Here & Back Again: A Human's Tale

Dream Interpretation: Flood

2012-03-01T00:16:00.001-06:00

This was last night's major dream.

Flood
To dream that you are in a flood represents your need to release some sexual desires. If the flood is raging, then it represents emotional issues and tensions. Your repressed emotions are overwhelming you. Consider where the flood is for clues as to where in your waking life is causing you stress and tension.
Still another interpretation could be your desire to wipe everything clean and make a fresh new start.

Franklin Veaux's Journal - Some Thoughts On Dating Black Belts

2012-02-22T23:20:00.003-06:00

THIS.

Franklin Veaux's Journal - Some Thoughts On Dating Black Belts

"It's not so much that I am not a beginner's relationship, but that relationships generally, I think, go best when one makes a point of only dating people who have black belts at life. This is an idea that's both simpler and more complex than it seems."

Jim Moreno (jimmoreno) on Pinterest

2012-02-17T15:55:00.001-06:00

Jim Moreno (jimmoreno) on Pinterest:

I finally got on Pinterest, checking it to see what all the hubbub's about. Add me!

New Computer!

2012-02-03T17:31:00.000-06:00

I have a new computer! Those of you familiar with my history of computer woes know how momentous an occasion this is for me. My 7 year old computer just wasn’t able to do for me what I was increasingly needing, and it was way past time for an upgrade. I’ve been using my new one for a week now, and it’s a huge boon to my professional and personal life. Dig it!

Here are the stats:

Technical Details

Processor: Intel Sandy Bridge Core i3 2100 3.10 GHz; Memory: 8GB DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 4GB) (expandable to 16GB); Hard Drive: 1TB (7200 RPM) Serial ATA-II; Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT520 1GB (HDMI); Optical Drive: 24X DVD±RW Dual-Layer Super-Multi Drive; Audio: High Definition 7.1 Channel Surround; Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN
Connectivity: 1 x keyboard (PS/2 style) | 1 x mouse (PS/2 style) | 6 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 - 4 pin USB Type A ( 2 front, 4 rear ) | 1 x network - RJ-45 | Audio | 1 x VGA D-Sub | 1 x HDMI | 1 x DVI
Chassis: Zalman Z9 Plus with 500-Watt Power Supply; Accessories: Xtreme Gear Gaming Keyboard and Mouse; Service & Support Details: 1 Year Limited Parts & Labor| Lifetime Toll Free Tech Support Services
Expansions: Bays Total (Free) - 3 ( 2 ) x front accessible - 5.25" | 1 ( 1 ) x front accessible - 3.5" | 5 ( 4 ) x internal - 3.5" | 1 (1) x internal - 2.5"; Slots Total (Free) - 1 ( 0 ) x pci express x16 | 1 ( 1 ) x pci express x1 | 2 ( 2 ) x pci | 2 ( 0 ) x dimm 240-pin

Product Details

Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 8.2 x 18.3 inches ; 33 pounds
Shipping Weight: 35.3 pounds
Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
ASIN: B0051UWEH6
Item model number: GXi250
Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374 in Computers & Accessories

#27 in Computers & Accessories > Desktops

Date first available at Amazon.com: May 20, 2011

Amazon.com Total Price: $708.82

One Year at My Standing Desk (Lifehacker)

2012-02-02T14:04:00.001-06:00

One Year at My Standing Desk:

Congrats to Gina Trapani for staying with it. My 1 year standing desk anniversary happens in April. (Read these posts for my history: Zen & My Health , Standing Desk Update 1 , Standing Desk Update 2 .) I'll post my own thoughts about it here.

PW 305: You might be poly if… « Polyamory Weekly

2012-01-30T12:48:00.001-06:00

PW 305: You might be poly if… « Polyamory Weekly

Sharing!

Dream Interpretation: apples

2012-01-15T00:07:00.000-06:00

Couple nights ago, I had a vivid dream where I was eating some delicious red apples. So, let's see:

Dream Moods

To dream that you are eating an apple denotes harmony, pleasure, and fertility. In a biblical sense, eating an apple symbolizes your sexual appetite, lustful desires, and sexual awareness as associated with the apple in the Garden of Eden.

Dream Central

In prophetic dreams the apple is considered to be a very good omen, but the interpretation depends primarily on what the details are. If the apples are ripe there is a promise of financial rewards but if the apples were green, bitter, or tainted in some way then you are in danger of losing something through mistake or foolishness that you would have otherwise gained.

Dream Land

The apple is a symbol of love and fertility. If you see a tree with lots of apples, it means that you have many friends. Eating a ripe apple means you will meet someone special; if you are married, then it means a renewal of your love life. If you see an apple full of worms, it symbolizes problems in your love relationship. If your apple is rotten, there are troubles on the way! If you are biting into a sour apple, you are in danger of dealing with an unpleasant situation or loosing somebody dear to you. If you are looking at an apple tree in blossom, you will have business success.

For me, the first interpretation is the most appropriate and fitting to my current mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual condition.

The $40 Standup Desk - opensoul.org

2012-01-09T13:44:00.002-06:00

The $40 Standup Desk - opensoul.org:

Superb! New goal: to switch my desk to this, or as close as I can get to it. Since I rent, I'm not comfortable with drilling holes in the walls, but I bet I can improvise and adapt something to fit me.

The Case Against Marriage | Psychology Today

2012-01-04T21:37:00.001-06:00

The Case Against Marriage | Psychology Today:

A most excellent article.

Omnivoracious: Resolve to Write: 52 Writing Exercises to Hone Your Craft

2012-01-02T11:44:00.001-06:00

Omnivoracious: Resolve to Write: 52 Writing Exercises to Hone Your Craft:

Something for me to work on.

A Worthy New Year's Resolution -- Find Your Truth | Fox News

2012-01-02T07:33:00.001-06:00

A Worthy New Year's Resolution -- Find Your Truth | Fox News:

"... flatly resolving to achieve something ignores one central fact: You are the person who has been running your life while you gained weight or disregarded your spouse or fell short as a father or mother. And since you’re still the one in control, it’s unlikely you will be able to chart a better course and arrive at your intended destination without examining your self—the inner set of emotions and beliefs that truly, elementally define your self-concept and the way you experience and understand the world around you."

Sample Floor Plans for the 8×28 Coastal Cottage | Tiny House Design

2012-01-01T08:48:00.001-06:00

Sample Floor Plans for the 8×28 Coastal Cottage | Tiny House Design:

These are nice, although the beds are way too large for my needs.

U2 - New Years Day - YouTube

2012-01-01T01:00:00.001-06:00

U2 - New Years Day - YouTube

John Waite - Missing You - YouTube

2011-12-31T23:30:00.001-06:00

John Waite - Missing You - YouTube:

End/Start of Year Update

2011-12-30T11:35:00.000-06:00

And here I am, at the end of another year, alive & well!

As usual, had some groovy things happen this year, balanced with some very uncool things. Most notably, I actually managed to almost escape this sorry ass city/state TWICE this year, which means to me that I’m on a right track and one or more steps closer to doing that. The first attempt almost happened during a visit to Athens, GA, and the second time came when I was one of two being looked at for a premier gaming job with Kalypso, which would have had me relocating to New Jersey, some 20 minutes away from NYC!

Of course, with the new year comes new opportunities, as I see them, or as I can make them happen. It’s also a move into my next upgrade stage, transitioning from Jim 4.1 to Jim 4.2.

So, what are my goals for the next year? I’m glad you asked. :)

1. Continue escape attempts - Somehow, someway, I must again get out of this place.

2. Start and solidify some form of monetary future assistance for my grand-kids.

3. Make a substantial effort towards my zen house. Something physical, like choosing where to build it, buying the land, drawing the house plans, or choosing pre-built plans, something.

4. Re-launch Zenity blog (currently in progress), and stay with it! I’m quite certain these ideals can help someone, as they have helped me. I just have to get it out there, and keep it flowing.

5. Branch out with my writing, and learn more. I’ve acquired a skilled writing friend for this purpose, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the art of fictional writing.

6. Upgrade my tech! I’m a very sad geek, with my tech items being an old computer (circa 2004), an older digital camera, and a substandard cell phone that’s not even mine. If I’m to flourish with my online work and social aspects, I require much better tech than what I have.

7. Continue looking for interesting and qualified partners to help with other aspects I'm out-of-balance in. *see #1

That’s about it for now, and I’ll make additions as they come to mind. OK, there are mine, what are yours?

Sharing Blogger Posts on Google+ Has Never Been Easier

2011-12-13T08:43:00.000-06:00

Sharing Blogger Posts on Google+ Has Never Been Easier

Testing!

Compost toilet competition: Our top 5 picks and reader's vote | Permaculture Magazine

2011-11-30T09:13:00.001-06:00

Compost toilet competition: Our top 5 picks and reader's vote | Permaculture Magazine

Found a new sustainable living mag, very groovy. I like toilet #5.

Ian McKellen | The Hobbit | Blog | 29 November 2011

2011-11-29T08:49:00.001-06:00

Ian McKellen | The Hobbit | Blog | 29 November 2011

Sir Ian blogs about travelling and filming around New Zealand. :-)

Nashville Workshop

2011-11-23T21:27:00.001-06:00

Nashville Workshop: Design & Build a Tiny House

Oh, yes! I want to go check this out.

Sink Positive an All in One Solution

2011-11-15T09:47:00.001-06:00

Sink Positive an All in One Solution

THIS is how to do it.

My MMO Game List

2011-11-07T20:16:00.001-06:00

Tonight I was asked what MMOs I've played, and I stumbled just a tad on answering. I named the four I play regularly, and the big ones I remember from the past, but forgot more than a few. So, before my memory gets any worse than it already is, I need to write that list down. In alphabetical order, here it is (with help from http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm):

Allods Online
Anarchy Online
Asheron's Call
Battleground Europe: WWII Online
Battlestar Galactica Online
Champions Online
CrimeCraft
Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited
EVE Online
EverQuest
Final Fantasy XIV
Lord of the Rings Online
Myst Online: Uru Live
Mytheon
Neverwinter Nights (AOL)
Second Life
Star Trek Online
Ultima Online
War Rock
World of Warcraft

ROLL TIDE: Bama vs LSU

2011-11-05T22:01:00.000-05:00

Me watching the game!

Being Love

2011-11-02T10:31:00.001-05:00

Remember, we are all affecting the world every moment, whether we mean to or not. Our actions and states of mind matter, because we're so deeply interconnected with one another. Working on our own consciousness is the most important thing that we are doing at any moment, and being love is the supreme creative act.

By Ram Dass

All Hallow's Eve

2011-10-31T16:47:00.001-05:00

Undead Fairy!

Scary Kitteh!

Playing Games & Healing Kids

2011-10-15T06:23:00.001-05:00

Good morning!

Yes, it's that day of the year again, when I play video games for 24 hours solid for my local Children's Miracle Network Hospital. Like last year, I set my goal to raise $200, which I did, and also like last year, I've made that goal. Love & Thanks to all who donated! Now to earn it!

Here's the list of games I have on tap for today:

Pente
D&D Heroes of Neverwinter
Gardens of Time
Scrabble
Lord of the Rings Online
Tropico 4
Neverwinter Nights 2
Pathfinder
Angry Birds

I'll be updating my G+ feed throughout the day, so plug in to that if you wish to follow along. I made a supply run on Thursday for grub and drinks, so I'm all good on those. Chef will be bringing me delicious tuna sandwiches later today!

By the way, there's still time to donate and sponsor me, my local friends. Click this link to go to my sponsor page, and click on the blue Support Me button. Game on!

Dream Interpretation: violin

2011-10-07T08:13:00.001-05:00

One of last night's dreams centered around a violin.

To see or hear a violin in your dream symbolizes peace and harmony in your waking life. To play a violin in your dream denotes honor, distinction and refinement. You will be well recognized for your work.

Playing a musical instrument can mean that you have something to express or say, or you have a need for a creative outlet. It can also mean that you have great potential to do well out in the world.

Extraordinary Off-Grid Hobbit Home in Wales Only Cost £3,000 to Build | ... - StumbleUpon

2011-10-04T08:46:00.001-05:00

Extraordinary Off-Grid Hobbit Home in Wales Only Cost £3,000 to Build | ... - StumbleUpon:

YES. This is what I want.

Could you live in a 280 sq/ft house?

2011-09-29T23:26:00.001-05:00

Could you live in a 280 sq/ft house?

Yes, I could!

Dream Interpretation: keys

2011-09-28T05:47:00.001-05:00

In light of the current job interview I'm in, the dream about keys on a key ring I just had validates what and how I'm feeling about it.

Key
To see a key in your dream symbolizes opportunities, access, control, secrets, freedom, knowledge or responsibilities. You may be locking away your own inner feelings and emotions. Or you are unlocking the answer to some problem. In particular, a ring of keys represents status, authority, and power. It also highlights your adaptability to a situation.
To dream that you find a key indicates that you have found a solution to a problem.
Key Chain
To see a key chain in your dream indicates your ability to adapt to most any situations. You fit in with anybody and anywhere.

Ridgewood, New Jersey

2011-09-13T18:14:00.004-05:00

Online recon currently in operation...

craigslist: north jersey classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events

Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey

Ridgewood, NJ - Google Maps

Beautiful Zen House

2011-09-05T18:02:00.000-05:00

Sharing this awesome photo. I can see my zen house there. :-)

Din’s Curse – PC Game Review

2011-09-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

Din’s Curse – PC Game Review

Passed Inspection: Solidly fun gaming, with multiplayer!
Failed Basic: Weak back story, max resolution only 1280×1024.

Merged

2011-09-01T06:05:00.000-05:00

Notice anything different here? Yep, I have merged my rarely visited writer news blog into my personal blog, and am working on redesigning it. Time to start building some real traffic here.

Tropico 4 Walkthrough at GameFront

2011-08-30T13:52:00.000-05:00

Tropico 4 Walkthrough

My first article for GameFront is now published! It's a work-in-progress, so currently I only have three missions detailed, fourth one will be up soon. Twenty missions in all in the main campaign, but now that I am over the learning curves of playing, writing, and formatting, I should have the rest of the missions updated quickly and smoothly.

Daily Challenge Presses You To Do Something Good For Yourself Every Day

2011-08-30T08:07:00.001-05:00

Daily Challenge Presses You To Do Something Good For Yourself Every Day

I challenge you! :-)

Freelancing Doesn’t Mean Working for Free

2011-08-26T08:13:00.001-05:00

Freelancing Doesn’t Mean Working for Free

Good info here.

You are the Intellectual Hippie! | 96pix.com

2011-08-25T08:09:00.001-05:00

You are the Intellectual Hippie! | 96pix.com:

Oh yeah, that's me! :-)

Have a Friendship Date - Things to Do With a Friend

2011-08-17T08:01:00.001-05:00

Have a Friendship Date - Things to Do With a Friend

Writer forgot to add "play Dungeons & Dragons together"! :)

New hat!

2011-08-12T14:29:00.000-05:00

Picked up a new hat from the vast selection available at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Dig it!

Kalypso Press Event Photos

2011-08-12T12:00:00.002-05:00

Kalypso Press Event - Jim Moreno - Picasa Web Albums

Photos of my trip!

Pier 39 Sea Lions

2011-08-11T07:03:00.000-05:00

I'm back!

Returned late last night from San Francisco. Posting this quick blog update, a video of the sea lions out on Fisherman's Wharf Pier 39. Will have photos and a more detailed post later. Playing D&D today!

Another San Francisco PC Game Media Event

2011-08-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

Last post for a few days here. About to get packing for my trip to San Francisco in the morning. My favorite game company dudes, M. Kroll and T. Brockwood, are once again graciously flying me out for another game media event. If all goes well, should return here late Wednesday night.

Not to worry, though! You'll still be able to keep tabs on me via my Twitter, Facebook, and occasional Twitpic posts, if you so choose. My cell phone is tech-wimpy, so text updates and tiny photos are all I'm able to do. I'll have plenty of real photos to post on my return.

Now I'm offline to pack, eat tuna fish sandwich, chill with my cat and a show or two, then sleep.

Love & zen!

Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day 2011

2011-08-07T10:53:00.001-05:00

Now that my Internet connection has returned after being knocked out by the storm on Thursday, I can post an update here.

Saturday was spent with my friend Chef playing D&D at Haven Comics for this years' Worldwide D&D Game Day. This year unveiled the new Neverwinter Campaign Setting, which aims to take us players out from the normal dark dungeons and have us adventuring in the now nearly ruined city of Neverwinter. Yes, the same Neverwinter that many of us gamers know from Neverwinter Nights started way back in 1991.

I played a wizard named Valis, with the randomly selected Harper Agent theme. The group got off to a rocky start, almost all of us getting dangerously low on hit points during the first encounter. As we got more in tune with our respective classes, things went better for us, especially during the second encounter. We ended up the session steamrolling through the skill challenge, ultimately saving the day.

Afterwards, a few of us stuck around and played the Wrath of Ashardalon boardgame, that I found to be just as fun as the D&D session. Got me really interested again in getting the Castle Ravenloft boardgame!

Haven Comics had all their 4E D&D stuff on sale 40% off, so Chef bought our D&D group the Pyramid of Shadows module. It's the continuation of Keep on the Shadowfell and Thunderspire Labyrinth that both my players have been through.

San Francisco Zen Center

2011-08-06T23:00:00.001-05:00

Ooh!

San Francisco Zen Center

Sex, Love, & Relationships | Straight Up Love » Blog Archive » Tell Her The Truth

2011-08-05T14:05:00.001-05:00

There is very little in Life as zen as telling the truth.

Sex, Love, & Relationships | Straight Up Love » Blog Archive » Tell Her The Truth

Solatube Daylighting System

2011-08-03T14:22:00.002-05:00

Solatube Daylighting System

So, one of the ideas I have for my zen house has it being underground, either very much like a hobbit hole, or a bomb shelter. This looks as if it would take care of adequate lighting with substantially much less need for electricity. Must investigate further.

Friendship/Relationship Agreement

2011-08-02T09:22:00.001-05:00

Absolutely solid.

Dated: ,xxxx

I freely enter into this contract, choosing to live in the NOW with you and remaining open-hearted to future expansion of our friendship/relationship. We know nothing is guaranteed and "happily ever after" exists only in fairy tales. Love and relationships take conscious, consistent effort to maintain and to flourish.

I am free to make commitments and I accept responsibility for my actions. My freedom comes from the personal expression of my own power. No one can take away my power to be my self. I choose to help empower you, not to own you nor possess you. I choose to love, honor, and respect you.

I will be as truthful and reliable as I can be. I will not agree to do things with you unless I truly want to, yet I will be respectful of, and sensitive to, your needs and feelings. When I want something from you, I will ask clearly, not hint or expect you to read my mind. I will not create expectations in my head concerning you or your actions then blame you for their unfulfillment. I will share my love, joy, and caring with you.

I will never use your words against you nor divulge your private thoughts and actions to others without your consent. I will communicate to you what "privacy" means to me, and I will accept your definition of "privacy" for you. Any actions or words that relate to something the two of us said or did together should be considered private unless we have discussed it and agreed to reveal our actions or thoughts to others.

I will care for you when you are sick or hurt even if it means you want me to do nothing at all for you. I will respect that, in most instances, you know what is best for you, and what you need from me. However, I will not let you purposefully hurt or destroy yourself without attempting to persuade you otherwise. You may count on me for strength and emotional support when you are down and I expect the same of you.

We are separate and unique individuals who choose to enrich and cherish each other. Ultimately, though, only I can choose to be happy or not, fulfilled or not. I am equal to you, not more nor less. I will not compete with you and play "I win, you lose" games. I will enjoy your different qualities and work towards "win-win" situations. I feel proud of you and will not take you for granted. I will accept you as you are and not try to change those aspects of yourself I am uncomfortable with. I will endeavor to keep my mind open and my boundaries flexible. I will support your growth processes. I will not attack you in public or private when something occurs that I don't like. I will instead accept it as a part of who you are and rationally discuss it with you in private in order to more fully understand who you are. I will remember your love and constancy and communicate this to you. I will not judge you against my past relationships, good or bad. Nor will I hold on to issues or grudges. I will enjoy sharing hopes, dreams, and plans for the future with you now.

Our time together has a high priority in my life. I value our time and will make conscious efforts to ensure we have as much time for each other as we need. I also recognize that we need separate and alone time, too. I will respect your right to be apart from me, and I expect you to respect my right to have alone time also. I have friends and interests that are not in common with you; you also have friends and interests not in common with me. I will not be possessive or jealous of your time away from me, recognizing that the fulfillment and joy you receive benefits me as well. I will be open to uncommon experiences with you though. Our careers are also important to us and I will be understanding when job demands temporarily take a high priority in your life; I expect the same from you.

When problems occur, I will work with you to resolve them as soon as possible. When I am upset or conflicted, I will center myself, clarify my feelings, and determine my issues before confronting you. Only then will I approach you to discuss my issues. I will never make threats of breaking our commitments to each other, leaving you, or asking you to leave. I will never intentionally physically harm you nor threaten to. I will not expect either of us to be perfect. Occasionally I will get frustrated and stressed and disappointed, but I will not reject you nor attempt to control your individuality. I accept that I will have times of anger, sadness, fear, and pain and will want your emotional support. I will not feel you are attacking me when you express frustrations or bad feelings.

I use sexual intimacy as a way to express my love and inner self to you. I will not withhold sex to punish you nor use sex to control you. I value our sexual intimacy and will be open to your sexuality and need, as well as my own. I may not agree with every desire you have and I will be open to new experiences. However, I will not do things I am uncomfortable with, nor would I force you to do that which is uncomfortable for you. I will not be intimate with another unless you are comfortable with it. If you feel threatened, I will show you my love and reassure you and listen to you. However, I will not let you control my actions if you have unreasonable fears or a need to have power over me.

I will be responsible for supporting myself, and I will share what I can with you to the best of my abilities. I have personal property and I will respect and care for your personal property, as well as our common property, as if it were my own. I will make agreements with you concerning mutual financial matters. I will not control you with money, nor will I be controlled by your money. I also will consult with you before attempting to change our place of residence.

I commit myself to growing and changing and creating a conscious future with you. I will do my utmost to live up to the spirit of this agreement. We may revise or renegotiate this document as we deem suitable.

D&D Game Day: Gates of Neverdeath Preview — Dungeon's Master

2011-08-02T08:02:00.001-05:00

D&D Game Day: Gates of Neverdeath Preview — Dungeon's Master

More info!

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (D&D Neverwinter Game Day is Coming!)

2011-08-01T22:16:00.001-05:00

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (D&D Neverwinter Game Day is Coming!)

My friend Chef and I will be attending a local gathering, hope you will, too!

Damned Gall Bladder

2011-07-31T02:53:00.002-05:00

Another flaring of pain woke me up about 40 minutes ago. Pain was enough that I was thinking of taking one of the Lortab I was prescribed before and after my hernia surgery, but I didn't. I really do not like taking unnatural medicines like that. Subsided to a dull pain now, so maybe I can get back to zen here soon.

All the top medical websites describe exact symptoms I'm having, so I'm almost certain it's my gall bladder. So, that's it: no more fried, greasy foods for me. Which is gonna be damned difficult to do down here in the South. Difficult, but not impossible. Just tack on yet another reason I need to get out of this state.

Further reading lead me to this, which I'm gonna test first:

Gallbladder Flush
The following procedure is based on: Natural Liver Therapy by Christopher Hobbs, L. Ac., Botanica Press, Capitola, CA (1993).
Eat only whole foods (un-refined foods) without fat for a whole day.
About an hour before bedtime (on an empty stomach), drink ¼-cup of extra virgin cold pressed olive oil mixed with ¼-cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Repeat this process every 15 minutes until a total of 1 cup each of olive oil and lemon juice is finished. An alternative to this procedure is to replace lemon juice with freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice. ½ cup of grapefruit juice can be used each time. A total of 1½ to 2 cups of grapefruit juice is required. It works well and tastes better than lemon juice.
Go to bed immediately and lie on your right side.
The next morning take 1 litre (approximately 4 cups) of warm distilled or filtered water containing two level teaspoons of un-iodized sea salt. Alternatively the addition of juice from half a lemon may be used in place of the sea salt.
Eat only softly cooked vegetables and broth the second day. The gallstones should come out some time during the second day.
The stones that come out are usually dark green or black in colour. They may also be brown, off-white, green or, rarely, red in colour. Stones crushed by Gold Coin Grass (GCG) may come out in any shape including flat pieces or sand.

Will be doing much more researching.

All the Lovers - Kylie Minogue

2011-07-30T20:52:00.000-05:00

All the Lovers - Kylie Minogue (<--- click to watch)

Life should have way more scenes like this video in it. Would make for an excellent balance of hedonism and realism, and the world would be a much groovier place.

Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac

2011-07-30T19:46:00.002-05:00

Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac (<--- click to watch)

So I'm back, to the velvet underground
Back to the floor, that I love
To a room with some lace and paper flowers
Back to the gypsy that I was
To the gypsy... that I was

And it all comes down to you
Well, you know that it does
And lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
oh, and it lights up the night
And you see your gypsy
You see your gypsy

To the gypsy that remains faces freedom with a little fear
I have no fear, I have only love
And if I was a child
And the child was enough
Enough for me to love
Enough to love

She is dancing away from you now
She was just a wish
She was just a wish
And a memory is all that is left for you now
You see your gypsy
You see your gypsy

Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
And it all comes down to you
And it all comes down to you

Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
And it all comes down to you

I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes
I have always loved you
And it all comes down to you

Separate Ways (World's Apart)

2011-07-30T17:27:00.003-05:00

Separate Ways (World's Apart) - Journey (<---click to listen)

Here we stand
Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two
Sleepless nights, losing ground
I'm reaching for you, you, you

Feelin' that it's gone
Can change your mind
If we can't go on
To survive the tide love divides

Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched and went our separate ways

If he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched and went our separate ways

Troubled times
Caught between confusions and pain, pain, pain
Distant eyes
Promises we made were in vain, in vain, vain

If you must go, I wish you love
You'll never walk alone
Take care my love
Miss you love

Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched and went our separate ways

If he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched and went our separate ways

(instrumental break)

Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched and went our separate ways

If he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
You know I still love you
Though we touched and went our separate ways

I still love you girl
I really love you girl
And if he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
No, No

For a little while, I was falling in love...

2011-07-30T12:21:00.003-05:00

Space Age Love Song - A Flock of Seagulls  (<--- click to listen!)

I saw your eyes
And you made me smile
For a little while
I was falling in love

I saw your eyes
And you touched my mind
Although it took a while
I was falling in love

I saw your eyes
And you made me cry
And for a little while
I was falling in love

I was falling in love

Falling in love
Falling in love
Falling in love
Falling in love

Friendless

2011-07-29T22:56:00.000-05:00

Looking at a long weekend here. Both friends are away on vacation; one in south Georgia, the other headed to the Tennessee mountains in the morning. Had one other, but that got blown to shit a few weeks ago.

So, just gonna be me and Spritzer the cat this weekend. Preparing to embrace thoughts and feelings about the lost friend, gonna do some writing and gaming, of course, and watch a couple movies. Also need to do some research on gall bladder problems. Have had three major pain flare ups the last few weeks, the last currently in progress. Health problems are exactly what I DO NOT need, nor want. Still paying for my hernia surgery, and simply can't afford another medical bill.

Love & zen, good night.

Even Grandfathers Dream of Wil Wheaton

2011-07-29T07:27:00.000-05:00

I did. Last night. Dreamed I finally got to meet one of the geekiest geeks I know of. Felt like seeing an old friend again, one I hadn't seen in a very long time.

The meeting took place here at my house, very groovy. My two friends came over, brought their grill, and we cooked a ton of food and drank Guinness. He shared his knowledge of writing and Hollywood, and I shared my knowledge of martial arts and cigars with him. Then we gathered 'round a table and played the best D&D game ever. Afterward, he slipped me the phone numbers for Felicia Day and Erica Cerra - w00t!

Yeah, it can happen. :-P

The Guild Season 5, Episode 1: “Road Trip” | The Guild

2011-07-28T17:56:00.001-05:00

The Guild Season 5, Episode 1: “Road Trip” | The Guild

The Guild is back!

Sex, Love, & Relationships | Straight Up Love » Blog Archive » “Slut” / “Man-Whore”

2011-07-28T14:48:00.001-05:00

Sex, Love, & Relationships | Straight Up Love » Blog Archive » “Slut” / “Man-Whore”

Pretty sure I've been called one or both at some time. I find no shame at all in the fact that I really enjoy sex with other people who also really enjoy sex.

Whole Body Stretch Routine | BioSync Research Institute | 800-414-5623

2011-07-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

Whole Body Stretch Routine | BioSync Research Institute | 800-414-5623

Very close to my own daily stretching routine.

Mindfulness Project Insulated Earthbag Domes « Earthbag Building Blog

2011-07-27T22:21:00.001-05:00

Mindfulness Project Insulated Earthbag Domes « Earthbag Building Blog

I dig the design of these, though I'm not sure how solar panels and water catchment could be included.

Blog This!

2011-07-27T15:43:00.000-05:00

Blog This! (by Google)

Noticed my personal blog getting more activity of late? 'Cause I added the Blog This! button to Chrome, which makes it quick and easy to reach and post to my blog from anywhere on the Interwebz. Groovy! Now, to figure out how to connect my other two blogs in likewise.

Chef on Vacation

2011-07-27T04:34:00.000-05:00

My friend Chef is making a day-long vacation road trip today, so here's to her being super safe. Stay Alert, Stay Alive! I've already lost one friend this year, absolutely don't want to lose another. Just think how terrible it would be if you left me here with Mercy as my only friend! :-P

Netflix: Skyline

2011-07-25T20:15:00.001-05:00

Netflix: Skyline

Meh. Nice FX, but about lame everywhere else.

The Konietzky Strain , GAMES: Dungeons & Dragons… Roll the die.

2011-07-25T10:38:00.001-05:00

The Konietzky Strain , GAMES: Dungeons & Dragons… Roll the die.

Huzzah!

‪Knights of Badassdom Trailer

2011-07-25T07:42:00.001-05:00

‪Knights of Badassdom Trailer - HD‬‏ - YouTube

Summer Glau! :-D

Five Ways to Celebrate National Tequila Day - FoxNews.com

2011-07-24T09:22:00.000-05:00

Five Ways to Celebrate National Tequila Day - FoxNews.com

Missing

2011-07-23T21:50:00.001-05:00

Nights like this are when I miss chatting with her the most.

New Writing Gig!

2011-07-14T09:51:00.000-05:00

Couple weeks ago, I machine gunned my resume out to potential work sites online, 12 in all. Have heard back from 2 of them, saying the position has been filled. However, got a call yesterday from a third one, talked over their deal and mine, and they agreed to take me on as one of their writers. Groovy!

The new place where you'll find my writing soon is GameFront. I'll be writing game walkthroughs, much different than the game reviews I'm used to. I'm filling out the initial paperwork now, so I don't know when I'll get my first assignment, or what it'll be. I'll of course post here once I know!

How to Change Your Hometown From Kelethin to Qeynos?

2011-06-29T08:41:00.000-05:00

How to Change Your Hometown From Kelethin to Qeynos?

Changing your city citizenship is as easy as completing a few quests in order to raise your faction points. These quests don't specifically involve combat, but do require walking in the wild, so be prepared to fight.

Uses of the Medium Supreme Symbol in "The Lord of the Rings Online"

2011-06-15T07:31:00.000-05:00

Uses of the Medium Supreme Symbol in "The Lord of the Rings Online"

One jeweller item in demand is the Medium Supreme Symbol, which is very helpful in increasing your character's reputation with the Jeweller's Guild.

How to Get Badges on The Escapist

2011-06-15T07:28:00.000-05:00

How to Get Badges on The Escapist

Joining The Escapist online community and creating a profile will get you a few perks, including a collection of virtual badges that displays your level of involvement with the website. Follow this simple guide to learn how.

How to Get to the Lookout Isle in "Allods"

2011-06-15T07:26:00.000-05:00

How to Get to the Lookout Isle in "Allods"

Empire faction players may receive the quest "Igsh Mystery Stones," which requires players to locate three hidden milestones of the Igsh Military District. Two stones are close by, and easy to get to. The third one on Lookout Isle is not so close or easy, but is still within reach for prepared players.

Dungeons – PC Game Review

2011-06-10T14:48:00.000-05:00

Dungeons – PC Game Review

Dungeons puts gamers in the role of Dungeon Lord, who has recently been de-throned by his now ex-girlfriend Calypso. If you played the excellent Dungeon Keeper series of the late 1990s, then you’re familiar with how Dungeons plays. However, Dungeons doesn’t want you to simply kill, maim, and torture the heroes in your dungeon. Rather, you are forced to sugar coat your work to create a dungeon that will play to the wants and desires of each hero.

Project House, Part 1

2011-06-01T09:04:00.002-05:00

Posting this entry from my new digs, as housemate to my zen friend Abby, here for the purpose of helping her get her house ready to sale.

Last Saturday, my friend Jacklyn (Chef) drove with me to the Amtrak station in Birmingham. Easy drive, and much quicker then we anticipated. A bit sad at the thought of not seeing her, Murray (Mercy), T-madre, and my daughter and grandkids for some time, of course, but also excited to be getting the frak out of Alabama.

Train station was packed when I arrived, with mostly people waiting on the New Orleans train. Mine came about an hour later, with not near as many people boarding as the previous train. I got assigned a window seat, and was able to snap a few photos.

Passenger car was more comfortable than on an airplane, and slightly less noisy.

View from Birmingham station.

Leaving Birmingham station.

En route.

Zoom.

Poor, lonely, abandoned pandas. Wonder if I know anyone who would give them a proper home?

Atlanta incoming.

Closer to Atlanta.

And closer.

View from Atlanta station.

Stopped for 30 minutes at Atlanta, and it got dark by the time we left, hence no more photos. Abby and PD were waiting for me at the Gainesville station where I got off, and I drove us the rest of the way.

Since then, we've been in our usual groove of sitting out on her back deck smoking and chatting, Scrabbling, watching shows, playing with the dogs, fiddling with LotrO. It was Memorial Day weekend, and she had it plus one day off, so we just settled in to our zen. We did get started on the house renovations, however, by removing an old broken garage door and replacing it with a new screen door.

We set up my standing desk #2 here last night, which I'm at currently, and it so far seems acceptable.

Aside from house work and my usual writing, I am working on a couple other projects, writing and otherwise, one of those involving returning to Zenity blog and getting it running on full power. I'm also looking into local writing opportunities for what's available, or what I can spark up. And, of course, listening to and learning from Abby all that I can about building a zen house. Stay tuned!

**EDIT**

Oops! Forgot to mention that this was the first time I'd been back on a train since I was a child, which I only know of from my mother's accounting. From Birmingham to Gainesville was only $54, cheaper if I had been able to book it earlier. Next time you're thinking of taking a trip, check first to see if Amtrak runs a close route.

House for Sale

2011-05-28T08:06:00.002-05:00

Anyone in the market to buy a house? I know of one that will be available soon!

I'm leaving my house in a few hours to head over to Georgia to help my zen friend Abby (her blog here!) get her house ready to sale. I'm scheduled for a 2 month stay to get everything done. She'll be moving to Texas later on this year, and she has to sale her current house before that. Will be helping her market it once she's ready.

I will of course still be online, writing and gaming and doing all what I do. I just feel strongly about helping my friends when they need/want it. Since I currently don't have money I can provide them, I make sure that my physical and mental capabilities are always at their disposal. That's just a small part of my love to them.

D&D Setup

2011-05-18T12:59:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks back, one of the D&D blogs I follow (Newbie DM) sent out a tweet asking for submissions from DMs about their DM binders. I answered quickly, and you can see my WonderFILE Portable Workstation entry on the DM Binder Project page, along with other entries.

I have my friends Chef and Mercy to thank for the WonderFILE. After we saw a TV commercial about it, we all had the same idea: wouldn't that make an excellent DM binder? So, the instant I saw it in a local store, Chef bought it for me, and it's been great.

So, to show my appreciation, I thought it would also be groovy to show their set ups for when we gather 'round the D&D table. They've been working on theirs since we started playing, fine tuning this and that, seeing what works for them best. Here's what our game table looks like now:

They use 3-ring binders for their character sheets and notes, plastic card sleeves for their character powers, cell phones for receiving secret messages from me, and decorative boxes they bought at Hobby Lobby to hold their stuff. That's our dice arena in the middle of the table, hand-painted and crafted by Mercy. The most recent addition is the green felt table cover, which helps keep maps from sliding around during play.

Standing Desk Update 2

2011-05-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

On my last trip to Target, I looked at desks, and looked for reclining cushions and desktop shelves. Saw no desks I liked that would work for me, and no reclining cushions at all. My friend Chef spotted a small white wire rack that we thought might work as a keyboard stand. She bought it for me a couple days later, and as it turns out, it's working well, though not perfectly.

It does bring my keyboard up to a perfect level for use while standing, but it's a little flimsy, not as sturdy as I'd like. Want to look for a solid wooden one of similar shape and size. It's also only wide enough for the keyboard, so my mouse is still on top of a stack of books, and prone to sliding around.

Still considering placing the entire desk on blocks, though, since this would eliminate the need for the rack, thus keeping the desk less cluttered, and I wouldn't need to prop up the mouse. The shelf the monitor is on is adjustable, so I could position it accordingly. However, placing the desk on blocks would completely make it a standing desk 100% of the time; not sure I want to go that far, yet. My chair is height-adjustable, but don't think it would go that high. I will just have to take another day to test out more configurations and see what works for me and what doesn't.

My zen friend also mentioned cord control in one of our discussions this week. My desk has enough back covering that I don't really notice the mess my cords are behind it. I have my UPS on the 'footrest' under the desk, with all the cords running through the cord hole in the back, like this:

Also received some plastic drawer organizers from Mercy and put a few of them to use. Working well for keeping my desk drawer organized.

Reality is the Real Thing

2011-05-07T07:39:00.000-05:00

Without getting into the whole 'what is reality' debate, just stay here with me long enough as I tell you my thoughts about reality being the real thing.

First off, a list of what isn't.

1. Any so-called 'reality' TV show.

2. Gossip magazines, those you find at the grocery market checkout lanes.

3. Romance novels.

4. Talk shows, like Oprah and all those before.

People who fill their minds with this shit will have shit filling their minds. Duh. To me, it's such a simple reality that it boggles my mind how or why people still do it. Nothing on the above list has any redeeming quality to offer the human race, absolutely none. Yet, there are people who take what they read and hear from these as being the real things. That is an incredibly sad statement about mankind, and an even more astoundingly poor reflection on the character of an individual.

How can you identify such a person? They say things like, "that's not the way a (insert manner of relationship here) should be", for one. That's the kind of drivel those items on the above list attempt to, and are seemingly succeeding at, passing off as truth. Here are a couple reason why making the former statement is totally false:

1. It means there is only ONE way for each and every manner of relationship to be. So, people who think this way believe that every person should conform to the ONE way a friendship, marriage, or any other type of relationship should be. Really. With the human population nearing the seven billion mark, people actually think we should be automatons, or a hive-minded race, and that friendships should be THIS way, or marriages should be THAT way.

2. It means that the person has been a (insert manner of relationship here again) to every person that has every been alive, or is alive now, and through their omnipotence, they have figured out the ONE way everyone else should be in said relationships.

See how silly that way of thinking is? I hope so.

Standing Desk Update 1

2011-05-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

It was a week ago when the tornadoes rolled and won initiative on Alabama. From what I am reading, seems that power is still off in a lot of places, but they are making steady progress with returning it. The death and devastation are still making national news, and volunteers are still needed. Help if you can.

In other news, an update on my change to a standing desk, also started a week ago. I wasn't at my desk much during the power outage, so nothing to say from that time. I am now back at my desk, and standing, and all is going well. I though the sudden change of going with a standing desk, and moving to a zen bed, would both hit my body hard. So far that isn't the case. I'm sleeping just fine, as usual, and not noticing any negative physical effects when I wake up and go about my day.

I did take a cue from another website regarding standing desks, and put down a pad to stand on; a thick towel folded in thirds. Seems to be working great.

Still need to adjust the height of the desk work area, as the keyboard and mouse are about 8" lower than recommended. Hoping to try some cinder blocks under the desk soon, see how that works. I'm also integrating some small exercises to do while standing at the desk, but that'll be another blog post.

Of Zen & Tornadoes

2011-05-02T10:27:00.000-05:00

27 April 2011

Woke up at my usual time, around 0500, to the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. A few minutes later, the early warning siren went off for the first of many times it would go off today. When the first storm hit, it was ugly, but I didn't know just how ugly it really was until I turned on my computer and began seeing the multitude of bad weather warnings.

A little later that morning, after hearing and reading about possible and confirmed tornadoes moving in my general direction, I started watching the sky closely from my bedroom window. At one time I was able to see two tightly-rotating cloud formations pass almost directly over my house. I stepped outside to get a better look, and so did a few neighbors who also saw the distinct tornado signature. That's when I got a bad feeling about the day.

All that day, storm after storm after storm trampled across the state, spawning tornadoes upon tornadoes. The electricity went off near evening, plunging the already storm-darkened state into pitch blackness. I went over to my friend's house to check on them, and sat for awhile outside in the garage listening to the news on a car radio. They were trying to keep listeners informed as best they could, but the damage was just too much to describe over radio.

28 April 2011

Woke up still without power, but at least the storms had passed on. Unable to work, I continued tasks I had begun working on before the storms hit: bringing my physical environment more in line with the zen that I preach. The first part was moving from a sitting-on-my-ass-all-day-long desk to a standing desk (blog post here). Next, I broke down my twin bed, gave all but the mattress to a friend to use, and kept the mattress as my sole bed. Still unsatisfied, I removed the mattress from my bedroom and created a more useful bed.

I took out my sleeping bag and my thick winter blanket. Folding the blanket in thirds, I placed it inside the sleeping bag, and zipped her up. Voila'! A much more fitting bed, and all I need, without the space-hogging excess of a full bed. Plus, it rolls up and gets put out of sight in the closet when not in use. Zen.

Following that, I tackled my closet and clothes, reducing almost every stitch I own down to half. Not including coats and the clothes being worn, this is all the clothing I own now:

Everything else filled up one of my Army duffle bags and was donated to tornado victims. Doing the same for the old twin bed. Was also able to clear out bed linen, since I no longer need it; less clutter.

After that, I went back to friends' house and commenced to grillin'! With no power, and a lot of food in danger of spoiling, they emptied fridge and freezer, prepped the food, and I spent the next few hours grilling it all up.

My friend Murray made sure even the eggs and veggies didn't go to waste!

When the grillin' was done, my friends and I lit candles and sat down for a shadowy D&D session, interspersed with delicious grilled flank steak, salmon, bacon, chorizo, boiled eggs, and veggies. We played on until around 1030 hours, and were all a bit tired after the mentally challenging day before. A curfew was in place in the city, so I stretched myself out on their couch for the night. It wasn't two minutes after that when *blink* the power came back on!

29 April 2011

Alas, the power had not yet returned at my house, and was still out in numerous pockets throughout the county. So, I spent some more time going zen on my files, bathroom, and desk, then went back to my friends' house for more grillin' and D&D. Cell service, which had been down since Wednesday night, finally returned, so I was able to call my daughter and let her know my situation. Was also able to get some Twitter and Facebook updates sent out, and get back in contact with my zen friend. I borrowed a battery op radio from Jacklyn so I could kinda hear about the outside world while at my house.

30 April 2011

Still no power on at my house, so I joined friends in helping out a family member who lost her house to a tornado. We also went online and viewed videos and articles of the immense damage across the state. Later on, we settled into our normal routine of gathering to watch our sci fi shows and eating good food and enjoying fellowship.

1 May 2011

Still no power, so I headed early to friends' house to set up for a normal D&D Sunday. We played to about 1830, cooked dinner, and settled in for more sci fi and Game of Thrones. When I got back to my house later, the power was back on! Also, that's when I first got word about Osama bin Laden. I perused the 'Net and Facebook briefly, played with my cat, and went to bed. Zen.

Osama bin Laden Dead?

2011-05-01T23:38:00.001-05:00

[/zen]

1. I've not believed anything this president has said since he took office; no reason to start now.

2. Until this bastard is dismembered and his body parts burned in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, and his head mounted on a pike at the Pentagon, I'll reserve my belief that he's dead.

3. If he is dead, then 2,977 members of his family should also be; ever how many generations of his line we need to wipe out, make it so.

4. One helluva world banhammer needs to be brought down on Pakistan, for saying for years he wasn't hiding in their country.

5. To my brother and sisters in arms: if he is dead, Airborne! Only a few more million terrorists to go. Stay Alert, Stay Alive, and kill 'em all.

[zen]

Zen & My Health

2011-04-26T09:02:00.000-05:00

In another upgrade for Jim 4.1, yesterday I rearranged my bedroom. While doing so, I remodeled my desk into a standing desk, as best as I can get it. I also got rid of the box springs and frame for my bed, and am now back to sleeping on the mattress on the floor.

'Round about the start of this year, I began seeing articles proposing the health benefits of a standing desk, as opposed to being seated all day. Read Why and How I Switched to a Standing Desk and Are You Sitting Down? Why a Stand-Up Desk Might Save Your Life for the info that helped convince me. My years before having to come back to where I am now were incredibly more physically active, and believe it or not, I miss that immensely. While I can't go on an airborne ops or a martial arts training course now, I can make small and simple steps towards more physical activity, like removing the desk chair.

Before

After

My current desk isn't very adaptable for a standing position, but since it was a gift from friends, I'll make the best use of it I can until acquiring a more fitting one. Moving the tower up high allows it to better get the circulating air and wifi signal. The mouse and keyboard are still a little low, so I improvised by placing the keyboard on top of a D&D box, and stacked some books under the mouse. Those can quickly be removed from under the components when needed, as I won't be standing while gaming, watching TV, or after work hours. Trial period today will be alternating standing and sitting in one hour increments.

The time I've spent sleeping on a full-size bed is the scant almost three years while I was married. All the years before, and since, I've slept on a twin-size bed, or less. While moving my bedroom stuff around yesterday, and while discussing options with my zen friend who is doing likewise (read here), I pulled the mattress off the bed and got all the rest of it out of my room. Now I have a bit more open floor space to move around in, along with the psychological benefit of seeing less clutter around me. As far as still having a good night of sleep, that's never been a problem for me, thanks to the Army. Sleeping on a mattress on the floor is a huge upgrade compared to those years. The plan is to find a futon or some such, something that can be easily rolled up and stowed away out of sight after use. My cat probably won't like it much, as my bed is (was) one of her favorite napping places, but I think she'll adapt.

I have two shelves remaining in my bedroom, which I'll be looking at clearing off, and possibly out, today. Closet, too. May also clean the cat hair off the recliner and put it up on craigslist with the computer and TVs I have there. Maybe improvise a mat to stand on at my desk; I have a large, soft towel and a couple of blankets that may work. Hmm, wonder if the box springs from the bed would hold the desk? Should look around for some discarded cinder blocks, too. Ideas!

How to Set Up Live Webcasts

2011-04-25T08:19:00.000-05:00

How to Set Up Live Webcasts

Webcasts are relatively easy to set up. They generally do not require much money to produce if you keep it simple. If you want to begin webcasting, Stickam and Ustream are a couple of websites that can get you going in just a matter of minutes.

How to Add a Fan Page to TweetDeck

2011-04-25T08:16:00.000-05:00

How to Add a Fan Page to TweetDeck

TweetDeck also allows you to add in fan pages you have created, making it easy to keep tabs on your Facebook fame. Adding your Facebook fan page to either the downloaded version or the Chrome version can be done quickly and easily.

New D&D 3.5 Group at Deep Comics

2011-04-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

New D&D 3.5 Group at Deep Comics

The Deep Comics in Hunstville now has a Dungeons & Dragons weekly meeting. Organized by Joe Davidson, the new group will be playing D&D 3.5, beginning on 10 April 2001, and meeting at 11 a.m.

Tennessee Game Days 2011

2011-03-10T14:13:00.000-06:00

Tennessee Game Days 2011

Gamers of Decatur, Huntsville, and North Alabama, listen up! Looking for some new and fresh gaming this weekend? Then you may want to check out the Sixth Annual Tennessee Game Days Convention going on just up the road in Nashville this weekend.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Tennessee Game Days - Huntsville Tabletop Gaming

RoleCraft: RP Character Life Spans

2011-03-07T12:14:00.000-06:00

RP Character Life Spans

In two days, yours truly will level up once again, hitting the ripe age of forty-one. While contemplating my own age over the past week, I got to also thinking about the ages of all the MMORPG characters I roleplay. There are tons of races to roleplay across my whole roleplaying collective, and to think of all their life spans matching that of the human race seems folly to me. So, let us take a closer look at the life spans of the WoW races, and better position your own characters in their in game timeline.

Dungeons & Dragons Online Resources

2011-03-01T11:56:00.000-06:00

Dungeons & Dragons Online Resources

Following are three great websites for fourth edition D&D resources, through which can be found character sheets, modules, maps and tiles, and even fully detailed campaigns, everything D&D players and Dungeon Masters will need for their own games. Oh, and much of it is free!

The Haven for Dungeons & Dragons Players

2011-02-28T12:53:00.000-06:00

The Haven for Dungeons & Dragons Players

So, you finally decided to give this Dungeons and Dragons game a try. Over the holidays, you were gifted or bought the shiny red starter box with the cool artwork. You spent the whole month of January reading through all the material, rolling up practice characters, even playing around with the online D&D Adventure Tools available at the Wizards of the Coast D&D website. Now, you’re ready to gather a group of live humans together and roll for initiative!

RoleCraft: Roleplaying Your Role

2011-02-28T12:47:00.000-06:00

Roleplaying Your Role

Just about every time I peruse an RP-focused forum, I see at least one post from someone new to MMORPG roleplaying, asking for advice on how to get started. Since it’s such a basic and fundamental question, I like to revisit it every now and then, trying to look at it from new angles, and maybe discovering something I’ve not thought of.

RoleCraft: TavernWatch - Looking for Roleplay

2011-02-21T13:05:00.000-06:00

TavernWatch - Looking for Roleplay

Greetings, roleplayers! Back again with another TavernWatch edition, where I warily delve into that vast expanse of scorn and detritus known as the WoW Forums in order to bring to you the shining bits of posted RP gold that may be found within. This edition covers some very worthy Looking for Roleplayers posts, not all of them residing in the World’s End Tavern section.

Pick A Card

2011-02-14T07:55:00.000-06:00

If you want a Valentine's Day card from me, you can pick it from here. These are all perfect!

Valentine's Day Ecards

Blues

2011-02-13T12:43:00.013-06:00

"Blues ain't nuthin' but a good man feelin' bad, thinkin' 'bout a woman he once was with."

Gonna spend some time doing exactly that.

You Shook Me - Led Zeppelin

Whiskey Blues - Muddy Waters

Lonesome Loser - Little River Band

Whipping Post - The Allman Brothers Band

Ramblin' On My Mind - Robert Johnson

So Close - Evanescence

Shelter From the Storm - Bob Dylan

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Al Green

Honesty - Billy Joel

Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad - Def Leppard

Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac

She's Gone - Hall & Oates

Hard Luck Woman - KISS

The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin

Love Hurts - Nazareth

Still Lovin You - Scorpions

Broken - Seether w/ Amy Lee

The Sky is Crying - Stevie Ray Vaughan

One - U2

Hard Habit to Break - Chicago

Love Song - The Cure

Generic Love

2011-02-11T08:24:00.001-06:00

Sharing an article brought to my attention by an online friend, along with my reply.

Generic Love / Psychology Today

Replied:

Love is Greater
Submitted by Jim H. Moreno on February 11, 2011 - 6:19am.
"The implication of all this is that if you're still looking for your perfect match, just keep being who you are, doing things the way you've always done them, until someone basically slides into place."
That absolutely does NOT sound generic, quite the opposite. A "perfect match" is incredibly specific, and also very absurd. So, not only is this piece "mostly going for laughs and comedy, rather than profound wisdom", it's also contradictory. Also, I'd suggest the author look into all three forms of Love. The only generic thing about Love is that it abides with every human. It's by our choice alone whether that is shared, or not.

RoleCraft: UI for Roleplayers

2011-02-08T10:05:00.000-06:00

UI for Roleplayers

Roleplayers do things a bit differently when it comes to setting up their UI, as I’ve come to see. As much as the UI options can be tailored to show, many roleplayers like it better when their UI shows less. I’m one of those roleplayers.

New Photos!

2011-02-03T14:30:00.000-06:00

Finally had some semi-professional photos made for use on the Interwebs. All thanks go to my friend Murray Johnson for her skills with a camera.

Dream Interpretation: zombies

2011-02-03T14:22:00.004-06:00

I'm a big zombie movie fan, but I seriously doubt that's why they're in my dreams.

Zombies exist in a state where they are not alive yet they are not dead. They may symbolise something in your life that has similr features.
"Me and my boyfriend are trying to keep our relationship going even though we are in a long distance relationship. The relationship is not really happening and existing in any normal sense."
Zombies can represent people who will simply not think rationally.
"I try to avoid my boyfriends ex. She simply hates me. Its pointless trying to get on with her as she simply repeats the same old mindless nonsense."
Zombies can symbolise emotions when you are unable to think of anything else.
"Me and my boyfriend met up for a short while. We only had eyes for each other. It was wonderful."

Dream Interpretation: bicycle

2011-02-01T20:27:00.001-06:00

Was riding around with a woman I know, on separate bikes, in one of last night's dreams. Currently pondering.

To dream that you are riding a bicycle, signifies your desires to attain a balance in your life. You need to balance work and pleasure in order to succeed in your current undertakings. If you have difficulties riding the bicycle, then it suggests that you are experiencing anxieties about making it on your own.
To see a bicycle in your dream, indicates that you need to devote time to leisurely pursuits and recreation.
To dream that you are riding tandem in a bicycle, suggests that you are more accepting with aspects of yourself or of your partner that you have previously rejected.
Self-propulsion. Recreation. Will have to make an important decision.
To dream that you are riding a bicycle means that you are feeling confused and unsteady. You should achieve harmony between all aspects of your life if you want to reach your goals. If you have difficulties riding the bicycle, then it implies that you doubt your ability to achieve success without assistance.
To see a bicycle in your dream suggests that you should involve yourself in more relaxing and entertaining endeavors.
Bikes may show that you feel isolated and that life is hard right now. Bikes can be associated with bad days especially on the day before the dream. But bikes are also symbolic of your own attitude and how you want to go to great lengths to pursue your goals. Bikes may also suggest that you are trying to do things "your own way".
A bicycle stands for an individual choice of direction, strength and effort. Riding a bike in a dream may suggest that you are the one who is in charge of your own destiny. If you feel as if your bike is floating in the air, you want to advance socially, and to improve your financial situation. Buying a bicycle means that you need to be more active and improve your physical condition.

You've Got A Friend

2011-01-31T22:56:00.002-06:00

You've Got A Friend - James Taylor (<--- click to listen!)

When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand

and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right.

Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be thereTesti Canzoni

to brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am

I'll come running to see you again.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there, yeah, yeah,

you've got a friend.

If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds

and that old north wind should begin to blow,

keep your head together and call my name out loud.

Soon I will be knocking upon your door.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am

I'll come running to see you again.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there.

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend? People can be so cold.

They'll hurt you and desert you. Well, they'll take your soul if you let them,

oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am

I'll come running to see you again.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call, Lord, I'll be there, yeah, yeah,

you've got a friend. You've got a friend.

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend. Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.

Oh, yeah, yeah, you've got a friend.

RoleCraft: Undersea RP

2011-01-31T16:02:00.000-06:00

Undersea RP

The Cataclysm has destroyed much of the face of Azeroth, but for us roleplayers, it’s seen as more of a blessing in disguise. The old lands and many of the ways we can roleplay in them have been renewed. Beyond that, the Cataclysm also brought us a new area to explore; Vashj’ir, a region almost entirely underwater. Let’s dive in and ponder the roleplaying that can be found and made here!