The waiting game…
Alaska time is three hours behind us… so its almost 6:30 am there.
I guess explaining that would be good. An Illindir player and good friend of the staff, Sam, went out boating at about 3:30 am on Monday (Alaskan time) and then his partly submerged boat was found about 10:30am by a bystander. He is still missing, and I am waiting to find an update on if they found anything yesterday. Ashley and I are searching frequently for any information on whats going on, but he lives in a remote part of Alaska, so info is hard to come by. Part of me is tempted to call the Coast Guard and see if they found anything. I hope we hear something soon.
Damn.
Its just been a bad few days…
Still waiting to hear back from Target, so its not really bad news, its just waiting news. Hopefully I can get that job because I neeeeeeeeed it badly.
Got Suikoden 2 and guess what: It doesn’t work. It freezes at the first battle, how great. Now I have to ship it back, get my refund, and either buy a different copy or buy something else. I don’t know what to do, I am just so frustrated about it.
My friend had to put down one of his dogs and I feel terrible for him. I know how animals can become a major part of your life. We’ve had the cats for a long while now and they are part of our family and I could never never never give them up, they are my precious little babies… even if Jasmine bites me.
Hopefully the days shall get better soon… that would be good.
Boooring
So we ended up playing DnD but what a snorefest. We rolled and split up items, only to decide it was just easier to give the item to the player it was intended to go to since some of them were player-specific items (since we are all still low level). Then everyone had to update their character. We literally didn’t progress the story at all in the three hours everyone has been here. I guess its really showing Gino’s and I’s difference in gaming. He likes stat crunching and stacking the best items to find the best combination. I like RP, thats it. The battles hold no real interest for me at all. Ohh well, hes the DM so I don’t really have a choice.
My interview is in 9 hours so I am heading to bed pretty soon. I am so excited and I really hope that I get the job. That would be really really great! Wish me luck everybody!
This is so neat!
Ok, so I stumbled across http://www.moviecollectorplus.com/ and this is probably one of the coolest things I’ve seen. I have a huge DVD collection of all sorts of things: movies, TV shows, animes etc.. and its a PAIN to keep it all organized and remember everything I have. I’ve filled up half a bookshelf with this stuff and then there are stacks sitting around. Now I found this website and I can add all my movies on their little list and it helps me organize all my stuff. The best part? People (including my friends) can make their own and we can see each others collections, and even put in requests to borrow each others stuff. Now while I’ll probably just call the person, its really cool you can see your friends lists too. I’ll have to sign up for one soon!
Anyway, what else has been going on. We’ve got a friend of ours staying with us and its been fun. He’s really considerate and not a bother at all, he even helps around the house, which is always nice.
Still looking for a job, and I am still keeping my fingers crossed for the Hobby Lobby job. They are hiring at the end of the month so I still have hope. I am going to turn in a resume to go along with my already submitted application and check on how much longer til they hire. I would love a job there, it would be ideal. They have the perfect hours and I love all the neat stuff they sell.
So we signed another year lease, so we’ll be here til at least next summer, but hopefully then we’ll move out to Virginia. Maybe even have enough for a house <3. I can dream at least.
Tonight is Dungeons and Dragons night, woohoo! Hopefully my cute lil gnome cleric won’t die.
Getting back to my mudding roots
Bah, I am too sentimental for my own good sometimes. I can’t help but thinking back about my adventures through the realms of Cities of M’dhoria and Advent of the Mists without a bit of sentimental clinging. CoM moreso than AoM has special memories for me since thats where I had my most favorite character, Sylinx Vorkain. She will always be my first character and also one of the most endearing to me, even if she was a crazy, necro-bitch. *sigh* Ahh the memories.
I still remember first logging on. The very first thing I did was RP with Biage Vorkain. I didn’t train a skill, I could barely move about and I still loved RP. Ashley and I still laugh about my… goof ups. One of the most infamous of them being my first time to log off. I just exclaimed that “I grow tired of this world!” and quit. Suddenly Ashley is popping up in my IMs going “OMG YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” Its still hilarious to me, but its an honest mistake. I think its important to keep in mind when you were new and how daunting mudding could be, especially since if its the first mud you’ve ever played. Staff who gets so high on themselves tend to forget that they too were new and made goofy mistakes too and did things they didn’t realize were against the rules. I hope I never get that way. I hope I just PUNISH WITHOUT MERCY THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW BETTER. Ok, so maybe not.
I still remember some of the less-than-savory staff who would mix from telling me I was the worst necromancer ever to saying I was the best they’d ever seen and sending all the new necros to me for help instead of doing their job. Yah… nice. Apparently evil to them was SLAUGHTERING kittens and puppies and hating anything pastel. I was more of the selfish, self-serving person who killed her own parents because it benifted her or because she was just hateful like that. She was a bitch, but she was my lil bitch.
Some of my fondest memories.. ahh.. poking Cyrou’s ears while he grumbled at me, or cutting out Radwan’s tongue after I busted him cheating on my sister. Ahh the fun. I still have a great amount of disrespect and contempt for a lot of the members of staff on both games though. I thought both were stellar games design-wise, but the staff has just let both fall to pieces. This is how I see it: You can have the BEST jewelry store in the country. Best prices, best quality, hands down the best overall, no argument. If you horde the great jewels for yourself and beat and spit on people who come into your shop, who wants to shop there? They don’t, and find that other places have just as lovely jewelry at competative prices. Players are customers, whether they are paying or not. You as the staff get perks they don’t get, but you have to treat the players with respect and civility. And players can’t expect to come in and break you equiptment and curse without expecting to get tossed out. Its supposed to be fun for everyone, not just one side.
*sigh* I am too sentimental, but I guess without the influence of those people, bad or not, I wouldn’t be the player or staff member that I am now, so I’d like to give my… thanks… to the people who showed me the ropes (some of these you can tell are DRIPPING with sarcasm).
Biage/Ashley – To you this is a most sincere thank you. You sat there with me and showed me how to play the game, and not just the controls. I’ll never forget the countless lunches and dinners spent in the cafeteria over less than savory food, just talking about the game and stories. Its some of my happiest memories from college and I do treasure them. Thank you for showing me Illindir, the most rewarding mud experience I have ever had. I love the game and the rest of staff, and without your support, I dunno if I would still be playing muds or not. Thank you for playing my sister and making the Vorkain name infamous with me. I look forward to the misadventures in our future when Earth squares off with Metal.
Myrra/Eirinn - Thank you sooooooooooo much for the opportunity you’ve given me on Illindir. Never have I been able to so freely and creatively express myself and I love you for that. You’ve always let me speak my mind and even when we bicker, it always comes back around and we work things out. Thank you for being patient with me on my crazy days and for having faith in me. I look forward to keeping on workin with you in the future!
Delita/Gino – While we never really interacted on CoM and a lil on AoM, you’ve taught me a lot about mudding. You’ve been ever so patient with me when trying to teach me about stats, combat when I just sit there going “……….” I love you so much my hubby, and mudding is one of the least things I have to be thankful for when it comes to you *super hugs!*
Cyrou Vhel/Tom – THANK YOU for showing that great RP can coincide with great skills. Thank you for showing me that just because someone is a tank and can kick ass, doesn’t mean they can’t RP really wonderfully. I have a better view of the balance of the game because of you and I will always be thankful for that…… *ear tweak and run away!*
Radwan/Mike – Thank you for being soooo mature about RP that involved letting your character get hurt. You showed me that not everyone is always out to just be the best character ever, and that letting yourself get beat can be even more fun for everyone than always being the lone badass.
Anam/Bren – I love the RP we had together, and thank you for always keeping me on my toes RP-wise. The stories you thought up and the way you wrote rubbed off on me and made me a better player. Thank you for showing me that going with the RP instead of pre-planned futures always makes for a great time!
Calidren/Stephen – Thank you for being such a great friend and always being a great person to RP with. You showed me that you can be powerful without having to PK anyone who stands in your way and that good doesn’t just mean SMITING THE WICKED!
Kyrian – Thank you for providing me with some of the most fun RP I had while on Advent. I wish you the best!
Kit – Thank you for reminding me that concept has to come first, even if I really really really want something. I mean this in a serious way. Without the… interesting dealings we had, I would forget that sometimes even if something is pretty cool, if it doesn’t fit with concept, as painful as it is, I have to let it go.
Graven – Thank you for showing me that mud-wide announcements of how terrible everyone is creates poor morale and an unhappy playerbase. Thank you for showing me the dangers of becoming too involved in the game and being too self-serving. I do appreciate your RP time, but now I know that organizations should always be run by players, even if I think they are cool and like them a lot. I know now what it feels like to be on the recieving end of that, and I am grateful I didn’t have to learn that the hard way with my staff position on Illindir.
Kelvyn – Thank you for showing me the line between IRL and game and how it can be trampled on and crossed. I now know the kinds of mistakes not to make with real friends that play the game. Thank you for showing that RP all about myself and feeding my own ego only ruins RP for other people, and instead I should look for ways to flow with the RP and not dam it up like a beaver of self-righteousness. Thank you for reminding me why I hate people that plagurize and making me a better Head Builder because of it.
Merle – Thank you for showing me never to let my emotions get the better of me. I’ll never go on bullshit rants now of how stuff is hard and then torment the players out of sheer bordem or OOC hate. Thank you for reminding me not everything has to be about me and I don’t need to be involved in every little thing that goes on in the game. Thank you for showing me the dangers of getting too wrapped up in a ficticious world. Thank you for showing me the problems with using a mud client as a dating service over a game.
Crystal/Crystal – Thank you for showing me that the game is not always about me, and that I can’t have everything my way or it just ruins the gameplay. Thank you for demonstrating how not to treat my builders if I want them to stay on and be productive. Thank you for showing me how really annoying it is to re-do work non-stop and motivate me to get more involved with my builders as to whats going on. Thank you for showing me that a rude attitude towards things makes everyone else unhappy and reminding me that just because I didn’t come up with a storyline, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. Thank you for showing me how destructive favortism with storylines can really be to playerbase morale and never to recreate the next Adalon on Illindir.
Kahn/Jack – Thank you for showing tossing around my “experience” just makes me sound like an ass and to always keep my tone in mind. Thanks for reminding me that I am not the only person in the world whose opinion matters and that you always have to keep others in mind. Thank you for showing me complaining about nothing to avoid doing work is never a good thing, and it just pisses people off.
Silara/Carrie – Thank you for reminding me that no one likes someone who complains nonstop without contributing anything and always has an excuse. Thank you for reminding me that just because my hubby is on the mud, I don’t always have to agree with him and we aren’t a set, but individuals. Thank you for reminding me that not everyone has memory issues and forgets things I said two days ago and then pretend not to know what they’re talking about. Thank you for reminding me people do remember things I say and do, and its really easy to catch me in a lie if everyone has logs of it.
Threyne – Thank you for showing me how not to play muds. I know now that shouting obsenities at the top of my lungs at the staff is not the way to get things done, and RP doesn’t ONLY have to benfit me when I play.
Kairax – Thank you for showing me that arrogance only makes you come off as a prick and blaming other people for my own shortcomings only makes me sound like an self-righteous douchebag. Thank you for showing me through example how not to be so high strung and that just because I don’t like something, doesn’t mean it has to be a bug.
Melova – Thank you for showing me why I hate staff members in IC positions a player should have. I now know the players can probably run it better, since I won’t have the time or intrest to keep up with the position, which just ends up pissing people off.
Vandrar – Thank you for showing me that spouting off unfounded information makes one look like an ass. I know now to make sure to check the facts before I claim that something is a “punk, upstart” anything.
Veral – Thank you for showing me the lines of OOC versus IC and how the can become too much entangled. I lost a friend because of a game, and I know now that sometimes, friendships are worth more than game loyalties.
Verhin/Oliver – Thank you for showing me that going AFK constantly with log gaps between emotes is both annoying and retarded. I know now that it just makes it look like your character has a mental deficit. Also thank you for reminding me that using info gotten OOC in the game just pisses people off and makes you look like a child when you rant about it.
Mwahahah I am evil, but you love it.
Stuuuuupid technology
Ugg I hate my laptop so much. Its offically a glorified portable hard-drive now. The good news is that I will be getting a new one this weekend (hopefully tomorrow).
I haven’t gone to class in the last couple days because my neck is seriously hurting me. I pulled it somehow and it makes my jaw and ear hurt too… it sucks. Otherwise school is going fairly well thus far. I need to go apply for graduation stuff soon though, like this next week. I want to graduate… I neeeed to. Yusssss….
My poor kitties are sick. They got worms, probably from going to the vets, so we are taking them in on Friday to get treated. Gino says its not a huge deal, and most cats get worms, but I still worry about my little babies ;-;
Since my computer problems, I haven’t been able to log much time for Illinidir things. *sadness* Nuuu I neeeeed to. I am going to try and get big chunks of things done over the next week to make up for the couple weeks I had to be MIA. Maybe even get all the room descs done for one of my cities. And map Danizibar, thats at the top of the list.
Otakon… its coming… eventually! YAY! I am getting excited and Ashley and I are already making plans. For once we are going to get our passes a day early, since we arrive the Sunday before the con, and check out the last day of the convention. We’ll get up, pack up my car with our stuff, and then head to the con for the last day of fun. Then we should know about how much extra room we are playing with for last minute sales and such. We also decided we are bringing 3 highlighters; a green, pink and yellow one. Once we get our schedule of events the day before, we are going to go through and highlight things we ABSOLUTELY have to see in pink. Then things we’d like to see in green, but if we miss it, its not a big deal. Then we are going to go back and every time slot that doesn’t have something, we are going to highlight our favorite thing(s) in that time slot in yellow. That way if we get bored and want to find something to do, we can look at the things we thought were interesting, instead of sitting around for 10 or 20 min, reading through everything til we find something, and by the time we get there, is already over. I am most looking forward to the shopping >.>
Anyway, Ashley came and visited me this past weekend. It was fun. I spent a lot of money >.> Next time I need to keep better track of all the things I buy. I kinda went overboard. Ohh well, it was fun, but now its saving time! Anyway, the weekend was a blast, even if I was lazy sometimes. I hope Ashley didn’t mind. I just needed a break away from all the busy busy stuff like school and work. I was kinda… no really disappointed and hurt one of our mutual friends bailed out on us. She texted me on Friday and made plans, but never called on Saturday. She called Sunday, 10 min before Ashley was leaving, saying she didn’t call the previous day because she had to work early on Sunday. We both thought it was a shoody excuse, but, its kinda come to be expected from her. I haven’t hung out with her in a long time, it just seems like shes got other priorities now that just don’t include me. Its cool, I’ll figure out something. Besides, I am moving in about 5 months anyway, so its not like we would have been able to hang out after that anyway.
Work is going pretty well. Its a more complicated job than I thought it would be, but otherwise is a lot of fun. I really like the people I work with, and they all seem really nice. Its a longer shift than what I am used to, but hey, it pays more than my last job did and is a much better working environment. Hurray for me! My first paycheck is next week, on a Thursday I believe. Yay for monies! We are going to try and save any money I make, and just use Gino’s paychecks to live off of. Try, but it may not work. At the very least, I want to save more money so we have more than enough for the move and Otakon.
Getting Nervous!
So in twelve hours I go in for my interview… so nervous. I know I can do the job and I can handle an interview, I guess I’ve never had the sensation of needing a job before. My past two jobs were mainly for gas money and such, but then when I moved out of my moms house, suddenly my paycheck has a much bigger bearing. I really want this job at the copy shop. Its a small, privately owned buisiness and seems to run at a nice, slow pace. None of this rushing around like I did at my last two jobs. I am somewhat hoping they allow laptops, then I can bring mine to work.
Speaking of laptops, I need a new keyboard and battery for mine. The keyboard is only like, 16 bucks but the battery is 60. I am wondering how much other work is going to be needed, seeing as I already had to replace the fan and have the screen fixed. Perhaps an investment in a new laptop will be in my future. I for sure want one before grad school, but thats not until January of 2010, so I have plenty of time. I’ll probably fix this one in the meantime. Its still a nice lil laptop.
School is starting up on the 15th… yay…. I am not looking forward to that 9:25 class. At least its with a crazy teacher, so that will wake me up. I am so really looking forward to graduating. Its going to be marvelous. I need to make sure to get my name changed and apply for graduation stuff right at the beginning of the school year. No procrastinating for me, no sir.
I am eagerly looking forward to Ashley’s visit. I haven’t been able to hang out with anyone in so long. I really don’t have many friends here anymore. Either I hate them, just lost touch or never see them. And I notice I am growing older, and my priorities have changed. Not that I am going through major life changes, but I see my time as valuable. I could be working on Illindir or reading, or working on grad school things instead of watching my friends get wasted. Ultimately, where does that get you? I am glad my good time doesn’t come out of a bottle, liquid or pills. I can have fun without it, and I feel sorry for people who can’t. At the same time, I just don’t have an interest in partying anymore. I have much much much more fun watching an anime or movie and chit chatting with a few people than have to wde through a sea of bodies just to talk to a couple people and shout over booming music.
I am trying to make (and stick to) 2009 resolutions. I want to lose weight. Not just lose weight, but be healthier. Gino and I have started walking every night once around the apartment complex and I am going to start exercising at home with yoga stuff I learned in Stage Movement. I also want to be a lil more finacially responsible, and have more than 20 bucks in the bank.. yes… that would be nice. Hopefully this job will work out and I’ll enjoy being there. Maybe then I can stomach 20 – 30 hours a week, instead of the hell that Movie Gallery was.
So far I am happy with the way things are going. I reconnected with Ashley and I am loving Illindir, and getting to do a lot of really cool things. I just now figured out the crafting system and OMG its amazing. Eirinn rocks it up hardcore on that code and I love her. I also couldnt ask for better builders. I was so honored that I was pulled up to Head Builder, and to have such a perfect, wonderful staff to work with, its more than I could have asked for. I am correcting problems before they start with tuturials and guidelines, which will hopefully cut back on having to go back over and tweak things in the future. I also check in on everyone very regularly, and talk to two members of staff on a daily basis…. those being Ashley and Gino <3.
I want those fairy statues at the gas station… they were preeeetttyyy…
Yay Dead Day!
OMG classes are OVER. Just finals next week and I am so beyond finished with classes its not even funny. *Happy Dance!* I am so ready to be DONE with school this year. Only one more semester left… one more. Then I will have a BA and feel important/educated. I do now, but at least then I’ll have proof.
I need to find a job soon. I’ve had fun kinda piddling around the house, but now, money is desired. I’ll have to start applying at some other places and see what kind of jobs I can find. I may just go ahead and apply at Blockbuster. It was mainly the money/management that I couldn’t STAND at Movie Gallery. That and working alone ALL THE TIME. I am sure I’ll figure out something, but I still refuse to work with food. Ever.
Well hopefully with the extra time we have, Casey will be able to hang out some ;-;. Working at Target has its drawbacks… like having to work a LOT during the holidays because people are out of their minds during Christmas.
Yay Illindir. I love you game of awesome-ness!
Being Productive Kicks Ass
I so was moving and shaking today. I picked my Sonnet for my Milton paper AND started on it. The only reason I didn’t finish is because I need some books that are at the library. I shall aquire them soon (since the library was closed today. I did however look up their call numbers so I know exactly where to go).
In addition to schoolwork, I also got a good amount of work for Illindir done, so yay! Made a new lil race/element wheel since the old one was a lil big and the image got a little fuzzy. I sparkled it up a bit. Ashley and Gino seemed to like it <3. I also wrote my new Element page for Beliemedra and Ashley really lurved it. It made me happies on the insides. I also finished and posted the map for my fourth outpost so hurray!
I think I am offically done with Advent. Not that it wasn’t a lovely mud (and I would highly reccomend it) but I just think it moves a little to slow for my personal tastes. Its still in Alpha, so you really can’t complain. I like Illindir a lot… a LOT. The people are uber friendly and things move at a quick pace but not so much so that its like “AHhh I can’t finish this!” I am a lil burnt out today though, so a nice night of sleep will do me well.
Finished the Office season 4 and OMG its hilarious. Seriously, if you don’t watch this series… go… go buy it NOW. Its amazing and freaking HILARIOUS. I managed to beat Gino in the Office Triva game AND topped his high score in Solitate. I feel accomplished because I like winning sometimes. He usually beats me in games like that, I am just happy to have won.
My kitties are doing better. Jasmine is still a little sluggish, but shes moving around more. She usually slept all day anyway so its not a big change from how she usually is.
