It's a week of horror on the transport systems. 19 dead in an all too frequent bus crash in Thailand and now the Spanish train crash. Machines have a built in danger for sure. Me, I always drive very slowly and make myself big to aid my safe passage.
I have an an easy week with public holidays and exams. Just as well as I was exhausted at teh end of last week and pissed off Kyle who wanted to visit. I am strangely mercenary in these situations, but when rest beckons, all must be put on hold. I know I rank low with certain individuals by my non-compliance, but if I were to attempt to fullfill their needs I would be in serious decline. In my mind, it is now only Oi and Grace who are my absolute priority. Anything else, can only be addressed when time and mood allows. However, I carry out the same regeme on my good self. I spend a lot of time in quiet recuperation and vain attempts to relax, even in my near stress free life. I know too well, that were was I not married to Oi, I would very probably be dead. It doesn't take much for me to slip into the abyss, which is why I am extremely selfish with my social interactions. I will not be drawn to the dark side, not now.
Possibly why video games have always....
Grace beckons....
Friday, July 26, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Home Alone
Wow!
Oi and Grace have gone to the farm for the night. It's some Thai religious holiday. I could have gone too. I should have gone, but time alone was appealing and though it would have been pretty good, a walk around a temple, sitting on the chairs at the farm, eating dinner with the family, it's also nice to be completely alone. Actually, I kinda set up an evening of entertainment for myself. I've got the new sci-fi Oblivion set up, and I have to say, that the first half hour was fantastic, like an epic book like, Dune (not that I ever read it) or Helliconia Spring (I read that one, and was captivated). There is also a backlash of reviews on IMDB from and angry public about the savaging it got from the fat global media. It's a wonderful movie and definitely has that epic feel about it, so missing from anything today.
These days I can't watch movies without a break, but just recently I have really enjoyed watching the free ones on Utube on the Ipad. It's very relaxing lying in bed watching a movie. I keep thinking about a cradle device that could support the ipad above your head, so you just have to stare up to watch the movie. I need to make this thing! Anyway, I watched "As Good As It Gets" and "The Natural". Both, were movies of very high quality and I relished the experience.
So, I got my super PC back from the repair shop all clean and with Windows 7 installed. This meant I could install some select games, the first being Far Cry 3, for Peter's last 3 hours in Thailand, which he thoroughly enjoyed. It should be mentioned somewhere, of his dazzling opening kill. He was speeding away in a newly acquired jeep, from some enemy troops, red T-shirted thugs, when he performed a perfect 180 spin on the dirt road of the jungle, jumped out of the jeep, and very cleanly took out the drivers of two pursuing jeeps within about 3 seconds. It was rather incredible, possibly, headshots involved. What a start to a game. Far Cry 3 is wonderful. I conduct Nature tours for Grace on it. Driving her to some remote part of the jungle to spy on tigers. She loves it and is always asking me go to and see the tiger, to which I duly obey. I have to watch the killing in these games, sometimes its unavoidable. I'm at the Djamba, Johnson Grass, Kona Gold field burning scene. I am going to relish possibly the highlight of the game. It's a fanastic scene.
I'm thoroughly into Steam, which is a game manager system. There are great deals in their store and I have bought some great games at very low prices; Empire Total War, Chivalry, Sleeping Dogs and Borderland 2. All these games are utterly incredible, and I hope I can dedictate some time to them.
For the moment my love affair with Duel of Champions has ended, though I log on every day to pick up the reward.
Sleeping Dogs in an exciting trek around gangster Hong Kong and really fun learning Kung Fu and beating people up. Great driving too in an amazing replica of Hong Kong island, like GTA.
In dire need of exercise right now, having failed to establish a system. I feel like a bin bag full of yogurt, as Fry so brilliantly puts it. I'll reach rock bottom soon, when I just run staright out of the house, or buy some dumb bells or something.
Oi and Grace have gone to the farm for the night. It's some Thai religious holiday. I could have gone too. I should have gone, but time alone was appealing and though it would have been pretty good, a walk around a temple, sitting on the chairs at the farm, eating dinner with the family, it's also nice to be completely alone. Actually, I kinda set up an evening of entertainment for myself. I've got the new sci-fi Oblivion set up, and I have to say, that the first half hour was fantastic, like an epic book like, Dune (not that I ever read it) or Helliconia Spring (I read that one, and was captivated). There is also a backlash of reviews on IMDB from and angry public about the savaging it got from the fat global media. It's a wonderful movie and definitely has that epic feel about it, so missing from anything today.
These days I can't watch movies without a break, but just recently I have really enjoyed watching the free ones on Utube on the Ipad. It's very relaxing lying in bed watching a movie. I keep thinking about a cradle device that could support the ipad above your head, so you just have to stare up to watch the movie. I need to make this thing! Anyway, I watched "As Good As It Gets" and "The Natural". Both, were movies of very high quality and I relished the experience.
So, I got my super PC back from the repair shop all clean and with Windows 7 installed. This meant I could install some select games, the first being Far Cry 3, for Peter's last 3 hours in Thailand, which he thoroughly enjoyed. It should be mentioned somewhere, of his dazzling opening kill. He was speeding away in a newly acquired jeep, from some enemy troops, red T-shirted thugs, when he performed a perfect 180 spin on the dirt road of the jungle, jumped out of the jeep, and very cleanly took out the drivers of two pursuing jeeps within about 3 seconds. It was rather incredible, possibly, headshots involved. What a start to a game. Far Cry 3 is wonderful. I conduct Nature tours for Grace on it. Driving her to some remote part of the jungle to spy on tigers. She loves it and is always asking me go to and see the tiger, to which I duly obey. I have to watch the killing in these games, sometimes its unavoidable. I'm at the Djamba, Johnson Grass, Kona Gold field burning scene. I am going to relish possibly the highlight of the game. It's a fanastic scene.
I'm thoroughly into Steam, which is a game manager system. There are great deals in their store and I have bought some great games at very low prices; Empire Total War, Chivalry, Sleeping Dogs and Borderland 2. All these games are utterly incredible, and I hope I can dedictate some time to them.
For the moment my love affair with Duel of Champions has ended, though I log on every day to pick up the reward.
Sleeping Dogs in an exciting trek around gangster Hong Kong and really fun learning Kung Fu and beating people up. Great driving too in an amazing replica of Hong Kong island, like GTA.
In dire need of exercise right now, having failed to establish a system. I feel like a bin bag full of yogurt, as Fry so brilliantly puts it. I'll reach rock bottom soon, when I just run staright out of the house, or buy some dumb bells or something.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Iron Lion Zion
Thursday, rainy night, and a busy day. Got out of school at four, rushed to the water company and payed the bill. Sped home, changed, had some "coffee" and sped over to Tescos to get some cash for Oi and bills that need a-paying. Accidently locked the outside door, to which neither of us have a key. Ensues Thai and Falang neighbourly challenge as Mark (Micheal Caine) and one member of the Thai loan collector gang who live next door arrivedwith tool belts full of devices to purse the lock.
The Thai guy got in the back door, before Mark broke the front door lock, to which I had given the nod after a 45 minute furious amount of lock picking, some it it quite educated.
I offered Mark a gin and tonic with some crisps. He said, "How very civilised", and suly accepted. He is a very fun guy, like having a dodgy Micheal Caine over for dinner. It's a bit like having Bruce Willis, or those who knew him, Steve Billings, for a neighbour. Any problem and you can just say, "Go" and he will jump. And he was grateful of the reward; Gin and tonics, proper mind, with ice and lime.
We are thinking of getting Grace a puppy, possibly a Golden Retriever, as she seems a bit sad and distant these days, watching endless hours of Pink Panther every night. I think a puppy could rock her world, and give her a dear friend til teenage years.
The Thai guy got in the back door, before Mark broke the front door lock, to which I had given the nod after a 45 minute furious amount of lock picking, some it it quite educated.
I offered Mark a gin and tonic with some crisps. He said, "How very civilised", and suly accepted. He is a very fun guy, like having a dodgy Micheal Caine over for dinner. It's a bit like having Bruce Willis, or those who knew him, Steve Billings, for a neighbour. Any problem and you can just say, "Go" and he will jump. And he was grateful of the reward; Gin and tonics, proper mind, with ice and lime.
We are thinking of getting Grace a puppy, possibly a Golden Retriever, as she seems a bit sad and distant these days, watching endless hours of Pink Panther every night. I think a puppy could rock her world, and give her a dear friend til teenage years.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Peter
Peter arrived last Friday. We had a blast. He brought with him dime bars, after eight mints and a litre of jamesons Irish whiskey.
That first night we got toasted on the upstairs balcony. At some point during the celebrations I cracked my head and cut my face on a window or something. W watched trailer park boys and listened to torn legacy, Taj Mahal and caravanserai by Santana. It was fantastic.
The next day we took a quick trip with Grace to the temple and the cave, before heading off to cabana beach with Oi. We checked into the nana beach resort and did some high living. We had a seriously delicious pizza at the Mali blues bar and went for a swim in the pool. I crashed out early.
On Sunday we came home, stopping at a rocky beach along the way. It's a peaceful and beautiful spot. We came home and talked into the night.
By a miracle I had been given the week off work, only having to go there and sign in each morning. So we were free to take bike rides, take trips to tescos and make wonderful hams and mustard and peanut butter and cucumber sandwiches. It was great fun.
We did do good bike rides and played lots of games, including a killer game of carcassonne with Oi.
Tragically, he had to return tonight and is on his way back home as I write.
It was an incredible visit and I felt awfully sad after the van took him away. But as my happy busy life collecting Grace from school took over, and gazing across the sports field full of happy Thai kids heading home, I felt very warm about where I was and the wonderful situation I am in. Having just waved farewell to my oldest, dearest friend and riding through the lush farmland of chumphon to pick up my daughter and meet my wife at the school. I couldn't help think how blessed I am.
Keep having fun, Peter. Keep having fun.
That first night we got toasted on the upstairs balcony. At some point during the celebrations I cracked my head and cut my face on a window or something. W watched trailer park boys and listened to torn legacy, Taj Mahal and caravanserai by Santana. It was fantastic.
The next day we took a quick trip with Grace to the temple and the cave, before heading off to cabana beach with Oi. We checked into the nana beach resort and did some high living. We had a seriously delicious pizza at the Mali blues bar and went for a swim in the pool. I crashed out early.
On Sunday we came home, stopping at a rocky beach along the way. It's a peaceful and beautiful spot. We came home and talked into the night.
By a miracle I had been given the week off work, only having to go there and sign in each morning. So we were free to take bike rides, take trips to tescos and make wonderful hams and mustard and peanut butter and cucumber sandwiches. It was great fun.
We did do good bike rides and played lots of games, including a killer game of carcassonne with Oi.
Tragically, he had to return tonight and is on his way back home as I write.
It was an incredible visit and I felt awfully sad after the van took him away. But as my happy busy life collecting Grace from school took over, and gazing across the sports field full of happy Thai kids heading home, I felt very warm about where I was and the wonderful situation I am in. Having just waved farewell to my oldest, dearest friend and riding through the lush farmland of chumphon to pick up my daughter and meet my wife at the school. I couldn't help think how blessed I am.
Keep having fun, Peter. Keep having fun.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Back from the Brink.
My PC almost died.
I fought like crazy and have got it stabilized. But I very nearly lost it. Of course, it was viruses being transfered from the PC at work. A collegue, David, pointed it out. Of course! Why didn't I see that? All work now has to be emailed from home and picked up at school. Meanwhile I downloaded Ad Aware and that gave it a serious whack. I got my internal harddrive back, packed with movies and games and music and the speed has really picked up. It got stuck on a game though. So, I ain't out of the woods yet. But, what a relief! I was planning the journey across town with the PC on my lap on the bike. Doable, but slightly concerning.
School has been interesting and I feel myself starting to understand a little of how to teach these teens. I always put up easy conversations to read in pairs. Getting them to stand up and talk audiably. This week I asked them to memorize it in a minute. They love it. I found a break through activity, which they enjoy. A few weeks of this and they will have some basic building blocks of how to talk.
BTW I am still listening to Tron Legacy sound track by Daft Punk and it is just a classic. I tried to tell some people, but there was little response.
Still playing Might and Magic Duel of Champions. Also Stone Age on the ipad. Lots of excellent board game conversions on the ipad. New, brilliantly planned board games are out there, and the site Board Game Geek is an excellent place to find out about them. I highly recommend it.
http://boardgamegeek.com/blog/164
I fought like crazy and have got it stabilized. But I very nearly lost it. Of course, it was viruses being transfered from the PC at work. A collegue, David, pointed it out. Of course! Why didn't I see that? All work now has to be emailed from home and picked up at school. Meanwhile I downloaded Ad Aware and that gave it a serious whack. I got my internal harddrive back, packed with movies and games and music and the speed has really picked up. It got stuck on a game though. So, I ain't out of the woods yet. But, what a relief! I was planning the journey across town with the PC on my lap on the bike. Doable, but slightly concerning.
School has been interesting and I feel myself starting to understand a little of how to teach these teens. I always put up easy conversations to read in pairs. Getting them to stand up and talk audiably. This week I asked them to memorize it in a minute. They love it. I found a break through activity, which they enjoy. A few weeks of this and they will have some basic building blocks of how to talk.
BTW I am still listening to Tron Legacy sound track by Daft Punk and it is just a classic. I tried to tell some people, but there was little response.
Still playing Might and Magic Duel of Champions. Also Stone Age on the ipad. Lots of excellent board game conversions on the ipad. New, brilliantly planned board games are out there, and the site Board Game Geek is an excellent place to find out about them. I highly recommend it.
http://boardgamegeek.com/blog/164
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