(no subject)

Denis had a bunch of new Cheapass games to show off last
night. Nexus I found interesting enough to play twice, winning the
second round; it's a very tricky business that rewards both greed and
patience. (Corollary: patience? Then how did I win? Who knows.) Didn't
play Agora but it looks really cool, and was obviously inspired by
Icehouse.

Someone brought Carcassonne and I noted that its publishers have
apparently redone its cover art. The knight on horseback has a calm
demeanor rather than a sneer, and, more interestingly, the thief who
was sneering back at him has been replaced by a woman of no obvious
role carrying a bowl of fruit. The picture is otherwise identical to
the on the box that I own. Um?

People pointed out that perhaps she is supposed to be a thief, as
well, but I more wonder why they chose to change the art. The old
thief was a swarthy, bearded man wearing a cloak and headscarf,
clutching a sword; perhaps the publishers were wary of appearing to
project anti-Middle Eastern sentiment? Hrm.

---

I visited Wainwright's new Davis Square branch for the first time today, to
re-apply for my ATM card, because by the time I received my new one
last week I had forgotten whatever clever thing I had requested as a
PIN. The building has one of those fireplaces-installed-in-a-column,
just like the Starbucks next door. Near it was coffee, a big TV with
its volume tuned to a low-key level, and lots of big comfy chairs with
nobody in them. Maybe because Wainwright has yet to make people think
"Hmm, I think I'll go hang out at the bank for a while."

---

At ORA again this afternoon. I am happy that I started
reworking these chapters as soon as I could, over the weekend, because
it's taking much longer than I expected. I finished my first pass over
them yesterday, and still I find plenty of reason to mark the hell out
of each resulting new page. If what I turn in on Friday doesn't make
the eds happy, then I'll happily toss the contract, because this is
all I can do, right here. That said, I am feeling pretty
cofident. We'll see.

---

Good news for me: I've earned enough of a reputation as a Mac
columnist that an editor over at the Network has started to send me
story ideas, which I happily accept. He also likes the sound of other
ideas I have had since my last column. Yay.