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Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:02 pm
by zemanjaski
Z, could you copy your posts about blue control over to the pauper forums? They seem insightful, and I may want to build the deck, and if that's the case, I want the resources for a starting point to be somewhere more convenient than page 630 of the clan thread.
I'm very lazy.

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:03 pm
by Valdarith
Yeah, really sad too. As a car guy myself I hate it when famous gearheads die. Hell of a way to go out, too. Being a passenger to a former F1 racer is the last way I would have thought he would have died.

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:17 pm
by DocLawless
I feel the same way about...

...actually, I got nothin'. Mornings can die in a fire.
Your like my sister, non-functioning zombie till 10:30AM.
I can kick start it with a pot of coffee.

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:23 pm
by Elricity
Elricity, what you're describing resonates VERY much.

My 2nd job in the company I'm working for was in
the Customer Service department, coordinating with the marketing departments so that the reps had information. I left that department to project manage a migration of our fulfillment systems. Toward the end of that, one of the employees in Customer Service, who I thought I was friends with, was able to get her manager fired. This manager was a fairly poor manager, everybody agreed, but Erin is the one who lead the charge with HR and the Senior Manager.

I ended up getting the nod to manage the group (as well as maintain my other duties - and all for the low price of no raise!). It turns out that the "poor manager" before me was definitely a poor people person, had mistreated some workers, but when it came to business decisions she made good decisions. I made similar ones, and Erin decided to get rid of me too. And she was more than half successful. I'm still at the same company, and making the same salary, but not in charge of that group any longer.

In the long run I benefited
because I can write it off as a lateral move and it's given me a much more flexible schedule to focus on starting Law School.

But DAMN I've never met a more self-centered or manipulative person in my life.
Yeah, we had someone like that at work too. When I didn't work with her, she was friendly with me but complained viciously about the people she worked with. When I started to have to work with her, I was already on guard and had laid the groundwork to prevent her from sniping me which is probably the only reason I still have the job. I don't know if it works that way for everyone else, but my game plan is always to get in underneath the backstab before it starts. Most of these people are frankly awful at manipulation and only succeed because people don't expect it or are willing to confront it.

I fear for the day I get on the bad side of someone who knows their shit because I will be utterly screwed. That's
really the reason I take such an interest in these things. Well, and cause armchair psychology is fun.

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:27 pm
by Elricity
Mornings can die in a fire.
I'm in the process of working on this. I figure I can make good coin on the people who want it, then turn around and make even more coin on all the crazy people who actually like mornings.

There's no way this can go wrong.

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:29 pm
by Wraith223
Elricity, what you're describing resonates VERY much.

My 2nd job in the company I'm working for was in the Customer Service department, coordinating with the marketing departments so that the reps had information. I left that department to project manage a migration of our fulfillment systems. Toward the end of that, one of the employees in Customer Service, who I thought I was friends with, was able to get her manager fired. This manager was a fairly poor manager, everybody agreed, but Erin is the one who lead the charge with HR and the Senior Manager.

I ended up getting the nod to manage the group (as well as maintain my other duties - and all for the low price of no raise!). It turns out that the "poor manager" before me was definitely a poor people person, had mistreated some workers, but when it came to business decisions she made good decisions. I made similar ones, and Erin decided to get rid of me too.
And she was more than half successful. I'm still at the same company, and making the same salary, but not in charge of that group any longer.

In the long run I benefited because I can write it off as a lateral move and it's given me a much more flexible schedule to focus on starting Law School.

But DAMN I've never met a more self-centered or manipulative person in my life.
Yeah, we had someone like that at work too. When I didn't work with her, she was friendly with me but complained viciously about the people she worked with. When I started to have to work with her, I was already on guard and had laid the groundwork to prevent her from sniping me which is probably the only reason I still have the job. I don't know if it works that way for everyone else, but my game plan is always to get in underneath the backstab before it starts. Most of these people are frankly awful at manipulation and only succeed
because people don't expect it or are willing to confront it.

I fear for the day I get on the bad side of someone who knows their shit because I will be utterly screwed. That's really the reason I take such an interest in these things. Well, and cause armchair psychology is fun.
I always get a kick how manipulative folks like this end up being part of murder mysteries on crime drama shows. And quietly, you can't disagree why the co-worker did it.

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:40 pm
by zemanjaski
Z, could you copy your posts about blue control over to the pauper forums? They seem insightful, and I may want to build the deck, and if that's the case, I want the resources for a starting point to be somewhere more convenient than page 630 of the clan thread.
I'm very lazy.
Alright done. Primer started :rolleyes:

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:41 pm
by Alex
On the subject of Todd Anderson, I hate him after watching him verbally abuse, aka scream at Kali at a booth during an event in Boston that I was working. Fuck that guy, the article was nothing but a vain attempt at a pity party.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:04 am
by Wraith223
On the subject of Todd Anderson, I hate him after watching him verbally abuse, aka scream at Kali at a booth during an event in Boston that I was working. Fuck that guy, the article was nothing but a vain attempt at a pity party.
Write about it in his comments section and tell the world what a bitch this turd is. No one here is going to disagree. If you could find a youtube vid on his verbal assault; CAREER KILLER.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:09 am
by Wraith223
Peace out! Going on a business trip to a remote airport for a few days. May or may not have internet access.

Pray for mom as tomorrow is the test day for figuring out what the the anomaly is in her Mammogram.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:29 am
by Alex
Nah, he isn't worth losing my job.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:46 am
by TubeHunter
Play production won our competition we had today! Going to compete in state

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:58 am
by hamfactorial
Nah, he isn't worth losing my job.
Banging Kali on the side and making him a shameful cuckold is probably fine though :smileup:

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:28 am
by Kazekirimaru
The best way to deal with mornings is to sleep through them.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:36 am
by Elricity
On the subject of Todd Anderson, I hate him after watching him verbally abuse, aka scream at Kali at a booth during an event in Boston that I was working. Fuck that guy, the article was nothing but a vain attempt at a pity party.
See, that is why this is important

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:27 am
by Alex
Nah, he isn't worth losing my job.
Banging Kali on the side and making him a shameful cuckold is probably fine though :smileup:
I'm not really a chubby chaser. Kali is a wonderful women, but there are plenty of wonderful women that weigh less than a buck and a half that I'd rather prey on. :smileup:

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:27 am
by Alex
Although admittedly it might be worth it just to be the literal hammer of divine vengeance.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 3:13 am
by F.I.A
Hate to admit it, but I run on coffee in the morning for workdays. Without those substances, I'll pretty much be limping until afternoon.

So this Todd guy dropped his job for a day of tournament. He might be stupid, but I have to respect him for that commitment. Actually knew a few individuals who went away from real life to work on their dreams. Like that one who put aside 3 months of her school life just to write e-books. She was actually successful, but I won't like to think the consequence when it was the other way round.

I don't think I have the gall (and insanity) to do that, personally. My job might not be the best there is, but I don't think I'm willing to lose it and be a freeloader again.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 3:22 am
by Alex
That sounds sweet. I should have done that with my little vacation. I worked out instead.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:47 am
by windstrider
Hate to admit it, but I run on coffee in the morning for workdays. Without those substances, I'll pretty much be limping until afternoon.

So this Todd guy dropped his job for a day of tournament. He might be stupid, but I have to respect him for that commitment. Actually knew a few individuals who went away from real life to work on their dreams. Like that one who put aside 3 months of her school life just to write e-books. She was actually successful, but I won't like to think the consequence when it was the other way round.

I don't think I have the gall (and insanity) to do that, personally. My job might not be the best there is, but I don't think I'm willing to lose it and be a freeloader again.
His commitment to Magic that leads to him verbally abusing his wife.

For me, this section is the most cringe-worthy part of that article:

"As she listened I saw her face wrinkle up and she began to sob. I'm the worst wife ever she mumbled through trembling lips. All I do is keep you from living your dream. We moved here to let me do what I love but I dragged you along with me and forced you to do what you hate. I'm the thing that's making you unhappy. I'm the one who's killing your dream!"

Turn that part around, and I'm willing to bet that this is what he screamed at her numerous times. My second ex-wife is like that: always blaming others for the void that she feels inside herself, so she takes it out on everyone around her. The worst part about that kind of verbal abuse and manipulation is that after hearing it enough times the person being abused begins believing that they really are the problem.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:15 am
by Valdarith
Do ALL Mono Black players leave in Thoughseize against R/x? Haha thanks for the help guys!

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:30 am
by windstrider
Do ALL Mono Black players leave in Thoughseize against R/x? Haha thanks for the help guys!
I love playing against that card. I had one guy use it to take a Magma Jet out of my hand. :confused2: I asked him about it later, and he said he wanted to make sure that I couldn't use it to bring back my Phoenix.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:47 am
by DocLawless
I stop playing lands after I have 4 or 5 on the board just so they will see I'm hanging on to cards and Thoughtseize my hand full of Mountains. I love showing them nothing but lands. It's like they Shock themselves for me.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 6:56 am
by F.I.A
Thoughtseize can be a pain when your opening hand has just a single creature. Other than that, I'm sure it's a mindrape when I reveal a hand of 2 Cacklers and 2 Ashleys (And a Phoenix).

Removing a Magma Jet is actually a choice since it prevents us from scrying. And we all know how awesome scrying is in a deck that relies on topdecking burns.

Edit: Maximum of 6 lands here, since I run Mortar. Though most of the time, I'd prefer not to have that many.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:10 am
by Helios
Mornings can die in a fire.
I'm in the process of working on this. I figure I can make good coin on the people who want it, then turn around and make even more coin on all the crazy people who actually like mornings.

There's no way this can go wrong.
This is pure gold.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:57 am
by DarthStabber
My tablet and chain lightnings came in today.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:58 am
by Kazekirimaru
You should make Chain Lightning your tablet background

And then alter your Chain Lightnings to look like tablets.

It makes perfect sense.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:09 am
by zemanjaski
That's ma boy! He's a thinker.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:22 am
by RaidaTheBlade
I need to train for a tourny this weekend. Anybody willing to grind mono-u against me on cockatrice, to help me get better at that matchup?

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:34 am
by LP, of the Fires
yup

name?

I'm Laki

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:37 am
by RaidaTheBlade
Same as my username here, lol.

Thank you :D

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:07 am
by Lightning_Dolt
LP is a good test partner. Good luck!

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:58 am
by Alex
It's 5:50 AM and I am awake and starting my Infect all-encompassing Infect primer. My life has somehow reached an even lower low.

As Ham would say, being a loser is perfectly fine when done safely.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 11:59 am
by RaidaTheBlade
Yeah, he is, though it didn't matter much ;-;

I am now a total of 0-10 vs mono-u. What is this I don't even... ;-;

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:27 pm
by Lightning_Dolt
How does one prepare for a GP without getting tired on magic to the point of not wanting to attend the GP at all? Tips?

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:34 pm
by Alex
How does one prepare for a GP without getting tired on magic to the point of not wanting to attend the GP at all? Tips?
You don't. :shrug: That's higher level play for ya.

Any time I "prepared" for a large event, I stopped playing Magic the entire week before it and simply did my research instead. I liked to read articles, talk to friends who are going about what they're playing and expect to see, etc. I just avoid actually playing the game so I don't get burned out before I even walk in the door.

When you prepare, (aka practice) you tend to go in with the idea that you're owed some type of minimum return. A lot of grinders tend to
fall prey to this cycle. "I prepared for this tournament, I played this deck for X hours, I should at least be in the top 32!" Sometimes things just don't shake out the way you want, and with a mindset like that one it's pretty easy to go on tilt at even the smallest downturn in results.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:13 pm
by zemanjaski
I just play and play, then play some more. For whatever reason I don't get burned out. :shrug:

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 1:13 pm
by Pendulum
How does one prepare for a GP without getting tired on magic to the point of not wanting to attend the GP at all? Tips?
Moderation always helped me.
Back when I was going to a lot of Chess tournaments (which are even more grueling that Magic), I'd try to switch things up both on and off the board as often as possible: usually what I'd do is start out playing as basic and 'me-like' strategy as I could, then once I got bored of that I'd switch to a more aggressive, even suicidal strategy, to the point that my opponents would often express concern for my playskills. Then, after a few games, even if I still felt like playing, I'd go do something else for a while, hopefully something menial like yardwork or paperwork or taking a walk, something
I could do while still being able to daydream about the games I just played; then I'd go do something else that required too much concentration to think about Chess at all. Communication with your playtest partners is key; as long as they understand that you want to make sure you have a good base of experiences to play off of instead of just grinding out meaningless match after meaningless match, they usually won't bitch about it, and oftentimes they'll start doing the same things.

Think about "I want to do well at this GP" as you would more mundane goals; if you were planning your wedding, you wouldn't sit down and do it all at once, nor would you spend all of your money on paying off your student loan, or change the brakes on your car with a friend without a lot of beer-drinkin' and talking about shit that isn't remotely involved in changing the brakes on your car. Same with playtesting: have an idea in your head of what you want to accomplish ("I want to test out a more
aggressive strategy," "I want to tweak the sideboard," "I want to know how this does against deck X," etc.), and when it comes time to scratch items off that list you do that, but don't try to scratch out the whole page at a single setting.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:20 pm
by RedNihilist
Italian randomness corner:
the Constitutional Court decided that the current electoral law is not fair and goes against our own constitution, thus being not valid at all.
Everybody knew that from 2005, it's even called "Porcellum" (latin for pig), so I don't really know if I should be amazed that they needed 8 years to discover that, or be amazed that they did discover that at all.

Yet, no fuck is being given.

Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 3:01 pm
by windstrider
Reasons my son is crying: I said hi to him this morning.