The Queue: stale cake for breakfast

I know most people love leftovers, and I’m kind of a jerk to complain about the blessings of a fully stocked fridge, but between my daughter’s birthday and Christmas I’m kind of fighting for my life. Or maybe I’m just sugar crashing after literally having cake for breakfast.

Welcome to The Queue, the daily column where you ask us questions and we’ll get back to you right after we brush our teeth. Oh, and now that you’re here you’re contractually obligated to take a cookie and a scoop of leftover broccoli casserole. I know you don’t have a plate. Hold out your hand, coward.

I just need more coffee and I’ll be alright, probably. I’ll pop a couple tylenol too, since I’m pretty sure I’m going to get a sugar headache here soon.

Aside from the Epic freebie of the day — and I’m pumped about The Outer Worlds — I haven’t purchased anything yet. Given how the holiday sales generally work, I figured I’d purchase in this weirdo week leading up to New Years’ instead of stressing about it before Christmas. And of course, I just purchased (and heartily recommend!) House Flipper 2, so maybe that counts.

In case you’re unfamiliar with my Steam wishlisting habits, I don’t use it as an actual wishlist, which has confused and confounded my husband in the past. “But it’s on your wishlist!” “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I actually want it!” I use it as a way to keep an eye on anything that might strike my fleeting fancy. I have things wishlisted that I own on other platforms, just because I want to keep an eye on the title, or the price history, or any other number of things. As a result, I have an absolutely egregious amount of things at both deep discounts, and available for a couple bucks, perfect for a little spending spree.

The bigger ticket item I have my eye on right now is Red Dead Redemption 2, at 67% off, $19.79 which I really do need to play at some point. It’s still a little expensive, but this is the cheapest it’s ever been on sale, so it seems like the time. Horizon Zero Dawn is also $12.49, 75% off, so I may grab that. I do have a handful of very inexpensive games I’ll probably throw in last minute. I’m talking like, Swag and Sorcery, currently $2.59, or Detective Grimoire, $1.39. I’ll almost always throw in a few of those.

This may be kind of a bah humbug but I’m kinda loving the Hearthstone events. Decorating the town square and going on zany adventures to save legally distinct Santa is a fun and cherished tradition, and I do enjoy getting to dress up my Overwatch Heroes in their costumes and such. But all that comes with a sense of FOMO, for the modes, for the zany adventures, for the costumes and sprays and whatever else, and also it adds an extra layer of chores to my already too busy MMO life.

For Hearthstone, all you have to do is play the game how you normally do and you get a little holiday stuff. That’s it. End of holiday involvement. It’s festive, and I personally have equipped my card back and bartender from holidays past, but it’s also low effort, and man am I already overtaxed on doing actual real holiday stuff — even if it is just hearthing to my Garrison so I can portal to Ashran so I can portal to Stormwind so I can portal to Ironforge.

My sweet, lovely children going back to school.

I know that’s a trite answer, but I had surgery on the first, then I got sick with a fever, and then everyone else in my house got sick, and then school break started. My daughter’s been out of school for almost two weeks already. I am more than eager to hit the ground running. I’ll still wait to take the tree down until after Three Kings Day, though.