AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE! OY OY OY! Made it back from the SAGE-AU 2004 Conference in Brisbane in one piece and what a trip that was! I have to say that it wouldn't take that much to convince me to move there for a few years. The nation, the weather and the people suit me just fine; it felt like going back to a second home. Much of that, I think, had to do with the very fine crowd at SAGE-AU, membership and executive alike (and by God can they put on an interesting conference and dinner!). Thus, my thanks to everyone there, and I do hope I can make it back there next year, money and time permitting!
Oh, and as an aside, at the conference dinner I auctioned off one of only twelve UF 'Staff' ballcaps to a SAGE-AU member, Nathan Tallack, for AUS$400 which will be donated to a homeless children's charity in Australia. Good on you Nathan!
2005 WILL BE A RECUPERATIVE YEAR: Even if I was twice as tired as I am now I wouldn't have passed on the invite Down Under. However, in the last five or so years I've done a lot of travel for UF. I think I've flown over a dozen flights this year alone, and we're not out of August yet. I love meeting people, but after a while the exhaustion catches up to you.
So in 2005 I'll be reining the travel in. I'm going to limit myself to three (3) trips for UF for the entirety of next year, and one trip is already booked (Duckon XIV in Chicago, mid-June I believe). Please don't take it personally if I turn down an invite! I really do need the break and will have to cherry-pick the two other trips I do accept. I expect I'll pick up the ball again in 2006. Thank you for understanding!
CUNNING. LIES. DECEIT. DIPLOMACY: I've finally gotten around to setting up a game of Diplomacy for UFies!
Never played the game before but you enjoy sliding trenchknives in between peoples ribs, especially ones that trust you? THIS is your game! The amount of luck in this game is reduced to one event: which country you start with. After that, it's all manipulation and strategy.
And the game is easy to learn! Very simple mechanics lend themselves to a mastery of the rules in minutes. But the complexities of the game shine when you get into negotiations with the other players. Machiavelli could've written volumes on this game.
Novices and grognards alike are invited. I've played this game for over 20 years and still get soundly whomped from time to time by rank beginners. It's all about who you trust and when you trust them.
Game turns are processed once a week, so a huge committment is not required.
Visit the Diplomacy Diary and sign up today! Only 7 spaces in the first game; other games will start in due course. AUG 25/04 [09:28 PDT] UPDATE: Game S1 is full, but I've opened up Game S2. Four spots taken as of this posting, three more to go! After S2 is full I won't open up more games until either a) S1 or S2 finishes first, or b) I find some experienced Diplomacy refs to help out. AUG 26/04 [17:41 PDT] UPDATE: Game S2 is now full! I have another ref who is willing to help out, so if you're keen on playing, send me an e-mail and I'll queue you up for game S3.
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