Welcome to the Black Tower, haycraftd!

[Songstress]

LOOK ALIVE, FOLKS!

 

There's a new guy standing at the Farmhouse wanting to join.  Someone grab the Dragon ( @Panchi!) and get the official paperwork started or something!

 

While we're waiting... we have this thing we like to do for new members.

 

BROWNIES!

 

(Don't mind the taintedness, it just makes it easier to listen to the voices in your head. *nods sagely*)

 

So gather round, and tell us about YOU!  

 

I am psychotic - i mean psychic - i mean, the moderator of the new members forum  so I already know your name is Dan...  Who is the awesomest Asha'man in your humble opinion?  What do you wish you could do IRL with the One Power?  And where did I leave my phone? 

[Illian Tear]

I think your phone is to never be seen again....

[haycraftd]

Well, my name's Dan and I'm from New Orleans, LA, even though I live in Edinburgh, Scotland, at the moment--going after a PhD in Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh--and listening to the WoT during quiet nights and golf practice.  It was SOOO refreshing starting again this past December after I finished it first in January 2013!  The WoT is AMAZING and as addictive as the Power.  It was almost five years between my first finish and my decision to listen to it--I actively tried to find a series so good and failed.  The mention of a single character could instantly send me into a WoT remission.  I doubt ANY fantasy series will ever match it.

 

(I want a nice cloak--it would be good with the weather here.  I should be finished in a year, hopefully--and then I'm going home, and in New Orleans you WOULDN'T WANT a cloak.)

 

In real life--well, I wouldn't mind Traveling whatsoever.  Hopping across the Atlantic can be so tedious as the Wheel of Time turns, and flights come and go, making journeys that become destinations.  

 

My favorite Asha'man--well, this is jumping quite close to the end of it, but the one weak in the power but extremely good at Traveling.  I liked all of them, though, in one way or other.  One of these days, I wonder if I'll meet one--maybe this is a sign of insanity, but Jordan was so complex that I can almost believe tomorrow I'll wake up, find out that Tarmon Gai'don is on the way, and find a way to get involved in fighting the Dark One.  Maybe I'll find my golf clubs with me--I'm horrible at golf, so maybe a blacksmith could make them into swords? ;)

 

Your phone--I stole it.  I've Traveled behind you, swiped it, and am cackling to myself as I'm contemplating what to do with it.  

[Illian Tear]

Are you sure you still have it? 

[haycraftd]

No, I don't have it anymore.  This afternoon was extremely beautiful and I hadn't practiced golf for more than a week. So, while I listened to Rand recruit, I tested to see if I could hit phones as far as I could hit golfballs.  I could--I hit it MUCH farther.  

[Illian Tear]

Ok good.

[Illian Tear]

She doesn't deserve that phone

[haycraftd]

Hahaha good one!  It's getting near 9:45 pm here, so I'm about to finish the day with a glass of wine and a listen to the WoT.  I wonder how the wine will taste--I flavored the wine today with her cellphone--gave it a good soaking before hitting it away.

[Illian Tear]

Enjoy.

[Songstress]

*imagines aftereffects of drinking cell phone wine*

 

Do you get verbal autocorrect fails?

 

That would be amazing.

[Illian Tear]

Um....no. 

[Illian Tear]

It would not be amazing.

[Dar'Jen Ab Owain]

Welcome to the Black Tower. Enjoy your time in Scotland, and best of luck with your studies.

 

You sound very talented in Traveling if you are able to snag a phone and be gone so stealthily. (Shudders, thinking of drinking cell phone.)

 

The tainted brownies are tasty here.

[haycraftd]

Thanks!

 

Soaking the phone with wine made verbal autocorrect work for once.

 

The phone gave my drink a little taint--quite tasty, if I may say so--like the taint of saidin.

[Illian Tear]

I think you are mistaken. Nothing else tastes like saidin.

[haycraftd]

True, nothing does--nothing is quite as sweet and exhilarating as saidin.  But a taint is a taint is a taint.  And this wine was TAINTED. 

 

[Niniel]

Welcome to the BT! 

[haycraftd]

Thanks!

[Leyrann]

Welcome!

[Talmanes]

Welcome! 

 

If you like wine, there's always this:

https://wine-searcher1.freetls.fastly.net/images/labels/07/13/black-tower-liebfraumilch-rheinhessen-germany-10430713.jpg

 

(Haven't actually tried it yet, been meaning to find and order some online for years now)

[haycraftd]

Thanks to you both!  That looks truly tainted--and so delicious.

 

Perhaps that is Jordan's world seeping in--with parallel universes now, who knows?  Maybe Logain and Taim are still in a stalemate somewhere. 

 

Things get out of your control quickly when your writing as your characters come alive--I halfway believe we're in a novel because other forces take over so quickly--so maybe Jordan's world is bopping along besides ours, just like the world of random dreams Egwene sometimes entered to ask people to come to Tel'aran'rhiod?

[Oddpositions]

Welcome, sir! Super jealous that you're from NOLA. I'm from Chicago, but NOLA is my favorite travel destination. There's nothing quite like it. The food and the music and the voodoo. I love it all. What was your favorite part about NOLA?

 

Do enjoy your stay here. I don't think we have any etouffee on hand, but there's always...

 

 

[haycraftd]

I don't know how Chicago in summer, but right now in New Orleans it's beating humid heat and pelting rain everyday.  Up here in Edinburgh--you can wear shorts now, if you want, but it's equivalent to early spring/late autumn in New Orleans.

 

My favorite part of New Orleans?  Timewise--it's definitely Mardi Gras.  With the parades and the flamboyant celebrations.  The city itself--it could just be the oak trees.  Riding under a slew of them as you fly through Audubon Park on a bike.  I didn't realise how wonderful it was until we nearly lost it, but isn't that always the way? Edinburgh's a wonderful city where I usually don't need to watch out for muggers and I'm glad I've spent time here--but I do miss New Orleans.    

 

(And I mean no offense to anyone who is British here--homesick is homesick).

 

Ah yes, tasty tainted brownies!  There's nothing like them. 

 

I've never visited Chicago--unless you count the airports as visiting. How is it? A flatmate of mine a few years ago was from Minnesota but liked to claim he was from Chicago because he went to the University of Chicago.   

[Oddpositions]

It was about 68* today, cloudy and misty. This weekend is supposed to be 80*-90*+ and humid to boot. Rain the last few days. Chicago summer is humid and  90* - 110* on average, sometimes higher the later you go in the season. It's the humidity that sucks. Did I mention the humidity? Otherwise, the jokes are true, we do suffer more than one season on a weekly basis. Lake effect. I live in the suburbs, so the temperatures I see are a bit more steady (Downtown Chicago can get very cold on really random days throughout the year.)

 

I took a road trip the first time I went down to NOLA. Drove over Lake Pontchartrain during a thunderstorm when we rolled into town. Kinda felt like driving over the ocean. Spent most of our time in the Garden District and the French Quarter that visit. Same for the other two times I've visited. Next time, I want to venture out a bit more. Spent most of my time exploring Bourbon, restaurants, sightseeing, and the voodoo/hoodoo scene.

 

I've lived in and around Chicago all my life, but the more I've seen of the U.S. the more I appreciate growing up around a major Metropolitan area. Chicago is tough but friendly, delectable but corrupted, vogue yet retro. The city is sprawling and easy to navigate. There's a strong sense of community no matter what neighborhood you end up in. We house a lot of incredible underground scenes, there doesn't seem to be anything 'mainstream' about the creative types this city produces. And we are funny. There is almost always  a member of SNL that was a part of Second City (not that SNL is the Gold Standard for comedy, but still...) You'll always find something interesting to do when you visit our city.

 

Also. A lot of people that live around Chicago (even 3 or 4 hours out) will just say they're from Chicago. I imagine the same is true for places like NYC or LA or someplace comparable.