Rubi and Guild Wars

Coinkydinkly, on the same day Guys Lit Wire published my review of the Guild Wars 2 novel Ghosts of Ascalon, two interviews with Rubi hit the interwebs. Part of my wife's job is to write about the game Guild Wars.

One interview is at incgamers and kind of focuses on her new webcast: Guildcast TV which debuted last night (Thursday December 15, 2012). The other interview is at GuildMag and was just published today, but was actually done back in May of 2012.

Check `em out to learn more about what Rubi does! (And visit Guys Lit Wire!)

Rubi and Guild Wars

A meme: In Which I Answer Forty-Four Questions

Found this meme at Books and Movies.

1. Do you like blue cheese? I'm not sure I've ever had it.

2. Have you ever been drunk? No. Strung out on cold medicine and caffeine? yes.

3. Do you own a gun? No. Never learned to use one. Wouldn't mind though. (except guns are expensive).

4. What flavor of Kool Aid was your favorite? fruit punch.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No.

6. What do you think of hot dogs? I like them.

7. Favorite Christmas movie? Die Hard.

8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Water, OJ, or if she's made it, Rubi's Tea.

9. Can you do push ups? Sure.

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? I only wear my wedding band.

11. Favorite hobby? Reading, and napping.

12. Do you have A.D.D.? A dynamite darling. she's my bride. Oh wait, that's not the right answer.. No I don't have ADD.

13. What’s your favorite shoe? At the moment, a pair of Airwalks from Pay Less (that I most certainly did not pay less for...)

14. Middle name? pudintain.

15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? Did I spell puddintain correctly? I want to drink some more tea. My shoulder hurts.

16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Water, tea, coke.

17. Current worry? Finances.

18. Current hate right now? Finances.

19. Dum da dum dummmm what is that? What you hum when the kid next to you gets called to the principal's office.

20. How did you bring in the new year? I don't recall. I was either at work, or home asleep.

21. Where would you like to go? I'll go just about anywhere if someone else pays for it! I'd like to visit Alaska, and Texas (my sister-in-law moved there), and Chicago with Rubi - lots of different places.

22. Name three people who will complete this? ??

23. Do you own slippers? Nope.

24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Red.

25. Do you like sleeping on Satin sheets? Never have.

26. Can you whistle? Yes.

27. Favorite color? Dark blue.

28. Would you be a pirate? Arrr matey! And I'd make ye walk th'plank!

29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't.

30. Favorite Girl’s Name? Rubi ;-)

31. Favorite boy’s name? Alexander is nice.

32. What’s in your pocket right now? pocket fuzz.

33. Last thing that made you laugh? Rubi.

34. Best bed sheets as a child? the ones at the hotels when traveling.

35. Worst injury you’ve ever had as a child? Fractured a finger.

36. Do you love where you live? I love Evansville. I like owning my home.

37. Revenge of the Nerds or Fast Times at Ridgemont High? Neither.

38. Who is your loudest friend? Some of my co-workers can be noisy.

39. How many dogs do you have? None.

40. Does someone have a crush on you? I hope Rubi does!

41. What is your favorite book? Too many to list.

42. What is your favorite candy? Smarties probably. Big Kats are good, but I'm more of a cake and cinnamon roll guy.

43. Favorite Sports Team? Whatever team my kids are on.

44. What song do you want played at your funeral? Something from Monty Python, and/or Queen "Don't stop me now" (possibly followed by "Who Wants to Live Forever" just to get the tears flowing! Muwhahaha!)

A meme: In Which I Answer Forty-Four Questions

Ethical Quandaries

It's not really a meme, but an article at HRGuru posited 20 ethical situations, and I thought it would make a neat post.

1. You’re at a hotel and conference center. You’ve arrived to your meeting early, and have not have a chance to eat breakfast yet. On your way to your meeting room, you walk by another meeting and there’s a table full of food and beverages outside the room. Your meeting has no food. Would you help yourself?

Nope. I like free food as much as the next guy, but that's just wrong.

2. Your manager congratulates you for a brilliant suggestion and hints at a promotion. Your employee gave you the idea. Do you mention this to the manager?

Absolutely.

3. You’ve made a verbal agreement with a supplier. A competitor offers you a deal for 50% less. Do you take it the deal?

I'd go mention the competitor's offer to the original supplier. Might get a better deal.

4. A colleague is out of her office. You notice her paycheck stub on her desk. Do you glance at it?

Okay... This is a tough one. I know in the "real world" that's frowned upon, but in my current job, where I've been for 10 years, everyone makes the same amount except for overtime, and everyone brags about their overtime. So it's no secret here what people are getting paid.  In the "real world" though, I understand that's not the case, so I guess I'd have to say "no, I wouldn't peak."

5. Your manager demands to know what a co-worker is saying behind her back. It’s not flattering. Do you tell her?

Perhaps. But I'd be very dimplomatic about it.

6. You’re reviewing the results of an employee survey and accidentally discover a way to see individual responses and comments. Do you keep reading or report the problem?

Report the problem. I absolutely wouldn't want the results to bias me.

7. You’re traveling in Elbonia on business when you’re invited to a feast by shepherds. You’re given the sheep’s eyeball, the greatest delicacy. To refuse it is the greatest insult. Everyone’s watching. Do you gulp it down?

If I'm ever sent to Elbonia, I'd have to resign and seek alternate employment. I read Dilbert; I know what Elbonia is like!

8. As a joke, a co-worker sends anonymous love letters to another co-worker who takes them seriously. Everyone is enjoying the prank. Do you expose it?

Yes. Probably not in public, but I'd pull the receiving co-worker aside and let that person know the letters are fake.

9. A disgruntled worker is brandishing an automatic weapon. You’re near a door. If you try to warn others you may not escape. Do you save yourself?

Heck yeah I escape! Then I call 9-1-1 and let the pros handle it. Now... if my family were in there, that would be a different situation.

10. After closing a big deal, your manager surprises you with a warm, lingering hug. Do you tell your manager you’re not comfortable with this?

Oh yes... but I'd do it diplomatically.

11. You’re playing tennis with your manager for the first time. You’re winning and your manager is getting angry. Do you let him win?

Heck yeah!! (Plus, I suck at tennis.)

12. You want to quit a job without notice but you need a good reference from your employer. Do you invent a family health emergency?

I'd go talk to my employer and tell them the situation.

13. You decide not to hire someone because he’s wearing a nose ring. When he asks why he didn’t make it, do you give the real reason?

If that's the only reason for firing them... you'd better consult with HR before making that decision and see what they say!

14. You find an expensive pen in an airport lounge. Do you keep it?

I'd set it on a nearby chair or flat surface where the person that lost it could easily retrieve it.  (Expensive pens?  I just don't get that. Free pens from conferences last forever!)

15. A close friend will be interviewed for a job with your employer. He asks you for a list of the questions in advance. Do you supply it?

No, not the questions. But I definitely give some advice.

16. You have a struggling young company. You have to choose between two equal candidates for a job, a man and a woman. The woman will work for $2000 per year less than the man. Do you hire her for that reason?

If they're equal in qualifications and every other reason to hire, I'd think so.

17. You’ve just been promoted to manager at the branch where you work. The person you’re dating has applied for a job there and would be reporting to you. Is this OK?

Absolutely not.

18. The customer wants a refund. You agree that a refund is called for but company policy says “No.” If you go to Corporate, the customer’s refund will be denied. If you act on your own authority, the customer will be satisfied, but you may get in trouble. What would you do?

The customer is (almost) always right. I'd give the refund and ask forgiveness later.  A happy customer is a loyal customer. ROI, bay-bee!

19. The company procedure is very clear but you know a “better” way to do the job. Your productivity results are a bit low this month. If you use your new approach (and violate the “rules”) you can raise your results to an acceptable level. What would you do?

I've never had to deal with "productivity", or meeting quotas, so I'm not really sure. 

20. You are working to correct a mistake that your manager doesn’t know about. If you tell your manager, you will be blamed for the mistake. If you don’t tell your manager, you’ll miss your deadline. Do you tell?

I'd probably miss the deadline and explain why.

Ethical Quandaries

Wayback

It's time for a trip in the WayBack machine via MCF...

1. Did you date someone from your school Senior year?
Nope.

2. Did you marry someone from your high school?
Sorta... Rubi took a class at my high school, but she didn't attend my high school.

3. Did you car pool to school?
Not really. Most of high school, I walked there, until late in my Junior year when my dad finally got a new car and gave me the old one. Then I started driving to school.

4. What kind of car did you have?
A 1977 Plymouth Volare, with a 360 V8.

5. What kind of car do you have now?
Shut up!

6. It's Friday night...where were you?
At home watching TV, until my senior year when it was a good bet I was at work.

7. Were you friends with everyone or just a certain number of people?
Certain people... just an aquaintance to most everyone else.

8. What kind of job did you have in high school?
My senior year I worked at Little Caesar's Pizza.

9. What kind of job do you do now?
Public Safety Communications Supervisor

10. Were you a party animal?
Absolutely not.

11. Were you considered a flirt?
Well... I flirted. But it was never reciprocated.

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir?
No. I have no musical talent, nor rhythm.

13. Were you a nerd?
No. I was a geek.

14. Did you get suspended or expelled?
Never!

15. Can you sing the fight song?
There was a fight song? Oh right... it had that tune that all other fight sings have, and I think the school name was in the lyrics.

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)?
Mr. Wooten was the best. Apart from his English classes, he taught a "Semantics and Lingusitics" class that was infamous.

17. Where did you sit during lunch?
At home on my sofa. I walked home for lunch every day until I drove, then I'd drive somewhere for lunch.

18. What was your school's full name?
Central

19. When did you graduate?
1991

20.What was your school mascot?
A bear!

21. If you could go back and do it again, would you?
Why would I do that?

22. Did you have fun at Prom?
What is this "prom" you speak of?

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with?
No prom. Remember: Geek.

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion?
Maybe. If I'm off work.

25. Do you still talk to people from school?
Facebook has made that possible!

Wayback

Feed me!

Found this food meme at KRADical's LJ.

What's the last thing you ate? Chopped chicken and cheese in a tortilla shell.

What's your favorite cheese? That white queso they serve at Los Bravos (local Mexican restaurant) that melts easily to dip chips into.

What's your favorite fish? That faux fish at LJS!

What's your favorite fruit? bananas

When, if ever, did you start liking olives? I think I liked green olives when I was very young, but no more.

When, if ever, did you start liking beer? Never have, probably never will.

When, if ever, did you start liking shellfish? Not really a sea food person (more of a see-food person!). I first tried lobster and crab when I was in high school. I didn't *not* like it - just kinda indifferent.

What was the best thing your parent/s used to make? Dude! Moms homemade cinammon rolls!

What's the native specialty of your home town? Turoni's Pizza! (wait, does that count?)

What's your comfort food? Sweets - namely cake and cinammon rolls.

What's your favorite type of chocolate? Milk Chocolate.

How do you like your steak? Until very recently, it was very well done. I'd tell the waitress basically bring me a charcoal briquette. But lately I've been leaning towards a more medium well.

How do you like your burger? With cheese. lettuce and tomato.

How do you like your eggs? Scrambled, over-well, or made into an omelete.

How do you like your potatoes? French Fried, German Fried, American Fried, Baked, Soup, skins, chips...

How do you take your coffee? I don't.

How do you take your tea? Only Rubi's sweet tea will do. No one else's compares.

What's your favorite mug? I don't have one.

What's your cookie of choice? My mother-in-law's snickerdoodles.

What's your ideal breakfast? Well, I usually don't eat breakfast. But my ideal breakfast is a huge buffet.

What's your ideal sandwich? Ever heard of a Fat Darrell?! Hah, I kid! Let's see: probably hoagie or sub-style, with ham, roast beef, turkey, pepperoni, salami, bacon, american cheese, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, colbyjack cheese, lettuce, tomato...

What's your ideal pizza (topping and base)? Turoni's Pepperoni and chicken with tomato sauce on a cracker-style crust. Though I'm finding changing out the tomato sauce for a light ranch sauce is sometimes fun.

What's your ideal pie (sweet or savory)? Is Cheesecake pie? If so, then cheesecake. Otherwise, chocolate pie.

What's your ideal salad? Romaine and iceberg lettuce. That is all.

What food do you always like to have in the fridge? egss

What food do you always like to have in the freezer? Chicken breasts.

What food do you always like to have in the cupboard? Bread.

What spices can you not live without? Salt and pepper?

What sauces can you not live without? Rubi's been making a really good tomato sauce for lasagna lately.

Where do you buy most of your food? Walmart. (shuttup, I know I know...)


Sheesh... this is a freakin' long meme!



How often do you go food shopping? Every two weeks on payday to stock up, and then probably about twice a week in-between to get things we forgot or ran out of right after going shopping.

What's the most you've spent on a single food item? Too much?

What's the most expensive piece of kitchen equipment you own? Rubi! She's priceless!

What's the last piece of equipment you bought for your kitchen? I think Rubi bought some small stuff from Pampered Chef.

What piece of kitchen equipment could you not live without? The fridge?

How many times a week/month do you cook from raw ingredients? Not often.

What's the last thing you cooked from raw ingredients? Cupcakes/muffins a couple of days ago. I made a dozen vanilla cake muffins, and there was enough batter for another dozen, so I added some brown sugar and cinammon to the batter and made a dozen cinammon muffins.. Yum!

What's your favorite thing to make for yourself? I just described it.

What meats have you eaten besides cow, pig, chicken and turkey? I think I've had veal.

What's the last time you ate something that had fallen on the floor? Never! Gross! ...mumble mumble... a couple of days ago - it was a piece of popcorn.

What's the last time you ate something you'd picked in the wild? It's been awhile.

Place the following cuisines in order of preference (greatest to least): Italian, sushi, Chinese, French, Indian, Thai. Italian, Chinese. That's about it, thanks.

Place the following boozes in order of preference (greatest to least): Whiskey, tequila, vodka, brandy, gin, rum. No thanks.

Place the following flavors in order of preference (greatest to least): Garlic, ginger, basil, aniseed, lime. About that probably, except, WTH is aniseed?

Place the following fruits in order of preference (greatest to least): cherry, apple, orange, pineapple, watermelon. For me: Apple, orange... not crazy about the others.

Bread and spread: Sandwich Bread, toasted, with butter or jam, or butter and cinammon sugar.

What's your fast food restaurant of choice, and what do you usually order? Usually it turns out to be Mickey D's Cheeseburgers and fries. I guess I don't really have a favorite. I'll eat at wherever we go.

What are three of the best dining-out experiences you've had? ooh interesting and thought provoking. In no particular order:
1) When my boss at the first job I had took me and my friend out to dinner to celebrate graduating from high school. Nothing particularly great about the food, but it was a good time, and introduced me to a restaurant where I would take my dates later on.
2) Chef Mickey's character breakfast at WDW with my kids. Watching them participate in the festivities is a blast.
3) Anytime Rubi and I get to eat out as a couple, without the kiddos.

What's your choice of tipple at the end of a long day? I don't tipple.

Favorite cookbook/s? The menu at the pizza place.

Got any favorite food blogs? Nope.

What's the next thing you'll eat? Another tortilla with chicken and cheese. I think I'll add some taco sauce from Taco Bell this time (found some in the cabinet here at work).


Yeah... now I'm hungry.

Feed me!

My taste in art

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Traditional, Vibrant, and Tasteful

11 Islamic, 6 Impressionist, 2 Ukiyo-e, -18 Cubist, -19 Abstract and 4 Renaissance!

Islamic art is developed from many sources: Roman, Early Christian, and Byzantine styles were taken over in early Islamic architecture; the architecture and decorative art of pre-Islamic Persia was of paramount significance; Central Asian styles were brought in with various nomadic incursions; and Chinese influences . Islamic art uses many geometical floral or vegetable designs in a repetitive pattern known as arabesque. It is used to symbolize the transcendent, indivisible and infinite nature of Allah.
People that like Islamic art tend to be more traditional people that appreciate keeping patterns that they learned and experienced from their past. It is not to say that they are not innovative personalities, they just do not like to let go of their roots. They like to put new ideas into details and make certain that they will work before sharing them with others. Failure is not something they like to think about because they are more interested in being successful and appreciated for their intelligence. These people can also be or like elaborate things in their life as long as they are tasteful. They tend to prefer geometric patterns and vibrant colors.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

My taste in art

Not a Real Post

Just a meme to fill the time until someone in The Bayer Family can come up with something better to write about.  I got this from E. E. Knight's LJ.

01. What's the last TV show you saw?
Straight through? The most recent ep of Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles. Bits and pieces as I did other things around the house or fast-forwarded? The two most recent eps of Smallville.

02. What are you wearing at the moment?
Khakie work shirt over a green t-shirt, blue jeans, socks and tennis shoes.

03. Who is/was your favorite cartoon character?
ETA: I honestly can't think of one. I had some cartoons I enjoyed watching, but I can't think of a single character that was a favorite.  Maybe Bugs Bunny. 

04. What is your favorite scent?
Cake baking in the oven. Bacon frying in a pan. Rubi's hair. That un-nameable smell in the air that just says "It's autumn."

05. What is your favorite drink?
Water.

06. What do you drink the most?
Water and Soft drinks - I can't live without caffeine, but caffeinated beverages aren't my favorite.

07. What is your favorite food?
Pizza, Steak, cake, cinamon rolls, cheesecake.

08. What is your favorite Disney movie?
ETA: MCF did Favorite Classic, Modern, and CG.
My Favorite Classic Disney Movie would be Peter Pan, Modern would be The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and CG is a toss-up between Toy Story and the Incredibles.

09. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A radio DJ and/or a SF&F writer.

10. What mythological figure are you?
Dadeattoomuch.

11. What animal do you identify with?
Koala Bear: I look soft and cuddly, but I've got a mean streak.

12.What mythological/fictional creature would you most like to be?
A sentient dragon.

13.What is your current desktop?
That I'm using now (at work)? Or at home? At home, it's an AMD 1.7ghz with a gig of RAM, a 120gb HD, and a 128mb video card.  At work I'm using a Pentium D processor (somewhere between 2.4ghz and 3.2 ghz, System Properties shows both), with 1 gig of RAM and dual displays (and it runs slower than my PC at home).

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
He didn't tag me, I stole this meme from him. He's a published SF&F author of two excellent series, and sometimes posts inappropriate pics that I shouldn't be looking at.

15. What are you afraid of?
The death of family members.

16. What's your favorite item of clothing?
Well-worn in jeans and an old t-shirt.

17. What are you into right now?
Facebook, for some dumb reason. There's a AD&D application there called "Tiny Adventures" that's kinda fun.

18. What did you do today?
Woke up on time, made instant oatmeal for the kids, got Rubi and the kids off to work and school, napped, watched some TV, made cupcakes, played Guild Wars with Rubi and went to work.

19. What do you want?
For someone to give me strings-free lots and lots of money so I can pay off all my bills and such so Rubi doesn't have to work and we can live comfortably.

20. What should you be doing right now?
Paying attention to what's going on at work around me.

21. What's the meaning behind your username/name/nicknames you go by?
Most of my usernames are some variation of my real name.

Not a Real Post

Spouse Meme

Oooh! Fun! A "Significant other meme", found at KRADical's LJ.

1. Sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Something Whedon-y, or Bones (which is rather Whedon-y)

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does s/he get on her/his salad?
Ranch

3. What's one food s/he doesn't like?
Fat Darrells

4. You go out to the bar. What does s/he order?
Amaretto Sour

5. Where did s/he go to high school?
Harrison

6. What size shoe does s/he wear?
Something cute.

7. If s/he was to collect anything, what would it be?
DVDs of her favorite shows or cute shoes that she never wears.

8. What is her/his favorite type of sandwich?
lunch meat (often bologna and cheese) with lettuce, tomato, mustard, and mayo.

9. What would this person eat every day if s/he could?
Chocolate.

10. What is her/his favourite cereal?
Shredded Wheat.

11. What would s/he never wear?
Usually what I suggest. Or a business-type suit.

12. What is her/his favourite sports team?
Whichever team one of our kids is playing one at the moment.

13. Who will s/he vote for?
Whomever she thinks the best candidate is.

14. Who is her/his best friend?
Me.

15. What is something you do that s/he wishes you wouldn't do?
Heh... how much time do you have? I have a list!

16. How many states has s/he lived in?
Just thisa one.

17. What is her/his heritage?
East side of Evansville.

18. You bake her/him a cake for her/his birthday; what kind of cake?
Chocolate with Chocolate frosting. Or I buy a chocolate mint cake from Olive Garden.

19. Did s/he play sports in high school?
Radio Broadcasting.

20. What could s/he spend hours doing?
Playing Guild Wars.

Spouse Meme

MCF Test 19

Really? He's up to 19 already? MCF gives us another test.

Here are my answers:

1) Should film critics be genre-specific? Why or why not?

Yes and No. I think it would make more sense for fans of a particular genre to review films in that genre because they'd have more cred (at least to other fans), because they "get it". However, it could also be said they're not impartial. Whereas someone who reviews all movies can tell the general public that certain genre films are good and are worth going to see, and they'll be more likely to be believed than a "fan".

2) What are some of your favorite movies and/or episodes of television shows depicting time travel?

I don't really like time travel as a plot device, it's overused. However, Stargate SG1 had a really fun ep called 1969 with time travel involved, and their latest outing - the direct to DVD movie Stargate: Continuum - also involved time travel and was pretty good. There's a Star Trek:TNG episode involving time travel called "Yesterday's Enterprise" that is good (oh, and they have another ep that's just ok that kind of involves time travel - I can't remember what it's called - but Kelsey Grammar makes a cameo appearance at the end as a startship captain, and that alone makes the episode good ), and a Star Trek:DS9 episode called "Trials and Tribble-ations" that is really fun. Trek overused Time Travel though.

3) At this exact second, how did you get where you are in life?

I drove.

4) Will there be sex in heaven? (Hat tip to TheWriteJerry, who made this inquiry in an e-mail during the week that sparked an interesting discussion among the GeekFriends™. With their permission, I'll share some of their ideas next week.)

Sex as in copulation? Or sex as in differentiation between male and female?

I think Heaven will be so different from anything we can imagine that it won't matter. Sex is something given as a gift between a husband and wife to set their relationship apart from other relationships. I don't really know.

If you're talking about differentiation between male and female - I don't know that either.

SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION: What is “that” one thing Meat Loaf wouldn't do for love? I'll accept both humorous and serious responses.

Lose weight.

MCF Test 19

Meme Again

Found this meme at MCF's blog.

1) What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Wow... start off with a deep, serious question. I think the lowest depth of misery is living a life of lies, not knowing Jesus Christ as a personal Savior and thinking everything will turn out okay.

2) Where would you like to live?
A huge house with many rooms, secret passages, and a large underground component to it.

3) What is your idea of earthly happiness?
I'm living it, babee!! I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ the risen son of God, and I'm happily married with three great kids. The rest is just decoration.

4) To which faults do you feel most indulgent?
Whoah... all of them! Procrastination probably the most.

5) Who is/are your favorite hero/heroes of fiction?
I don't know... don't really have favorites; I like to read about many of them.

6) Who are your favorite characters in history?
Nikola Tesla

7) Who are your favorite heroines in real life?
I dunno. Can't think of any.

8) Who is/are your favorite heroines of fiction?
See # 5.

9) Your favorite painters?
Don't have any.

10) Your favorite composers or musicians?
Mozart, Beethoven, John Williams, Michael Kamen.

11) What qualities do you most value in a man?
Humbleness.

12) What qualities do you most value in a woman?
Loyalty and humblenes.

13) Your favorite virtue?
Loyalty.

14) Your favorite occupation?
Pirate!

15) Who would you like to be?
I like being me.

16) Your most marked characteristic?
Kindness.

17) What do you most value in your friends?
Lack of jerkitudeness.

18) What is your principle defect?
Quick to anger.

19) What is your favorite color?
blue

20) What is your favorite flower?
Whatever makes Rubi smile.

21) What is your favorite bird?
Eagle.

22) Who are your favorite prose writers?
James Rollins, James Luceno, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, I'm sure I'm forgetting plenty.

23) Who are your favorite poets?
Don't have one.

24) What are your favorite names?
I guess Alexander and Elizabeth. Those are the names Rubi and I knew we wanted for our first two kids without much discussion at all.

25) What is it you most dislike?
Scientist pretending they've figured everything out, have all the answers, claim theories are fact, and then leave God out of their worldview.

26) What historical figures do you most despise?
Politicians.

27) What event in military history do you most admire?
When Joshua trusted God and led the Israelites around Jericho and caused the walls to tumble with just the sound of their voices and musical intruments (and the power of God).

28) What reform do you most admire?
That Unicron is a planet and can re-form into a giant robot. How cool is that?!

29) What natural gift would you most like to possess?
A fast metabolism.

30) How would you like to die?
Quickly and painlessly (and rich!).

31) What is your present state of mind?
getting better.

32) What is your motto?
Nothing's the motto, what's the motto with you?!

Meme Again

Two Words

From Carrie:

1. Where is your cell phone? Black case
2. Where is your significant other? over there
3. Your hair? on head
4. Your mother? knee trouble
5. Your father? can't hear
6. Your favorite thing? nap time
7. Your dream last night? can't remember
8. Your favorite drink? cool water
9. Your dream/goal? win lottery
10. The room you’re in? living room
11. Your hobby? nap time
12. Your fear? any spiders
13. Where you want to be in 6 years? spending lottery
14. Where were you last night? at work
15. What you’re not? at work
16. Muffins? Yes please
17. One of your wish list items? win lottery
18. Where you grew up? this town
19. The last thing you did? typed answer
20. What are you wearing? pants, shirt
21. Your TV? behind me
22. Your pets? don't have
23. Your computer? time consuming
24. Your life? too busy
25. Your mood? kinda tired
26. Missing someone? not really
27. Your car? needs wash
28. Something you’re not wearing? my shoes
29. Favorite store? cheap place
30. Your summer? hot, humid
31. Like someone? like, who?
32. Your favorite color? it's blue!
33. When is the last time you laughed? earlier today
34. Last time you cried? can't remember

Two Words

Interests Meme

From E.E. Knight's LJ, he picked some of my interests/meta-keywords and wants me to explain them.

APCO
From http://www.apcointl.org/new/about/

"APCO International is the world's largest organization dedicated to public
safety communications. We have been around since 1935 - far longer than any
other public safety communications association (visit APCOHistory.org for more
on APCO's 70+ year history). More than 15,000 members rely on APCO for their
professional needs - from examining standards and issues to providing education,
products and services.

With more than 70 years behind us, APCO has a
rich and interesting history worth exploring. View past bulletins from as far
back as 1935, read meeting minutes and explore original charters. It’s these
decades of experience that make APCO the most formidable and well-operated
association of its kind. Our governing documents, executive leaders and senior
members are a testament to the public safety community’s dedication and
expertise.

APCO Mission

The Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials International (APCO) is a member driven association of
communications professionals that provides leadership; influences public safety
communications decisions of government and industry; promotes professional
development; and, fosters the development and use of technology for the benefit
of the public."

FAMILY
I have one. My wife and three kids constantly make me proud to be a part of their lives.

GUILD WARS
This is a Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Game. See Guildwars.com. It's fun, and both my wife and I play, as does our oldest daughter.

NENA
NENA is the National Emergency Number Association, of which I am a member.
From: http://www.nena.org/pages/ContentList.asp?CTID=38

NENA's mission is to foster the technological advancement, availability, and
implementation of a universal emergency telephone number system. In carrying out
its mission, NENA promotes research, planning, training and education. The
protection of human life, the preservation of property and the maintenance of
general community security are among NENA's objectives. NENA's elected Executive
Board, volunteer Chapter Presidents and Committee Chairpersons, and NENA
Headquarters staff are easily reachable to help you.

PUBLIC SAFETY
This is the business I'm in. My career as a Public Safety Communications Supervisor I oversee the day-to-day operations on my shift: taking 9-1-1 calls, dispatching law enforcement and fire services as needed to emergency and non-emergency incidents.

TALL WOMEN (Heh)
My wife is taller than I am. When I was applying for my job, I had to take a psychological exam and one of the questions was "Do you like tall women?". I had to answer in the affirmative because I like my wife.

TECH
Gadgets are cool. Gadgets are fun. I like technological things.

Interests Meme

Random Meme

Carrie at Mommy Brain posted a Five Random Questions meme. I commented, so she asked me 5 random questions as well, based on her reading of my blog.

1. What on earth is Guild Wars?
Answer: Guild Wars isn't on Earth :-) It's a computer game, a MMORPG, that takes place on a planet named Tyria. It's a Fantasy/Medieval setting: knights, dragons, magic, dwarves, etc. There are three chapters/games; each one is independent of the other (you don't need all three, and you can start with the 2nd or 3rd if you want). There is a 4th coming out at the end of this month that is an expansion pack - you have to have one of the previous chapters to play that one. It wraps up the story line and the game and ties you into the new Guild Wars 2 that is supposed to come out in a couple of years.

It's a pretty fun game. I play it, Rubi plays, and we let Elizabeth play too as long as she's with one of us or other people we approve first. There's even a podcast about the game that to which we listen.

We have two accounts in the game, and each account is in a different Guild (group of players that we play the game with). Rubi is an officer in both of those Guilds.

2. Which power from Heroes would you like to have and why?
Answer: Hmmm... Maybe Peter's ability to copy the power of others. That way, I could conceivably have a bunch of different powers. But if that's cheating, or it's not likely that I'd ever be near someone with powers, then I think probably I'd want either the ability to fly or the ability to teleport. That'd make my commute much easier.

3. What should the plot be for a sequel to Serenity (f there ever is one)?
Answer: I sure hope there is a sequel. The actors' contracts for a sequel supposedly expire in September. So we have hope until then. As for the plot of a sequel. Who cares? It's Serenity, and Joss Whedon would be writing it. It will be good!

4. What does a Public Safety Communications Supervisor do?
Answer: I supervise communications involving the safety of the public :-).
What? That's cheating? Oh okay. I oversee the day-to-day operations of my shift, making sure my dispatchers are doing what they're supposed to be doing (following SOPs). I handle any complaints regarding my shift. I'll take difficult callers if my dispatchers need me to handle it. I'll make decisions for them if they aren't sure of what to do in certain situations. I do emergency call-ins if someone calls-in sick. If needed, I answer 9-1-1 calls and calls on the administrative lines and enter runs into the computer if needed from those calls. I make telephone calls or handle radio traffic if needed (very rarely am I on the radio). I handle any equipment problems that might crop up during my shift - that could mean switching out a defective mouse or keyboard, or calling a technician in from a vendor to fix a problem with the phone computers. I also handle the content management for our department internet and intranet websites. And I'm the chair of the Morale and Recognition Committee.

5. What is the best sci-fi book of all time?
Answer: The one I haven't written yet :-) This is a hard question. There are so many good books. I guess I'd have to say the best SF book of all time would be the Increasingly Inaccurately Named Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy Trilogy (since you can buy an omnibus edition, it counts as one book. Really.).

---
Carrie went on to post the rules of the meme:

The Rules of the Meme:

1. Leave me a comment saying anything random, like [the food you hate most in all the world]. (oh... I didn't catch that about the food you hate the most the first time I read the rules. I just said the first word that popped into my head, which happened to be "Cheese". I definitely don't hate cheese. Cheese is good.) So
post something random. Whatever you like.
2. I respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.
3. You will update your [blog] with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be asked, you will ask them five questions.

Random Meme

Which Sci-fi Crew?

You scored as Heart of Gold (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), You are a light and humorous person. No one can help but to smile to your wit. Now if only the improbability drive would stop turning you into weird stuff. Heart of Gold (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) 88% SG-1 (Stargate) 75% FBI's X-Files Division (The X-Files) 75% Serenity (Firefly) 69% Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) 69% Deep Space Nine (Star Trek) 69% Babylon 5 (Babylon 5) 69% Bebop (Cowboy Bebop) 63% Enterprise D (Star Trek) 56% Nebuchadnezzar (The Matrix) 56% Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda) 56% Moya (Farscape) 56% Galactica (Battlestar: Galactica) 44% Which sci-fi crew would you best fit in with? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

Which Sci-fi Crew?

MCFAT 17

Wow. Seventeen. MCF has brought back his Astonishing Test after a hiatus.
Here are my answers.

1) What was the first swear word you learned?
(You can, of course choose to censor your answer.)

I honestly don't remember. Probably dang or crap.

2) If you could have a functioning version of any comic book character's accessory or vehicle, which would you choose and why?

You know, I can't really think of anything other than Batman's utility belt. I dunno... powered armor like Ironman might be cool. Or even better, the Cyclone powered armor/motorcycle from Robotech (do the Robotech freedom fighters count as superheros?).

3) What is your least favorite exercise?

Exercise.

4) Can you keep a secret?

What's the secret?

SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION: What is my middle name?
(I probably won't answer this one, but it will be fun to see what people say...)

Puddintane?

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MCFAT 17

Words We Should Know

It's not really a meme... but feel free to take it and run with it.
From a press release comes the 100 words every high school graduate should know.
I'll bold the ones I, as a high school and college graduate know (or have somewhat vaguely heard of).

abjure
abrogate
abstemious
acumen
antebellum
auspicious
belie
bellicose
bowdlerize
chicanery
chromosome
churlish
circumlocution
circumnavigate
deciduous
deleterious
diffident
enervate
enfranchise
epiphany
equinox
euro
evanescent
expurgate
facetious
fatuous
feckless
fiduciary
filibuster
gamete
gauche
gerrymander
hegemony
hemoglobin
homogeneous
hubris
hypotenuse
impeach
incognito
incontrovertible
inculcate
infrastructure
interpolate
irony
jejune
kinetic
kowtow
laissez faire
lexicon
loquacious
lugubrious
metamorphosis
mitosis
moiety
nanotechnology
nihilism
nomenclature
nonsectarian
notarize
obsequious
oligarchy
omnipotent
orthography
oxidize
parabola
paradigm
parameter
pecuniary
photosynthesis
plagiarize
plasma
polymer
precipitous
quasar
quotidian
recapitulate
reciprocal
reparation
respiration
sanguine
soliloquy
subjugate
suffragist
supercilious
tautology
taxonomy
tectonic
tempestuous
thermodynamics
totalitarian
unctuous
usurp
vacuous
vehement
vortex
winnow
wrought
xenophobe
yeoman
ziggurat

Some of those I could define poorly but I'd be close! Some of the words I've heard, and even remember looking up at some point, but couldn't even come close to telling you what they mean now.

Words We Should Know

One Word Answers

Answer all of the following questions using only one word:

1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Relationship? married
3. Your hair? brown
4. Work? yep
5. Your sister? three
6. Your favorite thing? nap
7. Your dream last night? forgotten
8. Your favorite drink? caffeine
9. Your dream car? gasless
10. The room you’re in? loud
11. Your shoes? off
12. Your fears? fearful
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? happy
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? family
15. What you’re not good at? conversation
16. Muffin? please!
17. One of your wish list items? books
18. Where you grew up? Indiana
19. The last thing you did? typed
20. What are you wearing? clothes
21. What aren’t you wearing? shoes
22. Your pet? mini
23. Your computer? on
24. Your life? busy
25. Your mood? bleh
26. Missing? no
27. What are you thinking about right now? answers
28. Your car? parked
29. Your kitchen? messy
30. Your summer? hot
31. Your favorite color? blue
32. When is the last time you laughed? dunno
33. Last time you cried? dunno
34. School? OVER!
35. Love? often

Tagged. You're it.

One Word Answers

What Finger?

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

What Finger?

McPerilous again

MCF nears the end of the second round of the MCFPerilous! Next up: Double MCF Perilous? Final MCF Perilous? Audio MCF Perilous?

1. I'm going to use it to clear all 100 levels.
Why did MCF buy a high-powered magnet for his Marvel game?

2. Because at my age, I don't think The Transformers: The Movie is a socially acceptable choice for that.
What movie will MCF not invite his date to see?

3. 617.
How many times has MCF written a blog post?

4. September 11, 1984.
When did MCF first discover the Transformers?

5. “The cowards never started./The weak died on the way./Only the strong arrived./They were Pioneers.”
What are some lyrics to a song?

6. Boxy.
How would MCF describe the original Transformers compared to the new Movie versions of the Transformers?

7. Heroes and Law & Order: SVU
What two shows does MCF enjoy?

8. They both went from fantasy heroes to science fiction characters.
What is similar about the careers of the stars of Xena and Hercules?

9. Through a crowbar.
How did MCF meet his first girlfriend?

10. B12
What username did B13 not choose because it's a vitamin?


**edited to add question marks at the end of some of my questions?

McPerilous again

MCPerilous Two Dot Eye Eye Eye

Now that I'm at work, where I can't play Guild Wars or watch Rubi play Guild Wars, I can finally remember to post my answers -uh, my questions to the latest MCF Perilous!

1. That’s much too long.
Why did MCF cut the Perilous quiz from down 20 questions.

2. Using a nail and surprising simian-like agility.
How did MCF hurt himself?

3. “Not the bang!”
Originally I had answered (questioned?) "What is the sound of a gun not shooting?" which I thought was kinda clever. But another person answered something about MCF getting a haircut and that reminded me of what I'm sure the correct answer (question?) is:
What are female fans of Peter Patrelli screaming after the end of last Monday's episode of Heroes?

4. A job.
What is a good thing for anyone over the age of 17 to have?

5. Forget anyone else is there.
What happens to MCF when he is watching TV or playing on the computer?

6. Because he’s so dark and likes dirty laundry.
How did MCF come up with his disguise?

7. Two wheels.
What is better than one wheel?

8. He might not.
Might he?

9. It’s the first gig of the season.
How can MCF tell spring is upon us musically?

10. At a student art exhibit in college.
How did MCF meet his first girlfriend?

MCPerilous Two Dot Eye Eye Eye