i: Yes, some of you are going to point out that technically this isn’t a real number but a unit which multiplies a real number to make it imaginary, but that’s ridiculous. These are imaginary, fool! That means you can imagine whatever numbers you want! Yes, you can absolutely have i of something. How much is that in real numbers? Irrelevant. It’s imaginary.
Eleventeen: This number is super imaginary but if you slip it in carefully enough sometimes people won’t notice when you use it. Eleventeen is represented as an integer through intense hope and possibly inventing a mathematical squiggle that no non-mathematicians are going to argue with because it looks hella complicated and no mathematicians will argue with because they’re too busy leaving a conversation with you to go to some of the parties they were invited to.
The number of parties mathematicians were invited to: This is purely imaginary. Look, mathematicians, you’re just not fun at parties. That’s all right, not everyone has to be. We know, the past few years have been hard on you and convinced you that your lack of social skills made you secretly a rakish personality like Richard Feynman. Except he was actually genial and friendly. There, there. Don’t cry.
The number of times saying “don’t cry” has actually stopped anyone from crying: Damn it, list! I trusted you! You betray me, now, when it’s so nice out!
The number of non-pity What Are You Playing comments: I mean, imagining that people still read these intros is a stretch if we’re being authentic.
Bonus question: Have you ever won a competition in any format where you thought you were gong to lose?
Andy McAdams: Probably brushing up on my social skills by spamming into LFG in EverQuest II, and maybe Rimworld or something? It’s also the Steam summer sale, so the chances of me buying a new game to putz around in are pretty high.
Nothing immediately jumps to mind here. Maybe the international scholarship competition I won my senior year of high school?
Brianna Royce (@nbrianna, blog): Same as last weekend for me: working on my Star Wars Galaxies Legends crops and scooting into Lord of the Rings Online to do some festival stuff. I’ve been super unmotivated to do the latter for some reason. I also just bought Guild Wars for my kids, so I might have to pop in there and help them a bit.
Well, I got this job and I got this house!
Chris Neal (@wolfyseyes, blog): With Botanist and Culinarian at cap (and no desire to grind out what I need for high-tier recipes right now), my Final Fantasy XIV playtime once more turns to leveling my alt jobs, with a particular focus on Reaper. I also am going to feed my random desire to play Elyon (yes, really) and I’ll continue slicing up spaceships in Hardspace: Shipbreaker.
I genuinely cannot think of a competition that I won instead of lost, and I don’t think winning PvP matches counts. I’m a loser, baby.
Eliot Lefebvre (@Eliot_Lefebvre, blog): There’s more stuff to do in FFXIV like always, but there’s also Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes to play because I am absolutely here for more Edelgard content however I can get it. Claude is a nice bonus, too. I guess what’s-his-name is also in the game.
Honestly, my assumption is always that I’m going to lose any competition, so I’m always pleasantly surprised when I win. I beat out some fierce competition to initially get this job when I wasn’t at the time ready, and I like to think that if I can manage nothing else I persistently put in a good effort. The best you can do is not deserve to fail, you know? So by definition any and every victory is one I pulled off despite odds and expectations.
Every Saturday, join the Massively OP community and staff for What Are You Playing, our roundup of what MMORPGs and other games we’re hoping to play this weekend (with a bonus question or two for our amusement). Tell us what you’re up to! Go off-topic! And don’t forget to have fun!
