For a while, my laptop’s screen started working again. I took it in to have it checked out, and they cleaned some contacts in hope that it would solve the problem. It did for a while. Buy now, it stopped working again. I guess I need to fork over some cash now to get a new backlight.

Right now I have it hooked up to my TV, but I have to sit too close so I can see the writing. Just not a comfortable way to do this unless I move the couch to within 2 feet of the TV, or set the screen resolution to a bigger size, so I can see the print from across the room. Oh well, I hope to back up the drive tonight and take the machine in tomorrow.

I also finally hooked up a wireless keyboard to the machine. This actually works very well. I’ve had the keyboard/mouse for a long time, I just never bothered to hook it up. I was hoping to be able to sit across the room looking at the TV screen.

I just set the screen to a different resolution, and can almost make out the print from across the room. I could definitely play computer games this way. I just don’t play that many computer games.

Maybe I could use this to watch baseball soon. If my connection speed is still good, I may have to sign up for the MLB package.

Yes, phase one of my getting back into running a regular role playing game has been completed. The group will comeback for more and maybe even complete the journey. I had a wonderful time. My dice rolling was poor, but that helped the group survive for one more day.

This has been a nice weekend. I got to spend some time with my youngest daughter. We were able to tackle our little corgi and get his nails trimmed. He never likes that, so it is an adventure every time. Maybe next week he can have a bath. I don’t think he minds that nearly as much, but he is 27 lbs of compact muscle.

Lots of fun this weekend…

I know they say that the 3rd time is the charm, but tonight is only my second try. I hope that the gamers will be as ready to play as I am to run this little campaign.

I have been thinking about the many years that I’ve been away from actually running a role playing game. The rules have changed, the characters have changed, but the game has really stayed the same. It is all about the story and how the players (characters) interact with that story.

That being the case, will my recent years on stage allow me to tell a better story? Will my years of telling stories to my children allow be to tell a better story? I think I may know the answer..

Back in college, I was really into D&D, a friend talked me into being on stage. I was so nervous that I got physically sick after every performance. I vowed never to go on stage again. Some time between then and 1996/97 things changed. I got a job and a family. The pressure of the job actually gave me the confidence to get up in front of people to give them my ideas. My life and my family depended on me being able to do this, so I did it. The pressure of my family, made me realize that some things were much more important than some feelings of slight humiliation. The family allowed me to be me in all situations. So in 1996/1997 I tried the stage one more time. I must have enjoyed it since I’ve been doing it every year since then….

Now back to gaming. I am now a much more confident person than I was in the early 80’s into the 90’s. I’m not afraid of making a fool of myself. I know I can tell a story or two. My gut feeling is that I will be able to run the game better than I did before. Should be fun.

Yesterday’s post on my foil steamed food made me think of other things with steam. I would guess I’m a fan of Steampunk. From reading Verne and Wells as a child, to watching Wild Wild West when it was on TV, I was always interested in ‘Advanced technology’ in a steam/Victorian setting. I enjoyed the Wild Wild West Movie and League of Extraordinary Gentleman for the same reasons. The old time setting with ‘advanced’ technology.

One of my favorite comics is Girl Genius, and that is Steampunk through and through. And I really would like this computer. If I could work with brass (time/inclination), maybe I could make my own.

This weekend should be a fun one. Friday night game night and Saturday night game night. Two game nights in a row. What more could you ask for?

A few good friends will be gathered at taylhis and old-admin’s (ok, now he needs a new tangent’s name — He doesn’t post enough to be known as “Whatever”.) house and play a variety of games. We never really know what will be played, but it is usually fun. (Note to self, I do not like PIT … 😉 )

Saturday is the night I’m really looking forward to. After almost 20 years of non game running (1 night teaching the game was in there, that is why it is almost), I’m going to be running a Dungeons and Dragons game. I’m really looking forward to it. The prep work is done. The back story ready. The Zombies and the other ‘Undead’ are ready for feasting.

When I started playing D&D back in my college years, the game was almost in its infancy. It and other role-playing games have come a long way from the ‘early’ days. For the first year, I just played. I always let someone else run the game. But our gamemaster was tired of running and just wanted to play. He asked me to run a campaign or two. I really enjoyed doing it. After a while, the group I played with left college and started going our own ways. Some of us still in the area kept playing. 2 or 3 of us shared the game running duties/experience. During this time I liked running the game the best.

We slowly drifted apart as jobs and or family called us here and there. I ran the game for my girls a few times, only the oldest seemed interested. I flitted in and out of other gaming groups for the next 15 or so years. The game changed and new additions/versions were added. With my family, I never kept up with buying the new material. I played the game and let others run it.

Not all that long ago (just over a year ago if memory serves), I started role-playing again with my oldest daughter and her friends. So this Saturday, I’m going to be running the game for the group. I hope my old skill set is still there. Maybe with the 10+ years of acting experience, that skill set has improved. On top of that, there is a little improv. Should be a good weekend….

Ok, I found an empty draft of a post (dated 21-Sept-2009), and I thought I would put something in it. I have no idea what I was thinking of at that point (the draft was empty). So let’s talk about the word draft or draught.

Draft in this case means a rough draught or is that ruff draft or maybe rough draft. Usually a paper or other writing before it has been checked or proof read.

Of course you can feed your draft horses in the drafty barn, drinking draft beer while waiting to be drafted.. Huh? Or maybe you could be a draftsman drawing up plans to determine how close you need to be to get the full effects of drafting while racing for NASCAR. Me, well I could check the draft on the fireplace this winter while setting up a game of draughts to play with my youngest when she comes home. But I really wish someone would make a draft on their bank and send it my way?

More on fun English words at a later date….

I was talking today with my 3rd daughter and her husband about movies I have on VHS tapes. They remarked that they didn’t have a VCR, so they could not watch those movies. I casually remarked that they needed a USB VHS player. I never saw one, and wasn’t even sure if they did make them. Well, I found out that there is at least one company who makes them. So from
the company that brought you the usb turntable and the usb cassette player, ION brings you the VHS 2 PC player. Now you can watch your VHS tapes on your PC. You can also take your home VHS videos and put them on DVD. What more could you want? 😉

I didn’t see the 8-track to PC player. Or BetaTape to PC? Or Edison recording tubes to PC? Sheet Music to PC? Player Piano sheets to PC? OK, I’m getting silly, but what about the 8-track to PC. I had a few not too many years ago. I gave them to someone with a working 8-track player.

I noticed that they have a turntable that goes directly to an Ipod.

They have a 35mm slide to PC scanner and a few other items. Interesting stuff I ever win the lottery.

off the elevator or stairs.

This used to be one of my favorite things to say to people. There were times when it caught them completely by surprise, and other times when the got the joke. I’ve been to the top’s of many tall and natural locations.

So far

A few tall buildings in Toledo Ohio. I started in high school when one of the Toledo buildings had a restaurant near the top.

The Sears Tower in Chicago, when it was Still the Sears Tower

The CN tower in Toronto

The Empire State Building

Pontiac Silver Dome Top row

Tiger Stadium, second deck

The Arch in St Louis

Observation Deck at Niagara Falls

Ash Cave in Hocking Hills State Park Ohio (Jumped over the waterfall at the top of the cave, ok I jumped over the creek that becomes the waterfall.

There are other buildings in other cities, but I can’t recall them the names of all of them. The cities are Detroit Mi, Cleveland OH, Columbus OH, Cincinnati OH, Dayton OH, Ft Wayne IN.

I missed opportunities in California, Florida, Wisconsin, Minnesota. I’m not even sure what tall buildings I missed there. But I did jump off of a pier in Ca. or was that a long walk on a short pier? 😉

Just remembering this evening to have fun with words…

Well this is the start of my 3rd week without children at home, almost. I say almost since my darling youngest daughter has come home the first 2 weekends and will be home the 3rd weekend too. I don’t run around as often, but the drive is a bit farther now. Sure there are good excuses for all of the home trips, so I won’t say too much about that.

I did find it funny/strange all of the young ladies my daughter rooms with have gone home for the first two weekends. I’m kind of glad at that. If I were in that situation, I would hate to be the one left behind on the weekend.

So on to me. What have I done the past two weeks.. Well, same old same old except I was a bit lazy last week. I found a web comic from an artist I enjoyed in my youth, and I’ve been reading his stuff. It may take me a while to catch up. Anyway I was looking for this, but I found this. Years of comic stories too catch up on. It may be something I will need in my personal library, but so far the web comic is ok. On this site I did find the original comics that drew me to the artist. Back in my D&D college days, I remember reading Phil and Dixie on a regular basis. Then the Myth series of books that Phil Foglio illustrated. Such fun memories..

and I was asleep, but I woke to an intense headache. Two aspirin and a glass of milk later, the headache is receding and I’m wide awake. Hmmmm…

Anyway, this reminded me of what I do when sleep eludes me. I like to read and now post in a blog. So why not combine the two.

Just last Sunday, there was a discussion of movies with the main plot being people hunting people. This has occurred in many places, but it always reminds me of a short story I read in my youth. I needed to find that story so I did a quick search of one place I go to find reading material. And I found the story. I’m fairly certain it predates most movies with that theme, if not a lot of other stories. It is on Feedbooks.com so you can read it on your computer or other electronic device. For your pleasure The Most Dangerous Game. Written in 1924, I read this story some time in the late 60’s or early 70’s. I don’t remember what anthology had it, but I do remember reading it more than once. It was a good story then and it holds up well today. I’m going to do more searching to see if this story type had earlier roots.

Speaking of good places to find free books, I found the following sites:
www.feedbooks.com
Project Gutenberg
Google Books

Late night, insomnia hitting? Nothing better than a good story. And now no excuses about cost or making a trip to the library.
Now all I need is a Kindle or some other small electronic reader and I can take them wherever I go. Not as good as a hard copy, but I might be able to get used to it.

I need sleep, but I just saw a story that might be interesting… 😉