#the balatro addiction is real | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

landofwindandskyscrapers · 1 month

Text

14/52 Catania

So this weekend was my birthday, &! I was in Catania for the national Mensa convention, while my future wife was having her second hen night.

Also, Balatro is a very addictive drug.

Life’s wack, yo.

Mt. Etna is a volcano, and it was puffing actual real life jumbo smoke rings while I was trekking its slopes.

Jumbo is actually a proper name! The name of a very big elefant.

I knew this already, but Jason Pargin (author of John Dies At The End, and someone I consider a modern intellectual giant, when he’s not writing fart jokes) made me aware that “jumbo” comes from the elephant’s name instead of the reverse, which is interesting to think about.

Because I was at a Mensa convention, obviously there were competitive brain teasers – specifically, I participated in competitive crossword puzzles (45 min per three NYT style puzzles).

It was a humbling experience.

And I can really say that mental work is just as tough as physical work; everybody there was exhausted at the end.

There’s something about being focused non-stop for more than twenty minutes that really consumes the body’s reserves.

I’m happy I joined Mensa; notwithstanding the cringe factor...there’s just something about a ready made community of people somewhat similar to you, and in which trust and benefit of the doubt is somewhat assumed.

The fact I was alone, since my fiancée was in Siena for her Hen’s night was a bit lonely, & it makes me wonder at how much of my life is already bound to her, & will be bound to her even more.

I don’t know if I was happy or not during these past three days; the Webcomic Digger equates thought to unhappiness, which is hard to argue when so much of my own resentments & negative feelings come from obsessive thoughts.

Oddly enough I think I was the “happiest”, during the crossword puzzle competition, even though I think I did badly.

Maybe it’s something like runner’s high, but for the brain.

Also, pro tip to myself, next time don’t book yourself for ALL THE activities.

0 notes