As you could probably tell from Monday’s post, Kingdom of Loathing is one of my favorite games. So it’s been a lot of fun and a real pleasure to start doing some writing on the game Paradox! the Musical. Paradox! is also a browser-based adventure game, with its own brand of nuttiness. It’s currently in alpha, which means that it’s in its very early stages. I’ve gone on and on about my love for Infocom games and text adventures in general; my last attempt to write one was in BASIC when I was in elementary school, so this is a very welcome creative opportunity.
And speaking of opportunities, boy do I have a deal for you! If you haven’t by now, please note the new ad on the right there, the one showing off that “THINK” pendant. I am very happy to announce a promotion with Surly-Ramics, the de facto jeweler of just about the entire skeptical movement (and owner of the image at left). Surly Amy and her husband Surly Johnny produce these lovely and inexpensive works of wearable ceramic art on subjects ranging from science to skulls to sushi. Or do you like peace signs, music, butterflies, or coffins? And now when you make your purchase, if you enter the code “NERFED” (minus quote) at checkout, you’ll receive 15% off your order! Go and browse, and I bet you’ll find the perfect something for yourself or for a gift. Or both.
I send you off with a new podcast, the Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy, hosted at Tor.com. This episode features Brian Dunning of Skeptoid, one of my favorite podcasts. I love to see a podcast oriented towards science fiction and fantasy writing bring in a skeptic for an interview. I can’t embed it here of course, but go listen to the episode and enjoy!
Posted in Blog stuff, Life, Random, games
Tagged Brian Dunning, games, Geek's Guide to the Galaxy, Infocom, jewelry, Kingdom of Loathing, Paradox! the Musical, Surly Amy, Surly Johnny, Surly-Ramics, writing
This week, Skepchick asked the question “what kind of skeptic are you?” This question comes at an interesting time for me, but has been apt for quite a while. I’m often frustrated by my lack of capacity to do more with my interest in skepticism. Being as ravenous as I am to learn more about it, I feel I’m missing out on a lot of cool events that take place in Southern California’s robust skeptical community. (Of course, back when I was healthy, I was working and going to school, and didn’t have the time to do much more than attend a Skeptic Society conference.)
Surly Amy, Surly Johnny, carr2d2, and Tim3P0 listen to Brian Hart of the Greater L.A. Skeptics Meetup Group (not pictured)
Last week I had the great pleasure to enjoy some delicious shabu shabu and some even more delicious skeptical banter with an awesome group of people. It reminded me that, per Monday’s post, I really need to damn the torpedoes and go full speed ahead a little more frequently than I do now, because it’s just too much fun to be around like-minded people who also love to talk about this stuff. I’m lucky that Paul is also a skeptic — he comes to it from his engineering background and love of magic — so we can go to events together which makes it easier on me physically, not to mention how great it is to have a partner who shares my enthusiasm!
Of course I will still be blogging about skepticism (among the usual other things) here, and in February I will be returning to Skeptically Speaking‘s “Speaking Up” segment. I’m also very happy to mention that I’ve joined the team at Grassroots Skeptics as its editorial manager — doesn’t that sound fancy? — so I get to scratch that itch to volunteer my time for a cause I believe in.
I’m looking forward to upping the “active” quotient of my skepticism this year by continuing to connect and work with passionate and talented people, both online and offline. To illustrate the point, I send you off with a comic from the community favorite Tree Lobsters! by Steve DeGroof, whom I met during a Virtual Drinking Skeptically chat. I was in on I believe the first Twitter chat about confectionopathy, a treatment I am seriously considering. And by the way, Tree Lobsters! is running a fundraiser right now to benefit Engineers Without Borders.
Posted in Blog stuff, CFS, Family, Life, News, skepticism
Tagged Brian Hart, carr2d2, confectionopathy, friends, Grassroots Skeptics, Los Angeles, networking, Paul, Skeptically Speaking, skepticism, Steve DeGroof, Surly Amy, Surly Johnny, Tim3P0, Tree Lobsters!, Virtual Drinking Skeptically, volunteering
