Wait, Master. There is something I must know

It's funny how we as free thinking individuals must justify things we do. We seek to gain approval. If it's good enough for ourselves, then why must we also seek to appease the masses? Many things in life are done for self-satisfaction. The need to accomplish something in order to feel gratified. We often state that the opinion of others is not important or required. Yet we still reach out to them. Is it truly to get approval or is it sub-conscious bragging? Many people share their hobbies, crafts, or achievements with their friends. Or even to a smaller degree the friends that are or will be involved. These things I truly believe are to get recognition from your loved ones. A sense of pride is found in sharing with the people close to you. It's when we shout from the rooftops, that the issue arises. There are numerous things that we hear (or are forced to hear) everyday, that we could care less about. It's wonderful that the lady in front of me at the store has a neighbor who's two year old can swim. Why must she tell the cashier? How in the hell did that casually come up in the conversation usually containing "do you have any coupons?" The lady must just be talking to hear herself talking. Or she needs some sort of nod of acknowledgment to continue her day. Are our two cents even worth that much? You bought a new car, made lasagna, planted some flowers, climbed a mountain. Good for you. Does someone telling you good job and patting you on the back make any of those things better? Unless I get to ride in it, eat it, touch it, or sit on it (TWSS) then do I really need to hear about it?

The dark side of the force has clouded their vision, my friend.

Friendship can be a strange thing. It can sometimes go as fast as it arrived. A chance meeting, a mere head nod in passing, or a simple introduction through someone can turn into a lifelong friend. As well, a single statement, someone else's word, or the wrong decision can simply end it. I pride myself on the friends that I surround myself with. In many ways I cherish them more than family, due to the fact that they can leave. They don't have to love me like family. They don't have to put up with my shit. They don't have to stand by me unconditionally. Friends are rented. You "pay" them with your laughter, stories, help, company, and understanding. If at any time you fail to make a payment, a friend can up and leave. That is why I hold my friends up and above all. They choose to stick with me through tough decisions. They help make the tough times easier by their own choice. They willingly give their time to make mine more enjoyable. Every once in a while though a friend will slip through the cracks. You lose touch, move away, come to a crossroads, or disagree on an obstacle. Poof, they are gone. Sometimes they come back. Sometimes an agreement can be reached, Sometimes it is goodbye. I feel that I have lost very few "true friends" in my lifetime, all for various reasons. Some I consider unfortunate, others not so much in hindsight. I consider myself a genuine person, I have flaws I will be the first to admit that. But I stay true to my beliefs, my family, and mostly my friends. That will never go away.

He has foreseen this. It is your destiny!

Have you ever popped in a DVD, sat down on the couch, wrapped the blanket around you, dove into the bowl of popcorn, and snuggled in for a great movie experience. Only to have the disc tell you that your not going to enjoy the movie because it's not on Blu-ray? Blu-ray, "better than real life." Well too bad for you I'm watching a movie, and not real life. I do not need Blu-ray to enjoy my movie experience. I want humor, drama, explosions, acting, and a story. "But it's far superior to DVD", you say? Interesting, we've watched DVD's for years, never complaining about them. Whats the big deal? "You can see the chicken pock marks on Jennifer Annistions face!" Um, that doesn't make the movie anymore enjoyable. I especially love the part before the movie when the preview splits the screen saying. The left side is DVD and the right side is the amazing technology of Blu-ray. Really cause I'm watching a DVD, so just make the DVD look like the right side of the screen.

All that said, I'll be buying a Blu-ray player on September 16th. Nothing to do with the crystal clear technology, superior sound, or conformity. My TVs aren't even hooked up to HD. One of them isn't even HD compatible! I am also not giving into the PS3 dual whammy. I'll just buy a game system and oops I have Blu-ray too! Nope. I will be buying Blu-ray for one reason only, so George Lucas can have some more of my money. I hope he set up a commission program with Blu-ray. A form for me to fill out saying I only bought this useless piece of machinery cause George made me, now send him some of your money too. Yes, I own the Star Wars movies already. On VHS, DVD, DVD extended, Dvd remastered, DVD transfers of the original releases from laserdisc, the Phantom Edits, Rifftrax versions, and soon to be Blu-ray. Not for the sound. Not for the picture. Not for a complete collection. Certainly not to give George more money. I will be buying them for the over 40 hours of bonus material and special features including never-before-seen deleted and alternate scenes, an exploration of the exclusive Star Wars archives, behind the scenes, documentaries and much more. Forty hours! That's like twenty more movies worth of material. And I will enjoy all of them on my not-HD TV, getting the full not reality experience. And 10 more years from now, when your all ranting about Holo-discs, I'll finally buy one of those when Star Wars is released.

You are a part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor!

Dopplegangers, clones, pod people, travelers from the future. Call em whatever you want. Everyone seems to at one time or another claim that they have seen one. I recently saw the fat twin of a friend of mine. I called to tell him, actually I texted (I didn't want to rip a hole in space due to both their phones ringing). Anyways, I texted to tell him. He wasn't dismissive, he offered me the alternate explanation that it could be his brother. After relaying the details of when and where, the brother theory was ruled out. The possibility of it actually being his clone, not. So what if we really do have a fat twin out there? Are they the same as us, or the complete opposite. Does my twin hate games, does he love Star Trek, is he a billionaire? Probably all things I will never know. You never see your own doppleganger. It's always one of a friend, who's not with you. Does the power of the
other you repel you so you can never be in the same place at the same time? Is deja vu when you enter a situation your other has experienced? Does their good luck equal your bad? Disease, sickness, wealth, humor, status, do these all relate? Are they as easily persuaded that we exist? Keep your eyes peeled, they are out there somewhere. Maybe they're with your perfect mate, in a miserable relationship. Longing for a better life, the one your living. And you thought you were having a bad day.

Help me Robby-Wan, your my only hope.

I received two very nice comments about my blog today. One was an in depth message specifically in response to an earlier post (Dolls, Diamonds, or Dice), and the other a very simple comment. A simple comment that couldn't please me more in fewer words. It amazed me to think that "holy shit, people are really reading this" and " people really like this". I started this blog for myself, a quiet way to express my creativity, something that was relaxing, cheap, and took little time. All things strangled by my other various hobbies. Now I find that I am bringing some of that to other people, which gives me another bonus. Joy. In my small group of friends I find that there is great diversity, be it likes, hobbies, recreations, beliefs, and marital and child status. But somehow we all play nice together. Finding common threads to talk about. I know that my blog goes way above some people when discussing D20's, counterspells, Ithorians, Symbiotes, and Lloyd Grant. Yet we somehow all read something here that keeps bringing us back. Maybe someday people who aren't my friends will start reading this. Maybe I'll make new friends. Maybe you'll make new friends. For now I thank everyone who reads this. Thank you for talking time out of your day to listen to me. Thank you for showing a friend my post cause you thought they'd like it. Thanks for your words of encouragement.

Nuff Said

Dolls, Diamonds, or Dice?

Ever have the urge to just buy something new? Go out and just find something you don't have and bring it home? That's my current feeling. Melissa will cringe when she sees this. I have been known in the past to bring home some very "unnecessary" items in her mind. I would like to think this time would be different though. I'm sure she will do her giddy little goblin clap when she finds out I want to buy her something. The question is what? Melis and I have been together for fifteen years, married for seven. We have been through many interests in that time that have come and gone. Some things have stuck around, some are a flash in the pan, and others are still here waiting in the shadows to strike again someday. There was a period in time when Mel collected plush Eeyores. She will tell you it was me who was collecting them, but every time I brought one home for her she would smile. There was also a time when I would buy her jewelry. She never really asked for it or got excited about it, but isn't that what your supposed to buy women? Even just this last Christmas she asked for a Panadora bracelet. I was excited as this is a collection based item, and it's always fun to buy more. Alas she hasn't worn it that often, and minimal trips to complete her "checklist" have taken place. The one thing that has always been around with Melis and I, and to a larger extent my family, is games. I remember learning cribbage from my grampy, who still to this day I think cheated. Nana and I used to play rummy for entire afternoons. Again I think she cheated too. My family in the past has had whole nights devoted to Hearts, Spades, Queens, Penny poker, and more recently Wizard. Melis was introduced to a lot of my family at said game nights. She jumped right in and joined the fun. Well except when it came to marathon Monopoly games. She has played or at least tried most games I have played. In high school she even had her own Magic deck. I have tried to get her to try some newer card games (Pokemon, Maple Story) and some figure games (Star Wars, Hero Clix) but none have caught on with her. We have also enjoyed many a board game. I love trivial pursuit, she will every now and then entertain a game with friends. She is a big fan of Compatibility, I think only cause the dark side of her loves to see people get mad at their significant other. We have a whole closet of games that see the light of day every now and then. Mel knows the joy I get in game night and always urges me to go to the store on Tues nights. I want to return some of that joy to her by buying us a new game. I know she has enjoyed the last few games she has demo'd (Alhambra,Settlers of Catan) so I think I will either pick up one of those, or find something similar. It is difficult to ignore the feelings that I will like a game and focus on what she would like in a game. Hopefully I can find one we both enjoy as well as our friends.

You should be able to play what you want.

I sit here around the table with my gaming buddies, spewing out inside jokes to each other. Some of these require the knowledge of certain games, movies, shows, or instances in the store from the past. All of which have one of the players as the butt of the joke. One dead on comment spurs another tangent from someone until the table is laughing and no one remembers whose turn it is. Then it begins all again just as things seem to settle down. The ultimate goal is to be the last one to get the zinger. Or just plan distract the opponent. Often times horribly imitated dialects, make up a good portion of the rants. Until someone either does it too good or messes it up horribly. Laughing makes up a large portion of game nights, one of the main reasons I love coming to them. The company far outways the negative comments that are portrayed by nongamers, but even nongamers are gamers. Almost everyone plays some sort of game. Cribbage, Monopoly, Sorry, Crazy Eights, Scrabble. All games involving cards and or game pieces. Why do you play them? Could it be because you enjoy getting the family and friends to come over for a fun filled night? That's all that "gamers" are doing. Yea we might have fancy little dolls and binders full of cards, but all were doing is having a fun night. And getting a little ribbing in too. 

With a biased opinion comes great responsibility

. 

The trailer for the new spiderman reboot has been out for a few days now. I originally had mixed feelings about it. I was pleased with the acting job of Toby Mcquire and most of the cast. Kirsten Dunst being the exception, she does look good in a wet shirt, but I don't think she could get out of one. I have since watched the trailer multiple times and have seen it on the big screen, not persuading my overall opinion. I think it looks good. I do not however give two, hell three shits about 3D. It wasn't until people who in my opinion are not knowledged starting questioning and even trashing it, that I started to fight for the movie. I have defended the story, the actors, the writers, and even the 3D. All things I was fine with in the previous version or things I disagreed with in the new. I have no question that the movie will be good. I'll be the first in line next summer. Did I think a reboot was needed? Not really. But the fact that others who know nothing, or only know what the first movies told them, start shitting on this one, I feel the obligation to defend the web slinger. I am now the biggest proponent for the amazing spiderman reboot. 

Periodic, Picnic, and Plant

The ability to create something with your own hands is one of the most self satisfying feelings someone can have. To mold raw materials into a useful item is a skill that is slowly disappearing from today's society. Everything now is made from a mold,created by a machine, or done electronically. What happened to spending days in the shed, garage, or basement skipping dinner and staying up late to create a one of a kind masterpiece. I love the feeling when I figure out the last measurement and screw that last piece of wood into place. A physical object that I have but all my energy into, that I can hold in my hand and be proud of. Yea you might have bought a cooler shed or paid someone to build you a nicer deck, but I am way more proud of mine. I can tell you the who, what, when, where's, and whys about everything I have built. I can see all the little imperfections and love everyone of them because they have a story. I also love to look back at early projects and compare them to new ones. You can see the amazing differences in styles and techniques and how I have grown and improved. I spent my weekend working on three very different projects. All when finished provided the same level of pride and achievement. One is to be enjoyed by my friends, one is for strangers to enjoy,and the last is for the elderly to enjoy. They may not be for me, but I have already enjoyed them all.

Contradiction

Many things in life contradict themselves. Jumbo shrimp, Random order, Quiet Riot. I just may be one of those things. I am a dude yet I have no problem watching a chick flick, in fact I enjoy most of them. I love to run yet my favorite foods are fries and hot wings, I even brew my own beer. Not seeing much improvement in my level of fitness there. I am a responsible adult who plays with children's toys. I, who constantly complains of being too busy, is always taking on a new task or looking for something to do. Hell I even sit down to pee.

Numbers

How many numbers are in your head? Phone #'s, pin #'s, dates, bills, addresses, and who knows what else. Everyone has a set number of things that they must use almost everyday. Whether for work, school, or home. I have to use numbers and math all day while at work. Remembering phone extensions, screen numbers, counting, recounting, adding, multiplying, and a whole lot more. At the same time in my mind I have measurements, requirements, quantities, sizes, and a bunch of other construction related #'s rattling around in there. Then on a hobby side there are numerous other things. Restrictions, formats, points, and $ values. They told us in school we would need to remember this stuff later in life and we all scoffed at them. Granted I might not need to remember it all, most of it is by personal choice, and there are things we cannot forget no matter how hard we try. 2989NN, that's a license plate I was jokingly told to remember one day. That was like fifteen years ago. And in highschool I also learned that every can of Spaghetti-O's has 1750 O's. I wish I could forget these things so I could make room to remember my anniversary. 

Nope, I'm out

I was asked an interesting question at work yesterday. Yes it's a real job. I'm not an IT guy and no I'm not a level 17 elf either. It requires real work, I pick things up and put them down. Anyways it's not really an "interesting" question but it made me think. A new lady started at work about two months ago. She transferred up from our Boston location and has finally settled into "The way life should be". We have been talking and she seems like a really nice person. She approached me and asked if I had any single friends that were normal. My first response was "not ones that are normal". Then the more I thought about it I realized that no, I don't have any single friends. I told her I know quite a few eighteen year olds. She instantly laughed. As she should, she is in her mid forties and has kids the same age. Then it came to me! Yes I actually do have a single friend. I consider him to be as normal as my friends, and I proceeded to talk him up giving the details that I know.

He just turned forty.
response -"same age nice"
He has two jobs.
response - "a stable income that's good"
He is a personal trainer.
response - "hey I love going to the gym and working out"
He also works at the game store I go to.
response- "Nope, I'm out"

Makes me wonder how hard it would be now to find a girl, being a 32 year old gamer myself.

Judging a book

Webster defines Nerd as:

: an unstylish, unattractive, or socially inept person; especially : one slavishly devoted to intellectual or academic pursuits

The stereotypical definition includes:
Glasses, braces, tall and lanky, greasy face, nose always in a book or computer, Asian, single, and possessing a replica something or other from the Star Wars universe.

I may at one time have been defined by some; okay most of these categories. I know sure as hell I have been on the wrong side of a huge pair of glasses and a bowl cut. I hope that things have changed for the better over the years. My glasses have toned down, although they regressed a little to the black nerd frames. I actually get my hair "cut" now, and it doesn't involve a dome. I've "filled" out a little, yea filled out, I'm going with that. Despite all the physical changes I guess I'm still a nerd on the inside. I wouldn't necessarily say that I am slavishly devoted to any one thing, but I certainly fill my time with a lot of things. Maybe I am devoted to hobbies. As in having as many as possible. I often find that I have laxed in one thing I love to do, usually because I have spent too much time doing another. I guess I go through phases, much like the "nerd" phase when I was younger. Although it kinda sounds like on the inside I still am one. I definitely have the Star Wars thing covered. I'm not Asian though.

honeydew

winding down, or up?

So I just spent two days on a roof. Doing what men do. In the midst of it all I had magic card combos rattling around in my head. Now after a shower and a quiet ride home, which included two stops at two different game stores, I am sitting on the couch relaxing. However I am sitting here debating on if I have enough time to mow the lawn before we go see Cars 2. I'm also chatting it up with a new facebook addict about golf clubs and hitting the links. In the back of my mind is a new Sol Ring and trading in some overpriced cards towards a new duely. You have no idea what that means, sometimes I wish I didn't either.

Living life

So what are the expectations of a 32 year old in life? I would think one would have a full time job, own a house, be married, hell most probably have a sizable 401k or other savings starting to pile up. Spend there free time collecting stamps and having date night with their friends. Then there are the "others". They live in their parents basement, spend all their part time job money at the game store or to buy a World of Warcraft mystical flying something or other. They bum a ride to the comic store every Wednesday and there diet consists of Code Red Mountain Dew and Doritos. Their game night is a bunch of nerds around a wooden table in a dank corner of the cellar with bountiful bowls of m&m's and an endless supply of geek stenching up the room. Me? I'm both. I live in my house. I go to work everyday @5am. I have a beautiful wife. I have to mow the lawn, fix my car, build another picnic table, and take the dog for a walk. Then on the flip side I collect "dolls" or action figures to those in the know. I also play Magic the Gathering, Pokemon, Heroclix, Star Wars mini's. I consider myself a pretty good Rockband player. I have marathon video game nights. I have every comic appearance of Venom, bagged and boarded. Oh and I also collect other various toys, books, games, figures, posters, movies, music, and tools, lots and lots of tools. How do I manage and balance all of this? That's a great question, maybe someday this blog with be able to answer that one.