So as you may or may not know, work has been less than satisfying, to say the least. Thus I am going to engage the Delightful Thing Every Day emergency program until at least my transfer date. I’ll try to blog every day about it. Lots of d20 rolling, in other words.
So, delightful thing of the day: a Star Trek lunchbox full of card games. And meaty card games at that. Well, a tendency towards meaty. Let me count the ways! Or at least, the card games.
Bohnanza. A card game fueled by trading. Super interactive and simple to learn, and supporting 2 to something like 7 players, it’s perfect to bring to game nights for something a little bit meaty.
Citadels. A classic, also supports 2 to 7 players. It’s role selection with hidden information. You use the abilities of your role to build districts, get money for those districts (which will yield points at the end of the game), and also interact with other players.
Flash Duel. This is an upgrade of Knizia’s original En Garde, and I know there’s plenty of controversy surrounding it for that reason. But it’s a good game nonetheless, with special powers and additional team play options as well as 4 versus 1. Supports 1 to 5 players.
Innovation. In addition, its two expansions, separated rather than mixed together. With rather unique mechanics, this is one of the few civilization building games that completes itself in 30 minutes. Supports 2 to 4 players.
Race for the Galaxy. In addition, its three expansions minus any cards that refer to prestige or player fighting. So it’s the base game plus more variation; no need for the extra complications of those two rulesets. Simultaneous role selection, in spaaaaaaaace.
Glory to Rome. I haven’t yet played this, but despite its cartoony artwork, it’s supposed to be a pretty awesome game. Role selection as well using a follow-the-trick mechanic, with cards that serve multiple purposes. Probably the most complex game of the lot.
Currently I’m contemplating adding San Juan, which is role selection as drafting combined with buildings with special abilities. It’s a toned-down version of Race for the Galaxy. It would replace the current odd-ball Coloretto, which is very much a filler.
Spontaneous ∂erivation 
They do look like fun – and I know the satisfying feeling of fitting things neatly into a container. We have a saying in Spanish: “Todo cabe en un jarrito, sabiéndolo acomodar.” Which loosely translates into: “Everything fits into a container if you know how to arrange it.”
It is said with a tone of satisfaction as the last item slips neatly into the last slot. There. It all fits. See?
I hope the transfer date is to something better – but a Delightful Thing Every Day shouldn’t just be for emergencies.
Me, for example: I just had a slice of no-sugar-added cheesecake (no gluten, no trans fats) from Kennedy’s Cheesecakes – one molecule at a time. I rolls wonderously across the tongue. That WAS lunch.
A delightful thing every day sounds really indulgent. But then again, life is too short not to have delightful things.
No, no, no, no – it is not self-indulgence – it is self-preservation!
The world tosses you enough garbage. It’s up to you to celebrate yourself.
EVERYTHING you do from now on should have a little secret smile of self-indulgence to it. You’ve got YEARS to make up for. Only start slow because you’re not used to it.
I live with this stupid chronic illness – if I didn’t take care of myself, find the best pieces in everything, I’d spend my life crying.
I even figured out the other day what was making my writing slower than it had to be: I was dreading the next bit – because I didn’t know what to do. So I started writing about what I didn’t know, and got all kinds of ideas.
I don’t HAVE to write – it’s a choice – and it makes me happy every time I get to looking at it properly again. I LIKE solving the little problems. I like trusting my gut that something needs fixing. It is supposed to be pleasurable.