In the last two weeks I made and ate the following:
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Any tips? I'm about to hit the 200 image limit. (Too much foodblogging and Proteus screenshot taking.)

There's a free alpha version of Proteus, if you're curious about it:

http://games.softpedia.com/get/Freeware-Games/Proteus.shtml

I haven't played the alpha - I preordered the 'proper' version of the game, and received the beta (for now). But if you just want to get a sense of the game, and/or can't/don't want to spend any money right now, I'd imagine the alpha would do nicely. I've seen some footage of it and it looks quite good. You even get some trees you don't get in the beta!

Taking 'photographs' of a virtual environment.

Damn.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55101268@N07/sets/72157629989533617/

I gotta stop taking pics while I stroll around the island... my flickr account is almost full.

... my inner four-year-old, I find. My top three right now are Proteus, Botanicula, and Windosill. They're all games I'd love to play with my little nephew - if he didn't live 800 km from here, and if his parents allowed that kind of thing, which I'm pretty sure they don't, and which is probably good, because the computer is too hypnotic, really, to introduce a very young child to it. Anyway, these three games are pretty much all about a childlike sense of wonder. Proteus is a garden or park that is just big enough to get a little bit lost in. Botanicula is a terrarium full of strange little critters. Windosill is a toybox full of strange but wonderful toys.

Proteus

Proteus is an island/rambling-in-the-wilderness simulation.

Or perhaps a musical instrument in the shape of a virtual island.

You arrive at the island.

(It's a different one every time, though the elements remain the same.)

You walk around.

The weather changes.

The sun sinks. The moon and stars come up.

You follow a frog. Or an owl.

You listen to singing mushroom critters.

The seasons change.

Everything has a tune. Walking creates a symphony.

Nothing else happens.

You can take photographs.

I had three days of chili:

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Well, didn't quite spend them yet, technically. Just ordered stuff for more than 1300 euros. Will have to pay on delivery or so.

I bought a crazy-expensive desk chair, so I won't get such terrible backaches anymore (hopefully).

I also bought a workbench (even more expensive than the chair), and a bench vice.

That's my flat mostly complete, now. I'm still missing a bed, but I don't really mind sleeping on a mattress on the floor, so I may just decide not to get one, for now. I also still need a couple of lamps, and some small workshop accessories. But mostly, the shopping is done.

Whew.

not just in baby steps, but rather, in baby baby steps. But I *can*, finally, play a first song.

I'm somewhat mortified (or maybe amused, it varies) to find that I'm one of those people who, rather than tapping their foot, sway their upper body in rhythm with the music. (You'd think that'd interfere with the playing, but so far it doesn't. Still, foot-tapping would be much better.)