I Have Powers

Watchmen Trailer

2008-07-18T11:53:33Z

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/watchmen/index.html

Damned pretty. And many of the scenes in the trailer seem to be taken directly from the GN.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog

2008-07-17T13:50:50Z

Act II is up. Check it out!

I'm Chad Underkoffler, and I approve this message.

2008-07-16T06:34:35Z

(Major props to alycewilson.)

Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog

2008-07-15T14:19:48Z

Act I is up. Check it out!

Lifetime Sales

2008-07-15T12:16:19Z

With the IPR 2Q2008 numbers that came in recently, I can say that lifetime sales of T&J are approximately:

859

...and lifetime sales of ZoZ are approximately:

668

Thank you all!

Truth & Justice
IPR: 36
OBS: 25
e23: 2
TOTAL SALES 2Q2008: 63

The Zorcerer of Zo
IPR: 34
OBS: 7
e23: 2
TOTAL SALES 2Q2008: 43

Gen Con Prep

2008-07-15T00:50:04Z

I will be at Gen Con this year.

Probably hanging out near the IPR booth, running (15 min) demoes of T&J and ZoZ.

(I need to test said demoes with local folks, btw. ALSO, ZoZT&J one.)

After-hours, I might EASILY be convinced to run demoes of S7S. Especially if you ply me with beer.

ALSO: I am looking for a copy of the Ghostbusters RPG (first ed., not GBI) and a non-XP version of The Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues.

LASTLY: I am unfortunately susceptible to female wiles. Take that into account.

Victory is Mine! (Chadu's Crockpot Chicken Curry)

2008-07-14T22:40:53Z

Made a chicken curry in the crockpot, after Frankenstein-ing several recipes I found online.

It came out very well.

The only "problem" is that I used too much chicken broth and no arrowroot starch, so it came out just a skinch watery. (If I'd let it cook down a little more or added the starch, it woulda been poifect.)

I was thinking about trying to add cauliflower in there, but all I had was frozen (and that would've added even more to the watery aspect) and the crock was looking pretty full anyway.

Chadu's Crockpot Chicken Curry
* 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips or chunks; OR 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
# 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
* 1 can new potatoes, sliced, drained
* 1 can chickpeas, drained
# 1/4 cup chicken broth
* 1 large onion, quartered and sliced thinly
# 3 cloves garlic, minced
# 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
# 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
# 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
# 1 teaspoon turmeric
# 1 teaspoon ground ginger
# 1 teaspoon hot sauce
# 1/2 teaspoon salt
# 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Whisk together all ingredients marked with an octothorpe (#) in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Layer onion, new potatoes, chicken, chickpeas in crock.

3. Pour mixture from step one over stuff in crock. Feel free to give it a stir.

4. Slow cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

5. Make some rice -- brown rice packet from Trader Joes was excellent here (2 minutes in microwave).

6. Serve!

7. Eat!

8. Bliss out!

RJ Eskow Gets It Right

2008-07-14T13:38:45Z

On July 11, RJ Eskow posted an article on HuffPo that sums up what I've been thinking re: Obama's style of politics for awhile now:

Have We Missed the Key to Obama's Leadership Style?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/have-we-missed-the-key-to_b_112289.html

Some quick quotes:

When I did some work [in Japan] nearly twenty years ago I encountered some of the same traits we're seeing in Obama now: The urge for consensus. The courtesy toward all parties, no matter how strong the disagreements. The nearly-holographic quality of appearing different to different observers. The centeredness and self-control.

It may be coincidental. Or it may be the result of growing up with Hawaii's Pacific Rim influence. But Obama's management style resembles the classic Japanese model. And, at least historically, these haven't just been behaviors. They're living embodiments of a spiritual perception which says that all humanity -- all existence -- is interconnected and equal.

The operative word, the core value behind this behavior, is unity. Unity means preserving the integrity of a social group. Where elections and debates emphasize process, and policies focus on outcome, unity creates an emphasis structure. That's unfamiliar to us.

[...]

Obama's been frustrating observers across the political spectrum lately. Progressive bloggers are debating whether he's driven by cynicism or centrism, while the rightwingers at Human Events claim there's a "Secret Plan Behind Obama's Move to the Right!"

They're all missing the point. He's not moving to the Right. His political architecture isn't built on the old foundation of Right vs. Left -- or on Right vs. Wrong, for that matter. It isn't even binary. When it comes to policy he inclines toward the progressive position, but he's not thinking in terms of "winning" or "losing." His goal is group unity around the best possible realistic outcome. That means assess the situation, get what you can, then move to bring the parties together around a new consensus.

Having read both of Senator Obama's books, and looking into his work in the IL state legislature and the US Senate, I think Eskow's analysis is spot on.

Give the article a read.

Just ordered Livaek, book 4, Spells of Binding...

2008-07-11T22:52:05Z

...so that I can finally read the whole series.

Loved book 1, have all other books in possession save #4... but just bought dat from an Amazon used-book seller.

(If anyone wants to give me Book 3 of GGK's Fionavar Tapestry (THe Darkest Road), I wouldn't blanch.)

In enny case, now that #4 is on way, I can re-read #1, and have my first-read on #2 and #3... and #4 should be here by time I need to start it, after that, #5 is waiting in my queue.

I need to mention, once again (in case I haven't mentioned it here), that the best sf novella in the world, EVAR, is John M. Ford's "The Illusionist," which is Liavek-related.

[Still sad I never got to meet JMF in person. (Resolved: meet Ted Chiang.)]

Spirit of the Season = 2007 ENnie Nominee

2008-07-10T17:26:18Z

Spirit of the Season, the SotC-slash-T&J supplement Fred and I (and Daniel) created this past year, is a nominee for Best Supplement! Woot!

http://www.ennieawards.com/08/2008noms-3.html

Inspired by this nomination, drivingblind made an offer in this post:

Spirit of the Season - Extended Free Preview

We originally gave away a smaller version of Spirit of the Season -- minus the extra spellcasting rules, villains, and Chanukah allies -- last Christmas, as a gift to everyone.

We're doing it again, this time in support of SOTS's Ennie Nomination for Best Supplement!

You can download the "half-sized" PDF absolutely free at:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=51248

Tell a friend! Ask them to vote!

http://www.ennieawards.com/08/2008noms-1.html
http://www.ennieawards.com/voting.html

Uncharacteristically, Fred neglected to mention that if you want to buy the "full-on" version, you can get Print, PDF, or Print+PDF copies of SotS here:

http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/product.php?productid=16575&cat=318&bestseller

Download! Buy! Vote! Use exclamation points!

S. Morgenstern

2008-07-07T16:42:02Z

Another reason that S. Morgenstern is the greatest Florinese writer ever:

That night, Luigi did some heavy thinking.
A girl and a boy bump -- surely an accident.
A girl and a boy bump and her handkerchief drops -- surely another accident.
But when a girl gives a boy a dead squid -- that had to mean something.
-- The Silent Gondoliers

Indeed.

Back

2008-07-07T01:12:57Z

I have returned from the wilderness of southwestern Pennsylvania.

If anything of interest has happened over the last 5 days you wish me to know about, post a link here.

(In other news, the checks I was expecting to come in the mail last week haven't.)

(Grr. Argh. Gah.)

Running Silent

2008-07-01T11:56:50Z

FYI: My email and LJ usage starting tomorrow through Monday the 7th will be sporadic.

Uke TG, TB, & TU

2008-06-30T07:30:43Z

Awezum.

General Query

2008-06-29T05:00:17Z

Did I loan my copy of The Essential Doctor Strange to someone, or have I managed to lose it in my cluttered TARDIS-like home-office?

On Commute Home 2Day

2008-06-26T22:36:32Z

Black micro-miniskrit + turquoise cowboy boots = FTW.

God bless you, mysterious DC pedestrian.

SRSLY

2008-06-25T22:47:07Z

I want to have dinner with Wil Wheaton, Harlan Ellison, Lawrence Kasdan, Charlie Kaufman, Kevin Smith, J. Michael Straczynski, Eric Burns, Ken Hite, Joss Whedon, and Robin Williams.

Is that so much to freaking ask, Universe?

(NOTE: They are all still alive.)

Cathy FTW

2008-06-23T19:00:25Z

geekchick is a genius. Over the weekend, she pointed me at a solution for my current dire financial slide.

She suggested I see if I can take a loan out against my 401k.

I was not really aware you could do this, or if my plan allowed such.

It does.

Email from HR Dude:

"[ADMNINISTRATOR'S] office has begun the loan process. They must first confirm your eligibility, then they complete the application and promissory note, then get the paperwork to us and you. She said this takes a few days. She seemed to think your request will work out fine."

w00t, I say.

(Also: major props to theferrett, who hooked me up with a place to sell those two to three dozen valuable M:tG cards I have, which I'm still going to do, so that I can assure I get my finances stable.)

Thank you all.

Upon Reflection...

2008-06-21T09:09:17Z

FACT: ...(and my new-found YouTube playlisting) Scary Spice and Ginger Spice are the ones who really carry "Wannabe."

Taking In Cats in LA Area

2008-06-21T08:50:31Z

http://oletheros.livejournal.com/2167784.html

I cannot emphasize how important this is: if you or someone you know in the los angeles area is able to adopt an adult cat, please let me know asap. If you can put out the call as well, it would be the best thing you could do for shan right now. We would really prefer not to have to put them in a rescue shelter. "They haven't done anything to deserve that."

LA area peeps -- can anyone take on an adult cat or two? Please respond to Matt's post above.

Kittehs are awesome, I remind you all. If you are in the greater LA area, please respond to Matt's post above.

Thank you.

[asmp] Hey...

2008-06-21T08:11:13Z

Have I mentioned recently how gratified I am to see that Truth & Justice and The Zorcerer of Zo seem to have some traction in the game world?

(That is, people are using these games, both as intended and otherwise, for gaming fun!)

I'm glad folks are grooving. I hope to bring more groove with S7S.

Thank you!

http://www.atomicsockmonkey.com/products/tj.asp
http://www.atomicsockmonkey.com/products/zoz.asp
http://www.atomicsockmonkey.com/products/s7s.asp

M:tG Assistance Needed

2008-06-20T13:25:21Z

Okay, here's the situation:

1. My financial situation is tending towards "dire."

2. As I mentioned a couple years ago in similar straits, I have a sizable number of high-ticket Magic: the Gathering cards. I'm talking Unlimited cards like Black Lotus, some Moxes, some Arabian Nights, some Antiquities, that sort of thing (plus the inevitable couple of longboxes of bulk cards). They've been more-or-less sitting around untouched since 1995 or 1996.

[When boadiccea and I graded some of these back in -- was it 2002? -- there was at least a grand's worth of cardboard there. (See #1, a windfall $1k-ish would alter my situation from "dire" to "spiffy.")]

3. I have no idea where to sell these cards, how to CYA(ssets), nor how to grade, price, or package them for shipping safely.

4. I have an unreasonable fear of figuring how to sell $600+ items on eBay with no idea how escrow works and with no seller history. (Hell, I haven't logged into eBay since the last century, I think.)

5. The local gaming shops here in the DC Metro area -- especially Dream Wizards and Game Parlor -- have given me (what I can only with the very cream) of the milk of human kindness call) "mixed messages" on purchasing cards.

PLZ HALP.

(I am especially looking at you, theferrett.)

I need to know a bunch of things regarding some of the above, in rough order of #5, #3, and #4. (Granted, #1 is leveraging hard against #4 at this point...)

Thank you in advance.

[s7s] Gamma 7

2008-06-20T00:07:50Z

Work Journal: Gamma draft of S7S chapter 7 is done.

No reply from any playtesters whether or not anyone can run a game using gamma chapters 5 and 6 over the next 2 to 4 weeks yet... which is a bit disconcerting.

I can make edits on the introduction and chapters 1 thru 4, but until 5/6 are locked down, can't redo the handouts or boil-down into PDQ#.

In any case, I'm taking tonight the next few days off before I move onto edits on the intro and 1 thru 4.

Indulgent, maybe.

2008-06-19T19:20:49Z

Perhaps my mind is addled by all of the Tim Russert eulogies and enconiums I've been seeing recently (and, I sorrow that I didn't spend more time previous watching him, though I did sit next to him in 15th Street traffic within the last 3 weeks), but i have been wondering about something...

Have I had a positive impact, however minimal, in your life?

Be it through personal interaction, virtual/electronic interacts, or even via my work (mostly gaming material, at this point).

I would like to know.

(If anyone wants to turn this into an LJ meme, I strongly support such. It is gratifying to know that one has had an impact on other people.)

Why?

2008-06-19T19:00:04Z

In recent months, I have been nigh-overcome with the desire for a pet fox -- specifically either a Fennec or a Tame Silver Fox.

WTF?