... the IT man in LibraryLand
... Like a Record baby
So last weekend was one's 45 birthday.
I had a smallish gathering with the minor theme of "Bring a 45".
There was some excellent catering by Salsa Girl assisted by Freeloading Mum - although I do have to take issue with the idea that I had to give everyone a piece of MY cheesecake birthday cake!
Being the theme instigator I dutifully hauled my pristine collection of 45s from the late 80s downstairs - about 50 of them in all. Amongst their number where such gems as Samantha Fox - Touch Me, of which, with my newly acquired mature status, one is not ashamed (although probably 15 year old Phill should be).
Several others provided their own input including ElfBoy with an extensive compilation collection; Legion2 with his hauntingly familiar collection (in that shared bedroom growing up kind of way); and Badger with some prime Brit Punk. I was, however, disappointed to see no Smith & Wessons brought along.
Badger's standout contribution was providing the whole audio and phonographic equipment, without which we would have been unable to hear these gems of the songwriters craft. Impressively the turntable was a vintage 80s Marantz still in perfect working order.
Dropping the ball on the theme front were BestFriendSincePrep and StumpyRudolph, representing one's school friends neither of them had any knowledge of their 45s, or indeed of which number drink they were up to.
Representing the creative side of music were past (and future??) band mates FridgePower and Judge Mingus, along with their own personal creations.
Most parts of the party went well, although Hulk did insist on being sensitive to strangers and require alternating bouts of individual care from Salsa Girl and oneself which was the sole reason there are parts of the party that one cannot recall.
After most had taken leave Legion2 and Pirate Dave (returning from DragonMim's overshadowing 50th event which kept many others away) stayed long into the evening playing the Magic card game and helping one with ones overabundance of whisky. In fact I believe I may have been playing the game on muscle memory at one point and events and my thinking became decidedly fuzzy around the 1:00 am mark.
All in all a most excellent occasion.
.
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher
So, there's nothing like a train line closure on the way home for helping power through the back half of one's novel.
Several hours of diverted journey and awaiting evening transport gave me the gift of finishing this one the other night.
It is the fourth of the Dresden Files and continues the tale of the weary wizard detective Harry Dresden and his encounters with the supernatural.
It is a solid 3.5 star read with a protagonist it is easy to empathise with as he is bludgeoned by the world in his simple quest to get home on the train...
... ummm
... or something like that.
.
Several hours of diverted journey and awaiting evening transport gave me the gift of finishing this one the other night.
It is the fourth of the Dresden Files and continues the tale of the weary wizard detective Harry Dresden and his encounters with the supernatural.
It is a solid 3.5 star read with a protagonist it is easy to empathise with as he is bludgeoned by the world in his simple quest to get home on the train...
... ummm
... or something like that.
.
Games Galore
The year's gaming is off to a smashing start with a brace of gaming events having already been completed.
New Year's Day was an all day Magical event with Gavman and ElfBoy both using aquiring pass-outs for the days event.
Last week one once more got away with running a games event in the library, for work, and payed as well.
It went off smashingly with both Pirate Dave and Scary Spice helping out - although Nemesis did turn up to play as well, throwing a dark shadow of sabotage across the events.
Many games were indulged in including one's gallant 1 game all chess draw with a 9 year old girl, Castle Panic, Get Bit, Saboteur, and Fox and Hens.
And one also took advantage of the long weekend to indulge in the typical Aussie pastime of staying inside for gaming.
Joined by Pirate Dave, Badger and Legion2, with Gavman joining later in the evening we powered our way through Samurai Battles (the game where the result doesn't matter especially as Pirate Dave continues his dominance); Eldritch Horror; Say Anything; and too many hours of Magic.
All in all one is just about gamed out - except for tonight's role playing gaming night which I can't wait for.
.
New Year's Day was an all day Magical event with Gavman and ElfBoy both using aquiring pass-outs for the days event.
Last week one once more got away with running a games event in the library, for work, and payed as well.
It went off smashingly with both Pirate Dave and Scary Spice helping out - although Nemesis did turn up to play as well, throwing a dark shadow of sabotage across the events.
Many games were indulged in including one's gallant 1 game all chess draw with a 9 year old girl, Castle Panic, Get Bit, Saboteur, and Fox and Hens.
And one also took advantage of the long weekend to indulge in the typical Aussie pastime of staying inside for gaming.
Joined by Pirate Dave, Badger and Legion2, with Gavman joining later in the evening we powered our way through Samurai Battles (the game where the result doesn't matter especially as Pirate Dave continues his dominance); Eldritch Horror; Say Anything; and too many hours of Magic.
All in all one is just about gamed out - except for tonight's role playing gaming night which I can't wait for.
.
The Great Pants Disaster
Here's a cautionary way for The Tales to begin a fresh new year.
If we heed this caution then these circumstances shall never befall you or I.
One's anonymous associate Freewheeling Bill is about to return to work and through no fault of his own bad planning and laziness he delayed having all pairs of his work pants repaired until the last Thursday of his holidays - said pairs having split themselves over regular intervals last year culminating with a magnificent rending mere days before his summer holidays commenced.
So, due to a freak occurrence of bad luck, after finally submitting the passel of pants for correction, the repairer was temporarily closed in the one window of collection opportunity that Bill had in his busy Final Friday.
A further lapse of memory occurred to cause Bill to miss the chance of a Saturday pick up and the repairer is closed on Sundays.
And thus poor Bill is going to have to return to work tomorrow sans pants.
.
If we heed this caution then these circumstances shall never befall you or I.
One's anonymous associate Freewheeling Bill is about to return to work and through no fault of his own bad planning and laziness he delayed having all pairs of his work pants repaired until the last Thursday of his holidays - said pairs having split themselves over regular intervals last year culminating with a magnificent rending mere days before his summer holidays commenced.
So, due to a freak occurrence of bad luck, after finally submitting the passel of pants for correction, the repairer was temporarily closed in the one window of collection opportunity that Bill had in his busy Final Friday.
A further lapse of memory occurred to cause Bill to miss the chance of a Saturday pick up and the repairer is closed on Sundays.
And thus poor Bill is going to have to return to work tomorrow sans pants.
.
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