by Johnny Cycles, February 2nd, 2026
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Week 2 of schools remaining closed due to ice on the roads sees my kids at home doing asynchronous learning, which is just a fancy way of saying I’m supposed to teach them using some material they brought home before the storm. My 9-year-old is currently making his case to me for why he should be able to finish the work later today. And this is just another way of postponing the inevitable battle that will ensue over his assignment.
All of this is to say that it’s hard to predict just how much time I’ll have to work this week, particularly as the forecast is saying more snow and ice are on the way Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, there are two things I’d like to get to this month. First, is Aristocrat Goblins 3.0. With the suggestions of one viewer in particular, I have some ideas for the direction to take the deck that I’m excited to try out.
The second card I want to play is Moonshadow, my pick for top Modern card from Lorwyn Eclipsed. There are a number of ways to abuse this card, first of which is Psychic Frog. Of course, I’m not sure this meets my jank requirements, but we’ll see. Another way is with a deck I played against with Goblin Aristocrats. I haven’t posted that video yet, but the author of the deck shared their decklist with me.
And boy, let me tell you…IT. IS. AWESOME.
I’m hoping to get to that deck by next week. As to the schedule below, everything is somewhat tentative, due to the weather. Thank you for your understanding.
Schedule
February 6th – Keeping Modern Janky – Aristocrat Goblins 3.0
February 13th – Keeping Modern Janky – Moonshadow and Friends
February 20th – Commander – TBD – either Boros Trigger Copy with Kirol, Attentive First-Year, or Jeskai Spellslinger with Narset, Enlightened Exile
February 27th – Off
The Usual Blurb
My goal is to publish an article between Wednesday and Friday every week. I am a stay-at-home dad of three with a part-time job, though, so there may be weeks that life gets in the way. Whenever possible, I’ll publish articles and videos when they’re ready. Published articles with edited game play are pretty time-intensive, hence the once-a-week-schedule. However, I’ll publish videos of unedited practice matches to my YouTube channel when I can and when it makes sense. Be sure to check there if you’re looking for a match but it isn’t yet on the site.
If there is a topic you want me to write about, a deck you want me to try out, or if you want less of one thing and more of another, let me know in the comments or email me: johnnycycles16@gmail.com. If you enjoy the site, please let your friends know via word of mouth or social media or messenger pigeon, if that’s your preference. This is a relatively new site that needs all the clicks it can get!
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About Me
I’m a former Russian literature professor who specialized in 19th-century Russian literature. I love Dostoevsky more than Tolstoy, but both will change your life. I’m currently a stay-at-home dad of three with a part-time job. I love fantasy fiction, mysteries, and horror movies. If you’re surprised at the length of my articles, hopefully my history as an academic plus my love of fantasy help explain it…
Thanks for reading! I look forward to reading your comments on my articles, Russian literature, or the best fantasy series ever written (Tolkien, Jordan, Sanderson?).
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