Gaming Convention & stuff

The Siege, in Chattanooga, was fun. However, due to the rockfall that destroyed part of I40, we had to dip down to Atlanta, instead of driving there directly. Naturally, the trip was a bit longer as a result; but not too bad until a power line fell across both lanes in SC. We were stuck in one place for about 3 hours. Really, we didn't move more than 1/2 a mile.

It was great to see Diana & Colt again. I gave Diana the present I had not wanted to mail. It's a framed section of hieroglyphics and mailing glass like that makes me nervous. She liked it; even more she liked that seeing it had made me think of her.

Last night's Mutants & Masterminds game was combat-less. We explored the dome city and figured out what they were doing. Mostly, we talked about the upcoming Traveller game. David is wrapping up is M&M game and wants to run a Traveller adventure over the summer. After that, he wants to run a sort of Space 1889 Stargate game.

I was a little tired at the con, so I started a scrunchy. I've loaded the shuttle 4 times (3 times in the picture) and I'm only about 1/2 way around the elastic. I can't remember who came up with this pattern (I've given her credit elsewhere but I'm too tired to look it up) but I love it. It's just 2 rings and I can do it half-asleep.

One of my friends asked if I could make a bracelet using some beads that she has. I came up with a design, but I need to test it before I start using her beads. I'll make that my next project.

Here's a pretty picture. If I was more coherent, I'd post more, but I've been shorting myself sleep all week. It's caught up to me. Hard.

A Literary Cause & other stuff

Feel like helping someone read? Why not help fill the wish list for one, or both, of the high schools here.


After the complete lack of success at going to the gym on Friday (no gym shoes), I was quite relieved to go walking on Monday. Since the weather is so nice, I decided to enjoy it by walking outside. My walk got interrupted by some work stuff. I walked about 20 minutes, but it was not continuous.

Yesterday was more successful (no interruptions). I walked for 20 minutes before my arches started cramping quite painfully. I will stretch  more today & stick to the dirt paths. That seems to be better for my feet than the brick sidewalks. The scenery is better, too, as I was walking through an arboretum. I saw a few photographers, a couple other walkers, and some folks just enjoying the peace and quiet.

Promoting a cause, Gaming & Links

  Support rape crisis centers and enter to win an Advance Copy of Red Hood’s Revenge, by Jim C. Hines.
I'm a sucker for a good cause.

Gaming: Looking for some old school D&D fun? Here are some classic adventures, available for download.

I ran a 4th edition (D&D for those who aren't in the gaming community) last night at a FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store). I got there late, thanks to missing my bus. I started as quickly as possible as the mod looked like one that would run a little long. I was right, but managed to wrap things up 4.5 hours later, more or less.

I managed to bloody someone every combat, so I did my job. I challenged the PCs and gave them a fun game. We were well into the second combat when the warlock (woman seated next to me), finally managed to hit something. She needed some help, but she connected. I led a round of applause for her. It drew the attention of the other tables, especially the one in the next room that was playing the same adventure.

Crafts: Autobiographical tapestry (I bet you never thought you'd hear those words applied to anything this century)

Websites I found interesting:
I drool over this house
She posts a Gaelic phrase everyday on Twitter, & now she's offering a song on her blog
Know someone who loves photography? Then maybe you should get this book, Who Shot That?, about the photographers taht shot some of the most iconic photographs.
I watched this video & I'm still not sure that I believe it. It's mostly in German, but words are pretty much unnecessary. It's about 9 minutes long.
This is a really neat (& fairly easy) way to do watercolor stencils. She did a portrait, but I could see trying other scenes, too.

Lots of links and some pictures

Ouch, sad blast from the past. I was checking my email address book and saw the address of a deceased friend. Sudden, sad reminder of the fact that he's not on this plane anymore.

Oooh, contest to win books and stuff from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.

This is an incredible idea and shows what two people can do and how they can change the lives of other people; one stove at a time.

Some geek soaps and stuff. Personally, I love the d20 soap on a rope.

Hey they have School House Rock on YouTube. Here's My Hero, Zero.

Chatty DM has a thoughtful and reasoned editorial about traitors in the geek population.
And another great editorial on racism in sci fi/fantasy. Take your time. Read the editorial and the links. It's worth it.

And here's before and after pictures of a bench.

BEFORE

A

AFTER

T

The bench as a whole

And here's my loot. First is one of the bags from dragonchow. It's stuffed full of sugarfree hard candies, to fight the drying effects of the pollen.

And here are the threads from LadyShuttleMaker. They are Plum Tickled, Raspberry Mousse, and Marina. All of them are size 20 cotton. You can see why I'm drooling, can't you.

Thank Goodnes It's...Tuesday?

It's hard coming back to work after a long weekend. And the weather was so beautiful. I would like to have seen more of it, but I started my spring cleaning. I've been so tired since October that not much got done. I started with the boxes that I saved for Christmas, 'to wrap presents.' We have a small bin and large rolling trashcan for recyclables (yay, no sorting). Even broken down, boxes take up a lot of room. By Monday, if I'd filled that bin full one more time, it would not have all gotten into the trashcan.

Tatting: I finished a couple of TotusMel's cameo pendant in that green. The second one turned out better than the first. That's not surprising, is it? Which do you think looks better, the round one or the ~oval one?

I started another one in red, but half way 'round the chain, the core thread is unraveling. I'm worried about it breaking, now. The thread is about perle 5 & very old (see the label? That company apparently went out of business in the 1940's). The color is 12505, sort of a Christmas red.

 See the threat? See how untwisted it is?

Here's what I do with the thread left on the shuttles. 

Gaming: We found where a loose end went at Thursday's M&M game. We just need to tie it off. The GM (David R) plans to wrap up the campaign this summer. Then he wants to run a short Traveller game. I haven't played Traveller since I was in college, or maybe high school.

And that's all, for now. Dun-dun-dun