28 November 2013
New Roommate!
Yay I am now relaxed on the roommate issue! Her boyfriend just came by to drop off the deposit (she lives in San Diego or San Something) so I feel like the issue is resolved! Woot!
New Roommate?
Looks like we have found a new person, a Sarah this time. She said she would get her deposit to us soon, and we are just waiting to hear when that is. Hopefully we will get it very soon. Until we do, I'm still a little worried. Just want to have the certainty. AAARG! New person hunting is stressful!
Troy Chapter 2 (II)
Alex was glad he was sitting down, for otherwise he would surely have fallen over. The heat must be getting to him. He drank some more water, and splashed a little on his face, hoping the sweet, cool liquid would sharpen his senses. The man before him still looked resplendent and golden. Godly. Alex was speechless.
“I am called Hermes,” Hermes began, then realized the boy was gaping and stunned. “But please--let us not stand on ceremony, we’ve already been talking, you and I, and I don’t mean to frighten you.” Alex remembered himself at that, and tried to muster his courage.
“Why--why are you here?” Alex asked, confused. Hermes sat himself down again so that he wouldn’t be towering over the boy. Humans and dogs always seemed to prefer interaction at eye level; it set them at ease.
“I have come at Zeus’ behest, with a message for you.” Hermes said, noting that Alexandros suddenly looked pale. “Are you ill?”
Alex swallowed once and shook his head.
“Good,” Hermes continued, “it would seem that there is a dispute. An event transpired at wedding last week at which three of the goddesses each laid claim to a title. I’m sure you know how women can get,” (Alex nodded) “and so they asked Zeus to judge between them in a contest. Zeus of course refused, knowing how dangerous it is to take sides with your relations, and so we debated how we could best decide between them when it was suggested that we find an outsider. The terms are this: You judge fairly, and give the title to the one most deserving of it. In return we swear to accept your verdict. Zeus of course will compensate you for your troubles with enough gold for you and your family to live very comfortably for the rest of your days.”
“So I could pay my father back for the bull?” Alex asked, eyes wide.
“Fifty bulls.” Hermes stated. Alex sat back on his heels, imagining what that would mean.
“And all I have to do is award a title?”
“That’s all!”
“I’ll do it,” said Alex.
“Wonderful!” Hermes exclaimed. He had Alex swear to the judgement, telling the boy they would come to him the next day.
Alex gathered his belongings, and gave the whistle for the dog to start bringing the sheep home. By the time he had them all gathered in their hut, he was brimming with excitement to tell his father. He ran to their home where his mother would have supper waiting and told the whole story, barely noticing in his excitement that his father grew paler and more solemn with every word. His mother ate slowly, as though she was having trouble swallowing her food.
“You must be careful when striking bargains with the gods, my son,” his father said. “They will always become angry with you in some way, and always try to hurt you.”
“But I will have the protection of the winner, don’t you see, nothing can go wrong! And father, the gold! You will be comfortable for the end of your days!”
“You’re a good lad, Alex, and I know you mean well. We love you for it. Now off to bed, you need to be rested tomorrow.” His mother added.
“I just don’t understand why they would choose me,” Alex continued, “it’s strange for the gods to ask a favour of a lowly shepherd.”
“To bed, Alex! We shall talk more tomorrow,” said his father. Alex obliged and kissed his parents goodnight, retiring to his pallet.
His parents cleaned up from the meal, fed and watered the animals, and undressed for the night.
“We’ll tell him tomorrow,” they agreed. “We will tell him who he really is.”
“I am called Hermes,” Hermes began, then realized the boy was gaping and stunned. “But please--let us not stand on ceremony, we’ve already been talking, you and I, and I don’t mean to frighten you.” Alex remembered himself at that, and tried to muster his courage.
“Why--why are you here?” Alex asked, confused. Hermes sat himself down again so that he wouldn’t be towering over the boy. Humans and dogs always seemed to prefer interaction at eye level; it set them at ease.
“I have come at Zeus’ behest, with a message for you.” Hermes said, noting that Alexandros suddenly looked pale. “Are you ill?”
Alex swallowed once and shook his head.
“Good,” Hermes continued, “it would seem that there is a dispute. An event transpired at wedding last week at which three of the goddesses each laid claim to a title. I’m sure you know how women can get,” (Alex nodded) “and so they asked Zeus to judge between them in a contest. Zeus of course refused, knowing how dangerous it is to take sides with your relations, and so we debated how we could best decide between them when it was suggested that we find an outsider. The terms are this: You judge fairly, and give the title to the one most deserving of it. In return we swear to accept your verdict. Zeus of course will compensate you for your troubles with enough gold for you and your family to live very comfortably for the rest of your days.”
“So I could pay my father back for the bull?” Alex asked, eyes wide.
“Fifty bulls.” Hermes stated. Alex sat back on his heels, imagining what that would mean.
“And all I have to do is award a title?”
“That’s all!”
“I’ll do it,” said Alex.
“Wonderful!” Hermes exclaimed. He had Alex swear to the judgement, telling the boy they would come to him the next day.
Alex gathered his belongings, and gave the whistle for the dog to start bringing the sheep home. By the time he had them all gathered in their hut, he was brimming with excitement to tell his father. He ran to their home where his mother would have supper waiting and told the whole story, barely noticing in his excitement that his father grew paler and more solemn with every word. His mother ate slowly, as though she was having trouble swallowing her food.
“You must be careful when striking bargains with the gods, my son,” his father said. “They will always become angry with you in some way, and always try to hurt you.”
“But I will have the protection of the winner, don’t you see, nothing can go wrong! And father, the gold! You will be comfortable for the end of your days!”
“You’re a good lad, Alex, and I know you mean well. We love you for it. Now off to bed, you need to be rested tomorrow.” His mother added.
“I just don’t understand why they would choose me,” Alex continued, “it’s strange for the gods to ask a favour of a lowly shepherd.”
“To bed, Alex! We shall talk more tomorrow,” said his father. Alex obliged and kissed his parents goodnight, retiring to his pallet.
His parents cleaned up from the meal, fed and watered the animals, and undressed for the night.
“We’ll tell him tomorrow,” they agreed. “We will tell him who he really is.”
25 November 2013
Troy Chapter 2 (I)
Splitting things up so it doesn't get to be too much at once.
I thought maybe to make it so that when the gods spoke to humans directly their language would be a little jumpy, I mean gods don't often talk directly to people, so they wouldn't have a very modern speech pattern; but they do try to blend in. So I thought I'd throw in some old English words and Elizabethan phrasing here and there, as they struggle to sound normal but forget themselves once in a while. but I'm not sure if it works or if just makes them sound weird and takes away from the story; so let me know your thoughts.
Alexandros sat in the shade of an ash tree. The heat and the sun had dried most of the grass in the field. In the distance, his sheep lazily ate and napped; and his old dog slowly but stubbornly circled the sheep to keep them together and watch for predators. He wanted to join the sheep in napping but knew his father would skin him alive if he dozed off and lost the creatures. Struggling to stay awake, he bit into an apple, chewing slowly, letting the bitterness and tartness of the apple invigorate him.
“Good ofernon, Alexandros,” said a voice from beside him.
Alex jumped and gasped. His view encompassed most of the valley and he had not seen the man approach him. His dog was old but sharp as ever and would have barked as the man came near.
Covering his shock, he boy stood quickly, not wanting to be rude, and was surprised at the man’s height. Alex was tall for his age, the only one of his 12-year-old peers to be taller than most girls, but he had not reached his full height yet. Alex knew he would likely grow a foot taller yet, as he was still shorter than his father. Even so, the stranger was a good two feet taller than Alex, fit and tan. He wore a casual toga but the cloth was exquisite. There was a helmet tucked under his arm (Alexandros knew not what for, when the man had no other armour), and he had large, clean, sturdy feet wrapped in leather sandals.
“Afternoon, sir,” Alex replied, knowing it would be rude to inquire who the man was, how he knew Alex’s name, and what the helmet was for. “Will you share the shade with me? You must be hot and tired, having approached me so quickly,” he said instead, noting that the man did not look hot or tired at all, though Alex himself was coated in a thin sheen of sweat just from sitting under a tree.
“I would be grateful for your hospitality!” replied the man, as if the tree and the shade and field somehow belonged to Alex. He seemed to remember something then, and suddenly looked very tired and sweaty indeed. Alex gaped at the sudden change, then remembered himself and offered the man some water from his water skin and a slice from his apple. They sat in silence while the man ate and drank, Alex all the while trying his best to muster all of his 12-year-old patience and play the host instead of bombarding the man with questions. After what seemed like an eternity to Alexandros, a polite amount of time to pretend to enjoy a bitter apple to the stranger, and only a few moments in reality, the stranger spoke again:
“You are very thoughtful, young man, abounding in kindness to share your food and water with a tired old man,” he said, though Alex noted that the man was looking oddly fresh again, and not old at all. His eyes were sharp and clear, his skin smooth and youthful. “I have heard of your honesty and fairness, and see from your gifts to me today that thou art of good character and have true values. You know not what a chore it is to find a man who takes hospitality seriously. Did you ever hear about Philemon and Bacchus?” The man shook his head, as if lost in a memory. Alex, meanwhile, was pleased to have been referred to as a man, if confused by the man’s occasional slip into a more archaic dialogue. “I am here because a friend of mine recommended you. He said that you were the most honest person he had met, and...”
“Now, wait!” Alexandros interrupted, leaping to his feet, “if this is about that bull...do you know how much trouble I’m still in because of that man? I’ve been working extra hard for a year and still am not close to paying my father back for his loss! I gave him up because your pal won fair and square, but if you’ve come to try taking advantage of me...”
The man startled Alexandro by laughing. Alex blushed. He was being rude, and he was very angry, and he didn’t know if the man was laughing with him or laughing at him.
“Please sit back down with me, good fellow, and listen well, for I have a great many things to tell you. I will begin with my name,” he said as Alex settled himself, “and regard me closely.” The boy did, squinting his eyes a little. He wasn’t sure what the man meant or what he was looking for, but some fibre of his being was screaming that this was no regular person. Perhaps he was royalty? Then, as Alex watched, the man became even more handsome and tall and clean. His skin was clear and flawless, glowing as if the man had just been bathed and oiled. His robes were trimmed with gold, his sandals brushed clean, his hair smoothed down, and his face looked very young and smooth. It was the man’s eyes that caught Alexandros’ attention, for despite the stranger’s youthful appearance, his eyes looked like they had seen too much, or maybe as if they saw everything. Then, as he put on his helm, is seemed as if Alex’s vision cleared. There was no better word for it. Before, he had seen the man and not thought much of it except that the man was a little strange. But suddenly the man was sharp, as if Alex had been looking at the man without focusing on him. He saw not a man but a god before him. A god with winged sandals.
I thought maybe to make it so that when the gods spoke to humans directly their language would be a little jumpy, I mean gods don't often talk directly to people, so they wouldn't have a very modern speech pattern; but they do try to blend in. So I thought I'd throw in some old English words and Elizabethan phrasing here and there, as they struggle to sound normal but forget themselves once in a while. but I'm not sure if it works or if just makes them sound weird and takes away from the story; so let me know your thoughts.
Alexandros sat in the shade of an ash tree. The heat and the sun had dried most of the grass in the field. In the distance, his sheep lazily ate and napped; and his old dog slowly but stubbornly circled the sheep to keep them together and watch for predators. He wanted to join the sheep in napping but knew his father would skin him alive if he dozed off and lost the creatures. Struggling to stay awake, he bit into an apple, chewing slowly, letting the bitterness and tartness of the apple invigorate him.
“Good ofernon, Alexandros,” said a voice from beside him.
Alex jumped and gasped. His view encompassed most of the valley and he had not seen the man approach him. His dog was old but sharp as ever and would have barked as the man came near.
Covering his shock, he boy stood quickly, not wanting to be rude, and was surprised at the man’s height. Alex was tall for his age, the only one of his 12-year-old peers to be taller than most girls, but he had not reached his full height yet. Alex knew he would likely grow a foot taller yet, as he was still shorter than his father. Even so, the stranger was a good two feet taller than Alex, fit and tan. He wore a casual toga but the cloth was exquisite. There was a helmet tucked under his arm (Alexandros knew not what for, when the man had no other armour), and he had large, clean, sturdy feet wrapped in leather sandals.
“Afternoon, sir,” Alex replied, knowing it would be rude to inquire who the man was, how he knew Alex’s name, and what the helmet was for. “Will you share the shade with me? You must be hot and tired, having approached me so quickly,” he said instead, noting that the man did not look hot or tired at all, though Alex himself was coated in a thin sheen of sweat just from sitting under a tree.
“I would be grateful for your hospitality!” replied the man, as if the tree and the shade and field somehow belonged to Alex. He seemed to remember something then, and suddenly looked very tired and sweaty indeed. Alex gaped at the sudden change, then remembered himself and offered the man some water from his water skin and a slice from his apple. They sat in silence while the man ate and drank, Alex all the while trying his best to muster all of his 12-year-old patience and play the host instead of bombarding the man with questions. After what seemed like an eternity to Alexandros, a polite amount of time to pretend to enjoy a bitter apple to the stranger, and only a few moments in reality, the stranger spoke again:
“You are very thoughtful, young man, abounding in kindness to share your food and water with a tired old man,” he said, though Alex noted that the man was looking oddly fresh again, and not old at all. His eyes were sharp and clear, his skin smooth and youthful. “I have heard of your honesty and fairness, and see from your gifts to me today that thou art of good character and have true values. You know not what a chore it is to find a man who takes hospitality seriously. Did you ever hear about Philemon and Bacchus?” The man shook his head, as if lost in a memory. Alex, meanwhile, was pleased to have been referred to as a man, if confused by the man’s occasional slip into a more archaic dialogue. “I am here because a friend of mine recommended you. He said that you were the most honest person he had met, and...”
“Now, wait!” Alexandros interrupted, leaping to his feet, “if this is about that bull...do you know how much trouble I’m still in because of that man? I’ve been working extra hard for a year and still am not close to paying my father back for his loss! I gave him up because your pal won fair and square, but if you’ve come to try taking advantage of me...”
The man startled Alexandro by laughing. Alex blushed. He was being rude, and he was very angry, and he didn’t know if the man was laughing with him or laughing at him.
“Please sit back down with me, good fellow, and listen well, for I have a great many things to tell you. I will begin with my name,” he said as Alex settled himself, “and regard me closely.” The boy did, squinting his eyes a little. He wasn’t sure what the man meant or what he was looking for, but some fibre of his being was screaming that this was no regular person. Perhaps he was royalty? Then, as Alex watched, the man became even more handsome and tall and clean. His skin was clear and flawless, glowing as if the man had just been bathed and oiled. His robes were trimmed with gold, his sandals brushed clean, his hair smoothed down, and his face looked very young and smooth. It was the man’s eyes that caught Alexandros’ attention, for despite the stranger’s youthful appearance, his eyes looked like they had seen too much, or maybe as if they saw everything. Then, as he put on his helm, is seemed as if Alex’s vision cleared. There was no better word for it. Before, he had seen the man and not thought much of it except that the man was a little strange. But suddenly the man was sharp, as if Alex had been looking at the man without focusing on him. He saw not a man but a god before him. A god with winged sandals.
21 November 2013
Update III
And scratch the last one, French Julie has cancelled her request to move in with us and we have to begin our search all over again, with just 10 days left in the month. GAH! Apparently I am no good at reading omens. I also had believed the Hyatt was a good omen when my employee number began with the same 4 digits as my high school student number. Next time I see a good omen I will turn tail and book it out of there.
Update II
Also, I forgot to mention the other thing that's been taking up time/worries is that my roommate Kailey is moving out. Eric and I have been looking for a new person to take her spot. We found a girl from Toulouse named Julie (a good omen, I think! Julie was my first ever room mate and I love her immensely). She seems okay but it's always a gamble. We'll miss Kailey a lot she's a very positive person. So Julie2 will be moving in on Dec 1. We raised the rent a bit so we can lower ours (also helpful when I need a job lol). She works at a bakery on Granville Isl and promises to bring home treats. (not that I need the extra fat since I bake so much but hey, no complaints.) I think we should get along pretty well since she seems relatively normal. She reminded me of me a bit, awkward and non-genuine. Lol kidding, she was a little shy looking at a new place but knows what she wants. So now that we have her on board it's one less worry, and one new path we will start on. I'm glad to have met and lived with Kailey though. She's a big personality for sure, but very positive, accepting, and meets challenges and change head-on. I hope to have taken some of that from her. Anyway really need to get going with my day! Kisses everyone :)
Oh and PS I will also be using all of my free time to work on my projects that I have started and never finished. Kyle-your three musketeers painting is now completely sketched out and would be half painted except that I can't find where i stashed the actual paint. But I anticipate it will be done within the next month. With the roommate changeover I can pull extra furniture out of the closet and get to my things in the back which I think is where the paint is at. For reals this time! Although your weight loss and new fit body have proved to be a pain in the ass because I had to re-draw you from the forehead down. I kept your feet too. But you look great, so I shouldn't complain too much.
And I'm working on my stories that I'm writing as well, so at least I am not a complete sloth.
And in very un-slothlike behaviour, I am actually hopping into the shower now.
Oh and PS I will also be using all of my free time to work on my projects that I have started and never finished. Kyle-your three musketeers painting is now completely sketched out and would be half painted except that I can't find where i stashed the actual paint. But I anticipate it will be done within the next month. With the roommate changeover I can pull extra furniture out of the closet and get to my things in the back which I think is where the paint is at. For reals this time! Although your weight loss and new fit body have proved to be a pain in the ass because I had to re-draw you from the forehead down. I kept your feet too. But you look great, so I shouldn't complain too much.
And I'm working on my stories that I'm writing as well, so at least I am not a complete sloth.
And in very un-slothlike behaviour, I am actually hopping into the shower now.
Update
Sorry for not updating in a bit, been in a funk. I got fired from my Hyatt job because "You don't have a genuine personality" and I'm "a bit awkward" so I've been down about that. Never been fired before. Spent the last week being lazy and feeling sorry for myself. Now I have to get back in the game and start putting out resumes. It's hard though because I feel like I've been taken down a notch and so I'm worried about what to look for and what to do. I'll be back to school soon so I'll need a part-time gig, maybe 4 days/week. I felt like I was finally on track with things in my life and it all fell apart on me. Giant pain in my asshole. But I really need to force myself to get back out there before I let myself get into a downward spiral. I'm even a week late with my library book for the first time since I moved here! When you sit around at home all day moping and don't want to go out or shower or whatever it gets dangerous. So into the shower I go and job searching is to be done! Everyone keeps telling me to look at it as a blessing in disguise, and I need to start doing that. Eventually I will find something I enjoy more and get back to working with people who aren't fake and irritating. Financially, my folks said they would help me out if I need it, so that's awesome too. It's motivating to know that people are able and willing to back you, because it means they know you are capable of getting your shit together. If I was a lost cause, I'd be one of those people with parents who are all "You messed up again? You are cut off!" whereas my folks said "those people are idiots! everybody we know thinks you are a lovely person! go get 'em, tiger!"
Also, thinking I should invest in a printer. Going to the library whenever I need to print out more resumes is a little bit annoying. But the question in my tiny living space is always where the hell would I put it?!
So send all your pleasant and lucky thoughts my way, I need it!
Also, thinking I should invest in a printer. Going to the library whenever I need to print out more resumes is a little bit annoying. But the question in my tiny living space is always where the hell would I put it?!
So send all your pleasant and lucky thoughts my way, I need it!
09 November 2013
Murder Mystery Party!
Today was crazy.
I worked from 6-230, then I came home and was exhausted. Took a nap for a couple of hours. Then I woke up (barely) and threw myself into the shower so I could wake up properly. By the time I got wet and soapy I was wide awake, I don't know why showers always wake me up, but then I was ready to go toooooooo (suspense as if you hadn't already read the title) my friend from Indigo's murder mystery party!! I was Takey Takerton, a first class mooch. Then I realized my getting showered had taken too long coz I didn't wake up quickly enough, and I missed the bus etc so I hailed a taxi. This is kind of a big deal because Van to North Van in a taxi is gonna be $40, but I didn't want to be half an hour late to a party that you can't really be late to. So I had a ride that was, all in all, much more pleasant and comfortable than the bus regardless of the price tag, and enjoyed being back in North Van (she lives right by Lynn Valley Library) since I haven't been up that way in some time. As soon as I walked in the door I realized I had no cell phone. So that put a damper on my night. Heliya lent me hers since she's the perfect hostess and so I phoned all the taxi companies in vancouver that are yellow in colour and they all told me I was crazy. Especially Yellow Cabs who told me that they wouldn't know anyway until Tuesday (monday 11 nov is a civic holiday in BC LOLZ)since the offices will be closed and in slightly (but not much) more polite terms told me not to bother them. So i was bummed out, but the party was super fun.
Everyone is given a character beforehand. You are given an idea of who you are and what to do. I will copy and paste my character info here in case you have not encountered a murder mystery party before (i had not).
HELPFUL HINTS ON HOW TO PLAY A MYSTERY PARTY
GUEST INSTRUCTIONS
You’ve been assigned a character and you’ve come to the party dressed in the most awesome costume and have been told to play your role. Now what?
The mystery is separated into three main rounds of party play. During the party, you will receive an envelope that contains the clues necessary for your character for the round. The clues for the characters at the party provide everything that you need to solve the mystery. However, during the investigation segment of the game, you will need to ask the right questions and pay close attention to everyone’s clues to get the whole picture of what has happened.
In each of your clue cards, there will be some information that you can reveal in casual conversation with other guests. It is just like real life! You can elect to have some of those clues as information that you should be ‘asked’ by other guests in order to reveal. You can hide the truth but do not lie and make up clues. This could alter the mystery for the other guests. Some of the information in your clue cards might be for actions to perform during certain rounds or it might give you personal information to explain to you how your character feels about certain issues involving other characters or situations. This personal information is given to you to enable you to act as the real character. As in real life, each character should know a little more about their character above the rest of the group. Therefore, these types of clues do not need to be revealed to the other guests - unless you want to tell your secrets! Don’t worry, others will figure your secrets out on their own in later rounds if it is vital to the mystery.
Just as with any normal dinner party, most of the party play will involve mingling with the other characters and finding out about each other's characters and the clues you all have received. As the game progresses, you should have quite a bit of information to filter through to figure out the motive and whodunit! Read your clue cards thoroughly and take your time discussing issues with other guests. Make sure you speak to all guests in each round. Any guests that you feel might be hiding something - make sure to ask him or her loads ofor her loads of questions! You will be asked to submit a guess of ‘whodunit’ and why they did it at the end of round two. Watch out…YOU could even be the murderer and won’t know it until the end. Therefore, if you feel you are the guilty party by the end of Round Two – by all means, accuse yourself!
From this point forward, you are to remain in character until the mystery is solved. If you are playing a ‘hypocritical police officer,’ then that is who you are until the end! Undoubtedly, your host cast you into a character that you are comfortable playing. Some characters are designed to be played more reserved than other characters. Feel free to play your role in any manner that you feel comfortable. Embellish your character’s personality if you would like. However, if you are feeling more reserved tonight, you can opt to allow the other guests to approach you or you can simply listen in on others’ conversations to get your information.
your character: Takey Takerton has been unemployed ever since s/he inherited his/her great grandmother’s home years ago. Takey borrows money for living experiences and everyone is paranoid of Takey asking them for a loan. As ducks fly with ducks, Takey is rarely seen without his/her swarm of fellow mooches. This lazy group of friends has an irritating habit of getting joy out of impersonating animals.
costume:Too-sizes too small white sleeveless t-shirt with stains on it and jeans. An empty wallet as an optional prop.
round one clue: READ THIS BEFORE YOU COME!!
*Remember you are a lazy, unemployed moocher who borrows money from everyone…so have fun with that!
USE THE FOLLOWING TRIVIA QUESTIONS AS AN ICE BREAKER
Question: ‘Blackjack’ disease is caused by the felt on casino tables. What toxic substance is historically found in this fabric? Answer: Chromium.
Question: What is ‘CODIS?’ Answer: The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s database of DNA evidence.
CLUES TO REVEAL DURING THIS ROUND
During this round, mingle with other guests to discuss the following information with whomever you choose:
• Talk to everyone about how much you can’t stand Fiona Collins. She is annoying when she calls your house everyday and tries to sell you things. She should know you do not have any money.
• Ask everyone at the party if you can borrow some money or some items that they don’t need because you’re going to have another garage sale. Anything that they are not using is a welcome donation and a great cause.
• Confide in a few people about how you know that Betty Berger likes to blackmail people. She used to blackmail your late great grandmother before she died. You think the stress may have contributed to her death.
• This round, you (and your group) should randomly impersonate tarantulas and see if people can guess what you are.
PERSONAL CLUES TO CONCEAL You cannot stand Fiona Collins or Betty Berger. Do your best to ignore them. During the mystery, your character must be honest and not make up any potentially mystery-altering clues in addition to those provided to you. You do not, however, have to share the clues that you collect with other guests.
So that's pretty cool. The games are usually pre made and bought or you can find free ones online. A couple of things I found was that nobody really knew that much, for example me and some of the others didn't find out until later that we were supposed to be at a mardi gras party and that's how all our characters ended up together. Also there were no real 'clues' that we found, everything in the clue envelopes was basically telling you to confront someone or tell something about yourself (you gave us food poisoning! she's marrying my brother!) rather than getting to find clues around which would have been cool. of course all of us had a grudge with the girl who died (betty berger) so it was interesting trying to figure out who killed her. i got screwed up coz wil thought it would be fun to put fake blood on his face and i didn't know if it was part of the mystery or not so i said he did it but it wasn't part of the mystery at all. sigh. and yes, daddy, if you are reading this, one person did in fact blame the butler even though there was no butler. Heliya made us a feast of a dinner and desert which was amazing. she said not to bring anything so i brought an apple crumble. by around 1030 i was wiped and also anxious about my phone, especially since i couldn't text chris and pester him which is my general idea of fun most of the time. So i headed out.
The bus ride was great except between phibbs exchange and abbot st where all the drunkies were to get from north van to downtown. I was trying to read and they were noisy. Inexcusable.
Finally got myself home and hopped on facebook and checked my phone messages and lo and behold! Chris had messaged me worried because people were phoning him and Eric had left me a voicemail about having the taxi driver call him and return my phone! They were the last two I had texted so I guess the driver called them. And eric was worried about where I was and phoning Chris and Kailey and everyone was glad when I returned their messages. So it was a good feeling to be worried about, and I felt badly for putting everyone out, but was elated at the return of my cell phone/portable internet machine/alarm clock/game consul/everything in one device. i sent a message to the taxi company that their driver is great, not mentioning that he brought my phone to Eric because the dispatcher said I would have to wait til the lost and found office opened on tuesday and pay $50 for it's delivery; I think the driver just did it on his own and wasn't supposed to have. He asked Eric for $15 which sure beats the $50 and probably he can pocket all of it that way instead of the company. So i just wrote that he went above my expectations and he is surely a valuable asset to their company. Working in customer service teaches you how important it is to your job security to get good feedback.
So then I ate more halloween candy and need to be asleep by now. Tomorrow is karate and working at night, so another busy day. Today was great but I could have done without the hassle. But it worked out so no complaining and jinxing it, right?
Merry friday to all and to all a good night.
I worked from 6-230, then I came home and was exhausted. Took a nap for a couple of hours. Then I woke up (barely) and threw myself into the shower so I could wake up properly. By the time I got wet and soapy I was wide awake, I don't know why showers always wake me up, but then I was ready to go toooooooo (suspense as if you hadn't already read the title) my friend from Indigo's murder mystery party!! I was Takey Takerton, a first class mooch. Then I realized my getting showered had taken too long coz I didn't wake up quickly enough, and I missed the bus etc so I hailed a taxi. This is kind of a big deal because Van to North Van in a taxi is gonna be $40, but I didn't want to be half an hour late to a party that you can't really be late to. So I had a ride that was, all in all, much more pleasant and comfortable than the bus regardless of the price tag, and enjoyed being back in North Van (she lives right by Lynn Valley Library) since I haven't been up that way in some time. As soon as I walked in the door I realized I had no cell phone. So that put a damper on my night. Heliya lent me hers since she's the perfect hostess and so I phoned all the taxi companies in vancouver that are yellow in colour and they all told me I was crazy. Especially Yellow Cabs who told me that they wouldn't know anyway until Tuesday (monday 11 nov is a civic holiday in BC LOLZ)since the offices will be closed and in slightly (but not much) more polite terms told me not to bother them. So i was bummed out, but the party was super fun.
Everyone is given a character beforehand. You are given an idea of who you are and what to do. I will copy and paste my character info here in case you have not encountered a murder mystery party before (i had not).
HELPFUL HINTS ON HOW TO PLAY A MYSTERY PARTY
GUEST INSTRUCTIONS
You’ve been assigned a character and you’ve come to the party dressed in the most awesome costume and have been told to play your role. Now what?
The mystery is separated into three main rounds of party play. During the party, you will receive an envelope that contains the clues necessary for your character for the round. The clues for the characters at the party provide everything that you need to solve the mystery. However, during the investigation segment of the game, you will need to ask the right questions and pay close attention to everyone’s clues to get the whole picture of what has happened.
In each of your clue cards, there will be some information that you can reveal in casual conversation with other guests. It is just like real life! You can elect to have some of those clues as information that you should be ‘asked’ by other guests in order to reveal. You can hide the truth but do not lie and make up clues. This could alter the mystery for the other guests. Some of the information in your clue cards might be for actions to perform during certain rounds or it might give you personal information to explain to you how your character feels about certain issues involving other characters or situations. This personal information is given to you to enable you to act as the real character. As in real life, each character should know a little more about their character above the rest of the group. Therefore, these types of clues do not need to be revealed to the other guests - unless you want to tell your secrets! Don’t worry, others will figure your secrets out on their own in later rounds if it is vital to the mystery.
Just as with any normal dinner party, most of the party play will involve mingling with the other characters and finding out about each other's characters and the clues you all have received. As the game progresses, you should have quite a bit of information to filter through to figure out the motive and whodunit! Read your clue cards thoroughly and take your time discussing issues with other guests. Make sure you speak to all guests in each round. Any guests that you feel might be hiding something - make sure to ask him or her loads ofor her loads of questions! You will be asked to submit a guess of ‘whodunit’ and why they did it at the end of round two. Watch out…YOU could even be the murderer and won’t know it until the end. Therefore, if you feel you are the guilty party by the end of Round Two – by all means, accuse yourself!
From this point forward, you are to remain in character until the mystery is solved. If you are playing a ‘hypocritical police officer,’ then that is who you are until the end! Undoubtedly, your host cast you into a character that you are comfortable playing. Some characters are designed to be played more reserved than other characters. Feel free to play your role in any manner that you feel comfortable. Embellish your character’s personality if you would like. However, if you are feeling more reserved tonight, you can opt to allow the other guests to approach you or you can simply listen in on others’ conversations to get your information.
your character: Takey Takerton has been unemployed ever since s/he inherited his/her great grandmother’s home years ago. Takey borrows money for living experiences and everyone is paranoid of Takey asking them for a loan. As ducks fly with ducks, Takey is rarely seen without his/her swarm of fellow mooches. This lazy group of friends has an irritating habit of getting joy out of impersonating animals.
costume:Too-sizes too small white sleeveless t-shirt with stains on it and jeans. An empty wallet as an optional prop.
round one clue: READ THIS BEFORE YOU COME!!
*Remember you are a lazy, unemployed moocher who borrows money from everyone…so have fun with that!
USE THE FOLLOWING TRIVIA QUESTIONS AS AN ICE BREAKER
Question: ‘Blackjack’ disease is caused by the felt on casino tables. What toxic substance is historically found in this fabric? Answer: Chromium.
Question: What is ‘CODIS?’ Answer: The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s database of DNA evidence.
CLUES TO REVEAL DURING THIS ROUND
During this round, mingle with other guests to discuss the following information with whomever you choose:
• Talk to everyone about how much you can’t stand Fiona Collins. She is annoying when she calls your house everyday and tries to sell you things. She should know you do not have any money.
• Ask everyone at the party if you can borrow some money or some items that they don’t need because you’re going to have another garage sale. Anything that they are not using is a welcome donation and a great cause.
• Confide in a few people about how you know that Betty Berger likes to blackmail people. She used to blackmail your late great grandmother before she died. You think the stress may have contributed to her death.
• This round, you (and your group) should randomly impersonate tarantulas and see if people can guess what you are.
PERSONAL CLUES TO CONCEAL You cannot stand Fiona Collins or Betty Berger. Do your best to ignore them. During the mystery, your character must be honest and not make up any potentially mystery-altering clues in addition to those provided to you. You do not, however, have to share the clues that you collect with other guests.
So that's pretty cool. The games are usually pre made and bought or you can find free ones online. A couple of things I found was that nobody really knew that much, for example me and some of the others didn't find out until later that we were supposed to be at a mardi gras party and that's how all our characters ended up together. Also there were no real 'clues' that we found, everything in the clue envelopes was basically telling you to confront someone or tell something about yourself (you gave us food poisoning! she's marrying my brother!) rather than getting to find clues around which would have been cool. of course all of us had a grudge with the girl who died (betty berger) so it was interesting trying to figure out who killed her. i got screwed up coz wil thought it would be fun to put fake blood on his face and i didn't know if it was part of the mystery or not so i said he did it but it wasn't part of the mystery at all. sigh. and yes, daddy, if you are reading this, one person did in fact blame the butler even though there was no butler. Heliya made us a feast of a dinner and desert which was amazing. she said not to bring anything so i brought an apple crumble. by around 1030 i was wiped and also anxious about my phone, especially since i couldn't text chris and pester him which is my general idea of fun most of the time. So i headed out.
The bus ride was great except between phibbs exchange and abbot st where all the drunkies were to get from north van to downtown. I was trying to read and they were noisy. Inexcusable.
Finally got myself home and hopped on facebook and checked my phone messages and lo and behold! Chris had messaged me worried because people were phoning him and Eric had left me a voicemail about having the taxi driver call him and return my phone! They were the last two I had texted so I guess the driver called them. And eric was worried about where I was and phoning Chris and Kailey and everyone was glad when I returned their messages. So it was a good feeling to be worried about, and I felt badly for putting everyone out, but was elated at the return of my cell phone/portable internet machine/alarm clock/game consul/everything in one device. i sent a message to the taxi company that their driver is great, not mentioning that he brought my phone to Eric because the dispatcher said I would have to wait til the lost and found office opened on tuesday and pay $50 for it's delivery; I think the driver just did it on his own and wasn't supposed to have. He asked Eric for $15 which sure beats the $50 and probably he can pocket all of it that way instead of the company. So i just wrote that he went above my expectations and he is surely a valuable asset to their company. Working in customer service teaches you how important it is to your job security to get good feedback.
So then I ate more halloween candy and need to be asleep by now. Tomorrow is karate and working at night, so another busy day. Today was great but I could have done without the hassle. But it worked out so no complaining and jinxing it, right?
Merry friday to all and to all a good night.
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