What are you up to?

A fun little check in! What have you guys been up to?

How's Life?

Cool new hobbies and/or adventures?

What game are you into now?


I'll start!

Turned 29 last week (What happened to my twenties?!)

Thinking about going to grad school!

Other than that, life is good!

PS. No new games in my life- (Rising Storm, Company of Heroes 2 , Fallout 4)

Narishma and I have been playing vanilla WoW on a private server (there is another thread here). That's been just as addicting as the original I'm afraid...

Last month I had a Septoplasty with Turbinate Reduction Surgery...and only a couple of days ago the swelling in the sinuses in down enough that I can once again breathe through my nose, another month and my snoring might be gone. Big bonus is the bleeding is FINALLY stopped. The Doc had me rinsing out everything with Saline twice a day...lots of clots and bleeding with this surgery.

I was asked by my boss if I would consider going back to Japan in a couple of months as well as going at the end of the year. Usually go once a year but now might be going twice a year. Of course I said Yes.

Started working out again and doing my Martial Arts...I now weigh 198 and I promised myself I would NEVER go over 200. ...have a goal of 165, lets see how long that takes... Plus I turn 50 this year... Gotta see how fit I can get...plus using Parkmad as my inspiration on this one.

Started playing Mass Effect Andromeda...and yes, there are some animations issues, and some weird game design choices, but this FEELS like a MASS EFFECT GAME...and I am REALLY enjoying it!!!

Been really working on the Japanese...getting better at it. ...actually considering picking up a 3rd language after I get to a mastery level with Japanese. Thinking Korean or Russian...haven't decided yet. Korean uses the same grammar structure as Japanese so I would just have to work on reading Hangul and vocabulary, while I have just always wanted to learn Russian.

I'm still playing the everliving crap out of Overwatch. It really scratches the TF2 itch. My friends list is filling up with people who would have been RH in a past life...

Been an avid Destiny player on PS4 for 2+ years. Looking forward to the final new content release on Tuesday and the Destiny2 release in September. Hoping to get in on the rumored beta release this summer.
Other than that, doing a lot of cycling, working, enjoying time with family.

I've mostly been playing single player console games. I've played the last few far cry games, and just recently finished the witcher 3. Fantastic game btw. Can't really play it in front of the kids though. There is a bit of swearing, and occasional nudity. I just picked up Horizon: new dawn which seems decent so far. I'll be getting a switch as soon as I can and playing the new Zelda game as well.

As far as multiplayer goes, the only thing I'm playing now is Hearthstone. Now that it's available on phones it's an easy game to pick up for a match or 2 whenever.

On a non-gaming front, I built a shop behind my house so I've been spending a lot of time out there playing with trucks. Also decided I didn't want to be a fat-ass anymore so I started going to the gym and doing a LOT of hiking. Realizing just how quickly your ability to do things goes away at 40+. Use it or lose it, right?

On a family note, me and the kids are doing great. Tori is in high school now and I'm teaching her to drive. For those of you that remember her, MRH is back in the picture with 2 more kids and we are all doing pretty well.

great post idea! it's cool seeing the updates.

Life is good, a little weird but good. I haven't really posted about this here but...

a couple of years back I was really sick and the doctors couldn't figure it out. One day, in the bath, it came to me what it might be. I jumped out of the bath, dripping wet, and raced to the kitchen to check the contents of the organic lemonade I was drinking every morning. Yup it was there. Citric Acid. It was in my shampoo, body wash, all of the candy and wine I was drinking, in the sodas, sauces and even bread. That shite is everywhere. I was really sick too- I was up to 297lbs. I was miserable. It was an epiphany. I went cold turkey and cut it out. My body reacted in a strange way. I started producing a ton of my own citric acid mucus. It was so gross but for about 3 months I could fill an ice cream bucket daily with said mucus. I was drowning in it but then, one day, that all stopped. The weight started to drop and I began to hurt less.

When I reviewed everything, my illness matched up with the introduction of the new citric acid. What do I mean? In 2007 (when the bulk of energy drinks hit the market) a chemical shortcut version of citric acid was introduced to the food chain. Folks just don't realize that "Citric Acid" is a chemical shortcut for "Citric Acid made from lemon rinds". "Citric Acid" is produced by growing it in the dark on mould, in huge warehouses in china. Who has problems with mushrooms and mould? This guy. In 2015, we consumed 1.6 million tonnes of the stuff. Since then, it's inclusion in foods has increased. Seriously, every time we shop, we must read every label as sometimes it can be added without warning. Fast food is a thing of the past and eating out in general can be a pain. Now, when I come in contact with the stuff (like the cleaning section in Costco or a sauce in food) I cough up the mucus for about 3 days. So yeah, life has been weird. I can have a coke but not a pepsi, I have to drink organic wine and the only thing at McDonald's i can have is chicken nuggets. Yeah, junk food is chocolate from England and my own cooking: we bought a deep fryer as most fast food fries have citric acid in them. We're baking a ton which is rewarding but also a huge pain. The upside is: I'm starting to look pretty ripped as I'm a machine now. Any junk food doesn't stay on my belly anymore. I'm getting abs! LOL! me!

I've been writing screenplays for tv and feature films. This has gone well as I have a team of producers in pre-production on said screenplays. It's a neat, fun time but also weird, as we sign these documents called NDA's (Non-disclosure agreements). What that means is I can't talk about my projects with even my friends and family and from the outside looking in, it apparently seems like I'm not working at all? I dunno, soon my work will be public. So yeah, it's a weird, happy/ sad time for me.

(Kent Brockman voice) you may have seen me recently in such films as: Deadpool, Warcraft and possibly Monster Trucks. And tv shows like: Once Upon A Time, Supernatural and the Flash.

I was thinking about all of you guys and our FNF in DOD. Man I wish we could arrange an evening. Those were fun times.

you're up to date- sorry for the length (story of my life )

oh and these are the games I'm playing on the ps4:
, ,

Life has been great here!

I've been meaning to get over to the private server with Narish and Nooobieee, but I've been swamped.

My wife, son and I moved from the west coast to the east coast over the summer, as I decided to attend grad school at the University of Maryland (due to a very generous financial aid offer and its proximity to DC).

We're expecting our second child on April 22nd.

I work as a research assistant at the center for global sustainability, (CGS), while attending grad school full-time, and I've been swamped working on projects, grant proposals and a bunch of other stuff. Some highlights are:
-I wrote the landing plan to bring the former director of the DOE's ARPA-E program, Dr. Ellen Williams, to CGS as a fellow
-I helped CGS launch an international research coalition at COP 22 in Morocco last fall, 'Research for Climate Action' (RCA) which works to bring international researchers from colleges around the globe together to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills between institutions, and to help provide policy makers world-wide with access to cutting edge research and analytics on a variety of climate change related topics
-We just won a $300,000 award from bloomberg for a coal tracking project
-Plus a bunch of other things currently cooking that I can't talk about yet

Besides all of that, I've been sneaking in time for video games when I can. Occasionally I play online stuff like Destiny with Ecterris and Ismot, but it's mostly single player stuff, like Horizon Zero Dawn, and the new Zelda on the Nintendo Switch (which might be the best video game I've ever played).

Still play Overwatch as well...send me an invite and see if I can be torn away from the Andromeda Galaxy for a few rounds.

Great thread Z, I just noticed it now since I'm done writing.

As you all might recall, last June I finally took the layoff from my job that I'd dreamed about. Since then I created a website called www.TheCannabisGardener.com which instructs people how to grow cannabis organically, from mixing your own organic soil all the way to curing the weed you've grown. I created another super-secret website after that which is quite obscure yet dominates google searches for the subject matter on a daily basis lol.

You may remember that I once wrote a satirical blog covering a particular televangelist? Long story short, I was contacted by a person during that time (2011-2012) who interviewed me for his dissertation. His dissertation was accepted a year ago and my blog was immortalized in print. Why do I mention this? Because reading about my old blog was like rocket fuel for the creative part of my brain, and ultimately led to me writing a book.

After creating my two websites, playing a shitload of bass guitar, dicking around with a drumset and drinking too much, I finally decided it was time to write the book I'd envisioned a year ago. So I sat down in January and wrote it over the course of sixteen very intense days. Then I edited it for three months. Those of you who see me on Facebook are already well aware of this haha.

The book is titled 'Televangelist'. It's humorous fiction, contains all original content, and is unrelated to my old blog except for the borrowing of a few ancillary characters I'd created back then. Due to its brevity I can't say too much about the plot aside from the teaser, but I can certainly say it's unlike any other story you would have read before.

The paperback/Kindle versions are available on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2prvEL8. It's also available through Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ScribD, and a couple other ebook retailers.

Here's my Amazon author page if you want to see the current state of affairs with my hair: http://www.amazon.com/author/ronjohnsonauthor

There's also Facebook page setup for the book: http://www.facebook.com/televangelistbook/

The book went live a week ago so I've quite literally just finished it. Now I have to get the word out and figure out what the hell I'm gonna do with the rest of my time haha.

Oh I forgot, I also volunteer at the VA every week. That's something I've always wanted to do—now I'm doing it and it is truly the highlight of my week!

Gaming wise, I play only Project Reality while Squad continues maturing. I love the teamwork aspect of PR and believe it or not, new maps continue coming out.

If anyone is interested in knowing the process for publishing a book on Amazon feel free to message me and I'll break it all down for you.

PS: Pain aside, turbinate is an awesome word Jinx.

This is a cool thread!
I don't get here much, mainly once a month to robotically post the birthday announcements...
I usually just scan a few recent postings that look interesting, and inevitably check out some of the mega threads, like the one with nooobieee and Mopar arguing.
I don't play any online games anymore, mainly due to antique computers and for a while I was getting some kind of wrist or hand problem so I laid off any intensive keyboard or mousing activities. The closest to gaming I get is Pokemon Go, which my wife and I still enjoy playing on our phones. We just like to collect and level up, neither of us are into gym battles or other game intricacies there may be.
Still live in Hawaii (windward Oahu in a town called Kailua). Still work for the government (NOAA). Still love my job, always wanted to be a marine biologist and that is more or less what I am, so I can't complain. MKE works across the building from where I am, always cool to see him periodically.
Kids are getting older, 20, 22, and 25 now. And damn, I am getting older too! Turn 56 this year! Yikes!
All kids are still living at home, yes this is Hawaii, that is normal... must get used to that... but just found out a few days ago that middle daughter is going to Japan for a year in the JET program, so the house will be a bit quieter starting next month. She just graduated with a BS in psychology and hopes to go to law school after JET. The two boys, well they are in the workforce still finding their way...
I bought a boat a few years back and that has been my main hobby, we take it out to a place called the sandbar in Kaneohe Bay, do some standup paddleboard, relax, drink too much, and get sunburned. The whole family, well except for oldest son, all enjoy that so we go out whenever the weather is nice. For those on FB you are probably sick of my pics from the sandbar, but it is such a magical place, they will keep coming!
We have a lot of pets: 2 dogs, 3 cats, 5 chickens, 2 rabbits, bunch of koi, 2 lovebirds, a crippled dove, and our newest addition is a PIG (half pot-bellied and half dwarf) that was super cute when a piglet but now she is a handful!
As usual I drink too much, have a double tap kegerator in the garage that is fun to tinker with and drink from. Always looking for different beers to try.. Health-wise, knock on wood, so far things are going okay. I've read some of the above and yes, knocking on my mostly wood desktop right now in fact, I have been spared any nastinesses thus far, I'm guessing it will all come at once. So I thank each day I can still do all the things I want, and eat and drink all the things I want. I feel quite fortunate in that and many other respects.
Probably forgot something important, I'll add it later when I remember, yeah forgetfulness is certainly setting in!

Great update GI, living the life!

nooobieee and Mopar arguing.

I have a following on the interwebs! Achievement unlocked.

I too have just stumbled across this thread... Good to hear how everyone's doing!

I sold my house in Spokane last October and moved to Monterey CA - and just chlled out for a few months waiting for my background checks to clear. Since January, I've been working as a contractor for the DoD (Defense Human Resources Activity) as a software development Project Manager for a couple of the core databases. I try not to think about it too much - too totally intimidating when I do... there are impacts to a lot of folks if I F*** up. Haven't yet tho... (knock on wood) lol.

Thoroughly embracing what Megawart calls my "midlife crisis", I've also sold my Honda Fit and got a ruby red, rag top Mustang convertible. And booked a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands for Thanksgiving. My opinion is that I've worked my a$$ off for nearly 20 years and it's finally paid off - I'm going to enjoy the fruits of that work and anyone who doesn't like it can suck it. :

With the longer work hours while I settle in at work, and an apartment 100 yards from the beach, I don't play much of anything right now. I'm having fun doing other stuff but I'll be back at some point...

Awesome update Tien. Good for you.

Great to hear Tien! Yep you've worked hard all that time so why not enjoy a few things now

Nice to hear Tien...I spent time down in Monterey when the Army sent me down to learn 'polite' Japanese. Was down there for nearly 2 years. Had fun...great place.

Nice to hear Tien...I spent time down in Monterey when the Army sent me down to learn 'polite' Japanese. Was down there for nearly 2 years. Had fun...great place.

It's amazing here! You must have been on the old presidio too, eh? I was there for the tail end of '88 as they attempted to teach me the entirety of Polish in 48 weeks. (Brain locked up at 16 weeks, limped to 18 before washing out.). Tried to do a swing thru to see if it's how I remember, but it's completely locked down now

Nice to hear Tien...I spent time down in Monterey when the Army sent me down to learn 'polite' Japanese. Was down there for nearly 2 years. Had fun...great place.

It's amazing here! You must have been on the old presidio too, eh? I was there for the tail end of '88 as they attempted to teach me the entirety of Polish in 48 weeks. (Brain locked up at 16 weeks, limped to 18 before washing out.). Tried to do a swing thru to see if it's how I remember, but it's completely locked down now

I had the same thing here at Fort Irwin—tried to go visit and it's a closed base now

I could have reclassed to DLI at my in-processing but they way you guys describe it I'm sorta glad I didn't!

I used to LAUGH at the official DLI website where it stated (and this is NOT word for word...) that students, after being immersed in their language all day at school would be limited to 1.5 hours of after school homework in order to prevent 'burnout'. Let's just say I quit 2 MMOs, and limited myself to about 30 minutes of gaming on a weekday and only about an hour a night on Fri and Sat. IF I spent more than that, I would NOT have had time to study for my NEXT test. DLI crammed 4 years of college/business Japanese into our heads in 21 months. It was HELL...fun at times, but still HELL.

Polish wasn't much different. 48 weeks to learn to converse, read, and write like an 18 year old native. 50-100 vocab words per night. if you didn't live in the barracks, you didn't stand a chance. Lol

By the way, did your knees ever recover from running those slopes? Hahaha. Mine did not.

We bought a house a couple years back...and have spent every waking hour trying to renovate it!
It used to look like this:


Now it looks like this:

We JUST got the building permit after almost TWO YEARS working on it!!!

We are adding 1424 square feet; Music room/bar w/full bath and murphy bed, home gym and a 21' x 34' covered deck above all that. Gonna have a Jacuzzi on the deck and a spiral staircase to connect the two levels.

Destroyer...that is AWESOME...would love to have a home gym...

Tien...those hills in Monterey...let's just say the 80lb rucks and the running contributed to my current 20%

Hey now, guys - its been a while.
Still doing the same old thing - turned 60 this year and starting to think about retirement.
Had a couple of trips back to the UK to see family the last two years and both kids are in highschool and will be moving to a new campus my company is building:
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/De ... 45673.html

Still gaming the FPS even if the kids are all kicking my Ass.!

Ater going through the COD games and the recent BF have gone back to BF4 for the teamplay and am on most nights. I find it a good destresser believe it or not.
Really miss the old DOD days - must be the age!

I probably will try out COD WW2 to see how it compares!

Hope we meet online!
Magoo

Hey Now Everyone!

I made my way back home it would seem. I think this might actually be my half life anniversary... Started with RH when I was 13... and it's been 13 years since. I've been meaning for a while to get back on the forums and say hi to everyone, I loved seeing what everyone else has been up to.

As for me - my wife and I (married 4 years now) have bought our 2nd house and have 2 little ones. Our daughter will be turning 3 in November and our son will be turning 1 in October!

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We own a 72' Chevelle Malibu (350 small block) that we've taken to a few car shows. And if I can talk my dad into it, I'm trying to get my grandpa's 67' 3/4 ton Chevy Pickup to restore as well.

I currently work in one of the largest open pit mines in the world (http://www.kennecott.com) driving the haul trucks. Easiest job I think anyone could have, I just sit and drive in circles for 12 hours at a whopping 13 MPH loaded. I plan on taking advantage of their reimbursement program to get a degree for something that won't make me go insane talking to myself.

Anyway, if anyone is playing Destiny 2 on PS4 let me know! I miss the "old" days of DoD and Destiny kind of brings me back to that.

Cheers,
JJ