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Stephanie Smith

@biffybeans.bsky.social

1.1K followers 190 following 1.1K posts

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

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 1d

I’m up to 55k views on the TedX Talk I gave a while ago. Whee! Truth be told, this wasn’t exactly the talk I wanted to give. It didn’t really need to lean into spirituality but that’s more who I was at the time, and how the talk was subsequently developed under the guidance of the mentoring team.

Image is a screenshot of the author while giving a TEDx Talk entitled “Art as a Spiritual Practice: What I learned from making 10,000 mandalas”

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 30m

Thank you for responding 🙂

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 10h

Oh yay! I’m not invisible! And thanks!

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 12h

I didn’t think BlueSky did algorithms but my last post (Re: TEDx) got ZERO engagement from any of my followers. While I don’t care if people lack interest in my posts, I do NOT appreciate having my content restricted from view. If anyone has any insight, please fill me in- this wasn’t the 1st time.

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 1d

🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 This.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 1d

Link if anyone would like to watch it: youtu.be/Wbs0UmtNTmk?...

Art as a Spiritual Practice | Stephanie Smith | TEDxLehighRiver

YouTube video by TEDx Talks

youtu.be

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 1d

I’m not usually one to expand on past creative projects- I’m always moving in new directions. But I still often feel like I want to revisit this b/c I really just wanted to give people permission to create regardless of skill.

One day I’ll get that revised message out to the world.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 1d

Also, linear communication is extremely difficult for me. I’m so much better speaking off the cuff, but I didn’t trust myself to not meander within a format restrictive of both time & topic. So this was my best under the 8 week time constraint I had from conception to the delivery of this talk.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 1d

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 2d

I’m really glad for you Liz, you deserve it all. Putting yourself out there to continuously talk about things you feel strongly about takes great courage, determination, focus, and stamina. You’ve greatly impacted the hobby and continue to do so. You are an inspiration. 💜

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 6d

@sebastianbae.bsky.social @djackthompson.bsky.social @danbullock.bsky.social @amabel.bsky.social @jasondcmatthews.bsky.social

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 6d

Question f/ historical game designers: While striving f/ accuracy, what are some good rules to follow when condensing a timeline? Or when making any type of editorial decisions about history to make a game more playable? @colewehrle.bsky.social @writegameread.bsky.social @volko.bsky.social

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 6d

Hang in there. You’ve got this.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 6d

Stopped by my local library today to renew my card and visited all my old games that I donated a couple years ago. Awesome to see their game selection continuing to grow.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 6d

Thank you! And to you as well!

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 7d

I just watched Jim Jarmusch’s Dead Man for the first time via The Criterion Channel. I absolutely loved it.

a black and white photo of a man 's face with the caption johnny depp gifs

ALT: a black and white photo of a man 's face with the caption johnny depp gifs

media.tenor.com

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 8d

I thought this was from an app. Did you scan it in?

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 8d

I believe art is successful when it evokes an emotion. Any emotion.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 8d

Yes! Can you even imagine if movies were judged solely on whether or not they were fun???

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 8d

Yes!

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 8d

Love Uno! But my brain won’t let me play it without the words! Grateful they made a zillion copies and that eBay exists.

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 8d

Games are a form of art. Art succeeds when it makes you feel something. Art can evoke joy, rage, curiosity… Game designers don’t always intend a “fun” gaming experience, so using it as a metric for critique can be short sighted & unhelpful in getting a game into the hands of who will most enjoy it.

Dan Thurot @danthurot.bsky.social · 9d

For today's article, I'm just griping about why "fun" is a bad word for critics. spacebiff.com/2025/09/30/a...

Anti-Fun

There’s one word I try to never use when writing about board games. The F-word. No, not that one. “Fun.” There it is. My critical curse word. Today I want to talk about why “fun” isn’t an especiall…

spacebiff.com

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 9d

🤣

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11d

Yesterday I learned Tiny Towns on BGA (solo) and really liked it- maybe even enough to buy a copy.

Then today, I learned how to play Welcome to the Moon (solo) and liked it- considering how picky I am with Roll/Flip and Write games.

Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11d

I LOVE the COIN system developed by Volko Ruhnke. My fav’s would be Cuba Libre, Colonial Twilight, and Fire in the Lake. Outside of COIN, Pax Pamir 2e by Cole Wherle is fantastic.

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Stephanie Smith @biffybeans.bsky.social · 11d

That would have been 100% up my alley. I wonder if my elementary school or local library had it back then.