Dark Alex's Really Long Post Thread.

[ER]

.

Anyway, as the American's passed me I could hear a couple of them chatting in what I think were southern US accents.

I tell this to my maternal cousins:

If the American is talking out of his nose, think northern.
If the American is speaking in cursive, think southern.

[Alex]

And sadly Halloween is over just like that. My favourite holiday. Had some friends come over for dinner last night. They were appropriately tasty. 

One of our friends (although I guess unfortunately this person is gradually slipping out of our circle as people increasingly get tired of her actions), has two kids that have an assortment of allergies. She was complaining that people had given her kids sweets that they were allergic to and that for next year she'd be buying bags that listed their allergies on them.

Thing is, I am thinking that this is the parents job to sort out. We get over a hundred kids coming to the door every Halloween, normally in groups of up to a dozen at a time. I put sweets in their bag, listen to their jokes etc. If I then have to start adding in checking for allergens, or maybe even sweets the parents just don't want their kids having, suddenly this is going to take most of the night to check what they can have, what the ingredients of the sweets are etc etc. I appreciate this is a problem for the kids, but it isn't my problem. I have a baby to look after and don't have the time to do this even just for a percentage of the kids coming to the door.

Maybe I am just being a grumpy old man there, but that is how I feel about it. You start bringing in other things like that, and quickly it becomes more a pain to give out sweets and I'd just stop doing the whole damn thing rather than go to that amount of effort.

So now we are in November. This year just seems to have jumped from the start to the end. I am convinced parts of it have just been skipped. One day it was the hottest summer for many years, the next it was winter weather without bothering with autumn. Even though he has only been with us for almost nine months I find it hard to remember life before the little man came along and here he is, pulling himself up against things, trying to stand up already.

Hmm, scientists have seriously underestimated how much heat the oceans absorb (by about 60%) which brings the possibility of bringing global warming under control this centuary into the realms of possibility. Doesn't mean that it will be avoided, hard work and sacrifice (and no, not the whole lobbing virgins into volcano's type) would still be required, but it is a little bit more possible. Always nice to have a bit of good news to start the day.

Speaking of which, may you all have a happy day, and may the joy you bring to others, be returned to you tenfold.

Of course, if you are just a miserable bugger, then you can have that back in spades too. 

[Trevor]

And sadly Halloween is over just like that. My favourite holiday. Had some friends come over for dinner last night. They were appropriately tasty. 

  + 



Most delicious indeed. 

[justme2013]

[Alex]

Was out in Elgin today for an appointment. On the way back some old drunk guy was hassling some woman. I asked if she was ok or needed some help, but she said it was fine. Anyway eventually the guy left her alone. A bit later another man turned up to meet her and she was complaining about how creeped out by the drunk.

Could have just accepting the offer the help then really. Oh well, I made the offer. At one point she did ask him to move away from her as he stunk, and she moved to stand behind me. I did stand so he couldn't get to her, but he didn't try at that point.

Hoping to remember to hit the gym tomorrow. I keep meaning to, but the chances of me actually remembering to pick up my kit for it seems to be pretty nominal.

Hoping to get a chance to go out shopping for presents soon. Although I've picked up a few bits and pieces I haven't really gotten out to get stuff for Ash and Kristi, not to mention the rest of our families. Which reminds me i must check out which of Kristi's family I have this year (they do a thing where each year you only have to buy a present for one other adult in her family and have a chart where you can see who you have that year).

[indianasmith]

Remember, a signed book is a great gift!!

[Alex]

Watched The Hitman's Bodyguard last night. Ever really wanted a film where Ryan Reynolds and Sam Jackson just constantly swear at each other? I couldn't even begin to guess the number of times Mr Jackson says "Motherf**ker".

Oh yeah, and there is quite a lot of shooting going on too.

Ash and Dagon are playing their little game together. When ever Ash see's Dagon on the floor, he'll let out a manic squeal of delight and start crawling towards the cat. Just as he gets within touching distance of the cat, Dagon will move a couple of feet away from him and Ash will chase after him. Dagon can lead him all over the house doing this, until he gets tired of this and jumps up somewhere Ash can't follow.

Oh well, it is a Friday and I've just been paid. What's not to like?

For the first time in 30 years, the nearest city to us doesn't have enough volunteers to put a poppy on the graves of all the cities veterans. How quickly people forget when we aren't actively involved in some combat somewhere. Or at least when it isn't making headlines. Can't remember the last time I saw a news reports of Syria. Or the Ukraine for that matter (although we are not involved in there, or at least not that I know of).

I am seeing coverage of the US elections, how issues with Northern Ireland could disrupt and stop any trade deal with Europe with Brexit though. On the last one, it is strange that the smallest and least populated part of the country holds the balance of power in Parliment and is holding the rest of the country to ransom over Brexit. The Tories (nickname for the party currently in power. In the US they'd be the equivilent of the Republicans) made a deal with one of the parties there for their support in getting its policies through in return for extra money for the province. They've gotten the money and now every time something is happening they don't like they threaten to pull out of the agreement. Oh well, next time they should check their bedfellows a bit more carefully before jumping in with them.

Urgh, just got a mental image of Theresa May in bed with someone. That is not a good way to start the day. Hope your days all have a better beginning.

[Alex]

Feeling super tired this morning, with an additional helping of p**sed off. Spent last night getting up and feeding Ash through the night, which normally means that whoever does this gets a sleep in the morning. Kristi decided for what ever reason this wasn't happening today and made sure she kept coming in to wake me up. Not the first time this has happened, but this time I haver decided f**k it, if this is what I am going to get then I am going to do the same thing when she is tired and needs sleep. Maybe if I start doing that she'll appreciate it a bit more that I used to let her sleep until she woke up naturally. I am supposed to go pick up Ash at 12 from something Kristi is helping out with today, and I am seriously tempted not to bother but I promised myself I'd never use any kids in an argument between parents and doing that would be a total dick move.

I have previously dropped hints that I am fed up of this happening, but since it has still kept going on then I guess I am left with treating her back the same way and see if that works. The last time she woke me up this morning (although I was only drifting back to sleep), was to apologise for being a b***h this morning. I wanted to scream just effing let me sleep. Anyway, after that I was too p**sed off to get drift off again, so just got up.

Got some humping and dumping (helping people move stuff around) at the theatre club this afternoon. I am sure in my current state of mind I will be a joy at that.

Hmmm, acording to some random post on facebook, my Zombie Apocalypse Team is Sheldon Cooper, Captain Jack Sparrow and some guy I've never heard of called Doug Stanhope.

Ok, on my own it is then.

Oh well, doubtless in a few hours I'll be feeling better although my players have already expressed concern that I might kill them all tonight. I am most likely just blowing off some steam here and will feel better afterwards.

Hoping the latest chapter of Cold Water took anyone reading it by surprise. I was hoping to make people think a murder plot was going on, and then when what was actually going on to cause a bit of a laugh, but I guess that is up to other people to decide if it worked there.

Anyway, it is cold outside so I should go, get some socks on and go pick up Ash. Have a good Sunday everyone.

[Alex]

On nightshift this week. Normally that is when I get to spend time writing my short stories, but I have 3 episodes of my D&D campaign to write and in theory 10 days to write it, but I am away to a Comic-con in Edinburgh to go to and that scratches four days off my available time.

Wasn't planning on doing a courtroom scene, but with Nigel confessing to the murder he committed (I was going to handle this differently, but I like to adapt the story to what the players do) and this is going to be an unusual trial and I think that Nigel is going to be unhappy if he is aquitted. But then these things are rarely simple in my games.

Anyway, I suspect I'll be spending this week writing D&D stuff rather than finishing off Cold Waters.

Going for a bath and a shave. Kristi decided I should get a long lie in this morning, then she had a sleep once I got up. Ash may not be cooperating with our plans of getting stuff done otherwise. Still wouldn't swap him out for anything.

[Alex]

Ever watched any of those Undercover Boss shows? Normally it involves some head honcho of a big company who thinks they have a good handle of how their company is being run and how what they do trickles down onto the shop floor getting a rude awakening. They find that decisions they have made with the best intentions did not quite work out as intended? Kristi likes to watch that show. I like hearing when a boss decides that instead of buying a chain of country clubs a CEO that they need to review the companies pay structure instead. I think in all organisations the people at the top should spend a bit of time working at the bottom Two things I do wonder about the show though. Firstly, I wonder what it would be like if you were to take workers off the ground level and let them see how things work at the top. Let them see that sometimes the reason for the way things is ran is not because corporate doesn't care for the man at the bottom and these decisions are often made for sound reasons, like a pay freeze might be in place to try and save 6,000 jobs. Equally though (refering back to the example above), if you have the spare cash lying around to go launching takeovers for other businesses, then maybe you should think about ending the pay freeze. A bit of walking a mile in the other guy's shoes doesn't go amis. The other thing I wonder about is how staged these shows are. Every episode the boss seems to find himself working beside people who have some incredible sob story, but are generally super dedicated to their job with the occasional encounter with the exact opposite, people who need a severe kick up the ass. Sometimes those folks get outright fired, other times they are given a second chance and sent for extra training.

Got up early with Ash this morning. He doesn't seem to like the idea of sleep at the moment.

Watching The Blood of Fu Manchu just now. Ah, for the days when you could make a film like that without everyone being all concerned what race the bad guy was, wither or not he was being played by a member of said race, were there enough positive role models for each and every culture and creed on the planet. Or maybe people back then looked for just as much stuff to whine endlessly about too. Maybe in China people complain about the amount of white people used as bad guys in their movies? I wonder.

Imagine if you were to make one of those films today. If you had a white man made up as Fu Manchu then you are doing the equivilent of blackfacing. If you have an Asian actor playing him, then you are typecasting... The list of problems would just go on and on to the point where it wouldn't be worth the effort of making it (and I can totally understand why the makers of The Simpsons just dumped the character of Apu rather than deal with the complaints of people, oh yeah and now they are complaining about the loss of an Indian character. Well what did you expect? Don't see me getting all bent out of shape over Groundskeeper Willie).

[Alex]

Feeling rather happy tonight, and I can't really explain why here unfortunately. But an evil laugh would be appropriate.


Mwah hah hah!

Took Ash for a walk today to one of the local parks and pushed him on a swing for a bit. 'Tis a shame that when life is simple, you are no position to appreciate it.

Ah, for such simple pleasures to be the most important things in the world.

Got the first airpower discussion group tomorrow. Shame Kristi couldn't attend. She studied Vietnam a fair bit and I feel could have brought a different perspective to it. Oh well, I guess it would have meant taking Ash too if we had both went. His current favourite words are to say "Ni Nigh Nigh Nigh*". Although he has also learned when he cuddles into someone he can blow bubbles on their neck which he greatly enjoys.

Much to his mothers consternation at times I feel. She carries him against her chest so he gets to do it a lot more to her than me. I prefer slinging him over my shoulder and carrying him that way. He seems to enjoy it.

Getting ready for the Comic-con at the weekend. We have tickets for both days, but I suspect we will only go the Saturday. The panels are around 30 minutes long, which seems a bit short to me.





*Possibly this is along the lines of "I am Groot."

[Trevor]

*Possibly this is along the lines of "I am Groot."

 

Strange that the name GROOT means 'big' in Afrikaans, so "I am Groot" would mean "I am big".

[Alex]

So I started watching some video's about the battle in tonights talk. I managed three documentries before I wandered into more familiar territory with WW2 discussion groups.

Kristi seems to be quite interested in watching these shows, which quite often point out truths about the war that many people would rather pretend weren't so (on all sides in the war). Sometimes I wish I could spends days on these kinds of discussions.

[Svengoolie 3]

Did you name your baby after the android in "Alien"?

[Alex]

No, the Ash comes from Evil Dead. His full name is Iain Alexander Malcolm Ash. Iain from Lemmy Kilminster's real name, Alexander after me, Malcolm after Mal Reynolds. For some strange reason everyone who knows us thinks I picked those names, whereas it was Kristi. I wanted Vincent Peter Christopher after my favourite actors. My choices of names if we had a girl was also nixed (Elvira Vampira Morticia).

The talk was a bit of a let down. Kind of concentrated on towing the party line of oh look isn't airpower great and what was managed on that side of things. I've never really been as interested in that particular conflict as I have been in some others, although I haven't totally ignored it either (most of my study of it has been related to the Australian involvement). I was hoping for a more in depth discussion and what the USA could have done to win Vietnam (and it was definitely winnable, this isn't something they were doomed to lose from the outset). We also discussed what the US did right at Khe Sanh compared with what the French had did wrong at Dien Bien Phu, although in truth what the French did wrong there can be summed up as "a lot", or if you are feeling less generous "Pretty much everything" is a tad more accurate.

Anyway, I think you have to look at what people wrong in these situations and then learn from other peoples mistakes, not just pat yourself on the back and say hey we were great at all this stuff. By all means you can do that, and make sure you do it in future conflicts, but if you

Kristi mentioned that in six days time it will be the 44th anniversary of the death of her granddad in Vietnam when his private drove their jeep over a landmine. From what I've heard from her family, he wasn't someone to mourn though so she isn't exactly sad about this.

Got sent an email asking me if I want to be a stem cell donor, but since they are looking for people between 16 and 30 I don't fall within their target demographic. Bloody well stop emailing me about it then.

I swear most charities would take your last drop of blood and then ask for more.