Trapper Markelz

My 33rd Birthday

This year I turned thirty-three. I find it pretty cool that I am an age where both numbers get to be the same numerals.

I was lucky enough to have a "Star Trek" themed birthday this year in celebration of the launch of Star Trek Online... a Massive Multiplayer (MMO) game set in the Star Trek universe. This is pretty much one of those childhood fantasies come to life where you get to pilot your own starship around the galaxy as a captain of the Federation. You have a bridge crew of unique individuals just like in the shows... and you go on grand missions that involve you saving the universe over and over again.

So for my birthday, I didn't want any presents... I just wanted time to play this game uninterrupted all day. In the past I have done some 24 hour marathons on the Xbox for my birthday. I had no plans to go 24 hours with this... just play it until I felt fulfilled.

I kept some short notes during the game play session... just to give you a sense of JUST HOW GEEKY this can really be.... here you go:

7:30AM
We started it all off with a Deep Space encounter in the Regulas sector block. I was sucked into an almost fatal encounter with the Gorn. A Dragus flagship and a whole mess of cruisers ambushed me directly out of warp. I managed to get out of there alive though, after taking quite a beating and using every buff and boost in the book to dodge disaster. I fell into another encounter soon after and did much better... picking off some solo frigates and cruisers and getting some decent loot as a reward.

Hannah and Lucy got me a new travel coffee mug, so I used that during the morning to keep my coffee nice and hot between encounters!

Our first team mission (Steve and I) was to go out and complete a full Patrol of the Mempa Sector in the Pi Canis Sector Block. It was your standard mix of rescue... Klingon engagements... and all around madness.

On our last mission of the patrol, we hit a "Server Not Responding" error... which scared us that we didn't consider if STO actually had problems on this very special marathon day! Luckily it came back and we continued!

8:45AM
Next up, we tackled a story mission called "The Doomsday Device". I also managed to crack Lieutenant Commander lvl 6 and that opened up a few more story missions. After a quick refill of coffee and a trek across a few sectors we were all ready to enter the Risa Sector. Russell joined up... and we started sweeping for Klingons... soon after, Steve broke his Mic! But that didn't stop us from having fun... the most fun is due to the fact that I figured out how to use the auto-fire on the ground which makes planet combat a much more rewarding experience. I actually look forward to ground combat now.

So we went up against the Doomsday machine... and we had these "special" torpedoes to take it out... but after Russell and I nuked it... it exploded and it totally took me out with it. I was too close to the explosion... and it was pretty hilarious. Good times.

10:00AM
I grouped up with Russell to tackle some lower missions while Steve went to Radioshack to get a new mic. I completed the "Ultimate Klingon" mission for the second time.

I also busted open some Pizza Combos for breakfast which Hannah and Lucy bought be for snack foods! We all regrouped back up with Steve and continued the story line with the mission "Heading Out". This officially began the Romulan story line for the game.

11:00AM
We got out to Starbase 39... so we ended up doing some buying/selling/trading to upgrade our bridge officers and ships. Being that I cracked the new Lieutenant Commander Lvl 7, I also got a nice number of new missions. We decided to start our with exploration of the Khazan Cluster Systems... but then side tracked over the Romulan border for a bit to check out the Vector system... and we ended up starting a war with the Romulans... oops. Our bad. Sorry Federation.

12:00PM
We finally got around to the Khazan Cluster after beating off Romulan birds of prey with a stick. We investigated a few planets... helped with some defense needs. Next stop? The Agrama Solar System to continue some of the story line. By this time we had a good groove going.

1:00PM
We continued to crank away on story missions. I needed a bit of a lunch break to get up and move around and prevent my legs from cramping after being in the chair all morning. Break time over, we ended up rescuing a scientist and helping stop another intergalacitc plot.

Maureen brought down a burger for lunch. She is the best. Later into the hour I started to get a little bit tired so decided to break out some limited edition game fuel that I had been saving for just such an occasion.

2:00PM
We decided to help Russell by replaying the "City on the Edge of Never" quest. No problems there because that is a fun mission that brings a lot of Star Trek mythos together. It is also much faster when you have a bunch of people rallying it. After that, Russell headed out to finish up a bugged mission and Steve and I started patrolling the Alpha Centauri sector. Somewhere along the way I picked up LC lvl 8.

4:00PM
Made it to LC Lvl 9, and only two levels away from a new ship! Epic. We finished another patrol mission... then we headed off to redo "Divide at Impera" which bugged out on me earlier.

5:00PM and beyond...
I managed to pick up LC Lvl 10... and we all headed into a dinner break. Maureen made pasta cardonara (personal favorite) and the girls were excited to sing happy birthday with me and eat cake. I gave the girls a bath, read them a bed time story, and then it was back into the online interstellar breach once more.

We continued to grind out some patrols... some deep space encounters... and another few story line missions which unlocked Commander rank! This meant I was able to pick out and dress up a snazzy new ship. So after 17 hours of playing, I was able to reach my goal... this beauty:

Commander Rank, U.S.S. Eden.

I name all of my ships after synonyms of "utopia"... I have no real good reason outside of the story that a long time ago... when Sim City came out... I named my city Utopia... and ever since then I just use that for the name of all my virtual items, vehicles, etc. My first ship in this game was the U.S.S. Utopia... followed by U.S.S. Arcadia... now the U.S.S. Eden.

So all in all... a really fun geeky birthday full of Star Trek gaming madness. I have had a pretty amazing 33 years... and I am lucky that I can do something as superficial as I did all day on Saturday. Believe me... I think of that every day I way up. I don't take it for granted. Not any more.

Happy Birthday to Mo

A special happy birthday to my wife Maureen. And Happy Valentines day to her and my two daughters Lucy and Hannah. I am lucky to have what I have. I make sure to remember that every day.

Sometimes, silence.

Family Photo
Originally uploaded by Markelz Family

I think in anyone's life, you go through phases that are public... and phases that are more private. In this world of social media, it is important to recognize these phases I think. Sometimes, you have no problem shouting from the roof tops about your every move and thought... and other times you realize that you need to keep things to yourself.

I am in one of these more private phases.

There are so many things going on right now, it is almost silly. There are big changes a foot at gamerDNA which I can't really elaborate on. All sorts of fun things surrounding the next chapter of my work life... all sorts of things surrounding our family... our involvement in new communities, meeting new people, having new experiences... but on all of these I remain silent for now.

I fully expect to re-enter the blogging universe at some point, but for now, things are well. We are having fun, and enjoying every moment we can, reveling in the current uncertainty of this life chapter.

I fully appreciate the "now" every second I can. Living so deeply in those moments that I use to let slip by without notice has really opened up a whole new universe to explore.

In memory of June Elise Markelz

This week Maureen and I said goodbye to our 4 month old daughter June Elise Markelz. The cause was SIDS. We had a service in Boston at the Follen Church in Lexington, MA, and a service in Chicago at St. Lawrence of O'Toole church in Matteson, IL. Both times we were surrounded by so many family and friends that are helping us through this tragic time.

I gave the Eulogy at both services... many have been asking for a copy, so here is the most recent version that I spoke in Chicago.

For those of you that didn't know June Elise Markelz all that well during her short life... my Boston neighbor Bruce Wright summed it up with the best quote I will remember about her:

"There is nothing small about that baby.." - Bruce Wright

She was big both in size and in love. And in capability... for she has brought all of us together today.

June was the perfect baby. She only cried when hungry. She enjoyed watching Hannah and Lucy play. She loved to be held, loved to stand tentatively on her chubby legs. She was just learning to laugh when tickled. Because she was such a good, happy baby, Maureen and I both felt like we really enjoyed her time. We are confident she knew how loved she was and we saw how much love she gave our family.

I am not religious in the traditional sense, but am guided by a strong 'humanist' belief that we all are collectively pursuing perfection both in being... and in knowing. And so from this terrible tragedy I hope that I can learn to live better. Learn to 'be' better. And as I reflect, I feel that June is already already teaching me these things.

Maureen and I have always known we were loved... by our family... by our friends... but the true extent of that love and the impact was much more amorphous than it is today. In the last few days we have rekindled old relationships... have been introduced to new people and new communities that have accepted us into their hearts. If June can do this... if she can help all of us be better... know better... live better, than I feel that is the greatest honor of her short time with us all. June has really taught us how loved we are. I thank her for that gift.

Maureen and I have found solace in the writings of many poets and authors this week. Our outlook is best described by one Ekhart Tolle who writes:

Accept, then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.

It has been one week since June's passing. September 19th was the worst day of Maureen's and my life. We accept this. But the next day was not the worst day... and neither was the day after that... or the day after that. And neither is today. It is said that a tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom. So we will carry this new tool with us. It will not define us. It will help us be better people. We will use this wisdom in honor of baby June. I hope all of you use it as well.

Goodbye baby June. We love you.

We now go forth to celebrate her life each day. Maureen and I are changed because of this and we look forward to seeing how this change affects our life.

June's memorial song is "You are the New day" by the King's Singers. You can listen to the song and read the words... for they also showcase the optimism that has been guiding us each day:

Song: The King's Singers, New Day album, Track #1

Lyrics:

I will love you more than me
and more than yesterday
If you can but prove to me
you are the new day

Send the sun in time for dawn
Let the birds all hail the morning
Love of life will urge me say
you are the new day

When I lay me down at night
knowing we must pay
Thoughts occur that this night might
stay yesterday

Thoughts that we as humans small
could slow worlds and end it all
lie around me where they fall
before the new day

One more day when time is running out
for everyone
Like a breath I knew would come I reach for
the new day

Hope is my philosophy
Just needs days in which to be
Love of life means hope for me
borne on a new day

You are the new day

Back from vacation

Our Regular Attire
Originally uploaded by Markelz Family

We are officially back from vacation. Last week we loaded up the fam, jumped on an airplane, and spent some time back in Chicago with friends and family. Going back reminded me how much I enjoy that city.

On the weekend, we went to a wedding with friends... and were kid less for almost 24 total hours. That was the real vacation! We were down town all evening... black tie... feeling like a million bucks.

The kids did great... on the plane... in the car... at other people's houses... I remember traveling with my parents when I was little... the crazy thing is, when we did it there were no computers... DVDs... CD players to keep us occupied. So while we survive our own Chicago travels... we did so at the benefit of technology. Mom, Dad, I still don't know how you kept four kids sane on an 8 hour flight to Hawaii with no technology.

We did a fair bit of traveling. Up into the city... down to Matteson, Morris, and Momence. Saw lots of people... lots of highway... lots of corn.

We saw everyone we planned to see, missed a few people we wanted to see, and headed back to Boston wondering when we might see anyone again.

Seven Years of Marriage

Today is Maureen and I's seventh wedding anniversary. We celebrated by getting a baby sitter for all three kids... and hitting up Tryst, which is our favorite Arlington dining location. Tryst was the first restaurant we visited when we came to Boston, and we continue to go back for special occasions. 

For your seventh anniversary, the traditional gift is copper. 

Maureen got be some copper cufflinks...

I got her a copper tea kettle...

Maureen also got us an anniversary journal that she filled with pictures and memories of each of our anniversaries up until now. We have to take a second pass to fill out some more of the details. 

After dinner, we finished off the night watching the Cubs beat the Reds 4-1 at the restaurant bar sipping decaf coffee and dreaming of a full night's sleep.

It was a perfect little excursion to cap seven perfect years. And even though that might NOT sound like a party to you... here is a photo from this summer's Flybridge Capital Partners summer costume party that shows we still know how to hang... 

(The theme was Heros and Villians and we went as Guitar Heros!)

The kids are doing well.

June Bug
Originally uploaded by Markelz Family

For our third child, we really lucked out that June is a good of a baby as she is. She is only a few months only and she is already doing crazy things like sleeping through the night on some occasions (not nearly enough for Mo)...

I was thinking the other day about how your birth order seems to control your general temperament... and there are probably very good evolutionary psychological reasons for it:

Think about Neanderthal times or something...

1. The oldest child is typically the strong attention hound... they are the first one out... they get all the extra food and are use to that treatment.
2. The middle child shows up... is normally a handful... has to be to offset the attention-hogging powers of the older and fight for what they can get.
3. The youngest child is often the quiet one... tries to fly under the radar... by this point extra food is running low... just trying to not get left behind.  

At this point June is definitely flying under the radar... so much so I keep checking for that paint-on stealth material they use on the invisible black aircraft.

She she does make her presence known, it is typically in a very positive way. She has taken to cooing... smiling... and sticking our her tongue like a humming bird when you go to kiss her.

On the other end of the spectrum is Hannah... who can swing by herself on a swing now... is learning to dribble a ball... and spends all day freestyle rhyming anything she can... "A hood and a snack are like two in pack, chakka chakka chack, give a fruit bar back." etc.

And then there is Lucy.... poor Lucy. She breaks stuff... or drops stuff... always when we need her to be quiet... and she wipes out a lot... my new nickname for her is going to be "Princess Road Bacon"... but man, she just gets a little smile on her face and grabs your face with both hands and says "La Loo Daddy"... and you just melt.

So yeah... the kids are all doing well.

Summer is here

Spy Pond Splashes
Originally uploaded by Markelz Family

I love summer in Boston. Last year we had just moved in... the job was new... things were pretty crazy so we didn't really get to "enjoy" the New England Summer. Our plans are much different this time around. We have some familiarity with the area... have a good group of friends... which should make for some good exploring.

We also have a pretty solid stream of people coming through. Maureen's parents were here for a week. My sister came through... Maureen's brother and wife are headed this way in a few weeks... Maureen's sister after that... all kinds of good fun.

June is a great baby... so that is helping out a ton. Moving from two kids to three has been quite a jump... given that you are always outnumbered where ever you go. But June has been sleeping well... eating well... doesn't spit up much... doesn't cry much... pretty much a model new born. We can't complain about that.

Things at gamerDNA continue to rocket a long at warp speed. Each month I give a board presentation and the sheer list of awesome keeps getting longer and longer... our press has been great... our product progress is on track for an awesome end of summer revamp... all kinds of great things that continue to make it exciting to be at work each and every day.

We are in a pretty good grove here in Boston. Although every time I say that, something crazy happens... so I guess we will see what happens next!

Two weeks of beard growth

Two weeks of beard
Originally uploaded by Markelz Family

It has been a tradition with my other two kids that I grow a beard for two weeks after they are born. It started with Hannah... in that I took two weeks off of work and decided to not shave.

With Lucy, I figured I would continue the tradition. I didn't take as much time off of work, but I did get some nice growth.

So this picture is the result for June. Looking back in Flickr at all my other attempts, they all look pretty much the same. For some reason it felt like I got some better growth this time... but it doesn't look that much different. I guess I am at the peak of my growing abilities. :)

June Elise Markelz, Born!

June Elise Markelz
Originally uploaded by Markelz Family

The 3rd Markelz has landed. June Elise Markelz. She was born today at 3:17pm, weighing in at 8lbs 4.5oz. Labor was longer than Hannah, but shorter than Lucy, but harder than both due to her size and position in the womb.

We delivered at Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. They were fabulous... and the Midwives here were awesome. Knowledgeable and attentive.

The whole experience was awesome, and I found myself the most emotional after this birth, maybe because this is probably our last baby. That means the Markelz Family is complete. The next phase of our lives begins... so ends the baby era... not begins the school and childhood era!