There are some who call me...Tim?

Drivin' and visitin' the U S of A.

Fri, 29 May 2009 19:45:07 GMT

I've driven across the country twice now, lived on both Coasts, and had a job that took me to many states I would have never visited otherwise.

I'm aiming to put Alaska on the list next.

Tim is buying a house

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:12:58 GMT

So, here it is.....I'm buying a house. The biggest damn purchase of my life, going to happen on May 15th.

W.T.F?

The whole housing market crash/home loan fiasco has finally made it possible for my wife and I to afford to buy a home in the Seattle Eastside region. Redmond, to be specific. We will live a quarter of a mile from the elementary school, and 1.5 miles from my work office. Still walking distance, although I shudder to think what that walk is going to be like this winter....in the dark. It really was all about the location (perfect) and the YARD. Quarter of an acre. HUGE. No big trees shading it, so full sun yard. We will have more than enough room for a big garden, with room to spare for the boys to play.

And the house? The house is a short sale. Meaning we bought it below the value that the owner owes on it. We actually had to get the lienholders to accept our offer. The whole thing took about 3 weeks from the time we submitted our first offer to the time our counter-offer was accepted. That was a LOOOOONG three weeks.

The house is also a fixer-upper. Apparently, it WAS a nice home under the original owner, but she sold it to a speculator, and they rented it out to some very bad renters who apparently had little respect for the house. The carpet is trashed. Between the weak-bladdered old dog trickling from the living room to the master bedroom, to the halos of dirt left from where the coach/coffee table and bed were, to the numerous spills, I can only imagine the type of people they were. Me? If I spill a drink, I am so over that stain with Oxyclean and a towel! I cannot fathom the attitude of "Oh crap. I spilled. Meh. Whatever."

So, I make it sound bad. The carpet really is the worst thing. We are planning to take out all the carpet upstairs. ALL. OF. IT. and replace it with new carpet and some laminate wood flooring. The exact combination is still under debate, but that's the goal. The downstairs carpet looks better, so we are going to see about super industrial cleaning it first.

We also need to do some work on the bathtubs, and of couse we need to paint, paint, paint. And there is the assessing of the appliances...some are dated, so we'll need to clean 'em up and see what we have left.

Lastly, I now have a yard. To mow. And landscape. In college, I worked for a lawn/garden nursery center, and really got into learning and selling all the bushes and trees and landscaping stuff. I am very much looking forward to planting a series of blueberry bushes, and as many lilac bushes as is rational.

But yet....I am quite keyed up about this. This is a LOT of money. And right after we sign the papers, and commit to owing someone a LOT of money, we are going to go right out, and start spending even MORE money to fix the house up! It just really, REALLY freaks me out ever so slightly.

But.....if I can just get past the closing date, and get to work on the house, I think it'll be great.

Happy Easter everyone!

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:34:22 GMT

As I am away at Norwescon this fine Easter weekend, I leave you with THIS, a pic from the wonderful folks at SnorgTees, my favorite t-shirt site:

Norwescon 32 Schedule for the Gaming Track

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:52:56 GMT

Being the programming leader for the gaming track at Norwescon 32, I am very, very excited for next weekend. My goal for the gaming track was to bring in true professionals in the gaming industry as panelists, and to have them discuss panel topics that both they and the gaming fans want to discuss.

And, looking at the panel schedule, and the truly awesome list of Pros I've assembled, I think are going to do pretty darned well. I certainly hope so!

And what exactly do we have going on?? Well, check out the Gaming Track schedule...after the break!

Thursday (http://www.norwescon.org/thursday_programming.htm)

What Keeps People Playing? 3:00 p.m. Cascade 6

So you’ve played the game all the way through…yet, there you are, playing it all over again! Join our panelists in discussing the appeals of different types of games, from character customization and advancement to the “positive feedback loop” system of bonus points for doing well in games such as Rock Band, to more social connections (clubs, gaming societies, guilds).

Julie Haehn, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jason Soles, Donna “Danicia” Prior

Hidden Gems of Wizards of the Coast 4:00 p.m. Cascade 10

A showcase of the lesser-known gems in Wizards' catalogue.

Richard Baker, Andy Collins

Build a Better Adventure 5:00 p.m. Cascade 6

What makes a good adventure? One that players can’t wait to continue. One that they spend their off-time thinking about and planning for until they play again? Join our gaming panelists in a discussion of how to design better adventures.

Andy Collins, Randall N. Bills, Jason Soles

Novelization of a Game 8:00 p.m. Cascade 7

Many video games today have accompanying fiction, often providing a more detailed storyline of either what was going on in the game, or what came before or after the game’s events. Many roleplaying games have series of novels expanding their worlds with characters and cities and events that become canon in that setting. Join our panelists as they discuss how a game’s setting is translated into a novel that, in turn, gives back to the game.

Janna Silverstein, Richard Baker, Jeff Grubb

Where are All the Sci-Fi Games? 9:00 p.m. Cascade 7

Dungeons. Dragons. Swords. Magic. What about the lasers? Interstellar space travel? Aliens? Netrunning? The Dark and Gritty Future? Are they all video games these days? Panelists discuss why fantasy is king in gaming right now, when sci-fi will make its comeback, and what sci-fi games ARE out there right now.

Randall N. Bills, Jeff Grubb

When PnP met MMORPG 10:00 p.m. Cascade 6

Massively multiplayer online role-playing games have revolutionized computer gaming, and become the dominant mode for computer role-playing games. But certainly they learned a thing or two from pen-and-paper (PnP) RPGs. Yet, many PnP games today are “borrowing” a concept or two as well. Are these two genres moving closer? What can they learn from each other? What will role-playing games evolve into in the future?

Dylan S., Donna “Danicia” Prior

Friday (http://www.norwescon.org/friday_programming.htm)

The Tabloid Game (Ripped from the Headlines!) 1:00 p.m. Cascade 5

Our group of expert game masters will create a scenario before your very eyes using only a selection of tabloid newspapers. Come join in the fun and throw out a few suggestions of your own. Erik Mona, Jeff Grubb, Andy Collins, Darrin Drader

The State of Card and Board Games 2:00 p.m. Cascade 8

Board and card games certainly have changed since the early days of Monopoly and Candyland. Our board game experts will discuss the board and card games of the present and the future. We’ll look across the water to the games from Germany and France, discuss the renaissance of the American big-box publisher, and look at the independents on the fringes. Whether you just learned Risk or you’re an expert at Puerto Rico, this is the seminar for you.

Julie Haehn, Mike Selinker, Jeremy Holcomb

Women in Gaming 4:00 p.m. Cascade 8

Our all-female panel of gaming professionals discusses the growing presence / awareness of women playing and designing games, and what that means for the future of the Gaming Industry.

Julie Haehn, Shelly Mazzanoble, Donna “Danicia” Prior, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jennifer Brozek

It’s Hideous! It’s Gruesome! It’s…Perfect! 5:00 p.m. Cascade 8

What makes a truly great monster in a game? Our panelists discuss the best of the best in the gaming menagerie (or the worst of the worst, depending on your perspective), with an emphasis on the monsters themselves and not on any particular game systems statistics, and give their expert advice on how to come up with your own creations to set upon those special adventurers in YOUR campaign. Erik Mona, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, James Jacobs, Jason Soles, Jennifer Brozek

Playing God, Part I: World Building 7:00 p.m. Cascade 8

A world created in seven days? Yeah, right. Not in the gaming industry. Come hear what our industry professionals have to say about the back-breaking labor involved in shaping the huge backdrop that is a game’s setting.

Darrin Drader, Richard Baker, James Jacobs, Sean K. Reynolds, Teeuwynn Woodruff

Playing God, Part II: Gods and Religion 8:00 p.m. Cascade 8

Part of world building is designing the pantheon responsible for the whole thing. Our game experts discuss how they go about filling the cosmos with deities worthy of a hero’s worship, and how they manage to stay upright on such a slippery slope as religion in gaming.

Erik Mona, Wolfgang Baur, Sean K. Reynolds, Jeff Grubb

Best Board Games you’ve never heard of…yet 9:00 p.m. Cascade 8

So you’ve played Monopoly, Life, Trivial Pursuit. Maybe you’ve played Risk, too. You’re a department store kind of person when it comes to games. You walk into a game store and all you see are games you’ve never heard of…or maybe you’ve seen the tables at the con with the European games laid out on them and you’ve heard the names, but you’re not sure which game is right for you and are too shy to ask. Our board game experts will show you a variety of the best games from here and abroad and give you a better idea of what new game may be your next!

Frank Hussey, Julie Haehn, Jeremy Holcomb, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Mike Selinker

Great Players Make Great Games 10:00 p.m. Cascade 5

Experienced players and GMs gather to talk about what makes a good player and how to become one. Learn simple and advanced techniques to make your gaming experience better for yourself and your fellow gamers.

Sean K. Reynolds, Christopher Bodan, Dylan S., Randall N. Bills

Saturday (http://www.norwescon.org/saturday_programming.htm)

How to Get Your Break in the Gaming Industry 10:00 a.m. Cascade 8

Perhaps you’ve written some great adventures, or your homebrew game is a marvel to all who play it. Maybe you have a great concept for a video game. Some say they think your ideas should be a game on the market! How do you go about finding out? Join our panel of Gaming industry professionals for their advice on how to find opportunities to write and design for Gaming companies.

Mike Mearls, James Jacobs, Randall N. Bills, Jeremy Holcomb, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel

Game Master’s Workshop Pt 1 11:00 a.m. Cascade 9

Learning the Trade: Experienced GM’s discuss basic techniques, strategies and exercises for becoming a better GM. What resources are available for a new GM and what skills should be mastered? Ogre Whiteside, Andy Collins, Dylan S., Jason Bulmahn

Game Master’s Workshop Part 2 Noon Cascade 9

Advanced lessons: plot, setting, character are all discussed in detail. Techniques covered will include: the TPK – what it is and why it should be done, manipulating players to manipulate their characters, meta-Gaming, and handling problems that develop.

Ogre Whiteside, Andy Collins, Dylan S., Jason Bulmahn, Wolfgang Baur

4E: You’ve got the Power(s). (At-Will. Encounter. Daily.) 2:00 p.m. Evergreen 2

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new edition of Dungeons & Dragons out now. This panel is an introduction and discussion of the newest edition of D&D with some of the designers. Come hear what has changed, why those changes were made, and what is in store for the game in upcoming months. Andy Collins, Mike Mearls, Richard Baker

I’m not dead yet…..sticking with 3.5 3:00 p.m. Evergreen 2

Not thrilled with the new edition? Stop by this panel where prominent gamers and industry professionals share options for sticking with 3.5 via Pathfinder, True20, or other 3.5 variants. Learn how to get involved in organized play events, find other gamers, and keep playing the game. Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Darrin Drader, Chris Pramas, Sean K. Reynolds

What’s New from Wizards of the Coast? 3:00 p.m. Evergreen 4

Wizards of the Coast present the new publications coming out over the next year.

Richard Baker, Andy Collins

Forgotten Realms: Past, Present, Future 6:00 p.m. Evergreen 3 & 4

Now in all the lands 'twixt bustling Waterdeep and the sparkling waves of The Sea of Fallen Stars, no men were more loved – and feared – than the stoic swordsman Durnan, the blustering old rogue Mirt, and the all-wise, ancient wizard Elminster. Dragon Magazine #218.

These were the very first words written about the Forgotten Realms, written in 1967 by an 8-year-old Ed Greenwood, who originally designed it and began writing little stories of his own about heroes adventuring in an imaginary world and publishing a series of short articles detailing the setting in Dragon Magazine. Since 1987, this campaign setting has grown and developed, generating over two hundred novels, dozens of computer RPGs, and a host of adventures and Gaming supplements. Join our distinguished group of Gaming professionals as they discuss the history of the Forgotten Realms, and recount their parts in developing it.

Jeff Grubb, Richard Baker, R.A. Salvatore, Sean K. Reynolds

Writing for the Gaming Industry 8:00 p.m. Cascade 8

How do you write for a game? How does it differ than just writing a novel or short story? How does writing for a video game differ from RPGs or board games? What are they looking for? Our panel of Editors, Publishers, Gaming Authors, and Freelancers share what is wanted – nay! What is needed! – from writers in the Gaming industry.

Mike Mearls, Erik Mona, Chris Pramas, Teeuwynn Woodruff, Jason Bulmahn

The Future of Gaming / Future of Game Design 9:00 p.m. Cascade 8

Join our esteemed panel of Gaming industry professionals in a discussion of their views on the current status of the industry. How has it changed in the past year or two? Where is it going?

Mike Mearls, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Chris Pramas, Teeuwynn Woodruff, Jeremy Holcomb, Darrin Drader

Sunday (http://www.norwescon.org/sunday_programming.htm)

Gaming For ‘Tween Girls 9:00 a.m. Cascade 6

Gamers used to be viewed as packs of nerdy boys in basements, but the gaming demographic has changed. Our panel of gaming experts discusses how the gaming industry is now opening up with gaming opportunities for younger girls.

Jeff Combos, Donna “Danicia” Prior, Teeuwynn Woodruff, Mickey Schulz

Family Friendly Games 10:00 a.m. Cascade 6

Panel experts discuss what makes a family friendly game and what options are out there for the family that wants a chance to play together.

Mickey “Meowse” Phoenix, Eva-Lise Carlstrom, Jeremy Holcomb, Mike Selinker

Lessons from the Pulps 11:00 a.m. Cascade 6

From science fiction to sword and sorcery, many of the genres celebrated in modern gaming took form in the pulp magazines of the early 20th century. Drop by for a discussion of pulp classics and how gamers can swipe classic ideas for their own gaming. Panelists have been encouraged to bring plenty of pulp magazines for the audience to appreciate and enjoy.

Erik Mona, Jeff Combos, James Jacobs, Ogre Whiteside

Gaming in the Mainstream Noon Cascade 6

In the early days, if you said you were a gamer, people immediately thought, “devil worshipper” or “computer nerd”. These days, games are becoming more integral to mainstream literature, TV, and culture. How did this happen? Come join the discussion with our panelists about why gaming isn’t just for geeks anymore…

Julie Haehn, Jeff Combos, Shelly Mazzanoble, Teeuwynn Woodruff, Mike Selinker

Game Publishing Goes Digital 3:00 p.m. Cascade 7

Pdfs “versus” print. Blogs. Online content. Podcasts. More and more gaming companies are finding a way to move their marketing, and even their products, onto the internet. What does this mean for the future of the gaming industry? What does it mean for your local gaming store?

Chris Pramas, Donna “Danicia” Prior, Randall N. Bills, Jeff Combos, Erik Mona.

PaizoCon II Bigger and Better than Ever Before!

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:58:21 GMT

So, riding a high from the very first PaizoCon back in April 2008, I started planning on PaizoCon II for 2009. By August, I had put a cap on attendance of 100 people, and opened it up to RSVPs and pre-payments. Things were looking good. More than double the size, max out the venue space. Expand to 2 or even 3 days.

That's when Paizo approached me. Josh said, "We want to be a big part in PaizoCon. We want to run it."

My response? "YES! Yesyesyesyesyesyes!"

See at this point, PaizoCon had $100 to its warchest. I'd been operating the whole idea on a 'break-even' goal. I had secretly hoped that the first PaizoCon would have been enough of a success that it would grow and become an annual event. So, this was exactly what I wanted to hear. Being able to pass it on to someone who could REALLY grow it, and grow it RIGHT. Who better than the company it was held for??

Great! But here was the problem. I couldn't tell anyone. Yet. So, imagine that you've got 30-40 people who want to know what the plan is for this PaizoCon that you've scheduled, but you can only tell them, "Something big. We're working on it." and you WANT TO TELL EVERYONE, but you can't. (sigh)

So, for six months I have been holding this secret, being only able to share it with my wife, and my co-dicator, Lilith. Oh, I'd been able to leak a little bit at a time. Like the change from April to June. And the cap raised to 250 attendees. And the price raised to $30. But, never a reason, other than "Trust me. It's going to be awesome!"

Until this week.

This week, all came to light. It was a release of sorts. And very, very satisfying. How? Well, the response was, and has been, close to ecstatic. I mean Monte and Sue Cook are our Guests of Honor!! And Eva Widermann is the Guest Artist of Honor! Plus, the list of other guests is downright awesome. And a banquet is on the event list as well.

This....this is far more than I could have hoped for. And I am so incredibly happy that Paizo took this, and made it SO MUCH BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE. It's what they do. It's why I love their company, love their products, and love the people.

So, if you haven't bought your tickets, this is one gaming convention you don't want to miss.

Trust me. It's going to be awesome!

My 10 Most Played Games

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:49:12 GMT

A listing recently requested by mearls , in turn inspired by Rob Heinsoo. Here's my list of the 10 games I've played the most during my life thus far.

1. Dungeons and Dragons...since 1985.

2. Diablo 1/2 series.

3. DungeonSiege series. A DVD's worth of user mods.

4. Unreal/Unreal Tournament. A CD's worth of user mods.

5. Quake 2. The number of mods and user maps I had was...

6. HalfLife series

7. Civilization 2 (for the PC).

8. Sim City series.

9. Risk

10. Fluxx

Yes...a lot of computer games there.

Leaning to the Left, by golly (must be why I'm left-handed too!)

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:54:06 GMT

A Look at 2008

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 05:13:41 GMT

As I jump on the bandwagon and put this past year in perspective, I first see that I really need to work on this blogging thing. Wow. I post very little.

The Year 2008 was a good year. It saw my 10th Year Anniversary to my wonderful wife, and a second honeymoon of sorts on the Big Island of Hawaii. There I snorkeled for the first time...and loved it. I saw and walked on a live volcano. And I stargazed atop Mauna Kea...at 14,000 ft. I drank Kona coffee until I literally vibrated off the ground. I hiked in a botanical garden with more tropical life than I've ever seen. And I did this all with my wife. What a great trip.

This year also saw the very first PaizoCon, which I somehow came to become the local organizer of a meetup of 40-50 Paizo fans. With a LOT of help from some wonderful new friends, we made it an event to remember. And, because it was a success, we are now looking at PaizoCon II in June 2009!

Our children seemed to have had a good year as well. My older son turned 7, and the younger son turned 3. Both are apparently clones of myself, or so I'm told. It's good, as they LOVE the Clone Wars. Healthwise, this year was a bit of a challenge with the younger son. Ear infections, pneumonia, chicken pox. All potentially serious with an immune-suppressed kid. The good news: no signs of rejection, making it once again the best decision I've ever made in my life. Three wonderful years to see him grow and play and smile, as opposed to...none. Oh, yes. Best. Decision. Ever.

Since many of the year in reviews here are gravitating towards gaming, I'll toss in my gaming moments of 2008.

1) Joining a D&D campaign, Sins of the Ancients, via the online MapTools and Ventrilo. Having never played this way before, I have found a wonderful group of folks to play with, and it has allowed me to focus on improving my roleplaying more. And we've been playtesting the Pathfinder rules as well.

2) PaizoCon. This event introduced me to some truly awesome new friends, and gave me the chance to hang with the Paizo folks again. And I got to play a cursed barbarian who knits. Bonus!

3) Playing at 4E HQ in Seattle with mearls . What a way to be introduced to the new game. I wear my RAWR shirt often....

4) Our 4E Forgotten Realms campaign resetting to 4E. While I really do miss my dragon shaman of 3.5, my bandit build in 4E is quite fun as well. I tend to lapse back to 3.5/PF RPG rules too often, though. The DM is probably tired of that by now....

5) Getting a Wii. While I do not play as often as my 7 yr old son....I do enjoy our Wii Fit, and Star Wars Force Unleashed. Boom Blox has also become a fav of mine. I am NOT a console person (really a strong PC gamer though), but this Wii is different enough that I really enjoy it.

6) Norwescon. This was the first year I've skipped Norwescon, in favor of saving $$ for our trip to Hawaii. But, I missed it. Enough so, that I volunteered to be Track Leader for Gaming Programming for NWC 32 in 2009. Quite a few of my "Pros" are on Livejournal, and it is turning out to be a real All-Star cast. I'm very excited to see Gaming Panels ROCK the Con this time!

So, 2009 should be awesome. PaizoCon II. Norwescon 32. More gaming on the horizon. A surprise trip to Disneyland in the works.

So, to all....Happy New Year!

My Gaming Style

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:44:40 GMT

Thanks to wanton_heat_jet for showing this quiz.

I blame iuztheevil for introducing me to games with plots and story arcs. Who knew?

You Scored as Storyteller

You're more inclined toward the role playing side of the equation and less interested in numbers or experience points. You're quick to compromise if you can help move the story forward, and get bored when the game slows down for a long planning session. You want to play out a story that moves like it's orchestrated by a skilled novelist or film director.

Storyteller

92%

Method Actor

75%

Butt-Kicker

58%

Tactician

58%

Power Gamer

58%

Specialist

50%

Casual Gamer

33%

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 23:12:14 GMT

This is pretty much what I expect to see tonight.....

Go Silly Party!!

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:01:02 GMT

Good for one laugh...one LOOOOONG laugh:

One year older...and completely defying it.

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:44:01 GMT

So, yesterday I turned 38.

It pretty much ended my opportunity to quote Monty Python when asked about my age:

I'm 37. What? I'm 37. I'm not old. I can't just call you "man".

Anyway, it was a good birthday. My wife treated me on Saturday to a night out without the kids, and we started off by going to a Half-Price Books store that always has an awesome selection of D&D books. I picked up the "DMG II" and "Tome of Battle Book of Nine Swords". Now I can begin to figure out what irishninja is doing with his crusader in our online game!

After the bookstore, we headed down to Seattle Center, picked up our tickets to the Dark Knight on the IMAX, and headed down to Queen Anne for Thai food. Yum! Then back up to see the Dark Knight. I had seen it before, on a normal sized screen...but the movie on the IMAX was truly awesome. Some of those shots they took from way up high? Whoa. It felt like you were right there. What a rush!

Yesterday, we went out for Cajun food, my favorite ethnic cuisine. And I received TWO Wii games for my presents: "Boom Blox" and "Force Unleashed". And two lightsaber extensions for my Wii remotes. And I think I'm getting a copy of Dungeon Runner as well. All this gaming goodness, and yet...I still have a powerful urge to go buy "Spore" very soon.

I'm sure I'll forget about Spore very soon, as I sit down to toss stormtroopers around like rag-dolls, and let loose with some Force Lightning.

Wow, I have a mean dungeon!

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:58:37 GMT

I died in the Dungeon of Timitius

I was killed in a grimy tomb by Pygon the troll, whilst carrying...

the Wand of Pathfinder, a Figurine of Greenfeyboy, the Axe of Lordgigz and 19 gold pieces.

Score: 34

Explore the Dungeon of Timitius and try to beat this score,
or enter your username to generate and explore your own dungeon...

I emerge victorious!

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:30:49 GMT

I escaped from the Dungeon of Wesschneider!

I killed Shellyinseattle the arch-demon, Ms Monkey the orc, Ironlich the owlbear, Neighborboy the kobold, Lemuriapress the minotaur, E Cunningham the gelatinous cube, Jediwiker the dragon, Kyle Hunter the troll and Wesschneider the dragon.

I looted the Dagger of Frabjousdave, the Wand of Merrialmango, the Wand of Vanderbolt, the Wand of Roninevil and 203 gold pieces.

Score: 203

Explore the Dungeon of Wesschneider and try to beat this score,
or enter your username to generate and explore your own dungeon...

They are out!

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:50:52 GMT

Well, it's done. The whole thing took less than a half hour...I think. At least that's when I woke up. All three came out quite easily, and I have them in a little plastic tooth container. It's weird to look at teeth with roots. All I ever saw was the teeth I lost as a kid, and those didn't have roots!

As for the pain, I can't say. I'm on oxycodone and ibuprofen, and the anesthesia is taking quite a while to wear off. It's been at least 6 hours after, and I'm JUST starting to feel my lower lip again. The painkiller/narcotic is just....nasty. When I got up for the bathroom, I nearly fainted, and it took 10 minutes of crashing back on the couch to feel better again. I think I'll limit that to bedtime/sleeping periods.

I've been drinking smoothies, and just got a big bowl of instant mashed pototoes that tastes wonderful. My wife was torturing me tonight by watching the Food Network...some Southern Life cooking contest.

Catfish never looked so good......

So, do I take a Wisdom penalty now?

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:59:58 GMT

Well, I have avoided this day for too long....

Today I am having my wisdom teeth removed. All 3 of them. Yes, just 3...that's all I have. (A reduced number of bones is a sign of evolutionary advancement, by the way, so I've secretly been superior to many of my less-advanced humans.) ;-)

I've been pretty proud of the fact I had them so long. My childhood dentist told me that they were coming in straight, had plenty of room, and he saw no immediate need to remove them. Dentists that I've seen since then have all immediately recommended that they be removed "before they cause problems", advice that I've answered with, "When they start causing problems, then I'll consider it."

So, when my wisdom teeth developed cavities, I argued that fillings were just fine, thank you. And they have been, until now. The upper left tooth now has cavities all around the filling, and looks to be spreading it to the molar next door. So, out they come.

Two things make me nervous right now:
1) General anesthesia. Never had it. Ever. I've had to watch my youngest son go under, and it was not a fun experience. So, this has me a bit worried.

2) The amount of pain that I'm in for. I've heard the full spectrum on this one...from no problems at all, to horrid pain that only drugs can grant relief from. Don't worry...I've got the drugs. But it's the 4 days of Hell that should have been a fun Labor Day weekend that's got me all bummed. I'm likely going to miss PAX again this year.

Well, 2 hours and counting......

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:04:37 GMT

This...is.....awesome!

British Genius: The IT Crowd

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:50:29 GMT

A year ago, I found possibly the best British comedy I've seen in a while: The IT Crowd. Nearly the whole first season was up on Google Video, and I spent most of that week watching the episodes over and over again. And then, with the lack of a 2nd season available, I forgot about it.

Until last night. For some reason, I remembered it, logged in to YouTube, and ran a search. And LO! the whole second season shows up! I really did have full intentions of going to bed at a reasonable hour...really! But, man, watching the first two episodes of Season 2 had me holding my gut, wiping the tears from my eyes, and enduring wicked looks from my wife as I howled with laughter in front of my computer as she tried to talk on the phone with a friend.

Really, truly, if you have not seen this show, start now....with the first episode.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

4e....Finally!

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 06:42:58 GMT

So, I attended the WW D&D Game Day at Neumos in Seattle, and got to play the 2 hr demo.  I was lucky enough to get to play with mearls, even. It was good to see him again, as I hadn't seen him in over a year. Actually, I saw several friends there: delve_srm, therobfather, and (gasp) iuztheevil.

Bottom line: I had fun!

Yes, the game system is very different. Yes, it is a departure from the 3.5 ruleset. But, you know what? I STILL enjoyed playing it, and learning how it works! Honestly, I pretty much sequestered myself from the pro vs anti-4e debates, as it got increasingly nasty over mere rumours and speculation. I was so happy today to be able to look at the rules, give them a go, and PLAY. No preconceived notions. No bias. Just the judgement of whether I had a good time playing or not. And I did. I had fun playing 4e!

I have to say, these books are damned nice to look at! All through, the layout is just a pleasure to the eyes. I DO have an issue with all tieflings looking near identical...apparently the only horns a tiefling can sport are sheep or goat horns. ;-)

Yet, as I visit the messageboards, and read blogs and posts, it is still pretty apparent that now that people can actually HAVE the books in hand, they are still making the same arguments on why they won't buy the books, and won't ever play 4e. EVER. And they get really, REALLY pissed about it, and about the fact that those who do choose to play are "MMORPG-lovin', brainless gits".

I'm honestly having a hard time figuring out why this sort of feeling seems to permeate the gaming community. If you haven't read it, how can you possibly know anything about it? That's like walking out of a movie after the opening scene, and telling everyone the whole movie was crap. Plus, if it's not your style of game, why not just stick with 3.5? I mean, it's one of many possible games available to play. It's not the ONLY one.

I've said it to several people: "Accept that this is a completely different game and system. Stop trying to compare it to 3.5, and stop trying to believe that it should have been 3.75, 3.95, 3.99 or whatever. The sooner you do that, the more comfortable you will be with the way things have worked out." Yet, this advice seems to irritate them further....so, I really am even more perplexed. WTF?

Me personally, I'll not be giving up my 3.5 just because a new edition is out. Heck, I'm buying up all the 3.5 books I'm missing so that I can start a 3.5 game for my old high school chums that haven't playing since 1988.  I will be playing Pathfinder as much as possible, too.  Those Paizo folks mightly impress me with each and every item they think up, so I throw my support behind them fully. But, you know, I will be enjoying me some 4e flavor as well. And why not? Why can't I play lots of different game systems? As long as I get some enjoyment playing, that should be all that matters, right?

I've been reflecting on this lately, and you know what? It's a good time to be a gamer...

I need more volume, R2!!

Sun, 11 May 2008 21:38:43 GMT

OK, I'm going to need to move now. To a place with hardwood floors, and big white walls and ceilings.....

Oh, and I'm going to need a LOT of money....

For this: an R2-D2 DVD Projector

That's all. Full geek mode ON.

You got your Shoggoth in my Mecha!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:21:05 GMT

So, I'm googling PaizoCon, to see how far my isolated efforts actually spread across the internet, when I land on RPG.net. I am reading a short thread, and I look up at the ad header and see.....CthulhuTech.

My brain does a little "WTF?" and I make a mental note to return to that.

So....I did return to that.....here

I've browsed through the site. I've watched the video (awesome art BTW). And I SO WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME. I suspect that my Hellgate: London habit is just amplifying this a few notches, though. I'm looking at this, and I get a Hellgate to DOOM feeling from it. And making that an RPG, not a video game, just excites me to all get-out!

But, at the same time, I have no idea if it is good or if it sucks. I have lots of these "cool" games on my shelves that I have never played, or played for awhile shelved due to lack of true playability or interest (Contiuum, In Nominae, and yes, my beloved Cyberpunk 2020).

So, what's the scoop on CthulhuTech?? Cool? Or should I just start in on another kooky idea to meld Call of Cthulhu with Cyberpunk 2020? Hmmm. Maybe use CoC d20 with CyberpunkOGL....

As an aside, that makes me think of many combos of games I've wanted to try..... my favorite was:
In Nominae with Call of Cthulhu, where the angels and demons team up to take on the "Ancient Ones" and their minions. I still say that would ROCK.

Roll your "Craft: Run mini-con" for me...

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:07:00 GMT

It is done. And, by GOD, we pulled it off!

This weekend, Paizocon 2008 was held at La Quinta in Bellevue/Kirkland. We had 32 paid attendees, and 11 Guests! Strangely enough, everything went very, very well. I was positive that something would go terribly, terribly wrong...but it seemed that the only difficulties were that the hotel didn't supply us with the coffee and water they said they would (which would have simply taken one person to go tell the front desk...doh!), and the fact that I bought way too much food! And I mean it....I cajoled many locals to take a whole pizza with them, take that bag of chips, nay TWO PLEASE, and say...don't you want a dozen sodas or beers for the road????

I ended up bringing 3 pizzas home (which I had to freeze), a half a case of beer, and a case of soda, not to mention several bags of chips (including one of those 6 lb. pretzel bags...GAH!!!), 1.5 salsa jugs, and a pint of hummus. I think I should pay a visit to Paizo this week to dump some of this in their kitchen....

But on the whole, everything went...well, incredibly. Everyone was thrilled to get so many Paizo staff and contributors to come talk. Nearly everyone walked away with a prize or Paizo product of some sort. Nearly everyone who wanted to played in a game run by Jason, James, or Wolfgang. No one went unfed.

We gave a "Fan Appreciation Award" to Paizo...represented by Jason, James, and Mike. This was one of the original ideas that we all really wanted to do, but somehow it got lost in transmission or something, so Liz and I scrambled to figure out HOW to make it happen. Leave it to my wife to suggest MAKING one, and no sooner had she suggested it, Liz was on it. And it looked phenomenal!

Plus, it felt good...the whole thing. Presenting the award. Having 43 people come to together at an event I helped put together and really enjoy themselves for almost 15 hours. Meeting people I have only typed at (or in Liz's case, voice chatted with over demon killing) for the past 2 years or so. And knowing that this success might set the stage for future Paizocons...

Yeah. It feels good.

For the Living!!!! Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:06:11 GMT

Hi, I'm Tim, and play Hellgate: London (aka HGL). A lot. Geez, just watch this video, and tell me that this game doesn't look cool (even playing TaTu can't ruin it!)

For the past few months, I've been playing this game as much as I can. For a while, I was distracted by our Wii. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is equally addictive, but in a more wholesome, less violent way. And then, the nightly Paizocon planning activities were taking a bit of time away from the game as well.

Then came taxes. MY job was to straighten out the thick stack of EOB's and medical expenses, and figure out the mileage for all said medical expenses. Not surprisingly, I managed to blow those off until a week before April 15th. (Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!). And then, we had a wonderful three weeks in a row of D&D gaming goodness, via MapTools, in lordgigz's Aram campaign, Sins of the Ancients.

This all cut into HGL time. I was playing along in the multiplayer with several others from the Paizo chatroom on Wednesday nights, but after missing 3 weeks in a row, I fell behind by 6-7 levels. So.....with taxes done and off, D&D on a bi-week, Paizocon booked and waiting, and the Wii not so attractive...I hit HGL HARD, in an attempt to catch up. And by staying up until 1 AM the past two nights, I have closed that gap to only 3 levels! However:

Now I am too damned tired to play another late night.

Crap.

I suspect this was the demons' plan the whole time.....

UPDATE: guh.....I ended up playing anyway, until nearly midnight. Zach gave me the coolest legendary sword I have ever seen. So, it WAS worth it!

And so, it begins...

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:46:24 GMT

Ha! There! My first post in a blogsite! Gods, I am so savvy!

I decided to try my hand at this, mostly because I've seen how damned entertaining others have made this.

OK, honestly? Those Paizo guys sure write entertaining blogs. I started coming to Livejournal just to see what wacky stuff they've been up to lately. Good stuff.

And speaking of Paizo...what in the Hell was I thinking when I volunteered to help organize a "Paizocon"? What started out as a "sure, I'll check out meeting spaces and hotels" has turned into a...well, it's sort of a part-time job, actually. I spend at least 2 hours each night dealing with this fledgling "con"...OK, it's more of a small gaming party or meeting.

But, all in all, it's really cool. Paizocon is an idea proposed by Takasi on Paizo's messageboards. Who is Takasi? Good question. I have no idea WHO he is. I've seen a picture of him, so I might readily identify him in a line-up (hoping that I never actually NEED to do that), but I don't know his real name. Anyway, he posted the idea in a thread. I watched (lurked perhaps) the thread, and saw a lot of ideas get knocked around. I joined into the discussion after I realized that it needed to be local, and they would likely need someone who knew both the area, and some Paizo staff. And that led to...now.

It's a little under two weeks away, now. I've managed to find a meeting room capable of holding up to 40 people, in a hotel. I've gotten semi-verbal commitments from Paizo people to attend (Yay!), and I've beaten the drums, and typed from the mountaintops to cajole people into RSVPing. I'm convinced that people roll their eyes when I step into the chatroom these days (Oh, great...here comes that "PaizoCon freak" again...)

I've gotten great...nay...GRAND assistance from another member, Lilith, who masterminded the idea of giving away prizes of Paizo merchandise, and well as her skills of making a custom rune giant mini as a prize. (Plus, she plays a mean game of Hellgate:London, too.)

Today I went to Costco to price out beer, soda, and snack items for the meetup.  Also on my plate for this week: go check out the meeting space personally (I mean how big is 480 sq ft, really?), get a banquet license so we can drink beer, line up the pizza order (er, and decide WHERE to get pizza), and get the supplies to print nametags for the 30 attendees. And, since people have requested it, try to solidify a schedule for the event. Busy, busy.

So, I guess people may ask "Why do this?" Why? Because....well, because I consider those Paizo guys my friends.  Gaming with folks for over 2 years kind of does that. And I've come to really enjoy chatting with Paizo fans in the chatroom. Any chance to bring all those people together for a day of gaming and fun just seemed to be an opportunity that I didn't want to see fail. It's my hope that it proves to be something special to all those attending, and something that warrants a unanimous "let's do this again next year" feeling when it's all said and done.