Written By Cambria
Aug. 6, 2018, 3:29 p.m.(5/3/1009 AR)
In regards to the current debate concerning the matter of spoons as weapons...I encourage the reader of this entry to review my submission for 12/6/1008 AR.
Written By Cambria
July 28, 2018, 2:14 p.m.(4/12/1009 AR)
Thoughts about knighthood:
A knight is an individual who lives honorably and dies (if you believe in such things) honorably, because the knight cares more for honor than for their own life. If honor requires the knight to fight, then a fight there shall be. The knight does not count the number of foes arrayed before them, nor measure their strength. To the knight, those things do not matter. They do not affect the knight's decision.
A knight is an individual who lives honorably and dies (if you believe in such things) honorably, because the knight cares more for honor than for their own life. If honor requires the knight to fight, then a fight there shall be. The knight does not count the number of foes arrayed before them, nor measure their strength. To the knight, those things do not matter. They do not affect the knight's decision.
Written By Cambria
July 28, 2018, 1:57 p.m.(4/12/1009 AR)
Once I thought that time was but a single thread; a straight line one could follow to look at the past, the present, and then onward, into the future. I no longer think that way. Time is a weaving, a tapestry that extends infinitely in all directions.
Written By Cambria
July 28, 2018, 1:50 p.m.(4/12/1009 AR)
I had a Scholar when I was a lass who used to say, 'Happy is the soul who has found their work - but of course the addict who has found a large stash of Dust is happy, too.' One kind of addiction is approved by society, and the other is not, but both can destroy their victims.
Written By Cambria
July 21, 2018, 1:03 a.m.(3/23/1009 AR)
We hope that with memories, knowledge will come. From knowledge, we then expect understanding. Yet for every answer you find, more often than not, a thousand new questions arise.
All that we were has led us to where we are, but tells little of where we are going.
All that we were has led us to where we are, but tells little of where we are going.
Written By Cambria
July 21, 2018, 12:55 a.m.(3/23/1009 AR)
There are those whose strength is exceedingly rare. They aren't easy to pick out among a crowd, because they reveal nothing. They are quiet. They often believe themselves to be much weaker than they are, in fact. Yet when pushed too hard, they surprise themselves with the realization that they will not back away another step, that a wall has risen within their soul, unyielding, a barrier that cannot be passed. To find someone such as this is a most precious discovery.
Written By Cambria
July 15, 2018, 1:16 p.m.(3/13/1009 AR)
Princess Isabeau writes words of wisdom I think everyone can benefit from reading. The opening of the Crafters Gallery last night was not merely a veneration of Jayus, but also of Gild.
Written By Cambria
July 15, 2018, 1:11 p.m.(3/13/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Vanora
I quite agree with you! I need not get my way all the time, because when I get my way some of the time, I appreciate it all the more. (Or so my House Seraph taught me, and I choose to believe him, even if I still think that if I got my way all of the time I would remain perfectly appreciative).
Written By Cambria
July 15, 2018, 12:47 a.m.(3/11/1009 AR)
If I had my way, it would be steelsilk. All steelsilk. And star iron. And dragonweep. Some alaricite, too, if I am being perfectly honest.
And this is assuredly but one reason why the gods have deemed it fit that no one should get their way all the time.
And this is assuredly but one reason why the gods have deemed it fit that no one should get their way all the time.
Written By Cambria
July 14, 2018, 10:14 p.m.(3/11/1009 AR)
Thoughts about heroes:
They are very different from peacocks. They don't strut, they don't hang portraits of themselves in their homes, and they are mostly sotto voce. They don't create whirlwind scandals and are a socialite's worst nightmare. I have often wondered what makes a person's life or his or her individual actions heroic to the point where their legacy stands the test of time. Lately, however, I have wondered more how the heroes of old would react to the world of today.
They are very different from peacocks. They don't strut, they don't hang portraits of themselves in their homes, and they are mostly sotto voce. They don't create whirlwind scandals and are a socialite's worst nightmare. I have often wondered what makes a person's life or his or her individual actions heroic to the point where their legacy stands the test of time. Lately, however, I have wondered more how the heroes of old would react to the world of today.
Written By Cambria
July 11, 2018, 10:31 p.m.(3/5/1009 AR)
Do we really care about someone's past? I'm not sure that we do. Not always, at any rate. What we care about is the person who was able to share that past: the one that makes you want to compare; the one that makes your insecurities burst out. She is like a shadow.
Or maybe it is you who are the shadow.
Or maybe it is you who are the shadow.
Written By Cambria
July 10, 2018, 10:53 p.m.(3/3/1009 AR)
Meditations on devotions to Jayus, for the non-artist:
Instead of believing that a work of art must be something that all can behold - a poem, a painting, a book, a great monument - consider making your own life a work of art. You have yourself to begin with, and a time of uncertain duration with which to work on it. You do not have to remain what you are, and even though you may be quite content with yourself, I would argue that it would not be hard for anyone to think of something much greater that they might become. It need not be something spectacular or even something that will attract the notice of others. What it will be is a kind of excellence that you project for yourself, and then attain - something that you can reflect on, with honest self-appraisal, and be proud of.
Instead of believing that a work of art must be something that all can behold - a poem, a painting, a book, a great monument - consider making your own life a work of art. You have yourself to begin with, and a time of uncertain duration with which to work on it. You do not have to remain what you are, and even though you may be quite content with yourself, I would argue that it would not be hard for anyone to think of something much greater that they might become. It need not be something spectacular or even something that will attract the notice of others. What it will be is a kind of excellence that you project for yourself, and then attain - something that you can reflect on, with honest self-appraisal, and be proud of.
Written By Cambria
July 7, 2018, 12:08 a.m.(2/23/1009 AR)
The first thing you notice about boring people is they never seem to have a point to their stories or anecdotes. When telling a story in a social setting, you should always have a point. No one cares about what you had for dinner, unless it was something bizarre or unusual. If you had a delicious baked potato for dinner the night before, that's not something anyone cares about. Now, if, while you were eating that delicious baked potato you happened to see someone strip down and call for the eternal rule of the demon Lord of the Gap, then you have a story with a point. That's an interesting tale.
Having a story with a point is a courtesy to those listening. By having a point, you are showing respect to the person or people you are speaking to, whether it is by sharing information with them or piquing their interest with an amusing or clever tale. When your stories are pointless dribble of mundane events, you are, whether you realize it or not, insulting the audience. At the very least, you are wasting their time, which is just as bad.
You should also avoid unnecessary details. Consider the cultist and the baked potato. If you spend five minutes describing the texture of the potato skin, then thirty seconds on the crazed cultist in the buff, you made what could have been an amusing tale into several moments of torture for your listeners instead. Sure, a little setup to the big reveal is a good way to create tension, but you don't need much. In a social setting, a good story is one that avoids extraneous detail and never lasts more than a couple of minutes.
The easiest way to avoid loading up your sixty second story with ten minutes of tedium is to never explain the obvious. This is the most common error boring people make when telling a story. For some reason, they think they need to explain what everyone in Arx has known since the Reckoning. In the case of our example, the boring person will actually explain what she means by baked potato or maybe even talk about the history of the baked potato. When in doubt, skip it. If people need more detail, they will ask.
Another way to prevent ending up as the boring person everyone avoids is to never tell a story that requires a back story. Boring people often start a story that should last three minutes, then veer into a long back story that they think is necessary to appreciate the tale. For example, the they will veer off about how they received a letter from their great aunt in the baked potato story. The result is a dull droning on about someone the listener does not know or care about, with absolutely no relevance to the tale, plus a dull description of dinner and the details of a baked potato. This is misery for listeners.
The boring also have a curious habit of talking over people. They ignore the little things others do to signal to the the boring that they need to stop talking. The boring are strangely competitive in their dullness. If you notice people starting to speak as soon as you take a breath, or start looking around the room in search of escape, you are the boring one. You are not going to improve this situation by talking louder or by talking over any interruptions. Take the hint and wrap it up.
A good way to stop yourself from being that guy is to always invite others to tell their own story or comment on the topic of conversation. People will find your dinner saga more interesting if you show an equal interest in them. You might be surprised, but a little active listening goes a long way. Boring people are selfish people, in that they are only interested in their point of view, and in far too much detail.
Finally, if it is a story you tell often and the listener is someone you know, assume you told them the story, because you almost certainly did. Start with "If I told this before, stop me," or maybe, "I probably told this story before..." This gives them the right to stop you from boring them with the 50th retelling. This is not just a courtesy. It actually makes you seem more interesting, because you are not focused on yourself, but on another. This is flattering to people and and they will think better of you for it.
Having a story with a point is a courtesy to those listening. By having a point, you are showing respect to the person or people you are speaking to, whether it is by sharing information with them or piquing their interest with an amusing or clever tale. When your stories are pointless dribble of mundane events, you are, whether you realize it or not, insulting the audience. At the very least, you are wasting their time, which is just as bad.
You should also avoid unnecessary details. Consider the cultist and the baked potato. If you spend five minutes describing the texture of the potato skin, then thirty seconds on the crazed cultist in the buff, you made what could have been an amusing tale into several moments of torture for your listeners instead. Sure, a little setup to the big reveal is a good way to create tension, but you don't need much. In a social setting, a good story is one that avoids extraneous detail and never lasts more than a couple of minutes.
The easiest way to avoid loading up your sixty second story with ten minutes of tedium is to never explain the obvious. This is the most common error boring people make when telling a story. For some reason, they think they need to explain what everyone in Arx has known since the Reckoning. In the case of our example, the boring person will actually explain what she means by baked potato or maybe even talk about the history of the baked potato. When in doubt, skip it. If people need more detail, they will ask.
Another way to prevent ending up as the boring person everyone avoids is to never tell a story that requires a back story. Boring people often start a story that should last three minutes, then veer into a long back story that they think is necessary to appreciate the tale. For example, the they will veer off about how they received a letter from their great aunt in the baked potato story. The result is a dull droning on about someone the listener does not know or care about, with absolutely no relevance to the tale, plus a dull description of dinner and the details of a baked potato. This is misery for listeners.
The boring also have a curious habit of talking over people. They ignore the little things others do to signal to the the boring that they need to stop talking. The boring are strangely competitive in their dullness. If you notice people starting to speak as soon as you take a breath, or start looking around the room in search of escape, you are the boring one. You are not going to improve this situation by talking louder or by talking over any interruptions. Take the hint and wrap it up.
A good way to stop yourself from being that guy is to always invite others to tell their own story or comment on the topic of conversation. People will find your dinner saga more interesting if you show an equal interest in them. You might be surprised, but a little active listening goes a long way. Boring people are selfish people, in that they are only interested in their point of view, and in far too much detail.
Finally, if it is a story you tell often and the listener is someone you know, assume you told them the story, because you almost certainly did. Start with "If I told this before, stop me," or maybe, "I probably told this story before..." This gives them the right to stop you from boring them with the 50th retelling. This is not just a courtesy. It actually makes you seem more interesting, because you are not focused on yourself, but on another. This is flattering to people and and they will think better of you for it.
Written By Cambria
July 5, 2018, 12:31 a.m.(2/19/1009 AR)
There are few things worse in a social setting than being stuck in a conversation with a boring person. I’m not talking about quiet people. A person who keeps their own confidence is often thought of as mysterious or complex. Their silence makes people curious about what they may be hiding. No, a boring person is almost always someone who talks a lot, revealing that they are not very interesting. Boring people are such a menace, that there is a whole area of etiquette about politely getting away from the boring one at a social event.
Therefore, rather than rehash what is already known, I will endeavor to write a future journal on how to (hopefully) avoid ending up that boring person.
Therefore, rather than rehash what is already known, I will endeavor to write a future journal on how to (hopefully) avoid ending up that boring person.
Written By Cambria
July 1, 2018, 11:52 a.m.(2/12/1009 AR)
You realize, after having a child, that despite having been a child yourself, that you knew nothing of motherhood, the mad miracle of finding your interior drawn from you, clinging and bawling and giggling and learning everything there is to learn anew.
Written By Cambria
June 25, 2018, 10:44 p.m.(2/1/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Joscelin
My husband says it should be me.
As they say, beauty is pain. Or in this case...beauty is cold.
As they say, beauty is pain. Or in this case...beauty is cold.
Written By Cambria
June 24, 2018, 2:58 p.m.(1/26/1009 AR)
Relationship Note on Derovai
The newest editor of the Commoners Bulletin did not disappoint. I am glad to see that the project was not left to fall to the wayside with Mae's departure from the role.
Written By Cambria
June 23, 2018, 5:31 p.m.(1/24/1009 AR)
What a many sided thing is the telling of a tale.
Written By Cambria
June 19, 2018, 11:22 p.m.(1/17/1009 AR)
Two years.
One new Mazetti.
Zero deaths in the family.
One new Mazetti.
Zero deaths in the family.
Written By Cambria
June 10, 2018, 12:39 a.m.(12/16/1008 AR)
I would like to extend a public thank you to all those who attended the little party the Marquis and I threw this evening. To Lady Signe, I promise to hold something more Damianos-centric in the future, that she might get the chance to pinch his cheeks. At the time of this writing, my son is just over three months old, so his cheeks are still quite chubby, but his tolerance for alcohol is questionable. Besides, though we used him as an excuse to host a celebration, it was really an opportunity for his father and I to socialize with other adults, something we have not done jointly in some time. That, the Marquis assures me, is soon to change.
I am only sad that my cousin Theron could not have been with us. As I expressed to his brother, it was necessary that he leave immediately. Hard decisions are the sort leaders often have to make, though I confess that I feel no regret. Duty means more to me than levity, as I am sure my kin well know. Theron, especially, understands this, and he did not hesitate when I gave him his orders.
Therefore, to those who may not have been given any word of farewell before the Sword of Ostria left the city, never fear. All is well. Unfortunately, it may be some time before he is able to return.
I am only sad that my cousin Theron could not have been with us. As I expressed to his brother, it was necessary that he leave immediately. Hard decisions are the sort leaders often have to make, though I confess that I feel no regret. Duty means more to me than levity, as I am sure my kin well know. Theron, especially, understands this, and he did not hesitate when I gave him his orders.
Therefore, to those who may not have been given any word of farewell before the Sword of Ostria left the city, never fear. All is well. Unfortunately, it may be some time before he is able to return.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.