It’s time for installment number three in the Sand and Dreams brainstorming. Since it’s been a while since I last GMed much and I’m starting simple and gradually adding layers and detail with each adventure, I hope this will act as some amount of encouragement to newer GMs who aren’t sure they’re up to all the work a campaign entails. There’s nothing wrong with starting small and working more in as you get inspired to do so.

(All right husband o’ mine, once again, this is where you go read something else!)

Technorati Tags: AD&D, D&D, d20, Dungeons & Dragons, undead, roleplaying, rpgs

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EXALTED finally! Well, not me. But part of Christmas we spent on Warcraft hanging out with a dear friend, and we finally got him to exalted with Argent Dawn after many long months of grinding. We also kind of tricked him into getting MC attuned–we weren’t sure we could do it with just the three of us, so we told him we were going into BRD to farm elemental cores and dark iron scraps. Then we took the route to attune, and it worked out. That was fun. I also took part in one and a half UBRS runs to help someone work on their Valor set, and ended up with a green santa hat. Woot!

Another day or two and Selene should be able to get her cone-collar off! Her wounds are healing nicely. She has a line down her fuzzy belly that looks like it might well scar, but most of the scabs are gone. It’s so strange to realize she might well end up with scars from an allergic reaction.

Sit. Stay. DIE. Dark T-Shirt

Technorati Tags: cats, Warcraft, World of Warcraft

I love our version of Christmas. My husband and I stay home and relax. We do pretty much one thing that’s special–we set aside all chores and just enjoy ourselves. Whether we want to watch movies or TV, play Warcraft, work on a project, read, or roleplay, that’s what we do–all day. It’s so incredibly relaxing. This morning we hung out with a friend of ours in Warcraft for a while, and then I played solo for a while while my husband works on his campaign. Now I think I’m going to do a little work on my campaign. Because of how I work, it’s often easiest for me to just talk about the plotline and such in a very conversational manner, so blogging about it seems perfect. (Husband of mine, once again, this is your cue to go read something else now.

Technorati Tags: D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, d20, roleplaying, rpgs

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Vacation starts tomorrow for me and goes through next week, so don’t expect to hear much from me around here.
I gather cafepress has been on the receiving end of a bunch of DoS attacks this week, so also don’t be surprised if you have trouble getting to gamers’ heaven or caffeinated chicanery. It sucks that someone would screw over every single person running a shop there or trying to shop for last-minute gifts there, but there are always asses in the world happy to ruin someone’s day.

Have a merry holiday-of-your-choice, folks! Best wishes to everyone!

I tend not to discuss celebrities because, well, beyond having a train-wreck fascination with their headlines on FARK, I really don’t care what most of them are doing. Kevin Federline, through those headlines, has sort of become a poster child, however, for exactly why I loathe the whole “celebrity culture” phenomenon. Let’s face it–he got famous because he married someone famous, and he’s been leaching off of that ever since with the aid of his mile-wide ego. Therefore, I do have to pass this on, because it so beautifully expresses my feelings on everything.

Weird Al’s ‘interview’ with Kevin Federline:

Above link naturally found on FARK.

I’m on ur server
farmin ur goldz

Technorati Tags: Kevin Federline, Weird Al

I finally got to reviewing Bejeweled 2 Deluxe, one of several favorite games from PopCap.

I think that’s kind of it for the morning. Why does it feel like Friday?

Songs of the Undead Dark T-Shirt

Technorati Tags: PopCap, reviews

Well, at least I did manage to post a review of Bookworm Deluxe in the reviews blog. I’m still waiting for the doctor to call back, after having called twice, and still waiting to hear back from customer service about that missing package. I know folks are busy at this time of year, and I feel badly (particularly with the customer service folks) for being a pest, but I’m running out of time in both cases. If I need a new prescription I have to give my pharmacy at least a couple of hours to fill it at this time of year, and if I have to order something new to get to those friends, I really need to be doing so now if I want any hope of it getting there by Christmas.

Why is it the holidays always get so crazy, anyway?

Obligatory Edit: This is why I love the King Arthur Flour Company Baker’s Catalogue. They re-sent the order to arrive in just three days, despite the fact that this appears to have been entirely the fault of the post office, and they did it without any fuss or anything. They’re such a wonderful company. This is why I’ve been shopping with them for 15-20 years, ever since I actually lived near their store.

And, tomorrow I can pick up my new antibiotics, which I gather the pharmacy had to order. The doctor was ‘concerned’ about trying to find an antibiotic I could take, so we went with an old one that isn’t very common any more but that has never given me any trouble before.

Well the antibiotic for my ear infection hates my stomach, but I called my doc more than two hours ago and still haven’t heard back (sigh). A gift my husband and I had sent to some good friends was supposedly delivered Friday (according to usps tracking info), but has not been seen. Not that this surprises me mind you–I still remember the time last year when a postal delivery person lobbed a small package into a snowbank in our lawn and walked off. If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t have even known it was there until Spring. It was soaked by the time I got to it, and to add insult to injury, it was meant for our neighbors across the street and a house or two down, not us (and no, the address wasn’t wrong or illegible). I’m still waiting to hear back from customer service at the company I ordered it from. I’m a huge fan and long-time customer (as in I think I’ve been buying from them for at least 15 years), but I don’t know how much they can do if the post office claims they delivered it.

I did manage to get a couple new designs up at cafepress, but then my computer locked up (I swear this thing is dying a slow death), so I think I’m going to quit while I’m ahead. Here are the new designs:

Technorati Tags: holidays

I’m afraid this year’s gift guide for cooks was way later than I intended–watching over Selene followed by a week of fever really changed my plans. I apologize, and with any luck it’ll be much earlier next year. Hopefully you’ll still find it handy for birthdays, last-minute ideas, and the all-important question of what to do with those Amazon gift certificates!

Speaking of which, gotta drop in a last-minute plug for those, ’cause I know as a recipient I just adore them (especially since Amazon sells so much more than books now, and I can take a single gift card and go buy books, kitchenware, a bookcase, cat furniture, software… you name it, they probably have it!):

Technorati Tags: cookbooks, cooking, cookware, gifts

Okay, being sick all week and falling behind on work is one thing.

Being sick and having to call off our monthly trip to friends in Virginia to play D&D because we worry that at that date we’d make the entire family (including kids, and that would be mean) sick over Christmas is rotten. I was really looking forward to seeing them this weekend.
In good news, Selene’s healing up nicely. Her big scabs are coming off and revealing a narrow strip of wound underneath, which is much smaller, so we’re treating it sparingly with hydrogen peroxide, keeping her collar on (although several times now she’s somehow managed to untie the gauze tie and slip it off, clever minx that she is), and looking forward to things healing up enough that she can have her life back to normal again!

On the plus side I now have “Libris Mortis” for D&D (arrived this morning!), so I should be able to work on more of the arcplot for the campaign I’m creating.

Technorati Tags: AD&D, D&D, Dungeons & Dragons, roleplaying, rpgs

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