update smorgasbord.

wednesday, september 25th, 2024.

It's been a busy week or so! I've been playing quite a lot of Forza Horizon 4. The $20 I spent on that game is going a long way. I'm currently blasting around town in a rally-kitted Opel Manta 400, as seen below.

It's very good that my entertainment is running on the frugal end, for I have been up to my eyeballs in expenditures. Dental work, plus home and automobile insurance, has set us back thousands. "Easy come, easier go," I suppose.

Speaking of entertainment, I recently finished reading Candide, ou l'Optimisme by Voltaire. I think I'd call it "philosophical fiction." As a work, it was a pretty short read. It didn't overstay its welcome, but it was pretty readily apparent that the situations and characters were all contrived to be philosophical strawmen for Voltaire to summarily tear down. I think what struck me the most was the timelessness of his situations. I am truly glad our world is more peaceful than the violent 18th century, but I could certainly see glimpses of our modern-day truths through the nearly three-century-old lens Voltaire was peeking through.

I'm not sure what book I'll settle on for my next read. Looking at the Merveilles forum book recommendations, I think I'm inclined to read David Graeber's The Dawn of Everything.

Hurricane Helene looks like it's due here tomorrow, and everyone's all a-flutter in preparation for the storm. We've got our water, food, flashlights, and a strong desire for our house to not be cleaved in half by a falling tree.

A coworker invited me to meet him at the local comic book store Monday night to play Flesh and Blood, a newish collectible card game made by former Magic: The Gathering players with a focus on playing in person. I had a blast. I think I absorbed about as much rules infodumping as my poor noggin' could handle, but the community's enthusiasm for the game is infectious and I'll definitely be back. My coworker gave me a Nuu / Part the Mistveil blitz preconstructed deck to get started, which was awfully nice of him.

Not too much news on the bicycling front— the weather has been nicer, although apparently this is hurricane & tropical storm season here in Georgia. Group rides have been cancelled a lot, but we managed to make it out to a health expo to hand out Bicyclist Pocket Guides. I also just changed a flat on my Priority Apollo's back tire, which is a little harder than most to repair. Took the opportunity to install some spoke reflectors, too.

I suppose that's all for now! We'll hunker down for the storm tomorrow and hope to come out the other side. Be well! :)