Another month, another very late blog entry! Again, we give thanks to the gods of backdated entries (whee!). [[image:2013_0129_rafe27.jpg:Drooly cutie pie:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions This month, Adik went from walking a few steps in a row to a pretty consistent walker. He walks all over the house and can easily go from the living room to the office without falling over or resorting to crawling. However, when there is a need for speed, he does go down on all fours to zoom away. He is so funny when he walks though – that toddler walk, hands up in the air for balance and kind of a pirate-like rolling gait. Utterly adorable! Last seen in this house when Yaya was toddling around. Despite its cuteness, it gets the job done. Adik has now found his feet and has gotten fairly confident on them. This means we are […]
Continue readingMonthly Archives: January 2013
EOTE: Irfan Escapes Mos Shuuta
Edged by the Empire Episode 01 Escape From Mos Shuuta During the events of the previous blog entry, the GOKL gang also presented me with an early birthday: A Star Wars Edge of the Empire Beginner Game boxed set. At first the Star Wars RPG used the D6 system when it was licensed to West End Games. Then it used the d20 system when it was with Wizards of the Coast. The latest role-playing game to be adapted from Star Wars by Fantasy Flight Games now uses the special dice with symbols instead of numbers, much like the Warhammer Fantasy Role Play 3rd edition. You’d think it’d be complicated, but when I ran it the Beginner Game’s scenario entitled “Escape From Mos Shuuta” for Irfan it felt easy enough after we both got the hang of the rules. At some points Irfan was interpreting the dice rolls faster than I […]
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Night’s Black Agents: The Little Prince Job
Maulidurrasul, a national holiday, fell on a Thursday, and the GOKL guys invited me to play the new GUMSHOE system RPG Night’s Black Agents. The venue was at Doug’s new place which was not 3 klicks way from me along a straight road. I was happy to join them. Night’s Black Agents allow players to roleplay spies in a contemporary setting… where vampires exist in the shadows, and some of them call the shots. The group consisted of Shiina “Misha” Mikado the Japanese grifter and heavy hitter, Jacob Novazembla the Dutch hacker, Sami Härkönen the Finnish grunt and me, Zlatan Kljujic the Bosnian driver. We had been called to the Stafford London, a hotel at Saint James’s Place, which was across the way from Buckingham Palace by Air Marshal Morgan Prince of the British Ministry of Defence. Air Marshal Prince had foolishly allowed his son, Errol Kimberly Prince, to have […]
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Another Ain Birthday
Last night, Cik Ma & Cik Su took us out for Ain’s belated birthday dinner! Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve known Ain for so long and it seems like we’ve only met yesterday. But most of the times, I’m grateful for her and I know why life put her by my side. For her strength and resilience, I can’t see anyone else in that position. Happy birthday, Bini jadi. And thanks for the chicken, Cik Ma & Cik Su!
Continue reading54 Months
And so Yaya is officially four and a half! 54 months! Where did all the time go? My little baby isn’t so little anymore! [[image:2013-yaya54month-13.jpg:Happy girl:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Happy New Year! I think I forgot to wish everyone that earlier. 🙂 So, at four and a half, Yaya still has not expanded her palate. We had some small successes (very sad). Suffice it to say, in order to get a new toy, she actually sipped a little soda (I won’t even say what kind because it is shocking I tell you, shocking!). And we not only let her try it, we encouraged it. She had three sips of it to qualify for her toy, and off she went. Also, she licked an orange lollipop. For a new game, of course. So the new things that she tried this month was soda and orange flavored lollipop. […]
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Shane Goes To Star Wars Identities
As mentioned in the Star Trek exhibition post downriver, my brother from another mother and hemisphere Shane went and visited Star Wars Identities exhibition at the Telus World of Science in Edmonton. Shane gave me permission to feature photos from his expedition into the world of Star Wars miniatures, maquettes, concept art and costumes. Which gives me a reason to post more Star Wars photos on this blog for the lulz. FOR THE LULZ! See this grin on Shane? I will match and exceed that if I ever visit an exhibition like this one. In the background, Boba Fett is unsettled by his number one fan. The entire set up sounds fantastic. As a visitor, you are able to use the interactive displays to choose which path you take as you traverse the entire exhibition. What you choose will create an original character attributed to you as you reach the […]
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D6 Magazine 5: The Space Opera Issue
The community driven D6 Magazine issue 5 has been released by Wicked North Games. This is the space opera issue with lots of space-based scenarios and stats for the Open D6 game system. Six pieces of artwork were commissioned from me for two articles. The first three are used for the scenario Outpost 1717, a sci-fi horror adventure written by Peter Schweighofer. Click on the thumbnail above for a larger view of the space scene. The second three are for Brett Pisinski’s Hard Times for the Talisman article. These are NPC portraits based on Drew Moss’ character designs that can be seen on the cover of this issue! Download D6 Magazine at DriveThruRPG at this link for free! D6 Space can be found here, also a free download.
Continue readingThe one with the (second) first birthday party
So two weeks (and a day) after Adik’s first birthday we had a small gathering of friends and neighbors at our home, to celebrate Adik’s birthday (again!). [[image:2013_rafe1stbday03.jpg:Another party! Yay!:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions It sure is much harder to prepare to get anything completed on time with two little kids running around, but we did our best. Thanks to our guests for their patience in waiting for the food to be served and the festivities to commence. [[image:2013_rafe1stbday01.jpg:The group:center:0]] [[image:2013_rafe1stbday02.jpg:Yaya getting tips from Natalie, a real artist:center:0]] Finally food is served and it is time for cake! Thanks to Natalie for taking these photos while Vin and I ran around being party hosts. Unfortunately, it did mean that we didn’t get very many photos of Natalie herself. [[image:2013_rafe1stbday04.jpg:Yaya can’t wait to blow out the candle, while Adik wants to get his hands on the cake:center:0]] [[image:2013_rafe1stbday05.jpg:Happy […]
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Irfan Treks to an Exhibition
Irfan went to the National Science Centre. Star Trek the Exhibition was being housed there for the time being. Shane managed to go to Star Wars Identities which looked better, but I takes what I gets. They didn’t beam us aboard, we had to walk up the steps and push the door open. Thankfully, this procedure did not need the use of a Heisenberg compensator. There’s a reason why most of these photos aren’t in the exhibition hall. Taking of pictures are not allowed inside. We’ve never been to the science centre before, and we’ve discovered reasons to return in the future when we can. There are a lot of great interactive science exhibitions that are child-friendly. I’d bet Yaya would love to explore the science exhibits. Them’s fighting words below! Did I say photography was not allowed? I managed to sneak a couple of shots. I couldn’t pass an […]
Continue readingWeekend Babbies
The past weekend was a weekend of babbies. On both Saturday and Sunday, we went visiting a family event at a relative’s place. And at each place there was a cousin for Irfan to play with. Saturday: Nuraz Aariz Ain’s cousin Akram held a housewarming makan-makan at their place. Although the feast was held at the condominium’s rec house by the pool, we went down to their house to meet young Nuraz Aariz. [[image:babby-weekend01.jpg::center:0]] He was so excited, and had to be reminded that the makan-makan for him is milk, and not Ain’s face. [[image:babby-weekend02.jpg::center:0]] He was also appreciative of Irfan being there. [[image:babby-weekend03.jpg::center:0]] After the visit, we went home in the rain. Sunday: Ahmad Fahim My cousin’s Firdaus’s wedding brought the Unggais from Perak, and with them young Ahmad Fahim! It was an extraordinarily warm day so he was pretty uncomfortable, but he still obliged us with many a […]
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SWD6: Our First RPG Session Ever
Strikeforce Enteague Episode 01 Trial Run It was way back in 1989 when I received my first tabletop RPG, the first edition Star Wars The Roleplaying Game and the Star Wars Sourcebook by West End Games. I read through the rules and thought, let’s try this out. I didn’t even start with “Rebel Breakout”, the introductory adventure that came in the book. I took a school exercise book and created a maze of corridors and rooms and thought, “Okay, this’ll make a great Imperial space station interior.” Actually the map wouldn’t make a lick of sense as a military installation, but it was my first try. Sila decided to be a bounty hunter and rolled up a player character whom she named Shanna Toarinar, and she went on to play Shanna for another ten years in realtime thereafter. And the campaign would go on for many years until I was […]
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Irfan Meets Cousin Zara
Zara Arissa, sister of Aiman, arrived 12 days before 2013 did, so we took a trip to visit the young one at Pasir Mas. Unlike her brother we couldn’t be there to greet her at the hospital because of distance. When we arrived, she was sleeping soundly and safely swaddled. The cousins played with Lego cars that is now available in Shell stations. Zara however, was still unaware of the existence of Legos. She’s awake! Obviously, she’s nonplussed by the sudden increase in house occupants. Irfan, just like with Aiman and Yaya, tried to be the best older cousin that he could be. Meanwhile outside, it was a little wet because of a rainfall after a warm and dry day when we arrived. The plantain and longan were probably grateful of this fact. The next day, as the cousins played louder and more vigorously inside, the skies opened up. This […]
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