Memories of the Futurecast: Episode Three

Hey look! It's Monday, and that means it's time for a new Memories of the Futurecast.

Memories of the Future, Volume One, covers the first 13 episodes of TNG, so each week, I'm choosing something from one episode, and performing an excerpt for you. It will mostly be from the synopses, which is where I think the real humor of the book lives, but from time to time, I may work in some things from the other parts.

Two important things:

This does not mean the book comes out in 13 weeks. It comes out much sooner than that.
These are not excerpted from an audiobook. These are recorded specifically for this podcast. I'm not sure if I'll do a full-length audiobook, yet, but I'm open to the idea.

Episode Notes:

The Memories of the Futurecast works hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag. You have been warned.
This week's episode is The Naked Now. I read some of the synopsis and all of The Bottom Line. I also found a memory (of the future) that I hadn't thought about in years, and decided to share it with the class.
This week's theme music is Dropping Out of School by Brad Sucks, from his album Out of It. I used it under Creative Commons from Magnatune dot Com. Yay!
Garageband doesn't seem to be embedding artwork (designed by Will Hindmarch, who did the cover and interior design for the book) no matter what I do. I'm aware of the problem, but I don't know how to fix it.
Memories of the Futurecast is AB negative.
Memories of the Futurecast gives +3 to all Gnomes in the party.
Memories of the Futurecast will take you out for a nice fish dinner, and never call you back.
Memories of the Futurecast is about 21 minutes long this week.
Memories of the Futurecast weighs in at 19MB this week.

Download Memories of the Futurecast episode 3

to celebrate the memory of our awesome dog

This weekend, Anne and I are going to go up to the Rose Bowl and join a few thousand other animal lovers for the Pasadena Humane Society's annual wiggle waggle walk. Every year, it seems, we plan to do the walk, but every year something comes up and we end up missing it.

This year, we're committed to the walk no matter what, and I'm going to turn the blog over to Anne for a minute, so she can tell you why:

Just over 8 years ago, I made a right turn instead of a left out of the Home Depot parking lot. That was a turn that would change our lives forever. In the bushes next to the bus stop sat a sad little puppy. She'd obviously been dumped there with a t-shirt as a blanket, and an empty cottage cheese container that probably served as a water dish.

For the next 8 years, we would have the best addition to our family: a dog who was dumped by someone who didn't care or appreciate what a smart, loving animal they were leaving. Ferris was like a sibling to our boys, a part of the family going on vacations and getting toys in her stocking at Christmas.

Ferris knew she was lucky. She appreciated all the love and care her new family gave her. Not every dog left on the street is so lucky. Some get hit by cars or left to starve. Fortunately, the Humane Society does everything they can to rescue these homeless or lost animals by giving them food, shelter, vaccinations and a chance to be adopted.

A month ago, we lost our awesome dog Ferris to cancer. Her happy face is one I'll always remember. Doing something positive in her honor is something we can all do together.

On Sunday September 27th, we're doing the annual Wiggle Waggle Walk in Ferris' honor. This is a fundraising effort to help the Pasadena Humane Society. Please donate through our site and help us reach our goal of $8,000; a thousand dollars for every year of Ferris' life. No donation is too small. We appreciate each donation. Thank you!

My metrics show that a lot (and I mean a lot) of people read my posts here and at Twitter. If just 3% of you dug out a handful of change and threw it at us, we'd be able to blow away our fundraising goal in just a few days. If you would like to support us, you can get more information here.

Updated at 12:09pm: I just got an e-mail from the Pasadena Humane Society. It says that we've made it halfway to our fundraising goal … in under three hours. On behalf of Anne (who is at work and has quite a wonderful surprise waiting for her when she gets home) I wanted to say thank you. You guys are awesome.

D&D Penny Arcade Podcast: Series Three

Somehow, I forgot to mention that the third series of D&D podcasts featuring Penny Arcade, Scott Kurtz, and Wil Wheaton (that's me!) has been available for a couple of weeks.

Here are links to the episodes that are currently online:

Series Three, Episode One

It's Fallcrest, midwinter, and snow has settled over everything. Acquisitions Incorporated has been holed up in their favorite sanctuary, The Silver Unicorn, enjoying the warmth of a fire. All is calm… until they meet their old acquaintance, Nathan Farringray—looking troubled and with a tale of woe that can only be solved by Acquisitions Inc.

Over at Five League House, Farringray's companion, Barton has been keeping on eye on local bandits. A number of merchant wagons have been besieged in recent days, and the trade route has become jeopardized.

Acquisitions Inc. agrees to perform this small favor, checking on Farringray's friend… with the assumption that adventure will soon find them.

Series Three, Episode Two

There is something on the roof… a guy on the roof…

Or is there? Sometimes houses just have guys on their roof…. at least so goes the theory so far as what Acquisitions Incorporated saw as they departed Barton's on the way to the Dawnforge Mountains. Hammerfast lies ahead, as are the bandits Acquisitions Inc. is determined to face.

Once at Hammerfast, dwarves are seen milling around… along with the occasional spectral apparition. It seems, the dwarven clan lords who wished to build this place needed to strike a compact with the indigenous—and often cursed—residents.

Marcinda Goldspinner, leader of the dwarven merchants guild, meets with Acquisitions Inc. to discuss the bandits. The Ambershard dwarven bandits!

Series Three, Episode Three

Through the front doors, Acquisitions Inc. enters a snow-covered yard surrounded by a 20-foot wall. In the middle of the yard, a cabin waits, smoke rising from its chimney. A giant boar lies sleeping alongside the side of the cabin. And inside, they know, lives Thazin Stormbellow.

How well can an angry dwarf carrying a shield and a hammer sneak past a sleeping boar? Answer: Not very.

Roll for initiative.

I loved playing in this adventure, not only because I got to sit down and hurl polyhedrons with some of my favorite people in the world, but also because we all did a ton of roleplaying this time around. In fact, there isn't even a combat encounter until the third episode.

And for those of you keeping score at home, his name is AEOFEL. Not Al. Godsdammit, I swear to Melora.

New episodes come out every Friday, and while you can subscribe in iTunes or whatever to have them automatically show up, I strongly encourage you to actually visit the podcast page at Wizards, so you can see the artwork that accompanies each episode.

Until next time, Jim winks!

Memories of the Futurecast: Episode Two

Having clawed my way far enough out of fevertown to think and speak (mostly) clearly, I decided to take advantage of the lull in construction next door and record this week's Memories of the Futurecast.

Two important things:

This does not mean the book comes out in 13 weeks. It comes out much sooner than that.
These are not excerpted from an audiobook. These are recorded specifically for this podcast. I'm not sure if I'll do a full-length audiobook, yet, but I'm open to the idea.

Episode Notes:

The Memories of the Futurecast works hard to earn its [EXPLICIT] tag. You have been warned.
I'm not 100% today, and as a result, the podcast isn't 100%, but someday we'll all look back on this and laugh as we flee the planet in a space ship.
This week's theme music is used under Creative Commons license from the incredible Coconut Monkeyrocket. You can get the whole thing yourself, as well as a mountain of awesome music, at Comfortstand Records dot Com.
Memories of the Futurecast Episode One contains excerpts from the synopsis of Encounter at Farpoint, (Part 2), and Behind the Scenes Memories.
This week's episode is twice as long as last week's, and comes in at just over 18 minutes long.
Memories of the Futurecast Episode Two weighs in at 8.7MB.
Memories of the Futurecast will eat up all your crackers and your licorice.
Memories of the Futurecast has Improved Initiative.

Download Memories of the futurecast episode 2

Behind the rabbit? It IS the rabbit.

I'm slowly but surely clawing my way back into the land of the living with the relentless determination and singular sense of purpose that can only be found in a recently reanimated corpse on a quest for brains. It's appropriate, because I feel very much like I'd imagine the recently-deceased would feel, and just last week my friend asked me via e-mail, "hey are you dead?"

This was the worst flu I've had in years, and the worst sickness I've had since I got mono (with bonus strep throat and bronchitis) about 5 or 6 years ago, but even knowing that, it's very weird to me to feel so tired and weak and groggy, four days after I last had a fever. My doctor says it's normal to feel this way, though, and I should just accept it and rest until my body says it's okay to go outside and play.

So while I'm not quite ready to go on the cart, I'm not exactly spoiling for a fight with the Black Knight, either. I would probably be able to make a trip to Castle Anthrax, though.