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.

Summer Vacation 2008

First, a quick list of what we did:

• Drove to Colville
• Checked in at Benny's - had to have a 'smoking room' for the first two days because Grangers had taken the others for the weekend.
• Gathered with Nick and Dean
• Mexican food and margaritas at Rancho Chico, then drinks at The Acorn. The food disappointed slightly, but the beers did not.
• Next day, I ran four miles.
• Dean came over to the motel, and we played Munchkin Cthulu for the first time. Munchkin is a great game, and perfect for the group. I believe Nora won the first game (hooray!).
• Nora, Dean and I drove to Spokane for The Party with Tess and Mitzi at Mitzi's place.
• There are many pictures from this party; it was awesome in many ways. Everyone loves Nora (hooray!).
• Tony and Nick met us there. David stayed in Colville in preparation of The Three Days of Hay.
• We drove back that night. Dean was feeling kinda chatty, which kept me awake. Thank goodness.
• On Sunday, Nora and I ate at Park Place, the restaurant next to Benny's. The food was not very good. A particularly obnoxious right winger sat at a table next to us, holding court with his friends. It was particularly frustrating that he had a couple valid points wrapped up in his ignorance and meanness. In retrospect, this may have taken place on Saturday morning.
• We had lunch at an oasis of good food and good service called The Courthouse Cafe. Everyone in or near Colville should eat there often. Nora had salad. Yummy! Tony met us there with his kids, on his way homeward.
• I ran six miles.
• Then we switched to a better, non smoking room, with a king sized bed! Hooray!
• Dean, Nora and I played Clue and Mille Bourne.
• We met up with Nick and introduced him to Munchkin Cthulu.
• On Monday, Tony and I ran 10 miles. It was awesome. Tony kept me to my 8 minute mile, but proved a very even keeled and entertaining running companion.
• Dean came by after his half day's work at the shop with his Dad. I believe we played more Munchkin Cthulu, then headed up to Nick's. I'm pretty sure I'm mixing up some of these details.
• Cafe Italiano was closed, so we went to Tony's. I had a pesto dish which was very good. I believe we went to Nick's place after.
• I didn't run on Tuesday.
• Nora swam a lot, I swam a little.
• Dean and Tony came by around 4ish, and Tony learned Munchkin Cthulu.
• Nick came by around 5:15ish.
• I think Tony had to leave, and the rest of us went out for pizza (Westside Pizza. The name makes no sense to me. Technically, it's on the east side of Colville. Nora suggested it has to do with the westside of Colville.)
• I think I got my days mixed up again: I"m pretty sure we at at Cafe Italiano on Tuesday. Probably we went to Tony's on Sunday and Westside Pizza on Monday. Anyway, whenever it was that we went to Cafe Italiano, the experience was wonderful. It was sparsely attended, and they closed as soon as we left; the food was delicious, and the service was friendly and attentive.
• Then we watched Little Miss Sunshine. We invented a process for making the decision, since we all had different movies we wanted to see.
• Wednesday, I ran 8 miles. Whew, that was a tiring one. It was hot, I forgot my hat AND my sunglasses.
• Then we packed up, had breakfast at the Courthouse Cafe again, did a little shopping and headed for Northport!
• Nora and I had lunch at the Mustang Grill, before checking in at Lazy-Daze. The food was great! They had garden burgers!
• I'll try to get to the second half of our vacation today or tomorrow. I'll need some time to describe our days at Lazy Daze.

Moderate Excess

So far, the vacation is predictably fabulous. I've introduced my wife and other friends to Munchkin Cthulu, which is a great game for this group. Few of us have read much Lovecraft, but it's easy enough to understand Victorian era horrible monster hunting. My friends and I were weaned on 1st edition Advanced D&D, and had a few copies of Deities and Demigods floating around. That book included a whole chapter on the Cthulu mythos. Then they discovered that those characters were copyright protected and had to go away (along with Moorcock's Melnibone' set) from later editions.

Yesterday we also played a few rounds of Clue. It had been years since any of us had played it, so we were all on equal footing. The strength of Clue is that it demands a different kind of game play than most board games: you have to work out the logic, plus try and read your opponents' mannerisms. Almost oddly, I'm not a huge fan of it. This shouldn't be interpreted as a judgment of the game itself. Rather, it's a very personal preference because the game doesn't directly line up with my own strengths. As I told the group, "I'll enjoy it when we play, but I probably won't ever suggest it."

The food in Colville is hit and miss. We discovered a great place for breakfast and lunch called The Courthouse Cafe. Unfortunately it doesn't have beer or wine, and isn't open for dinner. It did remind me that not all tasty beverages require alcohol. The service is also quick and friendly, and all the food has been top notch.

On the other side of things, in other places, we've encountered some lazy food (chile rellenos that really weren't, grilled cheese with good bread but yucky American cheese, and a generally dissatisfying set of omelets for brunch).

It's fairly easy to get good beer in Colville now. That's an improvement. During my last trip, I discovered a local brewery called 'Lost Falls' that I enjoyed, but I can't find it anywhere anymore.

Another high point of the trip so far was running 10 miles yesterday morning with Tony. We kept tight to my comfortable but not too comfortable 8 minute mile. I don't believe I've ever run that far before. Since I don't think I had ever run 9 miles before doing so last month, these mileage personal records aren't so novel anymore.

The Problem with Packing

It's almost worse to pack when you have the benefit of a car. There's no real upper limit, and it's hard to tell when you've finished.

When traveling by train or plane, I pack light. Very light. I expect to wear some things more than once; I keep the footwear to a minimum (usually I bring whatever I plan to wear, plus one additional pair of something). You get the idea.

This time around, I have plenty of clothes, games and books. I hope I have the all the fundamentals. Again, the fact that we'll be near 'civilization' almost makes it worse. It's all the harder to focus on necessities.

Blah blah. It isn't all that fun, either.

Big Fucking Rat

I just saw a big fucking rat outside the window.

I went out with my entrenching tool (basically a little shovel), but it had hidden, I think behind one of my wife's planter boxes.

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's illegal to use firearms within city limits. I could shoot the hell outta that little bastard. There would be massive disapproval. My wife would probably disapprove, the neighbors probably... then there's always the police. I will restrain myself.

Greycat came out with me, but seemed unaware of the larger project. He's still out there sniffing around. Maybe he'll get lucky and the rat will be stupid. He brought a dead rat home once, back when he was still living on the porch. Today would be a good day for an encore. That first rat only covered about a tenth of the medical bills we've invested into him. If he catches this one, we'll call it even.

I'm not holding my breath. Most likely we'll contact the rest of the association and call in a professional.

Light Lord's Background

Here are the Nick's answers for Light Lord. I've [censored] bits that his character may prefer not to discuss with the others.

**********

Light Lord's Info:

> 1. What are your character’s thoughts on politics? Socialist / Liberal / Moderate / Conservative / Libertarian etc…
>
> Believer in getting rid of the oppressiveness - throw off the chains of the lower class and let all enjoy the fruits of our labor. Will take arms as necessary.
>
> 2. What hobbies did he or she enjoy before the robots came? What does he or she still enjoy?
>
>Camping, hunting. Would make makeshift snares and traps, work on "aim" of energy powers by shooting targets in woods.
>
> 3. What does he miss most from ‘before?’
>
> Interacting with "non-freaks," especially the girls.
>
> 4. What is the worst crime(s) imaginable to your character?
>
> Torture would be acceptable, so long as it's helping a mission. Would prefer not to kill, but will if it means survival for me or my friends.
>
> 5. What historic figures does she most admire? Despise?
>
>Became a big fan of Lincoln when the oppression came. Not a Communist exactly, but sometimes it makes sense. Really despise those who enacted the robot control. Also anyone who enslaved the little guy.
>
> 6. Does your character read much? What does she read most?
>
> Enjoy historical biographies, military history. Use that for strategic planning. Like pictures of the "before times."
>
> 7. What is your character’s biggest secret?
>
>[censored]
>
> 8. What was your character’s childhood like?
>
>I used to bully Shadow Master as a child since I was bigger and stronger. We remain close, but when he got his powers, I tended to work on my powers alone.
>
> 9. What is your character’s drink(s)?
>
> I like gatorade-type beverages, particularly high in electrolytes. [other comments censored]
>
> 10. When and how did your character’s powers reveal themselves?
>
[censored, just in case this is the sort of thing the character may prefer not to discuss]

Marvel Prep

It's less than a week before the vacation starts!

I have to get serious about my Marvel game prep.

First, I've decided not to use the karma gambling storytelling mechanic. I do want players to have some narration, and I will use karma rewards for that. However, since I'm trying to add incentive for them, it doesn't make sense to make them gamble for the 'privilege.'

I've averaged the starting karma for all the players, cut it in half, then added karma rewards for the last battle (for Type: X) and artistic contribution. Lightlord (Nick's character) gets 15 more than the others, because he was the first to submit answers to the questions I sent around a few months ago. Others will still get 10 karma for turning in their homework.

Marathon?

We've caught some good weather this weekend, and I had a delightful 'long run' of nine miles. My pace was 8 minute 40 sec/mile which is most reasonable for that distance. I usually hover around eight minute miles, and I should go a little slower on those long runs.

Since March, I've been working my way through a training schedule. It increases my weekly mileage gradually, and builds in lighter weeks. Overall, I've responded really well to this sort of regimented schedule. In the past, I haven't had much of plan, aside from increasing my distance and time gradually (or not, depending on my mood).

I pulled up the next phase of the training schedule, the one that takes me from 'long runs' of 10 miles up to a full marathon, and compared it to a calendar. It synchs up nicely with the Seattle marathon in November. I'm afraid to commit to anything, I'm afraid to actually say, "I'm training for a marathon." Instead, I'm going to keep plugging away at my schedule, and see where I am at the end of the summer.

I'm basing my training on the information at marathontraining.com

Dr. Drew Pinsky

I like Dr. Drew. I completely believe that he wants to help people, and that he has authentically dedicated his life to that end. I also respect his competence: he really does help people, and I completely trust what he says when talking about addiction. When I think of a Paladin in the Dungeons and Dragons sense, Dr. Drew fits that bill.

He is full of shit sometimes: he definitely has a bias toward normality and conventionality. The thing about those Lawful Good Paladin types is they see the world in black and white. Sometimes that's appropriate. Sometimes it misses the mark and blinds them to the nuances that make people fun. For example, I wouldn't go to him for sex advice. I don't think he gets kink, exploration of sexual identity, non-monogamy, or any of that dirty stuff that Dan Savage is so good at.

Mage Game... RIP?

The gaming group is still in pretty good shape, though we don't play as often as we'd like, and we could probably use another member. However, we're rebooting our system again and starting new characters.

The last time we did this, we stayed in the World of Darkness setting, playing as magi, but hacked the rules notably.

I was growing tired of urban fantasy, and had lost my love for my transvestite Ayn Randian artist character. Other members of the group also have some itch for variety.

My new character concept is of a semi-retired businessman, probably not human, who has piles of money, contacts and charm. He just bought (or had constructed) his dream spaceship. While he knows how to operate everything on the ship on the level of an accomplished amateur, he's no professional captain, navigator, pilot, engineer, etc...

I'm playing with the idea of giving him low level telepathy and/or some racial semi-monstrous body transformation abilities.

This concept is influenced by the Dallas Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones, that red squid guy form Futurama, and the Jurassic Park owner, John Hammond.

I need to figure out his race, so it can be worked into the game setting.

Below I'll paste in some of our other discussions:

***********

If what makes the modern earth setting world 'special' is simply a widget that protects it from invasion, I'm cool with that. In that sense, every world probably has something 'special' about them. For example, perhaps there is a ley line conjunction on Earth, which allows some limited magic use. From there, a cabal of mages might cast some spells of protection to keep the baddies away. Perhaps the science fiction world has vast dilithium deposits which powers their ships and allows advanced weaponry and shielding. Another has a large werewolf population, and everyone who lands there gets converted or eaten.

My thought too is that the modern Earth would be similar to WOD, but the vampires and werewolves would probably originate elsewhere.

I'd like to keep the 'awakened' vs 'sleeper' concept non-central to the overall universe. While it may be important in some realities, for others, it's a very slim line between civilian and hero. It makes sense for Force users, Mages and Superheroes, but for lower powered characters I don't see the advantage.

Maybe we should also start a discussion on power levels for our PC's. I think there's room for a broad range (ROTJ Luke Skywalker and C-3P0 in the same group, Thor and Captain America working together) within reason.

-Chad

Things I know I think and things I want to remember.

----- Original Message ----
From: jumpup7jam
To: emeraldeye@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 5:40:27 AM
Subject: [emeraldeye] Re: SETTING: Meta-setting discussion

Oooh, Craig, I like it! That is, save for a couple of points. I
think it ought to be unspecified as to whether or not the number of
realities are infinite. Perhaps there is a finite number of known or
easily reached realities, thus making them effectively finite, but I
don't think there's any reason for that door to remain permanently
closed. Plus, it's more fun not knowing. That way there can be
philosophers.
Personally, I'd rather "our" reality weren't special. In so much
fiction and thought, there's a sort of blown-up (in terms of scale)
self-importance. Humans are so great. Earth is a wondrous place.
America. Yah-da-da. Don't get me wrong, I do like earth and humans
and The United States of America, but in a setting with lots of other
worlds, I don't see why they need to be special, unless it's to
prevent us from taking our flight of fancy so far as to lead us to
disparage our own lives. We witness fantastic realms and events and
find our own lives wanting if we don't include the caveat that our
place is special, even though we don't have super powers.
I'm babbling.
Anyway, I love the rest of it. Are you thinking of a way to systemize
the mixing of realities, or are the characters so unaffected that such
a thing would be superfluous?
All have great days!

--- In emeraldeye@yahoogro ups.com, "james craig" wrote:
>
> Let's start off the setting discussion by talking about the multi-genre
> setting as a whole. As we get into specific realities we might
spawn more
> threads. Here's what I'm thinking about the multi-verse (much
borrowed from
> Torg, Mage, Rifts and other places):
>
>
> - There are multiple realities (but not infinite) that are
effectively
> different dimensions/universe s, in that getting from one world to
another is
> more than just traveling distance (but it may be part of the
journey). Each
> reality has it's own theme/genre and own laws of physics. For
example, in
> Etherspace people can breath in space (either it is filled with
air or each
> person's personal gravitational field keeps a personal atmosphere
around
> them), in Fairy-tale land magic can alter reality if done within
the proper
> ritual/spell format, in space wars universe the theory of
relativity doesn't
> apply, so ships can rocket through interstellar space at absurd
speeds
> (giving Einstein the finger).
> - I like Torg's idea that each reality has some sort of overlord
(but not
> necessarily evil or good), and this being's will/belief is what
sets the
> genre of that reality. This is in turn supplemented by the
collective
> belief of the inhabitants. The realm's overlord may need their
belief to
> empower him/her/it.
> - Everyone from each reality keeps some of it with them if they
go to a
> different reality (like a personal aura). The more powerful the
character,
> the bigger/stronger the aura. Over time it would degrade.
Awakened beings
> (like the PCs) have enough energy in their auras to do cool crazy
stuff
> (like magic in a non-magic world, epic action stunts, super
powers, etc.).
> - Our earth/WoD is of some special significance, probably because
of an
> abundance of metaphysical energy, like Possibility energy from Torg,
> Quintessence, Ether, Chi, Mana; either way the fundamental energy of
> reality/life. This same abundance of energy makes it a great
target as well
> as prevents the bad guys from invading en masse.
>
> more later

Ride the Bus

There's a great article in the 6/10/08 Seattle Post Intelligencer which both describes how more folks are riding the bus now that gas prices have floated into the $4.25 / gallon range, and gives tips on how to ride the bus for newbies.

I've mentioned before that I am a big believer in buses. More should be done to provide transit (or at least high occupancy) only lanes, and more should be invested to keep our buses running frequently and on time. Buses don't require expensive tracks and can be easily flexed as demands change, unlike light rail.

Bus fares only cover a minority of the costs for bus related mass transit, so as ridership increases, outside funding will also need to increase. Those buses are getting full, and that's great, but before long, we'll need bigger buses and more frequent service to balance the increase in ridership. That will cost tax dollars, in addition to the additional fare revenue.

Also check out one of my favorite blogs for all things bus-a-licious in and around Seattle: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/buschick/

Don't Settle

Eagle Rare continues as the bourbon of the moment. That's the last of the birthday bottle though, so back to Elijah Craig until the next special occasion.

My lovely wife got tickets to Anthony Bourdain for us, and we just got home. He's a great speaker, and the one thing I carried from him is to continue guarding against mediocrity. I've never been much of a foodie, and I'm still not. I have many steps to go before I even really understand what he's talking about. However, I do understand lazy food, and I understand tasty food. There's always the 'I know what I like' criteria, which is completely valid. At least, it's valid if one is paying attention and has given some thought to what one likes.

Then, my friend David pointed me toward this YouTube mash-up of William Shatner's version of Common People laid over some Star Trek Animated Series clips. The shit is brilliant in several ways.

I know I've settled for lazy comic books, lazy television, lazy movies, lazy internet sites and lazy web surfing. In this context, I'm using the word lazy in the worst sort of way: there are plenty of cases when lazy is a wonderful, brilliant thing. Lazy can be perfect. However, when it comes to entertainment and many other things, it's actually a little horrifying.

I may start eating some kinds of fish again. I recently read an article about how some fish are not endangered, not underpopulated and not filled with toxins. They're really quite healthy apparently. I know that sardines were an example. That contrasts with tuna and salmon which are fish populations that are having problems. More research is required.

I've been a vegetarian... hmm, I think for over ten years. It's appropriate to revisit my dietary choices in this regard.

Obama

Back in February, during the Washington State Caucus, I was undecided. That's over now. Well, yes, I know that's easy to say now that Hillary's out, but something else has changed.

Barack Obama has genuinely won me over. Right now, I see him as a focused Bill Clinton combined with those men who symbolized hope during the 1960's, but were martyred before their time.

No he's not a super-hero, he isn't a prophet, he isn't our savior. I think he is the man to lead America to a better day.

The Unrepentant Asshole in Me

Today while running, I spit on two cars that were blocking the sidewalk. Well, the second one was only blocking 3/4th's of the sidewalk. I debated that one for a moment, but I had a mouth full of saliva when I reached it and let her rip.

Also, I flipped off a guy in his truck when he didn't stop for me, as I was standing in a crosswalk. He was driving too fast. He flipped me off in return: I was generally satisfied with the exchange. I'm glad he didn't stop and try to kick my ass, 'cause he probably could have: I was tired.

In further news of my descent into barbarism, I've come to prefer to blow my nose out-of-doors, or in a sink at home, to using a tissue.

Which reminds me, the Claritin has quit working. I've become a human snot machine, and need to blow my nose a lot these days. Maybe the Zantac will help. That pill bottle advises one to avoid alcohol while taking the pills. I'm not sure it's worth it. I also can't help but wonder if it's the 'destroy your liver' kind of avoid alcohol, or the 'you may feel double drunk' version.

Iron Man

I loved Iron Man. Jon Favreau gets how to direct the character, the visuals were excellent, the script was strong, the villains made sense and held together logically.

I have a few minor quibbles:

1) I would have dialed back the Tony Stark / Pepper Potts (played well by Gwynneth Paltrow) romantic tension just a little bit. Overall I liked it.

2) There's no way that any battle tank in production would be able to hit a target flying through the air at the speed that Iron Man was travelling. Tanks are designed to blow up slow moving, truck sized ground targets, not fast moving, human sized air targets. On the other hand, I liked that the .50 cal knocked the early Iron suit around.

3) The cute house robots went a bit too far. Ugh. I liked the automation of his mansion, however, and a certain amount of cute robotics is tolerable. It was that last bit when one handed his power-heart thing to him that i'm complaining about.

4) The film Tony Stark and Iron Man seemed based primarily on the 616 version, while Nick Fury was very much an Ultimate Universe adaptation. This doesn't really bother me, I feel compelled to play my uber-comic geek card on this vague discontinuity.

Again, these are minor complaints. For every one of these, there are at least 10 things done perfectly.

Grace and Karma

Sharon Stone's recent comments that suggest a karmic link between China's treatment of Tibet and the earthquake that killed 68,000 Chinese people (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7425203.stm) was ill advised, ignorant and offensive. It itsn't too great a stretch to compare it with Jerry Falwell's suggestion that the 9-11 attacks were a result of God's anger at the ACLU (http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/falwell-robertson-wtc.htm).

There is one significant difference: Sharon Stone is an entertainer by profession. Jerry Falwell is a religious leader by profession. We should demand more of our spiritual advisors and expect less of our actors.

I Live in Color

The beer is Fat Tire Amber. Since it's my birthday this week, I splurged a bit and now I have some Rogue Ale in the fridge for later. I finished a bottle of Elijah Craig last night and picked up a bottle of Eagle Rare. Again, it's a bit of a splurge.

Earlier this month, I went to Mark Siano's Soft Rock Explosion and had a near religious moment of clarity: I needed to start living bigger. Soft Rock from the 1980's is Big, no, not big like the Beatles were big: the themes were big, the music sounded big, the voices were big. Soft Rock fills you up. I want to live more like that.

So, I wore a tie to work. That felt pretty good, so I kept wearing them. Since then, I've worn a tie every day. Children's dress policy is "business casual," in a west coast sense. It's more casual than business, for the most part. Middle to senior management wear ties, as do a few others, so I'm not alone. I am, however, definitely in the minority.

Coincidentally, World of Warcraft lots its luster for me. I quit playing, and eventually cancelled my account. That felt pretty good too. Ironically, Nora and I met up with some of our guild mates for the first time on Monday. They're nice folks, and there was some attempt to persuade me back. While that may have worked a few months ago, I wasn't swayed.

I really want to keep going out. I want to do fun, new things. I want to drink good booze, talk to fun and smart people. I want to keep living in color.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Financial Dreaming

A few years ago I read “Smart Couples Finish Rich” and did my best to follow its advice. We created a filing system, which has only vaguely been maintained, raised my pre-tax retirement withholding, and set some goals for getting out of debt.

Miraculously, I seem to be in a position to meet my first or second round of goals, and should be debt free later this year. I’ve tried to keep my costs down, but really my success has come from a few specific things: 1) Nora has helped by subsidizing our household bills. I pay less of those, she pays more, so I can pay down my debt quicker and 2) my lifestyle has stayed essentially the same since we returned from our honeymoon while our income has grown.

My mind keeps drifting into the promised land of debt-free life. What will I do then?

1) Increase my pre-tax withholding, probably to 20% (I’m at 15% now)

2) Start paying my full share of the mortgage, if not more.

3) Start putting money into a simple savings account. We really should have a few months of fluid savings in case of calamity.

There are also some fun things I have in mind:

1) Join the next generation of gaming. I did buy an Xbox 360 shortly after launch, but it was for scalping, not for playing. I made a profit of around $150, if I remember correctly. I’m also considering the PS3, but still leaning toward the 360.

2) Go out once during the week. We used to have dinner and/or do something else fun midweek. After we bought the house that dropped off, mostly for financial reasons. I’d like to do that more.

3) Upgrade my computer. My current one does fine, but it’s a hand-me-down. I’m not sure between laptop or desk-top.

4) Buy a digital camera. I completely broke the last one while trying to ‘fix’ a less serious problem.

Go Play Northwest

Yesterday I pre-registered for Saturday at next weekend's Go Play Northwest indie gaming convention.

I also signed up to play Don't Rest Your Head with Ogre Whiteside from Stabbing Contest. It also looks like Ryan Macklin from Master Plan has signed up to play that session.

I listen to both of their podcasts regularly and am really looking forward to this.

Now I better find a copy of the game... I listened to The Game Master Show cast playtest DRYH, so I have some idea what I'm getting into, but that's not the same as having actual familiarity of the rules.

WoW RIP?

I think I'm done with World of Warcraft for awhile. More than awhile. I haven't actually cancelled the account yet, but that will happen soon.

When Wrath of the Lich King is released in the fall, there's a chance I'll come back.

Part of the reason is that I enjoy exploring new worlds while gaming. WoW has an enormous and varied set of environments, but, it's still the same universe with the same basic gameplay.

The Greenlake Motel

The Greenlake Motel is being shut down with little notice for health and safety reasons, putting many of the long term tenants in a tough situation.

The reminds me of a subchapter in my life when I had something of a relationship with that dump:

A few years ago, I started a vending machine business. I didn’t feel like my job was going anywhere and I had dreams of building an entrepreneurial empire. I overpaid for the machines, and they never brought the types of income ‘promised’ by the folks who sold me those machines from the ‘Business Opportunity’ ad in the newspaper.

I hired an older gentlemen who specializes in this sort of thing to find locations for the machines. One of these locations was the Greenlake Motel. These weren’t giant, complicated machines. They sold small candy (M&M’s or whatever) on one side, and peppermint patties on the other. I had endless problems with that peppermint patty side. The candy tended to melt and get smashed, gumming up the works and leading to an unsatisfactory experience for my customers, not to mention maintenance hassles for me.

Most of my locations made little money. The better ones earned maybe $6 per week, some less than $1. The machine at the Greenlake Motel, however, was my golden egg. That thing made $20 - $30 per week. I could barely keep enough candy in the thing. If they all performed like that, I probably would have stayed in the business.

One week, I serviced the machine during the week, rather than on Saturday, which was my normal routine. The owners of the motel happened to be there, and saw me shoveling the pile of quarters into my bag. The next week, the manager (an obese, but nice guy who sometimes told me stories of slum motel goings on), said that I had to take the machine away, orders of the motel owners. Apparently they didn’t want anyone else making money inside their cheap motel.

I wonder if they ever put a different machine in their lobby. The tenants probably didn’t have a whole lot of simple pleasures in their lives; I hope my little $.25 handfuls of candy gave them a little something more to look forward to each day.

Summertime

Summer is visiting Seattle and that means summer outfits.

It also means sunbathing girls with their bikini tops undone.

I love that in a way I can't even describe.

I went for my longest run in memory today: 8 miles, and those summer outfits and sunbathing girls helped keep me going.

Student Loans

Hooray!

********

Your Direct Loans

Account Number	Status	Repayment Plan	Principal Balance	Fixed Payment	Current Due	Past Due	Late Charges	Total Due	Due Date
*****xxxx Loan Details	Paid in Full	Graduated	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
Totals	N/A	N/A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00	N/A

Your Erotic Personality

This may drift into the 'too much information' range, but it's a fun quiz:

I took Sage Vivant's Erotic Personality Quiz and discovered I'm a Partier!

What is your Erotic Personality? Find out now.

Another Experimental Marvel Heroes Mechanic

This rule activates when a player decides to use karma for a dice roll.

Normally, the makes this announcement, but doesn't have to decide how much to spend until after the dice roll. The minimum is 10 points.

With my rules hack, the character has the option to decide in advance how many points to use, and what level of success she desires. The minimum is still 10.

If the character succeeds with beyond the minimum required for the announced result, the player has earned the right to control the manner in which the success occurs. This is a 'yes and...' success. The player's creative control includes the ability to introduce a helpful non player character or affect with a maximum characteristic equal to the extra karma.

The player can also introduce additional obstructive NPC's or affects to receive a karma refund (or bonus) equal to that character's maximum characteristic.

Karma points are also refunded based on player creativity.

If, however, the player fails in spite of the karma use, one of two things happens. If the player would have succeeded had they used 1.5 times the amount of karma used, the character fails forward. This can be thought of as a 'yes but...' result.

For example, Benjamin is playing Thor for a session. Ben decides that Thor really needs to knock out his opponent during his next attack. In other words, he needs a 'stun' result on a Fighting roll. Thor's Fighting score is Unearthly, so he needs a roll of 86 or better for a red result.

Ben decides in advance to use 30 karma points on this endeavor, then rolls the dice.

If he rolls a 98, he has a total of 42 extra karma points ([98-86]+30) and has earned the right to control the scene. Since 42 falls in the 'Incredible' range, when Ben narrates the action, he may introduce new beneficial characters or affects with up to a max score of Incredible. He may also choose not to introduce anything. Either way, Ben is encouraged to be creative with his description. Have fun!

On the other hand, if Ben rolls a 73, Thor has trouble. While that normally would have resulted in a yellow fighting success, it misses the announced mark. The good news is, that if Ben had spent 13 more karma, it would have succeeded: this earns a 'yes but' success. The judge (GM) narrates "Thor hits Mega-thug, which slams the now unconscious villain into the pillar. The force of the impact shatters the load bearing pillar, and the building starts to collapse."

The character can not succeed beyond the announced result, and any successes less than desired are 'yes but' types of tainted success.

Seattle Mariners, 2008, RIP

Last year, the Seattle Mariners were one August road losing streak away from making the playoffs. The bats were hot, and the bullpen was phenomenal. The notable missing piece was in the starting pitching. On top of that, both Jose Lopez and Richie Sexson seemed to be having an ‘off’ season.

The offseason moves appeared to address the pitching problems. The regulars came back, Richie was certain to return to his old self, Jose was another older, and several months removed from his brother’s tragic death. It took guts to trade away the new phenom Adam Jones, but seemed worth it. With a true #1 starting pitcher, the playoffs seemed certain.

Now that the Mariner’s have lost their way to the bottom of the Major Leagues, even a .500 season seems preposterous. No one seems to know what’s wrong. Does it have something to do with John McLaren? Is he too much the ‘player’s manager?’ Were last year’s hot bats a fluke? What’s wrong with our pitching and defense?

Now there are rumors of a trade for the much beloved Ken Griffey Jr. Yes, Seattle loves Junior. Yes, I can imagine a situation where he would help the team. I can not imagine, however, a way that he can help us salvage the season right now. As a player, he is injury prone and in the waning years of his career. He is simply in no position to provide the kind of clubhouse leadership that’s been lacking since... probably since Brett Boone’s career jumped the shark. Trading any kind of valued prospect for Junior would be a serious mistake. In fact, I don’t think adding him back to the roster at all is a good idea.

Let him take the route of the Sheriff, Norm Charlton: after he retires he can come back as a hitting coach. That would put the feel-good bookend to Junior’s career that we’d all like to see.