Crap Cruach

I've been waiting for my regularly scheduled utility bills to come through since the end of August. I phoned my leccy supplier on the 10th, asking them to update. I gave them my reading, which was substantially less than I thought it'd be, and they said they'd send me a new one updated.

I just heard the postie arrive. Nothing. It has been eight days since I phoned them with the update. I gave them another ring earlier this morning, and they assured me the revised bills were sent out on the 12th. Second Class Post.

Well, I'm done waiting here for the bills. I am heading off into town shortly. I have an appointment, at 13:30 I do believe, and I have a phone call I must make before I go anywhere.

I need an appointment, regrettably, with my dentist.

Edited: Just got my bills. And they're confused and ambiguous. I need another phone call to clear things up with them now. *sigh*

Sound Like Gamers To Me

My folks turned on the TV just now and pointed out to me something about some Comedy Central show.

Krod What and the What?

Apparently, Comedy Central have commissioned a fantasy comedy show featuring characters with names like "Krod Mandoon" and "Dongalor."

"A fantasy-comedy, "Krod Mandoon and The Flaming Sword of Fire" is an outrageous, live-action, character-driven comedy that takes place in the "long ago past" and features [Sean] Maguire as the reluctant hero Krod Mandoon, a sensitive, clueless freedom fighter ..."

*sigh* *cradles forehead* I dread to think. Clearly someone has decided to come out of the gaming closet here. The actors, too, by all accounts.

I only bring this up because my well-meaning folks looked to me and said "Isn't this what you're into?" I think I initially replied along the lines of "Crap fucking Cruach, Rhesus Wept Blackleaf NOOOOO!"

The games I play and run, namely Traveller, Shadowrun, Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0 and the World of Darkness, have different settings and a very different feel. But the cowans looking in still lump such games in with the rubber swords and the chainmail and the Boots of Escaping.

X-posted to roleplayers

Using E-Prime

I have recently begun attempting to use E-Prime in all my LJ communications.

When using E-Prime, the speaker or writer simply removes all instances of the verb "to be" and variants.

Examples of the excised word include "to be," "is," "are," "were," "am," "be," "been" and "being," along with contractions such as "I'm," "you're," "he's," "she's," "it's," "we're" and "they're" and "[name]'s" in sentences such as "David's English" (short for "David is English") as compared to the apostrophe used to denote a possessive term (e.g. "David's Garage").

Not only does E-Prime change the way one uses words; its use forces the speaker or writer to think about what he or she really means. The premise initially appears complex and requires much thought; but once you embark upon the journey, you may well come to rely upon E-Prime for its superlative efficiency in cutting out linguistic ambiguities.

Bedward Bound

I managed just two hours' sleep last night. I require some sleep tonight; sleep, and a bath to prepare for slumber, for with tomorrow comes International Talk Like A Pirate Day, and a 24 hour suspension of my experiment in E-Prime.

Night night, everyone.