MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 950 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) HP of Laundry/congrats/Moondance&Van/cold by Jefferson or Rain 2) society by Paradox 3) Re: ADMIN: better-indexed archives/who do you know? by "Emily L Cartier" 4) BRAID HO!!!!!! by JWSCHM00-+AT+-UKCC.UKY.EDU 5) Solo/Congratulations/Lammas Night by Lynne Markova 6) Choosing/Blondes/Punishment/Storm Ending by Glithoniel-+AT+-aol.com 7) Re: society by Tensen 8) Re: Rainwood's request/HP of Laundry/AllFluff by BudLor-+AT+-aol.com 9) careful who u invite. he might show up/aimed at infodyn by Hades16-+AT+-aol.com 10) Squirrels/I'm god of..urhm, uh../braids/deep thoughts/villian/blurbs & illos by davidt-+AT+-cet.com (D H Tiffany/Shawn Marie Walker) 11) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 948 by "L. JANSEN" 12) Re: dragonsong by "Emily L Cartier" 13) groups/earth spirit/some fluff by Lee <97jsalaz-+AT+-jasper.uor.edu> 14) Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 948 by Ken Hyde 15) Re: SOLO!!!!!/and other stuff by dsarik-+AT+-PO-Box.McGill.CA 16) Valdemar and the SCA by "Hth." 17) Solo again/New Priestess/Books by Lynne Markova ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 01:25:40 -0800 From: Jefferson or Rain To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: HP of Laundry/congrats/Moondance&Van/cold Message-ID: <328AE594.1226-+AT+-earthlink.net> Lorraine wrote >>I feel that years of ignoring my children (5!) and their noise, the "call" of housework and laundy--you can write your name in dust on any surface here--just so's I can sit with a book and a cup of coffee--AH, HEAVEN. Books take away the mundane day-to-day duties of a full-time mom, and make her think there's more to life than kids, the next meal, and clean underwear--nevermind if the car has oil in it--just get me to the bookstore!<< Oh soon to be Goddess of Domesticity and Laundry - I petition thee to accept me into your service as High Priestess of Domesticity and Laundry. I was hoping to be Named as a Deity myself, but I think I'd rather spend my life in Your service. I do it all day anyhow, I may as well have a nifty title and some keen priestly accoutrements. I am qualified in that I spend my life taking care of 2 children aged 2 and 5, and one husband aged 27 going on 3. I cook, clean, do 12 loads of laundry every 10 days or so, flush toilets after little (and one big) people have scampered off to other interests, mop, bake muffins, make a mean batch of chicken soup, and I am a Master of the Mom's Evil Raised Eyebrow Look. I am also an Ascended Master of Guilt and Manipulation (okay, fine, I'll put down my book and braid your hair, it's okay. . . I never get to read anyhow. . .) Also, just last week, I went to Target and bought my 5 year old a package of Winnie the Pooh panties, so that I could stave off the laundry pile just 3 more days, and still send her to school. Oh Great Soon-To-Be Goddess, pray accept me into Your Fold, and I shall tithe thee many great baked goods for the rest of my days. Also, may I have the ability to grant Dispensation for Domestic Sins? free bard woodlark said: I GOT THE SOLO!!!!! YAY!!!!! I'M VERY HAPPY!!!!! Congratulations very much! Tresta said: >>I never read *anything* sexual between Moondance and Vanyel. Vanyel was deeply damaged, physically and emotionally<< You made some really good points as regards Moondance, Van and Amberdrake. Moondance wouldn't have gone beyond acceptable bounds w/ Vanyel, or any patient - particularly not one in Van's condition - but he still wore his sexuality openly, like his healing or sight, or any other aspect of his character. Not hidden, like we tend to do in this society. I think that applying American/Puritan morals to Hawkbrother actions would doom anyone to start wondering about "Secret Hawkbrother Mating Triangles", etc. Sex is a powerful thing. It is one of the most powerful acts between two people. It can be used to heal, and to hurt. I think the Kala'e'din (spellchecker won't help w/ that one) understood that. Amberdrake wouldn't have been interested in anyone else, because of his lifebond w/ Winterhart but I don't think it would have affected his professional ability to use sex as a healing tool. He was trained to use many tools in his craft, and sex was just one. I agree, probably one he didn't use as much as everyone thought - but he did when he needed to, or felt like it (the merc. scout in _BG_ for instance) and I don't see how that would change after lifebonding. ;-> Wintershard wrote: >>>That desparate, hmm Rainwood? Weelll, I dunno, it depends on what kind of sheep you'd give me, then I can at least try ;)<<< Oh Great Wintershard, I would give Thee any sheep that you did want - and thank You for the lovely weather change. It is now about 60 degrees and FREEZING (no rain though - a little precipitation would be nice) here in the greater LA area - and I am loving it! Time to dig out the sweaters and long johns. Until it warms up again to 70, just in time for Christmas. . . grrrrr. That's all - time to (are you listening oh almost-Deity Lorraine) to shlep my brood to ballet lessons. WTTW, rainwood ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 03:31:45 -0800 (PST) From: Paradox To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: society Message-ID: <199611151131.DAA20101-+AT+-uclink4.berkeley.edu> Disclaimer of sorts... forgive me if I am bringing up issues/ideas that have already been hashed into small bits over and over... I have seen several mentions of "our puritan values" and "the values of our society" in recent posts. This gets me to wondering how siimilar and how different the worlds are (ours in the middle ages or so and Valdemar, and et al). I make my references to LHM and Arrows (the only 2 series that I have read by her :( ). I see, on the cover of MPromise, I see a man in period garb, with a sword, cloak and all of the necessary acoutrements, a little girld ressed in similar stye, as well as a lute (period popular instrument). As I read, there are a lot of what I consider to be midevel references (riding horses as a main mode of transport), cllothing and appearances esp. But, I have heard others make remark to this as well, they are much more adcvanced in some ways... birthcontrol and ecological issues, for example. I would like to see a discussion, especially from people who are more familiar with the books than I. Usually I don't have much Misty stuff to say, but this is a topic that frequently came to me when reading those 6 books and many others as of late. Also, I don't mean that as an exclusion from other books about the same places, it is just that that is all *I* know. Then in my delusional wanderings I realize that many of the list postees are faire/SCA folk,... people attracted to books with *faire* references... never... Briana ================================= "There's nothing sadder than a dead fish" -- Logan's Run ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:37:21 -0500 From: "Emily L Cartier" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: ADMIN: better-indexed archives/who do you know? Message-ID: <9611151339.AA21016-+AT+-udecc.engr.udayton.edu> This post is totally off topic. Sorry :-(. Our wonderful listmistress sayeth: >You've asked, you've begged, now it can be done; those of you who >browse the list archives through the Web will now find that it is a >more pleasurable experience because there are index pages, and stuff >split up by months :) I found to my shock yesterday, when I went to see if there were any new digests with messages that I hadn't read, that the archives link was now _pretty_ and it loaded very quickly! Hooray for the listmistress! This is wonderful Mel, thankyou thankyou thankyou! Vicky, when you posted that chainmail to the list, did you think about the people who have to pay per byte to download their email? That message was huge and very off topic, and a lot of people don't want to get that kind of thing in their email. Only a few people have my email addy, and if they send me chainmail, I tend to get out the flamethrower. If you read the FAQ, and Auntie Mel's Rules of Thumb, you'll have noticed that you aren't supposed to post stuff like chain mail, political info, and anything that says "post this anywhere you can". If you think it might be relevant to the group, send it to Mel and ask her to OK it (this also prevents you from being flamed). This wasn't meant as a flame. Emily the invisible ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 96 09:14:35 EST From: JWSCHM00-+AT+-UKCC.UKY.EDU To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-vanyel.herald.co.uk Subject: BRAID HO!!!!!! Message-ID: <961115.092847.EST.JWSCHM00-+AT+-ukcc.uky.edu> TAP,TAP,TAP,TAP, is this thing on? *foof* *SCREEEEEEEEEECH* Heyla, it Fowfire back from the crusades. Actually I've been having one %^$%^* of a time with school. Around this time every year, I get this way. Anyway, in response to a post encouraging people to petition godhood, I humbly request to be proclaime the GOD OF OBSTINATE TEENAGERS! (like my sound effects?) Only one thing I'm unsure about. Will I get to keep my stock of fire breathing sheep? In response to a series of posts talking about Jodie Lee's cover art and Larry Dixon's inside art, I have mixed feelings. IMO, the covers almost never portray the characters as I see them. On the other hand, Larry's art sometimes shows them the way I think of them. The only thing that's off kilter with them is that in some of the books, he draws the people with what looks like rays of light going through them. IMO, this breaks up the picture and makes it hard to see what the people look like. Anyone else think about this? I'm sorry if this post is taking a long time, but I'm a proto-newbie. This is only my second post. Anyway, I really need to get going. Mom's got a lot of housework for me to do. See y'all. "DOOHHH!!" -Homer J. Simpson ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:27:35 -0800 (PST) From: Lynne Markova To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Solo/Congratulations/Lammas Night Message-ID: Silence. Then, suddenly, an entire host of angels breaks into the "Hallelujah Chorus." CONGRATULATIONS, LADY WOODLARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Goddess of Music and Song is extremely pleased that Her most deserving Acolyte has received the solo she has worked so hard for. She gifts Lady Woodlark with an invisible Cloak of Confidence, which will 1) prevent Lady Woodlark from *ever* spilling anything on a dress, choir robe, or gown before a performance, and 2) ensure that Lady Woodlark *never* misses an entrance, and always stays with the conductor. (Available to non-acolytes upon tithe (weg)) BRAVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sulking Goddess of Music and Song wishes to thank Lady Woodlark for her support during this latest rejection (sigh!), and wishes to assure her that while She is down, She is not yet out. Lord AmpliFireCat (or Lord Jeff), the Goddess of Music and Song has ever confidence in you, that you will do very well the next time you sing! RE: Lammas Night I finally got a copy of this from the library last night. I'm enjoying it, but I find it very hard to read more than two or three stories at a time, because of the similiar story outline. RE: Anne McCaffrey/Harper Hall books One thing has been bugging me about "DragonSong" for at least ten years. In the very beginning, when Menolly is doing the Teaching, her hands slip out of the Teaching Ballad, and she plays some of her own work. Her father hears this, and comes in and beats her (grr). what I want to know is, how in the world did her father ever become so familiar with the teaching ballads that he would even *know* when Menolly was playing her own stuff? BTW, I also read Freedom's Landing a few days ago. Did anyone else think that was just the tiniest bit unrealistic? No depression, no violence, no real unhappiness, even? No grief at the thought of quite possible *never* seeing Earth again? Right. RE: Firecats I always thought that Firecats were a trifle more Avatar-ish that Companions - their ability to jump, the fact that they only reappeared after that False Sons of the Sun were gone, the fact that they seemed to have such a close link to Vkandis.... Also Companions are Guardian Spirits, they don't seemed to be as tied to a God or Goddess - I am really hoping that Misty doesn't cop out and develop a State Religion for Valdemar. RE: Music I would like to second Lady Woodlark's suggestion for Carmina Burana's "O Fortuna" for the beginning of the battle scene in BTS. Others *I* associate with various times in Misty's writing: Tanz, also from Carmina Burana, for the Council Meetings Aladdin's Suite, by Nielsen, for the Empire "Madworld" by Tears for Fears, for Magic's Pawn, after Tylendel dies; "Don't let it show," by Alan Parson Project, for Magic's Promise, at the very end; "Spirits in a Material World," by the Police, for Sacred Ground, especially when Jennie is starting to teach David about medicine (or when she is smudging the guy in the hospital room) I could keep going for about three millenia, but in the interests of bandwidth, I'll shut up now. Bright Blessings, everyone! Lady Sophia (no longer sobbing, but still sulking) Goddess of Music and Song ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 11:39:26 -0500 From: Glithoniel-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Choosing/Blondes/Punishment/Storm Ending Message-ID: <961115113639_349946678-+AT+-emout14.mail.aol.com> Hth wrote: >>I assume Vanyel and Stef can still have sex in the Forest of Sorrows. I can tell you this much: if I *ever* find out that they can't, that is it, and I am never reading, let alone buying, another Mercedes Lackey book as long as I live.<< As one of my English professors once said of Adam & Eve b4 the fall(Paradise Lost), "Would it be paradise without sex?" But how spirits have sex, I don't have the slightest idea. Food for thought, anyway. ********* Kit wrote in response to Eleonora Scoseria question about the "written in stars" on Companions. >>I dunno, but look again at Albreich - his companion went to GREAT lengths to find him (infiltrating an enemy camp for an extended period of time, apparently just to be on hand to bond with him). For that matter, so did Talia's, though not quite so extreme.<< Have ya'll noticed how certain Companions seem to arrive at exactly the right place at the right moment? For instance, Tashir(Magic's Promise) gets Chosen just after his whole family gets killed. Ghost shows up as soon as Tashir needs him. Same thing goes with Yfandes choosing Vanyel. She hasn't Chosen for 10 yrs. Then of course there is the fact that Gala didn't come for Tylendel for several years after his gifts manifested. I think that the bonding between Companion & Herald can only take place between certain individuals. It has to be the right Companion to go along with the right Chosen. Notice that Elspeth had to have a Groveborn Companion because none of the born ones would bond with her. It doesn't come through clearly but Roland is worried because the princess hasn't been Chosen. He is the one who takes action to bring Gwena to Valdemar. No I don't think its predestined but I do think there are a limited number of personalities a given Companion can bond to. ********* Larissa wrote: >>I'm NOT going to start throwing flaming coconuts, or anything else, but I thought he was blond too - and I AM blond, so how do you figure I'm going to buy into that explanation? (think carefully before answering this please >:) )<< Because blonde is the way people picture the exceptionally beautiful? I think that most of our ideals are spoonfed to us by the media. In the US, blonde & beautiful go together like grits & gravy(sorry, its a Southern thang). So, many people would automatically connect unearthly beauty with blonde. Its a sort of ingrained, deep down hidden prejudice that slips out when we don't notice. I mean isn't Dirk the blonde & Kris the brunette? Obviously Misty's ideal is the dark-haired with light eyes(Kris--dark hair, blue eyes. Vanyel--dark hair, silver eyes). ********* I've noticed several replies to a posting on Rape that I haven't been able to find(had to skip some digests. Sorry folks!). They mostly seem to be about forms of punishment for rapists. Apart from the good old Hamurabi's code(I think that's the name -- you know an eye for an eye sort of thing), I kinda like the Empire's solution. Hit 'em where it really hurts--the pocketbook. Hard labor teaches more lessons than floggings, electric chairs, or long prision sentences. I believe in things like Chain Gangs because when you violate the laws of society, you deserve real punishment. There are only two things more heinous than rape -- murder & child molestation. Repeated offenses should earn the criminal not a longer prison sentence but death. If you can't live by the rules of society, then you must be permanently removed from it. Its harsh, but there's been too much sympathy for the criminal & too little for the victims. ********* Queen Reesa wrote: >>RealObMisty: (Without giving away any spoilers) Was _anybody_ really happy with the way _Storm Breaking_ ended? It seemed so...Un-misty if you ask me. It didn't really resolve the plot in my mind...it just kind of fixed things for the moment...again. << I wasn't too happy with it but it did follow Card's basic rule for plotting: "That is, the beginning must make the audience ask questions that are answered by the story's ending, so that when they reach that ending, they recognize that the story is over." (p 75, _How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy_ by Orson Scott Card). What she didn't do was tie up the loose ends satisfactorily. She ended it quick and dirty after prolonging the agony, IMO. But she did end the story she began back in Storm Warning. ******* This is a minor plea to those of you with lots of knowledge about horses & carriages(either or both). I need the name of a good source or just plain information. I've had very little success hunting on my own. Anyone willing to help please e-mail me at Glithoniel-+AT+-aol.com. ******** Take care, Glith Goddess of Tardiness Mistress of Willowhawk (in Exile) "Artificial insemination is when the farmer does it to the cow and not the bull." --from _Anguished English_ by Richard Lederer. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 11:49:19 +0000 (GMT) From: Tensen To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: society Message-ID: On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, Paradox wrote: > > Then in my delusional wanderings I realize that many of the list postees are > faire/SCA folk,... people attracted to books with *faire* references... never... > folk/SCAers, here =) > > Remember at one point Misty was a SCAdian, and the devices of Valdemar and some of the other nations are registered in the armorial. Tensen ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 12:22:39 -0500 From: BudLor-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: Rainwood's request/HP of Laundry/AllFluff Message-ID: <961115122238_1419269971-+AT+-emout06.mail.aol.com> Dearest Rainwood----if I get the job, you've got your request! (I like instant gratification!) Dispensation duties are a given--who wants to feel guilty about reading? I, too, have done the "underwear purchase" to prevent descending into the basement and confonting MAJOR piles of dirty clothing. One of my better day-to-day "tricks" (not the right word, but it will suffice) is using paper plates, and not just in the microwave--only use "real" dishes when guests happen, or I've (horrors) run out of paper--I told my husband that by the time you add up the cost of water and dish soap, and heating the water, paper is worth it! (He doesn't carp about it now.) Tithe me flowers, not baked goods, please--I'm compulsive about baked goods--and the non-existent waist doesn't need them. (Of course, a few HoHo's now and then never hurt anyone. Gotta run--expecting a phone call soon. Lorraine (?)Future Goddess of Domesticity/Laundry But I'm not dead yet! MP/Holy Grail ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 12:34:00 -0500 From: Hades16-+AT+-aol.com To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: careful who u invite. he might show up/aimed at infodyn Message-ID: <961115123359_1183514384-+AT+-emout11.mail.aol.com> pre-script: this letter can be best understood if read quickly disclaimer: sorry about the spelling I hope that the subject line did not sound too ominous. It makes me sound as if I am some kind of totally homicidal maniac (and in case you are wondering ((which I know you are)) what the difference between a totally homicidal maniac and a partially homicidal maniac, I just happen to have the answer ((through experience mind you, so listen up)) The big difference is that a partially homicidal maniac is somebody you can still cuddle with when you wake up in the morning next to him/her ((which ever your preference is...and I am not talking about making love, so just get your head out of the gutter...I am talking about simply waking up next to someone which is a totally different thing)), a totally homicidal maniac is someone who...well...you would not like to wake up next to. ((is ending a sentence with "to" proper grammar?)) By the shaych ((wooops, Fruidian slip)), what was I saying? Well, I don't remeber, but I do know something which MUST be said, "When will I end the paranthese I started at the HAVE NO FEAR, THE END IS NEAR (pretty nifty, uh?) beginning of this letter?" Well, I might be a procrastinator, but I am sick and tired ((a bit contrite, I know) of things not getting done, so ) There I have done it. Wait, this text is too bulky. I simply must add indentation...eventually...didn't I say I was a procrastinator? If your answer was no, then you obviously were not listening. Then again I can hardly blame you for not listening because I was not talking to you. However, if you were reading this out loud than I could blame you. (Isn't it great that in the English language the "you" can both be plural and singular, and still have the same verb. Those of you who are bi-lingual or tri-lingual know what I am talking about. Those of you who are quad-lingual, quin-lingual, or above are of too much international importance to be reading this idiotic letter. ) Back to the subject of blame...wait, no...even further back to the subject of why you would be reading this letter out loud...forget it...even I cannot stand this digression anymore. I like just about ever other person on this list is attempting to write a book. I am up to nearly seventy pages and has an actual plot, which does not reflect my excessive rambling) Does anyone know, how one would go about sending it to a publisher (so that it can be turned down so brutally that I will be traumatized for life). Alas, it is 3:15 am and aol will not be doing any e-mailing between 4 and...some other time. an uncharacteristically short farewell to thee from QUOTE FOR THE DAY: | |The Illegitimate God of Farfetched Theories "I have miles to go before | and Miscontrued Ideas sleep." | |Paramour of Parentheses Reward for the person | who can ID from which |Speaker of the House of Bargains poem the quote came from. | | |as well as Last of the Clan That Never |Had More Than One Member ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 09:48:30 -0800 From: davidt-+AT+-cet.com (D H Tiffany/Shawn Marie Walker) To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Squirrels/I'm god of..urhm, uh../braids/deep thoughts/villian/blurbs & illos Message-ID: On Thu, 14 Nov 1996 lightstorm said; >write later.) oh by the way, I have a bond-squirrel. (If these aren't >possible, don't tell Him that, he gets irritated very easily) Your bond-squirrel seems familiar-hasn't He been here before? ------------------------------><++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ On Thu, 14 Nov 1996 Paradox asked; >How do you do a "braid"? (I really want to reply to more than one message at >a time, I really, really do =) A good ambition to have, the exact method depends on your mailing software. If you have Pine let me know, I used to use it and I have a form message somewhere on how it works I can send along. If you uwe something else, well, as they say at MIT, RTFM!!!!! 8-{)# Or just do what I do, play until you get it right! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++><------------------------------------ On Thu, 14 Nov 1996 mishi announced; >Hey CENNYDD!! ( *squeal* POUNCE *giggle*) > >The Goddess of Hyperness and Overbubbliness is checking in - since you >asked I thought I'd let you know. That's right Cen wanted everbody to put up there Godhead nwo I had one of those , what was it????? Ggol of Twwtpers? no...Golden Ypot? no...Git of Dypos? not quite right...Urm, Cen, can We get back to thee on this? --------------------------------<>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ On the Monogamy thread-Remember, the plural of spouse is spice. Add some spice to your life today! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++><-------------------------------------- Uhm, woodlark?? *****{{{{{congratulations!!!!!}}}}}*****,<-OB# ---------------------------------<>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ On Thu, 14 Nov 1996 Hth. ranted; >Okay, now I'm just ranting, and I'll quit. But I don't think there has >ever been a really interesting Misty villain. Hulda? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++><-------------------------------------- On Thu, 14 Nov 1996 V. Brockmeier spammed; >Subject: who do you know? >Message-ID: > > >Kind of an interesting experiment here--I hope no one gets annoyed at me; >just thought I'd give it a boost, ok? > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- [rest snipped for sanity's sake] I thought this sort of thing was against Auntie Mel's Rules of Proper Posting? ------------------------------------><+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ On Fri, 15 Nov 1996 Snowbird posted a very interresting theory on why Florian hasn't bonded to Karal yet, proposing the prexistence of a bond relating to Karal's friendship with Natoli and it's consequences.(How's that for a convoluted way to not give spoilers(which I can't do anyway as I havn't even seen SB yet!!!!!(pout))) Nice theory, I like it. Probably too subtle for ol' 2x4 to the back o' the head Misty though. 8-{)# +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<>------------------------------------ Just out of curiosty, why does anybody bother (other than for amusement) to read the liner notes on books if they already know they like the author and plan to buy the book anyway? In point of fact, I don't bother with them even if it's written by somebody I never heard of! I just open it up and skim through a few of the interior pages to see if the writing style appeals to me. At any rate, I figure once I've done that I've probably read more of the book that the blurb writer and cover artist combined! Speaking of artists...Be honest now, have you ever seen an illustration that **really** looked like how you, yourself, pictured the scene? (asssuming none of you *are* illustrators) Not just acceptable, or good enough or something but exactly the way you wluld have done it, if you had that talent? Well, *I* havn't so unless you have, please lay off poor ol' Larry! Misty apparently likes his drawings and if anybody should know what the characters look like it's her! TINAF 8-{)# David Tiffany, Dog of Trypls?..no, still not it. Distance, n. The only thing the rich are willing for the poor to call theirs' and keep. -Ambrose Bierce ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 11:10:02 -0700 (MST) From: "L. JANSEN" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 948 Message-ID: I am going to be moving and I need to stop my mail now from coming to this address anymore. Could someome please tell me how to cancel my Mercedes Lackey letters. I will send my new email address when I get to my new home. Thank you for you time. Lori ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 13:15:17 -0500 From: "Emily L Cartier" To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: dragonsong Message-ID: <9611151817.AA24002-+AT+-udecc.engr.udayton.edu> The Goddess of Music and Song writes: >One thing has been bugging me about "DragonSong" for at least ten >years. In the very beginning, when Menolly is doing the Teaching, >her hands slip out of the Teaching Ballad, and she plays some of >her own work. Her father hears this, and comes in and beats her >(grr). What I want to know is, how in the world did her father ever >become so familiar with the teaching ballads that he would even *know* >when Menolly was playing her own stuff? It's simple. The Teaching Ballads are supposed to be known _by heart_ by everyone because they have little critical safety instructions (like to keep green things away from your house). They are the "textbooks" of Pern. In a culture where many people cannot read and write, poetry is a good way of teaching people what they need to know because it's easy to remember. Why do you think _The Illiad_ is in rhyme? What about most of the Bible? And the Qu'ran? I personally know quite a few (well over a hundred) songs by heart. There are things like "The Cumberland Mine" to remind me of why people unionized (the lyrics are on the web), and stuff like the "Big Rock Candy Mountain" tells about hobos and their culture (the whole song is in code, that's why it's so nonsensical). Our idea of music and song being solely for entertainment is a pretty recent development, and some people still don't agree with it (like me). The use of music in the Pern books was really good, cause it had a purpose and it was realistic for that kind of society (the rest of society wasn't too realistic, but this isn't the McCaffrey list). Emily the invisible, who grew up on folk music and church music ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 10:20:04 -0800 (PST) From: Lee <97jsalaz-+AT+-jasper.uor.edu> To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: groups/earth spirit/some fluff Message-ID: Mat the Cat in Green wrote: > Well, I don't think that you actually understand the "the Cat in Green" > thing in my name. It means that I belong to two list/magewar groups. oops. Actually, right after I sent that I hopped over to the magewar archives and figured it out. I'd just been so happy not to be the only nonanthropoid on the list. And see, there isn't an obWhat'stheMageWar? ****** Renee wrote that she thought "Earth Spirit" was a Shin'a'in song or chant...I think that vaguely Shin'a'in or Tayledras sound can work with the "it's Stefen's song for the kyree" theory--in MPrice the kyree scout who finds Sfet (oops) & Van says that the kyree are allied with all the Tayledras clans; also, in the Gryphon books (or somewhere) the kyree seem fairly close to the Kaled'a'in--could a long history of cultural exchange account for a similarity in music styles? ******The Rest Is Fluff While on the subject of music--Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No.13, Op.113 in B-flat minor: first movement is called "Babi Yar", with a chorus singing (in Russian) about the site of the massacre of the Kiev Jews, and various other memories of the Holocaust, and it ends with a repudiation of Russian Anti-Semites in a major key. woodlark got the part--YAY! I think that if we're going to go on worshipping the God of Procrastination, then we are also going to *need* the Goddess of Domesticity and Laundry, so my vote's with Lorraine--and what sort of tithes do you wish, Lorraine, in return for some of that half-hour cleanup ability? (not that my endorsement of the future Goddess of D & L should be taken as non-endorsement of other deity-hopefuls.) --Lee-- 97jsalaz-+AT+-uor.edu -- www.geocities.com/Athens/4709/ "What time is it?" --Dekker, P. / Er...Spreader of Humor and Self-Appointed User of 5-point Vocabulary Words Such As "Panegyric" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 13:35:09 -0500 (EST) From: Ken Hyde To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: MERCEDES-LACKEY digest 948 Message-ID: On Fri, 15 Nov 1996, L. JANSEN wrote: > I am going to be moving and I need to stop my mail now from coming to > this address anymore. Could someome please tell me how to cancel my > Mercedes Lackey letters. I will send my new email address when I get to > my new home. Thank you for you time. Send a message to the listproc that you originally sent your subscription to, leave the Subject: blank, and have the body of the message contain "unsubscribe mercedes-lackey" That should take care of it. May the seas be your solace and the forests a refuge for your spirit, Cennydd, 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 **http://www.udel.edu/kenny/ken.html or .../kenny/green.silences.html** ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 96 12:57:50 -0500 From: dsarik-+AT+-PO-Box.McGill.CA To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Re: SOLO!!!!!/and other stuff Message-ID: <199611151844.NAA13125-+AT+-sirocco.CC.McGill.CA> Thank you to all the people who have congratulated me on or off the list, past, present, and future. Adrianne, my High Priestess, wrote: >Your High Priestess is very proud of you as is your Goddess (yes, I >presume to speak on her behalf! Thank you. I'm so glad to know the temple backs me up. The concert is November the 29th, and i'm ready as ever. >She would have been very cross if you hadn't got it. She told me privately >that that you would be demoted and forced to spend twenty-four hours >listening to the bardic rejects sing off-pitch the one and only song >remaining in their repertoire: It's Got To Be-e-e-e Per-fect .....) < g > nnnNNNNOOOOoooooo!!!!!! That's hideous!!!!! They'd probably all sing it at the same time, too. Ooh, my ears are already hurting. Does this mean i have to get *every* solo i try out for from now on? Also, if i were to have been demoted for not getting it, does it follow that i could be promoted for getting it? >I have been lurking for a few days getting a few things sent out to >publishers but I have been following the posts waiting with bated >breath for your news - knowing *of course* that it would be positive! Wow! I'm humbled by my High Priestesses interest in my life. Publishers? What's this? >For your performance I beg our Goddess to grant you a golden boy >soprano voice for the duration after which, of course, you may >revert to bass! Thanks! Mine's very silvery right now (like light glinting off a bottle of Irish Cream). I hope i don't revert, though... seeing as i normally sing first soprano... maybe you mixed me up with my Brother? Shadra said: >>Late congrats on your solo Woodlark. Knowing far too many singers , I hope this three fold wish will be appropriate: May any smoke filled room you enter become immediately ventilated. May you get all the rest between rests that your voice requires. May you shout above loud music in any bar without fear of damage.<< Actually, you're not that late. I mean, the chorus won't know until next Wednesday, so you guys are in on it early. Thanks for the wish. It's very definitely appropriate as i'm going to two dances tonight. >>Or I could send you some of Laira's work(my Bard persona). Ask Deniz!<< deniz has just left the building. I think she's trying to hunt down Laira. She wants to know why you didn't bother letting it scan, even though the emphasis of the assignment was the rhyme scheme. It's extremely tacky, i mean how do you spit all those words out? If you want to talk about it off-list, though... Tell Laira that I'm sending some poetry for that Bard's Corner. And did the spots ever come out of those Whites? ObMisty: wow. you're still reading? guess that means i have to write one, right? I wonder if they have "seasonal music" in whatever that world where Bardic Voices is called. It seemed like the Church with it's sacrificed God was supposed to be like Christianity, so would they celebrate his birth? And would they have an equivalent to Christmas Carols? |~| _______________________________________________ |~| | |~| free bard woodlark -- dsarik-+AT+-PO-Box.McGill.CA |~| | ~| |_______________________________________________| |~ ~ ~ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 12:50:53 CST From: "Hth." To: Subject: Valdemar and the SCA Message-ID: <15NOV96.13876315.0092.MUSIC-+AT+-ACADEMIC.TRUMAN.EDU> I think Valdemar is very much Misty's version of the SCA -- a "medieval" world that runs *the way she wishes the real medieval world had run.* As you say, it appears very medieval Western European, as does an awful lot of high fantasy, from Tolkien on down. She's just taken out all the bad stuff. Poor birth control and dangerous childbirth. Doctors who are as deadly as whatever they're trying to cure. Rigid social classes. Cities you can hardly breathe in because of the awful smell, and cities which tend to frequently catch on fire. Trial by ordeal. And the hits just keep on coming. It's a very romanticized version of our own pre-Industrial world. Like the SCA, Valdemar is an ideal, combining the "flavor" of the middle ages with the comforts of our own time. (Not that I'm complaining. I don't go to events to get burned at the stake. It wouldn't be fun if it weren't an ideal, and I'm sure that's how a lot of people see fantasy literature, too.) Sometimes I think she's made it a little too easy, though. It would be nice to see the characters face some dangers and troubles that were just part of their lives instead of directly connected to the plot and engineered by a villain. But then, I'm one of those odd ducks who often feels like villains distract from the story. A high percentage of my favorite books don't have villains at all. (Mists of Avalon, any of Parke Godwin's books, Ender's Game, Tigana.) Even in my favorite Misty books, like MPrice, you rarely see the villain and don't know much about him. Likewise in something like the Fionavar Tapestry, where you get only breif glimpses of Galadan (hello? is this right? the wolf) and you never see Rakoth Maugrim until the major, major dramatic high points of the story (Jennifer's kidnapping, the final battle). I tend to think that Big Baddies are best used sparingly. HTH r618-+AT+-academic.truman.edu Merry Meet and Merry Part and Mary Tyler Moore ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 10:59:17 -0800 (PST) From: Lynne Markova To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: Solo again/New Priestess/Books Message-ID: Lady Sophia just got this last set of messages.... > > Your High Priestess is very proud of you as is your Goddess (yes, I > presume to speak on her behalf! She would have been very cross if you > hadn't got it. She told me privately that that you would be demoted > and forced to spend twenty-four hours listening to the bardic rejects > sing off-pitch the one and only song remaining in their repertoire: > It's Got To Be-e-e-e Per-fect .....) < g > No, no, Lady Adrianne, you misunderstood me. Lady Woodlark's CHOIR DIRECTOR would have been demoted if she hadn't given Lady Woodlark the solo! Lady Woodlark would only have been demoted if she set up her audition, and then skipped it! > > I have been lurking for a few days getting a few things sent out to > publishers but I have been following the posts waiting with bated > breath for your news - knowing *of course* that it would be positive! > For your performance I beg our Goddess to grant you a golden boy > soprano voice for the duration after which, of course, you may > revert to bass! Granted! (you may also revert to dramatic sopranodom, if you prefer). > > Er, Lady Sophia? I am still willing to be your humble follower... *fingers > plucking harp anxiously* Perhaps a treatise on woodwind techniques in > Valdermar would be appropriate? Or I could send you some of Laira's work(my > Bard persona). Ask Deniz! > A follower? Hmm... well. Lady Shadra (it is Lady, isn't it?) the Goddess of Music and Song appoints you as First Priestess of Harp and Woodwind Techniques, and gifts you with a silver woodwind instrument, which automatically becomes whatever instrument you happen to feel like playing at that time. She also gifts you with a set of magical harp strings, which never break, and never go out of tune. Lady Snowbird, what an intriguing idea, re. Florian/Karal! (Subject spoiler) Apropos of nothing, I recall reading some sort of young adult fiction, which featured some sort of mystery involving a teenaged psychic, who saw visions of the child she would one day have, when her life is in danger. Does this sound familiar to anyone? It's been bugging me for *days*. Also, has anyone heard of any new books by O.R. Melling? I've read Falling out of Time, the Druid's Tune, The Singing Stone, and Hunter's Moon. Lady Sophia, Goddess of Music and Song ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 950 *********************************