On 25

Nyeh, figured I would rip this off of facebook, feel free to post your own!

25 Random Things about Me

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. I have been waiting to get tagged by one of these ever since Mark Roosewater wrote about it in his article last Monday, I guess I am an attention whore
2. I have issues with grape jelly, specifically on sammichs... the idea of eating it sickens me...
3. I enjoy making things more complicated then they have to be
4. I secretly enjoy confrontation, although I generally avoid it.
5. For having a desire at a degree in English, I certainly do have a ton of grammar and spelling issues
6. I am incredibly lazy, I really can't stand the level of responsibility I am maintaining right now.
7. I put syrup on things I probably shouldn't, as generally while my taste buds may enjoy it my stomach doesn't.
8. I have serious issues with telling lies, I have a hard time doing it.
9. I am incredibly self conscious about my teeth.
10. I am incredibly good at bullshitting, I have bullshitted my way through a good portion of my life.
11. I honestly enjoy working at the Giant, really, it isn't a lie. I look forward to my job.
12. I'm not a racist, but I am always afraid that I come off as being one.
13. Trust is weird with me. It is easy for me to trust people with a lot of things, but deeper/higher levels of trust are extremely hard for people to earn with me.
14. I am afraid I don't spend enough time with my family.
15. I feel that people rarely love or hate, and that true love and true hatred are very scarce in our world. Also if you use the word hate I will be sure to correct you, but not necessarily if you use the world love. I am way too positive
16. I enjoy hugging people, it calls a lot of question in terms of my sexuality and I am okay with that. I'm not really bi or gay, but I am okay with people thinking I am, it makes me giggle.
17. There are times where I am really ashamed to be an American, and so I hope to someday move out of the country
18. I am an eternal optimist
19. I signal every intent, even if it's switching lanes and there is no one around me for miles.
20. I love being a gamer
21. My pride revolves around my honesty, my ability to spread love, my commitment to my friends and family, and the fact that I am generally very right, and very good at the things I do.
22. I really don't have a clear focus on what I want to do with my life, although I would be content to spend the rest of it with the girl I am with right now.
23. My inability to zero in on what I want to do with my life also has adverse effects on my hobbies. I am okay at playing the guitar, drawing, gaming, etc, but I really have a hard time focusing on any one individual hobby.
24. I enjoy giving people nicknames, sometimes they make no sense whatsoever.
25. Coke, not pepsi si vous plait.

On Solidarity and not so Solitary

With the wonderful Mid-semester Break from BCC this last week, I managed to take a Saturday off from work and play in a Legacy tournament. I haven't actually ever managed to play in a Legacy tournament before, but way back when we were all planning a trip to play in a Grand Prix or something along the lines and we proxied up some of the archetypes we might see to play test the decks we built. It was at that time I first played Solidarity, and fell in love with it. After we were done with the proxy decks, I saved Solidarity, slowly replacing the proxys until finally it was completed in Philadelphia. But I never actually played it until this past weekend in a real tournament, and while I didn't do win or place incredibly well I still had a great time with it. I actually did better then I expected to...

Solidarity

//Spells

2 Brain Freeze
4 Brainstorm
2 Cryptic Command
3 Cunning Wish
2 Flash of Insight
4 Force of Will
4 High Tide
4 Impulse
3 Meditate
4 Opt
3 Remand
4 Reset
3 Turnabout

//Lands

12 Island
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta

//Sideboard

1 Chain of Vapor
1 Deflection
2 Disrupt
1 Evacuation
1 Mana Short
1 Remand
1 Stifle
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Train of Thought
1 Turnabout
2 Twincast
2 Wipe Away

Arguably I fumbled a bit on the sideboard, I ended up sleeping in and not going through my collection with enough time to spare, leading to some mishaps such as Train of Thought...

My matches were relativity simple, most of them I either managed to go off or I didn't...

Match 1 - Threshold
Game 1 we both mulled down to 6, he drops a bunch of critters which I wish + evacuate after he empties his hand before going off on his next turn.
1-0
Game 2 he gets mana boned against me, allowing me to build up enough lands to hardcast fows on his disruption vs me, I go off pretty smoothly from there
2-0

[1-0]

Match 2 - Merfolk
I may have been able to win this if I though straight, although the player I played against was pretty good and at the very least top 8'd. My first game he ended up Fowing one of my resets, which I wasn't ready for and the second game he managed to counter most of my shenaigans as well. If my sideboard and mind had been better prepared I may have been able to pull out a win here. Merfolk are going to be tricky for me for a while...

[1-1]

Match 3 - Elves
The first game I managed to go off without a problem, although if I hadn't of managed the turn I did he would have had lethal damage on me, part of the fun of playing Solidarity I suppose! The next game he managed to overwhelm me with his creatures a tad too fast, although the Choke he dropped was mucho unnecessary. And finally game 3 I managed to counter any shenanigans he played against me, it was a good time!

[2-1]

Match 4 - Cephalid Breakfast
I probablly played this match too defensivly, and at the wrong spots. But it happens I suppose, I am rather confident in the future I will be able to win this match up a tad more. Although it was pretty cool the second round of our match I managed to win with just 3 cards, Reset + Brain Freeze + Brain Freeze hehe

[2-2]

Match 5 - Elves (Again)
This deck actually looked like the same elf deck I used to run back in the day, my casual janky elf deck and for more irony points was piolted by someone else named Travis! I did lose the first round though as a result of my inability to draw any of my engine, the rest of the match was cake.

[3-2]

Match 6 - Really not sure XD

The deck had Tarms in it... I remember that much, and I came close to going off the first game but couldn't draw a brain freeze for the life of me... was very lame sauce. The second game I got smacked around on a bad draw... boy do I hate bad draws...

[3-3]

22nd place out of 40 something people isn't terrible, especially in my mind because of the fact that I haven't previously run this deck in anything serious. I think with more playtime I could win some of the matches I lost, even though the deck is relatively unplayed now a days. It was very satisfying though, people routing for me because I was the solidarity guy...

My life is pretty brilliant right now. Me and Kelly are finally together, which is something I have wanted for a long time. I am generally a very cheerful individual, with some depression buried beneath my cheerful visage. But I am definitely happy now, honestly happy. This is also the first of my few relationships I have been in love with, honestly in love with. I haven't felt the level of feelings I do for Kelly as I have for anyone in the past. Arguably many of the people I have been interested in over the years, or have been interested in me I compared to her... I should have done things differently a long time ago, but in the end it worked out to the now. So I suppose the ends justify the means to some extent.

Of course we have our differences, she prefers Pepsi and I prefer Coke, but that is something we can work on.

I am glad my first run in with fruit on the bottom yogurt didn't ruin it for me.

A Solidarity not so Solitary Travy

I don’t want to fight
Every single night
Everything I want is in your eyes

You and me go back
To places I don’t know to care
The spoils of all I got were left for scraps.

Don’t let me say this,
but you’re no worse than me,
It’s crazy

We are the real, if real ever was, and just because
We are the real, they feel we have enough,
We are the real, ‘cause someone gave us up

I want to be there when you’re happy
I want to love you when you’re sad

Can’t stand the morning rain?
Get out I'll take your place then
Can’t stand the blazing sun?
Then close your eyes you’ll see
The angel dust

I don’t want to be
Anything believed
A million watts of sound can’t compare

Come along you’ll see the world
The pulse ripples, the crowd unfurls
The current starts to flow and then you're on

Oh it’s white hot soul they want,
to sing for

We are the real, if real ever was, and just because
We are the ruin of every living soul
We are surreal, ‘cause someone gave us up.

Don’t break this oath!
I want to love you when you’re happy,
Don’t break this oath!
I want to be there when you’re sad,
Freeze-frame the pouring rain.

We are the real, as real as any ghost,
So easy now,
We are the real, in every living soul
Oh don't they know

Can’t stand the blazing sun?
Can’t stand the morning rain?
Oh get out I'll take your place again.

I don’t want to be alone
Oh I don’t want to be alone
I don’t want to be alone at all

If it’s a white hot soul they want
then a black heart they’ll get.

On writing essays

Hehe, first essay of the semester... and thanks to procrastination all I have is my introduction done T_T Damn you Magic the Gathering!

Obedience and You

Society, past and present, dictates to its youth, or rather all members of what is considered to be “civilized society” that in order to be a constructive part of this society there are rules and regulations that must be followed. In order to maintain what we have become, and in order to advance that which we strive to become you must follow those rules and regulations. Many times we are expected not to be individual members of our society, but rather to be part of the mass, part of the legion of society. Our government on every level expects this legion to follow those rules and regulations mindlessly and without question. Still, many individuals who have helped our society to progress to the point that it is now have been individuals who broke away from that mindless mass obeying of rules and regulations. There are times and places where it is imperative that in order to maintain our humanity, and in order to be a productive member of society, that we break free from our rules and regulations and become the individual, that we disobey the laws set down for us.

On remember remember the 11th of February

Tomorrow is the 11th of February... how nostalgic. Every year that goes by it means a little less to me thankfully, and yet when February rolls around I can't help but think of it. And while generally I would be the one to form the resolve to bring it up, this year it wasn't me... not entirely, I may have over looked or forgotten it this year thanks to some more recent turns in the tides of my life... but I guess it just can't be helped. Eventually it will all subside and everyone will move on with their lives, but that isn't this year apparently.

BU... I sent in an application for it today, hopefully I get in. As much as I am enjoying BCC this semester, I really don't want to go there. It's not my idea of college, it seems so much like a watered down version of high school minus the drama. And while I enjoy my professors its kind of lonely not having anyone in my classes I really know, not that BU would be better in that respect but at least I would be proud to be going to BU. Still I generally doubt I will get into BU. I have my high school grades and a semester of BCC to send to them with my application. It's all a very mehish kind of thing, and probably a waste of my 40 dollars. But at least I am trying, and who knows, maybe my self doubt in other aspects of my life are carrying over to my self doubt in applying to BU and I will get accepted. Would be awesome. Things to do Thursday: Get my transcripts sent over.

I also got a free Blackberry Pearl today. Of course I had to renew my contract with Verizon and tack an extra 30 dollars a month on for the whole Blackberry experience, but it's worth it. I've wanted one for a while now, and from what I have heard from some Blackberry Storm owners the Pearl was better anyways. If nothing else it's an upgrade to what I have now, and should be fun to fandangle with.

I should have my new car on the road this weekend, adding to my list of things to do Thursday includes going down to my car insurance agency and getting the new insurance cards for it. I think eventually I will fix up the tad of paint that came off and get myself some Autobot Decals for it. Should be a good time

Wow this entry seems so uncoordinated... guess it's kind of like my mind right now

Life is cheesecakey

A mehish Travy


Far away
This ship has taken me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die

Starlight
I will be chasing a starlight
Until the end of my life
I don't know if it's worth it anymore

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms

My life
You electrify my life
Let's conspire to ignite
All the souls that would die just to feel alive

I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away

Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms

Far away
This ship has taken me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die

I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away

Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations
Our hopes and expectations
Black holes and revelations

Hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold you in my arms
I just wanted to hold

On my Shards of Alara Release event

I need to start having a little more confidence in my deck building. I am pretty cocky as is when it comes to constructing decks, but there is always a form of lingering doubt when it comes to playing draft or sealed events. I lack confidence in my decks initially, and then they end up working just as well as I would have hoped Arguably I didn't do as brilliantly as I usually do last night as a result of my least favorite aspect of MTG... mana screw. Oh well, here is my sealed deck:

//Creatures
1 Wild Nacatl
1 Valeron Outlander
1 Deft Duelist
1 SIgiled Paladin
1 Wandering Goblins
1 Sunseed Nurturer
1 Knotvine Mystic
1 Rhox Charger
1 Rafiq of the Many
1 Meglonoth
1 Skyward Eye Prophets
1 Rockcaster Platoon

//Artifacts
1 Kaleidostone
1 Obelisk of Bant
2 Manaforce Mace

//Spells
1 Resounding Silence
1 Might of Alara
1 Gleam of resistance
1 Traumatic Visions
1 Fiery Fall
1 Resounding Thunder
1 Bant Charm

//Lands
4 Plains
4 Island
4 Mountain
4 Forest

Looking back on it I really shouldn't have run Rockcaster Platoon, he was generally worthless and I have no idea what I was thinking other then "OOoo Big menz with hurtz to flierz and playerz." In reality he is very not good... But on a positive note, one of my MVPs was Wandering Goblins, many people overlooking the fact that I could pump his ability more then once.

The Match Rundown:

Me and Paul decided to run our decks into each other quickly. He ended up getting a Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker... and managed to drop it against me, blowing up my Manaforce Mace equipped to my Meglonoth. Luckily I had a second in hand, and managed to swing back into his planeswalker to murder it down and eventually take the game.

0-0

I ended up playing Kyle first round, and the only thing better then pwning one friend wicked bad when they drop a Nicol is managing to pwn another friend after having to mull to 4. But Kyle called it, saying I would probably still manage to win somehow. He dropped a couple of dudes that managed to take me down to 10 before I drew enough removal to take them out. Then I dropped Rafiq of the Many and swung throwing a Might of Alara my critters way. 16 damage in one hit and I took him out the next turn. The second match I ended up dropping a Wandering Goblins with my trusty Manaforce Mace. Kyle underestimated the goblins ability (and wasn't the only one) and ended up taking a bit too much damage from him.

1-0

The next round I played a kid named Chris. Game 1 I got mana boned, and he swung into me repeatedly with his Esperzoa. That game ended up quickly. Game 2 nearly ended in his favor as well, with him managing to swing into me with evasion critters and use Sludge Strider and Onyx Goblet to slowly wittle my life down. But some removal later and dropping my Sunseed Nurturer managed to offset my loss of life, and eventually I managed to overpower him with dudes. Game 3 was another close one, but swinging with a Mana Force Mace'd Sigiled Paladin and Wandering Goblins, with another underestimation on the goblins part won me the game.
2-0

I had actually gotten pretty tired at this point and forgotten to take down my opponents name for this match... and the next one. The first game I managed to win as my opponent decided to underestimate a Wandering Goblins once again... with my mythic Rafiq of the Many out... it was an easy one shot. And my next 2 games I would draw almost nothing but lands... giving him the match
2-1

After my mana boneage the last round I kind of wanted to drop this one. I could still top 8 though, not that it ended up mattering. More mana flood for me and an easy match win for my opponent.
2-2

In conclusion I really can't stand the random aspect of the game that is mana screw. It doesn't matter how brilliant a player you are you can still easily take it to the face just because of poor luck. It happened in Philly, and it happened again tonight. Oh well, it generally can't be helped... honestly anyways.

I am honestly kind of disappointed that I didn't get a Progenitus. While it is probably very Timmyish of me, I really want to build a deck around him... a 10/10 pro everything, that two shots people! I have an interesting idea for a deck I think, and hopefully I can get my hands on him.

Bleach had a pretty epic dialogue today
Ichigo: Take care of Inoue. If Inoue's Rikka can't shield her from my energy, shield her with your body.
Ishida: I would even if you hadn't asked.

Hehe, Ishida is such a cocky mother trucker.

Kyle gave me a copy of FF7 whoot :D



Life is pretty fricken wonderful, and only stands to get better at this point IMO

A mana boned Travy

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate that God himself
Did make us into corresponding shapes like
Puzzle pieces from the clay
True, it may seem like a stretch, but
Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
Head when you're away when I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road for
Several weeks of shows and when you scan
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

I tried my best to leave this all on your
Machine but the persistent beat it sounded
Thin upon listening
That frankly will not fly. you will hear
The shrillest highs and lowest lows with
The windows down when this is guiding you home

On King of the Hill

Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed the game king of the hill. Hold the high ground is the name of the game, and all throughout my life the things I have enjoyed most involved holding that high ground. The simplest thing to look at is my former love of MMORPGs. I picked classes that could sit there and take a ton of monsters/mobs/players, classes that could hold that high ground.
Travy, my Tibian Knight would grab up dragon lords and dragons, tank the damage and bring them down. My Warlock Travstopher on World of Warcraft, and my Paladin Travy, could aggro a dozen plus mobs of their own level or higher and take them down.
In Magic the Gathering I build decks to bring to the multiplayer table that absolutly have to be stopped or they will win. I build those decks with tanking multiple players in mind, and my favorite games are those games where everyone teams up to stop me and just can't bring me down.
That is part of my pride, these king of the hill scenarios. These one against the world scenarios.
I also pride myself in my general moral well doing. My going against the will of society in favor of doing what I think is right.
Unfortunatly I fear I have given up some of my moral high ground, taking a hit to my pride. But my pride still seems to be fully intact, unshaken in any way shape or form.
I suppose time will determine what damage, if any my pride has suffered.

A contemplative Travy

No one gets out of life alive.