The Dastardly Dungeon of Deliciously Devious Drinks

Curlz said:

And Guinness chocolate cake is the best thing evah, it's official. Do spread the news, I'll go make another batch.

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Yes, yes it is! I had it first when I was in Ireland on the Aran Islands at this little place, Teach Nan Phaidi. It was moist and chocolate and delicious. They also have fantastic soups.

I want to start my short story, but my Word is misbehaving. It keeps closing when I want to save. I am reinstalling it and hoping that works.

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Oh, and the Writers' Conference went well! First one at this library, about 20 people. And only half of those were in our writers' group!

Well, I'm giving it a try - I've written 1000 words on a short story. I've never written a short story I've liked. Of course, I've only tried like three times in my life. This is a spin-off tale from my Druid's Brooch series, and may end up being a free give-away. We shall see.

I went to a comic writing panel and got super inspired. all of the creators were amazing and I really identified with one of them. comics were my first writing love, but I distanced myself over the years. I think it's time to go back.

on that note, I'm working on a body horror comic! I need to do a lot of editing (don't like the pacing and the ending falls flat ) but I think that with some work it could be good

zanzjan said:

I dunno what it is, but I keep leaving the Cantina with this weird craving for cake. As if someone has been talking about delicious, delicious cake. Anyone else experiencing this?

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I already had desert and now I want cake. maybe the cantina will actually give me a normal person apetite

Damoclian said:

Okay, so, like, I tallied it up a few days ago, and it seems I have written over 3.2m words in 9 (nine) years, if only just (3,235,948). And that's not including paper, or stuff I couldn't find. I'm not sure how to feel about this number... is it a good number? Something I should be bragging about? Iunno, but I thought it deserved mentioning at least. I guess it's something... :\

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THAT IS AMAZING

So, I tallied up the prices for Star Trek DVDs from a local chain store / web site. Bearing in mind that Australian DVDs are way overpriced compared to many other places, the total comes to $677. $858 for the entire franchise, but I've already spent $181 on Voyager.

But that $677 represents the entire rest of the franchise - series and movies. It could be more expensive, but I'd be going for box sets wherever possible, which are generally cheaper overall.

Sheesh... I mean, at the end of the day, it will likely take well over 12 months to watch the entire franchise. It took me about 12 months to get through the Stargate franchise, and there's more Star Trek. But yeah... If I call it $500 per year, that's still a rather disturbing figure for spending on DVDs!

(gonna ask a dumb question, bear with me) is the cantina specific to sci-fi/fantasy writers? I'm focusing on horror right now, which has a lotta cross-over, but is technically a dif genre. but you guys are rad and I wanna hang out here still, if that's cool *puppy eyes* I will give you all virtual cupcakes

Cliff Face said:

So, I tallied up the prices for Star Trek DVDs from a local chain store / web site. Bearing in mind that Australian DVDs are way overpriced compared to many other places, the total comes to $677. $858 for the entire franchise, but I've already spent $181 on Voyager.

But that $677 represents the entire rest of the franchise - series and movies. It could be more expensive, but I'd be going for box sets wherever possible, which are generally cheaper overall.

Sheesh... I mean, at the end of the day, it will likely take well over 12 months to watch the entire franchise. It took me about 12 months to get through the Stargate franchise, and there's more Star Trek. But yeah... If I call it $500 per year, that's still a rather disturbing figure for spending on DVDs!

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ouch! maybe you can find somewhere to rent the dvds? not many places rent anymore, but there are still a few around

Jade A said:

(gonna ask a dumb question, bear with me) is the cantina specific to sci-fi/fantasy writers? I'm focusing on horror right now, which has a lotta cross-over, but is technically a dif genre. but you guys are rad and I wanna hang out here still, if that's cool *puppy eyes* I will give you all virtual cupcakes

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Like you said! Horror is often like fantasy, except the sirens lure you to your death.

And the Cantina welcomes all like a siren.

Jade A: There is a Horror forum here (and social thread) but I don't think anyone will care if you want to hang out here instead. My latest novellas have been more horror-ish, but it's not really my main focus so I don't have a lot to contribute over there.

Horror as well as Science Fiction and Fantasy are under the bigger umbrella Speculative Fiction. The "What If" genre. Of course you can hang out here. The Horror Hounds are pretty cool too. (bad me I need to peek in on them more often)

Oh, HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGGY!

Today's going to be another relax day. Pushed myself pretty hard last week and by Friday I was mind-numb. I'm going to try to work on the novel, but I'm also going to start on the 3 pitches to Choice of Games. I've got one brainstormed. I just need 2 more.

Hoppy belated berf-das to Aggy the Awesome!

lilyWhite said:

Like you said! Horror is often like fantasy, except the sirens lure you to your death.

And the Cantina welcomes all like a siren.

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LISTEN TO THE SIREN!!

Jade A said:

(gonna ask a dumb question, bear with me) is the cantina specific to sci-fi/fantasy writers? I'm focusing on horror right now, which has a lotta cross-over, but is technically a dif genre. but you guys are rad and I wanna hang out here still, if that's cool *puppy eyes* I will give you all virtual cupcakes

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DON'T LEAVE US!!! :'O

Jade A said:

I already had desert and now I want cake. maybe the cantina will actually give me a normal person apetite

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There is a fly baked in somewhere inside the cake. Does that sort your cravings?

Cliff Face said:

Sheesh... I mean, at the end of the day, it will likely take well over 12 months to watch the entire franchise.

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What a wonderful way to spend 12 months! I've been watching the re-runs of the Original series lately (best captain! ).

Jade A said:

is the cantina specific to sci-fi/fantasy writers? I'm focusing on horror right now

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It's specific to people-who-like-cake. If you don't like cake, it's okay, you will get to like it after you get assimilated into the cakeborg.


As for genre, it seems to me that horror is a close relative to both sci-fi (zombies) and fantasy (Lovecraft), so, hi, neighbour! Some writers of horror books prefer to be called "dark fantasy" writers, actually.

Jade A said:

(gonna ask a dumb question, bear with me) is the cantina specific to sci-fi/fantasy writers? I'm focusing on horror right now, which has a lotta cross-over, but is technically a dif genre. but you guys are rad and I wanna hang out here still, if that's cool *puppy eyes* I will give you all virtual cupcakes

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Ooooh, it's too late for you to escape now. We are the Cantina, the Cantina is us. Even if you leave, it will pull you back eventually.


Happy Birthday, Aggy!


Yerg, tired. Dumb female issues. Actually, I guess I don't need to complain as much this time as usual. During my annual check up last month, my doctor put me on a birth control pill because I complained about my PMS symptoms making me miserable half of every month with brain fog, fatigue, extreme moodiness, and sometimes bloating and she and I talked and decided to see if the pills might help. Of course it's only been my first month on them, but already, a lot of my symptoms are SO much better. Except some of the tiredness. But if I don't have to be bloated, angry/crying for no reason, and loosing 90% off my productivity to brain fog for two to three weeks out of every month, yet still be just a little tired, I think I can deal with that. And as my body gets more used to the hormones, the tiredness may become less too. Overall, I'm really glad I said something instead of continuing to suffer in silence.

Some words will happen today but I think my mom wanted to work in the yard too, because it's warm. *will likely get poked by rose thorns*

awesome, thanks everyone I'm probably gonna hang in both places

Curlz said:

There is a fly baked in somewhere inside the cake. Does that sort your cravings?

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darn. can I get someone to check my slice for flies first?

happy birthday aggy!

Happy birthday, Aggy!

Curlz said:

There is a fly baked in somewhere inside the cake. Does that sort your cravings?

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*shrugs and eats cake*

Happy birthday, Aggy!

*enlists a symphony of sirens to sing a birthday song for Aggy*

Happy birthday, Aggy! Hope you have a good one.

E.F.B. said:

During my annual check up last month, my doctor put me on a birth control pill because I complained about my PMS symptoms making me miserable half of every month with brain fog, fatigue, extreme moodiness, and sometimes bloating and she and I talked and decided to see if the pills might help. Of course it's only been my first month on them, but already, a lot of my symptoms are SO much better.

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I used to need painkillers two days in a row in advance when my period started because the cramps were so bad and interfering with normal functioning. My mom suggested talking to the doctor about the birth control pill too since it ought to help for that. Cramps have gone done significantly since then. I really am glad I went on them even though I wasn't actually needing them as birth control. Even the slight weight gain (one of the known by-effects of my pill) was useful, I finally weighed enough to be able to donate blood.

The only downside really (besides the possible elevated risk of breast cancer, apparently) is that waste water treatment plants aren't designed to filter out hormones and the residues of the hormonal medication has a negative effect of amphibian population. I do feel rather guilty about that.

I haven't been on BC for years. I'm one of those lucky people who have some very negative side effects such as elevated BP (although it did raise me into what is more normal levels for other people) massive weight gain ( 20 pounds in 3 months) and unstable mood swings. Also, they were not effective in the department in which they were supposed to work. (Yes my two boys were the result of that) I had my tubes tied after my second and hadn't been on BC for almost 20 years.
If you are on them, be careful. Most people do fine, but if you feel wrong, talk to your dr about it. Sometimes a change in brand or a lower dose will alleviate the issues.

Youngest is talking about his senior trip. They went on a cruise to Mexico. Note this was not an official senior trip, just a voluntary trip on spring break. Many parents went. He had a lot of fun. Enjoyed being on the ship and met a lot of people from all over the world.

Flies would never deter me from cake. OK, ONE fly, maybe two or three. Twenty-seven flies in a cake? I'd be picking them out and then eating the cake. Flies are just protein, but I don't like the crunch.

And words happened today! That short story? Started yesterday with 1000 words. Finished today for a total of 3134 words. I'm not hating it so far, but give me time. This is only the fourth short story I've ever written IN MY LIFE.

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Anyone interested in reading it? It's an offshoot story from Legacy of Luck.

Speaking of cake: this was the result. Tastes fab, looks a little rough.

EVERYONE, RICHARD WHITE'S STORY COLLECTION IS AT THE TOP OF AW!!!!!! :O

So it is!!! WOOOHOO RW!!!

I was just about to mention that I noticed it was up there earlier, and then my aunt called and I didn't get the chance. YAY, RICHARD!

I have an injection every three month. Makes life easier, and when I was working shifts I didn't trust myself to not be asleep when I needed to take the pill. I get spotting though, which is a pain.

That aside *waves*. Had a mixed weekend. Sibling unit is sorting some stuff out which I think is probably going to explode quite dramatically in the family sphere, so I feel like I should be warning the parents to prepare them, but things were said in confidence. And it's nothing that's dangerous - it's just... going to have a bit of an effect.

But it's not up to me as to when it all kicks off, so I've decided I'm just not going to think about it.

*throws cake around for the birthday girl* HB Aggy

Thanks, everyone.

The image above is broken on my work machine, so I had no idea who was this weeks victi ... I mean, honoree.

About to start my 6th new story of the year.
I've been keeping a notebook that has open calls that I'm interested in. I leave an open page for brainstorming. When the window has closed or if I write something for it, I just fold over the page to mark it as finished. It's been pretty handy as I don't always remember what I wanted to write for.

Hand is aching today. Did some crochet which was probably a mistake. I did take it easy this weekend and did little typing but after about 20K words last week, I've irritated my wrist. Waiting on painkillers to set in before I tackle this new story.

Made Dublin Coddle last night. The house still smells like bacon and herbs. Not a bad smell at all. B's going to get a big bowl full of it for lunch today. Saves me some time and effort with lunch. The rest will be supper for me and youngest when he gets back over here tonight.

--Shadow waiting on the caffeine to kick in.