About to Lose My Mind

So, this week has been rather trying for me. It seems that everyone in Denver has forgotten how to behave like normal human beings. I blame it all on the Democratic National Convention.

Mind you, I'm not opposed to political groups getting together to get themselves all pumped up for the elections.

But, did they have to come to *my* city!?!

*I* did NOT ask them to come here.

But, someone did.

And, because I work downtown near the convention site, my entire week has been forced away from any sense of normalcy. Each of the past two days, while trying to get away from the office for some lunch, I've been inundated by convention-goers. What's worse is that both days so far, a police officer has tried to run me down. Monday, it was a 300-pound gorilla of an officer riding a bicycle. He came barreling around a blind corner with five of his blue-uniformed friends. And, there I was, left with no place to go.

I'm sure he could tell I wasn't terribly pleased by the encounter.

I mean, I was on a sidewalk.

A sidewalk, not a bike path.

Here in Denver, the two are easily distinguished from one another by the big bicycle painted on the surface of the bike path.

Of course, I'd've *somehow* been in the wrong for knocking him off his bike for trying to run me down...

Yesterday, again, while I was walking on a sidewalk...

You know, those places where pedestrians are *supposed* to have the right-of-way...

Another officer tried to run me down, this time with a Ford F-350 pulling a six-horse trailer.

This time, I clearly expressed my displeasure. When he waved me off, I was tempted to drag him out of his truck and trade places with him.

If there are any police officers in my reading audience, please remember that just because you have a badge and a gun does *NOT* mean you can ignore a citizen's rights.

I can hardly wait to see what happens today...

In an attempt to keep my sanity, I logged in to the game on Monday night, but was so exhausted from the throngs on the first day of the convention, that I had to log out early and crawl into bed before I collapsed.

Which was too bad.

Segna (Bashal/Stonehands), PuddinTan (Tanision/Murders) and Jaecen (Branwynn/Fharn/etc., guild leader for the Lifetakers and Heartbreakers) were all out running through the Menechtarun Desert, in search for the elusive Bloodstone.

I couldn't hang.

I needed rest.

Last night was different, though. Despite the trials of the real-life day, I decided I needed to have some fun. Belzur, Murders, Segna, and me, running as Obsydiian, headed out to Gianthold for a little diversion. We decided upon the Maze of Madness. And, we picked up a couple of really cool PUG (Pick-Up Group) players for the excursion.

I really enjoy the Maze.

It's a trap-smithing Rogue's dream come true.

It's also the quest where I pulled my stack of thirteen Kargon's Tasty Hams from one of the chests.

(You all remember that Kargon is my hero, right?!?)

Of course, we were only running the quest on Normal, but the point of the adventure was to enjoy ourselves. If I'd wanted to torture myself, I'd simply have gone right back to work. :-P

Still, it really was a lot of fun. Especially for me, since it was the first time in a very long time that I've run that quest, playing as something other than a Cleric. Don't get me wrong... I love playing my Clerics. But, after having played them so much, there's a marked difference in how a Sorcerer/Barbarian like Obsydiian plays.

I actually have a difficult time trying to remember which buttons to push for which spells to cast or weapons to swing.

It can be quite confusing.

But, it was loads of fun.

Enough fun, it seems, that neither of our PUG players dropped group when we finished. Instead, both asked what we were doing next.

Heh... well, how 'bout a quick PoP run!?! (That's Prison of the Planes, in case you forgot.)

Ya know, I really enjoy all of the quests out in Gianthold, but the Maze of Madness and the Prison of the Planes have to be two of my favorites. They both offer their own challenges, but neither is overwhelming. At least, not when run at the appropriate level of difficulty, and with a well-balanced group, anyway.

Though nothing especially cool dropped in any of the chests, our PUG Wizard managed to pull himself a +1 Vorpal Dwarven Axe from the Marilith's chest, in the Prison of the Planes.

Honestly, I've never used a Vorpal weapon.

Especially since I don't really have one.

So, I don't really understand why people like them so much, but I suppose they have their place in the game.

In fact, someone in our group Vorpaled the Marilith in order to claim her chest.

Her treasure chest, that is.

...

Oh, you know what I mean. Not *that* treasure chest, but the wooden crate in which gold coins and a variety of weapons, scrolls and other items are stored.

Get your minds out of the gutter!

(Actually, don't... it's more entertaining that way.)

:-)

Anyway...

Perhaps it wasn't especially exciting, but last night's tour of the Maze of Madness and the Prison of the Planes was far more entertaining than an hour out on Denver's 16th Street Mall during a Democratic party convention...

Keep it fun!