Amidus Drexel's Alliterative and Awe-Accentuating Anvil of Random Banter CLXXXVI

[AtlanteanTroll]

*rant ends, pants*

*rant ends, pants*

*rant pants*

Oh. Oh my.

[absolmorph]

Oh. Oh my.

Now there's a novel concept.

[Kneenibble]

Oh, poor sweet Mabel has been moulting hard again. She has gotten her energy back in the past few days finally and started chirping to me again. But she is still sooo scruffy and she is rubbing her poor itchy head everywhere.

I wish she would let me scratch her head for her. She doesn't know how happy that would make the both of us.

Never! The normal parentheses will retain their (rightful) place in my speech! Back, foul brackets, return to thy domain, thine archives and code! Begone, sinister, square elaboration notation! Plague me no more!

ION: I really need to sleep (as I only got ~1 hour of sleep this morning), but I fear my general combination of stubbornness and lack of foresight is going to keep me awake to my typical hours of rest. I'd also like to be awake for dinner, and that will probably give me more energy.

Alas! I and my brackets take our leave
So as to not inflame your bracket peeve.
Our edges chafe, our corners poke and scrape
And tear the silky lining of your cape
[Do not tell lies, I know you have one on:
I saw it catch the light! and how it shone].
But though you may not presently believe,
You'll rue the day you sent away this shape:
For you cannot make square emoticon!

& though the hour of your dinner has come and gone: let not sleep blunt the edge of a noble hunger! Have you found rest since?

All things smell of mortality, my benign bird. As for the coats' tale? It is difficult weave with words; you must be careful not to lose the thread of it. You should also be aware that this may be a complete fabrication - but there's no use needling me on that score, danger may loom if I tell the truth.

Now that I'm done punning, your tale:
I was in a high stakes game of Crazy Puchre - a game of my own design that contains elements of Poker, Euchre, Spades, and Crazy Eights - with some Andalusian fire cultists. I had wagered twoscore silver discs that my hand could take five tricks, but I took seven, which brought my tally of overticks above ten - meaning that rather than gaining money, everything I obtained from that pot was to be divided amongst the other players. This left me with little money, but I knew I could win if I pursued one further hand. They offered to take my silks as collateral, but on the next hand one of my opponents led with the Ace of Hears - a card I had in my hand. We argued, and came to blows. I fought valiantly, but was outnumbered too greatly. When I came to, my silks and my silver were gone.

Excellent, excellent, excellent! I love it. You simply must visit my salon as soon as possible. You'll very easily find some classy mature minx with legs up to the stars for a patron, I promise, and then you'll have more silk than you know what to do with.

Oh look, I seem to have gone to bed with an unprocessed multi-quote...

Well, that's actually the way I usually use them in common speech (although I generally only infer a simple "[...]" to denote where I've shortened it), unless I use it for fake tags, but that's pretty forum specific. However, it gets quite silly when you do it to your own writings like that. It looks like I've edited your post, rather than them being there from the start.

I hadn't thought of that. *squints* You win... this time.

Hehe, I wouldn't dare to damage your databases without taking a proper backup first. I might need to shield my hardware from environmental hazards however...

Also, naww...

You cannot predict to what depths you would sink in war, Teddy! It can make a monster of the gentlest bear. Show the Archivists no mercy, for they shall give you none: joyless dust-fingered cave-dwellers all high on book mould that they are.

When my papers are finally finished, I'm going to draw one of the budgie & teddy tableaux I keep imagining. I promise.

But...Greek is better than all of those things!

Decetne mihi rogare quomodo examinatio Latina cesserit? Examinatio tulitne exanimationem?

Spero te Classice scire, cum intellegam differre ab Ecclestiastica...

Oh. Oh my.

*monocle pops off*

[Blue Ghost]

Guess what today is...

HAPPY BEETHOVEN DAY!

[DraPrime]

Decetne mihi rogare quomodo examinatio Latina cesserit? Examinatio tulitne exanimationem?

Spero te Classice scire, cum intellegam differre ab Ecclestiastica...

If I understand your question properly...I don't have the exam results yet. It should be too bad though. The Classical isn't too different from the Ecclesiastical. It's what I'm learning now. Most of the difference is in the pronunciation. Ecclesiastical is of course better in that respect.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Now there's a novel concept.

Ain't it?

*monocle pops off*

Good to see you too, mon petite budgie.

[Teddy]

You cannot predict to what depths you would sink in war, Teddy! It can make a monster of the gentlest bear. Show the Archivists no mercy, for they shall give you none: joyless dust-fingered cave-dwellers all high on book mould that they are.

Oh, I can be quite rough if the need arises, but I should be able to restrain myself. I mean, don't burn what you can't rebuild, and all that. And a full database backup makes for some excellent negotiation material, and possibly a relationship booster as well. I mean, it could bring it back to the very moment before the apocalypse...

When my papers are finally finished, I'm going to draw one of the budgie & teddy tableaux I keep imagining. I promise.

Don't you just have so many papers? I mean, they seem just as frequent as my labs were, and those were supposed to be done in under 9 hours each...
...
You know, I've never quite realised how much time I've spent doing my labs without even reflecting on it. 9 hours isn't supposed to be a short amount of time to my lazy brain. Where did all this work ethic suddenly come from!?

ION:
I really should stop buying myself new games for low prices. They keep me up well past bedtime, and I never slept more than 5 hours last night to start with. Pushing 18 hours, will probably sleep until noon...

[Dimonite]

Excellent, excellent, excellent! I love it. You simply must visit my salon as soon as possible. You'll very easily find some classy mature minx with legs up to the stars for a patron, I promise, and then you'll have more silk than you know what to do with.

I actually might take a road trip up to Canada this summer... if I can get a car and a driver's license. And money. I've been wanting to go back to Moose Jaw ever since the first time I was there YEARS ago. There's this fabulous little fudge shoppe up there that serves a flavor of fudge they call "Heavenly Goo." IT IS APTLY NAMED.

[Mutant Sheep]

Ain't it?


Good to see you too, mon petite budgie.

Hi AT! You is back?

IaRN: Sawed Hobbit today. Didn't like *spoiler* or *spoiler*, but *spoiler* was cool. How was the midnigth showing, AT-AT?

[Kneenibble]

Guess what today is...

HAPPY BEETHOVEN DAY!

Hot damn, that's hot sauce! I'm going to celebrate by playing the heck out of Moonlight Sonata RIGHT NOW.

If I understand your question properly...I don't have the exam results yet. It should be too bad though. The Classical isn't too different from the Ecclesiastical. It's what I'm learning now. Most of the difference is in the pronunciation. Ecclesiastical is of course better in that respect.

You have understood properly yes. I had rather hoped you might respond in Latin, and we speak as a pair of medieval international scholars met on some unlikely via.

Good to see you too, mon petite budgie.

Hello, my fluff-throated passer. Where have you been and what do you know?

Oh, I can be quite rough if the need arises, but I should be able to restrain myself. I mean, don't burn what you can't rebuild, and all that. And a full database backup makes for some excellent negotiation material, and possibly a relationship booster as well. I mean, it could bring it back to the very moment before the apocalypse...

And this is why the programmers will win. We Archivists are forever looking backwards at exponentially increasing understaffed backlogs, lost in a whirlpool of idealized preservation that never, ever matches up to the motheaten tatters of reality.

Look kindly upon us in the final parlay, won't you?

Don't you just have so many papers? I mean, they seem just as frequent as my labs were, and those were supposed to be done in under 9 hours each...
...
You know, I've never quite realised how much time I've spent doing my labs without even reflecting on it. 9 hours isn't supposed to be a short amount of time to my lazy brain. Where did all this work ethic suddenly come from!?

Nine hours, geez louise. Are you on break yet? Or do you still have work before Christmas?

As for me, I'd love to borrow some work ethic if you have too much. I don't have so many papers. I have 2. I just have serious and deeply entrenched psychological problems with papers. I took five days off work almost a month ago to finish them. I haven't even started the second.

ION:
I really should stop buying myself new games for low prices. They keep me up well past bedtime, and I never slept more than 5 hours last night to start with. Pushing 18 hours, will probably sleep until noon...

Anything you'd recommend?

I actually might take a road trip up to Canada this summer... if I can get a car and a driver's license. And money. I've been wanting to go back to Moose Jaw ever since the first time I was there YEARS ago. There's this fabulous little fudge shoppe up there that serves a flavor of fudge they call "Heavenly Goo." IT IS APTLY NAMED.

Heavenly Goo. I can only imagine. By Sts. Michael and George, I don't like most sweets, but fudge drives me nuts.

I have not been to Moose Jaw since I was a wee boy... but if you pass through Winnipeg on your way, I'll buy you dinner!

[DraPrime]

You have understood properly yes. I had rather hoped you might respond in Latin, and we speak as a pair of medieval international scholars met on some unlikely via.

Didico Latina per quatuor mensis, igitur difficilis est scribirere bene. Exspecta quinque mensis.

[Proud Tortoise]

But...Greek is better than all of those things!

I have greek letters in my avatar. But the words are English. They say Proud Tortoise. This just seemed like the place to point that out.
Edit: Actually the Tortoise bit is cut off...

I want to see the hobbit, but I probably can't until next year. And the world might have ended by then, and I would never get to see it!

A friend of mine is organizing a charity auction. Someone's doctor donated a botox injection. (Really, wtf?) Anyway she asked me to help her think of a way to market it. My suggestion was:

Have you ever looked at a Twinkie with envy? Have you ever smoldered with jealousy at the sight of an organ floating in a jar? For the low low price of $[#], your face can look like one of these objects through an injection of poison!

She told me there was no way in hell she was using that. I told her to look up botox ads.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Hi AT! You is back?

Well ... Sort of.

IaRN: Sawed Hobbit today. Didn't like *spoiler* or *spoiler*, but *spoiler* was cool. How was the midnigth showing, AT-AT?

Very fun. You need to Book Face more because I am still out a laptop with AIM and we need to talk.

Hello, my fluff-throated passer. Where have you been and what do you know?

I have been getting ready for College applications and I know nothing. NOTHING I SAY!

[Elemental]

I have been getting ready for College applications and I know nothing. NOTHING I SAY!

Nonsense! You seem like a suitably educated individual.

[Kneenibble]

Didico Latina per quatuor mensis, igitur difficilis est scribirere bene. Exspecta quinque mensis.

Have you been studying Latin generally for four months? Or just Classical? How much is Latin part of the priestly curriculum now? Because I seem to recall that the previous Pope published papers in Latin, for example.

I have greek letters in my avatar. But the words are English. They say Proud Tortoise. This just seemed like the place to point that out.
Edit: Actually the Tortoise bit is cut off...

I want to see the hobbit, but I probably can't until next year. And the world might have ended by then, and I would never get to see it!

I can see pi-rho-omicron-upilson-delta, but I can't find the turtle part. I wouldn't have noticed it if you hadn't pointed it out. Neat.

I myself shall see The Hobbit on Thursday evening. We're going to surprise my Dad for his birthday! He thinks only my brother is meeting him at the theatre, but also I, my nephews, my brother-in-law, my uncle, and my cousin will also be there.

He read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to me and all my siblings as children.

Well ... Sort of.

Very fun. You need to Book Face more because I am still out a laptop with AIM and we need to talk.

I have been getting ready for College applications and I know nothing. NOTHING I SAY!

Far out. What are you two going to talk about?

Best of luck with your applications. As far as I'm concerned, a handsome man like you can study where-eeeeeeever he likes. *wwwwwwinks*

Nonsense! You seem like a suitably educated individual.

It's Elemental!

*hugs*

Spoiler

Show

What say you today?

[DraPrime]

Have you been studying Latin generally for four months? Or just Classical? How much is Latin part of the priestly curriculum now? Because I seem to recall that the previous Pope published papers in Latin, for example.

Just Classical. How much is part of the curriculum varies by country. I believe in the USA it's one or two semesters. The previous Pope and the current one write most encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, decrees, etc. in Latin first, after which they are translated into other languages.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Nonsense! You seem like a suitably educated individual.

Well sure, but nothing practical.

Best of luck with your applications. As far as I'm concerned, a handsome man like you can study where-eeeeeeever he likes. *wwwwwwinks*

Quick! Jet a job in the Admissions department at Kenyon! [/quote]

[Elemental]

It's Elemental!

*hugs*

Spoiler

Show

What say you today?

What say I today? I say I am a bit tired as I had to get up early. Though no more tired than usual. Also, I'm getting a nice breeze for my window.

Well sure, but nothing practical.

Who is to decide what is practical?

Practicality has nothing to do with education.

[Dimonite]

Heavenly Goo. I can only imagine. By Sts. Michael and George, I don't like most sweets, but fudge drives me nuts.

I have not been to Moose Jaw since I was a wee boy... but if you pass through Winnipeg on your way, I'll buy you dinner!

Actually, we stopped by Winnipeg last time we went up to Moose Jaw. We quite enjoyed ourselves at the Assiniboine Zoo in that area. It's rather far out of the way, however; we only stopped there last time because we had gone to Grand Marais first. That said: should I by chance find myself in Winnipeg, a weary traveler through this broken world, I shall avail myself of your offer. I shall simply ask the first avian I come across for directions to the Cairn of the Budgie Lord, and I am certain I shall not be led astray.

[Amidus Drexel]

I happen to enjoy algebra far more than anything Greek I've encountered.

If you get far enough into mathematics, you start seeing Greek things everywhere. Especially in trigonometry and calculus.

I only looked at it that way because it was in a textbook.
Textbooks and I tend to have... issues.

Hey, I like textbooks (but only if they're given to me - **** paying for them); they give me an excellent way to file my notes. I can tell how much of my class I have left to go by how much of my books don't have notes stuffed between the pages.

Alas! I and my brackets take our leave
So as to not inflame your bracket peeve.
Our edges chafe, our corners poke and scrape
And tear the silky lining of your cape
[Do not tell lies, I know you have one on:
I saw it catch the light! and how it shone].
But though you may not presently believe,
You'll rue the day you sent away this shape:
For you cannot make square emoticon!

& though the hour of your dinner has come and gone: let not sleep blunt the edge of a noble hunger! Have you found rest since?

Splendidly done, sir!

I have, and it left me (comparatively, for sure - perhaps actually, even) well-rested.

Guess what today is...

HAPPY BEETHOVEN DAY!

As long as I don't have to listen to anything he's composed, I think I'll enjoy it with you.

I want to see the hobbit, but I probably can't until next year. And the world might have ended by then, and I would never get to see it!

That sucks. I've heard the movie's quite good, but I haven't gone to see it myself yet either.

A friend of mine is organizing a charity auction. Someone's doctor donated a botox injection. (Really, wtf?)

That seems kind of silly.

She told me there was no way in hell she was using that. I told her to look up botox ads.

I have been getting ready for College applications and I know nothing. NOTHING I SAY!

Lie through your teeth; they'll never know.

Or, better yet (or if you have morals or something ), just make everything that you've ever done seem really important, even if it wasn't. It's not like they'll know the difference (and I doubt they'll quiz you on your application later).

ION: I am sick of paperwork. The next person that asks me to fill out a form or get someone's signature or anything else that involves me answering questions in triplicate (or otherwise) is going to drive me crazy. ENOUGH!

[Elemental]

ION: I am sick of paperwork. The next person that asks me to fill out a form or get someone's signature or anything else that involves me answering questions in triplicate (or otherwise) is going to drive me crazy. ENOUGH!

I am in total agreement. Paperwork is the Devil's past-time.

Anyway... I've sent Mynxae to procure lunch and I think I shall play Starcraft shortly.
And it works fully now despite lagging periodically due to my slightly inadequate processor.

[Kneenibble]

Just Classical. How much is part of the curriculum varies by country. I believe in the USA it's one or two semesters. The previous Pope and the current one write most encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, decrees, etc. in Latin first, after which they are translated into other languages.

Well I think you should make it a hobby, and go way further with it than you have to. But I am a huge Latin nerd. The power over English you gain from it is pretty astounding.

Quick! Jet a job in the Admissions department at Kenyon!

I'm on it!

*begins shapeshifting into a fat female bureaucrat with huge hair and really long fingernails*

What say I today? I say I am a bit tired as I had to get up early. Though no more tired than usual. Also, I'm getting a nice breeze for my window.

Well if six baby budgies in a fluffpile can't energize you, then I don't know what can. How grow your bananas?

Actually, we stopped by Winnipeg last time we went up to Moose Jaw. We quite enjoyed ourselves at the Assiniboine Zoo in that area. It's rather far out of the way, however; we only stopped there last time because we had gone to Grand Marais first. That said: should I by chance find myself in Winnipeg, a weary traveler through this broken world, I shall avail myself of your offer. I shall simply ask the first avian I come across for directions to the Cairn of the Budgie Lord, and I am certain I shall not be led astray.

Holy crap, you've been here?!?! How long ago? The Assiniboine Zoo is being rebuilt pretty extensively right now, there's going to be a huge polar bear shelter.

I can only picture some kind of Apocalypse Now-esque journey into a madman's domain, with a flock of budgies you can hear from far away that you mistake at first for a waterfall. I wish, I wish, I wish.

[DraPrime]

Well I think you should make it a hobby, and go way further with it than you have to. But I am a huge Latin nerd. The power over English you gain from it is pretty astounding.

Most certainly. I intend on doing two full years of it. It'd be a shame to have that big hefty copy of the Vulgate in my room without actually being able to read it. Greek of course will come some time after that, and probably Spanish too. I'm likely to end up knowing five languages if I can pull this all off.

[Elemental]

Well if six baby budgies in a fluffpile can't energize you, then I don't know what can. How grow your bananas?

Well, in this heat I'm trying to avoid anything with fur or feathers coming in contact with my skin. And it's particularly bad at the moment as I have to have my window closed to keep out insects as this window has no screen.

They grow well. I have completely forgotten to photograph them and now I feel bad...

[Mynxae]

Nibbles, Sheepie and Ele, we should organise an FFA on StarCraft 2 sometime tomorrow. I'm fairly sure Ele has retreated to the aircon in his Mum's room, Sheepie would be either asleep or staying up late like usual and Nibbles I think it's getting late for him too.

Perhaps a time that suits us all tomorrow morning (for Ele and I, 9am is in approx 12hrs from the time of this post if that helps)? Let me know. Nibbles will attack with his budgies and zealots, Sheepie will go lings-roach-hydra-festor and Ele will probably go mass Voids, Carriers or DT's. Whereas I shall remain a mystery

[Teddy]

And this is why the programmers will win. We Archivists are forever looking backwards at exponentially increasing understaffed backlogs, lost in a whirlpool of idealized preservation that never, ever matches up to the motheaten tatters of reality.

Look kindly upon us in the final parlay, won't you?

Don't worry, civility will always get me further than superiority. You will know that the bad times are over and that your continued existence will be granted. The only thing I ask in return is cooperation over repugnance.

Also, mum is currently bossing over a project where they're packing up a large museum store, so I know to feel pitty for you as well (she's lucky, however, for in the final weeks, they discovered that they had enough funds left to hire another employee for it. She hired a young woman who'd practiced with her some time ago, and now she can't stop praising her. She takes her own initiatives and actually understands the database and even solves problems she weren't tasked with solving).

Nine hours, geez louise. Are you on break yet? Or do you still have work before Christmas?

Nope, I finished and accounted for the last two last Wednesday. Now it's just the final exam and I'm all done with this programming course. And I already have 25% of maximum score for the exam secured in bonus points, and it's on a topic I handled quite well before even the start of the course (Java and object-oriented programming), so I have to be an utter moron to not get the top grade for this one.

As for me, I'd love to borrow some work ethic if you have too much. I don't have so many papers. I have 2. I just have serious and deeply entrenched psychological problems with papers. I took five days off work almost a month ago to finish them. I haven't even started the second.

It's sad you can't bottle work ethic and send it oversees just like that. Given, I kind of need it myself. Turning lazier than I already am probably wouldn't work out at this level of education.

Anything you'd recommend?

Well, that depends on what you like. Definitely To the Moon if you like emotional games. Currently, I'm trying out a strategy game called Eador Genesis. I'm still getting into it, but it looks promising so far...

ION:
Oh my, how beautiful the world has turned, even by my previous standards. The weather has turned quite mild, and now a gentle snowfall covers every single millimetre of exposed area with a cover of fluffy. Every twig on every tree has a thick, white outline, and the woodlands turn into an intricate maze of patterns, running through and forth, shaping a system far beyond grasp or control.

[absolmorph]

I got up an hour after I wanted to (despite two alarms! One of which actually woke me up!), there's snow on the ground, I need to shower, and there's a bloody tree on top of my car.
Seriously. My mother got a Christmas tree yesterday and I had to find out it was on top of my car myself (which took a couple tries to notice...) and didn't even try to get it off.

Anyway, I have about 20 minutes before I need to be leaving for my job training. This is a great start

[Mutant Sheep]

I got up an hour after I wanted to (despite two alarms! One of which actually woke me up!), there's snow on the ground, I need to shower, and there's a bloody tree on top of my car.
Seriously. My mother got a Christmas tree yesterday and I had to find out it was on top of my car myself (which took a couple tries to notice...) and didn't even try to get it off.

Anyway, I have about 20 minutes before I need to be leaving for my job training. This is a great start

She took your car? That's a beautiful position swap from the early days of driving, eh? Did she bang up the bumper?

[absolmorph]

She took your car? That's a beautiful position swap from the early days of driving, eh? Did she bang up the bumper?

Actually, it's the car that's always been designated for my use, so long as the car that they got specifically for me to use is several hundred miles away.
"We got you a car! That your dad is using in North Carolina while we live in California!"

[Mercenary Pen]

Actually, it's the car that's always been designated for my use, so long as the car that they got specifically for me to use is several hundred miles away.
"We got you a car! That your dad is using in North Carolina while we live in California!"

Sounds like a flimsy justification for getting themselves something to me...