(no subject)

Had a sublime game of Memoir '44 this evening. ( Memoir '44 wankery )

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Also played Dr. Knizia's "Beowulf". It was OK; I don't think I'll rush out to buy it, but I'd play it again.

The theme is actually pretty neat: the title character, yes-that-Beowulf, is a plastic pawn that wanders around a track which represents his whole saga, from his first meeting with Hrothgar to his final battle with the Dragon. Unlike LotR, where (through bad play) Middle Earth can fall to Sauron long before the book is supposed to end, Beowulf's course is fated and inerrant; the players are simply along for the ride.

But that, oddly, is where all the fun lay, because the point of the game is not to overcome all of Beowulf's legendary trials, but rather to win his favor by outclassing all of your opponents while helping him out. The winner is named king after Big B kicks the bucket at the end. I think that's delightful.

I didn't find the core mechanic all that engaging, though: like LotR, it involves scanning the road ahead and trying to build a hand of cards that will help you do your best, but it lacks both the cooperative spirit and the tension of the earlier game. I want to try it again because I picked up on a whole-game strategy when we were about halfway done, and I'd like to see how well it works. But I'm not impatient for whenever that will happen.

(no subject)

* I got a lovely scarf from doctor_atomic. I haven't gotten anyone anything this year... when it's not directly in front of me, Christmas has simply not been in my mind at all. I think even last year at least I got some people games and books, but this year, pfft. Too much Volity. Whose idea was to start this in December, anyway, ha ha.

* One of the doctor's friends offered to give me a ride to Fairfield, since they were going to Bangor for the holidays. I had to turn them down since it was a couple of days earlier than optimal for me. And I felt really bad about this because I'm always bowled over by small displays of kindness and trust like this (even if it's just trust that I'm not too boring or smelly to share car-space with for 3 hours). But, so it goes.

* Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to allayall.

(no subject)

Just learned that the Red Line prolly won't get started until after my bus to Waterville leaves. I didn't know it slept in an extra hour on the Sunday/Holiday schedule. Crap. Guess it's better to find this out now (via mbta.com) than early tomorrow morning, though. So, will not be in Waterville until late afternoon at the soonest, and may end up staying through Tuesday.

Boy do I hate Christmas.

Off to go find dinner. It may have to come from CVS, since prolly everything else is closed, since see Figure 1.

(no subject)

Already feeling better. Took a walk, chilling my head. Got some some Dunkies things to tide me over through tomorrow morning.

Unexpected perk-up in the form of the DD cashier flirting with his young, blond customer. You must come back to my country with me for the holidays! No, I'm going to my own home, to California. Ah, but the weather in Morocco is just like California!

I love it.

Resolved to have some fun on with my neglected PS2 tonight. It's all good.