Day 49 (+77): Sunday Going Slow

I was up about 8:30 this morning. Susie had some trouble sleeping, so I am quite short of sleep. I did manage to get started and dressed in the morning. I was tired and dizzy by noon and took a nap in the unused bedroom where nobody would wake me. I got a couple more hours of sleep–the dream of being back at Central Michigan University and trying to find my classes is an old repeat that I think a lot of former college students have. I felt much better even with the virtual college visit.

Susie was up, and I got her started with breakfast, coffee, and water for her pills. I then headed out to write and have lunch. I begged off of Zoom church again (having found the sermon video not something I can invest my time in) and headed to Panera Bread. There I got 1/2 a Cubano and a bowl of broccoli cheese soup. I like the sandwich and loved the Chef movie about what it means to make a great sandwich (here is a clip).

There, I was able to relax and write. I was very happy to have found my voice in writing again in my Howard’s Lockdown story. Excerpt from today’s writing:

“It is hard to believe that you are just going to let us sacrifice you. What are you hiding?” Shouts Mr. Crowley at Howard with some spittle. “Not really proper in my time, you will need a mask,” said Howard to a red-faced he who is known as 666. “Can you sharpen that before you use it,” Howard suggests pointing at the dagger one of the non-descript cultists produces and hands to Alistair. Mr. Crowley checks the sharpness and smiles, “I think it will do Howard. You may experience some discomfort during your sacrifice.”

Last night before I went to bed to get little sleep, I played myself to learn a new board game: Brass, Lancashire. It is a remake of an older game known simply as Brass. There are two versions set in two different areas. My copy is set in Lancashire, UK. Brass plays a bit like old-school board games but with new and better art and a few improvements. The rules style is something I have seen before and it requires study to understand how to win. The players have to learn how to interact with the rules to win and build up victory points. I look forward to playing someday after the emergency and it looks like it has a lot of replayability as the resources are somewhat randomly assigned.

Playing games like Brass give their pleasure from running a complex system and discovering patterns that build engines to create victory points. Most new games dispense with the complex systems and instead have you make a decision that is balancing complex demands. Fewer rules and moving parts than something like Brass, but very abstract. A game like Brass has you run processes that interlock and create new challenges. These are the greatest games, the two Brass board games are highly rated board games, when in the second release or even some, like Twilight Imperium their fourth release.

I hope to get back to games early next year or maybe December.

I took another nap and then made dinner, Pork Vindaloo, again. I usually make it on the weekend. Susie and Corwin like it.

I have been reading Maisie Dobbs a lot. I am read book fourteen.

The local paper has been covering the unique solution Portland’s protestors used when they learned that the Federal forces were detaining people dressed in black. Yes, if you wear black, you are a threat. I know what you are thinking, don’t wear black. Instead, we have naked people in Portland protesting now. Yes, it is Oregon, and public nudity is not illegal as we are the Old West and cowboys out on the range would often use hot springs. We have the Naked Run, the Naked Motor Cycle rides, and Naked Pedal Bike Ride, to name a few. Now we have naked protesting.

More than four-hundred Americans lost their lives to the virus today, according to the reports.

I am repeating some old songs as we face Federal forces and the virus and recession here in Oregon: Old Rugged Cross.