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#2 in posts from British Columbia!

I work part-time, and parts of my schooling are paid for via scholarship. Sometimes, I'm able to save money, and use some school money to pay for cards, which usually end up being duals/other goodies. I also have no expenses, as it's covered in my room and board fees.

I also try to find duals at good prices, and I don't take a dual if I don't feel comfortable with condition or the price. There's enough of them out there so I can wait for the ones I want, and I think that's the problem that most people have, they're not willing to wait.

I starting collecting Beta duals for my Beta set, but then about a year ago now, I realized that I really wasn't spending my money on anything. I have most/all of the Legacy staples I needed, and I wasn't working on a project besides my Beta set, which was on the backburner for the last six years.

I finally sucked it up and started buying, basically so I had a project. It's pretty much turned into an addiction, most of my family would say. If anyone ever asks, Beta duals are better investments than buying a girlfriend shoes. My money is working for me in one of them (in terms of economics and increasing in value).

the Beta set?

I am looking hard for Beta Volcanics..Have any spares

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Collecting signed cards. PM me...

Total signed cards: >28'000

2. What failure in your life have you experienced that you feel is important to have lived through to help you grow?

3. What would you like to do right now that is just outside of your reach because of one thing (money, people, other resources)?

4. Aside from server/forum/site changes, what is one thing that you would like to see changed about MOTL?

5. What is something that you feel that you are better than most other people at doing?

Bonus: When people are asked "if they had a time machine" type questions, which event do you think gets changed the most often and which event do you think would be a more interesting one?

quote:

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Originally posted by Wayne:
So how many of each Beta dual do you currently own?

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I currently have:

4 Badlands (4 EX+)
4 Bayou (1 NM, 2 EX, 1 inked EX)
3 Plateau (EX/EX+)
1 Savannah (EX- Alpha)
4 Scrubland (NM)
3 Taiga (1 pack mint, 1 EX- Alpha, 1 EX+)
2 Tropical Island (1 pack mint, 1 EX+)
2 Tundra (NM)
1 Underground Sea (EX+)
2 Volcanic Island (1 EX+, 1 NM)

quote:

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Originally posted by Markers:
By when do you expect to be finished with the dual playset?

the Beta set?

I am looking hard for Beta Volcanics..Have any spares

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I have about $10,000 to go on the playset, depending on the condition. I'm hoping to be done by January 2013, hopefully, if not sooner.

The Beta set only has about $1000 in non-power cards to get. I could finish that pretty soon, but duals are rising faster than expensive Beta rares, so we'll see which I prioritize on. The Beta Power I won't get yet, since it's a ton of money invested into cards that barely increase in value, and they're decently easy to find if you have the money. But, a nice Beta Wheel? Good luck, me.

I can check with my guy to see if he has one left, and it'd already by signed. I'll keep you posted.

quote:

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Originally posted by Yakusoku:
1. What one piece of advice would you like to share with others to help them be more successful or be happier?

2. What failure in your life have you experienced that you feel is important to have lived through to help you grow?

3. What would you like to do right now that is just outside of your reach because of one thing (money, people, other resources)?

4. Aside from server/forum/site changes, what is one thing that you would like to see changed about MOTL?

5. What is something that you feel that you are better than most other people at doing?

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1. To be more successful, you need to do what you want to do. Do what you love, since you only live once, and be smart how you spend your money. Invest wisely, and pay yourself first, if you can.

2. Well, getting ripped online was a big one. I really only started trading online about 2-3 years ago, but it was a huge wakeup call in terms of trusting people in general. Whether or not it's great to assume most people are out to screw you isn't the point, but being more wary about spending money was a great lesson.

Also, I'd say doing poorly on a university test. I think what most people don't realize, in terms of time commitment, is long term v.s short term gain. Studying for two hours is going to give you more benefit in the long term compared to playing Magic for two hours. As much as I love Magic or any other hobby, it's better to finish a task now so you don't have to do it later. Plus, once it's done, it's like you don't even notice that you spent the time before anyway.

Getting called stupid by a professor. That really steamed my clams, since I work way too hard to be called stupid. I had been slacking off in the class because I was playing Magic, so when I had to answer a basic question in tutorial and I couldn't, I was essentially bitched out and asked how I possibly couldn't know a simple question like that. I got really upset, so I aced her final exam to show her up.

3. Right now, I'd love to do the following if I had the money, in no particular order:

a) Finish my Beta dual set, and my Beta set.
b) Go back to NYC and DC to finish seeing the museums.
c) Go to GP Amsterdam (but I have an exam right then, so I can't, technically)
d) In all honesty, even though I'm more of a lone wolf ("I'm alone, but not lonely," is the quote by Robert DeNiro in Heat that I use quite often), I wouldn't mind surrounding myself with a few more non-Magic playing friends. Even though I love Magic, getting away from the atmosphere, or having comradeship without talking about "sick plays" would be nice.
e) I'd like to invest more in tech stocks and the American dollar, or gold. I think they're all decently safe bets, and I'd love to at least increase my portfolio a little bit.
f) There's people from this site I'd love to meet and trade/talk shop with, but I don't have a private jet.

4. I'd love to change the TA thread, in a way. The multiple questions about the same thing really **** me off. I'd love a search function, if we don't already have it, to be able to look and see if the question's been answered so many times.

5. I think I'm really good at observing people, but not interacting in person, or understanding what people want and how they're trying to leverage advantages to get it. I'm usually able to sit outside of a conversation and watch and see what's going on, read body language, etc. I even got my friend a girlfriend, since the girl he was talking to always faced him, groomed herself subconsciously, etc. Studying Bio and the way animals interact really makes it cool watching people.

I also think I'm better than average at remembering things, except names. In high school, we had a class of 16 people, 8 of which I already knew. I didn't bother/couldn't learn the other 8, because I honestly couldn't care enough to learn their names, as they were inconsequential in terms of ever being useful to me. I also think I do a bit better at school than most (so far, 9/16 100%'s). Again, I think this comes from I think I know what the teacher would put on the exam, because I see what I'd put on the exam.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cubfan81:
1) Favorite Magic card?
2) Favorite Magic color?
3) Favorite Magic deck?
4) Favorite Magic format?
5) If you could make or unmake any one change to Magic what would it be? Why?

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1) Probably a toss up between Survival of the Fittest, Pernicious Deed, and Recurring Nightmare.

2) Probably Black or Green. I like destroying things.

3) My favourite Magic deck was Rec-Sur back in the day. That deck was a blast to play. Right now, my favourite deck is probably Aggro Loam or Rock.

4) Definitely Legacy, but I also enjoy playing EDH sometimes, as well as Vintage.

5) I'd unban Survival of the Fittest, ban Vengevine, unban Misstep. The format was fine in the rest of the world except the SCG circuit, and Misstep didn't ruin a ton. I'd also possibly like to play 1.5 again, since using Bazaar in Legacy was a few fun time in Magic.

I think the game does need some reprintings for eternal to continue. Even though I own a bunch of stuff that can go down, I think it's necessary.

In terms of mechanics, I'd say everything seems to be pretty good.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cubfan81:

Bonus: When people are asked "if they had a time machine" type questions, which event do you think gets changed the most often and which event do you think would be a more interesting one?

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I think people would go back and kill Hitler, which is a legitimate task, but I think it's wrong. I think the real cool thing would be to kill Oppenheimer and the German nuclear team during World War 2. I'd like to see what level or progression the world would be at if we never developed nuclear power, and how much better/worse off we'd be. In a way, I feel as if we advanced to the pinnacle of technology way too fast, without many of the steps leading up to it. We had nuclear technology, but no pocket calculators. Very weird.

Also, without WW2, would we have most of the technology we have today? Killing Hitler would be interesting to see if the rate of progression would have the 1950's occurring now, or would it all be on track as per normal?

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Great questions, guys!

-Matt

thanks on the Volcs

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Collecting signed cards. PM me...

Total signed cards: >28'000

Even long before they made stupid powerful artifact creatures like the colossus(either darksteel or blightsteel)

I thought the original standard tinker deck was pretty cool

2. Have you ever won or lost a bet where the stakes were Magic cards?

3. Is it ok if I call you Timmy?

4. Where's the rest of my money, Timmy?!

quote:

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Originally posted by Markers:
any other hobbies apart from Magic?

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Actually, yes. I did swimming for a long time, I play the piano and the alto sax, I play a ton of Counterstrike, and I do level design for Counterstrike Source. I've got some pictures I've stuffed I've worked on, if you're interested.

quote:

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Originally posted by MattW:

what if they un banned tolarian academy? Or tinker? weren't those some of the sickest decks back in the day?

Even long before they made stupid powerful artifact creatures like the colossus(either darksteel or blightsteel)

I thought the original standard tinker deck was pretty cool

Also, if you could be anyone for a week who would you be?

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I think Academy was already banned in 1.5 at that point, since it was restricted in Vintage, as was Tinker. But, Tinker has some pretty insane plays, as does Academy. I don't think they could unban in Legacy, since it was be super greasy as a 4-of.

If I could be anyone for a week, I'd love to see what it'd be like to be Warren Buffett. He seems really down to earth, and has a really practical way of making money and investing. Plus, I'd blow a ton of cash on wonderful stuff

Another person would just be a sitting US President. I'd love to tour Area 51 and find who really killed Kennedy.

quote:

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Originally posted by Coasterdude84:

1. Have you ever regretted buying or not buying a particular card? What do you kick yourself most over?

2. Have you ever won or lost a bet where the stakes were Magic cards?

3. Is it ok if I call you Timmy?

4. Where's the rest of my money, Timmy?!

5. If you won the lottery, would you batter and fry a NM Black Lotus, served on a bed of rice pilaf, and post a video of yourself eating it on youtube for all the world to enjoy?

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1. Yeah, I've regretted not buying tons of cards before they went up. I needed a Loyal Retainers back when they were $40, but didn't want to commit. Same with Show and Tell: I wanted to build a casual deck, but it never felt like a $5 card. Same goes for certain Beta duals.

I've also regretted buying some cards purely for speculation, then didn't sell them or couldn't sell them. I've definitely regretted, at times, spending so much on cards, and then not being able to say, go out with friends to the steakhouse due to literally being broke.

2. I don't usually bet cards, or bet at all. I think the only time I played for ante I won, and it was for a Marsh Boa from Prophecy. I'm not really a betting man, since I really work too hard to lose it all to variance.

3. I guess you could call me a Timmy...?

4. Your money should be at your Paypal inbox Oct 18. They've been screwing me around with the cheque, and the administration is saying it won't be ready until then. Sorry about this, the cheque is over a month late...

5. Perhaps, but I'm not a fan of eating clay, ink, etc. If I won the lottery, assuming it was a ton of money like the Powerball, I'd do something similar, but I'm thinking crisped in the oven with a lovely Cave Aged Gruyere, cooled, topped with Rosemary, Chateau Bourgnan, and a lovely drizzle of raspberry balsamic reduction. The rice pilaf would have to have wild rice in it, though.

quote:

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Originally posted by Choco Man:
Do you think it's "pimp" for players to use cards in languages that they don't understand?

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I think it's pimp because it's harder to find, or at least used to be. I'm a big fan of Russian pimp since it can be read, but more for the fact the Cyrillic alphabet constantly reminds me of Half Life 2, and just a grittier feel like that of Ravnica. Russian Ravnica has a very Eastern European feel, much like City 17.

Personally, I find the thrill of hunting down rarities more enjoyable than their possession. Right now, I'm on the hunt for a NM Beta Plateau. I've had multiple EX+ ones come by, but I'm only looking for NM (I want 1 NM copy of each dual for my Beta set). I think other people are wanting to make their decks look cool, and it's an expression of themselves. I think it's very personal, and very cool.

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I've got a question for you all: How old am I, and what do I do?

quote:

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Originally posted by sdematt:

4. Your money should be at your Paypal inbox Oct 18. They've been screwing me around with the cheque, and the administration is saying it won't be ready until then. Sorry about this, the cheque is over a month late...

I've got a question for you all: How old am I, and what do I do?

-Matt

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No problem, I'm just yanking your chain. I'm in no hurry.

Hmmm...I'd put you about 24 or 25, thereabouts. And what do you do...hmmm...you've probably told me and I forgot. You do a lot of cooking, but I don't think that's your job. You make a decent about based on your beta dualage, but you don't seem to be rolling in it either. You're also in school, but I'm going to assume a master's program. I'll take a stab and say you're in marketing or accounting.

I'd like some more questions, let's get this to 2 pages!

The "coolest" card I own I'd say is my altered Underground Sea, by Poxy. I had it commissioned, and I really love it.

http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv78/poxy14/undergroundsea_fullart2.jpg

quote:

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Originally posted by sdematt:
I'm actually a 19-year old Biology Student who works part time at a specialty foods store.

-Matt

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Biology?

How does one want to study that (seriously, I am curious)?

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Collecting signed cards. PM me...

Total signed cards: >28'000

Oh, and PM me on Rogue for those cards. PMs here don't work with me.

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#2 in posts from British Columbia!

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