The weather has been very cold here for the past several days. We have an unusually long cold spell hitting us right now; there have been stories in the news about it and how it’s caused by some unusual winter weather pattern that is stalled over the continent rather than moving on with the prevailing winds. It got down to 5.7°C last night, the coldest temperature recorded this year so far. And the maximum in the middle of the day barely topped 17°C.
I know this doesn’t sound much to people who live in colder climates, but trust me, this is ridiculously cold for people who live in Sydney. It’s certainly not helped by the fact that our housing has basically no insulation at all—because we live in a warm climate, why would we need it?—and inside our home is not that much warmer than outside. I’ve been sitting at my desk with track pants, fleecy Ugg boots, a heavy jumper (sweater), a blanket wrapped around me, drinking hot tea, and still feeling too cold. My hands on the keyboard and mouse are like ice. And this cold spell is expected to last another 3 or 4 days before warming up to more sensible temperatures.
The best thing to do is get out, rug up in a heavy jacket on top of all that, and walk around in the sunshine. I took Scully for a walk in the middle of the day and I tried lunch at a newish food place that opened up not long ago, near the brand new park above the rail line at St Leonards. It’s a char-grilled chicken place, and I had a chicken wrap with couscous salad and hot potato chips. It was decent, but I think next time I’ll try something with a bit more spice to it.
This afternoon I made stage 18 of the Lego D&D set, which was this beholder:
I’m not a huge fan of beholders as monsters within the game, and I don’t really agree that their “iconic” status is well-earned. I think it has more to do with the fact that they’re so recognisable, and a trademarked monster, so they can be used as company promotion material. And I certainly dislike the direction they’ve taken beholders in the modern 5th edition game. If I’m going to have beholders I want them to be evil monsters, not hilarious comic-book villains, or misunderstood or upstanding citizens. But this model is still pretty cool.
New content today:
“It’s certainly not helped by the fact that our housing has basically no insulation at all—because we live in a warm climate, why would we need it?—”
Insulation not only keeps the heat in (in cold climates) but it keeps the heat out (in warm climates). But I’m sure you know this, and likely I just missed my sarcasm detection roll. Again. Sending warm thoughts… <3
Yeah, we all know that too, and lament the same thing in the summer. But somehow it always feels worse in the winter.
I kind of think belholders started to change from big bad monsters to the point where they got to in 5e already in Spelljammer and 2e Waterdeep books. Spelljammer made them more goofy, though dangerous, with all the ‘all beholders think they are the pinnacle of beholder development and wage war against each other’.
The beholder bartender on Bral didn’t help matters. Granted, Spelljammer was mostly goofy, and some of the more recent mind flayer stuff also comes from there, like Nautiloid ships.
Xanathar, the beholder crime lord in Waterdeep is also part of my problem with 5e and especially Baldur’s Gate 3: too many characters from the ‘classic ages’ who are more than century old.
And I don’t like the 5e beholder lore at all, and the same goes for mind flayers. Luckily I don’t have to – I even sold my 5e books as I won’t run it anymore.
Sounds like we are of similar minds. I bought a bunch of 5e books, but after running it a few times and not enjoying it, I’ve moved back to the Basic/Expert editions from 1981. I’m planing to get rid of my 5e books too.