A pretty decent day! I think I was more nervous about the election than I liked to admit, because once it was said and done I felt a lot less tense than I'd been feeling lately. Anyway, I was pretty productive at work today, then I went to the gym and ran for 20 minutes and walked for about 20 more. I stopped at Half Price Books first and bought this book called "Win at Pac-Man," co-authored by Ernest Zavisca, Ph.D. and Gary Beltowski, and published in 1982. An excerpt:

"Speed and timing cannot be overemphasized as crucial requirements for the success of these patterns. A slight delay when rounding a corner could throw off the rest of the pattern for the board. If it appears that you are having trouble while following the exact pattern, then you probably need more practice rounding corners. Cut them as sharp as you possibly can. Remember: Practice is the key to success."

OMG PAC-MAN IS SRS BIZ. :-[

Anyway, I usually play Pac-Man Plus on M.A.M.E., just 'cuz it's a bit more random and entertaining, but I think I'll digest this book and then fire up the original. Nothing like mastering Pac-Man 30 years after the fact, right? Oh also, there's a section in this book called "HOW THIS BOOK CAN HELP YOU." Um, I think that's pretty obvious? Anyway, here's a good starting tip:

"Don't Worry About the Orange Monster: The orange monster moves essentially independent of your position. He will rarely intentionally corner you, even if you are in a potentially vulnerable position."

This is truefax. Once you realize this, your score should just about double. In my (fairly extensive, clearly) experience he'll actually turn away from you more often than not.

So anyway, good night, and good luck.