Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Mama Mia Vs. Time After Time


* = There's a girl there?!

D&D was Saturday, and even after Facebook conspired against me to delay the start of the game I have to say it went “a’ight”. It was by no means a great sessions, it bordered on good from my perspective. It seemed, and I loathe using that word because it’s an assumption, that everyone had a good time. For me as the DM it was a bit helter skelter. I over-reached in one of the encounters quiet a bit, which bogged it down. Without adequate time to prep about the PC’s it was hard to fit them together cohesively without it feeling overly forced. That coupled with the fact that the group was fractured into sub-factions made getting the players to work together as a cohesive group challenging. I think the fact that two of the ‘best’ players skill wise almost died by over-estimating their prowess, along with me rolling off my ass, forced the group to start to gel. As for the two ‘neebies’; Heidi & Char’s first foray into the magic land of Role Playing Games it was a nice surprise. Even though Heidi was about half in the bag upon arrival she managed to pull it together and not ‘Meep Wonk’ and for that I’ll be eternally grateful. Char was just fish in a new pond, it took her a bit to figure it out, but once she did GET OUT OF THE WAY! Ant was of course kick ass, and his ‘secret’ was beyond words cool. I also have to quickly mention that Cassandra, and I’m not just complimenting her because she’s my wife, has turned into quiet the competent PC, and is becoming a real role player. It’s really neat to be a part of that. Could it have gone better? Of course, there are always things within the realm and skills of DMing that should and need to improve. That being said it was satisfying and left me ready and excited about the future of the group.

On a side note we were sans Mighty Mike who had a family issue that required his attention. Know this oh Mighty Mike we, your friends, are here for you. Loss is never easy, it is never pleasant, and it never happens quickly. Whatever you need you have but to ask.

Sunday was spent with the Mom & Dad-In-Laws doing some serious work on the homestead. The stairs to the basement desperately needed repaired, the dryer vent needed fixed, and we tried, and failed, to hang the downstairs living room TV. There was some disappointment there, but you know what two outta three ain’t bad. It was actually fun to get my hands dirty with my Father-In-Law, which it usually is. I learn a lot, we joke a lot, and I don’t know. This will sound silly I’m sure, but sometimes it feels like even though he isn’t ‘my’ dad, he’s ‘My’ dad. And after all that’s happened that’s nice.

Sunday I also received an incredible surprise as I was treated to the first run of a song off the next The Fairly Secret Army album. See the thing is I helped write the lyrics, which is CRAZY. I told Dave he should write a song about R.E. Howard’s Bran Mak Morn tale ‘Worms Of The Earth’, this being purely selfish as this is my favorite Howard tale. He and I have done some writing thing together, mainly being in the often fondly missed Dark Dave Writing Circle together, so I thought what the hell. I hammered it out in about three hours, and decided I was done fiddling with it so I sent to him with the caveat that he be gentle as it was my first foray into lyrics. They passed the ‘Metal Smell Test’ and he said they were a possibility down the road. In all honesty I thought he was humoring me. Then he continued to bring it up occasionally, again I thought maybe he’s toying with my emotions, as Dave is wont to do. Then he drops this rough version of the tune on me. I was blown away. First off, like almost all his t.F.S.A. stuff he and Gregg CRUSHED it musically. Secondly, he hammered the lyrics into a workable form. And last, but certainly not least he has done what David does; he has not settled for anything less than his vision. He’s taking something that was clay and making a monument. That is something incredible to know you even had a tiny part of, it’s sort of humbling.

And those that know me, KNOW I don’t do humble often.

By the by Joe & Laura I don’t know if I’m early or late at this point, but I’m going to say it anyway, CONGRATULATIONS!

RANDOM CRAP!

- I finally grilled last night, and it was glorious.
- Poor Butler. 19% from the field will NOT win you a National Championship. With VCU felling my Jayhawks I had high hopes that Butler would pull off the win, but alas it was not to be. The reality is if I had to choose a cheater to win, at least its Calhoun & UCONN and not that piece of human excrement Calipari and Kentucky. Thank the heavens for small favors I suppose.
- Nothing on the docket this weekend. I feel almost lost.
- I did NO painting this weekend. Even though ‘we’, and I thank you Cassandra for your help, finished 23 miniatures last week. Last night I didn’t even cast my gaze upon the hordes of half painted figs on the table. It’s as if I was ashamed. Maybe I am since I seriously doubt my ability to meet the minimum of ten this week.
- I think I’ll make a concerted effort to read tonight if I don’t paint.
- Oh and Heidi if you go back and check I average two blogs a week, them(s) the Math(s). You can argue with that…
- Saturday morning my lovely wife treated me to C1 Buffet and I ate bad Chinese food buffet sushi like my life depended on it. And you know what? I loved every second of it, even though we all know that you only ‘rent’ Chinese food…
- We drove ‘Blue’ this weekend. I forgot how much I liked riding in that car, just like Cassandra forgot how much she likes driving it.

I’m sure there is a lot more rattling around in my head, but right now it just feels empty.

“Can you see my body
Can you see it grow
Do you see it throbbing
Won't you watch it glow

I don't want it, make it end
Stop this mad unsightly trend
I don't want it, make it end
Stop this mad unsightly trend
Take this red-veined, oddly-angled stone

Can you hear the thunder
Can you hear it crack
Can you see it stretching
Stretching through the black

Stirring in the steeple
Up on Federal Hill
Can't you feel it coming
Coming for to kill

See the haunter, watch it fly
Membranes pushing to the sky
See the three-lobed burning eye
I am it -- it is I

Can you see my body
Can you see it grow
Do you see it throbbing
Please - God - no...

Can you hear the thunder?
Can you hear the thunder?
Can you hear the thunder?
Can you hear the thunder?

See my body, see it grow
See it throbbing, please god no
See the haunter, watch it fly
Membranes pushing to the sky
See my body, see it grow
See it throbbing, please god no
Cross my heart and hope to fly
Stick an insect of Shaggai”



* = Maybe this image will work it's way into one of my campaigns.

4 comments:

  1. I didn't change the lyrics at all really, i took out one section and added two lines.

    Added bass last night and now it sounds awesome...but a pain to mix!

    ReplyDelete
  2. D.,
    Really? That's pretty cool, in fact I'm actually amazed you didn't have to fix more of it.
    I bet, but I really want to hear it this week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Them(s) the Math(s)...lol.

    I was like 3/4 in the bag when I arrived at your place, and don't fret so much, I was FAR from hitting a 'Meep-Wonk' state.

    ReplyDelete
  4. See I just gave you a new greeting card. Your welcome...

    True, but having not witnessed the 'Meep-Wonk' up close for a ton of years I was a tad fearful.
    It's also 'Teh Math(s)' mom's lose their tolerances for beverages...

    ReplyDelete