How the Feline Fellowship Saved Christmas

I promised a friend of mine that I would post my newest story on my next post, considering that my previous post was my next post, I'll post it here, now. I'll be leaving for Wisconsin (via car) tomorrow at 4AM. To everyone who still has a happy holiday, Merry Chrisrtmas.

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“I have a deliciously fiendish plan in my head!”
The tyrannical Dr. Catopolis said.
“While all of Paragon sleeps in the night,
Saint Nicholas will come with sleigh a flight.
He'll land on the rooftops to deliver the gifts,
and when he does, the presents we'll lift,
and give them to all the bad girls and boys,
so the good kids will not have a single toy!”
And at that thought he chuckled a loud,
a chuckle that hung like an ominous cloud.
And when the night came he readied his group,
to turn the Christmas Cheer into a depressing soup.
And down came Saint Nick, on the very first house
and was attacked by the Doctor's good friend Mr. Clause.
So that the gifts were stolen on Christmas Eve.
Such a horrible tragedy could one conceive?
So off in the night did the fiendish cat fly,
But who followed him did we spy?
None other than the Fellowship that numbered a few
and after him did they pursue.
And Mr. Clause tried to harm the kittens
He shot and he shot and he even threw mittens.
But not a single Feline that night was harmed
and this caused him a measure of alarm.
Enough for him to have sighed and swore
to the point where he didn't see the floor
And into that he made such a clamor
that the Paragon officials came and threw him in the slammer.
But the presents were all rescued that very eve
and the good kids were rewarded with the gifts they received.
And the Fellowship thought they heard near star light
“A Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.”

Death Be Not Proud, Though Some Have Called Ye Mighty And Dreadful, Thou Art Not So

I was planning on having a very long blog post today, including everything thing that had happened, but one thing has happened that, well, my Grandmother, she, well, she wasn't doing to well and today at six pm, she, the funeral hasn't been scheduled yet, but it might occur on Tuesday, which means we'd start our trip to Wisonsin on Friday, so we can be with Grampa and other members of my family. I mean, she's gone... My mom was in tears when I came home today, along with my sisters. When they told me what happened... they gave her until May, not December. I hoped she could see my sisters graduate, but that's not going to happen now. Not that she would have had the strength to see them graduate, but we could have recorded it for her. BUt now I'm never going to see her again. She was probably the best cook in the family. And she was a good person. I know I barely mentioned her on the blog, and I feel horrible about that, espically now that she's... my family never told me what her condition was, though. I should have asked them about that. I might have called her and told her how much I wanted her to get better. I should have... but now? I work tomorrow, so I'll tell my manager that I probably won't be in Friday, or most of next week. I'll tell him the reason why. We'll be renting a van to drive up there, with their being five in my family (my self, my sisters, my mother, and my father.)Then we'll try to get a hotel in Abortsford (I think that's the name of the closest town with a hotel.)It'll probably be on Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day that we'll check in. Thinking about what we're going to do when we get up there, instead of what has happened, feels better, I guess. Anyway, if I'm not too busy packing tomorrow night, I'll try to post again before the trip...

60th post

Well, this is my 60th post. That's the longest I've ever recorded my thoughts and actions. Considering I started this thing in late July?, that's August, September, October, and November that I recorded my lack luster doings. Soon to be December, too.

Ya, no colored font today, not really in the mode for one. Truthfully, I'm not really in the mood to do much at all, but I do feel obliged to at least make a pretense of updating my life's story. I'm just not in a good mood, I guess. Been feeling down for pretty much the entire day, but I get this way during winter. And I guess summer too...

Anyway, I'm friends with the manager at the local EB, and they are short staffed, so he asked If I could fill in for the holiday break, so I submitted my aplication. Now I'm just waiting for the confirmation.

---

Sorry about the begining of this post. Wasn't really feeling too well last night, and I didn't really get a chance to post anything, just a few quick words.

I took my final exams. I know I have an A in two of my classes, I'm just hoping for a B in the other two. The worst I can do in the other two classes would be two C's for me to retain my current GPA. I won't say no to higher grades though...

My parents and I paid for my next semester's classes. It was expensive. Like 3 of my paychecks expesive. And I still have text books to purchase, and Lab Equipment to purchase. Stupid Chemistry and Physics class.

Haven't had a lot of time to play CoH or CoV (Isac Asimov is a good Author.......), but I do think it's neat that they are doing Christmassy stuff. I know it is a lot of work for them, but I think the CoH community appreciates it. Don't quote me on that, since I haven't been on the CoH boards recently.

Found the band Stratovarious to be a good band. Their Elements Part 1 cd is pretty good. Has a lot of neat melodies in it.

I know it wasn't a lot, but that's all I have for today. I apologize for the short posts that have plagued my blogg recently.

Not much to say

Well, not too much has happened since my last post. Somehow, I started up KOTOR2, I picked up a few Christmass gifts for family members, had a final in one of my classes (the other three classes have finals next week! =( ).I'm kind of worried about my networking final. I'm not really too good at networking and figuring out network configuration, so I'm going to have to study. My calc test will be simple, assuming I memorize my trig integerals and my trig defriantials. And I'm probably going to be exemp from my human relations exam (yay!!! A! =) ).

Right now I don't have any plans for Christmass, but I know I'll figure something to do at the last minute. I'm not too sure what, but I'll figure something. I'll probably just hang out with friends, or something like that.

Anyway, I apologize for the short post, I'll try to post tongiht after work, when I have a little more going through my head.

Processing with the power of words

I now have a word processor on my computer. Until today, when ever I typed stuff up, I'd just use notepad, but I finally found enough time to download open office. What I've seen of it so far, I like. It's like Microsoft Professional office, but with even more officey goodness, not that I'll use spread sheets, but it's there in case I need it. In case anyone wants a copy of Open Office, one can go to openoffice.org . It's worth the download, and even worth donating to.

Finally got the Luca Turilli CD in. Demonheart is a good albumn, it's just a little short on songs. But it does has a harpsicord. How many modern bands have that? And I do not mean a synthetic harpsicord sound, I mean a real harpsicord. Of course the vocalist isn't that good, but what does one expect from a band that focuses on the instrumental? Add to that that this band is basicly an offshoot of Rhapsody, and one finds why the vocals aren't the world's best.

These past two days felt like they would never end. They have just been long. Really long. And it doesn't help that I'm not the happiest person during the holiday season. Well, I guess I'm really not the happiest person, regardless of the season, but it just seems worse right now. At least I'm starting to feel the good effects of leaving the lab. My head no longer feels like it's going to explode from stress, and I now have time to sleep. I don't know how my check book feels about my idea, but I'll find that out soon enough. But I am happy I left the lab. It just wasn't worth the effort I put in their, and the amount of time I spent getting their. Of course, a few other things in life feel that way right now, but they always do, so no neeed to worry.

Today at work my manger and I got to know the fun of moving all the junk out of our storage unit into the empty office in our second location. There were two truck loads worth of stuff in the storage unit. Two very heavy truck loads, that aren't easy to lift. Tables and boxes and desks and things. But I got an extra hour out of the day, and I got to leanr that the IT department is way over budget. My boss, who gets overtime almost every week, was budgeted as part time at the begining of the year, and I myself, who almost has fulltime hours, was budgetted for 19 hours a week. That's a minor change in the budget. But I might have been better off with out this knowldage, for I'll probally end up thinking that it's my fault that the IT department is over budget, despite the fact that this type of thinking makes no sense. But when it comes to nonsense and overly paranoid thinking, I am in no short supply.

I'm thinking about making minor changes to my blog. I'm not too certain what I'd want to do, but maybe something to snaz it up a little. You know, maybe some javascript or something. Or maybe something differnt. Or maybe just a new way to display posts or something. I don't know. I know it looks nice how it is, and I really don't want to mess with that, but there has to be some other ways to make the blog look nicer, right?

Right now, I'm working on another story. I'm going to write up a decent bio for the Silhouetted Lynx, that others may want to read. If it all goes well, I'll have it posted on my blog the next time I post. But judging by the last story I started, which is still sitting unworked on, it might take a whil.

Anyway, I'm going to log. Night!

Labs are over rated

Well, I am officially no longer a lab assitant. My last was apparently last Wednessday, though I thought it was Monday. So rather than going home last night at a decent hour, I still had to carpool a friend, so when she got off, we went to Taco Bell and hung out. But now I'll get to be home at a decent hour, which means I may have an opportunity to write some more.

Will was down this weekend. His family, my self, and one of our friends, were at Tampa Internation Airport on Thanksgiving morning, at 1:15 AM. When he got off the plane, he spoke of this weird stuff that falls out of the sky on cold days. He said it was white, and that the northerners had a word for it, snow. I told him he'd been reading way too many sci-fi novels. It was nice to have him back, though. On Friday, the day we were all suppose to hang out, his father drafts him for father and slave, err father and son, time. Even though he no longer lives at his parents home, he got to know the fun of putting up christmass decorations, random repairs, and a score of other things that took him till 5pm to finish. Considering that he can no longer stay up past ten, (not that he's not allowed to, it's that he can't... what with 4am waking up and stuff) we didn't get a lot of time together. Which sucked. I couldn't see him on Saturday, nor did I get the chance to see him off on Sunday, so for four days, I saw a total of 5 hours of my best friend. So ya, I'm not too happy about that.

We had a pretty good thanksgiving dinner.I don't get the opportunity to eat a home made meal too often, so I was happy. But I guess one doesn't get the chance to have home made food when they spend 15 hours away from home. Hopefully I'll be able to eat out less often now.

Anyway, I really don't have too much more to say, so I'll try to post Thursday morning before work.

Cars break

My car wasn't turning too well, had a little too much resistants in the seering wheel, so I took it to the shop and, after a quick diagnostic on the power steering, it will cost about 340 dollars to fix, or in relative terms, one of my paychecks... =(. Add to that gas, insurance, christmass presents, food, ect... so ya, it's not too pretty. Luckily though, the power steering isn't an essitanl thing on a car, and I can problaly survive a month or two with out it, so hopefully, after I pick up christmass presents for everyone, and after I pick up textbooks for my next semester, I'll be able to repair my car. At least, on the plus side, there will probally be a surplus of 360's by the time I do have money to buy one...

I can not wait till tomorrow night.... err Thursday morning. Will will be coming down. He'll definately be spending Thanksgiving with his family, Friday he set aside for his friends (yay!!! Friday!!!), I have no idea what's going to be happening on Saturday, except that my father has 'projects' for me on Saturday...=(. And he leaves at about 10:45 AM Sunday. I wish he had more time, but...

Sorry about no story today. I have 75% of it done, and it's sitting on my computer waiting for me to finish it, but I haven't touched it since last week. Largely because of lack of time, and this has nothing to do with Call of Cthulhu. Nothing at all. But anyway, the story is the next installment of the Feline Fellowship thingy I've been writing. The good thing is, in it you meet Dr. Catopolis. And I don't care what anyone says, Dr. Catopolis is a cool name.

My parents took a trip to Orlando for their anniversery this weekend, leaving myself and my sisters alone for the weekend. For once I didn't have to work on some strage project that, in the hands of some one who knows what their doing, would be called carpentry. Why he drafts me into such things, when I couldn't care less about the whole project, or the room it's in, or just carpentry in general, is beyond me. He doesn't draft my sisters for two reasons. The first is that one is always mysteriously working on the weekends. The other reason is that the other sister had torn her ACL recently, and is still not available to work. Which makes me the only one of the group who does work on it. And heaven forbid I want to do something on my weekends.

Monday will be my last day in the lab. Which means I have today, Wednessday, and Monday left. Then it's no more coming home at eleven, and leaving at six. I might be able to get some sleep, then, or maybe even get other things done (like writing!) Of course, knowing my family, I'll end up working on some stuff until eleven...

One of my favorite bands, Rhapsody, their lead guitarist, Luca Turilli, does some side stuff, and I decided to finally order one of his albumns. With the amount of time it takes the local music store to place in an order, and the fact that they recieve their orders on Thursdays, so they'll be closed when my order is suppose to come in, I won't be getting the albumn for a few weeks =(. But his guitar chords are worth the wait. I have found few guitarist as good as Luca Turilli, amongst them was the old Children of Bodom guitarist (maybe even better...) and this weird russian guitarist. And no, I have not yet found a good metal guitarist in America, yet. Gamma Ray, Iron Maiden, and Stratovarious (at least, I think those bands are American) have good guitarist, but not in the powerish metal wayish thingy.

Life in the tech world is going ok, I guess. Right now, I spend my time setting up computers, which is probably the most boring thing to do in the industry. Outside of that, I do some misc. trouble shooting, general fixes, and general installations. Nothing to exciting. One of my classmates, who's going to get his programing degree, is the lead IT guy at a Sarasota company, and has offered me a job at a 1.50 more an hour. Now, Sarasota is about 20 miles from my home (a fairly long drive! =( ), but that's not the reason why I wouldn't take this job offer. The first is loyalty. I just don't feel right about leaving a company with out working for them for a decent period of time, at least one year's worth, anyways. I would perfer five years worth of work, but that might be viewed more of a job in one's career, and not as job job, so I'll stay with at least one. The second reason why I won't take the job is that I'm happy where I am. Although I don't get paid nearly as much, at my IT job, I like my co-workers (notice IT job, and not Lab...) They're an intresting bunch, and I swear a few of them have too much sugar in the day. The third reason why I wouldn't take the job, and probally the closest to the truth, is that it would just feel akward. I mean, right now I go to class with this person, so we're peers. But if I were to work for him, then technically, he'd be my boss. I know that sounds crazy, but...

I've been slowly getting back into HP Lovecraft's stuff. He is, mayhaps, my favorite author. The more I play Call of Cthulhu, the more I want to reread his work, and read the works of his contempories, who also wrote about the Cthulhu Mythos. I just love the basis for the Mythos. It's man is one of the least improtant things in the universe, and the less we know about its workings, the better, for one day, science will discover something so horrible, that we will either go mad with the information, or we will usher in a new dark age to forget.

Anyway, I have to log...=( probably will post on thenaksgiving...... maybe....

Story Time? Soon...

I have been writing some stuff recently. It's nothing too important, just some more fan fiction for CoH, but the fact is, I've been writing. When I do get it finished, I'll make sure to post that story, and the rest of the Feline Fellowship stories that I haven't posted yet, on to my blog. That way, non-SG members can read what I write too, and hopefully I'll get lots of comments... =)

Besides CoH stuff, I do have a few ideas for other stories, and a paper. The paper would be determing the effects of H.P. Lovecraft's works on modern day culture (no, I don't have to write something like that, but I think it would be fun.) The stories would largely be horror, with one exception. I plan on writing one about some sort of future where mankind has created a human/machine neural interface thingy. I'd try to have it have a similar tone...

I have given my two weeks notice to the lab, leaving my schedule with the IT stuff I do, school work I do, homework, family, friends, and misc. projects. I'm hoping that the time away from the lab can be used writing, either stories or code. Maybe with the extra writing time I can become good enough to actually publish a book... hopefully. Maybe.... please?

One of my friends had her 20th birthday yesterday. Although she asked for no gifts, I did give her something. I had a lot of film that hadn't been developed, and most of it is from when we were still in high school, such things ass Prom, grad night, ect. So anyways, I got the pictures developed, and then I gave her a set of prints. She liked the gift, so... =).

I picked up a G router today. For those who can't read my mind, that's a wireless 802.11G access point, that's compared to the Wireless 802.11B access point we currently have at home. I'm hoping that the increase in speed with result on an increase in my internet download and upload time, but that's probally just crazy talk. If someone doesn't know the difference between B and G, their speeds are 11mbs and 54mbs, respectively. Soon, they'll be releasing 802.11n, which will have a 600mbs throughput!!! 600mbs!!!!! That's really really really fast! Of course, it's probally cost way too much for my paycheck, but it is out there.

Nvidia has done something terrible!! There newest video card is about as powerfull as my pc! =( (ok, maybe that's exagerating it a little...) it has 512 MB of RAM! 512! That's what my computer has! I use to have 1.5 gigs, but then gig card went bad, and I haven't had time to go to Computer's Buyer's Warehouse to replace it (or go to HP.com to figure out the specs on my mother board... hehe.)

Picked up a new game today, Heretic Kingdoms. It wasn't too expensive, for it seemed to be an older game. As in Baldur's Gate 2 graphics. But it seemed intresting, except for one tiny detail. They had a drawing of what the main character looked like, and I doubt they could have leagally had her show more skin... I mean, I understand that the major target of the industry is the hapless teenage male who, outside of internet photos, probally hasn't seen a girl in his life, but does the industry's marketing need to focus soley on that client? I mean, it just escapes me as to how a person in a medeval setting, relying on melee combat would dress in such a fashion, and hope to survive. It furthermore escapes me as to how a programmer expects to attract new people into buying industry products (new being people who normally don't buy from that industry), by doing such things. And before anyone says anything, I realize the hypocrocy of this paragraph. And before anything says something else, I realize that hypocrocy is problaly spelt wrong.

Anyway, I need to be logging, so night!

Reviewing an Author

Well, I had some time to read my two new books, and truthfully, I am some what disappointed. The Asimov book was an excellent book (yes, I finished reading Foundation's Edge) and was well worth my time. The other book, The Web of Arachnos is the disappointment. I'm only at page 40 of the book, but if it wasn't a City of Heroes book, I would have thrown the book away. It's not that it's a bad book, but that it is so much below what I normally read. I am use to Asimov, Dickens, Lovecraft, and other respected authors. But Weinberg falls short of these lofty figures. In fact, this book is probally the first book I've read that I would recommend a Koontz book over, based soley on writing style (no, the book isn't horror.) The author uses metaphors when a few well placed adjectives would have been better, or at least less of a cliche, and when he uses more than one adjective, he has this tendancy to buthcer the meter of his sentance, sending the reader into a labyrinth of choppy sentances (not fragmented, just choppy,) and hard to follow ideas. To be blunt, every fanfiction I have read on City of Heroes (and yes, I've read a few of them) was better written than this book. Ok, it might not be as bad as I say, but I am really disappointed in the book, so I need to complain about it.

That out of the way, I'm thinking about giving my two weeks notice to the computer lab. It's not that I dislike the job, it's just that I don't have the time for it, and that I am tired of always being tired. The way my job schedule is set up there, I close the lab on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and open the lab on Tuesdays Thursdays. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I have morning classes (early morning classes, not like 10ish, but 7:40ish,) work, then more classes, and the last thing I want to do is sit in the lab after that, despite the fact that it's a do nothing job. I also live about an hour away from the lab, so not only do I have to close it one night and open it the next morning, but I also have to drive a long distance both ways, greatly cutting into anytime I have for such frivilous things as sleep. On top of that, there is a coworker at the lab that I have a personal dislike towards. It's just his personality that I dislike, but I mean, it just makes working in the lab uncomfortable. There's also no challenge to the job. None. I sit at a little desk, make sure people recieve the help they need, and when no one needs help, I stare at the ceiling. It is one of the most useless jobs I have ever heard of. I rarely learn anything, and I could be paid a lot more than what I make now (in the lab atleast) to do a number of other things. Its one perk, though, is that I could do homework on the job. Could is just one of numerous possibilites, though.

At my main job, I have been assigned the task of updating the company's internal website. Of coursem the problem is that it isn't based upon HTML, but upon sharppoint and frontpage, two things that use HTMLish code, but that the bulk of the things I do for my blog wouldn't work on (for example, the style color tag isn't accepted by microsoft.) Anyway, it should end up well... I hope... please?

Anway, I need to close down the lab, night...

The fourth Civilization

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. It's not that I don't think about my blog, in fact, few things couldn't be farther from the truth. It's just that I sit down to a computer, all ready to start typing about my life, pull up my blog, then just.... lose it. What little energy my fingers had to begin typing leaves, and I end up staring at a blank screen. And then the next day comes, and I think about how I didn't post, sit down to a computer, and the whole evil cycle starts over again.

My grandmother isn't doing too well. She was on Chemo, until she got hit with pneumonia. That left her too weak for chemo, so they had to take her off of it. Now, she weighs a total of 95 pounds. My mom is afriad that we might have be going back up to Wisconsin earlier than we believed...

I don't want anything to happen to my grandmother. I want her to still be around to see me graduate from college, or at least long enough to see my sisters graduate from High School. Considering that they're seniors, is that too much to ask for? But like most people, I want her to live for selfish reasons. I want her to live because it would be too painfull on my family for her not to. I want her to live so I can see her and grandpa pull into our driveway again after 2 days of driving. I want her to live so life can be the same as it always was, and I could go to sleep knowing that I had grandparents who loved me. Same thing with my grandfather, except I know he still has a while to go. Although he's 84, he is the healthiest person I know. I, 19 years old, am in worse health than he is. Not a day goes by that a violent cough doesn't seize me, and that's probaly not healthy.

Picked up a few new books since I last wrote. One is Johnathen Strange and Mr. Norrel. So far that book hasn't disappointed me. It's about 18th centuary England, and magic in the country. I also picked up Web of Archanos.Haven't started reading it yet, but I believe NCSoft needed more money, so... Finally, I picked up Foundation's Edge. Written by Asimov, I know it will be an excellent book. If one hasn't read anything by Isac Asimov, and one enjoys Sci-Fi, I suggest one goes down to their local bookstore and purchases either his I-Robot book, or the first book in his Foundation novels. And no, I-Robot is nothing like the crappy movie.

Had to replace my stupid Wireless adapter. I came home one night, and there it was, lying on my fllor , shattered into a million (or two...) pieces. So I replaced it with a 802.11G adaptor (as opposed to the 802.11B one I had), and I plan on replacing our router with a G version as well. Why G? It's about 5 times faster. Hopefully that will help my internet conection.

I got Will's new, government E-Mail address!! =). We've kind of been sending emails back and forth. Haven't given him my blog address yet, and I know he doesn't have time to read it (he barely has time to send one email a week.)

Anyway, I have some math that needs to be finished, along with some new books that need to be read, so... night!

Writing to an empty audiance

Sorry about the lack of post on Saturday, but numerous factors occured to prevent me from posting. The most notable one was the city of villains head start. (I apologize to the small number of people who do read my blog...)It doesn't help that each passing day I become less and less enthusiatic about everything, but I get that way in the winter time. Couldn't even pay attention in C++ today, not that it matters.

It's starting to get to the point where every single moment of life is just...I don't know. But I don't really feel... usefull to those around me. I kind of feel like... I don't know, stuff like my job (the one that counts) would be better off with a different IT assistant. Just, everything I do is not up to par, and I know this isn't the case, but I feel that every side conversation, spoken just out of my earshot, is about some negative aspect of my person. I know that's not the case. But I'm paranoid. And have high feelings of uselessness, and am incompetent, less than valuable friend, no. I'm not worthless or useless, why else would people pay me to work? I just have a really low value.

Picked up the civ four game today, along with Call Of Cthulhu for the XBox. When I picked them up this morning I was looking foreward to playing them tonight, but now all I want to do is curl up in a little ball and sleep. Or maybe not sleep. Just stare off against one of the walls in my bedroom. Then start a whole new day of trying not be in everyone else's way.

Speaking of games, I have been offered a weekend job for a local game store. It'd be a temporary position, just for the holiday time, but I'd be working at a game store durring the weekends. And yes, I was offered a job. The manager of the store, who I talk to frequently, thinks I'd be a good employee, that and I'm over 18. I don't know if I'd want to take the job, though. I mean, yes it's a video game job, but I don't know if I want to get back into retail. I know what customers are like from working in a grocery store, and I will not amuse myself into thinking that the video game clerk job would be different. I also know that I'll probaly be making minimal wage (or a little higher) when I could get a weekend job for something like Circuit City or Best Buy in their computer repair department. But it's not that. I told one of my friends (yes, one of my friends implies I'm not some sort of social outcast...) that I wouldn't like the job because I'd have to listen to people whine and complain about games I like (or compliment game I hate), but that's not the reason. I have no problem with that (okay, maybe a little, but not too much of a problem.) The major reason why I'd not want to work at the game store is, well, I get this feeling everytime I go there, the kind of 'I wish I could avoid this but can't' feeling that one gets everyday when they go to their job in the morning. And I don't work there. But once I get there, like the at a job, the feeling goes away as I talk with the clerks, or help out a little (ok, I do help out a little, just not a lot... ).I don't want to know what that feeling of dread would be like if I was working there. And it's not just that, either. I mean, the people there are excellent, fun loving people, and for the most part, so am I, it's just that... I don't know if I want to work in retail again. But I might have to if I decide to work in the video game buisness writing code. But, I guess either way...

Anyway, I have to go. I've kept the lab open for far too long as it is. ~Night~.

A long time ago...

I apologize for the amount of time it took me to post. I have not had the opportunity to log on for any good length of time, and as such, I did not get the opportunity to get on my blog.

My computer did not like me for about a week. Or more spevifically, one of it's RAM cards. It is really, reall, really, really annoying to not be able to play City of Heroes, or to be able to log onto my blog, or to be able to do anything computer related. The stupid malfunctioning RAM card prevented all of that. Random error messages would appear on my screen anytime I tried to do anything that required the information being written to the card. At first I thougt it was just a CoH error, so I contacted the NCSoft support group. They helped me with the issue, so at least that went well.

After the errors with the computer, the day after I finally got it set back up, hurricane Wilma made landfall. Luckily it hit south of me, about 120, 140 miles south, so all I recieved was 70 mile winds. Unlike those people down in Naples. I really hope that they are ok.

So after the hurricane hit, I spent the rest of that day (Monday)helping my father with his remodeling project. Yes, it's the same one that I was complaining about a few weeks earlier. This time, though, we have the interior almost completely finished, so instead of working on the drywall or the ceilings,I got to know the fun of molding. Molding is this type of really small board that is really hard to stain or seal? Put varnish on? Galk? one of those words? and is not user friendly. I spent almost all Monday doing that (I guess that's better than not having a home... stupid hurricane), and by the end of the day, my hands were really, really sticky from moving the boards around. Of course, it doesn't help that both of my sisters got out of the work. One, the one who tore her ACL, was able to leave like, 20 minutes after we started, and when she got home after she left, she mystriously vanished into the house. The other was working wiht me for almost the entire project, but when she had to go to work, she left the sceene fairly quickly, leaving me alone to finsh the task. Luckily, all I had left to do was the varnish? sealing? galking? part of the job, so I only had two hours worth of work left.

Then after that, I was able to write another story, this one about one of the characters in my supergroup. Don't worry, I will eventualy write about Ansha... eventualy. And if that character is ever played again...

I would have posted last night, but yesterday I realized that I had a math paper due today, so I spent that night at the local McDonalds, doing my math homework. I go there for one reason. All I can drink cafinee. When one starts the work at 8:30, and doesn't get finished until midnight, one needs all the cafinee they can get. Also, one of my friends decided (AKA, I was her ride home, so she was forced to) come with me. I am thankfull that she came with me, so...

But sometimes I wish I could spend less time with her. She's a good person, but she's really, bitter. There is this negative aura around her, as if the closer one gets to her, the less positive emotions one feels. But it's not really her fault for her bitterness. Two of her friends were murdered in less than a year's time. Her father abandonded her family when she was very young (I'm not one hundred percent certain as to the date of that...), and the rest of her family isn't, well, the best enviroment to grow up in. She has other issues in her past, too, but I'm not going to get into them here. I feel bad for her, I do, but she needs to have a more optimistic atitude on life. I try to raise her spirits, but that's not a long term solution. She needs to eventually realize that the best way to get back at the world, the best way to get revenge on on the world, is to be cheerful. I know I complain a lot in my blog, but outside of my blog, I try to retain a positive attitude. I know that only half the things one does in their life time is worth the effort one puts in, and none of the things one does is worth the time. This will happen regardless, so if one can make life more enjoyable by occasionally (key word there is ocassionally...) cutting a corner, well, one should try it.

Now that my computer is fixed, I was able to try out CoV. It's a fun game, a little more fun the CoH, but it is lacking in its evilness. Yes, beating up on rent-a-cops is fun, but the game's evilness is kind of like the punisher's evilness. And yes, I know the punisher is a good guy. Things that could make the game more evil would be to be able to harm (or at least have them run away from you) citizens of the Rogue Isles. Powers thatm when they affect an opponet, not only harms them, but also changes their animation (for example, if I were to debuff a rent-a-cop, their skin could turn paler, and they could age really quickly for the duration of the effect.)To be more evil, the game should also be less.... caring. The world needs to feel more oppressive. I do like the scenery in the game, but they need to increase that by a notch. They need to include more sinister sound effects in the game, like random screems of terror, and the echoing sound of gun fire. This needs to be random, not linked to anything.That would make the game a little more villainous. I can't think of anything else at this moment that would help, but I know there must be other things that could help to (adding elements of survival horror, maybe... making the melee grislier.... I don't know.)

Anyway, I need to get to class now, so I'll post tomorrow. Bye!

A fairly good day...

As the post says, it's been a fairly good day, despite the fact that, even though I deleted my CoH Test file and still recieved rights issues when I tryed to install CoH test and CoV, and despite the fact that, on Saturday, the latest hurrican is going to make land fall somewhere near tampa. But other than that, it's been a good day.

No, I'm not being sarcastic. It really was a good day. The entire day felt good. The weather was perfect, and the clouds were enough to prevent the sun from frying us, and sparse enough from freezing us. It was the kind of day I wanted to just blow off everything and spend outside. Of course, I'm not the type of person to just blow stuff off, so... stupid job.

My job went pretty well. We finally got our new server in!!! =) =) =). It's the one we've been waiting for for a week, when it should have been overnighted. We needed it last weekend, not this coming up weekend of hurricane goodness. My manager is not to happy with Dell right now (though I think they threw in an extra hardrive, since we only ordered 3 three and we have 4, maybe five, that came with the server.) I now have started a todo list for my work, too. I'm hoping it will increase my productivity, but that would require me to write new items on the list. It may also require me to stop procrastinating...

I need something good for halloween... something that will really be.... neat. I don't know what I want yet, and I don't have money for a costume, but I need a good costume. Something that will be cool, and gothish.... but not normal gothish... like pseudo-halloween, not so black.... gothish.

For the last hour, I was having some of the people in the lab listen to my music. Oddly enough, they don't like metal. And by they, I mean Mike. Mike is an intresting character. He's a cool guy, for the most part anyway, and kind of shares similiar intrestes with me, but he doesn't like metal. And he wears a kilt. Which is kind of odd, since all I can do is stare at his legs and want to shave them. They are really, really, really, really hairy. And a kilt shouldn't be combined with that. NO skirtish thing should be combined with hairy legs. It hurts one's eyes.

If my CoH problems aren't fixed...

---

Sorry about the lateness of this post. I started typing it up last night, but at the spot right before the line, Will called. So, instead of finishing up this blog post, I ended up talking to a friend who I' haven't talked to for 6 months. (OK, more like 3 months, but similiar thing.) And ya, he likes the rambling letters I send...

He says he's doing ok. He also says that the portion size of the food they get in the millitary is small, so he looks foreward to the one day a week when he can leave base for a little while and go to Wally-World and fast food places. He also says he wakes up at 4:15 every morning and goes to sleep about 9 to 9:30 every night. That must be difficult for him since, when he still lived down here, he went to sleep at 4:15 in the morning, and woke up about noon. Though he is saying he enjoys millitary life, so that's a definate sign of him snapping under pressure... ok, maybe it's not, but I can have my weird ideas, right?

Anyway, he gave me his email address, and says he normally checks it once a week. He doesn't have internet access at the base, though. What he has to do is to borrow access from nearby wireless networks which are not encrypted. So I probally won't be able to send him any big files. Of course, writing is rarely a big file, and a lot cheaper to do it over the net than over the postal service. I still plan on writing him, though.

As for ideas in my head, I'm thinking about getting a web hosting service, and putting my writings, and some sample music from bands I like, onto the web. Who knows, maybe I can even write up some really inefficent programs and put them one the ste too. But I don't know when I'd be able to do that, since I am currently low on funds.

I still can not wait until thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!! =)

more time...

I got some sleep last night. Not much sleep, because of too much cafinee intake. I really do need to cut the amount of cafinee I drink. But it doesn't matter what time I have caffinee. I could have it at 5pm, and because of it, I won't be able to sleep until 3 am. Which really sucks when I have to wake up at 6am. Of course, it could be the amount of caffinee I have at that time. I like to get my money's worth from the little fast food place's refil center... >).

As for City of Villains, I am downloading the files as we speek on my home machine. I had to delete the prigg files, due to my computer being in need of a servere FDISKing, but not owning an external hard drive, I can only stare at it and wonder why the malicious coders out there, putting their viruses and spyware programs on various websites, hate me so much. It's not like I did anything to them, and I do really need to uninstall IE from my computer. Stupid IE pop ups. But I'd like to know how? How do I continue to get the IE pop-ups, when my default browser is firefox? Something that I do not get pop-ups in, and that I have set up to open all new windows in a new tab instead. So why?!

My friend did find a new job. She nows gets paid more, has weekends off, and will be able to take night classes. Also, she has to put up with a lot less stupid stuff. I hope she does well there.

As for my jobs, well... I'm strating to really dislike my lab job. The pay isn't that good, but considering that the lab has a lot of free time in it, that's not an issue. The issue is the time I work. I, like most computer people, hate waking up in the mornings. Espicially after little sleep. The job requires me to be here at 8 am. That's not a problem. The problem is the distance. It's 14 miles from the school to my house. And at 8am in the morning (err, a little before that), all of it is in rush hour trafic. Which meansit takes about an hour to get here (it's on the other side of the manatee river, which has two bridges going into town, both of which are backed up for a few miles.) On top of that, there is a coworker he I would really wish to see less of. I mean, he means well, and he's not a bad person, but he is one of the most annoying, arogant, self-righteous people I know. And he is always trying to give out his opinions. He means well through it all, though, so I don't have the heart to do anything more than just avoid him while trying to make it look like I'm not avoiding him.

Then there is my main job. It's not that I dislike it, in fact, I love the enviorment, the co-workers, and the challenges, but it's one of those jobs one needs to be fully awake to do. It's not like Albertsons, where one can be half asleep and not need to worry if one is fully functional. That, and there is a lot of repetition in the task I do. I can not tell you how many times I've reformatted and reset-up computers in that place. But it's a lot. And I kind of get side-tracked a lot. Like yesterday. I spent an hour of my time that could have went to doing usefull stuff (ie setting up more computers, or creating up new document templates, or figuring out why our server is so slow) talking to my manager about the x-box 360 and itunes. And, except with a few exceptions, I really like to get things done. Of course, one always needs time to just spend time idly, which is what the weekends are for.

As for what I have been doing in my spare time, well, that's simple. I've been reading a lot of stuff on the CoH forums. Which means my life has went from social outcast to umm... something greatly lower than social outcst...

Anyways, the lack of sleep is getting to me, so after my shift at the lab, I'm going to grab caffinee (it's a viscious cycle, really. I need to stay awake for most of the day, so I take caffinee, than I won't be able to sleep, so I'll need even more caffinee the next day.)Until the endo of my shift, I'm just going to phase out...

Perdections...

My productivity will drop. Forever. Because of a little email I got in my inbox today.... Just got my CoV beta invite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too many !'s? I'm excited about it. Now I'll be able to give positive feedback on a game, and have hope that I'll be invovlved in descions!!! I'm so happy about that!! Now if only I wasn't so tired....

I promise a real post tomorrow morning while I'm in the lab.

1AM on Sunday still means Saturday

Sorry the post is a little late. I created my schedule, and I should make a good effort to abide by it. It wasn't like I was doing anything important anyway today.

Kinda spent the entire day in a I'm not going to go anything type of deal. I probally logged more hours today in video game playing than I had in the past month. Unfortunatly, because of that, I didn't really log too many hours of writing time in. Also, if anyone knows, morrowind is a really long game.

Doing nothing but playing video games gets borring, fast. Kind of wish I had people to do stuff with, but, I mean, I just wasn't in the mood for dealing with people. Or at least, dealing with people I know. I mean, one needs to take a break from every thing famaliar, right?

I know my life is spiraling downward, for I spent a good deal of time at the local game store today. The people there are friendly and nice, and they remember me because I'm the only one who ever asks if they have a copy of Alpha Centauri: Alien Crossfire in yet. The only way I can get that game would be through a used copy, but I still have hopes for it. In case you don't know what Alpha Centauri is (or it's expansion pack, Alpha Centauri: Alien Crossfire), it's similar to Civilization, and made by the same person. It's a lot better than civ, though. A ton of a lot better. But civ is still an excellent game ( a lot better than Half Life 2...;) ). Anyway, since I waited so long to post, I am really, really tired...

Thomson = 3\/1L

Well, I guess the thing that needs to be covered first is the new change the CoH staff wish to do with their game. That is Enhancement Diversifcation. What it does is that, with like typed enhancements, it creates a law of diminishing returns so that the more of the same type of enhancement one has slotted, the less each additional slot helps. A lot of people are instantly against this idea, and I have read numerous posts from both sides of the argument, and have come to the conclussion that the only reason why the CoH staff introduceds ED into the game was to creat flamewars in their forums, well, that and to try to unbreak the game. Before I decided to cry doom, I'm going to first try the new rules.

Everyone's favorite lawyer from Miami is trying to get more attention. He's willing to write a check to a charity worth ten thousdand dollars if someone is willing to make his video game. The game he wants made is something similar to the mindset of a 6 year old. In the game Thomson wants made, the player takes on the role of an angered father whose son was killed because of video game related violence. So, as any logical (at least for Jack...) thought would have it, the player ends up going on a killing spree against various video game companies. Now, I want to try to understand Jack's reasoning. It is his contention (too big of a word for him... I'll use belief instead....) that video games are at the core of societies problems, and that playing such games teaches one to, I guess, kill others? Does that mean that a NASCAR game encourages people to drive at high speeds? Taking Jack's reasoning and applying it elsewhere, highway fatalities are all the fault of racing games. And what about the Mario games? Obvisouly, the only reason why people would use drugs would be because in Mario there are mushrooms and magical flowers. Although to normal people these ideas seem somewhat far fetched, Jack is not normal. At all.

But how does one stop a guy like Jack? That's an easy answer. Although he doesn't listen to facts or reason, Congress does. If the gaming community were to fill up Congress's email boxes with emails, all of which link to various studies that prove no corelation to video game violence and societies problems (or better yet, a negative (ie the more there is of one, the less there is of the other, correlation), along with vague promises of votes and campaign funding, Thomson's voice might begin to get rather small. Espicially compared to thousands (I'd say millions, but gamers are lazy...)of voices, all with hard proof backing them. Of course, this idea will have to reach more people than those who just read my blog.

Since EA is against Thomson, I might be more willing to temporaly stop my boycott of their company and somehow come to pocessing Black And White 2. But I don't know if I want to compromise my ethics like that. But if EA decides to go after Thomoson, then...

I finally upgraded my computer. I got a free RAM card, and slotted it in. Luckily, it was a gig of RAM, so I am very happy right now. Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Very happy. Because now, my window's load screen is instant. Instant I say!!!!! I haven't tried out any software yet, but... =).

Apple has a new iPod. It comes in two colors (white and black), two sizes (30 gig and 60 gig), color screen, longer battery life than the previous generation, smaller, and can play video. VIDEO!!!!! VIDEO!!!!!!!!!. Of course, all the videos apple offers on iTunes don't attract me to purchase the new iPod, but if they started having subbed anime, I'd buy a new video iPod in a heart beat.

Not wanting a video iPod, I will have to think of something better to purchase. I really want to get the XBox360. I have seen trailers for the new perfect dark game, and I really want to play Oblivian. And, being the halo fan that I am, when Halo 3 (or will they call it Halo 360?) comes out, that'll be another reason to purchase the 360. Of course, being the respectable gamer that I am, I'll need to save up for the Wi-Fi, hard drive, bling bling version of the system.

Tonight, I get to go to a hockey game!!!! I'm not a big fan of sports, but hockey does hold a certain place in my world of entertainment. But not tv hockey. I have to be at the game. My sister, on the other hand, loves hockey. She has a shrine in her bedroom devoted to our local hockey team (the Tampa Bay Lighting!) and said that, if they hand out any free posters tonight, that I must give them to her. I don't know why I would give her a poster, but I really don't have need for one, so I guess if I get a free one, she gets lucky.

I'm tring to think of other problems in my life that I can ramble about ( =) ), but right now nothing comes to mind. Furthermore, I'm hungry, so =P.

From fuzziness to paper....

First off, I think I have a posting schedule. I think it may be a Monday, Thursday, Saturday type of posting schedule. Those would be the easiest days to post, and at least it would some how keep me on track. Or at least, I hope it would.

As for how life is, it's how it normally is. Tests in school. I got my calc test back, and I was able to get an 88%. Had I not done a lot of stupid little errors, I would have easily gotton an A instead of a B. I don't really care too much about letter grades, but when you're only 2% off, which was about one point, and you lost one point by not correctly changing signs.... As for other tests at school, tomorrow is my midterm for my Networking class, and today I had part one of my C++ midterm. I hope I did well on that test, and I really hope I didn't crash and burn like everyone thinks they did (notice they, not me. In fact, a lot of people people want to be in my group for the group project... I know C++!(kinda)) I really, really, really hope I do well on tomorrow's Networking midterm. I really want to do well in that course. As for my other class, my Human Relations class, it's not that great. It's the type of class most people would skip if they had they chance to. Unfortunatly, one needs to attend EVRY class to get an A... stupid teacher and his stupid rules.

I would have got some writting done this weekend had it not been for two things. The first was Wind Waker. I reloaded that game, and it's one of those very fun games to play that one doesn't realize how fun it is until they play it. It's like all the zelda games. It's not my favorite Zelda game. That I'd say would have to be either Link to the Past or Orcarania of Time. But it's still a good zelda game. Excepet I hate the fish in it!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stupid fish always gives me the wrong directions. Always! It's as if they have some hatred for me. Some deep rooted, must eliminate the playerness concept. They're evil.

The other reason for lack of writing is a simple one. We have some forien exchange students at our home (from The eastern part of Germany, I think), and they want to experince all of American culture. So, we live near (one hour away) Bush Gardens (the one in Tampa), and the students wanted to see an Ameircan amusement park. So we all drive there on Sunday, my father and I had to drive back because he forgot to record a football game (don't ask me why it was that important to watse all that gas, it just was.), so after I finally get to the park at noon, my family spilts up. My parents go off together, my sisters go off with themselves, their firends, and the exchange students, and I'm pretty much left with my self. And so I wander around the park for a few hours glaring at every single person because they have to be in their stupid groups, or they have to be in their stupid relationships. Unles one enjoys feeling completely alone, never go to an amusement park by yourself.

Speaking of which, there is this holloween event that is help every weekend in october. My family is going on Friday, but I am stuck in the lab. It would't be that bad if the rest of the school was open. Or if any other lab was opened. Or if they didn't lock up the tech building last Friday, with me still running the lab. One would think that, if the lab closes at 9, don't lock up the building it's in at 8. No. The people with the locking keys (real technical word there...) decided to lock up the building an hour before the lab closed. And they very well might do it again this Friday. Stupid lab.

Speaking of lab, this might be my last semester being the assitant in it. It's not that I don't enjoy being the lab aid, or that I don't treasure the time I spend on the computers, it's more to the lines that I like sleep. I dislike not being home for 13 hours a day. I know that if I get a job in the programming field, I'll probally being living a similar life style, but at least I might be able to do it all at night. Live at the place I code during the night, sleep at home during the day. For an exgoth, I still have a lot of goth habbits... hehe.

I have three letters I haven't sent to Will just sitting in my notebook. All are at least two pages long. I haven't sent them because I don't really know if he wants to read my letters. I don't think he wants to read them. I mean, they're kind of like my blog, but more rambling. I know it's crazy but, I just don't think he enjoys reading them. Of course, who would enjoy reading what I write. I mean, why should he enjoy my letters?

At least I always have a lot to say... anyway, it's closing time, so I have to get going. Night~Night!(new thingy for night night!! the ~ symbol)

emptiness

Right now I'm listening to the music from Nightmare Befroe Christmass. I really like the soundtrack from that movie, it has an excellent melody, and perfect music for both Holloween and Christmass. In case you're wondering, no I do not own the movie. In case you wondering, yes I do want to own the movie, along with the Corpse Bride, and along with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. If anyone knows any other Tim Buton Movies, I'd like to see them.

Speaking of movies, Peter Jackson is making the new Halo movie =). I liked what he did with LOTR, so I'm looking forward to the new Halo movie. Of course, I also read the halo books and savaged all the story from the games that I can find, and contray to SOME people's belief, there is more story in Halo, and a lot more back story in Halo, than there is in the Half-Life series. I know I'm now going to gamer Hell for that herisy (dear god, only dial up connections!!!!! HELP!!!), but it's my belief. Now, I never said HL2's gameplay was worse, just it's story.

I need to create some sort of posting schedule for my blog. I kind of feel horrible when I don't post for long periods of time. It's not that my life is that intresting, it's just that if I don't post, I know I'll forget to write a lot of stuff. That, and I do know people who read it, and maybe posting on a regular schedule will help attract more readers.

I am so waiting for Apple's big announcement!! Two insider sources are giving differnt viewpoints. One is saying it's a Video iPod. This is backed by the fact that Apple has had their Music Video section under construction on their iTunes site. The other group says it's an 80 gig iPod. Since both sites are being sued by Apple for leaking trade secrets, it just might be an 80gig iPod that plays video!!! Which means I would have some small, easily pocketed thingy to carry all my anime with me. Or all my AMV's. Or... =)

Anyway, I am really tired. Not like fall asleep tired, but the next step after. The incoherent, loud type that can only exist with the help of way toooooooooo much caffinee, sugar, and neat music!

CoH You're the devil

I would have been productive on Sunday, I would have gotton more writtings done, but instead I logged into CoH and was off and on it all day. I'm on CoH all the time because I enjoy hanging out with my friends on the game, one of which (and you know who you are!!) has this uncanny habit of logging on right when I want to go to sleep. Of course, he lives in a differnt time zone (at least I think he does...), so we don't really get too much time to chat. Hopefully, one of my (RL) friends will be logging on soon. Like I said in previous entries, he joined the military, and by what I have heard, he may now actually be allowed to use a labtop on the weekends.

On top of that, myself and his sister will be picking him up Thanksgiving morning from the airport!!! =) =). He'll be home for thanksgiving!!!!!! =) =). I'm really, really, really happy about that. It's been a few months since I've seen him last. I think I'll bring a camera with me so that I can steal his soul (err, I mean, take his picture) when we pick him up. He's still in training, but at least he's out of boot camp. By what he has told me over the phone, and by what he has told me in his letters, they are training him to read maps. I'm not really sure where that skill would come in handy, but I really hope it's far away from the front line. It's not that I don't want him to serve his country. I don't think I've been more proud to be considered anyone's friend than to be his, and I think everyone needs to serve their country in at least one way or another in their life. I just don't want harm to befall him. But then, what do I know about it? I don't trust what the media says. They don't post for the purpose of telling the news, they post for the purpose of selling ads, and it's easier to do that by perverting the facts and telling half truths than it is to report all the news, and nothing but. How many times has the media reported on good news? How many times have they tried to make the community a better place, versus how often do they play on people's fears? Therefore, why should I trust the media? I try to trust my friends, I try to trust my family, and I try to give most people the benifit of the doubt, but outside of that, no. No trusting corporations, no trusting the government, and I am definatly not trusting any group that also makes its money on reality TV. Anyway, I just hope Will is doing OK.

Next up, I need to apologize for something. From now on, to post a comment, one has to use word verification. It's to stop ad software from posting spamm on the blog. I know that I love comments, and I know half of the comments I recieve are spamm (that's not many comments, considering the number of non-spamm comments.) but I dislike spamm, and unwelcomed advertising. Also, I would wish that someone would file a lawsuit against the various adware, spyware, and spamm companies for violating one's right to privacy. I understand that no violation has occured if one signs a clearly stated EULA, but in the drive by installations, and in the unwarnted spamm, well, the best defense is a good offense. Most computer attacks now a days are done for finacial purposes. Viruses that change one's browser's Home Page to their ad site to gain revenue by clicks. DNS Poising that redirect trafic to their sites to sell ads, all of it generated by financial gain. If one could hit them in the wallet, and teach them that they'll lose more money through lawsuits than they'll gain from underhanded means, than that'll put a stop to that. Or better yet, we could target those companies that, either directly or indirectly, use unwanted, insidieous adware as a means to advertise. Dry up their source of revenue, and the adware will also stop. Either way, to elliminate them, we must destory their reason to perpetrate the attacks.

Which is what we must do in Iraq to win the war. Take away their reason and will to fight, and one becomes the victor.

One of my friends lost her job recently. She use to work at Chilis, untill they fired her, for what she said, minor stuff. She's a full time college student and, until recently, a full time waitress. With a sister to support. I hope she can find a job, and a good one at that, soon.

Anyway, that's enough mad rantings for today. I have a Calc test on Wednessday, and a midterm in C++ next week, so I don't have too much time to spend rambling about crazy stuff online.

Productive

The cat of my SG leader recently died. The cat was 20 years old, so it was kind of expected, but still. And the death probally hit her even harder then it would most people, because if anyone knows anything about the SG I'm in, it's that it's extremely cat based, with the leader's character being named after her cat. Haveing a cat die is not the best feeling though. After I heard about her cat's death, I thought about all the cats my family has had, and their untimely demise.

The first cat I remember was Spooky. We had her back when we lived at the old house (about 15 miles from where I currently live) and I was I think 8ish at the time. Spooky was a black cat, except for right under the neck where she had a white patch of fur. She was also a very outdoors cat, and often times brought home her treats, dispite the fact that she was disclawed. I never once picked her up, because I was too afraid I might harm her. She died at the age of seven, about 10 minutes before we could take her to the vet. I think it was kidney disfunction. We had her cremated and, even though it's been at least ten years, no one has had the heart to bury the ashes. The second cat we had was Niki. I'm not quite sure on the cat's gender, but I do know Niki was a very strange cat, and would spend most of the time hiding under furniture. We had Niki the same time we had Spooky, and after we moved, Niki didn't mentaly survive the relocation. I think Niki was 15 when we put the cat to sleep. While Niki was still with us, but after Spooky died, we took in a stray cat we named Sasha. She had grey fur, and loved to be petted. Shortly after moving to the new house, she gave birth to a litter of kittens, only three of whose names I remember. All but (two?) we gave to friends of the family. Supposebly it was two, but I have no recolection of the second one. Anyway, Sasha was also an outdoor kitty, so you loved the fact we moved to a much more rural area. She disappeared a few years after the move. At the time of her disappearance, numerous other pets in the area were disapearing, and there was held a belief of a Bob Catt taking residance on the island. I really don't want to think about Sasha's fate. The (two?) cat(s?) we kept from Sasha's litter were Nemo and Bandit. I still say Bandit never existed, depite the fact everyone in my family claimed he did. My family also said Bandit was my favorite cat of all, but I would have remembered that. Bandit's existence is questionable, which makes his fate to me unknown (I would remember a favorite cat, now wouldn't I?). After Sasha (after Bandit? too) we picked up two more cats (giving a running total of three, remember Nemo?), Phelix and Max. They were brothers. And Max was my favorite. He was kind of blackish, kind of weirdly spotted, with the spots on his head giving a vague impression of the letter M. I remember one time when I landed oddly on my left foot (even though it was a few years ago, I still can't swim with it) and had to crawl back up the stairs, Max just gave me the funniest look. It was kind of a WTF look, but more curious and less angry. At the time I didn't find the look humorous, but looking back I do now. Max went the same way Spooky went, but at least we were able to have him put to sleep, instead of dieing a painfull death in our livning room like Spooky did =(. I miss both cats... but we still have Phelix! Anyway, Nemo is still in the picture by the way (yes, a cat is still alive...), after Max left we got another (again 3 now) cat called Fritz. Fritz is the biggest fuzzball ever!!! He also like to bite people who pet him... hehe. Anyway, after we got Fritz, a friend of mine gave me another cat (whose name will not be posted, so this friend won't know the cat's fate) and Nemo went balistic. And Nemo decided to start claiming territory (yes, the same way other animals do....) and fight Phelix to the point where we had to literaly break the two up, for fear of Phelix's life (Nemo still had claws, Phelix didn't...). It got so bad that we had to give the friend's cat to a local animal shelter, and I really, really, really hope that cat is ok. I kind of loved that cat, even though I only had him for a few months. That didn't solve the Nemo problem, so we had to eventually give Nemo to an animal shelter too. I heard he got adopted by an excellent family, so... anyway, today we have 2 cats. Fritz and Phelix. Thinking about all the cats we had in the past really makes me wonder what sane animal shelter would let us adopt a cat, but I guess there are some out ther... =)

Now for those who don't care too much about cats. I had my preformance review today, and got high marks. If it wasn't the evaluationary review, I might have also gotten a raise, but...Since they're keeping me, they also have decided to allow me to take a drug test, something that should have been done at time of hire, but was somehow overlooked (maybe because one week after I was hired, the HR person quit?).

I picked up two things today. One was a new dictionary. The webster's Collegiate Dictionary. One day I wish to get the Oxford dictionary, but I don't think I'll ever have 90 dollars to spend on a dictionary. Now all I need is a thersourus to use (outside of this online one that is). I also picked up an iTunes FM transmitter. It works ok, but you kind of lose some music quality with it.

I'm so looking foreward to tomorrow!! There is this pagan festival happening at GT Bray park, and I was able to convice one of my (hard core christian) friends to come too! (yes, I know that I go to a lutheran church, in fact, I have church after the fesitval.) As to what my parents think about it, I'll be at BooksAMillion tomorrow (hehe... ya.... ummm... nowhere near those pagans.... hehe). Back in high school I kind of read a few books on it, but since then I never have touched it.

To leave tonight, I have finally written another story. It's still a rough draft, so any constructive critism from anyone will be welcomed. So here's the story, Crows

Rain had not fallen across the land in a long time. Brown, brittle blades of grass covered the country, and where mighty trees once stood, now only dried, dusty husks remained. Except for at the local college.
For it was here that the green went. Grass, lush and full, contrasted sharply with the outlying countryside. Mighty oak trees brought shade to the students, trees with their leaves still lively and vibrant. And to turn this beautiful campus into a paradise, lovely flowers bloomed in well kept gardens.
This eden would have be flawless except for one minor fact. Vast flocks of crows, murders of them, inhabitted the campus. These unsightly beasts were everywhere, and one could not take in the beautyof the campus with out also being taken aback by the hideousness of the birds.
Despite various complaints, the college officials did nothing about the birs problem. In fact, it seemed the opposite was true. For the dryer the outside world became, the more avians there seemed to be. It got to the point where vast flocks of crows would block out the sun.
Taking matters into their own hands, a group of students decided to erraticate the unsightly pests from the school. Armed with tools and objects from home, they began their grisly task. Although no number was recorded, they eliminated enough of the brutes to stain the earth red.
Which was when the administration performed disciplinary actions on the group of students. Each student was taken into the office where, according to the College's records, they were expelled for animal cruelty, possesion of weapons on public property, nad vandalism of campus grounds.
A few days after the students were expelled, there were numerous reports of missing persons. Every single student in the grouo that attacked the crows were missing, and there was a suspiciously high number of homeless people who were unaccountable. The police started an investigation immediatly, which led back to the college.
There the police marveled at how alive the campus was. For it was even more alive than before the students went missing. Yet despite this, or mayhaps because of this, the number of crows increased exponentially.
A quick search of the campus turned up nothing, but a more thorough search found found a conspicious area. For around the administration building they found not one crow.
Despite the faculty's protest, the police began to search the building, and were rewarded in their efforts. For in the back of the building was a stiarwell, and down this verticle shaft did the investigators go.
The stone stairwell went deep into the bowells of the earth. Downward it transversed, downward into a drak, unholy abyss where the only source of light were the officers' flashlights.
Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairwell, and gazed in wonder at the noisy room. Where the outside world was anhydrous, here they were wading in water up to their waists. Pipes that noise could not be heard.
For the room was also a rookery, and it was here that the crows nested. With all the noise that the crows were missing, it took a while for the police to find the source of their food, and the source of the water. But when they did find the heavey stone table, the school was immediatly shut down.
Of what they found on the table, only rumor exists. The offical report states only that the vast number crows warranted a hazardous and unhealthy condition for students.
One officer, though, on his way off campus was rumored to have said "Despite all that, dear God in Heaven, it was still alive!"

The egregious Music industry

First off, my grandmother is reacting to the Chemo better than expected. Although it makes her sick afterwards, it can improve her longevity a lot more than a few months. We're hoping for a few years, at least long enough to see my sisters graduate from High School (with honors) this summer, probally long enough to see me graduate with a BS in Software Engineering, and mayhaps even see my sisters graduate (one wants to go in for accounting, the other has no idea what she wants to do.) I hope she can live long enough to see great grandchildren, but judging by my relational life, and judging by my sisters relational life, it probally won't happen (it's not THAT, it's just that we kind of are antisocial... but in a good way of anitsocial).

Now onto the music industry. I'm not sure how bad outstandingly bad is, but egregious has been the best word I've found so far to describe the actions of the industry. Right now, they're trying to push the prices of music on iTunes up, regardless of the fact that, including production costs, they make 20 cents MORE per song when purchased online. What they want to do is increase prices of certain songs, and decrease prices of other songs. I shouldn't complain, because the music I like to listen to will probably be the music that decreases in price if their ideas gain sway. The problem, though, is that it would limit me seeking out new music. I have eclatic tastes, to say the least, and I always enjoy finding new, exciting bands. Espicially new bands. Now, if they raise the prices of music, I'm going to be a lot less likely to buy those bands, and that's just not good (stupid vocabulary... I need a better phrase...). Furthermore, think of the psychological effects!!! If a good band, such as Iron Maiden (anybody with the fan base to support numerous cds has to be good, besides, I like them...) had songs that were selling for less than a crappy band, like Metalica (they use to be good, then they generated a lot of bad PR... and they would put out bad albumns), it wouldn't be giving credit to where it's due. And like I said earlier, the music industry is already making 20 cents more per song then theyn would be on a CD, largely because of reduced production costs, and digital media purchases will soon, if it hasn't already, overtake archaic media purchases. So, the music industry is bad! Now if only the movie industry could set up something like iTunes (iShows?), I'd be very happy. (Also add iAnime.... hehe)

I finally made level 30 in City of Heroes!! Yay!!! Soon, I'll be able to get a third costume (I might try to get the witch's hat first), and an aura. That will be so swell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(so swell is a little more old fashioned than cool...)

I think I'm going to try to take writing a little more seriously now. I want to write, not for the joy of writing, but for the joy of having written. Two things bring me a since of accomplishment right now. Writing code, and writing good stories. I want to write code for a living, and everyone says I should write stuff on the side. When I do get finished with the trials of the Feline Fellowship, I might want to submit it to the City of Heroes site, and see what they think about it. It's probally too large, so I'll have to trim some stuff out of it, but if they do except it, well, it really makes my day (despite the fact that I think my writing is wretched)to have people like what I write.

Besides working on my writing, I've been spending my free time reading the FMA manga. The begining is similar to the anime, like Huhges does get killed in a phone booth by Envy (and WAS shot to death...), but the later parts of it are different. VERY different. That's all I'm going to say. That, and that any FMA fan who likes the anime will probably like the manga more.

Anyway, I think I wrote enough to clog the blogspot server, so...

So tired....

As I have vented before (at least In think I have...), my family has been remodeling the downstairs room of our house. The reason for this is that siince my parents are major Packer fans, and since we live in the home area for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we throw a party every time they play each other. this happens about once every two years, since the teams are in differnt leagues/divisions/whatnot. That game is today, about one o'clock, I think. I'm kind of the black sheep of the family since I'm not a sports fan. My sisters play volleyball and golf, I am glues to my computer. Nor am I a lover of televised sports. The last football game I watched was about two years ago. Now hockey on the other hand... ok, I just like going to the hockey games, not watching them on tv. In fact, I really, really, really dislike tv. I watched it when I was younger, but now that I'm not a kid, I either take commercial free video games and movies (err, I do like movie previews...) or books. Television leaves too much lacking. I get my news from news.google.com , not fox. I get my enterainment from City of heroes, not ABC. I waste my life with books, not with flashing colors from a television set. Now I derailed my train of thought.... =(

I'm thinking about putting Mozart onto my iPod. I love instrumental music, ever since I was like 5, and that's what I like in metal. I love the guitar chords, the drum solos, the keyboardiness of it all. Classical music is like that, but with violins, and flutes. I just wish that one day the two genres could merge together into some super genre. I think that would be cool. And I could offer my talents as a violin layer to what ever group decided to make such a band (except, I don't know if they'd want me to play, hehe...).

I'm sorry I didn't include all my CoH friends into the stories so far (yes, I have more than one friend on CoH outside of my SG, I don't know if they read my blog, but I do have more than one.)The story was kind of focusing on the super group, and their (made up) nemisis, Dr. Catopolis. I don't care what anyone else says, I like that name. I kind of got that name off of a title of a pulp fiction story called The Sinister Origins of Dr. Prometheis. I also think Dr. Prometheis is a cool name too. But Dr. Catopolis is better. I apologize again for not including every one of my CoH friends into the story so far.

As for writting up the next chapter of the story, I, umm...., kind of been too busy. Since I've been helping my dad remodel the downstairs for the party, and been going to school, work, and lab, I have barely had time to catch 6 hours of sleep a night, let alone write. On top of that, writters block kind of isn't good (I'll become an excellent author with that kind of writting.... hehe). So I might end up writting a short horror story first to break the writters block. Because, although I have most of the story in my head, I can't hink of the ways to get from point A to point B. I have both Point A and B in my head, but not the path to them. I'm sorry for the lack of story on this post...

Anyway, I need to go out and help my parents finish up getting everything ready...

Apathy, the most dangerous thing in society

Saturday was kind of a hectic day. MY sister was playing volleyball, and during warm ups she kind of, maybe, tore a ligament in her leg. So she's on crutches right now. She's going to take an MRI today to see if it was a toren ligament, or a sprain. If it's the latter, it'll heal in time for her to play volleyball by the end of the season. If it's the former, then she'll have a long time of me steeling her crutches.

Right now, the ABS light in my truck is going on. It wasn't going on after we lifted it out of the sand (my body still doesn't feel right after that...), so I don't think that was the cause. It did start showing after I got it pressure washed at an automated car wash. A carwash that, although it couldn't get the inches of encrusted dust off my vehicle, it was able to remove the blue stipe of paint that goes down the side, thus getting rid of the only naturally non-white part of my truck, and streaking the diirt so that it is no longer the uniform dust grey/brown that it was, but now it's interrupted with white streaks. Needless to say (that's why I'm typing it... hehe), I am not going to that automatted carwash again.

I am so looking foreward to the release of Civ 4, espically since the preorder version (the version I was getting before they even did this promotional) includes the sound track, tech tree, and a nice case to carry it all in. I use my own cd case for everything, but at least I'll have another nice case =). I'd tell everyone everything on my I want to buy it list, but I don't think I can upload that large of a text file onto this site...

Today I promise I'm going to stop being lazy and right up the 7th? 8th? 6th? part of the story series I've been working on for my SG. After this one there should only be 1, maybe two, more stories in it before it's finished. No, Dr. Catopolis will not come to justice in this story. Yes, I will post the other 3ish?, 4ish? stories on my blog.

Anyway, here's the stories...

---

4) The silent ticking pf plans yet unfurled

Few suspected that on such a calm, peacefull day, the plans of a notorius villian would spring into action. Fewer still believed that City Councilman Dorane, one of the most influential politicians in all of Paragon, had servely, and some say despertly, switched his postion on the Rogue Isles trade issue, and by doing so, opened up access and trade with the islands by mid afternoon.

This was not known to Battlekitten or Kalda Centauri, though. They were too worried about another crisis. For with in the past twentyfour hours, not one minion of the Clockwork King had been seen. Not even damaged or wreckage from the clockwork. No Cogs, Sprockets, Gears, or Oscilators roamed the streets, and this worried numerous superheroes. For in Paragon's entire history, not one villian group had disappeared with out dire repercussions.

So Kalda and Battlekitten were searching the streets for any clue about the Clockwork. Scrap metal, strange or spare parts, and even reports of missing bicycles were investigated by the two, but to no avil. Until they cam across a back alley dumpster not too far outside the Feline Fellowship's HQ.

For in the dumpster, dimly reflecting the light of the mid-morning sun, was a golden cog. And, after Battekitten retrieved it, was found to have the following inscribed on it:
"
TO: Battlekitten & Kalda Centauri
INVITED: matters of grave importance
FROM: The King of Clockwork
"

Battlekitten said one word, "Trap." and to this, Kalda merley nodded. It was clear that the Clockwork King had something wicked panned, but until they could trace the origin of the Golden cog, there would be no way to know for certain what the plot held. Furthermore, both understood that sometimes, to be a hero, you may have to place yourself in direct danger.

For the rest of the day, Kalda and BK investigated smitheries and jewelers. Store after store professed no knowledage of the cog's creation, till sometime near sunset when the two heroes stumbled across a small shop in Independance Port. The man running the shop, a small, squat man that was reminiscent of a used car salesman, told them about a cloaked figure who placed the in order. With little persausin, the shop keeper gave them the address, for the bill was past due, and the shop keeper wanted his money.

With the address in hand, Kalda and BK left Independace Port.

It was with the rising of the cresent moon in the clear, star filled sky that they reached the building. It was in a destitute part of town, sorrunded by run down buildings and graffitied walls. The building itself appeared to once have been a factory, but those prosperous days where obviously over. Despite that, though, BK and Kalda marveled at the building's two front doors. They were mammoth in size, and the top of their curved arches easily reached fifteen feet in height. Along the outside of each door was a complex arrangement of gears, cogs, belts, and widgets with a single piece missing at eye level.

Kalda easily placed the Golden cog in the empty slot in the door, then stepped back and waited. Without warning, a cacophony of noise errupted from the door, the sound of a thousand pieces of factroy machinery working at once. The cogs, gears, and widgets spun and twirled, and with the final twirling of the Golden cog, the two doors opened to reveal what was inside.

5) THe questionable ethics of a desperate man

In Prez Park, a cold wind blew. It orginated in Atlas, blew over the walls and the barriers that seperated the two parts of the city, and found itself in the forests of the park. From there it rose and fell with the terrain, snaked its way out of a river, and found a lone, desperate man standing ontop of a grassy hill.

Dorane turned at the wind, and was surprised to see Shy-la standing behind him. "You said it was urgent." came her response to Dorane's astonished face.

"Yes..." replied a distraught Dorane. "Certain matters in the now opened Rogue Isles need, no, demand, immediate attention. My family... my wife... my son...." and he let his words trail off there, too terrified by the possibilities to continue.

Shy-la nodded, and confidently tried to assure him. "We'll find them, Dorane. I know a few people outside of the Fellowship wh-"

"No!" came the abrupt exclamation. "They requested the Feline Fellowship, and made clear what they would do if others were to be involved. My family is everything to me, and I am not about to gamble their lives."

Shy-la stood there in the darkness, understanding what needed to be done. She was about to turn away, to gather members of the group, when Dorane spoke again in a small, melancholy voice.

"The SS Ambition leaves for Spider City in 15 minutes. And... one more thing. There are no correctional facilities in the Rogue Isles, no teleport network. But I still expect you to neutralize the villians."

Shy-la turned back to Dorane. "I am not a hired killer." And with that, a strong wind blew towards Atlas, leaving a lone, tired man on top of an undistinct hill in Perez Park.

Twenty minutes later, the SS Ambition was coursing through the dark seas, the stary skies and the crescent moon it's only companions outside of the seven cats that stood on it's deck. The witching hour's horizon left much to the cats' immaginaton, but one thing was certain in each of their minds. Only one villian would want the Feline Fellowship, and only one.

6) The cladestine werabouts of the Royal Army

With a loud whirl the mammoth, arhced doors closed behind Battlekitten and Kalda Centauri, plunging the factory into an unescapeable, tangible darkness. With the blackness sournding them, the two gazed into the nigritude abyss, until a single pair of fiendish-green eyes shown in the darkness.

From these green eyes, a beam of white light seemed to shine upwards and downards, illuminating the owner of those demonic eyes. Rusted metal and twisted frames feabily tried to reflect the white light, but it's pathitic attempts went unnoticed to the two heroes.

The thing, or rather the Assmbely Prince, opened it's mouth, and out of it came an unnatural, manufactured voice that seemed to carry with it a certain repulsiveness that no living creature could replicate. "Surrender Now, and no harm will befall you."

Kalda looked at Battlekitten, who arched her eyebrows in an amused way, before she reached into a pouch on her belt. From this pouch she withdrew a single metal orb, no larger than a pea. Electricty crackeled around her hand, and in mere moments the orb was propelled from her left hand, across her shoulders, down her right arm, then flew at the prince at a speed unattainable from anything but a railgun, which was exactly how she used her electric powers.

The sphere impacted the prince's leg, splitting the air with a loud crash as it broke in two. Unable to support itself, the abomination fell to the floor, shattering into a hundred pieces upon impact.

"Nice shot...." came Kalda's awwed voice. Battlekitten though, did not notice the compliment. Instead, her gaze was bedeviled upon the factory floor. For more lights were being turned on, revealing what was hidden in the darkness. Each light illuminated the shadows, and with it showed the hideous numbers of the royal clockwork army. Thousands of clockwork were standing on the factory floor, all readying for an assualt upon Battlekitten and Kalda Centauri.

Battlekitten reached into her pouch again, this time drawing forth a few dozen spheres. She again launched them in railgun fashion, but this time they flew as one fragile ball, with electricty laced through the cracks. It collided with a tesla knight, and on impact the orbs flew in all directions, ripping through sorrunding Cogs and Oscilators like grapshot from a cannon.

Battlekitten looked to see what Kalda was doing, only to find her finishing up her spell. Yelling out the last words of the incantation, "Probing tentacles of Justice!", she pushed her hands forward, and from them a blackness and bleakness far darker than anything natural shot forth. Along the ground dark tentacles began to rise, and these tore at the Clockwork, rending them limb from metalic limb.

The clockwork wern't standing still, though. They were hurdling bolts of elecrticity at the two women. On the occasions it impacted, Kalda had a curative spell ready, and green light would flash as their wounds vanished.


For what seemed like hours, the heroes where engaged in battle. Green light flared, metal orbs flew through the air, and electricity crackled in reply. Occasionly, Kalda would release a jet of darkness from her hands, or the clockwork would advance and get a few of their number close enough to the heroes to do physical damage. Each time though, the heroes repelled the clockwork, preventing them from keeping the ground they gained.

Until the bright blue light flashed. For when it lit the factory, it trapped BK in a cage of pure electricity. Kalda, unthinking, rushed to her side, and with a spell freed Battlekitten from her cage. At the same time, the spell cloaked Battlekitten from sight, bending light around her to make her impossible to see. Unfortunately there was another blue light, and this trapped Kalda in a similar cage.

Not wanting to let the clockwork capture her friend, Battlekitten reached into her pouch to retirve another fistfull of orbs.... only to touch the velvet bottom of the bag. Knowing that without her ammunition, she couldn't combat this many enemies. Helplessly, she watched as the clockwork lifted the cage and carried it, along with it's defenseless inhabitant, across the factory, and down a set of stairs.

Vowing to rescue Kalda before the rise of the morning sun, BK left the factory in search of ammunition and cohorts. For surely the Clockwork King had something truly sinister in mind.

Lurking in the rafters above, the Silhouetted Lynx laughed. Everything was going as she planned, and soon Dr. Catopolis would reward her. She laughed again, a vile, bone chilling laugh, before jumping down on the floor to see to the next phase of her schemes.

7) The Malignant spiders of the giant's city

Barley visible in the feable light of the crescent moon, the carcass of a gaint protruded from the ocean's surface. It's bones, gleaming the sickly yellow of something left far too long in the sun, reflected clearly thier mammoth size, while the foul stench of decay and pestilence still accompanied the rotting husk. Here and their the blighted flesh still clung to the bones, mixing the yellow with a vile brown.

From these bones rose a city, a city that spiralled across the skeleton and blended well with the corpse, and it was here, in the heart of Spider City, that the SS Ambition unloaded its passengers. One by one, the seven members of the Feline Fellowship filed out of the ship, with Shy-la at the front, and Twilight Lynx gaurding the rear. Knowing the amount of distance they had to cover, they were forced to split up their number and search alone.

Twilight Lynx headed south, his blade in hand. Towards the north did Shy-la travel, and Isis Element traveled west. Staying in the east, Pride Warrior and the others readied the defenses of the ship, knowing the value of an easy escape route.

The eerie flames glowed around Isis Element's hands as she headed across the city in search of Dr. Catopolis. With each step she took, she couldn't help but feel the cold, merciless eyes of some manevolent being on her back. Multiple times did she glance over her shoulder, but in the dark of night, she could only see in the radius of her flames.

As she proceeded on, a sinister scrapping nosie, similar to that of nails on blackboard, assualted her ears. Once, while Isis Element was searching an abandonded warehouse, she could have sworn she saw movement from the corner of her eyes, untill a blast of flame revealed only empty spcace.

Finally, in a dead end alley, did she find the source of the noise, but too late. For when she turned to exit the alley, she saw a quick movement, and then sharp pain in her head as the world became a comforting grey.

Twilight Lynx continued south, towards the feet of the giant. His sword reflected the unfeeling light of the moon, and it suited his mood just fine. For nowhere in the metropolis had he seen a single soul, or even a single creature, and that unnerved him. As for noise, only his own foot falls echoed through out the buildings.

One at a time did he investigate the buildings, and each time did he find them empty. No inhabitants, no people, only empty furniture.

With each building, a whirling noise began to build. Almost unhearable at first, it slowly crescendoed into a whail, a banshee's cry. With each increase in noise, Lynx expedited his speed. Faster and faster did he become, and louder and louder the noise was.

The noise was defening in his ears, blocking out even his own thoughts, leaving him manic. Sword out, and running at unholy speeds, he never saw the source of the noise, until he ran into it. From the speed of his crash, he was out cold before he hit the floor.

Shy-la continued north, unaware of the fate of the other cats. She continued on, unseen and unherd, and on numerous occasions did she stop, standing stiller than the buildings that sorrunded her.

Her stillness was rewarded, for she saw in the pale light of the moon another soul in the city. Pale grey fur, tufted ears, and a long tail, there was no doubt in Shy-la's mind that it was a follower of Dr. Catopolis.

She shadowed the unfarmiliar cat, and was eventually led to the most northern part of the island, where the cat entered into a warehouse. Waiting till the slow count of 20, Shy-La approached the door and entered.



Well, that's all of them so far...

Work, School, and Blogs don't mix

I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. I know I could say I've been busy, or that I need sleep, or that food is important on occasion, but I'll leave this excuse to the readers (wait... is that really a good idea?).

First off, I have gotten a new cd. I was looking for a band that wasn't metal (I listen to a lot of metal, and sometimes I do want to listen to something else... hehe. ) so I stopped off at Wal-Mart. There, after much search (and an oil change...) I picked up Fall Out Boy's new album, Under the Cork Tree. I figure any band who was to name thier albumn as such, and any band who has songs like "Our lawyer told us we had to change this song's name or be sued", is worth listening to. And they are. They kind of sound like All American Rejects. If you're not farmiliar with either of those bands, then I'll say they sound like Blink182's albumn, Enema of the State. If you don't know that Band (Blink 182), well, you're just out of luck. I'm also thinking about borrowing my sister's Three Doors Down cds to put them onto my iPod.

In metal news, I can't wait for Rhapsody to come out with their newest albumn. Why in November?????? Why not now???? PLEASE? =(. Also, they're touring with this band called Holy Hell (I like the name at least...), who, although doesn't have an albumn out yet, have gotten excellent reviews (They're touring in Europe right now....). So I'm also waiting for them to come out with an albumn. Also, I'd like to get a Gamma Ray's cd, a Stratovarious Cd, an Iron Maiden Cd, a....

Getting off the topic of music, I am trying to raise FireFox awareness. It's a browser I love. I <3 Firefox!!! And if you notice on my links pannel, there is a new link. Click it. Pwease? It's free! It's also open source! and it's safer then IE! Also, I might have posted flyers of FireFox up at my school, raising my status from user to obsessive Open Source Geek.

Tomorrow (being saturday...) I'll be leading a second badge tour in CoH at 10:00PM eastern time on the triumph server. Although technicly it will be for members of my SG, I guess anyone is invited. We'll be covering the zone Talos, trying to get the freak show badge, the Tsoo Badge, and the warriors badge.

I started the last paragraphs this morning, but now its evening, and I found out the hard way that sand and cars don't mix. I parked my car in a sandy area, went to the lab, got back to my car and, it kind of didn't want to leave the sand... so we tried a lot of things, but finally, with the help of an elderly couple, one of my best friends (she just sat in the vehicle and hit the gas pedal since she's a twig...), a guy in a red shirt, and a 10ft pole with cinder blocks, was able to make a lever and lift my car. Then we put wood underneath it, and was FINALY!!!!! able to get it out. It took us 2 hours to finally do it. It wasn't fun. And 10 ft metal poles are really, really, REALLY, heavey.

Then on my way home, I'm driving down the highway, and some one pulls out infront of me (I kind of go 70 on the highway... hehe) luckly, I didn't crash, but don't pull out infront of somebody on the highway. Espicially if you only give them 10 feet to monevuer. And deffinatly don't look at them as if they did something wrong. Because that makes people like me unhappy.

Anyway, I need to go, night night!