002 ♕ Video

[lefthandedgenius]

Hi, everyone! It's me, Lydia Martin of Cabin Ten. [Cue dazzling smile. No, really. Dazzling.] But I don't need to tell you that, do I?

So here's the thing: I've had some people end up, purely through serendipity's sake - yup, that's another SAT word, you guys - coming to me or somehow winding needing my assistance, and/or advice. And you know what? I actually think I'm pretty good at it. So here's what I'm going to do.

Do you have a question? Whether it's about relationships, looking good, or just some general advice? Maybe you'd like to meet someone but aren't really sure as to who you might be compatible with? Do you need someone to function as a go-between for you and your object of affection? I'm your girl. You're welcome to make your questions anonymous, signed with nom de guerre or request my services discreetly. You're welcome to to contact me via Iris IM, directly in person, or via the mail slot I've set up at Aphrodite Cabin.

I've decided I'm going to try doing regular Iris messages to address people who contact me, sort of like a series of Youtube Q&A videos. Your anonymity will be protected and I'll make sure to edit any questions that might seem to have a blatently obvious identity tag. Now I know some of you may be thinking this is a waste of time, but let me ask you this: if there's someone here to help make what you consider the little things in life easier, doesn't that just make our focus for when we all have to deal with the important stuff more certain? Food for thought.

So. I'm Lydia Martin, of Cabin Ten. And I'm here to make your life better. [Another smile, equally dazzling. Those damn Aphrodite kids!]


[ooc: feel free to leave your messages/questions for Lydia here or in her "video posts", to be done in the style of a youtube-esque advice column.]

Comments

[ im ]

[annieisntokay]

[Annie looks so forlorn and wry and just... not really sure what to do with this information. Other than try to ignore it.]

...Lydiaaa... [That's actually a please don't force me to do this because I know you will.]

[lefthandedgenius]

[Sunny smile!] Oh, hey Annie!

What's wrong? You look really upset. [Concerned Lydia is concerned.]

[annieisntokay]

...Is this your way of trying to get me to, y'know... [ASK YOU FOR HELP ABOUT FINNICK ODAIR. Please just say no. Please.]

[lefthandedgenius]

[Her brows lift.] Oh, honey. If you wanted help of course I would in an instant, but this is for everybody and anybody who wants it. I'm not trying to single you out or anything like that. I figure if you change your mind you'll let me know. But you know me, have I ever really tried to force you into something you didn't want to do?

[Lydia is well aware of how fragile Annie is.]

There's lots of people who need my help, Annie. They just need someone to give them a little encouragement, you know?

[annieisntokay]

...No, you haven't. I just kinda thought... It seemed really quick after our conversation at Thanskgiving... Sorry, I should have thought. [She laughs a little bitterly.] Not everything is about me.

[Nothing is.]

Yeah. I'm sorry. It's a really... smart idea for people. You're really nice to do it.

[lefthandedgenius]

[Lydia gives her a thorough stare.] You know I'll help you if you want me to, right? Not just the thing we talked about.

And thanks. [That smile.] I think it'll be fun.

[annieisntokay]

...I know. You're my friend. [Which is weird to say.] And if I do, I'll go to you. Thanks.

Welcome. I'll make sure to, ah, watch it.

[lefthandedgenius]

Awesome! Who knows, maybe you'll be inspired.

[You know, in retrospect, Annie didn't say anything about not talking to Finnick...]

[annieisntokay]

Maybe.

[Oh gods.]

[excusing]

Wow.

[ Heather smiles appreciatively. ]

Way more productive than that time I literally made over a huge percentage of camp before the Apollo Dance.

[lefthandedgenius]

Thanks!

I just figure if we help with this sort of thing....the heavy stuff, it's a lot easier to shore up for.

[excusing]

[ It's still a crowning achievement of hers, getting to dress up Praetor Reyna as well as a few willing girls and boys. Hermione totally disregarding her advice was expected but other than that, everyone had been quite gung ho about her advice. ]

Sometimes getting past the relationship or the makeup worries can help you before you have to tackle even bigger problems, I think?

[lefthandedgenius]

[Lydia beams, full wattage.] Exactly. I mean, I'm still looking to improve my fighting skills of course, but this is what we're good at, right?

[excusing]

Seriously, Venus and Aphrodite kids sometimes have a bad rap and, yeah I get it. But not everyone's like that and this is what we're good at. So, it makes sense.

Sorry - what did I promise to help you with. fighting wise?

[lefthandedgenius]

Daggers, right? I found some nifty looking ones in the armory.

[excusing]

Yeah! Just fair warning, I'm still getting used to smaller weapons? My gramps is a son of Mars and I definitely got his heavy-handedness. Ven and I've been working on all kinds of training so! I can help you still.

[lefthandedgenius]

I'm totally down with that! I need to show you these daggers I found. They've got rings instead of pommels at the ends so they're easier to reverse.

[excusing]

I've tried those before. Not my kinda weapon, though, since I like a little more weight but. You're probably speedy, so I could help you be more -- exact in your aim?

[lefthandedgenius]

Decent. At least with a bow and arrow. I've learned as well as any other Half Blood camper.

[excusing]

You have to be fast with a dagger and be able to sense where your opponent's going to go. I'd start you with one ring dagger first, then you can work with two.

[lefthandedgenius]

...you know, I hadn't thought about throwing them as well as fighting with them! Shows what a ditz I am.

[excusing]

Why be the assistant when you can be the one throwing the knives, right? You're, like, the last person I'd call a ditz. I'm just more weapons oriented?

[lefthandedgenius]

Sounds good. You can show me how to throw them properly? What am I saying, of course you can.

[excusing]

[ Oh that just gets her grinning really wide. ] It's all about grip and angle. I'm about to head to the archery range. I was gonna do bows and arrows but we can so do daggers.

[lefthandedgenius]

Excellent plan! I'll meet you there.

[excusing]

I'll be waiting, sissy! [ Heather sings just before she swipes away the Iris Message, turning to skip to the arena. She's never used that term before but it's kind of cute. Maybe it'll stick, unless Lydia has protests. ]

[lefthandedgenius]

Ugh, no, Heather, 'sissy' that's just no. [Lydia's nose is definitely wrinkled but she's still eagerly on her way to the arena. Learning to throw knives can't be that hard, right?]

[excusing]

[ She'll just pocket that term for when she feels like annoying Lydia, which will be a rare occasion - that little sisterly attitude is mostly reserved for Finnick.

By the time Lydia reaches her, Heather has her fingers around the blade, loose enough so when she extends her arm, she tosses it with almost exact precision, hitting somewhere between the center and the second ring on the target. ]

[ IM ]

[impetueux]

[Cosette's got her non-existent love-life under control, thank you. No, she's got a far more pertinent question at hand.]

Seriously, how do you even get your eyeliner that perfect? [Okay, it's somewhat shallow to ask, but everyone she knows (read: Eponine) does it well and it's starting to bug her.] Every time I try I end of looking like a raccoon.

Oh, sorry, I'm Cosette by the way.

[lefthandedgenius]

Pretty name!

Obviously practice is a thing, but here's a few cheats - first, when you go to do the eye opposite your dominant hand, reverse your grip on the liner pencil and it'll feel a lot more steady. Oh, and if you tug your upper lid out a little in the corner it spreads it out and makes it easier to work with.

[impetueux]

[She beams.] Thanks~

I'll give it a try sometime this afternoon. No promises on the opposite hand trick though, my coordination is awful.

Any other sage advice? My resources at camp are kind of limited so I'd love to hear what you've come up with. I swear, the boys have it way too easy.

[lefthandedgenius]

Like anything, it takes practice. The more you use it, the better you'll get at it, and after a while it'll be as natural as breathing.

Though if you think boys have it easy, you should see the morning routine some of my brothers have.

[impetueux]

Oh right, duh, Aphrodite cabin. But seriously, don't tell me that, I want to live in the fantasy world where Courfeyrac wakes up looking that flawless every morning.

...What could they even have to do? Aren't you all gifted with natural beauty anyway?

[lefthandedgenius]

[She laughs.] Cour doesn't wake up looking flawless, he wakes up looking adorable tossled.

We may be beautiful, but beauty has its...shades? I guess you can say. Grooming and stuff is still important, especially if you want to look a certain way. I mean, there's a difference between the makeup you might wear day to day versus what you might wear if you were going to a prom, right?

[impetueux]

[This requires serious concentration as she enjoys that mental image.] ...Mmm, fair enough.

Okay, I could see that. Maybe not your brothers in prom makeup, but the analogy, definitely. Still, your gift of beauty beats my archery.

[lefthandedgenius]

I think they're too much apples versus oranges to compare to each other, to be honest.