After much procrastination I finally did my tax. What a jolly exercise it was. Having a migraine as a carry over from yesterday afternoon didn't help much. So my wife is very happy with me now. All I have to wait for now is for the ATO to process it. I used the eTax programme and did it "online". Still confusing, but not as much as reading the Tax Pack.
So as I stated before, my health isn't good. The migraines are getting worse, and there is very little that can be done to reduce them. I need a nice dark cool place. Pity summer is coming.
I've yet to get back into painting. With this happening I've just been looking at my old figures and deciding what to do with them. Wargods of Aegyptus seems to be the one to run with at the moment. I've plenty of figures, and I have the time. All I need are opponents. Perhaps at the Blind Pig next year.
Looks like 5 pension days till Christmas. Don't know what to do this Christmas. My family is now just my wife and the two kids. No one to visit, and no one who will visit. It's generally not a good time of the year for me, as it then feeds on to New Years Day. I get very melancholy about the prospects of another year.
Have made a half-hearted attempt at cleaning the studio, but it's looks too much like hard work. I tire easily these days, and it would help if I could unclog my vacuum cleaner. I really should make an attempt while the weather is still cool(ish).
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Happy Birthday 'Chelle
Today is my beautiful wifes birthday. I can't tell you how old she is, no woman tells people their age.
so....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 'CHELLE!
Love
John, Liam and Dana.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Back to the future... read that as past.
I looked at the future and have decided that there is nothing wrong with the past.
"What's he banging on about?" I hear you say...
I've looked at a number of the "new" roleplaying games and I will point the finger at the new D&D as the main culprit. I'm not impressed. The games seem to be nothing more than miniature orientated games, well if you want that, go play actual miniature wargames.
A roleplaying game to me is all about imagination, interpretation and occassionally some dice rolling to determine an unpredicted outcome. It's all about character development through story telling. Something that seems to be missing in todays roleplaying community.
So I've gone back to the past. I've dug out my Runequest, Tunnels & Trolls, Call of Cthulhu, Empire of the Petal Throne and OSRIC (which I don't mind). Simple systems. People just seem to want too much these days, and there's nothing worse than reading reams of paper (read feats etc from 4th Ed D&D). I like the old, choose a class, look at your spells or abilities and off you go.
My wife has been attending church services with the Baptists at present. No, she hasn't become a heretic, she was invited to attend as she spends a lot of her time helping out in their charity arm. It started as part of a "work for the dole" programme, and has blossomed into her giving her time to a really nice group of ladies. Chelle has no "friends" and this group have given her the needed support that she couldn't find from our own faith. I see I'm rambling, but there is a point to all this. She told me that the sermon last Sunday was all about forgetting the past, or more precisely stop being hindered/hampered by the past, concentrate on the future and go from there. So Chelle's doing this, but I'm not. My past makes me who I am, what I do, and how I will act in the future. I find comfort in the past, and I refuse to give up or modify my ethics or behaviour to fit into a world that quite frankly needs a damn good thrashing. I am what I am, my families bard, the keeper of family lore and history. As someone said once "if we do not learn from the past, then we are doomed to repeat it". Getting philsophical in my old age.
So back to the past is my goal. I'm digging up my old games. Giving them a dusting. Reliving the memories that are associated with them. Everything I have has memories attached to them, which is why I am loath to part with what I have. Yet, I also believe in being generous, and people have been blessed by my generosity. Hmm, my ego seems to be rising. I'll stop now. I've written enough.
"What's he banging on about?" I hear you say...
I've looked at a number of the "new" roleplaying games and I will point the finger at the new D&D as the main culprit. I'm not impressed. The games seem to be nothing more than miniature orientated games, well if you want that, go play actual miniature wargames.
A roleplaying game to me is all about imagination, interpretation and occassionally some dice rolling to determine an unpredicted outcome. It's all about character development through story telling. Something that seems to be missing in todays roleplaying community.
So I've gone back to the past. I've dug out my Runequest, Tunnels & Trolls, Call of Cthulhu, Empire of the Petal Throne and OSRIC (which I don't mind). Simple systems. People just seem to want too much these days, and there's nothing worse than reading reams of paper (read feats etc from 4th Ed D&D). I like the old, choose a class, look at your spells or abilities and off you go.
My wife has been attending church services with the Baptists at present. No, she hasn't become a heretic, she was invited to attend as she spends a lot of her time helping out in their charity arm. It started as part of a "work for the dole" programme, and has blossomed into her giving her time to a really nice group of ladies. Chelle has no "friends" and this group have given her the needed support that she couldn't find from our own faith. I see I'm rambling, but there is a point to all this. She told me that the sermon last Sunday was all about forgetting the past, or more precisely stop being hindered/hampered by the past, concentrate on the future and go from there. So Chelle's doing this, but I'm not. My past makes me who I am, what I do, and how I will act in the future. I find comfort in the past, and I refuse to give up or modify my ethics or behaviour to fit into a world that quite frankly needs a damn good thrashing. I am what I am, my families bard, the keeper of family lore and history. As someone said once "if we do not learn from the past, then we are doomed to repeat it". Getting philsophical in my old age.
So back to the past is my goal. I'm digging up my old games. Giving them a dusting. Reliving the memories that are associated with them. Everything I have has memories attached to them, which is why I am loath to part with what I have. Yet, I also believe in being generous, and people have been blessed by my generosity. Hmm, my ego seems to be rising. I'll stop now. I've written enough.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
It's Monday Again
The start of another week.
Sigh.
Played taxi all weekend and achieved nothing.
Still have not lifted a paint brush in action.
Doctors again this week.
My beautiful wifes birthday this Wednesday, the 26th.
My life in exile continues.
Sigh.
Played taxi all weekend and achieved nothing.
Still have not lifted a paint brush in action.
Doctors again this week.
My beautiful wifes birthday this Wednesday, the 26th.
My life in exile continues.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
English Civil War
No figures painted, but a lot of re-basing and tidying up. Hopefully there is now enough to field most of the antagonists for the period.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Warhammer Historical
Last fornight I ordered from Warhammer Historical some of the latest productions. I did this primarily as they had a very nice 50% off sale, and who can pass up that sort of savings? I certainly couldn't.
Today they arrived. I had a look at the postal tracking. Posted from the UK 12/10, tracked 13/10, 14/10 and 15/10. Then it seems it sat in customs for four days before being sent on it's way to me. Well, its with me now, so I can stop worrying about it going astray.
Over the Top
Soft cover.176 pages. Typical high standard of presentation. As to the content and it's use? I just have to find the time to read it.
Gladiator, The Game of Deadly Arena Combat in Ancient Rome.
Hard Cover. 144 pages. Again high standard of presentation.
Waterloo, Tabletop Wargaming in the Age of Napoleon.
Hard Cover. 288 pages. High standard of presentation.
The Waterloo set I will read at some time in the future. Gladiator I can actually start running with immediately. I have a fair number of gladiators alread painted up. All I need to do is create an arena! (Maybe Bec might read this and build an arena of epic proportions - you know with a chariot track etc).
Over the Top follows on from the Great War ruleset. From a quick flick I'm dissappointed in the content. I really was hoping that this expansion would have covered the Middle East, but it continues on with the Western front. I have Germans and British in 28mm but have to get around to painting them up. A project for the long haul.
So it seems Gladiator is the most likely one of these to see some mileage.
My ECW project is progressing to the stage where I may have to paing some more figures. Not a lot, well about 100 odd. Mostly musket, cavalry and highlanders. This will round off my lists, allowing me to field armies from any of the combatants for the period. I must get my camera back from my daughter. Hopefully I'll post pictures in due course.
Today they arrived. I had a look at the postal tracking. Posted from the UK 12/10, tracked 13/10, 14/10 and 15/10. Then it seems it sat in customs for four days before being sent on it's way to me. Well, its with me now, so I can stop worrying about it going astray.
Over the Top
Soft cover.176 pages. Typical high standard of presentation. As to the content and it's use? I just have to find the time to read it.
Gladiator, The Game of Deadly Arena Combat in Ancient Rome.
Hard Cover. 144 pages. Again high standard of presentation.
Waterloo, Tabletop Wargaming in the Age of Napoleon.
Hard Cover. 288 pages. High standard of presentation.
The Waterloo set I will read at some time in the future. Gladiator I can actually start running with immediately. I have a fair number of gladiators alread painted up. All I need to do is create an arena! (Maybe Bec might read this and build an arena of epic proportions - you know with a chariot track etc).
Over the Top follows on from the Great War ruleset. From a quick flick I'm dissappointed in the content. I really was hoping that this expansion would have covered the Middle East, but it continues on with the Western front. I have Germans and British in 28mm but have to get around to painting them up. A project for the long haul.
So it seems Gladiator is the most likely one of these to see some mileage.
My ECW project is progressing to the stage where I may have to paing some more figures. Not a lot, well about 100 odd. Mostly musket, cavalry and highlanders. This will round off my lists, allowing me to field armies from any of the combatants for the period. I must get my camera back from my daughter. Hopefully I'll post pictures in due course.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Monday, the start of a new week
It's the start of a new week.
Children have a pupil free day. So one's home sleeping, the other is out socialising.
Had the last stitches removed, and am pleased that they are out. I can scratch without being overly cautious now.
Spent the weekend looking at my English Civil War figures. I bought (or traded I can't remember now) some ECW from a friend years ago. I had thought they were bare metal or partial painted. To my surprise I found that a fair few have been painted. They aren't works of art, but with a black wash and a nice base they will pass muster. My dilemma now is which set of lists to work from for a DBA~RRR army. I like the lists that the DBA~RRR writers produced. They give you a little leeway compared to the DBA~Extension for 1500AD - 1900AD. I now have I think sufficient based elements to field both sides. I will have a couple of dry runs against myself to see how the lists play out and make a final decision in the weeks to come. I was thinking of introducing a variable list so that it could reflect to my understanding of the period, the lack lustre recruitment of troops. I think it would help stop an opponent from taking a tooled list each and every time. Mind you I only see myself playing this period, so my games will most likely be few and far between. Once the bases have dried I will post some pictures of the troops.
I've finally managed to track down some old TV shows I enjoyed watching. Gargoyles (a Disney animation series) and Reboot (CGI animation). Reboot I enjoyed immensely, as it was whitty and may have gone over the heads of some viewers unless they had a broad based education in literature and arts. I have seen the new Thundercats animation and I enjoyed it. Lastly the Nero Wolf Mysteries. I can understand why the series was cancelled after two seasons. Using certain cast members to play different roles in different episodes showed a series with a budget restriction. However I did enjoy it for the entertainment it provided. Certainly not as classy as the Hercule Poirot series by/with David Suchet.
My daughter started her first job at McDonald's this weekend past. On Saturday, her first day she was really nervous. It didn't help much when Dana and her mother argued and fought on that day. It took Dad to sit with her and provide her the encouragement and support that she wanted. She needed that from me, and I was gratified with her love in return. I love my children. She finished the weekend saying that she would not be able to eat McDonald's again. Certainly she smelt of cooking oil, with it permeating everything she wore and her hair. Thankfully a hot shower, and she was back to spending hours straightening her hair (she has naturally wavy hair).
I've yet to pick up a paint brush and actually start produceing figures. I'm looking at my huge Lord of the Rings collection and debating the merit of making them into Hordes of the Things armies. I just don't know if I want to do that. Yet they aren't doing anything otherwise, except take up 8 underbed storage tubs. What to do, what to do?
So that's me for the start of the week. Totally committed to nothing.
Children have a pupil free day. So one's home sleeping, the other is out socialising.
Had the last stitches removed, and am pleased that they are out. I can scratch without being overly cautious now.
Spent the weekend looking at my English Civil War figures. I bought (or traded I can't remember now) some ECW from a friend years ago. I had thought they were bare metal or partial painted. To my surprise I found that a fair few have been painted. They aren't works of art, but with a black wash and a nice base they will pass muster. My dilemma now is which set of lists to work from for a DBA~RRR army. I like the lists that the DBA~RRR writers produced. They give you a little leeway compared to the DBA~Extension for 1500AD - 1900AD. I now have I think sufficient based elements to field both sides. I will have a couple of dry runs against myself to see how the lists play out and make a final decision in the weeks to come. I was thinking of introducing a variable list so that it could reflect to my understanding of the period, the lack lustre recruitment of troops. I think it would help stop an opponent from taking a tooled list each and every time. Mind you I only see myself playing this period, so my games will most likely be few and far between. Once the bases have dried I will post some pictures of the troops.
I've finally managed to track down some old TV shows I enjoyed watching. Gargoyles (a Disney animation series) and Reboot (CGI animation). Reboot I enjoyed immensely, as it was whitty and may have gone over the heads of some viewers unless they had a broad based education in literature and arts. I have seen the new Thundercats animation and I enjoyed it. Lastly the Nero Wolf Mysteries. I can understand why the series was cancelled after two seasons. Using certain cast members to play different roles in different episodes showed a series with a budget restriction. However I did enjoy it for the entertainment it provided. Certainly not as classy as the Hercule Poirot series by/with David Suchet.
My daughter started her first job at McDonald's this weekend past. On Saturday, her first day she was really nervous. It didn't help much when Dana and her mother argued and fought on that day. It took Dad to sit with her and provide her the encouragement and support that she wanted. She needed that from me, and I was gratified with her love in return. I love my children. She finished the weekend saying that she would not be able to eat McDonald's again. Certainly she smelt of cooking oil, with it permeating everything she wore and her hair. Thankfully a hot shower, and she was back to spending hours straightening her hair (she has naturally wavy hair).
I've yet to pick up a paint brush and actually start produceing figures. I'm looking at my huge Lord of the Rings collection and debating the merit of making them into Hordes of the Things armies. I just don't know if I want to do that. Yet they aren't doing anything otherwise, except take up 8 underbed storage tubs. What to do, what to do?
So that's me for the start of the week. Totally committed to nothing.
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