One Month In

So it's been about a month since I took over as the Anarch Coordinator. Not officially that long, but all the same.

So far, it's been interesting. Had a few headaches, like the issue of IC/OOC racism on the Rant List yahoo group. Lost several people to that thing and it was just a damn headache. Why can't people be more mature? And it's been a continuing headache essentially starting from scratch, having to claim territory, having to register NPCs (not done yet), build a team, write a Packet from scratch and so on and so forth.

But it's been good too, for some of those same reasons. I know the Anarch genre will eventually be in a much better place when I leave the Coord seat. And I know I've got a great team. I feel like I'm making a difference, even a month in, even if it is a silly little thing like the OWBN game.

So far, I'm liking it.

In Memoriam: Mr. Frodo

Mondy afternoon, we had to say goodbye to Mr.Frodo.

Friday evening, we noticed he was sick. He'd probably been sick before that, but we hadn't noticed. And when a cat yakks, well, it's not that unusual. But we noticed he was genuinely sick on Saturday and tried to give him fluids via an eyedropper. Did it again Sunday. And again Monday morning. But by the time I got home about 2 or so that afternoon, he was already going into shock and was severely dehydrated. I got him to the Vet pretty quickly after that.

He was so dehydrated that he was going to have to do IV fluids and antibiotics just to give him a chance. And that was $500 right there. Just to be able to take him home that night. Just to return him in the morning. I wonder if maybe we shouldn't have done it. But I did ask them to do the blood tests, and they didn't indicate anything conclusive. Signs of early organ failure, possible infection, or it could all just be because of the dehydration and nothing was shown.

So we had to decide what to do, and we decided that it wasn't right to continue his suffering. He was just too far gone for us to be able to help him, and it wouldn't be right to prolong things. My mom came down to keep me company until Amanda was able to get there.

It was just so sudden. With PJ, we knew it was coming for at least a couple of weeks. I had a chance to prepare myself just a little bit. This time, it was just sudden. We stayed there in the room, and I held him close one last time (like he ever let me do it while he was alive) while they gave him that final shot.

He was only about 3 1/2 years old. He was a rescued stray and even though Amanda picked him out, he was my cat as much as he could be called anyone's cat. He loved to play, he loved food, he hated being picked up, he was skittish around pretty much everyone, he loved to snuggle in the bed during the winter, he was stronger than any other cat I've met, he was just too young to go. He got his name (and was chosen) because Amanda had a dream about our other cat, Mysi, carrying around a black and white kitten and it was named Mr. Frodo.

Here's to hoping that my Mr. Frodo was able to sail on the white ships across the ocean too...

Behind the times...

So Halloween was great. Managed to finish things enough to put them in front of the father-in-law's house and they got some good compliments. Lorelei was incredibly cute as a pirate, she seemed to enjoy the whole thing. She was called the cutest one all night long. Her wagon was decked out in foamboard pirate ships and we had a Disney pirate CD playing, so she had theme music too. Amanda and I both dressed up too, so it looked like she had her own pirate crew.

Thanksgiving went well too. Went to the in-laws, but because of stupid family stuff and people having to work, it was actually quite small. Smoked up two turkeys and they came out awesome. Turkey, by itself, is pretty good. Not something I seek out, but not bad. Smoked turkey? Awesome. I have to move away from the bird so I don't continue to pick at the carcass.

And the other news? We're having another little girl. We found out Wednesday afternoon. I really wanted a little boy, and I can't help but feel kind of disappointed. And I feel bad about that. Because our little baby girl will be loved and wanted and taken care of just as much as Lorelei is.

Oh yeah, I also was elected to be Anarch Coordinator for OWBN in 2010. I've already started working on it and have a team together and the whole thing. So I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do this year to help build the genre.

Peace Prize? Really?

There's not probably anything I can say that hasn't been said about this. But Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize for what he promised to do is asinine. What is even more asinine is that the other reason he got it is because he's not GW Bush!!!

No, really. Go check the quotes from the committee. He was nominated after only 10 days in office. What the FUCK had he had a chance to do by then except rearrange the furniture and figure out the White House phone system? NOTHING!!! It's based purely on the election promises of a man who is admittedly a far better speaker than GW ever could hope to be.

But what is worse is that it appears to be a purely politically motivated rebuke of GW Bush. In other words, "Hey Americans, elect presidents we Europeans like and agree with!" Okay, so the Euros didn't like GW. Whatever. He wasn't your fucking president you liberal elitist snobs. To give Obama an "attaboy!" for simply being more agreeable to your own beliefs is bullshit. Again, so what if you like Obama? He's not your president, Euro!

There were 204 other candidates. I'm willing to wager that probably about 204 of those have at least DONE something to encourage peace and understanding other than speak some pretty words.

Running for office

Yes, that's me. I'm running for office.

Just the first step in my long-overdue plan for Global Domination. Where am I starting?

As a candidate for the office of Anarch Coordinator for One World By Night.

Anarch Coordinator, then Governator of Kaliforna, then President, here I come!

(in all seriousness, I'll have my application statement posted soon enough)

Better

So it's Sunday afternoon and I'm not feeling too bad. Yeah, I feel a bit like Frankenstein's Monster with the 14 staples and it still does hurt sometimes and I am limited in my movement.

But I'm feeling better. And that's a good thing.

14 staples

I now have 14 staples, holding closed an over 3-inch long incision just below my belly button. Which no longer protrudes like it once did.

I feel like I had a mini C-section. It hurts like hell, the pain medication given to me doesn't work very well and it's absolute murder getting out of bed. You have no idea how much your abdominal core is utilized in everyday activities, even something like walking. Crap.

I was hoping to attend Back To School night, but I just don't think I can do it. It's tomorrow evening, so I might feel better, but I'm doubting I'll be up for it.

The worst part, aside from the sheer pain and difficulty of moving, is that I can't do, or can only barely do, some of the basics. I was afraid I couldn't put pants on today and was quite proud of myself when I did manage it. I know it's a process and no one just bounces back to total normalcy after any kind of surgical procedure, but damn.

I know men are all kinds of tough, but I now concur that if men had to give birth, humanity would be in trouble.