Another Day Older And Deeper In Debt
Well, firstly I suspect should apologize for not getting to various meetings with people this weekend. Some like Steph's gathering on Sunday I'm afraid I didn't hear about until afterwards due to being out of web contact for most of the weekend. Others, well...let's start Thursday night...
Picked up seraphs_follyfrom the airport, got checked in to the apartment, and rushed off to TNC.My lady was a hit with the curry goers at our end of the table, though a certain John seemed to think she was either a professional dominatrix or a porn star. Naturally, I failed to disabuse him of this notion.
The guys stole her away from me, and took her to the Kazu yakatori to ply her with umeshu and sake, whilst I tried abortively to get the train passes I had forgotten t leave at home to panda_pitt. Luckily I managed to get her back before the end of the night, though for a while there I thought I might have lost her.
Friday was a day of actual work tidying up my review of a customers code base but seraphs_folly and I got down to Katipo at sometime around 7pm, to find that the kitchen had closed. As my lady had eaten naught but a ginger nut and small sandwich al day, food was a necessity! So we cruised off to Kazu, and had some wonderful butterfly prawns and 'fried chicken stuff', along with the obligatory miso, Sapporo and stuff. No takoyaki this time, Sal doesn't like eating octopi, due to them being very close relatives. (Ducks awe inspiring tenticular attack ).
Back to Katipo before 8pm to find the door locked! So, no Katipo Friday night for us!
Satyrday was Armageddon. Bought a pile of largely new SF books at $2 each. Cheap reading and at that price probably able to be passed on for a profit. Bought eight DVD's for $60. Two more Gundam Seed, two more Wolfs Rain (two to go), second disc of Satoshi Kon's Paranoia Agent, and some other anime. Now have no money until pay day, so had to avoid other purchases.
Found Armageddon a little disappointing, Madman weren't doing any particularly good deals, in fact very few traders seemed to be doing very good deals, except perhaps the Whitcoulls Serenity deal ($15 incuding an entry in the draw for the signed posters). .
Was really only interested in the Claudia Christian and Jewell Staiite talks, though was surprised at the entertainment value of Dr. Flox and his wife.
Ended up following my lady around a lot so completely missed the time when I should have been turning up to the AMV competition display to say hi to people.
Went out in the evening and had a yummy dinner at Strawberry Faire; chicken, cranberry and brie pie, followed by the chocolate madness, which I just couldn't finish. Saw Gyn & san_grail there, out for dinner with the latter's sister.
Cruised round to flat-warming at argentbear's for P, where there was a surprisingly large Christchurch contingent, even larger if you count the ex-Christchurchers, and the honorary Christchurchers, plus some surprising overlaps. Great little party, could have stayed but really wanted to get to at least one of the other parties on that night, so left and found allyn & rivet's new place for the combined birthday flat-warming.
Had a great discussion about Burning Man and other stuff with san_grail, and a Jessica. Looks like its something that will happen. As Rod Stewart's ex-wife used to say, it won't happen today, but it will happen.
T'was a night of picking things up, got pile of loaned books back from argentbear and then my TransMetropolitan collection from allyn. I wasn't drinking, being the driver, so it wasn't a crazy evening from my POV, but it was still surprising when we realized it was 2.00am.
At that point we decided that it was a bit late to turn up at the other potential parties, especially as it would have been another twenty minutes before we could have got to the closest, so sorry threemonkeys and bekitty, we didn't get there.
Sunday was another cruise into Armageddon, where I picked up another ten books, this time for $1 each. I now have four Laurel K. Hamilton vampire novels to read. Cheap reading, and I really should read Laurel's work, seeing as I remember her from way back before she was a famous author and she used to play D&D. Or at least used to dress up in chainmail bikinis; anyway. Presumably to play D&D. Or did I read the initials wrong... nah, White Dwarf wouldn't have acronyms like B&D in it, surely? :)
Of course, it's probably some otherLaurel K. Hamilton who used to do that...
Anyway,,, back to the subject.
Saw Richard Taylor giving his usual spiel. Surely he doesn't still find the idea of working on Hollywood movies so exciting this many years down the track?
Saw cos-players. Landlady from Kung-Fu hustle was impressively funny. asgard, maybe you could get her to MC the show next time, huh? :)
Some impressive costumes, especially red PVC Witch, and .\Hack characters. Black-clad dancer was good to, especially getting the crowd to clap to give her rythym to dance to. Useless at remembering what they were actually representing. Commander Keen was a great idea! Yes, lots of game cos-plays. Wasn't that impressed by the RHPS people, though singing without music like that takes some guts..
Strike Freedom Gundam didn't go on stage!!! Saw awsomeness of cardboard Gundam afterwards.
Dinner Sunday was at Roti Chenai, got the talia. Nice selection of rendangs and curries. Went back and ended up watching most of Last Samurai. Again.
Hmm.. I always have mixed emotions about such films. On the one hand I can't help but admire the dedication and honour of the samurai as portrayed. On the other hand, it's such a stupid thing to do to throw one's life away in such a manner. On the gripping hand I know that in real life samurai were generally far less honourable than the ideal that is portrayed. Still, there is something in such a dedication and ideal of service and sticking to a code that appeals.
I suppose there's a certain amount of comfort in following a strong code, and there is the desire for warfare to be respectable. For death to be an acceptable way out of a difficult situation.
One must remember, however, that it is far harder to keep living. That death, even in battle, is the easy way out, even if it is considered honourable.
I wonder if anyone has done any studies on the lure of martyrdom, why people find it so alluring?
Fell asleep to "The Bone Collector", seems TV these days is only showing old movies they've played many times before.
Picked up seraphs_follyfrom the airport, got checked in to the apartment, and rushed off to TNC.My lady was a hit with the curry goers at our end of the table, though a certain John seemed to think she was either a professional dominatrix or a porn star. Naturally, I failed to disabuse him of this notion.
The guys stole her away from me, and took her to the Kazu yakatori to ply her with umeshu and sake, whilst I tried abortively to get the train passes I had forgotten t leave at home to panda_pitt. Luckily I managed to get her back before the end of the night, though for a while there I thought I might have lost her.
Friday was a day of actual work tidying up my review of a customers code base but seraphs_folly and I got down to Katipo at sometime around 7pm, to find that the kitchen had closed. As my lady had eaten naught but a ginger nut and small sandwich al day, food was a necessity! So we cruised off to Kazu, and had some wonderful butterfly prawns and 'fried chicken stuff', along with the obligatory miso, Sapporo and stuff. No takoyaki this time, Sal doesn't like eating octopi, due to them being very close relatives. (Ducks awe inspiring tenticular attack ).
Back to Katipo before 8pm to find the door locked! So, no Katipo Friday night for us!
Satyrday was Armageddon. Bought a pile of largely new SF books at $2 each. Cheap reading and at that price probably able to be passed on for a profit. Bought eight DVD's for $60. Two more Gundam Seed, two more Wolfs Rain (two to go), second disc of Satoshi Kon's Paranoia Agent, and some other anime. Now have no money until pay day, so had to avoid other purchases.
Found Armageddon a little disappointing, Madman weren't doing any particularly good deals, in fact very few traders seemed to be doing very good deals, except perhaps the Whitcoulls Serenity deal ($15 incuding an entry in the draw for the signed posters). .
Was really only interested in the Claudia Christian and Jewell Staiite talks, though was surprised at the entertainment value of Dr. Flox and his wife.
Ended up following my lady around a lot so completely missed the time when I should have been turning up to the AMV competition display to say hi to people.
Went out in the evening and had a yummy dinner at Strawberry Faire; chicken, cranberry and brie pie, followed by the chocolate madness, which I just couldn't finish. Saw Gyn & san_grail there, out for dinner with the latter's sister.
Cruised round to flat-warming at argentbear's for P, where there was a surprisingly large Christchurch contingent, even larger if you count the ex-Christchurchers, and the honorary Christchurchers, plus some surprising overlaps. Great little party, could have stayed but really wanted to get to at least one of the other parties on that night, so left and found allyn & rivet's new place for the combined birthday flat-warming.
Had a great discussion about Burning Man and other stuff with san_grail, and a Jessica. Looks like its something that will happen. As Rod Stewart's ex-wife used to say, it won't happen today, but it will happen.
T'was a night of picking things up, got pile of loaned books back from argentbear and then my TransMetropolitan collection from allyn. I wasn't drinking, being the driver, so it wasn't a crazy evening from my POV, but it was still surprising when we realized it was 2.00am.
At that point we decided that it was a bit late to turn up at the other potential parties, especially as it would have been another twenty minutes before we could have got to the closest, so sorry threemonkeys and bekitty, we didn't get there.
Sunday was another cruise into Armageddon, where I picked up another ten books, this time for $1 each. I now have four Laurel K. Hamilton vampire novels to read. Cheap reading, and I really should read Laurel's work, seeing as I remember her from way back before she was a famous author and she used to play D&D. Or at least used to dress up in chainmail bikinis; anyway. Presumably to play D&D. Or did I read the initials wrong... nah, White Dwarf wouldn't have acronyms like B&D in it, surely? :)
Of course, it's probably some otherLaurel K. Hamilton who used to do that...
Anyway,,, back to the subject.
Saw Richard Taylor giving his usual spiel. Surely he doesn't still find the idea of working on Hollywood movies so exciting this many years down the track?
Saw cos-players. Landlady from Kung-Fu hustle was impressively funny. asgard, maybe you could get her to MC the show next time, huh? :)
Some impressive costumes, especially red PVC Witch, and .\Hack characters. Black-clad dancer was good to, especially getting the crowd to clap to give her rythym to dance to. Useless at remembering what they were actually representing. Commander Keen was a great idea! Yes, lots of game cos-plays. Wasn't that impressed by the RHPS people, though singing without music like that takes some guts..
Strike Freedom Gundam didn't go on stage!!! Saw awsomeness of cardboard Gundam afterwards.
Dinner Sunday was at Roti Chenai, got the talia. Nice selection of rendangs and curries. Went back and ended up watching most of Last Samurai. Again.
Hmm.. I always have mixed emotions about such films. On the one hand I can't help but admire the dedication and honour of the samurai as portrayed. On the other hand, it's such a stupid thing to do to throw one's life away in such a manner. On the gripping hand I know that in real life samurai were generally far less honourable than the ideal that is portrayed. Still, there is something in such a dedication and ideal of service and sticking to a code that appeals.
I suppose there's a certain amount of comfort in following a strong code, and there is the desire for warfare to be respectable. For death to be an acceptable way out of a difficult situation.
One must remember, however, that it is far harder to keep living. That death, even in battle, is the easy way out, even if it is considered honourable.
I wonder if anyone has done any studies on the lure of martyrdom, why people find it so alluring?
Fell asleep to "The Bone Collector", seems TV these days is only showing old movies they've played many times before.