David Given Schwarm

Married, Father, United

Author: David Schwarm

  • four of cups

    On the Four of Cups, a man is sitting under a tree with three cups while being offered a fourth by a hand from a cloud. He stares at the three cups he has as if he is dissatisfied with them.

    This card suggests disappointment and discontent. What you believed was brilliant when your emotions were fresh is no longer enough. You have found flaws with it and you’re annoyed by what it lacks. You may be stewing in your feelings, protesting and grousing, and squandering your time. You need to take action, but are not yet ready.

    The most insidious of evil is apathy. If its influence remains unchecked you may lose yourself to self-pity, and not even realize what you have lost. This card is a strong warning that you must break out of your current cycles and it is time for re-evaluation. Seek out causes or people to care and fight for. Make new goals, eliminate dissatisfaction, and then seek out new paths to reach them. Now is the time to take risks, as the price of failure is far less than the cost of no longer seeking success.

  • Frogs

    • actions
    • another tester family
    • belief systems are self reinforcing
    • defects can be rationalized
    • do not wear during summer
    • email will continue
    • entitlement
    • Erica
    • exegisis
    • fear
    • feelings
    • feels really good
    • font is art
    • free floating syllabi
    • gas lighting
    • grounded in our own past
    • I cannot go there
    • idea vs events
    • I do know the future
    • I have never retired before
    • it feels surreal
    • I think I would miss the meeting
    • its biology
    • Jessica chestan
    • library access
    • memory
    • memory
    • not how bit through
    • obstinate
    • office
    • pee in a cup
    • reflecting on the first three years
    • remember how
    • respite care
    • retirement
    • scott wins in artistic
    • scream back
    • she was upset
    • sleep at miniature golf course
    • sleep in parking structure
    • sleep on concrete
    • the future
    • utopia
    • vanity
    • what would waking up happy tomorrow be like
    • who is Erica
    • you can predict his gratitude

  • Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti

    Alphabetical DiariesAlphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti
    My rating: 5 of 5 stars

    A completely fantastic book–I am not sure I have ever found a book that more accurately represents how I think. The social anxiety, the name dropping, the sex, the literary references, the work ethic, this book just has it all–fantastic and a fast read. I strongly recommend it.

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  • Fireballs & Flumphs

    Recap

    This week at Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, the Game Show continues to explore the Briny Maze in search of mind flayers to murder–we battle  a spectator named Jomlus, meets some friendly flumps and battle an encephalon cluster. Lots of fireballs, we consume a lot of healing potions, and eat some olive oil ice cream.

    Characters

    Stephen – Red the human barbarian
    David – RenRag – Earth genasi soulknife rouge
    Dylan – Ramen the Wizard
    Glenn – Tiefling Warlock
    Lance – Human Artificer Warlock

  • Frogs

    • 840 million == billion
    • Activity Done
    • Alex Jambalaya
    • Alienation
    • Anger Makes you isolate
    • Boundaries
    • Bret Michael Bird has one ball & it was bigger
    • Bubble
    • Caregiver
    • Caretaker
    • Caretaker – Matrial
    • Caretaker – Self-esteem based
    • Danger zone
    • Desire vs existance
    • Dirty Nelly
    • Escalation when not important
    • Excitement
    • Financially smart
    • Fragile and collapse
    • Green iPhone
    • Habits create need
    • Hard to open Dexterous
    • Hart to talk about my perception
    • Hide & seek dancer
    • I do not want to make people angry
    • Incredibly joyful
    • In on angry
    • Integration
    • Ireland
    • It is laziness
    • Karaoke
    • Kisses on the Boo Boo
    • Loose take of words
    • Lydia
    • Lydia’s moms ass
    • Made person
    • Make person
    • Many questions left unclear no longer feel safe
    • Married a martyer
    • Marty
    • Martyr
    • Michagin
    • Nude buy & underware
    • Opportunities – Consistency
    • People leasing
    • People pleaser
    • Perfectoinist
    • Prema
    • Religion is or people who want life after death, spirituality is for people who want a life
    • Revelation
    • Scale
    • Showing clevage
    • Strength – All talked at once
    • Tap dancer
    • Tap dancer
    • The car
    • The goy is joyful
    • Threat – New comers
    • Tiffany
    • Time – Aeon
    • Time – Age
    • Time – Eon
    • Time – Epoch
    • Time – Era
    • Trying to clean it up
    • Vetoed
    • Weakness – made it all about us
    • We made it all about us
    • What date was the Julian calendar assigned
    • What did I call you
    • Where id you sleep Wednesday night
    • Workaholic
    • You are old

  • Five of Wands

    On the Five of Wands, five young men fight among themselves with five wands. When you put energy in a task, it could develop rapidly in the early stages and not so much in later stages. The absence of genuine rivalry can make achievement easy. However, once you reach greater heights, winning becomes harder. You experience more and stronger rivalry.

    The Five of Wands is about the moment when you discover you are faced with the opposition of people who have the same amount of clout and level of aspiration as you. It suggests clashes and fierce battles, internal questions and reasons for alarm. Having to face worthy opponents, perhaps for the first time, can reduce your energy and drive to succeed, as well as hurt your pride.

    The Five of Wands is never a welcome card, as long tradition suggests you will be in line for struggle and aggravation. Pay close attention to the surrounding cards to discover clues about which areas of your life will be subject to conflict. Expect it to be rooted in tension, disagreement, and competition, and console yourself that a positive solution is not outside your reach. Just be prepared for the possibility that the victory will come at a personal cost.

  • The City We Became (Great Cities, #1) by N.K. Jemisin (Goodreads Author)

    The City We Became (Great Cities, #1)The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin


    I am not a fan of NY. This book is a huge celebration of all things New York, with a great magic system and some cosmic horror thrown in for fun. But if you do not like NY it is very hard to slog through all of the celebration. Now, if there was a sequel to take place in Orange County I would be all in!

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  • Alex’s bar

    Vince, Jack, and I went and saw Guitar Wolf. It was bad.

  • Plants are the Earths Enemy

    Recap

    This week at Alakazam Comics in Irvine, CA, the Game Show enters the Briny Maze in search of mind flayers to murder–there are also prisoners to rescue and shards to restore, but that is way less important than killing mind flayer. We meet some githyanki who are not interested in killing mind flayers. We defeat some flaming skulls with a bit of meta-gaming. Also, there are walnut milk shots. #DnD

    Characters

    Cody – Zachtos the Wizard/Cleric
    David – RenRag – Earth genasi soulknife rouge
    Glenn – Tiefling Warlock
    Henry – Allrick Elf scum
    Stephen – Red the human barbarian
    Taylor – Mushroom Fighter riding an Owl Bear

    Summary

    Beyond a Lightless Star

    The mind flayer fanatics have fled from the subterranean stronghold of Illithinoch to the Far Realm. There, the fanatics commune directly with their wicked deity, Ilvaash, as they begin a sinister ritual that will transform Humanoids in and around Phandalin into mind flayers. In the heart of Ilvaash’s hidden domain, the fanatics use the Netherese obelisk’s ancient magic to bring their ritual to completion. No one but the characters can stop their vile plan!

    The fanatics have already begun their lengthy ritual. They believe themselves safely ensconced in Ilvaash’s domain, called the Briny Maze. At the heart of the Briny Maze, Ilvaash lurks in a vast, empty pocket of psychic quasi-reality called the Endless Void. The characters must navigate the Briny Maze—overcoming its dangers and negotiating with potential allies—before reaching the Endless Void and confronting the fanatics as well as a psychic refraction of Ilvaash.

    We befriended a phase spider–our new party mascot.

    The Briny Maze is absolutely amazing.

    Alakazam D&D Adventure league is still looking for Wizards of the Coast to invest in organized play again.

    Still very unclear why this guy was digging a hole–likely should follow up.

    Great time at the table–plenty of space!

    Two quarts of milked walnuts is two quarts to many.

    my notes are getting better, likly switch to standard number two pencil next week.

    Githyanki not wanting to kill mind flayers is just odd.

  • The Agony of Eros by Byung-Chul Han

    The Agony of ErosThe Agony of Eros by Byung-Chul Han
    My rating: 5 of 5 stars

    Another great book by Germany’s greatest thinker. Simple, straightforward, and helpful—there is a good reference to everything from Shades of Grey to Kierkegaard. it is strongly recommended for fans of theory which he defends against an article on AI in Wired magazine. Very fun.

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