Captains Orders Beta

Captains Orders (the infamous drinking game) made a comeback to our house on Monday night as we perched on the edge of our seats to watch the 2009 Star Trek movie.
For once the baddies on the screen were not the most dangerous thing! Like Tribbles these jelly shots appeared to have been breeding since last time and were looking a lot more ominous compared to previous occasions.

This wasn't just one episode with several jelly shots though, this was a film and because of this the rules had to be clarified. The rules were agreed; orders were not to be valid if given by the follically challenged band of Romulans needing anger management classes. Not even Nero himself; we refused to respect his authority. Also, orders were only valid when the captain was giving a direct order to a person/sentient alien and when they were indeed the current acting captain at the time.

So we got stuck into the feature presentation. As you probably know if you've seen it, it's not long before as a viewer you're part of a grand action sequence... filled with orders.
The jelly shots were soon starting to form a queue that was waiting to be consumed. Nine were eaten before the first pause for breath. Thankfully this all or nothing start to the film went from all to nothing and we eventually got a bit of a rest from onset of a case of Jelly-belly that we were self inflicting.

There was then a steady flow of orders with odd breaks here and there between the various captains giving their orders until there came a point where Kirk had us unable to keep up. We tried our best though and most of us had only a small backlog of a couple of shots. The big problem we did encounter - apart from feeling rather full of jelly - was that we ran out of jelly shot. I know right, we were shocked too!

Feeling slightly overwhelmed with Jelly it was an odd feeling of can't give up now but also worrying that this wasn't enough!

So we reverted to non-alcoholic shots of diet coke and kept up until the end. Poetically, the quantity of coke we had on hand lasted perfectly to the last order at the very end of the motion picture.

As the credits rolled and the tipsiness was really kicking in, it didn't take away from the rather worrying/impressive stack of empties.

As such, I have three recommendations when playing this:

Firstly, we are adults in our late 20's and have enough sense to know the damage this much vodka can do, I in no way endorse this as a practice to anyone, shots can be non-alcoholic (*end of health warning*.

Second, if you go the alcoholic route (as well as on your own head be it) - dilute the alcoholic content more than you normally would to suit what you can handle and take into consideration the taste - taking into account you'll need more shots than you expect – more than fifty each., hence having multiple flavours is also a good idea.

The third recommendation applies even to non-alcoholic jelly shots! Don't stuff yourself with food before playing. If you do, when you're on your feet your stomach may feel like its travelling a second behind your actual direction of movement. If this occurs then you've got jelly belly, a belly too full of jelly! Take a break from the shots should jelly belly persist. That's an order.

Watching the Belfast Giants

On Saturday, as part of Norngirls Birthday celebrations, a group of us headed out to the Odyssey Arena to do something we should probably do more often. That was to go and cheer on the Belfast Giants. The game itself was Belfast Giants Vs Sheffield Steelers in a top of the table clash which was highly hyped but didn't disappoint.

It had been ages since we had last gone to watch the Giants. Norngirl and I had been to a live hockey game in the last 6 months but that was at Madison Square Gardens to watch the New York Rangers take on the Boston Bruins but it was a long time since we were last at the Odyssey.
I think it was likely due to the ticket prices which although reasonable for the games in relation to other entertainment prices tends to be more than we can realistically afford on top of all our other outgoings. It does seem we tend to go to watch the Giants mainly for special occasions.

There was expected to be a sell out and although there was a seat here and there that was not occupied, the Odyssey arena was indeed pretty much full to capacity

Before we headed into the stand, we headed to the bar and discovered that these days, like in the NHL, you can take your drinks to your seats. Heaven!

So hyper with anticipation and knowing we could enjoy a beer at the same time, we found our seats ready for face off and sat down just in time to join in a Mexican wave followed by watching the Giant on the ice bang his drum, the lights flashing and the crowd being worked up into frenzy as the music built. Game on!

It was a very good atmosphere, there were a few groups of school kids in the stadium and whatever they were on I think I would like to try (lots of sugar more than likely)!
The buzz about the place seemingly passed onto the players. To begin with it seemed to take a few minutes for the players to find an edge to their skates. Puck control wasn't the best but things quickly improved.

For me, the Elite League is to the NHL what Irish League Football is to the English Premier League, the skill level might not be consistently the same but it's of high enough quality to not take away from the spectacle. If anything, this adds a sense of unpredictability which combined with moments of class worthy of any league leads to a more exciting spectacle.

That unpredictability in this game first came when a shot from a giants player was almost saved by the Steelers goaltender but it wasn't saved, it sneaked over the line, seemingly lingering for a moment on it's way into the net as if to give the crowd time to rise to their feet.
The place went wild but not as wild as when the lead was doubled minute when the Giants made it 2-0 after Mason finished a fine move.It wasn't long before there was to be more drama. A penalty was called against the Steelers but as play continued and the Giant's goaltender hurried off to let a 6th skater on, the Giants capitalised on the play before the Steelers even had their man in the penalty box. The giants left the ice at the end of the 1st period 3-0 to the good. We happily wandered off to the bar very impressed by what we'd seen.

Into the the 2nd period things got even better. Taking a 3-0 lead against the league leaders doesn't happen every game and I'm sure it came as quite a surprise even to the most die hard Giants fans when the score board read 4-0 after the puck was flicked over the line from close range. Without time to draw breath the scoreline took an even better look. During a powerplay the Giants caught the Steelers too high up the ice and hit home to make it 5-0 - the game wasn't even half way in.

The giants efforts though seemed to come at a price. Understandably they eased off a little and credit to the shell shocked Steelers, they regrouped and started to press resulting in a powerplay that helped the Steelers get one back. The consolation goals totalled 2 before the end of the 2nd period when a hit and hope into a crowded goal mouth seemed to catch a deflection and sneak in. The score at the end of the 2nd period of play was 5-2

It was a 40 minute goalfest and great fun, the crowd got ready to throw pucks at the Giants mascot in a competition but we headed back to the bar in high spirits.
Back after a toilet break and with our last beers in hand, the 3rd period got under way. The Steelers momentum somewhat diminished after a short fight which although lacking much that could be defined as a punch, saw the Steelers player hit the ice first.

Both good and bad, there were no more goals in the game though not for the want of trying from either side, a few close calls and some good saves. Between the action all through the game were give-aways and a rather scary life-sized sandwich super hero who seemed to scare us more than the kids who flocked to it.

The Giants ran out deserved winners, reducing Sheffield's lead at the top of the league and giving themselves a chance at winning the league.

As the presentations took place at the end of the game we were completely baffled as to why we hadn't been back sooner. Being able to have a drink whilst watching the game was an added bonus. We certainly aim to make it back more often next season.

A Sickly Poem

I'll boke on the floor if a bag isn't found, 

We can't stop it now, it's that or the ground.

It wasn't so bad as I read of your 'meal', 

But why buy a book to feed to your seal?

That makes no sense but then it got worse, 

The seal kept eating, expanding its girth.

I said it was terrible and that it set the scene, 

But why did I write it and what did it mean?

You may want to rethink what to do with your time, 

Was there a point or was it just for the rhyme?

I should boke down your shirt and it's not that far fetched,

Unlike your stanzas which left me perplexed.

I once saw some vomit so ominiously coming, 

Brought on by a story of a sheep and some plumming.

It was a bite sized tale about a creature so cute,

The sheep was old but also minute.

Like a borrower she lived off the scraps in a house 

But sadly she hadn't the speed of a mouse.

One day on a radiator she ran out of luck, 

The heating came on and she found herself stuck.

The temperature kept rising until there was steam, 

Internal fluids bubbling out at her seams.

It wasn't a pleasant sight or smell to behold,

Her wool contracted, her corpse it did mould.

There on the pipes swollen with heat

Sat a woolen ball of mutton - a cute cloud of meat.

The coach we were riding in when this narrative was told

Became covered with a breakfast not very old.

But unlike this fiction of an animal in trouble,

Reading pointless poetry makes me puke double.

I hasten to remind you I'm so close to hurling 

It's my own terrible poetry creating this churning.

So in order to end this I'll boke in my drink

Then force down the lumps with the plug in the sink.