The Games We Play
We a title like that, this post should be about how I screwed over some poor fool or something. However...
Forgot to give the link to Snatch yesterday. If you like word games, you'll love Snatch. Although they've ripped off an old english palour game, Portobello Games deserve congratulations for sticking their necks - and own cash - on the line to produce this version. I highly recommend the game. It can be played casually or competitively. Really nice look to the game, high quality pieces, and it looks good on your coffee table too. Simple rules, no frills, classic game. Educational too. We have our own copy and bought one for Sara for Christmas. The fact that Portobello sold out of stock at the start of the year says it all really. It also won The Times best game of the year award for 2001. Go buy it!
And in case you're wondering, no the makers aren't my friends.
If you want to buy a great card game that IS produced by one of my friends, try Coppertwaddle. One-on-one card game, medium complexity, high quality production, stupid name.
End of the commercial break.
Friday, October 18, 2002
Thursday, October 17, 2002
Must Do More Together
After Tuesday nights exciting evening in front of the telly, Vic and I have decided to do a few more things together midweek.
Vic watches a little too much telly, and freely acknowledged this last night. Her idea is to cut down on the brain-rotting activity and start doing more things together. The original plan of me going to the gym with her has predictably collapsed, and my membership has been cancelled from November (I've been about once in the last 12 months). Jogging after work - as we did for a few weeks in the built up to her sponsored cancer charity run - is not something I enjoy in the dark, cold and wet. Realistically - as Vic is unlikely to want to come with me to Monday night table tennis and Wednesday night Magic - we're talking about games of Scrabble and Snatch in front of our new fireplace (if it ever gets ordered).
Which is cool.
We may even catch up on some old classic movies on DVD that we've never seen - although this is cheating, as watching a DVD isn't really that different from just watching the telly. We'll have our own little film club.
And perhaps a book club too, as I've not been reading as much recently and have a stack of books I need to catch up with: I'm halfway through Redcoat, and have Northern Lights, A New History of the Third Reich, HP Goblet of Fire, More What If? and Colditz all ready to go. I've also got to get registered at our local library asap.
We are also determined to do more walks on a Sunday, and up our National Trust usage to a more acceptable level.
Progress Report: HIP#4
One thing we are doing together, but in shifts, is HIP#4. Current situation is: Vic is off work for a couple of days painting the ceiling and newly plastered walls. The colour is a light and airy Ivory Cream. We've chosen the fireplace hearth: natural Cotswold stone, that a full mantlepiece can be built up from at a later date (when we have some cash - anyone want to advertise on this site? Cheap rates!). Unfortunately the store we're trying to order it through is useless, and it looks as if, when finally ordered, it won't arrive until the 4th of November. The floor, skirting boards and woodwork cannot be fitted until the hearth goes down. Another two weeks of living in the kitchen and dining room with all the furniture. Joy. Off to Ikea to find some low cost storage solutions tomorrow. The big goal for me is of course getting an Ikea Snake in the trolley and through the tills without Vicster spotting it.
As I'm likely to shout with glee, wave it around, pretend it's alive, attack Vic and scare random children with it in the shop, it's a fair bet to wager that the snake won't get successfully smuggled out...
Stuff Of The Day
Science article OTD: Learn what an Event Horizon is and why there is a big void in your life.
Bad joke OTD:
Me - "Fancy a date Julian?" [Offering a packet of the glistening dried fruits]
Julian - "No thanks!"
Me - "What about one of these then?" [Waving the packet of dates]
After Tuesday nights exciting evening in front of the telly, Vic and I have decided to do a few more things together midweek.
Vic watches a little too much telly, and freely acknowledged this last night. Her idea is to cut down on the brain-rotting activity and start doing more things together. The original plan of me going to the gym with her has predictably collapsed, and my membership has been cancelled from November (I've been about once in the last 12 months). Jogging after work - as we did for a few weeks in the built up to her sponsored cancer charity run - is not something I enjoy in the dark, cold and wet. Realistically - as Vic is unlikely to want to come with me to Monday night table tennis and Wednesday night Magic - we're talking about games of Scrabble and Snatch in front of our new fireplace (if it ever gets ordered).
Which is cool.
We may even catch up on some old classic movies on DVD that we've never seen - although this is cheating, as watching a DVD isn't really that different from just watching the telly. We'll have our own little film club.
And perhaps a book club too, as I've not been reading as much recently and have a stack of books I need to catch up with: I'm halfway through Redcoat, and have Northern Lights, A New History of the Third Reich, HP Goblet of Fire, More What If? and Colditz all ready to go. I've also got to get registered at our local library asap.
We are also determined to do more walks on a Sunday, and up our National Trust usage to a more acceptable level.
Progress Report: HIP#4
One thing we are doing together, but in shifts, is HIP#4. Current situation is: Vic is off work for a couple of days painting the ceiling and newly plastered walls. The colour is a light and airy Ivory Cream. We've chosen the fireplace hearth: natural Cotswold stone, that a full mantlepiece can be built up from at a later date (when we have some cash - anyone want to advertise on this site? Cheap rates!). Unfortunately the store we're trying to order it through is useless, and it looks as if, when finally ordered, it won't arrive until the 4th of November. The floor, skirting boards and woodwork cannot be fitted until the hearth goes down. Another two weeks of living in the kitchen and dining room with all the furniture. Joy. Off to Ikea to find some low cost storage solutions tomorrow. The big goal for me is of course getting an Ikea Snake in the trolley and through the tills without Vicster spotting it.
As I'm likely to shout with glee, wave it around, pretend it's alive, attack Vic and scare random children with it in the shop, it's a fair bet to wager that the snake won't get successfully smuggled out...
Stuff Of The Day
Science article OTD: Learn what an Event Horizon is and why there is a big void in your life.
Bad joke OTD:
Me - "Fancy a date Julian?" [Offering a packet of the glistening dried fruits]
Julian - "No thanks!"
Me - "What about one of these then?" [Waving the packet of dates]
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
And The Winner Is...
Last night's telly was utter crap.
Normally I'd switch off and do something less boring instead, but last night I just wanted to veg out. Unfortunately there was NOTHING on the box of any note, and we ended up watching The National Television Awards *. It was like watching a car crash. Horrible, but hypnotic. Twice I leapt off the sofa and began pacing the room like a freaked-out psycho monkey trapped in cage.
It was TV of gutter life. The lowest common-denominator. The show should have been called "TV What Sun Readers Enjoy Most".
We played a guessing game: Predict the four or five programmes, or peeps, who would be on the short-list for the "best soup opera newcomer with blonde hair and a nice pair" award. Then predict the winner.
It was actually really easy in the end. You just picked anything and everything with David Jason in it. Best actor, best drama, best comedy. If David Jason wasn't in it, then you picked Ant and Dec, and if they weren't in the running, you picked the lady - especially if she appealed to the male Sun readers. It'll be exactly the same next year too.
The most exciting moment for me - apart from the size of Trevor McDonald's huge dickie - was seeing Bargain Hunt pick up Best Daytime TV show. David D was magnificent. He even thanked all those Bargain Hunters out there. I was overcome with emotion, and if I could have spoken through the tears, I would have phoned Scott up (DD's other fan) to celebrate.
The only real surprise is that Tina and the gang haven't mentioned it once today.
* Abbreviated to NTA. Considering television is normally abbreviated to TV, surely it should have been NTVA?
Last night's telly was utter crap.
Normally I'd switch off and do something less boring instead, but last night I just wanted to veg out. Unfortunately there was NOTHING on the box of any note, and we ended up watching The National Television Awards *. It was like watching a car crash. Horrible, but hypnotic. Twice I leapt off the sofa and began pacing the room like a freaked-out psycho monkey trapped in cage.
It was TV of gutter life. The lowest common-denominator. The show should have been called "TV What Sun Readers Enjoy Most".
We played a guessing game: Predict the four or five programmes, or peeps, who would be on the short-list for the "best soup opera newcomer with blonde hair and a nice pair" award. Then predict the winner.
It was actually really easy in the end. You just picked anything and everything with David Jason in it. Best actor, best drama, best comedy. If David Jason wasn't in it, then you picked Ant and Dec, and if they weren't in the running, you picked the lady - especially if she appealed to the male Sun readers. It'll be exactly the same next year too.
The most exciting moment for me - apart from the size of Trevor McDonald's huge dickie - was seeing Bargain Hunt pick up Best Daytime TV show. David D was magnificent. He even thanked all those Bargain Hunters out there. I was overcome with emotion, and if I could have spoken through the tears, I would have phoned Scott up (DD's other fan) to celebrate.
The only real surprise is that Tina and the gang haven't mentioned it once today.
* Abbreviated to NTA. Considering television is normally abbreviated to TV, surely it should have been NTVA?
Tuesday, October 15, 2002
Wrong Spelling, Wight Idea
They were discussing Bali this morning and to quote Tina (slightly - only slightly - out of context):
"Bali is like the Isle of Wight"
Remember, Tina's most exotic holiday was in Devon.
Ironically, if you subtly change the spelling of Wight to White, Tina's accidently hit the nail on the head: If they were Islamic terrorists who perpetrated the attack, then this is probably exactly what they viewed Bali as.
The Isle of White.
They were discussing Bali this morning and to quote Tina (slightly - only slightly - out of context):
"Bali is like the Isle of Wight"
Remember, Tina's most exotic holiday was in Devon.
Ironically, if you subtly change the spelling of Wight to White, Tina's accidently hit the nail on the head: If they were Islamic terrorists who perpetrated the attack, then this is probably exactly what they viewed Bali as.
The Isle of White.
Monday, October 14, 2002
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Grey
It's not that I don't like autumn: Who doesn't love the changing of the leaves from green to gold? And it's not like I hate the winter either: Crisp frosty mornings, and Christmas-card dustings of snow, make me feel alive just as much as they do anyone else. I even enjoy a little occasional mist. And I certainly get spellbound by fallen leaves, picked up in an eddy, and spun and danced by the breeze.
It's just the darkness and the short days that get me down. I think - and I've been told this many times by friends and family - that I'm a bit SAD.
I'm fortunate to have a window seat at work. In the spring and summer it's a godsend. The sun comes through so brightly we had to tint the windows this summer to ensure our eyeballs didn't poach in our skulls. Unfortunately the tints have now come back to haunt us: They make an already dull and grey day even darker. There's nothing better than gazing out onto a dull and grey industrial estate, on a dull and grey Monday morning, to get you motivated and stoked-up for work.
The Wedding
Josstick and Enda tied the knot on Saturday. Great day - really enjoyed it. You'd expect everyone at an Irish wedding to be drunk, but the only person there who was apparently "dancing like a monkey" was me. No Danny Boy. No Riverdance. No fighting. They didn't even have Guinness on tap either!
I recovered at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
I was in trouble for:
a) Embarrassing myself - being drunk, dancing like a monkey, and talking about Oxford United to Mickey Aiya Napa from Fox FM. I may or may not have called him a twat.
b) Snoring (after the wedding, not during).
c) Losing someone's jacket.
d) Phoning my brother and brother-in-law (from the Gentlemen's toilet) in a desperate bid to get a live update on the Slovakia v England match.
I also managed to drip hot sausage grease down my best tie, but my plan to switch it with someone else's - he was wearing the same tie - was foiled because he never took it off or went to the Gents on his own...
Highlight of the ceremony was hymn number two: Jerusalem, that stirring, patriotic English anthem... that the majority of the groom's Irish contingent refused to sing.
Julian Returns From Cyprus
Today's conversation between Jo and Nobby regarding Julian:
Jo - "He's a treasure isn't he."
Nob - "Oh yeah, he's a real treasure alright. He should be locked in a chest and buried six feet under on a desert island!"
Jo - "But what if a pirate discovered him and dug him up?!"
Nob - "With any luck the pirate would put the spade though his neck..."
Kefei and Chestor Experience The Welcome
I played magic in Oxford last Wednesday night.
A new set - "excitingly" entitled Onslaught (Yawn) - has just been released. Apparently even seasoned old hands like me are meant to get excited by a new set and get caught up in the buzz. I couldn't be more underwhelmed than if you poked me with a Rod of Underwhelming.
[Insert bad random magic joke]
Rod of Underwhelming
Artifact
Common
2 casting cost
Tap: Target player is underwhelmed by new cards - especially Rod of Underwhelming.
"It's a stick..."
Anyway, there were 17 guys there at the Donnington Arms pub, a reasonably impressive number of players for a midweek draft event. However, it transpired that 9 of them were only there to collect boxes of the new product from Rob and cleared off immediately on receiving the goods.
I can't understand this: They travel into Oxford, wait for an hour for the cards to turn up, are willing to pay over £100 for 2 boxes of cardboard junk, but don't actually want to PLAY the game they quite clearly love. It's bizarre.
The other thing about last night was the continued total lack of welcoming reception for new attendees at the group. Two Japanese guys (one with girlfriend in tow) turned up to play and were met by the usual Oxford Arena League greeting: Silence. They were ignored. Except by me. I yet again had to try and disprove the fact that the vast majority of UK magic players are boring runts with zero social skills.
As usual I failed ;)
I just hope I did enough to ensure they felt welcomed sufficiently to return in the future.
Won't be there this week though: England play Macedonia.
It's not that I don't like autumn: Who doesn't love the changing of the leaves from green to gold? And it's not like I hate the winter either: Crisp frosty mornings, and Christmas-card dustings of snow, make me feel alive just as much as they do anyone else. I even enjoy a little occasional mist. And I certainly get spellbound by fallen leaves, picked up in an eddy, and spun and danced by the breeze.
It's just the darkness and the short days that get me down. I think - and I've been told this many times by friends and family - that I'm a bit SAD.
I'm fortunate to have a window seat at work. In the spring and summer it's a godsend. The sun comes through so brightly we had to tint the windows this summer to ensure our eyeballs didn't poach in our skulls. Unfortunately the tints have now come back to haunt us: They make an already dull and grey day even darker. There's nothing better than gazing out onto a dull and grey industrial estate, on a dull and grey Monday morning, to get you motivated and stoked-up for work.
The Wedding
Josstick and Enda tied the knot on Saturday. Great day - really enjoyed it. You'd expect everyone at an Irish wedding to be drunk, but the only person there who was apparently "dancing like a monkey" was me. No Danny Boy. No Riverdance. No fighting. They didn't even have Guinness on tap either!
I recovered at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
I was in trouble for:
a) Embarrassing myself - being drunk, dancing like a monkey, and talking about Oxford United to Mickey Aiya Napa from Fox FM. I may or may not have called him a twat.
b) Snoring (after the wedding, not during).
c) Losing someone's jacket.
d) Phoning my brother and brother-in-law (from the Gentlemen's toilet) in a desperate bid to get a live update on the Slovakia v England match.
I also managed to drip hot sausage grease down my best tie, but my plan to switch it with someone else's - he was wearing the same tie - was foiled because he never took it off or went to the Gents on his own...
Highlight of the ceremony was hymn number two: Jerusalem, that stirring, patriotic English anthem... that the majority of the groom's Irish contingent refused to sing.
Julian Returns From Cyprus
Today's conversation between Jo and Nobby regarding Julian:
Jo - "He's a treasure isn't he."
Nob - "Oh yeah, he's a real treasure alright. He should be locked in a chest and buried six feet under on a desert island!"
Jo - "But what if a pirate discovered him and dug him up?!"
Nob - "With any luck the pirate would put the spade though his neck..."
Kefei and Chestor Experience The Welcome
I played magic in Oxford last Wednesday night.
A new set - "excitingly" entitled Onslaught (Yawn) - has just been released. Apparently even seasoned old hands like me are meant to get excited by a new set and get caught up in the buzz. I couldn't be more underwhelmed than if you poked me with a Rod of Underwhelming.
[Insert bad random magic joke]
Rod of Underwhelming
Artifact
Common
2 casting cost
Tap: Target player is underwhelmed by new cards - especially Rod of Underwhelming.
"It's a stick..."
Anyway, there were 17 guys there at the Donnington Arms pub, a reasonably impressive number of players for a midweek draft event. However, it transpired that 9 of them were only there to collect boxes of the new product from Rob and cleared off immediately on receiving the goods.
I can't understand this: They travel into Oxford, wait for an hour for the cards to turn up, are willing to pay over £100 for 2 boxes of cardboard junk, but don't actually want to PLAY the game they quite clearly love. It's bizarre.
The other thing about last night was the continued total lack of welcoming reception for new attendees at the group. Two Japanese guys (one with girlfriend in tow) turned up to play and were met by the usual Oxford Arena League greeting: Silence. They were ignored. Except by me. I yet again had to try and disprove the fact that the vast majority of UK magic players are boring runts with zero social skills.
As usual I failed ;)
I just hope I did enough to ensure they felt welcomed sufficiently to return in the future.
Won't be there this week though: England play Macedonia.
