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2013-05-20 10:19:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Hmm ... not a good score, but better than I expected

2013-05-19 17:38:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Revolutions - Day 139

The only picture I got today is my dinner, chicken chow mein. Hopefully after I've taken a picture, I'll be able to remember to stir it next time. The other meals in this range have the exact same cooking instructions ... but this seems to be the only one where stirring half way through actually matters.

I've also written an "alternate ending" for Second Hand Heart ... it can go after the existing ending (chapters J-Q-K), or instead of it. I'm going to call it "Joker", I think.

I managed to walk 10.7 miles today, and got my Ingress AP up to 1144449. Not such a bad score :-) Starting to get impatient waiting for my email to come back online; it's been 3 weeks now, I think.

#Resolved2013

2013-05-18 21:58:22 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 138

Hello world! This morning I was so tired; and this evening completely shattered. I walked 7 miles, though, bringing my total for #EowynChallenge up to 2988.2 miles in 500 days ... so close to 6 miles per day, but not quite.

Photo wise, I've got Tigger (mascot for a gathering of friends), and a hole in my coat ... guess I need to try not carrying a bag, but then, how does that work? The damage seems to line up with my belt loops, but I think it must be the weight of my bag causing it.

Wrote up a little chunk of Thin Blue Line episode guide this morning, as well as a bit of history for the Wake of Dragons RPG. And chapter J of Second Hand Heart is online today; wonder if I'll get a review this time.

#Resolved2013

2013-05-18 15:27:06 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-18 11:58:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

[O Setting/plot]
A brief history of time

As always, comments much welcome. This is about the history of the world known as Nibiru, but the history that PC's have been taught isn't correct, so I'm treating this as a spoiler-filled post. If you want to comment (and please do, especially if you can see a problem that needs fixing), please comment on this post, not on a reshare that potential players might stumble across.

That said ... some history. First, the history as it is known. This is wrong:

At irregular intervals, the tiny planet Nibiru is thrown out of its orbit when the outer (giant) planets come into conjunction. It then spends 602 years arcing back towards the star through a really, really wide orbit where only advanced technology keeps the inhabitants from freezing to death. This is called the "Long Winter"; the time of warmth when... more »

2013-05-18 11:06:33 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-17 22:23:37 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Recolouring - Day 137

I've not done much today; barely walked 7 miles, and written like 2 paragraphs on the Thin Blue Line episode guide.

I did, however, get my hair dyed and take a few photos of it :-)

#Resolved2013

2013-05-17 17:26:51 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

A plan for sunday?

Anyone else here go #Geohashing ?

2013-05-16 22:47:18 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 136

A couple of decent pictures; just over 10 miles today. Wrote up some notes for this week's Thin Blue Line, but didn't manage to write up last week's in time. I managed to make some notes, though, so hopefully this time it should be a bit easier to do.

I renewed a library book, too. First time I've had to do that.

The picture of the spider didn't work; the 'milepost' thing is interesting (photographed a whole 2 minutes after a guy with a paintbrush left; I think its interesting to see something like that when it's new. Apparently there's going to be a set of them.

Umm ... what else have I got to do today?

#resolved2013  

2013-05-16 12:19:48 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Modern RPG Map ~ Help please?

Hey folks!
I've looked into a lot of maps from people like Dramascape (who have some really nice maps, but unfortunately not what I'm after). And it turns out that most mapping sites (both free and commercial) are especially hard to browse on mobile. So maybe I can ask for some help? I'm happy to offer some compensation if you can find what I'm after (preferably quickly, as I may end up running this encounter tonight).

I need a map or plan of a donut shop or small cafe, suitable for printing off and using in a tabletop RPG. We'll probably have a fight going on, so I want to keep track of who is where. Its probably a small place, in a city centre. There's a back room which is occasionally used by small groups for private meetings. The office upstairs has been converted into a tiny flat where the manager's cousin... more »

2013-05-16 12:16:22 (0 comments, 3 reshares, 0 +1s)

Modern RPG Map ~ Help please?

Hey folks!
I've looked into a lot of maps from people like Dramascape (who have some really nice maps, but unfortunately not what I'm after). And it turns out that most mapping sites (both free and commercial) are especially hard to browse on mobile. So maybe I can ask for some help? I'm happy to offer some compensation if you can find what I'm after (preferably quickly, as I may end up running this encounter tonight).

I need a map or plan of a donut shop or small cafe, suitable for printing off and using in a tabletop RPG. We'll probably have a fight going on, so I want to keep track of who is where. Its probably a small place, in a city centre. There's a back room which is occasionally used by small groups for private meetings. The office upstairs has been converted into a tiny flat where the manager's cousin... more »

2013-05-16 01:43:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Bleh ... up again, can't sleep.

Fell asleep almost as soon as I got home, got maybe a couple of hours, now I'm wide awake. What do you do?

Well, I'm watching Breaking Bad.

2013-05-16 00:47:57 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

An odd thought ... I created a page, +Wake of Dragons, so that I can share in public, be able to bounce ideas off people, but not make planning-stage spoilers visible to people who might play my game in autumn.

The page got one person following it (thank you!), but I notice I got 6 +1's on it already. I'm noy sure what that means ... 5 people who like the idea of me sharing my plans, but don't actually want to see them?

2013-05-15 18:47:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 135

Good day today; meeting up for lunch with a friend I haven't seen in a while. This evening I just feel empty, though, can't seem to manage any emotion. I'm going to try reading for a bit, see if that helps any. G'night folks.

I've written up a bit of the plot for +Wake of Dragons, and done a few lines on the recap script for The Thin Blue Line, but that's about all I've managed today. Even this photo of some interesting cloud formations didn't come out too well, and I've barely walked 7 miles after all the bits lost because Endomondo kept crashing.

Lunch today was a steak and kidney pudding and chips (with extra chips), and dinner was duck in plum sauce. At least I hit my Calorie targets.

#Resolved2013  

2013-05-15 10:28:38 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

[O plot]
The Princess and the Necromancer

OK ... A little more thought about the events at Never Again during the intro chapter. There's a few different ways this could go.

The Healer - first meeting Says he is one of the original 11 mages who were destined to guide the BASS towards acheiving their destiny. Once the BASS gained free will, some of them rebelled against the mages, who sought sanctuary at the Shrine of Ages.

The Healer and The Immortal Princess (aka The Witch) were thrown out of the shrine for a union which wasn't foretold. But for love, everything's OK, right? The Witch is cursed so she can't set foot on the ground; the two are also bound together, and their immortality was made dependant on them being close together.

The Offer: The Healer wants to leave the mine. If the party have an airship, he believes this will... more »

2013-05-14 22:45:01 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Hi-hi roleplaying peeps.

Could use a little more feedback here. Basically, this is the summary of the last few weeks of my regular campaign. Can someone please tell me if I'm giving them enough clues? (specifically on episodes 8-10) Their current deduction is that either Devon or Chatburn is the monster. (Devon because he hates Erikssen, and Chatburn because they assume he's in an S&M relationship with Cristos, and is therefore violent and prone to turn into an alien monster)

I find it very hard to judge if I'm being too obvious or too subtle, so a second opinion would be a great help.

2013-05-14 21:31:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 134

Still no email :(

Wrote a fair few words on Training Day, and tried to catch up with the Thin Blue Line episode guide; sent in chapter J of Second Hand Heart for release next weekend. Hard to believe that's nearly finished now.

Only walked 9 miles, and some of that doesn't count for earndit because my phone's battery went completely flat and switched off. Seems the couple of hours at 1% can no longer be relied on.

Photos ... a reserved chair (?), a slightly rain-damaged book (oh yes ... I read another chapter of Blue Death this morning), and one tree that dares to be different.

Lunch was a couple of sausage rolls and a vegetable soup; dinner from Subway for a change, a 12" teriyaki chicken.

#Resolved2013  

2013-05-14 19:38:54 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-14 15:26:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-14 13:43:24 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

[O Plot]
How should I do this, then? I'm hoping somebody can look over my story and tell me if there's any obvious flaws. But I'm not sure if I should start at the beginning in gameplay order, or story order.

The opening chapter

It's a time of ice. When the outer planets converge, their gravity rips little Nibiru out of its orbit, sending it on a 600-year voyage far from the sun. But mankind finds a way; people survive. The year is 42-611, towards the end of the 42nd long winter since records began. In a year and a half, 42-612 will roll over to 43-01, the beginning of a new golden age. Then, we will have somewhere between 4 and 12 years to amass resources to see our civilisation through the next winter.

In 42-589, a genius inventor Jules Carillion created a Temperate Field; a smaller version of the ancient field which protects the city of... more »

2013-05-13 21:42:03 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 133

Not so much writing done today; but I managed to walk 14.4 miles. Also makes Lancaster all blue on #Ingress ... Just cleaning up the last few enlightened portals (unless I missed one)

Finished reading The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey, and started on Blue Death, by Joan Brady. Not got into it far enough to give a real opinion yet, though.

Had a baked potato, cheese and beans for lunch, followed by a mixed berry muffin. Dinner was a steak and kidney pudding, chips and peas.

Photos include a few of the weather; you wouldn't believe it was raining, from the colour of the sky. Also an interesting sugar bowl; they must get through a lot of syrup to have collected a dozen of those.

#Resolved2013

2013-05-13 21:25:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-13 13:41:08 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-12 20:11:37 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - 132

I've done a bit of reading today, and walked 7.6 miles (bringing my total up to a nice round 1331 for the year). Very little writing, and just a couple of photos (Some trees, apparently part of an experiment, and a tiny brook squeezed in between rows of houses ... I wonder what you'd see if you could walk down it)

Lunch was chicken soup today, and a (microwave meal) red Thai chicken curry for dinner. Not as much as I should be eating, but better than nothing.

#Resolved2013  

2013-05-12 16:16:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-12 12:57:39 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-11 21:34:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 131

Not such a bad day. 13 miles of walking, and a lot of #Ingress  activity (adding on 47k AP to my total; half way to level 8 now). I did some writing this morning, finishing Second Hand Heart with 1007 additional words on chapter K. And then this afternoon, I put another few hundred words on the Thin Blue Line episode guide, and this evening chapter 10 of Second Hand Heart went live.

For photos, I've got an unusually stripy latte, and some blue sky coming into view, pushing today's grey clouds away.

Lunch today was a jacket potato with cheese and beans; quite a big one, in fact. And for dinner I had ham, egg and chips because I was still in town.

#Resolved2013  

How did everyone else's day go?

2013-05-11 20:10:31 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-11 19:37:51 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-11 13:03:17 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-11 08:23:38 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Oh, wonderful. Can you spot the problem?

2013-05-10 19:24:24 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 130

16 miles today is probably my biggest achievement, though my total for the month is still only 81. Also, spent quite a lot of time wandering around town taking down green fields. This afternoon, watched Iron Man 3 at the cinema. Pretty cool, though I suspect some old-school fans won't like it so much.

Lunch today was a quiche thing, but they seemed to have run out of plates. For dinner, I just had nachos because I was at the cinema, so I might have a bigger supper. A bit behind on the reading and writing, though, I just never got around to it.

Some pictures from the university, I see they're doing more building work. And I don't think I've ever seen a teapot like that before.

#Resolved2013

2013-05-09 22:33:38 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 129 (Smells prime, but I can't be bothered checking)

Wrote 904 words today, catching up on Second Hand Heart Chapter Q. Nearly finished, and it'll probably be the largest thing I ever completed. My words since Camp Nano started is 19601 now. I might actually hit my 20k target, if a couple of weeks late. I also wrote up a dream from last night, which should be just below this one if you want to see it.

As far as photos go, I've got a freshly planted sign, and a dead umbrella. I've seen a fair few people in films get mad at their umbrellas, but never seen it happen in real life before. Guess its one of those things that really happens.

I've walked a little over 6 miles I think; past half way to Rivendell now, so I call that a success.

As far as diet goes, I had potato and leek soup for lunch at the... more »

2013-05-09 10:24:14 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

I had a weird dream last night. So ... dream diary time.

I won the lottery, and decided that rather than indulgin my every whim, I was going to emulate Lord Ashton and be a job creator. I bought a massive chunk of land including disused factories and a country manor (unmaintained for nearly a century, buried in weeds). Then hired a thousand local unemployed people, and a hundred qualified landscapers to turn it into a twelve-acre parkland, with zones immitating the gardening fashions in different countries at the turn of the 18th century.

Outside the manor, though, I decided to be a bit silly. I created in the old courtyard a massive wrought-iron sculpture, designed to look weathered. I even had a tree imported (massive truck, roots and all) which had grown around a couple of fenceposts, and made the bars part of the sculpture. A commemorative plaque dedicated the sculpture as... more »

2013-05-09 10:20:22 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

I had a weird dream last night. So ... dream diary time.

I won the lottery, and decided that rather than indulgin my every whim, I was going to emulate Lord Ashton and be a job creator. I bought a massive chunk of land including disused factories and a country manor (unmaintained for nearly a century, buried in weeds). Then hired a thousand local unemployed people, and a hundred qualified landscapers to turn it into a twelve-acre parkland, with zones immitating the gardening fashions in different countries at the turn of the 18th century.

Outside the manor, though, I decided to be a bit silly. I created in the old courtyard a massive wrought-iron sculpture, designed to look weathered. I even had a tree imported (massive truck, roots and all) which had grown around a couple of fenceposts, and made the bars part of the sculpture. A commemorative plaque dedicated the sculpture as... more »

2013-05-08 22:48:28 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This year's resolutions - day 10000000

I did a fair bit of writing today, nearly caught up with the Thin Blue Line episode guide. And to push me onwards, I got an email from someone who read the bits of Second Hand Heart I published so far. I really need to finish chapter Q, if not K too, by this time next week.

Walking let me down a bit; I only managed a couple of miles, and half of that got dropped when Endomondo crashed (I didn't notice until I was nearly home that it wasn't running). Saw some nice flowers on the way, though, guess summer's on the way at last, and got a few pictures (including a street lamp that seems to have its own cloud moustache, in an otherwise blue sky)

#Resolved2013

2013-05-08 19:44:45 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Trying out the streaming movie rental thing on my TV. First movie free, fair enough. After that, £3.49 for something you can watch as often as you want for 24 hours.

How is this cost justified? You can buy a DVD for less than that. I can't help wondering what proportion of that is profit; there can't be too much cost in video streaming, can there?

2013-05-07 19:51:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-07 19:45:16 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 127

I've done some more planning for Wake of Dragons; and added about 400 words to Second Hand Heart chapter J. I was re-reading chapter 10 to make sure there were no typos (because I submitted it today), and in the process noticed that the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next jar slightly. Fixing this added words. So now 10 is submitted, and I actually wrote words today!

Also walked 5.3 miles, which is way under target. Might nip to the shop in a minute and get myself a bottle of ale for supper.

No new photos, sadly :(
... wait, I know I uploaded a photo today, because I shared it to one of my writing communities. Ah, here it is! I can reshare, but I can't post the photo. Also, not quite sure if a photo of what I've written should count towards the photography challenge or not. What do you... more »

2013-05-07 17:17:02 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-06 20:13:13 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 126

Still no email :S
Didn't get out so early this morning because my blood sugar was 2.3. Managed 11 miles this afternoon, but heat pushed me back from attempting the walk I'd intended.

Very little writing, but I did a bit more planning for Wake of Dragons.
Umm ... think that's about all I've managed

#Resolved2013  

2013-05-06 19:34:43 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-06 14:20:20 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-06 10:45:40 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-12 00:11:15 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

This Year's Resolutions - Day 5x5x5

Some interesting photos today. Experimenting with the light and colour balance settings on my phone during twilight hours; for some reason the Aston appears yellow on every setting except "fluorescent"; but that makes the sky go really bright, when it wasn't.
Also, did some more work on Wake of Dragons and took a couple of pictures of it; and one pic of a rather worn looking streetlamp; how long do you think that'll stay up before the rust wins?

Managed to walk 6 miles I think, but Endomondo crashed a load more than normal.

A happy day today, as our TV came back having been repaired. But half a day waiting left me feeling a little rushed even though I hardly did anything this afternoon.

A whole week without email ... I wouldn't have expected to manage that.

#Resolved2013  

2013-05-05 20:21:51 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-05 16:23:49 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

2013-05-12 00:10:57 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Wake of Dragons
I think I missed uploading some of these photos the other day.

Is there anyone who'd be willing to help me check over my ideas to be sure they make sense before I run this game? It's Final Fantasy inspired tabletop roleplaying.

2013-05-05 09:06:11 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

First time I've been here for food; service is good :)

2013-05-05 07:56:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

Yesterday's Resolutions - Day 124

Oops, I forgot again.
Well, yesterday I managed to walk just over 6 miles (mostly due to going to put money on the electricity meter after I'd got home), and walked around town a bit trying to find a cafe where I can sit and write; but everywhere was full, so I ended up coming home and doing myself a duck in plum sauce.

Some photos; a tree in Fenham Carr, I wonder what that'll look like later in the year. And apparently the cricket season started or something; I'm experimenting a bit with cropping images. What do you think?

#Resolved2013