Back in the Saddle

There is a nasty and vicious rumor going around that I am competent, self-sufficient, and able to take care of myself culinarily, though my wife is away for the next nine months. This a bald-faced lie. I am a wallowing and helpless male who can only survive with a steady influx of neighborly brownies.

I have been trying to combat this terrible rumor, without much success; no brownies yet. I got invited out for five of the six holiday meals, though.

I'm back. Did you miss me?

That Dog Story

I think I repeated the dog story at least fifty times over the last three days. Sometimes I would tell the story to one person in a room, only to tell it again when the next person walked in. And then again when the next person walked in. And then again ...

Which can get quite boring, after a while. Eventually I began adding little details to keep it interesting. The dog was found at El Al's VIP lounge smoking cigars and ordering canapes. The dog had to be subdued while carrying two M16s and an ammunition belt. Etc...

We will be attempting to send the dog to Toronto again when Eitan comes back for a few weeks and then returns. Only this time, we are going to try to get her sent in the cabin, if that is at all possible. El Al lost her the first time and didn't do anything to find her. Not only do I not trust them to do it again, I don't want to subject the dog to any more trauma than is necessary.

It's Alive

Thursday night at the Kummer's house I brought over It's Alive. I introduced it to various kids and sundry and the Tal played it out with them. It was a hit; they played for around three hours. Two of the kids asked where they could buy it.

I'm actually rather amazed at how well the game works both as an introductory game for non-Eurogamers, and as a deeper game for hardcore gamers. Call it a blessing.

Larry Levy was kind enough to review It's Alive on Board Game News.

Tichu

Friday lunch was at Nadine's, along with Adam from the group, and a bunch of students from Pardes (where Nadine works) who have been known to play President with her. I suggested that Tichu might be a step up from that game. I like Tichu; I loathe President.

Adam gave them the full explanation before we began, which was a bit much for them. But they picked it up as we began playing.

Game News

Andrew Bub, aka GamerDad, has had a heart attack. His family is looking for donations via Paypal for some expensive surgery.

The Charleston Daily Mail covers the Appalachian gamers club.

Boardgames.meetup.com and the Arlington Heights Boardgames Meetup got a little writeup in the PioneerLocal.

MeeplePeople, the Eurogamer's accessory online store, has in a bunch of new products and is holding some content contests with prizes.

TimeWellSpent.org, probably my favorite online board game store, is trying out Dutch Auctions for some of their stock. Prices keep falling until the item is out of stock. Too bad they don't have an affiliate program :-( . If you buy from them, tell them I sent you. Maybe they'll start one.

Among the many local stories of board game inventors, this one is about a roll-and-move board game called Mercenary and the guy who's been trying to get it published for 16 years. The accompanying TV news clip uses every overused board game pun in the book in an attempt to be clever.

OgreCave managed to deduce that Gleemax's new online engine will be the same one that powers Game Table Online. Gleemax is Wizard of the Coast's foray into online gaming.

Next week's Learning With Games looks like an interesting convention on serious game use.

You can download Ludo for your Ipod.

The Nintendo Wii is getting extensive workout in this old age home.

Yehuda