Author: john wick

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Post Coup Afterglow, Part Two

So far, about everybody has written something about the Coup. I’ve inspired people to write, and I think that’s the kindest compliment I can get.

Thanks, guys.

*hugs all around*
*excpet you, James. I punch you.*

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The Matrix Revolutions…

… is a steaming pile of bat turd.

This from the guy who hates reviewers.
This from the guy who says, “Don’t say it sucks, say you didn’t like it.”
This from the guy who said, “Matrix 2 is just the set up for something huge… wait for Matrix 3.”

Well, I waited. And I want my money back.

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The new Sarah

I will be the answer at the end of the line
I will be there for you while you take the time
In the burning of uncertainty I will be your solid ground
I will hold the balance if you can’t look down

If it takes my whole life I won’t break I won’t bend
It’ll all be worth it — worth it in the end
‘Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all gone out
You’ll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently into morning for the night has been unkind
Take me to a place so holy that I can wash this from my mind
Memory of choosing not to fight

If it takes my whole life I won’t break I won’t bend
It’ll all be worth it — worth it in the end
‘Cause I can only tell you what I know
That I need you in my life
When the stars have all gone out
You’ll still be burning so bright

Cast me gently into morning for the night has been unkind

(Answer, by Sarah Mclachlan)

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In conversation with the Soliloquator!

Soliloquator!: God…someone bought, hey, did you buy Salt & Vineagar potato chips last week for Game Night?
Me: Yeah!
Me: I forgot ’em.
Soliloquator!: Mmmm
Soliloquator!: ::munchmunch::
Me: =-O
Me: >:o
Me: :-\
Soliloquator!: ::munchmunch::
Me: 🙁
Me: :'(
Soliloquator!: ::smackslips::
Me: Bastard Matt
Me: Eats Your Chips Bastard Matt
Soliloquator!: heh heh heh. everyone in the office is coming in here and ganking them.
Me: EYCBM. That’s your new name.
Me: Eats Your Chips and Hands Them Out to Any Tom Dick or Harry Bastard Matt.
Soliloquator!: I said “I don’t know who’s nasty chips these are, but in the absence of any good munchies, I’m eating them”
Me: EYCHTOATDHBM.
Soliloquator!: And everyone said “Ooh, those are nasty vineagar chips. Blech. Lemmehavesome.”
Me: (pronounced: eye*chu*toat*doh*bum)
Soliloquator!: I LOVE IT!
Me: 🙂
Me: emphasis on the TOAT
Soliloquator!: EYCHTOATDHBM!
Soliloquator!: Oh, I heard the empahsis.
Me: wait… no, the emphasis should be on the DOH
Me: eyechutoatDOHbum
Soliloquator!: I think it’s eyechoTOATDOHbum
Soliloquator!: chu
Me: yes
Me: you’re right.
Me: Matt’s new nickname.
Soliloquator!: eyechuTOATDOHbum
Soliloquator!: Drinks Your Last Goddamn Mountain Dew So You Don’t Have Any More Even Though You Were Expecting Some Bastard John.
Me: Hahhahahahahahah
Me: DYLGMDSYDHAMETYWESBJ
Soliloquator!: Dial-gum-did-damn-etty-wes-bij

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Hi. Remember me? I’m the guy you said was your friend. The guy you said was important to you. The guy you said was a positive influence in your life.

Well, since you said those words, things have happened. Or, should I say, nothing has happened. You’ve all but disappeared from my life. You never initiate contact. When I contact you, the reply is always brief and abrupt. Your reply is always tinged with the message, “I don’t have time for you.” Then, you go on to tell me that you are my friend, that I’m important, and that I’m one of the only good influences in your life.

I’ve kept contact with you, trying to make sure we don’t lose each other over the distance between us. I send you a regular “Howdy!” every once in a while, just to see if you’ll reply. You do — sometimes. But, when I say, “Hey, let’s get together,” you always blow me off… even when I go extra lengths to accomodate your schedule.

You have a good policy on people: you never burn a bridge. No matter how bad things get, you always smile and make sure that person knows that they’re special and precious to you, and losing you as a friend would be a dear cost.

Well, here’s the problem. What you say and what you do are two entirely different things.

I know you read my journal, so here’s the message, and I hope it’s coming in clear.

If what you say is true, if you really are my friend, if I really am all that special to you, and if we truly do have a bond that cannot be broken by time or distance… you’ll contact me. You know how to do it.

See, just a few weeks ago, something happened in my life that’s given it a new focus. My father is dying, and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. All we can really do is put off the innevitable, spend time with him, and remind him every day that we love him. That’s all I can do. And I realized it’s not all that much, really. Not all that much to spend lunch with him, to write him a letter every once in a while, to call him up and say, “Hey, I saw this thing that made me think of you.” That’s all it takes.

If you really want me in your life, you’ll do what my other friends do: you’ll prove it.

If you’re just putting me on, making sure you don’t burn a bridge just in case you need to use it… well, the problem with a bridge is, you don’t need to burn it to knock it down.

All you have to do is neglect it.

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Weekend Update

Friday
I drove out to see Alien. She brought her little plush Cthulhu to protect her. I snickered at that.

When Dallas gets it in the air shafts? She jumped four feet.

There needs to be a term for the guy who gets grabbed when the scary part is about to happen.

Went home to find a bunch of friends waiting for me. I made hints I might run Cthulhu on Halloween… but I wasn’t prepared. So, instead, I did a little reading of my one and only ghost story. Lit a candle, turned out the light, and read all sixteen pages.

I was lucky to get through it without breaking down. But, surrounded by my friends, I survived. Just like the narrator of the story, who is only peripherally me, I survived. The story is not kind, and I’m pretty sure I shocked everyone with its revelations, so when there was silence at the end, I wasn’t sure what to think. But, privately, one by one, each of them came up to me and very quietly thanked me for reading it.

There was no party and no costumes… but it was one of my best Halloweens.

Saturday
The Scorpion Coup. I’ve already remarked privately about this, but here’s the public bit.

I’ve never had so much fun with a roleplaying game as I’ve had with L5R. Ever. And it’s all because of my players.

Shoju is dead, the Emerald Throne is cracked. The Last Hantei is Emperor and the Last Akodo has fallen. Kachiko is the Imperial Concubine, and 2 PCs found their way to Jigoku.

We went out to dinner afterward… and I fell asleep. So completely drained and exhausted, I had nothing left.

We came home for post-Coup discussions… and I fell asleep. Gone. Just dead as a rock.

Hoturi’s already on the rebound. Poor boy.

Next? Iuchiban…

Sunday
I was supposed to go to the Halo 500, but I completely forgot until this morning when I walked into work and I saw a copy of the game on somebody’s desk.

I was a zombie on Sunday, so I allowed my CD collection entertain my guest. Seven and The Great Train Robbery. She seemed to enjoy them, so I was happy.

We went hunting for a TV — no luck. Next week.

The Overtimer, Happy Fun Ball and me stopped by a military surplus store, which was much more fun than I anticipated. I found new shades for Marcus and a new hat for Mr. Finger. We’re 2/3rds of the way to finishing The Hat Squad. All we need now is a chapeau for trekhead. I’ll keep my eyes open.

Then, around 10:00, I fell asleep.

A wild weekend of roleplaying, movies, and therapy. And the wake up stick.

All my life I’ve told stories for others. Needed a muse to invoke my storytelling energy.

I think I’m finally ready to tell stories for me.