- Oh man, let’s get started because we have a lot to cover. Let’s start with the cross-hairs I
have placed on this guy. Some twit at the Engaged Encounter told Katrina about this guy’s
book Smart Couples Finish Rich. Had I known that the Baroness would actually read this
book, and consequently force me to spend a Saturday reading it; I would have killed the little
do-gooder before she was able to open her maw. Don’t get me wrong, I think that personal
finance is important. I think people should think seriously about it, should start an IRA and
pay into it as soon as they can, and always have your money working for you. However, I do
not need advice from someone who says that by reading their book they can increase your
total income by 10% over nine weeks, then when you go to that chapter, his big plan for
pulling off the increase is to get a 10% raise. No fucking shit, I am glad you can market the
obvious.
However, when people set out to “gain control” or “re-vamp” scrutiny of their spending, or in
this case my spending, is soon to follow. Now it should come as no shock that I NEVER
want the Baroness looking at my spending. I felt, poked, and prodded around until I
discovered the amount I could get away with, monthly, with out incurring her need for inquiry
as to where all my money went. I push this occasionally, like next month when Hordes
comes out, but for the most part I stay under radar. Or did, until this last week. See one of
the things this book tells you and your partner to do is review records of everything you spent
money on over the course of the last few months, everything.
Needless to say that with the record in front of her, the Baroness quickly realized that I spend
a lot of money on toys. The harsh reality is that my spending has decreased almost 60%
since I no longer work at a game store and live far away from the only game store I buy
from. The Baroness, in her infinite worry for our financial well-being, attempted to draft
further dork embargoes on my perceived “limited” spending. I didn't really like it, so I thought
I should choose this issue to make my stand. Bad idea, it is hard to have firm ground to
stand on fiscally when your opponent contributes more money then you do to barony’s
treasury. It is also a bad idea, in general to argue with women about money. Not because
they are master debaters <snicker>, or even because having two “X” chromosomes imparts
some knowledge of finance unattainable by males. No, it is because arguing with the
female about money pisses her off, and when she is pissed you don’t get any ass, and not
getting any ass on the weekend just makes for a long Monday morning at work.
This, of course branches off into another injustice of human relationships, where in the
female of the species actually gets to use sex as a reward. I remember at the Engaged
Encounter weekend, during the Intimacy in Your Relationship section, one of the questions
asked, “Do you ever use sex as a means to get your way.” This question confounded me
somewhat, as if I am having sex, I am getting my way. But enough of this digression.
Perhaps in the spirit of true betterment, a compromise was worked out. The new trade laws
in the Barony of Von Awesome now read something like this:
- The Katrina Needs to Stop Reading Books Act of 2006
A Law to amend current spending policies in the Barony of Von Awesome as they
pertain to the Department of Dork. This bill institutes provisions that clarify the
Baron's current appropriations practices wherein: 1) The Baron may only buy a new
miniature/s of a value less than or equal to the value of the miniature/s he has
painted. 2) So long as any of the miniature/s purchased after March 11, 2006 remain
unpainted, the Baron will not be entitled to purchase a new miniature/s. 3) The
release of Hordes is exempt from these provisions.
I foresee one of two things resulting from the implementation of this bill. Either I will finally
have a painted army of some sort, or I will give up miniature gaming all together. Either
possibility seems equally outside the realm of possibility to me, so it should be an
interesting time in the politics of Von Awesome.
An equally important note is the fact that this week end will see the release of this bad boy
right here. I picked up the graphic novel for dirt cheap at a used book store in Georgetown,
and if the movie turns out to be anything like the book I think everyone is in for a big treat. Oh
ya, and Natalie Portman is so fucking hot with a shaved head that it makes me hurt…..down
there.
I mentioned in an unrelated thread that I got to see the Pogues this week and it truly was
incredible. One of the things I have often hated about the music I liked is that by the time I
have adopted it, the band is normally defunct, split, or someone has died of some
substance overdose. I was convinced that MacGowen's drinking would have caused an
internecine schism in the band, and quite possibly all of mankind. Either that or he could no
longer perform as he was busy touring medical conferences everywhere being billed as
“The Man Who Can Not be Killed By Alcohol”. Either way, it was a fantasy of mine that I
thought would never be brought to life (Like Greg in that meter maid outfit and me as a
wookie) that suddenly was. And in the wee hours of the morning I was given the gift of
rapture -- drunken, angst ridden, Celtic folk infused rapture. And it was good.
Lastly a few people were in the chat room last week when I started on my diatribe of
complete dislike for Warhammer Fantasy players who like to talk tactics. Deke dispelled
some of my assumptions; however I am not convinced that he is totally correct. I also sort of
coined the phrase “anti-tactics” which I may or may not expand on at some point in the
future. In the end I had Deke agreeing with me totally and I am proud to announce, here and
now, that Deke will be forever be swearing off Fantasy. He has decided to dedicate his life
solely to WH40k saying, “I have seen the error of my ways. For too many years I was
absorbed in my own hubris, too long neglecting what was really inside me. Tactics are for
fags. Dice determine my fate from now on. Live, kill, and die hard. To take from my buddy
Willy S, “He that hath the steerage of my course, direct my 40k sail.”
Ok, so Deke didn't say any of that stuff. My point is that it was a pretty good conversation.
These “good” conversations seem to happen fairly often in the chat room and if you see a
few folks in one, I would encourage you to drop by. Unless, for some reason, I don’t want
you there that day, but don’t worry, I will tell you to leave in no unspecific terms.
- BACK
