Well today I turn 33, and it just happens to be my 233rd post on this here blog (when I do get around to blogging). As I haven't managed to put together another post since last week, I thought I might just dump some of the randomness that floats around in my head for you all to ignore to your hearts content.
Its not quite the big date for me this year that I'm definitely looking forward to, that's the 21st September when I hit one third of a century! In some ways I never thought I'd ever get that far, not because of some morbid expectation of death, but more because I really don't feel all that old, I still play with man-dollies and toy soldiers for pity's sake :D
I discovered yesterday that the Cosmic Microwave Background was discovered just 17 years and 1 day before I was born. I think that's pretty apt in a way as until the middle of last year I was an astrophysicist and well the CMB is pretty much the biggest discovery of modern times in my opinion. It completely underpins almost everything we know and understand about the universe, how it works and where we all came from, and you, I, anyone can see it sitting on the sofa at home. All you need to do is turn on your TV or radio and tune it out. You see that static signal, just a messy hash, well a little part of that is an echo of the fist microseconds of our universe, its been travelling through space for 12 and a bit billion years, and your TV is letting you see it. I don't know about you, but I find that deeply, deeply cool!
On to things more prosaic, it's quite amazing what you find when you google the number 33 (mostly safe for work):
... as well as some fascinating old anatomical drawings, which I find more interesting these days being in a new job in the medical field.
And finally, I'll leave you with something vaguely hobby related - what's on my hobby table at the moment:
A veritable sea of little spikey rats who have drawn blood on more than one occasion (my own, not really on the board as I appear to be pretty terrible at Warhammer).
And, to top it all off, GW is giving me a whole new edition of 40K for my birthday!
Lets face it, they both kind of really did and didn't need to do that, but either way I'm very excited. I've been following all the new rumours coming out, and there's been a lot of what look like very definite information in the last couple of days, and I don't think anything that's been shown is in any way bad. The "internets" were awash with rage at the first mentions of daemonology, and unbound armies, and all the rest of it, but when you look at all the benefits you get from taking bound armies, and the tightening up of the necessities for detachments, the introduction of a psychic phase and the tactical ability to stop opponents powers (something fantasy has done for ages and adds a very real level of good complexity to the decision making process) are all fantastic as far as I'm concerned. I've hardly played any 6th edition, mostly because the group I used to play with have either moved onto other games, or moved away, but did enjoy what I did play of 6th. However that was all before the introduction of dataslates and the expansions, and from what I'd seen, wasn't too keen on the direction 40K was heading. The new rules do look like a 6.5 version, or perhaps a 6.9 version with lots of changes to bring balance back into the game, and to fix a few of the problems, so I'm very much looking forward to it. Hopefully that'll mean some more 40K style content on here in the not too distant future.
Lets face it, they both kind of really did and didn't need to do that, but either way I'm very excited. I've been following all the new rumours coming out, and there's been a lot of what look like very definite information in the last couple of days, and I don't think anything that's been shown is in any way bad. The "internets" were awash with rage at the first mentions of daemonology, and unbound armies, and all the rest of it, but when you look at all the benefits you get from taking bound armies, and the tightening up of the necessities for detachments, the introduction of a psychic phase and the tactical ability to stop opponents powers (something fantasy has done for ages and adds a very real level of good complexity to the decision making process) are all fantastic as far as I'm concerned. I've hardly played any 6th edition, mostly because the group I used to play with have either moved onto other games, or moved away, but did enjoy what I did play of 6th. However that was all before the introduction of dataslates and the expansions, and from what I'd seen, wasn't too keen on the direction 40K was heading. The new rules do look like a 6.5 version, or perhaps a 6.9 version with lots of changes to bring balance back into the game, and to fix a few of the problems, so I'm very much looking forward to it. Hopefully that'll mean some more 40K style content on here in the not too distant future.
Anyway, everyone have a cracking day on me, and I'll be back soon.
Cheers, Andrew
Happy Birthday mate! Sorry you aren't coming along to Blog Wars this time. What job are you doing in the medical field? Had no idea you were a physicist. Theoretically so am I but I don't think I can really count it any more since my degree 8 years ago!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much. Would have loved to come along to BW, its still my favourite tournament and I do really plan to come again. You just happened to pick the day after the wifes birthday that we're also flying off on holiday on - I keep on saying it, but "next time maybe" :D
DeleteI'm currently retraining as a Medical Physicist, its pretty fascinating work. Anyway, 8 years isn't all that long, its been 10 since my first degree, and almost 7 since the second, so there's always hope.
I work in ultrasound now. Thought about Med Physics but went down the radiography route instead. Not sure it was the best choice but still.
DeleteWhich area of ultrasound, if its in any way medical then there's chance we'll be working on very similar stuff from time to time.
Delete"Had no idea you were a physicist, theoretically, so am I"
ReplyDeletePMSL.
Great post Andy, keep it up ! If you want 6th or 7th as well as fifth, just let me know.
Cheers, and defo on the gaming. Perhaps we can even do a mashup edition of all our favourite bits, it'd be pretty much what games workshop wants from us anyway.
DeleteHappy birthday, man!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, sadly I have to wait for Saturday to see what the birthday fairy might bring me in terms of product, exciting!
DeleteHappy Birthday dude!
ReplyDeleteHave a good one... The great grey of 40k
Cheers Ven, I'm well and truly developing the grey, but still feel like a kid more often than not which is awesome because kids have so much more fun most of the time.
DeleteHow are you getting on, haven't heard as much from you on the Sons (or it seems that way at least, perhaps its just me though, getting forgetful in my old age).