JP on Gaming: 2014 Yearly Restrospective

Personal

Forty. Four-Zero. Top of the hill. That's what I reached this year. Yup. 40. So many things have changed in the last few years... Wow...

This year, I narrowly avoided death. I have been praying real hard ever since then and tried to make changes to my life. Eat less. Exercise. Eat less fat. Eat less sweet. In short, all I have left is spicy food. But I want a change to see my grand kids. One day. One day.

The kids are growing up and they surprise and amaze me every day. Jojo is becoming a tween. Kiddy is the organizer. And ActionMan... well he's all about the action.

Also this year for the first time in thirty years, I rediscovered the joys and peace of fishing. I also introduced my son, ActionMan to the joys of it. I'll admit we're both terrible fishermen and he enjoys most playing in the water, but I expect we will be going back and fishing some more.

I was really lucky that my god-son and eldest nephew on my wife's side (he's one of the reasons I met Julie...) came to visit us. Of course, I took him and ActionMan fishing. Jocelyn (said nephew did SO MUCH BETTER than his father) whose "exploits" on the fishing rod will be spoken of for decades to come.

Yes it was THAT funny.

No, I will not forget.

Family.

Sports

This year, two major sporting events took place. First, the Denver Broncos in the Superbowl in a "game that will not be spoken of anymore." The second event, the Montreal Canadiens went far in the playoffs brought the dream back about why hockey is the fastest and most exciting game in the world.

If you ask ActionMan, both of these events pale when compared to what he and I experienced: THE MONSTER JAM! This unholy child of pro-wrestling and nascar thrilled him so much that he keeps asking for MORE. I guess we'll have to repeat the experience in the new year...

Attended a football game in Nashville (New York Giants vs Tennessee Titans) and Monday Night Football in Cincinnati (vs the Denver Broncos).

I took the family to a hockey game to see the Nashville Predators vs the Winnipeg Jets.

Passing

This year, two people I know passed on to a better world. First, my Aunt Monique my mother's big sister, passed of cancer. I have many fond memories of her.

Someone who also passed away because of cancer was Carla Porter my best bud's wife. Although she and I never met, we traded some jabs about LPJ and I felt real close to her. Her passing affected me a lot.

Conventions

This year, I attended a number of cons locally:

Cincycon in Cincinnati OH, Arcanicon in Detroit MI, Conglomeration in Louisville KY, Origins in Columbus OH, Gencon in Indianapolis IN, Imaginareum in Louisville KY, Archon is St. Louis MO, and finally, Aethercon online.

In 2015, I expect to attend a number of the same events, with perhaps a few additional ones.

Games

This year, I got to play a lot of Arcanis and really had a blast with it. I got to meet and talk to the PCI crew at Winter Fantasy, Origins and Gencon. Plus I've been talking a lot to them off-screen. I have great respect for these guys and (I hope) they like me too.

Starting with Origins, I have been playing some Legends of the Five Rings again! With great delight, I am rediscovering the joys of that setting. I have been enjoying playing this a lot. So different from playing D&D games. I haven't been GMing it, just playing. A fifth edition is apparently in the works... kinda mixed feelings about that one.

I have been mostly playing Pathfinder throughout the year. I still love the game, but definitely feel the system is starting to show its age.

NeoExodus Legacies has been growing and expanding. Based on solid storyline with player input and impact, it is really starting to catch on. More work, but I like it.

Throughout the year, I have been playing Pathfinder Society. This new season is a very mixed bag for me. I don't really like this Super-Science theme. Some of the other mods are better. I have been playing a lot more of the Adventure Paths and Modules, finding them all so much more exciting and interesting that the adventures of organized play... Strange because Season 6 is MUCH better than the previous seasons. Oh well. Even the online community seems to be playing a lot more of these modules.

Shortly before Origins, I played a Shadowrun Mission my first since Neoncon way back in 2011. It's been enjoyable though its setting is not "really my thing." I've had a lot of fun with it.

Starting with Winter Fantasy, I got to play some WitchHunter for the first time. I really took to the story. Clint has a good storyline going for it. I really am looking forward to more next year. I also put out my first adventure for that campaign and I tried my hand at running it!

Books

As I put the list of books I read this year, I find it rather short... Then I realized they are either anthologies or collections.

After finishing and greatly enjoying the Chronicles last year, I got the Dragonlance - Legends. That story was exactly why I stopped reading fantasy novels. The plot makes NO SENSE. It is stupid, long-winded and really goes no where. The first novel is the most interesting one of the lot, but from there, it doesn't fall, but crashes into stupidity. I will not be repeating the experience of reading any more D&D novels.

I finished the Black Company Omnibus by Glenn Cook I owned by reading She is the Darkness. The story is not as interesting as the previous parts. It is complex and winding... I don't think I will read any more of this series either. It wasn't as bad as Legends, but my interest dwindles in this. The characters become stale and boring.

I decided to get a change-of pace, I bought on Amazon the more mundane Agatha Christies' Hercules Poirot Casebook which regroups a number of short stories. I'm really enjoying this book. I usually like short stories and this one is no exception. Last year, I got Mrs Marple's short stories and it was a fun read.

During the year, I read a number of comic books, both from DC and Marvel. From Moonlite Comics, I bought a number of omnibuses: Justice League America, Batgirl, Batman, Superman, the Avengers, Ms Marvel, and the X-men. I really enjoy reading those old stories harking back to the 80s. I think I still have some of the original comics I have here... I'd have to check! :D

Real Work

Perhaps, the biggest and proudest thing I did at my day job was the full implementation and roll-out of the new Humana Enrollment API. It was really my baby, though I have to admit that a few others have contributed a lot of meaningful suggestions and impact. The underlying thing is my brainchild. I worked with a lot of people to get this out and I really had high hopes for it.

Which leads me to the next entry. Unhappy with a number of things at my current job, I began looking for something different, somewhere else (I won't go into the reasons here). Right before Xmas, I received and approved an offer for a new position. This means the family will be moving again in 2015! Where? You will have to wait and see!

Santa did deliver!

Trips

I spent some time in Montreal this summer. It was great as I got to see my family (on both sides) and friends. I celebrated my birthday over there with everyone. It really was awesome! I will be going again.

One unexpected trip I did was to Blytheville, AR. Yes. Arkansas! I got to see how a steel mill runs! Wow I cannot explain the raw power of the arc melter. Just amazing. Wow. Just wow! Seeing the heat coming from that.