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Diary of a B+ Grade Polymath ([personal profile] tcpip) wrote2012-12-27 05:02 pm

Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, 2013 Plans, Gaming Updates

Well that was a fairly good pair of festive days; we had a few people over on Christmas day and I made a small mountain of food - particularly happy with the grilled salmon steaks, kartoffelpuffer, and a giant tiramisu - all downed with some fine cognac. We watched The Nightmare Before Christmas, followed by Bad Santa. I really quite like the latter although I do understand that perhaps that particular film might not be to everyone's taste (mind you, I like Jim Carrey as well). Following day attended Hansie and Marilyn's Boxing day gathering with a good score plus of people mainly from the language school. After the mountain of leftovers are finished, I think I'll be living on dry bread and water for a week.

In preparation for the end of the year I've been clearing a few cobwebs to sharpen my focus next year. I've dropped the OpenFOAM book, which I wasn't really enjoying (the best content is already online, and the publishers were 'interesting'). I've enrolled in a GradCert in Adult and Tertiary Education at Murdoch University (goodness, a Murdoch student again), with a plan to do a Masters in 2014, because one Masters degree is not enough, obviously. I have also received an invitation to be a plenary speaker at the The IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society. So it's beginning to look like that next year is already being thoroughly planned - as usuall I'll have to be careful not to try too much.

Last Sunday thoroughly enjoyed a game of The Creature That Ate Sheboygan, although our puny human forces where quickly overwhelmed by the giant robot with laser beams, at least partially thanks to a rapid succession of unusual dice rolls. Last Thursday, in what be the season for such activities, played classic Talisman. My review for Call of Cthulhu has been published on rpg.net; I am planning a column for said forum next year on game design, entitled Via Negativa: Good System Design By Bad Examples, with reference to the article in the first issue of RPG Review. Oh, and the next issue of RPG Review has to come out real soon now.

[identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 07:17 am (UTC)(link)
I really envy you your intellectual,hedonistic lifestyle ! My Christmas consisted of me , myself and i . At least I pride myself on my cooking prowess - although , with nobody to share my vegetarian dishes , I once again discovered that one is a lonely number . Spaniards are very friendly people and the fault is mine-ho ve !
: (

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 08:42 am (UTC)(link)
And vegetarian Spanish cuisine is very nice indeed! I must admit over the years I've spent a few Christmases by myself. In Timor-Leste I simply went to work (because, good lord, there was so much work to do). At other times I have just ended up in such a situation.

I try not to make a big deal of the day; I guess in part because it was always low-key when I was brought up. Some of my friends however ([livejournal.com profile] txxxpxx for example) put on the sort of show that boggles the imagination. Very impressive, pure artistry!

[identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 08:48 am (UTC)(link)
txxxpxx sounds great fun !
: D

[identity profile] stephbg.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 07:47 am (UTC)(link)
as usuall I'll have to be careful not to try too much.

Maybe you should start the year working on this - needs improvement.

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 08:37 am (UTC)(link)
Ha! True that, it's not even the new year and I'm making plans.

[identity profile] laura-seabrook.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I still have a copy of The Creature that Are Sheboygan. Got it around the same time I bought the TRS-80 version of Crush Crumble Chomp.

[identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com 2012-12-27 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh gosh, Crush Crumble Chomp, I remember that. Pretty basic (pun not intended), but set the grounds for Rampage!.