So, tonight, taschoene and I saw The Screwtape Letters.

It was kinda supa-awesome, yo.

Let's back up and contextualize.

#1. I am a huge fan of The Screwtape Letters,, and CS Lewis in general.

#2. I have recently read The Magician's Book: A Skeptic's Adventures in Narnia, by Laura Miller. (A good book I've wanted to post about here, but waited until after seeing the show. Upshot: everyone should read this book!)

#3. Tom and I had a fantastic dinner at Jaleo, followed by a visit to Cowgirl Creamery in the pre-show hour [1]. I bought three-quarters of a pound of cheese. [2]

#4. (Negative) I am concerned about the possible connection between the Fellowship for the Performing Arts folk and the "Focus on the Family" people.

After the lights flickered, I was in my (unexpectedly) excellent seat (though truly, the Lansburgh Theatre seems to have NO BAD SEATS; it is also where I saw Kornhauser's Cyrano, btw).

Excellent performances, inspiring set- and costume-designs, the addition of a (mostly) silent physical comedy secretary, lighting and sound decisions -- all in all, extremely satisfying.


Footnotes:
[1] Delicious.
[2] 75% of a pound of CHEESE: Quarter-pounds each of Carmody, Red Hawk, and Valdeon.

Tags: dc-metro, food, mental health, philosophy, sf&f, underkoffler's overviews

Nota bene: I hate the Cthulhu Mythos. With the burning intensity of a bajillion burning things.

I have, however, started reading Cthulhu 101, by the inestimable Kenneth Hite (princeofcairo), and I am. . .

. . .

. . .enjoying it.

Indeed, I find it quite charming.



So, take that "mini-overview" how you will.

Tags: books, sf&f, underkoffler's overviews

When I come across a book that I think would appeal to four of my friends, all of whom have different interests and insights, I think it's worth posting about.

(cjpetherick, ericrowe, princeofcairo, and whswhs, I'm looking at you.)

The book I'm talking about is Caveman Chemistry: 28 Projects, from the Creation of Fire to the Production of Plastics, by Kevin M. Dunn.

It's part college chemistry textbook, part alchemical treatise, part history of science, and part do-it-yourself projects.

And it works.

Learn how to make mead, spin thread, knap a flint, create pottery, create glass (or soap, or paper), and much much more -- and WHY... All described and elucidated with a mild snarky tone and a kick-ass authorial conceit. AND well-described experiments!

Listen, oh my droogies (and if you are my droogies), you will understand the high praise in the following comment: if I were to fall into a time-warp or dimensional-portal*, flinging me into the far past or the postapocalyptic future, I would REALLY want a copy of this book with me.

NOTES:
* I have worried about this happenstance since junior high. I know, I'm crazy.

Check it out.

Tags: books, mad science, mental health, reference, underkoffler's overviews

Paul Tevis -- that is, ptevis -- is a magnificent bastard. A glorious magnificent bastard.

You see, I just received my hardcopy of A Penny for My Thoughts.

And I read it. All of it.

You're not getting an Underkoffler's Overview on this puppy until I play it.

WORD.

Tags: 240 dollars worth of puddin', evilhat, game design, gaming, mad rpg theory, philosophy, podcast, underkoffler's overviews, wang, wtf?

This Overview is going to be another off-model one (hopefully the last such one, for awhile) for a couple reasons:

1. Talking about the "Community" is fraught.

2. Face-time is key in these situations.


[ Underkoffler's Overviews Archive ]

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Tags: game design, gaming, underkoffler's overviews

This Overview is going to be another off-model one for a couple reasons:

1. Xenolithik is my own game-in-design-hell.

2. I'm talking about playtesting and workshopping more than the actual game here.


[ Underkoffler's Overviews Archive ]

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Check it out, if you see it on a con schedule near you. With luck, it'll suck less.

Tags: asmp, ciab, conventions, fact, game design, gaming, mad rpg theory, pdq, philosophy, underkoffler's overviews, work journal, writing, xenolithik

I've finally had a chance to read and play this type of game; here are my brief impressions.

This is not a review, per se -- you probably won't get much out of an Underkoffler's Overview if you haven't read or played the game. And this Overview is going to be even more overviewy for a couple reasons:

1. I'm talking about a style/genre of roleplaying, rather than a specific game.

2. I'm still reading about jeepform and talking to folks about it, in order to get a handle on it, what I think about it, and so on.


[ Underkoffler's Overviews Archive ]

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Tags: game design, gaming, underkoffler's overviews

I've finally had a chance to read and play this game; here are my brief impressions.

This is not a review, per se -- you probably won't get much out of an Underkoffler's Overview if you haven't read the game. What you will get is my opinions on the Negative, the Positive, and the Verdict.

[ Underkoffler's Overviews Archive ]

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Tags: game design, gaming, underkoffler's overviews

I've finally had a chance to read and play this game; here are my brief impressions.

This is not a review, per se -- you probably won't get much out of an Underkoffler's Overview if you haven't read the game. What you will get is my opinions on the Negative, the Positive, and the Verdict.

[ Underkoffler's Overviews Archive ]

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Tags: game design, gaming, underkoffler's overviews

I got a bunch of game books to Overview at GenCon 2008.

I've done one.

That's mostly because I suck.

However, it's partially because I wanted to talk to and/or play with the designers, to make sure I understood what was what.

I was able to do some of this for a few of the games at Dreamation. w00t!

First up is Misspent Youth.

Tags: game design, gaming, underkoffler's overviews