GNW Needlewomen products with D&D in the design: 219.03 each (!) on eB.
I've mentioned these for years... about time they're getting a little love.
(Congrats Burntwires, nice profit)


** expired/removed eBay auction **


** expired/removed eBay auction **


** expired/removed eBay auction **


These are the "First Rank".
Second Rank: Other GNW with the same addy on the package -- Lake Geneva POB, thus made while part of TSR  -- but not with fantasy elements, standard needlepoint. (Don't go high. ;> )

ExTSR wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:GNW Needlewomen products with D&D in the design:..Second Rank: Other GNW with the same addy on the package -- Lake Geneva POB, thus made while part of TSR  -- but not with fantasy elements, standard needlepoint. (Don't go high. ;> )

The Greenfield Needlewomen are the fulfillment of the promised Witch character class. Fear their needle attacks!

Carnival Cruises have their good points. (Generally they're the 'intro'/'cheapie' type, and that shows, but good service overall.)

Just hopped down to Miami FL and did Key West & Cozumel, 4 night 4.5 days on the Caribbean... 800 $US for two.
One night alone we ate $200 worth of free (but high quality) lobster tails and prime rib. (Ever eat 3 lobster tails for dinner?)

btw, skip the overpriced cruise line Tour Packages if you can. Google others and reserve in advance. Ours -- very 21st century
(and including a beach resort for the day!):
Cozumel Mini-Subs B.O.B. Excursion

Whirlwind trip, but a great value deal overall.

Frank

This is the Tale in Brief.

Being a wizard of minor repute it was seemly to attend, accompanied by my otherself (a highly respected elf, non-gamer but fluent in the parlance), the Miami shipboard wedding of two Acquaintances of the Gamer Persuasion. The event was rife with family and friends of the perps (few known to us), as expected.

We have traveled far and oft, and thus our joint self has useful knowledge of Cruises and other Journeys (although the adventures of my renowned sister, the world-famous bard, do render my meager tales unseemly). As a matter of course I told some wedding guests of my plans for the warm, clear sea of our destination, and thus compiled a most excellent adventuring party.

Two tall and powerful gents provided safety for all. One was a famed combat-master of his own Realm, deceptively clad in a very Metal tee; the other was a ranger (half-ogre I believe, though I did not offer such insult) with deep wisdom lurking 'neath a craggy exterior. Their ladies-fair were a kender and a lovely half-dwarf, both with many hidden talents (the latter a martial arts specialist with 18 endurance, for example). My elven half is proficient in both culinary and medical arts, rounding out the balance of the party's mundane needs. I of course Decided things, since someone has to lead.

Our floating hotel was a most wondrous combination of Tech and Magic, and in days we made port in Cozumel, Mexico. There we had our myriad adventures, most of which I shall retain for a longer tale. The most delightful was in the clear and warm waters off the island's west coast. This is part of the Mesoamerican Reef, the second largest such habitat (reef system) in the world. Most of it is a national park, so we went to a place just north of the government's claim (identical in most respects).

Eschewing perfuncturation, we set forth. I retained two local guides, who also provided the necessary special equipment for the undersea jaunt. (We never even touched our potions of water-breathing; all was provided.) One of them was also a master illusionist, who transferred the whole experience into images for our later enjoyment. Our kender handled the transfer of their magical container, and will share all with us as soon as it can be teleported (though some few previews are available in the proximity of this missive).

Thanks to our proficient retainers, we encountered no hazardous indigenous. Mere yards away the floor of the sea dropped sharply, and spanipelagic horrors lurk somewhere down there... Looking about during our meanderings I saw the smiles and laughter of my new companions, and treasured the confelicity. It was a glorious day.

(go to my FB page for some Shared pix, or hop to their source)

Frank

cdenham wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I signed up for this course and thought some here might be interested.  This is a very cool web site for those that simply like to learn -

https://www.edx.org

The Book: Making and Meaning in the Medieval Manuscript
Explore the process of creation, and  the relationship between making and meaning, in the illuminated manuscripts of the western Middle Ages.

edx.org/course/book-making-meaning-medi ... dx-hum1-1x

Cool looks interesting.

I'm looking for a new computer. Anyone have recommendations? My old computer is from 2010 and seems to be having trouble keeping up with things like streaming TV and movies. I also want to try some online RPGs and things like World of Warcraft (or something like that). What kind of computer should I be looking for?

JasonZavoda wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I'm looking for a new computer. Anyone have recommendations? My old computer is from 2010 and seems to be having trouble keeping up with things like streaming TV and movies. I also want to try some online RPGs and things like World of Warcraft (or something like that). What kind of computer should I be looking for?

I picked up a really nice computer from Dell a couple of years ago.  I upgraded for the same reasons you did.  I really wanted an Alienware, but they are very pricey and I was on a budget so I shopped around quite a bit and ended up with Dell.  I got a nice deal, and it came with a really great graphics card.  I play Diablo III on it with no problems whatsoever.  I have yet to see it even break a sweat handling any kind of video or graphics.

Check their website.  I'm not home at the moment, but I'll try and remember to check the model and card I have.

EDITED TO ADD-  I also recommend doing this, especially if you're not a tech head  (which I'm not).  Find out before-hand the requirements of the programs you are looking to run.  For instance, in my case, I knew I wanted to play Diablo III and my current hardware couldn't handle it.  So I researched the minimum memory, speed, graphics card etc, that it required.  I did this for a few other apps I knew I wanted to run.  So when I went shopping, I knew the minimum capabilities I needed in my new computer.  

ALSO, read the reviews!  There's a lot of computer geek websites out there that rate things like graphics cards.  Read what the experts write, and then especially read the reviews.  See what the people who know a lot about this stuff say.  See what's good and what's not so good.  I got a lot of great info by doing this and that's how I picked the graphics card in my new computer.

IO's post reminded me...
Personally I would not use any operating system other than Windows 7 Professional. With Dell, they'll install what you like if you order online, but they do have a rumoured history of slipping back doors into the BIOS for certain agencies to have access should it be desired.
Windows 8, 8.X and 10, in my experience, are crap.
At a push I could still do everything I wanted to do With Windows 7 Home Premium or even Windows XP. but developmentally, Windows died at Windows 7 Pro as far as a flexible user friendly professional product is concerned.
Just my 2c.

Invincible Overlord et al,

SSDs have some interesting issues to go along with their good features.  The way the SSD writes data for example - they tend to use more of the disk than standard drives.  Also, there are some that feel that the SSDs degrade (permanently lose unused space) over time - I'm not fully up to speed on SSDs for primary drives (we use them for small partition boot drives on our servers), so you'd have to research your needs.

As for PCs, stay away from CyberPower unless you've had great success with them.  I bought a lemon from them that they refused to take back.  I had to pay to send it back to CA (I'm in CT so this isn't cheap), they swapped out the power supply, but the problem was never fixed (I believe it was the motherboard).  This $1k system now sits in my closet gathering dust (2 TB HD, 32 gb RAM, octocore).  Waste of money for sure.

I've had good luck with Dells but mostly with servers (I have 2 Dell T410s that rock).  For laptops, I find Toshibas to be better than average but IBM Lenovos to be sturdy workhorses.  There is a great reseller (laptopexperience) on eBay who sells just-off-warranty units for a fraction of the price.

My 2cents.

~throwi