psychosomatic. That boy needs therapy.

I trimmed my list. (And sent off appropriate notes to those that I felt obliged to remove, for one reason or another.) It’s sad, because I really liked those folks, but *TIME AND TIME AGAIN* there’s involvement with a LJ drama. That seems counterproductive. This whole “you’re friends with X, so you can’t be friends with Y” nonsense is right out of grade 2. So, forget it. I’m sure I’ll be adding some back later (If they’ll have me). but for now, I’m just not dealing with it. Lakme pulled that silly stuff with folks I liked reading last time around. I still sometimes wonder if she ever confessed in her journal to her colossal mistake, and character assassination. I figure the current hot air will stop blowing in a few days…. but it seems its the same group of people every time. I wonder if a more permanent decision isn’t more reasonable. A shame so many of them are so likeable. A couple of rotten apples wreck the party for everyone…(If I’m allowed to mix cliche & metaphor… it’s my journal. I’ll say yeah.)

Karate is a form of martial arts in which people who have had years and years of training can, using only their hands and feet, make some of the worst movies in the history of the world.
-Dave Barry

*laughs

oh, the IMDB mentions folks atthe mystery men hiring party – any others?

Powerwoman, Powerwoman, Supervacman, Reverse Psychologist, Mr. Pups, Waffler, Mailman, Pencilhead, Son of Pencilhead, Little Miss Vengeance, Squeegeeman, Maintainer, The Artiste, Big Billy Hill Billy, PMS Avenger, Radio Man, Gorilla, Evil Devil Woman, Globalman, Gardener, Bullfighter, Stilt Man, Fisherman, Thirstyman

for my sweetheart…(and myself)

Beautiful Dreamer
Stephen Foster

Beautiful Dreamer, wake unto me,
Starlight and dewdrops are waiting for thee;
Sounds of the rude world heard in the day,
Lull’d by the moonlight have all pass’d away!

Beautiful dreamer, queen of my song,
List while I woo thee with soft melody;
Gone are the cares of life’s busy throng

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

Beautiful dreamer, out on the sea,
Mermaids are chaunting the wild lorelie;
Over the streamlet vapors are borne,
Waiting to fade at the bright coming morn.

Beautiful dreamer, beam on my heart,
E’en as the morn on the streamlet and sea;
Then will all clouds of sorrow depart,

Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!
Beautiful dreamer, awake unto me!

story seed? it’s true!

At one point, Beijing was a walled city. In ’69, for fear of impending Soviet attack (note the era: Cultural Revolution), Mao had them taken down to provide bricks for a network of bomb shelters.

The resulting “underground city” was designed to house 300,000 people for 4 months. Although foreign tourists are allowed to see them, no Chinese are admitted. The little-known entrance is just a bit south of Tiananmen Square.

In a semi-related note, there is continuing construction on the city’s subway, with the junction stations seemingly finished, but the lower levels are in a state of filth and unkept disarray, devoting no effort while they wait for a tunnel that has yet to arrive.

a shame ckirk isn’t around lately.. I think he’d appreciate this.

From who-knows where – I’m lucky it wasn’t me –

I may as well share the Worst Character Concept Ever, submitted to me by a prospective player in a Champions game I was going to run (but never got off the ground):

The Superlative (Invincible, Indestructible, etc.) Hammer-Wheel.

The Invincible Hammer-Wheel’s power is that he has hammers for hands and wheels for feet. Or it could have been wheels for hands and hammers for feet. The player himself wasn’t sure, but my mental picture of the character is a man with monster-truck wheels plugged into where is arms should be, who drives up to villains and kicks them with his sledgehammer feet.

Here’s basically how the conversation went:

Player: I hear you’re running a superhero game. Can I play?
Me: Sure. Do you have a character concept in mind?
Player: The Invincible Hammer-Wheel!
Me: Uh… (keep in mind this was to be a “serious” supers game)
Player: He has hammers for hands and wheels for feet! Or, wheels for hands and hammers for feet. I haven’t decided.
Me: And how did he come by these “powers?”
Player: He was born that way.
Me: Must have been rough on his folks…
Player: He was raised by farm implements.
Me: And his motivation for doing good?
Player: He lives in the woods.

So whenever people bring up their “worst concept” horror-stories, all I have to say is, totally deadpan and monotone, “The Invincible Hammer-Wheel. He has hammers for hands and wheels for feet. He was born that way. He was raised by farm implements. He lives in the woods.”

With that, I’m going to bed.

night-night.