Unexpected October 29, 2008

I went to my weekly SCA meeting tonight after missing last week due to the bronchitis (it’s still bothering me, actually) and did some dancing and a little chatting. I took a break and spoke with Dmitrii to tell him that my report is under review at the Academy, and not to worry about any submissions until I heard the results of my inquiry. It’s good to have the Academy back you up.

Anyway, I was very pleasantly surprised and incredibly touched when Dmitrii presented me with a copy of one of the fundamental resources on medieval heraldry (heck, heraldry altogether) as a gift. It was, he said, because the insane amount of research I undertook for my own submission shows that I have an interest and a bit of a knack for the stuff, and he wants to encourage me to pursue it. The best way, he said, was to make sure that those with the enthusiasm and interest have the tools they need to get involved. And so, the book.

Wow.

I’m grinning from ear to ear. It’s a wonderful subject to get immersed in, and could prove to be a lot of fun. I’m also invited to the next submission roundtable to listen in and learn about the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on.

So excited.

Huzzah! October 20, 2008

I submitted a name and device query to The Academy of Saint Gabriel a few months ago. I checked today after a long hiatus, and they’re finally working on it!

The only bad thing is that I’ve already done some preliminary work with my local herald on both items, so I’ll be curious to see who ends up with a result first. I’m betting Dmitri.

(I just checked, there appear to be three more reports in queue before mine, the latest was just released this past Friday. I’m thinking Thanksgiving, maybe?)

Spazmatic September 18, 2008

I live in a very ethnic city. It isn’t every day that one can go for food at a Chinese restaurant and be sandwiched between one table of folks speaking Spanish and another of people speaking Romanian. I think it’s actually pretty neat.

Last night was Euro dance night again, and I have to get my act together so I can teach and call the dance I learned at Pennsic this year. I realized that I don’t have the music, but I was lucky to find several good versions available on iTunes, which I will be purchasing shortly. Once I get paid I’ll buy the actual CDs.

Speaking of Apple products, I think I am seriously scouting out an iTouch. I’ve been needing a PDA-type products for a while now since my ancient Palm M100 is really and truly on its last legs. My cell phone contract is up in November so I was thinking of getting a smartphone or Blackberry device, but I’ve found I don’t care for any of the smartphones, and I would have to upgrade my cell plan to the tune of an additional $30 a month to be able to use the Blackberry. Since I have no intention of using the theoretical device for email, that extra cash would add up in a hurry. I’ve also been wistfully lusting after a full-fledged iPod (I have a 1st-generation Shuffle) because more and more I’ve had instances where it would be really helpful to 1) have music and 2) be able to locate it by name.

I’m thinking the iTouch may be the best of all worlds.

It is a much more expensive option, at least up front, but I think it will do everything I want it for, plus it will satisfy my inner geek with its gadget-y goodness.

I was terribly excited when I came downstairs this morning and found Hector perched on the little rock decoration thingy I put in the Disco. Finally, someone’s climbing! Ajax appears to be content in the isolation tank –he’s dug down to the bottom so I can lift the tank and peek at him– and he’s made a nice little cave for himself so I’m not quite as worried that I may have suffocated him. Still no sign of Ulysses in the main tank.

Random September 11, 2008

I’ve made it to two SCA meetings so far.  Each has been a little different, both have confirmed that getting involved again is a Good Thing.  This week I not only danced a bit, but I taught and called a few dances for a complete dance newbie.  Our new dance mistress is a wonderful, sweet woman, but she doesn’t know enough of the dances yet to call them.  That will come in time, of course, but in the meantime, if I can help her out, I’ll do it gladly.

I’ve also been marked down to teach one of the more advanced English country dances I learned at Pennsic this past year.  I need to find music to Parsons Farewell and study up on my cheat sheet.  It’s a pretty dance, but not for the faint of heart or the easily confused.

I have also submitted some initial ideas to register a name and device to my local Pursuivant, and now the ball is rolling to get myself all official.  Geekdom, thy name is mine.

In other news, my hermit crabs have gone Houdini on me.  I can’t find them.  There’s no chance they could have escaped from their crabitat, but there’s no sign of them.  A few days ago all three seemed to barricade themselves under their log and fill up the opening with substrate. A day or so later, one emerged but the others remained unseen.  Now he’s back in hiding –somewhere– and the other two are a mystery.

The weather has been cooler, so I’m wondering if they’re simply huddling together and trying to bury themselves for warmth.  The heat is not on in the house yet, so the tank is getting cooler than they may be accustomed to.  I have a light/heat hood on order, but until then I’ve taken to laying a heating pad across the top of the tank when I’m home in an attempt to bring the temperature up.  Just doing that brings the inside to a cozy 80F.

The other option is that they are all participating in a group molt, but I would think the chances of that are pretty low.  I don’t think anyone is dead, and if I listen closely, I can hear little chirps and clacking so I think they’re twitchy, wherever they are.  I’m hoping the dual-light hood will help.  Oh, the suspense!

I had no idea that there was that significant of a difference between a large and a jumbo egg.  My squash and coconut casserole thingy came out very eggy this time.  It wasn’t bad, just different.  I’ll have to watch that.