Baron Samedi

[size=1]I woke early this morning, before heading down towards the docks. After breaking my fast at the Lucky Salt, I visited the hide that I'd left on my last visit to Tortuga. Most people with a knowledge of the world would know what a hide is, but I'll explain it to you, and consider you a student in the world of men. Most people of dubious...means, shall we say, are always prepared for any eventuality, and as such, a small store of goods, be it gold or other important items, can be hidden in central locations. My Tortuga hide was located in a disused warehouse, where lay the rotting remnants of some farmer's harvest, along with a small ballista frame and some small terracotta pots with hidden payload. All of this was wrapped in bukly canvas to protect it. I hired the services of a feth-boy and his cart to help me take it down to the docks. Biney gave me some argument about the ballista [I neglected to tell him it's contents]. The Cap'n waived Biney's objections, though I think I've not made friend of the wiley old cripple. I'm hoping that I can use my old friend to the best possible degree, and therebye gain some favour with the Cap'n and the rest of the crew. ----- April 17, Year Being 1662 of Our Lord, [I]Tommorrow morning upon the waning tide we set sail, off fer a life o' pillaging an other such high-minded affairs. The salt in the air sings to me o' blood and gold, and the wind in the rigging is sweet like the call of a barwench. Oh aye, tis a sweet life to be a gennleman of leisure. Today the new Cap'n let rip with a 'strordinary lil' speech, which had me ears singing I can tell yeh now. When the time came to board, I was afeared of not being able to take me little friend with me...ya see, I wouldn't be leaving without it, no sirree. The hide was still good when I went to pick it up too, which is a mighty great blessing I tell's yeh. The cripple seemed reluctant to take it on board, me being so secretive an' all but a quick word in the Cap'ns ear set it straight. Me precious greek fire an I will be shipmates after all. Bit awkard getting the frame through ther hatch, but she's done well. Until the morrow, X[/I] ---- As he set down the quill, and stored the ink-pot back in his pack, he fondly patted the bulky frame nestled amongst other packages underneath his hammock. ---- OOC: Hope this is all good. PM me if you ever have a problem with my posts. [b]Edit[/b]: Live action/pseudo-journal included. I don't know how well this works, and I imagine I'll refine the style as this story furthers, but at least it's more information now Drix ^_^;[/size]

[size=1]Currently I am reading "[B]The Deepest Sea[/B]" by [I]Charles Barnitz[/I], which is a story about a young viking, torn between Thor's Hammer and Jesus' Cross, and his travels across the changing face of the eighth-century world. This'll be my third or fourth run-through in around 5 years, which gives you an indication of how much I enjoy it. It is a really interesting and enjoyable book to read, and if you're interested in a novel that crosses fantasy with history, then this is for you. It's relatively short [540 pages], but it is very, very good. It is a book that leaves you feeling somewhat empty and bereft once you've finished, which is an indication of how good it is. Another book I'd recommend would be the play "[B]Death Of A Salesman[/B]" by [I]Arthur Miller[/I], who actually died a few weeks ago. That is a beautiful play...I'm not reading it at the moment, but it deserves a mention.[/size]

[size=1]If you are referring to somebody in a post, use their name instead of 'he' or 'she'. With most people it is fairly obvious 'what' they are, aside from the ambiguous cases such as Azure ;) In all fairness, I don't think it matters. If anything, a little note inside the profile would be adequate. I don't think that cluttering up the postbit with what is essentially unnecessary information is worth it.[/size]

[size=1]I don't know how you all can stand to have icons all over your desktop o_O Anyway here is mine. Feel free to drool, but please mop up after yourself. [url=http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/15066124/]Clickety-click-click.[/url][/size]

[size=1]As a true blue Aussie, I can assure you that we don't actually talk like that. Surely Steve Irwin will spend all of eternity rotting in the seven hells for perpetuating this stereotype. Yet, that aside, this is a great piece of writing. Very enjoyable to read, most amusing, and it uses the stereotype very well: you introduce the characters through our prior awareness of such templates. Great work Alex. I enjoyed this immensely ^_^;[/size]

[size=1]And so the pale man began his story, irritability fading from his tongue. "There was once a school of fish, and in this innumerable school of fish, head count 2304, there was one particular fish, the unfortunate subject of this story. One day, when the school was on an excursion far out into the Big Blue, this particular fish [as we shall call him, fish being unfond of Pronouns], dared to venture beyond the safety of the reef, and into a small valley. As this particular fish descended down into the valley, he noted that the water grew ever more cloudy, and the silence ever more intense, until he quite truly felt that he was being deafened. But his graceful descet had become an undiginified slide, as the slow gradient of the hill became a sharp cliff-face. And as this particular fish fell, he fancied that the deafening silence was actually a song. A song for the deaf surely, for who could listen again after this? Abruptly the water became clear, and he found himself lying on soft grass, in soft sunlight, and most suitably, enraptured by the soft music coming from that glade just ahead of him...soft music in the form of pan-pipes, and as the fish ventured closer to this magical, implausible glade, the silhouette of a young boy shone through the thin stand of trees.[/size]

[size=1]As long as you have some form of release, it doesn't really matter. Crying is an instinctive reaction that many people have. But if you don't have the urge to cry, it's not like it's a bad thing. It's just something personal.[/size]

[size=1]Common logic should tell you that throwing yourself into another relationship won't help ~_^ Which only leaves one option: to buck up and keep living, lol. The quicker you can accept what he meant to you, and that it is over, the faster you'll be able to move on and put it behind you.[/size]

[size=1]More masterful writing, Methuselah. The smoothness with which you inject various plot directions and openings is incredible...I can see something potentially coming a problem for Alan and Hevn. In fact, the only real problem I have with any of the writing in this episode is the first paragraph at the murder scene...if I were you, I'd take a look at that, and try to word it a bit differently. Can't wait for more ^_^;[/size]

[size=1]In direct reply to your first post Charles, you have a point [and a good one] but it is invalid. Sure, this thread could head in a different, more serious, and more practical direction, but I don't think anyone here is well enough acquainted with many people to judge how useful they'd be in such a situation. I don't know the height to weight to body fat to muscle ratio of anyone else on OB, and as people on an internet forum, I couldn't really care. I don't know how many of them have been in isolated drops, or been in Scouts, or been camping. And I don't care. I could easily name a number of people IRL that I would take with me, due to their intelligence or strength. But if I rattled off their names to you, would it mean anything? No, it wouldn't, and as such I don't think this thread was ever meant to constitute anything more than a fun little 'popularity' contest, and I don't think it is capable of sustaining those kind of serious, thoughtful posts. Anyway, I'd choose three people to take with me, provided our aim was to get off the island, not to start a civilisation: lcrisler, desertranger and Mitch. The first two I don't know at all, but an army guy, and a ranger? I'd be set. Mitch works out often, and is an intelligent fellow. He'd be good as well. Provided we all got on well, we'd stand a good chance of survival, I think.[/size]

[size=1][quote name='Lore']That's actually the primary reasonable argument I've heard against vegetarianism (and it always amuses me that people, unattacked, feel the need to defend that they are omnivorous--clearly, that is the norm; you don't need to explain yourself). Simply that the human body is designed to eat both meat and vegetables, and many people (including, but not limited to, teenage girls who want to lose weight), when "going veg" don't know enough to eat healthily when avoiding meat products.[/quote] What about vegetarians/vegans [everyone knows that they're two different things, right?] who call those who eat meat 'monsters' and ask us how we can possibly 'murder an innocent animal'? You get reasonable people who feel that vegetarianism is the way for them, and you get unreasonable people who feel that vegetarianism is the way for [b]all[/b].[/size]

[size=1]Furthering Shinmaru's comment, you haven't used some of the blatant "We're stuck in an Internet world" type practices, such as PM's etc, which really makes this story seem serious, and fit in with the whole tone of a murder mystery novel. Plus, the fact that you don't have random humour [whether or not said random humour is pulled off well >_>] littered throughout your story is refreshing. Shame I didn't see this before the Nifty Fifty.[/size]

[size=1][b]Insomnia[/b] Sweating, Patrick lay on his back, trying desperately to lull himself into sleep. His back itched, his leg ached, and his sheets were damp with perspiration, [b]was he never going to get comfortable?[/b] He?d been lying here for five hours, and still sleep would not arrive. Yet, as this crossed his mind, his eyelids weighed down? [/size]

[size=1]On recommendation from Alan, I checked this out. And boy am I glad that I did ~_^ Stellar writing, you set the whole atmosphere incredibly well. In addition to your great use of situations etc., you actually develop characters and make them believable and realistic. Very impressive work here... I'll be coming back for more.[/size]

[size=1]Great writing lol. I felt that the Introductory paragraph was a bit rocky in terms of capturing my interest, but the rest was pretty good :)[/size]

[size=1]General acceptance has come over most people by now, and many interracial marriages wouldn't even raise an eyebrow. There are some older people who would probably disagree with it [especially white & black marriage], and even less younger people who would disagree with it. But essentially, nobody wants to seem racist, so most people keep their objections [if they have any] under their hat.[/size]

[size=1]I was getting hammered by it last night, and ironically enough, it took me six tries to get into this thread ~_^ Justin's inbox will be very full, lol. Each database error is sent to him :p[/size]

[size=1][b]Ring Master[/b] The elephants trumpeted in distress, rocking from side to side in their narrow cages. Next carriage down, a mangy lion yawned as he licked discontentedly at his fur, trying to remove dried scabs. Further down the train, monkeys rolled playfully amidst the excrement littering the floor of their cage. The circus was coming to town.[/size]

[size=1][quote name='Lore']But really, in that situation, what's the point of eating at all? ^_~[/quote]My intentions were to write my name everywhere, so that when Aliens came to investigate 5000 years later, they'll think I was some kind of God ~_^ Besides, under any other circumstances, would eating another human be something acceptable?[/size]

[size=1]When you first flipped the story back into the 'real' world, I thought that it was an unsigned memory. That is, I assumed that you'd switched into a memory of the soldier, heh. Stunning writing displayed here. Your method in portraying Tim's utter inattention to anything outside of his own little world is admirable, because you have really caught the situation for so many people. Plus, your story is relevantly themed, with many relationship troubles occurring due to gaming, which I read in a newspaper article the day before last. I can't wait for more of this story. Gaming [b]is[/b] like a self-induced coma, after all ~_^.[/size]

[size=1]If an arranged marriage works out, then I guess it is all well and good. But, would you really want to be told who you'd be marrying, with no choice in the matter? Would you think it acceptable to be virtually traded, just for added pull with an important family? Arranged marriages can work out, but the point is, you can't put two people together and say that they [b]will[/b] love one another. Marriage should be about love, because it means that you are making a lifetime commitment to somebody else. Is it fair for me to force you to marry somebody of my choosing, who you may never have met? No, it's not fair. On the other hand, it's how things are done in some cultures, and there isn't anything you can do. Best of luck to 'John'.[/size]

[size=1][b]Hide & Seek[/b] Heidi ran through the trees, splashing through the trickling stream. Travis would never find her in her secret hiding place. She ran down the little rabbit path next to the riverbank, pushing excitedly through the daffodils which clustered at its edge. As Travis finished counting, he hollered out ?Ready or not Heidi, here I come!?. [b]Pinnafore [Hide & Seek Pt II][/b] Travis slipped between two gnarled pine trees, and came to the riverbank. On the other side of the shallow ford he saw the splashed water drying on the rocks. As he waded through the knee-deep river, he called out ?I [b]will[/b] find you!?. Travis searched for hours, but didn?t find Heidi, who was asleep in a thicket. [/size]

[size=1]XD I really need to fix that. In fact I'm hoping to get some sort of fix [ie redo my index] today or tommorow :)[/size]

[size=1][b]Lost In Translation[/b] [I]?We come in peace! We mean no harm!?[/I] they cried, with their oafish and scarred hands extended pleadingly. [I]?We mean no harm! We are victims!?[/I] they cried, their talons slipping in the dirt. [I]?We mean no harm to your species!?[/I] they cried, as bullets ripped into their mottled blue skin, under fire from the Marine Reconnaissance Unit. Aliens were here. [b]Lost In Translation Pt II[/b] They were horrible creatures, savage beasts out of a hellish nightmare. On first sighting, Jared had almost cleared his bowels inside his camouflaged USMRC coveralls. As Marines advanced, dry grass and twigs crunching under combat boots, M16?s held in front, the creatures turned threateningly towards them, and began to wail and shriek, gesturing aggressively at them. [b]Lost In Translation Pt III[/b] With grim determination, the men of the United States Marine Reconnaisance Unit #13 unleashed a dose of withering fire upon the defenceless victims of the crash. Later, as the salvage crew scoured the wreck for any recoverable alien technology, Jared wondered whether or not the Aliens were really an invasion party. ?Probably,? he thought. ?Freaks.? [/size]

[size=1]I think when it comes down to it, when the Apocalypse is nigh and the world lies in smoking ruins etc. etc., then yes, eating human flesh as a last resort would be a [b]valid[/b] option. But under any other circumstances? No thanks. Cannibalism is a stomach-turning practice, the idea disgusts me.[/size]