Spreading the cards...

Helping out a friend

2011-04-23T20:08:00.001-07:00

Looking for some interesting items to buy? Go here: http://shop.ebay.com/goddessgal/m.html?

Save Heroes, save the world!

2009-12-11T14:07:00.000-08:00

From it's premiere back in September 2006, Heroes was bold and different. It's also the first show that I've found that was truly interactive. While other shows I was and am a fan of merely gave me fodder for fanfic I never bothered to share, Heroes has provided me and other fans with emails, text messages, and online graphic novels with even more online content later on. Even back when Heroes was hailed as a "Phenomenon" by critics there were still the naysayers, there always are. The second season was cut short due to the writers' strike, and the naysayers just got louder. I remember back during season 3 there was not only the issue of naysayers to deal with, and folks jumping on their bandwagon, but also some spammers cropped up on fan discussion sites with bogus links and a bogus story about a lawsuit. Still others showed up on fan boards just to talk trash. Now here we are in the middle of the 4th season break. The naysayers are getting louder and what's worse is that now some of the fans who had previously fought so hard for the writers during the strike, and defended Heroes to the naysayers are joining in on the negativity.

While I'll admit that Heroes is not perfect, I do think anyone who calls himself or herself a true fan of the show should at least see the current storylines play out before they abandon Heroes totally. Yeah, I'll be honest, and admit to having thought about leaving in the past myself. But it was not because I didn't like some of the plot twists but because I feared for the safety of my favorite character, Claude, whom a lot consider just a background character. Fortunately, things have been OK for him thus far, but what really confuses me is why so many fans are jumping ship now over one of the storylines currently playing out, a storyline that started last season. When Sylar killed Nathan, back at the close of season 3, and Angela and HRG made Matt brainwash Sylar into thinking he was Nathan, I figured it wouldn't last forever. Some fans did leave then but I don't understand why some fans are all up in arms over Sylar getting his body back. This isn't the only thing that prompted me to write this post either. There was this article: http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/secrets-revealed-and-ever.php and the comments that producer Adam Armus makes are troubling to me. He may not have meant to come across this way, but he sounds to me like some of the staff are giving up hope of the series continuing. I really hope I've just misunderstood. But if I haven't things are quite bleak.

Have we no hope left?

I won't deny that things in the real world are far from stellar, far from it. Depending upon where you are and what your situation is they range anywhere from mildly depressing to abysmal. I repeat what I said in another post in my LJ and reiterate that we need Heroes, not only for the escapism but also as an inspiration to use what we have to make the world a better place. I also find it ironic that at a time of year when most Americans are giving thanks so many seem like they aren't even grateful for what they do have. So while I am a bit down and confused I will still be grateful.

I'm grateful we've had 4 seasons of Heroes this far and even when it's not at its best it's still well worth watching. This series is truly inspiring and as my title says "Save Heroes, save the world!"

I'm grateful for the entire creative team behind Heroes and I include EVERYONE who makes the show possible in that from the writers, directors, producers, actors, set crew, props folks, makeup personnel, stunt workers, gophers, computer effects people to anyone else that had a hand in making things come together. You do good work. Keep doing it!

I'm grateful for such a rich online and interactive experience and all the emails, text messages, webisodes, tagged media, i-Stories, and graphic novels it brings. Thank you for all your hard work.

I'm grateful for the Heroes fan boards and discussion groups online, even if a few sites have vanished. Thank you for all your hard work website runners.

Most of all I'm grateful for Claude Rains and I thank everyone who helped not only to bring him both on screen and into the graphic novels. Just please don't kill him off writers, you'll break my heart.

So I'm not abandoning Heroes. My loyalty is not easily earned or easily discarded. I'm in for the long haul.

Given the new blog rules that came out I should point out that I am writing this blog of my own free will. I am receiving no compensation of any kind, nor am I and employee of NBC/Universal or Comcast. I don't work for Tim Kring or any of his associates. What I do for work is work 40+ hours a week on the 11-7 shift as an RN on a Geriatrics and Hospice unit. I blog for fun and when I have a point to make or a cause to support. Right now Heroes is that cause. Save Heroes, save the world!

(PS feel free to snag the banner and/or my icon to show your support)

Why I won't EVER accept a certain ship

2009-12-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

Let me start this off by saying that I'm not homophobic nor am I anti-gay. Having said that I'm rather irked at the fact that the rule of thumb seems to be for far too many ships "Well these two cute people or interesting characters shared a scene so in fic they shall share a bed." Or the writer likes these two guys (or two gals) in these 2 different fandoms and ships them even though those 2 or more universes are mutually exclusive of each other. Then there is the fact that some just choose to ignore canon. While I don't really like her character that much, the one decent thing Lauren's arrival has done in Heroes is demonstrate that Noah Bennet is straight. Irregardless of screen caps taken totally out of context, the fact remains that with Sandra out of the picture, divorced from Noah, and dating Doug, who is Noah Bennet aka HRG chasing? That's right LAUREN a WOMAN!!!!! But long before Lauren ever showed up in a new view of the events of Season 1, I refused to accept Claude and Bennet were anything more than really close friends in the brotherly sense. Even if I bought for a minute that Claude was gay or even bi, I cannot accept that Claude would be that much of a jerk to Sandra. Stealing stuff is one thing ADULTERY against a friend is another and with what snippets we are given, we are lead to believe that Claude has not only his own ethical code but also that he was fairly close to HRG's family well. Claude even comments on how HRG was distant from Claire at about the time when HRG shot Claude. How would Claude have known that if he was not close with his coworker's family? Even if that is not the case and somehow, HRG being straight were not canon, I really don't buy that Claude would let Bennet anywhere near him after HRG shot him. This is Claude * freaking * Rains, you know the man who threw Peter off a building in an attempt to teach Peter to fly?!?!? I'm also guessing and hoping that a good many of you reading this have never been deeply betrayed by someone you cared about and truly trusted and, if you have, certainly not in such a manner that you almost died. I really hope you haven't and never are because I have. I forgave one betrayal and almost paid for that act of kindness with my life when I was betrayed yet again by that same person. If he tried to come back into my life now, after that, after almost costing me my life, he'd get yelled at, and screamed at, and told to stay the hell away from me, at the very least! I want nothing to do with that person and I figure the best revenge I can get on him is to live well after and despite the garbage he pulled and the absolute hell he put me through. I did love this person once but there is no way I'd ever let him back in my life. Having lived through that, I can't see how, or even believe that Claude would let HRG back in his life irregardless of how he felt about HRG before HRG nearly killed him. In canon, Claude BOLTED after HRG almost caught him and Peter and went not to HRG, nor anywhere near HRG, but back to the UK. And HRG and Rene the Haitian were only using tasers and not bullets, non lethal even if painful weapons. So those of you with your crazy contra-canon shipping, knock yourselves out, have a blast but don't ever expect me to believe or accept what ships you concoct, especially if they involve HRG and Claude being together. The only fic I wanna see right now with both Claude and HRG in it is Claude kicking the crap out of HRG and then walking away. As I said in my cut that I used on LJ, nothing sinks a ship like canon.

New Tattoo

2009-10-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

I've added to my tattoo collection; I just had to do it. Thanks to some awesome art by Jason Badower and my local tattoo shop, I now have the following:Oddly enough the reference pic they taped to me is right over my glyph tattoo that reads "Invisible Man." Once it heals I'll have a better pic taken and post that so you can see them all.

Rebellion: Part 7

2009-09-14T16:14:00.001-07:00

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Repost from my LJ

2009-09-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

Just realized I didn't have this entry in here:

Musing on my favorite Hero...

Oct. 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 AM

I can’t exactly pin down what it is about Claude that makes me willing to do anything for him. Granted he’s not the sort of man likely to let me anywhere near him, were I on “that side of the wall.” He’s a fictional character and I’ve fallen for him totally. I’m well aware that if by some freak of science (or perhaps science fiction) I were ever to meet Claude I’d likely get told off for being a sentimental fool. So I guess I’ll be a fool then.

This hermit hiding in plain sight, this skilled petty thief has made away with my heart. I pursue his exploits but not to get it back, but because I worship him, not in the offer sacrifices sense but in the unconditional love sense like one might worship an athlete. I know he’d be looking for the catch, the fine print, but for once there isn’t any. He was onscreen for just a bit over an hour total and that was all it took for me to fall harder for him than I ever thought I’d fall for anyone. Mind you, I fell for him even before I knew about the business of his ties to the Company and what led to them ordering Noah Bennet to try to execute him. For all his gruffness, he’s not a bad man.

Even now I can’t give just a single reason. I think of him, the blue eyes that seem to see through everything, his smug smirks, his smile, his accent, his beard, and his voice. I just hear his voice and I’m held captive. I see a picture of him and my pulse races ever so slightly. If another Heroes character merely mentions him, I am listening intently. Heck, I just hear someone mention the word “invisible” on another show, particularly Ghosthunters, and they have my attention. Should there be any warm people shaped thermal images I am so archiving the episode to tape. I’ve read and downloaded all the Claude related Graphic Novels. So I’ll say it’s everything about Claude that draws me in and yet there is more, something ineffable and as elusive to put name to as Claude is to see when he goes invisible. Yeah I’m a smitten fangirl and it’s the best I’ve felt in forever, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Rebellion: Part 6

2009-08-26T18:37:00.001-07:00

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Reaction post for GN 142

2009-08-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

Massive spoilers ahead for Heroes through the end of Season 3, IStory and all the graphic novels through 142. GN 142 can be found Here.

Well this was well worth the wait and not just because Claude Rains is in this issue either. It ties up nicely with events in "I Am Sylar." The art is gorgeous as always and the script really good as well. I just wish they'd tell us what exactly the relationship between Claude and Abby is. Is he her dad, her uncle, or just a really good friend? Is Abby the one Claude got shot for hiding? It's clear from the dialogue that Claude knew Abby's mum, whomever she was/is. Lee does not show an ability here. Either it's not showy, he hasn't manifested yet, or the Building 26 agents just grabbed him because he was with Claude and Abby when they showed up. Molly leaves with Claude so hopefully those two will be safe for some time to come as Claude has the ultimate hiding power and Molly can find anyone. I find myself wondering if there is an upgrade or evolution to Claude's power, that perhaps he could become invisible to the point where thermal goggles become useless to find him. For both his and Molly's sakes, I hope so. I wonder if Molly will have Claude take her to Matt or Mohinder or if she will prefer to remain with Claude indefinitely. Having seen through the end of season 3, I know Sylar doesn't kill Micah. Micah even appeared in a recent IStory set after Season 3. It's apparent to me that Micah will go to meet up with Monica but will he reconnect with the rest of the Rebellion team again? In GN 132 it very much looks like Sparrow and West had been working together but got separated and West runs into HRG while trying to help Alex evade capture. In this GN though I can understand why West got "A little excited" as he puts it when confronting the scientist working for Building 26. After what the Company did to West, and what he's seen this new group doing, it's understandable. While I enjoyed this GN I'm sad to see this arc come to an end. I really enjoyed the whole arc and watching the Rebellion team working together through it. Prior to this issue, it wasn't just Claude I was worried about but the whole group. Granted they are out of immediate danger, for now. Will the new Company and/or the mysterious Carnival now try to recruit the Rebellion team or their friends? I'm just glad that for now they all live to fight another day.

"Everybody LIVES!" - the Ninth Doctor Doctor Who

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra--GO SEE IT!!!!!

2009-08-10T06:09:00.000-07:00

First off let me say that I am not a professional critic, nor do I work for anyone associated with this film. What I am is a fan. I grew up with GI Joe as a kid, both the action figures and the cartoons and I'd have loved a live action movie to have been made back then. I'm also, if you have been reading this blog regularly, a big fan of Christopher Eccleston. Now I'd have seen this movie anyway, even if Chris didn't have such a prominent role in it. I also loved Stephen Sommers Mummy movies, my favorite being The Mummy Returns. SO, now that you know where I am coming from, on to the film!

I loved it and not just Chris' scenes. You also don't have to be an GI Joe fan to understand what is going on. The film will show you whatever backstory is key. It's sci-fi action adventure with some drama and just a really fun time. I won't spoil anything in this review but the effects are mind blowing, there are good looking men and women in interesting costumes with interesting tech, and there are explosions, lots of explosions. There is also a really cool underwater battle (think Thunderball with a massive upgrade). There are plenty of plot twists but not overly complicated and you actually care about what these characters get up to, regardless of whom you are cheering for.

Now, for those critics who complained about Chris' accent, let me just say that I thought it was consistent, well done, understandable, and made it clear that his character was Scottish. And for those of you who would still complain about all things Gaelic let me just say "Plughaugh mah hon!" and while I'm unsure on the spelling it does convey my sentiment.

Ivory Tower

2009-07-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

I am at once both isolated and connected. While I'm glad I have contact with so many friends via internet, there are times I feel I might as well be in an ivory tower in another dimension. Seriously, I have friends all over the world but beyond listening, reading, and offering advice when needed, I feel kinda useless. If folks were closer, I'd most definitely be helping out in other ways. I'm just glad they stay in touch as they are able. Even though I'm a bit of an introvert, if I call someone friend I do not do so lightly and I do my best to help but lately I'm feeling rather powerless. And no, I don't want anyone to cut contact or stop sending me info, I just wish someone could show me a more direct way to help.

Heck, even in interactive fiction with Heroes ARG/360/Evolution interactive component, I am stuck on the sidelines as far as aiding any canon characters goes. Sure I could create someone new, even several someones new to aid as part of the new Survival game but I'm far more interested in helping existing canon ones most especially Claude as well as Micah.

GN 141

2009-07-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already done so, go here: http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/novels/novels_display.shtml?novel=141

I mean it, spoilers ahead!

Just got canonical confirmation that as of the time at which this GN is set Claude is alive. Both he and Lee survived the building collapse. Mind you I don't doubt Claude's fighting prowess but he's the invisible man not the invincible man. Given the odds he was up against, he still fought quite impressively and I don't think any less of him for getting captured. I'm glad to see that both he and Lee survived the building collapsing. Interesting that Claude was again willing to throw himself in harm's way. I hope they show us next issue exactly what the connection between Claude, Abigail and Lee is and why he who was running scared from Peter's apartment is now willing to throw himself into the fight. I don't find it out of character at all as I'm sure there is a reason. Perhaps it is just that Claude now fears for the fate of his people.

I am also very worried about where Monica is and about what Molly saw happening to her. Given Molly's reaction, it can't be good.

I still fear for the fates of Claude, Monica, Molly, Abby, and Lee. Having seen All of season 3 and all the GNs set after this, I know Micah, West, and Sparrow make it out of this mess. And I know that had I been there, in any capacity I'd have done all in my power to help. Yeah I know it's fiction, but had I the ability, or were it real, I wouldn't hesitate to pitch in especially if it meant saving Claude.

Analogy

2009-07-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

I think I have come up with the best analogy for what a bad night at work is like for me. Combine this level of insanity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q16KpquGsIc (rated G)

With this Poem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejKIgsR5W6k (Rated R for Language, if the "F word" offends you don't watch it.)

The downside to work of course is I don't have Ronald MacDonald (Japanese or otherwise) to laugh at and it's usually the patients moving like that and I have to try to keep them from hurting themselves. Nor do I have the gorgeous and talented Christopher Eccleston to keep me from going insane. And people wonder why I keep a picture of Chris as Claude on the desk.

Dream 5 July 2009

2009-07-06T01:53:00.000-07:00

I saw Claude in London, and although I could see him in my dream, I know he was invisible to the other people there. He was walking around alone, invisible and looked exhausted. He walks by Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square and then makes his way to St. Paul's Cathedral and sits down on the steps. I got the impression he was planning to leave London. I was not physically present. I was just watching everything. I woke up a few minutes after Claude sat down.

Newest Dream (short one)

2009-06-29T17:26:00.000-07:00

I was having trouble sleeping early this Monday morning. Most of the dreams I had were kind of boring save for one brief one. I saw this white wooden archway with the words "Claude's Return" painted on it in black lettering. I only saw it for like 30 seconds before I woke up. Although I did manage to sleep after that, I didn't see the archway (or Claude or any indication of his presence) in my dreams after that :(

Playlist

2009-06-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

Now that I've figured out how, here's my playlist (in case the sidebar one isn't loading right) These all came from here, where you can not only download the audio book but also read the stories.

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Cool dream on my birthday

2009-06-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

Well my latest dream, that I had this morning, was cool and not a nightmare

I was watching either a sneak peak of Heroes season 4 or an episode. Peter Petrelli was walking along this city street that looked like New York. This suited bearded businessman walks by him with a nice briefcase and a cell phone. He looks a little like Claude and Peter has a brief flashback to meeting Claude but then he follows the man a few steps to get a better look and as the camera does a closeup on the businessman the audience can clearly see that this is not the man called Claude Rains. Peter stands for a moment, looking a bit dejected. Then you can hear Claude's theme music start playing and the camera pans around and Claude is standing a little bit behind Peter, wondering why Peter can't see him. Claude proceeds to follow Peter.

I remember thinking, "YAY!! Claude is back and he's ALIVE!!" and then suddenly I'm watching the scene play out again but this time as though I'm there and it's occurring around me though I am unseen and intangible. Then I woke up.

I dunno that it means anything but it was still pretty cool.

Hot 50 list

2009-06-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

Found one these via Google alerts. Sadly I can't do 50. Just one:

#1 Christopher Eccleston

Looks hot all the time but this is my favorite look and role for him as Heroes Claude Rains.

Are any of us sane in this mad world?

2009-06-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

One need only turn on the nightly news to see what a mess things are. I see it first hand nearly every night at work. I can't give specifics but what I can tell you is that I see mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles- upstanding members of society breakdown mentally, weep uncontrollably for a reasons they don't even know, and become otherwise demented and confused. While I am well aware that there are infections and diseases such as Alzheimer's that can cause and exacerbate these afflictions, I also know that science is seeking not only a cure but also the cause of these dementia diseases. The thought occurred to me this past evening that perhaps the state of the world might be an important factor. I also have to wonder if this is the fate that awaits all of us: that if our minds don't fail us our bodies will fall apart instead.

Make no mistake, I do love my patients. If I didn't I'd quit nursing. I wish I could do more to help them, but in this chaos, that seems to be so omnipresent of late, I have to wonder if anyone is truly sane.

So, one might wonder what keeps me from despairing at the seeming futility of it all, and what keeps me from chucking in the towel, and what keeps me persevering even in this adversity. Perhaps that should be who rather than what. The answer is Claude.

Maybe I'm crazy to hang my hopes on a fictional hero or to steer my ship by the light of an unseen star, but it's better than not doing anything at all. It's no more risky than hanging my hopes on a "real" guy, one who could be taken away in an instant, or turn from anchor to albatross or from ally to enemy in the time it takes to type and refine this entry. So let me dream and hope and I will do my best to keep going and to fix my own small isle of chaos in this insane world.

Some might wonder what I see when I look at Claude, provided he's not invisible. It's not just his beautiful face, though I will admit I do like to look it him (or perhaps stare at would be more accurate). I see a kindred spirit, another outsider. I see a man who could use someone who won't betray him, if not as a friend at least as an ally. I see someone whom I could and would trust. I see someone who won't sugarcoat things and tell me a load of malarkey to spare me a hard truth. I see someone I would be willing to lay down my life for. It's not that I want to die, I don't, but if it ever, in some bizarre set of circumstances were to come down to it being him or me, I'd gladly sacrifice myself to save Claude.

Some seek sunshine, I look for Rains.

I need a break and I need to rant about something

2009-06-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

I grew up with the slogan "Calgon, take me away!" and although it's been ages since I've taken a bubble bath and even longer since I used Calgon to do so, I find myself repeating this phrase more and more often of late. I usually relax in the shower, and at times will visualize all the stress and negative energy going away down the drain with the physical debris. Unfortunately, lately, even with that, I'm plagued by nightmares, even when I am allowed to rest and sleep. Often these nightmares involve my job. Those of you following me regularly know that I am an 11-7 RN in a geriatric and hospice setting. While I cannot give you the specifics of what stresses me out at my job, due to confidentiality, I can tell you that my job would be easier if my patients actually slept at night. Unfortunately, also, it doesn't seem to matter where you work in nursing as there will always be politics involved and not the voting/running for office kind either. The one bit of solace I have is that the nightmares I've been having involve highly unlikely occurrences, ones I am all too happy to awaken from. I've tried many tricks to wind down and relax when I get home, so that not only will I be able to sleep but also, when I do sleep, that my dreams will be pleasant or at the very least interesting. Wearing out my 1st (of 2) copies of Heroes Season 1 discs 4 & 5, while relaxing and entertaining is not , however, a guarantee that Claude Rains will appear in my dreams.

I will tell you of the most recent dream-that I am willing to share- I had involving Claude. It was complicated and I'm sure symbolic, but I have yet to work out what all of it is supposed to mean:

I was leaving work in the morning and there was this display in our facility's main dining room of Native American art including several Zuni Items. I didn't have time to look at everything as I was tired. On the way home I had to stop for gas and when I got to the gas station it was 8am. I go in to pay and suddenly it's 10:30PM. The other 12.5 hours are just gone and rather than worry about that, I went home to my apartment with this overwhelming sense of needing to be there. When I get there, my ex-roommate, who moved out over a year ago, was there. Claude was there too, but not only was he invisible but also ethereal- not a ghost as he was very much alive but he was certainly an astral being in this dream. I could sense his presence in this dream, see him with my mind's eye and occasionally see him out of the corner of my eye. These other astral beings showed up, trying to invade my apartment via my spare bedroom. The others looked very much like the soldiers Building 26 was sending out or as my friend Eric calls them "Dankoids." Claude had a staff with him and was fighting them off and doing a really bang up job, despite being outnumbered. My ex-roommate had the power to blast the intruders away but decided to stand around complaining rather than help, even saying things like I should move rather than fight and he even went so far as to tell me Claude was saying negative things about me. Claude, who was still fighting off the flood of intruders and not missing a swing, heard what my ex-roommate had said and, in addition to calling my ex-roommate's timing inappropriate, Claude also said that it was basically a load of jealous nonsense. The ghosts of 2 former pets showed up, Rocky a Pug and Teddy a Yorkshire Terrier. They tried to help by showing where the intruders were getting in but my ex-roommate was still being useless and talking trash. There was a large array of light bulbs in my spare bedroom, and somehow the light would drive the intruders out. It tried to turn it on, to help Claude, but some of the bulbs wouldn't light. I couldn't reach all the bulbs to replace or tighten them and get the array up to full brightness. My ex-roommate could reach all the bulbs with ease but refused to help. I then did the only other thing I could think to do in the dream and I invoked the Army of Anubis (see The Mummy Returns). The Anubis Warriors showed up and expelled the remaining intruders. Claude was happy for the break and impressed but my ex-roommate was annoyed. I woke up.

As I said, I'm not sure what all of it is supposed to mean. I do know that Sparrow Redhouse is Zuni. I was happy to see Claude, even if he was ethereal. I can tell you that Rocky was my brother's dog and we lost him back in June 2008. Teddy was my family's dog and he died back in 1998. As I said, my ex-roommate moved out some time ago, early May 2008, and it wasn't a pleasant parting. Most of the last year we argued. There was a lot I felt he could and should do but didn't. About the one thing thing I can glean from this dream and my other recent and less pleasant nightmares is that I really need a break. While I very much know what reality is, I do like to "escape" into the Heroesverse when I can. I am also aware that there are other people with problems and a good deal of them worse than what I deal with, but I have learned that if I don't speak up about things bothering me or "let it out" all that stress and resentment will turn inwards and destroy me. I refuse to go that route ever again. So, I'm speaking up, even if no one is listening or reading. Putting it all down into words helps. And that brings me to my rant.

The rant is bout the fact that I keep running across people in fandom both in RP and fanfic not characterizing Claude correctly, and I'm not referring to the parody stuff either. Granted, while none of this stuff I've found is canon, and the actual canon writers have thus far done a smashing job (and hats of to Oliver Grigsby for his recent contribution), the fan created tripe I seem to keep finding really bothers me.

The least offensive wrongness wound up being basically an invisible Dr. Greg House that looked like Claude, and the worst a shameless totally out of character "pr0nfest," or smut for those of you unfamiliar with the term. While the het vs slash is an entirely separate matter which I've discussed elsewhere, I do find it ludicrously out of character that some keep pairing up Claude with Bennet post betrayal. Suspending for a moment whether or not Claude and HRG may have been friends or something else prior to HRG shooting Claude, I'd like to put forth the concept that at present Claude is broken and paranoid and has an empathy towards other specials. That said, it doesn't matter what the canonical pre-betrayal relationship was, for Claude to even trust Bennet now or worse yet get "cozy" with him is preposterous. I myself was betrayed by a former boyfriend (and this was not the one in the recent dream). I almost died as a result of that. I never want to have to deal with that man again and I really don't believe, based on all that we've seen canonically, that Claude would be any more forgiving than I, not to mention that HRG is not a special, nor has he shown Claude any reason that he would protect any specials other than Claire. And when HRG shot Claude, Claude had every reason to suspect that HRG would betray Claire as well. As I said, it's all fan created stuff that is out of character and upsetting. Lately I've even found this junk on Twitter!

Granted there is a lot we don't know about Claude but as he's my favorite character in any setting, I can tell when he is being written or played properly and it really bothers me when people get him so very wrong. So I had to sound off about it. Not to mention that this nonsense is giving me nightmares. I challenge these fans to do a better and a proper job or at least a competent one. One fan writer I wrote to, told me she's never watched Heroes! How can one expect to write properly if one has not even watched the characters he or she is writing about?!? Writing and playing Claude requires far more than pretty graphics and snark. I know it can be done, and I'm not referring to what I have done. Some of that is pure AU mental floss and I freely admit that. What I'm talking about is sdlaw (Eric) on HeroesARG and died_in_odessa on Live Journal just to name a few of the stellar examples in fandom.

As I said it's the fan created bad stuff that bothers me. The only errors regarding Claude that I've seen in canon were amusing and minor rather than anything else. The first being Flint saying that an invisible man had captured him in Texas when Claude was hiding in NYC at the time. I'd chalked that up to Flint not being terribly bright and someone else bagging him possibly with TK. As for the graphic novels, the problems are fairly minor; one colorist made Claude's hair too dark and another gave him brown rather than blue eyes, and one artist didn't draw him terribly well. This is another place where I have seen things done right and I will give due credit: I liked Michael Gaydos' work, Annette Kwok's coloring is awesome, and Jason Badower is just absolutely fantastic. I don't think I can do Jason's work justice in words. So while I do have canon stuff to both watch and read, some of you may wonder why the fan generated stuff bothers me so. As I said, some of it gives me nightmares, ones bad enough that I wish the Haitian was a real guy and aound erase them, but beyond that I'd like a few reliable sources for good fic and RP until Claude reappears in canon. I'm hoping that if he doesn't do so onscreen that he is at least featured in a multi-part graphic novel. As I said, when something really bothers me, I have to do or say something, and now I have.

What's beneath the surface?

2009-06-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if I'm invisible or transparent and not in the way I'd want to be. Folks that see me or see one or two of my posts seem to form an opinion of me and what they think I am and what I actually am may not even be close. Often times it isn't. And then there's the stuff I've seen and heard when people for whatever reason fail to see me. I know what it feels like to be betrayed. And folks that have bothered to acknowledge me and tried to get to know me a bit wonder why I'm so drawn to Heroes' Claude Rains. the trouble is, I can't always control whether I'll be seen or not or if I am seen, I have no control over whether anyone will bother to look past the surface. If you are reading my blogs on any of the sites I regularly post to, chances are you are one of those few who has taken the time to at least try to see who and what I really am. I thank you for that even if you don't bother to read this entry any further.

Some who've seen me and read a post or two may write me off as nothing more than obsessed and shallow fangirl. There's more to me than that. While I don't deny that I am obsessed with Claude from Heroes, there is a good deal more to me beyond that. I draw. I write poetry. I like to photoshop but just for fun. I am working on learning multiple languages including a couple "dead" ones. I am an actual RN who works in geriatrics and hospice. I've been a nurse 13 years and for almost 12 years I have been at the same place. I've always liked sciences and biology in particular and I wanted to make a difference, so I became a nurse. I like Renaissance Faires and gaming. Despite also being a Trekkie or a Trekker, I don't live in my parent's basement. I live in a small 2 bedroom apartment by myself and I've been here for the last 10 years. I have not only been kissed but have had 2 real boyfriends (not at the same time) and sadly they were both really disappointing. While some might blame that on my being into sci-fi, I submit that it was through sci-fi and gaming that I met them in the first place. I further feel the need to add that some (not all) guys seem to look at nurses and think "Oh, she's a nurse; she'll take care of me," and then proceed to either treat the nurse as a carpet or a surrogate mom. I refuse to be walked on anymore and I find an Oedipal complex to be a big turn off.

I am something of an amateur Egyptologist. I do have a sense of humour and it's a bit odd. I like all different kinds of music. Like it says in my Blogger profile "eclectic." Any given day I might be listening to Iron Maiden or Beethoven, Duran Duran or Dvorak, Blueman Group or Bach, ELO or Rammstein, Movie/TV soundtracks or scores or Glen Miller. If I knew how, I'd have my own fan music vids up on my You Tube channel instead of just using it to comment and favorite videos that others have made and posted. I like videogames, though if I were in better shape I would probably run. I hope to be able to get in shape soon so I can be in one of those charity marathons, maybe a small one. I'm a bit overweight and working nights doesn't make losing weight easy, though getting off some of the meds I used to take helped a bit. I've had bronchitis approximately 13 times but hopefully, if I can become a bit thinner, like maybe 40-50 pounds lighter, my lungs will be able to handle running, though I'm not terribly fast. When I was a kid I could do hurdles and sprint fairly well. The kids' hurdles aren't bad but I'd probably knock the adult ones over, even if I were lighter because I'm clumsy. While I can draw, my handwriting is horrid. Some people tell me I should have been a doctor. I can sew and I make my own costumes. A few of those I wear to either Ren Faires or to sci-fi cons. I also used to LARP but have gotten away from that due to various factors.

I like to read, a lot. I like both Goth and tie dyed clothing. And yes, I really did accidentally hang myself from a tree when I was between the ages of 5 and 7, and both my mom and my next door neighbor had to help me get out of the knot, but I didn't pass out. I decided to borrow that for a few online RPG's I'm in including the parody blog. I have very weird and sometimes vivid dreams which I've posted on my ARG/360/Evolutions blog on Imeem as well as my real blogs on MySpace, MyNBC, Live Journal, and even some to my Facebook. If you have read those entries, you know that not all of them are good dreams, and some of them come true but in a symbolic rather than literal fashion (just watch a few episodes of Medium, as that is close to how some of my dreams go). I do read tarot cards but I try to limit my readings to RP settings, because even though I'm good, I have managed to scare folks in real life. I like dogs but I have an allergy to cats. Since I was a baby, my family has had a dog. We'd maybe not have one for a couple years in between after one passed away.

I keep my hair cut short because I like it that way, it's more practical and when I have tried to grow it out I wind up looking like Velma from the live action Scooby Doo movies. While that's great for costuming and Halloween, it's kind of a pain for the everyday. I work 40 or more hours per week, so most of my time is spent wearing scrubs. I also happen to be a bit of a pack rat and keep things that I don't wear as well as a ton of collectibles. I'm trying to be better about that. I'm not a terribly great housekeeper, and even if I keep stuff clean, things tend to get cluttered at home. If I'm alone, I tend not to really cook for myself. It seems like too much fuss for one and I hate the fact that a good deal of the time I manage to burn myself. I chose the nickname Tarot back when I joined 9th Wonders in late 2006 as I wanted a heroic sounding handle. Now I use it nearly everywhere on the net or some variant of it. And as you may have noticed, I'm a bit scatter brained. I do have ADD. What else do you want to know about the real me?

Now as for Burnt Toast Diner, as I said that is a mere caricature of me, as that is a parody blog. As for the Heroes ARG/360/Evolution interactive and any variant RP's where I am myself, I am pretty much the same person as in real life. The only changes are the fact that if it's a variant fanbased RP, my knowledge of events may be limited in comparison to what I know as a fan vs what I know "in Game." My "in Game" backstory, beyond my real history for any Heroes roleplay is that the Company found me back when I was 4 and tagged me with whatever they were using back in 1977. (I based that on a bad dream I had when I was 4). The Company let me go home with my parents and my history is pretty much what it really is until 1994. In 1994, I had a brief encounter with Claude, when he and Noah Bennet (HRG) wound up at my college looking for another special. I gave Claude a tarot reading and not only saw that he was not just a paper salesman, but also that he had a gift. I also tried (unsuccessfully) to warn him that his life would be in danger in 1999 and that Noah would betray him. In Game, I then had several night mares and dreams centered around Claude getting shot and where he went after. In Game I am looking for him and I still want to help him as I feel I owe him for failing him, among other motivational factors.

GN 138 in video format

2009-06-03T10:30:00.001-07:00

AWESOME in any format

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Blog on GN 139

2009-06-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

Possible spoilers for Heroes. If you haven't read up through and including GN 139, I suggest you go here and do so now.

The Rebel story arc continues (YAY!) and while we are left wondering as to what happened to Lee and Claude after the last GN (hopefully they are both safe) this current chapter deals with Micah and his newly formed team with Abigail, West, and Sparrow trying to locate Micah's family. While Micah infiltrates the computers and security systems of Building 26, the intrepid trio infiltrate Building 26 itself, running into Peter Petrelli and Matt Parkman along the way. While they free and escape with Great Aunt Nana and Damon, Monica is still MIA. Micah is narrating the piece and keeps referring to a sacrifice. Is he referring to Matt and Peter not being in on the rescue and Matt getting caught or did something else go wrong? The last image we see is the familiar haunting text of "To be continued" captioning what looks like Micah in the cross hairs of a sniper scope, though the weapon could be packing tranquilizer darts as my friend Frank pointed out. Nice cliffhanger. I am hoping we will also find out next issue where Monica is being held (nice Super Mario Bros. reference too). While Building 26 seems to be the main holding facility, I have to wonder where the other facilities might be. In GN 138, Micah had mentioned operations in Tokyo, Melbourne, and London, but it is unknown if any of these had holding facilities like Building 26. Given that Hiro was taken stateside, I don't think Tokyo is a likely place for an alternate holding facility.

Jason Badower's art and Oliver Grigsby's writing are fantastic to put it mildly. I sincerely hope they get to team up on more GN's in the future. While this summer will be an abbreviated run compared to the every week GN's we were used to getting, if the Arc continues to be this good, it is well worth the wait. I know a couple fans had voiced complaints this issue over Abigail's and Sparrow's wardrobe but I for one like it and if I looked like or even half as good as either of those ladies I'd dress that way too!

I am very much enjoying this Rebel arc and had been interested even before Claude made his all too brief materialization last issue (you can never have too much Claude). I am hoping to see him again (or at least know he's safe) before this arc concludes. (And Claude is welcome to hide with me any time) Also, I think I should point out that via the ARG/360/Evolutions interactive I had taken the time to email and text "Micah" about Claude (and ironically also about Abigail and Lee as well) back when "Micah" gave us back access to the map and asked that we fill him in on specials in danger.

Can anyone explain this to me?

2009-06-01T05:02:00.000-07:00

Those of you following any of my blogs are aware that I am a night nurse. If you weren't, you are now. Here's what I don't understand: Why is it that so may people will demand 24 hour nursing care and yet they won't allow the nurses to sleep during the day so that they can adequately give their patients proper care on the "off" shifts. Not everyone works 9-5 but most people need a good 8 hours sleep regardless of when they work. So why is it that so many seem to think that those of us on the "Graveyard" shifts are some kind of vampires or something, that we can just nap for an hour and we're OK to function? Seriously, it bugs me. I myself have never had an easy time falling asleep and as I have gotten older I find not only do I still have a hard time going to sleep but also I really need a minimum of 8 hours uninterrupted sleep, and if that 8 hours or my sleep schedule is severely interfered with I will get migraines, bad migraines. Is it any wonder I get upset when people show up and disturb my rest, especially if it's for non essential nonsense? Where is the logic? Were I being disturbed for emergencies that would be different. I wouldn't be happy about it but I would understand that I was needed somewhere. But that is not what I get bothered for. It's people calling or knocking on my door for nonsense, or to complain about someone else whom I have no control over. I submit these callers should call the person they have the problem with and leave me be. As it is, I have had to take my home phone off the hook when I sleep because of this though I do keep my mobile phone on for emergencies. I also don't get why it is that when I worked 3-11 everyone would try to deliver stuff at 5pm and now they show up at 2pm, or the fact that the rental company where I live would do the lawn mowing/vacuuming etc 1st thing in the morning when I worked 3-11 when I was asleep and now that I work 11-7 they do it mid afternoon/ early evening when I am asleep. Can anyone explain this to me?

Blog on GN 138

2009-05-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

You just might want to go read all the current Heroes Graphic Novels up through 138 if you haven't yet, otherwise either you will be totally confused or spoiled. (sadly Blogger, MySpace, and MyNBC don't seem to have "cuts" to cloak possible spoilers)

Now that that's out of the way. The novel in question:
http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/novels/novels_display.shtml?novel=138

It's FANTASTIC!!!! The writing is great and the artwork superb. The current story arc has been following Micah as he becomes Rebel and sets up his underground railroad for specials as well as his primary Rebel team. (and , yes I was one of those who signed up for theARG/360/Evolutions interactive as well.) The previous Graphic Novel issues saw Monica captured and the long awaited introduction of Sparrow Redhouse. Sparrow was quickly recruited by Micah as was West Rosen, Claire's former boyfriend. In this issue Micah sends his team to London. There we catch up with Abigail, Lee, and Claude. Danko has apparently sent a team after the trio. While the previous issue that showed these three mostly addressed Claude trying to help Elle get back control of her powers, this issue hints that Claude staying with Abigail and Lee may be far more important than some have surmised, as it appears that Abigail and Claude may well be related, though Claude cuts Abigail off before she can tell Sparrow and West what Claude is to her, and then he asks them to get her to safety while he goes off to free Lee, whom Danko's team have captured. While on screen it was shown that Claude was shot by HRG for protecting a special, it was never spelled out exactly whom he was hiding. I think it likely that it may have been Abigail, and if she is too old to be his daughter (as some fans suppose her to be), then she is at the very least his niece or younger sister. Who else would Claude put himself into harm's way for, if not family? Plus the fact that when Claude is trying to get Bennet (HRG) to see reason, he mentions Claire several times. That can't be just coincidence. It was hinted at in Sum Quod Sum that Abigail is engaged to Lee, and she initially doesn't want to leave for fears of what may happen to Lee. When Claude won't go as well and states that he doesn't want them to get a hold of her as well, she expresses concern for him to which he replies "I'm going to make sure you still have someone to marry." which is much different from when he left Peter Petrelli's apartment in a hurry back in "Unexpected." Further to support the fact that Abigail and Claude are related, there is the fact of a similarity between her forcefield power and Claude's invisibility. This similarity in powers has been seen before with siblings like Flint and Meredith and parents and offspring like Maury and Matt. If not for the way Claude reacts to Abigail, particularly in this issue, this similarity could be ruled as merely coincidental as there has not as yet been any link shown between Nathan Petrelli and West Rosen, both of whom can fly. I am greatly looking forward to the next chapter which is due out 1, June 2009, even if the cliffhanger ending brought to mind the nightmare I had back in February.

Clarifications and a Revamp

2009-05-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

I had originally started this Blogger account for use with my friends over on the RP/Parody site: http://www.burnttoastdiner.com/ though between things tapering off over there as well as the fact that I seem to be using my account here more and more for commentary etc, I figured a revamp was in order. All the entries labeled with "Burnt Toast Diner" are just for fun and do not really reflect the real me, but merely a caricature that I use in connection with the parody. So here are some things you should know:

I am no where near as ditzy as I play things in the parody though I can be a bit scattered brained at times, thank you ADD (/sarcasm).

I do read Tarot cards and if you read my blogs else where on MySpace, MyNBC and Live Journal, you know that I have weird dreams. While some turn out to be symbolic representations of past present or future events, others are quite literal. And you should see the things I see if I pause and meditate sometimes.

Given the contents of my writings here and elsewhere, I suppose it's obvious that I'm a fan of Christopher Eccleston and his work and I fully admit to being obsessed with Claude Rains (the character) as well as being in love with Claude since he first appeared on Heroes, as strange as that may sound. If I am called strange or weird, that's about par for the course for me and not just for this but my for life in general.

No, I've not as yet been able to foresee winning lottery numbers though I shall certainly blog about it if that changes.

Yes, I really am an RN. I work 11-7 shift on a longterm care and hospice floor. I also have a habit of keeping a pic of Chris as Claude on my desk as I work that I have a copy of with many thanks to Mr. Greg Beeman. I also have a tendency, especially when stressed, to think about what Claude might say to me if he were following me about invisibly as I work. And while some that imaginary dialogue is snark, anyone who knows Claude knows that isn't all there is to his character. You don't have to take my word for it; you can rewatch Claude's scenes in Heroes season 1 or just go to NBC.com and read Sum Quod Sum parts 1 & 2, Rebellion Part 3: Family (3 of my favorite Graphic Novels- and a great big thank you to Oliver Grigsby and Jason Badower), as well as Comrades parts 1 & 2 and you can see there's more to Claude than just snark even if he keeps that part of himself hidden as often as he is invisible.

In case you are curious and don't follow my other blogs and are wondering, this is the nightmare that has had me worried since 8 February 2009:

There were various images and dreams that I couldn't really sort out and then I suddenly found myself in a funeral home. I saw a few characters I know there including Sandra, and Monica, and they were standing in front of chairs that were in rows (usual set up for those places, at least those I've been in). There was a closed white coffin at the "head" of the room. I noticed Claude was not among the group and that bothered me, a lot, even more than the fact that Peter Petrelli and Noah Bennet also being absent. I know the usual procedure for a coffin that is closed is for a picture of the deceased to be placed near it, but there were no pictures anywhere and no flowers either, just the group of mourners. As far as I know, closed caskets are not supposed to be opened. I had a feeling I knew whom I was going to find inside but I had to open it anyway. I found Claude in there. Why the casket was closed I don't know as I could see nothing wrong - other than Claude being dead- which would have warranted closing the casket. Also Claude was bearded and someone had decided to dress him in a pinstriped dark blue suit with a white dress shirt, a somewhat frilly one, which really didn't suit him. I was too shocked to do much at first other than stare. It's probably some defense mechanism that made me even notice how he was dressed. I also felt the need to do something, to negate what I saw. For some reason the idea of kissing Claude came to mind. Maybe it was a hold over from the old fairytales I read as child or the fact that I knew he wouldn't react well to that if he were in fact still alive, I just know that I didn't (and /still/ don't) want him to be dead. So I leaned over and kissed Claude, hoping somehow he'd be alright even if he got mad at me for doing so, as I'd rather have him alive and angry at me than dead. I noticed that oddly enough he wasn't cold at all. Then I woke up.

I'm hoping like mad that nightmare was merely symbolic. It may have been brief but it was very vivid. I wasn't just seeing it but I felt like I was really there. That's part of why it bothers me so. That and the last thing I ever want to see is Claude get killed. Maybe he's just a character to some, but knowing he's out and about in his world (even if it's a fictional one) and alive in that world, brings me a great deal of comfort when things get rough. Were it not for other pleasant dreams I've had since then I would probably be a basket case by now. Despite my other dreams that have come true, I am not one who believes the future is cast in stone. I see it more as that I am picking up on most likely futures and any choice can change the outcome but one must act if any change is to occur. It's like seeing dominoes set up to be knocked over. One tile may start the chain reaction but take a tile or two out of place, even if the reaction is going, and the entire pattern can change dramatically. And even if things were "cast in stone" any decent stonemason or geologist can tell you that stone is not permanent. Sometimes it's a matter of finding a good tool to break it with such as a jackhammer or explosives. So here is my action driven by the nightmare: to anyone who has control over canon events in the "Heroesverse:" I beg you, please don't kill Claude. And if you're wondering I would be willing to take several bullets myself for Claude's sake.

Viva la libertad -- A Friend.

2009-03-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

Someone said I ought to post this:

Viva la libertad -- A Friend.

So now I'm hungover at a party

2007-12-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

So now I'm hungover at a Christmas Party in the Burnt Toast Diner. Between the stuff I've read online and Claude's reactions to me of late I can piece together some of what happened. I know he'd left me to be a diversion so he could safely attend a funeral for Ivan (and it looks like he wound up hitting Kaito's as well), but after I went to the bar at the hotel we'd been staying at dressed as him, I don't really recall much, just the nightmare vision I blogged about. And only fragments of that. At least now I know why I have a hangover and why I have light chemical burns on my face. I know spirit gum on one's face 24/7 can't be good, but as I'm female, there is no way I could have grown my own beard. On the plus side Clyde the pigeon is still following me about, though given I'm no longer in disguise I have to wonder about that. Granted I did take care of him and the rest of the flock for a good deal of time when Claude was away, but I didn't think I'd made that much of an impression!

Hangovers and Jackpots

2007-11-30T02:31:00.000-08:00

After my last entry I thought I ought to not only avoid tarot decks but also avoid all the card tables. I think Tarot said something about playing cards being based off of the tarot. Or maybe she was talking about playing solitaire with her cards. I don't remember. In any event, I didn't reckon playing blackjack was an intelligent thing to do especially after reading in here what happened to Tarot when she tried playing poker. I don't recall her telling me that but then she does talk, a lot. Since I can't seem to find her, I reckoned I'd do what Tarot had been doing and go back to the slots. I managed to win $1000. I still can't vanish but given that now I can do cards maybe Tarot has vanished....

I keep waking up with a hangover, but the beer helps. I wanted some Vodka yesterday but the bar was all out, except for the expensive stuff. So I had cognac instead. It wasn't the really good stuff but it was passable and certainly not that cheap paint thinner rubbish I've had before.
I had my drink and I felt a lot better. Then I managed to win the big jackpot in the slot machines at the casino next door to where we're staying, which made me feel even better. At least I still have Clyde for company, not that I've ever been much of a people person, but Clyde's never been much of a conversationalist. I hope Tarot isn't getting into trouble especially if she's gone invisible. If that's what happened you'd think Tarot would ask me how to do things, after all I am the expert, and she's usually 20 questions half the time, any way, wanting to know about me and why this and why that. And another mystery, it seemed lately I could never manage to wake up and not have my beard a mess, and then this morning I found out why: the bloody thing is glued on! I don't recall shaving, but the stick on beard will have to do until my real one grows back. I have to wonder if Rogaine would be of any use to encourage quick facial hair growth. Maybe I ought to ask Nathan. He's one bloke who ought to know, especially with his "beard of doom"tm that he used to have.

Things are bloody confusing

2007-11-25T17:47:00.000-08:00

So I spent all night at the bar with Clyde, my pigeon drinking, then came back to the room and crashed. For some reason the computer gives me this Blog to write in. Better than nothing but, blimey, does Tarot have a one track mind...but I doubt she'll mind my notes. Woke up late AM and couldn't recall where I was. I still couldn't vanish. I've heard rumour of a virus... but maybe I'm just getting old. I couldn't find my good suit, (maybe it's being dry-cleaned?)just my old clothes that I had on. My hair was a mess as was my beard. I hadda nick some of Tarot's spirit gum and fake hair to fix it as I somehow got shaved a bit in my sleep. I have to ask her why she has that stuff. I know she's strange but there's strange and then there's weird. I also had a slight hangover and the best cure for that is more beer so back to the bar I went. Clyde just sat on my shoulder the whole time. I have to wonder where the rest of the flock got to. I dunno where Tarot went, and although we've got a good supply of cash more couldn't hurt. The dealers were looking at me funny so I went for the fruit- I mean slots. Looks like I'm as lucky as Tarot was with them. I'm staying away from the roulette tables though.

Learned my lesson there... I think. For some odd reason I had a deck of tarot cards in my coat pocket. I wonder if Tarot borrowed this coat. Did I loan her it when I met her at her flat back in New York? Maybe she had it when I spent the night. Maybe it was when we went to the storm tunnel. Whenever it was I had her deck now. Out of curiosity more than anything else, I decided to shuffle the deck. Then I started laying them out more by memory than anything else. The first card up was the hermit:
Followed by the Queen of cups:

I only recall those two because she pointed them out to me. She'd said something like the Hermit was my card and the Queen was hers and then she went into along speech about dominoes or something but I was debating getting a beer or maybe I was nicking a pretzel or something... I forget, so the rest of the cards just looked like a fancy poker deck to me... but then the weirdest thing happened. I wasn't seeing the bar anymore or the cards. I saw cities deserted, Biohazard symbols, vials, syringes, hundreds of bodies in bodybags and men in hazmat suits:
It was scary! Bloody terrifying! And I couldn't see my beer and let me tell you I needed one because what I'd seen scared me sober! I'm sure I saw ol' Bob Bishop (sodding git) in there somewhere too. Then I could see normal again. I still couldn't go invisible but now I see stuff, so at least I don't have the virus but I can tell you it's coming and it's nasty. Also if this is what Tarot goes through, no wonder she's strange... maybe she should drink...

Slots... I think Claude was right

2007-11-01T00:03:00.001-07:00

Anyone who's been following Claude's and my posts over at the Burnt Toast Diner knows that Claude and I have been hanging around casinos, but I won't say where. (We're kinda hiding). Anyway, I have had much time to update my own blog. Been way too busy playing and winning slots once I recovered from that memory hole problem. Still don't recall everything, but now I carry my own water or Coke with me.

That way no one can spike it. I tried dressing Goth to keep nosy men away but I started getting fed up with my hair so I got it cut (see pic at top of entry). I've been careful and lucky. I try not to stay at one machine too long as I don't want to press my luck or arouse suspicion. My talent is for tarot cards, not machines, but I'm doing well enough. Claude's been busy trying to contact an old friend, but he hasn't had much luck with that. I'm not sure which bothers him more: the fact his friend isn't answering or how expensive the calls are. So, it's just me and the slots for a bit. I'm hoping if I win decently enough, I can make up for the phone calls in addition to keeping us fed and housed. I'd try my cards to see what's happened to Ivan, but I've had a bit of a headache since the last time I tried reading. Hey, what do you know? I just won the grand jack pot!!!!! It's like $500,000! Claude was right, slots are fun! Claude's still not back from trying to make that call. Maybe I'll get a beer and celebrate a little until he returns...

She was right!

2007-04-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

Looks like Spoon Fed was right on the money here! Y'know, despite the fact she seems to think I'm one of them (I'm not) credit where credit is due; she certainly ferreted out this conspiracy! I knew there had to be a reason my intuition kept leading me away from those fries. I know Spoon Fed mentioned the capture of a "clown" and the need to go after "The King," but we should not forget about the now seldom mentioned "Duke" who once accompanied same king. Good luck to you all!

Medical musings

2007-03-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

With all this recall going on over at the diner, it really got me thinking about my own past, you know, before I retired, and I was trying to recall my 10+ years as a nurse. In a way, I suppose it was like working at an all night diner, though instead of food, though I did occasionally serve that as well, all too often it was orders for "a Tylenol sandwich with a side order of Sudafed" or several orders for "a nurse's white Russian" (Milk of magnesia in warmed prune juice, also called a "Prunelatta" just in case you were wondering). Occasionally, as I said, it was real food, like PB&J, soup, cereal, oatmeal, ice cream, and the occasional handmixed frappe. Occasionally, I got to play bartender for a few of them as they often had bedtime orders for anything as simple as a Coors light, to a shot of cognac in warm milk, to a Cape Codder for one unusual lady.
Make no mistake, I'm glad I retired, but the patients were fun. One used to seranade me as soon as I got to work. A good number that used to be there were quite blunt individuals and didn't like it when folks tried to sugar coat anything. I remember one used to say, "None of us are going anywhere from here except in the box and I'm not in a rush!" Another used to talk about our frequent visits from the local undertakers, referring to "stretchers and bags." The way she made it sound, anyone who didn't know better, would have thought she was referring to some kind of Goth version of "Chutes and Ladders" (or Snakes and Ladders as I've also heard it called). And people think I'm strange.

Getting Outta Dodge

2007-03-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

From what I've seen in my cards of late, I think that my feathered pals and I really ought to leave N- this city, and soon. Claude, if you're reading this, I think getting outta town, if not out of state would be a good idea for you as well, and not just on account of "old friends" who might show up. Don't worry the birds are safe with me. I have a nice rooftop all picked out in-- another city, a safe distance from here. You're more than welcome to join us. This city might not be as large as the one we're in but it does have a couple universities, several decent bars, and plenty of pockets to pick- I mean rich folks who need to be relieved of their excess wealth. There's even a good size Walmart, and I know you like Walmart. As for exactly where, I don't wanna say, you never know who's monitoring this, but, if my instincts about you are right, given the name of where we are going, you might feel like you're almost home there, despite it's lack of a proper "futbol" team (as in what most Yanks call soccer). You could steal yourself a plane-ride to it's local and growing airport. It's also not far from my old friends Dan Webster, Bob Frost, and Al Shepherd. Unfortunately, the "Old Man" is no longer about. He had a bad (and fatal) fall off his white mountain.

I have the strangest dreams

2007-03-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

I've come to the realization that it's Claude I've seen in my dreams and drawn. That makes sense but the rest of it, Claude, if you can make any sense of this chaos, I'd appreciate the help!
(pictures done with the help of a decent graphics program.)

Anyway, the first dream I had was strange but then it got creepy. I saw Claude but he was clean shaven and he was wearing this 19th century outfit with suspenders. I saw him rushing around grabbing some books then I saw him grab a hammer and chisel. I wanted to know what he was doing, and if I could help, and I saw him working on this huge granite block. As I got closer I could see it was a gravestone but I woke up before I could read the name.

When I went back to sleep, it just got more surreal. I found myself in some big fancy building and I could hear like psychedelic music in the background and everyone was wearing clothes from like 1969. Someone said we were in Paris at this American Ambassador's place. Claude showed up and he had like shoulder length hair. He hands me this pillowcase full of feathers and tells me to dump it over the railing on the Ambassador and his guests.

I'm about to do so when I see that Nathan Petrelli is down among the guests. I'm turn to ask Claude why we're doing this, but he's walked off. So I follow him. I had to run to catch up. As he goes thru this doorway, he changes. His hair is now short and he's wearing a much more modern outfit, from like maybe a couple years ago.

I look around, and we seem to be in a Police Station, but it's under construction. Someone that I don't know showed up with a bowl of pasta and tried to give it to Claude but I tell him it's a bad idea. So we leave together, this time. As he passes thru another doorway, Claude's appearance changes again. His hair gets even shorter, almost a military-type cut, his jacket, that he'd had on when we arrived, changes from this light brown suede one to a deep dark chocolate brown beat up leather one.

Claude turns to me and tells me to warn Nathan Petrelli to stay away from severely overweight politicians and is about to elaborate on why, when these zombies in gas masks show up and are asking if I'm their mother. Then I woke up.

And this is part of why I don't do drugs. Real Life is confusing and stange enough without them!

Totally hip escape

2007-02-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

So, I'm sitting in the airport, thinking about the total mess that's happened. I find it highly bizarre that a NH plane bound for Texas wound up diverted to Vegas. It makes no sense to me, unless it's some kind of scheme... And those Elvi hitting on an obviously not looking for a date Goth-chick... Y'know, I can't think of a better disguise for some kind of covert ops in Vegas than an army of Elvi. I decide I'm not going to wait for the plane to see if I'm right. So, I hit the ladies' room for a quick outfit change. I repack my Goth gear and put on this tye-dye t-shirt, baggy old jeans, and these banged up old sneakers with rainbow laces. I put away my dark Lennon type glasses in favor of a red set. Then I mess up my hair a bit and throw a few cornbraids in it. When I'm done, I don't look like an member of the Addams family anymore. If anything, I look like Shaggy and Velma's lost lovechild. I even changed the carry case I keep my cards in. It's kinda cool the way that old Rider-Waite deck goes with nearly everything. As I vacate the bathroom, I see about 10 Elvi scouring the waiting area that I'd left to change. All but one ignore me, and the one who doesn't is female and just asks me if I've seen a "Goth girl."
"She was like totally bumming me out. I think she went outside or something," I tell her.
The female Elvi just shakes her head and rejoins the rest of her group.
I leave for the bus station, and am totally unnoticed. I get a ticket for Odessa, Texas. Hardly anyone on the bus pays me any mind, which is just fine by me. I am totally craving those waffles from the Burnt Toast Diner. I'm hoping that Claude is at the Diner when I get there as well as some of the other regulars. I won't even get mad if Claude picks my pocket... Of course, that's not where the bulk of my travel funds are anyway ; ) I gotta remember to ask Claude if those avatar pics he uses are actually him, for two reasons: 1) I gotta wonder how you photograph an invisible person & 2) he reminds me of someone that I've seen somewhere before...

Elvis Conspiracy?

2007-02-14T07:55:00.001-08:00

Ok, so, I was supposed to go to Texas, but I wound up in Vegas instead. I know I boarded the right plane, so I ask the stewardess what the blazes is going on. She gives me some long winded story that I only half listened to, but the long and the short of it is some kind of divert and there’ll be another plane to take us all to Texas in like 3-4 hours. I would have been upset, but I always wanted to check out Vegas, anyway. I figured I didn’t have time to get into “Blue Man Group” or any of the jousts over at Camelot, so I just tour the strip. I go into a casino, just to check it out, it’s not like I need the money, LOL. Slots were amusing but no luck there. I don’t care to play roulette, so I figure I’ll try some poker. Big mistake! Not may people realize this, but your standard poker deck is based off the minor arcana in a tarot deck. I, at least, should have known better. I get dealt an entire hand of spades, which in tarot is equivalent to the swords suit. I was gonna bet, seeing as I had a flush, but then the meanings of the cards I was holding came to mind 7, 10, 4, A, 5, and I see this huge mushroom cloud in New York. So I fold, as soon as I can see straight. It was a shame. I would have won the hand. Not that I need the money, but bragging rights would have been nice.

So I leave the casino, debating what to do next, and who do I run into, but Elvis. No, not the real King, but one of the numerous impersonators. And he hit on me. Mind you, I’m dressed Goth and look like a cross between Velma Dinkley and Abby Sciouto. The real kicker is the shirt I have on says “Better to have loved and lost than to be stuck with the psycho the rest of your life.” And Elvis hits on me. I walk away and he tries to serenade me. I run. Then another Elvis, this one much less convincing, one block away, starts. I manage to ditch him.

Then this snob couple is like staring at me so I yell, “Take a picture! It’ll last longer!” And I’m convinced that I’ve scared them off when another Elvis shows up!

“Hands and eyes off the King’s Lady!” he shouts. I reply, “I can handle myself and I ain’t your lady!” Then he starts crooning “Let me be your teddy bear,” and I wanna hurl. He looks the part, but can’t sing for nothing.

So I bolt. I finally manage some decent luck and lose the Elvi. Then I realize I’m in a computer store and buy a lap top, so I can veg at the airport until the plane arrives and gets me the blazes outta here. I swear it's some kind of conspiracy or something!

So, to relax, at the airport, I log onto my blog and do a bit of net surfing. Just when I’m starting to wish that I was invisible, I remember there was another blogger who had something to do with that. I do a search and I find “The Invisible Prophet,” which belongs to a man who calls himself Claude. He’s a very amusing and crafty individual. He occasionally shows up at the Burnt Toast Diner, which is where I wanna go anyway. If I read some of his posts right, he’s invisible. I wonder if he can hide others. I sure could have used his help with the Elvi. I bet he’s seen all kinds of neat stuff. Hey, maybe he knows where I can find the guy I drew. I sure hope he’s at the diner, when I get there and doesn’t mind dealing with a Goth-chick retired nurse…

A good reading...and some art

2007-02-13T08:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. Maybe that's why I can't get a "lock" on where my mysterious gorgeous hermit is. I did figure out how I'm getting to Texas though and to the famous (and delicious) Burnt Toast Diner. I won the lottery... well sort of. I was thinking, that, with all I can do with a tarot deck, why not try and find me some winning lottery numbers. whe I played before, I just let the computer choose at random. But not this time. This time I spread out my cards, intending to see exactly what number I should play. I knew I was on to something, when the "Wheel of Fortune" card came up in the spread. At first, I just saw myself on TV accepting the huge check in Concord, NH. I refocused and pushed hard. The concentration hurt, but I needed the numbers that would bring that to pass. Then I saw the numbers as clearly as I'd seen the cards laid out before me. I usually have trouble with numbers, but not this time. I got the order right. I was so excited and preoccupied with finding a pen to write down the numbers, that I didn't notice that I had a nose bleed. Fortunately, I was wearing a crap T-shirt, anyway. A small price to pay, considering what the pay off I was gonna be getting was. I went to the store and bought a ticket with the numbers I'd seen, and some more kleenex. I had a migraine from hades, and a nosebleed to match, but I didn't care. When the bleeding finally stopped, I took a nap. I went to work, 11-7, just like always. Last thing I need is that lot getting suspicious. Let 'em think it was all dumb luck. The drawing was at 11pm. You shoulda seen their faces when the lottery announced they had only one winner the next morning, "One winner for this astronomical jackpot, and we have reason to believe it's a nurse from New Hampshire, who bought her ticket here, at this local grocery store. More to follow..." Oh, if they only knew the truth. LOL. I got my check the very next day, and quit my job. I'm technically "on sabatical." I could probably stay on it permanently. 'Course, my first trip is gonna be to Texas. I got a one way ticket, that way I can leave when I want, no set schedule.

I still dunno where my "Hermit" has gotten to. I may run into him in the Burnt Toast Diner. Even if I don't, I'm dying for some good waffels. I hear the coffee's good too. I wonder about their tea. Speaking of tea, I may not come back to NH after Texas, I may go to NYC, specifially Manhattan. There's this great Japanese Tea Room there, that I know of. It's out on the piers. That's the other nice thing about only getting a one way ticket; no set return destination. I also think New york is important some how. Maybe, that's where he is.... Here's a picture I drew, (top of this paragraph) though what help it will be, I dunno. I am not a professional. I just do this for fun.

Texas?

2007-02-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

So I pulled out my deck, and the first card I see is what I've always called "my card," the Queen of cups. Granted the usual symbology is more a tea-leaf reader or a scryer, but it does suit me. I lay out more cards, in my usual "tree of life" pattern. For me, this is like most folks reading a book with a good index of chapters. One of what lands in the problem card areas is the "Emperor," and I see this buisness-type guy with Horn Rimmed Glasses. Never seen him before. Not bad looking but he kinda scares me. I lay out more cards. One in a better position is "the Hermit," and I see this gorgeous man who has light brown hair, a beard and these piercing blue eyes. I gotta find him! I think he's on the move or something, because when I did a deeper reading, I kept getting, odd results to say the least, not to mention a bit of a headache. What is he, invisible or something? Looking like that? What a crime, but then I suppose it saves him having to beat folks off with a stick. Me, I think I'm kinda plain. I'm no supermodel, but I'm not ugly either. Some folks think I look like Velma with no glasses. Thank goodness I don't need them, just my shades on occasion. Like when I read too much. Kinda like now. Ouch. I suppose I shouldn't complain; at least I can still see stuff.

I'm also thinking I should hitch a ride to Texas. There's this great diner there that I keep hearing about. I think I need to be there. I hear they allow dogs too. That's kinda neat.