Pippi and Such

Bob found this link today, which tells the awful truth! about Pippi Longstocking. ;-D I am shocked, I tell you, shocked. No wonder I've turned out so naughty!

I'm feeling better--allergy medicine kicked in. Weather has turned cold and will remain so for the rest of the week. Supposedly the in-laws are coming soon (tomorrow? Next day?), but they haven't actually bothered to tell us which day and when, which drives me up a wall.

Finishing up another scroll, this one as a thank you to the Busted Lift, which sponsered the Irish Fest and also lets Riverwatch meet above their pub every now and then. Celtic style, even did some knotwork (elementary knotwork--I really need to keep working on it). The colors aren't quite right (aka what was used in period), but my yellow finally dried up, so I stuck with red, white and green primarily. And yes, I will get it scanned in with a link. Hopefully this week, depending on what else we're doing.

Bob's taking the week off, for the first whole-week vacation he's taken in two years. Of course, we can't afford to go anywhere, but that's okay, we have plenty to do around here this time of year.

Would social blog, but no one seems to be talking about anything that I can comment on right now! Lately, I'm falling back into my Harry Potter obsession again--just in time for the movie! I finally got Bob to start reading the books! He's in the middle of Chamber of Secrets right now. I think he's wanting to run a Harry Potter GURPS game at an upcoming convention, provided he has time to design one. He's currently obsessed with yurts and has grand plans to build one before next summer!

We've got, what, another month before our next X fix?!

Saturday, October 19, 2002 08:27 p.m.

Peace and Quiet

Well, the folks are leaving first thing tomorrow morning. It's actually been a good visit. We went boating on the Mississippi today, which was more fun than I thought it would be. Bob really loved it. He's such a Viking at heart!

Now things slow down again for awhile, until next week when the in-laws come to visit and we re-wire the house. Arrrgh! Stress! But at least there will be a few days of quiet so I can get my equilibrium back.

Still feeling blue, not sure why. I want to sleep for at least a week, but life doesn't let you do that. Maybe the quiet will help, though. But part of me wishes the in-laws would cancel their visit. Bad of me, I know, but this pace is hard on me!

Okay, enough whining. Of course, I'd feel better if someone was to write some sickeningly sweet Kusanagi/Yuzuriha romantic fic. I need some WAFF in a big way!

Monday, October 14, 2002 10:45 p.m.

My heart is blue

We did the demo at Irishfest yesterday. It went fairly well. We were kinda afraid that the weather would turn against us, but it wasn't as bad as predicted (although it did get a little cold!). I mainly tried to do calligraphy/illumination, but they didn't get us the extra table and every time someone bumped the table (which was often), my pen would slip a little. Hence, the stuff I was working on is now useless for anything further except doing demos or practice. Ah, well, no biggie. Practice can be a good thing.

We have the one fellow who has and who continues to be extremely irritating. I can ignore the sarcastic comments about my age, but when he's sitting at our booth making out with some girlfriend of his, or waving around a real sword when a cop is standing just a little ways away, dammit, it makes the rest of us look bad. And somehow, I'm the one who ends up saying something. I'm not his goddam mother. Heck, I'm not anybody's goddam mother. I guess I resent having to be the heavy simply because no one else wants to speak up.

A couple of people said a couple of things yesterday that really hurt my feelings. Someone said I was "sucking up", which is so totally untrue. I was shocked because it was the first time I'd even met that person, and I can't believe she would say something like that. Bob, of course, says blow it off, that some people today mistake politeness and courtesy for something other than it is. I suppose. But it still hurt my feelings.

I guess I get my expectations too high. I enjoy SCA and I wanted to have a group here so others could enjoy SCA too. But what I didn't take into account is that SCA can be enjoyed in many ways. I'm quiet. I like to make things and talk to other people about making things. I really love history. Some folks prefer SCA because of the party culture (which does exist). Some use it as a power game. I guess I was naive to expect to find a lot of people around here who were in it for the same reason I am.

But I'm being gloomy. There are a few, and these are the few people I can really relax and be myself around. Otherwise, I'm afraid I come over quite badly. And that makes me sad, especially to think others might think badly of me. It shouldn't bother me. But it does.

Don't mind me, I'll feel better soon I'm sure. Going with the folks over to Galena today. It's a pretty drive and the town is darling. Hopefully, that'll cheer me back up.

Sunday, October 13, 2002 07:05 a.m.

Stop! I wanna get off!

What a zoo this week has been. My folks are in town (fortunately camping in their RV--I'd be completed fried if they were staying here). Riverwatch has a major demo on Saturday at the Irishfest. Yesterday was our anniversary. So I'm rushing here and there, touring with the folks, helping get things ready for the demo, doing a quicky webpage for Riverwatch so folks can find us, etc. Bleh.

The Riverwatch page looks amazingly like this one. Mainly because I just used this one as a template. I'll work on a more original one after things slow down (probably in November). Due to the strange rules of the SCA, I can't say the page belongs to Riverwatch. It's MY page ABOUT our contact group in Dubuque. We're not yet recognized by the SCA as we have not yet jumped enough hoops or something. I guess I remember a time when you DIDN'T have to jump through so many hoops, so I'm more than a little impatient with the bureaucracy. SCA is due for a major overhaul in the rules department.

But when you get past that, it's a lot of fun.

Ammie-chan, regarding your musical ability, only one song comes to mind:

She plays the viooliiiiin,
She tucks it right under her chin,
And she bows,
Yes she bows,
For she knows
Oh, she knows
That it's hey, hey, hey-diddle-diddle
God bless the girl who can fiddle
My strings are unstrung
I am undone!

A slight adjustment from 1776,, the best musical ever written about the making of the Declaration of Independence!

Sorry, couldn't resist! ;-D

Sats-chan! Got your letter! Thanks so much, I needed a smile. Went to a couple of shops yesterday with my mom, down in Cable Car Square. There's a shop called the Yorkshire Rose that sells English imports, including tea things. I immediately thought of you! I did buy a mix for Lemon Poppyseed Scones, so we'll see how it turns out.

Dang, must dash. Taking Mom to a couple of parks today. Dad's going to stay in and watch TV as he's exausted still from the drive up here.

Am going through X withdrawal...when's the next segment due out anyway? Not that Kusanagi is likely to show up, but I can enjoy seeing the others for a brief time...

Friday, October 11, 2002 08:13 a.m.

Red Dragon and other stuff

Went and saw Red Dragon yesterday. I hit the early matinee while Bob was at work so he wouldn't have to go with me. I like psychological thrillers, Bob's not real keen on them! Dang, what an excellent movie! Not as good as Silence of the Lambs, but that has more to do with the story than the quality of the actors, script or direction. (Silence was a better book imho than Red Dragon).

Anyway, it was really well acted, with extra snaps to Ralph Fiennes as the troubled Francis Dolarhyde. Edward Norton does well with Graham, but Graham is a cypher and difficult to like. Anyone else would have butchered the character. Emily Watson is fantastic as Dolarhyde's blind love interest, a feisty woman who doesn't want anyone's pity. And of course, Anthony Hopkins continues to scare the bejebbers out of everyone with his portrayal of Hannibal Lector. The script was very faithful to the book, and the direction was excellent...especially when I jumped in my seat! And that's knowing the story going in!

Saw the strangest music video the other day. There's this show called Revolution that is on the International Channel. It's mainly Asian music videos, hosted by this rather ditzy gal who looks to be wandering around Canada or something. I don't usually watch the show, but I was finishing up the scroll was I working on and needed something on. Anyway, there was this video, in one of the Chinese languages (I can't tell them apart, only that they are Chinese as opposed to Korean or Vietnamese or Japanese). Anyway, it starts off with this wedding and a guy looking rather uncomfortable at the alter, then there's this gal who's out on the street looking unhappy, and she just starts running. And I'm thinking "Jeez, how cliched!"

But wait! There's more!

So this gal is running, and she passes some doofy-looking guy doing boxing exercises, then steals his shoes! At this point, the video caught my interest. Anyway, more running, some guy at a fish place starts running also, more smaltzy music, then the groom at the wedding chokes during the vows and turns and runs out of the church. More running. Little dot lines crossing a map of China. Finally, the running gal and the groom spot each other and run towards each other and...

Wait for it...

The gal runs past the groom and behind her, the fish guy approaches. He and the groom hug each other and share a kiss in the setting sun while the running gal just keeps running.

Brilliant! Why can't we get videos like that in America?! Too bad the music was mediocre...

Finished the scroll. Gave it to a friend to deliver, hopefully on time. It turned out okay, although I messed up by adding a tree in the background. It needed something, but I can't draw cherry trees (at least Japanese styled ones) worth a hoot. It looks like a flowering oak. The warrior figure (based off an 18th century benizuri-e) came out pretty well. The hiragana looks like a kid wrote it, no "style" to it whatsoever, but I'm used to working with a pen, not a brush. However, I don't think the kid getting the scroll will care. It was an experiment, some parts of which worked and others not. That's the joys of doing AOAs (Award of Arms)--they don't have to be perfect. People are just thrilled to be getting a scroll. Anyway, Bob scanned it, so I just need to adjust the image and post it, which I'll do later this weekend. Please, Sats-chan, don't laugh too much! I'm not very good at painting! Oh, and I'll get this image readjusted so it doesn't blur as much. I'm doing web-stuff this weekend, so it shouldn't be a problem!

Saturday, October 5, 2002 06:18 a.m.

Inspiration or Procrastination?

So, did a new layout, this time using a lovely pic that Satsuki-chan did for me. (Used with permission, of course!). I feel all artistic lately. Actually wrote a bit this morning, too!

I think this is due to the fact that I volunteered to do another Award of Arms scroll for Northshield. (Despite the fact that I actually live in Calontir. Go figure.) This one is a Japanese design. I've transcribed the English text into hiragana--I'm now working on the actual calligraphy. I promised to have it done by Saturday, so of course I'm working on web-stuff instead. @@

Anyway, I'd better get back to it. More later, when I feel like goofing off again...hahaha!

Tuesday, October 1, 2002 07:25 p.m.