One Note Soliloquy

Okay, I'm just gonna come out and say it:

I want to start a board game group. Or club. Or coterie.

Although it can certainly involve card games too. Though not poker. I'm just not a poker player. We played a H.P. Lovecraft inspired board game, Arkham Horror the other night, (much to the chagrin of Brady, who gave up half way through and left us to die to the dark forces of Yig, though I'm not bitter) (although, I should mention that we did eventually defeat Yig. Go us.) I learned two things from this experience.

1) I really do just like games. Even though I force everyone to play Talisman on a semi-regular basis, it is by no means the end-all-be-all. I am open to playing all manner of board games and would like to play them more often. In fact I'd like other people to suggest, bring and teach us new games.

2) Arkham Horror, and others no doubt, require upkeep. Despite being ridiculously overcomplicated (monsters, horrific dimensions and bank loans, oh my!) it was actually quite fun. But now that we've taken the 2 hours or so to obtain a rough working knowledge of the game's rules, we need to play it again lest it all drains out of our pea-brains.

Oh the Horror! Do you see the number of pieces to this game?!?

Hence, I am led to the this conclusion: Monthly, or bi-monthly, if I could get my way, a select group (read: pretty much anyone who is willing, which seems to fluctuate) will gather to play a game. Likely this would be a Sunday, since that seems easiest for most people. The game could be selected by one member of the Coterie, and really doesn't have a limit, although time constructs ought to be discussed. Bring anything from Apples to Apples to Descent Into Darkness. We'll try it all!

Sound fun? Sound intriguing? Wish you were a part of this still-to-be-officially-named gaming group? Well, all you need is a bit of patience, an enjoyment of social board games, a penchant for trying new things, and a willingness to die for your country. Actually, that last part probably isn't necessary unless you're joining the Marines. On a random note, the Marines did petition me recently, via postcard. "Congrats, you're graduating! Now do some real learning and joing the military!" Um, no thanks. Especially not after I've graduated and you're not going to pay for my schooling.

Right, so... let me know if you're interested. Honestly, I don't know if there are enough people who read this/would be intrigued enough to consider making game night a regular thing. But if so, speak up. If nothing else, there's always a lot of terrible-for-you snack foods to enjoy and plenty of inebriation, which seems to work out as an advantage for the non-drinkers.

Our Board Game Group

Or at least what I picture our group looking like. Maybe with more men. And fewer bikinis. And cowboy hats. Although if you wanna wear your cowboy hat, feel free. I don't judge. Much. Of course, if I mandate that we all dress up like our Talisman characters, who knows, we really could come out looking like these tramps. And doesn't that look fun?

Addendum to an Obsession

I had to tack on a couple of projects that I ran across in my continued search for ways to get more from Talisman. These images are yet another testament that I am not that hardcore about this game. At least not while there's people out there who create 3D game boards of it. At least not yet. I will be out of school and aimless in a couple of months... who knows, I just might end up creating something like one of these:






Oh, and this will undoubtedly not be the last thing I post about Talisman. And I'm sorry for that, for your sake. But images like the Chainsaw Warrior winning are still forthcoming.

A Question, Doctor

Well folks, the rumor mill is a-churning. This time it's about an interview in which Warner Bros. has reportedly asked Christopher Nolan, director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight (amongst other great films) to oversee and mentor the re-launch of Superman. Apparently Superman Returns wasn't doing it for them, and since the hastening of Marvel comic-book to film characters brought about by Disney's acquisition of the brand, WB is feeling the pressure to have some successful competition in the Superhero vein. Coupled with the suggestion that WB also stand to lose the rights to Superman within a few years, there actually might be something to this rumor. However, this is not all that is being thrown around. There is rumor Nolan will have something to do with Wonder Woman, and more importantly, it has been slipped twice now that Goyer and Nolan are working on a script for a third Batman film. An official announcement is expected shortly.

I respect Christopher Nolan as a storyteller; he's done something with the Batman franchise I had thought never to see: legitimize it. No more Schwarzenegger ice puns, or one dimensional Tommy Lee Jones. For a lover of all things Bat, this has been truly phenomenal. I could only hope for at least one more (and perhaps that at the most; a trilogy rounds things out nicely, succinctly finished before it can collapse into a camp fest a la Forever and Returns), though Nolan seemed initially hesitant about returning despite Dark Knight's ending. I seriously hope that the director will be getting back in the driver's seat one last time and complete the fantastic tale he's been spinning. As for Wonder Woman or Superman, I highly doubt Nolan will be too actively involved. Consider the reality he's grounded the Batman mythos in. It is a dark and gritty world that might be highly imaginative, but constantly mulls over the accomplishments and tribulations of men as men. He might dole out advice on Superman, but amazonian women with magic lassos and greatly overpowered aliens with a weakness to rocks doesn't sound like his cup of tea.

In any event, there is no official confirmation of any of these things, yet that doesn't stop people feeding off the information and creating all manner of entertaining gossip. For example, did you know that while there isn't a script or official confirmation on a film at all, Johnny Depp has definitely been cast as the Riddler?

May I take a moment to say I am so over Johnny Depp and his fan club. Lord, I'm tired of people thinking he's the perfect end-all solution to any character with odd personality traits. At the midnight showing of Alice in Wonderland the other night, I couldn't believe how many people showed up in white face (which doesn't accurately reflect the look of the film's Mad Hatter at all, by the way) and let out many a cheer anytime he did anything on camera. You can just imagine how the audience went up at his stupid dance in the end of that film. What's that? You have a part for somebody slightly offbeat and possibly culturally iconic? Johnny Depp could do it! Johnny Depp can do anything!!

I, for one, would not be excited to see Johnny Depp play the Riddler. Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Penguin is more wishful thinking, but one I could probably get behind, as I respect the actor. I should note that several people have commented that they can't imagine how the Penguin would fit into this world Nolan has built. Rest assured, most of them only draw upon the Danny Devito... experience. Sourced from the current comic trend, Penguin is much less a bird-loving freak and now a posh nightclub owner who moves and shakes the underworld of Gotham, supplying information (and much more) while keeping his own hands clean. Easily inducted.

No, we don't have any idea who the characters would be in this potential film, but I found these and had to post these as it seems the Riddler is a favorite. Never mind that they eschew the Dark Knight style and tone for something notably more Schumacher-esque, I'll still give whoever made these cheesy posters props for their casting selections. Enjoy, and salivate over the possibility of more Batman.



Neil Patrick Harris would make for quite a villain. I mean it's not like he doesn't have experience. But the next is my favorite. I couldn't resist him as the Doctor, and could anyone better play Edward Nigma? No. The answer is no. Although I should hope the costume designer wouldn't put him in THAT outfit.

Reasons I'm Not an Astronaut

Today's thoughts:

I was considering random fears this morning, for no apparent reason. Most fears are born out of something. Perhaps they're constructed ideas from media, or maybe past childhood traumas, but regardless, our psyche glances at our world around us and creates personal scenarios that become frightening to us.

And sometimes that process creates completely irrational things to be afraid of. I suspect we all have a few ridiculous fears. I'm not talking the slightly legitimate things like a fear of spiders, which theoretically could really bite you and cause some trauma. Or snakes. I've both been bitten by spiders and on occasion encountered snakes, so I don't consider those completely irrational. No, I'm talking about things which are either impossible, or extremely unlikely.

Here are a few I've developed over the years.

1. Floating into space.


The idea of being in space, floating away from the ship, let's say to do routine maintenance on a solar panel, and having my tether be cut... makes my chest constrict just thinking about it. I mean, let's be honest, how likely is it that I'll ever be in space and have my tether cut? But the very thought of floating helplessly away, knowing I'll run out of oxygen or freeze to death eventually, but being so helpless is kinda horrifying to me. On the other hand, you would have quite a view before you eventually died. I suppose there are worse ways to go.

2. Being crushed in a submarine.


If the fear of floating away into complete openness is freaky, then so is the opposite: being immersed in crushing blue-black water at the bottom of the ocean is another fear that plagues me. Which is unfortunate, given my interest in shipwrecks. There's something about the color of the water at that depth, where even light can't filter through, and you know you're surrounded on all sides by so much pressure you'd be dead in an instant if anything goes wrong... yeah, that's just no good.

3. Driving beneath a collapsing overpass.


This one is a possibility, but the chances of me finding myself under an overpass at the moment an earthquake hits or shoddy workmanship gives way to a collapse, is extraordinarily minute. And yet, I can't help but think about it every time I drive under one, and for a moment, hold my breath, just in case tons upon tons of cement are about to rain down on my head.

Don't look at me like I'm crazy. Like you don't have your own ridiculous fears. And frankly, I encourage you to expound on yours, now that you know mine.

Resolutions Worth Resolving

If you follow my facebook, which I doubt any of you do, I proposed something slightly more manageable this year in terms of personal betterment: to play more games.

Specifically I said video games, but as this year (nearly 1/6 over already) has progressed I started to see another passion, equally worthy of my time. When I made the statement, I was pretty heavily playing Dragon Age. Addicted, you might say, like Elven crack... which may or may not be your thing. Apparently it is mine, however, since despite my best efforts with the dorky-but-attractive (as attractive as digital characters can be) warrior Alistair,

the only man-on-man action my Mage can muster is with Zevran, Elven assassin extrodinaire.

In fact Zevran was so ready to sleep with me, my propositioning him before introductions had even cooled, met with complete success. And earned me a game trophy for being an Easy Lover. Seriously.

Anyway, I wanted to play more which was the point. And since there's more coming which will surely demand my attention, namely Final Fantasy XIII, I think it's safe to say I'll have plenty to play in the upcoming months. If I have any time to play anything, that is.

So video games aside, I have been enjoying a new phenomenon lately: the joys of social-dorkdom in the form of Talisman, a fantasy adventure board game. Actually this is an old guilty pleasure, one I first played at a friend's house with all his brothers at age 9 or so. Being an avid reader, particularly of fantasy, I was completely captivated by the character building and questing of this game. I even went home an tried to create my own game of a similar variety (read: pretty much copied it in a very poorly drawn and cheap way on yellowing computer paper).

I've always loved board games. They can be great entertainment and a fun mental exercise every once in a while, although my family flatly refuses to play Monopoly with me anymore after I continually kicked all their Get-outta-jail-free trash. They're just bitter. When we were young, Amy and I searched for 13 Dead End Drive when we acquired some Christmas gift money, an odd game where you moved other players into physical death traps, like a chandelier that collapses on their piece. It was sort of morbid but we loved it.



Much later I was introduced by my friend Jennie to the thrills of Settlers of Catan in Colorado, a game that saw me through many of my mission office evenings and P-days, and continues to be a fun, and often stressful experience. I don't mind war games, Game of Thrones being my favorite, as it takes the fun of Risk and makes it manageable. Because honestly, who needs a two hour turn? By then everyone else has checked ou of the game.

The point is, I love games. And that first experience with Talisman was no exception. When I was old enough to be making my own money, I searched desperately for a copy, the game now on it's 3rd edition was practically out of print. I even managed to find one remnant, priced completely out of my range. I gave up and let Talisman go to rest, figuring I'd never play it again.

To make a long and boring story short, the game was re-released, in a random but exciting event, changing hands from its parent company a couple times before landing with Fantasy Flight Games, who've done an excellent job. Not only does the game look great, but they continue to support it with expansions. And best of all, I have people who will play it with me! (Some begrudgingly, I suspect, but play it all the same; for which I am grateful)

Game nights happen fairly frequently these days, and it is always a good time; I love what the different personalities bring to the table (believe me, it makes all the difference), coupled with snacks, a ridiculous soundtrack (don't make fun, you know you want to play board games to Gregorian Monks chanting "Losing My Religion"), and plenty of unhealthy food and alcoholic bevs. Talisman is suited to this social engagement as there is some strategy needed, but so much depends on chance and other players. If my love of promoting this game weren't enough, consider then that I, too, remade the Timescape Expansion for this game. It was a bizarre expansion released to help promote some of Game Workshop's (then the owners) other games, and took Talisman to a whole new inter-dimensional level. It was also dangerous, and completely fun. For "Super Talisman Bowl Sunday," as Capree called it, I worked to resurrect Timescape, and would say I did so quite successfully. Alas I have no pictures to share, but I'll take some next time.

Finally, since I know this post has been utterly self-indulgent, I will close with two thoughts. 1) All of my Talisman buddies should be excited... There is a new expansion being released this spring: The Highland!! Make yourselves comfortable, cuz we be playing again soon.



And 2) If you're sad about how long it sometimes takes us to play through a game of Talisman with all these expansions, consider these people. They play a game they refer to as "MegaTalisman," using a unique point system for visiting other boards, they use all expansions and a great number of home brew expansions. The game is capped at about 12-15 hours.



See? We're not so bad.

Resurrection Pending...

And on the 3rd day, they went unto the tomb, only to discover that He did survive.

An Open Letter to Gwen Stefani

Dear Gwen,

I noticed you haven't been in the studio recently and I am concerned.
When are you going to release another album so you can go on tour and
I can come see you in concert? Please rectify this situation
immediately. Thank you.

Peter