Category: Uncategorized

A recent post by got me thinking about the population of various virtual worlds. Specifically, the number of players dabbling in them. It’s 5 million for WoW according to blizzard. The estimates I could find for FFXI ranged from one at least a year old of 200,000, and an undated one saying 500,000-600,000. I did find a more recent number that says more than 1.x million _characters_, but that’s hardly a useful statistic. And a page looking at that very question for several games, not including WoW, along with commentary.

I feel a little bit better about this one

So, I’ve heard that a certain relative of mine is a loudly anti-gay type person. In my upcoming travels, I will likely be in said relative’s city of residence, probably for an overnight. It’s $125 cheaper to take flight in a day earlier, I figured I could find a hotel for that amount. Mom encouraged me to stay with her. I said, quite staunchly and matter of factly, “No, _________ is about the last relative I’d want to stay with, because I’ve heard she’s virulently Catholic and anti-gay.” Mom was completely silent on the other end for 30 seconds. (It only occurred to me afterwards that mom is Catholic and might take offense.) I restarted conversation with “surely a room in a flop shack can be found for less than $125/night.”

So, aside from my complete lack of diplomacy, I kind of wonder if that’s the right tact to take. No, I don’t want to be preached at. And I have no real desire to be hosted by someone who’d be uncomfortable taking me in. Fuck “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” But at the same time, aversion will change nothing. If I refuse to talk to the homophobes in my own family, what makes me think I can do a damn thing to make a difference to a complete stranger?

Then there’s the issue of third hand condemnation. Hmmmm. All sorts of moral quagmires on this one.

Hey all you St Louis residents. If I were to show up in town on the 27th, how would feel about showing me around/putting me up for the night?

I want an application to track the various things I put into google over the course of a day. Going from “ffxi food” to “pregnant ftm” to “cool roofing cost benefit analysis” sums me up in a rather interesting way, I think. =)

Apparently my iPod is a very delicate piece of machinery. This is the second time in the slightly over a year that it’s been in my possession that it’s broken. Since it’s slightly over a year, the warranty is toast. Great. Perhaps this is a sign that I should never be nit-picky with my gifts again. Bleh.

So, Brokeback Mountain is a good movie. I wouldn’t go back to see it a second time and I’m not sure how I feel about seeing it the first time. And here’s why (spoilers)

http://fuckchristmas.org/ (links to http://www.fuckthesouth.com/)

Also led me to look for interesting information about the god Mithra. Apparently, it’s not just an ffxi race. =)

Thanks to giving me very explicit step by step instructions, I can now play my favorite board games with people all over the world at any time of day or night. Fun, but bad for productivity and the gaming that had been part of my social life. Mmmm, tichu. I even made a grand tichu or two.

One paper on time.
Two late.
One not due til Wednesday. (It’s a short one, fewer than 10 pages, but still, ugh).

Is it gonna be a happy new year?