Supermassive Black Hole - Muse

Today is September 2nd, 2025. The song of the day is "Supermassive Black Hole" by Muse.

9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

Today is September 1st, 2025. The song of the day is "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton.

2025 Games - August

 January

February

March

July

56. Othello - (avg score - 6.5) - One of those 'old games from humanities beginning' again... While not nearly as great as chess (what is, really?), this is still a very strategic...feeling game. But, I think that once it gets to a certain point, if you haven't played well, then it becomes....pretty much determined what your fate is going to be. If the edges get to be all controlled, there ain't no coming back from that. 

That was pretty much what happened with our game. I thought I was going to win, but got sloppy, and then Steph pretty much kicked my ass. 

oh ,yeah, and we're missing a piece, so we've subbed it out with a coin. Heh.

Anyway, fun enough game, but not something I feel the need to play repeatedly, I don't think.

57. Pandemic (avg score 6.75) - First, we won!!! That's the first time in the history of us owning and playing this cooperative game that we actually succeeded!! 

So, yeah. Cooperative game where various 'diseases' (represented by tiny cute, delicious looking cubes) break out and spread throughout the globe and you and your team have to travel around the world trying to prevent outbreaks and pandemics. As evidenced by my excitement on our win, this is a lot harder than it should be.  A LOT of this is luck based, but there's a whole degree of strategizing and communicating with your team about the best course of action, which is really the only way to win.

58. Photosynthesis (avg score  - 8) - I liked this one a lot more the other times we played. This time the pacing felt off, and the idea of there only being one way to truly win - claim the middle first - was annoying to me. Like 3/4ths of the way through, I started to think there might be another strategy - of growing and recycling your trees on the outer edges rapidly - but there wasn't enough time in the game to really put that to the test. Maybe next time.  

Anyway, in this, you all grow various sized trees, which cast shadows that can block sunlight from other nearby trees. Collecting sunlight gives you points to buy other trees and seeds... and the cycle just continues for 3 or 4 'years' - once the sun has gone around the board each time.  I do really like the board pieces in this. Although the sun marker is way too big. But the trees themselves are pretty cool.

59. Pictionary (avg score 5) - Probably a lot more fun with more people involved, but it was just me and Steph, so we took turns drawing and guessing for each other. My complete lack of artistic ability may have played a role in me losing, but I had fun nonetheless.

(millionaire) 

60. Pictureka! (avg score 6.5) - Silas LOVED this game as a kid, and was super good at it, because he'd pretty much memorized all of the locations of the weird pictures. He won this time around too, but it was pretty close, and it was cheesy fun. The board is made of 9 tiles with wacky drawings covering them. There are cards that have either a picture that is on the board, or a description of things that you have to find (wheels, head coverings, numbers, fruit... that sort of stuff) before time runs out. Simple, but entertaining.

61. Quirkle (avg score 7.5) - This is tactile-ly pleasing (those wooden blocks are just ...so cool! And the bag they're stored ain't too shabby either.) And I just really enjoyed this. We should play it more often.

Final score - 206 to 217. Close match!

 62. Munchkin Deluxe - (avg score 2.66) - We've played this several times before, but not for a while. I don't recall what we thought of it then, but THIS time around was not enjoyable. This is basically a mock/spoof game of D&D, with a board to keep track of your progress (you make your way up "levels" of the dungeon, first to 10 wins) and everything else being done with cards. The problem this time around was that if you start off with bad hands, it feels absolutely impossible to make any real progress. Add in the fact that there's an element to the game of backstabbing other players to sabotage them, which happened with Silas doing that to me, and it just amplified the un-fun factor. I think it really all does come down to getting dealt decent hands that allow you to get your groove on; if that happens, the game can proceed at a normal pace, and it (might) be an enjoyable (although far from perfect) game. This time around, we just lucked out to where we got to experience all of its flaws magnified. 

63. Ransom Notes - avg score 5.5 - Essentially a sort of "Cards Against Humanity" type game, but with magnetic poetry as your word base. You're supposed to play with 3 or more players, and that probably makes it more enjoyable. Steph and I just played with the two of us, and, it was ...okay. 

64. Race Across the USA  - avg score 3.5 - Very simple 'educational' game designed for children to help them learn geography and facts about the United States.  You roll, move your airplane across the map to various states, and answer trivia questions. It's fine for what it is, but it absolutely is something we don't need in our family's collection any more. 

65. Risk (avg score 3) - We actually didn't finish this. Steph HATED it, and didn't want to keep playing, and I wasn't going to force her to sit thru what could have been like 2 hours (or more!) of torture, so, after a few rounds we boxed it up. Risk is one of those games that you absolutely have to be in the mindset for. And, even if you DO enjoy it - there's ....not a lot to it. It's dice rolling. Yes, there's strategy, but it's absolutely got that luck factor built in, and if the dice aren't cooperating, it can be extremely demoralizing. And not being able to make progress or win at all simply isn't fun. 

(all that being said, I probably would have won. I already had all of Africa when we quit, and with my next turn I would have turned in my first set to get extra armies....so, yeah. It probably would have just been me slowly slaughtering her)

66. Rat a Tat Cat (avg score 6.5) - pretty simple card game - designed for kids, but still fun enough to be enjoyed by adults - that I don't think I've played enough. Each player gets dealt four cards face down. You can look at the outer two. Then take turns revealing cards from the draw deck and replacing them in your hand, until you think you've got the lowest total. When you do, you knock on the table saying "rat a tat cat" giving every other player one more turn, and then everyone reveals what they have. Like I said, simple. Largely luck based, but still seemed to hit that sweet spot of enjoyment for me. (Maybe it was just washing the bad taste of Risk out of my mouth.)

 

When Will You Die? - They Might Be Giants

Today is August 31st, 2025. The song of the day is "When Will You Die?" by They Might Be Giants.

Henrietta - The Fratellis

Today is August 30th, 2025. The song of the day is "Henrietta" by The Fratellis.

Don't Stop Believin' - Journey

Today is August 29th, 2025. The song of the day is "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey.

Blue Monday - Orgy

Today is August 28th, 2025. The song of the day is "Blue Monday" by Orgy.

Wordle Wednesday #28

 8.20.25 - The llama had light skunk power.

(the polite way of saying it smelled bad.)

8.21.25 - If someone is your elder, you should  extol them, unless they’re like a jerk or something.

(LOL. Yup.)

8.22.25 - When the universe gets all ratty, it’s time to reset it.

(ctrl-alt-del)

8.23.25 - Desmond can annul his union, but it would cost him a pretty Penny.

(Sorry, this joke Lost me.)

8.24.25 - If you are prone to violence and choke on the spore, maybe it makes you want to gouge out your own eyes.

(The Last of Us season 3?)

8.25.25 - The archeologist told me, with just a bit of mirth, that the legendary Stone of Possibility might be real.

(But it might not be....)

8.26.25 - No matter how brave you feel, I don’t recommend that you try to steal the annex if you are either feeling anger, or are naked.

(However, if you are both angry AND naked, feel free.)

Perfect Situation - Weezer

Today is August 27th, 2025. The song of the day is "Perfect Situation" by Weezer.

Been Caught Stealing - Jane's Addiction

Today is August 26th, 2025. The song of the day is "Been Caught Stealing" by Jane's Addiction.

(cuz of events from yesterday.)

Elenor - Me First and the Gimme Gimmes

And the bonus song of the day is "Elenor" by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.

Street Fighting Man - The Rolling Stones

Today is August 25th, 2025. The song of the day is "Street Fighting Man" by The Rolling Stones.

Momentum - Aimee Mann

Today is August 24th, 2025. The song of the day is "Momentum" by Aimee Mann.

Penny on the Train Track - Ben Kweller

Today is August 23rd, 2025. The song of the day is "Penny on the Train Track" by Ben Kweller.

Ruiner - Nine Inch Nails

Today is August 22nd, 2025. The song of the day is "Ruiner" by Nine Inch Nails. (Maybe this is the universe's way of telling me I need to re-listen to this album...)

Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town - Pearl Jam

Today is August 21st, 2025. The song of the day is "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town" by Pearl Jam. (I think this may be my favorite Pearl Jam song).

Wordle Wednesday #27

 8.13.25 - Sylvia was proud to own the ranch that made the best kefir in the city, but wished you didn’t have to take a ferry to get to it.

(I... actually got nothing for this one.)

8.14.25 - The somber knell from the funeral of my enemy was the ringtone in my phone under “nasty” in the directory. 

(He ought to feel honored I had him in my directory at all.)

8.15.25 - That first soul crushing “cheep” you hear from the monster chicken on level two will make sure you are awake and will embed itself into your nightmares.

(Chick-a-dee China, the Chinese Chicken?)

8.16.25 - I started to choke up when they offered me the Doesn’t Get Enough Sleep Badge, but when I saw it was an ugly matte orange, I decided to waive receiving it.

(Man, I would probably wear the Doesn't Get Enough Sleep Badge with honor.)

8.17.25 - We didn’t have to bleep his lousy drawl, but did in case any children were watching.

(ya'll. this joke is ****ing heelarious.)

8.18.25 - Before I could utter, “Have you begun the newest issue of ‘Nervous Monthly’?” my jumpy friend told me to read the article.

(Reading that magazine always makes me anxious.)

8.19.25 - Getting bored doing rowdy, wordy sentences.

(not really. I'm still enjoying doing these, just thought the word selection this time was too funny to resist)

Selling Jesus - Skunk Anansie

Today is August 20th, 2025. The song of the day is "Selling Jesus" by Skunk Anansie.

Eve of Destruction - Barry McGuire

Today is August 19th, 2025. The song of the day is "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire.

Cherry Bomb - The Runaways

Today is August 18th, 2025. The song of the day is "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways.