2006 - Bath - Vega$

March: It was the first quarter of 2006 and a rendezvous with my old soul brother was long overdue. Hopped onto a train after work (big corporate building by Temple Meads), met up and shared many coffees and fine words with him. Moved onto beers in some cosey basement like bar, which led to us grabbing the most fantastic burgers from this joint near the station. Vega$ is doing very well, exploring his creativity and getting things sold!

We met up a few days later in Bristol, and it was lovely to see Tanya again after so long. Watched Neil Gaiman's Mirror Mask at the Watershed. Excellent.

2006 - Pyne Palace - Laura

March: Nice Guy Tony starts up a Dungeons & Dragons group. I've not played the game since 1984 so I'm slightly skeptical, but it becomes a great pleasure to play...

Tony aqcuires several new players. Laura is one of them. Real-life partner of Tom.

2006 - Pyne Palace - Tom

Lovely bloke, very articulate and very witty. He'd never played any roleplaying game before this, and has taken to it like a fish to water. Joined Nice Guy Tony's group as a colourful bard... Mikau the Magnificent.

2006 - Pyne Palace- Simon P & Tom

March: Simon has really got into the swing of D&D with a tough little hafling called Remy (and his pony, Ted).

2006 - Bristol

"Cloud Busting"

March: I was really enjoying the job, particularly the fact I was able to use the large corporate office building down by Temple Meads, as the Happy Flat had become unbearable to spend time in...

... I've no idea why the Happy Flat suddenly became such a prison, but as the heat of the year became to build up I can remember feeling a sick sort of dread of spending another summer cooped up in that small box.

Meanwhile the end of my contract was looming into sight. The paperwork for buying the house was being delayed.

I considered applying for further roles within the company, but I also realised this was a perfect time to bail out of Bristol for a while and spend time with my family. I was sure Jo would turn round and say stay in Bristol - find more work - do the whole house thing, but she understood my torment...

... Dad was still lying in a hospital bed, and now the prognosis was that he would not be coming home.

I remember talking with it about Jo, in the lounge of the Happy Flat, feeling a big strung out and suddenly, wham, this huge wave of emotion crashed down on me... I physically dropped to my knees, sobbing out the word "Dad!"

2006 - Pyne Palace - Hågen

March: Hagen is new and not so new. He first joined my Game group in Spring 2005, played one session of Game - which was the last ever session of Game - and was when Game, in it's old form, fell apart. That was the same time as I was reaching the end of my tether with the Agency.

In a way I think I black-marked Hågen in my mind, and certainly did very little to keep in contact with him for the rest of 2005. Strangely, Hågen was going through his own personal darkness at this point, so the timing worked out well.

I had spent the past few months laying down a First Edition of Yellow Dawn and recent weeks had seen that project grow in intensity as I neared completion. The first Yellow Dawn session happened in January... just a simple test of the Dead City, Scavening and Zombie rules, and I was thrilled how well it all worked.

Despite my negative view of Hågen, I got in touch with him to bring him into Yellow Dawn. I instantly realised I'd made the right decision. Whatever negative view points I'd held were utterly false... a rapid friendship and deep connection began to form between us.

2006 - Bristol - Kevin

March: Kevin is the newest addition to the group, and is part of my Yellow Dawn sessions. Kevin found us through an online networking site for Gamers.

In our efforts to manage effective communication between all players, I created a forum on my website and it's been wonderful, also facilitating social suggestions for players to get together outside of roleplaying.

Another new player is Rob C.

2006 - Bristol - Mick T

March: It had been another year or so since Mick or I had seen each other. But this has been an acceptable trend of our friendship for the past few years since he got himself a wife, and now a daughter. Mick used to be an avid Call of Cthulhu player, with the erstwhile Giles P Scott... memories of Horror on Orient Express, and Masks of Nyarlathotep, sitting around the big table in my room in Hotwells, or scaring Mick half-to-death when he went to sleep in the Happy Flat and I crawled out kitchen window to loom up beside the window he was sleeping by.

Mick joined the whole roleplaying gang down a bowling alley. A little bit hectic for a proper catch up but the few snippets of conversation we had, he sounded good and best of all, happy with life.

2006 - Happy Flat - Oj

March: Jo came home one night with a totally new haircut. Only seemed to last one night, but it was lovely whilst it was there.

Meanwhile, much of the flat was being packed away into boxes. Big changes were in the air.

2006 - Bristol - Ant

March: Jenny The Park comes to Bristol with her chap, the very lovely and easy to chat to, Ant. I'd only met Ant once before, over a year ago, a warm sunny afternoon in the garden of the Boston Tea Party, and took an insant shine to him. Works for Ch4 and may be getting his first break actually writing some comedy, rather than just being involved in production.

2006 - Bristol - Jenny The Park

March: The lady herself. Party Princess, although less party than previous. As with all of us, I reckon... we're all growing older.

Hence the suggestion for a good walk in the wilds around Bristol. Followed by a delicious pint of beer in a pub garden with packets of pork scratchings and scampi baskets.

2006 - London - Tamyrn & Darren

April 13th: My final day of work. Very bizarre. I was only there a few months but it seemed much longer, and I really enjoyed the experience. Despite working primarily from Bristol, I became close to several people based in London:

Tamryn, 20 years old, bright and very engaging, a South African, soon to trek to America, then maybe back to UK before heading home.

And Darren, who is just a lovely bloke. Very easy going, dry humour, and no bullshit agenda. Great memories of these two during the week-long training course back in Feb.

Suddenly it was my last day. I caught the train to Paddington, walked to the office to return mobile phone, laptop and VPN token, and was treated to some nice presents, and a fond farewell from these two.

2006 - London - Mat

April 13th: Cheeky Chappy. I got to work very closely with Mat during my final few weeks. Very good fun.