Monday 31 March 2014

kickstarted Dangerous Obsession #23

Manifest, a board game designed in New Zealand about delivering passengers and goods around the world in the 1920s, is finishing on kickstarter in three days' time, sixty-nine hours to be precise. For anyone who doesn't know about kickstarter it's a place to try and get funding for your project. You load up the details: videos, photos, testimonials, anything you think might help, and then you set some prices for a finished good or service. Punters lodge funds and should there be enough to meet the funding goal then the money goes to project. If not, it doesn't, simple as that. If you're lucky there might be 'stretch goals' to incentivise over-funding, this can be interesting although sometimes I'm a little uncertain as to the value of these.

You might want to be careful and do a little due diligence before you back. Just who are you giving your money too? There are some stories of rip-offs but generally it seems to work well. I've backed twenty-two completed projects to date. All board game related, eighteen full games, three expansions and one to support a video reviewer, Joel Eddy. I collected four of these at last year's Essen, the World Board Game expo in October. So far all projects have delivered, most comfortably on time, all impressive in their communications, and no problems suffered. I'm looking forward to receiving another nine games over the course of this year! I've also backed three projects on different 'crowd funding' platforms; Pledge Me in New Zealand - yes the same NZ, indeed, the same company with an earlier game, Granny Wars, it's ace, trust me! then a German game throughSpielschmeide and a book of poetry through Wefund, a UK based company.

And that's not it. I'm in for a further five ks projects at the moment including my second non-game, a bit of plastic wizardry that's going to help me with my iPad, the 'plinth'! Plus another bit of support for a video reviewer, Rahdo. The man makes the greatest videos of board game run throughs. You really get to understand the rules, the set up and how it's going to play. When you're wondering if a game is going to live up to the marketing copy you can be sure to get a good look at what the experience might be like through Rahdo. He's cost me more than the family ever have done.

For me, it feels exciting to be supporting fellow enthusiasts in their goals of producing board games. Each project is different obviously but there's a camaraderie established with fellow backers and the project leaders during the thirty days or so of the campaign. I can honestly say I have garnered a couple of good friends through one particular campaign. (Not sure how they feel of course!) It's exciting when the project looks as though it might be stalling or struggling, trying to find ways to help without simply throwing more money at it - the family do need some food, clothes occasionally too. Like when I first stumbled into ebay and would be constantly refreshing with seconds to go to try and time my winning bid as late as poss (snip.pl, i am indebted to you, really). Adrenalin buzz, etc.

So there you have it. Whilst writing Manifest has moved another couple of hundred New Zealand dollars closer to being funded, hurrah! Now, let's see if we can hit that stretch goal to get a dual sided map, would love that!

Sunday 30 March 2014

Weak Ends

Another weekend almost over. I can't wait. They've turned into this extended waiting game you see. I dare not commit myself to any of my own projects although there are a couple I really need to start on - the PGTLHE assessment predominantly - because I keep expecting to have to spend time in valuable family mode, especially as it's Mother's Day here in the UK. I thought we'd all be watching a  film of Mrs Hora's choice this afternoon, with tea and more of the delicious 'hidden tiger' chocolate orange and vanilla cake Josie's made. But Mrs H is 'up, up' in the land of jazz noodling. Josie made her breakfast in bed first thing, and then the three of them have been painting the new garden fence. Apparently it's a blue colour, looks pale green to me. It's nice though. The children have been told they can earn £5 per hour and that's got them doing something good at last! 

So, I've been messing around on the new laptop. Have to say the apple experience has completely won me over already, just over a week into it. A few odd bits, not sure i'm quite on top of my yahoo mail account as yet, seems easier to do that side of things on the iPad strangely enough. But for everything else, and in particular, the sharing of docs, the two are functioning brilliantly. I'm also getting used to twitter, not sure quite why I need it, seems the same as Facebook to me, and i'm not the best user of that I'm sure.

Back to what I have done this weekend. Plenty of shopping, food shopping that is. And cooking, still wading through the low-fat feast book and others, sticking to low calorie delights. Chicken with spinach and feta tonight. Tons of washing up. The others have forgotten it ever needs doing I think. Not that that matters. I don't mind getting it done and keeping the kitchen tidy, especially as I'll be cooking in it shortly. 

I've learned to play a new game I received from Germany yesterday, 'Cuatro'. A colourful, if simple, dice-fest - yeah, I know they're far from my favourite type of game - but this is ok. A grid of thirty-six squares with six different ways to score your five dice; five of a kind; four; three; two; three of one/two of another; run of five. You achieve what you can with up to five throws of your dice and then place a wooden roof on the grid. The interesting bit is being able to build on top of other's roofs. You can build on top of someone else if you match the dice throw, but have done so in only four rolls of the dice to build on the second floor, or three rolls for the third, and so on. The objective is have four roofs in a line, or have built on the three 'five of a kind' square, or by having the most points after fifteen rounds have been played. Again, the scoring is interesting with multipliers for the height of your roofs being the key factor. My practice game solo was pretty poor. I'm more hopeful it will be better with competition! 

Was emailed earlier by Henry of Grublin Games. They have a new game they're testing at the moment and he was hoping I might have been able to take it to the International Table Top Event next weekend in Reading. Unfortunately, we're at a family 70th birthday celebration and then i take the children for a few days in Suffolk with mum, so I declined. I offered to take the game to the IBG though, fingers crossed he lets me. Would be nice to test a prototype out, help them further with their plans.

Have spent the rest of the weekend dreaming that at some stage in my life I'm going to get into wargaming in a big way. And therefore, I should now be investing in some or all of the following; A Distant Plain, - about Afghanistan, I already have Andean Abyss and Cuba Libre in GMT Games' COIN [counterinsurgency] series - Sekigahara, - about the unification of Japan aeons ago - 1989 Dawn of Freedom, Labyrinth: War on Terror, and four of the Combat Commander series. They're expensive at £40 - £60 a throw, but are lavishly made and the rulebooks all well-written and they have beautiful maps and I really don't need any more games do I? But how long will these be around for, the print runs seem pretty limited by GMT. But am I ever going to play them? Doubtful, to say the least. There we go, mind made up!

Football's a bit lame for me this weekend too. Ipswich had two superb wins in the last week but could only manage a draw yesterday so remain in eighth position. Close to the play-offs but it may be too late. As for other scores, with the exception of Norwich and Chelsea losing, pretty disappointing. Was interested to read that an Italian referee changed his mind over the awarding of a penalty after some five minutes of discussion in a Roma game. Not good for football that.

Saturday 29 March 2014

There's Something Going On

Four years ago this week I went to see Stephen Jones play at the Scala. It was wonderful, he was entertaining, self-deprecating and played a good range from his large back catalogue. I was there with James from Spearmint and it was good to see him that evening too.

The following day I snapped. I cannot remember many details - have managed to throw them aside - and it was only a couple of weeks later that I spent the day going from the doctor's to A&E and into the Priory. Twenty-four hour observation for just over a fortnight and I began this lengthy process to keep myself safe.

Babybird were never that popular with Mrs Hora. She always found them too depressing. That one of the tracks Stephen performed that night was 'Failed Suicide Club' is obviously hilarious now. Until this morning I have not listened to any of Stephen's output, and I have everything. I would consider him to be one of my most favourite artists, he'd sit beside Billy Mackenzie, David Sylvian, Barry Adamson, Bjork, Nick Cave. I haven't consciously avoided him, although there must have been something preventing me I guess.

Anyway, this morning, looking for a short couple of songs to play in the car whilst nipping to Aldi and the Post Office, I selected Aim's single 'Good Disease' featuring Stephen Jones, and including a remix by him under his 'Arthritis Kid' moniker. It's a chilled down track, he sings falsetto, the lyrics are cute and I enjoyed it. I can feel some more Babybird coming on. For a long time I considered 'There's Something Going On' one of my top ten albums. They made so many good catchy songs, and Stephen's lyrical stories are quirky too. I've read his novels too, now they are full of strange characters.

Four years on then, time to get back into his world. He's just released 'Havoc' under the project name of Black Reindeer. It appears to be the 14th or 15th album of work he's put out. Some catching up to do then. I'm ready.

Friday 28 March 2014

New Starts

Another day, another new start. Since the depression took hold I've usually come to the end of something and then had a bit of a low time, a week or so, whilst I try to recover some motivation. For some reason this morning I feel the opposite, can't wait to get cracking!

Last night was the final event of my two year MFA in Creative Writing at Kingston Uni. Yes I still have an assessment to hand in for the PGTLHE module, and some marking of the undergrads work, and a dissertation too of course, but there are no events lined up, no workshops to attend, seminars to lead. This landmark was celebrated with an MFA Reading. It was much better attended than I had expected, and, indeed, much more fun than I had thought. Eleven us ran down the front and read an excerpt from our work, mainly novels but some short story pieces, and a few poems. Which was where I opted to go, reading three in my series about Ivan Shrimpton, an old fellow from Suffolk with his accent and fondness for life. I'd hope to stick to the accent from the start but found myself introducing the character instead, never mind. Went okay, or so the family tell me, not too fast, pretty clear although a few anticipated chuckle moments didn't work out. Would read again anyway, hadn't thought i'd like it, always shied away, not through fear of presenting, but fear of not having something interesting to say. If I get a chance again I'd take it.

Anyway, I have a huge to do list, on my 'reminders' programme i think it is. I'm embracing all things apple at the moment having just taken receipt of an iPad mini and MacBook Air. i'm in love with both very much and really trying to learn to use the apple way and ditch microsoft, is that possible nowadays? We'll see. There are some huge differences but so far I'm not missing anything. Indeed, the iPad is wonderful. I read my poems from it yesterday instead of having sheets of paper floating around, worked well. And the opportunity to look as if you're making notes in seminars whilst browsing BoardGameGeek is wonderful. I'm glad I didn't have it earlier, I'd never have listened to anything at Uni!

I've been working on my weight this year. It's taken an awful long time to find the motivation but finally Ruth recommended the Beck Diet Solution and it's hooked me in with it's cognitive behavioural systems. NO CHOICE is the best mantra. On the whole I've found it easy to stick to consuming less, and eating mindfully, although the last fortnight have not been that good on the scales. I've had several days of cheating but am still swimming my mile a day during the week - am going to go after lunch today, see if the pool is any emptier than in the mornings - and have walked a fair distance this week too. So, in the last fortnight I have stayed about the same but at least I know that if I start writing down my calorie intake again, and sticking to no more than 1500 per day, I will lose more. So far I'm two stones down, but my target is another ten stones to lose, it was one hell of a mountain I set myself, about the same size as my stomach in fact.

Let's leave it there for today.