Well, kinda-sorta. But, what the hell, it's still my writing, quoted by a major US media source.

A lot of what I've done over the last year that passes for writing has been on the boards for the Alliance of Champions, the City of Heroes group my characters hang out with.

For the record, links to their journals:

• Psi-clone
• Velvet Jones
• Lynn Calodo
• Torchielle
• Fazenda
• Mr. Azure
• Honeygun

And on the villainous side:

• Mister Thorne
• Mister Ravenous
• Eliza Dee

A few character stubs -- descriptions of folks I don't play any more:

• Suzy Atom
• Truly Unstable
• OFFICER

Nothing fabulous here -- lots of hinted-at stories and stuff that never really got carried to completion (or isn't likely to, in other cases). Still, for the record ...

I've managed to get the "Writing & Language" category from my main blog over here, and the broken out to the various categories (further revised). Done a fair amount of clean-up. Tweaked some templates and the stylesheet. Sadly observed the bit rot of the past four and a half years.

Felt noodged by the Muse to get the frelling lead out and finish Catspaw.

Things left to do:

1. Clean up the DDtB category to delete entries that really belong only over here.
2. Make some observations on DDtB about using the default MT3.2 templates and stylesheets.
3. Start pulling down and making permanent copies of what writing I have out there on other sites that might (like the Lexicon) vanish softly and silently away.

... I think I've finally gotten the Parish Profile and its Appendix completed, signed, sealed, delivered, approved, vetted, reviewed, second-guessed, word-smithed, argued over, tweaked, polished, revised, saved, PDFed, and ready for posting on our parish website.

Actually, in some ways novel-writing is a lot easier. Or at least less complicated.

And, in some ways, less fraught with peril, be it from parishioners who think you've slighted some favorite group of theirs, or misrepresented them the parish, or whatever, or from what you've written wrongly playing a direct role in getting the wrong person into the rector's role.

Eep!

I'll post the URL (for those as are interested) once I've confirmation that it's available. I'm sort of proud of the final effort, though there are things I would have done a lot differently, had I had free rein to do so. But I knew this job was dangerous when I took it ...

Anyway, now you understand the relative dearth of postage around here today ... or, looking at the clock, I guess yesterday is more accurate.

And now to bed, and the sleep of the relatively contented.

Cool post in 20x20 Room about Lexicons and how they are, and aren't, like games. And I don't just say that because he cites one of my own favorite Lost 500 Years entries.

And it really reminds me that I need to do a print-out of the items I contributed to that effort.

The Nobilis Lexicon of the Lost 500 Years is pretty much wrapped up. I had a fabulous time making various contributions as the amazing Augustine "A.C." Casey, Chronicler of Marvels and authorized teller of the tales of tough-as-nails Jim Dunsmuir. Victorian aetherships, fairy armies, and vortex blasters -- who could ask for anything more?

The whole Lexicon concept is a great idea for setting up game worlds (particularly ones that the folks know something about). I keep trying to think of other applications for it ... (At the very least, I seriously need to keep dabbling with Wiki.)

Though the day started off with Kitten getting up too early, and with a phone call that my Spycraft game on Sunday had to be postponed because of Justin's football season-ender dinner thang (Go, Moose!), there were plenty of little successes in it. Two in particular:

1. I think this is the quickest I have returned the garage into two-car-edness after a visit from Jim and Ginger. The remains of the project have sat there for multiple months at a time (usually, but not always, because there's more project for me to do).

What made this time faster than previous was that (a) I didn't want my new car sitting out on the driveway, and (b) Margie seriously didn't want to be getting in and out of the van on the driveway.

2. When hit up by Katherine for a story for our trip to Home Depot, I hit upon the perfect story: "The Story of Shishiko, the Little Cat Girl, and How She Met Prince Menho." This is the "origin tale" of my Oriental Adventures character, and it was just perfect, as was the sequel, "The Story of Shishiko and the Mean Guard." I'm actually thinking of writing them up as real bed-time books for her, maybe even with illustrations.

Hey, didn't Tolkien get started that way?

I've actually been getting some writing done recently. Not a lot -- not all that I'd like -- but at least some.

I do the daily Oneword (as you've all suffered through). That's an interesting exercise to keep the juices flowing.

I've been trying to keep up with Catspaw, too, with the not-so-subtle flogging encouragement of certain friends. I've not been doing as much as I could, but I'm trying to keep up via a modified Zelazny Method:

I try to write every day. I used to try to write four times a day, minimum of three sentences each time. It doesn't sound like much but it's kinda like the hare and the tortoise. If you try that several times a day you're going to do more than three sentences, one of them is going to catch on. You're going to say "Oh boy!" and then you just write. You fill up the page and the next page But you have a certain minimum so that at the end of the day, you can say "Hey I wrote four times today, three sentences, a dozen sentences. Each sentence is maybe twenty word long. That's 240 words which is a page of copy, so at least I didn't goof off completely today. I got a page for my efforts and tomorrow it might be easier because I've moved as far as I have.

I have an alarm set twice a day during weekdays (9 and 2, to be exact) to write something in Catspaw. If it rings, and I say, "I'm too busy," then I try to respond, "What, to write three whole sentences?" If I say, "I'm too uninspired," then I try to respond, "What, to write three whole sentences?"

If I hit the snooze on the alarms, though, I'm doomed. You can monitor my successes by watching the Catspaw button on the blogroll bob up (or not) each day.

Through that method, at least, Catspaw has been progressing by a few hundred words or so a day. Which feels nowhere near as exciting as it should be, but there you go.

The last writing I've been doing to any length have been Sian's game journals for Doyce's Nobilis try-out short game campaign, Chrysalis. It's not great literature (as if anything else I do is), but it's been entertaining and even a bit fulfilling (in an exploring-the-character way) to me. The most recent effort went up last night.

I suppose, as long as I keep banging on the keyboard for something other than memos and e-mail, I should be satisfied ...

My latest Nobilis log is up. Woo-hoo. Not that it's any great shakes, but, hey, when I actually have the discipline to do one of the things, it's worth crowing about.

I wrote up my Nobilis character's Ennoblement story today (which, in Nobilis terms, is when my character Sian was selected from the herd by one of the Imperator/Angels/Gods to be one of his Domain Nobles. It's too complicated to go into much further than that, but think of it as the origin story and you'll do fine). It's an odd mix of Welsh history, Ripperology, Greek mythology, and Christian theology. I'm enjoying the character more and more as I peel back new layers on her (or him, in this tale). I've done (and am doing in one PBEM) the Grim, Driven, Killing Machine sort of character, and I've found some different hooks in Sian to make her interesting.

Anyway, it's up on Doyce's newly redesigned Nobilis campaign page. Those who enjoy that sort of thing will find it the sort of thing they enjoy, to paraphrase Lincoln.

I've been, slowly but surely getting some writing done, besides the posts here. The daily Oneword exercises help, as has my ever-so-slow progress on Catspaw. Doing logs and the like for my Nobilis character (it being a story-telling sort of system anyway) is another good thing.

It's the Friday Group Therapy.

My previous BI partner never replied, but Karen's right here, right now, and rarin' to go. So here's this week's Blogger Insider, courtesy of Karen at Kacroon.

1 - I see many quizzes - are you addicted to doing them?

I suppose. On the Personality Quizzes ("You are: EMPEROR PALPATINE!"), I've gotten more selective these days. They have to have very cool graphics, a fun subject, or questions that seem at least slightly meaningful. On the Personality Q&A (like, er, Blogger Insider), I've got a near-daily stable of them that I indulge in. It lets the topics find me, rather than them. And, since I think blogging is an extremely egotistical exercise, it let's me talk about the important stuff, to wit, ME, ME, ME.

2 - How did you hear about Blogging and what tempted you to start?

My bud Doyce got me into it. "Hey, man, I found the coolest stuff. It'll really blow your socks off. Hey, come on ... first post is free ..." The rest is, sadly, history.

3 - Have you being dreaming of having nightmares about your "local" fire?

No. Aside from waking up with a mouth tasting like a bad trip to a smoky pub, I've not had it affect my sleep (or dreams) at all. I don't remember my dreams much, anyway.

4 - What, other than family, would be the one thing you would save if you had to?

Probably my notebook computer. Too much of my life is on this beast. I've got a little fire-resistant lockbox I'd try to grab. My wedding album. The Muro over the fireplace. The ... OHMYGOD, THE WINE ...

I'm assuming you include the cats in the category of "family."

5 - Is the smoke actually that close that it is in the house?

It didn't get so thick that it was visible inside the house (along the lines of, "What the hell did you last cook in the oven, honey?"). But it slightly dimmed the view even to the house behind us.

6 - How long have you had a beard and why have you got it??!!

I first grew a beard ... hmmm, I think it was post-college, though I grew a moustache while there (using the excuse of a play I was in). I've had it on and off, mostly on, in various forms, since then. My changes in facial hair have gotten further apart over the years, though I did go from goateed to cleanshaven to bearded again so far this year.

As to why ... well partly vanity (a desperate attempt to cover a multitude a chins), partly laziness (it's a lot faster and easier to shave if most of your face is covered in hair, and you can get by for a day or two without shaving if need be).

7 - If you could take anyone famous, dead or alive, for a drink, who would
it be??

At the risk of cliche, it would probably be Jesus Christ. Actually, I fancy having a drink with Jesus. A nice, relaxed setting for asking a lot of questions I'm rather tense about the answers to.

8 - Have you ever, or would you wear flip flops?

Assuming that in the UK "flip flops" refer to sandals with no backs to them ...

I wore flip-flops when I was Very Young. A decade or more ago I was reintroduced to sandals, via Birkenstocks. I've since graduated to Tivas. I like wearing sandals -- very convenient on and off, not to mention comfortable.

9 - How many of the extensive list of blogs, do you read on a daily basis?
Honestly....!!

I hit all of the Gottas daily, if not more often. The Wannas every other day or so. The Oughtas maybe once a week. The Source Material I try to hit at least weekly (though the bottom three are more like daily).

But not at work. Never at work. Nosirree, that would be against company policy, you betcha ...

10 - The photo of you on the About page, where in the world are you?

Atop Mt. Evans, once of the "14ers" near Denver (as in "14,000 feet above sea level"). It's actually home to the highest paved highway in the US (or something like that), which will take you within about 100 breathless yards from the top. It's a great place to bring visitors.

11 - Where an earth did the names from the cats come from?

"Mist" was named that when he sort of came into our life from the shadows, plus his grey color, plus I had this weird thing at the time about giving all my cats names starting with "M".

"Indy" was named after Indiana ("We named the cat Indiana"), which is the state where, as a stray, he was given to us by some friends. His full name is "Indiana Pizza & Beer," after his first meal wandering up to the bonfire the night before we arrived.

12 - How close are you to finishing your novel?

Heh. To paraphrase Paul Valery, a novel is never finished, only abandoned. The first novel I started on shortly after college needs probably about two weeks of concentrated effort to give it one final buffing. The NaNoWriMo novel I did last November could use a bit more work than that, but is less likely to get it.

One of these days ...

13 - What would be the one wish that you could grant for your daughter?

Could grant or would grant?

The only one I can grant is to be the best father I know how to be -- supportive, teaching, entertaining, loving, nurturing, providing, etc.

The one I would grant, if I could with a wave of my hand, would be that she would live in joy.

14 - Actually, what is you daughter called?

Katherine Lydia Hill, the middle name after my mom's mom. A/k/a, Little Girl, Kitten, KATHERINE-NO!, Squiggy-boo, and Kitten.

15 - What is the naughtiest thing you have ever done?

When but a wee lad of five or six, I sprinkled salt and pepper about the kitchen counters, then ran to my mom and blamed my younger brother. Once he was banished to his room, I tried the same thing again, sprinkling sugar this time as well, and adding to it the story that my brother had not only done this thing, but had left his banishment to do so. Alas, I didn't know my mother could see into the kitchen from where she was ...

A memorable Talking To ensued ...

Things I've had on my List of Things To Do for too long:

• Finishing my novel. No, my old novel. Stuck in an endless series of re-writes.
• A whole shitload of genealogical info to compile, esp. from Margie's family, esp. from the family reunion two or three summers ago.
• Mapping the yard, so that we can do some real planning for it.
• Scanning old photos.
• Labeling and booking the photos from our England trip two and a half years ago.
• Labeling and booking all our other photos.
• Sanding and restaining the rest of the railing in the house.

So what the hell am I doing starting the NaNoWriMo thang? Hell if I know.

At the very least I won't get any further than a month behind on it.