Well, it’s been a while since I updated. Life’s been busy, busy, busy. Work has finally ended its stupid cycle and I have time to turn around and scratch myself. Home life has started to settle a little and I’m hoping that things there are a little less stressful.
And its funny how easily you let the stress get to be too much and not even notice it. As I’ve mentioned before, my outlet is gaming. And last night it really did become my outlet and not in the good way. I was playing a game of Warmachine against Medway. My dice rolls had been average to poor up until my pivotal moment while Medway’s were doing considerably better. Then I reached said pivotal moment and lined up an assassination run on his Warcaster (Strahkov for those in the know) and charged on in with my Stormclad Warjack. I’d loaded it up on focus and ploughed right in (for those who don’t know, killing the Warcaster wins the game for the assassin). I miscalculated a distance calculation in the first instance and thought I’d fallen short but a quick re-measure showed my instincts had been right. I was in range of my target and let fly with the attack. All I needed to hit was an 8. With three dice, that’s fairly sure odds. Not to be though as the dice came up a seven. I swore. So I followed up with a second attack. Hit (barely). Yay. Damage: A paltry 6 (a roll of 3 on two dice plus the bonus). Bah! That was the last straw. My temper snapped and I threw the offending dice across the man-cave. What I thought was a pretty sure thing wound up as a botched attempt. In the end, I managed to win but the failed initial assassination run had left a bad taste in my mouth.
Later, lying in bed, I reflected on just how stupid and petty it was. It’s just a freakin’ game. Sure, my life hasn’t been going according to plan right now but still, it’s a just a game. I really need to lighten up and get over these outbursts. I can lose my temper very quickly over petty things and I need to try and reign that in. I don’t want my son to wind up with a short temper thanks to my example. So here and now I apologise to Medway for my poor sportsmanship. You’re a great sport and a great opponent. Thanks for the game and your patience.
On the plus side I do feel better now...
Detached Jack Arms
1 year ago
Well, I did win Best Sportsman Award in 2008 for a good reason...
ReplyDeleteIt's all good Kel. I know how things get, and with a regularly unfortunate series of events it really grinds on the nerves. You're well forgiven.
You still tell some of the funniest gaming stories due to your temper. A summary of one of my favorites - Griffith gaming club, on the 'top deck' of the hub. You were rolling badly in Bloodbowl I think, and had a run of rolling ones. (Death to elves). You rolled another one, bellowed, and picked up the dice and through it clear over the basketball court and out the open double doors. A few moments later, some nice passerby walked the fifty metres and up a flight of stairs to return the dice. They asked whose dice it was, and was pointed to Kel. You flushed with embarrassment, and accepted the dice. The passerby then helpfully added "Oh, by the way, the dice roll was a one."
ReplyDeleteIt was a game of Epic and it was a small boy of about 8 but yes, I clearly remember the day. Many a dice of mine was left down in those basketball courts and its surrounding gardens. It would be interesting to see if any are still there.
ReplyDeleteStill, my point is that I don't want to pass on my temper to Alex through learned behaviour.
I too have chucked dice off that balcony.
ReplyDeleteI am a lot better about such things than I used to be, but FWIW nothing bugs me more than setting it all up and then wathcing everything fall apart due to poor rolling. Being outplayed is fine.