More Dungeons please, but don't skimp on the Dragons either...

I love cool stuff that I can do with my kid.

Recently I was listening to the Penny Arcade crew play some Dungeons & Dragons with the PVP dude via this podcast. I had left the iPod running when I turned off the truck. When I re-started the truck with Emmalee in it, she was treated to what sounded to her like 4 grown men playing "Make Believe". I turned off the iPod before any of the players became excited/upset enough to swear, but Em was very intrigued. I did my best to explain my own limited understanding of D&D, but this only served to convince her that we needed to try it out.

Here we run into a couple of issues.

First, during my formative years some friends of mine attempted to play this mysterious thing known as D&D, but we never got past the first step (Character Creation). Unfortunately for us we didn't know anyone willing/able to be our "Game Master". For those unfamiliar with D&D we were "all dressed up with nowhere to go". We had our merry band of adventurers all set up and ready to explore and/or fight, but with nary a Dungeon nor a Dragon in site. So despite my childhood desire, I never actually learned to play the game.

Second, the resources for D&D are pretty extensive. While my good friend G had stacks of books/maps/adventures when we were young (and despite the fact that he is one of the most organized guys I know), those supplies have apparently disappeared somewhere along his journey from boy to man.

Lastly, D&D is not a game for 2 people. The "optimal" group size is 5 adventurers and one "Game Master".

Despite all this, Em and I ARE going to play Dungeons and Dragons! I've committed to figuring out a way to make it work. I've bought all the books necessary. I've picked up some dice, and miniatures. I'm reading through the "Dungeon Master's Guide" so that I can referee the rules for whomever ends up in Emmalee's group of adventurers. The top of the list for people I would want in that group would be "Da' Guys".

This is my call to action. G has stepped forward to join the group, but I think/hope more of Da' Guys might be willing to answer the call. 2 hours, once a month, hang out with me and my awesome daughter, suspend disbelief, and play what is basically a board game. Think about it.

If you are interested let me know. If you are really interested check out the quickstart guide. If you are not interested, that's cool, we'll let you know how it turns out.

You can't tell me that this doesn't look like fun:

My Favorite Warning Message

Which leaves me with two options...
1) Don't Save
2) Loose edited code

choices, choices...

Risk

Emmalee, Zack, and I have been playing a little RISK lately. Em is the (as yet) undisputed champion with 4 wins in the "Basic Training" version of the game. Luckily she hasn't won a "World Domination" round yet (probably only because we haven't played on yet) since I'm not sure how I feel about the "official" rule of having to call a "World Domination" winner "sir" until they are dethroned.

Here are some of the lessons we have learned playing Risk:
-Zack learned the hard way that Risk is not chess. Apparently in risk, games are NOT (necessarily) won and lost in the middle of the board (aka, Europe is HARD to hold).
-As a child of the cold war I had a hard time getting past some old preconceived notion that the eastern block is worth holding. 7 bonus armies each round sounds great, but I never was able to hold all those borders long enough to collect! There must be a reason the USSR works better in smaller blocks.?
-I also learned that maintaining supply lines from the north eastern tip of Asia to the southern tip of South America is a little too optimistic in a game where the kids LOVE the idea of pummeling the "grown up". I think this is why the airplane was invented!
-Em has made a habit of her (quite strong) strategy of quickly taking Australia (ONE outside boarder) and using those bonus armies to a) slowly take North America b) do her best to keep anyone else from keeping any continent long enough to claim bonus armies.

If any of "da' guys" or their families feel like ending Em's winning streak just say the word and we'll organize a little exhibition match.

(Don't tell Em but I'm seriously considering this as a gateway into D&D... if anyone has suggestions on how to get PAST the "rolling your character" stage.)

The Ghost Brigades

The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

My review

rating: 4 of 5 references to other scifi authors I dig!
As fun as the first Old Man's War, and in many ways better.

I don't season food when I cook it. I prepare the food, put it on the table and allow the partakers to "season to [their own:] taste". I've adopted this habit after having many people tell me that I am too heavy handed with the salt. Occasionally when eating out someone in the group will mention that a dish is "too salty", I like to think of these dishes as being made "just for me".

Occasionally I use this metaphor to describe non-food offerings, i.e.:
Unbreakable [comic (check), divorce (check), father (check), ... (someone made this "just for me"!) ]
Lego (check) Star Wars (check) video game (check) [this one is all in the title]
Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness [comics, zombies, and ASH! I still SHOW this to people just to convince them it exists!]

The list goes on and on, but you get the point.

Back to The Ghost Brigades... Scalzi throws together science fiction, action, war, fatherhood, and the rest in just the right combination for a truly entertaining read. One warning, if you read it and find it "too salty", just remember that it was written for grownups... or maybe it was written "just for me".





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Contact

Contact by Carl Sagan

My review

rating: 4 of 5 times I wished I knew whether or not the "science" being referenced was ACTUAL science or the FICTIONAL type
Great read.

Made me wish I was smarter.

I really enjoyed what it had to say about science and religion. numinous

The last page is downright beautiful.


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Adam Savage of Mythbusters

If you have ANY interest in Adam Savage, Mythbusters, obsession:success, OR The Maltese Falcon... you should watch this!

Breaking Bad (season 1)

Awesome tv show, about a high school chemistry teacher who turns to cooking crystal meth when he finds out he has terminal lung cancer. This show is even more fun than it sounds (and contains one of the greatest mormon missionary references I've ever seen in pop culture!)

4 of 5 paranoid meth heads.

p.s. Bryan Cranston won the Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series Emmy for this show... so check it out!

Old Man's War

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

My review

rating: 4 of 5 well recycled scifi ideas.
Big fun. Totally guilty pleasure. This book has pushed me back into an old jr. high school habit that I had of waking up early to read. Back in those days it was all Asimov all the time.



This is really good, escapist (I know I'm stealing your term Mitch) scifi. Reminds me a lot of the Weber stuff that I have read (Empire from the Ashes). It definitely geared toward a grown up audience, so I'm VERY curious to see what the author does in "Zoe's Tale" (which apparently is aimed at young adult readers)


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Stormtrooper driving

Stumbled upon this the other day without any explaination or mention of ownership, but it was too cool to pass up.

Despereaux

It is (as always seems to be the case) "not as good as the book". The unfortunate part is that with the great voice talent, fantastic art, and flawless animation, the weakened story manages to bring the whole thing down a bit. It's a little dark and sometimes complex for it's target audience. In the end both Emmalee and I really enjoyed this one, with the exception of the way the story diverged from the book. And those differences have actually just convinced each of us that we really ought to read the book again for a good Despereaux palette cleansing.


6 out of 10 things that remained (luckily) unchanged from the book... (i.e. a solid rental to watch with the kids, but read them the book first, or instead... either way)

p.s. isn't it odd how much worse "6 out of 10" seems when compared to "3 out of 5"???