InsaneJournal continues to be down, but should be restored today. In the meantime, here are the things getting me through the mid-week slump.

1. I made a giant batch of soup last night, using this super-easy but tasty recipe. (Just a note - I find it a little too salty, so you may want to add plain water.)

2. I made a semi-impulse buy and ordered a coffee maker and coffee grinder yesterday. I don't drink coffee on a regular basis, but I have been drinking it more lately; and this way I won't have to make a trip upstairs to the coffee stand every time.

3. Work on the Warmakers 4-koma continues. It's slow-going, because I'm so not good at humorous art ... but hey, it's a new skill to develop.

4. My BPAL order arrived! I still have to go pick it up from nekokoban, but ... my BPAL order arrived! :D Also, I'm wearing Bengal today, and while it's not my one of my favorites so far, it's still quite nice.

5. ratzeo is running game on Sunday!

The month arrived in typical Seattle fashion: we got snow on the first day (which by itself would be unusual), but then the temperature jumped 20 degrees over the next two days and now we're hit with heavy rain that has already flooded one building on campus. Oh, Washington. ♥

My luck being what it is, I was outside Christmas shopping when the snow started on Saturday. Since that was the last day I could dedicate to shopping before the party this Saturday, though, I soldiered on. But I got everything I needed, woo! And it wasn't so bad, really; the snow was really pretty and I was adequately bundled against the cold. ratzeo also pointed out that we were experiencing the commercially ideal scenario: spending lots of money on Christmas shopping at Pike Place Market on the first day of December in the snow. XD

The idea of going home and enjoying the snow from inside was tempting, but ratzeo and I had tickets to see The Vinyl Cafe at the Moore Theatre that night. And it takes a hell of a lot to make me miss a show. ;) The Vinyl Cafe is a traveling Canadian radio show that alternates between hilarious short stories and awesome musical guests, and we got to see Danny Michel (who was lots of fun), and Allison Russell of Po'Girl (who was just wow). A perfect introduction to Canadian culture for a heathen American like me. ;)

Sunday we had a Warmakers session, which was just awesome. And we also earned a promise of fic from irishninja, our illustrious GM. XD

Today ... Well, today is a Monday, and it feels very slow. I'm feeling paranoid that I've been infected with whatever sickness has been travelling around my office, so I'm guzzling tea and vitamin C in the hopes of fighting if off. *sigh* And my weekend was so nice ...

Title: In the Flesh
Characters: Sae and Reika, mentions of Gunnar and Ichiro
Warmakers Adventure: 14
Word Count: ~3,300
Summary: Sae's sister is her twin, but that doesn't mean their bodies are the same. Sae likes her Guardian powers, but that doesn't mean she's comfortable with what her body can do.
Notes: All of the twins' conversation comes from an email RP with shadawyn.

( Still on the B-52 ... )

Title: Long-Distance Communication
Characters: Sae and Gunnar
Warmakers Adventure: 14
Word Count: ~1,200
Summary: The Guardians are chased out of Tokyo by devils. Gunnar and Sae have a chance to talk. Both things are pretty scary.
Notes: Much of this fic was co-written in an email RP with ratzeo, Gunnar's player, and involves a minor retcon of what happened during the adventure.

( Having a low Charisma means you tend to put your foot in your mouth. Having a high Wisdom means you know it. Neither one makes you a better conversationalist. )

It's a wonderful day today, and here's why:

1. It's Friday, duh.

2. Tonight I'm going over to watch Doctor Who with nekokoban - the last episode of season 1, and probably some of season 2.

3. Cathartic cooking! I don't know what it is, but cooking my own meal makes me feel good. Something about following the steps to get a desired result, which makes me feel both productive and fulfilled.

4. I've spent the past two days geeking with shadawyn about Warmakers stuff (irishninja's game) both over email and in-person. Fleshing out the backstory for our characters (who are twin sisters), RPing some conversations between them, and drawing fanart.

5. I've also been RPing with ratzeo over email. Since this is something like our fourth or fifth game together, we've decided to try RPing a romance between our characters. Unfortunately ... both of them have negative Charisma. XD;; ratzeo's character has both negative Charisma AND Wisdom, which is even better. And finally, both characters are teenaged. The result? Hilarity.

6. shadawyn, evil temptress that she is, just shared SilverJewelryClub.com with me, a site which offers designer jewelry essentially for free (for real). I haven't gotten anything yet, but I have stared at a lot of shiny things.

7. Tomorrow I'm going to dinner at The Melting Pot!

Edit for myself: Okay, self, you are not allowed to order any more jewelry until you actually receive one of your orders.

Squeaking in under the deadline of tomorrow's adventure ...

Title: Reflections, Distortions
Characters: Sae, Reika, and a little bit of Miya, Gunnar, and Ichiro
Warmakers Adventure: 12 and 13.
Word Count: ~3,200
Summary: Reflections aren't always accurate; reflections can be stretched, bent, distorted, depending on the mirror. The same image has infinite possibilities for change.

( Sae is reflected in those around her. )

So, if one were particularly dorky, one might have imagined this fic representing an "episode" of Warmakers that centers on Sae's character development, the way that a lot of anime series dedicate an episode to individual character introspection. There would be a lot of artistic still shots and blank screens with text, a la an episode of Honey & Clover or Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou. The text would be anonymous, yearning questions, such as What does it mean to be different? and How do I change myself without you? And maybe the opening scene, with young Reika and Sae, would be echoed in a closing image of two hands, larger than children's, letting go of each other.

But only if one were particularly dorky. ;)

Teenage angst (and delusions)! Mommy issues! My Warmakers OTP!!1!

( Limits )

Another Warmakers story, taking place during Sunday's adventure, in which Sae retrieved her fated Guardian artifact. Includes introspection regarding Sae's role as a Hero of Destiny, as well as some geeky references/foreshadowing about her class progression.

As always, thanks to irishninja for a great adventure.

( Tests )

This weekend I got to hang out with kyonkun, which was nice because our schedules have clashed and we haven't really hung out much since I got back from London. ( Harry Potter and shopping )

And now for some game blather. XD ( Hunter and Warmakers )

Today I finished Jose Saramago's Blindness, a book that lilisin sent to me months ago for my birthday. ( Book review )

Oh, and tonight I might actually get started on that London recap I keep promising. :P

It's really bloody hot in my house.

... Which apparently triggers my brain to write fic for Warmakers (irishninja's game). Who knew.

Takes place during Episode 9, "Trained to Kill," wherein our heroes are interrupted on their train ride to Moscow on their way to continue their holy quest. My character, Sae, is usually very reticent during game sessions. So I made her talk a lot.

( Compromises )