There's a sudden urge to make one. The communal kitchen is just down the hall. Just like Mum used to make it, “ ... Melty ... bit chewy in the middle ... three eggs ... “

Improvise. In your store, there's local cheese and a heavy pastry mix. Might work.

Not bad. It didn't rise quite right, in the too small oven. It's stretchy, gooey. And, there's no-one here to share it with. That's wrong. Close your eyes, though, and your fingers can still find their way into the warm cheese. They locate and extract imaginary tinfoil, just one piece. Gently, carefully unfolding nothing, you can almost see Mum's handwriting on the backs of your eyelids, “ ... smart and clever ... always thinking of others ... ” Her pie always hid motivation, message, occasionally rebuke. She'll make you another, one day.

#games #quote

I finally got Stardew Valley this year. Which is about right, it seems I only play games a decade after they're released... but in a shockingly short time I've spent over 300 hours playing it.

Unsurprisingly it features the dramatically-named “dark patterns” (https://www.darkpattern.games/pattern/4/psychological-dark-patterns.html) – features that incentivise playing on and on and on... I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing necessarily. But if you are anything like me and you get caught up easily in things, flow state or no, then it's worth being aware of...

(take it from me with my 300 hours)

#games