ANNOUNCEMENTS

[Cathie]

Post any and all announcements here. The link to this thread can be found above the SRIF logo banner in the chat. This is for Out of chracter announcements, only.

[Cathie]

On Friday, Feb 17th, 2006, I faced a gruesome discovery, and a brutal realization. Even small towns, like New Baltimore, MI, my home town where I grew up, that has a very low crime rate, is not above crime. Perhaps I'd been too naieve, but I never thought something to trajic would take place in my home town, to people I knew, personally. Thursday night, one of my college friend and her husband (Melissa and Scott Berels) were wrapped up in saran wrap and suffocated until they were dead. Melissa had only just discovered that she was 10 weeks pregnant...less than a week before. I am horrified, sad, balling my eyes out for at least 10 minutes per day, and terribly angry. Melissa was an outgoing, cheerful woman who was always excited about something. I'd go home to visit and go to the grocery store, Vg's where she worked, and we'd stand around talking as she bagged, for an hour. We hung out in college, and her husband Scott, when they'd only just began dating, drove us to the renaissance festival...then locked the keys in the running car.

I have no true point to this post...perhaps just a way to get things out there, and make myself feel better, but aside from that, it bears a warning as well. Melissa and Scott seemed to know these people, the police think...I personally don't know them. And none of our mutual friends knew them. If you feel strange about someone, don't trust them. Learn self defense. Have a can of aquanet hair spray in the house (instead of mace). Lock the deadbolt. And please, be aware of your surroundings.

-Cathie

[Cathie]

It was discovered that my friend's husband, Scott, was taken at gun point and told to drive to Melissa's work to pick her up. Listen up everyone, if something like this ever happens to you, DRIVE INTO A CAR OR BUILDING. Cause an accident! The quickest way to get the cops to you! Just make sure youdo it to that the car t-bones you on the passenger side or something. Just a thought...

[Cathie]

Subject: $20.00

Sometimes we just need to be reminded!

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill.

In the room of 200, he asked,

"Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up.

He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.

He then asked, "Who still wants it?"
Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, "What if I do this?"
And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.
"Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson.

No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease
in value.

It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt
by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless.

But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to
those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.

You are special - Don't EVER forget it."

If you do not pass this on, you may never know the
lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to,
or the hope that it can bring.

Count your blessings, not your problems.

And remember: amateurs built the ark - professionals built the Titanic.

[Cathie]

I've recently joined a voluntary organization called the Magazine Project, designed to help (mainly female) teens realize that those teen magazines that they read, such as Teen, YM, and Cosmo Teen, are all just fluff and rich models. Not saying not to buy them, but not to believe all that you read (Or see). I was an overweight teenager weighing 160 lbs and 5 ft 2 inches tall, between the ages of 15 and 17. I can't remember how many times I cried reading those magazines with the size 2 girls, acne free, blazen on a page that said something about how to find the best deals on clothes...yeah...only $50 for that pair of jeans! (Um...that's...not a deal?!) I couldn't afford stuff like that, didn't look like that, and never would. It actually hurt. I crash dieted, lost 40 lbs in 1 year, but it didn't help the way I felt. In the Magazine Project, you cna submit esteem booting articles, art, poetry, and the like, specifically targetting this issue. You can also print out these articles, then stuff magazines with them. That way when a teen buys the magazine, they get the article, and just might reach out and touch someone. To help, by either submitting articles or other things, or to just stuff magazines, go to www.magazineproject.org.

-Cathie

[Cathie]

This is a warning...the following video is graphic but it is about breast cancer, and specifically, one that is not detectable by a mamogram. It's also a serious killer. It starts out like a bug bite! Please watch this news story...it could save your life, or someone you know.

ww3.komotv.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=785456&h1=T

[Cathie]

This is a notice that all unregisterred characters will now need to be registered to rp in SRIF. With increased issues on the PJJ system, the admins and I saw possible problems coming, and if anyone knows about the problems in SRI, the closing of SRI to unregistered members is understandable. While we never truly had any problems in srif that did not resolve themselves within 24-28 hours, this is being implemented as a precautionary measure. From hence forth, all people who are NEW to SRIF (they have no registered handles in SRIF) will need to complete a 7 time rping regime in pjj.cc/ss which is a chat that represents the city of Seixuso in the year 2006. New members will RP 7 times with an admin using the same character they plan on bringing over to SRIF. SS is a REAL SRIF chat...meaning that anything that happens in there is not just considered training...it happened to your character. The plot line in there follows SRIF's just in Seixuso, not Aranova. SS will not be used to RP in once your character leaves Seixuso (they can stay there as long as you want them to, but once they go to SRIF, there is (or will be) an icon for Seixuso and business can be conducted in the chat using that location icon.

We are working on creating a system that will require all classes (Cleric, Mage, Sorcerrer, Druid...etc) to attend a seperate chat once every 3 months or something like that. For clerics this will be like a pilgrimage and will likely be to Ellyera, just as an example. There are lots of reasons for this but they've not all been structured and worked out yet. We will keep you posted.

SRIF Yahoo Groups. I've advertised this before and believe only one or two others joined. However I'd like to urge people to join this. Now, Yahoo Groups has a Group Email function. I've been waiting a long time for this because it's like setting up a mailing list. You can choose your level of emailing for the regular group list...every single email, a daily digest, or a weekly digest, or not at all, and you can check it yourself on the site. Here is the website for it: groups.yahoo.com/group/srif_group/

Chat rating has changed...the chat rating used to be R. Now that it is members only, it is rated NC-17. The sex rules STILL apply but if you are offended by groping and the like, don't ask people to take it elsewhere. It's rated NC-17 for a reason. The language filters have been removed as well, with the exception of one (derogatory name of a female body part, starts with C), and I'll be adding one. If you can't handle foul language, SRIF probably isn't the best chat for you. I do ask that you don't make characters who cuss every other word. But the occassional ones that happen now are fine, and won't be censored.

I'd like to have a meeting as soon as possible. So it'll be this week. If you cannot make it, PM me with your email address (I don't know everyone's) and I will email you the transcripts.

That's all for now!

[Ladesko]

Have you ever wondered what your SRIF char would be like living through high school? Well now is your chance to find out! pjj.cc/sra

This chat is ran by myself and the player of Filia. ^_^ Come in and join us, watch high school havoc be wreaked!!! Mwahahaha!

[Cathie]

When you're planning something major, cutting me out of the scheduling loop, is only going to make everyone's life complicated. With numerous things being planned currently in SRIF, throwing a major crisis, war, event, party...whatever...into the works will likely result in paths being crossed and people getting mad or disappointed. Not to mention the fact, that as CM, when I ask what's going on, I'm asking for a reason...don't tell me it's a surprise. I don't do surprises well when planning things. I ask as CM, not as a player.

[Cathie]

I know I've posted this once before but as a person now faced with this second hand (my sister possibly), I feel the need to pressure women to learn more about this type of breast cancer. Without a big spiel, here's the info: www.komotv.com/ibc/

[Cathie]

If you RP a non-Cleric magic user or an Elemental (or Dragon of any sort), around Midnight Central Time (Chat Time, so check Avatar times), Delphi, the daughter of Spyridon, will begin casting an age spell upon her mother's reincarnated body, Atalya. This will be cast 4 times and will cause a ripple of extreme pain through those who are of the previous mentioned classes and race. The pain will be an overload of magic being flooded in...this magic is no more than the body can handle, so it will not damage your character permanently. Potential pitfalls include physical damage if you're driving and swerve off the road or if you're cooking, eating...etc. Some people will likely pass out. This will probably be elementals and dragons. Characters will not move up levels in magic. Their magic will be what it should be, but certain beings, such as the dragons and elementals, will be restored to full power (technically, they've been rped at full power, so after this event, you can just say your character feels the difference...no change in spell casting or power use abilities). The planet itself will be restored to full power, which increases the overall strength of magic, and cactus plants are going to spring up, with flowers out in the desert and in areas where they were once being grown (such as gardens). Other desert plants will also return to life. There has been a barren Ponderosa Pine (of course it'd be just called a Pine in this area) tree in the eastern outskirt which pine needles will appear on overnight. Many plants will blossom in the park as well, including Calaret Cup, Desert Christmas Cactus, Poppy, and Ghost Flower. There would be others in the area, and to find out what sort, go here: www.desertusa.com/flora.html. These changes will not be seen by magic rpers...they will be assumed to start when the pain comes on over everyone and only non-magic users will see it slowly begin to happen. Magic rpers will be in too much pain to notice...or out cold. Thereby awakening to see this sight. Many plants do not open at night, so the flowers won't be seen until day.

[Cathie]

I just got Verizon Wireless for cell phone service. Since verizon customers can call other verizon customers for free, I figured I'd go ahead and give out my cell number to those who want it that have the same service. So if you have Verizon Wireless, email or PM me, letting me know and we can exchange numbers. :-)

-Cathie

[Cathie]

Podcasts? Yep. With so much going on...well...it's all explained here. Check out this link and download the first of several, I'm sure, podcasts...no there's no number 2 yet. My kids are loud right now and I have to write up the "script" to read off...because I'm a lousy speaker. Anyway, here are the two made so far, I'm working on a website to "house" the links:

• Intro: www.box.net/public/cs39k1celb
  
• 2a: 2005 Recap: www.box.net/public/d289xaedos
  
• Story of Spyridon: www.box.net/public/04iqc404hv
  

[Cathie]

Okay here it is guys, the new v5 chats are on their way. Here is a current list of things that haven't and have been put into the v5's. Please check it out here wiki.projectjj.com/w/Chats_v5/Features and then go to board.projectjj.com/viewtopic.php?t=879 and check out this...though many are repeats.

Once you've done that I'd like to propose a move when v5 are released (as long as anyone can get them that is). What I'd like to do is close down SS chat, leave open SRIF where it is currently, but use it as what we use SS for, then open a v5 and use it for SRIF. No time limits or anything in getting your character(s) moved over. You'd just need to drop an admin a PM or IM and ask them to email your prior registration form to you, then copy paste it (make changes if needed) and re-register at the new one. I will NOT be deleting the current SRIF. So that all said, how many think we should do this? How many think we should just stick to where we're at? Do not reply, just do the poll, unless you have something to add or suggest. Poll is located here: pjj.cc/common/vote.php?chatpath=chatsrif

[Cathie]

Hey everyone, my sister is trying to raise money for the Y-Me foundation. She is a cervical cancer survivor, herself, two of our aunts have breast cancer, and one uncle (no blood relation) has colon cancer. This is an email she is sending out:

Won't you help us ensure that no one faces breast cancer alone? On Mother's Day, I will be participating in honor of Barb & Patricia (two of my aunts) in Y-ME's Race to Empower. My goal is to raise $100 and my teams goal is to raise $300 to help Y-ME continue providing its indispensable programs and services to anyone touched by breast cancer.

Y-ME is here today for those who can't wait for tomorrow's cure, and we know the need for emotional support and information doesn't stop when the workday ends. That's why Y-ME has the country's only free-of-charge, 24-hour Hotline staffed by trained peer counselors who are breast cancer survivors, with interpreters in 150 languages. Your donation to the Walk fuels the Hotline and Y-ME's other vital programs.

This year, 180,000 Americans are estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. Through the support of financial contributions from donors like you and me, Y-ME can continue offering its services free-of charge programs and services to breast cancer patients, caregivers and loved ones.

I am committed, like Y-ME, to ensuring that no one faces breast cancer alone. In fact, I have created a personal Web site where you can make a donation in support of my Race to Empower participation. Support me online using the "Click here to visit my personal page" link below and help me reach my goal. Of course, I always welcome company and would love for you to join me as well.

Your help truly makes a difference in the lives of those touched by breast cancer, and I am grateful for your support.

Sincerely,
Jamie

To visit my website follow this link: main.y-me.org/site/TR?px=1895831&pg=personal&fr_id=1180&s_tafId=39253

To visit the team site, follow this link: main.y-me.org/site/TR?team_id=43851&pg=team&fr_id=1180&s_tafId=39253
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I know my sister accepts PayPal, though I don't know if the Y-Me donation site does (I need to find out what we can donate before we donate anything). This is a great way to help breast cancer victims! And a great way to honor a living or non-living family member who has/had breast cancer, for Mother's Day.