In which we begin to recover from dental assault

I had a tooth pulled today. Way in the back, because it was old and giving up the ghost. It will be replaced in a few months by a more modern version. 

Feh.

Listening (audit division): The Beach Boys, "Sunflower." There are some artists that I simply cycle through because they're worth it. In pre-streaming days, one had a bunch of CDs arranged alphabetically by artist. You would cycle your way through them, and in the long run give your music a good turning out without too much thinking about it. Streaming requires a more deliberate approach, otherwise you'll forget all your favorites and, let's say, never hear "Pet Sounds" again. Not that "Sunflower" is "Pet Sounds" caliber, but it's not bad. To be honest, I think it's overrated, but it's got some good songs and I don't mind listening to it every few years according to my new system. (As for "Pet," the truth is, I'll be sitting around minding my own business, and suddenly I'll think to myself—as compared to thinking to someone else—that I ought to listen to "Pet Sounds" for the gazillionth time. Which I do, coming away every time the better for it.)

Debate: This weekend is the Lexington Winter Tournament, AKA Big Lex, or as I like to call it, Bigle X. It's a long weekend, driving up Friday afternoon, returning Monday afternoon. It's one of the few times I work directly on anything with Joe V, and it's sort of intricate, with mutual judge preferences and varying obligation commitments, which makes it fun. One of the high points of the weekend is always the walk in Antarctic level temperatures to the local ice cream shop down on the main drag. You can bring back somebody a cone and not one single drop will have melted. In the olden days the main drag had a pub where you could grab a burger and a beer, the perfect break from tabbing. Ice cream will just have to do until, if ever, Lexington gets its pub act back together. 

Gaming: While I do not consider myself a gamer, I do have a PS5 and I do always have a game on the go. Lately it's Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This is my kind of game, more puzzles that combat and a long narrative that goes from place to place and fun characters, especially our hero Indy. The last time I played, a day or two ago, I think I was devoured by a giant snake. On other fronts, I do play Balatro regularly, especially during the empty moments at tournaments. And I see that Apple Arcade will be offering a version of Civilization 7 shortly. Civ, of course, is that game that takes no prisoners, and that many of us hide from as much as we can, because once you start a new game, your life is no longer your own. I have versions on all my devices—Civ 5 on my Macs, God knows what on my iPad. If this new Arcade version is playable while not turning in one's soul, it will be well appreciated.