Courtesy of my good friend Sophie (aka Captain Howdy), I'm going on a blind date during the Valentine's event! I am nervous and excited to see how this works out. [yes]

[b]Day 1: My Date[/b]
[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/804c97e7d97bfeb9ba7a0f98776e239e.png[/img]
D +1 Point
This is Old Otto. Old Otto is old. He can’t wait to meet you. But speak up, he’s hard of hearing.

Here are some facts about Old Otto.
Old Otto is so old, his birth certificate is expired.
Old Otto is so old, he went to high school with god.
Old Otto is so old, he walked into an antique shop and they kept him.
… And so on.[/quote]
Daaaww! Old Otto is not at all what I was expecting, but he looks like such a sweetheart! And I bet he's got great stories to tell. I don't mind spending the evening with a nice old gentleman (that is, assuming that he actually [i]is[/i] a gentleman.)

[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/481ec1b43f4725050c654d15eb15d894.png[/img]
G +9 Points
Look! A delicious bottle of Pinot Grigio. Your date has brought you the gift of booze! And quite the risk, too. Why you might have been teetotaler. Luckily for him, you can never say no to a good wine.[/quote]
Oooh, and look, he brought me a nice bottle of wine! Things are looking good in the gentleman department. I wonder where we're going to go?

[line]#754c78[/line]
[b]Day 2: His Ride[/b]
[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/2bf33f2a9d6f8c56552789b63afa08ef.png[/img]
A +8 Points
Well, you were not prepared at all for a motorcycle. Sure there’s the freedom of the open road, as the wind rushes around you. But there’s also the threat of, I dunno, maybe falling off. Your date assures you that it’s perfectly safe as he hands you a helmet. You accept the headgear and prepare for an adventure.[/quote]
Holy shit. I still don't know where we're going tonight, but this is Old Otto's ride! See, never underestimate or overlook the old guys, they're ballsy! This date is shaping up pretty good so far. [eager]

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[b]Day 3: Where We Ate[/b]
[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/27a98cae5a482b47b31b97534e82f2fb.png[/img]
F +6 Points
You normally wouldn’t have thought that eating from a truck would be such a hot idea for a first date, but your suitor says otherwise. And he’s right. The gourmet food truck has some nom worthy treats, and sitting out under the stars is so relaxing.[/quote]
I tell you what, Otto's got style. I probably never would have found this food truck myself, and it's so delicious! It's a well-balanced choice for a first date too: casual, eccentric in the fun way, and with open-ended potential but without any pressure. [lol] Also, star gazing is my joint!

[line]#754c78[/line]
[b]Day 4: The Movie[/b]
[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/ae5156f384206f84dbcc9e7f4c048988.png[/img]
E +6 Points
You like to think of yourself as someone who can appreciate the artistic and avant garde. So when your date suggests a foreign art house movie, you’re all for it. Little did you know that it would be a bleak, Bergmanesque film with blurry visuals, sparse dialogue and no soundtrack. Seriously, this makes no sense. Why is that lumberjack crying? And where did all those balloons filled with blood come from?
You can’t make heads of tails of this. But… best pretend you do, so you don’t look dumb.[/quote]
Pfft, the crying lumberjack is obviously a subversion of the masculinzation of patterns of pleasure for metrosexual viewers, and the blood-filled balloons are part of the director's recurring efforts to frustrate viewer expectations while simultaneously inviting us to participate in the co-creation of half-finished art. [t2h]
I admit I was surprised and nervous when Otto picked me up, but this date just keeps getting better and better!

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[b]Day 5: After the Movie[/b]
[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/89a1e593ca3d2376b77e46cfeafa404c.png[/img]
H +8 Points
You usually try to avoid noisy night clubs, but your date insists on introducing you to a local band he swears you’ll love. And to your surprise, they’re unbelievably good. The club is a bit loud and crowded, but still a good time.[/quote]
"Oh my god, Otto, this band is awesome!"
"What's that?"
"THIS BAND IS AWESOME!"

[line]#754c78[/line]
[quote][img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/912fce99ee6e194a63e4c2656c04e887.png[/img]
I +5 Points
You have to wonder if chivalry is still alive in this world. A gentleman should walk his date to their door. But not your date. Oh no, he just left you in front of the house with a simple ‘goodbye’ and sped away. That butthead. Nearby a forlorn looking raccoon sits on the curb.
“You too?” You ask. “Men! Am I right?”[/quote]
Ah, and there he goes, off into the night as suddenly as he arrived. Good old Otto. What an incredible night! That was so much fun, I'd definitely go out with him again. I wonder if I'll ever see him again?
Oh, raccoon! Hi! *shy wave* I'm a really big fan. [love]

[line]#754c78[/line]
Total Points: 43

It's time for Valentines celebrations in Menewsha once again! Valentines is the first major holiday of the Mene year, and we always have big community parties to celebrate. I love it so much more than the mainland version of Valentines, since it's so focused on couples and consumerism.

This year, we're commemorating a bit of Menewshan history, when chocolate was banned on the island! Apparently this event ran parallel to alcohol prohibition in the US, so we're celebrating with some good old Roaring Twenties fashions, mafia games, speakeasy tours, and lots and lots of chocolate.

Most everyone is getting dressed up, and I have to say, some of the gentlemen in town are looking [i]quite[/i] dapper. [blush]

Anyhow, here's my outfit for the party! I'm quite pleased with it, and I even got a compliment from Captain Howdy! :D
[img]http://i.imgur.com/wbekow7.png[/img]

[line]#754c78[/line]
Happy Valentines to the world!

Admittedly, I spent most of the day sleeping. [lol] But I did go out in the evening with my family for the monthly art walk in town. I had a good time chatting with a few people here and there, and I bought myself a fabulous silver jacket that we found on sale. :D

Meanwhile, courtesy of Maha-Aamir's "abduction" agency, I went on a little date with Abel:
[img]http://i.imgur.com/2jJFaNg.png[/img]

Maha is offering dates with love potions, but I asked to skip that part of the service, [lol]. I may have a crush on Abel, but I would never want to trick him like that. [sweat] Now I'm going to go see about having a date with my brother Evander, and maybe Nami later on. ^^

[line]#754c78[/line]
Today was a quiet day for me. Made sure to check in on all the event games I'm participating in, but mostly spent the day at home cleaning out my closet! (See memory jar.)

I did go on a little sibling date with my brother though. ;)
[img]http://i.imgur.com/wE5QC5c.png[/img]

There was also a new shipment of items today—recolors of Vicky and Lucien's wedding outfits!—and I got my hair done up at the salon. (Also I got pleasantly tipsy later on.)
[img]http://i.imgur.com/kND4c4q.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/8jZzO33.png[/img]

[line]#754c78[/line]
Today I felt like wearing something more dramatic and playing with the new clothes that came in.
[img]http://i.imgur.com/D1RVKSv.png[/img]

[QUOTE=The Wishing Tree;1773155493][thumb]http://galleryplus.ebayimg.com/ws/web/350513546467_1_0_1/1000x1000.jpg[/thumb]

[URL=http://www.menewsha.com/forum/member.php?u=36422][I]Nami[/I][/URL]: Someone granted your wish![/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Nami;1773156920]Whoa! Those are awesome and they look so complicated... Thank you so much, whoever you are! I'm definitely going to use all of these![/QUOTE]

[img]http://images.menewsha.com/avatars/36422.png?1419565235[/img]

[QUOTE=Nami;1773177479]Thank you so much, Chexala![/QUOTE]

You are so welcome Nami! I can't wait to hear what you do with them! [heart]

[b]Day 4[/b]
Happy Christmas to all! Had a lovely morning home with my family, opening presents and having brunch. We took a trip down to the beach later to enjoy the sun for a while, and now the kids are making gingerbread houses. After dinner I'm going to make my special Earl Grey Hot Chocolate.

Speaking of hot chocolate, I also entered my caraway cookies and white mulled wine into the cooking contest in town. *crosses fingers*

I also created a new outfit for the costume contest, this time dressing up for Gwydion Island. I'm fairly certain that Gwydion is my favorite island in the Chain after Menewsha itself. Or at least, it's definitely at the top of my "placed to visit" list, since I could never move away from my little cottage here. [heart]
[IMG]http://www.menewsha.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=7792&pictureid=59098[/IMG]

I've had a nice stroll around the village, but I think it's time for me to head back to the family, as it's almost dinner time. Looking forward to more festivities leading up to New Years though!

[hr][/hr]

I love love love Captain Howdy's adventure games and I'm so excited to watch my story unfold over this event. [eager]

[b]Day 1: Transportation Home[/b]
[quote]Choice F +7 points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/0b5efecd82d64cfa39577de4d44721fc.jpg[/img]
When it comes to getting from point A to point B, a boat may not seem like the best decision. Versus traveling by land, the route is a much longer journey. But breathing in the cool, crisp air and looking out over the peaceful waters, you think you made the right choice.[/quote]
I'M ON A BOAT! Hahaha, out of all the options for transit home, I actually like the boat best. Not the fastest, no, but I love riding on boats. :D

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 2: Who I'm Shopping For[/b]
[quote]Choice B +2 points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/3fc5fd97853c02b43f8e65252e65334c.jpg[/img]
Whereas your brother Tommy is basically one step up from a vagrant, your sister Melinda is on the complete opposite of the spectrum. Melinda’s all about keeping up appearances. She lives in a big house. Drives an expensive car. Wears only designer clothing. She is a person accustomed to the best, and demands nothing less. Not such good news for your wallet.[/quote]
Let me just say right now, Melinda is getting something homemade from me whether she likes it or not!

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 3: Where am I staying?[/b]
[quote]Choice E +6 Points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/846c2ee4a790b9352c46b123a2a4e199.jpg[/img]
It’s not a grand hotel and not the most posh of accommodations, but the motel is okay. Good for the budget, though. It’s lacking some of the things you would like. Room service, for instance, and cable TV. At least there’s WiFi.[/quote]
I've always enjoyed staying at motels. Fanciness is okay, but also pretty overwhelming. And I'm not the sort to call for room service anyway. I'm not even bummed about the lack of cable either, cause all my movies and shows are online anyway. [XD]

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 4: Who am I running into today?[/b]
[quote]Choice C +10 Points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/c223809b0e86683e9f60b631f7a074c1.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/9347fb6ff3b6cd15901c22cecb908041.jpg[/img]
Just outside the mall, you feel a tap on the shoulder. Turning, you’re surprised to see your old flame from high school. Back in the day you two were pretty serious, and thought you’d be together forever. Things change though, and going off to college the distance proved to be too much. But seeing them here again, you can still feel that old spark. Could this turn into something more serious?[/quote]
Aaaawwwww yeeeaaaaahhhh!

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 5: Shopping Expiditions[/b]
[quote]J +6 Points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/fd3e0b8b3a04926f9e174c50f30ef9f7.jpg[/img]
What’s worse than having to scour one store? It’s having to drag your carcass from place to place. At the first you were told, ‘No we don’t carry that. You should try such and such across the mall’. So you head over there and get, ‘Nah, we haven’t sold that for months. Check out blah blah blah.’ So you mosey on down to ‘blah blah blah’, only to hear, ‘What, we never carried that. You’d be better at yet another location.’ This goes on for three more stores until, thank glob, you find what you’re looking for.[/quote]
Bummer! Could have been worse though. But really, why was I so dead set on that particular item...? See I can't even remember what it was! This is why I prefer to do homemade. [sweat]

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 6: Unwrapping Presents[/b]
[quote]A +5 Points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/c1820664449b1af5bf7915158e4dc374.jpg[/img]
If there’s one thing to be said for Chad’s gifts, they’re definitely unusual. This can be either good or bad. You’re not sure how to react to the dancing cat speaker at first, but the little guy eventually grows on you.[/quote]
That reaction is pretty much spot on. That thing probably would grow on me. [XD]

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 7: Dinnertime![/b]
[quote]Choice G +8 Points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/9ddb1c57d70d697ff63e53cb3d9de8b5.jpg[/img]
Nothin’ says lovin’ like what comes out of mom’s oven, but unfortunately Mom’s decided she’d like to take it easy this holiday season. This year’s dinner will be professionally catered. It’s quite the feast, to be sure, and undeniably delicious, but seems to lack that special, quality home cooked magic.[/quote]
Would not have expected mom to hire a caterer for Christmas! I didn't even know you could do that. :o This is so fancy, in a deliciously weird way that I like. XD

[hr][/hr]

[b]Day 8: Last Night and Journey Home[/b]
[quote]Choice D +5 Points
[img]http://www.menewsha.com/img/43187/a2a69ef508071accbbb031f86e69755e.jpg[/img]
What’s the perfect way to cap off a perfect day? If you said a five hour nighttime church service, there is something seriously wrong with you. But perfect or not, that’s how your family closes the holidays. It’s what Grandma insists, and no one, not even Grandpa, can say no to her. So you sit, on the same old wooden pew, your butt falling asleep, listening to the same old sermon. You try to get in some Zombie Madness on your phone, but Mom slaps your hand and tells you to behave. Oh well, only four and a half more hours to go.[/quote]
I'm not at all religious, so I can't say a five hour nighttime sermon is a great way to end the day. Good thing I've got such a chatty head, maybe I can think through some of the details of my next writing project. Or maybe I could start that meditation practice I've always wanted. [lol] Besides, it could be worse. At least no one got in a fight and the house didn't burn down. [rofl]

[hr][/hr]
Total points: 49

Aside: Chose a different letter each day, and got through all except H and I. No particular reasoning behind the letters I picked, just followed my feeling in the moment.