A Two for One Special!

Hey, You Get Two for the Price of One, This Week Only! 

Hey, a Jordan Con update and the regular update. Just when you thought you couldn't handle more of this stuff, you get two blog updates in one night. The prior updated page is the Jordan Con update, so you can expect to only find a recap of the Jordan Con stuff and lots of pictures. This however is your regular update, so you can come here to find all of your RP needs!

But wait- where is the other update?

Well, I had it done, then had a good suggestion come in for an addition, so I took it back down. I'll announce when it goes back up, but for now, be assured that you have two blogs coming, this one and one other that shall soon follow.

What's going on this week? Well, let's get out there and find out, shall we? 

What's Happening Valucre?

Marked Men- I always try to plug in a good idea a couple weeks in a row and this one is both a good idea and one that appears to still have some room left in it. Celinc City, a city always ready to overcome adversity, nurtures an environment designed to help any succeed and as such, a side effect is that it helps the criminal undercurrent flourish. Tired of the warring clans frequent spars spilling into the streets, the magistrate has decided to put an end to the rising swells in a sea of blood, by offering bounties to those who can stop them. However, this time around, you can also play the bad guys, should that be your wish. The choiceis yours!

Questers Needed- New member has a new idea and it sounds pretty good. Up in the cold mountains, a character must find six vital components to save her life and her innocence. A dream has given her directive on which way to proceed, but for now, it needs some members to help fill the gaps. Any one from any side of the spectrum is welcome- so help, hinder, you decide.

Sea of Scrolls- Are you in need of a powerful scroll, one capable of unlocking secrets of the past? Of course you are, what character wouldn't find good use for such a thing! In Adaveil, a castout cleric of Gaia created such a scroll of power, one that forges itself as a key to the past and will provide great insight into any one thing, at the risk of your sanity. Care to quest for it? Well, get some more details over here.

Friends and Enemies- All characters need friends and enemies, and this work in progress is no exception. Born with both celestial and demonic bloodlines in the family tree, this rare specimen has been blessed with the luck of inheriting qualities that aren’t too polarizing, thus allowing the child to live and grow without destroying itself. Only, now there are forces that wish to sway her toward one side of the other, and will seek to destroy her once she chooses the other side. If you got a character concept that fits this, it just might be the RP for you. Check it out.

A Step in the Right Direction- A newly founded ‘Golden Coalition of Terrenus’ has decide to put the kibosh on unlicensed use of magic- that’s right, if you are in one of the four affected cities, you might find your character under arrest for using magic that isn’t licensed and approved. This certainly will change the dynamics of role-play as time marches onward, leaving one to wonder if the people will take it easily or if there will be friction and resistance. Check out this Daily Weekly Article to find out the IC information and then decide how you want to proceed.  

Valucre Awards Debriefing: Still Going- Most recent vote has come to an end and the results are posted up in the thread. You can expect the next stage of discussion to begin soon.

Other Highlights?

Advanced Search Settings- Have you noticed the gear button near the search bar? If not, go look for it on your Valucre page. Once you spot it, if you click it, you will find the advance search settings, which will make it a little easier to find the stuff you are seeking. You could also click this here link too.

Did You Know-  About the World Bestiary? If not, you are definitely missing out on some great resources for RP monsters. I suggest you go click this button now.  While you are at it, read the rest of the Did You Knows too. 

Closing Thoughts?

I guess jetlag is still hitting me hard, for I started off this night doing alright (I wrote did a good write-up for the as of yet unpublished final Jordan Con update blog) and now I am going downhill fast. My brain just feels like it wants to shut down and that nothing is going to help me get through this. I have been trying to get my brain to switch focus and get back to writing, but today, it is not going to happen. I cannot even get myself to read the thread I have selected for featured read of the month- and it has nothing to do with the thread (great thread, great writers) and entirely to do with me just being out of sorts.

For this week, I will link you to a great article I saw and call it the closing thoughts. I will postpone what I wanted to write for next time.

Sorry folks, you deserve better, but I am gassed.

-          Acies   

"You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we’re doing it."  ~ Neil Gaiman

First Update: Busy Busy Busy

Well, that first day was a doozy. My day started out with all kinds of problems with my rental car situation, but that got sorted out eventually. Korrey’s flight got delayed, so Raze and I went ahead and went out to the house, so that we could get our stuff put away and packed. The first to arrive here with us was Die Shize (Jordan)- and yes, he is just as random in person as he is online. We all went back out to the airport to pick up Rounini, and while there we found out Stone arrived as well. We made our way back into Roswell to get things uploaded and to meet up with Cody, and soon we were back on the Freeway to go back to the airport to pick up Amber.

Atlanta Freeway traffic at 3:30?

30min drive took more than 90. 0_____O

Eventually, we made it back and got her back to the house- and so everyone was here! It only took the majority of the day. ;P

At this point, we decided we had to figure out a food option, so while Stone was at a Director’s Dinner, we headed over to Red Lobster and chowed down. After this, however, we made the intelligent decision to go stock this place up with some real groceries. Less than $19 per person for a weekend of meals? Not bad at all.

I was gonna work on the blog that night, but after all the running around, driving, and then shopping, I was ready to just crawl into bed and call it good. And so that is what we all did, and all of us ended up oversleeping our original planned times to get up- go figure!

Now, the interesting bit here is that Stone got to know Jordan a little better than the rest of us. At some point in the night, the two of them ended up in the same bed, and well, rumor has it there was plenty of cuddling too. So, if anyone is looking to ship some people- Die Shize and Albiero- plenty of fodder there to start. 

So, Friday morning, we dragged ourselves out of bed, made a quick breakfast and got ourselves down to the con. Korrey and I hit up some panels while the others went to check out the art shows and other features in the Con. Stone was out being his director self, fending off questions from less than knowledgeable members along the lines of “How much extra did you have to pay to get a badge that says director?” Yeaahhhh, people.

With the con put behind us and Korrey having been awesome enough to slip back to the house to get us dinner going, we all bolted down to the store to get Amber her desperately desired sugar and my form of crack (ice cream). We discussed options, settled on watching a movie, and I went to work on some homework while “Brotherhood of the Wolf” played on the tv- you can tell Amber picked the movie out, because it had wolf in the title.

BIG MISTAKE

Amber will no longer be allowed to pick out the movies. With terrible dubbing (French film dubbed in English), it was cheesy, disjointed, terribly voice acted and just plain confusing. We spent more time making fun of the movie than actually watching the movie, but it’s alright, it made the night fun. Other than that, not much to report today.

Lame blog is lame, but I can only give you what we got. Smaller group this time around and we were all sluggish today, because Thursday was just one hell of a busy day.

We’ll see what comes in time. 

Pics!

Memories That Became Legend

And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again...

That the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and so it is for those brave travellers who venture from comforting homes and into a world of both danger and glory that they should go in pursuit of the next great age. From the hidden reach of a world thought to exist in imagination alone, a wind picks up and moves in all directions. The wind is not the beginning, for there are no beginnings or endings with the spinning of the wheel. But it is a beginning.

Once again I come to you from an airport terminal, kickstarting the blogging adventures from the dusty roads (er, perhaps smoggy airways) of travel. Other than a mishap with a beverage and my sinuses once again giving some uncouth oaths (half the hearing in my right ear is currently amiss, while my head throbs), but that should clear in time. I have spoken to another fellow traveller (aside from my lovely companion of course) and it sounds like that he too faces adversities that will require all of his mettle to overcome. Be it as it may, let no obstacle stand between a man and his destination.  Instead, let it become the exaggerated details of a grand journey taken in spite of the hardships. 

I suppose I don’t have much else to add in that regard! I might have a car rental issue when I get to Atlanta (this will go live after we touch down, so hey, if you are reading this, we are already there!)  or it might be sorted out, so we’ll see. While awaiting further updates, why don’t you see what else is happening around Valucre. Just because a handful of us decided to take off for some awesome adventures doesn’t mean your RP experience has ended- nay! There are no endings- just an ending, with a new beginning. ;)

What's Happening Valucre?

Association of Assassins- The Association of Assassins- sounds like we’re turning everything into an incorporated entity these days. Don’t get this mixed up with the AA for people who fight to take their life back from the bottle, these folks aren’t looking for twelve step programs but to perhaps take 12 steps on a prospect’s throat. Tired of living in a world where the good always die young and the bad keep taking control? Join up here and see if you can make a difference.

Marked Men- Celin City, the city that refuses to bow down, but with great resolve rises from the ashes of each tragedy to have befallen it, it is only natural for such a place to attract the most inspirational thinkers and most ambitious criminal element. The unfortunate byproduct of an environment designed to help any succeed is an environment suited to help the criminal undercurrent flourish. Tired of the warring clans frequent spars spilling into the streets, the magistrate has decided to put an end to the rising swells in a sea of blood, by offering bounties to those who can stop them. But wait! If you do not care to be on the side of the law, you have opportunity to stand and fight against these upstarts, showing Celin City who truly controls things. The choiceis yours!

Renovatio's Artifacts Updated!- If you are out to collect them all like a pokemaster chases pokemon and an antiquer looks to acquire one of everything, then you have another place to start looking for things to add to your horde… er… collection. The list is updated and new items are to be found- click and see!

Bold Intentions- Egads, it looks like a quest thread for an Aeonblade has gone sour due to the disappearance of an active participant, and so we got a member in need of some help in chasing after it. If you want to join the search for legendary blades in the cold mountains (and do so with a fantastic role-player) you ought to think about acting… boldly. [Yes, I am going to hell].

Valucre Awards Debriefing: Still Going- Still got that poll up, but this will be the last week for it. I would like more turnout, but I am not going to keep pushing something that people aren't interested in nibbling. Who knows, maybe this one smells like used gym socks stuffed with onions and garlic. If so, no wonder why people are dodging me. 0_o Poll is here.

Valucre/Jordan Con- Heyo, I'd be remiss if I did not spell this out clearly: A bunch of Valucre peeps are meeting up for good times, shenanagins, and writing panels! This blog will be (attempting) to update nightly with pictures, news, and other stuff. If there is anything you want to know, make sure you let me know. ;)

Other Highlights?

VMumble- If you missed this, I will be forever convinced that you sleep under a rock. Top of the Valucre page, you have a link to Vmumble and a link to the explanatory thread that tells you all about it. Chat service for Valucre? Yep. Unmoderated and unofficial? Of course. Use it at your own risk.

Did You Know-  About the Open Threads? If not, you REALLY should. Open RP threads are open to anyone to join anytime- a great place for RP prospects. More info here.   Find more "Did You Know" content by following the tag. 

Closing Thoughts?

It’s a bit of a cheat, but I wrote the following for a reflection in my communications class (technology based communication).  I realized as I wrote it that it was a reflection that would fit the blog and tied into what is going on this week, so here it is. I’m cheating, but look at how busy I am- can you blame me?

Probably, but you shouldn’t. >____>

 

 

As I stated in the introduction post, my first encounter with computer mediated communication occurred years ago, when my parents first met (mother and stepfather) on the old ‘party-lines’ or BBS boards. They met through these lines and associated with their friends through these means, both friends they knew in person before the party-lines and friends met through them. As a child, I had a fair understanding of how they worked in principle- using a phone line, my parents (and my uncle too, actually) had conversations with people by typing messages with a computer instead of speaking on the phone. At the time, I thought it was an interesting thing, but I had no idea what it would lead into eventually. 

By that, I mean nothing sinister or ‘foreshadowing’- just that who could have predicted that the internet would become what it has back in the early 90’s? What the internet became forms the backdrop to a significant part of my life starting in my high school years, and so I guess I will just tell it as it was. I think it will serve as the best way to show just how I have used it in my life and will continue doing so. That say, forgive me for the length.

How I have used computer mediated communication in my life has changed a little as I have grown up. I started out with an email account I could use to talk with my grandfather (he lives in Boise) and to exchange emails with friends. In junior high, the internet was beginning to expand more, but I missed the early days of chat rooms, my use of internet access heavily limited and supervised. My first taste of internet communications (as I use them now) came in the summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school, while I was taking a summer course at Chemeketa. I used the library for research, and while doing so, looked into things that interested me (the big leaping point here was dungeons and dragons).

I stumbled on to a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) forum and was taken with the idea behind a community who sat around and discussed D&D, created new material for the games, and even had a text-based game going. I kept the address in mind and remembered it later on when I used money from my first job to buy my own computer and pay for a share of the internet. I went back to that site, registered, and become an active member- this being March 2003. 

In October of 2003, a new member joined our site, telling us about these terrible bullies on another much larger site, one known as Ayenee.com, or ‘dot com’ to the members from those crowds. Ayenee got its name from the old Yahoo chat rooms, as people created a sort of running story and world in the “Arts and Entertainment” rooms, or A&E- thus, “Ayenee”. People here used to participate in chat based RPGS until yahoo shut down the majority of their rooms.

The young man who came to us clearly suffered from developmental disabilities, so we were especially irked by the fact that people were bullying him, so we went over to harass their members- what would be called ‘trolling’ in the current day. Only, my friends and I found another side to the story, one of frustration with dealing with a young man who was determined to run a section of the website that he was incapable of and was at first informed of this politely, but their patience with him wore thin. Hanging around a little while revealed a rather impressive group of people who put serious work into their role-plays, which was great to me- I loved RPing and writing.

Ayenee itself was an up and down experience, one that came with great writing but a great deal of trolls and just particularly rude people- but then, the member base was 15-20 years old for the most part- it makes a difference. The best thing to happen to me happened because of that site, so I cannot complain about the bad times. My friend from high school became a moderator and associated with another moderator, who lived in Eugene. In March of 2006, he convinced me to use one of our spring break days (college at the time) to go down and meet her. So we did, and we had a blast, though it was she and I who really hit it off.

We’ll be celebrating our eight year anniversary next month.

Years went by, but poor management too its toll and the site began to hemorrhage members, to such an extent that by 2010, only a few of us tried to keep it going. A friend of mine informed me she had moved her role-play to a site called Valucre, one I had heard of because my girlfriend was associated with them. I decided to finally migrate over after Ayenee began its death throes, and to this day, I am still there. The community is much smaller, but it is growing, growing every day, and I think a combination of experience, older member base (early to late twenties now) and better management has made this site become so much more stable.

The endearing friendships made led to a small meetup of members at a writing convention (Writing for Superstars), which led to another planned meeting. This one was starting out small, but the invitation was put out for others to join. After looking at my tax refund, I jumped at the chance, and soon we had fifteen members going out to meet each other instead of the originally planned few. We met in Roswell, Georgia (Just outside Atlanta) for a convention to celebrate the life and works of Robert Jordan (Fantastic writer) and to attend writing panels. We got to hang out, attend a ‘White Tower Ball’, put up a live webcam feed of our group hanging out together and allowed members who could not make it a chance to come hang with us- it went extraordinarily well.

It led to me meeting another gentleman who could not go, he coming to Washington for his job, so I drove up and we bonded over air hockey, steak, and chess. In the summer, another group of us went down to Big Bear Lake in southeast California and stayed in a cabin. We spent a week hiking, exploring, and just having a great time. These meetings have all been extraordinarily successful, and it has now come back around for another trip to Roswell, where new folks are joining some of us old folks.

Okay, long story put down, here is how this all works out:

I use this platform to communicate, in so many more ways than I ever could have dreamed of without it. I have met people from all over this country and from outside it (one member at Jordan Con last year came from Canada). I have had meaningful and deep friendships with people from both here in the United States, but Australia and Greece as well. With these people, I have had the ability not to just share occurrences and small talk with them. We talk about philosophy, ideas, culture, morality, expression, dreams and much more. We communicate not only about ourselves and about the world around us, but in our communicating, we share art. My passion for art (of all kinds) would take pages more to convey, so we’ll leave that for another time, perhaps.

Sure, computer mediated communication serves me in everyday life- chatting with my parents, sending emails at work, keeping up on the news, but it has also done much more for me. So, how do I use it personally?

I use it to reach out to a world far away from me, and then bring right to my doorstep.

-          Acies   

"If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing in writing, then don't write, because our culture has no use for it."  ~Anais Nin

Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wife

That Archiver is in violating all the threads...

It has been a quiet week- too quiet if you ask me. I don’t know if it has much to do with upcoming events, the time of year (finals week just blew through) or if that dreaded archiver that our fearless leader accidently set upon us had much to do with it. I mean, here we are, minding our own business, doing that RP thing, when from out of nowhere, leaping from the shadows with teeth bared and eyes full of rage, it kidnapped our topics and started stuffing them in places we could not reach. It feels so violating, and here I thought the only thing I needed to worry about looming outside my window was this blog- now we got another monster on the loose.

Perhaps a hero will come, to slay the beast or at least put it away for good. That, or someone should disable the damn feature so Carlos won’t push anymore shiny buttons- although, this means we might need Tebo to be that hero, and if that’s the case…

Annnnnnyway, what I said (despite the jokes) is true- this has been a slow week. Total posts for the year are down lower than any other time this year (and 2^nd worse since last year) and the water cooler just has a rehash of old stuff I’ve already featured at least once, if not more, so it really feels like I don’t have much to offer you guys this week. I’m gonna do the best I can, but likely there isn’t going to be much good stuff this week. That’s okay, because it will just leave you hungry for next week. What is it next week- are we going to try and take over the world???

Hardly anything that ambitious- we are talking about Valucre members after all.

No, next week is JORDAN CON, AKA THE UNOFFICAL VALUCRE CON!

Who is confirmed to be showing up this year?

Well, repeats include:

Me (Acies)
Raze (The Hummingbird)

Stone (Albiero)
Amber (Fallen Joy)

Korey (Rounini)

Karina (Aleskei)

Ryan (Ran Iji)

With new appearances including:

Cody (Praetorian)

Steve (Indica Apostate)

Jordan (Die Shize)

Who knows who else might show up at the last minute, we’ll have to see. It’s not quite as big of a turnout as last year, but it should still be interesting. And yes, there will be plenty of blog coverage.

All that said, let’s see what is going on…

What's Happening Valucre?

Goblin Games- Well, figure I will plug this in again. If you enjoy gambling, we have an opportunity for you! Drop some VB and see if you are the lucky one who can win back your bet and a good sized chunk of everyone else's. The rules of the game are simple- purchase you some tickets at 5vb apiece and give three numbers (from 1-6) for each ticket- so ticket #1 might have 6,4,3 and the next 6,5,6. If one of those come up when the house tosses the dice at the end of the week, you win 80% of the pot. If nobody wins, the pot carries over into the next week and the winnings get bigger. Follow the link for more info.

Isélyr Lore Masters- One last plug in for this, just to ensure it has received adequate exposure. Looking to get involved in Lore writing? Why not start out by helping develop the lore of a land with much room left to work on. Go to this thread to take a look. 

Terrorist Attack on Aelindra! Rewards Involved- A wanted terrorist from Terrenus has just entered one of the larger airship hubs in Aelindra and used a strange device to render most incapable of movement. This hideous sound machine emitted a sound with such intensity that there are reports of people with ruptured ear drums. Further, reports have also come in that that at least one airship has been rendered inoperable and that there is at least one death- if not more. Aelindra’s special task forces are getting involved, but the promise of a reward has already been issued! If you:

Subdue the Terrorist until the arrive: 125vb (formerly 500vb value)
If you slow her long enough for them to remain on her trail: 75vb (Formerly 300vb)
If you gain information that proves to be a valuable lead: 50vb (formerly 200vb)

Watch out, she is armed and dangerous!

Valucre Awards Debriefing: Still Going- Got another vote up in place for people to take a look at and give us some feedback on what has been discussed so far. I would strongly suggest you drop some votes and give us your take on things. Poll is here. 

Other Highlights?

Donate- Some people ask how they can help out with Valucre. Well, sometimes we have staff needs and sometimes we don't. Sometimes our staff needs are things you can pitch in with and sometimes they aren't things in your skill set/interest. In either case, another way you can help is to keep the site afloat. If you ever have a few bucks lying around, feel free to kick it at Valucre- you get points out of it too. There's a tab the top that will take you to the donate thread.

Did You Know-  About the Storyline board? If not, you should, because it is a useful tool. Go read up on it over here.  Find more "Did You Know" content by following the tag. 

Closing Thoughts?

A thought on writing, albeit a shorter one to go with the shorter theme of the week (this just being that I am still not feeling great, damn lingering cold). We tend to set lofty goals for ourselves- this idea that we’re going to achieve this level of expectation and that everything will just fall into place thereafter, right? Isn’t it funny how we can put so much work into laying out a schedule and structuring and planning, and just when you think you have it full proof- something messes it up. It might be something in your schedule changed. It might be that something came up. It just might be that very familiar condition we call ‘human nature’ that has interfered with our goals.

It is easy to think that once we have something planned, we’re going to stick to it faithfully, from the very start. Unfortunately, this it almost never goes this way. The path to building a long-term habit is a bumpy and treacherous one, often filled with pitfalls and opportunities for relapse. The same is said and brought up with addictions counseling- we have to realize that we are human and sometimes we goof up. Of course, in this case I am talking about trying to acquire the addiction and habit of writing, not shaking one, but it often works out the same way. We talk about it, think about it, and even plan for it- but sticking to that writing schedule, especially one new and young- well, that’s an entirely different thing.

Plan for your failure, and be okay with it.

Not failure as in- “Well, I screwed that one up. I guess I am okay with never reaching my goals”.

No no no.

What I mean is, just a failure to make it the first time. A failure to achieve your loftiest goals on the first run. In fact, that word failure has such a negative connotation to it, I want to toss it out. For things like this, we will not refer to them as ‘failures’ but instead call them ‘missteps’. You did not fail in your writing goals, you only had a misstep.

After all, we recover from missteps all the time right?

Well, some of us still might fall on our asses anyway, but in general, when you trip, you either recover or you get back up. I am going to assume that you do not sit there on the ground, fuming about how this world has stacked the deck against you and left you wanting in skills and abilities that allow others to successfully navigate their homes. No, you might curse a little or even laugh, but you do get back up. Though the moment has caused you some annoyance and perhaps even a little embarrassment- you still get back up. You still go on. You still go wherever you were going, not letting whatever tripped you up stop you from reaching that place. Hell, if one we to ask, you might say,

“I’ll be damned if I will let tripping over my feet stop me from reaching the icebox and getting into my ice cream.”

Okay, that’s more likely me, but anyway…

You persevere and that is what you need to do anytime you have a misstep in anything else you do. A newer school of thought in addictions treatment is to create a plan for when you have a misstep. Not if you do, but when. Assume it will happen, so you can have a plan for recovery or ‘catching yourself’ and to be prepared to forgive yourself. Forgiving someone else can be a daunting task, but forgiving ourselves for perceived failures of our own- now there is a monumental challenge. Make it easier on yourself, and prepare for that possible outcome. Hell, just embrace that you will make a slip-up somewhere and that you are going to be okay with it. The slip-up is not a sign of a failed attempt at success, but just another step on that road towards your goals.

Now, let’s make this clear in how it applies to writing.

We say, “I want to write for an hour a day.” For that first week, you do just that- you stick to your time and sit down at your computer and pump out words for at least an hour a day- whether it’s working on that hot new manuscript, your life’s work, an autobiography extoling your greatness or just trying to keep up on all your posts. On the eighth day, however, something comes up. You thought you were going to get to it, but that thing you forgot about interfered. Or, you got invited out and stayed out longer than you intended (or perhaps drank too much). Or you just did not feel like it.

So you screwed up. The writing didn’t get done and now you’re there being hard on yourself, probably feeling sorry for yourself while you’re at it- lamenting your inability to stick to such a simplistic schedule and task. It’s easy to beat yourself up- I mean, are you going to fight back? A two sided fight with yourself- that’d be a bloody outcome indeed. So why fight back? Why not curl up and taking your lickings and then swear that you’ll never reach those goals?

Because it’s unproductive.

You don’t need to engage in a fisticuff with yourself if you prevent the angry half of yourself from beating down your door in the first place. Look them straight in the eye and politely inform that other half that, “Yes, I am a human being and I have had a misstep. This is my contingency plan, and we will soon be back on the wagon. It is okay, and I forgive myself.”

Sounds simple, because it is! Doing so will only be as hard as you make it out to be. Don’t make it a daunting task for yourself- lay out your back up plan and get back on track.

It’s only a failure if you give up. Otherwise, it’s just a misstep. ;)

See you next week folks (From the plan and then from Atlanta, whoo!)

-          Acies   

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."  ~Winston Churchill