When It Rains...

So there I was, sitting at my desk, trying to ignore my coworkers (fairly successfully I might add), when my boss appears out of thin air ("Poof!") and says she wants to talk to me. Okay. I'm mentally trying to track how many clients I might have insulted in the past 24 hours (none...so it was a relatively quick count). It turns out that our team is reorganizing and I'm being put in a new position called "Account Manager". I'm not sure if that sounds any better than "Utility Coordinator"...but it is at least more dull and people will stop asking me what utilities I'm coordinating (With what? My clothes? My eyes? What?).

I'm actually one of the lucky few whose job isn't actually changing. And even better than that, I'm getting a substantial raise for doing the exact same stuff. Go figure. Hey, I might actually be above the poverty line! No...wait...1...2...3...4...5 kids. Nope. Still below. Ah well.

The down side of that is this: I still don't enjoy my job that much. This makes it even harder to leave for the proverbial greener pastures (which I'm beginning to doubt if it is really green or just sitting on top of the septic tank of life). Still, it's not a terrible job, just dull. But I'm getting paid more to be dull. Or at least getting paid more to do dull stuff. I don't think I'm actually dull. Heck, I'm the life of the party! At least I am when I have my own personal parties and I'm the only one invited.

So...um...yeah....money. I've heard of this "money" stuff before. I may have even seen it once or twice. Now that I'll have a little extra, I have to figure out what to do with it. Maybe there is a simple solution...



(SIMPLICITY: The simplest solutions are often the cleverest. They are also usually wrong.)

Hey Ma! Look What I Made!

Immaturity...Thy Name is Steve

So there I am looking at maps and dreaming dreams, when my eye catches a certain geographical feature: "Blue Butte". Heh heh. Of course I couldn't just let it go at that, I had to hunt down others:

Bald Butte
Bachelor Butte
Desolation Butte
Lookout Butte
Beatys Butte
Farmer Butte
Pigeon Butte
Butler Butte
Black Butte
Burn Butte

and probably the best named one ever: Winkle Butte! Ah...it's the simple things in life.

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown Down!

Fine...here's a few turkey songs for you:

"T" is for turkey, that's good enough for me.
Oh, turkey, turkey, turkey starts with "T".


(to the tune of Oh, Clementine)
Oh my turkey,
Oh my turkey,
Oh my turkey on my plate!
It is sitting there
Beside my taters
Oh my tukey on my plate!


There once was a turkey named Phil,
Who I took out back to kill.
He said, "You're a putz,
I'm far from prime cuts.
So just take me back inside and chill."


Hey diddle, diddle
The turkey has a fiddle
And he played such a lively ol' tune.
My inlaws are wierd
I just shaved my beard
So stop taunting me about not being able to come up with a turkey song and just go make one up yourselves! :P

Because I Can't Think of a Good Turkey Song

"C"...that's the way it begins
"H"...is the next letter in
"I"...that is the third
"C"...you've already heard
"K"...that ol' letter's my friend
"E"...now we're nearing the end
C-H-I-C-K-E-N, that is the way to spell "chicken"

Pre-Tweens

(A Gleemax Post)

I’m going to group 10- and 11-year olds together mostly because, since my oldest is only nine, I have very little experience here. I have worked with Cub Scouts of this age before, so there is some things to pass along. This will be the final age group that I will specifically look at, so I can start moving into other areas.

May be experiencing rapid growth. Enjoys sports that require strength, speed, and skill. Has periods of playing, pushing, wrestling, poking, and giggling. Is restless, active, and impatient. May differ from peers in physical size and coordination. Does not like to be treated like a child. Is concerned about physical appearance.

Enjoys abstract concepts and ideas. Makes conclusions based on prior learning. Likes to be challenged in mental tasks. Is decisive and reasonable. Enjoys memorization. Likes to set goals. Thinks more logically. Enjoys learning. Has a good attention span. Understands more precisely the meaning of words, and can define abstract terms. Has humor that may seem ridiculous to adults.

Is social and competitive. Possesses strong loyalty to groups. Has much positive and negative interaction with peers. Has friendships that are more complex and intense. Relies on best friends. Values peers’ opinions and standards more highly than those of adults. Is sometimes critical of adults’ judgments and of others’ feelings. Likes to tease or play roughly. Is sometimes rude and uncooperative, and at other times is friendly and cooperative.

Is critical of self and resentful of others’ criticism. May feel that everything he or she does is wrong, especially if criticized. Has worries and fears about school and friends. Is very sensitive, especially about self. Has doubts and insecurities. Is sometimes touchy and irritable, and is very conscious of being treated fairly. Is able to be polite, serious, honest, and sincere. Desires to be independent and have responsibilities.

Suggestions for gaming:

Recognize that he or she is growing and maturing. Do not force interaction with the opposite sex. Provide opportunities for him or her to participate in physical activities that provide outlets for his or her energy. Teach fairness and the value of social and competitive gaming.

Stimulate thinking by using questions, memorization, and problem-solving games. Allow him or her to make decisions and set their own strategy and goals.

Respond to the need to belong to groups and be influenced by them – helping them run their own gaming group can provide a great feeling of belonging. It provides an activity that allows interaction with peers. Encourage group planning and group work. Teach him or her to be sensitive to those who are not accepted by others – there is value in inviting others to play. Give responsibilities and assignments, and help ensure follow-through.

From what little I’ve dealt with before, I am looking forward to working with my own kids to continue developing their gaming skills, to include organizing their own group (which may just end up growing beyond their own little group of friends) and the confidence to try the more grown-up strategy and role-playing games. I can also see it as a bit of a sad time as my children move from being “kids” to being “youths”. They grow up fast and I have to take the time to enjoy who they are now. They will be surly teenagers before I realize it; p

Cloud Nine

(A Gleemax Post)

Being nine must be rough at times. Social pressures are really starting to bear down on kids this age. Not to say that social pressures weren’t there before, but by the time 3rd and 4th grades (in the USA) roll around, social hierarchies are starting to really take shape. Kids are trying to figure out where they fit in the pecking order of school. Gaming can help a child feel like a part of a group if that might be missing elsewhere in life. Or, if they are already part of a group (or a leader of one) gaming can help them socialize with others from different social circles. So here we go with the general characteristics of nine-year olds:

Enjoys team games. Has good body control. Is interested in developing strength, skill, and speed. Likes more complicated crafts and handwork.

Is able to remain interested in subjects or activities for a longer period of time. Seeks facts. Likes memorization. Has definite interests and curiosity. Likes reading, writing, and keeping records. Is interested in the community and other cultures and peoples. Enjoys learning about the past and the present. Likes to collect things.

Enjoys being with groups of people of the same gender. Likes group adventures and cooperative play, but also likes competition. Tests authority and exercises independence. Spends much time with friends.

Has some behavior problems, especially if he or she is not accepted by others. Is becoming very independent, dependable, and trustworthy. Is concerned about being fair, and argues over fairness. Is better able to accept his or her own failures and mistakes and take responsibility for personal actions. Is sometimes silly.

Is well aware of right and wrong. Wants to do right, but sometimes rebels. Is greatly influenced by others.

Suggestions:

Provide a variety of activities, including team games, to sustain interest and help the child develop skills.

Give specific information and facts about the rules. They want to understand how the game WORKS, not necessarily just how to play.

Do not give all the answers and strategies; allow the child time to think about and discuss answers.

Playing games about other peoples and cultures and about history can really spark their interest.

Recognize the child’s need for peer acceptance. Establish and maintain reasonable limits, but allow for independence. Teach the child how to be gracious, even when the child feels that he or she has not won. No one is ever too old to learn good sportsmanship.

Mary is our nine-year old and our oldest child. Although I had worked with younger kids prior to her birth, she was the first real experience I had with being involved with a kid on a daily basis. It was a learning experience for both of us.

Mary is a very “take charge” type of person who loves to lead games and activities. She can usually be found leading her younger siblings in a play they made up for us adults, or gathering everyone together for a board game. Then again, I often find my D&D miniatures and maps spread out across the floor (and sometimes into the hallway) so she can play “house” with them. It is quite strange to see Meepo the Dragonlord wandering across the landscape with the Warden of the Woods to go visit their friends Celestial Pegasus and Bluespawn Godslayer (with an occasional side trek to tell the various undead figures to play nice).

Although she is a gamer at heart, Mary is a lot like me when it comes to actually playing. She would rather play a game to socialize than to be completely intent on winning. Sure, she likes to win, but no longer feels emotionally devastated when she loses – as long as everyone has fun, she is having fun. Of course, there are those times when she is overly bossy during games…reminds me of the Paranoid RPG: “Happiness is Mandatory!”

It is a little hard for me to pick out Mary’s favorite games. I think it would be safe to say that her favorite is whichever one she is currently playing. Be that as it may, she loves to play D&D (role-playing and minis) and, having recently developed a love of horses, the “game” of Bella Sara (which is mostly about trading card collecting). Other than that, she loves to play just about anything else – to the point of making something up if there is nothing else around.

Great to Be Eight

(A Gleemax Blog)

Eight-year olds are great. In my culture, this is the age of accountability – the age when a child is fully aware of knowing right from wrong. They are no longer “little kids”; they have become “big kids.” It’s an amazing time of life. Here are some brief characteristics:

Is becoming more coordinated. Wiggles and squirms. Has nervous habits. Plays organized games that require physical skill. Has a good attention span. Wants to be included.

Wants to know the reason for things. Is anxious to share his or her knowledge. Thinks he or she knows a lot, but is beginning to recognize that others may know even more. Is judgmental. Has heroes. Enjoys writing, reading, and pretending.

Enjoys group play with simple rules. Prefers to be with own gender in group play. Is more cooperative and less insistent on having his or her own way. Wants to have a best friend. Has a strong need for independence, but also relies on adults for guidance and security.

Is usually affectionate, helpful, cheerful, outgoing, and curious, but can also be rude, selfish, bossy, and demanding. Is sensitive to criticism. Criticizes self and others. Is sometimes giggly and silly. Experiences guilt and shame.

Suggestions:

Use games that require coordination and allow the child to use his or her energy. Be patient with clumsiness, unpleasant habits, and squirming. Alternate quiet and active periods.

Use games, stores, pictures, and problem-solving activities to encourage learning. Use reading, writing, and role-playing. Help the child set realistic goals. Encourage the child to be more concerned about his or her own behavior than that of others. Provide the child with appropriate heroes.

Provide opportunities for group interaction, cooperation, and sharing. Recognize that his or her friendships can be intense. Help the child become part of the group if he or she does not have close friends. Let the child work with other children and with you to make group rules and other decisions. Allow him or her to work independently.

Help the child recognize and deal constructively with negative emotions. Show interest and enthusiasm. Praise and build self-confidence; do not criticize or compare the child with other children. Recognize the child’s efforts and accomplishments. Let the child enjoy humor when appropriate, and be patient with giggling. Teach him or her that others make mistakes.

There is a lot to be said about unstructured playtime. As an experiment, let the child make up his or her own game rules and just see what happens. Honestly, it most likely won’t be balanced or fair, but it helps stretch their imaginations and creativity. I am constantly seeing my kids making up their own rules. Perhaps you could work with your child to develop some rules together…just don’t dominate the conversation.

Therapeutic Shower Singing

Yesterday was a bad day. Nothing specific, but I just woke up mad and kept up a low-level irritation all day long. Well, almost all day. When I got home, I started listening to some Bobs music and started to mellow out a little. Finally, I decided to take a shower.

Many years ago, I used to sing in the shower. I'm not talking about generally mumbling out a tune, I'm talking about singing at the absolute top of my lungs. I haven't done that in many years, but today... Perhaps it should come as no surprise that every one of my kids (even Benjamin) was huddled around the door listening to me, giggling, and occasionally shouting out requests. What did come as a surprise is that none of them are old enough to have heard me sing in the shower before. Leslie told them that I used to do it all the time and they thought it was pretty funny.

It really kinda shocked me to realize that I really DON'T sing as much as I used to. I really should do it more. It does wonders for my kids, my mood, and (perhaps most importantly) it makes my wife smile.

Seventh Heaven

(A Gleemax Post)

A threshold has been crossed! Seven-year olds are still full of life but have a much greater skill set (physical and mental). Sometime around this age, kids reach what some child development literature calls the “Age of Reason.” It has been my experience that at sometime around this age, children really begin to bloom into what can honestly be called a “gamer”; sometimes it happens sooner, sometimes later. While roll-and-move games still abound, there begins to be an obvious branching out. They are starting to look for more in their games. It’s enough to warm the cockles of a gamer’s heart (what exactly are those anyway?). So, in a very general sort of way, here is a summary of seven-year olds (remember that each individual develops at a different pace in different areas – this list isn’t meant to compare one kid to another):

Has better muscular control. Is developing interest and skills in certain games, hobbies, and activities. Gets restless and fidgety. Has nervous habits, and sometimes assumes awkward positions. Is full of energy, but tires easily.

Is eager to learn. Thinks seriously and more logically. Is able to solve problems that are more complex. Likes to be challenged, work hard, and take time completing a task. Has a good attention span. Enjoys hobbies and using skills. Likes to collect things and talk about personal projects and accomplishments.

Often plays in groups, but sometimes likes to be alone and play quietly. Interacts little with the opposite sex. Is eager to be like peers and have their approval. Is less domineering and less determined to have his or her own way. Likes more responsibility and independence. Is often worried about not doing well.

Dislikes criticism. Is more sensitive to his or her own feelings and those of other people. Is often a perfectionist, and tends to be self-critical. Is inhibited and cautious. Is less impulsive and self-centered than at earlier stages.

Suggestions:

Use action games that allow the child to use his or her energy. Just sitting still at a table or on the floor isn’t going to work. Trust me. Be patient (notice that I’ve mentioned this in every post so far?) with annoyances and restlessness.

In role-playing games, ask thought-provoking questions instead of just telling a story yourself. Allow the child to make major decisions.

Give him or her plenty to time to think and accomplish tasks. This goes for any game. If you rush it, frustration can set in easily and the enjoyment (for both child and adult) quickly goes downhill. On the other hand, help them get over any “move-paralysis” with kindness in mind – meaning, don’t lean in real close and shout at the top of your lungs, “IT DOESN’T MATTER! JUST MOVE SOMETHING ALREADY!” Doing this will end up just as badly as it does with adults.

Encourage the child to pursue hobbies and interests. There are going to be some things that just don’t grab the child’s attention. As difficult as it may be to cope with, one of those things might be certain types of games. Find what he or she likes THEN find a game to supplement it. Don’t underestimate the power of theme.

Give the child responsibilities and tasks that he or she can carry out (such as being the banker or drawing the map or whatever other little tasks there might be), and then praise efforts and accomplishments. Don’t overlook this – it might be a little thing for you, but it is a very “grown-up” thing for them. Give them a chance to use those skills they are learning (or should be learning) in school. Again, patience pays off.

Isaiah is seven. He is about as boy-like as you can imagine. He loves to be physical; swinging “sword” sticks, wrestling, running, and generally any sport or activity that allows him to show off his physical strength. On the mental side, he is starting to be very analytical; figuring out puzzles in the Legend of Zelda games, doing puzzles, drawing, and hugely into make-believe as evidenced by his using the figures from the Star Wars: Epic Duals game to battle it out on the 3D board from his sisters’ copy of Mall Madness (sigh, yes, we do own that game). One of the most surprising moments with him was when I was running all my kids through a hack-n-slash D&D game (no real plot, just take out the monsters). Completely out of the blue he pipes up with: “Why do we have to fight all the time? Can’t we talk to them?” And this is from the kid who always picks the mini with the biggest sword. I tried to hide wiping the tear from my eye as the thought went through my head that my little boy is growing up.

He is very capable of playing a lot of the more “grown-up” games, such as Settlers of Catan, Modern Art (although strategy completely eludes him at this point), Carcassonne, and others. They are not favorites, but he always asks to play one of the several games that have long been denied to him (due to my desire to keep all the pieces in one box). He loves to experiment and try new games…but the theme of the game drives most of his decisions.

Some of Isaiah’s favorite games (see if you can detect a theme here) are: Star Wars: Epic Duals, Star Wars: The Queen’s Gambit, Star Wars: Starship miniatures, Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo, Heroscape, Hero Quest, Dungeons and Dragons (the old basic set, not any of the newer versions), Pokemon (doesn’t really care for playing the game, he just likes looking at the cards) and I’m sure if we ever got a game that had anything to do with Avatar: The Last Airbender, it would shoot to the top of the list.

print "Hello World!"

A brief history of my (extremely limited) computer programming experience:

My very first experience (somewhere between 1982 and 1985) was on a Commodore Vic20 making a little stick figure do jumping jacks (I think that was probably in BASIC, but I can't be sure). I was still very young and didn't have the patience to do much more than that.

Sometime around 5th grade (1985), there was a (mostly unused) computer in our classroom that had the LOGO programming language...you know, the one with the turtle...forward 50, right turn 45, forward 50, etc. If that doesn't sound familiar, don't worry about it.

Although I played on computers, I didn't have much interest in programming for quite a few years.

It wasn't until somewhere in 1994-1996 that I started teaching myself HTML...okay, that's a markup language and not a programming language, but my experience is so limited that I'm going to count it anyway.

I took a few college classes to learn the BASIC programming language. It wasn't much, but I finally began to understand that I could actually do something with programming. However, BASIC wasn't powerful enough to do much, and I really didn't have the desire to delve into anything more complicated.

This past week, I bought myself a book on the Python programming language...and I love it. I'm not very far along in the book, but I've already started building a little project of my own. It reminds me of the simplicity of BASIC, but is much, much more versatile, and from what I understand it is used by a lot of big name companies.

Now, I'm not kidding myself into thinking I'll get back into the computer field and actually use this stuff. I'm just interested in seeing how it all works and slop together a few programs that would interest me (making utilities for various offline games). It's just a hobby. My first project is developing a little program to help run a game called En Garde! Actually, I've put together an variant called Thyatis En Garde! that is based in my favorite D&D campaign world.

I realize there are kids half my age (17...egad) who could program circles around me, but that doesn't bother me at all. I'm just in it for fun, not for profit.

Now We Are Six

(A Gleemax Post)

There are a lot of similarities between five and six-year olds as far as gaming choices. However, there are also some important changes in development (memory and attention span being the major ones) and some kids are starting to organize their world (or starting to see their world organized as the case may be). Again, this is just a high-level overview, so please do not be insulted if this doesn’t match your experiences/expectations.

Is very active. Is often noisy, restless, and exuberant. Likes to participate in activities and perform small tasks, though they still may be difficult to do. Dislikes being a spectator.

Needs concepts taught in concrete ways. Has improving memory. Is talkative, and asks many questions. Is learning to make decisions, but often is indecisive. Has an increasing attention span. Likes reading, writing, singing, hearing stories, and pretending.

Is more interested in group activities and interacting with playmates, but is still self-centered. Is sometimes bossy, aggressive, and unkind to peers. Has unstable friendships. Is concerned with how others treat him or her. Is eager for social approval.

Is boastful. Exaggerates and criticizes. Is easily excited, silly, and giggly. Can be generous, affectionate, and compatible, but mood can change easily.

Is concerned with good and bad behavior, particularly as it affects family and friends Sometimes blames others for wrongdoing.

Suggestions for gaming:

Be patient with the child’s abundant energy and restlessness. Play games that have activities such as writing, coloring, cutting, pasting, and molding clay – games that allow the child to use his or her energy (the Cranium Cadoo game jumps immediately to mind).

Pick games with the child’s interests in mind, which will not necessarily be the same as yours – come on, suck it up and take one for the team.

Use pictures, maps, flannel cutouts, miniatures, and other visual materials to help focus attention when role-playing where attention may wander without something physical to look at/hold/fold/spindle/mutilate (of course, there is the likely danger of attention focusing completely on the handout and not the storyline – make sure to give them time to really LOOK at things, i.e. let ‘em play with it).

Introduce them to games other than the roll-and-move type; those that allow the child to make decisions are what you should be looking for. Discuss the importance of choosing the right strategy (but don’t overdo it – just introduce the idea), and allow the child to practice making decisions with limited choices.

Cooperative games can provide a safe environment to play and have fun together without the child feeling picked upon.

Praise the child’s specific efforts so he or she feels less need to boast. Do not criticize. Laugh with him or her, but do not laugh at him or her. Encourage positive moods by setting an example for playing with calm, stable behavior (save the “smack-talk” for other adults – even if it is intended as good-natured, it can sometimes be hard for children to know the difference); be a good loser AND (sometimes more importantly) a good winner. Future gamers everywhere will thank you for raising someone with good sportsmanship.

Show the child how to be concerned with and responsible for his or her own game play and how to improve it (again, PLEASE don’t overdo this!). Help them identify good moves, but let them play their own game – let them experiment and then discuss specifics (good and bad) later. Assure the child that everyone makes mistakes.

This is a weird age/stage where a child is a bit “in-between” so-to-speak. They may be capable of playing more “advanced” games, but they find a simple joy in their old favorites. My kids found comfort in repetition, whereas us adults tended to find it mind numbing and a bit aggravating. Be patient. I’ve believe that they are on the cusp of a Great Leap Forward (meaning gaming opportunities for the child and not the economic disaster led by Mao Zedong in 1950s China). Be patient and understand that you are laying the groundwork and a strong foundation for a lifetime of gaming goodness.

It's That Time of Life Again

Yup, I've decided to grow a beard again. Deal with it. I have.

Actually, I will not be growing a beard. My beard with grow on it's own. So, here is my plan of action for this beard-growing bonanza:

Day 1: Do nothing

Day 2: Do nothing (twice if need be)

Day 3: Continue to do nothing

Day 4: Verify that nothing continues to be done

Day 5: Trim up neck line

Repeat

Johnny Five is Alive!

(A Gleemax Post)

Bad 80s movie quotes aside, let’s start off with five-year olds. What a great time of life! Their world is starting to get bigger and more wonderful and, sometimes, even a little bit scarier. This is a very high-level overview of five-year olds and is not meant to perfectly describe every child, since no two people are exactly the same. And yes, I understand your child is gifted and has advanced much further than what is described here. Humor me anyway...

Is very active. Has a good sense of balance, and is becoming more coordinated. Can kick a ball, walk in a straight line, hop, skip, and march. Enjoys drawing, coloring, and participating in activities and games. Is learning to lace and tie shoes and button and zip clothing.

Recognizes some letters, numbers, and words. Likes to pretend to read and write. May be learning to read. Is talkative. Ask questions, makes comments, and gives answers that show increased understanding. Is good at problem solving. Is curious and eager for facts. Is beginning to distinguish truth from fantasy. Has a short but increasing attention span. Likes definite tasks. Enjoys jokes and tricks, but cannot laugh at himself or herself. Likes stories, singing, poetry, and dramatizations.

Is friendly and eager to please and cooperate. Is beginning to prefer being in small groups of children, but may prefer a best friend. Creates less conflict in group play. Is beginning to want to conform, and is critical of those who do not. Is beginning to understand rules, but often tries to change them for his or her benefit.

Centers interests on home and family. Is affectionate towards adults, and wants to please them. Gets embarrassed easily, especially by his or her own mistakes.

Wants to be good. Is learning the difference between right and wrong. Sometimes tells untruths or blames others for his or her own wrongdoings because of an intense desire to please adults and do what is right.

What does this mean as far as playing games?

Engage the child in physical activities. Who said all games have to be played at the table? Bodies are wonderful things…give them an opportunity to use it. At the game table, being able to touch and move game pieces can be a big attention getter/keeper. Find games that “show” action and movement.

Allow the child to ask questions and solve problems. Jigsaw puzzles (although not technically games) might fit the bill. Warning: riddles and problems that are excruciatingly simple for adults may prove to be very difficult for a five-year old. Make the answers extremely obvious so they have lots of practice with the concept of finding solutions on their own.

Role-play! What a great time to “play pretend!” Kids haven’t had years of inhibitions and peer pressure to hold them back. This is a perfectly natural extension to what the child already does. You just provide a VERY light framework of rules (VERY LIGHT…got it?) And this is not the time for Lord of the Rings epic stories here. Take a look at the length of most fairy tales. Depending on the size of the font, 2-3 pages tell the whole story. Short and simple.

Be sensitive to the child’s need for your approval. Cooperative games can go a long ways towards avoiding any hurt feelings. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that competitive games will prepare them for the Real World. We’re talking five-year olds here. The Real World will crush their fragile spirits soon enough when they’re teenagers. For now, let them have fun. (Notice I’m not saying, “Always let them win” – it’s a fine line between “loved” and “spoiled”. Game wisely.)

Games in the USA for this age group seem to focus on games such as Candyland, HiHo Cherry-O, Chutes and Ladders, and Cooties. I suppose those games have a time and place. But you have to admit they are a bit dull. For adults. The key to success in gaming, then, is to follow the lead of fairy tales – keep it short. That is my biggest problem with the above-mentioned games; bad luck can make them drag on FOR…E…VER. Luck-based mechanics are fine and even somewhat desirable – they tend to even out the adult/child skill gap. But look for games that don’t overly delay the end of the game because of bad luck.

Unless the child was very involved in games prior to this point, learning how to wait for your next turn can be a challenge. Be patient. Also, they won’t always pick out the best strategy (sometimes on purpose). That is okay. In fact, don’t even worry about strategy at this age. Let them play completely randomly if they want. Let them experiment. Be patient. And keep it short (have I mentioned that yet?).

Rebekah is our five-year old. She loves to be involved in games even if she doesn’t understand what is going on. There is a tendency for us (as her parents) to suggest for her to “be on someone’s team” (meaning: sit next to them but not really play) when we play games too advanced for her – but she is of the age where she really wants to have her own color/team/cards/whatever. Some of her favorite kid games include: Snails Pace Race, Chicken Cha-Cha (known by many other names – we have a DragonTales themed one), Kids of Catan, Monopoly Junior (it’s not a bad game (i.e. short) if played by the rules, honestly), Faery’s Tale RPG, Shadows RPG, a variety of “mini games” in the Mario Party series for the Nintendo, and good ol’ fashioned Hide & Seek.

34th Birthday Musings

It's birthday time for yours truly. So I guess that calls for some mutterings, the more unstructured the better:

34 is a fairly non-descript number, isn’t it? I really can’t think of anything notable related to it.

In years past, the onset of your mid-thirties meant the onset of middle age. Nowadays, with life expectancies edging upward into eight and nine decades, I guess that's a bit premature. Just as well, as I still feel a good bit immature.

The drift out of my twenties is, I think, pretty well complete now.

Is it too late to go to law school?

Is it too late to go to canine dental school?

Is it too late to run away and join the circus?

Fact is, it’s probably not too late for anything, really. But it certainly feels that way, sometimes.

In spite of the fact that a huge box of Mike & Ike candy from my coworkers is a great present, and in spite of the fact that is say in large letters on the box that it is a fat free candy, it still can't be good for my girlish figure.

I hate getting a birthday card with glitter on it. It gets all over my desk and my hands, and eventually my face.

Congratulations! Your Wife Just Had a Gamer!

(A Gleemax Post)

Childhood. It's a time when we start developing the talents, hobbies, and interests that stick with us throughout our lives. Sure, we develop other pastimes and our tastes change as we grow, but many of our childhood favorites stick with us. I know it has for me. I have very distinct memories of opening my parent's game closet at the top of the stairs and looking over the stack of cardboard, paper, and plastic goodness contained within. I would spend countless hours risking it all in global wars, patenting silly inventions, and wandering the barbaric countryside as a dispossessed prince.

So when the question comes up of why we, as adults, should play games with children, I can point to my own experience and say "Why not?" After all, no matter if you're a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, caregiver, mentor, or whatever, there is no better way to have a kid think you are the most awesome (or whatever word is used nowadays) person ever than to spend time playing with them. I don't expect to always be the best friend of my children – after all, I AM their father and a lot of times I have to act like it – but I want them to know that I not only love them because they are my genetic offspring, but that I like them enough as individuals to spend my ever decreasing free time with them.

I suppose that since this is my first blog entry, I should introduce myself at this point. Hi, my name is Steve. I'm in my mid-thirties...and all that implies. I have a college degree in anthropology (I'm still trying to figure out why). I work for a local utility company and would be considered an "economically-challenged" gamer (although things are in the works that might change all of that). My wife and I are approaching the eleven year mark of our Happily Ever After and are busy with our five greatest works-in-progress: our children. You'll get to know them better as time goes on since this blog is about gaming with kids and they are, in fact, the kids I game with.

Yes indeed, a blog about playing games with kids. Why? Because those of us who grew up with tabletop games instead of video games (long before personal computers were a feature of middle-class America, and when they did become available...text adventures!) are now producing these little balls of chaos. They will grow up with such a huge variety of choices that it's nice to know we are not alone in this daunting task of raising children and, perhaps, providing them with quality entertainment along the way.

"Children" or "kids" can (and does) imply a large range of age groups, from newborns (where the gaming opportunities are understandably limited) to...what? At what age do they stop being "children"? For the purposes of this blog, I have arbitrarily chosen the ages between 5 and 11. Five, because my middle child is five years old; it is the age when they start kindergarten (at least in my area of the world). Eleven, because my cultural bias places 12-year olds at the beginning of the category labeled "youths".

Before I go any further, I want to make it very clear that I am not holding myself up as some kind of expert or authority. I have five kids. That means I know what those five kids like and how they respond to various things. Your experiences may be similar, or wildly different. There is a lot I can learn from you (yes, I'm looking right at YOU!), so I would prefer not to just sit here monologuing. Ask questions, provide comments, and indulge in opinions. Gleemax is about social networking...so let’s socialize! Without feedback, it is highly likely that I will run out of interesting things to say (some of you might be thinking, "Too late!"...Oh well).

Here is a short-term road map of where my next few posts will go: I would like to first start off with looking at the characteristics of the age groups we are talking about. See what makes them tick and how we might harness that with gaming. Reviews of children games will be somewhat limited; I'll do ones for the games I already own, but the financial situation puts a damper on new purchases for a while. Ideas on balancing kid-time with adult-time with personal-time (a topic near and dear to my heart). Looking at the various game types (board, RPG, online, video, outdoor/physical) and how that all fits into a modern childhood. There are lots of topics to cover; and we are just getting started...

“Girls and boys, come out to play,
the moon doth shine as bright as day,
Leave your supper and leave your sleep,
And come with your playfellows into the street.
Come with a whoop or come with a call,
Come with a goodwill or not at all.”

Welcome to Gleemax

Gleemax Blog

A little while ago, I mentioned that I would be doing a blog about gaming with kids for the new Gleemax site. Don't bother going there now - the official site isn't open to the public yet...it's currently in a pre-alpha stage, which means there is very little functionality and very buggy. Anyway, I'll probably just duplicate my posts over here, mostly because they will probably be lost in the mass of...stuff that is there now, at least until they get things a little more organized. It really is quite chaotic at the moment. So expect about one a week starting tomorrow.

Two Words for You: "Sput"..."Nik"

Fifty years ago today, Sputnik 1 was the first artificial satellite to be put into geocentric orbit.

Time to dust off my Iron Giant DVD and enjoy a good movie set in that time period. If you haven't seen the movie, go rent it. Good stuff.

3rd Times a Charm

Well, my third Bobs concert was a lot of fun. They did a lot of new material that is on a soon-to-be-released album. And it wasn't just the music - they had a great time just chatting/joking/giving a hard time to the audience and each other. The only down side to the evening was that, in the end, it turned out to be a fairly spendy night. On top of the tickets, I picked up their 25th Anniversary documentary on DVD. There goes my birthday AND my Christmas presents. Oh well, it was definitely worth it.

Bob, Bob, Bobbing Along

The Bobs (THE greatest alternative-acapella group of all time...in case you didn't know) are coming to town on Friday. We managed to scrape together enough money to get two tickets. Consider it an early birthday present for me...yea! The concert is in a dinner-theater type place, so we'll grab a bite to eat while we're there as well.

I first came across The Bobs...oh, what was it...1990 or 1991? In any case, they've remained one of my favorite groups over the years. In all honesty, not every one of their songs thrill me, but the majority of them are incredibly awesome. It's music you can really brush your teeth to, ya know?

If you're interested (and I know you are...stop lying to yourself...and DON'T shake your head at me...yeah, I'm talking to YOU!) you can check them out here and here. Enjoyment is mandatory!

School Daze

Well, the kids' school had its open house yesterday and today. Not much to report. Although, I have to admit that while in the throws of an apparent fit of insanity, Leslie and I signed up for the PTA. Still not sure what exactly happened there. One moment I'm sitting at a cafeteria table looking forward to a free rootbeer float, and the next minute I'm on the other side of the room signing my name on a sheet of paper. WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?

Ah well...tomorrow is a New Day.

Speaking of which...in yet another bout of insanity (seem to be having quite a few of those lately), I turned in a resume for a newly opened position at work. Not sure I'm really up for another rejection, but my loverly wife and a few co-workers convinced me to give it a shot. Once again, we'll just have to wait and see.

Whose Turn is it?

…because it apparently isn’t mine at the moment. My turn may have already passed, and with 6.6+ billion people in the world, it might take some time to come back around to me.

I didn’t get the apprenticeship.

I’m not sure what to do at this point. I really do not like the whole customer service field I’ve found myself in the past few years, but (even with a college degree) I don’t seem to qualify for any other kind of work. It has become truly aggravating.

At least I currently have a job…even if it isn’t the greatest in the world, it could be a LOT worse.

College vs. Apprenticeships

Tomorrow I have an interview for an apprentice electrical mechanic canidate pool. I wasn't getting my hopes up too much since it IS just for a canidate pool. However, I came across this article today: WA Labor Leaders Find Few Takers for Good Jobs

Wow, does that article describe my situation or what? I am very curious to see how tomorrow turns out...

Blood Money

Blood money. I don’t mean the traditional sense of the phrase, but a much more literal interpretation. I donated plasma yesterday and got paid $40 for it. Technically, they didn’t pay me for the plasma, just “compensated me for my time.” Okay…

It’s kind of a weird process: They extract about a pint of blood at a time and it goes into a centrifuge-type machine that separates the plasma from the red blood cells. When the container of red blood cells is full, it is pumped back into your system (along with a saline/anti-coagulant solution). This cycles happens several times until they get the amount of plasma needed. I’ve been told it averages about 45 minutes to an hour. At the end, you have a large bottle of stuff that look (I swear I’m not making this up) exactly like urine. Weird.

Apparently the human body replenishes plasma (which is mostly water) quickly – you can donate twice a week. Other than being bored, I had a good experience. I didn’t get dizzy like I sometimes do when I donate whole blood. Admittedly, it is an odd feeling when the machine reverses and pumps the red blood cells back in, but after describing it to Leslie, she said it sounded exactly like having an IV drip. I’ve never had an IV, so I can’t compare. All I know is that it is cold…the saline solution is sitting there at room temperature (which is cold). Having something cold flush through the INSIDE of your arm is just plain weird (notice that I’ve been using that word a lot? It’s not by accident).

So why did I do it? Well, first off…$40. If I go a second time (which is likely), I’ll get another $40. After that it drops to $25. It’s nice to have a little extra “fun money” sitting in my pocket. Other than that, why not donate? In the past, I’ve tried to give blood whenever the opportunity arose (since I’m AB+, I figured it was my duty). When I saw the advertisement for the plasma center, I figured it would be an interesting experience.

My only warning: The first time you go, plan on spending several hours there as there is a TON of paperwork to fill out (the industry is highly regulated by the FDA) and you have to have a physical, get blood drawn for testing, pee in a cup, etc. After the first time, you just go in, sign in on the sheet, and wait for your name to be called. I almost certainly will not be going in twice a week. I don’t want my arms to look like I’m a drug addict. But I figure once a month would be enough for me to buy a game or a book or whatever I have my eye on and not feel guilty that I’m spending money my family needs for everyday living.

A Week Late and Several Dollars Short

Well, I’ve been back for a week now, so I guess I should post an update. Gen Con was…well, I could have made it better for myself, but there were just too many things that I just didn’t understand how they worked. Not only that, but I was really missing my family. Between them being gone the week before and then me being gone, I was a little lonely.

So…Gen Con. It’s really not a place for someone who is alone and broke. I took a total of $3 with me: $1.50 for the bus ride from the airport and $1.50 for the ride back (I packed my 10+ year old MREs to eat…not great, but I survived quite nicely, thank you very much!). As it turns out, most of the events at Gen Con cost money. So I spent a lot of time wandering the exhibitor hall playing demo games and browsing through stall/shops. I did attend a few panel discussions (which were free), but that was near the end of the convention. I didn’t realize that I could get in without a ticket to those. So there was a lot of wasted time. Also, never having been to a convention before, I didn’t know what I was doing or where to go for the things I was interested in. It was a bit frustrating.

While there, I had the interview for the Ultimate Gamer Test. Long story short: I didn’t win. Which is fine. I really don’t have the time to commit to something like that. I’ll be happy to do my little part and have fun with it along the way with no expectations or onus of responsibility. I still plan on doing the blog on gaming with kids, but it isn’t something that is being required of me.

And then there was the airplane trip back home. Must have been amateur night up there in the cockpit. I don’t want to fly again for a long time.

The worst part about the whole trip is going back into work on Monday morning and having 200+ emails to wade through – most of it pointless and irritating.

Updates on that Other Stuff

So, besides this Ultimate Gamer Test, what else has been happening? Last Saturday I got some tickets for the local minor league baseball game through work (along with free food and drink coupons) and took the kids to go watch. For what it was and for how old they are, the kids did a fantastic job. Isaiah got chosen to go out on the field and announce the first batter. He was THRILLED! He got a free T-shirt and one of the game balls to take home. I think he wants to be a professional ball player now.

Everyone else enjoyed the game as well. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it...not in a rabid fan sort of way either. There were two home runs and quite a few really good defensive catches. All in all, it was a great weekend.

However, after the game, Isaiah went down to spend a few days with Leslie's parents and younger brothers. He got to go hang out with his uncles and I'm sure they had a great time. I can't say for sure because on Wednesday, Leslie took the other kids to the family reunion/camping trip and will come back this Saturday. That means I won't see my girls for three days and my boy for a whole week. Let me tell ya...I hate coming home to an empty house. You'd think it'd be relaxing. I don't like it.

Why didn't I go to the reunion? Work. And GenCon. I don't have enough vacation time to attend both and I certainly can't afford to take unpaid leave. I'm sad to miss out on the camping - and even more sad that I'll miss most of next week with my family as well. At least I'll have four days of mad-crazy gaming to make up for it...

In other news, I've thrown my hat into the ring for an electrical apprenticeship. Because the parent-company of my work is the local utility, I am able to see all the internal-only job postings, and one of them is for a candidate pool for electrical mechanic apprentices. I've taken and passed all the required tests and submitted my application packet (complete with test scores, military training certificates - in electronics nonetheless - and I even found a letter of recommendation from my training squadron commander about my average military tech school grades...98%!). If I do get accepted, it will nearly double my annual salary...and that's just the start. Apparently electricians who work for a utility company (as opposed to construction) make an unbelievable (to me anyway) amount of money. If I don't get it, no worries...but with the luck I have been having lately, I think my chances are higher than average. The posting doesn't close until the end of this month, so I'll just have to wait and see.

Anything else? Oh yeah, I've been asked to write a blog about gaming with kids to post on this Gleemax site once it gets up and running in the next week or so. I won't be reproducing my posts for that here, but I'll make sure to put up a link so you all can read my less-than-expert advice and thoughts on playing games with kids between the ages of 5 and 11. I've got the first two posts already written, but you'll just have to wait like everyone else. So nyeah...

The Final Test

The final test:

"As we near Gen Con the Ultimate Gamer Test final contestants are being asked to complete one more task here on our forums. They are to write an essay of up to 1000 words that will discuss their biggest hope and greatest concern regarding the upcoming Gleemax web site and its features.

These essays will be posted in the Gleemax Feature/Suggestions forums for community feedback and discussion by Sunday, August 4th at 11:59 pm EDT. These threads will remain open for discussion until August 12th. The posts will be judged on the articulation of their thoughts and the quality of the subsequent discussion.

Results of this final round in conjunction with the interview at Gen Con will determine the winner and runner up who will serve on the Gleemax Advisory Board."

Okay, honestly, I really don't care to write a thousand word essay. I graduated from college last year, remember? I should be done with essays. Oh well. And second, I really don't care. Period. Let the site be what it will be. I don't want to have to spend a lot of brain power on my entertainment. This isn't a job offer or anything. It's for a volunteer position. Not sure if I really even want it. I've already won a trip to Gen Con. I'm happy.

Be that as it may, here is my entry...in all of it's unarticulated glory:

* * * * *

I haven’t read a lot of gaming articles. I don’t spend much time reading through online forums. I certainly don’t claim to have years of research into the esoteric aspects of the greater gaming community. I am not a businessman. I am not an analyst. I am not a person with a finger on the pulse of any online (or offline for that matter) game. What I am is a husband and a father; I am also a (casual?) gamer. It is through my interactions with my family that I view my gaming activities. I use my game time to strengthen the bonds between myself and my wife and my children.

When I first discovered Gleemax, it was the last day to take part in the multiple-choice part of the Ultimate Gamer Test. I took it because, having been around games for the last thirty years, I wanted to know how good I would do. I completed it and logged out, not planning to return for a few months; the concept of a “Home For Gamers” appealed to me, but there didn’t seem to be any reason for me to hang around until the site was up and running. I definitely didn’t expect to hear back about the test.

Three rounds later, I have to admit that I never gave any serious thought to what I wanted the site to be. I was just going along, having fun. And it has been fun. So when I actually stop to think about what I would like (with no knowledge of what is planned or even what is reasonably possible) for Gleemax to be, it would revolve around having the fun continue. Because opinions about what is fun can, and do, differ greatly, I can only speak to my own (and my family’s) fancies.

The very first thing that comes to mind is the concept of “games within a game.” I would love to see Gleemax as more than just a website with text and hyperlinks. Imagine a sort of meta-game where this world is brought into existence and within that world is a theme that brings people together to play games online or organize offline gatherings. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a MUD-type environment with avatars running around, but there is an appeal for me in something like that. I can visualize little Gleemians, Gleewians, or Gleexians (male, female, or other) sitting at a table playing an online game, or standing around a black/white board that links to a wiki or modifiable map where several people are creating a community-made RPG setting. It is a “social” meta-game instead of one that has a way to “win.”

Part of being in a community is a sense of ownership. Individuals won’t feel like they belong unless they “own” their own little corner – be that customized home pages (with databases of games and or characters, links to favorite online games, and ways to showcase their latest RPG creation) that others can visit or a virtual reality home that they can decorate how they want and invite their friends over to play games privately without worrying about strangers dropping in. “Come over to my place and play (insert your favorite game here)!”

Another aspect of community is feeling that your own piece of the world is part of a larger whole. From his/her own corner, an individual could then travel to their city or region (such as Spokane, Washington, USA) to see what is happening locally with other gaming groups or sales/events at brick-and-mortar stores. Not enough happening locally? Planning to do some real-world traveling? Go to another area to see what is happening at that locale and find out about people, groups, and stores before you even leave home.

Of course there would need to be a central place for games to be played…like a Convention Center of sorts where people from all over the world can come together to play old favorites or try new creations (Gen Con Online anyone?).

In the public areas of Gleemax, I would like to see (and this will be extremely controversial) a Public Code of Conduct where there would be optional chat filters for those who desire such things. Violations of the Code (such as circumventing chat filters, spamming, harassment, etc.) could be reported and dealt with by administrators, in a way they feel is appropriate. Now, before people start screaming “CENSORSHIP! Heresy!” this would only be for the public areas. Within the games, forums, or whatever areas are created/controlled by individuals, anything goes (with “anything” being determined by the creator of the game/area). This would allow the freedom of expression that some desire while allowing those who choose otherwise to have that option (perhaps with a splash screen/popup showing the “settings” of the area before entering) as well.

My four biggest concerns for Gleemax are: lack of players, lack of games, lack of multi-platform support (Win/Mac/Linux/etc.), and lack of organization. First, there is nothing worse than having a great game site but not having the critical mass of people so a game can be joined at any hour of any day. Second, there might be plenty of gamers online, but if the games aren’t there, or if a wide variety of games doesn’t exist, it can grow stale quickly; socializing will only take me so far. I want to PLAY! Third, if Gleemax does move beyond a simple web browser-based site, as a Mac user I would hate to be shut out because I don’t have the right technology (this could even be expanded to those like me who are on dial up or even to those who don’t have regular Internet access…can casual gamers log in once a week/month/whatever and not have to overcome a maze of terminology and culture?) Fourth, there can be gamers and games and support, but if I can’t find what I need/want, all of that effort is wasted.

...and here is the associated "discussion"...and I will use the term very lightly as it has a high potential for butt-headedness.

Clean Bill of Health and a Trip to Indiana

I had a doctor's appointment today. It has literally been decades since I had a checkup. I was a bit curious to what rare ailments I might have (not Maid's Elbow...PLEASE...anything but Maid's Elbow!) As it turns out, I'm perfectly healthy. I'll try not to be too disappointed. A brain tumor sure would have explained a lot, however.

I do have to go back for some lab work. They want to screen me for diabetes and high cholesterol. Something about "family history"...go figure. At least I squeaked out of having a colonoscopy...'nuff said.

In other news...I'M GOING TO GEN CON! WOO HOO! Yeah, there is still another task to perform and an interview, but at this point I figure I've already got my prize. I mean, a free trip to Gen Con: Plane ticket? Paid for. Hotel? Paid for. Entrance fee? Paid for. And hopefully I'll come back with lots of swag.

Yeah, I'm geeking out about it.

Creating New Gamers Since 1997!

Wilson Family Gamers - Raising the Next Generation of Gamers!

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No Saturday morning cartoons at this house! It’s wake up early and grab the board games.

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Later that morning, everyone takes a trip down to one of the three local game stores to browse the games and watch a few rounds of the Magic: The Gathering 10th Anniversary Tournament.

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Back at home, the joys of fantasy hack & slash dungeon crawling is played out with the old Hero’s Quest board game.

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Nostalgia runs high as Dad re-lives the glory days of his youth with the Red Box Dungeons & Dragons RPG. Mystara lives on!

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During family game night, a homemade turntable helps those with shorter arms reach all parts of the board.

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Before the Internet (gasp!), playing wargames solo was a way of life for some grognards. However, explaining the entertainment value of pushing around cardboard chits can prove to be difficult.

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When Dad comes home from work, there is just enough time for a quick game of Mario Party on the Nintendo Gamecube.

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After the kids are in bed, some adult companionship and a quiet game can help relax the mind...

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...or stimulate the imagination.

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Why grow up limiting yourself to just reaching for the stars when you can reach for the stars AND the top of the game shelf!

A Picture's Worth

The next round is a photo essay. Your challenge will be to take 10 photographs, showing us your gamer community. Your gamer community can include where you game, who you game with, how you game, or any other aspects of “community” you want to show us.

In addition, you have 250 total words with which to write captions for your photos (approximately 25 words each).

Oh man...I don't really have a gaming group. Well, that's not entirely true. I do play games with my kids, so I guess that is who I will take pictures of. It might even give me some bonus points - not just because they are cute, but because it will be a different group of gamers from all the other contestants.

Perhaps they will want someone who has views on the younger gamers...

I am Geek! Hear Me Roar!

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=883365

Retroperistalsis

I'm going to try to keep from getting angry during this post. Not likely to happen, but I'm going to try.

On the 4th of July, we went down to my in-laws to spend the day. Fairly soon after we got there, one of my wife's sisters told us that one of her kids was throwing up the day before and the other one threw up this morning...but they are better now so no worries.

Yeah...right....

I would have thought common courtesy demanded a phone call BEFORE we drove all that way. Come on...we have an infant! As it turns out, everyone got sick...REALLY sick. I had to miss a day of work, and I don't have that much sick/vacation time to be wasting on crap like this that could have been prevented.

Thursday night, Mary started to complain about her stomach hurting. Not long after that, she started throwing up. Leslie followed within a few hours followed by Emma. I could feel myself starting down that path, but I hoped to avoid it. I was kept busy by running between Mary's room and Emma (who was in the living room), emptying bowls and rubbing backs.

Isaiah slept on the couch and Rebekah was in her bed. I also had hopes they would miss out on it. No such luck. Around 3AM, Isaiah started hurling...followed by Rebekah only a few minutes later. I brought everyone out into the living room (except Mary, who was being the brave trooper in her room) for a grand ol' vomitous time. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Leslie making trips from our room to the bathroom, so I know she wasn't faring well either.

I won't go into gory details, but at one point I had to shout out: "Will you people stop throwing up on me?!?"

Yeah...fun times were had by all...

By the time I started my own moments of fun, everyone but Isaiah had stopped. So we had to share the bathroom at times. Ah! Nothing like Father/Son bonding...

The whole family spent most of Friday sleeping. I had a raging headache most of the day while I thought of the things that needed to have been done at work today, but now had to wait.

Yeah...thanks for sharing...

The only bright note is Benjamin: He was the only one we were initially worried about getting sick and he just slept through the whole thing and woke up smiling. Thank Heavens for small miracles.

Silence is Golden

Okay here are the instructions I was given:

Steve,

Congratulations! You have been selected to advance to the next round of the Ultimate Gamer Test.

The Next Challenge:

Produce a 3 minute video in which you pitch your favorite game to a theoretical fellow gamer who has not played it before.

You must then post the video to a publicly accessible web site (like YouTube, etc.) and send a link to the video to UGT@wizards.com by 11:59 p.m. EDT, Sunday, July 8.

The videos will be judged on three criteria:
1. Engaging - does your video engage the viewer and make them want to keep watching?
2. Compelling - does your video make the viewer want to play your favorite game?
3. Overall Presentation - is the quality of your video good? Is it entertaining to watch?

Considerations when making the video:
* Your video must be P.G. No nudity, bad language or obscenity of any kind (we know, this was the first thing you thought of).
* Be creative. There are many ways to show off your favorite game.
* You must appear in your video.
* The video can be no longer than 3 minutes.
* Be sure that you post it to a publicly available web site (no password, etc.)

Five finalists will win a trip to Gen Con, Indianapolis from August 16 -19, with 4-day passes, airfare, and hotel paid for by Wizards of the Coast. In addition, the winner will receive a seat on the Gleemax Advisory Board as well as $1000 in Wizards product. The runner-up will also receive a seat on the Gleemax Advisory Board. See http://www.gleemax.com/articles/rules.html for full rules and details.

Win or not, I had an incredibly fun time doing this. Taking off on the "Be creative" phrase, I went and put together an olde-tyme, silent movie...complete with the music that sounds like it is coming from a tin can (or is that just my speakers?). Honestly, I don't know if that is what they are looking for or not, but I had fun and learned how to use the iMovie program that was hiding on my computer.

There is a lot more I would have like to do, but given the limitations on available equipment, time, and my lack of acting ability, I think it turned out alright...for what it is. Besides, fake-aging the movie covered up a lot of blurry and bumpy shots (VERY small camera...like cell phone small. Not exactly the best thing for a project like this.)

In any case, HERE IT IS!. It's about 8 MB in size, so if you are on a dial up, it might take awhile. Just remember, I got my education in Anthropology, not Cinematography!

So...honestly...does it make you interested in playing the game, or are you just left with: "That guy is an idiot..."?

The Alien Brain in a Jar Made Me Do It!

Okay, so I enter this contest on a complete lark. It was a timed test titled "The Ultimate Gamer Test" or something along those lines. Anyway, I figured I knew enough about games to give it a go...at least it would be fun to see how I did. As it turns out, I made the semi-final list.

Unfortunately, the next step is having to make a 3-minute video hyping up my favorite game. Egads...not only do I not have a video camera, but I don't know the first thing about video editing. As it turns out, my Macintosh computer has a program already on it that will make the job easier.

Now to find a camera. I'm hoping my in-laws can help out.

I have a few ideas about what to do, but I'm not going to say just yet. I'll be sure to post a link to my (most likely) horrible creation when it is finished. It should be fun and only slightly embarrassing. However, the grand prize is good (if fairly geeky).

I'm up against about 50 other people (I had originally thought it was only 10), and I have to have it submitted by July 8th. Wish me luck!

Rebel Without a Clue

Conversation with the New Guy at work today:

New Guy: "Why do you wear a tie?"

Me: "I'm rebelling against the establishment and all authority figures everywhere."

New Guy: "Oh...(pause)...cool."

A Picture?!? It's About Time!

Enjoy!

What is it About the Duck Tie?

Once upon a time, a man had a maroon tie with an embroidered duck at the bottom. It caught the attention of the man's son and soon the son was wearing it all the time and the man never saw it again.

As the son grew older, he kept the tie. Oh, he had other ties, but the tie he had "borrowed" from his father was one of his favorites. Eventually, the son got married and started having kids of his own.

One Sunday morning, his own oldest son came out from his closet carrying the duck tie and told his dad, "Dad, I want to wear this tie."

Now this little boy had never worn a full tie before. It had only been clip-ons. Somewhat humored, the dad tied it for him and let him wear it. And behold! The kid looked good in it.

This little boy (the grandson of the original owner of the tie) now seems to have laid claim to the tie and wears it every Sunday.

The moral of the story: Dad, if you want your duck tie back, you'll have to bring it up with your grandson. Apparently I no longer own it.

So What You're Telling Me Is...

...it is basically worthless...no matter how positive you try to spin it.

Over/Under Pressure

Pressure is defined as force per unit area.

In my case it is defined by a series of (unfortunate) numbers gathered over the past few days:

130/98
143/86
121/89
128/92

For an average of about 130/91...not good for a guy in his 30s (especially that last number).

If you don't understand, don't worry about it. I'll probably rant about it some more at a later date.

There's a New Hero in Town

Look! On that bus! It's a boy! No! He's wearing a tie - it's a man! It's "Super Bus Boy" Man!

That's right, folks!

Starting in the month of June, I will be riding the bus every day to and from work. Why? Have you ever actually sat down and figured out what it costs to drive every day? Just for giggles and grins, check this little commute calculator out:

http://www.mycommute.org/site/options/calculator

So, let's see...$1700+ annually to drive or $396 annually to ride the bus...

My work place sells monthly bus passes at a discount, so I save even more (ends up being $366/year). Not only that, I contacted my auto insurance company and told them I wouldn't be driving as much and got a little over $100 off my annual bill...not much, but it all adds up.

It's not just economics either. I'm not a die-hard environmentalist, but probably much more than your typical white, christian, Republican male. There is a certain amount of hypocrisy in American culture - especially when it comes to environmental issues. I'll just do my part and let everyone else worry about themselves.

But what about the actual experience of riding the bus? The bus stops are a block from my home and a block from work - it doesn't get much better than that. The mornings are great, I catch the very first bus run (5:50AM), so it is usually empty or nearly so. The afternoons...? Well, I get off work at 3PM so the buses are usually hot and crowded with punk kids and a general mass of unhappy people. Still, it's nothing that "Super Bus Boy" Man can't handle!

Forget Jack...This Could be the House That STEVE Built!

Nothing is final yet...but...check this out:



Click on it for more details. And, yes, a further explanation will be forthcoming...in the next few weeks.

Iacta Alea Est

The die is cast.

Graduate school is out of the picture. For now, anyways. As it turns out, my one academic reference filled out the form, but never sent in an actual letter of recommendation. Even after I followed up with him about it. Ah well...no point in getting worked up over it. Over the past month I wasn't even sure if I would have gone even if I was accepted. I really do have a good thing going here and I'm not sure I am ready to give it up for more debt and being right back where I was this time last year - unemployed with a degree that didn't make much sense.

So what is on the agenda now? Well, for starters, enjoy having a job that I don't have to bring home with me, leaving time for other stuff. Enjoy getting off work in time to be home with my kids after they get home from school. Enjoy being in a home (not an apartment) that, while it's not in the best of condition, is affordable and has a fenced back yard (in all its decade-long, neglected glory). Enjoy full medical/dental benefits. Enjoy watching a 401(k) slowly grow. Enjoy the thought that I'll be getting a few more clients at work before too long.

INVICTUS
by Wiliam Ernest Henley (1849-1903)

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

And so I am.

He NEEDS this book!

Seriously. Whether it is for your son(s) or your husband. Get it. Now. Trust me. I have one for myself and my boys. It's published in British and American editions.

What a Dull Month

I think the title says it all. April has been a dull month. That's not to say that nothing has happened, it's just been...dull. At least the weather is now warm enough to take the kids out on a hike. There are some decent trails around here for exploring. Perhaps May will be better.

This is Your Brain...

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

Yeah, tell that to my kids who are beginning readers.

Happy Half-Birthday

Today I am officially 33 1/2 years old. If you're a Bugs Bunny fan - that might make you smile. If not, send presents anyway...

Bad Haiku of a Utility Coordinator

A look into my job using a badly mauled form of ancient poetry. Don't expect to understand a lot of this...

Business. Gah...Business!
Why can't you understand me?
REPRESENTATIVE!

My name is Steve and-
Yes, I work for Advantage...
Fine. Fax me the form.

Verifying bills.
My, what a large stack that is!
Nothing matches. Crap.

Again I'm on hold.
Is this what they call music?
Wait. Did they hang up?

What? No meters there?
I don't deal with meter sets.
No, I'm not joking.

Please close this account.
No wait. We need it open.
Wait. I'll have to call back.

Desktop fax is cool!
But it can't fill out my forms.
Desktop fax sucks bad!

My drivers license?
Social security card?
You are quite insane.

Open request form
Is not filled out correctly.
I need an address.

Specialist knows not,
Analyst knows not either,
What Team Everest does.

It's a team meeting?
Look at the happy faces!
Oh, it's the lunch room...

Call volume is high
Longer than normal wait time.
No. This IS normal.

Push "three" for business.
Why'd I get residential?
Please fix your menus.

Waiting for a fax...
Where's my Access record?
It's like a party.

It's very crowded.
Don't push the printer button
When I'm faxing.

Bienvenidos!
Uh oh, what do I push now?
Umm...lo siento?

Quid, me anxius sum?

Well, it is now completely out of my hands. I have done everything I could. I just have to sit and wait...and wait...and wait... (sounds like the beginning of Casa Blanca, huh?)

I've turned in my application packet for graduate school. They make their decisions in May. I'm going to try not to go MAD...

March Madness

No...this isn't about basketball. Have I ever mentioned how much I REALLY dislike rabid sports fans? But I digress...

It's been a busy month with all the birthdays and our 10 year anniversary. Plus we have been fighting a round of the flu in the household. We had one day where the three older kids were all throwing up at the same time...not fun.

Leslie and I haven't been able to get out to do anything for our anniversary. Between the new baby, sick kids, work, school, church callings, lack of money, it has been pretty impossible. It's kind of strange to think about being married for 10 years. It seems like a long time and a short time at the same time. (How many times can I use the word "time" in a sentence?) I suppose I could take this opportunity to reminisce about years gone by, but I'm not feeling particularly nostalgic at the moment.

I've started up yet another blog...this time it is an exercise related one. Although the name is "Water Blogged", you can see there has been a distinct lack of water thus far. The original idea was to use it to track my swimming workouts, scuba dives, etc. It might just end up being a place to write more random thoughts...who knows?

Tomorrow I mail off my application packet for graduate school. They make their decisions in May. I'll have to wait a whole month to find out if all the effort was worth it. Blech...

Trial of Faith

Okay, a little religious moment here. It has always been my understanding that great and marvelous things happen only after what is usually called a "trial of faith." Again, as I understand it, that means that your faith is tested and if you weather it well, you are blessed with whatever blessing you darn blessed well need.

So...that's not how it happens for me. I get pissed off and good things happen. Go figure. Let me elucidate:

A few months ago I was unemployed. Couldn't get a job doing anything. Seriously. Not even as a janitor. At first I was depressed. Then I got mad. Really mad. Those that know me well (or think they know me) have a hard time imagining me getting mad - well, maybe my kids and wife understand. But that is not the point. I got pissed with a capital "P" (sounds messy, huh?) Being thus and duly worked up to yon dizzy heights, I went to a temp service (which I didn't really want to go to - bad experiences in the past). Within a week, I was working.

Example #2: This past weekend was a bad one for me. I had talked to quite a few people and became discouraged about graduate school. It all boiled down to not wanting to spend the time and money getting an advanced degree and then being stuck in the same place I was just a few months ago: Unemployed and mad. By Sunday evening, I had given up any thoughts of going back to school and resigned myself to a boring job for the rest of my life.

Monday morning while I was driving to work, I was thinking more and more about it and was getting madder and madder by the minute. When I checked my email at work, I had a message from a person who I used to work for at the library at WSU. Last week I had asked her for a letter of recommendation. This is a very small part of her reply:

"I surely hope all works out well for you and your future studies. I can imagine that this must be a very challenging time in your life right now. But you know what they say about God, He never gives you more than you can handle. So there you have it, the measure of faith He has in you and your family."

This is from someone who is not the same religion as myself. I have to say that it is exactly what I needed to hear at that point. So I said to myself, "Screw it, I'm going to go back to school even if I can't do jack-squat with a MS degree. I just don't care."

Example #3: I had two of the three letters of recommend I needed. I had no idea where I was going to get the third. I didn't want to ask my current boss, but I would if it became necessary. I figured there was no way one of my old professors would remember me. Again, I started to get mad. After making the decision to go ahead and try for graduate school and then failing because I could only get two recommends would just about have broken me. So I looked up the email of a professor I had taken a few anthropology courses from and fired off a semi-beligerant email (okay, it really wasn't, but it sounded that way when I read it in my head). An hour later I get a reply:

"Of course I remember you! I'd be happy to write a letter of support for you and it would be very favorable."

Wow. Just...wow...

So there it is. Now, I'm not foolish enough to actually believe that good things happen to me because I get angry. But it is that anger that puts me in motion and gets the job done. I've spent so much of my life being the easy-going type guy and just letting things slide - taking a "meh...screw it..." attitude. I'm not saying that has suddenly taken a drastic change, but there it is.

Yes, I have been blessed. I'm just not sure I understand why or how.

Master of None

Well, I'm about 75% convinced to return to school to get a Masters Degree. The biggest obstacle is having to move...AGAIN. But, it would be necessary because there are no masters programs at the universities in the area that are even remotely interesting. As much as I hate to say it, I just may be moving back to Ellensburg to pursue a degree in Resource Management.

On the plus side, both Leslie and I enjoyed the few years we were there and still have at least one other family there that we are friends with...perhaps more. And...it's not a big, drug-infested city like we are living in now.

On the down side, we'd have to move...AGAIN. Finding a place big enough for all of us is getting harder and harder. The house we are currently in is certainly not ideal, but at least we are in it. A move back to college would most likely mean apartment living again (yuck), and once more struggling with finances while racking up another round of student loans.

Still, ya gotta do what ya gotta do...

Workplace Violence

I made a mistake. I returned to work with no pictures of the baby. BIG mistake. But I apparently made an even BIGGER mistake. Several of the ladies there didn't even know we were expecting. Good grief. You'd think I had insulted their womanly heritage since the beginning of time.

I'm still living in the Stone Age and don't have a digital camera. So pictures are on the way...it will just take a little while. Hopefully I can survive until then.

As If This Time of Year Didn't Have Enough Birthdays

I am pleased to announce the birth of Benjamin, my second son and fifth child. He was born at 3:09 in the afternoon, weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces, measured 18 3/4 inches, and complete with black hair and dimples. Both he and mom are doing great. They will be coming home tomorrow; until then, I am pulling full-time Daddy Duty (it's not "baby-sitting"...it's called "parenting").

Isaiah is excited to have another boy in the house and wants to share all of his toys with Benjamin. Rebekah is thrilled that there is another black-haired person, Mary is on worry-overdrive about them staying at the hospital tonight. Emma is also on overdrive, but for a different reason: she has been told it is her job to hold the baby's hand and to make sure Mommy has enough blankets, diapers, etc. for the baby. She has been waiting for this moment for a long time now.

As for me and Leslie, I think we have reached an agreement that this will be our last kid. Not only is it already like a horde of locusts at mealtimes, but it is starting to be a drain on us physically, mentally, and emotionally. I love my kids, but everyone has a point at which there is a limit - as the saying goes: "It is not requisite that a man run faster than he has strength."

Water: Friend or Foe?

I started competitive swimming when I was 8 years old and have been doing it off and on for the last 25 years. Okay, for a lot of that I wasn't really motivated, much to the chagrin of my sisters/coaches/whoever. Last year I received my certification in scuba diving, which is something I always wanted to do. My father was once really into sailboats and some deep, genetic part of me finds a certain amount of thrill in balancing the forces of wind, wood, and wave.

All that being said, one of my biggest fears in life is drowning. I have nightmares about it. I go into near panic when I see one of my kids struggling at swim lessons. Standing on top of the Eiffel Tower and leaning out as far as I can doesn't provoke the same terror for me as being out in the ocean and thinking about how DEEP the water is.

Lower Frog Jump, Tennessee

It's official. It exists.

Ahhh! The Weekend!

Weekends are good. I'm glad someone thought up the idea. There are times when I feel a little selfish about wanting to just spend time alone. When I DO get some alone time, it never seems to be long enough...even if I spent ALL DAY in my room reading, plotting & scheming, or whatever. I think it might be a bit of a hold-out from years past when I was either a college student, had fewer kids, or unemployed.

Just the other day I was looking at pictures of my kids, wishing I could spend more time with them. Then it occurred to me that I COULD spend more time...I just don't when I have the chance because of this "alone time" that I feel I need. It's a selfish thing.

In other news, the Russian Empire continues to expand:

"B" is for Busy - That's Good Enough for Me

Well, I just spent the last hour trying to remember the password to my blog. Infuriating. I also spent a good chunk of time catching up on all the other blogs I read. I just haven't taken the time lately.

I won't bore anyone with the details - I just felt like I should post something to say to the world that I am still alive.

I actually called my dad the other day. Shocker, I know. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but as my family can emphatically attest to, I don't call anyone.

I am also officially official at work now. 25 Jan marked my switch over from temporary employee to full hire status. So now I actually get benefits and whatnot. Yeah me!

So...ummm....tah dah!

Reputation and Religion

Awhile back I mention I was playing Diplomacy by email. Since turns only happen once a week, not much game time has passed. In any case, here is the map update:


(Since I can't get this new version of Blogger to NOT cut off the eastern portion of the map, here is a smaller version of the whole thing)


Again, I am playing Russia (the white pieces/territory) and 18 dots (supply centers) are needed to win. If you compare the old map with this one, you may notice that my former ally, the Austrian-Hungary Empire (red) is gone. Yup, he dropped the game and Italy gobbled up his territory. Fortunately, he left before I openly committed myself to the alliance and I have been able to strike up a non-involvement agreement with Italy. I would let him have the Austrian lands if he kept out of the Turkish lands. So far the agreement has held and I am finally in a position to crush Turkey...alone if need be.

Recently, the German player dropped the game as well and was replaced by someone who is...umm...not as good with the tactical decisions. Germany is on a severe downslide. England still isn't looking too good and, indeed, his time is short. France has made a bit of a comeback against the confused German troops.

Now, to associate this with the title of my post: Turkey and England both refuse to talk to me and their final messages were filled with...how to put this...uncomplimentary words. This was due to my having either lied or broken a treaty early. I don't think Italy trusts me - I can't say I trust him either, so that is probably healthy for both of us. My point is this: although the other players don't know anything about my religious views, it has given me pause to think if a game like this can be played in a way that I can answer the following question in the affirmative: "Are you honest with your fellow man?"

Yes, it is a game, but should that matter? In my life, right now, I could never blatantly double-cross someone - I value my reputation too much and would be ashamed of myself. I have done something like this in the past and I am still ashamed whenever I think about it, even though I was forgiven by the person.

In this game, it has stung to be called names that I probably deserved, but it doesn't reach the level of "shame" because I justify it as a "just a game." If you have ever watched the TV show "Survivor," it reminds me of all the bitter and hateful people at the end who berate and insult the two finalists just because they aren't there themselves. It's all sour grapes, but they may feel (right or wrong) betrayed by the object of their scorn.

So, are my actions hypocritical ? Perhaps. I still feel I can draw the line between reality and a game and act accordingly. But is the loss of real reputation (as perceived by others) worth the gains of victory in a game?

It's an interesting thought to think...