Quote from: Big Andy;934005Happy Birthday! Hope you have a good one!



btw, how do you celebrate birthdays on Tekumel?

Thank you! It has been, and I'm very pleased with the day.

Parties and festivities for one's nameday; in Chirine's case, his Senior Wife has a habit of surprising him by marrying him off to one of her friends who needs a place.

Quote from: Hrugga;934012Otulengba!!! HappyHappyBirthday!!! Curmudgeon!!! Many More!!!

Celebrate with a party depending on your status and station in life!!! And kaitars available to you...Enjoy!!!

H;0)

Thank you! The family got me that lovely galley, a great book on the "John Carter" movie, some amazing figures from Dark Fable and Forge Of Ice, and - Tekumel connection, here - a Blue Fish. Long flowing fins, grumpy expression, and all. It's also silicone, so we don't have to worry about the care and feeding. (See also the Gate of the Blue Fish, in Khirgar.)

Quote from: Zirunel;934013Happy Birthday!

Thank you!

Quote from: Baron;934028Yes, have a joyous sitting among friends!

Thank you! Just a quiet night here at the house with me and The Missus, and all of you on-line...

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;934035Happy "Only Two Years Until Social Security Kicks In."

All anyone needs to know about MY life is that Social Security will be a substantial income increase, even at age 62.

115 days, but who's counting.

I can understand that; the co-pays for the Missus are our single biggest expense.

Happy Birthday!

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934069Thank you! Just a quiet night here at the house with me and The Missus, and all of you on-line...

Aww, thanks Chirine.  

First, Uncle: Happy Birthday!

Quote from: chirine ba kal;933967I appreciate the sentiment, and agree with the latter part of it, however...

I married the "ugly woman", as she was described to me by more than a few of the people who know us, and we're still married after 25 years. As for the "wailing of the stupid", that's the reason why this is my only forum presence and why I don't participate in both the larger Internet and the vast majority gaming events that I'm told I must attend in order to be a real gamer.

And an observation, if I may be somewhat crude, but in the 'old curmudgeon' spirit I find myself in these days: I have found, in my now sixty years of life - tomorrow is my birthday, by the way - that 'ugly' and 'plain' women are usually better in the sack then 'pretty' ones. The former, in my experience, appreciate the opportunity to excel, and the latter spend all their time worrying about mussing their hair.

Eh...I have zero experience with "ugly women" ("plain" is another story). This was just a riff at one of Gronan's regular jokes:).
As for the wailing of the stupid, the most important part is to not let it affect you. If the stupid are unhappy, you're doing your job right.
People that are trying to teach you how to be "a real gamer" are stupid by definition, so go ahead. Make them unhappy!

Quote from: chirine ba kal;933968Agreed. I really hadn't started becoming an old curmudgeon until I started interacting with gamers again in the early 2005 - 2006 time frame; but under the influence of so many of them I really think I've completed the transformation from 'nice guy chump' to 'cranky old curmudgeon' over the past decade. There have been so many transformative moments in that time period, and they really have had a wonderful effect - I spend so little on gaming, these days, down from $250 to $500 a month to the current $10 to $25. So, I'd say that it's been very beneficial. The FLGS might have a different viewpoint, of course, but so it goes...

There are some groups of people out there that the more you interact with, the more you appreciate the negative points of view. "Self-appointed Real Gamrz (TM)" are among them...

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934065Because I'm tired of being insulted to my own face in my own home about my own hobbies. It's my book, about our adventures, but you'd be amazed at the number of people who have demanded to be included in the book - despite their not playing with us - as they are entitled to be included as they are Very Important People In Gaming.

It is indeed; I am doing the book simply for the fun of it, but the screaming and shouting and reeling and writhing and fainting in coils from various locals and on-lone people has been both bizarre and incredible. You'd think I had some sort of plan for world domination.

People insult those smarter than them, Uncle. Enjoy the wailing of the stupid! Ot's the best proof you're doing something right, IME;).
Or just write your book the way you would and then add a couple paragraphs at the end. "So-and-so demanded to be included despite not having participated, because they're Important People. Well, here's how I chose to include them. You can judge their contribution for yourselves"!

Might require taping your conversations, but oh, the delicious tears you could drink afterwards!

Quote from: AsenRG;934078First, Uncle: Happy Birthday!

Eh...I have zero experience with "ugly women" ("plain" is another story). This was just a riff at one of Gronan's regular jokes:).
As for the wailing of the stupid, the most important part is to not let it affect you. If the stupid are unhappy, you're doing your job right.
People that are trying to teach you how to be "a real gamer" are stupid by definition, so go ahead. Make them unhappy!

There are some groups of people out there that the more you interact with, the more you appreciate the negative points of view. "Self-appointed Real Gamrz (TM)" are among them...

People insult those smarter than them, Uncle. Enjoy the wailing of the stupid! Ot's the best proof you're doing something right, IME;).
Or just write your book the way you would and then add a couple paragraphs at the end. "So-and-so demanded to be included despite not having participated, because they're Important People. Well, here's how I chose to include them. You can judge their contribution for yourselves"!

Might require taping your conversations, but oh, the delicious tears you could drink afterwards!

Thank you!

Understood; no offense taken or offered. I just have different life experiences then most people. My dad paid $5,000 for me in '56, on the grey market; I have the original contract and cancelled check. I also have various birth certificates, with very different dates of issue. They all do seem to agree that I arrived on Dec. 6th, though. So, I really am a bastard, and I have the Official Paperwork to prove it. Very Tsolyani, really.

Agreed with all your points. The book will tell our stories, and some of Phil's. Nothing more, nothing less.

And I have been taping conversations for decades; you would be simply amazed at what people will say in front of an open microphone that they know is there and recording... :eek:

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934067Thank you! The family got me that lovely galley, a great book on the "John Carter" movie, some amazing figures from Dark Fable and Forge Of Ice, and - Tekumel connection, here - a Blue Fish. Long flowing fins, grumpy expression, and all. It's also silicone, so we don't have to worry about the care and feeding. (See also the Gate of the Blue Fish, in Khirgar.)

Ahh, Most Excellent Joyful Sitting Amongst Family!!! Enjoy Uncle. Be well!!!

H;0)

PS Sometimes a bit of spirits helps too!!! I toast to you!!!

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934086Thank you!

Understood; no offense taken or offered. I just have different life experiences then most people. My dad paid $5,000 for me in '56, on the grey market; I have the original contract and cancelled check. I also have various birth certificates, with very different dates of issue. They all do seem to agree that I arrived on Dec. 6th, though. So, I really am a bastard, and I have the Official Paperwork to prove it. Very Tsolyani, really.

Agreed with all your points. The book will tell our stories, and some of Phil's. Nothing more, nothing less.

And I have been taping conversations for decades; you would be simply amazed at what people will say in front of an open microphone that they know is there and recording... :eek:

Heh.

This is a delicate question, but I'm fairly sure you know I really care... is your dad still with us, or has he passed on?

Quote from: Hrugga;934101Ahh, Most Excellent Joyful Sitting Amongst Family!!! Enjoy Uncle. Be well!!!

H;0)

PS Sometimes a bit of spirits helps too!!! I toast to you!!!

Thank you!

I can't have alcohol, due to my medications, but that's not a big deal. Enjoy for me, if you would...

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;934108Heh.

This is a delicate question, but I'm fairly sure you know I really care... is your dad still with us, or has he passed on?

No problem. He had his last big whammer of a heart attack and passed away the day after Thanksgiving in '97; I had to sign off on the morphine that he wanted to end the pain. Made for a very tough time. I do miss him, especially on days like today; he survived everything that the Pacific War could throw at him.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934086Thank you!

Understood; no offense taken or offered. I just have different life experiences then most people. My dad paid $5,000 for me in '56, on the grey market; I have the original contract and cancelled check. I also have various birth certificates, with very different dates of issue. They all do seem to agree that I arrived on Dec. 6th, though. So, I really am a bastard, and I have the Official Paperwork to prove it. Very Tsolyani, really.

Agreed with all your points. The book will tell our stories, and some of Phil's. Nothing more, nothing less.

And I have been taping conversations for decades; you would be simply amazed at what people will say in front of an open microphone that they know is there and recording... :eek:

How did the "paying for a kid" trick work back in the 50ies, Uncle? (Also, quite un-Tsolyani, I'm sure most of us don't care about the legalities around your heritage - I can certainly guarantee for myself;).
But if we can turn it into game fodder...I have already used Chirine, shortly, in a campaign, and it worked great, so why wouldn't we do it one more time:D?

And the taping part is wonderful:)! Consult a lawyer, but I doubt anything can stop you from publishing a list as I suggested...

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934135No problem. He had his last big whammer of a heart attack and passed away the day after Thanksgiving in '97; I had to sign off on the morphine that he wanted to end the pain. Made for a very tough time. I do miss him, especially on days like today; he survived everything that the Pacific War could throw at him.

He sounds like a great man to me, FWIW.

Quote from: chirine ba kal;934135No problem. He had his last big whammer of a heart attack and passed away the day after Thanksgiving in '97; I had to sign off on the morphine that he wanted to end the pain. Made for a very tough time. I do miss him, especially on days like today; he survived everything that the Pacific War could throw at him.

Ah.  My deepest and sincerest condolences.  He was quite a man.  God grant that he may rest in peace, and rise in Glory.

And survived the Pacific with an elfin sense of humor intact.  Remember the time we got some firework rockets with bent fins and they proceeded to chase us all over your dad's back yard while he stood there and laughed himself sick at our frantic scramblings for cover?

Do you feel that the high tech as presented in Traveller is too "modern" of a portrayal for Tekumel?
Should there be more knobs, sliders and switches on "high tech" equipment?

What about robots? We have Ru'un and Yeleth as examples.
From your experience, are robots humanoid or more built for a function?
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