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In about a week, Dani and I are going to be taking a long trip. When we get back we'll be settling in a new house in Vancouver. It's exciting, and a little terrifying, but the Ranch will be in good hands with Summers.

So I guess this'll be a goodbye.

I can't believe today is my first full day of work. I have had different jobs before, but none that I moved across the world for. Director Fury has high standards to live up to in order to keep me hanging around this job.

Anyway, my name is Peggy and I just moved here from England a couple weeks ago. I have been laying low and trying to get a feel for this new place. I think I have experienced as many touristy things as I can, but I may still be missing things. Anything else I should make sure to check out?

Couldn't sleep. Anyone still up?

oh my god if that was one of those dreams I don't want them

I had a good birthday on Friday, all things considered. Missing a little something, naturally, but I think the kids at the ranch needed something positive more than I did.

I finally get my ass over to The Agency's building and the brother at the front desk wants to tell me how late I am.

Excuse me? Have you ever been a big one-eyed black man trying to get a cab in any metropolitan area, ever? No, you have not.

Tryin' to tell me I'm late. I've been on a plane since before the SUN came up and the man can't even get me a coffee. Orange County, you and I are gonna have a problem you keep this up.

( Discussion of recent violent plot, PTSD related things )

My thoughts go out to those at Fort Hood. I can only hope this brings to the forefront the fact war can fuck you up, even if you refuse to admit it, and there needs to be more mental health care for our soldiers.

If I was the type to start programs, I'd start one for better mental health care, as I am not, I can only hope someone does. I am sick of seeing this happen to my fellow soldiers.

Shepard
I need to do something before I go kick the asses of some Military Generals who can't help their own people. I have been idle too long.

Something tells me I'm not leaving my house for a few days.

Remind me again why I agree to do charity events for my old job? Oh. Right. They like pulling us retired veterans out of our happy retirement, shove us in our old uniforms and parade us around to get money. sigh.

That's not to say I don't like my old dress uniform. I do, I love it. But man, charity events are exhausting.

Which is probably why the OC threw a new Dream at me. This is utterly fascinating, truly.

Shepard
I think I might actually be more useful to you than previously thought. And I know I was damn useful.

Well. Never expected to see a priest's suit show up in my closet of all places.

Are you seeking adventure? A guilt free way to unleash the violence inside? Then come out to [GPS COORDINATES] and have fun laying waste to what I like to call Darkspawn. I promise it'll be a good time.

I can stop it, I just need people to hold the line.

This whole Malaysian plane thing baffles me. I'm extremely curious as to what happened and how they still don't know much about what happened.

On a lighter note, The Pie Hole in Huntington Beach will be having it's grand opening this Friday, March 14th. Yes, Pi Day. I'm looking forward to see everyone.

Has anyone else out there woken up to find full sets of armor in their bedroom? I recognize it from my dreams, but what do I do with it? Can't exactly hang it in the closet. I mean, how would that even work?

It's odd how one set of dreams changes everything.

Every single one of my friends are dead, including me. Though I'm still around because I'm a ghost. I'm now taking care of a baby that apparently came to me as a teenager back in time and told me that I had to kill her to save the world.

I can't kill a child.

And now I have new friends. A new werewolf and a new vampire to take care. They're good guys. It's just a bit too much.

I can be seen and can touch things again, for the most part.

Say you have access to a space ship.

What's more romantic, the rings of Saturn or parked near one of Jupiter's moons?

Dear fellow military and ex-military personnel,

Pretty sure we can manage to get laid without needing these.. I promise, regular ones are fine.

Spring is a really busy time at the Ranch. Not only do we grow a lot of the crops that are used to feed the kids here, but we've also got baby livestock everywhere and now we've even got a baby Eopie to play with.

Remission came right on time, when you think about it. I've had about a month to recover some strength and some weight and I feel like I'm really ready to handle all of this. I just wish I could shake these feelings of foreboding I keep having.

If anybody's curious, the half-inch of hair that's grown back is coming in a sort of mahogany brown instead of black. There's auburn highlights when the sun hits it certain ways.

Mm. Fascinating. This place leaves me with the most interesting presents.

Shepard
Oh, you'll want to see this toy that the OC left ever so thoughtfully on my bed this morning.

Hela
Dear friend, I seem to have acquired an object from my Dreams, it's probably too dangerous to play with but oh I find myself unable to truly avoid that.

Thank you, again, for helping me dispose of the bodies. They were causing quite a stink, weren't they?

That's funny. Today isn't Tuesday.

With all the work I do with artificial intelligence and robotics, I suppose I have a unique point of view when it comes to the creatures that science fiction seems to produce. But the similarity I've found between most of these books and movies boils down to one question: Can robots feel?

Technology is progressing by leaps and bounds, and yet that question still remains, as it has for decades. I've found myself pondering it, as we draw closer to Valentine's Day, which celebrates love in most all its forms.

Can a robot learn to love? Could we someday progress so far that something mechanical could learn to feel human emotions, as we feel them. Or will they always be subpar, in that respect.

In light of everything my dream self has done that the Council knows about I can't help but think they're being incredibly stupid by giving me a padawan, no matter what Obi-wan says. They think this is the way to teach me responsibility, which is frankly ridiculous as since I became a Jedi I have felt the weight of the whole damn galaxy on my shoulders thanks to that stupid prophecy. And then they worry about my 'problematic sense of attachment' but then they assign me a little girl to watch over and train in the middle of a war.

If I somehow manage to keep this kid alive, which I'm not exactly confident I'll be able to do, what sort of Jedi will she turn out to be? But then I guess, if everything that Obi-wan said will happen happens then I won't have to worry over it for long.

This time last year, I was in a very bad place. I won't get into details over how bad a place it was, but it was so far down that it's had a pretty profound effect on my life for the last year. I ran away from my life and these dreams and the powers the dreams gave me... pretty much escaped to alcohol and in the end even some drugs.

When I realised how bad it was, and that I'd run away from every single person who could have helped me, I only had one person left to turn to.

That man was Urdnot Wrex. He funded my way through rehab and gave me a job when I moved back. He was my sponsor, and my friend, and a large part of my support system. Now that he's moved on to other things, it's up to people like me to take on that mantle. So here we go:

When Urdnot Ranch was rebuilt last year, its focus was not just to help at-risk children realise they could make better choices. Urdnot Ranch is also an outreach center for any dreamers, like me, who are having a time handling the dreams and powers/magic/etc they might be getting from them. We have counselors, we have people who can help train you, we have some extra beds if you need a place to stay, we have many other ways we can help you.

The only thing Wrex ever asked of me was that I pay it forward by volunteering at the ranch and helping other people. If your life is bringing you so far down that you need help climbing out of it, please come to us. We'll do what we can to get you through this, and there really is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you.

I went out. Which, for those who know me, is a rarity. I had fun. It was interesting. I think I'll do it again sometime.

Shepard
You turned me into a normal person. Thanks. Getting hard to remember that sometimes.

These dreams like to punch you in the balls, don't they? Even if you don't even have any.

Edit: I'm looking for someone good with computers. Like really, scary-nerd good.

I think today, I shall hit up the range and keep myself in practice. Not that after all my time in the military I am worried I'll forget how to shoot, but it's always nice to shoot something.

Knee's healed and at 100%, this is a good week.

Canaan, Shepard, Hela, Loki, other friends etc [all Separate]
So the paperwork came back. Officially retired from the MP. Again, for good finally. Up for retirement dinner?

So. What's a girl gotta do to get a job around here?

Had an interesting conversation over a drink with someone I used to know from the marines.

Ended up breaking his jaw but that's what you get for being a bigoted ass.

3 days in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show... Jarvis, you coming with me?

Kevin, I'm assuming you'll be there. David?

It's going to be... interesting.

THIS WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED BUT GUESS WHO ASKED LARA TO MARRY HER AND GUESS WHO SAID YES!?

(okay obviously it was LARA who said yes but seriously omg you guys I have a freaking wedding to plan and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE AWESOME!

So I'm sitting in a plane, waiting at a gate. You know how it is when the flight lands and everyone pops up out of their seats like the plane is on fire and they need to jump off of it before they die? And they clog up the aisles run people over trying to get their crap out of the overhead bins.

Like they're monkeys.

I figured - hey, might as well surf the net on my phone while I wait for these assholes to 'Exit the plane in an orderly fashion'. This is the network my phone decided to connect me to. So hi, everyone.

Also - and maybe more importantly - Dad, how are you? You might want to head to the airport.

I need a distraction after last night's dreams, so who wants to help me open a secret dreamers only bar or nightclub or coffee shop or whatever? We need a place where we can talk about this stuff in the open. Also, I can't think of any group of people more in need of a drink.

This was one hundred percent true.

Those fuckers are indestructible.

The things you see in the supermarket tabloids. Lara, is there something you and Sam need to share with us?

( cut for picture )

Nice going Jedi council. Send the teenage padawan you feel is dangerous, arrogant and overly emotional off alone with the most beautiful senator in the galaxy. Of course they instantly start flirting. Forget merely breaking the Code, he's gonna smash it into a thousand pieces if Padme ever lets on that she might have feelings for him too.

I've spent most of my adult life in the desert, and then I was stuck for two years in a rainy place. It's going to be nice to be a little dry again.

I'm Mulan Hua, formerly of Her Majesty's Royal Army. I teach football. Soccer as most of you call it.

Well it looks like I'm off to Kabul nope, not Kabul, but close enough I suppose on Thanksgiving. Well a few days before but I don't think I'll be back before it. Not that I had anywhere to be, of course, but I usually do a volunteer thing with some of the other Marines. Guess this year I'll be living it up in sand. It's almost depressing, really, I almost rather be here with all the weird, and not being shot at.

Canaan
I'll see if I can bring back some food goodies from Kabul while I'm there.

I'm starting to look like I have mange or something. Maybe it's time to just shave my head. I think I recall a certain Commander telling me she'd join me as a show of solidarity. Anyone else want to go bald with me?

I come with a warning label

( image )

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?

Ever do something and then realize something wonderful afterwards, that you hadn't realized you were going to realize?

So, what kind of things are the kids doing these days to keep themselves busy on long car trips and stuff? Lorna, don't say Crocheting, we both know I sucked at that the last time I tried.

I'm going to be stuck in a bed for a few weeks, and I just know I'm going to go insane if I don't keep my hands busy. I was thinking of buying a gameboy or one of those portable playstation things. I'm not much of a gamer outside of angry birds and candy crush, but I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Also, book recommendations?

I've returned my hair to it's natural blonde. I'll probably bust out the dye in a few months, but for now, the reactions from a certain someone were worth it.

I wish I had my bloody license! Can anyone teach me how to fuckin drive? Think you need one to buy a car.

This may sound odd, but I have a favour to ask: does anyone on this network know how to play poker, and would you be willing to teach me? I've been invited to a function where the centrepiece of the evening is a charity tournament.

I'm Scottish. Bit of a disadvantage when it comes to your card games.

So, yes. Anyone who can help, I'd be grateful, and also pay for the lesson(s).

Oh, this is lovely, I mean it really is. I'm not even being the slightest bit facetious right now.

I set up a glorious symphony in my kitchen earlier, all kinds of sound effect balloons while I cooked.

It freaked my cat out, which was, of course, not intended but a fabulous side effect.

I do believe I have managed to find myself a nice little winning streak here. New flat, new job, fresh start and no obscenely annoying neighbors yet. I suppose it's a start at least. Also quite excited about next month's approach. Oktoberfest and Halloween, double money maker at the bar for sure.

I'm still trying to get my baring around town though. Can anyone suggest a decent farmer's market in the area? Do they even have farmer's markets here?

1. Jedi lie. I didn't know they were allowed to do that. I thought the guardians of peace and justice would also include honesty as one of their tenets. Ah well, learn something new every day/dream, like beautiful young women leading armies into battle, that was an interesting dream within a dream.

2. I forgot how much I actually miss building things. I might have to dig out my tools and materials and put something together this coming weekend, maybe something like a Roomba, only better. Or a gardening robot now that I have space for a garden, I don't know, we'll see how I feel at the time.

I'm bored. Someone should entertain me.

Hey guys! I'm so excited to finally be signed up on this network so I can talk to you all! This place is so much more interesting to read about than London. All kinds of stuff happens there, sure, but they don't have flying house cats or crazy dreams. I can't wait to finally move there and be a part of all of this. We're going to have so much fun!

I'm Sam, one of Lara's friends! She has no idea that I've been reading this board and stalking her like a creepy stalker, but I guess she does, now! Hi, sweetie! *wave*

So, who can help me out? I'm going to need a list of all the cool places to be. I heard a burlesque club was opening up, soon? Where else is fun? Bars, clubs, I definitely need to know where everyone is hanging out.