Category Archives: Raleigh
Labyrinth (Muppets and David Bowie Not Included)
My childhood Christmases always involved playing Monopoly on the family room floor, and if that doesn’t sound enough like an idyllic Dylan Thomas evening (A Child’s Christmas in Wales, people, not “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”), I … Continue reading
Waiting
Eight or nine years ago, I worked in a diner while on a, ahem, break from college. The Pioneer Valley is full of similar college-age breakers, finding themselves, forming bands, creating art, getting that awful first novel out of the … Continue reading
A New One For The Baby Name Book
Our first-grader niece Isabelle asked Santa for a Snuggie (without irony) and a dreidel. We’d already gotten her a gift, but I’m hoping to spread the traditional Christmas latkes to the Malavette clan, so Stick went out searching for a … Continue reading
Cake Mania 3
I have a new review of Cake Mania 3 up over at Casual Gamer Chick. Cake Mania 3 is an adorable time-management game for the Nintendo DS. Jill, our heroine from Sandlot Games’ PC versions of the Cake Mania imprint, … Continue reading
Triangle IGDA
I went to the Triangle IGDA meetup last week, while Stick was away in Charlotte. It was a bit nerve-wracking going in, but I hadn’t even gotten my name tag before I started talking to a newly-local indie game dev, … Continue reading
Standard Deviations
I went back to my old high school to see my old stats and programming teacher. He was supervising a study hall on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving when I came in. What I meant to say was, thanks for putting … Continue reading
No Zombies Allowed
No Zombies Allowed, by Simpson’s Paradox Undead parking is on the left.
The Registry of Deeds
The other night, Stick and I went to a wine tasting, where I clarified my life goals. Um. Yes, I suppose that needs an explanation. We stopped in to a wine tasting at a small shop, just another thing I like … Continue reading
The Ancient Bracelet Of Detect Plot
I stumbled onto this list of writers’ guidelines over at Clarkesworld Magazine, and I thought this list of sci-fi and fantasy cliches was so impressive I had to share. Though no particular setting, theme, or plot is anathema to us, … Continue reading
Extreme Shopping
Cooking Mama 3’s shopping game is uncannily like shopping in a Chinese supermarket. Mama sends you out to find 4 pieces of unwrapped, unrefridgerated meat, but as you search the store to fill your reusable carrier bag, you’ve got to avoid oddly familiar store characters — shouting shop assistants in pastel uniform aprons or a girl with a basket of squid, shellfish and other distinctly Yantai seafood — who’ll slow your shopping progress by trapping you into minigames. Higher levels add loose eggs, heads-on fish and mushrooms to your shopping list, and more people to the store. I keep trying for the elusive perfect score, since I imagine it’ll unlock a “Sunday In The Auchan” extreme challenge level. Continue reading
