Friday, August 31, 2007--After work today, I went to Uncle's Games at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue for a Standard-legal Friday Night Magic Tournament. Once again, I brought my (Justin's) Cruel Gruul.
Round 1, I played against Steven, who played a Storm deck. In game 1, on turn 4, he managed to bring out a pair of Storm Entities, which I was unable to deal with. In game 2, he had bad draws and was unable to go off, so I was able to bring him down to 1 life before he was able to stall the board. Then, I topdecked a Mogg Fanatic, and it was good game. In game 3, I managed to get a turn 4 Rumbling Slum while I was at 13 life (he was burning me some, and I took some damage from shocklands). Then, on his turn 4, he played a Pyromancer's Swath and Grapeshotted with a Storm count of 3, so he ended up dealing a total of 12 damage to me. Then, on my upkeep, the Rumbling Slum killed me.
Record: 0-1
In round 2, I played against Ryan, who was running a Boros deck, apparently. In game 1, his 1/1s tried to fight against my Gruul and failed. In game 2, he played a Calciderm (5/5), but since Calciderms have Vanishing, he had to attack with it, so I was able to double-block with a Call of the Herd elephant token (3/3) and a Burning-Tree Shaman (3/4). He killed off my Burning-Tree Shaman, but I got rid of the Calciderm. Unfortunately, he followed it up with a second one. This time, I double blocked with my elephant and my 1/1 Mogg Fanatic, which I promptly pumped with my Pendelhaven. Unfortunately, I failed to realize that he had his own Mogg Fanatic, which he sac'ed in attempts to kill my Mogg Fanatic. Fortunately, I just pumped my Mogg Fanatic with my Skarrg. Unfortunately, since after pumping the Mogg Fanatic with Skarrg, the Mogg Fanatic was no longer a 1/1, so the Pendelhaven pump fizzled. Fortunately, after assigning lethal damage to the Calciderm, I sac'ed the Mogg Fanatic to kill off his Scorched Rusalka. (My elephant still died.) So I lost two creatures to his three. Anyways, after killing off the Calciderm, he didn't really have an answer to my beaters, so I won.
Record: 1-1
In round 3, I played against Akio, who had beaten Steven earlier, so I was expected to lose. (Akio claimed that Gruul was a bad matchup for him, though, although then again, I wasn't playing your usual Gruul.) Anyways, in game 1, he was able to beat me with Treetop Villages (one of which I Incinerated) and a Scryb Ranger equipped with a Loxodon Warhammer. In game 2, he smashed me with a pair of Tarmogoyfs. Ow!
Record: 1-2
In round 4, I played against Aaron, who was running what appeared to be a 5-color Sliver deck. I beat him in two quick games.
Record: 2-2
Well, it looks like the good luck that Prinnifer had brought me has finally run out.
Thursday, August 30, 2007--I got a promotion today. I am now at level 60.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007--After work today, I went to draft with the guys in the Cafe 16/17.
My first pick was a Temporal Isolation, so I started out trying to draft a white weenie deck. However, as I then got passed a Telekinetic Sliver, so I decided to draft more slivers and blue cards. So I ended up with a blue-white sliver deck. Then, I got passed a Necrotic Sliver, so I splashed black.
Here is my decklist:
6xIsland
7xPlains
3xSwamp
Calciform Pools
Vedalken Aethermage
Dreamscape Artist
Venser's Diffusion
Mesmeric Sliver
Telekinetic Sliver
2xSynchronous Sliver
Reality Strobe
2xLogic Knot
Sidewinder Sliver
2xSunlance
Benalish Cavalry
Mistmeadow Skulk
Sinew Sliver
Dawn Charm
Temporal Isolation
Poultice Sliver
Bound in Silence
Lymph Sliver
Spitting Sliver
Necrotic Sliver
So first, I played Jon. In game 1, I drew a total of 2 creatures. Clearly, I lost. In game 2, I managed to get out a triumvirate of a Sinew Sliver, Necrotic Sliver, and Telekinetic Sliver, and was able to lock down his major attackers as I slowly pinged away his life. Even though he kept getting bigger creatures than me, with a combination of the threat from the Necrotic Sliver and the Telekinetic Sliver. Eventually, I was forced to sac the Necrotic Sliver, but only after I got out a Lymph Sliver. After a long game, I finally brought Jon down. In game 3, I got the turn 2 Dreamscape Artist and the turn 4 Telekinetic Sliver, but he Ghostfired it. Then, we quickly got into a creature stalemate as I got some Synchronous Slivers and a Spitting Sliver, giving all my slivers vigilance and first strike. Fortunately, with the Dreamscape Artist, I was able to thin my deck of land and get good draws the rest of the game. Eventually, I was able to momentarily break the stalemate with a Poultice Sliver, the regeneration allowing my creatures to attack without risk of dying. Unfortunately, he was able to get rid of it without hope of regeneration (I forget how). Fortunately, I was later able to get my Necrotic Sliver out and pulverize his key creatures, then attack for the (first-striking) win.
Then, I played Eric. I forget how he beat me (prolly I had bad draws), but he beat me in the first game. In game 2, I had the Dreamscape Artist in my opening hand, but I didn't get any blue mana until turn 5, and by then, he had already had the advantage, so I lost.
Then, I played against Samir. In game 1, he lost, but it was prolly because he was distracted by the TV. In game 2, I was mana screwed, so he beat me easily. In game 3, it was a close match, but he ended up winning by overruning me with animated lands from Jolrael, Queen of Beasts.
Monday, August 27, 2007--Today, I went to the gym. I'm stronger than I've ever been before. By the time I go home for Thanksgiving, I'll be able to bench press Little Vivian.
Little Vivian sent me an e-mail. I like it when she sends me e-mail.
Sunday, August 26, 2007--I continued my 20-stronger-enemies playthrough of Disgaea. After getting partway through Chapter 9, I decided to farm some specialists from the Item World to level up faster, because while I'm sure with some time and effort, I could take down these enemies, right now, they're levels are ridiculous and the battles are taking on the order of an hour.
Saturday, August 25, 2007--I continued my 20-stronger-enemies playthrough of Disgaea. Today, I cleared Chapter 8 (the saddest chapter in the game). Like chapter 7, this took the whole day as well.
On this day:
In 2003: The first day of Berkeley.
Friday, August 24, 2007--So today, I went to Kiku Sushi with MichCh and JKern and had raw fish for the first time (in the form of nigiri sushi). It's funny. 5 years ago, I woulda been like, "No, I don't want raw fish!" Now, I'm just like, eh, sure, what the heck. The nigiri sushi was squishy, but all right. Nothing special, though.
The most interesting part of the story was when I saw one of the new waitresses wearing a Monta Vista t-shirt (as in, Monta Vista High School of Cupertino). As she was filling our drinks, I asked her about it, and it turns out she's from Monta Vista class of '06. She was wearing that shirt because she didn't have any proper black shirt, since she's new.
After we left Kiku, Jon and Michael were telling me I shoulda asked her out. ><
Thursday, August 23, 2007--
On this day:
In 2005: Roommate David makes his first appearance in my bloop.
In 2004: First appearances of Guillermo, roommate; Joyce S, girl next door; Irene (IVY), other girl next door; Lynn, Aura, and Minjung, girls downstairs.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007--Viltris: heh, so you know how my profile says "I have a webcam, apparently."
Viltris: so Justin joked that I should get into a relationship with a girl
Viltris: and change it to
Viltris: "I have a girlfriend, apparently."
[Lei]: hehe i think you should change it to "i have a girlfriend, apparently" anyway
[Lei]: and see who asks about it
Viltris: well, what if Little Vivian likes me and sees it and then decides to go for another guy because i have a girlfriend apparently?
Viltris: then what?
Viltris: then what?
[Lei]: lol ummm what if it makes her jealous and makes her realize she likes you
[Lei]: then what?
Viltris: not a risk i'm willing to take
Viltris: yet
On this day:
In 2005: I meet Princess Vivian.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007--So I had this dream last night where for some reason, I went back to Leland High School to relive my senior year, even though I'm 22, and I was in the uber-advanced math class (prolly Math 53 or something). So I met this one white girl in my class who was like, "This class is so easy!" And I'm like, "Really? It's giving me a bit of trouble." Then later, I caught her looking through my backpack, and she was like, I was looking through your backpack, just in case you had a girlfriend or something. Weird. Later, some little kid recognized me and was like, "Dwayne, what are you doing here?" And the girl was confused, so I was like, "Do you want me to tell you the truth?" And she was like, "No," and walked away. Yeah, it was a really weird dream.
Stacy: She's a spy!
On this day:
In 2006: I start full-time work at Microsoft.
In 2003: I meet Kim Hung on the Chancellor's Lawn.
Monday, August 20, 2007--
In 2006: Arrival in Redmond
Sunday, August 19, 2007--I resumed my 20-stronger-enemies-bills-passed 2nd cycle playthrough of Disgaea. This time, I cleared Chapter 7. It took the whole day.
On this day:
In 2006: Departure from San Jose.
Saturday, August 18, 2007--On impulse, I went to Redmond Town Center with MichCh to get some Thai curry at Thai Ginger. Then, I went to to EB Games where, also on impulse, I bought Overlord (the game, not the demon).
Overlord is a fairly amusing game. It's also the simplest game I've played in a long, long time. I've forgotten how fun simple games can be.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007--Last night, I dreamt about Little Vivian.
Later, I called Little Vivian and talked to her for 7 minutes. Unfortunately, it seems she had just woken up at 6pm. Jetlag...
On this day:
In 2005: In Diablo 2, Justin and I visit Chaotic Tristram for the first time ever.
Also, I played M:tG with the guys in Cafe 16/17.
Monday, August 13, 2007--
Happy Birthday to me!
After work today, I went to dinner at Red Robin with Michael, Jonathan, Sean, Feng, Leon, Abhi, Chris, Bahl, Rohan, and me. It was good.
On this day:
In 2004: "Holy shit! I have negative one of nothing!"
Sunday, August 12, 2007--Today, I discovered that Little Vivian had posted a Happy Birthday on my facebook at 9:01am. Now, Little Vivian is in Taiwan at the moment, so when she posted, it was 12:01am August 13th in Taiwan. Wow, Little Vivian is so sweet!
Either she's really bored, or I'm actually important enough to her for her to actually take the time and effort to post at exactly 12:01am.
Saturday, August 11, 2007--
On this day:
In 2003: Convo with me and Lei about how girls with boyfriends are more flirtatious...
Thursday, August 9, 2007--
On this day:
In 2006:
- I beat Suikoden 2.
- I get my first digicam (which gets stolen 4 months later).
In 2003: I play my first MTG booster draft ever, an Odyssey-Odyssey-Judgment draft at Hedayati's place.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007--
On this day:
In 2005: Justin and I fight the Uber bosses for the first time in Diablo 2.
Sunday, August 5, 2007--
On this day:
In 2006: I take my first picture with
Little Vivian.
Little Vivian is so gosh-darned kyoot!
Friday, August 3, 2007--After work, I went to another Friday Night Magic. This time, it was Standard Constructed. I brought in my (Justin's) Cruel Gruul, modified to use Mogg Fanatics instead of Kird Apes.
In round 1, I played against Colin, who was playing Red-White-Blue Angelfire, or something like that. The first game, I had a slow start and Colin was able to beat me. In games 2 and 3, however, even though he played an Ivory Mask to keep me from burning him (I just burnt his creatures instead), and even though he played Platinum Angel (I just killed it, then smashed his face), I still won.
Record: 1-0
In round 2, I played against Robert, who was running a black-blue-white control deck. In game 1, he was able to get an early Skeletal Vampire on me. Fortunately, he was too eager to chump block with both of his bats, thereby neutering his own Vampire. Unfortunately, he quickly followed up with an Angel of Despair, spelling the end for me. In game 2, both of us were stuck on 2 lands. Fortunately, I'm Gruul, so I won. Game 3 was a really, really close game. Both of us had to throw so many resources at each other that we ran out of cards and had to rely on topdecks to win. In the end, it came down to his Skeletal Vampire versus a Mogg Fanatic and a Rumbling Slum. For some reason, he decided to make 5 bats and then use them all to block me, however, in the process, he was able to kill my Slum by following up with a Last Gasp. Fortunately, I had the better topdecks, and I was able to recover more quickly than he could. That and, a well-placed Magus of the Moon messed up his mana base.
Record: 2-0
In round 3, I played against a Robbie, who was running an original black-white-blue-green deck (or so it seemed, judging by his landbase). I couldn't really figure out what his deck was doing. I had a pretty good start in game 1, allowing me to win. Game 2 was a lot closer, but with a Magus of the Moon, I was able to mess up his mana base and win the game.
Record: 3-0
After the game...
Spectator: Why didn't you use your Skarrg?
me: It was a mountain. *points to the Magus of the Moon*
Anyways, my lucky Prinny won me my fourth tournament in a row. I won 5 booster packs from this.
Also, it turns out that the ability to suspend a Rift Bolt isn't all that useful. (In fact, I never suspended it at all today.) So I swapped them out in favor of Incinerates.
Thursday, August 2, 2007--
On this day:
In 2004: I beat Golden Sun 2.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007--I finished Harry Potter 7 today. It was entertaining, but some parts were needlessly slow, and the ending was rather predictable. That said, it was still entertaining.
