tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36681238722905121772024-02-20T02:20:39.546-06:00Reflections in a TreestarLynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-20003492728360434742014-09-04T18:57:00.000-05:002014-09-04T19:03:16.800-05:00Me? An Inspiration?When I took up my position at the company I currently work for, I gave plenty of warning of my hectic upcoming Fall Semester schedule and my strict "not quitting" policy on my college degree. My boss was fine with it.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When it came time to discuss my transition from a standard 40-hour work week at a company-wide standardized drafting office schedule to a potentially part-time (less than 30 hours) schedule to accommodate my in-and-out-of-office routine, I had a random sit-down with a coworker who told me that he wishes he could go back to college. That led to his saying "Be my inspiration!" I laughed and said I would try.</div>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
"Be my inspiration!" - a coworker in regards to my determination to get my degree at <a href="https://twitter.com/utarlington">@utarlington</a> while still working full time. :)<br />
— @lynminx <a href="https://twitter.com/lynminx/status/494549272600125442">July 30, 2014</a></blockquote>
Now that I am a few weeks into the Fall Semester, I am finding it increasingly more difficult to get out of bed for a 6:30am clock-in at work. Not because that's <i>too early</i> for work (it's not, not really), but because I am starting to feel the effects of the back-and-forth work-school-work-school-work-home-wash-rinse-repeat. I'm not saying that I have too much going on outside of work and school, but it is rather difficult to make that staunch 8:00pm/9:00pm-ish bed time to get enough sleep to carry me over through the week. There is just <i>so much</i> to do.<br />
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But on days that I drag my ass out of bed, suffer through the insane 6:00am traffic jams, hit every red light, and patiently (ha!) wait my turn in the Starbucks drive-thru, even when I feel like utter crap and just want to roll over and sleep in, show up to work after my first class (which would mean missing <i>only</i> 1.5 hours of work), a small reward is nice. Today's reward was nothing major -- at least at the surface. A different coworker came up to me and was <i>so excited</i>, and just had to share with me what she did this week.
<br />
<br />
She started the process to attend college.<br />
<br />
She hasn't been in a classroom since she was 18 years old, when she graduated high school. Her children are currently in college. She works multiple jobs to pay their tuition and to offset the amount of student loans they receive. She said she has always wanted to try to go to college, but never got around to it. Seeing me trudge along day in, day out? I was her inspiration. I was the nudge she needed to try to get a degree. It won't be a degree out of necessity, but a degree that she wants <i>for herself</i>.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Was just told by a coworker that she started her journey to a college degree this week because of me. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Inspiring?src=hash">#Inspiring</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeelsWeird?src=hash">#FeelsWeird</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FeelsGood?src=hash">#FeelsGood</a><br />
— @lynminx <a href="https://twitter.com/lynminx/status/507644293788762112">September 4, 2014</a></blockquote>
I never thought I would be in this position. I mean, yea, I want to change the world; I have ideas aplenty on how I want to shape the future. Never did I imagine it would be like this. I don't feel like I've reached the point where I'm qualified to enact change. I mean, I'm still working toward my degree! It has been years upon years longer than it would have taken had I joined my friends and started right out of the gate attending school full time. Yet, here I am. It feels weird. It feels awesome. <b>It feels <i>terrifying</i>.</b><br />
<br />
I have given presentations to high school students about college and life after high school. As freaked out as it makes me to speak publicly, I enjoy it. I want to be a good role model for the youth of today. I am working with a great group of people to <i>try</i> to create a summer camp at the university for underprivileged students from Native American communities. To suddenly find myself as the spark of inspiration for <i>two</i> adults older than I am? I can't describe the absolute fear with which this fills me.<br />
<br />
But, I have to admit, I like it. Now, as long as I don't mess up this whole degree thing... :)Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-67464422727356335162014-08-28T21:19:00.001-05:002014-08-28T21:23:28.343-05:00I AM...<b>DEAR WORLD,</b><div>I am writing this because, sadly, it is something that needs to be written. There is something that people aren't understanding yet. I don't get it; we live in a fantastical world full of endless possibilities, and yet people still scoff and show shock when I tell them about myself. Listen up, read closely, and learn something. Please. Because the responses I receive should <i>NOT</i> be of surprise.</div><div><br></div><div>I am not a superhero.</div><div>I am not a freak.</div><div>I am not crazy.</div><div>I may agree that "math is hard," but it isn't impossible to sort out.</div><div>I work a full-time job.</div><div>I am a draftsman.</div><div>I kick ass in AutoCAD.</div><div>I am also a student.</div><div>I am pursuing a bachelor of science degree.</div><div>In Mechanical Engineering.</div><div>And, yes, I AM A WOMAN.</div><div><br></div><div>STOP squawking about how it's a tough field.</div><div>STOP asking me "How can you do that? Math is hard."</div><div>STOP being surprised that I, A WOMAN, would choose such a degree.</div><div>STOP asking me how I will decide between having such an intense career and having a family.</div><div>STOP implying that I, A WOMAN, am the weaker sex.</div><div><b>JUST STOP!</b></div><div><br></div><div>I am not a naturally strong character, and I do feel the sting when you imply that I will fail, which is EXACTLY what you do every time you show surprise in my future. I do feel discouraged with every "but that's so hard!" comment. If I feel this way, even though I am stubborn enough to straighten my back and continue forward, <i>how many young girls and young women do you actively turn away from their passion??</i></div><div><br></div><div>WHY do you perpetuate the nonsense that women can't make good mathematicians? WHY do you continue to show the up and coming generations that women are inferior?</div><div><br></div><div>STOP and THINK before you speak, before you react, and before you belittle a girl with a passion for science, engineering, math, or technology.</div><div><br></div><div>Try to keep in mind the spark you kill could be the one that could have saved your life with science, built a better levee system, designed a better car, or even invented the next big (or nano) device to power the teenage experience. Your words have power. YOU are the difference between a successful, happy woman and a pressured-to-quit, maybe happy, maybe depressed, girl forever wondering "What If...". </div>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-12069737995397258572013-06-19T14:46:00.001-05:002013-06-19T16:43:06.407-05:00Paranoia In The ClassroomFor those that don't know, I'm a student at the University of Texas at Arlington. My employer gives me a little wiggle room in my daily schedule so that I may attend classes. Today, my schedule, as well as I, was shaken.<div><br></div><div>When I woke up, campus was closed and the hunt was on for a suspected gunman. I applauded the Dallas and Arlington and campus police departments for working together to proactively keep students safe. I commented on Google+: "<span style="font-family: '.Helvetica NeueUI'; font-size: 16px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">If this is a hoax or bad information, it is good practice. If it is true, lives are being saved.</span>"</div><div><br></div><div>Not too long after, I received an all-clear from the school's alert system; classes would resume at noon. My class this summer starts at 12:30pm. I had not heard anything as to why - was the suspect in custody? Was it found to be a hoax? Was there no evidence to support the tip?</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc-jUEZqzOtKH61SgQzDxjmjFSbwDwJwu81IoIsJN5lIhcOkZz9aZ3bDR6__jxle09eFmpIWgyiQcWJuZMxpgGgfQNOIVq3feX59IZtITMxaHb_Y9iIRiTyodNvyqZKtwQw6naudmx_iR/s640/blogger-image-1754086376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGc-jUEZqzOtKH61SgQzDxjmjFSbwDwJwu81IoIsJN5lIhcOkZz9aZ3bDR6__jxle09eFmpIWgyiQcWJuZMxpgGgfQNOIVq3feX59IZtITMxaHb_Y9iIRiTyodNvyqZKtwQw6naudmx_iR/s640/blogger-image-1754086376.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>I arrived on campus and got a coveted front parking space. The lot was pretty empty. As I sat in my car and ate a drive-thru lunch, I watched a few more cars trickle in. Some students looked nervous, some looked exhausted, and some looked like they had no cares in the world. I watched each and every one of them with suspicious eyes. You see a lot of 'in plain sight' killers in the movies; it was scarily easy to picture more than a few of them with some form of weapon hidden on their body, in their clothes, and within easy reach inside bags.</div><div><br></div><div>I mentally slapped myself and gathered my things for the walk to class. For once, I was happy with my over large sunglasses (bought for function, not form [ie fashion]) and the fact that I could hide and be paranoid suspicious of everyone as I walked in the wide open quadrangle and between buildings. I felt like a bunny watching for the hawk. I made notes of what type of bullet proof cover was available, what doors were within sprinting distance, what shields existed along my route, and calculated my survival chances with each. I noticed that inside the building, on this empty day, my chances of survival were far slimmer than being outside - all of the doors were shut and locked, all lights were out, and I would be a sitting duck in a long hallway. It was not a comforting thought. Even the elevator gave me no hope; while there was a 'close door' button, there was no 'emergency stop' pull, so I wouldn't be able to stop the elevator between floors, away from any intruders (like I said, I explored pretty much every option).</div><div><br></div><div>Class was short, as days without labs are, but we were all jumpy. I thought about my seating choice (front row, center) momentarily before sitting, but decided a change wouldn't really do any good in a class so tiny. I'm small enough that I could probably just slip under the table and be fine, though.</div><div><br></div><div>I spent my time on campus learning what life with paranoia would be like. It was surprisingly not that difficult. That may, however, say more about me than I care to admit, though. When I returned to work, a coworker said the entire ordeal had made the news (finally), but wanted more information - according to him, it was bare bones facts. I looked it up, relating the only information that I knew had been provided by UTA, and found this short piece from the Dallas Morning News (see below). It was comforting to see that a concerned friend made the call to 911 about the suicidal man. I won't go so far as to call that person a hero, but s/he did the right thing.</div><div><br></div><div>News Link:</div><div><a href="http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/ut-arlington-closes-campus-after-dallas-police-say-gunman-may-be-headed-there.html/">http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/ut-arlington-closes-campus-after-dallas-police-say-gunman-may-be-headed-there.html/</a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-14746260878883556902013-06-13T17:31:00.001-05:002013-06-13T17:31:23.773-05:00Testing...Purchased an iPad. Testing the Blogger app.<b> :)</b><div><b><br></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgZ9nopm3E3l9cmkVliMzKiGe8CYAg1wSfMUx23rbp-w9dOje9FHzHMCD3bMOvDzvBIXX-6zSr9ScMbAMH-xNecoxR5XhxH5KBCW1OafHUBnGVuCacSqtLjuHwMXevzjXlJlviTdLmZas/s640/blogger-image--2069069642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkgZ9nopm3E3l9cmkVliMzKiGe8CYAg1wSfMUx23rbp-w9dOje9FHzHMCD3bMOvDzvBIXX-6zSr9ScMbAMH-xNecoxR5XhxH5KBCW1OafHUBnGVuCacSqtLjuHwMXevzjXlJlviTdLmZas/s640/blogger-image--2069069642.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Seems to be easy to follow and pick up. Should make it easier to get back to blogging....</div></div>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-52234821765103993502013-02-19T20:55:00.001-06:002013-02-19T20:55:57.528-06:00Really?!Now that I am home, let me relate to you what happened to me while in the Mart of Wal yesterday:<br/>
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A man, twitchy looking dude, casually walked by and asked if I needed help with anything. My automatic response, as is yours, most likely, was to say "No thanks." He acted as if he was going to walk past me, then stopped and asked how well I know the area. My hackles rose and I immediately went into defensive mode -- I mean, really, someone asking if you need something usually means store attendant, right?? I turned to him, making sure to keep my cart in my view as well (because I'm paranoid) and told him I don't know the area well at all. He looked slightly saddened. "Well, I just moved here from Flagstaff, Arizona and I just need help with...well, do you know anything about baby's milk?" Um...what? "I have an infant with special needs and I don't know what kind of formula to get for him. I was wondering if you could help me out?"<br/>
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...um...what?<br/>
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Told the guy "Sorry, I don't have any kids. I have no clue how to help you".<br/>
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The first thing that flitted through my mind when he left: "Oh my gawd! Do I <em><strong>look</em></strong> like a mother???" Then my second thought: "What if it was just a ploy? A trick?" My final thought: "Oh my gawd, what if he's a kidnapper that has an infant and doesn't know the first thing about the kid he has???"<br/>
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The moment my bags were in the kitchen, I scanned news stations online for missing kids. I found nothing. A slightly relaxing thing.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-72168403260825728102012-09-02T12:13:00.003-05:002012-09-02T12:15:14.888-05:00Delicipes: Delicous Recipes from My KitchenJust to keep things simple, I started a recipe blog away from this blog. I know people that would prefer to read <i>just</i> recipes and nothing else from my life, so this makes it easier.<br />
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If you care to keep up with my kitchen, follow Delicipes - just be warned that postings are not regular and the majority of the recipes are "old" concoctions and things I've found online or in a book (with proper credits, of course) that are possibly altered.<br />
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<a href="http://delicipes.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Delicipes" border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKu9YfT-JsXcwmjYOCjJoNYATO2xVC67CmIlDx5vKXIkIxUBInghv4tCuJhgR6ec7_osOrclJUTJfHOvtOrXHws3I1UochfMS-El_dT66QE2GyEmIab1j4uptBqKHfBXwvSKtvpQC8jY/s400/delicipes5.jpg" title="Delicipes" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you have a recipe you think I might like, feel free to send me an email [<a href="mailto:delicipes@gmail.com?subject=Recipe%20Suggestion" target="_blank">delicipes-at-gmail-dot-com</a>]. If you host a recipe site of your own, let me know; I will link it in the blog's right-hand column, and, if I use a recipe, you get an additional link-to in the post! (Have I mentioned how much I love trying new recipes?)Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-12193130620915909172012-09-02T10:34:00.000-05:002012-09-02T10:34:42.533-05:00The Real House Maidens of Bugman's Best - UPDATE!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhRf6OMFzs8czZUbXaPSNZsm0deJe1k-JxWEsRHRy9By7jBc2D5IOaxfjPD4q-v3E1OX6wfBcCWTxfzp1E4YV3vRTRCp7NQjAkK8zXjh4_CCvOHlqC8ujNWSOqWuOGggzLMGyAutzBnyx/s1600/bloodbowl_housemaidens2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhRf6OMFzs8czZUbXaPSNZsm0deJe1k-JxWEsRHRy9By7jBc2D5IOaxfjPD4q-v3E1OX6wfBcCWTxfzp1E4YV3vRTRCp7NQjAkK8zXjh4_CCvOHlqC8ujNWSOqWuOGggzLMGyAutzBnyx/s1600/bloodbowl_housemaidens2.jpg" /></a>The season is almost half over! I need to schedule my week 5 game (the halfway point) and finish painting my girls. I've let other things take over my time with my girls and I shouldn't have; but that's my own fault and they are suffering for it (only five girls are completely painted and one girl is stuck at the half-dressed point). Not that it is affecting their game play! No, I still suck (my first season), but I am having a ton of fun - and that is what the game is all about, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLO-z5t6rXeU3kJGSDV4We4MjTdSFiADV5nXWyLU0C7TvEI47cKKfzt0biVvacbFpucZ2kf6KuWG6ATKlj6XJtoaCspIjSPw4ZiUVWGNgFtW2DPNyv4wP9iSQXlKUHg3rubfZSRjURni6P/s1600/TRHMoBB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLO-z5t6rXeU3kJGSDV4We4MjTdSFiADV5nXWyLU0C7TvEI47cKKfzt0biVvacbFpucZ2kf6KuWG6ATKlj6XJtoaCspIjSPw4ZiUVWGNgFtW2DPNyv4wP9iSQXlKUHg3rubfZSRjURni6P/s320/TRHMoBB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And the crazy part? Call it "beginner's luck", but so far I am making dice rolls that I shouldn't. I mean, in a blizzard, I rolled three 6s in a row to pick up the ball, accurately throw it, <i>and</i> catch it! Dwarves aren't known for their passing abilities, but my girls are making completions left and right. It's insanity!<br />
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I've managed to skill-up both runners so now everyone on the team has Block (as it should be). Gwenelyn (a blocker) now has Guard. I'm still trying to decide how to skill-up Frigga, a troll slayer. I wasn't able to buy an apothecary until the end of Week 3 - apparently my dice rolls only suck when it comes to how much gold I get. <br />
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So where do I sit, really, in the league? Tied for last. My next opponent? The guy with whom I'm tied. Should be a brutal game; he is playing a Chaos team that has been around a few seasons. The only upside for me: I get just over $700k in inducements. Not quite a repeat of my first game of the season, but damn close! <i>What's that? Something smells delicious...Oh, it's that Halfling Chef, coming to my aid....</i><br />
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As of right now (indecision and all), here is where my team sits:<br />
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<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr height="25" style="background-color: #d0d0d0;"><td align="right" class="small" style="color: black;" width="10">#</td>
<td class="small" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="7"></td>
<td align="left" class="small" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding-bottom: 1px;"><img height="1" src="http://www.dfw.bloodbowlleague.com/gfx/trans.gif" width="120" /><br />
Player name</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="18">MA</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="18">ST</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="18">AG</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="18">AV</td>
<td align="center" class="small" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">Skills</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="11">M</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; padding: 0px;" width="11">N</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; line-height: 7px; padding: 0px;" width="14">i<br />
n<br />
t</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; line-height: 7px; padding: 0px;" width="14">c<br />
m<br />
p</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; line-height: 8px; padding: 0px;" width="14">T<br />
D</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; line-height: 7px; padding: 0px;" width="14">c<br />
a<br />
s</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; line-height: 7px; padding: 0px;" width="14">m<br />
v<br />
p</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; line-height: 8px; padding: 0px;" width="17">S<br />
P<br />
P</td>
<td align="center" class="esmall9" style="color: black; line-height: 8px; padding: 0px;" width="25">value</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">1</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Helga</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blitzer</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">5</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">1</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">5</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">80 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">2</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Heidi</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blitzer</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">5</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">4</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">80 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">3</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Brigit</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Runner</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">6</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">8</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Sure Hands, Thick Skull, <span style="color: #93c47d;">Block</span></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">8</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">100 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">4</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Brünhilda</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Runner</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">6</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">8</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Sure Hands, Thick Skull, <span style="color: #93c47d;">Block</span></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">1</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">1</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">6</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">100 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">5</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Freyja</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Troll Slayer</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">5</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">8</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Frenzy, Dauntless, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">0</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">90 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">6</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Frigga</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Troll Slayer</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">5</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">8</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Frenzy, Dauntless, Thick Skull, <span style="color: red;">?</span></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">10</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">90 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">7</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Gurtrud</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blocker</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">4</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Tackle, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">0</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">70 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">8</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Gwenelyn</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blocker</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">4</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Tackle, Thick Skull, <span style="color: #93c47d;">Guard</span></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">1</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">7</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">90 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">9</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Sunna</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blocker</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">4</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Tackle, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">1</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">2</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">70 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">10</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Sigrid</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blocker</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">4</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Tackle, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">0</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">70 k</td>
</tr>
<tr height="23" style="background-color: transparent; cursor: pointer;">
<td align="right" class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">11</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"></td>
<td align="left" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #703010;"><div style="color: #d5a6bd;">
Skadi</div>
<div align="right" style="color: #708080; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: -1px;">
Dwarf Blocker</div>
</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">4</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">3</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">2</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;">9</td>
<td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;">Block, Tackle, Thick Skull </td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #9fc5e8;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #eeeeee;">1</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; color: #207020;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #e06666;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #cccccc;">0</td>
<td align="center" class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: #b4a7d6;">1</td>
<td align="right" class="rtd10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">70 k</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" class="rtd9" height="25" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">12</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png);"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" class="rtd9" height="25" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">13</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png);"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" class="rtd9" height="25" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">14</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png);"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" class="rtd9" height="25" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">15</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png);"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="right" class="rtd9" height="25" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; color: #404040;">16</td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0; padding: 0px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td>
<td align="center" class="rtd10" height="25" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="center" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans3.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black;"><br /></td><td align="left" class="rtd10" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-right: 1px solid rgb(160, 160, 160); color: black; letter-spacing: -1px;"><br /></td>
<td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png); border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="border-right: 1px solid #a0a0a0;"><br /></td><td class="rtd9" style="background-image: url(gfx/bgdarktrans3.png);"><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="17" style="background-color: #d0d0d0; border-bottom: 1px solid #808080; border-top: 1px solid #808080; font-size: 1px; padding: 0px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td align="center" class="esmall9" colspan="3" rowspan="5" style="background-color: white; border-right: 1px solid #808080; color: grey;" valign="middle"><img border="0" src="http://www.dfw.bloodbowlleague.com/badges/hou.jpg" /></td>
<td class="td10" colspan="4" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Team Name:</td>
<td style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(128, 128, 128); border-right: 1px solid rgb(128, 128, 128); color: #f3f3f3;"><b>House Maidens of Bugman's</b></td>
<td class="td10" colspan="7" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Team Re-rolls:</td>
<td align="center" class="td10" colspan="2" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">3</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td class="td10" colspan="4" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Race:</td>
<td class="td10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(128, 128, 128); color: #f3f3f3;"><a class="grey" href="http://www.dfw.bloodbowlleague.com/default.asp?p=tl#5">Dwarf</a></td>
<td class="td10" colspan="7" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Fan Factor:</td>
<td align="center" class="td10" colspan="2" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td class="td10" colspan="4" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Coach:</td>
<td class="td10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(128, 128, 128); color: #f3f3f3;">Talyna</td>
<td class="td10" colspan="7" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Ass. Coaches:</td>
<td align="center" class="td10" colspan="2" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td class="td10" colspan="4" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Team Value:</td>
<td class="td10" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(128, 128, 128); color: #f3f3f3;">1,110,000 </td>
<td class="td10" colspan="7" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Cheerleaders:</td>
<td align="center" class="td10" colspan="2" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr height="15">
<td class="small" colspan="4" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Treasury:</td>
<td class="small" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(128, 128, 128); color: #f3f3f3;">30 000 gp</td>
<td class="small" colspan="7" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans5.png"); border-right: 1px solid rgb(192, 192, 192); color: #f3f3f3;">Apothecary:</td>
<td align="center" class="small" colspan="2" style="background-image: url("gfx/bgdarktrans2.png"); color: #f3f3f3;">yes </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All in all, not too bad for a first time player, right? I know there are a lot of things that I am probably screwing up, but that's the only way to learn. I've been fortunate enough to have opponents that are patient and work with me when I have questions. Good guys, all of them.<br />
<br />
Well, I should probably get to my homework; now that the semester has begun, I must put homework as a priority over Blood Bowl. I just must remember to not let my girls' painting get knocked too far down the list. :)<br />
<br />
OH! But before I go, have any of you seen <a href="http://bloodbowlmayhem.blogspot.com/2012/08/deathroller-race-2000.html" target="_blank">THIS</a>?! Death Roller Race 2000!?!?!? I have already downloaded the rules and markers. Now I just need to find the time to print them out...and then find some people to play with me....Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-13790887114720370432012-08-13T12:17:00.000-05:002012-09-02T12:28:49.004-05:00GeekBeat.TV Review: Kogeto DotThis sort of slipped past me, rather quietly. Newest review is UP! Click over to <a href="http://geekbeat.tv/" target="_blank">GeekBeat.TV</a> to read <a href="http://geekbeat.tv/kogeto-dot-review-360-degree-video-with-your-iphone/" target="_blank">Kogeto Dot Review: 360 Degree Video with Your iPhone</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<center>
<img src="http://geekbeat.tv/wp-content/themes/ondemand/images/logo.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://geekbeat.tv/kogeto-dot-review-360-degree-video-with-your-iphone/" target=_blank><img alt="" border="0" src="http://static.geekbeat.tv/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/kogeto-dot-with-bag-250x186.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 175px; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><img src="http://www.kogeto.com/images/logo-kogeto.gif" /></center>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-4546838081494270922012-04-28T12:32:00.000-05:002012-09-02T10:50:21.216-05:00College Writing - Philosophy Class<small>What follows is <i>exactly</i> what I wrote in response for my philosophy class. We were given very few guidelines to follow, our instructor wanted us to use our minds, think outside the box, and write something that was <i>NOT</i> a 2-page report on what we had read. For the final paper, this is where my mind took me.</small><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
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<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Maieutic Brief #5: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Antichrist </i>Response</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I was inspired to look at the situation
from a different point of view. The Bible is considered by some to be an
elaborated history novel; what if something we do inspires another creature or
race to create their own bible? What happens millennia from now, when humans
are extinct, evolved, or escaped to another planet to survive elsewhere? Will
there be a future variant of </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Antichrist<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">? If so, what might it look
like?</i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The
Antidominus</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The dog was once a wild creature,
running free and hunting game and stealing kills from higher level carnivores.
Then along came The Master, who domesticated the canine, imposed his will upon
the animal, and restructured his pack mentality to include the biped as the top
tier. As time progressed, the dog became more of a companion than a hunting
partner, then less of an equal and more of a subservient beast.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Though canines were not beasts of
burden like the mule or the horse, neither were they fed fresh food at the
table. They survived on scraps and mush, often devouring byproduct vittles
commonly referred to as “kibble”. Still the dog was grateful and showed respect
and love for The Master. Guard Dogs were of the highest order in the worship
line, keeping The Master safe from earthly harm. Even the smallest of canines
could be Guard Dogs, though they wore the title Lap Dog and kept The Master warm
and clean of any crumbs from dinner.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Eons have passed, my fellow canines.
Bipeds no longer walk this planet. Guard Dogs, and even Lap Dogs, grow fat and live
the life of luxury in temples built to The Master and his people, reading daily
to us from The Dominus. The Dominus is a mere history of the dog, and yet we
treat it as sacred text to guide our daily lives. Because of this bound book of
pen scratchings, we revere salt as the sweat of The Master, proclaiming salt
deposits as sacred ground and proof that The Master will one day return to herd
us to The Dog Park, the promise land, as we herd the sheep to greener pastures.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
How foolish have we become? We have
created communities of modest dog houses inside perfect yards, complete with
white picket fences, but for what purpose? Our homes cower in the shadows of
The Master’s temples, where no bipeds reside! We work day in and out to be the
best pets possible, but for whom? A master that no longer exists! We suppress our
instincts, quiet our speech, and wear a collar to show how much we are a Good
Boy, but what, exactly, is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Good Boy</i>?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
To be a Good Boy, a dog must forsake
everything nature intended him to be; he must cower and bow to The Master’s
image, purchase dinner from the farmer to feed his family, read The Dominus to
his pups, and remain loyal to one bitch for life. Marking territory is only
done within the dog’s own yard, never in a public square, and gifts must be
made tribute at the temples with each paybone. In short, a Good Boy is a weak,
low ranking pack member. Per The Dominus, to be anything but a Good Boy is
evil. The epitome of evil is a Bad Dog, like the rogue canine that bites the
hand that feeds and must be put down, sentenced to an afterlife eternity in a
crate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Through The Dominus, we have accepted
life at odds with our true selves. Inside, we know the truth: Good is power,
the Alpha position, howling at the moon in the dead of night, and hunting prey;
Evil is weakness, cowering, silencing our voice, and gorging on lifeless, leafy
grass....</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Each passing generation we see all of our
pups survive, even the runts and the defected. Once we lived as the wolves do
and the weakest were never coddled, but under The Dominus, we act as The Master
would, and save them. We grow ever weaker, mistaking our acts of painful
compassion for Good. </div>
Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-29108578995472035422012-03-26T08:02:00.001-05:002012-09-02T10:50:10.941-05:00THE REAL HOUSEMAIDENS OF BUGMAN’S BEST<i>The following is my fluff for my Blood Bowl team, which I will be playing in the next <a href="http://www.dfw.bloodbowlleague.com/" target="_blank">DFW Blood Bowl</a> season...<br /><br />I'm buying <a href="http://store.warlordgames.com/sister-sledgehammerers-7320-p.asp" target="_blank">the models</a> soon and will post pics as they are assembled and painted. :-)</i><br />
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Cabalvision’s quest to expose the shocking lives behind their viewers and celebrities backfired when they approached the wives of the famous Bugman’s Best Blood Bowl team. They met with the lady dwarfs and received quite a shock: the wives had created their own Blood Bowl team! Not only were the lady dwarfs skilled in housemaking and, as the filming crew were quick to learn, battle, but the ladies were quite skilled on the pitch, as well. Another shock met the producers from Cabalvision: <i>the wives of Bugman’s Best shaved their beards!</i><br />
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In a society that holds glory, honor, beer, and beards above all else, these ladies should have been outcasts, but, as it turned out, their marital status and prowess on the pitch allowed the unorthodox hair style (a fellow dwarf opponent on the practice pitch would also comment that such a sight hurtling toward him would be nearly enough to make any man strategically retreat, would his honor withstand the blow).<br />
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Members of <i>The Housemaidens</i> include: blitzers Helga, a skillet wielding stay-at-home mom, and Heidi, a rolling pin carrying and proud Blood-Bowl wife; winged helmet wearing runners Birgit and Brünhilda; barely dressed troll slayers Freyja and Frigga; the sassy line maidens Skadi, Sifa, Sunna, Sigrid, and the twins Gurtrud and Gwenelyn; and, when she’s not in jail for domestic abuse, the vacuum riding death roller, Edna.<br />
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<i>The Real Housemaidens of Bugman’s Best</i> will begin filming in the next few months. It will chronicle the team’s pro-level debut as they balance their Blood Bowl careers, their husband’s Blood Bowl careers, their children, and life in the spotlight.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-29242973753053564162012-01-12T13:06:00.005-06:002012-09-02T10:49:57.775-05:00A Touchy Subject That Needs To Be Heard<i>A <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2085226/PLUS-Model-Magazines-Katya-Zharkova-cover-highlights-body-image-fashion-industry.html" target="_blank">news article</a> was brought to my attention by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/117665613028757061169/posts/V9qxWHAVLBY" target="_blank">M. Monica</a> on Google+ and I immediately responded by <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/115084678136439638969/posts/Vjbb7BGoW2N" target="_blank">sharing the post</a> and adding my own story:</i><br />
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<a href="http://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/103/77541c426d1cc6c656f17031946b54e5/l.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/103/77541c426d1cc6c656f17031946b54e5/l.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; margin: 0 0 10px 10px;" /></a>I was a size 6 in high school. I had an hourglass figure, grabable ass, and huge boobs. I weighed 120 pounds. My doctor thought that I was borderline overweight based solely on the fact that I am only 5 ft tall. My parents told me I was fat. My boyfriend told me I was chubby - he even went so far as to nickname me after a specific food because I had thighs like that animal. My Body Mass Index was perfectly normal, I was as perfectly healthy as I could ever be expected to be (a few minor genetic malfunctions, but <i>nobody</i> is perfect).<br />
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I was still considered "plus size" in certain clothing areas. My bra size, <i>in high school</i>, was a 34 D. This is not a very common size, at least it wasn't 6 years ago. I also had a hard time finding jeans that fit just right <i>because I had an ass</i>. (Note: about four years ago, I found <a href="http://www.levistrausssignature.com/us/default.asp" target="_blank">Levi Strauss Signature Series</a>. Best. Jeans. Ever. Perfect fit, every time.)<br />
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When I finally got out on my own, my self esteem was shot. I still struggle with my self-image, only because I eventually grew into the big image they pushed on me - but not because I was depressed and ate my way to this size. I have health issues and have taken medications that have caused my weight gain and inability to lose anything significant.<br />
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My husband has been a major contributing factor in my "wake-up to reality" that I'm not <i>fat</i>. My doctors are working up yet another treatment in an attempt to balance my system so that my body can properly handle foods and help me shed a good portion of this extra weight.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/81/c7a8c4c61c5c54f4d97b1dcf6c8f6763/l.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/81/c7a8c4c61c5c54f4d97b1dcf6c8f6763/l.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; margin: 0 0 10px 10px;" /></a>My journey to where I am is not the stereotypical "plus size" growth path. My diet has changed drastically since high school, but not gotten worse. I eat a relatively balanced diet and try to eat the healthier varieties of things. And yet I still gained weight. My blood sugar, cholesterol, and everything else comes back perfectly normal at every 6 month check-up. My health issues are, unfortunately, genetic, and until the doctors find the right cocktail of drugs, I won't be seeing 120 pounds on that scale ever again. Chances are, if I'm lucky, I will drop back to where I was when I first met my husband: 135 pounds, a healthy hourglass figure, and <i>still</i> be shopping in the plus size clothing stores. Because I'm barely 5 ft tall and not the "fashion ideal" stick figure.<br />
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* <b>For those curious</b><br />
<a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/311985_10150360792942419_591102418_10412126_5337438_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/311985_10150360792942419_591102418_10412126_5337438_n.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>I <i>starved</i> myself for my wedding. In addition to the exercise, I cut out a lot of necessary foods. I dropped 25-30 pounds to fit into a size 16 wedding dress, which is the highest size available before extra money is tacked onto the price for the plus size gowns. My average caloric and carb intake per day was equal to that required to keep an anorexic alive. It was an extreme move that I do no recommend for anyone. My doctors were shocked and disapproving and admonished me for it all when they found out.<br />
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Needless to say, if you've seen me, you know that I have gained it all back <i>because I started to eat properly again.</i><br />
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<i><small>Pictures:<br />1) 2004, Junior in High School<br />2) 2007, Motorcycle Road Trip with then-boyfriend/now-husband<br />3) 2011, Wedding Reception</small></i>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-72329531483984518252011-12-07T08:36:00.002-06:002012-09-02T10:48:54.435-05:00Someone Care To Interpret?<i>I had an insane dream....</i><br />
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I drove up to Sherman to pick up my sister, had my brother in the car with me, and pulled into a gas station to fill up. There were two sections at the station: a full-service car station (repair, fill-up, wash, etc) and a self-serve. I prepaid for $30 of gas, but when I opened my tank, I could see the fuel! I was confused! A guy next to me said there was probably a clog somewhere and started messing with it...and flooded my engine. <i>(how?!)</i> I then asked the self-serve pump attendant (who had a kiosk set up like the "watchers" do at the supermarket, between the pumps) what I needed to do to get a refund on my $30 and how I was going to get my car to the other side of the grassy lot that separated the two sections. She said not to worry, she was about to end her self-serve shift and head over to the full-service section. She would take care of it all.<br />
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This is when my sister was dropped off. My brother had disappeared somewhere to talk about trucks with some guy, so my sister and I wandered around as the wind started to pick up. I wanted to check on my car, so we walked into the car shop...and found a stable. <i>(Did you know all cars have horses? Neither did I...)</i> The attendant told me that my car would be flushed soon and that my car's horse would be fine; she just had a little fluid in her lungs. She offered me a temporary car to finish out my errands in town, if I so desired - it was a huge, ginormous, white animal-shaped semi.<br />
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I did my best to not freak out. My sister tried to calm me down, but I kept equating my car's horse with Brutus. The attendant kept her smile, trying to reassure me that everything would be fine, kneading together oats and rice and broth and some medication, all while repeating to me, "there are no broken bones, just a little fluid in the lungs."<br />
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The wind kept picking up, and I decided to focus on the car and not the horse. I called my dad to let him know that we were running behind and asked his advice on the car. His advice? Call the insurance company. Make sure they know that I have all rentals free of charge. Just as I hung up the phone, a tornado siren went off. Yup. I looked to the south, but it was sunny with a little clouds. Same with the east. The north, however, is from where the wind was coming, along with all the dark clouds. I saw no funnel clouds, so figured the sirens were for a Watch and not a Warning. I then wandered inside the store to find a drink...and to drown out the siren.<br />
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The back of the store faced west and had a wall of windows. With curtains. The curtains were blowing with a breeze. I looked out...and saw a lake...with <i>hundreds</i> of funnel clouds dipping down toward the water - all of them headed straight for the gas station.<br />
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<br />
<i>...then, I woke up.</i>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-28307012551530514732011-11-17T22:08:00.003-06:002012-09-02T12:27:19.816-05:00My First Video Review!My latest product review is posted over at <a href="http://geekbeat.tv/" target="_blank">GeekBeat.TV</a>: <a href="http://geekbeat.tv/review-milo-micro-suction-smartphone-stand/" target="_blank">The Milo Micro-Suction Smartphone Stand</a><br />
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<br />
<center>
<img src="http://geekbeat.tv/wp-content/themes/ondemand/images/logo.jpg" /><br /><a href="http://geekbeat.tv/review-milo-micro-suction-smartphone-stand/" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://geekbeat.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Milo_2.jpg" height: 175px; width: 320px;" /></a><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8l1boqO44sptyU6Ct8FOt1AQGzeJx-GpM5yMUK47pR2sxieoejlxqx_8xXX6BhehXuXHUb3yXN-BWv0_DA7lPNjKyVKEonifUS5nj_-TRMpwWQDF8Du_6vYxo2MDHl2ZF4M4FJhA6H9w/s400/Logo.png" /></center>
Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-40815229121047073342011-10-27T10:54:00.004-05:002011-10-27T11:01:57.727-05:00Ready Player One Prepares for Paperback!<em>Ready Player One</em> gets a very professionally rendered cover for the paperback release!<br /><br />And it is gorgeous. The Stacks become the focus of the new cover, done so beautifully that Cline <a href="http://www.ernestcline.com/blog/2011/10/27/behold-the-ready-player-one-paperback-cover/" target=_blank>states</a>, "I think I need a print of that illustration for my office."<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.ernestcline.com/blog/images/RPO_Paperback_Cover.jpg" target=_blank><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVZAB70Fu-qx3LpOzRnOg4V4AcJbLe-yfPSeN7kHbs21Fy4RnJKh1TIMvME3YUI0LGvonaPIWWmJ7zHPAm8CxZyaipEuILG-JqS1aNJV6JtTtgAUzEQjxoW0pzP4iy2vQLOiygYTMp-Ekq/s400/ReadyPlayerOne_Paperback.jpg"></a></center>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-55590788578608980122011-10-25T22:29:00.001-05:002012-09-02T10:48:09.353-05:00My Financial PerspectiveI do not pay as much attention to the news and national happenings as I should, but I have noticed the <a href="http://occupywallst.org/" taret="_blank">Occupy Wall Street</a> and <i>I Am The 99%</i> movements and memes across the internet. I do not fully understand what these are about, so I cannot agree or disagree with what is being said or done. I can say that the people involved have caused quite a stir and have finally impacted my life. No, I was not among those <a href="http://www.kens5.com/news/Occupy-Dallas-protesters-arrested-outside-Chase-Bank-132517883.html" target="_blank">locked out of entering my bank</a>, but I was on hold for a very unreasonable amount of time with my credit union as a result of one of their spreading messages.<br />
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The process of switching from Big Bank to Credit Union has been a long one for me - mostly because I've been procrastinating switching all those automatic bill pay settings. I have both accounts, but my account at Credit Union is in a mere holding pattern with the minimum allowed savings accruing interest with small deposits each month to keep the account active.<br />
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Because I am a full time student and a full time employee, my bank account never hits that magic $3,000/day balance to be free - Hell, I'm lucky to have $300/day between checking <i>and</i> savings! The fees associated with my accounts were once only $5/month. Then there were a few changes in laws, a few changes in the bank's procedures, and now I pay $12/month to use Big Bank. If you go back and look at my statements, 9 out of 10 times I am overdrawn, I had forgotten about the "monthly maintenance fee" and my balance falls from $8 to -$4 + an overdraft fee (which is only a flat $10 fee because I have overdraft protection in place, otherwise it would be $30 <i>per overdrawn transaction</i>). When Big Bank institutes <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/29/business/main20113708.shtml" target="_blank">new fees for debit card usage</a>, I will be paying almost $20/month <i>just to have a bank account</i>. Tell me when the absurdity will end!<br />
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With the ever fluctuating cost of fuel, the increase in college books and my soon-to-increase tuition costs (moving on up from community college to that big name university to get my degree), I need something that is financially feasible for me to handle my money. Switching to a cash-only existence sounds all well and good, but paying my bills by cashiers check? Carrying home a wad of bills on payday? I will not use the excuse "I am woman", but I will use the excuse "I am weak"; if I have cash, I am liable to spend it, even on some small, seemingly frivolous thing like a large unsweet tea from one of those fast food places. Little purchases add up, and they add up <i>fast</i>. Thus enters my need for a bank and debit card. I hesitate to spend money with my card, always stopping and wondering if I can afford what I want, and even when I know that I can, asking myself if I really need what I am about to purchase. My debit card is my financial conscience. I cannot and will not pay for that if I don't have to. And that is the beauty of living in America: I have options, I have a choice, and I have the right to decide what is best for <i>me</i>.<br />
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Right now, I am deciding that it is time to finally get off my ass and finish the transfer from Big Bank to Credit Union. Right now, a lot of other Americans are thinking the same thing. Based on my 35-minute wait to speak with a representative about my account at Credit Union, I am glad I already had an account. She said they have extended their hours to accommodate the influx of applicants vying for the privilege to bank with Credit Union's free accounts and services. I wish all the applicants the best and hope they get what they want or what they think they need for their financial stability.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-80789561166910838582011-10-03T12:07:00.004-05:002011-10-03T12:21:55.573-05:00Marketing Win!I don't know how they pulled it off, but the marketing team over at Fiber One deserves an award for their new commercial.<br /><br /><center><iframe width="400" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vK7hZ9CxCfU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center><br /><br />I grew up on Cheech & Chong, so when I saw the link to the video, I clicked. The title intentionally misleads you into thinking <em>Oh! A new movie! This will be <strong>awesome!</strong></em> Then you watch and you realize that the people at Fiber One are geniuses.<br /><br />They have compiled an entire storyline and have many short videos starring the iconic duo. You can explore more of this greatness on their dedicated webpage: <a href="http://www.fiberone.com/magicbrownie/" target=_blank>http://www.fiberone.com/magicbrownie/</a>Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-22248774247408481932011-10-01T19:34:00.005-05:002011-10-01T20:11:40.100-05:00Wil Wheaton Crashed My G+I can't calm my geeky heart. I swear, at the moment I realized I could say that, I <em>SQUEE</em>'d, and I <em>SQUEE</em>'d loud.<br /><br />Mr. Wheaton posted a simple, innocent little thing:<br /><br /><center><a href="https://plus.google.com/108176814619778619437/posts/XWzvA5iYLoo" target=_blank><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlU2MnhFqZX5xqD_7TH0V5epzdboGxvwX2R4sikjGHClyqQiqP8knUzpRWXkJ5wWpwWQNZg50_5eX4TfvIJESk6e7onUlEJuEhzH1rdQUU0eOVnIP0BGZ75-jR5CXGij5QBpVI2kWIz_6s/s400/WilW_BrewPost.png"></a></center><br /><br />I, as the wife of a guy that loves to try to find the perfect brew, felt it was my duty to raise my hand, and tell Mr. Wheaton that I wanted to join. A circle of people dedicated to home-brewing? Learn tips and recipe adjustments from people more experienced that I can pass on to my husband? Yes! Please! Sign me up NOW!<br /><br />As a result, everyone on the list started cross-adding each other. My notifications have <em>exploded</em>. I had to turn off notifications on my iPhone. I can't really do much on the G+ webpage from my computer because my internet sucks and runs super slow and when I try to clear the add notifications, my screen freezes. When it finally works through the refresh cycle, I have twenty more notifications waiting for me!<br /><br />Wil Wheaton crashed my G+ account. Aside from the fact that he is, in my opinion, a geek idol and god amongst men, I can't be upset with this; I have already gotten some great tips to help brew small batches of my preference in the confined space of this tiny apartment and have already gotten recipe exchange offers. Once the cacophony and excitement die down, this will be one of the coolest and most fun decisions I've made in a long time. I look forward to it.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-1500697345161247612011-09-21T11:57:00.003-05:002011-09-21T12:08:15.748-05:00Ready Player One (Pre-Review)My husband and I had a few gift cards to Borders still lying around and with the closing of the store, we went online to redeem them before the site shut down, too. <a href="http://www.readyplayerone.com/" target=_blank><em>Ready Player One</em></a> by Ernest Cline was the first snag. We had heard interviews and book praises on a few podcasts and we knew it would be one we couldn't pass up.<br /><br />I started reading it last night. I am currently somewhere inside Level 0002, which is either Chapter 2 or Chapter 3, depending on your preference of the count (do you consider Level 0000 a chapter, Mr. Cline?). I love it. I know the book hasn't gotten into the meat of the story, but I still love it. Mr. Cline creates a world to which we can all relate, geeks, gamers, 'normals', everyone.<br /><br />I won't say much more than this: The podcasts and interviews did not push this book's greatness enough. I am not finished with it yet, but I am still recommending it to everyone. Go, buy it now, and read along with me.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-3500813637893606762011-09-11T11:00:00.001-05:002012-09-02T10:40:57.114-05:00Ten Years<i>Where were you?</i><br />
<br />
It is a simple question, three little words. Profound in their meaning. No one really needs to ask about the implied time; everyone in the US knows the question references September 11, 2001.<br />
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I have always brushed it off, never really feeling that I had a right to answer the question. The few times that I did answer, I felt selfish, as if I were trying to take a part of that day for myself. It took awhile for me to stop feeling like a bystander at a car wreck and realize that, as Americans, that little question was a way to bring people together. We are a nation of people, bystanders and victims, but a country united as one entity. We are the United States of America and the attack was not just one city, not just one state, but across the country. Our country, as a whole, was the victim. Just as every citizen has the right to ask this question, every person has the right to answer, to claim a part of that day.<br />
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It was a Tuesday, a normal school day. I was in my freshmen year, just beginning my final year in my junior high building (this was before the school district restructured and expanded the high schools to accommodate all students). Our Beta Club meeting had just concluded, the first of the school buses arriving to drop students off for the first class.<br />
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A student rushed in, panting, and told us his bus driver had the radio on, like normal, and the music was interrupted with a breaking news report - a plane had hit a World Trade Center tower!<br />
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"Is this a joke?" our teacher had asked. We were starting to laugh it off, nothing like that could be real.<br />
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"No! And it wasn't an accident, either! Turn on the news!" He was flustered and rather persistent, so our teacher picked up the remote. She turned on the news just as news of the second plane hits broadcast. The babble between students suddenly hushes and we stare, unable to comprehend fully. <i>What was going on?</i><br />
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The teacher, pale, turned off the television and told us to get to class. First bell began to ring and we rushed into the halls. When the final bell rang to signal class to begin, an announcement came over the PA for all teachers to check their email. The school district's policy is to notify only the teachers and faculty of events, in an attempt to keep from causing the students to panic.<br />
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The email informed the teachers of events and ordered them to leave the televisions and radios turned off. The school was quietly put on lock-down, as well.<br />
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There were no regular classes that day. Every teacher, and I mean <i>every</i> teacher - of mine, at least - gathered the class for discussion. They did not feel it was right to keep such breaking news and world events from us.<br />
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"It does not protect you and can only hurt you more."<br />
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Every classroom I attended that day had some form of paperclip, wire hanger, tin foil, or craft wire antenna reaching to the windows; part of the lock-down included turning off the cable to the building, per the internal superintendent's personal discretion. We watched the news coverage on static-filled screens as CNN's broadcast was relayed through local networks.<br />
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Fifth hour began as it always did: with lunch ended, the weekly school news and reports were read over the PA by selected office aides after the pledge of allegiance was said. I was a teacher's assistant to the keyboarding teacher and typically used the class hour as a study hall, stopping my homework only to help pass out papers or take attendance.<br />
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Every student, through any tears or fears, stood to say the Pledge. Every student except four. I am not being racist when I say these four were loud-mouth, laughing, prideful Mexicans. Whether their parents were illegal or not, they proclaimed themselves Mexican citizens above all else and laughed through the entire Pledge. The teacher did not like this, not one bit.<br />
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"It is a dishonor and rude," she began, her temper flaring hotter than any I had seen.<br />
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"But why should we say the stupid pledge?" was the summation of their argument.<br />
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"You do not have to say the Pledge, but you will DAMN WELL sit silent and respectful while those that choose to speak, do so!" Her language rapidly fell below public standards as a full five minute speech flew off her tongue to lash the four students sitting before her.<br />
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When she stopped talking, those of us not the target of her words, clapped. Well, a few of us did. Then she asked another question: <i>Why do you laugh?</i><br />
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"Because America got attacked."<br />
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I still smile when I think of her response. It is something I have never heard a teacher say to a student before or since.<br />
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"Are you really so fucking dumb and stupid? Where are you living? Where are you currently sitting? You are <i>in</i> America." The students blanched. "What do you think would happen if the attacks were spread out farther than just New York? Dallas is a pretty big city and a rather fine target - there is an international airport located right here. What makes you think that we do not merit the attention of these terrorists? How safe would you be, laughing your ass off, if a bomb exploded around here?"<br />
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Silence. Priceless silence.<br />
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The remainder of this class went just like the rest: discussion and television watching. When the final bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, we shuffled out to the waiting school buses in a mixture of emotions. Some students were laughing, but they were the strange ones with a fascination with the military and were excited at the prospect of war. Many were still in shock and confusion reigned their face as they talked to one another. Some pretended things were alright and went about their business.<br />
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One student in particular still clings to my memory. We were on the bus ride home and she sat crying in her seat. Voices of those excited for war surrounded her. Suddenly, she snapped. She turned, face red and eyes puffy, tears still trailed down her cheeks. She yelled at them to shut their mouths, they had no right to speculate. They did not know what they would lose or had no respect for those that were afraid of what may come - her dad was in the reserves and she knew he would be one of the first to be called up in the scramble into action. As far as I know, he returned safely, but that moment, that day, all there was, was fear and loss in her mind.<br />
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For myself, I sat and watched. I observed my friends, my peers, try to make sense of what happened. I may not have known what it meant, but I knew that I was watching history be made. At fourteen years old, I sat and mentally documented and tried to calculate the implications of what I witnessed. I felt no fear, no sense of loss, nothing. I knew things would change, but I couldn't say what would happen.<br />
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This commercial is one that I will never forget. When it aired, the simplicity of it struck me. I think I actually cried the first time I saw it. It is one that I go back to, in my head, when I think of how the world changed for me after that day.<br />
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For others, the change was more profound. Loved ones were in the towers or near enough to see it first hand. My cousin, who was going to school in New York at the time, slept through it all the way only a college kid with no morning classes can. There are survivor stories and "lucky to not be in the office" stories and other, not-so-happy stories from family all across the US.<br />
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It's been ten years since that day. Lives have changed in ways no one ever imagined. As the years passed and I grew up, family, friends of the family, friends of friends, and my own friends proudly enlisted and were deployed. Some never came home and of those that did, all that remained of the ones on the front-lines were broken shells and tattered souls.<br />
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September 11th will never be forgotten. America will always remember.<br />
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Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-75901965448490948402011-09-09T20:57:00.001-05:002012-09-02T10:39:54.388-05:00Dresden Files: Ghost Story *SPOILERS*I finished <i><a href="http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/ghost-story" target="_blank">Ghost Story</a></i>, the latest installment of <a href="http://www.jim-butcher.com/" target="_blank">Jim Butcher</a>'s <i><a href="http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden" target="_blank">Dresden Files</a></i>, Wednesday night. While it took me a while to get to it and crack it open, it only took four days of on-and-off reading between work and school to finish it. It even had me so engrossed that I got very little sleep the closer I got to the end - I turned the final page well after midnight that last night!<br />
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Before I delve into <b>my thoughts</b> and what I took away from the book, let me warn you now:<br />
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<big>There be spoilers ahead!</big></center>
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And by spoilers, I mean <i>nearly the entire damn book</i>.<br />
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<i>A quick aside: the following is a combination of my process of thoughts as I read and a review of the book. Any English instructor I have ever had would, and probably should, cringe and cry at the "review" presented.</i><br />
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<b>Oh. My. Gawd.</b><br />
A lot of what happened I knew in advance. My gut twisted and I knew, I <i>knew</i> where this story was headed. In 99% of all other books and stories, I would be devastated. I would be horrified. I would be disgusted that the author took such a predictable route. It kills weaker characters, in my opinion. But Dresden? Mr. Butcher, I applaud you. Based on my normal reaction, you took a risk, but it was worth it. Dresden <i>needed</i> this. And it was done in such a way that, even knowing it was coming, I could not stop reading. It was classy - if anything in Dresden's life can be called "classy".<br />
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<b>Prior to <i>Ghost Story</i></b><br />
Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, Chicago's resident wizard, is shot by a sniper on his brother's boat at the end of <i><a href="http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/changes" target="_blank">Changes</a></i>. Dresden falls into the cold, black water, and then unconsciousness takes hold. Readers, like me, were left screaming, <i>NO! It can't be!</i><br />
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Mr. Butcher then released a <a href="http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/dresden/side-jobs" target="_blank">short story anthology</a>, which included the novelette <i>Aftermath</i>, a tale from Karrin Murphy's point of view following the shooting. No sign of Dresden, just a lot of blood.<br />
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My heart broke. I kept telling myself over and over that Mr. Butcher had something up his sleeve - it couldn't end this way!<br />
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<b><i>Ghost Story</i> Unfurls</b><br />
Then <i>Ghost Story</i> came along after what seemed an eternity. It picks up in the black of the water, which soon transforms into a train station. That white light? An oncoming train. Yup, something that could only happen to Dresden.<br />
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After a near miss of the train and a brief encounter with a few angels in a police station, Dresden rejoins the "real" world. As a ghost.<br />
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Yes, I know. The title of the book screamed that this was coming. For a split second, I still had hope - maybe one of the Sidhe had stepped in? His godmother, the Leanansidhe, for example?<br />
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And then it hit me.<br />
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Dresden's not dead. He can't be. This is all <i>in his head</i>. And if it's not completely in his head, then maybe one of the greater beings <i>did</i> swoop in and rescue him.<br />
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Crazy, no? I mean, he stood before <i>angels</i>, for crying out loud! Dead is dead and what his mind perceives as "Chicago Between" is purgatory. End of debate. Right?<br />
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Dresden is told that "three of the people [he loves] will come to great harm" unless he solves his own murder. We all know Dresden by now - of course he returns to help.<br />
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<b>Life as a Ghost</b><br />
I love reading inside Dresden's head. When I was first learning to read, my dad taught me how to envision the world on the page as a movie set and to immerse myself into the story; I love walking beside Dresden and learning along with him in his clumsy, headstrong way. <i>Ghost Story</i> offers a new learning experience for our magical champion: an afterlife as a spirit.<br />
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Limitations to a spirit in the mortal world: what is myth and what is truth? Dresden spends the majority of the book learning what he can and cannot do through trial and error and under some guidance of an incorporeal mentor, Captain Sir Stuart Winchester, whom he fights alongside to save Mortimer Lindquist. Mort is a medium and, as it turns out, a downright powerful ectomancer.<br />
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Mort is also one of the few people with whom Dresden can communicate. Medical examiner Waldo Butters, with the help of Bob, modifies a radio to hear Dresden while Molly Carpenter uses a tuning fork as her communications aid. The only other human character alive that can hear Dresden is Fitz, a punk kid living in an abandoned warehouse under the rule of a minor thug wizard.<br />
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Yes, Dresden, even in death, still manages to find strays that need his help.<br />
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<b>A Sense of Duty</b><br />
Dresden returns to find Molly borderline insane. He had been duty bound to his apprentice to keep her safe and teach her the ways of the wizarding world. The fragmented mind in rag-tattered clothing that walked the streets was a result of his last and final battle with the Red Court vampires; her schizophrenic tendencies and unstable situation are his fault - he failed to protect her and sent her sensitive mind into the horrors of battle with strong, dark magic.<br />
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But Molly is not the only one broken. Murphy has devolved back to the super-suspicious and distrusting woman she was before she accepted the reality of the supernatural world. She is on edge, guilt-ridden, and stressed. She refuses to acknowledge Dresden as dead and fears his specter as an imposter, going so far as to having him followed.<br />
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Two of the few women in Dresden's life (and now afterlife) are mentally injured because of him. He takes it upon himself to find a way to help them while on his quest to find his own killer. Because that is what Dresden does. He tries to fix his mistakes.<br />
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<b>It's Not a Harry Dresden Story Without More Trouble</b><br />
So Dresden is tasked with finding his killer. Mort is being attacked nightly by wraiths. There is a minor wizard abusing homeless kids. Molly has become a feared, insane vigilante known as Rag Lady and Dresden must somehow fix her brain. Murphy's house is the target of a drive-by shooting. May be getting a bit stretched, but Dresden will find a way; he always does.<br />
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But the entity behind the scenes? Corpsetaker. Yes, she is back! Her lair is fortified with a human cult group and a door through the Way that, well, merges World War II and nightmares.<br />
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Did I mention that Bob discarded his evil portion and Evil Bob is in charge of defending Corpsetaker? Yup, Dresden has his plate full.<br />
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Dresden has always been good at rallying the troops and lucky enough to emerge (in some cases, stumble or crawl) on top. Being a ghost really has not hindered his leading abilities. Armed with a horde of ghosts to command, Bob's knowledge and skills, Molly's talents, and Murphy's group, Dresden is set to take on Corpsetaker.<br />
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<b>Never Too Old (or Dead) To Learn</b><br />
Throughout the book, Dresden is forced to stop and think things through before setting off on whatever his current mission is. He realizes that, in life, he was rather bull-headed and charged right into situations that he should never have survived, cost the lives and sanity of those he loved, and set off chain reaction elements that could have been prevented. As a ghost, he cannot push through certain limitations, like sunlight and thresholds, and must learn to cope with sitting back and watching events unfold. Lea even uses techniques to train Molly that, simultaneously, teach Dresden the importance of his actions.<br />
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This is why I do not fault Mr. Butcher for taking this route with Dresden. One of the reasons, at least. Dresden <i>needed</i> to die to have enough limitations binding him into inaction so that he can learn to <i>think</i> before running head-first into battle. Will he keep this lesson at the forefront of his mind? While he is dead, yes. Assuming for a minute that my original guess is right and he is somehow still alive, it will probably not be his first reaction all the time, but it will be there more often. I'm an optimist, okay?<br />
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<b>Curious Events Graveside</b><br />
Dresden also does a lot of soul-searching throughout the book. Memories of his past bubble up and we get more insight into the boy that became our wizard and why he is the way that he is.<br />
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Lea eavesdrops in on one such memory and begs him to finish - in trade for answers, like any good Sidhe. Their question and answer session is interrupted by a cemetery statue, Eternal Silence, the same "haunted" statue that Dresden mentions appears and disappears from the cemetery all the time. This statue, however, moves and speaks during the daytime. In the sun. After sunrise.<br />
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Eternal Silence speaks like <a href="http://wiki.lspace.org/wiki/Death" target="_blank">Death</a> in Terry Pratchet's <a href="http://www.terrypratchettbooks.com/discworld/" target="_blank">Discworld</a> series, all capital letters, bold words booming directly inside the listener's mind. He silences Lea about Dresden's death. After Dresden has asked all of his questions, the statue departs and Lea prattles on about proxies.<br />
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<b>The Clues Add Up</b><br />
The statue is an important character. I knew that the moment he was introduced. But with Lea going on about proxies, I started thinking hard. For whom could the statue be a proxy? My mind could not decide, but my speculation that Dresden was still alive and was probably with Mab (Lea admitted to being her proxy) and whoever was behind the statue began to eat at me even more.<br />
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Hints fly from the very beginning about the truth. Subtle hints about Dresden being a not-quite-right spirit, and speculation that he was, well and truly, a soul....<br />
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Did you catch the first major red flag?<br />
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Come on, really? His body is "unavailable"? Did you really think he was dead? Angels and spirits are like the Sidhe: half truths and speculation can be pretty misleading. Yes, it had been six months since the shooting, but "unavailable" is not the same as 'decomposed and gone'.<br />
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I will admit, though, that when I read that line, my first thoughts were that Mab had him holed up in a block of lake ice in her castle. I did not expect that she had teamed up with Demonreach (also Eternal Silence) and that he was on the island in their care.<br />
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<b>The future of Dresden</b><br />
There is a wide expanse of stories to come for Dresden and plenty of hints as to what some may be. Many questions are answered by <i>Ghost Story</i>, but several more arise.<br />
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How will his return to the mortal world be accepted? Murphy had finally broken down and allowed his death to become a reality - just in time for him to reawaken with a heartbeat. Will he even return to the land of the living? Will Mab convince him that, for the best interests of all of those he knows, he is best thought still dead and hide out of sight?<br />
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What is the pressing matter that required Mab to have a self-aware and responsible White Knight? War is brewing, but with whom?<br />
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Which Bob survived the fight in the Nevernever? Was it a draw?<br />
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With Maggie under the Carpenter's roof, is her true identity safe from the White Council and the world? Yes, she is safe (did you ever guess there could be <i>that many</i> guardian angels for one family?), but how long will it last?<br />
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What really became of He Who Walks Behind?<br />
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<b>My Impressions</b><br />
After finishing the book, I perused a few spoiler threads online. The majority of what I read came down to people either hate the book or only so-so loved it. Many claim Mr. Butcher is "losing his touch" or peddling to the publishers with <i>Ghost Story</i> - like I said, this technique is something that I normally cry about, and it appears they do as well. But in this instance, I would have to disagree, and it being, in my opinion, well executed, makes this book one that I love.<br />
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Many characters are introduced and, while some may seem to be minor, one-off characters, I see potential for their involvement in future books. There are story arcs that have yet to fully expose themselves and I do believe that some of the other readers are on the right track with a lot of their speculation. Only time will tell.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-15836941228977994982011-08-30T07:38:00.009-05:002012-09-02T10:39:16.409-05:00Alyssa Bereznak: Who The *bleep* Did I Date?!<i>This is a response post to an article posted on Gizmodo, an article linked to me through G+ by TheTankTheory. His response is posted on his page, <a href="http://this8bitlife.com/this-8-bit-life/2011/8/30/alyssa-bereznak-a-study-in-why-nerds-should-be-publicly-humi.html" target="_blank">This 8-Bit Life</a>. Another response he shared that I enjoy is posted over at <a href="http://nerdpuddle.com/my-brief-okcupid-affair-with-a-world-champion-magic-the-gathering-player-ugh-ugh-ugh/" target="_blank">NerdPuddle</a>.</i>
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There is a show on the Investigation Discovery channel called <a href="http://investigation.discovery.com/tv/who-the-bleep/" target="_blank">Who The &!*$/ Did I Marry?</a>, and it chronicles the lives of women who marry serial rapists and killers. Reading through <a href="http://twitter.com/alyssabereznak" target="_blank">Alyssa Bereznak</a>'s article on <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5833787/my-brief-okcupid-affair-with-a-world-champion-magic-the-gathering-player" target="_blank">Gizmodo</a>, you would think she had a similar story.
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She created a profile on OKCupid because she "came home drunk" one night. From the get-go, Alyssa is making excuses and blaming a root cause on her action: the alcohol made her search the internet for a date. Red flag number one; if this woman cannot own up to willingly creating a profile because she feels it will aid her in her search for a guy, then how will this article end? Well, maybe it is the truth and it just simply took the drinking to ease her nerves about setting up a profile. It happens to the best of us at times, so why not give her the benefit of a doubt? Let's rescind that first strike and begin the profiled dating.
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<b><i>"[W]hat was the worst that could happen?"</i></b>
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We all ask ourselves this same question at some point in life. Online dating is no different. Alyssa mentions wading through absurd emails and "creepy messages" before finding one from a guy that "seemed <i>normal</i>." With her emphasis on 'normal', the only thing a reader can do is start trying to figure out what was wrong with the guy; Did he have six fingers? Two heads? Eight toes? Blue hair? Permanent eyeliner? Or was he a serial killer? A rapist? Did he like little kids? Or maybe not something so severe, just an average guy with a Howard Wolowitz sense of dress and humor? Possibly a guy that stiffs the waiter at dinner? Or, worse, one that forgets his wallet?
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As it turns out, the guy Alyssa meets was a perfectly normal human being...
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Jon was thin and tall, dressed in a hedge fund uniform with pale skin and pierced ears. We started talking about normal stuff—family, work, college.</blockquote>
...with a big, horrifying past...
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And then he casually mentioned that he played <i>Magic: The Gathering</i> when he was younger.</blockquote>
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<b><i>"Actually...I'm the world champion."</i></b>
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The truth came out about this normal guy dressed to impress. Alyssa mourns the fact that she insisted he Google her name before their date and forgot to do the same. After the night was finished, she did a hurried search on her card-playing date only to find out he has been forever "immortalized in his own playing card."
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a7/Shadowmage_infiltrator.jpg" />
<br />"He's <b>Jon <i>motherfucking</i> Finkel</b>"</center>
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<b><i>"This is what happens...when you leave things out of your online profile."</i></b>
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Alyssa blames Jon for the couple of dates she shared with him. After all, it was his "geeky world championship title" that ruined any hopes of a future, wasn't it? It couldn't possibly be her shallow desires and self-centered views! No woman in her right mind would date a grown and successful man that liked a geeky card game!
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I almost want to ask if she would prefer a trophy bearing ex-football player with a drinking habit that gambles away all of his money at a weekly poker game. To my mind, this man is much worse than the limited description we are offered of Jon Finkel.
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<b><i>It's just "human nature"</i></b>
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Alyssa then goes on to justify her derisive article of a man with a geeky habit by saying it is just human nature.
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Maybe I'm shallow for not being able to see past Jon's world title. I'll own that. But there's a larger point here: that judging people on shallow stuff is human nature; one person's Magic is another person's fingernail biting, or sports obsession, or verbal tic. No online dating profile in the world is comprehensive enough to highlight every person's peccadillo, or anticipate the inane biases that each of us lugs around. There's no snapshot in the world that can account for our snap judgments.</blockquote>
No, there's no getting around snap judgements or bad first impressions, but what happened here was not a first date gone awry. She chose to go out for a second date <i>just</i> to get to learn the extent of his <i>Magic</i> patterns. Three strikes were offered on the basis that he still plays, had an upcoming tournament, and met all of his friends through the game. Jon's life revolves around a game in his spare time.
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<b><i>It is here that I would like to object.</i></b>
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Human nature? No, ma'am. This was a case of a prejudiced attack. To degrade a person based on his or her personal enjoyments is wrong. A person's opinion and choice of game is their choice. If it is something that you don't like or enjoy, then fine, don't go back out with him - but do not, <b>DO NOT</b>, shove your opinions down the throats of your readers.
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Alyssa writes for Gizmodo, a website with a strong geek following. To publicly criticize a man for turning to OKCupid or any online dating site to try to meet a woman, and, in her opinion, failing to openly disclose any geeky or nerdy tendencies in the profile, is just mean and harsh. Many turn to the online dating scene <i>because</i> of their geeky or nerdy tendencies; they are afraid of rejection and need that cyber barrier to find someone to accept them for who they are <i>before</i> the prejudicial disgust at their habits gets them rejected.
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<b><i>Being shallow is NOT human nature</i></b>
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There is a difference between making snap judgements and being shallow. Making snap judgements based on past experiences is a natural instinct to keep us safe and alive. We immediately recognize a tall, buff man as a strong protector and a twitchy, little man as a weasel - but then our experiences kick in and we notice little tale-tale signs in their behavior: the buff man only ever hits the gym and can't fight his way out of a brown paper bag whereas the twitchy man is smart and can think faster than the Sphynx, answering riddles before they completely hit our ears. My question, then, is who played <i>Magic</i> and hurt you, Alyssa?
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Being shallow is an ingrained desire to want certain things to make you feel complete and whole; think of the cliques in high school and how the snobbery ones were the popular kids that wanted and had everything. Shallowness tends to follow the snobbery and the personal attitude of "I am better than you". If that is considered a part of our human nature, then I am a freak from the gene pool.
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<b><i>My online dating experience</i></b>
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I did not sign up for an online dating service. I never felt the need. I blogged, I kept up with a few online friends, and I lived my life. I was recently single when one of those online friends suggested I meet a guy that she knew that lived in my area. It turned out that "in my area" meant Fort Worth to my Richardson, but by DFW standards, that really is just a stone's throw away.
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We had a wonderful first date at a local theatre. Our talks let me know he was a bookworm, a dedicated animal lover, a macho tough guy, and, as it turned out, a great kisser. We had a lot in common, but he, like Jon, had a dark past: he used to play <i>World of Warcraft</i> and, worse, he built, painted, and played with miniatures in <i>Warhammer 40k</i>. But here is where Alyssa and I differ: I did not immediately tell him goodbye because of this. Instead, I let him geek out. I let him be himself. I asked him to open up to me and introduce me to his passions.
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<br />
How did that experience turn out for me? Well, that guy is now my husband and, though I do not play, I do have my own orc army in various stages of painted glory.
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<br />
<b><i>There really is nothing left to say...</i></b>
<br />
Alyssa claims to have learned her lesson:
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<blockquote>
So what did I learn? Google the shit out of your next online date. Like, hardcore.</blockquote>
She missed the mark by a mile, but I think she teaches a better moral through the backlash and outrage she has inspired.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-55556379645198343672011-08-26T17:34:00.005-05:002012-09-02T10:38:25.066-05:00When Two Geeks Get HitchedWhen my husband proposed, I was lost.
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<br />
Of course I said <i>YES</i>, but I had no clue what to do next. I'm not a typical girl; I had never thought about my wedding, I had only ever focused on the kind of guy I wanted and the life (<i>ahem, family</i>) that would follow. The months that followed the ring were filled with brainstorming and idea dumping. Hours were spent talking about what we could or would do. I would toss out one thought and Jason would agree or disagree, and notes were taken.
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<br />
There was one major rule determined almost immediately:
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Jason: "There will be <i>no</i> Star Trek!"
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Me: "OK, fine. If there can be no Star Trek, there won't be any Star Wars!"
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
In the end, we opted for a prolonged celebration: we would have a small ceremony, depart for Hawaii, then return for a big family reception.
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<br />
Our ceremony was simple, a garden setting at the <a href="http://westongardens.com/" target="_blank">Weston Gardens</a> in Fort Worth. We traveled all over Maui the week following our vows. Then, we hunkered down and spent two weeks finalizing decorations before the reception.
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<br />
For the reception, I suggested we keep to the <i>Star</i> theme...and the following tidbits were born:
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<br />
<b>Custom Cake Toppers</b>
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<br />
<center>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-OP7PXN4hwApM86yM-BWoZbJeLom9zpboMncffKFnRi90U5v0dyuKmGDQcf5bbMbVOq4pqrAOuQHhWm7S8g9XSoUJ8U65Aa7YIxprwR1aDo1LxbwnoHQj34bwCGsLBQp6CLCIqzdYRcO/s400/268593_10150314179332419_591102418_9922896_487497_n.jpg" /></center>
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* Hand sculpted and cast by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/george.l.martinez" target="_blank">George Martinez</a>
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* Painted by our friend Eric Pfannstiel
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<i>More pictures to come later</i>
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<br />
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<b>To-Scale Gate!</b>
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<br />
<center>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs8EhS0GBEqMB5rK5En54uedPPb2CwmNmiwvsPENhC9XV-YOnLQFbeZzSP6KfsZ-Sr4JGvQ-Pm5LObpCaHVd3VVOACug56gvs08WARc1W6iY9ZSFjnXtEKBf1HA7mVhxx_88vmH7KU5Nly/s400/263862_10150314354202419_591102418_9924690_2201323_n.jpg" /></center>
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* Designed in AutoCAD by ME
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*Cut from 3mm composite aluminum panels
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- much thanks to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Composite-Panel-Technology-South-Inc/146847798698936" target="_blank">Composite Panel Technology - South, Inc</a>
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*Internal lighting with Christmas strands
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*Event Horizon created with foil door curtains
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<br />
The gate on set is estimated at 20' outer diameter. My gate is exactly 9' outer diameter. We did not finish the support structure, so we only had the top half at the reception, but it was a big hit.
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<br />
<center>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO74Ijz4VUepmplflrZKNrpBKQAwpyM1Rh5xukJoG1yhrrRxFYLCCdXcOD7u6C_9Go36TSkZSUseRYEsIeNJ6heKKEwkre597CH4Cl9xhQ5slu0sNvnjyBGTWsM-Q2qLnzHcChzf5q8zv5/s400/281637_10150314218882419_591102418_9923179_2200596_n.jpg" />
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<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_z11Gid-BMPh2FZQJGQ8b8EXpRhWUCaaesfrMa6LiqXS6mYj23tXQoHv0-jT4Tpg93Ce4wBq-XR4CtUYn4BVzG75giLLi4BxBxKGPCXHTVg6NwMy6rvVL55HpiTqsMCOTgwTY0IAQxub1/s400/284593_10150314220437419_591102418_9923186_42956_n.jpg" />
<br />
<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUjBAoRO489iyt6oihCtk5w7WK-uMli2NpGNYHTGTYa9-2rbovpHwRKorfQ2XHGMs355h5tQi2pNUsrLTXnmJidUm-b8Vy2q5-P-AC7rOT_cIEF-2llEL7RCHJ7o_DLbszg_RX-318nxmB/s400/268830_10150314354227419_591102418_9924691_616473_n.jpg" /></center>
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<br />
<br />
<b>A Little Sneakery</b>
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<br />
I have a slight rebellious streak and after being a good girl for so long, something had to give. Jason proposed Christmas 2009, after making me promise there would be no gift exchange between the two of us. I had yet to find a way to get even but found my opportunity in the reception.
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<br />
With the help of <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/" target="_blank">ThinkGeek</a> customer support via <a href="http://twitter.com/thinkgeek" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, my garters came to life. Star Trek style!
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<br />
<center>
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5452-d92Cc3IR0eZdXqihKQDWgOT4yDuaPjEW-yqC7Qhyphenhyphen9QjApHUmxacNdGfzq9ObsKNYtb73Llq853aVIxwyLYi6qphq4m-WsPdGXUCt0MliFgoVs_jWxgcO7FDQPMFEtJ2CYs_oRFua/s400/260596_10150307919287419_591102418_9854093_4789416_n.jpg" /></center>
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* <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/jewelry/d255/" target="_blank">Insignia Pins</a> from ThinkGeek
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- Engineering insignia for my career
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- Command insignia to match the color scheme (blue/yellow)
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We had fun with our reception and got a lot of comments on our gate. We are still awaiting pictures from our photographer - I will definitely update this when I get them!Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-20108957279964011592011-08-19T02:00:00.022-05:002012-09-02T10:37:53.056-05:00Geeky, Nerdy Video PlaylistThere are gems scattered across the internet. Thanks to some very creative geeks and nerds, there are some wonderful spoof music videos and original content fan tribute songs. The following are just some of the examples of what you can find with the right searches on the right pages (<i>much thanks to all the nerd news pages / podcasts for links to most of these</i>). When I have time to do a more thorough search of my bookmarks and when/if I come across more, I will update this post. Enjoy!<br />
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Beware: Some of these are NSFW!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
Presented in no particular order aside from alphabetically by type.<br />
<i>Skip to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#gen">General Geekery</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#games">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#buffy">Buffy/Angel</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#who">Dr. Who</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#firefly">Firefly</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#trek">Star Trek</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#starwars">Star Wars</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177#xmen">X-Men</a></i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="gen"></a><big><b>General Geekery</b></big><br />
<i>Videos with multiple subjects & crossovers.</i><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N9qYF9DZPdw&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N9qYF9DZPdw&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zn7-fVtT16k" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><object style="height: 390px; width: 640px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/arjiHvkVXfA?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/arjiHvkVXfA?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></object><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sKFW6QeGvns&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sKFW6QeGvns&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nGugj1ym594" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><object style="height: 255px; width: 400px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lZ_z-mNhhNI?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lZ_z-mNhhNI?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></object><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_eJmYKN_1QE&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_eJmYKN_1QE&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZIMoQHpvFQQ" width="400"></iframe><br /></center>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="games"></a><big><b>Games</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/urNyg1ftMIU&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/urNyg1ftMIU&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xMrN3Rh55uM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xMrN3Rh55uM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/54VJWHL2K3I&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/54VJWHL2K3I&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bR3ndy0e--k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bR3ndy0e--k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TV8P2A0yesE" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="301" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QgOB7VWjlSQ?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rfouqNtKtoQ?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /></center>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="buffy"></a><big><b>Buffy / Angel</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><object style="height: 255px; width: 400px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NA7uAj106Zo?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NA7uAj106Zo?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></object><br /></center>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="who"></a><big><b>Dr. Who</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2Qm-e00Scy0" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZDuORTbSRXM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZDuORTbSRXM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><object style="height: 255px; width: 400px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kQU1IyIzrs8?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kQU1IyIzrs8?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></object><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l2rfTR1PJkk" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3vmYu30XacA?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/giaMRyn47Xg?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /></center>
<br />
<i>NOTE: The following is not a music video, but I couldn't pass it up!</i><br />
<center>
<br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WxB1gB6K-2A" width="420"></iframe><br /></center>
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="firefly"></a><big><b>Firefly</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1BPOYEUyyiI" width="400"></iframe><br /></center>
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="trek"></a><big><b>Star Trek</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/X6oUz1v17Uo" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><object height="255" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yiRjywbypLA&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param>
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<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yiRjywbypLA&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="400" height="255"></embed></object><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ryo-GtOgi7s" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xBzoBgfm55w?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /></center>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="starwars"></a><big><b>Star Wars</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AFA-rOls8YA" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="301" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/baRCq3twqww?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="233" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H2ftVPk-WZw?rel=0" width="400"></iframe><br /></center>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3668123872290512177" name="xmen"></a><big><b>X-Men</b></big><br />
<center>
<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="255" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/faOf0qSI1us" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /></center>
Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3668123872290512177.post-8183545829710758652011-08-17T12:26:00.000-05:002011-08-17T12:45:43.659-05:00It Feels Good To Be Home!It has been awhile since I last blogged for myself and it feels good to return to Blogger to begin again.
<br />
<br />This time, however, I will not be blogging under a complete pseudonym, merely a bare mask. Think of this as the grand ballroom in which a masquerade ball is held. Some of you know me, or think that you do, but you can't be one hundred percent certain because of the feathered mask pinned over my eyes. It is black, like my hair, with a few purple dyed plumes puffed up to offer height to my short stature. I have gone the extra mile with my lined makeup and the shadow-play of color, but the brown eyes peering up at you as we dance are completely natural. My lips smile at your humor, the only additive a slight gloss, which tastes sweet to my tongue tracing over the lower lip before biting back a retort; a lady must mind her manners, especially at such a sensuous soiree.
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<br />The music picks up and my skirt lifts as I twirl away. Yes, I can dance in these heels. Why does this bother so many people? Why is it hard to believe that a young woman with plenty to offer a man would want to sharpen her brain with wit and knowledge? I have danced with many partners and have found that most would prefer me barefoot, with child, tending the cooking. I have even been told, to my face, that my skill at problem solving and my ingenuity were a shock - because <em>he</em> had assumed that I, as a young woman, had been hired for my looks.
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<br />Halt the orchestra, let the partners stumble in the sudden silence.
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<br />Yes, this is who I am. And I am here to stay. It feels damn good to be home again.Lynminxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10367591648440906322noreply@blogger.com0