So, what has passed? I made top 8 at missouri states, If you go here you can see my name and the cards that were in my deck, not that it matters. I got a snazzy playmat and a box of boosters, approx retail $80. Plus it was a blast. A bunch of my friends back at the shop were all rooting for me to win it all, just so they could tauntingly refer to me as “the champ.” State championships are not the highest skill level tournament out there. they are actually closer to the bottom. I didn’t lose any rounds until the top 8, where I got knocked out right away by a very fortunate draw by my opponent, don’t really care though, prize was the same for the entire top 8. The whole tournament is just bragging rights anyway. Other equally interesting magic related things have happened, and at the shop, not in CoMo(where states was). The short version is: I’ve been winning a lot. That makes me very happy. I really love winning. So very much.

In terms of people, I’ve been seeing Mike Cowen-Nissen pretty much weekly, and he was here last friday when who should show up, but Jimbo! I saw him once at the shop a couple weeks ago when he stopped by not aware that someone he knew from high school worked here. We only talked a bit then, but last friday we were able to catch up fully on our lives since high school. He hadn’t heard about Tim’s situation, so I gave him the full rundown of everything I knew since the beginning. I’m ashamed to admit that I was relieved when I found out he was no longer in school. I don’t wish ill for him at all, I just always feel guilty when I hear about people i knew who are achieving and moving on to better things. It’s so petty, I know, but it’s the truth. I talked at him for awhile about relationships past and what I’d been doing since graduation in ’00, and what a few other people had been up to, like Jake and Nick. And he told me how he had filled the years since we last spoke. Apparently he tried his hand at military service, but eventually decided it wasn’t for him(I’m sure it isn’t, he just isn’t that kind of guy) and got an honorable discharge. Apparently now he just lives with his parents and doesn’t do much besides play bass and decide what he’s gonna do with his time in the long run. I’ve been there, minus the musical talent.

I have internet at the shop now. More will come later.