Category Archives: Pooh Bunny

Daughters and Webservers

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Grrr….

My daughter got a mild concussion at school yesterday. She’s fine just tired. I had to pick her up early. I let her sleep till six then got her up for dinner. She was okay for a bit but bed time ended in a melt down. She’s okay this morning…no fever, no weird eye concussion thing…sigh.

The webhost I’ve mentioned previously has me flabbergasted. I can’t check general things…like disk space. They pretty much expect everyone to be using Frontpage or InterDev. The address they gave me for the MySQL database isn’t working. If I can get that I won’t worry…I can deal from there and install the general tools for the website. If not not….time for a look around.

Kthx…snaffu not quite fixed, books for children of the gifted…

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Reposted because my host misinterpreted: “Fix the php installation please” to mean “delete my database and replace with an older copy”.

You might have noticed that the website was down yesterday. Apparently it’s server fried. Not all is fixed…I’m waiting for word that they have finished installing php. Then the RSS from 78 Images Later will be back.

Yesterday was a surprise day. I pounded out words for Without Honor like crazy. I think I found the missing dimension to chapter 5 (remember it was chapter six) that was blocking me from finishing it. It’s funny how you forget to have the characters talk to each other.

I’ve come to realize a few things about the world I’ve created. I can put magic in it. I can have dwarves. The world is my steampunk fantasy. There’s no mary sue about it. The main character embodies my concerns as a person. Who decides what is right? When some one goes mad…does everyone always know?

Trees in the forest and all that.

Since last Christmas Aia has been asking for the Junie B. Jones books. Now we have a lot of kids books in our household. J. and I keep books. My mother tries to convince me to get rid of the books every chance she gets.

As Aia transitions from picture books to chapter books several of my favorite authors have died. Most recently: Madeleine L’Engle. I will never forget the scene with the multiplication tables. It is quite possible that that ruined math for me for life. The intensity by which the character survives in that scene spoiled me to the point that I abandon books without any of that intensity. It reminds me now that life is pain. But back then…it scared the shit out of me.

I have a fully realized vision of the boogey man. He is silent for when he talks you are his. Did you every see the the Buffy episode Hush. Those are my boogey men….they eat children…they don’t like garlic…they wear all black…they smile…they want quiet from children. When that episode came on I screamed. My ex thought I was nuts. They don’t hid in your room they come through the window or through a mirror.

Aia is reading chapter books now. For family time we read them together alternating pages. I know she can read the whole thing…but she likes to brag and pretend stupid. We have lots of conversations about how pretending to be stupid is a bad thing.

So last night…instead of going to Japanese study…I found myself in a meeting for applying to the gifted child program. Aia had a note from school…and our school meeting was right then!

It was crazy. Some of the teachers talked down to us…which just pissed me off. Others avoided us or tried to use the old Superior Language crutch. (Thanks, I have an English degree…the art of using big words to sound important is my bread and butter, but I don’t respect it at all.) It took us a half hour to get out of them that their word Portfolio really meant standard application. Jokers.

We are going to apply and test Aia. Even if she’s accepted they might not have room for her as she’s consider a late entry into the program. Stupid Denver schools…they had no such program for kids.

Either way I’m not too worried. I like Thompson…it’s worlds above where she was, and they concentrate on art and music. But if I have these scores I can gear things towards Aia that will help her out. Out of her 17 classmates…she’s the only one that can solidly read. I can keep that going.

But back to Junie B. Jones. This girl is stupid, and mean. Not a role model. As we read the books Aia can’t understand why all the children in the book are stupid. She even says it. As soon as I find them we’re going to start reading Lloyd Alexander. He has no equal in the kids writing world…even J. K. Rowling can’t hold a finger to him.

Of course I’m still going to buy her Junie B. Jones. Got to show her what not to do. Then maybe some Super Fudge.

Modules, Back, Bed and Data!

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More on writing Modules: Character generators!

Don’t scoff ‘em. Creating characters for a BYOC game is the most important and the most time consuming part. But having a computer either randomly generate the base numbers or pick and choose using a character program for your chosen system speeds things along immensely.

Once you have the base powers and numbers. You can add, and delete things you need the character to have. Then you can concentrate on the history and character interactions you have to write.

I got my flash drive back from the company I sent it to…and guess what?!? I got all my data back!!!!!!!!!!!! So suddenly I’m a lot closer to being done then I was yesterday. This means that I have all my module outlines!

ToDo:
Serenity
Tweak the SW character’s attributes and give descriptions…make sure he has the right equipment… Create player handouts…create last npc.

Paranoia:
Write out actual module.
Write out actual history of characters

Witchcraft:
Finish creating and writing characters. (almost done)
Write out actual module

This is actually a lot closer to done then it looks. I have all my rule sheets done (for my reference), I have all my maps (if needed..only one module actually needs the maps). The numbers and base stuff has been created for all my characters. So has the history and interaction outline :) I don’t write box text…just a more specific detail of the scene and what they need to to complete it…with some contingency.

My back is more stiff than hurting now. I can’t walk straight yet but I can carry things. This sucks so bad.

But Aia’s bed is together! But only because the lady who had been receiving the pieces 6 blocks away found my phone number on the box and decided to call it before sending it back again. As near as we can figure…after I called Fedex Ground….76th and Harlan was as far as the driver could go before he got too tired to drive any more so he just dropped the package. sigh.

Ow.

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I made it on Friday, with time to spare. Almost ran out of gas which led to confusion on Sunday when I did not follow J. home…instead I stopped for gas.

Saturday was the Renaissance Fair. We saw Puke & Snot, which I haven’t seen in years. Of course it was funny. Aia, DLZ and O went on various swing rides, then we parked the boys at the joust so that we could shop.

Not that I bought anything but liquid. We tried to find a hat for O. but she is a picky 3 year old. J. bought Aia a puppet which she adores. He wanted to buy something for me but I couldn’t justify spending the money on anything there.

After chasing kids all day we headed to Sn.’s house for barbecue. D, B, and DLZ went home leaving the husband behind. I sat with the boys and talked politics until K. came home then spend time talking to her while the boys plaid vols to Monty Python.

Aia managed various splinters and even one cat scratch but otherwise had a lot of fun. Sunday we worked on filling up the storage area and cleaning more of J.’s house. That was tiring. Then we went to play pulp. Let me just sum up the pulp game.

“No, the giant apes are riding the dinosaurs. Okay, lets just say giant lizards, cause that sounds less crazy.”

Then I went to the tarot group which turned out was canceled. We had a good chat thought with those who came.

The rest of the night I packed tarot cards and pagan books. I talked to mom a bit, read some of my book on Indian women. I was tired.

Yet I managed to get my two nightstands in the car this morning.

More Lunch

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I got a call from Aia’s teacher just a moment ago…the school paid Aia’s lunch money back.

She didn’t sound happy with me, but forcing my child to eat what amounts to a 3rd lunch and making me pay for it. Well, what can I say.

I should have called sooner. They didn’t pay for the whole thing just the current stuff. I’ll talk again with Aia tonight. Makes me want to move even more now.

This whole senerio is just dumb. Really dumb. Now I know why Aia never seems to want to eat dinner.

School Lunch Stupidity.

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My daughter is a 33lbs eating machine. She has breakfast at home, breakfast at preschool, snack, lunch, second lunch, and then dinner.

Her teacher has stated that she was forcing Aia to eat a 3rd lunch..hot lunch because Aia was eating all her lunch…wait.

Let me clarify: Strawberries, yogurt, crackers, fruit snacks, cookie, cheese stick, apple, granola bar, goldfish is one lunch.

…before lunch time. This has been 10 hot lunches costing me a full $1.00 a piece. Not much you say…it adds up if you don’t know about it and you’re not budgeted for it…ie you don’t have the 10$.

GGGGGGGGGRRRRRRR. I’ve complained to the teacher, to the lunch lady for DPS. I’m going to complain to the principal.

I’m really peeved about this.

Aia has had a good talking too. If she goes through the lunch line again, I’m demanding that the school pay for it.

Go Around the Bush Boy

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Friday started out with a Girl’s Night Out at El Senor Sol’s.

I have to say the food was pretty good, the conversation excellent and the margaritas huge. It was a good night…the place closed and didn’t even kick us out right away. Lol. It was nice get to know some of the ladies that I see up to three times a year and sometime more. One the gal’s I knew from a couple years back showed up too. It was a good night.

Saturday was Writer’s group and just about everyone showed up. It was great to see two of the gals who had been absent for awhile. Made me want to start up Cat’s Blog again…I reserved the accounts but I still have to think on it.

Then I went to J.’s. We stayed up4:30 late late talking and watching movies. Another good night.

Sunday was a Pulp gameday. Misty came over with A. and I took him and Aia to the park. They ran like crazy. A. is a little wacko 3 year old. He ran down the sidewalk scream that he was bronco fan, stopped for every bug to explain how his mommy would treat it and tried to keep Aia from running ahead. We had grilled burgers and I took a nap while J. pound pulp characters into, well, pulp.

It was a good weekend. It ended with me curled in bed reading Howl’s Moving Castle, then some books to Aia, then sleeping. I’m pretty sure Aia ran up the phone bill.

Of Manga and Taroty Things….

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Last weekend was full. I fit more things in there than humanly possible.

So let’s pretend I’m superhuman, shall we?

I am now counting three days without pop. I made a counter on Traineo. I’ve managed to exercise every day…still feel tired and still getting headaches. Doc might be upping the dosage of synthroid…I’ll have to see.

Writer’s was just me and M. last week. I managed to get some work done. We apparently have competition with another writer’s group now. I don’t know what we’ll do at the moment. Next week will tell us if they’re there all the time.

I got my tires done. I go to the Saturn in Aurora. In that little triangle of land between Parker Rd, Iliff and Havana I found Dora’s. Best Fried Ice-cream Ever. Salsa was bland though.

Just across from that was Book World. This little antique bookshop scored me a Geiger art book and a how to paint fantasy book by Vallejo. Natch. Found a book on Wiccan covens…good group book in general really.

Afterward I went on a quest to complete my travel alter. I got the idea from Pagan Sojourn. Details and pictures will come later; when I have it finished…which mainly entails figuring out how to save the tarot cards from the incense. Paltry really, who knew altoids cans were so versatile?

This brought me to Isis. I don’t like going there…but for most pagan needs there is no better place in Denver. The vibe is just bad…always has been…probably always will be. If I want gifty, stone like or clothy I head to Spiritways, Herbs and funky implements Herbs and Arts…just about everything else (unless I’m making it myself) it has to be Isis…it’s only competition on that level was Wings. I miss Wings.

I digress. I know what I want at Isis a replacement for the small tarot cards I lost. I did find those but I also came away with the Manga Tarot by Selena Lin. In Isis’ faux import tarot section I found the Manga Tarot by Riccardo Minetti & Anna Lazzarini. Score! Riccardo Minetti is fast become my fav of the contemporary tarot creators. His decks are so rich in art and symbolism and he has a grounded knowledge of tarot lore and history. I firmly believe he is the next cannon in tarot. Marseilles, Waite, Crowley, Voyager, Minetti. Totally makes sense to me.

Reviews can be found here and here.

I managed to continue my quest to get all my altar accouterments made from stone at Herbs and Arts. My spirit altar now has an incense burner. My working altar incense burner is now an egg shaped one. How cool is that?

300 was a two hour long battle speech. That’s it, pretty, gripping…makes you want to go out and kill Persians. But in the end it was a speech. I still liked it. Even with the gore overdose it pleased my aesthetic senses. Frank Miller should do a tarot deck.

Aia woke up on Monday with a 101 degree fever. So that was a day of missed work. She was really sick this time, with the sleeping till 5pm and all. She’s missed three days so far…here fever keeps breaking then showing up again. I’m sure she’ll be in school tomorrow.

M. forgot about Tuesday. I got a little angry but got over it quickly she dropped everything to come over anyway. She missed prosciutto and goat cheese stuffed chicken with saffron rice and avocado pesto for dinner. The conversation was good…now I have to eat the extra food I made for the next three nights.

Recipe for Avocado Pesto is here.

What else? Not so much. Reading the book for the Pagan Book Group. Trying to sneak in a game here and there. That’s about it. J. leaves for the ‘rents this weekend, so lots of free time. I’ll wander off now.

I Pagan

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Generally, I’ve been keeping pagan workings on 78 Images but other pagan things get discussed here…while permanent articlesWhich I am wont to ignore. end up in the Particles section whenever I get a wild hare to write them.

I feel the need to mention that all my blogs except Particles has a Feed Burner feed…however you can always just read my Livejournal to which all my blog postsThe exception is again, Particles…I would like to keep those here…some of the tarot and pagan ones have ended up on 78 Images though… post…or the widgets on Covenspace or Myspace are also good bets but they only give you partials and the links are hard to get.

So me as a pagan…I’ve got a definite Norse bent. That’s just from my interests as a child. It wasn’t until I was halfway through college that I had brushings with Asatru which came in the form of Wandis…a CUUPS member and later a leader in the PSA. I had heard of Asatru but I had never witnessed it. In my mind she remains the pinnacle of Asatru. She might disagree with me, but as I meet other Asatru now I find my mind wandering back to her and thinking that others haven’t measured up.

Now I’m not Asatru. I think I can live with the Heathen label…along with the Witch and Pagan one I wear. Still, I have my beliefs which include a heavy dose of Northern Paganism. This is includes Celtic beliefs.

Ancestry wise the majority comes from Northern Europe and the British Isles. There’s a little of that Baltic in there perhaps some NAQuestionable and if so then is probably through Canada and untraceable.. Other than that it is up in the air…but that’s only one line and even that is a pretty straight shot right back to England. Nortons are like weeds…we’re every where and into everything.

It’s not that I’m questioning my faith. I’m not. I’m just having a sort of epiphany. I’m reading these things, these very Asatru things and finding myself nodding my head in agreement. Perhaps it’s my Liberal Conservative leanings, or that I’m a Republican even though I vote Democratic or independent 98% of the time. No that’s not right…I don’t know what it is. My practices and beliefs are mine…but I agree.

Funny that.

I’ve taken the time to know my history, my beliefs and my surroundings…what bothers me is that others don’t. Some can’t…not completely…but a little is always there.

This brings me back to the DaVinci Code. I keep hearing pagans say that gives us good press? How so really? Pagans aren’t doing the things that happen in that book…we aren’t hold the secrets to other religions. Well there is that whole Great Rite thingStill makes me want to strangle Sophie, but the only pagans practicing that are Wiccans and perhaps a few charismatic cults. As for Jesus having a wife and kids, there are good Christian and Jewish reasons for that which has nothing to do with paganism.

Sigh.

That was rambling. At least the mead is still bubbling.

Aia is doing better. We’ve narrowed down the bully. Now we just have to watch him.

Dragons

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A SILVER Dragon Lies Beneath!

My inner dragon color is SILVER. Click here to try the Quiz!

My inner dragon is to dragons what the Ranger is to humans. I possess considerable intelligence and self-confidence. I live by my own code of ethics and I stick to it at all times. Click the image to try the Inner Dragon Online Quiz for yourself.

Aia decided to be unreasonable this morning. Suddenly she hates school. I’ve called all the teachers…we’ll have to see what happened.