Merry Christmas to all, and to all a ... good morning, by now. :grin:

Hoping everyone is having a happy holiday.

https://www.furaffinity.net/journal...../#cid:59483433

He raises an interesting point. The cities can't be the only place in a cyberpunk world. What goes on in the rural areas?

I'm a writer too. I've got short tales, long ones, a few book-length, and somehow nothing that's ever matched up with the prompt du semaine.

I was born with the space age, and as Reagan once remarked, I've somehow gone from liberal to conservative in six decades of being able to think, all without moving an inch...

I've seen a lot, I've read a lot, and the older I get the more I realize that people keep making the same mistakes over and over again. Usually by listening to folks who promise that they know the answers... ("But that trick never works!" "This time for sure! Presto!")

I'm a high school teacher by trade, retired now. (The simple subjects, math, chemistry and physics. Okay, maybe not simple, but the ones that have definite right answers.)

Here's to fellow misfits, may we keep writing and enjoying life in spite of the naysayers!

Well, either a new account has been hacked, or the new account IS a hack. Olivialden looks to be a bot advertising an 'online casino'. How do you report things to the moderators, again?

Well, why not, it seems to be popular at the moment. Ferric, Ironsides, and Teragauss agreed to be available for questions, so ask away! Maybe next time we'll get the bunny kids to sit still long enough to do this...

Anyway, the usual rules. Separate questions so they're readable, don't get creepy, and don't ask -too- many at once. Follow-ups are acceptable.

And we have now hit consensus 25 December (half the world's population is on the new date at 1830 GMT), so here's a Merry Christmas to all! For those who celebrate other festivals, Blessed Yule and Solstice, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and other as needed.

Don't usually do this, but it's a special case. Check it out if you have -any- spare cash to donate.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/9074137/

Like it says in the title.

I don't usually go in for the babble-about-my-life stuff, but it's been an interesting year. My parents had to give up driving just recently; Dad's 85, and is developing problems with Parkinsons. His reflexes just went bad on him, ending in a minor car-crunch when he couldn't shift his foot to the brake fast enough. Fortunately, he's still sharp mentally and decided then and there to give up on driving. My brother's family is in the same area and will be handling essential trips that the local public transport can't.

I personally had to do an emergency move (and wasn't THAT just a metric crap-load of fun) when my erstwhile landlord sold the building out from under his tenants. We had six weeks notice to get out. Karma bit him, though - after all the rush, his sale fell through and four months later the place is up for auction. The new place is about the same cost overall (higher rent but heat is included) and has much better plumbing. I'm still trying to unpack, though.

The Muse has been balky since the move - honestly, I haven't given up on Godlings, but all my inspiration recently has been in the Colmaton worldline. You'll be seeing a new story soon featuring Teragauss' family and the Boston Bureau folks, along with a few biographies of the Boston Division heroes.

So Happy Holidays, of whatever sort you celebrate, and here's hoping 2019 will be less 'interesting'. (Unless it involves winning a lottery jackpot.)

So... these have been turning up, and they're amusing. so here goes.

1. Gender?
“Seriously? You blind or something? Femme, doofus. Honestly, I'm not -that- flat, am I?”

2. Age?
"16 in August. I'm big for my age.”

3. Hug?
"Only with people I like. So far, you're not qualifying."

4. Bad habits?
"I don't follow orders I don't like. Mostly that's 'Ferric! Stand down and let the adults do this!'"

5. Favorite food?
"I don't really have one. Pretty much, whatever's in front of me. Takes a lot to keep me going."

6. Ice Cream Flavor?
"Baskin Robbins Baseball Nut. Raspberry swirls and cashews in vanilla, if you haven't had it."

7. What is your species?
"Yep, definitely blind. Raccoon."

8. Killed anyone?
"I... don't think so. I've come close, it's too easy to break normals. Zombies and undead don't count, right?"

9. Hate anyone?
"Not in general. If you want me to hate you, though, you can try going after my family."

10. Secrets?
"I've got a weakness for A2 tool steel. Delicious. Medic Mouse says I shouldn't, it's got way too much chromium in it, but it makes a wonderful all-day sucker."

11. Favorite season?
"Fall in the Appalachians. Harvest and turning leaves. Although there's always something magic about the first snow of winter."

12. Best friends?
"My fellow young supers. Techrat and Nibble and the one Ranger adopted, but she doesn't have a hero name yet. I'm -not- telling you their secret identities."

13. Hobbies?
"Still experimenting with things. Martial arts, but that's a professional thing as a Bureau agent. I like music, but I don't have the delicate touch needed to play. The head chef at BoS Colmaton is teaching me how to cook. Says I won't have to worry about getting fat from too much tasting. But I'm not allowed to eat his saucepans."

14. Favorite drink?
"White birch soda. What? I'm underage. You didn't expect me to pick something with alcohol in it, I hope?"

15. Birthday?
"August the second. No idea why some furs fuss about this, it's not like you're asking for the birth -date-, right?"

16. Nice or mean?
"Morningstar says I'm nice. I think I can trust her on that one."

17. What do you think of your creator?
"I try to be a good Christian. Or are you trying to break the fourth wall?"

18. Weakness?
"I have to be careful of where I go. My floor loading is incredible. And I pretty much can't use elevators."

19. How long can you stay underwater?
"I. Don't. Do. Under. Water."

20. What do you do on a regular basis?
"I'm still working on my high school diploma, but I should have that done soon. Then it's on to college courses. I'm thinking of going into an engineering program."

21. Do you love someone?
"As a friend, yes. If you're asking about significant others, not yet."

22. Does the person love you back?
“Didn't that assume a yes to the last question? You're not very bright, are you?"

23. What do you consider fun in the daytime?
"Forest hikes. Always something going on in a forest. Never understood furs who like cities."

24. At night?
"Astronomy. Something about stars is just... soothing.”

25. Do you like to play video games?
"Nope. It looks like it would be fun, but they don't make a controller that will survive me getting excited."

26. Are you gay?
"Pretty sure I'm not. I might get desperate later, but I'm still hoping to find a nice boy who can deal with my power and mass."

27. Say that you were trapped in a closet with you lover for 2 days.
"It had better be a pantry closet, or I'll be breaking the door down after an hour or two. And you're assuming answers to the previous questions again."

28. Place of origin?
"Pennsylvania. The Allegheny mountain region."

29. Large or small family?
"Large. And that's not a pun on my size."

30. Who are your parents?
"A pair of raccoons. Honestly, you think I'm going to make them go through relocation -again-?"

31. Do you have a phobia?
"Nope. All my fears are completely rational."

32. Piercing/tattoos?
"Heehee! Are you serious? They can't get a needle through my skin for medical injections. Even if Medic Mouse is pushing it, it just bends. No way she'd try to help me do that."

33. Do you have a pet?
"Used to. Had a cow I raised from a calf. Prize winner at the Pennsylvania State Fair in 2012."

34. Lucky number?
"Not really. There's too many of them."

35. Favorite color?
"Forest green. No surprise, right?"

36. Eye color?
"Hazel. Really, -are- you blind?"

37. Hair color?
"Black. Y'know, this stuff on my head that looks like braided steel cable?"

38. Quick! Someone kissed your love! What do you do?
"Annnnd... we're back to assuming answers to previous questions."

39. Favorite music?
"As a genre? Baroque. There's something about Johann Sebastian Bach that fascinates me. But there's good tunes in most genres. Even rap, once in a while."

40. Where do you want to be right now?
"The dining room. I'm getting hungry again."

41. What are you in your love's opinion?
"And we're back to -this- again. You are not enhancing my already abysmal opinion of journalists. I'm not going to let them talk me into this again any time soon."

42. Do you have a work?
"Do we haz English? What does that even mean? A work of art? No, not really."

43. You are alone. What do you do?
"Depends where I am, doesn't it? I tried weight-lifting rail cars once. Did you know the wheels aren't actually attached? Sheesh, was -that- embarrassing..."

44. Do you like parties?
"No. Too many distracted people I have to be careful not to step on. I'm more a 'small gathering of friends over dinner' type."

45. When you're alone at home, what do you like to do?
"Read and listen to music."

46. Someone have drawn you in a porn situation?
"I'm underage. If I find out, and they live, turn 'em over to the police."

47. Favorite film?
"Casablanca. So many snarky lines..."

48. Tell us something about your otp before we finish.
"And here we are again, making up alphabet soup. What? One True Pairing? … Don't make me hit you."

49. The end, would you share this quiz with someone?
"Dunno. Are you gonna start listening to the answers before asking the followup questions?"

And we've just crossed the midnight line here in Pennsylvania, so to all my friends and followers, Merry Christmas!

Did some commission work for the Colmaton superhero universe, and got interested in doing some of my own work for it as well. Here's the first bits!

Had rabbi-tom do a version of Keesha in honor of the 100th anniversary of the First World War. What else for a bat but a pilot position?

Link is http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21759457/ - I will eventually put a copy up here as well.

Well, they're here, and although Costello's story didn't make it, there are other good things to vote for.

http://ursamajorawards.org/voting2015/

Do eet! Do eet NAAAAOOW!

I am unfortunately currently in somewhat dire financial straits, having run out of savings after suffering a somewhat permanent knee injury a year ago and having only spotty part-time employment since. Therefore...

In the current fashion of 'Your Character Here' among the artists, I have decided to give it a try for the story.

If you'd like for your character (or your RL persona, I suppose) to have a cameo appearance in Godlings, here's your chance!

I will be looking for characters to fill the following roles:

Redshirt or single-appearance soldiers, sailors, pilots, or other military or security personnel. $25

Single-appearance civilians, $25

Researchers for Project Mirror - multiple minor appearances as projects continue. $50

Single-appearance character who discovers and reports a vital piece of information. $50

Embassy personnel at Ba-Yabel in the Sahara. Variable, depending on appearances.

Two new North American Immortals. Multiple appearances, Bidding starts at $50

Personas may be baseline humans, animal changelings, or standard mythic creatures. Invented species won't fit the world, I'm afraid.

Donations, of course, will also be gratefully accepted.

http://www.ursamajorawards.org/nominations.htm

Sign up, nominate your favorites! And don't forget Within The Hollow Crown!

It's under Best Anthropomorphic Novel.

Heyla! It's that time again, almost, and for those of you following my stories and not following EOCostello (and if so, WHY NOT?), be advised that one of his tales of Westersloe Winterbough V of the Empire of Faerie, has made it onto their recommended reading list.

The Awards site: http://www.ursamajorawards.org/

The Recommended Reading list : http://www.ursamajorawards.org/ReadList.htm#Novel

And the prospective nominee, Within the Hollow Crown : http://www.furaffinity.net/view/18707143/

And there are two dozen other dazzling tales of daring do, comedy, and snarky shout-outs to various and sundry stories (so far, though, we haven't seen Moose and Squirrel). I heartily recommend it to all who enjoy light-hearted adventure.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Blessed Solstice as appropriate, and a Happy New Year for everyone. And a Joyous Perihelion on the fourth of January.

I am now up to a nine-chapter buffer for the next part of the Changeling saga, so I will be posting the new story on a weekly basis after the New Year's. I have been getting about a half-chapter written per week, so I will eventually catch up and have to slow down postings, but... that shouldn't happen until the spring. As always, comments are welcome, encouragement is encouraged, and I hope you're enjoying it.

And it is now up on Smashwords, with Amazon and the rest of the retailers soon to follow. Feel free to grab a copy!

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/251724