The Patent Dragon's Zone of Soul Retraction

Yeah, I missed another day, but to be honest, you weren't missing very much. The "main event" was the "race" to complete the "Borg Assimilated" equipment set for my other Star Trek Online characters before one set of four on-ship devices becomes two sets of three when Season 7 kicks in, and that's been continuing today - there's no guarantee I'll be able to complete the Borg set for both remaining characters, but my Klingon Defence Force representative may be close enough for it to work out...

When not "grinding" episodes in space, I've also been enjoying some downloaded content for Skyrim, in the form of "Hearthfire"; the new add-on house-building system. It's no way as in-depth and customisable as the set-up in Ultima Online, but you do have to build each part of your dwelling literally from the ground up.

In the meantime... I'm 0 for 2 on attempts to watch this week's CSI Miami, as the show's conclusion approaches. Damn.

And finally... I'm considering starting to post the latest piece of the WORLDS COLLIDE run-in starting Monday. That'll give me about a week... mark... before Chapter 4, which should be the conclusion, will be due in. Can I possibly make the deadline...?

ITEM! I'm going with that epilogue I mentioned yesterday for ...Mane-of-Night: Dancers of Freeport, as a way of expanding what happens outside of our heroine's experience. I don't have my "master blueprint" for the whole run-up to *SPOILER?* WORLDS COLLIDE *END_SPOILER?* yet - but I can't really blame any of that on my usual weekend hassle, 'cause there honestly wasn't that much. Just a few small jobs that needed dealt with, and were - I've just not fully readjusted to the concept of an unbuggered-up weekend yet.

ITEM! Have I just found the perfect item for one of my "props" for my Mission 101 Task 88

88 - Create usable stage/screen/cosplay props of three pieces of costume or equipment from my own projects

. The idea is to make a Mane-of-Night energy-whip bracelet THAT LIGHTS UP, but I have utterly failed to find a light source that can be easily switched on and off, ideally through leather, and I may just have found what I need...

ITEM! Oh, and during the same shopping "sprint", I ordered some more flash drives - I already have far more than I could possibly need, but dammit they keep getting smaller, and therefore more desireable...

ITEM! Chalk up another for Mission 101 Task 28 - add Paper Moon (1973) to the "classic movie a month" list!

ITEM! Get this - the book of War Horse (which I'm currently reading and enjoying) has sold more copies in the UK in the last two weeks than it had WORLDWIDE since it was published 25 YEARS AGO. Yay!

ITEM! Time to kick back before NEW CSI New York!

We lost our power earlier (until past the start time for CSI Miami), and that cost me an Ultima Online session. As a result, we paid an unexpected, but warmly received visit to my nephew, in perhaps the only house in the street with power.

Any catch-up tomorrow's gonna have to take a back seat to my going to see Apollo 18 - pity that Troll Hunter seems to be "MIA", probably until DVD release. Next up is most likely the prequel to The Thing, which will really have to go some to beat the '80s genre-defining version - is CGI really going to be enough? It won't be long 'til we find out.

So, that's the evening pretty much knackered, then. Let's try this again tomorrow.

I knew it was going to be a not entirely satisfactory day the moment I found the Ice Slope Of Impending Death between me and work this morning. I survived unscathed, and work was in general non-annoying, with a definite high-point being a writing break-through - an important element has made it through the creative haze at last! The end of The Secret Adventures of Mane-of-Night - Flight 102 Is Overdue is on the horizon.

I found a route home that had next to no risk of a slippy incident, and yes, it did take a while longer, but it was worth it to bypass "Death Canyon". My evening didn't start quite as I'd hoped, but there was brand spanking new CSI to look forward to, and that revealed something that many people have known for quite some time...

...B!3b3r The "Boy Wonder" is EVIL. EEEEEEVIIIIIIL.

The Meeting... A "sorry you feel that way" rather than "we apologise for screwing up", but what needed to be said was said.

And The Rest Of The Day... A search for project materials was moderately successful, partly due to time constraints. Hollow plastic sphere for Blue/Red Lantern Power Battery project? Nope - couldn't even find a hamster ball. Large jewel for cosplay/prop Mane-of-Night energy-whip (Task 88)? No, but I did get some solid polystyrene eggs that could be used to form a mold for casting the necessary item - now, how about some resin casting supplies...?

Meanwhile... Mission Objective 79: Protest against CLAN continues, as local journalists continue to address the total lack of residents' involvement in the decision to allow 2010's CLAN Gathering. The latest news article featured someone who didn't want their name used, but I personally have no problems in that respect - especially when I'm going to go around the houses surrounding the site, asking for opinions and support. Given the way recent summers have gone, peace and quiet is about all we can hope for - and it's NOT for sale.

Task 55... Took some new photographs of my favourite piece of sculpture in the world - the dragon in Dundee. I even did a video clip this time - something will find its way online soon enough.

Coming Soon... The CSI Trilogy - all three "flavours" contributing to a single story-line. The story starts in Miami on Tuesday on Five - an episode from next season out of sequence...? Hope it doesn't blow anything about last season's cliffhanger.

Development News...



Yes, TDD-604 "Coming Home" IS DONE. It took a quite drastic change of approach to break the latest log-jam, but once the move was made, boy did things start moving - and I have CSI to thank for keeping things moving. Grissom and the Las Vegas team, I love you!

Posting is still set for tomorrow, at some time - probably just before I post my review of Part One of David Tennant's Doctor Who swan-song, "The End Of Time" - am I alone in getting the impression that maybe the lines between "good guy" and "bad guy" are going to be not just blurred, but completely twisted...?

And The Rest... Today was the approaching traditional Christmas Eve family dinner, and a very nice gathering it was, too. A bit too much to eat, perhaps - Bro, SiL and The Young Man seem to thrive on big portions - but unlike last year, presents were not opened before The Big Day, which should help tomorrow's somewhat subdued festivities along a bit.

Okay, I'm going to finish there for now, and ease into Christmas Day with Family Guy and a movie before seeking the embrace of beddy-byes.