[video/open to action]

[anunluckypenny]

Hey. Happy October, everyone.

[Penny is up bright and early. From the looks of things, she just finished setting up the usual buffet-style breakfast at the Welcome Center. No one else is around yet; the sun's only now beginning to shine in through the windows in the main room, painting the colorful rug and worn cream carpet with oranges and golds.

It's almost ridiculously pleasant for the City. Then again, consider the management.]

I've never been here for an October--not that I can remember, I mean--but I've heard that it's not always one of the best months to be in the City. Kind of hard to believe with how nice it is outside.

Anyway, the main reason I'm posting or blogging or whatever is to let the newer people in the City know--and remind everyone else, too--that the Welcome Center and the Youth Center are both open. We have some warmer clothes in the Welcome Center for anyone who doesn't have much in the way of those, along with blankets. There're always rooms open in the Youth Center for any kids out there who don't want to live on their own just yet, and we've got a few beds over here for anyone else. Thanks to the Blue Light--shameless plug, but go there and spend money if you have it because the food's amazing--the Welcome Center serves three meals a day, so come in and help yourself if you're new or just having a rough time.

Or, you know... if you want to talk. You don't need to be new here to stop by.

Also--and this is kind of exciting--volunteers at both centers will be getting actual salaries now, so if you could give me your banking info whenever's good for you, I'll get the paying started. If you're not the banking type, let me know and we'll work something out, okay? And if anyone's looking for a job, there're definitely openings.

Even if you're not working for either center, I'd really, really appreciate it if you could point anyone who looks new and lost this way. Thanks a bunch!

[She reaches over to turn off the video... and pauses.]

Hey, has anyone seen Ja--um, Doctor Wilson lately? Just curious.

Comments

[charring]

Salaries? Really?

[anunluckypenny]

Really! I mean, it's probably... I don't know, City minimum wage, so it's not a lot, but it's something. It's kind of hard to get volunteers when they could get paid to do stuff somewhere else, plus most of the people who do stick around could really use the money. Kind of defeats the purpose of volunteering, but it's not like I'd say no to anyone who wanted to help out without getting paid.

[charring]

So it's okay to request to be left as an unpaid volunteer?

[anunluckypenny]

Of course. I'd feel weird if I forced people to take money.

[trenchknives]

Wait, there's a welcome center? It's got food?

[anunluckypenny]

Yes to both! If you go to the main square where the fountain is and look around, there's a brick building with a blue sign that says "Welcome Center." It's not a huge building... kind of easy to miss.

[trenchknives]

Would it be, I dunno, weird if I came by right now? I'm kinda hungry.

[anunluckypenny]

If you're hungry, it'd be weird if you didn't come by. Since, you know... food.

[mrsnose]

Why isn't it a good month?

[anunluckypenny]

I don't know, exactly, but I do know that a lot of people're nervous.

[mr_phale]

Why, what a lovely idea.

[anunluckypenny]

Thank you!

[Um.]

Which idea?

[mr_phale]

Your Welcome Centre. And, er, the Youth Centre as well, I suppose.

[anunluckypenny]

Oh--thank you. The Youth Center's not my idea, though. Neither's the Welcome Center, technically, since other-me started it up.

[mightbeconcussed]

Penny! That's fantastic. Awesome even.

October is usually pretty horrific honestly.

[anunluckypenny]

I'm excited about it. Thank you.

...Okay. On a scale of one to ten with ten being completely and totally horrific, how horrific are we talking?

[mightbeconcussed]

I'd give it an eight?

[anunluckypenny]

That bad, huh? I'll get ready to batten down the hatches.

[intheblanks]

I don't think I have seen Ja-um, Doctor Wilson all that recently. Want me to check if House has him tied to the kitchen by his apron strings again?

[anunluckypenny]

Would you, please? I'd really, really appreciate it, Chase.

[intheblanks]

You're worried about him?

[anunluckypenny]

Kind of, yeah. He's one of my best friends in the City and I haven't heard from him for a couple days.

I am the LATEST of late but shhhhh

[primrosella]

It really is rather strange about October, honestly--I don't recall my first one here being so very bad at all, but then once I started to hear about what some of the others have been like, I started to expect it, too. And then they just seemed to get worse all the time.

You're not late. v_v

[anunluckypenny]

Like the City's getting worse? Or is it mostly because you expect it to be bad?

I am FASHIONABLE, clearly.

[primrosella]

I'm not sure, really, but I think it's more of the latter. Er, though not that I expect it to be awful so much as just...I think that first October, I was still so caught up in getting used to the City in general that I didn't quite know how good the good could be, or how bad the bad could get.