Metre eaters

I'm constantly searching for the next "Solo Leveling". "Tomb Raider King" isn't it. However, there are enough thematic similarities to make it comfortably familiar, and sufficient structural differences and unanswered questions to have me mildly intrigued. On the downside, there's an undercurrent of anti-foreign sentiment and - four episodes in - main man Seo Joo-Heon's behaviour is often far from heroic. The centrality of legendary artifacts to the story brought to mind Aussie TRPG "Relics" (RIP, SD). Will stick with it for now. Also: 21 correct while armchairing "U/C".

Inquisitive acquisitiveness

Binged in full! Honestly, I'd tune in to see Professor Alice catch a courtesy bus to a bowlo. 

BEER OF THE WEEK

Sixer for $12. More flavour than some blondes. More even than some brunettes and redheads.

TESTED THIS COMMANDER

The deck ended up being a fairly typical U/W value pile with a sprinkling of equipment. Ho-hum.

Porg chart

If you share my fondness for the golden age of text adventures and haven't yet made the acquaintance of "The Classic Adventurer" magazine, then ya totally should. It's available as a free .PDF, so even if you're as broke as a joke (happens to us all), there's no excuse not to do so. I've loved every ish.

https://classicadventurer.co.uk/

French Perth

Finished "Hello, World!", now reading this.

Publisher's blurb:

"For more than a decade, John Nathan-Turner, or 'JN-T' as he was often known, was in charge of every major artistic and practical decision affecting Doctor Who, the world’s longest-running science fiction programme.

"Richard Marson brings his dramatic, farcical, sometimes scandalous, often moving story to life with the benefit of his own inside knowledge and the fruits of more than 100 revealing interviews with key friends and colleagues, from those John loved to those from whom he became estranged.

"The author has also had access to all of Nathan-Turner’s surviving archive of paperwork and photos, many of which appear here for the very first time."

Washing soap with other soap

This was ace. Watched a pro play through it.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2957720/Neon_Inferno/

This is ace-er. Eloquent high-concept history.

Am digging NRLW Magic Round. Nothing else to report, sir/madam.

Feculent marshes

If you haven't read one of these spin-off encyclopaedias for popular manga/anime series, they are super dense and worth the money. They even contain new material.

I really like new companion Eleanor Fong (Jasmine Bayes), who is running an electronics firm in Hong Kong in the 1990s when she first meets the Eleventh Doctor.

Deodorant fights

COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK

By Betsy Cola. Ludicrous concept, yet v. well executed. Catches and holds the eye. A fitting tribute ;-P

SONG OF THE WEEK

"Always In The Sun" by Tokyo Tea Room (UK). Indie pop with a dash of funk. Her voice is incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rzAx2-cMcw

Commended >>> "A Different Kind" by Rakim (US), "Learning To Talk" by Soft Vein (also US), "Amiga Do Tempo" by Boasorte (Brazil) and "Yeah" by Charlie XCX (UK).

RANDOM RPG REMINISCENCE

Saw a dude reading a "D&D" manual in a lecture. Got chatting afterwards. He invited BP and I to try his home game. Told us what level characters to make, ability-score total points, said we could have a couple of magic items, etc. We rocked up with a pair of stone-cold killers ready to take on the toughest dungeon he could send our way. It turned out to be a lore-heavy, combat-light "Dragonlance" campaign. Never went back. It was a long drive from our seaside fishing village, too. Ah, well, I remember we all pigged out on KFC and there was a likeable fellow who was a refrigerator mechanic and felt like a kindred spirit.

Blink twice

NOVELTY NOODLES OF THE WEEK

US import. Looked the part, defo smelt the part, tasted a tad weak.

DL FANZINE OF THE WEEK

Yes, I'm sure he is trolling using "UFC" above scenes from MVP.

HYPOTHETICAL OF THE WEEK

You can only eat five types of fruit & veg for the rest of your life.

For versatility, I'd choose: potato, tomato, spinach, lemon, apple.

Every family member/friend I asked gave me a different fab five!

Stacking your pushie is hectic

Faffed around with a Brawl build using new card Fin Fang Foom (below). Initially, it was landkill/dragons for less-focused funsies, then I relented and switched to landkill/heavy artifact. You either destroy two of their lands on Turn 4 and they immediately quit or, given the ferocity of the current meta, you don't and rapidly get steamrolled. It's a third-tier deck option.

The 2023 documentary "Tollund: The Enigma Of The Swamp Mummy" is comprehensive enough for me to recommend it. I learnt several things about ecology, archaeology, Danish museums and present theories of Iron Age life. Shame about the silliness at the very end, where - spoiler warning! - they made Tollund Man's eyes open and stare out at the viewer.

Since you didn't ask, my favourite Sanrio character is Keroppi.

VIP POV

"U/C" score: 18 right.

RIP, Bill Oddie.

BEER OF THE WEEK

A flavour to savour. Do yourself a favour! Meanwhile, here's a pic of the forgotten Supergirl, Helen Slater.