My Best Tournament Evar

I attend independant Warhammer Fantasy Battle Tournaments. Okay, stop laughing.

This week was a big one on the circuit. Yes, there's a national series of these games. I said stop laughing.

And I had my best set of games ever. There were 80 participating. Came in 23rd overall, and 9th in game score. I paint my own army, and I'm not a natural comedian when I'm playing, so I'm otherwise an average player. But going 3-1-1 while obtaining all the scenario objectives... that's a first for me. It brings my tournament record to 4-13-8. Considering I only really started playing the game 3 years ago, and my group has at least half a dozen guys that have won the tournaments, let's just say that I've been learning this game the hard way. My wife pointed out that I didn't win a game at the game store for a solid year at one point.

Granted, the game has a huge rulebook, something like 128 pages or so. When you lose your games on one technicality from a book that has about 10,000 of them, you hit a point where you say "this sucks and I don't wanna play no more," or "I can do this."

This weekend, though, the technicalities were my opponents' undoing.

From a fantasy battle perspective, there were some amazing things and some funny things, things you would read of in a cheap, world-specific fiction novel. A military-sized magic missile spell blowing apart a unit of heavy cavalry as they lined up for a charge. A group of minor daemons setting a drow matriarch and her dark pegasus mount on fire and watching her die. An arch-daemon scaring the piss out of an army general and his battle standard bearer and chief wizard. A bold group of peasant archers that defies the attacks of a charging hellspawn and banishes them. Two groups of trolls that, after beating their opponent, are so stupid that they literally run into each other.

I would remember more, but I was drinking a bit as well.

Happy 25th, Lee Elia! (NSFW)

Warning: the audio heard here is not safe for work. At all.
The rant heard in this video is an all-time Chicago classic. You think you've heard sport rants before? Trust me, this beats Jim Mora's "Playoffs?!" and Dennis Green's "They are who we thought they were" rants hands-down.
Little bit of history: the Cubs didn't always rule Chicago's baseball fandom. The Sox could have had their games carried on WGN, which reaches a large part of the country, just like the Cubs. That, and the '84 team's run built up their popularity.
God bless Lee Elia. Hope he doesn't get beaned at Wrigley tomorrow.

Time to Throw Down... Some Dice

This weekend is the Quake City Rumble 2008, the independant Warhammer Fantasy Battle tournament that brings in people from all over the country to... push hand-painted, hand posed, and sometimes hand made toy soldiers around a table and roll dice to see who "wins." This is, of course, right up my alley.
It's never about the game. The game is usually a side event to the socialization, and that is a side event to the drinking. This year I think the tourney has 90 players. It will be a full, fun time. My cousin, who won "Best Sportsman" at last year's tournament, has returned for this go-round.
My "team," or my "army," or my "toy soldiers" are playing in their last tournament under the current rules. My army's rules change on Tuesday, so the way my army is composed and plays will all change. I'll be able to use most of the old models, but it is the last time that I'll be able to play the list this way. I've been playing this list for four years, and it's time to update.
I'm a little nervous, mostly because of the competition and the nature of the game. Rolling hundreds of six sided dice to determine an outcome doesn't always lend itself to an average dice roll of 3.5. But it should be a laugh and mostly the people are cool (a few douchebags exist everywhere).
I'm going to the national invitational for this game in July, and I'm pretty stoked about it- but I'll have to adapt quick with my new army. But in the meantime... here's to a strong magic phase, not miscasting my spells, and my general not taking a cannonball to the chest...

Cold migration, boredom, and interviews

I'm now in my third day of being sick. Not sure what exactly I caught, but I'm guessing it's the cold or flu, probably just a cold.
There's normally a set order for how the symptoms move through me, and this time around, the symptoms decided to be all chaotic and stuff, appearing out of the order I normally expect. The order I normally expect is sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, horrible cough, cough loosens up, then cold is over.
Wednesday, it was the cough. It was bad enough to wake me up pretty continuously from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, despite liberal doses of cough syrup, Vaporub and ibuprofen. It got to the point that my throat was really sore from all the coughing.
Yesterday, it was a mixture of coughing and sneezing, changing mostly to sneezing by day's end. I still coughed some, but not nearly as much or as painfully as I did on Wednesday.
Today has consisted mostly of the runny/stuffy nose. Still coughing a bit, but that's down compared to yesterday and Wednesday. Now, it's moved up behind my eyes. I'm scared if I sneeze, snot'll ooze out of my eyes.
Stupid cold.
So, with this cold, basically I've been staying in a whole lot the past few days. I was supposed to go to an open house for some recruiting business yesterday, but the body told me I'd explode in a giant snot bubble if I did. So, I stayed here and let the snot ooze out slowly. Besides, the job wasn't exactly on my ideal career path.
Hooray for being stocked up on kleenex and vitamin C.
I did make a brief trip to the store yesterday to pick up ginger ale and fudgesicles. I've been drinking lots of ginger ale since the cold started. As I did not want to be without my ginger ale, I bought some more.
This led to a cough-sneezefest when I got home. I was warned about the snot bubble.
Today, I got a call from a company in Schaumburg. They're looking for someone to do help desk work, but it means working weekends and also working midnights. Fine by me, as I got nothin' now. I just hope I don't explode in a snot bubble during the interview next Tuesday.
Excuse me while I blow my nose for the hundredth time today.

Sick

I hate being sick. It was bad enough during the time I had a job and could take sick days. It's worse now, because time I'm out of commission is time I could spend on interviews and such.
Woke up this morning with a really bad cough. It's a horrible, lung-rattling, ever-see-Aliens cough. I've taken some cough medicine and even used some Vaporub (as directed), but it doesn't seem to be doing much good thus far.
I dread the coughing, because usually it starts a fit that I know won't stop for a good 8-10 seconds. Also, the coughing results in the dreaded after-cough aches and pains, followed by a general "ugh."
But Bill! You're well enough to blog!
Yeah. Thing is, I don't sound so well on the phone right now. I just called a recruiter back concerning a job, and while leaving a message, I'm sure I sounded like death warmed over. After leaving the message, I had another coughing fit, followed by another "ugh."
Ugh.
I hate being sick.

We're Number 1, Part SURPRISE

I never followed up on the whole torch relay thing. I've been that disappointed over the result.

Of course I don't blame anyone for their actions. People were behaving according to their prescribed social roles.

I am not surprised that the city did something different. I just wanted them not to. I hoped they wouldn't. But they did, and it's over now.

Cthulu on the Links

I haven't looked too hard, but I'd be suprised if no one has made a pun on Tiger Woods' real first name- Eldric. Or is it 'Eldritch?' "Sucking the souls of professional golfers around the world..."

Job search update, former colleagues and weird questions

I've applied for several help desk and Cisco-related jobs, but haven't heard anything about it. More recently, I heard about a contract job in Indianapolis doing essentially what I did in my last job. I applied for it, so hopefully I'll hear something in the not-so-distant future. I need money.
It turns out several of my former coworkers also applied for the job in Indy. I figure if we get the job, we should all pitch in for an apartment down there so we can live cheaply. This is provided we get the job, of course. Would be nice to work with some of the fellows again.
I also interviewed for a help desk job in Buffalo Grove. Turns out another candidate is a woman I used to work with. Put mildly, she was notorious for missing work by abusing FMLA time and being generally useless when she did show up. The recruiter I spoke to asked me if I knew her, and I'm pretty sure he could tell by my reaction that I didn't think highly of her. He pried a bit farther, trying to get me to tell him some more, but I said he really needed to talk to former managers about her. I tried to keep it as diplomatic as possible. Despite my desperation, I don't want to get a job by tearing down somebody else. Chances are, despite her lack of attendance, that she'll get the job over me. That's the bitterness talking, I suppose.
I've also applied for an ESL job in South Korea. Hopefully, I should hear something soon about that. If I get the job there, I can take it at about the same time my current apartment lease expires. All I'd need to do is put my stuff in storage, get a bit of training, and, well, live in South Korea for a bit. Money's money, and seeing as I'm doing nothing right now, I'll take about anything I can get.
Subject change: I've been in a bit of a relationship the last two years and change. In a recent conversation, the girl I've been seeing asked me if I used any illegal drugs. Aside from the fact that I don't, and told her as much early on in the deal, it would be pretty stupid for me to do them now, especially considering I'm looking for a job. The job may require a drug test before the official hire.
I asked what prompted this question now, and apparently, her friend was involved with someone who got into drugs and was treated badly.
I should also add that there's nothing in my apartment that would indicate I use anything stronger than ibuprofen.
So, I've been a bit ticked off about this question for the past few days. In my mind, it indicates a lack of trust. I treated her pretty well, and I really don't like getting asked something like this. "I don't want to be made a fool of," she claimed.
Right.
Subject change 2: I recently contacted an old high school buddy who lives in Memphis. I'd like to visit him sometime this month, seeing as I'm on an extended unpaid vacation and have the time. I think the time out of Chicago would do me good. Not like there's much going on here right now.

We're Number 1, Part 3

Last night saw a rally that numbered in the thousands, or so claims the local socialist rag. It may have actually been about 300 people, but that's enough to make the journalists throw up their hands and say "thousands!"

This morning's protestors were already out before 6 AM. These protestors- sorry, "celebrators"- are pro-China. Good thing they invented fireworks, because they're probably going to fly at 1 PM.

We're Number 1, Part 2

They've already climbed the support cables of the Golden Gate Bridge with banners, and bus loads of pro-Tibet supporters are coming through the San Joaquin valley today. Traffic advisories exist to avoid the city tomorrow because of "anticipated protests." I will be SO let down if this is a milquetoast event. I want to see riot gear and firehoses.

To raise awareness.

We're Number 1

What happened in London and Paris is mere child's play compared to the lunacy that will unfold when the Olympic torch arrives in the Protest Capital of the World, San Francisco, on Wednesday. I'm contemplating taking the day off just to be there, to witness it.

The Tragic Downfall of Zimbabwe

African politics are easy to dismiss most of the time. There's usually one group that has all the guns and power, and they exert their control in an authoritarian manner. Occassionally you may hear about a second group, one that poses a challenge to the ruling group. No matter how minimal that opposition is, the word that follows to describe what happens next is "atrocity."

We are afforded a unique opportunity to understand the modern, current state of an African nation and a little bit about metapolitics in the events that unfold in Harare. Zimbabwe was a British colony (formerly Rhodesia) until 1980, when they attained independence. As Americans, we can identify with the general sentiment of casting off British rule. There was a national pride that swept over the native people and, when independent, they vowed to be completely free of British rule. The majority of the population was black, with the minority whites usually in positions of power. Many whites farmed, and Zimbabwe was easily the breadbasket of Africa. They exported so much food that they were well regarded for it.

Once independent, people were grateful to the person that led the fight for sovreignty. Robert Mugabe was the first President of the nation, and the native people were secure in their new government. The descendants of colonists, however, were not. The changes didn't occur all at once, and not all were drastic to be sure. But at some point, the following question was asked: "Why are farms run by whites so much more successful than those run by blacks?"

If it were that simple. It wasn't. But the native people began to mill that around in their heads. And then their leader, the one who showed them independance, gave an explanation: it's because they've got the better land and more of it, they've got all the money from the colonial days, and they have the best tools. In short, they aren't playing fair.

In the U.S. or another country in the western world, they would perhaps have tried promoting better educational opportunities for farmers. Perhaps subsidizing black farmers for equipment or land purchases, or for their crops. The actual solution was a bit more African- they drove the white people off the land and gave it to blacks.

Romatically speaking, of course, this is every communist's wet dream. Equal land distribution. But that's not how it happened. Remember, I said it was an African solution. The land only went to the biggest supporters of the ruling group. Anyone that was native but dissented from the majority view did not partake in the distribution. And then the stories came out of mobs of people driving onto a farmer's land, raiding the house, throwing the farmer out with nothing, raping the wife (very rare) and throwing her out, followed by the death threats and the occassional follow-through thereof. This was 1994.

So, land now acquired by the natives, the natives' prosperity is all but assured. Only it didn't happen that way. Farm output plummeted. Food stocks dried up. Most of the descendants of colonials left, but a few still stayed on. Zimbabwe, the now former breadbasket of Africa, became a net importer of food. Not because of drought or pestilence, but because of inept farming. The reason, so explained the president now in his 16th year of rule- it's the West, Britain, and (now) the U.S. that are wrecking their lives. No one had actually put an embargo on Zimbabwe.

By the year 2000, the decline continued. An election was due, and the people began to think, "y'know, maybe the President is wrong." There was a chance the President could lose his seat. Another African solution- the presiden mustered up all the soldiers from his party and enforced brutal crackdowns. Many reports of rigged elections flowed from the country, for which the journalists were beaten. When Mugabe emerged the victor, only then did western countries place their first embargoes- on Mugabe and his closest advisors. Not on the nation. Not on the people. Just the guy.

In the last eight years, people have slowly started to realize that maybe this president is only in it for himself. Anytime the opposition speaks loudly enough, Mugabe suggests that he is only trying to incite rebellion and treason. In other words, Mugabe now identifies himself as the government. Meanwhile, the country spirals into the world toilet. I'm not even really sure how a country can have 100,000 percent inflation, but that's where they are at. Millions starving, millions jobless, and no end in sight- until this election.

What's the point of all this history?

The point is that there is little chance of peace in this country because a man decided that people loved him for a past deed so much that it entitled him to become an autocrat. There will likely be war, the opposition will likely lose, and because we all think the U.S. is some kind of international evil tyrant now millions will lose their lives over one man's ambition. The point is also that change is not always good, and that when people stop viewing power as a privilege and start viewing it as a right it only causes pain. Lastly, and perhaps most strongly, this is what can happen when people see the government as a solution to all their problems- the government can be wrong.

Doing our part, I guess

I overheard alot of buzz in the office. It seems that we're making a small part for the solar panel system that will be in use in the Denver Convention Center roughly around the time of the DNC. High fives all around, I guess. Maybe I'm not as thrilled. Seeing as I don't think people there would be jumping out of their seats and wondering "Gee, what company built those amazing 8-string subcombiner boxes," I guess I'm a little cynical.

I think they may have other things on their minds.

Nevertheless, my company is starting to dabble in the building of parts to supply solar farms. I've heard there may be some money in that somewhere.