... the IT man in LibraryLand
In the last half a year one has developed a small interest in the ancient world, predominantly around the Roman Empire.
It sprouted from my deciding to dip my toes into a game that used a similar system to Memoir '44, one of my favourites. Once dipped I found the game, with the unwieldy name of Commands and Colors: Ancients to have evoked quite the feel of the time and I was intrigued to know more.
As all good library staff do, I dabbled in a little internet research, until one day fatefully crossing my path at the returns desk was a little book that goes by the title Eagle of the East by L. S. Lawrence. It was an enjoyable read with some incite into the ancient world and the ways of the Roman Army.
Carrying on with my interest you can see it seeping into my fantasy game of the moment - Mundus Senecit - informing the feel of the world and the Viredean Empire.
And of course I continue to play the CC:A game. Why just last night I had Badger, Gavman, and Pirate Dave over for a couple of battles which were so involved we could smell the heat, dust, blood, and most importantly, sandals, as if you were really there.
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Geisha Girl on the Rocks
As shed week has turned into shed fortnight I have not much on which to expand this week. So let me take you back to the depths of my previous weekend and the glorious event of Geisha Girl's birthday.
The first stages of this epic were hosted at the new-ish ice rink in town. The idea being that all would partake in circling around the ice. However being the proud owner of one dodgy knee I thought it prudent to avoid the possibility of doing myself further injury and stay off the ice.
Joining me on the sidelines were BrotherStealer (understandable given her incubator status), Legion2 and Camo Spice - the latter pair declining to repeat their agonisingly slow-motion chase of a roller-skating night many years ago.
We watched Geisha Girl and The Composer go around a few times before GG herself took a tumble and immediately iced her bruise.
After that we all headed to some nibbles and conversation at a nearby establishment in the shadow of the remains of the great wheel.
After a while I made the difficult decision to forgo an early night and instead head back to Geisha Girl's for further conversation and some promised home-baked brownie.
The brownie was as delicious as promised and the sugar-rush kept me going until my nighttime tram ride dropped me at my doorstep.
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The first stages of this epic were hosted at the new-ish ice rink in town. The idea being that all would partake in circling around the ice. However being the proud owner of one dodgy knee I thought it prudent to avoid the possibility of doing myself further injury and stay off the ice.
Joining me on the sidelines were BrotherStealer (understandable given her incubator status), Legion2 and Camo Spice - the latter pair declining to repeat their agonisingly slow-motion chase of a roller-skating night many years ago.
We watched Geisha Girl and The Composer go around a few times before GG herself took a tumble and immediately iced her bruise.
After that we all headed to some nibbles and conversation at a nearby establishment in the shadow of the remains of the great wheel.
After a while I made the difficult decision to forgo an early night and instead head back to Geisha Girl's for further conversation and some promised home-baked brownie.
The brownie was as delicious as promised and the sugar-rush kept me going until my nighttime tram ride dropped me at my doorstep.
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Shed Week
Shed Week was heralded in with a weekend party in honour of Agent Smith's newly constructed residence.
While transporting Legion2 and BrotherStealer to the shindig along with myself I may have become lost amongst the unfamiliar - and inadequately signposted - surrounds of the other side of the city. (Perhaps it should be other-other side, since work is already on the other side?) However it merely added to the sense of accomplishment once we did arrive.
At first the affair appeared to be merely a family one, and one did feel out of place amongst the relatives but soon the familiar faces began flowing in. There was The Valkyrie, and Amoeba, Mechwarrior Wayne, Camo Spice, Redneck Ben, Doom, The Doctor, and a most unexpected appearance from The Fungi Lady.
All in all a great night highlighted by Agent Smith and his band belting out some rock favourites in the pool room. The only downside was the good Agent outdoing my drumming prowess by also singing for several of the numbers - such five-way coordination having always been beyond my capabilities.
Early in shed week I snuck back into my home branch to try and recall what it was I had been missing these past few weeks. Alas no luck as the harassment soon drove me to spend the next few days in the IT shed at the corporate castle, ostensibly working on new PCs but actually just secluding myself from society.
Those days did allow me to finish reading The Men Who Stare at Goats which I found to be fun and interesting. It did confirm a lot of my conspiracy theories about the US military. Thanks to Badger for the birthday gift of the book.
A definite highlight of Shed Week was an Old School D&D bash, with The Viking Hat GM and others, in which stupid rules were enforced with TVHGM's usual forceful vigour. Despite all that my poor little Gnome character managed to survive and looks forward to serving his god Sumdertgud in future dungeon delving escapades.
Shed Week was wrapped up with a full day installing new PCs with my trusty sidekick Ms Magpie. Unlike my solo working style we got a lot done with minimal fuss - something it may take me some time to get used to experiencing.
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While transporting Legion2 and BrotherStealer to the shindig along with myself I may have become lost amongst the unfamiliar - and inadequately signposted - surrounds of the other side of the city. (Perhaps it should be other-other side, since work is already on the other side?) However it merely added to the sense of accomplishment once we did arrive.
At first the affair appeared to be merely a family one, and one did feel out of place amongst the relatives but soon the familiar faces began flowing in. There was The Valkyrie, and Amoeba, Mechwarrior Wayne, Camo Spice, Redneck Ben, Doom, The Doctor, and a most unexpected appearance from The Fungi Lady.
All in all a great night highlighted by Agent Smith and his band belting out some rock favourites in the pool room. The only downside was the good Agent outdoing my drumming prowess by also singing for several of the numbers - such five-way coordination having always been beyond my capabilities.
Early in shed week I snuck back into my home branch to try and recall what it was I had been missing these past few weeks. Alas no luck as the harassment soon drove me to spend the next few days in the IT shed at the corporate castle, ostensibly working on new PCs but actually just secluding myself from society.
Those days did allow me to finish reading The Men Who Stare at Goats which I found to be fun and interesting. It did confirm a lot of my conspiracy theories about the US military. Thanks to Badger for the birthday gift of the book.
A definite highlight of Shed Week was an Old School D&D bash, with The Viking Hat GM and others, in which stupid rules were enforced with TVHGM's usual forceful vigour. Despite all that my poor little Gnome character managed to survive and looks forward to serving his god Sumdertgud in future dungeon delving escapades.
Shed Week was wrapped up with a full day installing new PCs with my trusty sidekick Ms Magpie. Unlike my solo working style we got a lot done with minimal fuss - something it may take me some time to get used to experiencing.
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Bachelor night with Illuminated G
Yesterday, after an all morning meeting and the necessary extended lunch, it was not long before it was evening and I was heading off to the last minute Bachelor drinks for Illuminated G.
Of course since he has three children and twenty years in the relationship it could be argued that he said goodbye to his bachelorship a long time ago. However we still deigned to celebrate the occasion.
Also in attendance were Legion2, and Zombie Monkey whom it was good to catch up with again for the first time in ages.
The most disturbing part of the evening , however, was my uncovering of the conspiracy of deception that surrounded me. After a few drinks into the evening a further guest arrived who had also been at The Viking Hatted Wedding. Some short discussion later and the floodgates of memory opened and I realised many of Illuminated G and his friends knew The Viking Hat GM's best man from their uni days.
The obvious conclusion is that I was at the centre of a conspiracy to psychologically adjust me ala The Game (the movie not the thing you just lost) or as in a Philip K Dick (teehee) novel where they had run out of actors and had begun re-using them not realising that my keen perceptive senses would allow me to tie all the threads together and expose their plan before it could be completed.
Or maybe it's just a small world after all...
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Of course since he has three children and twenty years in the relationship it could be argued that he said goodbye to his bachelorship a long time ago. However we still deigned to celebrate the occasion.
Also in attendance were Legion2, and Zombie Monkey whom it was good to catch up with again for the first time in ages.
The most disturbing part of the evening , however, was my uncovering of the conspiracy of deception that surrounded me. After a few drinks into the evening a further guest arrived who had also been at The Viking Hatted Wedding. Some short discussion later and the floodgates of memory opened and I realised many of Illuminated G and his friends knew The Viking Hat GM's best man from their uni days.
The obvious conclusion is that I was at the centre of a conspiracy to psychologically adjust me ala The Game (the movie not the thing you just lost) or as in a Philip K Dick (teehee) novel where they had run out of actors and had begun re-using them not realising that my keen perceptive senses would allow me to tie all the threads together and expose their plan before it could be completed.
Or maybe it's just a small world after all...
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Phorgetful Phorties
While it may seem that a significant change in age has also caused a significant change in the ability of yours truly to remember to keep these humble Tales updated on something of a regular schedule I'm here to present evidence to the contrary.
Nothing has been forgotten from these weeks of silence - except possibly where I left the thingo, you know the whatsit.
Anyway here is a sampling of some of the many things that have kept me too busy to blog.
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Nothing has been forgotten from these weeks of silence - except possibly where I left the thingo, you know the whatsit.
Anyway here is a sampling of some of the many things that have kept me too busy to blog.
- Work of course, and far too much of it. Although I did finally receive my birthday present of my very own minion. Ms Magpie herself was lucky enough to be the recipient of the great honour.
- a lovely conference dinner with a guest appearance from Madame President over from the land of the long white sheep.
- going live with a Library Management System upgrade
- putting in a live appearance at The Viking Hat GM's latest game. Lured in by the promise of the strong leadership of Exploding Ninja Pony.
- making a brief attendance at the conference's trade show aka pen and novelty scavenger hunt. Afterwards I decided to avail myself of the shopping in the city and was then caught in the torrential downpour. There's nothing like catching the train home literally dripping water everywhere. Luckily the book I was reading was a library book so I can just say it was all wrinklified when I borrowed it.
- an expedition to the games shop to spend my librarian gifted birthday present. I now have even more of "far too many games and books", yay.
- a poker night with Dubrovnik Hater and friends in which I unfortunately cleaned up on the last hand most likely causing myself to never be invited back (since eating all the nibbles would never cause that)
- shopping in the city with The Great Sandro. Looking for my birthday present from him - Rome (the TV series, not the city) - and reminiscing about the great time he had with the librarians at my party - I did tell you he's crazy didn't I?
- last minute gaming events organised at my place by Elfboy
- a day home sick almost dying from the latest strain of man-cold - the vestiges of which are still with me to this day
- going to "our first NAB cup footy game together" with The Great Sandro and spending the whole first quarter queuing outside the, currently named, Etihad stadium to find an almost empty arena once inside - no wonder I hate that place.
- beer and board games with Badger
- Tuck's first attendance at the regular Sunday games only to have me spend several hours assuring him that, yes there are usually other people here, when everyone else decided to only make the evening.
- playing pirates with the Tuesday night gamers
- going back into the shed at work to prepare another round of new computers
- being cornered and missing out on drinks and nibbles at our new catalogue product launch
- filling my house with people for the latest of our regular card tournaments - Couch Killer was well behaved this time and no furniture was harmed
- a much delayed family birthday lunch at which Legion3 produced dirty rotten lying scales for our regular brothers weigh off - pffft 3 extra kilos!!!
- a training day with lots of food and me being under the weather with resurfacing man-cold and nasty headache. Honestly I was only able to eat two peoples worth of free lunch I was that bad off.
- a last minute gathering of geeks with great attendance, conversation and results. All thanks to The Viking Hat GM for going to the effort to organise lazy gamers into action.
- a day of setting up new computers with my trusty minion at my side
- a fortuitous game cancellation allowing me time to actually prepare for said games next occurrence
- a trip for groceries ending with my being pelted by golfball sized hailstones in the car park and once again being drenched to dripping-point - a trend I am not liking.
- and finally having to write a long and involved blog catch-up post to get you all back up to speed.
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