Marble Machine

We built a new marble machine tonight, one that reaches to the ceiling fan in our living room.

XBox 360

Well, I have a 360 now.  A good friend of our family gave us one.  Yep, gave.  Their 360 died, but since it was after the warranty, they bought another.  Then Microsoft extended the warranty, allowing them to get their 1st one fixed and leaving them with a spare.  Neat.  Pardon me while I go shoot some bad guys...

Game: First Impressions of Through the Desert

Through the Desert is a pleasant mix of Ticket to Ride, Go, and La Strada.  You score points by building camel caravans (with pastel camels, no less!) that connect to water holes and oases and surround territory on the board.  There's never enough time to do what you want before someone else squeezes you out.  The game has been enjoyed by everyone who has played it so far.  There's no element of chance in the game, so it probably appeals more to the hard core gamer than the casual gamer.

Rating: good game.