Hexes, Murders, and Other Disappointments

Should I apologize for abandoning Evelyn last week, or say “you’re welcome?” At least I know her name now; that’s a relief. I’ve been calling her “Macchiato,” for the Starbucks cup she used to carry around. Then she got one of those Stanley mega-mugs, and that sort of scuttled the nickname. I’m pleased, but also dismayed, by the notes we got in praise of Evelyn’s “poem.” I would have hoped you wouldn’t encourage her.

And speaking of things we shouldn’t encourage, Substack, the company that brings the Ostrich to your inbox, has affirmed its position that real, avowed neo-nazis are welcome to host publications on their platform. While there are nuanced conversations to be had about censorship on private forums, or the implicit requirements of open discourse, the math in this case is simple. If Substack is happy paying nazis to be nazis, they can’t have any more of my money.

We’ll be moving the Ostrich to its own domain on the Ghost platform, as of next week. To make sure you don’t miss future issues, we’d be grateful if you’d add “ostrich@thedailyostrich.com” to your contact list. And if next week’s email lands in your junk folder, please click whatever button assures your provider that The Daily Ostrich is cherished junk that you’re saving on purpose.

In local news, it’s been a balmy few days on my bend of the river, enough to summon up the tulip shoots. Maybe this will prove to be one of our new, carbon-toasted mini-winters, but I smell a false spring. Our local Mistress Nature loves this trick where she trots out the sun for two weeks, about now, and the puffy jackets come off, and we all jump around like skittering lambs. Then follows a slushy March and another three months of flat, gray clouds you could poke with a twelve-foot pole.

So I’ll be thrilled to get outside this afternoon, but I’m shrewd enough to stock up on indoor amusements. With that in mind, I’m hoping you and I can arrange a trade. I’ll tell you about a book and a game I’ve enjoyed this winter, and then, if you’re willing, I’d love it if you’d do the same.

I’ve been reading The Hexologists by Josiah Bancroft, and while I’m not to the end yet, I like the style of writing: a load of silliness dressed up with ingenious description and sharp sentences.

Our new game this winter is There’s Been A Murder, a cooperative card game where players use secret information to unmask a murderer before it’s too late. For strategy lovers, it may involve too much random luck, but I’m not put off by randomness, as you’re aware.

[Late-breaking note: Whilst writing the above, I looked up There’s Been a Murder to see what other people thought, and the board game forums kept comparing it to another game called Love Letter. So off I went Cloud Cap Games, to see what I was missing, and it seems I was missing a good time. Love Letter is an even better game, thought it’s competitive. If you’re a cooperative sort, try TBaM.]

If you have a book or a game you’ve enjoyed recently, send a reply to this email or leave a comment, and let us know! I’ll print the results next week, and we can all benefit from each other’s wisdom.