Dip yer lid

"Beyond Words" update: Got the gold trophy on all but two annoying levels. Unlocked most of the gear and achievements. Might be done with it.

In other news, lurve this bombshell...er, bombshell from the slick C64 demo "All Your Baddies Are Belong To Us" by the group AMID.

Distant days, other days

As I was coming out of the sushi bar, a family pulled up in their family sedan. The mother exited her driver's door normally. The three kids climbed out of the other three windows like gleeful monkeys. I was suddenly reminded of how much I used to enjoy doing that as a child. Partly because I wanted to imitate Bo and Luke Duke from "The Dukes Of Hazzard"*. Partly 'cos it was Something I Wasn't Supposed To Do. And partly, I guess, because back then your natural instinct was to turn every activity possible into a physical challenge. Continuing down the road, I found that the bridge spanning the local river had collapsed, so I was forced to jump across the 25-metre gap while clutching tight my bag of sushi rolls.

*Blissfully unaware of the future controversy surrounding their Dodge Charger's problematic livery.

Fruit salad

COMIC COVER OF THE WEEK

By Gabriel Hernandez Walta. It caught my attention, then the blurb made me more curious... The premise sees the mysterious death of one of the stars of a "Friends"-like TV phenomenon leading to the uncovering of dark secrets about the show. One assumes the real-life tragedy of MP (RIP) was the inspiration for the tale.

SONG OF THE WEEK

For the vibes, the new live clip of "Everything Will Be Alright" by Kraftklub feat. Fred Rabe (Germany).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8Cj2jrIw0c

Commended >>> "Brown Eyes Mafia" by Abrila (Argentina) and "No More Shot" by Tune Up Channel (India). I also discovered Dear Seattle's sublime cover of the Missy Higgins track "The Special Two" seven years late. Considering the original is a piano ballad in which M. laments stealing a guy from her older sister, hearing the lyrics as a forceful male rock vocal gives things an unusual spin.

RANDOM TRPG REMINISCENCE OF THE WEEK

I miss when you'd borrow a "D&D" module from a pal and find that next to key encounters were descending tallies of monster HP marked in pencil. Or else they'd been erased but the impressions on the paper remained faintly visible to the trained eye. Brave adventurers had been this way before - and more would follow!

"Coin detected in pocket!"

This is tops. Am working through the book-faithful chapters in 1P mode. It's elegant and challenging, with oodles of replayability. Stylish presentation, too.

"Beyond Words" [Steam] is also tops. Word builder + engine builder + level explorer. Wild horses were only *just* able to drag me away to blog a hasty reco.

Wetware engineering

The supermarket where we purchased groceries today had a Community Noticeboard. Yes, they still exist. It was covered in busy squares/rectangles of paper/cardboard. "Missing cat". "Skin analysis" (whatever that is). A handyman offering his services. An experienced carer also seeking work. Contacts for mental-health support and legal advice. The opportunity to play for a senior soccer team, try your 2B at life-drawing classes or attend a classical recital. The only other specific notice I can recall was an advert for a car engine...which doesn't make for an obvious closing line. Nevertheless, I was glad to see the tradition of these bit-of-everything boards still motoring along in defiance of the digital.

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If you're a fan of "B/T/T/F", musical theatre or - like me - both, I recommend this 1h40m documentary from 2025:

PPPoddd rrreccc

Four parts, three available as I write. His life and career. Wonderful yesteryear anecdotes and nuggets of wisdom.

A garden of trees

LEGO KIT OF THE FORTNIGHT-PLUS

Great! Technic builds are more satisfying. The downside is they aren't as much of a stress reliever because you can't put as many brain ops into sleep mode. 

ANIME FILM OF THE...IT'S BEEN A WHILE

"Gintama: Yoshiwara In Flames" (2026) [Netflix]. Criminals, courtesans, close-quarters combat, crass and corny humour, and consistent chaos that carries you along to the curiously compassionate conclusion.

CURRENT AUDIOBOOK ON MY WALKS

(However, I'm taking it fairly easy at the mo'. Trudged too many kays in Sydders, often with a bag, and am still recovering from the negative effects :-( )