A deaf character will add an interesting dimension to the town. Especially if he has much interaction with Avery, the blind scribe.

I've worked with deaf people for the past 20 years and am fluent in ASL. Feel free to ask any background questions.

One thing that it looks like you've already addressed is the fact that if a person goes deaf after they've learned to speak, they can speak and be very understandable. The person who first taught me sign language went deaf at age 7. He spoke and read lips well enough that people didn't immediately know he was deaf. He did speak with a pronounced speech impediment.

Welcome back. Happy to have you. As you well know, Hatrack always has room for people willing to speak with passion and listen with patience.

It'll be fun to get back in to this again and I look forward being creative again.

You're right about the deafness, I wanted to add some interesting interactions between the characters -- that's why I made it clear that Jake couldn't read lips. It'll be a challenge for me, but that's a good thing, right?

Just a note about the General Store. The idea of switching prices has a couple of problems with it:

First, stores in 1830, especially country stores like Hatrack would have, didn't have price tags on the items.

And second, the store is run by a sole proprietor who is also the cashier. I would think that Love knows the price of every item in the store without even looking at it. Think about your business (mine being computer consulting) I can tell you exactly what's installed on my laptop, what the directory structure looks like, all the passwords, etc. Love problably knows the store even better than that. Just a thought.

As for the get in/get out thing, I'm not touching that one.

Second item, while the Writer's guidelines specify a PG-13 level of writing, it has been generally accepted that swear words, especially those that involve diety are not appropriate. There have been whole threads on this in the past, so I won't go into the details, except to reiterate that writers should not write "active" swearing. It is completely acceptable to write "inactive" swearing. What I mean by inactive swearing, is that you can talk ABOUT your character swearing, (i.e. "Shep burned his fingers and his resulting outburst peeled the paint off the pantry.") But having your character say "damn, hell, etc." should be avoided.

This is one of the few requirements that our sponsor has put on forum participation.

Avery's writer: Sure love to teach you to sign. Start by putting your hands like this.

Actually we should probably start a new thread for the sign language discussion. There are some general principles that can be written about. There are also excellent books and videos that are helpful. I haven't found many sites on the web though. Could be because I haven't looked really hard.

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/aslweb/browser.htm

A VERY good site. There is one important thing to remember--some signs are different depending on which region you live in. For instance, I have seen signs used here that are completely different from the one I use.

Now Walker, switching prices for a cheaper one IS stealing. Not to mention dishonest. Not to mention everything that Shep already spoke to. While I'm sure Jess doesn't think he's doing anything illegal (or ill will, whatever), he is and his personal misconception should not effect the protections around the store.

Also, I will reiterate one more time:

PLEASE do not litter my threads with OOC comments!

quote:

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(Note: Wraith sticks his teeth at the edge of the can and rolls it with his paws to open it. He had it in his mouth when Jess kicked him out. Just in case someone decides they want to see him.)

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Instead of needing to explain everything all the time, why don't you write your characters' actions into the posts? Not only is it more effective, but it would add a lot more color to the posts.

I appreciate your help with this.

Many Blessings,
Amanda

So, first to Walker. This board is read by people all over the world and even native English speakers often speak a second language. I think the rule has to hold for all KNOWN languages. If you want to make up your own language complete with curses, that's fine so long as it's not a simple "replace all the "F's" with "G's" or something.

I doubt anyone else here remembers the original Battlestar Galactica. I watched it as a kid. The script was in English of course, but the characters had a totally made up language for swearing. The only one I remember is "Felgercarb!" On second thought I think "Frak" was another one.

Anyway, like I said earlier, you're more than welcome to have a character who swears like a sailor so long as you only talk ABOUT him swearing. It's a fine line.

BTW, Walker, I have to say that I appreciate your willingness to consider other's points of view and at times change your actions.

It's always a balancing act when trying to give unsolicited feedback. Because, really we all really want you to stay!

Avery (I should really go look up your profile and call you by your correct name, but I guess Avery will have to do.

Part of the reason that we didn't spell out "These words are okay: This words are not-okay" is that we want to foster a feeling of religious tolarance. It's good to have characters that are deeply religious, or at least deeply devoted to their cause.

So, it's the context rather than the words themselves that are objectionable. Any character who manages to say a prayer without mentioning any form of diety, would show themselves a much better writer than I am.

In short, Avery, I think your characters are great. I haven't really noticed any gratuitous swearing on their part.

Anyway, I think swearing in general is discouraged on OSC's board and therefore we should not use cursing if we can help it. A lot of kids come here, and this is supposed to be a family site. Swearing in any language is still swearing. Now I personally have no problem with 'cussing' (I do it often enough that I'm trying to cut back), but OSC is not keen on it and so we should respect that.

As Rodney (sorry I keep calling you Shep...) said, there are more creative ways to write your character's reactions. Instead of cursing, you could easily show the character's struggle to maintain composure---red face, biting his cheek, balling his fists, grumbling, feet stomping....I personally think that description is a much better way to get the point across, anyway.

Oh, and you weren't oblivious. I went back and edited to clarify what he did.

The curses will probably be created for the races the Qil e te Re (on http://s9.invisionfree.com/Serium/index.php? and http://worldofserium2.proboards20.com/index.cgi )and the Felinar, on the same sites as the Qil and on Warzone ( http://warplanet11.proboards3.com/index.cgi )Those two are Worlds of the Walkers, or sites that are part of the Walker RPG ( http://thosewhowalk.proboards31.com/ )

Question: was that ad too blatant? I'll make the curses after I finish posting here.

Oh, and Avery? Avery's from New Sweden, right? And isn't New Sweden what is Maryland here and now (or part of it)? That's where the Thrifts are from, on what is in the here and now the Chesapeake Bay. Think we could do something with Avery remembering who and/or what the Thrifts (or one of their branches) are?

However, I believe the Methodist circuit riders were in the area at the time. Story has it (among other stories) that Hoosiers (as in Indiana Hoosiers) came to be called Hoosiers because the Methodist riders would ride up to a cabin and call out to see if anyone was home and the residents would call back, in thier mushy slang, "Who's there?" There is also the story about "hoosier daddy?" but let's not go there.

They're a big, widespread family that normally keeps the name Thrift, though there are other names in it. In their family are Reds, Blacks, Whites, Blues (literally), blind people, deaf people, mute people. There are so many of them and they are so un-predujiced that they have a little of everything.

At times the Hatrack Church has been very active and discussion of God/religion/etc are quiet common.

I like Walker's solution of making up your own curses if you feel your characters must actively curse or swear.

But, it is Walker's interaction/collaboration w/Avery on the Walker's Random OOC Comments thread, their many hours devoted to coordinated characterization & their sometimes daily postings that we newbies can use to learn how this is done. It's their hard work, determination & consistency that enabled me to stumble upon a virtual 1830's village that has not become a ghost town. Kudos, gentlemen!

Also must thank Walker individually for helping me figure out the time thing & trying very hard(although unsuccessfully to date) to guide me through the "accepted" character profile protocol.

Now, for the rant some of you probably knew was about to come! It seems to me(who is this maltaning guy?) that the Slavery thing is holding much of what you have to give back. I'm reminded how Alvin, with much time to do some serious thinking while he was couped up in that Hatrack jail(just finished reading Alvin Journeyman tonight; & probably a few of you figured as much out already), spent much of it pondering the nature of evil, and none of it solving the problem of slavery.

My character, Spence, has definitely come into Hatrack to try and change some things. So, either get serious, or join the conspiracy to provide Hatrack Township with its first "on screen" murder.

Caro

edit: Question: Walker, Avery, Ahavah, etc...shall we continue the storyline in the pub where it left off (re: Rider)? If you've moved on and don't have the time, no problem. If you'd like to continue, then I'll have Rider pick up where he left off as smoothly as I can. Thanks!

How many RPGs do you obsess over? If more people posted I'd drop dead from exhaustion trying to keep up with uh... the two still-active Seriums, uh... those two, this... oh, the Citadel. That's six of these I'm doing, plus fanfiction and original fiction. (What was the point of that comment? I haven't a clue. Just for something to say,I think)

I decided to wait, because the evil scum put two of my favorite authors in the same category. Now if they had put Terry Pratchett's Humor/Fantasy Discworld novel ('Going Postal') in Humor and 'Shadow of the Giant' in Sci-fi I wouldn't have a problem, but the two stories are very different and both very good. To decide between them would be (essentially) comparing a (very good) apple and a (very good) orange.

especially like Mr. Tiddles(the cat)

What I remember of the story is A) It was good. B) It was funny. C) The primary character had a stupid name which I forget and was, before Vetinari gave him a false name and the post of Postmaster, a con man whom everyone thinks is (he was hung) dead. D) He was a pretty cynical, annoying, unpleasant guy and his postal employees were the crazy kid with the pins and the crazy old man.

I've moved out here and am getting started with a new job. I hope to resume posting in another week or two.

since I had been posting on both of them, I would have preferred some comment on that

On Aug 15, we welcomed in our second beautiful baby girl, Ivy Grace. She and big sister get along beautifully. I must say that I had a much easier birth than poor Goody Planter! LOL I will try to get caught up quickly and resume posting sometime today or tomorrow.

BTW, wasn't someone else here pregnant? Honey or Madame PLanter, I believe? Whoever it was...did you have your baby yet?

Anyway, it's good to be back! I'm sorry to see that most threads I was involved in have petered out. Well, maybe it won't take me too long to catch up. Come by and give Ahavah & Clan a howdy, so I can easily get back into the swing of things.

to Walker:you are the one who don't type too well; & too busy to edit out your egregious mis-strokes

do not have a problem with whatever way you[anyone] chooses to express bewilderment/frustration/anger; actually think this type expression integral to 'Hatrack experience' & necessary/helpful to improve quality of 'product' being made available to READERS[what each of us truly seek]

DO have a problem with deliberate(OOC) mis- direction[such as Walker's comments RE:any underground tunneling activities in the area

will remain in OK another day; I'm doing some research on Shawnee which will help w/accurate portrayal of 'injuns' @Beyond & when Spence meets w/party to pass along 'spirit fan'