Categories
Toiling In The Pixel Mines

Psssssst…

vworp... vworp... vworp...You want to read almost 7% of VWORP!1 for free before taking the plunge?

VWORP!1 Sampler – 2.56mb PDF file

I’ll be looking over a new proof copy in the next couple of days, and provided it hasn’t been randomly rearranged by some algorithm designed to “correct” my carefully-arranged layout, I’ll pull the trigger and make it available to order.

For a variety of reasons, I’ve opted to use Createspace, which is part of Amazon and therefore is automatically available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, rather than Lulu.com. Believe it or not, this’ll actually make it cheaper for you; in the meantime, I just have to deal with the automatic document check system on Createspace trying to “correct” a layout that I actually thought out pretty thoroughly, thankyouverymuch.

Keep watching the big book cover link to the left…… Read more

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Funny Stuff Toiling In The Pixel Mines

Say hello to my little friend

VWORP!1Meet my new buddy Dinsdale the Drashig. He doesn’t make too many public appearances, not since his guest starring gig in the 1973 Doctor Who story Carnival Of Monsters. (Which, incidentally, you can read about in VWORP!1.)

He’ll be helping me hand out books at OVGE, but you’ve gotta be careful with him… … Read more

Categories
Gaming Toiling In The Pixel Mines

In Dreams

Flynn'sEvery once in a while, an idea lands in my head from a dream, fully-formed, and I wake up and go “hey, gotta write that one down.” Today I took a nap and had such a revelation.

I stated a while back that I’d had a memoir that started out, at least nominally, as a Phosphor Dot Fossils book, but it just as quickly become something that reached far beyond the parameters of that particular “brand name” (if you can even call it that). It’ll still make many a mention of video games and computers and so on, but it’s not a straight-up video game guidebook of any kind.

What hit me today was the organizational idea for precisely the kind of straight-up video game guidebook that the other book had ceased to be. Ironically, the idea was familiar – I’d actually already seen something similar in a book about pre-’80s rock bands, many, many years ago (we’re talking back when I was in college, mind you), and suddenly that dormant synapse fired and said “Why not apply that organizational strategy to… this project?”

So suddenly the PDF book, that I’ve known for some time that I needed to write, has a shape and a purpose. Something unique that sets it apart from other books on the subject. It’s almost hard to explain – it’s both an organizational concept and a visual concept. The layout will be pretty involved.

Maybe 2014 or 2015, if I haven’t keeled over by then from all the stuff I have to roll out in 2013.… Read more

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Funny Stuff Serious Stuff

Wait until you hear what I did with my other organs

I just got home from the local polling place. Ah, the things you hear folks say – “wow, his name doesn’t even SOUND American!”… really? You think all “American” surnames originated on this continent? Didn’t do well in history, did you, buddy?

Anyway, I would love to tell you that I voted with my head, my heart and my conscience, but I have to come clean on this… … Read more

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...And Little E Makes 3 Television & Movies

Patience, my young padawan

It took a while, but Little E finally watched Star Wars all the way through over the weekend, over a meal of a homemade cheeseburger and some fries. He’s about the same age I was when I first saw it: four-going-on-five.

He now “gets” what’s up with his two lightsaber flashlights and wants to play Star Wars with me all the time. For unspecified reasons that will become clear to him later, I’ve always got the one with the red lights. (Spoilers, sweetie.)

One thing does seem to have struck a chord with him, though (literally): he loved the music. At naptime on Sunday, he curled up next to his mother and asked her to hum Star Wars music to him. She found this a daunting request. Now, I could go into how silly it is for a former music major and a lifelong Star Wars fan to not know the best-selling soundtrack of all time backward and forward (who’s the music major here?), but I’ll spare her the embarrassment. (Oh… wait. There was probably a more graceful way to mention that.)

He asked me on Monday night, “Dad, do you have any Star Wars music?”

Who, moi? A guy who can’t read sheet music to save his life but still geeks out over what the woodwind section is doing at any given moment in any given soundtrack?

Why… yes. Yes I do. My dear boy, I thought you’d never ask.

I have a feeling my room is going to suddenly be a lot more interesting to him.

Artoo Detoo, where are you?… Read more

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...And Little E Makes 3 Funny Stuff

Performance review

CatOne of Little E’s chores that he can earn money for around the house is feeding kitties and doggies. Cat feeding is normally a bit chaotic – you don’t have to feed again for two days because he usually spills as much in the floor as he gets in the bowls. But tonight? Spotless. I was shocked. The following conversation took place:

  • Me: Wow, buddy. You did a very good job of feeding kitties. You didn’t spill any cat food in the floor!
  • E: . . . (awkward pause)
  • Me: You did a great job! I’m very proud of you!
  • E: Dad… I just tooted.
  • Me: And you get to toot on the job! That’s a perk!

If he’s getting the kind of on-the-job perk package where he can fart on the job, do I really need to pay him?… Read more