realistically I can't afford to do all I'd like to do next year so the definately going to try and do (more if money allows)

May - Conquest Derby
July - Cambridge Folk Festival
August - Whooverville 5
September - Games Day

And at some point I'm hoping that Iron maiden plays Notts and I'll be going to that

If cash allows I'd like to go to a Larp event (probably The Gathering)

going to start going to Warhammer World as both picking up LOTR Strategy and maybe Warhammer/40K (as I already have stuff for that)

I will be slowly putting on my comic collection and some of the games collection to help finance the above stuff

J

So the 'Flat' Plan (new)

Little room is now going to be the library/storeroom officially - no need to redecorate as it's just for surplus

Bedroom going to set up a table in there and do most of my figure painting in there - moving stereo into there with Cd's/DVD's and certain of my non gaming books will be shelved in there 'on display' - will need a record player and have seen one on Amazon which will do the job and allows you to record records as MP3s (Vinyl is coming back I tell you!!)

Walk in closet is to be emptied and for now will have hoover etc in there until I start accumulating camping gear (and perhaps LARP kit- still thinking that one over)

looking to have that panel off in the hall (well Rob is - he's been looking forward to that and hopefully if there is good enough wallage and space then some 'slat' shelving which will hold boxes of miniatures

Kitchen is going to be unchanged (apart from cookery gear)

Living room is going to be set up as a gaming den - all I do in here is play games and go online - it is ALL I do in here so why not just give into it - I think this place has to reflect my personality and I am a gamer first and foremost

actual decoration will take place in the new year but the sorting, cleaning and furniture moving will happen over the next 3 months

Looked at finacnes and I could afford to preorder the Kindle Fire HD buit would have to live like  pauper for a month to get there and I've done that before so no...

putting aside a chunk of  cash to soften the blow at the end of October (the thing comes out the day before I get paid annoyingly enough) can start Christmas shopping with the aim being that Decembers pay is just for me :)

The concept of 'work' (or at least the dump I work) simply something unpleasant I have to do to do stuff I like to do :)  (much happier after I got that running around my head peroperley)

Iron Maiden are touring next year and I think they  normally play Notts so going to see them

everything is in place and since I 'restarted' I've been getting slowly better at this responsible living lark

So tomorrow going to start the moving of stuff (excercise as well) and then we'll take it from there

J

Theres a reason for all this stuff I've been posting recently

1 Year ago yesterday my friend Keith Thompson (the man who introduced me to Rock Pubs/clubs, helped me set up the first RPG club I ran and was therefore respopnsible for me having a lot of the friends I have today) took his own life

I found out about that a couple of weeks before my health scare started and his death was on my mind the entire time I was ill

since I was cleared by the Doctors I have been 'thrashing around' trying to find I dont know what but the thought of my entire existence being 2 RPGs a week, work an occasional boardgame and 1 or 2 trips to the pub nearly bought me to tears

now thanks to increased confidence and clarity due to weight loss and some sage advice from my friends I have some ideas about what I can do to expand my horizons

have a list of things for next year and a lot of stuff I need to sort before I get to the first event which is Con - quest on May 4th in Derby (RPG/Boardgame/Boardgame con) just a one dayer but somewhere I can fill some gaps in my collection

Then nothing until August where I have Whooverville 5 (31/18/13) Doctor Who con 50th Anniversary year

Also Folk Festival in Ocfordshire thrown by Fairport Convention every year (this years featured Big Country and Joan Armatrading amongst others) and is a 3 dayer

finally there is the gathering which is a 3 day Larp event also in August

I think theres room for another gaming thing somewhere in the year but we'll see how the cash goes

so loads of planning to do and next year some travel and meeting loads of new people, before now I would be scared of all this as some of it will be me alone but sometimes you just got to do stuff  or resign yourself to the fact that what you are is all you are - I'd like to explore the possiblity that all I am is a start

The old Jules the one that let the pressures and problems of other pople grind him down recently met with an unpleasant accident

The New Jules is just settling in

J

It's been an odd week

Decided I hate my job, no wait thats not right I hate that I HAVE TO DO MY JOB TO LIVE

It's a rubbish job that acheives nothing and gets harder and more rubbish the closer we get to the massive and completely daft welfare reforms that are coming

In other words it's shit now and only gong to get worse

I can't see a way out short of lottery win or doing something outside of the box and try my hand at something else while I toil away at this waste of a massive chunk of my existence

I may try writing

This I realise may open me up to various levels of scorn and derision and thats just announcing I'm gonna do it (joke)

Frankly with everything thats gone on with me lately I am so far past worrying about that kind of thing it's unreal

'To your own self be true' it's time I fully embraced that

((Listening to Steeleye Span bit folky at the mo))

At the very least I get to do something that I think I might enjoy and I may even be good at it

what I know so far

Sources of fiction I think work well are things like World of Darkness, Harry Potter, Buffy, Supernatural, Stargate, Who, and Fringe and I think that is because if you link the fantastic to the mundane (what people know) they feel more related to the subject matter and characters so that s the genre I want to explore modern day, urban landscape and with a dark/fantastic side just on the other side of the 'mirror'

And thats as far as I've got (only really thought about this since last night)

Of course knowing my luck I'll sell a book and win the bloody lottery the same week

In other news

A while ago when the snows came and three friends almost got stranded at The Poacher talk was had of going to see live acts and the like - this is something I would like to explore however with xmas coming up fast and me trying to sort books from the US, a Laptop for RPG digital collection and I'm going to get a Kindle Fire HD I'm not sure about this year - I can link the two new devices and my Dexsktop and use them when I'm reffing so hopefully cutting down the amount of mad wheeling around between table, PC desk, and Sofa (or auxilliary table as it has become on Thursdays) Laptop is in process, the KFHD is looking more like a xmas prezzie for me rather than a get it when it's released thing, which is fine

noext year there is one games convention (derby), one who convention (derby across the road form the first one) and I've said I'm going to the gathering (we'll see) want to catch some gigs and there is a folk festival in Oxford I may try and get to (also Rob mentioned something about a folk festival a while back that had Jethro Tull at it and I can't remember which one, will have to ask him)

going to chill this weekend - going to spend the day with friends and catch up on figure painting and game paperwork - next weekend finish emptying the little room and start the sanding  (Sanding block and 10 sheets of paper/block in the pound shop, they may be rubbish but going to try them)

anywho breakfast and getting ready to go out now

J

post beering morning

I feel indescribably good - Hangover sure but last night was ace old friends surprise guests and basically I don't think anything short of a meteor strike can spoil this (looks up)

Going to get a kindle Fire HD as the reward for weight loss and stuff for myself as a Christmas Present (may be early)

The 'Who' room is actually going to be the 'Happy Room' it's going to be where I put stuff that for no reasion I can Identify makes me just smile Doctor Who Novels (and audios) , Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Tie in Novels (Star Wars, Trek and DND) and the latest addition is going to be rebuilding my record collection (thats RECORD) going to get Vinyl some fantastic art on those things

So next Saturday I'm booked but next Sunday I start the sanding (this weekend I have stuff to do)

Need to sort some record storage (do they do boxes?)

Little room by xmas

Then Bedroom (Rock/Prog theme album covers and posters (framed) on the walls in the new year

Pat Benatar on You Tube adds to mood

oh look my hangover just went away :)

right need to get £200 for the kindle and locate record fairs in nottingham (I'm sure there used to be some)

but for now Caffeine and lots of it :)

J

SO the weekend was ace (no pun intended)

Met/saw a load of people from Who and got autographs from Peter Perves, Katy Manning (she said my beard was nice and soft) and Louise Jameson who I think I have a crush on now *sigh*

But I was unprepared there were supposed to be photos to eb signed and there were none so I have a program signed by Perves, a calender signed by Katy Manning and a copy of the Novelisation of the horror of fang rock signed by Louise Jameson

It started slow and shaky but as the day went on I really got into it and as next years event is in the 50th Anniversary year I HAVE to be there it's that simple

So slowly ( and hopefully quite cheaply) I am going to start amassing Photos so I can get them signed by any who stars I run across

Spent the day with Toni and and we had a talk and we're friends and we are going to stay friends forever, the fact that it was the first time I got to hang out with her for a few hours and just talk made the day better. She says she's going next year and we will be better prepared

goign to start getting decorating stuff in at the end of this month Sander first then after we get the crappy current paint off I'll see what I'm doing with the decorating

The painting and shelving

Then Carpeting (Rob found a place in Daybrook that does remnants at a reasonable price)

I'm thinking Who stars photos in the Hall now get same size photos and ransack Wilkos etc for frames

Want to get that at least done by xmas

'sall for now

J