"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Aw Feck Mark - nae good to hear that. In Scotia we're currently in the eye of the $hit storm (so to speak) - tens of thousands of jobs have went.
We're a relatively small local office of a larger entity, but over the last 6 months we've dropped from 30 employees to 20 here in Aberdeen. Our parent in Norway are starting to wield the hatchet over there also...
I'm one of the lucky ones who had to reapply for my job and go it... tough times tho' - fingers crossed you ride out the bad spell matey.
Dingus Mack |
That's tough. World economy is not good...
I've switched jobs recently due to some inefficient management, and may have fallen from the frying pan into the fire.
Still employed and making ends meet however, so not much to complain about.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
Now I'm feeling a little guilty, as my job is going pretty well. Between that, getting my daughter out of the house and established at a real job, and my son deciding to go for a two-year degree at the local community college instead of a four-year degree at someplace expensive, we're in good shape.
Of course, the US elections could change the job front drastically; at least one of the leading presidential candidates on one side of things has expressed a desire to eliminate the department that funds where I work, and that might make things difficult.
Dibbets |
Don't feel guilty man - no worries whatsoever. One of the relatively good things is that this was a loooooooong time coming - so it's not as much of a surprise as it would've been if I was in the first cut or so. Massive advantage for us is that we're completely debt free - so we've got some flexibility about how we move forward and around.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
+1 on Dibb's mindset. Have survived this far and am also debt free, so if was unlucky enough to be made redundant then we'd survive - I'd become a haggis wrangler or some such.
Am still gutted for ye Mark... but I don't begrudge anyone else either - oil and gas has been living the good life for a LONG time and like previous slumps its part of the life cycle... industry will lean down, then recover, then being the slow bloat once again.
Just a case of waiting it out and seeing where the chips fall.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
That was something I was told about consultancy, though it was in another field--do this and you'll make more money than you thought possible. Don't spend any of it until your house is paid off and you've got at least a year's salary banked, because otherwise when things dry up (as they will, from time to time) you'll be in a world of hurt.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
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So the Deutsche Post brought me a little package today, and I gotta say. ..
Feck me, mate, that is an awesome design! Thank you, sir, and I will wear it proudly.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Hehe. Pleasure's all mine. So chuffed you like it mate!
Hoping once we all get our shirts perhaps some pics are in order... but we'll keep the pictorial evidence until everyone has got theirs :)
Aye the design was a labour of love betwixt me and the artist... we're all in there... (he said cryptically ;)
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Glad you like it mate - wanted it to be special.
2/4 happy customers thus far. I'm stoked :)
Even told my artist mate to make it a Fer De Lance... so Richard is proudly present ;)
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
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It worked out--that way, the Cap'n gets the first and 10,001st posts. Not sure what's going on, though, only that we're a long way from "Freeport. Mid-Sarenith. Dusk."
Cap'n Voodoo |
Not sure what's going on, though, only that we're a long way from "Freeport. Mid-Sarenith. Dusk."
Well, I do like to keep y'all guessing. ; )
Jungles have not been friendly terrain. Always filled with some variety of damn dirty ape.
Speaking of which, Do remember that you can burn off IPs in the form of Madness at the start of combat and Kaul's survival check was overstated: mod should currently be +6-3, I believe.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Well spotted O' Eagle Eyed Overlord lol.
Seems to me most environments we end up in ain't too friendly :)
On the IP front - reckon Kauly will burn off 4 with a short term madness in our next combat. Happy to leave you to decide what/how that manifests Skipper - or I can roll them bones...
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Shipmates
Just a wee heads up that I’ll be heading over to Dubai from tomorrow for 6 days. Will visiting with family and friends, on what promises to be a tight itinerary. As such am not sure how oft a chance I’ll get to post - so presume it’ll be on the minimal end.
Please bot Kauly while I’m away so I don’t hold up the action - any/all of you has the measure of the brute, although Dibbs is particularly creative in running Kaul in the past lol.
I’m back late Tuesday 16th, so it’ll likely be Wed week afore I’m back in the saddle proper.
Here's hoping I'll find you all suitably attired lol.
Cheers
BD
the Groom |
5 people marked this as a favorite. |
Hello all you crazed water rats! I missed you guys.
Its been a while. It is good to see every one going strong and dealing with their inherent insanity. I meant to check in at the new year, but since then I felt my ears burning. I caught up on the discussion thread and its nice to be remembered fondly, even if only for the Groom's knowledge skills. I am still in a very precarious job situation and am sorry to find Dibs in his situation and so much upheaval surrounding the rest of you. Hope things work out.
I saw the discussion on Tim Powers a bit back and agree as he is one of my favorites as well. And he is one of my inspirations. Along those lines....
Well I took my job and mental health uncertainties a year ago or so, checked out of my timesinks and sat down and wrote a novel. It wasn't the novel I sat down to write, but I like where I ended up. My elevator pitch is its a retelling of Cuculain in the American Old West as told by Hayao Miyazaki (think Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke). SO it is basically a historical fantasy western. It seems to be good timing as westerns and steampunk westerns are on the rise. I am in the editing and polishing phase now and hope to have it out to agents in the spring. I don't want to give too many details on an open internet site but you can message me if you want more details or if you want to help by taking a read through and giving criticism where needed.
I look forward to catching up on the groups' exploits since I disappeared in the game thread. With the Cap'n's permission I would like to linger here a share a few good laughs with you guys. This is the first I put my head above water of late and thought of saying 'Hi' here first.
Dave
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Good to see you're still alive and kicking, mate! Looking forward to the book--I'm a pretty fair amateur copy editor, if you want to send it my way. Hopefully you can find a buyer for it in short order.
We mostly got our sanity back after a previous rumble in the jungle. It was quite something when Kaul had gone off to be the coconut's high priest and eventual sacrifice, Jim was amotivational, and I think Dingus was megalomaniacal. Dibbets, of course, was his usual self. It took a little vision quest to get us back on track. Unfortunately Kaul's and Dingus' heads came unstuck again a little bit ago. (Jim managed to avoid that particular fate...this time.) Anyway, you'll see. We're still having a great time with the game, notwithstanding the fact that we haven't gotten a ship of our own. Someday, though.
ETA: Personal email is jbwoodford@yahoo.com.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
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Welcome back Groomy :) Good to see you again mate.
See now I feel bad as I've sent out a passel of bespoke t-shirts and reckon you at least deserve one :)
Congrats on the novel - if I may offer my services in any way (before Oil & Gas recalled me I did Publishing and Communications at Uni and was a College tutor for many years). Like all of the crew think I've a decent command of the old typographical skills, so if you'd like some input on the proofing front I'd be more than game.
Personal email is garyhilton99@hotmail.com
Damn its good to hear from you - truly.
Cheers
Gary aka Black Dow aka Kauly
Cap'n Voodoo |
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BIG WELCOME BACK, GROOM! Glad to hear you're well and being productive. Congratulations on the novel! I've had visions of The Tain as a western musical so if that's where you're going, I heartily approve ; ) Even if that's not quite YOUR vision, I'd love to see it and offer my thoughts for what they're worth. Very exciting!
You are of course, welcome to rejoin in whatever capacity you wish. I'm sure we'd all love to know what the Groom has been doing. I have had a couple of ideas in the future with the whole crew united in a grand Besmaran Armada...
These clowns will have to get a boat first though. Perhaps it will happen soon. It's not like they've never pirated a boat before- there was that goblin raft that served for a short inter-island voyage, I recall.
Enjoy the read! Dibbets was working up a compilation at one point. He should get back on it because the thread is only getting longer ; )
the Groom |
Thanks guys! I have truly missed this...meaning you guys and your perspectives. I really enjoy knowing I have friends all around this planet.
The site is telling me I have 3,543 posts to catch up on. I look forward to it.
The book isn't quite "Paint your Wagon" but I look forward to subsequent adaptations....well, now I got THAT in my head.
Dibbets |
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Hey there Groom! Good to hear that you're still chugging along and managed to finish the novel you'd focused on. I'd offer to proofread for ye, but ye've a couple of offers already and I'm a wee mite distracted by impending potential country changing moves.
Kauly - I still owe Groom a deck and leather bag from when I sent out the pirate cards as well!
I was indeed working on a compilation... but would have to rebuild it after losing my USB stick a good while back. At least the root document is saved here and following.
Given I've a plethora of spare time in the next few months - might be I pick it back up ;)
Hang around indeed Meowzebub - you've been missed.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
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Hey Meowz - as Mark said you've been missed my friend... (Muli is still one of my all time fave characters created on these boards)
That being said, if I'm lucky enough to cast beadies on this mighty manuscript I trust they'll be mention of the following posse:
Dances Naked With Snakes: an eccentric Apache shaman and his snake totem Peyote
James "Mountain Man" Patterson: daring frontiersman and former cavalry officer.
Coyote Caul: Scots-Mexican scout and his 45's Bess and Mara
Vittles: The cantankerous cow poke who packs a Sharps Big 50.
The Captain: Enigmatic fez wearing circus monkey, who leads our posse on a merry dance ;)
the Groom |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I enjoy Muli immensely as well. I always thought shapeshifting was handled a little too cleanly in Pathfinder. Muli is the resort of brute forcing transformations that leave his mind littered with little pieces from each change.
Hey Meowz - as Mark said you've been missed my friend... (Muli is still one of my all time fave characters created on these boards)
That being said, if I'm lucky enough to cast beadies on this mighty manuscript I trust they'll be mention of the following posse:
Dances Naked With Snakes: an eccentric Apache shaman and his snake totem Peyote
James "Mountain Man" Patterson: daring frontiersman and former cavalry officer.
Coyote Caul: Scots-Mexican scout and his 45's Bess and Mara
Vittles: The cantankerous cow poke who packs a Sharps Big 50.
The Captain: Enigmatic fez wearing circus monkey, who leads our posse on a merry dance ;)
You left off the Reckoner: the Apocalyptic preacher who was staked out and left to die in the sun...it didn't take.
I love it. Some of these are not too far off the mark. I have a bear shaman. There is a snake totem of sorts but the hero doesn't learn its name in book one...well he does now <yoink>. And he does meet a circus of sorts, could there be a be-fezzed monkey? Either way, now I want to play this!
the Groom |
I'm going to be at a (non-gaming) con this weekend, and since the hotel charges for internet access I won't be able to post much (if at all).
I can never understand this. The ritzier the hotel the more they pull this b$!++!@$. Where is that $100+ a night going that they can't afford internet? Stay at a Motel 6 and you can text allnight, including to the police when druggies invite themselves into your room.*
*Happened in Albuquerque a couple a months back. An ex CNN news woman and her husband. Husband comes out of bathromm and finds wife at gun point. Tries to talk the guy down, wife gets to suitcase, grabs two guns, throws one gun to husband, bullets fly. Husband takes three bullets and lives. Druggie took a few more and didn't. Luckily Motel 6 left the light on.
**I am surprised these two haven't appeared on a reality show yet.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
It's the hotels that cater to the business trade that do it most often. From their perspective it kind of makes sense, I guess--the customer is just going to put it onto their expense account, so who cares? It's not *real* money.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Hail shipmates - am back from my stint in the Sand. Glasgow welcomed me with a bout of food poisoning which laid me low yesterday.
Am now trying to rehydrate and catch up with the numerous posts in the numerous games... starting here of course.
Glad most have got their swag... Cap'n hopefully it'll arrive soon :)
Dibbs - did you notice the wee tip o' the nod to yer Lord O' Indifference on your representation :)
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Huzzah! All swag delivered and all parties more than happy. Am stoked :)
Glad you like it Skipper - wanted the pirate monkey skull to be my tip to your good self, with everyone else's signature weapons appearing (and Richard o' course). For the 20K I'll re-release it as a "tour shirt" and Jimmer's rapier will be suitably lightening-y.
There's a wee leaf of Gozrah on Dibb's boomstick's plate ;)
Dibbets |
Just a short note with apologies - I've not been in a happy headspace (well that plus busy with real life events over the weekend) for a while which has made it difficult to get into character. Hopefully on the mental mend and will be back into it sharpish, but a bit of patience is appreciated.
Note: Nothing major major, just a passing melancholy.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
I hear you there--in my case it's familial, as we just had to move my mom into a memory care facility. At least she's happier with the new place, but it's been really stressful, and I haven't had the spoons to deal with the games I'm running.
Dingus Mack |
I think it's a general World Wide Middle Class Miasma. Same thing on this end... just can't seem to get ahead, or have enough time to do what's necessary, much less what's fun.
Hopefully this time will spawn a creative, and social outburst like it did last time we were in this situation... The 70's