The holidays are always stressful for me. There’s gifts to buy, cookies to bake, and I’m writing a novel on top of it all. Not a COG, just a boring (joke) old novel with a predetermined ending. At leas I can look forward to family visiting on Christmas. And Pon Para and the Unconquerable Scorpion coming out December 17th, that’s something to look Forward to.
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Hey! Thanks, I am nothing special. I try to help others. You are excellent as well. Everyone that writes and end a project should be happy and feel proud. All forums should join together and play, testing and writing like a family. Not only in this holiday season all year!
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Thanks so much @MahatmaDagon! I was glad to see Highlands be published it’s a great game 
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My wife took me on a really cute date yesterday! We went to a winter festival and window-shopped through all the various booths. Bought a lot of yummy scented candles. It was fun to watch the ice skaters go around this enormous tree. We live in Pittsburgh, so of course there was also a giant inflatable pickle, haha 
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I apparently don’t know enough about Pittsburgh, because I fail to see how “of course” would ever be a natural response to a giant inflatable pickle. 
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Hahaha, oh man, apologies, I’ve been in the city too long. Pittsburgh is where a man named Henry Heinz really got his foodstuffs business going in 1876. His first big hit food was the pickle, which came in clear bottles, instead of the (at the time) usual green bottles. Customers could see the condition of the pickles before they bought them. His company, HJ Heinz Company, is also known in the USA for their ketchup, mustard, and other condiments. Fast forward to today, and Pittsburgh has giant inflatable pickles (they actually drove one through the city to cheer everyone up during lockdown) and a Picklesburgh festival in the summer. Like, any sort of decoration you can think of can be found pickle-shaped. My wife really took one for the team when she ate pickle-flavored fudge. She gave it 3 out of 5 stars 
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That’s fascinating! I’m definitely familiar with Heinz - there’s a bottle of their ketchup in my kitchen right now - but I didn’t know much of the history, and I certainly didn’t know about Pittsburgh’s legacy of giant inflatable pickles, which is absolutely delightful and has me wanting to visit. Plus, I think pickle fudge just displaced the Gilroy Garlic Festival’s signature ice cream from the top of my personal list of things that sound absolutely disgusting but I nevertheless know I would regret passing up a chance to try.
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“57 Varieties” (of pickles) was and remains the Heinz company catchphrase. Why 57? Because 57 sounded like a cool number.
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Which makes a custom-labeled bottle of ketchup the perfect 57th birthday gift, especially for someone who loves ketchup. And yes, the Heinz website does allow you to purchase a single bottle with a custom label.
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Yeah, I didn’t know about the Pittsburgh-Heinz connection before moving here! I was being a space cadet assuming. I don’t like pickles, so to me you are a brave, brave soul. I do want to go to the Gilroy Garlic Festival one day! You can really smell it a mile away: my family drove past one hot summer to visit relatives, but had no time to stop.
@will yeah! That’s the story I heard! Like he was counting all his products and stopped at 57 because it sounded cool. Downtown Pittsburgh has a history museum that focuses on local history, and they have a permanent exhibit about Heinz. Ya gotta take all the info with a grain of salt because Heinz sponsered the museum, to the point there’s a huge neon ketchup bottle attached to it, but it’s a fun visit nonetheless.
EDIT: Wife would like to add, it’s MOVING neon light ketchup bottle, which forever pours ketchup all over the Pitt. Tasty!
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Giant inflatable pickles and huge neon ketchup bottles? I definitely need to see this someday.
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Sounds like this needs to be a Vampire: the Masquerade setting. “Podunk by Night.”
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A giant inflatable pickle needs to figure prominently in the climax.
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I love this! I want to take the time to appreciate @Elena_H 
not only because her story rules, but the way she always takes the time to answer questions and/or acknowledge comments in such a kind and upbeat manner, goes above and beyond. (I could say the same thing about @Gower as well!)
Also, working with @Seraphinite is always delightful…even when I shoot her random questions throughout the year when I am not testing her lovely games, totally unrelated to WHC - rather than being annoyed, she answers back as amusing and pleasant as ever.
This is fun…oh and @Jay_Tarrant always seems super helpful and patient with everyone on the forums, and does not get enough credit for how awesome she is. ☆
Happy Holidays!!! Xoxox
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Aww, this is such a wonderful thread you’ve got going here!
So, what am I excited for in the coming weeks and the new year. Well after five years, I have finished my undergraduate degree and have my graduation ceremony in a couple of weeks. I am also making semi-decent money now that I have a job and the first thing I am saving up for is a flight to Ireland to see my girlfriend 
I don’t know when exactly I’ll be able to, but each day is one day closer.
And people I appreciate on the forum. I have to say that the moderators do a great job, so thanks to them for everything that they do. But I have to give a huge shout-out and thanks to @Jender because if there is one person I can think of that represents everything great about the CoG community, it is her 
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Thankful for whoever made Choice of the Dragon. I wouldn’t have gotten into choice games without them. Since then, these games have been a huge part of my life and they make me happy.
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Now there’s something I think literally everyone here can agree about!
Their names are Dan Fabulich and Adam Strong-Morse, by the way. 
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I am completely out of the loop as to what’s going on, but I shall inquire no further and do my own research. I always like to look at the best things that happen in life first and everything else second, so for that I am more than happy. 
I don’t celebrate thanksgiving, but I do celebrate gratitude, kindness, gifts, and the cheer of being close to loved ones. I’d just like to take the time to remind everyone to take it easy, on yourself, and those around you. And most importantly, to be kind and considerate to one another.
It’s obvious that the years hasn’t always been kind to everyone and there’s been moments where it hurts to just think about it, but there’s no better time to remember that you must take time to take good care of yourself, and remember that you are most responsible for your own health. Take a rest and bandage any wounds you may have, and drink some water (Last one is very important).
Be considerate to one another. There’s not much I can say besides simply asking people to be kind to one another. It’s a simple request, but never the simplest thing to do, and people so very easily forget that they’re talking to another human being.
There’s not much in the way of a second home out there in the stars, at least not right now. All we have right now, is this pale blue dot, suspended in a sunbeam, our home… Anyone who’s shared anything with a roommate knows how hard it is for one human to live with one another. But anyone who’s had the pleasure of a loving family, best friend, spouse, or a good relationship, knows that it is possible for us humans to live together.
So stay safe, take it easy, on yourself and everyone else. Much love
Oh, and I am most grateful for hot cocoa… and every individual in this community, no matter what, especially the authors, and the testers. Cheers 
(I know it’s coffee, but imagine it’s hot cocoa.)
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Hi everyone!
I just want to share some of our Christmas atmosphere with all of you! We are looking forward to celebrating together with all our family!
The small girl you see there is my sweet little daughter Gloria. She is the most enthusiastic about Christmas!
If you happen to be in Italy come visit us and be our guests! Let’s share love 
and happiness 
.
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Buon Natale, Gloria! 
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