[ open ] jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock

[lyingheart]

WHO: OPEN.
WHERE: De Chima.
WHEN: Saturday, December 13th, 2014.
WHAT: Earlier in the afternoon, there will be base-jumping in elf costumes. Later on is the charity silent date auction and different performances by USA celebrities fundraising for charity this holiday season. OOC information post here.
WARNINGS: None now, will update later. To avoid seeing all the silent auction threads, simply press on the (Hide ## comments) under the header comment for the auction section!

[ BASE JUMPING from TARTARUS TOWER ]
For those imPorts who volunteered to jump from Tartarus Tower, arrivals for fittings into their costumes begins at 2:00 PM sharp. Each costume comes with a name-tag attached, and make-up artists are on hand to help affix elf ears to participants and work on their eye make-up for the ease of the cameras catching all this live.

The jumps will start at 4:00 PM, and after all imPort elves have jumped and successfully reached the ground, they'll join the bus transporting presents and Malik to the De Chima children's hospital to deliver gifts to the children in the cancer ward (and elsewhere). ImPorts will then be transported over to the main facilities for the fundraiser event as a whole, invited to attend the Silent Date Auction as well as listen to any of the various performances occurring over the course of the evening.

[ CHARITY SILENT DATE AUCTION in DE CHIMA ]
Starting at 4:00 PM, the doors to the conference hall made available for the ImPort Charity Silent Date Auction will open. Live music will be provided, along with refreshments and catered hor d'oeuvres, and televisons displaying both the news stories and live coverage of the fundraiser events occurring over the course of the evening. ImPorts will be encouraged to attend any of these performances in person, but will not be required to leave the conference hall unless they wish to do so.

There is lounge seating available, and free wireless throughout the building. Different conference halls are hosting different events in this event center, and the largest productions are happening on a built stage outside. There's a massive lit tree in the central front courtyard of the event center, and many small stands selling hot drinks, good foods, and wares outside by the stage and surrounding streets, all with a portion of proceeds going to various named charities.

Please comment to this log with your own starters! Only the Auction Thread will be set-up under its own sub-thread, for ease of tracking. Auction Threads can be threaded in, but initial comments to those threads should be the bids that a character is placing on someone else (or themselves). Bidding will close OOCly by this time next week (or when a player states bidding is closed on their character - send me a PM to close that thread, or comment to close it on your own). ICly, all bids close at the end of the night.

Comments

[osreborn]

Oh, of course. Why expend the effort in dressing up if the night's only going to end in peril again? Assuming the worst, as one does -- unless you're an optimist.

[ He smirks, inclining his head to one side slightly in apparent consideration. ]

Are you here bidding tonight?

[forsometimenow]

I do try to be an optimist, but as a doctor, I have to be pragmatic, too- "hope for the best, prepare for the worst" has served me well.

[She gives a half shrug.]

I didn't intend to, but if it's for charity... I really need to put more of an effort into meeting new people, too. So we'll see.

[osreborn]

As a businessman, I can say that motto gets plenty of mileage in general. At least you have a good sense of priorities; you can never be too careful when it comes to medical response.

[ Also a good thing for any supervillain, reformed or not, to make note of. How many medical professionals might be at the scene. ]

Better to start here, I'd say -- since you'll be in decent company.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah, I agree. Especially when superpowers are involved... and politics. I have to admit, the attack on the corn maze and the bombings spurned me on more than anything. It made me wonder if the people responsible wouldn't try something again, especially at a highly-publicized event like this.

[She nods.]

I'm not exactly looking for romance, but even if I don't win someone, I'm still being social. So it's a win-win.

[osreborn]

Were you already an EMT before all that? Or did the chaos inspire you?

[ He smiles mildly, politely, and raises his glass a touch. ]

A good perspective to take. ImPorts aren't what I'd call the most stable of dating options.

[forsometimenow]

I was- I am a doctor back home, actually- this was the job I got assigned when I was brought here. I like what I do, but I'd love to open my own practice some day...

[Jennifer raises an eyebrow.]

Why is that?

[osreborn]

Lucky you. Then again, I think they'd be shooting themselves in the foot to reassign the doctors and scientists that come in -- what a waste that would be.

[ He sips from his glass. ]

Because we can disappear at any time.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah, exactly. Even if I had been given something else, I would have gotten a job change as soon as I could. I can't see myself doing anything else.

[Not that I could if I wanted to, she added silently.]

... yeah, that's true. It's a risky prospect, getting attached to someone when they could be gone tomorrow. I don't have that dilemma yet, fortunately.

[osreborn]

No one should let their talents fall by the wayside -- especially those they've done as much work to earn.

[ He's put a lot of his life into his own craft and passions, after all. But at the same time, he is an opportunist when he has to be. ]

On the other hand, anything we do here can be considered risky. There's always an argument to made for which risks a person finds worth taking.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah, exactly. And people always need doctors, so I'd always be needed somewhere.

[Jennifer thinks about that and nods.]

Even my job is considered risky by some- and jumping off a building is certainly risky, too. I have someone waiting for me back home, though, so at least dating someone here is something I don't have to think about.

[osreborn]

Jumping off a building? Here I assumed you were just there in case of an accident. My mistake. How was it?

[ He raises his eyebrow in curiosity, not concern. ]

Though clearly you don't mind keeping your options open.

[forsometimenow]

Actually, your assumption was right- didn't mean to be confusing. [Jennifer laughed nervously.] Nobody got seriously injured, so I call it a win.

[She then looks back at the auction block.]

More like I just want to meet more people... I'm not exactly the best at that.

[osreborn]

That's all that's important -- that no one was hurt.

[ He smiles, patiently, politely, though his eyebrow stays arched the way it is. ]

I think both are noble goals. It pays to know the people around here, for plenty of good reason. For instance, I'm Norman Osborn. Good to meet a medical professional such as yourself.

[forsometimenow]

Yeah. And nobody showed up to try and kidnap us, either.

[Jennifer notices the arched brow, but keeps acting casual- because what are social skills.]

Thank you, Mr. Osborn. I'm Dr. Keller- I work as an EMT in De Chima for now, but I'd love to have my own medical practice in the future.

[osreborn]

Shouldn't be too difficult to achieve, if you're willing to put in some hard work in getting there.

[ Presumably someone who'd already suffered through med school would be capable of that much, his tone very vaguely implies. ]

What's stopping you? Skills? Money?

[forsometimenow]

Money, for now. And skill, a little bit- not that I think I lack ability, but it's a bit hard to prove my credentials here, and some people might be understandably wary.

[osreborn]

No, I understand. Lacking experience doesn't leave us in any advantaged position without enough time to invest, first.

[ He gestures idly with his hand, around the room. ]

Ever considered asking for donations?

[forsometimenow]

I have, but... I don't know. I think maybe going for a business loan may be my best bet. I don't know much about that, though- I don't want to get taken advantage of.

[osreborn]

I know a few things about loans, myself -- particularly business loans. If you need any advice, I'm not opposed to offering.

[ Because he's just so generous that way. ]

[forsometimenow]

I might take you up on that- I need to think on it some more, though. Do my homework first and all.

[osreborn]

Well, I can give you my card. Contact me at your leisure if you ever need a second opinion on a business decision.

[ His smile is sharper, shark-like almost in the way a human smile can be, and he whips out a business card for her from his pocket. ]

[forsometimenow]

I'll do that. [She takes the card, a little uneased by the smile, though she tries not to show it.]

I appreciate it, thank you.