It’s not often you’ll find me posting with complaints about being a Father. My son has been a blessing in almost every way imaginable, and I thank the universe every day that I get to spend with him. There are, however, a few things that occasionally infuriate me about being a parent. I’m gonna talk about one of those things now.
Patrick Foltz was born at 8:30 PM EST this evening. Don’t have weight information as of yet. Mother and child are fine.
My sister, Kim, has gone into labor. By the end of the day I’ll be an Uncle again.
WoW Patch 1.12.1 was released today, and that patch is supposed to include the mount changes. Here’s a copy of a community moderator post explaining the changes (I’m bolding the parts that are particularly relevant to you).
Hi everyone,
Because I keep seeing these questions pop-up, and because some of my previous answers have been lost to the forum monsters I’m going to post the info I currently have regarding the mount changes. This is how the mount changes work as I understand it, they may change before 1.12.1 goes live.
After 1.12.1 goes live there will only be one riding skill that will work with all mounts. The skill currently has 2 ranks Apprentice(75) and Journeyman(150).
# Apprentice(75) skill will be required for all superior(blue) level 40 mounts, the Rank 11 PVP mounts and the superior(blue) AQ40 mounts.
# Journeyman(150) skill will be required for all epic(purple) level 60 mounts, the AV faction reward mounts and the epic dropped mounts (Deathcharger, Raptor etc.).
# Warlocks and Paladins who complete their mount quests will be given Apprentice(75) and
# Journeyman(150) upon completion of the quests.
# All mounts will be bind on pickup and have a level requirement.
# Purchasing a non-racial mount will require exalted reputation with that faction.
When the patch goes live the following changes will take place:
# Characters who have a mount in their inventory(backpack or bank) will be granted the skill level necessary to use it.
Apprentice Riding Skill requires level 40 Journeyman Riding Skill requires level 60
# Players with the Rank 11 PVP mounts will be granted Journeyman(150) skill.
# Players with Riding skill but no mount will be granted Apprentice(75) skill.
# Paladins and Warlocks who have already completed their level 40 and level 60 mount quests will be granted Apprentice(75) and Journeyman(150) respectively.
# Mounts in the mail or on the auction house at the time 1.12.1 goes live will not grant skill to anyone, so I would suggest making sure you have mounts in your inventory or the bank.
What this DOESN’T tell you is what the new mount cost is.
Level 40 mounts are going to be 10g.
So replacing your lost Kodo isn’t going to suck so badly after all.
But I’m also aware of the fact that I have friends who don’t GET medications because they can’t afford them or don’t have insurance.
Just thought I’d post and update to this.
I got a post card in the mail today. I haven’t read it myself, but from what K. told me the gist is essentially “thanks, but no thanks.” I can’t say I’m that surprised. The woman never got back with me after I called her with the information she requested, nor did she respond to multiple messages from my group leader. Frankly, I think that was pretty shitty of her. I’m not saying she should have gone out of her way to keep me in the loop, but a simple acknowledgement of the fact that she had everything she needed from me and had put my name in the hat would have been nice.
I’m trying very hard not to be upset about this.
It isn’t working very well.
It’s not that winning this contest would have been the end all, be all of my existence. If I really wanted to fly up to New York for a weekend I could do so on my own dime, and would probably have a lot more fun hanging out with my friends over the Duchess of York. And yeah, a 5K clothing spree would have been nice – but they likely would have gotten me a lot of clothes that I wouldn’t wear 9/10th’s of the time (as I highly doubt they would have let me go t-shirt shopping).
No, I’m not bummed over the fact that I didn’t win the stuff. I wanted to win for other reasons.
Let me be frank, here. Most of you didn’t know me when I was at my highest weight, and many of you who did have expressed having a hard time picturing me that big these days. Hell, I don’t remember it all that well. In fact, I have such a hard time remembering it that I’m starting to feel like my current weight is as inhibiting to me as my previous top end of roughly 420 pounds was.
In short, I’ve been feeling like I’m the fat guy again. I’ve started noticing it more keenly when I take up more space than the person next to me, or when my clothing looks wrong on me. When I see a gain on the scale, it’s damned near devastating. I’m having a hard time shaking off the “little gains” and keeping them from turning into bigger ones (evidenced by the fact that in the last month I’ve gained five pounds). Exercise? Something else I haven’t really done in a month. I started walking again this week, but the whole Yourself! Fitness thing seems to be completely trashed. I just can’t get the motivation together to turn it on.
It would have been nice to have some kind of external validation of what I’ve done. Something outside of what has become “normal” for me. I get a lot of support for what I’ve done, and continue to do, but…Shit…It’s just so hard to keep the level of dedication that is required for me to actually lose weight. I’ve done a fairly good job of staying in the same area, but I have a lot left to lose – and I need to do it. I need to, at least, get back down under 250. My self-esteem has taken a real fucking nose dive over the fact that I can’t seem to get off my ass enough to beat that number down again.
So yeah…it would have been nice to win. To have what I’ve done put under a national spotlight. To get some acknowledgement of what I’ve overcome.
Instead, I’m sitting her feeling like the response I got was “Sorry, but you’re still too fat.”
And I hate that.
Bleah.
I haven’t been paying much attention, but…
They fired Brad Johnson, and replaced him with Chris Simms. Right?
That was done on purpose.
Brad didn’t choose to leave or something?
What an embarrassment.
Mimes.
White face and bright pink vests.
Honoring veterans.
By LIP SYNCING a song.
Comedy. Fucking. Gold.
What had me laughing the most was the fact that there is a fairly large crowd of people behind them…utterly and completely ignoring them.
Mimes.
Lip syncing.
I couldn’t make this stuff up, folks.
Stolen from oakenguy
On December 16th, 2006, I am going to be graduating with honors from the St. Petersburg College.
The degree is only an Associate of the Arts. No major. Nothing “special” about it. Just a plain old A.A.
But you know what? I’m proud of it. I’m proud of the fact that even though I’ve got a good career I stuck it out to get it. I’m proud that despite some major fuck ups I’m graduating with honors. I’m proud of the fact that I’ll be the first person in my immediate family to hold a college degree of any kind.
So, yes, I’m going to march. I’m going to put on the stupid gown and go through the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony and I’m going to have my picture taken in it and that night I’m going to throw a party.
More details will come out as the date approaches, but suffice it to say that most of you will be invited.
And yes, if ya wanna give me goofy graduation related presents and cards they will be well received…because I’m going to revel in the celebration that should have happened a long time ago.
So there.