My Christmas Present

It has been a busy week, both in the SL and the RL. I always wait until the last-minute to shop, cook, bake, and prepare for Christmas. My RL has been very busy outside of the holiday festivities, a very good busy, too, I might add. 

So here it is Christmas eve. The packages are all wrapped and delivered. The stocking are hung by the chimney with care. I do have to get the cookies and milk out for Santa. I spent my day RL doing some things that made me feel so very wonderful, indeed in the true spirit of Christmas, as I will tomorrow as well. Some got in the way of a planned quiet Christmas eve dinner with friends, but they understood. In fact, some were actually with me.

All day there was a big smile upon my face, the sweetest present of all. It is a smile that has grown only larger over the past months since I first set eyes on my present, my lover, and my sweet wife in the SL. And she is not only my present, but also my sweet future in the Second Life, as I am hers. I love my dear sweet Gwen and cannot wait until later we are both back in the SL, together, opening our other presents in our home.

It is not my first Christmas in the Second Life, but I honestly can say, this one is my first real Christmas there. My only hope is that I make her first Christmas in SL and with me both memorable and the first of many.

So tonight and tomorrow, wherever you may be in both the RL and the SL, my wish is for you to share the same love, hope, and happiness with those close to you as well.

Merry Christmas!!!!

It’s late and I’m REALLY tired so this will be short.  I will spare you all the details of the day and just post on where we are at now.

Gwen is still in the hospital in American Fork.  When the doctor came and saw the blood in her diapers he decided to examine her.  While he was looking at her little tush she decided to poop everywhere.  This ended up being a good thing because it meant he saw that the blood was coming from internally.  Tonight they did a x-ray of her abdomen to rule out 2 different possibilities.  Things in the x-ray looked great.  They have put her on an even more sensitive formula that I hope helps, at the same time it is $50 for a 14 oz can so WOW!  They didn’t even have it here, they had to send down to UVRMC to get it.

Around 5am they will draw more blood and weigh her again.  Hopefully by the morning they will have all the results back including the results from the stool sample they sent to the lab.  If everything comes back clean than odds are good we’ll be sent home, if something isn’t ok then the doctor said he is going to transfer us to Primary Children’s.  Since he also said that yesterday I’m not sure it would actually happen.  We will see.

Gwen is quite fussy this evening so I hope she will still eat and not lose any more weight.

Trish at  Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? has written a post called Festivus – Let’s Air Our Grievances in which she wrote down a few (and good) things that have ired her this season and invited readers to do the same.  Her point is that, at this time of year with the holidays (aw, hell.. It’s CHRISTMAS, dammit… enough with the PC crap) upon us, only fellow bloggers are reading blog posts right now.  Because of that whole “you can do it and not get caught” thing that we all enjoy, Trish encourages her readers to be emboldened and relish the joy of being naughty… no one’s lookin’

That reminds me of a joke:

Sign placed above a bowl of fruit in the lunch line of a Catholic school:  “Take ONE… God is watching”

A few food items down the way, above the platter of chocolate chip cookies, a sign written in a child’s scrawl says, “Take all you want!  God’s watchin the apples”

As for me, I’ve been so busy trying to reach my self imposed goal of 75 books (I’m almost there!) that I’ll be taking the time during Bloggiesta to write the reviews for the last seven books, as well as sign up for all the challenges and everything else.  I’m looking forward to the New Year, so I can slow down!

So, Trish started her post with the following:

Last year, because blog traffic is slow around the holidays, I celebrated Festivus, which kicks off with the Airing of Grievances. Since only other bloggers are reading blogs around this time of year (’cause we’re crazy like that), it makes sense that we should get some things off our chest! Vent! Proclaim what is wrong with the world (or our families), so that we can start the new year with a clean slate ready for new frustrations.

I had way to much fun in her comment section, and decided to take time away from my Glenn Beck book (couldn’t tell that’s who I was reading, could ya) to write up my own post.  I felt like I could go on sooo much longer, but didn’t want to hijack her post any more than I already did, so here goes…

Things that really PISS me off…

1.  People who want to tell you that you’re a narrow-minded religious fascist for saying “Merry Christmas”.  “Happy Holidays” has slowly become the more widely used phrase because -God forbid.. or goddess, Allah, the moon… The leprechaun in that Lucky Charms commercial (Hell, there’s weirder religions than worshipping a god who’s Magically Delicious)- we offend someone with our well-wishing.  I admit it, I used the “Happy Holidays”, too, because.. to be honest… I’m too lazy to say “Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year”.  Two words are more verbally economic than eight.  But the next person who says “Happy Holidays” to me, I SWEAR I’m gonna wish them “Magically Delicious winter festivities”.  It’s Christmas.  Merry or Happy… it’s Christmas. 

Oh, and Mr. Athiest-seperation-of-church-and-state-boy… It hasn’t been a “Christian” holiday… ever.  It’s a pagan holiday.  The Catholic Church hijacked the day from the Romans who wished to celebrate Saturnalia, a weird calendar event in which the last 5 days were left uncounted and therefore the thought was “Anything goes because the days never happened!”  It was a time for them to blow off steam, have orgies… there wasn’t any “rape” during this time, because if one person wanted it they could take it.. and a lot of other behaviors we would call unlawful at the very least.  The fact that the celebration of the birth of Christ was superimposed upon this hedonistic festival is probably a good thing.  But, to be honest, as much as the modern Church tries to remind people that “Jesus is the reason for the season”, the long line at Wal-Mart this evening proves that they gave Jesus and his other hispanic friends the day off so they can follow their true pursuit of the season… gifts.

2.  This year I have just about had ENOUGH of Maggie’s griping about the present Gwen gave her.  Seriously, I’m almost ready to say No more presents will be given under my roof EVER AGAIN!  TO anyone BY anyone.  And that includes Christmas, Kwanzaa (If we ever convert and celebrate it), Chanukah (ditto the previous stipulation), Chinese New Year (again, conversion needed first, I think), Sinterklaas, Birthdays, Boss’s Day (Bruce Springsteen’s birthday?), Arbor Day, Groundhog’s Day, Bring Your Kid to Work Day, or any day of the week ending in the letter Y.  What’s led me to this level of irritation?  Gwen, who apparently has bad taste in presents, gave Maggie a plastic Kabuki-esque doll because Mags collects China dolls.  Now, in Gwen’s mind, she thought they were similar enough to count, and thought Maggie would love it.  Maggie, on the other hand, thinks it’s the most hideous piece of crap that ever suffered molecular cohesion. 

In fairness, the thing IS a bit ugly.  But, isn’t it the thought that counts?  Gwen could’ve just got something for herself, but she saw this doll and thought, “My little sister would love that!”  And Maggie was NOT gracious in her reception.  At all.  When people are not gracious about receiving, when they act like they’re ENTITLED to something better than the trash one deigns to give them, it makes those who give feel disinclined to do so ever again. *sigh*  It’s becoming a take-take-take, gimme NOW, society.

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3.  Okay, I’ve got a grievance with the whole PC-crap.  It has, of late, been made obvious (not that I wasn’t aware before) by my ten-year-old daughter how absurdly ridiculous all the Political Correctness crap is.   You know, I am NOT saying that we shouldn’t be a bit more considerate of others and think before we speak, Proverbs (sorry athiest-boy) tells up that a wise person keeps his mouth shut lest people think he’s an idiot but the fool suffers verbal diarrhea and removes all doubt (Koolaid paraphrase).  But the PC movement has become nothing more than censorship and terrorism committed by a few LOUD-MOUTH (see Koolaid’s paraphrase.. they’ve removed all doubt) bullies who want everyone to do things their way or suffer the consequences.  ‘K… I’m short, fat and starting to crest that hill.. not over it yet, but getting to the summit…  I don’t expect someone to say I’m a “gravitationally challenged post-youth of an alternative size”.  What the hell is up with that?  I’m fat because I like to eat.  A lot.  Gravity isn’t singling me and throwing down the gauntlet.

LOL.. my dad always said “The purpose of communication is to convey a thought from one person to another in the fastest and most accurate way possible.”  The PC-crap, instead of sponsoring understanding and acceptance (I presume to hope was their original intent), does more to breed discontent, distrust and resentment.  “Why should I talk to you?  I might say something to offend your stupid sorry ass and wind up in court, lose my job and become the social pariah of my community!”  Ah, can’t we all just get along?

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4.  Along the same lines are those people who fling hate-filled words at people who happened to disagree with them.  If I don’t want my 15-year-old daughter hanging out with a loose-moralled, already a mother, now decided to be gay classmate who continually sexually harasses her and makes her uncomfortable, it’s NOT because I’m a homophobic religious prude.  Oh, I forgot “hatemonger”.  The girl WON’T leave Gwen alone, after she’s told her she’s not interested.  She continues to touch and make rude comments to her, but if I say something about this, I’m a bigot.  If this girl was a guy, EVERYTHING… EVERY THING… would be different.  The police would investigate, he’d be in jail, and several administrators would be sent to a “sensitivity training seminar”.  The fact it’s an Out-of-the-closet, vocal lesbian means that my daughter must suffer her attacks.  Bull shit.

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5.  I tell you, one of the things I think is great about our country is that everyone is entitled to DUE PROCESS.  A chance to go before a jury of his or her peers and face his or her accuser in a court of law.  And, if you are wronged, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries.  HOWEVER… there are a few bad apples that have latched onto the system and have gone completely and certifiably NUTS.  Everyone remembers, I’m sure, the woman who went through the drive thru at McDonald’s and ordered a HOT coffee… repeat, she asked for a HOT, as in warmer than tepid, HOT coffee.  She put her HOT, as asked for HOT, coffee between her legs and then spilled the HOT contents on her foofer.  She then decided it was McDonald’s fault and she was owed $2.86 million dollars for her scorched hoohah.  In the end, she only received $640,000 for her injuries and NOW every foam cup you get from any restaurant bears the “CAUTION: Contents may be HOT!” just in case some other dumb ass decides to take their morning joe BOTTOMS UP.

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Ahh… this has been a LOT of fun.  I have to say, I feel a lot better now after venting… not to mention all the laughing I’ve done finding and watching the videos.  And to the question of “What is Festivus?” The following clip from Seinfeld sums it up…

Okay…  Who’s gonna RUMBLE with me in the FEATS of Strength?

I know it’s been far to long since I’ve posted any updates on our little family.  I do hope you’ll forgive me.  Not long after my last post I ended up contracting a Uterine infection (Endometritis) and shortly after that was finally under control I developed a headache/migraine that didn’t go away at all for over 10 days.  Needless to say blogging was not top priority.  About the time the headache cleared up we started to notice so issues with Gwen.

One day while changing her diaper we noticed a little blood in her stool.  I read online that it might not be a big deal so we waited until it happened again before calling the doctor.  When we took her in last Friday there was no more blood in her stools but she started to have diarrhea and was throwing up.  The doctor switched her formula and told us to watch her over the weekend.  We did and monday I took her back in because I wasn’t sure she was eating enough.  More than half of what she was eating she was throwing back up.  When they weighed her at the doctor’s office we were all shocked to see that in the past 72 hours she had lost 12% of her body weight.  Just imagine 12% of your body weight gone in only 3 days!  She was admitted to the hospital right away.  This was yesterday.

She’s been kept on the more specialized formula while here and I believe she’s finally getting used to it.  I don’t blame her for hating it, it smells nasty.  She’s only thrown up once since being here and is starting to gain back some weight.  I was optimistic that we’d be able to go home before noon but her lab work from this morning showed she was low on potassium so we may be here for another night.

They did an ultrasound this morning to check her Pyloric Sphincter in her stomach to make sure it wasn’t enlarged and causing the vomiting.  They believe it is not the problem.  Now we are looking into the fact that she may have a sever milk protein allergy.  This is different from a lactose intolerance.  The good news is that most children do outgrow this before they reach the age of 5 years old, how we handle it now can help her to be ok with the milk later in life.  Our family doctor happens to also specialize in allergens and testing so he has been a huge help.

The doctor had originally told me to stop pumping breast milk for her but now they have me on a restricted diet and they hope in a day or two I’ll be able to supplement a little milk with the formula to help her during flu season.

That is all we know for now.  I will keep you all posted as we know more.  THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the prayers headed our way.  Our thoughts have been with my cousin’s little one Baylee and her struggles up at primary children’s hospital.  I feel like what we are dealing with here is hard enough and my heart just goes out to HD and Brittany.  Love you guys so much.

Well, what an episode that was! Only 1 left now until the series is finished. Luckily the BBC have commissioned another series although we’ll have nearly a year to wait for it
A brief run down of the plot for you…
Morgause decides to bring the Knights of Medhir back to life right at the start of the episode. Arthur and Merlin head off with a few knights to go investigate the rumors (or just to put the people’s minds at rest as King Uther says) but find the Knights of Medhir very much alive! Que a fight in which Arthur discovers he can’t kill the evil knights and Merlin gets his first battle wound (everyone say awwwww….). Luckily they both escape although Arthur’s poor knights aren’t so lucky.
Meanwhile Morgana (apparently not confined to her room anymore by Uther) finds a note asking her to meet someone in the woods outside of Camelot at night. She goes and finds Morgause who asks her which side she is on and Morgana declares she wants Uther dead. Bit of magic and she’s waking up the next morning in Camelot but everyone around her is ill and tired…
Arthur and Merlin arrive back in Camelot to find everyone is sleeping. Arthur bravely stays with a random horse and sends Merlin into the castle to find Gaius. We then have a hunt around the castle to find King Uther and instead find Gwen sleeping on the floor of Morgana’s room (insert sweet Arthur/Gwen moment when he puts her on the bed) and then we find Morgana very much awake and hiding behind a curtain in the room (kind of her to leave Gwen slumped on the floor).
Arthur is a tad puzzled by why Morgana is awake but on the continuing trip to find King Uther Merlin convinces Arthur that she’d been given a potion by Gaius that saved her. He promises Morgana not to tell Arthur about her magic which he suspects is saving her.
Arthur sends Merlin off to find the potion that doesn’t exist and goes to see if everyone in the lower town is sleeping. Stupidly he leaves Morgana with a sword alone with King Uther. Surely she’ll kill him we think. She just told Morgause she wants him dead… Wrong… She’s just gonna stare at him instead. Merlin meanwhile is trying out various spells on poor Gaius to wake him up and failing miserably. Just as he’s about to try another Arthur appears and drags Merlin to spy the Knights of Medhir riding towards Camelot with an extra person.
Artur decides that he needs to move King Uther so he doesn’t get killed and we get the first or many scenes where the 3 of them drag poor Anthony head around the castle.
Merlin has the amazing idea to disguise King Uther as a servant (well, he wanted as a girl but Arthur said no to that one…) so off he goes to fetch some clothes. Of course Merlin does this via the dragon who pretends to be asleep. Eventually Merlin promises on his mother’s life that he’ll release the dragon and the dragon tells him that Morgana is the cause of it all and Merlin must kill her. Oh dear. Merlin pops to Gaius’ place to grab some clothes for the king and some hemlock for Morgana!
Back in the room with Uther Merlin has a chat with Morgana who tells him he’s a really good friend. We all cringe knowing what Merlin knows and what he has to do. Arthur declares that they need to get King Uther out the castle before Morgasue and her evil knights find him and sends Merlin to get the handy horse and cart that’s outside. He finds an evil knight instead and throws him about with a bit of magic then runs back to Arthur.
Back in the room Arthur and Morgana have popped King Uther on a sheet so they can just drag him around now instead of carrying him. A knight appears and Arthur fights him telling Merlin and Morgana to keep King Uther safe. They run along the coridor dragging King Uther and Morgana trips as a knight appears behind them. She shouts for Merlin to help (dunno quite what she expected him to do) but he leaves her and keeps dragging the King. The knight stops just before his sword hits Morgana and Merlin spots it and realises he really does have to kill her. Then the knight runs after him and he’s just about to use his magic to save Uther when Arthur appears behind the knight and pushes him down some handy stairs.
They quickly drag Uther to the throne room and pop him in the corner. Arthur declares he’s gonna go get the horse to the window and that Merlin and Morgana should make a rope out of the sheet. Sweet scene between Merlin and Arthur (“if I need a servant in the next life…” awwww) then Arthur’s off to his almost certain death.
Merlin decides to pop the hemlock into his water and then tries to get Morgana to drink it but she won’t play along. Hmmm… Merlin pretends to drink it then offers to Morgana again. She drinks this time and the hemlock starts to choke her. Oh dear she’s just released that Merlin has poisoned her! Merlin looks so sad about it though.
Morgause somehow knows that Morgana is in trouble and heads to her. Merlin then bargains with Morgause to stop the attack and he will tell her what he gave Morgana so she can save her. Attack stopped and Morgause vanishes with Morgana never to be seen again (in this episode at least)
Then we get a sad few scenes where Arthur blames himself for not protecting Morgana, Uther tells Arthur it isn’t his fault and Gaius tells Merlin he did the right thing because Morgana used her ‘gift’ for evil.
But we don’t end there… Merlin heads down to the dragon again with a sword that he handily stole from one of the evil knights and uses his magic and the sword to free the dragon! Great Dragon doesn’t look too happy and judging by the preview for next week Merlin could regret doing that!

Favourite scene this week? Can’t really choose between Morgana realising that Merlin has poisoned her (now if she wasn’t gonna go evil before that failed attempt to kill her really will have done the trick! Well done Merlin.) and the other competitor is a scene with King Uther being dragged around. They drop him on the floor. Arthur: “we can’t just leave him on the floor”, Merlin: “Why not, he’s asleep he won’t notice”, Arthur: looks at Merlin, Merlin: heads to bed “fine I’ll get him a pillow”, Arthur: “He’s the KING!”, Merlin: “fine, 2 pillows then”. So funny. I don’t know how on earth they did the scenes with poor Uther being dragged around without everyone bursting into fits of laughter!

We also had more examples of Arthur being stupid this week with Merlin and his secret magic. Merlin shouts a spell whilst stood behind Arthur at the Idirsholas and collapses the building to save them but Arthur doesn’t notice and then he’s mid spell when Arthur saves him from the knight in the castle. Ahhhhhhhh. Just open your eyes Arthur!

I think despite all the other things that have happened involving Morgana turning evil it was tonight’s episode that was the final nail in the coffin. Even after telling Morgause she wanted Uther dead Morgana still couldn’t bring herself to kill him. Yet again it’s all Merlin’s fault! She’ll hate him forever for trying to kill her (and Mordred announced last week he hated Merlin too. Maybe Merlin should avoid anyone whose name begins with “Mor”?) I predict Morgana will re-appear next series as a bad guy and having learned a thing or two about magic from Morgause!

Oh well, next week looks good. We finally get the scene where Arthur shouts Gweeeeeeeeennnnnn across the courtyard from all the previews and it looks like Merlin is gonna meet daddy (rather conveniently a dragon taming bloke. phew) A week seems like such a long time! No Morgana according to the tv listings though…

Rather gawky, and completely spaced-out; nonetheless, Deano stole this week’s episode. I don’t remember him being in it before, but what a fine addition he was. In a show which is running the third-series risk of becoming too predictable, everything Deano said was a surprise. Pam offered him tea or coffee, and he asked for ‘half-and-half’, which meant tea and coffee in the same mug. Mick, always urbane, asked him if it was nice, to which he replied, with great honesty, ‘I don’t know if it’s nice, Mick. I like it.’

When introduced to Gwen on a lad’s outing to Barry (number three in increasingly desperate storylines to bring everyone together), Deano spoke in fluent Welsh, though Gwen doesn’t speak it herself. Bless him, he’d been on an intensive Welsh course to prepare for the trip. Few more chaps like him around and there would be no wars. He did very well, actually. I learned Welsh for nearly a year, and all I could say was, ‘dim licio rhaglenni pop’ (‘I don’t like pop programmes’). It would come in handy if I ever discussed the X Factor – briefly – with someone Welsh.

Anyway, despite poor Deano’s smooth Welsh he still lost out on the girl to the handsome Fingers. Admittedly Fingers and the girl (my addled memory has misplaced her name), had already shagged at Gavin and Stacey’s wedding, and there was a lovely moment when Deano asked angrily if they knew each other and they shared a secret smile. Meanwhile Bryn, in entirely appropriate scout-leader shirt and tie, was in his suppressed homosexual element, with all the lads crashing round his place. Like the girl with no name, Bryn liked Fingers best, we could tell from the way he hugged him. Bryn is a sucker for a good-looking lad of colour. I love that he had prepared his house as a bachelor heaven, including putting out a subbuteo table and sticking a page three pin-up on the wall. But the funniest throw-away scene was of one of the boys, sitting happily in the middle of the living room with his feet in a foot-spa. Bryn sure knows how to lay on a good time.

They all went clubbing in Cardiff, and there was some tedious business with Stacey thinking she was pregnant but not being; only redeemed right at the end by her revealing she’d actually been trying to get pregnant all year. How many more of her batty schemes can Gav forgive? If it’s not five fiancés or insisting on moving back to Barry, it’s lying about being on the Pill. About time Gav had a little break-out behaviour of his own, I reckon.

I enjoyed Smithy’s freak-out over Nessa texting him. It never, quite, tipped over into self-parody, and was nicely revealing of Smithy’s inner struggles. In particular, the scene where Smithy got a throat-hold on poor old Owain and insisted on reading him the text (‘Hope you’re all right’ it said, in its entirety), was a joy. I laughed out loud, for the first time this series, when Smithy, clutching Owain to his considerable bosom, said drunkenly to Gav, ‘He’s more a friend to me than you’ve ever been’. Smithy had only just met Owain that minute. It reminded me of many a crazy night I’ve had in Cardiff, except, thanks to Deano, there was considerably more Welsh spoken than usual.

Posted by Qwerty

You heard that right, American Girl Doll has put out a new doll, Gwen. Gwen is homeless. Before you think, “oh good this will raise awareness of homelessness and act as a fundraiser for some homeless  advocate group” it’s not. No portion of the 95.00 dollar price tag Gwen carries will be going to any charity. Oh but wait, this doll can teach a valuable lesson to all those upper-middle class girls who get the doll. As American Girl claims,

[T]he dolls “offer valuable lessons about life,” and it is “disheartened that there has been any confusion over our fictional characters.” The company adds that, while no proceeds from sales of Gwen and related offerings go directly to help the homeless, it has given almost $500,000 since 2006 to HomeAid, a national nonprofit group that tries to help the homeless find housing.

Nice try American Girl, but no. There is no reason to be making a homeless doll. Not only is it offensive, it’s weird.

El próximo viernes se va a intentar acabar con Duncan el Negro, el jefe final de la mazmorra “Destierro de Esclavistas”, en la zona Asura del GW:EN. Recordad que teneis una guía en este mismo blog para posibles dudas, ya que esta mazmorra tiene que llevar un equipo compensado y unas builds concretas en algunos pj: GUIA DE LA MAZMORRA.

Es importante recordar que para poder acceder a la mazmorra de Duncan El Negro hay que tener hechos los otros cuatro jefes: Magistrado Thommis, Selvetarm, Forjaser y Rand Tejetormentas, de los cuales también teneis guía en el mismo link arriba expuesto. Los jefes puedes hacerse en NM, ya que si matais a Duncan en HM toda la mazmorra estará hecha en este modo.

Sobre la quedada:

HORA: Domingo por la tarde, sobre las 19:30 / 20:00h

LUGAR: Sala del Clan

INTEGRANTES:

• Therak Bengal (Gu)
• Meggan Thunder (Derviche)
• Thor Kemado (Ele)
• Samael Blackest (Gr)
• Sendatzaile Beltza (Monje)
• Kyrnath Camus (Monje)
• Unico Espartano (Nigro)

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CRÓNICA DE LA QUEDADA:

La mazmorra se hizo en menos de una hora y se utilizaron dos sets de consumibles.

El grupo estuvo compuesto por los siguientes personajes con las BUILDS que se muestran en el código e imagen:

• Un guerrero-tanque (Samael Blackest):  OQMT00oSV6vqSMtgvynYmcHktEA

• Una derviche con build de apoyo y curaciones, avatar de Lyssa e intercambio (Arwen de Elona):  OgejkiqKLTgX4X2X9gxXsllX1ZA

• Un ele nuker (Thor Kemado):  OgVCoMzUTTvgcJb5SAwApAuA

• Un guarda de spirit-spammer (Therak Bengal):  OggjcNgsIT0gylVTXTfTRb+glTA

• El amigo Pyre Disparoferoz con una build de espíritus y apoyo:  OgMTY1Li5B5YGtbWEgL056ITAA

• Un nigromante, encargado de matar a Duncan (Unico Espartano):  OAdCQsxkKUbwbAb5tIXgW4KI

• Un monje de protección (Kyrnath Camus):  OwAS8YITKEBEaR1DdR5gvg2E

• Un monje healer (Sendatzaile Beltza):  OwAT043AZKuiuajIj43JH8FUmAA

A continuación se postean una serie de CAPTURAS de la quedada:

Antes de salir, en Gruta Sombría:

Contra Duncan:

El cofre final:

Y a continuación el link de un VIDEO creado por Therak Bengal:  Pincha aquí para verlo!

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Publicado por: Malekith Darkblade

]]> http://angelesdiabolicos.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/catacumbas-de-kathandrax-sabado-14/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:51:38 +0000 Malekith Darkblade http://angelesdiabolicos.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/catacumbas-de-kathandrax-sabado-14/

Este sábado vamos a ir a ver a Ilsundur, ese amigo nuestro que tira bombitas de fuego y calores para aburrir  xD.

De momento no sabemos si la haremos en NM o en HM, dependiendo del modo que le falte a la mayor parte de la gente así iremos. (Finalmente se hizo en HM)

Dado que la gran mayoría de los enemigos en esta mazmorra son djinnes y elementales, se recomienda llevar alguna interrupción, así como habilidades que eliminen la quemadura (Aliento del Gran Enano, Extinción) y a ser posible usar otras skills como Armadura Frígida, de elementalista, con la que el personaje tiene más armadura y es inmune a las quemaduras. Inversión de dolor funciona muy bien en esta mazmorra y sobre todo con el jefe final.

Aquí os djo un mapa de los tres niveles de la mazmorra:

HORA: 23:00h

LUGAR: Quedaremos en la sala del clan para luego salir hacia la zona.

INTEGRANTES:

• Samurai Shodown Ii
• Meggan Thunder
• Thor Kemado
• Herr Deorf
• Xashla Blackshadow

Aquí teneis una screen hecha por Meggan del grupo en la mazmo:

Y otras dos con el cofre final, la primera de Meggan y la segunda de Samu:

Animaos!!

Working on a New Show

I look forward to every day and night with Gwen, but Wednesdays are always special since it was the day we had our first dance as lovers on the beach at Hesperia.

It was so wonderful to begin my day with her, finding roses that she had bought for me. The sweet fragrance of them is just like the sweetness of our love.

This afternoon, I surprised her with a gold locket where she can put pictures of our life here in the Second Life. It looks so beautiful on her!

She is just finishing up putting together a new show for an RL photographer in the Galleria at Hesperia. More details about the opening soon!

For the rest of the evening, just spending time with the woman I love.

Happy anniversary, sweetheart!

So Perfect an Elopement

At Apollo tonight, my sweet lover, Gwen, and I felt the love we share grow to endless as we joined our hands, our hearts, and our lives together as one. Now the sweet friend and lover I found is my sweet wife as well.

Love you forever, Gwen!

A special post for a very special woman… the words of Byron and the picture of us…

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Music Sweet Shared with a Woman Sweeter

For the moment, my favorite database in the Library’s Collection is JSTOR, a repository of archival materials of 1000+ scholarly titles on music, humanities, social sciences, art, and science.  It is available for use at the CLP Oakland Library.

JSTOR’s focus is back-issues of titles which are unavailable in many public libraries because of varying demand as well as the ever-increasing costs of storage.  An important value of JSTOR is its provision of full-text articles which in one case dates to the 18^th century; in contrast, other databases typically limit full-text provision to materials published after the mid-70s.

In its coverage of nearly 50 disciplines, JSTOR has been a source of information for topics both within and outside the margin of popular, mainstream discourse.  Its inclusion of fifteen titles covering the African American experience, for example, includes Alva Hudson’s comparison (Reading Achievements,  Interests, and Habits of Negro Women) of  the reading habits of poor, middle, and upper-class “Negro” women and is a cornerstone of contemporary studies of intersectionality. Other highlights are Emmett J. Scott’s compilations (Letters of Negro Migrants of 1916-1918, More Letters of Negro Migrants of 1916-1918) of letters to Southern Blacks from friends and family who had moved to the “greener pastures” of the North. More than a million African Americans relocated during the first part of the twentieth century, and few sources relay their hopes and courage and struggles as compellingly as these primary sources. JSTOR holdings supplement the Main Library’s current subscriptions to African-American related journals which include:

American Legacy

Black History Bulletin

Crisis

Ebony

Essence

Jet

Journal of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society

-Gwen

I was slightly worried about this episode of Merlin. We’ve already had 2 episodes (the troll ones) based on the royals falling in love with inappropriate women and last series we had Arthur being enchanted! This week looked like they were just going to re-tell a story they’d already done.
Luckily for me this week was completely different from the other episodes and had quite a lot of comedy throughout with some nice scenes between Gwen and Arthur.
This week we have the kings from neighboring areas visiting Camelot to sign a peace treaty (maybe the UN or the EU would like to borrow King Uther as he seems to be quite good at this negotiating thing). The evil King Alined doesn’t want peace and enchants poor Arthur and Vivian so they fall in love knowing that Vivian’s father (King Olaf) won’t stand for this and will fight Arthur. They fall in love with each other and Gwen gets a tad stroppy about the whole thing (hypocrite much!) and we get a fight to the death between Arthur and King Olaf. Luckily the dragon tells Merlin that the spell can be broken by getting Arthur’s true love to kiss him and Merlin manages to get Gwen to kiss Arthur just before his final battle. Arthur realises he loves Gwen again and doesn’t kill King Olaf which means we can all enjoy peace again!
Lady Vivian (played by Georgina Moffett) who Arthur falls in love with is a spoiled brat and no one actually likes her at the start of the episode. I did love her hair and dresses though. Her character wasn’t as irritating as I’d imagined from seeing the previews although one she’s enchanted too it gets rather irritating. Quite why she’d need to be enchanted to fall in love with Arthur is anyone’s guess. Even King Alined says that everyone in the kingdom loves Arthur and even he almost does!
Our bad guys were very funny in this episode. Trickler (Kevin Eldon) was very funny and sneaky when enchanting the couple and put on quite a good magic show at the feast! Don’t know why Merlin didn’t suspect magic when Trickler made butterflies appear (he even says so himself later in the episode!). King Alined (David Schofield) was nice and evil with his sneaky plans for war and it would be nice if that couple returned to cause chaos again. It’s not often bad guys get to leave Camelot alive!
I had to feel sorry for poor Gwen this episode. We had some nice moments between Gwen and Arthur before he was enchanted. Gwen was so sweet when receiving the flowers and letter that Merlin had mistakenly delivered to her instead of Vivian and the conversation where she was telling Arthur his gift was appreciated was heartbreaking to the audience who knew that they weren’t meant for her. The point when Morgana tells her about Arthur being in love with Vivian was also so sad. Can’t believe Morgana hasn’t noticed there was something going on. The end where she ran to Arthur to kiss him and break the spell was brilliant. Anyone else notice she said the same thing to him about living for her that Lancelot said to her? Naughty Gwen! Loved Arthur delivering the rose in person at the end and then Gwen kicking him out saying they can never be together. So sad! (Why did she kick him out when he looked so nice in that white shirt?)
Merlin was up to his old tricks of not keeping the magic secret too. He knocked Lady Vivian out using magic then magically locked her in a cupboard. I’m going to assume that he thought she’d forget the whole magic thing when she woke up and that Arthur wouldn’t notice that one of his cupboards was suddenly very firmly shut… Even better though was Merlin walking in on Lady Vivian and Arthur after working out how to break the spell and just yelling it at them. How on earth he a) got past the guards to do it in the first place and b) didn’t get caught yelling spells in the castle I’ll never know.

I missed most of Secrets and Magic on BBC3 after because I didn’t know it was on but managed to catch the end with the long clip of Bradley and Colin singing you’re the voice by John Farnham. How often must they sing it to get that many clips and for everyone to know the song? Very funny and worth a look.

Singing is very funny. As is Colin’s inability to name the artist.

This week viewers in Wales also got treated to a show with Bradley and Colin on a mini road trip through Wales in search of the real Merlin and Arthur. The managed to turn up late to pretty much everything which made for a funny program and some hunting for ley lines in the dark with a rather eccentric man in shorts! I’m assuming it’ll turn up elsewhere on the internet so that viewers from outside Wales can see it too.

Next week’s episode of Merlin looks good. Morgana finally has a big part in an episode again and it looks like she’s finally turning against Uther by teaming up with creepy Mordred to get a stone from in the castle. I predict lots of hanging around in gorgeous cloaks again! I can’t wait.

On the Beach at Home

Yes, today in the US, it is Thanksgiving Day. Spending the day in RL, with friends, enjoying a good meal, conversation, and, of course, football. It is also a time of remembering the past year and the events that we are thankful for being a part of in our lives.

As I was sitting on the beach in front of our new home this morning, I looked back at the year that has passed. It was a new beginning for me in the Second Life, my fourth lifetime. For a bit of it, it was quite tumultuous and very trying, not what I wanted from my game. At times, I had not a thing to be thankful for and considered closing the viewer for good. But I didn’t and very thankful for that. So here are a few of those precious moments that Terra is very thankful…

• For all the friends that I have made and have put up with the sometimes emotional me. I don’t wear emotions like some; I let my feelings show, sometimes to my own detriment. Just me.
• For all who provide places for me to visit, to explore, to enjoy, and, yes, of course to shop. You provide the color and texture to the fabric of the world. Thank you for making mine in technicolor.
• For my dear sweetest friend, Sera, who listened to me when I was angry, held me when I was sad, and laughed with me when did some of the craziest things two girls could do. We met by chance and I was honored to share so many events in her life, especially her elopement with her sweet pup, Ito. Always mah kitteh sweet.
• For my sweet girls, Katia, Kira, and Allie, the sweetest anyone could ever wish for, my love for each of you is special, always beside me, always there to comfort and aid me.
• For those who I cared for at Mandinka estate as the estate manager and general bitch. I always did my best to insure your stay was a fun one, even at the expense of my own time in SL. I am especially thankful for those close to me, like Candy, Trinity, Enigma, and all the sisters… you know who you are. Love you all dearly. Our world was turned upside down, but you know, we survived!
• For my first family in Chetumal, my dear sweet island. Our world was beautiful and love sang throughout. Sad that it came to an end, but a memory always kept close.
• For the women that rescued me when my world ended in Mandinka, when I arrived at Hesperia, homeless and sad. To Alethia, dear sweet woman, who gave me shelter and a place to call home. To Arwen, always reminding me that there is indeed hope. To Annie, who shared my last moment in my third lifetime and joyously welcomed me back in my fourth. To Deere, for all the sweet music you play and the sweet friendship we share.

And that gift of hope that Alethia gave to me, Hesperia, warm refuge and sweet peace, brought back to me a very special friend, one who was a part of my world… the Lady. Yes, a simple statue, but magical. I used to go to her at Mysteria, sit next to her, talk to her, cry to her, empty my soul to her. The Lady always seemed to be the one focus point in the SL where I could find solace and come to grips with the world and its troubles.

When I came to Hesperia, I smiled when I saw that she was there! And I remember one night in particular when I sat 0next to her where I was not troubled, but smiling. I wanted to tell her all about the girl I met who liked my outfit! Quite charming she while being nervous as well… could not spell one word in particular. I was nervous too… wondering what to say, how to act. I told the Lady I needed her strength to guide me through because… I found this girl so fascinating that I wanted to get to know her better. And as I sat there, I felt her talk to me with an answer so simple, so clear… be yourself.

Brushing Gwen's Hair

Wise advice for all indeed. I am thankful to the Lady for the sage advice because it led me to the one part of my world that I am most thankful for today.I had that first conversation with her by chance… her choice to IM me. Beat me to the punch, because I wanted to IM her as well. It was a start, a chance for a beginning. And now, after ninety-two days and nights, our life is a wonder to behold. Yes, I am very thankful today for the wonder of our love and life together in the Second Life. As I serve dinner in the RL to a house full of people, I smile broadly with a twinkle in my smile and a certain lightness in my step… and a warmth in my heart, being so very thankful that Gwen is a part of my SL. Love you, darling… will save some pumpkin pie for dessert when we are together again.

And now, time for all of us to be thankful! Enjoy!!!

Since I was in labor all night I didn’t get a lot of sleep but once I got down to my room on the Mother and Baby floor all I could think about was Gwen, and if she’d be able to be in the room with us.  JD never was, he stayed in the NICU.

Just a couple hours later the nurse wheeled in my precious baby girl!  I was so excited I stayed awake most of the day to look at her, love her and feed her.  I’m glad now that I did.

Around 8:00pm the nurse came in to check Gwen’s vitals.  She was just asleep in her little bed but her breathing had turned rapid since I had put her there.  They took her back to the nursery to see if she would calm down but it didn’t and they ended up having to call a doctor.

2 doctors, and one neonatal specialist later our little Gwen is in the Level 2 NICU.  In the bed right next to the one her brother was in almost 23 months ago.

We are waiting on lab work to figure out if it’s an infection or immature lungs.  She is on a CPAP machine now and her lung x-ray “wasn’t great, but wasn’t horrible” according to the doctors.  They have also started her on antibiotics incase it is an infection.  The antibiotics will require her to stay in the NICU for at least 48 hours.

Later this morning I hope to get more information about the situation.  I went in and checked on her about an hour ago and she was sleeping, all hooked up to the monitors and machines.  Brought back a lot of memories from JD’s birth.  At least this time I feel a bit more prepared.

I’ll keep you all posted.

(Note to friends reading from Facebook – this is a blog entry, and it contains videos, which you’ll miss out on unless you click “View Original Post” at the bottom of this post.)

Gwen, you’re eleven months old. Time is flying by!  It’s been nearly a year since you were born.

I never did get around to writing your last newsletter, but I can tell from my entry for month nine (in late September) that you have changed significantly in the last two months. You’re cruising around furniture, babbling, and being extremely smart and socially interactive now.  You’re taking huge steps to becoming your own person.

helping with the laundry (on Flickr)

You still go to daycare for three days each week, and you seem to love the time there. You barely notice when we drop you off, getting right into playing with the toys at the daycare centre.

at the back door (on Flickr)

Unfortunately, you picked up a cold on your very first visit to daycare and, two months later, you’re recovering from your third daycare cold.  These tests of your immune system were inevitable.  Unfortunately your first cold also got me sick and I wasn’t able to work properly (smelling odours is part of my research) for more than a month.

Your friend Theo, whom you’ve known since he was born exactly one month after you, goes to the same daycare AND you see him at swimming every Thursday morning. You seem to recognize Theo and even “play” together after swimming.

splish splash (on Flickr)

You started cruising (walking while holding on to furniture) in early October and you’ve never looked back. It’s been about six weeks, but you haven’t started standing or walking without support yet. Your dad and I still think you will be doing this by your first birthday, in a month’s time…

Speaking of first birthdays, we went to our first first birthday party a few weeks ago for your friend Silvia.  This will be the first of many to come soon (yours included, which is next!) as your contemporaries celebrate their birthdays in the next four months or so.  You had a great time at the party, and your dad and I got a better idea of what goes on at one of these parties.

pass the parcel (on Flickr)

We’ve gotten into the habit of taking weekend walks with you to explore the local playgrounds.  The Auckland City website has a great list of local playground equipment, but neglects to specify whether the swings are “baby swings” (fully enclosed) so we’ve done some reconnaissance during recent walks.  Our local playground, Rocket Park, has the best swings by far, but the ones at nearby Owairaka Park are pretty nice too.

As I write this, I am preparing for the near future when you will be at daycare on every weekday and I’ll be back at work full-time – starting in a few weeks.  I know these are good steps for both of us – you like daycare a lot, and I like speaking with adults and not worrying about you every moment – but a small part of me will be sad to see our weekdays together end.  I hope our time together will seem even more special when we have less of it to spend.

named room (on Flickr)

This week has turned out to be the week of cats.  I finally got my review of Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper written and posted, then realized I’d forgotten the video clip I had wanted to tack on it.  A couple days ago, Maggie introduced me to an adorable website that also has an app for facebook (I spend entirely TOO much time on facebook lately) called FooPets, offering virtual cats and dogs (really kittens and puppies, perpetually) that you can feed, water, play with and even dress up and enter into fashion shows, as well as become a virtual breeder.  Now I have a virtual pet of my kitty-baby-son who passed away about 8 years ago, as well as a virtual one of our kitty-boy Dabu.  And then, to put the hairball frosting on the tuna cake, an adorable creamy orange tabby kitten followed us home from the grocery store and decided we were his people… no matter how much I screamed NO MORE CATS! 

So, first up… the forgotten Homer video

Some people don’t want to read animal books for fear the beloved pet will meet an unhappy end.  These people were no doubt scarred by books like Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, and The Yearling as children, and have vowed to never read a depressing pet book again.  For those people, as well as those curious to see and hear Gwen and Homer… like me… I had planned on putting the following video clip at the end of the review, as is my normal thing.  But being a bit out of practice, I totally forgot.  Better late than never

Able to leap tall bookcases! Catches flies mid-buzz! Yet the feline hero of HOMER’S ODYSSEY is blind, and this is his inspirational love story that completely changed the life of author Gwen Cooper.

Oh, and a new one I hadn’t seen before…  Gwen reading a passage from the book while Homer really gets into the gift of catnip

When Maggie came home the other day announcing she had just adopted a new kitten, I immediately boomed an emphatic NO!  She quickly chimed in that it wasn’t a real cat, but a virtual one found on a website her friend had shown her while they surfed on the computer farm at the library.  We sat down at my computer and she showed FooPets.  You’re greeted at once by the soft, furry face with big, hopeful eyes waiting to be loved and fed.

You can interact with your pet, feed and give him water, pet and play with him.  You can also take him shopping and buy him clothing and enter him in fashion shows.  And you can make him a her if you so prefer.  Maggie’s pet is a grey tabby named Laya (her own real-life cat is a grey tabby named Leia, but she couldn’t spell it )  This one is my FooKitten named Rambo.  Here he is dressed and ready for a fashion show.

Honestly, only a virtual cat would allow someone to dress him that way…

And all of that led up to the short-lived stance against taking in any new pets.  I mean, honestly… we already have 2 cats and a dog and 3 children.  Isn’t that enough animals?  I had told the girls months ago that as the pets died off, I would NOT be replacing them.  I’m tired of buying pet food and cleaning up the after effects of the pet food.  Tired of rewashing clothing because a cat enjoyed the comfort of the full laundry basket.  Tired of hairballs on book covers and seat cushions… do you know how much work you have to do to get cat vom out of upholstery? 

Then Thursday night, as Mags and I walked home from the grocery store, we happened to cross paths with a creamy-orange tabby cat.  Being the ever-loving animal lovers, we put down our bags and gave him a few appreciative strokes and some warm, cooing words, then set off for home.  Maggie updated me every few houses that the kitten (about 4 months old) was still following us, had crossed two streets and was continuing to follow us, and then all evening she informed me that he was still on our front porch.  To which I immediately resounded “NO, we’re NOT keeping him!”

When bedtime came, I kept having to yell at them to go to sleep everytime I heard the front door creak open.  Sometime around 11:30, Maggie whined that she couldn’t sleep because the poor kitty was crying (I never heard him) and it was cold outside.  Genuine tears of concern ran down her tired cheeks.  I told her to put on a CD and turn the volume up.  The cat was NOT staying. 

By 3:30 in the morning, when I was couldn’t sleep because I knew that poor baby kitty was cold and hungry, I went to the door and opened it to see if he was still there.  He was lying on the table on the porch, curled up tightly to keep warm, and didn’t even offer to slip in through the door crack.  It was as if he was saying it was enough to just dwell on our porch… to expect a place inside was too much to hope for.

I picked him up and carried him in and cuddled in my bed with him.  I’m worse than the kids.  LOL… I have no spine.  My will power was no match to this:

We’ve already named him Kyon-Kyon after the Fruits Basket character, Kyo.  He’s very loving and friendly, hisses a little at the dog and at Leia, but oddly enough gets on well with Dabu, who’s also a male… go figure.  And there just seems to be this gratitude that rolls off of him whenever you pet him, like he’s thankful to have a warm home and a family that loves him.  He’s a Thanksgiving kitty

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

i’ve been known to stand in my driveway and jump up and down while clapping when something in my mailbox pleases me.  it’s not pretty, but i’ve been known to do it, that’s all i’m saying.  today was one of those days, when i reached in and pulled out a brown box from lisa at lilfishstudios.

yee-haw, felty fruit!!!  i brought them to work to show off, and the ladies were boucoups de jealous.  i’m gonna have to put them in my car, i’m afraid they’re gonna go home with someone else if i don’t lock them up!

and then, THEN! T.H.E.N.!!!!!! (click this:)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125095&id=119227898443&ref=nf

look at my beautiful girls!  look at that amazing photography!!!!  we know Gwen does incredible work and my children are gorgeous, but OMG!!!  i could faint, i really could! (and i might need to make a PT appointment after all this SHIFT EXCLAMATION POINTING!)  how will i ever decide what pics to pick???  (and family members, leave your choices with me) =)  Gwen, you’ve reduced me to babbling…. or maybe i was already like that…

Lovers' Kiss

Eighty-four days… 2,016 hours… 12 glorious weeks! And reflecting upon that, I found a sonnet by John Barlas, written in the late 19th Century, that fits the feelings of today…

Sonnet XIV

Kisses are sweetest under covering hair,
And whispers in its woven twilight best;
As flowery boughs above the chirping nest
Make sweet and sacred all the darkened air
Wherein abide the soft-secluded pair,
And know in the warm fragrance where they rest
The small heart beating in the downy breast
Each of its mate:–a Paradise they share.
This is a longing of the human heart
After that dream, an Eden all for two,
Some lonely island ‘mid the ocean’s blue
Where Love may sport, and laugh, and kiss apart.
Therefore it was a moment past I drew
Thine hair about mine eyes, Eve that thou art.

Sweetest of love and passion is ours, my Gwen! Happy Anniversary!

Title: Clarke’s Law
Author: Netgirl_y2k
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 970
Characters: Tenth Doctor, Gwen, Morgana

This is, first, more than a little cracky, but it’s by one of the best fan fic writers around for that sort of thing – and has an explanation for the existence of this show in the Doctor’s universe that ought to be used in any and all crossovers. And the ref to Battlefield and Morgana’s response is particularly amusing. (AU; Warning for Gwen/Morgana, although implicit only.)

I think that is all I will say for now… For those of you who know me and read my blog regularly know that I am always full of surprises. Well, this week will be full of them for Gwen and I.

Our life is so full of new adventures and experiences, the wonder of the Second Life never ends… it only gets better!

Back to work, making a beautiful life for us… love YOU, Gwen