calligaris usa
in High Point, North Carolina has a bastard running it named
Daniele Cincotti 
wot a bastardo

Everything is Chinese, not Italian.
They lie. 

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind.
Think big anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack if you help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

Dr. Kent M. Keith

Current Mood: determined

I can't leave it there. Negativity just shrivels my soul until I feel like the Grinch with a heart 3 times too small. Or was it four?

I have a lot to be grateful for, not the least of which is I'm alive, mostly healthy, have family, friends, a supportive, loving husband, a good home and we don't starve.

Right off the bat, that's a LOT to be grateful for!

I'm a spoilt brat sometimes and I think this might be one of those times.

The brain doesn't want to let this go. Good thing LJ allows editing.

Sometimes I wish I was one of those writers who writes whatever comes to mind, good, bad, ugly, questionable.

But I'm not and I cringe when I read a story that has a character doing something I personally can't EVER see them doing.

I respect that other writer has a differing point of view, and has the right to write whatever she wants.

I also think it's crap.

No, I don't tell her that! Sheesh. I'm not heartless. She's got talent, she just wallows in mediocrity and seems to have fun so I'm certainly not going to go over and ruin the pool party.

I just come here and bitch. :p

It bugs me to read the beginning of a promising story and then BAM! Suddenly Obi-wan is an emotional mess, crying and unable to deal with his problems (especially when said problem is Quigs dumping him for Anakin).

Let me address several things, eh? Get them off my chest before I 'splode and ...no, it's verra messy, dat.

1.) Obi-wan Kenobi is a Jedi. In my not so humble opinion, that means several things. It means he has learned to control his body, his mind, and his actions. He thinks before he speaks and acts. He is self-aware. He is responsible.

Sure, he might mess up and pop off a smart ass comment, he is human and frankly, I treasure those moments! *g* Georgy shows Jedi as always calm, somber, in control, yadda, blah, blah.

I don't. I think most of the time you wouldn't want to play poker with a Jedi but they still put their pants on one leg at a time, still have to use the loo, still brush their teeth.

They bleed. They die.

Anakin proved that.


2.) This issue of insecurity. Some writers, especially slash ones, love to portray Obi-wan as an insecure pup no matter that he has no braid, sports a gerbil beard, and has grey hair.

This annoys me greatly people.

Okay. As a KID, Obi-wan Kenobi had issues. Most of us do, most of us STILL do.

Jedi do not. Not to the point of neurosis. Not to the point that his master taking a new padawan once Obi-wan is knighted knocks poor Kenobi off his game and he gets drunk and cries and goes out and lays the first guy he comes across because damnit, he loves his master and his master doesn't love him!!

Uh huh. I really would have to point out this sounds more like a writer's issue, and not something a rational, highly-trained Jedi Knight (or padawan) would do. Sure, you can write it, but geez....it's not Obi-wan.

This is the same guy who stayed out in Tatooine's Jundland Wastes out beyond the Dune Sea for 21 years watching over the kid of the fellow who tried to slice, dice and julian fry him. This is the same guy who sticks around after he's dead to make sure the aforementioned kid stays on track and has guidance.

This is not an insecure man. Yes, he made mistakes. I only know of one person who is perfect and they crucified Him.

Obi-wan Kenobi was annoyed at Qui-gon Jinn during that council meeting, we all saw that. But it was for the way Quigs handled it, not because he felt he was being shunted aside.

Okay, follow me here.

Jedi initiates work hard to become padawans.

Padawans train and work their asses off, devoting their lives to being knighted. It's their goal, it's their desire.

It's also the master's goal.

Okay, following?

SO. Obi-wan didn't want to remain Qui-gon Jinn's padawan forever. In fact by the age of 25, I imagine he was looking forward to being knighted and getting on with his life.

It was what both of them had worked for since Obi-wan was twelve! WHY would that make him feel insecure? So Quigs has wretched timing, that's nothing new! Obi-wan doubtless understands the quirks of a man like Quigs better than almost anyone.

3.) I so seriously, sincerely doubt that Obi-wan was jealous of Anakin. I don't see it. I think he worried about the kid, was concerned Anakin was dangerous (because HE WAS), and worried that Quigs was going off half-cocked. Again. Obi-wan is a control nut. He operates on control. Detail. Knowing the facts before they're needed, and being prepared.

Obi-wan Kenobi, Jedi Scout!

Quigs threw serious wrinkles in that all the time, and I know that must have annoyed Obi-wan endlessly (and amused Quigs endlessly). This is, later, why the Anakin and Obi-wan partnership works. They balance.

I won't point fingers because both of them blew it, but to lay ALL the blame on Kenobi? Unh-uh, not in my world. Anakin had a choice and the responsibility for the consequences of that choice fall directly upon his whiny-ass shoulders in my book.

Obi-wan paid his penance in those 21 years watching over Luke and dodging the Empire. He paid, and paid and paid.

And yes, it annoys me.

Someday I'll write something that explores Vader's pov and maybe it'll give me empathy for Anakin.

Don't hold your breath....I'd hate to go to your funeral. :p

Tags: obi-wan kenobi, sw sandbox, writing blather
Current Mood: contemplative

Okay. It's three days before Thanksgiving and you want to order a table from Italy NOW?

*shakes head in disbelief* First of all? Italy is a freaking long ways from here. As in THOUSANDS OF MILES.

Second? There are no transporters in the Real World where the tables in Italy live. That means that they have to take a boat across the Atlantic Ocean to make it aaaaaall the way here to California. Yeah, think Pilgrims if that helps.

Lastly? WHY did you wait until now to do this if you've known (and admitted) that you have company coming and not everyone will fit at the table?

I suggest breaking out the card table. It's cozy, it's fun. It's not a fancy-schmancy table from Italy but you know what?

It holds up food just as well.

Tags: people with no clue
Current Mood: bemused

Sea Fever
by John Masefield


I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a gray mist on the sea's face and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Argggggh!!!

Current Mood: sleepy

Ivan just asked if I had any idea where to buy rose petals.

His first anniversary is this Sunday and Federica is coming home from Italy after taking care of her sick mama...and he wants to have rose petals strewn about the flat for her.

*squee!*

Okay, so the practical side of me is thinking...you'd have to pick those up later, but the other part is just thinking...awwww!!

Current Mood: happy

This is ironic.

So here we are, at the opening of the Highland Festival -- i.e. Scottish Faire and it was SO hot (around 101) and all of us fair skinned, reddish-hair types got the snot burned out of us even WITH ultra uber sunblock...

Nature is laughing at us. Our genetics are against us. The guy who dropped the caber on his foot is *really* having no luck. Pass around the Guinness, lads and don't hog the aloe!

Alas!

May tomorrow be cooler or so help me, D might start to seriously think kilts are a practical thing.

Which, of course, they are. *smirk*

Tags: caledonia club 2007
Current Mood: thirsty

I work for mental midgets

Out sick one day: "Need to get doctor's note"

Since when!? No. Go talk to the EDD if you think I'm joking, oh Italian Company. 3 days, yes. 1? No. Way.


"We value our customers and strive for the highest in customer service"

...WRONG! Dingdingding!!!! Why do I say so?? Because when I get an earful for not shipping something that is supposed to be part of a TWO WEEK program and has now been here over a month? I hear, "Tell them no, we cannot ship this week. No, no way."

Walk the talk, Mr. Italian Man. This is America. The ONLY way to gain customer loyalty is to do what you advertise and beat it if you can.

Shipping something that is supposed to be available in 2 weeks in 5 weeks? Doing it consistent enough that I catch hell all day on the phones and the shipping/warehouse manager doesn't care?

Well, not only are you losing customers, you're losing this employee.

Ciao.

Current Mood: frustrated

D's been playing Bioshock all weekend, and it's an amazing game.

But creepy!!!

The Big Daddies are SCARY. Just sitting in the other room, listening to them come closer and closer, that grumbling noise and the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.....*shudder*



And whatever you do....DO NOT go after a Little Sister unless you want that coming after you. o.O

The game is really well-conceived, well-written and has amazing graphics. I just can't deal with the need to bash in the baddie's heads. Ya know? It's why me and first-person shooter games don't deal well. Too graphic.

The story, however, intrigues.

This is Mr. Bubbles. Say hello, Mr. Bubbles.... "MRGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"

Tags: bioshock
Current Mood: accomplished