Thursday, September 26, 2013

Ali

A little over half an hour ago, I buried my doggy.

Not one of the silly doggies. Mable passed away a few months ago, and Sherlock is still pottering around the kitchen. No, this was MY doggy. This was Ali, my German Shepherd, my Alsation, the best dog in the whole world, and the undisputed love of my life.

Almost fourteen years ago, we needed a dog. I was living at home and working on the farm, and it was decided that we were getting a new dog, a few years after our last one had died. My mum, being my mum, looked upon this decision as a starting point. From here, the breed would be chosen, we'd start asking around, and then, in a few months time, we'd actually get the dog.

My dad, being my dad, looked upon this decision as a go-ahead to get a dog the very next day.

And so, while my mum was at work, we drove to a house down the road who'd just had a brand new batch of puppies. It was my little sister who picked which one we'd take home — she picked the quietest out of all the yapping pups — and we took the pup home, and I was in love.

It was obvious to everyone that she was going to be mine. We kept her in a shed for the first week or two, because she was filthy and she smelled terrible. But every evening after work I was in that shed, sitting on the ground with her. I couldn't stand to hear her whine. I couldn't stand the thought of her being lonely. I convinced my parents that she should be an indoor dog, and after she'd been washed and didn't smell quite so bad, my folks gave in.

Oh, and her name? I remember this discussion VERY clearly. We were all in the living room one evening. I wanted to call her something awesomely cool. I'm pretty sure I wanted her named either Buffy or Xena. Nobody else agreed with me. But, I argued, I'm the one who's going to be looking after her and feeding her and spending the most time with her. Surely I should be the one to name her?

Apparently not. I'm pretty sure it was Audrey who suggested the name. Remember, this was fourteen years ago, and the TV show Ally McBeal was at the height of its popularity.

"Ally!" Audrey said. "Because she's an Alsation! And also Ally McBeal!"

I was outvoted, but I vowed that day that my doggy's name should forever be spelled... Ali.

(Take THAT, Ally McBeal.)

Ali became a part of the family. Granted, it was the part of the family that slept in the kitchen and to whom my older sister Nadine never REALLY warmed. Every so often she'd look at Ali lying there, and she'd soften, and go over and pet the dog and say nice things. And then the moment Ali nudged against her Nadine would freak out and the dog would wonder what the hell was going on.

But we all loved her. When she was a pup, she used to run at whoever was sitting in the armchair in the kitchen, leap up and stand on their chest/shoulder/head and look around, like she was proudly surveying her territory. A year or two passed, and it never occurred to her that maybe she was too big to keep doing that, so she kept doing it. Many a time my dad would be sitting in the armchair reading the paper, and I'd see Ali readying herself like a sprinter on the block. Suddenly she'd leap, bursting through the newspaper, and dad would cry out in alarm and there'd be a mad scramble of legs and then sudden stillness, and she stood on my father's chest, one paw in his face, looking around at her kingdom. And the only thing we'd hear from dad would be a "Bloody mutt..."

Then, of course, she got too big and too powerful even to do THAT. The amount of times she'd leap onto dad and find herself hurtling over the back of the chair...

Ali had many talents. She was a bit of an actress, appearing in my very first movie, Dead Bodies. She can be seen at the start, jumping up and down at a patio door. I was on the other side of that door, though you can't see me, leaping about like a nutter in order to get her excited. That was her first and only film role. I think she realised she had a choice to make — LA, or Ireland. She chose Ireland.

I wrote the first Skulduggery book with her in my room. Every single evening I'd sit at my computer, writing away, and I'd hear the pat pat pat of her approach, and she'd nudge the door open with her nose, walk in, jump up on my bed, and curl up and watch me. That's how we spent our evenings. She wasn't happy without me and I wasn't happy without her.

After the book got picked up, I went to New York for a week to meet with my American publishers. After a few days I started to miss Ali DREADFULLY. I called home and my mum told me that Ali was spending her nights in my room, waiting for me to come home. When I finally did come home, she  got all excited and started bouncing and whirling in circles, and then we went to my room, and she got up on the bed and I leaned in, and she licked my face for fifteen minutes. It was disgusting — by the end of it, my face had a thick layer of saliva coating it — but I didn't want to move. Fifteen minutes. I counted.

I used to take her for long walks around the fields a couple of times a day. Whenever I'd get stuck writing, off we went. I'd sort out problems with the plot as I walked, and Ali would chase birds and rabbits and splash in puddles and come back to me every now and then for a cuddle, then bound off again. Those memories are some of my favourites from when I was living at home. I was happy, I had a future, my family was proud of me, and I had my dog.

In 2008 or thereabouts, I moved out. I bought a house seven minutes away, so every evening I could go back to visit the folks and walk the dog. For a long time after I moved out, Ali would wait outside my old bedroom for me to return. I hate thinking of times like those, times when she was disappointed or she missed me and I wasn't there. She got used to the new arrangement, of course. Now she started looking forward to 5:30, when I'd walk in. Around that time every single day, she'd be waiting at the kitchen door. She'd get so excited to see me, and after we'd played around and she settled down, she went back to the door to wait for my mum to come home. Her ears would perk up and I'd know she heard an engine, and I'd open the front door just as my mum got out of the car and Ali would race out, excited all over again.

About four years ago Ali got cancer. She developed a large tumour on her belly. I was distraught. She had an operation to get rid of it, but the vet told us the cancer was going to come back. He gave her two years, maybe. Two more years with my dog.

These last few years, Ali got old. She got stiff. The long walks became shorter and shorter. She couldn't handle it anymore. And suddenly there were babies in the house, wobbling about. Ali didn't know quite what to make of them. She learned pretty early on to try and stay away if she possibly could. She was great with the kids. She's never been anything other than gentle and loving and lovely.

Yesterday I took her on a short walk, just out to the shed. We reached the shed and she lay down. This wasn't normal. I went over and petted her and she seemed fine. She got up and followed me to the postbox, and lay down again. Then she followed me back inside the house, and went to her mat and lay down.

"Is everything okay?" my mum asked.

"No," I said.

She had perked up this morning, according to the text my mum sent, but by this afternoon she was lying down again. We took her to the vet. She lay in the back of my jeep and he came out, but he didn't even have to examine her to see that the cancer was back. He injected her there and then and I cried. I haven't cried like that in... I don't ever remember crying like that. I'm crying right now. I love my dog and I miss her, and the reason I'm writing this is because she deserves to be remembered.



4,959 comments:

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Noelle said...

((Bye!))

*lip wobbles and begins sobbing again, breathing heavily* *does her best to not to make a sound*

Alastair Cruciatus said...

((Night Zaf! *hugs*))

Niccolò: *waits for Zafira to fall asleep, then returns with Aretha*

Aretha: Well. Now that that's done... What is everybody else doing?

#ChaseForBook9

Alastair Cruciatus said...

Aretha: *slowly approaches ParaAdra* Are you ok?

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

*shakes her head*

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Is still in the home dimension, being interrogated by ParaFabi et al.]

((Ieni's Ninja Aeroplane cookie broke! :-(

#ChaseForBook9

Alastair Cruciatus said...

Aretha: What's wrong? *sits down next to her*

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

No... Don't worry about it- you have enough

Alastair Cruciatus said...

((0.0 You should fix it with cookie glue! AKA frosting!
Msd by the way, if you hadn't noticed.

#ChaseForBook9

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((I'm not sure if the glaze is strong enough, but I'll certainly try.))

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

((Meteor #2 just flew over. It light up the sky like lightning... Gracious))

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((There's a meteor shower? Cool...

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

((At the drive in... It's way far out in the country, so... Yeah. It exploded above us. It was great))

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Cool... I saw a meteor shower a long time ago... We went out to the middle of no-place... And we put our tent up without the rainfly so we could see the sky. It's been ages since I went camping...

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

((I've never camped...))

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Gtg, sorry. I was covered in chocolate glaze, and I'm guessing that will continue to be the case...

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

Bye Fabi!

Noelle said...

*reactivates the symbol* *sighs*

Snow said...

(( watching the AFL grand final... 27 to 3, with the team i'm going for in the lead. though i dont really follow football))

((hi btw))

Snow said...

(( 34 to 10 now...))

Snow said...

(( so lonely...))

Snow said...

(( 35 to 12 at half time. is that good??))

Sparky Braginski said...

I guess?

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

((Hi... I can't sleep, so I'm here. How are you all?

#ChaseForBook9

Sparky Braginski said...

Why are you talking in brackets?

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

When there's roleplay going on, that's how a lot of us talk out of character. I guess at this point it's a habit.

#ChaseForBook9

Snow said...

(( 35 to 12 at half time. is that good??))

((hey fab... slow internet...))

Snow said...

(( i'm doing it 'cause i might drop into RP any min now))

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Shrugs]

I'm totally lost with the RP lately, so I guess I haven't been participating much except for the occasional update on Fabi ad ParaFabi.

#ChaseForBook9

Sparky Braginski said...

I honestly think having the ongoing role plays is a bit unfair on people who aren't here in every spare minute of their time.

That's just me though.

Snow said...

(( i'm doing my own sub-plot stuff, so i'm fine))

Snow said...

(( *hugs sparks* i get thats it's probably annoying... maybe we could give it a pause until some of the major players are on))

Sparky Braginski said...

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of coming on here to talk to people?

Couldn't you, like, write your subplot?

Sparky Braginski said...

Again, just saying.

Snow said...

*shrugs* i guess so

Sparky Braginski said...

I mean, generally, RPs are very response based.

When I have 'subplot' ideas I want full control over them.

So I bang the shit out like no tomorrow and have it to myself. I share it with who I choose to, and no one can mess with it but me.

Snow said...

i dont know

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

@Snow Yeah, I've got mine too, but I think I'm just going to write it up and post it to Nameless. I don't really want to bother with acting it all out.

@Sparky They have their ups and their downs and that's one of the downs, I agree on that. There's always been a lot of people who don't roleplay and stopped trying to figure out the story. We had the Nameless Blog's current moment page, but that hasn't really been done in ages. During the hours when Eurominions are awake, there's generally a lot more talking, though, and some smaller, more spontaneous roleplays. So the roleplayers drowning out the non-roleplayers isn't as much of a problem as it used to be.

Apologies if the conversation has shifted, I'm starting to tire and may take a while to comment, and/or disappear.

#ChaseForBook9

Zathract Mist said...

Yo.

Zathract Mist said...

Or not.

Sparky Braginski said...

Sorry.

I'm here.

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

The whole topic of the roleplay is so debatable...

I guess the word subplot can be used in slightly different ways.

Hello Zath.

#ChaseForBook9

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

I have to go now, actually. I should really be sleeping...

G'bye all.

#ChaseForBook9

Snow said...

hia zaf

distant

Zathract Mist said...

Hi all.

Bye, Fabi.

My name is Zath, Snow. Not Zaf.

Sparky Braginski said...

*looks between Miles and Snow*

*quietly absconds to the roof of Chester*

Snow said...

bye fab

Snow said...

*facepalm* sorry. zath

Snow said...

hello...?

Snow said...

why'd you leave me?

Snow said...

well... bye then...

Eve the ROCK said...

Hey, Snow - if you read this -

What's the site you used to make your picture? I've been there before, but forgot what it's called.

Star Inkbright said...

HELLO!

I don't think anyone's here but whatevs. :P

I'm two-thirds through LSODM. *nods*

It's annoying not being able to talk about it, but yeah. :P

#ChaseForBookNine

Eimear Mulligan said...

I'm sorry Derek. Just think how happy she is now. I mean I have cancer in my lungs that cannot be cured. I got the news when I was six and now six later there is not one of those days that I didn't appreciate a friend. Ali must have dealt the same way to you that I do to my friend Edward

Eimear Mulligan said...

I'm sorry Derek. Just think how happy she is now. I mean I have cancer in my lungs that cannot be cured. I got the news when I was six and now six later there is not one of those days that I didn't appreciate a friend. Ali must have dealt the same way to you that I do to my friend Edward

Sparky Braginski said...

*dances on the roof of Chester*

YES YES YES YES YES YES YESSSSSSSS

DIRK YES YAY YES GO DIRK HELL YES DON'T FALL FOR HER CRAP YOU GO PRINCE OF HEART YOU

booyeah

Zathract Mist said...

...Uh.

Maralie Lily Charm said...

10 minutes till tickets are onsale

#ChaseForBook9

Star Inkbright said...

*waves*

@Zath: Just read your part in LSODM. :)

#ChaseForBookNine

Star Inkbright said...

@Mara: Tickets for . . . ?

Sorry, you know how terrible my memory is. :P I hope. If you don't, that's most worrying.

#ChaseForBookNine

Zathract Mist said...

Hello, people.

I'm not sure which part you're talking about, Ink, but hey, cool.

Maralie Lily Charm said...

One Direction
Croke Park
May

I just

#ChaseForBook9

Dean said...

Only I am stupid enough to go for a twenty km bike ride in 25 degree heat and strong head winds... Uh...

^^ Death

Star Inkbright said...

@Mara: :) Hope you get them.

@Zath: :)

Seeing people you know in books is cool. *nods*

#ChaseForBookNine

Dean said...

20 kms there and 20 back... Ugh...

Maralie Lily Charm said...

Five

M i n u t e s

#ChaseForBook9

Star Inkbright said...

@Death: :(

Hello.

EVERYONE IS ARRIVING WHAT THE HELL.

You know, this is irrelevant, but my laptop has its touchpad thing that you move the cursor with on the left half of the keyboard, and it's odd.

#ChaseForBookNine

Star Inkbright said...

@Death: D: I don't know how much a kilometre is in biking terms, only in walkingwithheavingrucksacks terms, but it sounds like a lot. :/

#ChaseForBookNine

Zathract Mist said...

I SEE LELOUCH VI BRITANNIA AS A PROFILE IMAGE

Sparky Braginski said...

*flips off of the roof and lands feet first on Miles*

Zathract Mist said...

Show off.

*mutters something about prevention due to back*

Sparky Braginski said...

*giggles*

I'm a motherfucking gazelle.

Zathract Mist said...

Coming from the girl that couldn't climb up the second log?

Star Inkbright said...

*stops playlisting for a moment and opens the Blogger window* *frowns as all five tabs crash in at once* *goes and hits all the PAUSE buttons* Still not used to that. :P

@Mara: "Maybe I'm looking in the wrong direction
Maybe I'm looking in any direction"
Me: :O BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE DIRECTION!

XD

(Just thought you would appreciate that. ;))

#ChaseForBookNine

Sparky Braginski said...

You perfect shithead.

*kicks his side*

Zathract Mist said...

THIS IS NOT MY WAR
THIS IS NOT MY FIGHT
THIS IS SOMETHING MORE
THIS IS NOT MY LIFE

Zathract Mist said...

*scowls*

That's the missing rib side.

Sparky Braginski said...

*smirks*

I know.

Zathract Mist said...

You suck.

Sparky Braginski said...

And you're an asshole.

Zathract Mist said...

And you're suddenly inside a washing machine.

Wonder how that happened.

Ebony Law said...

How old is Zathract again? I forgot.

Zathract Mist said...

What does it matter to you?

Star Inkbright said...

@Zath: THIS IS NOT MY
Revolution
THIS IS NOT MY
Convolution
THIS IS NOT MY
Expectation
THIS IS NOT MY
DESPERATION!

@everyone: Sorry, not really here.

#ChaseForBookNine

Zathract Mist said...

TODAY I SAID GOODBYE
GOODBYE
Ohh, I didn't need to leave, to stay right here,
TODAY I SAID GOODBYE

Sparky Braginski said...

*tackles MIles into the lake*

DIVERSION

Zathract Mist said...

*throws her off and pushes hair out of face*

Dammit, Rachel...

Sparky Braginski said...

Your hair is always on your face, dude.

Maralie Lily Charm said...

I'M GOING TO THE ONE DIRECTION CONCERT IN CROKE PARK ON THE 23RD OF MAY 2014! *screams*

#ChaseForBook9

Zathract Mist said...

I look like that chick from the ring.

It's awesome.

Maralie Lily Charm said...

*hugs Star* I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE

i'M SO GIDDY

NVJDSBVDSJQBVCQAB NSKV NADI
B FHEQI
GR JIBFBEIGEFBJGIPFENGFJIE

Sparky Braginski said...

Miles on Skype:

I KNOIW

I KNOW

I KNOW I HAVEN'T

BUT NOW I AVHE

BUT REALLY

NO ONE GIVES THREE SHITS

OR TWO

OR ONE

OR ANY FUCKS

THE ONLY FUCK I GIVE IS IN THE FOAM PUT

PIT

THE FOAM PIT IS BEING DEMOLISHED TOMORROW

Zathract Mist said...

Who's Miles?

Sparky Braginski said...

To be followed by:

WAIT WHAT

YOU'RE WRTTING IT OPUT YORSELF

OUT

YOURSELF

Miles: NO

FUCK YOU

GODDAMMIT I HATE YOU SO MUCH

I WILL SMACK YOU WITH A TELEVISION DAMMIT

AND NOT A FLATSCREEN, I SWEAR TO GOD

I'LL THROW A NOKIA AT YOU

Zathract Mist said...

Hey, did I ever tell you guys about that time when Sparky sent me a chapter to beta?

And damn, it had a great title.

Want to know what it was called?

Zathract Mist said...

Chapter Eight: Can't Wait

Sparky Braginski said...

*tackles and gags him*

NO!!!!!!!!

Zathract Mist said...

CHAPTER EIGHT: CAN'T WAIT

Star Inkbright said...

@Mara: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! :) *hugs* :) :) :) :)

Really happy for you! :)

*laughs at a YouTube joke which you won't really get without context*

#ChaseForBookNine

Sparky Braginski said...

*does Darth Vader "NOOoooooOOOoOoOooOOO" and falls to knees*

Sparky Braginski said...

*Tank appears and punts Miles into a tree*

Zathract Mist said...

Because I just killed you as a Tank, yeaaaaaah.

Zathract Mist said...

Wait, what?

Maralie Lily Charm said...

ME AND CIARA ARE IN THE LOWER DEVIN STAND WHICH IS BASICALLY RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STAGE

I JUST

HOW

I

CAN'T

#ChaseForBook9

Sparky Braginski said...

*screeches much as I just did in real life*

Make it STOP

Zathract Mist said...

And dear god, did she screech...

Mary Contrary said...

*hugs Derek, on entering*

Hey. :)

Holy cats, Mara! *huggles*
Fantastic! :D

#ChaseForBook9

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

*cries* I CAMT BLOODY SLEEP msd if i do fall asleep

Lewis Ravenscroft / Rhydian Blake said...

Hello?

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Quarter to 6am I email Ari cuz i cant sleep *bangs head on wall* LET ME SLEEP

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Hi! Im up at a god forsaken hour I cant sleep

Lewis Ravenscroft / Rhydian Blake said...

Gtg soon. Meeting a bunch of my rl friends

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

I'm attempting sleep

Mary Contrary said...

Hey Rhydian! :)

*hugs Zaf*
I know the feeling. :/
Have you tried sleeping elsewhere? Even if it's just at the opposite end of the bed or something. That can sometimes help, I think. ^^

#ChaseForBook9

Zathract Mist said...

Why would you be talking on the blog if you're trying to sleep?

Sparky Braginski said...

*mumbles something from the roof and beckons MIles to sit next to me*

Zathract Mist said...

Mmkay.

*climbs up onto the roof and joins her*

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

I tried a lot....I slept opposite ends bleh okay I'm gonna go back to bed hopefully when I come back its 8:40-9am *is somewhere asleep in my treehouse*

Sparky Braginski said...

*pushes him off so he falls onto the balcony below*

Mary Contrary said...

Also, I think maybe trying not to get frustrated about not sleeping. Which is difficult. But if your head's awake and thinking, then thinking about how you can't sleep / want to sleep, that's still thinking. You can't stop yourself from thinking, but you can distract yourself. I think maybe that's why reading/writing/drawing/hearing music can help, too.

Good luck, anyway, Zaf. I hope you get to sleep alright, soon. :)

#ChaseForBook9

Star Inkbright said...

@Zaf: Idk if you're reading this or going to sleep, but I always make up stories in my head when I'm going to sleep. I don't know if that helps, and maybe doesn't as it involves tossing and turning (I can't stay still and think, remember), but I do it and I eventually get to sleep, so maybe it works. Also, it makes going to sleep fun. Sometimes I actually look forward to it just because of the story aspect. XD

So . . . yeah. :)

#ChaseForBookNine

Jophiel said...

Eh... Bored... Fangirling and writing... Not a good mix...

Jophiel said...

Zaf, I feel your pain... I was up until seven trying to sleep... And then I was woken up a few minutes later by my mum... *Hugs* It's okay... Sleep's annoying...

Noelle said...

*reads what Sparky and co. We're saying*

You don't think we know that the RP is a little unfair? Because we do. We've been told and put down so many times by others because of it and we have tried to fit the needs of others but it's always all or nothing. People usually want it 100% gone- but the RP makes us insanely happy, so of course we aren't just going to come on her and be miserable- if at all. And it's really really hard to fit the needs of everyone, because we can't. That's just impossible. So sometimes people get hurt, but so do we, and... I dunno. We try our best to include who wants to be included and we do talk as well...

The problem is, RP makes us happy and we love it, but we can't just completely change for everyone. And believe me, we tried many things already...

Sorry, I would have used the pronoun "I" instead of the anonymous "we" but... That sounded pretentious and I just meant RPers in general. Maybe. Idk I have like four hours of sleep

And as for the "ongoing plot"- there really isn't one... Everyone is doing their own subplot and you can choose which one you want- like a buffet.

Noelle said...

But I have also realized that with subplots, things can be really emotionally changing and stuff- but a lot of the time people won't join in solely because their character isn't effected by it. For example, a few weeks ago, Adra went back in time to fix something and it went on for days and no one really wanted to help or do anything so I just finished it on my own.
*shrugs*
So these major "plots" are just things that effect and include everyone and FOCUSES on everyone, you know? I did a demons thing a few months ago, and I had a character for every single person who wanted in- and when a new person wanted in, I made up a new character.

So yeah subplots are hard to navigate sometimes...

Just saying- I'm saying how I interpret it, btw

Noelle said...

So yeah... One of the reasons people feel left out is because they go off on their own to scream at the sky or someone- with the intent of people following them- but the catch is, we can get pretty damn factual about the RP. How, since they walked off, they aren't near us and we can't hear them.
Another struggle is when someone tried to bring people into a plot that is solely about one character aOH SHIT THE FIRE ALARM JUST WENT OFF AGAIN DO YOU SEE WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS SHUT UP HOUSE THIS IS THE FIFTTH TIME TONIGHT and when plots are so... Character dependent... I dunno, everyone seeks different things for their character... Something just might not be good enough or sometimes interesting enough, or really original

For example, this is the classic example of a plot: Person wanders off to feel sad. Person is attacked by mysterious figure and injured/kidnapped for whatever reason. Once they're actually taken for whatever reason, then we KNOW that they're out of the area and just assume they're doing a story-plot...

So that's what I mean... *shrugs* that kind of plot happens enough. And since we, as teenagers, have to all be the Center of attention, it gets hard is all I'm saying

Star Inkbright said...

*shrugs* I don't really think people could be doing anything more, whatever their interpretation of 'more' is. The only time I'm not happy with things the way they are now is when other people are unhappy with them.

Btw . . . I keep meaning to say this but I don't - the parallel universe plot is amazing. :) I love reading it.

#ChaseForBookNine

Noelle said...

I quite like it as well... Even though the problem with the planet is almost fixed... Aretha kinda just said: here. Go wild.

Noelle said...

Awkward silence...

Mary Contrary said...

I'm not really sure if I'm completely understanding a lot of the problem and arrangement and such, but...
Keeping that kind of realistic approach, and somebody heads off. Whatever happens, and you can't hear them, but...
If you think of writing... Figure, that character in the roleplay as one of your own characters. In one chapter, he disappears and something happens to him.
From that writer-perspective, you need to find a way to explain that, or find a way to link that sub-plot to your other characters somehow - What's the use in a sub-plot if it doesn't affect anything, really?
You don't necessarily need to be able to hear/see that character, in order to make links to him, if that makes sense.

That's not directed at anybody in particular, just a general thought.
(Apologies for poor explaining skills, too. :P)
#ChaseForBook9

Mary Contrary said...

*realises that the majority of those sentences are grammatically quite incorrect*
Sorry for all of the disconnectedness. :P

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

Hi Taia! To be honest, I'm not sure I know what you mean, but I would probably agree with it

Star Inkbright said...

@Taia: That's actually a really good suggestion. :)

@Adra: Sorry for poofing on you . . . dealing with internet malfunctions. I thought my new laptop could repeatedly handle vast quantities of tabs. Apparently, I was mistaken. :P

It's much, much better than the laptop device I used previously, though. :)

#ChaseForBookNine

Star Inkbright said...

Can I just rant, here?

It's not "It works it's way inside." It's "It works its way inside." ITS. Not it's.

Gahhhhhhh it's so irritating. :P

. . . Sorry. :/ Sometimes I feel as if all I ever do on here is rant. :P

#ChaseForBookNine

Noelle said...

Your rants are hilarious, so yer cool :3

Mary Contrary said...

Hey, Adra! :)

Hm. I don't really know how to explain it in a more coherent fashion. I'm feeling kind of disorderly. :P

It's... Huh. I can't- The words are against me. I'll... I'll try to work it out and get back to you on that.

*frowns*

@Star: Hey, thanks. :)

And, I don't mind your ranting in the least. :3

#ChaseForBook9

Star Inkbright said...

@Adra: HOW DARE YOU LAUGH AT ME. :O
Kidding. :) Thank you. :)

@Taia: Thank you also. :)

And - I understood, I think, but I sometimes understand people when other cannot, as I happen to be so ununderstandable myself. XD

Um. Try and think how you could link the subplot in, as you would if the character who walked off were one of your characters and you were writing a story and trying to link everything in . . . Something along those lines. :)

#ChaseForBookNine

Star Inkbright said...

*realises that wasn't any more understandable* :P

#ChaseForBookNine

Star Inkbright said...

3, 0, 0, 17, 56, 19, 64, 0, 71, 39, 79, 20, 0 . . .

#ChaseForBookNine

Noelle said...

My fire alarm keeps going off. I'm attempted to shoot it

Noelle said...

*tempted

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

And sometimes in RP things happen, for example ZafTC didnt help in the fight because Niccolò trapped hef and then Aretha qho controls Niccolò left so I kinda kept ZafTC out but I brought in Javier and Rose had Vincent so we had our own thing going. Then Ari came back and we continued our thing and she spoke to Rose too until Rose left then I left. There is a lot of things that happen, yeah I wishes ZafTC fought but hey realistically she isn't an Elemental yes Justaria could use the magic to but Niccolò had me paralyzed with a knife too so i wasnt going anywhere, I understand some people are hurt and we try to bring people in but it isnt easy.

Jophiel said...

*Glowers slightly* He's never on anymore... Is he...? That always happens... *Punches something, hard* EVERY STINKING TIME I SCREW IT UP!

Noelle said...

Yeah but Zaf, if you missed- I poofed over to your fight earlier from the catacombs. No one was making you stay but yourself. Aretha wasn't there you didn't have to do that to yourself- when she came back you could have just magically have been there the whole time. It pretend like it

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Eh its not a big deal also I wasn't really paying attention I was doing Black Palace on Wizard101 and when i finished it was like soon Trip fell asleep so I wasn't like DAMN IT I MISSED IT

Noelle said...

So... Then if it wasn't a big deal-

No.
Never mind.

Jophiel said...

Okay, sorry. I'm just in a foul mood... It's just every single bloody time that I fall in love with someone, they leave... Or they drift away... Tristan left and didn't respond to anything for the last three days of our relationship, Eden drifted away because he had to study for exams and now Connor... It always freaking happens... I've given up on love. May it please those who want it, leave those who don't.

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Woah okay I woke back up to find my mother gone....I'm fucking flipping then I realized she went to weight watchers she always wakes me up and says she's leaving...

Mary Contrary said...

@Star: Yup. I'm trying to think of an example, but I don't know...

It's like:

You've got some characters here[A].

And you've got a character here[B].

And the character at [B]... He's sitting screaming at the sky. And maybe he says something, sees something, I don't know.
Say he steps on a spider. And then another spider appears. Repeat process. Maybe some crazy-spider-guy appears and drowns him in spiders. A fight, but no one else is around - none of your other characters can help.

Meanwhile, at [A]. One character notices a black shape scuttle across the shadows in one corner of the room.
Enter: Crazy-spider-guy, and his army of creepy little creatures.
As it turns out, he was looking for something, and character at [B] led him there, to [A], if accidentally.

Or maybe, rather that crazy-spider-guy appearing, maybe character at point [B] took something with him, and somebody at [A] decides she needs it?

It may not even have to be that direct. Just finding little ways to link one thing to another.
I don't know if that makes any more sense.

Sorry about all of the spiders.
I've been dreaming a lot about spiders, lately... o0

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

I'm not quite sure who the first people are, and as for Connor- he was hardly ever on for a few months there. *shrugs* Life happens outside of the internet, I guess

Noelle said...

I woke up to a fire alarm.

-_- at 5 AM

I went to bed at almost 2

Maralie Lily Charm said...

The urge to find Harry Styles and kiss him hard is slowly killing me...

#ChaseForBook9

Jophiel said...

By the time I was your age if give anything
To fall in love truly was all I could think
That's when I met your mother the girl of my dreams
The most beautiful woman that if ever seen...

...

She said boy can I tell you a terrible thing?
It seems that I'm sick and I've only got weeks...

...

So just don't fall in love, there's too much to lose
If your given a choice I'm begging you to
Walk away, walk away
Don't let her get to you...

...

I'm only telling you this because life...
Can do terrible things...

Mary Contrary said...

*than

I think that was a pretty dumb scenario, but...
I think that could be done, on some level, whilst continuing whatever else is going on.
It's kind of just incorporating one thing into the other?

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

*begins to dig Mara's grave* I got your back gurl

Jophiel said...

Tristan was my ex who dumped me after six days, Eden Threatening was on her heaps last year and we got together at the Ball...

But still. Love had always been unlucky in my family, except for my sister... She finds the most amazing people...

Sorry, I'm leaving... I need to listen to Mayday Parade...

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Maybe Connor got grounded it's totes possible Rose. I know it hurts but it happens *hugs* I remember when I was on my THG page my character Erin was in love with Josen Dalone and they married had 2 kids and Erin's kids were safe from the reaping because Gamemaker kids were as now Capitol and 13 had reapings. Weird thing was Erin was the last District 9 victor but Wilson, next to be presdent and Erin's best friend's father, JJ, ordered Erin to take on the role as a Gamemaker and mentor to 9. That year her sister was reaped. Josen was a Peacekeeper but due to population decline they could marry and have kids but see the person who played Josen played JJ and she didnt want to so the Jakieboi took Josen then Jakiboi got grounded and drifted away then my one friend created Jev and Erin fell for him because she was alone now Josen left her so yeah still he was an awesome character as was the male who played him once JJ wouldnt...:/

Jophiel said...

*I'd

Noelle said...

Uh....

Noelle said...

Original name, Zaf omfg

Mary Contrary said...

@Star: You have playlists with zero songs on them? (Assuming those are your playlist numbers, there.)
On the other hand, 79, 71, 56... You've got a lot there. :)

Hey, Zaf! Did you sleep alright, in the end?

*hugs Death*
I don't know what I can say. :/
I think you've gone, now(?), but... It doesn't sound like any of that's your fault - it's the fault of the world, if anything. People drift because the world pulls them. There's so much always changing, and only so little of that can be controlled. Try not to beat yourself up for it. :)
I hope the music helps you out, at least.^^

#ChaseForBook9

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Ikr xD actully wanna hear how I created ZafTC?

Before I was admined on the oage I was a tribute and I needed a name. I was from 8. So I had Breaking Dawn open to the vampire index I saw Zafrina and I was like oooh so I played around with letters and got Zafira. For the last name I wanted to have it with K and I was truing to go for sounding like curious so I played around and got Kerias. So for the hell of it I signed up as her and devolped her into an interesting character she died in the Games but her ghost lived on since so many people liked her so when I joined Blogland and had read SP i was like I want to be known as Zafira Kerias in honout of my dead tribute. A lot of personality traits in ZafTC were of my dead tribute, her fear of death is one. Why did I make her a Necromancer? Well in DB I liked the Necromancers and the discipline fit ZafTC because she was afraid of death and they wanted to stop death. Why did I want to have her Grand Mage? Because she always was a leader hence why before KOTW I appointed myself as Grand Mage and when Derek said Elder I shrugged because it was close enough...**TINY LSODM SPOILER* So when Derek promoted me to Grand Mage I was like hell yes!

Noelle said...

Zaf that is a major spoiler.

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Taia barely I may go back to sleep for a few and be like muhahaha and pretend i got good sleep

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Omfg I put a warning anyone who knows me knows it so would happen lets be honest even my friends irl guessed before we even read the book its so predictable if you know Derek and hey he can't kill me I added a warning I didnt say how or why

Noelle said...

Zaf... Seriously. Copy and paste that onto a new comment without the spoilers. You didn't want to know a single thing and from that "tiny spoiler" someone who hasn't read it can get so much... So please delete that, you asked that of others, and it isn't fair to return the favor poorly.
Do unto others..?

Mary Contrary said...

@Zaf: Aw. Well, either way, I hope you sleep better tonight. :)

... Thanks for the spoiler alert/s. ^^
*shuts eyes when scrolling past the comment* :P

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

Yeah but the point is- there aren't supposed to be a warning. Like, book three: *spoiler* Skulduggery goes int a new dimension.

Doesn't mean it is right

And just because you marked it doesn't mean that people who skim comments won't read it

Mary Contrary said...

@Zaf: Fair as that might be, people might miss the alert, or catch it when scrolling up/down, skimming through comments or something?
I think I'd probably go with Adra's on this one.

#ChaseForBook9

Noelle said...

*nods to Taia*

I have horseback in about twenty, so msd!

Jophiel said...

*Floats back in, humming along to Miserable at Best*

Mary Contrary said...

@Zaf: Not meaning any offence, of course. I think I'd probably be more comfortable with that spoiler chance minimized, for both myself and for others, too. :)

Okay, Adra.

mbd
#ChaseForBook9

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Screw you all. I'm not even caring anymore anythig I do I get yelled at; dors it significantly change the plot? No. Not. One. Timy. Fucking. Inch. Is. Changed. I dont care anymore yell complain now I'm not deleting it I'm done with being yelled at I dont feel good i barely slept oh well deal with it sorry to sound harsh but im sick of everyone yellong at me here and irl whatever I only listen to one person if he wanta me to delege it i will now im not im gonna attempt to eat or sleep idk which will come first

Noelle said...

Taia I think she fell asleep... >.<

I should go- don't start the end of the world without me :)

Star Inkbright said...

-_-

Look, especially when I'm reading a long list of comments and the comment I'm reading I can barely comprehend because it's a long paragraph without punctuation (um, not trying to complain at that. I'm fine with it. :) Just explaining the situation), my eyes just sort of slide past and the meaning of the words hits my mind AFTER my eyes have slid past them, so my eyes were just going slide with my mind on something else vaguely picking up the gist, and a moment after I'd read it I was like WOAH WHAT.

You did put the spoiler warning though, so it's mostly my fault. :)

And, I had to poof to go clean the carpet, and now I have to go poof again, so um, fours?

@Adra being woken up: :( That sucks. :/

#ChaseForBookNine

Noelle said...

Don't shove your pity card down our throats. People didn't spoil for us, and those who are left ask the same of you. It's just that simple. There is no grey area.", and you don't get to ruin the book for anyone, that's all there is to it

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Deal. With. It. *vanishes angirly*

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

First?

Star Inkbright said...

*looks at clock* O_O

Hmm.

We haven't left the house yet.

O_O

Anyway, I should probably go put my shoes on so I can sit at the bottom of the stairs being all smug about how I'm ready, so um, fours . . .

#ChaseForBookNine

Noelle said...

...I'm sorry

But what a bitch. Honestly. I thought you said you were working on it, but every time you do whatever you want you hide behind your story- which is not to be used like that. Your problems are not an excuse, Zaf. And I might be the only one being "mean" but when you say things like that, people try to put you down easily, but that doesn't work, so

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

I dedicate this page to Smokey my dead kitty because Smokey came to visit me in my dream last night so I feel fit to dedicate to him. I also dedicate to fall as it means apples and applie cider and all the good stuff. I also ded to the hope we don't get a big hurricane or snowstorm before Halloween. It seems that happens every year and I either trick or treat in snow or cold.

Noelle said...

Right- I must be off! *hugs* *runs to the horses*

Zaf please try not to take advantage of my absence to publicly sling insults. That's just poor sportsmanship. *salutes to all*

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Wouldn't dream of it Adra.

Jophiel said...

*Sighs* Fml. Why can't people just cool off...? Just take a deep breath, to for a run and come back all happy...?

Mary Contrary said...

@Zaf: :/
I'm not yelling, Zaf. That wasn't my intention at all, and I'm really sorry if it seemed as though I was.

You did post a spoiler alert, for which I'm very grateful, because it did keep me from reading it there and then, but when I scrolled up again, I had to either shut my eyes or turn of the read-machine and try to makes my eyes loose focus very suddenly.

I don't want to make you feel bad, Zaf - I don't think hurting people is the right way to go about things - and I don't like the idea that you feel hurt, that people are yelling at you, or trying TO hurt you.
I just also want to see that other people (myself included) aren't upset by reading/seeing something that they weren't ready for, yet.

I'm sorry you were upset by it, Zaf. :/
#ChaseForBook9

Jophiel said...

*go

I'm sleeping, I need to sleep. I need to write. I'm not coming back on until I've written a decent amount...

Anonymous said...

*is ghosting*

Mary Contrary said...

*off
*lose

Bye Star! *hugs*
See you, Adra! *waves*

Great ded, Zaf. :)

@Death: Because we're human - we hold onto things more than would do us good, at times?
Other times, that holding on does a lot in the positive, too.

And, remember to sleep a decent amount, too, then? See you. *waves*

*waves to a ghostly Mithria* :)

#ChaseForBook9

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Hi Mith!

Rose I am calm i'm not letting people boss me around just because Adra wants it deleted oh well suck it up she knows and I know the thing I said impacted the plot zilch its like one of those random facts that never appear again in the book so whatever I mean if it was like the one thing i'd flip but it isnt

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

You spoiled that bit for me ages ago. I'm not stupid...

#ChaseForBook9

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

You know what I'm going. Done. Sick of being told off. Sick of it all. Bye may your days be better without me ruining them.

Mary Contrary said...

@Zaf: Hang on a second - It's not Adra that the spoiler has potential spoil for. She's trying (if a little explicitly) to watch out for those people who spoilers WILL hurt, or upset, or give things away.

Before I got Death Bringer, one spoiler was thrown at me - the death of one character, who you could probably guess without too much difficulty. It didn't give the plot away for me. It didn't make me cry, either. But it did meant that from the moment I started that book, at his first appearance, and when it came to that point in the book - I knew he was going to die. It didn't ruin the entire book, but it did mean that I didn't get the full effect of that occurrence that I might have, otherwise, because I was thinking "He's going to die here- He's going to die here- He's going to die..."

Random facts can still be spoiled.

Just... Don't put others at risk out of spite, or through heat/spur-of-the-moment.
It's not a matter of asking you to delete because, oh, why not? There is a reason, even if you're not really seeing it there.

I don't want to make any huge fuss, it's just a suggestion that I don't think needs to hurt anybody, and can help others, too. :)

#ChaseForBook9

Jophiel said...

Connor, I'd be lying if is said I didn't swear... Scary... And I'm sorry... :'(

Mary Contrary said...

*sighs*

Nobody's asking you to leave, Zaf...

I- I'll see you soon, I guess. :/

#ChaseForBook9

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

[Sighs]

You keep talking like it's black and white, Zaf, that we either practically worship you or hate you and want you to go away and blog-die. For, like, all of us, neither is true...

You've done annoying things, true. I guess we all have. It's actually when you lash out like this that you distance yourself from us... I mean, this much drama over a simple question of deleting a spoiler comment...

Please, Zaf, if you end up taking a break from Blogland, don't use it to seethe angrily. That won't help you. If you can do something you enjoy, then a break might actually help you.

See you soon.

#ChaseForBook9

Fabi S. - Fashion-Conscious Fire Wraith said...

I think I'll go for now. I'm having one of those I-don't-want-to-deal-with-anything-until-after-breakfast-moments

#ChaseForBook9

Mary Contrary said...

"...if you end up taking a break from Blogland, don't use it to seethe angrily." (Thanks, Fabi.:) )

I'm not going to hold anything against you Zaf, I don't think like that. I don't dislike you - I LIKE you. Just, take care of yourself, and take care of the people around you. *leaves a cookie out for her*

*shifts*

That's all, I think.


@Fabi: See you later. ^^
But, I just looked at your picture, and- *hugs* :)

#ChaseForBook9

Zanida Laufeydottir Queen of Asgard (Zafira Kerias) said...

Sorry would have commented earlier but apparently I am getting forced to this stupid party even though anyone else in my family gets a sniffle they dont go but I am sicker then that yet I get to go be miserable all day! Joy of freakin joys

Edward Fletcher said...

Hello?

Mary Contrary said...

Aw, Zaf - I hope you find some way to keep yourself amused/entertained/happy, there.
And, I hope the sickness clears up soon, too. ^^

#ChaseForBook9

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