It feels really wierd. Over the years, I've become something of a hunt-n-peck virtuoso. Using the bare minimum of fingers, (Five, usually. Just the pointer finger on my right hand, everything but the pinky on my left.) I achieved speeds almost surpassing those of an average eight-year-old. Eight-year-olds touch type these days, right? They'd have to, right? All growing up in a household with computers?

Technically, I grew up in a household with computers, too. I was in 3rd grade, I think, when my mom got her first computer. Here I am, 25 years later, still using the hunt-n-peck. I never really had a job that required formal typing skillz, so I never bothered to learn.

Now, I want one of these jobs. What I really want is a job with a consistent schedule, with weekends off. I'm pretty sure most of these jobs involve at least a passing familiarity with keyboards. I've got a few months. I've promised myself that as soon as the student loans are paid off, I get to quit Fazuul. So, we're looking at a job hunt starting in September. If I start practicing now, I might actually be able to list a decent word-per-minute rate on a resume. It maybe gives me a few more options.

(Did you know there are actually TWO shift buttons? I sure didn't! Learning is fun!)
***
So, what else is new? At some point today, I need to sit down and make a new LARP character. I'm thinking about redesigning Val.

Val was created to be a Malkavian ghoul. It's kind of a fun story. Let me share it with you. A few years ago, Rijid was playing his Malkavian, and he had a Plan that involved two ghouls. Ze Plan would be carried out in-game, so he needed people to actually play the ghouls. I had no NPC at the time, and Ellen spent a lot of time not really doing anything much. I told him that when it was time for ze Plan, he could come find me, and I would probably be able to run a ghoul for him. He said, OK, great, why don't you go ahead and make the stats, then.

I said, wha? I have to design your ghoul for you? Oh, you'll get a ghoul, my friend. You'll get the best ghoul ever. MUAHAHAHAA! I didn't actually say any of this, of course. He asked me why I was suddenly giggling, and I pretended not to know what he was talking about. I am subtle.

Val was a conspiracy nut, even before the Malkavians found her. After a few nights of drinking that wacky Malk blood, she completely lost what little sense of proportion and logic she may have once had. Val now believes everything. If you tell her something, she believes you, with the passion of a thousand suns. Until someone tells her something else. She's Gullible, Weak-Willed, and Quixotic. Ghouls are supposed to believe everything you tell them, right? Follow all orders unquestioningly, yes? Mua. Ha. HA.

So, that's Val. The concept is of course loosely based on the Belief Monk from Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency It was a lot of fun to play, as an NPC. I'm not totally sure if it works as a main character. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to make those with some kind of basic self-preservation instinct. On the other hand, Daisy lasted a lot longer than I thought she would have, and she was designed to be suicidally reckless.

Also, when Ellen died last session, she left behind not only a small pile of ash, but a rather impressive pile of bought XP. I can probably come up with all kinds of cleverly appropriate things for Vampire Val to have that Ghoul Val simply couldn't afford.

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