
"I'm waking you up! It's the first day of summer! We're going to the cape! Beach time!"
"Wait, wha...?" At this point Kaden had gotten as far as being able to produce sound but her comprehension was sorely lacking. "Who is we, exactly?"
"Never mind who, exactly how are we doing this? For that matter, how did you get into the apartment?" Rini was less overtly hostile by this point but she would still need some convincing if she was to do anything other than lie in her bed for the next several hours.
"Justin's coming. he's got a car. He's already in the kitchen brewing the coffee."
"You've gotta be fucking kidding." At the thought of spending almost 2 hours crammed into Justin's tiny tercel hatchback, Kaden was becoming a little hostile herself!
"It's not so bad. Come on, you're gonna hang around here all day? No AC in the house, its gonna hit 90 by noon."
"We're not talking you out of this are we." It wasn't a question. Rini was up out of bed digging through Kaden's dresser "Where are the bathing suits?"
"I don't have any. I swim in gym shorts and a tank. We can go by your place on the way."
"Excellent, we'll leave in an hour!" and with that Jaime left the room, closing the door behind him.
"What the hell just happened?" Rini said to the back of the door.
"Don't ask me, he's your boyfriend."
***

I know, not terribly interesting or revealing but this scene came to me yesterday and I just thought it was so adorable.
If you're reading today, don't forget to check out slipjig's journal. He will be writing lists every half hour. Lists of what? You'll have to read to find out. He is blogging today for the American Cancer Society.

To sponsor me comment or e-mail me with your donation amount and then head to http://www.vitalground.org to donate.

Character Description: Justin

(because it is too early for opinionated rants, you get Justin Wallace.)

Description date: present day

What you will probably notice first is that he's taller than you, unless you're really tall in which case all bets are off. His hair is about 2 or 3 inches long, bleached, sometimes with bits of green blue and purple on the tips. Unless he just woke up it will be gelled till it sticks up in an array of Statue of Liberty like mini spikes all around his head. Depending on how diligent he is being about maintaining the bleach job, you might see the mousey brown roots, but he will never admit they are there. His eyes are deep deep brown and set far back into his face giving him the look of being off in deep thought but he's not. Justin is a social creature and if you are in the room, you are his focus. His skin is on the dark side, especially during the summer as he is one of the fortunate few "white guys" who don't burn to a crisp in the sun. His face is hard to describe except to say that, other than the eyes, the features are "mild." Nose is neither too pointy nor too round, face is neither too full or too gaunt. On a normal day, he'll be wearing a too big t shirt and jeans: "A guy needs to be comfortable!" Unless he's going to be on stage in which case its no shirt ("I can't drum with crap flapping around my arms!") black BDUs ("spare drum sticks fit in the pockets!) and a whole lot of black eyeliner ("NOT MY IDEA"). Like Kaden and the rest of his adopted family, he wears a small pewter fairy on a silver chain around his neck. It never comes off and IF he trusts you, you may get a hint or two as to its meaning. With a generally cheerful disposition and informal attitude, Justin is easily the most approachable of Kaden's friends. He has taken the change that came over him when he bonded himself to her in a stride, much as he does with all things in his life.

*****

Take a moment to check out milelaurel's journal where she will be talking about her current writing projects and a variety of other subjects. She is blogging for the Joslin Diabetes Center.

And when you're done there, hop on by http://www.vitalground.org. Don't forget to let me know if you're donating!

Character Description: Justin

(because it is too early for opinionated rants, you get Justin Wallace.)

Description date: present day

What you will probably notice first is that he's taller than you, unless you're really tall in which case all bets are off. His hair is about 2 or 3 inches long, bleached, sometimes with bits of green blue and purple on the tips. Unless he just woke up it will be gelled till it sticks up in an array of Statue of Liberty like mini spikes all around his head. Depending on how diligent he is being about maintaining the bleach job, you might see the mousey brown roots, but he will never admit they are there. His eyes are deep deep brown and set far back into his face giving him the look of being off in deep thought but he's not. Justin is a social creature and if you are in the room, you are his focus. His skin is on the dark side, especially during the summer as he is one of the fortunate few "white guys" who don't burn to a crisp in the sun. His face is hard to describe except to say that, other than the eyes, the features are "mild." Nose is neither too pointy nor too round, face is neither too full or too gaunt. On a normal day, he'll be wearing a too big t shirt and jeans: "A guy needs to be comfortable!" Unless he's going to be on stage in which case its no shirt ("I can't drum with crap flapping around my arms!") black BDUs ("spare drum sticks fit in the pockets!) and a whole lot of black eyeliner ("NOT MY IDEA"). Like Kaden and the rest of his adopted family, he wears a small pewter fairy on a silver chain around his neck. It never comes off and IF he trusts you, you may get a hint or two as to its meaning. With a generally cheerful disposition and informal attitude, Justin is easily the most approachable of Kaden's friends. He has taken the change that came over him when he bonded himself to her in a stride, much as he does with all things in his life.

*****

Take a moment to check out milelaurel's journal where she will be talking about her current writing projects and a variety of other subjects. She is blogging for the Joslin Diabetes Center.

And when you're done there, hop on by http://www.vitalground.org. Don't forget to let me know if you're donating!

Kaden's Secret: Part 1

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

It wasn't unusual for Kaden to wear black but normally it would involve fishnets and leather, not the somber suit and stockings. Rini had attired herself similarly and held Kaden's hand as Padriag's casket was lowered into the ground. As the first bit of dirt flew into the hole she could feel Kaden pulling and had to literally restrain her from flinging herself on top. Now that the funeral was over Kaden had regained a bit of composure and the two friends wandered through Padriag's house to the backyard where she had spent much of her childhood.

They crossed from the rocky section of the yard into the cluster of trees heading toward the river and Rini noticed a frozen quality come over her companions face as she came to a complete stop?

"Kaden what is it, what's wrong?"
"Just a lot of memories back here."
"Tell me about it."
"I can't. Some things cannot be spoken."

Rini's shoulders dropped in exasperation. Once again her friend, her best friend, was hiding something. Her next words flew out drenched in anger and frustration.

"Look, I get you have secrets. We all have secrets. I get its hard to talk about some things. Most of the time I just tolerate it. The vague comments, the stops and starts in conversation. But this time I have fucking flown over 3000 miles because YOU asked me to because YOU did not want to be alone at your grandfather's funeral and now you pull this shit again? What I've done for you I have a RIGHT to know? What is so big so important so scary bad evil that you CAN'T TELL ME???"

"You don't know what you're asking...." Kaden grumbled in a sinister tone, looking down at the ground.
"I don't CARE what I'm asking. I'm tired of this! I do everything for you and you can't even be honest with me. What the hell kind of a friend are you?"

As her dark haired companion lifted her head, Rini saw a sparkling blue haze come across her eyes. It was as if she had never seen this woman before.

"Fine. Your choice. I am not responsible for this." Kaden squared her shoulders and with a voice that didn't even sound human anymore belted out a word Rini had never heard.

"ORLAITHE!!!!! COME TO US!!!"

*****

Yeah I know, its a cliffhanger and I'm a big meanie. I'm okay with that.

As long as you're here you should take a look at what ewinbee is doing. She's writing fiction bits from prompts for the American Heart Association.

And as always, I would love it if you would pay a visit to http://www.vitalground.org and make a donation. Don't forget to notify me!

Kaden's Secret: Part 1

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

It wasn't unusual for Kaden to wear black but normally it would involve fishnets and leather, not the somber suit and stockings. Rini had attired herself similarly and held Kaden's hand as Padriag's casket was lowered into the ground. As the first bit of dirt flew into the hole she could feel Kaden pulling and had to literally restrain her from flinging herself on top. Now that the funeral was over Kaden had regained a bit of composure and the two friends wandered through Padriag's house to the backyard where she had spent much of her childhood.

They crossed from the rocky section of the yard into the cluster of trees heading toward the river and Rini noticed a frozen quality come over her companions face as she came to a complete stop?

"Kaden what is it, what's wrong?"
"Just a lot of memories back here."
"Tell me about it."
"I can't. Some things cannot be spoken."

Rini's shoulders dropped in exasperation. Once again her friend, her best friend, was hiding something. Her next words flew out drenched in anger and frustration.

"Look, I get you have secrets. We all have secrets. I get its hard to talk about some things. Most of the time I just tolerate it. The vague comments, the stops and starts in conversation. But this time I have fucking flown over 3000 miles because YOU asked me to because YOU did not want to be alone at your grandfather's funeral and now you pull this shit again? What I've done for you I have a RIGHT to know? What is so big so important so scary bad evil that you CAN'T TELL ME???"

"You don't know what you're asking...." Kaden grumbled in a sinister tone, looking down at the ground.
"I don't CARE what I'm asking. I'm tired of this! I do everything for you and you can't even be honest with me. What the hell kind of a friend are you?"

As her dark haired companion lifted her head, Rini saw a sparkling blue haze come across her eyes. It was as if she had never seen this woman before.

"Fine. Your choice. I am not responsible for this." Kaden squared her shoulders and with a voice that didn't even sound human anymore belted out a word Rini had never heard.

"ORLAITHE!!!!! COME TO US!!!"

*****

Yeah I know, its a cliffhanger and I'm a big meanie. I'm okay with that.

As long as you're here you should take a look at what ewinbee is doing. She's writing fiction bits from prompts for the American Heart Association.

And as always, I would love it if you would pay a visit to http://www.vitalground.org and make a donation. Don't forget to notify me!

Interlude: Things I find necessary for blogathon

Yeah, you'll get part two of that scene later but its really intense for me and I can't do it all at once. This is one of those posts that has very little in the way of a point.

Things I need in order to do blogathon

1) Stuffed bear
2) My purple and black striped Jolly Roger Socks
3) My black glittery keds that I got in London
(those are all COMPLETELY NECESSARY I SWEAR)
4) Coffee
5) tea
6) our pit crew
7) my entertaining friends from Team Venture
8) House Gojirawitz's cats
9) a momentary lapse of reason
10) YOUR PLEDGES!

You know who else needs your pledges? nevacaruso! She's blogging for Amnesty International.

blah blah blah http://www.vitalground.org blah blah donate blah.

Interlude: Things I find necessary for blogathon

Yeah, you'll get part two of that scene later but its really intense for me and I can't do it all at once. This is one of those posts that has very little in the way of a point.

Things I need in order to do blogathon

1) Stuffed bear
2) My purple and black striped Jolly Roger Socks
3) My black glittery keds that I got in London
(those are all COMPLETELY NECESSARY I SWEAR)
4) Coffee
5) tea
6) our pit crew
7) my entertaining friends from Team Venture
8) House Gojirawitz's cats
9) a momentary lapse of reason
10) YOUR PLEDGES!

You know who else needs your pledges? nevacaruso! She's blogging for Amnesty International.

blah blah blah http://www.vitalground.org blah blah donate blah.

Kaden's Secret: Part 2

I couldn't let this sit for long so here's part 2. there will be one or two more later.

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

As she shrieked up toward the sky the faint glimmer around Kaden's body grew more pronounced and her companion backed away to huddle against a large tree. A harsh wind came through the trees but Kaden did not seem to feel it. Rini looked on in horror as Kaden appeared to begin speaking angrily into thin air: "YOU should have been at my grandfather's funeral! I needed you and that bastard Fiachra."
then silence
Then Kaden's small frame thrust against another tree and her arms wrapping around, what?
"I know, I know I shouldn't call him that. I'm sorry. I'm so lost!" and she began to sob.
then silence
"There's someone you both need to meet. Someone who needs to understand what's been done to me."
more silence
"Rini come here."
"Kaden I don't get it. Who are you talking to, have you lost your mind? Maybe we should go inside and you could lie down." In Rini's eyes, Kaden saw a familiar look, half pity half fear, just like the teachers and nurses when she was younger. It made no sense. She KNEW Rini could see the change in her face, the flickers around her body, and yet she still persisted in believing that Kaden was having some kind of grief induced hallucination.
"You think I'm crazy!" Turning back to the empty space "You'll have to push harder. She still can't see you"

Suddenly what appeared to be a rip in the air appeared in front of Rini.
"wha..."
It took a moment for her to realize that it was the tip of a golden wing like a giant butterfly. Next, an arm with that same blue shimmer that now surrounded Kaden. A torso cloaked in red silk and a head with curled light brown hair that went down the the waist, another arm, another wing. For the first time, Rini was face to face with... what?

The small figure chuckled and turned to Kaden "oh thank god, she's seeing me proper now. I couldn't keep that up for long" Visibly relaxing she turned back to the stunned woman on the other side and reached out a small glowing hand. "Hi, I'm Orlaithe, Kaden tells you human folk shake hands."
***

More later but the BIG SECRET is out. Whew. So there are many more members of team venture blogging today. One of them is rafaela who is blogging for Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson (her home region's PP clincis). She is being mysterious about the theme of her posts so you'll just have to go read them.

Fairies like bears so if you are enjoying the story I'm currently writing, you should check out http://www.vitalground.com.

Kaden's Secret: Part 2

I couldn't let this sit for long so here's part 2. there will be one or two more later.

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

As she shrieked up toward the sky the faint glimmer around Kaden's body grew more pronounced and her companion backed away to huddle against a large tree. A harsh wind came through the trees but Kaden did not seem to feel it. Rini looked on in horror as Kaden appeared to begin speaking angrily into thin air: "YOU should have been at my grandfather's funeral! I needed you and that bastard Fiachra."
then silence
Then Kaden's small frame thrust against another tree and her arms wrapping around, what?
"I know, I know I shouldn't call him that. I'm sorry. I'm so lost!" and she began to sob.
then silence
"There's someone you both need to meet. Someone who needs to understand what's been done to me."
more silence
"Rini come here."
"Kaden I don't get it. Who are you talking to, have you lost your mind? Maybe we should go inside and you could lie down." In Rini's eyes, Kaden saw a familiar look, half pity half fear, just like the teachers and nurses when she was younger. It made no sense. She KNEW Rini could see the change in her face, the flickers around her body, and yet she still persisted in believing that Kaden was having some kind of grief induced hallucination.
"You think I'm crazy!" Turning back to the empty space "You'll have to push harder. She still can't see you"

Suddenly what appeared to be a rip in the air appeared in front of Rini.
"wha..."
It took a moment for her to realize that it was the tip of a golden wing like a giant butterfly. Next, an arm with that same blue shimmer that now surrounded Kaden. A torso cloaked in red silk and a head with curled light brown hair that went down the the waist, another arm, another wing. For the first time, Rini was face to face with... what?

The small figure chuckled and turned to Kaden "oh thank god, she's seeing me proper now. I couldn't keep that up for long" Visibly relaxing she turned back to the stunned woman on the other side and reached out a small glowing hand. "Hi, I'm Orlaithe, Kaden tells you human folk shake hands."
***

More later but the BIG SECRET is out. Whew. So there are many more members of team venture blogging today. One of them is rafaela who is blogging for Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson (her home region's PP clincis). She is being mysterious about the theme of her posts so you'll just have to go read them.

Fairies like bears so if you are enjoying the story I'm currently writing, you should check out http://www.vitalground.com.

Interlude, its lunch time for Team Venture!

There will be more fae fiction later but for now, a little bit about what's going on here with Team Venture.

There are 10 of us who I have been pimping and will continue to pimp. We have a team mascot, Frank the rubber chicken. Our fearless leader has declared that our theme song is Baby Got Back. I lodged a protest but am being ignored. We have only one male blogger on the team though there is another guy here acting as pit crew. Half the team is gathered around the House Gojirawitz dining room table with an array of laptops. The rest of us are sitting on couches and beanbags or cushions in the living room.

My informal mascot for the day is my teddy bear Roosevelt, a plush grizzly who carries a plush stick, thus the name (a teddy who walks softly and carries a big stick)

I'm going to eat some lunch now but we'll return to more substantive posts and pimping later.

Interlude, its lunch time for Team Venture!

There will be more fae fiction later but for now, a little bit about what's going on here with Team Venture.

There are 10 of us who I have been pimping and will continue to pimp. We have a team mascot, Frank the rubber chicken. Our fearless leader has declared that our theme song is Baby Got Back. I lodged a protest but am being ignored. We have only one male blogger on the team though there is another guy here acting as pit crew. Half the team is gathered around the House Gojirawitz dining room table with an array of laptops. The rest of us are sitting on couches and beanbags or cushions in the living room.

My informal mascot for the day is my teddy bear Roosevelt, a plush grizzly who carries a plush stick, thus the name (a teddy who walks softly and carries a big stick)

I'm going to eat some lunch now but we'll return to more substantive posts and pimping later.

Music Thingy: Does he have 7 fingers on each hand??

slipjig suggests for my music thingy that I introduce you to Mr. Richard Thompson. Richard Thompson is responsible for writing the saddest song every in the history of people. More notable than the sadness though is the amazing guitar playing. People have tried to play this song and died. Well, not really but I don't know anyone who can do it thus my theory that he must have some extra fingers.
(making connections between posts, my character Rini can play it quite well. You might hear about that later.)

Here's video so you can not only hear the song but watch his hands. If you can figure out how he does it, tell Slipjig because he's confused.

Entertainment of a different sort is available in jennifer's journal where she is blogging 24 hours worth of fan fiction for St Judes Research Hospital. Pay her a visit!

Http://www.vitalground.org. ROOOOOAR GROWL!!!

Music Thingy: Does he have 7 fingers on each hand??

slipjig suggests for my music thingy that I introduce you to Mr. Richard Thompson. Richard Thompson is responsible for writing the saddest song every in the history of people. More notable than the sadness though is the amazing guitar playing. People have tried to play this song and died. Well, not really but I don't know anyone who can do it thus my theory that he must have some extra fingers.
(making connections between posts, my character Rini can play it quite well. You might hear about that later.)

Here's video so you can not only hear the song but watch his hands. If you can figure out how he does it, tell Slipjig because he's confused.

Entertainment of a different sort is available in jennifer's journal where she is blogging 24 hours worth of fan fiction for St Judes Research Hospital. Pay her a visit!

Http://www.vitalground.org. ROOOOOAR GROWL!!!

Questions for Kaden part 1

One of my coworkers who pledged for this event asks Kaden "If you could become normal again, would you?"

The answer changes, depending on the phase of her life you ask her. Some of you have read about her first encounter with the fae which occurred when she was around 8 or 9 years old and the impact on her life changes many times. Here's her answer at age 19, roughly the same time as the piece of story I've been working with today:

I would only choose to become fully human again if I would, as part of it, forget my experiences with my fae kin. Even then, its a maybe. But if I would remember, absolutely not. Would you choose to see the world in black and white after knowing for years that there were other colors? That's what it would be like. You have no idea what I see and how much more brilliant it is than my memories of what I saw as a kid. "they" say that children see the word most brilliantly with the most awe filled eyes but they are wrong. We do and it grows as we grow older. Our vision becomes deeper, richer.

Plus I can talk to faeries. Not that I don't love talking to humans as well because I am still, at my core, a human, but the fae are so different and they help me nurture parts of myself that most humans don't know they have.

If I knew I would forget... I suppose life would be easier if I were only a human. Its a lot to hide, that I'm seeing things others don't see. I've learned to because hospitals, not so much fun. Neither are anti-psychotics for people who don't need them. I was lucky my mother knew the truth and took me off those meds. That was when I was 12 and we had a LONG talk about what I should and shouldn't say at school anymore.

But.. No. I wouldn't go back. This is me now. I want to be me.

*****

We've still got more Venturities to go! figmentj is blogging for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and she has a lot to say about why in her blog.

Bears are fuzzy http://www.vitalground.org

Questions for Kaden part 1

One of my coworkers who pledged for this event asks Kaden "If you could become normal again, would you?"

The answer changes, depending on the phase of her life you ask her. Some of you have read about her first encounter with the fae which occurred when she was around 8 or 9 years old and the impact on her life changes many times. Here's her answer at age 19, roughly the same time as the piece of story I've been working with today:

I would only choose to become fully human again if I would, as part of it, forget my experiences with my fae kin. Even then, its a maybe. But if I would remember, absolutely not. Would you choose to see the world in black and white after knowing for years that there were other colors? That's what it would be like. You have no idea what I see and how much more brilliant it is than my memories of what I saw as a kid. "they" say that children see the word most brilliantly with the most awe filled eyes but they are wrong. We do and it grows as we grow older. Our vision becomes deeper, richer.

Plus I can talk to faeries. Not that I don't love talking to humans as well because I am still, at my core, a human, but the fae are so different and they help me nurture parts of myself that most humans don't know they have.

If I knew I would forget... I suppose life would be easier if I were only a human. Its a lot to hide, that I'm seeing things others don't see. I've learned to because hospitals, not so much fun. Neither are anti-psychotics for people who don't need them. I was lucky my mother knew the truth and took me off those meds. That was when I was 12 and we had a LONG talk about what I should and shouldn't say at school anymore.

But.. No. I wouldn't go back. This is me now. I want to be me.

*****

We've still got more Venturities to go! figmentj is blogging for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and she has a lot to say about why in her blog.

Bears are fuzzy http://www.vitalground.org

Quotes of the day so far

"How do you spell Canterbury" - milelaurel
"Canter like a horse, bury like a dead guy" - slipjig
"So you put a dead guy on a horse?" - me

this one is paraphrased:
"Captain America is a bottom" - shadesong
"Captain America is a top!" - wired_lizard
"We're just gonna have a philosophical disagreement - Shadesong

"You can't spell smile without S&M - rafaela
"and you can't spell shadesong without hades" - slipjig

And now wired_lizard is reading marvel comic excerpts aloud to PROVE that Captain America is a TOP DAMMIT.
And she asks "I have to ask this on principle, does anyone mind if I take off my shirt?"
Me: That depends, can we drop things down your cleavage

Oh man, we're in trouble, its still daylight!

There will be more quote posts as people say funny things.

There is one member of Team Venture left to pimp and that is our fearless leader shadesong. Not only is she blogathoning, she has put up auctions for donated artifacts and you can bid on them and the money goes to her charity, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Go to her journal to read what a psychometric xenoarcheologist has to say about each of these artifacts.

None of the artifacts are bears so if you want to sponsor a bear you should go to http://www.vitalground.org and make a donation!

Quotes of the day so far

"How do you spell Canterbury" - milelaurel
"Canter like a horse, bury like a dead guy" - slipjig
"So you put a dead guy on a horse?" - me

this one is paraphrased:
"Captain America is a bottom" - shadesong
"Captain America is a top!" - wired_lizard
"We're just gonna have a philosophical disagreement - Shadesong

"You can't spell smile without S&M - rafaela
"and you can't spell shadesong without hades" - slipjig

And now wired_lizard is reading marvel comic excerpts aloud to PROVE that Captain America is a TOP DAMMIT.
And she asks "I have to ask this on principle, does anyone mind if I take off my shirt?"
Me: That depends, can we drop things down your cleavage

Oh man, we're in trouble, its still daylight!

There will be more quote posts as people say funny things.

There is one member of Team Venture left to pimp and that is our fearless leader shadesong. Not only is she blogathoning, she has put up auctions for donated artifacts and you can bid on them and the money goes to her charity, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Go to her journal to read what a psychometric xenoarcheologist has to say about each of these artifacts.

None of the artifacts are bears so if you want to sponsor a bear you should go to http://www.vitalground.org and make a donation!

kaden's Secret: Part 3

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

Rini shook a bit as she reached forward for the strange woman's hand. "What are you? How did you get here?"
Orlaithe took Rini by the arm and cocked her head to the side. She stated, simply "I flew."

That answer wasn't good enough for the poor confused woman who backed away again. She looked at Kaden and saw a strangers face.
"Someone had better start explaining fast."
The other two looked at each other, looking as if they expected the other to speak first. Orlaithe shook her head "This is YOUR life Kaden. I can't do this for you." And with that Rini saw her disappear into nothing.

"See this is why I didn't want to tell you."
"Tell me what? I still don't get it. Who was that and what just happened and why are you glowing blue?!?"
Kaden sat down and shimmied her body against the base of a large tree. She gestured for Rini to do the same and the two women rested, side by side, each gazing off into the distance.

"I was 8 and a half. I came here for the summer. Grandma and Grandpa were both still alive. My first day here I took my teddy bear and a walking stick and spent the morning right here, among these trees. I called it the forest. I had just climbed up this tree right here to that branch above our heads and was sitting against the trunk, looking at the sun through holes I made in leaves when Orlaithe came to me. She asked me if i wanted to play and made me a crown of flowers. She introduced me to a few other faeries..."
"Faeries??"
"Yes Rini, Faeries. What did you think she was?"
"I guess I just didn't know"
"anyway they made good playmates. They're very lively, they don't have many inhibitions even when they reach adulthood. I spent part of every day for almost two months playing side by side with Orlaithe and her son Fiachra. He was.... like a teenager at the time. The end of the summer came and I was supposed to leave to go back to the States for school and I was so upset. They had told me how adults can't see them, how people who have met them forget its ever happened and I couldn't bear the thought. Then Fiachra made an offer."
"What kind of offer?"
"An ancient potion and incantation, the ones that started that whole faeries stealing babies myth. He could turn me into a sort of hybrid so I'd have their vision, some of their abilities, wouldn't forget them. Orlaithe was not pleased. I guess way back when they got in a lot of trouble for corrupting little kids who would then run off to the forest to leave with their fae kin because they couldn't deal with the human world anymore. I didn't care about any of that and before Orlaithe could stop me I had tossed the potion down my throat. There was no turning back. So I'm not strictly human, even though I've chosen to remain in the human world. I guess you could say I'm on the fence between the human world and the world most people believe is a myth."

The whole time she told her story, Kaden had looked at the trees, the sky, the ground, not once at Rini. When she finally turned to her right to gauge her friends reaction she saw tears going down the girls face."

"You've lived with this for over 10 years?"
"Yes."
"you never told anyone?"
"My family knows. My father and grandfather knew these same fae as children and it didn't take much for them to remember once I had my encounter. My mother... well she's always been a little fruity, ya know? She was just WAITING for some evidence."
Kaden chuckled and Rini couldn't help but laugh as well. Kaden's mother was an incense and meditation hippie.
Rini thought it over for a minute and asked the question that had been burning at the back of her mind since she'd realized Kaden was really seeing something that was really there.
"How do I learn to see them?"

kaden's Secret: Part 3

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

Rini shook a bit as she reached forward for the strange woman's hand. "What are you? How did you get here?"
Orlaithe took Rini by the arm and cocked her head to the side. She stated, simply "I flew."

That answer wasn't good enough for the poor confused woman who backed away again. She looked at Kaden and saw a strangers face.
"Someone had better start explaining fast."
The other two looked at each other, looking as if they expected the other to speak first. Orlaithe shook her head "This is YOUR life Kaden. I can't do this for you." And with that Rini saw her disappear into nothing.

"See this is why I didn't want to tell you."
"Tell me what? I still don't get it. Who was that and what just happened and why are you glowing blue?!?"
Kaden sat down and shimmied her body against the base of a large tree. She gestured for Rini to do the same and the two women rested, side by side, each gazing off into the distance.

"I was 8 and a half. I came here for the summer. Grandma and Grandpa were both still alive. My first day here I took my teddy bear and a walking stick and spent the morning right here, among these trees. I called it the forest. I had just climbed up this tree right here to that branch above our heads and was sitting against the trunk, looking at the sun through holes I made in leaves when Orlaithe came to me. She asked me if i wanted to play and made me a crown of flowers. She introduced me to a few other faeries..."
"Faeries??"
"Yes Rini, Faeries. What did you think she was?"
"I guess I just didn't know"
"anyway they made good playmates. They're very lively, they don't have many inhibitions even when they reach adulthood. I spent part of every day for almost two months playing side by side with Orlaithe and her son Fiachra. He was.... like a teenager at the time. The end of the summer came and I was supposed to leave to go back to the States for school and I was so upset. They had told me how adults can't see them, how people who have met them forget its ever happened and I couldn't bear the thought. Then Fiachra made an offer."
"What kind of offer?"
"An ancient potion and incantation, the ones that started that whole faeries stealing babies myth. He could turn me into a sort of hybrid so I'd have their vision, some of their abilities, wouldn't forget them. Orlaithe was not pleased. I guess way back when they got in a lot of trouble for corrupting little kids who would then run off to the forest to leave with their fae kin because they couldn't deal with the human world anymore. I didn't care about any of that and before Orlaithe could stop me I had tossed the potion down my throat. There was no turning back. So I'm not strictly human, even though I've chosen to remain in the human world. I guess you could say I'm on the fence between the human world and the world most people believe is a myth."

The whole time she told her story, Kaden had looked at the trees, the sky, the ground, not once at Rini. When she finally turned to her right to gauge her friends reaction she saw tears going down the girls face."

"You've lived with this for over 10 years?"
"Yes."
"you never told anyone?"
"My family knows. My father and grandfather knew these same fae as children and it didn't take much for them to remember once I had my encounter. My mother... well she's always been a little fruity, ya know? She was just WAITING for some evidence."
Kaden chuckled and Rini couldn't help but laugh as well. Kaden's mother was an incense and meditation hippie.
Rini thought it over for a minute and asked the question that had been burning at the back of her mind since she'd realized Kaden was really seeing something that was really there.
"How do I learn to see them?"

Obnoxious rant number 1: raw food people can bite me

Warning, sweeping generalizations below. It's a rant. I am SURE that somewhere there is a raw food eater who isn't an asshole

I have a great deal of respect for vegetarians and vegans. I've often said I'd prefer to be vegetarian but I can't stomach any of the replacement proteins so I stick with meat and feel... not so great about it. SO yeah. Vegetarians and vegans are all good.
What I can't stand is the raw food people. Now, I don't have any problem with the idea that people choose to eat only raw food. I think its a strange lifestyle choice but hey, its their mouth and their stomach and if their digestive systems can handle it, more power to them.

But that's a hint at the problem right there. IF their digestive systems can handle it. Because not everyone's can. I for example have trouble if I eat too much raw fruit or vegetables. I end up... in the bathroom a lot. THat's all you need to know. THe average raw food fanatic will say things like "before all this stupid technology and before man discovered fire, people didn't cook their food! eating only raw food takes us back to the natural roots of our species!" SO let's examine that: We're talking about an era when people died before age 30, lived in caves, there was no way to treat disease, and that's whats being hailed as the good old days. That's not really the problematic part though. What bothers ME is that a lot of people who have weaker constitutions but certainly have a lot to contribute to the world can survive because there are many food options including cooking your food that make them able to digest and nourish themselves, and the raw food people WANT THESE PEOPLE TO EAT RAW. If everyone ate raw, anyone with diverticulitis, IBS or crohn's would die of either starvation or by damaging their digestive system so badly that the internal bleeding would kill them. THAT is the lauded natural state the raw food community wants to restore. In a world where being physically hardy enough to handle a diet of all uncooked food, what would be left would be the strongest physically and this would happen potentially at the expense of the intelligent but delicate people. I'm not saying humanity would get stupid, but it would get stupider and frankly we're stupid enough already.

In summary PBBLLLTTTT!

On the other hand, bears are meant to eat raw food and you should help them have more space to find their raw food by going to http://www.vitalground.org

Obnoxious rant number 1: raw food people can bite me

Warning, sweeping generalizations below. It's a rant. I am SURE that somewhere there is a raw food eater who isn't an asshole

I have a great deal of respect for vegetarians and vegans. I've often said I'd prefer to be vegetarian but I can't stomach any of the replacement proteins so I stick with meat and feel... not so great about it. SO yeah. Vegetarians and vegans are all good.
What I can't stand is the raw food people. Now, I don't have any problem with the idea that people choose to eat only raw food. I think its a strange lifestyle choice but hey, its their mouth and their stomach and if their digestive systems can handle it, more power to them.

But that's a hint at the problem right there. IF their digestive systems can handle it. Because not everyone's can. I for example have trouble if I eat too much raw fruit or vegetables. I end up... in the bathroom a lot. THat's all you need to know. THe average raw food fanatic will say things like "before all this stupid technology and before man discovered fire, people didn't cook their food! eating only raw food takes us back to the natural roots of our species!" SO let's examine that: We're talking about an era when people died before age 30, lived in caves, there was no way to treat disease, and that's whats being hailed as the good old days. That's not really the problematic part though. What bothers ME is that a lot of people who have weaker constitutions but certainly have a lot to contribute to the world can survive because there are many food options including cooking your food that make them able to digest and nourish themselves, and the raw food people WANT THESE PEOPLE TO EAT RAW. If everyone ate raw, anyone with diverticulitis, IBS or crohn's would die of either starvation or by damaging their digestive system so badly that the internal bleeding would kill them. THAT is the lauded natural state the raw food community wants to restore. In a world where being physically hardy enough to handle a diet of all uncooked food, what would be left would be the strongest physically and this would happen potentially at the expense of the intelligent but delicate people. I'm not saying humanity would get stupid, but it would get stupider and frankly we're stupid enough already.

In summary PBBLLLTTTT!

On the other hand, bears are meant to eat raw food and you should help them have more space to find their raw food by going to http://www.vitalground.org

Lemme tell you what just happened...

... because I wasted a bunch of time so I don't have enough time for part 4 of Kaden's Secret this round.

I brewed tea. Darjeeling tea. Good stuff. While i prepared it, jennifer and I did our special rendition of "Love Me Dead" by Ludo. Shadesong and Wired_Lizard danced in the kitchen while we sang, and more twirling occurred in the living room courtesy of Slipjig. Several people gave us looks of roughly, WTF.

It was awesome.

You should totally join us next year cause we rock. And you should sponsor us all. A quick reminder of who "us" is:

slipjig, wired_lizard, milelaurel, nevacaruso, shadesong, ewinbee, figmentj, rafaela, jennifer and me.

And my stuffed bear who wants you to visit http://www.vitalground.org and help the real bears.

Lemme tell you what just happened...

... because I wasted a bunch of time so I don't have enough time for part 4 of Kaden's Secret this round.

I brewed tea. Darjeeling tea. Good stuff. While i prepared it, jennifer and I did our special rendition of "Love Me Dead" by Ludo. Shadesong and Wired_Lizard danced in the kitchen while we sang, and more twirling occurred in the living room courtesy of Slipjig. Several people gave us looks of roughly, WTF.

It was awesome.

You should totally join us next year cause we rock. And you should sponsor us all. A quick reminder of who "us" is:

slipjig, wired_lizard, milelaurel, nevacaruso, shadesong, ewinbee, figmentj, rafaela, jennifer and me.

And my stuffed bear who wants you to visit http://www.vitalground.org and help the real bears.

Character Description: Jaime

Jaime circa 1999 (at the time of the summer day story)

"You look so young!" you will cry. Don't, he's heard it before and he's tired of it... but its true. Big blue eyes, fair skin, curly dirty blonde hair that he is perpetually tucking behind his ears. It always falls out. Medium height, bone structure that SHOULD be medium build but he is very thin. There's a story there that involves insensitive parents pushing their pretty but shy child into modeling when he was a little kid because they heard child models made a ton of money and said child's body image getting so fucked that it took him going off to college to extricate himself from the mentality. His friends are relieved that he is "getting better" because, while he wasn't putting himself in imminent danger, they could tell it wasn't good. So these days he's just garden variety scrawny. He wears a lot of black, a lot of green, a lot of clothing that even he admits makes him look like eurotrash. He's got a cartilage piercing in one ear which is usually filled with a tiny gold hoop. He smiles more these days too. He never goes home for break, preferring to go home with Rini to her parents place in the northern California mountains or stay in town and visit with Kaden's mom. Luckily, the money from his days as a doll on display covers his tuition and THAT money is now in his name, under his control. So his world is mostly filled with girlfriends and boyfriends and just plain friends. Sometimes, he misses having a family, but the family he misses is one he never had.
****

BLOGATHON! http://www.vitalground.org! Here's a video they made about their work with Bart the Bear and the founding of Vital Ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAOc3mKWzyo

(see, Bear content)

Character Description: Jaime

Jaime circa 1999 (at the time of the summer day story)

"You look so young!" you will cry. Don't, he's heard it before and he's tired of it... but its true. Big blue eyes, fair skin, curly dirty blonde hair that he is perpetually tucking behind his ears. It always falls out. Medium height, bone structure that SHOULD be medium build but he is very thin. There's a story there that involves insensitive parents pushing their pretty but shy child into modeling when he was a little kid because they heard child models made a ton of money and said child's body image getting so fucked that it took him going off to college to extricate himself from the mentality. His friends are relieved that he is "getting better" because, while he wasn't putting himself in imminent danger, they could tell it wasn't good. So these days he's just garden variety scrawny. He wears a lot of black, a lot of green, a lot of clothing that even he admits makes him look like eurotrash. He's got a cartilage piercing in one ear which is usually filled with a tiny gold hoop. He smiles more these days too. He never goes home for break, preferring to go home with Rini to her parents place in the northern California mountains or stay in town and visit with Kaden's mom. Luckily, the money from his days as a doll on display covers his tuition and THAT money is now in his name, under his control. So his world is mostly filled with girlfriends and boyfriends and just plain friends. Sometimes, he misses having a family, but the family he misses is one he never had.
****

BLOGATHON! http://www.vitalground.org! Here's a video they made about their work with Bart the Bear and the founding of Vital Ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAOc3mKWzyo

(see, Bear content)

Topic from THE HAT OF DESTINY

We've got a hat here which is full of writing prompts intended for slipjig's list but which we can all pull from should we need an idea. I have selected "pets you would like to own." I am changing it to "pets I would like to own which may or may not be a good idea."

another cat - bad idea because Sam would eat it
Old English Sheepdog - bad idea because it requires about an hour of running like a maniac per day to not lose its mind
bobcat - bad idea because of the claws and because its just wrong to domesticate them
Polar bear - bad idea because they are the only breed of bear that actually LIKE to eat people and will pursue us for that purpose.
Grizzly bear - bad idea because my landlady would complain and also they might accidentally kill me when we were playing
brown bear - bad idea because they are terrified of loud noises and I live in a city
giant man eating lizard - bad idea because lizard care is complicated
panda bear - bad idea because I can't keep that much bamboo around all the time
giant schnauzer - bad idea because I'd keep laughing at the fact that i had a GIANT SCHNAUZER

CLICKY!!!! http://www.vitalground.org

Topic from THE HAT OF DESTINY

We've got a hat here which is full of writing prompts intended for slipjig's list but which we can all pull from should we need an idea. I have selected "pets you would like to own." I am changing it to "pets I would like to own which may or may not be a good idea."

another cat - bad idea because Sam would eat it
Old English Sheepdog - bad idea because it requires about an hour of running like a maniac per day to not lose its mind
bobcat - bad idea because of the claws and because its just wrong to domesticate them
Polar bear - bad idea because they are the only breed of bear that actually LIKE to eat people and will pursue us for that purpose.
Grizzly bear - bad idea because my landlady would complain and also they might accidentally kill me when we were playing
brown bear - bad idea because they are terrified of loud noises and I live in a city
giant man eating lizard - bad idea because lizard care is complicated
panda bear - bad idea because I can't keep that much bamboo around all the time
giant schnauzer - bad idea because I'd keep laughing at the fact that i had a GIANT SCHNAUZER

CLICKY!!!! http://www.vitalground.org

Kaden's Secret: Part 4

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

"What are you asking?"
"If these things exist, I want to see them. I feel like I've been missing some huge piece of the world."
"It's not so simple. You can't just learn to see them and have that be it. It changes who you are. You know how I get sometimes when I go and disappear for a while? That will happen to you too. Anyway its just not done. It wasn't even supposed to be done to me."
"Are you the only one?"
"I've never met another. There might be, somewhere. I mean, there are tons of fae everywhere, maybe there's another one who disobeyed and made someone like me."
Rini screwed up her face in thought. "What if YOU changed me? Can you?"
A loud crashing sound as Orlaithe reappeared "No she can't. We would never have given her that power but..."
"But what?" Both women took on the same confused look.
"Enough time around someone, enough of the right KIND of time... It is somewhat... catching. Especially now that your friend is..."
"Primed? Now that I know there's something there to be seen."
Orlaithe nodded solemnly and Kaden stared on in disbelief. "then why hasn't it ever happened to anyone else I know. My friends, my lovers, none of them could see."
This elicited a shrug from Orlaithe but Rini knew the answer instantly:
"Kaden, you told me you never had a close friend for more than a few months or a lover for more than a few weeks. No way that's enough time, especially if you NEVER told anyone. The only people who have been in your life enough are your family and..."
"... and they already knew."
"Indeed, perhaps this is why we have been the only friends who've stayed with you. You deny them so much of yourself to keep your secret"
Kaden was shocked by what she heard coming out of Orlaithe's mouth "You were the one who told me not to explain! You said it was dangerous! And then I told and I ended up in a fucking mental hospital!" Kaden's eyes turned red and her body shook, tears streaming down her face.
"And your secrecy kept you safe but its time now. And for you Rini, I don't suppose you have very long to wait for whatever transformation will come to you. I'll tell you the same thing I told her 11 years ago; be careful what you say, be careful who you tell. "

With that, Orlaithe flew off leaving the two women to wait for the change.

Kaden's Secret: Part 4

Date: March 25th, 1999, several hours after the funeral of Padraig Shea Sr, Kaden's grandfather
Location: Kaden's family home in West Ireland

"What are you asking?"
"If these things exist, I want to see them. I feel like I've been missing some huge piece of the world."
"It's not so simple. You can't just learn to see them and have that be it. It changes who you are. You know how I get sometimes when I go and disappear for a while? That will happen to you too. Anyway its just not done. It wasn't even supposed to be done to me."
"Are you the only one?"
"I've never met another. There might be, somewhere. I mean, there are tons of fae everywhere, maybe there's another one who disobeyed and made someone like me."
Rini screwed up her face in thought. "What if YOU changed me? Can you?"
A loud crashing sound as Orlaithe reappeared "No she can't. We would never have given her that power but..."
"But what?" Both women took on the same confused look.
"Enough time around someone, enough of the right KIND of time... It is somewhat... catching. Especially now that your friend is..."
"Primed? Now that I know there's something there to be seen."
Orlaithe nodded solemnly and Kaden stared on in disbelief. "then why hasn't it ever happened to anyone else I know. My friends, my lovers, none of them could see."
This elicited a shrug from Orlaithe but Rini knew the answer instantly:
"Kaden, you told me you never had a close friend for more than a few months or a lover for more than a few weeks. No way that's enough time, especially if you NEVER told anyone. The only people who have been in your life enough are your family and..."
"... and they already knew."
"Indeed, perhaps this is why we have been the only friends who've stayed with you. You deny them so much of yourself to keep your secret"
Kaden was shocked by what she heard coming out of Orlaithe's mouth "You were the one who told me not to explain! You said it was dangerous! And then I told and I ended up in a fucking mental hospital!" Kaden's eyes turned red and her body shook, tears streaming down her face.
"And your secrecy kept you safe but its time now. And for you Rini, I don't suppose you have very long to wait for whatever transformation will come to you. I'll tell you the same thing I told her 11 years ago; be careful what you say, be careful who you tell. "

With that, Orlaithe flew off leaving the two women to wait for the change.

Music Thingy: I get to post about Placebo once dammit!

Well, now that THAT particular piece of fiction is complete I can relax for a while. And what better way to relax than with some nice music. Due to people's tendency to make fun of me for my Placebo mania, I have avoided posting about them in any of my music thingys but if I'm gonna post every half hour for another 16 hours, I'm damn well gonna use everything I've got.

I first heard Placebo's music back in 1999, a couple of songs off their second album, WIthout You I'm Nothing. It was good stuff but my life at the time was chaos and I never investigated further. Years later (2006) I heard an ad on the radio stating that they had another album coming out. "Hey, I remember these guys!" I thought, and I started downloading songs and listening to them. I discovered that it didn't matter which album I pulled from, I liked it all.

A few weeks later I was listening to the radio late at night and the cover they do of "Running Up That Hill" (Kate Bush) came on. I was completely stunned. I couldn't believe how good it was. That's what started me actually buying the albums and getting involved in the forums. Sadly, I discovered they had just completed their Boston show and I didn't get to see them live. Even though Steve the amazingest drummer in the world is no longer in the band, I plan to see them on their next tour. I've got 2 entire concerts stored on my laptop and the live performance is fantastic, everything I like about a live show. Lots of audience connection and interaction, lots of showmanship, but NOT a lot of random blathering at the crowd. Its an intense music dense show.

Here is an amazing live performance of the song that started my mania, "Running Up That Hill." This is one of two times that I will say, without a doubt, the cover is better than the original.

Music Thingy: I get to post about Placebo once dammit!

Well, now that THAT particular piece of fiction is complete I can relax for a while. And what better way to relax than with some nice music. Due to people's tendency to make fun of me for my Placebo mania, I have avoided posting about them in any of my music thingys but if I'm gonna post every half hour for another 16 hours, I'm damn well gonna use everything I've got.

I first heard Placebo's music back in 1999, a couple of songs off their second album, WIthout You I'm Nothing. It was good stuff but my life at the time was chaos and I never investigated further. Years later (2006) I heard an ad on the radio stating that they had another album coming out. "Hey, I remember these guys!" I thought, and I started downloading songs and listening to them. I discovered that it didn't matter which album I pulled from, I liked it all.

A few weeks later I was listening to the radio late at night and the cover they do of "Running Up That Hill" (Kate Bush) came on. I was completely stunned. I couldn't believe how good it was. That's what started me actually buying the albums and getting involved in the forums. Sadly, I discovered they had just completed their Boston show and I didn't get to see them live. Even though Steve the amazingest drummer in the world is no longer in the band, I plan to see them on their next tour. I've got 2 entire concerts stored on my laptop and the live performance is fantastic, everything I like about a live show. Lots of audience connection and interaction, lots of showmanship, but NOT a lot of random blathering at the crowd. Its an intense music dense show.

Here is an amazing live performance of the song that started my mania, "Running Up That Hill." This is one of two times that I will say, without a doubt, the cover is better than the original.

More fiction: Becoming Known

Date: Mid January 2002
Location: Cambridge Massachusetts, somewhere near Central Square

"The less you twitch, the faster I'll be done!"
Michelle's quick fingers wove through Kaden's black and auburn hair building a series of tiny braids while Kaden squirmed impatiently in the chair.
"I hate it I hate it I hate it auuugggh I hate it! That's it, we're done! It's good enough and I'm going out for a smoke."
Dave, the manager shouted from across the makeshift dressing area "You've got 20 minutes, be back on time dammit."

Kaden barely heard him as she bolted out the back door into the alley behind the club, wrapping herself in a hooded jacket as she closed the door behind her. A light snow was drifting down and mixed in with it small clusters of sparkles. Some of her kin had undoubtedly been through there looking for her, but they could never manage in the city for long.
"Well, I guess I'm not going very far. If my hair gets wet we're back to square one." she chuckled to herself as she dug through the pockets for her pipe. Running one hand over the carved wood she dug around with the other for her pack of tobacco. Next she pried open the packet and sniffed the contents "blech, vile stuff." With a shrug she began packing a small quantity into the bowl of the pipe and lit her smoke. After taking a few drags she noticed a couple of teenagers giggling as they crossed the street. One of them caught sight of her out of the corner of her eye and dragged the boy, (a boyfriend maybe?) toward her.
"Miss Shea?"
"Kaden, but yes, do I know you?"
"No... we're... we're here for the show." The girl held up her hand showing the stamp with an x across it signifying under 21, not allowed by the bar. "We were at last week's show in New York as well."
Dumbstruck, jaw closer to the floor than her upper lip, Kaden stumbled for words "did you travel just to see us?"
"Yes." the boy spoke for the first time "We live in Manhatten but Amy's aunt has a house in Malden and she's letting us stay with her for the weekend. Oh, I'm Colin." He offered his hand and Kaden slowly shook. By all appearances, she was still in a state of disbelief. "We have this CD, could you sign it?" Colin produced a copy of their album from his pocket along with a pen. Kaden quickly scribbled a signature and both of the youngsters blushed, thanking her as they walked toward the front of the club.
"Kaden, Dave's having a fit you'd better come back in.... who were they" Justin asked as he led Kaden backstage.
"Um.. it appears we have fans..."

*****

Phew. down to the wire here. We're over 1/3 of the way there!
http://www.vitalground.org

More fiction: Becoming Known

Date: Mid January 2002
Location: Cambridge Massachusetts, somewhere near Central Square

"The less you twitch, the faster I'll be done!"
Michelle's quick fingers wove through Kaden's black and auburn hair building a series of tiny braids while Kaden squirmed impatiently in the chair.
"I hate it I hate it I hate it auuugggh I hate it! That's it, we're done! It's good enough and I'm going out for a smoke."
Dave, the manager shouted from across the makeshift dressing area "You've got 20 minutes, be back on time dammit."

Kaden barely heard him as she bolted out the back door into the alley behind the club, wrapping herself in a hooded jacket as she closed the door behind her. A light snow was drifting down and mixed in with it small clusters of sparkles. Some of her kin had undoubtedly been through there looking for her, but they could never manage in the city for long.
"Well, I guess I'm not going very far. If my hair gets wet we're back to square one." she chuckled to herself as she dug through the pockets for her pipe. Running one hand over the carved wood she dug around with the other for her pack of tobacco. Next she pried open the packet and sniffed the contents "blech, vile stuff." With a shrug she began packing a small quantity into the bowl of the pipe and lit her smoke. After taking a few drags she noticed a couple of teenagers giggling as they crossed the street. One of them caught sight of her out of the corner of her eye and dragged the boy, (a boyfriend maybe?) toward her.
"Miss Shea?"
"Kaden, but yes, do I know you?"
"No... we're... we're here for the show." The girl held up her hand showing the stamp with an x across it signifying under 21, not allowed by the bar. "We were at last week's show in New York as well."
Dumbstruck, jaw closer to the floor than her upper lip, Kaden stumbled for words "did you travel just to see us?"
"Yes." the boy spoke for the first time "We live in Manhatten but Amy's aunt has a house in Malden and she's letting us stay with her for the weekend. Oh, I'm Colin." He offered his hand and Kaden slowly shook. By all appearances, she was still in a state of disbelief. "We have this CD, could you sign it?" Colin produced a copy of their album from his pocket along with a pen. Kaden quickly scribbled a signature and both of the youngsters blushed, thanking her as they walked toward the front of the club.
"Kaden, Dave's having a fit you'd better come back in.... who were they" Justin asked as he led Kaden backstage.
"Um.. it appears we have fans..."

*****

Phew. down to the wire here. We're over 1/3 of the way there!
http://www.vitalground.org

HAT OF DESTINY!!!!

The hat of destiny tells me to make a list of the top 5 clothing items I would never wear so here we go

1) latex undies. yuck.
2) pink gingham dress
3) nun outfit
4) Cruella DeVille's coat of dalmations
5) Anything made from bear skin because bears should be wild and free and not worn!

And that's why you should go to http://www.vitalground.org and make a donation. Don't forget to tell me if you do, I like to keep track for my own ego stroking.

I should mention that we have about $385 in pledges already so thanks to everyone who has pledged money!

HAT OF DESTINY!!!!

The hat of destiny tells me to make a list of the top 5 clothing items I would never wear so here we go

1) latex undies. yuck.
2) pink gingham dress
3) nun outfit
4) Cruella DeVille's coat of dalmations
5) Anything made from bear skin because bears should be wild and free and not worn!

And that's why you should go to http://www.vitalground.org and make a donation. Don't forget to tell me if you do, I like to keep track for my own ego stroking.

I should mention that we have about $385 in pledges already so thanks to everyone who has pledged money!

Obnoxious rant number 2: Being broke means no money, not just "oh I can't afford a jet ski!!!"

The trip I took to London was difficult for me financially. It was, however, something I could manage with credit cards and birthday gift money. I'll have the whole thing paid off in a few months. I do the same thing for every vacation I take and every Arisia I attend: make sure all my bills are paid and credit cards are zeroed out before I go. That way the only debt I have after the trip is the trip itself. I consider myself extremely fortunate that I am able to do this. I stay in relatively cheap places and don't eat anywhere fancy and limit my purchases and this is allowing me to slowly see all of Europe, one 4 or 5 day jaunt at a time.


Yet despite this, some people consider me to have "very little money." I get comments where people are shocked that I can't afford some fairly extravagent thing because "you work full time! You should be able to." So consider this a news flash for everyone who doesn't fucking get it: Working means you can pay your bills, it might mean you get some extras. It does NOT automatically make you rich, especially not in this country.

This also means that when someone says "I have no money so I can't afford to take that trip/buy that piece of jewelry/attend that concert." It does not mean they have a little extra each week but don't want to be bothered saving up. It PROBABLY means they don't have enough to even pay the bills never mind spend $50-100 on something that isn't 100% necessity. This is what poor means and people who actually live it are not whining, they are not irresponsible, they are not using it as an excuse. They are actually POOR.

Obnoxious rant number 2: Being broke means no money, not just "oh I can't afford a jet ski!!!"

The trip I took to London was difficult for me financially. It was, however, something I could manage with credit cards and birthday gift money. I'll have the whole thing paid off in a few months. I do the same thing for every vacation I take and every Arisia I attend: make sure all my bills are paid and credit cards are zeroed out before I go. That way the only debt I have after the trip is the trip itself. I consider myself extremely fortunate that I am able to do this. I stay in relatively cheap places and don't eat anywhere fancy and limit my purchases and this is allowing me to slowly see all of Europe, one 4 or 5 day jaunt at a time.


Yet despite this, some people consider me to have "very little money." I get comments where people are shocked that I can't afford some fairly extravagent thing because "you work full time! You should be able to." So consider this a news flash for everyone who doesn't fucking get it: Working means you can pay your bills, it might mean you get some extras. It does NOT automatically make you rich, especially not in this country.

This also means that when someone says "I have no money so I can't afford to take that trip/buy that piece of jewelry/attend that concert." It does not mean they have a little extra each week but don't want to be bothered saving up. It PROBABLY means they don't have enough to even pay the bills never mind spend $50-100 on something that isn't 100% necessity. This is what poor means and people who actually live it are not whining, they are not irresponsible, they are not using it as an excuse. They are actually POOR.

Ack, a bear!

I thought now was as good a time as any to remind people what this is really about. These majestic creatures are endangered. Increasingly, the development of the human world infringes on the space they require to survive. Every penny we can put toward preserving land in its wild state helps to prevent their extinction.

Even if you can only donate a dollar or two, please go ahead and do it! Also the next person to donate $10 or more gets to give me a topic and I will have to write about it.

Ack, a bear!

I thought now was as good a time as any to remind people what this is really about. These majestic creatures are endangered. Increasingly, the development of the human world infringes on the space they require to survive. Every penny we can put toward preserving land in its wild state helps to prevent their extinction.

Even if you can only donate a dollar or two, please go ahead and do it! Also the next person to donate $10 or more gets to give me a topic and I will have to write about it.

Character Description: Adrian

Description date: present day

Hair, lots of it. Dark, a little stringy, all the way down his back. What he lacks in height (he's maybe 5'8") he makes up for in hair length. His eyes are a deep deep shade of green but they are hidden behind round metal rimmed glasses and he is inordinately fond of peering over them in an intimidating fashion. He can't keep up the intimidation for very long though; invariably his thin lips will spread into a smile and soon after a deep sonorous laugh springs forth. His wardrobe looks like a mix of Woodstock and the floor of Danceteria circa 1985, but somehow he makes it work. If you catch him before 2 pm though, he'll still be in his pajamas... with a blazer over them. Most of his family keeps their pewter fairy pendant hidden beneath their shirts because "it's too personal" for the rest of the world to see but Adrian wears his out and proudly. After all, its only the meaning thats too personal. An object is just an object.

On stage Adrian is perhaps the most extreme, glittered head to toe, full on glam makeup (done by Michelle of course because Adrian is completely incapable of putting on eyeliner without poking himself in the eye). He weaves ribbons through his hair unless he is wearing it down. When he is performing he moves back and forth across the stage constantly, giving his admirers a rock and roll version of tennis eyeball. To look at him, you'd almost think you had a chance. He seems so loose so free so very available... but when it is all over he goes home with his family and that will NEVER change.

Character Description: Adrian

Description date: present day

Hair, lots of it. Dark, a little stringy, all the way down his back. What he lacks in height (he's maybe 5'8") he makes up for in hair length. His eyes are a deep deep shade of green but they are hidden behind round metal rimmed glasses and he is inordinately fond of peering over them in an intimidating fashion. He can't keep up the intimidation for very long though; invariably his thin lips will spread into a smile and soon after a deep sonorous laugh springs forth. His wardrobe looks like a mix of Woodstock and the floor of Danceteria circa 1985, but somehow he makes it work. If you catch him before 2 pm though, he'll still be in his pajamas... with a blazer over them. Most of his family keeps their pewter fairy pendant hidden beneath their shirts because "it's too personal" for the rest of the world to see but Adrian wears his out and proudly. After all, its only the meaning thats too personal. An object is just an object.

On stage Adrian is perhaps the most extreme, glittered head to toe, full on glam makeup (done by Michelle of course because Adrian is completely incapable of putting on eyeliner without poking himself in the eye). He weaves ribbons through his hair unless he is wearing it down. When he is performing he moves back and forth across the stage constantly, giving his admirers a rock and roll version of tennis eyeball. To look at him, you'd almost think you had a chance. He seems so loose so free so very available... but when it is all over he goes home with his family and that will NEVER change.

Questions for Kaden part 2

shadesong asks "what of the various things that changed was the hardest to get used to?

At age 13 Kaden says:

The hardest part is the secrecy. Mom and Dad are talkers; they always taught me to be open, truthful. Yet with this secret, they tell me to keep silent. Orlaithe told me to keep silent. Every fae I encounter tells me "people cannot handle this, they won't believe you. The consequences are dire if you reveal your nature." When I was little it didn't matter what I said about winged creatures hanging out in the woods behind my house because people expect young children to imagine things. The trouble came as I got older and tried to defy everyone's advice. I got more and more insistent on telling people the truth. I became isolated by the time I was 11 because all the kids thought I was weird. I guess I am weird. It came to a head in 7th grade when I told one of my teachers about how the faeries in Ireland were so different from the ones I saw in the states. I was describing the brilliant colors of the ones behind my house in Massachusetts, how their bodies appeared to be shrouded in fall leaves and sparking with the edges of stones... the teacher told me she was worried about all my fantasies, that it wasn't healthy, that I needed to stop telling these crazy stories before it got me into trouble. I screamed at her that they were real, tears welling up in my eyes as she INSISTED that I MUST stop making things up. I remember reaching forward with my fist. I remember the feeling of my hand hitting her flesh. I remember pounding at her body as she lay on the floor and then... nothing.

I woke up, hours later, in a hospital, pumped full of some sort of medicine they said would "make me stop imagining these things and keep me under control." I was in that hospital for 4 days. Finally they let my mother take me home with a pile of prescriptions that I was to take every day, possibly for the rest of my life. I was so lucky that my mother knew the truth; she never gave me the pills and I never told another soul about my friends in the woods.
***

bears live in the woods yadda yadda http://www.vitalground.org

Questions for Kaden part 2

shadesong asks "what of the various things that changed was the hardest to get used to?

At age 13 Kaden says:

The hardest part is the secrecy. Mom and Dad are talkers; they always taught me to be open, truthful. Yet with this secret, they tell me to keep silent. Orlaithe told me to keep silent. Every fae I encounter tells me "people cannot handle this, they won't believe you. The consequences are dire if you reveal your nature." When I was little it didn't matter what I said about winged creatures hanging out in the woods behind my house because people expect young children to imagine things. The trouble came as I got older and tried to defy everyone's advice. I got more and more insistent on telling people the truth. I became isolated by the time I was 11 because all the kids thought I was weird. I guess I am weird. It came to a head in 7th grade when I told one of my teachers about how the faeries in Ireland were so different from the ones I saw in the states. I was describing the brilliant colors of the ones behind my house in Massachusetts, how their bodies appeared to be shrouded in fall leaves and sparking with the edges of stones... the teacher told me she was worried about all my fantasies, that it wasn't healthy, that I needed to stop telling these crazy stories before it got me into trouble. I screamed at her that they were real, tears welling up in my eyes as she INSISTED that I MUST stop making things up. I remember reaching forward with my fist. I remember the feeling of my hand hitting her flesh. I remember pounding at her body as she lay on the floor and then... nothing.

I woke up, hours later, in a hospital, pumped full of some sort of medicine they said would "make me stop imagining these things and keep me under control." I was in that hospital for 4 days. Finally they let my mother take me home with a pile of prescriptions that I was to take every day, possibly for the rest of my life. I was so lucky that my mother knew the truth; she never gave me the pills and I never told another soul about my friends in the woods.
***

bears live in the woods yadda yadda http://www.vitalground.org

Topic from pit crew: Chocolate covered Elves

First thought - those chocolate covered keebler cookies that are shaped like elves
Second thought - Legolas dipped in chocolate. But milk vs dark is the question.
third thought - harry potter house elves. they can't wear clothing but i bet they can wear chocolate!
fourth thought - D&D elves. Its chocolate armour. +2 against diabetic dragons
fifth thought - instead of covering the elves we should make the fletch arrows from the chocolate. Then shoot them at apple trees to fell the apples. Yum!
sixth thought - gnomes are like elves. we should dip a garden gnome in chocolate
seventh thought - trolls are too big to coat in chocolate
eighth thought - i should have just gone with a topic from the hat of destiny

Topic from pit crew: Chocolate covered Elves

First thought - those chocolate covered keebler cookies that are shaped like elves
Second thought - Legolas dipped in chocolate. But milk vs dark is the question.
third thought - harry potter house elves. they can't wear clothing but i bet they can wear chocolate!
fourth thought - D&D elves. Its chocolate armour. +2 against diabetic dragons
fifth thought - instead of covering the elves we should make the fletch arrows from the chocolate. Then shoot them at apple trees to fell the apples. Yum!
sixth thought - gnomes are like elves. we should dip a garden gnome in chocolate
seventh thought - trolls are too big to coat in chocolate
eighth thought - i should have just gone with a topic from the hat of destiny

Halfway there post: what the fuck is that???

I was going to make an intelligent post with some commentary on Patrick Wolf's music and at some point I should do that because his music is excellent and worth the intellectual consideration. However right now I have a more important Patrick issue to deal with which is, what is he wearing in this video:

Theories I have come up with so far include: cotton ball, one of those bows you put on a gift, pom poms like the ones cheerleaders use, graduation hat tassle, the head of a sheepdog...

This was the outfit he chose to wear at the end of his big Shepherd's Bush concert, his last show of 2007. At this show he unveiled several new songs and performed with other respected musicians from the London music scene. It was by all reports a fantastic performance exploding with artistic merit. Why oh why would you choose to appear at the END of such a show dressed as a shredded tampon? Its yet another case where someone who may very well be an actual genius makes a bizarre choice that we just cannot understand. Perhaps us merely above average folks cannot comprehend the reasoning of a brilliant mind. More likely, he had a few pints to many and then went to his costume designer for a brainstorming session.

Bears have more style. http://www.vitalground.com

Halfway there post: what the fuck is that???

I was going to make an intelligent post with some commentary on Patrick Wolf's music and at some point I should do that because his music is excellent and worth the intellectual consideration. However right now I have a more important Patrick issue to deal with which is, what is he wearing in this video:

Theories I have come up with so far include: cotton ball, one of those bows you put on a gift, pom poms like the ones cheerleaders use, graduation hat tassle, the head of a sheepdog...

This was the outfit he chose to wear at the end of his big Shepherd's Bush concert, his last show of 2007. At this show he unveiled several new songs and performed with other respected musicians from the London music scene. It was by all reports a fantastic performance exploding with artistic merit. Why oh why would you choose to appear at the END of such a show dressed as a shredded tampon? Its yet another case where someone who may very well be an actual genius makes a bizarre choice that we just cannot understand. Perhaps us merely above average folks cannot comprehend the reasoning of a brilliant mind. More likely, he had a few pints to many and then went to his costume designer for a brainstorming session.

Bears have more style. http://www.vitalground.com

Questions for Kaden part 3

wired_lizard asks "What wakes you up in the morning?" This one's got a story.

Every morning its the same routine. There are different bed partners, or different combinations thereof, but one thing is constant; Kaden HATES waking up. When the alarm goes off, or the person next to her pokes her, or a noise from outside disturbs her sleep, she rolls over groaning loudly and buries her head under the pillow.

Today it's Adrian's job to rouse her from her slumber, a difficult task considering he hates the morning almost as much as she does. Still, he's up when the wakeup call arrives and into the kitchen of the hotel suite. When he gets there, coffee is already brewing. Justin, always the first one up, is sitting at the table in a pair of boxers with a pop tart in one hand. He glances up at Adrian "Time to wake Kads, huh?" "Yup" Adrian replies, grabbing the largest coffee mug available and filling it from the pot. "what about the others?" he inquires. "Michelle is in the shower, Rini and Jaime are taking breakfast in private nudge nudge." Adrian adds cream and sugar to the coffee and wanders back toward the smaller bedroom. He draws a deep breath and begins what he knows will be the worst 5 minutes of his day.
"Rise and shine! get up get up get up!!! Come on you can do it!!! Outta bed! head out from under the pillow..." a long monologue of relentless cheerful LOUD battle cries. Its not that he thinks they will cheer her up, its that he knows she can't sleep through them. Out comes the head, a mess of black and read hair in tangles with an expression beneath them that could freeze boiling water in a split second. "Goddammit you fucker what are you doing?" it screams. The arms thrash like a beast awakened in chains trying to get free. Adrian knows he has one chance to appease the monster. He slides into the opposite side of the bed from her and holds out the mug of coffee. Sensing the smell Kaden's head turns in his direction. Her hands clumsily grasp the mug and she draws a long slow sip. For now, Adrian is safe.

Questions for Kaden part 3

wired_lizard asks "What wakes you up in the morning?" This one's got a story.

Every morning its the same routine. There are different bed partners, or different combinations thereof, but one thing is constant; Kaden HATES waking up. When the alarm goes off, or the person next to her pokes her, or a noise from outside disturbs her sleep, she rolls over groaning loudly and buries her head under the pillow.

Today it's Adrian's job to rouse her from her slumber, a difficult task considering he hates the morning almost as much as she does. Still, he's up when the wakeup call arrives and into the kitchen of the hotel suite. When he gets there, coffee is already brewing. Justin, always the first one up, is sitting at the table in a pair of boxers with a pop tart in one hand. He glances up at Adrian "Time to wake Kads, huh?" "Yup" Adrian replies, grabbing the largest coffee mug available and filling it from the pot. "what about the others?" he inquires. "Michelle is in the shower, Rini and Jaime are taking breakfast in private nudge nudge." Adrian adds cream and sugar to the coffee and wanders back toward the smaller bedroom. He draws a deep breath and begins what he knows will be the worst 5 minutes of his day.
"Rise and shine! get up get up get up!!! Come on you can do it!!! Outta bed! head out from under the pillow..." a long monologue of relentless cheerful LOUD battle cries. Its not that he thinks they will cheer her up, its that he knows she can't sleep through them. Out comes the head, a mess of black and read hair in tangles with an expression beneath them that could freeze boiling water in a split second. "Goddammit you fucker what are you doing?" it screams. The arms thrash like a beast awakened in chains trying to get free. Adrian knows he has one chance to appease the monster. He slides into the opposite side of the bed from her and holds out the mug of coffee. Sensing the smell Kaden's head turns in his direction. Her hands clumsily grasp the mug and she draws a long slow sip. For now, Adrian is safe.

Hat of DESTINY!!!!

The topic I have pulled from the Hat of Destiny is: Performers Least Likely to Get a Ben and Jerry's Flavor

1) Cradle of Filth because Sweet Cream of Filth sounds TERRIBLE
2) Noel Fielding because he'd want it to be something like "yarn and stapler" flavor
3) Celine Dion because nobody believes someone that scrawny knows a damn thing about ice cream
4) Kid Rock because of the Pony
5) Jay Leno because he sucks
6) Morrissey because ice cream would make him happy thereby ruining his career
7) Pat Sajack because he is a robot
8) David Ducovny because he would need to investigate the alien nature of the ice cream and eventually it would cause a nervous breakdown curable only by Scully.
9) Carrot top because carrots have no more of a place in ice cream than this man has in comedy
10) Phil Collins because Ben and Jerrys flavors are too interesting for him.

in addition, here are my top two entertainers who DO get ice cream flavors
1) John Barrowman and it would have something to do with nuts
2) Ludo and it would be called "holding hands and drinking milkshakes"

Hat of DESTINY!!!!

The topic I have pulled from the Hat of Destiny is: Performers Least Likely to Get a Ben and Jerry's Flavor

1) Cradle of Filth because Sweet Cream of Filth sounds TERRIBLE
2) Noel Fielding because he'd want it to be something like "yarn and stapler" flavor
3) Celine Dion because nobody believes someone that scrawny knows a damn thing about ice cream
4) Kid Rock because of the Pony
5) Jay Leno because he sucks
6) Morrissey because ice cream would make him happy thereby ruining his career
7) Pat Sajack because he is a robot
8) David Ducovny because he would need to investigate the alien nature of the ice cream and eventually it would cause a nervous breakdown curable only by Scully.
9) Carrot top because carrots have no more of a place in ice cream than this man has in comedy
10) Phil Collins because Ben and Jerrys flavors are too interesting for him.

in addition, here are my top two entertainers who DO get ice cream flavors
1) John Barrowman and it would have something to do with nuts
2) Ludo and it would be called "holding hands and drinking milkshakes"

Quotes of the day, first edition

I've been keeping a quote list as conversations here get more and more bizarre. Here's a few memorable ones from the archive:

"What is the unit of measurement for degree of butchiness?" (eventually determined to be the Katchoo)
"Are the clicky button and the tickey box arch enemies?"
"That's blogathon, nudity and a rubber chicken!"
"It's boring, I'm throwing it back" - in response to pulling an unsatisfactory prompt from the hat of destiny
"Slidey floor plus dizzy equals ow"
"I'm just gonna go out and have a bad habit" - Rafaela before a smoke break.
"Can you help me think of movies that I hated but didn't love?"

We have to be quiet now at Team Venture Headquarters because the downstairs neighbors have a baby. This leaves us needing to find more subtle ways to be idiotic. Any and all suggestions of how to accomplish this are welcome. Meanwhile I am going to sip on my 3rd coffee of the day and ponder my next post.

You on the other hand should take a look at http://www.vitalground.org

Quotes of the day, first edition

I've been keeping a quote list as conversations here get more and more bizarre. Here's a few memorable ones from the archive:

"What is the unit of measurement for degree of butchiness?" (eventually determined to be the Katchoo)
"Are the clicky button and the tickey box arch enemies?"
"That's blogathon, nudity and a rubber chicken!"
"It's boring, I'm throwing it back" - in response to pulling an unsatisfactory prompt from the hat of destiny
"Slidey floor plus dizzy equals ow"
"I'm just gonna go out and have a bad habit" - Rafaela before a smoke break.
"Can you help me think of movies that I hated but didn't love?"

We have to be quiet now at Team Venture Headquarters because the downstairs neighbors have a baby. This leaves us needing to find more subtle ways to be idiotic. Any and all suggestions of how to accomplish this are welcome. Meanwhile I am going to sip on my 3rd coffee of the day and ponder my next post.

You on the other hand should take a look at http://www.vitalground.org

Questions for Jaime

The prompt - Why don't you go to that place anymore?

I haven't been to my parents home since my Sophomore year of college (I'm 28 now). This certainly wasn't what I had in mind when I left for school; I didn't realize how much they had damaged me. They put me in commercials starting when I was 6. It would have been fine for a while but it continued well into my high school years. Why? I guess my parents were making a lot of money off of me. At least they were decent enough to put some money into an account for me but most of it went to them, feeding all their expensive habits and hobbies.

Being in a teenage model SUCKS. Teenage years are awkward, people tell you that's natural, but then they also tell you that you have to look perfect or you are useless to the agency and photographers. Eventually I just gave up. I wanted to disappear and I stopped taking care of myself. I stopped getting cast because I looked like crap. My parents were pissed; didn't I realize I was losing jobs? But I was free.

By the time I got to college I was a walking skeleton wearing stained clothes and unkempt hair. I befriended Rini and she noticed. Against my will, she started cleaning me up, made me go get new clothes (I had control of the bank account with all the leftover cash from my childhood labors), reminded me that eating and keeping clean and brushing your hair were NOT just giving in to my family, they were necessary for me. What I found though was that every time I went home, I'd fall back into my old habits. My parents made me want to go into hiding and I did, inside my own body. I decided the solution was not go to back

They don't call anymore. They did for a while, especially after I started to make money with the band, but once they realized they weren't going to get any part of it, they stopped. I prefer it that way. The family I have now, that's the family I want.

Questions for Jaime

The prompt - Why don't you go to that place anymore?

I haven't been to my parents home since my Sophomore year of college (I'm 28 now). This certainly wasn't what I had in mind when I left for school; I didn't realize how much they had damaged me. They put me in commercials starting when I was 6. It would have been fine for a while but it continued well into my high school years. Why? I guess my parents were making a lot of money off of me. At least they were decent enough to put some money into an account for me but most of it went to them, feeding all their expensive habits and hobbies.

Being in a teenage model SUCKS. Teenage years are awkward, people tell you that's natural, but then they also tell you that you have to look perfect or you are useless to the agency and photographers. Eventually I just gave up. I wanted to disappear and I stopped taking care of myself. I stopped getting cast because I looked like crap. My parents were pissed; didn't I realize I was losing jobs? But I was free.

By the time I got to college I was a walking skeleton wearing stained clothes and unkempt hair. I befriended Rini and she noticed. Against my will, she started cleaning me up, made me go get new clothes (I had control of the bank account with all the leftover cash from my childhood labors), reminded me that eating and keeping clean and brushing your hair were NOT just giving in to my family, they were necessary for me. What I found though was that every time I went home, I'd fall back into my old habits. My parents made me want to go into hiding and I did, inside my own body. I decided the solution was not go to back

They don't call anymore. They did for a while, especially after I started to make money with the band, but once they realized they weren't going to get any part of it, they stopped. I prefer it that way. The family I have now, that's the family I want.