The Syndicate

S~V~S wrote:Some people don't know how to take a compliment

I do.

I'll play that for a dollar.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:I'll play that for a dollar.

Does the Syndicate charge for games now?

Clearly before your time.

Metalmarsh89 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

Metalmarsh89 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:I'll play that for a dollar.

Does the Syndicate charge for games now?

Clearly before your time.

Mafia is expensive in Finalnd.

He sent you your long lost twin?

thellama73 wrote:Did you die your hair black? That's new.

Dude, her hair is white and gold.

I don't bother with Facebook or Twitter. I post things here, I suppose.



My old buddy Gavin decided to check out Friday night.

We were high school friends. I spent the night with him often. We'd talk video games, music, and boobs. He was the only friend I could stay with on a weeknight, because we attended the same high school and his mother was a substitute there. So we'd ride to school the next morning in his red Mustang, blaring the shit out of some Journey or Electric Light Orchestra. I tried to teach him guitar and he sucked. He had a snake for a while and I got to watch him feed it. We shared an appreciation for Taratino's From Dusk Till Dawn. He and I had a lot of fun.

In that picture, Gavin is the fellow on the right. I'm on the left. That fellow in the middle is Thomas, our mutual friend. He made an account here, actually (Mr. Thomas), but Mafia wasn't for him, alas.

I won't comment on some of the struggles Gavin had. Suffice it to say, he was severely injured while we were still teenagers, and I think that incident, complicated by the cocktails of medications he ended up on, fundamentally changed him. I cooked for him and Thomas a year or two ago, and he was almost a different person.

No matter. I will remember him the way I loved him: Talking about video games, music, and boobs. And as someone who brightened my own life and the lives of others. I'm sorry he didn't see it that way.

RIP Gavin
1983-2015

Thank you, fine folks.

MovingPictures07 wrote:Also, it goes without saying that I'm here if you want to talk more about it (or anything else, for that matter). As you know, I'll talk video games, music, and boobs. :P

I want to say this now, because I just fucking remembered this:

Gavin is indirectly the reason I got into progressive rock music and wanted to write it.

My dad would always play "Dust in the Wind," and I liked it. He told me it was by Kansas. Since childhood, I had thought of Kansas as a lovely acoustic band. Then, when I listened to the radio in my car, I realized they did "Carry on Wayward Son," so I thought, "Okay, Kansas can rock too."

(Disclaimer for young people: This was before any of us had Internet to Youtube anything).

But on a West Virginian whitewater rafting excursion, heading back home, I saw that Gavin had Kansas' Live at the Whiskey.

The CD is white and has black lettering, listing all the tracks. I noted the title, "Miracles Out of Nowhere." It appealed to me. So I played it.

Boom.

I listened to that one song five times on the way home through the grandeur of the West Virginian mountains and knew right then that that was the kind of music I wanted to play.

So thanks Gavin, for changing my life, even if that wasn't your intention.

I just got off the phone with his mom. That was weird and nerve-wracking in all the opposite ways I thought the call was going to be.

Just holy shit. Sorry.

My son is L.

Bass_the_Clever wrote:Rob Im sorry to hear about your friend.

Thank you Bass, and the rest of you who've expressed condolences.

I've been asked by the deceased's mother to "carry his pall," as the old Western song says. The funeral is Friday.

One thing that struck me this morning: I mentioned that, as teenagers, we both listened to a lot of Journey as we went to school. Would you believe me if I told you, that, this morning, the radio station I listen to played only one song between commercials and news:

"Who's Crying Now"

You know you're a Mafia addict when a headline like this has you scratching your head for a while.

It's a rare thing, but sometimes, as a teacher, one of your former students goes on to do things you didn't think he could do.

TinyBubbles wrote:Epignosis although I don't know personally, I know how painful it is to lose a friend. I'm so sorry about Gavin. Hope you will be alright.

Those are kind words, and I appreciate them.

Yesterday I played an afternoon show with a band I worked with for years off and on. We had a ball playing together. My dad plays with us, and it's good knowing that I play music with him just as he played music with his old man.

Following us (while we feasted on spicy barbecue) was our bassist's brother's band, who played some really right beach music.

After there show, I pitched shoes with my brothers (Eloh was my partner for a while, but she was lousy. I had to walk half the horseshoe pit to collect our shoes). An old man relieved her and we won (yeah, no thanks to me, because I suck too!)

The main show that night was PineTop Lightning, a Southern Rock band from South Carolina. They did some originals, and had some great original takes on some classic rock favorites. Their version of "Long Haired Country Boy" by The Charlie Daniels Band was bitchin', and they actually played "The Needle and the Spoon," a Lynyrd Skynyrd favorite of mine I've never heard a live band cover.

During their break, I got to talk to their bassist. I told him how disappointed I was that their introduction to "Little Wing" didn't turn into "Roundabout." He laughed and immediately had me pegged for a prog rocker. So we talked prog. He was sad to hear the news that Chris Squire has leukemia. But he asked me what was new in the world of prog rock, and I recommended Echolyn to him. He said he would look them- and ProgArchives- up.

During that same break, I got to talk to the other guys in the band. The drummer is my age, but the band leader started touring the year before my father graduated high school. Anyway, we talked some more, and the band leader nonchalantly asked if I wanted to pick one with them.

I said sure- why not?

After he listed the rest of their set list, I picked one out I wanted to do and got my equipment ready. He said he'd call me out from the stage when it was time to go. So I had couple of beers and watched as they rocked through some favorites.

When it was my turn to play, I didn't know I'd be on Facebook two minutes after I'd finished. My brother's fiancee recorded it on her phone (there is a snag during the first verse- I don't know what happened).

Anyway, here's my part in a very fun Southern Rock show.

Here are a couple of images of my old man and me from earlier that day:

WELL I GOT ME A FINE WIFE
I GOT ME A FIDDLE
WHEN THE SUN'S COMING UP
I GOT CAKES ON THE GRIDDLE

nutella wrote:SHIT THAT'S COOL I WANT IT

WELL YOU CAN'T HAVE IT



(Actually you can because they sell more of them)

Frankly, I'm pissed off about how little this ruling affects me.

I also want to point out that this is another blow to government telling people what they can't do.

I love it when it that happens.

Looks like a lot of back and forth to me.

Mongoose wrote:Wow, I bet the Roxy/SVS visit was stellar! I visited Logan last weekend and I literally (in the true sense of the word) could not have had more fun. I even tried cheddar cheese!

As an update:

a) I start Yoga Teacher Training in September!

b) My annual job performance review was today and it was amazing. The word "haberdashery" was used.

c) Been doing a lot of things with my work bros like kickball league, tubing, barbecues, day cruises, and food tours.

d) Miss y'all!

I miss you.

Mongoose wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

Mongoose wrote:Wow, I bet the Roxy/SVS visit was stellar! I visited Logan last weekend and I literally (in the true sense of the word) could not have had more fun. I even tried cheddar cheese!

As an update:

a) I start Yoga Teacher Training in September!

b) My annual job performance review was today and it was amazing. The word "haberdashery" was used.

c) Been doing a lot of things with my work bros like kickball league, tubing, barbecues, day cruises, and food tours.

d) Miss y'all!

I miss you.

Additionally:
Hells bells that profile pic! Lawdy, what have I missed up here!

I was either:

a) inspired by Jenner or

b) playing a Mafia game

Marriage is like a three ring circus. First, there's the engagement ring. Then there's the wedding ring. And then comes the suffering.

Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains.

Made up a cocktail based on what we have, since I bought tequila today but we don't go grocery shopping until tomorrow.

I juiced a nectarine and shook it with tequila, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Poured it into a salt-rimmed martini glass.

It isn't very good.

Elohcin wrote:I was in Psych class (freshman in college) and I was just shocked. Epi and I were at a private college that was basically in it's own little bubble. There were only a handful of tv's on the whole campus. Several students stood in the student union building for a while and watched.

Phil Lee was one of two people on our hall named Phil Lee. One was Russian, one was Filipino. After my 7am psychology class, I went to take a shower, and saw Filipino Phil Lee sitting in the hall, stunned, and going on about "They took down the towers. Wow, they took down the towers."

I figured he was talking about a video game (we could be quite competitive on our hall). I took my shower, dressed, went downstairs, and only then on the big TV saw what he was talking about.

Here's me and Tunces a long long time ago:



And Hazel:

My three-year-old boy just beat world 1-1 of the original Super Mario Bros. on his fourth try.

I am a proud papa.

Dragon D. Luffy wrote:

Epignosis wrote:My three-year-old boy just beat world 1-1 of the original Super Mario Bros. on his fourth try.

I am a proud papa.

I see you are doing that "have your kid play old school games" thing that I told you about.

My kids play everything.

They're awesome.

RIP Fred Thompson.

G-Man wrote:We have wifi at the hospital but still no baby. The doctors are saying she ought to be born today (Friday) yet. We'll see.

Keep your head up mate. Tell the missus we're in her corner.

I have a soft spot for "Loved by the Sun."

As a high school teacher, that made me laugh.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope nothing bad happens to any of you, but if it does, I hope I profit somehow.

S~V~S wrote:My Uncle John passed away tonight; I know some of you knew he was sick & in hospice, most did not, as is the way of the internet. He was the youngest of my mothers siblings and the last one alive. He was a very average, hard working guy, like millions of others. A truck driver. Important to those close to him, just one of the human herd to everyone else. He was the funny drunk uncle, and he openly favored me above my cousins. He made an awesome krumkake, an ass kicking hot toddy, and made an oil change seem do-able to a 16 year old girl.

He was my uncle. You all have one like him. Call him tonight & tell him you love him. It will make him very happy.

I have an uncle just like yours, but more redneck and less...Norwegian?

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Uncle John sounded cool.

PANTHERS

Broncos

S~V~S wrote:I AM old, and you get used to it

It actually has its good points.

Discounts at the Sizzler?

A Person wrote:I really want to start doing yoga but I haven't the training, money, space, time or ability to do it very effectively.

You've got a body, gravity, and the Internet. That's all you need.

School closed today.

I feel sorry for the little elementary school kids who already got picked up by the buses.

juliets wrote:

Epignosis wrote:School closed today.

I feel sorry for the little elementary school kids who already got picked up by the buses.

will the buses turn around and take them back or have the roads gotten too bad?

I saw the bus driver for our street drop a little girl off at her house, so I guess they all just turned around. Good thing they get paid hourly.

MovingPictures07 wrote:

Metalmarsh89 wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

juliets wrote:

Epignosis wrote:School closed today.

I feel sorry for the little elementary school kids who already got picked up by the buses.

will the buses turn around and take them back or have the roads gotten too bad?

I saw the bus driver for our street drop a little girl off at her house, so I guess they all just turned around. Good thing they get paid hourly.

Hopefully Mom and Dad haven't already left for work.

I know, right? How sucky would that be?

We live in a neighborhood where hardly anybody works, so it's not a problem.

S~V~S wrote:na na na na na na na na na!

BANANA!

Ricochet wrote:Epignosis, does the name Amos have any biblical meaning?

Yup.

Ricochet wrote:"the reign of Uzziah". Heathen!

I was moreover trying to find if the name literally translates into something in particular, but thanks for that as well.

The name means "carried" or "burden."

A Person wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

Ricochet wrote:"the reign of Uzziah". Heathen!

I was moreover trying to find if the name literally translates into something in particular, but thanks for that as well.

The name means "carried" or "burden."

Does that mean it is my burden in life to eat Famous Amos?

No. It just means Andy carried the show.

Mongoose wrote:Mad Max is going to be a lot less mad after tonight

I miss you.

Mongoose wrote:

Epignosis wrote:

Mongoose wrote:Mad Max is going to be a lot less mad after tonight

I miss you.

I miss you too!

Any chance y'all will mosey down this way over the summer?

I think there might be.

I just rewired my home studio three times to find the source of some unwanted noise in the mic signal.

All I had to do was turn down an errant knob.

RIP Doris Roberts.