Pariah

Neil Peart, drummer and lyricist of Rush, died on this date in 2020.

Next up: When will Russell Wilson be released? And who will be the starter for the Donkeys next season? The conventional wisdom seems to be that Denver will draft either Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. in April. If that happens, I hope they will keep them on the bench behind a veteran (Jarrett Stidham or someone else) for at least the majority of the first season. No need to turn either of those guys into Zack Wilson 2.0.

Yin and yang, a life of balance

American Dream: Stephon Wilson idolized one comic book hero growing up: The man with the shield. He dedicated himself to perfecting his mind and body to be like him. He went to a local state school on a football scholarship and graduated with a degree in Materials Science Engineering. He turned down a shot at the NFL to go to graduate school, where his research team invented a polymer that was lightweight and nigh-indestructible—the perfect material for a shield of his own. Stephon now defends the innocent as the costumed hero American Dream. Character Name: American Dream Alternate Identities: Stephon Wilson 25 STR 15 14- Lift 800.0kg; 5d6 [2] 25 DEX 30 14- 25 CON 15 14- 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 18 EGO 8 13- 30 PRE 10 15- PRE Attack: 4d6 9 OCV 30 10 DCV 35 3 OMCV 0 3 DMCV 0 6 SPD 40 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 12/30 PD 10 Total: 12/30 PD (0/18 rPD) 12/30 ED 10 Total: 12/30 ED (0/18 rED) 12 REC 8 50 END 6 12 BODY 2 35 STUN 8 Running: 20m/40m Leaping: 10m/20m Swimming: 6m/12m 16 Armored Costume: Resistant Protection (8 PD/8 ED) (24 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 20 The Shield: Multipower, 30-point reserve, (30 Active Points); all slots OIF (-1/2) 2f 1) Shield Block I: Deflection, Ranged (+1/2) (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 3 2f 2) Shield Block II: Reflection (45 Active Points' worth) (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 3 2f 3) Shield Bash: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/4) 2f 4) Shield Wall: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 2f 5) Shield Throw: Blast 6d6 (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2) 3 4 Super Metabolism: Regeneration (1 BODY per Day) 10 Indomitable Will I: Mental Defense (10 points total) 5 Indomitable Will II: +10 PRE (10 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Defensive Only; -1) 3 Bump Of Direction 16 +2 with HTH Combat 3 Acrobatics 14- 3 Breakfall 14- 3 Climbing 14- 3 Conversation 15- 5 Defense Maneuver I-II 1 Language: Spanish (basic conversation) 3 Oratory 15- 3 Persuasion 15- 3 Paramedics 12- 4 Science Skill: Materials Science 13- 3 Streetwise 15- 5 Defensive Strike +1 +3 8d6 Strike 5 Offensive Strike -2 +1 12d6 Strike 4 Martial Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 Martial Dodge -- +5 Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 3 Martial Throw +0 +1 8d6 +v/10, Target Falls 4 Martial Escape +0 +0 55 STR vs. Grabs 3 Martial Grab -1 -1 Grab Two Limbs, 50 STR for holding on 12 +3 HTH Damage Class(es) 15 Social Complication: Secret ID Frequently, Major 10 Distinctive Features: Black Man in a Flag Suit (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Hunted: White Dragon Infrequently (As Pow; Harshly Punish) 15 Psychological Complication: Defends the Innocent (Common; Strong) 15 Psychological Complication: Never Gives Up (Common; Strong) 10 Dependent NPC: Alicia Watters (Girlfriend) Infrequently (Normal; Useful Noncombat Position or Skills; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID) Quote: "With hard work, determination, and courage, you can be anything you want to be. Don't ever let anyone tell you different."

For 2024, I have resolved to build 26 new Champions characters - one for each letter of the alphabet. Since there are 52 weeks in the year, that works out to about one every two weeks. The challenges for me on this project are twofold: 1. I don't currently have a gaming group, so I'm basically working in a vacuum. 2. I have very little experience with 6th Edition. (I'm a Big Blue Book guy myself.) So there's a learning curve. So take a look at my creations. Helpful feedback is appreciated!

...but probably not for very long.

Whenever we visited my brother in Colorado, we'd take him to Golden Corral for lunch. It was always a great time. We've made it something of a tradition to go to Golden Corral on his birthday since he died.

Q: Why did the cowboy adopt a dachshund? A: He wanted to get a long little doggie.

Cowboy fans? No. Niners fans? Maybe.

Invisibility cloak

An Elf, a Dwarf, and a Man walk into a bar. Their Hobbit friend laughs and walks under it.

Tolkien's Middle Earth = Babylon 5

Doggonne it!

With great power comes huge electric bills.

361

Fettuccini alfredo with chicken

Torturing my students with math isn't really what my job is all about. But it is an entertaining perk.

We have Colorado to the east and Nevada to the west. So instead of seeing Broncos / Raiders this weekend, we get Cowboys / Commanders. Fantastic.

Sister bluebird flying high above Shine your wings forward to the sun Hide the mysteries of life on your way Though you've seen them, please don't say a word What you don't know, I have never heard Starship trooper, go sailing on by Catch my soul, catch the very light Hide the moment from my eager eye Though you've seen them, please don't tell a soul What you can't see, can't be very whole Speak to me of summer Long winters longer than time can remember The setting up of other roads To travel on in old accustomed ways I still remember the talks by the water The proud sons and daughter That knew the knowledge of the land Spoke to me in sweet accustomed ways Mother life, hold firmly on to me Catch my knowledge higher than the day Lose as much as only you can show Though you've seen me, please don't say a word What I don't know, I have never shared Loneliness is a power that we possess to give or take away forever All I know can be shown by your acceptance of the facts there shown before you Take what I say in a different way and it's easy to say that this is all confusion As I see a new day in me, I can also show it you and you may follow Speak to me of summer Long winters longer than time can remember The setting up of other roads To travel on in old accustomed ways I still remember the talks by the water The proud sons and daughter That knew the knowledge of the land Spoke to me in sweet accustomed ways

Soon, oh soon the light Pass within and soothe this endless night And wait here for you Our reason to be here Soon, oh soon the time All we move to gain will reach and calm Our heart is open Our reason to be here Long ago, set into rhyme Soon, oh soon the light Ours to shape for all time, ours the right The sun will lead us Our reason to be here Soon, oh soon the light Ours to shape for all time, ours the right The sun will lead us Our reason to be here