10 Things...

All the cool kids in school are doing it, so I figure I will jump off the bridge as well...

1) I was the fastest kid in elementray school over anything 100m and shorter. Yes, I was still overweight then. I was just like 6' nothing and a solid 4-6" taller than everyone else.

2) I have in my life been required to crochet, knit, and cross-stich to make gifts for other people. I learned these skills on my own, since it looked like fun, and was required to put them to use a year or so later when my parents filed bankrupcy and there were no Christmas gifts, or birthday presents for just about a full year.

3) I have been arrested. I didn't do it (and I am not getting into what I was acused of), and the charges were dropped less than 24 hours before the trial was scheduled to start. But I remember being terrified through the entire process that I would never be able to get a good job because I was arrested. I went through the whole ordeal, questioning, polygraphs, finger-printing, bail hearing. This happened when I was in 7th grade.

4) I don't drink. Actually a few people know this, but most of them forget and offer me a beer, wine, or some other mixed drinks. I was exposed to some rather nasty rotten alcohol when working at a recycling center while in high school, and I can't get near the stuff to this day.

5) I am terrified of the undefined. I hate calling people for the first time, going somewhere for the first time, trying a new food for the first time. I don't know why I am afraid of these things, but I simply will do anything instead of call someone that I do not know. Even if I just have to call them back (they initiated the conversation) I will be terrified to call them back. Second times are bad as well, but once I have done it twice I am less terrified.

6) I love seeing movies in the theater, but hate seeing them alone. It isn't like I talk to people durring a movie, or that it is an event (hanging out is more important than the movie) but I just hate seeing a movie by myself. I do, go occassionally, but most of the time I won't bring myself to do it.

7) I was *this close* to not going to college. OK, maybe not that close, but I seriously considered it for a few days. I really wanted to stay in touch with this girl and she wanted to get married right out of college. I had a chance when she was between boyfriends, but I screwed it up. Additionally I didn't think that getting married right out of HS was a good idea. Funny thing is that I think I loved her, and to this day I believe that was my one chance at true love.

8) I have only been playing collectible card games competatively since late 2000. Seems like a long time now, but I know, as do most other people, that I am mearly a rookie when it comes to the veteran players in the industry.

9) I hate chocolate. White chocolate doesn't count. =)

10) Most people I know refer to me as Mr. Beal. I don't know why it is so hard to say my first name, but for the longest time, people simply refer to me by my first name. It is almost freaky sometimes...

Game On!

Convention Season

Anime Expo (and Origins) are right around the corner, and if you know what those are, you know what they represent. They are the kickoff the the Summer Convention season which is the best time of year for any gamer. Sure non-gamers look down on us all as geeks, freaks, nerds, fat bastards, but this is our time of year to shine, re-aquaint ourselves with people we haven't seen for 9 months or so.

This is my first time away from Origins, and I will miss it. Don't get me wrong, I hear great things about Anime Expo, and am looking forward to seeing old friends and making new friends, but I won't be playing my first ever card game (Star Trek) and in some way it seems like maybe I have lost something. Maybe I am just being nostalgic in my old age.

I played in the Magic Limited tournament, and despite a very poor starting, I was able to salvage the day with 3 straight victories... I know it means less to go 3-3 losing your first three and then winning the last three, but it was a start, and after seeing some of the cards I excluded in my decklist in action, I came to the conclusion that I was basically handicaping myself for the first game of each match. Oddly enough I was almost 50% with wins, which means, I lost badly or won confidantly in each of my matches. However I look on that tournament as simply a building point to move forward.

The Girard, Jay Webb and Ray Powers were all there, and it sure was nice to see them all again, it has been a while. I met some really nice players, and some players that... well they take the game WAY to seriously. Do I really want to become a Pro-tour player for Magic? Not if I have to act like that. I mean, I can act like that, I just don't want to be required to at a big event...

Anyway, this is a great week. Tuesday is Superman Returns, Wednesday is playtesting for the big convention weekend, Thursday is packing, Friday is FNM and leaving for the convention. Oh, and I guess I should sleep and other stuff to get ready... =) At any rate this is leading up to the best time of the year for me and I can't wait!!!

Game On!

Less Blogging

See, this is what I have been reduced to... blogging from work on off hours. I decided that since I am never at home (atleast never at home long enough to do anything) that I didn't really need cable (either internet, or the tv variety). I might change that eventually, but for the moment, I am internet free at home again. I do this every once in a while, so we shall see what happens this time. Maybe it is time I suffered through some dial up (AOL even...) for a month and find a new respect for the cable modem.

I have started to get more into Magic, and have found some really cool people playing that game. Friends that I never knew played, and people that I have known for years that out of the blue have mentioned to me that they have long lost Magic cards, and would I be intersted in buying them. I don't think I am ready to make an investment yet, but it has proven to be an adequate distraction. =)

I figure the next thing I post will be my Magic deck as it stands. I would like to hear some opinions about the deck and how to improve it... I like it, but I think it could be better, but I really don't want to switch colors, and I am limited by the number of rares that I have available to me.

Anime Expo is right around the corner (less than 2 weeks now) and I simply cannot wait! I really want to see this convention and all the crazies that pop up. I might even toy with a never before played game to win some cash. At the very least, I sould be able to round up some promo cards to sell. All in all it should be a great time, and I am really looking forward to the overall convention experience.

Game On!