It's been awhile

First off, I'd like to apologize for the fact I didn't post the day after I said I would, and secondly, I wish to apologize fot the fact it took me more than a week to get the next post written. I wasn't that I was busy. Far from it. It's that I've started to dislike blogging. Not the actuall writing part of it, or the getting my thoughts out of my head before I do something stupid about them, but the part that makes my life look pathetic. Nothing is more dishearting than logging onto your blogg, only to feel no one has read it, and the time you take to write it amounts to nothing. Of course, I know people do read the blog, it's just... I don't know. It just doesn't feel like blogger's top ten list (or top ten thousand list...)

I broke into tears the other night. I did it because that was the last conversation I'm going to have with Will in a few months. He said he was going to return his modem on the 27th, and is shipping for Iraq in the near future. I don't know how long it will be until I'll hear from him again, or if I ever will. I doubt anything will happen to him while he is over there, but still. He said that when he gets some vacation time (probably around August), he might stop off in Japan. I'd rather he spend it here, but Manatee County doesn't have much to offer. Besides, when he returns home they'll give him some time to spend with family and friends. So when he does, he'll have to tell us all about his war stories.

I think my fought might have some minor fracture in it. Every time I step down, the top of my foot hurts. Not badly, but it does. It's enough to almost make me limp. Almost. Not quite there though. If it gets worse I might see a doctor about it.

Like normal, I'm overly paranoid about my work. I always feel as if I have incouraged the wrath of managment, or if I some how have done a total screw up. In either case I'm overly paranoid that people are talking about me in a negative manner, despite the fact that I know this to be completely irrational. It's enough to make me throw numerous nerves glances over my shoulder while I'm there, and for me to think my boss not only hates me, but is actively planning my removal from the company. I know it's just paranoia. I know it's not real. I know it's in my head. But that doens't get it out of my head.

Picked up Indego Prophecies today. It's a fun movie... err game. I like it, except that it has almost no interactivity in it. None. Well, there is a little in it. But the bulk of it is story driven, so it feels like a long, interactive movie. The interactive parts are more akin to simion says than to any actual game. Yet for 17 dollars it's an excellent game. Probably worth as much as thirty. I know I've played worse games. Star Fox Adventures and The Thing (the game) come to mind...

Anyway, I'm going to post the first few chapters in The Journal of Anibal Ciro.

5/20/1808- The forces of the the French have captured Madrid, and our king seems to think salvation lies with the Church and with Brittan. This reasoning is folly, since the British have been unable to have any success on land, while Napoleon has been crowned king of Italy.

As such, my commander has created a plan to regain Spanish indepence from Napoleon's legions. Legend tells of an artifact located in Egypt that will grant the holder untold power, and it is this item he wishes to claim. As such, he will send four people in search of this item, and I will accompany them as scientific advisor and surgeon.

I am hesitant to join the party, though. I do not wish to leave my family alone and unprotected when invading forces ravish the country. Unfortunately, I do not have the funds to send them some place safer, and saying no to Commander Suraci would be considered deseretion. As such, I can only leave them in the hands of the Lord.

I have already given my wife Nekana my fairwells, as Suraci wishes to leave tomorrow. Hopefully, when I return to my native soil I will have found a way to purge spain of its invaders.

6/3/1808- After an uneventfull trip across the Medertrainain, we have finally reached Cairo. From here, Suraci says we'll head out for the ruins of Memphis.

As to what it is that we search, Suraci only told me the name. He calls it the Eye of Ra. I have asked some of the locals about the artifact, but only one knew anything of note.

It was an elderly woman who was said to follow the ways of old. When I arrived at her dwelling, I was assualted by the site of ancient idols that resembled creatures neither beast or man. I asked her about these beings and she laughed, saying that unlike the Allah the Ottoman's brought, these were the true gods of Egypt.

I then asked her about the Eye of Ra, and her composure changed immediately. She became fearfull, as if some sort of malevolent being had found displeasure in her. Her mannerisism, which where confident before, now where like one condemned. She refused to tell me anything about the object, and said I brought an ill-omen to her home.

After great attempts at persausian, and a few gifts of sacraficial animals, she reluctantly agreed to tell me a little about the artifact I and my commrades searched for. Her voice became barely audiable, and each word she spoke tormented her, but she said "You know not what you look for, and of those who sought the Eye, none have returned. It is better that way, for only once was it called upon, and all of man kind paid for that."

She refused to say no more about the object, so I decided to wait till the next day to continue my questioning of her. But alas! When I stopped by her hovel this morning, I discovered the old woman had passed away in the night. Some sort of sudden illness had taken her, and the brightest doctors in the city had no idea what disease killed her.

I told my fellow comrades about this, but they laughed it off as old superstition. Suraci said that was the power we wanted, while Diego, Suraci's sharpshooter, reminded me old womem die everyday, and the death of one coincidently after telling me about the Eye, was just that, a coincidence.

In other news, Nekana has sent me a letter. She said she was doing fine, and our priest remembers me in his prayers. She is fearfull of the approaching armies, but says Saint James the Greater will shield them from the french heathens. I pray she is right.

6/4/1808- Last night I was plauged by the most hideous nightmares. I dreamt of... things stalking us through the desert, of beasts lying in strange, triangular buildings, and of a woman with the head of a lion, crackling with an unholy laughter as the world was set a blaze behind her.

I also dreamt of my home town, but not in a comforting manner. It was an abandoned place, where carrion creatures scurried from building to building, where the homes lay empty and desolate, where the putrid stench of dead flesh left too long in the sun overwhelmed the senses. And the source of this... disease? Pestilance from my own hands.

I awoke many times last night because of the dreams, making me severly weary today. Luckily though, my weariness did not impair my senses. For around noon we were ambushed by thieves lying in wait.

They arose from the dunes around us, and from there fired their rifels. They landed a bullet in Claudio's left leg. Diego and Suraci returned the fire in a rain of flame and thunder, while the fourth man of our group, Beltran, helped me get Claudio away from the fray.

When the smoke settled, two of the thieves lay dead, while the only injury on our side was Claudio's leg. Beltran helped me remove the bullet, and I pray to God that the wound doesn't become infected.

Because of the wound we won't be reaching the ruins of Memphis until some time tomorrow, which has Beltran and Diego worried. According to them, a pride of lions have been following our progress since after the attack. Neither of the two trust the lions, as they claim the beastes will attack us in the night. I personally believe they are of no harm to us, but I have no experiance with the felines.

It is getting late, and I am exhausted from the events of today. I pray that my dreams do not disturb me tonight.

6/5/1808- Again I was visted by night terrors, more vivid then the night before. More creatures that weren't man or beast stalked us, my commrades crying out in torment as the beastes tore into them, as I lay unable to help them. And then I saw my darling wife, but not how she is. No, it was a hideous mockery of her. Her flesh was charred black, her body twisted upon itself, and all the while she acted as if nothing was wrong. Then, again the woman with the head of a lion. She grinned at me, a fiendish grin born in Hell, and with her claws ment to tear open my chest. I screamed myself awake, to the dismay of my commrades.

I was on watch for the rest of the morning, and didn't complain about it. If these infernal nightmares continue, I doubt I'll ever be able to rest peacefully again.

At around two we reached the ruins, slowed down because of Claudio's wound. The site was like something out of a dream. Large stone relics of this lost civilization stood every where, and all was quite. We felt like we had entered an outdoor mausoleum, and the very act of speaking would desecrate the area.

But what was most distrubing was the carvings. Along all the walls, pictures of... creatures out of my nightmares stood. All of them being worshipped by what ever pagan culture built the city. Here and there I found a latin inscription, which I would translate for myself. In these, all pay tribute to some sort of being known as Sekhmet. The most intresting inscription read as follows:
Mine is a heart of carnelian, crimson as murder on a holy day.
Mine is a heart of corneal, the gnarled roots of a dogwood and the bursting of flowers.
I am the broken wax seal on my lover's letters.
I am the phoenix, the fiery sun, consuming and resuming myself.
I will what I will.
Mine is a heart of carnelian, blood red as the crest of a phoenix.

Shortly after I translated the inscription, a scream erupted across the ruined city. I ran to its source, only to discover that three bandits had ambushed Claudio, and one had laid some sort of serpentine blade into his chest. Upon my arivial to the site, they turned to me, another blade drawn, and said something in Arabic that I didn't quite understand. It was something about a holy shrine, and of some demon trapped with in.

There advancement didn't get them too far. The sound of thunder echoed through the ruins, twice, and two of the muderous dogs lay dead. Diego and Suraci came forward, saving my life, and another shot from Diego's rifel brought the third bandit to the ground.

After we buried Claudio, we talked amongst ourselves. Beltran agrees with me that this place is cursed, and that we shouldn't be here. Suraci would hear nothing about our superstitions, and Diego mocked our fear.

In the center of the ruins is a giant, triangular shaped building, and tomorrow we will investigate it. I pray our quest ends there.

Over and Under

Another lonely Valentines day has come and passed. I swear that holiday was designed to punish those of us not in a relation, with all the people doing all the special stuff for their loved one, and us single people can only look from outside, envious of everyone else.

Last Fridsay (not yesterday...) I was going out to get my dad some nightquill, and on my way out, like tripped down the stairs. I landed on my ankle.... and ya.... ouch. Spent two days limping on it, but it's a lot better now. It wasn't as bad as the other time I fell, and had to crawl back up the stairs, while my cat Max (I miss him.... =*( ) just stared at me...

Other than those two things, the week has kind of been quiet. So, I'll post tomorrow when I'm more mentally here... =(

Promised post

Well, here's the post I promised. It still is before Friday. I received back my Chemistry exam. Got an 88 on it, so I'm kind of happy about it.

Except, I'm not too happy about everything in general. I kind of feel too spread out. All three of my classes are homework intensive, which means little free time. On top of that, my work is basicly staring at a little green bar all day. I like having a challenge at my job. Something to get me thinking and something to make me look foreward to the next day. But right now, neither my classes nor my job provide that. My classes are difficult. But it's the fraustrating difficult, or the tedious difficult. Not the challangeing difficult. Programming is challenging. Writing is challangeing. But not what I'm doing in my life. Because of it, I kind of feel a slow slip into oblivian.

Out side of the fact I'm dissatisifed with two major parts of my life, I guess everything is doing fine. And I guess that the fraustration isn't helped by the fact my paychecks are about 80 dollars less than they were before school started. I've grown accoustemed to 400 every other week. Now I'm down to about 300, 320. I'm just thankful that outside of my car and gas, I have almost no other bills to pay. I know I dislike living at home, but with my current job I can not move out.

As for the other parts, well... my religious part of my life has basically crumbled since middle school, I've only been in one romantic relationship in my life, and I spend my Saturday nights on CoH. Wow, real winning streak there. I need to do something about this combination. I need to find something to do on Saturaday night, maybe meet someone in RL, and who knows, maybe I could find someone to be "friendly" with. But I need to find something to do, people to hang out with, hobbies that don't require a bajillion volts of electricity and a lonesome monitor.

I haven't heard from a few of my online friends. I'm kind of worried about them. I hope they're doing ok. But I don't think either of them frequently reads this, and I know a third, who use to be an RL friend till he joined the army (ahem Will!), doesn't know this site exists. SO I end up logging on multiple times a day just to check my email.

Anyway, I know I haven't posted anything close to writing, so here's another chapter in the Trials of the Feline Fellowship.

Shy-La entered the darkened warehouse, and saw for herself just what type of malevolence her former companion was capable of. For lying on the floor of the warehouse were two bound and beaten bodies, one belonging to Twilight Lynx, the other belonging to Isis Element.

Knowing full well that it was a trap, yet unable to see her friends in danger, she rushed out to her comrades, and upon reaching them, heard the distinct sound of weapons being readied. Gazing above her, she saw not one, but four felines, all armed with intimidating rifles.

"Greetings, Shy-La," came a gentelman's voice, spoken in the same manner as one would use to address an old friend, and accompanied by the sound of wheels laboriously turning. "I apologize for the security, and for the less than warm welcome, but our last visit with each other wasn't too pleasant."

The noise of the wheels slowly drew closer, and Shy-La could see the speaker. He sat comfortably in a wheeled chair, and seemed he had been in one for a long period of time, as his legs had entropied. His style of dress was archaic, for it matched the style of an early 20th century English gentleman. The brown coat, pristine vest, white shirt, and even the pearl buttons all bespoke someone of that era. Yet there was one thing that did not match the paragon gentleman, and that was the tan fur that covered his body, along with a face that was more bobcat then human.

"Dr. Catopolis," Shy-La said, addressing the figure. "I see our last meeting did not persuade you to give up your villainy."

"With that attitude," remarked the doctor, "It is apparent to myself that your delusions on equality and human ethics still abide. But tell me, what brings me the honor of your visit?"

"Dorane's family."came the response.

"Such a rather grisly affair," came the calm, remorseful comment. "You see, his family has been incapacitated. The tigers that were used to procure them were not adequately fed, and as such..." the comment trailed off. "Rest assured though, that their keeper had been sufficiently disciplined after the event."

An appalled look crept over Shy-La's face. "You... " was all she was able to say before she was interrupted. "Of course, I don't think the Councilman will see it in such a light. He has a tendency to place failure at his tool's feet, instead of at the source of the problem."

Realization of the Doctor's schemes dawned on shy-La, but again he spoke. "And to agitate matters, a new ally of mine has decided to draft one of your number. Of course, such things could be prevented in the future, if one only knew who to cast their lot with."

Abhorrence filled her voice as she spoke. "I will see you brought to justice before I repeat that mistake again."

"And cause me harm again? Our last confrontation robbed me the use of my legs, and until recently, I was solely dependent upon this wheeled chair. But now, with the help of my new alley, I have regained my mobility." and to stress this point, he bagen to rise out of the chair, but not upon his entropied legs. Instead, six metal legs, reminiscent of that of a spider's, supported him, and it was upon these that he freed himself from the chair.

"Now Shy-La, I give you two choices. You can either reunite the Feline Fellowship with me, and in doing so help us obtain the position we felines deserve, or you can be trapped here in the Rogue Isles, and leave your friends at the mercy of Councilman Dorane."

"Or, she has a third option." Came Twilight Lynx's voice, too close to Dr. Catopolis for comfort. For during the conversation he had recovered conciousness, freeded himeself of his bonds, and had managed to draw his spare blade, which rested next to the villain's throat.

"TL, don't do anything s" but before the leader of the Feline Fellowship could finish her sentance, Dr. Catopolis interrupted in a calm voice. "Twilight Lynx is right. As long as his blade is pressed against my throat, you are free to leave. But for him to leave, his blade will have to leave my neck, and he may find himself to have a significantly shorter lifespan if that were to occur."

Shy-La, knowing full well the futility of trying to convince Twilight Lynx to change his mind, went over and retrieved the still unconscious form of Isis Element. Dr. Catopolis and his followers made no attempt to prohibit her in this, and Shy-la left the warehouse with only one other member.

After she left, a sinister smile appeared on the Doctor's face, a heavy objected connected with the the back of Twilight Lynx's head, and the world went dark for the lynx one more time.

The silent chirping of crickets

Don't really know what to say tonight, except maybe an apology for being later than normal. Not that it really matters, with all the readers I have. Unlike early civilizations, I do have a concept of zero...

Anyway, Wired magazine released the top ten vaporware list. On it included google (They have betas that last years...) Starcraft Ghost, The new Zelda game, the Phantom (hehe, Phantom), and Duke Nukem Forever. Just thought some people would enjoy the information.

As for my work, it continues its deathspiral downwards. But I always complain about it, so... I'm thinking about appling for Metro PC's, maybe be able to earn a little more money while spending less time staring at green little status bars moving across the screen. I enjoy trouble shooting computers, I really do, but I dislike the long, tedious computer set up that I do everyday at work. It takes about 8 hours to set up a computer at work, largerly because I need to install the pre-SP2 window updates, SP2, and post-SP2 updates. And while I'm doing that, all I can do is stare at the small little download bar. Which is bad. And boring, and demoralizing...

Anyway, I know it's a short post. I promise to post by Friday for all my avid readers...