Public Service Announcement - Suspect in NYC Bombing IDed - Be Cognizant of Your Surroundings

I figure I have a responsibility to the community here at The Tavern greaterer than just gaming. Many of those that read The Tavern are from the NYC Metro area and beyond, and your safety is important to me.

I just sent my wife to work this morning with the knowledge that she works 10 blocks from Saturday's bombing (and even closer to the unexploded bomb recovered)

My son works at JFK airport, where the car with five occupants and weapons that was stopped by the JTTF on the Belt Parkway last night was apparently heading.

Be aware of your surroundings. Get you head out of your phone or tablet. Turn the volume down on your headphones. "If you see something, say something" isn't just for posters and commercials, it can save your life or that of your neighbors. Your best protection in times like this is awareness (not that I didn't order a ballistic insert for my wife's backpack Saturday night - any small way to improve one's odds of survival when the unimaginable occurs is worth the investment)

If you see the above wanted individual, do not confront, do not engage - call 911 and describe exactly what he was wearing and the direction he was heading. Note any packages or bags he may be carrying.

Most importantly, be safe.

We'll return to our usual gaming goodness later today.

edit - suspect apprehended after shootout with police in Linden NJ

Tavern Doors Temporarily Closed

Doors will reopen ASAP.

In the meantime, listen to some podcasts from The Brainstorm; )

Near Miss - Dodged a Real Life Tragedy, and Life Goes On

Mt DCC game ended shortly after 2 am last night. After some chips and a beer I was ready for bed. Shortly after 3 am, my cell phone rang.

Now, we all know middle of the night phone calls never bring good news. They are the bearers of ill tidings, and this was no different. My pop called to tell me my mom slipped and fell getting out of bed. She split her lip open and was slurring her words. He called EMS and my sister joined my mom on the way to the hospital (she and my niece are visiting my folks in the Poconos.)

Long story short, possible concussion from the fall, but no stroke (as was feared) and all other test s came back normal. She does have high blood pressure, but never knew as she is one of those stubborn folk that avoids docs like the plague.

She was released shortly before 10 AM after the tests came back negative. Can you guess I had very little sleep last night?

It's been a rough year from October of last year right through... well, now. Thankfully, the man upstairs kept this one with an overall positive - now mom knows she has high blood pressure and will need to see a doc regularly to take care of it.

Oh, and after work tomorrow it's off to Urgent Care to get a ring removed from my wife's swollen finger...

Alright, time to pass out ;)

Things to Post, Places to Be, Vows to Exchange

I'm working on the OSR by complexity / simplicity list behind the scenes, just way too many distractions at the moment.

You know, the Pathfinder Beginner Box, some of the free Halloween stuff that I grabbed on OneBookShelf over the weekend and crunch time for my wedding this coming Saturday.  Four days.  Holy crap!  heh

Crazy busy but exciting times.  I'm sure the lass is gonna love my blog posting on the mini-moon (honeymoon will wait until the spring).

The thing is, when this calms down I should be able to get my gaming in again.  Woot!

Feltothraxis Has a Cold :(

Or rather, the voice of Feltothraxis has a cold.  It started as seasonal allergies and has progressed into a mildly nasty cold.  I don't think I can pull off a Felty video until this passes, at least a bit.  That, or I need a better decongestant.

The good news is the future Mrs. Tenkar is no longer in a bootie and crutches due to a broken foot.  Nope, she's mobile again.  Great news for her and even better news for me... taking her too and from work on my way too and from work had more then doubled my commute.  Not to mention the $13 in bridge tolls I had to pay that I normally don't.  So, big win all around I'd have to say ;)

Busy Weekend Here at the Tavern

Yesterday wasn't just who's the latest ass in the OSR.  It was also getting 3 piece suits for my son and I (he's also the best man for the upcoming nuptials).  It was also family coming down from Canada to visit for a few days.

Today was paying off the florist, a meet and great with the organist and getting some face time (and giving a deposit to) the photographer.  He seems to be down to earth with a relaxed personality.  I think it will all fall into place like a well oiled machine.

So, obviously no Feltothraxis video was done over the weekend.  Hopefully tomorrow.  I suspect he'll have a lot to say ;)

Victim of Real Life Thieving Skills

I didn't sleep well last nite. The dog was having some bathroom issues, and i had to let her out three times over nite so she could take care of business. And she still had a small problem in the room which I found when I woke up. So, needless to say, I wasn't in an awesome mood when I left the house to go to work.

My mood got worse when I reached my car. Some low life piece of sh!t broke into my car! Now, they didn't break a window or damage a lock. They had skills (or a master key). They apparently didn't let the car alarm phase them (as I had the AC on last nite, I never heard it). Well, "they" is a probably a singular "he" and safe bet they are a habitual drug user. He moved quickly, emptying the glove compartment, center console, passenger side door map storage area and the damn change holder on the driver's side.

Net loss? A three year old GPS and maybe 10 bucks in change.

Still leaves me pissed off.

I will take my blessings as I can. No damage to the car or locks. He was professional, as only a thief can be.

Road Trip!

My son just texted me that he passed his road test on the first try. He is now a licensed driver, so help me God ;)

I'm half expecting him to map out a road trip in August.

Now the fight over the car begins in earnest... heh!

First of Three

Today is my son's 18th birthday party.

Next Saturday is my fiancee's and my engagement party.

The following Saturday in my old gaming group's Gathering of Fools party.

Sometime in all that I need to squeeze in gaming and wallpapering.

Did I mention today is the first meeting of the two sides of the family (well, soon to be family)?

Fun, fun ;)






- Posted from my iPhone

Death, The Final Frontier

I barely stepped out of the elevator at work when I was informed our cleaner had passed away. He was discovered this morning, at work, in a room only the cleaners had access to. He apparently had a heart attack last evening.

That whole spiel of "live each day as if it were your last, because someday it will be", it means what it says. We do not choose how we will die, but you can choose how you will live.

Alright, less depressing shit in tonight's posting :)

To Be Eighteen Again

My son turns 18 at the end of the month. Amazing how time flies. I remember sitting down and helping him with math homework in elementary school. Now he wants an Emergency Medical Technician Course for his birthday. Basic math to EMT... overnite it seems.

When I was 18 I lived to game. If we were off for a week from school, we probably gamed each and every day. Dungeon Magazine was gold when it first came out, as I devoured adventures as a GM like they were going out of style.

Work? As little as possible. School? Grades came easy for me. College was a vehicle for more gaming, work was there to buy more gaming books.

I had little focus, no idea what I wanted to make of my life.

My son has found his focus. Grades may not come as easy for him as they did for me, but he's about 10 years ahead of me at that age. I didn't find my focus until my late 20's.

Can ya tell I'm proud? Of course, I still need to turn him into a gamer like his old man ;)