Paddy's Wanderings

Surfing the Learning Wave

Who wants to grow up? I mean, seriously, look at Miss O, sleeping away the afternoon. Olivia and the techno-tot are assisting me today in my writing endeavors. He is playing on the Wii and she is sleeping. I am not sure what I want to do.. nap, or work on my Wii elbow!

Kids grow up so fast, heck I grew up too fast. I should have chosen the second star to the right and kept going to morning. I never wanted to be big, I wanted to stay in 5th grade forever. Ah well..

The road not traveled.. 

Of course, being an adult is not so bad. You get to be a dad, and eventually, a pappy. That is fun too. And you know what? You can still keep those things you learned as a kid. You can still eat chocolate chip cookies and drink milk, take a nap, play games. Keep the child like wonder firmly in your grasp.

Where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday we were bringing home the first boyo, now here I sit with that boyo's daughter. I have no doubt that in a couple of dozen years I will be sitting next to her baby wondering, where did the time go? Still hard to imagine better 1/2 and me are grandparents. I am cool with that, but I still think of us as crazy kids.

Maybe that is the real magic Peter Pan was trying to show Wendy. That time is relative and you stay young by holding the values you learn as a child, the simple truths.  I think that is that one thing, the one thing Curly was talking about out on the range.

And you know, I like that.

The Concept Album

I miss the concept album. I miss the rock operas, the themed albums, the albums that frankly, you had to listen to the whole album. Sure, there may be a song or two for radio play, but it was the whole concept, or theme that drew a listener into the music. In no particular order, a few I like.

It is The Beatles, what else is there? Okay, it was my first themed/concept album. There is so much going on in this album and the idea is cool, and kinda new for its time. I like the music, and the idea of being a new band, a separate persona if you will. Trippy man, just trippy.

Tommy blew me away, the movie was even more.. strange. I dig The Who and this album, while not their best in my opinion, is still a darn good concept album. More psychedelic and the story is trippy enough to be entertaining. A good example of why you should listen to the whole album.

Bowie! Another fine example of an album where you really need to listen to the whole thing. Suffragette City still blows me away. I think the end of the world and the savior cant save the day, the anti-hero, is the main pull for me. I discovered this album whilst reading 1984 and Brave New World, kinda fits right in there.

The Wall.. what can I say about this album that has not already been dissected to death? I guess what appeals to me is the loss of innocence, of childhood. This was also right at that critical time, I was about 15 and everything seemed.. crazy.

Big pic.. wow. Well whatever, it is one of my favorite albums. Totally conceptual and just really one long song. I discovered this not long after it was released in 1985, I was still on the loss of childhood kick, but it was different, and yet.. similar. I think the idea at the end where there is hope makes it better in some ways then The Wall. I don't know, it is groovy to me.

I think what does it for me in all of this, is the lyrics. The music is great, but the lyrics, the story, is essential to the enjoyment of the entire album. This is not a collection of songs, or just one off pieces, but a story spread over 50 minutes( or more) of album. I miss that, and it seems harder to find today.

I don't think of any of these albums, if released today, would fare very well. They are not designed for the digital era. If you could buy the whole shebang in one shot, sure, but there is often incidental music, effects, sound, between tracks. Different time, different way of doing things. Is there room for this kind of concept in the digital world? In mainstream download it to your phone type of thing? Or has music become like a lot of things, the 4 min instant gratification short cut thing.. I don't know. I hope not.

Sam in the Tower ~ AtFoD

After the Fall of Darkness ~ a brief excerpt...

Sam walked up the stairs to the top of the tower to think and to grieve. The long journey, the sickness and worry, were exhausting and that descended onto her shoulders when she saw Carnac sitting in his study. The tears flowed as she sat down on the window ledge and looked out. So many deaths, so much restless wandering, searching. Just when Carnac had seemed to find peace in the new world, he passed. She let the pain and the sadness flow, trying to remember the happier times, to honor her fallen friend.

When Carnac and Larissa had married and decided to move into a big house, Sam was not so sure. Growing up the Clan way left her suspicious and unsure of villages and big houses. She loved the Groves and the simple gatherings of the people she grew up with and she had treasured that life. That life had seemed to pass as folks were leaving the Groves and moving into villages, barely acknowledging their ancestors or the trees. In spite of that, the house suited Carnac’s new life.

With that in mind, Sam had taught Larissa as much of the healing arts as she could in the brief time they were together. Larissa had been raised in the village and knew little of the ways of the Grove, learning just a few things from her grandmother, a child herself of the Grove, but she was willing to learn. With the help of the other Chosen, they had planted tress and growing vines, placing the house in the midst of a garden. All of which Larissa had learned to love and tend, for the three years since the wedding.

Carnac though, had more easily accepted the new world and the changes they had found when they had returned from the war. He was forever studying everything and the moon and stars were a favorite past time. Many nights, Carnac and Krish would gaze to the heavens, talking long into the night as they sat in the top of the tower that Logar, Storm and Raif had built for Carnac. Sometimes, when he was feeling more like his old self, Vaughn would join them and they laughed and talked like the old friends they had become.

But like all good things, the restlessness took hold of each of them, and slowly, within a few months, they had all left to find their own path. Krish and Sam, bonded many years ago in the Grove, were the last to leave, but they too felt the pull of the wanderer. It now seemed to her, that like all things in life, the circle was closing again, and the sadness enveloped her like the light from the full moon.

She closed her eyes and cradled Star in her lap. Tonight, she would spend the vigil with Carnac’s stars and keep the nightmares at bay with the memories of the good times. Tonight, the past and the future would dance a duet in the sky and she smiled. The long night, exploring the memory of the trees and the great expanse of the stars, settled her thoughts and eased her grief. Sunrise would arrive shortly and together they would sing to the new sun. She rose from the ledge, stretched and walked downstairs. A feeling, just out of reach, stirred her memories and clouded her thoughts as she walked out the back door to join her friends.

A Light at the End

I am calling myself out on this one. I have a plan. By November 1st, this blasted novel project is going to Alpha Reader, a.k.a. better 1/2. Once she is done, and it doesn't suck so bad I curl up in a corner and sob.... I will let it out into Beta Readers. Maybe by Thanksgiving! If, you know, I can con someone into reading it.

It has been ten months.. good grief. Time to finish revision one and get it out there for some feedback. Then, it will be revision 2.0 time. Then the process of a finished product to go off into the wide blue yonder and see if I can sell it.. I am hoping by April 1st. Yes.. I am using the irony of that date...

After all, that is the plan, to get it on the shelves of a local bookstore. Sure, I could bind it and slip it onto the shelf of the local B&N, but that doesn't really count, now does it? It is a goal, but not a measure of success.

Success is finishing it to where I like it, then shipping it off to other folks and having them read it, and enjoying the story. Anything else? Pure gravy.

So we are on the road to finish... almost there Papa Smurf.. almost there.. 10 weeks, easy as pie.

The end is just the beginning...

Nello Inkle No Trump

If you understand that title, cool, your in.. if not, well then, google is your friend, clicky the linky.. 500.

Okay then, another card game that was played relentlessly in the Creature Corner and wasted many a study hour. I think during one semester it was class(and studying), work, D&D, grabbing a burger in the cafeteria, occasional sleep, and cards, lots of cards. 500 or as we sometimes referred to it, euchre 500, was always fun. That is the bottom line right? Have fun, and we could do that rather well.

Nello is not taking any tricks, a favorite of us all.. hearts influence I am thinking. No trump is ace high with out the bowers(think euchre were the jacks are just.. jacks). We all liked to inkle something, sometimes even middle of the road garbage. The kitty was always a helpful 3 cards, but you could pass on taking it, if you dared. So then we have this one day..

Player 1 'Pass'

Player 2 'Nello inkle no trump'

Player 3 'It's not there'

Player 2(Moi) 'Yes it is, bid or pass'

Player 3 'I'll pass and set you'

Player 4(The Tim) 'Double Nello'

Lots of what?, are you crazy? and all kinds of over lapping crazy talk... After all, we were rapidly approaching negative infinity in the score department,  then..

Player 4 'Without'

Me? This is too funny, why not go down in a blaze of glory? Everyone is laughing, ludicrous, pure insanity. We played with hidden Nello, not the open misère, but in this case, it was all about grand standing..

The Tim 'I think we'll just lay this down and then we can start a new game.. okay?'

Confidence, mixed with the occasional ballsy bluff, was at war with the sure belief, fueled by intense competition, that in no way could this hand happen. This in turn led to the belief in the ultimate coup-fourré. The chance to hoist , nay skewer, their opponents on their own petard of hubris..

There was no way we could take a trick, not even close. I may call it a perfect hand.. I think it was. You would not think it possible, but it is possible and can happen, and it did. So much for hoisting anything.. petard, Capt Picard, or any other kind of card tard that afternoon. Legendary..

That is now known as the Agincourt Gambit in 500... at least to us few, us lucky few..

Who says card games and blog posts can't be educational?

Happy Card Flopping

Of Dice and Spit Bubbles

The Technotyke is pointing out to Miss O all the cool stuff. Tanks! Ponies! He was on a roll last night. When he saw that red Taurus pull up he was hopping up and down. He was already pretty wired being in a game store, with big guys and there was models and stuff.. add in J & M with the baby.. he was so excited I thought he was going to pee!

Then he was telling her about dice.. He got to roll dice and get the bad guys and, and, and... He is already a fast talker! He wanted her to roll dice and help him get the bad guy models. Oh and did she want to share his popcorn? He got popcorn and soda and he was rolling dice! She made a spit bubble and looked at him. That was good enough for him. He cant wait for her to grow up and so they can play with the models. They do grow fast...

Well, it is a crappy pic, but it is me, with a phone camera.. But this was the big bad guy Cam was battling in his game with Josh. The tehnotyke kept telling Cam, take that bad boy down! It was an epic battle, lots of dice rolling and a great game as far as the tyke was concerned. Good guys and bad guys, dueling it out on the tabletop. 

Needless to say, the tyke is already, at 4 1/2, a total gamer geek. He loves video games, board games, card games, and miniature games. No surprise really. He comes from a family of gamer geeks. If given a chance, Miss O will be rolling dice long before she can walk and talk. I happen know the tyke has some large soft, plush dice he used to play with all the time.

Time to dig them out again so they can play.

Shoot the Moon

Shoot the Moon or: How I learned to stop worrying and Love the Queen

I wasted a lot of study hours playing hearts in college. Down in the Creature Corner, there was always a game or two brewing. I almost always failed to take every trick and get stuck with that, with that, with that unrelenting she dog. Take that Queen of Spades!

Stupid Queen...

For those of us addicted to games, and to card games in particular, hearts is one of those games that will drive you nuts. A simple game really, dont take any hearts or the unmentionable queen and eventually, you have the lowest score and win. Like golf, the short game will always sink you.

For the longest time, I would try that, and fail. Then I went on a rampage and would try to shoot the moon and take them all on the flimsiest of hands. Frustration station ensued.  Then, I learned to love the queen. Then, and only then, all was right in the world of hearts.

So I waved my ten gallon hat, dug in my spurs, and rode that bad boy down.

He is yelling Duck! and Cover! to everyone on the ground. Bet you never knew the card game of hearts and Dr. Strangelove had so much in common, did you..

Welcome to the wandering, whacked world of blogging with a sinus thingy that may get my head to explode, and no sleep. Enjoy..

And remember.. no guts, no glory!

Monopoly 75th Anniversary!

It is hard to imagine Monopoly is 75 years old. What a fantastic game! It has to be, to have lasted all these years. Let me take a minute to tell you something super cool.

Jennifer Hudock at Kid Wonderful is having a super neato giveaway to help celebrate the anniversary. I love being a part of Kid Wonderful and I wanted to help out. I like contests and giveaways and Monopoly and kids. It is win all around. Here is the link. Head on over and enter the contest! Not only can you win the Monopoly Deals Card Game, but the Disney Pixar Monopoly Game!

When I was a wee lad in the Fashioned Challenged Seventies, my family played a lot of Monopoly and my brother and I would argue over who got to be the car. My wife played when she was a wee lass. Monopoly is a favorite on game night with our kiddos. My brother even collects all the different special edition sets. Yep, we love Monopoly.

So dont be shy, its fun! While your there, if you have not checked out Kid Wonderful, take a look around, there are some excellent parents writing there. Every day there are new articles that cover a wide range of kid stuff.

Did I mention its fun?

'Hey Lightning, you ready?'

'Oh yeah...'

Thundering Hooves

There is nothing like a Bretonnian Knight, charging through a field of enemies. Since the Roaring Nineties, I have been pushing miniature Bretonnian models across a table top. The thunder of a charge would shake the table legs and strike fear into opponents. I am a big fan of Knights and Damsels and the Lady of the Lake. Mix Arthurian Legend and Norman Hedge Row Knights and it is awesome.

So what happens when you mix Warhammer, Knights, a tournament, and a penchant for Rocky? I am so glad you asked.. here is the Paddy version. Oh what a convoluted mind it can be.

Many, many moons ago, I played my beloved Brets in a league tournament. Through much luck, hotter then hot dice and the Blessing of the Lady, I won the division championship. Off to the tournament I go to play against three of the very best players in the land in a bracket tourney. Phew.. this was going to be tougher then a three day old ork hide, stretched over an iron spike.

So what do I do? I make a joke of course..

I started posting online about the training I was going through. Chasing chickens in the back alley, punching slabs of meat, working the speed back in the back of the store.. Enter the Rocky. Seriously, I felt like the biggest underdog in history. And of course, I love the Rocky movies, so it was like peanut butter and chocolate. I was blaring the theme music in the store and then all the way down during the two hour drive to the tournament.

And from the department of further proof that the better 1/2 is indeed truly cool beyond words, she looks at me just before it starts and says.. 'Win'

For the record, I pulled a Rocky. I got the tar beat out of me, stood back up, and won each match to carry home the belt. I guess all that training helped, even if I could never catch that stupid chicken. 

Gonna Fly Now

Martin & Lewis

I was a big fan of Martin & Lewis as a kid and to this day I still crack up watching their movies. The afternoon movie had all kinds of great stuff, and Dean and Jerry were a hit with the wee lad of the fashioned challenged seventies. Dean would sing, Jerry would act goofy, and it was pure entertainment. They were a great comedy duo.

I had a hard time wrapping my young brain around that Jerry Lewis with the Telethon Jerry Lewis. The reunion with Dean on the show was something I did not understand until I was an adult and watched footage of it again. As a kid, I did not see the breakup or any of that stuff, it was long before my time. I just saw two guys yuckin it up on TV.

I have since come to appreciate over the years, their individual talent and the movies they did, after the break up. I have favorites from then too.

Dean Martin did just swell as the sheriff in Rio Bravo. His movies were cool. I wont even go down the Rat Pack path. That was cool before cool. My Mom and Dad even had a couple of his albums. The man could sing, and I will admit it, I can listen to him all day long.

Jerry Lewis in The Bellboy. Probably one of the greatest movies he made. Pure genius. I could watch him all day long, he didnt have to say a word. Truly a fine movie.

But I will always remember the two together, and be thankful for the entertainment they provided, not only to a kid on a Saturday afternoon, but to the adult as well. Lets give em a hand on the exit...