If the airline tickets were not refundable and you paid with a credit card, certain credit cards offer trip insurance that will pay you back in cases of emergency. Your dad's is an unusual case, so I don't know if it would be covered. Hopefully the hotel wasn't an advance payment rate, as that should be refundable. For the airlines, Southwest should be refundable. Most of the others have a change fee, but it may be worth it so that he can visit another time. It sucks he can't go to the game, though.

Geez, IR - that really does stink about the cancellation. And given that your Dad is a pastor, I understand his decision to skip the trip. Not that it makes it that much better.

I felt something similar last year when I was ready to go to GenCon, badge and events tickets in hand, then had to 86 my travel plans due to job related obligations. I didn't get any reimbursement for the expenses and the only saving grace was that there was no plane fare involved. (By the way, given how late in July today is, I am pretty certain that my volunteer opportunity at this year's GenCon is not going to happen, either. Oh well.)

Charles, why exactly do you have a vendetta in mafia towards me? Are we getting a little Baron Vladimir Harkonnen here?

THIS IS KAN-LI, PITER! VENDETTA!!!

I think we all know how this can be settled. Karoake duet.

Now... which song... I'm feeling something from Rocky Horror. Damnit Janet?

He can have RHPS, I'll go with Evil Dead: The Musical.

DUELING HORROR-COMEDY MUSICALS, #####! BRING IT ON!!!

I remember your situation well. I hope we're not setting an annual tradition where a mafian gets screwed due to outside events.

And adam, my mom paid for the plane tickets and I believe the airline is working with my dad to change them. No money back, but he still gets to visit at a later date. Doesn't do anything about the soccer tickets or my careful planning though. The lodging I arranged was technically my in-laws guest bedroom, but it did involve asking them in advance and making them not tell him before we presented the present back in early April.

Oh well, I still hope that he will visit during golf season. He had gotten us a Tee time at the US Air Force Academy since he's a retired officer and I was going to pay the greens fees and cart rental. Maybe I can salvage that portion of the gift.

Mal, I posted the following at the end of the AWC Mafia thread:

Actually, for the record, other than our usual friendly rivalry and ongoing snarky repartee, I have no vendetta against you, olde chum. If I pretended I felt otherwise, it was for gameplay purposes only. There is no kanly between us - and as a matter of fact I enjoy the back and forth.

I completely agree with your reasoning and your actions. You had a good lead on mafia and your instincts served you well. What's more, you were tenacious about it. Had the town listened to you and jumped on the wagon, you would have lynched me early in the game and there would have been an uphill battle left for the 2-man mafia. Anyhow, you played well and your night actions were valid. Had you kept RB'ing me, things would have turned out differently.

It's all part of the game. Sometimes you lynch, sometimes you get lynched - but it's all in the interest of good fun. Let's just say, Mal, that I respect you enough to consider you a worthy opponent. Hat's off to you, good sir.

Damn, and I just got the poison tooth put in by my Suk physician too.

That sounds like a plan. Though if that's the case then it's Little Shop of Horrors for me.

Have at thee, sir - and damned be him who first cries "Hold!"

That really does Suk, Doctor Yueh.

Yueh can say that again!

If someone were to run a Dune-themed mafia game, I would totally play in that. Just sayin'.

Oh so tempting...... I'll definitely keep that concept in mind.

BTW, I finally caved and called my LCBS to ask about "Afterlife with Archie". Apparently the first 5 issues are in TPB format and #6 came out not too long ago. I asked the store guy to put them in my saver box. I had no idea that this was a thing, but I am intrigued. I'll have a look and see what the shouting's all about!

So, as I had two and half minutes free, I decided to watch the trailer for 50 Shades of Grey.

It is quite possibly the worst trailer I've ever seen. This is not an exaggeration. It is dreck.

Like... I was *willing* to give it the benefit of the doubt. Anything that gets housewives hot-and-bothered, I'm all for. But holy hell, it looks horrible. Casting, dialogue, score, shots. This is what fans were waiting for?