Avian Gamers Network

Well, its been a couple days since the last post... Been long days here in DC, with all the sightseeing, and stuff.. etc.

Friday, spent the day walking around the smithsonian "mall" they call it, Basically its a big park, with 8 museum type buildings around it, for different areas... like art, history, science... etc. then on either end of the park is the capitol building, and the washington monument.

Needless to say, the damn place was huge and involved a lot of walking. Smart me, I happened to be wearing this new pair of shoes i bought on thursday. So, for the past 2 days I've had an extremely sore foot, which makes me pretty much limp around everywhere.

Friday night was a lot of fun though. After the pentagon tour, Moge, and Tobias came over to Yak's place, and with a friend of his, and Yak's wife, we all played some Texas Holdem. Of course, being the "Naive Canadian" i cleaned em all out the first round, and then quit while i was ahead. Well... and I wanted to go watch this "lost" thing everyone keeps yelling at me for not watching. So at this point, i've watched 22 episodes of it since i got here thursday, only 2 left in season 1.

Saturday, I couldn't do a whole lot, cause of the bad foot. but i went back out to the Smithsonian again and walked around the Natural History Museum a bit, while yak was out comming up with billion dollar ideas with a buddy.

For the first pic, This is an illegally pic taken by Yak Inside the pentagon. Aparently you're not allowed to bring cameras in, but we did, and he snapped a few of one of the exibits there for me. the 5 cases showed all of the planes, and such that were have ever been in use by the USAF. So, it was kinda cool to see.



And here we have the poker night crew. Thats me on the left, followed by Moge (iJasonT) choking Yak's dog, then Tobias in the middle, Yak's wife, and then the big Yakster himself.



And i didn't say aboot, dog killer.

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~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

A motley crew no doubt, eh?

So, Yak...you on the Pentagon Tour payroll? I remember that display - some very cool stuff.

Glad you guys had fun!

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Liro
"The english language is not a wedding gown, it doesn't get better the more lace you add. It is instead a thong. Less is more." From /.
I need to remind myself of this regularly.

Today was pretty damn cool. Spent the day at Smithsonian Instituction, National Air and Space Museum.

they had a tonne of stuff there, everything from hang gliders, to Boeing 737, to F14, SR71, and the Space Shuttle Enterprise. Damn. I felt like Checkov when he found the Aircraft carrier in Star Trek IV, and said "and sir, its the Enterprise"

Took so many pictures there, it filled up my SD card, and i couldn't take anymore But i got a lot of great shots, even with the cam having issues with the glares, and lights there... at times it didn't get very good pics, cause it couldn't figure out how or where to focus on.

Anyway, tomorrow gonna be another of them early days... I'm heading outa DC, and up to ontario. Back to the kind of country where they just grow terrorists, not assume everyone is one. Ahh it'll be good to be back in the motherland... or something like that.

So this pic, is actually 4 pics that the software that came with my camera mushed together to make one gimungous pic. (hense the funkyness at the bottom. Was able to crop the curves outa the top and sides, but i wanted to keep the wing in the pic) The shuttle was so big, and there was nowhere to stand far enough back to get the whole thing in view, so i tried out this nifty little feature... quite pleased with how it came out on the other side of the chopping block.

_________________
~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

22 episodes! Good grief, you were on EP 4 on Friday night! Sleep much?

Poker was a blast, so glad I got to meet another Avian. Oh and for the record, yes you totally said 'aboot', you totally did. really. I heard you. seriously.

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Moge

Holy Crap! This has been an awesome thread. I just got back from our crazy road trip and the first thing I did was find this thread and catch up. The pic of all you guys is classic. The funny thing, I completely had you guys pegged as far as physical appearances for all except Yak, who is much more clean-cut than I imagined. And I expected Moge to have some sort of colored mohawk. That is great!

So I take it you're not coming down this far Rav?

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

He got through all the episodes of Season 1, and I had to stop him from starting Season 2 and pulling an all-nighter with that.

He left for Ontario early this morning (I kicked him out at 7am this morning on my way to work), so he won't be heading South on this trip. I pointed out a few "special scenes" in LOST of things he had overlooked... just to keep him thinking about it on the long drive back...

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--The Hermit

You know he's going to turn up at the border chanting "4 8 15 16 23 42" over and over and get himself locked up.

After his last run through the border, that's fairly likely.

Might even have to do the full workup body search on him this time.

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Dalaran: Arindel - Frost Mage (Mining/Alchemy)
Dalaran: Roran - Paladin (Weaponsmith/Blacksmith)
Dalaran: Baine - Rogue

So how many of you caught the numbers on the back of the Jersey's in the flashback where Hurley was riding in the wheelchair??

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"Loose with Dignity"
Robert
Second President, Avian Gamers

DDO - Cannith - AlistairItor - Rogue/Ranger (5/3) - Main
DDO - Cannith - Guijanitor - Paladin/Rogue (4/1)
DDO - Cannith - RicochetItor - Rogue (5)

Ravage, Got your gift today. It sits on my monitor at work. I always love meeting avians. I have had the pleasure to meet several so far and it is always a blast.

Safe travels and happy hunting!

As far as LOST goes...hurry up only 2 weeks until the new season. That is when we will find out what happened on the...opps I was aboot to tell you a spoiler.


(heh I totally just said 'aboot')

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Moge

Yeah, That's what I showed him... his response:

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--The Hermit

That was a real fun night at Yak's house. I've already lunched with Jason but meeting Mike was cool.

I really need to get my place more entertaining friendly and host you guys sometime. It's great for company to stay over with the guest room at my place but my table is real small and I don't have enough chairs or plates so dinner parties are tough.

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"Chatfield, I think there's something wrong with our bloody ships." Admiral David Beatty, upon watching the battlecruiser Queen Mary explode at the battle of Jutland.

My name is Tobias Smith and I approved this post.

OH CANADA! Woo, back in the civilized world. made good time yesterday, left at 7am ish, and pulled in to my aunt's place just after 4pm... that was of course after driving 45 minutes out of the way to pick up Lost season 2 from the store.

Man it feels good to be back here... even have a border crossing story for all you speculative types. So I pulled up, not having to wait an hour before i could even get to the front of the line... the guy in the booth asks me where I live. Canada I answered. Where in canada he said. Calgary i answered back. How long have you been gone? 10 days. The value of any goods purchased or recieved, looked to my car quickly calculating the value of anything i bought... 150 bucks, I answered. Alright sir, have a good day. And I drove off. "And the land of the Freeeeee" Indeed. I didn't even take off my sunglasses for the guy.

So for the last two days, I've just been relaxing, catching up with family, meeting new family members (babies) and generally enjoying myself. I'll probably head to Niagara Falls tomorrow just to take a few pics. Nothing i haven't seen a dozen times before, but i'm running dry on pics for posting here.

Just a headsup, more than likely it'll be more sparse between my postings here, at least until i get back on the road next week... so you guys'll just have to live with it.

The Pic is me about to cross the border... the big red spot in the middle of the pic in the sky I think is a big smear of bug guts. Haha, your big american bugs are no match for my superrior canadian car.

Ciao for now.

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~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

Well there are 2 very good explanations for the differences in experience here. First, nobody goes to Canada unless they're dodging the draft laws or they were born there. In either case, who cares? Second, nobody flies any planes into moose farms or ice fishing shanties.

Of course, nobody in Canada goes around pissing off the rest of the known world either, but that's another thread for the politics and religion forum.

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"Perhaps the sentiments contained in the following pages, are not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor; a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But the tumult soon subsides." - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

Alrighty, After a lengthy haitus, visiting with family and friends from "the old life" i'm back on the road, and headed, eventually to home.

the last week, has been pretty uneventfull for the most part, but heres some random shots from the week, that were the highlights.

A few days ago, like pretty much right at Dusk, I took a trip to Niagara Falls to get some pics... I'm quite pleased with how they came out. I haven't seen pics that aren't taken in bright mid day, this sorta gives them a darker tone, and they look more... raw. the second pic is the American falls... that i took so i could mock them. psht. Pathetic. The third pic is uhh... some kind of water powered generator type thing that does funky stuff every hour when they turn it on. It sits in the enterance to Casino Niagara.



This set is of a Castle with a Moat. You can see the moat on the right of the pic, this leg of it doubles as a landing strip for a sea plane that the owner has parked around back of the house... (i saw the plane but didn't get a good pic of it) The second pic, obviously a closeup of the house, on its little hill, taken from the back.... in the middle of the moat.



And finally... this was the only pic post worthy that was taken today... the pic itself is self explanitory, but the reason its posted, is because there seems to be a hell of a lot of road work going on on the highways this time of year... basically.. its a pic of things to come.



Now, i'm sure you're all wondering what fun i had at the border this time crossing into the states.... Sorry to disappoint though, but it was pretty uneventfull... the lady "guard" pretty much figured out that i was going home, without me having to explain it 30 times, as was the case the first go around, so i won't say anything bad about her. I even tried to make it an event... haven't shaved for a couple days so i look even more scruffy... like a real terrorist this time... but she wouldn't take the bait... damn her.

So, i'm in michigan. staying the night out of all the major cities... I swear i saw gun racks in the back of some pickup trucks on the way here, so i'll sit tight in this little town, and sleep with one eye open till the crack of dawn so i can high tail it outa here, like a bat outa hell... wee... looking forward to lunch with Rom tomorrow in chicago, if i get get ahold of the slippery fish bastard.

_________________
~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

Short drive, but long day yesterday. Finally got in touch with Rom through PMs, and we arranged to meet at a place called Portello's in Chicago... The plan was for me to try out some "Authentic Chicago type foods" hot dogs, beef sandwiches and such, as he put it.

Well, only problem with that plan was that the timezone line i crossed yesterday, made me arrive in chicago at 10:30. doh. So we changed plans on the fly, and i met Rom at his Swanky Lakefront Chicago Condo. the view 'almost' rivaled the view from my old lakefront toronto appartment, which needless to say, was pretty impressive.

One thing I can definately say about the city, its skyline is impressive. the whole lake shore drive area was a facinating mixture of old and new buildings. now i'm not a sentimental guy, but once i got through the crappy ass industrial south side of the city, the city core itself was quite beautiful.

So, anyway, we went to this sweedish brunch type place and i ordered some bacon and eggs. they musta been osterich eggs or something, cause for 2 eggs, that was a hell of a lot.

We took a drive up and down the Chicago city core, and Rom impressed me with the knowledge of half the buildings around us that he posessed. Saw where Jerry Springer, and Oprah live... if i liked either of them, i'da prolly taken a pic.

After that, I headed northish, and am now in a small city, staying with a friend i met in EQ2. I think we're going to a zoo or something today, so maybe i'll get another pic of yak for you. Woo.

Thats really all i got to talk about for today... I doubt anyone is even reading this drivel anymore anyway, so doesn't matter.

This pic, is the view from the top of Rom's appartment building. he tried to throw me over, but i overpowered him with my will alone. There coulda been some nicer pics, but it was really windy, and raining hard when we were up there... so the skyline pics didn't turn out so well.

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~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.

Psht!

Good stuff, Ravage, post away.

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Well, you can really tell when a trip is winding down, when theres nothing really interesting to write about. I'm in Minneapolis now, and spending the weekend here. Meeting up with some friends, and they're going to show me around... hopefully it'll be more than the mall of america... what self respecting guy would like a mall? :-/

The good thing about this last stopover, is that i get to stay in a Hilton hotel. by far the swankyest of the hotels i've stayed in so far.... only downside, is that they make you pay for absolutly everything. Ordered Bacon and eggs and hashbrowns... (which you americans seem to think consists of shredded potatoes prety much everywhere i've had them. (news flash... they should be potato cut into bite sized yummy pieces, not shredded like cheese)) Anyway, that breakfast ran me about $20... so i think thats the last breakfast i'm getting from here.

Even have to pay extra for internet access... what the hell is that? the most crappy motel 8 out in the middle of BFE has free wireless internet included with the stay. Tried desparately to connect to the wireless from the airport near by, but I couldn't get much of a signal here... So, pretty much this'll prolly be the last update from me for the next few days.

don't really have much else to talk about... so you get a pic of the moon i took last night... damn camera wouldn't focus fully on it, but it still doesn't look too bad. Was the first time i've tried photographing a celestial object... i should see if i can figure out the manual focus dealie... maybe someday when i'm not a lazy bastard... so prolly never will.

_________________
~Ravage™
~I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.
~The problem with facts, is that sometimes they don't support your opinion.