Ozymandias

If at all possible, let me know the day(s) you'll be in my neck of the woods no later than two weeks beforehand - that's the rule for requesting days off at my job. Danke. w00tness. ^^

angels round the mound mourn the passing of a lad best brother-in-arms in farm or hall that they have ever had gold glints on the barrow in the light of the setting sun the hosts of heaven and dogs of hell gathered in silence for the one dog tired today; got way too much I still need to do around here, but tonight I gotta go to bed. This was just a little something I needed to get written before I forgot it. Don't much know what it means, but I like it.

Wyvern is right, and Oz would be thrilled if you're coming anywhere near Bowie, Baltimore, or Annapolis especially. But 'ey, keep me posted? :>)

Happy Birthday, Fuzzy. ^^ *huggles*

I still remember those kids leaping around the playground. :>) Thank you.

valley

day

Here's to 365 more days of happy writing and wolf hunting! Ah...except for Madame Tanny and Canid. Hunting our own wolves would be rude. ;>) Happy Birthday, Pat!

"I should?", came Oz's muffled voice from under the thin but superhumanly enthusiastic arm of Dros. The black clad lad chortled merrily and gave the old egyptian an affectionate squeeze. "Okay, okay! I should! I should!" Dros beamed, Nightfae smirked, Ayshela nodded sagely, and Daryl ran for his life from the pudgy little dwarf whose waddling was deceptively fast. "Dros...my trachea...I think I swallowed it..."

Congratulations, and thank you. It'll be a privelege. :>)

*hugs Ms. Cheyenne* Good to see you, even if necessarily briefly. Even better to find out you're coming back.

The quote is from Under God, by Toby Mac and Michael Tait. I'm happy to continue this discussion if you want to, but let's keep this thread on its' writing topic. Shall go to Under the Oak Tree, perhaps?

May 27, 2006 Rev: I am comfortable with attaching my name to pieces I have not yet read/watched in this thread because my aim for everything I put in here is simply to share my knowledge, however little or copmprehensive it may be, about whatever given topic I post upon (with a judicious amount of opinionating as well, but that should stick out from the facts pretty easily). Not much more to add today except for the section which I had wanted to include initially but forgot: What I have learned from Reading Meaning, what stories have taught me above and beyond the typical increase in vocabulary and general ability to imagine. Today, The Odyssey by Homer. I only realized the lesson that had stuck with me all of these years last month - There were several great warriors in the Trojan war; most notable among them (to me) were Ajax, the immensely strong, and Achilles, the invulnerable. Ajax was fascinating, because who isn't at least a little intrigued by the idea of having the strength of one hundred men? In the end, though, he was otherwise totally mortal. Achilles on the other hand was immune to all physical harm. With one notable exception. :>) Now that you've all glanced at your feet, I'll tell you what you may *not* know. Achilles got his superhuman durability from his mother dunking him in the river Styx as a baby. She made sure to coat him thoroughly, knowing full well what such a bath would do. And invulernerable he became, except for the heel of his right foot (I *think* it was right), where she had gripped him for his strange baptism. This normal heel on his otherwise injury-proof body proved his undoing in the form of a marksman with a poisoned arrow. What did all of this teach me? I had to smile as I realized, not even three weeks ago, that *that* was why I always rotated cutlery I washed, making sure that the farthest end of the handle (where I am wont to grip it) does not stay dirty. ^^

I do tend to trip over my words. "breathless search for adjectives", I believe Bill Watterson called it (in reference to Spaceman Spiff's narrating skills). Comes from reading so many comic books and listening to so many radio serials, I suppose. {:>) Shall have to hit that one when I have more brainpower and more time... (oh, and I'm glad you liked the Ubermenschen. ^^)

The way the adventure's been going, I'm not at all sure that everyone saw my character description after I posted it. So, just in case you did miss it, here you go.

No can do, Jin's in the middle of his major phobia (the dark) atm...he can *help*, but that's about it.

Jin looked as though he might be violently sick at any moment, but he still managed held onto his knife. Yeager seemed to think he had been asking for support, but the dwarf's quiet shame was that he had been calling for help as he attempted to flee the battle. The guilt and anger churned his stomach further, and the walls began to close on him. Three goblins armed with sword and sheild rushed at him as they spied the falter.

Ronald

"Halloo", says a head, attached to a neck, both of which have just peered 'round Wyvern's office doorframe. "I'm Ozymandias. Some people will tell you I'm the founder here, though that is still under consideration. What I can definitely say is, if you ever need anything, just ask. I'll be around." The old man smiles warmly from girl to boy. "I do hope you gain membership here, Dros. I look forward very much to finding out if you ever will set such wonderfully lyrical poetry to music, and what it will sound like. I have other pressing engagements at present, but remember, if you need me, just call. Ta-ta for now!", he finishes with a small wave, before disappearing again.

As Jin backed slowly into the nearest crevice, Rootmaker rumbled, "Stay your hands for now, friends. Let us see who this may be before we move to slay them." He shifted slightly, as though to adjust his view forward and at his back, Jin shrieked in sheer terror. "KEEP AWAY FROM ME!!!!!!" (Seothen/Patrick)

This thread is just a little something I thought I'd put up to share my knowledge of the latest in, well, literary (and some other) news. Anyone is free to contribute if they wish, but please keep it on topic. Any violation post will be relocated or deleted, as apropriate. Danke. :>) May 14, 2006 Books Eragon and Eldest are the first two books in a trilogy by a young man named Christopher Paolini. I have not had the chance to read them yet, but I have it on good authority from several whose opinions on good books I trust implicitly that they're pretty freakin' neat. Why do I recommend books I haven't even read yet? Well, these are his first two published books, they're both bestsellers, *and* he's finished two out of the soon-to-be three before he turned twenty one. I'll be proud to support the career of a man like that. Plus, the trilogy's about dragons. How can we go wrong?? ---- The Neverending Story will perhaps be forever the penultimate story about true love of reading. It's by Michael Ende, and is also one of the best fantasy stories ever written. At least in the U.S., this is a title you'll often find in the children's section of bookstores, but don't let that fool you. If either of the aforementioned facets of this book appeal to you, then this is your book, no matter how old you are. ---- Dean Koontz is most definitely worth mentioning here (thank you, Rune, for reminding me to give him his props!). Sadly, I cannot report on his latest works as I have not read them yet, BUT... This is the man who brought me to love horror. Consistent wild inventiveness in his heros and villains (read Cold Fire and Watchers for prime examples), as well as engaging, thrilling, and ofttimes chilling plots (the prime example of *that* in his work is one murder mystery that is terrific twice over: one, the true fear the story evokes is not the crimes the killer commits, but the extended look into the minds of the villains of this story, and two, you will *not* expect who the killer is...precisely because of the personality. I just wish I could remember the freakin' title! Even wikipedia isn't helping! GAH!) Lastly, read Oddkins, still one of the best stories/children's books/fairy tales I've ever read. It's an engaging mix of Toy Story, Labyrinth, and perhaps a little bit of Hellraiser. The paintings are quite good as well (even though I can't remember the artist's name). Hard to find, but well worth the search. ---- One more odd book recommendation in the form of Rainbow Mars, by Larry Niven. For those of you who know Niven, this is a good read *almost* on the strength of the fact alone that this is not hard sci-fi. It's almost fantasy. This is because it was originally a project begun by Niven and Terry Pratchett of all people. Their schedules did not mesh, however, before the years had passed and Niven had had enough ideas to write the whole story himself. Terry gave his blessing, and Niven finished it. Last, and most certainly not least, all of you fantasy/sci-fi geeks out there MUST pick this up, because it remains, to my knowledge, a totally unique take on time travel. ;>) Comic Books Bad news first. Marvel Comics has just mortally wounded one of the greatest Fantastic Four stories ever, in J. Michael Strasczynski's two-part lead-in story for "The Road to Civil War" (another current Marvel storyarc). It's not that Strasczynski's tale is poorly written; not at all. It's that it COMPLETELY @#$%&* IGNORES the storyline that Doctor Doom was last seen in, "Authoritative Action", a storyline which was in turn, the second to last stoyarc that spanned an epic that blew me away as a Fantastic Four fan, and as an avid reader. But it's quality is really irrelevant - what so deeply upsets me is that they ignored almost a dozen sequential issues of the comic, but paid heed to the REST of the story, to bring us a good BUT COMPLETELY CONTRADICTORY new wrinkle in this book!!!!!! That is simply sloppy, irresponsible business. ...and I *dearly* hope not sloppy writing, for Joe's skill truly is a gift to all who love to fantasize. He'd better not let it atrophy. ---- Though a problematic release schedule and lukewarm fan response have sadly thrown the formerly planned monthly title by the same author in to comic book limbo, still, Ultimate Iron Man, by Orson Scott Card (that's right, Orson Scott Card!!!!! You know - Ender's Game? Pastwatch? The Tales of Alvin Maker? Uncle Orson himself!!!)...is still avery, very engaging (and well drawn!) read. Now available in hardcover wherever fine geek print material is sold. W00t. ---- Finally, I have seen in my local comic book haunt, Twilite Zone Comics's bargain boxes a comic entitled Rex Libris, which is apparently a comic about a Super Librarian. I think the time has come to break down n' buy it. After all, it's only fifty cents, and I'm not THAT cheap. Television The Storyteller, Jim Henson's magnum opus, is a beautifully crafted and masterfully told series that took a different fairy tale/folk tale/legend from around the world each episode, and related it to us as only Jim Henson could. The acting, the sets, the music, the special effects, the dialogue, and most of all, the stories, were magic as few other television shows ever have been, or are. That is, until John Hurt, the actor who played the title role went and sullied his own good name, and some of the show's as well by attaching himself to the bitter, shallow, hateful movie called Manderlay - a cinematic vehicle whose plot was about black slavery still existing in the modern United States of America (in the movie, modern was the thirties). It was even directed and written by a man who, even by accounts of fans of the film, wanted to (and did) make a movie about the supposedly unchanged since the close of the Civil War racist attitude toward black people in America. Yay. I am going to watch this film to verify these facts, as soon as I may, not because I particularly like the sound of it, but because the imagination, innocence, and solid values of right and wrong of The Storyteller, and all of Jim Henson's work are that important to me. For now, I am saddened, disgusted, and angry. ---- On a lighter note, Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre is out on DVD. Six discs, twenty-six fairy tales, which are slightly different than the original (especially the Eric Idle directed "Frog Prince", starring Robin Williams in the title role. Best line from that episode: "You're very pretty - in your own bitchy sort of way."). It's the whole series in one box, and ranks way up there with the best retellings I've ever heard of the marvelous stories that've been retold for hundreds of years. ---- Japanese animated television has actually given bibliophiles a place to call their own. Though I am unfortunately two or three years behind the curve on this one's debut, I'd still guilt trip myself into mentioning Read or Die later if I didn't do it now, so I'll do it without the guilt, thank you very much. The miniseries is a terrifically drawn, scripted, scored, and voiced fantasy/sci-fi/action/adventure piece, with one of my favorite bibliophile heroines EVER, and the regular TV series only got better. Jsyk, the regular series (which *has* ended now, by the way) does veer even more heavily into the world of books and reading, and very rapidly becomes one of the most fascinating shows I've ever seen, as the story becomes by turns very Highlander, Faherenheit 451, The Matrix, and 1984. Read or die! I mean, watch or die! Movies We all know about the Harry Potter movies, so I won't worry about 'em in *my* posts. So...wish...I could get a million dollar handout from J.K. Rowling. What? I am, in the legal sense, lower class income, *and* a pretty darn pathetic waif if I do say so myself. How can you say no to this face? Huh? Yow. I'm loopier than I thought today. \:>| *shrug* ---- The earlier mentioned Christopher Paolini has a movie deal in the works for Eragon. No word yet on Eldest, or if anyone wants to commit to the entire trilogy in one fell swoop. I hope someone does, frankly. The world needs more books made into movies AND more movies about dragons. ---- Speaking of Dragons, are there any Gordon R. Dickson fans out there? In either the earlier eighties, or late seventies (I have forgotten) his novel The Dragon and The George was made into a damn fine (though more'n a little reinterpreted) animated movie entitled Flight of Dragons. Both book and film are well worth your time. It became the beginning of Dickson's series The Dragon Knight. I've never read any of the others, but The Dragon and the George is quite good. It's got time travel, astral projection, a castle siege, dragons, a damsel in distress, knights, and a wizard with an ulcer. ---- Further good news on the lit to movie front - Cornelia Funke (whom you may know as the author of The Thief Lord) has a movie coming out based on Inkheart - yet another nifty sounding book that is billed as children's literature (that I also have not read. Sigh.). It's a story about a fantasy novel that literally comes to life. The sequel is Inkspell. If I remember correctly, they too are about dragons. Hmmm. I'm sensing a pattern, but I'm not quite sure what it is.... 'til next entry!

Naaaah. Not as far as I can remember.

Remaining prone (in order to put the least amount of demands on his much-assaulted chest), Ozymandias smiles widely inbetween deep, thankful breaths. "Thank you, everyone. Never before has so much abuse let me know I am so loved." [and no worries about no RP, for those of you who didn't. Writing is one of the most wonderful gifts, but it's even better just to know I matter to you. Thank you, my dear friends.]

armstrong (archery...arrcheryyyy...aRRRRRRcherrrrreeee... * I've used Roget's thesaurus online, and Merriam Webster's as well. So far, nothing)

Quick! Make a noise like a goblin!