Greykell emailed me!

Greykell is the sister of Keith Baker. Keith Baker is the creator of Eberron. Eberron is a campaign setting for the role-playing game- Dungeons & Dragons. Keith has written a few novels and a comic book set in this world, some of which star a character also named Greykell. I really liked this character so I did a google search for her and found that Keith based Greykell on his sister.

I wrote him and asked him about that, but you can read about that here.

Today I got an email from Greykell, herself!

Here is what she said:

Hey there,

Just wanted to say hi.. I was vanity googling and found your post
where you had found MY post about my brother Keith writing "me" into
Eberron.

I've bookmarked your site so I can read more about your life.. after
all, if you like Greykell you've got to be cool *grin*.

Cheers,

Greykell (but not the one from Eberron alas, just a very proud older
sister!)

I thought it was awesome that she wrote me. Thank you, Greykell. Maybe you'll find this posting next time you vanity google.

Dominoes

Small group was very small. Jankoviches Kummers and Lara didn't come. So that left Eric, Jon, Laura Beth, Cara and me. We played Dominoes. Jon brought a boxset of Led Zepplin for Eric and we listened to it all night.

Mom and dad signed up a customer of YTB under me today!

And I got Eberron: Dragonmarked book from eBay. One of the Best WotC books I've read.

Dungeons and Doctor Who Spin-offs

Patrick hosted today's session of D&D ran by Robert. Rob was saying that he heard the fellas at the Source saying they don't expect the Eberron Campaign line to survive based on the lack of sales they see there. This news makes me sad since I've recently thrown my D&D flag in that world. They do have 2007 already mapped out as far as releases go, so I'm thinking (and hoping) it was just talk.

I didn't go right home after the game. I explored Plato Road a bit. Found myself along the river- the other side of the river from Shepard Road. Very nice drive.

I'm pissed that I cannot find my book. I think I forgot it at Pat's house.

Cara was working tonight so I had some me time. I watched an episode of Torchwood and loved it. Torchwood is Doctor Who's younger vulgar brother. Its much more dark and they swear all the time. Paul was telling me that Sarah Jane Adventures has started over on the BBC. Sarah Jane Adventures is another Doctor Who spin-off, like Torchwood. I'm going to download the first episode tonight.

Very cold day.

How this very cold day went

As usual we went to the 11:00 service at Woodland Hills. It was a very good message entitled Kingdom Healing and was about how Jesus healed vs how Christians today go about healing ministries. Based out of Luke 4:31-40. Best line from the sermon was a quote from St. Francis of Assisi:

"Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words."

I've made this quote my signature on my web forum.

Our small group coach, Mike, wants to have Eric and I over to watch an episode or two of Firefly. We're thinking Thursday if it happens this week.

Apparently, during the service, Eric got called to work for some heater issue. After church Cara and I went out to lunch with Keesha. We were hoping to hook up with Eric after he was done, but his job took too long. Keesha recommended the Grand Buffet down on Robert St. south of St. Paul. It's been a long time since I ate at an asian buffet. It was quite fulfilling. So we took Keesha home since we didn't have Eric. She didn't have keys to get in either, so we left her on her porch to wait for Eric (who was done by then and only a couple of minutes away, so she lived... I hope)

Cara and I headed over to Leesha's dad's house where he was hosting her birthday party. They were in the middle of a movie in the movie room (that room was very cool, by the way). I didn't feel like watching so I made my way back out to the lobby to read my new novel (see last post), which I was clever enough to bring- suspecting something exactly like this. Leesha's party looked like it went pretty well. She had a flock of girls from her class over for that movie and then they played Twister. Her dad's wife, Bri, has twin sisters who were also there. They're twins with each other, not with Bri. Leesha's half brother, Zech, was also there and perhaps a mite overwhelmed with all the girls there.

This evening I came across a website during a Google search for 'Christian D&D gaming'. The site is called Aquela.com and is the site for freelance writer James Wyatt who contributes a lot for the D&D Eberron campaign setting. How about that?! That's what I've been reading lately. Wyatt was a Methodist Pastor for several years.

By the way - Eric came home about 4 minutes after we dropped off Keesha.

Dungeons & Doctors

I'm feeling much better today.

Yesterday was pretty laid back. Went downtown Minneapolis for a nice long session of D&D with Rob, Pat and Paul. We're starting a new game run by Rob so we spent the first half building characters and just talking about anything- and we covered almost everything. The last couple of hours we actually played a little. Got the feel of our characters and how they'll work together. Rob is setting the game in AEG's publication- the World's Largest Dungeon. Should be fun. It was good time.

We all left just before 5:00. I stopped on they way home to pick up a novel. I bought the 2nd in the Eberron: Dark Dreaming trilogy- The Shattered Land again by Keith Baker (I just chatted with him a couple of days ago).

Cara was still out with her mum when I got home. After she arrived we had dinner and watched three episodes of Doctor Who. The last two of the first season and the first one with the new Doctor. Cara is really getting into this show. That pleases me.

Tomorrow is Leesha's birthday party. Not sure how that's all going to play out, but half the reason I got that book is if I'm expected to be there for a long period of time.

All in all, I'd say it was a rather high Geekflag day.

Mr. Baker, Written Up and Slumberland

I have a cold.

I got Dah hooked on Narnia today. She asked me to lend her the Prince Caspian radio drama on CD so I took that in for her. I was telling her all about the series. She only was aware of the movie.

Now for some cool geekflag news. I had an online conversation with the creator of the Eberron campaign setting, Keith Baker. One of the characters in Eberron is named Greykell Ir'Ryc. Greykell is a woman who used to be a soldier for a country that doesn't exist anymore. She appears in the novel City of Towers as well as the only Eberron comic so far- Eye of the Wolf- both written by Baker. I want to know more about this character and did a google search for her and look what I found:

OH MY F$#@KING GAWD!!!
I just received my birthday present from my brother Keith.... it is probably one of the most amazing presents I have ever received in my entire life.

See Keith snuck "me" into a book a couple of years ago. A minor character named (strangely enough) Greykell (Captain Greykell Ir'Ryc if you want to be technical) who wears an eye patch, is an older mentor type to heaps of people and who (sadly) isn't such an exciting character that everyone in the known universe wants to make a movie about her or anything.

BUT!! She's apparently cool enough to have a comic made out of her. That's right!! "I" am the star of a one-off comic, written by Keith, presumably available in the comic shops now. Go out and buy the adventure of Greykell!! Get your friends to buy copies. If this sells well then there will be more Greykell stories.

WHOO HOO!!!!

I have to get a copy of the "other" cover since it's done by someone I also know, the entertaining and talented leemoyer, but in the meantime... BUY THE COMIC!!!!

Eberron: Keith Baker's Eye of the Wolf from Devil's Due Publishing dated August 2006.

W00T!!!

So I wrote a private message to Keith Baker on the WotC forums (Keith is the creator of Eberron and author of these books) and asked him if Greykell is based on his sister. Here's what he said:

Re: Greykell Ir'Ryc

---

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moebius Can you confirm that Greykell is based on your sister?

Yes, it's true. It's pretty much just as she describes. Greykell as presented in City of Towers is fairly directly based on Greykell the person, which is to say that I used her as an inspiration for the character's personality and dialogue as well as using her name. RL Greykell doesn't have an eyepatch, but she's a huge fan of Snake Plisken (Escape From New York), so I decided it would be fun to give her an eyepatch. At some point I was talking with Greykell the person and jokingly said that I should write my next series of novels about Greykell the character and her experiences during the Last War. Then the opportunity to work on the comic came along, I was considering various plot ideas, and it occurred to me that it could actually make a pretty good story! And the rest you know...

__________________
Keith Baker
Eberron Designer
Come visit www.BossytheCow.com!
Want to talk about the Eberron novels? Now, you can do it here!

So there you have it. Kind of cool.

I saw a 5 Eyewitness News truck at Johnson Elementary school, today, as I dropped off my bus aid after my noon route. I went over and said hi to the photog. He recognized me and I knew him, but he was one of those photogs that I never got to know his name. He was there for some story about St. Paul schools now serving tater tot hot dish- breaking news!

I had to write up a couple of students today- first write-ups of the year. The Christmas Story kid and his sister were fighting even after being separated. I told them that if they continued, they'd be written up. They continued. And right before they got off the bus, too. What a waste. I think the sister is going to be kicked off the bus for a while. This is far from her first write-up.

After work I went over to Cara's folk's house. They suddenly served dinner, but the real reason I was asked to come over was to help her dad bring a new box spring back to Slumberland and take a smaller one to the house. That's what we did. Cara went to Leesha's parent-teacher conference. Leesha is staying at their house tonight.

no work tomorrow

Gameboys, Playstations and RPGs

A few days after Christmas vacation ended my buddy, Dequan, from the elementary school route lost his Gameboy. It seemed like another kid on the bus, Carry, stole it. Dequan always is getting in trouble. He seems like he is starved for attention and how he goes about getting attention puts him on opposing sides with most people. So he's always getting in fights or pissing people off.

Today I put some pressure on Carry about the Gameboy. Carry brought it on the bus for some reason. I told him it seemed very much like he had Dequan's Gameboy and that if it was Dequans, that he ought to give it back to avoid serious problems. He claimed he got it at GameStop, but in the end he did give the Gameboy to Dequan (which yields his guilt). I had him stay on the bus after everyone got off to tell him I thought he made the right choice. He still stuck to his story that he just bought the Gameboy, but wanted to give it to Dequan anyways.

Carry looks just like the kid from Christmas Story

On my activity route (activity routes are for kids who stay after school for whatever reason) there is a boy named Victor who has made it clear since I started on the route that he doesn't like me. Tonight, I think I won him over. It started by me asking if he had a Playstation or an XBox. He has a Playstation II. Asked him what was his favorite game. Star Wars.
Well.
All I had to do was set the hook.
All the way home we talked about it. He even moved from mid-bus to right behind my seat. Thank you, Mr. Lucas.

I got a Christmas gift from Cara's folks. Well, they asked what I wanted and bought it for me. Anyway, I added to my growing Eberron book collection with Sharn: City of Towers book which came with an Eberron soundtrack. I guess where ever Darlene bought it had to order it and she got it today. These books are very high quality. Thank you Sorleys. (note* this book is different than the novel I posted about on the 21st. It is about the same place, however this book is a resource about Sharn, the other book - just City of Towers, is a novel that takes place there)

Last day of work for the week, tomorrow for we have Friday off!

Bi-Polar Weekend, Switchers, Wet Hair and the End of a Book

As covered in the last entry, we went to the Bomberg's house on Friday night. Saturday was spent with our former Before-You-Say-I-Might class mates for our first reunion since we've all graduated and married. The nature of the two visits- Friday night vs Saturday- made for a bi-polar weekend.

One foundational factor with Friday night is that the Bombergs are Jewish. Now, don't take any of this the wrong way. But, that is a line between us that will never go away. There will ALWAYS be that difference. Saturday, that line doesn't exist. Friday there was a level of discomfort the whole time (at least for me). It was a biding of time till its over. Saturday was more of a time that you don't want to leave. There was a genuine relaxation. Its very interesting to have both experiences on the same weekend.

This weekend was my monthly service to Woodland Hills. Every third weekend I fulfil the media crew's switcher position for all three church services. There are several people filling various roles for each service and about half are on a monthly rotation. The two camera people are on the same schedule as I am so I will almost always end up with the same team- which really works out nicely.

This week's sermon was by Brenda Salter-McNeal and was about Jacob wrestling with the Angel. I really like that story. Its a brother story.

It also is from Genesis which I think is my favorite book in the Bible. Its in the last 10 years that I realized that a good chunk of my favorite Bible stories are related and sequential. Isaac, the same little boy that was almost sacrificed is the same old man who gave Esa's blessing to Jacob. Jacob becomes Israel, the same old man who was moved to Egypt at the end of his life. Israel's sons are the origin of the 12 tribes. No one pointed these small factoids out to me or I didn't put it together until recently. I love that book.

The one problem with switching at church is that I'm left mentally wiped out. This afternoon Cara had to work so it was just Leesha and me. Soon after Cara left, I crashed. Leesha took as shower and I took a nap. When I woke up she was not in the house. I looked outside and she was finishing up sweeping the entire driveway! I was impressed and thanked her, then scolded her for going outside right after bathing with her hair all wet.

I finished reading a book today. An Eberron novel- City of Towers by Keith Baker. Eberron is a new D&D campaign setting that has gained my interest lately. This novel is written by the guy who gave the setting life. They describe Eberron as Lord of the Rings mixed with Indiana Jones mixed with The Maltese Falcon. So basically its fantasy with elves and dwarves, but with pulp adventure and noir. I liked it and will probably be reading more.

Buses Don't Fit at the Post Office

I had to pick up a package at the post office, but to get there during their open hours I had to park the school bus in the parking lot. It was early so it ended up being no problem. But still. 30 foot vehicle, come on!

I heard "Another Brick in the Wall part II" on KQRS tonight and now I want to listen to The Final Cut.

I'm coming up to the end of the book I've been reading for the last week and a half. Its a D&D book from the campaign setting Eberron. Even thou this is the first ever Eberron book I've read, it still feels like the old Forgotten Realms books I used to read in High School. Its light. And fast paced. As apposed to George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series (which is way better, but much heavier- in content and actual weight!).

Got a good nap in on the bus this afternoon. In the mid 20's and sunny makes for a very comfortable bus as long as you park east/west.

I'm trying to write every day this year. I'll develop a format in time to come. This is just a mashup of ideas just to get them down.