I have a bunch of things I want to write about but I’ve lacked time and focus this week. Probably for the best that my “friend-for-life” Cecil tagged me with the following then:
– 10 years ago –
I was living in New York City, working in a coffee store in the mornings, going to grad school in the afternoons, and freelance RPG writing in the evenings. I was also singing for a punk rock band called Adverse Possession and I was helping to run ABC No Rio, a non-profit arts space and punk rock venue. ABC was engaged in a lengthy (and ultimately successful) struggle with New York’s Department of Housing and Urban Development, who were trying to sell the building out from under us as part of a gentrification program. At this same time “Jackboot” Rudy Giuliani had declared war on the 13th Street Squats, illegally evicting them in spite of a court order to the contrary.
Amusingly, it was about this time that I last saw Cecil (she who tagged me). Her band Bite came to play at ABC No Rio and put on a great show. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to catch up when I’m in LA in November for GenCon SoCal.
– 5 years ago –
I had moved here to Seattle and I was working as a game designer at Wizards of the Coast. By this point I had moved from RPGs to WotC’s new Miniatures Division and we were engaged in a series of major internal political struggles to make the new division go. I was working on a Dungeons & Dragons miniatures game, later known (foolishly) as Chainmail. More importantly, I had already started my own company (Green Ronin Publishing) on the side and our first ever product (Ork! the Roleplaying Game) came out this month. At this point our second product was at print and readying for a GenCon release. That was Death in Freeport, which put us on the RPG map and kicked off this whole crazy d20 thing.
– 1 year ago –
I was utterly consumed with the design of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, 2nd Edition. I worked on this seven days a week for months on end and didn’t really do much else in this period.
– yesterday –
I continued to work on a book called Realms of Sorcery. I also did some design work on another RPG that has yet to be announced. I went downtown late in the afternoon for a bank and post office run, and then tried a Chinese restaurant I’ve been walking by for years. It was nothing special but it was also fairly cheap. Late in the evening I did some research on an ancestor of mine who died in the trenches in WWI. I’ll probably write an article about that at some point.
– tomorrow –
Why it’s more Realms of Sorcery of course! I may also take one of my birthday gifts (a video) over to my friend Ray’s place for a viewing on his enormous TV. The video is of a film called the Battle of Stalingrad. What’s interesting about it is that it was made in the Soviet Union in 1949. They shot it in Stalingrad itself and used Red Army soldiers to recreate the battle. While I’m sure it won’t be a great film (propaganda films rarely are), it’s too historically interesting for me to pass up. I looked at it for several years at various conventions until Hal went and bought it for me this past Origins, likely to shut me up. Thanks, buddy!
– 5 snacks I enjoy –
Cashews, pistachios, jerky, salteens, chocolate covered espresso beans
– 5 bands/artists that I know the lyrics to most of their songs –
The Clash, Subhumans, Minor Threat, Reagan Youth, Buzzcocks
– 5 things I would do with a $100,000,000 –
Retire
Travel the world
Buy my mom her dream house
Buy an apartment in NYC so I can visit whenever I like
Fight the power
– 5 locations I would like to run away to –
New Zealand
Japan
Hong Kong
France
Russia
– 5 bad habits I have –
Procrastinating
Not getting enough exercise
Trying to do too much at once
Overindulging
Working every day
– 5 things I like doing –
Traveling
Eating well (see “Overindulging” above)
Reading and writing
Going to shows
Playing games
– 5 things I will never wear –
A “Frankie says” t-shirt
A sweater vest
Assless chaps
An “America: Love it Or Leave It” t-shirt
Tweed
– 5 t.v. shows I like(d) –
The Wire
The Sopranos
Band of Brothers
Daily Show
Cook’s Tour
– 5 movies I like –
Seven Samurai
The Professionals
36th Chamber of Shaolin
Bad Day at Black Rock
The Big Red One (restored)
– 5 people I’d like to meet –
Emma Goldman
Joe Strummer
J.R.R. Tolkien
Thomas Jefferson
Jon Stewart (Token “actually alive” candidate)
– 5 biggest joys at the moment –
The Kate (AKA my step-daughter)
Grillin’ and chillin’ at Ray and Christine’s place
Sushi at Tojo’s in Vancouver
Green Ronin getting 15 ENnie Award nominations
Schadenfreude
– 5 favorite toys –
Dr. Zaius action figure
Helm’s Deep Fortress (in 28mm scale)
Praetorian Imperial Guard army for Warhammer 40K
A bust of Makita from the Red Star comic
Plushy Cthulhu