Twev1701.net

I’m weak.

It’s been years since I have played an MMORPG (Massive Multiple Online Role Playing Game) and I swore that the next one I would play would be the ever postponed ‘Stargate Worlds’.

I’m weak.

While it is true that there have been many an MMORPG that has come out since I stopped playing WoW (World of Warcraft) that I have been interested in, I have been strong. I have stayed true and held my convictions.

I’m weak. They know my weaknesses.

So what happened a few days ago? I started playing a new MMORPG. One that I had held out playing for all of 3 weeks after it came out. But it called to me. It whispered into my ear at night. I knew exactly what to say and what I wanted to hear. It got inside my head and I was helpless.

Captain Trevor Shafer

U.S.S. Daniel Jackson

Yes, I am playing ‘Star Trek Online’ and loving every minute of it. And yes, that is indeed my ship, the U.S.S. Daniel Jackson.

I am weak and I make no excuses for it. But to put everything into context, I have been a Star Trek fan for almost all of my life. I remember staying up with my father late on Saturday nights as a small kid and watching the Original Series (Kirk, Spock, McCoy…) on our local PBS station. Then, when I was around 13 or so, I turned into what most people would call a Star Trek nerd. I still am to this day. I am the guy who knows all the useless trivia, both on screen and behind the scenes. I’m the guy that can receite dialogue while watching the episode. I am the guy who goes to Star Trek Conventions (and was a dealer there for a few years). And yes, I am THAT GUY who owns and wears on occasion, a Starfleet Uniform.

And for those wondering what my wife has to think about all of this? She’s totally cool with it. She has know virtually from day one how much I love Star Trek. Online, I have been going by the handle ‘Twev1701′ since 1994. Even though she was bit frightened the first time she came over to my home by the sheer volume of Star Trek stuf I have, she was cool with it and never asked me once to give any of it up. She was even cool enough to let me and my guys wear Starfleet Communicators (Next Generation style) on our tuxedos in our wedding!

Me and My Bride

Me and My Guys

We’re in the corsshairs of a nasty storm that is due to show its face around here in about 12 hours. It’s supposed to start around 8am this morning with some light snow, and then some really heavy snow by this afternoon. By this evening, it should be a full-on snow storm with 25-35mph winds. Right now they are calling for 10-15 inches of snow.

Do I have work today? Yes. Will I be calling off? No. Since I took off Tuesday because Jackson was sick I really need to go in. So, unless it’s absolutely treacherous out there tomorrow at 1pm, I will be going in for my shift at 2pm. In all honesty, I don’t mind. It should be a nice easy night given that most people will probably call off and there will be little to no customers.

That is, assuming that we do get hit with this big storm. As always, I am a pessimist on the outside, and a little kid on the inside wishing for snowmageddon.

My walk with Loki tonight.

At the time of the picture (12pm) we had 6.5″ on the ground and it’s still coming down.

So as of this writing, the Nation Weather Service is saying we’re looking at 6-12 inches of snow, starting tonight, the heaviest coming tomorrow afternoon. My prediction still holds true that we’re going to see less than 3 inches from this storm. I still think a dusting is 100 possible, but if we are to get more snow, my money is on 2-3 inches. Nothing fantastic, just like this whole winter has been snow wise thus far.

Thinking on the other end argument, if we do happen to get what they are saying, and if in fact the heaviest snow is to arrive tomorrow afternoon, this might make my work situation somewhat difficult. You see, I work from 2pm-10pm tomorrow. Granted, I am only a short 13 minute drive away from work, but time and distance have nothing to do in this equation. It’s all about the amount of snow and the willingness of the road crews to keep our street clean. Snow + no plow = me staying home. That’s about as simple as it can get.

The National Weather Service (professional guessers) has issued a Winter Storm Watch for us here in the snow deprived northeast. It reads as follows:

Issued by The National Weather Service
Binghamton, NY
10:02 am EST, Mon., Feb. 8, 2010

… WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING…

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.

A SNOWSTORM IS POSSIBLE FOR A LARGE PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA… FROM LATE TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING… AND LAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY… TAPERING TO SNOW SHOWERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE SNOW COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES… ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR AT LEAST 7 INCHES OF SNOW… FROM SOUTH CENTRAL NEW YORK TO NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT BECAUSE HEAVY SNOW IS A POSSIBILITY… BUT NOT A CERTAINTY. AT THIS TIME… THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 7 INCHES OR MORE. TRAVEL CONDITIONS COULD BECOME HAZARDOUS… SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TRAVEL IN THE WATCH AREA LATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

&&

More Information

… A WINTER STORM MAY IMPACT THE REGION LATE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY…

.LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO ORGANIZE INTO A MAJOR WINTER STORM… AS IT TRACKS FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO THE NEW JERSEY COAST TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS STORM WILL SPREAD SNOW INTO CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA LATE TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. THE SNOW COULD BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES WEDNESDAY… ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. THE STORM WILL MOVE OUT TO SEA BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT… TAPERING THE STEADIER SNOW TO SNOW SHOWERS.

Since we have pretty much been screwed out of every snow storm to hit the east coast this year, I am not putting much faith into this storm to give us the snow I desperately want. My bet is that we may end up with a dusting. Ironically, if we go get the 7 or more inches they’re talking about, I will either have to A) Go to work since I am so close, thus being forced to shovel both before AND after work or B) Will be snowed from my alley not being plowed and will be forced to stay home and miss a day’s pay. The only happy medium will be my prediction, which is a dusting.

I am off today and tomorrow from work. I’m not feeling he best, and Jess is trying to get me to go to the doctor. It’s not that I hate going to the doctor, but in my opinion, if I am going to be paying $25 to see the doctor, I’d better damn near death. I took a nice hot shower the morning and expelled all kinds nastiness from my sinus cavity and lungs. Surprisingly, I feel a lot better now. Let’s see how this works out.

I am on the phone with my wife right now who is actually on her way home early today. This kinda works towards my plan for the day. I plan on cleaning the house and taking care of Jackson until about 1pm or so, and then hopefully Jess can take over and I can maybe do a few things I want to do today.

Remember when having a day off meant sleeping until noon and playing video games all day?