(no subject)

Response to a LinkedIn invitation from a coworker - file under why Jose still wears t-shirts:
"I'll be happy to add you, but I will be really honest and note it might "do more harm than good." Part of my willingness to take a government salary is a general lack of a split between my personal and private life, a sacrifice of salary and prestige I make to enjoy a flamboyant off the clock world. That's to say my professional network currently has no work colleagues nor related industry partners of any type - mostly they're my private-life friends.

However, if you're looking for work as a bartender or holding up the other side - it's priceless!"

(no subject)

d3

Love:
1. It's a pretty game with a story with most of the things that were good in d2.
2. Death is nearly painless in sc.
3. Shared stash for the win.

Hate:
1. Chat is nearly invisible, and the inability to make game names combined with the bad chat makes socializing very difficult. It also makes trading next to silly without the auction or a 3rd party site.
2. LONG. SLOW. HARD. Everything feels dragged out - once you see that slow motion run they do toward the gate you know everything that is wrong with this game. You remember when in d2 they tried to combat bots by making act 3's meph runs HUGE...and the result was only bots took the time to find him anymore, but they never fixed the problem? It's like they took that giant meph maze and designed this entire game based on that.
3. Server down. So much for being able to rely on their stress test - the frequent "patches" and "maintenance" make me thing this thing was written and is maintained by a group of 19 year old stoners who are mostly playing another game.
4. Item dependence seems huge now, even more than the rune words in late d2.
5. WHAT'S HITTING ME!? Once you get the gist of keeping out of red, green, or black pools of goo you'd think you could stay alive. However, I find many of my deaths just leave me scratching my goat chin wondering what happened.
6. Paper and gold required to upgrade gems. I'm saving jeweler papers only to write expletives on them.
7. SHUT UP. My god, my merc won't shut up. Diablo won't shut up - not for 2 versions of hell he won't shut up.
8. I forget what 8 was for.
9. HIGH HEELS AND EXPOSED MIDRIFFS. Sure it was sort misogynistic to have naked sorc and a few demons in d2, but d3 makes it even dumber...to be fair, now both genders run around with tons of armor on, yet decide that there is no need to cover their vital organs. This would explain why death is so common in d3...they're not being hit hard, they just have exposed intestines! Then, possibly explaining why their life-saving run looks like a slow motion movie jog into the wind...they're wearing heels. Seriously, check your footwear and then ... watch MMA. Join a gym and do deadlifts. Box. Kick. Do any sport whatsoever with the exception of cardio-pole-dancing and I think you'll find THERE IS NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAT IS BETTER PERFORMED IN HEELS.
9a) the enchantress is flat out naked. Her outfit is more naked than skin, and her equipment is...a mirror? MIRROR!? Oh bliz, you gave us make and female characters but then gave a naked sorc a mirror? What's her signature move - belly dancing!?
10. Conservative messages - I'm all about both sides of the aisle, but have you noticed:
a) "they nodded their empty heads and sent us to die..." Really? If they're subject to criticism then they're elected (ask Syria) and if you're unhappy with them, well vote 'em out. Oh, and shouldn't you really be mad at the cursed king's wrath rather than those who didn't stop him?
b) The templar happily points out "criminals" in his land are just executed. Really preacher dude? For murder, fighting, and speeding? Which criminals, and don't pretend we agree on what crimes are criminal. Who does this deciding, and do people accuse them of having empty skulls?
c) While we're on the templar, he tells by your ruthless fighting you're a person of honor. Wow, this dude needs to get out more for some great fighters are horrible people and vice versa - it's not a great measure of character.
d) Everyone hates the mayor who is a coward. What, you want the chunk with the biggest axe to run the budget? Good luck with that - I'll be in the representative monarchy next land over guarding my sheep.
e) more whining about the government in the bazaar of act 2, combined with more whining by mercs about "How could the rulers let this happen..." These same people then beg for help when all hell breaks loose - so we hate the government when we don't get a free ride, but then we beg for help in times of trouble? You need to pray for miracles, not ask elected leaders for them.

Meh.
Why am I saving this junk? The gold you get for selling things is meh, and if you craft items at first you wind up with...junk. I hear sometime in the future crafts actually matter. As of now, I've read up on all I can do with my spiffy new blacksmith buddy (I hear he's single) with all those jars of goo my items were salvaged for...far weaker items I found 10 levels earlier on my own! You yabo! Dunglehead! After I helped you with your domestic sitaution this is the thanks I get? Can I just drink these essences?

And so on.