[This time around, he's not so keen on trying traditional treatments.]

My dad has cancer of the colon. It's been about 1.5 years now. It's his second go-round with cancer. The first was lymphoma cancer (non-Hodgkin's variety) and he got past that with chemo.

This time around, he's not so keen on trying traditional treatments.

Chemo is rough. Puts the body and mind through trials I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Having gone the chemo route before, perhaps he knows he can't take going that route again? Perhaps he flat-out doesn't want to.

My grandmother is currently dying. Not from something treatable, but from the sheer lack of desire to live. She broke her hip a couple months ago and has been in and out of hospitals/rehab since, having not once stepped foot back in her own room at the assisted living community she's lived in the last 3 years. She doesn't eat. She doesn't participate in rehab. She doesn't have the strength or desire to fight for life. A cruel family would use medical power of attorney (which my mother has) to force a feeding tube placed in her stomach and prolong her existence until she "snaps out of it" or is forced to get better. This never works, and we are not a cruel family. We recently transferred her to a hospice facility where we expect her to pass any day now.

I can't tell you whether your father's cancer has spread to the lungs. Not without an MRI or some other imaging. However, ask yourself this - "Who would knowing help?" Some people don't want to know how bad it is and/or that they have "3 months to live." Knowing that data racks at them daily, making them feel defeated and hopeless until the day of their inevitable passing. They'd rather go out when they go out. Others want to know so they can plan and prepare. Neither is right. Neither is wrong. But one of them is right for your dad, whether it's right for the rest of the family or not. Go with that one.

That sucks. Though I guess it was inevitable. With the GW price increase, I doubt they can take too many $185 losses. 

The painting took a few hours. Pretty much all GW's Foundation paints as the base (VGC for the metallics), some Baal Red and Thrakka Green washes applied to the red and flesh areas, respectively, and a very liberal dousing with Devlan Mud. A few highlights with the base colors and some of the brighter VGC colors and that's the final product.

As you can see from the color names above, the new GW washes did the majority of the work. They'll never let me win a Golden Daemon, but they help get things to a mid/high table-top standard in very short order. I plan on going back to buy the rest of the set. They're really that good.

Here's an article that shows 'em in action. Page 2 and 4 are particularly enlightening. I like 'em better than the Future Floor Wax method, as I find they have better flow control and dry matte. The only real drawback to the GW washes over something like Future is that you're stuck with the colors GW makes.

Got some painting done on the Belcha this week. Enough to enter in the Black Reach Release Party painting comp at the LGS. Certainly not enough to win it.  A few details to pick out yet, but I think it's coming along nicely.







Still trying to figure out what color fuel should be visible through the "fuel gauge"...

With that data, I'm thinking the tentative schedule for playing looks like this:

Sep. 13, 27
Oct. 4, 18
Nov. 1, 15, 29

Which is probably enough sessions for now. My best guess has us finishing this adventure around then, give or take a session. If that's how it shakes down, I'm thinking we take a short break (the remainder of December) before continuing our campaign sometime in January.

Faide..the hive mind beckons you to return   I just picked up an airbrush and a compressor today.  Time to start priming the models

Ooh, I'm jealous. Think I might ask for one of those for Christmas. 

Wow! Stick me in the "I've got a full Monday night" bunch.

Monday: Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, Chuck, Heroes; will give My Own Worst Enemy a chance
Tuesday: Eureka ('till the current season ends), The Shield; will give Fringe a chance
Wednesday:Pushing Daisies; if Sons of Anarchy is good tonight, it'll get a season pass
Thursday: 30 Rock
Friday: Psych ('till season's end, then nada)
Saturday: nada
Sunday: The Unit

You know, I'd feel bad about watching 10+ hours of TV a week if I didn't multitask during most of them.

House as C3PO? 

Look at his work prior to House.

In a world where people read thread titles.....




 

Crap! Need to brush up on my thread-skimming skills. Back to the gym!

Don LaFontaine died.  Can't seem to find any news stories beyond blurbs.

Wow! Looking at the website, I see what you're seeing/saying, but I can almost guarantee that if you order the $90 one you'll get the box with 3 Leman Russ in it. They have two $90 boxes - one with 3 Basilisks, one with 3 Russes, and the $275 box with 10 Russes. All great deals, honestly.

If I hadn't already been on the phone with 'em earlier today (some incorrect sprue quantities in the Imperial City box I got at Christmas) I'd be seriously tempted to place an order, then call 'em to verify that I'm getting the 10 tanks and see what they say... 

I know they're random for a reason, but sometimes a name would be great.

Which is a bootylicious way of saying, "+1". 

Looks great! Have any idea how you're going to paint it?

I'm having a hard time envisioning Gillian Anderson as Mara Jade too. For one she's far too old to play Mara during the Thrawn era and she isn't nearly athletic or fit enough. Honestly if they were to make a movie of the 1s book in the trilogy within the next 5 years, I think they'd have to go looking for currently unknown talent to fill the role of Mara.

Nah, they'd just have Scarlett Johansson dye her hair.

Sweet, I need my armored company   If not, a mechanized company is good enough...until all the Chimeras get shot up.

You should check out this 'Ard Boyz army list for an interesting combo of Russes and Raiders to create a solid wall of mechanized AV14. It's near genius.

[George Clooney]

George Clooney as Han Solo
Brad Pitt as Luke Skywalker
Eva Mendes as Princess Leia
Morgan Freeman as Obi Wan Kenobi
Hugh Laurie as C-3PO
David Carradine as Grand Moff Tarkin
John Goodman as Porkins
Steve Buscemi as Greedo
Clancy Brown as Darth Vader

Directed/Produced by the Coen Brothers.

At the very least, it'd be interesting! 

I am looking for questions about D&D 4th Edition and questions you guys might have about the new D&D web application that is coming out for it.  I have a rep with Wizards of the Coast who will get questions to the right people, so if we can get a good number of questions I can send them to her.

I know several of you guys are playing a campaign on here.  You must have a few questions that you would like to get answered.  Post them here or PM me with them and maybe we can get them answered for you.

Last I heard, the online dungeon would default to tokens of critters unless you put in a special access code from the appropriate D&D miniature to unlock the spiffy 3-D, bells-and-whistles version. Will the spiffy 3-D versions of creatures be available for separate purchase for those that have zero interest in buying the D&D miniatures?

Will all pre-made campaigns, such as Keep on the Shadowfell and Thunderspire Labyrinth, be available for purchase by DMs at pricing comparable to their book forms?

Will gaming groups be able to buy memberships in bulk? Or perhaps DMs being able to purchase a "licensing" system whereby they can transfer a license from a defunct player to a new party member?

What's your favorite and/or most recent "Oh, WOW!" moment when playing with the software?

With the plethora of tools already available for playing D&D games online, what's the draw to start paying for that ability?

Will their be some variety in magical items/clothing customization, or do all +1 Flaming Swords look the same?

Crayolasmoker, is it possible to field an armored company?  I know an old chapter approved had the rules in it for an armored company, but is that still legal?

AFAIK, Armored Companies are still legal army lists, as I know the latest revision been approved for use in this month's 'Ard Boyz tournament. However, in 5th edition, the Armored Company is fatally flawed. 5th edition states that only Troops choices can be scoring units. 5th edition also states that vehicles do not count as scoring. The only Troop choice available to an Armored Company is the Leman Russ Battle Tank.

Current speculation has the Armored Company list being phased out except as an Apocalypse formation with the next IG codex, yet giving said codex the ability to run a tank heavy, fully mechanized list. GW's current trend of having special characters re-organize the force org chart (Master of the Ravenwing = bikes as troops, Ghazghkull Thraka = one Meganobz or Nobz unit as a Troops choice, etc.) would make this easily possible - either by doctrine (if they keep that system) or by having Commander Archibald "Stug" Sherman allow the player to pick Troop choices from both the Troop list and the Heavy list.

It's almost a certainty that the ability to amass tanks willy-nilly, and still maintain a few squads of IG in Chimera for scoring units, will be in the next book.

[all over]

I picked up a set of Cadian Shock Troops, a Baneblade, a Sentinel, and a heavy weapons team today   Gonna try to mess around with the IG  a bit.  I would love to field a mechanized battalion or just a very tank heavy IG army

If that's the case, then this is the best deal GW ever made.  If I hadn't scratch-built 12 tank chassis right before they announced it, I would've been all over that deal with the release of Apocalypse.

I've always been interested in IG, just never bit the bullet on 'em. Working with Orks makes me hesitant to do another horde-style army. However, the rumors of plastic great-coated infantry (Steel Legion, most likely) with the release of the 5th edition IG Codex does make me salivate. Until then, I'll have to make do with Orks and Ravenwing.

Speaking of Orks, I more-or-less finished my first Wrecka yesterday...

If your local shop can still get it, The Endless Swarm was a helluva deal. As is this one. Not sure if The War Store gets 20% off on Apocalypse sets, but if they do, it's an absolute steal. I've been getting the bulk of my purchases from The War Store ever since the LGS came under new ownership who dropped our "regulars" discount from 20% to 10%. Their service is quick and reliable, and the time they botched an order, they sent what I'd actually ordered that day... and let me keep the blister that was wrong!

Thanks. I'm a Big Mek at heart. Took about 4-5 hours for the first draft build. Another 3-4 to tweak it to what you see above. I'd say a day's work, but I really needed the time away from it to come up with that second set of ideas. Honestly, I think that's where I'm at with the Wrecka. I've taken most of the day off from it and will look at it with fresh eyes in the AM.

Need to hurry up though if I want to make this codex look snazzy. I've got 5 different tanks to finish. And 4 more support vehicles. A couple different units of boyz. At least two Apocalypse vehicles. The Grotkodesantniki... All of which will need to be painted and photographed! Argh... I'ma go go cry now.

crayola i have a question - in that article hen linked to, there was a feat for star warlocks that lets me spend hit points equal to an encounter powers level, to avoid exhausting the encounter power if i miss all enemies with it

any problems with me taking that instead? (it might be helpful for me, seeing as ive missed EVERY TIME with everyones favorite dread word... alimony )

Not a problem. See you guys in 45. 

[The Belcha]

Sweet! Look forward to seeing your progress. Reminds me that I need to order a couple boxes and/or sprues of genestealers soon. With easier access to Space Marine Terminators starting next week (Black Reach box set), my plans to revitalize Space Hulk at my gaming store come one step closer to fruition!

Lately, I've been assembling vehicles to add to my home-brewed Armored Krumpany codex. Just a few finishing touches needed on the The Belcha (a cross between a Trukk and a Hellhound)...









And I'll be finishing up the Wrecka (not picture) as soon as I can figure out what to do with the engine/exhaust/fender area. It's currently stumping me at the moment.

[Batman Forever]

I wanna say Michael Vick's new made-for-TV special ... but I'm not going to (re)write a movie plot to get a favorite movie to fit the scenario.

Batman Forever. Catwoman fighting ANYONE is a CatFight. There are tons of prison/Arkham guards.

Whee.

Wrong title. Automatic disqualification. 

Thanks Doopri, that reminds me - I may not have the new stuff macro'd by the game on Saturday. Had some family illness issues eating a huge chunk of my free time. At the moment it shouldn't interfere with the game Saturday, but if it's going to I'll let you guys know ASAP.

The software allows it, as we're just using Steam's chat interface and MapTool, which theoretically have unlimited connections. If the rest of the group doesn't mind spectators, neither do I.

[Undercover Brother]

Undercover Brother - Bookending the the hilarious catfight between Sistah Girl (Aunjanue Ellis) and White She Devil (Denise Richards) that turns into a "two girls caressing each other in the shower" scene before Sistah Girl delivers the knock-out punch are the kidnappings of both Billy Dee Williams and James Brown.

[The Long Kiss Goodnight]

I find that The Long Kiss Goodnight and Conspiracy Theory make a good double-feature.

And add me to the list of proud owners of Kingdom of Heaven's Director's Cut.

[Daehawk]

Daehawk

I and one of my good gaming buddies loved it.  He even took his daughter and a towel for each of them to the screening.

What a hoopy frood.

Disappointing to hear. I've been watching via Netflix and thought Season 3 took a serious turn to suck after a stellar and very good Season 1 and 2. Was hoping Season 4 would help 'em find their way back to good. 

[JCAnejo]

JCAnejo. I've got a thing for the 40s pinup look.

 

Hope you like being the same color as Homer Simpson...

While I lament the death of GoneGold in total, I'm kicking myself for not keeping my own copy of my books read in 2004.  It not only had the list of what I'd finished, but the list of what I was planning to read.  Argh!

Never was a big Twinkies person, but I considered myself a Little Debbie connoisseur. Star Crunch, anyone?

Nutty Bars. 

[Across the Universe]

Across the Universe - Salma Hayek has a cameo as the hot nurse administering morphine to the GIs recovering from the many explosions in Vietnam.

How To Talk About Books You Haven't Read Pierre Bayard

Looking at the sheer volume of texts you read, I LOLled when I noticed this one.

Let's try some Rachel Weisz

Cool on many counts.  Did you want the info this week or just before the session the week after?  IOW, no game on the 23rd.  (FYI for anyone who missed it.)

The sooner I get 'em, the more time I have to get 'em done.