Odds
Closing on the house Friday. Assuming two things - 1: I can get off work for the closing procedure at 4pm. Even though I informed my lender time and fucking time the fuckity fuck again that I work 10:30 to 7:00, she still scheduled it for 4:00pm. If Lee were here, he would say "Nice, nice" and then improperly employ scissors in some manner.
We're supposed to hear tomorrow on how the ballot went on striking for SBC. I'm pretty convinced I know what the fucking outcome is, since I heard my wonderful "representatives of the people!" Union stewards saying that the leadership is going to probably just ignore the vote and strike no matter what. Presumably to "stick it to the man" while they're not taking a "loss in pay" during the time the rest of us are "starving and missing bills" over "silly bullshit the union didn't bother to even try and negotiate." Not that I'm bitter.
Played in a Kotei last weekend. Did a respectable job until fatigue overcame me in the t32 round and I efficiently removed myself from the running. I was making so many stupid mistakes, at one point I looked at my opponent and said "I bet you're asking yourself, 'I wonder how this stupid ass stumbled his way into the top 32?'". To his credit, the guy just shrugged as if he didn't have the heart to agree with me and didn't want to say anything.
I'm about five chapters into the novel I'm working on. I was doing some reviews and editing this weekend and noticed that while the characters aren't particularly flat, they aren't as "personal" as I'd like them to be. For the sake of people with already annoying friends lists, I'm gonna hide this behind an LJ cut. Jesus I hope I know how the fuck to do one of those.
The continent of the setting is broken down into provinces, which are in turn ruled by a major royal family. This government works in some degree like the existing British government, with the King holding the effective seat of Prime Minister, and the Council (the translated Parilament) holding the power to kick his ass out if he steps out of line in such a manner that their diverse group can all agree the King blows ass. Anyway, these ruling family lines were established centuries ago, with the province-leading royals (Dukes) answering to the King. The provinces take the name of the first one to rule them (usually the names of one of the mortals who eventually became a god and founded his own royal family line, like Lir, Lugh, etc), and the families carry on the name as well with the Mac (loosely "son of") prefix. The MacLirs have held the line of Kings since Lir left the crappy mortal world and went to play god elsewhere. Everyone bows down to them, and all is pretty good there. Onward to the characters, as far as I can get before I get bored of this and come back later.
The MacLirs - Prominent MacLirs are Mordin, the King at the start of the novel, and his five children (oldest to youngest): Arlen, Dakkon, Brenna, Caelin, and Amadan. Mordin will probably remain the least developed of anyone central to the story because he's not going to survive very long. It's put out up front the old fucker's dying so it's not some huge shocker or spoiler there. Mordin is every positive aspect of my father wrapped up with the superficial feel of the Emperor from Gladiator. He's charismatic, old, quiet, introspective, intelligent, and not someone you want to try and fuck with on most levels. Everyone loves him, and he is generally considered to be a flawless leader. Although he dies early on, his influence is easily seen in his children, as they constantly ask themselves wtf it is their father would be doing if he were still alive. I hate characters who are always right and without error, but Mordin will probably fill this role because people who die quickly have little time to fuck up.
Arlen, Mordin's first son, is an extension of my brother Ian on alot of counts, were he a politician about to take control of the most powerful country on the planet. Like his father, he has a very commanding presence as well as a friendly demeanor. He is (next to Caelin) the least likely of the siblings to make random sarcastic snaps, though he has a very dry sense of humor that comes from a lifetime of "correct" upbringing. He's scared shitless he can't fill his father's shoes, and as time drags on he's going to come to understand it's a stupid goal to reach for anyway. He very much wants to rely on his brothers and sister for help and guidance, but at the same time is convinced that to do so would show that he's not worthy to inherit his father's nation. At the start, Arlen is very cautiously testing the limits of his "correct" place, too timid to immediately assume everyone's going to fall in line behind him with a snap of his fingers, but secure in knowing that at least some of the right "most people" are in his corner.
Dakkon is a Major in the country's military, serving as an assistant to the King's Military Advisor. He's easily the most commanding of the five children, though his is the attitude of a career officer and not a politician like his brother. Some people mutter to themselves that Dakkon would have probably made a better heir for his father, but those people don't have to deal with Dakkon's almost absolute refusal to compromise. He is organized, efficient, and used to getting his way (largely because he knows exactly what to expect of others and what his superiors expect of him). Dakkon is the only "family man" of the five kids, already having his own wife and infant son, though he's not exactly the most likable of any MacLir. Ever. Since he doesn't have to be King some day, Dakkon doesn't bother playing nice with anyone he doesn't have to, though he has infinite patience for his own family. Though he doesn't know it, he has some issues similar to his brother Arlen, though he will start to understand them once he's no longer a mid-rank officer and starts becoming more and more influential.
The only daughter of King MacLir, Brenna swore herself to the service of the church at the age of fourteen, and has not looked back in the time since. She doesn't like the sort of lives her older brothers lead - not in the "I don't approve of this!" sense, but more of a "Holy fuck I'm glad I don't have to deal with that". She's obviously more confident, both inwardly and outwardly, than her brothers - a fact that comes as a surprise to most who try and use Brenna as a "weak link" in the MacLir chain.
... and I just posted some mean shit to Meat Patrol and it's keeping more entertained than this is. That's pretty telling about how good of a focused, intelligent writer I can be, I think.
Anjin-san off.
We're supposed to hear tomorrow on how the ballot went on striking for SBC. I'm pretty convinced I know what the fucking outcome is, since I heard my wonderful "representatives of the people!" Union stewards saying that the leadership is going to probably just ignore the vote and strike no matter what. Presumably to "stick it to the man" while they're not taking a "loss in pay" during the time the rest of us are "starving and missing bills" over "silly bullshit the union didn't bother to even try and negotiate." Not that I'm bitter.
Played in a Kotei last weekend. Did a respectable job until fatigue overcame me in the t32 round and I efficiently removed myself from the running. I was making so many stupid mistakes, at one point I looked at my opponent and said "I bet you're asking yourself, 'I wonder how this stupid ass stumbled his way into the top 32?'". To his credit, the guy just shrugged as if he didn't have the heart to agree with me and didn't want to say anything.
I'm about five chapters into the novel I'm working on. I was doing some reviews and editing this weekend and noticed that while the characters aren't particularly flat, they aren't as "personal" as I'd like them to be. For the sake of people with already annoying friends lists, I'm gonna hide this behind an LJ cut. Jesus I hope I know how the fuck to do one of those.
The continent of the setting is broken down into provinces, which are in turn ruled by a major royal family. This government works in some degree like the existing British government, with the King holding the effective seat of Prime Minister, and the Council (the translated Parilament) holding the power to kick his ass out if he steps out of line in such a manner that their diverse group can all agree the King blows ass. Anyway, these ruling family lines were established centuries ago, with the province-leading royals (Dukes) answering to the King. The provinces take the name of the first one to rule them (usually the names of one of the mortals who eventually became a god and founded his own royal family line, like Lir, Lugh, etc), and the families carry on the name as well with the Mac (loosely "son of") prefix. The MacLirs have held the line of Kings since Lir left the crappy mortal world and went to play god elsewhere. Everyone bows down to them, and all is pretty good there. Onward to the characters, as far as I can get before I get bored of this and come back later.
The MacLirs - Prominent MacLirs are Mordin, the King at the start of the novel, and his five children (oldest to youngest): Arlen, Dakkon, Brenna, Caelin, and Amadan. Mordin will probably remain the least developed of anyone central to the story because he's not going to survive very long. It's put out up front the old fucker's dying so it's not some huge shocker or spoiler there. Mordin is every positive aspect of my father wrapped up with the superficial feel of the Emperor from Gladiator. He's charismatic, old, quiet, introspective, intelligent, and not someone you want to try and fuck with on most levels. Everyone loves him, and he is generally considered to be a flawless leader. Although he dies early on, his influence is easily seen in his children, as they constantly ask themselves wtf it is their father would be doing if he were still alive. I hate characters who are always right and without error, but Mordin will probably fill this role because people who die quickly have little time to fuck up.
Arlen, Mordin's first son, is an extension of my brother Ian on alot of counts, were he a politician about to take control of the most powerful country on the planet. Like his father, he has a very commanding presence as well as a friendly demeanor. He is (next to Caelin) the least likely of the siblings to make random sarcastic snaps, though he has a very dry sense of humor that comes from a lifetime of "correct" upbringing. He's scared shitless he can't fill his father's shoes, and as time drags on he's going to come to understand it's a stupid goal to reach for anyway. He very much wants to rely on his brothers and sister for help and guidance, but at the same time is convinced that to do so would show that he's not worthy to inherit his father's nation. At the start, Arlen is very cautiously testing the limits of his "correct" place, too timid to immediately assume everyone's going to fall in line behind him with a snap of his fingers, but secure in knowing that at least some of the right "most people" are in his corner.
Dakkon is a Major in the country's military, serving as an assistant to the King's Military Advisor. He's easily the most commanding of the five children, though his is the attitude of a career officer and not a politician like his brother. Some people mutter to themselves that Dakkon would have probably made a better heir for his father, but those people don't have to deal with Dakkon's almost absolute refusal to compromise. He is organized, efficient, and used to getting his way (largely because he knows exactly what to expect of others and what his superiors expect of him). Dakkon is the only "family man" of the five kids, already having his own wife and infant son, though he's not exactly the most likable of any MacLir. Ever. Since he doesn't have to be King some day, Dakkon doesn't bother playing nice with anyone he doesn't have to, though he has infinite patience for his own family. Though he doesn't know it, he has some issues similar to his brother Arlen, though he will start to understand them once he's no longer a mid-rank officer and starts becoming more and more influential.
The only daughter of King MacLir, Brenna swore herself to the service of the church at the age of fourteen, and has not looked back in the time since. She doesn't like the sort of lives her older brothers lead - not in the "I don't approve of this!" sense, but more of a "Holy fuck I'm glad I don't have to deal with that". She's obviously more confident, both inwardly and outwardly, than her brothers - a fact that comes as a surprise to most who try and use Brenna as a "weak link" in the MacLir chain.
... and I just posted some mean shit to Meat Patrol and it's keeping more entertained than this is. That's pretty telling about how good of a focused, intelligent writer I can be, I think.
Anjin-san off.