‘Ello ladles and jellyspoons! This article isn’t anything like my other posts. It’s more on par with a journal entry with hints of magic here and there (seeing as it makes up 1/3 of my life (probably more…)).
First and foremost, if you read my Mad Magic articles:
THANK YOU!!!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I never thought I’d be an MTG content creator using WordPress and handing out business cards at Grand Prix. The sheer fact that you, right now, are reading the words I’m typing (technically typed at this point I guess) is the greatest honor I could receive. Honestly. The fact that someone would take the time to read what I write amazes me. And if someone says something nice in the comment section it puts me over the moon. So again, thank you ❤️.
When this all started months ago one morning with me in my boxers sitting down to look at MTGStocks drinking my cup of tea I decided to make an almost cynical sarcastic shitpost basically on MTG Rocks My World about the top headline cards. Me: “Oh geez Siren Stormtamer jumped up to 5.25$ it’s not like it wasn’t a 4-of in the deck that just won Pro Tour or anything…” or “Hmm this card is only played in a bajillion gazillion Commander decks and only has on printing, I wOnDeR wHy iT’s So ExPeNsIvE?”. I posted the card name, % change, new price and old followed by a brief explanation. To my surprise, the post started getting likes and people asked for more posts like it. Cut to now and I’m still at it.
For the record: I don’t do this for money (nor am I saying I would even like to be). I don’t want to be famous. All I want is if I can just help one person become aware of their (or what they thought) .5¢ card(s) jumped up to 3$ each overnight and they are able to capitalize on this and make like 20$ to take their girlfriend out for a nice dinner that weekend. Awesome! Mission accomplished 🙂 It’s essentially a PSA. I’m just happy I was approached by two really cool dudes who presented me with the opportunity to write for their website on legit WordPress instead of janky FB post creator ‘thing’.
It’s been one hell of a year (I know technically I haven’t been doing this for an entire 365 day year but you get the expression…). We saw the birth of Pioneer, Hogaak ruin Modern, and I made a killing on my Leyline of the Voids from Guildpact that I sold as well as cashing in on the Manamorphose spike. We saw the rise and fall of Phoenix in Modern, some crazy bans, spicy new luxury/supplemental products like SDCC stuff, Secret Lair, and Mystery Booster packs. MTG Arena has really been a game-changer and Oko is still making fools salty…
I also got to admire as you guys accomplished some cool stuff too! *Names won’t be mentioned* But someone got their license back! WOO WOO! Congrats! 😀 My Legacy expert and informant decided to dip their toes into Modern. And lastly, someone pursued their dreams and traveled to foreign lands, developed themselves as a person and was able to be happy again. I’m so proud of you.
Quick GP Portland Recap:
I went 4-3-1. I lost to Jund Food twice, tied Food once, and lost to BG Adventure (Rotting Regisaur + Vivien’s +1 making it a 9/7 trample is kinda hard to beat playing Mono-Red). 2-0’ed Simic Flash, 2-0’ed Simic Ramp, 2-1’ed Grixis Control, and by the skin of my teeth (went to 5 round count) 2-1’ed my 8th round Food opponent.
Played some Mystery Booster drafts and let me tell you that was the most fun I’ve had playing Magic in a long long time. Wizards struck gold. It’s like if you combine chaos draft and toss some Un-set packs in the mix. So much fun. Some of the purest feel good Magic fun I’ve had. What Magic should be. If you go to a GP you need to Mystery Booster draft. What’s your PayPal? I’ll spot you the 25$ it’s that good.
[scryimg] fervent champion [/scryimg] [scryimg] cavalier of night [/scryimg]
Witnessed a CRAZY judge call. Here was the board state: RDW player attacks in with two vanilla 2/2 creatures and two pumped up Fervent Champions (they were 2/2’s). His opponent was at 4 life, had a vanilla 1/1 token, and a Cavalier of Night. Before blocks, the kid with the 4/5 lifelinker asks the judge, “How does damage work? Like do I go to zero life and die before I can regain 4 life from my Cavalier and stay alive?” The judge answering the question says damage happens all at the same time and he would still be alive. To be fair, the judge wasn’t asked to look at and take into account the board state let alone explain how first strike works. He was asked a question and he answered it. Well, the kid assigns blockers to the two vanilla 2/2’s and dies not knowing how first strike works. Huge judge huddle, it was like a level 3 pow wow for 27 minutes. After debating they let him reassign blockers with this new knowledge and still dies to the RDW pilot anyways after he calmly taps 3 mountains and shows him a Slaying Fire for lethal. Crazy huh?!?
I realized something while I was there. First-round byes could have got me into day two, think about it. It’s the classic rock paper scissors (control aggro midrange triangle) scenario. GP Portland happened to be that Control/Long-range won the event. Look at my highly scientific diagram.
With Food being 20% of the meta at the time (I played against it 4x times!) I had a dismal 30/70 match-up against Food playing Mono-Red. Round 1 I would lose to Food in which case I would then I’d play a Food deck round 2 that lost their round 1 to one of the top 8 decks like Ramp, Simic Flash, or Jeskai Fires. Which is funny because I straight crush those slower durdly decks like Ramp and Flash but I get eaten alive by midrange Food decks thus round 1 kick-started my perpetual downward cycle for the day. Had I had a couple of byes under my belt walking in, I could have been paired up against any of the Ramp or Flash decks that were 2-0 from beating Food decks that morning and I could have kept cruising along against favorable match-ups. It’s just a weird dynamic where grindy long-game decks came out on top, midrange decks like Food didn’t even make top 8, and aggro got pooped on by midrange all day and never saw the top tables. I’m not making excuses or saying that I couldn’t have played better but it’s just a theory based on observations I made.
P.S. If you’re in Portland go eat at Pinestate Biscuit and get a Reggy Deluxe w/ extra gravy (trust me), El Pastor tacos from Robo Taco were pretty deece, and the chicken shawarma from Abu Naji’s was delicious. Best Mediterranean food I’ve ever had.
2019:
Has been the best year of my life so far. Literally.
Writing for Prismatic. Finished my masters. Went on a crazy 48 state road trip. Played in three GPs. Finally broke the curse after having my heart broken years ago I never thought I’d meet a girl that could give me that “butterflies feeling” again but it happened. There is hope. And just a couple of weeks ago I was approached by the owner of a semi-pro team from Portland to play paintball for them. I still have paintball magazines from when I was a kid with this team owner on the cover when he played pro. Unreal. Finally got all my Lilies and had them altered! 😀
In case you’re wondering, check out KendraLee Card Alterations. She does amazing work and is a total sweetheart.
2020:
Not that I don’t already but I’m really going to take my diet and exercise serious. Magnus Carlsen the world’s #1 chess player trains at the Olympic training center in Norway and burns nearly 6,000 calories a day playing chess. So it’s not just knowing the meta and how to play magic really well. After 15 rounds of Magic nutrition and fatigue plays a factor. I want to top 8 a GP this year or qualify for a Pro Tour event (Mythic Championship or Players Tour both require an invite). I’ve seen the US now it’s time to explore Ireland, Italy, and Croatia. Do some big boy stuff and finance some property. Make a pilgrimage with my 240SX down to Willowsprings this year and drift the famous Horse Thief Mile. As well as some other misc. bucket list weekend trips.
Cheesy motivational closing statement:
Whatever you do, no matter how small or large the task or challenge, do it with passion, conviction, and even anger (I’m not advocating violence just anger positively focused). Take people’s negative energy and discouragement (if met by it) and use it as fuel. Prove them wrong. People often crap on other people’s dreams because they are too afraid to achieve their own (in which I feel sorry for them) but life is short. Do what you need to do to be happy. Be happy with yourself. Be truly happy with yourself. And don’t let anyone or anything stop you. Set goals no matter how lofty and large or small and seemingly insignificant. GO OUT AND SMASH THEM! I sound like a high school football coach right now but seriously. It doesn’t matter that tomorrow is 2020. Don’t get a gym membership tomorrow because of that. Do what you need to do for you now. Not to sound contradictory here but remember to forgive yourself, Rome wasn’t built in a day. When you fall, get back up. Great things take time but don’t hesitate or make excuses. I’m going to end my rant with a couple of videos. You don’t have to like paintball to appreciate what is said, just watch it. And if you haven’t seen Poolhall Junkies (2002) you need to 😛
Thank you all for being a part of this journey with me. ❤️❤️❤️
