I'm not going to Canada or Spain or Africa or wherever the dickens I might have wandered off to if I'd left where I was. I'm still here. Looking for an apartment and a job at the moment. Massage therapist training at the local vocational academy starts in January. I intend to be there among the 16 accepted applicants at that time. Only took me eight years to figure out for myself what I was told by a computer program back in senior year. Hooray!

Life is awesome, life sucks. And that's the way it goes.

I finally uploaded some photos from Model Expo. I've got a lot more yet, but at least now you get to see my diorama:



I suppose it would be a good idea to make a topic for this, since it's my biggest-ever Lego project. Will update with the link when that's done.

I just hosted my going-away party. Life is hectic, mad scary, and oh so very, very sweet. The Lego collection is just about packed up and will be gone tomorrow. I hope it finds its way to some kids who will appreciate it and get something out of it. I'm suddenly faced with an unexpected choice: should I go ahead with the wild hobo adventure as planned, or opt for the wild hippie adventure instead? Decisions, decisions...

Two decades is a long time to do anything. I've been building with Lego bricks for two decades and two years. I've never had a "dark age." It's always been part of my life. I've fully enjoyed every minute that I've spent creating MOCs and I have no regrets over the time and money I've spent on the hobby. I only wish there could have been another life somewhere to just go all out and bring to fruition all the awesome Lego projects I ever wanted to do. Alas, this is not that life. In this life, I have a greater purpose. The time has come to embrace that and leave all else behind.

I believe in following your intuition and going with the flow. When what you're doing fills you with energy as fast as you can use it up, you know you're on the right track. The task of selling off my Lego collection has seemed overwhelming. The thought of inventorying everything in it has just been a total turn-off. There had to be an easier, funner way to do this than shipping it all out in little dribs and drabs, or even packing it all into a huge box and sending the lot to a reseller in Helsinki. I thought of donating it all to charity; the thought of passing this treasure on to poverty-stricken children who've never even seen a Lego brick before did fill me with joy and exhilaration. But even that option doesn't seem any easier to put into practice. So now I've decided upon a method that I can implement without much trouble at all, a no-brainer in fact. I made a preliminary inquiry about the details today, and I intend to have the operation over and done with by this time next week. I'm cutting it close, since I have to move out by the end of the month, but I know this is going to be a success. I've already been having great success with getting rid of my other possessions; synchronicity has expedited the process beyond all my expectations. This bodes well for what lies ahead: my departure into the unknown.

There's not much I can say about this journey now, because I don't know much. What I can say is that it will lead me to where I need to be, physically and spiritually, in order to begin the real task I came here to fulfill. I will meet many people and see many things along the way, and at the end of it I will find that place.

As for the times in the world at large... whooo. Hold on to your butts. For me, this is a very positive and exciting time. If it looks scary, that's because it's supposed to. But it's all happening for a reason, and despite these appearances, there is nothing to be afraid of. Everything is under control. All that's required of each of us is to do the best we can do with the knowledge and the strength we have, to live in the present with authenticity and integrity of doing and being.

A wonderful future is in store. That's a done deal for the planet. If you don't believe what I'm saying, that's fine. Why should you? Believe what you want, that's your right. Doesn't matter what I think. I'm no better than anyone else.

What matters is this: Love is absolute. Live accordingly.

It helps if you picture him putting on the shades, Caruso style.

The whole concept, from premise to execution, strikes me as an elaborate parody of itself. Which is fun, for a bit, but loses the shine pretty quick.

I guess I'm just too old and cynical.

PARTY ON DUDES

Here's what I had today. Thought I'd share.

Ingredients:

2 crunchy tomatoes
½ deep green zucchini
1 good, strong onion
half a dozen fresh champignons
1 clove crushed garlic
sea salt
black pepper
thyme
olive oil
and just a little sprinkle of light balsamico vinegar.


Directions:

Dice up the vegetables and the mushrooms.
Add them to the skillet together with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.
Add the salt, spices, garlic, and vinegar.
Stir fry for 5-10 minutes. Don't overdo it! You want the vegetables to retain some crunchy freshness and healthy vitamins.

Serves one hungry bachelor(ette). Smells like pizza, too. =D Enjoy!

At last, the judges have completed their labyrinthine deliberations. The wait is over, the suspense shall stretch no further. Here are the three awesome winners:























A big thank-you from me to the assisting judges, Arpy and Krahka.

A warm round of applause goes out to all our lovely contestants. Disty, Primus, Veq, Ultimate Kardas, Christo1096-TheIceBreaker, and {Zaxvo} - thank you, thank you so much for coming out and participating. Without you, this contest would have been a big, fat zero.

(A word on the prizes. They're listed in the contest announcement and will be sent out just as soon as I've gathered the addresses. Banners will have to wait until next week, since I am just too busy with Model Expo-related jazz all through this week.)

I am shocked and saddened to read of the passing of Nate Nielson, known by the alias "nnenn," on April 13th. The man was a legend among AFOLs and his presence will be sorely missed.

As fate would have it, on that same day I was mysteriously prompted to take the photo below. It shall now serve as my tribute to the late, great master nnenn.

May he rest in peace.

Here it is at last, the new and improved version, all finished and nicely photographed. I'm so happy.

User name: BCii: aMOCalypse queen

Gender: female

Location: dancing in your dreams to wake you from your sleep

Interests:
MOCing whatever strikes my sweet fancy;
beaming Love at the world every day;
battling deadly demons in my sleep;
learning to rule my inner kingdom;
marveling at creation's wonders;
getting to know the One in all;
despairing, lamenting, falling;
getting up, bouncing, flying;
having a ball with life;
seeing ever further;
summoning angels;
breaking the limits;
rising from ashes;
transcending;
becoming;
believing;
enduring;
shining;
hoping;
being.

Needless to say, Cole has my utmost and undying affection.

So I revamped Toa Nikila and I thought, "You know what? This isn't Nikila. This is Deirdre." And so... here we are. Hooray for overcast-but-not-freezing-like-heck weather so I can finally take pictures outside!