There is nothing here.

In response

SlimGypsy — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:38:51 GMT

Seeing as Tribe doesn't allow for direct responses to blog comments, I figured I'd answer some of the questions raised here ... um, here. A birthday Belly Dance?! I'll get us a drummer! :) I don't speak for who Nathaniel will will be playing with, Cookie, I'm just looking forward to introducing a good guy to some many good people. Random Pennsic Encounters rule, as they do appear to be some of the same great folks I only see during random times while wandering (as opposed to actually knowing where these regular-random-encounters camp) Excellent, JoAnna - with so many changes taking place, now would be a great time for a reading. And you D'ner! Count on it Gypsy, although I don't think he's able to stay long enough to make your camp party - not that we don't party every other night too... :) Wanna teach Social Studies/History classes. Might go for an English Certification as I already have an English Degree (then again, I have a Sociology degree too, only that doesn't appear to fit in with Social Studies .. a point I'm still not clear on. :)) Gonna quit job, move, Pennsic, new job. Gonna be a busy summer. :)

End of Summer.

SlimGypsy — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:49:53 GMT

One thing has held up the plans - assurance of a new job. Well, not anymore. New Job all done but the paperwork. And, what you might ask, am I getting myself into? Teaching. Now only two things left to assure - one, classes for teaching certification (the job itself is a non-certified job to start) and two, assurance that I have a ride home from Pennsic to the greater Philadelphia region. As only the later one is time sensitive (for now at least) this is doable.

Where have I been, what have I been doing and why haven't I posted?

SlimGypsy — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:36:17 GMT

Let's do this in reverse order. Hey, I'm me (in case ya forgotten) Tribe, for me, equals Pennsic online. It's that constant, the reminder, that 'oh yeah, something to look forward to!" that I often need. This year I had hoped to get a job that would have canceled the Pennsic plans. Hence - avoid the suffering I say (I'm a wimp that way, or practical, take your pick.) Then I learned that my friend will be a Pennsic virgin this year, camping with Swatura! (AND, get this, not our only Pennsic Virgin.) Ooooh, the thought of introducing Nathaniel to all of Pennsic - damn, that sounds like way way too much fun to pass up. Then I looked at the calendar - made a mistake, was corrected and still considered it close enough timing to say eff it, it counts - and realized that Zero Night is the day after the big Four Oh. (Um, yeah, that's my age, and not some obscure reference I don't expect you to get, only I don't expect you to know my age... never mind) So the fact that I haven't actually gotten that job? Well, I do have one I might still be getting - guess when it starts. Go ahead. write it down so you can say, hey, I guessed right! got it? Ok, August 11th. Frak that, I'm going to Pennsic! AND, I decided to celebrate me birthday on Zero Night.... or, more accurately that whole day (week, war,) with a picnic! Forty Years And A Day Picnic! Starting July 25th sometime in the afternoon (hoping for 2pm ish - um, with ish being a rule breaking hour or so on either side) on the eastside of the BattleField, because let's face it, at that hour there won't be many there. No doubt we'll be there all night ... we might not still be coherent or even awake, but we'll be there. What's this "We" stuff Slim? Well, of course, I'll have Nathaniel along for all the fun, he's the Pennsic Virgin, gotta start the introductions while he's still sober enough to be embarrassed about forgetting them later. As for that boring stuff about what I've been up to, well, we'll save that for something to talk about as we sober up with more drink later that week. :)

Do you know...

SlimGypsy — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:53:28 GMT

Anyone know anything about Reisterstown MD? I've got a job interview there in a couple weeks, wondering what the place is like (aside from the various stats and numbers I can bring up online.)

Prawn Porn

SlimGypsy — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:59:47 GMT

Because I really didn't think of this one first. www.cafepress.com/kitno.33066011 Isn't the 'net great?

How Slow Can You Go?

SlimGypsy — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 14:49:14 GMT

On a regular day, here in hell (also known as work,) I'd be in the middle of running all of the days titles searches. This is a process of repetive attention to detail that I won't bore you with the particulars about. Suffice it to say it would take me till about 11 o'clock for me to finish, at which time I go get some munches. Then I would have to abstract all of the applicable mortgages to the said searches. This might take me to 1, maybe 2, o'clock on a good day. Today I had three searches. For the day. Total. Like, fifteen minutes of work. While eating breakfast. With a break to say hi to people coming in the door. I'm now on a seven hour lunch. To quote a fellow Pennsicer; Oh sweet merciful crap.

'bout Time

SlimGypsy — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:09:26 GMT

I'm reconnected! Wooohooo! Finally got someone at Verizon (gave up on Earthlink) to understand that transfering me to another department was not going to fix my problem! Well, hot stinking damn. You know what this means, don't you? ALL PORN, ALL THE TIME!! [2 minutes, 43 seconds later] Right. Well, what else is there to do? Oh, right, keep up on these blog things so I can keep in touch with folks. Always a good idea. Only now, there's something happening out in the yard with real people gather for real interaction - love ya all, but every once in a while even I have to get up from the computer :)

well, crap

SlimGypsy — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:19:25 GMT

I was going get on here and bitch about how Earthlink has failed to get my dsl re-connected - yes that's right, returning to the world online. But now I see that Tribe also ate the blog I wrote yesterday...or was that Monday? Whatever, it ate it, dagnabit! grrrr Why do Computers hate me now?

What's wrong with this...?

SlimGypsy — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:39:35 GMT

It seems that the US has had 600 documented attempts to kill Fidel Castro. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cuba_cia_castro_plot We can't kill one guy sitting in charge of a small island and we're going to hunt down terrorist all over the world?

C@ckS&ck#rs!

SlimGypsy — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 17:31:02 GMT

They called me back to work. Buggers. Rat stinking lousy good for nothin'... At least now I know what I'm going to be doing rather than working there for however long it takes for them to lay me off again. I'm still going through with the plans to be a teacher - and seeing as the Alternate Certification Programs that I've found all start with prereg for next year in a month or two , I guess having a job for a bit won't hurt. At least long enough to reset my unemployment back to the full six months. This gives me a much better state of mind than last year! Woohoo! And I did submit OnMyIsland as well. AND I might still manage to finish my play by the end of the month. Not to mention a short story I started. And, I suppose, you can guess what working again means... (wait for it, waaaaaaaiit foor it) ... I can afford to goto pennsic. :) Yeah, total about face, I WILL be seeing you all there (as I just pre-reg'd - guess it was damn nice of the office to call me back in time to save a buck , huh?) Although, Pheadon did come up with a brilliant idea which I will follow up on - working at Pennsic with a vendor. Yet, I'm bummed to miss out on the irony of going to pennsic to work while being unemployeed. But, still, the extra cash will do me good all the same. So, if anyone knows a vendor hiring, let me know (YIV is on that list already of course :)) Right, well, time is running out on this computer, and I still have a few other things to see to, but I'll be back (still no internet at home, might not fix that till after Pennsic.)

HI!

SlimGypsy — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:43:02 GMT

Hi folks! Long time no see, huh? Well, here's an update for ya then - For starters, I've been without an internet connection since Febuary. I got laid off from work on April 9th (the day after Easter.) I got over the initial shock by the time I walked home. Seeing as this is the closest thing I've had to a paid vacation in eight years, I'm not really upset. I've decided to go into teaching (which relates to my interest in post-grad studies as well.) Gotta do the Praxis testing and jump through hoops, but nothing impossible. Need a teachers-aide job, or perhaps a research assistant at a college where I can get certified while working. I'm going to be submiting OnMyIsland to the City Paper (Philadelphia) for thier comic issue contest. The winner gets thier comic in the newspaper, so you fans of my silliness can vote me a freelance job. And, at this time, I am not making any plans - nor do I expect - to attend Pennsic this year. HUGS!

Post rut review.

SlimGypsy — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:03:01 GMT

I realized today that I've been in a rut. While I've been checking my mail, I've not actually been answering it. And as my mind has been far busier than my body, I dreaded slipping into the same agrivated depression that plagued me all of last summer. (Well, can't say I don't try to learn from my past.) So, a couple new projects to keep me as busy as my mind. One is a mini-larp! Well, a one night event anyways. AND, get this, it's NOT WoD. No no, it's a cyberpunk setting. I'll probably run the whole pre-game set up on my lj page: http://simoniff.livejournal.com/ so if ya interested... Likewise (for those who might not have already clicked there and read much of this same rambling...um, right, to the point) I'll be starting a serial novel. At least a chapter a week. It's called Black Book - it's not who you are, it's who you can call on. This will be distributed to prospective editors and fans via email. Gee, I had started this to appologize to anyone who has sent me a message of late that I didn't respond to, and I've gone off on a self-promotional ramble. Yeah, I suck. So, play my game, read my stuff, I won't suck nearly as much that way!

OnMyIsland #28

SlimGypsy — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:04:30 GMT

OnMyIsland #27

SlimGypsy — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 04:31:19 GMT

War on Peace

SlimGypsy — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 02:55:12 GMT

War on Iraq. War in Iraq. War on Drugs. Take a moment to consider each of the three statements above. Now, ask yourself, what do they each mean? A declaration of war ON Iraq would mean, both semantically and historically, that the Government of the United States of America had declared war upon the Government of Iraq. No matter the reasons, nor the outcome, we could eventually say we had a winner. Once one governing body declared themselves defeated word could then be delivered to their armed forces and war would be officially ended. But what about a war IN Iraq? (Or Afghanistan for that matter.) What does it mean that we fight a war, not against a governing body, but against a force residing in the geopolitical bounds of another country? It sounds like a tough question, unless we consider the last of our statements first. A war on drugs. In this statement “war” is not an act of aggression against another governing force with the capacity to surrender in whole, but a term used to motivate a population for the expressed civic and social act of changing that populations perspective. In effect, “war” is a social motivator intended to adjust the populations perspective and participation in illegal drugs. We have accepted that, in part, this social motivation would be done at the end of a gun. So long as the gun is pointed at drug dealers who had their own guns, and the deaths of innocent bystanders is kept to a minimum we have been happy to let this war wage for decades. Now, back in Iraq (or Afghanistan for that matter,) we are attempting to wage a war. The problem is that we are not waging a war against a force that is governed. Organized, yes, but this does not imply or even vaguely suggest that this force is willing to surrender in whole (or even in part so far.) We are attempting to effect a social and civic change on a population by use of deadly force, by the barrel of a gun, and with seemingly no clear way of defining bystander from target. Hence, no one can declare this ‘war’ won so long as someone disagrees who is still capable and willing to hold a gun. So, how did we get here? Lyndon B Johnson, in his inaugural address, had declared a “War on Poverty.” It is, historically speaking, the first use of “war” as a social motivator rather than a description of a conflict between opposing forces. Since then, folks have been happy to declare wars, on drugs, AIDS, the homeless - in effect, on any social change that is desired one simply declares a war upon the negative social condition. But, it was the War on Drugs that put the worse spin on this trend, for while this is a war of social change, it incorporated a fair amount of guns and death. Slowly, and over decades, we have come to accept that a war for a social change can be done, in part or in whole, at the end of a gun. Only now, this social change is in a foreign land, against foreign people with their own history, beliefs and struggles (both social and opposing types.) We have confused the meaning of war to a point where we think we are fighting a conflict against an opposing force. We are not. We are fighting to change the minds, beliefs and political structure of a population. Can you imagine a less effective way to do that than at the end of a gun?

OnMyIsland #26

SlimGypsy — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:11:54 GMT

OnMyIsland #25

SlimGypsy — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 01:13:48 GMT

And, for those who might note such things, slim gypsies ( http://www.myspace.com/slimgypsies ) do not have three old songs up, but three new versions of earlier songs. I tossed in an extra from an earlier practice just to fill it out. Enjoy!

OnMyIsland #24

SlimGypsy — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 02:08:12 GMT

making blues

SlimGypsy — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 02:41:05 GMT

So my buddy and colaborator Nic has shown me how easy it is to turn my rambling prose into the blues. http://www.myspace.com/slimgypsies Now, the one - my baby - is Nic's. I liked it, he likes my vocals more than his own. The other, rittenhouse 2pm tuesday, is my words, edited down to the blues. And, of course, we still have a couple of jam sessions with the three of us (Elias is the third, but he missed tonite. Sucker.) Ever consider spanish guitar mixing with the blues? Me either, but hey, it don't sound too bad to me. Seeing as we're still putting this thing together, feel free to take part in the making of this alblum. Heck, we'll give you credit for helping out. Why not, we're cheap. :P

Music and Islands

SlimGypsy — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 16:02:45 GMT

More music - http://www.myspace.com/slimgypsies As for OnMyIsland - someone recently pointed out that they still can't read these. Bummer. Why this wasn't mentioned, oh, I dunno, a few months ago... :P~~ Anyways, I've not gotten around to fixing the old ones, or making new ones. Reality has intruded upon my island it seems, and my desire to plan my exit from my current employment is being shaken up rather harshly. Fret not, I'll get back on my island - hopefully sooner rather than later.

So what do I do?

SlimGypsy — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 22:21:41 GMT

This was a rather interesting question - seems I'm more sociable than I thought :P The answer? Real estate title insurance. I do title research work on properties for bank loans and that sorta crap. REALLY boring. My common answer, if I think the person won't get too insulted, is "Breath, drink, eat, sleep, more or less in that order." I don't define myself by what I do. For good reason, eh? :) Although, I've gotten an idea stuck in my head for an actual change. But for now, I'm gonna play this low key, take my time and what not. See, I usually go through one year "what am I going to do next with myself" periods, which this is a little longer than a year at this phase now. The other times is usually a more solid idea sorta plan, doing something - traveling, school, working, whatever. I don't wanna rush it, as this is liable to carry me over for a few years next. But rest assured, as I move on it, I'll let'cha know.

OnMyIsland #23 (and slim gypsies!)

SlimGypsy — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 23:15:06 GMT

http://www.myspace.com/slimgypsies Go on, click it, ya know ya wanna (less of course, you already cringe at myspace like I usually do). But, it is the only place to preview live music for free. Yeah, that's right, music, as in a blues band I'm actually in. And chances are the music selections will be changing often - or as often as I feel like changing them and we get to practice.

The job thing...

SlimGypsy — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 01:21:19 GMT

So, I'm at work today, and for some odd reason a conversation I had with my friend Gypsy pops into my head. It's one I've had often with folks, they get to know me from whatever odd course caused our paths to cross and eventually they want to know what I do to pay the bills. The answer is always the same: "I never would have guessed that." Clearly, they're as disappointed in the answer as I am in having the job in the first place. But what I started wondering, after that conversation popped into my head earlier today, was exactly what job do people see me doing? So, whether ya know what I do now or not, feel ya know me real well or only passingly, let me know what job pops into ya head when ya think of me. I've gotten kinda curious here...

OnMyIsland #22

SlimGypsy — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 01:00:18 GMT

OnMyIsland #21

SlimGypsy — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 02:24:56 GMT