[Gossamer's Scrapbook] The Ethereal Canyon I

[Gossamer]

. Two Really Great Recipes Trust me.. anything to get rid of your Zucchini and Quick Quiche is always amazing. Bisquick Quiche (Bacon) This is a great quick quiche done in the blender that is crust-less except for when it comes out it has a crust like a shepherds pie. I added a lot more cheese to mine and feel free to substitute the bacon for sausage. The one I made recently had sausage and saute'd mushrooms in it. Very good stuff and super easy cleanup. You can have it in the oven in 20 minutes from the time you decide to make it and wander into the kitchen to the time you get done doing it. Salt and pepper generously. Eggs soak up seasoning like crazy. Ingredients 3 eggs 1-1/2 cups 2% milk 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup Bisquick Mix Dash pepper 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese Directions In a blender, combine the eggs, milk and butter. Add biscuit mix and pepper; cover and process for 15 seconds. Pour into a greased 9-in. pie plate. Top with bacon and cheese. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 6-8 servings. "Got-Cha" Squares So everyone knows last month was "Leave a Zucchini on your neighbors doorstep and run" month right? Everyones trying to use up the last of their Zucchini and get what they don't use into the freezer. I'm no different. I shred, cube, cut, freeze etc because I love all things Zucchini including Zucchini pancakes and these delicious Zucchini squares. They taste a whole lot like a cinnamon apple square and hence the name "Got-Cha" squares. You feed them to your friends and 9 times out of ten people will tell you that you just gave them an apple square and will love them. These bars turned my husband, who was a bonified Zucchini hater into a Zucchini lover. Ingredients Squares 8 cups Zucchini, peeled, chopped & seeded 2/3 cup Lemon Juice 1 cup Sugar 1 tsp Cinnamon (or more) 3/4 tsp Nutmeg Crust 4 cups Flour 2 cups Sugar 1 1/2 cups Butter or Margarine, cold 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Directions Cook zucchini and lemon juice for about 12-20 minutes in a large saucepan over medium heat until Zucchini is tender. Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg: simmer 1 minute longer Remove from heat and set aside. Combine flour and sugar in a bowl: cut in butter until like coarse crumbs. Stir 1/2 cup into zucchini mixture Press 1/2 crumb mixture that remains into a greased 15x10 baking pan. Spread zucchini on top. Crumble remaining crust mixture over Zucchini Sprinkle with cinnamon Bake 35-40 minutes at 375 or until golden and bubbly. Cool, then cut into squares. Yields: 16-20 Servings. .

[Gossamer]

. Newbies How to help. When to help. Why to help. Note: This blog was written a few days ago. Sometimes I don't know where to start when I get frustrated and need to explain why I am frustrated just to get things off my chest. Tonight, I am definitely unsure if I'm frustrated because its been a long six days solid at work or because some of the things on Mizahar have been getting me into a huge slump. I know I'm spending too much time here, but when I take breaks the work has piled up and it takes me twice as long to get things done that it would have if I hadn't taken a break and instead just concentrated on individual things. So. I'm tired. I'm grouchy. And honestly I can't believe how screwed up some people in chat can be in their attitudes towards newbies. You guys do them a complete and utter disservice. How? I'll tell you how. People, whom I consider still newbies themselves because they don't know simple rules like signature size or how a kelvic ages, are inviting newbies into other rooms besides the Public one and then 'walking' them through the CS creation process. Wait? What's wrong with this? There's nothing wrong with this Goss! Well, uh... yes there is. Because if you then question said newbies on if they'd read the links we provide for them in their Private Messages in the form of a Greeting or if they have actually read any of the drop down menu's under the "Getting Started" tab they will say something like "I've skimmed them but really didn't understand them." Okay, we've all read these pages. We know if you read them carefully and follow them step by step they are perfectly understandable. So, in essence what happens is, the helpful clueless new players lead the even more clueless newer players away, get them a CS that is postable, and then the new folks start playing the game... guess what? Without reading most of our lore. Why? Because they have been lazily guided through the creation process like sheep in a way that means they don't have to process information or do any learning themselves. This is lazy. This is a shortcut. This is doing the newbies a disservice because they don't read that link, follow this link, and really learn about the site. All the really fantastic new folks I've met in the past month or two who've joined up and stayed .... creating wonderful new characters... are people whom have all done it without this sort of lazy-man's assistance. This assistance, btw, ends up confusing the new player far more than if the new player learned the system by following the already written out directions. Often the simple gets more complicated when folks say 'do this, then do that, then do this...' because the newbie has no idea why they are doing what and how it matters. While if you read the lore yourself, follow it step by step, it clearly explains the why and how to you. You 'helper' players out there lurking in chat are driving me nuts. Don't help. Be in chat to answer questions IF FOLKS GET STUCK but don't do it all for the new folks by walking them through the whole process. Make them read the links. Make them wade through it for themselves. If they put the initial effort into their PC, they will stay longer and have a better experience overall. There's nothing wrong with lurking in chat in case someone has a question or wants a clarification or say needs to know if their underwater basket weaving skill is allowed even though its not on the list... that's fine. That's being helpful. Sometimes its hard to find details buried in the lore about races, religions, etc. But when you are flat out ignorant of most things in our game and you're force feeding a new person - that isn't experienced enough to know that you are doing them a huge disservice - the creation process it just makes me shake my head and think your truly not 'getting' what the whole Mizahar experience is about. And here's another thought for you. If a person isn't smart enough or patient enough to read the lore and create a character all on their own, Mizahar probably isn't the game for them. Why? Odds are they aren't old enough to play. Recently, all that copying that threw one of our veteran players into a tailspin was carried out by a fourteen year old. We're giving her a chance and letting her start fresh, but guess what? Everyone knows I don't think Mizahar is age-appropriate for that group. I don't even think sixteen year olds work out most of the time. There are exceptions and we have favorite players that are in those age groups, but believe it or not they aren't the normal. So if they can't figure things out themselves or take the time to read links we provide, they need to go head back to their anime boards or Gaia online because then they will be in a far more age/skill appropriate setting. So stop 'walking' newbies through the creation process. Please. .

[Jameson Kindle]

Being a Newbie: For Dummies As a newbie amongst the ever growing sea of newbies, I have found this particular scrap quite interesting and informative… I think it’d probably be nice for everyone to read this one, so I’ll exploit it as much as possible. Honestly, I’m a pretty thorough guy. I like to read everything and understand as much as possible on my own before asking someone for help. I personally get annoyed when I know for a fact that all the information in the world is available for someone to get off their ass, reach out, and take, and yet they burden people with a massive mound of questions. When I joined Miza (a week or so ago?) I read everything I could in the rules and starting guide. I researched the starting package, the races, the cities, the lore, the magic, the skills, the religions, etc. There has obviously been a lot of time, effort, and creativity put into this game, and it’s beyond unique. When I stumbled across the chat room, I was skeptical at first. I’ve never been a fan of chat rooms, but not 30 seconds into entering, everyone was bidding me a warm welcome. Players were offering their assistance. Storytellers were urging me to check their cities out. The friendly atmosphere showed me immediately that I had found where I wanted to be. On the other hand, there’s a difference between what the veterans were doing versus the newbie-helping-newbie problem here. Not once did a veteran try to walk me through the character sheet creation process. Not once did a veteran try to baby me through getting started. I worked pretty hard to get my ducks in a row and get started. I didn’t expect to be able to jump right into everything. It’s kinda like college. You have to study to get good grades. You have to read the wiki and lore to understand Mizahar. I feel quite fortunate that I had all of the information I needed at my immediate disposal to work my way up to being thread-ready. While I know for a fact that I haven’t gotten everything under my belt yet, I do know my way around. I’m pretty good at navigating through the forums and finding what I’m looking for. There has been an occasion or two in which a brand new player has come in with trouble finding a particular thing such as the price list or gnosis list. Because I have these pages (and many more) save into my search bar, I have delivered links to these pages through the chat room. Likewise, there have been players who have come in asking who they should talk to about applying for a gnosis or other special permission. I have told someone how they can reach the Help Desk forum. I explained that the red names in the chat room are founders. It’s nice to have some help, yes, but I wouldn’t dare offer advice if I was doubtful in my knowledge. Personally, I know how hard I worked for all of the information I needed, and I don’t think anyone else should be an exception to this. I worked hard. I’m sure others have worked hard. You should too, no matter how new you are. The founders have provided plenty of helpful links and tips, even in the welcome PM that you receive 30 seconds into joining Miza! There’s no excuse for asking obvious questions. I’m by no means saying that you shouldn’t ask questions. You learn from asking questions. But I remember my third grade teacher saying “Ask three, then ask me.” Same basic concept. Try to figure it out yourself first, then you can ask. In the end, yeah, I totally agree that newbies shouldn’t be helping newbies. I can’t for the life of me understand why someone would think it was even remotely okay. You don’t have a firm grasp of the knowledge yet. Point the needy person to a founder or a story teller that has helped you in the past. I point people to Julie, Jen, Mike, and Mish all the time! Why? Because these are the people that have helped me. They’re the people who have exhibited superior knowledge of the game. I’m glad you posted this, Jen. Very. I would hate to have been one of the unfortunate people to be led around by someone who had no idea what they were doing… But honestly, I think the person accepting the help is just as much at fault. Take the time, people, to ask for a founder or a story teller or other knowledgeable person. It isn’t that hard, and you’ll be much happier with your progress!

[Tessa Poe]

Since I've been here a couple of months now and I have a memory like a sieve I'm struggling to remember exactly what it was like when I first turned up. I did spend an awful lot of time reading through the starting package Lore as basic introduction, and then a selection of the cities and the general information about Miza itself to make sure my concept for Tessa would work. Even after all that I wandered into chat and checked to make sure I wasn't going to be crossing any lines with... someone, it might well have been you Jen.

I did have a fair few questions, more clarifications to make the knowledge fit into my head like some bizarre game of mental tetris than anything else, but my priority in asking them was always "I want to match the setting that's been created here". Have to admit though I did rush Tessa's appearance and concept descriptions a little bit, something that I'm going to be fixing soon. I was a little over eager to get started in the world you see.

None of that's particularly relevant is it?

To get back on topic, I don't tend to give out direct advice beyond linking people to pages, mostly because I know even after two months of reading through the Lore I still don't know enough to be an authority on how things are done here. I'm practically constantly checking bits and pieces and refreshing my memory so I don't end up adding something silly to one of my posts. Recently in fact I entirely made something up to do with the Konti in a PM to Jen when I was checking things over about Jumaymah and her concept and I still have no idea where that idea came from. But that's part and parcel of the Mizahar experience for me, the reading and rereading the Lore I mean, not the "Make stuff up about bits of the world, that was just silly of me. Anyway, It's fun to just dive into the Lore and spend a little while reading through it all and I wonder sometimes if some of the people who turn up view it that way or they just see it as hoops they have to jump through to get their character started up.

To switch topics entirely, I do get why people are offering to help others and lead them through the process, they want to help, and helping is good and all. But the problem is that if you help them in the way Jen's talking about you end up not really helping at all. Sure they'll have a CS that'll pass muster, but that's it. They won't have the understanding of the world and its quirks/facts of life/etc.

I think I'd best stop for now, this has all been a little too rambley of a response, but I'll close with something relevant. I do think that people should be directed to discover the Lore for themselves and reassured through the process of doing so because in the end their experience of Miza will be that much better for it.

[Bolden Denusk]

Why didn't I see this scrap the other day? I could've used it! Meh. I see it now and too right! When I first started, I mini obsessed and kept myself to myself. I looked over the races and read the lore and there was so much info in the starter PM, it literally kept me busy for a solid week. All the information needed is readily at hand. And so the weeding out process began. I struggled to decide on where to roleplay and only thought of that. Then I noticed that there are buttons and links all over everything in miza. Just look at this posting box at the top! then above that! Then at the bottom of the page!

I figured it out. Mizahar players are about taking initiative for yourself and reading of your own volition. James, you've done well with reading the lore on your own. Phil, you have it right that each player must find the right amount of initiative, intelligence and curiosity to become a comfy player on miza.

If we're not actively working at reading the CS help template, race lore, wiki article for the gnosis you want, city traits of the place you'd like to join, then you won't fit in here and you won't stay here. The founders have wisely set up this site to insure that like minded people find this forum appealing. Hand holding someone through the basics is stealing their independence. If the newb asks a question that is answered in the starter package, they want the easy way out and roleplay without learning.

Great scrap Jen. Just thought I'd add my own two miza's worth.

[Verilian]

So back when I used to play DnD we had quite a large group of players. Many of them fluctuated in availability, some were there for just one session while we also had a permanent group. I am very experienced at teaching "newbies" how to play a game. Now.. when I first started playing DnD I bought the Monster Manual, Player's Handbook, and Dungeon Master Guide. I read every single word of all three books, even the monsters, before I ever held my first dungeon. I taught my friends how to play, and I taught their friends, and even now I am called on to teach because I know the game better than any of them. I may not know every little detail, or all the new information that is out there today, but I know the game. Where am I going with this? Out of the 20+ people I taught to play, our core group only had four members. These members were the only four who also read, at the very least, the Player's Handbook word for word. I'm pretty sure they also read the other two books, but at the very least they read the Player's Handbook. All of it. They are the ones I still play with today. The others, when they do play, have to come back to me and basically relearn the game every single time. Why? Because they didn't read the book. Read your lore, people, otherwise you will never learn the game. I spent two months before I ever made my first character reading lore. Do I know the game completely? Hell no. Have I done things against the rules? Yes. But, have I ever been accused of being lazy or cheating my way through the game? No? I'm not saying don't ask for help. Sometimes you just might not understand something, or as everyone else has said maybe you just need some clarification. But don't come whining to me if you haven't read the lore. My answer will be in the form of links anyway, unless it is something that can be answered with a simple yes or no. I'm going to make you read if you want an answer from me, so you might as well read to begin with. This is the Writer's RPG. Writers read.

[Gossamer]

. Labels It irritates me to no end... I get frustrated. Labels are becoming more and more judgmental. Folks are becoming more and more narrow minded. People. Grow the hell up. Seriously. We were having a little conversation in chat about rednecks and someone logged in, got all upset, and said their dad was a wife beater, abusive, and a whole host of other things and that he called himself a redneck, implying of course that all rednecks abuse their wives and children etc. No. Wrong. You might as well say... "My dad was white... he did that... thus all white men are like that." Or ... lets label further. ALL MEN ARE LIKE THAT? How inaccurate and immature do you have to be to make statements like that and get all upset just because you label someone something different than someone else does. I am an outspoken conservative hard working middle class woman who considers herself a redneck. I am not exactly white. I am not exactly weak. I am not exactly politically correct. I don't think rednecks are uneducated. Most of my friends are rednecks and have college degrees, myself included. Most of the rednecks I know love the great outdoors, don't beat their wives, and are one hell of a good group of people. Most of them would give you the shirt off their back if they thought you needed it more than they did. Racism. Classism. Sexism. All those godamn "isms" out there are horrible people. Horrible. If you continue to label people with negatives on top of negatives, consider this your warning. You yourself will be labeled as a very negative narrow minded person. .

[Bolden Denusk]

While not everyone agrees with Jeff Foxworthy, I like that he calls it: A glorious absence of sophistication.

My family are yankee rednecks which is to say: Yes we like outdoors, camping, earthy jokes, working hard, playing harder, speaking our minds and making every penny stretch. None of us are rich, nor are any of us ever going to be close to that. But we purposely choose to not 'put on airs.' We're proud to just be ourselves all the time and not put on fake manners and pretend ways to impress others. For me and my family, we're rednecks which is a good quality. We're honest, hardworking and unpretentious--that is MY definition of what a redneck truly is, take it or leave it.

*Offers Jen some homemade cookies coz they taste better than store bought and saves money*

[Cachet]

Crowbar All you need for all your problems, big, small, or Miz Related

[Gossamer]

. Getting To Know Me. This also has to do with getting along with me... I don't think I'm a very hard person to get along with. I'm not even sure what that term really means to everyone here either. Does it mean socially tolerate? Does it mean being able to rub elbows with and not go away feeling unclean? I'm certain it means something slightly different to everyone. To me getting along with someone means you understand their place in the scheme of things, acknowledge their right to be there, and let them go about their daily business. If you want to get extra credit for getting along, you then can go further and be happy when people are happy about things, feel bad when people feel bad... basically empathize and develop a budding emotional interest. Once that emotional interest becomes an attachment, I think that's when you cross the line from 'getting along' to friendship. You can't have friends you aren't emotionally invested in. Seriously. Its no friendship at all unless you are really connected and tuned in with them. But I think I'll leave a 'whats a friend' blog for another day. Today I want to talk about the people I don't get along with and the people I do get along with. Like everyone else, I have a series of traits within people I don't particularly like. If people have certain traits and they happen in a large enough frequency, I tend to not be able to stand them. One or two of these and sometimes I can overlook, look the other way, or pretend they are perfect in my eyes when they are not. Let me make a list with whys and hows. Liars: Everyone lies. Its true. If you said to yourself just now that you weren't a liar or said 'Not me!', you are a big fat liar. But some folks are chronic and habitual liars. These lies get bigger and then the lies build upon each other until you have a lie explosion or a melt down. I try to avoid lying but I'm not above it. I still actually have my mind convinced drinking a water instead of a pepsi when consuming a brownie cancels out eating a brownie. I also like to tell myself I'm smart, beautiful, and thin. Myself likes hearing this and believes it. Arrogant Folks: Can't stand them. Some people just come off as arrogant and its really a facade to hide their little boy/girl feelings and then its okay. But if they really do think they are the cats meow, I can't stand them unless they are really in fact the cats meow and its a nice meow at that. Arrogance is not pride. Pride in a job well done is pride. Please, be prideful. You know the difference. Fencewalkers: Yes. I've blogged about these types before. They don't have an opinion on anything. They will go with the majority or with what someone tells them to do without thinking for themselves or forming up an opinion. I think these people are infused with another of my negative irritating trait people: Lazy folks. Like all sheep, these folks need to be rounded up and herded gently to slaughter so we can make something useful out of them like delicious gyros instead of tolerating their 'I don't know...'s one more time. No, I'm not advocating cannibalism. It was a sheep metaphor. Deal. Lazy People: Go look shit up yourself. Ask yourself as many questions as you ask me and see how many you can find. Life is not a timed event in any way we would understand such things. You have the time even if you don't think you do to get up off the couch, go to the library, go to the store, do for yourself, think for yourself, make something of yourself. Basement dwellers, you fall into this category in my mind.. especially if mom and dad pay the bills. Insecure People: If you think you aren't good enough then your never going to be good enough. Stop doing that shit to yourself. Also, stop putting others down to make yourself feel better. That's shitty. Pretty much all around insecure people make me insane. They are often petty and host a whole assortment of other traits that augment the insecurity and that bodes well for no one. I don't mind if people have boughts of insecurity. But letting it rule your life? No thanks. I won't get close in case some of it rubs off on me. Mean people: You just suck. But I understand you are mean because someone's probably been mean to you or you have so many of the other above traits stuffed into you that you have to release somehow, even if its the most unhealthy way possible - by being mean. Stop it. Do you really need to put fifty people down before you have your morning coffee? No. That is not required for your happiness. Can we all be infused with meanness? Sure. I've had days were I've felt horribly mean. But its kinda of one of those things where you identify it, label it, and it goes away. No one really likes mean. No one. Needy People: These folks are the ugly redheaded stepchildren of the Insecure folks. I don't think there's really that much blood separating them so it might just be that they are like first cousins or half siblings instead. Needy people drive me bonkers. They need affirmation. They need faith. They need encouragement. They need things given to them, praise sung about them, and hope showered down upon them. But wait... do they really? No. They really don't. They just think they do. BTW the folks that need attention the most are the worst of the offenders in my book. They are the ones that whine when no ones paying attention to them and have to log in and tell everyone always what they are doing the moment they are doing it.. So.. that's my short list of traits that really piss me off in people. How does it related to this blog? Well, it seems a lot of people worry about getting on my bad side. The truth is everyone starts out in the classroom of Jen with an A. I try to like everyone and even take that added step to have some emotional involvement with them. But the moment these traits start piling up in someone and I have to deal with it then it becomes a problem. Being a person in charge and a go-to girl on Mizahar has me in a position where I see and hear a lot. All the complaints people have one way or another goes through the Founders' hands. And because I'm human, that means I'll cast judgement. Once I do, its hard to get me to change my mind. What's worse is when people come to me, after I've had dealings with people who display the traits above repeatedly, and try to tell me someone isn't the way I've seen them. I kinda go... "Whaaaa?" If someone was actually a DIFFERENT way than what I've seen of them, wouldn't they then come across totally different? They would. Sure, I might see them on a bad day here and there, but in general they'd be just fine to interact with. If they aren't... then they aren't. Something is wrong with them. But once someone has lied... someone has been mean... once someone has been needy and arrogant and all the traits above I listed that make me crazy I have no choice but to THINK they are all those things. You can't refute evidence that's brought in because others have been hurt. And you can't let the way you WANT to be mold the way others see you. You can only let your actions and what you do speak for your true test of character. You are what you do. Remember this. It's important for later in this blog. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I will tolerate a lot of abuse against my own person. I have for years because I have a thick skin and I don't care in the long run what people really think about me. How come I don't? I'll tell you a secret about strength in this manner. The truth is right there. I've made something of my life. I have a good job. I have purchased my own home as a single woman. I have raised champion horses. I have been a scientist. I have been an artist and have important pieces hanging in the state capital of Wa. I am something of an author because I got to help create Mizahar and its lore. And that all means something to me. When you get older you let your work stand for you. You let your life be your own voice. And once you have that life and that work and that accomplishment, then its really hard to be brought down by anyone's thoughts when an invisible mental cosmic scales balances in the air and you can load up one side against someone's ill will and have it outweigh their opinion. And then sometimes, you are just in a position of authority where your thoughts count a little more than someone' else s. Its true. Hurts to admit that sometimes, but it does happen. Your boss' thoughts will always count more than you the lowly employee. A president's thoughts will count way more than a citizens. A dogs wishes will well outweigh that of a bones. The winner in these events are the person with the most credibility and the least negative traits because these two things are not mutually exclusive. So? How best to get along? Keep everyone around you happy by acknowledging their place in the scheme of things. Include their feelings when you can and don't' be afraid to make an emotional investment and become attached. Minimize your negative traits (Whatever your list consists of... you don't have to go by mine) and try to minimize the traits you see in yourself that are on your best buddies box. But don't be surprised either, if the folks who are around you judge you by what you do. To most people, myself included, the actuality is a whole lot more important than the potential. Everyone has the potential to be a good person, to be a good friend, father, mother, lover, etc But if they don't ever realize that potential and act on it, then we only ever have the reality. So please don't tell me what my reality should be. My reality is what my reality is and that's no one's fault but who interacted within that framework. And if you want to get to know me, keep the neg traits to a minimum and maximize an emotional investment. Seems like an easy formula isn't it? Trust me.. it is. .