Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

[Firewind]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

baby steps

I used to think I was an introvert. I've come to the conclusion that I'm actually somewhere between introvert and extrovert, but was just too shy to really be outgoing. I think it was half getting in better shape and improving my self confidence and half getting older and realizing I really don't give a shit what 99% of people think about me that got me to be more outgoing.
I might suggest inviting the guys you play with to a dive bar or something afterwards for a drink or two. Not necessarily tonight, but after you get to know some of them and determine if they're actually people you'd like to hang out with socially.
(This is, of course, assuming you're not completely introverted and have an interest in getting out more)

Aks: Did you try fb messaging him? He may not have realized he didn't have his phone on him or been busy and not given thought that you might be trying to text him.

I wouldn't call myself an introvert, far from it, I love talking to new people just in case they like the same things I do. I just find keeping up with social nuances and constantly having to pick the intended non-verbal messages amid the many unintended ones physically exhausting, I inevitably end up reading the wrong one and annoying or offending someone be speaking in the wrong tone of voice or making a joke about something to cheer them up when they didn't want that. So I tend to want to bow out because keeping up with everything makes me start thinking things like the following:

"Maybe I was talking too quietly and they didn't hear me?"
"Am I annoying/offending these people and are they being too polite to say?"
"Am I boring these people, and they are being too polite to say, and that's why people aren't talking to me much?"
"Was what I just said really the right thing?"

It eventually gets to the point where I just start thinking "Okay I want to go home, because I might be annoying/offending/boring these people can't it's getting really tiring trying to work out if I am or not, and they're probably too polite to ask me to leave."

Either that or I only turn up to things at a time when people are too drunk to care about that. Drunk people are much easier to read and tend to not give a shit about be blathering on about things that actually interest me. I try to think of myself as passionate about my interested but I do wonder sometimes if I accidentally make myself look more obsessed in an unhealthy way, than just a passionate fan.

I suppose it doesn't help that I have quite a deep voice, and speak very softly and quickly, because I do sound quite harsh and a bit angry when speaking in a loud and slow voice. When speaking loudly I start to worry that people might think I'm shouting at them or being aggressive when I'm just trying to make sure I'm speaking loud and clear. I think it's why I've taken to talking with my hands a lot, and being rather animated when speaking IRL to make sure I'm not being misunderstood and to compensate for my lack of body language, something my friends like to poke fun at me about a lot.

Anyway sorry about putting personal issues on the board. I didn't want to add even more to what is already there.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Lady?

Haha, good catch - let's not go that far, Mal. *belches*

[Malacite]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I take it all back

[Feba]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

so on the Occupy Taiwan Legislature movement, the standoff was broken last night, unfortunately by violence. Police have started to resort to clubs and other weapons to try to drive out students sitting in the legislature; lots of photos going around of bloodied kids. Pretty terrible stuff. This after what had been extremely respectful conduct from the protestors; going so far as to applaud police officers for their work during the changing of the guard. Last week professors were suspending roll calls so as not to punish students who wished to participate; this week assignments are being extended and some classes even getting canceled. There's been talk of a students' strike. Lots of the professors are directly involved with talks to try to straighten things out.

I think the thing that bothers me most about this is that in Taiwan, young people generally have zero issues with the police; the police are helpful, mostly uninvolved in the lives of normal people except when they need assistance. That wasn't the case for their parents, and it's looking like their views could change very quickly too.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

That's never a good thing ... I'll admit I don't really know what's going on over there because half the time I can't even keep my own affairs straight. Are you in Taiwan now? I know you've hopped around quite a bit so I'm actually just certain that you're over in that general area but unsure where, exactly.

I'm working 8-6 all week to make up for my orientation on Friday. I already know this week is going to suck.

[Feba]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I've only been living in Taipei for the past three years. Not sure where you get the impression that I've hopped around quite a bit.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Shows how much I pay attention. I was pretty sure you were in Japan for a while. Oh well.

[Feba]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I was. Three years ago.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Oh so I'm not crazy. I guess that makes sense.

So I am posting this from my phone. My work computer crashed and IT is working on it. Nothing like a BSOD on a Monday.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

Someone mentioned last page about wanting to get into Magic?

I very much wouldn't recommend it right now. Prices on cards older than a couple of years old have exploded as of late. You see, MTG has had its fifth "most successful year of all time" in a row last year, and so demand for cards is starting to outstrip supply--people are wanting out-of-print cards faster than WotC will reprint them. And the secondary market, being the completely unregulated Libertarian paradise that it is, has become utterly plagued by speculation. Anybody who can afford to do is scouring the internet for every copy of whatever fairly-priced Modern-playable card they feel like, buying it out everywhere they can get it, effectively cornering the market on that card. Let's not even get into how ridiculous Zendikar fetchlands are right now.

Sure, you could build a Standard deck instead. Be ready to pony up the $140 for the playset of Mutavault your deck is probably going to need, though (though I suppose that's better than any set of the fetchlands). Or if you're playing a heavily-multicolored deck, the bargain price (not even joking) of $40 for each set of shocklands applicable to you (usually three). Or I guess you could play the Maze's End deck and beat control while losing to everybody else.

Or perhaps a lot of your friends play Commander? If so and you can snag one of the pre-constructed "Commander (2013 Edition)" decks for $25-30, I'd do that and call it a day.

tl;dr right now is a far better time to cash out of Magic (if at all possible) than to buy into it.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

This is nothing new. The secondary market has always been like that. Fetchlands and Mutavaults are pricey? Get back to me when you've taken a look at dual lands sir. Shit's always been that way if you want to play competitively in any format.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

That was me, and yeah I don't think I'd actually want to get like super into it, I'd just like to check it out and see if I'd like it, so I wouldn't invest right away anyway.

Also, this work day needs to end.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

There's a free demo on Steam if you want to just poke around and see how the game works without trudging through a rulebook or spending money: Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 on Steam

I wouldn't really recommend spending money on it unless you know some folks who play, and at that point they can probably just bury you in free cards to get you started anyway.

[Aksannyi]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

I've just always been fascinated by the tabletop games but it seems like there's so many rules and things, I'd probably like to just watch others play before I decide if I'd wanna join in.

And yeah I don't really know anyone who plays. Actually scratch that, I think my boyfriend does from time to time but not with any regularity. I should get in on that.

[cidbahamut]

Re: Official Bored at Work / Off-Topic Chat Thread II

The obstacle really and truly isn't the rules, it's finding people to play with.

If your boyfriend plays it shouldn't be too hard to get him to teach you the ropes, maybe pick up a duel deck and just spend a few hours learning to play, see if it's your thing.