You probably don’t know this about me, you probably don’t care, but I don’t like gangster movies. I’m not saying I think gangster movies are bad movies at all and I really shouldn’t have to say that either. It’s just my simple opinion, which is generally meaningless in the sea of opinionated blogs.

Now if I said I’ve never watched the Godfather and really am not bother to do so, what do you think now? I mean, I said I don’t like gangster movies, but now we’re talking about the Godfather. A modern classic. I said I didn’t like gangster movies, I’m not interested in them. You probably think I’m weird but hope you would leave at that. My tastes do not mean the Godfather is a bad movie, I suspect it’s great movie. And certainly Francis Ford Coppola wouldn’t give a crap about my online opinion. (BTW I loved Apocalypse Now).

I generally try to keep the inflammatory stuff to a minimum, I don’t have the energy to exercise on flames and trolls and it does tend to burn my sanity. And if possible, forget about it and move on. Patrick of SinisterForces blog decided to post about it and forget that way. Each to his own. But which provoked me to write this post…

Part of what he’s complaining about was because of the reaction his blog post and  my comment on it caused. Both of us were just sharing our tastes, not criticising any particular product or the people who make them. I think Patrick got the brunt of the mini-twitter-shit-storm, simply because he was online at the time. I was sick in bed and only got it hours later, where it seemed to have already burned itself out. I made the mistake of reading back through it when I did get back online and it didn’t make me happy. Normally I just “walk away” as defending or justifying yourself and throwing accusations only makes the matter worse and lowers you. And really, in the big picture, it’s only a blip. But it’s hard to hold back or divert the web-fury anger that this sort of thing creates.

All I can say is, please remember that the internet is a public place and saying something in a public forum like a blog or the comments on a blog, or on twitter etc. can be read by anyone. I’ve certainly learned this, because I thought only Patrick and few others would have read my comment. It again has re-enforced the idea that you have to be careful what you say. I don’t hold anyone to blame or have any grudges against anyone (and hope the same is true of anyone that knows me). But sadly, it adds a few things to the list of things I won’t enter into discussion of when online. In the end it’s destructive to the (roleplaying) hobby.

(For those who need a little context, here is the original blog post on sinisterforces.com, my comment is still there for the moment: Why Haven’t I Bought The Dresden Files RPG Yet?).

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I don’t particularly won’t to post to complain about being sick. I’m not bad or in a dangerous condition, but I’ve been hit by a continual stream of colds, flus and infections this winter. I’m genuinely frustrated by it and it’s been the whole family, not just me. This recent one I got from my young son and the two of us have been at home all week till today and last week was certainly no picnic.

So if I haven’t responded to comments or emails, please understand. I will get through the backlog in time.

I haven’t been able to do much work on any of my projects including TDO Mini Forms and Lost Heroes, my drawings, gaming or even spend time just reading. I have been just about keeping up on my TV watching (for another post I think). So apologise for my invisibility over the last week. I’m hoping, with the sun showing in the clouds more and more, I’ll be able to get back into things quickly.

Best of health to everyone!

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How strange my mind-body works. Last week I got a bit of tummy bug involving fever and running to the toilet a lot. So over 4 days I reduced my diet to lots of water and just dry food in the hopes of starving off the bug. By Sunday evening I was starting to eat a normal meal again. I still reduced the amount of dairy stuff I was eating till Wednesday or so. But a weird thing happened when I started back using dairy again: I don’t like tea any more. 

If you know me, you know I drink copious amounts of tea. In work, I regularly drink four to six very large mugs of tea during the day and I continue that rate into the evening too. But now, when I drink tea I don’t like it. I only sip it a bit, nearly out of just habit. The reason is that the taste of milk in my tea is overpowering, and not that particularly nice. Before I got sick I didn’t notice it at all, but now I find it awful. And I’m not sure I like tea without milk! What is strange is that I have no problem with milk in my breakfast cereals or cream on my pasta. Just in tea.

It’s really odd experience. For example in the evening after dinner I have a craving for a nice cup of tea and relax on the sofa  while the kids are finally in bed. However I hold back, remembering the taste of milk, but still having that carving, but nothing to fill it. It leaves me a bit restless, not sure how to fulfil the craving. Most of the time I just go and relax anyway and forget about it. 

Luckily though I beating back my new found aversion by just regular cups of tea over the course of the day. The taste of milk is still quite powerful but it’s getting less.

I could read in this some depressing thought about humans (i.e. me) are just creatures of habit and we don’t really change, but who cares. I need my little drop of caffeine okay?

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One of the many “joys” of having kids is the family-communal-getting-sick-together weekends.

Kids get sick. It’s part of growing up, builds up their immunity. It is even more common if your kids are in creche or school as they’ll get sick “6 or 7 times in the year” (as our Doctor once told us) as they’ll pick up what ever is going from all their little friends.

What’s worse is, if they get it, you the parent will probably get it too and their siblings will as well. Which is what of course happened to us last weekend. Tristan (our six month old baby) got sick on the Thursday. Friday night and Saturday I was sick. Saturday night Alice (our 3 and bit year old daughter) got sick and on Sunday Sophie (my wife) felt off and today she’s out of work sick. Great weekend!

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