FlashLARP PotterSpace

It was a busy weekend.  Saturday after work I headed over to Tricuspa’s so the two of us could enter all of the HLA events into the Phoenix Con Games web site.  We had started to enter them during our Thursday night meeting, but he was going to be unavailable the following Thursday and we were working against a deadline. 

Sunday morning we finally finished playing my Christmas themed D&D game, in the middle of Easter season.  Everyone seemed to have fun though, and gave suggestions for when I run again.  Of course, I have other priorities at the moment, such as LepreCon, Phoenix Con Games, and Chaos Out of Order for one of my other groups of friends.  I’m not adverse to running again though, and have several unfleshed out ideas I could run for them or others. 

After the game I rushed over to St. Francis Xavier Parish for mass.  I hadn’t attended mass there before.  It’s built in the classic domed ceiling style.  The ambo has a set of stairs leading up to it for proclamation (probably predating the microphones).  The main interior colour scheme was a very light aqua marine blue, like this colour only with a glossy sheen.  It made for a lovely worship space. 

From there I rushed to Copper Star Coffee to meet with LunarLumiere and her friends to see Levi Weaver in a live concert.  Charles ended up showing up after the concert, only expecting to be partially late.  Silly kid, he missed out on a great show.  Levi Weaver is a very remarkable and talented musician when playing live.  He manages to truely be a one-man-band, without needing to record several tracks separately in a studio to create the effect.  No, he creates that effect live, in a very impressive format that completely meshes with the songs and their performance.  I’d definately recommend seeing him live, and appreciate the fact that LunarLumiere talked me into seeing him.

Catholic_Kelly encouraged readers to read up on each day’s saints to better appreciate the Communion of Saints. Another option is Saint of the Day, revised 5th edition, for times when you’re away from the computer.

I know it’s a big jump to go from Halloween 2007 to Easter 2008, but I need to catch up somehow.  Maybe I’ll return to the time inbetween in the future, maybe I won’t.  I know that I need to get back into the swing of things, as I’m losing my ability to fully articulate my thoughts and forgetting the details of the events in my life without journaling them.

As is family tradition, my mother, step-father, and I went to the Easter Vigil mass at our former parish, St. Theresa.  That was our parish when I was in high school, and while we live in different dioceses now, we return togther there every year for Easter Vigil.  Our friend, Matt, is a transitional deacon now.  So he gave his first baptisms at this mass.  It was awesome.  The entire time at Matt he had the complete demenor, vocal intonations, and mannerisms of a priest.  Yet after mass when I talked with him, he was the same old Matt.  How cool is that.  I’m so excited for him. 

Fr. Mike, soon to be our new pastor — replacing Fr Gene who is retiring, gave the homily.  Apparently, he’s stationed at St Theresa through the end of June, before he begins his new position at our parish in July.  It turns out that Fr. Mike is a convert, who never expected to be a convert nor when he converted did he ever expect to become a priest.  He was able to tailor those experiences into an excellent homily, not only for the newly elect, but for all the assembly.  I congradulated Fr. Mike on becoming our new pastor after mass, but he was dismissive.  Hopefully he’ll be better than that as pastor. 

I also had the chance to talk with one of my 8th grade RE instructors and Dave from Game Depot.  I saw Patty briefly, but didn’t get a chance to talk with her.  Dave gave me a hard time, saying that he old ever sees me anymore at the Easter Vigil and at Phx Con Games.  It’s true, but I don’t ever go to the southeast Valley anymore.  I don’t hve a current gaming group over there, and my father and I don’t visit that often.  I should try going over there to visit them, see the Jim Henson exhibit, and see the Walace and Ladmo exhibit.  Some day.  I’m still busy using all my free time painting my house.  Today I tore off the old, worn out carpet on my stairs and painted them. 

I spent the night at my parents’ place, then Mom and I went to my maternal grandparents’ to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday.  We had cake, played games, and otherwise enjoyed socializing. 

Easter Monday my friends and I were going to complete Centicle’s Legion, but Lisa suffered a setback in her recovery from surgery.  The rest of us ended up browsing AZ Mills instead, where I had the first Garcia’s food in many, many years.  Back in the day, it used to be a birthday dinner tradition.  Back when this journal was still paper. 

The Second Sunday of Easter was Divine Mercy Sunday.  It was my turn to lector again, and I ended up needing to do both readings.  Luckily, I always prepare both just in case.  Father Milt gave another excellent homily.

Thanks to Alluveal for the music video:

“Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.  You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.  You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.  You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love.”  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Charity Raffle to benefit Make-A-Wish is a great deal for Star Wars fans and Make-A-Wish fans everywhere.

And we continue from our thrice-interrupted narrative…

I did find an awesome, unexpected deal at a booth selling sleeves, deck boxes, and box cases.  For $20 I picked up 8 plastic card boxes from Steel Squire, 3 steel card boxes from Rook, and 1 carry bag from Rook that fit all of the boxes with room for more.  When I got back to the hotel room, my friends couldn’t believe how great a deal that was.  There’s always that amazing Sunday afternoon deal or two available from a booth that doesn’t want to have to bring anything back home. 

I stumbled across a booth for the Rephrase game that Kim owns.  I expressed my surprise to them that their game had a booth at GenCon.  They then started to give me the spiel for their game.  I tried explaining to them that I’d already played tho of their sets, and they countered with the fact that their game wasn’t out yet.  I countered back that it had to be out, because I’d played it several times already.  It turns out, after several minutes of polite disagreement, that their were only ten stores nationwide that carried the game already.  Five of those are in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and they didn’t expect to run into anyone at GenCon who had already played their game. 

Steve called me when I was near the end of the Exhibitors’ Hall, wondering where I was.  I told him that I was doing my run of the Exhibitors’ Hall.  He told me that when I was done, they’re were planning their Sunday evening dinner for whenever I returned.  Just then, they announced the close of the convention.  So I never did get to see the Wizards of the Coast booth that was in the far corner of the hall.  That was really stupid on their part.  In the old days, the WotC booth was in the center, so you saw the booth every time you walked into the hall.  You were bound to walk through several times, and walk around it several times more.  With it in the far corner, you only heard about it from others.  I did catch a glimpse of it from afar a few times, when I was in the right row or column.  I think they had a large Gleemax, and some sort of overhanging walkway.  Oh well, it’s their loss.

So, as they were tearing down the hall I stopped by the Flying Buffalo booth to say goodbye to Ken and Rick.  After that I returned to the hotel, where I met up with Bill, Steve, and Troy.  Steve gave me an NSDM chocolate bar with an NSDM in-joke printed on the wrapper.  After that we had diner at Champps, which was OK.  Back at the hotel Troy and I busted open his Mother Sheep game and played it.  It was fun, I’d definitely play that one again.

The next morning we all had the hotel breakfast buffet before checking out.  Then we went to Circle Centre Mall to catch Superbad.  It’s a good thing I didn’t take Len upon on the advanced preview tickets, as Steve was not going to let us see anything else.  It’s not a movie I would pay to see a second time, even if I did see it for free the first time.  The United Artists’ Theatre was amazingly in bad shape in comparison to the rest of the high end mall.  Some theatres have sticky floors in the seats.  This place had sticky carpets between concessions and the theatre.  That’s pretty bad.  It’s almost like the top floor of the mall is in a different ZIP code or something. 

Bill drove us to the airport, where we said our goodbyes to him.  We ran into Mike, who was waiting for the same flight.  On the flight we played some more Settlers of Catan.  Due to lightning within one mile of the airport, we were stuck aboard the plane on the ground for some time.  We eventually took off, and they promised to burn extra fuel to make us less late for Phoenix.  During the flight, they got permission to make a short cut, making us even less late.  Also during the flight they were offering two different snack packs:  the vegetable and cheese one was gone fairly early in the coach part of the cabin.  People were turning down the candy one left and right.  Eventually we landed and the three of us parted ways:  Steve to wait for his flight home, Troy to the parking lot shuttle pickup area, and I to the curbside.  My mother had been waiting in the stage and go, and so we had a chance to chat while she gave me a ride home.  Once home, I welcomed my cat, did laundry, and packed my lunch for the next day.

Thanks to jada_marnew for the quiz:

Your Brain’s Pattern

Your brain is always looking for the connections in life. You always amaze your friends by figuring out things first. You’re also good at connecting people – and often play match maker. You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

“Constant and determined effort breaks down all resistance and sweeps away all obstacles.” ~ Claude M. Bristol

I was all psyched to go through with my plan.  Debbie and Sheila had both given me the green light.  The day of the festival arrived, and I was still all psyched.  Then, just before the roving flower salespeople walked by Bill had to go and ruin everything for me.

Oh, he didn’t mean to do so.  Don’t get me wrong.  He was actually doing what he thought was right for me, and so I can’t really be upset with him.  That’s just his nature.  He was pushing for me to court Twig at the festival, and when I balked at it he then tried pushing Lisa and I together.  That just annoyed the hell out of both of us.  So, from that point on, anything I was going to do became tainted by his actions and I had to back off of my plan. 

Of course, once the ladies had pushed us away, he was right back at it again.  Pushing me to attempt to court Twig, despite the fact that her faire personae would obviously be only a little like her real self.  Despite the fact that it would be inappropriate.  Despite the fact that I’m not interested. 

I like fae.  Franjean and Rool were my favourite characters in Willow.  I like to play fae characters in FRPGs, such as Amrak the windling illusionist in Rusty’s Earthdawn campaign.  I had Flower Faerie checks before my current set of Path to the Dark Side checks.  Many of the art pieces I have purchased at conventions have been fae.  So, of course, when I saw Twig I was floored.  She does an amazing job at her role.  I love to just watch her.  It’s awesome.  But that’s it.  I’m not interested in her romantically.  In fact, I think that would ruin some of the charm of her character.  Sure, I wouldn’t turn down the chance to get to know her as a real person, but it would have to be outside of the context of the festival.  So that’s a likelihood that’s minimal at best.  And I’m fine with that.  We can’t befriend the world.

He’s talking of hooking me up with some tall woman that he knows.  Hello, I’m not interested in hook ups!  If he pushes it, perhaps I’ll meet her.  It can’t hurt to meet someone.  Perhaps I’ll make a new friend, perhaps not. 

I rarely find myself emotionally interested in people.  I can count the number of them for my whole life so far on one hand.  So, I’m not likely to let myself have any rest until I exhaust all possibilities with Lisa. 

When the guys and the ladies had regrouped, and we headed for home, I discovered that Lisa had taken Bill’s comments as flirtation with her.  I had taken it differently, that he was trying to push the two of us together.  Either way, it certainly hasn’t endeared him to her.  It wasn’t a complete wash, as Lisa encouraged me to give her a call.  Previously, I had only been invited to email her.

Life can seem so complicated, when it really is not. 

Currently Reading
Lent 2007: A Time for Mending: Daily Scripture Meditations and Prayers

You Are a Centaur

In general, you are a very cautious and reserved person. However, you are also warm hearted, and you enjoy helping others in practical ways. You are a great teacher, and you are really good at helping people get their lives in order. You are very intuitive, and you go with your gut. You make good decisions easily.

“Quality is never an accident.  It represents the wise choice of many alternatives.” ~Willa Foster

Zombie School:  A Documentary is the second entry I’ve ever Boosted.

Well, after a few months of psyching myself up and letting my insecurity get the best of me, I believe I am ready.  I spoke with Debbie today, and it further embolded me to go forward with the plan.  It’s an action I’ve not done before, and I pray that it goes off well.  Months of research and prayer shall not steer me wrong, no matter how much I might fear otherwise.  Wish me well.

A co-worker is quitting, so I get to go in an hour early on Tuesday so he can train me to take on some of his duties.  I’m not sure when I’ll have the time to do the extra work, I don’t get done everything I’m supposed to do now.  I try to delegate, but because I have no authority, almost no one will assist me.  Those who have the time and talent would rather read the Internet or chat. 

The departing co-worker’s duties will be split between three people, rather than hire someone new.  I wish him luck in his search for something better.  He’s a good guy, who was stuck in a job that I certainly never envied.  It’s the one possition in the company where I think no one could have met (the somewhat unreasonable) expectations.  That’s probably why that possition is left unfilled for years at a time, and why when they do hire someone they never last. 

Heroes:  The Best Show on Television and Supernatural were great this week.  I’m trying to decide what to do about Heroes on Monday.  I’m doing the 2-4-1 deal with some friends at the King Henry the Only’s Birthday at the Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace.  I guess I’ll have to tape record it, but when will I have the chance to watch it before the next episode?  This is going to be tough.  Tough, I tell you. 

I bet non-viewers didn’t know that the Weekly World News was featured in this week’s Supernatural episode, “Tall Tales”.  But even if you did see the episode, did you know that both the print and online editions of the Weekly World News dated 15 February 2007 featured Supernatural?  Talk about brilliant marketing.  That’s even better than when they created the web site which was featured in the episode “Hell House”.

Saturdays start early for me, and I’m later than I should have been.  Night all.

Thanks to jada_marnew for the quiz:

You Should Rule Mercury

Close to sun, Mercury has very long days – and is rarely visible to the rest of the solar system. You are perfect to rule Mercury, because you live for the present – and can truly enjoy a day that goes on forever. Like Mercury, you are quick and elusive. Your wit is outstanding, and you can win any verbal sparring match. Some people see you as superficial, but in truth, you just play many roles and have many interests. A great manipulator, you usually get what you want from people. And they’re happy to give it to you.

“The greatest motivational act one person can do for another is to listen.” ~Roy Moody