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FED
MEET AND GREET with TICKENEST, BARON OF TOCK |
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FED
MEET AND GREET with TICKENEST, BARON OF TOCK |
Tickenest says, "Oh, you're welcome, Phid." Phiddie says, "Tonight we're here to meet and greet Tickenest." "Wait, I have to be here.", smiles Tickenest. "This is your opportunity to ask him questions and find out what makes him tick, if you will.", says Phiddie. Tickenest says, "Good evening, everyone." "Yes, tonight we will put the "What makes him Tick" joke to rest!", exclaims Tickenest. "With that, I'll give Tickenest the floor. Would you like to start by telling us about your background in Fed Tickerz?", Phiddie asks. Tickenest says, "Why, certainly, Phid." Tickenest clears his throat once or twice. Well, twice. Phiddie takes a seat. Tickenest says, "Tickenest entered Federation way back in December, 1996." Tickenest says, "I had played the game under another name for a couple of months, but I wasn't doing so well socially, so I thought I'd start over." Tickenest says, "(I seriously doubt that anyone here would remember my other character)." Singapore looks enviously at Tick...HE was supposed to have been the first M&G of the Millenium! :) Janie wants to know "Try me, Tick", smiles Shiek. Phiddie asks, "Are you willing to tell us who he was?" Tickenest says, "So, Tickenest was born, right about the time that AOL went flat-rate." Tickenest does that neer-neer thing at Singapore. Tickenest says, "Oh, sure." Tickenest shouts, "TD1611" Tickenest says, "Not a notable name in the least." Singapore grins at Tick.. Janie doesn't remember "*I* sure as hell don't remember it...", says Shiek with a frown. "Anyway, having gotten to JP in my previous life...", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "I was well-prepared to ascend the ranks a second time." "I decided that I was not going to use loans, pc's (price-checks, if they still happen these days), or begging.", says Tickenest. "And, in about a month, I was a proud planet owner.", says Tickenest. "Wow...that's impressive.", says Phiddie. Tickenest remembers his entire two hours at GM, including an hour when Fed was down. Tickenest sighs. "Those were the days, eh?A", says Tickenest. Shiek smiles, "Wait a minute...I remember giving you a few megs, at commander" Tickenest made a typo. Tickenest smiles, "Heh, liar." Phiddie chuckles Shiek laughs Tickenest says, "Anyway, at first..." "I had planned on making my planet an ancient history-theme planet.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "It's one of my interests." Tickenest says, "But I scrapped that idea and decided to call it Tick." "Now, can ANYONE guess why?", asks Tickenest. Shiek asks, "You like Ticks?" Janie asks, "did you name it after you?" "Close, but you're way off.", says Tickenest. "Yes, Janie!", exclaims Tickenest. "You named it after the tick in your left eye?", asks Stellar. "Well, something like that.", says Tickenest. Janie grins "But I eventually wound up making Tick a giant pocketwatch, which it still is today.", says Tickenest. "oooOOOooo!!!", exclaims Shiek. Janie is going to run over to Tick after this "I'll have to visit", says Shiek. "Tick,tick,tick...I like it.", says Stellar with a wink. Tickenest says, "I even wanted to have a couple of mobiles wandering around the clock showing the correct time, but lag+crashes+the general infeasibility of the project made that impossible." "The mobiles are still there, though.", smiles Tickenest. Tickenest says, "Anyway..." "Big Hand, and Little Hand?", asks Shiek. "After a few months in Sol, Gerhilda was on one afternoon and convinced me to join Valhalla.", says Tickenest. "hourhand and minutehand, I think, Shiek.", says Tickenest. Tickenest smiles, "You can't miss them." "...unless I'm late...", says Shiek. Tickenest says, "So, I stayed in Valhalla for quite a while." Shiek grins "We were quite a tight-knit bunch, and we always had fun.", says Tickenest. "Fun despite the lag.", smiles Tickenest. "This was early '97 Tickerz?", asks Phiddie. Tickenest smiles, "Yes, the great Lag Storm of '97, Phid." "Finally, after six long months at Squire, I made it to Thane in the summer of '97.", says Tickenest. Tickenest smiles, "I believe you were there for that big night, Phiddie." Phiddie nods and smiles. Shiek Remembers Tick singing 'Wild Thane'....over and over Phiddie laughs "Well, anyone who's ever ascended the PO ranks knows what a difference there is between Thane and Squire.", says Tickenest. Janie laughs Tickenest says, "So I managed to ascend the remaining PO ranks up to Indy pretty quickly." Tickenest says, "Now, sometime that year, I had taken an interest in Fedpardy." Tickenest says, "I didn't really know what it was the first night I played it, but I thought I'd give it a shot." "Well, as it turns out, I was VERY good at this game.", smiles Tickenest. "I remember how HaulnMouse and later TazDudeToo would get so frustrated when I would run away with the game.", says Tickenest. Shiek laughs "Finally, Taz decided that he's better make me the scorekeeper if he wanted it to be competitive.", smiles Tickenest. Janie remembers that! "I remember", smiles Phiddie. "I still hold the record for largest one-night take in Fedpardy, at 61 million groats.", says Tickenest. Tickenest smiles, "I sucked practically all of the money out of Taz's duchy that night." "Dang", says Satinsheets with a wink. Janie blinks Tickenest says, "Additionally, I took an interest in Top Ten lists." Janie says, "wow, not bad" "Is that when you started writing for Fed News?", asks Phiddie. Tickenest says, "Frog674 was quite a fine Top Ten list writer for the Fed News." "Yes, Phiddie, it was.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "I thought, 'Hey, I can do this.'" Satinsheets smiles, "Tick's lists rocked" Shiek says, in an aside, "Ah...now this is what I came to hear about" Tickenest says, "So, I grabbed a pad of paper and came up with a topic..." "Top Ten Reasons NOT To Get Rid of the Lag.", says Tickenest. Phiddie laughs! Janie grins Janie would like to hear that one again "Do you remember any of them Tickerz?", asks Phiddie. Tickenest says, "Well, I mentioned it to FireImp one day in Fedruckers (a popular Game Host hangout at the time) and he suggested that I send it in to the Fed News." "Oh, I do, Phid.", says Tickenest. "In fact, I put up most of them on my planet.", smiles Tickenest. Tickenest says, "Including my first one." Phiddie chuckles Tickenest says, "They're still there, if any of you want to check them out later." Tickenest says, "But not now." "I'm talking.", smiles Tickenest. "Apparently, Uniquette thought that it was just swell, so she published it.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "Too bad she omitted my name." "But I was just thrilled.", says Tickenest. Shiek chuckles "So, I decided to write another one for the next week.", says Tickenest. "And I made sure to make it clear that it was from me.", smiles Tickenest. "And she printed it with my name.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "I was like, 'SWEET!'" Tickenest laughs. Satinsheets winks and says, "A star is born" Janie smiles Shiek grins and nods in agreement with Satin Tickenest says, "So, this went on for quite a while." Tickenest says, "I was scorekeeping for Fedpardy and writing lists for the news." "Then the big news of Fed's move to the web hit.", says Tickenest. Tickenest takes a dramatic pause. Janie holds her breath Artopia gnaws a knuckle Shiek plays dramtic score "Ok.", says Tickenest. Tickenest hopes that that was dramatic enough. Janie lets her breath out with a whoooosh "One night, I was sitting in my private office on Tick, just minding my own business...", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "And all of a sudden, Uniquette ports on in." "you got a visit from Uni?", asks Janie. Shiek faints Janie is very impressed Tickenest smiles, "Now, if you've ever been managing your stockpiles alone and all of a sudden a Game Host (of course, they're called DataSpace Hosts these days) ports in, you get nervous." Phiddie chuckles Janie can just imagine "My first thought was to confess that I had sold the mustard gas to Ming, but I thought better of it.", says Tickenest. Tickenest grins. Janie laughs "As it turns out, she was coming to see me about a proposition.", says Tickenest. Shiek exclaims, "oooOOOOoooo!!!!" Artopia raises an eyebrow Janie says, "ooooooooh" Shiek exclaims, "You rascal, you!" "With the new pay-to-play rules coming, she asked if I'd write for the Fed News in an official capacity.", says Tickenest. Janie laughs Tickenest exclaims, "NOT that sort of proposition, you fools!" Tickenest grins. Shiek is ROFL "I managed to freak her out at one point during the conversation...", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "Because the question of my age came up." Janie perks Shiek asks, "87?" "I remember Uni told me later that she was afraid that I was going to turn out to be some fourteen year-old brat!", exclaims Tickenest. "But no, I was seventeen years old at the time, so all was well.", says Tickenest. "She thought I was in my twenties, though, so I was flattered.", says Tickenest with a wink. Janie say Whew Myangel smiles Stellar smiles and sips his ale Tickenest says, "So, we agreed that I'd write at least one article per month for the news." "Yeah....wait a few years, and *then* think yer flattered when someone adds a few years to your age...", says Shiek. "So all was well.", says Tickenest. "Additionally...", says Tickenest. "About this time, Taz was being elevated to Event Coordinator for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "So he offered me the job of hosting Fedpardy." "And I accepted.", says Tickenest. "It was a lot of fun hosting Fedpardy, especially when Lynne would table-dance when reading out the scores.", smiles Tickenest. Satinsheets says, "Wow there's a name I haven't heard in ages...Lynne" "But, as those of us who were around at the time remember...", says Tickenest. "The beta period of web Fed was ending...", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "And the charges were going to be implemented..." Tickenest says, "And I just wasn't terribly excited about paying to play Fed." "What were you charged with??", asks Shiek. "So, the night before Fed started charging was my last night in Fed.", says Tickenest. "They charged us money!", exclaims Tickenest. Tickenest grins. "Well, I thought it was going to be my last night in Fed.", says Tickenest. Shiek exclaims, "Oh...that....yeah, I knew that!" Tickenest shrugs. "But I still kept track of the Fed News.", says Tickenest. "And several months later...", says Tickenest. "I was reading an interview with Safyreyes.", says Tickenest. "Her LP description was in the interview.", says Tickenest. "She had put up a monument to me when I left.", says Tickenest. Phiddie smiles Tickenest says, "I had totally forgotten that she'd done that." "I read what she had done and I almost started crying.", says Tickenest. Tickenest is getting all sniffly. Tickenest exclaims, "It was just so <sob> touching!" Satinsheets hands Tick a tissue. Stellar hands Tickenest a tissue Tickenest blows. Shiek offers Tick a semi-soiled hankie Tickenest hands back the tissues. Mmustang does not hand Tick a tissue. Satinsheets grins at Stellar, "Mine is softer!" Janie sniffles Stellar has given Satinsheets a sloppy tickle! Tickenest says, "I thought, 'Wow, there are still a lot of people I like in Fed.'" "So, I busted out my credit card, bought some credits, and returned to Fed.", says Tickenest. Shiek glances at Satin and decides he won't argue that point :) "And we're very glad you did.", Phiddie smiles. "This was about a year ago or so.", says Tickenest. Janie agrees with Phiddie Tickenest says, "I made it all the way to Baron, got my teleporter and joined Fizbin." Tickenest says, "And that's where I am today." Satinsheets tucks her tissues back in her brassiere. Shiek exclaims, "Second-best Duchy, in Fed!" "Too bad I'm just not as good at Fedpardy these days...", says Tickenest. Tickenest grins. "So that's pretty much the story of Tickenest in Federation.", says Tickenest. Shiek has given Tickenest a tender tickle! Tickenest giggles. "Thanks Tickerz.", smiles Phiddie. Janie claps Tickenest nods to Phiddie. Shiek applauds madly "that was a good story Tick!", exclaims Janie. Tickenest tries to tell a good story. :) Satinsheets raises her hand. "Does anyone have a question for Tick?", asks Phiddie. "And it's mostly true, too.", smiles Tickenest. "me!", exclaims Shiek. Janie grins "Satin", smiles Phiddie. "Tick, your secret to Fedpardy...do you consider yourself to have a photographic memory?", asks Satinsheets. Tickenest says, "Hmm..." Tickenest ponders. Janie thinks Tick forgot why he was so good Tickenest says, "Well..." Tickenest says, "One of my favorite activities was acquiring as many objects in Sol as I could." "And to do that, I had to venture all over Sol.", says Tickenest. Satinsheets can still stump em with good questions ;) "So, invariably, I'd just pick up on certain things.", says Tickenest. "Of course, questions would sometimes get repeated in Fedpardy, too.", says Tickenest. Phiddie asks, "You have a question Shiek?" "But I just had a knack for remembering more obscure stuff in Fed.", says Tickenest. "Like in Trivial Pursuit", says Satinsheets with a wink. Shiek says, "Yes" "And I type pretty quickly, too.", smiles Tickenest. Shiek asks, "Tick....boxers or briefs?" "Briefs, all the way.", says Tickenest. Satinsheets laughs! Phiddie laughs! Janie rolls her eyes at shiek "All right!! My man!!", exclaims Shiek. Tickenest doesn't even think that there's any question on this one. Shiek high-fives Tick "Gots to have the support", smiles Shiek. Artopia giggles Tickenest nods. Phiddie asks, "Do you have any plans to go for Duke Tickerz?" "Nope, not really.", says Tickenest. Shiek asks, "Uhmm....follow-up?" Tickenest smiles, "Follow-up, as long as it's in good taste." "I kinda like sitting here at Baron with an exchange.", says Tickenest. Shiek asks, "What would you consider to be the pinnacle of your Fed career....and have you achieved?" "...it?", asks Shiek. "Well, obviously, if it's the pinnacle, I've achieved it!", exclaims Tickenest. Shiek says, "no tneccessarily" Tickenest says, "Hmm..." Tickenest ponders a second time. "I don't think that I can name one moment.", says Tickenest. Anakin winks and says, "I said the same thing, but i figured i'd dd so i thought i might as well get to the top while i had the chance" "Making Thane was up there.", says Tickenest. "Good choice, Anakin", says Satinsheets with a wink. Tickenest says, "As was hosting Fedpardy." Shiek nods Tickenest says, "But I think that what I had going in Valhalla with all the other POs and our "groupies" (the merchants) was the best." Tickenest says, "Because this game is about people more than anything." Tickenest says, "And we all got along so well." Phiddie smiles Myangel smiles "Good duchies are like that", smiles Shiek. Tickenest says, "So, that's probably the "pinnacle", if you can call it that." "I can think of one other really funny moment, though...", says Tickenest. "Okies...I relinquish the floor", says Shiek. "Who here remembers Slicer?", asks Tickenest. Shiek smiles, "I do" Phiddie says, "I do" "i remember slicer", says Janie. Danmathman says, "That name rings a bell" "I'm sure you do, Phid.", smiles Tickenest. "heh i do", says Anakin. "I liked Slicer", smiles Shiek. The cleaner has just arrived. Tickenest kicks the cleaner in honor of Galinfenner. The cleaner has just left. Tickenest says, "Anyway, he was always the troublemaker type, but he and I were buddies." Tickenest says, "I remember one night I was hosting Fedpardy..." "He was in Final Fedpardy with two other people.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "I gave the final answer (this might be in the news archives) and he quickly responded with the correct response." "Didn't he used to be Slicer281, or somesuch?", asks Shiek. Tickenest says, "Now, he'd been leading, so I revealed his response first." "Slicer634, I seem to recall.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "I mean, I revealed it last." Shiek smiles, "that was it" Tickenest smacks himself. Tickenest says, "And he was in a position to win." "But here's the catch...", says Tickenest. "Slicer forgot to put it in the form of a question.", says Tickenest. "And he didn't realize it.", says Tickenest. "So he thought he had it won.", says Tickenest. Shiek snickers Janie exclaims, "oh no!" Tickenest says, "So, I say, "Slicer, leading with <however many points>, responded <whatever he said>, which, sadly, is not an answer. :)'" "Whoops.", says Tickenest. "I messed up the punchline.", says Tickenest. Tickenest shouts, "I MESSED UP THE PUNCHLINE" Tickenest kicks himself. Phiddie laughs "I mean, "which, sadly, is not in the form of a question".", says Tickenest. Janie grins "But I got the smile right.", smiles Tickenest. Tickenest exclaims, "We were all laughing at him SO MUCH!" Tickenest says, "Even me, the hose." Tickenest says, "er, host" "I was laughing at him.", says Tickenest. "It was just so funny.", says Tickenest. Janie grins Tickenest says, "Because he was so smug about it." "He was positive that he'd won.", says Tickenest. Tickenest grins. Artopia smiles "Those were the days...", says Tickenest. Tickenest asks, "Well, any other questions?" Shiek says, "He had a killer DD planet" "Yes, he did.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "My planet was never DD." Janie has no more quesitons....and has ejoyed this meet and greet a lot. :) "Although there was a death location.", says Tickenest. Tickenest says, "But it was the most obvious death location in Fed." Tickenest says, "It was called 'Certain Doom'." Tickenest says, "It's still there, in fact." "act laughs", says Shiek. "That's plain enough.", Phiddie smiles. Janie likes that name Shiek smiles, "Sahara has no death locations....but she can kill you" Tickenest grins. "Well, will that be all, or does anyone else have any questions?", asks Tickenest. Tickenest says, "Oh, I'm sorry." Shiek says, "One more....." Tickenest asks, "I'm going over Phiddie's head, am I not?" Tickenest apologizes and chuckles. "Hehe...no.", says Phiddie. Tickenest grins. Tickenest asks, "What is your question, Shiek?" Shiek asks, "Tick....does the chewing gum lose it's flavor, on the bedpost overnight?" Tickenest starts humming the Fedpardy theme. Tickenest says, "Oh, absolutely." Phiddie giggles Janie is glad that one is finally answered Janie grins Shiek exclaims, "Thanks! That has been bugging me for years!" Satinsheets exclaims, "I gotta scram guys!!" Tickenest asks, "Any other unsolved mysteries you'd like me to solve?" Satinsheets blows kisses! Phiddie asks, "Any other questions?" "Thanks very much Tickerz for sharing your story with us here tonight. Your planet sounds most interesting and I for one, will be making a visit.", Phiddie says. Tickenest grins. Wrkincaid smiles Tickenest smiles, "'Twas my pleasure, Phid." "Thanks everyone for coming.", smiles Phiddie.
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