Pub meets, camouflage and beer
Sad things a chap can do: thanks to some enterprising chaps on Airsoft Community, I now have databases of UK airsoft skirmish sites and retailers as Points of Interest uploaded to my GPS. Yep, no matter where I am in this country, I shall always know the nearest place I can buy an airsoft gun...
Saturday: pub meet at the Shakespeare Head. Headed in via Lawrence Corner but didn't stay long once I'd established they'd be open the next day as I was meeting Pat to go to the Imperial War Museum and knew he'd want to swing by.
Usual pleasantly geeky day, Liz did indeed make an appearance. Her progress towards the Dark Side is most impressive even if she still thinks the Star Wars exhibition is still too uber-geeky for her! Thanks to a hot tip from miniosiris, I also took a side trip to the Cinema Store to pick up a set of Cybermen head cuff links. They're definitely dress-down Friday cufflinks rather than client-facing ones but neat nonetheless. Of course, what I really want is a set with the Tomb of the Cybermen symbol on them (as per icon accompanying this post). Most people disappeared early-ish to get to Sloopy's Birthday party which I would have gone to but, alas, I had arranged to meet Pat the next day.
Also had an appearance by someone who'd never been to one before but had seen a mention of the meets on ladydchaos's MySpace group. Memorable question to me: "Did you wear a Galactica uniform at a Serenity con?" Busted...
Shame (kind of) I almost certainly won't be able to make the next one on 7 April but I now have clearance for crash space in Bristol so I will most likely be off West to see The Men They Couldn't Hang.
Sunday: met Pat at King's Cross then off first to Lawrence Corner for a last day rummage. Ended up with a pair of No. 2 trousers which do actually go beneath my ankles, even if it seems the waist was intended for someone a tad more portly, plus a few other bits and pieces for my Brigadier outfit. One funny thing: one of the staff there warned me to be careful with my Chinese army coat, in case someone tried to buy or sell it while I was trying stuff on!
Next, on to the Imperial War Museum for the camouflage exhibition. Pretty interesting stuff e.g. discovering the initial effort for the development of modern camouflage came from French cubist artists to conceal troop positions and movements from aerial observation. It covered off pretty much everything I expected, including Nintendoflage (MARPAT and ACU but no CADPAT though) and finished off with an unxpected but interesting section on the impact of camouflage on society in general e.g. fashion. Bit short though so we had a good wander round the rest of the general exhibits. One thing we couldn't figure out though: what's with the parachuting dog at the entrance? No description panel, alas...
Edit: Photos here
Spent today at the Hammersmith office, mainly to pick up my pass but it still doesn't let me in due to a fault in the comms link to Germany where the database of authorised passes allegedly lives. Nice bunch of people and, must admit, I do miss having people to talk to during the day - might have to spend more time there even if, at the moment, I can get an Internet connection from the network but can't access any of the printers.
Then, this evening, met Neil and Kate for beers at Ben Crouch's this evening. Sad realisation: since Poly went into suspension, not having a hall to fence in and all that, it'd been a long time since we'd all met up. Still, a nice relaxing evening.
Things to do: having already read the copy of God Loves, Man Kills I passed her on Saturday, Liz has enquired if Chris Claremont is Jewish because of the themes of Kitty's and Magneto's backgrounds and the threat to mutants parallel to the Holocaust. Must admit, I'd never really thought about it. Oh well, something to look up when I'm a bit less pissed (unless anyone here knows offhand)... Likewise for watching the BSG season finale...
Saturday: pub meet at the Shakespeare Head. Headed in via Lawrence Corner but didn't stay long once I'd established they'd be open the next day as I was meeting Pat to go to the Imperial War Museum and knew he'd want to swing by.
Usual pleasantly geeky day, Liz did indeed make an appearance. Her progress towards the Dark Side is most impressive even if she still thinks the Star Wars exhibition is still too uber-geeky for her! Thanks to a hot tip from miniosiris, I also took a side trip to the Cinema Store to pick up a set of Cybermen head cuff links. They're definitely dress-down Friday cufflinks rather than client-facing ones but neat nonetheless. Of course, what I really want is a set with the Tomb of the Cybermen symbol on them (as per icon accompanying this post). Most people disappeared early-ish to get to Sloopy's Birthday party which I would have gone to but, alas, I had arranged to meet Pat the next day.
Also had an appearance by someone who'd never been to one before but had seen a mention of the meets on ladydchaos's MySpace group. Memorable question to me: "Did you wear a Galactica uniform at a Serenity con?" Busted...
Shame (kind of) I almost certainly won't be able to make the next one on 7 April but I now have clearance for crash space in Bristol so I will most likely be off West to see The Men They Couldn't Hang.
Sunday: met Pat at King's Cross then off first to Lawrence Corner for a last day rummage. Ended up with a pair of No. 2 trousers which do actually go beneath my ankles, even if it seems the waist was intended for someone a tad more portly, plus a few other bits and pieces for my Brigadier outfit. One funny thing: one of the staff there warned me to be careful with my Chinese army coat, in case someone tried to buy or sell it while I was trying stuff on!
Next, on to the Imperial War Museum for the camouflage exhibition. Pretty interesting stuff e.g. discovering the initial effort for the development of modern camouflage came from French cubist artists to conceal troop positions and movements from aerial observation. It covered off pretty much everything I expected, including Nintendoflage (MARPAT and ACU but no CADPAT though) and finished off with an unxpected but interesting section on the impact of camouflage on society in general e.g. fashion. Bit short though so we had a good wander round the rest of the general exhibits. One thing we couldn't figure out though: what's with the parachuting dog at the entrance? No description panel, alas...
Edit: Photos here
Spent today at the Hammersmith office, mainly to pick up my pass but it still doesn't let me in due to a fault in the comms link to Germany where the database of authorised passes allegedly lives. Nice bunch of people and, must admit, I do miss having people to talk to during the day - might have to spend more time there even if, at the moment, I can get an Internet connection from the network but can't access any of the printers.
Then, this evening, met Neil and Kate for beers at Ben Crouch's this evening. Sad realisation: since Poly went into suspension, not having a hall to fence in and all that, it'd been a long time since we'd all met up. Still, a nice relaxing evening.
Things to do: having already read the copy of God Loves, Man Kills I passed her on Saturday, Liz has enquired if Chris Claremont is Jewish because of the themes of Kitty's and Magneto's backgrounds and the threat to mutants parallel to the Holocaust. Must admit, I'd never really thought about it. Oh well, something to look up when I'm a bit less pissed (unless anyone here knows offhand)... Likewise for watching the BSG season finale...