[Mirikon]

>>>>>[My parents didn't raise me with that stuff. Though I have found that Christmas, like any holiday, is an excellent time to do business. Corp offices are on skeleton crews. The corp drones are enjoying a few drinks on their day off. The cops are a little slower to respond to alarms. And last minute gifts are a great cover for rushing across the sprawl. And best thing is that no matter where in the sprawl you hit, the situation's about the same.

Of course, for those of you who are more socially inclined, Christmas parties are a godsend when it comes to gossip, blackmail material, and other things that make our world go round. Even if you end up going home alone (never happens to me, but I've heard some people have trouble finding companionship), you're going home with a bunch of potential paydata. I prefer Dante's if I'm in Seattle. Here in LA, just go wherever the glitterati are. I hear the Horizon Christmas party is a thing you have to see to believe.]<<<<<

--Iceblade (22:23:45/12-24-73)

[CanRay]

>>>>>[Back when I had an office to have a party in (Man, that was in the 'late '40s!), yeah, a dozen troll Shadowrunners could march by in one-metahuman band suits and we'd be so drunk that we'd barely notice.  Those were nice times.  I remember the first year, they were amazed that I actually gave Christmas bonuses (I was just a very lapsed Catholic then.).  Those were the days.  Ah well, I go around to the 'Runners I know with kids and give presents, the route I take is different every year, of course.  But they're usually expecting me, so have the way cleared out so I don't have to deal with the usual gang BS.

And Big Murphy's family was nice enough to aim to miss this year.  Hope Little Murphy likes his new CommLink!]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (21:36:12/12-24-73)

[Keita]

>>>>>[ Christmas is a big thing in Spain. Of course, it's a very Catholic country, even in this day and age. It was the only time of year I was guarunteed to see my parents, and we always went somewhere special. Kamchatskya, Lisbon, Casablanca, Constantinople, Helsinki...Every year a different place. Of course...at the time I didn't know they were runners, and the reason we never spent christmas at home was because they didn't want to lead anyone from work back to me. My parents were determined that I grow up in the light. I was to the the first one in generations to do so. Sadly, their little plan didn't pan out.

This year, a group of my former students decided they wanted to throw me a party. They're good kids. So...I'll be seeing you guys later. Those of you who know where I live, and don't have anything better to do, feel free to join in. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (10:02:34/12-25-73)

[CanRay]

>>>>>[For those worried about the explosions, don't be.

Some people were naughty, and got coal in their stockings.  Well, charcoal.  And a few other chemicals.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (09:50:44/12-25-73)

[Mirikon]

>>>>>[So maybe I'm not immune to the giving mood. Fellow runner's kid just showed he had the talent. Not a magician like myself, but an adept, looking like Magician's Way. I agreed to train him a bit. Teach him a few spells, train him to fight, basically make sure he isn't a danger to himself. No expert on mystic adepts, but I'm closer to one than the kid's parents. They're mundanes, and I was the only spellslinger they knew well enough, since Skraacha got scragged during the Tempo craze, and Lady Luck had her luck run out when she stumbled onto a Wasp hive.

So I agreed to teach the kid. Not exactly my forte, but ah well. Without anyone to guide them, it is too easy for young people to fall down the twisted and toxic paths. And it isn't like I'm doing it for free.]<<<<<

--Iceblade (10:51:02/12-25-73)

[Mystic]

>>>>>[I'm not exactly old but I'm far from young. I've been working in the biz for almost 25 years. Yeah, in those terms I'm a near freaking relic. But I digress. For a long time, I was the snot-nosed punk of the group, the one who needed to learn, the one who had to prove himself, the one who had to take the lumps. Now, 'I'm the one doling out the pain, er lessons to a lot of up and commers. Many of them kids or kin to former teammates and or associates. Guess they figure that if their prodginy are gonna be stupid enough to get into the biz, they better learn how to not get their asses shot off on their first job. A good deal of my curent active associates fall into this category. It's interesting, no down right scary to see the tactics, techniques, and lessons learned by pevious generations impoved on or flat out twisted by this generation. To this day, my favoite is still the pizza made with plastique dough. That was twisted, even by my standards. ]<<<<<

--Bravo Six (19:45:42/12-25-73)

[Wolfboy]

>>>>>[Hey Ice, if you can teach the spells then i could probably handle the adept side of things. I've known a couple of mystics in my time and have helped train the same also. Also if your looking for a good training venue i have an in with the guy that runs the NWF Urban combat simulator down here and help him train teams for bug hunts among other things.

One of the things i've learned over the years being a history buff is that you can always learn a new trick or two  from the old days. I wont regail you with one of my anecdotes, however, theres something about a home made claymore AP mine that just somehow always fits the bill]<<<<<

--Wolfgar (13:01:25/12-26-73)

[Mirikon]

>>>>>[Sounds good, Wolf. I'll talk to the parents, and see if I can't bring him down. I'd try and teach him to follow my tradition, which means he'd be learning to use a blade. Teaching the kid to quicken his reflexes and the like would be a big help. Also, if you have someone who can teach him to use a gun, that'd be great. Don't care what path or tradition you follow, you still need at least a basic knowledge of how to use guns.

Speaking of which, had my first sparring session with the kid today. The kid is raw, as I figured, and pretty agile, even for an Elf. I think he'll make a good fighter someday. Today, though, he's got ice packs over half his body, mainly because the kid didn't know when to shut his mouth. Asked why he should bother learning to use a blade when they had guns. Told the kid that blades don't run out of bullets, and they're quiet. So the brat said he could just pistolwhip someone with the gun. I tossed him an Ingram Smartgun X with gel rounds, and told him that if he could take me down with that before I disarmed him with my wooden practice sword, he could skip learning the blades. Kid did what you would expect, snapping off rounds like a fool in full auto with the gun turned fragging sideways like something out of a trid! Surprised him when I avoided the spray, and beat him unconscious with a few well placed blows. Actually managed to avoid one of them, so it wasn't a total loss. It was the same in the army. They beat you down, so they can build you back up.]<<<<<

--Iceblade (14:02:23/12-26-73)

[CanRay]

>>>>>[I've had to give the occasionally firearms lesson to a few people in my legitimate life.  If his folks don't mind him going into the NAN Lands with a stranger with a good Rep, I can give him a good rounded firearms education.  Of course, I'll want him for some 'runs at a discount when he's ready to leave the nest.  No strings other than that, he's free to walk away if he feels things are wrong, got to train the instinct to notice that, too.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (13:54:13/12-26-73)

[Smiley]

>>>>>[I teach wushu to some kids in Redmond once a week and occasionally to other runners as favors but that's about it. I never take apprentices. It's not that it's really that time consuming or anything. I just don't feel too comfortable letting someone too close to my trade secrets and by the same token my own teacher secrets, as he taught me some of his (and since he's alive and not taking well on having his secrets taught to anyone). Spells, rituals, unused foci that I still keep, special reagents and techniques... You know, all the things that may make you more valuable than other sorcerers. Not to mention the insight it might provide on my methods and how I work to rivals or even enemies. I know it's possible to teach just the basics to apprentices and how to improve on their own but as the pupil follows you a little around the risk that this pupil may pick up on some things are very present. It might just be the only thing I am really, really paranoid about. Oh wow! Just realized that becoming an "ordinary" sorcerer (or whatever the term you use) scares a hell lot more than getting killed, never thought about this that way before. Well anyway, maybe one day, if I ever live long enough to consider myself old (and it might take a while, considering I'm Elf).]<<<<<
     -- Smiley (15:21:57/12-26-73)

[CanRay]

>>>>>[I saw dis flatscreen ol' movie that had da main character sayz, "It ain'ts da yearz, it'z da mileage."  Dat's true even fer da Troggies like me, er da Breeders, er da Halfers.  Guess it'z true a da Keebs two.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (18:36:45/12-26-73)

[CanRay]

>>>>>[I'z swearz (a lot, but dat different) dat'z da last timez I'z triez ta goez down de Chimney.  I'z needz da fireproof pantz.]<<<<<
-- Big Murphy (10:46:13/12-27-73)

[Mirikon]

>>>>>[That's why you don't go down chimneys where there's a fire in the fireplace.

But yeah, some years wear harder on you than others. Fortunately, I've got a lot of years to go, assuming my luck doesn't run out one of these days. Had some close calls, even before I dropped into the shadows. Of course, back then I had actual health coverage, so I didn't have to pay for the cloned parts.]<<<<<

--Iceblade (12:02:34/12-27-73)

[Keita]

>>>>>[ Most of the students I take have nowhere else to go. Not all of them are SINless, and not all of them become runners. My main goal is to give them sufficient control over their art to keep them and those around them safe, or to allow them to pass unnoticed. by corp headhunters if that is their wish. I don't like teaching teens specialised spells. They're only half-formed and half-adult. I've seen the sort of thing teens get up to with a few spells to hand. So generally, when it comes to teaching, I either teach the basics to a raw talent, or I help someone who's learned as much as they can on their own to advance further. I don't teach shadowrunning. I teach magic. Period.

Mmm...I know what you mean about mileage, Big Murph. I'm 59 years old and have been 'running for the last 19, but most of the aging happened in just 7 of those years.

Ice, I don't think the problem for us will be having too little time. I might well turn out to be having too much. There are days when I look at the potential centuries ahead of me and wondering what I'm going to do with it all. I went back to Spain one year to look in on everyone there, and I was shocked to see how much they'd aged, while I still look like I did 40 years ago, and can still do everything I could do 40 years ago. More so, in fact. Since I started 'running, I've learned to do things that just seem ridiculous for a woman of 59 years.

I think that is the ultimate reason why you'll see elves drawing together more and more. All our human, ork and troll families and friends will pass on, while we endure. It's a daunting prospect, and one that we first generation elves are starting to encounter. ]<<<<<
-- Madrecita (14:59:13/12-27-73)

[CanRay]

>>>>>[All-Father help me, the politicos are starting their New Years resolutions early.  And, of course, there's only deniable assets that can take their temptations away!  And who has to find people willing to work for peanuts in order to help this Project Freedom go through?  Barkeep, beer me.  Then whiskey.  Then mead.]<<<<<
-- Money Johnson (11:54:00/12-29-73)