Walsingham

Reminded me to post about sanity loss in Call of Cthulhu. http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/65984-hp-lovecraft-was-an-arse-everyone-roll-for-san-loss/

I'm having a long standing argument with our tabletop GM regarding the way in which sanity loss is handled in CoC. Essentially I take the view that although the eldritch horrors are awful and all that, essentially human beings are designed with run-flat minds. We don't just go gibbering fruitloop provided we are healthy and supported and gleefully reinterpret what we are seeing. Yes, if you accept the awful horror of an uncaring universe packed with powerful denizens then you're going to go nuts. But I'd argue that you can be presented with the exact same realisation in the aftermath of a genocidal war, or an episode of Britain's Got Talent. So, what do you chaps think? Downhill all the way, or is madness a bit more cross-country?

I've been thinking about the Crimean vote in the context of the Afghan one happening just now. I am not budging one inch from my position of active containment regarding Putin's ideology, but I think it's important to be honest. How exactly is what happened in Crimea so much worse than votes being held in Iraq and Afghanistan? There are soldiers on the ground there.

We need a special 'Monarchy' round for shooting supernatural enemies of the queen. Base it on the Black Talon round from Winchester, but it should form a royal rose shape.

Having some troubles reacclimating to a person living with you again? Give the guy a break! You can hang around with one person too much, no matter who they are.

The lovely lovely LIz Ashley:

I'm just going to go ahead and assume that by the end of the movie you were half naked and had grown a beard.

Huh.

Sounds to me from your precis that you already suspect it's grief related rather than having found the world's best hotsauce. I don't want to try to give you a play by play, because that's absurd at this distance. However I would try to make you aware of a point someone else made to me and which my own preceding story illustrates: people are much more willing to accept help if they help you first. I could speculate as to why, but it doesn't really matter. Ask her for help with stuff at work, making sure it is something she can do, then assuming she does a good job thank her for it. Let other people know she did a good job. Personally I'd even bring her a thankyou muffin. Doing so is professionally justifiable, and it will build her up in a way that is independent of any trauma she may be processing.

I couldn't sleep last night so I watched Silent Hill Revelations 3D. With a metacritic score of about 5% I wasn't expecting a great deal. But wow. It is so unbelievably awful that not only is it not scary. But I actually feel less scared by the entire franchise now.

Interesting. I'm used to thinking of silver as soft. So I guess you've got two options: - a lead jacket around a silver core. A hollow point silver core would split open on impact and kill your werewolves etc quite tastily - silver shrapnel maybe? I've clearly not given enough thought to how an imaginary creature should be killed using imaginary bullets.

I don't recall that story and would be interested to hear it. Couple of years ago, was on my way somewhere (but not in a rush) and noticed a middle aged lady halt and just sit down on the spot. Like the puppeteer had got bored and wandered off. Like it was her arms that collapsed before her legs did, if you follow me. Straightening up I walked over and observed that it was probably an impertinent question, but was she OK? She waved vaguely and complained that she had been thrown out of somewhere wanting a drink, and did I know anywhere likely to be open. I dodged the question by pointing out that it was a very fine day (it was a clear sky and about three in the afternoon) and how on balance it would probably more enjoyable if she went for a walk. I offered to walk with her. Basically anything to break the impasse and get her to stand up. Without implying that it was wrong or foolish to be sat on the pavement. Although she was clearly drunk I suspect she was seriously manic depressive. I felt confident I could intervene and make a difference, but it suddenly occurred to me: was I really going to befriend her? Offering anything meaningful then taking away could be just as bad as doing nothing. It might even be worse. I reasoned that the best I could hope for was to be a brief moment of niceness then gracefully bow out. It might even be more useful than sticking around. Depressive people can rapidly turn aggressive and critical when you try to help. If you show you care they can quickly decide that you too must be worthless. I then stated that since my bad back prevented me from sitting down, perhaps she would stand up to talk. At this she apologised and stood as well. Looking around in surprise she seemed much more content. We chatted a few more inconsequential things, and she did not mention drink again. She suddenly looked at me and said "You are a very kind man." ...And at that point she smiled, and her troubled face smoothed into a smile of absolute childlike friendliness. So I offered her my hand to shake goodbye and said "And you have the most wonderful smile. I am sure you will be OK." She looked embarrassed but tremendously pleased with the compliment. She seemed steady on her feet and more positive. So, thinking this was probably the best that could be done I smiled back and made my excuses. Leaving, I passed a young lad who'd been watching from some yards away. He seemed very concerned and told me "She's just fallen down again." To which I gnomically replied "It was either five minutes helping or five years." And carried on walking.

Overall I'd be behind Amentep. My only slight addition to his plan would be to observe that people don't just "eat themselves to death" for the giddy thrill of it. If you concentrate on giving her something else to do in her life besides eat that would make her happier and have more fun then it'd be a plan. HOWEVER if you do this understand that you are taking on a job of work. You could be involved in this woman's life for years. In your position I would be pretty harsh. I've got harsher as I've got older. You can't care for everyone. Because if you try then you can't give enough care to the few you actually should care about. Case in point which I may have mentioned about a lady I met collapsed in the road. If I haven't already discussed it I'll run through it for you.

Woops. EDIT: I've been mainly drinking cough syrup. It is actually pretty tasty. Chilli and ginger.

Pshhhhhh. PSHHHHHHHHHH. My Irish blood boils as I drink something non-Irish. Cheapo mixer New Amsterdam vodka (stuff tastes like Isopropyl neat,) with soy sauce (the Manchurian Candidate.) The proud, emaciated masses of Éire aren't the only ones to learn the value of potato starch! Also the non-existent Polish family who first made wodka. I have to honor my 1/2 Han Chinese (by way of Taiwan, ROC! ROC! ROC!) family members, hence the soy sauce. If they were Japanese instead I'd be eating Natto and vomiting simultaneously. Best part is, with the proper ratio it looks identical to whiskey in color. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this. Basically you're doing that scene in Apocalypse now with Charlie Sheen and the ceiling fan. But you're the ceiling fan.

Bourguignon can come across quite bitter depending (IMO) on how it is slow cooked and injudicious use of bay leaves or cheap wine. I would expect that pairing bourguinon with the right red wine to drink would counteract this. But I don't know enough about red wine or French cuisine to suggest one.

Has oby broken down and started posting selfies? Nonsense, everyone on this forum is just regular people. Are you mental? This forum is like the Asgard of the internet.

Adam's apple. Although tbh someone already tried to trick me with this young lady. If I didn't have a prejudice against blondes I honestly can't say if I'd have been attracted! LOL

Hey, Woldan. This is purely a geek request: Since you cast your own, could you make some silver bullets? That would be pretty badass.

How does one _forget_ Clutch? *subtly hides all evidence that he only knows about them because of Left 4 Dead.*

that shows some serious commitment to the Star Wars franchise, I like it I'd like one where you slide lightsaber shaped heating elements into the toasting compartment. Maybe halogen like you get in stoves? EDIT: Lightsaber barbecue!!!

Are you 65 years old or what? Sore throat. Cough. In the end I went with the above, plus five cloves crushed garlic, and a tin of anchovies. Still sick, I am eating fried beef mince with chopped chilli and fresh ginger. Fresh lime squeezed over.

I don't want to prejudge anyone's tastes, but as Orogun has already observed the blonde lady has a touch of the Martian walker about her.