Off the Beaten Track

Hello. My name is Dylan Carter. I'm such a fabulously high profile tour-guide that you've never heard of me. However there are currently vacancies in my next tour, so feel free to sign up and join the privileged ranks. I'm currently working in Egypt. I'm all about answering questions, related to my tours or not, so ask away. Cheers!

[colin-baxter-deactivated2013010]

Surprises is the only thing life seems to be throwing me. I am actually back at the hotel. Someone broke in and completely destroyed my center mosaic piece. They did thousands of dollars of damage. It was absolutely heart breaking to see it. I got a call from the contractor telling me that something had happened and that I should probably go check it out. I must say, it is the worst feeling seeing something you spent so long working on and trying to perfect, be completely destroyed.

[askdylancarter-blog]

Colin, that's terrible.  I'm so sorry.  Why would someone do something like that to your mosaic?  Have the police got any leads on who it was?  I know I'm halfway around the world right now, but is there anything I can do to help you?  

[officialgreaseman-deactivated20]

[askdylancarter-blog]

This is the most accurate description of what it's like being a Tour Guide that I have ever seen.

[askdylancarter-blog]

Jon’s niece came to visit. Not by herself, mind you, actually she came with her parents and her older brother. Anyway, ever since I got sick on the job awhile back, Jon’s been forcing me to take it easy, and since I haven’t had anything better to do, I’ve ended designated...

[askdylancarter-blog]

Yes, well...I guess it beats the alternative--walking around in the sun watching other people clear sand away from bits of the tomb while Jamila creeps you out.  Honestly I have no idea how the girl does it.  I've become convinced that she can teleport short distances.  Trixie says "It's silly to be a tesserasist when you could play a trombone instead" (she meant mosaicist), but that "It was smart of you to do art instead of cooking, because you're British, and Brits can't cook" (she's very free with her opinions), and that she is giving me very hard time.  And she is.  I never considered that watching children's cartoons would become an endurance test.  Or that when I became a tour guide I'd end up watching five seasons of Scooby-Doo with a little girl.  Life is full of surprises, mate.  So, how is life going now that you finally get to take it easy for a bit?

[askdylancarter-blog]

Jon's niece.

Jon's niece came to visit.  Not by herself, mind you, actually she came with her parents and her older brother.  Anyway, ever since I got sick on the job awhile back, Jon's been forcing me to take it easy, and since I haven't had anything better to do, I've ended designated babysitter.  It's not actually so bad, though, because mostly she just wants to read books, or watch cartoons, or play Sinet.  I'm pretty sure she cheats.  That girl could con a Vegas card shark.  

It's been pretty fun though.  Some of the shows are quite entertaining.  She's reading through The Silver Chair at present, and I never get tired of a good C.S. Lewis book.

Anyway, "Trixie" here, (which is not even remotely her real name, but because of "internet security" she made me swear to call her only by the name of some Disney character) found out I had this blog and was instantly determined that I should offer answered questions from her as well.  (She says to let you know that she knows "everything" about "everyone". )  (She doesn't.  She's mistakenly told me three different ladies were Jamila in an attempt to prove she can psychically recognize people.)

Anyway, if you've got any questions, for "Trixie" or me, we're ready for them.  We'll be here, watching whatever "Gravity Falls" is while we wait.

[colin-baxter-deactivated2013010]

Hello Dylan! I was worried for awhile there mate, thought you might have been abducted by aliens or something since you hadn’t been on in awhile. Good to see it was only a little bit of a sickness, hope you’re...

[askdylancarter-blog]

Fantastic!  Well, I hope you can continue to work with him.

[wrathofra-deactivated20130728]

Send me a theme song for my character.

[colin-baxter-deactivated2013010]

Hello Dylan! I was worried for awhile there mate, thought you might have been abducted by aliens or something since you hadn’t been on in awhile. Good to see it was only a little bit of a sickness, hope you’re feeling better.

As for sight-seeing, I have had time. I went to the Lincoln Memorial just today. It’s a stunning place. I also got to visit the National Gallery of Art. It was absolutely fantastic! It’s so nice to be having a little mini holiday. 

[askdylancarter-blog]

I’ve never actually been to DC myself.  I’ve seen so many pictures though.  It seems like the architecture there is so grand that just walking down the street is like strolling through an art exhibit.  

Good to see that you’re finally getting some time off!  You could run yourself ragged, putting so much work into a project you have to oversee so much of.  When’s the grand opening?

[colin-baxter-deactivated2013010]

The grand opening is scheduled for the 19th of January. I cannot wait. Krolmeister is such a big named company, to be involved in his first DC hotel is incredible. So many people are going to be able to see my work and appreciate it, and that’s all I really want. 

So if for some reason I move away from DC in that time period I will have to return because he is specially displaying it and would like for everyone to know who the artist is. It’s still so unbelievable.

[askdylancarter-blog]

That's great news, mate!  Somehow I'd missed that you were making that for Krolmeister.  They do make everything, don't they?  It's almost unnerving.  It's a great job though, by the sound of it!  Do you think you'll keep working for them, on other projects?

[colin-baxter-deactivated2013010]

Hello Dylan! I was worried for awhile there mate, thought you might have been abducted by aliens or something since you hadn’t been on in awhile. Good to see it was only a little bit of a sickness, hope you’re feeling better.

As for sight-seeing, I have had time. I went to the Lincoln Memorial just today. It’s a stunning place. I also got to visit the National Gallery of Art. It was absolutely fantastic! It’s so nice to be having a little mini holiday. 

[askdylancarter-blog]

I've never actually been to DC myself.  I've seen so many pictures though.  It seems like the architecture there is so grand that just walking down the street is like strolling through an art exhibit.  

Good to see that you're finally getting some time off!  You could run yourself ragged, putting so much work into a project you have to oversee so much of.  When's the grand opening?

[askdylancarter-blog]

I'm feeling better.

I was down with something for about two days earlier in the week.  Jon freaked out a bit, but it's seems to have not been anything serious.  And my blog seems to have developed some sort of bug while I was away, or something.  Anyway!  I'm back, and I've got some free time, so if you've got any questions for me, I'd love to answer them.

[askdylancarter-blog]

I don't even know who Sonny Joon is.

[askdylancarter-blog]

Wait

I was going through my blog to see if I'd responded to Bess about books, but there's all of this stuff I didn't reblog.  National Conspiracy Awareness Day?  Is this some sort of bug that happens to everyone, or should I be worried?

[bess-marvin-deactivated20130129]

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I read a wide variety of books. Have you ever been to one of those family-owned hotel things where they have a take-a-book leave-a-book system for passing books around with fellow travelers? I stay in those a lot. It makes ready a series very interesting. I hardly ever have...

[askdylancarter-blog]

Any romance novels in particular?

Ah!  A fellow Potterhead.  Which house are you?  I usually end up a Gryffindoor,  but for some unfathomable reason Pottermore decided I was a Hufflepuff.  

[askdylancarter-blog]

Goodbye.

I've decided I'll leave up all of the posts I made and see how long it takes Dylan to notice.  It's been fun!

~Jamila

[askdylancarter-blog]

What do you think of Nancy?

She's very smart.  Far more intelligent than anyone else at the dig.  Very trustworthy as well.  She's got some uncanny luck, and I've never seen someone able to piece so much seemingly unconnected information together so fast.  I was glad to have her there to help in the end, down in Egypt.  I hope to meet her again someday,  perhaps work together.

[askdylancarter-blog]

What is Sonny Joon like?

He's eccentric, brilliant, and crazy.  He wears the strangest clothing and I've never seen him with the same hairstyle or color twice.  He's a genius, though you wouldn't think it at first.  He's quite the talented speed-artist.  I remember him covering an entire wall in graffiti with incredible precision in only three minutes.  It saved our lives.  But that's all Budapest, and it's better left unsaid. And he's met...them.  I know it sounds crazy, but it's true. 

[askdylancarter-blog]

[chaparrasca]

Nefertari