A Fellow Traveler

I would like to thank everyone who gave me ideas and suggestions for the new moniker for my new vehicle.

The car is named Ryoko-Sha, or "Yoko" for short!

Roughly, Travel in Japanese is "Ryoko."
Apparently also This Character from Tenchi Muyo
And according to a few translators I found "Traveler" translates to Ryoko-sha (with a dash over the last 'o' but I can't figure out how to make one.
Apparently "Ryoko" is also a fairly common Japanese female name.


As is "Yoko" and of course, one of my FAVORITE Yoko's. So overall, I'm digging the associations I'm making with the car, it's name, and how I view it as one of the things in my life.

 It was Christened Thursday Night 10/18/12, and began it's maiden trip with me & my fiancee at 6:30 am 10/19/12 to Anaheim,CA.

As per my tweet "MPG stands for 'My Pimpass Gasmileage!' "

She performed admirably all the way down I-5, got us to & from the Disneyland resort all weekend, and then got us home safely.

AND THEN, I dragged her out to the central valley for a family visit, and helped me get out of that hell hole just as quickly.
All told, 1k miles, easy and I am loving my car.




To continue pampering and asserting my ownership we picked up a little souvenir before we left the Magic Kingdom . . .

I don't even have the license plates themselves yet, but that cover is on my car. ha! That is of course until I get customs that advertise my 2nd favorite blog! (this one. my blog is my second favorite, my first favorite is T1nks.) Then it goes on the front, so It's the first thing that sees Disneyland.

Any more on mods to the car will probably be another post so I wont bore you. Thanks again for listening to me go on about my new shiny, and I think some of you already know how much my vehicles mean to me. Later H47ites, Cruise on Space Cowboys!

Bragging

This post going up early so we all have more time to consider it, I will try to put up a small post on Tuesday to "stay on schedule."
There are few things that I do that I am verbally proud of. One of them is my driving. And now I can do that with . . .

 . . . 

Well, I can NOT find a simple clip of Rod Roddy saying "A new Car!!!"

Anyway . . .

I bought my first car that I bought all myself that ISNT over 5 years old. 

I'm not just showing off my new shiny but I'm also asking my friends family & readers to help me out with something. NO, it's not the payments (although, if you like, there is a donate button over there on the right. More money means more ridiculousness here, just saying).

As you might know from previous posts that anything "worth naming" should be. And so now I'm looking for suggestions for the newest member of my family.

Instagram pic by T1nk. Mmm, extra filters makes it taste of nostalgia.

For some background, Subaru is Japanese for the constellation known as the Pleiades. There is a rad little magical girl anime that was made a while back, HERE'S a post on it, with some more info on the mythos of the Pleiades in one of the links to the wiki.

Apparently Impreza is commonly believed to be derived from Italian or Polish meaning "impressive," "a party," "something worth note."
The car itself is a 2011, as the pics show, the Exterior is "Marine Blue Pearl" with "Dark Grey" interior.
Apparently it was a rental in Hawaii before being ordered by a customer who backed out. I don't know why but it sort of gave me a mercenary feel to the car.

Full frontal. Gonna have to wait till I get my vanity plates. Probably a good thing since the name might influence them.

I remember saying back when I started shopping for a car that I might name whatever I got "Pleiades" but then that always feel sort of like that scene from DragonHeart where the Sean Connery dragon is like "So you call my dragon in another language?" but it's still an option. I am a fan of non-English languages for names. one friend has recommended "Blue Steel" in Japanese. Thanks to the "Born on The Island, raised on The Islands, hired out Merc. life, now to serve faithfully as my companion" history to it I kind of developed a "Pacific Adventurer" persona to it that I like. But not sure how to develop that into a name. But of course I'm not married to that idea so feel free to suggest anything.

So, please, in the comments, on my FB page, tweet me, email me text me your recommendation & why (like the story or the definition of the name) and I plan to pick one on or before THURSDAY so it has a name before we go on our roadtrip to DISNAYLAND!! (most likely a post on a couple weeks once we've recovered.) Thanks for the Help, I will announce it's name in another post!

A House Rule for Life

Of course I begin this post with a nerdy tangent to talk about something slightly less recognizable as geeky, but I assure you, knife nuts can be VERY nerdy.

In most of my RPG groups, we have a house rule that if any of your items are +3 or better, they should be named. Favorite results include the shocking, returning +2 boomerang dubbed "Stunbob the Stop Stick" and the +3 seeking frost Heavy Crossbow simply named "Angus."

So, in a very similar fashion, I name many "important" items in my life, no few of which are my knives. I think we all know where this is going. Lets jump in, shall we?

Name: Three
Make & Model: Benchmade, McHenry & Williams, 710SBKD2
Specs: G-10 handle scales, Axis Lock, D2 blade, powder coat & Partial serration, drop point blade geometry, roughly 3.9 inch blade, swappable clip.
Carry condition: EDC-Heavy Use

This bad boy was my first SERIOUS high end knife. I was originally looking to snag a Spyderco Native, but instead opted for a big upgrade and was seriously lured by the Benchmade Axis Lock. It was my ONLY EDC for almost 3 years until I started to acquired more blades. I named it "Three" from a Monty Python: Holy Grail gag, where "Three shall be the number of the counting, and the number to be counted to shall be, three. No more, no less. Three." I use this joke because, as a pocket knife, as a cutting tool, for versatility and utility, the 710SBKD2 is everything a pocket knife needs to be; crazy good edge retention, serration, black blade, super strong/one handed open & close lock and super durable/strong/simple handle.


Name: Aniki
Make & Model: Kanetsune CW-6 "Beauty*" or "Dragon*" *(Still not confirmed)
Specs: Made by Hitachi in Japan, 14-15 layers of "White" or Blue" Steel in Green Paper technique. Laquered Oak Hnadle. Full tang, and a 27cm blade. Also, a sexy wood sheath with leather & buckle clasps. Check that thing out.
Carry condition: At work when I'm wearing a tie, striking sets after shows & special occasions.

This big ol' Island beast is a unique piece, and as of this post, I am confident one of TWO in the entire United States. I can not find ANYTHING on it on the internet that's not on a Japanese, Chinese or Russian site. Apparently the manufacturer that crafted this fine "ken" normally only makes blades 6" or smaller which makes it even more rare. As it is I have TWO Japanese majors working on translating the various Katakana found along the blade, the box, the pamphlet it came with and even the catalog my store ordered it from as there is virtually NO ENGLISH associated with this knife. As for how I dubbed this short sword, if you watched Gurren Lagann Subbed, then I think you might get the reference. I wrestled wiht this partivular name for a while, trying to think up clever things, but ultimately I wanted something with a nod to it's heritage. I went with some goofier ideas like "Ken (Blade)" or "Dai (Great) Ken" but since I liked the idea of it being something great, with mighty soul, that I could rely on when I needed something exceptional and elegant, I went with "Aniki (Big brother)." With this knife I can Peirce the Heavens!





Name: Big Chief Broom Bromden (or any variation thereof, usually "Chief Bromden")
Make & Model: Columbia River Knife & Tool 8102 "Tighe Tac"
Specs: 3+" Aus-6 blade, stainless bolster & Liner lock. Zytel handle scales. unique flat cap thumb stud and cross pattern carry clip.
Carry condition: EDC-"Sheeple knife"

This slab of class was a gift from a fantastic gentleman who's a friend of the shop. It is a discontinued model and therefore slightly more collectable. Due to all the stainless internals it has a really nice heft to it and something else I'm not used to, the clip is tip down which is new to me and I am having issues adjusting. As for his moniker, I always told myself, that if I acquired a blade from CRKT (pronounce as initials, most knife people I know snicker if you call them "Cricket") I would name it after the central character from Ken Kesey's novel. I think it's fitting. He's a big brute, but conducts himself as one much smaller and gentler, quiet and nonthreatening, unless moved to action. Taking comfort in menial tasks but capable of great feats of strength. "You're gonna make it out there, Chief."


Name: Solstice
Make & Model: Spyderco C123TIP "Sage 2"
Specs: CPMS30V Steel with ambidextrous thumb hole. Titanium frame lock. Modular wire pocket clip.
Carry condition: EDC-Medium Use/"Sheeple knife," Special occasions
This clean, classy little carver is like having two companies in one knife. The Sage line currently has 3 models, each one is a nod to a different innovator in the blade industry. The Sage 2 is a salute to Chris Reeve and his fantastic simplicity of "Ti Frame lock & S30V" and it's versatility. It gained its name thanks to a certain youtube review I have mentioned previously, and since it cancels Christmas, I am left with Winter Solstice. I suppose if I come to own other sages they would in turn be named Kwanza & Chanukah.



Name: Sir Patrick Stewart
Make & Model: William Henry B10 TZ "Lancet"
Specs: Anodized detail Titanium handle and modular clip. Sapphire Gem Button lock. Coated ZDP-189 blade. Sapphire gem thumb stud. #106 of 500 ever.
Carry condition: EDC-"Sheeple Knife," Special occasions
Much like his namesake, not EVERYBODY has heard of him, but as soon as you begin to describe him, his accolades and capabilities, it becomes apparent he possess a fantastic character and fiber. From a company more commonly found in jewelry shops this well dressed tool delivers. I have used this exact knife to help me set up our Wondercon Booth and he performed admirably, or should I say "Captainly" or even "Knightly?" Honestly though, the real Sir Patrick Stewart was made a Knight Bachelor shortly after I gained this knife, so he was prevalent in the media, and I also look up to Sir Stewart as an inspiration as a storyteller and actor. So "Although he may not be the best for a particular job, Sir Patrick Stewart is acceptable in every situation."




Name: Patrol Leader
Make & Model: Benchmade 610SBK "Ruckus"
Specs: Powder coat with partial serration. 4.25" S30V blade steel. Axis lock. G10 bolster. Micarta handle scales.
Carry condition: EDC-Heavy Use
This beefy folder is one of my few "Grail" knives as I fell in love with it my first month with my store. At the end of that year it was discontinued and I wondered if I would ever have a chance to grab one again. Thanks to the many collectors I know at the shop, one was found and I jumped at it. As I've said to many people, it sings to the Boy Scout in me and when I began to ponder what to call it, the name had already been given to itself. I also found Benchmade made replacemnt handle scales in various materials and colors, and well, we all know chicks dig case mods (and nerds love customization gimmicks). So I ordered them (some of the last in Benchmade's inventory, SCORE) and now have different "uniforms" for PL. His stock scales, the micarta are his "BDU's (Battel Dress Uniform)" or normal outdoor gear.
"Class A Uniform" is the snazziest handle scales, as they are carbon fiber. Subtle, understated and high quality apparel.
"Blacks" for STEALTH MISSIONS! Or if I want it to match Three, OR if I want black on black awesomeness, I have normal black G-10 scales.
This is Patrol Leaders "Winewood Camo" and it is pretty. When I first put it on I made the joke that if I were to stick it in a tree he would say "Um . . . I'm a branch, you can't see me!" And I liked that joke, so I'm sticking with it.
Although I have dubbed this one "Class B Uniform" I must admit it's one of the cleaner, dressed up looking presentations. Silver G-10 scales give it an almost tuxedo appearance. Daddy likes.
And of course, one for, THE LADIES! I figured, if you do an apparel shoot with this much sexy, you should do a nude shoot as well, if the model is comfortable with it, of course. And oh boy was he. Even without the scales, the Ruckus is built so well that you could use it in this skeletal state (with some care taken, of course).

For those of you who got this far and wonder at some of the terminology I used, it's either "just me" or, some of it is knife jargon.
"Sheeple knife" - A knife that is socially acceptable in mixed company and most situations.
"Grail knife" - fairly self explanatory, an item one is constantly seeking.
EDC - Every Day Carry
Zytel - a glass filled polymer commonly used as the industry standard in handle materials in high end knives
G10 - inter-woven fiber glass bathed in epoxy resin. Stupid awesome durable, nigh indestructible. a favorite for hardcore knife handles.
Micarta - Very similar to G10, instead of Carbon fiber linen is most often used. Other weaves include paper or burlap. As a result of the more fibrous base components they often become tacky when moist and allow for better grip. The durability is almost on par and much more supple to the touch.
Different numbers and letter combinations in relation to the blade steel are the steel codes and should be researched separately as they are greatly varied and diverse. I have said before "There are as many steels as there are types of bugs in the world, good luck learning them all."

And, as an added Joke for some of my fellow McHenry and Williams fans, I decided to post this one a little late in the eve. I'm holding mine, are you?

What's In a Character Name!? Forsaken

How do you name your characters?

This segment will deal with naming conventions in various gaming situations.

This installment will go over WoW, Forsaken characters specifically.So, over the last sixish years I've named several undead Forsaken characters, as well as "justified" character names for others I know when using them in fan-fic situations.

My main guideline involves, when the corpse re-animates, or gains sentient will, the first utterance from its lips is it's name. Of course there are exceptions to the rule, many Forsaken keep the names they had in life, but many of them never left the lands of their pre-unliving experience, where many "adventuring" undead have much more obscure and unique monikers. EXAMPLES!

Rah'Tin: My Forsaken Forest Troll from the d20 system table-top RPG. Our DM at the time was my buddy Jubblea sand he allowed me to be very creative with this particular creation. My idea was that it would be a nice joke to have his name sound like "rotten" but when the "corpsetenders" dug him up, his lifeless lips breathed the sound and his first friend in unlife agreed "yes, you really are, aren't you?" So the name stuck.

Termenus: my mage main, you might have met him in the past. It comes from a weak push of breath with the tongue pressed to the upper teeth with the air moving the tongue out of the way and the mouth closing "Term." Then air through the nostrils (he was moving his new undead peices about, having been a caster in life, this was his focus) and continuing, produced a hissing sound (vital for many incantations and spells [draconic languages, D&D nerds anyone?] ) which gave him "en" and "oos."

Doohoohoohoom: A warlock name I have saved on a few servers should I ever decide to stack dots & more dots. This one is actually a result of his loss of lower jaw (at least on the original avatar I used) and because he has less verbal control expels more air than necessary when speaking.


You might have also noticed by know, a second, and even more important element of naming Forsaken WoW characters, a cool, dark, multi-level-meaning, name. My friend Jubble's character was named Necrus, an obvious allusion to "necro" or death. Termenus was derived from "terminal" or "terminus" meaning "the end." As well as with Doohoohoohoom, I have often taken a long breath to pronounce DOOOOOOOooooommmmm!!!! upon enemies in other gaming situations. This leads me to another example of names used, perhaps allusions to HOW these characters came into their un-living state.

Bellamuerte: My fiance's mage, obviously a romance language is great for unique and provocative names, but in RP terms, in one of the stories I have not yet confirmed with her (so it's not 'canon' so to speak) is that her character's cousin, Termenus, saw her in her newly returned state and proclaimed, "beautiful death, my cousin." And her freshly re-awakened mind took a liking to it and used an obscure language she knew to keep the moniker.

Gruetouched & Gruette: Warriors, this is an obvious nod to RPG's of old, where wandering about in the dark without a light source meant certain death. And so is the case with this name. The story is that these two were wandering about in the dark and SOMETHING, killed them to allow The Plague to take over OR even affected their change. So when asked of their origins by other undead, they chose to keep the honorific as their identifiers.



Finally: Something I haven't been able to do too much in "normal WoW" that I miss, is the REAL RP. Most Likely in the future I will bore you all with the Most elaborate RP never RP'ed in World of Warcraft. A glimpse of it is actually one Rogue and one Hunter Pet.

BillyBones: my Rogue who is under 40 and GM of my family guild, partly named for the "old Captain" from Treasure Island, but also, in life his name was William Schreckwind, brother to Asthemus (who would die and return as Necrus) and Twin to Maxwell (who would also die and become BlackMax, a rogue that Jubbles rolled).
also,
Blackmax: my hunter Ribeyejack's pet cat (Humar the Pridelord) named after the fore mentioned rogue.


And so, yet another peak into my H47, with RP, WoW, and The Forsaken in mind. I would also say these similar rules might be applied to some DeathKnights, but even as I type, I think there would be other factors to consider, so don't quote me.
as always, see you around Thw Warcrafting World, and Dark Lady Watch Over You!