The Tao of Zen Nihilism
“The results of a brain examination of Chris Benoit found significant damage from both repeated concussions and sub-concussive blows that may have played a part in his killing of himself, his wife and son in late June… (t)hey noted his level of damage would lead to cognitive impairment, major depression and heightened aggression.”
Read more here.
After visiting LA, I decided to sit down and relax. Watch some TV. Calm down.
John Mellencamp was on Bill Mahr’s show. Mahr was asking, “Why does the Midwest fall for all the politicians’ lies?”
Mellencamp said, “Because in the Midwest, when someone says they’re telling us the truth, we assume they are telling us the truth. That’s because in the Midwest, people do just that. They tell you the truth and they expect the same.”
Something rattled inside of me. An old memory. A memory of growing up in my hometown.
A memory of trusting people.
My visit to Los Angeles taught me much. It reminded me why I needed to leave. Reminded me why I don’t want to go back.
I’m living with people I trust. That means a lot to me. More than I knew.
(thanks to Draco)
Everyone: Dismantling Iraq Army was a mistake.
Paul Bremer: Bush told me to, but I told him it was a mistake.
Bush: No, I did not.
Bremer: Here are the letters you sent, you lying son of a bitch.
I had a blast at Strategicon. I got to run a whole ton of Houses demos, sold a whole ton of Houses promo packs, got to see a bunch of great folks, and got to pick up a couple of games.
Running Houses for complete strangers–and a few friends–was great. Lots of laughing and excitement. I haven’t seen people this excited to play a game since I first ran the L5R RPG for L5R fans.
No strange men standing on the side of the road this time. Whew.
I missed seeing a bunch of folks I wanted to see. Saw a few people I didn’t want to see.
Had GREAT talks with jim pinto, Josh, the Mighty Mighty Paul Tevis, Matt! and watched Jess riff on Houses.
All in all, a wonderful show.
I had a blast at Strategicon. I got to run a whole ton of Houses demos, sold a whole ton of Houses promo packs, got to see a bunch of great folks, and got to pick up a couple of games.
Running Houses for complete strangers–and a few friends–was great. Lots of laughing and excitement. I haven’t seen people this excited to play a game since I first ran the L5R RPG for L5R fans.
No strange men standing on the side of the road this time. Whew.
I missed seeing a bunch of folks I wanted to see. Saw a few people I didn’t want to see.
Had GREAT talks with jim pinto, Josh, the Mighty Mighty Paul Tevis, Matt! and watched Jess riff on Houses.
All in all, a wonderful show.
Not yet, but maybe…
To celebrate (and promote) Green Ronin’s Hobby Games: The Best 100 book, lots of people have been playing the Best 100 meme game, where the 100 best hobby games (as listed in the abovementioned book, just released and available at a game store near you) are rolled out and the blogger’s personal experience with them is detailed.
Boldface if “I own this game.”
Italics is “I have played this game.”
Italic and Bold are “I both own and have played this game.”
Bruce C. Shelley on Acquire
Nicole Lindroos on Amber Diceless
Ian Livingstone on Amun-Re
Stewart Wieck on Ars Magica
Thomas M. Reid on Axis & Allies
Tracy Hickman on Battle Cry
Philip Reed on BattleTech
Justin Achilli on Blood Bowl
Mike Selinker on Bohnanza
Tom Dalgliesh on Britannia
Greg Stolze on Button Men
Monte Cook on Call of Cthulhu
Steven E. Schend on Carcassonne
Jeff Tidball on Car Wars
Bill Bridges on Champions
Stan! on Circus Maximus
Tom Jolly on Citadels
Steven Savile on Civilization
Bruno Faidutti on Cosmic Encounter
Andrew Looney on Cosmic Wimpout
Skip Williams on Dawn Patrol
Alan R. Moon on Descent
Larry Harris on Diplomacy
Richard Garfield on Dungeons & Dragons
William W. Connors on Dynasty League Baseball
Christian T. Petersen on El Grande
Alessio Cavatore on Empires in Arms
Timothy Brown on Empires of the Middle Ages
Allen Varney on The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Phil Yates on Fire and Fury
William Jones on Flames of War
Rick Loomis on Fluxx
John Kovalic on Formula Dé
Anthony J. Gallela on The Fury of Dracula
Jesse Scoble on A Game of Thrones
Lou Zocchi on Gettysburg
James Wallis on Ghostbusters
James M. Ward on The Great Khan Game
Gav Thorpe on Hammer of the Scots
Uli Blennemann on Here I Stand
S. Craig Taylor, Jr. on A House Divided
Scott Haring on Illuminati
Dana Lombardy on Johnny Reb
Darren Watts on Junta
Greg Stafford on Kingmaker
Lester Smith on Kremlin
Wolfgang Baur on Legend of the Five Rings CCG
Marc W. Miller on Lensman
Ted S. Raicer on London’s Burning
Teeuwynn Woodruff on Lord of the Rings (boardgame)
Mike Breault on Machiavelli
Jordan Weisman on Magic: The Gathering
Steve Kenson on Marvel Super Heroes (Jeff Grubb version)
Gary Gygax on Metamorphosis Alpha
Greg Costikyan on My Life with Master
John D. Rateliff on Mythos
Chris “Gerry” Klug on Napoleon’s Last Battles
John Scott Tynes on Naval War
Erick Wujcik on Ogre
Marc Gascoigne on Once Upon a Time
Mike Bennighof on PanzerBlitz
Steve Jackson on Paranoia
Shannon Appelcline on Pendragon
JD Wiker on Pirate’s Cove
Richard H. Berg on Plague!
Martin Wallace on Power Grid
Tom Wham on Puerto Rico
Joseph Miranda on Renaissance of Infantry
James Ernest on RoboRally
Paul Jaquays on RuneQuest
Richard Dansky on The Settlers of Catan
Ken St. Andre on Shadowfist
Steven S. Long on Shadowrun
Peter Corless on Shadows over Camelot
Dale Donovan on Silent Death: The Next Millennium
Matt Forbeck on Space Hulk
Ray Winninger on Squad Leader
Lewis Pulsipher on Stalingrad
Bruce Nesmith on Star Fleet Battles
Steve Winter on The Sword and the Flame
Jeff Grubb on Tales of the Arabian Nights
Shane Lacy Hensley on Talisman
Douglas Niles on Terrible Swift Sword
Ed Greenwood on Thurn and Taxis
Mike Fitzgerald on Ticket to Ride
Thomas Lehmann on Tigris & Euphrates
Warren Spector on Tikal
David “Zeb” Cook on Toon
Mike Pondsmith on Traveller
Zev Shlasinger on Twilight Struggle
Kenneth Hite on Unknown Armies
Sandy Petersen on Up Front
R. Hyrum Savage on Vampire: The Eternal Struggle
George Vasilakos on Vampire: The Masquerade
Kevin Wilson on Vinci
R.A. Salvatore on War and Peace
Jack Emmert on Warhammer 40,000
Chris Pramas on The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
Steve Jackson on The Warlord
John Wick on Wiz-War
Next weekend is Strategicon. I’ll be there with Houses of the Blooded, running demos all day and all night long in Open Gaming (and hotel rooms, if I can manage that).
I didn’t think I’d be able to go, but it looks like Fate or Chance has smiled on me.
If someone has some extra floor space or a bed or anything, let me know.