I saw a better picture of the new Enterprise. Gives a better idea of how the nacelles are attached. Anyways, she looks about what I imagined an early version of the Enterprise would have looked like. It's basically just the saucer with some support struts leading to the warp nacelles. There is an engineering dome between the support struts, but no main body. It's about what I thought it would look like: a saucer with engines strapped on...

So I went to the fourth West Coast luncheon. This one was at Umeko's Japanese Seafood Buffet. All you can eat sushi and other things. About a 25 minute walk from the BART, which I would regret when I had to go back. I ate sooo much! Three big plates of food plus ice cream. Very good. There's Miso and Hot and Sour Soup. Various sushi on rice, the really simple type. Fried rice, pot stickers, lobster and fried cuttlefish and Teriyaki and fruits and stuff.

Sam and Steve and Jesse were there. Peter Huang, Chris Chin-Wong. Actually that was it for the most part. Someone came in really late (and I forgot her name). Greg didn't show up which is quite unusual for him to miss an event that he's commited to. Steve said that a lot of the long-time store managers quit this past year. They're still using Macola 5 for their POS and Closeup and dial up access to the HQ computers. Various complaints about the new managers being incompetent (managers should be good at managing, not necessarily doing the departmental jobs, but in that case they shouldn't try to do those departmental jobs).

A nice time. I really like going and listening to gossip. I look forward to the next luncheon...

After the luncheon I went to gaming. Didn't run that night because I was still full and a bit sluggish. We played some games (Eric, Shannon, Pick and Woo). A couple of games of Apples to Apples and I won the second game. One game of Loaded Questions which Eric has never played. It's much faster with five people than with seven. Eric won that game.

Then we talked a lot. Pick throwing out various questions from Loaded Questions and us answering them. I'd forgotten how much Eric hates stupid people. He also thinks overpopulation is the greatest evil in the world, making the Catholics the spawn of Satan for advocating not using birth control. I love learning more about my friends, especially since I don't see them that much. Donald, Shannon and Eric tend to see each other much more than the rest of us combined. That's what happens when you don't live in Berkeley...

It's really sad when a marriage falls apart. Especially when it's not a mutual breakup. One person wants out, the other one doesn't. If the one still in love doesn't see what's going on, it's a shock when the end comes. You're angry and confused and sad and lost and I wish I had been there to help but once again I'm stuck in Concord. And of course I had no clue what was going on.

I still believe in marriage. I still believe in true love. Steve and Holly breaking up and now this, it just goes to show you that lasting love and marriage are hard to achieve, which makes it really special when it does happen. But time does heal all wounds, and with the help of friends it's a\ lot easier. I hope I never have to go through that though...

Ok, so Woo is probably not driving up to Milwaukee with us. Now if I can get a firm yes or no from Chris maybe we don't have to rent a minivan which would save me quite a bit of money. Eric expressed some interest in driving up, but his time requirements conflict with Sweet's. Man, it's hard to get everyone synced up. Whatever happened to being able to take vacation! I swear, people are just too hung up with the job.