Tag Archives: featured december 2017

Happy Anniversary, ReVo!

By Stabz

It’s become a tradition at ReVo to celebrate the anniversary of its founding with a one-night roleplay extravaganza. Over the years, these events have taken numerous forms, from no-holds-barred all-realm crossovers to a field trip to Jurassic Park!

This year, organizers Hippolyta and Veritas decided to try something a little different by doing something (almost) exactly the same! Rather than design a whole new event, they invited us to revisit the Ouroboros Society, a mysterious organization seemingly focused on obtaining eternal life.

If you were among the party that travelled to Society headquarters last year, you might recall that play unfolded through a puzzle-based exploration of an aging mansion. This year’s journey began in much the same way, but quickly spiralled into an experience no one expected and few will forget. The clues revealed through books, phonographs, and close examination of the items in the room led members to believe they had been drawn back to complete a rite not only arcane, but erotic as well.

Through a ritual that mixed pain and pleasure to open an orgiastic pathway into Hell itself, the particpants were able to summon the Whore of Babylon, who permitted them a single question: What did Alistair Crowley seek, and what did you give him? From her response, they learned that he sought knowledge and power of a sort not meant for mortals, and that while she could not grant him that on her own, she could teach him how to reach one who possesses such ability: The author of the Necronomicon, the Mad Arab, Abdul Alhazred himself.

With Crowley now suspected to be in possession of the true Necronomicon, the world may be in great danger. If the words of the Whore can be trusted, the only way to avert the disaster to come may be to acquire a single existing copy of the forbidden tome, transcribed from the original but lost to time and memory. The Whore has left a clue as to its whereabouts – but who will seek it out, and when?

The 2017 ReVo Challenge: Results

By Care

The ReVo Challenge was the brainchild of the Cabinet and SoVereign. You may have read the opening article written by Geenky, but if you missed it, please allow me to share some of the intel on the ReVo Challenge.

Any chatter on ReVo could sign up back in March, when the ReVo Challenge first came to light. All you had to do was post on the signup thread and Qristal would start a thread of your own for keeping track of your tasks – however, they weren’t just any tasks. These were specifically designed to help you not just roleplay-wise, but also exercise and real time wise.

The list contained four sections of tasks to be completed.

The Community Section was focused on getting you up and moving, along with sharing a little love toward Roleplay Evolution itself, and included the following:

* Exercise a full workout (at your level) for three days in any one week time frame, for three separate weeks.
* Get up and stand/stretch/walk for five minutes an hour every time you are at the computer for at least four hours.
* No soda for three days.
* Five glasses (8 oz or more) of water a day for five days.
* Post a positive dedication to a fellow player, on site, that you have never made a dedication to before.
* Attend five DJ shows in Big Slice for at least an hour each time.
* Make any purchase from our Join Us page to support the site.
* Attend any on-site advertised event.

I don’t know if you tried it, but I signed up for it, and let me tell you, the one that got me was No soda for three days. That was by far the hardest for me. Everyone else seemed to zoom on by with it, however. Other than that, for me, these tasks were amazingly easy. I mean, come on, exercise three days a week for three separate weeks? That’s not bad, especially if you already exercise.

Next came the Writing Section:

* Participate in five separate writing games on this board.
* Write three short stories, poems, or creative writing pieces and post it to the Mask and Unveil board.
* Share your insight into an entertainment discussion on our Movie / Book / TV board.
* Share ten sessions of roleplay on any of the RP Glory child boards in the Genres category of the forums.

The writing tasks, for many, were easy, and they whipped through them like no tomorrow. These were simple little things that got you involved with the world that is inside the ReVo Boards.

After that came the fun part, in which you had to not only create a new character, but play in all the realms that are on Roleplay Evolution: The Roleplay Tasks.

These tasks seemed simple enough: Roleplay a new character five times on five different days. I almost finished it, but then I ran out of steam – that’s why I have to give it to the players that got through it all.

* Create a character that is played in a Rebels and Reapers room on site for at least 5 sessions.
* Create a character that is played in a Creative Dimensions room on site for at least 5 session.
* Create a character that is played in a Erotic Impulses room on site for at least 5 sessions.
* Create a character that is played in a Fantasy Envisioned room on site for at least 5 sessions.
* Create a character that is played in a Gor Unchained room on site for at least 5 sessions.
* Create a character that is played in a History Relived room on site for at least 5 sessions.
* Create a character that is played in a Supernatural Awakening room on site for at least 5 sessions.
* Roleplay together with someone you do not know.
* Roleplay together with someone on the ReVo staff.
* Roleplay a superhero / police officer / unicorn.
* Roleplay a criminal / demon / villain.

Now, those were fun. What made them especially interesting was some of the people kept the characters they created for this challenge and continued on with them. I personally am one of those people. As well, not a lot of people step out of their rooms, where you already know everything there is to know and you just play – what I call mindless play. That’s not meant to be an insult. What I mean by it is roleplay that you don’t really have to put too much thought into. Well, this challenge brought back mindful play. You had to step out of your comfort zone, you had to create, and you had play in realms you hadn’t played before. This to me was the best part of the challenge as it stretched your imagination.

Last, but not least, we had the Roleplay Prompts section:

* Have your character steal something.
* Have your character kiss a pretty girl.
* Write at least 200 words about your character eating.
* Insert yourself (OOC) in your post now. You are an extra, a background character. Describe yourself how your character sees you.
* Someone is dying, but you cannot tell who.
* Include the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody in a post, all natural.
* Have your character lose something.
* In a scene, include a black cat.
* Play a character that is of another nationality than yourself.
* Play a character that is of another gender than yourself.
* Make a post in the ReVo Suggestion Box or on the ReVo Periodicals board with an idea.
* Have your character sneeze in the middle of an intense moment.

What I liked about this part of the Roleplay Challenge was that you had a certain amount of tasks to do, but they weren’t just any tasks – they were prompts that you had to insert into your roleplay and work off of. I read a lot of the posts submitted for this challenge, and it seems like people had fun with these. The prompts did the job they were supposed to, which was to create the roleplay while making a person think about what to do and how to do it.

Many started the challenge, but when it came down to it, only a few finished it. Those are the ones that stood through all that there was and spent months working towards the opportunity of getting into a drawing for a Lifetime or Lifetime Plus membership, day after day, doing exactly what was needed to get them through.

Let’s hear it for the following people that completed the six-month ReVo Challenge:

ChaosLight
Dark
Faerieeva
Covet
Kaliko
Murder
Faile

These seven people trudged through it all. They finished the challenge where so many couldn’t. Don’t get me wrong – some just couldn’t do it because real time interrupted them, while others – well, I’m not sure. I know why I quit, but that’s one of the many, so I have to say congratulations to the fianlists.

However, the Lifetime / Lifetime Plus membership wasn’t the only thing up for grabs. Qristal and the Cabinet made a little side deal: Finish the Roleplay Prompts and you could be entered into a drawing for a twelve-month membership. Thanks to chatter donations, there was also a twenty dollar Amazon gift card. The entrants for this drawing were:

Murder
Care
Christian
Covet
Kaliko
Faerieeva
Dark
Malice
Faile
Chaoslight

You may be wondering, after all this, who finally won? Qristal held the drawings on September 13, 2017. The Winner of the Amazon Gift Card and twelve- month membership was me, Care! I got lucky. The big winner of the ReVo Challenge, though, was Kaliko, who won the Lifetime Plus.

I have to say, watching this was amazing. Seeing who teetered out near the middle and end was not fun, but you know people tried. Either way, this was a great experiment.

I’m going to leave you with a few words from Qristal.

Thank you to everyone that participated. It was pretty grueling, but you stuck with it and I feel it was truly a challenge. Awesome job to all of you.

Featured Character: Brittney Merrill

By Care

ReVolutionary Theory is the magazine that’s all about you – whether you’re a chatter, a player, or even a character! For this issue, Care delves into time itself to meet Brittney of the Travelers.

Can you believe it’s been a few months already? I can’t, either, but we know what time it is: Character Interview Time! That’s right, it’s the time where I sit down with one of the many characters and their typist and have a little Q&A Session with them.

This time around we are hitting up Calliope, owner of The Travelers, a room based on a show that is on Netflix. Now, I’ll be honest – I don’t know anything about this show, or this roleplay, other than what I have read on their entrance page and their application, so this is going to be interesting!

Hi, Calliope, and thank you for taking time out of your day to do this with me.

First off, could you explain what the Travelers is about, so that people who don’t already know can learn a little about this room before we get to the character part of the interview?

The Travelers is based off the Netflix / Showtime show of the same name. Centuries in the future, humanity is nearing extinction, as is most life. In a last effort to save themselves, scientists have discovered a way to send special operatives back in time to prevent the disasters that will mark the collapse of society. These operatives are known as ‘Travelers’ and take over the body of a 21st Century individual via a transfer of consciousness. They become the person they inhabit and use their life as a cover for the covert operation. The Travelers are overseen by an invisible body simply known as the Director. The Director sends missions and messages to the Travelers to complete in their efforts to change the future.

Interesting. Can you tell us a little about how you came up with the character we’re about to meet?

Brit was initially written up as a starter character, someone to help new players get comfortable and involved in the storyline. She’s a Team Leader for one of the Traveler Teams and her storylines are meant to be newbie friendly. Of course, once she got into play a bit, she took on a life of her own, but she’s still flexible in that aspect of pulling others in.

With that, let’s switch gears, and if Brit is in your head, let’s pull her out!

Sounds good!

Hi. Could you please tell us your name and a little about yourself?

Traveler 04287. Team Leader for Koppa Sigma. Undercover as college student Brittney Merrill. Sociology major, work part time as a waitress in a diner, live in an apartment with my sister. Really nothing to see here, and that’s for the best.

Traveler 04287 – that’s your name? You didn’t have a name before you started on the Traveler’s Team? Nothing to share?

That’s the only name that matters. My past ended the day I entered the program, as it does for all Travelers. The only identity I have is as Brittney.

Can you share with us about Brittney, then? How old is she? What’s she like? Anything like that?

Brittney is twenty-three years old. It’s complicated – according to history, she died in a violent mugging on July 5, 2017. Instead, I came across in the final moments of her life. From all accounts, she was sweet and kind, popular at school, and smart. Decent enough grades. Not terribly athletic, but I can work on that. I’m here now, but I don’t hold any of her memories – I still have my own. I guess you could say she truly did die that day.

You just took over her life with no regards to her family? How do you feel about that? Living with people who don’t get to mourn their dead loved one?

To her family, she’s still very much alive – perhaps a little changed, but traumatic events can have that sort of impact, you know. They don’t know she’s gone.

You live her life as if nothing happened – what exactly is a day like for you, then?

It depends on if I have a Mission or not. Without a Mission, it’s simply maintaining the lifestyle that Brittney had beforehand. It means attending class, going to work, spending time with her sister as necessary – but if not, the Mission comes first.

What kind of Missions have you been on?

Not many – my team has been delayed in their arrival. Investigating a future host, welcoming a new Traveler, and getting close to the potential future leader of the Russian Resistance, with orders to remove him from the picture.

Do you have contact with others from the time you came from?

That knew me then? I shouldn’t. That’s not how the program is designed, but certain people have influence. My newest Team Member is an old mentor, a friend of the family.

How do you tell who is another Traveler? Is there something that you just know, or what?

The whole point is that you can’t tell. Otherwise, it would be too easy for others to discover us. We can communicate through the Dark Web, or the Director can send messengers to connect us sometimes. The only other Travelers I am aware of are those within my Team. I could slam into one on the street and never know it.

Well, that explains a little, but how do you get your Missions? Is it on the Dark Web? Or does this Director contact you somehow?

The Director contacts us using messengers. Children, mostly. Their minds are still growing and malleable enough to accept a transmission without damage and be able to bounce back. In a distress situation, though, the Director can override an adult – it just isn’t pretty.

Interesting. Well, I think I’ve taken up enough of your time. I want to thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

Rally In The Desert 2017

By Malice

If this article seems familiar, that’s because it’s supposed to! Malice covered Rally in the Desert so well last year that there’s not much else to be said about it. We know, however, that we always have new chatters dropping by the site, as well as established members who may be considering the SoA genre for the first time. In that spirit, we’re reprinting our 2016 article, updated with information about this year’s rally!

With as many Sons of Anarchy rooms as we see either popping up or reformatting from week to week on the who-chat, the question always seems to arise: “Why can’t they just all play together?”

The reason why most Sons of Anarchy rooms cannot “all play together” is because there are different areas, and in each of those areas, there are different allies and different enemies. These rooms do not always run canon, because that can be frowned upon, so allies and enemies can come from a number of sources: Fiction, reality, or something created wholly by the mind of room contributors. Each location for a Sons of Anarchy charter also holds different scenery and different challenges, and it is all in what the audience or participants crave. Given that, how could they all be brought together for an event?

The answer: Rally in the Desert. Originally the brainchild of kitten, with the assistance of Nalice and a few others, this concept for a way to bring these rooms together – while still allowing them to have their own locale obscurity – was born.

Rally In The Desert was held in a fictional town in Texas named “Burnout”, which seems apt for a place that is mostly a biker hole; its only real draw and tourist attraction the yearly biker rally. For its inaugural year, this rally was closed off to other biker groups and weekend warriors and left for only the Sons of Anarchy charters to attend. There were no RSVPs – you just came and went as you pleased. The entire event was designed for optimal amount of role-play, as well as to encourage the individuals attending to meet, greet and mingle.

In its second year, Rally In The Desert was opened up a bit more. The founders realize that sometimes rooms close, yet people still have characters that were part of those charters. Thus, RITD2017 widened its approach to include more individuals.

There were traditional biker rally games to be found: A drinking contest – self explanatory for you alcohol aficionados! Bitch fishing – which involves couples [of any gender, for amusement!]. A sausage slathered in mayonnaise is hung on a string that is attached to a structure large enough for a bike to pass underneath. The goal is to get a “full pull”, which means your ‘bitch’ managed to rise up on the back of the bike and suck/remove the entire slippery sausage from the clip fully intact, while you kept the bike steady even with the shifting of weight. There was a burnout competition, which is also known as a peel out or power brake – the practice of keeping a vehicle stationary and spinning its wheels, causing the tires to heat up and smoke due to friction. A chili cook off, which found a surprising winner in a character believed unable to cook anything edible. And of course, what would a biker bash be without a wet t-shirt contest?! We saw women wet tatas, men wet tatas, and a charter prankster ride a water hose! We saw naked butts streaking across the stage, too! All judgements were based on roleplay posts of three to five lines and a dice roll that was the judges score, to make it all even and fair. Boy, were those judges hard to win over, too! There was even a boxing ring set up for those that wanted to air out issues, or just take a jab at being in the ring with a brother. Much fun was to be had!

But not all of this event was fun and games. As with all events, there was some measure of business, even if it was not seen or announced outright. Arrangements for charters to assist other charters, moving plans and transfer plans, talk of ‘corrupted’ charters that may need investigation; all matters of business were conducted between bouts of laughter and rough-housing.

We also had two weddings at this year’s rally, both of them spur of the moment and happy occasions!

From all of this came some forged friendships, some new alliances, new business arrangements, transfers, and establishing replacement and new officers to various charters. All in all, the venture was productive for many charters, including those new seeking members and those established filling holes abandoned by members. In the end, many prizes went out and everyone seemed to have a lot of fun, proving this event a success.

We’re very proud to announce our winners for this year: Charity, Care, Gabby, Covet, kels, Rutger, The Guru, Kaliko, and kitten!

There may be some changes to open things up to other players as well. Ideas are being tossed around, and kitten, the creator, is open to suggestions. If you happen to have any, feel free to PM her on the ReVo forum!

Featured Room: Marvel / DC Infiniverse

By Care

While our chatters are the heart and soul of roleplay, rooms are what give their characters a place to become incarnate. Managing rooms can be a difficult but ultimately rewarding task, and each leader has taken their own road to the “top”. In this issue, Care introduces us to one of the many variations on comic-based roleplay!

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the Featured Room interview. I’ve scrounged the whochat and looked all over for a room that I haven’t featured yet. This time, I came up with Marvel/DC Infiniverse. This room is run and operated by Diabolus, who has been around ReVo for a couple of years now, so for this quarter, I’m going to sit down with him and get to the bottom of Marvel/DC Infiniverse.

Since you know it’s me, thank you for doing this for us.

First off, I would like to ask, where did the idea of Marvel/DC Infiniverse come from?

Diabolus: Well, first I would very much like to say that I am quite humbled at the interview for the room. So thank you, ReVo, for that. The idea actually came from my love of comics, along another room that I used to help run with neo2681. He ran the Marvel Apocalypse Room, and we are actually good friends from being older roleplayers, back in the late ’90s-early 2000s. In that room, we had come up with the idea to allow people to play any character they wanted that was a Marvel character. So, really, it came from that.

I have seen some many rooms that split the two continuums over the years, and I agree, but I figured that I would also take some of the debates in the comicverse online – a Marvel vs DC kind of deal. So instead of just saying, “Okay, we are in the same universe,” and so on, I created the Infiniverse, a place where the characters from both Marvel and DC are interacting on our world, again able to be played any way that a person wants. Good, bad, whatever. It’s basically a combination of ideas from the old room and my own vision of giving the player as much choice as they want – to a degree, that is, but as much choice as they want within the boundaries of the room. And, besides, who doesn’t want to see what would happen if Captain America took on Batman, or The Justice League and the Avengers teamed up.

One room, both comics, and lots of fun. How would you describe a typical roleplay within the room? Any moments where you have to stop yourself from saying, “No, Batman would not do that to Wolverine”?

Diabolus: Well, what we try to do here as much as possible is give creative freedom within our roleplays. Actually, two of our biggest roleplays right now, “Prisoner No More” and “Fallen Knight”, are slowly beginning to mix the characters. When the room first started out, the natural idea that was gravitated towards was a modicum of seperation. I have an excellent team of people that are constantly, and I mean constantly, coming up with ideas for the room in general. And then there are the players themselves – wow. What can I say about the individual players, other than that there are some great thinkers out there.

I digress, though. The bigger roleplays are more or less – not planned, that is not the right word, but do have a very general overall idea. From there, it is a matter of having the players having the players inside those storylines pick up on things themselves through their characters and interactions. For instance, ” Fallen Knight” started very slowly, with the Joker doing his usual routine with Batman – taking his unpredictable plan and starting to move it forward, which brought in Zatanna. Zatanna, usually, is looked at like one of the – if not the – most powerful magic users in the DC universe, and she has a long friendship with the Batman. The person that plays Zatanna here, though, decided that she would depict her as becoming unhinged since the death of her father, which really changed the dynamic of the character. She and Constantine used to be lovers, but now she blames him for the death of her father (or at least, blames him for being a big part of it). That’s how the Joker got his hooks in her. Meanwhile, since the other villains of Gotham do not really work well with the Joker, or vice versa, most of them have been drawn into taking this as a time to strike while Batman is busy. Basically, it is very much like a “Second Knightfall”, only without the idea of one overall supreme villain and just the Batman. To top it all off, the other roleplays that we have going in the room weave in and out of that main story. Black Adam and Supergirl (who’s currently possessed by Isis) are trying to find her body and amulet and put it back together.

Anyway, I am rambling. A typical roleplay in the room is very much like the comics, a fundamental part of the story. A hero can only be as good as the villain. Villains are what drive storylines. They are the ones that leave breadcrumbs, clues, or otherwise plant narratives for the hero to gather and follow. So, really, it starts with whatever idea a person may have – whether it be a room-wide storyline from the start, or a small idea that turns into something huge. There is no true typical roleplay. It’s all what a person can muster in their mind. You do not have to be a fan of comics or know comics well to be able to play in the room. Vampire, SoA, or any other type of roleplay requires someone coming up with a storyline and putting it into action, which others can then jump in on. There are no outcomes planned, nor every detail thought out. We want the players to let their imaginations run with the characters as much as possible.

That is the great thing about both comics and roleplay right? That it is all fantasy. There are times that we have had to say, “What is my motivation?” Those times are really more about trying to make sure that nothing, well, godly is done, or something that a character would do everything in their power not to do. Make sense? A good example being the idea that Batman does not kill, when in fact, he has. He merely tries his hardest to make sure that he doesn’t have to. So if there is a situation that arises where someone might want to claim that a character wouldn’t do that, we kind of just put it out there that if there are any questions about what’s going on, then ask. If a player is stuck, we have no problem thinking of how a character would react or what they would do. Like I said, I have a great bunch of people helping me. Usually, though, we never police roleplay. Provide help, as much as we can. But never police.

What would you say to someone that wasn’t familiar with the comic characters and had a big issue playing canon characters (like, say, a “Batman” or “Superman”)? How could someone like that get involved in the roleplay you have going on in the room?

Kara: I think at first, I would ask what the reason (if any) there would be for having an issue with playing canon characters – not that it’s a big issue; more so just as a starting point.

Diabolus: Actually, that is a question that I hoped you would ask. We have created characters as well, with which we help players with that are not familiar with, or just not into, the canon idea. I wanted to make sure that there was an avenue for players that fell into that category. So there is the ability to create your own, which we are more then happy to sit down and discuss with a person, even if they have no idea what they want or can possibly do. We want everyone here to be able to enjoy what they are playing.

I personally take it as a responsibility to the players in the room that want to get involved, but are unfamilar with canon characters, to do my very best to provide them with statistics and an origin. Nothing to pen a player into a corner, no; just crucial information that sticks with the main idea of the room. We do not care how you play characters. We only ask you stick with the name, powers, and origin, and that is it. In fact, we have already helped a player that wished to play a particular character but wanted to change the gender. Still the same character, just the opposite gender.

I do, however, ask potential players who or what they are interested in, what makes them feel comfortable, and so on. Just to get a basic idea of possible characters. Barring any situations where the character might be taken, or are a little too powerful (and even then, we might be willing to make an exception on to get people to play), I try to use that to help people pick out a canon character. I usually do up, like I said, a very short powers and origins sheet for the person and send it to them in PM. It is kind of a cheat sheet, really.

Beyond that, as far as how anyone plays their character, it is up to them, really. Almost all of us have seen the movies and/or read comics, so most mainstream characters are pretty easy to get a grasp on. But if a player comes along that knows nothing about comics, then we go out of our way to help them get a character that may be suited to a comfortable style of play – an example being someone from vampire roleplay who enjoys a dark, creepy type of character. It is what they have been playing for years. Well, I, along with my team, am on it to help as much as possible to make the transition that much smoother. So what I would say to someone that has an issue with canon characters or comics in general: How can the room help you?

Kara, for your question, there are some like myself that do not feel comfortable playing a character that was someone else’s brain child.

Now, Diabolus, how does Marvel/DC Infiniverse differ from the other comic rooms around the sites?

Kara: I can understand that.

Diabolus: How do we differ from other rooms? Well, it is all under one room, which keeps all the storylines and players in one area, so it is easier to help, communicate, and otherwise handle issues that may arise. I cannot and will not speak on anyone else’s team or rooms as far as providing asisstance to players. I honestly believe that we all do the best job that we can. I like to think, though, that we perhaps go in more of a helpful direction with our players. I have spent the better part of the time the room has been open working with players to help get ideas and characters generated. Also, we go out of our way to bring into the room everyone that shows interest (or even potential interest). We have a personal info topic on our thread to make sure that any possible real time complications (being away or sick, things like that) are handled. We have a policy for recycling characters that is more then fair. We try our hardest to work with the players and intergrate everyone into the roleplays that are going on, even going so far as to help with actual introduction roleplays into the room. So, I guess I would have to say that the difference is both in the cohesion of my team and the room, and the freedom to not have any real expectations on characters – just letting the imagination and ideas flow from one and all.

Oh, no, I wasn’t trying to compare your room to the others! I know each works slightly differently.

Tell the readers if you have had any moments yet that are just like “WTF” type things?

Diabolus: I know, I know, we are kind of all alike. A vamp room is a vamp room, really, and a comic room is a comic room. I guess to add on to that, Care, around here we are more interested in playing with our players then letting our players play with themselves. (And let the puns roll in!)

Honestly, everyone in the room seems to be gravitating to the guy that plays Green Arrow. I don’t understand it. The guy is great – he really is. I met him a couple of months ago, and he is a good roleplayer, actually very humble and shy. But somehow, and we have no idea how, he is in the middle of everything. His character is mixed up in so many plots, without him even trying, that is the thing. It kind of started as a joke, and then – bang! Now it is like a spiderweb. Which is rather cool.

“WTF” moments. I can’t speak for anyone else, but some of the stuff that Kara has done with her characters – completely out of left field. The two big room-wide roleplays are actually her brain children. And I have to say that character choices can be, as well. The one that surprised me was Caedam and Spiderman, I know Caedam, so it was interesting to see him take the character, since he and I are mostly talking about bad guys or evil plans all the time. Not to mention a lot of people that I thought would never come into a comic room have dropped in to play. I have been doing this a very long time and still get surprised every night.

Are there any plans or ideas for any events in the future? We see many rooms hosting Trivia Nights and Paint Nights. Anything of that nature, or is it all just going to be storyline based events?

Diabolus: I want to have a good room and good community, period. I want to have a place where people can come hang out, and those that are of the “old school” mentality can adapt to the new form of roleplay as I had to, but also have a little bit of the old back as well. Yes, though, to all of those. I would love to have trivia nights, paint nights; heck, we have had DJ Caedam in twice to DJ. Stuff like that. I am completely down for it. I was even thinking of trying a roleplay marathon, actually, once we had a few more players and so on. Halloween ideas, Christmas as well. I am more then open to doing that and have already kind of thought about something.

That’s great to hear. I know we have bounced around a little bit, with the subject being Marvel/DC Infiniverse, so tell me something you want to share with the readers and possible new roleplayers?

Diabolus: Something to share? Well, I have been roleplaying online almost since the dawn of the net. Since 1997 (goes to get my cane), and I have never slowed down. I have seen the rise and sheer dominance of old World of Darkness/free-form, and I have seen the decline of it. The rise and plateau of LKH roleplay. I’m not saying I have seen it all, nor am I saying that I know it all. Far, far from it. I can say, though, that if I were to pass anything on – knowledge, advice, what have you – don’t be like me. Learn to type. And also – well, look. Things are different then they were then, we (meaning us older roleplayers) are never going to get what we had then, and newer players are never going to experience it. So somewhere you have to meet in the middle. Pass on knowledge, facts, or helpful hints. Learn to accept them. Think, be creative, and don’t let anyone else tell you how to think or how something or someone should be played. It is your idea. As long as boundaries in the rooms are respected, then be creative as you can.

I once had a seperate and very long discussion with several dear friends (Masi and Fury), and in those conversations, I bring possibly the best advice I can. Learn to solo. It sucks, yeah, but learn to do it. It is the heart of roleplay. It helps flesh out characters, it helps with your thoughts, and so much more. It helps to describe and detail. (The who? what? when? where? and why? And most importantly, how?) Not that every post has to be a mammoth one. But I have been asked over the years how to write so well (minus the grammar and spelling), and my response has always been the same: Passion. And my favourite quote from any TV show is, “Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love, the clarity of hatred, and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we’d know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we’d truly be dead.”

Learn to love the hobby or lifestyle (whichever), not think of it as a chore or just something to do. It is so much more. It is like reading. The human mind is so powerful. Live your character when you play. See what they see, smell what they smell, taste, and so on. Be them. Method. Make that other person squirm, melt, twitch, flinch, or whatever. The object of the game is not there can be only one. The object of the game is to have fun. So do that. Remember it is a game.

Well, I have to thank you for taking the time out to do this interview with me, and look forward to seeing the growth of the room.

Diabolus: Well, once again, Care, thank you for interviewing me. I find it very honouring, really.

Thank you and have a good night!

Doomsday Prepping: Winter Is Coming

By Halcyon

Prepping: Winter is Coming: Home, Car and Wilderness Prep

I’ll be honest, I did get a chuckle coming up with the title. But I figured, “How perfect!” I know there are some die-hard Game of Thrones fans out there who will get the reference. Heck, unless you are living under a rock, most people understand the reference even if they haven’t seen the series or read the books!

I am hoping this will help some of you prepare for winter. The information that follows is stuff everyone should know, for the most part. It’s not difficult to implement and it continues in the vein of my previous thoughts, in that prepping is not just about having some thousand square foot storage unit with hundreds of supplies. Prepping is all about being prepared, and a little forethought might save you the terror of being stranded somewhere on a cold winter night without proper supplies.

Here we go!

Home and Kitchen Checklist

These are some items which I think are very important for anyone who lives in a cold weather climate, where there is the potential for severe winter storms that might cause power outages in freezing temperatures. I grew up in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, and weathered some pretty frightening storms. One particular storm I recall was in a cabin in Monticello where we only had the fireplace.

You can adapt this for your family as you like, but here are the basics:

* Flashlight
* Batteries
* Battery operated radio/crank
* First aid kit
* Extra Blankets
* Basic toiletries
* Seven-day supply of medications
* Copies of personal documents [in a weather proof safe if possible]
* Space heater [please take care and do not leave it on overnight, or have a watch during the night to make sure it is safe]
* Backup power generator
* Three-day of nonperishable food [per person]
* Three-day supply of water [per person – you can stock up and keep jugs of water in the garage or cellar. It’s okay if they freeze because you can warm them up.]
* Non-electric can opener
* Matches
* Cooler filled with ice
* Pet food & supplies
* Baby food and supplies
* Solar charger for phone

Auto Emergency Kit

It amazes me how few people actually have some kind of emergency kit in their vehicle. I recall the look on my daughter’s face when we bought out the Rubbermaid container to assemble her kit, though it was a little different given the area we live in is more prone to monsoon rains rather than snow storm. Still, the idea is the same, so here are some of the essentials:

* Rubbermaid container or large duffle bag
* Flashlight
* Batteries
* Water bottles
* G.O.R.P./Snack bars
* Flares or Glow stick
* Whistle
* Cat litter [traction/slippy situations]
* First aid kit
* Booster cables/Cordless jump starter
* Compass
* Tool kit
* Ice scraper
* Folding shovel
* Insta-hand warmers
* Heavy duty trash bag

Stuff for Kids

If you have wee ones in diapers, make sure to have those stashed. The same goes for pull-ups and wipes.

Medications: Inhaler, allergies, and fever reducers. Stash them in the container, but be certain they can handle cold temperatures.

Toss in a few colors and crayons in case they kids get bored.

One more thing: Make sure to schedule a reminder to check all your supplies around December 31st. This includes ensuring your batteries are still good, as well as reviewing anything that might have expired.

Wilderness Survival

Okay, this sounds more daunting than it really is. It’s not like you are going to be Bear Grylls or some of the other crazy survivalists out there, but here are a few tips just in case shit hits the fan.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is making sure you have dry footwear. If there is any possiblity of being stranded or stuck and having to trudge through wet snow or even heavy winter rains, this is important.

* Back pack with an extra pair of boots (winter/water proof)
* Three pairs of socks sealed in a ziplock bag
* Foot powder – sprinkle feet to keep dry
* Carry a poncho (military issue if you can) and five bungee cords to construct a makeshift shelter. You will need four corners, grommets and bungees stretched to four trees, and the hood tied off and bungeed to an overhanging branch.
* Any rations or trail mix type of food – make sure you protect it from moisture and damage

There you go! I hope some of this information will help you out and keep you safe over the long winter. It just takes a few moments to be prepared and save you from panicking during an emergency. Good luck!

Gifts For Gamers

By Joy Naomi

We got this one out a smidge too late for the holidays, and we’re sorry! But winter celebrations will come again, and until then, there are birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions that call for a special gift for your special gamer. What kind of gift? Joy Naomi has some ideas!

Gamers: We all either know one, or we’re one ourselves. For those of us who have gamer friends and don’t know what to give them for Christmas (or a birthday), it can get a little frustrating. Well, worry no more! I have compiled a list of gamer-friendly gifts to look over and hopefully get ideas from!

The majority of these things can be found on Think Geek.com, though you can probably find them on Amazon, too.

Collectible Items

1. Critical Hit D20 Mug – $12.99

2. Hallmark Nintendo Resin Ornaments (choose from: Donkey Kong, Link, Luigi, Mario, Princess Peach or Toad) – $7.99 each

3. Skyrim 4-Pack Pint Glass Set (includes: The Winking Skeever, The Ragged Flagon, The Sleeping Giant Inn, and The Frozen Hearth) – $14.99 for a set of 4

4. Nintendo Game Boy Color-Changing Pint Glass – $12.99

5. Legend of Zelda Hyrule Color Changing Glass – $9.99

6. Final Fantasy Chocobo Playing Cards – $11.99

7. Mega Man Collectible Enamel Pin Set – $9.99

8. Fallout Nuka Cherry Cola Checkers Set – $19.99

9. Warcraft Epic Box (contains a coin, patch, mini-poster, lanyard and a limited edition mystery item) – $9.99

10. Various Pop Vinyl Figures (comes in a variety of game related characters) prince range – $9 and up

Wearable Items

1. Super Mario World T-Shirt (comes in yellow or gray) – $9.99

2. SNES Made in the Nineties T-Shirt – $11.99

3. Mad Moxxi’s Cherry Bomb Ladies Raglan Tee – $14.99

4. Self-Rescuing Princess Ladies’ Tee – $19.99

5. Mega Man Hoodie – $19.99

6. Fallout Velcro Patches Hoodie (includes 3 changeable patches: Nuka Cola, Vault Boy and Brotherhood of Steel) – $19.99

7. Kingdom Hearts Destiny’s Embrace Keyblade Necklace – $19.99

8. Fallout Vault Boy Flap Wallet – $19.99

9. Warcraft Durotan Plush Slippers – $9.99

10. Super Mario NES Classic Box Art T-Shirt – $14.99

And, as always, you can opt for various gift cards. Many games have in-game currencies that have to be purchased with real world money, and as a gamer myself, I would always welcome cards to purchase in-game currency. I’m sure others would, too. You could also go for a generic gift card like a reloadable Visa or Master Card. These could be put towards the purchase of a game someone has been saving up for, or for a special in-game unlock.

I hope this list is helpful! Happy gaming and Merry Christmas from this gamer elf to all!

Healing Yourself Naturally: Poultices, Salves, and Tinctures

By Halcyon

As with Whole Beauty, this column discusses practices that may not be appropriate for everyone. In addition, the advice given here is not intended to replace a visit to your doctor – much of the modern research into the efficacy of natural remedies is still in its early stages, and not all results seen in the laboratory translate to the real world. Remember that no matter what changes you’re considering, it’s always best to discuss them with your doctor or other health care provider, as he or she will be in the best position to address not only your personal needs and special concerns, but also the safety of alternative treatments, as herbs and supplements may interact both with medications and each other – however, if you’re interested in natural healing, we hope this article will provide you with some opening discussion points!

Healing Naturally: Poultices, Salves and Tinctures

Poultice:

* A poultice is nothing more than a direct way to apply herbs to the skin.

How to make a poultice:

* Herbs are usually crushed into a pulp or made into a paste that is spread directly onto the surface of the skin (up to an inch thick). The area is then wrapped in gauze or muslin, preventing the poultice from rubbing off.

There are different types of poultices:

* A warm or hot poultice will help increase circulation to the skin area.
* A cold poultice can help soothe a variety of inflammation.
* Skin-tingling ginger can be added to help increase circulation.

The Advantage:

* Poultices use fresh herbs, which have the greatest amount of the herb’s beneficial characteristics.

The Disadvantages:

* Poultices take time to make and time to do their thing, and are messier than a salve or cream.
* It’s best to use them at night so they can work while you sleep.

Some herbs you can use for poultices are:

* Yarrow
* Goldenrod
* Plantain
* Comfrey
* Calendula

General All-Purpose Wound Healing Poultice:

* Calendula: skin healing antimicrobial
* Comfrey Leaf: tissue healer and excellent to coat and seal broken skin
* Yarrow: Wonderful for healing, cracked skin, cuts and bruises. It can help staunch bleeding, too.

Salves:

* Medicinal herbs mixed with oil and thickened with beeswax.
* Salves create an easy vehicle by which the skin can absorb the healing properties of the ingredients.

Before you can make a salve, you need to make an oil infusion. There are quicker ways to do this, but I generally believe quick work can result in shoddy work, and you don’t want shoddy salve:

The Slow Way to Make an Oil Infusion

You’ll need:

* 2 cups of dried herb (loosely packed)
* Up to 2 cups of olive oil (see note)
* Sunny windowsill
* Pint-sized mason jar

Instructions:

Add the dried herb to a sterilized mason jar. Add olive oil until all the herb is covered. Use a skewer to stir and release air bubbles. Cap the jar tightly. Set the jar in a sunny window for 4 weeks, shaking gently every day or so.

When the time is up, separate the oil from the plant matter by straining it through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Be sure to squeeze the cheesecloth to release the last bit of oil.

* Be selective when choosing olive oil. Many brands cut their olive oil with canola oil which can make your infusion go rancid far sooner. The general shelf life for this type of infusion is twelve months.

Making the Salve

You’ll need:

* 1 1/4 cups infused oil (if you followed the instructions above, you should have about 1 1/4 cups oil)
* 1.5 oz (about 1/3 cup) beeswax pastilles
* Heavy-bottomed pot
* 10-20 drops of essential oil (optional)
* Whisk
* Glass measuring cup
* 5 4-ounce mason jars/jelly jars
* Spatula

Instructions:

* Add the beeswax to a heavy bottomed pot on the stove, and heat on low (you don’t want to burn it). Use the lowest temperature possible, as this will ensure that the beeswax retains some of its healing properties. Beeswax melts at 140 degrees.
* Once the beeswax melts, then whisk in the herbal oil.
* The cooler temperature of the oil will resolidify some of the beeswax, so continue whisking until the beeswax is completely melted and the two are mixed well.
* Add the essential oil, if you’re using it. Start by adding one or two drops at a time until you’ve reached your desired strength of fragrance.
* Resume whisking until all ingredients are completely melted and mixed together.
* Quickly pour the mixture into a glass measuring cup, then fill the jelly jars or tins. I reused a few sanitized, store-bought tins.

Note: The beeswax-oil mixture will solidify quickly in the measuring cup, sometimes before you’ve even finished filling the jars. If this happens, simply use the spatula to put the mixture back in the pot on the stove and melt it again.

* Let the jars cool for up to 24 hours, then cap them tightly and label.

Soothing Salve with Lemon Balm and Calendula:

* 1 1/4 cup calendula infused oil
* 1 1/4 cup lemon balm infused oil
* 3 oz beeswax pastilles (about 2/3 cup)
* Follow directions as outlined above. You’re doubling the recipe, so you’ll need approximately 10 jelly jars, rather than 5.

Calendula and lemon balm both have anti-bacterial properties. Together, they are also anti-inflammatory and anti-viral. This salve will help soothe insect bites and rashes, and help repair cuts and scrapes. In addition, lemon balm is effective at healing cold sores, while calendula is effective at soothing eczema.

Note: You may want to get a pot that you only use for making herbal preparations in case there’s any residue leftover, though I didn’t have any trouble washing my pot and utensils as I would my other dishes.

Tincture:

* A concentrated liquid extract of herbs, taken by the drop because it is so potent.
* Most tinctures are made by using alcohol as the extracant. Some prefer to use apple cider vinegar or vegetable glycerin (diluted with an equal amount of water) instead. These alternative won’t be as strong, but they will work.

Nettle Tincture

* Supports joint health and is accessible in many places across the United States.

Ingredients:

* Nettle, fresh or dried
* Brandy or vodka

Materials:

* Gloves
* Mason jar
* Muslin or cheese cloth
* Labels
* Amber Dosage Bottles
* Small funnel
* Large bowl
* Liquid measuring cup

The first step in this process is harvesting the nettles. Nettles are often found growing abundantly in the wild, but if you do decide to do some wild harvesting, I would suggest that you get a Peterson’s Field Guide or find an herbalist to help you identify the plant. If you prefer, you can purchase nettles in bulk on Mountain Rose Herbs. They are a great site for a variety of loose leaf herbs, teas, and other supplies.

If you are working with fresh nettles, it is recommended using gloves and wearing clothing to cover your skin to avoid a sting that may itch and tingle for a few hours. Chop the nettles as small as possible – the more herb chopped, the more surface area covered during the maceration (or extraction) process.

Fill your Mason jar about 1/4 full of freshly chopped herb, and cover all the way to the top with alcohol. If using dried nettles, fill jar halfway instead, then cover as before with alcohol.

Put the cap on the jar, sit it upright, and label it. Here’s a suggestion:

1. What kind of alcohol you used, and the percent of alcohol by volume.
2. Whether you used fresh or dried herb.
3. The common name and the binomial/scientific name of the plant used (nettle’s scientific name is Urtica dioica).
4. The date you made the tincture.

Let the mixture macerate. Shake the jar every day and store it in a cool dark cabinet. Make sure the herbs stay covered with alcohol – add more if needed. This is a great time to put good energy into your herbal creation and visualize all the ways it’s going to help you once it’s finally ready.

After 4-6 weeks have passed, you can then press out your tincture. Don’t worry too much about the time. Some folks wait as little as three weeks and some wait much longer.

To start the pressing process, unscrew your Mason jar, put your muslin or cheese cloth over the top, and flip the jar over above a large bowl to drain the liquid while separating the herb. Once all the liquid has gone into the bowl, you can then use both hands to squeeze any remaining liquid out of the herb.

Lastly, make a new label that replicates the first one for each dosage bottle filled. Store in a cool dark place and enjoy! It is suggested taking one-half to one teaspoon of nettle tincture two to three times a day when you feel like you need some joint support or an herbal tonic.

Crafting For Money

By mouth{JT}

I have been selling what I make for a very long time now. Different crafts such as children’s drawings, greeting cards, crochet, etc., but for the most part, I made serious money from pottery and ceramics. I’ve picked up a few tricks along the way, and so I’m passing them along. If they can be of any benefit to others, great.

Firstly, do (make) something you love.

You have to love what you’re doing. Otherwise, you will never survive it. You’re putting in hours and hours of work for far less than the minimum wage, so loving what you’re doing is an absolute must. Make that product unique to you in some way – style, design, technique; it really dosen’t matter so long as it’s recognizable as “yours”. (For example, a few years ago, every ceramist was making fairies, and cheaply – about a tenner each. I chose to make my fairies very gothic-looking and naughty, semi-nude with ripped fishnet stockings, for $30 each, and I couldn’t keep up with demand.)

Give good value for money.

Always do that little bit more, for free. It will pay off in the long run. If someone, for example, orders some journals, add a couple of book marks and mention it in a covering note, so they know the add-ons are a freebie, purely because you appreciate their business. In ceramics, I would spend a lot of down time at home painting endless small pieces to give as freebies to clients’ children. And if the parents didn’t buy? Hey, it ain’t the kids’ fault. A small egg with a chick peeking out of it cost me maybe twenty cents to make, and I always found that if you make the kid happy, the mum is far more likely to buy. These small things I would make while watching TV, and carry with me every time I went to sell.

Offer a better commission rate.

This is easy to do if you remember one simple rule: Never give commission in cash, but always in goods. Goods are a fraction of the cost to make.

Give clients limited choice.

I learned this the hard way. A client wanted something done in blue, so I hauled out a paint chart, and they chose Azure Blue. I didn’t have the color in stock and so had to buy it, and ended up using very little out of a jar that sat there doing nothing afterwards. What I should have done was offered three colors: light, medium and dark. The more choices a person has, the worse it gets. Keep it simple.

Lastly, practise.

Practise, practise, practise. It’s boring, I know, but you get better and better – better than your competitors. Perfection, or as close as you can get to it, only comes from endless practise. I have made several thousand greeting cards, and I still have the first one I ever made pinned to my wall, to remind myself how far I’ve come. It is bad (my word, but it is bad). Now, well, there’s a big difference. (There’s a divider here – people either buy the best or buy the cheapest.)

The Market

So you’ve decided on your product, and now you want to sell it. You have to decide if you want to make it an expensive product and only sell a few, or a mass appeal product that will sell loads. I’ve always been in favor of the former. Personally, I would rather sell one real up-market looking piece for $100 than ten pieces at $10 each. My own rule is I never, but never, sell seconds at a cheaper rate. I either destroy it, or give it to friends or family. I think, in the craft world, reputation is everything, but that’s just my opinion. (There’s also a weird subset of clients that actually want to pay a lot of money. Bragging rights, and all that.)

How you sell is entirely up to you. Internet, direct to shops, word of mouth, party plan, all of them – it doesn’t matter as long as you sell. I have always sold by party plan or word of mouth. A typical night for me would be to load up the car with about five boxes of stuff, arrive at a client’s house, and set everything out on the floor. The client would invite all her friends, and I would then give a small speech (cringe) and invite people to touch, pick up, and feel things, then ask for all the children to come see what I was doing. I’d lay out all my little “freebies” and invite the kids to take one home, to keep for their very own (the mums just melt). Then I’d remove myself from the room, saying come see me if they had any questions (usually making a joke that I would be in the kitchen scoffing the snacks), then – leave them alone. No one wants someone hovering over them pushing them to buy. (Oh, and the kids’ freebies? Sorry, only available at parties. A party? Sure, I can do one for you. I give twenty percent commission in goods, on anything you want.)

Two to three hours later, I was packing up my boxes with orders for roughly a grand – maybe even $2000 on a good night. The hostess collected the money for me, and three weeks to a month later, I delivered. All I had to do was one a week to make enough money, and when the client’s friends saw the amount she got for just having the party, they would have one themselves.

Nowadays, I don’t party plan, but it was really good income for almost twenty years. And it’s still out there – I was asked recently if I still did them myself. But crafting, art, whatever you want to call it, is a passion of mine, and I still sell the odd few things, all by word of mouth. I rarely take orders, preferring to do what I want. I make weird one of a kind things, and yes, they’re kind of expensive, but I remind myself of the words, “You only get what the market thinks it’s worth.” I was very fortunate to have some incredibly loyal clients, who, through their own word of mouth, introduced me to others who were interested in the one of a kinds. I do limited runs, choosing my own medium, making a few things, and then placing a phone call, and so have gotten a reputation for the, “I’m looking for something a bit different for my sister,” client.

Ka-ching!

I hope this has been of some help to anyone reading, and please bear in mind this is very much an overall view. If anyone wants me to go into more detail, shoot me a message!)

The Awakening: Coping With Chronic Illness

By Halcyon

Life is hard. From the moment we open our infant eyes to the blinding white of a delivery room until we follow that light to places unknown, it seems there’s always something trying to stand in our way. There are days when all you want to do is give in, let it take over, and be swept away to anywhere but here. In her new series The Awakening, Halcyon hopes that giving us a lifeline will help us find our way back.

The Awakening Series: Coping with Chronic Illness

Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation. It means understanding that something is what it is and there’s got to be a way through it. (Michael J. Fox)

In this installment of my Awakening series, we are going to search for ways of being present in the face of adversity, whether it is chronic or terminal illness, or just the struggles we encounter in our day to day lives. Being present in life is not easy, and most of us coast through it without truly being there and without truly being aware of what a gift it is to have this life at all.

During the first part of this series, I was struggling without a clear diagnosis. Though I knew it lay in part to structural issues resulting from many years of wear and tear from competitive gymnastics and running, after eighteen months with no definitive answers and many treatment attempts, for the most, it just became long-term, chronic pain.

In the time in-between diagnoses, you flounder. There is an enormity of emotional suffering compounded by shame. People do not understand the nature of chronic illness – regardless if it is one that has more scientific data behind it, like multiple sclerosis, or something like fibromyalgia, that seems to be shrouded in mystery and confusion. I think I am lucky because one thing that has helped me to be an advocate for myself and others has been my inherent curiosity and scientific mind. When I got my diagnosis of fibromyalgia (along with a pending diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis) I researched everything (and still do) and connected with various fibromyalgia communities.

What I found is a vast sea of helplessness and hopelessness, and one not limited to this community. Across the board of chronic illness, for which many of us do not look as though we are ill, there seems to be a questioning of whether or not we are genuinely ill, or are just lazy hypochondriacs seeking attention. It is also not a sentiment solely regarded by the average citizen, friend or colleague, but one rampant in the medical community, as well. My own experiences until finding my current doctor were along the lines of, “Fibromyalgia is a bullshit diagnosis,” or, “Just exercise and lose some weight and you will feel better,” and a pain management doctor who treated me like I was a drug seeker, humiliating me in front of the daughter who had come with me.

I think it’s very easy to become sucked into the vortex of self-pity, with equal helpings of self-loathing and shame, and a sprinkling of lamentation for the situation you find yourself in on top. Even before a solid diagnosis, you know your life has changed in a very un-alterable way. In the beginning, you cling to the hope that treatment will help, and that these people who have devoted themselves to school and study about the human body and diseases, will be able to come up with a plan that works for you. But after months of exhausting every option, while trying to remain positive, you are suddenly confronted with a grim sort of reckoning about the situation, and the reality sets in at last. We settle for management of our pain and hope that it will afford us some vague recollection of our pre-diagnosis self, when in fact we inherently understand, and perhaps even accept on some molecular level, that who we once were is gone.

Though I have never faced terminal illness myself, I have friends who have, and there is a similar path. In the end, you need to come to some sort of acceptance. From there, you can begin a process of self-healing and being present in your life for whatever amount you have left. This is where I believe self-compassion and mindfulness come into play.

Mindfulness is a practice that helps you to stay in the present moment. It is often described as becoming aware of that present moment experience in a way that is free from judgmental thoughts and personal preferences. There is a clear difference between the quality of awareness brought forth by mindfulness and the awareness one might otherwise have in day-to-day life. Sadly, we are not often very mindful in our everyday lives, and our awareness becomes reactive to those thoughts and preferences, which takes away from the present moment.

The best way to stay in the moment is to re-engage with the body:

* It is your body, not your thoughts, judgments, or beliefs, that stays in the present moment.
* Re-engaging with the body also includes enaging the senses: Touch, taste, sight, sound, and smell. Through this re-engaging, you learn you have a choice where you place your attention, and it should bring with it a measure of peace and stability.
* While acknowledged, those questioning thoughts, feelings of self-loathing, or berating yourself, are understood not to be reality.
* You learn to create a buffer between those thoughts and your mind, keeping them at a distance.
* Those thoughts and ideas no longer absorb your attention.

The practice of self-compassion is a way of being in which you maintain a balanced, non-judgmental awareness of difficult experiences and maintain a desire to alleviate those difficulties, while recognizing it is a perfectly normal part of being human to experience difficulties in life. This requires a deep understanding of mindfulness, the ability to balance mindfulness with self-kindness (rather than self-judgment), and effort put into refraining from isolation.

Self-kindness is a practice that can seem strange at first. It is literally relating to oneself with an attitude of kindness and regarding oneself with gentleness, patience, and reassurance. An effort is made to change the tone of your inner voice to something soft and embracing.

* Use phrases like, “It’s ok,” and, “Don’t worry.” It is often recognized through this practice that there is an obvious lack of self-kindness and that when it is offered, it is conditional. Many times, it is only offered when you are able to achieve certain tasks that you feel are important. (Example: “I’ll lay down and rest or take a nap once I get X amount of chores done today,” or, “I’ll feel really good about myself when I get that project done by a certain time.”) When you do this, what you are actually doing is saying that you do not deserve kindness without conditions, and when you do not meet the goal set it propagates feelings of worthlessness.
* Offer yourself unconditional kindness. You will be more relaxed, your head will be clearer, and you will find you are kinder to others as well.
* Regular practice will make it easier. You cannot undo a lifetime of behavior in a few sessions. Do not be discouraged. Try using this mantra often, especially when you get discouraged: “Don’t worry, this is hard, but you’ll be okay.” You may still self-blame and criticize, but it will get better, and eventually, will be replaced by better habits.

Self-isolation happens when you devalue yourself and self-criticize so often that you forget you are not alone in the universe. Through these practices, there will be an eventual awakening of your spirit. It will bring with it an understanding that no matter how alone you feel, going through whatever situation or illness has presented itself, that everyone, everywhere, is going through something. Life is often a battle filled with hardships that are not written across our flesh for others to see. but instead written in our soul. By engaging with people, listening to others, and empathizing, you begin to see that although everyone’s battle is different, we are all faced with difficult emotions, we all judge ourselves, and we all experience feelings like shame, anxiety, anger, and depression.

The action of being present and mindful in our lives and those we care about is a lifetime process. You don’t exercise these ideas and tips for one week and then call it done, believing that somehow you are now mindful and present and don’t have to work on it. It is a state of being that requires work, and that you will sometimes fail at, but keep trying. The benefits of being mindful and present are known to have effects on all aspects of our lives, even our health. When you look inward and re-engage with the body, and simply honor the fact that you are in pain, without any self-judgment or self-loathing for it, the body relaxes.

The National Institute of Health [NIH] has many articles on mindfulness-based stress reduction as a way to help those who are chronically ill, but you certainly don’t need to be chronically ill to begin practicing it.