#i can now go put some work into tga :)

[solidgroundif]

A science fiction interactive novel WIP set in a future of space travel, intersystem politics and somewhat unfortunate protagonists.

Current progress: Chapter 3 (incomplete), ~55 000 + ~31 000 words added

Latest update: 2023-08-13

[play the update here]

Things move in the shadows, and you are desperately behind. This is when you begin catching up.

A few picks from this update’s menu:

‣ take a 'shower', finally ‣ explore a colony and its shadow dealings, or ‣ ascend to the top of a thunderstorm ‣ maybe meet a new ally(?).. ‣ discover if you have a knack for stealth ‣ learn more about the target on your back ‣ people might get hurt

Technical details:

The update additionally fixes some inconsistencies in the previous chapters, such as content being displayed twice or not showing up where it should. Small word fixes here and there. If you still have your saves, you might need to restart, though I tried to make it so that you wouldn't have to (I don't yet know how to test for that reliably, sorry!).

Setting the appearance of the MC's hair is limited in length and color with reason, but you have the option to express that they are upset about it. This will factor into future content :)

[felassan]

Snippets/speculation etc of interest from Mark Darrah part 2 (in parts due to Tumblr character limits. Part 1 link), from his co-stream of The Game Awards, under a cut due to length:

"[BioWare] did have a trailer just 4 days ago [the new cinematic], it was a trailer that wouldn't have gotten, Geoff would not have put that on TGA, so it was too small for TGA and too big to be [inaudible]". He said it would have been a lot at one time to show the new cinematic on DA Day, Absolution releasing and to be at TGA. On why that video was chosen, he said probably because it was done, or close to done

When another game was announced and gave a date in its announcement during the world premieres, he said "Yeah, see, they're literally dating and announcing at the same time, Dragon Age might be thinking of doing the same thing"

When asked in chat "​does this mean we're getting DA:D in 2024 tops? Not even late 2023?" he said "no, it doesn't mean that, it means they're keeping their options open and they're just planning to spend their money over their summer, like they're just compressing their marketing so they can have a louder campaign, it doesn't mean anything. It means you're not gonna see it [it's not going to release] in the summer [of 2023], but you were never gonna see it in the summer. 'Cause they have one more big beat. They could drop a big trailer at E3, that's June, if they come out in November that's still tons of time. We'll see something from them in the summer, unless something goes horribly wrong they would have to do something in the summer. I still think they're targeting November 2023, like, eleven months from now. They would do it [push to 2024 if they had to], their financial year ends at the end of March, but the reason they would delay it is for quality reasons, EA wouldn't push it for any other reason"

He said "I don't know, but I doubt DA:D will have a multiplayer at all". Chat asked "the mandate from EA to make DA4 MP when you were running it, did you think it would eventually shape up and work, or was it a bad idea from the start?" and he said "it could have worked, but it was the right choice to move away from it. [...] It could have been made to work, there was work yet to be done there and definitely there wasn't perfect alignment on it. [...] The team wasn't really on-board with multiplayer so it would've been uphill. If the team doesn't wanna do it, it's basically a virtual impossibility to get them to do it effectively and make it good"

He doesn't think the temporal gap between DA:I and DA:D matters really, if the game is good, though "you're definitely not building on momentum. It's a standing start, for sure". "2016 was the best time to release another Dragon Age, but after 2016 you largely lost that moment". Mass Effect is going to have the same situation obviously - "there's enough time between them. [though] it can actually work in your favor because you don't have any drag either"

When asked in chat "wonder if BioWare could have afforded to release DA spin offs in between DA:I and DA:D. Heck why not have some other studio make something? Lack of resources?" he said "EA doesn't like spending money"

"RPGs are expensive and they take a long time". "Probably we need to get used to long development times, but I do think the industry knows, we haven't figured out a way out the other side yet. I think the answer is more true sequels and more [asset] reuse, but there is an active [gaming] community backlash against that sort of thing, so". Not reusing assets much between DA games has happened "for stupider reasons than concern about fan backlash" though

"You just have to treat Frostbite with respect. BioWare has not built upon itself [re: Frostbite] as effectively as it could have unfortunately"

When asked in chat "what did the Dragon Age 'finalling team' do in Mass Effect: Andromeda?" he said "lots of things. The DA team helped shipped ME:A, they came up pretty late, helped with triage, helped with bug-fixing, some level, I think one level was made by that team"

The Alpha phase is much later than two years out from release

"I don't know what it's gonna be like playing DA:D [himself], because there will definitely be stuff in there that was there when I was working on it, so it'll be really weird, I think"

He's not covered by any NDA from BioWare about any upcoming news, but he doesn't ask them for things that he wouldn't want to talk about, because otherwise they would stop telling him things

One of his pitches for Joplin was "no DLC and to make another game in 18 months"

Expansions and DLCs are things you can have devs working on while you're waiting for the next franchise to pick them up. When asked in chat "​why were DAI DLCs so short compared to games like The Witcher 3 DLC? Any reason in particular?" he said that the DA DLCs were trying to be more focused, while The Witcher 3 DLCs were stretching up towards expansion packs and CDPR had/has different terminology for things like patch vs DLC vs expansion pack

When asked in chat "has the origin of the Blight plot been modified since DA:O or did the team stick with the original vision?" he said "the idea is always to leave those threads as open as possible so that they can be tied into a lot of different places, so. Broad strokes are still the same, yeah"

"If we don't see DA:D today we won't see it til EA Play or E3, because that would be as late as you could go in date for pre-orders. I doubt we would see anything between now and then, anything like a trailer at least"

Mark and Matthew Goldman were working together on the DA:D teaser trailer from 2018. "More Matt than me, because I was already taking over Anthem at that point". Mark's talked a few times to Matt since he left BioWare. Matt was only on Twitter because of his role in BioWare and is still in game development

For voice acting in DA, Kate Mulgrew became expensive after Orange is the New Black (which released in 2013)

When chat said "I think it would be a bit late to change DA4 based on Absolution's reception" he said "they wouldn't change it based on its reception but they could change their positioning"

When chat said "maybe they want to give some time between showing Absolution and the trailer for DA:D just in case, since new fans may judge DA:D by Absolution" he said "yeah, that's the thing, they might be holding, they might be keeping some powder dry in case, if Absolution stinks they have something to, a palate cleanser. I think that's reasonable thinking"

[source, part 1]

[thegleeacademy]

I’ve been talking about putting this out for a while now, and before we get into the sexcapades that are the TGA holiday Mock Claims, I wanted to finally get this dropped so that we can all work on our characterizations. So you’ve come up with a character name, a faceclaim, and you’ve decided whether they’re a sub or a Dom- what next?

It’s easy to assume that the smut is what draws people to TGA and what has kept me in the admin seat for over ten years, but I have to say that isn’t the truth. The reason that I believe TGA has always been so active and enjoyable is the fact that it has been home to some of the most original, fully developed characters that I’ve ever seen and the tense plot allows for people to explore connections and development extensively. We’ve seen characters come in that have developed into completely different people by the time they leave The Academy. We’ve had some of the most entertaining and eventful ships and family bonds. 

So how do you get that yourself? What do you do in order to flesh out your character and make them stand out? These are my ideas, based on my own experiences and what I’ve seen as admin. Feel free to answer these questions privately to yourself, semi-privately for just the group in our ooc blog, or publicly on your blog for the world to see. You don’t have to answer all of these— or any of them, this is completely optional. Feel free to read other people’s answers too, in order to get a better idea of how you can plot with that character. You may choose to answer this IC or OOC, just make note of that on your post. 

SOME WARM-UP QUESTIONS TO GET IN THE MOOD:

What is their character archetype? Do they have one? Do they fit into any stereotypical label? (If your character has specific thoughts about character archetypes, feel free to add that too.)

What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween?

Who do they look up to? Do they have a hero?

If they could call one person for help, who would it be?

What is their favorite fairytale? What fairytale do they hate? Do they believe in happy endings?

What is their perception of redemption?

If your character could travel through time, where would they go?

What are they good at? Do they like being good at it? Is there anything they wish they were better at?

When did they last lie? What’s their view of lying? When did they last make a promise? Did they keep or break their last promise?

If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be?

HOW THEY TALK AND PORTRAY THEMSELVES:

*This is going to be the best section to use when it comes to making your characters look, sound, and feel like different people instead of the same person with different faces. Remember that yes, some diction is the same across the board for a lot of people but we’re all individuals and choose to use even the currently trendy vocabulary in our own ways.

The first thing anyone is going to see is how your character talks. What makes them different from everyone else? How do you distinguish one of your characters talking versus another talking?

What words or phrases do they overuse? Do they have a catchphrase?  Is there anyone that they quote?

Are they more optimistic or pessimistic? Are they introverted or extroverted?

Do they ever put on airs? Do they ever pretend to be something they are not? This includes pretending to be brave or pretending to be strict. (For example, many people play Sebastian Smythe as a character that is putting on a sex shark, suave, cold façade in order to fit in. Santana Lopez and Quinn Fabray could also be seen as putting on airs, sometimes, depending on where they are in their story arcs.)

How do they want to be seen by others? How do they see themselves? How are they seen by others?

Strongest character trait? Weakest character trait?

How do they react to praise? How do they react to criticism? Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?

What are their political views? What will they stand up for? What do they consider an overrated virtue?

How do they treat Dominants? How do they treat submissives? Do they have any preconceived notions about poor people or rich people?

What bad habits do they have?

CHARACTER INTERESTS, LIKES, AND DISLIKES:

What is their obsession? (Example: Rachel Berry is obsessed with Broadway, Quinn Fabray is obsessed with successful perfection, etc)

What is their guilty pleasure? (This doesn’t have to be embarrassing, even if by definition this is something they would hide.)

What are their hobbies? (Remember that these can lead to club activities, which can lead to reasons to be active and make connections)

What are their idiosyncrasies?

What makes them laugh out loud?

What are their pet peeves?

Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider?

What is their greatest fear?

Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy?

What is the most offensive thing they’ve ever said?

FAMILY, LOVE, AND OTHER HUMAN CONNECTIONS:

Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of? How do they define family?

Did they grow up rich or poor? Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?

What were they like before their mark, right after they woke up marked, after they got used to their mark, and approaching time to go to the Academy? Did any of these D/s mark related moments change them as a person?

What advice would they give their younger self?

What was their childhood ambition? Has that changed?

How do they display affection?

What quality do they most value in a friend? Describe their ideal best friend a little bit.

Who are their natural allies?

Who are their surprising allies?

What do they think about love? Has your character ever been in love? Have they ever had their heart broken?

DAILY LIFE AND USING IT FOR STARTERS/CONVOS:

*All of these can be used to help you decide what to write as a starter, how to connect with other people, and where you can find more connections. Remember that all Dom/mes have the right to make a submissive help them through their daily life! So if your Dom/me character has an answer down here that they could use help with (i.e. their morning routine, cooking meals, cleaning house, organizing, etc– if your Dom/me character only has condiments in their fridge, for example, a sub could be a big help in getting them to go to the Dalton kitchens to get real food! And all characters are highly encouraged to interact based on clubs, classes, and daily life.)

What are their eating habits? Do they have any allergies?

Describe their dorm/suite. Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder?

What do they keep in their fridge? Their bedside table? Their purse/bag?

What do they do first thing on a weekday morning?

What do they do with their weekend?

Are they comfortable with technology?

What is their greatest extravagance?

What is their idea of perfect happiness?

What is their view of ‘freedom’?

What clubs and classes are they in? What does their weekly schedule look like? What would they like to start doing? Maybe something they could use a little push to get into?

[semi-sketchy]

Now TGA is all wrapped up, I can say I didn’t see a Raid Shadow Legends ad on a bingo card. But, I’m gonna sum up all my thoughts about Sonic in one big post.

First, the movie trailer. Ben Schwartz came on stage and was just an absolute joy. That man is amazing. The actual trailer though, oh my god it was so good. All the call backs, TAILS!!! THEY WERE WEARING TINY PUFFY COATS!!!

Also, the Master Emerald? Knuckles seemingly working with Eggman implying he might’ve been tricked, as is customary in his early appearances? Yes? Give me more? This movie feels so much more Sonic than the first I am really excited for it. Won’t be seeing it in theaters because I hate theaters, but I wanna see this one even more than the first film.

On to Frontiers. It appears, ironically, the 4chan leaks about Rangers were correct. The “ghost girl” guiding Sonic, it being open world… I am really interested in seeing what they can do with an open world game. The controls and acceleration will have to be fine-tuned or else it’ll be an absolute pain trying to do anything, but hey Sonic himself is already an in-universe explanation for skip travel.

Also, I must say, the environments are beautiful. (This one in particular reminds me of northern Primordia in Xenoblade X)

I am so glad the annoyingly cartoony look from Lost World is gone. Forces was alright, but the art style wasn’t my favorite. This, this is beautiful. I wonder if it’s running on the Hedgehog Engine 2 or something else entirely?

Although, with the open world confirmation, I am seeing folks complaining that it’s a “BotW rip off.” Some people say this in jest which is fine, but others are holding it quite seriously. Firstly, Breath of the Wild isn’t the only open world game and I’d argue not even best, but so few people owned a Wii U and missed out on Xenoblade X so I’ll put that aside. Actually, from the shots we saw it gave me huge Rise of Lyric vibes, like THIS is what that game was supposed to look like before half the content got axed. Either way, they’re trying something new and that’s half of Sonic’s history, so I’m down for it. I don’t think it can beat out Xenoblade X for me, but I’m still interested.

We did get a small story synopsis, found out the area is called Starfall Islands and there’s ancient technology within it that Sonic will be discovering the history of.

SOMEONE TRY AND TELL ME THIS DOESN’T REMIND YOU OF THE ANCIENTS FROM RISE OF OF LYRIC.

But something else interesting is we’re FINALLY getting a new English writer, Ian Flynn is going to be “penning” the story.

I generally like Ian Flynn’s writing, there’s some issues I have with it, but overall I find it enjoyable. Do I think he’s the perfect Sonic writer? Of course not, but I’m interested in seeing what he can actually do with a game. Writing a game is very different from a comic, it’s something entirely new for him and I’m optimistic about the outcome.

It’s also worth noting that we don’t know if he had full creative control over the narrative or if he’s doing translation touch-ups. Let’s not forget SEGA of Japan wrote Forces, Pontaff just did the localization. The narrative was set before they were even brought in. No matter what happens, I’m sure we’ll still see people subbing the Japanese version like “look how much better this is!” when they’re nearly identical.

Maybe I went on a bit of a tangent, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but it’s kinda hard to be excited and optimistic when tons of people are shitting all over something we know very little about. Either way, I can rejoice for a moment because there’s a Steam page for the game and next year, I will definitely be picking it up. I hope my graphics card can handle it.

[arsuf]

Not either of the last two anons lmao but why do you hate tlou2? 👀

Oh jee, okay I will share my opinion, may I highlight for those who are ready to come at me with pitchforks, my personal opinion.

First of all, I don’t ‘hate’ tlou2. I don’t go out of my way dedicating my life to talk about how much I dislike it, let’s just get that clear lol. TGA was the peak of me talking about it because I don’t think it deserved the awards. Other than that, I have no interest to discuss it, frankly, I’d be fine if we collectively forgot it exists.

Now for why I dislike it (to note: I didn’t play tlou2 myself, watched it on YouTube, which ofc now makes my opinion irrelevant, right? lol). I should point out that I am not exactly a fan of the original game either. I thought it was okay and I could understand the appeal of a father-daughter dynamic, however, I found the story to be quite mediocre (relying on shock value ofc) and the gameplay to be kind of boring and not my thing. The characters were good though.

Tlou2 has gone in a similar fashion, except Neil Dickman seems to have gotten cockier and decided oh yeah, let’s add more shock value, that’s good writing! It isn’t. You may disagree, but there’s nothing revolutionary about the writing. And the whole ending with no payoff made the entire game kind of pointless, I think a lot of people talked about it and I have to agree with them. I think the story is wack, let’s just leave it at that.

Also, I think a lot of us can agree that what made Tlou1 good was the two protagonists. And that’s what tlou2 absolutely ruined. Dickman gets told he’s ‘brave’ because of it, but I don’t see how. Making false faked trailers and killing off your main character in the beginning of the game, then forcing you to play as his killer, I guess is one hell of a move. But I can’t blame people for being really mad about it. That wasn’t needed. The story could’ve been done a million different ways and much better.

Gameplay. I personally think it’s outdated for a 2020 game. Apparently has the stupidest AI as well. If you’re a fan of such gameplay, by all means, glad you enjoy it. I personally don’t and the fact that they didn’t even improve it is a red flag for me.

The rest of my disliking goes to ND and its treatment of employees, which I won’t get into, there’s plenty of articles you can find on google about it, plus Neil Dickman being, well, as I changed his last name, a dick. I genuinely can’t believe the man put himself as an easter egg in his own game... But anyway, I despise him and his massive ego and the way he handles things. Despite enjoying Uncharted 4 for the most part, when Dickman took over, you can tell how different the story is. Shock value, way more drama than the games had before, but as this isn’t about U4, I won’t get into that. I simply don’t think he deserves the praise. His writing is cheap in my opinion.

Finally, a lot of the fans really irk me. They’re so blindly obsessed with ND like it’s a god or something that they can’t even take a step back and realize the game is not in fact perfect. And ND isn’t your friend. If you enjoyed it, that’s fine. But there are a lot of people, and i’m not talking about trolls or whatever, who didn’t like it and there’s many reasons for it that are very understandable. And it doesn’t involve Abby, Joel dying or Ellie being gay or anything. But this is internet after all, so I guess no surprise that both sides have people who get worked up about it in worst ways possible.

That about covers it, I probably am forgetting some bits, but yeah. I don’t hate the game as I said. But I think from all the nominees in TGA, it deserved the awards the least.

[sovonight]

hi sovo! i'm about to replay kotor 2 and i was wondering if you play with any mods? aside from the restored content mod of course :) thanks! <3

yeah of course! i use a bunch, and i actually saved a list of everything i installed when i re-modded my copy of kotor 2 a little while back. here it is!

> Essential Mods

TSLRCM 1.8.5 (Restored Content Mod) | tslrcm185_2020.exe

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/578-tsl-restored-content-mod/

the mod. the myth. the legend

UNIWS (Universal Widescreen)

https://www.wsgf.org/article/universal-widescreen-uniws-patcher

enables widescreen. apparently this isn't necessary for the steam version, but i still remember having to install it?? weird

Widescreen UI Fix for Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords 4.1 | Widescreen UI for Steam.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/332-widescreen-ui-fix-for-knights-of-the-old-republic-2-the-sith-lords/

fixes a few instances of GUI stretching at widescreen resolutions

Improved Widescreen Experience 1.0.0 | kotor2-wsui_1_0_0.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/839-improved-widescreen-experience/

fixes more instances of GUI stretching at widescreen resolutions

KotOR 2 Remastered (AI Upscaled) Cutscenes 1.0.0 | 1080p.zip, 1080p Patch.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1522-kotor-2-remastered-ai-upscaled-cutscenes/

______________________________________________________________

> Personally Essential Mods

Textures Improvement Project 0.4.1 | TIP_0.4.1.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/462-textures-improvement-project/

makes game textures utilize game shaders

Unofficial TSLRCM Tweak Pack 1.2.4 | URCMTP 1.2.4.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/296-unofficial-tslrcm-tweak-pack/

rolls back a few of tslrcm’s changes/additions

installed kaevee removal (pt 1 & 2) and gand check

KOTOR 2 Community Patch 1.5.1 | KOTOR 2 Community Patch v1.5.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1280-kotor-2-community-patch/

a combination of a bunch of bugfix mods, making the ultimate bugfix mod

got an error "Unable to locate archive "....\Steam\SteamApps\common\Modules\001EBO.mod" to modify or insert file "sensor_droid.utc" into, skipping..."

fixed by making a Modules folder in SteamApps\common and copying 001EBO.mod there, then moving the .mod file back

TSL Improved Party Outfits 1.0.1 | TSL Improved Party Outfits.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1012-tsl-improved-party-outfits/

makes companion’s default outfits more useful in combat

lets me justify keeping atton in his iconic jacket all the way through the game. jedi robes? never heard of em

also installed improved Handmaiden's Robe

Player & Party Underwear 2.0 | TSL_Player_and_Party_Under_wear_v2_by_RedRob41

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/344-player-party-underwear/

gives companions unique underwear that matches their default outfits

installed atton, baodur, disciple opt 1, “male standard fixed”, and “dancer muscles match standard underwear”

______________________________________________________________

> Expedite/Improve Gameplay Mods

Thorium charge mod | thorium_charge_mod.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/147-thorium-charge-mod/

adds a thorium charge right next to the mandalorian cache door on dxun

Remote Influence | remote_influence.zip

https://www.gamefront.com/games/knights-of-the-old-republic-ii/file/remote-tells-influence

talking to bao-dur's remote lets you find out everyone's influence stat

i don’t really use it but it’s nice to have the option to see how i’m doing, especially with "modified influence" installed

Modified Influence System 1.0 | Modified Influence.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/99-modified-influence-system/

gives influence opportunities different weights. normally each one gives 8 points, but now they'll reward small (2 points), regular (6 points), or high (12 points). game isn't balanced for this, so it might become impossible to turn certain companions into jedi

i have it installed because i LOVE weighted approval point systems and i’m willing to take the risk bc the only companion i absolutely care about turning into a jedi is atton, who i’m pretty sure i have down pat

TSL Prestige Class Saving Throw fixes 1.0 | TSL_prestige_save_fixes.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/828-tsl-prestige-class-saving-throw-fixes/

fixes jedi master/sith lord saving throws, optionally standardizes jedi weapon master/sith marauder saving throws

i always make cela a jedi master so this one was instant

Workbench Crystal Attunement 1.2 | WCA1.2.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/18-workbench-crystal-attunement/

with wisdom >= 16 you can attune your personal crystal without having to talk to kreia

chose version b, which also removes the "learn how to use the workbench" option

Dahnis Flirt Option for Female PC 1.0 | Dahnis Flirt Option for Female PC.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1400-dahnis-flirt-option-for-female-pc/

lets you flirt with the pazaak twi'lek on nar shaddaa

TSL Ebon Hawk Downloadable Map 1.2.1 | TSL EHDM v1.2.1.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1406-tsl-ebon-hawk-downloadable-map/

gives you an option to get rid of that blurry “undiscovered area” edge on the ebon hawk's map

______________________________________________________________

> Story/Cutscene Mods

Extended Enclave (TSLRCM add-on) 2.5.1 | ExtendedEnclave2.5.1.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/428-extended-enclave-tslrcm-add-on/

extends rebuilt enclave sequence (when you return to dantooine after gathering the jedi masters)

Extended Carth Meeting 1.2 | Extended Carth Meeting 1.2.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/366-extended-carth-meeting/

extends the meeting with carth after the ravager

Kreia's Fall cutscene (in-game) 1.1 |  Kreia_Fall_In-game_1.1.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1228-kreias-fall-cutscene-in-game/

makes kreia's fall an in-game cutscene instead of a bik movie

______________________________________________________________

> Atton Textures

for reference, these are the textures atton uses:

P_AttnH1 – face

P_AttnH1D1 – face, partial dark side

P_AttnH1D2 – face, dark side

P_AttonBA – ribbed jacket outfit

P_AttonBAD01 – ribbed jacket outfit, dark side

Atton - Faithful HD Reskin 1.1.1 | HD Atton Reskin 1.1.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1121-atton-faithful-hd-reskin/

this is the best atton outfit reskin out there. this is it. it just don't get any better than this

covers textures 4-5

Shirtless Atton Retex 1.2 | Shirtless Atton Retex v1-2.zip

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8294q454ax3zysc/AABuIMjKRl16cDcjjU90GnsPa?dl=0

self promo time it is MY mod and it is VERY canon compliant

covers textures 4-5, can be combined with the HD reskin above for maximum effect

also up on deadlystream and nexusmods if you find yourself wanting to leave a comment about how perfect and faithful it is to his character bc clearly the option that artfully rips his shirt draws an additional, visual parallel between himself and darth “sleeps-with-vibroblades” sion which ultimately deepens kotor 2′s rich storyline--

arrenkae’s reskins | P_AttnH1.tga

https://arrenkae.tumblr.com/post/137520491505/yoooo-guys-im-going-to-share-some-stuff-heres

includes atton, disciple, mira, Exile head PFHH01 retextures

covers texture 1, so you’ll still see the vanilla ds transition unless you wanna add in textures 2-3 from the reskin below to get a subtler transition

tiredschutta’s reskin | Atton (vanilla).zip

https://web.archive.org/web/20190225073107/https://tiredschutta.tumblr.com/post/182894978091/no-one-me-%EF%BE%89-%E3%83%AE-%EF%BE%89%EF%BE%9F-heres-an-atton-reskin

i think they’ve changed names since that post so i can’t link directly to it-- the dropbox links still work though

atton (vanilla): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s9kwbnhp9vqcvxp/AABAytlbyqPm2-pTQCjgDqKna?dl=0

atton (veryveryveryslightlydarker): https://www.dropbox.com/sh/4r9dmlm9klvlame/AAARZkvrImX9U0vHHJbYBvuAa?dl=0

covers textures 1-3, and has a subtler ds transition than vanilla bc his skin doesn’t go as grey

______________________________________________________________

> Texture/Model Mods, part 1

grouped bc these don’t use tslpatcher, they’re all direct drag n drop

TSL Better Male Twi'lek Heads 1.3.1 | TSL Twilek Heads v1.3.1.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1432-tsl-better-male-twilek-heads/

improves head mesh & textures

chose option a (slim neck, no collar clipping)

Side Opening Doors on Malachor | Malachor_Side_Door.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/593-side-opening-doors-on-malachor/

changes the direction in which doors open on malachor

originally they slide open vertically; now they slide open sideways as the door design suggests

Telos Citadel Station Skybox by Quanon 1.0 | Telos_Backdrop.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/311-telos-citadel-station-skybox-by-quanon/

improves skybox outside the windows of telos citadel station

Peragus Administration Level Room Model Fixes 1.0.0 | [TSL]_Peragus_Administration_Level_Room_Model_Fixes.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1275-peragus-administration-level-room-model-fixes/

fixes geometry of room, realigns scrolling text

TSL Backdrop Improvements 1.4 | TSL_Backdrop_Improvements-922-1-4.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/949-tsl-backdrop-improvements/

improves space scenes with new textures

already includes the textures in [TSL] HIGH QUALITY STARS AND NEBULAS (TSL_HQStarsAndNebulas_1_3.zip)

already includes HIGH QUALITY RAVAGER BACKDROP (HQRavagerBackdrop.zip)

[!!!] contains 351NARsb.mdl which for me caused a weird geometry glitch on goto’s yacht -- deleted that one file

Kotor 1 Texture to Kotor 2 Game Bridge 1.0.0 | Kotor 2 to Kotor 1 Game Bridge.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1330-kotor-1-texture-to-kotor-2-game-bridge/

kotor 1 files were downgraded for kotor 2, this mod puts the original quality files back in

possible transparency issues with vogga-- lengthy discussion in the comments of the file about possible fixes, but i chose to just delete the 4 hutt files

Invisible Headgear | invisible_head_gear_tsl.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/690-invisible-headgear/

makes any gear that blocks atton’s face from view illegal

Malachor Exterior Reskin By Quanon V1.3 | Malachor_Exterior_ReskinV1.3.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/423-malachor-exterior-reskin-by-quanon/

Replacement Texture for Lightning on Malachor V 1.2 | Malachor5Lightning.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/298-replacement-texture-for-lightning-on-malachor-v/

two versions, i chose the flare version

Star Wars KOTOR 2 "Realistic Nar Shaddaa Skybox" | rnssb1.zip

https://www.gamefront.com/games/knights-of-the-old-republic-ii/file/realistic-nar-shaddaa-skybox

Hi-Res Beam Effects 2.0 | DI_HRBM_2.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/221-hi-res-beam-effects/

replaces Force Drain, Force Lightning, Death Field, cold ray, ion, and neural pacifier beam effects

Fire and Ice HD, Whee! v2.1 | FireandIceHDWhee.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/454-fire-and-ice-hd-whee/

replaces flamethrower flame effect

My Realistic Improved Effect Retexture Mod 1.0 | Improved_Realistic_Effect_Retexture_Mod.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/513-my-realistic-improved-effect-retexture-mod/

replaces a lot of stuff, i only use the spark texture

JC's Supermodel Fix for K2 1.6 | JC's Supermodel Fix for K2 v1.6.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1141-jcs-supermodel-fix-for-k2/

fixes combat animations, optional running fix to match kotor 1

Boma Beast Teeth Fix 1.0 | Boma Beast Teeth Fix.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/338-boma-beast-teeth-fix/

Achilles TSL Robe Mod (TSLRCM Edition) | Achilles Robe Mod for TSLRCM.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/339-achilles-tsl-robe-mod-tslrcm-edition/

went through and picked out the textures i wanted

TSL HD Cockpit Skyboxes 3.1 | TSL HD Cockpit Skyboxes - High Resolution.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/931-tsl-hd-cockpit-skyboxes/

added the optional nar shaddaa realistic skybox

KOTOR2 More Subtle Animated Ebon Hawk Monitors (still not including Galaxy Map) 1.2 | SH_EH_Animated_Monitors_Subtler_Look.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1237-more-subtle-animated-ebon-hawk-monitors-still-not-including-galaxy-map/

[TSL] Animated Computer Panel 1.1.0 | [TSL]Animated_PLC_comPanel_v1.1.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1385-tsl-animated-computer-panel/

chose solid monitor, but honestly couldn’t tell the difference between the options unless i looked closely

Improved Dantooine Skybox 1.0.1 | Improved Dantooine Skybox.rar

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1372-improved-dantooine-skybox/

Mira Shirt Edit 1.0 | mira shirt edit.zip

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tymwnez3yjrckul/AAAJhTKJJPXNszX32kXJ98gfa?dl=0

gives mira a top to layer with, either sweetheart neckline or v-neckline

also on deadlystream and nexusmods in case the dropbox link ever fails

______________________________________________________________

> Texture/Model Mods, part 2

grouped bc these use tslpatcher instead of the usual drag n drop

TSL Default Replacement Hilt Megapack 8.1 | TSL_DRHM_8.1.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/496-tsl-default-replacement-hilt-megapack/

replaces default lightsaber hilts, updates icons

High Quality Blasters 1.1 | TSL_High_Quality_Blasters.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/915-high-quality-blasters/

replaces blaster models & textures

TSL Galaxy Map Fix Pack 1.0 | TSLGalaxyMapFixPack.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1057-tsl-galaxy-map-fix-pack/

moves planets to canonical locations and animates it

chose vanilla/tslrcm option

Fixed Hologram Models and Admiralty Redux for TSLRCM 1.61 | [TSL]_Fixed_Hologram_Models_and_Admiralty_Redux_for_TSLRCM_v1.61

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/1201-fixed-hologram-models-and-admiralty-redux-for-tslrcm/

fixes the hologram models, swaps some heads around, and puts hologram!carth in an unfortunate hat

Realistic Visual Effects | visual_effects_tsl.7z

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/735-realistic-visual-effects/

gets rid of visual combat/force ability effects

sure these effects communicate what abilities are being activated on screen but as someone who plays kotor 2 as a love story with a video game attached to it they're meaningless to me

Luxa Hair Fix | TSL_Luxa_Fix_by_RedRob41.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/452-luxa-hair-fix/

fuck that "this mod can adjust her body model so that her figure is much more shapely" shit i am here for NEAT HAIR ONLY

[TSL] NPC Overhaul Mod 1.22 | OverhaulTSL.zip

https://deadlystream.com/files/file/345-tsl-npc-overhaul-mod/

differentiates npcs to prevent the clone effect

seems to cause issues for a few people (?) and takes literally forever to install; i installed it bc i guess i love pain but i don’t think i’d do it again

______________________________________________________________

> non-mod changes

fix inability to move after combat:

choose screen resolution @ 59 or 60 fps, no higher

OR enable vsync

fix lightsaber texture not showing up in certain lighting:

in swkotor2.ini, edit to "Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1"

fix dxun fog:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftSrN9hMJ1M

enable console:

in swkotor2.ini, add "EnableCheats=1"

enable screenshots:

in swkotor2.ini, edit to "EnableScreenShot=1"

[jurijurijurious]

Writerly ephemera meme

I was tagged by @thisbluespirit in this rather intriguing meme!

Find five bits of yourself that you gave to your fiction (memories and places and phrases and things into our stories), post and tag five or more writers to share as well.

Now I know I do write bits of myself and my experiences into my stories, one way or another, I think everyone does, but it doesn’t half put you on the spot when you have to try to remember where you’ve done it!

1) I know that recently I wrote Walsingham passing out at the end of a scene in “Mea Culpa”. The entire description is based on personal experience. I went through a scary few years as a young teen where I would pass out for little to no reason, usually at school where there were lots of people watching to cause me huge embarrassment, which then almost gave me a form of PTSD. I was constantly anxious about fainting, it was not good, and we never found out why it happened. But that’s another story... I still occasionally pass out but it’s usually for a reason, after having a vaccine or blood taken or something, but the whole process of fainting, though horrible, is like an old nemesis to me, uncomfortably familiar. I generally feel intense sickness in my stomach, my vision is puckered increasingly with white dots, my entire body comes out in a sweat, and I hear a high pitched whistle-type noise as I lose consciousness. And so since that is my experience, it became Wals’s too:

His palms sweated, his pulse raced...  He shuddered and emitted another strangled breath, fingers white where he clutched the window sill, body trembling.  He needed rest.  Ursula's voice was becoming distant, the room was swaying like the deck of a ship caught in a storm.  He felt a sudden nausea in his stomach, could hear a high pitched sound in his ears, a siren's wail beckoning him into the abyss.

“I am sorry.  So very sorry,” he whispered, though he knew not exactly who he was addressing.  His own voice now sounded as if it was coming from underwater, far away; he was drowning and could resist no more, slipped where he stood and descended into the open arms of oblivion.

2) This is another Walsibeth example I’m afraid because I haven’t written anything else for about a decade! So... Though the pandemic and my lack of funds has put a temporary hold to my hobby of horse riding, I am a half-capable rider and love tearing across country if opportunity allows on horseback. I can thus write people riding horses (English style, anyway) with a degree of accuracy. So in my smutty one-shot fic “In perpetuum et unum diem” (the one which is mostly a pastiche of the raunchy finale of “The Tudors” season 1, and also an excuse for me to write shameless sex), I began the ficlet with a bit of a horse-race between Bess and Wals to get the blood up (a scene that in itself mirrors Elizabeth’s racing with Raleigh in TGA, I later realised). Though I personally haven’t raced a person on horseback per se, I have done beach rides and also ridden on a horseback safari in Africa where you gallop as a group, and “giving your horse its head” is the order of the day! So a lot of this passage is me:

She turned her head back over her shoulder and caught Francis’ eyes.  His lip quirked slightly at the corner but otherwise there was no change to his countenance.  But that was enough.  Her smile deepend as if to invite him to race her and she turned her head back around, gave her dappled grey mare its head and pressed her calves to its flanks.  And the beast responded, driving its legs harder, faster, into a gallop and flew like a falcon through the trees.

...

As the wind flew in Elizabeth’s face, making her eyes water, a great whoop of exhilaration escaped her.  There was nothing but her and the horse, and the knowledge that her blackguard of a lover galloped behind her.  This was what it should feel like to live, even in tragically brief snippets; to feel the blood in your veins, the air in your chest, and the sun on your face, wild and free.

They then jump a tree trunk which I’d love to say I’d do, and I might, but most of my falls have been from jumping so I’d probably wimp out and go the long way around... ;)

3) Annnd another one from my Walsibeth fic “Mea Culpa”, just because it’s fresh in my mind. When I was driving to work last winter, there was one Sunday morning which had a jaw-droppingly beautiful sunrise. I tried to take a photo of it but could not do it justice. I did find a photo of Lincoln Cathedral on instagram from the same morning though which captured the sky perfectly. It literally looked like the sky was on fire, or something, and I immediately worked this memory into my story! I felt that a sky like that would make the perfect backdrop for a single, forlorn, broken bastard riding his horse in a clear, freezing morning:

There was a strange light in the sky as the sun began to make its ascent.  It turned a deep crimson then lifted to shades of rich amber and gold; this combined with the few grey clouds passing overhead gave it the illusion of a huge fire, as if a great furnace now filled the heavens.  Some might have called it beautiful, others would see a grim omen.

4) I had a look in my dreaded old fic archive, so full of cringe, and I found this from the end of my Doctor Who fic “Choices”, which I reckon I wrote between 2005-2006, possibly finishing it later than that. This scene right at the end (told from the perspective of Rose and the ninth Doctor’s daughter, Hope) is literally my old senior school - the class length, the finish time, the uniform was what I wore, and my history teacher was Mrs. Gaskin, and my mum would be waiting in her car to pick me and my sisters up:

By a quarter-to-three in the afternoon, she was in another History lesson with Mrs. Gaskin, and was spending another forty-five minutes hearing about the Black Death, the plague doctors, and the red crosses that were painted on people’s doors. It was fascinating, but Hope’s concentration wasn’t there. She kept looking out of the window at the school yard, noticing the little details that other days she would take for granted - like the way the trees swayed in the wind, the way a crisp-packet rolled across the concrete, and the pure azure-blue colour of the cloudless sky. Something was afoot but she had no idea what it was, or why she was feeling this way.

The bell rang finally at the end of the lesson, as the clock read three-thirty, and the class disappeared swiftly out of the door. It was home time! The voices of myriads of children echoed and shrilled down the corridors, and desperate feet, eager to get home, pounded down the stairs, making for the exits. White shirts were un-tucked from trouser and skirt hems, blue-and-red ties were loosened from about shirt collars, and black blazers were thrown off and carried over shoulders as the mass of pupils took flight.

Hope, however, took things slowly, almost as if she might never see them again, picking up on every smile, every individual laugh, and every joke pulled on every unsuspecting victim. She waved goodbye to friends, hitched her backpack over her shoulder, and made her way out of the school gates toward the spot where her mum or Uncle Jack would usually be waiting to pick her up. As she turned the corner onto Petunia Grove, though, she stopped and sighed. The car - either her mum’s or Jack’s - was not there.

Hope pursed her lips and shrugged, taking another good look around just to make sure that she hadn’t missed it, but there wasn’t a familiar car in sight. She thus let her bag slip off her shoulder, and she perched her backside on the street sign, swinging one of her feet back and forth as she waited for the arrival of her escort.

In the meantime, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander again, as it had been doing often throughout the day, and looked around the street. There was a blue tit on the hedge over the road, stood near a couple of sparrows and a robin. The front door of house number five was a brilliant shade of red, something which she had never really noticed before, and there was some graffiti on the road sign on the opposite side of the street. It read ‘Bad’ something or other, but she couldn’t read the other word since it was blocked off by the blue box.

Hope blinked and slowly rose to her feet. It couldn’t be…

5) And for number five, this is a short extract from the an unpublished Star Wars fic I wrote around 2010, where I tried for what must have been the third time to re-write the Star Wars nonsense I wrote as a teenager, all starring my very Mary Sue OC, Nadia, who became Vader’s apprentice and was mentored by Veers. I have here again worked my experiences of passing out into the story - a psychologist would have a field day with me. Nadia’s thoughts about showing weakness were also real fears of mine - I never liked to be weak, to be ill, to be a burden, and my character was the mouthpiece for my own self-disgust. It’s written in the first person with Nadia narrating in this scene where she accompanies General (Maximilian) Veers to the Kaminoan’s cloning facility to review further batches of troops and is taken ill by the experience of seeing the thousands of farmed foetuses:

Max nodded whilst I remained breathless and shaky in his shadow. I could not get those tiny, wriggling foetuses out of many head - they floated upon my consciousness, their inhuman eyes glaring into my face and their tiny hands reaching out toward me. I tried to rid myself of these infantile phantoms, but I could not, and I suddenly felt quite ill.

“We shall need many more in our next delivery,” Max told the creature, who began to babble on about the problems of this request, but was halted mid-sentence when Maximilian wheeled about and grabbed me, saying my name over and over. He disappeared amidst the snowstorm of white dots that littered my vision, however, and I collapsed upon the floor.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a bright, white room. The walls dazzled me for a moment and it took my eyes and my mind time to adjust and to recognise reality. I looked slowly at the plain walls, finding myself alone upon a bed with my hands by my sides and a drip feeding liquid into my arm. This seemed quite surreal - I knew I was not ill enough to warrant this - but I resolved to stay put until someone came to me. I felt extremely tired and I thought that I may as well take advantage of the rest.

I fell back to sleep again and, when I next woke, I saw Max sat in a chair beside me. I glanced about the room - we were alone. I looked at him uncertainly, my visage undoubtedly betraying the signs of my mortification, for he first said: “Do not worry, Nadia, I am not angry with you. It cannot always be helped.”

...

I wanted to defy him, to be strong, but no, I just showed him weakness and insecurity. What indignity was this?

Thanks for the tag, that was fun! I can’t think of 5 writers to tag but off the top of my head: @feuillesmortes, @robins-treasure and @captainofthegreenpeas? Have a go if you fancy.

[tgastaff]

I’ve been talking about putting this out for a while now, and before we get into the sexcapades that are the TGA Exams, I wanted to finally get this dropped so that we can all work on our characterizations. So you’ve come up with a character name, a faceclaim, and you’ve decided whether they’re a sub or a Dom- what next? 

It’s easy to assume that the smut is what draws people to TGA and what has kept me in the admin seat for ten years, but I have to say tha isn’t the truth. The reason that I believe TGA has always been so active and enjoyable is the fact that it has been home to some of the most original, fully developed characters that I’ve ever seen. 

So how do you get that yourself? What do you do in order to flesh out your character and make them stand out? These are my ideas, based on my own experiences and what I’ve seen as admin. Feel free to answer these questions privately to yourself, semi-privately for just the group in our ooc discord server, or publicly on your blog for the world to see. You don’t have to answer all of these--- or any of them, this is completely optional. 

SOME WARM-UP QUESTIONS TO GET IN THE MOOD:

What is their character archetype? Do they have one? Do they fit into any stereotypical label? (If your character has specific thoughts about character archetypes, feel free to add that too.)

What or who would your character dress up as for Halloween?

Who do they look up to? Do they have a hero?

If they could call one person for help, who would it be?

What is their favorite fairytale? What fairytale do they hate? Do they believe in happy endings?

What is their perception of redemption?

If your character could travel through time, where would they go?

What are they good at? Do they like being good at it? Is there anything they wish they were better at?

When did they last lie? What’s their view of lying? When did they last make a promise? Did they keep or break their last promise?

If your character could only save one thing from their burning house, what would it be?

HOW THEY TALK AND PORTRAY THEMSELVES:

*This is going to be the best section to use when it comes to making your characters look, sound, and feel like different people instead of the same person with different faces. Remember that yes, some diction is the same across the board for a lot of people but we’re all individuals and choose to use even the currently trendy vocabulary in our own ways. 

The first thing anyone is going to see is how your character talks. What makes them different from everyone else? How do you distinguish one of your characters talking versus another talking? 

What words or phrases do they overuse? Do they have a catchphrase?  Is there anyone that they quote?

Are they more optimistic or pessimistic? Are they introverted or extroverted? 

Do they ever put on airs? Do they ever pretend to be something they are not? This includes pretending to be brave or pretending to be strict. (For example, many people play Sebastian Smythe as a character that is putting on a sex shark, suave, cold façade in order to fit in. Santana Lopez and Quinn Fabray could also be seen as putting on airs, sometimes, depending on where they are in their story arcs.)

How do they want to be seen by others? How do they see themselves? How are they seen by others? 

Strongest character trait? Weakest character trait?

How do they react to praise? How do they react to criticism? Are they most likely to fight with their fists or their tongue?

What are their political views? What will they stand up for? What do they consider an overrated virtue?

How do they treat Dominants? How do they treat submissives? Do they have any preconceived notions about poor people or rich people?

What bad habits do they have? 

CHARACTER INTERESTS, LIKES, AND DISLIKES:

What is their obsession? (Example: Rachel Berry is obsessed with Broadway, Quinn Fabray is obsessed with successful perfection, etc)

What is their guilty pleasure? (This doesn’t have to be embarrassing, even if by definition this is something they would hide.)

What are their hobbies? (Remember that these can lead to club activities, which can lead to reasons to be active and make connections)

What are their idiosyncrasies?

What makes them laugh out loud?

What are their pet peeves?

Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider?

What is their greatest fear?

Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy?

What is the most offensive thing they’ve ever said?

FAMILY, LOVE, AND OTHER HUMAN CONNECTIONS:

Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of? How do they define family?

Did they grow up rich or poor? Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?

What were they like before their mark, right after they woke up marked, after they got used to their mark, and approaching time to go to the Academy? Did any of these D/s mark related moments change them as a person?

What advice would they give their younger self?

What was their childhood ambition? Has that changed?

How do they display affection?

What quality do they most value in a friend? Describe their ideal best friend a little bit.

Who are their natural allies?

Who are their surprising allies?

What do they think about love? Has your character ever been in love? Have they ever had their heart broken?

DAILY LIFE AND USING IT FOR STARTERS/CONVOS:

*All of these can be used to help you decide what to write as a starter, how to connect with other people, and where you can find more connections. Remember that all Dom/mes have the right to make a submissive help them through their daily life! So if your Dom/me character has an answer down here that they could use help with (i.e. their morning routine, cooking meals, cleaning house, organizing, etc-- if your Dom/me character only has condiments in their fridge, for example, a sub could be a big help in getting them to go to the Dalton kitchens to get real food! And all characters are highly encouraged to interact based on clubs, classes, and daily life.)

What are their eating habits? Do they have any allergies?

Describe their dorm/suite. Are they minimalist or a clutter hoarder?

What do they keep in their fridge? Their bedside table? Their purse/bag?

What do they do first thing on a weekday morning?

What do they do with their weekend?

Are they comfortable with technology?

What is their greatest extravagance?

What is their idea of perfect happiness?

What is their view of ‘freedom’?

What clubs and classes are they in? What does their weekly schedule look like? What would they like to start doing? Maybe something they could use a little push to get into?

[colinboudreaux9-blog]

FreeTrim MP3 Trim MP3 Or Different Audio Files To Delete The Undesirable Half.

The right way to convert MP3 to MP2 online with MP3 to MP2 Converter? Catch-video is a good free YouTube video converter. You may enter the video hyperlink from a video provider like YouTube or Dailymotion or search for a keyword, then click 'Catch!' button then the appliance will show all of the codecs for this video (WEBM, MP4, FLV, 3GP, M4A). You may obtain the video in supported formats. Nevertheless, you may always receive error stated that This video contains copyright material or music". The Format" dropdown offers a list of potential conversion codecs corresponding to FLAC, OGG, MP3 and M4a. Any Video Converter is a very easy to use free video converter - just select your source file and christielabilliere.wikidot.com output format and go. In the event you need them, there are lots of superior options too like batch conversion, file merging, and frame cropping. Get Total Audio Converter to transform complete albums in a single go. Apowersoft Video Converter makes a big difference to me, it's why I am going to stay with Apowersoft all the time. Step 1. Run the YouTube converter software program in your Mac. You may be taken to transform tab. The fisrt thing you need do is shiftting to download tab. Begin changing movies from YouTube to MP3 and mp4 codecs with the #1 on-line converter! is completely free, quick and simple to use.

Just merely download and have a strive. Here can be tutorial about how to convert CDA to MP3 format. So what's so great in regards to the Point MP3 converter? All the pieces. You can't go fallacious with this wonderful intervention that offers you easy access to one of the best artists and their incredible movies. The browser extension is updated commonly so you do not have to worry about falling prey to outdated variations. Seek for a video you need to download on YouTube , Dailymotion or Clipfish and replica & paste the hyperlink (URL) of the video inside the first field, select the file sort and press "convert". Alternatively you can search for a Youtube video instantly on this web page. 1. Choose the MP2 recordsdata to transform to MP3 format. Your consider will embrace your Yahoo ID or an alias or different account info you have got made public and can hyperlink to your profile. Use the pull-down menu to determine on the alias you wish to publish with. You may additionally create a model new alias and profile. There are 5 methods to pick a portion: click on on the waveform as a starting point and choose everything earlier than & after the present place to decide on the area of the file; click on the left button and drag along with the waveform to the place needed to be chosen; specify the session by transferring the sliders under the waveform window; set the start & finish time within the choice" space; specify a starting point on the waveform and enter the length of time as needed. I've been in search of quite some time now for a fairly easy Linux video editor that is able to incorporate still pictures - and I believe I've discovered what I am searching for in the program MainActor. Nonetheless, it does not appear to support mp3 format, and a put up on their boards by one among their builders states that mp3 won't be supported. Not solely can Hamster convert a number of audio files in bulk, but it will possibly merge the information into one, much like Freemake Audio Converter. Free MP3 Converter cho phép người dùng xem trước các tập tin nhạc sau khi đã được mã hóa và chuyển đổi định dạng để có những điều chỉnh và thay đổi nếu cần thiết. You can choose a format from MP4, FLV, 3GP, mp3 to mp2 converter apk and more codecs when downloading a media file. Or you can convert it to any formats as soon as downloaded on the premise of your needs. It additionally supports 4K and HD.You'll be pleased to know that the software program's comfort does not come on the expense of options. While you can start the conversion course of in a matter of seconds, it's possible you'll wish to spend just a little extra time customizing the output. VSDC Free Audio Converter is claimed to be suitable with all Home windows operating systems. No, the squeaking is not within the originalMP3 files.Format Manufacturing facility is one other free video converter for Windows 8. It primarily supports the MPG, MP4, MP3, AVI, 3GP, OGG, BMP, TIF, TGA, ICO, WMA, SWF, FLV, JPG, WMV and an entire lot extra. It additionally works completely with iPod and iPhone codecs and rips DVD. Aside from it, it's mainly available in 65 languages. The applying interface is a very simple and consumer-pleasant. To convert video recordsdata, simply drag & drop them into fundamental window and click Convert button on the toolbar.

[thesickpanda]

Cannabis Crusade: An Update

SO much has happened since my last post.  I’ll focus on the cannabis side of things for this entry.

After considerable detective work, I found a nearby-ish GP who prescribes medicinal cannabis. I presented her with a mountain of evidence that I’d tried everything under the sun to treat my chronic illness. (This is a requirement of Australia’s useless Therapeutics Goods Administration). A few days later she called me saying the TGA were enquiring if I had tried the ONE medication I *didn’t* list, which was Oxycodone. For those not in the know, Endone is a strong opioid and one of the leading causes of addiction and death in the opioid crisis. I told them the truth which is yes, once, after dental surgery and no, I did not tolerate it well at all.  Then 10 days went by and I thought my GP was having to really fight the TGA for approval. I began to feel low and lose hope.

On June 26th, on the evening of my birthday, while I was out with two friends getting sushi, I saw I had a voicemail on my mobile. I checked it. It was my GP stating my application had been approved.  I listened to that voicemail, and made my partner listen to it about half a dozen times to be sure.  I could hardly believe it.

The next day I made an appointment to see her that Friday. When I went she told me she was going to start me on a low dose, go slow and see how I went.  I was to take 5 drops at night. I went to the one pharmacy that stocks it in my area, which happens to me only 5 minutes from my house, and put in an order.

This week, on Tuesday, I picked up my $400 bottle (for 1 month’s supply).  A combination of birthday money paid for the first $300 of it, so it stung less than it will in subsequent months. It’s imported from Canada because the TGA are dragging their feet on approving cannabis farms in this country (Australia has the BEST climate in the damn WORLD to grow it, but hey, let’s import it. There are illegal grow houses in the thousands here. Seems utterly ridiculous to punish people going through the LEGAL channels to get this drug, rather than swiping it for $30 on the black market. But that’s a rant for another day, and I have my reasons for going this route).

The first night I took it at the wrong time (long story) and was really anxious it wouldn’t work. I was also surprised to see this bottle included THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana (though it’s a small amount and it’s not heated). I lay awake fretting for an hour and a half…and then it kicked in and I fell asleep.  The following few nights I took it as prescribed, right after dinner. It reaches peak efficiency 3-4 hours AFTER you take it, so by the time I go to bed I am relaxing.

And for three nights in a row, I. Have. Slept.

Like, proper sleep.  Uninterrupted by horrible pain, by my bladder, by all my other bodily functions.  I go to bed and I DREAM - long, adventure dreams.  I wake once or twice in the night briefly to change sides, and I sleep heavily and well. And I wake up wanting to sleep in, as opposed to rushing out of bed relieved the horror of night is over.

It’s very unlikely this is a fluke, but I am holding out jumping for joy until I have been taking the medicine for at least 10 days consecutive with the same result.

But by God, if this IS the cannabis, then wow. It’s been wonderful!

I don’t notice much of a difference in pain levels during the day, but that makes sense as after around 8 hours it’s out of my system. I’d be curious to try a dose in the morning, but will be asking my GP about it when I see her next week. (The catch with taking 2 doses is my month’s supply then lasts only 2 weeks…).

So fingers crossed, it seems to be helpful.  Now to try different doses, at different times, and with different ratios.  It’s going to be a HELL of an expensive experiment, but my partner has said he can find some money if we scrimp for a while.  If we find what works, then we’ll see about budgeting accordingly.

That’s all from me for now. Wish me luck…

[felassan]

Geoff Keighley on the Dragon Age 4 TGA 2018 trailer, the Dragon Age 4 TGA 2020 trailer and the Next Mass Effect trailer:

Podcaster: Has there ever been a trailer that you look at and go, like, ‘this was too early’? Is there a story around the Dragon Age 2018 trailer? The story going around that they kinda did it without the full blessings of EA management, as a way to just kind of get the name out there so that it couldn’t get cancelled?

Geoff Keighley: Yeah, I remember that story going around, that’s definitely not true. We, EA and I laughed about that. I mean yeah, somehow it’s like, they slipped us the trailer like secretly, and we ran it -

Podcaster: That’s what I love like, on a USB stick, you met a guy in an alley with a USB stick -

Geoff: Haha, I’ll just run this. That is just - like, our show is at a scale that obviously like, EA’s on our advisory board, we have to have legal clearances for things we run, there’s a process to that stuff, so no, it definitely wasn’t like they went rogue. I think -

Podcaster: That’s not very punk.

Geoff: Just, just run some leaked assets. Yeah! There’s definitely, I think there’s some truth that like, for that game, and for other games also, I think sometimes developers wanna get games out there to make sure the projects keep going, or sometimes often we have games, and people just wanna put them out there, even to help recruiting, right? It’s actually surprising how many studios will be like ‘well, it’s way too early to announce our game, but it’s really competitive for talent, so we need to kind of announce we’re making this project and get it out there because we wanna get more people on the team’. Cause you know, the general trend is now is like, companies are like, ‘oh, we’re just gonna announce our game three months before it comes out’ or ‘announce it the day it comes out’, and you’ll see even this year, there will be games that are probably, three, four years off, right, but they’re gonna sorta tease them at the show. And a lot of it is for recruiting or you know they’re worried it’s going to leak, right? I mean the unique thing about games is that you really can keep things secret and surprise people. Like if a new movie is happening, you kinda know it’s happening, you might not have seen the footage of it, but you know they’re making this movie. In games, people really try and keep things a total surprise. And that gets harder and harder as you get further into development. So sometimes they’re like, ‘well, we might as well at least confirm it’.

Geoff: But yeah, the Dragon Age thing, I remember there was a lot of debate around that trailer, where, was it gonna happen or not? And that was one of those ones that I think was, you know, a lot of churn on it, were they ready with that, we even did a Dragon Age thing last year which was same thing, where there was kind of a lot of back and forth around, was it ready, what were they gonna show. Last year, you know, we did Dragon Age and Mass Effect which, I was really really happy with the Mass Effect trailer, that was something that we worked, I worked pretty closely with Casey Hudson on, um, to pull that together. But yeah, it’s rare that anyone truly goes rogue, but there definitely are things where the plans for trailers change, and, you know, sometimes things pull out. And that’s why people look at the final lineup and they’re like, ‘was this what it was a month ago’? No, there are things that kinda pop in and pop out.

Source: Inside The Game Awards podcast, episode “2021: The World Premieres” [available on Spotify]

(caught by @thebookworm0001, thanku 🐉)

[thegleeacademy]

THAT’S RIGHT; IT’S THAT TIME YEAR AGAIN!

So get ready to jingle your balls and get decked in the halls, because it’s the holiday season, and Santa Claus is coming to The Glee Academy to make sure that everyone has something to do during mock claim week and the holidays. Before I begin explaining our holiday events, I want to make an official note stating that classes are out of session for winter break– which starts officially next week and doesn’t end until classes begin again on January 2nd. So there will be no classes this week or the next. 

I encourage everyone to tag all of their Christmas related content with tga:christmas.

SECRET SANTA - KINKY KLAUS

Ah, Kinky Klaus, the gift that just keeps on giving. We all know how Secret Santa works; this one is the same, just with a little more to it. All this week, I am encouraging you all to send Secret Santa anons to each other. Feel free to pick your partner based on who your character would do something like that for, so that you can reveal yourself at the end and use this as a plot device to further your activity. Or pick this based on your own out of character wants. The point is to get to know the other person. Then end your reign as Secret Santa by gifting something to the character you’ve been sending anons to all week. If you would like to do this anonymously, you can log out and go to their submit box. There will be a section at the top asking for an email and a name, just put something fake in there like secretsantarules@lolthisisfake.com and put Secret Santa as your name. UPDATE: Unlike last year, you can now send media in anonymous messages from the dash, so it’s even easier to send pics of gifts. 

This event is going to rely on all of you and your participation, because I am not going to pair you all up to make sure that everything is done fairly. So I need all of you to keep your eye on the dash and the Secret Santa anons that are being posted and do your best to help ensure that everyone has at least one Secret Santa. I will be doing the same.

FESTIVAL OF ICE AND SNOW - 12/17 to 1/2

For these two weeks, the courtyard has been transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with light displays, holiday food, booths with games, and what will be known as Ice Town for the Festival of Ice and Snow. Every night this week, there will be a light show with the Christmas lights. People are encouraged to bring a sleeping bag and set themselves up on a section of grass that will be protected from dampness with a thick tarp to watch the show from 7PM to 8PM. The game booths can be godmodded, feel free to mention your favorite carnival/winter games being out there. The same can be said about your favorite winter and holiday treats. There aren’t any full meals out there, but there are plenty of treats. Ice Town is a section of the courtyard that is set up to look like a small town with tiny little houses. (I mean small when I say small, not even big enough to be considered a single room; here are some examples 01 || 02)  

HOLIDAY SNOWFLAKE PARADE - WEDNESDAY 12/22

This event will be hosted by Electra, our club dirctor, featuring the TGA clubs and their talents. Think of any holiday parade you’ve seen before, but without the big floats or anything that wouldn’t be realistic in this verse. I’m leaving this open for club captains to plot and plan, and I’m hoping to see a bunch of you headcanon things for how your clubs are brought into this. The parade procession will circle the courtyard, interrupt the activities by parading right through them for the spectacle of it all, and include the halls of both Dalton and McKinley before filing out into the courtyard and starting all over again. Just to be sure everyone gets a chance to see this, they parade will do three laps, and Electra’s hosting will be seen on the dash. You can post videos and pictures for this to represent what clubs did. 

MEET AND GREET FROM THE NORTH POLE - THURSDAY 12/23

Characters are encouraged to volunteer to dress as some of our favorite fictional characters for photo ops so that everyone can have some fun pics from the holiday season. If your character wants to dress up on this day, feel free to make a social media post with the character they’re portraying. There will be faceless wooden photo op displays and scenery set up for pics that day and only that day. 

NEW YEARS MASQUERADE - 12/31 to 1/1

On the night of the New Years Masquerade, the auditorium will be open to host the masquerade. It will work like any other dance has worked at TGA; with food, drinks, music, and dancing. There will also be a few contests, all of which will be announced during the dance. The only requirement for being part of the dance is that you wear a mask and not take it off until after the midnight kiss. This is to create a more anonymous vibe, allowing people to share midnight kisses that might not normally share midnight kisses. So feel free to plot with this, there are a lot of things that this can be used for. The dance will begin at 5PM and end at about 2am, or whenever everyone is done with the event. Of course, the festival will still be running during the day so there will be something to do to celebrate all day. This is another TGA tradition, just like the mock claim week during the holidays, so this is something that most people will take very seriously! 

[emilydaisyart]

--BREAK--Bentley Logo --

Last week, we had a lesson introducing us to a completely separate side project, about editing and producing a pre-animated logo for Bentley. I decided to include the entire process I went through in this blog, but as a break, since it falls under the same module. The key points for this project are as follows:

‘You are to follow the tutorials and produce a 10 second animated motion graphic using the project files provided. You can locate all the files on Blackboard AX1101/Module Material/Project Files/Bentley Logo.Assessment

Criteria: You will be marked on the following criteria and how well you follow the brief:

Compositing

Using After Effects, you are assessed your understanding on layout and composition. Follow the tutorials to help you understand the tools demonstrated and apply your own take on the look. Render your composition as a TGA image sequence. Remember to create a folder for each composition shot.

Post Production

Using Premier, edit video clips and track lay all your SFX with your image sequences to make your final edits must be exactly 10 seconds long. Anything other than this will be marked as a fail. If you have been working in a higher resolution up to this point you will need to scale the image sequences down in Premier to fit to 1080HD’

After reading the brief and re-watching the lesson, I was ready to get going on the project.

---------------------------------------

My Attempt:

After Effects:

My first steps in the Bentley Logo project were to locate all of the video tutorials and to have them on hand, so I could follow side by side. The first video composited the first shot for the logo, and allowed me to mess and experiment further with After Effects, specifically with the lighting and filters. I particularly enjoyed timing the effects to the movement of the logo, because the end result looked so natural.

Moving on to the second shot, things became even easier due to the shorted duration and essentially the recycling of features we had just implemented. Doing this now, practically redoing the effect and timing, I thought worked rather well in helping me to remember the locations and functions of particular features, and I felt a lot more confident in After Effects following this.

Coming into the third shot, things got a little more complicated, since new techniques and features were introduced, but it was still simple enough that I could follow along, and even include my own little features, like the font and the speed at which it came in. Re watching this video in post really put into perspective how effective and important the smaller effects can be for finalizing a piece, and made me intrigued to get on to the sound editing.

Premier Pro:

With the exported video, I moved it into Premier and followed the final tutorial for placing the sounds in. Listening to the sounds both detached from the animation and joint to it, can give it two entirely separate functions, since at first for some of the effects, my mind thought of completely different scenarios and uses than what I eventually did. However, after placing the sounds in, the final video looked exactly as it was meant to, and this mini project was done.

Thoughts:

Having done the Bentley Logo project, I have to say I was appreciative of the slight break of the monotony from the Nik Nak sting. I have so much fun experimenting and creating with the Nik Nak sting, however sometimes, it can be nice to just use the software, to follow something and feel like you’re learning by example, I find it to satisfy my need for a slower pace sometimes. I think the callback to After Effects and Premier especially will help me with the Nik Nak sting ultimately, and the Bentley Logo project will serve in the future, as help and example for any 3D modelling endeavors I take on.

---------------------------------------

[thisgoldenafternoon]

Coincidence, you said??

Hey there, I'm back with another rant (rambling, whatever I don’t care) this time on a panel of VnC, that probably made many a heart flutter.

I'm talking about this panel from Memoir 14:

This post will contain spoilers for VnC so far and Pandora Hearts. Turn away now, you have been warned. It’s also gonna be long as fuck...

And therefore I can hardly believe, that this special pannel, should have been nothing but fanservice or a lumpish reference to PH. No way.

Why would she even choose theese alias? For aforementioned reasons? I highly doubt it. Bitch, please, this is MoshiJun-sensei, after all. Give her some credit.

So I thought about it and various things crossed my mind.

Please note: the following is nothing but me rambling about some vague parallels and thoughts, that popped right into my head at 1am right after reading Memoir 14, that I only now found time to put into words.

(Btw, english isn’t my mother toungue so please bear with mistakes and weird grammar)

(And would you look at this, it’s nearly 1am again... did I mention that I gotta go to work at 7:30 am tomorrow? Today??? Well, as soon as the alarm rings, anyways)

So first of all... I think that when we look back at that scene from a later point in the story we might realize just how much of a foreshadowing she's been giving us here. From what we've learnt in the last arc we can already draw many parallels between those characters.

Let's start with Vincent and Vanitas, shall we?

Both of them are considered harbingers of bad luck, Vince as a child of misfortune for that red eye of his, Vanitas for been kin of the blue moon and therefore associated with the curse of Bloom Vanitas. Both of the symbols of misfortune are closely linked to the cirumstances of their births and a certain colour, but that just seems to be the way MochiJun rolls.

Although we still don't know much about Vanis early childhood, it's stated that he, too, is an orphan who'd been abused and manipulated.

Also, Vanitas seems to blame himself heavily for the (still unknown fate) of Nr. 71, who'd referred to him as “Oni-chan”. Whether they're blood relatives or not matters little, as I'm sure he has as big a brother complex as Vincent had.

It's further hinted that Vani caused someone's death, and boy isn't that true for Vincent as well (no it's absolutely not, for the poor little sinnamon roll had been fucking manipulated by Jack and was just trying to save the only person he's ever loved and vice versa... So the precious child actually did nothing wrong. Still a lot of people died in the aftermath of his deeds and it haunted him ever since. I guess it'll turn out to be a similar story with Vanitas.)

From the general characteristics we've been shown thus far, even more parallels arise. Both characters are emotionally and physically traumatized, abused and mistreated, and therefore act distant, happy-go-lucky and sometimes ruthless.

They don’t value their lifes, either, and have been ready to give up on themselves multiple times.

Neither of them can deal with open affection and care, for they don't consider themselves worthy of it and refuse to view the people around them as more than mere pawns.

This behaviour is also mirrored in how they treat women- both act chivalrous, flirtatious and deeply committed on the outside, but who's gonna by this, I ask?? It’s all but an act serving an ulteriour motive.

In general, both seem to look for atonement and forgiveness. This was what saved Vincent in the end, and I'll be damned, if it won't save Vanitas, as well. Just think about Noe's words at the end of Memoir 18. Now we'll just have to wait and see, what kind of salvation that'll turn out to be.

Which leads me to the next part... (please bear with me, who ever reads this till the end get's all my gratitude and a years worth of fictional cookies).

Noe and Gil... frankly I didn't find as many parallels here, as with the previous two, but some still came to mind. (If any of you guys has something to add, please message me, I'm dying to hear your thoughts)

First thing here again is both of them being orphans with a somewhat tragic past, that still turned out to be the most precious cinnamon rolls.

Both have a strong need to protect and act as a shield due to certain physical traits (Gil was able to take more or less any hit due to being a Baskerville, while Noe is a fucking Vampire).

The two of them are also portrayed as more or less naïve and sometimes simple minded, yet head strong and generally kind hearted.

We know, that Gilbert's mind has been manipulated and tempered with and that he was bound to his master's will and frankly, I wouldn't be too surprised if that turned out to be true for Noe as well. His “teacher” is shady as fuck.

By the way, Noe had been more than once shown with hands reaching out for him from the shadows in official art...

Like here, e.g.:

In this case those are specifically his teacher's hands. You know who else had often been shown like that? Oz. And Gilbert. In Oz's case those hands longing for him represent Jack, in Gil's case Glen Baskerville. (Sorry, can't find the pic I'm looking for right now... Oh wait... there it is:

This might be a little far fetched, but maybe it's a hint, that Noe as well is bound tightly by his past? Maybe he, too, is a vessel for some ominous entity?? We'll know for sure some day.

I guess I could pull some more things out of my arse right now, but it's getting late on my end and this post is already sooo fucking long.  (Sorry, not sorry.) But I think I got the major issues covered.

So, if you've read all of this: Here is your cookie! You're a precious being and deserve all the love you can get!

That's it guys, TGA.

[travelingtheusa]

NEW YORK

17 Aug 2020 (Mon) – I went to the neurologist this morning and was wired up for a 24-hour EEG.  They attached 23 electrodes to my head and 3 to my chest.  I have to wear a machine to register brain activity for 24 hours. All this just to reassure Paul that I am OK and can go hiking in the woods again.

     When I got home, Paul went food shopping.  I was NOT going out with all the wires hanging off my head.  When he got back, we had lunch, then went to work on getting rid of old files and boxes.  I have tons of old military books and material that has to be burned.  It can’t just be thrown in the garbage.  I sat in front of the fire pit for 2 hours and only got through 1 box.  I have 5 more to go.  

     Ford called to say they replaced the fuel pump on the truck and everything seems to be alright.  I took the rental car, drove Paul to Sayville Ford to drop him off, drove to Islip Airport to drop off the rental car where Paul picked me up and we drove back home.

 16 Aug 2020 (Sun) – We borrowed Kenny’s truck and drove to church this morning. It rained all day.  We spent most of the day inside watching TV or working on the computer.

 15 Aug 2020 (Sat) – Spent the day working around the property.  Kenny went to work at 4 and I went into the house to watch Caiden.  He came out to the camper and had dinner with us, then we went back inside and I gave him a bath.  We had a pillow fight and played with his transformers.  He finally went to bed at 9 p.m.  I think that is too late for a 6 year old but his parents are night owls and I guess he’s becoming one also.

 14 Aug 2020 (Fri) – The tech from Sayville Ford called and said the diagnostics was telling him the truck needs a fuel pump.  No amount of arguing that the last service station messed something up. We finally authorized the part. Maybe they can get to it on Monday. Ugh.  

     Miranda’s truck was finished at 4 p.m.  Turned out to be the alternator.  I was going to take the rental car since we have no vehicle but I let her take the truck to Philly given the cruddy condition of her truck.  We weren’t sure it would make it there and back.  It really is on its last legs.

     We were supposed to ride out to Indian Island to join the Long Islanders for camping this weekend.  Since we don’t have the truck to pull the camper, we will miss the campout.  This was very disappointing.

 13 Aug 2020 (Thu) – Miranda’s car suddenly gave up the ghost today.  It was clicking, wouldn’t start, and all kind of diagnostic warnings were flashing on her dashboard.  She was able to drop it off at the service station.  This is really bad timing because she is preparing to go to Philly this weekend to coordinate a concert for her camp.   We looked around and was able to reserve a rental car just in case the car isn’t back tomorrow.

     Paul and I rode our bicycles to Best Buy this afternoon.  It’s been giving me trouble and there’s some kind of program on there that we didn’t load in but keeps trying to update drivers.  I had them take it off.  They were very understaffed and the tech wasn’t really interested in working with me on anything else.  I had wanted help in getting videos off the computer.  I’ll have to wait until things get back to normal.

     Paul took an Uber to the cardiologist this afternoon for a stress test.  They injected him with something and then put him in an MRI machine.  He said it was quick and easy.

 12 Aug 2020 (Wed) – It was a quiet day all around.  Paul picked up the truck.  Not only was it making the humming noise, but the dashboard was lighting up like a Christmas tree!  Low fuel pressure!  Low engine pressure!  The service station told us they couldn’t find anything wrong and the noise was gone. Boy, were they wrong.  Paul called Sayville Ford and we were able to get it into the service bay today.  Hope they didn’t break the engine.  L

 11 Aug 2020 (Tue) – I went to the radiologist today for an MRI of my right foot. We worked around the property, cleaning out old files and boxes.  Sent out for pizza for dinner.

 10 Aug 2020 (Mon) – Paul brought the truck back to the service station this morning. They kept the truck and dropped him off back at home.  At 1 p.m. I went to the doctor for an echo cardiogram.  I had to borrow Miranda’s car to get there and back.

     We called the service station at 3:30 p.m.  The tech told us that they had to call a friend at Ford to ask about the fuel pump.  The guy told them they had to replace the entire assembly, not just the fuel pump. Paul was annoyed!  I think we will have to make sure in the future that (1) only Ford does the work and, (2) that the mechanic is a certified diesel mechanic. Hopefully, we will get the truck back tomorrow.  They were going to send out for the item, which will cost us over $400.  This is after already being charged $170 to put the fuel pump on before they broke it.

 9 Aug 2020 (Sun) – We went to church this morning.  I think it was the most people we’ve seen there since we came back. Everyone is still wearing masks and there are seats roped off.  Hand sanitizer stations have been set up around the building.   They announce that the thrift shop will open for 2 hours on Sunday afternoon in an outdoor setting.  That means folks attending the service will be asked to help bring things outside and set up, then take it back downstairs when done.  I hope it works.  The thrift shop is a major revenue source for the church and it has really been hurt with the closure.

     After church, we went to the Clamside Bar & Grill at the East Islip Marina. The waitress was soooooo slow. Paul ordered Belgian waffles and they came out cold.  My food was lukewarm.  He sent his waffles back.  The next service was also cool.  Paul wound up not eating his meal.  It was a disappointing experience and we probably won’t go back there for a while.

 8 Aug 2020 (Sat) – We gathered up Caiden and drove to Sue & Bill’s for the day.  The day started out overcast but the clouds soon cleared away and we had a delightful day in the pool.

 7 Aug 2020 (Fri) – I went to the neurologist this morning.  The first test was a Neurotrax.  It was a cognitive test to see if I’ve had any brain damage from the TGA back in March.  Following that, I had an EEG.  A technician glues 23 nodes to your head and then has you sit in a chair with your eyes closed most of the time.  He flashes a light on your closed eyes, then says “Open Your Eyes” for like 30 seconds then close them again.  Weird.

     Paul has been working hard in the yard, cleaning up after the storm.   The oblivious neighbor did a stupid thing.  A tree in his yard came down into our yard.  It was straddling the fence with the root ball in the neighbor’s yard and the tree branches supporting the tree in our yard.  The neighbor brought his chain saw out and cut the tree.  No longer balanced between the tree branches and the root ball, the tree crushed our fence.  

     I went to the podiatrist today to check out the painful lump on my Achilles tendon. The doctor took an x-ray and said I have a bone spur that could be causing the problem.  She also criticized my flip flops, saying I needed more support for my feet.  She gave me some heel inserts to wear in a closed shoe.  She also sent me to the radiologist to get an MRI.  I made an appointment for Tuesday.  

6 Aug 2020 (Thu) – Paul brought the truck to the service station to get it inspected.  When he got back, he complained that he could hear a humming from the fuel pump.  That happened to us once before.  A non-qualified mechanic had tried to mount the fuel pump on the rail and broke it.  Apparently, a certified diesel mechanic needs to do the job.  Paul called and was told to bring the truck back in on Monday.

     We brought Bonnie to the vet at 2 p.m.  The ultrasound shows she has some abnormal liver issues.  The vet wants to do a biopsy but Bonnie has to get a blood test first to see if she has a clotting factor.  If so, then she can have the biopsy.  If not, then we can’t do it.

 5 Aug 2020 (Wed) – I had a check with the nurse at the cardiologist’s office today.  They wanted to check and make sure there were no problems with the loop recorder.  She said I had a bit of a reaction to the medical tape but everything looked OK.  I should just let the tape fall off when it wants.

     After the doctor, I brought some containers to Travis.  He is now in contract on his house and beginning to pack things up.  I brought him 9 containers.  Then I drove to Sayville and met my sister, Susan, and her daughter, Shay, for lunch at Cornucopia.  It is a kind of health food supermarket with a great deli counter where we all ordered lunch.  We then sat outside to enjoy our meal.  Following that, we took a walk along Main Street, looking in the shop windows. When we came upon an India shop, we went in.  Susan & Bill follow the religion of Ashananda and the shop owner had been to one of their meetings out in the Hamptons.  She spoke for a while with the clerks (the shop owner wasn’t there).

     We went over Trap’s tonight to sign the contract for the sale of their house.  Since we are listed as co-owners on the house, we have to sign the contract as well. While there, Trap dug out the chain saw for Paul.

4 August 2020 (Tue) – Things have been so busy and technology has been so challenging that I have not been able to keep up with the blog.  I have an appointment with Best Buy on the 13th. Hopefully, that will get things back on the road.

    Let’s see. I have been to the cardiologist and had an internal cardiac monitor (ICM) installed in my chest.  It is a device that tracks heart activity and at night, when I am sleeping, it uploads the day’s activities to the doctor’s office. It’s been 5 days and the site still itches like crazy.  Ugh.

    I had to go to the lab and get a COVID test before getting the ICM installed. The nurse stuck a Cutip so far up my nose that my eyes teared.  And I had an earache for the rest of the day.  That dam thing was painful!  I will not do that again.

     We took Caiden to Sue & Bill’s last Wednesday.  Their daughter, Shay, and her boyfriend, Pat, are up from South Carolina. We all swam and munched on delicious vegan foods.  It was fun.

     I went to the doctor’s office to see what is wrong with my heel.  The PA saw me (the doctor was busy).  He thinks I have a cyst on my Achilles tendon and referred me to a podiatrist.

      Miranda was back in Pennsylvania this weekend so we watched Caiden a good part of the time when Kenny wasn’t working.

     We got to visit with Travis & Sam yesterday.  The baby is walking pretty good now.  He’s always so happy.  He immediately lights up when he sees you and waves his little hand hello.  Trap got an offer on the house and we signed the contract with the realtor.  He’s a little freaked out.  They have now signed a contract to sell their house.  They have to be out in a month.  They want to move to South Carolina but neither of them has a job or a place to stay.  In addition, they’re not going to be able to keep as much of the money from the sale of the house that they had counted on.  The realtor gets $16,400 alone!  Wow!

     Today, Paul had an appointment with the dentist.  This was a follow up to checkups we had two weeks ago where the dentist found a cavity.  He went in to day to get it filled.  Afterward, we went to WalMart to pick up a few items.  Later in the day, Tropical Storm Isaias blew through.  Another tree from the neighbor’s yard came down across our fence.  Also, one of our trees came down and landed on the deck.  It just missed the roof and back doors.  This was dejavu!  Same thing happened last year when we were here.  Paul will have to dig out the chain saw.  The entire neighborhood is digging out.  Two trees went down on Saxon Avenue, the next block over, and the road was closed.  Thousands of people were without power.  We lost power on and off all day long but not for very long.  Our neighbor a few doors down had a tree go down and take all his electrical lines with it.  The fire department came and cut up the tree and pulled it out into the road.

 25 July 2020 (Sat) – We went to Nicky’s on the Bay for lunch.  The tables were spaced apart.  Lots of them were out on the deck.  All the wait staff was wearing face masks.  Our waitress was very slow and unsure about herself.  She might have been new.  While we were eating, a waitress came running through the restaurant asking if there was a doctor, an EMT, or a nurse in the place. Apparently, something happened at the marine fuel site out on the deck.  We couldn’t see what happened but an ambulance did roll up.

     The cost of the meal was very high.  It don’t know if it is because Nicky’s is a seasonal place and is trying to make its money during the summer or if they jacked the prices up because they can’t have as many people in the place. Either way, it was over $60 for a wrap and a sandwich.  Ouch!

24 July 2020 (Fri) – Finally!  A day with no doctors.  Whew!  Paul got up early and took the truck to WalMart to get an oil change.  He said it looks like WalMart is going out of business.  The shelves are all half stocked.  If you stop to think about it, they get most of their products from China. The pandemic has affected shipments worldwide.  In addition, the U.S. is angry with China for keeping the Coronavirus a secret and has instituted sanctions against them.  WalMart must really be hurting.

     After Paul got home, we went to Home Depot to get a container.  One of our two batteries went bad and Paul bought two new ones.  Now he wants a container to put them in to keep the area more organized.  Home Depot didn’t have much of a selection at all. On the way out, we stopped by the tile area and picked out a tile to do a backsplash in the bathroom.  We couldn’t decide, so we picked up three samples to see which we would like best.

     When I was entering the costs into the budget, Paul discovered that WalMart charged him for the oil that he actually provided.  So he got in the truck and drove back to WalMart to get his $12.47 refunded.

     Miranda is teaching in Pennsylvania again this weekend.  They took Caiden into Queens to stay with his grandmother.  Kenny borrows his mother’s car so Miranda can take their car.  I will miss Caiden.

 23 July 2020 (Thu) – Today was my visit with the oncologist.  It was so disheartening!  My appointment was at 4:15 p.m.  I checked in then after a brief wait, a tech brought me into an exam room and took my vitals.  Thank goodness; no blood draw.  Then I went upstairs and checked in with the receptionist.  I waited about a half hour before the doctor’s admin assistant came and led me to the exam room. I sat there for another half hour before the nurse came in and went over my case.  He spent a lot of time complaining about patients calling and asking for visits or pain medication when they should be going to their primary care physicians. Then he asked me who my PCP was. I felt like it was some kind of criticism.  Was I supposed to be going to a different doctor?

     The nurse left and it was another 20 minutes before the doctor came in wearing a face mask and a full face shield.  He seemed detached and didn’t really hear my complaints.  He said the medication sometimes causes blisters on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.  Was I having any of those?  He also said the medication can cause AFIB and that the cardiologist should check me for that.  It seems like every visit to the oncologist results in him telling me something else that can happen with this chemo therapy.  He seemed preoccupied and in a hurry to get out.  I felt like I got the bum’s rush.  I came home and started crying.  Which is kind of stupid because the CT scan shows that I am responding to the medication very well.  All the lymph nodes are continuing to shrink.  So what’s my problem?

 22 July 2020 (Wed) – I went to the Good Sam Sleep Center this morning.  I had to sit in the parking lot and call the office to tell them I was waiting.  They called me when the previous patient was done.  When I walked into the doctor’s office after checking in, he excused himself and began to dictate the results of his visit with the previous patient. He stated the patient’s name, the issue, and his diagnosis, all in front of me.  Hasn’t he been briefed on this whole patient privacy thing?  I thought that I should probably step out of the room but with the whole COVID thing, they don’t want people wandering around unsupervised.  When he was done, I told him that I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in 15 years.  The cardiologist recommended I do a sleep study because poor sleep can affect heart function and weight.  The doctor said we probably wouldn’t find anything but said he would do the study anyway.  How encouraging is that???

 21 July 2020 (Tue) – I went to the eye doctor today.  I arrived at 9:30 a.m.  When I checked in, I found my appointment was for 10:45 a.m.  It looks like I made the appointment while we were in Alabama and my calendar recorded the appointment as central time, not eastern time.  So the clerk sent me to sit out in my car till it was my turn or the doctor became available sooner.  They called me at 9:50 to come in and brought me right to a test station where they blew air into my eye.  Then she took me to an exam room where I sat for over a half hour.  The doctor came in, put drops in my eyes, and said I am developing glaucoma.  Come back in six months.  Then he was gone.  No discussion, no explanation, no anything.  I complained about some eye discharge and irritation so he prescribed an ointment to put in my eye at bedtime but, again, no explanation or discussion of what the problem is.  It was a very annoying visit.  The doctor was very dismissive.

     Paul put together a 3-minute video of upstate New York.  I posted it on You Tube then contacted SMART with the link. They posted it on the website next to the description of our New York caravan.  

     I went in at 4 p.m. to keep an eye on Caiden while Miranda went to the store. Paul is still grousing about yesterday’s argument.  I have to find a way to get him to lighten up.  Ugh.

20 July 2020 (Mon) – I had a CT Scan with contrast today.  I dropped off a urine sample for Sheba at the vet, then drove to Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.  I checked in at the front desk and asked if my doctor or his nurse was available to see me.  The receptionist said she would contact Dr. Rodriguez and see what he said.  I then went into the imaging area and had the CT scan. That’s such a weird test.  They inject an iodine based solution and it gives a flushed, very warm feeling in the back of the throat and in the crotch. It feels like I wet myself.  The test isn’t very long and I was out of the machine within 10 minutes.

     I returned to the front desk to see about the doctor.  The receptionist said Dr. Rodriguez would change my telehealth appointment for Thursday to an in-person appointment or I could see someone in triage today.  I said I would meet with the doctor on Thursday.

     I got home to find Paul working around the RV.  He was installing a switch for the water pump in the bathroom.  The switch on the main panel stopped working some time ago and Paul installed a switch down in the basement.  That has turned out to be somewhat inconvenient so he moved the switch up into the bathroom.  That should work better for when we have to use the onboard tank for fresh water.

     While we were outside, Paul and Miranda got into a nasty fight.  That was very upsetting for me.  Then we left and went over Travis’ house to help him with some projects.  He has finally gotten an offer for his house and the inspector will be over on Thursday. He wants to clear up a few little things before the inspector arrives.  Paul and Travis worked on repairing a leak in the kitchen sink and on the thermostat for his burner.  I played with the boys then we all enjoyed a meal that Sam prepared.  It was a pleasant evening.

 19 July 2020 (Sun) – We didn’t think Caiden would be able to sit for an hour in church with a mask on so we didn’t go.  At 11:30 a.m. we drove to the Bayside Clam Bar for brunch.  Afterward, we walked along the boardwalk and looked at all the boats in the marina.  There was a dog at one end that the owner let go down on a little spit of sand.  Caiden climbed down and followed the dog around. We took his shoes off so he could step in the water.  The dog was an older black lab and very friendly.  Her name was Sandy.

      After our meal and walk, we returned to the house and I watched Caiden while Paul worked around the house and yard.  Kenny got home at 7:30 p.m.

 18 July 2020 (Sat) – We got Caiden at 10:30 a.m. and then drove to Sue & Bill’s house in the Hamptons for a day of swimming in the pool and barbecuing. Despite the fact that I put sunscreen on Caiden twice, he still burned.  So did I.  His mother will never let me take him to the beach again.  Aaarrgghh!

     After we got back, I stayed with Caiden until his father came home at 10:30 p.m.

17 July 2020 (Fri) – We both went to the dentist today.  The chairs in the office were taped off to ensure adequate spacing between patients.  It only left 4 chairs to use.  The secretary took our temperature and went through a checklist (like the tech did yesterday).  Then we had our teeth cleaned and xrays taken.  I got an excellent rating; Paul has a cavity and has to come back to get it filled.

     We went over Trap’s to visit.  We picked up dinner at Chili’s and brought it to the house.  Travis was working on painting the counter top in the upstairs bathroom.  They are trying everything they can think of to sell their house.  They’ve had lots of lookers but no buyers.  The real estate market is so hot today, I can’t figure out why the house hasn’t gone.  His in-laws put their house on the market and the first visitor bought the house for $5,000 more than they were asking.  The only stipulation was that they had to be out in 30 days.

     Miranda’s cat was showing some kind of neurological issue today.  It was walking against the side of cabinets like its left side was weak and it couldn’t stand by itself.  Miranda contacted us while at Trap’s and asked about bringing her cat, Liath, to the vet.  We hurried home to help but the vet said it was not life threatening and to wait until Monday to bring her in.  Miranda was concerned because she is leaving tonight for Pennsylvania and will not be back until late Sunday.  I promised to keep an eye on the cat.

 16 July 2020 (Thu) – We both went to the cardiologist today.  I was doing a follow-up to my “incident” in March. Paul went because he has hypertension and should be seen by a cardiologist.

     When we arrived, we were met at the door by a tech who asked us a bunch of questions about where we’ve been and who we’ve been near.  He took our temperature and then let us pass.  We walked in and was processed by a clerk.  Then we were brought back to the exam room.  The PA came in, went over our medical histories, took our blood pressure, and did EKGs on both of us.

     Then the doctor came in.  I liked him instantly.  He is young – in his late 20s/early 30s.  He was upbeat and very friendly, touching elbows as a form of hello.  He thinks I had a TIA and felt the neurologist was wrong to think I had a TGA.  He recommended I get an EEG, an ambulatory EEG, and have a loop recorder inserted in my chest.  He feels it is possible that I have atrial fibrillation (AFib) and the recorder will measure my heartbeat and send messages to the office.  I would wear it for 3 or 4 years!  I said I had to check that one with my oncologist.

      Then it was Paul’s turn.  The doctor referred him for a nuclear stress test.  He also recommended that Paul resume taking the baby aspirin every day (he stopped a year ago because of a medical report that said baby aspirin didn’t help to prevent strokes.  

 15 July 2020 (Wed) – We worked around the RV until 11:30 a.m. then we took Sheba to the vet.  It was over an hour in which the vet’s office displayed confusion and chaos.  First, I called to say we were outside for our appointment.  About 20 minutes later, one of the vets came out to gather information then went inside. Ten minutes later he came out to get Sheba.  Again, the office was not able to get through to my phone and the vet came out to tell me to call them.  I called and spoke with Dr. Thode.  She took blood and gave Sheba shots.  Dr. Thode also said the blood results were back for Bonnie.  She has round worm and a low liver value.  She prescribed medicine for the worms and recommended an ultrasound for the liver.  After waiting 10 minutes, I called the office to see what was happening.  They were just finishing up and would send Sheba out. The vet brought Sheba out, went over the highlights of her exam, and said the office would call to get payment. After another 15 or 20 minutes, I called to make the payment.  The clerk took my card number three times because the machine wasn’t working properly. Then the vet tech came out with the paperwork.  Paul asked about the medicine for Bonnie.  They forgot it so she went back in to get it.  She brought it out but stated they had forgotten to charge us for the medicine so I had to call again to give the credit card number.  They brought the receipt out along with the stuff to get a urine sample from Sheba.  We left but I got a phone call about 10 minutes later saying they forgot to charge us for the bloodwork they did on Sheba so I had to call back again and give the card number again.  What a debacle!

     Late this afternoon, Caiden came knocking on the door.  He came in and played for a while then I made dinner for the three of us. He ate a small part of his meal but seemed to enjoy it.  I brought the left overs into the house for Miranda and Kenny, or to keep and reheat for Caiden tomorrow.

 14 July 2020 (Tue) – I had an appointment with the neurologist this morning. This was the same doctor that found the tumor in my mother’s brain 36 years ago.  He has gotten very personable over the years.  I liked him very much.  He said the incident I experienced in March was most likely Transient Global Amnesia (TGA).  Just to be careful, he recommended three different tests but stated that he doesn’t expect to find anything.  Apparently, a TGA can happen at any time and never happen again.  Or, it can happen again once or multiple times.  If it happens many times then you would have to get checked for seizure activity in the brain.  Luckily, I have not had any problems since that one time.

     I played with Caiden a little tonight.  We didn’t get much time together but it was still fun.  He loves battle sequences.

13 July 2020 (Mon) – We took Bonnie to the vet this morning.  She needed a refill on her flea and tick medicine. She got a checkup and a couple of shots. It was so weird.  When we arrived, we called the office and were instructed to stay in the truck.  After about 20 minutes, a vet tech came out.  He took down Bonnie’s information and reason for her visit then went back inside. He came back about 10 minutes later and took her inside.  We sat in the car until the doctor called.  We discussed our concerns and what the doctor found and recommended.  Five minutes later, the clerk called to get our credit card number for the bill.  A whopping $950!!!  After about another 15 minutes, Bonnie was brought back out to us.  Then we waited ANOTHER 15 minutes for the clerk to bring out medicine and the bill.  What a pain in the butt.  And we will have to do it again with Sheba.

     Kenny was off of work today, so Caiden stayed in the house nursing his sunburn and playing with his parents.  Paul worked around the yard and I did paperwork.

 12 July 2020 (Sun) – We went to church this morning.  They just reopened after holding services digitally on You Tube and FaceBook for months.  There were about 30 people in church.  We had to wear our masks the entire time and still try to maintain 6’ distance from each other.  They didn’t pass the collection plate.  Instead, it sat in the back of the church and the minister asked everyone to drop their donation in the plate when they left.

     After church, Paul and I drove to the Clamside Bar & Grill at the East Islip Marina.  We both enjoyed a salad.  The day was lovely – sunny, but not too hot, with a soft, balmy breeze blowing in off the water.  The sun glittering on the bay was beautiful.

       When we came home, I gathered up Caiden and he and I went to Heckscher State Park. I figured the beach would be closed but we could walk along the shore, throw stones in the water, build sand castles, and wiggle our toes in the water.  Boy, was I surprised to find the beach open, complete with lifeguards. There were many people on the beach and in the water but they still were all keeping a decent distance between each other.  The water was so warm; like a bathtub.  There was lots of wave action and a delightful breeze kept the heat away.  I did not have a bathing suit so I stood on the shore with my feet in the water, getting splashed well up the legs. Caiden went in and had a great time. Unfortunately, I forgot to put sunscreen on him and he got burned.  His mother yelled at me.  

     When we left the beach, I stopped at Carvel and got Caiden some ice cream. The perfect end to a perfect day.

 11 July 2020 (Sat) – Paul worked in the yard most of the day.  I entertained Caiden a good part of the day.  At 4:30 pm, we went over Travis’ house.  We shared a salad and pizza then spent two hours playing with Noah and Hudson.  The baby is on the verge of walking.  He has very good balance.

10 July 2020 (Fri) – It was an overcast day with rain on and off. Tropical Storm Fay was pummeling the Jersey coast today but we didn’t get it too badly.  Paul and I went shopping at PetCo for pet food and ShopRite for some groceries.  Boy. Was the grocery store crowded!  And we forgot to bring our own bags so the cashier charged us for 3 bags.  Glad we didn’t buy a lot.

     Caiden wanted to come into the trailer so badly today but the weather was lousy and I wasn’t going to put Bonnie out.  Caiden came out and we stood outside in the drizzle talking for about an hour. Later, I went into the house and we played for about 2 hours.

 9 July 2020 (Thu) – We packed up and left Newburgh at 10:45 am.  It took almost 4 hours to drive down to Long Island. We were surprised with all the traffic on the road.  We came through the boroughs and had traffic and construction that caused us to creep along through congested spots.    

      Caiden was so happy to see us!  He ran out and gave me a hug, then ran back to the porch to watch us park the rig in the driveway.  When Paul had the RV positioned well, I had Caiden help finish the set up by pushing buttons to open the slides.  After we were set up, we visited for a bit and watched him swimming in his little pool. After dinner, I took Caiden to Carvel and picked up ice cream for him and Miranda (Kenny was working and Paul and I are on a diet).  We brought it back home and they enjoyed the treat out on the back deck.

 8 July 2020 (Wed) – Just hung around the campground most of the day.  We did run out to fuel the truck and get ready for tomorrow’s move.

 7 July 2020 (Tue) – We visited with the sales manager here at the campground. We had interviewed him last year and reconfirmed the amenities and costs.  The nightly fee actually went down.  He also promised to coordinate a bus tour into New York City for us.  He offered to pick up our order for bagels and juice and even stated he could arrange a catered meal right here in the campground.

     We came back and did laundry then just hung out for the day.

 6 July 2020 (Mon) – We started out for West Point but would up sidetracked to the Historic Huguenot District.  It was two blocks of old stone houses built in the late 1600s/early 1700s by early French settlers.  The visitor’s center was closed and none of the buildings were open.  We walked up and down the street, admiring the architecture from the street.

     We then continued on to the West Point Military Academy.  The visitor’s center was closed, as well as the tour operations office.  There was no one to ask anything of.  The day was a loss in that regard.    

 5 July 2020 (Sun) – We drove over to the Mohonk Mountain House today.  Thought we’d check them out for the farewell dinner and then take a hike around the area.  Unfortunately, they now have a gatehouse to control access to the place. They have us a brochure to look at and a telephone number to call but wouldn’t let us go in.  

     Then we drove by another restaurant but they were closed.  No signs on the door.  We couldn’t tell if they were just closed or if they had gone out of business. Cross them off the list.

     We made a quick stop at the grocery store so Paul could pick up milk for his coffee then returned to the campground.  We got to enjoy another campfire tonight.  Two in a row. Wow.!

     We drove into Newburgh and took a stroll on the Walkway Over the Hudson.  It was an old railroad trestle over the Hudson River built back in the late 1800s.  It was repurposed into a level concrete walkway that stretched for more than a mile and a third.  We walked out to the middle, took a selfie, and walked back.  The day was lovely.  There were lots of people on the bridge – strolling, biking, walking the dog. Almost everyone obeyed the signs and wore a mask.  Some people didn’t.  It was very warm and my mask was wet from sweat by the time we finished our walk. It was a good time.

     We drove to the FDR National Historic Site to look over the presidential library and home.  The visitor’s center was closed.

4 July 2020 (Sat) – We were going to drive to the Mohonk Mountain House today but stayed in the campground instead.  We had a small BBQ and sat before a delightful campfire.  The campground is pretty full with lots of kids.  Bonnie is barking at bicycles, skaters, and walkers. The staff came by yesterday passing out flyers about the pool.  It was going to be open today from 10 to 4.  They were having people sign up for a one-hour block of time.  The pool is limited to 25 people but they were thinking they wouldn’t be able to do that and still have people maintain their distance. We didn’t sign up.  It seemed better to leave the time slots to the kids. Normally, they would spend the whole day in the pool.  This is like a tease.  But I suppose it’s better than nothing.

 3 July 2020 (Fri) – Things have been quiet.  We have been running around trying to line up restaurants for the caravan next year.  We are now at the KOA in Newburgh for a week.  

 30 Jun 2020 (Tue) – We pulled stakes at 9:25 am.  It was a white knuckle exercise in getting out of our site. Paul had to ask the guy behind us to move then he backed up the RV to get out.  Trees and other RVs and yard “stuff” in the area made it impossible to pull out from our pull-through site.  Paul did it perfectly!  He is so good in moving our big monster.  It’s almost like it’s an extension of his physical being.  Just imagine maneuvering 54’ of truck and trailer.  I can’t do it!

     We arrived at Shadowbrook RV Resort at a little past 11:30 am (it was a very short drive).  This campground only has 18 campsites for transients.  Again, we’ve been undone by the seasonal campers.  After set up, we drove to four separate campgrounds and all gave the same answer – no room at the inn!  The last campground we stopped at recommended the KOA up on Route 20. We’ll try them tomorrow.

     We drove by the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  They are on a limited opening.  I left a business card and someone will call me back.  I also sent emails to the tour director for the NY Capitol in Albany and the USS Slater.  Communications continue with other venues as well.

 29 Jun 2020 (Mon) – We drove to another campground this morning to check it out.  It turned out to only have 4 available campsites for transients.  The rest are filled with seasonals.  Too bad.  It was a really nice campground right on Saratoga Lake.

     On the way back to the campground, we refueled for tomorrow’s trip and picked up chicken and water.  Bonnie has diarrhea again.  It just seems to be something that she’s going to go through on a regular basis no matter what we give her.

 28 Jun 2020 (Sun) – We left Ticonderoga at 9:20 a.m.  It rained a little in the three hours it took us to arrive at Adventure Bound RV Resorts & Campground.  The campsite we got was very tight while Paul had to maneuver around a parked van, trees, and lawn decorations.  This campground, although very large (over 300 campsites), would not suit our group and many campers are seasonal.  The RV next to us hasn’t been moved in years.

     As soon as we were set up, we headed out.  First stop was at Chili’s for lunch.  We both had a grilled chicken salad.  Tummies full, we drove to four different campgrounds.  Two wouldn’t fit the group, one had no one in the office, and the other took our phone number to give to the owner.  It was not a very productive day.  Hope things get better tomorrow.

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped at Hannaford to pick up groceries. It was a nice supermarket.  Why can’t we get any of these grocery stores on Long Island?

 27 Jun 2020 (Sat) – It was a light day.  We just hung out around the campground today.  I made some calls and updated the files on what we’ve collected so far.  The poor wifi service here is maddening!  Even the cell service is poor.  I’m glad we won’t be staying here as a group but I worry the other campground might be just as bad.  After all, we are now in the mountains.

 26 Jun 2020 (Fri) – We drove into Lake Placid today.  It is a small town.  The Olympics Museum was closed.  We decided to have the group explore the museum then go out about the town on their own.  There is a lot to see in this little tourist town.  

     We then drove to Whiteface Mountain.  We wanted to drive up the Veterans Memorial Highway to the peak.  Unfortunately, it was $25 per car to drive up.  I thought that was too much money to go up there and find everything closed (not that there is that much up there to see other than the view).  We turned around and left.  

     Right next to the entrance for Whiteface Mountain is Santa’s North Pole Workshop. We came up here twice with the kids when they were little.  The workshop is still there with the post office that will send off a letter or postcard with the North Pole return address.  The park was also closed.

     We drove to Ausable Chasm, the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks.  It was beautiful.  We spoke with the sales manager and got information on a walking tour, float trip, and lunch at the center.  It will be a nice touch for the group.  Up the hill right next to the chasm center is the Underground RR Museum. It is in a beautiful old stone building. It was closed but a woman stepped out of the building to speak with us.  The cost to explore the museum is free and the place is very small.  Guess we’ll have the group break up into smaller groups to tour the museum.

     We also checked out two other campgrounds.  The KOA seems like the best option at this point.  It would have been nice to stay at the North Pole Hundred Acre Woods Campground but they don’t take groups of more than six rigs.  Oh, pooh!

     After we got back to the campground, we did the laundry.  

 25 Jun 2020 (Thu) – Well, we learned today why a scouting trip is so important. We left 1000 Islands CG and headed out to Ticonderoga, 170 miles away.  The GPS in the truck tried to route us though Canada.  It would have added 100 miles to our trip!  Instead, we followed the route on my phone.  The trip went through Adirondack Park.  We saw mountains but the elevation never got much over 2,000’.  The roads were narrow and winding and the driving was slow but we got here safe and sound.  The scenery is beautiful with occasional glimpses of the lakes and rivers beside the road.

     It turns out that this campground does not have enough campsites for our group – they are mostly for seasonal campers.  Paul went through a list and found an alternative campground.  In fact, he changed two campgrounds for one and we now have another stop on our itinerary.

    After set up, we drove to Brookwood RV Resort and interviewed the owner for a possible stay there.  They are a very popular campground and she suggested we get our reservations in ASAP. The only thing we don’t like is that we wouldn’t all be together.  Everyone would be spread around the campground.

     We drove down the road to another campground owned by the U.S. Forest Service but it was closed.  We then drove into the town of Ticonderoga.  The Star Trek Museum and Fort Ticonderoga were both closed due to the pandemic.  We walked into a luncheonette across the street from the Star Trek Museum to see about a lunch for the group.  Our group could go to the museum at 10, go to lunch at 11 (it’s a little early but that’s what they want), then take a tour of the fort. The other option is to wait on lunch until 2 pm, which is kind of late.  I don’t like either option.

     As we were driving around, we spotted an old stone chapel in a graveyard.  We parked and went in to explore it.  It reminded me of the Viking church on display in DisneyWorld.

 24 Jun 2020 (Wed) – We drove over to Alexandria Bay this morning.  We stopped at U.S. Boat Tours which I had emailed to ask about a tour of the Singer and Boldt Castles.  We checked at the window to find out what time the shuttles and tours ran.  After getting the times, we decided to have the group go to the Boldt Castle at 10 a.m., come back to town, wander the shops, and have lunch.  At 2 p.m., we’ll have everyone come back and take the tour to the Singer Castle.

     Afterward, we drove around the area, checking out different places.  We also drove over to Wellesly Island and looked at the state parks and golf courses there.  We also stopped by the ice cream shoppe in front of the campground to find out about an ice cream social.  They sell 3-gallon containers of ice cream for $45.  The lady suggested butter pecan as an older person’s favorite flavor.

23 Jun 2020 (Tue) – We packed up and left Stow at 9:15 a.m.  The drive was easy but took almost 4 hours.  When we arrived, the office was closed (we had checked in online), and a note on the door told campers to proceed to their assigned site.  After set up, we left a message for the campground manager asking for a meeting.

     We drove to Clayton where Main Street was under construction and closed to traffic. We had seen a delightful hotel with a restaurant years ago that boasted the original Thousand Islands dressing had been invented there.  Unfortunately, the restaurant went out of business.  We spoke with a manager at Bella’s.  The restaurant was pleasant but she said they did not want to have a large group in to dine during their peak season.  She preferred to cater a meal of assorted wraps, salads and desert and suggested we eat at the Antique Boating Museum.

     We drove past both the Thousand Islands Museum and the Antique Boating Museum. They were both closed.  I sent emails asking about admission and meals. This is becoming very frustrating. Many of the businesses that I have sent emails to have not answered.

     When we got back to the campground, we met with the campground camp host.  Whe was very chatty and gave us lots of information about the area.  I have to follow up with an email so she can share it with the owner.

 22 Jun 2020 (Mon) – We drove to Seneca Falls today, noting the mileage to various areas along the way.  Everything we wanted to see was closed.  The National Women’s Hall of Fame, although the name was displayed on the front of the building on Main Street, is no longer there.  A woman in the visitor center told us it was relocated to a mill across the bridge but the coronavirus had stopped the set-up and opening of the center in its new location.  We drove over and saw that it will be 3 stories high and promises to be a good stop. There is also a National Women’s Rights Museum on Main Street and a couple of houses around Seneca Falls that people could tour if they wanted.

     Waterloo, birthplace of Memorial Day, is next to Seneca Falls.  There is an American Civil War Museum and memorial graveyard in town.  I think it would be appropriate to include it in our itinerary but Paul thinks it is too much.  If so, we will certainly have to suggest it as a stop on their own.

     We stopped at Ventosa Vineyards to see about a group lunch after the Seneca Falls tour.  There is a lovely deck area outside overlooking the lake.  The woman we spoke with suggested we send an email to the catering manager.

     We then stopped at Belhurst Castle.  They have a very attractive stone room with an intimate setting for lunch that also looks out at the lake.  The man we spoke with gave us a menu and suggested we coordinate with the catering manager.  I sent emails out to both managers.

 21 Jun 2020 (Sun) – We packed up and left Bath at 9:50 a.m.  It was only 95 miles to Red’s Twilight on the Erie RV Resort in Macedon, near Rochester.  We arrived about noon.  The office was closed.  Our registration packet was sitting on a table.  As we were preparing to drive to our campsite, the owner pulled up and led us to our place.  She was very friendly and gladly agreed to meet with us later.

     After set up, we cased the campground while walking the dog (it was too hot to let Sheba out – 90 degrees!) then went to the office and sat down with Barb. She said they would give us 10 percent off for military discount.  We were all sitting around the table with our masks on and it got very hot.  I was sweating like crazy.  I sure was glad when the meeting was over.

    We drove into Rochester to the George Eastman Museum.  It was closed.  We then drove to The Strong Museum of Play.  That was also closed.  It is a very large museum and looks like it will be fun.  We then drove to a restaurant recommended by Barb.  It was too far from The Strong to have people walk to it so we will have lunch in the museum then explore the museum.  There is a restaurant inside.

     On the way back to the campground, we stopped at Wegmans Supermarket.  What a huge store!  It had to be the largest supermarket we’ve ever been in.  And it was neat and clean and attractive. Everyone in the store was wearing a mask and the staff was actively wiping things down and making sure everything was sanitized.  

 20 Jun 2020 (Sat) – We drove to the Finger Lakes Boating Museum to meet the Administration Assistant and see the wine cellar where they host catered meals.  It is a lovely room and we are sure the group would like it.  We would probably have the tour of the museum first (there are 3 floors in the museum) then go to the bottom floor for a lunch.  

     After meeting with Nancy Wightman, we drove back to the KOA to meet with the Office Manager.  We sat outside at a picnic table, all in our masks, and discussed what they could offer the caravan next year.  Elaine is pregnant and will be out on maternity leave for a while.  This could cause a problem with coordination but we will see how it shakes out.

     While driving out and about, we stopped at a nearby fish hatchery.  It was closed but they had an observation pool with three kinds of trout in it – brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout.  What is weird is that the brook trout is the only native species to the area, yet the hatchery doesn’t raise them – only the other two species.

     We drove around to check out some other places.  There is a VA Center and National Cemetery a couple of miles down the road.  We rode around the cemetery looking at the gravestones.  We also gathered information about other services in the area – RV dealers, hospital, clinic, vets, foodstore, etc.

     We had a campfire tonight.  There is nothing more intoxicating that the smell of a campfire.

 19 Jun 2020 (Fri) – We packed up and left Chautauqua at 9:30.  The weather was good and the drive was pleasant.  We arrived at the Bath-Hammondsport KOA around noon.  They had sent an email asking us to pre-register/check-in.  I did that.  When we arrived, Paul stayed in the truck while I went in.  The clerk confirmed our information and gave us our map and paperwork. This is a lovely campground.  We have been here before and am sure the caravan will enjoy the place.

     We drove around town, trying to find a restaurant to have a welcome dinner in. The three restaurants we chose were all too small and two of them were still closed.  The thirde, the Stone Timber Inn, does catering.  We took the chef’s card and left.  On the way back to the campground, we stopped at an American Legion post and took a look at their hall.  We asked about renting the hall and the bartender gave us the rental agent’s phone number along with the commander’s number.  

     The campground is working hard to ensure people are having a good time, despite the spacing restriction from the coronavirus.  They delivered a packet to make s’mores with.  Folks were invited to make s’mores and post pictures on the facebook page. They also gave us free firewood. It made a delightful fire.  They also had a cornhole contest where people who had the game in their rig wee encouraged to play and report their results.

 18 Jun 2020 (Thu) – We went to the office at 9:30 a.m. to speak with the campground owner.  The doors were locked.  Some guy came out in to the hall, looked at us at the door then went back into his office. How rude!  I then called the office and the owner answered.  We sat at the table outside on the deck and interviewed the guy about the facilities and what he would do for the group. Satisfied, we told him we would send a check and wanted to leave him a book.  He said he was in his office.  When we told him the door was locked, he laughed and said he forgot to open it then stepped out and took the book.

    We drove 20 minutes to the Grape Discovery Center to see what it looked like.  It was closed.  We parked and walked around, peeking in the windows.  It looks like it would be a nice experience for our group next year, so we will include it in the itinerary.

     We found a laundromat in a house (ah, country life).  We put the clothes in the washer then drove to a Mazza’s Winery and had a flight of wines.  Then we returned to the laundromat house and put the clothes in the dryer.  We walked around the town of Mayville while our clothes tumbled.

     After we collected the clothes, we drove to Jamestown to check out the Lucy-Desi Museum and the National Comedy Center.  Unfortunately, they, too, were both closed because of the pandemic. This situation is going to make it hard to develop a budget for the caravan.

     Paul located a WalMart and we did some food shopping.  We are starting a diet and needed to pick up all the right kinds of foods.  I just planned 4 days and the frig is chocked full.  I will not be able to shop a week at a time, that’s for sure.

     The check-in time for this campground is 6 p.m. (check-out is 5 p.m.).  We’ve never seen such a late time for check-in. We asked if the owner would put that aside for us when our group comes next year.  

17 Jun 2020 (Wed) – We left Marblehead, Ohio, at 8:20 a.m.  It was a long drive today so we left early.  The drive was over 4 hours and took us along the lakeshore of Lake Erie, through Pennsylvania and into New York.  The campground looks like it was a KOA at one time. Our campsite is a pull through with a concrete surface.  The campground is on Chautauqua Lake.  The pool, the store, and all group centered places are closed due to the pandemic. You have to wear a mask in the office.

     After set up, we drove into Mayville to meet with the operations manager of the Chautauqua Belle paddlewheeler.  He was a young man who seemed to be coordinating a group tour for the first time. We went over is suggested schedule and agreed on an itinerary.  He will draw up a contract and send it to us.

     Then we drove down the road to the Chautauqua Institution.  It is one of the stops on the itinerary Mike put together and we wanted to look at it.  It’s not very clear why we should take a tour of the place.  It seems like a private community with very lovely homes on the lake. The roads are very narrow and seem to wind aimlessly around the neighborhood.  There is a beautiful old hotel where he suggested we have lunch. We wanted to get some information about the place but the visitor’s center was closed.  I’ll have to send an email.

     We drove to Jamestown and picked up food at Pet Smart.  Then Paul drove up the other side of the lake to the center where the interstate crossed the lake.  We got back to the campground at 5 p.m.

[thisaintascenereviews]

Album Review by Bradley Christensen Brian Fallon – Painkillers Record Label: Island Release Date: March 11 2016

Ever since I first listened to heartland rock, folk-punk, punk blues, and alt-rock band The Gaslight Anthem back in 2010 (awhile after third LP, American Slang, was released), I yearned for frontman Brian Fallon to release a solo album. It’s funny how things work out, too, because The Gaslight Anthem announced a hiatus in the summer of 2015. That’s not a good thing, obviously, because The Gaslight Anthem are one of my favorite bands, and one of the best rock bands in the scene today, but out of the ashes of TGA’s hiatus, rose Fallon’s solo career. In 2016, just a couple of years ago, we were gifted Painkillers, his debut solo album, and you know what? It was a really, really great album. The album took some time to grow on me, whether it was for the album having a more accessible and radio-friendly sound (that was intentional, too, since Fallon wanted to write some hook-heavy songs for his debut solo LP), or that it was a different sound compared to The Gaslight Anthem at all. If anything at all, the album sounded a lot like Tom Petty’s solo records – heartland rock with traces of pop-rock, soft-rock, country, Americana, folk, and blues. Painkillers took some time for the album to grow on me, but when it did, I fell head over heels for it. It was on my yearend list, too, right in the top ten, because it was that good. When I looked at the album for what it was, and what it was trying to do, I was instantly on board. The album reminds me a lot of my favorite TGA album, 2012’s Handwritten, because of how accessible the album sounds throughout itself. Recently, Fallon released his sophomore LP, Sleepwalkers, so I wanted to revisit Painkillers, as well as every other album of Fallon’s. I have to say, folks, Painkillers holds up incredibly well. It’s one of the best albums of Fallon’s discography, honestly, because it’s both a sequel to 2012’s Handwritten, as well as a sequel to 2014’s Get Hurt.

I’m sure you’re wondering how this album can be a sequel to two albums at once, but I’ll tell you, folks. It’s a sequel to Handwritten, because of its overall tone and use of similar ideas. The sound isn’t similar at all, nor is the lyrical content an extension of the album, but this album reminds me a lot of Handwritten, because these are both albums that are more accessible and straightforward in tone / sound, but they have fantastic lyrics and vocals, as well as a unique take on a classic and timeless sound, so they feel like they’re sequels to one another. The only difference is that Handwritten sounds more like Springsteen, whereas Painkillers sounds more like Petty. How this record is a sequel to Get Hurt, the band’s “last” album is a bit more interesting, because the last few records Fallon’s put out all seem to relate to one another. When writing and recording Get Hurt, Fallon was going through a divorce from his ex-wife of ten years, so Get Hurt was a somber, dark, and rather upsetting record that shows a lot of heartbreak and grief being poured into the vocals and lyrics. Painkillers is the logical progression from that record; it’s about coming to terms with that heartbreak, and dealing with it, versus letting it consume you. It’s all about moving on. That’s a theme that I can very much relate to, since just a year prior to its release, I had to do that very thing, so when I really sat down and listened to the lyrics, I understood exactly what the album was. One of my favorite lines comes from the opening track, “A Wonderful Life,” where Fallon says, “I’m not trying to survive, I just want a wonderful life.” It’s a good summarization of the entire record’s theme, but it’s a noble one at that. Listening to it now, a couple of years, the album resonates even more. Not because I went through a lot more, per se, but I can really understand what he was doing and saying with the record. I think Painkillers is one of my favorite Fallon projects, both because I really enjoy its more accessible and hook-heavy Americana / heartland rock sound, but its lyrics are very hard-hitting, too.

I can understand if some people really aren’t feeling this album, because it’s definitely different from The Gaslight Anthem, but that’s what Fallon wanted. Going into this LP, and even before it came out, he had a sense of pressure to live up to the glory that was The Gaslight Anthem (even though a lot of people didn’t care for Get Hurt, which is a shame, since I love it), so he wanted to make an album that removed himself from that prior sound. It worked, too, since he hasn’t made this radio-friendly, since it’s got more of a focus on catchy hooks and breezy melodies. I really like that, though, because Fallon shows his ability to craft concise pop songs on this record. Painkillers manages to do a lot throughout its 40-minute runtime. It’s a very short album, and that’s one reason it works very, very well. I can see some people thinking it’s too bland, and you’re not totally wrong, since it’s nothing really that unique or revolutionary, but that’s not what Fallon was trying to do. His idea was pay homage to artists that he was influenced by, and that he loved, by having more of a simplistic and accessible sound on the record. I’d give this album a listen, though, especially if you love The Gaslight Anthem. My favorite album from that band is Handwritten, so when I realized that Fallon was essentially trying to recreate it, I instantly got on board with it. This might be a “grower” for some people, though, and I can totally understand that, since it’s got a less nuanced sound to it, but I love it for that. Fallon purposely wanted to do something different for this album, and it worked out wonderfully. This is easily one of the best albums he’s ever put out, and I’ve been extremely happy to revisit it, because it’s not only held up considerably well during the last couple of years, but I feel as though it’s only gotten better. If you haven’t listened to this yet (truth be told, most TGA fans already have, since their hiatus hit some people awfully hard), you’re really missing out, folks, because it’s one of the best albums of Fallon’s career.