Games, Games, Games Thursday, Oct 9 2008

8 October 2008
As the owner of a small game store, and a self-professed “wanna-be game historian” I keep my research materials close to hand. This is a small section of my most frequently accessed books:

They live on the shelf directly behind my chair in my office where I can get to them easily to answer questions for myself or my customers.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 9 October 2008 )

Listening to:
Bad Haggis by Bad Haggis
from Trip

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
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Flash: Flash did not fire

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The Pirate Wednesday, Jul 16 2008

14 July 2008
As you’ve likely discerned, I’m a pirate fan. I’ve always been interested in the nautical history of the pirate and my bookshelves are littered with literature about these fascinating individuals. Recently, I was "shanghied" into the crew of the Blazing Sun and as such am a card-carrying member of the International Fellowship of Privateers. Not only that, but I sell a great deal of pirate themed stuff through East Wind Games, so it’s not a shock to find a tin of Captain Black’s Grog Flavored Pirate Mints on my desk. This is that tin:

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 16 July 2008)

Listening to:
Save Your Love by Renee & Renato

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.1 sec (1/10)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
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Flash: Flash did not fire

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Empty Friday, Jun 6 2008

1 June 2008
A long, hot, icky day saw fruit at the end with the successful pack down & load of the East Wind Games shop at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival. Yes, the season is done and just in time, too. It’s starting to get unbearable, Texas-style hot outside.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 5 June 2008)

Listening to:
Alba by Runrig
from Transmitting Live

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.013 sec (1/80)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
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Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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A Pirate’s Life for Me Sunday, Jun 1 2008

28 May 2008
I’ve mentioned I’m a geek, right? Have I also mentioned I’m a pirate? Yep, that’s right, a fully-fledged member of the International Fellowship of Royal Privateers. This fellowship is one of the things that has enabled East Wind Games to grow so well and so rapidly. It’s this Fellowship from which I pull my staff to work not only the weekends but to help out before and after faire with the dirty, necessary, clean-up bits.

This figure, of Jack Sparrow, from the exceptional Pirates of the Caribbean movie trilogy, reminds me daily of my friends, the Pirates (in specific, the crew of the Blazing Sun! – thanks, mates!).
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 1 June 2008 )

Watching:
The Fountain

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.1 sec (1/10)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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The Jousting Knight Tuesday, May 20 2008

17 May 2008
Oh what a day! I’ve never seen so many people at SF (at least recently) and the sales were amazing. I had arranged to take the day off to spend with friends in for the day, so my manager and his primary sales assistant went to it. What a team they are. When we looked at the days results that evening it was a record-breaker! So, thanks Bill & Marcus for letting me out of the shop and for doing a bang-up job in my absence.
While I was out of the shop, I took opportunity to do things I haven’t done in years (in some cases, a decade or more). One of those was watch the joust. It amazes me still how hard those guys hit & fall. I know it’s all scripted and choreographed (sometimes it’s painfully obvious), but there’s still a great deal of talent underneath that show.

Then, when you look at the amount of money, time & skill that goes into making the armour, the entire experience takes on a new shine.
This evening, we had good wine, good company, & great jewelry. Thanks, Allyson, for yet another successful trunk show for Beading Dreams.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 19 May 2008)

Listening to:
Rainbow by Ween
from Chef Aid: The South Park Album

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/5.5
Focal Length: 23.2 mm
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Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

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The Red Dragon Tuesday, May 13 2008

11 May 2008
Happy Mother’s Day, Mum!
What a relief from Saturday. A front moved through early, early, early Sunday morning pushing out all the humidity and bringing with it a cool breeze. The morning air was crisp & cold, almost fall-like.
The attendance was great, much greater than the past few Mother’s Days we’ve had at the faire. Perhaps it was the weather. Whatever it was they were happy and in a playful, spending mood…at least in my shop. We had another robust day pushing our year over year way up. My new manager seems to be making a world of difference for East Wind Games. And, speaking of East Wind Games, it’s time to show off another product. This is a new product line that I just picked up.

It’s a backgammon set with Red (pictured) and Blue dragons guarding the ends. It’s beautiful.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 13 May 2008 )

Listening to:
Back to me by the Positions
from Mastered CD!

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
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Draughts or Chess? Monday, May 5 2008

3 May 2008
Saturday. Week 5 of Scarborough Faire.
Happy Birthday Starr!
The day was phenomenal for a faire day. Temperature in the low 70’s with a slight breeze and sunshine. Can you ask for better? Here you see a family playing chess on my large chess table that I have set up in the front yard. In the foreground, next to a small garden is another table with a jumbo draughts (Americans call it Checkers) set.

I was taught to play draughts at an extremely early age, as are I think most American youth. I grew, quickly, to detest the game because I either won too quickly or lost too quickly. There was no challenge in the game. As the owner of a game store, I have found a new love for draughts, but not in the form I was taught. There are, literally, hundreds of draughts variations that enhance the game and make it much more challenging and oh, so much more fun. My favourite version is Irish Draughts and I sometimes play it to distraction.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 5 May 2008 )

Listening to:
We’ve Been Had by Walkmen
from The Walkmen

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
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Flash: Flash did not fire, auto mode

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Scottish Billiards Monday, May 5 2008

1 May 2008
Happy Beltane! Happy Mayday! Happy Birthday, Sis!

This photo was taken at my local haunt, Rob’s Billiards and Sports Bar.

I was writing an article about Scottish Billiards rules & scoring and needed to test the scoring system. So, after work, I went there and roped a couple of friends into playing with me. I like the game.
You can read the rules at the newly-launched East Wind Games blog.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 2 May 2008)

Listening to:
Les Trois Cavaliers by La Bottine Souriante
from Rock & Reel

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Two on a Bench Monday, Apr 28 2008

26 April 2008
Fourth weekend at Scarborough Faire. On this Saturday, we were graced by the presence of my dear Allyson. Beautiful, charming & talented, she brightened my shop for a good portion of the afternoon. In this photo she’s stringing some jewelry she had made for me to sell in East Wind Games. The shop manager, Marcus, is sitting with her as they both listen & laugh to Hey Nunnie Nunnie. It was a good day.

Cheers.

~KR (Written on 28 April 2008)

Listening to:
Nova Scotia/Scotland the Brave by Off Kilter
from Off Kilter

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
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Bagatelle Beginnings Monday, Apr 28 2008

25 April 2008
Another game-inspired post. This one about Bagatelle.
Bagatelle is an indoor game related to pool. Although sources vary on whom deserves credit for the first Bagatelle game, they do all agree that Bagatelle is most likely the result of attempting to move outdoor games, such as croquet & shuffleboard into the parlour. The earliest known Bagatelle-like tables seem to date from the 15th century and are very primitive in form and function. It wasn’t until the 17th century that the French narrowed the common billiards table and placed permanent pins on it that the game of Bagatelle became the game we know today . The game gained its name in 1777 (sources disagree on the exact date) when a party in honour of Louis XIV was held at the Chateau de Bagatelle by the Count of Artois. The highlight of this party was this splendid new game that the Count dubbed Bagatelle. The game is the precursor of our modern pinball & pachinko games and is played similarly. It is quite like pachinko in that you have only the initial strike with which to control your ball as there are no flippers like exist in pinball. However, it is more akin to pinball with it’s table-structure and gently inclined playing field (Pachinko has a vertical face). This version is a miniaturized version of that 1777 Bagatelle table where the cue stick has been replaced by a wooden spring-driven plunger and the ivory balls have been replaced by steel ball bearings.

Find a Bagatelle game and play it. It is great fun.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 28 April)

Listening to:
Toy Soldiers by Martika

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

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