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Stephanie Smith

@biffybeans.bsky.social
1.2K followers 200 following 1.3K posts

Writer / Visual Artist. Solo board / historical game enthusiast & designer - 2024 Zenobia Award semifinalist. TEDx Speaker. Amateur genealogist. Late dx Autistic/AuDHD

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
I simply cannot watch videos anymore with the constant zooming in and out for emphasis anymore. I hate it- it's so freaking distracting.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Current Lynchian order: -Elephant Man -Blue Velvet -Mulholland Dr. -Fire Walk With Me -Lost Highway -Inland Empire -Wild at Heart -Straight Story Need to re-watch Dune & Eraserhead.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
I really liked One Battle after Another but The Smashing Machine, not so much.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
I just re-watched Boogie Nights for the first time in many many many years and cannot believe what an absolute freaking masterpiece this film is. To me, this is Goodfellas level of excellence.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
100% the most life affirming book I’ve ever read.
Photo shows a copy of the book Room to Dream by David Lynch and Kristine McKenna atop a flowery fabric background.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
I loved Kinds of Kindness. Could have watched a dozen more shorts with the same actors.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
I’m not enjoying the 2nd part of Dune.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Why hasn’t anyone ever made a truly excellent movie about Studio 54?
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
Rewatched The Favourite. Loved it again as much as the first time. All three actresses are excellent in it but Olivia Coleman is 🔥 Also watched Kinds of Kindness this week and really enjoyed it. (More than Bugonia- which might need a 2nd viewing) Love Yorgos.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Sadly, House of the Devil did not hold up to a 2nd viewing.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 14/02/2026
Played this in the 70s, bought it off EBay a few years ago f/ my birthday. It makes me laugh when the ball rolls back down. What are your thoughts on dexterity games? Do you have any that you enjoy playing solo? Are vintage dexterity more or less fun than modern ones?
Green box with the words “Alley-Up” in white capital letters. Image on box shows a blue dexterity game where you have to try and roll a marble back and forth to climb to the top of an inclined plastic tray. It has a date of 1971 on the box. Made by Hasbro
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Quote with five jobs you’ve had: Studio Artist Blogger Yoga instructor Percussionist Technical Writer
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
This is wonderful. A recommended watch. PS: I definitely remember a version of those pop up spring toys that Rene invented.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Introduce yourself with (just) 5 concerts you’ve seen, no jam bands Metallica 5x (once w / Cliff) Megadeth Anthrax Slayer Testament I saw a LOT of concerts in the mid-late 80s. So much thrash. It was a great time for music.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Ham, beans, and potatoes. Been eating this since I was a kid.
A low purple bowl sits on a blue tablecloth. The bowl is filled with ham, green beans and cut potatoes with a folded piece of buttered bread rested on the side. The handle of a vintage Silco Empire spoon juts out from the side. A tablet sits on the table with Jimmy Fallon, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon on the screen.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11/01/2026
LET’S GO BUFFALO!!!
media.tenor.com
a football player with the number 17 on his jersey stands on the field
ALT: a football player with the number 17 on his jersey stands on the field
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
I watched “What’s Up Doc?” for the first time in decades. Loved it. Held up really well. #filmsky
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
I watched & rewatched more movies in 2025 than I have in decades. Film o’ the year: Dead Man. Other favs: Stranger than Paradise, Beau is Afraid, Licorice Pizza, Garden State, Vast of Night, Frankenstein, Margot at the Wedding, Klute, Wanda, Slacker, Mallrats, Mulholland Dr, The Bikeriders #filmsky
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
Yay for the holidays being over.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
My birthday is today. It’s always been weird to try & celebrate a BD while the majority of the world is celebrating the coming of the New Year. A BD on the last day of the year always seems to make me reflect in ways where I place too much emphasis on what I did or did not accomplish this year.
media.tenor.com
a black and white photo of johnny depp wearing a top hat and fur coat
Alt: a black and white gif of johnny depp wearing a top hat and fur coat from the movie Dead Man
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
My Dec. 2021 after becoming a #sologamer during the Pandemic. I’ve since purged at least half of these. Love: Palm Island, Star Realms Frontiers, Friday, DSD6 & The Game. Like: Architects, Maquis, Desolate, Aerion, Gate, & Death Angel. Lots of PNP games here as well.
Image shows three pyramid shaped stacks of small box board games intended to look like Christmas tree shapes with a string of Christmas lights wrapped around each stack. There is also a stack of playing cards and small tin games, a bowl filled with blue dice, a dice rolling tray, additional dice and game pieces scattered around the piles

I
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
2004 was the last time I was in California so this bookmark is somewhere between 21-24 years old. Am using it to hold my place in “Room to Dream” #booksky
Image shows a black and white bookmark for a now defunct indie bookstore in Santa Monica California called Midnight Special.
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Reposted by Stephanie Smith
Amabel Holland @amabel.bsky.social · 29/12/2025
City of Six Moons isn't for everyone; many folks are frustrated by the ambiguities present in the "puzzle" to center it as a cultural & anthropological fiction-object, and I get that, hate away But man, I wish my haters wouldn't say it's a scam. Everything I do in life & art is earnest & sincere
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 28/12/2025
Holiday gift of this worker placement game to myself f/ solo play. Just finished 1st game- made a few mistakes but I like it! Love me some small box games. Solo is very simple to run. #soloboardgamer
Image shows a hand holding the box of board game called propolis.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
I am typically a voracious reader of fiction but this book took me over a year to finish. It was one of the most difficult books I’ve ever read because the difference between it and the movie kept tangling my brain. (The book is told from Chief’s perspective.) Both movie & book are A+.
Image is of Ken Kesey’s book “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” The cover of the book is colorful- bright green, yellow, pink, and orange and the book is sitting on a wooden shelf.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 15/12/2025
iOS 26 is just so awful. It feels like a joke. Its whole tone is disharmonious. Its as if they showed it to absolutely no one before releasing it. I guess that’s one way to get me to reduce screen time.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
I thought there weren’t supposed to be algorithms on Bluesky? The lack of engagement is sad. Or is it that no one is using this site?
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
This is such a lonely time of year. Everyone is so busy.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Been working on the Polish branch of my family tree the last few months (found 3rd, 4th & 5th GGPs!) and discovered the holiday tradition of paper cut snowflakes- which I used to make w/ my mom when I was little. Look up Wycinanki paper cutting to see more traditional colorful & symmetrical designs.
Image shows 3 unique radially symmetrical cut paper snowflakes  each approximately 7” in diameter lying on top of a well used grey Alvin brand cutting mat. One snowflake lays on the upper middle half of the mat with the other two in the lower half-  one in the lower left corner and the other in the lower right. 

The snowflakes each started as an 8.5x11” piece of copy paper which was then cut down to 8.5x8.5”. They were then folded into triangles (I had to look up a YouTube tutorial to understand how to fold and cut the paper so the snowflakes would turn out roundish instead of square.) then cut with scissors to create random designs. (As opposed to following a pattern) 

Because the paper is folded before being cut and this photo was taken shortly after unfolding the cut paper, none of the snowflakes are fully flattened.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
media.tenor.com
a man in a tuxedo says classy i suppose ..
Alt: A grey haired man (actor David Niven) in a tuxedo says “classy, I suppose ..” in a scene from the comedy/mystery movie Murder by Death.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Just finished watching Once Upon a Time in America f/ the 1st time since I rented it on VHS a hundred years ago- though I’m not sure I ever saw the 2nd half. Loved the 1st half. Strongly disliked the 2nd half. Breathtaking cinematography throughout. Hated Noodles. 2 🍇 scenes??? #filmsky
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
This was a rough read. Took me way longer than it should have to finish it. I’m glad he finally got sober.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Stellarion is a sad no f/ me. Love the art & the idea of gameplay but the symbols make my head swim + some actions are unintuitive. Rulebook text is hard to see against the background art. I’m 1 for 3 w/ Oniverse games. Still have Aerion but passed on Nautilion. Which Oniverse games do you like?
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Anyone else enjoy making game components with no real intention to design a finished game? I imagined these were the remains of a lost civilization & had a blast trying to figure out how to play it. This painting is mine, as are all the hand carved stamps used to create the game pieces. ✂️🎲
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
I’m curious what my wargamer/historical gamer friends think of The Anarchy by Garphill Games.
youtu.be
The Anarchy in about 3 minutes
YouTube video by 3 Minute Board Games
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
I am thrilled about this! I loved watching Vine videos. I was really sad when the whole thing just got nuked.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
I loved it. Jacob Elordi played the best Monster. 😭 like a baby. It will surely win awards. 🍁
Jacob Elordi as the Frankenstein monster.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
💙
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
I’ve always been a voracious reader, so why has it taken me a year to read half of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? It’s an excellent book- so why can’t I get through more than a few pages at a time? My best guess is b/c it’s so different to experience the story through Chief’s eyes. More to absorb?
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Watched Casino tonight f/ the 1st time in many years (on Prime) & things were changed/edited from the original version which was a total turn off. Having ditched almost all of my physical media ages ago, maybe I finally get why some people have held onto theirs.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Why is Amazon using UPS to deliver books in plastic bubble mailer bags? There was no question that my copy of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island would be damaged once I opened it. (It was) 😔
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 25/10/2025
Played Finspan f/ the 1st time today- played solo w/out the Nautoma b/c I wasn’t interested in it. Instead, I just played BYOS, scoring -2 per card w/ the group icon per one of the designers. I’m a big fan of explicit rulesets & while I thought this one was pretty good, I still found a 🧵🪡
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
Question f/ Solo Board Gamers: Do you prefer playing games strictly designed f/ solo play, or multiplayer games w/ an option to play solo? If the latter, do you prefer automa/bots, or BYOS games like Glass Road/Nusfjord/Odin when soloed? Lastly, do you ever solo MP games multi-handed?
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
All of this. #MeToo It’s been 3.5 years since my diagnosis and I’m nowhere close to finding my place in the world b/c there really isn’t support here for people on my part of the spectrum. Best I can do is try hard to find like minded people to converse with to help me feel less alone.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 20/10/2025
So I understand whether or not they’re right for me? Mechanically, thematically, visually, etc., b/c I don’t like wasting money. I wish more reviewers would talk about simplicity or complexity re: a game’s visual design and how it might enhance or hinder play.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 19/10/2025
Question for all gamers but especially historic game players and designers. What are some of your go-to simple yet strong, quick solo or two player games that you can play on repeat b/c it’s just so good. I’m thinking playtime in the 5-15 minute range, tops. Quick set up, preferably small Box.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
I went to Target to buy myself a present after doing a difficult thing & this was staring me in the face so I bought it. 25% off & a $15 gift card = 😁. I intent to play solo without the bot- just beat your own high score. I’m pretty sure there’s a way to do that just by removing some of the cards.
Photo is of the game Finspan
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
😭 Paid $596 today for a pair of plumbers to resolve a badly clogged drain between our kitchen and bathroom sink.
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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
Made this some 20 years ago during my metalsmithing phase. Sawn/stamped/domed sterling sheet with a wire wrapped natural ruby. I’d primarily worked with cold connections as opposed to using a torch.
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