Cheer-i-o friends!  This day commenced early and bright for me.  I boarded the workers train quite chipper, as many colleagues had partaken of the drink during the evening's celebration, and nary a wakeful eye to roll among them.  Those of us who either did not partake or had stronger constitutions were most merrily making good-natured humour at their expense.  It was more unfortunate that the good humour did not last the day, which dragged slowly by as the cold winds and dust blew in off of the savannahs.  One colleague working not too far off at the archaeological site apparently was in a bad humour this day, although I really could not recall seeing a drink in his hand all evening.  Now I do know that he has family back home...





 

As Tigger came bouncing around today I cheerfully notified him that it was a beautiful day today.  He stopped bouncing for all of two paw licks to ask why I thought it was such a beautiful day.  As several hens, a trampoline, a sombrero, three non-matching socks, a tumbleweed covered in lights, a sailboat, a grasshopper holding onto the tail of a mouse who held onto the tail of a cat who held the horns of a cow that was still munching away at it's cud, a pair of Hawaiian sunglasses, and the contents of half our sandbox flew by.  "Because," I exclaimed, "it's a flustery blustery kind of day!"  "Oh!" he said, catching the sunglasses and putting them on while being bounced backwards with each bounce, "Oh!"  "Yes," I replied, "my favorite type of day!"  I threw him some rope and pulled him in as he began to float into the sky ever higher and higher, his sunglasses shining like a pot of golden honey.

20DEC2007  -  Okay kiddos, I've spent the day lookin' over paperwork, countin' numbers, and somethin' ain't addin' up.  Sos I'm making my case see, and I'm gonna get mine see?  'Cause nobody messed with my money and gets away wit it.  Nobody!  I gots my confirmin' that it ain't there, and my moles was more than happy to push wads of proof into my waiting hands.  Yer hidin' out durin' da holy days, eh?  Alrightey, I got yer number baby.  Dat's right.  Come Sunday I'll be beating on yer girly's door where I know yous'll be, and be prepared to stand like a man or get squashed like da wormfood yer gonna be.  'Cause I'm comin' see?  And you'll be swimmin' wit the fishes when I'm done wit yous!  Big Dawg don't go down like dat with no money.  Yous gotsta have money 'round here or the bambinos ain't eatin', mama's cryin' her poor 'eart out, and dat just ain't gonna cut it no more see?  You'n'me are gonna rumble, and only one of us knows how ta swim.  Ya hear?

19DEC2007  -  Today I received communication confirming that BOTH of my secret overseas accounts were in the negative, and that it appeared that my front corporation (employer) failed to send me more than a measly $138 as my payout.  Combine that insult to the insult of forcing a contract down the throats of my team for lesser payout than originally promised, and you have one mean mofo who is allowed to be armed and dangerous on a daily basis.  Good thing I wield my cold steel gray matter with the finesse and skill of a surgeon, and precisely plan to fire my shots deeply once that betrayal is confirmed tomorrow.  Ahhh, the life and times of a contract killer.  This hit was in my pockets, and what every corporate head should know is that with me you don't mess with three things:  Money, Food, and Family.  The money because without it you can't buy the food for the family.  The food because without that the family starves and can't go out to make more money.  And the Family because It'll cost your own dirty money and lavish foods to stay alive once I'm coming for you.  *KLICK, KLICK*  Meet my little friend...

18DEC2007  -  I awakened to the light of the day through my blinds.  A cherished tale of mystery and intrigue lay beside me, as I had made some headway delving into it's contents before nodding off on a full belly.  The difficulty in accessing my funds from the original mix up between my financial institutions lies before my day as a weighted stone for further consideration.  Adding to the thickness is the veil of mystery surrounding why I am now unable to access my funds electronically, previously an issue that I did not believe existed.  Attempting to put this aside for now, I delved into the daily newspaper seeking information on the world around me, as it revolves in it's complexities, while I munched quietly away on some McVitie's biscuits. 

Thereafter, several interruptions by maintenance personnel for work on my dwelling made any preparations prior to leaving for my employment quite untenable and incomplete.  This left me feeling disgruntled in my day, but as I tend to not hold issues to fault the remainder of my days, I simply moved past it.  Work improved my mood when I discovered that I was to work closely with my Pacific Rim and Silk Road colleagues again.  They are ever a pleasure to work with, as I have always extended my mind to learning the nuances of other cultures.

17DEC2007  -  Hola Loco!  Wassup?!  Check this out bro, I found out today that my money isn't good enough for the people at the store.  Like my money doesn't come out of a bank or somethin', ya know?!  They told me that I should go back to the bank about it, like I was passing bad Benjamins or something?!  Since my bank is so far away, I'll have to wait until I get a day off at the Factory before I can hitch a ride and ask them, "wassup?!?!" or something.  Dang man!  Like I'm a criminal and don't work for my dinero or something!?  Wassup wit that, man?!?  And it's not like I can spend my money anywhere else.  I could cross the border and try trading it there, but those locos would shark me ese!?!  You know?!  And what I need to buy isn't good quality down there, so what am I to do Holmes?!?

15DEC2007  -  16DEC2007  -  Both of these days in the Candy Land Castle were alike in that aside from the added bonus of picking up goods that were for sale, nothing of interest occurred in the places of duty where my past training served me well while wearing armor half my own weight and in ensuring that nothing was smuggled on any passing carriages.  Awaiting the day of receiving my gold for service to the kings while suspecting that I am starving elsewhere has me twitchy in the dawn's light.

14DEC2007  -  Up early, yet another Légionnaire day ahead of me.  After a group march from the barracks to our positions at the bulwarks, I had the opportunity to speak with two of our rare female Légionnaires (who rarer still were from the east lands somewhere exotic along the Silk Road on some island nation*).  As I spoke somewhat of their tongue, our communication was light and filled with humor except when attending to our serious duties with the local indigents, who required access as our service personnel.

During our discussion, I discovered that one of the women had family members locally who would be willing to assist me in my search for an important survival component for my equipment.*   When in the wilds, anything to keep one sane and alive is a boon to any Légionnaire - provided it is not banned by the Legion, of course.  After agreeing to a date when my duties could be excused, the remainder of the evening duty went quite calmly. 

Occasional banter by the Légionnaire Auxiliery warrior fighters from a land near the East Indies* also provided a lighter tone.  Afterwards another group march back to the barracks and some graceless rations followed by an equally graceless bit of bunk time concluded the day.
 

13DEC2007  -  As I was not required for raids this steamy day, much time was spent riding escort for the raiders and parting company once the mountain passes were cleared.  I spent much time in scholarly contemplation updating these tales for passing on to the other generations, then visiting various encampments to share new tales or news there.  As the Goddess moon gracefully made her maiden appearance, I met the raiders as they returned through the passes and we rode back as one.  The same young warrior from the moon before respectfully begged for me to accompany him to the Feasting tents again in another camp, and I granted his request.  Upon arriving, we discovered that the headman here had decreed that only maidens were allowed, but each maiden was allowed a single male guest each to lessen the problems of too many competitive warriors and not enough maidens. 

As we were turned away, I wisely decided to have us await a group of maidens and do the unmanly thought of asking to accompany those were not escorted.  After several failed considerations, we were chagrined yet overjoyed to meet and accompany two much older women, with the severe admonishment of no fighting allowed as our tribe of warriors were known to do (and had done the last time the allowed warriors from our tribe to do this during the last Feast days).  Fortunately they were not yet past their primes and we did not appear too out of place.  There were no Feast fees for appearing in pairs to enter the main tent, so in gratitude and much respect I supplied both women with an overflowing cup of a drink of their choice prior to parting from them to meet others.

We approached the Keeper of the Skins, and I decided to try a strange brew called "Bullfrog", which did not resemble any frog that I knew, nor was it the size of a bull!  Perhaps it was named for it's mysterious power of potency enhancement, or perhaps the drink made you one with the gods when dancing.  As I've heard of such miracles.

12DEC2007  -  Good intentions mean little when human restlessness sets in.  Another static day, another Federation voyage conclusion night.  One of my fellow crewman asked if I was willing to wander down to one of several "period" Lounges available on this planet's holodeck resort.  After checking if I had enough GP Latinum* credits available I acquiesced, and not long after shift ended we shuttled down and loaded a simulation then holoed on over to a rumored hot spot Lounge only to be told by that without a female species-comparable companion with each person we could not enter.  Attempts to have the computer conjure up a pair quickly resulted in the response that the simulation was "Realism, Monthly, Use only as you Entered."  Having failed that approach, and realizing that the brutish Klingon-looking bouncers would not allow us entry even if paid, we met an apparently partly drunk man who had just been permanently removed from the interior of the Lounge.

It turned out that he was from another starship, was also new to the Sector, and knew of a much more "entertaining" Lounge elsewhere in that simulation.  So we "split the fare" on location transportation (how quaint!) and arrived at what appeared to be an equally large luxury accommodations building (Intercontinental it proudly proclaimed outside).  He led the way to the Lounge after paying for my part of the fare (I only had large GP Latinum chips).  Upon reaching this Lounge on one of the upper decks, it turned out the Klingon-like defenders at this location had also banned our guide from here as well.  While feigning innocence, my fellow crew member and I were paying to enter, regardless of the ability of the guide to accompany us.  But he was able to convince one of the lighter sized defenders to allow him entry, so I paid for him in order to cancel the fare debt.  He then took my change from the exorbitant entry fees and gave it to the one who allowed him entry!  Feeling a bit taken aback, being that the entry fees alone were twice my transportation portion, we proceeded within.

10DEC2007  -  Ahhh, another day of bubble* rest, yet this time I am serving at the old Taj Mahal itself.  This one has no balconies though, just a long set of stairs to the top bubble from which to fall mightily down.  After conjuring up some much needed maintenance on my magick scrying crystals, I settled down to relax my physique and hopefully entice my mind into exercises of archaic formulae ad nauseum.  The sergeant-at-arms was kind enough to bring my daily victuals to my enchanting location.  Even waiting calmly as my old heavily-laden bones creaked their way down to accept his kind offering.  After my repast, the remainder of the day was spent scrying, as was the night while using crystals of Elven Sight.  Sleep then ends the evening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

11DEC2007  -  Today was another awaken and study documents of fictional content morning.  Then off to the Legion* to meet new peoples of foreign lands and to protect the bivouac of same.  Nothing new to report, nothing to pass on, Sir!!

 -Intentionally left blank for missing dates 17NOV2007 through 06DEC2007-

21NOV2007 through 25NOV2007

 -Intentionally left blank for missing dates 17NOV2007 through 06DEC2007-

19NOV2007


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20NOV2007

-Intentionally left blank for missing dates 17NOV2007 through 06DEC2007-

17NOV2007



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18NOV2007 

::Start Log::
Stardate: 2435.45624562.92635673.42.34.22342434.00000000001.
Location: 2nd Star to the right, and about 2 bazillion to the right of that.
Mission: To boldly post a travelogue through the sifting sands that are the slow Qatari Empire communication service on a Starbase far, far, far, and far some more away from our point of origin.
Statement: "Somebody had better find the loo on this set because the *ACHOO!* is going to get pretty thick in here."

Mission Keys: There are none. We'll just have to send someone in a stylish red shirt up here to try hot-wiring it. *KERZAP!* Hey! That did it! Now on with the show.

Ladies, gentlebeasts, Trubbulls, trogdors, and guests from all locations from which I have re-directed you all to this one location...welcome! To those of any species, beliefs, tribes, genomes, and watchers of dancing bananas...again, welcome!

Many of my viewers may read in perplexity and strabismus the oblique way that I will be referencing the work that is my duty and the locations that I attend while either performing those duties or traveling/traipsing about elsewhere in the mighty Qatari Empire.  This is entirely due to the militancy of the environment through which I travel, the "hush factor" of most of my physical Mission, and of course the mighty Empire itself mentioned above.  Sounds like Spy VS Spy doesn't it, mateys?  A blunder here, a nose poked in there and KABOOM!  And so it can be, although I'm neither a spy nor someone who is going to help one.  Information security is the key.

Due to those points just mentioned, there will be seen numerous links to words or ideas or other absolutely informative (hint, hint) outside sites containing more data already than I can legitimately log here without being victimized as someone whose desired intent is the harm of my physical Mission.  There is no need for me to speak of it then, when it is already provided elsewhere, merely coordinated for your purview herein.  Welcome, welcome back, and come back again to enjoy the show!