A collection of rambling posts about gaming, running, and politics. (and, in 2009, photography.)

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Note To Self: Get Some Stuff Done

Crap, I have got to start getting a few things done.

I mean, sure, I have a good excuse for not doing stuff, but I have gobs and gobs of pictures that I need to sort through, tag, upload, etc. And lots of other stuff. Ahhhh, what'd I'd give for about another 8 wakeful hours every day.

Monday, April 27, 2009

How I'm Ruining Gaming For Myself

I'm being a real jerk to myself.

I loaded up Civilization 4 and started playing. See, I practically grew up playing the Civ line of games. So I'm totally in love with them.

The problem is, I'm gaming the hell out of it. I'm trying to get 110% efficiency, and when something doesn't go the way I want it, I reload the game. And it totally freaking sucks, because instead of enjoying playing Civ, I'm letting myself get frustrated when it doesn't go how I want it to.

*headdesk*

Friday, April 24, 2009

Dominion: The Return of John

Alright folks, John has redeemed himself.

We got Jason involved as well, and played through a rousing game of Dominion, and despite my best efforts to dominate the victory cards, John managed to secure a victory for himself.

Its a great game, and we're looking forward to trying out different card combos.

Hurray for Friday. Zombie walk tonight, woozah!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Dominion: Great Success! (for me, at least)

We played Dominion last night at John's place, and he lost. Terribly.

I'm taunting him openly because I'll gladly allow a rematch. A chance for him to save his dignity, and avoid me taunting him on the internet.

So yeah. Dominion rocked my socks. I love love love simple-yet-deep card games, like this one, and For Sale, and Citadels, and even It's Alive and Guillotine.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Zombie Walk 2009

I've waited till the 11th hour to do so, but here's some pimping of the 2009 Zombie Walk in downtown Memphis!

Copied from here, and I believe quoted from my friend Lindsey:

"This is the third-annual zombie walk in Memphis. Friday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m., we’ll step off in front of the New Daisy on Beale, heading down this route. We offer professional makeup help for people who need a little boost. This year, our artists will be stationed at Handy Park starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The line gets pretty long pretty fast, so it’s best to come early. It’s even better to do your own makeup at home and show us how creative you can be (fellow organizer Patrick offers online tutorials at www.hauntedweb.com). Our artists zombify you for free, but tips are appreciated.

Aside from coming already zombified or getting zombified by our artists, you also have the option of placing a duct-tape X on your shirt and positioning yourself somewhere along the route, and the horde will devour you.

The zombie walk is a public art performance spectacle sponsored by a small group of volunteers. It’s not tied to politics or a particular cause or business or charity or anything like that — it’s just a chance for people to get dressed up and come out and have a good time and give the tourists downtown something to talk about. We tend to see a lot of horror-movie enthusiasts come out.

We always try to schedule it to coincide with art trolley tour night, because that helps guarantee that there will be foot traffic along South Main. We always start at Beale Street for the same reason. Crowd reaction is usually just as interesting as the zombies themselves.

The past two years, we’ve had roughly 300 zombies come out to join us. We’re always hoping for bigger crowds, so we’ll see how this year pans out. We do our organizing mostly online, via MySpace and Facebook. We’re online here: http://myspace.com/memphiszombies, and we have a Twitter account at http://twitter.com/memphiszombies."

So for you locals, be sure to go join the undead, or at least come and be entertained.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Born OK the first time

The other day, while out running an errand, I saw a truck in the Lowe's parking lot with a couple of bumper stickers on it. I don't spend much time reading bumper stickers, but I noticed an Obama sticker on the truck, and slowed down enough to read the other two. One said "I vote Constitutionally", and had the ACLU web address on it. Cool. The other said "Born OK the first time." HAH! I then realized that I'd left my phone in the car, went and grabbed it, passed by the truck again, and stopped to take a pic of the Born OK sticker with my camera phone. As I clicked, I heard a cart rolling toward me, and saw an older - maybe 60 years - white lady pushing a cart right toward me.

"You like that sticker?" she asked.

"I do. Is that yours?" I asked, indicating the truck.

"It is."

"Well I agree with you!" I declared, and smiled at her, and headed into the store to do my errands.

Afterward, I wished that I'd stopped longer and at least exchanged more pleasantries. Helped her with whatever she was carrying maybe. Told her that I appreciated the stickers on her truck, and that it was always nice to randomly bump into someone of a similar philosophical/political bent, especially as Red as our state is.

So... next time you get a chance, hug a liberal atheist! Or at least smile and say hi. We don't bite!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

"Heroes" RPG

Some people might hit me with a tire iron, but I was mulling over a game involving non-super Heroes, done with Watchmen in mind. What would it be like if people really put on capes and spandex and went out to fight bad guys? We'd play up how they have no real place in the world, and all of the huge gray area between right and wrong.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Day 100: Oooh! Shiny!

(for Saturday, April 11)

Day 99: Piper in Pink

(for Friday, April 10)



She's pretty darn cute.

Day 98: Fuzzy In Black

(for Thursday, April 9)



This hot little thing was hanging out on my back porch.

Day 97: Pink Headband

(for Wednesday, April 8)



I don't really have anything to add.

Day 96: Berry

(for Tuesday, April 7)



Gregg, my father-in-law, has a D80, which I've barely been able to put down. It's an awesome camera.

<3

Day 95: Piper and Yazhi

(for Monday, April 6)



Yazhi is super awesome with Piper. She's been very curious and interested, downright mothering, it seems. If we let her, Yazhi will get halfway into the bed and hover over Piper. Its pretty dang cute.

Day 94: Heading Home

(for Sunday, April 5)



Wooooo, going home from the hospital.

Everyone is doing totally great!

Also, I'll make you a promise - not every pic in my project from here on out will be of my very cute baby. (a lot of them will, but not every single one. best I can do)

Day 93: Mom and Baby

(for Saturday, April 4)



This was 3AM on the 4th. A night of feeding and diaper changes, and acclimating to change.

Day 92: Birthday!!

(for Friday, April 3)



Here we are! Everyone knows, I'm sure, especially since I'm catching up here.

Piper was born at 7:41 this morning. C Section went fine. Baby and mom (and everyone else) are doing just great. She was 8 pounds even, and 20 1/4 inches long.

Day 92: Packed

(for Thursday, April 2)



And a runner-up weather photo.

We talked to the doctor today, and we will be going in for a C Section on Friday, April 3. Here we gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Day 91: Capleville School

(for Wednesday, April 1)



The abandoned Capleville School on Shelby Drive is always fascinating to me, in the way that abandoned structures are.

I stopped to take some photos, mindful that its in a shady part of town. I looked around before I parked, made sure that there was nothing or no one suspicious looking, and that I was in clear view of the road. I locked my car and walked up the sidewalk, checking the place out, taking some photos. I could peer into the courtyard within, and in though doors standing open. I have no idea at the story behind the place. How long its stood empty, or why. Though I'm sure its a dull story about city finances or zoning, or some new school building somewhere. It's brick, and I would guess its only stood empty for a few less-than-ten-years. Still, windows are broken, its weedchoked, and there are holes in the walls and vandalism. I very briefly thought about going inside, or even right up to one of the doors to take photos, but its clearly marked with no trespassing signs, and I have no idea what kind of ruffians might be lurking within. Urban spelunking certainly appeals to me though.

Just as I'm about done taking photos, and slowly heading back toward my car, which was still in eyesight, I see a light colored SUV pull into the little driveway where my car is parked. I figure maybe he's turning around, but no, he stops, just a dozen feet from my car and sits in the SUV, watching me. He looks hispanic maybe, youngish. Now I'm watching him, still taking a couple of quick shots of the school. I'm thinking "Great, I'm going to get robbed out here." Still, I'm standing 10 feet from the street, where there is some traffic. So I continue to mosey over, watching him watching me. My car is between me and him, of which I'm a little glad, since I'm going over worst-case-scenarios. I get within voice distance as I approach my car, and give him a friendly "How's it going?", I wonder maybe if he's stopped to ask me for directions or something. He asks "Do you know who owns this place?", and I'm like "Uh, no, not really....", and then I realize that I'm standing fifteen feet away from this sign. "It's city or county property I suppose."

He fishes around his neck for a second and then shows me a badge that's hanging from a chain. "I'm a cop," he says. "Oh good," I think.

He doesn't give me a hard time, and I volunteer that I'm just taking a few photos. He nods at me and pulls out onto the street and drives away. I hop into the car and drive away as well.

Ahhh, the tiniest hint of danger is exhilarating.

Day 90: Conficker Countdown

(for Tuesday, March 31)



Some last minute server-patching at the office.

Day 89: A Little Bit of Reading

(for Monday, March 30)

Day 88: Olive Garden

(For Sunday, March 29)



I'm such a hypocrite. One day we'll go back to not spending our entire income on eating out.

Also: Sorry, if you're seeing this on a feed reader. I'm catching up.

Day 87: Wind over Hernando

(For Saturday, March 28)



The pic for today was nearly Michael and Jerry and I playing some old school D&D down in Hernando. It was SO FUN.

We had a really good wind storm, and I stopped to take a picture of some of the weather.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire

Alright gang, did you catch Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire? Oh it was SO FUNNY. We loved it. And since we know that TV loves to yank good tv shows, I implore you:

Go and post a comment here and let Comedy Central know how much you liked it!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Hello World!

Just popping on here to say that I'll be spotty on here for a bit. For those of you waiting breathlessly for my next photo, I'm sorry, you'll have to wait a bit longer. I'm still taking them, but I've proven that I'm lazy about getting them uploaded, now more than ever since I'm busy taking care of a new baby girl. Huzzah!

I'm still taking photos, and hopefully you'll get a huge dump of them sometime in the not-too-distant future.