Stories from the Gates of Camelot: Into the Ruins #1

Several years ago contributing writer Orcrist had a job with a browser gaming company called SnakeHead Games. During this time he helped them make their first Facebook game, as well as do some work on their existing browser games.  The Facebook game has sense been moved to a browser game (a whole blog could be written just about that experience - needless to say you don't need to send me any FB game invites). Now they've released the beta for a new game the Gates of Camelot.  As an aside to training to be the best knight you can be, there are all sorts of opportunities to write.  This has been wonderful opportunity for me to practice writing short story content and I thought I'd share some of the pieces that make the most sense outside of the game here on the blog.

To understand this piece it is important to know that every hour you are given the opportunity to "search the ruins." During this time you find money and random items.  The challenge for this particular piece of writing was to give a possible explanation for how the following items were left in the ruins and subsequently found by the intrepid knight Sir Ducksalot - who is in fact, a duck.  The items were: a small shield - improvised (described as a random bit of wood or branch which has been fashioned for use as a shield), a kinfe, an ale, and if applicable $2,508 silver. Get your tissues ready for the Tale of Cassandra (after the jump).

Spammed

Dear Readers.  I know this blog has been on an unimaginable hiatus.  This is a hobby blog and I love having a space to share random thoughts with you all, given that I find the time to type them up.  Orcrist and I have several things we are working on currently and some of it will eventually show up here (we hope!).  In the meantime, it appears we have become a favorite of spammers.  Many of our posts have become deluged with spam posts, that while relevant enough to get around the automated filters, did not add any significant discussion to the posts.  As such I have disabled comments to all anonymous posts. I will crank the security up tighter if this doesn't solve the problem.  I barely have time to write here, I don't need to spend it all clearing junk off the bottoms of the pages.

I want to personally thank Orcrist for taking an afternoon to clear the majority of the junk. If you want to link your blog, something cool you saw, or a contact info in the comments of a post - I'm actually ok with that, given that there is a valid reason for doing so - you and another commenter had a meaningful conversation and you want to continue it elsewhere, you are linking to something that directly relates to the post, etc. I do this too, and it's always tricky to say - hey I totally wrote something about the same thing, come see what I said.  I know that.  However, if your link is to a retail site, expect it to get nuked (unless we are talking product, which we may, but if you link a sale piece it had better be 100% relevant!)  I hope to add some of the new G+ functionality to this blog soon.  I want us to have conversations.  I want our ideas to be discussed and shared.  But I don't want you, the faithful, to have to be barraged with spam on these pages.  It's bad enough I don't edit!

Thanks All

KtC

FIRST Diary Entry 1: Craming for the Qualifier

I interviewed almost a month ago.  I mean I know I was busy, had the big school fundraiser of the year event, Mom and Dad came for a visit, I was organizing Dr. Baird's Wilderness History collection - oh my gosh was that awesome reading!  Yeah, I totally blew off the thank you note.  I had been up all night reading historical documents and letters to Senators before the interview.  They said they needed someone right away, and I talked too much... I always talk too much when I don't know what to say and feel responsible for carrying the conversation.  I still feel like a little kid at the "grown up table" for the first time.  So, it was with great reluctance that I announced at the PAT meeting that I probably didn't get the job.  I accepted it.  I didn't really need more work, I had two jobs and a good hobby.  Maybe with my free time I could even make a hobby or two pay as well.  Ok, my husband wanted me to bring in a bit more, but pttthbpt I didn't care anymore.

So when my phone rang interrupting the raptor club presentation (and scaring a poor falcon) on the all school field trip to the University where Orcrist works.... well I was not expecting a job offer!  We'll let you know by the start of next week had become nearly 4 weeks.  I quickly called back, worked out a few details (probably not nearly enough), and jumped in with both feet, starting just days before my daughter's birthday and the opening of the Hobbit - for which I'd been arranging childcare for over a year and a half (only to have to scramble at the last minute //sigh)

Intro to FIRST

I recently accepted a job with a local FIRST^© partner - 4-H Youth and Development. Which is an extension program of the local State Land Grant University. I am an associate (part-time) in their sciences robotics program. This means I work in a dorm turned offices, at the University where I did my undergrad. Furthermore, by starting in the middle of the tournament season - I'm getting a crash course in all thing FIRST.

I would like to share my experiences (starting from December when I began), in a series of diary-style entries, but first I will give you an overview of the program - after the jump.