Wil, I hope you've seen the recently created Geeklist on BGG made in your honor: http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/142129/item/2141989?commentid=2949945#comment2949945

Thanks for reading, and for the comment! There are so many different menu items at yakitori shops, it's hard to know what you're getting sometimes, especially if you order a platter or moriawase set. If you find something that you particularly like, I suggest asking the cook what it is, and making a note of it. A lot of the terminology can be difficult, so you may have to look it up later, but at least you can keep track of the different chicken parts you like.

The site looks fantastic Mr. Katz. I'm looking forward to seeing how it evolves going forward. Let me know if you need a correspondent here in Japan!

Check out this site for a quick tutorial on how to use HTML tags. I had to look it up myself before I posted! http://classweb.gmu.edu/tec/webpage/html/links.html And I definitely recommend Castle Panic, especially if you have some friends and/or kids who you'd like to introduce to gaming!

While Castle Panic isn't as involved or as deep as the other games on your list, it's definitely a fun party game, and a GREAT way to introduce people to gaming. Many of my friends who never would've have thought of dropping their video game controllers for some dice and cards have done just that because of the fast and furious play of Castle Panic. As I said, it's been a great gateway game for everyone, myself included. Now, my wife and I spend several hours every week playing Pandemic when our little one is asleep. It's a great way to recover much-needed HPs! I'm already getting giddy about adding Small World to our gaming library next... PS -- I saw you post that everyone plays open-handed in Pandemic. Technically, the rules state that although you can talk about your hands freely with other players, you should keep the cards closed. I think this is meant to spur discussion and prevent an alpha-gamer from controlling everything.

Thanks for the great list Wil! I have to admit, you inadvertently knocked me, my family, and friends into the board gaming world with your tweet on Castle Panic (another cool, if light, co-op game) a few months ago. In the few months since then, my wife, friends, and coworkers have become boardgame geeks, meeting up several times weekly to play. We're currently enthralled with Pandemic. What a fantastic game. I was also pondering Small World as my next purchase, and your review has pretty much clinched that. Anyway, my friends and I salute you! Every time we sit down for a gaming session, we say "If not for Wil Wheaton, we wouldn't be about to get our geeks on!"