Category: Misc

Last night I did some grocery shopping, then headed to Chipolte’s. I parked a short distance away and noticed a pair of paramedics getting out of their truck. As fate had it, I reached the door just before they did, so I held it open. They walked through.

Perhaps fifteen seconds before the paramedics had gone in, a couple had walked in the door. The line was reasonably long, but nothing outrageous.

We’re standing in line for a minute or so, when a guy walks in the door. He passes both me and the paramedics and joins the couple. Then, perhaps feeling guilty, they wave the paramedics forward, ahead of their expanded party of three.

It ended in tears, after I asked her to marry me and she said yes.

There was also chocolate cake.

Revolution and Angels and Operators. A mass choose your own adventure; the votes of the audience choose the storyline.

Idea inspired by Conquest Sacramento: Run Shadows or Universalis? DitV perhaps?

Recent books recommendations that I should follow up on:
Tamora’s Pierce’s book, Alanna. It blew me away. — Kameron Hurley, must check out
Engine Summer — also strongly recommended
Good book for Betsey & Wes? — Gilead, by Marilynn Robinson
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson.

Card Game recommendation:
Tichu. (In games top 10). [Alt: Frank’s Zoo, or Zheng Fen]

Collector’s Paradise (Bullard between First & Cedar)
$10 D&D Mini boosters (theoretically)
1075 E Bullard Ave # 104, Fresno, CA 93710
(559) 439-3511

Hilzoy: On Distractions

Feminist Carnivals Links to all the carnivals.

A lawless executive

Reminder: Gitmo

Kyngdoms: Interesting map. Unfortunately, it looks like the rivers don’t always make sense, but it might be a good place to steal elements from.

Panoramic Maps Surprisingly informative maps of old towns.

Pallidium Books goodies What’s going on with Rifts and other things; plus an “almost blog” by Kevin about publishing, etc.

Questionable Content Fun, geeky webcomic

Alternate DitV Character Sheets

Johari Meme for me (You pick traits that you think are you, then everyone else comes through and picks traits that they percieve. See where your blindspots are.)

Movie Suggestions (Shakespear’s Sister comment thread)

Central Valley Gamers (blog) ,
Story Games Forums

Knowledge: Current Events is a publisher who converts real world events into D20 elements.

I greatly appreciate Hilzoy’s writings at Obisidan Wings. Her posts are bracing– the make me think about issues in ways I’ve never considered before.

The Blame Game was my favorite Hilzoy post of the year. About real contrition; the key to living a moral life.

Hared is a Poison is a classic, brilliant, Hilzoy post that springboards from C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christiaity.

The responsibility to get it right, an upbraiding of those who refuse to take responsiblities for the wrongs they encourage.

Together with Katherine, they tackled torture this year. Her posts cut to the heart of the matter; in general, her call to examine torture clearly is a great introduction to complex thought on the topic. Working with Katherine she details our abuses and shady dealings. Maher Arar is the category that deals with torture– it has far too many posts for a shining city on the hill.

This was a messy weekend for the computer– I logged on Friday night to find that I’d been invaded by a combination of viruses and a pair of nasty spyware programs. Despite my best efforts I couldn’t wipe out the infestation, even using several programs in series. So I created a new windows installation and managed to burn much of my old data off to CD.

Yesterday, I thought I’d continue the reinstallation, since most programs require the Windows directory to work. The first reinstallation of WoW didn’t work… probably a conflict with the old version. So I’m looking at reinstalling it again… and running many, many MB of patches to get up to current.

On the other hand, upgrading to Movable Type 3.2 didn’t go too badly at all. Each step of the way there was a little problem, but the documentation was good enough that I could debug it and move on. It’s working very well so far– let me know if you see any problems. (I’m really looking forward to the improved comment and trackback control– even trackbacks were getting badly spammed before the update.)