Dark Alex's Really Long Post Thread.

[Alex]

Well I avoided the temptation to pretend my shoulder was more badly injured than it really was to get me out of guard training.

I was waiting to do my test on my weapons drills and everyone was getting tested in pairs. I was last in the queue and the flight sergeant came along as said he'd test me rather than wait for the corprals to finish. Great. I mean he is a nice guy and all but who want's to be tested by the boss, right?

I did the first drill absolutely no problem and he complimented me on doing it with confidence. Then half way through the next drill my brain suddenly went blank and I couldn't remember any of the actions I was supposed to carry out. Anyway, I bluffed my way through it and he missed out a load of the tests since it looked like I knew what I was doing.

In Dungeons & Dragons terms I rolled a natural 20 on a bluff check.

Speaking of which my game is starting up again in January. I'll take some time over the holidays to rewrite the stuff I've lost and get my campaign back up and running. Remember, it is the BMDO roleplaying thread. Accept no inferior (with terrible spelling) imitations!

Kristi suggested a christmas horror movie tonight, so I put on a Dutch one. 'Saint' if anyone is familiar with it. Then we watched 'Warlords of Atlantis' which is a favourite of mine when I am in the mood for an action film. I was going to put 'Die Hard' in, but I didn't want to dig through the folders of DVD's to dig it out.

[Alex]

Kristi had a rough day with Ash today. When I got home, we got him fed, into PJ's and off to bed. Within minutes he was asleep. Then I dragged Kristi off to bed and cuddled her until she fell asleep too.

Peace and quiet reigns.

So the guard duty I mentioned previously? Well it turns out I'll be staying at the other camp while I do it so that is just peachy. All part of the job and what they pay me for I guess.

Bastards.

My oold gaming rig appears to be working again. I'd fired it up in an attempt to try and fix it and it just came on no problem. Not convinced it is going to keep working, but I fully intend to enjoy it until it stops. I might even give Fallout 4 a go on it. For the moment though I am going to run a hot bath and see if I can relax my shoulder, see if I can keep the swelling down enough for tomorrow on the rifle range.

Ever wonder what your epitath would be? I have the funny feeling that mine is "Could have done so much more." Trouble is I never really wanted to do more. I want to be happy and since I am I don't see the point in pushing for more, atleast ways not in the ways society seems to measure success. Yes there are other things in life I would still like, but nothing that I have a super, burning desire to aim for. At least not anything outside my family. Perhaps one day I'll regret those choices, and doubtless by that point it will be too late to do anything about them anyway.

[Rev. Powell]

Ever wonder what your epitath would be? I have the funny feeling that mine is "Could have done so much more." Trouble is I never really wanted to do more. I want to be happy and since I am I don't see the point in pushing for more, atleast ways not in the ways society seems to measure success. Yes there are other things in life I would still like, but nothing that I have a super, burning desire to aim for. At least not anything outside my family. Perhaps one day I'll regret those choices, and doubtless by that point it will be too late to do anything about them anyway.

You're right to be happy with what you have. Wanting "more" is a trap. If you had done "more" with your life, you'd end up regretting not enjoying your family enough.

[chefzombie]

and if that phrase was on your headstone, then it wasn't bought by ANYONE who knows you and loves you for being you.

[Alex]

Rough night last night. Ash isn't well and just could not settle down to sleep. I took an early night so I'd get some sleep while Kristi sat up with him. At 3am he was still up, so I went downstairs and sent Kristi to bed. I figured I'd try putting him in his cot and he finally fell asleep, but only for two hours so I got back up with him. Poor thing was shattered and just wanted to be held (putting him on the floor was an instant crying), so I took him into our bed and just held him and he was back sleeping within a minute. At least we've all had some rest, but today is going to be a tough day to get through.

[Alex]

And at just before 12:00 today my holiday began. Was 05:00 before I got to sleep and I woke back up at 07:20. Since I leave for work 20 minutes after that I had to move fast. Not much in the way of actual work needing done. I could have finished everything I needed by 09:00. Sat aimlessly, watching that twat Jeremy Clarkson and his friends make arses of themselves travelling around south east Asia and South America. What a waste of resources.

Kristi and I opened most of our presents to each other tonight. Means we have more time to enjoy them over my holiday. We've kept a couple of presents back though to give each other on the day of course. I have said that we might be able to do that next year too, but once Ash figures is old enough to understand what is happening we will have to stop that and wait for Yule. I got a King Tiger tank for my German army (now I have a King Tiger too, Ho! Ho! Ho!), a Universal Carrier patrol group for my Brits and a unit of SS-Sturmbataillon Charlemagne also for my Germans. They were the last troops defending Berlin to surrender. They were formed from French volunteers and pretty much knew that if they were taken alive they'd be killed either by their fellow countrymen or the Soviets so had nothing left to lose by fighting to the death. They were actually pretty tough soldiers.

If only the French army had been quite as resolute a few years earlier...

Although in truth the French had fought hard against the German advance. They were badly led, badly equiped to fight the kind of war the German's had thrown at them and had very poor morale. Still, if Britain and France had seriously invaded German instead of sitting waiting I think WW2 would never have been a world war and would have been over one hell of a lot faster.

Anyway, I also got the new Jaws boardgame, complete collections of Space: 1999 and The Addams Family a book by Billy Connolly and a couple of graphic novels based on John Carpenter's works (Halloween and Big Trouble In Little China).

[chefzombie]

and what did kristi get?

[Alex]

You mean you haven't read the presents thread? Ok here we go. So far I've given her Song of the South on DVD (not easy to get), the illustrated version of the 4th Harry Potter book, Pacific Rim: Extinction, Exploding Kittens and Orc-Lympics. She still has a couple more presents to get though.

Ash finally slept all the way through the night again. I got an ok sleep although I got up a couple of times just to make sure the little man was breathing ok. We've been putting Vicks on his back and chest to try and help him there, but it hasn't been easy for him.

Played Jaws tonight with Kristi. She picked the crew and I got the shark. I ate 6 people before she tracked me down and the second part of the game began. Battling the crew on a sinking Orca I managed to kill Hooper. Brodie was very nearly dead (one hit more would have taken him out), but a combination of continuing damage from a flare (what else?), and some chops from a machete weilding Quint finished me off. Its a pretty good game and a simple requring some strategic planning without bogging the players down in endless rules.

Found out that a civilian I used to work beside in my first posting had died suddenly last weekend. His funeral was today. I thought vaguely about going to it, but not seriously. I can't say he was ever more to me than just someone I worked beside. We didn't dislike each other, nor did we get along fantastically well. In the 15 years since we said hi to each other when we passed but rarely had any kind of conversation. I don't think I was ever seriously going to go though. Nevertheless, fare thee well in what ever lies beyond the vale though Graham Howe. He was possibly the oldest Enimen fan I have ever met.

Ever wondered how many times a song gets played? I was idily wondering just how many times Ace of Spades has been played since it was written. All those rock compilations, the Motorhead albums, every live concert, covers, karaoke (done it myself a few times including at my wedding), youtube and any other ways of listening to it I've not covered. Lemmy might have sang that he didn't want to live forever, but I think through just that one song he'll manage one damn long time.

Binge watching Space 1999 just now. Hah! Sven would have loved that. Funny just how many things we had in common. We shared similar political and religious views, liked many of the same shows and hobbies, but as much as I tried I just couldn't bring myself to like the guy. And although I don't think there is anything wrong with doing it, I am also not into the whole BDSM thing.

Guess I'll put that down to his hatred of Firefly. Mind you, I used to diss Star Trek just to wind him up lol.

I wonder if anyone out there has ever played the Jaws theme as a polka?

Kristi and Karen decided to go out shopping tonight. Best of luck to them. It is expected to be the busiest nights shopping of the entire year with £1.7 billion expected to be spent. Since Brexit hasn't happened yet that is still a considerable sum (although that's the US version of billion, not the UK one which is a million million).

[Alex]

Ash still is unwell, but the worst now seems to be over.

We hope.

He was mostly on his normal sleep schedule today, the first time in I can't remember how long. Wit any luck he'll sleep through the night.

Kristi had three missonaries round for dinner tonight. She made taco's for them as American's tend to miss familiar food. Only one of them was actually from the US this time. One was Spanish and the final one looked Asian although I couldn't figure out which region. Going to go with not Chinese or Japanese. She also baked a lemon sponge cake.

Writing some D&D adventures again finally. Figured if I am going to restart my game then I should put a bit of effort in there and get it moving. Then I can get back into writing it up as a story.

I kept thinking that today was Yule Eve, but the day is stubbornly remaining Monday and refusing to be Tuesday just to suit my mood. Time is very selfish that way, rolling on regardless of our wishes regardless of if it is for it to be a different day, us to be older when we are younger or younger when we are older or even just to see what the world will be like in the future.

Damned inconvenient I say.

[Alex]

I got up this morning and decided to go for a shower. I turned the shower on, went to go get a towel and when I came back, this was waiting one me...





He really does love his showers and baths. Yesterday he got into the main bathroom, climbed up on top of the toilet and was brushing his teeth when I went to fetch him.

We all went out for a walk this morning. He decided he didn't want his gloves or hat on. Indeed, he decided he didn't want to sit in his buggy and figured out how to wriggle out of the straps and stand up. Daddy begged to differ and the rest of the walk was a screaming match as he eventually gave up trying to take his warm clothes off and settled for crying instead.

Trying to decide if when I leave my job in 1288 days.

As long as I find another job I can't think of anything. I could apply and extend it all by an extra 4 years but it is at least nice to have the option. I might rethink it a little when brexit actually finally happens, depending on how the economy goes, but short of a major economic crash I don't see any reason to stay. I left school in the middle of a previous recession and always managed to find some kind of work. Hopefully the civilian world hasn't changed that much in the twenty years since I left it. It will be so nice to have my life back to myself.





Got everything ready for tomorrow. Our food is all sorted and just waiting to be eaten, presents are all wrapped and under the tree and everything is as sorted as such things can possibly be.

Almost finished painting and building my King Tiger. Sat it beside a scale model of a Sherman tank to demonstrate why guys driving a Sherman were terrified of coming across one of those monsters.

[Alex]

Today hasn't quite went as planned. Ash woke up tired and ran away from his presents until after we'd put him back down for a nap. Even when he got back up after a couple of hours sleep he was still tired and went for another nap. I've just put him back down for another sleep.

Could do with a sleep myself but that isn't going to happen. Kristi has been in pain all day. At first she thought she'd pulled a muscle but now she is throwing up and complaining that her gut feels like it is on fire. She is waiting on a call back from NHS 24 and we'll see about sending her out to A&E depending on how that goes and how she feels.

Not the day I had hoped for.

Been watching the TV show of Battlestar Galactica while we wait. Not super paying attention to it.

Update. Kristi is now going into hospital just after midnight. Suspected appendicitis or gall bladder.

[indianasmith]

sorry to hear that, my friend.
Prayers for a quick recovery!

[Alex]

She got back home just after 01:30. Its gallstones, so she has been on pretty powerful painkillers all day. Meds tend to knock her out so she has spent most of the day dozing on the couch. Ash still has a runny nose but is closer to being his usual cheerful self. He slept until around 08:30 and then started crying so I got him up, gave him breakfast and then since he looked tired I put him back in his bed and she slept for another four hours. When I am not looking after him I can look after Kristi (although she is pretty low maintenance). I was surprised when Ash went to sleep about half six. I have no doubt he'll be up before the night is through though and me with him. I am loading up with caffine in preparation for this as I've been up the last couple of nights with minimal sleep.

Joys of kids eh.

My younger brother and his family are coming up tomorrow for a long weekend. I guess I'll be going out with them which will give Kristi a chance to rest up.

Sparing a few thoughts for those who have been unable to spend this time of year with their families and friends, be they work mates, strangers or whoever. Mostly the thoughts are "Glad it isn't me," but I am at least thinking of them.

[Alex]

Binge watched season one of Battlestar Galactica and now back onto Space 1999. Sad to say that I find either of the futures offered in these shows to be more likely than one from anything more utopian.

Hmm, I don't recall seeing Joan Collins in Space 1999 before. I guess I missed that episode. Mind ypou, I have only ever previously seen her in one movie (the one with the sugar addicted giant ants) and one TV show (Star Trek).

Cameron (the younger) wanted to try Pandemic today and go visit where I work. Took him on to camp and showed him around, then gave him a tour of a jet fighter. Not too many eight year olds can tell their class mates they've had that. We were going to take a trip up to the heritage centre at the lighthouse, but Linda's car showed some warning light and then turned out to have a leak. It quickly lost all engine coolant, so they called out a breakdown service and I called a taxi and at least took Cameron back to our house while his parents waited on the mechanic coming out. Not a roadside repair job as it turned out so they'll be getting a hire car tomorrow to take them home.

On the plus side I finished enough of my paint job on my King Tiger that it is now usable. Going to stick a commander in the turret to finish it off and he need some painting first, but the vehicle is all together. Gave it one of the Porche turrets (did you know Porche tried to design tanks for Nazi Germany? His designs were too overly complicated though relying on a lot of hand crafted parts and broke down easily. Max Factor also made stuff for the Nazi's). I have one of the regular turrets left over, so I'll make that as a defence point. In the late war the Germans were often short of fuel and would dig pits to put the tanks into, creating a strongpoint. The Japanese did the same thing, although that was more because they discovered their tanks were crap.


The turrets in this photo are both from works in progress, but I figured they'd show the difference. The grey one is the second King Tiger tank and the yellow and black one is from a Japanese Ha Go tank (the closest the Japanese had to a main battle tank. This is also going to be converted into a bunker). Even the Sherman was better than that one.

[chefzombie]

i'm trying (and failing) at getting caught up here,and our board and my other boards after 10 days of mostly absence, please forgive me for forgetting and misreading, okay?
  is kristi going to get the gall bladder out, i hope? is ash better? have you gotten any sleep? where do i get the jaws game? and how is your mom?