2008 Round-up

10 years at Children’s – from long haired, bearded part time temp, to buzz headed, tie wearing consultant.

Marathon training – I didn’t admit that I was training for the marathon until nearly the summer, but I started running to my schedule in March. I kept to it, and only missed a few days over those eight months. Prior to this, I had never run eight miles before.

Trip to Denver – I think this was the first time we’d spent an entire night apart since our wedding. Since then there have been a few other sleeping apart occasions, such as:

K’s 40th birthday / N to Baltimore

WoW – I quit around the time that N started raiding. I would not have predicted this two years ago, or even at the beginning of the year.

Colville / Northport – We stayed at Benny’s in Colville for a few days and then the Bed and Breakfast run by Art and Nina in Northport. It was a truly amazing week.

D&D 4e & group – I was one of many to return to the game with the release of the 4th edition. I soon found a solid group and continue to play weekly.

BSG – Season 4.0 and board game. On a related note, I’ve made a project of converting my friends to gamers and intermingling gamer friends with non-gamer friends.

More motorcycle – sometime during the year I realized that I’m not as freaked out by riding on dark, rainy, trafficy nights.

Sports in Seattle – The Mariners were the first team to lose over 100 games while spending over 100 million on payroll. The Sonics moved to Oklahoma City. The Seahawks and Huskies lost 12 games each. While I don’t care about Cougar football, it’s worth mentioning that they lost 10 games.

Growing friendships – It’s been a good year for making new friends and further developing older relationships. Examples include B (& J), L, M and probably T. At the same time, other friendships have faded.

Isolde’s decline and death – this was a sad and difficult time.

N starts bicycling – it looks like her new bike won’t arrive until 2009, but she took her borrowed bicycle to work many times during the summer.

New job – Hurray!

Halloween – dressed up & went out!

N’s Dad’s illness – we were particularly worried about N’s Dad there for a few weeks. He seems to be back on the upswing now and is at home again after a lengthy stay inpatient and in rehab.

Thanksgiving with N's Mom and N's Mom's husband– our first time hosting a major holiday!

Marathon – 3:47:27!

Snow! We spent a lot of time cooped up in the house, but it was kinda nice to laze around during the Christmas week.

Fifteen Years Ago

Fifteen years ago, I was in Mogadishu Somalia.  Christmas dinner was underwhelming (Thanksgiving was much better, probably because we were several miles closer to the kitchen then), and my tank broke its track while turning to avoid a camel.  That was a hassel.

This year was immeasurably better, even though I lost at Scrabble and we're pooping out early.  But then, for someone to win, someone else has to lose, and I think pooping out early on Christmas is pretty normal.  

There's frequently, if not always an odd wind down there.  After the gifts and food, the holiday energy is usually expended.  People usually drag themselves home in the early evening with nothing much to do for the rest of the night.

Snow and Wii in Seattle

For the most part, discussing Seattle's series of snow storms has started to bore me to death, so I won't go in to much detail here.

I'm cat sitting for a few days, and this has given me a mission every day.  Rather than sitting here and going stir crazy, I've put on my snow boots and jogged the 2.8 miles up to my friend's house, fed his cat, played his Wii and then jogged home.  It's been a nifty work-out.  Since I'm not 'in training' for any big upcoming events, I don't mind the variety.

Yesterday I played some Rock-Band.  I particularly focused on the drums, and now I understand a little better what it takes to be a talented drummer.  It is very rewarding to play drums for the Rolling Stones.  Another benefit of the game is that you learn the songs in a way that non-musicians rarely manage.  I'm familiar with some of the transitions to Gimme Shelter now!

Today, I focused on Resident Evil 4.  Like Rock Band, I'd never played any of the franchise before, let alone on the Wii.  It was definitely a rewarding experience.  Like before, the learning curve was notable.

I had been under the opinion that the Hi-Def TV should come before the next gen game system on our luxury purchases.  That may be true, but having just played the Wii on a normal TV, I'm not sure.  More reflection is required.

BSG the Board Game; Humans Win!

My wife and I played The Game again on Saturday, and I have a few observations.

The playing time is listed as 2 - 3 hours.  So far, I don't think we've finished in anything less than 4 hours.  Our playing times have probably been stretched for two reasons:  we're all still negotiating the learning curve, and every game has included at least one new person.  Similarly, we're still working out the best strategy for both humans and Cylons.  Thus, games take longer as we flail around trying to kill each other.

Again, the Cylons nearly manged to get all the humans into the brig.  This time, there were two humans, one cylon and one cylon sympathizer.  The unrevealed cylon was loaded with skill cards and nearly pulled it off.  I was playing Bill Adama, and even as I saw it happening, I couldn't even try to put him in the brig via the Admiral's quarters.  Instead, I managed to grab the presidency (through sheer luck of a crisis card), and found the Quorum card that allowed me to imprison the 'unrevealed' cylon.  The Quorum deck also allowed me to release my cohort so I didn't have to lead the fleet alone.

On reflection, I think the unrevealed Cylon player's strategy was valid, and came damned close to working.

The fleet also jumped early several times.  This underscores the fact that humnas must use the 'add 2 to dice roll' cards on all important die rolls.  We lost 3 population at least once, but we also caught a break at least once, which allowed us to keep jumping.  I also used the 'Motivational Speech' Quorum card in conjunction with the +2 roll card at a crucial point.  We had 1 motivation and 1 fuel at the time, near the end of the game, and would have later lost.

The last thing that helped us win was the not particularly focused strategy by the revealed Cylon at the end.  Had he focused on getting the Centurian boarding party to the end of the track, again, I think we would have lost.  Instead, he barraged the Galactica with the basestars. 

We're all looking forward to play with more experienced players.  Can the humans win throughthe  optimal play of equally experienced players?

Seahawks Beat the Jets

This game felt special in several ways, for one main reason:  this is Coach Mike Holmgren's last home game as head coach for the Seattle Seahawks.  It also happened to be against Brett Favre, former protege of Holmgren's.  It also happened to snow throughout.

The players wanted the win; the defense played very well.  Seneca Wallace ran the offense efficiently and played a tight game.  Yes, he could probably start in this league.  I don't know that he would ever be a great starter, but he's at least in that John Kitna / Trent Dilfer range of competant professional quarterback.  Plus he's more athletic than either of those guys, which gives him a definite edge.

Anyway, it felt good to have an important game to watch.  It was great to have your team play well for an important game.  And, quite importantly, it was great to win that game.

I'm not ashamed to say I was crying (yep, tears flowed) as Coach Holmgren took his walk around the stadium; thousands of us stood and waved or applauded.

This is the sort of experience that makes me treasure my season tickets, even during a 4 - 11 season.

Photo Credit

Schmap.com found one of my pictures on Flickr from our 2006 honeymoon in Maui and asked to use it for for their travel guide. See the Napili Point entry.

Christmas Prep 2008

Every year I have some trouble or other getting everything done for the holidays. In addition to the challenges shared by every other gift exchanging person, both of my parents have birthdays within weeks of Christmas. My mother was born on December 8th, my father on January 6th. As a result, I barely get through Thanksgiving and I need to get her card and gift mailed; just after New Year’s I have to gear up for my Dad’s.

One major piece of best practice is to take a day off early during December, and use that to get the majority of planning and shopping complete. Since that allowed me to finish nearly everything, my stress level is lower, and I’m free to enjoy the next few weeks.

For the first time, Nora and I set an explicit dollar limit for our gift exchange; that helped too. Now, I don’t need to wonder if I’ve done enough.

I’m actually looking forward to getting a tree. That doesn’t happen every year.

Marathon Emotions

Running 26.2 miles is, on a whole, an emotional experience. It started half an hour before the race as I looked out across Memorial Stadium, and my mind drifted forward to the finish.

There were many more moments; since I tend toward the emotional in situations like this, when people lay it all out, give it their all, while others cheer for these, their temporary heroes.

During a long run, you have to be careful. The energy burst from a wave of emotion can drive you up and over the steepest hill, but it will also bury you if you let it. Trust me on this: I lived it during my 21 mile prep run two months ago.

The tallest roller-coaster high came around mile 17. I was fully in the long distance fragile haze of ups and downs, and had recently (a mile and a half prior) seen a friend while listening to “Flying High Now.”

Anyway, it was a period with a moderate number of spectators, and a mom had her four(ish) young kids lined up, watching the race. They were very interested; she coached them all to hold our their hands for high-fives. Excited, I angled over, smiled and delivered high-fives. I was careful to hit all their hands: it wouldn’t do to miss one, not at all.

A moment after, the “Stone Cold” Steve Austin kicked in; another moment later, I had tears flowing down my face, and I angled to the middle of the road, away from other spectators. It was too intense for me, I couldn’t be anyone else’s hero that day.

I don’t think I can properly express how honored I was to have four little fans who cared enough to get high-fives. I wonder if this is something they’ll talk about, or if they’ll even remember. Somehow, I don’t think that matters.

Seattle Marathon Pictures

More at http://chadsmarathon2008.shutterfly.com/

Quick Marathon Summary

I hope to write more later, below, I'll paste my twitters of the day. My race time was 3:47:27.

Home now, and bathed. I probably won't wear clothes for the rest of the day. This robe is comfy. Need to eat soon. My chip time: 3:47:00 about 1 hour ago from web
Finished! about 4 hours ago from txt
Mile 20! about 5 hours ago from txt
18 done 8 left about 5 hours ago from txt
Half way! about 6 hours ago from txt
Off we go! about 8 hours ago from txt
Clothes checked. Now to find start. about 8 hours ago from txt
Arrived Seattle Center about 8 hours ago from txt
Freaking out a little. In a good way. about 8 hours ago from txt
Buses work. Good start too day. about 9 hours ago from txt
Been through the checklist twice; nearly ready to leave. about 9 hours ago from web
I slept reasonably well last night; now I'm up having coffee before the final preparations. about 10 hours ago from web

Marathon Prep

I picked up my chip and whatnot today. The marathon is Sunday. I'll send brief twitters along the way, specifically at the start, mid-point and 18 mile mark. My username is modernkutuzov

I need to remember all the important things:

band-aides on nipples
Buckaroo Banzai hat
special socks
running shoes
utility belt
bottle with 1/3 Powerade, 2/3 water
ID
House key
cel phone (charged)
iPod (charged)
earphones
iPod armband
boxer-briefs
non-bunching running shorts
long sleeved, synthetic running shirt
cash (enough for cab fare home)
the chip
stocking hat (for before and after, weather dependant)
sweatshirt (ditto)
the bag to put those in
watch

The itinerary there follows:

Walk 0.2 mile SW from S SPOKANE ST to
Depart	Rainier Ave S & 33rd Ave S	At 06:54 AM	On Route MT 7 Downtown Seattle
Arrive	Rainier Ave S & S Walker St	At 06:58 AM
Transfer to
Depart	Rainier Ave S & S Walker St	At 07:08 AM	On Route MT 4 Downtown Seattle
Arrive	5th Ave N & Republican St	At 07:38 AM
Walk 0.1 mile S to MEMORIAL STADIUM

The race starts at 8:15 a.m.

My first goal is to finish
second goal is to finish in less than four hours
third goal is to finish under 3:41

My training pace has been right around eight minute miles, creeping up to 8 1/2 and over for long runs of 10 miles or more.

Battlestar Galactica, the Board Game

I first caught sight of the Battlestar Galactica Board game at the Fantasy Flight Games booth during PAX. I kibitzed for awhile, wandered the hall awhile, then checked back; the table was still full, so I wandered some more, and returned again. This time, a game was wrapping up, so I was able to reserve my spot for the next round.

By the end of the hour long demo, I’d fallen in love. Unfortunately, aside from about 300 copies between Gen-Con and PAX, the game hadn’t really been released yet. October, they said.

October came, I asked my game shop to hold a copy for me, but the game didn’t arrive. I even scheduled a party with some of my closest friends for mid November.

Finally, on November 11th (Veteran’s Day), four days before my party, the Fantasy Flight website announced the game’s release. I called my normal game shop: no luck. Their games arrive on Friday. That was okay, I thought. The party was scheduled for Saturday.

I stopped in on Friday, and they hadn’t received the game: it was looking bleak for Saturday’s event. We might wind up playing Munchkin, I thought.

I hadn’t quite given up home, however, and earlyish Saturday, I got my phone, sat down at the computer, and started calling game stores. I’d already scouted Borders and Barnes and Noble; both had board games, but neither could help me.

Immediately, I struck gold: Gary’s Games in Greenwood had a copy. Yes, she would hold it, yes it may be the last copy. Please bring cash because our machine is broken.

After a few stop hunt to find some soundtrack accompaniment (I’d resisted the day prior because of the theme’s uncertainty), I returned home around 3 p.m.; I had just enough time to glance at the rules before guests started to arrive.

The game has many elements and can be confusing to new players. No single element is particularly complex, and for the most part, a player doesn’t need to know the details of each piece.

Early in our inaugural game, we discovered the first Cylon. That’s when it started getting good. We had strong suspicions about the second, but had some trouble getting her into the brig. She proclaimed her innocence, but then, any sleeper Cylon would plead innocent.

With both suspected Cylons (Baltar and Helo) in the brig, we reached the half way point; by rule Boomer was sent to the brig. Otherwise, space was quiet; unfortunately we weren’t spooling our FTL very quickly, but we saw no cause for alarm.

We freed Boomer, and by a twist of fate, Tyrol was thereafter imprisoned. That’s when the dirty Cylon spy struck: it was Boomer, and we had freed her. Through her dirty machinations, my character, Saul Tigh (the commander of the fleet) was imprisoned as well. At this point, every character aboard Galactica was in the brig. Lucky for us, Laura Roslin was on Colonial One. Helo was righteously indignant.

Even though I was on the wrong end of it, this was a moment of pure gaming beauty. My team, the human team, thought we had control, and suddenly BAM! virtually everyone was in the brig.

A few turns later, the brig was empty. Baltar left Galactica to join his partner in the Cylon fleet, and the rest of us were pardoned. Slowly, the fleet jumped closer to Kobol, as our resources dwindled.

We reached a point where the FTL was nearly ready; on my turn I would take us home; I would lead us to victory.

That’s when Baltar struck again: there was an explosion in our food stores. It was worse than a crisis. It was, the end. The human fleet starved in space, mere moments from freedom.

I had heard that it was difficult for the humans to win; at first I didn’t believe it. We seemed to be cruising along with little difficulty. However, now I understand. We had even overlooked a few rules and strategies that may have helped the Cylons even more: we didn’t know to launch Raiders during their activation step, if none were on the board, and Baltar probably would have been better off if he’d joined the Cylon fleet sooner.

I also forgot to abdicate military control of the fleet when I was thrown in the brig, but that probably didn’t affect the game’s outcome.

Next time, I want to play a pilot, or the president. Next time, maybe I’ll get to be a Cylon...

Brain Power / Consulting

Lately most of my brain energy has been focused on developing in the new job, not to mention the physical energy I continue to expend duirng the last phase of marathon training.

As a result, I've been lax on adding to the blog. Below are recent observations following a class I co-facilitated yesterday:

11/21/08 – CPI Fundamentals

This group had many social workers and others for whom the class was mandatory.

I was struck again how there is often one or two questions written in the evals that could have easily been answered, had the student asked during the class. At some point, they need to meet us half-way. Students need to take responsibility for their own educations.

Having said that, I have an idea to improve based on the feedback that we got afterwards: it sounds like at least one person would have liked to hear ‘how a RPIW is born / comes into being’ story, not unlike the ‘how a bill becomes a law’ story from those old Schoolhouse Rock episodes in the ‘80s.

I always build in time for questions, and I frequently ask if they have any. This emphasizes that I certainly don’t do it too much, and could still benefit from building in more ways to pull out the class members.

There were several comments about the dryness of the content. Part of this probably ties back, again, to the fact that the members didn’t particularly want to be there. On the other hand, there’s always room to make the content more dynamic and interesting. This exists both for the presenter and for us as a group, as we continue to polish the material.

Another feedback disconnect occurred between the perception that the class was too long, and the sufficiency with which the content was covered. For example, I felt like the Quality module went really well. Discussion went well, folks were engaged, I trust in my own understanding of the content... yet I got many ‘4’ out of ‘5’s, along with feedback that the class was too long.

I wonder if there’s room to split the groups into 2’s and 3’s for the more pivotal discussions. That way everyone hears and is heard, even if the group gets fragmented.

The Airplane Simulation was the funnest part of the day. For one thing, it strongly resembled teaching folks to play a new game – more than resembled – in many ways, that’s what it is.

I’ve had some practice with this lately, so getting everyone to understand what they were to do went smoothly. Everything else just kinda worked. The total run time didn’t get out of hand, the lead time was reasonable, and shrank appropriately with the second run. Productivity worked, and tripled between runs (from .06 to .2). As always, it’s important to keep the units: the number represents percent of a plane built per person per minute.

Halloween 2008

I'm still a little impressed that we managed to get home from work, into costume and go out for Halloween. We don't have a great record for Friday night entertainment.

We went to the Little Red Studio's "Erotic Haunted House, the Dreaming." Nearly all of the attendees were in costume, and it was a very attractive group of people. There was lots of lovely cleavage; cuteness abounded.

The show itself followed a young woman's subconscious throughout her dreams. As dreams often are, the narrative was largely non-linear, but with themes and characters that threaded throughout. Some lovely, some funny, some erotic and some rather horrifying.

After the show, we lucked out and hailed a cab very quickly, and were home a little after nine.

Collaboration and Competition

Lately I've been thinking about collaboration and competition; I don't have any interesting conclusionk, but I do have a list of observations and opinions:

People, and by 'people' I include myself, often wrap their competitive natures in with their sense of self worth.

Competitive play is often exciting and more fun than non-competitive play.

Sometimes play with less competition is more fun.

Competition and hierarchy are often connected. Sometimes this is right and appropriate.

We as an American society tend to connect the two too much rather than too little.

The value of collaboration is often overlooked.

A collaborative effort will generally accomplish more than a competitive effort.

We are all in this life together.

When you're escaping from a burning plane, sometimes only the first [insert unknown coefficient] number of people out the door will survive.

Sometimes everyone can survive if you work together.

Unhealthy jealousy spawns from allowing competitive impulses too much influence over one's relationships.

D&D Feats

Notes to self: when Ayn hits level four, he gets another feat. I plan to take Channel Divinity: Harmony of Erathis. This provides a +2 to hit once per encounter to an ally.

Paladins are primarily defenders, but also can perform as back-up leaders/healers or strikers. I'm trying to balance his feats and powers to fill out the dual nature of the character and to allow him to perform in some of those roles capably.

My vision is to focus on the defender and leader aspects; that aligns with his impulse to hit the bad guys balanced with his urge toward harmony.

When I first created him, I took Ritual Casting as his feat. However, he couldn't afford a spellbook, and hasn't been back to civilization since. Now, ritual casting doesn't really fit into his concept. So, I think I'll retrain that feat into something defendery: either Ferocious Rebuke which allows characters to push opponents once per encounter, or Weapon Focus: Heavy Blade, which gives +1 damage rolls.

Grace beats Karma

I'm blessed by many things: good health, great job, amazing friends, a deep and ever growing love for my wife, the sun is shining etc...

I don't believe for a second that I 'deserve' any of it. Sure, I've earned much of it, I had to work hard to get this job, and I try to make and grow meaningful relationships... but that's not the same thing. It's a trap to think that anyone 'deserves' anything, whether it's good or bad.

Starving kids in Africa don't deserve their fate, and Bill Gates doesn't really deserve the resources he controls. Yes, he's earned it, but that's different.

1792

1792 is the name of my favorite bourbon. I get confused by numbers sometimes.

Friday is for...

relaxing.

I have a bottle of 1738, my favorite bourbon, purchased in honor of my recent (long time coming!) job transition.

Today I got to play tour guide to a group of five on the Children's CPI Showcase. I always love to play smarty pants and talk about Lean and Children's CPI journey.

Tomorrow, we're going out to dinner and to see a play about zombies. Life is good.

****
Earlier today I heard Paul Simon's "The Sounds of Silence" again thanks to Pandora.com. It disturbs and awes me as much now as when I first heard it twentyish years ago.

Smile

Click the link.

Lessons from 21 Miles

Yesterday’s run was very difficult for a number of mostly unrelated reasons. I will list each difficulty along with what I suspect to be its root cause and my plan (if any) for countermeasure.

Problem: my back felt extremely tired and weak around mile 15.

Root Cause Analysis: I was wearing a long sleeved cotton t-shirt over a synthetic undershirt. While I didn’t get rained on, the sweat absorbed through the entire shirt and literally felt heavy. I believe the strain from running with that additional weight made my back sore.

Countermeasure: buy a better (synthetic and marathon ready) long sleeved shirt.
*******
Problem: general exhaustion for the last third of the run (approximately 10 miles in).

Root Cause Analysis: 1) While running up Holgate, to reach the spine of Beacon Hill, I hit a phase of good music. My pace was brisk, and eventually I passed a bicycle. While I felt great on my way up, once I hit the top, I thought my heart would explode. I was especially tired after that.
2) I didn’t eat much the day and morning before my run. It’s very likely that my overall nutritional status wasn’t where it should be for a 20+ mile run.

Countermeasure: 1) don’t sprint up hills; remember that there are many miles to be travelled.
2) Eat and drink well the day before.
***********
Problem: my toe bled some during the run. There appears to be no overall negative affects here.

Root Cause Analysis: This could have been caused by my socks and/or shoe fit. I have three different kinds of socks that I typically wear, and only one kind of shoe.

Countermeasure: use different, higher quality socks. I already own some that I think will work better.
**********
Problem: I experienced knee soreness less than halfway into my run. This led to inflammation, during and after the run and some weakness after.

Root Cause Analysis: Root cause unknown. This possibly has to do with my running form and mechanics. My shoes are good and well within their life span.

Countermeasure: none for now. I expect to be able to run again tomorrow, as scheduled. If problems persist, I may need medical attention.

New Toy

I believe in shopping locally. I want a neighborhood that I can walk around in, where I can get what I want from a real business with real employees and real inventory.

When I went shopping for my new iPod, I went directly to the Radio Shack that’s just a few blocks from my home. Yes, I could have gone near where I work and had a bigger selection; I could have purchased online and had it engraved.

The only color they had in stock was pink. This would not have been my first choice, but it really looks pretty nifty. I’m happy that it’s a sharp, almost metallic pink, rather than cutesy Hello Kitty pink.

While I’m sure the 8 MG Nano isn’t special for earlier adopters, I’m very pleased with my new toy. Not only does it download and display album covers, it lets me load and display my own photos, which makes them digital wallet sizes. While I don’t need to have piles of pics there, I enjoy having my favorites at hand.

The End

The iPod is dead. Like I've heard of the recent bank and financial institution collapses, the decline was slow, then it was fast.

The good news is, I had a relatively short run today, and the silence gave me more time to think about God and how God and the Tao are the same. Harmony in the world is often inharmonious seeming. Some days belong to the oak, others to the reed.

Marathon Miscellanea

I registered for the 2008 Seattle Marathon today. On the application, there’s a blank for projected finish time: I entered 3:41:24, which, I believe roughly corresponds to an 8 ½ minute mile. Barring illness or injury, I think that’s reasonable, especially when the passion of the day catches me.

The iPod is going to be a photo finish. The battery swap that I wrote about earlier has shifted the machine into a new and different phase of unreliability. The battery, once charged, seems to last for several hours. That’s the good news. It seems to last around the same amount of time whether it’s playing or dormant. It also has developed a habit of spontaneously turning itself off. That’s the bad news.

Ayn's Journal

I think I'll continue writing journal entries from my D&D character's perspective, and I may as well post that material here. We had a major battle during Wednesday's session. It was every bit as exciting as a video game boss-battle; really it was a little more exciting in some ways. In Dungeons and Dragons, there aren't save points to go back to. It's very possible for a character to really die, especially at relatively low levels, and often the consequences for defeat are significant. Fun stuff!

Ayn’s Journal Entry 2 – Kalarel

Shortly after the battle with the priest, we learned that Kalarel waited in the chamber below; the only way down was through a hole in the floor.

Like the priest, Kalarel seemed interested in negotiation; while there was little doubt that it would end in blood, Kalarel agreed to allow us down into his chamber, so that we could continue the discussion face to face. This allowed us all to climb down the rope and collect ourselves before the battle began.

Before the break down of negotiations, Kalarel admitted that dozens, if not hundreds of sacrifices had been required to move the ritual this far forward. The blood of these innocents still pooled in the chamber and dripped into another area below. This blood must be paid for. Kalarel’s death was only the beginning. Just as the innocents’ blood dripped red from Blackscale after the battle, so will the blood of the guilty conspirators drip from my blade. Justice will prevail in Winterhaven.
********
I must also comment on the nobility with which my cohorts conducted themselves. I’m not sure how we survived: after I destroyed the wight that Jack had kept occupied for most of the battle, I was struck by something… a blast from Kalarel perhaps, and all went dark. I awoke several minutes later, covered in blood. Had one of us failed, had one of us lapsed in courage or power, we would have perished, Shadraxil would have come through the portal, and Winterhaven would have been lost.

I fear that that once the business in Winterhaven is concluded, I may have to take my leave when I continue my journey home to Baldur’s Gate.

Random Run Bits

My iPod is circling the drain, so I've had a few relatively short runs without podcast or musical support.

As a consequence, "I've Had the Time of My Life" from the Dirty Dancing Soundtrack weaseled its way into my brain and wouldn't go away.

******
I've mentioned before that I almost always wave at other runners. Most wave back, or nod; some are too wrapped up in their run to notice me. Occasionally, people get really excited, like we're long lost friends. A flash of almost excitement shows in their face, and they typically say, "Oh! Hi!"

I wonder if, in their endorphin soaked brains, they're confusing me for someone else. Or maybe they really enjoy the brief connection with a fellow runner.

Coordination and Planning

I saw Clay Shirky on Ted.com discuss the rise of coordination in today’s technological era. For example, now that we all have cel phones, we no longer need intricate plans for finding one another at concerts. Flickr does a great job of coordinating millions of photographs by encouraging people to tag their own pictures. Users then search by tag and have access to the wondrous library of images.

In my line of work one can see the need for both when it comes to controlling the flow of work and managing resources. We spend a lot of time helping people create simple, preferably visual, systems to ask for help and / or control the flow of work through a system. Creating ways to coordinate work is wonderful and important. It is also often limited by the amount of planning done previously. It’s great to maximize the use of resources, it’s not so great when the resources aren’t available, again, to handle the spike of patients leaving the OR at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday.

Dungeons and Dragons Story Fragment

Below is a journal entry I wrote from my character's (Ayn Blud) perspective based on Sunday's session. I had the privilege of running the party's wizard, Jack, since his player was absent. I had to leave before the end of the last battle, but I've since learned that my character, Ayn did prevail against the evil priest.

We are acutely aware now that every moment wasted is another moment Shar’s cult has to finish its ritual. Their success would have dire consequences that I would prefer not to consider.

Still, we were exhausted after our battle with the block of ooze; considering that the keep’s other inhabitants seem to avoid this area, we thought it best to rest, and to plan to face our dark adversaries in a final push, beginning tomorrow.
*******
Jack’s not quite himself today. He’s not talking much, and he seems to have forgotten that illusion spell he’s occasionally used before. Still, he remains mighty with the missles and fire, so there’s little reason to worry.
********
Looking back, my impatience turned into a benefit: we suspected a trap. When the group’s pondering and waffling became more than I could bear, I marched forward. I found myself trapped behind a wall of force, and the chamber filled with water. There were a few dicey moments when the water level reached my shoulders. I’m not a tall man, and I don’t swim particularly well...

Some of the others seemed to have some difficulty with some of the other statues in the room; I couldn’t really understand why they didn’t just stay away from them. Then again, I wasn’t really paying attention, with the water rising to chin level.

I notice that Jack was smart enough to stay away from the dangerous
statues...

**********
We entered an enormous and vile chamber of blood, sacrifice and pure evil. Before us stood a priest for this terrible religion. I was surprised when he initiated parley. It was clear that he was responsible for vast suffering and evil, still, it seemed wisest to engage him, perhaps discover more of what was going on. My rage built... I wanted nothing more than to slaughter this villain, but I restrained myself.

My comrades Rukh and Aelar also seemed interested in parley, so we approached. Negotiations quickly broke down when one (maybe both) insulted Shar. I don’t think they have much training in the art of diplomacy.

The next thing I remember, a swarm of vampires emerged from the darkness, and the foul priest struck me with a bolt of pure evil. Erathis was clearly watching, as Blackscale protected me. I charged the monster and engaged him, toe to toe, trusting that the others could handle the swarm of undead and whatever beasts lurked therein. He had to die, that’s all I really knew.

I felt exhilarated and godlike as the light of Erathis flowed through me and through my blade. Light will punish dark. I was again reminded of the advantages to fighting alongside (so to speak) a wizard such as Jack. His missiles and bursts of flame bring me great comfort during pitched battle.

I felt much less godlike as the battle wore on, but the villain also looked the worse for wear. Who would outlast the other? I refocused myself. Of course I would prevail. For Erathis. For order. For Winterhaven. For vengeance.

I had to leave before the end of the last battle, but I've since learned that Ayn did prevail against the evil priest.

Like a Coast Guard

The New York Times got a telephone interview with some of the Somali pirates holding a shipload of tanks and other weapons.

The one who agreed to be quoted said some interesting things, including, "We don’t consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits those who illegally fish in our seas and dump waste in our seas and carry weapons in our seas. We are simply patrolling our seas. Think of us like a coast guard.”

I have no doubt that these really are the bad guys. At the same time, they're compelling figures.

Warships surround Somali pirates

Alas, the tanks and other weapons don't appear destined for defending a pirate fortress. This will probably end in blood and gunfire.

Mariners, 2008

I didn't make it to any Mariners games this season; I think this wasn't a bad season to miss.

I did, however, follow the team through its historically terrible year.

They lost 101 games; this makes them the first team to lose over a 100 games with a payroll of over 100 million dollars. Fabulous.

They did, however, win two more games than the Washington Nationals. That means they don't get the number one draft pick. Apparently there's a sterling young pitcher who's nearly ready for the majors. I don't know any details there. I do see that it appears that the 2008 Mariners can't even lose right.

Crazy Thought of Today's Run

"What does a god care about the requests of mortals?" The god in question was, yes, myself, and the mortals were the construction workers. They had some streets blocked off and I was weaving in and around it all.

This thought came to me without irony. It only took a moment for me to regain my perspective... At best I'm a demigod.

I Don't Know

what it means, but I now have both Facebook and Twitter accounts. Myspace is SO 2007.

I don't expect to do much twittering, but it is fun to follow the flow of ideas amongst one's friends and acquaintances.

Pirate Tankers?

Pirates off the coast of Somalia recently seized a Ukrainian ship loaded with 33 T-72 tanks, other weapons, and “a substantial quantity of ammunition.”

Likely those ‘other weapons’ include machine guns that can be mounted on those tanks.

I wonder what they plan to do with those tanks. A pirate army equipped with Soviet era battle tanks could be formidable, even if they were used primarily to defend a stronghold.

Keeping those tanks would open a door to supply chain challenges: battle tanks are not simple machines to keep running, though I expect the simpler T-72’s are easier to keep going than the modern generation of U.S. tanks. Still, tanks need fuel (lots of fuel), and tanks need spare parts (lots of different spare parts). I would almost assume that some of those tanks would become ‘parts tanks.’

If they don’t drive them too much, and if they have a mechanic or four who can replace things as they break, (not to mention has access to the tools and equipment required) they can have a mighty armored company, at least compared with most other African militaries.

I have a hunch that they’ll sell those tanks to a small country somewhere who is better equipped to manage the resource requirements of an armored force.

On Schedule

I'm on schedule to be debt free (minus the mortgage, but even there, our townhouse is worth more than we owe) in four months. Now, Christmas is between me and there, plus I have a few expenses coming up (I NEED some winter motorcycle gloves, and I really should refresh some of my work clothes). I may or may not be able to fit these things into my leftover cash.

On the other hand, I have my annual pay increase coming in November, and a chance for an additional raise after that.

Yay for approaching a big goal!

Ultimate Adventure

At some point during the ’85 – ’86 school year, my four friends at the time and I decided to form a group. The group needed a name: we were all Marvel Comics fans, we all played Dungeons and Dragons, at least occasionally. These influences led directly to our choice: Ultimate Adventurers. Over the next couple of years, one of those friends moved away, and another member was allowed in. There have been ups and downs, arguments and reconciliations... right now, and for the last several years, our relationships are stronger than ever.

I’ve found that the group name we chose, “Ultimate Adventurers” has been a guiding light in my life. Stop laughing!

The word ‘adventure’ has been particularly powerful, especially as the definition has evolved for me. At its basis, to seek adventure is to accept a paradigm. There will be suffering, and the suffering is part of the point. Curiosity is a primary motivator, and novelty is valued by an adventurer.

Beyond that, the types of adventure are as varied as the human experience is broad; it isn’t necessarily about mountain climbing and jungle exploration, though those clearly are examples of adventures. Some find adventure in what they eat, the adventure of having and raising a child should not be overlooked: I have friends who are parents, and the simultaneous wonder and pain of raising a family is remarkable.

Developing relationships is another common adventure: to open up to a person almost always comes with some suffering, even if it’s self inflicted. In exchange you can develop a bond that grows over decades, you can understand life from new angles and perspectives.

I’m lucky to have stumbled on this perspective on adventure, and had it echoing in the back of my mind since that somewhat fateful school recess in the seventh grade.

Sunday

Five miles are very easy after having run twenty miles a couple days before.

Twenty

I ran twenty miles today.  According to my schedule, that leaves two (I think...could be three) super long runs before the marathon in November, with a smattering of runs in the ten to fourteen mile range.

I've learned to load my ipod's playlist with more song, and fewer long podcasts.  Music provides a significant boost that can push me through some of those tough miles.

I started by listening to a podcast about "Erotic Integrity".  This got me thinking fondly about the state of my own marriage.  We're in a fun phase and it feels like we're almost reshaping our marriage, but not because anything was broken.  We're sharing some adventures (such as a trip to couple's night at The Little Red Spa last Sunday), and it seems like our communication is easier and smoother than ever.

As I crossed the Montlake Bridge, I entered familiar territory:  I lived in the U-District for a few years, and went to school at UW.  I did my share of running on the Burke Gillman trail, and it was nice to revisit that old stomping ground in an old familiar way.  I spend a fair amount of time in that area nowadays, but I haven't run there for years.

On the Trail, I started crossing runners and bicyclists, not surprisingly.  I always wave at runners, if they make the slightest amount of eye contact.  I feel like it's an exclusive club, and everyone who is running belongs.  I don't care if they're barely jogging for a quarter mile, or in the middle of a megamarathon.  It's a cool club that I have tremendous respect for.  I even nod and wave at people running with their dogs, who are taking up the whole walkway.

It annoys me when other runners don't make an effort to acknowledge my existence.  Really, how hard is it to glance over and nod your head?

I ran all the way to the end of the trail; right at the edge of Ballard, by Fred Meyer.

A hippie chick on a bicycle was singing as she passed me.  At the time, it annoyed me because she was riding slowly, and when I know someone's behind me, I have to monitor them.  I don't want to be obstructive, and I don't want to get run over.  I've probably already mentioned here somewhere that I already start with something of a prejudice against bicyclists.

In retrospect, that hippie chick was fine.  She was doing her thing, I was doing mine, and there was no conflict.

My own sanity started to slip just a little on the way back.  It was nothing serious; a little sleep deprivation makes you way crazier.  I derived an unusual amount of satisfaction by crossing against the light in sight of a police car while the theme to the Dukes of Hazard played in my ears.  I had a whole non-defense ready, should I have been stopped:  "Yes, I know the law.  Yes, I broke it intentionally.  Yes, I'll do it again.  I've already run 12 miles, and I'm not concerned with laws like that.  Go ahead and give me the ticket."  But my rebellious attitude was wasted.

As I crossed the Montlake Bridge, this time on the way back, I saw a Children's shuttle.  I'm pretty sure the driver recognized me.  She kinda did a double take and smile.  I waved, and I think she waved back.  I was kinda hoping I'd see a shuttle, and I kinda hope folks I know were riding and saw me.  No exhibitionism here, no way.  I'm too humble for that.

I think it was then that Fred Eaglesmith's "Angel of the Lord" came on, which filled me with profound thoughts of humanity's decline.  I agreed with Fred:  if Jesus is coming, he better come quick, while there are still those who worry and wait.  At least it seemed profound to me then.

Bill Maher was dising on Sarah Palin when within a handful of blocks two, not one, but TWO, women in cars rolled in front of my passage.  I was not amused, and I ran my fingers along both cars as I squirted by.  Both were dusty.  Maybe that will give them a reminder to drive right, and not block sidewalks.  A little later a guy in a truck backed a few feet up, out of the line of the sidewalk.  I assumed that he did that so as not to block my path.  I waved and smiled at him, and he waved back.

A few miles later a guy who had seen me on the way out (over two hours prior!) cheered at me.  That was cool.  Somewhere in there Bonnie Tyler's "I Need a Hero" played.   It's really the music that makes me a little less sane while I'm running.  Not in a bad way, mind you.  You're already crazy to start a thing like this, so it's good to harness the crazy just a little.  I felt like a god walking (er running) on Earth, the white knight she was asking for, the hero.

A Battlestar Galactica podcast took me the rest of the way.  That's good, because you can't stay crazy and arrogant the way Bonnie Tyler can make you for too long out there.  It wouldn't be safe.

You can find the map to my run here.

How Does This Work?

Flash Mind Reader

I just tried it five times, and it nailed the symbol each time. The last few times, I didn't touch the mouse or keyboard until clicking the bubble.

How does it know?

There Can’t Be Too Many of These Left

I can only remember a couple other times when I can say, “I’m in the shape of my life.”

The first was in the fall of 1991, right after basic training (though I was also in quite good shape after running Bloomsday in 1 hour 23 minutes earlier that year). I’d put on thirty pounds of muscle and was a monster. Ironically, I couldn’t do all that many push-ups or sit-ups, which are the units by which I was measured at the time.

There were a few other peaks during that three year period; after I lost some of that basic training weight, the running, push-ups and sit-ups came easier. It was an active time of life when I bicycled a lot, ran a lot, and did my share of other exercise.

The next very notable period when I was ‘in the shape of my life’ was during my year with Oom Yung Doe. My flexibility, balance and overall strength was more impressive; this all peaked around March of 2001. Then I realized how unethical the operation was, learned that it was led and founded by a criminal.

Somewhere in there was the first ‘Run Up Colville Mountain.’ That may have been in 1999, or even earlier. I trained specifically for hill running during that go-around. Hmm, I remember my adversary’s (now ex) wife was pregnant with his first child at the time, so that must have been... eight years ago?

I was also in pretty good running condition during the first summer living in South Seattle. I had a new neighborhood to explore, and not a whole lot else in the way of hobbies. That was 2005. I was also in training for our third race up The Mountain (which I won), and I ran the 5-mile course during the Portland Marathon (in which I received an age group award).

This year, however, I’ve eclipsed all of my life’s running related conditioning. I’ve run over 8 ½ miles for the first time in my life. And over 10, and 12 and 14... In a little over a week, I plan to run 20 miles for the first time in my life. Of course, this should culminate in 26.2 on November 30th.

Looking back, the end of basic training, the end of my Oom Yung Doe year, and now, as I wind toward the latter phase of my marathon training, are all notable as different, yet equal ‘shape of my life’ periods. Only then have I exercised an hour or more per day, most days.

Now I need to convince my wife to take some naked pictures of me in order to commemorate this phase (no, they won’t be posted here). There can’t be too many of these periods left in my life: it takes a lot of time and energy to be this awesome!

PAX 2008

PAX, short for Penny Arcade Expo, is this weekend in Seattle's convention center. Since it's the largest video game convention in the country (possibly the world?), I figured I ought to go, at least for a day.

There were many many systems set up for demo play. All the big dealers (EA, Blizzard, Bungie etc...) had either consoles or PC's with high def monitors littered around, loaded with the newest upcoming games.

These spots were awfully crowded, so I generally stayed away. I did play some of the Penny Arcade game. I tried to load the demo online when it was first released, but my computer won't handle it. The game itself was pretty sweet, but I was most impressed by the monitor. I had suspicions that a high quality, high definition screen would be the first big purchase, post debt pay-off, and this confirmed it. New games are designed to be played on quality screens, so there's not much point in upgrading systems without a proper screen to play on.

The other high point was getting to demo the Battlestar Galactica board game. Apparently it was released at Gen-Con, where they brought 200 copies. Someone had the foresight to save 30 of those for PAX, and it will be released to mass markets in mid October. The BSG boardgame plays a little like Munchkin: the players are divided up into factions as the game plays out, and those factions can shift. Like Munchkin, there are waves of conflict between the factions, where one faction succeeds by spending all its resources. The next faction then might have an advantage for the next turn. Unlike Munchkin, the tone is very Battlestar. In our game, I played Chief Tyrol, who had been outed as a Cylon and thrown in the brig. Now, I happened to be a human sympathizer, but I still was stuck in the brig. Meanwhile, two groups of heavy raiders landed aboard the Galactica and cylon centurian boarding parties ran amock. The FTL drive was damaged, as was the viper bay and admiral's quarters. Who could fix that damage? The chief, who was stuck in the brig. Oh, and two basestars and a small fleet of raiders were in stricking distance. It was awesome. As we ran out of time (it was a demo, so we didn't get a complete game), I was finally released and made my way to fix the FTL drive. As far as I could tell, no individual can win the game. If the fleet runs out of food, fuel, morale, population (eek!), or if the Galactica is destroyed, the Cylons win. If the fleet jumps far enough away, they escape and the humans win.

Ron Sims Has a Plan

King Co. Metro bus fares could go up 50 cents by 2010

It's a good start toward addressing the challenges faced by the increased bus ridership matched with increased diesel prices.

It isn't a long term funding plan, but it does mitigate fare increases and addresses the urgent needs of the now.

New Personal Distance Record

I just ran 14 miles.

My pace was a little slow, but that's a-okay.

I don't enjoy my encounters with dog walkers and people with small children. Stay out of my fucking side of the path. It's annoying.

On the other hand, I give runners who are with their dogs or pushing their children the full nod and wave of respect that I have for all runners / joggers.

I was passed today, for the first time this year. While I want to chalk it up to the fact that I was working on my 14th mile, this guy was grooving along pretty quickly, and looked in exceptionally good shape. He also had a mohawk, which still annoys me.

The Great iPod Battery Swap of 2008

My iPod was a hand-me down Mini whose battery was pretty crappy when I received it a year and a half ago. I've grown accustomed to carrying the charger with me, and I expect only a couple hours of charge at a time.

Now that I'm training for the Seattle Marathon in November, this is a concern. I don't want my power to crap out when I'm trying to play "Flying High" at mile 25.

I'm still working on the last of my credit card debt, and expect to have it paid off around February of next year. To keep on that schedule, I don't have a whole lot of flex in my budget. Besides, aside from the battery issue, the iPod suites my needs.

I did a little research and found an "iPod mini Battery Replacement Kit"at Amazon for less than ten dollars, including shipping. I decided that it was worth the risk.

The kit came quickly, and had all the equipment I needed for the project. However, the instructions were not for the iPod mini, and were no help whatsoever. I was prepared for this, however. Some of the product reviews complained about the instructions, and recommended those found at cnet.com. Sure enough, not only does cnet have instructions, they have a series of videos that show you what to do.

Really, it isn't that complicated. It does require some apptitude for fiddling with small things. Anyone who has added a card to his computer, built a model, worked with beads or done anything similar can handle this job.

At the end of it all, I had no extra parts laying around, and the iPod lit up, just like before. Before I can declare complete success, I'll have to see how well the battery holds its charge. I'm going to need four good hours to get through those 26.2 miles in November.

Dungeons and Dragons, 4th Edition

Over the last month I've joined two Dungeons and Dragons groups. The first is highly motivated, almost (but not quite!) too motivated. Many would play until 11 p.m. on weeknights, and they're all too happy to play ten hours on one weekend a month. They are also happy to stop playing at 10 p.m., and so far, no one seems to mind if you miss a session.

I think the sweet spot for RPG's is around five total players, including DM. As you get larger than that, it's hard to focus on the individuals, and you have to wait longer for your turn. A group of seven seems manageable - that's how large this group is - but it's a bit much.

The second group hasn't quite hit lift off yet, but it's promising. These folks seem to have more going on and want to play in smaller chunks.

To be honest, I was only looking for one regular game. I am training for a marathon, after all. So far, I really like these guys though, so we'll see how it goes. It's also a little easier to take my motorcycle around town in the summer, making the commute fairly easy. If it all becomes too much, I'll have to drop something.

In the meantime, my first group is still chugging along, about once per month. That's my main RPG creative outlet, and I find myself trying to infuse the role playing character focus from that group into D&D. Happily, both D&D groups seem open to that sort of thing.

NFL Preseason

Friday night’s Seahawks / Vikings preseason game was everything a Seahawks fan could hope for. The starters and known back-ups played well, there were no significant injuries, and we got a good look at the newbies playing for roster spots.

The post Alexander era running game made its debut: Julius Jones and former back-up Maurice Morris performed solidly; there really seems to be something to the revamped running game designed for ‘hit the hole’ guys like Morris and Jones.

One interesting ripple was that rookie Justin Forsett had a notably better game than veteran T.J. Duckett. I don’t know the details of Duckett’s contract, but I do know that he isn’t some A-list superstar who’s guaranteed a spot on the team. I wouldn’t be surprised if Forsett beats him out of that roster spot. I suppose they could put Forsett on the practice squad, but that’s risky: practice squad guys can be signed to another team at any time.

I’m in an odd position with the Washington Redskins this year. I’m a Jim Zorn fan. I want him to succeed. However, the team name is one of the few genuinely offensive team brands in professional or college sports. In general, I have no objection with American Indian based mascots, such as ‘Chiefs,’ ‘Warriors,’ or ‘Braves,’ just as I don’t mind North or Central European mascots such as the ‘Vikings’ or ‘Saints.’ ‘Redskins’ however is something else entirely. ‘Redskin’ is a derogatory term. While it may not have the kick it used to have, it hasn’t been entirely reclaimed either. I put it squarely in the same category as the Cleveland Indians’ Chief Wahoo logo. Both should be banished.

You won’t hear me leading a ‘Go Redskins’ cheer, but I probably will quietly follow the team for the next few years, and quietly pull for their success.

Drinking out of Cups

Unexpected and brilliant.

Fred Alexander, RIP

Fred Alexander worked at Children's for 11 years. I came to know him around four years ago, when I was working as the Ambulatory Facilities and Equipment coordinator. I found broken things, I called B&E, and often Fred was sent to fix the problem.

He was a very good natured and professional man; for the last couple years, whenever he saw me in the hall, he'd say, "Uh, oh, there's trouble..." and we'd both laugh.

He died last week, of natural causes. There was a memorial today at the hospital. It's amazing what a person doesn't know about another person's life. I think at work, we connect with people generally on a couple levels, and that's often the end of it. For example, Fred was in the Marines, and was a huge sports fan. I was in the Army and am a huge NFL fan, and a moderate Mariners fan. We never discussed those things.

Anyway, Fred, this one's for you. I miss you already. [Christ, I'm here balling as I write this. I've become such a baby about stuff like this. I hope I never have to speak at someone's funeral, 'cause I'd probably cry through the whole thing. I probably will have to someday though; normally I'm a good pubic speaker]

Break the Stereotype

So, I played Dungeons and Dragons, 4th editon for the first time today, DM'd by a 14 year old girl, with three other thirty something players and another teenager player. We had great fun.

I will admit, I would have enjoyed a bit more in-character role-playing. I don't like it when DM's read background information from their documents; I'd rather play it out.

I played a pre-generated female dwarven fighter. I never play dwarves, and I never play females. It was a good change for me.

One offs are a great opportunity to experiment with different types of characters.

I also met a couple guys who are starting a campaign in Greenlake soon. The thing is, I have someone in Ballard who I've been emailing, who will also be starting a campaign. I'll probably play with both at first. When two games gets to be too much, I'll pick my favorite (or most convenient).

I Think it's a Tradition Now.

Today is Nora and my 2nd wedding anniversary.

Again, we went to the Little Red Day Spa for massages and watsu. They always treat us well there.

I hope we can make it there a time or two during the year this time. We still haven't been to the Little Red Studio for one of their shows, either. I'm pretty sure we'll take care of that sometime soon.

Fresh scent may hide toxic secret

This doesn't seem like new information to me. I guess science has just caught up with what I'd assumed over ten years ago: perfume doesn't make you clean. The chemicals that are added to 'enhance' the smell are not only unnecessary ('clean' doesn't really have a smell), but, in some cases, harmful.

Pic from Someone Else's Wedding

This is one of my favorite, random internet photos.

A Book about Seattle Architecture

Note to self:

Seattle Architecture: A Walking Guide to Downtown

I've been looking for a book like this ever since I started working downtown.

455,543

455,543 people have watched this presentation featuring Halo 3 weapons. I don't know what to make of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e45J0SCXO5s&eurl

Food

I’ve been thinking about food a lot lately. This is new to me, as I’ve not been very food oriented for my entire life. Sure, there’ve always been things I’ve liked more than others, but I rarely paid much attention.

I guess this shift came from watching a few too many episodes of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. It’s a good show, and while it features food, it’s also about travel, and I really enjoy Bourdain’s commentary, which runs throughout the show.

Slowly, his intensity for food as rubbed off on me. It doesn’t take a professional chef to know that the smell that wafts from Subway isn’t right, or to notice when a dish at a restaurant is lazily planned or prepared. Even I know that there’s no reason to use American cheese. Ever.

I’m also re-evaluating my vegetarianism. I’ve been off meat for something around ten years, so I think it’s time to evaluate. I already know that I won’t be reintroducing beef into my diet. It still takes eight times the resources to grow a cow to feed a person as it would to just feed the person. I’m also not very enthused about chicken. I suppose organic / free range chickens might be okay to eat. Forget about pork (I do still miss bacon though).

Mostly, I’m thinking about certain kinds of fish. Just two days ago I purchased Bottomfeeder, How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood by Taras Grescoe. Even in the introduction it’s clear that some, if not most, fish should be avoided for a mix of environmental and health reasons. However, it sounds like there are many other kinds that are healthy and thriving. After I finish the book and understand the arguments, I’ll make my decisions.

While I haven’t historically been a huge seafood fan, as I mentioned above, my relationship with food has evolved since I quite eating anything with a nervous system.

Sports Drinks

Now that I'm running a lot, I've taken a renewed interest in sports drinks.

So far, Accelerade seems best. It has sugar instead of the high fructose corn syrup found in Powerade and Gatorade. It also has some protein, which is also good for me. As a vegetarian, protein intake is something I need to watch. I've had a little trouble finding a reliable source of Accelerade; even the stores that carry it, don't have it in stock reliably, and they often don't have more than one flavor in stock at a time.

This led me to examine Gatorade's current offerings. Nowadays, there's Gatorade Fierece, Gatorade a.m., Gatorade Tiger (licensed by Tiger Woods), Gatorade Rai... and all seem to come in a handful of flavors.

The thing is, all those products HAVE THE SAME FORMULA! There's no nutritional difference between the different Gatorades. Even the A.M. formula! According to the Gatorade marketing department, Gatorade A.M. has flavors that one might like to taste when exercising in the morning.

Now, Gatorade does carry G2 which is a lower calorie verison; at least that is functionally different than the others. That doesn't help me any, but I can see why someone would be interested.

One more thing.

Above all, this pic reminds me of how blessed I am to be in this group of friends, and in this wonderful marriage. Forgive my moment of sentimentality.

Stolen Vacation Pics!

Vacation Bonanza!

More Vacation Photos!

Vacation Photos!

Marvel Game

I'd better start writing about the Marvel session we had, or I'll start forgetting details.

Nora and Dean were particularly strong role-players. David and Nick score highly on the entertainment scale.

One problem with the game is the length of battle. With a handful or robots versus relatively inexperienced players, it took quite awhile to resolve. I think if we played more, the players would get better at using basic tactics. I'll probably stop using antagonists with body armor too.

I had a few missed opportunities, as the game master: one character was separated from the rest of the group, alone with a mysterious NPC who they'd just met. I was playing that NPC down the middle, and generally prepared for him to be either an allie or an enemy. That would have been a perfect opportunity for the NPC to turn crazy and try to capture or subdue the Player Character.

Later in the session, a player activated a summoning ritual during the climactic battle. First off, I probably shouldn't have allowed that ability during combat. Then, when the player rolled a moderate success, a creature was summoned. That was sorta cool: I introduced a magic wielding mind flayer (inspired by Cthulu). The problem was, he wasn't that powerful compared with the player characters and robots. He had an Amazing level magic bolt, which is really pretty good, but so does the character who summoned him. Except, it took that player three rounds to complete the summoning. Then, the creature was killed a few rounds later. All in all, it wasn't very satisfying. It was amusing though, when Nick started doing Dr. Zoidberg impressions.

My players were a little reluctant to take action early on; in retrospect it was kinda funny. I nearly had to order them to go save the 10 year old from the Sentinels.

Vacation, Phase II

We didn't know what to expect when we registered at the Lazy Daze. I, for one, was unclear about how much of our own space we would have, and how divided our area would be from the rest of the house. Much of this comes from never having stayed at a bed and breakfast before.

It turns out that the house was very large, and technically not divided up at all. In essence, we stayed right in and amongst our hosts. For the most part, however, we camped out in their very nice basement / game room. They did a fabulous job of giving us room and privacy while also making us feel welcome, and going out of their way to add to our experience. Now, for a list of events:

• The last of us arrived around 7:30 (one had to put in a full day's work). There was dinner (mostly engineered, I believe, by Nora. There was then much drinking and settling in and eventually, we started Munchkin Cthulu around the inactive gas firepit, this time with the full complement of six players. The game went long into the night; afterwards, most of us took our first dip into the wonderful hot tub. Two of us even took a foray down the hill to the river; apparently one even hopped in.
• The next morning's breakfast was amazing and served at 9 a.m. Most of us had mimosas. Remarkably, no one was severely hung over.
• Our hosts then kindly boated us (along with some of their other friends) down to the China Bend Winery. After much wine tasting and purchasing, we headed home.
• We stopped off in a small bay to swim. Initially I had no intention of getting in the water... After a few minutes the sun's warmth really set in, and a handfull of us started jumping in and swimming around. After all the women went in (Nora was the second one over all!), I knew I had to go. I shucked off my shirt, tucked my hat and wallet safely beside and hopped off the end of the dock. I was wearing sunglasses at the time. They're gone now. David swims like a fish.
• That evening, Nora engineered dinner for the group, including our hosts. It was super tasty. There was more hot tubbing (I think only Nora and I this time around), and we tried a game called Spite. We were tired and the game was not a hit.
• We had waffles the next morning!
• Then began the day of Marvel Super Heroes. Unfortunately, Tony was pulled away due to family commitments. We can't complain about that, he did a great job of keeping it all balanced throughout the week. We played for 10ish hours, which was probably too much. I'll write more about the game later. It was definitely fun, and there were some take away lessons on all sides.
• At some point, the beer ran out.
• Nick, Dave and Nora prepared dinner for us, thankfully. We had eaten crap all day long.
• We got a late start and were walking along a dark country road when the fireworks started. We pretty much missed the whole show, and I don't think anyone really cared.
• After we got back, Art fixed the pinball machines, and we had a final flurry of pinball and video gaming. I packed.
• We said advanced good-byes.
• The next morning, Nick helped us load our car; everyone else was still in bed. After all, it was only 7 a.m.
• We stopped off for the volunteer firefighter's pancake breakfast in Northport, and headed home.
• We made great time, and were able to pick up our cats a couple days earlier than expected. Greycat seems to have taken the boarding more in stride, but both are doing well now.