Year 9 of my 5-10 Year Plan for Overnight Success
Well, 2021 was a year. Frankly, it was not the year I (or anyone else, safe to say) was expecting, and if I’d bought 2021 at a store, I’d be looking seriously at their return/exchange policy. However, that’s behind us. 2022 is here, and with it comes an update to be...
Is stubbornness a virtue?
Sometimes an idea is vast and complicated, sometimes it’s not. And often, that’s the problem keeping a concept from getting off the ground. There’s not enough to carry a story. That’s the main issue with today’s refuse from the scrapheap.Stubborn Shields: 300-inspired...
Tired of Good Always Winning?
Boss Monster is a game where you are the evil ruler of a stereotypical fantasy dungeon. You preside over a lair composed of cards you play, each equal parts deadly and alluring. Because like any good dungeon, yours is filled with treasures to lure greedy...
Real estate without the “Real”
Back in 2019 (in the "Before" time), fed up with losing 5 months of the year to cold weather and snow, my wife and I decided to move cross country in search of warmer climes. As anyone who’s familiar with the process can tell you, this involves two key steps.Finding a...
One Pill, Two Pill, Red Pill, Blue Pill
Well, with the new Matrix movie out (no spoilers at all, perfectly safe to continue), it’s time to revisit the red pill, blue pill debate.I’m going to consider it safe to talk about an aspect of the original, 22-year-old The Matrix here without ruining it for anyone....
Hear the Drums, Fear the Game
If you know Jumanji, you probably get chills just reading that drum beat. For those who don’t, Jumanji is a 1995 comedic adventure movie starring Robin Williams that was continued in 2017 and 2020 with a pair of sequels starring (among others) Dwayne Johnson. The...
Soldiers on Ice
Sometimes ideas come to us at the weirdest times. The middle of the night is all too common. In my house, we refer to a shower as "Brain Rain" for a reason. And plenty of times, I’ll be driving and ask my wife to text me a reminder of something that just popped into...
The Only Fun Pandemics
The two classic responses to crises are avoidance and action. If you don’t want to hear any more about rampant diseases and what to do about them, just close this email and go on about your day. However, if you feel like kicking some viral ass might brighten your...
In a Few Years, This Will Feel Normal
Once upon a time, there were games you played with rocks on a table. Then carved pieces on a table. Eventually, people developed little cardboard mats that allowed games to be played without having to carve up a whole new table for each. More recently, games ditched...
Choose Your Own Fantasy Race
After magic, the most defining feature of fantasy fiction is the inclusion of non-human races. While you CAN have a fantasy without them, the examples are few and far between. Most commonly, there are thinking, feeling creatures with societies of their own that aren’t...