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.

Tags: 240 dollars worth of puddin', dc-metro, gah, gaming

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.

Tags: dc-metro, gah, gaming

Singer-songwriter Eric Anders Rowe has released a numbered, limited edition EP! (That would be my good friend ericrowe, for those playing at home.)

'The Problem With Romance' is a five-song EP, written and performed by e.a.rowe. This is a first run, limited to one hundred hand-numbered discs, and featuring photography by the multi-talented mercurialgirl.

The songs deal with issues of obsession, fear, shame... and just a bit of surprisingly resilient hope.

Five bucks, plus $2 S&H within the US.

Click the image for a buy-link:


Go drop a fiver plus two and get some kickass music. I did.

Tags: 240 dollars worth of puddin', dc-metro, reference

In honor of rednikki and mycranium1 being out here DC-aways for a wedding, there was a little get-together at Hard Times in Clarendon.

I was there, of course, as were (folks I already knew) boadiccea, creatureshock, cyntergomes, geekchick, ka_crow, nminusone, and rottgrub.

New people I met included bedivere, delerium69, and George (no LJ).

A rousing time was had by all, and many conversations were entered by folks previously unawares at the most hilarious moments.

Good times.

Tags: dc-metro

Growing up in my hometown, there was Sam's Pizza.

Sicilian pizza (square), but with a thinner semi-Neapolitan crust (crisp and chewy, but not thick/cakey). Sauce was sweet and a little salty.

Any DC Metro area peeps know where I can find something similar?

Mario's (in Clarendon) and Marino's (on Jeff Davis Hwy) come close, but their crusts are both still a bit too thick and cakey for my tastes.

(A week of South Beach as made me really want a pizza, but no simple one will make me fall off the wagon. It's gotta be exactly what I want.)

Tags: dc-metro, food

My friend Jess Nevins/ratmmjess is in town doing some research at the Library of Congress for upcoming encyclopedic works of his. While he's been here, I've taken on the role of Cruise Director: plying him with food, drink, and friendly people.

It's Jesstoberfest in DC.

Thursday night: Boardgames/cardgames with righteousfist and John M., with deadly pizza from Monterey's Gourmet Pizza. (I still think that Angelico has the edge, but was a damnfine za.)

Friday night: Drinks and dinner at the , with oletheros, crossbonesdj, and geekchick.

Saturday: Nuffink Jess-related, as he needed to rest after putting a couple gruelling days over the microfiche/microfilm reader. (Though boadiccea, rottgrub, and I dig go to Gadsby's Tavern, which I've always wanted to go to.)

Sunday: Trucked up to Silver Spring to visit/strategize/chew the fat with drivingblind and rob_donoghue (and omphaloskepsis fluttering around in the background).

There should be at least one or two more episodes of Hangin' with Mr. Nevins before he toddles back off to jolly old Texas-land.

Tags: 240 dollars worth of puddin', dc-metro, evilhat, food, game design, gaming, sekrit projekt, silly

Remember to vote today (if possible) for the candidate of your choice!

Tags: dc-metro

This past weekend (on Sabaday) was the Evil Hat Summit, where many were met, and deep plans arranged. (Apparently, a podcast happened; will apprise you all when it goes live.)

We also played En Garde (Slugfest Games) -- I need to glean a copy! -- and Shadows Over Camelot (Days of Wonder): both were awesome.

Sumday, I basically slpet, watching Nature, Nova, and Ratatouille (and the DVD extras).

Tonights, I have revised one of the Dresden Files RPG chapters I am "lead" on and also edited/revised parts of the upcoming for-pay version of Spirit of the Season.

And now, I check my emails and make dinner, then I watch Countdown.

DC Metro folks: VOTE TOMORROW!!!

Tags: asmp, dc-metro, dresden, evilhat, game design, sekrit projekt, spirit-of-the-season, work journal

I went over to righteousfist's place tonight for dinner and boardgames, and ended up playing both Ticket to Ride and Carcassone, both for the first time.

And I truly dug them.

With luck, this will be a regular occurence -- and, as we move into spring and summer, an easy walk from my apartment.

Hal, next time I bring a bottle of wine or two.

Much fun, much game designy thoughts running thru my headbone.

Cheers!

Tags: dc-metro, game design, gaming

FACT: There is no better tonic for the soul than spending time with beloved friends.

In other news, due to baby sleepery, we seem to have evolved a beatnik/Addams Family version of the Birthday Dirge.

Tags: dc-metro, fact, silly