I’m relieved that it’s January and that it’s a brand-new year. The holidays were messy, difficult and cranky-making, not mention rife with snow and ice storms that put the entire city in shut-down mode for a week. I find the time between Christmas and New Year’s to be disorienting in general, and more so this year due to a dire health situation with a family member (which is now resolving) and what I can only describe as a general arrhythmia of time. One bright spot was my discovery of a new, exceedingly quirky farming simulator from Australia called “Dinkum.” All farming sims have their quirks, but Dinkum’s are especially charming and delightful, in large part due to the odd verbal ticks of the town’s residents and the proliferation of Australian slang. Dinkum appears to be the project of a single Australian named James, and I’m always impressed by single-creator games. Dinkum takes place on a small island in the Australian outback. At first, the only two residents are you and Fletch, an elderly woman who is determined to restore the abandoned isle to its supposed former glory. Eventually, if you do things correctly, shop owners start moving in and selling helpful items, and the burgh gets enough clout to have its own Town Hall. It’s fun and lighthearted, and I have for better or worse found myself picking up on the dialogue quirks of the townspeople, thinking in short, clipped sentences: “Oh, it’s a shovel. Like a big spoon for dirt.” “Bug catcher. Get them creepy-crawlers.” Also, for some reason, a town with a total of six residents felt the need to have its own museum, and every time I donate something (usually a bug or a fish) the pure joy in the museum owner’s voice makes me grin. He lights up and bright-colored stars emanate from his head. It’s very amusing and sweet, and it’s teaching me a lot about the flora and fauna of Australia, as well its wonderfully weird (and dangerous) wildlife.
The sunflower diamond painting and colorful mandala are beautiful, Kristen. Congrats on creating them. I bet each was a lot of work.