Anyone still about?

[Annacat]

Anyone still out there?

*calls out, hears echo*

[Aurélie]

Sort of! In the sense that the website for the job I was going to apply for is broken, so I stumbled on a patch of free time and took it into my head to come here.

So glad to see you! How are you? How are you all?

Will probably have no more Internet presence until next week after the exhibit I'm guest-curating has gone up and I've done my gallery talk, but I'll keep my eye on this place after that.

[Annacat]

I'm doing well. Glad to see you too.

My life has not really changed dramatically since last we spoke, I don't think. The boys are getting big, though... Mais turned five in May, and Zephyr will be four in July. They are still extremely cute, in my biased opinion, although full of mischief.

I have been enjoying the sunny(ish) weather. It's been damp, of course, but... yeah. That's pretty much a given. I'm still enjoying that big bright(ish) thing in the sky.

Yay for guest-curating an exhibit! I did that once with my folklore grad program, and it was (in most ways, aside from some interpersonal challenges with a couple of other participants,) a lot of fun. What's your exhibit on? Good luck with it, hope it goes great!

And by the way, is anyone going to Mysterium? I actually am again this year, woot.

[laroon]

yup yup . lol. anyone remember me? i poke on now and again, but forget for long stretches of time!

::edit::

Also, has anyone seen the alphabet picture lately? i wanted to write in it again. I forget who made it, but it sure was a useful thing to have around...

[Annacat]

Hello there! I remember you! Good to see you again.

Unsure about the alphabet picture, and the search function is being weird. I feel like I should remember who made it... but blame the traumatic head injury and/or old age, I do not.

[laroon]

so this is like when Atrus was trying to see if any D'ni were still alive... hehe. We're coming back out of nowhere.

so what do you hope to do with this now? i mean, how far are we in making a language and all?

[Aurélie]

AC: The exhibit is basically a collection of letters written by U.S. Presidents and singers of the Declaration of Independence. It was a lot of fun, although the logistics of getting the letters scanned and producing large-scale, high-quality facsimiles was a bit of a headache. I just gave the gallery talk today, so my obligations are pretty much over now.

Not going to Mysterium, unfortunately -- I work every weekend, so not enough time to get there and enjoy. I haven't kept up with the community very well -- what's the latest buzz, assuming there is such a thing?

Yay for cute kitties! Incidentally, I am experiencing island living for the first time and can commiserate with you on the damp.

Laroon: I think Mystie created the graphic you're thinking of. I can't find it immediately on my computer, but I'll look for it a little more over the weekend.

[Annacat]

so what do you hope to do with this now? i mean, how far are we in making a language and all?

Well, it's really about what we want to do... erm... collectively. Not so much what I personally want, although I have some ideas. So I'd appreciate any input on the direction people wish to go.

Things I'd be most interested in include the language, and establishing some kind of presence in Uru. Perhaps to start with, an event or an information session? Then later on, when things go truly open source, I'm fascinated with the possibility of maybe doing something that would actually be explorable.

So yeah.

AC: The exhibit is basically a collection of letters written by U.S. Presidents and singers of the Declaration of Independence. It was a lot of fun, although the logistics of getting the letters scanned and producing large-scale, high-quality facsimiles was a bit of a headache. I just gave the gallery talk today, so my obligations are pretty much over now.

Neat! This sounds really awesome!

Not going to Mysterium, unfortunately -- I work every weekend, so not enough time to get there and enjoy. I haven't kept up with the community very well -- what's the latest buzz, assuming there is such a thing?

Well. On the events list is an interview with Jack Wall. What I'm not sure, is if he'll be there in person, or via teleconference, or if the interview was pre-recorded. So I was pondering some polite and pleasant harassment for language infos if we're able to interact with him.

(Just to warn you, though, if it's teleconference, I'll likely be tongue-tied, because those things scare me and my mind goes blank.)

He never did send you the info he said he would, did he Aurélie? If not, I'm sure he forgot. We should remind him, because Mysterium would be a good opportunity to correct this oversight if he'll be there at all.

I'm hoping to make some kind of Narayani Collective wearable for Mysterium. Ideally something like a button that could go on any outfit. I don't have a buttonmaker, though, and I haven't gotten any brilliant equivalent ideas yet. We'll see.

Yay for cute kitties!

My strategy for them: supervise and contain!

Incidentally, I am experiencing island living for the first time and can commiserate with you on the damp.

Hehehe! I don't normally mind it because it helps me breathe better (except when it gets hot out, and then it's just gross, but that's not too frequent.) I've eliminated most of my slow-drying clothes from my wardrobe, however.

[Aurélie]

About direction: I'm kinda reluctant to make any commitments myself until I find out where I'm going next, whether I'll have internet there, etc. I do agree that the language is a good place to start (couldn't find the graphics by the way; they must've got lost when my computer died last summer).

About Mysterium: that sounds great! No, Jack Wall never got back to me, but I don't think I did enough friendly badgering. (I myself am often in need of friendly badgering.) You should definitely try it if it comes up!

Hmm...wearable is cool. How are your sewing skills? Although I like the idea of a button. I guess the question is, what does said wearable item intend to convey? Just that we exist? Something about us?

[Annacat]

About Mysterium: that sounds great! No, Jack Wall never got back to me, but I don't think I did enough friendly badgering. (I myself am often in need of friendly badgering.) You should definitely try it if it comes up!

I'm on it.

How are your sewing skills?

I sew well. However, my time is somewhat limited since I only have a bit more than a week and I only sew by hand. I don't think... say... sewing a whole Saavedro costume would be reasonable within the time I have. But I'm not sure exactly what you had in mind.

If you have ideas or a design (or anyone does,) tell or show me and I'll tell you if I think I can make it.

I guess the question is, what does said wearable item intend to convey? Just that we exist? Something about us?

I think something like a wearable can't really convey much more than that we exist. Something Narayani-styled would be preferable, but I'm not really seeing much deep meaning in it. More just that if someone was potentially interested, it's something we could talk about.

I don't think it's going to convert anyone. I'm just thinking of it more as a conversation-starter.

[Aurélie]

I guess I had some sort of patch/embroidery thing in mind, but that doesn't fit with the "goes with multiple outfits" requirement.

No matter what you end up doing, I think a simple lattice tree design (sorta like the flowerpot you made me, which I didn't bring to my apartment up here and miss!!) would do nicely. Let us know what you end up doing!

[Annacat]

I guess I had some sort of patch/embroidery thing in mind, but that doesn't fit with the "goes with multiple outfits" requirement.

Hmmm... I like this idea. I think I could make it removable. I'll at least experiment with it. I have some thoughts, but I need to go through my materials and see what I either have or can cut up to use.

Maybe a little tapestry? That wouldn't be hard, even if I do tassels and hand-make the trim.

I should have time to make something like that. It's small.

I'll take pics of whatever I end up with.

[Annacat]

Well... I made the little tapestry thing. It'll attach with a safety pin to whatever I'm wearing. It's basically a tiny version of the tapestries in the Narayan linking room, with only one symbol (I chose "Society") and the text reads "Narayani Collective."

I'm not 100% thrilled with it, because I was trying to use materials that would look like the symbol tapestries in the game, and I had some felt of the right colour, and... yeah. Don't try that at home, kids! Embroidering on felt is like embroidering on butter. The trim and tassels look pretty nice, the symbol came out fairly well, and the English is readable. I guess that'll have to do.

I also remembered that I promised my parents I would do decorative painting on the edges of a mirror for them. As soon as I said that, I promptly forgot (I blame this sort of thing on my head injury.) Now my time is running short. So I've been frantically knotting trim, making tassels, sewing, and painting the last few days.

And of course, Zephyr and Moosie were having a wild day today, which eventually resulted in both of them in time-out, lots of pouting and fussing from each, and Zephyr needing to have paint washed off his feet. Oh well. We all survived, and so did my painting project.

Three-ish more days till Mysterium...

[Annacat]

By the Weaving, Annacat, stop spamming this topic!

Apparently the Jack Wall interview fell through, so... yeah. I won't be speaking to him at Mysterium. However, I'm still planning to e-mail him in the soonish future and remind him we exist.

[Aurélie]

Thanks for your work on both counts, although I'm sad Jack Wall won't be able to speak to the fans. Make sure somebody gets a picture of you with the tapestry thing!