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Ninjineer

@ninjineer

Public Persona
Ninjineer
Secret Identity
Robert Boylan
Whereabouts
Pohnpei, Micronesia
Activation Code
[rjboylan] at [gmail] dot [com]
Known Lairs
Posts
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reblogged
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quietpinetrees

Gifts of the Pines

“On the 12th day of Christmas the pine trees gave to me, 12 ancient dances lost because our coddled souls can’t follow their native rhythms

11 silver deserts, reflecting and magnifying the minds of wanderers so the stars can see the unfamiliar emotions that come from being lost

10 blue-green stones that appear over and over again, following me and disrupting my life because it’s been too long since I visited the sea

9 black-market meals, free of the custom pharmaceuticals and radioactive tracers that alert the establishment whenever we’ve been reading

8 night sky horses, wormhole hearts pumping plasma from an alien sun, dark matter hooves breaking flecks of gravity from the cobblestones

7 colors of an infrared spectrum, the palette of moonless nights and endless caves, invitation to an inner world that cowards leave behind

6 loyal lakes, awaiting orders to swallow my old life like Usher ruins, wash me of civilization’s electric dust, and build my castle of fog

5 GOLD RINGS

4 minutes, sealed in acrylic, to be released in defiance of time itself when a perfect moment, one worth fighting to keep, threatens to end

3 new names, the true names by which I am called in dreams, so my heart can defend itself from the lonely horrors of that unwaking world

2 comet hearts, the spark of cosmic wildness still burning within, ready to escort myself and a guest in a hasty escape from the planet

And a chance to join their fabled ranks, to glimpse the mirror in Plato’s cave, and deny the truth no more loudly than the quiet pine trees” -QuietPineTrees

*Here’s a text-only version, for easier reposting.

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weareadventurers
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thewritershandbook

20 Basic Plots

1. QUEST - the plot involves the Protagonist’s search for a person, place or thing, tangible or intangible (but must be quantifiable, so think of this as a noun; i.e., immortality).

2. ADVENTURE - this plot involves the Protagonist going in search of their fortune, and since fortune is never found at home, the Protagonist goes to search for it somewhere over the rainbow.

3. PURSUIT - this plot literally involves hide-and-seek, one person chasing another.

4. RESCUE - this plot involves the Protagonist searching for someone or something, usually consisting of three main characters - the Protagonist, the Victim & the Antagonist.

5. ESCAPE - plot involves a Protagonist confined against their will who wants to escape (does not include some one trying to escape their personal demons).

6. REVENGE - retaliation by Protagonist or Antagonist against the other for real or imagined injury.

7. THE RIDDLE - plot involves the Protagonist’s search for clues to find the hidden meaning of something in question that is deliberately enigmatic or ambiguous.

8. RIVALRY - plot involves Protagonist competing for same object or goal as another person (their rival).

9. UNDERDOG - plot involves a Protagonist competing for an object or goal that is at a great disadvantage and is faced with overwhelming odds.

10. TEMPTATION - plot involves a Protagonist that for one reason or another is induced or persuaded to do something that is unwise, wrong or immoral.

11. METAMORPHOSIS - this plot involves the physical characteristics of the Protagonist actually changing from one form to another (reflecting their inner psychological identity).

12. TRANSFORMATION - plot involves the process of change in the Protagonist as they journey through a stage of life that moves them from one significant character state to another.

13. MATURATION - plot involves the Protagonist facing a problem that is part of growing up, and from dealing with it, emerging into a state of adulthood (going from innocence to experience).

14. LOVE - plot involves the Protagonist overcoming the obstacles to love that keeps them from consummating (engaging in) true love.

15. FORBIDDEN LOVE - plot involves Protagonist(s) overcoming obstacles created by social mores and taboos to consummate their relationship (and sometimes finding it at too high a price to live with).

16. SACRIFICE - plot involves the Protagonist taking action(s) that is motivated by a higher purpose (concept) such as love, honor, charity or for the sake of humanity.

17. DISCOVERY - plot that is the most character-centered of all, involves the Protagonist having to overcome an upheavel(s) in their life, and thereby discovering something important (and buried) within them a better understanding of life (i.e., better appreciation of their life, a clearer purpose in their life, etc.)

18. WRETCHED EXCESS - plot involves a Protagonist who, either by choice or by accident, pushes the limits of acceptable behavior to the extreme and is forced to deal with the consequences (generally deals with the psychological decline of the character).

19. ASCENSION - rags-to-riches plot deals with the rise (success) of Protagonist due to a dominating character trait that helps them to succeed.

20. DECISION - riches-to-rags plot deals with the fall (destruction) of Protagonist due to dominating character trait that eventually destroys their success.

by Pavel Simakov

Source: softwaresecretweapons.com
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Let us help you break that resolution be you make it.

Despair, Inc writes the best marketing copy. No wonder I purchase their wall calendars every year.

2013 was, by most people's estimations, a total bust. The sort of thing my Mom used to call, "One great big walking, talking, non-stop series of disappointments and letdowns" (although, in her case, she was referring to me. Long story. Really funny. Not the time...)
If you're wondering WHY 2013 left you feeling like you'd be beaten up, robbed, then presented an itemized bill for your pains, well, I've got one word.
"Expectations."
You had some. And it's just now, at the end of yet another miserable year, that you're beginning to question the wisdom of that particularly strategy, since it's pretty much failed you non-stop since the Year 2000, the year you realized, to your outright shock, that you're actually not a world-class stock picker, that you majored in something that not only pays poorly and makes you hate a subject you formerly loved, but also will soon by done by robots or Chinese peasants. Among other revelations.
So now, at the end of an epically crummy year, lucidity once again threatens to emerge, turning you into the full-fledged cynic and pessimist you so desperately need to be to break out of this horrible cycle of dumb.
But very soon, you'll find yourself surrounded by happy-go-luckies and hope junkies, all talking themselves into New Year's Resolutions. Losing weight. Getting a better job. Finding love. And other endeavors doomed to failure.
Let us help. We've got just the products you need to fight these self-destructive impulses all year long. And, in the spirit of the season (i.e. feigned goodwill motivated by avarice), we're offering discounts on our best tools for fighting New Year's Resolution Syndrome.
First up, the daily calendar that gives you a reason to despair every single day of the year! You can get either version of our tear-off calendar, "The Pessimist" for 40% off when you use the code "iresolvenottoresolve" on any order of $15 or more.
You can also save 40% on our 2014 Wall Calendars on any order of $15 or more. It's our most despair-packed Demotivator calendar EVER- with over 100 depressing historical dates AND four free additional prints inside! Just use the coupon code "thewall".
You can also save 50% on Demotivator Posters on an order of $15 or more: Just use the code "ifthesewallscouldcry".
Yes, we have a lot of other products that might help you resist the siren song of optimism-- but we're having to resupply after the holiday season, so stocks are too low to offer discounting at the moment. We'll get around to it eventually.
Meanwhile, we do truly hope your 2014 is better than your 2013 was! (It is, after all, theoretically possible. Just like it was theoretically possible I'd be popular in high school, go to an Ivy League School, end up becoming a neurosurgeon and totally be the pride of the family. I don't have to tell you how that turned out.)
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seananmcguire
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zzzedta
Image

Those who say the Black Widow’s fighting style is just movie bullshit can see the above. ^ Shit is terrifyingly real. 

I think I’m in love.

She’s so tiny.

But she could kill me.

Great.

^ That

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sourcedumal

I will reblog this flying head scissors every time it comes on my dash because it’s so fucking awesome.

This is still MY FAVOURITE.

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On this day, 20 years ago, I said, "I do."

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how I've grown old enough to have been married that long. Surely there must be some mistake.

Love got us started and is still going strong, but in of itself, it's insufficient to reach such a milestone. Marriage takes understanding, tolerance, compromise, and perseverance. The movies often overlook that. Happily ever after takes real effort.

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Recent Reads

  • Blackout by Mira Grant
  • Blood Work by Kim Harrison
  • The Kingdoms of Dust by Amanda Downum
  • Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
  • Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn
  • Ashes of Honor by Seanan McQuire
  • Soulless by Gail Carriger
  • Claymore Vol. 1: Silver-eyed Slayer, Claymore Vol. 2: Darkness in Paradise, Claymore Vol. 3: Teresa of the Faint Smile, Claymore Vol. 4: Marked For Death, and Claymore Vol. 5: The Slashers by Norihiro Yagi
  • Sixty-One Nails by Mike Shavdon
  • Night Shift, Hunter's Prayer, Redemption Alley, Flesh Circus, Heaven's Spite, and Angel Town by Lilith Saintcrow
  • Unholy Ghosts, Unholy Magic, City of Ghosts, and Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane
  • Claymore Vol. 6: The Endless Gravestones, Claymore Vol. 7: Fit For Battle, Claymore Vol. 8: The Witch's Maw, Claymore Vol. 9: The Deep Abyss of Purgatory, Claymore Vol. 10: The Battle of the North, Claymore Vol. 11: Kindred of Paradise, Claymore Vol. 12: The Souls of the Fallen, and Claymore Vol. 13: The Defiant Ones by Norihiro Yagi
  • Boyfriend from Hell by Jamie Quaid
  • A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison
  • Claymore Vol. 14: A Child Weapon, Claymore Vol. 15: Genesis of War, Claymore Vol. 16: The Lamentation of the Earth, Claymore Vol. 17: The Claws of Memory, Claymore Vol. 18: The Ashes of Lautrec, Claymore Vol. 19: Phantoms in the Heart, Claymore Vol. 20: Remains of the Demon Claw, Claymore Vol. 21: Corpse of the Witch by Norihiro Yagi
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for a lifetime of paying dues and ruthless reviews, yeah it's hard not to end up a cynic when everyone's too scared to walk in your shoes but can work up the nerve to be critics.

Strata — "Stay Young"

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A column of ten World War II Japanese tanks stand as mute sentinels at the head of my driveway. Seriously. I pass by these rusting hulks so frequently, though, it’s easy to forget just how unique a thing they are. (Photo taken 2013-04-24)

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[T]heir story ended long ago, with happy ever after, which is the kiss that closes all things. Never wish an ever after on anyone; ever after ends adventure.

Seanan McGuire - The Ice King's Daughter

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Recent Reads

"Recent Reads" is perhaps a misnomer. More accurate would be "Books I've Read Since The Last List I Posted" since this list has been many months in the making.

  • Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses, and One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire (The October Daye series)
  • The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
  • Burned by J. F. Lewis
  • Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
  • Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
  • The Hunger Grames, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
  • Girl Genius: Omnibus Volume One: Agatha Awakens by Phil and Kaja Foglio
  • Blood Oath and The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth
  • Death's Daughter, Cat's Claw, Serpent's Storm, and How To Be Death by Amber Benson
  • After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn
  • Dead to Me by Anton Strout
  • Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente
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No doubt this nerd chuckle has been around since the days of punch cards, but I encountered it for the first time a couple nights ago. It was on a background poster in an episode of NCIS.

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I don’t solve creative problems (and that’s what books are–narratives that can only be advanced through creative solutions) through some mystical skill of pulling together random things. In fact, I make long lists of possible choices, including the boring, stale ideas that have become cliche. I cross off the dull ones, then I cross off the ones that don’t work, then I keep adding to the list.

Harry Connolly - Creativity Project, part 5

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A Good Day for Old Coins

This morning I found a 1943 nickel in some change. Then this evening another set of change brought me a 1913 penny. (For those keeping score, the former is nearly 70 years old, while the latter is almost 100.) It makes me wonder how often I've blithely passed such treasures from palm to pocket without registering the same subtle irregularities that prompted me to take a closer look today.

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The Tower of Terror at Disneysea in Tokyo (Photo taken 2010-10-16*) * Yes, I was over a year behind in looking through the photos I had taken.

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The volcano at Disneysea in Tokyo (Photo taken 2010-10-16)

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