Well lets see

Jules and Rob go camping to a Folk Festival

We came back early

Thursday was fab we got there set up camp, wandered down to the festival site and looked around and less than 2 hours after arrival the music started - we spent the first half of the evening in the beer tent (which was also a venue) and watched a couple of bands in the main marquee started getting colder but that was to be expected and I wasn't really feeling it that much so we crashed and looked forward to the next 3 days

That night was one of the most unpleasant experiences I have ever encountered it was freezing cold and extremely uncomfortable not to mention damp (this is considering the Christmas I nearly broke my leg and the colonoscopy/surgery I had last year)

The following morning my spirits were somewhat subdued but after some brekkie and a coke we went for a walk into Southwell to see one of the acts that was performing in the Minster they were very good if a little experimental but they made the list of 10 or so artists I'm going to be getting CDs for

The weather 'improved' which meant that the walk into Southwell was longer than expected and the sun was brutal so quick coke in a pub in Soputhwell and then off to the minster act great/seats really uncomfortable but free tea and coffee

Then several hours until any act at all and it wa back to the bar/tent for a littel whle then off to Marquee 2 for a few really good acts and then main tent

I was falling asleep and Rob had nexk/back pain so we caled it early and crashed - where I spent all night not cold this time I was well wrapped but couldn't get comfortable and didn't sleep much - woke up the following morning uncomfortable, a bit down but looking forward to the days music and getting dripped on slightly from Dew coming through tent or condensation on inside not sure which and waited for Rob to wake up so we could plan the day

It took a little conversation that basically covered the fact that we hated the camping and loved the music/festival part

so we decided mutually to come home

Now it's been a considerable number of years since Rob or myself had been camping and we perhaps had a somewhat off idea of how cold it would get but we came away with something of a better idea of what we would have needed to remove the only unpleasant part of the weekend

Larger more insulated tents, thermal undies, the stove also seemed to be overly complicated so we ate quite a bit from vendors at the festival

I am now still recovering from Sciatica (full leg cramp for the first time really interesting that was), a bruised rib on the right side or pulled muscle and it looks like I've been attacked by a man wielding a microwave my arms were purple yesterday and really sore and my face looks like ive been slapped for hours

However lets break this down to get some perspective

Cons

Camping was rubbish (uncomfortable/cold)

Someone in the wee smalls on Friday morning walked into some of the larger tents and nicked stuff (one guy had credit cards and cash and car keys taken and another that was talking to him caught the bastard walking into his tent and chased him off)

My sinus throat thing did not react well to all this and was unpleasant in the mornings and when ever the temperature changed (think it may have been humidity as well)

Friday daytime was a bit rubbish (music wise) there weren't any acts on till lunch time and then none for several hours (but they were good)

You cannot walk with a filled to the brim pint pot without spilling it down you FACT

Pros

I got to spend the 3 days with one of my oldest friends just me and him and there wasn't any awkwardness or uncomfortable silences it was just fun, music and chillin'

The music was great and I've got a list of 10 or so bands/artists I'll be looking onto

Everybody there was really friendly

The Beer festival had about 40 or so real ales opn and they weren't massively expensive and were really nice beers - the most expensive was ordinary Carlsberg and that seemed to be watered down

The food was a bit expensive but really nice (had a massive cooked breakfast on the morning we came back and it was lovely)

And the really attractive lady on the hat stall that sold my my 'hat to prevent my head from melting' for just £8 asked me if I was doing Download as well (and now I sorta wish I could)

all in all positive

follow on

If me and Rob go next year (likely I think some things are to be different)

Proper 'make things a comfortable as possble' camping gear

Only go for the weekend

try and get other people to go

Loved it, I came away feeling really good it was a whole friendly atmosphere there that I really fit into (sorry it had to end at all never mind the way it did)

Am going to see more live acts from now on

on the way back we chatted about things and one of the things was my health and lifestyle and Rob said something that could have been taken as a challenge - 1 year to get thinner and healthier, to get the flat and ailments sorted and to stop being single

Challenge accepted

J

okay so sinus issues seem to be clearing somewhat, although according to the news especially nasty 'pollen burst' is making life unpleasant for lots of hay fever sufferers so I'm just gonna have to live with that

Not been reffing or playng for a couple of weeks as talking basically causes my sinuses to clamp shut (or thats what it feels like) and talking is fairly important in the whole RPG thing but my game back on tomorrow and back at Sundays this weekend (don't know what Marks playing - sure it'll be ya know reaallly powerful and shit)

Got to see doctors soon as I may have to take extra precaustions for Southwell (hay fever vs camping yeesh)

what got me is that it stopped me - everything shut down gaming, walking as much (okay couldn't breathe properley but still)

happened at xmas as well everything stopped, but that was xmas and therefore 'allowed'

If I keep doing this I'm gonna lose this fight and I really want to do the other thing so what I am going to have to try and do is carry on regardless

Work directly against my tendancy to stop and make excuses, just put my head down and get on with it and not ever stop

and now doubt, I don't know if I have the ..... what determination, strength whatever

Last year up until xmas I was unstoppable and then I took time off and lost ground now I have to do that again, be that person again and not stop this time

I still see the parts of the future I want (the parts I've figured out so far) and as a goal that will do for now

Now I have to fight

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. 

Just threw that in cause I love that quote

J 

 

I need to achieve something - a lot of my friends have families and better jobs than me (cause I thought going to work for my local council was a goal I wanted to achieve for a career and found a dead end job that I am now stuck in with no prospects (according to my team leader says))

Theres not a lot I can do about that right now but one day....

I can't remember the last time I read a book and just enjoyed it instead of 'gamifying' it

I keep waffling on about things I want to get done and sometimes they do get done but more often they don't because sometimes I just can't see any point

but maybe thats the point to just go through the motions until something appears

I don't know but I'm going to give it a try cause otherwise I'm just gonna stay ...lost

So things kick off this week I have three goals and I'm not going to go on about them, cause thats what always happens and then  nothing

Hopefully this Sinitus isn't going to hang around for very much longer cause I'm back at the mad house tomorrow

Next Event thing coming up Southwell Folk Festival

Must reapply myself to the weight loss effort (going slowly I want it to go quicker)

and keep wondering if there is actually anyone out there for me, or if I'm better off just me

J

part of this 'remodelling' thing I'm doing to myself at the moment is to reacquaint myself with some hobbies or aspects of hobbies that I stopped because of financial issues or other more trivial concerns

Standing order starting this Friday
more boardgaming
going to cons (quite possibly solo but I think I'm okay with that)

and as part of this I've decided what my next 2 reffing projects are going to be

After my pathfinder ends (a break I hope) but Rappan Athuk (am buying thebook with some of my works xmas club money in December)

and after that I'm going to ref a Middle Earth Campaign (in Pathfinder or whatever we're playing at that point)

Sorting out what MERP and lord of the rings material I have and will start 'studying' ... well I already started today

quite happy with this and got some other stuff running through my head regarding these projects but still at 'thinking stuff up' stage

J

There is a barrier in this weight loss thing it involves (inmy case at least) pain

My torso hurts, around my belt line hurts, I feel tired and not headachey exactly but a kind of 'detatchment' it's worse at work and I'm gonna have my soup and wholemeal inna mo

It's times like this when I wonder why I keep doing this it happended when I started a year ago and I went though it again after christmas (XMASSSSSSS *shakes fist*) and I'm going through it again now

The thing is

I remember a time when I used to wear a t shirt Suit jacket and Jeans and pull it off well

I remember  a time when I didn't feel self conscious going out

And I remember a time when I felt really good about myself all the time

And regardless what my 'dark side' says I've never stopped believing that I can regain some of what I've lost

So screw him

(and although it's a little more tired than usual)

Onward :)

BTW they called my glasses are ready - will pick up tomorrow

J

It's official I'm having my midlife crisis (on infinite earths ;)   )

If I drove it would be a car (or Bike) but I don't so it looks like comics

Setting up a standing order again, Marvel and DC and sorting through my existing comics for the strips I want to concentrate on to fill gaps - been looking at collected editons of titles like Avengers and FF and the issue coverage is fantastic

So that kicks off at the end of this month

Also

Me and Rob are working on a combined Mutants and Masterminds world, mostly M&M but with just a touch of Marvel and DC characters (quite enjoying the thought of that)

Also

although I have said in the past that I didn't fancy the whole cinema thing (not that I went much before) but I really fancy ging to see Iron Man 3 and as I am watching Star Trek (most recent movie) at the mo I want to see Star Trek 2 and I the other blockbusters as well so thats going to change as well

Was thinking about getting into heroclix as well but after some research and locating the current up to date rulebook (all 213 pages of it) decided that al I want to do is locate figs for the M&M

The Comic Mart that I went to last summer (which was rubbish) has moved to a hotel in Hockley (just round the corner) noww when I went before i went looking for Doctor Who stuff but didn't look at the normal comics gear so gonna have another look

And a new con comes to Nottingham (Nerdfest) on the 5th October

oh and I'm gonna start wearing glasses (for monitor work and some reading) so thats new

So while I'm going back to Work on Monday (and as I have to deal with fallout from the welfare reforms as wel as the normal crap) I'm not looking forward to it but am not dreading it and will start looking forward to my next break in about  8 weeks (Southwell Folk Festival)

All is well

J

half way through my break and I have done ... virtually nothing

well, wrote and ran my game last week (went wel I thought), started one collection based project and had some thoughts on some other stuff

Tomorrow it changes, tomorrow I will have 7 days until I'm back at work and 7 days to get everything I wanted to get done...done

So Alarm back on tomorrow and treating it like a work day as far as getting up breakfast is concerned and walk down to work then back to the flat and start clearing/cleaning the flat

got this weird quiet determination thing going

we'll have to see exactly where I end up but lookiung forward to the journey - for today got some paperwork to catch up on

J