I'm satisfied with the cheap $12 replica of the One Ring that I got at the Lord of the Rings Exhibition yesterday. Tomorrow's the last day, so I should have expected a crowd. Particularly on a public holiday. Perhaps I should've gone this evening (Open till Midnight!). Then maybe I wouldn't have to bump against parents with irascible kids in tow, find ways around bored girlfriends listening patiently to their boyfriends rationalise Middle-Earth and generally tolerate the bustling throng of humanity crowded into a small space.

It was great seeing all the cool weapons. I continue to be immensely impressed by the sheer amount of detail on the costumes, armor and weapons. Detail is all. The little things count.

Proceeded to Toa Payoh to visit a gaming store tucked away in a little corner of Toa Payoh Central, nestled within an agglutination of HDB flats. I wasn't expecting much, but it really was a hole-in-the-wall kind of shop. No air-conditioning, with enough room inside for one table only.

Considering that L5R is a fairly niche market compared to the slavering hordes that play Magic, WWF Raw and whatever card game is being marketed on Saturday morning cartoons, to hear that a new shop in firm HDB heartlander territory was selling and *gasp* successfully introducing the game to others was more than enough to pique my curiosity (which, admittedly, is an easy enough thing to do).

Went to join Justin for the SFS screening of Young Adam in the evening. I liked the movie better after sleeping on it. Other than the languid pace and some slight suspension of disbelief, I can't really think of anything to criticise. Script, most of the acting, editing and camerawork all very good. It's just that I don't particularly enjoy films about an aimless, amoral character who cannot or will not commit to anything in his life.

Here, the Sight and Sound review does a better job.