Reign frowned slightly, trying to figure out what the best answer to that question was. Currently she didn’t technically do anything, she was on hiatus. Then again she was working on something. After a seconds thought she shrugged.
“I’m sort of between gigs right now, I’m supposed to be working on my dissertation but I finding out I’m an excellent procrastinator.”
Feeling moderately fidgety she toyed with one of the prepackaged wet naps. Before quickly ordering the Oyster’s Rockefeller she’d suddenly developed a taste for. Letting Will order and Katie leave she continued.
“What about you? We’ve established you aren’t a wise guy but that still leaves a world of possibilities.”
Long walk...
How in the world had it gotten to be so late. Reign looked up bleary eyed from her mountains of notes and noted that it was nearly midnight. Well hell nearly a whole day shot and what had she accomplished, precious little. Irritably slamming the book shut and throwing her pen across the room Sirius looked up at her from his near by spot on the floor, his head cocked in question.
"Yeah I know immature and pointless but you deal with this mess."Â?
The dog's gaze was steady almost asking Reign to continue.
She only sighed at him and stood, stretching and cracking her back slightly.
"Ok you win, you've been good."Â?
Knowing what that meant the big Shepard was immediately on his feet and waiting expectantly at the front door. Snapping the leash to his collar they both headed out finding their way to the C John Apollo Park and Nature Preserve.
Pop would have approved of they guys name, Reign mused but other than that it meant nothing to her. She noticed a baseball stadium and thought there might be hope for this place yet, a minor league team was better than no team at all.
However, Reign headed down for the beach. She liked being near the water, it always calmed her. Sirius, however, kept tugging at his leash, obviously wanting to run.
"Sorry boy-o. Leash laws and I didn't bring a Frisbee anyway."Â?
Reign
18 years ago
William
18 years ago
Will ordered oysters on the half shell and handed his menu to Katie, before she walked away. He was interested to know what her dissertation was about, but she seemed disinclined to talk about it. Perhaps she would tell him more after he talked of himself. Some folks just didn't open up until they were opened up to.
"I'm a carpenter. I build furniture and cabinetry." There wasn't much more to it than that. Unless she wanted to know what kind of tools and wood he used. "It's not glamorous, but I get to work with my hands and bring joy to others."
((Completely speculative on why she didn't explain. =) ))
"I'm a carpenter. I build furniture and cabinetry." There wasn't much more to it than that. Unless she wanted to know what kind of tools and wood he used. "It's not glamorous, but I get to work with my hands and bring joy to others."
((Completely speculative on why she didn't explain. =) ))
Reign
18 years ago
She wasn’t sure about the joy to others part, Reign considered herself selfish or at least beyond the feelings of others. Not that she thought it was a good thing, she just didn’t care what other people thought.
She did, however, have an odd fondness for carpentry. Something about the smell of saw dust always made her feel at home. It probably had to do with having family members in a similar line of work. She also tended to watch things like “This Old House” and “The New Yankee Workshop”, hey you could always get PBS in hotel rooms.
That could be fun though. It’s got to be better than Ikea instant furniture. I’m guessing mostly custom work.”
It seemed likely a one-man operation couldn’t turn out lots of pieces. Of course he could have fifty guys back at the shop taking orders.
She did, however, have an odd fondness for carpentry. Something about the smell of saw dust always made her feel at home. It probably had to do with having family members in a similar line of work. She also tended to watch things like “This Old House” and “The New Yankee Workshop”, hey you could always get PBS in hotel rooms.
That could be fun though. It’s got to be better than Ikea instant furniture. I’m guessing mostly custom work.”
It seemed likely a one-man operation couldn’t turn out lots of pieces. Of course he could have fifty guys back at the shop taking orders.
William
18 years ago
"It is quite fun." Will had no idea what an eye-key-ah was, nor what she meant by instant furniture, but he could speculate. He wasn't going to tell her he didn't know what she was talking about, as that could lead to awkward questions that could lead to disastrous revelations.
"I only do custom work. I have a shop on The Strip, with a little show room that gives people an idea of what I can do, but mostly I sit down with them and design from their descriptions. I'd be more than happy to take you by sometime and show you around."
He smiled at her, and Katie appeared with bowls of salad, the greens were fresh and had been tossed with a lemon based dressing that was light and tangy. Will had loved that about this place, as he couldn't stand those heavy cream based dressings that seemed to weigh down the greens and sit like led in your belly. He was a simple man when it came to food, if and when he ate at all, and preferred just a dash of lemon or vinegar and oil on his salads.
"What kind of degree are you writing your dissertation for?"
He really was interested in what she was studying, he'd not had any real formal schooling, but had read enough to know that a dissertation was a whole lot of research summed up in a very long paper. He'd even read several published dissertations on subjects that had interested him at one time or another.
"I only do custom work. I have a shop on The Strip, with a little show room that gives people an idea of what I can do, but mostly I sit down with them and design from their descriptions. I'd be more than happy to take you by sometime and show you around."
He smiled at her, and Katie appeared with bowls of salad, the greens were fresh and had been tossed with a lemon based dressing that was light and tangy. Will had loved that about this place, as he couldn't stand those heavy cream based dressings that seemed to weigh down the greens and sit like led in your belly. He was a simple man when it came to food, if and when he ate at all, and preferred just a dash of lemon or vinegar and oil on his salads.
"What kind of degree are you writing your dissertation for?"
He really was interested in what she was studying, he'd not had any real formal schooling, but had read enough to know that a dissertation was a whole lot of research summed up in a very long paper. He'd even read several published dissertations on subjects that had interested him at one time or another.
Reign
18 years ago
She didn't -need- any furnature but that wasn't to say she wasn't interested. It might be kind of fun to see what style he actually worked in.
"I might take you up on that some time."
Reign smiled at him and decided she probably would take him up on it or possibly she'd just drop in. If it were on the strip she should be able to find it, and if she couldn't find it there was enough down there to keep her entered tained so it wouldn't be a wasted evening.
Katie got a half hearted smile as she drop off the salad and poked experimentally at it before taking a bite and deciding it wasn't leathle.
"Liturature actually but I'm thinking of changing my thesis."
Again. That would be what the third time. Maybe that's while her advisor was getting so snippy with her.
"I might take you up on that some time."
Reign smiled at him and decided she probably would take him up on it or possibly she'd just drop in. If it were on the strip she should be able to find it, and if she couldn't find it there was enough down there to keep her entered tained so it wouldn't be a wasted evening.
Katie got a half hearted smile as she drop off the salad and poked experimentally at it before taking a bite and deciding it wasn't leathle.
"Liturature actually but I'm thinking of changing my thesis."
Again. That would be what the third time. Maybe that's while her advisor was getting so snippy with her.
William
18 years ago
Will finished his bite and grinned at Reign. She seemed put off by the salad. He figured not everyone liked it so she couldn't be faulted in the least.
"That's a rather broad subject. Any particular portion of literature? A genre, time period, or the art of criticism, perhaps?"
She struck him as a woman full of opinions. Having only known her for less than an hour, he was probably being much too familiar. He should give himself more time to form his opinion of her, after all he had more than enough on his hands.
"That's a rather broad subject. Any particular portion of literature? A genre, time period, or the art of criticism, perhaps?"
She struck him as a woman full of opinions. Having only known her for less than an hour, he was probably being much too familiar. He should give himself more time to form his opinion of her, after all he had more than enough on his hands.
Reign
18 years ago
Oh brilliant, he would be interested.
Reign chewed at her bottom lip for a second before venturing on.
"I'm not sure its much interest to anyone besides me but I started with an analysis and critic of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass as they relate to the British Monarchy. But I'm not liking how its working out so I'm thinking of changing it. I've got a meeting with my advisor later this month to try and sort out a new thesis and see if there is anything I can salvage."
That was a depressing though and Reign found herself cringing at the idea. Ah well that's why she'd been at this so long.
Reign chewed at her bottom lip for a second before venturing on.
"I'm not sure its much interest to anyone besides me but I started with an analysis and critic of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass as they relate to the British Monarchy. But I'm not liking how its working out so I'm thinking of changing it. I've got a meeting with my advisor later this month to try and sort out a new thesis and see if there is anything I can salvage."
That was a depressing though and Reign found herself cringing at the idea. Ah well that's why she'd been at this so long.
William
18 years ago
Will chewed thoughtfully at his mouthful of lettuce. It sounded like a terribly boring bit of research, as he'd never particularly cared about the british monarchy. In his opinion the Brits could all go sod themselves to death, to use their own vernacular. Though he would never say such things aloud.
"Well, that seems a rather daunting task. Perhaps you could use your Through the Looking Glass research, and add to it other Carroll works along with works by his contemporaries and how they apply to the socio-political climate of today"
He washed the salad down with a drink of water and realized his mistake right away.
"Oh, Reign do forgive me. That was very presumptuous of me."
"Well, that seems a rather daunting task. Perhaps you could use your Through the Looking Glass research, and add to it other Carroll works along with works by his contemporaries and how they apply to the socio-political climate of today"
He washed the salad down with a drink of water and realized his mistake right away.
"Oh, Reign do forgive me. That was very presumptuous of me."
Reign
18 years ago
Reign had to laugh. She didn't mind the suggestion, it just sounded as tremendously boring as what she was giving up.
"I don't mind, really. Suggestions welcome but I'm about ready to give up on Alice. Unless I can find away to relate it to Carroll's mathematical leanings and my math skills are circumspect at best. I think I'm going to move back into the Americas and work something out from there."
Setting her fork down she shook her head. Yay! One more thing to remind her she had tendency towards being a slacker and a failure. Ah well, the truth hurt but no point in denying it, at least not to herself.
"This can't be very interesting for you, listening to me ramble about something that I might just give up out right."
"I don't mind, really. Suggestions welcome but I'm about ready to give up on Alice. Unless I can find away to relate it to Carroll's mathematical leanings and my math skills are circumspect at best. I think I'm going to move back into the Americas and work something out from there."
Setting her fork down she shook her head. Yay! One more thing to remind her she had tendency towards being a slacker and a failure. Ah well, the truth hurt but no point in denying it, at least not to herself.
"This can't be very interesting for you, listening to me ramble about something that I might just give up out right."
William
18 years ago
Will smiled at her and pushed his half finished salad away.
"I am not bored. Finding out things about new people is never boring. Though we seem to have covered everything about work, shall we move on to hobbies? Have you any?"
He drank from his water glass, it was refreshingly tasteless and he was rather happy about that. It seemed more and more water had awful textures and tastes of late. This must be heavily filtered or from a bottle. Ah, bottled water another sad fact of humanities wasteful tendencies.
"I am not bored. Finding out things about new people is never boring. Though we seem to have covered everything about work, shall we move on to hobbies? Have you any?"
He drank from his water glass, it was refreshingly tasteless and he was rather happy about that. It seemed more and more water had awful textures and tastes of late. This must be heavily filtered or from a bottle. Ah, bottled water another sad fact of humanities wasteful tendencies.
Reign
18 years ago
Hrm... Reign wasn't exactly keen on the twenty questions game and often side stepped any attempt to get to know her. She'd been getting better about it, or at least more aware of this fault. That and she was a bit on the lonely side and so talking was good, even if it was about her.
"Not really. Work took up most of my time and what little I had left was practice and toying with my dissertation took up the rest."
She'd been sipping at her Guinness sparingly saving it for the meal but now she did take a long drink.
"You must do something besides make cabinets all day."
"Not really. Work took up most of my time and what little I had left was practice and toying with my dissertation took up the rest."
She'd been sipping at her Guinness sparingly saving it for the meal but now she did take a long drink.
"You must do something besides make cabinets all day."
William
18 years ago
Will chuckled, he did do things during the day other than make cabinets, since he didn't start that until well after the sun went down.
"I find myself a night owl so I do a good deal of my sleeping during the day. However when I'm not sleeping, or making cabinets, I read. If I am feeling in need of exercise I practise swordplay, or I take a walk. Sadly my life is very boring, but it suits me well."
He smiled at her. He loved his life. He never felt like he needed to change things or do something out of the ordinary. Simplicity was all he needed, and he found himself content with where life had taken him.
"I find myself a night owl so I do a good deal of my sleeping during the day. However when I'm not sleeping, or making cabinets, I read. If I am feeling in need of exercise I practise swordplay, or I take a walk. Sadly my life is very boring, but it suits me well."
He smiled at her. He loved his life. He never felt like he needed to change things or do something out of the ordinary. Simplicity was all he needed, and he found himself content with where life had taken him.
Reign
18 years ago
"Nothing wrong with being a night owl. I tend that way myself."
Having a fondness for jazz and playing pool on top of that, it was an occupational hazzard.
The main course arrived right about then so there was a few seconds pause while salad plates were taken away and food set down. Reign inhaled deeply. It smelled wonderful. Waiting until they both had their meals and Katie had stepped away she speared one of the oysters, they tasted as good as they smelled.
"Swordplay. Really? That's a little unusuall. Any particular style or reason?"
Having a fondness for jazz and playing pool on top of that, it was an occupational hazzard.
The main course arrived right about then so there was a few seconds pause while salad plates were taken away and food set down. Reign inhaled deeply. It smelled wonderful. Waiting until they both had their meals and Katie had stepped away she speared one of the oysters, they tasted as good as they smelled.
"Swordplay. Really? That's a little unusuall. Any particular style or reason?"
William
18 years ago
Will didn't know if he had a style. He was taught battle skills, and so he wasn't as smooth or fancy as the fencers.
"I use a longsword. I don't really follow any particular school of play. As to the reason, well, it was something I picked up in my youth and I still enjoy when the mood strikes me."
Will shrugged a bit. He couldn't tell her much more than that, since his youth was several centuries before she was even a glimmer in her parents eyes, or so he presumed. She could be as old as he, or older. If he chose he could listen carefully to her body rhythms, but that was not always the best indicator, as some vampires breathed like humans, and their hearts beat just as quickly.
"I use a longsword. I don't really follow any particular school of play. As to the reason, well, it was something I picked up in my youth and I still enjoy when the mood strikes me."
Will shrugged a bit. He couldn't tell her much more than that, since his youth was several centuries before she was even a glimmer in her parents eyes, or so he presumed. She could be as old as he, or older. If he chose he could listen carefully to her body rhythms, but that was not always the best indicator, as some vampires breathed like humans, and their hearts beat just as quickly.
Reign
18 years ago
“No career path out there for a professional fencer then?”
She’d picked up pool as a kid and had been just enough of a pain in the ass to make a living at it. Of course, she’d had a little help and some luck as well, but there also seemed to be more opportunities for that particular skill than fencing.
“I remember going through a swashbuckler phase when I was a kid, but its probably a good thing my folks never turned me loose with a real weapon. That could have been really messy.”
Five siblings and the guys, yeah blood would have been spilled. Probably in good fun, but parental types never seemed fond of friendly fire.
She’d picked up pool as a kid and had been just enough of a pain in the ass to make a living at it. Of course, she’d had a little help and some luck as well, but there also seemed to be more opportunities for that particular skill than fencing.
“I remember going through a swashbuckler phase when I was a kid, but its probably a good thing my folks never turned me loose with a real weapon. That could have been really messy.”
Five siblings and the guys, yeah blood would have been spilled. Probably in good fun, but parental types never seemed fond of friendly fire.
William
18 years ago
"I'm afraid not. The only thing it's good for now is exercise."
Will put lemon on an oyster and picked it up with the little two pronged fork that comes on the platter. He'd never enjoyed slurping them off the shell, it seemed so barbaric and he felt like he had out grown those kinds of behaviors centuries ago. The little morsel paused half way to his mouth as he chuckled. He ate the oyster quickly before answering.
"When I was a boy we didn't have many things to play with, so bloodshed during play was common. Since wrestling each other to the ground was our favorite past time."
Will put lemon on an oyster and picked it up with the little two pronged fork that comes on the platter. He'd never enjoyed slurping them off the shell, it seemed so barbaric and he felt like he had out grown those kinds of behaviors centuries ago. The little morsel paused half way to his mouth as he chuckled. He ate the oyster quickly before answering.
"When I was a boy we didn't have many things to play with, so bloodshed during play was common. Since wrestling each other to the ground was our favorite past time."
Reign
18 years ago
For no apparent reason that made Reign giggle. Something about family and childhood made her rather sentimental and today it wasn’t depressing her either. She missed her family and being alone often did depress her but tonight it just made her a bit nostalgic.
“Do you have a lot of siblings?”
She chewed contentedly on an oyster and wished she had something to slip under the table to Sirius. He’d eat the oyster, but seafood probably wasn’t the best thing for him.
Washing the oyster down with some of the dark beer, she grinned in memory.
“There are six of us. Three boys three girls. I swear there were times my folks thought the house was a war zone rather than a home.”
“Do you have a lot of siblings?”
She chewed contentedly on an oyster and wished she had something to slip under the table to Sirius. He’d eat the oyster, but seafood probably wasn’t the best thing for him.
Washing the oyster down with some of the dark beer, she grinned in memory.
“There are six of us. Three boys three girls. I swear there were times my folks thought the house was a war zone rather than a home.”
William
18 years ago
Will had to think back a very long time to remember just how many of them there had been. He smiled at the memory of his brothers and sisters running around the yard playing. "There were seven of us, four boys, three girls. I was number three, and spent a great deal of time as a babysitter."
There had not been anymore after baby Arabella died, even though he knew his parents had been talking about adding to the family. It was their duty to Gelderland to have a big family with big strapping boys. How they were going to feed another mouth was beyond him. He was certain his parents had tried, but Mother's sorrow kept their number to six. He sighed softly it was a sad memory and he did not like to dwell on it.
There had not been anymore after baby Arabella died, even though he knew his parents had been talking about adding to the family. It was their duty to Gelderland to have a big family with big strapping boys. How they were going to feed another mouth was beyond him. He was certain his parents had tried, but Mother's sorrow kept their number to six. He sighed softly it was a sad memory and he did not like to dwell on it.
Reign
18 years ago
“I don’t know how you managed being a middle child. I’m sure it would have killed me.”
She was half inclined to ask if he was still in touch with his siblings, where they lived etcetera. However, that was likely to lead to return inquiries and Reign would just as soon avoid that.
Estranged or not she kept track of them all though. Helen had just graduated high school and left for college and she was the youngest. She missed them all a great deal, maybe someday she’d contact them again, certainly, her parents would appreciate it… she hoped.
“It’s a bit odd to meet some one with a family as large… larger than mine. We tended to get odd looks from strangers.”
She was half inclined to ask if he was still in touch with his siblings, where they lived etcetera. However, that was likely to lead to return inquiries and Reign would just as soon avoid that.
Estranged or not she kept track of them all though. Helen had just graduated high school and left for college and she was the youngest. She missed them all a great deal, maybe someday she’d contact them again, certainly, her parents would appreciate it… she hoped.
“It’s a bit odd to meet some one with a family as large… larger than mine. We tended to get odd looks from strangers.”
William
18 years ago
"I never knew any different. It was nice not to be expected to be in charge of all of the children all of the time, as well as being able to watch the babies grow and give them help when they needed it."
This was a bit of a tricky spot. He didn't know what large families experienced in this era. He could only go by what he knew and modify it a bit. Being from some where other than America helped in that respect. Most americans don't know anything about the customs of other countries, particularly the Netherlands. It is rare anyone even knows there is a place called Gelderland.
"Large families were quite common where I grew up. I have noticed that there aren't that many large families around here."
There that would work and if she asked where he grew up, his home town still existed as did Gelderland. It helped that old european cities never changed their names or locations.
This was a bit of a tricky spot. He didn't know what large families experienced in this era. He could only go by what he knew and modify it a bit. Being from some where other than America helped in that respect. Most americans don't know anything about the customs of other countries, particularly the Netherlands. It is rare anyone even knows there is a place called Gelderland.
"Large families were quite common where I grew up. I have noticed that there aren't that many large families around here."
There that would work and if she asked where he grew up, his home town still existed as did Gelderland. It helped that old european cities never changed their names or locations.