Should I be happy or sad that all the drahma has moved to the Tenfoot comments section?

[squeen]

In Spring 2019, my wife and I hiked the final 250 miles of The Camino in Spain over 2 weeks. Technically it's a pilgrimage, and there are public dormitories spaced out along the way you can sleep for around $6 (so no tent in backpack). The Galician country side is gorgeous. Mountains, valleys, plains and forests---and no bears!

It was amazing. We want to do another some day.

 

[Malrex]

In Spring 2019, my wife and I hiked the final 250 miles of The Camino in Spain over 2 weeks. Technically it's a pilgrimage, and there are public dormitories spaced out along the way you can sleep for around $6 (so no tent in backpack). The Galician country side is gorgeous. Mountains, valleys, plains and forests---and no bears!

It was amazing. We want to do another some day.

I've heard of that trail--it sounds amazing!

 

[squeen]

I've heard of that trail--it sounds amazing!

There are about five route (from the east/France, southwest/Portugal, and a few south/Spain) that all finish in the Northwest corner of Spain, in Santiago. You can start as far as 1000+ miles away (while still in Spain). Thousands of Europeans are on the trail each year, and yet (on some routes) you can go the whole day without seeing another person until you arrive in the next hostel in the evening. The trails have some Roman-built bridges and other features. The spaniards are very tolerant of foreigners and help with the language barrier. We met French, German, Dutch, Italian, and Belgians hikers (and exactly 2 Americans). All very nice. I highly recommend it.

We were on the Silver Route, it is pastoral. You can also essentially bar-hop along the touristy Northern route of the "French Way".

The most D&D thing was spending a night in a massive monastery than once housed over 200 monks (16th century?) and now has only 8! Huge empty twisting corridors.

We found traveling 18-24 miles a day was sustainable and comfortable. But simply pushing it to 30-35 wore your body out pretty quick (like by the 2nd or 3rd day in a row)---things like knees, blisters on your feet, etc. And we thought, "It's only walking...we can walk forever." Ha!

 

[Osrnoob]

This is the way

 

[Beoric]

I do like gameplay/design discussion but it's rarely productive, I suspect because everyone here is experienced/sclerotic enough to have found their style. The most productive would probably be discussions on technique, but there can't be much back and forth because someone can present a technique and the rest will either nod sagely or bite back cluelessly.

This is why I like to talk pure mechanics. The question isn't whether they are good or bad, but whether they function properly for the intended purpose/style, whatever that may be.

Y'all make me want to go hiking, but I'm afraid we will still having skiing weather until May...

 

[squeen]

I love Prince's latest post. Here's some great quotes:

Let us decimate the merchant caste, the twitter parasites, the bandwagoneer, the revisionist, let us savor their death throes and leave only the fittest, the chosen few, to peddle their wares in the ashes of rebirth.

Spare me your micro-games, your rules-lites, your B/X clones. Take your idiot rules and burn them! Put your house-rules on a blog, and take solace men enjoy your game, and bother us no more.

And to ye older ones, ye much villified Grognards, some of whom opened the gates to these sickle-smiled usurpers with their pink hairs and rubbing hands and shifty eyes and paid a hefty price thereby. I say to you: Ye have failed. For the torch must be passed on, and the young minds must be shown, that they may carry on your legacy, and fetch logs for your fires. Do you now leave them to be groomed on the OSR discord by perverts and malcontents? I say unto you, go out into the wild where the newcomers congregate and mingle with them. Keep ye your fortress impregnable and sancrosanct, but tread beyond it and mingle with these younger men. Be ye not afraid. Be ye patient but stern. Be ye forgiving of their ignorance, for they know not what they do. It is time you become teachers, as well as game players.

What is then, the highest source? It is the long home campaign, which grows over time, and is nurtured lovingly, and is tinkered with, and becomes a thing in and of itself, which can sustain multiple groups.

Trent's comment on Gygax hatred on Reddit was pretty eye-opening to me too.

Here's one of Prince's

Don’t want to get a poor review and get your feelings hurt? Might I offer the suggestion of, perhaps, not putting material for sale in a public venue, where people can purchase it and expect to gain a decent return of investment? Might I, for once, offer the suggestion that perhaps a 20 year old with all of 3 months experience in the OSR under his belt should consider just playing the game or putting some material out for free before proceeding immediately to the generation of ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS DRIVEL and then throwing a big temper tantrum when it is pointed out that the material is not worth even the time spent downloading it.

Truth is I'm too tired to fight much lately. Far easier to write most pundits/commentors off as naive half-wits and ignore them. As much I as enjoy reading Prince's sermon (and the like), unfortunately that's my low-energy solution these days. I still love the game, so I'm saving my strength (and precious little time) to trying to produce something tangible. Truth is RL work has all but consumed me.

Lastly, I know I resemble some of Trent's hated grumpy grognard minority, but honestly today's on-line culture is just so awful. Pure trash! Why wade into that selfish, ego-driven, worthless mess that rejects anything that smells like personal responsibility or self-restraint? If you allow yourself to consider the notion that staring at pixels all the time might be a mind-trap...you start to notice how often modern society keeps shoving a TV screen in front of your face. At the gas pump!?! Really? Are we not entertained enough? Is there a third dimension?

 

[The1True]

Ah Prince. I do hate to love him.

Who the hell is Trent again?

Pure trash! Why wade into that selfish, ego-driven, worthless mess that rejects anything that smells like personal responsibility or self-restraint?

I would tentatively agree with this if I thought you were implying shrill people at all ends of the political/cultural spectrum. The people I'd really like to go to war with is the trolls and contrarians telling people to chill out it's just a joke. 50% of the population is too idiotic to understand that they're joking (if they ever actually were) and I'm pretty sure that's how the world has gotten into the mess it's in now.

 

[Middle Finger Of Vecna]

Ya, got all my gear. Got phone and a Garmin--but Id rather leave it all...haha. Gear is amazing these days...my pack, sleeping quilt, and tent weigh less than 7 lbs! back in the day, I must of been toting around 60 lb packs...now my pack weighs like 20-25 lbs depending on how many days of food I have. Probably up to 35 lbs with all the water I got to carry through the desert portion, but I don't plan to go heavier than that. Only thing is, the permit system is super random what place in line you got and I think I was one of the last 10 people to get a permit--so my start date is very late May...which means I got to go really really fast to hit Canada before the snows around Oct. 1st. I think I have to go 24-30 miles a day depending on how many zero days I take. This will be total F.A.R.P.

(F.A.R.P= the Fat Ass Reduction Plan)

Please don't become one of those that sadly go missing every year on hikes. Seriously.

Oh, and keep the camera ready for Bigfoot sightings

 

[squeen]

Who the hell is Trent again?

Trent Foster -- Mystal Trash Heap. Long time Dragonsfoor and K&KA poster. He's been at the grassroots of OSR since the beginning.

I would tentatively agree with this if I thought you were implying shrill people at all ends of the political/cultural spectrum. The people I'd really like to go to war with is the trolls and contrarians telling people to chill out it's just a joke. 50% of the population is too idiotic to understand that they're joking (if they ever actually were) and I'm pretty sure that's how the world has gotten into the mess it's in now.

The key is "both ends" for sure. I see these extremists as either victums of manipulative propaganda or folks actively trying to manipulate others.

What always perplexed me was motive. Either its folks from outside of Western democracies are trying to cause disinformation in their enemies (have them at eachother's throats), or else its something more basic and fundamental than just desire for money (since they are already super rich).

I think the root of all evil is egotistical pride, and its purest expression is the desire to lord over others---to make them slaves of sorts.

Too far in to politics oh Prince 'o Noodles?

 

[The1True]

There are definitely a lot of people who have talked themselves into a corner at this point and may have the perception that the only choice they have is to fight.

Too far in to politics oh Prince 'o Noodles?

I prooooomise we're being good

 

[Osrnoob]

Oh how topical this comment is.

Quick, nobody bring up GI Jane

 

[Beoric]

The people I'd really like to go to war with is the trolls and contrarians telling people to chill out it's just a joke. 50% of the population is too idiotic to understand that they're joking (if they ever actually were) and I'm pretty sure that's how the world has gotten into the mess it's in now.

"It's just a joke" is generally either cover for when your dog whistle is called out as a dog whistle, or defensiveness for when you are rightly called out for being an asshole.

 

[The1True]

Rock is such a pro, say less

Paid his dues dealing with hecklers.

That said, you can't insult a man's wife like that.

Dear god, the racists are going to have a bloody field day with this.

 

[squeen]

Smith apparently had an abusive father. I think a button got pushed. Nevertheless, he handled it very badly. Walking up on stage and making Rock apologize would have been far better than slapping him and losing his temper. Rock's joke was mild but clearly set off Smith's wife who must be feeling very anxious about the issue. Still, at an event like that...one must be gracious. The more blessed you are, the more humble you must strive to be and allow the world to poke fun at you. It's not easy for a comedian to get up in front of everyone and entertain, so I don't fault Rock. Will Smith has my sympathy in that he felt a responsibility to defend his wife...had the joke been aimed at him, I think he would have taken it in stride.

We are all only human, and make dumb mistakes. No reason to crucify anyone.

Awkward and sad all around. It ruined what should have been a special night for the family. Pride. Hers and his, was again at the root of the problem.

I blame award shows.

 

[Osrnoob]

Smith apparently had an abusive father. I think a button got pushed. Nevertheless, he handled it very badly. Walking up on stage and making Rock apologize would have been far better than slapping him and losing his temper. Rock's joke was mild but clearly set off Smith's wife who must be feeling very anxious about the issue. Still, at an event like that...one must be gracious. The more blessed you are, the more humble you must strive to be and allow the world to poke fun at you. It's not easy for a comedian to get up in front of everyone and entertain, so I don't fault Rock. Will Smith has my sympathy in that he felt a responsibility to defend his wife...had the joke been aimed at him, I think he would have taken it in stride.

We are all only human, and make dumb mistakes. No reason to crucify anyone.

Awkward and sad all around. It ruined what should have been a special night for the family. Pride. Hers and his, was again at the root of the problem.

I blame award shows.

He laughed, then started walking up after he saw her face.

He was protecting Jack shit, dude was afraid of her. Dudes in some toxic shit

Remember she announced they were open after it came out she was sleeping with Jadens friend rapper.

Its one thing to like being a cuck its another to be placed into it. Dudes mental state is declining fasssstt

Add in the dead alien volcanos kids school he runs and the south American drugs he has been taking a bunch are linked to rage

 

[squeen]

He laughed, then started walking up after he saw her face.

He was protecting Jack shit, dude was afraid of her. Dudes in some toxic shit

Remember she announced they were open after it came out she was sleeping with Jadens friend rapper.

Its one thing to like being a cuck its another to be placed into it. Dudes mental state is declining fasssstt

Add in the dead alien volcanos kids school he runs and the south American drugs he has been taking a bunch are linked to rage

I wasn't aware of all that. Very, very sad state of affairs.

 

[Osrnoob]

The ghost of LRH lives, and is powerful. Prepare

 

[squeen]

LRH?

 

[Osrnoob]

Only one.more time
Then watch the mirrors
Prepare

 

[Beoric]

Apparently Jada's been getting roasted on social media for some time; it's hard to believe that Rock didn't know that. I also understand Rock trashed her at the 2016 Oscars. And in 2009 he produced a movie about Black hair, and all the issues surrounding it. He should have known it would be hurtful. To quote myself above,

"It's just a joke" is generally ... defensiveness for when you are rightly called out for being an asshole.

Also, the question of whether behaviour is bad, as opposed to illegal, is incredibly culturally specific. I'm not an American Black man, so I can't comment on whether Rock's joke or Smith's reaction was appropriate in American Black culture (although I might speculate on how one handles disputes in a culture where one can't rely on public authorities; or on the realistic ability of American Black women to defend themselves given their extremely low social status, tropes around angry Black women, and last week's shameless treatment of an American Black woman being considered for high office).

However, to the extent that Smith wants to market himself to a left or centerist white American audience, and to the extent that Hollywood doesn't want to alienate that audience, he may have done himself some damage. We will see.

From my cultural perspective, neither behaved well, although Smith acted under emotional stress (seeing your wife hurting is upsetting even if you didn't anticipate that she would be - @Osrnoob you are totally out to lunch on this), and Rock acted while under no known emotional stress and apparently in control of his faculties. Combine that with the fact that a man slapping (as opposed to punching) a man is really intending to humiliate, not to injure, and my sympathies lie with Smith. I might not have slapped Rock, but I sure would have wanted to.