Who will we be?

For a moment walking out the door, I reveled in my geekdom and wondered who Hyrum will want to role play in the future and what roles he will ask of us.... Will I be Sam, Aragorn, or Gandalf to his Frodo? Han, Obi-wan, or 3P0 to his Luke? Which of the Justice League or the X-Men or Starfleet officers will we be? ... or should I be working on my rim shot instead?

A February Carol

Tonight, the part of Ebeneezer Scrooge will be played by Hyrum Watson, with Bob the Builder as Isabelle.

Isabelle: Another idol has displaced me, and if it can comfort you in time to come, as I would have tried to do, I have no just cause to grieve.

Scrooge: What idol has displaced you?

Isabelle: A feathered one.

Scrooge: You mean just because I ask for "Duck Song" first thing in the morning instead of "Bob," and chose to see Donald in Mathamagicland yesterday instead of you?

Hyrum vs. Fiction

Hyrum - who can now call himself 'Hy-um' or 'Hum' - is becoming enamored with his first fictional characters. Since you can't tell the umps from the players without a program, here's the major cast of characters contending for his attention and first billing on the "Mommy, I've gotta have it or I'll die" circuit in order of appearance:



Kitty! Hyrum likes cats too and they're the first animals he can imitate, but he's also fascinated with Sullivan/Kitty from Monsters, Inc. Joy notes that it's really a love/hate relationship. He will specifically ask to wear his Kitty sweater, but then he is afraid of it when we put it on him. He points to it, then backs away, but he just can't leave it alone. He doesn't have the clearest 't' yet, but we know when he's asking for "Ki-y."





Buzz Lightyear! For Thanksgiving I put on a Disney shirt that features a lot of the major characters. Hyrum was instantly entranced by one small space toy on the bottom. He pointed at Buzz and Dada said, "To infinity! and beyond!" Hyrum pointed again ... and again ... and again. Worried that he was becoming a broken record, Da put on Toy Story 2 which enthralled Hy as no movie has before or since. Hy also loved the closing song (upbeat version of You've Got a Friend in Me) and asked to hear it a dozen times. This morning, he said "Buzz."





Bob the Builder! We got a DVD for Hy at the Trumanburg Fair back in August, showed him the video, and he wasn't really interested. Then he watched it yesterday (picked it over Fantasia 2000) and this morning was more interested in "Bob" than in his scripture video, something no one else has managed. Yesterday he and Mom also played with blocks together and Mom apparently kept saying "Build" to him, so she wonders if that has anything to do with it.


He's also seen Lion King and Sword in the Stone a couple times and has asked for Jungle Book, but something in it really scares him and he asks for it to be shut off agian. He watched Cars, but doesn't seem to have connected with a character yet.

If his connection with these characters is any indication of who he is modeling, I'm pretty pleased. They're all confident people who go forward with their jobs and try to follow their conscience. They're dependable, if a bit single-minded. Kitty is sensitive, soft, protective, and loyal. Buzz is loyal, brave, and learns not to be full of himself. Bob I don't know too well, but he's soft-spoken, helpful, and courteous. Not bad qualities to let a toddler try to imitate.

An excerpt from Tales of the Arabian Nights

While asleep at my home in Baghdad, I have a dream of fabulous riches my deceased father left me and a vision of a long-lost relative in ... Tana, India. I set off on a quest to speak with him about it, using my skills of Scholarship, Seduction, and Enduring Hardship.

Early in my quest, I meet The Barber, an extraordinarily talkative fellow. I pray for deliverance from his chatter, but because I am not pious enough, he only hears my prayer and vows to accompany me on my quest to instruct me in the ways of Allah. I become Grief Stricken, so I can't use any of my skills.

Next on my journey I meet a women whom I question. As she pauses on the side of the road, I decide she has taken far longer than necessary to do her business and sneak up to find out what is going on. I discover that she is really a ghoul and is telling her children about how she is going to feed me to them. Aack! I try to sneak away, but her voice lures me back (since my Scholarship skill is inactive thanks to being Grief Stricken). Fortunately, I am saved by some passing soldiers who chase them off, but her voice remains in my head and I am ... Ensorcelled.

Finally arriving in Tana, I attempt to hire a mad enchantress who takes affront at my manner. She orders be to bow down and worship her. Having already demonstrated my lack of piety, I do so. She is pleased with my obeisance, rewarding me handsomely: I now have respectable wealth and gain the fabled Carnellian Idol. At any time, I can rub the idol to gain a skill or increase a skill to master level, but then I will become insane for one turn. I keep the idol with me.

I also meet my relative who tells me that my dreams of riches are true. He describes some of my father's ways and that he definitely kept his wealth ... back in Baghdad. Home again, home again...

More of the amazing story below the fold...

Dedicated to my mother

At the Ren Fair they had an artisan selling (I think) copper crafted fountains and statues. Inside the shop was a handmade wooden sign that said, "Want to know our internet address? Try NeverGoingToHaveOne@dontask.com." So this is your one chance to see these amazing statues and fountains. Mom, you'll love em. Love, your son. (As always, click on the image to enlarge. They're worth it.)