The Wordsmith's Forge

"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.10.30

It's official: I passed Third Form in the top 5% of my class. I have a few days to pack and say goodbye to everyone. Then I need to board the railcar for Affamarg so I can settle into the dormitory at the university before my Fourth Form classes start in Balimev.

Hold on to your Answer Hat now, Affamarg -- here I come!


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.10.10

Sraffi came over today to help me and Egram work on my year-end project. Sraffi and I spent hours assembling all the award ribbons, breeding records, license copies, the broadsheet interview, and other supporting materials that go with my written report. I almost wish that I'd named the breed something more sophisticated, like Spiral Mouse, because Squiggle Mouse sounds a bit childish. (Thank goodness I didn't use Egram's early suggestion of "Hairdo Mouse" though!) Then again, these mice have been with me throughout my childhood, so a little reminder of that is all right.

Egram put the finishing touches on the display hutch for the mice: flat white, flat fawn, white Squiggle, and fawn Squiggle this time. The hutch has some very nice woodwork, with fancy metal grilles that Sraffi helped us find though a pet supplier. Egram kept working even after smashing his thumb with a hammer.

Then Mom brought out the old backboard with my frassy artwork and the notebook from my First Form project that I did on Squiggle Mice. I almost cried. Mom just hugged me and said, "It was your first year-end project. Of course I saved it."

I love my family.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.09.20

Imoshavi wrote me a letter saying that she failed to complete everything needed for her last year of Third Form. I'm so sorry to hear that, but again, not surprised. However, her family situation has improved slightly, in a direction I never expected! Imoshavi's husband never did find a job, so her parents made him stay home with the baby. I bet he hates that. He deserves it, though, the lazy oaf.

Imoshavi wound up working at a family services establishment. It includes an orphanage and a health clinic and so forth. The orphanages especially never seem to have enough hands, and you only need a Scribe level education to work there. Plus they know that Imoshavi did complete part of Third Form -- including the parenting class -- so they are getting a bargain because she has more training than someone straight out of Second Form. Her job involves working with women who face an unplanned pregnancy; the service tries to hire staff there with personal experience in that area. They also offer further training, so Imoshavi wants to learn how to lead the presentations in Second Form that teach about birth control and family awareness.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.07.29

I'm bored with technical illustration. I know it's useful for science, but this is not my idea of fun art, and art for me is more hobby than job. So today I took my kit to the Judge's Oak. I spent most of the day there. First I just wandered around and doodled the scene from different angles until I found one that I liked. It shows the granite marker with its Ancient inscription in front of the tree. Next I did a nice sketch of that on my watercolor paper. Then I inked it with waterproof black ink.

While waiting for the ink to dry, I went to lunch. A little stand near the Judge's Oak sells meat pastries and fruit pies. Afterwards I set up my watercolors and spent a few hours putting down as much detail as I could. The orchid paint really brought out the colors of amaranthine oak leaves in autumn. The painting is not quite finished, but I can do the rest of it at home.

I'm really satisfied with how this turned out. The Judge's Oak is one of Tifirf's most famous landmarks. Most people who come here stop to see it. This painting truly captures the sense of majesty and history in that old tree. I'm going to send this one to Vloroshaal. Then he'll always have a little bit of Tifirf to enjoy.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.06.29

The Fall Horse Fair has started! I attended a lecture on equine genetics, presented by a panel from the Painted Horse Fanciers Association. That earns me extra credit for my class. The panel talked about different types of marking that count as "paint" -- apparently those produce distinct patterns. Most make large patches but there is one, appaloosa, which can make little dots instead.

At the lecture, I met a horse farmer, Ebemas, and his son Tosh. I thought Tosh was older -- he is tall, with broad shoulders and plenty of muscle -- but apparently he is just 15. He stayed quiet until the end of the lecture, when we got to talking about genetics ourselves. Then he lit up and told me all about this white filly on their farm, with gray spots in what he called a "square-paint" pattern. That reminded me of my old sketches and notes about the strange horse I saw one year, Hexball her name was. So I mentioned that, which excited him even more. I promised to show him the pictures. Then I told them all about my Squiggle Mice, and we spent a while speculating about the similarities between mice and horses in genetics.

Finally Tosh and I decided to become letter-friends and exchanged addresses. If the boys I knew were this quiet, I'd probably like them more. Ebemas said that's because of the horses -- you can't wave your arms and shout around them, or they'll spook. So that made sense.

Sraffi and I have been showing Squiggle Mice at some pre-fair events and there's another show later this tenday. Maybe Tosh will get to see them. Some reporter from the broadsheet company wants to interview me about developing a new breed of mouse. Apparently readers like "Local Girl Does Good" stories.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.04.10

We held a big house party for my eighteenth birthday this year, since it's probably my last in Tifirf. Lots of my friends and our neighbors showed up. Most of the gifts were tokens, or tiny portable things since people know I plan to leave for university. The most interesting gift came from Tifijimi, a pair of beach glass and wire combs to hold my hair out of my face. I don't normally wear jewelry but these are lovely and do something useful. I can't figure out who sent them, though -- someone left the box on the gift table without a card.

I'll miss my family next year. Maybe I'll celebrate my birthday with Umini and her folks instead.



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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1513.01.30

Well, this year is turning into another case of "Whoops, where did that month go?" I suppose that makes sense. This is my last year of Third Form. I have to decide which regional schools I'd like to attend, and submit my applications to them. My best choices are Affamarg or Affayasilith. With family already in Affamarg it might be easier to get a travel license for there. I could try Affaminar (too far away, not as prestigious) or Faajaffug (more prestigious, and Vloroshaal's home, but even farther away and densely populated). I probably couldn't get approval to move that far for Fourth Form, when there are closer schools that could take me. Anyway, my scores are good enough that I qualify for early enrollment.

I'm taking another elective at the Domestic Animals Guildhall, "Associations for Breeders and Fanciers." This is a bit farther from my Science goals (and doesn't count toward them) but should connect me with a lot of people interested in animal genetics. Associations can host events or field trips for their members, making it easier to get a travel license. Plus I already have my practical seal of approval with the Squiggle Mice, so I expect to do well in that class. Ending where it all began ... I've decided to do my year-end project on Squiggle Mice. This time I will lay out the whole history of the breed and how it developed, in conjunction with my Associations class. This also lays the foundation for a Squiggle Mouse Fanciers Association someday, if we want to start one later.

Art this time is "Introduction to Technical Illustration." That means drawing things like experiments, buildings, or skeletons for scientific publications. I'm not looking forward to that second trimester on architecture, but I need the third one on animal skeletons. The tools include technical pencils, special nib pens, and a drafting kit that I still have to buy. I'm also taking a biology class and an anatomy class in my Science track, among others.

I want to study time crystals too, because they have to do with the boundaries. That's all advanced stuff, though, Fourth Form or higher. The only classes about time crystals here are things like appliance selection and repair.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1512.10.01

My parents are still nagging me to attend the dance. Finally I said that if they wanted me to go so badly, they could pay for the licenses and the dress AND something else to make it worth my while. Mom said that would be just fine. Then I asked for a female golden mouse, unrelated to any of my current mice, to speed up my breeding program. Mom kind of squeaked because that is not a cheap gift, especially on top of the presumably expensive dress, but she agreed. I figure, it's more money than I could possibly make in the two hours I'd be at the dance, so I come out ahead.

Of course, then Dad had to barge in and say that the after-party is the most important part of this experience. I pointed out that I don't like parties except occasionally for networking purposes, and there wouldn't be anyone new at this party, just schoolmates. So Dad did that thing where he rolls his eyes and lifts his hands to the sky. I did a quick calculation and made my bid. So now I am also getting a medium-size block of Rainforest Glory watercolor paper.

I guess boys are good for something after all.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1512.08.26

So there's this stupid dance at school, and now my parents found out about it somehow, and they both want me to go. They've nagged me all day. I say that boys are annoying and dances are boring and I've got heaping cartons of homewriting, and they insist that every girl goes to her ... whatever-it-is dance thingy. Sometimes, I think I hate my family.

With the door closed, I can hardly hear them shouting. I should have a good twenty ticks or so before they build up enough steam to burst into my room. That's enough to time to finish the notes for my "Genetics for Breeders" paper.


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"Squiggles: Excerpts from Nleimen's Journal"

1512.08.02

My classmate Laadren asked me to a dance today. I turned him down. Boys are loud and pushy. (I am not attracted to girls. I just think it will be a while before the boys grow up enough to interest me. Besides I am busy with school, which is far more important than dating.) I don't have anything to wear to a fancy dance anyway. Where would I ever go that I'd need a dress? So I don't own any dresses.


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