| NewMexicoKid | Our jabber chatroom |
   54,864 / 50,000 Municipal Liaison Joined: oct. 31, 2003
Location: Naperville Illinois, USA Posts:
369
Posted on:
oct. 6, 2009 - 13 51 |
Our jabber chatroom, in existence for the past four years, has been a place for virtual socialization, consultations and word war contests. I've just posted an article on our NaperWriMo blog on how you can access our jabber chatroom. It all begins with a free jabber account. NaNoMail me (NewMexicoKid) if you would like to receive one. --Tim |
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54,864 / 50,000
oct. 19, 2009 - 05 34
The first jabber meeting will be tonight, Monday, October 19th, 7:45 pm! If you don't already have an account, send me NaNomail to request one (completely free!).
We'll do some word wars (on non-novel material) just to warm up a bit...
--Tim
----------Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
11,000 / 50,000
oct. 19, 2009 - 07 05
I emailed you as well, but I figured I would post here too, as it would be easier.
How late do you plan on going? I have a class that doesn't get out until 9:15ish, so I wasn't sure if I should even bother getting on if everyone would be gone by then. :)
Let me know!
~Katherine
----------Send the Troops Your Love
"To shrug." - Ayn Rand
42,492 / 50,000
oct. 19, 2009 - 08 20
9:15 is the earliest I could get on. I expect to be home between 9 and 9:15. It seems like it might be too late. Let me know. This is new to me so I don't know anything about it yet!
Jeanne
54,864 / 50,000
oct. 24, 2009 - 06 12
Here's a partial transcript (slightly edited) of one of our recent word wars online in the jabber chat, facilitated by our jabber bot word_war:
(08:02:23 PM) sheeva: Tell me how this works?
(08:02:31 PM) NewMexicoKid: word_war help
(08:02:31 PM) word_war: Here are the things I can do:
To start a word war, type: start war in [minutes-till-start] for [minutes-duration]
To google something, type: word_war google [search parameters]
To get a quote, type: word_war quote
To get a joke, type: word_war joke
To get a writing prompt, type: word_war prompt
To see recent news, type: word_war news
(08:02:49 PM) NewMexicoKid: So I'll kick off word_war for a fifteen minute word war to start in one minute
(08:03:01 PM) NewMexicoKid: We'll write our scenes, as much as possible, in that time interval
(08:03:13 PM) NewMexicoKid: ... and then we'll compare how many words we were able to write in that timespan
(08:03:38 PM) nitrocat: ok
(08:03:39 PM) NewMexicoKid: And afterwards we can share googledoc links with each other or copy/paste text to this chat room.
(08:03:47 PM) NewMexicoKid: If people choose...
(08:04:02 PM) NewMexicoKid: Everyone ready?
(08:04:15 PM) hopelesswarning: Yessir.
(08:04:18 PM) sheeva: no
(08:04:24 PM) NewMexicoKid: Or I could set word_war to start in five minutes, to give people time to think a bit...
(08:04:46 PM) KatherineWriting: sheeva, are you not sure how to write? Or how to share later?
(08:04:53 PM) nitrocat: We just type in Word or something, right?
(08:04:55 PM) NewMexicoKid: Yes
(08:05:06 PM) nitrocat: Will a timer beep when time is up?
(08:05:08 PM) ***NewMexicoKid will be using vim (http://www.vim.org) :-)
(08:05:30 PM) NewMexicoKid: I don't think there will be an audible beep but it might depend on your settings for Pidgin
(08:05:33 PM) sheeva: So I type this scence in my Document?
(08:05:41 PM) NewMexicoKid: Yes, sheeva
(08:05:58 PM) NewMexicoKid: word_war will message all of us to let us know that the time is up
(08:06:02 PM) KatherineWriting: sure. Tim's idea is not an actual scene for your novel. Sort of a prequel.
(08:06:17 PM) KatherineWriting: (I'm actually going to work on my outline, I think.)
(08:06:33 PM) NewMexicoKid: nitrocat, later we can get you to install the toaster pop-up plugin for Pidgin (helps with notifications)
(08:06:50 PM) nitrocat: oh, dear.
(08:07:01 PM) hopelesswarning: I just keep my word doc at half-screen and have the window next to it so I can see text
(08:07:08 PM) NewMexicoKid: Yes
(08:07:16 PM) NewMexicoKid: That's what I'm planning to do as well...
(08:07:32 PM) NewMexicoKid: Do you want to try a quick five minute one to limber up a bit before a 15-20 minute one?
(08:07:46 PM) sheeva: I'm ready.
(08:08:11 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok. I'm ready (I hope ;-) )
(08:08:29 PM) NewMexicoKid: word_war help
(08:08:29 PM) word_war: Here are the things I can do:
To start a word war, type: start war in [minutes-till-start] for [minutes-duration]
To google something, type: word_war google [search parameters]
To get a quote, type: word_war quote
To get a joke, type: word_war joke
To get a writing prompt, type: word_war prompt
To see recent news, type: word_war news
(08:08:31 PM) hopelesswarning: Me too -- just decided what scene I'm going to write in fact.
(08:08:40 PM) NewMexicoKid: I can never remember word_war's interface ;-)
(08:08:55 PM) NewMexicoKid: nitrocat, Katherine, are you ready to go?
(08:09:00 PM) nitrocat: yes
(08:09:03 PM) KatherineWriting: sure
(08:09:13 PM) NewMexicoKid: start war in 1 for 15
(08:09:13 PM) word_war: It's currently 20:07
(08:09:13 PM) word_war: I will begin a 15 minute word war in 1 minutes.
(08:09:13 PM) word_war: 1.00 minute (60 seconds) until the 15 minute word war starts!
(08:09:23 PM) NewMexicoKid: So we have 60 seconds till it starts
(08:09:36 PM) KatherineWriting: to second guess what we're going to do :)
(08:09:42 PM) NewMexicoKid: Heh :-)
(08:09:43 PM) word_war: 0.50 minutes (30 seconds) until the 15 minute word war starts!
(08:09:43 PM) KatherineWriting: or to have neat icons
(08:09:52 PM) KatherineWriting: :helicopter: I miss Jacob's input.
(08:09:57 PM) NewMexicoKid: B-)
(08:10:03 PM) word_war: 0.17 minutes (10 seconds) until the 15 minute word war starts!
(08:10:08 PM) word_war: 0.08 minutes (5 seconds) until the 15 minute word war starts!
(08:10:09 PM) NewMexicoKid: Good luck everyone!
(08:10:12 PM) word_war: 0.02 minutes (1 seconds) until the 15 minute word war starts!
(08:10:13 PM) word_war:
============================================================
THE 15 minute WORD WAR HAS BEGUN!
Shhhhhhhh!!!! Be vewy, vewy quiet!
It be novel-writin' time!
Note to anyone entering the room while the word war is in
progress: for general chatting without word wars, come over
to the naperwrimo@conference.jabber.writing.teiru.net room
============================================================
(08:25:13 PM) word_war: *STOP*!!!! STOP!!!! STOP!!!
(08:25:13 PM) word_war: *STOP*!!!! STOP!!!! STOP!!!
(08:25:13 PM) word_war:
============================================================
*STOP*! Yes, I mean you!
Pencils down on the desk!
Fingers off the keypads!
This particular instance of Word War has finished!
Please count your incremental progress.
It is now safe to talk again!
============================================================
(08:25:28 PM) NewMexicoKid: Wow, that was different :-)
----------(08:25:35 PM) hopelesswarning: Oh man this was hard for me to write O.
(08:25:37 PM) hopelesswarning: O.o*
(08:25:43 PM) NewMexicoKid: 362 words for me
(08:25:50 PM) NewMexicoKid: (felt like a lot more ;-) )
(08:25:52 PM) hopelesswarning: 366
(08:25:52 PM) nitrocat: 529
(08:26:07 PM) hopelesswarning: (this scene had no dialogue :( )
(08:26:16 PM) KatherineWriting: 424
(08:26:20 PM) NewMexicoKid: Nice total, nitrocat!
(08:26:31 PM) sheeva: 313
(08:26:52 PM) NewMexicoKid: Pretty good for all of us for a first time out.
(08:27:05 PM) NewMexicoKid: Katherine usually scores higher ;-)
(08:27:16 PM) NewMexicoKid: Come to think of it, so does hopelesswarning :-)
(08:27:38 PM) ***NewMexicoKid couldn't remember the name of the wooden piece that sails are hung from on the mast
(08:27:47 PM) NewMexicoKid: A spar?
(08:28:03 PM) hopelesswarning: Yeah hence the dialogue excuse ha...I think it's just that this scene was like pulling teeth.
(08:28:38 PM) ***NewMexicoKid definitely isn't in NaNo shape yet...
(08:29:01 PM) ***hopelesswarning really needs to stretch her brain more.
(08:29:34 PM) NewMexicoKid: A part of me wishes I would write year round the way sheeva and Katherine do...
(08:29:58 PM) nitrocat: I'm going to start doing that.
(08:30:05 PM) hopelesswarning: I should definitely write more during breaks than I do. I think I'm just so relieved to not have schoolwork and papers to write that I shut down my brain completely.
(08:30:12 PM) nitrocat: I think I'll sleep better.
(08:30:36 PM) ***NewMexicoKid agrees with hopelesswarning except without the schoolwork and papers part ;-)
Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
54,864 / 50,000
oct. 25, 2009 - 20 56
The next jabber meeting will be Monday, October 26, 7:45 pm-8:45 pm CDT.
We'll do some more practice writing and socializing.
--Tim
----------Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
11,000 / 50,000
oct. 26, 2009 - 06 15
Do you think our next Jabber (after this one) could be not on a Monday night?
----------Send the Troops Your Love
"To shrug." - Ayn Rand
54,864 / 50,000
oct. 26, 2009 - 16 26
Sure! Do you prefer Tuesday or Wednesday this week?
--Tim
----------Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
11,000 / 50,000
oct. 26, 2009 - 20 01
Either works. :]
----------As long as (if you have it on Tuesday) it's after 5. :] But it doesn't sound like that'll be a problem.
Send the Troops Your Love
"To shrug." - Ayn Rand
54,864 / 50,000
oct. 27, 2009 - 04 06
Ok, let's do it at 8 pm tonight (Tuesday, 27 October): jabber word war practice + general chit chat.
----------Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
11,000 / 50,000
oct. 27, 2009 - 05 02
I'll be there! ;D
----------Send the Troops Your Love
"To shrug." - Ayn Rand
23,325 / 50,000
oct. 27, 2009 - 20 28
I've not used Jabber ever before, even though iChat says at least a couple of my accounts in there are Jabber accounts (the Gmail, and the LiveJournal ones). Can I access this through iChat or how do I get in on these? Because word wars, I have found, really do help me some nights! :)
Anyone willing to explain to a Jabber newbie? (I feel funny asking dumb questions because generally I know a lot about computers and net stuff, but I don't do much chatting and I'm still learning my way around a Mac)
Thanks in advance!
~MJ~
----------http://knitchick1979.livejournal.com
54,864 / 50,000
oct. 28, 2009 - 04 03
Anyone willing to explain to a Jabber newbie? (I feel funny asking dumb questions because generally I know a lot about computers and net stuff, but I don't do much chatting and I'm still learning my way around a Mac)
Thanks in advance!
~MJ~
I'm not a mac user, so I'm not sure whether you can use iChat directly. I have seen people join our chatroom with their googletalk or LiveJournal jabber accounts, so I know that that is possible. I can also create for you an @naperwrimo.org jabber account--just send me a NaNoMail to request one.
Most mac users I've spoken with seem to prefer a client called Adium (open source).
Our instructions (which aren't very detailed on the mac side but should still apply) can be found at http://writing.teiru.net/applet
Give it a try and let me know if you need any help or a naperwrimo.org jabber account.
--Tim
----------Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
Fog Readability Analysis
Writing resources
54,864 / 50,000
oct. 28, 2009 - 16 13
Here's last night's session (a part of it) -- it was lots of fun--I encourage others to come join us for the next one.
(08:52:37 PM) NewMexicoKid: Folks up for one more word war tonight?
(08:52:43 PM) ajey: Sure
(08:52:52 PM) ***NewMexicoKid was thinking we could brainstorm a common scene to write; and then share what we've written.
(08:53:07 PM) little_shakespeare: Sounds cool!
(08:53:14 PM) ajey: I like it too
(08:53:23 PM) little_shakespeare: What would the scene be?
(08:53:42 PM) NewMexicoKid: We won't specify genre, but we will specify a main character, a setting and a predicament
(08:54:02 PM) ajey: How about a scene in which people are either dead, undead, or just very tired.
(08:54:34 PM) tomster: That would be a autobiography.
(08:54:54 PM) NewMexicoKid: Otherwise, it will be too easy to think of (and write/read) them as essentially human...
(08:55:01 PM) NewMexicoKid: Just a thought.
(08:55:26 PM) NewMexicoKid: What is a good name that could either be a woman or a man?
(08:55:36 PM) NewMexicoKid: How about Leslie?
(08:55:40 PM) ajey: Kelly
(08:55:42 PM) tomster: Dale
(08:55:45 PM) ajey: Chris
(08:55:51 PM) little_shakespeare: Sam
(08:55:57 PM) corruptedflame: I like Leslie. It's the first name of my favorite guitarist. =)
(08:56:07 PM) tomster: Leslie West?
(08:56:08 PM) ajey: Go with Leslie, then.
(08:56:19 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok.
(08:56:36 PM) corruptedflame: Though speaking of very tired, I think I'm going to call it a night. =( Sorry.
(08:56:44 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok.
(08:56:48 PM) NewMexicoKid: See you Saturday, Joe.
(08:56:55 PM) corruptedflame: Yep. See you then. Take care!
(08:56:56 PM) tomster: Goodnight Joe.
(08:56:59 PM) ajey: Bye
(08:57:03 PM) corruptedflame left the room (I'm happy Miranda IM user. Get it at http://miranda-im.org/.).
(08:57:06 PM) NewMexicoKid: Setting?
(08:57:12 PM) tomster: Beach
(08:57:14 PM) ajey: A dark alley
(08:57:20 PM) little_shakespeare: Crowded street?
(08:57:29 PM) little_shakespeare: Rooftop!
(08:57:29 PM) NewMexicoKid: Wow, those are very different!
(08:57:31 PM) ajey: A dark beach? Near a crowded street?
(08:57:45 PM) NewMexicoKid: How about a crowded street at night in Venice?
(08:58:16 PM) tomster: I like it.
(08:58:22 PM) little_shakespeare: I don't know much about the crowded streets of Venice...sounds good though!
(08:58:27 PM) ajey: I don't know Italian.
(08:58:29 PM) NewMexicoKid: Leslie is lost, confused, scared and being chased....
(08:58:42 PM) ajey: Leslie thinks in English.
(08:58:46 PM) little_shakespeare: Good!
(08:58:47 PM) little_shakespeare: :)
(08:58:48 PM) NewMexicoKid: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venice
(08:59:36 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok. Does everyone have the scene in mind?
(08:59:45 PM) little_shakespeare: Think so...
(08:59:49 PM) ajey: Is it at night?
(08:59:52 PM) NewMexicoKid: Yes
(08:59:59 PM) ajey: Ok!
(09:00:11 PM) NewMexicoKid: Tom?
(09:00:19 PM) tomster: I'm good to go.
(09:00:22 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok.
(09:00:28 PM) NewMexicoKid: word_war help
(09:00:28 PM) word_war: Here are the things I can do:
To start a word war, type: start war in [minutes-till-start] for [minutes-duration]
To google something, type: word_war google [search parameters]
To get a quote, type: word_war quote
To get a joke, type: word_war joke
To get a writing prompt, type: word_war prompt
To see recent news, type: word_war news
(09:00:34 PM) NewMexicoKid: start war in 1 for 13
(09:00:34 PM) word_war: It's currently 20:57
(09:00:35 PM) word_war: I will begin a 13 minute word war in 1 minutes.
(09:00:35 PM) word_war: 1.00 minute (60 seconds) until the 13 minute word war starts!
(09:01:04 PM) word_war: 0.50 minutes (30 seconds) until the 13 minute word war starts!
(09:01:25 PM) word_war: 0.17 minutes (10 seconds) until the 13 minute word war starts!
(09:01:30 PM) word_war: 0.08 minutes (5 seconds) until the 13 minute word war starts!
(09:01:34 PM) word_war: 0.02 minutes (1 seconds) until the 13 minute word war starts!
(09:01:35 PM) word_war:
============================================================
THE 13 minute WORD WAR HAS BEGUN!
Shhhhhhhh!!!! Be vewy, vewy quiet!
It be novel-writin' time!
Note to anyone entering the room while the word war is in
progress: for general chatting without word wars, come over
to the naperwrimo@conference.jabber.writing.teiru.net room
============================================================
(09:14:35 PM) word_war: *STOP*!!!! STOP!!!! STOP!!!
(09:14:35 PM) word_war: *STOP*!!!! STOP!!!! STOP!!!
(09:14:35 PM) word_war:
============================================================
*STOP*! Yes, I mean you!
Pencils down on the desk!
Fingers off the keypads!
This particular instance of Word War has finished!
Please count your incremental progress.
It is now safe to talk again!
============================================================
(09:14:51 PM) ajey: 375
(09:14:51 PM) NewMexicoKid: 423 this time for me
(09:15:02 PM) little_shakespeare: 542!
(09:15:05 PM) tomster: 491
(09:15:07 PM) NewMexicoKid: Wow!
(09:15:11 PM) ajey: Good grief.
(09:15:13 PM) little_shakespeare: :)
(09:15:19 PM) tomster: Wow! You rock!
(09:15:23 PM) ajey: Good job!
(09:15:25 PM) little_shakespeare: Thanks! You did great!
(09:15:30 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok, who wants to share theirs first?
(09:15:41 PM) ajey:
She absolutely had to evade her pursuers in order to get the message she was carrying to the agent-in-place. The car bounced violyuently up and down as she just realized that Venice didn't have roads - it had canals! The car had to go! Out of the scene, that is! So (in a bit of behind-thy-scenes magic that can only happen in a poorly-written novel), the Mini magically transformed itself into a boat, complete with a paddler, who just happened not to know what to do, since he didn't navigate these canals at night, and was by now far away from his normal route.
The bullets were coming from the two boats that were trailing his. He paddled furiously, splashing water all over Leslie and himself, as he struggled to gain more distance from her attackers. The paddlers on the other canal boats were his friends, and although they did not want to experience the anger of the attackers who had hijacked their boats, they also did not want to be party to the murder of their coworker and friend, and they already figured themselves to be done with at this point. They would be shot just like Michael and his "tourist."
Who was she, anyway? Was she the single woman who Michael had bragged of her $200 tip earlier in the day? If it was, why was she on his boat now? He didn't go out at night at this hour - and neigher did they. They had been taken prisoner at the end of the evening, just as they were tying-up their boats and gettiong ready to go home.
Draco gestured rudely
(09:16:03 PM) ajey: That's with all the mispellings (sic), if that's okay.
(09:16:14 PM) ***NewMexicoKid laughs.
(09:16:25 PM) NewMexicoKid: I love your transition in the second paragraph :-)
(09:16:39 PM) ajey: Kind of inevitable, considering . . .
(09:17:16 PM) little_shakespeare: I like it! "not the rational fear of the bullet, it was the fear of the dark itself."
(09:17:39 PM) ajey: It was inspired. By Word War himself.
(09:17:46 PM) little_shakespeare: :)
(09:17:48 PM) NewMexicoKid: Here's mine:
Leslie phased into existence near the entrance of the dark alley, stumbling upon the wet cobblestones. It had rained here recently. She placed one small hand upon the smooth marble wall of the building in front of her. It was dark, but there was the noise of a party or a large crowd from the street not far from her. In the dim light, she could see movement ahead.
Her heart raced. She glanced behind her into the darkness. Impossible to tell if there was any movement. It would not be far behind her. Twisting the silver ring nervously, she ventured forth across the wet cobblestones into the street.
As soon as she emerged into the crowd, warm, loud, probably inebriated, Leslie felt regret. It would be all too easy for the one pursuing her to simply walk up to her and take her. The crowd was confusing, disorienting. Talking many languages, moving or not in random patterns, they surrounded her and swept her along the street. She stumbled more than once.
The smells were as rich and varied as the sounds: overwhelming scents of perfume from the women, cologne from the men; and, layered beneath, the sourness of sweat and body odor and even the occasional smells of urine and vomit. Leslie frowned and flinched. The crowd around her pressed against her, bumped into her. She longed to be away, even back in that dark alley...
No, maybe not. It would be there by now. Involuntarily, she twisted to look behind her, though the crowd had disoriented her so much she wasn't entirely sure which way she was facing relative to that alleyway she had emerged from. The ring could tell her, at least within a few hours of her Emergence...
An elbow caught her cheek. "Mi scusi!" a young voice apologized from ahead of her. A face hidden behind a pure white domino peered at her across the darkness. From somewhere ahead, the strains of music emerged from open windows. Some people were singing.
Leslie shook her head and held up one hand to the masked stranger. As she did, she glanced at the silver ring on her hand. The black jewel that faced her showed only a glimmer or light. The evil that stalked her was not nearby, at least not in that direction. Forcing a smile, she said "thank you" and took the proferred hand. It was gloved and the youth in the white domino led her through the crowd.
They had reached an open square of some sort.
(09:18:34 PM) ajey: Kind of reminds me of Carnivale
(09:18:45 PM) NewMexicoKid: Yes, that was what I was envisioning :-)
(09:19:17 PM) little_shakespeare: I'm wondering about the silver ring now. :)
(09:19:27 PM) ajey: Very like that James Bond scene in Moonraker, actually.
(09:19:29 PM) NewMexicoKid: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival
(09:19:41 PM) ***NewMexicoKid remembers Moonraker well.
(09:19:48 PM) little_shakespeare: The ring can tell her when enemies are nearby...
(09:19:51 PM) little_shakespeare: that's a handy ring!
(09:20:03 PM) NewMexicoKid: It also transferred her to that world
(09:20:13 PM) NewMexicoKid: Magic = handy :-)
(09:20:26 PM) ajey: Especially under those conditions.
(09:21:03 PM) little_shakespeare: Here's mine:
I ran through the streets, wind blowing through my long brown hair. I breathed hard, glancing behind me for a split second and trying to make out the faint images of the tall men. It was dark, so it was hard to see their bulky figures, but I saw movement heading towards me, and I was off once more. I felt the hard, cobbled street below the soles of my feet, the chattering of the people around me, and the gusts of air that watered my eyes. I felt so alive, so full of adrenaline, yet fear coursed through my blood and bones, and I was blinded by panic. I felt an arm on my shoulder, a strong arm that yanked me to a stop, and I cried out in pain.
“Where are you going, girl?” A man asked me. He was middle-aged, with a kind yet concerned expression on his face. “Where are you running to?”
I paused and considered what he had asked. Where was I going? Why was I running? All I could remember was my mother pulling my out of bed and through the back door, telling me in frantic whispers that I had to run, that I had to escape. I was young, but I could hear the fear in her voice, and I knew I had to follow her orders.
I heard shouts behind me and I knew I had to go before they could catch me. I pulled free of the man’s grasp and left, pushing through the crowd of people in the marketplace, ignoring the cries to buy shoes or clothes or food. Instead I ran without knowing where I was headed or even why I was running.
Eventually I stopped, my legs sore and a stitch in my side. I leaned against a building in the darkness, as the sun had long since gone over the horizon. It was dark, and I was lost. There were no people around me, and I had lost the men that had chased me. I was scared.
I collapsed onto the ground, salty tears slipping down my cheeks. I had lost my mother, my father, all those that I knew. I missed my lullabies that my mother sang, or how my father sang my name when had came home from his job. I missed the rides in the gondolas and the beautiful canals and how my younger brother had just learned my name and loved to coo it when he could.
“Leslie…Leslie…”
I closed my eyes and tried to remember the voice of my brother. After a while I thought I could almost hear it, that it was really my brother calling my name.
“Leslie…Leslie…”
My eyes snapped open. It wasn’t my brother, but someone else was calling my name. Was it my mother? My father? Who else knew my name and had followed me all the way here? I stood up quickly, looking around for someone that I recognized.
“Leslie? Leslie, is that you?” A woman stepped out of the shadows and embraced my nine-year old body. “Oh, Leslie! I worried so much!”
I stood limply in the strange woman’s grasp. Who was she? Did I know her? She wasn’t my mother. Where was my mother?
(09:21:14 PM) little_shakespeare: Eh, the tabs and enters didn't work
(09:21:28 PM) NewMexicoKid: It's ok--we can get the sense of it.
(09:21:48 PM) ajey: It seems organic this way.:-)
(09:22:35 PM) NewMexicoKid: Very nice voice!
(09:22:38 PM) ajey: That is very good. It is haunting.
(09:23:06 PM) NewMexicoKid: I like the "I felt so alive, so full of adrenaline, yet fear coursed through my blood and bones, and I was blinded by panic"
(09:23:07 PM) tomster: Most excellent.
(09:23:19 PM) little_shakespeare: Thanks!
(09:23:44 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok, Tom--your turn
(09:23:55 PM) tomster: okay, here goes.
(09:24:00 PM) tomster:
The only thing I can think of, my family and I were eating dinner at this outdoor plaza near the Bridge of Sighs, enjoyi8ng the night air of Venice. The music was wonderful, the aromas were amazing and the sights and sounds of Venice on this warm August evening were magnificent. The best birthday party my husband has every given me.
All night long the waiters brought me wine and champagne and food that can only be described as out of this worked. I said yes to everything, sampled everything, and enjoyed everything. Then toward the end of the meal my husband left the table to go to the bath room, leaving me alone. Our waiter, Antonio who was so attentive all night began to clear the dishes when he leaned over and began to whisper into my ear. He was speaking Italian, and he knew full well that I only spoke English, so I didn’t have a clue what he was saying, but like a schoolgirl who wanted to please the teacher, I nodded politely as he sweetly said things that I was unable to decipher. I watched Antonio head back to the kitchen and he began to speak to someone else. A man I hadn’t seen before, but one of the 2 men who is currently chasing me. I could see them make eye contact to me, and I suddenly became embarrassed and dropped my gaze. A few seconds later, this second man approached me and stood, no towered over me and he said in broken English,
“Excuse me Senora, but your companion will not be returning tonight. He has some…” and he paused for a second as he searched for his words, “…Business to attend to. He asked me to escort you to your hotel”. He then smiled and extended his hand. As he did, I could see through a gap in his jacket that he was carrying a gun in a holster.
I told him that I needed to visit the ladies room and that I would be with him momentarily. He must have believed me because he did not follow me to the back of the restaurant. I made a beeline for the kitchen and right out the back door into unfamiliar streets of Venice. I turned left, parallel with the canal, and raced away from the restaurant. I was afraid for myself and my husband, but I did NOT want to suffer the same fate as him. David is an ex-marine and could take care of himself, or that’s what He kept telling me whenever he had the chance.
I crossed over the canal on the next bridge north with the intention of circling back to the restaurant, with the police in tow to find David.
(09:24:36 PM) NewMexicoKid: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Sighs
----------(09:25:31 PM) NewMexicoKid: Very capable main character!
(09:26:37 PM) ajey: It seems that Venice is a very dangerous place. To state the obvious.
(09:26:50 PM) NewMexicoKid: I like the ambiguity in your scene, Tom.
(09:27:06 PM) tomster: Thanks.
(09:27:48 PM) little_shakespeare: Lots of drama and suspense in it!
(09:27:59 PM) NewMexicoKid: It could be that the main character is mistaken about what is happening.
(09:28:18 PM) NewMexicoKid: It might be that David is not innocent
(09:28:45 PM) tomster: All those things ran through my head.
(09:28:48 PM) NewMexicoKid: Or that he is completely innocent and the men who are searching for the main character are simply concerned for her safety.
(09:29:06 PM) NewMexicoKid: Your characters are always complex and rich.
(09:29:09 PM) ajey: I think the men are searching for something else.
(09:29:39 PM) NewMexicoKid: Hey, is it ok for me to post the entire session in the forum? I think people would enjoy reading these snippets
(09:29:56 PM) ajey: Sure for mine!:yes:
(09:29:57 PM) little_shakespeare: Yeah, sure, that's fine.
(09:29:59 PM) tomster: Sounds good to me Tim.
(09:30:03 PM) NewMexicoKid: Thanks!
(09:30:15 PM) NewMexicoKid: I think it might help entice others out to future sessions.
(09:30:26 PM) ajey: I agree. It's an excellent idea.
(09:30:48 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok. I guess I better go wash the dinner dishes. Thanks very much to all of you for a fun and useful session!
(09:30:53 PM) little_shakespeare: See ya!
(09:31:04 PM) little_shakespeare left the room.
(09:31:07 PM) ***NewMexicoKid waves.
(09:31:13 PM) ajey: Ok, Tim, and thanks to you.
(09:31:28 PM) ajey: I'm leaving now too. Bye all.
(09:31:30 PM) NewMexicoKid: Hope you come out to the kick-off, AJ
(09:31:37 PM) tomster: Tim, just fyi, I will not be there on Saturday.
(09:31:44 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok, Tom.
(09:31:54 PM) ajey: I will not probably make that, but mayge another session or the post-Nano.
(09:32:01 PM) NewMexicoKid: Ok.
(09:32:09 PM) NewMexicoKid: The TGIO is probably more fun anyway :-)
(09:32:20 PM) ajey: :-)
(09:32:23 PM) ajey left the room.
(09:32:28 PM) NewMexicoKid: Good night, Tom
(09:32:34 PM) tomster: Night!
Tim Yao aka NewMexicoKid
co-ML, Illinois::Naperville
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