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Hello there, Valarnet. It's been a while. Just checking in.

Come to Baxter Bakery for sandwiches this week! We just purchased a third panini press, and can make more sandwiches than ever! Half-price sandwiches if you order a Sparkling Latte. Just mention Valarnet for special pricing on sandwiches, cookies and espresso drinks!

We'll be doing a school supplies drive all summer. Bring in unused school supplies to donate, and Baxter Bakery will be putting together backpacks filled with supplies for Foster Kids in our area. Ask for Audrey if you need a donations accepted list, or other details!

Okay, so this is actually pretty cool. I heard about this once, but didn't think it was actually true. I mean, who buries stuff in the desert like that? It's also crazy to think that at one point video games weren't popular. I mean, when you think of them by today's standards, almost everyone plays video games now.

Hello! I'm Lothiriel and new to the area. I just sailed from New York, and I'm excited to be here for a while. I was super excited to drop off gifts for my cousins, Boromir and Faramir. Speaking of? Hi, you guys!

So what does everyone do around here, for fun? I always end up asking when I come into port for a while, since asking the locals is the way to find out where all the best places to eat or drink are, and where to go shopping. If I buy too much, I might sink my little boat! I better be careful that I don't go overboard. :)

Hell, what do people even write in these things when they don't have crazy dreams or strange crap happening to them. Everything I've tried to write so far has sounded lame or socially awkward.

So... I'm Eomer. Formerly of the US Army, now just a regular guy with private security credentials.

Considering there's a nine year old on my couch who, when he gets back to normal, is probably never gonna leave, I could sure use a job.

Anyone hiring? I've got credentials enough to lead a security operation for any of the local companies. I've also been a bodyguard and an honor guard.

Alright, I guess living at the shop all the time is bad. So. Since I know, like, no one - anyone want to just randomly meet up for coffee or something? I need to not be a hermit.

( Cut for mention of bombing but is public )

So my shirt keeps disappearing. Literally, they de-materialize as soon as I get one on. Thankfully what I'm doing today at work doesn't require a shirt, but it's one thing to be shirtless in a gym and a whole other thing to be at the front office or driving around in my car like some kind of back-woods redneck. If this continues I may just go hang out at the beach for a while and work on my tan, maybe hope when I get home tonight that my closet is still intact.

Oh, and Gabriel is a dick.

So for this past week I've:

1) Had a dream about being a cop in Los Angeles with a partner that looks like the new guy on the Walking Dead, minus the handlebar mustache. It also came with memories of a whole lotta personal drama including nearly being shot to death on the job. Speaking of nearly dying, my other dreams involved: a plane crash. Nearly drowning post-plane crash. Having nearly everyone die on you from your section of the plane which was the tail. Saving a kid by CPR. Being attacked the first night on the beach of the island we all swam to and having three people kidnapped.

2) Went to Mass for Ash Wednesday for the first time in forever. It was nice. Then tried to share my ashes with Michael at work. Made for an interesting sparring demonstration.

3) Had the same dreams again, with more details added. Apparently I'd been seeing a shrink as part of my therapy before coming back to work. Oh and my mom's the police captain in this other life too. Yay. Ugh.

4) Was ordered home from work after nearly passing out before lunch. Stupid dreams and not sleeping.

5) Caught up on sleep loss this weekend to the point I think some people thought I was dead when I didn't answer my phone.

Here's to hoping for a less...dream filled week this time around.

I've delayed overly much in joining this network, but with my retirement from the NFL being official, I've much time on my hands. What does everyone like to do to enjoy themselves? Miss Siri has many recommendations but I like to hear from real people, as well.

Not exactly what I was expecting for my first dream.

I was very careful. Nose, mouth and eyes covered every time I went out but somehow I'm still coughing. At least it's over now. It is over, right? It's over. I will say though, the 'target practice' I got in this weekend was the most entertaining time I've had since I left the service. Now if I could just top coughing up ash I'd be set for the rest of the week.

I'm really starting to regret not having cable.

Either this is one helluva promotion for that Pompeii movie or some serious shit is going down. Last time I checked it doesn't rain ash in Cali.

This is a thing? When did that become a thing. Why is that a thing? I can't be the only person who eats without taking a picture or posts about it on some social networking site.

I don't get it.

Things that make me happy.

Mr. Binky
Golden Girls
Betsy
Tacos
Chimichangas
Explosives
My Little Pony
Explosives
Fighting Wolvie
Golden Girls
Hanging out at the nursing home
Explosives

That game was painful to watch.

So the Super Bowl finally makes it to my hometown and of course I'm not living there anymore. And I don't have the cash for tickets either. Figures.

Had friends on the force that were either on duty or trying out that whole Super Bowl Boulevard thing in midtown Manhattan. They said it was such a waste of time because there were two hour lines for EVERYTHING. Even the free pizza (okay maybe that one was shorter but it's fucking New York City. There's pizza everywhere, even 99 cents pizza!). Fun part is some of them went shopping in Macys so now my apartment is decked out in both Broncos and Seahawks gear. All I need is a bartop and some booze and I'll look like every bar in the tri-state area.

So I'm looking for someone to crash for the Superbowl. I had hoped I would have had my new place set up by now, but still not got the screen up. I'm a red-blooded American male with no-where to watch the Superbowl, can anyone help me out?

My favorite taco place is gone. This is an atrocity!

There are rugby matches on television all day today, of all things. I had no idea this country knew what rugby was. But I am glad they do. Because rugby. And rugby players, and their legs and backsides.

So I'm thinking of taking up Judo at school with the hopes I can be a bodyguard or something in the future! Any advice?

I never thought Canadians were such bastards. A ship full of cannibal rats heading for my country?

It's funny, I've been out of the marines for a few years now but it sometimes I feel like I just stepped off the plane. Like I missed more than I should have some times, though I can't wholly complain about it. Mostly pop culture. You're unlikely to find me whining that I missed planking or Bieber's balls dropping or whatever Snakes on a Plane was supposed to be about. But there are other things, great things I'm told that I've missed out on. Can't say I thought about it at all when I was in the service, I was mostly concerned with not getting shot, which I clearly wasn't very good at. But I did miss some things, mostly bad fast food, real seasons, latin mass in an actual church. If I thought about it I could probably come up with a list but there would be no point. I can actually go out and have or experience everything I've not been able to do in the last... ten years. Only ten years or so, it sure felt like a lifetime while I was living it. Here's hoping the next ten are more peaceful, and that I don't miss anything I don't have to.

One of the things I've already been told not to miss is this network, so here I am, not missing it. I'm Michael, nice to meet you all.

Today officially STINKS. I'm going to go blow up old cars, who's with me?

Well that figures. I leave NYC just in time for them to get an epic snowstorm. Heard the Bronx got 11"! Shame I missed it. Would have been nice to see real drivers knowing how to deal with inclement weather.

Happy New Year everyone!Hope ypu guyd are partying ig up. Fingers frozen, was in Times Square for the crazy.

Well the number my brother was using has gone dead. Or like now a Mexican lady answers and tells me I have the wrong number in Spanish. At least I think that's what she's saying. Oh well it was nice while it lasted.

I may or may not have run outside in jeans at a t-shirt and made snow angels out of sheer joy at seeing a ridiculous amount of snow. And I may have gotten into a brief snowball fight with some of the kids in the building on my way back in.

All of this is reminding me of home. I guess I couldn't have really asked for a better birthday present, and now I'm glad I brought all this flannel here with me.

So, finished decorating the apartment for Christmas. Not even sure why I did it. Not like I have family coming, or like family wants me home at the moment.

Probably just end up watching the Hallmark channel and making fun of all their movies with some seriously spiked Egg Nog.

Speaking of, what is the absolute worst Christmas movie people have seen? I'm curious. Personally, my pick is "Holiday in Handcuffs".

Ugh Christmas music is everywhere. I can only handle so much, world, and the same ones over and over again just give me a migraine.

Harry Dresden
Thank you.

Eggnog's invaded absolutely everything. This is worse than the pumpkin epidemic.

Someone had the audacity to bring me an eggnog latte the other day. I ask you, who mixes eggnog with perfectly good espresso?

Disgusting.

We've been speaking of Christmas songs. This is my very favourite; it's been sung for the last few years round the fire at my da's place in Scotland, with several pints under our belts.

I don't think I will ever understand the appeal of Black Friday. Just reading about the chaos after the fact makes me glad I hid in my house all weekend. I never got into Thanksgiving myself, it's one of the holidays I haven't quite adopted yet. And I think I'll avoid adopting Black Friday shopping madness. I like to shop but that's taking it way too far in my book. I can wait on sales.

It appears to be a pretty common theme in recent posts on here, these dreams. I have to say, I thought I was going to get away with this round being pretty insignificant, but I guess not. It seems when something goes right in one world, it goes completely wrong in the other. At the very least, I think I'm starting to figure some stuff out.

Silver lining, right?

Listen, I'm from New York. We get epic snowstorms, heatwaves, hurricanes, and crazy ass rainstorms.

But earthquakes? Yeah me and earthquakes don't mix.


Almost want to apologize to the neighbors for all the swearing.

Finally got the guts to Called home today to see about Thanksgiving. Seems Mom's not so thrilled to hear from her only daughter from all the way across the country.

Said until I could grow up and learn to move on instead of this whole vendetta thing I got goin' on, that I might as well not bother coming home. Well great.

Commence with the drinking.

I just....I just can't look.

St. Louis. Ugh.

I'm getting very excited for Halloween! Not just because it's an enjoyable holiday, but because my best friend is having a magic show. I haven't been to one of his shows in far too long, I'm very much looking forward to seeing it.

Does anyone have any favourite Halloween movies they could recommend? I feel in the mood to watch something a little scary, to get myself ready for the big day.

My new favorite food: Rocky Road ice cream with bacon bits.

RED SOX ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!! I'm so excited right now!! I may or may not have just been jumping around my living room.

Today someone asked me why I was wearing my costume early, and how realistic it looked. They were talking about my burns. I was half-tempted to give him a permanent costume himself.

Bloody Americans. Bloody Halloween. Why are you people preparing weeks in advance for this?

So I kinda just got fired was let go from my psuedo-celebrity bodyguard job.

Can't exactly say I'll miss it, but I'm pretty sure my bills will.

Seems I got three choices:

1) Try to join the local PD
2) Give up on the search for my partner's killer and go back home to face my mother try to rejoin the NYPD
3) Get a different gig altogether around here

Anybody need a former cop with military experience?

Halloween Costume rules for my daughter: (she's 11)
-No midriffs exposed
-No weapons
-More skin must be covered than if she was wearing a bathing suit.

Not being unreasonable, am I?

First dates are absolutely hellish and I hope I never go on such a terrible one ever, ever again. I think I know everything about this woman's cats and the cats' bowel habits.

The Fest of Ale yesterday was great. Even the run was pretty good fun, but my head's not thanking me so much this morning.

Ah well. Completely worth it, to tell you the truth. Hope everyone else that went had an equally good time, and that the hangovers aren't too terrible.

Well, that's awesome. Interrogation dreams are just the best, you know? And for truly messed in the head killings, some Leatherface crap. I sure hope I don't dream about jail. Oz gave me nightmares about dropping soap, I really don't want to have more of those.

OI! PEOPLE!

Tomorrow is the OC Fest of Ales and Beer Run 5K! I know some people are going, but hopefully this will get a few more. If you want to join the run I made a team named "Valar" so you can join me. Hope to see a few familiar faces there!!

PUMPKIN SPICE! There's an inexplicable joy having the first pumpkin spice latte of the season.