No, I'm not dead or married, I've just been busy.  I'll get back to my regularly scheduled blog later this year, I promise.  I've been typing this entry for some time.  It started at several weeks, but now its is at several months.  Let's hope that it doesn't reach years.  I can't believe how much has improved here at Xanga as I continue to type this entry up.  First rich text editing, now titles, what's next?  I really like the service here and miss getting my thoughts out of my head.  I wish there was a way to do it while on the run all over town.  Imagine if I could dicate entries while commuting?  That'd rock. 

 

I'm not currently in any gaming except the monthly (at least, that's the goal if not the reality) Paladium Fantasy game.  So you're not missing much in the way of stories.  What you did miss was my Dark Sun campaign, unless you followed the link on my lj.  I've been so busy with LepreCon XXXII Program recently, that I haven't finished the recap of session 13 yet, however.  I'll get to eventually.  There's a lot of demand for me to return to the story, so I might later this year.  The players have guessed some of the plot correctly, and some is so glaringly off that it's laughable.  I'm trying to keep them guessing as to which is which. 

 

I'll see y'all around.

 

 

 

The Sage You scored 16 Leadership, 39 Charm, 67 Nobility, and 62 Competence!

Talented and noble, you are an example to other players. You help any in need, but probably avoid large social gatherings such as cantinas and bars, prefering to be alone to hone your respective skills. Because of your aloof manner, people respect you but are likely a bit intimidated and unsure. But you probably like that.

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 0% on Leadership You scored higher than 0% on Charm You scored higher than 0% on Nobility You scored higher than 0% on Competence

Link: The Roleplaying Destiny Test written by MadelineGrace on OkCupid Free Online Dating

 

Just this evening, I realized that Titanium Johnson was yet another Jammer punny name.  Boy, do I feel naive.  It's taken five years for that to register.  My friends must really laugh at me.  Oh wait, they do already! 

 

So, I'm going through Shadowfist stuff (obviously) this evening while preparing for CopperCon XXV, where I'll be doing Shadowfist demos and tournaments, giving out free Shadowfist boosters, and otherwise celebrating Shadowfist's 10th anniversary.  However, I have decided to take a break from all of that to tell you a little bit about GenCon.  As I go through the cards, memories are fresh in my mind of their last use (GenCon, keep up with me here!). 

 

Here I am getting a demo of Santiago from Ben and David at the Z-Man booth.  Santiago is a great game of aggressive capitalist strategy.  I'd own a copy if I wasn't actively reducing the clutter in my home.  I do recommend it for people who like board games.

 

I had also just picked up my Who Wants Some Cards, which you see on the table.  I won the two games I won with the deck I later built by getting out the Mother of Corruption you see on top there.  Once she's got an Evil Twin , there's no stopping them!  Muah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah hah! 

 

OK, so I also played some Shadowfist.  I bet that surprises you.  What surprised me was how much better a player I was a year later.  Especially considering how few opportunities I had to play bettwen GenCons.  Last year I won Most Losses for the Both Guns Blazing Tournament, and was ridiculed for my deck design strategies by the big players during and after each event.  Jim Pai and a few others gave me some advice, which along with my experiences with all new metagames and their players made me the player to fear locally. 

 

This year I tried to get Ken to avail himself of their knowledge, but only succeeded in getting him there for Both Guns Blazing and Comrades in Arms.  To be fair, he was GMing T&T 7.0 demos and otherwise working the Flying Buffalo booth.  While I had a 4-3 record in the Both Guns Blazing (with my Jammers' Monkeying Around deck which was undefeated locally), Ken was lucky enough to win Most Losses.  If he'd have been able to continue beyond Comrades in Arms I'm sure he could have learned a lot. 

 

Comrades in Arms also used Monkeying Around (what a surprise!).  Here we all are gathering for the event.

 

The World Championships saw my entry of my Architects of the Flesh's Sinister Scientists deck.  It lost two games legitimately and lost two games in time outs.  While sounding bad, the time out games were this game pictured below against Sarah, Tor, and Michael and one against Julian, Ben, and Allen.  I believe Sarah made it into the final round (despite being in our timeout game!), and Julian, as people know, is on the design team and is keeper of the OmniFAQ.  In both of those games, people feared my deck so much that they actually commented about it throughout the whole game and adjusted their play in response to their fears.  While I believe Sarah or Tor was most likely to have won the one game, I believe I was most likely to have won the other.  However, timeouts being a necessity in tournament play, we'll never know.  It's just the fact that I was actually considered a threat by Julian (and others) who thought me unconsequential just a year before that boosted my spirits. 

 

During the Championships we paused for 10th anniversary cake!  It was delish.    It had the Flying Kick Ting Ting with Shadowfist in background that we see on the Shadowfist card backs, and a fairly good adaptation of the border effect (when switched from portrait to landscape).  Each person that took a piece of cake was given a box of Netherworld 2:  Back Through the Portals booster packs!    Is Z-Man the most awesome, or what?!    I know people took pics, but I can't find any at the moment.  So just image the cake and let the wailing and grinding of teeth for those who were not there begin. 

 

While at the con, I spoke to Zev about running Shadowfist events at CopperCon, despite not being in the Silver Band.  He was so excited, he thanked me several times at the convention and even promised prize support.  How cool is that?  What's amazing is that he remembered me on sight a whole year later.  That's a great businessman.  I wish I could do that for my customers. 

 

 

 

But, of course I did things other than Shadowfist and Santiago.  In my next installment, let me regal you with tales of T&T 7.0, True Adventures, and some of the best LARPs I've played!  In the meantime I'd best get some sleep before work tomorrow!

 

Thanks to Sheila for the follow quiz.  My only questions:  How'd I get pegged as the lame one?  And how'd I get picked as a leader when I didn't answer any of the leadership questions with affirmatives?

You scored as Cyclops. Cyclops is the team leader of the X-Men, and a skilled one at that. He loves Jean Grey very much. He's a strict and sometimes uptight leader, but he believes in his cause and he knows what he's fighting for... Peace between Mutants and Humans. Powers: Optic blasts Cyclops 85% Gambit 70% Jean Grey 65% Storm 60% Nightcrawler 60% Rogue 60% Colossus 50% Emma Frost 50% Iceman 50% Wolverine 35% Beast 35% Most Comprehensive X-Men Personality Quiz 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

 

Mom gave me some Ghost Peeps when she stopped by today  See How Marshmallow Peeps Are Born.

 

OK, lots to type, not much time.

 

I finished HP year 6, despite listing it as "currently reading".  I haven't picked a book yet to take to Gencon.  When I do, I'll let you know.  I finished it Saturday night/Sunday morning at HExacon.  I just couldn't put it down.  I guess KPNX-TV made a comment aimed at me when they filmed me playing Quidditch 08:00 Sunday morning.  I wish I was awake enough to focus on more than just the card game.  Oh well.

 

Hexacon had very low attendance, but I had fun.  I played Quidditch, Star Wars Epic Duels, Pirate's Cove, Shadowfist, and helped run PLA5 & DAL2.  I also was confirmed for running Shadowfist slots at CopperCon this year.  Everyone should come and play. 

 

Bill had a family crisis and crashed at my place for a few nights this past week.  We talked a lot, and I think he's learned a few things about himself.  Hopefully, he'll continue the personal growth he evidenced.  He rejoined Phoenix Chuy's Fan Club as well, which I'll take as a good sign.

 

While talking, he told me I should seek a relationship with one of our mutal friends.  The weird thing is, this was a friend I know full well with which he has tried to several times to start a relationship.  So I was totally not prepared for him to offer me that advice.  He said that I know her so much better than he does, so that tells him that we obviously already have the friendship on which to base a such a relationship.  Usually, I'd ignore such a thing.  However, as I heard each excuse come out of my mouth as I gave them to him, I realised that they were just lame excuses on why I shouldn't.  So I have to wonder, have I been fooling myself?  Am I interested in her, but just too afraid to admit to it?  I'll have to monitor myself and see.  Even the thought that I might be so vulnerable is scarey, which is so silly and lame.  I really need to be less uptight about self control.  I suspect that will be a lifetime battle.

Kermit! You scored 73 Mood and 65 Energy!

Kermit is the down-to-earth, regular everyman (or in this case everyfrog). You're energetic, enthusiastic and everyone likes you! Sometimes, you get frustrated with your friends and with life's little irritations, but most of the time you are happy and ready to take on the world.

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 83% on Mood You scored higher than 59% on Energy

Link: The Muppet Personality Test written by TheLadyEve on Ok Cupid

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride looks great.  I can't wait for it to come out. 

 

So, yesterday some jerk stole my bicycle.  That's the fourth crime on my property in a couple of years.  I'm becoming very annoyed. 

 

Wayne lent me his copy of Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, so hopefully I can finish before Diagon Alley Live:  The Starling Centaur this upcoming Sunday.  Wish me luck.

 

After over a month of delays, we finally started my Dark Sun 3.5 campaign this past Saturday, using a mix of Dragon Magazines #315 & 319, Dungeon Magazines #110 & 111, and The Burnt World of Athas.  All three are official Dark Sun sources, and I think that each has holes which the other fills.  I might post my campaign specifics online sometime.  I used the d20 Initiative Cards for the first time, and they worked out really well!  I highly recommend them.  Rusty is playing a Thri-Kreen Fighter 2, Kitty is playing a Maenad Wilder 3, and Monte is playing an Elf Rouge 3.

 

Anyway, time to get back to work on DAL2.  Later.

 

Thanks to Chris for the quiz!

the Wit (52% dark, 34% spontaneous, 33% vulgar)

your humor style: CLEAN | COMPLEX | DARK You like things edgy, subtle, and smart. I guess that means you're probably an intellectual, but don't take that to mean you're pretentious. You realize 'dumb' can be witty--after all isn't that the Simpsons' philosophy?--but rudeness for its own sake, 'gross-out' humor and most other things found in a fraternity leave you totally flat. I guess you just have a more cerebral approach than most. You have the perfect mindset for a joke writer or staff writer. Your sense of humor takes the most effort to appreciate, but it's also the best, in my opinion. Also, you probably loved the Office. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check it out here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/theoffice/. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Jon Stewart - Woody Allen - Ricky Gervais

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 36% on dark You scored higher than 42% on spontaneous You scored higher than 64% on vulgar

Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on OkCupid Free Online Dating

 

Did you know that there are seventy-two different Star Wars M&M packages to collect?  They have several in each size and flavour combination.  Of course, now that they have the Darth Chocolate dark chocolate variety, there is no reason to buy the milk chocolate varieties--not even for Star Wars!  In fact, they're stupid refusal to make custom dark chocolate M&Ms has cost them a Star Wars Collectors Tin sale. 

 

So I warned our TFLAS team that we would need to read the new book in less than a week in order to best avoid spoilers.  I know we knew that the book release was close to Phoenix Con Games and Hexacon, but I don't know if we had realized how close.  Well, most of our HLA2 team bought the book opening day and was either able to finish the book before or early into the convention.   Ironically, I alone still haven't purchased the book. 

 

We warned players to avoid spoilers with narrators and other players, which worked as far as I heard.  I saw at least one player reading the book during meal periods, so I know not everyone had finished it yet.  Then James, one of our narrators, had to spoil something for me which he claims doesn't count because its in the first three pages of the book.  He obviously doesn't understand what spoiler-free means.  Everyone else was very respectful, though.

 

Hopefully, I can get the book and read it before DAL2. 

 

Thanks to Chris for the quiz!

I'll have to respectfully disagree with Ben about steeling yourself against death.  Last year I lost both Spunky and my friend and mentor Michael.  Love is something God calls us to throughout life.  Steeling yourself is the exact opposite of love.  It's the harding of our hearts which has caused great evil in this world.  Death is a natural part of our life here.  Steeling ourselves against it is as wrong as railing against it or mouring our loss.  All are selfish reactions, when God calls us to selflessness.

 

So, I broke down and built an lj today.  I'll use it as my fan and semi-pro gaming site.  Wayne built an lj community for our HLA and DAL games, so it seemed like the time had come to break down and make the account.  Real stuff about me will still be here, so I'd appreciate no real me stuff posted there folks.  Thanks in advance. 

 

Anyway, as I had been discussing, Jen's jaded view towards gender relations left me thinking.  Has our society really gone to the point where the act of procreation outside of marriage is a norm?  Looking at my various friends and acquaintances, I guess it must be so.  And yet, I still have a number of friends and acquaintances which would argue that we are the norm instead. 

 

Another thought that conversation brought to mind was what if all of my various female friends thought the same as her?  I guess it doesn't matter, but in a way it matters that people would think that of me.  You know what I mean?  Even though it shouldn't matter what other people think of me, the possibility that people might think I'm ruled by hormones does matter to some small part of me.  I guess I'm only human. 

 

Thanks to captain_e  for this quiz:

 

 

You scored as Darth Vader. Darth Vader 75% Obi Wan Kenobi 67% Yoda 67% Mace Windu 64% General Grievous 58% Anakin Skywalker 53% R2-D2 47% Chewbacca 44% C-3PO 39% Emperor Palpatine 36% Padme Amidala 36% Clone Trooper 22% Which Revenge of the Sith Character are you? created with QuizFarm.com

I remember back in high school when our cat disappeared, and Mom said that the cat (who had been acting sick recently) must have hidden somewhere to die to prevent being a burden to us.  Mom mourned her loss a lot, and promised that it would be awhile before she would be ready for another pet, but that once she was we'd discuss what kind of pet to get.

 

Then, a few days later when I got home from school there was a note left for me, warning me about the new kittens locked in the bathroom.  So much for that promise!  We suddenly had two new pets within a week of Sugar's death.  Well, while at first annoyed, I quickly came to love the cats.  The male was sweet and friendly, even licking my pants like he'd lick his sister's fur.  The female was the runt of the litter, of a different father, and had trouble with her bladder.  He was timid despite being big, while she was bold despite being small.  We eventually named them Spunky and Christmas respectively. 

 

The loved to eat the yarn off of balls of yarn, so the balls were confiscated.  So then they started eatting phone wires, electrical plug wires, and anything else that was thin and dangled like string.  As they grew up, Christmas got better at using a litter box (instead of using wherever she was at the time, such as my mother's bed), while Spunky became randomly moody.  He'd be sweet and loveable one moment, then turn and bite and claw the next, then wondering why you stopped being loveable the following moment.  He started bullying his sister, asserting alpha dominance. 

 

Flashforward a decade to when Mom remarried.  JR never got along with Spunky, so when they finally moved out Mom left her cats with me.  We lived happily for several years until eighteen months ago when Spunky had one to many heart attacks and passed away.  Christmas adapted to life without Spunky by showing her age.  When they were both alive, they were still acting like kittens at eleven.  Without Spunky she wouldn't run around as much with me, didn't perch as high on furniture, and would at times would walk in such a way as to betray arthritis.  In the past several months she began having troubles with waiting to use the litter box, instead using the hallway. 

 

Then, a month ago she quit eatting.  I tried getting her to eat her hard food, that failed.  I tried getting her to eat her favourite treat, canned salmon.  That also failed.  She was still drinking, but after a week of not eatting she began showing signs of breathing troubles.  I began force feeding her the salmon to increase her strength.  But after a couple of days of that her breathing returned to normal, and she had teh strength to lock her jaws against my force feeding.  The she started having diareha and vomitting of foam. 

 

The doctor said that she had a lung infection.  She wasn't eatting because cats have to smell their food to eat it.   I was to buy chicken baby food, warm it, and force feed that to her.  I was also to replace the water in her waterbowl with Pedialyte.  The veterinarian feared that an IV would be too great a shock to her system, but if the baby food and Pedialyte failed it was the next step.  Either way, she needed to be stronger before receiving the lung infection medicine.  She pulled the same thing with the baby food that she did with the salmon, eatting for a day until she was strong enough to lock her jaw shut against force feeding.  She kept drinkingthe Pedialyte, and her breathing returned to normal. 

 

Then she woke me Sunday morning with her first cry of pain that I'd heard from her during the entire illness.  She could barely breathe, and was obviously not going to last the day.  I canceled my LepreCon XXXII Committee Meeting ride, then called Mom and told her to come asap.  The doctor offered to murder her, so I reminded her that Kevorkian went to jail for the same thing and hung up.  Even if she ignores her Hippocratic Oath, I cannot ignore my faith's calls to fight this Culture of Death.  Did we "put to sleep" John Paul II in his last stages of life?  No, we respected him and let him live his remaining days with dignity.  How could I do anything less with a member of my family?

 

Christmas lasted long enough for Mom to arrive and say goodbye.  Mom then took her out to be burried next to her brother.  The only way Mom got to have her cats with her again was in death, which is a shame.  Mom's taking it hard.  She started crying and couldn't remain with Christmas those last few minutes of life.  She cried several times that day, and even when she was over yesterday.  She loved those cats very much, and I know she hated not being there for Spunky's death.  You might pray for her. 

 

It was hard watching Christmas waste away that last week.  Yet, I'd not trade it for the world.  She always seemed appreciate when I'd be by her side, only fighting me when I wanted her to eat.  She loved being brushed and talked to, even when she quit giving herself baths.  She'd lay right up against me to go to sleep.  Even on her last day, she'd raise her head up when I'd speak to her and look peacefully into my eyes, until her strength was used up and her head would drop involuntarily.  Even then, if I'd get to her level on the ground, she still look at me with the eyes she'd use when she wanted to be petted. 

 

Of course, I'd have preferred she didn't have to go.  But the night of Spunky's death I knew that Christmas's death wouldn't be so simple.  Yet, his death also prepared me for the eventually of her death.  So while I didn't like the fact that she was dying, I was surprisingly not as upset as I usually am when something happens beyond my control.  Perhaps it was because I could control how much assistance I could give her.  Or perhaps I was too concerned for her wellbeing at the time.  Or perhaps I'm just maturing.  I know I wasn't getting much sleep at the time, so I was perhaps a bit more testy with friends, coworkers, and customers that week;  so I obviously still have much more growth to go. 

 

I thank God for putting Christmas and Spunk in my life--for the joy, the sorrow, and the lessons learned these last twelve years.

 

RIP Spunky 31 March 1993 - 10 January 2004

RIP Christmas 31 March 1993 - 10 July 2005

 

Currently Reading Lord of the Rings Adventure Game By Iron Crown Enterprises see related

 

 

BTW, whatever you do DO NOT WATCH "Legend of Earthsea".  I cannot stress this point enough.  Please, please, please read the books instead!

 

Anyway, I'll quit ranting about that. 

 

Two weeks ago tomorrow we had Rusty's Talislanta game.  Ken and Corencio joined Kitty, Monte, and I as a group of adventurers who were approached by a secret agent of the government (with whom our five characters had all worked before) to join a caravan in order to covertly investigate who might be trading technology to the everthreatening barbarian hordes.  We were paid half up front and will be paid the other half when we bring back relevant information.  On the way, slavers tried to ambush us.  Our aerial scout was able to shout a warning, but eventually our mage fumbled a spell and knocked almost everyone out on both sides of the battle.  Half of the party was left behind at the mercy of the slavers when we had to call it a night.  It'll be interesting if and when we return to that particular game.

 

The next day was the LepreCon 31/32 committees meeting, as mentioned.  Jen was my ride, and we had the chance to chat non-convention stuff along the way.  It turns out we have a lot in common:  have done, and still need to do a lot of house repairs;  prefer living naturally (cooking real food rather than prepackaged foods, I don't cut my hair/she doesn't wear a bra, et cetera); and we do our best work at the last minute--so when given ample time will wait for that last minute to start working many a time.  It's interesting to get to know a co-worker.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the similarities as we're volunteering for the same not-for-profit.  It'd make sense that it would attact the same kinds of people.  I just don't often find those particular traits of mine to be shared with others. 

 

One thing that was disturbing was how cynical she was about the genders.  She said that most guys who want to be friends with gals would happily (well, you know) those gals if they thought that they were available.  On the other side, gals know this and expect that if they show interest in such a guy that he'll automatically be her's.  I argued that surely not all guys and gals would fit into this small stereotype, but she seemed to think such people would be rare indeed. 

 

Well, it's late.  I had more but I work early on Saturdays.

 

 

 

I have never been so offended by an "adaptation" as I was with Earthsea.  It was like they went out of their way to personaly insult every fan of the series in a much more violent way than a mere slap in the face.  I could rant for days.

 

I'm much too riled to post what I wanted.  I'll be back later.