Rick

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For hai_kah_uhk

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:44:17 GMT

The reprint-heavy Time Spiral expansion has a nostalgia theme. Looks for connections with the past over the coming year.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Icatian Crier

The Icatian Crier's news is out-of-date, but is still relevant. Sometimes the old advice is the best. Look to the past for wisdom, and you might find some unexpected offers of help.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Sprout

This card speaks of big things coming from small beginnings. Essential to the concept of a sprout is the potential to grow. The flavor text speaks of armies constructed of "little more than grime and sunlight". Expect this to be a year of small beginnings and lots of room to grow.

Third Card (Romance, Love): Spiketail Drakeling

The Spiketail Drakeling dines on "succulent thoughts and memories". Look for ways that your memories, dreams, and fantasies can help nourish your hunger for romance. The drake is also good at getting around obstacles with its flying ability, and can sacrifice itself if needed to prevent something unwanted from occurring.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For nancyeve1

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:59:03 GMT

Drawn from Invasion. Set chosen randomly.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Obsidian Acolyte

The Obsidian Acolyte is a protector against dark forces. Note the emphasis on truthfulness in the flavor text. With truthful action, you will be able to protect not only yourself, but those you care about. And since your own protection is automatic, you are free to expend your energy to defend others.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Zap

The flavor text in this card tells of a surprising talent unexpectedly discovered in a friend. The person you thought was useless will come through for you in an unexpected way. It won't have a huge effect. Zap only does one point of damage. But it will also immediately open the door to a newer and better opportunity.

Third Card (Romance, Love): Firescreamer

This is unusual in Magic: A black card that is very definitely on the side of good in the story. The Kavu are a race that emerge to defend the world of Dominaria in times of danger, and Kavu exist in all five colors of Magic. This card speaks of finding goodness in an unexpected place, and the flavor text backs that up. "In the dark, it's nearly invisible- until is exhales." At which point the affinity for the fire of red magic becomes apparent. While not multicolor, the Firescreamer is a black card with a red-activated ability. It represents someone who is quiet, blending into the shadows. Someone who you might not expect to be one of the good guys. When you get close, and when this someone has a chance to breathe, then sparks are gonna fly.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For beckyzoole

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:24:21 GMT

Drawn from Guildpact. Set chosen randomly.

Interesting note: All three of your cards are multicolor with "enemy color" combinations. The coming year is likely to be ruled by seeming contradictions, uneasy alliances, and the attraction of opposites.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Leap of Flame

When enemy colors red and blue do get together, the combination usually plays up the chaotic and unpredictable natures of wind and fire. Leap of Flame is a bit, game-changing move that comes out of nowhere and lets you either cut short your opponent's offense, or launch an unexpected air-attack of your own. When working your elemental magic in the coming year, you should keep in mind the most important element of all: The element of surprise! There is likely to be something that you will get one chance at, and it will come suddenly. Be ready to take advantage of the opportunity.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Blind Hunter

You can fly, but you are flying blind. And that is going to make it difficult to get to what you are seeking. Try some echolocation (or to put it in more general terms, perhaps try a more indirect approach). And keep in mind that this creature has a Haunt ability. This means that lost opportunities could still yield some rewards. Hold on to those contacts and keep an eye out for second chances.

Third Card (Romance, Love): Petrahydrox

The first thing I take note of here is the creature type. There are not a whole lot of creatures in Magic with creature type: Weird. Go ahead and embrace it. The petrahydrox puts on a bold front, but jumps back home as soon as it's targeted with anything. Don't worry if things seem a bit hesitant at times. Like the Petrahydrox, romance is always on hand, ready to be cast anew.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For mseuphrates

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:04:52 GMT

Drawn from Magic: The Gathering's newest expansion set, Zendikar. Set chosen randomly.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Tempest Owl

The Tempest Owl is skilled at navigating difficult conditions of storm and darkness. This is a flying creature, so it easily evades most obstacles. Furthermore, its power, while requiring the expenditure of significant mental (blue) energy, allows it to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. Like the Tempest Owl, you will have to navigate some stormy conditions and you will be called on to handle multiple situations, sometimes simultaneously, in the areas of health, home, and family. It will be a drain on your resources, particularly the mental resources associated with blue mana, but you are capable of rising to the occasion, much as the owl rises to survey the scene from above.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Cancel

Cancel has been printed in five recent sets. This counterspell is considered one of the major staples of blue in the game right now. Interestingly, this particular printing of Cancel is the only one with this Zendikar-specific flavor text that mentions spectacular spells and astonishing failures. This could be a year of ups and downs for you financially. Be ready for plans to fail badly, but look forward to some equally big wins.

Third Card (Romance, Love): Vampire Lacerator

Hmmm... Masochistic tendencies? "Lacerators cut themselves before each hunt. They must feed before the sun rises or bleed to death." A lot going on in this card and this flavor text. In addition to the rather obvious implications involving the role of pain in your relationships, there is a strong message of self-confidence here. You will risk it all because you are confident that you will have what you want in your grasp before the sun rises.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For autumn_snows

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:25:22 GMT

Drawn from Homelands. Set chosen randomly.

Interestingly, all three of your cards were blue creatures. Blue is the color associated with the elements of air and water, and with mental magic, scholarship, knowledge for knowledge's sake, trickery, and illusion. These elements will be important influences on you in the coming year. The fact that three creatures were drawn demonstrates the importance of people, and connections with people for you in 2010.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Labyrinth Minotaur

The Labyrinth Minotaur is a member of the classic maze-dwelling race of mythology. The minotaur shows an affinity for mazes and puzzles. Rather than destroying its opponents, it stalls and delays them through confusion and trickery. When dealing with difficult home and family situations, it will be wise to slow things down, stall a little bit, and make people run around some corners and search around to get to you. They will find that like the minotaur, you are surprisingly tough once they finally reach you.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Giant Oyster

The Giant Oyster deals with its problems slowly and methodically. Much like the Labyrinth Minotaur, this creature uses delaying and stalling, although it will eventually wear its enemies down. Oysters, of course, are also symbolic of hidden wealth, and treasures that hide within a humble exterior. Slow and determined effort will be your key to unlocking treasures in the coming year.

Third Card (Romance, Love): Sea Troll

One of the very few blue creatures with regeneration, the Sea Troll is most effective against other blue creatures. So go ahead and let the games of mental manipulation happen. Your romance will regenerate from whatever attempts have been made to hurt it.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For frostmane

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 04:39:55 GMT

Drawn from Invasion. Set chosen randomly.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Obsidian Acolyte

Note the creed: "The truthful will stand in the gaze of death and escape unharmed." The Obsidian Acolyte is protected against dark forces and can extend that protection to others, potentially to many others. Your truthfulness will be a key part of this, and it will help you to protect those close to you just as it protects you.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Serpentine Kavu

There is nothing subtle about the Serpentine Kavu. Kavu come out in times of trouble to fight against invaders. This one is particularly aggressive. It's a green creature with a red-activated power that grants haste (the ability to attack immediately upon arrival). In the coming year, there will be no room for subtlety. Your path to success is the direct approach. Brute force, and a dash of fire/chaos to grant haste to your efforts. Pursue your goals aggressively, directly, and most important of all... immediately.

Third Card (Love, Romance): Mourning

Mourning (the emotional attachment to something that is gone) is an enchantment that has a negative effect on power, but not toughness. In other words, it weakens, but does not truly harm a creature. It also has the ability to be recalled to hand for a small mana cost. You have a regret from the past that is holding you back in the area of love and romance. It's not really hurting you, but it is hindering you. You also have the power to make it go away. It may take a little negative energy to accomplish it, but you will be stronger if you do. Note that you recall this enchantment at any time.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For jrittenhouse

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:18:55 GMT

Drawn from Weatherlight. Set chosen randomly.

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Hurloon Shaman

When the Hurloon Shaman goes to the graveyard, everyone loses. Friend and foe lose a piece of their world when this creature is lost. This card speaks of the need to protect someone, someone who is connected to the world around you in both obvious and unexpected ways. No one wants to see this person come to harm.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Cone of Flame

Ertai, Wizard Adept, notes that his is not the warmth of compassion in the flavor text. And certainly, there is something heartless to the approach that Cone of Flame takes. But even more important, note the precision needed for this spell to be used effectively. The cone must target exactly three creatures, no more, no less. That means that if you're not facing the exactly right number of challenges of the exactly right size, then some of that damage is going to have to be turned back on your allies. This effect can be absolutely game-changing (even game-winning) if it is used at the perfect moment. So watch for your chances in the coming year, and strike only when you can make the most of your strategy.

Third Card (Romance, Love): Nature's Resurgence

A rare card! Fairly straightforward symbolism here. Old experiences are transformed into new opportunities. Look for a resurgence of romance powered by primal and natural magic, which will come as surely as "Spring follows winter" (an elvish expression that also references the passing of difficult or negative situations).

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For stormcat

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:47:06 GMT

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Mesa Falcon

From the flavor text, you will note that the Mesa Falcon serves as a messenger. It has the ability to fly, and while it is not a powerful attacker, it can draw on the white mana of the plains to increase its toughness to survive attack. This messenger is capable of carrying word past most obstacles. An interesting bit of trivia: Mesa Falcon was one of several common cards in Homelands that had two artwork versions. You drew the image of the perching falcon. The other version shows the falcon in flight. The perching falcon awaits your message. There are things that you need to say, thing related to health, home, and family. When you are ready to say those things, you will have a loyal messenger waiting to carry your word to its intended recipient.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Sea Troll

The Sea Troll's ability of regeneration is very unusual for a blue creature. Blue is normally the color of mental manipulation and illusion. Regeneration is normally a power associated with less subtle colors like black, green, and red. Note that the troll's ability functions only against other blue creatures. Expect to face some mental and intellectual battles in the financial and employment arenas in the coming year. You may not win all of these battles, but, like the troll, you will get back up after even the worst beating. Your persistence and resilience will wind the day.

Third Card (Love, Romance): An-havva Inn

The Inn is a life-gaining card that draws its power from your green allies. Look for new life from your friends, especially those friends associated with the Earth and nature. Also worth noting is the flavor text here. Ihsan's Shade greatly misses the good cheer and kindness of the inn. But note the reason. It's not the inn that is gone. It is Ihsan. Could there possibly be a place of good cheer and kindness that you have drifted away from? Go back there and seek out new life. It may be too late for Ihsan, but that's only because he's dead. You're not.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For mmobrien

Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:16:11 GMT

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Circle of Protection Blue

Blue is the color of elemental air and water, but it's also the color of mental trickery and mind manipulation. You've got protection! And low-cost reusable protection! Are you being subjected to family mindgames? Prevent the damage! All it takes is a the forethought to save a bit our your resources and you can prevent any amount of damage of this type.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Soltari Lancer

Heed the words of Gerard: "In times of war the victors rarely save their best for last." In matters of business, finance, and creativity, this is the year to get aggressive. The Lancer is almost useless as a blocker. His first-strike power is only functional when he attacks, and his shadow power is also geared toward a strategy of all-out attack. This guy isn't going to sit around and let problems come to him. You shouldn't either.

Third Card (Love, Romance): Starke of Rath

A rare card! Okay, Starke of Rath is probably not the ideal character to represent your romantic prospects. He's a pretty treasonous SOB. But you would do well to heed his words: "I know to whom I owe the most loyalty, and I see him in the mirror every day." In matters of love, you should remember to look out for number one. There is nothing wrong with some healthy self-interest. It's what kept Starke alive for so long. And keep in mind that even though Starke has an annoying tendency to shift loyalty when his powers are used, proper planning can always turn this to your advantage.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For radanols_girl

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 23:41:01 GMT

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Jamuraan Lion

The Jamuraan Lion doesn't need to fight. He just looks at his enemies the wrong way and they back down. The Femeref use "The lion blinked." as an expression for a situation avoided. Expect some confrontation, but it will be the type of confrontation that can be avoided by standing strong against a bluff and making sure that you are not the one who blinks.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Jungle Basin

Jungle Basin is a "bounce land" these cards increase your available resources for a price paid in time. When you play this land, not only can it not be used immediately, but you also have to return one of your in-play lands to your hand. This will slow you down, but the extra mana that the Jungle Basin produces makes up for this. Keep in mind that the land you return to you hand can still be used later; there might even be some strategic reasons to get it out of play. What this boils down to, though, is taking on some short term delays, in a planned way, for better long-term payoff. Also worth noting is that the mana produced by the Jungle Basin is green, the color of nature, strength,and life. In matters of business and finance, you would do well to look to nature or life-related endeavors with potential long-term benefits.

Third Card (Love, Romance): Karoo

Interesting. Visions contains 167 cards. Just five of them are "bounce lands". You drew two of those. Karoo is the white-mana equivalent of Jungle Basin. Much of the same advice appears to apply in areas of love and romance as you were given in financial matters. Think long-term strategy. Be willing to give up a little bit of immediate gratification for something more lasting, and remember you are not really giving anything up, just delaying a bit. The difference here is the color. Your romantic prospects appear to be aligned with Magic's white color, the color of order, honor, cooperation, law, and chivalry.

Magic: The Gathering Tarot Draw Results For erigeneia

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:07:30 GMT

First Card (Health, Home, Family): Squall Drifter

The flavor text speaks of impassible drifts that appear at every turn. But take note of the abilities of this creature. It is a nuissance, nothing more. A mere 1/1 creature with the ability to evade by flying and the power to tap a creature. True, it can tap creatures more powerful than itself, but that is all it does. This thing doesn't kill. It stalls. That's all. You may face some health issues or family issues in the coming year. Some may even seem insurmountable. But always look through that drifting snow and see the problem for what it is: A little thing without the power to truly hurt you. A nuissance that will fall to any direct attack. What may look impassible in the coming year is really only capable of slowing you down.

Second Card (Employment, Finances, Business, Creative Endeavors): Mystic Melting

This card is a cantrip, meaning that it replaces itself with a new draw when used. From the flavor text, we see that this is Druidic magic at work. It's a power that will melt away the cold of the past, and it will break down enchantments and destroy artifacts. This is the power to break the chains that have held you, the curses that have harmed you, and machinations that have kept you from your goals. They will melt away before your inner warmth as the ice melts in springtime. You should use this power freely and without hesitation, knowing that it will replenish itself.

Third Card (Love, Romance): Goblin Rimerunner

The Rimerunner uses snow mana to gain haste. The influence of the cold could lead to a speeding up of matters romantic. It also has the ability to remove obstacles from its path. Also notable is the full moon in the artwork, a traditional symbol of feminine mystery and of the passing of cyclical time. The male Rimerunner races toward his destination under the influence of the full moon. He immobilizes his foes while seeking more challenging slopes to ride. In the pursuit of romance, it is time for the removal of petty obstacles and the seeking of new and greater challenges, with the promise of new thrills and mysteries to be discovered.

Magic The Gathering Tarot Draw! You Know You Want To!

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 04:19:31 GMT

The Magic: The Gathering Tarot is once again open for business! Want to know your fortune for the New Year? Why not have it told with gaming cards?

You might remember this from the last time. I am offering a three-card draw of Magic cards, available to anyone who comments below. The draw comes from my stock of (50,000+) Magic cards that I sell online. You may choose the edition or expansion set your would like me to draw from, otherwise I will determine that at random. Because the cards available are from my selling stock, there is a reasonably "natural" distribution. So common cards will be drawn a lot more frequently than rares, and there should be an approximately even distribution of colors.

For this special New Year's edition, I will be doing something slightly different from the past/present/future draws I've previously done. I will draw three cards to represent your prospects for 2010 in the areas of:

Health, home, & family
Employment, finances, business, & creative endeavors
Love & romance

Your reading will be posted in a separate entry on this journal I'm usually fairly quick about getting these online, so check back a day or two after you comment and you should see your reading. If you didn't have a go at this last time, you can see some examples of readings here.

This offer ends at midnight (my time) New Year's eve. So comment if you would like to see what the (Magic) cards hold for you!

Disclaimer: I have no psychic abilities of any kind.

[BusyCon] D&D Game Continued

Mon, 26 May 2008 20:53:23 GMT

[For more BusyCon events, see brithistorian.]

This will run until about midnight EST tonight. Still open for anyone to join in. Come play!

So... Where were we? Oh yeah...

The combat is over. Four goblins are dead. One has fled, and the remaining one has surrendered to the druid.

Otto was considering backstabbing that one as well, but a word of warning from Erigeneia stayed his hand.

"Listen to what he has to say," she urges the group.

Speaking in perfect common tongue, the goblin explains that he is actually a wizard, who was shapeshifted into this form by a curse. What's more, he knows the location of a vast treasure in this dungeon. He will lead you to it in exchange for your help in undoing the curse.

What happens next?

[BusyCon] Gaming Track: D&D Game

Mon, 26 May 2008 02:23:23 GMT

This is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure for the Gaming Track at BusyCon.

This game will run tonight and tomorrow only. Anyone can join in. This means you! You can can be any race, class, level, etc. Keep it clean and fun.

...The stairway down from the surface ends in a small chamber, lit by what appears to be some sort of luminescent fungus that grows along the right-side wall where the wall meets the ceiling.

Straight ahead, a corridor leads into the darkness.

To the left, there is a stout wooden door at the center of the wall. The skeletal remains of what was once an orcish sentry lies in a heap at the foot of the door he once guarded, the tusks in the skull visible atop the pile of bones and rusted armor in the eerie bluish light.

What do you do?

[BusyCon]: My Masquerade Entry

Mon, 26 May 2008 02:09:19 GMT

BusyCon

Sun, 25 May 2008 19:43:32 GMT

brithistorian couldn't make it to any of the big conventions going on this weekend (BayCon, and WisCon among others), so he's hosting his own con, "BusyCon" on his LJ. Stop by and check it out. There will be special guests, panels, and all kinds of con activities.

I'm the fiction author GOH!

(And while I'm at it, hello and safe travels to all of my friends attending BayCon, WisCon, or other events this weekend!)

Finis Available for Pre-Order

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 02:19:59 GMT

Finis: A Book of Endings to Give People New Beginnings
By: Ryan Macklin, Paul Tevis, Jennifer Brozek, Rick Silva et al.

Format: 6x9 softcover, 96 pages
Price: PRE-ORDER FOR $19.95 FOR SIGNED COPY. FREE PDF WITH ORDER

Pre-order today through Indie Press Revolution
Remember, all proceeds go to charities still helping with Hurricane Katrina relief & rebuilding!

From today, June 18th, 2007 to July 18th, 2007, Finis: A Book of Endings to Give People New Beginnings will be available for pre-order through Indie Press Revolution. If you buy during the pre-order period, you'll get a copy signed by many of the contributors, as well as the PDF for free. In fact, the pre-order is the only way we're currently offering the PDF.

Some of you have seen the preview of Finis's Table of Contents, which hints at the haunting, amazing stories contained within. Some of you have even gazed upon one of those stories, Paul Tevis' The Tome. Those of you who have have seen the amazing, hauntingly beautiful layout that Fred Hicks has done for the book. For those who haven't, I welcome you to take a couple moments and check out. But don't take my work for it -- here's what Fred has to say:

"I love how each of these stories feels like the tip of an iceberg — the final jagged edge that you impale the ship of your consciousness on. I feel like I can sense the larger whole, and that's pretty cool."

A Book of Endings...

Finis is a collection of short stories inspired by the horrible endings found in the "choose your own adventure" books many of us read as children. Each of the over 40 stories is a tragic end to some tale, completely contained in two pages. One fateful choice leads you there, whether in a world of fantasy, horror, science fiction, or the everyday.

To Give People New Beginnings...

Against this backdrop of tragedy stands a book of hope. All proceeds from the sale of Finis go to charities still working today to help those struck by Hurricane Katrina. You can find out more at the Tomorrow the World! Games site.

Many Voices, Many Fates

Finis is an anthology project. Nearly two dozen people came together to create stories and photographs, including creepy tales from Paul Tevis and haunting photography from Jeremy Tidwell. This gives Finis a wide range of unique ideas and breathtaking imagery. Each turn of the page is going to give you something new, from the final regrets of an alchemist to risking a trip into a monster-filled city.

Pick up the book. Flip to a random page. Choose your own fate.

Couple minutes until dark

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:35:54 GMT

Okay, we are unarmed. Maybe a couple of days' supplies, but everyone is going for the mid-cape highway and the bridges.

We live in the yacht capital of the universe and I'm betting those things out there can't swim.

Just about a mile to the harbor, plenty of cover. Would be better with a gun, but then I'd probably shoot myself in the foot.

I know how to sail, tho.

Hey, gaaneden, kick some ass, and we'll see ya in Grant's Pass.

Love all of ya! Okay, sun's almost down. Moving out now.

Blog Like It's the End of the World Day

Happy!

Wed, 23 May 2007 11:22:35 GMT

Happy birthday to the love of my life, hai_kah_uhk!

New Poem: Bookshelf Labyrinth

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:50:20 GMT

Bookshelf Labyrinth
By Rick Silva

The narrow twisted corridors
of this secondhand bookstore
promise forbidden fruit of
knowledge to the monster-
haunted seeker, still grappling
with the middle fifty unread
chapters of Melville that linger
beneath the blue carpeted surface
taunting, teasing the unthinkable
idea that some unified theory
of grandness was encrypted
in that meticulous tapestry
of whaleship rite and ritual.

Dust collects on Dickens'
Curiosity Shop, unopened
by generations uncurious,
who passed up philosophy,
theology, or political science
in their epic quest for romance
and for the singularity of truth revealed
in 'who done it?' and 'ever after.'

Seeker examines the twists and turns
of his personal pilgrim's lack of
progress, wondering who it was
that done this, how the voyage
he signed onto stretched into
ever after?

Weekly Virtual Writing Session for 3/20/07

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 20:40:15 GMT

We had a nasty sleet storm on Friday, and Boston got snow, resulting in the cancellation of our family St. Patrick's day get-together. Instead, we had a quiet weekend of working on layout and organization for the comic book.

Now the weather is warming up and we've had a wonderful variety of birds at the feeder and out in the yard.

Lori and Miranda joined us last Tuesday for writing/drawing at Borders in Hyannis MA. No word from anyone about tonight. We're planning on heading over there early, probably getting there around 5:30 or so, and we might not stay really late. We both have work to do at home tonight.

Last Week's Goals: Start layout on Caravan zine. In fact, I'd like to have at least 4 pages completely laid out tonight. In addition, I'd like to read and review two comics, although I might do a childrens book either instead of or in addition to. I started posting reviews of childrens books on Gather when I happened to pick up a couple for the upcoming first birthday of my nephew, and I enjoyed doing the writeups.

Last Week's Results: Two pages of layout done, but that was all I got accomplished.

This Week's Goals: The Phoenix APA submission deadline is Friday, so tonight is all about my zine, Caravan. The new issue will be part of the next Phoenix and will also debut at the Boston Zine Fair, on Saturday. Tonight's goal is more zine layout. In addition to layout, I'd like to get a poem written, and read/review one or two comics and/or children's books. I've started up a comic book review group on Gather called Panel Discussion, so I'd like to have some new material written for that community.

Question of the week: Do you listen to music while you write? Any particular style or genre of music?

I don't usually put on music when I am actually writing, but I do listen to music when I'm mulling over ideas for my writing. I find folk and blues to be the most inspirational for me. I think that my imagination works best when I'm listening to some sort of story.

Please feel free to join in the writing tonight. Comment with what you're working on or your goals, or give your answer to the question of the week. Have a nice, creative evening!

Pandemonium

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 03:06:39 GMT

(Rare Public Post... Journal has been Friends Only for a while due to work considerations. I'm always open to meeting new friends here. Comment to be added or add me and I'll add you back. Okay, moving on...)

Back when I got out of college, I was living at home doing temp jobs and looking for a way to get back into the gaming scene. As a result, I tried out a bunch of different gaming groups, sometimes just once, sometimes for a couple of sessions, sometimes longer, before I finally managed to put together a campaign of my own that ran for several years, finally ending when I moved down to Jersey.

One of those one-shot games was in a campaign with Tyler Stewart and Andy French from Pandemonium Books & Games. They played somewhere quite a ways north of where I was living, and the campaign got put on hold the session after I played with them. They probably don't even remember I was there. It was a pretty big group. It was also a very entertaining game, and the first time I ever played Kaeli, a character who I've played and written about quite a bit in other venues since then.

[Quick warstory aside: The party has decided that we need to summon a demon to get information. We hire a spellcaster to do the summoning. The spellcaster says to us something like, "I can conjure the fiend, but have you prepared a spell of torment to coerce it into giving you information?" Kaeli replies with "Wait... You're not planning to HURT it, are you?"]

Anyway, I played in that game, and hung out with them one other time at a Halloween party where we watched Return of the Living Dead.

[Quick historical aside: I remember that particular night very well because of the nasty driving conditions I had to deal with on the way home. As it turns out this was the night of the Halloween Nor'Easter of 1991, the events of which were recounted in The Perfect Storm]

They also introduced my to Record of Lodoss War one time when I was hanging out at their store. Tyler also stocked Kinships magazine when I was involved with that project, and my friend Ruth, who used to play Magic with Boston Area Gamers Guild at Cybersmith worked at Pandemonium for years.

Pandemonium Books & Games relocated recently and they are having financial difficulties. Tyler is looking for some help in getting the store out of debt, and I am passing this link along because this is a place that has done tremendous service to the geeks and gamers of the Boston area over the years, and because of some of the little memories that I have associated with this business.

More information available here if you would like to give encouragement or help out:

http://community.livejournal.com/pandemonium_bks/78632.html

Firefly Charity Fan Cookbook

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 22:54:01 GMT

From filkertom.

I know that a bunch of people who read this are Firefly fans.

You might be interested in Big Damn Chefs, a book of recipes compiled by your fellow Browncoats illustrated with fan art. All proceeds go to help Freedom From Hunger. Book is $20.

Might make a nice late Christmas gift for a fan on your list.

Friending spree

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 04:18:04 GMT

Just added a bunch of people, mostly from the originsgamefair community. Wanted to get some new faces on the ol' FL.

And my "Friends Of" list is at 98. Maybe I'll finally break 100. *smiles*

Anyway, if I recently added you, you're welcome to add me back if you'd like.

-Rick

More CDs

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 04:13:13 GMT

Cayuga's Waiters Maintaining the Illusion: The Waiters were considered the top a'capella group when I was at Cornell. They were the headline act of the big a'capella shows every year and their own shows (usually with one or two guest acts from other schools) were always great. Opens with pretty standard college a'capella sound on "Me and the Boys", "Rockin' Robin", and "Feet Don't Fail Me Now". They stretch tradition a bit with a spot-on version of Sting's "Don't Stand So Close To Me" and a surreal version of Terrence Trent D'Arby's "Wishing Well". There are some comedy bits thrown in between songs, and they mostly fall flat in recorded form, but an in-joke loaded rewrite of "People in Your Neighborhood" that makes fun for frat boys, freshmen, and Carl Sagan is still hilarious. The Waiters do a couple of Billy Joel songs ("This Night" and the more obscure "Sleeping With the Television On"), and then get to some of their traditional live show songs. I still remember the first time a saw them when they came on stage at freshman orientation and said "This is for all the people who left a boyfriend or girlfriend back home, and it's called 'If You Can't Be With the One You Love, Love the One You're With'!" That song, and and a great version of Todd Rundgren's "Mighty Love" lead into Fishbone's "Change". The waiters break out the guitars for the last song, which might displease some of the purists, but they do such a tremendous version of CSN's "Southern Cross" that I can easily forgive the break with tradition. This is good nostalgic fun for me.

Cayuga's Waiters Live At Spring Fever XVI: Cornell University's Cayuga's Waiters are recorded in a live show on this album. It doesn't start off as well as Maintaining the Illusion. As far as Todd Rundgren goes, I prefer some of his other songs to "Hodja", which opens this album, and Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" comes off a bit clunky and was never a favorite of mine to begin with. They also try to get silly with their version of Elvis Costello's very serious "Veronica", which is too bad because they sound good singing it. Things improve considerably from there, though, with a solid version of "Love Me Like a Rock" followed by a crowd-pleasing rendition of "Kiss D'Girl" from The Little Mermaid. The live version of "Mighty Love" is great, and in spite of some dated references, "We Didn't Go to Harvard", a parody of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire" is still pretty amusing. The guitars come out for an excellent "Sloop John B.", which is followed by their ending numbers "Evening Song" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". Great finish for a show that shines in spite of its shaky start.