In part of my continuing war to organize the house, I moved our old TV and original X-Box into my office. Now if Kate or Nik is watching TV or using the 360 downstairs, I can fire up the old X-Box if I want a little console action.

In the process of setting all that up, I scoured drawers and boxes looking for a decent extension cord. At the bottom of one drawer I found an old notebook. Since it says “Ronin Publishing” on it, it must date back to 1996 or so. Looking through it was amusing and sometimes puzzling. Things I found include:

* Development notes for the Whispering Vault supplements Book of Hunts and Mortal Magic.
* A 16-point checklist for GenCon ’97.
* John Wick’s phone number at AEG and a note (“in-Clan rivalry instead of Scorpion”). This relates to a L5R adventure I wrote back then.
* Research notes on the Fifth Crusade for an Ars Magica book Nicole and I were going to write together. Later in the notebook a full outline of this book appears.
* Leads from apartment hunting from when I first moved to Seattle, including the place I eventually moved into.
* Details on a writing test I was asked to do after applying for a position at WotC to work on the D&D;/Magic: the Gathering crossover. This was the position I was hired into, though the project didn’t last more than a few months because of typical departmental in-fighting.
* Notes I took at the Confederate Museum in New Orleans on various firearms while I was on vacation. I was researching Blood of the Valiant at the time and so was digging for info on guns in use in 1850. Although I spent money I didn’t really have at the time, in retrospect I’m so glad I got to New Orleans before it was ruined.
* Several to-do lists, which include cryptic comments like “remember salmon”.
* A list of Saxon leaders from the age of King Arthur. I have no idea why these are in there. Maybe I meant to run a Pendragon campaign or something.
* Hotel details for a couple of memorable trips. And that’s all I’m saying about that.
* A list of (ironically enough) three Minutemen songs side by side with a list of three Buzzcocks song. Again, mysterious.