MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2320

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
	by Amy Trujillo <trujillo-+AT+-southwind.net>
  2) Re: BRIGHTLY BURNING SPECULATION <WARNING-SPOILERS>
	by XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com
  3) Re: All Subjects (Braided to      )
	by XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com
  4) Re: Ages
	by TantrisandRolan-+AT+-aol.com
  5) Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
	by Kenneth Allen Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
  6) Re: Ages
	by Pyrephox18-+AT+-aol.com
  7) Re: All Subjects (Braided to      )
	by Cat Ray <sgray1-+AT+-uswest.net>
  8) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2319
	by "Abigail Laughlin" <abbykat-+AT+-hotmail.com>
  9) MIST: Braiding *and* being polite (fwd)
	by Kenneth Allen Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
 10) Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
	by Bobbin Threadbare <zplechuck-+AT+-yahoo.com>
 11) Leaving
	by XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com
 12) Re: Ages / homes
	by Paustinnew-+AT+-aol.com
 13) life bonding
	by Laura Rossier <lrossier-+AT+-ic.sunysb.edu>
 14) RE: spelling & grammer & other such things.
	by "L.E. Hales" <WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>
 15) RE: Age and list rules of thumb.
	by "L.E. Hales" <WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>
 16) Re: life bonding
	by "Tanya Evans" <tlevans-+AT+-home.com>
 17) Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
	by winged_wolf-+AT+-juno.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2000 18:58:29 -0500
From: Amy Trujillo <trujillo-+AT+-southwind.net>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
Message-ID: <393EE1A4.198BA776-+AT+-southwind.net>

Heyla listsibs,

Two posts in one week...guess I have to give up my key to lurkdom for a bit :)

Ok since I read BB lets have a bit of a spoiler space
*
*
*
*
*
*
S
p
o
i
l
e
r
*
*
*
Julia and Vicky both mentioned that Lan didn't mature much as a character, and I
have to agree but when you look at the time frame and the situation being dealt
with I think its understandable.  The way Misty had concieved the idea of Levan
Firestorm he was only a Herald Trainee/Herald for a few months, now I might be
wrong but most people don't mature that much in just a few months.  He did show
some growth, he was able to make some good friends and he got his gift mostly
undercontrol even if it was with the aid of his Companion.

On the Companion lifebond.  Personally I thought it was an intriguing touch. Lan
needed a stablizer more than just the normal Companion bond, with the strength
of his gift someone or something had to be there constantly to monitor him in
case he became frightened/enraged and lost control.  The only thing here that
made sense in Misty's world at least was a lifebond.  I'm rather glad she didn't
do a regular human bond.  Yes the partner would have been able to tell when Lan
was upset, but unless they were an incredibly powerful mindhealer and or mage
(not recognizably possible at this point) they wouldn't have been able to do
anything about it.  Also from what I can see the Companion bond would allow her
to work directly with his gift in the way  a lifebonded wouldn't necessarily
allow.  The lifebond allowed greater closeness and gave Misty a way to directly
control Lan until he mastered himself.
 Another consideration is that she had to figure out someway for Lan to go
insane and call down the firestorm.  Misty has shown what happens when a
Companion dies before, Kris' Companion was killed and the shock killed Kris but
it didn't drive him insane.  By using the loss of his Companion and lifebonded I
think Misty made good use of the magic system she had created.  At least in my
opinion.

Amy
Ferret Friend
Lady of All Things Missing, Especially Socks
Happily engaged and soon to move to England


------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 20:07:09 EDT
From: XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: BRIGHTLY BURNING SPECULATION <WARNING-SPOILERS>
Message-ID: <65.54c579e.26703dad-+AT+-aol.com>

In a message dated 6/7/00 1:57:59 AM Central Daylight Time, 
WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net writes:

<< I had an interesting thought about symmentry in LHM series.  In Magic's
 Pawn, Tylendel is the one obsessed by revenge.. In MPrice, Van is.  Steph/
 Tylendel is the one trying to balance Van's anger and quasi-obessesion.
 (Ducks as the Van Fans shoot flames in my direction). >>

That makes a lot of sints to me.  Tylendel was there when Van been some help 
his emyoshens and trying to find things out about himself, and trying to 
broke away from his mother and father. When he died it was at a time when Van 
need to be byself and not be leaning on anyone ealys for supert even if it 
hurt Van deeply it did do the job. As for Steph just what you said. He was 
there when Van need help trying to figer out what he was going to do nixed. 
He was there to make sure that van didn't feel to ovewhiled when he was raped 
and killed them two people. 



davidt-+AT+-cet.com (David H. Tiffany)
Possible, but hardly likely, that there is a disability involved but 
even so, spell checking is a courtesy. Personally, I deleted the posts
in question unread as I don't have the time to attempt to decipher
such a confusing mess. Running a spell checker over your message, and
trying to apply some of the more general rules of grammar, are basic
to the process of communication which is, after all is said and done,
what we are attempting to do here isn't it? I'm not saying every 
finicky little rule of grammar is important, and I realize that "grammar
checker" programs are mostly trash due to the complexity of English
grammar, but correct use of basic rules is part of being understood
by those who read your post.


::Bits his lip trying not to get to carred away with this:::
There is such a thing called dyslexia    And as much as I would love that the 
grammat checker and spell chcker did work on my emails they do not. How can 
you spell something right with a spell checker if you do not know how to 
spell it, how can you change off from of when it shows up on the spell 
checker right? as for grammar I was never showen the right way to use it. And 
besides that I think that my grammar is fine when if comes smiple as emails. 
Iam not trying to write a book. Im only trying to show the love I have for 
the books that mercedes Lackly writes, not to make you happy.

::takes a deep intake a air, thinking he did that good.::



 Jay writes
Question of why Darkwinds father was susseptible to Falconsbane, He was 
tampered
with
 outside of the Vale. His new bondbird was a link to Falconsbane, and once 
back
in
 the Vale he had been tampering with the Heartstone.

Question of why Darkwinds father was susseptible to Falconsbane, He was 
tampered
with
 outside of the Vale. His new bondbird was a link to Falconsbane, and once 
back
in
 the Vale he had been tampering with the Heartstone.

Jay
  Jay
  

Ah I got it know didn't remeber that part of the book. So in other words 
Falcansbane wasn't really tampering with his father only with the Heartstone 
wich was liked to his Father right? Know the qution I have is why would his 
father not want him to work magic is that because I kind of knew what was 
going on without really knowing some how beside not to get him to work it. Or 
was that Falcansbane?

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 20:17:39 EDT
From: XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: All Subjects (Braided to      )
Message-ID: <4a.66f9522.26704023-+AT+-aol.com>

In a message dated 6/7/00 5:19:10 PM Central Daylight Time, 
saddlefan-+AT+-yahoo.com writes:

<< Something else I would like to know:  Where does
 everyone live?  If you're afraid of being stalked (or
 visited by sheep-bearing Misty fans)*grins*, just put
 something like "I live in southern Mississippi, in the
 US of A" (which I do).  I keep wondering if the other
 people on the library computers are sending me e-mail
 with sheep attached! LOL!
  >>


I live in the top part of Michigon. hehehe Cherrys to you all ::Grins::
By the way. What is this with sheep?

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 20:36:39 EDT
From: TantrisandRolan-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Ages
Message-ID: <11.4bd66cf.26704497-+AT+-aol.com>



<< On Tue, 6 Jun 2000 Ellvenbane-+AT+-aol.com wrote:
  
  > Out of curiousity...   how old is everyone????  I myself am 19...  

I'm 14

Amber


------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 20:41:48 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kenneth Allen Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
To: Misty Lackey List <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>
Subject: Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.05.10006072029030.11809-100000-+AT+-copland.udel.edu>

On Thu, 8 Jun 2000, Victoria H. wrote:

>   First of all, if you've read BB and haven't posted, please do so!  I'd 
> like to hear what everyone thinks of Misty's latest accomplishment.

Well, I have to admit that I'm unwilling to pay for a hardback version of
BB (or anything that Misty has written recently).  I'll wait until the
paperback version comes out.

>   Exactly!  That was put perfectly!  I mean, it does make things easier and 
> less messy for her to deal with if the Chosen has nobody that he/she will 
> miss, an no regrets about moving away.  That way, she doesn't have to write 
> about the Chosen missing their parents, and having regrets about leaving 
> home.

Although this would probably be a more interesting character and book.
Nothing like a little internal conflict of the "I want to do this, but I
miss my old life too" to make a character interesting.

>   Now /that/ would make a great story!  What do you think the Companion 
> would do if the Chosen flat out refused to leave?  It would certainly cause 
> problems! (To say the least!)

Exactly!  I would love to see a story like that.  A story where either the
Chosen didn't want to be Chosen, or where they refused to do what they
were supposed to.  I think it would be a great chance for Misty to stretch
her skills.  The closest that she's gotten to anything like that was "The
Ship Who Searched" AFAIK.  

May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit,

Cennydd
Councilor of Mist

Kenneth Allen Hyde     |  No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife
Univ. of Delaware      |  between the shoulder blades will seriously
Dept. of Linguistics   |  cramp his style  -- Old Jhereg proverb
kenny-+AT+-Udel.Edu         |  A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me

//www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/prof/ken.html



------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 20:58:41 EDT
From: Pyrephox18-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Ages
Message-ID: <be.4e4543d.267049c1-+AT+-aol.com>

In a message dated 6/7/00 8:57:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
TantrisandRolan-+AT+-aol.com writes:

<< << On Tue, 6 Jun 2000 Ellvenbane-+AT+-aol.com wrote:
   
   > Out of curiousity...   how old is everyone????  I myself am 19...  
 
 I'm 14
 
 Amber >>

I'm 21... and also named Amber...

Pyrephox

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2000 18:03:20 -0700
From: Cat Ray <sgray1-+AT+-uswest.net>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: All Subjects (Braided to      )
Message-ID: <393EF0D8.45B49CCE-+AT+-uswest.net>

    I'd also like to know about the sheep... I'm a newbie to the list. I
live in Seattle, WA and turned 17 on the 4th.

Cat

XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com wrote:

>
> I live in the top part of Michigon. hehehe Cherrys to you all ::Grins::
> By the way. What is this with sheep?


------------------------------

Date: Thu, 08 Jun 2000 01:03:47 GMT
From: "Abigail Laughlin" <abbykat-+AT+-hotmail.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 2319
Message-ID: <20000608010347.99476.qmail-+AT+-hotmail.com>

<<I thought the idea of steeds being able to change into cars in the Elven 
books was pretty neat, but I wonder what happens when the steed has an 
illness . . . engine problem?>>

A few random possibilities:

The steed does not maintain the car shape. I expect holding a particular 
form is a matter of control; illness would probably affect that control.

The steed maintains the car shape, but is apt to have weird problems at odd 
moments due to discomfort or whatever. Less along the lines of engine 
troubles, more along the lines of things bending that oughtn't bend, 
problems maintaining.

The steed whines to their elf at the first signs of illness and their elf 
fixes it.

Elvensteeds just don't get sick. :)

-------------------------------------------------

<<Pam writes: <<I can't help feeling like she's got caught in the 
"I-hate-my-parents" writing syndrome that makes most adults out to be 
intolerant, or just plain stupid.>>>>
<<I think I agree with you there; Vanyel, Talia, and now Lan - my goodness, 
doesn't anyone have anything but dysfunctional families now?>>

Well--I haven't read BB yet, and Talia's family certainly wasn't all that 
comfy, but do recall that Vanyel, at least, worked things out with *all* of 
his family members, even his father. Teenagers often have problems relating 
to their parents, and Van's sexuality, compounded by the whole 
lifebond-trauma and Choosing, only aggravated things. By MPrice, Vanyel made 
peace with his family and they got along fairly well.

As to the general "family dysfunction" plot device--it's an old standby of 
the genre, and not just in the Mistyverse. As a staffer on a high-fantasy 
online roleplaying game, I can tell you that the three most popular ways of 
starting off a character who is destined for Great Things are 1) Having an 
idyllic childhood cut short by the massacre of the family, 2) Having abusive 
and generally nasty parents/foster parents, and 3) Being a foundling or 
illegitimate, misunderstood and shunned by most of the rest of the world. 
Sometimes all three. It's a theme that turns up time and again in fantasy 
fiction--it's a cliche because it works, and it's an easy springboard into a 
character concept. Instant trauma, instant Personality Issues. It's a lot 
harder to come up with a reason for a person who had a nice, comfortable, 
well-balanced upbringing to become the focal point of a plotline.

Now, personally I expect better of Misty than to fall back on the old 
cliches of the genre, but if we're going to complain about the trend, let's 
not try to pin it on Misty alone. She's far from the only one.

-------------------------------------------------

Now, the Great Braiding Debate--bear with me:

<<Most e-mail programs make braiding inconvenient if you don't look through 
all of your mail from a single source at once.  That will result in people 
who simply don't post at all, because it's too much trouble. Where's the 
benefit in that?>>

What I do--or rather, what I did before I switched to Digest--is wait to 
respond to messages from a list until I've checked all of my mail, and as I 
read each message, cut the important bits and paste them to notepad. When 
I'm done reading my mail, I can go back to notepad and reply to each thought 
in a single message, without having to skip back and forth between messages 
in my email program.

<<This happens when a person downloads a bunch of mail at  once--replying to 
dozens of different threads.  The problem with braiding is that it mixes the 
conversations together and doesn't allow people who are uninterested in 
certain topics to skip them.>>

It's a personal preference, of course--but if you get a braid that includes 
topics you aren't interested in, you don't have to read them; you can simply 
skim past them and only pay attention to the parts of the message that 
interest you. Conscientious braiders note which topics they're discussing in 
the mail subject--which is more than many of the people who send many small 
messages, generally by simply applying the "reply" button, do. Is it really 
that much more of a hassle?

<<If you check your e-mail many times per day (as I do), and reply each of 
those times, you've already sent your replies to the posts that came the 
first time you checked it.>>

No one's going to jump on your case if you send several messages over the 
course of the day. The problem is when you send several messages in the 
course of a few minutes, and none of them are more than a few lines.

<<Yikes, I'd recommend using egroups or some other listserv that can handle 
more traffic--AND that has a "digest" option for those who want all the 
posts in one. >>

The MLML also offers the Digest option; it's what I use. You can get 
instructions on how to set yourself digest by sending an email to 
listproc-+AT+-herald.co.uk with a blank subject and HELP in the body. Egroups has 
its own problems, such as frequent downtime for maintenance.

-------------------------------------------------

<<one request...I'm having trouble distinquishing quoted message text
lately.  is there anyway that we can try to distinquish it from new text or 
text evd. people are sharing?  mabye putting 4 asteriks before the quoted 
persons name and then putting 4 dashes before your own words? >>

I enclose all quoted text in pointy brackets, like so: <<>>. I don't much 
care for the idea of loading the text down with ****'s and ----'s, but I 
agree that a token effort should be made to distinguish between quoted text 
and your own words.

-------------------------------------------------

No quoted text, but on the subject of spelling and learning disorders:
A learning disorder is a problem, and a lamentable one. However, it's not an 
excuse to hide behind, not when many email programs have spell-checkers 
embedded. Even Hotmail will run a check if you ask it to, and Hotmail's 
fairly sucky. An extra few minutes of effort make a world of difference in 
coherence, and nobody's going to slap you onto a rack for the occasional 
typo or spell-check flub. Making even a token effort to correct spelling and 
use proper caps and punctuation makes your writing a *lot* easier to read 
and saves everyone frustration. Also, when text is the only medium you can 
use to make an impression, your spelling and grammar count for a lot; it 
doesn't hurt anything to take just a minute before sending to run a check.

-------------------------------------------------

<<OBMisty: I wonder, does Valdemar have any significant foreign trade or are 
they a hermit kingdom? Seems like any trade would have to go through Hardorn 
(pre-Ancar) but that would only lead to the Empire which Our Heros seem 
fairly uninformed upon, or via the difficult passes in the Comb and then 
through Rethwellan. Perhaps, now that they've remembered it and Sorrows is 
open, they could trade with the Northern tribes via the Lear'ath Route?>>

Well, in Vanyel's time, trade seems to have been fairly open. They had 
decent relations with Rethwellan, we know. But Leareth and the loss of the 
Herald-Mages spooked Valdemar, basically, and separated them some more from 
the rest of the world.

One gathers from Vows And Honor and By The Sword that, at least in Tarma and 
Kethry's time, Valdemar was fairly isolated--remember the saying that Kero 
quoted: "When the wind blows people out of Valdemar, prepare for bad 
weather." Not sure about Karse and Hardorn during T&K's travels, but 
Rethwellan had it's own problems, and people thought Valdemar was generally 
weird, what with its Heralds and it's guardian vrondi and its lack of magic.

In Arrows, pre-Ancar, Hardorn and Valdemar seemed fairly close, so I suspect 
those two nations traded. They probably also still had limited trade with 
Rethwellan--limited by the Comb, which would have hindered travel somewhat, 
and the fact that people still thought Valdemar was weird.

Then Ancar took over Hardorn and Karse got pissy about magic, and Valdemar 
got mostly isolated.

Now that Daren's been Chosen and married Selenay, Ancar is out of the 
picture, and Karse is coming around, trade will probably become more open. 
Daren and Selenay's marriage is a link with Rethwellan, bringing those 
nations closer. Hardorn will *need* trade partners now that it's being 
stabilized. And Karse has no reason not to trade. The Tayledras are also 
becoming increasingly tied in with Valdemar--another trade avenue. I'm not 
sure how much trade the northern tribes would have to offer--furs, herbs and 
such, but they're pretty primitive compared to The Rest Of The World As We 
Know It.

-------------------------------------------------

<<Something else I would like to know:  Where does everyone live?  If you're 
afraid of being stalked (or visited by sheep-bearing Misty fans)*grins*, 
just put something like "I live in southern Mississippi, in the US of A" 
(which I do).  I keep wondering if the other people on the library computers 
are sending me e-mail with sheep attached! LOL!>>

Well, I'm in northeastern Mississippi, as it happens. :) And, for the age 
topic: I'm 19, and will be 20 on the 11th of this month. :)

-------------------------------------------------

I think that's about it. Have I killed anyone yet? ;)

Zha'hai'allav'a,
Raven Darkblade and Mor the raven,
Holy Hand of the Goddess of Elves,
Member of the Mistic Circle,
Webmaster of the Circle of Stone,
Knight and Founding Member of the Order of Unsung Heroes, Advocator of 
Eldan, Champion of Kethra and Hyllarr, Devotee of Maclyn, and Worshipper of 
Tal Rufen;
http://www.angelfire.com/ky/Ashke/ - The Labyrinth

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com


------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 21:11:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kenneth Allen Hyde <kenny-+AT+-UDel.Edu>
To: Misty Lackey List <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk>
Subject: MIST: Braiding *and* being polite (fwd)
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.4.05.10006072111220.11809-100000-+AT+-copland.udel.edu>

First off, I would like to ask that everyone please exercise control in
discussing the braiding issue.  As one person has already mentioned, this
is a forum for discussing the work of Mercedes Lackey.  Administrative
details, such as how to braid, and whether to braid, should not be the
only content in posted messages.  For those who feel the need to complain
or to debate the braiding issue, please address your concerns to the
Councillors or braid them into a post about on-topic subjects.

Now, as far as braiding goes, it is not absolutely required that everyone
braid.  However, if you do not braid, it is important that you do not
overburden the server. This means that you should not send a large number
of short messages to the server in a short amount of time.  (In general,
probably, sending more than 3 short messages over the course of a day is
heading towards excessive.)  Certainly, the messages should not be "one
liners" (this does not mean literally "one line" but rather means a short
message of one or two lines which does little more than say "I agree" or
something similar).  The reason for this is that the server has to copy
the entire header of the message (which is actually much longer than it
looks in most email programs) when it sends a message.  That means you
might send only one line of text, but your email message might actually
consist of 20 lines (1 line of text and 19 lines of header material).  You
should always try to make your message equal or exceed the size of the
header, otherwise you are placing an unnecessary strain on the server.

Because of this, braiding is the most efficient way of responding to a
large number of posts, from the point of view of the server.  By combining
several threads into a post, you can easily create a message that exceeds
the size of the header.  Think of it this way: the header is the "cost" of
sending the message for the server.  The larger the message, the better
the bargain.  I.e., a 1 line message with a 10 line header 'costs' 10
headerlines per message line.  However, a 100 line message with a 10 line
header 'costs' .1 header line per message line.  Much cheaper.  

When you consider that for many list sibs who have to pay for their
downloads the cost is real money, it becomes even more important to either
braid, or limit your posts to large messages.  Every time a person sends a
very short message to the list, it costs the server in effort and it costs
some listsibs money.  This is why the Misty List has always had a policy
against short "me too" type messages and one-liners and why the convention
of braiding was adopted early in the list's history.

Now, I'll admit, that for some email programs, braiding is not as easy as
hitting reply 10 times for 10 different messages.  But think about what
you are doing when you do that: you are hurting some of your list-sibs,
and you are hurting your hostess, Mel.  When you look at it like that, the
simple process of cutting and pasting is not really that much effort.  The
worst case scenario is having to cut from one email into a text file and
then cut from the text file back into a blank email message, and that's
really very easy.  If you use pine or some other unix program which
doesn't support mouse commands, you can do it even more easily by using an
extract command to put all the messages you want to reply to into a single
file and then edit that and send it.

Finally, on the topic of the recent spate of messages about spelling and
grammar: please try to be polite when you are sending a public message.
That means that you should not swear at someone (and yes, "Hades" does
count as swearing, when it's obviously being used as a version of "hell")
and you should not put someone down or make fun of them in public.  If you
think someone's spelling or grammar leaves something to be desired, and if
you feel that you absolutely have to say something to them about it, try
to be constructive and private.  On the other hand, if you really want to
mock someone, do it privately, and then be prepared to take whatever
response they care to make.  (Oh, and don't expect to get any sympathy on
the list.)  Remember, there is a difference between arguing with someone's
ideas and with criticizing their writing ability.  The former is one of
the reasons for this list.  The latter is not.

May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit,

Cennydd
Councilor of Mist

Kenneth Allen Hyde     |  No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife
Univ. of Delaware      |  between the shoulder blades will seriously
Dept. of Linguistics   |  cramp his style  -- Old Jhereg proverb
kenny-+AT+-Udel.Edu         |  A mind is a terrible toy to waste! -- Me

//www.ling.udel.edu/hyde/prof/ken.html





------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 19:02:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bobbin Threadbare <zplechuck-+AT+-yahoo.com>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
Message-ID: <20000608020202.11045.qmail-+AT+-web1402.mail.yahoo.com>

About the below quote:
> tenuous to begin with.  I
> would love to see her write a book in which the
> central character was happy
> and well adjusted when a Companion came for him/her,
> and then had to deal
> with the trauma of breaking strong familial ties in
> order to take on a
> Herald's life and responsibilities.  Or, even more
> interesting, what if
> someone was chosen, but didn't want to leave their
> family and previous life?
> I know Companions avoid choosing those who cannot
> afford to leave, but what
> if a new Chosen just considered their family a
> greater priority than the
> Collegium?  Would they be allowed to refuse the
> Companion bond and live with
> an untrained gift?  It seems that you would just be
> begging for another
> situation such as Vanyel's, or something similar,
> especially if the Gift(s)
> was unusually strong. This would touch on the
> sketchier ethics of Choosing
> and Chosen; what are the responsibilities of a
> Chosen, and what exactly do
> they owe to Crown and Country?
It has seemed to me that one of the most beautiful
things about Lackey's novels has been her weaving in
of social problems in the fabric of her world.  In
addition to being good fantasy novels, her books
tackle social issues, for example in the Last Herald
Mage series, homophobia et al.  I don't know if a book
without some sort of issue like that would be very
readable for me... while your idea seems to be
somewhat interesting, an entire book on the subject
might leave one bored.  Maybe not, but that's the way
it seems to me... 
Back to lurkdom

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints!
http://photos.yahoo.com

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 22:25:33 EDT
From: XShadowXBladeIX-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Leaving
Message-ID: <3f.5cef013.26705e1d-+AT+-aol.com>

Sorry to say this but ill make it sweet and short. Iam leaving the mailing 
list and every sorry to do so. But I did not come here to have people 
"Beside" things about me.  I come to this list just because I love Mercedes' 
lackeys books and wished to talk about them to people that loved them as much 
as I do. But I have find it every hard to keep myself going, when I dont come 
online because I know something is waiting for me in my email know its time 
for me to leave. with the emails about my "lack" Of spelling and grammar 
skills.  I had come here in hopes to talk about afew things I did not 
understand, and things that I find every intriguing to me. 

I do take everything everyone say's on this mailing list to heart for the 
faced that all my life people have been doing this to me. Putting me doing 
and telling me how to "make" all my spelling and grammar "problems" go away. 
And my sorry to say this people but teacher for 18years have not  helped me 
with my "Problems". All the things you have sugged I do have already been 
tryed in school for 18 years and out of school for 4 years.  You have no idea 
what it is like for me, and everything on this mailing list has hurt me 
deeply for the simple thing I though people had changed. But I still see that 
some and Iam not saying all off you still have every closed minded ideas 
about what everyone thinks is a "wrong".

Would you ask one of the heralds or hawkbothers to change a gift slimpe 
because you did not understand it, or just because it was different then 
yours? Is it so hard to try and understand what Iam trying to say in an 
email? I dont think it is, and would never ask you to change something that 
was part of you. As your hair color and eyes color is aport of you so is my 
spelling and grammer. That will allways be a gift the gods have given me and 
I do see it as a gift.



Smiples Shadow.

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 23:16:26 EDT
From: Paustinnew-+AT+-aol.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: Ages / homes
Message-ID: <ce.669e2c5.26706a0a-+AT+-aol.com>

In a message dated 6/7/00 9:52:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Pyrephox18-+AT+-aol.com writes:

<< << << On Tue, 6 Jun 2000 Ellvenbane-+AT+-aol.com wrote:
    
    > Out of curiousity...   how old is everyone????  I myself am 19...  
  
  I'm 14
  
  Amber >>
 
 I'm 21... and also named Amber...
 
 Pyrephox
  >>
I am 39, and currently am inhabiting Kansas (for another five weeks before I 
get to go back to Georgia, and then up to New York.)

Pam, who goes by Map (and I need a lot of maps these days).

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 07 Jun 2000 23:37:24 -0400
From: Laura Rossier <lrossier-+AT+-ic.sunysb.edu>
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: life bonding
Message-ID: <393F14F4.373E8137-+AT+-ic.sunysb.edu>

From: "L.E. Hales" <WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>

>>>In one of her book,s it is mentioned that one of the lifebonded is usually
depressed and/or has problems<<<<<

Hmmm....this theory makes life-bonding sound like some form of co-dependency.  I can imagine that relationships based on
a deep emotional need would be stronger, but I'd still like to think that life-bonds are a little more healthy than
that.  Once the serious emotional problem is fixed what ties the couple together?  I've seen too many relationships
based on one partner's lack of self-esteem go really bad really fast.  Are there any examples of life-bonds lacking a
depressed partner?  I can't think of any at the moment.  =(

Good luck to all those with finals!!  So glad it's summer and all I have to do is research and run experiments!  =)

Laura

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 23:14:47 -0700
From: "L.E. Hales" <WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: RE: spelling & grammer & other such things.
Message-ID: <NDBBLNJHCLJKAKDBMNHAIEFOCAAA.WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>

One, someone's education should not be an issue here.  Two, given the
patterns of spelling
errors
displayed
it is quite possible there is a learning disability.
Three, EXCUSE me for not
hitting return
enough.
I am not a guru of
computers and had no
idea that
other programs didn't
work that
way.  Given your
attitude, perhaps, then,
I would not be welcome
to post either.


-----Original Message-----
From: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
[mailto:mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk]On Behalf Of David H. Tiffany
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2000 7:34 AM
To: wintersong-+AT+-prodigy.net
Subject: spelling & grammer & other such things.




On Wed, 7 Jun 2000, L.E. Hales wrote:

> First off... for the person who made the wise crack about spell check...
> some people do have learning disabilities that effect spelling.  This
could
> very well be the case for the person whose spelling bothers you so.
> Patience, my listsib, never hurt anyone, and spelling errors are hardly
> bringing you harm. This isn't an English class.

Possible, but hardly likely, that there is a disability involved but
even so, spell checking is a courtesy. Personally, I deleted the posts
in question unread as I don't have the time to attempt to decipher
such a confusing mess. Running a spell checker over your message, and
trying to apply some of the more general rules of grammar, are basic
to the process of communication which is, after all is said and done,
what we are attempting to do here isn't it? I'm not saying every
finicky little rule of grammar is important, and I realize that "grammar
checker" programs are mostly trash due to the complexity of English
grammar, but correct use of basic rules is part of being understood
by those who read your post.

And while I'm on my high horse, I also delete unread most messages from
people who never hit return which wind up looking something like
                                             this on my screen as my,
admittedly old-fashioned, mail reader tries
                                  to cope.

Please hit "return" every 70 spaces or so. Just because your editor
wraps lines around doesn't mean all readers do. And then there are
the posts which come in all in one long line, and the HTML garbage
that some people send, and, uhmm, I'll stop now.

OBMisty: Ma'ar spread his seed, both in his original life and in each
subsequent return, as widely as possible (textev is in Winds trilogy
somewhere) so, after several hundred years there would be a lot of
his descendants around. It's entirely possible that most people in the
section of Velgrath where the majority of the stories take place are
indeed in receipt of some Ma'ar DNA, including Vanyel. His genes have
even made it into an insular group like the Shin'a'in and someone in
a more open society like Valdemar would be, it seems to be at least,
far more likely to be "contaminated."


David H Tiffany, Git of dypos


------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 23:30:24 -0700
From: "L.E. Hales" <WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: RE: Age and list rules of thumb.
Message-ID: <NDBBLNJHCLJKAKDBMNHAMEFOCAAA.WINTERSONG-+AT+-prodigy.net>

 In one of the messages you deleted (or didn't bother to read because of the
number of typpos)the list-sib in question did, indeed, tell the list that he
has a learning disability. Hence, the reason I jumped all over you.

Regards,
wintersong

-----Original Message-----
From: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
[mailto:mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk]On Behalf Of David H. Tiffany
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2000 12:32 PM
To: wintersong-+AT+-prodigy.net
Subject: Re: Age and list rules of thumb.




On Wed, 7 Jun 2000, Jay Lee wrote:


I wrote:

> >Possible, but hardly likely, that there is a disability involved >but
even
> so,
>  spell checking is a courtesy. Personally, I deleted >the posts in
question
> unread
>  as I don't have the time to attempt to >decipher such a confusing mess.
>
> TO the person who wrote the above [bad delete finger]Do you have a
learning
>
>  difficulty? Do you have expert knowledge of ALL learning dificulty? If
not
> how in
>  the HADES can you say the above?

Because it happens to be the truth. And what difference does my possession,
or lack of, a disability make?

> Having worked with people with learning
>  difficulties, and having just finished my exam on abnormal and bio
psychology,
> I
>  have one thing to say.
> DONT make statements unless you can prove them! A list sib has stated that
they
> have a
>  learning disorder, are you trying to tell them that they haven't?

WRONG!!!!! No one said they had a disorder, someone asked why somebody
else didn't use spell check and a 3rd party jumped in to excuse the
first one on the basis of "maybe they have a disability."


> I have just opened my mail box to find over 70 messages, I still had the
curtesy
> to
>  read the mails that had typos. Everyone here has a voice, are you saying
those
> with
>  learning dificulties have to leave the list b/c you haven't got the
decency
> to allow
>  leeway for people with difficulties you can't understand.

No. I'm saying people should use the tools they have available and that if
they can't be bothered to write coherently I'm not going to waste my time
trying to decipher their scrawl.

OBMisty: I wonder, does Valdemar have any significant foreign trade or
are they a hermit kingdom? Seems like any trade would have to go through
Hardorn (pre-Ancar) but that would only lead to the Empire which Our Heros
seem fairly uninformed upon, or via the difficult passes in the Coomb and
then through Rethwellan. Perhaps, now that they've remembered it and
Sorrows is open, they could trade with the Northern tribes via the
Lear'ath Route?

David H Tiffany, God of typos



------------------------------

Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2000 07:18:35 -0400
From: "Tanya Evans" <tlevans-+AT+-home.com>
To: <mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk>
Subject: Re: life bonding
Message-ID: <000701bfd13b$49d5fea0$23040618-+AT+-baycty1.mi.home.com>

Mardic and Donni were lifebonded and neither of then seem all that depressed
to me, and what about Ylsa and Kerril (I think that is there names. Or
Kerril and Sherri. They weren't all that depressed either.

Sorry about not braiding but I'm late for work and I post very little. Not
to mention I am so behind on reading posts, that I don't think I will ever
catch up.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Laura Rossier" <lrossier-+AT+-ic.sunysb.edu>
Are there any examples of life-bonds lacking a
> depressed partner?  I can't think of any at the moment.  =(
>



------------------------------

Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 21:33:18 -0600
From: winged_wolf-+AT+-juno.com
To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk
Subject: Re: BB comments (hated parents, etc)
Message-ID: <20000608.062044.-308989.2.Winged_Wolf-+AT+-juno.com>

On Thu, 8 Jun 2000 00:24:08 +0100 (BST) "Victoria H."
<wukolia-+AT+-hotmail.com> writes:
> 
>   Well, I just finished reading Brightly Burning, and I wanted to 
> respond to 
> some things posted about it... so I'll just leave some nice pretty 
> spoiler 
> space here...
> 
> ~*~S
> 
> ~*~P
> 
> ~*~O
> 
> ~*~I
> 
> ~*~L
> 
> ~*~E
> 
> ~*~R
> 
> ~*~S
> 
> ~*~P
> 
> ~*~A
> 
> ~*~C
> 
> ~*~E
> 
>
>   First of all, if you've read BB and haven't posted, please do so!  
> I'd 
> like to hear what everyone thinks of Misty's latest accomplishment.
>   Personally, I thought the book was okay... I mean, it was nicely 
> written, 
> and enjoyable, (and it did have a very exciting ending... 
> bittersweet) but I 
> wasn't that taken by certain parts of it.  For example, Lan being 
> bonded to 
> (of all things!) his Companion... it seemed a bit excessive!  

I think he had to be, in order for his Gift to be able to be safely
harnessed.  I think the Companion was as manipulated in that situation as
he was--neither of them had any choice.
There were a few parts of the book that disappointed me--"a day in the
life of a very boring herald" for example--wandering through the
collegium doing absolutely nothing of consequence, we got to follow Pol
through a section of the book that absolutely screamed "padding!". 
Nothing that happened in that segment was of consequence to the story,
and none of it involved any real character development.
In fact, I think the whole book was a little weak in the character
development department, which is odd--that's usually one of M.L.'s strong
points.  I think "Brightly Burning" was a novelette, or even a short
story, that got stretched until a few of the seams started to split.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading it.

--Winged Wolf
http://www.crosswinds.net/~wingedwolf/index.html
"Pardon me while I burst into flames...I've had enough of the world and
its' peoples' mindless games.
So pardon me while I burn, and rise above the flame, pardon me, pardon
me...don't ever be the same..."
                           --Incubus

------------------------------

End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2320
**********************************