(no subject)

You know what I hate? Gamers who think they have to have a deep emotional commitment to every fucking game they play. "Oh, Unknown Armies cosmology causes me no end of Angst! I cannot approach it!" "Feng Shui's setting is unpleasing to me! It's Wuxia-esque rules are incompatible with my worldview!"

Oh, wah de fucking wah. If I could get a nickel for my self restraint in not slaying these dorks when present with the first opportunity, I could pay off my student loans.

I don't know what's worse; the way they decide these things (it's a game; even Vampire, in the darkest recesses of its Revised "Now it's a game of really, Really personal horror" heart, is still just a game. Call of Cthulhu? Just a game. Christ, it's annoying how RIFTS players can be the most self adjusted of role-players, even if they're as emotionally retarded as many of their compatriots) as if it matters, or the way they like to go on and on and ON about it.

Christ.

Anyway, dinner's on. Fish & rice. Hmmm, mmm.

Justin and Cindy's banal adventure

So, yeah. Last Friday, I had the day off while Cindy did some marking & reporting. We left around 3ish to go to Ottawa.

Now, I've lived in Ottawa for give or take 4 years in my life. I like the city. In certain ways. I know I complain about it being a grey and horrid place, but it's fun. And it has Mellos, which is one of the best breakfast diners anywhere.

Anyway, we had two wonderful nights (and three Gllllaaaaaamorous days) in Downtown Ottawa (at the Luxurious Novotel!).

We went for the "Cultural package" which, I am glad to report, did include a pair of tickets to the Museum of Nature.

So, we got in on Friday, and exchanged presents. Since it was the second anniversary, I gave her a set of our china. She gave me a couple cookbooks (on by Bob BLumer, the Surreal Gourment, and one by Jean Pare) and a copy of Tron on DVD, but not the anniversary edition. She said she'll return it and get me a copy of the anniversary edition.

So, Saturday we went out to the Museum of Civilizaiton. It was quite enjoyable, in spite of the missing escalator (so there was no actual way to get down to the First Nations exhibit, except by cramming yourself in an elevator with a tour group or a family group).

We got to enjoy much of it (but, at this point, the fourth floor is still a mythical construct to me). We saw an IMAX movie called "The First Emperor of China", which was narrated by Christopher Plummer. Since neither of us speaks Chinese, and the film was not dubbed or subtitled, I had to provide translations.

Example: Chinese Anthropologist stands next to a clay representation of one of the Imperial Guard that's at least 8 inches taller than anyone in the room. "And look at this guy; you mind telling me how the fuck we got so SHORT?"

So, yeah. That was fun.

For dinner, we headed to the Casino De Hull, and ate a vastly overpriced dinner. Really, we should have gotten the buffet. God, I love buffets.

I watched some people pulling in phat cash playing Blackjack. Man.

I will not gamble. I will not. I cannot. I hate seeing my money leave me. And this would be for nothing. I have no illusions about winning (I suck at stats and probabilities, but not that much), but Cindy has knowledge about roulette. She blames me for making her leave because she was at a 'hot' table. I just didn't want to wait another hour for the next STO bus.

The next morning, it's breakfast with Troy & Shannon, sans Shannon. Seem she hurt herself the evening before. I just think she hates me.

We had breakfast at an Italian restaurant, with fancy versions of normal breakfast dishes. Now, I'm no lowbrow, but I really like an occasional sausage and egg breakfast, you know?

Anyway, after that, Museum of Nature, where we had enough time to take in Dinosaurs and Icky Things (and something else). The museum of Nature is located in this huge old building that gets mistaken for a castle by pretty much anyone who sees it. It's buried down on Elgin st, down by the 417.

After that, home, with a stop off at my parents for dinner and pictures from my brother Adrian's trip to Ghana (he worked there for 3 months). There was one great shot where he's at a soccer game, and he sticks out like a sore thumb. It was so funny.

And we got to get two good nights sleep on a king size bed. All in all, a good time was had by all.

I also picked up my copy of the Kara Tur Trail Map. Man, I have NO idea why these didn't take off. They were great. Trail maps, for everyone on the planet who isn't me or a TSR employee of the early 90s, were fold up maps, poster sized, of locations in TSR game worlds for $6. They did a couple for the Forgotten Realms, and one for Greyhawk. Anyway, they rocked.

I'm gonna have to get the PDF version of Kara Tur and run a d20 OA version.