It rained for 40 minutes and 40 seconds

Meant to add in the previous entry, on the subject of Thailand, that I actually have a Thai aunt and two much younger half-Thai cousins. Ain't caught up with them and my uncle in years, unfortunately, because they live in rural Queensland and I barely get away now.

How good was the Samoa vs Tonga game?! Top fixture on the rugby-league calendar for me. Yes, above Origin.

Car stickers seen recently:

* "DON'T HONK - I'M PROBABLY ALREADY CRYING"

* "TRUST NOBODY" (with an illo of a handgun. Geez, nice attitude)

* "FUKENBROKEN" (umlaut over the "O").

That third one adorned a battered VW Beetle and is apparently an in-joke based on an old Volkswagen advertising campaign.

Took some 2000s - i.e. still relevant - history texts over to the university book nook. Perused the noticeboards along the way. Was amused to note that, as in my day, researchers continue to offer broke-ass students money to take part in studies.

Melbourne Cup tomorrow. Coupla glaring options for nerdy punters who just pick based on the horse's name: Middle Earth and (the rougher) Asterix. Haven't selected my geegee yet. Wish Dad was here to have a bet.

"You punched me in my flu shot!"

CURRENT PAPER READING

"Indiana Jones And The Army Of The Dead" (2009) by Steve Perry

Listened to a pod about the original Indy novels. A podder who'd read the lot recommended this as the best choice for someone wanting to read just one. It sees our whip-crackin', wise-crackin' hero travelling to Haiti and encountering zombies in his search for a black pearl known as the Heart Of Darkness. 

CURRENT FOODIE VIEWING

"Iron Chef: Thailand Vs Asia" Season 2 (2026) [Netflix]

Why Thailand against the rest? Because it's a Thai-made show, with Thai judges and a Thai flavour (although they use Aussie beef). The other teams are China, Indonesia, the Philippines and South Korea. The SK squad includes Comic Book Chef. Warning: Product plugs/placements are VERY prominent.

Free buckets in Finland

Tried to visit my GP without an appointment and was asked to return this afternoon. No wuzzers. Not wanting to go straight home again, we drove around for a while, noting changes in the suburb and admiring front-yard Halloween decorations. Those inflatable "Bluey" figures are popular this year.

COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK

By Luciano Vecchio. Putting the camp in training camp! I know a Wolvie fan who would absolutely hate this.

SONG OF THE WEEK

"Urdr" by Gealdyr (Netherlands). Slow, sorrowful, gets under the skin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxP0htSfQ_U

TRPG REMINISCENCE OF THE WEEK

I used to own a copy of 1990 Australian publication "Rus: Fantasy Role-Playing In Heathen Russia". Never played it. My friends weren't keen. I recall them joking about how it was just peasants trying to grow turnips. While that's not quite true, it was a harsh setting, e.g. constant risk of disease.

Hewlett-Packard Lovecraft

Heady scent of flowers as I walked around the neighbourhood this spring morning. You take such things for granted until you're laid up in a hospital bed, then you realise they are priceless. Also dug the loud purr of an idling special-edition V8 Commodore in the shopping-centre car park.

Made the best burgers for lunch: fresh potato buns, crunchy-batter fish pieces (patted dry with paper towel to remove any oil), plenty of rocket, loads of avocado, American mustard. Don't sleep on fish burgs!

Remember "SnarfQuest"? If so, this is for you...

When shall we tree leaf again?

RIP, Walter Koenig.

Caught this art exhibition. I'm not a huge fan of video installations, but some of AT's are excellent. No. 1 for this viewer being her intimate (not *that* intimate, ya dirty buggers) portrait of soccer stars The Matildas.

Played this recent release. As a space-mad lad, I'd have adored it - and maybe that's all that matters. As a picky gamebook collector of advanced age, I found it too novel-like, with insufficient choices. That said, the prose is a cut above what you usually get in CYOAs.

Feature-length fan film which succeeds thanks to the performances and writing. Plenty of continuity delivered just subtly enough. I hope they manage to finance the proposed followup. Gonna need SC to watch it now and confirm the Doc's companion Jennie resembles one of our former magazine colleagues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj0_8jhiUww

Continuing the theme, the talks/readings from this event have kindly been made available as an episode of Joe Ford's "Hamster Book Club" podcast. 4.5 hours of pure geek joy, plus the odd revelation. Very wide range of topics. I'm approaching the three-hour mark and so, so grateful to the sharers.

Is the stalemate rule stupid?

Further health concerns :-( Been playing "Yahtzee" to take my mind off my troubles. Sisters and I never owned it as kids. Genius design.

This 2014 documentary about the legal (and moral) fight for the largest, most intact T. rex skeleton ever unearthed is worth your time.

After that piss-poor tribute to Captain Britain, "Spider-Man #1000" was a 9/10. Didn't want it to end. Also didn't expect a yarn by Triple H.

What's your highest score on "Lady Bug"?

Had some health concerns today.

WBBL Season 12 commences Thurs, so I'm looking forward to that.

Apart from a gorgeous David Mack cover, the "Captain Britain" 50th-anniversary special was a disappointment, especially when the three tales inside were by stalwarts Claremont, Davis and Abnett. The interior art didn't wow me, either. The highlight was the essay in the back - and I normally hate text pages (that aren't letter columns) in comics.

MAGAZINES WOT I AM CURRENTLY READING