When The Game is Playing Games

I'm running through my monthly expenses and cancelling things I don't really need, adjusting my insurance policies, etc. Just a way of cutting back to account for higher gas prices and the like. So I decided it was time to quit World of Warcraft. I don't play much and would rather spend time with my children. So, I took a deep breath, hit the cancel account button and assumed I was only a few seconds away from kissing Mkae goodbye until I resurrect him in my next gaming venture.

But I was wrong.

I tried to cancel my account through their online interface and lo and behond, my "intolerability skill increased by 1" when after filling out their form, noticed that there IS NO SUBMIT BUTTON. The graphic at the side twice mentions that they'd love to talk to me before cancelling my account but doesn't list it as a requirement. In fact, it says:

"If you still want to deactivate your subscription online‚ please answer the following questions to help improve the overall quality of the game: If you experience any problems while trying to cancel your subscription please contact Billing and Account Services at 1-800-59-BLIZZARD."

Hmm...yes, I would say not having a SUBMIT or CONTINUE button is a problem. Their text indicates to me that I can continue this process without calling them, but without a way to submit my request, well, I stay a paying customer.

For those of you that have ever tried to cancel AOL, you know what the scam is. So, I guess I have to make the call. I'm going to tell them quite simply that I'm cancelling. Everytime they try and talk me out of it, I'm going to scream "kek kek!" into the phone. Maybe I should tape it.

I was going to post a nice entry about leaving the game and waxing philosophical on how much fun I had, but this just soured two years of game play. Makes it a lot easier to give up though.

Just Like Bogey and Bacall

I think it's very rare to find an actor / actress combo that I enjoy watching in different roles. However, I really do enjoy Ben Browder and the gorgeous Claudia Black. They were the heart of Farscape (damn you Sci-Fi!!!!) and held the show down with a touching backstory that the writers never let go of. Now, they're both resurrecting Stargate SG-1. Now, to be honest, Browder is playing a very similar role but Black's Vala is 180 degrees from Aeryn Sun. Last season, the producers seemed to go out of their way to keep them out of the same screen frames. This year, they're finally letting them interact, and the result is fun to watch. It's not quite Farscape, but it really does make for entertaining television.

So it's no news by now that the terrorists haven't given up. Last week, MI-5 in London busted up a ring of lunatics that were planning to blow up planes with two-part chemical bombs. Good job Brits, btw.

I was at Gen Con in Indianapolis when this happened, so I knew my airline experience was about to change, again. For days, we heard whispers of "arriving 4 hours early", "don't bring liquids", "women must have breast reductions", etc.

This morning, was my return flight. I was up very late last night with a colleague and had little sleep as I checked out, THREE HOURS prior to my flight. In the back of my mind, I KNEW that we'd have noooooooo trouble at the airport. And I was right. I couldn't have gone through there any faster if I'd been on roller skates. Right to the counter, right to security and right to the gate. With 2.5 hours to spend. Ugh.

I did go through the "chemical scanner" for the first time. It was actually kind of cool. I was a little concerned that passing gas might brand me as a terrorist so I restrained myself.

What cracked me up though, was a co-worker who grumbled that they were taking the bus from now on because they were sick of "made up airport security bullshit". Sorry, but even a full-body cavity search isn't a trade-off for a 15 hour ride from hell on Greyhound.

What was interesting, was that we got on and off the plane incredibly fast. Now that the assholes who bring their entire luggage set with them on the plane had to check them, the bins stayed relatively free and the seating and de-planing went off without a hitch. My laptop was the ONLY bag in the bin above my seat on a full flight.

So we've turned another corner. This won't go away. Since the chemical threat is real, liquids will now never be allowed on planes. I guess that's ok. I can deal with it. For those who can't, Greyhoud is in the Yellow Pages.

Why Is There Magic?

I think the answer to that question is that it's a desperate hope that the universe is a much more fantastic place than it really is.

That's why I think stories like this are magic.