UPDATE (10/18/2013): Due to Halloween happening on a Thursday, and the financial tightness of the recent government furlough, I will be extending the drawing to happen at midnight Eastern time, November 3rd. This gives folks time to earn another paycheck before the raffle runs out!
UPDATE TWO (10/21/13): For clarity's sake, I should mention that when you enter, you aren't just assigned something at random if you win. What I do is, first I will draw to see who wins. Then I contact the winners and tell them to give me a list of, say, their top 5 prizes. The first winner gets #1 on his list, and the second winner gets the first item on his list -- unless the first winner claimed that, in which case he gets #2 on his list, and so forth. By this method, I hope to pair up prizes with people who really, really want them!
Happy October everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed the sight of men in kilts all last month, because --
Jesus, Erin. Are you going to shake us down for more money?
Well.... yes. But it's for a good cause! And look, this time I have prizes!
Such as?
How about a signed book of your choice by Michael Z. Williamson? We have two of those. And five signed books by Larry Correia!
... well played. Do go on.
You know I've been spearheading the effort to secure enough funds for Squeaky Wheel's surgery, and then post-surgical care/ medications/ bills/ unexpected crap that always happens, right?
Good news: Her surgery is scheduled for October 18. Update: She came through with flying colors.
Bad news: She doesn't have enough to pay for the deductible and needs at least $1800 more.
OCD news: This makes the needed total a nice round $6000, and $4200 of that has already been funded.
Shiny news: I'm going to be running a raffle filled with lots of really cool things designed to fill you with enough OMG WANT! that you'll gladly empty your wallet for a chance to get them.
Here's what I have at the moment. I am working on pulling some strings in order to get more awesome stuff!
$5 Ticket Items
- An 8x10 print by famous pony artist (and friend of this blog) Joie Brown. Winner picks from one of these three choices: Ponythulu, Fluttershy, or Derpy photobombing the Mane 6 (I totally want that one.)
- Some lovely b&w sketches from a Brony friend of mine named Ezra Hinson featuring: Princess Cadence, Gilda the Griffon, and (separately) Flim and Flam, Salesponies Nonpariel. (They really should go to the same home... they're brothers, after all....)
- A lovely wind chime similar to the one pictured here, handmade by Mark White of Rimfire Designs:
- A quartet of cunning hats (three adult size, one for kids) by the talented Evelyn Hively:
- A painting of your choice by Renee Williams (link to portfolio here).
- 30 minutes of technical recommendations or support by the skilled Allison Babcock. There are two sessions available to be won.
- A set of three "Militia rocker tabs" donated by Thirdpower!
- And last but certainly not least, a personalized answering machine message (or any other performance no longer than a minute) by skilled voice actress Prentice Osborne. She also does pony voices!
- This just in: The_Jack has offered to donate an entire pork loin -- 2 lbs worth -- of smoked meat, seasoned with "Cajun Spice, Cumin, and Cayenne Pepper." It's kind of like jerky, but not as dry.
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- 1 set of handmade soaps in autumn molds & scents, made by my good friend Taryn K:
Per the creator: From left to right, top to bottom... Crisp Apple Rose, Spiced Mahogany, and Spicy Apple in a shea butter base. Then on the bottom, it's Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey in a honey base, and Spice Potpourri in a hemp base. They will each be double bagged so they don't mix scents on the way to their new home.
- Another set of soaps, but with a winter theme and scents.
Again, per the creator: Top row, from left to right (scent-wise): Gingersnap, Cinnamon Sugar, and Hollyberry. The bottom row is Christmas Spice and Hot Cocoa. I will have to get more of the Hollyberry and Hot Cocoa scents. They smell soooo good! - An adorable 4-5" tall crocheted Sgt. Schlock, handmade by Danica West:
This is just an example. She will make it to your specification after you win, thereby allowing you to customize: - the color
- the pose
- the number of arms/eyes
- the weapon (plasgun or other)
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- Echo Sling is offering up not one, but TWO -- one brown, one tan -- of their "tougher than a German Shepherd" slings. Each one is a $5 ticket item.
The two on the left.
- A signed book of your choice by Michael "MadMike" Williamson. We have not one, but TWO of these. He has clarified that the two signed books he is offering are hardcovers, and you can choose from any of the following titles:
- Do Unto Others
- When Diplomacy Fails
- Contact With Chaos
- Rogue
- Hero
- Clan of the Claw
Again, all of these are hardcover. If there's another book you really want, he has it in paperback. - A signed book of your choice by Larry Correia. We have FIVE of these. You may choose from any of these titles:
- A signed copy of Mind Bridges: Seven Facets of Magic by Julia H. West.
- Her husband, Brook West, is donating an MHI Challenge Coin, to be delivered as soon as the product ships in Januray 2014
- A signed and personalized copy of The Flux Engine by Dan Willis.
- Two exclusive Project: Shadows comic books (one per winner) signed by Alfred Trujillo, professional comic book artist! One book is also signed by Nei Ruffino, and the other is also signed by Cara Nicole.
- Jay "Da Tinman" Ater is putting up two hand-made items. First, a lovely metal butterfly:
- Second, a shield. Per his email: Pictures don’t do that any justice, the flames are hammered out and are 1/2” proud at the deepest parts. Several million hammer blows and lots of cussing. The rivets around the edges are real aircraft style brass and are hand bucked in. Flames aren’t mandatory either, if you want I could make it a custom piece with the winner’s last initial hammered in or a pattern of their choosing as long as its not unpossible to do.
- Friend of the blog Troy Hickman is offering a signed copy of his trade paperback Common Grounds!
- Howard Tayler of Schlock Mercenary fame has generously offered a numbered sketch edition of his latest book, The Body Politic, and the number will "be in the high 800's or maybe low 900's." Winner chooses the sketch.
- Daniel G -- a gentleman I met over Facebook -- came to me and offered TWO HUNDRED ROUNDS of hand-loaded .45 ACP. Here is his info on the ingredients:
Here is the load info: I use 185 grain Berrys Hollow base round nose bullets with an O.A.L of 1.250 inches and 5.7 grains of Bullseye powder. It's built as a light target load.
- A signed copy of Listen Up, You Primitive Screwheads! by Mike Pondsmith.
- Jim Wrench, of Mydnight's Hobby Corner, has painted two absolutely gorgeous "Brony Mecha", adorned with the cutie marks of Princesses Luna and Celestia, and bearing the faction marks of the Solar Empire and New Lunar Republic:
Celestia, Sola Invicta 
Luna, Nos Custodit - And finally, because I want you guys to know I am giving as much as you are -- my very own inside-the-waistband magazine holder, custom made by Michael "Evyl Robot" Hast of The Holster Site. This beautiful piece of art is practically new -- I've only worn it once. Please find a good home for it!
Magazines not included.
IN ADDITION!
Jay Grazio of Ma-rooned has graciously offered to encourage donations by posing for pictures! For each $20 donated, Jay will put on his kilt and be photographed doing whatever you choose, so long as 1) It isn't illegal, and 2) Won't get him in trouble with his wife.
 |
| Why yes. Yes he does. |
Here's How You Enter
Make a donation to Squeaky's YouCaring site and forward to me (erin DOT palette AT gmail DOT com) your PayPal receipt along with how many $5 and $10 tickets you want. If you contribute $20 or more, tell me in the forwarded PayPal email what kind of picture you want JayG to take.
The drawing will be held on October 31, hence the name "Squeak or Treat." Laugh damn you.
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I wish I could do more, but all I can do is try to flag this for more visibility (weak as that is).
ReplyDeleteEvery little bit helps. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteWhy does that Hiver have a Bwap on its back?
ReplyDeleteBecause AWESOME.
ReplyDeleteNumbers are round again. Numbers are round again. Numbers are round again. Numbers are round again. ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK
ReplyDeleteSomething that bugs me about most depictions of Hiver: unless the surface is exceptionally smooth and clean, they stand around on balled feet, not splayed out. It's mentioned in the original Alien Module and the later GURPS stuff too.
ReplyDeleteROFL!!! That's gotta be the most epic trolling I've seen in a long, long time!
ReplyDeleteI, too, would play that game.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at"...the floating, mummified corpses of dead gods."
What really irks me is reading in game reviews how Mass Effect 2 was better than the first. Really? Really?!?
ReplyDeleteThe first game was nothing short of a masterpiece, in my opinion, and went downhill from there.
I had to leave the Mass Effect trilogy and switch over to Dragon Age: Origins. Not perfect but it still had many of the things that made me love Mass Effect...
Ok. I haven't been able to get my mind off of this idea. It has sunk its claws into my imagination and hasn't let go.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any plans to write it up as a setting or story?
Do you have any problem with someone else taking inspiration from the words of your post?
Oh, I always have plans. Whether or not I'll actually get to them is another matter entirely.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem whatsoever with you taking inspiration from this and turning it into something beautiful. Just acknowledge me in the credits and provide a link to my blog. :)
And if you turn this into a game, you HAVE to invite me to play.
Done on both counts. :)
ReplyDeleteSo what are your plans? Story, game, both?
ReplyDeleteWell... I am thinking story first. That will help me sort my thoughts. Then, I will run it by the group and see how open they are to a short session in the world.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely an 'epic level' type of adventure, which they have been itching for. But it will be, as you said, Gonzo.
Upon reading your post, I got this vision of newly arrived people to an outer plane. They see a god (vaguely Cthulu/ Kaiju-esque) fall to its death and shake the ground. Then it's body begins to float. The horde of Lilliputian devils that killed it move on to another challenge.
As the characters look at the sky, they realize the floating continents are various perished deities in differing states of decay, with vast cities hanging from them like Spanish moss as they slowly rotating on different axes.
Enormous craft float through the sky: some are sailing chunks of 'continent', some are large, living gas bag/tentacle/jelly fish creatures...
Below is an endless waste of beetlejuician scope, filled with sand worms and rivers and oceans that span the spectrum from brackish water to acidic.
That is all I have so far.
Oooooo, want.
ReplyDeleteSo, it's a Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea memorial trophy dash in space?
ReplyDeleteWith experimental vehicles, yes.
ReplyDeleteHey, what could POSSIBLY go wrong?
ReplyDeleteEvery year the Darrian Navy is invited to bring one of their ships to compete, but they always decline...
ReplyDeleteThat is AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteI know, right? :D
ReplyDeleteWOOT!
ReplyDeleteAnd I shall post my Jabberwock! :-D
ReplyDeletemy only question is will i need to get the sonic/mental bleach out for the content I am about to hear? :)
ReplyDeleteOh, you just wait and see!
ReplyDeleteA++. Would fap to again.
ReplyDeleteSo you saw that Dino erotica ....
ReplyDeleteVelociraptors? Is this something by Christie Sims?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Running-Raptor-Dinosaur-Erotica-Christie-ebook/dp/B00FI9JN7Y/ref=pd_sim_kstore_4
That was good in a sick and twisted sort of way.
ReplyDeleteThe joker kinda wins the evil laugh competition...
ReplyDeleteI still think that something from Henry V would be cooler. But that's me
ReplyDeleteI think so, too. But the people voted... and so they deserve what they get, good and hard. :P
ReplyDeleteI can tell you didn't make it all the way through. :P
ReplyDeleteEpic LOLs. I thought I was going to pee myself. I listened once earlier today and Jennifer and I just listened together. This produced plenty of laughter the second time around. When do we get another installment?
ReplyDeleteLOL! That was epic. My wife looked in and said "What in the hell?? No... I don't want to know"
ReplyDeleteWas it the cries of orgasmic ecstasy that caught her attention?
ReplyDeleteUh...um...you lost me at velociraptors. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, that's what happens when folks vote for me to read smut: I find the most disturbing smut I can.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, this is from Christie Sims.
Yes, you are an evil genius. Revenge indeed.
ReplyDeleteTry to run FNV in administrator mode, WinXP SP3 compatibility. That seems to stabilize it enough to play consistently.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, your point is well made. The Mojave is a fun place to get lost in, and even other places (the Big MT, Zion, and the Divide) have their attractions. Can't go back to the Sierra Madre now, but that's okay.
After all, getting in there wasn't the hard part. It's letting go.
Oh my, I have no idea how many hours I've spent wandering blasted DC. Quite a few staff duty and CQ shifts have flown by, thanks to Bethesda. Sadly, that computer died, but I've gotten a copy of NV for 360, and it sure isn't the same.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Erin for putting this together, all of the people who donated items, and everyone who donated money to this cause. Thank you SO MUCH. <3 There isn't enough gratitude in the world for me to express how I feel. I'm so humbled by all of this, and I only wish there was more I could do to show my appreciation.
ReplyDeleteBeen playing Fallout since the first title, way back when. As a rabid (har) fan of post-apocalyptic and steam-/diesel-punk-ish worlds, I've loved every one of the titles that have come out (yes...including Brotherhood of Steel).
ReplyDeleteI have big, fat, debilitating sexual hangups, which I hate, so I'm not going to listen, but I hope you had fun recording it anyway. Props!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's probably for the best.
ReplyDeleteMost of my fun was from the cries of anguish made by those who listened to it!