Board Games I want to try at BGG.Con this year!

This list has been growing for sometime, here it is in no particular order!

Finca - It was nominated for some decent awards this year. It's all about Harvesting fruit on the island of Mallorca and it uses a Rondel mechanism and I don't have a game that uses that.

Cyclades - a new game by 2 designers that I like. Buying the favor of the Gods and building cities, interesting.

At The Gates of Loyang - the latest from Uwe Roswenberg. I enjoyed Agricola, (though it felt a bit long and does need a lot of table space) I've played Le Havre, but it felt a bit too dry for me. Maybe his new creation will hit the sweet spot?

Alcazar - I can't remember how this made the list. Competing to build castles and villas in limited space. It's a re theme and redesign of the game Big Boss which was inspired by the game Acquire which I do enjoy playing, but do not own, so maybe that was the reason.

Dungeon Lords - the hot new game from Czech designer Vlaada Chvatil. In Dungeon lords, you are an evil dungeon lord who is trying to build the best dungeon out there. You hire monsters, build rooms, buy traps and the other usual stuff. I've enjoyed his other 2 games that I have played. Galaxy Trucker and Space Alert. I do wonder if I"ll be able to get a copy from the library though as it is such a hot item.

Monkey Lab - it's light and silly. My Nephew loves monkeys so I'm wondering whether this will be a suitable game for him to play with his parents.

Opera - a game about mounting opera productions? Sign me up!

Revolution! - Steve Jackson games tend to be rather hit or miss with me, but I saw this game being played at Gen Con and was intrigued. It looks like a glorified reworking of 'Rock Paper Scissors' but it could be fun.

Thunderstone - I saw a post somewhere comparing it to Dominion, which is the game I have played the most times this year.

Abandon Ship - another game I saw at Gen Con by the same publisher as Monkey Lab. You are competing gangs of rats trying to get off the ship before it sinks.

...Aber Bitte Mit Sahne - probably gets the award for the strangest name. It translates as '...but please, with whipped cream.' It is a game about sharing cakes. Normally one person cuts and the other person chooses. This is an entire game based on that simple action but the addition of whipped cream can create chaos. It's a food game, how can I not give it a try?

Arcana - I have no idea how this game made it on the list!

Cities - another game that was an SDJ nominee this year. A tile laying game all about designing the best city that you can.

Nefertiti - an auction game where you are seeking out gifts for queen Nefertiti. Again, I'm not sure how this made it on the list.

Caylus Magna Carta - we played this game's bigger brother Caylus quite a few times when it first came out. I originally thought this was just a re theme (add some chrome and get some new sales in) but it looks like a distilling of the original ideas into a compact card game. I'll give it a go.

Blox - another SDJ nominee. This time it's tower building with forklift trucks!

Railroad Dice - this is a game that came out in 2003. It was a creative and different use for dice, it's kind of hard to find though so I'm not too bothered if I don't get to play it. I'd hate to really like it and then not be able to locate a copy.

Timber Tom - another hot ticket game that keeps having all its U.S. shipments sell out. Its all about being the best mountain hiker.

Carson City - A game that was interesting enough to get added to the list, but not interesting enough for me to remember what interested me in the first place.

Ants! - There is quite a lot of buzz around this game, well there was when I first read about it. Competing ant colonies in a suburban park. Do you play it safe and gather food or fight the other colonies for victory?

Stronghold - one player is trying to defend the castle being besieged by the other.

A La Carte - an older game that has been re released with a few rule modifications. The players are semi-psychotic cooks attempting to hone their culinary skills. Still recipes, attempt to cook them, and try not to over spice!

Tobago - Yet another 'hot' game. Each player gets a different part of a treasure map for the island and so it's a 'deduce where the treasure is and race to it before the other player' game. I have the 2 player Discovery Island on the shelf. This one plays up to 4 players and has some really cool looking components :)

Atlantis -the designer of Atlantis, Leo Colvini is another designer who is hit or miss with me. I really enjoy his game Masons, and Clans is o.k. but Carolus Magnus felt rather dry to me. Atlantis is a reworking of the mechanic from Cartagena with some other goals added. Players are trying to flee the sinking city of Atlantis with as much treasure as possible.

Well that's the list! If any more games catch my eye I'll update - and I give a big shout out to anyone who was brave enough to read all the way to the end!

Prodigal Poetry

I posted these back in 2007, but in going through an old computer folder I discovered them and thought I would repost.


2 Poems inspired by the Parable of the Prodigal Son

I worked hard and then gave it away
The sweat of my brow
The toil of my hands

Gave it away with no conditions
No guidelines for usage
No rules for compliance

This is no condition to live your life
Watching him hurt
Watching him leave

Living your life saying goodbyes
Goodbye to my son
Goodbye to my savings

Saying goodbyes to the boy I once was
When I was young, would I have run?
Did I once take without thought?

The boy I once was became the man that I am
Taking became giving
Leaving became loving

I loved hard and then gave it away
I and the son are one
I and the father are one

Both Prodigals.







Old cartilage and fragile bones run
Self care forgotten as calloused feet kick up dust
A dirty cloud of celebration
Muscle-stretching jubilation
Embracing the dirt
Kissing the stench
Ignoring the lie on the lips
Hearing the unspoken desperation
And, as fatherly sweat mingles with son’s
Whispering “Welcome home”

Boardgames and Weight Update

Because of my vacation I'm only just getting around to posting this. :(

We won't talk about my weight - I'm still substantially lower than I was at the beginning of this year...but my weight has been creeping up for a while now. It's tougher for me to get the motivation to exercise as it makes my legs hurt. I have these nodules that have formed on both achillies tendons. I've been seeing a doctor and I'm going to have them removed, but we opted to do it in the New Year as I'm doing a fair amount of traveling before then which would have been inconvenienced by me having to have my foot in a boot.

Of course I really can exercise even though it does hurt some, and in reality the stretching exercises are good for the nodules, but it has become an excuse that is a little too convenient. I will do better this month!

Anyway, on to the games.

October was a surprising month for games. 45 Games were played in total of 25 different games. And 2 games came from nowhere to take the top 2 spots on the list. The reason for this was of course my English vacation and playing games with the rest of the family!

What was the top game of October?

Alhambra (6 plays) - is a great tile laying game. You are purchasing different buildings to make your own Alhambra. My brother and his wife really like this one so we played 6 times on the vacation. I think the final scores were Janet 2, Steve 2, Peter 2, Bugs 0, but I could be mistaken.

Uno (5 Plays) - a surprise entry played in a surprising variant. My nephew Tommy has difficulty holding all the cards and so we played their family variant where everybody's cards are placed face up in front of them in a tableaux. It completely changes the game and causes you to do a lot more strategizing about your plays!

Some other games of note this past month.

Carcasonne (3 plays) - this is one of the top 'gateway' games for introducing people into modern board gaming. I haven't played it that much and so I was a little dubious of its power, but I took it on the Chapelwoods Mens Retreat and was amazed at the response. I've never viewed board gaming as a spectator sport, but we must have had about 8 guys all watching us play this. I taught other groups the rules and their were quite a few heated battles and I know that some of the men have since purchased this for their families. I opted to use the original European Scoring as opposed to the American Scoring as I think it is a) Easier to learn and b) Makes for a better game.

Endeavor (2 plays) - this is one of the 'hot games' right now. I remember really liking it, but we played before the vacation so it's kind of slipped my mind right now! I'm sure it will make it to the table again soon.

Thought for the day

The journey into deeper faith is a journey into greater doubt rather than greater certainty.

I'm not the only one who spontaneously sings in grocery stores :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnY59mDJ1gg

A Lazy Beauty

(Random thoughts for Sunday's Contemplative Service)

How have you spent this week? I've spent time working, in conversations, cooking, playing boardgames, watching t.v. I've sat at desks, pianos and computers. I've prayed, reflected, laughed, sung. I've acted from the most noble of impulses, and also from the most selfish. I've sought God and I've ignored Him.

In a meeting this week someone asked 'What have you done to be spiritual this week?'. My first response was 'not enough'.

On further reflection though I don't think that's true. I could repeat my opening paragraph of how I've spent this week (working, conversations, cooking, playing boardgames etc) all as an answer to that question. There is no compartment in my life called 'Spirituality'. In God I live and move and have my being. Trying to become 'more spiritual' is like trying to become 'more human', it isn't possible. I am trying to become what I already am.

Like the Scarecrow, the Lion and the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, I fail to see that I already am what I'm desiring, so I walk down the 'Yellow Brick Road' of Spiritual Growth thinking that if I can just learn from this 'Spiritual Wizard' or master that Spiritual Discipline that I will become Spiritual.

The road cannot make me any more spiritual, but, as I become intentional about my journey, it helps me become aware of God's presence within me.

And as I journey, I start to worry. Am I travelling in the right direction? Am I praying in the right way? Am I growing fast enough? Am I really hearing God's voice? To help assure myself, I set myself goals. Concrete measures of growth. For example:

• I will have a quiet time every day.


• I will master Breath Prayer, Lectio Divina, the Examen, Encircling Prayer etc


• I will read the entire bible through in a year (or a month)


• I will give a fixed percentage of my income away

And suddenly bible reading becomes about the amount read rather than getting to know the Author. Prayer becomes a technique to be mastered rather than a conversation to be entered into. Giving becomes self-imposed taxation rather than an expression of the heart. Spirituality becomes a 'To Do' list.

I frantically 'labor and spin' to become spiritually beautiful, forgetting the lilies of the field.

'See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.'

Jesus offers a Lazy Beauty, a beauty that does not require effort on our part, just a surrender and a trust of what God is growing inside of us. It sounds to good to be true. A lily does not strive for beauty, it grows naturally. We feel we have to work to be as beautiful as Solomon. We create an artificial 'Spiritual Beauty' that we can strive for. An unrealistic ideal of Spirituality as false as the image of physical beauty we see portrayed in the media.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYfwIAWWH6M


Lazy Beauty feels wrong.

I can feel myself recoiling at my use of that word, even though that was the phrase the came to mind whilst I listening to the passage last Sunday. I can hear my inner critic saying 'Use a different word, call it Natural Beauty. Lazy suggests just sitting there. It's passive. What about Striving, what about being sold out for God?'

See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. They do not work or toil. They are Lazy.

But to be lazy I have to surrender my Spiritual To Do List. I have to see what Jesus is growing in me rather than try to force growth through my own efforts.

What has crept onto your Spiritual To Do list right now?

What is Jesus growing in you?

Where can you see A Lazy Beauty?

I Know the Feeling!

Caring for the Choir Robes

I'm fortunate to get to sing in the Chancel Choir at Chapelwood UMC. We have a wonderful bunch of people who sing well together and are highly organized (most of the time GRIN)

To help the new people who have just joined, the Robing Chairperson did a brief announcement about care for our Choir Robes and the best way to hang them in the choir room to make sure they stay clean and wrinkle free. The entire choir room is fitted with wooden hangers for our robes, they have a wider top and help prevent hanger bumps forming when the robe has been hung up for too long.

The wooden hangers are important.

The only problem was, while he was explaining their neccessity, all I could think of was this.

Bringing fun to the mundane.

Stuck in my head

I woke up with this song in my brain this morning. The video is a bit cheesey by today's standards, but I do like the lyrics and the melody.

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's off to work we go

According to a study by the National Sleep Association the average American works a 46 hour work week. I've seen other studies giving other figures, but this seems to be slightly low in my estimation.

When I started work in the U.K. at age 19. My required work week was a 35 hour week. I was also on a flex time system, I had to be at work from 10-12 and 2-4 but apart from that it was up to me. At the end of each month I could be up to 10 hours over or under the required total, and, if I had 7 hours over I could use those hours to take a vacation time.

And talking about vacation time, when I started I had 20 days vacation a year, plus the 12 potential 'flex days' plus national holidays (8 by my calculations).

So at age 19 I worked a 35 hour work week and could get 40 days off a year!

Compare that with the average American of 46+ hours a week, 10-15 days off a year plus national holidays.

Moving to the U.S. was a shock for me.

People here seem to be defined by their 'work' a lot more than I was used to in the U.K.

One other piece of data that is alarming:

There is a massive spike in Suicide among males in the U.S. when they reach retirement age. I don't think the American work ethic is a cause, but the statistical correlation is disturbing.

Here are the U.K. figures.

A much lower suicide rate among Males. So, are the Brits lazy or the U.S. work obsessed???

Thoughts anyone???

How I spent the weekend

2 movies down - 1 more to go :)

Words to Ponder

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy, as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

Thomas Jefferson

Boardgames and Weight Update

Again this month their is no weight update as I'm still in a 'holding pattern'. There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon though. Work has started a weight loss exercise program that runs for three months where you can access to a personal trainer etc. I've signed up to do that so maybe it will re-energize me again :)

Onto the games!

September had 31 plays of 27 different games. There was no game that dominated the rankings though there were some new appearances.

Palastgefluster - this is an Adlung Spiel game, and they always seem to pack a fun complex game into a tiny box. This one is no exception to their range. It involves political intrigue in the King's Court and is easy to learn but has some surprising strategies. You also get to control turn order which is fun. It's a game that is relatively difficult to obtain here in the U.S. so I expect it to hit the table again soon.

Werewolf - I really enjoy getting to play this game, but normally we don't have enough people or I end up moderating. Don't get me wrong I enjoy running the game, but it is fun to play. There's a lot of lying and manipulation in this game, it really helps to either be a great Orator or a keen Observer. I successfully spotted someone in a lie which helped the good guys win the game woohoo!

Snow Tails Is a game of racing Husky Dogs down a frozen track complete with avalanches and trees. I don't play that many race games, and this is a fun one so it was nice to have it hit the table again.

Imperial This is one of those longer more complex games that I tend to shy away from. Well, it's more that although I can grasp the mechanics of the game I'm not that sure about the strategy. I did surprisingly well this last play though and came in a very close second.

Also this month we had a special gaming session with Peggy and Shelley who wanted to learn some new card games.

Die Seiben Siegel (or as we usually call it 'Die Steven Segal!') is an interesting spin on spades. Not only do you have to bid how many tricks you are going to take, but you also have to say what suits you are going to take them in. This makes the bidding extra fraught with difficulty. To compound that it is also possible for somebody to play as a Saboteur and instead of trying to take tricks they are trying to screw up your plans. Fun!

Flaschenteufel is a trick taking game based on a short story by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is interesting in that cards that were trumps at the start of the round will revert to normal cards as the round progresses. Consequently you are forced to use trumps early, but their is a catch. Whoever played the highest trump in a trick obtains the Bottle Imp, and if the round ends with the bottle still in your possession....well let's just say it's not good. It's a fun little game and works really well with three players which is normally hard to do with a trick taking game.

Poison is a classic Reiner Knizia game. You are adding different ingredients into three different cauldrons, but you don't want to be the person who causes the cauldron to boil over. It's now available as an iphone application :)

Well that's selected highlights from September's Gaming. I don't foresee any game knocking Dominion off it's top slot by the end of the year, but there is a tight race forming for second place, with 9 games all vying for second place.

The 'What' and the 'Why'

Abba Anthony the Great said this, 'If he is able to, a monk ought to tell his elders confidently how many steps he takes and how many drops of water he drinks in his cell, in case he is in error about it.'

from 'The Sayings of the Desert Fathers' ~ Benedicta Ward, SLG

I mentioned in a previous post that I was working my way through this book, and when I read it this morning the above quote stuck with me.

I don't think Abba Anthony is suggesting that true monks should all go out and purchase Pedometers or keep careful records of their consumption of Dihydromonoxide (after all, how big is a 'drop'?). What I heard in this was an increased level of Awareness. I know their have been times when I've sat down to read a book with a packet of cookies and 20 minutes later I suddenly notice that all the cookies have gone and I have no recollection of consuming them.

The act of being aware changes our behavior. I did an experiment today and I decided to write down everything I ate. Suddenly I was conscious of walking past the goodies at the Receptionist's Desk at work, I noticed how many refills I wanted at Boudreaux's at lunchtime. I ate and drank less today for the sole reason that I was writing it down and was therefore aware of it.

Socrates said 'The Unexamined Life is not worth living' - I'm not sure if I'd go quite that far, as their have definitely been moments in my life where I would have much rather have been numb and clueless to what was going on inside. But Socrates and Abba Anthony are just saying what so many other writers have said, we need to be 'Aware'.

I try to avoid a lot of political debate, but when I do get into discussion, I try to be more interested in the 'Why' rather than the 'What'. People are often very good at articulating what they believe, but not so much the why. 'Why' asks us to take a look inside, to examine ourselves, the good and the bad.

If I start counting the steps I take and the water I drink I might become aware that I am walking in the wrong direction or consuming the wrong things. The 'What' leads to the 'Why'. Suddenly I notice my internal drives and compulsions, and in doing so I am awakened.

So, how many steps did you take today? How much water did you drink?

Why?

Going on vacation?

Very hilarious!

Check out the rest of the fun at www.phdcomics.com

Listen to my Requiem!

Just follow the links! (I think you have to be in Internet Explorer to make this work)

Introit and Kyrie

Dies Irae

Pie Jesu

Offertory

Sanctus

Benedictus

Agnus Dei

Libera Me

In Paradisum & Benediction

Vampire Worship?

(random thoughts from a non-theologian)

Vampires are apparently a big thing at the moment. I say apparently, because, as I'm not a teenage girl I've not read any of the 'Twilight' books or watched any of 'Trueblood' or any other of the various vampire shows around right now. It just seems that nearly every issue of Entertainment Weekly (my source of world news) has a mention somewhere about these bloodsucking creatures.

It seems they've even made it into church.

I was at worship this weekend and the band led us in a song that was new to me, that featured the lyric 'From His wounds we drink salvation'. All I could think of was 'ewww'. Couldn't the songwriter have used a different word than 'drink'? I get what the lyricist is trying to say, but the image of lapping blood from the Crucified Christ is not one that moves me, the lyric became a hindrance rather than an aid to worship.

There is a whole thread of christian lyrics where almost magical power is ascribed to the actual blood of Jesus, as if somehow Jesus' blood was different from the rest of humanity's.

There is a fountain filled with blood.
Jesus blood never failed me yet.
It's your blood that cleanses me.
There is Power in the blood.

At times it seems we are in danger of venerating the 'symbol', rather than what the symbol represents. In Bruge, Belgium there is even an alleged phial of Jesus blood contained in the Basillica of the Holy Blood But as my friend Matt once said to me, Jesus' blood is not special, what it accomplished is. When we take Communion, we worship Christ, not the Wafer or the Welch's grape juice. When we remember the Crucifixion shouldn't we do the same?

Nostalgia in the Oven ~ Jumbleberry Crumble

A really good cookbook should assault the senses. Just reading the recipes should be enough to stimulate the taste buds. And then the glorious pictures amount to food porn, calling, tempting, promising indescribable pleasures if you just cook the recipe depicted.

Nigella Lawson is well versed in the art of the Seductive Cookbook...

...and I made the mistake of browsing through one of her tomes this morning over my breakfast cup of tea.

My fate was sealed when I saw the picture on page 182

Jumbleberry Crumble

No matter that I didn't have the over sized teacup for serving, or the cheery table mat, one glance was enough and I knew that you had to be mine. I could already taste the glorious cool of the ice cream, the sweet crunch of the topping and the tart zing of the warm berries.

Fruit crumbles, normally apple, or raspberry were a part of my childhood. Admittedly my mother's were generally overcooked, burnt on top and soggy on the bottom, but even that has a familiarity to it that the picture evoked in me. O.k. so it didn't go with the Enchilada Casserole that was bubbling away in the crock pot, but no matter, I wanted it.

The recipe is simplicity itself.

For the crumble Topping:

2/3 cup of flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)

Blitz all of the together in a food processor (or rub together by hand) to make a mixture that resembles sand.

You'll also need:

Frozen summer fruits

cornstarch

sugar

vanilla extract

Put the frozen berries in an oven proof container (for one serving I used a 2 cup ramekin)

Put in some frozen berries to just below the top.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons sugar and a drop of vanilla extract on top.
Top with crumble topping.

Put in the oven at 425F for 15-20 mins until cooked.

Serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

The recipe actually makes too much topping, but the beauty is you can store the topping and the berries in the freezer and assemble the entire dessert from frozen quicker than it takes to heat up the oven.

Glorious!

Requiem

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Here are just a few pics from friday night (none of the wind players unfortunately). Sorry they are a bit blurry, I was taking them from the back of the concert hall with no flash and no tripod!

The performance was incredible. I was amazed at the number of people there and the warm reception that they gave my music. I felt very humble to have such incredible musicians perform my work :)

Abba Anthony shows the way.

One day some old men came to see Abba Anthony. In the midst of them was Abba Joseph. Wanting to test them, Abba Anthony suggested a text from the scriptures, and, beginning with the youngest, he asked them what it meant. Each gave his opinion as he was able. But to each one Abba Anthony said, 'You have not understood it.' Last of all he said to Abba Joseph, 'How would you explain this saying?' and he replied, 'I do not know.' Then Abba Anthony said, 'Indeed, Abba Joseph has found the way, for he has said: "I do not know." '

from 'The Sayings of the Desert Fathers' ~ Benedicta Ward, SLG

I'm slowly reading through this collection of writings at the moment, and this one has really stuck with me. There is a humility in bible interpretation displayed here that I find very attractive. Given the churches track record in scripture interpretation - Slavery and the position of the earth in the Solar System to name just two, it is refreshing to see someone back in 300 A.D. advocating a position of humility before the Divine Mystery that is scripture. I think all of us will be amazed when we get to heaven about how wrong we were in the things we labeled important.

Requiem Performance Details

(Just in case you didn't know GRIN)

The Performance is tonight at 8pm in Stude Concert Hall at Rice University.

Tonight is the Night - Dona Nobis Requiem

'Dona Nobis Requiem' is the only sung phrase in Latin that is not in the original Latin text of a Requiem Mass. It translates us 'Grant us rest'. It is the final sentence that is sung in the work tonight, and it seemed a fitting conclusion...

...I didn't get much Requiem last night. I stayed up late playing boardgames (specifically Tales of the Arabian Nights). I fell asleep quickly, but I had some 'Requiem Dreams'. They never really materialized into full blown nightmares, but they were enough to make me feel unrested this morning.

There were really 2 recurring themes in them.

The first was that all the publicity that I had given out were for the wrong venue - I spent most of that dream frantically calling, emailing and messaging people on Facebook trying to get the correct information to them. Consequently when the concert started I was so emotionally drained and worrying about who was missing it, that I missed it.

I will really practice being present tonight.

The second was even more curious. I was standing outside the venue when two strangers struck up a conversation asking me what I knew about the composer and his music. I answered the best that I could without revealing my identity. Then a friend came by and of course immediately gave the game away. I looked chagrined, and the 2 people then began to barrage me with these incredibly complex musical questions about the work and my compositional techniques. I had to ask them so many questions just so I could understand their questions, and then it took me so long to formulate my answers using their language that I came across looking like a dullard.

I know I have a tendency to put myself in outsider status. To believe that everyone else is genuine and I am a fraud. I make those judgements internally to myself in many different social settings and I recognize that it serves 2 purposes 1) It is a defence mechanism, I assume I am going to be rejected, so I reject you first, that way it is my 'choice' and therefor doesn't hurt as much. 2) It flows out of low self esteem issues. It's me telling myself that I'm not good enough.

Tonight I choose to be transparent and to celebrate my 'Goldenness' even as I acknowledge my 'Darkness' The response to the Requiem from the students and Faculty has been wonderful, I trust their judgement, and I also trust mine. I will let the music speak for me and I will relax knowing that I have many wonderful friends who are attending to support me and hear what I create.

Dona nobis requiem? - Yes God did, and I'm grateful for it.

My Nephew the Movie Maker - A 'One Proud Uncle' Post!

Pretty dang awesome for a 9 year old who's only had his camera a few days!!!

Sally Forth gets it right!

Hunting for the Skallagrigg

I first encountered the book 'Skallagrigg' in the late 80s when it came out in paperback. I can vividly remember finishing it for the first time. I was riding on a train back to London from Nottingham, and as I reached the final pages I was sitting there, tears streaming down my face.

I have lost track of how many times I have read the book now, I know I have read it more times than any other work of fiction. It never fails to move me.

The back of the book says:

Skallagrigg unites Arthur, a little boy abandoned many years ago in a grim hospital in northern England, with Esther, a radiantly intelligent young girl who is suffering from cerebral palsy, and with Daniel, an American computer-games genius.

Skallagrigg - whatever the name signifies, whoever he is - will come to transform all their lives. And William Horwood's inspired, heart-rending story of rescue and redemptive love will undoubtedly touch your life too.

I just finished reading the novel again, and I allowed myself to sit upstairs and gently weep. The first time I read the book I think it brought me to tears only once. I was younger then and very trained at denying my emotions expression - one of the 'benefits' of growing up in the U.K. when I did.

This last reading reduced me to tears many times, but not tears of pity for the characters, but tears of recognition, of finding myself within the pages.

This quote has stayed with me this time (from page 718)

Life is usually a self-made maze whose walls are fears and prejudice, a maze through which there is no perfect route, whose final stages demand acceptance of weakness, not display of strength. Where you must accept that one day your child may lean over and take the spoon from your hand, without your having the strength to resist. In the end strength lies in acceptance, hope is in truth not fantasy: peace cannot be in craving, but in the giving up of desire.

A strong thread of contemplative Christian Spirituality flows through this book and William Horwood's later works 'The Duncton Chronicles' which I also made sure I brought with me from the U.K. and read constantly.

I sit here right now, dried tear stains on my face. Aware of God's incredible grace and my own limitations. I am emotionally drained, and yet I am at peace, because I have found the Skallagrigg.

South Pacific

This lyric is from the show 'South Pacific' by Rogers and Hammerstein.

When the movie version was being filmed the Producers tried to get them to cut this song from the show for fear it might be offensive and alienate some people.

Hammerstein refused because he believed this song encapsulated the core message of the show.

You've Got To Be Carefully Taught

You've got to be taught to hate and fear
You've got to be taught from year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
And people whose skin is a different shade
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught before it's too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught

Rodgers And Hammerstein - South Pacific

Games Played and Weight Update

There really is no weight update - I haven't been losing because I haven't been exercising. I'm in a holding pattern right now. I keep meaning to get back into it, but I'm too good at finding excuses.

So on to the games!

With going to Gen Con this past month it was a good time for games. I totalled up 48 plays of 34 different games.

So what were the highlights?

The Hanging Gardens - a game I tried at the convention that has seen a lot of plays since. It's easy to teach, has some interesting decisions, and plays in under 45 mins so it is a good filler.

Dice Town - this was a game that I wanted to demo to see if I would buy. I enjoyed it enough to purchase it. It's a poker dice rolling fun fest. There's not a lot you can do to mess with other players, but the delicious joy of rolling 3 aces on your final turn to shut another player out, is wondrously palpable :)

Livingstone - exploring the jungle on the way to Victoria Falls. A clever dice mechanism coupled with a push your luck precious gem mine and creative scoring made this a must by.

Tales of the Arabian Nights - do you remember the 'Choose Your Own Adventure Books'? This is like one of those gone crazy. At every encounter you have about 8 different choices to decide between that all lead you somewhere different. It is a game, in that you do have a winner, but it's more about the fun tales that develop as you travel around the board. It goes to 6 people, but I think it would be too slow with a group that large. We played with 3 and it was perfect. It's a great rainy day game, and not nearly as complex as it appears at first glance.

Looking at my stats for the year so far, we have a clear winner with 21 plays:

Dominion - we picked up the expansion for this game this month, so I don't anticipate it being knocked away from winning position this year...unless something really incredible comes along!

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

There are some recipes that I actively try to find, Chocolate Brie En Croute being my latest search (I'll let you know how it tastes after I've been brave enough to make it!). Then there are other recipes that seem to find me. I read various food blogs, and, because people know my cooking passion I frequently get recipes sent to me.

Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream was a recipe that I linked to from a blog that I linked to from a blog that I read(!) I'm not a huge raspberry fan, but the combination sounded decadent - and it is. I should hasten to add that it is an easy decadent. Making ice cream can be a complex affair with egg custards that might burn and having to have sinks of ice handy to ward off threats of curdling.

No such problems with this recipe.

I did use my trusty Krups Ice Cream Maker, but to be honest I think you could make this without.

8oz cream cheese, softened.
14oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups half and half
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
12oz frozen raspberries (no need to thaw)
1/2 cup sugar

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer. On low speed, carefully add sweetened condensed milk, half and half, lemon, and vanilla until thoroughly blended.

Combine the raspberries and sugar in a bowl, keep cold until needed.

Put the cream cheese mix into the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturers instructions.

When the ice cream is almost solid swirl in the raspberry mixture.

If you do not have an ice cream maker then put the cream cheese mix in a freezer proof container and freeze for an hour. Remove, stir and then freeze again. Do this a couple of times before adding the raspberries and sugar.

It's as easy as that!

10 Biblical ways to find a wife

1. Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her
head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes.Then she's yours.
(Deuteronomy 21:11-13)

2. Find a prostitute and marry her.
Hosea (Hosea 1:1-3)

3. Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock. Moses (Exodus 2:16-21)

4. Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal.
Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)

5. Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife.
Benjamites (Judges 21:19-25)

6. Have God create a wife for you while you sleep.
Note: this will cost you a rib. --Adam (Genesis 2:19-24)

7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman's hand in
marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman.Then,work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That's right. Fourteen years of toil for a woman.
Jacob (Genesis 29:15-30)

8. Cut off 200 foreskins of your future father-in-law's enemies and get his daughter for a wife.
David (I Samuel 18:27)

9. Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow.
(It's not just a good idea, it's the law.)
Onan and Boaz (Deteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth)

10. Don't be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity.
Solomon (I Kings 11:1-3)

This is why I drink Tea!

Giving Sandwiches a Quick Zip!

I ran across this recipe in the August edition of Cooking Light magazine, it's so good it's actually got me eating raw celery, something I normally abhor!

1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives.

Mix all of the above together and use it as a spread for sandwiches. I recommend spreading it on a nice baguette and then topping it with cooked chicken breast, sliced roma tomatoes and salad greens.

Delicious and quick!

Free-fall

Compared to an eternity spent wherever you spend eternity, this life is nothing but a short free-fall…..

“Ready…….Ready……wait for it……Green Light!….Go! Go! Go!” The first few moments were a blur of noise as I pushed myself out into the dirty blue nothingness. Tumbling. Falling end over end, limbs flapping wildly in the noisy rush of wind. Panic began to arise in my throat and I grasped desperately at something; anything that could give me a bearing in my ever-shifting surroundings, but of course I found nothing. Oh I knew where ‘down’ was, I had no doubt which way my ultimate demise lay, but was I plummeting headfirst? Feet first? Would I see my end rushing towards me or would it slam into my back – coming as a complete surprise? For all my bravado before I threw myself into nothingness I desperately wanted to know. How long did I have left? Suddenly the length of time before I was embraced by ground zero was all-important, but the dials on my altimeter were spinning so fast it was impossible to get a reading.

Could I slow my descent, postpone the inevitable? I began to claw the sky, trying to swim in the air currents that I was drowning in. As I fell my heart rate rose, my breathing began to race faster; thoughts bombarded my brain echoing my outer turmoil. Could I survive impact? Does anyone? Does it hurt? Will I see it coming? Can I prevent it? Why me? If impact is inevitable why fight? Wouldn’t it be better to tuck my arms in and speed my descent into oblivion?

“There are other options you know”

I spun wildly trying to work out where the voice came from. Was the thought of imminent death sending me insane? As far as I could tell no one else had thrown themselves out of the plane so I was alone in my tumbling.

“I’m right behind you. Can’t you feel the straps?”

I reached up to my shoulders and explored. Two strips of webbing came from the top of my back, over my shoulders and then down tight beneath my armpits. A backpack?

“A Parachute. Everyone automatically gets a parachute before they leave the plane whether they request one or not. Scholars call it prevenient grace, but I just think it is a good idea.”

“But….but…..” I stammered. The difficulty of forming whole sentences while plummeting to your death was compounded by the fact that I was conversing with a talking parachute. “I thought the Eternal Parachute was a myth, most experts who have studied Free-fall claim that you don’t exist”.

“Oh what do those Jump Philosophers know?” the parachute said in a voice that sounded like the rustle of cotton. “They only talk about jumping but they haven’t experienced it themselves so all their talk is just that; talk.”

A sudden down draft sent me spiraling end over end and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me as the parachute suddenly spoke with a stronger, more authoritative voice.

“Right. Let’s stop that spinning; you’ll never be able to think straight if you want to throw up. Spread your arms and legs out and arch your back. Allow your body to stream in the wind. There. That’s better.”

The calm power of the parachute’s voice helped to quell my panic. Coupled with a decrease of fear and a lack of spinning I began to enjoy the fall.

“You know this is kinda fun. It’s almost exhilarating. I can see for miles, everything looks so small.”

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted some movement on the rapidly approaching ground. Without thinking I gestured with my left arm and began a sudden swoop sideways.

“Wow! That was great. Just like flying.”

I began to swoop and dive. I discovered that by moving my arms and legs in different combinations I could execute spins and rolls. This was a lot of fun.

“Excuse me….”

I began to try more complicated maneuvers enjoying the pull of the G forces on my body.

“Excuse me…..”

I shouted aloud in pleasure. I never dreamed that free falling could be so much fun. I never wanted this to end; I could enjoy this feeling forever.

“EXCUSE ME!”

The parachute rustled angrily in my ear.

“I know that from up here the ground seems a relatively small thing, but it is getting larger all the time, so don’t you think that you had better prepare for its arrival?!”

“What do you want me to do?” I asked, slightly angry that the parachute would disturb my fun.

“See that ring that’s attached by a cord to your chest? Just pull that right now and I will take care of everything.”

“Really? That’s all I have to do? You don’t need me to flap or assume a particular position or something else like that?”

“No.” Said the chute. “Just pull that cord, I will open and you can float gently down to ground level..”

“You’ll open? But if you open I won’t be able to swoop and dive anymore will I? What fun will I be able to have then? Can’t I wait just a bit longer?”

I emphasized my point by executing a Triple Barrel Roll. I was getting good at this.

“Trust me.” Said the chute. “I’ve seen millions of people safely through their jump. Now is the time to pull your cord. Don’t put it off.”

“Surely I can wait a little bit, I really don’t want to be restricted by you more than absolutely necessary.”

“NOW IS THE TIME TO PULL YOUR CORD!”

I decided to try a different track.

“You know,” I said slyly. “Many people say that hitting the ground is an integral part of the free fall experience. I really ought to experience everything that this fall has to offer, after all I only get to do it once you know, it would be a shame to waste it because I was afraid.”

“PULL YOUR CORD!”

“I’ve also heard it said that the ground is really just an illusion, a transition into another state of serene bliss; but you can only achieve this bliss if you hit the ground full force so you can break through into this new Nirvana.”

“Look I was right about how to stop yourself spinning wasn’t I. Why should I lie to you about this?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you have got ulterior motives or something like that. Maybe you are just a killjoy. How should I know what prompts a parachute to do what it does. I’m not a genius I’m just a jumper who is enjoying himself and doesn’t want the fun to end.”

“Look. I am trying to save your life. PULL YOUR CORD!”

“I don’t know. Let me think about it.”

I thought and I thought and I fell and I fell and I thought and I fell and I swooped and I dived and I thought and I fell and I……….

Music and Lyrics

Who would have though that
three pitches
oscillating at complimentary wavelengths
separated by seven half-steps
could communicate eternity through harmony.

Who would have guessed that
sixteen syllables
grafted onto a melody
forced to conform to rhythm and pitch
could become the voice of the divine.

Parking Outside the Lines

Full marks for creativity,

but the driver does not play well with others.

This was Urinetown

It was over a year ago, but here are some pics from the production of Urinetown that I was in at Houston Community college Southwest last summer. I played Caldwell B. Cladwell and had a great time.

to see more pics click here.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Homesick?

I'm feeling a bit wistful today.

Wistful, according to Merriam Webster, means full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy. I had just finished my grocery shopping and I decided to have a quick browse at the British Food Aisle. I rarely buy anything because a) the import prices are too expensive and b) they rarely have what I am longing for, but the items on display did start me yearning for things from my past.

So what am I yearning for today?

Barretts Fish and Chips - They aren't the best, but they were my local 'chippie' for all the time I lived in Norwich. It's a familiar comforting taste and smell.

Toffypops - ahh the glorious guilt of eating just one and then discovering you have 'scarfed' down the entire packet.

The Norfolk Coastline - There is a wonderful smell at the coast - a mixture of salt and fish. Combine that with the cry of the sea gulls and a cool breeze and it is just wonderful.

Public Buses - I miss riding on the bus, I miss the noise, the convenience, even the complaining when it doesn't arrive on time. I miss the running late at night to catch the last bus home. I can count on one hand the number of times I have ridden the bus in the U.S.

To explain the pic above, it was taken in my hometown of Norwich. Underneath the city there are a large number of Medieval Chalk Mines. The weight of the buses on the Unthank Road over many years caused the road to sink and the bus slid into it. In the U.K. we have a candy bar called a 'Double Decker', their advertising campaign? 'Nothing fills a hole like a double decker'!!!

English Sausages - Just about every butcher had their own blend of meat and spices. American sausage just doesn't taste the same, I like it (esp. in a bacon explosion), it's just different.

Going 'down the city' - Norwich Town Center is like one big open air shopping mall. You can wonder around for hours looking into the shops, browsing the market. Odds are you would run into somebody you would know. Houston does not really have a pedestrianized center, going to the Mall just doesn't feel the same.

Well that's what immediately springs to mind, I'm sure there are a lot more things if I sat and reflected.

Merriam Webster defines 'Homesick' as follows: longing for home and family while absent from them. I don't think I'm homesick, Houston feels like home to me now. I'm not missing family, I do a great job of staying connected to my family in the U.K. and I have a wonderful 'family' here in the U.S. now.

Every item that I've listed above, and the many more that I could name are doorways into memories, doorways that don't see much traffic now that they are no longer easily accessible. But just typing and reflecting has helped oil the hinges, and often the memory of something is better than the real thing....though one of Barretts battered deep fried pineapple rings would be lovely right now.

Words of Eternal Life?

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

John 6:67-68

The above quote is part of a longer discourse about Jesus speaking difficult teachings. Peter's response is one that I have quoted to myself in those dark days when I have wanted to throw in the towel on Christianity and become a practicing Hedonist - or possibly a member of the 'Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster' as I hear they have awesome Potluck Suppers.

But this time was different, instead of hearing an implied 'if you change your interpretation of Christianity you are on a fast track to Hell', this time I heard a simple question. What have been words of Eternal Life for you?

The phrase that immediately came to mind was 'Always remember that you are much loved'. The source of this quote was the series of books 'Duncton Wood' by author William Horwood. The books are an exploration of Faith and the clash of Dogmatism vs Contemplative Life.

I've always been moved by William Horwood's writing, the Duncton Series and his novel Skallagrigg are ones that I never tire of reading. When I moved to the U.S. I made sure I included all of them in my suitcase. But why does a quote from a fictional series about the lives of moles come to mind when I think about words of eternal life?

Remembering we are loved, no matter what messages the world, our circumstances, our past, our self, and even our faith shouts at us is one way that we can bring life into whatever hellish circumstances we may find ourselves in. Many of the interwoven stories in 'Duncton Wood' are brutal, but the moles make it through by remembering that they are loved.

Writer Henri Nouwen's core message was that we are the Beloved Sons and Daughters of God. Nothing is strong enough to take away that identity from us, and that we need to do nothing to claim it, it is interwoven into our very D.N.A.

'Always remember that you are much loved' are words that pour life into me.

What words pour Eternal life into you?
What life giving words have you spoken to others this week?

Cheap Hotel Cooking!

You know a Gaming Convention is in town when...

...you walk into a restaurant and all the tables are large groups of heavyset men all wearing graphic tee shirts in various shades of black.

... a woman turns up at the hotel free breakfast buffet wearing a kimono, kitten ears and a furry tail and she is carrying a samuri sword (possibly for slicing bagels?)

...conversation overheard on the street #1 "...and then in 1930 he exploded his doomsday device and destroyed all of downtown Chicago"

...conversation overheard on the street #2 "...and it's generally assumed that everyone with psychic abilities has telekinesis."


...at the hotel check-in desk they have Jenga set up 'just to make you feel welcome'

...the man on the airport shuttle bus introduces himself and launches into a discussion on 'The Emergence of Game Mechanics as an aid to the Narrative'

The Bacon Explosion

There are some recipes that will always be around, roast chicken, omlettes etc. Then there are others that suddenly become trendy and then dissapear, I remember when every dessert I was served for about 6 months was Tiramasu!

There is a third catagory of recipes, ones that have become urban legends. You may have had them emailed to you, but you don't know many people who have actually made them......

...except me.

5 minute chocolate cake

Dishwasher Lasagna

The Burrito that should never be

and my latest forray into forbidden territory -

The Bacon Explosion (or as Greg named it, the Death Log)

I served the Bacon Explosion with some rather evil mashed potatoes heavily laden with cream and butter, and God saw that it was good - and my Nutritionist shuddered.

So, here is the creation of this wonder meal in all its glory, bon appetite!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Behold the Power of the Pentatonic!

Behold the Power of the Pentatonic!

Dona Eis Requiem!

(A page of Mozart's Requiem)

A Requiem is normally a prayer for eternal rest....mine has caused more work :)

I am ecstatic to announce that my Requiem will be performed by the Rice Chorale on 9/11 at 8pm in Stude Concert Hall at Rice University.

This is wonderful news, but has created some extra work. My Requiem has been performed as part of a worship service, however there is a difference between what 'works' in a worship service and what works in a concert hall. I am currently rewriting portions, changing some lyrics and rewriting some of the music. Sections that were performed by chorus are now becoming solos, and extra solos are being written too.

I am also adding other instruments into the mix. I am scoring the work for voices, Piano, Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon. This means instrumental parts have to be assigned, and in some cases new introductions and transitional music are being written.

Imagine taking a wonderful tiled picture, scrambling it up, adding some extra tiles, and recreating an embellished version of the original with a lot greater detail ~ that's what I'm doing, and as rehearsals start at the end of August I have a very tight deadline to get it done.

Throw in the fact that I am away some of next week at Gen Con and you shouldn't be surprised if my blog doesn't get updated as often as usual!

If you have a chance to make the performance, it would be wonderful to see you - it's free :)

Lemon Layer Cake

Not for the faint of heart!

Recipe from ‘Behind the Scenes with America’s Test Kitchen’

The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, but it will become quite stiff; fold it with a rubber spatula to loosen it before spreading it on the cake. Leftover cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator, with the cut side of the cake covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to three days.



Lemon Curd Filling

1 cup juice from about 6 lemons
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1½ cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
6 large egg yolks (reserve the whites for cake)
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes and frozen

Cake

2¼ cups cake flour, plus extra for the pans
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1¾ cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces, softened but still cool

Icing

2 large egg whites
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon corn syrup


1. FOR THE FILLING: Measure 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice into a small bowl; sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Heat the remaining lemon juice, the sugar, and salt in a medium nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling. Whisk the eggs and the yolks in a large nonreactive bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the hot lemon-sugar mixture into the eggs, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture registers 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer and is thick enough to leave a trail when the spatula is scraped along the pan bottom, 4 to 6 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture until dissolved. Stir in the frozen butter until incorporated. Pour the filling through a fine-mesh strainer into a nonreactive bowl (you should have 3 cups). Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to spread, at least 4 hours.

2. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9 x2 round cake pans and line with parchment paper. In a 2-cup measure or medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg whites and vanilla.

3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt at low speed. With the mixer running at low speed, add the butter one piece at a time; continue beating until the mixture resembles moist crumbs with no visible butter chunks. Add all but ½ cup of the milk mixture to the crumbs and beat at medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1 ½ minutes. With the mixer running at low speed, add the remaining ½ cup milk mixture; increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds more. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl. Return the mixer to medium and beat for 20 seconds longer. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; using a rubber spatula, spread the batter to the pan walls and smooth the tops.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, 23 to 25 minutes. Loosen the cakes from the sides of the pans with a small knife, cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a greased wire rack; peel off the parchment. Invert the cakes again; cool completely on the rack, about 1 1/2 hours.

5. TO ASSEMBLE: Use a serrated knife to cut each cake into 2 even layers. Place the bottom layer of one cake on a cardboard round or cake plate. Using an icing spatula spread 1 cup of the lemon filling evenly on the cake leaving a ½-inch border around the edge, using a cardboard round, gently replace the top layer. Spread 1 cup of filling on top. Using the cardboard round, gently slide the bottom half of the second cake into place. Spread the remaining cup of filling on top. Using the cardboard round, replace the top layer of the second cake. Smooth out any filling that has leaked from the sides of the cake; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while making the icing.

6. FOR THE ICING: Combine all the ingredients in a large heatproof bowl and set over a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and transfer the mixture to a standing fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks from, about 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the mixture has cooled to room temperature and stiff peaks form, 5 minutes longer. Ice the cake and serve.

'Avenue Q' meets 'Fiddler on the Roof'

Do not watch if easily offended!

Very Inspiring and Moving - worth the time to watch.

Weight Update and Boardgame News

John Michael Montgomery sang 'Life's a Dance you learn as you go, sometimes you lead and sometimes you follow', well weight loss is similar. I've been doing the Two Pound Two Step most of this month, my weight fluctuating more than a freshman's GPA. I've finished the month 3 lbs higher than where I finished last month...and I'm o.k. with that. I said in my last update that I find myself obsessing about weight loss and so I took the last week off, well that mini vacation somehow morphed into a month long hiatus. I've been watching my input, but I haven't been exercising so my weight has not declined.

I will get back into exercising again, I think some of it is the hotter weather, I don't like getting hot and sweaty, I'm a little bored with my work out dvd and it's too hot to go out walking.

Anyway enough excuses, onto the games played this last month.

I set a new personal best this month - 38 games played, and 20 different games.

(Maybe all this game playing is why I haven't been exercising.)

Dominion is still top with 7 games played. It's appeal hasn't dimmed yet and as the first expansion is now available I don't see its charms dwindling anytime soon.

Chains of Fenrir makes a surprise appearance. It's a quick abstract game that uses lots of glass beads. You can learn it in just a few minutes but it has some interesting challenges to it. It reminds me a little bit of the game of Nim that we used to play with coins or stones when I was a child.

Travel Blokus also made its first appearance of the year and garnered 5 plays.

Back in May I finally entered a new level of geekdom by ordering 2 games from a small publisher in Germany. This marked the first time I paid international shipping simply to purchase a game! The company was a delight to work with, I cannot say the same for the U.S. postal service however. The package was shipped DHL to the U.S, but as DHL no longer make domestic U.S. deliveries it was transferred to the local postal service who promptly managed to 'mislay' the package and then demanded extra postage for delivery purposes even though they didn't deliver it! I eventually tracked it down at the local post office, paid the extra money and obtained the games. I notified the German company just so that they would know that there are problems with their U.S. shipping.

They immediately apologized and sent me a refund equal to the extra amount of shipping I had to pay - plus a little bit extra for my trouble! How's that for customer service!!!

So what was this mysterious game?

Well the game I wanted was Die Aufsteiger

It's a very interesting race to climb as high as possible up an ever shifting tower. We've had three plays so far and I really like it. It's pleasing to play and looks great. I can't wait to play in public somewhere and see what kind of crowd it draws.

The game is solid wood so the shipping was heavy! I didn't want to pay shipping on just one game so I also ordered Neue Heimat from the same company. This is a real estate development game, again with wonderful wooden pieces. We've only played it once so far and I don't think we've given it a fair enough crack of the whip yet.

One of the draw backs of having so many games, is that we get very good at learning new games, but not so good at developing strategies for existing games. We've tried combating that by having a 'Game of the Month' - one game that we were guaranteed to play every week in the midst of all the others, but that kind of fell by the wayside.

I think that's why Dominion has proven so popular. We are able to play it quickly and have gotten good at formulating different strategies very quickly, and there always seem to be time for just one more round where we can try a different tactic.

August is going to be an interesting month for games. Steve and I are off to Gen Con in Indianapolis, so I should get a lot of gaming in and hopefully get exposed to a lot more new games to add to my collection (and then only play once every few months!)