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Diary of a B+ Grade Polymath ([personal profile] tcpip) wrote2005-07-19 04:09 pm

IT Work, Roleplaying, Socrates, and (mostly) WA science fiction fans

IT work is varied; since last week it has consisted of two days for Datalink on server migrations, one day for Borderlands, fixing databases, half a day on a small LAN/wireless net for a guy who makes his money playing the marginal sharemarket and a day doing web development for a motor company. Two tales worthy of telling on these matters; firstly my boss at Datalink is a genius. He communicates very with the small team of seven, with daily staff meetings. He inspires, pushes gently, helps when he can, and knows the tech stuff really well. The second tales concerns the motor company. This is the website that I tried to get the contract about a year ago. They went for people who cost about seven times as much and wanted a fully fledged database driven system. A year later, with no development on the site, they've come back to me. How about that, eh?

Friday night I playtested RuneQuest IV with Andrei and [livejournal.com profile] caseopaya. For the first time in many years (like, almost 25) of playing RQ I actually managed to play in Glorantha. I am sure this is some sort of record. My character is gruff Bison-rider named Tarkhan (Waha initiate) and [livejournal.com profile] caseopaya has a Satarite trader (Issairies initiate). Saturday day, I updated everyone's posts for Ten Thousand Islands; they're all tripped out at Borobudur in their version of "heaven" with one character communing with Merapi, but that's you get for being an animist. Sunday was more gaming, with the Outbreak of Heresy campaign. Having dropped Francis David off at his theological college the PCs are off on another mad murder mystery. Practical upshot; we're collectively revising the Wikipedia entry on Francis David; [livejournal.com profile] dukeofmelbourne I expect verifiable evidence of your claim that the Hussites had armoured wagons.

Related issues: I'm giving the service at the Melbourne Unitarian Church on August 21st on "Religion and Role Playing". Seriously! Currently thinking up a snappy description (like "You're all SATANISTS - and we actually don't mind") to encourage attendance by gamers. Suggestions welcome. Also, I'm thinking of getting in contact with the local Magyar association (yes, [livejournal.com profile] horngirl, I'm looking at you), about anything the Church can do about the profound injustice to Hungary called the Versailles Treaty. Besides, we may find some more Francis David scholars.

Speaking of scholars (see how this works), the Unitarian Church Philosophy group has, on my constant nagging, started a course on The Last Days of Socrates. We did Euthyphro and discussed how is a very clever secular text, as Socrates shows that Euthyphro (the best theologian in Athens), cannot provide grounding to his ideal of piety, and how it is actually a subset of "the good".

Sociability this weekend consisted of dinner and drinks with [livejournal.com profile] darklion and [livejournal.com profile] kremmen on Thursday, a 30th birthday for a 2600 member and then on to the Continuum 3 masquerade ball, where I caught up with Grant Stone, Sue-Anne, [livejournal.com profile] darklion, [livejournal.com profile] doctor_k, [livejournal.com profile] strangedave, [livejournal.com profile] baralier, and [livejournal.com profile] domesticmouse. Sunday was a late dinner with more WA SF fans, including [livejournal.com profile] _fustian, [livejournal.com profile] livelurker, [livejournal.com profile] delicious_irony, [livejournal.com profile] darklion, [livejournal.com profile] kremmen and others who's nic I've forgotten already (c'mon people, help me out here...). Last night skipped a Neil Gaiman signing in preference to saving poor [livejournal.com profile] severina_242 from another visit to the dentist. Afterwards she told me all that it wrong with the latest Harry Potter book. By the sounds of it, I think Ms. Rowling has lost the plot. But she's so rich from suckers who'll still buy this steaming turd of a story, right?

[identity profile] dcrisp.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Ahh.. Missed you at the Shindig!

[identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Afterwards she told me all that it wrong with the latest Harry Potter book.

All wrong?
I wouldn't quite go that far.
I've been quietly thinking of it as "Anne Rice Syndrome".
Clearly, she's changed from being a pauper to absurdly rich, lost interest, regained interest, and has lost the firm hand of an editor to tell her where she's going wrong.

[identity profile] amarynth.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
The profound injustice done to Hungary by the Versailles Treaty?

You're kidding, right?

[identity profile] andricongirl.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
it no as if it was ever brilliant writing or anything though

[identity profile] callistra.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm with both of you here, it wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't brilliant. It was a nice way to waste a few hours.

I wonder if that puts her into the same category as Dan Brown, who I class as "travel reading" because it's light, non-confrontational, and best read in a single sitting.

I also think this one was better than the last one. The last one sucked harder.
;-)

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm with both of you here, it wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't brilliant. It was a nice way to waste a few hours.

Nor were the movies. Or the PS2 game.

Ahh, the wonders of multimedia. Sell the same product four times!

[identity profile] callistra.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
The PS2 game?
LOL

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 12:11 am (UTC)(link)

Yes, there was a few people I missed - including [livejournal.com profile] hybrid_beast.

It's all a terrible shame! Next time I'll get my act together sooner!

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 12:13 am (UTC)(link)

No, not at all. The Hungarians lost 1/3 of their people and 1/2 their natural resources and population. Attempts to form an independent Republic of Transylvannia were likewise rejected by the Treaty.

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 12:14 am (UTC)(link)

"All that is wrong", not "All wrong". An important difference. I'm sure the book has a redeeming feature, or even maybe two.

[identity profile] shorxrore.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
yo i'm so confused! i got like 10 scenes at once for 10k islands. que pasa!?! did i just get delayed e-mails or did you send them all out at the same time?

[identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
Ah. It's been a long day filled with the economic impact of amine unit corrosion on overall plant profitability.

[identity profile] greylock.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
You forgot the trading card game, the spin-off books, the comics, the action figures, the puzzles, the board games, the party hats... those things you hang mobile phones of... (lanyards?) mobile phone wallpapers.... ringtones....

"Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] imajica-lj.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
1) Jesus Christ fails his critical in the garden of Gethsemane...
2) Why Paul should NEVER EVER EVER EVER have been allowed to be GM.
3) The Bible and D&D 3.5, a comparison of popular fantasy works.



[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:09 am (UTC)(link)

Heh. One version of heaven for each of the characters.

You know, Topeng's is based on the layout for the Library of Alexandria. Just a lot bigger...

Re: "Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:10 am (UTC)(link)

*snicker* They're all good. Mind if I used all of them?
ironed_orchid: watercolour and pen style sketch of a brown tabby cat curl up with her head looking up at the viewer and her front paw stretched out on the left (Default)

[personal profile] ironed_orchid 2005-07-19 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
Now I'm imagining Grant Stone getting a livejournal.

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:14 am (UTC)(link)

... and the role playing game. I'm trying to convince [livejournal.com profile] severina_242 to get on to this one...

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:16 am (UTC)(link)

*nods* Very good idea indeed. I'll make said recommendation on my next piece of correspondence to him.

Of course, his love will remain radio...
ironed_orchid: watercolour and pen style sketch of a brown tabby cat curl up with her head looking up at the viewer and her front paw stretched out on the left (Default)

[personal profile] ironed_orchid 2005-07-19 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
He can write posts telling people about radio.

Re: "Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] imajica-lj.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
Sure, it's not like I am going to go and drop a handful of acid, then go up a mountain, come down and tell you how to exist...

Re: "Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:51 am (UTC)(link)

... you know I have a friend that did pretty much that.

Although I think I bent his mind by explaining the difficulties between moral principles and situational ethics. Of course, I used an extreme case, but they're always the good ones...

(Actually, his answer wasn't too bad either, come to think of it...)

Re: "Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] imajica-lj.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
If it's the answer involving the ethic's of a universal waveform, and the intrigante principles involving the human crossover frequency, I've heard it, it's rubbish ;P

Re: "Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] cheshirenoir.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 02:18 am (UTC)(link)
...and another friend did this and then told us all that
"God told me to buy an Amiga"

Re: "Religion and Role Playing" title suggestions:

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2005-07-19 02:36 am (UTC)(link)

Heheh. I remember that!.. Well, I suppose that God lacked a certain scope, eh?

I wonder what happened to Cameron?

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