Budget approved, part deux

Home finance minister approved budget for card and board games purchase at the end of October.

I think of it as buying myself, to date, the most expensive birthday present ever and I have finally got all the games as of Tuesday this week.

*happy* ^_^

new toys! Seven games and two expansions

Qwirkle and Gold Mine are bought primarily for family gaming sessions, they are suitable to play with the little monsters. Perhaps Alhambra too, though I bought Alhambra not with the kids in mind but because I like the game.

Sketch it! is my answer to the annoying die mechanism in Pictionary. Now this is a game that really rewards player for his or her drawing and guessing skill, not die rolling luck.

In a somewhat similar vein, Libertalia is my answer to Jamaica. Besides getting rid of the die rolling luck that predominates Jamaica, I also like the same starting hand mechanism of Libertalia, so much room for strategy and replayability.

my card and board game collection bought in recent years

Elder Sign is my second cooperative game, the first being Forbidden Island. While die rolling luck predominates this game, it does provide a lot of mechanisms to counter lousy luck. It can have up to eight players and the game mechanics is such that players can drop in and out half way, which is pretty nifty as there are those who like to sit on the fence on game commitment and those habitual latecomers in my regular gaming group.

Saboteur was not on my radar until a friend bought it, I looked it up and like it, so I bought the expansion Saboteur 2 as well. Quick and fun game that can accommodates up to twelve players with the expansion, ten without.

Scoundrels of Skullport is the expansion for Lords of Waterdeep. I love Lords of Waterdeep, so buying the expansion is a no-brainer. It adds the sixth player too.

games bought more than seven years ago, very seldom get played nowadays

Started playing some of the newly acquired games with my regular gaming group, can't wait to play all of them! =D

So many games, so little time. Game on! =P

2014 Penang Bridge International Dodge Walkers and Selfie-takers Game

Written on the 16th of November after the run. Initially wrote this as part of the November's Run Log, but ended up way too long for a simple run log entry so I made this a separate blog entry instead.

16 November 2014, Sunday.

The day. 2014 Penang Bridge International Marathon.

Or more appropriately, Penang Bridge International Dodge Walkers and Selfie-takers Game.

Underestimated the jam and the distance I needed to walk to the starting point, so 10KM Men's Open has started by the time I reached the starting point.

But thanks to the ridiculous number of participants, I caught up to the tail end of the walking mass to slowly inch passed the starting line. You would have thought people would start running after the line but everyone seemed content to just walk, probably because there wasn't any space to run no thanks to those walkers at the front who were in the clear.

Similar to traffic jam really, the slow refused to go into the slow lane and stubbornly hogging the fast lane, resulting in massive jam miles back. Selfish people are everywhere.

For the first kilometre or so, I wasn't able to run at all, only after the ramp curve onto the bridge that I could start to run. Well, start the dodging game, that is.

Common sense would dictate that those who are slow stick to the inner lane while the fast runners stick to the outer lane, following our traffic system. But alas, common sense is not common.

After much silent cursing of the outer lane walkers and selfie-takers that I noticed there were equally frustrated runners running on the motor lane. So I jumped the divider and finally got to run properly.

Unfortunately I had to slow to a walk again at the 5km mark to turn back and again at the finishing line. It's a frustrating experience really. I want to run all the way, dammit! Not there to play dodge game. And darn those selfie-takers, couldn't you join the Fun Run instead?

Anyway, despite my reduced training frequency, I was pretty confident I could run nonstop the whole 10km. If it was all flat, that is. =P

I didn't have any strength training this year since I only ran the Straits Quay route, I had to walk on the return uphill span of the bridge before I could run again. If I ever joined the bridge run again, I have to remember to include some strength trainings.

The thing is, I just don't know if I want to go through this frustration again.

Anyway, in my haste to start (since I was late), I didn't properly check that I had my Nike+ running until about 1km into the run, so I do not have the exact distance and time information. I will have to rely on the official record.

On that note, I had to hold my pee all the way since I had no time to release before the run, and every toilets on the way had a queue that I refused to waste time on. >_<

Not a nice experience, meh! =(

In this series: |May 2013| |June 2013| |Duracell bunny, not| |Hazy dazy| |July 2013| |August 2013| |September 2013| |October to December 2013| |June & July 2014| |August 2014| |September 2014|

Random behaviour for December 2014

Succeeded in October's impromptu resolution, yay! feel good +1

Didn't set an impromptu resolution for November since it's the slacker month. =P

Anyway, for December 2014, starting today, my impromptu resolution is: to do legs lifting or other abdominal muscles related exercise everyday.

Because I can.

How to stop getting Facebook game invitation

I posted the steps on my Facebook before but then the status update tends to get outdated fast. Also only my Facebook friends can see it so let me do a public service this time in the form of a blog entry.

Feel free to point people to this entry if you are also one who wishes to be rid of the spam.

Got a chance to do this today since a new game is making its spam round, good timing really as I have blocked all the previous ones and I needed to take a few screenshots for this step by step instruction. ^_^

Note that I did this using web browser on a computer, not the mobile phone app version.

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4: done! One more spam blocked and an angel got its wings! =D

Feel free to click that "Report app for spam" if you really hate it.

  

Random Tidbits

Dug up some old notes on funny or memorable conversations that happened among family members.

- Permission granted -

7th of August 2013

The usual bed time routine.

*Kisses and hug*

"Good night, I love you, Young Young."

"I love you papa."

"No good night for me?"

"Good night papa."

*Kisses and hug*

"Good night, I love you, Hsiang Hsiang."

"Good night, I love you, papa."

*Exited room*

*Re-entered room*

Young: "what now?"

*Taken aback*

"Can I kiss mama?"

Hsiang & Young: "okay."

-----

- How does he do it? -

19th October 2013

Wifey: "hello <girl's name>!"

FH: "hello aunty!"

*Hsiang passed by*

FH: "I called him boyfriend." *giggle shyly*

-----

- Princess -

19th October 2013

Young: "mama is my princess!"

-----

- ... -

19th October 2013

While outside...

Wifey: "I am going to go out wearing hot pants or short skirt."

Me: "why suddenly said so? Want to show off your legs?"

Wifey: "I am old and no body is looking at me."

-----

- Awesome -

21st October 2013

Young: "mama, can I have another red bean bun later?"

Wifey: "sure, you don't want to try a raisin bun?"

Young: "huh? I thought it's red bean bun?"

Wifey: "yes, the one you had is red bean bun, but I made raisin buns too."

Young: "mama, you are awesome!"

-----

结婚十周年

有看过一百朵玫瑰花束吗？

我今天终于见过了。

从年头开始就问老婆仔结婚十周年要做些什么？

她总是不以为然。

十周年嘞，我觉得是一个重要的里程碑喽。

不要再拍婚纱照，不要去第二度蜜月，不要更新结婚戒指，什么都不要。

所以最后我给了超老土的玫瑰。

十年，就一百朵吧！

老婆仔，结婚十周年纪念日快乐！

谢谢你选择了一位和你心目中的白马王子完全倒转的男人。

你是怎么会爱上矮矮瘦小，样貌平凡的番薯宅男我不明白，总之我是拾到宝就对了啦，呵呵！ =P

要还有很多很多的十年哦！ ^_^

心语细述 |系列|

Don't leave your cubicle unattended

I was assigned to grow mushrooms in another site for a few weeks, in that time period my cubicle was left unattended.

One who goes around leaving graffiti in other people's cubicle or pull some pranks, you know, basically being an evil and mischievous person, tends to accumulate hate over time.

Maybe it's love... =P

Anyway, an unattended cubicle of such an evil and mischievous person is prime target for all the "haters". Especially if birthday happened during that period of absence.

So...

 

Truth is, it's such a nice gesture, the kind of prank I would have done myself. I am really touched.

Thank you buddies! I still don't know who actually did it so I guess I just have to do it to all of you in return. =P

Got a few requests to share the messages so here are some choice ones. I omitted those with birthday wishes and nothing else since I am the slacker extraordinaire. =P

You will need to know Chinese to understand some of the messages.

 

There are those who think I am 100 years old, and there are those who think I am 20. I think I am somewhere in between.

These are the messages with smileys.

And these are the messages that are slightly lengthier.

Yes, I didn't miss that joke within the inverted commas. =)

One who reads my blog.

One who reminds me of my lack of contribution.

And one who is always thinking of taking over the world but hasn't succeeded so far since, well, she insists on being the brain. I will let her figure it out. =P

Yes I know who you are and I love you too! I need all the loves I can get. ^_^

Then there are those with some drawing skill.

Poking fun at my bald head is a common theme, and spreading rumour of my supposedly girlfriends. Wish the rumour is true then I would have daughters in my next life. =P

I likey the Munchkin hat! =D

Another one who reads my blog. These poor misguided souls... =P

 

Well, there is me, wifey and my two sons, then there is that plus sign of my wish for a daughter, but those squiggly things are rather, ehem. Interpret it yourself! =P

Yes, I wanna build a snowman and I love hugs! ^_^