ViRauni is a major character in the Players of the Game series. She has been featured before on a bonus content book cover. She is a former queen who fell into a dark place. Her past choices haunt her. She is constantly reminded of them with the cursed armor that she wears, and the cursed sword she wields. The magic affliction renders her skin unable to touch anything living, passing through it like a phantom. Corsis took much from her. She strives to take it all back.
| “You know, Paul. I don’t know a man, woman, or child alive… who doesn’t enjoy… a lovely beverage.” These are the words David Letterman would occasionally say to Paul Shaffer toward the end of his Late Night run, which would then be followed by the beverage drinking piano jingle as Dave drank water, coffee, and/or booze from a mug. Lovely beverages do indeed make the day better, especially warm ones. I do enjoy cocoa, apple cider, or coffee from time to time, but the one I drink on a daily basis each morning is black tea. It’s got a little caffeine, but is more mellow than coffee, which will make me feel too wired if I partake in it too often. I’ve tried the green and white teas, and they’re not my bag. Earl and Lady Grey are the one’s I usually enjoy on weekdays. However, there is another. One that creeps up to the level of a coffee kick, but maintaining the smooth feel of a tea. It’s one that I discovered on a tea of the month club that my wife set up for me several years ago. Roasted Mate (pronounced mah-tay), a caffeine-infused drink from South America. I loved a blend called My Morning Mate that tasted absolutely fantastic, a bit coffee, a bit cocoa. Then the fiends stopped making it. I found others that were quite good, like South of the Border black tea with chocolate and chili pepper. It’s not too spicy, but there’s some zing for sure. But I was always pining for that lost flavor. And I have at last found a suitable replacement from Fusion Teas called Good Morning Yerba Mate. Oh, my. I had it the other morning, and the feeling and taste of it was pure liquid love. Just like the lost flavor of old. The taste sensation has returned. In a way, I’m glad I was bereft for a few years. I found new flavors I enjoyed. And I’ll cherish my reunited flavor all the more now. The lesson here is to take pleasure in the little things, like a lovely beverage. And be more diligent with your Google searches. |
| Recommendation Corner |
| Dug Days on Disney+ This is not the first Pixar recommendation I’ve given, nor will it be the last. The series of ten minute shorts focuses on Carl and Dug the dog from Up. They have moved into a new house where Carl reestablishes his peaceful environment following his balloon-based adventures from the feature film. Dug, of course, sows chaos by being a lovable id. Plus, he actually has a squirrel frenemy to chase or get bonked by tossed nuts. “Squirrel!” I think has become a universal shorthand for distraction by something interesting. The show is really sweet and might be the last work of Ed Asner before his passing. Give it a watch. Out of Body by Peter Milligan and Inaki Miranda This comic book from Aftershock focuses on a psychologist who gets attacked and left in a coma. A psychic freelancer encounters him on the astral plane as another group of psychics try to harvest his soul for their own dark appetites. The psychologist can’t remember how or why he ended up in the coma, and as he and the psychic delve into the surrounding events of the other people in his life, they learn that his relationships were less ideal than he supposed. It’s a cool concept mixing fantasy with a thriller. |
| That’s all for this time. Stay smart. Stay safe. Jim |
