Legacy of Heroes Released September 29, 2011
Posted by Hydy in writing.Tags: fantasy, Game Master's Guide, gaming, OGL, Player's Handbook, published, roleplaying, RPG, tabletop, The Legacy of Heroes
add a comment
The Legacy of Heroes: A Fantasy Role-Playing Game Player’s Guide
By Vincent Venturella
Paperback, 312 pages
Another Game? May 19, 2011
Posted by Hydy in life, writing.Tags: basement, bookcases, budget, D&D, Gangrel, LARP, MarCon, Memorial Day, moving, muse, storage, toga, VtM, writing
2 comments
As if my life isn’t busy enough, I’m considering joining a LARP on Sunday nights. (Live Action Role Play for my less geeky readers.) Am I insane? Or just missing the variety of games I played in college? D&D is tons of fun on Tuesday night, and lately we’ve been running all around the editions. 2nd one week, 4th the next and 3rd the next. It’s been a great time remembering the old, trying the new and planning for the future. But there are so many other games out there. I miss being a Gangrel. But the LARP is Every week. I’ve only been in one LARP before, in Ireland, and it was once a month. But it could be a great time with Rich and Amy and R2 and whoever else I end up meeting there. And I really do miss my Gangrels. And I might even do more writing if I start playing one, just to keep track of what’s happening in game.
MarCon next weekend. I’m working on a toga for Friday night. There will be pictures if I manage it. Last MarCon on Memorial Day weekend for at least three years. It’s going to be a huge blow out of crazy fun. Very excited.
Spent last weekend relaxing and deciding on an apartment to apply to. Further from work, but closer to friends. Bigger and with a more bookcase-friendly layout, for $150/month less than we pay now. Plus basement storage space. Looking to move the last weekend in June.
Rich actually got paid for untaken vacation and such, so that was a nice surprise for this month’s budget. June will be nice, and July even better once we get things balanced with his new job. I’ve written one new story, and have ideas for three more. The muse seems to have come back. We’ll see how long she stays this time.
Warm Enough, Yet? May 12, 2011
Posted by Hydy in alkaline, life, writing.Tags: AC, alkaline, apartment shopping, Dave & Busters, deadlines, food journal, hand fasting, MarCon, Netflix, Ohio Thrift, RA, sun, toga, wedding
add a comment
Lovely weather this week. Some sun, lots of heat. I am enjoying being warm. Basements are still keeping cool without AC and upstairs is nice and comfy.
Friends got married this past weekend. A nice hand fasting mixed with a traditional ceremony. Everyone was so lovely all dressed up. Tons of kids running around the place. Then the young folk went out to Dave & Busters to relax without kids or parents. A very nice Saturday night.
Sunday we tried to check out apartments. The first one, there is only one person in the office on Sundays so she’s not allowed to leave to show apartments. This is the one I hadn’t seen yet, she gave us details and floor plans, it’s 3 feet narrower than the one I drew out and won’t work as well for our living room furniture and bookcases. The second, I’d talked to my contact the week before to make sure she was going to be there, but when we arrived, the entire office was closed. So much for that. Saturday we’ll try again.
Keeping track of food, pain and swelling is going well. It shows me just how much things are affecting me. And I get to look at it and realize I’m doing pretty well, all things considered. I’ve been quite tired this week, but that has more to do with three 7am shifts in a row I’d guess. Still not a morning person.
MarCon is looming closer and closer. I have accommodations sorted, but still no toga. Need to look into that. 
I’m told bedsheets don’t really work all that well.
My new story has one, possibly two more scenes to go until the first draft is done. Deadline Saturday. I’ll probably stay up late working on that tonight as I don’t have work in the morning, though I am playing chauffeur for a friend. Just like school, deadlines are good, but sometimes I still wait til the last minute.
Had to get a new pair of work pants this week. Another pair shot through the knee. Hurray for Ohio Thrift. Nice Lee pants, soft and comfy, only $3 and change. I don’t like shopping, but at least I can afford it there.
Just babbling now, should probably stop before i start discussing my Netflix queue. Hope everyone had a good Mother’s Day. Until next week, take care.
Valentine’s Day February 17, 2011
Posted by Hydy in life, writing.Tags: 1099, birthday, editor, Elance, family, friend, gratitude, H&R Block, Liberty Tax, love, rejections, resume, submissions, taxes, TurboTax, Valentine's Day, WordPress
add a comment
This Monday was Valentine’s Day. A day with all sorts of strange history and traditions and lore. But, for me, it is a day to celebrate love, loved ones and family. This year, for me, it was a day of gratitude. I thanked my parents for their shining example of love and marriage. I thanked my husband for making my life so full and wonderful. And I thanked some good friends for all they have given and taught me. It was a day of laughter, love and affection. And I now also say thank you to everyone else in my life. I have amazing friends and family all around me, and I am forever grateful.
What else?
Nephew’s birthday party is this weekend, more time with the family, and his extended family. It will be a chaotic mixing of the cousins, full of cake, ice cream and wrapping paper. I am looking forward to it, my brother’s kids are adorable.
Submitted a couple stories on Monday, already got one rejection back. I go through cycles of ditching all my old stories and starting over now and then. I really like the two I’m currently promoting the most, but it might be time to file them away.
Picked back up with Elance again. Though I’m having trouble finding jobs to apply to this week. Anyone need an editor/Wordpress monkey? Resume available upon request. I really do like how Elance has things set up, but I need a few successful jobs and good feedback to get credibility.
I have to find someplace to do my taxes for me, way too many forms and too much confusion this year. I’ve never seen so many different 1099 forms. And I disagree with TurboTax. Thinking Liberty Tax or H&R Block. Any suggestions?
Okay, I think that’s about it for this week. Take care, kind readers. 
2010 in review January 3, 2011
Posted by Hydy in writing.Tags: Stats
add a comment
So they emailed me this and it amused me, I tried to fix a bit of the formatting, we’ll see.
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.
Crunchy numbers
The Leaning Tower of Pisa has 296 steps to reach the top. This blog was viewed about 1,100 times in 2010. If those were steps, it would have climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa 4 times
In 2010, there were 45 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 87 posts. There were 3 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 237kb.
The busiest day of the year was July 15th with 81 views. The most popular post that day was Look, I’m a Girl!.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, bigextracash.com, en.wordpress.com, statistics.bestproceed.com, and gambang-x.com.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for hydy, blogs about turning 30, www.hydy, and “hydy/blog”.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
Look, I’m a Girl! July 2010
4 comments
Money Maths September 2010
Cedar Point August 2010
Starting Over September 2010
Koolaid in the Autumn Sun October 2010
1 comment
October Already October 7, 2010
Posted by Hydy in life, writing.Tags: articles, bills, black, blogging, Chicken Soup, copywriting, costume, editing, education, experience, Halloween, inspiration, journaling, money, nonfiction, October, orange, parties, proofreading, technical, tests, writing
add a comment
One week in and the parties and activities are lining up. I can’t possibly go to all of them, probably won’t make it to half of them, and I don’t even have the slightest idea if I’m going to attempt a costume this year. I haven’t really gone in for costumes other than ren fest garb for years now. I’m not very crafty, and I don’t want to spend money on something I’m only going to wear once(wore my prom dress both years). I don’t really dress for Halloween either, not a fan of orange, though, as anyone will tell you, I have plenty of black clothing.
Last week was a big week, not much else has happened since then. Got the surgeon’s office sorted out, for only $5 more than we intended a month. Hospital still not returning calls. Money’s tight by not overwhelmingly so anymore. I took some online editing tests this week. That was oddly entertaining. Did better on editing than proofreading, so I’ve got some studying to do if I really want to make a go at being an editor again.
I want to earn a living by writing, but I’m not experienced in the type of writing that is actually money making – nonfiction, technical, articles, copywriting. I’ve been randomly curious about it off and on, but it seems like I need a different type of education or background to do that kind of thing professionally. Not to mention I did everything I could in school to write stories instead of papers. This, blogging about my life(and previously and currently journaling on paper), is the most non-fiction writing I’ve ever done voluntarily, and my life isn’t really all that interesting to people who don’t know me. I tried to write stories for books like Chicken Soup once, but I didn’t really have any compelling true stories to tell. I love my life, but I don’t think it’s inspiring.
Anyway, things to do, people to see and all that. Until next week. Enjoy life and love each other.
Acceptance September 9, 2010
Posted by Hydy in alkaline, life, writing.Tags: banks, craigslist, flash fiction, friends, loans, nissan, pain, pill hill press, raw, salad, vampires, weather, wheatgrass juice
add a comment
Tossed out a flash fiction story to an anthology, got back an acceptance today. It’s been a very long time since I’ve gotten one of those. Not a big market or any pay, but it is a fun little vampire anthology, one story for each day of the year.
Still waiting to hear back on potential car trade-in arrangements. No word from the bank. Nissan offered a car that was more than we wanted. Still looking for something cheaper. Still listed on Craigslist, though I really don’t think that’s going to go anywhere at this point. We’ll figure it out though. Hopefully without too many more random letters from banks telling us they aren’t approving a loan we didn’t know we’d applied for.
Elbow hurts today, but shoulders and such are all feeling pretty good. Trying to get back to mostly raw again, but I like warm food and it’s heading into fall again. Eating as much salad as I can manage, though. And wheatgrass juice a few times a week. The change in weather has my head and lungs all confused this week, too.
Really looking forward to the next two weekends with friends. Life is good.
Stay on Target… May 27, 2010
Posted by Hydy in alkaline, life, writing.Tags: B&N, barium, bills, blog, Bookup, colon, family, flash fiction, friends, health, integration, investing, journal, life, Mount Carmel, options, registration, spring rolls, St. Ann's, stocks, summer, surgery, webisite, writing
add a comment
Things are progressing as normal. Currently sitting in a waiting room at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s while Rich gets a Barium test to see if they need to remove any extra colon when he gets his second surgery. The lamp next to me does not appear to be plugged in. Odd… not that it’s needed, just… odd. Surgery in 12 days and counting.
Shoring up our member site, and shopping cart at Bookup. Still waiting on an integration solution. But the removal of copy protection and return to registration has gone smoothly and sales are up. Next up, website modernization. It is far too difficult for customers to find what they want, and that includes the product catalog.
I’ve hit a stall with writing, and starting my own money-creating blog/website, but I’m still chipping away at the How. I’m doing far more journal writing than fiction these days. About to run out of flash fiction again for my website, will have to do something about that at least.
My health is good, almost back up to previous weight, just a few pounds shy, so feel better about that. No drugs in a few months now. Little aches here and there. Elbow continues to be my bane. But all in all, I’m doing quite well, and can do all the things I want to do.
My B&N Store has added some new sections and rearranged (almost) everything. I think I can find all the sections, but it’s going to take some getting used to. I picked up a few extra shifts over the next couple weeks, so that’ll help.
If my options go well, I’ll have some extra money for bills in June. Knock down a couple remaining medical bills without having to take money out of the investing account yet. I imagine we may end up having to do that, but for the moment, I’m hoping to just take out the profit. We shall see.
Summer is here, life is good, friends and family abound.
Food of the week: (it’s been a while, hasn’t it?): Spring Rolls (not exactly alkaline, but they’re veggie, right? )
