This and that
Today I felt like sharing a few things I've been enjoying lately, along with random thoughts, somewhat in the style of the BGG blogs I'm following (Tony Boydell's and Mr. Shep's, to be exact. No strolls in the English countryside or KDM session reports from me, though). Expect a mix of games, toys, videos and books, with a cherry of cartomancy on top.
While writing the Overstocked news post, I was reminded of my own Furby toy, although I've never played with it. I have no recollection of the arrival of Furbies in the Greek market, I never had one while growing up. I actually picked up mine from a flea market in the Netherlands when I was 27 or so, and knew these toys were highly sought after as vintage collectibles. The one I have is in perfect condition, and also blinks and speaks. I don't care for plushies, soft toys etc. in general, but I find this one quite adorable.
Speaking of Overstocked, I was stoked to discover a new board games YouTube channel with a wonderful name: BoardGame Bollocks, or BG Bollocks for short. Sadly he doesn't focus on solo games, but he really is a no-nonsense reviewer, and makes you feel like the game is being presented by a character from Trainspotting. I watched his video about Overstocked which he proceeded to roast, and concluded that it's not worth backing. Too bad for the creators, of course, but he is the first KS previewer I've seen not recommending the game they have been sent to preview. Never mind the bollocks, here come the review pistols.
Moving on to books: I don't know about you, but I've been all over the place with reading lately. I fly from book to book as if I suffer from attention deficit problems (maybe I do), and have 3 currently stacked on my bedstand (Carl Jung's Psychology and Alchemy, China Mieville's Perdido Street Station, and Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell vol. 1). One of them I found while 'shopping' my bookcase. There are books I read in my 20s that I now don't remember a single word from. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is such a case. I know this used to be a very popular trilogy, and I think I didn't love it as much as other people did, but I really don't remember. Having said that, the fact that I have completely effaced it from memory is an indication in itself.
As for games, I've been working my way through Apex Theropod: Collected Edition, and defeated 5 bosses so far. You can see them in the picture, placed against another extinct dinosaur: the video tape device. One boss was particularly nasty, but perhaps I'll talk about it in a separate post. JW has written about this game before, but (hopefully) it doesn't hurt to post about it again.
Finally, one of my favourite tarot decks: Le Tarot de l' Étoile Cachée (tarot of the hidden star). I received it last week and I'm enamored with it. It did cost me a pretty penny but it's worth it. The printing is in slightly shiny silver, and it is done on thick black art paper. Elisa Seitzinger, the artist, has preserved the occult symbolism of the figures, combined modern geometric lines with Modigliani-like faces, and even injected them with some humorous notes. The Pope is holding a cigarette in his hand, and in the 4 of Coins you can see the masks that have by now been inextricably linked with the year 2020.
Just for fun, I will close this incoherent post with a little tarot reading for our readers. In the picture below, you see two cards: one with a toy Robot, and one with a toy Mexican*.
Choose the toy that 'speaks' to you the most, and click on the link to read the associated message.
If you chose the Robot, click here.
If you chose the Mexican, click here.
I hope it resonates somehow, and if it doesn't, never mind, it's just cards.
Thanks for reading!
*I suspect this toy would be deemed politically incorrect and inappropriate these days. I've had it since I was little, when it was fine to reduce people into stereotypes and put them inside Kinder eggs.