CAPELLA

No,not a Jayne hat ... I just knitted my first ever pair of gloves. Tadaaa!

SHADOWLEOPARD

I have an awkward question. I wrote maybe three or four fanfics and deleted them...intentionally. But now I kinda want them back! Is there anything I can do? You can see them at this archive page:

MAGHAFFAR

My all-time favorite cigar website (great selection and really great prices) is www.mikescigars.com So there I am browsing through the "sampler" pack specials, and i see this:

OUTERRIMVAGRANT

On Friday, I visited a medieval graveyard, which had been on the to-do-list since New Year. The feedback from DeviantART members, (concering my online portfolio), suggested it had a calming effect. Which is fine, but I've never been a one trick pony. :smile: So, I decided to turn a full 360, and produce much darker works. :biggrin: One of my goals for 2010, is to travel far and wide for interesting photos. This is the first step in an ongoing process, and it didn't disappoint. Thankfully, the inner city graveyard was much smaller than I imagined. I hadn't visited it since my childhood, and assumed there would be several large sections. Although, there's nothing worse than getting lost in an old burial ground. Especially one filled with angry spirits! :smile: I heard the authorities had to close off an older section, because visitors were getting mysteriously scratched. One famous clairvoyant never returned, after their inspection of said area. O.O Anywho.. I'm glad it was much more contained, because I spent a good couple of hours wandering around the place as it stood. The dishwater coloured skies were ideal for bringing out the musky character. There were tombs/graves dated to the early 1800s, and others going back even further. A lot of the graves reminded me of ornate fireplaces. The craftmanship was hauntingly beautiful. Brighter weather would've spoiled the archaic vibe, and I'm glad that I took the opportunity to explore when I did. Here's a selection of new pictures: THEM BONES.

CAPELLA

I have been a roleplayer most of my life, pen and paper as well as LARPs and did have my own Serenity RPG campaign with a few friends for a while. But by now, most of the roleplayers I used to play with have gotten into the family thing ... you know, producing offspring and such ... leaving me a bit stranded. Since I started writing a new gaming segment for the Signal, I have been looking around for Firefly related roleplaying in the internet. That's where I found

ANGELLEMARCS

Should be called Writer's Brick Wall and it's red for the many times I have banged my head on it. :banghead:

PLAINJAYNE

I've been smiling a lot here lately, not sure what's up with that. People aren't sure how to take it. I guess it's kind of like the smile you get from sharks, when you're pretty sure they're gonna bite you, you just don't know which part's gonna be first. I'm smiling and trying not to be too obviously hostile. I figure if I grit my teeth hard enough, I'll be able to keep my foot out of my mouth til I can get clear of my situation. Course, once that happens all bets are off. I got some words that need saying, and I plan on letting'em fly... Since you only know me from what I write, and that ain't been much, you can't know about my special brand of verbal diarrhea. It just isn't the same in print--it's something you have to experience in person to truly understand. So you'll just have to be satisfied to take my word for it. The level of explosion I'm talking about is going to make people wish they'd picked somebody else to fuck with...cause I'm picking up steam now and I've still got 3 weeks to brew. Why do people always have to do this shit? I guess that will be my eternal question--what the hell is wrong with people? I've tried to convince myself that I don't care, that I don't know and never will--but I always come back to the same question. Just what the hell is wrong with people? On that note, travellers, I'll shut up and go back to counting out change for gas money. Bastards. Remember, smile... :biggrin:

BLUEEYEDBRIGADIER

...that my last real blog around these parts was 2 years and a day ago! Honestly leaves one a mite speechless from the vapourlock effect of not being around this place for that long, other than a few temporary stopovers :blush: I honestly have to say that it has been an interesting (in the old Chinese curse type of way) 731 days since I last put thought to paper, so to speak. On the employment front, I no longer work for Verizon's DSL division as a tech support agent...the call centre I worked in downsized its employee numbers in March 2009 and I was one of the unlucky numbers given their 2 weeks' notice. Wasn't a bad 14-month run, overall...barring the stresses of dealing with constant negative events in the lives of Verizon's Internet customers and the changes in working hours a bit too often at times to make things easy. Spent April to late August 2009 unemployed, but found work again as a Customer Service Representative/Service Professional (gotta love those vague and PC titles :wink:) for the satellite TV arm of Bell Canada. It's via another call centre but the environment is friendly and I'm not solely doing tech work anymore, so there's less overall negativity when I'm working with a customer (cover tech support, programming changes, billing, customer inquiries, etc.)...plus I seem to be capable enough at my job to have earned the second highest bonus payout for my pod of Bell CSRs for the month of December 2009, so I think I'm in a better place re: employment. To counter-balance the overall improvement of my employment situation since last I blogged, I have to report I lost my mother to a stroke on March 13, 2009...one brought on directly by a heart attack that caused a piece of atrophied heart muscle to break off and block off an artery to the brain...[b][u]BUT[/u][/b] indirectly caused by her less than stellar dietary habits. Almost 11 months later, I'm still not sure how I truly feel about this...my mom's health has long been something that has had an effect on my family, between things like breast cancer and diabetes and debilitating headaches; it's just I am struggling with the realization that her death was probably preventable had she - and the rest of my family, by extension - done more to ensure she ate right and more often than she did. Guilt and anger have been things that have been floating through the back of my mind...I think I have become more in-tune with what Joss & co. were doing with Mal at time with his struggles to cope with what had happened to those he cared about in his past interfering with his present. My father, brother and I are coping the best we can, and a visit with family in the UK this past June and July did some good for us in helping to ease the pain some what...but the knowledge that my mom had wanted for years to see Britain again (she was born and raised Canadian like I am, but she went to school in Wales for her Bachelor's in Library Sciences and it's where she met my Dad, who was studying at the agricultural college attached to the same university as her College of Librarianship). So...guess you have it, if not entirely then for the most part. Stuff like my recent woes with my laptop having it's HD fail and losing vital data that I hadn't backed up yet or falling down a set of stairs with it and buggering up the LCD less than a week after getting the HD fixed are amusing tales, but they honestly pale when compared to all I've noted above. That and my debate of what kind of smartphone to get to replace my badly beaten Sanyo SCP-7050 that has taken one too many dips in the toilet and falls out of my pocket...military-grade ruggedization, my left buttock! :biggrin: Alun aka BEB

PLAINJAYNE

I know this will amaze the hell out of everyone, but I'm not good at making plans. Well, not plans that work. Hence, I don't generally make them. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants and let the pieces fall where they fall. This works for me. Chaos. I'm comfortable with that. That's how I roll. Other people, not so much... It drives people around me crazy that I don't have a plan. Does anybody have a plan? Really? I can't make plans when I don't know what is going to happen. I figure as long as I've got food & shelter & a way to get around, I'm good. Sure, I like having some extra coin left over. I'm happier when I have money. I'm MUCH easier to get along with when I'm not broke. But basic needs are covered. Where I have trouble is, folks think they can take advantage. I'm very friendly and easy-going. People tend to mistake that for weak and stupid. They try to pay me less, or not at all, after the papers are signed & the job's been done. I may be a rolling stone, a wanderer, no roots in the community; but that doesn't mean you don't have to give me my gorram money! I do what I was contracted to do, and very well; I expect to be paid commensurately. (Yes, ranting now, bear with me) I can barely cover my expenses, and will probably be significantly out of pocket by the time I'm done! Oh yeah, not happy. Not happy at all. To add insult to injury, I can't even recoup on my income tax because that's "covered in the contract" by the "tax free" pittance that I get. It is not even up to par with federal per diem rates. I can't even express to you how irritable this fact has made me! Oh, and these fucktards can't understand why I don't want to extend with them & stay longer. Hmmm, why don't I?

ALIASSE

So a certain author (moi) posted a chapter lately where Mal felt sincerely sorry for Jayne. Which got me to thinking if it was the first time. Which got me to thinking about him swinging at him in Ariel, and then on to Jayne's comment: 'Don't tell anyone'. And that got me to thinking 'How would Mal explain Jayne's sudden death, if he's not allowed to mention the reason?' I invite you all to have a stab at this scene. Here's mine: Mal: (entering mess) Jayne's dead. All: (gasping) OH NO! Zoe: (phlegmatically) What happened? Mal: I shut him in the air lock and then opened it. Book: (sternly) That was bad, Mal! Why did you do it? Mal: He made a morally reprehensible decision that compelled me to execute him. Inara: (angrily) How could you? Mal: Weren't difficult: hit him round the head hard enough to kill a lesser man, then dragged him... Simon: (laughing happily) You did the right thing Mal! River: Jaffa cakes. Kaylee: (sadly) Poor Jayne. I really liked him. Wash: (cheerfully) Oh well, never mind. The End.

BYTEMITE

So in Aliasse's recent story, the question was brought up about just how compatible Simon and Kaylee really are. Aside from being on Serenity, and Kaylee having a crush on Simon, and Simon apparently being fairly comfortable as the recipient of that crush (with occasional, mostly unsuccessful attempts to encourage her after Jaynestown), they don't have much in common. Specifically, it was asked, if they were to have a life together, what could they DO together, like in the sense of work? He's a doctor, and she's a mechanic. It could be argued that their roles ARE their lives, and those lives, and what dreams they have associated with them, are incompatible. But as ever, I'm game for a good thought puzzle. So here's some stuff I came up with. 1) If everyone stays on Serenity forever, there's no problem with their jobs not keeping them together because their jobs tie them to the ship. If they don't stay on the ship: 2) We could go the route that Mal4Prez hints at, where Simon and Kaylee work together fixing up medical machines (maybe Kaylee could design artificial limbs for amputees) and maybe start a clinic. 3) Kaylee could decide to pursue mechanics more as a hobby, and be nurse to Simon's doctor. Of all the crew, Kaylee seems to be least bound by her job. She loves mechanics, she knows a lot about it, but she has no formal training, so she's not cornered into JUST being a mechanic. And she potentially could love a lot of other jobs, I mean, look at how much she likes people in general. She'd like helping them, and helping Simon help them I think. 4) What's to say their differences have to keep them apart? I know plenty of couples who have no common interests. The wife works one job, the husband works another. So long as they can respect each other when they get home and there's still affection between them, they stay together. Who doesn't love Kaylee? It's impossible to stay mad at her! And Simon is her dream romance, the classy Core guy who sweeps her off her feet that she's always talking with Inara about. Affection isn't a problem. And they're both smart, in their own ways, Kaylee is the engineer and Simon is the scientist, so there's a basis of respect. And they get along well and can carry on a conversation, it's not like there are glaring obstacles there. So they may end up with separate work lives, but they still have plenty they can share. Really, ultimately, the biggest issue they might have is River. For a relationship with Simon to work, Kaylee has to be able to make a permanent space for River in her life, and even possibly take up some of the care-giving duties.

ANGELINTHEBLACK

So as i said last time i'm going to iraq. And ive been getting ready to go for the better part of a month and im still here >.0 esss very annoying. but i should be flying out tomorrow, just felt like venting cause we had the truck all loaded up today and had to unload it because they desided that were going tomorrow instead. oh wells.... wish me luck laters

PLAINJAYNE

Well, if you see any of my plans on the way down, tell'em I am not at all amused... No, seriously, I've been in a shitstorm of a mood the last few weeks (Naw! Never!) but I think I might be finally snapping out of it for a minute. I'm choosing to look at all this as the start of a new adventure. That's right, folks, I'm all about the adventure. Yup, good times ahead. I can feel it. I get tetchy when things start to get too comfortable, like I'm always waiting for the carpet to get jerked out from under me, for the shit to hit the fan. I'm at my best under pressure. So, bring it. I'm ready for whatever. As soon as I have some coffee...As long as I have plenty of caffeine, I am good to go. So, south it may be; but it's a route of my own choosing! Here's to freedom (or should I call it "nothin' left to lose?") and the open road. Drink'em if you got'em, travellers, and I'll see you out there.

ANOTHERSKY

That's right, I'mma goin' to a shindig! 'S gonna be all fancy, and lots of bowin' for the genn'lmen and curtseyin' on the part of the ladies. The event of the year, and I will be dancing all night "like a birdie on a branch". "And the pretties!": There will be dances that match to the heel-kickin' music, were we so ungenteel as to hop around with tree-parts on our heads, drunk on moonshine. I hear they do that on the border moons. And there will be uselessly ornate chandeliers. I believe they're of the standard variety, instead of the hovering, however. Needless to say, I will interrogate the buffet table, as well as being introduced to more than a few Mr. Persephone Pageant winners. There will be strawberries. On the way back to my ship, I will foil a dastardly plot or two without spoiling my fancy clothes, and sleep soundly, with visions of free engine parts dancing through my head. At least, it's how I fondly forsee my upcoming evening. Hitch-free. But something just tells me... EDIT: Amazing. There WAS a hitch--I came down with a space bug and didn't attend. No punching, no job, and definitely no strawberries. *insert poorly enunciated chinese swearing here*

PLAINJAYNE

Oh good, more drama. "A year of ups and downs for overconfident monkey" What say all us monkeys get together and grab this bad boy by the tail? Swing it like you mean it. Overconfident? Sheeiit... Hope y'all had a great Chinese New Year. Stay safe, etc. I'm gonna have a beer and try to settle my ass down some, 'fore I get overconfident and start up some mischief! Damn monkeys...

PLAINJAYNE

Oh good, more drama. "A year of ups and downs for overconfident monkey" What say all us monkeys get together and grab this bad boy by the tail? Swing it like you mean it. Overconfident? Sheeiit... Hope y'all had a great Chinese New Year. Stay safe, etc. I'm gonna have a beer and try to settle my ass down some, 'fore I get overconfident and start up some mischief! Damn monkeys...

BYTEMITE

It's Chinese New Years again (hey tigers! rar!), which always gets me in the mood to dabble in Chinese Astrology. I know it's entirely coincidental, I mean, with over 8,000 possible personality combinations, you're BOUND to get some things right. But it can still be uncanny accurate at times. This sort of thing can be REALLY interesting when you figure out the signs of other characters and start looking at how the signs might predict how they get along. EDIT: So here's the quick nitty-gritty on everyone's animal signs, so you don't have to read all my corrections and gobbledygook. Book: Speculated, no canon birthday given. Fire Monkey, Inner Dog, Hidden Dragon. The Fire monkey is a warm, practical, intelligent animal, with a good sense of humour and good conversation skills. The Inner Dog makes Book want to devote himself to causes, but gives him a keen sense of justice. It seems one of his causes betrayed him and he abandoned it for something more in keeping with his code of ethics. Book's hidden animal is powerful and commanding, morally structured but has a temper and a calculating side. Born late October, between 7 and 9 am, in 2460. Jayne: Speculated, no canon birthday given. Metal Ox, Inner Rooster, Hidden Ox. The metal ox is a practical, determined animal, that has a tendency at times to be a bully. The ox is wary, and Jayne deliberately tries to not be social, but he can't ever really be treacherous because deep down he's dependable and wants to like and trust people who are good to him. Jayne's inner Rooster wants to take charge, which puts him at odds with Mal's inner Rooster, and also with Simon's quiet fanciful Sheep. His inner rooster makes him blunt and is annoyed that no one listens to him or takes him seriously. Jayne's secret animal is the Ox, because he's the same on the surface as he is underneath. Born early September, between 1 and 3 am, in 2477. Zoe: Wood Monkey, Inner Tiger, Hidden Rabbit. The wood monkey is practical, clever, and damn near a workaholic. She has a sense of humour, but it's almost completely hidden by her very dominant Inner Tiger, an intelligent, intense, moody animal that is a fierce fighter. Wash lets out her hidden Rabbit, which allows her to be more feminine, and allows her to laugh, as the monkey is apt to. Born February 15, 2484, around 5 and 7 am. Wash: Speculated, no canon date given. Wood Monkey, Inner Rat, Hidden Sheep. Wash is a better representation of the monkey animal than Zoe is, and less outwardly a workaholic (though he takes his flying very seriously). Wash's monkey is bubbly, distractable, excitable, easily confused, and a joke a minute. His Inner Rat represents his restless desire to travel as well as (as seen in the comic book Better Days) a desire for family and a secure home. He's affectionate towards his loved ones, but secretly he can feel jealous and insecure. Born in early January, between 1 and 3 pm, in the year 2484. Mal: Earth Dog, Inner Rooster, Hidden Sheep. The dog takes up causes and fights against injustice, but he is a cynic with a biting sense of humour. The logical tendencies of the Earth element here makes the dog more fair minded and just, but still makes for a good, inspiring leader. The Rooster makes him doubly bossy, obstinate, and protective, and also doubly loyal, dependable, and honest. It indicates his desire for leadership and aspiration for knight-in-shining-armor quixoticness. The secret Mal hides is that he's more vulnerable than he shows, and all he really wants is a quiet life, surrounded by affectionate friends and family. Born September 20, 2486, around 1 and 3 pm (adjusted from the canon given year 2468, because there's no way that Mal is fifty years old. That was just an inside joke and a nod to the producer on the Serenity set who's birthday he stole). Inara: Wood Ox, Inner Dog, Hidden Rabbit. The Oxen is a calm, wise, serene animal, but they can be overly traditional, and they have a stubborn streak and a temper. The wood element is all about people and friendships and business. Wood makes her less

MAGHAFFAR

OK, so here's how it is. I'll be reading the segment of "Understandiong Islam" on the radio KCAA 1050-AM starting at around 9:20am or 9:25am (L.A. time). You can listen live on the internet by going to: www.kcaaradio.com and clicking on LISTEN LIVE or KCAA TV which is the studio webcam. So, being the writer and all, I wrote me the line: "And you, sir, were not burdened by an over-abundance of schooling." (Not to worry -- it's rhetorical not aimed at anyone.) If you miss it, you can download the podcast of the show from the MORNING SHOW podcast archive for Tuesdays. Stay shiny & Keep Flyin'... --Jonathan M.A.Ghaffar

MAGHAFFAR

Ni hao-dy, all. . . Gonna be manning our Mosque's book table at the L.A. Chinatown New Year's Festival Feb. 20-21 Corner of Broadway and Caesar Chavez (Sunset). Look for ISLAM AHMADIYYA banner & you'll find me. BTW: if you want to eat some great Chinese food -- where all the locals and shop-owners eat -- go to "Chinese Friends" at 970 N. Broadway. It's the last restaurant on N. Broadway. It's the year of the Tiger, which is also my Chinese Zodiac animal (1962). Stay Shiny & Keep Flyin'... --Jonathan M.A.Ghaffar

PLAINJAYNE

I think I might be well on my way to a case of toxic alkalosis after eating half a bottle of Tums tonight. Trouble is, I still feel like I could upchuck battery acid at any moment. I even took an extra prilosec before hand, because I knew I would not be able to resist the green salsa. Now, I know this crap tears me up. Everybody in my crew knows it too. They tried to tell me not to eat it. You remember what happened the last time, don't ya, PJ? You almost died. You really wanta go there again? Hell yeah. You can't tell me anything. They know this too. The green salsa is mostly jalapenos, mixed with, well, I don't know what all--but it is de-li-cious! I ate 2 salsa bowls full. I had chips. I dumped it on my taco, on my enchilada. Let's face it, I did everything except turn it up and drink it right from the bowl. Hence my current miserable state. I love the green salsa. Even if it does make me miserable for hours afterwards. I'd eat it again tomorrow if I could. I'm thinking this is the definition of addiction here. I am willing to suffer for a few moments of bliss. It occurs to me that I might have a problem...

SPACEBUMPKIN

Hey! This is my first ever entry! Hope I'm puttin it in the right spot. Valentine's Day was my second anniversary of finding Firefly, it was definately fate :smile: My Aunt called me out of the blue this morning to tell me (in quite the excited babble) that she, my uncle and cousins watched Serenity for the first time last night. She didn't even know there was a movie! She thought that whenever we talked about "Serenity" we were talking about the pilot episode. She said that my cousin Nate who's 11 cried for about an hour afterwards, and found his brother Andrew in the kitchen trying to digest everything. 'Course they all felt better after the blooper reel, favorite being the "dirt nap with baby jesus" scene. :biggrin: I was so happy they liked it that much. I wanted to share the excitment, it's so fun to see the first reactions.

PLAINJAYNE

Sounds kind of like a monster, don't it? Like in a bad Japanese Godzilla knock-off... Actually, I'm spending a minute not thinking about myself...well, maybe less...probably,much less...thirty seconds, tops... Anyway, been a good day today. I'm in process of finding work, and more money (yay me!), and I actually have hopes for the future that don't involve me doing bad things to low-down, dirty deceivers! Much easier this way. The future is looking up. And so...back to me!

PLAINJAYNE

I like the Dum Aloo ones. Potato curry. I will straight up cut you over the potatoes. They're really, really that good. Not too hot, but spicy enough that you know its there. And you already know about the green salsa, so I won't revisit. Even though it keeps revisiting me. Thing is, I like to eat stuff that's bad for me. I like Juan's tortilla chips. And peanut M & M's. And Diet Dr Pepper with extra carcinogens. Six shots of espresso and a coffee topper (essentially the reverse of a depth charge)--I do the same thing with a boilermaker. Vodka martinis so dirty you can't see through'em. Chocolate chip cookies. Rare steak, and I DO mean rare when I order it; don't bring me a gorram slice of shoe leather! If it don't cry for it's momma when I stick it with a fork, it's overdone. MMMMM! Can you tell I'm hungry writing this? Kim chee. Curry. I would really appreciate it if somebody would send me a case of Diet Rock Stars...apparently, they don't know about those in Texas. I haven't had a single palpitation since I been here, and I miss'em something awful. It's the heart palpitations that let you know its working. I'm for heading out to forage. Wish me luck. One thirty in the morning in the middle of nowhere, I think I'm stuck with whatever ain't growin' moss in the fridge...

BLACKSPYDER

Day 1 I woke up in a hospital. I can't remember who I am. I can't remember anything... except floating. Floating, and being very cold. The nurse here calls me Spyder. She says that I've been in a coma for months. She says that I was picked up by a government ship and brought here. She says that the restraints are just for my own safety. Day 2 The nurse's name is Tracey. She told me that I can be discharged soon, after a few more tests. Day 3 Tracey says that they've set me up with a place to stay when I leave here, and a part time job. Day 4 Today I was discharged and taken to my small new apartment. It felt good to have the restraints taken off. Day 5 Today I started My part time job. I'm a telemarketer - or at least I think they want me to be. I sit in a cubicle with all the communication equipment around me. They want me to focus on one thing, but when I start using the calling system I use it to direct the satellite dish (or whatever they call the machine that sends out the signal to the rest of the world) towards one star every night. Instead of calling who they tell me to, I send Messages to each star, hoping for a reply. So far no luck. The shifts here are very short. Day 6 I called a new star again today - nothing. Day 7 I walked to work with many other people from my block. I think they put us all together so we can all work in the same place. New star - no reply. Day 8 All the people on my block walk together each day to the park. We only spend an hour there, then it's back to the apartment. New star - no reply. Day 9 I wonder what my life was like before all this. I think there's a problem with the electricity in my apartment. Every night at the same time, all the lights go out. It's ok though, I want to sleep anyway. Day 10 Still no reply from any star. I won't stop trying. At least they haven't found out that I'm doing this. Day 11 Contact! I heard voices today! I heard them, although I was not at my cubicle. I was in my small room. This must mean that the voices are from one of the stars I've been calling, but the voices communicate through brainwaves. Of course! Why would they respond to me through satellite and risk being overheard?! They are much further advanced than we are. They told me that the apocalypse is coming soon. They said they will come to save me. They said I need to give them my astronomical coordinates. It took a while but I found them. Here they are: 537.5 272.9 Achernar I know they can read my mind so now they have my location. They say 'Your time is short.' I hope they get here in time. Day 12 They have arrived for me. They are all dressed in white. Some are armed. They said they are taking me to a room and preparing me for transport. They said that I will be strapped into a special chair and electrodes will be attached to me for the journey. They have given me a last meal here on this planet. This will be My last entry as they won't allow me to take this journal. Good bye.

DUN

That all I'm asking

MAGHAFFAR

Found this some a link. Interesting and informative. Check it out.

PLAINJAYNE

And that's the gods truth right there,folks. I do. When shit starts flying off my vehicle & things start exploding or smoking, no matter how many space monkeys got loose up in here, it always gets fixed and we keep flying. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time and a whole lot of money, but we keep going. That's the important part. I couldn't do what I do if I didn't have that kind of backup. We went out yesterday for a little adventuring in the hill country, and got a little more adventure than we bargained for. Seems we ran over a nail or something, and didn't realize it right away. One of the locals was kind enough to point out the rapidly deflating tire when we stopped to get a drink. No problem. My wonderful, mechanically inclined partner plugged it with one of those ATV flat repair kits, and reinflated with the portable air compressor. And we rolled on. For about 3 miles... Then said repaired tire exploded. Came the hell apart. Disengaged from the rim completely. Problem, you say? Not at all. We pulled over to assess the damage & pull out the donut tire. Which, BTW, would not come out of it's lodgings in the trunk without the skilled application of a large hammer. Problem? Not at all. It came out, got put on, and we were on our merry. Been a while since shit went flying off the vehicle like that. My appreciation levels are now reset. I will, in fact, be purchasing two more tires post-haste. I will not even bitch about how much they cost. I will also be springing for a new spare and will be throwing in new windshield wipers and a new radio antena for general principles. In my defense, I have already replaced the air intake that had previously been repaired with duct tape. The lesson at hand is this: appreciate what you have. Take care of it right. This goes for your machines as well as those who keep'em running. It doesn't do you any good to count up change for gas if you aint got nothin' to put it in. I am promising to take my eye off the money long enough to take care of the people and things that keep me going...it's a start, anyway! Taking a deep breath now, and preparing to invest time and money without complaint. Wish me luck.

FUTUREMRSFILLION

Ok Quick catch up. Those of you that were around back during the epic divorce proceedings will know that the ex-AH is, in fact, a world class ass hole. His wife the "new" Tracy Lake is just as bad if not worse. She, you see, does not understand how incredibly stupid she is. The divorce has been final since Nov 27, 2006. The exact date of my 19th anniversary. Our youngest child is now 19, the age of majority in Alabama, and attending the University of Alabama. Other than a few money squabbles back and forth I have no contact with the AH. Please remember that this man owes my parents $21000 plus interest for a truck they paid off at his request. We have been to court several times and each time he was told he owed them the money. Well a bit ago he filed for Bankruptcy in an effort to get out of the debt. He lied on the federal paperwork and the discharge was denied. Well NOW their maneuver was to send a letter to my mother, along with affidavits from their friends and my ex-in laws that basically make a case for what a horrible person I am. According to these papers I filed for divorce in May and they did not meet until June. Which is really amusing since they met in MAY and I filed in late July. All the documents are lies. Lies upon lies upon lies. The worst of the bunch was the fact that according to one of his sisters I was an abusive mother. She states that while she "never actually saw physical abuse", she knew that I was verbally abusive and that my children were terrified of me. Excuse me while I attempt to stop laughing. Bottom line is WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT YOU OWE AN OLD WOMAN IN EXCESS OF $24000? The stupid apparently thought sending these vile things to my mother would soften her up enough to accept $10000. Dude? Seriously?

HOBBLEIT

Ok, so there's a TV show I like to watch because of a particular pairing on there. Nothing wrong with that. I go on the internet and chat to other fans about it, all well and good. But some of these fans are starting to get a little bit too obsessed, I mean the line between fiction and reality has not only become blurred but has completely disappeared. It's just a TV show, it's not real life and I do not feel comfortable when these people not only slag of the characters when they do something they don't like but also slag off the actors playing them. I am very disturbed by this atm.

2X2

...is annoying me today. Grr. Arg.

PLAINJAYNE

If it's any comfort at all, I'm up too. Or I should say "awake." Not "up." Unless by "up," you mean something besides "not down." I am awake. This thought does not thrill me, any more than any thought might thrill me at the moment. Which is to say, not at all. Don't worry too much if I'm not making much sense to you. If it helps, I'm not making much sense to me either. I'm like this sometimes. Unpredictably melancholy. Sucks. But nothing can be done about it right now. It will just have to suck. So, what now? Well, now I have to dig myself the hell out. I have to take action. The wagging hand always gets the coin. And I've got to wag harder and faster than anyone else, whether I feel like it or not. No more time for this nonsense. No more time for this. No more thought to it. But it is easier said than done, isn't it? The path is never clear and my boisterous self-confidence has taken a beating. I am well and truly lost in the woods. I'm really trying not to think so much about it. There is so much that is beyond my control! I think on it too much and it makes my head swim. Maybe I should stop talking to my friend the preacher about shit--I didn't have this level of anxiety before all that got started. Or maybe I should be a little anxious. Hell. I don't even know anymore. Gotta pull my head out of the maelstrom, though, and get my shit together. I've got a lot of arranging to do in the next two weeks. It ain't gonna get done if I can't shake this...I don't even know what to call it. Need for a beer? Perphaps. Head stuck in ass? Likely. Here's hoping I get straightened out...faster would be better than slower...because this is really, really sucking. Could somebody maybe just shoot me now?

AURAPT0R

Nothing here...

PLAINJAYNE

Okay...progress so far: Haircut...check...much less scruffy now...$7 Self-promotion on phone...check...$a little piece of my soul Look on previous employer's face when they hear I'm not going to re-up...check...fuckin' priceless. You'd have thought I called out the gorram reavers on 'em! New boots to celebrate my freedom? $150 + tax. OK, so I'm weak... Not my best day ever, but not bad. I can eat Ramen for a week over new boots...

MAGHAFFAR

OK, so it's not strictly FF-related like my last one... but the pic was too good to pass up and I don't know no body else to share it with who might like cats.

PLAINJAYNE

I am in process of reading the New Testament (yeah, I know) because my new mom is convinced it will help me find my way through all this. I woulda said no, but she's my friend and I believe she's genuinely trying to help. So here I am. I am reading with an open mind. And it ain't helping. So far, all it's done is convince me that I am going straight to hell. As in, I wouldn't be at all shocked if a hole opened up under my brand new boots and a whole flock of demons come up and drug my ass down in it. Straight. To. Hell. Yeah, thanks. And if I don't want to go that way, I must force myself to behave in a way that is against my essential nature. The nature I was born with...the one that, if you believe, God gave me. I mean, what the fuck was He thinking? I don't even pretend to understand it. So, I'm guessing I just ain't ready for it. That's a shame, since my friend's faith is so strong and I agree that faith like that can be no end of help. I just ain't got it in me. She's gonna be disappointed in me, but she's just going to have to join the crowds. Lots of folks are disappointed in me. I got the nagging feeling that she ain't gonna be the sort to give up on the idea, hence "mom" or "preacher-mom," and I can respect that. She is at least able to talk about it without the drawing of weapons, which is a good thing. Some people can't. Anyway, I'm finding myself a little confused by all of it. I'm still pretty much a heathen, let's face it, and unlikely to change. But it certainly is something to think about. You don't often see that kind of true faith these days. I've met lots of folks who talk it, but very few who actually believe it, who live it. This gal, she honest-to-God lives it, and it's hard not to be affected by it. Even this wretched specimen here has tried to cut down on the swearing and slinging about of things...not always successfully, but the effort is significant. I don't want to offend. So, I'm still reading. My mind is still open. I will, if nothing else, be educated to something new. Something to think about besides the obvious state of my life is a welcome respite, but a short one. Today, I gotta start getting stuff packed and ready to ship home. No point in dragging my winter stuff around any more. Gotta have mom ship me some warm weather gear. It was near 70 yesterday, and I am ready to be warm again. Can't do much on a Saturday but try not to eat or sleep too much. So on that note, Travellers, I'm moving on. Cat says it's nap time, so I'll be in my bunk...

BLACKSPYDER

The 'Star Caller' journal has hereby been confiscated by Alliance Prison guards and been submitted as contraband to prison officials.

STINKINGROSE

I'm on to a NEW new job. We finally had a snowstorm! I was beginning to worry.. I'm having random scattered plot bunnies skitter through my head. (None Firefly related..)I write them down as soon as I can. I'm giggling to myself a lot lately. I'M STILL WAITING FOR MY SEQUEL, JOSS!! :blush: (I accidentally posted that in a message to myself. You know it's been a while when you forget how to update..)