Bathing in Hot Springs

I couldn’t sleep last night, my mind was simply racing with activity. I was up around 4 this morning and I took that opportunity to go for a bike ride to Asamushi to take advantage of a 700 year superstition at sunrise.

It took me over an hour to reach my destination on bike, but I knew my reward would be well worth it. Along this coastline there are over a dozen baths and a few bath houses. The chalets built over the hot springs (Onsen) remind me of stories of Pompeii and how they would build elaborate buildings over their volcanic springs and endulge in baths in the steaming waters.

I am very interested in sampling the water here, but first, I thought to endulge in the custom. Thats what life is about now isn’t it? Endulging in new customs. I wish I would have opened my eyes sooner. I should write my father a thank you for his effort because thanks to him Ive gotten to see this place and learn a new way to live life.

I biked a bit further to one of the public springs. I found one that nobody was occupying. Im amazed at how early so many people here wake up. Even though I have my citizenship papers, I still feel very strange and awkward here. I will always be an outsider, but perhaps patience and compassion will earn me some place here in time.

Nude, public, bathing. 

I can hear Luco’s voice chirping in my ear about sin infested water and all the like. Frankly, this morning, I forgot to really care about anyone else. This was an experience for me and my action reflects on my ability to grow, to change, to develop and metamorphize as a uniqie individual… apart from my family name. I slipped off my sandals and my vestments and tiptoed into the water. The cool morning air and the warm bath waters were absolutely refreshing!

With land as beautiful as this, its easy to see how people become so attached and percieve it as alive to a degree of personification. I can even see different temperments in the different aspects of nature. When I meet with Rei again, I shall have to add the elements to my list of curiosities.

There is a volcano festival and celebration next month. I will speak to Kadiri and Adam to see if I might be allowed to attend. I’ve always wanted to see a volcano.

http://www.accessjapan.co.uk/newlookimages/onsen/KoganezakiHotSpringAomori760.jpg

Kamikochi- Exploring the Alps

I was able to take a trip further south in Japan towards Nagano to see the Kamikochi forest. It was definately worth the trip. The leaves on the decidious trees have not yet begun to turn. I’ve seen a few photos in hiking and trail guidse and I am happy to await for their colorful arrival. It’s alot like home in New York actually.

The mountains in this region are commonly referred to as the Japanese Alps. They were given the name in the early part of the twentieth century by Western expolrers who intriduced mountian climbinb as a sport to the Japanese people. Though, the Westerners were not the first to climb in these hills. Some many years before they were climbed and explored by a Buddhist monk whose name is eluding me at the moment.

I have recently learned that there are 30 species of butterflies living in the forests of this mountain range. I have also learned that depending on who you ask, there are three words for butterfly and Im sadly inept at telling if there is a difference in meaning or if the words are associations with regional dialects. (choo, chou, chocho)

Other animals that I’ve seen in my walks through the forest are the same as what I would expect to see back home in the Adirondiacks. There are a number of mallard ducks living nearby, a bunch of squirrels, river trout and such. Sadly, either Im scaring them away or they are not as common as the guide book states. Ive yet to see any of the snow monkeys or mocaque that live in this forest. I’m going to see if anyone has some advice that they can give me so that I might be able to catch a glimpse of one of these animals.

I have found a specied of beautiful red orchid that I visit each day to observe and sketch. I do not want to remove it from its tree because I’m still unsure of my ability to maintain its prosperity domestically because I’ve never been trained to handle orchids. I am learning though. I hope that what I learn here I will be able to share with my students at Penn State soon. But for now I am most happy being a student in mother nature’s classroom again.

It makes me happy to look at the world with open eyes again.  I really am happy in the forests.

http://welcome.city.matsumoto.nagano.jp/uploads/img45ea034eb9327.jpg

A Catholic Girl visits a Shinto shrine

I am trying to become familair with strange and foreign surroundings. I am followed and guarded most everywhere I go as the Japanese government is both happy to have me and skeptical all at once. I believe they are watching me to make sure I dont do anything ’spy’ like. Im sure that they are most disappointed to lern that my days are being filled with note taking, picture taking, and sketch drawing as I meander in the woods near my home.

I’m now seeing Rising Sun from the inside instead of from a book or a brochure on the outside. And so far, Im enjoying the view. There is alot of serenity in the woods I’ve found. They call this forest the “blue forest” Some photographs I’ve seen depict the sunlight illuminating the groves and glens in such a way that the trees really do seem blue. I am yet to see this display of light for myself, but I go for walks each day hopping that that bit of natures beauty will be revealed to me. But perhaps the mystery of the blue forest is like that of Eden… locked away from me until I stop looking for it.

It is about twelve miles on foot from my little cottage in the woods to the nearest place of worship. There is a Shinto shrine with two Torii that are cascading up a hill, the shrine itself sits atop the hill and overlooks down over the Aomori Kogen valley. I think my priest back in New York would mandate that every time I pray within the shrine I should say an equal number of Hail Mary’s or the like, but frankly, a sacred place to commune with God is well… a sacred place to commune with God.

The people of Rising Sun have many different dieties. They call them kami. It is my understanding that these kami see over the affairs of things and have varied jurisdiction. I think the kami are a touch in similarity to my saints. We have Saints that we pray to to stave off starvation and hunger. The people of Rising Sun pray to Kami to produce rice and grain. This makes sense to me. But I’m still learning.

I dont stay at the shrine very long when I go. I feel I make the shrine maidens uneasy because I am so different from them and they are not used to outsiders. But I generally have a few cautious questions that they seem eager to answer. I will travel into Aomori City once I’m able to have an escort and add some books on Shinto so that my questions to the maidens aren’t so juvenile. Id like to learn more about them. I think they are interesting.

The Many Uses of Alcohol

Its been proven that alcohol is good in a pinch when trying to prevent wounds from becoming infected. When approaching things ‘ENY’ style, alcohol is an appropriate tool in coping with and attempting to comprehend time travel. Alcohol is almost always useful as a diplomatic tool as well. You just need to know which kind ot bring with you.

 At the most recent deployment, I learned the value of alcohol as a numbing agent.

 I’ve been having troublesome visions ever since the last deployment. I’m not Angie or Christi, I’m not supposed to have creepy visions. Though, I’ve run into trouble with opening my eyes and seeing whats there too. Alsohol also helps with this because it, like magic, makes things blurry and sort of shifty at times. This is good.

Christi’s cards tell me to move on with my life, find a new young fellow, and start a long lasting relationship. They also tell me that the only way to discover Eden is to stop looking for it. What? Granted, I spent as much time as possible drinking myself into numbness at the last deployment, but as stated above, that numbness is rather useful.

 I picked up a deck of cards that are similar to Christi’s but different. Though, while hers are imbibed with some useful helpful information, it turns out my cards are contaminated with a humorous, sarcastic whimsy that well… most definately have a sense of humor. So I use my cards to try to pick a guy because well, when I pick one… I seemingly just choose… WRONG. *insert random unspoken explatives here*

My cards tell me to find someone who is not a clone/dead/reborn/artificial , someone who likes to travel, and someone who is willing ot look at the world with fresh perceptions. Okay… that doesnt help much.

Though… that does seem to narrow out… Sutro, Archibald, and Grayer. Any other clone men that I’m missing here? Hmm, this also leaves out my brother (duh), Bud, and Al. But thats okay because Al in his vaguely undead bosy now has a new undead friend and that seems to be going okay for him. He’s always had a fascination with Manhattan, so I think I will let that lie….

 Sadly, Chrsti and I are having some timing issues. I had been most supportive of the notion of finding a way to save Bud and Al’s lives after the NOLA mess. Screwing with history and future and putting my own life on the line to save theirs because I used to see the both of them as well, more necessary in the grand scheme of things. Christi, last time I talked to her was like… “I dunno… I’m not sure… ” Now shes changed her mind and is like oooh but I saw future Bud and Al and “Val we have to save them” Im trying not to be bitter and grumpy, but frankly, I’m human and I’m allowed to have emotions and right now… my answer is.. fuck Al… if someone wants ot save him… make the twit vampire do it… they can live forever together because I buried him… I put the bodies in the ground… they are dead. The two men who are wandering around looking like them are fakes, imposters, good copies.. whatever… but no.. the Al that I loved… is DEAD.

When I look at this ressurected creepy version all I can see is my Al lying on the ground at my feet in Penn State…. DEAD. Have I made this clear yet? All possibilities and ideas Ive come up with still end up with Bud and Al being Dead. So um… yeah…

I was rumaging through an old box of mementos from college and I found the magic procrastinators ball… okay so most peopel call them magic 8 balls, but I used mine to help me determine how long I could put off doing a paper or studying for an exam… we’ll see if this thing is any better at helping than Christi’s cards and my sarcastic deck of imaginative wonders….

 Should I help Christi save Bud and Al?  “Yes”

Is Al doinking the dead chic?  “Looks like yes”      UGH!

Will I find Eden?  ”No Doubt About It”     Well thats good, I suppose

Am I supposed to bring someone to Eden with me?  ”So it shall be”

Will I stop seeing dead people when I close my eyes anytime soon?  “Chances aren’t good”

Should I go to the City of Glass?  ”Unlikely”

Can I fly? “No”

Am I some weird alien from old Babylon 5 television show? “Very likely”

Am I going to trip in fall in my heels at Annie and Lance’s wedding?  “Answer Unclear, Ask Later”

Okay…. so that wasn’t terribly useful, but hey, it was as useful as cards… but hey, at least I dont feel like drinking. Plus, doing that with a class left to teach tonight wouldnt look so great on the resume.

Magic and Technology as a Dangerous Combination

   As the Joint Expeditionary Team has travelled and opened communication pathways with other Threads of Reality, we have encountered cultural clusters with capabilities and desired capabilities very different than what we would have expected from our own homes.

   In the reality I live in, women are always taking a second seat to men. We are trained to be valuable, but quietly so. Our men are trained to fear magic and to let only the women embrace it. The exception to this is our church, wherein priests and ministers have access to magical provledges. It has been a choice made by our government to in this way limit the practice of magic. Admitedly, I have never inquired to the reasoning behind this un-natural selection. I’ve just accepted it because it is a part of the fabrication of reality that I am most accustomed to.

   In my travels, I have noted that there seems to be a correlation between magical energy, or better put esoteric energy drain and the stability of a Thread. Threads that have a great deal of magical energy and are actively embracing this energy are losing stability in this reality and if they continue to drain that sort of energy, they will be lost to us all and we may learn nothing further from them.

   A common bond between many of the ‘core’ reality Threads, or the Threads that have fractured the most from center is the presence of magic, but at low or very controlled levels. You may evaluate and compare your sigma ratings with that idea and see what you come up with. Please note that control and limitation of magic are factors in this as well.

   One of the Threads that has been encountered is  known to us as the Austro-Hungarian Empire if my memory is correct. I believe that field teams have been deployed to the city of Danzig and have come up with some rather abrupt awakenings. They have created weapons from steel and magic. I have been attempting to understand these devices, but unfortunately, when it comes to blending mysical energy and machinery, I believe that is a graduate study worth undertaking within this institution.

   To forge one of these weapons you need a fairly large supply of magical econ and a concentrated effort to craft the item. The forger must be capable of the spell that is being imbued into the item. The imbibing process is easiest to complete when the action is performed in a place with high levels of magical energy.

  *Valerie takes out a rather ordinary looking pistol and removes the clip and empties the chamber. She displays it the gathered few*

   Right now, this weapon is harmless. That’s only true if this were an ordinary pistol. Unfortunately, this pistol has been modified.

*She begins to disassemble the weapon to open up the barrel, inside of the barrel there are etched runes and markings in Enochian*

   I was unable to replicate the rune patterns that the Danzig weapons had. When I used their rune pattern, I ended up with a null result. Tryinh to fire an unloaded gun caused nothing to happen. Figures, huh? However, when I changed the rune script to a language I was familiar with and one that was complimentary to my own menegerie of capabilities, the end result was much more….enlightening.

*She reassembles the gun, but still doesnt load it.*

   Which of you can create a strong and stable force field?

   Very good, thank you for volunteering.

   Now, do any of you know how to hold a gun with any sort of reasonable aim?

   Very good, thank you as well for volunteering. Who knew all those video games would come in handy?

Now, I need you to put up a force field around me. Safety first, you know, just in case.

Okay, very good.

Next, I need you to pick up my pistol. Use your thumb to disengage the safety on the side and pull the trigger. This isnt something you’ll hear every day, go ahead and shoot me. I’ll be fine.

*the trigger is pulled, and from the barrel of the gun a burst of energy is released. It’s visible as a pale yellow glow in a conical radius. When it comes in contact with the force field it seems to burn and singe the edges of it. Valerie gives the hall a few moments to ooh and awe and disbelieve and postulate.*

Thank you.

We can take the force field down now.

Please return to your seats.

Thank you again.

You can do the same thing correct? You could store energy into an object and use it later. I believe that you are even able to use technological econ to store the ’spells’ as I would call them into an object. I want each of you to pick a ’spell’ or ‘ability’ that you have. I want you to stick it in one of these…..

*Valerie passes out a small nerf gun to all of the students who almost immediately laugh at her. She planned that to happen*

Hey I didn’t want to get into trouble. The foam seemed like a good option. You have a month to see what you can come up with. After that month, we’ll see how successful you were and then we’ll try something new…. something that I haven’t even sorted out a solution to yet.

Thank you for coming. If you have any questions, I will be in my office and you may stop by and see me. One more thing, lets refrain from Raise Dead, Harvest Greys, and Amplify. Thanks again.

Going to meet the Dean

  I leave Rising Sun in two days. The physicians have been very impressed with my progress and they are releasing me back to the core threads. Though they have requested that I return for a few hours some weeks for now for a check up to make sure the printed tissue is still holding. I have also been ‘ordered’ to take it easy and not to over exert myself. That’s never easy. There is always far too much work to be doing. 

   I will be stopping in Penn State for a day just to pack a few items and gather a few tools that I feel I might need for my summer guest appointment in Berkley. Yes, thats right. Berkley! They have accepted my request in the teaching exchange and I will be there through the summer guest lecturing on some specific topics. I will have to get more information from the Dean before I procede though. The work I’ve completed at Penn State Im openly allowed to share and discuss, though work I’ve done on my family’s farm and in the Empire is not so free to share. But I’ll have to see what they would like me to talk about.

    I do know that Berkley isn’t so impressed with my farming and agricultural background as they are with some of my metaphysical advances. It seems a few of my tricks have caught their eye. The mighty magic stick hasn’t kept up quite as well as they would have liked or something? So I get to consult them on how to improve their techniques. Not too difficult I dont think, but well, I have to overcome the difficulties of technology. I’ve been assigned an assistant to accompany me all over the place. She sent me some electronic manuals for working certain machines in the lecture hall. Im used to projectors and view screens… not holographic 3-d model projectors and such. This is not going to be the easist thing I’ve ever done.

   The doctors here in Rising Sun seem calmed at the fact that Im going to be in Berkley. I guess they share some advanced technology secrects that would/will fail me if Im in Penn State or New York too long? Or maybe they are just paranoid for no good reason.

   So do you think the Technomages know where the garden is?

From the Notebook of Valerie Garibaldi

Recent events in my life have once again made me face what has been described as ‘reality’ and ‘unreality.’ I am still not adjusting well to the fact that my dead boyfriend isn’t dead and now, he doesnt even know my name. Yes, I said boyfriend. I don’t really know what else to call him. Scientific liason? But we’ve gone out to dinners and such, thats just not right.

A year ago, I sat in Penn State with a ‘fairy’ just a room away and I was told how so many events and people are unreal due to their deviation from the origional time stream. Though, I’m not a fancy enough scientist to put all of this together because I dont do quantam physics and such, but this whole sigma business I think is a bit of a joke.

 Here’s whats really broken in the world from my point of view. I’ve managed to come up with some quantitative analysis that any ole goomba can do too… none of this fancy instrumentation stuff needed.

 Val’s ‘Reality’ Ratings 

Pre-event, most folks are agreeing that the world was TL6, Low Magic, and Low Hypertechnology. We are going to set this as the ideal reality… life pre-event would be ideal. That was also real life and all life now is less real than that because we exploded.. pushed forwards, backwards and sideways on some screwie timeline. I had always been of the opinion that time was a gradual change that always found a way to right itself lacking outside interference. Though… thanks to the break… we have these numb nuts who can screw with time… breaking things more every time they try to ‘fix’ or ‘repair’ something. So… in my ideal real world… I want them gone as much as I want other stuff gone.

Okay, simple things first. Hypertechnology and Magic are measured on similar scales ranging from 0-High. So we’ll start there.

Hypertech 0, Magic 0   Reality modifier of 2      Hypertech L, Magic 0  Reality modifier of 1

Hypertech 0, Magic L   Reality modifier of 1      Hypertech L, Magic L  Reality modifier of 0

Hypertech 0, Magic M  Reality modifier of 2      Hypertech L, Magic M  Reality modifier of 1

Hypertech 0, Magic H   Reality modifier of 3      Hypertech L, Magic H  Reality modifier of 2

Hypertech M, Magic 0  Reality modifier of 2      Hypertech H, Magic 0  Reality modifier of 3

Hypertech M, Magic L  Reality modifier of 1      Hypertech H, Magic L  Reality modifier of 2

Hypertech M, Magic M  Reality modifier of 2     Hypertech H, Magic M  Reality modifier of 3

Hypertech M, Magic M  Reality modifier of 3      Hypertech H, Magic H  Reality modifier of 4

okay… so thats a pretty easy scale to figure on when you go someplace new or when someone new shows up. Okay… yeah.. so T-bear makes a point… it’s subjective, but tons of stuff is… this wont be an exact science, but its helping me deduce a few things so I’m going with it.

Now, we need to adjust for Tech levels in Threads as well. This is a bit harder to do. I don’t necessarily agree with the Penn State Tech levels, but they are close. We are dealing with a scale range 1-7, though part of me really wants to include an 8 because the jump from 6 to 7 seems so very drastic. Because the jump from 6 to 7 is drastic, I’m giving it a full integer marker. Stepping backwards from 6 I’m assigning .5 interger markers because well… yeah… it seems to fit those gradual changes a bit better. At least in my perception… and that’s what this model is about… my perception of the real world around me and how broke so much of it is….  Also, there is a fairly significant technology jump between a TL1 and a TL2, so Im giving TL1 a full integer marker as well.

So, TL adjusters for the previous scale are:

TL1-3, TL2-2, TL3- 1.5, TL4- 1, TL5- .5, TL6- 0, TL7-1

Based on information that has already been collected on Threads, its pretty easy to just do some simple math, add up soem numbers and poof… the bigger the number you get, the less real you are. You aren’t ceasing to be in a physical form, but you never should have happened because the event in Penn State broke the universe.

Let’s test this theory a bit on some of the known Threads and see what we fish out of the water…

ENY, Hypertech/L, Magic/L, TL/6= 0  As it sits ENY is still very real and not terribly deviated from the origional pre-event time line. Part of this is because our government durign the event had a revolution and a throw back about twenty years or so… and yeah… its weird that we managed to maintain our reality because we de-evolved our science a little for a period of time. Huh. Weird, but whatever.

Penn State, Hypertech/High, Magic/L, TL/6= 2  Despite appearances, Penn State in its current state is very damaged. I am going to attribute a good portion of this to the Devlan family and their constant interferences into the science, experimentation, and physics of that thread as they examine and sort out the issue within their family. So does anyone know how impossible/unreal time travelling terrorists got there to sabotage things in the first place? And who the hell was the genius who made computers sentient? Dictators the world over for ever have proven that things are much more agreeable if you get rid of personality and make all units the same. Oi. Someone didnt pay attention in history class, thats for damn sure.

Manhattan, Hypertech/M, Magic/M, TL4= 3  Alright, so Manhattan is less realisticly possible than Penn State and much less possible than ENY, when you go there and take a look around, yes, this is evident. Steam gadgets and clock work everything, newsies and business barons. They aren’t totally off the grid, but I would say, not completely desireable.

Berkley, Hypertech/H, Magic/L, TL/7= 3  Okay, now…. you see what I’m getting at? Berkley is as much of an anomaly as Manhattan. Their own scientific develops and quests for knowledge, their willingness and wantingness to fix time instead of allowing time to fix itself has made them less and less realisticaly desireable. They are a flaw in the system and they are the number one voice chanting about the other flaws. Open your eyes Devlan, you broke the world and yourself right along with it. And…. your kooky scientists killed my best friend and cloned her…. irresponsible science… bad taste and bad form. Beat yourself up some more for this, add some self loathing and perhaps then I might hold you in a little less contempt.

PPOC,  Hypertech/M, Magic/L, TL6= 1 okay so the files on this one are shit-tacular, but thats because the PPOC is an amagalmation of Threads that are all bleeding energy in and out of one another…. its a mess, but despite the mess, these people are as desireably real as ENY almost. Thats good to know.

New Orleans, Hypertech/0, Magic/H, TL4= 4 Out of our core Threads, this place is worse off than anywhere else. The tech level is bunk, the magic is bunked, the hypertech is bunked. Go figure,, they were the first to get over run with demons and other weird-o crap…. makes more sense now huh? Marie, I love ya.. I really do, but your town… needs sucked out of existence…. and hey… it would solve the demon problem at the same time too.

L.A., Hypertech/H, Magic/M, TL6= 3 Berkleys bedfellow through and true. Had this placed sucked up their losses and said no to Berkley’s influence, they might not have this much deviation from desireable reality, but nope… you let the devil come in and build factories and well, youre just going to produce more devils. Seems like a simple less in economics to me. But hey, its possible to suck magical energy out of a place, perhaps they can recruit Mesmer to trim a little off the top? That might help them a bit. Who knows?

Jeffersonia, Hypertech/0, Magic/L, TL2= 3 So they have a train parked in the middle of a field that doesnt run? THey are just high class southern American rednecks that way right? Best vehicle in your yard wins you the home owners decorator award of a orange and black Harley sign? Well, not quite. A little bit of hypertech would do these folks some good. THey have the knowhow, but somehow they got punted backwards to agrarian nomad days. Much to my own dismay, a John Deere doesnt work there so plowing those fields…. well.. lets just say I got to learn how to operate a quarter house and plow. It was like I was living through my freshman year History of Agriculture class from Cornell. Huh. Weird. I like the place, but nope, its not good as is either.

Hive, Hypertech/H, Magic/L, TL7= 3 People like to make them out as a bad guy. Do they time travel and try to fix things by breaking them more? No! THey are capable of some hugely great evils, so um… cure their plague and hope they come eat you last?

Underhill, Hypertech/0, Magic/H, TL2= 5 Yes, Berkley is right to categorize these people as unreal. They are the most far fetched thing we have encountered and well, yeah…. they are just weird. But hey, they can smith steel and tell decent stories. Some folks say that they are from a different brane and that the event is what caused them to come into contact with us at all. I can see this as truth, but it doesnt make them any more real on my little table or chart. Perhaps anything as unreal as a 5 is from another brane? Maybe thats the threshold? Its possible… but as Devlan teaches… ‘Anything is possible.’ heh…

Earth Station, Hypertech/M, Magic/0, TL6= 2 I really wish they were as real as me. They seem real outwardly, but their repellent of magic actually diminishes their reality. They are trying so hard to fit in and be real and normal, but alas, they are broke, just like everyone else. I was fooled by them and thier lofty scientific ideas, but well, really, its best if I just sever myself from them or they might make me less realistic too. Maybe its too late? Maybe I have been jeoparodized by the ‘2′ of Penn State and earth Station already and Im no longer and ideal 0, maybe I’ve turned into a 1… or worse…. a 2!

I think someone put something in my v8 juice. Nah, thats silly.

Rising Sun, Hypertech/varies, Magic/varies, TL/varies= Really not a good idea. The energy and levels of this thread vary so drastically that its impossible to measure them. They are stranger than the PPOC and well… they are really… not a good idea. But wow, they are interesting for these same reasons. I would suggest a stabilization method for them if we ever figure out how to do that. Or a planned seperation… the North from the South because this will help some of their instability issues. Granted, it will toss the north island into the undesireably real level and the south island into the borderline of maybe we want them around, but its wishy washy.

In Pursuit of Eden

Where life began so to say… one of the places where theologans and scientists have compared notes and have always come up short.

A garden at the cusp of four rivers…

A garden hiding the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil…

 A cherub with an omnidirectional flaming sword…

Okay so with waterways in their current state, trying to locate via mineral patterns and carbon dating just wont work. The Tree…. well.. some myths say the tree was cut down… and from the wood of this tree the Arc of the Covenant was crafted, as well as Pandoras box. I could sample the Arc, but well, its a friggin Technosphere dohickey…

So that leaves me with find a cherub with an omnidirectional flaming sword. Yeah, sure I’ll get right on that.  Well, if I were something surrounded by fire, what or where would I be? Thrust in the base of a volcano. Are there volcanoes near Jerusalem where we found the Arc? Were there ever volcanoes there? Who knows.

Its spring break and I have some time to kill at the library, perhaps I will check out the pre event history section again. Its generally fun for some laughs and present impossiblities.

Why I garden

It comes up alot. I have two degrees that I never use. The first one I got because well… life experience told me I was qualified. In light of having a newly opened world with so many opportunities; Why farm?

“Those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God .” — Thomas Jefferson

“No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.”– Thomas Jefferson

“Earth laughs in flower.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Kiss of the sun for pardon. Song of the birds for mirth. You’re closer to God’s heart in a garden than any place else on earth.” — Dorothy Frances Gurney

“God almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures.”– Francis Bacon

“All the wars of the world, all the Caesars, have not the staying power of a lily in a cottage garden.”– Reginald Farrer

“To cultivate a garden is to walk with God” -Christian Bovee

There is always the garden.” -M. Aumonier

“Who loves a garden still
his Eden keeps,
Perennial pleasures plants,
and wholesome harvest reaps.”…Amos Bronson Alcott 1868

Hot….

I got this memo today from the JET… it amuses me greatly…

Gen. Sykes, Gen. Stevens, JET Command structure-

I must say that I find this decision offensive to say the least. To boil down problems of any nature to brute force, even carefully calculated and moderated brute force, flies in the face the entire diplomatic and scientific nature of the JET team. I am hearby requesting the proper forms to appeal this decision, and urge others who feel as repulsed by the idea as I to join in submitting similar forms.

If this decision is beyond reproach, I hearby request my status to be set as Coward in regard to all issues, current and future.

I may be a fighter, sir. I may even be a killer.

But I am never casual about it.

Smiley Watkins

UFP CorpSec Lvl.2 Investigatory and Armed Response Unit

Currently Assigned to JET Deployment

COWARD

Okay so the part in bold.. I did that when I moved the note here… a remark like that… to the General… hmmm Im still trying to decide if that is hot or sexy…. I think I’ll just go with hot for now to avoid emotional gravity.