UN: tsundoku | Text

[welcome_summer]

Happy 1st of November, everyone! We made it through another October--which in my experience tends to be the roughest month of year of us stuck in bubble cities. What with all the monsters and other fearful things that slip in through the barriers....

But anyways, now that we're in November, I've got the bandwidth to share some happenings that will be coming up before the next mission.

First off, Book Club! We hold a community book club meeting sometime between the day of Aurora's mission announcement and the mission start date. So that will be coming up; we usually hold it in the library in Alcyone's Wake. Anyone is welcome to hang out and talk books when the date is settled on.

Another event in the works is a community harvest/Thanksgiving feast, also to be held before the mission, just in case we get sent offworld again. Sophie has generously offered the NYX Community Center, located in the Charronway island, to be the venue. A key thing for a potluck-style feast is that people bring food for the group--you don't have to make a dish for 100 people, just make enough servings for 5-10. I know that NYX provides community meals with its kitchen, so it might be best to bring the ingredients and cook on the premise if your selected dish is served hot/warm. Around Etraya, there are stores with ingredients and stores that have premade goods.

If you would like to contribute, please let us know what you would like to bring so that I and the folks at NYX know how much WE need to cook up to make a well-rounded feast! Or if you can help cook, let us know as well!

Lastly, not attached to any particular event coming up. Now that Etraya's been around for some time, the library is interested in creating a public assistance directory. We do individually have a directory of usernames on our devices, true. But we want to build up a service directory--the equivalent of the telephone Yellow Pages for businesses, to go along with the White Pages of individual's listings.

"Business" is being used loosely, here--Culinary skills, medical skills, monster hunting, mediation, chocobo wrangling, science questions, the list can go on and on. Basically, if you don't mind helping out your fellow Etrayans with a skill you have, please let us know!

Sign-up available here: LINK REDIRECTS HERE

This is still a work in progress on the admin side as well, but I will do my best to answer questions.

Now to fix my inbox message and feed some chocobos! Thanks for your attention to this, catch you later!

Comments

un: galatine

[inimicitia]

What books? I'm in the market for something new since I'm almost done with the four I brought with me.

[oblige]

I've primarily romances, though I did take interest in this series about a gentleman thief as well, and works which were inspired by it. A few are science fiction, as I found myself curious what people might imagine.

You're welcome to borrow any books that strike your interest, should you like.

[ What good is a full bookcase full of books and additional books he couldn't fit onto it if not for reading, after all? ]

[inimicitia]

I've found my people. Finally, someone who can appreciate a romance and a well-written story. If that series comes recommended, I'd be happy to give it a shot and tell you what I think about it. I've got a set that's a historical romance and two books in, I can say it's worth reading. I can hand over the first couple if you want to see if you're interested.

Saw you said something about cookbooks too. How are they? Easy to follow?

[oblige]

It is good to know another with similar tastes. I've found the series interesting, though a friend tells me its technical accuracy leaves something to be desired. Even so, the notion is itself romantic, I feel.

[ A noble thief with a moral code. That the notion spawned yet more titles with characters of this kind makes it all the more interesting to him.

You have me curious, so I would like to try them.

I've had no difficulties following the instructions thus far, and I've found myself able to prepare more varied dishes than anticipated as a result. I could hardly call myself a culinarian, but it has been straightforward and clear.

[inimicitia]

Yeah, I can't imagine a thief would accurately describe what they're doing for some reason or another, so either the author doesn't know or they don't want to be caught. Sometimes suspending a little disbelief goes a long way though.

Sounds like a good story though. How long is the series? I like to plan out what I've got around the books I'm reading so I keep up the momentum.

Sure. I'd be happy to swing by and swap a couple books with you. You're at the apartments?

That sounds like what I need then. I can't do much but I want to try and pick up a few things so I'm not stuck eating crap the whole time I'm here.

1/2

[oblige]

You raise a good point. Whatever the author's reasons, I do think them entertaining tales. The series itself spans seventeen volumes. I've two other series that were clearly inspired by it as well, occurring in different eras and involving their own characters.

Yes, I reside in the apartments. Allow me a moment to verify my unit number.

[ He...usually just jumps to or from his balcony. But he sends the number shortly thereafter. ]

[oblige]

Regarding the recipe books, I felt much the same. The diner and WcDonalds are fine venues on occasion, but I'd sooner not dine on such meals daily. If you would like to make use of those cookbooks as well, I've been working my way through one at a time.

[inimicitia]

Entertaining's more than enough for me and seventeen sounds like something that will keep me busy for a while. All I've got is the four but they're a good length and the last one's double the size of all the rest.

I'll let you know when I'm back in the building and can swing by to exchange the books.

Yeah, that's my thinking exactly. I've got some ready to make stuff, but I'd prefer to keep it in stock in case we go out and need something that just takes a little hot water to cook. Learning how to cook something might just have to be my next project, so if you're willing to part with a cookbook or let me try the recipes out with you, I'd be grateful.

[oblige]

I shall await word from you, then.

That is a wise provision, especially given the unpredictability of missions. Something easily prepared may be all one can do in such cases. You're more than welcome to a cookbook, or to prepare something alongside me. I have the necessary kitchen tools, so that may make matters easier to begin with.

[inimicitia]

Should be back around tonight. Depends on how long the weather holds up and if I can make it back before nightfall.

Thought so. We've got a few weeks' worth of provisions to work with and I'd prefer not to dip into it if we might need them going forward.

If you don't mind a pair of eager but unskilled hands, I'd be happy to try a few recipes alongside you. That might make the process entertaining if it's not productive.

[oblige]

If I may ask, did you venture far afield?

Better to have something in reserve, should circumstances ever demand it, I fully agree.

I'd welcome the company. Gaining experience has value in its own right, whether results are ideal or not. I couldn't say that all I have made has looked just as it did in the illustration.

[inimicitia]

I've been looking for things, so I've been picking a section of the map and going at it a little at a time. Mostly the ones with not much going on in them.

Well, with my skill level, the results are definitely going to be not ideal, but right now, I'm just going for edible. The rest can come later. I'm not interested in anything too fancy anyway. I can swing by tonight with the books and anything we might need from the store if you pick the recipe and tell me what you're missing.

[oblige]

Exploration, then. I'd not been tempted myself, but when I was searching for a friend who'd gone missing, I ended up observing our surroundings in this manner as well. Better to know our environment, peculiar as it is.

I shall look for something suitable then. Have you any preferences of meals, aside not being too fancy?

[inimicitia]

It helps me get my head on straight, and it's always a good idea to be familiar with somewhere I'm going to be for a while. Especially if things change, like with those anomalies that were happening a few weeks back. Does that happen a lot?

I'm not too picky. If it's got some meat in it, I'll be happy.

[oblige]

Not the anomalies in particular, but additions to our surroundings are not uncommon. We may ask after them ourselves, or Aurora may add them on Echo's orders, or for reasons we've no way of knowing. If you sight a foreboding, dark keep, that was requested by Odin. The Mothercrystal near it simply appeared.

I can certainly choose something with meat in it. I'll send a list of anything I may be missing once I've found a suitable one to begin with.

[inimicitia]

I have to ask. What is a Mothercrystal? Far as I know, we've only ever had the one and only a handful of people have ever seen it. Is this thing something we should be worried about?

Works for me. I'm on my way back so I'd guess you have about 45 minutes to figure something out, otherwise I could help you pick once I get back and we can go from there.

[oblige]

In Valisthea, the Mothercrystals contain vast stores of aether associated with their element. Nations are built around them. My homeland's capital was where the light Mothercrystal was. They are not an inherent danger, but they may become thus, so a fellow named Emet-Selch is helping to monitor them.

His understanding and perception of aether surpasses any I have yet known, so I trust his counsel.

I shall send a list momentarily. There is a curry dish that should make a fine starting endeavor. While I have meat onhand, I could use more vegetables.

[ After he sends the message, he follows up with a short list. ]

[inimicitia]

Do you have an idea of what kind of problem it can turn into?

Curry sounds good to me. Never made it from scratch before, so I'm curious to see what goes into it.

[ After the list comes through. ]

Got it. Shouldn't take me too long to get all this rounded up.

(( ooc: i'm good with moving this to an inbox to continue it or handwaving the curry misadventures. just lmk! ))

[oblige]

Were it connected to that which it was a part of in my world, yes. Here, I worry its destruction would cause an aetherflood due to the confined nature of our surroundings.

I can further explain when we meet, if you wish.

[ ooc: If your tagload can accommodate it, I'm up for curry times! Otherwise we can handwave. ]

[inimicitia]

You've got me curious about it, yeah. Anything you're willing to share, I'd be interesting to hear.

Should be back at the apartments in a few.

(( ooc: i am totally down for curry (mis)adventures! did you want to start it, or shall i? ))

[oblige]

Then I shall tell you what I know of it.

I'll ready the equipment and supplies I have onhand.

[ ooc: Would you be good with hitting Dion's inbox? ]

[inimicitia]

I appreciate it. I'll return the favor if anything weird gets dropped in from my world.

Sounds good.

(( ooc: started it! ))