Eradication of the Plague is Key!

    Sorry folks, due to my wonderful inability to win the apparently boss fight against Bronchitis, who over the course of the last few years has seemed to become my arch nemesis in my fight against sickness, I was not able to post last week. It also means I haven't had too many exciting adventures to share with you. Other than the fact that the healers have now piled on a regiment of weapons against said boss fight. I promise I will update with more of my anecdotal battles of daily life for a female gamer soon. You'd think that with all of the hours my questing partner and I have spent killing virus' and plagues in Pandemic, I may have more weapons at my disposal for these things. Sadly, that is not the case.

    The one good thing that has happened from fighting the plague as of late is that I have managed to entertain myself with many hours of games on my device of computing at home. My questing partner and I have played many hours of Civ 5 this past week. I now understand what he has said about this game being one of those, "just one more turn and suddenly it's 4 AM," games. So that has been good and restful.

    But for now I will not bore you all with my battle against Bronchitis and it's evil minions Cough and Phlegm. I wish you safe journeys, amazing quest rewards and good path progression until I return! Also sending out a lot of love and good thoughts to a couple of people in my adventuring party and crew who are going through particularly tough times right now. Know that my thoughts, love and hugs are with you in this time in your life. <3

Charm Person...It's a Thing...Use It!

    It still amazes me that even into adulthood the whole "Cool Kids Club" exists. I like to refer to them as "The Plastics" as was a term used for them in one of the silly girly movies I actually like, "Mean Girls." Especially with the upsurge in geek culture.

    I don't think I'll ever understand the constant need to put someone else down, treat them like they're less than you are just because they are different or into different things. By all means, don't force yourself to be friends with them, but seriously if they are different don't make fun of them and treat them like dirt. You're liable to get a fireball in your face or something.

   I bring up this issue as I recently dealt with it at my questing partner's work. I occasionally collect the gold at the door for musical acts which charge people to see them. Every time this particular group of people come in they treat me with the utmost disrespect. Rolling their eyes when I am just doing my job and whisper and point all night. If anyone who doesn't remotely look like they belong with their group comes anywhere near the territory they claim for the night, it turns into big cat season and they stalk (in a primal animal way, not in a bad human way) that person to the point it makes them nervous and leave. I have watched this quite a few times at this point and frankly it makes me want to seriously knock them out of the building with wall of wind or something.

    I know I shouldn't be angry about it, but it just reminds me of all the persecution that was given to the "nerdy / geeky" people as we were coming up, especially being a female of the persuasion. This sounds like one of those, "back in my day" things. But the nerd / geek culture really doesn't know how great they have it. It has become a good thing to be a smart kid, be into some sort of thing that makes you a geek. But it wasn't always that way. It was a long carved out process to get there. Believe me I am so very glad we have gotten there and that if I have little adventurers someday they absolute be nerdy or geeky or just love to learn.

    But for now we still sometimes have to deal with the stupid that is "The Plastics." While I probably never would do anything about it, if they took things to the next level I might actually stand up to them and tell them they need to back off, because they wouldn't like me when I'm angry....I might go green and poisonous on them...

Lo, They Do Call Me, They Bid Me Take My Place Among Them...For the Fallen Heroes Gone Before...

    Last week the world lost two amazing heroes in their battles with the bosses of disease. One was a someone who was a personal friend of mine. I haven't adventured with him in a few years now, however he was one of the first people who actually took the time to adventure with me from the time I was 2 on. For years he had been dealing with a huge boss, battling Muscular Dystrophy. It had taken many large attacks but he was still strong and kept moving forward attempting to defeat his big road block. He was an amazing person and by far one of the biggest inspirations, strongest people from my childhood. Over the years our path's have separated a bit, however we still managed to keep track of one another, one way or another. He was truly an inspiration to anyone who met him and he will be missed greatly. The one thing that I have had to remember as I mourn the loss of my friend has been the fact he no longer is suffering. I keep smiling at the image that he and his animal companion Flirt are up there somewhere running and playing. Happy, whole and safe.

    The second is a hero who indeed did live long and prosper. Leonard Nemoy, was an inspiration to many people. He was a great man and did many good things for women's rights as well as for the sci-fi / geek community. He was also a big part of my childhood, as if it were not for my parents love for Star Trek, I may never have become the absolute geek lady I am today. I am sad I never got the chance to meet him as he was one of my personal heroes growing up. He has also lost a battle to a boss of disease, just a little while ago he was diagnosed with a pulmonary disease due to years of smoking and has been doing his best to fight this boss for that time. Scotty finally beamed him up for the last time on Friday. His passing too will leave a large hole in the sci-fi world.

    Both of these people played a huge part in my childhood and while they were different in their influence on my life. One showed me that you can be strong and keep going no matter what and the other helped to open my eyes to the world that I am now completely part of. They will be missed and all I can do in this time is be strong and attempt to move forward through it. Remembering that sometimes the Warrior is a child.

"Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
I'm strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all these tears
Chorus:
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for a smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child
(Aahhh)
Unafraid because His armor is the best
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
I never face retreat
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet
Chorus:
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(cry for just a while)
'Coz deep inside this armor
(deep inside this armor)
The warrior is a child
.....
They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and look up for a smile
'Coz deep inside this armor
(deep inside)
Deep inside this armor (deep inside this armor) 2x
The warrior is a child."