100 games of solitaire

The theme decks for the "Magic: The Gathering" expansion "Eventide" ranked from best to worst based on a century of duels conducted over several weeks.

1st: Superabundance (U/G) - 24 games
2nd: Battle Blitz (R/W) - 21 games
3rd: Sidestep (U/R) - 20 games
4th: Death March (B/G) - 20 games (lost on countback due to 6-4 defeat by Sidestep)
5th: Life Drain (B/W) - 15 games

These lists and the additional rules for "Eventide" are available online, so I'll simply make a couple of general observations. Drawing seems a greater advantage than ever and winning when you don't is akin to breaking serve in tennis. A significant number of the battles were decided by who got a bicolour enchantment on a bicolour beastie and kept the combo alive and attacking. A broken example:

Belligerent Hatchling
Cost: R or W, plus 3 colourless (counts as R AND W card)
First Strike
6/6
Comes into play with 4 -1/-1 counters, but you remove one every time you cast a R or W spell.

+

Scourge Of The Nobilis
Cost: R or W, plus 2 colourless (counts as R AND W card)
Enchant creature
If creature is R, it gains +1/+1 and is pumpable in power (1:1 ratio).
If creature is W, it gains +1/+1 and has lifelink (equivalent to Spirit Link).

=

Probable 8/8 critter that savages their life total while boosting yours.

Now that mastodon ("It's not a mammoth!") undertaking is complete, I can begin testing the "Jace Vs Chandra" duel decks...


Listening: Another of CS's unwanteds - "Off With Their Heads" (2008) by Kaiser Chiefs. Brit indie rock that triggers a multitude of positive associations for me, including The Beatles, The Jam, XTC, Echo & The Bunnymen and current mobs like Arctic Monkeys and Hard-Fi. "Never Miss A Beat" is the big hit if you wanna investigate (mad clip).

Reading: "Strange Country: Travels In A Very Different Australia" (2008) by Mark Dapin. In a previous existence, I vaguely knew and didn't mind Mr D., who was a mate of mates I boozed with. These journalistic encounters of the odd kind are elegantly told and insightful, amusing if slightly worrying, and enough to make any hack with delusions of authordom envious.

Celebrating: The 150th anniversary of my suburb, with a council-organised party in the park. Festivities were fading when I lobbed, but the funk band was decent. Besides the music, the primary attractions for adults seemed to be "green" info/products and alternative greasy grub. As I admired a board full of old photographs, a lass with pale blue eyes spruiked the local historical society. Except I could barely hear her, so I nodded and smiled and she gave me flyers for a lecture and a walking tour.

Disbelieving: That the Victorian Bushrangers, chasing 188 for victory over the Queensland Bulls in the Ford Ranger Cup final, went from 2/84 and cruising in the 21st over to being skittled for 175 in the 48th. Carton of eggs, meet hammer. Riveting viewing for a neutral, though.