Voting Time! (ft. the Wisest Counselors You Ever Did See)

 

*stalks into blog world, looking slightly frazzled, and muttering to self*

Um. Hi everyone. *sheepish grin*

It's been quite the week. Between finding housing for sixty-five Wise Counselors (guys, I live in a dorm. There's like. No extra space. I owe lifetime favors to so many of my friends at this point for letting characters sleep on their floors, not to mention I'm basically my roommate's slave for life for her letting me house a bunch of the female characters in our room.), making sure they didn't do anything terribly crazy (although, to be fair, most of the characters who were nominated for this award had their heads screwed on much better than really any of the characters I've hosted before, other than maybe Sophie Hatter, whose fan club I will unapologetically be the president of for life), and sorting through all the votes that came in, I also had to do my homework. 

One would think that having a whole bunch of wise counselors around while doing homework would make it easier.

One would be wrong.

Between all the ones who were correcting my grammar and spelling, the ones who were suggesting that I should do my homework in a different order (they were divided between the 'studio work first' faction and the 'thesis work first' faction--no one wanted me to do my plant pathology homework, for some reason), and the ones (*cough, looking at you Helmer and Chiron*) who were insistent that I stop looking at that weird screen and go outside and practice some useful skills, like swordplay...well, it's a wonder I got any homework done this week at all. 

It certainly doesn't help that I've been struggling to spell council um wait, councel uh no, counsil ack please, counselors all week.

The ridicule. The sheer ridicule. You have no idea. 

But okay, on the bright side, there are a ton of people I've been having a lot of fun hanging out with. A lot of favorite characters, for sure! 

The Magus and I have been going on tree-study walks, which is great, because after being in England for so long, I'm a little rusty on the trees of Illinois, and he doesn't know any of them (well, he can identify the vague category, but not the species, you know how it is) and it's very helpful for me to have to explain to him what's what--good review for my planting class! (And he's so much fun to chat with, too. He'll drop just absolutely crazy statements out of nowhere, and it's a grand time. I'm less a fan of his input on how I'm writing my thesis, though. Something about 'primary sources' and 'no folktales, now'.) 

Uh...hi, Podo. What's up? Oh, a garden--NO NO NO, NOT the Morrow Plots, PLEASE! I can take you to the Student Sustainable Farm later, okay? Yeah, I'm almost done here. I'll come get you in half an hour, okay? NOT the Morrow Plots, though. Thank you. 

(*fingers to either side of forehead* Guys, if Podo trespasses on the Morrow Plots, I will literally get expelled. That's not even a joke.)

Okay, where was I? Things I've had fun doing with the Wise Counselors? 

And to be fair, there have been plenty. Although the dating advice from Hoid was a little...something.

(GUYS. HOID IS HERE. MY SIBLINGS ARE GOING TO KILL ME FOR NOT INVITING THEM.) 

Anyway, I've loved getting to see Calcifer again, and meeting all the Green Ember characters was fabulous (and knowing that they were going to be a lot easier to house than most of the other characters was a definite weight off my mind), and Beana is a definite favorite. I have a soft spot for goats, even if they're talking goats who are actually humans in goat disguises. (Although to be fair, I like actual goats better. Talking goats that give irritatingly good advice do start to get on one's nerves after a certain amount of time. But hey, they're better at pooping in the trash can than real goats are, I guess.)

Mrs. Who, Mrs. Whatsit, and Mrs. Which have been hanging out with Irene's Grandmother, giving off all of the 'strange, slightly supernatural old lady' vibes, often from the choir loft of the church (I didn't give them the keycode, I swear). And Mandy and Professor McGonagall have been bonding over Practical Matters, in between Professor McGonagall helping me with my thesis. 

(She's the only character who has actually been helpful with said thesis, and I am exceedingly grateful and wish she could stay for the whole semester.) 

Oh...hey Glinda. What's up? ...Shopping? I guess...there's the mall, but there's also the used clothes shop. You could walk there--no? Okay, I guess not. I promised I'd take Podo gardening, but if you want, you can take the bus to the mall? Yeah? Okay, here's my bus card. Have...fun?

Definitely not concerned about that at all. 

Okay but in the midst of all of this love for these Wise Counselors, I do have to mention that freaking ATHELAS drank ALL of my freaking ENGLISH TEA that I SHIPPED BACK FROM ENGLAND and that I meant to last for an ENTIRE YEAR because I can't just GET THAT IN THE US and I'm still REALLY MAD ABOUT IT. 

*ahem* 

Okay but GUYS I got to meet Dumbledore, AND Sirius Black, AND Kingsley Shacklebolt, and they are all so cool, although Dumbledore can be a little...taciturn. Or maybe just obfuscationary. Or both. 

But I think my favorite character to have around has been Father Tiempo--his timing was perfect, because one of our priests was at a conference this week, so he was able to fill in for him, and say Masses and hear Confessions and stuff, and it was awesome. 

(Um, guys, in all seriousness, I just realized that the priest who was filling in for Father while he was gone was actually named Father Peter something-or-other and now I'm feeling a little dizzy. XD)

And now that I've filled you in on my week, we get to my favorite part--the part where I get to kick all of them out (LOOKING AT YOU ATHELAS) and host only the favorites for a week! And luckily, some of YOUR favorites are also some of MY favorites--it's going to be a good week. 

Without further ado, meet...

The Nominees 

(all image credits to owner--I own none of them)

Podo Helmer (Wingfeather Saga)

Podo Helmer: Wielder of Clubs, Pirate Emeritus, Foe of Thwaps, and Grandfather Extraordinaire. When he's not trying to grow the best toetatoes and keep his garden pest-free, Podo can often be found attempting to protect his family--daughter and three grandchildren--as they go haring off on wild adventures/attempts to escape the Fangs of Dang. He definitely tries to dissuade them from their more crazy exploits, but in the end, all he wants to do is make sure that they're all alive at the end of the day. 

“Sorry, lass. Ye have to seize the teachable moments, you know. Carry on.”

Maggie Weaver (Green Ember)

Maggie Weaver: Honorary Grandparent, Mender of Stockings, So-Called Wisest Lady In The World, and Truth-Teller Extraordinaire. When not sitting in her rocking chair, sewing and longing for her lost husband, Maggie can often be found advising counsels of war, inspiring the hearts of rabbits fighting for freedom, and reminding people who they really are. 

"She had been a lifeline in a storm for him, a source of wisdom and acceptance he had never before known. The wise old rabbit would sew for hours and serve up council to the small and great."

Beana (Tales of Goldstone Wood)

Beana: Knight of Farthestshore, Gate-Guarder, Child-Guardian in the Near World, and Goat Extraordinaire. When not doing her work as a Knight of Farthestshore and guarding the gates to the Near World, she can often be found in the form of a goat, watching over (and bossing around) Rose Red. 

"Bah!" said the goat. She stamped and shook her little horns. "What's eating me, she asks? Cruel, cruel girl! Running off like that without so much as a by-your-leave, and leaving me tied to a stake all day! In the rain! Like some animal!"

Helmer (Green Ember)

Helmer the Black: Lord Captain, Guilt-Ridden Prudent One, Grumpy Guy, and Arms Tutor Extraordinaire. When not skulking about the fortress making people uncomfortable and almost getting himself killed with insane training exercises, he's toughening up young rabbits as swordsmen, and trying to make sure they are better rabbits and warriors than he--but also that they understand the risks. 

"War is a splash of terror in a sea of boredom. At least that's what Helmer says."

Irene's Grandmother (The Princess and the Goblin) 

Grandmother: Giver of Rings, Washer of the Dirty, Cleanser of the Clean, and Spinner Extraordinaire. When not waiting in her attic for the delight of seeing her granddaughter and advising her on how to be safe and thwart evil in her next adventure, she can often be found turning hearts to the good, either with her lamp, as a beautiful lady, or in the form of a dove. 

“'We are all very anxious to be understood, and it is very hard not to be. But there is one thing much more necessary.'

'What is that, grandmother?'

'To understand other people.'”

So many good options! I definitely am not sure who I'm voting for yet! 

But this is the important part! Go to THIS LINK to register your vote!! 

And if you'd like to read what other people have to say about the finalists in their categories, you should check out their blogs! It should be a fun week!