But let's back up for a minute.

My go-to pen has, for quite some time, been the Sanford Uni-Ball Deluxe 0.5 mm.

On a recent trip to Staples I couldn't find a box of the Uni-Ball Deluxe, so I picked up a box of the Uni-Ball Grip. Same tip, different barrel.

I posted this photo of said Uni-Ball Grip pen and the blank pages of a new Moleskine notebook. It was later favorited by the proprietor of The Pen Addict.

After reading a few of the reviews on the site, I came across the Pentel Slicci 0.3 mm.

I hadn't used any pen with a tip smaller than 0.5 mm. My handwriting is pretty small, so even with the 0.5 mm Uni-Ball Deluxe, sometimes the ink would bleed too much and make my already terrible handwriting illegible, even to me. Needless to say, the idea of a smaller-tipped pen was intriguing.

So I ordered the Pentel Slicci 0.3 mm in brown from JetPens.com.

More than a week passed before I had a good opportunity to test it under "normal" conditions: Taking notes during a day-long class.

Notes written with 0.3 mm Pentel Slicci (brown ink) in a Moleskine notebook

Although my first tweet was premature, in that it was sent before I had had time to really use it, it is no less accurate. The 0.3 mm Slicci has officially overtaken the Uni-Ball Deluxe as my favorite pen.

It writes smoothly, the ink flows consistently and the tip is small enough to keep the small strokes of my handwriting from running together.

The barrel is narrow, especially compared with the Uni-Ball Grip I've been using lately. It feels awkward when picked up initially, but once I start writing I forget all about it. And that's what a good pen should do: get out of your way so you can write.

As the name suggests, the menu is entirely burger-based and supported by sides and milkshakes. There are 18 burgers to choose from; nine are traditional, beef-based and the other nine are based on alternative patties including mushroom, shrimp and lamb.

The $45 price tag on the Kobe burger immediately caught my eye, but I was unwilling to spend that kind of money for one burger. I called Mike to discuss the options and he, too, was interested in the $45 choice. I repeatedly expressed my opposition, but our conversation was interrupted before a different burger could be settled upon.

About 15 minutes later, I received $45 via PayPal with the following message: "No excuse." And so it came to pass that I ordered a $45 burger.

The burger in question.

For my side, I went with the sweet potato tots, and the liquid nitrogen-cooled Krispy Kreme milkshake rounded out the meal.

The milkshake arrived first. The liquid nitrogen caused a fog that cascaded out of the glass when it was placed on the table. It had a vaguely sci-fi appearance, but the fog dissipated too quickly to snap a photo.

Having heard about the shake prior to our visit, I had high expectations for its re-creation of the famous donut's flavor. I wasn't entirely disappointed, but I didn't find the shake as spectacular as others had. I believe I could re-create it at home using the same technique as for a pie shake (but without the fog of the LN2).

A short time later, the burger and tots arrived. Instead of the traditional barrel form, these tots were shaped like coins or thick discs. I'm not a fan of sweet potato fries, so I was nervous about the tots. My trepidation vanished when I tasted the first one. The sweet potato tots were cooked to perfection -- crispy but soft, and lightly seasoned. I could have made a meal out of them.

The main event was the $45 burger: a japanese Kobe beef patty with foie gras and truffles.

Alternate angle courtesy Thom

The idea of foie gras kind of grosses me out. Thinking about eating liver conjures memories of trying, and violently disliking, liver and onions as a child. And then there's the production method: The forced over-feeding of fowl to produce an oversized liver doesn't sit well with me.

On the other hand, I've eaten some weird food (like a tongue hot dog) and plenty of other people have eaten foie gras and lived to tell the tale. So once I put it in context and got past my initial aversions, I was able to eat freely.

The foie gras spread provided a creamy texture to the burger, which I liked, but I couldn't tell you whether or not I tasted any truffles. I probably did, but I can't identify the flavor with any specificity. And I'm not sure my palate is sensitive or developed enough to discern the difference between Kobe and "regular" beef.

The burger was very good, but not more than four times as good as a $8 to $10 burger from the corner pub. The $45 isn't just paying for a good burger with premium ingredients, though. It's paying for its own price tag. It's paying for the ability to say, "I ate a burger that costs $45." And that stays with you well after you've pushed yourself away from the table.

Even if someone else paid for it.

The inaugural season of Card/Board League competition was announced today in Decatur, Georgia. The 2009 season will consist of 10 events throughout the year, beginning with the Decatur King and Queen Invitational chess tournament on Friday, February 20. The nine remaining events will be announced as scheduling details are finalized.

Players will be awarded points based on their performance in each event throughout the season. (Players are not required to participate in every event.) The top three finishers of each event will receive commemorative medals and the top points-earner for the entire season will be awarded the coveted CBL Cup. The scoring system will be unveiled before the first event.

The official Card/Board League Web site (cardboardleague.com) is in the final stages of development but will soon feature a complete schedule of CBL 2009 events as well as the results from each tournament and overall standings.

Registration for the 2009 season is now open via the Card/Board League Web site. The league commissioner encourages card- and board-game enthusiasts of all skill levels to participate.

Please contact the commissioner with any questions or comments, and check back here for the latest updates.

Play on!

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