8r4d #running this morning in Red Deer for the Terry Fox run. I was tuckered out by 5k so just one loop for me. #terryfoxrun #ohcanada

pixelazy pretty #fly for a bug guy

#insect #macro

8r4d The Divide #ultramarathon is a 100 hour long 320km #running #race thru the Rocky mountains near Crowsnest Pass. RM had been running for about three and a half days straight when we caught up with him at the last checkpoint at midnight of the last night after driving down from the city to cheer him on. We presume he’ll roll across the finish line around 8 in the morning, so we’re back for some rest at the hotel until then leaving him to catch a few #zzzs and then head off for the final 26k while we sleep.

8r4d We went for a short walk after a long drive. The interpretive centre was closed by the time we got there but the trail through the rocks is always open to explore.

8r4dsfeets A big rocky mess and an historic disaster.

8r4d Tucked into the back corner of the local racetrack just off the end of the airport runway, fifty bucks will get you an arm band and entrance into the world biggest bouncy castle. I think I’m enjoying sitting in the shade on this 30C day, but the kiddos are loving it.

gamerdad The fifth book in the Bobiverse series showed up in my audiobook library the other day and I quickly moved it to the top of my reading/listening queue.

I’m still not sure if this series counts as humour science fiction or speculative fan service, but i’ve enjoyed every title in it, whatever it is. In only a couple chapters into book 5 tho, so more thoughts on the book and the whole series as I keep reading. Um, listening.

8r4d #runclub dips into September and #summer weather is holding for another week of #running adventure. P’s grandson joined for a whole klick before he petered out, though his navigation skills put his grandfather on guard in case he could soon take over as the crew’s human gps and route guru.

gamerdad I’ve continued to dive into this Australian campaign for another couple hour-long play sessions and have come to the ultimate conclusion that as much as I like this game I’m probably playing it far less strategically than the designers intended.

It’s not that I’m not strategic, but I’ve come to notice that my play style is way more casual than details-oriented. The game famously floods you with dozens of narrative threads all meant as tweaks and dials and knobs and gears to micromanage the course of a civilization thru history. That’s the appeal. That’s the game. And I’m sitting here thinking about how difficult it is to keep all those metaphorical plates spinning as I play. I’m clicking from turn to turn and building all the little pieces to grow my team wondering how some people keep track of it all. But I started to then think about how much I tend to rush it all. Click. Next. Click click. Next.

Then the obvious dawned on me: there’s no rush. I could spend hours on each turn if I wanted. I could read every option. Look at all the data before each play, each spend, each build. I could, but I usually don’t. I just click, click and click some more. Strategy never happens at pace, it is methodical and slow, and I just play “wrong” when I play casually.

I mean, I’m not sure if that changes anything at all whatsoever, but it’s interesting to notice and think about.

gamerdad No thanks to Youtube I found myself watching the latest in depth video about the next version of Civilization, the seventh instalment due early next year in February. Of course, my next best option to playing a game that won’t come out for six months is to dig back into some #ps5 Civilization 6.

Anyway. The last few times I’ve played I’ve been mucking around with the custom game settings. Call me a casual gamer, but sometimes I just like to play in a more creative way, so toning down the difficulty and the aggression of the ai is about the only way to turn this into a builder type game versus the all out campaign of military and religious warfare. Sometimes I just like to build big cities and explore, y’know?

Tonight I was randomly assigned to be the great ancient civilization of Australia, which disappointingly had nothing to do with the mighty aboriginal cultures but instead just the regular modern crocodile dundee aussies. I may need to find the mute button to keep up this save file tho—there’s only so many times I can listen to Waltzing Matilda playing in the background, ugh.