I found my self one-day; Staring at a new solitaire card game page on Querks.com, and the image on this authors index URL caught my eye. I had a fairly long stay at my PC browsing the Internet by this time already, and was inclined to call it a day. However, something about this image was intriguing enough, just a glance at that, to subconsciously allow my finger to resist another tap on it’s default mouse button, and stare for a moment, focus sharpening, until the image found it’s mark of logic, attaching purpose to the image in the "neural-network" of my brain. As awareness crept in, I thought-almost instinctively- "I have never seen card images displayed quite like this before." The background color of the face of the deck, which was laid out in a simple tiered rectangle with a pick pile (face down) and a discard card (face up) straggling below, was a kind of… "Cool blue" not really gradient, yet blended in a way that made me think of Winter, specifically crisp morning light following a night of heavy snow which blankets the landscape with that fluffy creamy look as the sun reflects the crystalline particles tossing about, twenty feet high or more, a scene I was familiar with known as "Cold Smoke"! Suddenly, memories of skiing at a time when every day was perfect, a year unsurpassed in my adventures, drew mental images so vivid, I almost felt I was there again.

The moment passed as suddenly as it emerged from my mind. "WOW!" I thought; "That was weird!" Now, back in my previous mundane state, I figured, "if just glancing at a .jpg image brought back such splendid memories wonder what will happen should I try the darn game." Personally, I burned out on most of this type of game back in my twenties, when a party consisted of a case of beer, a couple pizzas, and a deck of cards, oh, uh…women as well, of course.

Sorry Ladies.

So, for the next few minutes, I followed the links and downloaded the "Aces and Kings" card game, authored by the young, up and coming author, David Lenk; (and the VB runtime required), minimized my open folders, browser, and files, and sat again staring at the image displaying the games' card deck. Instinctively, I clicked on the discard pile but nothing happened. I felt like a fool, realizing that I must activate a "new" game at the Game tab (upper left) which allows a small drop down windows with three choices. 1) Game; 2) High Scores; and 3) Exit. I liked it already. No long drawn-out bar filled with enough sub-directories to merit a complete library of .hl files, just the choices most people want to find. "Start", "Who holds the record", and "get me the hell out of here". After starting the game, I felt as though I was too intelligent for such a trite, game of cards, as the first two rows of up cards disappeared with a few clicks, but then, I was stuck with three fours, and this game requires up or down play of the contingent, I got that old feeling back of how I hate to pick cards off the draw stack witch always seems so ‘ever dwindling’. But I also had plenty. Not a problem. With two cards drawn to continue movement from the upper tiers, I knocked out four more with the drop of a hat. At this point, Knowing I must draw, and having only fourteen card to empty the rack, I hesitated, uneasily forcing the draw wondering at the odds of actually clearing the board. That was the point for me, when this little game entitled "Aces and Kings" revealed it’s ugly head, and forced my ego and uncompromising will to succumb to the cat and mouse thrill of out maneuvering the sequence and reaching total supremacy by reaching and defeating the last card; hence; VICTORY!!!!!

I succeeded to whittle the upper tier down to one remaining Ace. Draw…Nothing, Draw…Nothing, and Draw…Nothing. "Two draws left damn it" I thought, this time lisping the thought into spoken words. I dread the feeling of pending defeat approaching, unrelenting, such a silent behemoth, the type of nonchalant stride such victors flaunted whilst the defeated grovel trembling, at their feet. Draw…JOKER? Cool I cleared that Ace With vengeance and Glory. "Victory Is Mine!!!" I trumpeted! I spent the next three hours on that game without such suprising results. Oh well, I will get you again tomorrow. …And for the exceptionally low price? I already own a registered version. Good night. Can’t wait to try your new games. Keep ‘em comin and a big attaboy to you O.K.?

(P.S. my score was 600 on that first game. Is that good?)

Veiwed Times!