CHUY DAH

CHUY DAH February 2012

2012-02-13T15:32:00.002-05:00

From The Captain's Chair

With our first meeting after the passing of Admiral Konnor under our belts, I feel confident in saying that the Doomslayer is still going strong. We had a great turn out, and I would like to thank everyone who attended for coming out despite the weather. I'd also like to thank Lt. General Vamphry zantaI-Tumid, and Colonel K'jinn sutai Tumid, the Captain and XO of the Tumid's Wrath H.A.V., for not only joining us but lending their support during this time of transition.

Speaking of transitions, we have a few people here on the IKV Doomslayer who are changing or adding positions as well as a New Recruit!

Commander Sebastian vestai-Makhleod will be taking on the position of Chief of Operations along with his duties as Chief Engineer.

Commander K'Ana vestai-K'Tarra has been reassigned as the Ship's Quartermaster. (Nice to see you out of the air ducts my dear...)

Master Chief K'Jor Makhleod (son of Cmdr. Sebastian & Capt. K'Dot) is now officially assigned the position of Security XO, with all of the rights, privileges & responsibilities entailed by that position.

I would like to welcome our newest member, recruit Hov'puq Thorson who has become a member of house Makhleod! It is also my pleasure to announce that Recruit Hov'puq Thorson Makhleod is promoted to the rank of Ensign and assigned as Engineering XO with all of the rights, privileges & responsibilities entailed by said rank and position.

Congratulations to one and all! It is an honor to have you all aboard the Doomslayer. Let us all face the battles of our future together, with courage, dignity, and honor! We shall bring glory and honor to our ship, our houses, and the IKEF!

Qapla'!

Capt. K'Dot-Ka'li

Feb. 2nd: Khavid and Kammie’s Anniversary
Feb. 7th: Margaret Wander Bonanno’s birthday
Feb. 11th Doomslayer General Meeting @ Bread Head Bakery
Feb. 14th: HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Feb. 14th: Cadet Qos’ birthday

Mar. 10th: Doomslayer General Meeting @ Bread Head Bakery
Mar. 13th: Cadet Recruit Rha’lyn’s birthday
Mar. 17th: Honoring the passing of Chancellor Klaad
Mar. 17th: HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY (“Everybody‘s Irish tonight.” -- Murphy McManus, The Boondock Saints)

Sad News

2012-01-14T18:06:00.002-05:00

It saddens me to have to report that we have lost another great member of the IKV Doomslayer. Admiral Konnor sutai-Makhleod, CO of the Doomslayer, passed away January 11th due to complications from existing health issues. He was laid to rest earlier today after a beautiful and touching service attended by family and many friends. He was a warrior with out equal and the halls of Sto'Vo'Kor will echo with the tales of his great deeds.

Let it be known to one and all that the fate of the Doomslayer will never be in question. As long as one of us lives, this ship will continue to fly. I must say, however, taking over command was never my goal. But the fates have other plans for Admiral Konnor, so now here I sit in the big chair. I can not replace him, nor will I try. But I will do my best to lead this ship with the courage, honor, and devotion to the crew that Admiral Konnor so exemplified.

Captain K'Dot-K'ali sutai-Makhleod
CO, IKV Doomslayer
- Flagship - IKEF
House Mother & Proctor
of Clan Makhleod

October 2011

2011-10-07T15:34:00.004-04:00

(According to the computer stats, CHUY DAH has passed the 60-post mark!)

Greetings, one and all, to the October issue of the Empire's top newsletter, the excellence that is CHUY DAH. . .

This is going to be a short newsletter, because let's face it, not much is really going on right now. Not because of apathy or inattention, but due simply to that daemon we call "real life". And that's okay, because it's been a helluva year for us all, a hell in various forms. Not to say there haven't been high points, but it's been hard, and I think we've all needed the time to take care of things.

That being said, onto business:

I'm suspending this month's meeting, as well as next month's -- but would like to suggest an event for this month, which is somewhat related to our "Dinner and Movie Night":

On October 21st, a new version of one of my all-time favorite movies -- "The Three Musketeers" -- is due to be released. One of the major stars is our late Thought-Admiral's dream girl, one Milla Jovovich (as Milady DeWinter). And since our movies were going to be a Milla retrospective anyway, I suggest that we attend this movie and have dinner at New Towne Mall. As for me, I plan on seeing the movie on the 21st (or 22nd) regardless, but I'd like to think that the boss would appreciate the symbolism of this event.

Also, a certain member of this crew (who is currently MIA at this time) has a birthday around this time, so we can celebrate it as well...

I'd appreciate crew input on this.

And now, before I sign off for the time being, a moment of Zen...

Hell May Have Very Well Frozen Over...

2011-10-01T10:36:00.004-04:00

Crew, today is a special day. "Why is that, Admiral ?" you may ask.

(Go ahead, ask.)

It's a special day because today, after 28 years of swearing he'd never get married, my favorite bass player and one of my personal heroes, Gene Simmons, is finally tying the knot with his lady, Shannon Tweed.

In honor of this cosmically rare event, I raise a flagon of the Clan's best bloodwine in their honor, and am officially ordering bloodwine to be served freely in the galley all day today!

TO THE MARRIAGE! QAPLA!

Lest we forget

2011-09-11T22:22:00.003-04:00

On this day in our history, let's make sure that we at least took a moment to remember the events that occured, as well as raise a flagon of bloodwine and the howl to the valiant souls who were taken far too early along with the warriors who continue to fight the good fight even now.

QAPLA!

SEPTEMBER 2011 -- BACK TO THE ACADEMY

2011-09-04T21:19:00.002-04:00

Greetings one and all! The halls of the ship are far quieter now, thanks to the fact that all the cadets are back at the Academy -- and it's not a moment too soon; I was getting tired of all the foodfights in the galley!

It's September, and this is the Back To School issue of the one and only CHUY DAH -- accept no substitutes!

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

Okay, I guess there are those of you who've been wondering what the heck's been going on with me and why things have been so quiet. Here's the full explanation:

About a month or so ago, I began developing spasms in my upper back that would alternate between my shoulder blades. A CT scan showed me something I wasn't expecting: possible cancer cells in one of my rib bones. Needless to say, I was freaked out for a bit, as was my family. But the docs started me on a new type of chemo that's in pill form, and that I can take at home (4 pills, twice a day - bleh).

Good news: The spasms stopped.
Bad news: The side effects of this new drug include potential muscle and joint pain.

Couple that with the sudden influx of tropical storms and the changes they make, and I'm down with a little thing called "barometric orthralgia", which translates into arthritic-like attacks in my knees and ankles. Bottom line, I'm not walking far, not without a wheelchair, walker, or cane. The pain got bad enough that I ended up in the Aultman ER one Sunday, wondering why I can't even stand without screaming (you know how the pain scale goes 1 to 10? I found 12).

But, over time (with the help of certain lovely painkillers), this cleared up, and now I'm walking normally, just a little slowly right now as I get my strength back. I couldn't get to the computer easily, so that's why there's been no newsletter. Till now.

Okay, there's more. If you've been following my recent Facebook postings, on August 18th, I also became a great-uncle for a 2nd time! My nephew Mark and his fiancee Joy had a son, Layne Michael Miller, who came into the world at 5 lbs. 10 oz. and 18 inches long. From what I was last told, he's coming along just fine. So this also means we have a new Cadet as well!

And last -- but by no means least -- I have finally gotten published!

The book in question is an original manuscript I wrote in 2009, titled JERICHO HILL AND THE CASE OF THE FALLEN ANGEL. It's my try at hard-boiled detective fiction, and it's available through a direct link at www.lulu.com (I've got the link, so let me know if you'd be interested...). The Dover Public Library has the second copy -- my parents have the first one.

Enough about me.

This month's meeting location has been changed from 1 pm at Bread Head Bakery to 2 pm at my house, due both to a fire on September 3rd at the Main Moon resteraunt and the fact that I will be house-sitting September 10 (which is this Saturday). This is not the Dinner and Movie Night; just bring some kind of snack, and I'll provide the drinks. Hope to see everyone then.

The Calendar of Events is next...

CHUY DAH - July 2011

2011-07-07T23:11:00.002-04:00

If you're hoping for the Empire's Swimsuit edition, sorry, this ain't it...

INTRODUCTION
To start off this issue, a belated Happy Birthday to our Chief Logistics Officer, Lt. Cmdr. K'Ana! Hope you had a great day and drank as much bloodwine as you could...

SHIP'S BUSINESS
This month's meeting will be at our usual meeting place -- of course I speak of the Bread Head Bakery -- on Saturday, the 9th of July, at 1 pm (this is due to the new closing time of the BHB: 3 pm).

Since most of our cadets are now much older, it's time that our roster illustrate this. So I've taken the liberty of retooling it to better reflect the changes. It'll work a little something like this:

Ages 0 - 9: Trainee

Ages 10 - 13: Specialist

Ages 14 - 18: Officer

Any crewmember under the age of 18 will now carry an NCO rank without any honorific, and will be summarily promoted at the appropriate age.

While I'm on this subject, I've decided to personally add an special Honorary Member to it; my pastor, Reverend Michael Lowry, who has recently left my church and returned home to Maine, will now carry the office of Ship's Chaplain, with the honorary commission of Commander. You may be wondering why I've done this. Not only has he been a good friend and spiritual guide to me and my family, he's the first minister I've ever known who freely admits to being a science-fiction fan (especially a fan of Doctor Who). This was my tribute to him.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

July 9th: Doomslayer General Meeting @ Bread Head Bakery -- 1 pm.

CHUY DAH - June 2011

2011-06-06T10:06:00.002-04:00

Okay, to start things off, I've discovered I'm going to have to borrow a page from the Federation and get myself an aide -- my desk looks like a battlefield (not that that's a bad thing, mind you, but it does make one fall behind on matters).

Belated Happy Anniversary wishes to my 2nd and 3rd in commands. . . I couldn't ask for a finer duo to work with.

In honor of their anniversary, I'm mandating that there will be an extra ration of bloodwine with all meals for this coming week!

This month's meeting will be held at the New Towne Mall's miniature golf course on June 11th at 1 pm -- that's right, once again, it's time for the Doomslayer Invitational (Mini) Golf Classic!

Calendar of Events to follow. . .

CHUY DAH - May 2008 (Mother's Day Special)

2011-05-08T17:55:00.005-04:00

This issue of CHUY DAH is dedicated to all those of the maternal persuasion -- of course I speak of Moms everywhere -- on this special day. Like I always say, without our Moms, where would we all be?

Additionally, this month's issue is also dedicated to the members of the elite Special Operations team known as SEAL Team Six, the team that took out the world's most wanted terrorist, Usama ben Laden. To you gentlemen, KAI KASSAI and a big HOORAH!

Okay, now onto business. . .

This is May, and according to the ship's calendar, our event for this month is the annual Ship's Picnic, which will take place on the 14th at Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia at 1 pm. As usual, it's BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic), and we'll need an advance party to find a table for everyone (I'm taking volunteers for this detail). I'd also like to add that I'm lifting the moratorium on fried chicken and watermelon; let's just be careful where we are at the time, okay?

I had a good visit last month at Borders with Captain Kh'Per, who sends greetings to everyone.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 8th: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

May 12th: Chief Engineer Sebastian's birthday

May 20th: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" released

May 21st: Captain Kh'Per's birthday

May 30th: MEMORIAL DAY (where we remember the warriors who fought for us)

May 30th: Adm. Konnor's birthday (did you think I was going to let this pass?)

CHUY DAH -- April 2011

2011-04-05T15:54:00.002-04:00

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

First of all, I'd like to begin this newsletter by thanking everyone who attended last month's memorial dinner at The Manor. I think we all enjoyed the evening, and even the Chancellor would have loved it as well. (K'Ana -- sorry to hear that you had tonsilitis; you were missed, let me say for the record.) It's still hard to believe that it's been over a year now since Chancellor Klaad went on to the Black Fleet...

This month's event will be our semi-annual "Operation: Get out of Town" excursion to the Canton Sector this coming Saturday afternoon. The gathering point -- as usual -- will be the Borders bookstore on The Strip in North Canton.

You don't have to exclusively stay there; there are plenty of stores in the area -- but as for myself, you know where I'll be found. I'd like for all of us to meet around noon (or whenever you can get there).

An update on my medical condition: I've completed all the radiation therapy, and am now concentrating on healing from the burns that I suffered from it (unfortunate side-effect, I'm told). I'll be seeing my oncologist this Thursday, and find out what the next step in my treatment.

The Calendar of Events (and any further news) will be coming next...

MARCH 2011: Remebering and looking forward

2011-03-02T16:09:00.000-05:00

From the desk of the XO, Capt. K’Dot-Ka’li sutai-Makhleod

It's March, 2011... Didn't we just start the year? Where does the time go? I look out the window here and see the grass is green and some of the trees are starting to bud already. There are children with skate boards instead of snowballs. I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. Having spent all of my time here on Terra in this one area, I should be used to the fickle changes in weather. Ah well.

The regularly scheduled meeting is being replaced this month by a quiet family dinner on March 17th in honor of Chancellor Klaad. Take a moment my friends and raise a glass, drink a toast, and remember not only our fearless leader, but all our fallen brothers and sisters. They deserve no less.

As we remember those who have gone on, let us also look to the future as we celebrate the birthday of our youngest member, Cadet Recruit Rha’lyn! Happy Birthday little sprout!

Calender of events:

March 13th: Cadet Recruit Rha’lyn’s birthday

March 17th: Doomslayer family dinner

March 17th: St. Patrick's Day

February 2011 -- the Valentine's Day issue

2011-01-31T23:29:00.004-05:00

Greetings, brothers and sisters! Yes, I'm back in action, still somewhat sore from recent surgical procedures, but as I always say, you can't keep a good Klingon down for long! (Unless there's a good Klingon woman and a great deal of bloodwine involved, but enough about my therapy...)

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

I'd like to start off by thanking all crewmembers who attended the first meeting of 2011 at my residence -- this was the largest meeting we've had in quite some time!

The Bread Head Bakery has recently informed me that they have changed their closing time from 6 pm to 3 pm on Saturdays. Given that our standard meeting time was usually 1 pm, this might serve as a problem. . .but since we of the Mighty Doomslayer strongly adhere to the principles of "improvise, adapt, overcome", there is a solution.

Starting in February, any Ship's meeting that takes place at the Bread Head will start at 12:30 pm, instead of 1 pm. One of the staff members (a friend of mine) has said that as long as she's there working and cleaning up after 3 pm, we're welcome to stay if our meeting runs longer then usual. So this problem is covered -- but make note of the schedule change, folks!

Continuing on...

As we discussed at the January meeting, we will be collecting for the ship fund from every crew member to build up operating capital for future missions. The amount will be $3.00/month (to be collected at meetings/events) or $36/year (how you choose to pay it is up to you). I'm not going to say that if you fall behind, you're barred from the next event or anything like that; just remember to keep up.

I'd also like to receive individual reports for future newsletters, people. That's all I'm going to say. And will keep on saying till I start getting them on a regular basis!

I'd like to congratulate two newly-promoted noncoms who joined the ranks of the crew at the January meeting:

Master Chief Petty Officer T'Lisen, our newest Security Specialist

Petty Officer 2nd Class Qod, our newest Operations Specialist

(Ah, they grow up so fast...) Congratulations, young warriors - - I know you'll serve this ship well!

Now, before I put up the February Calendar, allow me to leave you with a moment of Zen:

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February is Avocado and Banana Month! ( I had no idea)

Feb. 1st: Working Naked Day
Feb. 2nd: Groundhog Day (Punxsutawney represent, yo!)
Feb. 2nd: Commander Kha'Vid and Lt. K'Hammie's Anniversary
Feb. 2nd: Imbolic (???)
Feb. 3rd: HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR (The Year of the Rabbit)!!
Feb. 6-12th: National Jell-o Week
Feb. 8th: Lt. K'Wendah's birthday
Feb. 8th: Extraterrestrial Culture Day
Feb. 12th: Doomslayer General Meeting @ Bread Head Bakery -- 12:30 pm.
Feb. 13th: Get a New Name Day
Feb. 14th: Cadet Qos' birthday
Feb. 19th: The 30th Anniversary of the death of AC/DC's original lead singer, Bon Scott
Feb. 28th: Public Sleeping Day

2011-01-01T01:04:00.001-05:00

January 2011: A New Year, A New Log

From the desk of the XO, Capt. K’Dot-Ka’li sutai-Makhleod

Another year here on Terra has passed. 2010 is gone and I can’t say I’m sad to see it go. It’s been a rough year for many here on the Doomslayer, and for many others through out the ‘verse. Let us raise a glass of blood wine and remember all those that have gone ahead to Sto‘Vo‘Kor and in salute to all who have survived to continue the battles that have been set before us!

I am happy to report that Admiral Konnor has dealt well with the medical issues he has faced this past year. The surgery went very well and was completed in less time than it was expected to take. He is recovering well and is in very good spirits. Qapla! Admiral Konnor! We, the loyal crew of the IKV Doomslayer, are honored to serve with you and provide all the assistance we can while you continue your recovery!

As with every new year, it is time to rethink, reorganize, and redo many things for the ship! This means we will all be filling out paper work and updating the Ships Calendar as well during the upcoming meeting. Also, please keep in mind that Admiral Konnor has offered up the option to reinvent your self (character wise) if you so choose. So think about whether or not there are any changes you would like to make to your persona. Due to the Admiral’s health, we will be meeting at his house this month at #pm. Please bring any information you may need to update your medical forms as well any information regarding an activity or away mission you would like to see the ship undertake this year.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

January 3rd: National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day.
These treats can also be made with prunes! What a delicious treat for every Klingon warrior!

January 4th: Lt. Kammie’s Birthday

January 8th: Doomslayer General Meeting: Admiral Konnor’s Dwelling at 2pm

January 8th-14th: Universal letter writing week- Don’t forget to write home to Mom.
She misses you and longs to hear of the battles you have won!

January 10th: Chancellor Klaad’s Birthday (RIP)

January 15th: Cmdr. Kha’Vid’s Birthday

A Note From The Admiral

2010-12-31T01:30:00.003-05:00

I'm sending this out from my dwelling, where I'm getting some long-overdue R&R (or so the CMO tells me). I'm doing well, but still fairly sore from the procedures. . .feels like I've been stampeded by a herd of targs. 2010 has been a helluva year, even more so then others, and I will happily raise a mug of bloodwine to its departure. We have suffered losses that would cripple other warriors. . .and we have taken hits of our own in various forms. But despite everything that has happened to us all, one fact remains intact: we are still standing. A bit bloodied, bruised, and sore, but still we stand. And I take a full measure of pride in that -- as you all should as well.

As I write this, 2010 has about 24 hours left to live, and 2011 -- that new and undiscovered country -- is waiting. Let us not go into the unknown with heavy hearts, but with hearts ready to take on whatever comes. We are still The Mighty Doomslayer, the home of The Most Dangerous Crew in the Fleet. . .so the question must be asked: 2011 -- ARE YOU READY FOR US?

I'd like to end this note with the lyrics to a song from the soundtrack of "Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day" -- and when you read these words, I think you'll find a fitting way to sign off the old year and begin the new. The song is titled "Better Days", and Kahless knows, we could use some right.

Here's to us all -- QAPLA!

Adm. Konnor

Better Days
by: The Dirges

You, my friend, must realize
The time we have won't last
You can't erase the past
Lord knows I've tried
There are times I've been weighed down
Black and blue inside me
Old wounds still residing
Beneath my skin

So let's raise a glass
To better days
Forget the past
And our wicked ways
Just let me sing
This one last song
And make this feelin' last
All night long

A fresh start is what you need
So let's begin again
I will be your friend
From this day on
You can rely upon me
If you ever need to
I will help you get through
And find your way

So let's raise a glass
To better days
Forget the past
And our wicked ways
Let's sing together
This one last song
And make this feelin' last
All night long

Forgive yourself
Know all is well
Dust yourself off
And tell your blues
To go to hell

So let's raise a glass
To better days
Forget the past
And our wicked ways
Let me just sing
This one last song
And make this feelin' last
All night long

Let's raise a glass
To better days
Forget the past
And our wicked ways
Let me just sing
This one last song
And make this feelin' last
All night
All night
All night
Long

December 2010 - The Xmas Special

2010-12-08T23:22:00.002-05:00

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

Greetings, one and all! As I write this, it's about as cold as Rura Penthe outside my dwelling; I still find it hard to believe (even after all this time) that the Terrans actually find this type of weather enjoyable. . .

Before I get to business, a medical update: as of last Monday, I've concluded my chemotherapy treaments. I'm scheduled to undergo surgery on December 27th, and will be out of action (for the most part) about 6-8 weeks. This means that I will NOT be writing the next issue of CHUY DAH. . .and unless someone volunteers to take over this task, I'm going to have to appoint someone myself. Don't say you weren't warned.

As always, December means that it's time for the ship's annual Christmas Party, and this year's party is going to be a combination of events; not only will it be a Christmas Party, but also the ship's Dinner And A Movie Night as well.

The party will be this coming Saturday -- December 11th -- at my residence, starting around 4 pm. Capt. K'Dot Kali will be providing the main course, while I provide the drinks, table service, and the movies and place. We'll need at least a side dish or two, along with at least one dessert. If you feel like providing anything more, by all means, feel free to do so.

As for the evening's movies, this year will be a Boondock Saints retrospective (both The Boondock Saints and The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day). I hope to see everyone this weekend.

I nearly forgot -- there will be a "White Elephant" gift exchange as well. Bring something you have but haven't used (that would be suitable, gift-wise), and if you feel so inclined, spruce it up a bit.

Before the festivities get too far gone, there will also be a brief meeting.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Dec. 11th: Doomslayer Xmas Party/ Dinner & A Movie Night @ Admiral Konnor's - 4 pm
Dec. 14th: Fleet Mom's Birthday
Dec. 17th: Milla Jovovich's Birthday (Chancellor Klaad's favorite actress)
Dec. 25th: MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Dec. 27th: Adm. Konnor's surgery & medical leave
Dec. 31st: NEW YEAR'S EVE

CHUY DAH - November 2010

2010-11-11T09:15:00.003-05:00

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

This month is a very special month, and not because Thanksgiving's right around the corner. . . to paraphrase a line from the Beatles, it was 20 years ago this Saturday, November 12th, that a ship named Doomslayer went online.

That's right, twenty years ago.

The number of crew has risen and fallen over time, but one thing remains true to this day -- WE'RE STILL HERE.

And plan to be, for years to come.

A Happy Birthday announcement

2010-10-18T12:21:00.003-04:00

Today, the Doomslayer celebrates the birthday of its First Officer, Captain K'Dot-Kali -- the best XO a Commanding Officer like me could ever have!

Raise a mug of bloodwine in her honor today, brothers and sisters!

CHUY DAH - October 2010

2010-10-12T13:06:00.002-04:00

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

There's not that much to discuss at this time.

As of right now, Operation: Yard Sale is suspended, due to the simple fact that we all have too many real-life matters to deal with at this time, as well as medical matters for certain members of the crew.

I'd like to wish Ensign Qianna a belated Happy Birthday -- didn't want you to think we'd forgotten you!

Next month's meeting will be a very special one -- where we will be commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the IKV Doomslayer!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
October 18th -- Captain K'Dot Kali's birthday
October 26th -- Trainee Sk'Tar's birthday

CHUY DAH - September 2010 issue part 2 (Or the "Now, where was I ?" issue)

2010-09-24T00:39:00.003-04:00

INTELLIGENCE OFFICER'S REPORT (SUPPLEMENTAL): The test went fine, they found nothing wrong with my colon, I have to take more fiber, but I can live with that. I also am over-stressed, so the doc told me to relax more, LOL hard to do with no blood wine around.

Capt. Kh'Per Nveid

ADMIRAL'S MEDICAL REPORT (SUPPLEMENTAL): As of 1009.23, I've now had 3 chemotherapy treaments, and was accompanied to this last one by Commander Khavid. The doctor says that the tumor is indeed shrinking with every treatment, and possibly -- when the time for surgery comes, there may not be that much to excise.

I've also had a scan of my heart this month, which years ago was damaged by past chemotherapy treatments and resulted in my suffering a bout of congestive heart failure. In 1999, the first scan revealed that my heart was only pumping at 22% (the normal average is 50%); as of this month, it has IMPROVED to a new rate of 36%.

September 2010 (aka the "Where's the CHUY DAH at?" issue

2010-09-08T23:38:00.002-04:00

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

Greetings to one and all -- and yes, this issue is another late one. For those of you who know my current status, you know why. For those of you who may not, my Medical Status report:

I'd started into my chemotherapy treatments, when I developed a fever that started off at a temperature of 100.4 degrees and leveled off at 104.2 degrees. This little development landed me in the hospital for a week, whereupon the doctors discovered that the port-a-cath implant they'd put in the left side of my chest was being rejected by my body, due to my somewhat diminished immune system. (This is what you get when you don't use Imperial technology!)

So, they removed the implant from my chest and installed a line in my left arm (so if you see me wearing what looks like an elbow pad, it's for protection of the new line).

After 7 days, they allowed me to return home, with the options of either driving back and forth to the hospital for continued antibiotic therapy for a 18-day stretch or having a home health care nurse come to the house and run the IV there. (The 3rd option was staying another 18 days -- I chose to pass on that...) You can guess which I chose.

This also entailed being at the hospital every morning of those 18 days by 9 am (8 am on Saturdays and 8:30 on Sundays). With all that driving, I gotta tell you, I was tired. Bone-tired. And thus, things got put off -- like this issue of CHUY DAH.

So, now you know.

On the plus side, I'm doing well thus far, with no real side-effects from the treatments (2 as of this report) save for a new hairstyle...

OPERATION: YARD SALE (MISSION UPDATE): It's been decided that -- due to real-life complications incurred by the crew -- the operation, which was scheduled for this Saturday, September 11, is officially ON HOLD until next month.

There will be a Gereral Meeting to plot the logistics of this event (as well as catch up on ship business) at the Bread Head Bakery on Saturday at 1 pm.

TO BE CONTINUED

CHUY DAH August 2010

2010-08-08T16:43:00.002-04:00

Greetings, warriors! This is your Summer issue of CHUY DAH!

Ah, Earth weather. . .hot, sticky, humid. . .kinda makes you homesick, doesn't it?

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

To start off, as of July 31st, 2010, I'm proud to announce that the Clan Makhleod is 12 years old, and still going stronger then ever!

Secondly, the General meeting this month is temporarily suspended, as I (or should I say my Terran alter-ego, the gonzo pro wrestling writer The Reverend Rogue Six) will be making a public appearance as part of a wrestling memorabilia show, which will take place on August 14th at the Lifebridge Church in downtown Dover from 10 am to 5 pm. Anyone is welcome to join me, if you want.

Operation Yard Sale is still in effect, but there is a change of location and of date; the place will be the Dover Flea Market's parking lot (or inside the market in case of rain), while the date is slated for the weekend of September 11-12. Cmdr. Kha'vid is working on contacting other IKEF ships and allies for this operation, which is all being done in the name of Fleet Mom. More info will be forthcoming as it becomes available.

On a personal note, for those who I haven't told, I've undergone my first round of chemotherapy, and got through it just fine. Thank Kahless for better chemicals. . .my 2nd treatment will be on August 17th. On behalf of my folks and myself, my thanks for all your support.

INTELLIGENCE OFFICER'S REPORT
My health has been in the crapper (lol). I'm going to have a colonoscopie done, because I have been passing blood.They are also going to run a scope down my throat as I have thrown up blood. I will keep everyone updated.

I saw Twilight: Eclipse; it was very good, but Belle is still whiney. I also saw The Last AirBender -- a good movie, but not as good as the animated version was (in my opinion.

I enjoyed the Admiral's recent company, and getting caught up on the club at the Borders outing, as I can't make it down there - but can when you come to Canton.

Capt. Kh'Per Nveid

CHUY DAH - July 2010

2010-07-16T09:22:00.002-04:00

FROM THE ADMIRAL'S CHAIR

Yes, this issue is once again late. This time, later then usual. Those of you that I've talked to privately know why. Add to that the factor of dog-sitting for this past week, and that's all what's made this month's newsletter late. In the words of the immortal S'Tahn of the House of L'Hee, 'nuff said.

Catching up on business. . .first of all, a belated Happy Birthday to our resident Quartermaster K'Ana!

Next, thanks to Captain Kh'Per for the pleasure of his company on last month's Shore Leave in Canton!

Operation:MALL CRAWL last week held a special meaning for me, because it was on a July 10th, nineteen years ago, that I signed my enlistment papers and joined the IKV Doomslayer. Damn. . .from raw recruit to Commanding Officer in nearly twenty years.

To borrow a quote from the Grateful Dead, "what a long strange trip it's been". And I have no plans of stopping now.

Okay, that's enough of the old business -- now to some new business at hand:

RANT WARNING -- RANT WARNING -- RANT WARNING

I have said this before, and I'm going to keep on hammering at this until either it starts to happen, or it breaks from all the pounding: I WANT REPORTS FOR THIS NEWSLETTER. I'm getting tired of coming up with things to fill this space, and to those outside the ship who read this, it looks like my newsletter, and not the ship's.

This is going to change, people.

I've heard the biggest reason for not submitting reports being "I don't know what to say."

Okay, I'm going to explain this again: the kind of report I'm looking for doesn't necessarily need to be Klingon-oriented (unless you want it to be).

Tell us what's happening with you. If you read a great book, saw a great movie or TV episode, found something interesting online, or even if you just heard a great joke, SHARE IT WITH THE CREW! If there's something going on in your life, and you need to talk about it (and also if you feel okay with sharing it online), put it out there.

The bottom line: this is NOT just my newsletter, it is THE newsletter of the IKV Doomslayer, The Mighty Doomslayer (c), the flagship of IKEF and the home of The World's Most Dangerous Crew(c). Much has been given to us, and much is expected.

Need I say more?

Reports for the August newsletter will be due by July 25th. And they need to be more then a line or two.

CHUY DAH used to be the most popular newsletter in Ohio -- and it will be popular again.

THE RANT WARNING IS NOW OVER -- ALL CLEAR

The Calendar of Events wil be posted later. . .

June 2010 issue

2010-06-08T12:15:00.004-04:00

This issue of CHUY DAH is brought to you by BIG DOG tequila, making Klingon women lose their armor for 3 centuries!

FROM THE ADMIRAL’S CHAIR
(Yes, that title has finally been changed, mainly because someone recommended that I needed to finally accept the changes that have come. . .)

Okay, now to catch up on some business:

First of all, a belated Happy Anniversary to the other two-thirds of my Command Staff -- K’Dot Kali and Bastian!

I’m also hoisting a tankard of bloodwine in honor of two of our cadets who’ve celebrated birthdays in the last week or so -- Q’Od and K’Hellie! Here’s to two fine young warriors!

Why are these all belated? Simple -- celebrate three family birthdays within the span ten days, and see how far behind on things you end up! (That’s not an excuse, but a statement of fact.)

Now to current ship’s business:
This month’s meeting (June 12th) will involve our yearly “Get Out Of Dodge” trip to the Borders bookstore in Canton. I’d like to gather at the store around noon, which means I’ll be departing for Canton around 11 or so (to allow for Saturday traffic -- which has been known to be a little crazy at times, depending on the weekend. . .). If anyone wants to caravan to Borders, you’ll need to be at my house by 11. Dinner (if we stay in Canton that long -- and who knows? We might) will be at the Belden Village Mall’s food court.

If you’re a former member of the Donut Connection family, there’s a special event being held on Sunday, June 13th at Franklin Park in Strasburg. A Picnic for the Donut Connection Clan will be at the Park from 12 noon to 5 pm. If you’re attending, you need to bring a covered dish and beverage. I’m going, because there’s a lot of people I’d like to see again. . .

Doomslayer’s original Writer-in-Residence, Margaret Wander Bonanno, has a new TREK book on the shelves. Its titled UNSPOKEN TRUTH, and is devoted to Saavik’s past. I haven’t read it as of yet, but it’s on my list of books to read.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
June 12th: Doomslayer’s Trip to Borders in North Canton - 12 noon
June 13th: Donut Connection Clan Picnic - Franklin Park in Strasburg from 12n to 5 pm (covered dish and beverage)
June 14th: NATIONAL FLAG DAY (be sure to fly the colors if you’ve got ‘em -- and if you don’t, get ‘em!)
June 21st: SUMMER BEGINS (as if it hadn’t been hot enough already)
June 29th: Autumn Daley’s birthday (can’t remember her Klingon name)

May 2010 - The "OMG This is late" Issue

2010-05-12T10:53:00.003-04:00

FROM THE CAPTAIN’S CHAIR
To begin with, I want to raise a flagon of bloodwine and wish a Happy Birthday to our one and only resident Chief Engineer, Senior Commander Bastian!

Next, I’d like to wish a belated Happy Mother’s Day to all crew members of the maternal persuasion. Remember, everyone, without your mother, there is no you. . .

DOOMSLAYER'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE: On -1/0501.2010, an Away Team consisting of myself, Captain K’Dot, Lt. Commander K’Ana (who was recovering from a recent injury suffered when the gravitic regulators malfunctioned), and Lt. K’Wendah, traveled to the Columbus sector to attend a special memorial service in honor of Chancellor Klaad’s passing at Starbase Columbus.
Well, let’s say that was the original plan. (But as the saying goes, if you want to really make Kahless laugh, tell him your plans.)

The navigational programming that should have gotten our shuttle to the Starbase in a sufficient amount of travel time. . .well, it wasn’t programmed in the shuttle. So, to Captain K’Dot’s credit, she piloted and navigated simply by sight -- a strategy that worked . . . to a point.

We ended up seeing regions of the sector that we hadn’t planned on seeing before finding a navigational beacon and arriving at the Starbase just as the service had begun.

The service itself was done quite well, with anyone who wished to give tribute to the Chancellor an open podium to do so. Following the service, we talked with many of the attendees before setting out on the return trip.

And once again, we ended up having navigational problems. This time we came out of warp in the Lodi sector, but were able to get on the correct coordinates to return home.

This mission led to the creation of a special list that will be known on the ship as “Doomslayer’s Rules”. These rules will be more like a set of guidelines, but guidelines that should be followed to avoid future problems as much as possible. This list is not fixed in any way; it’s going to grow, I have a feeling.

And with that, the list begins here:

Rule Zero: Whenever in doubt, ask this question - “What would the Chancellor do?”
Rule One: Do not embarrass the ship.
Rule Two: Remember, this is supposed to be fun.
Rule Three: Unless there is a map/list of step-by-step instructions/GPS device present, Capt. K’Dot is strictly forbidden from performing any sort of navigation.

When more rules arise, they will be published here.

WHY WAS THERE NO MEETING THIS MONTH?: This is a perfectly reasonable question. To begin with, most of us had been on the Starbase Columbus Away team, so a great deal of ship’s business was dealt with on the road. Secondly, we’ve had a very busy couple of months, and I decided that we needed a break. And finally, it was Mother’s Day weekend, so everyone needed to spend more time with family. That’s why there was no meeting.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 12th: Chief Engineer Bastian’s birthday
May 21st: Chief Intelligence Officer Kh’Per’s birthday
May 30th: Admiral Konnor’s birthday
May 31st: MEMORIAL DAY (Take a moment to remember the warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us all)

April 2010 - Special Memorial Issue

2010-04-07T19:54:00.002-04:00

FROM THE C.O.'S CHAIR

I'll tell you this, that's a title heading that I never thought I'd be writing. . .for myself.

Out of all the articles and pieces I've ever written, this is going to be the hardest I've done, but this is something I have to do.

One thing that I've always done ever since I became First Officer of the Doomslayer is that I've always talked straight to all of you. And that's what I'm going to do right here.

Damn.

This is not the way I'd envisioned taking command of this ship. Not by a frakking longshot.

But Fate, that fickle wench that she is, obviously had something else in mind for me and for all of us. I mean, we all knew there would come a day when Joe would leave us, but simply saying that over and over again never prepares you for the shock that hits you physically when it finally comes.

[In case you hadn't heard, the Battle Council has officially ordered that not only will Doomslayer stay the Flagship of IKEF, but I have been installed as the new Commanding Officer.]

Okay, where was I? Oh yes. . .there have been a couple of things asked in regards to the future of the ship, and I'd like to publicly answer them.

First of all, Doomslayer's fate was never in question. We will do what Joe would have wanted us - expected us - to do; we carry on. No matter what happens, we are -- and we will always stay -- The Mighty Doomslayer. Right now, at this point in time, this is undoubtedly the darkest time in the ship's history. But we will come out of it. I know it.

As for our schedule, yes, I admit that so far this year our amount of activities have been (for want of a better word) lackluster. Blame it on the randomness of OH weather. It sucks, but you can't avoid it. But I will guarantee you this: no matter if it's just 2 of us meeting for a cup of coffee or a plate of Chinese, or gathering for dinner and a mall crawl, we will do whatever we can to insure a ship mission at least once a month. We are nowhere near fading away, and as long as I'm drawing breath, that's not happening. As Joe once said to me, "As long as there's one of us left, there'll always be a Doomslayer."

For all the years I served as XO of this ship (and Kahless' hand, it feels so strange to speak of that time in the past tense!!) I was proud to be the 2nd-in-command of the greatest and most elite crew in the Imperial Fleet and serve under a great leader the likes of the Chancellor. And now that Fate has selected a new path for me, I can only say that the feeling. . .has not changed a single bit. You all make me proud, and I am honored to call you friends and family as well as crew, and to this day, I'd have no one else at my back. Period.

In short, if people think we act like a Mob family, then they haven't seen anything yet. I'm the new Godfather of this Family, and now more then ever, I take care of this Family as well as I can. This will never change. Nor will the fact that even though our founder and leader -- not to mention friend and mentor -- has gone on to captain a ship in the Black Fleet, we will always stand as The Mighty Doomslayer, home of The World's Most Dangerous Crew, and I am honored beyond measure to be your new Commanding Officer.

CHANGE TO THIS MONTH'S MEETING
Due to personal circumstances, this month's General Meeting will be on April 10th, at my home starting at 2 pm. Changes to the Ship's Handbook will be discussed.

CHUY DAH - March 2010: The St. Patrick's Day Issue

2010-03-09T13:01:00.002-05:00

As I look out the window, I’m starting to see this green/brown coloring to the ground that seems to have been hiding underneath all the white that’s been covering the land. . .I believe the Terrans call this “thawing”. . .and I have to say, I like the looks of it. . .

It’s March, and we’re roughly 60 days or so away from the Camp Dover Reunion. We’ve got a lot done, but still have quite a bit to do in the way of final preparations.

This month’s meeting -- scheduled for March 13th -- is going to be moved ahead one day to Sunday, March 14th; the entire crew has been invited to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lt. Cmdr. Kha’vid and Lt. jg Kammie’s granddaughter, Cadet Recruit Rha’lyn. The party will be held at the Midvale Park Pavilion at 2 pm. Contact Kha’vid or Kammie for details on gifts.

Following the party, there will be a Reunion Planning meeting at the Main Moon restaurant (this location may be subject to change) in order to update the status of the reunion planning.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Mar. 13: Cadet Recruit Rha’lyn’s birthday
Mar. 14: Rha’lyn’s birthday party - Midvale Park Pavilion @ 2 pm.
Mar. 14: Camp Dover Reunion planning meeting (Time @ place TBD)
Mar. 17: HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY! (Go on out and git yer Irish on!)

CHUY DAH February 2010

2010-02-10T11:10:00.001-05:00

Before I start this issue off, I’ve got a question -- when did we get reassigned to Rura Penthe? I never saw the orders arrive; all I know is that I woke up in my quarters and it was fracking freezing!

And what was with the ice on the front view screen?

Okay, now that I’ve got that off my chest, onto the business at hand:

First of all, a belated Happy Anniversary to Lt. Cmdr. Kha’Vid and his mate, Lt. j.g. Kammie; these two celebrated 20 years of bonding on 2/2/10. 20 years. . .no wonder Kha’Vid’s Security Chief -- he’s had plenty of experience evading attacks, if you know what I mean. (And if you don’t, I’ll just head-slap you later. . .)

I’d also like to wish a belated Happy Birthday to the Doomslayer’s Writer-in-Residence and Cadet Q’Elle’s God-Aunt, Margaret Wander Bonanno, who celebrated her birthday on 2/7/10.

While I'm at it, I’d like to raise a mug of bloodwine to the 2010 NFL World Champions -- the New Orleans Saints! The Saints are a bit like us; they did what many said couldn’t be done, and they shocked the world.

Of course, it’s February, which means April is getting even closer. But this year, the forces of Nature seem to be conspiring against us. We do need to meet this month, but I don’t want anyone risking their lives just to come to a meeting, so for this month, I’m calling for an online meeting this Saturday to go over what we have yet to get done in regards to the reunion -- which will be here before we know it. Let’s meet via Yahoo IM at 10:30 pm; I’d like to keep this meeting fairly short. Contact me for any questions or further details.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Feb. 13th: Online meeting - 10:30 pm.
Feb. 14th: Cadet Q’Os Makhleod’s birthday
Feb. 14th: HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

A Special Anniversary

2010-01-28T14:14:00.003-05:00

Today is a special date for me, and it has been for quite a few years. On this date, seventeen years, I was informed that my cancer (non-Hodgkins lymphoma) was in remission. This came about due to:

12 CAT scans
3 surgeries
4 implants
1 1/2 years of chemotherapy
34 days of radiation
1 bone marrow transplant

My father referred to all this as "a walk through Hell in a gasoline shirt", and trust me, he wasn't that far off.

What makes this day even more special is that I've outlived the number of years I was supposed to survive. They said I wasn't supposed to live past five years. Ain' t that a kick in the slats? And here I am, celebrating 17 years of life.

To a select group of you who read this -- and you know who you are -- my eternal gratitude for helping me get this far.

Here's to another 17, and another 17 after that!

Adm. Konnor

January 2010 issue

2010-01-08T22:15:00.002-05:00

FROM THE XO'S CHAIR

Greetings to one and all! Now that the holidays are over, the decorations are stored away, and all hangovers have been remedied, time for us to get back to business.

And yes, this newsletter is a little short, due to the fact that there’s not a great quantity to report. . .

First of all, I want to send a belated Happy Birthday (January 4th) to our Chief Services Officer, Lt. j.g. Kammie, and condolences to our Chief Engineer, Cmdr. Bastian K’Hyde, whose mother passed away this past Saturday.

Starting this month, the ship’s meetings will be held at a brand new location -- the Bread Head Bakery -- at 1 pm. The Bakery has recently changed its hours, and will now be open Tuesday through Saturday until 7 pm, as well as 9 am to 3 pm on Sundays.

Also effective this month, Chief Quartermaster K’Ana will be assuming the post of Chief Communications Officer.

As of January 1st, we stand at 112 days until the Camp Dover Reunion at the Schoenbrunn Inn. And you all know what this means -- we’ve got a lot of things to do and not a great deal of time in which to do them. This would usually terrify most people, but not The World’s Most Dangerous Crew ™, correct?

After all, we’ve done more and in less time (but let’s not get cocky, people -- we don’t want to spoil a great record, now do we? Of course not.)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January 9th: Doomslayer General Meeting: Bread Head Bakery - 1 pm

January 10th: Chancellor Klaad’s birthday

January 15th: Lt. Cmdr. Kha’Vid’s birthday

CHUY DAH December 2009

2009-12-04T22:59:00.002-05:00

This issue of CHUY DAH is brought to you by Uncle Moe’s Kosher BBQ and Deli, with shops on Qo’Nos, Romulus, and now on Ferenginar!

Remember, when you want the best in all-kosher BBQ, you want Uncle Moe’s!

FROM THE XO’S CHAIR
First of all, greetings, one and all! As we’re wrapping up the year, this newsletter will be a short one.

The planning meeting (or “reminder” meeting, as I prefer to call it) on November 28th couldn’t have gone any better. The turnout was good, as was the food and company. Everyone seems on board with what we have planned thus far, so now comes the time that we show the world once more just why we’re known as The Mighty Doomslayer and put on a great event -- or as I like to say it, “let’s do the impossible just one more time…”

(Yeah, I watch Leverage a little too much, it seems…oh well.)

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR: The 2009 Doomslayer Christmas Party will be next Saturday (December 12th) at our newest hangout, the one and only Bread Head Bakery, at 12:30 pm. As per tradition, there will be the annual gift exchange (non-gender specific gifts with a $5 limit).

I’d like to close this final newsletter by saying from me and my family to all of you and yours, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Dec. 12th: Doomslayer’s Christmas Party at Bread Head Bakery -- 12:30 pm
Dec. 14th: Fleet Mom’s birthday
Dec. 25th: MERRY CHRISTMAS !!
Dec. 31st: New Year’s Eve

CHUY DAH November 2009

2009-11-05T11:10:00.001-05:00

Greetings, one and all!

This is your CHUY DAH for November 2009, and as always (unless something goes horribly wrong), I am Admiral Konnor, your XO.

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN: Like I said, it’s November (where did this year go, I ask you), and on the Doomslayer, when it’s November, that means only one thing is imminent -- and in this case, I’m not talking about Thanksgiving; of course, I’m talking about the Camp Dover planning meeting.

Only in this case, it’s the Camp Dover Reunion planning meeting.

Now, I know what some of you may be asking: “Admiral, didn’t we already have a meeting for the reunion?” Where have you been? In case you forgot, thanks to the Holiday Inn screwing us over, we didn’t have the reunion this year -- now do you remember?

The Planning Meeting -- or “Reminder Meeting -- will be at 1 pm on the 28th (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) in The Manor restaurant’s banquet room. I’ll need RSVPs no later then the 20th, so I can give The Manor an idea of how many people they’ll be cooking for. And lest I forget, the Chancellor has mandated that we’ll be eating family-style before the meeting.

THIS MONTH’S MEETING: Despite the Planning meeting at the end of the month, I think a General Meeting is warranted to prepare for it. So for this month, we’ll be meeting at the Bread Head Bakery on the 14th (next Saturday) at 12:30 pm.

PROMOTION: I’m honored to announce that effective immediately, Cadet Qianna Makhleod, daughter of Kha’vid and Kammie Makhleod, is hereby promoted to the commissioned rank of Ensign. My congratulations to the new officer, as well as to her parents.

AT THE MOVIES: All TREK movies are being remastered and re-released on DVD, with new extras added to them; I’ve seen 3-4 of them at Wal-mart, and if memory serves, they’re selling for around $13 each (which isn’t all that bad, considering the prices of some DVDs. On the same subject, “Star Trek” (the 2009 movie) is scheduled to be released on DVD November 17th.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Nov. 14th: Doomslayer General Meeting: Bread Head Bakery - 12:30 pm.
Nov. 17th: “Star Trek” movie released on DVD
Nov. 25th: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Nov. 28th: Camp Dover Reunion Planning Meeting: The Manor restaurant - 1 pm.

October 2009

2009-10-06T09:35:00.002-04:00

It’s getting a little colder now here on Terra. . .and now there’s more Jack-o-lanterns in the stores -- so this means that Halloween’s not that far off once again.

Greetings, one and all!

This is going to be a "quick-n-dirty" newsletter, because there's not much to report right now.

ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING: It’s October, and by the calendar, the next month is November.

Before you go any further, I know what you’re going to say: “Gee, thanks for stating the obvious, Admiral, it’s not like we didn’t know that…”

The reason I’m saying this is because we’re going to hold another Camp Dover Reunion Planning Meeting at 1 pm. on November 28th (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) at The Manor Restaurant in Strasburg. (Yes, we had one last year, but in case you forgot, genius, we ran into a little problem this year: the Holiday Inn pulled the rug out from under us, remember?) So, in a sense, this will be more of a “reminder” meeting then anything else.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, MOVIE: Our scheduled Movie Night is indeed on for this Saturday (October 10th) at my home, starting around 4 pm. The movies will be “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels” and one of the Command Staff’s perennial favorites, “The Boondock Saints”.

[NOTE: I’d like to take some time to have a brief meeting and catch up on ship business before we get started.]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Oct. 8th: Cadet Q’Ana’s birthday
Oct. 10th: Doomslayer “Movie Night” at Admiral Konnor’s house -- 4 pm.
Oct. 12th: HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY
Oct. 18th : Captain K’Dot Kali’s birthday
Oct. 24th: Cadet Sk’Tar’s birthday
Oct. 31st: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

September 2009 -- the Back To School Issue

2009-09-02T11:31:00.003-04:00

Once again, the passageways in the ship are quiet, there are no more food fights in the galley -- this can only mean one thing: Kahless be praised -- the cadets have gone back to the Academy!

Before we get started, a disclaimer: I’ve had the Taco Bell Volcano Nachos recently, and while they are rather spicier then normal, they didn’t leave my face bright red and heavily sweating, nor did my voice change like the Terran’s on that commercial. . .and I’ve got to tell you, I’m sorely disappointed!

And with that, on to business.

To begin with, a minor change to the meeting plans for this month: the “Movie and Potluck Dinner Night” has been postponed till next month. Instead, the General Meeting will take place at the Bread Head Bakery in downtown Dover (right next door to the Main Moon restaurant)at 2 pm. Also, at this meeting, I will allow one head slap per person (and only one!) in regards to my recent hospital stay last month.

On the subject of my recent hospitalization, I’d like to thank everyone for their phone calls; trust me when I say that it helps break up the day to get a phone call, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

I’ve recently sent off a reply to the International Hotels Group’s (the new bosses of the Holiday Inn chain) 1st letter, and when I receive their reply, I’ll let you all know. Trust me, friends, this little fandango is far from over -- I think John Belushi said it best in the classic Animal House, “Over? Did you say over? Nothing is over until WE say it is!”

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sept.7th: Labor Day

Sept.10th: National Swap Ideas Day

Sept.11th: National Patriots’ Day (Take a moment to remember the ones who went on ahead of us, and the brave warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice)

Sept. 12th: Doomslayer General Meeting at Bread Head Bakery - 2 pm.

Sept.16th: National Play-Doh Day (let your inner child out!)

Sept.19th: National Talk Like A Pirate Day (Arrr, matey! ‘Tis the day for getting’ yer Pirate on and letting’ yer Jolly Roger fly!)

Sept.28th: National Ask a Stupid Question Day

August 2009

2009-08-04T09:13:00.002-04:00

This month’s issue of CHUY DAH is brought to you by Consciousness -- Consciousness…that annoying time between naps!

This month’s issue is proudly dedicated to my father, who finally retired on July 24 after 48 years. Here’s to ya, Dad!

To begin with, I’d like to offer condolences to Lt. jg. Kammie, who lost one of her aunts yesterday in an automobile accident. We raise the death howl in her honor this day, and our thoughts go out to her family.

Okay, for another month, this newsletter is late once again, and here’s why: a week ago today, my Aunt was taken to the ER and summarily hospitalized for a possible “coronary incident” she had at her drug store. After testing, there were no actual coronary problems, but the doctors noticed that she was exhibiting some other problems, which had them questioning her ability to live by herself.

So right now, as I'm writing this newsletter, we’re awaiting the results of an MRI and EEG that were performed on her while she was hospitalized. She’s also starting speech therapy (she’d developed a stammer after knee replacement surgery), and just went on Mobile Meals, so we’re helping her get used to these new things. We’re also trying to figure out what all would need to be done if we have to place her in an assisted living facility. And let me tell you, folks, none of this is easy.

Along with this, I’ve been aiding in planning my father’s retirement party, and I’m helping my mother plan her 50th High School Class reunion. So, if I look a little frazzled around the edges, or I’m a little late with things, at least you know why; my plate’s a wee bit full.

I’m telling you all this because I’ve always believed in being straight with you. That said, on to business. . .

THIS MONTH’S MEETING: There’s a change to this month’s meeting date -- we will be meeting on the 15th, not the 8th; my father’s retirement party is this Saturday, and like I said earlier, I’m needed to help set up and run the party. Hence the date change.

I’m also mandating a change in location for this month -- instead of using the meeting room at Buehler’s (which, for some reason, isn’t really working for me; I thought we’d have a room, not an auditorium), for something different, we’ll meet at the Bread Head Bakery in downtown Dover at 2 pm. If you haven’t been here, it’s a great place. Not only is the coffee good, but they have plenty of baked goods, along with sandwiches and soups. Besides, it’s Dover’s 1st hippie joint! (What’s not to love?)

I should add that if you don’t know where the BHB is, it’s right next to the Main Moon restaurant (where we usually end up following a meeting). If you need better directions, email me or call me.

THE HOTEL WAR CONTINUES: I received a response from the Intercontinental Hotel Group, the corporation that now oversees the operations of the Holiday Inn hotel chain, in regards to the letter I sent in regards to the screw- job we received from their New Philadelphia hotel this year. I’m not going to go into detail regarding the body of the letter, but the jist of it said “So sorry, but we really can’t help you, thanks for writing; we’ll keep your letter on file.” Okay, that’s how they want to play this. . .

I’m not letting this daunt me in any way (I think you‘d lose respect for me if I did); I’ve been sanctioned by the Chancellor Himself to take the battle to the corporation so as to get our point across. What’s the goal, you ask? Simple -- I’m gunning for an actual apology. Sounds impossible, but isn’t that what we do best?

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 8th: Sneak a Zucchini On Your Neighbor’s Porch Night

August 15th: Doomslayer Meeting at Bread Head Bakery (in Dover) - 2 pm.

August 10th: National Lazy Day

August 11th: Cadet T’Lisen’s birthday

August 13th: Left-Hander’s Day

The King of dramatic pause strikes again!

2009-07-28T23:05:00.001-04:00

This was just to fun not to share!

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

RIP The Taco Bell Chihuahua

2009-07-23T00:06:00.002-04:00

When I saw this news item, I had to post it:

Taco Bell dog Gidget dies at 15
By Robert Jablon, The Associated Press
Posted: 07/22/2009 06:04:28 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES - Gidget the Chihuahua, the bug-eyed, big-eared star of 1990s Taco Bell commercials who was a diva on and off the screen, has died. She was 15. Gidget suffered a massive stroke late Tuesday night at her trainer's home in Santa Clarita and had to be euthanized, said Karin McElhatton, owner of Studio Animal Services in Castaic, which owned the dog.

Although she was hard of hearing, Gidget was otherwise in good health up to the day of her death, eating well and playing with her favorite squeaky toys at the home of trainer Sue Chipperton, McElhatton said.

"She was retired. She lived like a queen, very pampered," McElhatton said.
Gidget was found at a kennel and wasn't show quality, McElhatton said; she had an undershot jaw and huge ears.

But Gidget knew she was a star, McElhatton said.
"She was a prima donna, basically. She absolutely knew when she was on camera," McElhatton said.
In a 1997 Taco Bell television commercial, Gidget was seen as a male dog who, through the magic of special effects and a voice actor, proclaims in a richly accented voice: "Yo quiero Taco Bell" - Spanish for "I want Taco Bell."
Viewers were charmed. What was supposed to be a single ad became a campaign that ran from 1997 to 2000.
The ads made the Taco Bell mascot wildly popular, although they provoked criticism from activists who accused them of promoting Hispanic stereotypes.
While other Chihuahuas had bit parts, McElhatton said it was Gidget who got the closeups and the quips (Carlos Alazraqui was the voice).
Gidget traveled first-class, opened up the New York Stock Exchange and made an appearance at Madison Square Garden, McElhatton said.
In later years, she did other acting work, appearing in a 2002 commercial for the insurance company GEICO and in the 2003 movie "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde."
She remained the object of affection after her retirement, going on hikes and beach visits with her trainer. She aged gracefully, and liked nothing more than to snooze in the sun.
"She was like a little old lady. She'd kind of gotten smaller," McElhatton said.
Gidget will be cremated, McElhatton said. Her owners had not decided on a final disposition of her remains. Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement Gidget would be missed by many. "Our deepest sympathies go out to her owners and fans," the company said.

So, let us all raise not a flagon of bloodwine, but instead, a taco, a burrito, or whatever Taco Bell delicacy you prefer in her honor.

CHUY DAH July 2009

2009-07-07T11:34:00.001-04:00

First of all, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy (if somewhat belated) 4th of July! Hope your holiday was a good one!

Also, a belated Happy Birthday to our Lt. K’Ana as well!

[Yes, once again, this newsletter is late. But at least it’s here.]

Is it me, or has the Grim Reaper been playing “catch-up” lately? Look at the list of celebrities we’ve lost -- and all in the span of a couple of weeks:

Ed McMahon
Farrah Fawcett
Michael Jackson
Billy Mays (TV’s master pitchman)
Gale Storm (actress & singer from the early 60s)
Fred Travelena (master impressionist)
Karl Malden
Steve McNair (ex-quarterback for the Tennesee Titans)

It just goes to prove that Death doesn’t discriminate - when your number’s up, it’s up; it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do.

So take a moment and raise a glass to those who have gone on ahead of us.

FROM THE XO’S DESK
To start off, I’m pleased to report that our Intelligence Officer, Capt. K’Hper, is back from an extended medical leave. Welcome back, my brother, may I say that you’ve been gone too long.

I was glad to see the turnout at last month’s Ship Picnic. We had it all that day -- great weather, good food, and the company of fellow warriors. I ask you, does it get any better?

(Well, yes, if Tuscora Park could improve their frakking parking!)

July’s event will be a crew trip to the Borders bookstore at The Strip in North Canton on July 11th -- which will be this Saturday. I plan on leaving for Borders around 10 - 11 am, so judge your own departure time. We’ll be having dinner at the Belden Village Mall’s Food Court, to be followed by a possible mall crawl, time and interest permitting. I hope to see you all there.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
7/4: HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
7/6: Lt. K’Ana’s birthday
7/9: Chancellor Klaad and Judok’s anniversary
7/31: Clan Makhleod’s anniversay

An associate of ours passes away

2009-06-20T09:18:00.002-04:00

If you have a CDPC t-shirt in your collection, be it in your drawer or in your closet, chances are it was made by a gentleman named Paul Barbarcik. Paul was an associate of both the Doomslayer and the Camp Dover Peace Conference, and he saw that we had a supply of t-shirts for a number of years, always in various colors.

I learned this morning that Paul had passed away on Wednesday, June 17th at the age of 56, following a brief illness.

Many of you may not have known Paul like the Chancellor or I did, but I usually ran into him when I was out and about, be it at New Towne Mall or Wal-Mart, and 9 times out of 10 the first thing he'd ask me was "When's the next convention?" We'd chat about Trek memorabilia in one form or another or maybe the newest movie for a few minutes, and then we'd go our separate ways.

CHUY DAH June 2009

2009-06-06T20:45:00.002-04:00

THE SUMMER ISSUE

Once again, yes, I’m late with this month's edition.

All I can give for a reason is that I’ve been extraordinarily occupied, especially with 3 birthdays hitting my house within a 14-day period, one dentist appointment to repair a broken tooth, and numerous meetings concerning other projects I’m working on. Some things, they can't be helped.

SHIP NEWS: First of all, a belated Happy Anniversary to the other 2/3rds of our Command Staff - and of course I speak of Capt. K’Dot Kali and her husband, Commander Bastian K’Hyde.
On the subject of our Chief Engineer and Resident Mad Scientist/Evil Genius ©, it seems I left out portions of his report from last month (doom on me) -- Bastian will be undergoing some changes in the near future: not only will his legal name be changing to Sebastian Andrew (that’s going to take some getting used to), but he will be manifesting his horns soon -- so keep an eye on his skull for future developments. He will also be starting supplemental training to become a holistic health practitioner (Chief, my apologies if I erred in any of this; I’m going from memory).

BRAGGING MOMENT: If you’ll indulge me for a “Proud Uncle”moment -- I’m honored to report that my niece, Cadet Specialist 2nd Class Q’Elle Makhleod, was selected to be part of the 5th-grade Math Team representing Strasburg Elementary School in a recent county-wide Math Tournament, which was held at the TuscCampus of Kent State University. She didn’t place in the tournament, but it’s an honor just to be selected. Also, effective as of tomorrow (which is her birthday), Q’Elle will be promoted to the rank of Cadet Specialist 3rd Class.

IT’S SUMMERTIME, WHICH MEANS IT’S PICNIC TIME: It’s June, and this month’s event will be our yearly Ship’s Picnic, which will be at its usual location, Tuscora Park in New Philadelphia on June 13th (next Saturday). I’ll need someone to take the role of Advance Party and find a table or two for us; contact me if you can take this assignment).

As usual, it’s Bring Your Own Picnic -- and this year, I’m lifting the moritorium on fried chicken and watermelon; let’s just be aware of who’s around us, all right? Arrival time is slated for 1 pm. If the weather’s with us, I say this would be the perfect time for the 2009 Doomslayer Invitational as well. Keep in mind that if the weather turns bad, the alternate location will be the New Towne Mall.

AFTER ACTION REPORT - “STAR TREK”: I don’t know about anyone else, but I was literally blown away by how good this movie was. I thought this was going to be an actual prequel, but no, they’re jumpstarting the Trek franchise and starting things off at Square One, just as they’ve done with the Batman and Iron Man franchises.

There have been those who have decried this movie, lamenting that Star trek is dead and gone, and we might as well throw all our books away. In my esteemed opinion, those people didn’t really watch the movie. This movie may be the shot in the arm that fandom’s been needing for a long time.

I, for one, left the theatre feeling the old familiar buzz that I felt when I first got into watching Trek in the beginning. And in my book, that’s not such a bad thing. (I’d go into more details, but there are some crew who haven’t seen the movie yet, so I’d rather not spoil it.)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
June 2nd: K’Dot Kali and Bastian’s Anniversary
June 7th: Cadet Q’Elle’s birthday
June 13th: Doomslayer Picnic at Tuscora Park - 1 pm; Bring your own picnic
June 14th: FLAG DAY
June 21st: HAPPY FATHER’S DAY (Be sure to do something nice for your father; remember, without Dad, where would you be?)
June 29th: Autumn Daley’s birthday

And now, a moment of Zen

2009-05-08T00:28:00.001-04:00

I've posted this for no other reason then it's a great picture. Enjoy.

CHUY DAH May 2009

2009-05-05T23:47:00.002-04:00

THE CINCO DE MAYO ISSUE

Okay, you've noticed what I called this month's newsletter.

If things had gone a little differently, this issue would have been been titled “THE POST-CDPC REUNION ISSUE”.

And if you notice, it’s not. Sadly enough, we all know what actually happened, no sense in rehashing the past. . .so, here we are, nonetheless.

But all is not lost, my brothers and sisters -- no, no. . .we do have something to look forward to: the release of the new STAR TREK prequel. This event will be our first Shore Leave of 2009, which means the General Meeting for this month will NOT be at Parkside Buehler’s, but instead will be at New Towne Mall in New Philadelphia, where we will meet at 12 noon for lunch, see the new movie, and have a Mall Crawl as well.

Please be advised that this will not be a full KLOAKED (Klingons Leaving Off Armor Keeping Earthers Deceived)mission, since regrettably there are no Klingons in this movie (that we know of), but I’d strongly recommend Casual uniforms or at least Camp Dover t-shirts, if you have ‘em.

KING-ONS...IT HAD TO BE KING-ONS: If you haven't seen it yet, Burger King has created a brand-new race to help advertise their new STAR TREK glasses give-away. They infused the Burger King with Klingon DNA and created. . .I can't believe I'm saying this. . .the King-on. I was shocked when I originally saw it, then after a couple of viewings, I thought "Hey, they actually did it right. . .right beards, correct ridges, modified armor...even kleavage for a female King-on. . . okay, maybe this isn't so bad..." So I give the BK folks points for originality...but still...King-ons?

AWAY TEAM MISSION REPORT: This past Friday, I met up with Capt. K’Dot Kali, Commander Bastian, and Cadet T’lisen at one of the planets in the Cleveland system; we visited a rather fascinating space station known as the West Side Market. I have to say that it reminded me a little of the markets we had visited before in the Walnut Creek and Sugarcreek systems, but with far more exotic selections to choose from. Afterwards, we dined at an Olive Garden restaurant before departing. It was quite an experience.

ENGINEERING REPORT
I am now, in my more human persona of Sebastian Andrew Benjamin, now the Beneficent Emperor of Earth!
(NOTE: Ah, Chief, when you make a report that reads like this, a little more in-depth explanation of things may be warranted. . .just a little constructive criticism, that‘s all. . .)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 5th: HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!
May 8th: World-wide Release of “STAR TREK”
May 9th: Doomslayer “STAR TREK” Shore Leave at New Towne Mall - 12 noon
May 10th: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY (be sure to do something nice for your mom -- without her, where would you be?)
May 12th: Chief Engineer Bastian K’Hyde’s birthday
May 25th: MEMORIAL DAY (take a moment to remember the warriors who have gone on before us, and to honor the warriors fighting the good fight now)
May 30th: Admiral Konnor’s birthday

And they look at us like we're freaks. . .get a load of this

2009-04-30T00:26:00.003-04:00

I'm telling you, people, this isn't fair, not by any means...

Lest you think I'm making this up, the following story comes from www.io9.com.

***********************************************

Cincinnati Patrolled By Real-Life Superheroes. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
By Meredith Woerner

Cincinnati has its own Allegiance of Heroes led by a 21-year-old masked superhero named Shadowhare. These superheroes patrol the streets carrying legal weapons in hopes of hindering evildoers. This will so not end well.

Many of these crime fighters are a part of the The World Superhero Registry, which we've mentioned before. And I'm assuming the Registry will have to take responsibility for putting these heroes together once their mangled carcasses are discovered floating in a river somewhere.
According to Cincinnati's WLWT, Shadowhare has been teaming up with members Aclyptico in Pennsylvania, Wall Creeper in Colorado and Master Legend in Florida.

"I've even teamed up with Mr. Extreme in California — San Diego — and we were trying to track down a rapist," said Shadowhare.

As of right now Shadowhare has only experienced a dislocated shoulder while trying to help a woman who was being attacked.

While I'm happy that citizens are trying to rid the streets of crime, I cannot imagine what would happen if we dropped the Allegiance off in a real crime-ridden street. Imagine these costumed kids getting dropped off at "the towers" on The Wire, now that's a TV cross over show that should have been filmed. They're like moving targets for a superhero hate crime. Be safe, fellas.

And so it begins. . .

2009-04-23T23:49:00.002-04:00

Unless my math is off, as of today, we are now at 365 days and counting till the 2010 Camp Dover Reunion.

All righty then. . .

CHUY DAH April 2009

2009-04-10T21:00:00.002-04:00

** This issue is dedicated to RayLynn Jane, the granddaughter of Lt. Cmdr. Khavid and Lt. j.g. Kammie, our resident Chief Security Officer and Chief Recreation Officer. She was born on March 13th, 2009, weighing 7 lbs, 11 oz. and measuring 18 inches long.
On behalf of the Doomslayer, I hoist a flagon of bloodwine in tribute of her birth!

FROM THE XO’S CHAIR
Okay, okay, I know what you’re going to say… "Admiral, with all due respect, this may be the latest you’ve ever put out CHUY DAH -- um. . .what happened?" Since you’re asking me politely, why then, I’ll tell you.
It seems that the Terran Two-Step (a.k.a. stomach flu) has taken a short trip though my home, and everyone here has had it, including my esteemed self. And it was not pretty, let me tell you. Thank Kahless for chicken soup -- better then anything in a hypospray.
I also managed to break a tooth as well, so I’ve been working on getting that problem remedied. Thus, I’ve been a tad distracted, and that’s why this edition is late this month.

At last month’s meeting, we set up the year’s event calendar, and here’s what we have (for your reference):
April: General Ship meeting at Buehler’s
May: “Star Trek” movie outing (Movie, dinner, mall crawl)
June: Ship’s Picnic at Tuscora Park
July: Borders Trip
August: General Ship meeting at Buehler’s
September: Movie Night & Potluck Dinner at my house
October: General Ship Meeting at Buehler’s
November: General Ship Meeting at Buehler’s
December: Ship’s Christmas Party
As always, keep in mind that all events may be subject to change -- nothing is ever set in stone; it’s more like set on a Etch-a-Sketch…

CHIEF ENGINEER’S REPORT
In (hopefully) about three months’ time, I'm going to start studying to become a holistic health practitioner. If you look at my blog ,you'll see a new post, and the promise of on-going posts regarding empirical experiments I'm doing on myself and K‘Dot.

THE NAME GAME
Before I close this issue out, here’s a little something I found -- remember the game of devising your “Porn Star” or “Star Wars” name? Well, here’s a few more that I found :
* Your Spy Name: Middle name and current street name
* Your Movie Star Name: Grandfather/grandmother on your mom's side, your favorite candy
* Your Rap Name: First initial of first name, first two or three letters of your last name
* Your Gamer Tag: A favorite color, a favorite animal
* Your Soap Opera Name: Middle name, city where you were born
* Your Star Wars Name (version 2.0): First 3 letters of your last name, last 3 letters of mother's maiden name, first 3 letters of your pet's name
* Your Jedi Name: Middle name spelled backwards, your mom's maiden name spelled backwards

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 5th: Palm Sunday
April 9th: Passover/Maundy Thursday
April 10th: Good Friday
April 11th: Doomslayer General Meeting at Parkside Buehler’s - 2 pm
April 12th: HAPPY EASTER! (Hey, Easter Bunny - just drop the Jelly Belly jellybeans and step away…)
April 21st: Holocaust Remembrance Day

CHUY DAH March 2009

2009-03-05T11:16:00.003-05:00

I’d like to dedicate this newsletter to my great-niece Gwendolyn Renee, who was born on February 13th. She came into the world at 7 lbs. 13 oz, measured 20” long, and has the thickest head of hair I’ve ever seen on a newborn.

FROM THE XO’S CHAIR

TWO-TIME CHAMPION: I'm going to start this month's edition off with a bit of personal celebrating -- I'm proud to announce that I won the People's Choice Award for a second time in my church's chili cook-off! I've also decided that I'm retiring from any future cook-offs; I'd rather go out on top.

FROM THE SICK AND INJURED LIST: First of all, I’m pleased to report that our Chancellor and Chief Engineer -- both hospitalized recently -- are back in action. The ship’s been a little too quiet without you both.

REUNION UPDATE: Talks with the Schoenbrunn Inn and Marlite Conference Center have concluded, and we now have a new location for the Camp Dover Reunion. (My thanks to Capt. K’Dot, who assisted in the overall negotiations.)

Starting on St. Patrick’s Day, the Inn will start taking reservations for the Reunion weekend -- and with the hotel holding 40 rooms so far, I’d recommend calling ASAP, and make sure you ask for the Camp Dover special so you can get in on the reduced rate. We’re just waiting now to see what the Marlite Conference Center has in mind as far as catering goes.

Even though we now have over a year to handle the event planning - instead of a couple of months -- we’re fairly well-ahead of schedule. But we don’t have the luxury of coasting along. I want to continue with our original thinking, which was to have everything configured by the end of the year. This way, when 2010 comes around, all we have to do is assemble everything and be ready well in advance.

**************

Yes, this newsletter is short for this month...because there's not much else to report right now.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Mar. 14th: Doomslayer General Meeting at Parkside Buehler’s in Dover -- 2 pm.
Mar. 17th: HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY (“Everybody‘s Irish tonight.” -- Murphy McManus, The Boondock Saints)

From the "Just what we needed" files:

2009-02-05T00:51:00.001-05:00

As if the public didn' t already think we're freaks...

Klingon Criminal Robs Two 7-Elevens In Colorado
By Meredith Woerner, 10:30 AM on Wed Feb 4 2009
Are the Colorado Klingons so desperate for money? Apparently, yes. One of them robbed two stores with the Klingon bat'leth, also known as the "sword of honor."

According to the Denver's ABC Channel 7 News:
Colorado Springs police are looking for a man who hit two 7-Eleven convenience stores early Wednesday, armed with a Klingon sword. The first robbery was reported at 1:50 a.m., at 145 N Spruce St. The clerk told police a white man in his 20s, wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and wearing a black mask, entered the store with a weapon the clerk recognized from the Star Trek TV series.
The robber demanded money and left with an undisclosed amount.

CHUY DAH Feb. 2009

2009-02-02T12:58:00.004-05:00

THIS ISSUE OF CHUY DAH IS DEDICATED TO THE NFL’S NEWLY-CROWNED 6-TIME WORLD CHAMPIONS - THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS!!

Had to get that out of my system.

Before I get to business - and trust me, there’s a lot for this issue - I also want to dedicate this issue to Lt. Cmdr Khavid and Lt. jg. Kammie, who are celebrating their anniversary today. Have fun, you two, and keep the furniture throwing to a minimum, okay? The replicator can only work so fast.

I also have a personal announcement: this past week, the Chancellor has seen fit to promote me in honorific from sutai- to full zantai-. I’m just now getting over the shock, and my head has finally quit thumping from the thwap he gave me…
Now, as to business…where to start?

THE STEAMING PILES OF MONKEY CRAP JUST KEEP ON COMING: Here’s an overview of the current state of affairs as far as the CDPC Reunion goes:

Bluntly, folks, and in three words, we got mud-sucked.

Things all started from a phone call I received about two weeks ago from the hotel’s sales director; it seems the hotel was scheduled to undergo major renovations -- they’re changing from a Holiday Inn to a Holiday Inn Express, and during the Reunion, they wouldn’t actually be a Holiday Inn, they’d technically just be “the New Philadelphia Hotel”. Thus, we would no longer need to have an off-duty policeman on the premises.

Something told me to not feel too confident about this, because it was just too good to be true-- they had been so insistent on this point, and now to suddenly change tactics so easily as this?
They also told me that the renovations wouldn’t start until after the reunion. Again, this was sounding way too good to be true.

Well, I always hate it when I’m right, and once again I was right.

I received a 2nd phone call last week from the hotel; apparently the corporate offices ruled that it would not be “fiscally feasible to keep the hotel open just for [our] event“. The banquet rooms would be open, but everyone would have to stay at the Super 8 Motel, situated behind the Holiday Inn. If you’ve ever seen that Super 8, not only is it too small for what we need, but it’s a very disreputable place -- there’ve been numerous drug busts there, not to mention other criminal incidents. We’re talking an overall logistical nightmare here.

Thus, the mud-sucking.

On a personal aside, I hate to sound paranoid, but I find it a little too coincidental that those renovations just happened to be scheduled when we have the reunion planned. You may think the same. But I digress.

After discussing the situation with the Chancellor and Capt. K’Dot, the decision was made to postpone the reunion for this year, cancel our contracts with the Holiday Inn, and concentrate on the 2010 reunion.

Does this foul up our momentum? Not really. Does it stop us? No. I’ll tell you, this development and change in plans has not been well-received by some, but frankly, there’s not much else we can do about it. You can’t sprinkle sugar on this crap and call it candy, but it is what it is. We’ve had worse problems thrown at us, and like Clint Eastwood said in one of my favorite movies, “Heartbreak Ridge”, we improvise, we adapt, we overcome.

Now we have more time to get things done that we’ve already planned to do, and thus not have to rush around when the time comes close. After all, we were half-way finished to begin with, I see no reason to stop working as we’ve been all along. In my opinion, this is no major obstacle, it’s nothing but a speed-bump. Besides, with the Chancellor’s recent health problems, he needs time to rest and get back on his feet.

As of this newsletter, we are currently in negotiations with the Schoenbrunn Inn and the Marlite Conference Center to stage the Reunion for next year.

And don’t worry -- I’ve got a 4-page letter written to send off to the Holiday Inn offices.

THE AIR‘S GETTING CHILI: This month’s meeting will still take place as scheduled -- on February 15 (it’s a Sunday; Saturday is Valentine’s Day, and for those of you who are married, I don’t want to interfere with any plans any of you might have)at the Parkside Buehlers meeting room, but instead of it being at 2 pm, it’s going to start at 2:30.

The reason for this is that I’m entered in my church’s 2nd Chili Cookoff, and the event doesn’t end till 2 pm -- thus, I’m going to be a little late, and the room is in my name. Now, if you want to come to the cook-off and lend some support (I won the People’s Choice Award the first time I competed; this time I’m shooting for the Best Overall award -- or as I call it, the “World Heavyweight Championship“), I’d enjoy seeing you there; it’s $5 for admission tickets, and my church is St. John’s United Church of Christ (which is around the corner from the old Donut Shop -- contact me if you want better directions).

By the way, it’s been recommended I should mention that I will be participating in full uniform, and if you choose to come in uniform yourself, use discretion -- after all, we’re going to be in church, and I don‘t want to see anyone struck by lightning…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Feb. 2nd: Khavid and Kammie’s Anniversary
Feb. 7th: Margaret Wander Bonanno’s birthday
Feb. 14th: HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Feb. 14th: Cadet Qos’ birthday
Feb. 15th: Admiral Konnor to compete in Chili Cookoff
Feb. 15th: Doomslayer General Meeting at Parkside Buehlers - 2:30 pm.

CHUY DAH January 2009 -- The New Year's Issue

2009-01-04T00:09:00.001-05:00

FROM THE XO'S CHAIR
Once more, the Earth has orbited around the sun, and that means one thing - another year has passed. I hope everyone has enjoyed the holiday season; I know I did.

It’s January 2009, and if you’re a Klingon -- and especially if you’re a member of the Mighty Doomslayer, January means something else this year: The Camp Dover Reunion is only 4 months away!

At this point, I’m proud to say that everything thus far is going right along as planned, and we’re right where we should be at this point. I wanted to have the lion’s share of preparations done by the end of the year, and overall we've done so.

* NEW MEETING PLACE AND TIME* With the start of the new year, we have a new meeting place and a new meeting time. The new meeting place is the Meeting room at the Buehler’s Parkside store, and as of this month, meetings will be every second Saturday of the month (save for next month’s meeting, which will be on the second Sunday instead; the second Saturday of February is St. Valentine’s Day) from 2-4 pm.

For this month’s meeting, I’d like to double-check and update not only our roster, but the ship’s calendar as well. Why? I want to make sure I’ve got everyone’s birthdays and anniversaries correct, as well as double-checking the ages of the cadets to make sure their ranks are up to date.

* ENOUGH TALKING AND WAITING, LET’S JUST DO IT * (And that’s not what you may think I’m talking about, so get your mind out of the gutter! Geez!) We’ve been talking way too much about getting back to gaming, and I can’t wait any more, so here’s what we’re going to do. Since we tend to finish meeting ahead of schedule, and we have 2 hours for the use of the new meeting room, I’m going to run “old-school” Dungeons and Dragons sessions.
There’s not going to be any complex world or background, nothing like that -- it’s just going to be good old-fashioned dungeon crawls -- doors to kick open, monsters to fight, treasure to loot. Nothing fancy, just fun. I’ll provide the basic characters, but it’ll be up to you to give them life and personality.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Jan. 4th: Kammie’s birthday
Jan. 10th: Chancellor Klaad’s birthday
Jan. 10th: Doomslayer General Meeting at Parkside Buehler’s - 2-4 pm.
Jan.15th: Khavid’s birthday

CHUY DAH Dec. 2008

2008-12-07T17:52:00.000-05:00

It’s December already? Kahless' hand! Didn’t we just have Halloween or something?

First of all, my personal thanks to everyone who came to the Reunion Information dinner last month. Not only did we make a great presentation (as if there was any doubt), but it couldn’t have gone any better.

This coming Saturday will be the Doomslayer’s annual Christmas party! This year’s party will be held at Hot Rod City in New Philadelphia at 2 pm, and it’s about a quater mile or less past the Eagle Truck Stop near the Rt. 250 exit. Don’t forget that there’s a gift exchange ($5 limit). I hope to see everyone there!

Finally, from my family to everyone reading this — may you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
December 13: Doomslayer Christmas Party at Hot Rod City — 2 pm.
December 14: Fleet Mom’s Birthday
December 25: MERRY CHRISTMAS !

CHUY DAH Nov. 2008

2008-11-11T17:51:00.000-05:00

First of all, yes, I know this is late. Those of you who know what I’ve had going on in the last 10 days or more, you understand why. Not making excuses, mind you, just explaining.

Okay, enough said.

It’s Veteran’s Day as I write this, and allow me to say a personal “Thank you” to the veterans of our own crew; of course I speak of our Commanding Officer and our Chief of Security. Gentlemen, speaking for all of us, I thank you for your service, and raise a tankard of bloodwine in your honor!

Our recent Away Team mission back to Amish country was a success, and I think we’ve made some new friends in a couple of stores — especially the one that Chief Engineer Bastian relieved of most of its fudge…

Keep in mind that on November 29th, we will be holding a very important meeting - this will be a Camp Dover Reunion informational meeting (NOT a planning meeting, because most of the vital planning has already been done), and will be held at The Manor resteraunt in Strasburg at 2 pm. This is where we’ll present what we have in mind for the 2009 Reunion to everyone. I’m not going to make this mandatory, but I will say that it’s important to see all of Doomslayer there.

Next month’s Christmas party will be held at the Hot Rod City resteraunt in New Philadelphia, and I’d like to have a head count to give them befor we show up en masse, so if you’re coming to the party, RSVP me no later then Decemeber 8th. [Keep in mind that the standard gift exchange parameters will be in effect -- non-gender specific gifts, no more then $5 in value.]

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Nov. 11th: Veterans Day (remember those who fought for us and who are fighting now)
Nov. 27th: HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Nov. 29th: CDPC 2009 Reunion Informational Meeting — The Manor Resteraunt in Strasburg at 2 pm.

Want to read some free scripts?

2008-10-07T17:49:00.000-04:00

you’re a fan of Dr. Who (and if you’re not, you oughta be), you need to go to this link: www.thewriterstale.com/scr.html.

Why? you ask.

The BBC has posted 6 shooting scripts from the 4th season of Dr. Who that you can download and read in PDF form for — absolutely FREE. That’s right, no cost, free, gratis, won’t cost a thing.

Three of the scripts are the episodes that made up the incredible season finale: Turn Left, The Stolen Earth, and Journey’s End.

2008-10-07T17:48:00.000-04:00

INTRODUCTION: Remember how I said last time to write the date down because I had managed to get the newsletter out early — and it may not happen again for awhile? Well…guess what? Part of my lateness is due to the intense storms we had in the sector and the damages it wreaked in the area, including wide-spread power losses…and the other part was my playing catch-up after the power came back.

MEDICAL UPDATE PT. 2: Where to start…alright, as I posted in an update, the Chancellor’s oldest daughter is still recovering from her kidney transplant at the Federation’s primary medical facility on Terra. There were two teams working on her and her stepsister (who was the donor — “thank Kahless for their mother’s genetics”, the Chancellor told me), and the transplant went off like clockwork. The doctors will be monitoring her for some time to insure against organ rejection (a major risk, regardless of genetics, no matter what), and as of this newsletter, I don’t know if she’s gone home yet or not. Evidently the karma transfer worked…

SCHEDULE CHANGE (or No, your calendar’s not screwed up): You’re probably wondering just when the October meeting will be, since we didn’t have it on the 1st Saturday of this month. Due to some scheduling conflicts, the October General Meeting will be on October 12th at the Dover McDonald’s (next to I-77) at 2 pm. We’ll be discussing the current status of the reunion planning, plans for the last 2 months of the year, and general ship business.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS A RANT: If you’ve read the IKEF and/or Camp Dover boards, you may have read an item about KAG coming to MarCon and criticizing IKEF members for “not dressing like proper Klingons.” I mentioned this item in last month’s letter, but I’d like to talk about it in a little more detail, if you’ll allow me. It seems there are some “purists” out there that like to judge (read “look down upon”) other members by how “Klingon” they look — in other words, if you didn’t look like you just stepped off the set of Deep Space Nine or The Next Generation, you weren’t a “true” Klingon.

I’m going to say it right here and call that line of thinking for what it is: it’s nothing but pure, unadulterated, USDA prime BULLCRAP. This kind of elitism is the sort of thing that sours people on fandom.

That’s right, I said it, and I‘ll stand by it.

I’ve always told you all the truth, and I’ll do it again right here; your uniform is just that - it’s yours, no one else‘s. If it makes you feel like a Klingon, if it brings out the warrior in your soul, then it’s just as good as anyone else‘s. As long as you like what you wear, if you think you look like a prime badass in it, then Kahless bless ya, my friend, you‘re a warrior of the Empire. Period, end of sentence.

EVENT CHANGE: This is October, and in past years, the crew has taken the cadets to the New Towne Mall’s Trick or Treat Night. This year, I won’t be attending with my niece, and I’m leaving the event to the individual families; this will not be a ship event. My reason for this is a personal one, and if you want to know why, email me privately and I’ll explain it to you.

NEW MEMBER: I’d like to welcome aboard Doomslayer’s newest member and Senior Pilot of our 1st long-range shuttle in the Pennsylvania sector, Lt. jg. vaqtIq akhtai-K’Tarra.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
October 7th: Tyler’s Birthday (Dragonwolf’s son)
October 8th: Qianna “Pookie” Makhleod’s birthday
October 12th: Doomslayer General Meeting at McDonalds — 2 pm
October 18th: Capt. K’Dot Kali’s birthday
October 31st: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! (Get out there and scare someone today!)

UPDATE FROM THE CHANCELLOR

2008-09-13T17:47:00.000-04:00

TO ALL CREW:
I received a communication from the Chancellor Thursday night - he told me that the transplant went perfectly, both of his daughters are doing well (the donor and the recipient), and he expects to return sometime today or early tomorrow. More details will be forthcoming.

CHUY DAH Sept 2008

2008-08-29T17:44:00.000-04:00

As I walk the passages of the ship, I notice one thing — it’s quiet…it’s too quiet…and that can only mean one thing: the cadets are back at the Imperial Academy!

FROM THE XO’S CHAIR: Alright, you’re probably noticing one thing right off the bat; this edition of CHUY DAH is early! That’s right, I’m actually a step ahead of things for once, so make this date down…for it may not happen again.

GOOD KARMA NEEDED: The Chancellor has informed me this week that he will be traveling to Virginia starting September 6th, and is not entirely sure exactly when he’ll be returning. His daughter, Honey, is undergoing a kidney transplant on September 10th. I’m sure he can use all the good karma he can get, so be sure to keep him and the entire family in your thoughts and prayers during that time.

ON THIS MONTH’S MEETING: We’re altering the “Movie and Dinner” night scheduled for this month (at my home) to a “Movie and Pizza” night; be sure to bring money for the pizza order, and if you feel like bringing a snack to share, feel free to do so. I will be supplying drinks, ice, and tableware. The movies of choice will be CUTTHROAT ISLAND and PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MAN‘S CHEST. As for the PIRATES movie, we will be giving it the Mystery Science Theater 3000 treatment…so, be ready to have fun with it.

THE GAUNTLET HAS BEEN THROWN DOWN: If you’re on the IKEF and Camp Dover Klingons Yahoo boards (and if you’re not, you should be), you may have heard about what’s happening at Marcon 44 in May of ‘09:

The Klingon Assault Group (KAG) is planning on using next year’s Marcon 2009 for their 20th anniversary since IndyCon has officially folded. And that’s fine. The more the merrier is usually the rule at most conventions. But see, here’s the problem. The scuttlebutt has it that KAG feels the need to show other fandom groups how to be Real Klingons. That somehow by not being in uniform for their own events other groups do not represent the Klingon Empire with Honor. If the scuttlebutt is true then KAG has managed to turn the clock back to the early 90s, where you were questioned as to your commitment to Klingon fandom if you didn’t look like you just stepped off the set of The Next Generation. KAG seems to have forgotten one thing — being Klingon isn’t simply just a fashion statement, it’s a way of living, a way of carrying yourself. Honor isn’t in the uniform, it’s in the soul.

FOUND IN EMAIL RE: MYLEFTFOOTLOOSE CHALLENGE: I received the following email from MyLeftFootloose.com:
WOW. That is an impressive amount of work and cleverness wrapped up in that package. Incredible! Did it make the parents laugh?I’ve hesitated to post more-than-two-movie combinations up to now, but I’ve collected a small number of good ones. As soon as I have a vision for how to introduce them I’ll be including this one at the top of that list. I will try to remember to write to you when it’s published.Thank you for remembering us and for plugging us on your site!

Jane

I don’t think they’ll be forgetting us anytime soon…

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Sept. 1st: HAPPY LABOR DAY!
Sept. 6th: Doomslayer Movie and Pizza Night at Adm. Konnor’s house — 4 pm.
Sept. 6th: Chancellor Klaad leaves for VA
Sept. 11th: Patriot Day (remember those brave warriors who went ahead of us on that fateful morning in NYC, DC, and PA)
Sept. 22nd: 1st day of Autumn

CHUY DAH August 2008

2008-08-08T17:42:00.000-04:00

Okay…I know this is late…you don’t have to tell me, I know.

I seriously wanted to get this out on schedule, but as the saying goes, “Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans…”

This one’s going to be short…

DOOMSLAYER’S SUMMER PICNIC: AFTERMATH
To begin with, I’d like to thank everyone who came to my house for the Doomslayer’s picnic this past Saturday. A good time was had by all, and I’ve never played as big a game of Monopoly as we did that night…congratulations to Autumn Daley, the winner of the game!
Since next month’s meeting is scheduled to be a Movie and Dinner Night, I’d like to suggest a little modification to the “Dinner” part: if everyone could bring a few dollars with them, maybe we’ll just order out for pizza. We should also decide on the movies — and by the way, we no longer have our VCR, so all movies need to be DVDs.

REUNION UPDATE
As far as the planning for the Reunion goes, we’re proceeding along at the right pace. By the end of the year, I’d like to have the guest badges designed and ready for production, and the program booklet formatted and ready for publishing. I’ve heard the theme for the reunion may be “50’s Sci-Fi”, so perhaps that may play a part in the badge designs.

MY LEFT FOOTLOOSE CONTEST: AND THE WINNER IS…

Capt. K’Dot wins the contest with the folowing entry:
Annie Oakley of Green Gables and the King (Kong) of Siam
Genre: Musical, Biography, Drama, Action, Adventure, Romance, Fantasy

Annie is a spunky young orphan girl who lives in terrible orphanage run by the mean Miss Hannigan. Her wretched situation changes overnight when she is mistakenly chosen to spend a short time at the residence of the wealthy munitions industrialist and farmer, Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla, who were expecting a boy to help with their farm work. However, they accept Annie, who quickly endears herself to them and to all who work on the farm. As a young adult, Annie is tutored in showmanship by Toby Walker (who she’s had a crush on since she was a child) and Annie is hired for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. But when Annie wins top billing, professional rivalry conflicts with their growing personal attachment, leading to a misunderstanding and the end of their budding relationship. Annie leaves the show and is recruited by the bold and successful filmmaker Carl Denham to star in his new film. They travel by ship with a large crew and Denham’s friend Jack Driscoll to an unknown island to shoot the movie. The local natives worship a huge gorilla called Kong and they abduct Annie to offer her in a sacrifice to Kong. Jack Driscoll (who has fallen in love with her during the course of the voyage), Carl Denham (who wants to capture Kong and exhibit him as the 8th wonder of the world) and part of the crew hike into the jungle and try to rescue Annie. Kong falls in love with Annie and gets captured and haulled back to New York. In the middle of his unveiling, King Kong escapes, bringing panic to the Big Apple where his is shot atop the Empire State Building and falls to his death. Depressed and rudderless Annie accepts the job of teaching the royal children of Siam. On her arrival in Bangkok, culture clash is immediate. The king respects Annie for standing up to him, though this appalls his courtiers. In due course, she becomes the king’s confidant and diplomatic advisor; their relationship endures until his death.
Below are the plot tag lines from IMDB
Annie (1982) = A young orphan girls adventures in finding a family that will take her.
Annie Oakley (1935) = The sharpshooting star of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show lives again to thrill you in a drama of fighting men and red romance!
Anne of Green Gables (1934) = Anne Shirley, an orphan, is adopted by farmer Matthew Cuthbert and his sister Marilla, who were expecting a boy to help with their farm work…
King Kong (1933) = A film crew goes to a tropical island for an exotic location shoot and discovers a colossal giant gorilla who takes a shine to their female blonde star.
Anna and the King of Siam (1946) = In 1862, a young Englishwoman becomes royal tutor in Siam and befriends the King.
There will be a 2-liter beverage of her choice waiting for her at the Septemeber meeting. Congratulations!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
August 11th: Cadet T’Lisien’s birthday
September 1st: LABOR DAY
September 6th: Doomslayer “Movie & Pizza” Night at Adm. Konnor’s house

CHUY DAH July 2008

2008-07-03T17:39:00.000-04:00

THIS ISSUE IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF GEORGE CARLIN.

FROM THE XO’S CHAIR
If you’re reading this, then I’m back in business! My thanks to Capt. K’Dot Kali for taking over for me and getting last month’s CHUY DAH out. Apparently my hard drive gave up the ghost, and I had to get it replaced…at the cost of all my files. Luckily I had the presence of mind to back things up…well, most of the stuff.

CAMP DOVER REUNION UPDATE: The Holiday Inn has now seen fit to give us our 2nd Steaming Pile of Monkey Crap: we have to hire off-duty cops for added security at the reunion. Yes, they’re still holding the crap that happened in 2005 against us. When the Chancellor and I tried to explain that nothing happened in 2006, their response was “Well, yes, but that’s because you had police here…” I’ll tell you, I’m lucky blood didn’t start spurting from my eyes…this is what we have to look forward to, people, so get your armor ready, the crapstorms are a’comin…

IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR: The Doomslayer Picnic is still on for the 12th at 1 pm. Remember that it’s a BYOL (Bring your own lunch) picnic (please hold off on the fried chicken and watermelon…), and if it should rain, we’ll relocate to the New Towne Mall. As for the Doomslayer Invitational, we’ll either play at the Park or at the Mall.

REMINDER: The MyLeftFootloose contest is still in effect - and I have received…NOTHING! C’Mon folks, the people who created the website want to see what we can do, and I don’t want to disappoint ‘em.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
July 4: HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
July 6: Lt. Cmdr. K’Ana’s Birthday
July 9: Chancellor Klaad and Cmdr Judok’s wedding anniversay (let the furniture throwing begin!)
July 12: Doomslayer Picnic at Tuscora Park - 1 pm.

CHUY DAH June 2008

2008-06-02T17:37:00.000-04:00

Was it only last month that nature chose to grace us with Spring? It would seem that Summer has decided to make up for Springs tardiness; with a vengeance no less! And to think, just a week or two ago we had overnight temperatures in the 40’s… Ah well.

FROM THE SECOND OFFICER’S CHAIR
Yes folks, you read that right. It’s me, your Second Officer, Capt. K’Dot bringing you the news this month. Our usual author and translator of tidbits, Admiral Konnor, is currently dealing with computer issues. He can be reached via communicator, however, but if you’ve sent him a communique, it may be a while before he can respond.

CDPC Reunion Update: “So far, so good.” ~Admiral Konnor
Things are coming along nicely. The bulk of the contracts are in and look good. We are looking at a room rate of $85.00 + tax. Yes, it’s up from ‘06, however the current standard rate is $125.00 + tax, so just smile and nod agreeably here folks, we’re still getting a deal. We are however still waiting on the catering contract. Keep in mind that the Holiday Inn is undergoing a management change so things are going to take a bit. Chancellor Klaad is looking to have things finalized by July; what the Chancellor wants, the Chancellor gets… Nuf said.
As for the return of Maltz after Midnight, the Dover Wendy’s is looking very good. Nothing is set in stone, but the manager seems to think it sounds like fun.

Contest Announcement
Admiral Konnor has decreed a contest! The goal is to see who can make his parents laugh the most! Go to the the following website and read up on what this is all about. http://www.myleftfootloose.com/the-my-left-footloose-man.html

The idea is to combine two or more movie titles to create a brilliant new meta-movie. Once you’ve got the idea, send your new movie titles (with or with out descriptions) to the group. IKVDoomslayer@yahoogroups.com
Who ever makes the Admiral’s parents laugh the most wins a 2-liter beverage of their choice. The deadline for submissions is July 1st, 11:59:59pm.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
June 2nd: Bastian and K’Dot’s Anniversary
June 7th: Cadet Q’Elle Makhleod’s Birthday
June 7th: Doomslayer General Meeting at the Dover McDonald’s - 2pm
June 15th: Fathers Day.
June 29th: Autumn’s Birthday

JULY’S CALENDAR OF EVENTS
July 12th : Doomslayer Picnic at Tuscora Park (and possible Doomslayer Invitational)
July 6th: Lt. Cmdr. K’Ana’s Birthday
July 9th: Chancellor Klaad & Fleet Mom Judok’s Anniversary
July 20th Makhael Makhleod’s Birthday

CHUY DAH May 2008

2008-05-06T17:35:00.000-04:00

Well, from the looks of things outside, it seems that Nature has finally decided that it’s supposed to be spring. And it couldn’t have come around soon enough.

FROM THE XO’S CHAIR
To start off, the Away Team mission into Amish Country on May 3rd was an incredible success - despite the heavy rainfall. The team was composed of myself, Capt. K’Dot, Cmdr. Bastian, Lt. Cmdr. K’Ana, and cadets Q’od and Rhay. This mission was so productive, we decided that a second excursion needs to take place – and take place it will, on September 6th. (So make plans now!)

As far as the Camp Dover reunion planning goes, as of this newsletter, all procedures are on hold until the hotel sends the contracts out. They’re in the middle of changing over to new management, so things are in a state of flux.

We have located one viable source for the Maltz After Midnight run, but to be fully secure in this, I’d like for us to have a couple of contingency plans on hand, just in case (c’mon, when have you known me to NOT set up at least one back-up plan?).

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 11th: MOTHER’S DAY (make sure to do something special for your own mom — like I’ve always said, without your mom, where would YOU be?)
May 12th: Chief Engineer Bastian’s birthday
May 21st: Intel Officer Kh’Per’s birthday
May 26th: MEMORIAL DAY
May 30th: First Officer Konnor’s birthday

The Sarah Jane Adventures

2008-04-12T17:34:00.000-04:00

Tonight the Sci-Fi Channel debuted the new Dr. Who spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures. From what I’ve read, it’s supposed to be a more kid-friendly series, and they hit the mark.

All I can say about it is this: The Doctor would be proud.

Opinions?

CHUY DAH April 2008

2008-04-08T17:33:00.000-04:00

First of all, yes, this is late.

That being said, on to business.

I was glad to see the great turnout at the April General Meeting. As you all know, we now have an operational plan for conducting the Camp Dover Reunion, and it has met with the Chancellor’s approval. So now we go to work. The first step wil be on April 16th, when an Away Team composed of myself, Capt. K’Dot, and Lt. Cmdr. Khavid meet with the Holiday Inn’s Sales Manager — and luckily, they have a new one (hopefully, the hotel’s memories of Camp Dover have dimmed over time…).

Condolences to Lt. jg Kami, whose father passed away a week and a half ago. I attended the memorial service, and I must say it was a very good one.

If you don’t have a feed from the Camp Dover Klingons board on Yahoo!, there was the announcement from Father John (Camp Dover’s resident chaplain) that he has received his orders, and is headed overseas. We wish him good luck and Godspeed.

That’s the news for right now, but stay tuned — there’s more to come.

CHUY DAH March 2008

2008-03-04T17:29:00.000-05:00

March has arrived, and for those of us here in the Ohio sector, the weather is following the Terran maxim of coming in like a lion. Now, I’ve actually seen lions, and I have yet to see one who’s soaking wet…or cold…I don’t know about anyone else, but summer can’t come soon enough for me. On the upside, since it is March, there are two important holidays this month: Easter (or as we call it on the Homeworld, the Day of the Chocolate), and St. Patrick’s Day (where everyone gets to drink and be Irish). You have to love the Terran calendar, don’t you?

***********************************
FROM THE XO’S CHAIR
Let’s get right to the biggest piece of news first…

**BULLETIN**As of March 2, the official announcement came down from the Chancellor himself: There will be a Camp Dover reunion in 2009.

Now, as to an exact date, this has yet to be determined, but we are aiming for the traditional last weekend in April. So stay tuned to CHUY DAH for updates as they become available.

**BULLETIN ENDS**

MARCH MEETING DATE STILL THE SAMEThis month’s meeting date will still be on the 22nd, but it will be at the Uncommon Grounds coffee shop instead of the Renovare Cafe. The WritersFest event that was originally planned for the 22nd has been moved ahead to May 17th to allow for more advertising time and for the weather to clear up.

*******************************************
This comes from www.io9.com (check this place out):
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Spaceship Captains If you want to learn good organization skills, look no further than some of the best leaders in the universe: the captains of spaceships. They may be fictional, but they have skills that translate into the real world. After all, you’d follow Admiral Adama into battle, and trust Malcolm Reynolds to have your back. Now you can learn the seven greatest leadership lessons we gleaned from watching shows like Futurama and Firefly.

1. The Prime Directive is just a suggestion. Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise wasn’t as swashbuckling as he predecessor Captain James T. Kirk, simply because he actually wrestled with breaking the Prime Directive instead of ignoring it entirely. The Prime Directive states that humans shouldn’t involve themselves in the affairs of less developed planets, for fear of messing up their cultures with ultra-advanced tech. While Picard often considers the importance of the Prime Directive in his decision-making, he refuses to be bound by it. Lesson learned? Rules are made to be broken.

2. Always shoot first. Every good leader should be willing to do what he or she asks of her team. One of the reasons for the loyalty of the ragtag crew of Serenity, the ship Malcolm Reynolds captains in Firefly, is that Mal will throw himself into battle to protect his team. Whenever he has a crazy scheme or rescue mission in mind, he takes the first plunge. Lesson learned? Show your crew that you’re willing to take a bullet for them, and they’ll do the same for you.

3. Don’t be afraid to hook up with a cute spaceman. We love Leela on Futurama not just because she’s the only person on her ship with any kind of sense, but because she also lets her long, purple hair down once in a while. She’s always tangling with spacemen and getting mixed up with strange alien pets. And that’s one good reason why her goofy crew would follow her to the ends of the galaxy — well, if she had enough beer. Lesson learned? A good leader has to get laid once in a while, and she shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

4. When you’re about to go genocidal, get a second opinion. Admiral William Adama from the new Battlestar Galactica is one of the best leaders we’ve ever seen. He’s gotten a group of a few thousand humans halfway across the galaxy, despite the fact that they’re being pursuit by a group of homicidal, erotically obsessed cyborgs. He’s had to deal with incredible loss and sheer terror, and he always keeps his head. He is also truly humane. How does he keep it together without going all Admiral Cain on everybody’s ass? By sharing his power with President Roslyn as well as his circle of trusted officers and advisers. Without their guidance, the Galactica and its fleet might have turned into a bloodthirsty military fleet, instead of what it is: a mostly-civilian group with a (sort of) free press and even elections. Lesson learned? True leaders do not ever make decisions alone.

5. Just because you have a crappy ship doesn’t mean you’re a loser. Everyone knows that Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars, is piloting a souped-up bucket. And yet his seemingly-crappy ship is probably the very best thing for helping out a group of covert resistance fighters like Obi Wan and Luke. Plus, he knows his ship so well that he can totally slam those Stormtroopers in their McFighters. Lesson learned? Every crappy PC is a lean, mean Linux box waiting to be born. Oh, and in case that didn’t make sense: It’s not the tools; it’s what you do with them.

6. Freedom fighters make good teammates. Say what you will about Captain Janeway on Voyager, but she made a smart decision early on to integrate her Federation team with a group of subversive Maquis who got stuck with them out in the Delta Quadrant. Another captain might have kept the Maquis separate from the Federation types, but Janeway integrated them and gave them Federation ranks — much to her good fortune. She got a great Chief Engineer and First Officer out of the deal. Lesson learned? A little subversion goes a long way.

7. There is always somebody out there who can bend spacetime better than you can. In Iain M. Banks’ novel Excession, the Ship Sleeper Service (which is an AI that captains itself, thank you very much) discovers that its amazing, human-dwarfing brain is nothing compared to the “excession,” a phenomenon that none of the Ships can understand. The excession exists in subspace, and looks like a giant something that could be a gateway to another dimension, perhaps, or a ship from the edges of the universe. Meeting the excession, for the Ships, is a very humbling experience. They realize that they are not as omnipotent as they realized, that that there are intelligences out there far more profound than their own. Lesson learned? No matter how in control you are, always be ready for something for which you’re completely unprepared.

——————————————————————————–
For those of us who are old-school gamers, let us take a moment of silence to honor the passing of one of the original Masters of the Game:

Dungeons & Dragons co-creator dies at 69
By EMILY FREDRIX, Associated Press Writer
MILWAUKEE - Gary Gygax, who co-created the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons and helped start the role-playing phenomenon, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva. He was 69. He had been suffering from health problems for several years, including an abdominal aneurysm, said his wife, Gail Gygax.
Gygax and Dave Arneson developed Dungeons & Dragons in 1974 using medieval characters and mythical creatures. The game known for its oddly shaped dice became a hit, particularly among teenage boys, and eventually was turned into video games, books and movies.
Gygax always enjoyed hearing from the game’s legion of devoted fans, many of whom would stop by the family’s home in Lake Geneva, about 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee, his wife said. Despite his declining health, he hosted weekly games of Dungeons & Dragons as recently as January, she said.
“It really meant a lot to him to hear from people from over the years about how he helped them become a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman, what he gave them,” Gygax said. “He really enjoyed that.”
Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures with the help of complicated rules. The quintessential geek pastime, it spawned a wealth of copycat games and later inspired a whole genre of computer games that’s still growing in popularity.
Funeral arrangements are pending. Besides his wife, Gygax is survived by six children.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Mar.17th: Happy St. Patrick’s Day ! (Break out your green and get yer Irish on!)
Mar.22nd: Doomslayer General Meeting — 2 pm at Uncommon Grounds
Mar.23rd: Happy Easter!

CHUY DAH Feb. 2008

2008-02-05T17:26:00.000-05:00

It’s February now, and that means that St. Valentine’s Day is not that far off. So men, stock up on chocolate, find your best poetry and get ready to duck when the furniture starts flying…ah, Klingon mating, you gotta love it…the only kind of romance where “safe sex” means that both parties can walk under their own power…
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Okay, first of all, a reminder that tomorrow is the February General meeting at Uncommon Grounds. Last month, a tentative 6-month calendar of events was created:

February — General Meeting
March — Renovare Cafe Writers Circle Swap Meet (I’ll explain this in more detail at the meeting)
April — Movie Night (my place)
May — 2008 Doomslayer Invitational at New Towne Mall
June — General Meeting
July — Doomslayer Picnic at Tuscora Park (and possible Doomslayer Invitational II)
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Keith R.A. DeCandido has immortalized our Fearless Leader and the Camp Dover Peace Conference in print — not only is the Chancellor used as a reference character, but the Conference is one of two cons singled out for acknowledgement in his latest novel, “A Burning House”, the latest in the ongoing saga of the IKS Gorkon. I just finished reading this novel, and I have to say that if you’ve been hungry for good Klingon reading, this will cure your cravings.

The story of the Gorkon continues as the ship comes home to Qo’Nos, and go their separate ways on leave. We also find out what happened to characters from a NextGen episode and DS9 episode as well…(I’d tell you, but why spoil the book?)a pleasant surprise that is very well-tied into the overall story.
For a rating, I’ll give it..oh, let’s say 5 batleths!
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Feb. 2nd: Khavid and Kammie’s anniversary
Feb. 2nd: Doomslayer General Meeting at Uncommon Grounds — 2 pm.
Feb. 7th: Margaret Wander Bonanno’s birthday
Feb. 14th: HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Feb. 14th: Cadet Qos’ birthday

Just a little bit of history repeating

2008-02-05T17:24:00.000-05:00

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there was a newsletter that many people in Klingon fandom read, and it was called CHuY DaH.

Times changed, and ChuY DaH became an exclusive newsletter - mainly because postal rates and copying costs made it hard to distribute.

But now times have changed…and so has technology…

And now CHuY DaH stands ready once more to be read by all (as long as you subscribe, that is...).