We got Enron into the guild, about 2 minutes after Eric logged out! Pretty cool game - I'm on some other planet, but still need to do ALL the flashpoints from the first place, so hopefully we can hit some of those this week.

Got my Star Wars spaceship, whaaatup

| Chrynin

thanks for the congrats ryan, glad to hear things are going awesome for you in maui. ill def hit you up when we are. over there, you can turn us on to some cool places to grub.

im writing this on my phone and theyve made some changes to blogger where now i cant do exclamation points for some reason, so sorry if i sound less than exclamationy.

My vote would be for B... if I were going. Boo. Have fun, guys! And congrats, Rude! You will be honeymooning on the island where I live, which is cool. Hit me up when you guys are here! ate-oh-ate, for-for-six, too-won-for-seven

I hope everything is well with everyone. I come back to Cali occasionally, but I am there for such a short period of time, it is impossible to get together with everyone while I am there.

Quick update: Life here is pretty sweet. This is the third year I have lived here, and I am still finding it totally enjoyable. For crying out loud, I went surfing this morning before work and didn't have to wear a wetsuit, and the waves were big and glassy. I get to teach a pretty select group of students (I don't have to deal with special education or English as a second language paperwork and meetings), at a great school. I live 12 minutes from school and 11 minutes from the beach, but at the same time, where I live is vast open spaces of pastureland, so I never feel claustrophobic or island fever. I live with my girlfriend and we have a cat named Boris. I am very happy.

I do, however, miss my family and friends in California. Hopefully I can see, or talk to, you guys soon. I really don't have time or the means to play games with you guys, and with the time difference, I am not sure it can work out, but we'll see.

Shaka! (nobody ever says that)

| And then there were two...

A has been taken that weekend, which leaves us with B or C - which one? Need the info to reserve!

B http://www.beachsiderentals.com/content/vacation-detail.php?ID=10006

C http://www.beachsiderentals.com/content/vacation-detail.php?ID=10011

| Listening to The Giant Bombcast

As I always do while commuting (until I run out of them, in which case I simply weep in the car) and they received an email where the the question was posed "when did you feel like you were playing on or with something from The Future". His example was that he was sick on the couch and rather than getting up to swap game disks on his 360, he simply downloaded a new game with 3 clicks of a button and was playing in minutes. His example seemed less like the The Future to me since it sort of has been that way for some time, but it got me thinking. Here is my list of The Future/paradigm shift moments while playing video games, in no particular order:

1) Intellivision - WTF games IN MY HOUSE? And that baseball guy looks like he is actually running?!?!

2) Super Mario Bros. on the NES - WTF I don't have to go to the liquor store to play this game in a stand-up cabinet, I can play it in my pajamas?!? It's the same exact game!?!

3) Dragon's Lair - WTF, I'm a character in a cartoon movie and I'm (poorly) controlling the movie?!?!

4) Doom over Null Modem at UCLA - WTF, we are in JP's room playing against Mike in his room UPSTAIRS, OVER THE PHONE?!?!

5) Doom - Looking at a demo of Doom at one of the Strategicons = WTF, 3D in a game?!?!?!

6) Virtual Fighter, cabinet - WTF, that guy looks like a real guy when he punches that other guy!

7) Neverwinter Nights on AOL - WTF, I'm at Paul's house and we are playing a Gold Box game with Jon in his house? At the same time and using a chat window to talk to each other?!?!?!

8) Tekken on Playstation - WTF, this game looks like the most amazing thing ever (and will inspire me to break shit, but that is not relevant to this list) and it's in my house?!?!

9) Myst - WTF, this game looks like the most amazing thing ever! Is that a VIDEO playing IN THE GAME?!?!?!

10) Duke Nukem - WTF, I can use this in game monitor to control the in game security cameras and watch my networked opponent somewhere else in the game and then remotely detonate a mine I had placed in front of the camera when he runs by it and watch him blow up?!?!?!

enron: Not really sure on Boobla - I won't be able to really decide till a few weeks before that month when we work on our work schedule - I'll try to go if possible, but this year is pretty uncertain.

OMG Enron, that was disgusting! Hahaha. My gorge rose a couple times while watching it.

| Bonjour... BOOM!

So, if you look at the fine map/satellite image of option C, the distance from rocky beach to the sandy state beach for Frisbee love is about ~800', so not too far, but maybe a spontaneity minimzer. As a plus, there appears to be a large mobile home park around that distance away too. So Yee Haa.

eLzar: I think the best plan is then for us to go down together. I'll work a short day at work, CalTrans it down and meet you in SJ @ 2:30pm on Thursday.

Pump: Well, let's see how Blackheart weighs in on Koobla.

r00d: Are you thinking BooblaCon is in the future this year. I know that starts to get close to your wedding date.

jr0n: Gross. Did you try making a candle? Check this bad boy out... Comedy gold at 0:37-1:08.



D>M>

I can come Thur at anytime!

| All of the Above

I sent some email to the rental lady asking about the availability of all 3 - waiting to hear back. They are all the same price, so I think that it just comes down to a) which is available, b) which Rudy wants, c) which the Action Team wants.

I think C actually has the least amount of non-floor sleeping options.

'A' has 6 beds, 2 'day beds' in the sun room, and looks to be the most remote (a good thing), but not a great looking Frisbee beach.

'B' has 3 beds and 4 bunk beds (yikes), but looks to be close to the northern neighbor.

'C' has 4 beds, and the best Frisbee beach.

-----------------------------

18 miles southeast of Cayucos is SLO, and they have a Costco - so if Enron meets me in SJ on Thursday ~2:30, we can drive to SLO, and hit Costco on the way in to town.

--------------------------------

Peeps so far:

Norcal:

- Eric: driving to CabinCon Thursday 2:30, shopping at Costco in SLO before arrival
- Enron: possibly taking train to SJ Thursday, will drive with Eric.
- Jon: driving town Friday
- Mike: TBD

SoCal:

- Rudy: TBD
- Denis: TBD
- Peter: TBD
- Johnny: TBD
- DaveDefeat: KIA

I'm really starting to like A and B over C... but honestly, they all look like they'd be awesome and barring some freak storm, we'd have immediate access to prime frisbee/boomerang action (I got one of those crazy triangular soft boomerangs - works awesome but it's also like super scary and violent) - Bummer no D. Defeat but sounds like enough of us will be able to have a pre-con thur night which would rock. I already told my coworker about the wedding, so the seed is planted for "need this weekend off".

I'm all in for the Cons.

KublaCon - Depending if Blacqueheart is going, maybe Thurs night arrival at the earliest.

CabinCon - All the houses look good. I defer to better judgements than mine. All I need is a spot to sleep and two daily hours of bathroom time. I may be able to pull off Thurs afternoon at the earliest. I'm open to any carpooling arrangements as well.

That's a lot of wax! Do you not use q-tips or anything? Or is that some next-level wax shit?

| Just because

I've been having some ear pain lately. Was worried it might be infected so I went to the doctor. She thinks it's just fluid in my sinuses and I got some spray for my nose and some sudafed. Anyway that's not the point. The point is that she couldn't initially see inside my ear canal due to all the wax so she had a nurse clean it out. The nurse blasted the shit out of my ear canal with some serious water pressure and then pulled out, in three chunks, a tube of earwax that was half an inch thick, and two inches long!

Barrrrrf!

I will definitely be a Thursday attendee for Kooky-Con! That's my regular day off - the only thing I need to request is that Saturday night off, and I'm sure if I plead "bachelor party" I'll get it. Kubla, I'm not so sure if I'll be able to swing it this year. If I did, I'd probably only be able to fly up for a Thur-Sat trip, but I won't really know till closer to the event.

Welcome back Johnny! Yikes man, you went MIA! Glad to hear you're still in business and doing okay - email me your mailing address when you get a chance!

All the beach houses were too-awesome-to-be-true, so whichever we end up getting I'm sure will be rad. What if that town is another Salton Sea - super methed-out! That's why we've never heard about it...

I think I was the only one with Kubla problems this year? I think this year my attendance will be a bit limited. I might just be in for a day visit -- I'll see though.

As for CabinCon, I am probably a Friday night arrival since I can't take Thursday off to ride in the MGU, and will need the car Friday to pick up the kid from day care before I can drive down. Note: I will also drop the kid off at home before driving down. I am pretty sure this event will have raw language. I may be able to work something out to drive down earlier in the day on Friday though, I'll see what I can do!

| WHAT

is your favorite color?

Tools are Cools yo.

| WHAT

IS

YOUR

CHARACTERS

NAME

,

YOU

TOOL

| Bits of Bits

eLzar is on it like a Bonnet. I just asked for time off (Thursday and Friday)... approved! I'm in it to win it.

eLzar, you are heading down the afternoon of Thursday I believe. What is the intention of the rest of you punks. Obviously, I am vehicularly challenged, so I need to plan accordingly. Plus, I would like to be involved in the grocery shopping. That way I can make more delicious bits.

I spoke with DaveDefeat and it looks like he is out for both CayuKon 2012 and probably BooblaCon 2012. He has some expenses coming up that are restricting his cash flow. Speaking of BooblaCon, what is everyone's opinion on it this year? I am willing, but I know that it may be a tough sale for some of you jArks. Please let me know what your estimated intentions are so I can plan accordingly.

I think either option A or C for the CayuKon 2012 house look good. I think A is better for layout and sleeping quarters, plus it is a tad more interesting in the ocean view department. That's just two cents. E is awesome, but us poor blokes are not like to afford those snazzy diggs.

SWTOR goes okay for me. Still struggling in combat with the key bindings and third person mouse interface. It's especially problematic when I get cornered and jammed in a scrum by those brutish Gundaks. I hit level 11 last night and will hopefully be plopped on Coruscant after I tie up the last couple of loose ends on Ord Mantell. Yay me.

D>M>

Yo guys, sorry, i haven't checked anything for a long time including my gmail account. Will check the email and get back to you rudez.

Been trying to figure out importing./exporting Red wine to China ---- Yes another crazy schem-atic. But anyways, cool, that's what i'm up to lately...

overz n outz, still here though. Not in the philippines!

Johnny

| Already on it

:)

Sending emails, gettin paperworx, should have some more info soon, yo.

Regarding sick Beach Rentals for CayuKon 2012: "Nightly rates apply only in winter season (three night minimum); during the Summer Season ( 5/27/11 to 9/06/11 ) rentals are on weekly basis only; Friday to Friday or Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday. "'

Which means we won't have to be grabbing a spot for an entire week because we'll still be in "winter" - that's fucking awesome! Let's get an awesome beach side spot! (And then sit in a dark house playing Settlers of Caanan) Where the heck is Johnny? Emailed him a few times with no replizzle.

Games Stuff: I am probably gonna have to try out playing a Jedi soon because I was working through some shitty grindy quest area today and a Jedi just flew into my area and rocked those dudes. It looked so awesome. Then there I am, pew pewing, all stiff and awkward. I might just need to figure out my class more, but damn, those Jedi look fun.

Have you guys played the Mass Effect games? This is basically Mass Effect with MMO combat instead of semi-shooter/rpg combat. I like it because of that, but it's also so funny how every Bioware game is SO similar! The smuggler storyline I hear is the sillier of the classes, so it's totally like a bunch of Mass Effect side missions. I hope the Bioware uncomfortable sex-scenes make it into this.

I will be there! I'll try to go to sleep a little earlier in the morning because lately I'm just waking up for work around 9pm - but tomorrow is also my Friday, so I don't really care if I'm a little tired. Fun times.

Hope everyone wants to/can to go to Cayuco-con! Someone pick up Risk Legacy and we'll create the game over the weekend.

| Let's do this!

Tuesday night, eight o' clock, let's meet up online and take an hour or two to build characters!

Beforehand, check out the shared doc "Earthdawn Campaign Intro." It's got some background on your home that is pretty darn well written if I do say so myself.

There is also an editable pdf character sheet you can download. The weird thing about it is I can edit and save it using Preview but not with Reader. So, if you've got a pdf-viewing alternative to Reader, that would be thuper!

Peter "Blackheart" is also playing, but he can't make tomorrow night so I guess he's on his own.

Balls!

Yeah but I'm tired of all the nut sweat.

You play with no underwear?

I vote we take it to the limit! Whatever that means.

This is looking to be a good year for bromance/camaraderie in general since we got the CabinCon, we have a crew together for GenCon, we have the MMO thing and (hopefully?) the online tabletop thing. Hooray for friendship! We should schedule an end of year drunken ManCon in the Embassy Suites near where I live for good measure. The BART tracks go right by the windows.

Aeryk - are you going to stick with your Guardian? If so I will probably switch over to my Jedi Knight and tank. I think I'm getting a little tired of the Commando playstyle.

C is probably my "affordable" favorite, but D and E are pretty insane. Not sure what constiutes the cutoff for winter/summer because I think the summer deals are you have to rent for the entire week while winter is 3 nights. I'll bring lots of 2-player games because it looks like it's Rudy/Eric-in-big-beach-mansion-Con... *hey buddy, want a little foood?*

There were some other spots I scoped out from a different site I'll dig up tonight - pretty good prices - not as pimp as these though.

| Cayucos CabinCon II

Dope:

A http://www.beachsiderentals.com/content/vacation-detail.php?ID=10003

B http://www.beachsiderentals.com/content/vacation-detail.php?ID=10006

C http://www.beachsiderentals.com/content/vacation-detail.php?ID=10011

D http://www.cayucosvacationrentals.com/single/974pacific.htm

E (probably not priced right, but OMG) http://www.cayucosvacationrentals.com/single/magnificent.htm

Thoughts?

| MORESWTORLUV

I'm liking it more and more as I play, which is not necessarily a good thing for my already sleep-starved ass.

Just took a Jedi Consular to level 10, and went the Sage route to be healbot and the journey was a blast! The starting zone (Tythos?) is totally different from Ord Mandell (my Trooper) and the story was totally different (of course) and it was a lot of fun. And man, my companion is AWESOME. He's basically a tank and does a pretty good job of holding threat and even pulling adds off of me when they split! He frees me up to just throw attack powers and not fear for getting smacked around too much.

I like the Sage abilities so far, which is only ONE specific to the Sage at level 10 - the healing power. However, the other powers I have help with crowd control - I can stun for 4 seconds, levitate and take a mob out of action for 8 seconds, I can slow movement for 5 seconds and I can AOE 'splode which sends mobs back 10 meters (I think) and stun them for 3 seconds. So, imma healing and crowd controlling sort of healer.

And the thrill of finally crafting my lightsaber? I felt like I was 8 years old again.

Good times!

I was so pressed for time, in the end I'm kinda glad you flushed those dudes out the airlock. At the end, I was SO tempted to make the choice of killing/leaving that lady, but I gave in to my Little Goody Two-Shoes instincts.

Yeah! I was a little disappointed in my character as well. I was curious to see what would happen, but also hoped one of you other guys would win the roll to speak... sorry engineers! :) Rude - when we did that flashpoint before of course we picked the choice that let the engineers live, and we had to do a small side-quest that probably took 10 minutes to accomplish what we did immediately by flushing the airlock. So there really are consequences to that choice: pretty cool.

| SWTOR: Guildz

Almost right after you logged off Rudy I ran to my trainer in the spaceport to level up and right next to him was the guildmaster - totally only need 4 people total in a party to start the guild! If nothing else, we should set a time for us to all log on for 1 minute, then I'll fireup the guild (I think I have enough spacebucks) and then PROFIT!

The flashpoint was TOTALLY FUN! I really like the dialog tree aspect and that we each roll to see who actually gets to speak on what part. Yeah, I was totally mortified when given the option to re-route some power in the ship to save all the engineering staff, or blow them out of the airlock to save time, jr0n chose to blow them out into the freezing comforts of deep space. Mortified! I really did feel a sense of loss afterward, particularly when the game brought it up later as a painful reminder of "our" decision! Watch yo back when Bahn-mi (jr0n) is 'healing' your party :)

Get your WASD practice on, Enron, there is too much fun to be had!

And put your WoW account on hold for the month Myke, get in on this!

I was looking it up, and you only need 4 dudes to make a guild in Star Wars. You have to be in a full party and talk to some dude and it's 5k space bux. I don't know where he's at (somewhere near the Senate tower says ye olde intranet) but it should be doable! Comeon, we gotta run this shit into the ground before the 1st month is up!

Played the first Star Wars dungeon with Eric and Jon tonight and that was way too much fun. Sucked that it ran a little long for the time I had (got to work on time in the end), but it never felt like it was dragging or anything. I think the best part of it is the peanut gallery aspect since you can make fun of the awkward dialog and silly glitches that are ALWAYS present in every Bioware game for some reason. Also, since it rolls to see who's dialog choice happens, of course Jon won one of the major decisions and totally killed a bunch of innocent dudes for NO GOOD REASON! I was so shocked and hurt. Fun times.