Sorry folks
I think i have writers block or something. Just sort of have my mind else where and i can't seem to find a voice. i have a cold i think which doesn't help much for wanting to work. I'm going to try and get some sleep this week and see how i feel. Hopefully get something up on Friday.
I did make it to the book store over the weekend and found a copy of Being and Time which was cool. i also grabbed a book of Moliere's plays, guess i was inspired by The Unbelievable Truth. i wanted something with good dialog, something i am terrible at. i have my self depricating voice as the all knowing 3rd person writer insulting myself the character but thats it. One trick pony.
Well i should get back to work and listening to Chris de Burgh. No not that lady in red crap! Don't pay the ferryman Homes.
Happy Fall
;
Monday, September 20, 2004
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Hold on to the Ancient Dreams
It's Thursday again but no game. Real lives and gaming don't mix very well some weeks, we'll you've all seen Mazes and Monsters so I’m preaching to the choir. I figure I will tell you a story, tell you a legend, tell you of days of yore. Back in the days of stirruped stretch pants and 8 bit video games I was a D&D playing dork, little changes with age. Saturday nights between Headbangers Ball and late night Taco Bravo runs we gamed. I know you are probably expecting a room full of scrawny gimps that would be turned away at a blood bank for not hitting the 110 pound requirement, not the case. This was the late 80's Iron Maiden had made swords kewl and all the rockers were gaming.
Our DM was an enigma. I've never know anyone like him, yet everyone who games knows someone just like him! We are all perplexed maybe he just really gets around. Anyway Brian was the little guy with glasses and a denim jacket covered in metal band patches. I aint talking Cinderella or Trixter either; we are talking Venom, Exodus, Coroner! This guy had more D&D crap than you have seen; think you had more Bzzzt WRONG JACK! This guy had seven feet stacked up in one corner. Judges guild, All the Worlds Monsters 1-3, Alexander Van Thorne he had it all. First / Second edition he didn't care.
That was how we played first edition monks next to 2nd. ed rangers and some crazy terramancers he photo copied off some dude at Pacificon. It was insane and my friends made it worse, half of them were burnt during the game. One guy either way didn’t make much difference, you said the title of any heavy metal song though, and he would tell you the name of the record. Just randomly "We must stome the conjuering of the demon queen." "Hey The Conjuering thats a Megadeth song!" Once we had over fifteen people playing, it took four and a half hours for us to go round the table three times and kill a dragon. Half the time we would walk down to the Bon Faire on Capitol and waste another hour there. I guess I understand the looks the clerks would give us back then. A bunch of skuzzy looking kids wandering through the store showing up all at once.
I would catch a ride back home in the back of my friend’s truck which wasn’t too fun in the middle of the night around December. At least he usually had a blanket. My parents were usually waiting up and pissed off at me when I got home. My Mom had called the hospitals, blah blah. I would be in trouble a while, usually ok by the next weekend. I think Adam Curry comes on at nine and Testament is with him this week.
Our DM was an enigma. I've never know anyone like him, yet everyone who games knows someone just like him! We are all perplexed maybe he just really gets around. Anyway Brian was the little guy with glasses and a denim jacket covered in metal band patches. I aint talking Cinderella or Trixter either; we are talking Venom, Exodus, Coroner! This guy had more D&D crap than you have seen; think you had more Bzzzt WRONG JACK! This guy had seven feet stacked up in one corner. Judges guild, All the Worlds Monsters 1-3, Alexander Van Thorne he had it all. First / Second edition he didn't care.
That was how we played first edition monks next to 2nd. ed rangers and some crazy terramancers he photo copied off some dude at Pacificon. It was insane and my friends made it worse, half of them were burnt during the game. One guy either way didn’t make much difference, you said the title of any heavy metal song though, and he would tell you the name of the record. Just randomly "We must stome the conjuering of the demon queen." "Hey The Conjuering thats a Megadeth song!" Once we had over fifteen people playing, it took four and a half hours for us to go round the table three times and kill a dragon. Half the time we would walk down to the Bon Faire on Capitol and waste another hour there. I guess I understand the looks the clerks would give us back then. A bunch of skuzzy looking kids wandering through the store showing up all at once.
I would catch a ride back home in the back of my friend’s truck which wasn’t too fun in the middle of the night around December. At least he usually had a blanket. My parents were usually waiting up and pissed off at me when I got home. My Mom had called the hospitals, blah blah. I would be in trouble a while, usually ok by the next weekend. I think Adam Curry comes on at nine and Testament is with him this week.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Plan A
You ever cruise around the mall in a car that probably should have been junked years ago? You know the kind where your friend wired in some house speakers he got at a garage sale, but he really didn’t know much about wiring so every so often it sparks up and catches fire? Old math books, Burger King trash bags and Dungeons and Dragons modules slowly decaying in the hatch back trunk? Maybe you just heard some strange heavy metal music blasting incredibly loud and distorted from a red ford fiesta that seemed to be circling the parking lot? Fond memories of a misspent youth, or perhaps "memories are faded but there are really coming back."
In those days i was flipping burgers at Mc Donald's in Oakridge mall, sucked but was a pay check. Actually in retrospect it was pretty fun, I was working with a friend, hardly putting in any hours and I had a crush on a girl there. I would run by the Game Keeper before shifts or the B Dalton. Buy some goofy philosophy book and read it in the break room to try to impress said girl from sentence two. As if reading "Being and Nothingness" impresses anyone. If your smart you would run away screaming from anyone reading that, or give them a relentless beating in hope that their next incarnation will be better. If you believe in that crap, I don't "I was born a snake handler I'll die a snake handler."
Come payday I would run down to Southgate liquors and cash out my fifty bucks; using a liquor store as a bank fuck I was doing awesome back then. Then I would run down to Streetlight records cus used vinyl was pretty much all fifty bucks buys. Sad when tapes are out of your budget. Anyway I had a pretty bad taco bell habit back then, sometimes like twice in a day. Video games was another problem for me, I was freebasing contra and double dragon at the end.
There was a crew of three of us that would do Taco Bell and keystone arcade a couple of times a week. We called it plan A, which is bad when you have a code name for taco bell and video games. We would meet over in keystone parking lot and had our own parking spots since everything was closed by then. Then we would go in through the old black light back entrance to our geek opium den, 25 cents a fix. I loved that old place it was crowded and dark the way an arcade should be, like that one episode of Buster and Me. No not the one where buster liked Jacko and his friend liked Boy George, the arcade one. I would love to see that episode again. Then we would blow the rest of our cash at taco bell on Blossom Hill and sit out side until it closed. Talking film and music and bullshit too.
http://www.klov.com
In those days i was flipping burgers at Mc Donald's in Oakridge mall, sucked but was a pay check. Actually in retrospect it was pretty fun, I was working with a friend, hardly putting in any hours and I had a crush on a girl there. I would run by the Game Keeper before shifts or the B Dalton. Buy some goofy philosophy book and read it in the break room to try to impress said girl from sentence two. As if reading "Being and Nothingness" impresses anyone. If your smart you would run away screaming from anyone reading that, or give them a relentless beating in hope that their next incarnation will be better. If you believe in that crap, I don't "I was born a snake handler I'll die a snake handler."
Come payday I would run down to Southgate liquors and cash out my fifty bucks; using a liquor store as a bank fuck I was doing awesome back then. Then I would run down to Streetlight records cus used vinyl was pretty much all fifty bucks buys. Sad when tapes are out of your budget. Anyway I had a pretty bad taco bell habit back then, sometimes like twice in a day. Video games was another problem for me, I was freebasing contra and double dragon at the end.
There was a crew of three of us that would do Taco Bell and keystone arcade a couple of times a week. We called it plan A, which is bad when you have a code name for taco bell and video games. We would meet over in keystone parking lot and had our own parking spots since everything was closed by then. Then we would go in through the old black light back entrance to our geek opium den, 25 cents a fix. I loved that old place it was crowded and dark the way an arcade should be, like that one episode of Buster and Me. No not the one where buster liked Jacko and his friend liked Boy George, the arcade one. I would love to see that episode again. Then we would blow the rest of our cash at taco bell on Blossom Hill and sit out side until it closed. Talking film and music and bullshit too.
http://www.klov.com
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Piece of Mind
Its Choking hot still after dark Up riding pass midnight with the ac running full Its one of those nights where you can find some people wandering about Old couples with their dogs by sprinklers Vagrant kids near schools and parks Listless souls haunting the 7-11 down on landess The weather is making me sick and im waiting on fall Sometime near 2 its cool enough for the windows Jaspers got his head out the window panting as we are riding up Calaveras Maybe we'll head up Meridian out to Calero and find my way home Around Camden Jas is barking Again as we see the water Catherine Parr is playing on the radio as Im hearing the words whisper through
Friday, September 03, 2004
I've got a keyboard +5 and a cloak of blogging
Another Thursday and another game. It used to be the weekends in my parents garage, boiling in the summer freezing in the winter. It was great then though. Brian behind the DM screen with his manajery of creatures thrown together. Us ready to kill mosters and get goodies. A real hack n' slash dungeon crawl for the ages.
These days i am running some of the old school modules myself. U3 to be exact! The party has just gotten started on the module. They were attacked by a huge octopus while sailing to their destination, in accordance to the setup. Now they have been scouting out a Sahuagin fortress. They scouted around and found only one entrance now they are waiting for the, stupid game mechanics to present the druid with new spells in the morning. I guess they are going to try and break in, our next gaming scession. So it really ended up with not much happening. We need a little more utility in my little party i think.
Sort of works out really. The next expansion for those D&D mins will have a Sahaugin ranger in it and maybe i can buy some off ebay before the end of the module. Shoot maybe the players can too wink wink.
Well that is it for now
;
These days i am running some of the old school modules myself. U3 to be exact! The party has just gotten started on the module. They were attacked by a huge octopus while sailing to their destination, in accordance to the setup. Now they have been scouting out a Sahuagin fortress. They scouted around and found only one entrance now they are waiting for the, stupid game mechanics to present the druid with new spells in the morning. I guess they are going to try and break in, our next gaming scession. So it really ended up with not much happening. We need a little more utility in my little party i think.
Sort of works out really. The next expansion for those D&D mins will have a Sahaugin ranger in it and maybe i can buy some off ebay before the end of the module. Shoot maybe the players can too wink wink.
Well that is it for now
;
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Time Stand Still
Buying records is a bit too intimate an experience for me, anyone ever get this feeling? That moment where the cashier rings up the purchase and paws over my stuff, I feel like I'm being judged. When i come up wearing my leather jacket and and headstrong attitude, I feel like the cashier is saying bullshit as he looks at my Counting Crows CD. Yep I like em, I have all their records, I see you are shocked but it gets worse. I have some kix and Jonatha Brooke too! The Maiden isnt just a front, but sometimes maybe it is. I've been listening to classical lately, Derek's to blaim, some days I can't face Reign in Blood. Does that mean im old?
A year or two ago I got an "excellecent selection", when picking up "Heaven and Hell", from the cashier at Rasputin. So I know they are looking. This weekend ran in and bought some sure light weight stuff. I had to buy a Celtic Frost bumper sticker to not feel like an old man. I know they are like 20 years old but at least they have some rebellion in them. Well except for that time they sold out on Cold Lake. Man I'm grasping desperately at youth I think that does mean im old.
Well back to listening to Brain Salad Surgery and Dave Gilmour
;
A year or two ago I got an "excellecent selection", when picking up "Heaven and Hell", from the cashier at Rasputin. So I know they are looking. This weekend ran in and bought some sure light weight stuff. I had to buy a Celtic Frost bumper sticker to not feel like an old man. I know they are like 20 years old but at least they have some rebellion in them. Well except for that time they sold out on Cold Lake. Man I'm grasping desperately at youth I think that does mean im old.
Well back to listening to Brain Salad Surgery and Dave Gilmour
;
So Far Away
Take away the elevation and air Dream snow kissed fields at the end of November She is talking live My breath fogs' ghosts here outside Wandering the farms wooden decay Wings break from trees with approach and I'm wishing I could too They are laughing inside I'm feeling worse Oak warms the hills and I'm finding my way From moss and stone im looking out Wanting her and I to be alone where its better Locked up with me But thats just helping me Counting out what seems too long I'm heading back in Trying to smile and be alright Trying to want for her As the Scarecrow speaks
Monday, August 30, 2004
A 60 ton Angel falls to the earth
Came down Sierra
In marshlands to rest
holding on hillsides
In crematory Ashe
Nearly missed midnights
Stars tearing light
Drowning cold friendships
On rivers edge nights
Whisper of murder
Remind me of old debts
I can't now repay
And friends gone away
I kind of wrote this very quickly while at work. I am not really happy with the results so maybe I can use this as a work in progress. I was thinking of a couple of people I knew who were murdered and then sort of drifted over to the Rivers Edge murder case which happened where I used to live in Berryessa. I may take that bit out and focus elsewhere. Also that debts business needs to go.
In marshlands to rest
holding on hillsides
In crematory Ashe
Nearly missed midnights
Stars tearing light
Drowning cold friendships
On rivers edge nights
Whisper of murder
Remind me of old debts
I can't now repay
And friends gone away
I kind of wrote this very quickly while at work. I am not really happy with the results so maybe I can use this as a work in progress. I was thinking of a couple of people I knew who were murdered and then sort of drifted over to the Rivers Edge murder case which happened where I used to live in Berryessa. I may take that bit out and focus elsewhere. Also that debts business needs to go.
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Here comes the Flood
sorry for not posting. Writers block i guess. I have been doing other stuff guitar, video games stuff like that. I don't know though I write a bunch at work while I should be working on stuff. Maybe I need to take something in to get writing again. I remember a teacher saying you can't write in a vacuum which is true, though life is on going. Who knows maybe it really isnt when the days don't feel very different.
I have been trying to get better at my little guitar which is something. I have been trying to figure out this Trains song by a group called The Porcupine Tree. It's really quite good sort of Catherine Wheel and RadioHead channeling Gabriel era Genesis. That and a David Gilmor song called Murder. I would like to learn that Southern Cross song too but I can never find full tab for it, just chords. Please send it if you got it.
As for video games I do too much of that stuff. I am playing too much Everquest these days. I am smithing, whats that you ask? It's working to become good at an imaginary skill in a fake world in a game! Great still havent finished my book from a few months ago.
Then there is crap going on at the Dog park. Some queen bee self important woman has decided she didnt like my dog so is talking to people and now serveral people are talking about him. It's ridiculous that people have so little to do with their lives. Before I lost my kidney I was helping out at second harvest food bank. She could help there and shut up about my dog. So now I'm driving to the park blasting Slayers Angel of Death just to tell the people don't talk to me.
Well enough of my crap. Poetry soon.
;
I have been trying to get better at my little guitar which is something. I have been trying to figure out this Trains song by a group called The Porcupine Tree. It's really quite good sort of Catherine Wheel and RadioHead channeling Gabriel era Genesis. That and a David Gilmor song called Murder. I would like to learn that Southern Cross song too but I can never find full tab for it, just chords. Please send it if you got it.
As for video games I do too much of that stuff. I am playing too much Everquest these days. I am smithing, whats that you ask? It's working to become good at an imaginary skill in a fake world in a game! Great still havent finished my book from a few months ago.
Then there is crap going on at the Dog park. Some queen bee self important woman has decided she didnt like my dog so is talking to people and now serveral people are talking about him. It's ridiculous that people have so little to do with their lives. Before I lost my kidney I was helping out at second harvest food bank. She could help there and shut up about my dog. So now I'm driving to the park blasting Slayers Angel of Death just to tell the people don't talk to me.
Well enough of my crap. Poetry soon.
;
Friday, August 20, 2004
T.H.A.C.0
I ran one of those D&D games last night. Sort of cool had a friend back from the East Coast playing. But I really didn't have enough for a whole night of stuff. You get that sort of junk between modules and I had some of the people out. It was more just bullshitting which is sort of what D&D is all about. Nerds getting together and geeking out rather than drinking and playing poker or something less scrupulous. Roleplaying games give us gimps something to do rather than scare women. Around 45 we start becoming the scary guy in the Denny's that is watching the waitresses uncomfortably handing them a sweat soaked dollar tip that nobody wants to touch.
In the game the group had just finished killed a giant crocodile that had been plaguing a tribe of lizard folk. They did this to gain the trust of the lizard folk who feared they may be working with their enemies. I guess the lizard folk had been driven off from their homeland buy some Sahuagin or something goofy like that. They sent people to the town of Saltmarsh to discuss and alliance against the Sahaugin. Which actually ended U2 Danger on the Dunwater. I passed out 2000 exp to everyone Rich and Chris ,the two missing players,included.
To get things rolling I started U3 with the alliance being formed. I should have done a bunch of roleplaying but I suck and didn't get much into that. I don't know how into it I was, I need to keep on track more though. The party were sent out to perform a raid on the Sahuagin compound with a few objectives in mind. They needed to find out about the force size and any specific leader types. Location of important sites such as barracks and stuff. Any extra defenses they have built and How far their preparations are along.
I had the party begin sailing down the coast to the sahaugin, I don't know how to spell it so i change it every time i write it, camp. A giant octopus or kracken attacked the ship mid trip which is where I left off.
Also Steve, from back east, decided to bring in a monk who has joined the party and is on the ship.
Man I sure waste a bunch of time on this stuff but It's in my blood. Over twenty years in this crap too late to stop. I will be playing at the old folks home i guess.
In the game the group had just finished killed a giant crocodile that had been plaguing a tribe of lizard folk. They did this to gain the trust of the lizard folk who feared they may be working with their enemies. I guess the lizard folk had been driven off from their homeland buy some Sahuagin or something goofy like that. They sent people to the town of Saltmarsh to discuss and alliance against the Sahaugin. Which actually ended U2 Danger on the Dunwater. I passed out 2000 exp to everyone Rich and Chris ,the two missing players,included.
To get things rolling I started U3 with the alliance being formed. I should have done a bunch of roleplaying but I suck and didn't get much into that. I don't know how into it I was, I need to keep on track more though. The party were sent out to perform a raid on the Sahuagin compound with a few objectives in mind. They needed to find out about the force size and any specific leader types. Location of important sites such as barracks and stuff. Any extra defenses they have built and How far their preparations are along.
I had the party begin sailing down the coast to the sahaugin, I don't know how to spell it so i change it every time i write it, camp. A giant octopus or kracken attacked the ship mid trip which is where I left off.
Also Steve, from back east, decided to bring in a monk who has joined the party and is on the ship.
Man I sure waste a bunch of time on this stuff but It's in my blood. Over twenty years in this crap too late to stop. I will be playing at the old folks home i guess.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Aboutface - Murder
Drop my hand out the window to catch some air Riding down Camden to smell the sage By friends old houses looking for some sort of connection Though everybody is leaving town And places are only places you don't look for the living in a tomb Sometimes I think I am doing this cus i'm afraid of change in myself Or I don't know how to go about it all Really i am struggling to find a way Im old these days and don't have a clue what I'm doing I don't feel something missing like the people with kids talk about School sounds good but a bunch of work after the transplant I just want to be happy these days but it's not coming Im aimless save for D&D and learning how to grill a hot dog And I'm wondering if the doubt comes when the scarecrow speaks.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Toepnikcufecin
Moons' Prism shattered
And birds choked from sky
Cage broken wings
Flesh set to stench
Bullets long rusting
Goblets bleached crust
Stitching needles buried
down in filth
Tear down the curtain
imbued with mold
Sip down the wine
though vinegar turned
Draw out fire
Blister the skin
Leave machines broken
til I cease to care
And birds choked from sky
Cage broken wings
Flesh set to stench
Bullets long rusting
Goblets bleached crust
Stitching needles buried
down in filth
Tear down the curtain
imbued with mold
Sip down the wine
though vinegar turned
Draw out fire
Blister the skin
Leave machines broken
til I cease to care
Monday, August 16, 2004
We sold our souls for rock n roll pt.1
Awhile ago I mentioned something about Heavy Metal. I figured I should start working on that. Lets start with a story of metal and me. My cousin Stacie was into metal starting with Def Leppard. That didn't influence me much it was the artwork. I remember drawing Eddy off the back of some guy's shirt in English. I was in middle school so that's 7ths grade. I remember seeing an Iron Maiden concert on Mtv that summer and being like eek they are scary evil. I started watching some metal show called Hard 30 and Headbangers ball and got into the weak hair metal. Then into sort of the dungeons and dragons sounding speed metal that people were playing. Down hill from then on.
I guess you can say N.W.O.B.H.M. ,prog metal and speed/trash metal are my favorites. That is the new wave of British heavy metal, bud. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Venom, Angel Witch, Diamond head and def lep. It's usually complex technical music with a strong voiced tenor that screams like an air raid siren. Prog Metal is a movement to graft in bands like Yes and King Crimson. Rush's Caress of steel and Deep Purple are sort of a genesis of this. Modern bands are Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Voivod, countless others you can find at Rastupin records in Campbell. Speed metal is the evolution of nwobhm / reaction to hair metal centered in the Bay Area. Metallica and Megadeth are thrash. Testament which refined the sound down a bit with Alex Skolnik is speed metal but a better example is Cacophony. This music is virtuoso fast and to quote Strongbad "meedlie meedlie medlie meedlie!"
In the spirit of High Fidelity here is my top five metal records
Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
Testament - The Legacy
Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
Voivod - Nothingface
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Give em a try there will be more coming on this
;
I guess you can say N.W.O.B.H.M. ,prog metal and speed/trash metal are my favorites. That is the new wave of British heavy metal, bud. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Venom, Angel Witch, Diamond head and def lep. It's usually complex technical music with a strong voiced tenor that screams like an air raid siren. Prog Metal is a movement to graft in bands like Yes and King Crimson. Rush's Caress of steel and Deep Purple are sort of a genesis of this. Modern bands are Dream Theater, Fates Warning, Voivod, countless others you can find at Rastupin records in Campbell. Speed metal is the evolution of nwobhm / reaction to hair metal centered in the Bay Area. Metallica and Megadeth are thrash. Testament which refined the sound down a bit with Alex Skolnik is speed metal but a better example is Cacophony. This music is virtuoso fast and to quote Strongbad "meedlie meedlie medlie meedlie!"
In the spirit of High Fidelity here is my top five metal records
Bruce Dickinson - The Chemical Wedding
Testament - The Legacy
Black Sabbath - Mob Rules
Voivod - Nothingface
Slayer - Reign in Blood
Give em a try there will be more coming on this
;
August and Everything After
Goelitz has crops of candy corn set to reap as September stumbles in. Long's was already clearing binders to make way. Laying out the racks for vampire teeth and maybe those pumpkin cutting safety knives. Soon Bataglia will make it official and set up the stands which will change to trees overnight. Used to love this time of year but I'm doubtful today. Everybody's left town. Never talking at midnight shouting at satellites toward the late of august. Even warm early evening riding down the street wearing silly masks. Whimsy and memory that makes me smile.
Friday, August 13, 2004
Upon the instruments of death
I don't really want to be working right now so I'm writing about some music. I recently have broadened my musical horizon with a few new records. I figure I would turn you on to these as well.
Zero Hour: A local band from my old neighborhood in San Jose. Very technical prog metal that is both very metal and progressive. It always bugs me that prog metal is either one or the other.
Grails: An instrumental record that is an experience. It's moody sort of like me. Brooding and spiritual at one. Burden of hope is amazing and I cant wait for Red Light which comes out in October.
Grant Lee Phillips (Virginia Creeper): Wow this thing is almost country yet I like it. My parents forced me to listen to country as a youth, it was terrible. Dirty Secret is awesome.
Finally the Music Match Prog-Rock/Art Rock station. You gotta dig this thing It plays Rush's Cygnus and David Gilmor's Murder. Some stuff is hardly prog, Al Stewart, but i just click to the next song. And to cap it off Chris De Burgh! Yes Mr. Lady in Red himself. He has this older song called "Don't pay the Ferryman" I haven't heard it in years but I used to love it. It's a bit of a rocker and certainly a pleasant find. If they would just stop playing so much Styx it would be cool
Zero Hour: A local band from my old neighborhood in San Jose. Very technical prog metal that is both very metal and progressive. It always bugs me that prog metal is either one or the other.
Grails: An instrumental record that is an experience. It's moody sort of like me. Brooding and spiritual at one. Burden of hope is amazing and I cant wait for Red Light which comes out in October.
Grant Lee Phillips (Virginia Creeper): Wow this thing is almost country yet I like it. My parents forced me to listen to country as a youth, it was terrible. Dirty Secret is awesome.
Finally the Music Match Prog-Rock/Art Rock station. You gotta dig this thing It plays Rush's Cygnus and David Gilmor's Murder. Some stuff is hardly prog, Al Stewart, but i just click to the next song. And to cap it off Chris De Burgh! Yes Mr. Lady in Red himself. He has this older song called "Don't pay the Ferryman" I haven't heard it in years but I used to love it. It's a bit of a rocker and certainly a pleasant find. If they would just stop playing so much Styx it would be cool
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Ripping off Poe
A sunflower shutters on the hillside
and my love is down by the sea.
We ran in this golden field, on this solemn hill
But I can’t find her now, were can she be
We road in jingling gypsy carts
singing, with fearless hearts in soft darkness
laughing with wine, as it takes us.
Even the sun grows cold, without that caress
I can see her gold and red velvet in her hair
burnt rose and lavender, spill form burning censors
Soft candles cast her face in golden light
fade, and in darkness her eyes grow an ashen colour
I can’t cast away her eyes anymore, she waits by the sea
down by the seaside I will run, for she is waiting on me
and my love is down by the sea.
We ran in this golden field, on this solemn hill
But I can’t find her now, were can she be
We road in jingling gypsy carts
singing, with fearless hearts in soft darkness
laughing with wine, as it takes us.
Even the sun grows cold, without that caress
I can see her gold and red velvet in her hair
burnt rose and lavender, spill form burning censors
Soft candles cast her face in golden light
fade, and in darkness her eyes grow an ashen colour
I can’t cast away her eyes anymore, she waits by the sea
down by the seaside I will run, for she is waiting on me
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Curse of Desdemona
Autumn and spice hangs on the air There’s a chill at morning through a foggy dawn Waiting out the morning in woad mansions Streams of sun infuse the waters of the fountain And we are quiet to hear though there is little to say My cousin Rick tells ghost stories of the house he says is haunted Golden ghost of a bear or man who once built the house Soon September and I'm taking stock Measuring the last winter against the dreams I seldom keep Wondering about the baby she held the last time we will speak Broken smiles shards of china Toward the cold end of sleep In the compound of my debts the scarecrow begins to speak
Monday, August 09, 2004
The Politics of Hell
Ever spend a weekend where no one really knows where you are between playing D&D, eating at taco bell, driving around the mall blasting speed metal, going to game stores, waiting for friends to get off their temp job at a warehouse and finally crashing at home to your parents crying that they called all the hospitals trying to find you? Those were the days! The point is to say I wasted most of my youth and didn't get much out of school. I didn’t get a 4.0, no AP classes, no extra curricular activities, no attendance records; well actually I did get one for least days attended and still graduating.
All I ended up with are some funny stories to write down and a serious gaming habit. Habit is right, I can't stop I've tried. I spend too much money on it and time that could go into something positive. I still haven't hung up that bird feeder I have been meaning to. But I'm thinking of campaign ideas even as I'm writing this. I go to conventions and hang out with weirdoes just to get my fix. I am running a game every other Thursday these days, not playing Fridays and Saturdays like I used to. And the people seem a bit saner, less chemically altered as well.
I started running them through the U series a couple of months ago. It's nice to see the modules of yester year and my group doesn’t know them so well. They started out exploring an abandoned house that was rumored to be haunted. After some furious exploration they found some smugglers were using it as a base of operations. An illusionist was using spells to enhance the stories of it being haunted, to scare off meddling kids. While in the module they were supposed to defeat these guys they made so much noise and constantly announced their presence that the smugglers go the jump on them. They hauled them off to a ship to be sold into slavery. The module normally has a big role-playing section about getting onto the ship but meh. They escaped to and took over the ship. Finally to get back to the smugglers hide out and give them what for.
The next module deals with a map found on the boat. The players basically discover that they have been trading with a colony of lizard folk. They were sent to investigate the intentions of this encampment which was deemed dangerously close to a human town. Upon investigation the Lizard folk where not outwardly aggressive, and just seemed to want to be left alone. Later it was discovered that the colony was driven out of their lands by an aggressor and were forming an alliance to fight the enemy. The party was asked to prove their desire to help by dealing with a problem. The problem was a giant croc that was killing lizard men. Yeah old school modules didn't make a ton of sense. It was always to get what you want you have to help someone with like five nested sub quests that were always someone wanting your help.
Well that’s sort of where it was left off. I only write cuz the people I run through this malarkey wanted an update.
All I ended up with are some funny stories to write down and a serious gaming habit. Habit is right, I can't stop I've tried. I spend too much money on it and time that could go into something positive. I still haven't hung up that bird feeder I have been meaning to. But I'm thinking of campaign ideas even as I'm writing this. I go to conventions and hang out with weirdoes just to get my fix. I am running a game every other Thursday these days, not playing Fridays and Saturdays like I used to. And the people seem a bit saner, less chemically altered as well.
I started running them through the U series a couple of months ago. It's nice to see the modules of yester year and my group doesn’t know them so well. They started out exploring an abandoned house that was rumored to be haunted. After some furious exploration they found some smugglers were using it as a base of operations. An illusionist was using spells to enhance the stories of it being haunted, to scare off meddling kids. While in the module they were supposed to defeat these guys they made so much noise and constantly announced their presence that the smugglers go the jump on them. They hauled them off to a ship to be sold into slavery. The module normally has a big role-playing section about getting onto the ship but meh. They escaped to and took over the ship. Finally to get back to the smugglers hide out and give them what for.
The next module deals with a map found on the boat. The players basically discover that they have been trading with a colony of lizard folk. They were sent to investigate the intentions of this encampment which was deemed dangerously close to a human town. Upon investigation the Lizard folk where not outwardly aggressive, and just seemed to want to be left alone. Later it was discovered that the colony was driven out of their lands by an aggressor and were forming an alliance to fight the enemy. The party was asked to prove their desire to help by dealing with a problem. The problem was a giant croc that was killing lizard men. Yeah old school modules didn't make a ton of sense. It was always to get what you want you have to help someone with like five nested sub quests that were always someone wanting your help.
Well that’s sort of where it was left off. I only write cuz the people I run through this malarkey wanted an update.
Sunday, August 08, 2004
At work 8:38 on a sunday
Howdy
Well i got called into work today which is sort of crazy. We had some more problems with a push of the service so i am here testing the fixes. We work toward these scheduled pushes of the web site and backend components here. The schedulers have an Evil Money that picks the dates for these pushes. This time it ended up pretty bad for everyone.
I am basically a lackey peasant here so I get roped into this a bunch. I was here doing this last night at 10 as well. I hope you realize the value of a good education now. Also; any and all levels of post graduate work in philosophy does not count! I used to flip burgers at McDonald's in Oakridge mall, knowing Hegel does me as much good here as it did there. The ability to quote Christabel on request; again little use. Liberal arts are generally a sham. Playing an insturment is a party trick, poetry might get you a date and philosophy well I'm still trying to find a benefit from. Learn a trade; heating / air conditioning, gun repair, biochemical research.
Well i might get out of here soon so im going to leave you
;
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/stc/Coleridge/poems/Christabel.html
P.S. 11:02 and im still here wondering when im going to leave.
Well i got called into work today which is sort of crazy. We had some more problems with a push of the service so i am here testing the fixes. We work toward these scheduled pushes of the web site and backend components here. The schedulers have an Evil Money that picks the dates for these pushes. This time it ended up pretty bad for everyone.
I am basically a lackey peasant here so I get roped into this a bunch. I was here doing this last night at 10 as well. I hope you realize the value of a good education now. Also; any and all levels of post graduate work in philosophy does not count! I used to flip burgers at McDonald's in Oakridge mall, knowing Hegel does me as much good here as it did there. The ability to quote Christabel on request; again little use. Liberal arts are generally a sham. Playing an insturment is a party trick, poetry might get you a date and philosophy well I'm still trying to find a benefit from. Learn a trade; heating / air conditioning, gun repair, biochemical research.
Well i might get out of here soon so im going to leave you
;
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/stc/Coleridge/poems/Christabel.html
P.S. 11:02 and im still here wondering when im going to leave.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Bacchus Plateau
Down streets of childhood which i hold close to my heart toward the darkening months of the year Up the steppes to dark houses where i called upon friends Finally to the Court of Madrid now forgot But once we first tasted freedom on nights that yet still live Philosophers and fools once kept court here glaring upon a city below Stolen wine in a cache hid in a husk of a car Bargain beer had been bought by some older friend who wanted the company more than anything else Schemes would be dreamt but mainly lies and jokes Somewhere in the memory though the scarecrow speaks.
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