Called up the Gray Pumpkin… I was glad to hear that he was just offline and hanging with D’Moody the last week or so. (Pam visits at Thanksgiving-time these years) I got a chance to speak with Mrs.Pumpkin, but missed a chance to really gab and make up… I was surprised…I figured she’d be at work, and was taken a little aback. So I just asked to talk to GP, before I realized I could make small talk and be friendly with her. Ah well. Next time, maybe. There was a time when she was a good buddy, too, not just Mrs.P. Anyhow, I had a really nice gab with GP about this that and the other… mostly monster movies, old gaming, mental leaps, mutual acquaintances, and so on. It was a good time, and I’m glad I rang him up. (I’m even happier that I remembered that his long distance is free, and that he could call me back at no cost.) Man, if I went a week or two without checking my email… I’d be buried. I can only imagine the wading he has in front of him.

Bro called up… he wants to start a not-for-profit surf group. Could be interesting, but I wonder if he’s up to the meaty part of the task. He’d like me to set him up with an email address and website, which can be easy enough for his needs. I’m not laying out any cash, though.

Swung by Twistyland and Archives (the used bookstore) this afternoon. The game store is sparse, but clean and sharp, with a lot of well-lit and clean tables in the back for miniatures/RPG/card gaming. The prices seem right, but the comic supply is better at the super-uber-humongous Borders a few blocks over. It looks like Tate’s wins for now, but it might be a fun place to go with Dan to play heroclix over lunch sometime. They do sell a fine selection of overpriced pocky. I’ll sooner get dark chocolate “Men’s Pocky” at the market up the street. Archives had a lot of tempting books, and I picked up a couple of inexpensive novels there. I’ll review ’em over time.

It looks like the landlord is officially selling the building here; a landscaper came by earlier today, to evaluate changes and work out what needs to be done to clean up the place by order of the new owner. I wonder if Frankie will become the new guy’s problem after the place changes hands, and how long it’ll take to change over ownership. Now that my back is better, it’s time to start thinking more seriously about a condo now, just as a preparation for the future. I’ll talk to the LL and see what things are planned.

A feature which purports to explore “120 of the greatest cultural, spiritual and physical pursuits in the world.” (This issue, East Africa and the Masai)