*And other odd accents.

Hello fellow FA Artists, Writers, Musicians, Crafters and other highly creative people.

For well over a year now I have been enjoying chatting with several other FA members in the afternoons, and the exchanges have proven to be a great way to generate ideas and build new story lines for the characters we write of or draw. Now I must admit, I enjoy trying to phonetically spell out sound effects and also the accents of some of the characters who don't quite pronounce English words in a proper manner. My personal favorites are the Elfin Vulpines that speak with a comic German accent in Vulpitania, which gives me a chance to not only practice a bit of my High School German, but also be a little creative in writing dialog that the readers might find comical. "Zo vhat doss dis have to dho mit Der Bhig Enghines?" For example. If anything it does give me a chance to throw some "Fachsprache" around and learn a few new words at the same time.

I've drawn a little criticism concerning my foxtaur characters the Garetta and their strange "Pijin" English, inspired by the languages used by the Southern Pacific Islanders in Papua New Guinea in the Solomon Islands. I had the idea that the fox like Garetta would adapt words and phrases from the Human crews of the colony ship they arrived in and use a cobbled together language that they could easier pronounce through their vulpine mouths and voice boxes. Unfortunately, it was the Star Wars character Jar Jar Binks that put the kibosh to the whole sub genre. Still, I find it amusing to speak a few Garetta words and phrases upon occasion, especially if I'm wearing my wide brimmed "Shaman's Hat." During a walk in a rainstorm last Saturday I was "Stalked" then overtaken by a young lad on a little dirt bike on the Prominade around the Rose Bowl, and he startled me out of my walking contemplation. "Heyyo Hoowie Cubbasah!" I found myself blurting out. The kid stopped and looked at me, but I came to my senses and switched back to Human Speak. "Be a bit more careful, okay?"

I've also been inspired upon occasion to switch into "Fudd Speak" when recalling gags and dialog from Old Warner Bros. Cartoons featuring the "Wagged, Wugged Owtdowah Spowting Man" who was often foiled by a "Wascally Wabbit." I have been known to call certain tools by odd names like "Hamwahs, Winches and Skroodwivahs", and Most folks find that last item humorous. However, the folks at "The Acme Consolidated Screwdriver Company" didn't. I believe I hadn't heard anything of them since that Gary Larson, (Far Side.) cartoon came out.

Thank you all for the helpful hints and advice on controlling the rats in the attic of the house I'm staying in. The most effective cure I've found thus far is to soak rags in ammonia and leave the sopping bundle in the areas where the rats are known to run. It's kind of satisfying to hear a rat start out crunching away at the wall, only to give up and scamper off. Yes, I know I have to recharge the ammonia at least every two weeks, but if anything it does buy me a little time until I can get to plugging the holes the rodents have made, and secure wire and apply "PUF" (Expanding Urethane Foam.) around the openings.

Be Safe Out There, Friends. Keep in touch, (Here on FA at least.) and stay informed. Above all...

"Peace."