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Gaia Life

A catalog of my experiences as an employee and citizen of Gaia.

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Week Fifty-Seven, Eight, and Nine: OMG! JRNLZ!1 So it turns out that I wasn't: - Fired - Dead - In a cave For the past three weeks, like some users thought I was. I admit it's easy to understand why any of the above could happen. I'm a loose-cannon rebel with a penchant for spelunking who was born to die young, so there's a high probability that on any given week, I've been fired, died, or searched for underground dwellers. Seriously though, I've just been crazy busy with the long-awaited and recently announced "Summer Festival" set to launch in just a few days (7 days at the time of this writing). Still-Technically-Summer Festival 2007 I briefly ascended from the work-pit that is the Gaia Summer Festival to write this journal. I'll go back down in there after I'm done writing it, where I've been for the past 3 weeks, toiling away in the byte mines, trying to hit a fun vein and hoping my deadline canary doesn't die. Every once in a while I stare at the picture of my sweetheart, my "Gaia Life" journal, and I know that I'm working for her, all for her, and that we'll be together again soon. Working on a deadline for an event has a few peculiarities which make it both exciting and stressful. I've been in the office past 3:00 AM and on weekends before to make a deadlines, and I haven't regretted it (much), for several reasons: (1) The event team is really driven to making events fun. There are a lot of ways we could just re-use events from the past, but every person involved likes to add extra touches and make each event run just a little bit better than it did in the past. Though there have been some hiccups along the way, we learn new stuff with each event - and we take those things into account each time. Hopefully Summer Festival incorporates all the things you thought was fun about past events - plus a lot of stuff you weren't expecting. (2) Each event is like a programming triathalon, requiring speed, form, coordination, and a wide variety problem-solving abilities. Each event tends to have a very hard deadline, and the development time is usually very short. On top of that, whatever you release will have people using it in insane amounts - so you have to take into consideration how you're going to keep the site from crashing. Pulling off an event is a very unique development accomplishment, and I think everyone around here high-fives (and breathes a sigh of relief) when one goes off with few hitches. (3) Gaians will rip out my throat and desecrate my corpse in unspeakable ways if I fail. So I'm here again on a late night making sure that the event is as perfect as I can so that when it comes out next Monday, you guys have as much fun as we here can wrangle up. Vacation's All I Ever Wanted So before I went invisible, I went to Portugal (technically the Azores), and I wanted to give you guys a snapshot of what I did. - Partied at the four day "Festa da Santa Maria Madalena" (Feast of St. Mary Magdalene), basically a 4 day long party in the city center with concerts, food, and stuff to buy - I explored a cave (Pico, my home island, has a 3 Km long underground volcanic cave, the largest in Portugal!) - I bought a set of hand-carved/painted See-No-Evil, Hear-No-Evil, Speak-No-Evil monkeys carved from wood from a guy from Cabo Verde (an ex-colony of Portugal in Africa) which now sit on the bookshelf in my bedroom - Ate a lot of great cheese - Had Maracuja (passion fruit soda) every single day - Walked everywhere - Saw a pregnant cat, later saw it's kittens, and finally saw the kittens open their eyes right before I left - Rode a rickety little plane between islands - Spoke a lot of Portuguese (badly at first, then slightly better as time went on rofl ) It's Business, It's Business Time I've gotta get back to work, but I thought I'd leave you with a reference to one of my favorite shows. If you found the reference, then you get bonus points in my book.

Posted by: Fleep Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 06:34am

Gaia Isn't Being Money Hungry

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ZakuMent
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 06:41am


	Excellent work you and Juno have done on the new DC item update. smile And your trip sounds fun although rather vague. I can't wait for the summer festival. crossing fingers and hoping her internet gets fixed so she can go back to her gaia addict life and live online all during the festival [edit] It would be so cool if the "days till the summer festival" should go into hours and minutes. But we all know that it would be impossible to predict the exact moment when the event would start. But the count down thing is very cool (keep it for future uses) The kittens thing sounds so cute. whee - ZakuMent

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 07:03am


	surprised Summer Fest sounds so cool! Knowing my luck, I'm working that day or something. emo I wouldn't tear out your throat. ILU2much. <3 And how well do you speak Portuguese? I thought it was your first language or something.

Cid High-Wind
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mercy_no_koibito_zutto1
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 07:17am


	providing its the same saying.....then its got to be the flight of the conchords...but being in the UK i havent been able to see all of it yet as its still not aired yet (gotta love tv-links) glad your not either of the 3 options that were going around & looking forward the the upcoming event (although theres a glitch with the DC due to the water balloons being added) glad you had a good time while you were away and with the kittens...i say AAAAAAAWWWWWWWW....however i do feel sorry for them having to open their eyes so young & seeing you xd poor kitties keep up the good work EDIT....3rd post....WOOT!

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 07:20am


	Sounds like you had a fun vacation. I wouldve taken a kitty home.

Shiori Miko
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muhaymin
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 07:28am


	Nice to see you back! And I'm waiting for your Journal Sixty, Sixty-One, Sixty-Two, Sixty-Three, and Sixty-Four in one journal post. Bump and run! xp

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 07:33am


	Hello Fleep. Wanna be on my friendslist?

VFX
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muhaymin
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 07:34am


	I thought of an album: It's Business, It's Business Time

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 08:01am


	Well with you slaving away so hard I'm sure the festival is going be a awesometastic experience of epic proportions. Gaia has had a lot of good events and very few bad ones, and I've confident the ability you guys have to make events that win teh interwebz. I am also not confident in your ability to give me nightmares. shivers That L0cke avi is gonna haunt my dreams @_@ Also, you know how everyone is calling the new Lanzer avi Bruce Lanzer? Well, a lot of people are asking for a new Fleep avi we can call Fleep Norris >< So, if any of the ungrateful little Gaians want to rip your throat out and desecrate your corpse, just round house kick them into submission 3nodding

Leena no Majo
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Ninui
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 08:28am


	You totally watch flight of the conchords! You're offically awesome, Fleep~ One of my favorite shows on HBO

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 08:35am


	.:[I Came, I Polled, I Posted]:. Its good to know that Developers know that if they fail they will be fed on domokun Hoping the coming Event goes off great, and doesnt kill Gaia. And will hopefully break the "Number of Gaians Online" Record. ... ... And a lot of FREE ITEMS twisted

Osisi
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Edible Substance
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 09:06am


	...vacation, had to get away! I've never had maracuja soda, just the juice. That's such a cool flower, I wish my store sold them. They'd never survive in the desert climate. gonk

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 09:09am


	Thanks for the update Fleep. Much appreciated!

Blaze-kun
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Legend
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 12:16pm


	Don't stress too much about the summer event. Besides it's not like there was a summer event last year to live up to you know? wink

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 12:25pm


	Sounds like a fun trip! drools ....... passion fruit soda Thanks for working so hard on the Summer Festival! We can't wait to see it!

Tevokkia
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Ryuu Hime
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 12:26pm


	cracks the whip What are you doing writing in your journal, get back to work! (just kidding!) You deserve lots of cookies for all your hard work on the Summer Festival~ What's your favorite kind of cookie? Your vacation sounded really awesome! The part with the cat sounded especially cute. whee I'm still waiting for pictures though! (unless you posted them in the Sheep thread and I haven't checked yet....)

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 01:47pm


	Psh, sumer festival? I'm going back to school TOMORROW! gonk And don't worry, I haven't finished my summer work yet, so I'll be staying up to finish before deadline comes too. XD

Tamas
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ladywolf
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 02:52pm


	YaY Fleep has returned! Sounds like you had a sweet vacation,especially seeing new kitties...awwwww.Glad you are back tho in one piece! xd Yanno we are gonna love the event,if for no other reason knowing you put your lil Fleepy heart n soul into it! (Not that I forgot the other peeps' hard work,just dunno em..hehe) Just dont forget to get some sleep every now n then. Anyhoos,nice to see you back with your wonderfully witty linkie references. heart xx

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 03:08pm


	(3) Gaians will rip out my throat and desecrate my corpse in unspeakable ways if I fail. Don't worry Fleep, I'm sure there is a book on black magic lying around somewhere that has a spell to reverse those sort of catastrophe. That is, if you don't mind a slight case of zombeism.... I'm sure that will clear right up though! Real fast!

Malee
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Coburn Divine
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 03:16pm


	Haha sounds like you had fun fleep!

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 03:24pm


	"Passion fruit"? xd Get me some of that.

Skine99
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Sgt.PepperHat
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 03:41pm


	-steal- Thank goodness you aren't -Fired -Dead -In a cave I wouldn't know what to do with myself if you were. x DD I hope you've at least majored to come out of your work pit to eat and shower. DD: Its Stinky Fleep all over again! Glad you had a good vacation. =) -cough- Sooooo...got any pictures uploaded? ;O

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 05:03pm


	yay, a new entry!

Dwarf Woot
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BenjaminBriggs
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 06:23pm


	Sounds like a great vacation! And now they are going to put you to work! HAHAHA!

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 06:52pm


	Welcome back to the world of the living, Fleep xD I'm glad you had a fun vacation!

Gamine
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Tsukabu Nosoratori
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 08:37pm


	least you had fun, Fleep! now back to work you slacker scream

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 11:07pm


	Excellent reference to Flight of the Conchords at the end bit. mrgreen

LeenaBambina
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Aglovale
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 11:11pm


	Good to know that you're alive and have still somewhat kept your sanity, Fleep! Gaia is still the wonderful, buzzing, mass of internet peoples that you left it as. Hope they don't bury you in work. On a side note.. You - had - come back right when I've started school and can't give the interwebs my full attention, didn't you? xd

Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 11:19pm


	Hey Fleep! I was wondering, which color name did you like better? Green or poo brown? XD

z-bandit
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Shai-tan
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Commented on: Tue Aug 21, 2007 @ 11:52pm


	Just a second.... I thought you got fired then went to a cave and was assassinated buy Lanzer so you couldn't reveal any of Gaia's secrets... But I guess I was wrong... ....I have to go find something to beat you to death with....

Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 12:49am


	youur my hero.... just because you referenced the flight of the concords

Pelvic Trauma
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Tidus Guado
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Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 01:33am


	Fleep I know someone who looks JUST LIKE the guy in the Underground Dwellers Pic. eek But back on topic, I'm glad you got away from the Event Coding Beast even if it was for a few minutes. It sounds like your time in the Azores was a blast. Anyways... GET BACK TO WORK!!!

Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 01:35am


	Good to have you back Fleep, if only for a creeping, fleeting moment. Feel free to drop by my profile and leave a groovy quote from some random source of pop culture... preferably a cartoon from the 80s. rofl

Spirrow
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[racial.slur]
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Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 04:50am


	I've been waiting for your journal for weeks and I'm proud to say I'm addicted to it. I love you and, if possible, I would love to be your grandchild. Adopt me?

Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 09:04am


	You ok Fleep? you seem kinda down or maybe tired...

[DarkDreams]
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Jocylyn
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Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 09:39am


	I'm actually so tired that I thought you said that you weren't Fried. XD I had to read the line twice before I got the right word out of it. Anyway, about the monkeys, I have a set of them carved out of Jade that I got from Japan. ^_^ Glad you had fun in the Azores. And cheese is always good. cheese_whine

Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 02:24pm


	glad youo had fun on your vacation

Shanna66
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The anti-social cookie
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Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 07:11pm


	so you were in a cave for sometime and im glad you had fun

Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 09:45pm


	I'm glad you're finally back and posting, Fleep. Good luck with the event! I can't wait (although it does start the week I go back to the evilness of the college that keeps cancelling my P.E. classes scream ). lol I'm glad your vacation went well. Festivals and feast days are awesome. I want to attend one someday.

Princess Amalthea
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grapeseed
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Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 10:41pm


	Sounds like you had fun in Portugal!

Commented on: Wed Aug 22, 2007 @ 10:55pm


	Mah, first time poster. Got to say, though, love reading your journals. Als, is the last reference to perhaps Flight of the Conchords? rofl

DC-Chan
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rainbowrider
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Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 12:05am


	glad to see that your back and had a fun filled vacation. Was as many others n here, begining to wonder where you went. Anyhow, have a good one!

Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 12:29am


	Ho'snap. Another Flight of the Concords fan. That makes me very, very happy. ^^! Did you know about them before the tv show? I'm really excited about Monday! It's just too bad that it starts on my first day of classes, but what can you do? That vacation sounds absolutely amazing, I am very jealous. domokun

jfnbhgurkddhj8
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AFK Masturbating
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Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 03:39am


	Awww, kittens! ^__^ heart I bet they were super cute. ^^ I've also always wondered why it is that they call it "spelunking". A rather interesting sounding word, if I do say so meself. ^^;; Still, I bet it's fun. 3nodding

Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 05:04am


	Mmm I love Maracuja except I can only have it when i visit family in Brasil. crying Anywhoo I a sure the summer event is going to be fun and I can't wait. ^_^

Anastasia Manahan
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PixelShank
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Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 05:09am


	summer festival sounds like it's gonna be really cool :] I'm glad you had fun on vacation

Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 03:10pm


	Ohh you went to Azores? It looks like such a beautiful place. <3 Can't wait for the summer event!

Miss McMorbid
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lunashock
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Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 04:27pm


	Sounds like a great vacation! I'm really optimistic for Gaian events. They run SO much smoother than the ones when I first joined, and they're fun!

Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 07:50pm


	"- Had Maracuja (passion fruit soda) every single day" You don't wanna know what I thought that was! rofl Well, you smoke it, it's a leaf, and you have gooooooood times if you have too much. That's all I'm saying :XP:

Amy Obscurite
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purewhispers
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Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 08:08pm


	Yay, Fleep's back! At one point or another a good chunk of my family came from Sao Miguel, but unfortunately the use of the language has long since fallen to the wayside so I don't really speak it at all. Pico is very beautiful from what I've seen...I'd love to visit the Azores. whee But anyway, don't die on us Fleep! I can't wait to see what the Summer Festival has in store, but it'll kind of put a damper on things if you're out of commission...or if you're being abused by an angry mob. gonk Keep up the good work!

Commented on: Thu Aug 23, 2007 @ 10:41pm


	Maracuja!! I use to drink that all time time until we ran out of the juice emo you just reminded me of it

INDIEGOLD
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