Zatth

I'll admit that, in previous years, it was a combination of being terrified of Staff/older members and social anxiety/introvertedness that led me to gravitate towards the younger members, while I let chances to interact and be better friends with some of the older members pass by. I am glad, though, that it feels that (at least for me), the previous BrickFair saw me break out of my shell a bit more and I think this year was also good in that regard. I'm kinda sad that I haven't been able to be better friends (and a better person) with y'all in the older group, but I'm kinda also glad that it's this version of me that's integrating into the group rather than me from five years ago Anywho, Pat, you and all the other BZPers are, like, tubular. Seriously, though, y'all are awesome people (hence why I was kinda terrified in years past ) and I hope that in BrickFairs to come (as well as interactions online) I can put myself out there more to get to know all of you better

Many happy milestoneversaries! (I feel like the sheer amount of awesomeness in the post above deserved a new word )

IT BERFDAY? HAPP BERFDAY, ANDREW! (Hope it's a brilliant and lovely one!)

Moonchild

This is the sixth year that Summer for me sees its end. I use the capitalized Summer because, while the period between June and August is technically summer, Summer refers to the period from GMIF to the last day of BrickFair activities. I can't state how much Summer means to me. I leave physically spent and exhausted, but emotionally fulfilled in ways that shock me months down the line. Seeing people you only get to see once a year kinda does that to you, and especially when every moment with them is fun, or heartfelt, or silly, or just plain lovely. To other BZPers I met at BrickFair, I'm so glad we got to meet up! I'm terrible with names and usernames, so feel free to keep corresponding with me; drop me a PM, add me as a friend, whatever! Now I officially start preparing all the final details for my semester abroad, and also must have four events ready for Forensics auditions the day before I leave (August 30th). The fun part is done. The tough part is just about to begin. (Also, be on the lookout soon for BrickFair Funk and the BrickFair Omnibus 2015. It's coming.)

Apologies as well about the hugging thing; it's so hardwired I forget to be more mindful! (Though I'm glad to hear that it wasn't too much of a bother then). Apologies as well that we didn't talk more (BrickFair Funk took up way too much of our time ), but I am glad we got to say goodbye before BrickFair ended!

Also a Vine involving an Avengers reference inside a Mean Girls reference threaded by a Team Farm Animals reference... and then some screaming.

Awesomesauce. Thanks, Nescent! Now that the question has been answered... LIVE FROM BRICKFAIR VA, IT'S TOPIC-CLOSING NIGHT LIVE!

Good. It was either that or Bitcoins.

Currently waiting to check out from GMIF. Wonderful two and a half weeks, as I previously elaborated. Tomorrow morning, drive to the Dulles Expo Center for good ol' BerkFer VA. Expect Xaeraz, Sumiki, and AT to carry my MOCs inside. Expect various vines and hats, maybe a pile of some sort. Expect random shenanigans, a seminar on Thursday that Xaeraz, Sumiki and I will give, and breadsticks. Many, many breadsticks. Expect the unexpected. Unless you can expect everything that's unexpected. In that case... um... EXPECT THINGS *smokebombs away*

And when they arrive, it'll be... outta this world.

Yeah. When I said my lab trampled over me literally and metaphorically, I was not exaggerating...

Awesome! Question answered, topic closed.

I've often mentioned that, just before BerkFer VA, I spend two and a half weeks cooped up on the GMU campus. For two years, I was a camper. For the past three, a staff member. I've mentioned that my going to camp in 2011 changed the course of my life: it got me into the activity I do even today, it convinced me to try out for the GMU team and thus attend George Mason, it gave me friends that have lasted to this day, and it changed who I am as a person in a myriad ways. To say I await for every George Mason Institute of Forensics is an understatement. However, this was a very odd one. Unlike my first year as a staffer, with no experience or lessons to teach campers, or last year, where I was still recovering from illness and worked as a first-year lab assistant, this year was different. For the first time, I felt confident enough that I had something to teach these kids. I was the most senior member of the Oratory Junior Faculty, and worked with the other Junior Staff to divide responsibilities equally so we could all teach. I was a second-year lab assistant, with an incoming Graduate Student and coach for our team for his first year as a lab leader. I felt more prepared and confident to teach these kids. It helped that, during one of our nightly Performance Hours, I was able to perform my piece on Jaime Garzon whom I've mentioned previously. Being the last time I'd perform the piece, and with a sense of urgency to spread Jaime's message and story one last time, I amended the piece slightly to reflect this urgency and importance. I cried, for the first time in six years, in a performance, delivering what I think is the performance I am most proud of. Many students later approached me, saying that though they were not Colombian, they had cried and empathized alongside me. And, during the Q&A session after the four performances, the first student to talk, said, in Spanish and in front of staff and students alike, that he was happy that he saw someone else spreading Jaime's story, and, through tears, expressed hope that our country will see the end to 53 years of violence. When I prepared and worked on this piece all year long, I always expected it to be solely for United Statesian audiences. Never would I imagine my last performance would be seen by another compatriot, in what I can honestly describe as one of the most meaningful and magical moments of my life. As camp drew near and it unofficially ended tonight, I went through a whirlwind of emotions. Seeing students who'd arrived two weeks ago total strangers and with no speeches, to leaving as best friends with prepared performances. Seeing my teachers, now my co-workers, be vulnerable and explain why they did Forensics. To see students, like I had been years ago, have their lives change radically over the course of the two weeks. We laughed, we cried, we were vulnerable, we were powerful. We were human, and we saw so much humanness over a two-week period. GMIF is the moment of the year that reminds me who I am, why I do what I do, and what it means to be part of the human experience. And, as every year, I am reinvigorated to go forth until GMIF rolls around again in 365 days. And I will count down the days, waiting to relive these two most human weeks, all over again.

This entire comment thread is gold.

I thought the answer was gonna be gear functions.

Glad to have you commenting on your friend's work However, please post comments on the Review Topic since this is an Epic. Thanks!

ARC STAHP IT YOU ARE A VALUED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WE ALL HEART YOU, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU PUT UP WITH OUR BRICKFAIR ANTICS.

Closing because question has been answered. Yay for answering questions about Life, The Universe, and Everything (and Premier Membership and Blogs)! Topic closed.

Where? Touché. Is that Hahli Mahri? (jk, ily sumiki)

Chapter 8 "My name is Xaeraz. My world is fire, and blood. In this wasteland, I am the one who is hunted by both the living and the dead. Reduced to a single instinct: Slap." As Xaeraz’s employer went flying in the air, courtesy of Xaeraz’s palm, Sumiki took a second to turn to him, and asked him what in the name of Billy Shears he was talking about. “What in the name of Billy Shears are you talkink about?” he asked. Xaeraz muttered something that sounded like “I dunno”[1]. Then he did a small little dance of some sort, most likely triggered by someone’s mention of a name but not a story, perchance in the footnotes of a certain chronicle of some sort. Meanwhile, Zatth and Avohkah Tamer hid behind a rock with a surprising amount of space for cover. “Okay,” Avohkah Tamer huffed, “Here’s the plan?” “Can we talk about that for a second,” asked Zatth. “Who ever just says ‘Here’s the plan’, or ‘What’s the plan’?!” Avohkah Tamer shook him, yelling “This is no time for trivialities, we are going to die if we don’t act!” “Trivialities? This is of utmost importance! I mean, think about it, people usually juts blurt out the plan, they don’t announce they are going to announce the plan, that’s just tautological, redundant, pleonastic-“ Avohkah Tamer looked at Zatth with the rage of a thousand burning suns. If looks could kill…[2] Finally, he just snatched Zatth’s scythe and handed it to him, while he grabbed his own bladed fire staff. “Just fire at the enemies,” he said, as he ran out of cover and towards the Piraka. “But I thought you were the one with fire powers!” Zatth yelled. “That was terrible!” AT yelled back. However, no sooner had AT come out of hiding, at the same time that Xaeraz and Sumiki were powering their own weapons respectively, that they were propelled back by a powerful blast. When his head cleared, AT noticed the two Piraka had disappeared, save their clawed feet which were still anchored to the floor. In front of him stood Valendale, who was glowing but seemed to be turning less bright. He turned and smiled at AT. “They never realized the one ingredient needed to make cold fusion work,” he said. “Ice.” Suddenly, a portal, much like the one Valendale had used to get to Zakaz, materialized. Out of it, a figure emerged. The Toa readied their weapons, and Zatth prepared a terrible pun. Clothed in some strange sort of unmoving fabric in various shades of blue and grey, and cloaked in a… well, in a cloak, the figure appeared and looked at the Toa. Come to think of it, he didn’t really stop looking. Or move his mouth, really. And yet, all of the Toa could hear his voice. I am so happy that we can finally meet, the voice said[3] [1] Though I admit he could just as well have been saying “Thigh chateau”, or “ Why Bordeaux”, or “Sly Thoreau”, I know his name, but not his story. [2] Too bad he wasn’t a Piraka. [3] Or whispered, or thought, or the Toa thought… Look, I’m new to narrating telepathy, what do you want from me?!

Hey all! Hope you enjoyed that first episode. On Episode 2, I got to interview ChocolateFrogs. As always, feel free to leave feedback: what you thought, who you'd like to see next, etc. Now enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c4YoRNmpGg

As mentioned beforehand, get the beard so that you and Izaak can shame me into being the ever-youthful Pablo. Because Mata Nui knows I probably will never grow a beard.

And that appears to answer the question. Thanks, Nescent! Topic closed.