This week will forever be known as “that week when Alex made back to back Don’t Starve strips.”

IT HAS BEEN DECREED.

Though I’ve had severely limited exposure to Don’t Starve (I played roughly for 45 minutes on Jackie’s computer), I’m still a big fan of the game.  It’s simple, fun, has a neat art style that fits its subject matter…

…it’s a good game.

On the other hand, the method by which you learn recipes for tools and crafts is a bit weird.  The moment I was dropped into the forest, I started thinking about what survival tools would most come in handy.  I had heard that there was a crafting system that allows the player to make a ton of stuff, so the moment I saw the tall grass, rope immediately came to mind.

I gathered a bunch together and…

I couldn’t make rope.  For some reason, however, I was perfectly capable of making an axe.

Not rope though, too complicated.

I vaguely remember asking Jackie about rope creation, and was told that you needed to build a science machine first.

Building a science machine requires gold.

Before learning how to make rope, you have to mine for gold.

This is just a minor nitpick of mine, but that really seems out of order.

You know what else is out of order?  Waiting on hold while trying to get in touch with a big company!  Recent history might lead you to believe that I’m about to tell yet another Lenovo story.  While that adventure is still ongoing, this time I’m talking about a health insurance company.

I dialed them on Wednesday and after a short phone tree, was put in a queue.  Some clinically inoffensive music played, and every couple of minutes, I’d hear the following message:

“We appreciate your patience, all lines are still in use.  Please stay on the line and your call will be answered in the order in which it was received.”

I must have listened to that message quite a lot, here’s a screen cap of the phone call taken afterwards:

 

273 Minutes and 7 Seconds.

Two Hundred Seventy Three Minutes and Seven Seconds.

That’s four and a half hours!

The worst part, by the way?

I didn’t even speak to anyone, I eventually gave up and hung up the phone.

This.  Week.  Rocks.