OblivionWalker

Made my donation to cover the two auctions I had.

$2

Thank you so much for the box! It arrived today and the hat you knitted is nice and warm, which is excellent because it's supposed to be snowing tomorrow in Warsaw, and I wanted to go take a look at the Christmas Market they're holding in Castle Square. Anything I buy won't make it back to Canada in time for this Christmas, but I guess New Year's presents are also nice to get from time to time. I really wasn't expecting to get any awards this year and honestly, I was just glad that the Hounds were able to win the Founder's Cup. That really felt like the only unfinished business I had in the M and now? It's complete. It's done. We did it and I can move on without any sense of regret, especially with back-to-back Sullivan Awards. River will be in Moscow, of course which distance wise isn't terrible but I probably won't be able to see him much more than I do already. At least we're playing on team Canada together for the World Junior tournament and I already put in a request for us to be "roommates" like last season, so it'll be better than nothing and I'm glad of that. I just hope he likes the Christmas present I got for him. I stress about giving people presents at the best of time and given that this is for River and the first one I'll be giving him as his boyfriend? There's some stress cookie eating going on over here right now but it's also not my fault that kołaczki are so good. I did find a recipe for you, if you want to try them. I'm sure Dido would be more than happy to taste test for you, as would dad and Sergiy! My apartment is pretty nice, not too far from the rink and in nicer weather I can walk there and back in about 15 minutes. My neighbors are all pretty quiet, which suits me just fine. I can read my books in peace or do my puzzles without the sounds of trap or industrial coming from the floor above me. I still don't know why that one guy in Mississauga liked to play "Du Hast" all the time but I don't miss it. I haven't really had a chance to meet my teammates yet but I'm hoping once it gets a little closer to the season starting, I will. There's still trades happening and contracts being signed so people may be waiting to see how things play out before those kinds of things begin to happen. Besides, I'll be heading off to World Juniors shortly anyway but I'm hoping that I can contribute to the team well. I'm going up against some of the best of the best so this first season might not be everything I could hope but it'll be a learning experience and all I can do is continue to train and work hard and hopefully make my way up to that someday myself. I miss you and dido and everyone else and I'm going to do my best to make all of you proud. Everyone's sacrificed to get me here and I'll never forget that. With love, Slavochka (word count: 541)

23

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

But that’s how it goes

With the Pro-Am gm's doing Christmas Carols to announce their picks, the opening line of my own version of "The Huron Carol" wouldn't leave my head so here you all go. If cornered, I could be convinced to sing it in a voice chat sometime. Also, "Ludamus" is Latin for "Let us play". T'was in the moon of off-season When all the leagues were still, Five mighty gm's gathered round, Their rosters for to fill. And on that night when light grew dim, The prospects wondered when they'd sim. Pro-Am has come once more, Pro-Am has come, Ludamus Within a Discord room online, Each prospect player seen, The gm's had their work to do, Their lines they had to weave. But as the draft day e'er drew nigh, The gm's heaved a weary sigh. Pro-Am has come once more, Pro-Am has come, Ludamus But as they do, with toil and time Each team did gain its shape. Defenders, goalies, forwards now Their chance they'd get to take. And every one would hear their name, As all the gm's came to claim. Pro-Am has come once more, Pro-Am has come, Ludamus And now the draft has come and gone, The games played right and fair. Tradition kept, continuing By Tet with greatest care. And once again not far from hence, Another round will yet commence. Pro-Am will come once more, Pro-Am will come, Ludamus (word count: 233)

Congrats everybody! Season 96 was definitely one to remember.

It was only a kiss, it was only a kiss.

Helsinki Titans Presser, week ending December 22nd 3 questions for 1 TPE, 6 for 2 TPE! 1. The new season starts soon. What goals do you have for your player? 2. Where do you see us ending up? 3. Are there any other players or teams you follow? 4. Eggnog: yes or no? 5. What was your favorite Christmas present when you were a child? 6. What Christmas traditions does your player have? 7. What is the worst Christmas present you or someone you know has received?

$21

I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.

And I see that it’s me

No escape from reality.

Even though he had been a lot of places in the world, Slava Kovalenko couldn't help marveling at the sight that lay before him. He had tried to do some research about Warsaw before arriving there and one of the many suggestions for something to do was climbing the 150 steps of the Old Town Observation Center, which was right next to St. Anne's Church. The viewing terrace offered a grand view of the city so after handing over some Euros, Slava was allowed to make his ascent. His long legs made short work of the walk up the stairs to the top and he was glad he had bundled up against the cold as soon as he emerged at the top, but the view was indeed spectacular. He could see for a long way around and he just took a moment to breathe and to take in what he was seeing. Things were different now, in a lot of ways. He was out of the M, officially and this upcoming season he was going to be taking to the ice as a full fledged member of the VHL. He had made it, reached the place that had just seemed like a pipe dream when he was young. He was here. (word count: 211)

Hey. You. You’re finally awake.

So the Season 97 VHL draft has concluded and this time I actually got to be present for it (most of it since dad took forever making dinner). The last draft happened when I was at a joint birthday party for me and a couple of my coworkers and my player was taken by Warsaw (Go Predators!), which was cool. This time around, I came to the draft as the assistant general manager of the Helsinki Titans and...we've have our struggles and we know that. Last season we traded our second overall pick and had a little bit of trader's remorse so in conversations with my gm @McLovin, I definitely held the opinion/line that we needed to keep that third overall pick so we could really start to get our prospect pool growing and heading in a good direction. We want to be competitive especially because we want our players to feel good about being on our team and about the way we're going. We know that realistically, it's probably going to take a little more time before we're really in there, but I think this draft could be a turning point for us and I feel like we can make the most of it. We were super surprised that Hugh Neutron kinda fell into our lap. We had discussed several other possibilities and while I'm aware I have a soft spot/bias for them, I had lobbied pretty hard for @animal74 since my player Slava had played with them for a bit on the Season 95 Hounds as well as in the Junior Showcase Tournament last season. However, there was no way we were going to pass up on a player of Hugh's caliber and we're fortunate to have drafted him. I've heard nothing but good things about @Corco and we're looking forward to having him in the locker room. We took Jager Bomb Jr. @Jaggerbomb88 next and we're excited for a chance to work with them and have them be a part of our team in the future. Next came the most nerve-wracking part of the draft: drafting my first player. Since I wasn't able to be there at the previous draft (and the gm wasn't either, so we had someone stand in for us), I had never had the opportunity to draft someone. While the stream was going, I was frantically clicking through buttons, looking at update logs and overall tpe, hoping like hell that I wasn't going to screw all of this up and make my gm mad at me. I decided on Louis Burley @EndoNate. They're a fairly consistent earner, which I liked, and they had a good amount of tpe as well so with my heart in my mouth, I made the pick. Thankfully, my gm agreed that it was a decent pick as did the hosts of the stream and with all the other fairly active people taken, I elected to skip our last pick (with the blessing of my gm). Having a pick of my own has really made me appreciate the work that general managers put in to make their draft picks and build their teams. I don't know if I'll ever gm, either at the VHL level or the VHLM level, but it makes me want to make sure that I'm supporting my gm and helping him to the best of my abilities, even if I feel like a potato sometimes (which I guess since I was born in Idaho and now live here makes sense). With the draft now over, we can all focus on the season ahead and see how things come out in the wash. Good luck, everyone! (word count: 606)

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

The gm’s in the Pro-am Discord have been doing Christmas song parodies to announce their picks. If 200 dollars is raised, I will either live stream or record myself actually singing said song parodies.

1. Lord of the Rings. There’s elves. 2. Stöllen. It’s a German Christmas bread and we always have that every year. It’s just not Christmas at our house without it. 3. Always, especiallg silly/goofy ones. A friend knew of my love of Bigfoot and got me some really cool skiing Sasquatch socks one year. Wore them until they died. 1. What is the one holiday song you would banish if you could? 2. Who would you invite to a holiday meal, living or deceased? 3. Do you have a relative that makes the holidays interesting? If so, who and why?

This is a .com, accidentally put it in the wrong forum like a dork.

Looking around one last time, Slava Kovalenko took a moment to just breathe. It felt like things had been in a whirlwind ever since he and the Mississauga Hounds had won the Founders Cup, but he felt like he had accomplished everything he had set out to do in the VHLM. Now, he was cleaning out his apartment and getting ready for the move over to Warsaw and to the Predators. His sisters, mother and father had been able to come and help him, especially with getting everything cleaned. Slava had even rented a Rug Doctor, just to make sure that things were left in a way where the landlord wouldn't have to do too much work to be able to show the place and get another tenant in. Even though Alaska had been far away, he was going to be even farther now but at least he would still play games that his family could come to as they were able. It was the next step in his career, and he knew it wasn't going to be easy. He had been a Hound and been proud of that but now? He was a Predator and Slava was prepared to do whatever it took to prove that he was worthy of being the sixth overall pick. Locking the door behind him before joining his family below, Slava felt apprehensive but excited for what came next. He was on his way. (word count: 240)

I can be an AGM if someone needs it.

Game six of the Founders Cup finals brought an end to the tightly fought series between the Mississauga Hounds and the Ottawa Lynx. A surprise visitor to the finals, the Hounds jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over the Lynx, but thing seemed to be turning to the Lynx favor especially during a wild game four that saw the game going to septuple overtime before the Lynx finally won. With the team having gone down 2-0 in their previous series before storming back to win 4 straight, it was reasonable to think the Lynx had a good chance to come back and complete the reverse sweep. But Clapdown Bardownski III, with help from Slava Kovalenko and Nikita Yolishev, put that dream to rest for good with a goal in their first overtime period. "It feels unreal." a delighted Kovalenko said when we were able to catch him for a moment amidst the team celebrations. "I was really hoping that we were going to be able to do this. Bringing the cup back to Mississauga was the ultimate goal for me before I left for Warsaw, and the team and I were able to do it. We played against some really great teams, and it wasn't an easy road. We weren't even projected to be here, but we were able to come together and make it happen anyway." When asked how it had felt to play against his friends on Ottawa, such as Brandon Petan Jr. and River Harrington, Kovalenko was matter of fact. "It wasn't easy, at times. I know both of them pretty well and if I had the choice, I'd rather be on their side than not. But we don't always get to choose what happens. We still have to play hard and show out for our teams. They're great players, both of them and I'm expecting some battles when we're all up in the VHL. I have nothing but the utmost respect for them on and off the ice and that's how it's always going to be." Kovalenko's family was in attendance, including his grandparents, Artem and Irina Kovalenko, who were instrumental in Kovalenko getting his first pair of skates when he was little. "I wouldn't be here without them." Kovalenko said, clearly emotional. "They were some of the first people who really believed in me, and it was Dido and Baba who helped out when I was hitting growth spurts and growing out of my equipment really fast. To have them here to see this is more than I could have possibly asked for."' The celebrations are already starting back in Mississauga and the Hounds will surely be welcomed back home with great fanfare. This is the first time the Hounds have won the Founders Cup in six seasons and with much of their team coming back next season, it stands to reason that they'll have a good foundation to build upon, but it does beg the question as to who will step up to fill Kovalenko's shoes as the captain. (word count: 506)