I actually use the word 'funkiest'

What does Sushi, a roll of wallpaper, a bath full of beer and a beagle have in common?  They all featured prominently in my trip back home two weeks ago!  Yes, a couple of weeks ago, it was time for my bi-annual trip home and I have to admit, it kicked last Aprils arse.  Let’s begin, shall we?

Now, I’m going to skip past the whole flying back home part, as I’ve already mentioned the only interesting part last week (I’m a girl) plus it’s a fairly routine flight for me these days.  So, straight onto my arrival home (thankfully not covered in wine this time), where I was greeted by my parents and this little guy howling in excitement at the sight of me.

After my usual cheese and pickle sandwich and some tea (some traditions die hard), I was able to enjoy a sunny walk around the New Cumnock lagoons with my parents and Ollie, just taking in the beauty of where I used to live and enjoying some time with my parents.  Afterwards, it was time to spend a ridiculous amount of time opening a mountainous pile of parcels and letters( I tend to stock up a lot when I get home but it’s like Christmas) followed then a home cooked steak pie dinner with my mum and dad (and Ollie, though much to his chagrin he didn’t get anything) before collapsing into bed exhausted.  A nice slow start to my holiday, which after such a long flight was exactly what I needed.  I have to admit though, it was nice to be doted on a little and have dinner cooked for me!

Next up was Sunday and my first foray into Glasgow in which a group of my closest friends and I would celebrate my birthday, which was the next day.  Picking up Derek on the way to the train, it was nice to spend some time catching up in person as we trundled along in the train.  Arriving in Glasgow, we then had a coffee at the Costa in the Saint Enoch’s centre, whilst waiting for Michael and Cara to arrive (it was nice to watch people go by from inside the Costa and just relax with a friend).  Once Michael and Cara arrived, we all caught up a little and they gave me my birthday present: an amazingly thoughtful scrapbook/photo album decorated on the outside with a load of superhero pictures (and a potentially risqué quote from Batman) and on the inside?  On the inside was a lifetime of memories: loads of pictures from our time together as well as gig and cinema tickets.  Thank you both very much for it and for spending time thinking it up and creating it: it has a place of honour on my coffee table and I flip through it whenever I miss home or my friends.

After finishing our coffees, we headed to Hillhead to meet John, Heather, Martin and Katie for a fairly pleasant reunion and for some lunch at the now ‘classy’ Curlers bar (in my university days, it was a great student bar that served great burgers and was dark and beer covered) where I was able to have an amazing pulled pork burger (thanks John) and a great pint of Brooklyn (thanks Michael) whilst catching up with friends I hadn’t seen in months.  Next up was Iron Man 3 at the Grosvenor Cinema (a really small but classy cinema), which was completely different from what I expected but still hugely enjoyable.  I won’t talk much about the film due to spoilers but it was a great end to the trilogy and was hugely entertaining.  

After the film, and some pick and mix (of course), we headed to a small sushi takeaway close to where I used to live.  Now then, I do mean small: it was literally 4 small tables, a counter and fridge, with the kitchen upstairs but holy hell, did it make some good sushi.  Between the group, we managed a 50 piece set plus multiple side dishes between us which was just a glorious meal to the end the day…if incredibly filling.  The best way to describe the sheer mass of the sushi was if the chef had took a little piece of everything in the ocean, added rice and served it to us.  Finally, it was back to Michael and Cara’s for a drink and perhaps the most amazing cake ever.  

Yes, that is a massive and completely edible dragon on my cake.  This was made by my friend Katie and it wass based on Dungeon and Dragon’s (Fitz is my character’s name) and it was completely delicious.  And the size…I have away half the cake to everyone and still was barely able to fit the remainder into a large box and a bag.  Thank you very much for the cake, Katie.  I’m not sure it will ever be topped.  I mean, how often do you get to feel really manly when cutting a cake?  I got to behead a dragon then eat it!  So, a couple of drinks, some good conversation, lots of cake and one short train later, I arrived home and it was straight to bed as I was exhausted.  An amazing way to celebrate my birthday, to say the least.

Indeed, that next day I turned the wrong side of 25, (26) and spent a quiet morning with my parents: having a nice breakfast and opening up my presents (nothing makes you feel mature like getting the bamboo steamer you asked for: a great kitchen item!) before heading off to Girvan for the night.  After a short walk along the harbour (it was somewhat windy, so we didn’t stay long) with Ollie, we headed to the hotel to find that we were just across the road from the sea.  What could possibly make this better?  If you answered ‘a huge set of bay windows overlooking the sea and a couple of comfortable seats right next to them’, you are correct!  Once settled, I was able to spend the afternoon with a book and a pint of Guinness (it was glorious) with my dad, which was great as I hadn’t just stopped and relaxed for quite a while now.  I’m usually caught up in planning or working these days.  Then, after a couple of hours relaxing, it was time for a birthday dinner with my parents which included the slightly unusual haggis and black pudding spring rolls (tasted great).  Shortly after Ollie had decided to fall asleep on my lap, my own body decided it was time for an early night, as the past couple of days caught up on me.

Fueled by a bad night’s sleep and a full English breakfast, my dad and I had a short walk along the beach then it was straight to Kilmarnock to have my scruffy and unkempt locks cut and tidied.  Looking somewhat less homeless, my trip continued onwards to Glasgow (geez, I seem to do nothing but travel when I’m home) where I finished the shopping I needed to do and then met my friends Susan and Lewis for some Tapas (Chorizo!), a couple of drinks and a proper catch-up.  The nicest part of returning home for me is not going out to eat or shopping or travelling around but instead, it’s actually being able to sit in the same room with friends I haven’t seen in months and just talk or mess around for a while.  It really makes a difference when you’ve been away for so long.  

   

With the days speeding by, I was on yet another train on the Wednesday afternoon, again heading into Glasgow (after my obligatory trip to the dentist), this time to have a pint with Drouin whom I hadn’t seen since last April.  A couple of pints in Solid and a good few hours of solid chat (see what I did there?) on video games and life, I was back on another train home for dinner (I was on at least 10 trains during the week) and an evening of chess with Derek.  Now, you might be thinking, why spend an evening playing chess when you’ve got limited time at home?  Well, when I was unemployed and he was as well, we would usually try to spend one night a week just playing chess and having a drink and we haven’t been able to do this since I moved.  Nostalgia for the win!  I even won one (let’s ignore the fact I lost several in a row and concentrate on the positive)!

Out of the blue, Thursday arrived and it was the last day with my parents as they had to leave for a holiday on the Friday, so I would be spending my Friday in Glasgow.  Despite spending a large period of time packing and finding out that the local Shoe Shop is now pretty dire, it was a peaceful day and night at home.  I was able to spend some quality time with my parents and then relax at home with a roast dinner, some beer and some nice wine before leaving again.  This then culminated with Ollie’s very own goodbye and by that, I mean he slept on my lap for the evening and made it a little difficult for me to drink wine.  Don’t you worry though, I put in some extra effort and damn it, I drank my wine!      

And then, all too soon, it was Friday and my last full day in Scotland.  The morning was spent at home and before I knew it, I was being waved off by my parents as I sped away on the train.  Somewhat mournfully, I settled into my seat and prepared for the solitary journey to Glasgow (whilst eating a sausage roll…so I wasn’t too mournful) but was suddenly surprised by the appearance of Derek, who had previously been unable to make the train.  This made my last train journey that much more pleasant.  Now, normally I would be quite depressed by the fact I was leaving home but this time, I wasn’t as bad.  Of course, I was sad to say bye to my parents and Ollie but I knew that Friday’s activities were going to be a great way to spend my last full day in the UK which made it somewhat better.  

After picking up a couple of last minute items, helped by Derek (as I had two massive suitcases) we headed over to Michael and Cara’s flat where we would be spending the night.  We then subsequently gave Cara a fright by wandering into her living room whilst she was in the kitchen but in our defence, we had actually knocked and shouted that we were at the door.  After having a quick chat Cara, Derek and I headed back out into soggy Glasgow for a coffee at the local coffee shop (in thanks for Derek helping me with my bags) where Derek caught the attention of the pretty barista.  Ever bashful, Derek denied this fervently until he received irrefutable proof in the shape of some coffee artwork (not entirely sure what it was meant to be but we think it could have been Sonic).  Finishing our coffees, we headed back to the flat where Cara, like the brilliant hostess she is, provided us with delicious home-made salsa, guacamole, biscuit things (can’t remember what they were) and nacho crisps.  Finally, Michael and Martin arrived and, after some conversation, it was time for the star of the show.

Yes, it was time for us to play Dungeon and Dragons: my first time doing this with the group, as opposed to over skype and it was glorious.   

To begin with, Michael had been brewing his own beer and had his bath filled up with the bottles of it, so we broke these out to try.  Overall, quite good I thought and I look forward to trying more in the future!  There is just something about homebrew that I really like and it added to the fun of the night, trying it out and talk about raising the bar: making the drinks for the night as opposed to just buying them.  Then there was the Dungeons and Dragons quest…which was impressive to say the least.  I am talking about a 20 feet long roll of wallpaper with printed maps all connect to create a hugely compelling, interesting and immersive story line for us.  Epic doesn’t even begin to describe it.  Derek had went all out with the quest, which really made my first time (playing with the group, you filthy minded people - Ed) really entertaining.  So, I spent my last night in the UK with my closest friends, playing an exciting game of Dungeon and Dragons whilst drinking some good homemade beer (and some not homemade), eating amazing pizza and cakes cooked/baked by Cara (seriously, you’re awesome Cara, for doing all that) and enjoying some of the best conversation I’ve had in a long time…which included the phrase ‘Pee on portal: electrocuted’. 

After contently retiring for the night (still mid-quest), it was time for a full fry-up breakfast which, as always, is a great way to start a day: even a day when I’m about to leave the country again.  Hell, it even had homemade potato scones!  After the delicious meal and after several cups of coffee, it was time to finish the quest!  Breaking out the wallpaper again, we ended the quest fairly quickly but not before Cara had made us scones.  She is a baking and cooking machine.
Then, we all headed off on a real-life adventure (I know it was real life as I didn’t have to roll a dice for everything I did) to the library, losing Derek in the process (He had to go home…we didn’t actually lose him) and then stopping for another coffee where it was finally decided what we were going to do with the afternoon!  I WAS GOING TO HAVE A SHOWER.  I mean, we were going to get some delicious hoagies for dinner.  After my shower that is.  Jumping into Martin’s car, we headed back to our old haunt from university to pick up our hoagies.  Basically, the story behind the hoagies is that we used to order them so much, the guys would know us as soon as we rang up and actually referred to us as the ‘hoagie guys’ on several occasions.  So, we picked them up for my last meal and headed back to eat and to watch some TV before Martin and Michael drove me to the airport (Cara had been defeated by the hoagies) and kindly waved me off just before security (thank you guys for that).  And that was it, the end of my time at home.  My flight back wasn’t exactly exciting but I did get an entire row on my Glasgow – Dubai flight which meant I could sleep stretched out.  It was glorious.

I would like to thank both my friends and family for giving me such an amazing week at home.  The hardest thing about living in Nepal is the fact that I am so far away from you all and one of my biggest worries is that I will be slowly forgotten, as stupid as that may sound.  But it is weeks like this when I am reminded of how amazing both my friends and family are and astounded by how easily I can slot back into people’s lives, as if I had never left.  So thank you all (both family and friends) for looking after me when I’m back; for putting up with the silly and selfish requests I have; for actively providing delicious me food you know that I have missed; for driving me around or accompanying me on trips; for giving me a place to sleep; for taking the time out your lives to see me; and for just being the best friends/family I could ever have possibly hope for.  You genuinely have no idea how much it means to me and I hope that one day I can repay all of you.  Thank you.

Pick of the Week

Valkyria Chronicles – I played a demo of this a couple of years ago, and as I wasn’t too keen on turn-based strategies at that time, I largely ignored it.  However, fast forward to today and I now love the game and can’t recommend it enough.  Basically, the game follows the militia of a small country as they face the invading army of a much larger and powerful country and during this, you get an insight into the characters lives and personalities as well.  Whilst the strategy side is not the most detailed in the world (but it is fairly solid), it’s the story and the characters that really catch your attention.  The overall story details your advances on the enemy (done in a book form, where there are several cut scenes, followed by a large battle plus the option to customise your squad and their equipment and train them as well) but it also details the emotions and personalities of your teammates as well e.g. highlighting racial tensions, rebellion and friendship as the story progresses.  This really allows you to emphasise with your squad and makes it a much more immersive experience.  Graphically, it’s cel-shaded but I enjoyed the style and in terms of game play, it is a fairly simplified but solid strategy approach with 5 classes and one vehicle: Sniper, Scout, Shocktrooper, Engineer and Lancer (Tank destroyer).  Each of these has their own strengths and weaknesses and each turn, you get a certain amount of movement and one attack.  Finally, each individual character has ‘traits’ that you have to account for e.g. some may fight better in the desert and another may fight worse in a claustrophobic environment.  This does add a nice layer to the game, on top of the regular strategy.  A great game, so check out the demo!   

Music of the Week

Easy choice this week: Rob Zombie - Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown.  Why?  Because this is some of the coolest and funkiest metal music out there, with a video to match.

Ok, so that’s it from me and I’m afraid that there won’t be a post this Sunday as I will be in Hong Kong.  That’s actually half the reason this post is late, to try and reduce the length of time between my posts (that and I’ve been hugely busy all week).  Anyway, Hong Kong post next week!  See you then.

Project Atoll Update 2: One foot after the other

Time for the slightly late Project Atoll update number 2!  What has happened in the past month and how have I been spending my time?  Well I had a holiday last week, but the biggest announcement this month is that I’ve finally decided on a (working) title for the story.  After a lot of thought and deliberation, with several thousand possibilities fighting it out for the honour in a battle to the death, it has been decided.  Without further ado, I give you (until I freak out and change it) the title:

Those Paths We Walk

Yes, the (working) title of Project Atoll is ‘Those Paths We Walk’ and I’m pleased with it.  You may be thinking to yourself ‘Gee, originality much’ or ‘Could you be anymore cliché’ or maybe even ‘Dammit Robbie, you beyond suck’ but for me, the title fits well.  I’m not trying to convey some sort of magical world filled with witches and demons where all sorts of unbelievable incidents occur.  Instead, I’m writing a story that follows three protagonists as they deal with their lives and the potential problems that can occur as a result of their very human choices.  Sometimes, the paths they take converge and they can work together and are there for each other but they are often forced to face their demons alone but, just like us all, they are always moving forward…hence the title.

So, there you go.  Love it or hate it, that’s the title (for now).  So what else has happened over the past month?  Well, I’ve been concentrating (still) on expanding the storyline and fleshing out the key events.  This has turned the previous two and a half pages of overview into ten and a half pages and I’m not even halfway through the story yet either.  Previously, all I was doing was writing down key events that I wanted to happen in the correct order, to get an idea of how the story was going to proceed.  Now, I’ve been concentrating on expanding what happens in each of these key events e.g. highlighting potential motions and actions or deciding the topics that will be discussed: just adding some detail in general. 

Although it isn’t script just yet (minus what I’ve already wrote), it’s getting closer and I’m starting to get a picture of what the characters will be doing in each scene and the end results.  Once I’ve completed this round of writing, my next move is to expand it further and add in non-plot related scenes to flesh out the characters and the story as well as inject a little bit of humour into it.  Then, if it’s good enough, I can start writing the actual script.  It’s a long process but I want to make sure it’s done well right from the start.  

Annoyingly, due to how I’m writing it, I can’t really reveal that much as they are all key incidents and it could spoil the story for you.  What I can tell you though is that I’ve finalised the timeframe of the story: 7 months.  So, that’s it from this month’s update.  As usual, feedback is very welcome.  See you Sunday.

Seriously, can someone explain how I look like a girl?

Did you miss me?!?  No?!?  Oh right.  Well, I’m back from my holiday back home and I am feeling fine and refreshed…mostly.  I’ll admit that this hasn’t been the greatest week of my life due to a variety of factors, which hasn’t exactly helped the whole ‘coming back from the UK again’ thing but I am generally cheery, so yay!  Even if I wasn’t, I still need to get this blog restarted so I've manned up and got stuck in.  I’ve decided not to write about my week home as I want to spend some time writing it and this week, I’ve took it easy to help settle back into Nepal life (damn this heat!).  So, here is a post I wrote on my flight back to the UK to help ease us all back into the blogging life.  I meant to post it the day I got back but, due to various reasons, I never got round it.  Enjoy!

I look like a girl but don’t know why

Well now, how much must I love you all that I'm writing a blog post when I'm on holiday (not much is seems as it wasn’t posted until after he got back – hard truth ed)!  Don't let the fact that I'm stuck on an airplane with not much else to do lessen this for you because I love you all this much!  This would be where I hold my arms out to show you but A. you wouldn't see and B. I'm pretty sure it would annoy the people next to me (though the guy did keep snorting through the entire flight).  Regardless, it's a lot.

Other than to stave off boredom, I'm writing this as I have had one the most amusing airport incident in my life occur today and I wanted to share it.  Basically (and I'm sure that you had to be there), I had an elderly but very friendly security guard come up and ask me if I'm a girl (more common than I'd like to admit).  As you would expect, especially as I'm in the security section surrounded by guards, I replied with a very friendly and polite 'No, I'm a guy'.  Then, with a completely straight face, he looked me in the eyes and asked 'are you sure?'.  I had to admit, he threw me off guard there.  This was the start of the one and only (I hope) debate of which of the two sexes I belong to.  Thankfully, this was done in jest (I think) and he certainly brightened up my day.  Oddly, he managed to get me to agree I'm 90% male, 10% female...I think it might be time for me to get my hair cut.  My long hair also might explain why the security guard who was doing by pat-down seemed so happy to see me and made small talk with me...

Ok, I feel like I should stop typing now as I'm currently sitting in the aisle seat and my elbows keep getting hit by oncoming duty-free trolleys.  Besides, I just wanted to share my little anecdote with you anyway.

Pick of the Week 

My Anime List - Ok, this is for all you Anime and Manga fans out there!  My Anime List does what it says on the tin: it creates a list of all the anime (and manga) that you've watched.  Not only that but it gives you some interesting statistics (I've watched 27.4 days worth of anime) and can offer recommendations of animes that you may like as well.  Add in an active community of like-minded people and you've got a useful website for keeping track of your anime collections!

Music of the Week 

As mentioned at the start of the post, this hasn't exactly been a great week for me, so this week's choice of music reflects this.  An older song that I had forgotton about, I think it sums up the week aptly: Nodes of Ranvier - Defined by Struggle.

So, a slow introduction back into One-way Ticket this week but hopefully things will pick up speed from here on.  Plus, I've got the title of Project Atoll to reveal in the next Project Atoll update.  See you then!