[ 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

[forsometimenow]

"Magic," Jennifer repeated, shaking her head a little, waiting patiently until Anna was done before replying to her questions. She was used to people jumping all over the place as they talked- well, used to Rodney doing it, anyway. When he got awkward or got really into what he was talking about, it could be hard to keep him on track... or make him get to the point.

"We didn't have magic back home, so I had to do it all by hand. As to how long it took..." She shrugged, not wanting to sound like a braggart. "I moved through school faster than most people, since I'm what some would call a genius, so I'm the exception rather than the rule. It was still hard, mind- lots of long hours. Lots of things to remember. Practicing my skills over and over until they were perfect. It was worth it, though. I got recruited for my job back home right out of medical school, and now, here I am."

Jennifer was going to leave out the part where she was made head of Atlantis' medical staff at age 26. Even she didn't believe that part sometimes.

[willthaw]

Somehow, the fact Jennifer practiced her craft manually only impressed Anna further. Not only was it gory and complicated but the pressure of holding human life in one's hands was all but incomprehensible to the princess. It amazed her that Jennifer was both brave enough, and talented enough, that she used her skills to save lives.

Jennifer's honest addmittances didn't sound like bragging so much as statements of fact. Even with brilliance, being a doctor clearly took immense amounts of time and dedication.

"That's remarkable!" Anna responded, evidently rather impressed. "We're lucky to have you on hand here, that's for sure. Though, of course, I'm sure you miss home as much as the rest of us?"

Either way, it certainly put Anna's job of taste testing pies to shame!

[forsometimenow]

Jennifer felt her face going warm at the compliment. She was never quite sure what to say aside from thanks for compliments when she was told things like that- but she still appreciated hearing it.

"I'm just glad I can do what I can to help," she replied. "I appreciate the compliment, really- we tend to see our job as just that and not anything special. But thank you all the same."

She then turned to look at the crowd, folding her hands together in front of her.

"I do miss home," she agreed quietly. "I miss my friends... my dad... my boyfriend. This place hasn't been so bad so far, but I wish I was back home with them. I'm not... exactly the best at making friends, so it is lonely here sometimes."

[willthaw]

"I mean, it's an extra marvel to someone from a world like mine. But even in this one, what you can do is truly a gift."

Anna's words were as genuine as her smile. Though the smile faded at the talk of missing home, her expression remained genuine when she listened to Jennifer continue. Such sentiments certainly weren't unusual among the imPorts. Anna sometimes wondered if the only reason she had transitioned so easily was the presence of nearly all that she knew when she first arrived.

And Hans' disappearance was certainly no loss in her eyes.

"That's completely fair. I can't imagine how lonely it would feel to be trapped here without knowing a soul. In that regard I know I've been incredibly lucky."

[forsometimenow]

"I can imagine," Jennifer agreed. "I've met a lot of people to whom even things like cell phones are a marvel... makes me think about what I take for granted."

Jennifer looked around at the crowd before looking back at Anna.

"On the other hand, I've met a lot of kind people here," she replied. "Who are willing to approach me and be patient with my shyness. So at least I'm not alone."

[willthaw]

"Even the cell phones are beyond my time. We don't have electricity or appliances or anything like that. My, um, friend?" She and Kristoff weren't anything official yet so friend sounded the best for now. "He's an ice harvester in our world. In the summer and even in winters, he delivers ice since we don't have a capacity to make it ourselves."

Well, not counting the fact that Elsa apparently had magic powers that could have rendered Kristoff without work long before arriving in this strange, modern world.

"Everything is remarkable here. The technology, the kindness of other people... I'm glad you don't feel lonely. It's a horrible way to feel." And Anna would know, most of her life had been spent alone, especially after her parents passed. "I didn't have many people in my life before here and having those I can call friends is a wonderful thing."

[forsometimenow]

"Wow..." Jennifer sounded impressed. "In a way, though, that's remarkable, too. I imagine transporting ice takes a lot of strength... and a lot of knowhow. Of the terrain, knowledge to keep it from melting..."

Everyone has something to contribute, she thought. Even in societies that were far behind her own in technology. It was a great thought to keep in her heart.

"It is a wonderful thing," she agreed. "I'm sorry to hear that you were lonely before- you seem like such a nice person. But then again, it's still far too easy to be and feel isolated..."

So, so late. D: We can handwave if you want, I totally don't mind!

[willthaw]

"Oh yes. Kristoff is very strong!" Anna's cheeks might have gone a bit pink. "And, um knowledgeable too. Because, you know, you have to be, like you said!"

The compliments behind Anna's bumbling words were sincere. She thought the very highest of Kristoff and his work. If they were ever to return home, she still owed him a sled so he could get back to it.

As for the other thing.

"It wasn't by choice. My family had to because my sister had a power and it would've been bad if the rest of the world knew." The princess had a fair amount of time to come to terms with their childhood since arriving in Heropa. "But it did mean that I spent a lot of time indoors. Or on the limited castle grounds."