A Sad Day

Today is an anniversary. A sad anniversary. Like when people heard about JFK's assassination, or when the Challenger exploded (I watched that live in elementary school), one remembers where they were 12 years ago today.

I was in the Navy, assigned to the USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75). The Truman, was in the middle of shipyard overhaul in Portsmouth, VA. I was in the divisional office working on something when one of the officers in charge of the division came in and turned on the TV telling us we needed to see something. I then sat there for hours watching in horror. Work basically stopped.

I saw the second plane hit and both towers fall. I saw men and women jump to their deaths to escape the flames. I saw heartbreak and heroism. I saw the best, and the worst of humanity. I will remember that day for the rest of my life.

This is also the one year anniversary of more death by those same madmen who were behind so much tragedy. Benghazi. Forgotten by those in power, but not by those who remember.

Believe it or not, the first indication something was wrong in Benghazi came from an EVE player. I was not in the game at the time as I was on a rather long deployment, but I have since found out about this player and how much he meant to the community. I did not know Vile Rat personally, all my information on him comes from his eulogy made by those who knew him best and information from another site.

To me, this is indicative of the community EVE has. It is indeed heartwarming.

Rest in peace, all those who have lost their lives on this day, both in 2001, and 2012.

To everyone else, Fly Safe.

Post the Fifth

Can I plead the Fifth? Probably not. Well, it's time for the fifth post of this blog. But what to talk about. How about what is going on at the moment?

Well, I got a message yesterday to contact my detailer as I am due to come under orders to transfer soon. I had contacted him three months ago and as directed to route paperwork to extend at my current command for another year and a half. That paperwork has still not gotten to where it needs to go. Not surprised really. Not the first time I have been screwed over by Reactor Department, nor do I think it will be the last. Hopefully the paperwork will finally make it where it needs to go and when I call my detailer back next week everything is good to go.

If not, well we will probably be moving in a few months. I don't want to move. I like it here.

Got a house, kids in school, friends (or at least the wife does) in the area. Be a pain to set everything up again.

That and if I transfer now, instead of when I want to, I have to go back to sea duty and cannot retire from the Navy while on shore duty as I want to. It's easier.

Well, got to get back to work.

As we say in EVE, Fly safe.

Sorry for the lack of posts. I have been playing EVE running Incursions. These are fleet battles against tough enemies. Flying in these fleets, you got to know your job. One person in the 40 or so man fleets screws up and everyone dies. Failure to follow the Fleet Commander's instructions will get you kicked from fleet. This is bad as running each site can net a pilot 30 million isk. Given the time it takes to do a site, that can be almost 100 million an hour.

Got a new ship. I love it. Saving up for another. Got some training to do to fly current well, and more to fly next ship well too.

Got more sites to run.

Fly safe

EVE

I was asked today if I have fun playing EVE Online. I had to answer in the affirmative. EVE is a hard game to describe. EVE can be easy to pick up but is definitely hard to master. To describe EVE you must describe the sandbox that is EVE.

Anything you want to do that is possible within the mechanics of the game, you can. And I mean ANYTHING literally. What ever you want to do, be it manufacturer, trader, miner, lead Alliances, or even be a pirate. All I can say is find something you like to do and have fun.

EVE is the only game I know of where you can steal 45 BILLION isk (the in-game currency) from your corporation (like a guild in other MMO's) and get congratulations from one of the game developers.

EVE is a game played on a single server. Tens of thousands of players online at any given time. Thousands of star systems populate the galaxy of New Eden. EVE is a game where one of the largest battles ever, with over 4000 pilots in system, makes the BBC news.

Even if you play EVE, you can never fully understand it. Nor is it easy to describe. All I can suggest is that you try it for yourself. Click the link to the right and sign up for a free 21-day trail. Let me know what you think and any questions you may have. I will do my best to answer them.

Post the second: Duty

Today I have duty. For those not in the Navy, duty is a workday where I go to work in the morning as usual, however I do not go home till the end of the following workday. Though since tomorrow is a Saturday, I get to go home in the morning.

This means I do not get to see my eldest head off for his first official day of Kindergarten, nor do I get to find out how it went till tomorrow. Granted, even if I did not have duty, I would not be home to see him off or back. Duty is still not the most fun.

Speaking of fun, I am thankful EVE allows me to set up a training queue for skills. All my characters now have more then 1 day of training left so that I do not waste one minute of training.

Yes. I play EVE Online. My wife is an EVE widow sometimes. EVE is a game that many people do not get, cannot get into, or do not understand. EVE is a sandbox with a steep entry point and learning curve. I have played off and on for years and there is still a great deal about the game I do not know. I learn something about playing the game every day.

Thankfully I am in a noob friendly corporation that is willing to help out and answer any questions any member has.

If you would like to check out EVE, there is a link to the right for a free 21-day trial of the game. There is also a link to a news site that covers EVE, DUST 514 (a FPS set in the EVE universe and is on the same server EVE is) and other gaming news. Feel free to check both out. If you do try EVE, post a comment with your character name and I will get a hold of you in game. Also feel free to post any questions you may have and I will do my best to answer them.

Fly safe

Post the First: Introduction

Since this is the very first post on this blog, it must be the introduction.

Hi.

I am what you would call a gamer. A nerd. A dork. I am also a father and a husband.

My name is Shaun, I am also known as Elf, or if you put Mnemorath into Google I appear. I am in my mid-30's and slightly overweight. I am an active duty sailor in the US Navy, currently stationed in the Pacific Northwest.

My interest include MMO's, DnD, DIY Network, HGTV, and Doctor Who. I have eclectic music tastes and like to listen to podcasts.

Well, crap. I have no idea what to say next...Oh well. On to the blog!