Okay, so I’ve decided that I want one of these. “Come to my office. You must make it through the labyrinth first. If you survive, you can talk to me.”
I’ve got all kinds of ideas for my future home. It may just be the fact that I’m a writer, but I really love the idea of a Victorian style home that still has all kinds of hidden modern technology. It probably dates back to my early childhood, and this book. There’s a fantastic illustration near the center of the book that displays the full exterior of the house in which the main characters reside. I always wanted to live in that house. My sisters and I would even point to windows in the picture, saying “I want that room!” My love for Victorian style homes may also stem from my adoration of so many British authors and the architecture of their homes. I know it might seem a little silly, but I also love the idea of a hidden library/office that I can ideally use to hide from crazy fans of my wildly successful writing. Hey, I can dream, can’t I? Besides, you never know when that wannabe is going to show up.
In addition to my current job, it would seem that someone has finally paid some attention to all of those job applications I submitted. As I believe I said, I didn’t get the job with my bank. That’s okay, it’s not the end of the world. After all, that job really would have been for the money far more than the sheer joy of it. Instead, it looks like I’m going to be working part-time at the closest (hell yeah, short commute for once!) branch of the public library. The best part about this is that it’s a 20 hour a week job that I can work along with my current job. Two places of work where I’ll be surrounded by books…this is glorious. Granted, I am still holding out for a tech writing job, since that’s kind of why I got my degree. I’ve applied for a couple of different related posts, each of which would be full time and pay almost double what I’m making right now. If I get one of them, I no longer have to worry about finding a roommate. I’d be able to afford this place on my own, with plenty left over even after my other expenses. Maybe I’d even let one of my less fortunate friends stay here with me in the 2nd bedroom, at a considerably reduced rate of rent, say…internet and utilities. We’ll see what the next few weeks bring.
I had a good night of D&D tonight. That’s the main reason I’m up still. That, and an inventory shift at work coming up (6 PM-12:30 AM). I’m actually looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to the next D&D session too, honestly. I love the game. Right now we’re playing three-class gestalt, meaning that our characters are leveling in three classes at once. It’s something we created about two years ago and have played around with a little, since actual rules exist only for single class (standard) and the original variant gestalt, which allowed for leveling in two classes at one time. I like D&D because it lets me get inside the head of a character for a brief while. It’s very akin to writing in that respect. I’ll fully admit that a great deal of my love for the fantasy genre is owed to my fondness for D&D, which in turn stems from my love for the works of people like Tolkien and Lewis (and I still need to read this). My setting is not unlike some worlds in which I’ve adventured as a D&D character. Some of my characters may still someday find themselves in a story, especially those who were just plain fun to play, like Eliza, the cheerful necromancer, who didn’t see her magic as evil, but more as a way to make new friends (or let old friends stay forever). It’s actually quite easy for me to cross over between RPG characters and story characters, since I like every character I create to be fairly round and realistic (within the confines of the setting). Right now, I’m reading Berserk, and I can’t decide if I want some characters the manga is inspiring to be story or game characters.
The Swords of the Ancients 
9 Comments
OMG that idea for a hidden door is awesome! Not that I’m any kind of architect, but I’ve also dreamed of living in a house with secret rooms and hidden doors and whatnot. I also like the idea of trapdoors as a means of moving between floors…fall through the door, slide down the chute…it’s like a giant game of chutes and ladders to live in. My hidden private room would be decked out completely: video games, HDTV, surround sound, my desk, my reading chair, my drawing table, my books…hell, I’d probably end up living in there and forgetting about the rest of the house. I also want a giant four-poster bed in my bedroom, complete with canopy and curtains…with a reading lamp on the headboard, of course, I love to read in bed. I think if I could work it into the design I would also want a double helix staircase somewhere in my house, I saw one in a chateau in France and was really impressed by it.
I’m really happy that you got your second job, and that you’re surrounded by books all day. Until you get that tech writing job, you know you can enjoy what you’re doing if nothing else.
I figured you’d be out playing D&D last night, since you weren’t online. I miss playing so much, and it’s been forever since I played. Eliza the necromancer sounds like a really fun character to play. I was similarly entertained for a while by an evil cleric who was ridiculously paranoid that anyone else in the party would find out she was evil. I actually made my friend angry with that character, because he was basically our tank, and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t following him around healing him every time he got hurt. Our rogue figured it out though, and was more than willing to compensate me for his healing. *sigh* I always played best when I wasn’t playing anything lawful, or even necessarily good. My mind is too twisty for that. Anyway, enjoy your current campaign! I’m going to have to look around for your book suggestions, I’ve never heard of either of them.
Well, “Alexander and the Magic Mouse” is hard to track down. It’s been out of print for years. My copy is one my parents found on amazon when I requested it as a birthday gift at 18. “The Worm Ouroboros” is another one that I happened upon by chance. An elderly friend of the family decided that I should have her copy of it. It was one I’d never heard of until she gave it to me, but since then, it seems to keep popping up.
Yeah, and a hidden door to hide from your nagging girlfriend. :3
Correction to that previous statement, I meant wife ❤
You’re adorable. ❤
I was going to say “read it already” in regards to TWO, but then I realized that would sound callous coming from someone who is about to personally increase your reading load. Besides, I say that every time it gets mentioned. The fact that I say it’s good doesn’t really mean a whole lot anymore.
I agree with Angela; Eliza sounds interesting. I think so for a totally different reason, though: Jeffrey Dahmer tried to turn his victims into “zombies” because he didn’t want them to leave. It’s funny that it suddenly becomes less creepy when magic is involved.
Agreed, it’s definitely less creepy in a fantasy setting. You should have seen her original incarnation. She was half-nymph, and also a fairly skilled scimitar wielder, so she was formidable in combat, and “frighteningly beautiful” in appearance. Then she’s got this incredibly child-like personality, considering all the skeletons and zombies she summons to be her “friends” and “toys.”
I want a hidden door!
Hidden doors rock! I blame my love for the game/movie “Clue” for my desire for secret passages everywhere. Well, that, and C.S. Lewis.