Today I got into trouble at work.
Surprisingly, it had nothing to do with my hair being too long.
I got into trouble because I took initiative for something I shouldn’t have. The computer I work at is quite antiquated, and I was really putting it through its paces today, so it overheated and the fan got noticeably loud. I work in this large room used for all the advising at the turn of the quarter, so I got a lot of disgruntled looks from advisers who, while they could still talk over the thing were finding it more than a little disrupting.
This in and of itself was not the problem, my immediate solution was the problem. I turned off the computer, opened it up, and gave it a good thorough cleaning. Voila, took ten minutes and now it’s not dying horribly.
For this, short-haired-boss-guy who didn’t hire me (yes, I’ve forgotten his name but I will never forget this title) pulled me aside to say what I did was wrong. I should have let the tech guys fix it. I said ok to him, but I’ve got a lot more to say here. The comp was due to be replaced or at the very least upgraded months ago, and IT hasn’t done a thing about it. If I were to wait for the IT solution, they’d take a week to confiscate the comp, and then it’d take another week before I saw it again. Not to mention, this shit is second nature to me. The IT team WISHES I was a member.
I get the feeling that short haired boss guy doesn’t like me, perhaps because he works with communication-handicapped adviser gal. (Who will cancel appointments with me because she can’t handle our conversations, as straightforward and understanding as I try to be. I’m not a scary person! This one adviser just expects everyone to nod and do what she says when she says, and instead I ask questions which is apparently a modicum of communication she’s never experienced.) I’m guessing it’s one of these two who insist I cut my hair, rather rudely, to my boss. (Yes, this is apparently an issue even in Bellingham)
The moment I got home, I established home sanctity and harmony with an arcane nomadic ritual.
### Word of the Day: ###
Arcane
The original hipster. Simply means, “You’ve probably never heard of x”. In this case, perhaps because I’ve just made it up.
The ritual is to establish a place as your definite home, if you’re ever feeling a little aloof or uprooted, or perhaps just questioning life choices and whatnot. It goes like this.
### Theo’s Home Sealing ###
Ritual
1. Pump up something hardcore.
2. Firmly center yourself in your home, room, or other. Plant your feet.
3. Crouch and touch the ground.
4. Reach up and touch the sky.
5. Step left with one foot, leaning to the left wall like so. Press your hands firmly against the wall, or what have you.
6. Stand back up and repeat this with the other wall.
7. Take several deep breaths then freak the fuck out. You own this place and everyone else can deal with it.
Also I ate the last of my birthday cake, so that was fantastic. Apparently it was made with real cow’s milk. As in, milked from a neighbor’s cow and baked into a cake. By my mom. Yeah I was blown away too. Thanks mom!
There’s so much to do. Homework, with finals next week. Job work, with three big projects I’ve got going on. Cleaning, laundry, dishes, etc. etc. I think in a minute I’ll explode.
I’m also starting to understand my mixed opinions of MtG, specifically combo decks. I think the limit on cards should be two instead of four. Four means it’s a game of probability, 70% chance for a two-turn win. Disgusting. I’ve been fooling around with the Izzet deck from Izzet vs Golgari. I am in love with this deck. It’s imperfect: it’s got too many combos and no real organization, but it plays like a madman with a match in a world of tinder. When one plan inevitably fails, the deck forces you to come up with something else completely outlandish to win. If you can adapt and be a little inventive, victory is nigh. The Great Firemind, dracogenius Niv-Mizzet himself, puts it best, “Don’t just have an idea–have all of them.”
This is how magic should be. None of that combo bullcrap. No gross aggro decks ending it on the first turn. Very few cards with multiple copies. It makes the game fun, organic, and different every time.
One last addendum; the Izzet have the best flavour text of all time.
“He has no patience for minds that do not inspire him or explode trying.”
“He ensures not only whether but also when and where the lightning will strike twice.”
“When asked how much power is required, Izzet mages always answer ‘more.'”
“Diametrically opposing energies in self-sealed plasmodermic bubbles make great pets!”
“It departs through the streets’ fissures with a sound like gravel pouring into a pond.”
“‘The blazekite is a simple concept, really—just a vehicular application of dragscoop ionics and electropropulsion magnetronics.’ – Juzba, Izzet tinker”
And of course, one of my favourites, Mindmoil: “‘My criticism of the Izzet is that their impulse for learning seems too much like impulse and too little like learning.’ —Trigori, Azorius senator”
The text for this one is spot on with the effect: every time you play a card, you must put your hand under your deck and re-draw. Useless? Confusing? Preposterous? Yes. Provocative. Dynamic. Brilliant.
Escape! Escape! 