It was another gray morning with the Oregon Mist returning here and there. Various colors of gray enhance the green here in the Pacific Northwest, and the pines, cedars, and redwoods are drinking deeply of the easy water. The moss gathers water and dim light. All this seems to whisper, “Home,” to me.
Coffee was instant this morning, an excellent product from Starbucks, a surprise that instant can be so good, and an attempt to write the blog in the limited time I have with a 9:30 game in Portland at Richard’s house. I find that I need forty minutes on Tuesday morning to reach Richard’s on time. I write about 1/2 of the blog before I have to shower, dress, and head out.
Air VW the Gray with 74% charge heads into Portland. I see the energy prices for gasoline as I travel and feel sad for the lead sleds out there. That extra cash that cannot be avoided for work transit has to hurt. Again, not sure what President Trump was thinking. Unpacking that, he has called a worthy price for security, which has some logic to it, though it sounds like an afterthought explanation. He did promise $2 gas during his campaign. Hmmm.
I arrived on time, and Richard had already had the game board for the board game version of Tainted Grail ‘restored’ from its ‘save’. James appeared a few minutes later, having come from the North. We started the game having changed multiple chapters and are now on 11 of 15. We have much of this game down cold, and my memory for stories helps us march across the board. We have buffed our characters (though we lost our equipment as part of the story), and I am now the weakest as my druid Maggot is more of an even character, while Richard plays a combat character and James a diplomacy character. I am now playing a more supportive role.
We manage to have the map open from coast to coast in the SciFi world, a free mix of Arthurian and Lovecraftian myths (with hints of Moorcock’s Eternal Champion). We cross the map, finish climactic missions, and experience a near-death moment with Arthurian tragic characters. It is immersive, and we are making decision after decision, not all of which agree, but we are willing to try some things. Without creating a spoiler on copyrighted material, we discover a fork and pick an option, and for the first time, we are warned that we are not coming back to some quests, and we might want to take a ‘save’ (allowing another option). Only one quest is possible (they are exclusive), and we picked one. We agreed to ‘save’ and return next week to our new quest and face our decision.
James is now focusing on cooperative games, and I have offered the crazy “Try not to die” Unsettled board game, and passing through the planets. James liked the game, and Richard is willing. I have at least three planets that have not even been opened. I have painted all the figures.
Aside: I have purchased some sleeves as the initial planets get used often, and I would like to keep them ready for first-time players. I imagine playing this for groups that want a cooperative game and have moved past Pandemic. I also saw a helpful turn option tracker that would help with new players. All on their way.
I headed to Broadway Grill and tried to eat lunch. Skyrizi calls made me order by pointing at my bartender. I had Mr. Toad’s Wild Red with lunch. It would cause a nap. I had the hummus and falafel platter. I finished the blog and had more calls. I try not to be ‘that guy’ on his cell all the time, but it was a busy time.
I stopped by Broadway Books next door and found Andrew Ross Sorkin’s 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History — and How It Shattered a Nation, promising new sources, including many personal accounts not included in other histories. The store staff said her husband loved The Big Short; I discovered that the author wrote the book the movie was based on, a favorite, and I was looking forward to reading 1929. I have read 100 pages, and the style is narrative and easy to read (though there are extensive notes that connect the narrative to sources). I am enjoying the book and may have to try his other histories.
I also saw an interesting mix for an upcoming show taped to the window at Broadway Books!
I returned home, and it was a struggle; the beer and food were making me very sleepy. I managed to crawl into bed at the house and slept for a few hours (the early rising, time change, and tummy, plus the beer and food impacted). Deborah called and suggested that maybe beer might be a poor choice for the morning. Possibly. Back to iced tea!
I rose and started to fry some bacon. I boiled some eggs after checking the instructions for hard-boiled eggs. I got out a box of dehydrated hashrowns and started the process. I would fry them with minimum oil (just a bit of bacon drippings). I crisp the bacon to one step above burned. I manage to peel eggs with various degrees of success. I eat the less good ones (the rest of the bacon and remaining egg are for salads).
I watched the Swords & Sorcery movie while I cook and eat. I like the story and narration. Reminds me of a Dungeons & Dragons 1970s adventure. It is NOT recommended.
I watched an old Fourth Doctor episode while I folded the laundry, a cautionary tale of nuclear war and inexplicable war aims, and put it all away. I then returned to Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV. It was much more violent, with a terrifying chase scene. No spoilers. It is excellent and recommended (with the first episodes a bit rough but worth passing through).
As I have mentioned, I returned to reading about 1929 and enjoyed the narrative. It reminded me of Erik Larson’s books. In the notes, the author covers the sources, and I can see that the narrative is connected to actual records. Wow! It also reminds me of Jutland, 1916: Death in the Grey Wastes, which uncovered sources that had been missed by most, if not all, previous authors. The first hundred pages disappeared in a moment. Recommended!
Linda called late, and Mom Wild had fallen. Linda got there and agreed that Mom Wild did not need an ER check-up. A tough night for Linda and Mom, but it could have been worse.
Sleep, with the nap earlier, was broken, and I woke often, but 7:30 got here sooner than I expected, and it was dark from all the gray clouds.
Thanks for reading!
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 