Author Archives: Casual Magicking

May 26, 2021 experience – noun : an event or occurrence that leaves an impression on someone You see it rather frequently: a new player posts on a Magic-related subreddit announcing they’ve recently discovered Magic and are looking for suggestions on what to buy next. Inevitably there are numerous variations of this same reply: “don’tContinue reading “Booster Fun: Twain”

May 13, 2021 iniquitous – adjective : grossly unfair and morally wrong “Just buy singles.” “Cracking packs is a waste of money.” “Boosters are for draft.” “Standard booster boxes are worthless.” *Sigh* I get it. Really, I do. Boosters aren’t for everyone. Oodles of players would prefer to spend their cash on singles. Fair enough.Continue reading “Booster Fun: One”

April 22, 2021 bife com parmesão – noun : Parmesan center cut steak; better than pineapple (or any other fruit) Do you eat at your favorite restaurant because they have that one meal that’s just…so…good, and you get that same amazing dish at every visit? Or do you adore your favorite restaurant because everything you’veContinue reading “Strixhaven is Better than Grilled Abacaxí”

April 12, 2021 limit – noun : the value that a function (or sequence) “approaches” as the input (or index) “approaches” some value; or, the sort of thing that made me hate math Mark Rosewater, head designer for Magic, has often espoused the notion that “limits breed creativity.” I’m not sure who originally came upContinue reading “A Different Sort of Limited Magic”

March 24, 2021 ex post facto – phrase (latin) : done, made, or formulated after the fact (literally: “from a thing done afterward”) It’s pure serendipity that my column looking back at my journey to rediscover the joy of Magic is post #50. When I wrote about my Innistrad packs and planned my three-part lookContinue reading “A Glance Back, A Look Forward”

March 4, 2021 denouement – noun : the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved Unsurprisingly, my last article discussing my struggles with anxiety (as it pertains to Magic) has been significantly delayed due to (wait for it)…anxiety.Continue reading “Anxiety Got a Hold On Me”

February 15, 2021 caveat venditor – phrase [latin] : let the seller beware As established in my last post, I don’t see opening my original Innistrad packs as a legitimate option. The sealed packs themselves are fairly valuable, and yet likely contain little to nothing to make opening them a worthwhile endeavor. So what toContinue reading “Non-Seller’s Remorse”

February 5, 2021 saudade – noun : a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone that one cares for and/or loves It’s a rather simple thought experiment that I run on occasion (and then regret revisiting): what do I do with my 28 unopened booster packs ofContinue reading “The Grand UnOpening”

January 22, 2021 exordium – noun : the beginning or introductory part, especially of a discourse or treatise Yo, check this out: This is not a random picture yoinked off the internet and posted here. This is a photo of my own, personal booster box. Twenty-eight packs of OG Innistrad, from a sealed box IContinue reading “Innistrad as Preamble”

January 13, 2021 cathexis – noun : the concentration of mental energy on one particular person, idea, or object (especially to an unhealthy degree) That it took me so long to post for the first time in 2021 is…regrettable. One of my goals for 2021 was to write a bit more frequently – weekly, inContinue reading “A Post About the Post I Was Going to Post But Didn’t Post Because I Didn’t Finish That Post and Had to Post This Instead Just to Post Something So Everyone Would Know I’m Still Going to Post”