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From Dark Blue



One of the points of my own mentorship is to prepare newcomers to VR for when they become a member of a House or Coven. I just want them to enjoy the site and realize they don't get to pick and choose where they may end up. I like to think my pages have a "Coven Like" feel to them. Very few Covens honor so called promise stamps and they should know this as well as avoiding Hell and Purgatory Coven's.

Below is a short Bio about me, so you will know who you are dealing with. Warning, I do not claim to have great writing skills.



My name is Michael and I have lived in a wide spot in rural Louisiana called LeCompte (Pronounced by locals as La Count.) since August 1998 with a few times off for bad behavior in the Middle East with the Army Reserve (Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom). I was born on 12 February 1958 which makes me old. I guess?



I earned my PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1990 at OK State U at Stillwater, OK. I have been a lab director and educator for most of my professional career with a short part time stint as a quality control chemist at a local zeolite plant. I am currently, since June 2005 at Natural Advantage (Flavorings) at Oakdale, LA as the Senior Chemist.



My other life for many years was the Military. I was an ROTC graduate and commissioned as a Chemical Corps Officer in May 1980. After training I was shipped off to Wiesbaden, West Germany for 3.5 years. After release from active duty I joined an Infantry OSUT reserve unit in Stillwater, OK for my time in graduate School. There I was the Commander of an Infantry OSUT Company then Brigade Operations Manager.



After graduate school I moved to a lab director / instructor job at Miss State U in Starkville, MS and transferred to the 386th Personnel Battalion as Theater Personnel Operations Planner. November 1991 brought Desert Storm activation and a new job as the S1/Personnel Staff Officer as the old one was relieved for incompetancy days after arriving in Saudi Arabia. That was a tremendous learning curve as the Personnel NCO was delayed till February with issues surrounding his mother's death. This left me with a new Buck Sergeant and a PFC as my staff. (Lots of experience?) Needless to say I spent a lot of time in the Brigade S1's office.



My next chemistry position was at Tulane U as the director of undergraduate laboratories this coincided with my final move in the reserves to the 377th Theater Support Battalion in New Orleans, LA. My duties were initially as a Theater Ammunition Manager then to CBRNE Defense, and picking up other tasks as needs of the unit required including assistant theater mortuary affairs officer.



From November 2001 to June 2003 I had a vacation from Louisiana State University at Alexandria and my duties as an assistant Professor (Aug 1997 - Aug 2005) for Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in OIF/OEF I filled many roles: CBRNE Defense, Multifunctional Theater Logistics Planner, Mortuary Affairs Manager. While in Kuwait I was promoted to LTC into my final position as TSC Chemical Officer. I finally hung up my uniform in April 2004.



In June of 2005 I was hired on as the senior production chemist at Natural Advantage a natural flavorings company based in Oakdale, LA. I was still finishing up at LSUA with a night class until August 2005. I am still at NA and dealing with the growing pains of a business that increased even during the height of the 2008 -2009 recession 15%.



I have been on Vampire Rave since February 2007 originally as Platinumwitch. I self deleted that account but was only gone a short while before returning as Temporary. I was locked out when VR had a computer fiasco and created temporary2. I have been a coven ACM for a closed disbanded coven.I have been a gladiator and now assista rector for the Hall of Gladius in the House of Octo Umbrae in my Platinumwitch and Temporary2 accounts.

Started a mentorship today. I will see what path that takes me down. We must all take risks to grow.



Link

COMMENTS

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Darkblue
03:35 Sep 26 2011

I noticed you don't have a description or rules for the Mentorship yet. I've not long started one, just keep sending invites. Mine is far from complete but once you have a decent AMM and some guidelines in place it will soon fill up.

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This made me think.







It's sad that I don't know any more.



For more good questions.

Pratchett, Terry (2009-10-13). Thud! (Discworld) (Kindle Locations 5665-5695). Harper-Collins e-books. Kindle Edition.



Night, forever. But within it, a city, shadowy and only real in certain ways. The entity cowered in its alley, where the mist was rising. This could not have happened! Yet it had. The streets had filled with…things. Animals! Birds! Changing shape! Screaming and yelling! And, above it all, higher than the rooftops, a lamb rocking back and forth in great slow motions, thundering over the cobbles… And then bars had come down, slamming down, and the entity had been thrown back. But it had been so close! It had saved the creature, it was getting through, it was beginning to have control…and now this…



In the darkness of the inner city, above the rustle of the never-ending rain, it heard the sound of boots approaching.



A shape appeared in the mist. It drew nearer. Water cascaded off a metal helmet and an oiled leather cloak as the figure stopped and, entirely unconcerned, cupped its hand in front of its face and lit a cigar. Then the match was dropped on the cobbles, where it hissed out, and the figure said: “What are you?”



The entity stirred, like an old fish in a deep pool. It was too tired to flee. “I am the Summoning Dark.” It was not, in fact, a sound, but had it been, it would have been a hiss. “Who are you?”



“I am the Watchman.”



“They would have killed his family!” The darkness lunged, and met resistance. “Think of the deaths they have caused! Who are you to stop me?”



“He created me. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who watches the watchmen? Me. I watch him. Always. You will not force him to murder for you.”



“What kind of human creates his own policeman?”



“One who fears the dark”



"And so he should,” said the entity, with satisfaction.



“Indeed. But I think you misunderstand. I am not here to keep darkness out. I’m here to keep it in.” There was a clink of metal as the shadowy watchman lifted a dark lantern and opened its little door. Orange light cut through the blackness. “Call me…the Guarding Dark. Imagine how strong I must be.”



The Summoning Dark backed desperately into the alley, but the light followed it, burning it.



“And now,” said the watchman, “get out of town.”

COMMENTS

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Requiem
00:53 Sep 21 2011

I LOVE Terry Pratchett, and this one, Thud, is one of my favorites. :)

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temporary2
01:06 Sep 21 2011

It has personal meaning to me as I am filled with darkness and need a Watchman to Guard the Dark.

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Requiem
05:43 Sep 24 2011

... You are most certainly not alone in this.

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