Greetings from Italia

Hi all, they have internet cafes in abundance here so I am actually writing sooner then I thought. Sadly this place keeps me from getting into Gmail or UWSP mail (if I messed around with it I prolly could get into UWSP but Gmail hates the browser). Also forgive the weird puncuation at times, the keyboards are designed for Italian and as such have many keys which I don't use and some special characters which for the life of me I cannot access and use. However this is better then the German keyboards!
Anyhow it's been a lot of fun over here thus far. A little crowded sleeping quarters, especially in Salzburg (wait til ya see the bunks) but here in Venice we got a 3 star hotel so it's wonderful. BTW we're 7 hours ahead so while this will show up at 5 pm Wisconsin time it's actually midnight here.
So let's see, what to mention. Well I've had a few drinks. In fact I can say I've drank at the premire biergarten in the world. Still don't like the taste of alcohol but I am getting used to it enough that I can eat a meal with it. No way are you gonna get me drunk tho. They do actually really good over here (ok quit saying duh :P)
I am not sure which place I like the most so far, Munich is practically perfection when you look at the people and the cars (we love Smart cars, they are great, incidently the farther south we go the worse conditions the cars get, they'll be camels eventually I guess). Venice here gets tops for housing but I haven't gotten to the main city yet we are in a ghetto suburb of Venice called Mastro(sp?). 5 of us went out and played Bingo tonight, it was a blast especially since we don't know a whit of Italian between the 5 of us so we got to learn Italian numbers as we played. Almost won twice too.
Got to be in the largest castle in the world, def. gonna use that for gaming expierence later so realistic role-playing to some extent from me :D The churches here are huge and mostly Catholic, in Salburg there are 46 churches and only one is not Catholic, the bells are incredibly loud on the hours, but I think all the people who had to build them woulda preferred that money was spent on them rather then on giant ornate churches capable of holding 10k plus people within them. In Munich I got a kick out of the fact that Rome sent the remains of a dead saint to one of the churches, hey I always wanted a dead body as a reward for being faithful! They are really pretty tho and it's awe inspiring to walk through them so I'll bow to the fact that making the common man feel small they do a great job at it.
I think that is all for now, there is so much more to tell but I am all hot and sweaty cause Italy is hot and humid (unlike say Munich which is cool already) so I'd like the opportunity to shower and Chris and I lucked out and got seperate beds cause Jeff wants to sleep on the roof so I am gonna absorb a few hours of sleep.
Oh yeah guys you want to go abroad via UWSP. There are just 8 men and 21 women so the odds are in our favor and some of them are really really (really!!) hot. Yea I went over for the scenery. BTW one is from UWEC so that makes two girls I know there who are pretty good looking!
Dang there was one last thing I was gonna say but I forgot now, I'll remember as soon as I get up to go pay. But Chris is here so I shouldn't make him wait either. Miss all of you, on one hand it feels like we've been here weeks already and on the other just a few days, very strange. Heh these are all gonna be like open letters sort of from now on, fun fun. Anyhow I am out!
From Venice, Italy.

Departure

Is 17 hours away. As promised once in London I'll try and update this semi-regularily so anyone who has any interest can keep track of me and hopefully organize a Marines backed rescue whence I get into trouble. :D
Thanks to Dani for some nice Naruto music to take me out on. Hopefully the iPod hold up for 3 more months. Anyhow I shall miss everyone and Point most especially but this is something I've wanted to do for awhile so here I go on the biggest journey of my life (at least I don't have to drive, the poor truck gets a break)!
That all said and done I must be going and sleeping now. See everyone in 3 months or so. I'd love an e-mail and have a snail mail addy if you really prefer that (have to request that tho :P ). Miss you all!

"May you go with the grace of God my friends!" -Wolfwood

(complimentary Trigun quote, my second favorite quote of all time :D)

This One's For Brent...

Also called the making Christianity seem like a "hokey religion" entry (I'm watching SW: A New Hope guess which part I just saw...).

Anyhow hokey part number one: I was down visiting Jessie in the Dells, I guess that'd be the Vegas of Wisconsin. Anyhow we're walking downtown, the sidewalks are just packed as usual. We're having a grand ol' time checking out shops and talking and basically being like everyone else. Then there's shouting from across the street, enough to get everyone's attention. It's all there, men with blank unfriendly expressions, the tacky sign, the starched shirts. Yup you guessed it, those annoying preacher type folks who have to go out and convert people by letting them know in the most vocal, annoying fashion that they are sinners and going to Hell. (On a side note, I am a sinner but I'm not going to Hell, it's personally a little insulting when they basically lop everyone together cause we are out enjoying time with friends, etc!) Now my point is, while the entire downtown was fairly packed with people somehow these four guys had managed to create a bubble 30+ feet wide on their side of the street nearly devoid of anyone. How many people do you think they converted that night? If you guessed 0 or less then you've prolly hit the nail square on the head. Yea anyhow I thought of Brent and Lars almost immediately when I saw that and how much they suggest that this doesn't usually work and that it rather backfires.

Number two hokiness thing: online ordination. While this can't be a new concept at all, I just heard about it tonight when I happened to turn on Channel 10 NBC local news. Ok, I can go to one of these sites and fill out some basic personal data and become the Reverend Beeks, Apostle Beeks, Bishop Beeks, and more! This just boggles the mind on how much this cheapens the whole idea of having an ordained church leader. Of course I shouldn't be surprised of course, in America we want to do everything easy, fast, and cheap. Plus being clergy has lots of side benefits and exploitation of such things is a very common thing. Alas it's frustrating people would do that to Christianity. Then again like I said, it's not new.

That's my rant for now. 2 days til I'm out of here!

Home Stretch

So we had frost tonight, so close to snow it's rather scary. I'll end up not noticing any change in temp when I go to Europe (where that seems to be roughly the average temperature, just 70/40 for temps).

Things are packed now for the most part. Everything seems to fit so yay for that and it doesn't weigh very much at all. Now I just need to sit around and be nervous, oh joy. Finished Eva's Death & Rebirth, talk about a clip movie. Love the classical music in the background tho.

Discovered that my iPod's total battery life is now down to roughly 4 hours which sucks, have to conserve it on the flight over to Germany. Blah. If I had confirmed this earlier I might have gotten a replacement iPod or replaced the battery. My question is why Apple didn't switch it when I sent it in when it was under warranty? Frustrates me some but I'll hope that I can keep 4 hours thru this fall and then think about options come this spring. Apple get better iPod batteries! (I am now part of that vocal mass.)

That's all for now.

End Run

So last overnight was today. It dragged, rather unintentionally, I tried to work hard but well I guess it's my end of the summer slide, besides John got lazy too (yes I am partially blaming him :D ) so when ya got someone to chat with you don't work as hard. But I am done til Decemember and then hopefully forever shortly after that. Who knows tho maybe the 'Ko will be better come then anyhow.

Maybe it's cause I have been up since 11:08 AM yesterday (the 18th I think that'd make it) but I feel really out of whack today. Granting I got nothing done at home minus a few errands I ran right after work. I didn't work on the paper I should work on or pack any. I finished Macross Plus went for a fantastic hour twenty minute walk down past Thompson's. It's funny how just a short walk can really take you to a place which seems to be a thousand miles from civilization. Some of the views remind me of when I was out west and wandering about the foothills/mountains of the great national parks.

I finally asked the cute girl at work if she wanted to do something, she said yes but I haven't been able to get in touch with her since. I figure she musta not wanted to say no around other people or was too nice to tell me to my face (or the much more likely thing, I screwed up somewhere in the calling part and she changed her mind, always count on me screwing up ya know) but well I guess I am happy I managed to actually ask her, not exactly something I commonly do as anyone who knows me knows. That sounds nice and redundant eh?

John borrowed me Neo Genesis Evangelion (whole series runs plus Eva's End and Death & Rebirth) and Macross Plus. I've now watched everything but most of Death & Rebirth. Eva is ok. I prefer more a straight up giant mechanical suit combat as evidenced by Gundam (ie MAHQ) and my recent interest in the Jovian Chronicles, etc. It is fairly good until the last two episodes and Eva's End. Then well they go do a David Brin and kinda of go all deep philosphical and shoot so far from what the rest of show was it's practically unrelated. I'm sorry, you don't watch the first 24 episodes to have two totally different format episodes wrap things up in a most confusing manner. It took me a good couple hours of random discussion to sort things out. Maybe Death & Rebirth will help too. Macross Plus was ok, rather short since it's just a 4 episode OVA, and it probably would have helped for me to see Macross (ie Robotech some of you might know it as) first. All in all not too bad but neither Eva nor Macross really were a big hit for me.

So let's see, I am doing a nice long entry here, what else to add, sleepiness makes me talk-er-typeative. Visiting Jessie tomorrow, yay! Think the hardest thing about this fall is no real major contact with my friends stateside, I doubt they will have much chance to write, everyone has crazy schedules as it is. Luckily it seems like our London group is doing pretty good communicating already so hopefully everyone'll get along real well, heh we'd better or it's gonne be a long 3 first weeks not to mention 3 additional months.

Right, well this helped wake me up some more which is a good thing, need to hold on until suppertime :D Hope it was an enjoyable if me-esque read.

Lost

Well since Blogger did some cosmetic upgrading so I did some too. Anyhow just shifted some blogs around which seem neglected by their authors. This time next week I will probably be over Iceland. It's hard to believe that I am getting so close to the departure. Still so much to do!

Winter in August

Well all the books I've ordered have finally arrived. The irony is I have to wait on reading them or risk not having anything to read this fall. I do get to peruse Monsters of Faerun and Savant and Sorcerer at least cause those sure aren't coming over! I also got to read John Keegan's The Iraq War a very British outlook on the war and an interesting take on the war by one of the most reknowned military historians out there. Also managed to get out to see the Village. It was good although I preffered Signs I think.

It's unbelievably cold outside lately. Today I left work in a 47 degree mist. Frankly my random predictions of snow may come true at this rate. Snow in August, who'd a thunk it? We really are a frozen wasteland. Speaking of which I'll be visiting said center of wasteland tomorrow, yay I get to eat Marvin's again aside from doing some checking up on my trip info (which the stupid IP people have been slow on sending) and applying for an absentee ballot.

Shopko work continues to suck, at least I get to work with good people which helps. They transferred in a new manager, a younger cute one. :D However that doesn't matter so much as if she actually does work. She seems new so should be interesting to see. Anyhow I've found a cute girl at the 'Ko already although not sure she likes me (and ha, that's all you get).

John finally got his Demon game off the ground last night. I rather enjoyed my character, first one I played fairly easily and true to what I intended. Irony being that it's for a Demon game although perhaps I am just learning to building a character. John is a good ST too. Anyhow this is inspiration to get my act together and run an Exalted game whence I return from Europe.

That's all for now.

Politics, Shopko, and Whatever Else

Yea, I haven't written in awhile. To the 0-1 readers who actually check this more then to just humor me, sorry! Work's been hell and I just finished night 5 of 5. They wanted me in tonight but then I'd be 7 in a row cause although I don't work tonight I do work Saturday and that'd be just a little too much, however I'll cover that later. Basic explanation from all of that was the when I was online I simply didn't feel like writing even if I had stuff to write about. :/

My first topic relates to the visit of Vice President Cheney to our locale yesterday. Frankly I could care less myself, it's a private rally, invite only and that's all and good for me, however apparently the Kerry campaign has decided to have protestors at every local rally (I'd imagine though that this is not a Wisconsin phenomena but a national one) for Bush Cheney. Because the two rallys we've had have been invite only none of them have been able to get in, police and Secret Service stop them, and suddenly they are claiming this is a violation of their right to free speech. As if whereever Bush and Cheney go they should be allowed to trail behind protesting. Now maybe I missed the point but if it's invite only and it's on private property (or if it's on public property and the local government has sanctioned it as a private event, ie when you have a fest you can keep people out who don't pay admission, etc) how the heck is it a violation of your First Ammendment rights? I mean if I have a private party at my place is there a violation of your free speech when I don't invite you? Especially if I know the only reason you want to come is to cause trouble and disrupt my fun? If you said yes, I'm coming over to your next party with the entire TKE frat boy club (drunk as usual). Frankly what disturbs me more is that the KerryEdwards campaign organizes this! It's petty, it's low, and it shows a total lack of respect to Americans because they are already attempting to exploit our most sacred laws for their own political gain!

Next hit, somewhat related. The Anybody But Bush crowd (hereafter referred to ABB(s) because I don't feel like typing that out. Ok, your motto has to be the stupidest thing on the planet. Are you saying if Osama Bin Laden somehow got in the election versus Bush you'd vote for him over Bush? How about Ioseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler? Or maybe my computer, my iPod, or the chair which I'm curled up in right now? Or a pet rock? I could go on, but suspect you get the point. It just seems to me that it's a very close minded outlook. Do I have a point here beyond that? Not really, except open your minds up a little. The two canidates messages are identical and although their methods may vary just enough so they can say "I'm different from him, my way is better!" it should be noted that both parties really don't get anything done and if you could convince Americans to mess with pollsters you could get them to say some very stupid things to "win" voters so they can get into office and pay back their corporate sponsors.

Yes, I'm ticked off at politicians and their parties who are effectively in complete control of the US government. That's right, the Republican and Democratic parties own and run the United States of America. They do not serve anyone other then themselves and their sponsors who have managed to evade every control on their dumping of cold hard cash in and call it "free speech" where money is speech and the free-est people are those who have the most money. So much for land of the equality, eh? Oh well, in America where the dollar is god it shouldn't surprise those of us who have less money that we are simply just the newest serfs.

Speaking of serfdom, Shopko certainly has made me feel like one. This has been the longest, crappiest week of work in my history at Shopko. I have worked something like 14 days straight and felt better then I do now. Frankly going in is something I dread and everyday I feel less and like a person or an employee and more and more like an expendable peon. I know work is not supposed to be super fun especially high school/college short term jobs but things have taken such a downturn this past week that I am wondering if they job I have been at wondering if I can last even those next two weeks. And that's with full knowledge that I have 3 days off for sure during that time. (I am still cursing they schedule right around my day off to visit Lars and Point tho, especially since they switched the schedule around so I will work Friday at midnight when I think it's obvious if you have been out of town the entire day you will not want to work at midnight when you get back, dangit! That will be a long day but I'm still heading your way Lars so tell Jaybez she's got another toy to play with for a few hours!) Frustratingly though even as our store makes changes that are supposed to help nothing really seems to change much and the problems that the overnight staff sees aren't fixed, worse we continue to be blamed for them even when we haven't done anything wrong! Yea, I am just a little stressed.

Final notes: Katy you must go to Marvin's prior to leaving Point. You prolly won't but let it be said "I told you so!". :D Ok so I love the place, sue me. Anyhow I am gonna go do some random stuff to keep me awake so tomorrow I get my check, cash it, and maybe visit a cute girl all in one trip and be awake enough to enjoy it. I should stop typing now before I say anything stupid from tiredness!

In Brief

First off, some Exalted news, the cover for the Houses of the Bull God (coming October) has been released. This covers Harborhead and the Cult of Ahlat (aka the Bull God). That's all, was gonna write something but don't feel like finishing it yet so maybe later (or more then likely not at all).

Tech Humor

What's scary is that this is true: Apple Product Cycle

Addendums and Such

Happy birthday to Ryan and my sister, 20 and 24 respectively!
I have this nagging feeling there was something I meant to mention when I blogged today but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was. It shall nag me until I fall asleep and then it'd better go away doggone it!
I got some reading for my trip to Europe. Two books: the 9/11 commission report (unless it's utterly huge, that'd be rather ungloss, have to see how big/much it weighs when it arrives) and a book entitled "We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda". Not exactly happy reading I'll admit but at the moment current events have rather garnered my attention and I have already read a fair amount on World War II so now I am trying to expand my knowledge base, granting I still have lots of reading to do for that war. I picked up a book on the Germans drive to Moscow and I never did finish even the Pacific half of the Samuel Elliot Morrison 15 volume Two Ocean War series. I also got a book on the 6 Days War between Israel and all her neighbors.
Do I really need to take this much reading along? I dunno, certainly 2-3 books is about what I read in the average semester, maybe a little on the low side but I figure there are times that I will certainly want to escape and read even if this isn't exactly escapism reading.
I got the iPod power adapter world travel plug kits and since they basically are just different pronged plugs for the power adapter Dad and I are trying to figure out if that little gizmo isn't actually smart enough to be convert power from different countries (ie, it figures out which plug is in there and then converts it to the correct type of juice for the iPod to keep it from frying like an egg on the sidewalk in August). Rest assured it's a mystery although I am gonna hit the Apple website and hope to turn something up there.
Well Starcraft is calling out to me, I managed to crush 7 opponents (who thankfully nuke each other as much as me, stupid nukes vaping all my carriers...grr) so I am feeling "lucky". One last night of work from 10-6:30 then starting the midnight to 8 run. I finally met Steve Friday morning because I was running late getting all the pulls done, stupid managers changing how the process is done without asking the people who actually know/do the work! Hopefully I didn't come across as too grouchy ignoring the fact I was (cause of the whole being 15 minutes late for a dumb reason) cause he is the new manager and he definitely is making major changes and the night crew I think is somehow on his bad side already and I'd feel bad if I added to it.
Starcraft...
summons...
now!!!
:D

Our Wonderful Little World

First off, a little show of how the UN inability to react to current crisis situations while millions suffer in Sudan. This is in fact not exactly a new problem just one that has heightened enough to reach the Western Media's ears for once. However it is rather evident to note that the UN has be unable to act at all and even its resolutions are weakened. Hopefully it won't be as bad as Rwanda (however granting the US also dropped the ball, although not nearly as much as it's not mandated by the US) but one never knows. At least Africa is attempting to get it's act together and do something.
Good news for Iraq in the fact that the Saudis appear to be willing organize an Islamic peacekeeping force to aid (and hopefully replace) the belaugered US forces there. Frankly I think getting US forces out will help to some extent to show we are not trying to stomp out Islam, just trying to establish democracy and freedom in the region, even if it means allowing others to do it.

Jovian Chronicles

Well in my random search of the web I've stumbled onto yet another game which looks very interesting. It's called Jovian Chronicles, from a company called Dream Pod 9. Incidentally I actually own a book of theirs, which I got for free sorting for Jason, that converts most of their mechs to d20 system. It looks pretty cool, basically a well integrated story which, as usual, is a big seller for me. Also pretty cool looking mecha which is fun to play with. I happen to run across it on DriveThruRPG when getting their weekly free download (the top levels of a super dungeon, interesting concept, especially for simpleton dungeon crawlers). However it's a well developed line so any purchasing will definitely wait til 2005, have to save up for London, granting I don't think I will spend a whole lot there but no way to read anything on my computer when I am overthere so either way best to wait. Besides patience is a virtue right? I should work on being more virtuous.
Finished Heaven's Reach, it's ending reminded me quite a bit to The Postman in the fact that things got kinda philosphical/metaphysical and in the ends things didn't wrap up as nicely as I'd like, I mean what happens post-Streaker arrival to Earth? Sheesh Earth was about to fall, and what about civilization on Jijo? I guess I'll just have to live with the lack of wrapping up. At least they got the Tytal to talk :D

Random fact: did you know that Detective Conan has 350+ episodes? Finally a long running new show! Speaking of that, I am gonn help out the lame adult swim promotion which is amusing regardless.
Speaking of sites, I was talking to Lars and he/we attempted to find a Chi Alpha group in London. So far we haven't had any luck but this appears to be their main page if you ever go to Europe and are looking for some Christian fellowship. I hope I can find a place, otherwise it could be a very lonely 3-4 months Christianwise.
Speaking of Europe I am not exactly sure which books I am taking with me yet. Bible is a default, but beyond that I am not sure. No RPG books, they are too bulky and too heavy (happy Lars?) and besides gettin' away from that for a little bit isn't nessecarily a bad thing, granting if I can find a game over there and have the time I'd be open to it. However I am trying to figure out which two paperbacks I am going to bring, and yes they are sci-fi (sorry Lars :D ). Right now I am leaning towards Startide Rising of which Brightness Reef/Infinity's Shore/Heaven's Reach are sequels too. Also thinking about A Civil Campaign by Lois MacMaster Bujold because it's frankly just hilarious (a 30 something hyper-active midget attempts to woo a woman admist his cousin the emperor's wedding). Really not sure tho cause I picked up most of the remaining Man-Kzin Wars novels when we were up in the Twin Cities from Uncle Hugo's and I should try and start reading them, ya know?
Anyhow this weekend I went down to visit Allison. It was a blast! Best weekend this summer by far. It was nice to be able to talk and hang out and basically just get out of town and spend time with my friend! Her family was really cool and thanks to them for housing me for a night! Madison was actually a lot nicer then I thought granting I hadn't been in very much of it til then. The only downside to the whole thing was now I realize how lonely it is here back at home. That is life though I guess, anyhow sleep time. My schedule is about to get a whole lot screwyier as we are going to start working midnight - 8am this Sunday. Dumb General Office people!

Star Wars and stuff

Yea I know, a lack of interesting updates, haven't felt the writing bug lately and have been kinda busy as of late (actually got out of here for once), sorry if you actually missed my ramblings.
Anywho, big news is: the final installment of Star Wars-Episode 3-now has a name: Revenge of the Sith. Pretty big news. Also covered are the release dates for the original trilogy DVDs (Sept 21st, old news tho) and release for the Clone Wars shorts, and the two animated series onto DVD. Of course the actual movie doesn't come out for nearly 10 months so still a long wait for anything really substantial.
I am about halfway through Heaven's Reach now, it's getting pretty good, a lot faster then the other books in the trilogy. This might be because it's shorter or just cause everything needs to be wrapped up now, I am not quite sure. I am enjoying it though and hope that the wayward Streaker is allowed to get home with most of her crew whose still alive. Frankly you can't kill off too many more before it's too unbelievable to think that she can function.
Well that is all for now, I might write some more later whilst I am watching Adult Swim and relaxing, but no promises. Work was tough last night especially when I could have stayed in Madison and hung out with Allison for another night (stupid work suddenly scheduling me on a day they hadn't in weeks!)
Oh and Ricky Williams has decided to retire from the Dolphins. Not sure what my favorite team will do now for offense but I hope they can turn this into something good. Just wish Ricky woulda shown a little better sense in his timing! (That's my last thought for now, honest!)

The Voting Take

Here's a good reason why our election stuff is crazy. At least we get a laugh even if it's at our country's expense!

More Crap

As if one fake wasn't enough now Sci-Fi channel has followed Michael Moore's footsteps in making a fake themselves. Granting they did a darn good job at it so who knows, maybe if I went to see Moore's I'd fall for that too (it's possible I am really a sucker for such types of films). Anyhow it just pisses me off that Hollywood has decided to trash something that is supposed to be non-fiction just for a quick buck. Not that I should be surprised, it is Hollywood.

Random Achievements for Me

Yay, I finally finished Proverbs, it only took me a couple months cause of my usual pathetic procrastination but yea finally getting focussed in and reading up again. Now under recommendation from Lars I am moving onto Timothy I (and probably Timothy II, since both are shorter).
In somewhat less phenomenal news I finally got a NWN character up to lvl 20. My wizard, after repeating the closing chapter like 5-6 times, so yea that took too dang long. I would have preferred that the story could let you get to 20 without having to repeat the scenario (I figure you could get to 20 by playing the scenario thru twice or doing the last part several times like I did). It's not as much fun but I wanted to see what making it to the top was like. On the nice side I have a bunch of powerful items so I am pretty well equipped!
Dun have anything else to mention, it's been kinda slow here, I am looking forward to next weekend getting down to Madison, hopefully will have some tales to tell after that or something.

My Bias

Yea, more grumping about Moore, but now it's international (although its coming from the the Washington Post). This caught me off gaurd, I figured most of the world would like Michael Moore since most of the world hates George W. Bush. Apparently we're arrogant even when we agree with people, something to keep in mind for me this fall. :/

Return to Blue Planet

So went up to Twin Cities yesterday, got a backpack from REI, gonna train up by dumping a sleeping bag and all my RPG books in it to sim weight of 3 months were of stuff needed to survive near a hostile country (France :D ). Also got to stop by a Borders bookstore, they are quite impressive, then again with our tiny B & N and Waldenbooks it's not hard to be bigger then them, granting this store dwarfed even the bigges B & N I've been too (think it's the one at the Apache(?) Mall in Rochestor). Also got to stop by Uncle Hugo's and found a number of the Man-Kzin Wars that I don't have yet, no elusive VIII which Dad's been hunting for awhile. I've done 1-3, 5 so I picked up 4, 6, and 7. Be awhile before I read them, prolly post-Europe, maybe I will take two of them along. Finished Brightness Reef and started onto Infinity's Shore. The first book really consisted of a whole lot of not much happening, kind of dissapointing. Right at the end though you could figure out a lot of stuff. Reading through the cast of characters for Infi's Shore I'm realizing a lot of my favorite character's from Startide Rising didn't make it. It's also been quite a bit since Startide Rising as far as I can tell, maybe as much as 5 years although not sure on that since the time measurements are really strange (duras, put a various pro-somethings on that words and you make bigger and smaller time segments).

My big sort of story tho is that at Uncle Hugo's I found the Blue Planet four pack. It's a nice deal and I had a couple Blue Planet books (the original out of date core book and a v2 expansion on uplifted Ceteceans) so I got it. It sort of expands the world but mostly just fleshes out the details. However I really do love the idea of a water planet. I think I really got tied into that with Startide Rising but there is more then one science fiction story/show which has had water planets and I usually loved them all. Something about deep oceans which hide so much just makes them really cool. Also I love sentinent dolphins and orcas. It's just really cool, I mean name another game where you can viably play a orca? The only catch right now is I don't have the v2 core books and the original one doesn't work at all with the expansions so eventually I will have to break down and get them (if I can find them which may take even longer since Amazon doesn't carry them and frankly I am not sure if Fantasy Flight Games is doing so well or if Biohazard Games even exists anymore). I highly doubt I'll ever get anyone to play it anyways, just another story which I've gotten engrossed in. Too bad I couldn't have found something cheap to get engrossed in, like watching clouds or something. Or working 40 hours weeks at Shopko (heh, if I could get scheduled that much). Oh well I suppose I could have worse things to waste my free time with. Jon, one of my co-workers, is going to attempt to run a game of Demon: The Fallen. I am onboard although I am not real big on the game, first it's Demon my least favorite part of world of darkness (for obvious reasons) and second it's world of darkness, not my kind of thing to have a game in a dark, paranoid and ultimately doomed world. Kind of strange game already, it's being run by a (fairly devout as far as I know) Catholic, with me as one of the major characters. Maybe Eric is a raging atheist to balance this out. I am going to take a shot at this tho, it probably won't go for more then a few sessions. I just hope I am not somehow betraying my faith and beliefs just to get a little roleplaying in, not a very good sign of belief. Anyhow...

Going down to visit Allison in a couple weeks. Pretty excited, aside from visiting Jessie I really haven't seen much of anyone so it'll be nice to get out and hang with another of my friends. I'd love to swing down after that to visit Jenny but I highly doubt I can pull that off cause I've only heard from her once this summer and I am wary about calling. Not sure if I should or not, I am horrible with calling people anyhow and don't want to intrude on her life. Yea, right, well, at least I get to hang out with Allison before I depart. I need to get in touch with Lars too and stop by Stevens Point, file for an absentee ballot, (and maybe even catch Katy if she is home for once :P ). So many things to do, so little time. Summer is a strange concept of boredom and lack of time. Then again school is like that too.

Ok, time to take a break and relax to some music and take a cat-nap so I can last the night at work. Switching the schedule around is crazy, at least I can use Signs to keep me up.