Long time no talk, yes?

Howdy and salutations—

I’m not going to apologize because at this point regular content is somewhat of a pipe dream. I could shorten things and try and turn this into a more bite sized experience but honestly that seems like more work than it probably is. After what feels like knitting a quadrillion beer mittens, continually hosting D&D games and now moving all of my material virtual, I feel like I’ve been way too busy for what is now a super slow period of time. Also RE3 came out but I finished that so fast that honestly, it’s time to get back into this.

Some general updates and things to come:

• Posting another blog segment on map making, virtual focused (and specifically directed at those of us who prefer physical maps and translating that to digital services)

• Posting another blog segment about music during your games—what I’ve found that works and what doesn’t

• Posting another blog segment about running your sessions — what to actually care about and what not to

• Posting YET ANOTHER blog segment about getting friends to join; i.e what does a successful pitch look like for those who are unaware of what D&D even is

• A separate post detailing my first (mainly shelved) novel I wrote and it’s new, much trendier and cool brother that I’m in the process of planning

• Posting about my knitting projects thus far this year — there’s actually a lot, it may end up being mostly pictures lol

I’ve also been thinking about selling my maps and other campaign materials (none of it is really affiliated with any WotC stuff but I’ll check before I upload) as it’s entirely home-brew and some folks enjoy that. Who knows. I don’t have a major following anywhere so yolo right?

Other than that, I’ve been a busy bee this quarantine (not sick and no one I know is sick but still, better to be safe than sorry and also to help those who must be safe) between baking bread, knitting, catching up on TV and podcasts, etc. (Minor achievement: I listened to over 200 episodes of My Brother My Brother and Me last year while still clocking over 85k minutes of music on Spotify)

Some things I’ve been enjoying this year (and in last year but extra enjoying now that I have endless time to myself) have been:

• Happy City by Charles Montgomery

  • Can urban design really make people happier? Can one really learn things along the way that lead to generally happier people? Signs point to yes!

• Dungeons & Daddies (not a BDSM podcast)

  • I thought the Adventure Zone was peak comedy but holy cow, these dads have got it in spades. Plus Anthony is an amazing DM. The first episode alone gets almost everyone hooked

• Relearning how to use my Apple Pencil

  • I will probably post some pictures at some point once I make something worth showing

• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, read by Scott Brick

  • I’ve downloaded Libby this year and I’m trying to get through more books on my list via audio books. So far, loving it!! Scott does a great job bringing the people and setting to life.

• Études no.2, Phillip Glass, Reworked for Orchestra by Christian Badzura

  • I don’t normally listen past the morning show on WQXR but the one time I did, I pulled out an absolute gem, Mr. Badzura really changed this piece into something spectacular, beautifully played by Siggi String Quartet with Víkingur Ólafsson

• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

  • Worth every penny. The second people get the hang of this game, it gets buck wild and everyone can enjoy it, young and old, sober or drunk.

Anyway, that’s all I have for now. I will hope to get the next blog post up after this weekend as I have D&D tonight (VIRTUAL!) and then nothing scheduled for the indeterminate future. Maybe I’ll replay Ocarina of Time.

Toodles.

<3,

Steph

Small Break (KitKat Edition)

Does anyone even like these jokes? Probably not. Oh well, more for me.

Anyway, no Making-Of post this week—I actually have to work on some D&D maps, some puzzles, my horrendous outstanding reading list and a few knitting projects.

Oh, and Iʼm going to be out of the state for a work conference and a quick visit to my little brother this week. That happening too.

Otherwise, in terms of what Iʼve been up to has been sketching, reading, working on some giant, really cool projects for work and thinking about switching jobs. Itʼs that kind of month.

Often, the idea of fall is that itʼs a time of change and more commonly a time for death. Which it is easy to see how that association starts, Halloween, decaying flora and fauna, the color palette of the world even changes to what youʼd expect from a Fincher film. Gray and dismal punctuated with pops of bright, saturated reds, very much like a corpse with fresh blood.

I tend to take different view of it. Death should always be thought of, but never in a morbid way. It is simply the other half of life, and I think thatʼs what unsettles people about fall. We donʼt want to think about our ends, but itʼs an important reminder to have. We should want to always remember that if weʼre not on the right path, we need to get off it and find one we care about, and that we can do it if we really try. Iʼm reminded of the Steve Jobs quote on that score:

“It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”

Fall is a time for contemplation of the inevitable and change for the better. Letʼs hope we all find the courage to make the changes we truly need and want.

<3,

Steph

Currently Reading

• The Design of Everyday Things — Don Norman (done!)

• Cult of the Dead Cow: How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World — Joseph Menn (in progress!)

• The Haunting of Hill House — Shirley Jackson (on deck!)

And with that, we're ready

It took far too long (four months too long) but we're ready and rolling! It's not perfect but I finally have a good amount of stuff that I can show off and not a moment too late.

Change is in the air folks, and I'm ready for it.

I have an official schedule for this blog in my phone, classes I'm taking to further my hobbies and skills and I'm trying a new thing where I make my growth a priority.

Yes, change is always scary, the future always is, because we can never be quite certain; but if I waited until things were perfect, I would never move forward. I had a teacher in high school that would always tell us before any test or any exam or anything scary that we were facing to not cry big bird. I've started adopting it as a response to most upsetting things and it's been working out relatively well in these turbulent times.

I only looked it up a few weeks ago and realized the book had absolutely nothing with being brave but that seems to be in case with all sorts of things we end up finding inspiring. Bravery comes from within, regardless of the vehicle it takes. The world outside is dark and scary, but with a few baby steps, it's not so bad.

Don't cry Big Bird, 2018.

<3,

Steph