Twenty-Second of October

Today is my dad's birthday. But he's already passed away. I know I've left him more sour memories than joyous ones when he left, and there's always mixed emotions when I see people with their dads. I don't know for sure, but I just tell myself he's still watching over me and my folks even now. Yeah, I'm sure he is.

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I'm such a horrible person when it comes to dates and names. Honestly, I wouldn't have remembered today to be his birthday until I came into the office and punched in my time card. It read - 22:22 with another 22 sideways to mark the current date.

Hoy, gago, birthday ko ngayon! Kahit "happy birthday, pa" lang, pwede na saken!

My papa would usually treat us out to some fancy restaurant during special days like birthdays. It's usually at Cabalen's (spell check). It's always a lot about food when it comes to him.

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What is 'pares'? I think it's some Chinese dish that's made up of sliced beef in sweet bean sauce coupled with some house specialty fried rice, hence 'pares' or pair. Or at least that's what I've concluded upon myself. I love the stuff! It depends on the establishment though. And the taste varies from place to place. Some have really tasty beef sauce (colloquially monickered as 'lotong'). Some have nice fried rice. Some have nice beef broth. Heck, some even have yummy chili or hot sauce!

What's stupid about it is that we used to make them at home! Right in our kitchen! Shit, I pass by that kitchen all the time, seeing people cook it right then and there! And I disliked it back then! Stupid!

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Journal of a Warmachinist, 11th Entry



Ignoring the nauseating effects of the Warwitch's spell, Sorscha finished the final gesticulations of a spell of her own. Suddenly, the world around seemed as if time slowed. She felt a cold wind rising up from beneath her, pushing her forward. As the Khadoran's boots touched the ground several feet from where she started, the warcaster unleashed the full strength of her will, sending sheets of white crystal in a billow all around her.

Deneghra felt the sudden numbness of her entire body as a strong blast of icy wind enveloped her. The Warwitch saw her bonejacks crumple underneath the bombardment from the Winter Guard entrenched on a nearby hill, and her precious Slayer fall at the brutal axe of a Khadoran Juggernaut. She tried to fight the numbness, but only saw the Khadoran woman finish the final wordings of another spell. Once again a blast of icy wind smothered Deneghra. The Cryx warcaster knew she will not last long.

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I've fought Cryx before and I've read up on them enough to have at least some semblance of a game plan against them. I know Joel has put in more games in Warmachine than I have, so he was several notches above me in terms of gaming experience.

Joel used Deneghra as his warcaster. The Warwitch's battlegroup was composed of a Slayer, two Deathrippers and two Nightwretches. The warband was filled out with two Pistol Wraiths, a Skarlock and a big mob of Mechanithralls. I had Sorscha, two teams of Winter Guard Mortar, two Destroyers, a Manhunter and a Juggernaut.

I was planning on having my Manhunter do some serious damage to his bonejacks, but it turned out the Manhunter being Deathripper lunch very early in the game! And surprisingly, the model that I had painted the night before, the Juggernaut, was my MVP! Having survived a back-attack Combo-slam from an angry Slayer, and finishing it off (with the help of Sorscha's Icy Gaze though), the Juggernaut came off with some hard-earned battle honors.

I had my lock set in after popping Sorscha's feat and was close enough to continue the drill with continuous castings of Freezing Grip. With the Juggernaut close by, Joel graciously withdrew.

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I also demo'ed a game with my Khador starter box against Les who was using Romy's Menoth starter box.

Les was cageing up, maintaining protective spells on all three of his warjacks. Unfortunately, he left a nice gap between his Crusader and Repenter, enough for Sorscha to whoosh through with the help of her Wind Rush. Popping the Icy Gaze, she blasted at a stationary Kreoss with a boosted Hand Cannon and a boosted Razor Wind. Acceptably softened up, I finished Kreoss off with a shot from the nearby Destroyer.

The game ended with me blabbing about the fluff on Warmachine and some tactics (which I think Les already knew).

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