A Happy Birthday wish to you Amy (the robbergirl)!! I hope today was splendiforous for you!!!

Missy (moonlightgdss)!!! I hope your day is filled with wonder and granted wishes!!

Happy Birthday to yaz!! Hope yer day is shaping up!!!

Happy Birthday Dutch....hope all is well in your neck of the woods!!!!

Yes...yes...I know, it has been a while hasn't it? Well you know what they say about time flying and all that. The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated I can assure you. There really isn't a whole lot to say in all honesty. I've been busy, you've been busy so there hasn't been any nekkid time between us--unless you count me typing in the nude just now, but I digress. I lie, the last part was to see if you all out there were actually reading this, or if you were just skimming content.

I know...i'm an ass and I shouldn't tease.

*sigh*

Been trying to catch up on everyone's posts and I see that the world still turns and nothing much has changed. Good to know. I hope all are well and know that you're thought of.

I'll drop back in another few months to keep the torch going.

TTFN

Yes....Dave Arneson died...found out yesterday. "The Other One" has passed on....which is sad really because the up and coming generation of gamers will never be like us old bastards. Do I feel old just saying that? You bet I do, but it's hard to imagine that I've been gaming for 30 years now and have played almost every game out there at one point or another, even if it is was just one time.

I stand corrected....I have yet to touch D&D 4e. 'Nuff said.

But, and here it comes, kids today are so socially inept that they can't sit still long enough to enjoy a simple hobby. And the fact that some adults put too much stock into a HOBBY never ceases to amaze me. Have I put countless hours into my games? You bet I have. Have I been paid for creating games? You bet I have...but all in all...it's....still....a....game.

And games are suppose to be fun, right?

*sighs*

Dave A. was a fun guy....I got the chance to meet and talk with him several times, Gygax as well--one of the great perks being in the industry, and while they started the industry and we have a lot to be thankful for, I am still thankful that there are creators left...and that I still get to make and play games.

Enjoy life...play games...uncork....relax...and unwind. Life is all based on a d20 and some days you just roll a 1.

A very quick post to wish you a happy birthday my fren'.....I hope all is well!

The usual TV birthday wishes are granted to you....with copious amounts of M.S.Y. with females of your choosing....:)

So it's been a while since last we spoke. For that I truly apologize. It's not you baby....it's me. So let me catch you up and we can be square once again...aight?

I was suppose to come back to California for DDC, but things didn't quite work out as I had planned. Seems that I got hit with the "perfect sotrm" of illnesses: a bronchial infection, the flu, AND pneumonia. This put me in the hospital the EXACT DAY I was to leave for DDC. I spent tendays in lovely Potomic Hospital, which if you ever have to be somewhere it's a pretty nice place to be. For 7 of those days I was in ICU wondering where it all went wrong and musing that cordaroy is may favorite color. Needless to say, I'm Much.Better.Now.

I've been recouping for the last several weeks. Funny thing is the day that I was scheduled to be released from the hospita.l I got a call from a recruiter about a job. Which brings us to the next bit.

After several weeks of back and forth, plus two interviews, I am now employed with a fairly awesome company doing Contract Management/Estimating and Proposal Writing  The company does several things, mostly rebuilding the infrastructure of Iraq and Afghanistan using local resources (qualified people, machinery, etc.). I'm pretty stoked at being part of the team there because A.) it's NOT Sales and Marketing, something that I've been trying to get out of for several years, and B.) in anarea that I've always wanted to be in: Federal gov't contracting, and this gives me experience in that field.

Plus my boss, who my final interview was with, is a cool guy who demands perfection and the team I'll be joining are a bunch of cowboys who continually outperform their peer groups consistantly. Last year they brought in over 1 billion, yes BILLION, in new contracts.

Fuck me running I'm gunna enjoy this. :)

Still plotting on moving, only now we've changed our focus to getting an apartment for the time being while we look for a house. Bri has reached her limit and I'm right there with her. We are eternally thankful for all of the help and support that her parents have given us, and to be honest with you we have it damn good...but we NEED our own place....otherwise I'm gunna shiv someone.....Rico? *snikt* (Madagascar Penguins reference....just for the uninformed).

So that's it, really. Things are going along smoothly. I start work Monday @ 9 and I'll keep you informed as the what's going on. I hope everyone is doing well because, let's face it...I'm out of the loop now. Heh.

Oh....and I'm getting a Harley Davidson Iron 883....a steel horse I ride indeed.

Dammit...

Been trying to fight this damnable chest cold for days now and it's gotten to a manageable point. If I don't respond to you as you are talking to me at DDC it's because I'm wacked out on cold meds....

...I shall return....soon...in only a few short days....can you feel it? I said can you feel it?!?!?!!??

Happy birthday to joo!!

Edit:> sorry, got cut off from intarwebz yesterday before I had a chance to finish my Happy Birthday wish. Well....again, Happy Birthday....all the TV best wishes and I hope that you had a wonderful day filled with your hearts desire!

"There's nothing worse than an inbred Bigfoot...."

David Carradine--Wild West Tech "The Supernatural West"on the History channel

FINTACH

May your day be filled with all the best wishes you can handle....the ease of mind and gentleness of spirit that Life affords you...and all the Mad.Sex.Yo. you can stomach without going into traction!!!

Be good amigo, and again...Happy Birthday!!!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/4241443/Prisoner-star-Patrick-McGoohan-dies.html

Be seeing you No. 6...

So we'll be eating @ 5 o'clock...been up since early this morning. Went and got the boys, and the house is full--which is pleasantly nice for some odd reason.

Turkey, spiral cut ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes,green beans, carrots, stuffing, squash, and lord knows what else....kinda reminds me of the Orphan's Thanksgiving of last year in CA. Opened up the wine an hour ago....merlot...had some killer brie with it, and now working on the second bottle.

In true TV fashion I did whet my palette with a fine Heferweisen > Leinenliugel's Honey Weiss (Camino..I HIGHLY recommend it!)

So there you have it...a short post on the holiday feat & libations. I hope everyone is happy, healthy, and safe.

Take care.

To friends and family, far and near, Sabrina and I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Love to All...you are missed and thought of often. Take care this holiday season and we hope that it is the best possible for you and yours.

....to all of those people who sent emails, phoned...etc to inform me that UCSF was trying to track me down in regards to my transplant. It is much appreciated and I thank you.

In other news...I was offered a kidney yesterday. I was the secondary on the transplant list in case the primary did not want the organ, and as it turns out they didn't...so...I turned it down.

I did WHAT? You might say to yourselves. You heard me correctly...I...turned...it....down.

Now before some o you go off on your insipid little rants as you so often do, listen to the reasoning and you tell me what you would do.

UCSF wanted me to fly out @ last minute to get the transplant. Think of the cost there. Then, the insurance would only pay so much and we would have to make up the remainder--PLUS the day-to-day operations cost and care afterwards. Not to mention that I would have ZERO support out there. Not that I don't love you guys...but let's be serious for a brief moment shall we?

Show of hands who was going to take me to the hospital every day and sit for hours on end to ensure that the transplant took? Coupled with the fact that I would need a place to stay for a few MONTHS in order for me to be well enough to actually head back here.

No, I couldn't get the transplant...get out of th hospital and fly back to the East coast. Chances of rejection would have increased dramatically--so it was said to me last night on the phone, thus negating the chance of me actually making it through recovery and leading a normal, happy, productive life.

There wasn't any up side to my decision. Get a kidney and maybe things will be all right, or get everything handled out here and KNOW that I'll survive? No real choice to make, now is there?

So again...my thanks to those who got in touch with me, and for the advice from my brother-from-another-mother. No, you won't be burying me any time soon--God willing. ;)

Up side....I'm still coming to DDC...so that's something, eh?

Take care,
Dave

So....spent Thanksgiving int he wilds of upstate New York with Bri and her family. Had a gad time and ate waaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy too much of just about everything. We got in late yesterday after stopping in PA at Cabela's to pick up soem winter gear. I now have shiny new Gortex boots. My feets is so happy. :)

The ride to and from was uneventful and today was spent relaxing because it was rainy and nasty outside. Still alive and just thought I'd check in with e'erbody to see how things were. Getting colder here and i could use a beer.

Hope everyone had a faboo Turkey Holocaust Day...and I look forward to catching up with you soon.

Be good,
Grimm