Celestial Light and Magic
Having tried twice, this Thursday and Saturday, I’ve discovered that I can’t go to see The Matrix Reloaded without rain coming from the sky in bucket loads and lightning searing my retinas away. Apparently, it’s an extra special effect arranged by Warner Brothers.
I shaved my beard off this weekend, just to re-introduce the skin of my lower face to the outside world. So far, the reviews of this new (quite temporary) look are mixed and a bit negative.
Happy news I’ve had for a while, but not posted; I’m running the Crimson Skies marquee for WizKids on June 7, at Xtremes in Tanglewood Mall. Time to dig out Commader Coalsack’s (and the Rabbiteer’s) old rocket backpack! I’ve also got some venues interested in having me Battlemaster for them, so it looks like I will be able to fulfill WizKids’ minimum activity requirements.
Had some thoughts this weekend on gaming personas and how they relate to the player who maintains them, but that’s a lengthy, introspective post that is going to need some more thought before I put it up here.
Playing Catch-up Today
Much too long since I’ve posted anything of substance here. I need to slow down my life a bit, take the time to catch a breath and write about what’s in my head… that was one of the big things I’d planned to do with the Newton, and I’m not taking the opportunities I might with it.
This weekend I played the first game of Dungeons & Dragons that I’ve played in what I think is 20 years. Kinda funny, too, since (due to slightly confused, over-experienced players and GM) at any given moment a roll might be decided by a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd edition rule; and, since most of the players knew more about Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies than they did about D&D, we tended to be playing our elves and dwarves Tolkien-style instead of TSR-style. I had a good time though, and the other people in the group seemed to also.
Last weekend I raised my heart rate by playing Laser Tag in an arena in Salem with raininva, rhaps, and shrewlet. We wanted to play against each other, but ended up on the same team with about 8 kids against about 12 other kids. My laser tag gun was doing terribly at range, so after a while I hunkered down and ambushed the opposition repeatedly until they learned what I was up to… then I moved to the other end of the field and kept doing it. Still, I wasn’t that happy with the game until we got out; then the scoring computer reported that I was the top scorer for both teams. Rhaps was heard to remark, “Old age and treachery over youth and vigor, every time.” 🙂
I’ve found an exercise machine at the gym that gives me natural movements (protecting my Borg hip) while giving me a real workout. Three-quarters of a mile in 10 minutes burns about 130 calories; I’m down to 188 pounds now. Now if some of what remains will just move to more asthetic locations… on the other hand, a girl in a passing car shouted that I had a “nice ass, there” yesterday, so I suppose I’m not doing too badly.
Shrewlet and I are going to DC this weekend to spend time with a good friend. I only wish I had time to drop in on some of the VTSFFC people I know up there!
My ongoing fame
I am now a star of stage, screen, and webcomic 🙂 Check out Fragile Gravity today (April 23rd comic). For those unsure, I’m third from the left in panel 4. Yep, that’s raininva next to me.
Thanks for the guest spot, guys!
Quiet yet diabolical laughter
Thanks to Fragile Gravity (April 18th comic), I believe I now have artwork for two of the characters at Rising Star’s run of Badge Wars.
Too bad I can’t run a game of that at Origins.
Of small interest
Yes, I too would like to have a 3-GHz Mac on my desktop for $899. However, despite the fact that OS X is quite capable of running on an Intel chip, here’s a nicely thought-out editorial on why that won’t happen soon.
And for those on my friends list who still need a PlayStation 2, Deals On The Web has a Sony refurbed PS2 with a subwoofer tossed in for $129. That’s only $30 bucks more than a PS1 if I remember correctly.
Go Me
Once I take care of a remaining piece or two of WizKids paperwork, I’ll be approved to carry a loadout of 12 tons of armor, a particle cannon, 6 lasers, two machine guns, and a six-missile launching rack. However, I may not be allowed to appear in public thanks to the lawsuit over Dougram/Macross images.
Some would call this lunch… I call it a temporary cease-fire
Things I like about being the only one in the office:
* I can look at any web page I want providing I remember to clear my history and caches when I leave 🙂
* I can do really stupid chair dances when iTunes is playing techno and nobody can look at me strange.
Things I dislike:
* The phone rings every 5 minutes, and I usually have to answer with “They’re not here right now” or “I can’t give you a price on that, may I take a message for one of our sales reps?”
* I can’t get anything else done because of the above. It has taken me over an hour to finish this single LJ entry, and I’m only managing that because I’m waiting for a PDF file to finish generating.
* I have to lock the front door and put up a “Back Shortly” sign just to use the men’s room.
Thanks to everyone who read my first poll, and voted. For everyone who picked choice #3, I want you to know that I really truly feel the love, and it takes one to know one. :p Discounting choice three, the top pick was “An appreciation of women in panties is a natural form of sexual expression, thankyouverymuch” which gives me hope for the future of this society. And I’m glad someone had the nerve to pick choice #6.
My tastes for background music have been sliding farther away from rock and pop, and more towards techno and dance. I think it’s ’cause my brain needs the endorphins these days. I’ve been trying to listen to some house music, but every time I play a house track, I keep feeling like it’s the world’s longest intro to an actual song (which never starts). I did surprise one of the salespeople yesterday… she heard “Popcorn” playing on my speakers, and named three other 70’s pop/rock instrumentals she used to like. I had them all and played them for her. 🙂
That’s it for now…
My first poll
While assembling my new Chobits “Chii” figurine for my monitor top, I realized that the figure can be assembled without her skirt, leaving her standing underneath an umbrella in the rain in just her sailor shirt and panties. With a pleased look on her face, for that matter. With that in mind, here’s a poll:
Transformers! Servicemen in disguise!
I don’t plan to talk much about war today, unless it involves 2″ vinyl figures on click-bases.
However, I had to re-post this from frankensteela‘s journal. I mean, really, I had no choice 🙂
—–snip—–
Optimus Prime is heading out to the Middle East with his guard unit on Wednesday to provide fire protection for airfields under combat.
I shit you not. http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_fullstory.asp?id=3828
—–snip—–
Now, if we can get Jetfire and Rhinox, so much the better…
