Wings of Fate

A Message From Kayla

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 15:57:01 GMT

Hello everyone,

I need to write this quickly before he finds out what I'm doing, but if you have a problem or know somebody who does, could you please write to Variel for advice (v.shenareth@gmail.com)? He's only received that one letter so far. It makes him feel terribly important to be giving people advice, and when he's busy telling all of you what to do, he stops trying to push me around.

I don't let him get away with it, of course, but sometimes it's just tiring.

Thanks!
Kayla

Ask Variel: Parental Stupidity

Thu, 09 Feb 2006 15:53:05 GMT

Dear Variel,

I've always loved writing, and I won the English prize when I graduated from High School. I'm in college for computer science, but I've been writing in my spare time. The other day when I went home, I showed a story I had just finished to my parents, and told them I wanted to try getting it published, but they told me it wasn't very good. They said I should stick to computers and stop showing my writing to people.

What do I do?

~Confused in Seattle

Dear Confused,

I shall never understand the impetus that posesses some parents to destroy the dreams of their children before they are ever given the chance to take wing. Now, I myself am not personally acquainted with your parents, but from this small representation of them, I find them to be imbeciles.

I might perhaps be able to understand their position better if you had come to them and said "Oh my dearest parental units, I am abandoning my academic pursuits so that I might attempt to become a writer without first having employment to support myself or any professional indication that my work has merit!" But that is clearly not what you did. You are, unless you failed to so indicate, still in school, training for a career that should support you admirably until your writing finds its niche, and you seem to me to be a remarkably sensible young person.

For them to take something of which you are quite obviously extremely proud, and perform the verbal equivalent of defecating upon it, is not only tactless, it is incredibly stupid. Even if your work is not yet at a professional level (I'm afraid I am not one to judge -- unless there is a great deal of blood in it, I'm not terribly interested -- but your school teachers have expressed at least some confidence in your competence), however do they expect you to improve without practice? This is plainly something you shared with them because you take joy in it, not because your life or future hangs upon it, and their behaviour is inexcuseable.

Ignore them. Become acquainted with a professional in your field and see if they will give advise you. Heed the advice of professionals to whom you submit your work. Be sensible about it. You clearly have a solid foundation already, and you can only improve with time; every great virtuoso in his or her field must begin somewhere.

Cordially yours,
Variel

The Female of the Species...

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 18:56:44 GMT

It has been brought to my attention that some people are wondering why I seem to associate only with females.

Permit me to correct this error.

I do not associate only with females. I do not associate with anyone, really. This is not so much by choice as it is due to the fact that I do not know anyone worth associating with. My family is gone, and though I did enjoy spending time with the males of Ilaea's clan (with one notable exception), it soon became clear to me that the Clan's collective morality was seriously misguided, and Ilaea and I chose to sever our connections with them. I'm sure that if Tarenath exists and my companion and I do manage to find it, I will once again enjoy the company of intelligent males of my own kind.

Provided they aren't foolish enough to challenge me for dominance.

On the other hand, it is true that when it comes to humans, I prefer the fairer sex. This is largely because the females tend to be cleaner and possessed of lovely manners, I have yet to meet a human male who does not fill me with a fierce and blinding desire to tear him open and devour his still-beating heart. All right, I suppose that one who brought the sword wasn't entirely intolerable, but the only reason I've not yet killed that bloodied thief is because my companion has developed an inexplicable attachment to him, and I've no wish to upset her. And she watches me when he's around, so I cannot do it in secret. Honestly, the enjoyment she takes in having males around continuously baffles me.

But really, I've found little to recommend the males. I can put up with the kits, but not the grown ones. They're loud, they don't clean up after themselves, they show attentions toward my companion that I must immediately discourage, they smell foul, and they are either craven and cowering in my presence, or they immediately and persistently attempt to kill me (not that they stand a chance of succeeding, but it's still irksome). Neither behaviour is one I can stand.

I suppose it is not impossible that there exist grown human males who do not deserve to meet a long and protracted death beneath my talons. But as I've yet to encounter one, I prefer to avoid them entirely. My companion seems to frown upon evisceration, and my life is infinitely easier when I haven't distressed her.

Note to the ignorant...

Wed, 24 Aug 2005 23:15:37 GMT

When commenting upon a subject about which you know nothing, you should perhaps refrain from doing so.

And don't antagonize a pre-menstrual woman who is fighting back her personal demons. Her thoughts become bloody enough to frighten even me.

Ask Variel #1: Répondez, s'il vous plaît

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 18:28:48 GMT

Last weekend, my creatrix took it upon herself to host a potluck dinner. This is a concept somewhat foreign to griffin, as when one kills one's meal, it is only polite (and sanitary) to consume it neatly and immediately, not go dragging the carcass about to present it to anyone who is not your mate, offspring, or travelling companion who is next to worthless when it comes to hunting. And even when presenting nourishment to another, griffin often do so in a predigested format.

But strange as it may be, my creatrix seemed to enjoy it immensely, and it did go quite successfully for her. Which it might not have done, had not her guests had the sense to observe common courtesy. All her guests in attendance (lovely people) did conform to the standard rules of etiquette, but a colleague of hers who just hosted a similar event was not quite so fortunate in her calibre of guests.

Which brings me to my first discussion of human courtesy: the RSVP.

RSVP, from the French répondez s'il vous plaît, means please reply. Not "reply if you feel like it," or "respond if you're coming but please do ignore me if you are not", or any other variation. Please acknowledge the fact that you received the invitation. If nothing else, it indicates your gratitude to your host or hostess that they thought to invite you.

It is only polite, if you are invited to a party, wedding, or what have you, to respond to the invitation regardless of your intentions to attend. That way your host or hostess can plan accordingly, and not run about tearing his or her hair out wondering what the vegetarians are going to consume, only to have seven eggplant casseroles show up courtesy of unexpected guests. Vegetarianism, incidentally, is another human behaviour I fail to understand. You have canine teeth, why don't you use them? But I digress.

If you are attending and are requested to bring something, please do so. It may be that you are unable, for whatever reason, and if your host or hostess likes you enough to have invited you (unless it is one of those sorts of parties, for which I have no patience at all), he or she will understand. But do make an effort, and do try to communicate with your host or hostess if you cannot.

Similarly, something may come up at the last minute that prevents you from attending. Life happens, and is completely understandable. But if you are prevented from attending, and you have previously indicated your acceptance of the invitation, for the love of the Trine, contact your host or hostess and tell him or her so. Particularly if you have agreed to bring food. Otherwise he or she may be left serving a dinner that consists of seven bottles of wine and dessert. Amongst griffin, an embarassment like this could prove fatal to the offender.

Not to mention, your host or hostess may be worried about you. I, of course, would be more concerned with avenging the slight to my honour, but as I have previously mentioned, griffin do not host parties. This may be why.

So in summary: If someone is kind enough to take the time to invite you to some sort of gathering, it is only polite to take the time to respond.

Ask Me

Wed, 29 Jun 2005 03:55:41 GMT

Upon further reflection, I have decided that this society my creatrix lives in suffers from a decided lack of manners. Griffin are not lacking in manners, owing largely to the fact that amongst griffin, the sense of personal honour has developed to such a degree that offensive behaviour can often be fatal to the offender, so natural selection quickly eliminated impoliteness from the griffin gene pool. Thus I am open to any questions from you, the readers, regarding proper gryphonic etiquette.

You may e-mail me and I will respond to the best questions in this journal.

You know, I think I'm going to enjoy this.

Wed, 29 Jun 2005 03:07:48 GMT

Greetings to you all. I deemed it was high time my creatrix provided me with a forum of my own, as she seems to have some difficulties with my desire to express myself in her own journal. The Trine only know why; I think it's high time she stopped worrying over who she was going to offend.