Two more wonderful trips to Summerfest.
Opening Day
The World’s Greatest Husband (WGH) and I attended the opening day of Summerfest on Wednesday, July 29. We took off work early and had a great time, despite the Milwaukee County Transit System soaking us for both a parking fee AND a bus fare. Not good. We dipped into the last of our savings to have enough cash for the day, and shelling out $17 in travel expenses was a terrible way to start.
Fortunately, we had a wonderful time. After picking up a late lunch in the international food vendors section, we strolled down the lakeshore path until we reached the Tiki Hut, where less-established artists perform. We enjoyed Dan Rodriguez’s concert and bought his latest CD. For the uninitiated, Rodriguez’s song “When You Come Home” is featured in the Budweiser “Friends Are Waiting” Commercial (scroll down until you find the video link). He also has a beautiful rendition of “Stand By Me” (same page, a little higher). Rodriguez, as usual, sang his song “Duluth” with his wife (they wrote “Duluth” on their honeymoon; guess where they went?), and this year they included their four-month old son Oak.
Of course the food and drink are expensive; Summerfest is a closed venue and carry-ins are prohibited. I just buy a ($4.50) bottle of water, then refill it at the bubblers. As I was doing this, I noticed the young lady at the next bubbler struggling to get a drink while holding her long hair out of the way and talking on her cell phone all at the same time. Unfortunately, she failed her DEX roll.
As experienced Summerfest attendees, we know that the best way to insure a good seat for a 10:00 pm show is to be there by 4:00 pm and stay there, taking turns as needed for food/beverage/bathroom breaks. Plus, we don’t like to stand through the show as others do, and positioned ourselves at the top of a set of bleachers with an excellent and unobstructed view.
Because it is an outdoor venue, Summerfest allows smoking in most areas, including the amphitheater where we were seated. An extremely inebriated gent in front of me was behaving like an active chimney; something I couldn’t tolerate as an ex-smoker, so I whispered to him, “Could you please refrain from smoking, or go somewhere else to smoke? I’m breathing for two (with appropriate belly pat).” Worked like the proverbial charm. When the gent went to buy more beer, he didn’t return for quite some time; and when he did return, he admitted that he got lost. Yep, very drunk. His companions assured me he was not the designated driver. No, I’m not pregnant, but the drunk didn’t need to know that.
Two of the acts prior to the one we wanted to see were terrible. I know the singer is bad when even my tone-deaf ears start hurting, However a third group was so good that Brian already purchased one of their CDs. In between acts, while the roadies reset the stage, I took out my tablet to read my Kindle app. At 9:30 pm, Summerfest treated its guests to an incredible and lengthy (half-hour) fireworks show that included a few smiley faces meant to represent the Summerfest logo. One of them exploded upside-down, so we dubbed it “The Drunken Smiley Face in the Sky.”
Our chosen headliner for the evening was none other than “Weird Al” Yankovic. To celebrate our third wedding anniversary, Brian and I attended Yankovic’s concert at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison when he was on tour promoting his Alapalooza album. Twenty-two years later, Yankovic is on tour promoting Mandatory Fun. He opened the show by singing “Tacky” based on “Happy” by Pharrell, and for over an hour, Yankovic entertained us with many songs from his repertoire. At one point, Yankovic grabbed his accordion and said, “I’m sure I don’t have to ask this, but Milwaukee, are you ready to polka?!” The crowd went nuts; the polka is Wisconsin’s official state dance. Seriously. Yankovic not only played “Now That’s What I Call Polka!”, his chosen polka medley from Mandatory Fun, but the mega screen upstage played videos of the songs he covered. When I saw Miley Cyrus swinging from a “Wrecking Ball” onscreen, I laughed so loud, I was afraid of disturbing the drunken party seated in front of me. I couldn’t stop laughing as Yankovic also covered “Gangnam Style” by Psy, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, and “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams, among others.
The mega screen came in handy because Al and his band made several costume changes in between songs throughout the set. As they left the stage, clips were shown from The Weird Al Show, Al TV, and shows in which he appeared (such as The Simpsons) or was mentioned (How I Met Your Mother). Sometimes a video would segue into a song performance, as Al literally segwayed onto the stage to sing “White and Nerdy.”
Although I kept my vow to sing publicly only at sporting events (because even professional singers have trouble with “The Star Spangled Banner”) or in a house of worship (the Gods gave me this horrible singing voice, They should have put up with it), I did break the vow for Al’s encore: “The Saga Begins,” which combines three of my fandoms: “Weird Al,” Star Wars, and “American Pie.” Plus “Yoda.”
Good Karma, Perfect Day
On our way to Summerfest on Saturday, July 9th, we stopped at our favorite McDonald’s for some lunch. We were behind a car with two adorable dogs in the back and an Afghanistan War Veteran license plate. My habit is to thank veterans whenever I can, so I said to Brian that I wished we were ahead of the car so that we could pay for his lunch. Well, the veteran’s window was open, so Brian shouted to him that we would pay for his lunch. When the veteran approached the pay window, the cashier looked at us to confirm, which we of course did, and passed the veteran on. When the cashier asked why we were doing this, we pointed to the license plate, and he understood. So we started the day with perfect weather and very good karma.
We saved ourselves some money (and a lot of aggravation) by parking in a different lot and still riding the bus to Summerfest with a pre-paid fare. When we arrived, most of the stages hosted a battle of the bands from various School of Rock franchises across the nation. These kids were wicked-talented, singing songs from Guns N Roses, Led Zeppelin, and Stevie Wonder, among others.
Mercifully all of the groups we wanted to see that day performed at the BMO Harris Pavilion, which is no smoking due to its roof, so we camped there from about 3:30 pm on. I never heard of Sigmund Snopek, nor that he used to open for the Violent Femmes (go figure; both are from Milwaukee), but I loved his music, the way he encouraged the audience to sing (calling us the Wisconsin Tavernacle Choir), and the fact that he had a painter on stage creating art as he created art. Nice touch.
Howard Jones gave a brief but beautiful performance (with a keytar and other techno instruments that I couldn’t name). Then OMD played, including my favorite “If You Leave” from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack. I love me my 80s soundtracks, and I admit it: I sang along. Mercifully the guy sitting next to me (not my Brian, other side) was wearing earplugs. Throughout the evening, Mr. Earplugs watched a movie on his smartphone, and I looked it up at work this week from what little I saw: Resident Evil: Apocalypse starring the talented and beautiful Milla Jovovich.
Despite our fabulous bleacher seats behind and above the more formal theater seats, I noticed a very bad design flaw of the pavilion and its handicap accessible seats. We sat in a place where we always would be able to see the stage, even if the patrons in front of us stood. The accessible seats were the back row of the theater seats, and people using that row either had to stand or have no view. I noticed one young couple left, which is rather sad because the gentlemen, whose right leg ended at the knee, had the bearing of a veteran. I must remember to write Summerfest about this.
When the headliner Bare Naked Ladies took the stage, I noticed that the lead singer Ed Robertson seemed to change guitars (electric, acoustic, mandolin, and banjo) after every song. I don’t know why he needed so many stringed instruments, but I guess that’s just a musician thing. Again I broke my vow when they played many of their songs that I know so well: “If I Had $1,000,000,” “The Old Apartment”, and especially “History of Everything,” the theme song from my favorite sitcom The Big Bang Theory. For the encore, Robertson switched places with the drummer Tyler Stewart, who also is a talented front man, as well as looking extremely huggable (that means attractive in my parlance).
As we left Summerfest, casually walking along its lakeshore path because we were not in a hurry, Brian turned to me and said that the day was perfect (touch wood), and “happy anniversary.” No, we couldn’t afford a big party, but we did have a wonderful time together. I hugged him and honestly told him how much I love him.
The only bad thing that could have occurred at that point was if our car was towed from where we extra-legally parked it. However, we weren’t the only Summerfest attendees to do that, so they couldn’t tow us all. Finally at home, we crawled into bed and didn’t get up until an hour or so before hosting our regular RPG.
Next year (for Summerfest’s 50th anniversary), we want to take our friend Brian Stewart.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
Droz: “What’s this? You’re wearing the shirt of the band you’re going to see? Don’t be that guy!” – PCU written by Adam Leff and Zak Penn Brian and I saw a lot of people being ‘that guy.’
Showing posts with label gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gaming. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Friday, June 24, 2016
Castle Curley Update
Near the end of 2015, I created a list called the “Castle Curley Home Organization and Improvements List”, hoping that in lieu of improvements that the WGH and I cannot afford, at least organizing the house would make it functional and save us resources of money and time in that we could find what we need instead of having to buy new stuff, we could eat at home rather than going out most nights, and we wouldn’t have to spend our weekends and other days off cleaning house. I hoped that we could have this organization done with minimal costs by the end of the year.
Reality loves to laugh at any plans I make.
While Brian and I move faster than the glacial pace of state government, it’s not by much. We already modified the plans to state that the first floor will be done by the end of the year, with the second floor done in 2017, the (finished) attic in 2018, and the (unfinished, so storage only) basement in 2019.
We really hoped to renovate the house, and I’ve been waiting for the last eleven years since we moved into this 1902 Victorian home to either win the lottery, write a best seller, and/or receive a significant raise at work. At the rate all three of these are going, they are in order of likelihood of happening. If I’d been smart, we would have started this organization project back in 2005; then I could have spent more time working on creativity (novel and crafts, specifically) and Delazan Enterprises, my home business.
We did make an effort on the house organization over the Memorial Day (MD) weekend, despite the fact that we spent almost all of Friday in bed (sleeping, felt wonderful). Mekhi did forge a path from the door to his bed in his bedroom, but not the big cleanout that I hoped he and Brian would do that day. I really can’t complain about the mess in my ten-year-old’s bedroom considering it matches the cleanliness – or lack thereof – of my bedroom at that same age; my adult bedroom isn’t much cleaner.
The biggest project completed MD weekend was the assembly of the hutch we bought at Ikea (pronounced ɪˈkeːˈa) earlier in the year. Actually it’s a secretary with a matching cabinet on top, but it’s far more functional than the pub table and chairs that it replaced in our kitchen. The table was a clutter magnet, and I hate barstool height chairs. Brian and I only snipped at each other a few times in the process, both losing our tempers at least once each. After about four hours (felt like forty), we have a beautiful hutch that I already started organizing with snacks for Mekhi, treats for the critters, and my two favorite cookbooks. The handled baskets that I purchased (and started using in the freezer and refrigerator) help this endeavor, plus providing storage for the unused baskets to get them off the counter.
We didn’t remove the ugly and stained brown carpet from the study MD weekend, but we did go to see Captain America: Civil War for some positive mental health and to keep up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brian said the movie followed the comic book reasonably well; I loved the unexpected, yet very pleasant surprises the movie’s plot made. Fight scenes (which I usually find very boring) were good, too.
This coming weekend, we have no RPG; just Mekhi’s karate lesson, Janet’s memorial to attend and a few errands to run. The following weekend will be our annual Independence Day Party, so Brian and I will be cleaning and organizing. Wednesday night we hauled our seldom-used treadmill to the curb, and we don’t have anything else super-heavy that needs to be moved from the study before we take out the carpet. A lot of stuff in there will be thrown out.
I also hope we finish organizing the kitchen this weekend. Of the eleven drawers, three will continue their current uses (silverware, linens, and hand-held appliances), and I’ve gone through one of the junk drawers and now store the pot lids in there since our new stove doesn’t have as much storage as the older one. Although, now we have room next to the stove for a small organizer that we’ve purchased and hope to assemble this weekend, in which we plan to store more items that used to be on or in the stove, as well as large utensils that are in a carousel on the counter (that Brian hates because it takes up so much counter space). We also need to set up a drinking fountain for all the critters and a special timed/measured feeding dish for the dogs.
After living in this house for eleven years, I finally looked into the huge cupboard high up in the half-bath just off the kitchen. Basically it was empty, so now we store for seldom-used items for entertaining (like the football-shaped chip and dip bowl). Some of the “stuff” in the drawers may find their way into that cupboard or into the basement for other long-term storage.
I’ll let you know how what progress we make over the weekend, but understand that our plan for this evening is to go to bed not long after arriving home.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Every time I make a plan, God laughs at me.” – Jason Isaacs
Reality loves to laugh at any plans I make.
While Brian and I move faster than the glacial pace of state government, it’s not by much. We already modified the plans to state that the first floor will be done by the end of the year, with the second floor done in 2017, the (finished) attic in 2018, and the (unfinished, so storage only) basement in 2019.
We really hoped to renovate the house, and I’ve been waiting for the last eleven years since we moved into this 1902 Victorian home to either win the lottery, write a best seller, and/or receive a significant raise at work. At the rate all three of these are going, they are in order of likelihood of happening. If I’d been smart, we would have started this organization project back in 2005; then I could have spent more time working on creativity (novel and crafts, specifically) and Delazan Enterprises, my home business.
We did make an effort on the house organization over the Memorial Day (MD) weekend, despite the fact that we spent almost all of Friday in bed (sleeping, felt wonderful). Mekhi did forge a path from the door to his bed in his bedroom, but not the big cleanout that I hoped he and Brian would do that day. I really can’t complain about the mess in my ten-year-old’s bedroom considering it matches the cleanliness – or lack thereof – of my bedroom at that same age; my adult bedroom isn’t much cleaner.
The biggest project completed MD weekend was the assembly of the hutch we bought at Ikea (pronounced ɪˈkeːˈa) earlier in the year. Actually it’s a secretary with a matching cabinet on top, but it’s far more functional than the pub table and chairs that it replaced in our kitchen. The table was a clutter magnet, and I hate barstool height chairs. Brian and I only snipped at each other a few times in the process, both losing our tempers at least once each. After about four hours (felt like forty), we have a beautiful hutch that I already started organizing with snacks for Mekhi, treats for the critters, and my two favorite cookbooks. The handled baskets that I purchased (and started using in the freezer and refrigerator) help this endeavor, plus providing storage for the unused baskets to get them off the counter.
We didn’t remove the ugly and stained brown carpet from the study MD weekend, but we did go to see Captain America: Civil War for some positive mental health and to keep up with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brian said the movie followed the comic book reasonably well; I loved the unexpected, yet very pleasant surprises the movie’s plot made. Fight scenes (which I usually find very boring) were good, too.
This coming weekend, we have no RPG; just Mekhi’s karate lesson, Janet’s memorial to attend and a few errands to run. The following weekend will be our annual Independence Day Party, so Brian and I will be cleaning and organizing. Wednesday night we hauled our seldom-used treadmill to the curb, and we don’t have anything else super-heavy that needs to be moved from the study before we take out the carpet. A lot of stuff in there will be thrown out.
I also hope we finish organizing the kitchen this weekend. Of the eleven drawers, three will continue their current uses (silverware, linens, and hand-held appliances), and I’ve gone through one of the junk drawers and now store the pot lids in there since our new stove doesn’t have as much storage as the older one. Although, now we have room next to the stove for a small organizer that we’ve purchased and hope to assemble this weekend, in which we plan to store more items that used to be on or in the stove, as well as large utensils that are in a carousel on the counter (that Brian hates because it takes up so much counter space). We also need to set up a drinking fountain for all the critters and a special timed/measured feeding dish for the dogs.
After living in this house for eleven years, I finally looked into the huge cupboard high up in the half-bath just off the kitchen. Basically it was empty, so now we store for seldom-used items for entertaining (like the football-shaped chip and dip bowl). Some of the “stuff” in the drawers may find their way into that cupboard or into the basement for other long-term storage.
I’ll let you know how what progress we make over the weekend, but understand that our plan for this evening is to go to bed not long after arriving home.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“Every time I make a plan, God laughs at me.” – Jason Isaacs
Friday, June 17, 2016
No Mithril Party
We at Castle Curley have had to dig into our meager savings to pay bills (medical, water bill for leaky toilet, furnace repair, etc.) and buying needed items like a new microwave (when I broke the old one) and a dehumidifier for the basement to slow the rusting of the furnace we purchased in 2006. This coupled with our lower pay thanks to the Wanker Administration means we will not have a big party for our Silver/Mithril Anniversary. Thus, our annual Independence Day Party (IDP) is back on the calendar for Saturday, July 2, 2016, at 3:30 pm-ish until the fireworks are spent and the mosquitos overtake us.
I am having a hard time letting the Mithril Party go (case in point: this blog entry has been in production for about a month), as well as the second honeymoon we wanted to do afterward. When Brian and I married, we couldn’t afford a big honeymoon: a week in the Poconos in a suite with a champagne glass whirlpool and/or a heart-shaped tub. That was my dream from the adverts in Brides and other like magazines to which I subscribed from the age of eighteen to my wedding at twenty-one.
Well, the Poconos now have a lot of the same resorts as one would find in the Wisconsin Dells, and Brian and I decided that a dip in such peculiar tubs is neither necessary nor feasible at our age. When I asked the World’s Greatest Husband what he’d like for a second honeymoon, he mentioned Ireland or Greece. I like both those ideas, but I prefer Ireland because I’d like to look up our ancestors, and aside from a few places, they speak English in Ireland. Hell, I’d love to go on any vacation that doesn’t end in the word “Con”. Unfortunately, this is still out of our budget for both money and leave time (unless I win the lottery). Sigh.
In light of my friend Janet’s death earlier this month, and that her 50th birthday would have been the day after our party, I’m thinking of making a German chocolate cake (her favorite) in her memory. Otherwise, I refuse to stress-out regarding this party. Brian and I have been working on the house (more in a later entry), and the past several years have proven that once the invites are out, all I have to worry about is buying a bunch of meat (and their accompaniments) for the grill.
My parents had a lovely (but stress-filled to prep) party for their Silver. Then went on a cruise to Alaska for their Ruby (forty years). I was going to plan a Golden (fifty) Party for them, mainly because (aside from end-of-life-care for our parents) my siblings couldn’t organize a special brownie giveaway at a Grateful Dead concert. However, Mum and I disagreed on the date for the party (I reserved the church reception hall for the weekend of their anniversary proper; she wanted the weekend that Brian and I planned to attend Gen Con), and then they died shortly after their 48th wedding anniversary.
Conversely, when my in-laws celebrated their Golden back in 2004, , I designed the invites, and my MiL and I had a good time together shopping for the party. When they celebrated their Diamond (sixty years), I arranged a simple and successful potluck luncheon with their descendants.
The next hallmark holiday for me is my fiftieth birthday in 2019, and I already told the WGH that I want a special party. However, I’d like a nice celebration for Brian, too (when he turned fifty last year, all he wanted was a few good friends over to play games; we had a blast). I don’t’ want to wait until our Ruby or Golden anniversary for a big party or trip, but current economics is not on our side. I don’t see a change anytime soon, either. Sigh.
I can haz winning lottery tix now plz?
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“I hate being poor.” – Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
I am having a hard time letting the Mithril Party go (case in point: this blog entry has been in production for about a month), as well as the second honeymoon we wanted to do afterward. When Brian and I married, we couldn’t afford a big honeymoon: a week in the Poconos in a suite with a champagne glass whirlpool and/or a heart-shaped tub. That was my dream from the adverts in Brides and other like magazines to which I subscribed from the age of eighteen to my wedding at twenty-one.
Well, the Poconos now have a lot of the same resorts as one would find in the Wisconsin Dells, and Brian and I decided that a dip in such peculiar tubs is neither necessary nor feasible at our age. When I asked the World’s Greatest Husband what he’d like for a second honeymoon, he mentioned Ireland or Greece. I like both those ideas, but I prefer Ireland because I’d like to look up our ancestors, and aside from a few places, they speak English in Ireland. Hell, I’d love to go on any vacation that doesn’t end in the word “Con”. Unfortunately, this is still out of our budget for both money and leave time (unless I win the lottery). Sigh.
So, back to the events of this summer: Brian and I plan to go out for a very nice steak dinner on our anniversary proper. I looked at the wish list I made for the Mithril Party and highlighted a few items that I wanted to do before and for the IDP. Unfortunately, we can’t afford the abbreviated list, either:
- Have a new family portrait taken, and with Mekhi
- Have wedding videos/photos scanned/converted to digital to display on a digital frame and/or laptop throughout the party
- Bring out wedding flowers, ring bearer’s pillow, etc. to display.
- Packers Shareholders Stock frame for us
- Silver Jordan Almonds
- Anniversary cake
In light of my friend Janet’s death earlier this month, and that her 50th birthday would have been the day after our party, I’m thinking of making a German chocolate cake (her favorite) in her memory. Otherwise, I refuse to stress-out regarding this party. Brian and I have been working on the house (more in a later entry), and the past several years have proven that once the invites are out, all I have to worry about is buying a bunch of meat (and their accompaniments) for the grill.
My parents had a lovely (but stress-filled to prep) party for their Silver. Then went on a cruise to Alaska for their Ruby (forty years). I was going to plan a Golden (fifty) Party for them, mainly because (aside from end-of-life-care for our parents) my siblings couldn’t organize a special brownie giveaway at a Grateful Dead concert. However, Mum and I disagreed on the date for the party (I reserved the church reception hall for the weekend of their anniversary proper; she wanted the weekend that Brian and I planned to attend Gen Con), and then they died shortly after their 48th wedding anniversary.
Conversely, when my in-laws celebrated their Golden back in 2004, , I designed the invites, and my MiL and I had a good time together shopping for the party. When they celebrated their Diamond (sixty years), I arranged a simple and successful potluck luncheon with their descendants.
The next hallmark holiday for me is my fiftieth birthday in 2019, and I already told the WGH that I want a special party. However, I’d like a nice celebration for Brian, too (when he turned fifty last year, all he wanted was a few good friends over to play games; we had a blast). I don’t’ want to wait until our Ruby or Golden anniversary for a big party or trip, but current economics is not on our side. I don’t see a change anytime soon, either. Sigh.
I can haz winning lottery tix now plz?
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“I hate being poor.” – Ronald Weasley, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
A Preacher Walks into a Grocery Store...
...and comforts a grieving Atheist and Pagan.
Saturday night, I heard that a dear friend of mine – Elle Janet Plato – died. Sunday I learned that the cause of death was suicide; something that I attempted when I was fifteen. My attempt was a cry for help, which I eventually received. Was Elle crying for help? I last saw her at Odyssey Con in April. She was playing in the gaming room, and her back was to the door. I snuck up behind her and hugged her. She seemed happy and having a good time.
Because of my attempt more than 30 years ago, I trained myself to look for the signs: talking about or asking questions about death, giving away prized possessions, a disconnect from others. If Elle displayed any of these symptoms, I missed them, and I’m sorry.
I will reiterate something that I hope all of my friends and even family should know: you can call me anytime; I don’t care the hour. I’ve dealt with the three AM phone call before, and I’d rather deal with that than what I am facing now: a memorial service for someone I loved during which the guilt ferrets will nibble on me (thank you Kevin Hearne for the analogy), and I will wonder if I could have prevented it.
I know that I am being self-centered right now, but Fuck! I’m grieving, and I’m not the only one. I had the unfortunate luck to have to tell Brian how Elle died. I already had to deliver such news when his brother died (heart attack 2002), and I’m still in shock myself.
Remember my framily: call me whenever you need; I don’t care the hour.
Sunday we went to breakfast as usual to the Prairie Diner, then ran a very few errands. At Pegasus, I bought yet another booster for my Munchkin collection (Knights). We picked up a few items at Target, especially a copy of Deadpool – a movie Elle raved about, and more boxes of tissues, which I’m sure we’ll need more of by next weekend.
At Woodman’s, we bought some chocolate ice cream, but we almost forgot the clear juice for Brian in advance of his colonoscopy on Monday. In the processed fruit aisle, we met a preacher, his wife, and I assume their teenaged/young adult daughter. How’d I know he was a preacher? The white shirt, dark pants, clerical collar, and the necklace with the cross pendant tucked into his breast pocket. His wife was dressed the same but her white blouse had an open collar and she wore a dark skirt. I can’t recall what the preacher was looking for, but we had a bit of a hard time finding the clear (and inexpensive) juices. The preacher wondered if, like him, my husband was plagued with gout. I whispered the real reason in his ear.
While waiting in line at the checkout, Brian noticed the preacher and family a couple of cashiers away and went to ask him to pray for our friend Janet who just committed suicide. Brian is an Atheist, and Janet – like me – was a Pagan (or was she an Atheist like Brian? I don’t know), but even Brian admits that he may be wrong about God. The preacher came to us in line and gave us hugs and fist-bumps as we cried.
I don’t agree with a lot of what modern Christian Churches espouse, but I also know the good works the Church does, too. Back in 2007 when my parents were dying, members of their Church helped my siblings and me by giving my parents rides to their numerous doctor appointments, bringing them meals, and just visiting with them so they weren’t lonely. My siblings and I were grateful because we couldn’t do it all because of our jobs or distance.
Elle was transgender who transitioned to transsexual. Some of her friends knew her as “Larry” before her transition. Her sexuality probably was a factor in her suicide because of current events and misperceptions of LBTGQ people. She told me about her transition once, and later on I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her because Elle had a wicked sense of humor; nor did it matter. Elle was simply my dear friend.
Over the years of gaming with Elle, I collected many quotes; here are just a few:
“Emergency Dice.”
“I’m not a paladin; I don’t do lawful stupid.”
On the martial arts “I started with martial water colors.”
“I’d like to make sense, but I’m not sure how to.”
Requiescat in pace, Elle.
Blessed Be,
-Lori
“Pain is temporary; Suicide isn’t.” – seen on a poster at UW-Platteville when I was a student there in the late 80s
Saturday night, I heard that a dear friend of mine – Elle Janet Plato – died. Sunday I learned that the cause of death was suicide; something that I attempted when I was fifteen. My attempt was a cry for help, which I eventually received. Was Elle crying for help? I last saw her at Odyssey Con in April. She was playing in the gaming room, and her back was to the door. I snuck up behind her and hugged her. She seemed happy and having a good time.
Because of my attempt more than 30 years ago, I trained myself to look for the signs: talking about or asking questions about death, giving away prized possessions, a disconnect from others. If Elle displayed any of these symptoms, I missed them, and I’m sorry.
I will reiterate something that I hope all of my friends and even family should know: you can call me anytime; I don’t care the hour. I’ve dealt with the three AM phone call before, and I’d rather deal with that than what I am facing now: a memorial service for someone I loved during which the guilt ferrets will nibble on me (thank you Kevin Hearne for the analogy), and I will wonder if I could have prevented it.
I know that I am being self-centered right now, but Fuck! I’m grieving, and I’m not the only one. I had the unfortunate luck to have to tell Brian how Elle died. I already had to deliver such news when his brother died (heart attack 2002), and I’m still in shock myself.
Remember my framily: call me whenever you need; I don’t care the hour.
Sunday we went to breakfast as usual to the Prairie Diner, then ran a very few errands. At Pegasus, I bought yet another booster for my Munchkin collection (Knights). We picked up a few items at Target, especially a copy of Deadpool – a movie Elle raved about, and more boxes of tissues, which I’m sure we’ll need more of by next weekend.
At Woodman’s, we bought some chocolate ice cream, but we almost forgot the clear juice for Brian in advance of his colonoscopy on Monday. In the processed fruit aisle, we met a preacher, his wife, and I assume their teenaged/young adult daughter. How’d I know he was a preacher? The white shirt, dark pants, clerical collar, and the necklace with the cross pendant tucked into his breast pocket. His wife was dressed the same but her white blouse had an open collar and she wore a dark skirt. I can’t recall what the preacher was looking for, but we had a bit of a hard time finding the clear (and inexpensive) juices. The preacher wondered if, like him, my husband was plagued with gout. I whispered the real reason in his ear.
While waiting in line at the checkout, Brian noticed the preacher and family a couple of cashiers away and went to ask him to pray for our friend Janet who just committed suicide. Brian is an Atheist, and Janet – like me – was a Pagan (or was she an Atheist like Brian? I don’t know), but even Brian admits that he may be wrong about God. The preacher came to us in line and gave us hugs and fist-bumps as we cried.
I don’t agree with a lot of what modern Christian Churches espouse, but I also know the good works the Church does, too. Back in 2007 when my parents were dying, members of their Church helped my siblings and me by giving my parents rides to their numerous doctor appointments, bringing them meals, and just visiting with them so they weren’t lonely. My siblings and I were grateful because we couldn’t do it all because of our jobs or distance.
Elle was transgender who transitioned to transsexual. Some of her friends knew her as “Larry” before her transition. Her sexuality probably was a factor in her suicide because of current events and misperceptions of LBTGQ people. She told me about her transition once, and later on I wasn’t sure whether or not to believe her because Elle had a wicked sense of humor; nor did it matter. Elle was simply my dear friend.
Over the years of gaming with Elle, I collected many quotes; here are just a few:
“Emergency Dice.”
“I’m not a paladin; I don’t do lawful stupid.”
On the martial arts “I started with martial water colors.”
“I’d like to make sense, but I’m not sure how to.”
Requiescat in pace, Elle.
Blessed Be,
-Lori
“Pain is temporary; Suicide isn’t.” – seen on a poster at UW-Platteville when I was a student there in the late 80s
Monday, April 18, 2016
The Fish is in the Tree…
…along with the snowman.
I have been a fan of Highlights magazine ever since I was a child. Who hasn’t leafed through the magazine while in the waiting room of a doctor’s office? I especially love the Hidden Pictures, but I hate it when someone already has found them and marked them. We’ve subscribed Mekhi to Highlights for about two years now, as well as their Hidden Pictures series of puzzle magazines. Since then I have purchased not only their Hidden Pictures book for adults (and found all the pictures in a weekend), but their mobile apps as well. Brian, the World’s Greatest Husband (WGH), teases me about playing the games over and over again, but I admit that I’m still a kid at heart.
Mother Nature: the best artist, and the best practical joker
I’ve blogged about the weird Wisconsin weather before. March went out like a lamb because it went in like a lion. Mother Nature gave us Midwesterners a great April Fool’s Day prank: April 1st was beautiful; the rest of the month, not so much. We had a mild winter, and Mother Nature seemed to be making up for that by giving Wisconsin snow. In April. That’s not what I think of when I hear April Showers. At least it’s beautiful now. We hope to take the dogs to the bark park soon.
Odyssey Con
Earlier this month, Brian and I attended Odyssey Con (OC). We’re no longer on the ConCom, so we went only for Saturday (but we paid for the weekend to contribute to the cause). The most interesting thing I saw were three t-shirts:
1. “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for” with #5, a Cylon (1978), Marvin (2005 Disney Movie version), Robby, Data, and Rosie in a police line-up.
2. “Free throat hugs.” with a closed-fist Darth Vader
3. “Science: one accident away from being a supervillain.”
Yep, these are my kind of people.
The best news out of OC, other than they are still in existence after a mass defection from the ConCom last year, is that the President of the Odyssey Con Society, Inc. is getting married! Yes! This is the man who is the doppelgänger of Adam Savage, although with a much weirder voice, and who has been retired for many, many years. He is calling his wedding a May-December match, and he’s the one with the birthday in May. :)
New Game Campaign
We started our Icons campaign a couple of weeks ago. Our friend Brian Stewart, who is notoriously later than I am, actually arrived one minute early. Then we spent the next two hours sitting around while he completed his character. For the record: we all completed our characters over a month ago. I’m playing a Senegalese Wizard. While we waited, the conversation turned to music, and I wound up playing Eric Cartman’s version of Styx’s “Come Sail Away.” As much as I like South Park, especially the funniest epilepsy joke I ever heard on television (“Kenny, please turn off the blinking lights; they offend epileptics.”), their abhorrent cover of one of my favorite songs ever is something that I can never forgive.
My husband was glad to be a GM again, but he was annoyed at all the table chatter. That’s just part of the game, and he knows it.
Sometimes when the game room (gamers don’t have formal dining rooms) is not in use, we’ll see our cat Crown Prince Harry in the GM chair. Brian says Harry is running his own game: Critter Avengers.
More from the WGH
Last fall, I ordered the Red Zone Channel (RZC) from DirecTV because the WGH likes watching the highlights from all the football games being played. Even though the RZC did all the channel surfing for him, Brian still had the remote control in his hand the entire first day watching. When the Pro Bowl was played, Brian and I both had the same sentiment, “Who cares?”
I really need to add some new definitions to the Urban Dictionary (UD) based on Brian’s suggestions:
Spin Time – waiting for the hourglass on the computer to stop spinning and finish the program it’s running.
Spin Lock – when the hourglass never stops spinning or locks in the spin position.
Although UD does have an intriguing definition for the latter, it’s something completely different. And Canadian.
On April Fool’s Day, the Intranet at the Day Job was down. My Colleague C. had an excellent description of the problem, “The network is [effed].” My husband also suggested another term: roached, but that also has some intriguing definitions in the UD.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“We need to clean out under the bed; we’re running out of forks.” – Brian the WGH
I have been a fan of Highlights magazine ever since I was a child. Who hasn’t leafed through the magazine while in the waiting room of a doctor’s office? I especially love the Hidden Pictures, but I hate it when someone already has found them and marked them. We’ve subscribed Mekhi to Highlights for about two years now, as well as their Hidden Pictures series of puzzle magazines. Since then I have purchased not only their Hidden Pictures book for adults (and found all the pictures in a weekend), but their mobile apps as well. Brian, the World’s Greatest Husband (WGH), teases me about playing the games over and over again, but I admit that I’m still a kid at heart.
Mother Nature: the best artist, and the best practical joker
I’ve blogged about the weird Wisconsin weather before. March went out like a lamb because it went in like a lion. Mother Nature gave us Midwesterners a great April Fool’s Day prank: April 1st was beautiful; the rest of the month, not so much. We had a mild winter, and Mother Nature seemed to be making up for that by giving Wisconsin snow. In April. That’s not what I think of when I hear April Showers. At least it’s beautiful now. We hope to take the dogs to the bark park soon.
Odyssey Con
Earlier this month, Brian and I attended Odyssey Con (OC). We’re no longer on the ConCom, so we went only for Saturday (but we paid for the weekend to contribute to the cause). The most interesting thing I saw were three t-shirts:
1. “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for” with #5, a Cylon (1978), Marvin (2005 Disney Movie version), Robby, Data, and Rosie in a police line-up.
2. “Free throat hugs.” with a closed-fist Darth Vader
3. “Science: one accident away from being a supervillain.”
Yep, these are my kind of people.
The best news out of OC, other than they are still in existence after a mass defection from the ConCom last year, is that the President of the Odyssey Con Society, Inc. is getting married! Yes! This is the man who is the doppelgänger of Adam Savage, although with a much weirder voice, and who has been retired for many, many years. He is calling his wedding a May-December match, and he’s the one with the birthday in May. :)
New Game Campaign
We started our Icons campaign a couple of weeks ago. Our friend Brian Stewart, who is notoriously later than I am, actually arrived one minute early. Then we spent the next two hours sitting around while he completed his character. For the record: we all completed our characters over a month ago. I’m playing a Senegalese Wizard. While we waited, the conversation turned to music, and I wound up playing Eric Cartman’s version of Styx’s “Come Sail Away.” As much as I like South Park, especially the funniest epilepsy joke I ever heard on television (“Kenny, please turn off the blinking lights; they offend epileptics.”), their abhorrent cover of one of my favorite songs ever is something that I can never forgive.
My husband was glad to be a GM again, but he was annoyed at all the table chatter. That’s just part of the game, and he knows it.
Sometimes when the game room (gamers don’t have formal dining rooms) is not in use, we’ll see our cat Crown Prince Harry in the GM chair. Brian says Harry is running his own game: Critter Avengers.
More from the WGH
Last fall, I ordered the Red Zone Channel (RZC) from DirecTV because the WGH likes watching the highlights from all the football games being played. Even though the RZC did all the channel surfing for him, Brian still had the remote control in his hand the entire first day watching. When the Pro Bowl was played, Brian and I both had the same sentiment, “Who cares?”
I really need to add some new definitions to the Urban Dictionary (UD) based on Brian’s suggestions:
Spin Time – waiting for the hourglass on the computer to stop spinning and finish the program it’s running.
Spin Lock – when the hourglass never stops spinning or locks in the spin position.
Although UD does have an intriguing definition for the latter, it’s something completely different. And Canadian.
On April Fool’s Day, the Intranet at the Day Job was down. My Colleague C. had an excellent description of the problem, “The network is [effed].” My husband also suggested another term: roached, but that also has some intriguing definitions in the UD.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“We need to clean out under the bed; we’re running out of forks.” – Brian the WGH
Friday, March 11, 2016
Plattecon
Because the WGH and I met at UW-Platteville, from where he actually graduated, and he was a founding member of the Platteville Gaming Association (PGA); we go back to Platteville almost every year for Plattecon (remember: gaming conventions typically are named for their location, e.g. Gen Con originated in Lake Geneva, WI).
Ullsvik Hall, which was the student center back in our day (the 1980s), is not a good place for Plattecon IMHO because it typically does not have food service, nor a place to relax and plug in a laptop. The Markee Pioneer Student Center (MPSC) has such amenities, but from what the PGA tell me, the MPSC is more expensive and difficult to schedule. Thus, Friday I went shopping to our local Costco for foodstuffs we could take with us.
Mountain Dew is the drink of geeks, but because the WGH has diabetes II, I purchased Diet Mountain Dew and G2. The WGH also wanted beef jerky, hummus, and celery; and I wanted chocolate. The large container of Jelly Bellies was a pure impulse buy, but the only chips I purchased were veggie straws. Costco has an amazingly good and portable veggie tray, and I knew the WGH would love the fresh grapes. Because the WGH had to work, I packed everything except his duffle bag of clothes, then loaded everything (including said duffle) into the car.
Brian was tired from being up so early and working all day, and despite my good intentions, I napped, so I was awake enough to drive. Unfortunately, it started snowing, and even though I’ve made great progress since our first married Thanksgiving (long story short: Brian tried giving me a driving lesson, then it started snowing), we switched seats about halfway to P-ville.
Upon arrival and the expedient check-in system (the PGA are geeks who are good with technology), I noticed that their security/helpful staff contingent all wore hats identifying them as ‘Brute Squad.’ Nice. We immediately found our friends Brian (BAS) and Walter Stewart (brothers). I was surprised that BAS already was there as he normally runs later than I do. We spent a few minutes reading the program for the weekend, and the WGH commented on the great and life-like mini someone had: a baby. The baby wore a onesie that her mom made with the itty bitty’s D&D stats: STR: 6, DEX: 3, CON: 4, INT 4, WIS: 3, CHA: 20. Mom told me the next day the little girl would wear a onesie with the graphic, “Hello, my name is Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All.” I told the little one that she had a bright future ahead of her; geek parents are a lot of fun.
We brought games to play, and the WGH wanted to play Trailer Park Boys Supply and Command card game. I didn’t want to play, having never been a fan of the TV show, but the game required four players, so I acquiesced. Good thing, too. It was a fun variant on Dilbert’s Corporate Shuffle, and one didn’t need to know the show to play the game. Similar to The Walking Dead Board Game and its source material.
The Stewart Brothers and I frustrated the WGH by deciding upon dinner plans, then changing them again, and again. Finally we opted for a local Mexican restaurant that was showing the NBA on two TVs and WWE on the third. Walt astutely compared to professional wrestling to the performance of gymnastics.
Although Walt has a spacious spare bedroom, the bed in it is full-sized, not king like our bed at home. We didn’t have our puppies with us, so that made falling and staying asleep even harder. The only good side was that the WGH and I had several good snuggle sessions without a fur-bearing critter sandwiched between us.
Saturday morning we woke at our leisure and ate the delicious pumpkin muffins Walt baked for his guests. Back at the convention’s open gaming area, we snagged a table, and I set up the food and drink purchased the day before. I brought two games: Munchkin Quest, a board game variant of the ever-expanding card game, and Castles of Mad King Ludwig along with its supplement The Secrets. Steve, a longtime convention-friend joined us, so we had to play the former as the latter is a four-person game only. Unfortunately Munchkin Quest is IMHO more complex than needed, and it took too long to learn and play well. The WGH was bored, and because of the mechanics of the game, BAS said at one point, “I guess I’ll fight myself.” The ‘highlight’ of the game was when I gave the Shrieking Geek monster a mate. We stopped at 2:00 so I could join a Star Wars Trivial Pursuit game.
The lady running said game (GM) didn’t realize she had a sign-up sheet at the check-in table, so she already started before I arrived. No problem; it’s just a game. The GM also had house rules: 1. After going to the circle part of the board, your pawn always must go clockwise, and no moving back up the spokes. 2. Answer as many questions as you can from the same card before discarding it. 3. Pie pieces are awarded only on their specific squares. 4. If you have a pie piece of the color pie piece square you landed on, you may request a color that you don’t have and earn it with a correct answer. 5. The winner of the game is the first person who earns all six pie pieces.
The GM also seemed a bit OCD because she kept moving everyone’s pawn and trying to remember who was supposed to ask questions. I smiled because I know what it’s like to have such personality quirks/mental health issues. Two of the other gamers were a father and daughter duo. The daughter was a student at UW-P, and the father was a former colleague of mine that I referred to as “The Narc” when I worked in the hell that was DSPS. (Guess why.) Because I never saw the front of his badge, I couldn’t recall his real name, and it didn’t really matter. During the game he mentioned his dog Karma, and if the dog was being naughty he’d say, “Bad, Karma!” Groan.
Less than a half-hour into the game, and with many super easy (and a few super hard) questions asked of me, I finally had all six pie pieces to win the game. I guess my starting late gave everyone else a sporting chance. I also mentioned that I won a game of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit while waiting in line for a midnight showing of The Phantom Menace. My geek street cred still is solid!
When I returned to the open gaming area, I learned that BAS channeled me in the extreme by accidently dumping the veggie tray. Mercifully he cleaned it all up. Hey, one less thing to take home, so no problem. We still had candy, veggie straws, and grapes.
Steve brought his copy of Cards Against Humanity (CAH), which as usual drew an extra player named Evan. This is why I love gaming conventions and their open gaming areas: you start a game, and anyone interested can join. It’s a ton of fun meeting new people, especially sick and twisted people like us. I was in a particular sick mood with my cards. When the WGH was judge, he drew the card, “What gets me laid?” I had a choice between ‘grave robbing’ and ‘children on leashes’. I asked Walt how gross should I be. He reminded me that it’s CAH and the sicker the better, so I played the leash card. I don’t think I won that hand, though. What I did win was when BAS pulled a two-fer card: “For my next trick, I’ll pull (blank) out of my (blank).” I played ‘coat hanger abortions’ and ‘my vagina’. Very sick; the WGH made me take a picture of the cards. Steve won the game, though.
Later while waiting for our friends to finish their all-day game of Civilization, I checked out artists alley and the silent auction. I didn’t see anything at the latter, but the former had an artist who made geek crafts out of fusible plastic beads and magnets. I chose a blue lightsaber and a potion bottle from the original Legend of Zelda game and will add them to my geek collection in myprison cell cubicle at work.
I also checked out the vendors area and encouraged the WGH to buy something for GMs Day. Our friends Lynn and her ex were running a booth selling clothes, and the company that supplies her wares does make things in ‘hefty.’ Lynn is volunteering for Odyssey Con this year, and I told her we purchased our weekend passes to support the cause.
The WGH was surprised to see that I went to a specific table, picked up several items, and put them in a zippered baggie from the stash I brought. I can’t think of the name of the group, but they encourage board game creation and provided plenty of blank supplies. I explained to the WGH that I read about it in the program, and that I hope to create games based on my Hirapis series of novels (as soon as I write them).
While we continued to wait (Civilization officially is listed as a 3-12 hour game), we rambled the way only gamers can. BAS said he would like to create a wizard named Zoloft because he thinks it would be a kewl name. Someone else suggested a parody or adult board game called ‘Revenge of the Stiffs.’ During a routine check of the Civilization game, our friend Ted and I compared pix of our kids.
Finally the game was done and we headed to Steve’s Pizza, which was very crowded, but they have increased their dining room with space on the second floor of their building. We ordered two extra-large pizzas on thin crust, and the carnivore was served within reason. Unfortunately, they gave our Greek to another table, making us wait an interminably long time. While we waited, I tried to keep the conversation going, but I felt like Mrs. Peacock from the movie Clue, with about as much success. Our discussion included other (and lewd) definitions of things Greek and Roman. (Just go to the Urban Dictionary if you want/need to know more.) When we received the check, I asked to see the manager because we weren’t going to pay for that second pizza. Our server briefed the manager before he arrived, and before I said anything he said he was having the server take that ‘za off the bill. Good.
We’re geeks, though; so the server still received a good tip. The mix-up wasn’t her fault, and she was very frank and honest and apologetic during our wait.
Sunday morning, the WGH and I decided to forgo the breakfast buffet tradition and headed for home. The dogs were happy to see us; the cats acknowledged that we returned and could we please fill the food dish because they could almost see the bottom – almost. Finally we all were back in our king-sized bed for a glorious post-convention nap.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“What’s the difference between a hippo and a zippo? One is very heavy, the other is a little lighter.” – Facebook Meme the WGH read during our trip
Ullsvik Hall, which was the student center back in our day (the 1980s), is not a good place for Plattecon IMHO because it typically does not have food service, nor a place to relax and plug in a laptop. The Markee Pioneer Student Center (MPSC) has such amenities, but from what the PGA tell me, the MPSC is more expensive and difficult to schedule. Thus, Friday I went shopping to our local Costco for foodstuffs we could take with us.
Mountain Dew is the drink of geeks, but because the WGH has diabetes II, I purchased Diet Mountain Dew and G2. The WGH also wanted beef jerky, hummus, and celery; and I wanted chocolate. The large container of Jelly Bellies was a pure impulse buy, but the only chips I purchased were veggie straws. Costco has an amazingly good and portable veggie tray, and I knew the WGH would love the fresh grapes. Because the WGH had to work, I packed everything except his duffle bag of clothes, then loaded everything (including said duffle) into the car.
Brian was tired from being up so early and working all day, and despite my good intentions, I napped, so I was awake enough to drive. Unfortunately, it started snowing, and even though I’ve made great progress since our first married Thanksgiving (long story short: Brian tried giving me a driving lesson, then it started snowing), we switched seats about halfway to P-ville.
Upon arrival and the expedient check-in system (the PGA are geeks who are good with technology), I noticed that their security/helpful staff contingent all wore hats identifying them as ‘Brute Squad.’ Nice. We immediately found our friends Brian (BAS) and Walter Stewart (brothers). I was surprised that BAS already was there as he normally runs later than I do. We spent a few minutes reading the program for the weekend, and the WGH commented on the great and life-like mini someone had: a baby. The baby wore a onesie that her mom made with the itty bitty’s D&D stats: STR: 6, DEX: 3, CON: 4, INT 4, WIS: 3, CHA: 20. Mom told me the next day the little girl would wear a onesie with the graphic, “Hello, my name is Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All.” I told the little one that she had a bright future ahead of her; geek parents are a lot of fun.
We brought games to play, and the WGH wanted to play Trailer Park Boys Supply and Command card game. I didn’t want to play, having never been a fan of the TV show, but the game required four players, so I acquiesced. Good thing, too. It was a fun variant on Dilbert’s Corporate Shuffle, and one didn’t need to know the show to play the game. Similar to The Walking Dead Board Game and its source material.
The Stewart Brothers and I frustrated the WGH by deciding upon dinner plans, then changing them again, and again. Finally we opted for a local Mexican restaurant that was showing the NBA on two TVs and WWE on the third. Walt astutely compared to professional wrestling to the performance of gymnastics.
Although Walt has a spacious spare bedroom, the bed in it is full-sized, not king like our bed at home. We didn’t have our puppies with us, so that made falling and staying asleep even harder. The only good side was that the WGH and I had several good snuggle sessions without a fur-bearing critter sandwiched between us.
Saturday morning we woke at our leisure and ate the delicious pumpkin muffins Walt baked for his guests. Back at the convention’s open gaming area, we snagged a table, and I set up the food and drink purchased the day before. I brought two games: Munchkin Quest, a board game variant of the ever-expanding card game, and Castles of Mad King Ludwig along with its supplement The Secrets. Steve, a longtime convention-friend joined us, so we had to play the former as the latter is a four-person game only. Unfortunately Munchkin Quest is IMHO more complex than needed, and it took too long to learn and play well. The WGH was bored, and because of the mechanics of the game, BAS said at one point, “I guess I’ll fight myself.” The ‘highlight’ of the game was when I gave the Shrieking Geek monster a mate. We stopped at 2:00 so I could join a Star Wars Trivial Pursuit game.
The lady running said game (GM) didn’t realize she had a sign-up sheet at the check-in table, so she already started before I arrived. No problem; it’s just a game. The GM also had house rules: 1. After going to the circle part of the board, your pawn always must go clockwise, and no moving back up the spokes. 2. Answer as many questions as you can from the same card before discarding it. 3. Pie pieces are awarded only on their specific squares. 4. If you have a pie piece of the color pie piece square you landed on, you may request a color that you don’t have and earn it with a correct answer. 5. The winner of the game is the first person who earns all six pie pieces.
The GM also seemed a bit OCD because she kept moving everyone’s pawn and trying to remember who was supposed to ask questions. I smiled because I know what it’s like to have such personality quirks/mental health issues. Two of the other gamers were a father and daughter duo. The daughter was a student at UW-P, and the father was a former colleague of mine that I referred to as “The Narc” when I worked in the hell that was DSPS. (Guess why.) Because I never saw the front of his badge, I couldn’t recall his real name, and it didn’t really matter. During the game he mentioned his dog Karma, and if the dog was being naughty he’d say, “Bad, Karma!” Groan.
Less than a half-hour into the game, and with many super easy (and a few super hard) questions asked of me, I finally had all six pie pieces to win the game. I guess my starting late gave everyone else a sporting chance. I also mentioned that I won a game of Star Wars Trivial Pursuit while waiting in line for a midnight showing of The Phantom Menace. My geek street cred still is solid!
When I returned to the open gaming area, I learned that BAS channeled me in the extreme by accidently dumping the veggie tray. Mercifully he cleaned it all up. Hey, one less thing to take home, so no problem. We still had candy, veggie straws, and grapes.
Steve brought his copy of Cards Against Humanity (CAH), which as usual drew an extra player named Evan. This is why I love gaming conventions and their open gaming areas: you start a game, and anyone interested can join. It’s a ton of fun meeting new people, especially sick and twisted people like us. I was in a particular sick mood with my cards. When the WGH was judge, he drew the card, “What gets me laid?” I had a choice between ‘grave robbing’ and ‘children on leashes’. I asked Walt how gross should I be. He reminded me that it’s CAH and the sicker the better, so I played the leash card. I don’t think I won that hand, though. What I did win was when BAS pulled a two-fer card: “For my next trick, I’ll pull (blank) out of my (blank).” I played ‘coat hanger abortions’ and ‘my vagina’. Very sick; the WGH made me take a picture of the cards. Steve won the game, though.
Later while waiting for our friends to finish their all-day game of Civilization, I checked out artists alley and the silent auction. I didn’t see anything at the latter, but the former had an artist who made geek crafts out of fusible plastic beads and magnets. I chose a blue lightsaber and a potion bottle from the original Legend of Zelda game and will add them to my geek collection in my
I also checked out the vendors area and encouraged the WGH to buy something for GMs Day. Our friends Lynn and her ex were running a booth selling clothes, and the company that supplies her wares does make things in ‘hefty.’ Lynn is volunteering for Odyssey Con this year, and I told her we purchased our weekend passes to support the cause.
The WGH was surprised to see that I went to a specific table, picked up several items, and put them in a zippered baggie from the stash I brought. I can’t think of the name of the group, but they encourage board game creation and provided plenty of blank supplies. I explained to the WGH that I read about it in the program, and that I hope to create games based on my Hirapis series of novels (as soon as I write them).
While we continued to wait (Civilization officially is listed as a 3-12 hour game), we rambled the way only gamers can. BAS said he would like to create a wizard named Zoloft because he thinks it would be a kewl name. Someone else suggested a parody or adult board game called ‘Revenge of the Stiffs.’ During a routine check of the Civilization game, our friend Ted and I compared pix of our kids.
Finally the game was done and we headed to Steve’s Pizza, which was very crowded, but they have increased their dining room with space on the second floor of their building. We ordered two extra-large pizzas on thin crust, and the carnivore was served within reason. Unfortunately, they gave our Greek to another table, making us wait an interminably long time. While we waited, I tried to keep the conversation going, but I felt like Mrs. Peacock from the movie Clue, with about as much success. Our discussion included other (and lewd) definitions of things Greek and Roman. (Just go to the Urban Dictionary if you want/need to know more.) When we received the check, I asked to see the manager because we weren’t going to pay for that second pizza. Our server briefed the manager before he arrived, and before I said anything he said he was having the server take that ‘za off the bill. Good.
We’re geeks, though; so the server still received a good tip. The mix-up wasn’t her fault, and she was very frank and honest and apologetic during our wait.
Sunday morning, the WGH and I decided to forgo the breakfast buffet tradition and headed for home. The dogs were happy to see us; the cats acknowledged that we returned and could we please fill the food dish because they could almost see the bottom – almost. Finally we all were back in our king-sized bed for a glorious post-convention nap.
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
“What’s the difference between a hippo and a zippo? One is very heavy, the other is a little lighter.” – Facebook Meme the WGH read during our trip
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
RPGs
My now-husband Brian introduced me to roleplaying games (like Dungeons & Dragons – get your mind out of the gutter) before we were married. Over the years, we played a lot of different games: Champions, HeroQuest, Icons, Savage Worlds, etc. Usually he was the gamemaster (GM); however, after I indexed Monte Cook’s Ptolus for D&D 3.5, I wanted to run the campaign as dungeon mistress (DM).
On Independence Day 2010, our gaming group of the usual suspects gathered to create characters, and we played from there. Brian had a difficult time adjusting to being at the foot of the table as a character, rather than as GM. I had difficulty with the mechanics of the game, and I was quite the pushover as a DM: I tended to give the player characters (PCs) too much information or fudged dice rolls in their favor.
Copious preparation helped me improve, and Brian gave me wonderful feedback and learned to enjoy just playing in a game throughout the years. I want to say that in late 2014/early 2015, I told my players that we had about a year left because we had one adventure remaining to complete our campaign. When fall and football games delayed or cancelled D&D events, Brian despaired of ever finishing because he’s been itching to run a game again.
Well, on Saturday, February 6, 2016, we finally finished the last part of the last adventure – saving a dwarven queen who although her original kingdom is gone, would assist another clan of dwarves in restoring their home world. Brian’s character was instrumental in that endeavor, and Brian ended with a good feeling about the game.
Then we started to work on our characters for his new Icons campaign. I will play a magical who gets her power from gods. Even though the character on whom she is based is Latin American, I changed that to make her Senegalese.
The final rounds of quotes from gaming:
DM: “Mature” adult dragon
PCs: “OOOOOHHH!”
DM: “I wish my players were as mature as this dragon.”
Age = 47 “Prime of Life” – JP
Cherry pie appropriate for the player who is a virgin.
“I promised the dice god some weed.” – BAS, who usually has dice of the damned, when he made a good roll.
Paper protectors: “Sheet condoms”
Neuschwanstein: “Original White Castle”
Signet of Shallamoth: “Universal Subway Token” or the Tijuana Taxi of Praemal
“Snort that magic dust!”
Cleaning the dusty chair (throne).
“I have a creator; his name is Monte.” – DM
“Epic Fantasy is not about average characters.” – BKC
“Technically, I may not have time to run a game until after I retire.” – WS
“Book of Inverted Darkness: doesn’t that mean light?” – source multiple
“Waterboarding Pay-per-view Channel.” – JP
Trans-urethra ultrasound requirement for the Wanker – LAC
“Windows 8 brought Civilization to an end.” – BAS
Temple of Teun, down the street from the Temple of iTunes.
Barrel of Holy Water
“I move with the grace one would associate with the vegetable kingdom.” – JP
“Don’t blame me; blame Monte.” – Me/DM
“Could someone chisel out a brick [of the slightly-scorched, death-by-chocolate birthday cake] for the GM?” – Me/DM, who actually scorched the cake
“Fighters should have an instant training facility called ‘Whack-n-Hut!’” – JP
“Life’s given the Ettins a wedgie.” – BAS
“Crouching Tiger (Gnome); Hidden Ranger (invisible).” – BKC
Pagantology – JP
“The floor you’re not stepping on is not there.” – DM
“Posted on facepalm” (Facebook) – JP
“Sphincter Sanctimonious” – JP
“Cow Con” (Odyssey Con) – JP
“Ptolus is free of cancer.” – LM
“Bag of holding for poop.” – BAS
When the Bard was caught in a reverse gravity spell “Dancing on the ceiling”
“My colleagues made buzzword bingo cards for me, and “fuck” is the free word in the center.” – JP
“Sharpie & Highlighter Interior Decorators” – BKC
“I pop as soon as I attack.” (losing invisibility) – JP
BBQ instead of JQ, which is the character’s name. “Taste my tangy sauce.” – LM
“I want government that is small enough to drown in a bathtub full of Flint water.” – JP
“I could fix this with a tiny amount of Platinum – like two tons.” – JP
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
"I know I've been spending too much time with Photoshop when I look out the window and I'm impressed by the sharpness and clarity." - Monte Cook
On Independence Day 2010, our gaming group of the usual suspects gathered to create characters, and we played from there. Brian had a difficult time adjusting to being at the foot of the table as a character, rather than as GM. I had difficulty with the mechanics of the game, and I was quite the pushover as a DM: I tended to give the player characters (PCs) too much information or fudged dice rolls in their favor.
Copious preparation helped me improve, and Brian gave me wonderful feedback and learned to enjoy just playing in a game throughout the years. I want to say that in late 2014/early 2015, I told my players that we had about a year left because we had one adventure remaining to complete our campaign. When fall and football games delayed or cancelled D&D events, Brian despaired of ever finishing because he’s been itching to run a game again.
Well, on Saturday, February 6, 2016, we finally finished the last part of the last adventure – saving a dwarven queen who although her original kingdom is gone, would assist another clan of dwarves in restoring their home world. Brian’s character was instrumental in that endeavor, and Brian ended with a good feeling about the game.
Then we started to work on our characters for his new Icons campaign. I will play a magical who gets her power from gods. Even though the character on whom she is based is Latin American, I changed that to make her Senegalese.
The final rounds of quotes from gaming:
DM: “Mature” adult dragon
PCs: “OOOOOHHH!”
DM: “I wish my players were as mature as this dragon.”
Age = 47 “Prime of Life” – JP
Cherry pie appropriate for the player who is a virgin.
“I promised the dice god some weed.” – BAS, who usually has dice of the damned, when he made a good roll.
Paper protectors: “Sheet condoms”
Neuschwanstein: “Original White Castle”
Signet of Shallamoth: “Universal Subway Token” or the Tijuana Taxi of Praemal
“Snort that magic dust!”
Cleaning the dusty chair (throne).
“I have a creator; his name is Monte.” – DM
“Epic Fantasy is not about average characters.” – BKC
“Technically, I may not have time to run a game until after I retire.” – WS
“Book of Inverted Darkness: doesn’t that mean light?” – source multiple
“Waterboarding Pay-per-view Channel.” – JP
Trans-urethra ultrasound requirement for the Wanker – LAC
“Windows 8 brought Civilization to an end.” – BAS
Temple of Teun, down the street from the Temple of iTunes.
Barrel of Holy Water
“I move with the grace one would associate with the vegetable kingdom.” – JP
“Don’t blame me; blame Monte.” – Me/DM
“Could someone chisel out a brick [of the slightly-scorched, death-by-chocolate birthday cake] for the GM?” – Me/DM, who actually scorched the cake
“Fighters should have an instant training facility called ‘Whack-n-Hut!’” – JP
“Life’s given the Ettins a wedgie.” – BAS
“Crouching Tiger (Gnome); Hidden Ranger (invisible).” – BKC
Pagantology – JP
“The floor you’re not stepping on is not there.” – DM
“Posted on facepalm” (Facebook) – JP
“Sphincter Sanctimonious” – JP
“Cow Con” (Odyssey Con) – JP
“Ptolus is free of cancer.” – LM
“Bag of holding for poop.” – BAS
When the Bard was caught in a reverse gravity spell “Dancing on the ceiling”
“My colleagues made buzzword bingo cards for me, and “fuck” is the free word in the center.” – JP
“Sharpie & Highlighter Interior Decorators” – BKC
“I pop as soon as I attack.” (losing invisibility) – JP
BBQ instead of JQ, which is the character’s name. “Taste my tangy sauce.” – LM
“I want government that is small enough to drown in a bathtub full of Flint water.” – JP
“I could fix this with a tiny amount of Platinum – like two tons.” – JP
Pog ma thoin!
-Lori
"I know I've been spending too much time with Photoshop when I look out the window and I'm impressed by the sharpness and clarity." - Monte Cook
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)