Right, I'm off somewhere sunny and warm. See you all when I get back!
Merry Christmas to everyone, and all the best for the new year.
Love you all,
Indy
Friday, December 15, 2006
Sunday, December 10, 2006
From the Front Line - Adventuring in the 41st Millenium
Okay, so I was bored. Bored enough to put these together.
Rules for Archie appearing during games of WH40K.
He's played for laughs, don't forget.
Rules for Archie appearing during games of WH40K.
He's played for laughs, don't forget.
Thought for the Day
There are four stages in life.
(1) You believe in Santa Claus.
(2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
(3) You are Santa Claus.
(4) You look like Santa Claus.
From Radio 2 last week
(1) You believe in Santa Claus.
(2) You don't believe in Santa Claus.
(3) You are Santa Claus.
(4) You look like Santa Claus.
From Radio 2 last week
The songs of Christmas
The Christmas number one not withstanding, Christmas songs are the way that I get into the spirit of things this time of year. I'm one of those sad people who don't mind the constant plinkyplunky music being played in stores (although I don't like it before December...)
I think this comes partly from working in a shop that sold cards, gifts and gift wrap. Christmas was our time of year, and when most of the year's money came from. As soon as October began we would completely revamp the store, replacing the usual tat with Christmas...um...tat. Trees, decorations, those foil chains and hanging shapes, cards, gift wrap and the like.
And from November, we would have the Christmas CDs playing. When you work all day Saturday and Sunday you tend to pick up the lyrics. Now, this was an improvement from the Chris De Burgh CD that the manager usually played (to this day, I am word perfect to waaaay too many of his songs...)
In addition to the ones playing on these CDs, there are others that, too me, are just apart of Christmas.
Years ago, we had two Christmas records (for the younger readers, that's what we had before cassettes. If you are too young to know what a cassette is, ask someone over 30) One of these was a collection of carols, which my brother and I have generally disliked.
The second one rocked. It had Mickey et al goofing around with the songs instead. Much better when you are ten.
This was the music we would put on Christmas morning to open the presents to before breakfast.
Anyway, here are some of the songs I like. And am not ashamed to say it. (Oh, and when I say "by" I mean "sung by" and maybe not "written by").
The 12 days of Christmas by the Spinners. This version is so very very funny, with various ad libs going on ("What's a calling bird?") plus one very odd-sounding goose a-laying. One Christmas Eve at the store, the 12 of us on the tills managed to get most of the store singing along to it.
You make it feel like Christmas by Neil Diamond.
The Marvellous Toy by John Denver
Walking in the Air by Aled Jones. The Snowman just *is* Christmas.
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McCall.
Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Such a bizarre duet, and yet...it works.
A Spaceman came travelling by Chris De Burgh. Some would argue that this song is a crime against humanity, but I like it.
The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Not necessarily Christmassy, but one of my all time favourites.
Merry Christmas Everyone by Slade and I wish it could be Christmas every day by Wizzard. Again, Christmas isn't Christmas without these.
Driving Home For Christmas by Chris Rea. This always seems to get played whilst I am driving home for Christmas.
Rocking Round the Christmas Tree Mel and Kim, plus the Radio 1 lot. Very funny.
Do they know it's Christmas by ....everyone. Not the God-awful remake they did last year or whenever it was. This was the first single I ever bought. Well, I was too little to buy it myself - Mum or Dad bought it.
There are of course a few more, but I think I've embarrassed myself enough.
They just don't make 'em like this any more. (apart from The Darkness' one from a couple of years back)
I think this comes partly from working in a shop that sold cards, gifts and gift wrap. Christmas was our time of year, and when most of the year's money came from. As soon as October began we would completely revamp the store, replacing the usual tat with Christmas...um...tat. Trees, decorations, those foil chains and hanging shapes, cards, gift wrap and the like.
And from November, we would have the Christmas CDs playing. When you work all day Saturday and Sunday you tend to pick up the lyrics. Now, this was an improvement from the Chris De Burgh CD that the manager usually played (to this day, I am word perfect to waaaay too many of his songs...)
In addition to the ones playing on these CDs, there are others that, too me, are just apart of Christmas.
Years ago, we had two Christmas records (for the younger readers, that's what we had before cassettes. If you are too young to know what a cassette is, ask someone over 30) One of these was a collection of carols, which my brother and I have generally disliked.
The second one rocked. It had Mickey et al goofing around with the songs instead. Much better when you are ten.
This was the music we would put on Christmas morning to open the presents to before breakfast.
Anyway, here are some of the songs I like. And am not ashamed to say it. (Oh, and when I say "by" I mean "sung by" and maybe not "written by").
The 12 days of Christmas by the Spinners. This version is so very very funny, with various ad libs going on ("What's a calling bird?") plus one very odd-sounding goose a-laying. One Christmas Eve at the store, the 12 of us on the tills managed to get most of the store singing along to it.
You make it feel like Christmas by Neil Diamond.
The Marvellous Toy by John Denver
Walking in the Air by Aled Jones. The Snowman just *is* Christmas.
Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McCall.
Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Such a bizarre duet, and yet...it works.
A Spaceman came travelling by Chris De Burgh. Some would argue that this song is a crime against humanity, but I like it.
The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Not necessarily Christmassy, but one of my all time favourites.
Merry Christmas Everyone by Slade and I wish it could be Christmas every day by Wizzard. Again, Christmas isn't Christmas without these.
Driving Home For Christmas by Chris Rea. This always seems to get played whilst I am driving home for Christmas.
Rocking Round the Christmas Tree Mel and Kim, plus the Radio 1 lot. Very funny.
Do they know it's Christmas by ....everyone. Not the God-awful remake they did last year or whenever it was. This was the first single I ever bought. Well, I was too little to buy it myself - Mum or Dad bought it.
There are of course a few more, but I think I've embarrassed myself enough.
They just don't make 'em like this any more. (apart from The Darkness' one from a couple of years back)
Song of the Day
I've always loved this song, ever since my Dad played it to me from John Denver's Christmas album.
The Marvelous Toy Lyrics
When I was just a wee little lad, full of health and joy.
My father homeward came one day and gave to me a toy.
A wonder to behold it was with many colours bright
And the moment I laid eyes on it, it became my heart's delight.
It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped whirrrrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
Now The first time that I picked it up I had a big surprise.
For right on the bottom were two big buttons that looked like big green eyes.
I first pushed one and then the other, then I twisted it's lid.
And when I set it down again, well here is what it did.
It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped whirrrrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
It first marched left and then marched right, then marched under the chair
and when I looked where it had gone it wasn't even there.
I started to cry my Daddy laughed he knew just what I'd find.
When I turned around my marvellous toy came chugging from behind.
It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped and whirrrrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
Well The years have gone by too quickly it seems, I have my own little boy.
And yesterday I gave to him my marvellous little toy
His eyes nearly popped right out of his head and he gave a squeal of glee...
Neither one of us knows just what it is but he loves it just like me.
It still goes zip when it moves and bop when it stops, whirrrrr when it stands still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
The Marvelous Toy Lyrics
When I was just a wee little lad, full of health and joy.
My father homeward came one day and gave to me a toy.
A wonder to behold it was with many colours bright
And the moment I laid eyes on it, it became my heart's delight.
It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped whirrrrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
Now The first time that I picked it up I had a big surprise.
For right on the bottom were two big buttons that looked like big green eyes.
I first pushed one and then the other, then I twisted it's lid.
And when I set it down again, well here is what it did.
It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped whirrrrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
It first marched left and then marched right, then marched under the chair
and when I looked where it had gone it wasn't even there.
I started to cry my Daddy laughed he knew just what I'd find.
When I turned around my marvellous toy came chugging from behind.
It went zip when it moved and bop when it stopped and whirrrrr when it stood still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
Well The years have gone by too quickly it seems, I have my own little boy.
And yesterday I gave to him my marvellous little toy
His eyes nearly popped right out of his head and he gave a squeal of glee...
Neither one of us knows just what it is but he loves it just like me.
It still goes zip when it moves and bop when it stops, whirrrrr when it stands still
I never knew just what it was and I guess I never will.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Thought for the Day
If WH40K is such a hell on [insert planet], how come we're so often fighting on neatly cropped grass?
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
From the Front Line - WIP (Mausoleum)
Some shots of the mausoleum I am in the middle of building. Or temple, depending on how it turns out.
The six marine honour guard statues will be regular scale tactical marines, one on each pillar. However, the plan is to have them removable so that I can alternatively add a roof.
I still need to find a model to sit on the tomb itself. Perhaps a praying angel, but I haven't found one yet.
Finally, this shot shows how it comes apart for storage. If you flip one half upside down, it slots into the other half. Both will then fit into one of the A4-size cardboard boxes.
There's still a lot to do - I need to add a flagstone floor, more carved detail on the pillars and the whole thing needs to be textured before painting.
The six marine honour guard statues will be regular scale tactical marines, one on each pillar. However, the plan is to have them removable so that I can alternatively add a roof.
I still need to find a model to sit on the tomb itself. Perhaps a praying angel, but I haven't found one yet.
Finally, this shot shows how it comes apart for storage. If you flip one half upside down, it slots into the other half. Both will then fit into one of the A4-size cardboard boxes.
There's still a lot to do - I need to add a flagstone floor, more carved detail on the pillars and the whole thing needs to be textured before painting.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
From the Front Line: The Hills are complete
I forgot to post the photos of the completed hills and rocks.
A slightly blurry rock. After painting, the base was painted brown, drybrushed lighter brown and then flocked.
A slightly blurry hill, too. Apologies, but I didn't realise they were blurred until too late. The base and top of the hills were finished in the same was as the rock. A few places were flocked, were grass may be growing.
Finally, the full ensemble along with the Imperial Guard.
The four hill sections can be placed along the table edges, or placed back-to-back (as in the centre). One of the finished rock columns can be seen on the left, as well.
And, as planned, all four hill sections fit into an A4 paper supply box for convenient storage!
Oh, and to follow on from my cat litter comment on the board, this was used around the foot of the hills, where the weathering would wash rocks and debris.
A layer of PVA (white wood glue) was painted on, and a few larger chips sprinkled on (Ikea decorative sand - similar size to the cat litter). Then, I poured on larger sand, from a fish supply store (again, decorative sand). This was tipped off, leaving a covering on the glue. Finally, I poured on fine sand which falls in between the existing sand. This was tipped off, then the whole lot left to dry overnight.
The texture was then painted over brown, then drybrushed with a tan brown, then finally a light drybrush of 'bleached bone' to just pick out the top of the rocks.
A slightly blurry rock. After painting, the base was painted brown, drybrushed lighter brown and then flocked.
A slightly blurry hill, too. Apologies, but I didn't realise they were blurred until too late. The base and top of the hills were finished in the same was as the rock. A few places were flocked, were grass may be growing.
Finally, the full ensemble along with the Imperial Guard.
The four hill sections can be placed along the table edges, or placed back-to-back (as in the centre). One of the finished rock columns can be seen on the left, as well.
And, as planned, all four hill sections fit into an A4 paper supply box for convenient storage!
Oh, and to follow on from my cat litter comment on the board, this was used around the foot of the hills, where the weathering would wash rocks and debris.
A layer of PVA (white wood glue) was painted on, and a few larger chips sprinkled on (Ikea decorative sand - similar size to the cat litter). Then, I poured on larger sand, from a fish supply store (again, decorative sand). This was tipped off, leaving a covering on the glue. Finally, I poured on fine sand which falls in between the existing sand. This was tipped off, then the whole lot left to dry overnight.
The texture was then painted over brown, then drybrushed with a tan brown, then finally a light drybrush of 'bleached bone' to just pick out the top of the rocks.
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