BT! We saw Happy Feet on Christams and I thought of you. I am glad to hear you saw it--it was charming.

It was lovely. Poor Wallybee didn't recognise any of the tunes, so I think she lost something as a result. But it shall all be rectified.

billytea, everyone's already said it, but it's great to see you again. I was actually JUST thinking about you because of the mentions of Heifer International, which is totally animals and stuff.

Like, totally!

billytea!! So good to see you! Sadly, I will not be seeing you in person any time soon--the work trip to Melbourne has been cancelled for me (someone else is going, I'm on a new project, which is awesome except for the not-going-to-Melbourne part)

Aww. I hope you get to visit here some other time, then.

speaking of X-box. Still haven't heard back from co-worker. Still not sure if he is ::giving:: or ::selling:: said Xbox. and if it's giving, I don't want to push it, for fear of forcing a gift (does that make sense?? Like a gift impose or something?!?) I'll see him tomorrow, hopefully I can bring it up in some way or another. Mostly cuz I got a ton of gift cards, and most can be used at various stores that sell accessories and games for the thing.

Pete, if it happens, I'll let ya know.

:: cross fingers ::

billytea!!!

I don't like Apples to Apples. I bought it, have played it a bushel, and just don't dig on it. The groups I've played with have been about evenly split on whether it's fun or not.

Fluxx rules.

We've finally found a couple folks here who play games, so we've established the following: Robert totally sucks at Taboo and Scattergories; I am still the undefeated RISK champion; and whoever's the new person to the game will win.

I don't like Apples to Apples. I bought it, have played it a bushel, and just don't dig on it.

Is it the weird arbitrariness and the what's-the-pointness and the almost complete lack of structure? Because that's what still kind of puts me off about the game, even though I've had lots of fun playing it. It would be nice to finally get at least a little validation about that. It was the constant protesting that it was a fun game and I should try it that I finally succumbed to.

Maybe I just had fun because of subconscious group brainwashing.

I'm pretty certain you had to press a button to make the radio-speech work, I just don't know what button on a 360 controller. 'Proximity voice' works whenever you're talking but is limited by range, just like real people(!)

Yes, it's the left shoulder button on the controller. The Black and White buttons from the old Xbox controllers get mapped to the right and left shoulder buttons on the 360 controllers.

Is it the weird arbitrariness and the what's-the-pointness and the almost complete lack of structure?

Bingo!! I validate you, bay-bee!

I suppose, if I were to get all wanky about it, I would say that I like simulationist games, and gamist games, but that Apples to Apples is more of a narrativist game.

ION, Mal has added two more words to his repertoire: "Boom!" (verbal) and "dolphin" (sign). These, thankfully, are not used together.

Raq, are you feeling better?

I think whether or not Apples to Apples is hugely fun or just meh has a lot to do with the group of people playing it.

Cash, yeah, sort of. The worst is over, but I'm sore and exhausted. I haven't been that sick in ever.

I'm glad you're feeling better, Raq.

My classes start back up today after two weeks off. I just printed up all of the course material, and now I have to think of something to say in my introduction that I haven't already said six times.