But We Break It From The Root/When We Kick It On Down

We don't have the camera's USB cable with us, or I would have added a picture of the organic radishes my father-in-law picked from his garden that I sautéed along with their greens. Or his organic asparagus I grilled for Beth and I, come to think of it. Don't recall ever having radish greens before, but they were wonderful cooked in butter with a tiny bit of salt. The radishes were de-harshed but still pretty crunchy, and the two things were perfect together. Go try it!

Pics courtesy of Wikipedia

hi from NJ!

For our 61st post, we have to give an excuse as to why we won't be posting along our normal schedule this week.


We are visiting our families in NJ and will be posting infrequently. But don't worry gentle readers, we will be posting still and will be back on our normal schedule starting next Tuesday.

Generation: Full Stop Moon (Exalted)

I'll be doing something a little bit different in today's post. Instead of a general character concept that could be applied to many settings and to fiction or gaming alike, this is a start to finish NPC for Exalted. If you're not familiar with it, Exalted is a roleplaying game of epic fantasy put out by White Wolf. Specifically, this uses 2nd Edition. I've just gotten out of a several year binge of it being my go-to game, so the material is still fresh in my head. Here's one idea I never got to use, and I give it to you.

This character is a Lunar Exalted, whose rites take him down the path of the mad moon, full and glorious. He was born Flamma Affendi (a combination of a famous Roman gladiator, and a traditional male Malaysian first-name), but as a member of the Silver Pact, he was given the deed-name Shifting Regolith (for Lunars especially, I like names taken from scientific phenomenon or nomenclature related to Earth's moon). As a Full Moon aspect, he naturally favors Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina, but also favors Manipulation (I'm doing this strictly by the book, though I prefer Blaque's hack that lets you choose 2 caste and two favored attributes). He automatically favors the ability Survival, but also Martial Arts.

Flamma was not born in a Nexus or a Chiaroscuro, but neither was he delivered into total peasant obscurity. Son of a wealthy man, or a leader of his people, or a feared champion (the stories tend to vary) in an Eastern tribe at the edge of the Hundred Kingdoms, he was well fed and well attended by matrons and family friends. Growing into his privilege and his wide and lofty frame, Flamma grasped the hook of easy living, of casual cruelty to his lessers, and to decadence. It did not take him long to cut that loose from his flesh, and assert an inherent nobility that was no fault of his upbringing.

So when the Guild came, and with them their cheap drugs and cheaper slaves, Flamma held firm as his brothers and contemporaries fell into weakness and dependency. And when the barbarians came, he took up shield and spear and he held firm for himself and his kin. But when the Fae came, there was little virtue left to resist the entrapment of glamour. The son of Affendi could not save his little domain, but through the ferocious caress of the Silver-Horned Watcher, the heart-drinking reaver and glimmer in the darkness which was the most terrible of the Celestine Luna's forms, he could save himself. So with a heavy heart, and a heavier resignation, he cut his way West, burying the fallen where he could, burying cold iron into the Fair Folk where he dared. The Watcher's superficial madness only further served to foster Flamma's aweless hand and jaw, and when the storm of battle spun out of control, the River Dragon took it back. Though he did not savor it, the easterner grew an appreciation for the hunter's maw.

Cool as a northern wind, Flamma immediately took hold of the old wrinkled houndman who stopped his circular motion about the Hundred Kingdoms with an arm stronger than stone an a gaze that would give pause to a rhino. But Flamma fell (much to his shock), and was cowed, and accepted the Moonsilver tattoos, and the humiliating trials, and saw to fix his mark, his Caste, under the Full Moon. Unschooled, raw, and to the old sage, a sitting, scaly duck. While some would see Flamma's cool judiciousness as a lack of ambition or fire, the ancient No Moon shaman recognized it as the qualities that would temper a master of the Victorious arts. He knew of such a teacher, deep in the Southeast, a Seneschal of the Sun Kings, who kept the intuitive art of the Solar Exalted alive to honor them. And he kept another secret, a shameful bribe to the spirit courts by the hermit of the starts millenia ago. So this proud stallion, a Changing Moon of the open dry plains, taught Flamma both the Solar Hero Style, and the Style of Valorous Spirits

How to use this character: Flamma has an impressive pedigree as a fighter, but an almost gentle countenance. Like an old and undefeated master, he feels free to patron the arts, to practice simple crafts like the common people of his homeland, and to give simple honor to the gods. He will never seem haughty, or impulsive, though every challenge is his to end (usually with his huge form standing above a broken opponent). Employed primarily as a bouncer or bodyguard for the very wealthy or important, he cares little about the actions of others. In this way, his Silver Pact teachers failed; Flamma is an unstoppable survivor, but shows no real interest in the crusades of his siblings. He is more likely to pay for the care and restitution for a victim than to break up a fight before him. Though his silent, judging eyes tend to either scare off the wicked in his presence, or provoke his honor. Those in the latter category tend to suffer only briefly before they pass on to the next life.

I will post a full character sheet down in the comments, for anyone interested, including xp calculations and some suggestions on combat balance (if you for some reason need to pit this monster against your PC's).

Pic courtesy of Audreyjm529!

But it's faster, love, than you and me/ Faster than the speed of gravity

Harold is a superhero. Just like Willy Wonka or Dr. Strange, he creates a world of his own imagination.

I tend to live in my own fantasy world. But until recently, it was often one in conflict with others.

For a lot of my life, I listened to people when they told me I was difficult. Sometimes, I was difficult. Sometimes, I was just not willing to stay quiet.

Now, I'm trying harder to be a calmer, more accommodating, easier person. I am creating a world that I want through the inaction and through action.

In the evenings, we sit on our front stoop and cover it in chalk. In robots, in polka dots, in ray guns, in stars. In absolutely anything I can and want.

We listen to podcasts of facts and figures, of stories of the world around us and the world we want.

I meditate through laughter and through hugs.

This week, as we travel back to N.J., my goal is to remain this person. To remain and grow into a person that creates her own world and invites others to experience it.

image via weheartit

Meatless Mondays - Favorite Veggie Blogs

We don't need to eat anyone who would run, swim, or fly away if he could. - James Cromwell

Of the 20 million tons of plant protein given to raise cows only 2 million tons of protein are used. That means 18 tons of plant protein are wasted! The 20 million tons of plant protein could have reduced 90% of the world's yearly protein deficit for humans.

Some of our favorite vegetarian/vegan blogs:

VegDaily

An awesome collection of great blog posts, articles, and commentary about being a veggie.

VegSource

A news/recipe/lifestyle site that was so helpful when I first became a vegetarian.

The Urban Housewife

A globe-trotting, mohawk-wearing, cupcake-baking urban housewife whose travel guides and food photos are amazing.

The Post-Punk Kitchen

An O.G. in the vegan blogging scene and an amazing resource for recipes.

VegWeb

A great recipe search that may not be a blog, but is still a great resource.

Clouds hang on these curves like me/ And I kneel to the wheel of the fox confessor

Cool Places We Went This Week

1. The Quiet Storm : Yummy vegan food and chill people. The picture above is of the inside which is just adorable and vintage.

2. Our House: To play Mage! We'll be heading home to NJ this week and Mike worked over the weekend, so we went fewer awesome places this week. But our game was great and featured NPC Timothy Leary, the Spirit of Banana (contacted via bananaphone), and fiesty Canadians.

Cool Things Beth Found This Week

1. Soul Cover of "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" by JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound

2. Ballet de Gaga : A ballet to "Bad Romance".
3. Keep Calm and Angels : If you don't like Glee, you will not find this amusing.

Cool Things Mike Found This Week 
1.  The Boxed Life : Soon, we may all be living in style and class like this.
2. Household Electrical Use : This is good to know!  And kind of fun to click through.
3. The World Warrior : Ok, only like 3 minutes, but live action Street Fighter that doesn't suck!

image via flickr

Transhuman Express: Existential Threat Station

If you assume the conjecture that attempts to reject Fermi's Paradox by saying that Earth and its advanced, eukaryotic, multicellular life is rare, if not unique to the universe, than a lot more is riding on humanity besides just itself. While the other advanced predators of the planet would get on just fine without us, it is hard to deny that human beings are the guardians of novelty in this neck of the galaxy. And I don't know about you, but I dig new stuff.

My point is, our reality is chock full of existential threats. Observed phenomenon that would wipe us out completely. Also known as extinction-level events, they are what ultimately decided that dinosaurs did not retain biological dominance on the planet. While you may think that we humans are better equipped to deal with such existential threats than T. Rex and co were, unfortunately, you've likely watched Armaggeddon too many times. We don't currently have an effective way of dealing with this. In fact, our methods of detecting these suckers don't have enough resources devoted to it to catch everything.

Don't even get me started on environmental issues, a pervasive, resistant pandemic, or thermonuclear apocalypse.

So what am I getting at? We need to prepare ourselves to make sure such phenomenon don't hit the reset button on the knowledge base of our civilization. Fortunately, there are already some resources out there for you to get a head start. There are training simulations, instructional videos, and fashionable accessories.

Here's what we're going to need, heading into this new, intellectual level that fortune continues to help us make down payments on, here's (some of) what we're going to need if we're going to make it past the boss battle.

- Radiation resistant DNA. You can actually do better than cockroaches.
- Better skin for unshielded space habitats. Will infinitely cut down on the need for moisturizer.
- Skeletons unaffected by bone loss due to low gravity. I guess it is hard to lose what you don't actually have.
- Anti-nanoparticle defenses. Nothing's worse than getting chumped by a nanoswarm. Even worse than campers.
- Skull guns. This is non-negotiable. The bad-assness alone should be sufficient to ward off hostile xenoforms.

Because, you know, we need to take to the stars. Obviously.

Alright, you have your mission parameters. Get to work!

Pic courtesy of us!

I'm a microchip off the old block/ You know not but I was a robot

5 Physically Strongest Marvel Characters as Decided By Beth and Mike

 1. The Hulk

2. Sentry

3. Thor

4. The Thing

5. Onslaught/Namor (the panel was split)

Special Mention: Galactus, because he'll eat our planet.

3 Favorite Things Listened to on NPR.org this week

 1. Why can't anyone call for help in a horror movie?

2. RZA is amazing

3. Danzig+Rollins=OTP

4 TV Shows We Heart Right Now

 1. Supernatural: Angels, Demons, Classic Rock, and Hot Cars. What else do you need?

2. Glee: More Burt Bacharach Please!

3. The Boondocks: More Seasons Please!

4. Firefly: Mike's submission to the list.

5 Colors Of The Moment

1. Periwinkle, a color as cute as its name

2. Pale Yellow, a color proven to raise your spirits

3. Evergreen, not very springy but always beautiful

4. Navy blue, preppy, pretty, and reminds me from Nantucket

5. Royal Purple, Mike's submission to the list

picture via flickr

Skills: Robust Health/With My Own Two Hands

Disclaimer: If you have a serious medical condition, do extensive research about any herbal preparation before you take it. Look for "contraindications". Even "natural" ingredients and supplements can be extremely dangerous, if not lethal, if you are taking certain kinds of medicines or have certain conditions. Overuse or misuse of herbal supplements can be dangerous for everyone. If you have prologned or severe pain, or any persistent or irregular skin issues, do yourself and the world a favor and go see a doctor. Ignoring that stuff is how zombie apocalypses start.

I didn't mention this in my blurb in Bethfury's Meatless Mondays post, but I can proudly say that I haven't gotten sick enough to have to miss work in more than two years. That's a big change from my youth, when I missed lots of school and got ear infections very often. Even more recently, I could expect to face a few tonsil infections a year. While it is hard to say exactly what has brought about this change, here are some suspicions I have:

1) Being selective about your produce: While it would be great if we could all eat organic produce all the time, sometimes availability and your budget make this impossible. Why is organic important? Besides the fact that the superior soil management and lack of chemical pestisides/fertilizers are much healthier for the environment, eating plants that have spent their lives absorbing and storing stuff that kills living organisms in their cells is not good for you. This advice goes triple for animal products, as they live longer and have more time to concentrate toxins. Some fruits and vegetables are more prone to this than others. My Paper Crane hooks you up with the cuteness and the knowledge.

2) Stop using chemical cleaners: Bottles of powerful chemical surfactants and solvents are not only bad for you, they're expensive. Having that stuff swimming on all the surfaces of your home that you touch, and it being in the air, means it is sooner or later going to get into your body. That's bad. You know what's not? Vinegar and baking soda. Get a spray bottle, a cheap jug of white distilled vinegar, and dilute with half water. For the tough stuff, add baking soda to the surface first.

3) Put down the aluminum-based antipersperant: The human body has four (five if you are of the female persuasion) methods to get rid of toxins. One of the most important is sweat. If you stop a major part of your body from sweating, where do those toxins go? Nowhere, that's what. Don't clog your pores!

4) Avoid processed foods: Ever heard the term "empty calories"? There's a reason that Cade Courtley tells you to avoid eating if you are in low-water survival situations. It takes water, vitamins, and minerals in order to eat, digest, and process food. So if you're eating something with no nutritional value, you are literally taxing your own resources. Stuff that has been processed heavily (subjected to solvents, strip-milled (pun intended), boiled, loaded with preservatives, etc.) will have less useful nourishment in it. I'm not saying you should never eat a candy bar, but just keep in mind that ripping the good things out of whole foods, and then replacing them (white bread) will eventually take its toll.

5) Take vitamins/herbs: Nobody's diet these days is so good they won't get something out of vitamins. The reason for this is that our soil quality is not as good as it used to be, due to overfarming, mono-culture, and the use of synthetic fertilizer. And not all vitamins are created equal, either. I've heard and read a lot of conflicting information about this over the years, so I advise you do your own research, and don't become complacent thinking you know the real truth. New information about nutrition comes out all the time. And also, you never know what trace mineral stands between you and getting very sick. Some people have also experienced great relief and improved health from the use of herbs. This includes things like garlic, ginger, and tumeric. Consider that very many modern drugs are little more than modified plant extracts.

6) Cut down or eliminate animal protein: I believe this is perhaps the most important part. If you're intrigued, VegSource is a good place to start. Be prepared to hear a lot of contradictory information about it (or have everyone you know act very concerned that you are going to waste away). Even if what you're eating is 100% organic and grass fed, there are still health risks associated with eating meat (and, to a lesser extent, dairy). Educate yourself.

If you take issue with any of these points, or are looking for me to back up my claims that chemicals, aluminum, and zombies are bad for you, please say so in the comments. I will happily provide you with a deluge of informative links.

Pic courtesy of weheartit

I want to be rich and I want lots of money/ I don't care about clever, I don't care about funny

I am what some people call...cheap.

I revel in telling stories about how I cheaply I purchased things, how I found this really rare object online for half price, or how I caught a sale that was so low, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. Of course, I do tell you, because I really love saving money.

However, while I am cheap, I also really like to shop. I do 90% of all of my shopping online, and have developed some really good tips for how to get a bargain.

Here are a few of my secrets, but not all of them. Some of them I need to save for myself.

Beth's Tips for Getting a Bargain Shopping Online

1. Google searches are your friend: I do not buy anything online without first running two google searches: STORE NAME coupon and STORE NAME free shipping. I rarely buy anything without a discount, and that one tip has saved me money repeatedly. If I'm also interested in price checking, Froogle allows me to price compare without having to hit multiple different sites.

2. Keep a dummy e-mail address for registering with sites: The majority of websites will give you a coupon code the first time you register with them and will often times send out coupons before all major holidays. I keep one e-mail address to register with sites I don't plan on using again, and I have the rest of the sites send me the emails directly because I save them when I do need to buy something. Make sure to register before checkout to make sure you get the discount the first time you are ordering.

3. Be friends with your frequently used sites: I have not bought a pair of shoes off of another site then Zappos in probably 2 or 3 years. Zappos has enrolled us in their VIP program which allows us to get free one-day shipping and they always have the shoes we want. On a slightly off-topic note, they also have the best customer service I've ever encountered. When a pair of shoes I had bought broke, we had a replacement within a day, no questions asked. If you use a site frequently, it is worth signing up with their programs, especially if that site allows you to shop for multiple topics.

4. E-Bay and Half.com aren't just for auctions: So many small business sell on ebay and half.com, it is almost not worth buying some products full price. While I still will price check against Amazon, I have used both of these sites to get new, in-box products almost half off of their retail. An extra tip, if you are looking for something slightly more rare or competitive, try searching misspellings for the product. Also, don't be afraid to buy used. If the seller has a great rating, why pay full price for some products? Plus, in cases with things like paperback books, you can often find them from charitable organizations, making you feel extra good about your purchase.

5. Use Your Google Reader and Twitter to Track Sales: Woot.com's twitter feed is constantly listing great sales, and allow you to track woot offs while at work without needing to constantly refresh. The Consumerist posts a list of great sales every morning. There are tons of sites out there for whatever you are looking for that can lead you to a great sale. This does involve being prepared to wait to purchase some things. We will wait a month or two once a video game is old to buy it, because it is not worth spending full price on most of them, especially when the replay value is limited.

6. Be Patient: Being a smart shopper means being a patient shopper. Don't impulse buy, don't buy without doing your research, and if it is a pricey product, do not buy without free shipping. 

If you have any questions, or need any suggestions on where to locate an item, please leave a comment. I really believe a part of living a sustainable life is examining our shopping habits, and by making certain decisions, you can feel confident that you are buying responsibly. Also, when you do limit yourself to shopping online, it does prevent you from impulsive buying and will save you money in the long run. 

I should know, I'm super cheap. 

image via weheartit

Bonus Round/This is hot tin roof stepper hold it down

Awesome story out of Seattle: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011740342_electronboy30m.html

This is certain to warm your heart. The bright side of all our natures, in full display. Drink deeply, and three cheers to that hero of heroes, Electron Boy.

Excelsior!

Generation: eternal loser clutch (the Shinriji)

Today's entry will be a bit more light hearted. As the inspiration for the concept, I turn to one of my favorite characters (ok you got me, they're all my favorite) from Samura's Mugen No Junen, Shinriji of the Mugai-ryu. I don't want to spoil too much for you if you haven't read it, but Shinriji was a poor man, a thief, and a sort of reluctant assassin-operative. I'll cut the comparisons here though.

I sometimes get a little bit too worked up about the competence of a character. After all, in dangerous settings, it behooves people to be as skillful, as well equipped, and able to make as intelligent and strategic decisions as possible, right? That's the justification I use anyway; playing through intentional failure never appealed to me. So the Shinriji is an attempt to get the best of both worlds. Fundamentally, he is a loser. Born into poverty, given the short end of the stick through his development, and run afoul of the wrong authorities the first time he tried to buck up against the system. This is ultimately what establishes his current role, one he seems unsuited for. And, really, he is. The Shinriji is not particularly skillful, he doesn't appear very brave, he's fairly ignorant, and he is prone to making decisions based on his heart when his head should be in control, and vice versa.

And yet...the Shinriji has a wealth of talent and competence, it is just lurking underneath the surface. When a more clever character asks him a question, he is likely to give a foolish answer. But when the chips are down, the Shinriji displays a mighty depth of knowhow, the kind you wouldn't expect. He picks out the one folksy piece of information the other, smarter characters wouldn't have considered. He executes the successful, sudden ambush where the stronger, more blustery characters failed. He's never the group leader (except in extrodinary circumstances), but he's always got their back, and routinely will prepare redundant contingenies just in case something goes wrong (of course he will never tell anyone about it before hand). Needless to say, he is at his strongest when expectations of him are at their lowest.

Of course, when he does come through in the clutch, the Shinriji is just as surprised when he succeeds as everyone else is...

Props to Blade a Lamina do Imortal - Cap. 139: visita, parte 3 for being the only site I could find that had a pic of Shinriji (bonus: Hyakurin!) Obrigado!

And I am a weapon of massive consumption/ And it's not my fault, it's how I'm programmed to function

The hardest part of changing my habits, is my tendency to want to revert back at any minor step back. 

Never mind that I succeed on 95% of them, it is the remaining 5% that gets me.

Lately, I've been working on not being so judgmental. Sometimes I think I always liked the X-Men because they were outsiders and I can relate. But does feeling like an outsider come from actually being an outsider or from selectively secluding yourself. I think it is a fine line. I'm comfortable with being an individual but I am not always successful at not judging others for not being.

It is an uphill battle. You go a day taking all of your vitamins, drinking water, taking walks, but if you hold on to anger or fear or hatred, you are still poisoning yourself. 

I don't necessarily mean to be so reflective on Mondays, I want these posts to also be an inspiration for other people reading them. But I think sometimes it is inspirational to hear honesty about the work that goes into changing. 

Caffeine Update: A setback related to caffeine taught me an important lesson. I was going full stream, not drinking it, being super proud, when I hit a wall. I hit it full stream, full speed, and left a beth-shaped dent in it. I drank some caffeine (healthier options of it at least) and proceeded to feel miserable about it. But I was asking myself to be superhuman, when sometimes, I can need to accept I am just human. Being human should be something I am proud of and I am back on track now. 
image via weheartit

Meatless Mondays or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Broccoli

In addition to our normal posting, we are going to be throwing in a Meatless Monday post every Monday featuring recipes, vegetarian restaurant reviews, and other information about why you should consider going vegetarian or at least, taking a day off from meat once a week.

To start things off, we both thought we'd share how we became vegetarians.

Beth: I became a vegetarian in 2001, after a previous 6 month stretch as a vegetarian in 1999. I became a vegetarian for a silly reason, I really liked Joaquin Phoenix and he was a vegan, so I decided to try it. At the time, I ate primarily meat. I would eat meat as a part of every dinner and I would rarely eat a vegetable (if ever). Shortly after becoming a vegetarian, I read "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins and it changed my life. I wasn't a vegetarian on a whim, I was a vegetarian because it was vital to my health, to animals, and to the earth. I am a vegetarian because I believe it is the only responsible choice I can make as a person who cares about the health of the planet. I am a vegetarian because animals were not put on this earth for food. I am a vegetarian because I feel healthier, more vibrant, and more alive. I eat vegetables, grains, proteins, and I don't think I'll ever turn back.

Mike: Although my current track record of strictly not eating meat has only been about four years, it is something I had fallen in and out of since about 2001.  In June of 2005, I began a voyage into the wooley world of semi-veganism (I still ate honey.  I have always had a weird kinship with bees, so this didn't really bother me) which I held strong for about six months before a slip-up involving sushi and downgrading to just vegetarianism.  These days, it is probably the closest thing in my life (besides loved ones) I have a real conviction for.  Eating animals is inefficient on a macro-biological scale, has a ridiculously detrimental environmental impact (sorry but "environmentalists" who eat meat have no credibility in my eyes), is terribly unhealthy for you, and yes, is the act of consuming the suffering, terror, and hardship of another living being.  That doesn't happen for vegetables.  I will never go back (and when I find myself in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, I will happily start chowing down on giant radioactive ants before I kill and eat an animal).
 
images via weheartit

Now, since I was planted at birth/ I abandoned my own planet and I landed on Earth

Cool Places We Went This Week

1) The Mattress Factory: A museum of large scale art installations that ranged from amazing to trippy to just plain unexplainable. It is one of the more unique places we've ever been in Pittsburgh.

2) Gus and Yiayia's : A Pittsburgh institution that hand shaves ice for hot summer days. We shared an orange and revealed in the adorableness.

3) Randyland: While we didn't get to go inside, this was the type of house that makes you smile upon passing it. It is just amazing what inspiration can create. 

Links That Beth Has Found That You Should See

1) Galco's Soda Pop Stop: An unbelievably complete store of probably every soda type that  you can think of.

2) Amy Earles: A magical artist.

3) Lemon Desserts: A collection of yummies.

Mike's Links of Awesomeness

1) Super Mario Crossover: Ever wanted to play the NES Super Mario Bros. but as Samus?  Bill from Contra?  Link?  Simon Belmont?  Mega Man?  No?  Then you certainly won't want to click on that link.
2) Darpa Fail: Clearly the work of HYDRA.  Somebody better call S.H.I.E.L.D.
3) The Danger Room: Cerebro is not involved, but this is still my new favorite blog feed.  Not that I don't think all that money and ingenuity is better spent elsewhere, of course...

image from http://www.mattress.org

Superhero Advocacy: Save Our Seeker

I am somewhat of a neophyte to fandom. So much so that I struggle to strictly define what exactly it means. Certainly, it implies a significant level of dedication. I'm not sure it necessitates writing fanfic (although I happily did my first bit this past December for Yuletide where I got to blend some Heinlein with P.K. Dick), though that's a clear sign! An important component I've a bit bitterly come to realize though, is to become despondent with a show you like gets the ax.

The first time that happened for me was a very short lived show called Drive. I was very much into it, and of course it starred Nathan Fillion so I was pretty crushed when Fox buried it after only four episodes.

Well, it happened again, this time to the television adaptation of an old favorite of mine, Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, called Legend of the Seeker. Done by the same team responsible for the Hercules and Xena shows from over a decade ago, it was sort of a surprise when I first hear about it. Now, after two seasons, it is being canceled.

I suspected, nay, dreaded this happening for a couple of months now, so when officialish word came that it was not being renewed, the blow was a bit softer this time around.

Don't have any real hope that it'll be saved, but as Beth Fury has suggested, there's a shot enough fan support and DVD sales could bring them back for a straight to DVD movie. Which would be cool.

If you dig high fantasy, or just like to watch pretty ladies/hot Australian/NZ dudes kick a ton of ass, I highly recommend both seasons. If you're fans of the LOTR movies, you may recognize Craig Parker, who plays Darken Rahl, as Haldir the elf. Or, if your parents obsessively watch the extended versions of all three movies, Bruce Spence, who plays Zedd, as the Mouth of Sauron.

Speaking of which, time to watch this week's episode...enjoy, true believers.

Pic courtesy of The Legend of the Seeker Fansite