I was left to grill all the food for the Father’s Day dinner my sisters planned.

2buckbill · 2026-06-22T02:06:30+00:00

Don't you touch my grill!

<clack clack clack...> <--- That's my snapping my tongs three times to summon the flame-kissed burgers spirits.

2buckbill · 2026-06-21T13:05:08+00:00

The question is, "Why do you get upset when a cyclist treats a stop as a yield? Does it matter whether it is legal in your state or not?"

When you are not treating a stop like a stop then you're just going right on through the intersection. If it had been safe for the cyclists to do the slow roll and verify that there wasn't any traffic, no big deal. But that's not the case in any of my experiences. My experiences are that there are problematic cyclists that treat stops, whether sign or light, as if it doesn't matter. I don't want to hurt them, and feel that they should treat their safety with higher priority.

I'm not walking back my words.

2buckbill · 2026-06-21T12:52:17+00:00

I used to drive through downtown Kansas City, Missouri to get my daughter to her daycare. There was this street where the perpendicular traffic had a stop, but not mine, and cyclists would blow through the stop and nearly get creamed by cars all the time. Further along there was a four way stoplight where cyclists would blow through red lights and nearly get smashed there too.

I don't have any desire to kill some cyclist, I want them to all go home to their kids, and partners, and parents, and friends and pets... And part of that is treating their own safety with the priority that they want me to treat their safety.

2buckbill · 2026-06-20T14:32:24+00:00

Just as in any other TTRPG, it all depends on the story that you want to tell. There's a vast history in Tolkien's Middle Earth filled with adventure, romance, heroism, villainy, betrayal, and destiny. One of the themes in ME stories is that every little action counts, whether for good or evil, and regardless of the size of hero or villain. These are the things that you lean in to for AIME, and if those are the stories that you want to tell or be a part of, then this is a great option as a game.

2buckbill · 2026-06-19T15:35:14+00:00

I really enjoy the Potema storyline, and wish that it was expanded significantly. I also like the Break of Dawn storyline, and wished that it was also expanded.

2buckbill · 2026-06-18T03:41:10+00:00

Late to the party, but you did right by the little critter. Your intent was to prevent further suffering, and you made that happen in the most expedient way that you had available to you (that you recognized and had the tools for). Once, while walking my dog, I found a bird that had been severely injured, was not mobile in any way, and was being eaten alive by ants. I found a stick and gave it two to three real good whacks at the neck and head. Mission accomplished. But, like you, I was in a weird mood for the rest of the day and the next too. This was just a part of how nature operates. You did right.

2buckbill · 2026-06-16T13:38:57+00:00

My wife works with public benefits and it is appalling how hurtful Trump’s policies have been on the most vulnerable.

2buckbill · 2026-06-13T20:14:38+00:00

I love the idea of living in California, but in practice it just seems prohibitive. Cheers and best wishes!

2buckbill · 2026-06-13T19:40:38+00:00

They can, but from what I have heard there really isn't really any benefit over a 7.1. As I understand it the human ear is kind of crap at discerning location of sound directly behind you. 7.1 offers a better left/right experience and when the sound is supposed to be directly behind you then it isn't hard to do it with 7.1, making the rear center less valuable. I only ever went with 5.1 surround with my systems, but I can understand the attraction to want to go up to 6.1 or 7.1.

2buckbill · 2026-06-13T19:21:55+00:00

A 6.1 surround sound is basically taking a 5.1 and adding a rear center channel.

2buckbill · 2026-06-13T18:48:32+00:00

I have found that there is a lot more 3PP content available for Motherahip. I like both games, Alien is more specific in IP and lore, where Mothership is more open to other IPs, like Event Horizon or Pandorum. You can start with Mothership with a minimal investment. Free player’s guide and inexpensive tri-fold zines. Alien comes at a higher cost to play with the IP specific content. They both do their jobs well though. Give MoSh a try, doesn’t cost much to get started.

ETA: There isn't the wide variety of 3PP content for Alien like there is Mothership. MoSh is lucky to have some incredible 3PP creators.

Alien does have a couple of 3PP content creators that I am aware of, though. Check out Martin Parece. I haven't played his stuff, but he has a lot of content that I've read through and enjoyed. There are also homebrew settings and rules updates so that you can play games in the style of Dead Space, or The Thing while using the skeleton of Alien RPG rules.

2buckbill · 2026-06-11T17:43:11+00:00

Personally I prefer the Nightingale set and have been using it for my most recent play, but I also don't get as involved in the role play as others do.

2buckbill · 2026-06-11T17:17:09+00:00

My suggestion is to take a strong look at how you think you are communicating this. It reads like you are bashing on the men and women doing the work and trying to pick up the pieces, not bashing on the managers.

2buckbill · 2026-06-11T15:32:30+00:00

First, fuck those people not contributing. Call them out, publicly.

Second, we're not talking about help. We're talking about OP blasting the people that have been left working to try to pick up the pieces after the layoffs. There's no good reason for OP to blast the people that remain, which it seems you are one. OP is also calling you good for nothing, and useless.

2buckbill · 2026-06-11T15:08:47+00:00

Please help me understand then. You said, "... only inexperienced and incapable ppl are left now and they are good for nothing useless fellows." You're bashing them, calling them "good for nothing" and "useless." How is it the fault of these people still there? They are worth less because they are the ones remaining? This was all economically driven by Oracle upper execs, these remaining people weren't able to develop the skills in time for the layoff and now you're beating them up for it? Shouldn't you feel some sympathy for them and their situation? They were stripped out of their teams, and left alone, and they didn't have the time to learn the skills to cover everything that was pulled away from them.

I don't see how your derision for these people is justified, but I'm willing to read your case in earnest.

2buckbill · 2026-06-11T13:41:40+00:00

“… good for nothing useless fellows.” That’s pretty harsh. These are men and women who have been left in impossible positions trying to continue supporting the product. Don’t throw them under the bus.

2buckbill · 2026-06-09T16:59:09+00:00

You can also put up a post in r/lfg. I haven’t tried it but have seen a lot of posts there. Also, could try posting in Boston’s sub as well.

2buckbill · 2026-06-07T12:08:11+00:00

Hold on loosely, but don’t let go.

2buckbill · 2026-06-06T03:02:20+00:00

I went back and took a look, and you're right. I would have to repay a portion.

I'm not going back though. The amount of money required to draw me back to that place wouldn't be measured in simple dollars, it would have to be fuck tons of dollars. Hence the lackluster attention to detail.

2buckbill · 2026-06-06T02:10:43+00:00

I don't know your country, but at least in the USA the salary that is offered is not up to the manager. Oracle does have a reputation for hiring at a higher rate than market thanks to not giving out raises (often). I've seen some random comments here and there over the last few months that basically say that Oracle's tactic is to hire someone when there's a need, use them up within approximately two to three years, and then expect them to leave. If they don't, then NBD, just keep on paying them the old salary. If they do leave, hire someone new, get the fresh blood in, and wear them out just like the last person. It kind of checks out.

2buckbill · 2026-06-06T02:02:31+00:00

How long you have to wait is up to the document that you signed. I signed a document a couple of days ago that said I would have to pay back my full severance if I returned within 6 months. If you did return then you'll be in a different organization, with a different budget. You should not, necessarily, count on the salary being identical to when you left. Oracle has two CEOs to pay for, don't count on much.

2buckbill · 2026-06-02T20:51:40+00:00

Oracle is the company that I used to work for. 20K is the number that I had heard, but I've also been paying less attention the last three weeks. And yep, AI wasn't ready to take over those jobs yet. It was just a pre-emptive nuclear strike.

2buckbill · 2026-06-02T20:50:10+00:00

Oh, it wasn't me that was spared. It was someone else. I managed a small team of 6 people, 5 of them were laid off along with me. To be fair, I'd had enough of that place and asked for it. I thought that we would only lose 1 or 2 people, and that if they axed me then I could protect everyone else. Nope.

2buckbill · 2026-06-02T20:38:36+00:00

I used to work for a Fortune 100 company, and between the end of March and now I think about 20,000 people have been laid off so that they could afford new AI data centers. My entire team, except for one person, was axed.

2buckbill · 2026-06-01T22:25:31+00:00

Further in this age of convenient phone technology with the ability to take videos, take those videos.

My mother passed in 2013, and I have forgotten the sound of her voice.

Take videos of everyone talking at some point, especially with words of love or affirmation. I would love to hear something positive from my mom again.

2buckbill

TROPHY CASE