Lore noob, and, yeah

I'm just going to come right out and say it, "I do not really care about lore accuracy."

Red-shirt Guy: I am sorry. I truly am. Blasphemous as that is, I just don't care.

Setting the scene:
There have been bits and baubles from posts recently that have been tugging at me like elves with socks. Free from a life of enslavement, but still kind of annoying and not sure what to do with themselves.

And please take all I am about to write with a huge grain of salt, a dismissive "There, there dear," and "Whatever, Matty." I drafted most of this post at work, with many interruptions, and I'm not sure it will be clear, which is tragic. Because clarity of intent, and not being misunderstood, are huge issues for me. I hate to be misunderstood.

Let me be honest about where these mental hobgoblins spawned:
Jaded Alt and Harpy's Nest.

Jaded Alt blog has recently been crafting a series on writing. She clearly states they are her advice, her opinions, and to take it or leave it. Here is what I know about advice: if one is already insecure about something, that advice nags or makes its presence known at least. Her statement about not writing the same way/same things over and over may lose readers. This is paraphrased from her pet peeves (link on the link to link).

Oh, shét.

Repetitive? Redundant? Run-of-the-mill? Moi? Yes. What a tedious medium this blogosphere can be. And yet I celebrate it. However, it does provide increased opportunities for hurt feelings and misunderstandings.

This may be about 'voice' though. (She may not have meant this to nag at me in terms of voice, and in no way do I hold another accountable for my own insecurities. I am not taking this personally) I have been worried folks might get bored with me, drift away like Wilson after a whale sighting. Ultimately, that doesn't matter. What I can say is this: the one trait I appreciate or value most in authors/writers is their voice. Their ability to create a unique style all his or her own, and even if they've said the same thing a hundred times, like hearing a familiar tale, I want to hear it his or her way, from their perspective. Please trust that I am somewhat of an authority with young writers who are seeking their voices. All of our little brains are unique, with their own grooves and circuitry, and no one can completely replicate another's point-of-view. It is impossible. We are not machines. News? Possibly. But we are more amazing, more miraculous, and more precious than we give ourselves credit for. Each artist/writer truly has a masterpiece factory in his or her own noggin. Priceless.

Onto Erinys and Harpy's Nest. This is pure opinion: sometimes I feel that Blizzard's brand of lore is constricting--it is derivative by nature, and sometimes I think the hard-core lorist forget the fact that the same stories/plots have been told since time immemorial. I may be a complete idiot (oftentimes I am), but I think you and I are very like-minded when it comes to the magic. I am apologizing to you. My comment was so wacky, and could be construed as critical of your choices. That is completely the opposite of how I feel. Your stories that your grandmother have told you, the superstitions and beliefs, are so amazing to me, and have awakened my own need to wander through my mind's field of memories and stories of my grandparents--though from different backgrounds and cultures, many of the themes run parallel. "Be careful. Be smart. You are the most amazing girl in the world, and no wolves are allowed to get you. And when in doubt, err on the side of magic."

Point is: there is a magical box of glass animals. It has a T on the bottom. And every one in the room can decide what that "T" stands for.

(And considering the good company I keep, wrtiers' voices who are strong and clear: Navi, Tome, Cyrme, Amatuer, Ironyca, [links on side*] and no one, and I mean no is going to tell Garrosh to change it up.)

Red-shirt guy - will you get me a Diet Dr. Pepper? Thanks, man. Little parched--voice is a bit dry.

*Navi's in particular has to do with telling the story "her way."

One more anecdote that has nothing to do with above:

Remember all those posts about saying "no?" Here is a perfect example of something that happened today:

Note that I wake up very early, and have one short morning break at work, well, not sure much a break as an organizational time.

Colleague in e-mail: Can you do X?
Me: What?
Colleague in e-mail: Can you do X, now?
Me: No
Colleague in e-mail: It will only take a minute
Me: No, but they need Y instead
Colleague in e-mail: I want to do X. Can someone else do it?
(Someone else is standing next to me, ask her, she says No.)
Me: No, and no
Colleague in e-mail: (Maybe getting frustrated) Can you do X? I'll come down right now and do it.
Me: Can't take no for an answer, huh?
Me and Someone else: bolt out the door and go for a walk.
Later: Another colleague did X and then told us "she took a bullet for us all" by doing it.

Really. It's come down to a firing squad just by saying "No?"

To her, her request was simple. But to me, I had hit the wall. So there's that flip-side: when someone tells us no, are we respectful? Maybe it's hard to say no because no one listens anyway. Smiley face emoticon.