Enormous roundup
Finally got my hands on Witchfinder, which I didn't really like enough to keep buying, but it did inform me that B.P.R.D. is doing another 1947 run. Squee! I hope it has more of creepy-Soviet-doll-girl. The proto-Cold War being played out by the US and USSR's paranormal forces was more interesting to me than the occult Nazi fighting. B.P.R.D. 8 also indicated that there was a supernatural war in the Pacific theater, which I would also be interested in. I actually rather like the occult Nazis trope - and all other occult history, really - but since the Hellboy-verse is basically founded on it, variety would be nice. They can't have an occult Cold War, though. I'M writing the occult Cold War.
Speaking of occult history, I'm reading through the Colonial Gothic corebook - having discovered directly after I came home that a new edition is coming out, oops - and I. Want. To play. This game. This is particularly amusing considering that my introduction to Colonial Gothic was choosing the Secrets expansion at Modern Myths' birthday raffle-thing under the misapprehension that it was a novel. My immediate reaction was something like "A roleplaying game? I hate roleplaying games!" And it spent the next few months on the bottom of my bookcase, covered with Japanese homework. Some people say there isn't enough gothic and too much Colonial, which I think is a fair criticism, but you can easily just amp up the supernatural elements. The really annoying feature is some bad editing, like the thing that says it will explain the only genuinely confusing element of the system - Fate cards - in Chapter 8. Unfortunately, Chapter 8 is the setting information. I did find where the explanation for the players in Chapter 3, but the GM explanation is sadly missing. Mechanics bitching aside, I really admire the amount of research the makers have put into the historical side of things - everything from the political dispositions of individual Colonies to the price of chocolate - and the fact that they strongly encourage historical accuracy and the use of little-known events as drivers. The Fate cards also allow the players to influence the story similarly to Aspects in Spirit of the Century, which I like, though I can see how it might be a pain if one were running it. They seem to make good use of Native American legends, and though I'm always a little skittish about that (cultural appropriation blah blah blah), I can definitely see good use for a lot of the creatures. And the Manadoag information (I can't tell if it's an actual myth or made up) gives me the creeps! And I have this idea that keeps stringing itself together in my head involving family folklore and the Boston Occupation...
Class breakdown thus far:
Theories of Citizenship will be rocky. Dr Feldman snaps at students who call her professor, outright said "Don't email me with questions, email the TA," and the course pack is 810 pages long. On the other hand, I already have a handle on some of the material, and followed the lecture okay. We'll see.
Professor Carlisle recognized me, and just said "We should talk some time" in a very friendly way. I'm not too worried, honestly - it's an Expo class, which means a lot of work (we hand in pre-drafts or drafts pretty much every week), but work that I can do and do well.
Digging the Glyphs is going to be FANTASTIC! Professor Zender is a very interesting lecturer, has a sense of humor, and is obviously very interested in the subject. And I'm very interested in the subject! I like our materials, and the TA - as far as I've seen from the discussion forum - is good. No sections because most of the students are online only, but the forum is expected to be active.
No idea about the Chaucer class - I'll find out tonight.
Because no entry of mine would be complete without a political rant...
Levy Johnson needs to take his paycheck and go home. That what I have to say about him personally. The right needs to stop saying that he's no good 'cause his mother has drug charges, or suggesting the Palins should bump him off. Overall, the left needs to stop lionizing him. He was a kid who messed up and got pushed around, okay? He's also a rather unpleasant person. He is not some brave young thing speaking truth to power, he's a highschool dropout who is cashing in on the Palin-centric media frenzy. I'm honestly quite tired of him. Besides, what about his ex-girlfriend and their baby? Doesn't he think he might be shaming them? Oh, wait, a paycheck is coming his way. I forgot.
I'm also very heartened by the rise of a vigorous progressive constituency. And the AFL-CIO saying they won't endorse candidates who are against the public option makes me want to stand up and sing "Solidarity Forever" like the granddaughter of a socialist that I am.
So, Dr A prescribed me something that she says is going to help with getting socially overwhelmed. Which is great, right? I mean, not having to lock myself in another room or stay up for hours doing flowcharts to understand an interaction would be a good thing. But here's the deal: I don't get into those situations at home, except for family brouhahas. So I'm not really going to know if it works or not until (hopefully) the spring, and in the meantime it has me eating into my savings every month (minimum expenses are T pass at $59 and drugs at $50), and it makes me really woozy in the mornings and evenings. So, I don't really know what to do. I'm also extra-edgy because she immediately jumped on my NLD diagnosis as the reason for my depression - "You're depressed because you can't connect!" No. Yes, I don't have as... solid an understanding of relationships or interaction as most people, and I have trouble forming new ones, but I'm very satisfied with the ones I do have.
There are people hammering directly outside my window. :/
Speaking of occult history, I'm reading through the Colonial Gothic corebook - having discovered directly after I came home that a new edition is coming out, oops - and I. Want. To play. This game. This is particularly amusing considering that my introduction to Colonial Gothic was choosing the Secrets expansion at Modern Myths' birthday raffle-thing under the misapprehension that it was a novel. My immediate reaction was something like "A roleplaying game? I hate roleplaying games!" And it spent the next few months on the bottom of my bookcase, covered with Japanese homework. Some people say there isn't enough gothic and too much Colonial, which I think is a fair criticism, but you can easily just amp up the supernatural elements. The really annoying feature is some bad editing, like the thing that says it will explain the only genuinely confusing element of the system - Fate cards - in Chapter 8. Unfortunately, Chapter 8 is the setting information. I did find where the explanation for the players in Chapter 3, but the GM explanation is sadly missing. Mechanics bitching aside, I really admire the amount of research the makers have put into the historical side of things - everything from the political dispositions of individual Colonies to the price of chocolate - and the fact that they strongly encourage historical accuracy and the use of little-known events as drivers. The Fate cards also allow the players to influence the story similarly to Aspects in Spirit of the Century, which I like, though I can see how it might be a pain if one were running it. They seem to make good use of Native American legends, and though I'm always a little skittish about that (cultural appropriation blah blah blah), I can definitely see good use for a lot of the creatures. And the Manadoag information (I can't tell if it's an actual myth or made up) gives me the creeps! And I have this idea that keeps stringing itself together in my head involving family folklore and the Boston Occupation...
Class breakdown thus far:
Theories of Citizenship will be rocky. Dr Feldman snaps at students who call her professor, outright said "Don't email me with questions, email the TA," and the course pack is 810 pages long. On the other hand, I already have a handle on some of the material, and followed the lecture okay. We'll see.
Professor Carlisle recognized me, and just said "We should talk some time" in a very friendly way. I'm not too worried, honestly - it's an Expo class, which means a lot of work (we hand in pre-drafts or drafts pretty much every week), but work that I can do and do well.
Digging the Glyphs is going to be FANTASTIC! Professor Zender is a very interesting lecturer, has a sense of humor, and is obviously very interested in the subject. And I'm very interested in the subject! I like our materials, and the TA - as far as I've seen from the discussion forum - is good. No sections because most of the students are online only, but the forum is expected to be active.
No idea about the Chaucer class - I'll find out tonight.
Because no entry of mine would be complete without a political rant...
Levy Johnson needs to take his paycheck and go home. That what I have to say about him personally. The right needs to stop saying that he's no good 'cause his mother has drug charges, or suggesting the Palins should bump him off. Overall, the left needs to stop lionizing him. He was a kid who messed up and got pushed around, okay? He's also a rather unpleasant person. He is not some brave young thing speaking truth to power, he's a highschool dropout who is cashing in on the Palin-centric media frenzy. I'm honestly quite tired of him. Besides, what about his ex-girlfriend and their baby? Doesn't he think he might be shaming them? Oh, wait, a paycheck is coming his way. I forgot.
I'm also very heartened by the rise of a vigorous progressive constituency. And the AFL-CIO saying they won't endorse candidates who are against the public option makes me want to stand up and sing "Solidarity Forever" like the granddaughter of a socialist that I am.
So, Dr A prescribed me something that she says is going to help with getting socially overwhelmed. Which is great, right? I mean, not having to lock myself in another room or stay up for hours doing flowcharts to understand an interaction would be a good thing. But here's the deal: I don't get into those situations at home, except for family brouhahas. So I'm not really going to know if it works or not until (hopefully) the spring, and in the meantime it has me eating into my savings every month (minimum expenses are T pass at $59 and drugs at $50), and it makes me really woozy in the mornings and evenings. So, I don't really know what to do. I'm also extra-edgy because she immediately jumped on my NLD diagnosis as the reason for my depression - "You're depressed because you can't connect!" No. Yes, I don't have as... solid an understanding of relationships or interaction as most people, and I have trouble forming new ones, but I'm very satisfied with the ones I do have.
There are people hammering directly outside my window. :/