| 1 SEP 2010 at 12:55am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2592
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | @SirDave & CB:
That's a good question, and one to which I have no answer. I'll get in touch with Randy and post something in the forum once I hear back from him.
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 2:02am |
jamarchandSchattenjger
Posts : 1665
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | I have a question. Why the email address "justadventure@comcast.net" is an image and not a hyperlink? Seems very strange to me.
 &&&&[move]Actually playing SHIVERS and Rhem 2[/move]&&
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 3:59am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2592
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | Email addresses are done as images on the JA site whenever possible to keep email harvesters from getting them.
Email harvesters are automated software applications much like search engine robots. They roam the Internet and gather email addys to store in databases for spammers to use. They're fairly common, and displaying addys as image files rather than text links keeps harvesters from detecting them.
We realize that this results in folks having to type the addys manually, but it keeps a lot of spam off the server and out of inboxes.
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 7:05am |
Randy-JAJourneyman
Posts : 1351
Joined: 11 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | Yes, my real name is Francis – but it is not something we want everyone to know
Anyhow, I don’t want to turn this into a boo-hoo, sob story, so I’ll try and be direct.
This past January I began to have severe pain in the center of my back and my left side. Both myself and my family doctor thought it was at first a pulled muscle and then maybe a broken rib. But an x-ray proved otherwise.
I was first misdiagnosed with lung cancer. As you may know, I had lung cancer 8 years ago and had to have ¾ of my left lung removed. It was then determined that I have a very rare form of cancer that – are you ready for this? – you can only get if you have previously had cancer. That’s right, the treatment that cured my cancer the first time was now responsible for my new cancer (My life story in a nutshell). It attacks the blood cells and is similar to leukemia.
After my 5th chemo treatment, which I was having every 3 weeks, I had an adverse reaction to the treatment. Not only had my white cell count slipped below the dangerous level, but purplish boils and pimples had broken out over my entire body (many in places I don’t even want to remember). Needless to say, I was in pretty bad shape and it wasn’t looking too good for me.
But I fought my way back and eventually reached a point where I was finally able to again go out in public. So on August 9th I felt well enough to go to WalMart and do some grocery shopping. Now 8 years ago when I had lung cancer, I had a seizure in a local grocery store caused by a side effect of the chemo treatments. Would anyone like to guess what happened to me in WalMart almost 8 years to the original date?
This time though was worse as not only was I unconscious for a few hours, but I also hit my head and suffered some memory loss, bit my tongue so hard that couldn’t speak for a few days and both my left and right arms were bright purple from my elbows to my shoulders. And just for good measure, the state took away my driver’s license for the next six months.
After spending three days in the hospital, I was sent home to celebrate my birthday and then the strangest thing of all happened – for the entire week of Aug 14 – 20, not only can I not remember a single thing from that week, but I had some really strange mental experiences that I would rather not remember.
Now this Friday, Sept 3rd, I will be having a PET Scan to gauge the size of the tumors. I believe that they have shrunk some and I am FINALLY beginning to feel better.
So here comes the boo-hoo part of the story. For the past 6 months or so, I have literally been unable to concentrate long enough to write anything at all for JA other than a few movie reviews (as I’m sure many of you have noticed). I know the site has suffered because of this, but I am starting to feel as though I’m ready to write some articles.
I’ve never publicly discussed JA’s finances before, but then we’ve never been on the edge before. It costs between $600 - $700 a month to run the site. This includes the cost of the server, webmaster, fulfillment for giveaways, the cost for console games (many companies will not provide review copies of console games to a niche site like JA due to the high cost of a console game versus the cost of a pc game), site license renewal and other small incidentals.
Unfortunately, I have also been unable to do many of the small things I do to bring income to JA such as write strategy guides (as some of you know, I have written 45+ published strategy guides) negotiate with advertisers, and many, many more small things. Plus, boxed game sales are down in our online store (due in good measure to my inability to promote the site as I have in the past) and our casual games sales are almost non-existent.
It also does not help financial matters that Mamba Lace, an adventure publisher in the UK (Ghost Pirates, Black Mirror 2), has screwed us out of at least $500 they owe us for advertising and took another 3 months just to send us games they owed us in exchange for barter advertising. It is the first time in the history of JA that we have been screwed over by a publisher in the adventure community. Not to mention that the constant emails begging them to live up to their obligations has at times drained me mentally.
Once I regain my energy, which is going to take a few months especially if I need to have a few more chemo treatments, this will all change, but in the meantime we are living on the edge as regards finances and need your help! For a while there, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue to do JA, but then when I read the forum or receive nice emails for longtime readers, it really rejuvenates me. While I cannot thank everyone individually, believe me any contribution is appreciated as we want to keep JA alive! Our Paypal address is justadventure@comcast.net and any help is appreciated.
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 7:26am |
TravellerGuild Master
Posts : 4040
Joined: 3 JUL 2010
Location: US
Status : Offline | I've already sent a small financial contribution, and will do so again in a few weeks time. I wish there were other ways that I could help, and will endeavour to help in any way I can. I'll try to scrape together the time, for instance to write some more walkthroughs or whatever.
I cannot believe you've had such incredible bad luck Randy; it's enought to make a person want to cry.
Please try and remain strong - I know your family has had a lot of setbacks, but you're obviously a fighter, and fighting back does make a difference. Please hang in there and don't give up.
I love JA, but besides that, my heart really goes out to you, Randy.
I send you my very best wishes, and deeply hope that things will turn around for you and your family and that you will recover to full health very soon.
Best regards, Jen H.
* * * Just call me Trav. * * *
“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Robert Bloch
"They are not reciprocally sublated--the one does not sublate the other externally--but each sublates itself in itself and is in its own self the opposite of itself" (Hegel, from The Doctrine of Being)..."
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 8:45am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | JA has been my home away from home since 2003 and I still keep in touch with friends I made here even after they've moved on. I will make the same contribution each month Randy. I really wish you a full recovery and your family the fortitude you're all going to need to get you through all this. :-*
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 12:39pm |
HelenGuild Master
Posts : 3436
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | I am so sorry for all your health troubles, I have a similar thing going on with my older brother right now, started the same way too, back pain, so on and so forth. He will undergo his first chemo this morning. His cancer though is a very curable lymphoma ( they tell me ) so we are very optimistic.
I pray things go well for you and I have already sent a small donation and will continue to send what I can every month as long as I can. My job has been week to week for over a year now : but as long as I have it I can make some kind of contribution.
Take care, Helen
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 10:16pm |
AndromusGuild Master
Posts : 5538
Joined: 6 NOV 2002
Status : Offline | I'm truly sorry about all you've been through, Randy. I'll be praying and believing that better things are ahead for you.
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| 2 SEP 2010 at 11:10pm |
Terry PenrodGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 6693
Joined: 16 OCT 2004
Location: US, Texas
Status : Offline | .
Wow, I had no idea you were going through all that, Randy. You have my greatest sympathy and sincerest wishes for a full recovery.
Wish I could also help financially, but the past two years have been especially disastrous since Hurricane Ike practically bankrupted me, the overall economy went straight down the toilet, and some serious health problems befell my own family.
Cheers (Now More Than Ever), Terry
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 12:21am |
jamarchandSchattenjger
Posts : 1665
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Hi, Randy. All of us, members of Just Adventure, wish you recover your health ASAP. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
&&&&[move]Actually playing SHIVERS and Rhem 2[/move]&&
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 4:18am |
Jenny100Guild Master
Posts : 3510
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Offline | Hi Randy,
I'm sorry to hear you have to go through this again. What rotten luck.
Originally Posted By Randy-JA (2 SEP 2010 7:05am)
It costs between $600 - $700 a month to run the site.
We should be able to cover that, if each of us chips in a little every month. I don't think any of us are rich, but together I think we can come up with enough to keep JA going until you get better.
Take care of yourself and stay out of WalMart.
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 3:09pm |
AlienBZJourneyman
Posts : 877
Joined: 14 JAN 2008
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Caroline (31 AUG 2010 4:35am)
Helen,
Now that you have paypal - don't go anywhere near ebay.
As for me, I've had good experience with ebay - so far. Been buying on ebay since 2002. Hmm, don't know is this a warning or are you kidding, Caroline? :-?
Originally Posted By Jenny100 (3 SEP 2010 4:18am)
Hi Randy,
I'm sorry to hear you have to go through this again. What rotten luck.
Originally Posted By Randy-JA (2 SEP 2010 7:05am)
It costs between $600 - $700 a month to run the site.
Yikes! That much just to run the site? Didn't know it cost that much. But look on the bright side - it's not like $2000 - 7000 a month. Some college tuitions cost about $20,000 a year - that's roughly $1700/month. compared to these figures, $700 sounds like a drop in a bucket.
Originally Posted By Jenny100 (3 SEP 2010 4:18am)
should be able to cover that, if each of us chips in a little every month. I don't think any of us are rich, but together I think we can come up with enough to keep JA going until you get better.
Good for you, Jenny! Congrats on your optimistism!
Cheer up, Randy - I'm wishing you a speedy recovery with flying colors!
Doin' Warp 9 to the Great Kingdom of Adventure Games of Outer Space
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 3:16pm |
HowardSSpace Cadet
Posts : 103
Joined: 10 DEC 2002
Status : Online | Randy,
Kind of a shame that my first post in the JA forums in YEARS is in response to this!
You can count on me to throw all of Malinche's weight behind Just Adventure.
Just let me know what you'd like me to do.
Howard Sherman
Get Inside a Story
http://www.malinche.net
Join the Text Adventure Game Renaissance! Visit http://www.malinche.net
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 7:01pm |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | Thanks for taking the time to let us know how it is with you and the site, Randy. You have my support as you work through all this, and I solemnly swear never to use your secret name unless you officially change it here.
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 10:47pm |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Caroline (29 AUG 2010 10:41pm)
Karla, please give me suitable email address. Paypal site tells me this justadventure@comcast.net is an inadequate email address.
Me too. What next?
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 3 SEP 2010 at 11:56pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | I got it to work by first logging into paypal..... [smiley=laugh.gif] and then typing it in. Nothing wrong with the address - I was just having a 'goddess moment'.
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| 4 SEP 2010 at 3:36am |
karlaAdministrator
Posts : 2592
Joined: 27 JUL 2003
Location: US, Close to the Edge
Status : Offline | Thanks. Caroline.
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| 4 SEP 2010 at 7:53am |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Worked ok for me.
Every little helps I hope, but please let us know if it's short and i'll see what I can do.
Wouldn't want this place to vanish.
P.S Hope you get better soon Randy.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 4 SEP 2010 at 8:57am |
TravellerGuild Master
Posts : 4040
Joined: 3 JUL 2010
Location: US
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By colpet (3 SEP 2010 10:47pm)
Originally Posted By Caroline (29 AUG 2010 10:41pm)
Karla, please give me suitable email address. Paypal site tells me this justadventure@comcast.net is an inadequate email address.
Me too. What next?
The first time it also didn't work for me, so I just retyped it carefully making sure there are no spaces before or after the address. I think the problem with my first attempt was that there was a space after the address.
* * * Just call me Trav. * * *
“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Robert Bloch
"They are not reciprocally sublated--the one does not sublate the other externally--but each sublates itself in itself and is in its own self the opposite of itself" (Hegel, from The Doctrine of Being)..."
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| 4 SEP 2010 at 10:34am |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | Got it to work. Thanks for the suggestions.
Hope it all adds up for you, Randy. Of all the years I've been at the 3 gaming forums (GB, AG, JA), I've made the most friends here. It is more about the members here than the actual games. I'd hate to see it go.
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 5 SEP 2010 at 12:35am |
anthonyJourneyman
Posts : 1270
Joined: 11 JUN 2003
Status : Offline | I ante'd up. Get well soon Randy or Francis.
Oh, and one more thing: Mamba Lace sucks!
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| 5 SEP 2010 at 10:25pm |
SirDaveGuild Master
Posts : 4941
Joined: 17 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | Finally back from being away from good computer access the last few days. Hope our contributions make a difference and hope that things are headed in a positive direction for you Randy.
The future ain't what it used to be!
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| 6 SEP 2010 at 2:30pm |
IviniaGuild Master
Posts : 4459
Joined: 7 JUN 2003
Location: US
Status : Offline | Haven't posted, but I ante'd up as well within the first day or two. It was the least I could do for the many years of enjoyment I've gotten out of this place.
Here's to a speedy recover Randy!
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| 13 SEP 2010 at 3:21pm |
HalcyonSchattenjger
Posts : 1652
Joined: 17 NOV 2006
Status : Offline | So how did you do? What's the tally, and how much more do you need?
_________________
Exercise your vision.
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