The mad, mad world of my rollercoaster mind

Well I am. 

Yes ladies and gents, on Wednesday 23rd April we are having a charity abseil off the roof of the Birmingham Dental Hospital and after much negotiation and haggling, I'm going to be one of the lucky jumpers. 

The charities are St Mary's Hospice http://www.bsmh.org.uk/about/index.php and Dentaid http://www.dentaid.org/

So get those wallets out, shoo away the moths and cough up some cash because I'm looking for sponsorship. Every penny counts so no matter how much or how little you can spare (I'm a poor student, I understand) please pop a message on here or email me at sarahwaters at hotmail dot com if you can help.

I will of course put pictures up after the event and if you happen to be in Birmingham on the day feel free to pop over and give us some support.

It's Earth Hour between 8-9pm tonight, so the lights are off, the candles lit and everything non essential has been unplugged.

I was lucky enough to meet Sir Arthur C. Clarke at a con in 1994, He was a self depricating gentleman baffled at the phenomenon he had created. When asked about it by another fan he replied with a big grin "I write the stories I like, it's just a coincidence you all like them too."

Lie quiet in that night. Delight has indeed been given.

This is appalling, there are no other words for it.

Celia Hammond Animal Trust are trying to get on-site to capture feral cats and kittens at the Olympic site and are not allowed access - going back on an earlier agreement. Further info available at http://www.celiahammond.org/ then click on latest news.

Please help if you can. Sign up and spread the word.

http://www.celiahammond.org/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=3&MMN_position=3:3 


http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/115356064

Christmas is getting a litle close for comfort and having had four months off work on statutory sick pay, I am looking for money making ventures so I don't have to choose between getting people pressies and eating this month.

So please check out my painting gallery as I have a few oil paintings for sale and I will accept any reasonable offer made for them. I also accept commissions although you'd have to get them to me by the end of November if you want them for christmas. Some of the photo's aren't great (taken on my phone as my camera is broken) but hopefully you'll get the gist.

I've locked replies in case anyone does want a pic but doesn't want anyone else to know they want a pic in case anyone wanted to surprise anyone else.... You know what I mean.

http://pics.livejournal.com/fresh_panini/gallery/00023r2s for a selection of my previous and present work.

For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon (1869 - 1943)

A couple of people sent me or posted this. It's damn funny.

http://lolthulhu.com/

I wasn't in work when the results came in, I was in Sussex having just been to Susan's funeral, which had gone ok.

Inspired by misthawk

There is a total lunar eclipse tonight. It starts around 9.30pm till midnight with totality around 10.45pm.

If the skies are clear it should be beautiful. I shall miss being in the countryside this evening. I may have to take a late night drive out of the city because of the light pollution but depends on how chilly it is.

:o)

Happy Birthday  

jayphoenix


for the day after today 

but the day before tomorrow!

hugs & spoons

 xxx

 

Nature is wonderful!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/6371901.stm

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3969646a10.html

Nicked from bluekindred


You're on the edge of a cliff, your long coat swirling in the high winds. Black clouds race across the sky and there is an electricity in the air that announces the fast approaching storm.

Your guns are empty, your backup is an hour away at least - if they're not already dead - and death is staring down at you from the ugliest mug you've ever seen.

It draws back its lips from sharp, discoloured fangs - and drools. You spit on the ground and stand tall.

There is a moment of silence, which seems to last an eternity, as you realise that you have nothing left but your rapidly depleting strength and infamous wit.

You smirk and, in a loud, clear voice, say, "..........?"

Before Allison was made to step down as 2ic of the Harts she sent out this message through the harts players yahoo groups. The message was blocked as Allison's access to her own faction board had been removed. Instead a lesser announcement was sent out. Allison posted the original message on her LJ as she did not want players to think she had just walked away without saying anything.

I am posting it here for you all now. Please feel free to pass it on to the faction members it was intended for.


"Dear Harts players & Friends

It is with great regret and a heavy heart that due to events of the last 4 months concluding with events at Aftermath, I am forced to announce my resignation as Harts 2IC.

I'd be lying if I said it was something I wanted to, but unfortunately things have been very difficult between myself and the rest of command.

I should also add that this is nothing to do with commitments outside LARP. Let us just say that un-reconcilable differences have struck yet again in the command team.

I'd just like to thank you all for the support you have given the faction over the past few years. Its been a true honour to have been part of the best faction in the LT for over 10 years.

Even though the gathering last year was far from easy, I took great pleasure in taking the field with you all and surviving the cataclysm

Good Luck with the forthcoming year.

Kind Regards
Allison Shailes"


EDIT 1st Feb
The Harts Command have now posted Allison's farewell message on their website stating they did not know she wanted to say goodbye, confirming that Allison, despite being 2ic, was not a moderator on her own faction board and stating they have now posted her message "out of courtesy".

I took a break from my course work and had a little surf through YouTube... OMG that can be a disturbing place! However here are a few more gems that made me giggle.

WOW vid most definitely NOT work safe. 

When I jumped on this meme bandwagon I didn't think it would be one literally... ;o)

You are The Chariot

Triumph, Victory, Overcoming Obstacles.

The chariot is one of the most complex cards to define. On its most basic level, it implies war, a struggle, and an eventual, hard-won victory. Either over enemies, obstacles, nature, the beasts inside you, or to just get what you want. But there is a great deal more to it. The charioteer wears emblems of the sun, yet the sign behind this card is the moon. The chariot is all about motion, and yet it is often shown as stationary. It is a union of opposites, like the black and white steeds. They pull in different directions, but must be (and can be!) made to go together in one direction. Control is required over opposing emotions, wants, needs, people, circumstances; bring them together and give them a single direction, your direction. Confidence is also needed and, most especially, motivation. The card can, in fact, indicate new motivation or inspiration, which gets a stagnant situation moving again.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GINTjEx6_IQ&NR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6rQvxzX8LE&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XEa-3eeedI&mode=related&search=

IN FLANDERS FIELDS
by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
Though poppies grow,
In Flanders Fields.