tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69085108406595065472024-03-13T09:20:11.029-07:00Rich HowardRich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-66380989072811747462018-12-03T10:00:00.000-08:002018-12-03T12:26:54.825-08:00Podcast and Actual Play Appearances<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ONPFk6kbyo0/Wwsz27TPzqI/AAAAAAAARXY/573gYIeU3VYIH6lCZJFBQve5lvsREkEugCLcBGAs/s1600/whelmed%2Bbanner.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ONPFk6kbyo0/Wwsz27TPzqI/AAAAAAAARXY/573gYIeU3VYIH6lCZJFBQve5lvsREkEugCLcBGAs/s640/whelmed%2Bbanner.jpg" /></a><br />
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My podcast career started back in February of 2015 with an appearance on the amazing Dungeon Master's Block. Mitch and Chris were fantastic hosts and little did I know they would change how I interacted with the gaming and popular culture community forever.<br />
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If you've enjoyed one of my guest spots, you'll find links to my other podcast and streaming appearances below. If you aren't sure where to start, check out <b>the episodes in bold.</b><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<h3>
Science, Spirituality, and Popular Culture </h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Whelmed: The Young Justice Files </b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.crashingthemode.com/">Co-Host/Co-Creator</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Unapologetic Geek Out</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://unapologeticgeekout.com/ugo-ep-114-whelmed">Young Justice Special</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Get Hype Pod</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://gethype.simplecast.fm/ep10"><b>Part 1: Blue Planet 2 BBC </b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><b>A fantastic podcast that brings guests on to get excited about their favorite things! </b></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://gethype.simplecast.fm/ep11"><b>Part 2: Blue Planet 2 BBC</b></a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Geek Wars</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/geek-wars-feed/2018/1/24/s01-game-02-not-wonder-hound">Season 1, Game 2: Not Wonder Hound</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Never Tell Me The Pods</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ntmtp.libsyn.com/episode-52-search-your-feelings">Part 1: Search Your Feelings</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Pranks Paul and Kat Kuhl invited me and Quinn Wilson on to talk about shipping, emotions, and our formative years influenced by Star Wars.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://ntmtp.libsyn.com/episode-53-a-bad-feeling-about-this">Part 2: A Bad Feeling About This</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>The Secret Cellar</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://secretcellar.zeros.bar/2018/09/07/6-changing-shape/"><b>Changing Shape</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><b>Possibly my most personal interview, discussing my views on the spiritual and existential aspects of Story.</b></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://secretcellar.zeros.bar/2018/08/17/5-weep-and-whale/">Weep and Whale</a></li>
<ul>
<li>A retrospective on our game <a href="http://descentintomidnight.com/">Descent into Midnight</a> and the host's experience with it at GenCon 2018</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>The Math of You</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://shows.pippa.io/themathofyou/episode-088-justice-league-unlimited-and-conscious-creation">Justice League Unlimited and Conscious Creation</a></li>
<ul>
<li>A discussion about the formative media and experiences of childhood</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://shows.pippa.io/themathofyou/episode-0885-bonus-chat-with-rich-howard">Bonus Episode</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Discussing when to start stopping pretending you belong, making podcasts as therapy, and when to stop looking at your feet.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Gameable Saturday Morning (See Also: Roleplaying Game Discussions)</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://gameabledisneypodcast.tumblr.com/post/178286603799/episode-55-young-justice">Gaming Young Justice, Part 1</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Gameable combines RPGs and Saturday Morning animation. Kris invited me on to go full force on how use Young Justice to inspire your gaming table.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://gameabledisneypodcast.tumblr.com/post/178363063759/game-night-young-justice">Gaming Young Justice, Part 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gameabledisneypodcast.tumblr.com/post/178668002269/episode-56-young-justice">Gaming Young Justice, Part 3</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<h3>
Roleplaying Game Discussions </h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Dungeon Masters' Block</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/ep-19-under-the-sea/"><b>Under the Sea</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><b>First Podcast appearance. System agnostic discussion about how to make underwater settings accessible and exciting. Still one of my favorite interviews.</b></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/ep-37-return-to-the-depths/">Return to the Depths</a></li>
<ul>
<li>More system agnostic discussions about aquatic settings.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/ep-30-the-players-block/">Player's Block</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Exploring new ways and classic ways to improve your game as a player.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/ep-106-hooked-on-psionics-feat-rich-howard/">Hooked on Psionics</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Discussing the history and use of mental powers in fantasy settings.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>DM-Nastics</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/bonus-ep-dmnastics/">Bonus Episode</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/dm-nastics-60-everybody-was-kung-fu-fighting/">Everybody was Kung-Fu Fighting</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Discussing monks and martial arts in fantasy settings.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/dm-nastics-106-hooked-on-psionics-feat-rich-howard/">It's So Mind Numbing</a></li>
<ul>
<li>More psionic exercises</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>The Tome Show Round Table</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-tome-show/e/round-table-88-new-ranger-and-september-survey-40722186">The New Ranger</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Discussing the "new" ranger that had been fielded by the Wizards team</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thetomeshow.com/e/round-table-102-the-ogl-srd-dms-guild-strahd-spectacular/">5e OGL/DM Guild</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Post OGL release discussion.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Nerdarchy</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjFNnbKdS0A">5e DnD, Descent into Midnight, Whelmed, and more</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Grab-bag of discussions about Rich's work</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Tabletop Babble</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/table-top-babble/2017/4/23/017-underwater-adventures"><b>Underwater Adventures</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><b>Joined by the amazing Darcy Ross to discuss underwater adventuring. This discussion instigated the "Voices from the Deep" Aquatic 5e Actual Play below.</b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Gameable Saturday Morning (See Also: Science, Spirituality, and Pop Culture)</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://gameabledisneypodcast.tumblr.com/post/178286603799/episode-55-young-justice">Gaming Young Justice, Part 1</a></li>
<ul>
<li>One of my favorite podcasts, combining gaming and Saturday Morning animation. Kris invited me on to go full force on how Young Justice can inspire your gaming table.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://gameabledisneypodcast.tumblr.com/post/178363063759/game-night-young-justice">Gaming Young Justice, Part 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://gameabledisneypodcast.tumblr.com/post/178668002269/episode-56-young-justice">Gaming Young Justice, Part 3</a></li>
<ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Industry Interviews </h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Talking Tabletop with Jim McClure</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://oneshotpodcast.com/podcasts/001-talking-with-rich-howard/"><b>Rich Howard</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><b>One of my earliest and most in-depth interviews. Jim asks the hard questions and doesn't let up. One of my favorite interviews.</b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>The RPG Academy</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://therpgacademy.com/guest-professor-rich-howard-part-1">Guest Professor Rich Howard, Part 1</a></li>
<ul>
<li>The first audio of me and Caleb together before we started Whelmed. We discuss our first characters and high-level play.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://therpgacademy.com/guest-professor-rich-howard-part-2/">Guest Professor Rich Howard, Part 2</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Don't Split the Podcast Network</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/9/8/rich-howard-post-gm-interview"><b>Voices from the Deep Post-Game Interview</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><b>James Introcaso invited me back to do a post-game breakdown of Voices from the Deep, including how to re-skin spells and classes, GMing tips, world creation, teamwork, and more.</b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Have Spellbook Will Travel</b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://havespellbook.com/thehome/2017/12/20/have-spellbook-will-travel-behind-the-scenes-35">Behind the Scenes 35</a></li>
<ul>
<li>James Introcaso and Rudy Basso interview me after my guest appearance on the series. We talk about my gaming and acting origins, and I dip my toe into talking about how my spirituality and gaming parallel.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
5th Edition DnD Actual Play Podcasts and Streams </h3>
<ul>
<li><b>She's a Supergeek</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://sasgeek.com/podcasts/29-dungeons-and-dragons-welcome-to-cyan/">Part 1: Welcome to Cyan</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Andy (formerly Emily) and Senda invite me on to play DnD 5e in Andy's homebrew world. This one gets hilarious. </li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://sasgeek.com/podcasts/30-dungeons-and-dragons-return-of-the-metacast/">Part 2: Return of the Metacast</a></li>
<li><a href="http://sasgeek.com/podcasts/31-dungeons-and-dragons-its-all-in-the-ears/">Part 3: It's all in the Ears</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>The GM Showcase</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/gm-showcase-feed/2016/12/11/wt7rfocfxopdobjx18ebhbzhxim7u1">Part 1: Wild Arcana</a></li>
<ul>
<li>I had the honor of being invited onto GM Showcase to play in a 5e DnD game run by Robert Adducci! </li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/gm-showcase-feed/2016/12/11/wild-arcana-02">Part 2: Wild Arcana</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/gm-showcase-feed/2016/12/11/wild-arcana-03">Part 3: Wild Arcana</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Don't Split the Podcast Network </b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYgsHU7rBIs"><b>Voices from the Deep: YouTube</b></a></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/6/3/dspn-presents-a-5e-actual-play-podcast-with-gm-rich-howard"><b>Part 1: Voices from the Deep</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/6/3/6kdmeunjrpp0fax9ucokfgqvysp8v1"><b>Part 2: Voices from the Deep</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/6/29/episode-1-3-5e-aquatic-actual-play"><b>Part 3: Voices from the Deep</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/9/8/rich-howard-post-gm-interview"><b>Post-Game Interview: Voices from the Deep</b></a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Trek Through Undermountain: Twitch Stream/YouTube </b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/1/26/episode-7-1-trek-through-the-undermountain"><b>Part 1: Trek Through Undermountain</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/2/2/uutrwldjhrx8ii02nw9oobuffhy5ik"><b>Part 2: Trek Through Undermountain</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/2/9/episode-7-3-trek-through-the-undermountain"><b>Part 3: Trek Through Undermountain</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/2/16/episode-7-4-trek-through-the-undermountain"><b>Part 4: Trek Through Undermountain</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/2/16/episode-7-trek-through-the-undermountain"><b>Part 5: Trek Through Undermountain</b></a></li>
</ul>
<li>Trek Through Undermountain 2: Twitch Stream/YouTube </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/4/5/episode-9-1-trek-through-the-undermountain-2">Part 1: Undermountain 2: Courage-Doo: Where are You?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/7-7">Part 2: Undermountain 2: Courage-Doo: Where are You?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2018/4/20/lfrsr4lqvvnslemjpqlrqfk1vbzu77">Part 3: Undermountain 2: Courage-Doo: Where are You?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/7-9">Part 4: Undermountain 2: Courage-Doo: Where are You?</a></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/videos/261396543">Trek Through Undermountain 3: Twitch Stream</a>/YouTube </li>
<ul>
<li>Part 1: Undermountain 3: The Return of TikTak </li>
<li>Part 2: Undermountain 3: The Return of TikTak </li>
<li>Part 3: Undermountain 3: The Return of TikTak </li>
<li>Part 4: Undermountain 3: The Return of TikTak </li>
<li>Part 5: Undermountain 3: The Return of TikTak </li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Genesys/Edge of the Empire Actual Play and Streams</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>GM Showcase</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-8sp25-688a6d">Part 1: Episode VIII: Rise of the Jedi: A Predicted Story</a>: One of the Top 5 sessions I've ever played.</b></li>
<ul>
<li><b>Long before Episode VIII aired, DM Mitch, Pranks Paul, Darcy Ross, Craig Haasis, and I performed a unique experiment, attempting to predict where the story might go.</b></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-as96t-688a9d"><b>Part 2: Episode VIII: Rise of the Jedi: A Predicted Story</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-qyhr5-688a74"><b>Part 3: Episode VIII: Rise of the Jedi: A Predicted Story</b></a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Don't Split the Podcast Network</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/10/26/episode-5-1-edge-of-the-empire-actual-play">Part 1: From the Depths of the Empire</a></li>
<ul>
<li>In this series, I retire my aquatic EotE game that I ran for years at GenCon. Join Jeff Stormer, Rich Rogers, Brittany Quintero, and Celeste Conowich as they find out what horrors have befallen an isolated Rebel research facility.</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/11/3/episode-5-2-edge-of-the-empire-actual-play">Part 2: From the Depths of the Empire</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/11/12/episode-5-3-edge-of-the-empire-actual-play">Part 3: From the Depths of the Empire</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/11/16/episode-5-4-edge-of-the-empire-actual-play">Part 4: From the Depths of the Empire</a></li>
<li><a href="https://dontsplitthepodcastnetwork.com/dspn-present/2017/11/23/episode-5-5-edge-of-the-empire-actual-play">Part 5: From the Depths of the Empire</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Excess Advantage</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://excess-advantage.com/lp05/">Part 1: Re-Introductions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://excess-advantage.com/lp06/">Part 2: On the Trail</a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<h3>
Small Press Actual Play and Streams</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>One Shot Podcast </b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://oneshotpodcast.com/podcasts/one-shot/180-gencon-2016-headspace-part-1/">Part 1: Headspace Character Creation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://oneshotpodcast.com/podcasts/one-shot/bonus-gencon-2016-headspace-part-2/">Part 2: Headspace Character Creation</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Party of One</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://partyofonepodcast.com/47-the-bite-with-rich-howard">The Bite</a>: One of the Top 5 sessions I've ever played.</b></li>
<ul>
<li><b>Jeff Stormer and I play <a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/190812/The-Bite">Dan Ender's "The Bite"</a>. It's intense and personal, so be warned.</b></li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://partyofonepodcast.com/112-gm-less-masks-with-rich-howard">Masks: A New Generation: GM-less</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Jeff Stormer and I play a GM-less version of one of my favorite RPGs, Masks: A New Generation. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Whelmed: The Young Justice Files</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><b>One of the Top 5 sessions I've ever played. Brendan Conway, the creator of Masks: A New Generation, comes on the show to run an incredible session where Darcy Ross, Emily Buza, Neal Powell, I-Hsien Sherwood, and I play our favorite Young Justice characters in a Lost Episode set between Seasons 1 & 2. </b></li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://crashingthemode.com/podcast-archived/2017/6/15/discussion-brendan-conway-masks-ap-pre-interview"><b>Pre-Game Interview: Brendan Conway</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://crashingthemode.com/podcast-archived/2017/6/21/masks-ap-relations-episode-01"><b>Part 1: Relations </b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://crashingthemode.com/podcast-archived/2017/6/28/masks-ap-relations-episode-02"><b>Part 2: Relations</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://crashingthemode.com/podcast-archived/2017/7/5/masks-ap-relations-episode-03"><b>Part 3: Relations</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://crashingthemode.com/podcast-archived/2017/7/13/masks-ap-relations-episode-04"><b>Part 4: Relations</b></a></li>
<li><a href="https://crashingthemode.com/podcast-archived/2017/7/19/discussion-brendan-conway-masks-ap-post-interview"><b>Post-Game Interview: Brendan Conway</b></a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Character Creation Cast</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/character-creation-cast/e/55422549">Part 1: Blue Planet RPG</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/character-creation-cast/e/55422547">Part 2: Blue Planet RPG</a> </li>
<li><a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/character-creation-cast/e/55462425">Part 3: Blue Planet RPG </a></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Voice Acting</h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Have Spellbook Will Travel</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://havespellbook.com/thehome/2017/12/13/have-spellbook-will-travel-s2-4-lead-with-courage">Season 2, Episode 4: Lead with Courage</a></li>
<ul>
<li>Ned the Shark</li>
</ul>
<li><a href="http://havespellbook.com/thehome/2017/12/20/have-spellbook-will-travel-behind-the-scenes-35">Behind the Scenes 35</a></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Story Arc</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.blockpartypodcastnetwork.com/storyark-feed/2018/1/22/s1e1-heros-are-born">Field Exercises</a></li>
<ul>
<li>The Capybara</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>Heroes for Hire</b> </li>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://dungeonmasterblock.podbean.com/e/hired-heroes-01-origin-story/">Hired Heroes</a></li>
<ul>
<li>The Food Wizard</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<div>
<ul><ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-42737509731151985242016-10-17T14:34:00.000-07:002016-10-18T14:49:50.245-07:00An Annual Sadness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Tonight, my daughter wanted to read her Atlas book. She loves the volcano picture so we started reading about South East Asia. That led us to looking at pictures of my wife and me in Thailand and Cambodia. Out of the thousands of photos on my phone and FB, she stumbled onto this one and wouldn't move on.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
"There's fire on this, Papa."<br />
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"Yeah. You're right."<br />
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"Why?"<br />
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"Well, it's a temple that's built every year so they can burn it."<br />
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"But why?"<br />
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"It's a ritual," I say, holding back the flood of emotions that photo always brings. "They build it, and people visit it. They pray, and think about people they love, and write messages to their friends and family that aren't with them anymore. Then they burn it in a beautiful ceremony with tens of thousands of people watching, and everyone says goodbye."<br />
<br />
::Long silence::<br />
<br />
"Are you crying, Papa?"<br />
<br />
"Yeah, sweetie."<br />
<br />
"Why are you sad?"<br />
<br />
"Because this picture is the day I said goodbye to my bestie."<br />
<br />
"Why?"<br />
<br />
"Because he died. Do you get sad when you can't see your bestie?"<br />
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"I'm sad because I want her here right now!"<br />
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::laughing:: "I know, sweetie. I'm sad because tomorrow is my bestie's birthday and I don't get to see him anymore."<br />
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There's a pause and I quietly weep, waiting for the next "Why?" Instead, she kisses me on the forehead.<br />
<br />
"I'm sorry, Papa."<br />
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Happy Birthday, Matt. We miss you.<br />
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Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-26726558212009642272016-05-06T13:22:00.001-07:002016-05-06T14:38:22.165-07:00Thank you, Chris Evans<div class="MsoNormal">
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It will likely be no surprise to you that I believe very strongly that storytelling changes lives. Characters, especially those from fiction, act as our modern mythology. They can influence how we view each other, and help us experience moral, ethical, and human questions about our reality from unique perspectives we may discount, or never encounter in our own lives. This is the reason I love the things that I do, and speak so passionately about characters who aren’t living, breathing people.<br />
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Steve Rogers (aka: Captain America) is one of those characters; a fact about which I was regularly teased until the first Cap movie captured everything I love about him so elegantly on screen. I happily admit that I had to eat my own words about Chris Evans being cast in the role. I cannot now think of another actor projecting the kindness, strength, presence, humor, and loss that embodies Steve. And the following story is a perfect reason why.</div>
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I found out a few days ago that a student at my wife's school is fighting cancer. I've never had the pleasure of meeting Ryan, but the warmth with which she speaks about him tells me he is someone very special. He also happens to be a huge Cap fan, so my wife asked if I could use my limited media skills to help Ryan connect with his hero. I was honored and happy to help, but it turns out I wasn’t needed at all. Within 36 hours of <i>me </i>hearing about Ryan's illness, Chris Evans had already sent him a personal message.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Mr. Evans is an actor playing a part. He is obviously not Steve Rogers. But he understands what that character can mean to someone and why that meaning matters. He honors the heart of that hero every time he (and others like him) does something like this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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All I can do is share it, and Ryan's story, with you.<br />
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Ryan, the quality of the friends you've made, and the love and respect they have for you speaks volumes. Much love, from one Cap fan to another, get well very soon, and enjoy the Cap Premier!</div>
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<i><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">If you'd like to support Ryan and his family, please visit their <a href="https://www.youcaring.com/the-wilcox-family-mike-amy-katie-ryan-bailey-hallie-511507#.Vyz_STbfPQu.facebook">YouCaring.com site</a> and consider donating and/or sharing!</span></b></i></i><br />
<i><i><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></i></i>
<i><i><b><span style="font-size: large;">For a glimpse at the amazing support for Ryan from his classmates, <a href="http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Captain-America-School-Gives-Cancer-Stricken-Student-378454111.html">click here.</a></span></b></i></i></div>
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<i>The <a href="http://richplayingitforward.blogspot.com/search?q=thank+you+series">"Thank You" series</a> was inspired by my post to the late <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2014/02/in-memorium-aaron-allston-1960-2014.html">Aaron Allston</a>, as well as the passing of industry greats <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gygax">Gary Gygax</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Arneson">Dave Arneson</a>. There were many things I needed to say to these men and never got the chance. I don't intend to let that happen again.</i></div>
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Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-44109367555623308862015-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:002015-06-15T13:09:34.976-07:00Hey, Richard. It's Rich.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gzrf_H9Qkac/VXXbjbCs1dI/AAAAAAAALRU/d1brIqgakr4/s1600/225560_9156148597_7044_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="496" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gzrf_H9Qkac/VXXbjbCs1dI/AAAAAAAALRU/d1brIqgakr4/s640/225560_9156148597_7044_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You and Steve Magan, circa 1985.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First of all, Happy Birthday! June 15th, 1985. It's going to be a crazy year. How do I know? Oh, I'm you, 30 years in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No. Sorry.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> No flying Deloreans. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No hoverboards (though I hear they're close). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also don't have newspapers, for the most part. I'm sure there are 80s retro-diners around somewhere, though, and our phone technology went through the roof! Hard to explain, but let's say they make tricorders look like WWII self-cranking radios. On the upside, we didn't blow up the planet, so that's something.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life's going to get pretty tough for you this year, I'm sorry. Sophomore year in high school was a blur, and not the good kind. You'll get more depressed than you likely ever will be and you won't know how to get out of it, I know. So I wanted to let you know, don't give up. Life gets amazing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First off, you're a geek!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, no, that's a good thing. Why is that less believable than this conversation coming from the future?! Oh, right. I kinda forgot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, let me tell you, there are a lot of people around the world experiencing and loving the same things you are right now. More than you can possibly imagine. You are living in a renaissance filled with history-changing events. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roleplaying games explode in a...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, not literally explode.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, "the Church" doesn't "win". To most people nowadays what you're going through is a historic joke. People figure out they had no clue what they were talking about. Well, most of them do. And what's even crazier? The future is run by geeks who grew up to be rich, influential, and very cool. How?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's something in the world you aren't aware of yet called the Internet. Now <i>that's</i> straight out of science fiction. Yeah, like War Games, except it's in every home, easily accessible, and has very literally changed the world. That C64 in the gameroom will evolve into a powerful tool that can access a vast well of information on any subject you can think of. Also, a lot of cat videos; it's hard to explain. In 1988, a game called Pool of Radiance comes out for the Commodore. It's based on AD&D. You put together a party of adventurers and play D&D by yourself on your computer. Down the line games like that will evolve to the point that you and your friends can all make your own characters and play together over the internet from your own homes with millions of other people!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i1Kx8BoGDQc/VXXhXidL0EI/AAAAAAAALSE/VOSgcCyMfLY/s1600/wargames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="427" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i1Kx8BoGDQc/VXXhXidL0EI/AAAAAAAALSE/VOSgcCyMfLY/s640/wargames.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just not buying the Geeks Rule thing, huh? Well, can you guess what the #3 and #5 top grossing movies of all time are?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Avengers and Avengers 2.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, not the BBC...man, I totally forgot about how much I loved that show. Yes, the Marvel Comics Avengers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, I'll wait. Take a deep breath.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, yes! They are brilliant. Computer animation has made it so we...no, it's live action. Well, yes, some of it is animated but it looks real. Wow, I didn't expect this to be so hard to explain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the 90s we had a revolution in movies that started with Terminator 2. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How could you not know Terminator!? It came out in 1984 so why don't you...? Oh, yeah. It was "R" and you follow all the rules. Anyway, you'll see it eventually and it's great.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Terminator 2 changed everything and now we can put on the screen anything you can imagine. Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, they all look incredible. You'll love it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And they weren't the first. There are a lot of geek movies out there. The 3rd Lord of the Rings movie is #10 on that list. Star Wars? It's there. If you adjust for inflation, Star Wars is #3. Gone with the Wind is still #1. Just ignore #2, it was terrible.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Captain America will be everything you want it to be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Green Lantern? Well...</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Forget the geek thing. Let's change the subject. Work? No, you don't become a veterinarian. No, not a biochemist either. Well, you end up moving to California after high school and that...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're more easily startled than I remember. Long deep breaths, buddy. It's not as bad as it sounds. You love California.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why do you move? Well, it's a long story, but dad changes jobs and since you want to go to UC Santa Cruz he takes a job there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, you haven't heard of Santa Cruz yet. You read a story next year about a professor named Ken Norris at UCSC who studies dolphins and it changes your plans. It changes everything, really. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You get a degree in Marine Biology. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, you don't become a marine biologist working with dolphins.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wait, wait. It's not a waste, just hear me out. You end up working as a veterinary nurse. It's an incredible job and you use your degree to do wildlife and marine mammal rehabilitation at zoos and aquariums around the world!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, man. Do I need to get you a paper bag or something? Forgot how introverted you are. You do great, trust me.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Burning Man?! You know what, I don't think we have enough paper bags.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t5OhhDBWTYg/VXXkM_JsMGI/AAAAAAAALSQ/9qV8JqY_DXA/s1600/226495_9156268597_6391_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t5OhhDBWTYg/VXXkM_JsMGI/AAAAAAAALSQ/9qV8JqY_DXA/s640/226495_9156268597_6391_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who's the girl? That's your first question about this picture?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You really are 15. Okay, fine.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember when mom told you that you couldn't get married until your 30s? Well, you do that. Technically you don't get married until your 40s but you meet your wife in your 30s. Why so long? Well, you just don't meet the right person and, I'm going to be clear about this, <i style="font-weight: bold;">that's just fine. </i>You date a lot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, sorry, your self-confidence kinda keeps sucking until you meet Megan; that's the woman in the picture. [Oh, <b><i>now</i></b> you see the tiger?] Your life definitely has its ups and downs, don't get me wrong, but Megan changes all that. You go back to school and become a critical care nurse. Well, it pays better to be honest. And it's a very cool job. But that's not the best part. The RN thing pays the bills, lets you buy a house, teaches you cool stuff. Anyway, the <i>best </i>part is, you're a professional geek!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You really need to just trust me on this. It means you get paid to write and create games. You write a couple of weekly columns on game design on that internet I told you about. You've met a lot of your industry heroes and can even call them colleagues. Make a note to check the credits in Adventurer's Club magazine in 1992 for a guy named Steve Long. He goes on to head Hero System. You're having drinks with him at GenCon. Also put on that note to pick up Dragon Magazine #106 next year. There's great stuff in there, but there's also a Who's Who at TSR about Steven Winter. You judged a contest with him and Wolfgang Baur earlier this year. Also keep an eye out for...you know what, I'll just send you a list.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember when I said that marine bio degree wasn't a waste? Well, along with diving around the world and doing some really cool things in the veterinary field because of it, you're also using it as a platform for gaming. One of your columns talks about how awesome running aquatic games are. You've even been interviewed about it on some gaming podcasts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Podcasts? Well, think of them like radio shows, except these are all about games. Gaming radio, 24/7. Seriously. It's an awesome future.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLDuovEdMOY/VXXddzehK0I/AAAAAAAALRo/2q5DQLNvCIc/s1600/225765_9155818597_6087_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gLDuovEdMOY/VXXddzehK0I/AAAAAAAALRo/2q5DQLNvCIc/s400/225765_9155818597_6087_n.jpg" width="278" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This one's in Australia.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, not to drop a bomb, but you're a dad. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why aren't you...?! Oh, that's right, you actually wanted to have kids. That changes a bit when you hit your 30s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, you're in your 40s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, I'm not old! Okay, I'm a little old, but it doesn't mean the same now; medicine is pretty impressive. Anyway, your kids are awesome, and your oldest is looking like she'll be both an adventurer <i>and</i> a geek.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, she. Yes, girls are geeks in the future. Easy there, bud. Girls are geeks in your century too, they just have to hide it where we come from. You think it's socially unacceptable to be a boy and a geek, you have no idea what the girls have to go through. Blew your mind right there, didn't I?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, your daughter is pretty young, but she's smart and agile and imaginative and speaks 2 languages and...no, I'm not making this up! She's your kid. I'll send you a few pictures.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Dice" and "games" were some of her first words.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey, now. Don't say stuff like that. You're a good dad. At least that's what I've been told anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, you're not really like our dad. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, you aren't really like any dad you know in the 80s. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, the world is different, so dads are allowed to be different. Remember, you are a card-carrying geek and that's cool now. You are free to teach them games, and be silly, and tell them you adore them, and show them your favorite cartoons, and be as much in their life as your wife is. You don't have to be like someone else, you can just be you and also be their dad.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, you aren't bumbling like in the commercials. Yeah, I remember; not really the best advertisements for dad-hood, or husband-hood for that matter, but you aren't like them so it's okay. And you know what, you're handier with tools than you think. Crazy, huh?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You get your shoeless wedding on the beach!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yup, that's Steven Magan. 30 years later and you're closer than ever. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So listen, just get through this next year. It will be tough, there are a lot of struggles to get through and there will be times that you want to give up. Please don't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After that you're going to worry a lot about moving from Kentucky to Southern California (no it's not its own state now). You end up meeting an incredible group of gamers in Orange County, awesome friends in college, and some of the best friends you'll ever have in San Diego.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And your wife, I'm telling you, she is amazing. Listen to her. She'll help you make the life you never knew you wanted, and it is amazing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and get to the movies. Goonies, Breakfast Club, Better Off Dead, Fright Night, Ladyhawke, Legend, Thunderdome, Re-animator, Remo Williams, Teen Wolf, Young Sherlock Holmes...you'll love it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yeah, some of those are "R".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seriously?! No, it's okay, keep following the "rules". For the most part it serves you well, just, maybe, consider not being such a jerk about it. You'll need to let some of that go to be everything you want to be.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be, well, us.</span>Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-90031912323152009832015-01-21T15:44:00.002-08:002015-01-21T15:45:12.822-08:00New Year Update: 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's been a while since I've done a personal post, mostly because of wonderful flood of writing work. It is way overdue for a life update.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Writing</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you follow this blog, you've probably noticed a significant increase in my posts under the <a href="http://www.richplayingitforward.blogspot.com/">All Things Gaming</a> tab. With the release of Dungeons and Dragons' 5th edition last year, the opportunities in game writing exploded. As of January 2015 I am writing for:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two weekly and one monthly column at <a href="http://tribality.com/">Tribality.com</a>, plus <a href="http://tribality.com/category/interviews/">interviews</a>, <a href="http://tribality.com/category/reviews-2/">reviews</a> and more:</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://tribality.com/category/columns/from-the-depths/">From the Depths</a>: 5th edition conversions of aquatic races, new archetypes for the core classes designed for aquatic settings, and discussions of aquatic adventures for a range of systems and genres.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://tribality.com/category/columns/richs-gameroom/">Rich's Gameroom</a>: New classes, archetypes, races and more for 5th edition play, as well as discussions of non-5th edition material.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://tribality.com/category/columns/behind-the-screen/">Behind the Screen</a>: Discussions of houserules, DMing and Playing techniques, system-agnostic discussions and more.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Conversions of <a href="http://www.koboldpress.com/k/tag/southlands">Southlands PF</a> setting from <a href="http://koboldquarterly.com/">Kobold Press</a> to 5th edition</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Development and publication of "<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jmperkins/the-adequate-commoner">The Adequate Commoner</a>" from J.M. Perkins</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'll also be interviewed on the gaming podcast, "Dungeon Master's Block". The recording is this coming Friday the 23rd of January, but I don't have a release date yet. I'll update this post when I find out.</span><br />
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<b>Day Job</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At the beginning of last year, I tore a ligament in my shoulder. After two months of "light duty" I had an MRI that confirmed the damage. It took almost six months of appointments, diagnostics, surgery, and rehab, but I'm finally back at the hospital working. Luckily, I still have "light duty" time available. Between the back injury in 2013 and the shoulder injury in 2014, I've decided that I've done all I can as a bedside nurse and it's time to move on to something new. I've applied for a number of positions in the hospital, including working closely with the EPIC electronic medical record team, and I'm hoping to start a new position before I permanently injure myself. I'm also looking into going back to school for a Masters degree. How that will affect my work and writing, I'm not sure, but moving away from hands-on work is an imperative.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It will be sad to leave my unit. My coworkers in the CCU at UCSD are the most professional, intelligent, caring, and skilled individuals I've ever worked with. Our management is top-notch and the opportunities for nurses to influence the workings of UCSD Medical is seemingly endless. I couldn't have asked for a better place to start my nursing career. The downside is that I kind of started at the top. Another unit wouldn't be as satisfying, even if the physical work was less, so I will need to continue my work elsewhere.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Family Life</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As some of you know, we are expecting a little brother for Rowan in a few months. I'm incredibly excited about this, but also apprehensive about the significant lack of sleep for the next year or so. Rowan and her mother are the lights of my life and it's hard to imagine that I would have enough love in my heart for yet another amazing being, but I've been assured that my love is bottomless and little Grayson will simply make more of it available. I can't wait.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the home-front, we're adding a guesthouse to our property. It's taken a while to get the permits and construction going, but we're hoping to have it finished in the next few months.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stay tuned here for more information on the already-exciting happenings in 2015!</span></b><br />
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<br />Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-9159107049120950692014-11-05T09:05:00.001-08:002014-11-07T08:29:20.013-08:00A Writer's Guide to Roleplaying: Developing Character<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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My first guest post hit the net Monday. It's an article I've been contemplating for several years on helping players enjoy their games more. There are hundreds, probably more like thousands of blogposts, articles, supplements and books written about becoming a better Gamemaster, but almost nothing on being a better player. When the <a href="http://www.tribality.com/">www.tribality.com</a> team contacted me to guest post on their site, they asked if I had any system-neutral material and this immediately popped into my mind. The response has been impressive.<br /><br />You can find the post <a href="http://tribality.com/2014/11/04/a-writers-guide-to-better-roleplaying-developing-character-at-the-table/">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b>11/4/14 ADDENDUM</b>: I was informed this morning that the post has hit just under 4500 page views since it was posted Monday. I'm not sure what to say. Thanks to everyone who has been sharing it. I'm humbled.Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-31210294549373882892014-10-21T09:28:00.000-07:002014-10-22T09:00:03.419-07:00The Adequate Commoner's Final Days<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jmperkins/the-adequate-commoner"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E7hS4lFsCJM/VEfUOwVFq7I/AAAAAAAAJTo/KTxgGB-dJ2w/s1600/Default%2BAdequate%2BCommoner%2BPromo%2BImage.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With only 3 days still to go, <i><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jmperkins/the-adequate-commoner">The Adequate Commoner</a></i> has broken 200% funding with tons of cool stretch goals still to go!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When John first approached me with the idea for <i>Adequate Commoner</i>, I thought it was a fun novelty. Having worked with John on previous projects and become a huge fan of his prose over the past few years, I really should have known better. John has the unique ability to make me laugh and think (and even cringe with horror) at the same time, whether in his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/CHEMO-How-I-Learned-Kill-ebook/dp/B009HKYPBY">novels</a>, <a href="http://www.ttbook.org/book/3-minute-future-fiction-social-scene-alert">short stories</a>, or gaming supplements. <i>Commoner</i> is no exception.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With <i>Adequate Commoner</i>, John has taken Pathfinder to a new and wonderful place. Aspects of the game I've taken for granted for over a decade--race choices, traits and feats, skills, alchemical items, mundane equipment, stealth, ambushes, stakeouts--become hilariously life-or-death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course playing a commoner increases the challenges on the table, but it also increases the satisfaction of a game well played in a way I didn't think possible. <i>Commoner</i> adds a level of appreciation for the subtleties of Pathfinder by teaching you to do more with less. So much more. <i>Commoner</i> has changed the way I will play every PF game from now on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I can't encourage you enough to get in on this project from the start. <i>Commoner</i> is one of those rare products that injects new ideas incredible fun, all while it reshapes the way you think about your games.</span></div>
Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-62079427963964923432014-10-01T14:48:00.001-07:002014-10-01T14:48:36.078-07:00Shoulder Surgery UpdateAs some of you know, I tore the <a href="http://www.hopkinsortho.org/labrum_tear.html">labrum</a> in my right shoulder while at work near the beginning of the year. Due to the way workman's comp needs to work, they put me on light duty for two months assuming it was a muscle issue and not actual damage. After two months, they had me go in for an MRI (which took a while to schedule), then I made a follow-up with my very cool MD (which took a while to schedule), who then referred me to a shoulder specialist (which took...you get the idea), who told me the MRI showed an "extensive tear" (hint: they don't often use descriptors in these reviews unless it's bad). My new (and also awesome) shoulder MD put the paperwork in for surgery (3-4 weeks to schedule), which then was delayed because I developed a bad chest cold, then delayed longer due to a scheduling issue.<br />
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Three weeks ago I had my surgery and the experience was very smooth. Other than the tear, apparently my shoulder cuff muscles and joint looks great with no signs of arthritis or other issues, which is awesome to hear. I had my checkup yesterday and was told that the post-surgery pain can go on for 3-6 months, but the doctor feels I'm way ahead of schedule on my recovery, which is all great news.<br />
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I start physical therapy this week and go back for one more recheck in 3 weeks. After that, I should be able to return to light duty (4-6 weeks) and to full duty after that.<br />
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It's amazing how long it takes to schedule and juggle appointments, but aside from that, everyone from my doctors to the HR people to the workman's comp people have been wonderful. I'm bummed the pain may go on for a while longer, but I'm very happy with the surgery itself and the relatively fast recovery.<br />
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Thanks so much to everyone for the support over the past few months. I'm looking forward to getting back to the bedside.Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-66754426598660239662014-09-03T09:48:00.001-07:002014-09-03T10:02:00.985-07:00Lucid Storytelling Game<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17.25px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucid is a storytelling/RPG hybrid game that has been in development for the past 4 years. The game's original designer, Thaddeus Wilson, approached me early this year to get a designer's eye on it. When he first told me what his game could do I was skeptical, but happy to take a look and offer advice on what to do next. When I saw what he had created, I immediately asked if he needed a developer. Luckily for me, he welcomed me on board.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is Lucid?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucid bridges standard role-playing and storytelling games with a unique mechanic that incorporates the best of both worlds.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In most role-playing games, there is a Game Master (GM) who has created or bought an adventure to run the players through. The GM is responsible for laying clues, playing supporting cast characters (called non-player characters, or NPCs) and adjudicating combats and skill challenges. Role-playing games allow the players to chose what their player characters (PCs) do, within the bounds of the rule system, but the overall plot is in the hands of the GM.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Storytelling games do away with the single GM and focus on cooperative storytelling between all players. No one knows where the storyline will wander or how it will end. Storytelling games allow everyone to participate in building the story in some way, whether by playing themed cards, rolling dice or simply using their imaginations. Unlike a role-playing game, typical storytelling games don't use player-characters and tend to have limited structure—the price of taking your imagination anywhere.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a storytelling game, Lucid removes the single GM and allows each player to take turns as Director. Unlike most storytelling games, though, every player in a game of Lucid has a character to play (referred to as a Main Character) and the story follows a framework derived from the Three Act storytelling structure used in many plays, movies, TV shows and novels. During their turn as Director, a player introduces story elements in order to complete one of the Plot Points that make up the Three Acts, guiding the story to a both satisfying and exciting finale!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why play Lucid instead of traditional RPGs or Storytelling games</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucid is a simple and fast-paced mechanism for character creation that takes minutes to explain to new players. If you’re an experienced role-player, Lucid is a perfect way to introduce your family and friends to the concept of role-playing without them reading a complex system of rules and investing hours in character creation. The color-coordinated polyhedral dice make the game easy to moderate for those not familiar with standard RPG dice, and the highlighting mechanic gives new players a visual reference for how good they are at a task. Both work perfectly for introducing kids to role-playing as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lucid: Accelerated allows new players to jump right in, while the rules you’ll find in the Lucid: Storyteller advanced set provides numerous plug-n-play options that allow players with different skill levels to customize their characters however they want, without detracting from the story. Lucid: Storyteller also introduces long-term campaigns, called Series, that allow characters to develop over time. Did you enjoy your one-shot Lucid game and want to see what happens next? Fold in the Series rules and create your sequel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Interested?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can schedule playtest games of Lucid for local sessions her in San Diego, as well as over Google Hangouts, by linking over to our website. We'd love your insight an opinions on the game. Lucid: Accelerated is ideal for gaming over Hangouts, so don't let distance stop you. Get your friends together from around the country (or the world) and schedule a playtest. in 2-4 hours you can tell a story you will be talking about long after the game ends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.lucidstorygame.com/">www.lucidstorygame.com</a></span></span>Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-59257504845062149952014-07-16T10:26:00.002-07:002014-07-16T10:26:23.299-07:00My Old Kentucky Home<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sVsF2A7Zr9s/U8atqZqykGI/AAAAAAAAJDg/ZtgVKjhlSDg/s1600/IMG_7122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sVsF2A7Zr9s/U8atqZqykGI/AAAAAAAAJDg/ZtgVKjhlSDg/s1600/IMG_7122.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apples-Junior-Game-Crazy-Combinations/dp/B00112CHD4">Apples-to-Apples Junior</a> at <a href="https://plus.google.com/112355768843788155554/about?gl=us&hl=en">The Creme Coffeehouse</a><br />Owensboro, KY</td></tr>
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My wife and I flew home last night from a three-week vacation to Owensboro, Kentucky; the town where I grew up. My brother and his wife took a trip to Europe and we went back to spend time with his youngest kids, Carter and Laynie. I have nearly a dozen nieces and nephews (including three step, plus four great nieces and nephews) and I'm as gushing an uncle as I am a father. Every one of those "kids" makes the world a better place.<br />
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It's particularly fun seeing aspects of myself reflected in them--Maggie's love of games (and chocolate), Clint's dry sense of humor, Jesse's passion for fantasy, Jennifer's traveling, Sara's love of books, Josh's career as an EMT and firefighter, Laynie's bourgeoning fascination with the fantastic and bizarre (her favorite movies are Rise of the Guardians and Nightmare Before Christmas)--but of all my siblings' kids, spending time with Carter is like traveling back in time to hang out with myself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c9dWHYslPT0/U8a0gud1YBI/AAAAAAAAJD4/Vdmv7NrUrEs/s1600/Me+and+Josh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c9dWHYslPT0/U8a0gud1YBI/AAAAAAAAJD4/Vdmv7NrUrEs/s1600/Me+and+Josh.jpg" height="203" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've heard Josh and I look a little alike. I don't see it.<br /></td></tr>
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A few days before we left, Carter and I were watching a documentary on Nikola Tesla (yeah, it's like that). He joked about being the next Einstein/Tesla, which made me realize I'd never asked him the annoying-adult-question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" After a few minutes of rephrasing I came up with: "What things in your life excite you?" I was hoping it would inspire a conversation about things he could do for a living. Instead, he turned to me with a furrowed brow. "Huh. I never really thought about that before." Then, after a few seconds he said, "Seeing you." Then he hugged me.<br />
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I was so caught off guard that I deflected the compliment with a smile and a "You're just trying to get a pack of Yu-Gi-Oh cards out of me, aren't you?"<br />
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He looked up from the hug with disappointment and said, "I'd never do that." And I knew he wouldn't. I apologized, hugged him again and told him how much that meant to me.<br />
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It was a good trip.Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-49496094462343611282014-07-03T08:47:00.001-07:002015-06-15T15:32:32.240-07:00My First Solo-Author RPG Piece from Christina Stiles Presents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E2o9Kr9zdx0/U7bP-IzZdCI/AAAAAAAAI-k/bSqKiXo0Jz8/s1600/Mundane+No+More.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E2o9Kr9zdx0/U7bP-IzZdCI/AAAAAAAAI-k/bSqKiXo0Jz8/s1600/Mundane+No+More.tiff" width="245" /></span></a></div>
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<b><i>"Rich Howard’s “Mundane No More” is a glorious little pdf, one of these hidden gems that are easily overlooked, but shouldn’t be. The rules herein make bookish characters work better, make the trip to the sage more compelling and generally increase the immersion into a given fantasy world. While personally, I enjoy a more active research (with rolls), combining this pdf’s rules with Rogue Genius Games’ research rules is extremely easy. So yeah, this is one of the hidden gems, a great file and well worth 5 stars +seal of approval!"</i></b> - <a href="http://endzeitgeist.com/mundane-more-texts-tomes/">http://endzeitgeist.com/mundane-more-texts-tomes/</a><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-4e25f9ab-0222-d4bc-c811-72520246dadf"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;">From <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/131912/Mundane-No-More-Texts-and-Tomes">RPGnow.com</a>:</span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-4e25f9ab-0222-d4bc-c811-72520246dadf"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mundane No More: Texts and Tomes </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">presents a new look at the most culturally-significant and history-altering invention in history: the book, designed by author Rich Howard. </span></span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-4e25f9ab-0222-d4bc-c811-72520246dadf"><span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Words. We love them. We’re gamers, after all. From novels to rule sets to textbooks to cereal boxes, non-magical language is the foundation of our imaginations. So why is it that PCs rifle through libraries in search of spellbooks and magical manuals while leaving generations of carefully cultivated knowledge strewn under their muddy boots?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mundane No More: Texts and Tomes</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, remedies this by turning fantasy (and modern) libraries into treasure troves of knowledge. Mundane texts provide opportunities for any literate member of an adventuring party to retrain unwanted feats, refocus their skill ranks into areas helpful to the campaign, and to gain rare and exotic recipes for poisons, inventions, and, yes, even magic items.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Game Masters can use mundane texts to introduce plot twists, foreshadow events, patch holes in a party’s skills, and provide characters with the knowledge to confront enemies to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within the pages of </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mundane No More: Texts and Tomes</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you'll find:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">● A four-tier ranking system that describes the knowledge each text contains and how your characters can benefit from it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">● A system for using tomes to retrain your character's skills, feats, spells and more, compatible with the retraining rules found in </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ultimate Campaign</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">● Detailed crafting-recipe rules that encourage characters to research the creation of mundane tools and weapons, </span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">alchemical</span><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> preparations, and magical items as opposed to ‘knowing it all’ with a single skill rank.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">● Creation rules for mundane texts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">● A dozen pre-built tomes and manuals of all types and tiers ready to drop into your campaign right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don't wait - pick up a copy and add the power of the written word to your character’s arsenal!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------</span><br />
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ADDENDUM<br />
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"Mundane No More: Texts and Tomes" for the Pathfinder RPG by Paizo garners not one, but <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product_reviews.php?products_id=131912">two 5-Star reviews!</a> Reviews take time and considerable effort, so I greatly appreciate the detail and kind words these reviewers offer.<br />
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"...a beautiful concept that feels like it should have been in the rules all along. While the alternate rules for crafting new books adds a layer of complexity, it does so in such a way as to turn books into prized possessions; each with a potential story behind it..."</div>
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"This covers anything from a city guide to a bardic epic or a treatise on the mechanics of locks... or indeed any subject you care to consider, and means that any book a character picks up is potentially useful."</div>
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Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-83549677261483530922014-06-23T21:54:00.002-07:002016-06-01T16:17:50.176-07:00More than WordsThere was a package on our doorstep today from my mom. I thought it might have been a belated birthday present; it was a large manilla envelope obviously filled with a random assortment of items. It turned out to be a collection of letters, papers, holiday cards and a decades old cassette tape*--20+ years of letters <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2013/02/an-act-of-love.html">my grandmother</a> had saved.<br />
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Tucked among the numerous envelopes was a letter entitled "Glenner Journal Entry". When I was in nursing school, I did some volunteer work at the <a href="http://glenner.org/">Glenner Alzheimer's Center</a> here in San Diego. Apparently I had to answer a questionnaire after my time was over. My mother thought G.G. would appreciate it so I had sent her a copy. I'm glad I did. I had forgotten this story until today and I'm not sure I would have rediscovered it on my own.<br />
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My grandfather had dementia for years before he passed away. My wife's grandfather recently passed after a short period of increasing dementia. I often run into older patients at my hospital experiencing early to late-stage memory issues. There is no way to describe the emotional and physical toll that caring for a loved one suffering from dementia can take on family and friends. The Glenner Center is a day-care facility where families can bring their loved ones to be cared for, fed, exercised and socialized while the family's take care of necessities or simply take a break.<br />
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Among the often heart-breaking challenges I saw every day, there were moments like these that reminded me of the importance of empathy and communication--with, and especially without, words.<br />
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[Names have been changed for privacy.]<br />
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<b>Glenner Journal Entry</b><br />
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<b>Question #3: What were your reactions/responses to the experience? What specifically did you learn?</b><br />
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I spent all day in a state of laughter, accentuated periodically by whiffs of melancholy. In the three days I've spent here, I've connected with everyone in some way--staff and guest alike--and the thought that I may not get to experience them again made my heart hurt. Two men in particular touched me. Neither can clearly communicate with words, yet share themselves through subtleties of body language that have been buried in a society that often hides behind spoken words and guarded emotions.<br />
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Hugh smiles. Always. It's a smile that tells you that the onset of this disease may have stolen a part of him, but it also freed the essence of who he has always been. Without provocation, he will reach for your hand, pull you toward him, and utter, "Thank you" or "God bless you." The words radiate from his heart to his eyes and shine a warm glow over you. It's an unconditional "thank you" just for being, and sharing this life with him. Simply knowing Hugh exists makes me happy.<br />
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Charles, though, says almost nothing. He sits in his chair and dozes most of the day. When he reaches for you, it's often for support, as his shuffle is slow and precise. Yet so much gets translated through his grip and his quiet eyes. You are there for him. He trusts you. He has to. When you express to him the genuine happiness you feel when you see him, a close-lipped smile will spread and his quiet eyes will lighten. If he is standing next to you, he will slip a hand around your ribs, pull you close, and lay his head against yours. Often, around 3pm, he gets tired and is ready to go home. He will take you by the hand and encourage you to come with him. It's the only time he leads you with any assertiveness. His goal is the back door and the rear gate, outside which he believes a bus will be waiting for him. It breaks your heart to distract him, to find some subtle way to redirect him, because you know what he wants isn't there.<br />
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Today Charles was persistent, so we stepped out the door and onto the fenced patio, shuffling slowly away from the gate, through the simple maze of trees and furniture. As usual, I held both his hands and guided him while walking backwards. In an ironic turn, he said, "watch your head," with perfect articulation. I'd almost backed into a tree limb and he'd saved me from a painful thump. I laughed, as much from the shock of him speaking as nearly whacking my head. I was awarded with a close-lipped smile.<br />
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We found seats in the dappled shade, hands together. He watched the blowing limbs and periodically clutched my hand the way my mom used to when I was a kid--assuring me she was still there, assuring herself of the same, and somehow expressing the mutual desire for that to never change.<br />
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Time came when he was satisfied enough that I could guide him back inside. I could see the apprehension on his face as we passed the gate and he registered that he had wanted something, but whatever it had been wasn't this. After he sat inside with everyone else, he closed his eyes and reverted to the same position he's in much of the day. This time, though, I knew he wasn't dozing because he wouldn't let go of my hand. It made me reassess my belief that he's ever asleep. When I said his name, he opened his eyes and a tear slipped out. I put my hand on his cheek and tried to tell him, as well as I could without words, that I understood. He leaned his head into my palm, clutched my other hand and shared the saddest of smiles.<br />
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When his bus finally came, I lead him outside, his earlier desire finally fulfilled. From the bus seat he reached out for one last touch and gave me the rare gift of a full, open Charles smile. After the door slid closed, I stood on the sidewalk and watched his silhouette through the window. It was hard to tell which way he was looking. But then he waved to me. And waved. And kept waving until my own arm was so tired I had to stop.<br />
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Both Hugh and Charles reminded me that communication is far more than words, it's intention. It's feeling. It's belief, it's trust, and it's faith. Without those things words are just sounds, and with those things, you don't need words at all.<br />
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* = The cassette tape was a nearly pristine, 20+ year old copy of my college band's first album. I'd just been lamenting to some friends about how I never transferred the copy I had to CD and now that copy is pretty damaged. So this package <i>was</i> a belated birthday present after all!Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-37832884569384172692014-06-07T15:42:00.001-07:002014-09-18T11:17:02.224-07:00Current and In-the-Works Projects<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For the past year, I've been finally fulfilling my dream to become a game designer. Publisher, editor and designer <a href="http://christinastiles.com/myblog/">Christina Stiles</a> has been kind enough to take me under her wing and get me involved in a number of projects I'm incredibly excited about, and many of them are releasing soon. You can already pick up my first professional editing piece, <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2014/04/professional-geek-achievement-unlocked.html">Xaolings</a>, in PDF. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8nCF91Fmu5w/U5ODdHoTPsI/AAAAAAAAIR0/ttRtSbpW_L0/s1600/Skindancers+Credit+Page.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>Two series I've become heavily involved in are titled "Bite Me" and "Strange Brew", both for Pathfinder. "Bite Me" currently focuses on putting lycanthropes into your game alongside player-characters, but will expand to other supernatural creatures like vampires. The large "<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/962794554/bite-me-the-gaming-guide-to-lycanthropes">Pathfinder Guide to Lycanthropes</a>" will be releasing in its entirety later this year, but several PDF products have come out already: "<a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130200/Bite-Me-Playing-Lycanthropes?term=playing+lycanthropes">Playing Lycanthropes</a>" and "<a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/119414/Bite-Me-Wereblooded">Wereblooded</a>". Another product, "Skindancers", is in final layout and will be releasing within a few weeks.</div>
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"Playing Lycanthropes" and "Skindancers" were written by two-time <a href="http://www.ennie-awards.com/blog/">ENnie-nominee</a>, Robert H. Hudson Jr., with both contributions and editing by yours truly. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130200/Bite-Me-Playing-Lycanthropes?term=playing+lycanthropes"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NYMswtKvz3s/U5OFiEmkd1I/AAAAAAAAISM/oqJK0pKFU74/s1600/Playing+Lycanthropes+Cover.tiff" height="320" width="247" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130200/Bite-Me-Playing-Lycanthropes?term=playing+lycanthropes">My first Name-on-the-Cover</a></span></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>The second series, "Strange Brew", will be presenting the <a href="http://www.pathfinderd20.com/">Pathfinder</a> witch class in a whole new light. Christina Stiles, alongside author and gaming-witch-expert, <a href="http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/">Timothy Brannen</a>, have put together hundreds of pages of new material on the witch, including multiple class variations, archetypes, hundreds of spells, feats, new hexes and, my favorite, background information on covens, traditions, and cultures from around the world. I was honored to be included in the editing and review process of this book, but recently I've been tagged in to help Tim and Rob Hudson with an eerie and awesome new warlock class. It's an honor and a pleasure working with Tim and Rob; there is nothing like collaborating with a creative and supportive team on a game we all love.<br />
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<b>Until June 11th, 2014, you can be a part of making this awesome book a reality by linking over to our <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/962794554/strange-brew-pathfinder-the-ultimate-witch-and-war">Kickstarter</a> and donating. The $25 and $35 contributions get you PDF copies of Ultimate Witch along with some awesome bonus material, including The Talented Witch by<a href="http://gamingitforwardadvice.blogspot.com/2014/01/review-talented-monk.html"> Owen Stephens</a>. </b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/962794554/strange-brew-pathfinder-the-ultimate-witch-and-war" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zCKAufqTmnk/U5ODOzSxrOI/AAAAAAAAIRs/MTiCpLXi3OU/s1600/9047d59d0434d286694e3753907ce591_large.png" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ultimate Witch and Warlock will be available for<br />both the Pathfinder and Castles & Crusades RPGS</span></td></tr>
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The second series in the Strange Brew line will be a project I've been waiting a decade to write: "The Ultimate Shaman". US will present a brand new shaman class, variants and archetypes for existing classes, new spells, new magic items, a new totem system (including elemental, ancestor and plant totems along with the more-familiar animal totems), exploring shamanism from around the world, planar travel, and much, much more. "Ultimate Shaman" is slatted to be Kickstarted later this year. If you follow the "Ultimate Witch and Warlock" Kickstarter, I'm sure we'll email more info from there. Of course I'll be keeping you informed as well.<br />
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Don't want to wait another six months for a product written by me? Two more projects with me on the cover will be releasing very soon.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lJmQVlhesWk/U5Xo7RTnZ2I/AAAAAAAAIb4/tlWe8jwCFDI/s1600/Story+Feats.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lJmQVlhesWk/U5Xo7RTnZ2I/AAAAAAAAIb4/tlWe8jwCFDI/s1600/Story+Feats.tiff" height="320" width="248" /></a></div>
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The first is called "<a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/130908/Ultimate-Options-Story-Feats">Story Feats</a>" and it was co-written with 2012 <a href="http://paizo.com/">Paizo</a> Superstar, <a href="http://paizo.com/paizo/news/v5748eaic9p5d?Mike-Welham-Named-RPG-Superstar-2012">Mike Welham</a>. Story feats were first introduced in <a href="http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/story-feats">Paizo's Ultimate Campaign</a> and give players and GMs a cool way to fold character backgrounds into the game. <a href="http://owenkcstephens.com/">Owen Stephens</a> from <a href="http://www.roguegeniusgames.com/">Rogue Genius Games </a>and Paizo decided the only issue with story feats was that there weren't enough, so Mike and I created over 50 new story seeds for your game! This is a product I'm incredibly proud of and as a bonus, "Story Feats" will be available as POD (Print on Demand), meaning you can get a print copy for your shelf. (Including free signature from me the next time I see you.)<br />
<br />
[ADDENDUM: "<a href="http://paizo.com/products/btpy97ba/reviews?Ultimate-Options-Story-Feats#tabs">Story Feats</a>" is available from <a href="http://www.paizo.com/">www.paizo.com</a> and has drawn <b>three</b> 5-Star reviews, including one from storied reviewer, <a href="http://endzeitgeist.com/ezg-reviews-ultimate-options-story-feats/">Endzeitgeist</a>.]<br />
<br />
The second upcoming piece will be from Christina Stiles and is called "Mundane No More: Texts & Tomes". In T&T, I present new rules for adding non-magical texts into your game. Whether you're running a low-magic campaign, a modern d20 game, or simply want the hundreds of books in your villain's lair to mean something, "Texts & Tomes" presents all the information you need. T&T is currently in layout and I'll have more information on a release date soon. I don't know if it will also be available in POD format yet, but will let you know.<br />
<br />
T&T was the first professional gaming pitch I ever made and it will be the first product released with me as the sole author. It will be an incredible accomplishment in my life to have contributed work I'm so proud of to a game I love so much.<br />
<br />
[ADDENDUM: "<a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2014/07/my-first-solo-author-rpg-piece-from.html">Mundane No More: Texts and Tomes</a>" released on July 4th, has garnered <b>two</b> 5-Star reviews! Link over and check it out.]<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I found a seat in the corner of the
Sniffling Griffon’s common room and hung my saddlebags over the chair-back. The
sun had only just risen so the inn’s other occupants were the snoring,
ale-covered casualties from the previous night, plus Frail, the Griffon’s
serving boy. Since no one else was either conscious or literate, I slipped the
tome from my bag.</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enough light sifted through the soot-covered window
for me to see the rough scales that my fingers had first caressed in that
half-burned temple. The spine of the ancient text cracked as I lifted the
iridescent dragonhide cover—not because the binding was new, but because no one
else had openned it for close to a century. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Frail leaned his broom against the wall when he
noticed I wasn’t in a drunken stupor. “I’m sorry, Sir Ascalon. I didn’t see you
come in. Would you like some breakfast? We have a lovely stew left over. It’s
best the next day.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Not stew.” The illuminations shimmered at the touch
of broken sunlight. I couldn’t risk damaging what I spent so long to find.
“Ale,” I said as I carefully turned the pages. “In a lidded stein. Bread and
cheese.” I barely registered the boy’s tiny frame retreat into the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The precise hand that had copied the text could only
do so much to improve the readability. It’s said that a Bel-Alian chirurgeon
recorded the first notes while watching his charges, the knights of the
Draconic Crusades, on the battlefield. The anatomical details and weapon
diagrams alone made it worth a fortune. Still, the real value lay in the pages
of strategy and tactics. The Lord Commander of His Emperor’s Army had not only
defended Bel-Alial from the Schwarzwurm’s horde, he had killed the beast’s last
children. The chirurgeon had sat at the Lord Commander’s side for years and
understood far more than his charges could imagine.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The ale-stein thudded on the table before I noticed
Frail had returned.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Pardon my asking, Sir, but is that a book?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I eyed him over the text.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I’m sorry, Sir. I just don’t see them often and I’ve
never seen one so…well, grand, if you don’t mind me sayin’. All we mostly get
here are farmers and soldier types, and they ain’t much for readin’.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I slid my dagger from my sword belt and skewered a
hunk of the mold-studded cheese.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I didn’t mean to insult. You’re an educated man, I’m
sure. It’s just, Master Stefan says readin’ is only good for bards and
finger-wagglers and not much of use to common folk.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rampages in the north hadn’t made it this far
south, though small groups of refugees had managed to make it to the coast. The
Crusades were supposed to have rid the world of dragons, but for nearly a year
wyrms and dragonkin torched Ariel, from the white cliffs of Northkost to hills
of Friemount. It had been so long since anyone had fought a dragon the tactics
had been lost to time. But now, with this, I could resurrect the Lord
Commander’s Order of the Wyrm and lead our people to victory.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">“Master Stefan has it backwards, Frail. It isn’t magic
that makes the words worthy. It’s the words that make life magic.”</i></div>
<br />
Introductory short story from "Mundane No More: Texts & Tomes"Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-33182480979764087202014-05-19T19:05:00.002-07:002014-05-19T19:09:43.842-07:00Musical InterludeAnd now, because it's been a while since I've posted about my awesome daughter, here is your musical interlude.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZiaczSuxT8/U3q4_aiRZWI/AAAAAAAAHrA/1QD5vJbw22Y/s1600/2014-05-04+09.16.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZiaczSuxT8/U3q4_aiRZWI/AAAAAAAAHrA/1QD5vJbw22Y/s1600/2014-05-04+09.16.38.jpg" height="320" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dread Pirate Snuggles<br />
Cuddler of the Seven Seas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>"Favorite"</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sung to the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lyrics by Rich Howard</span><br />
<br />
You are my favorite Ro of all there was,<br />
there was,<br />
<br />
You are my favorite Ro of all there was,<br />
there was,<br />
<br />
Of all the Rowans there ever was,<br />
you are my favorite one, because,<br />
<br />
I love you so much,<br />
<br />
You are my favorite Ro.<br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
<b>"Love"</b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lyrics by Megan Tiffany Howard</span><br />
<br />
I love Rowan,<br />
I love Rowan,<br />
<br />
Her dad, too, (Her mom, too)<br />
Her dad, too, (Her mom, too)<br />
<br />
We're a happy family,<br />
We're the Howard family,<br />
<br />
I feel loved, too<br />
I feel loved, tooRich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-69747824300929037202014-05-04T20:49:00.000-07:002014-05-04T20:50:42.976-07:00GratitudeI just finished editing a 15,000 word game document on shapeshifters by Robert Hudson. There is such a rush getting something like this to click, balancing interesting prose against the right game mechanic to present what you're thinking in an elegant way, knowing that people will use what you created to tell stories and build enduring memories with their friends. I freakin' love this job.<br />
<br />
And I have another one just like it.<br />
<br />
It's all over my <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/p/about.html">About</a> page that I have a day job in addition to my writing; I'm a critical care nurse at UCSD Medical Center's medical intensive care unit, or MICU*. All intensive care units are busy and extraordinary places to work and ours is no exception. Luckily, I work with an incredible group of nurses, managers, staff and doctors that make our unit culture one of support, laughter and encouragement. I couldn't get through 12-hour shifts without them.<br />
<br />
So, with one job I get to support people's physical bodies during the hardest times in their lives, help their families understand what's happening to their loved one, and be there emotionally, professionally and spiritually when medicine can no longer help. With the exception of raising my daughter, there is no greater honor than that.<br />
<br />
And with the other I get to inspire imagination and design games that people will use to enjoy the life they're living right now!<br />
<br />
I could not be more grateful.<br />
<br />
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<br />
* = There are four different ICUs at UCSD; contrary to popular medical shows, not everything is trauma. The NICU or neonatal ICU deals with our youngest patients. Those nurses are rockstars in my book. Our BICU or burn ICU deals with patients from little kids to the oldest adults, some healthy other than serious burns, and some where their burns are yet another in a list of medical challenges. I've floated to the BICU before and they deal with some of the saddest cases I've ever seen. The SICU or surgical ICU are our trauma specialists. They deal with the car accidents, falls, gunshots, stabbings and surgical cases that fly in from around the county and beyond. My unit, the MICU, deals with anything that's not a newborn, burn or car accident--kidney failure, liver failure, severe pneumonias, strokes, heart attacks, multisystem organ failure, seizures, and any number of other issues.Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-84338881684846684542014-04-21T14:01:00.002-07:002014-04-21T14:31:26.673-07:00Author J.M. Perkins on "To The Best of Our Knowledge"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wZf0G3IiLi0/U1V-vA56sgI/AAAAAAAAHEs/_owD26XkDos/s1600/profile+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wZf0G3IiLi0/U1V-vA56sgI/AAAAAAAAHEs/_owD26XkDos/s1600/profile+pic.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
I'm proud to announce that friend and colleague, action-horror author <a href="http://jmperkins.com/store/">J.M. Perkins</a>, recently won the "<a href="http://www.ttbook.org/">To the Best of Our Knowledge</a>" <a href="http://www.ttbook.org/3-minute-futures">3-Minute Futures </a>contest with his short story, "<a href="http://www.ttbook.org/book/3-minute-future-fiction-social-scene-alert">Social Scene Alert</a>". "Social Scene Alert" was selected from 750 entries by sci-fi legend <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1858.Kim_Stanley_Robinson">Kim Stanley Robinson</a> and brought to auditory life by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gates_McFadden">Gates McFadden</a> and the <a href="http://ensemblestudiotheatrela.org/">Ensemble Studio of Los Angeles</a>.<br />
<br />
All of <a href="http://jmperkins.com/short-fiction/">John's stories</a>, including his recent novel <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009HKYPBY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009HKYPBY&linkCode=as2&tag=strworguy-20">CHEMO: How I Learned to Kill</a>, are a demonstration of his inspired imagination. His writing makes me laugh, gives me chills and forces me to contemplate life in a way few others can, making him one of my favorite writers in the industry. "Social Scene Alert" is John at his best, managing to do all three in just 500 words.<br />
<br />
Make sure to keep listening after the story for interviews with Kim Stanley Robinson and Gates McFadden, as well as the two runner-up stories also dramatized by the Ensemble Studio.Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-37514001804602922562014-04-15T00:48:00.000-07:002015-04-20T12:10:53.966-07:00A Man Never Truly Dies...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FtJHookvETo/U0zialcb3RI/AAAAAAAAGvA/4wKxvEygMfE/s1600/Matt's+Look.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FtJHookvETo/U0zialcb3RI/AAAAAAAAGvA/4wKxvEygMfE/s1600/Matt's+Look.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Today is the anniversary of the death of my best friend and blood brother, Matt Welty. I've <a href="http://mattandrich.blogspot.com/2007/10/epic-adventures-of-jackson-and-toby.html">written a lot about how he affected my life</a>, but I wasn't the only one. There were hundreds of people at his funeral and there would have been dozens of speakers if we'd had the time. Still, we heard a dozen poignant tales of how he helped turn people's lives around, encouraged them to pursue their passions and face their fears, and how he made the lives of so many of us better. It's quite telling that seven years later people still hear his laughter in the joy of others, tear up at a bit of geek culture he introduced them to, and reach out to the rest of us when, in a hard moment of life, he shows up in a song, a picture, or a memory to remind us that his spirit is still there.</div>
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For those of you who didn't know our dear friend, Matt, I'm sharing two things that I hope give you a tiny glimpse into who he was and what he meant to me. The first is a memorial video I did for him in 2010 after I found a recording of his voice. The second is the eulogy I read at his funeral. I hope other people choose to share their stories in the comments below.</div>
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How he touched our lives is his legacy and proof that a man never truly dies until all the lives he's touched have passed away.</div>
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<b>Eulogy, Matt Welty, April, 2007</b></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Matt and I have been best friends for almost 20 years. Ten years ago we traveled to a special spot in the Panamint Valley and went through a ceremony to become Blood Brothers. He told me once that he believed our spirits travel in groups, continuously reincarnating through time. If you had a story together in a past incarnation, you would have a story again in this one. He was 9 years older than me. As far as the two of us were concerned, he shrugged and told me, “I just got here a little early this time.”</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">You will hear a lot of Matt stories today and in the weeks to come I’m sure. Maybe later I will share some of my favorites; like his run-ins with Bigfoot and Elvis or any number of stories where, as a child, Matt took a dare, failed miserably and his friends left him for dead. But right now I felt compelled to share with you the connection Matt and I had with each other and why our friendship was so extraordinary to the both of us.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">I’ve been trying to do that for days. And when I couldn’t figure out which stories to tell, or what to share that would impress on you what Matt meant to me personally, I did what I always did when I was staring at a blank page. I asked Matt.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">For those of you who only knew him through work, or maybe through one of his numerous hobbies, you may not know that one of his dreams had always been to be a Literature teacher. His house is full of poetry and classics and Matt was an extraordinary storyteller. And he was a pop culture fanatic; science fiction, Tolkien, comics and roleplaying games. So his answer to my question about how to give you a glimpse of the bond between us in such a short time came as a literary reference, which happened to be retold in one of the most popular episodes of Star Trek the Next Generation as well.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The Epic of Gilgamesh and Enkidu is one of the oldest stories in recorded history. Gilgamesh was a larger than life king whose friendship with a man of the wild named Enkidu changed them both. Together they survived seductions and betrayals, traveled unknown lands, slew evil, and destroyed the Bull of the Gods; an act of defiance I think Matt found particularly appealing.</span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="s1">So just telling you that we always believed in each other, or talked for hours, or shared a love of storytelling isn’t enough. Not today. Matt wasn’t just my hero, or my confidant, or my corruptor, or my angel. Of all the words we could use to describe our friendship, the one I believe Matt was helping me to find...is "Epic". Together we slew dragons, survived seductions and betrayals, leapt tall buildings in a single bound, explored the world, and helped each other face evil, not with fists or guns, but with words, compassion and, sometimes, a little Punk attitude.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">We created worlds together, but my imagination isn’t strong enough to create a world where he isn’t here next to me.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">The only consolation I have is that he’ll have to change outfits so many times before starting his next life that I should get there right on time.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8-kB9O60Nkk/U0zj7BmpDRI/AAAAAAAAGvU/6j34MXlhcxw/s1600/Weird+Food+Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8-kB9O60Nkk/U0zj7BmpDRI/AAAAAAAAGvU/6j34MXlhcxw/s1600/Weird+Food+Night.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1"><i>“So Enkidu lay stretched out before Gilgamesh; his tears ran down in streams and he said to Gilgamesh, ‘O my brother, so dear as you are to me, brother, yet they will take me from you.’ Again he said, ‘I must sit down on the threshold of the dead and never again will I see my dear brother with my eyes.’”</i></span></div>
Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-74629630392172073212014-04-06T17:49:00.000-07:002014-04-06T17:50:53.419-07:00Professional Geek Achievement Unlocked<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rYMwdCptO0/U0HzV2Pdq8I/AAAAAAAAGZE/bD9pybnMgrc/s1600/127679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4rYMwdCptO0/U0HzV2Pdq8I/AAAAAAAAGZE/bD9pybnMgrc/s1600/127679.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It's official. My first professional game credit is out in the world--editor on <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/127679/Planar-Races-Chaos-The-Xaolings">Xaolings by Todd Stewart</a>. Xaolings presents a fascinating race born from the chaos planes. Todd has an impressive ability to describe creatures who are notoriously averse to being described. His mechanics for racial archetypes, feats and magic items were particularly impressive.<br />
<br />
So, if you're interested in a new race for your game or are just excited to have something with my name in it, link over and pick up the PDF at <a href="http://www.drivethrurpg.com/">www.drivethrurpg.com</a>.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lr5hAgp0uVY/U0H2Yq-CCTI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/UHg_ywpBsGk/s1600/First+Geek+Credit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lr5hAgp0uVY/U0H2Yq-CCTI/AAAAAAAAGZQ/UHg_ywpBsGk/s1600/First+Geek+Credit.jpg" height="400" width="372" /></a></div>
<br />Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-53011373944051712662014-03-10T06:29:00.001-07:002014-03-10T06:29:05.375-07:00Writer's Bio<div class="Body">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">I was recently asked to submit a 150 word writer's bio to be used for several of the freelance projects coming out this year. I've never had to summarize my writing career before. The word limit was particularly inspiring; I'm a believer in limitations inspiring/forcing creativity. Some of you aren't gamers, or at least not Pathfinder players, so I thought I'd post a copy here.</span></div>
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Huge thanks to everyone who has supported and encouraged me to make this a reality. You can read more about that first AD&D game <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2012/08/playing-it-forward.html">here</a>.</div>
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Rich Howard's
obsession with gaming started 35 years ago when his older brother finally let
him invade his AD&D game. Since his first sleep spell, Rich has wandered
the world of roleplaying, board and computer games as fascinated with their
potential to teach and inspire as to entertain.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In 2006 he
started the move to professional freelancer by refining his fledgling skills,
attending conferences and finishing his first novel. After running into Paizo
editor James Sutter at World Fantasy 2012 he realized that the skills he'd
cultivated as a writer and his decades of gaming experience could be used to
give back to the industry that had inspired his own imagination. In the past
year he's contributed to projects from Misfit Studios, Rogue Genius Games and
Christina Stiles Presents, as well as becoming both lead designer on Misfit's
Ultimate Shaman and lead developer for the upcoming storytelling boardgame,
LUCID.</div>
Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-38529707557202604782014-02-28T11:21:00.000-08:002016-02-04T14:56:54.125-08:00In Memoriam: Aaron Allston (1960-2014)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JGrGpJgC9U4/UxDOND_UpSI/AAAAAAAADI8/iFixGYB88NY/s1600/61jLiVkN6DL._SL500_SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JGrGpJgC9U4/UxDOND_UpSI/AAAAAAAADI8/iFixGYB88NY/s1600/61jLiVkN6DL._SL500_SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>UPDATE 2/4/2016: The Kickstarter honoring Aaron by bringing Strike Force to the 21st century has funded in just 4 days. Please go check out the project and help support this amazing memorial.</b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2000633882/aaron-allstons-strike-force">Aaron Allston's Strike Force Kickstarter</a></b><br />
<br />
-------<br />
<br />
It's been an benchmark year for me. Aside from getting a promotion at my day job and having the best little family on the planet, I'm getting a steady stream of freelance projects for my dream job as a game designer. This morning I finished my writer's bio for the first of a series of pieces hitting the shelves this year, but my excitement was dulled by the news that one of my industry heroes collapsed at a conference yesterday and didn't wake up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.aaronallston.com/">Aaron Allston</a> is a name most of my friends and family won't know. He's best known for his Star Wars novels, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wraith_Squadron">Wraith Squadron</a> series, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/320344.Rebel_Dream_Enemy_Lines_1_">Enemy Lines</a>, and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=mercy+kill+aaron+allston&oq=mercy+kill+aaron+allston&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60j69i65j69i61l2j69i60.3649j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8">Mercy Kill</a>. For me, though, Aaron will always be the man who redefined what a roleplaying campaign, and roleplaying in general, means.<br />
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August 3rd, 1983, I made my way across town to the only game store in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owensboro,_Kentucky">Owensboro</a>, Calinbus Comics & Hobbies. I used my carefully saved allowance to buy a superhero roleplaying game called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_System">Champions</a>. I know the exact date because I still have the receipt.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$15 in 1983 was a lot of allowance!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Champions ruled my after-school life for years and became so popular that the rules expanded to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_Games">Hero Game System,</a> of which Champions was only a part. Hero included games like <a href="http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetail.asp_Q_ProductID_E_12070_A_InventoryID_E_2147533887_A_ProductLineID_E_2137422552_A_ManufacturerID_E_39_A_CategoryID_E_16_A_GenreID_E_">Danger International</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice,_Inc._(role-playing_game)">Justice Incorporated</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_Hero">Fantasy Hero</a>, and <a href="http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetail.asp_Q_ProductID_E_-87836705_A_InventoryID_E_2147969064_A_ProductLineID_E_2137422552_A_ManufacturerID_E_39_A_CategoryID_E_14_A_GenreID_E_">Star Hero</a>, and though each game was based on Champions, they added new rules for skills, talents, and martial arts that Champions didn't have. Fledgling game designers that all players are, we quickly included these new rules into our superhero games. The first supplement I remember that incorporated our own house rules was the seminal module "<a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/3043/Coriolis-Effect-Champions-RPG-Adventure-%235?it=1&">Coriolis Effect</a>". Not long after, Aaron Allston wrote one of the best supplements in RPG history--a quiet little campaign book called "<a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpgitem/50711/strike-force">Strike Force</a>".<br />
<br />
Strike Force did more than list game ideas and a few sample characters; Aaron told us about how his campaign worked. We got to see behind the scenes of a successful campaign, showing characters as they developed over the years, story arcs that worked and even things that didn't. I read that book cover-to-cover like a novel. As <a href="http://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/07/aaron-allstons-strike-force.html">Jeff Rients says in his review</a>, Strike Force made Aaron the first "campaign blogger". And we loved it.<br />
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"Strike Force", along with Aaron's other key works, "The Blood" and "Super Agents", turned our gaming table on its edge. Stories stopped being about heroes and villains slugging it out in a lightly salted broth of roleplaying. These books helped us build epic stories that ran for years and inspired tales that I and my friends talk about decades later. In short, Aaron changed how my brain viewed storytelling and his influence inspired the excitement I have in my life to this day.<br />
<br />
I always wanted to meet Aaron, especially now that I can technically call myself a game writer. I always wanted to tell him what his writing did for me and, in turn, for my friends. I wonder if he really understood how many laughs, how many poignant moments, or how many bonds of friendship he helped to create? I hope so, but if not, now you do.<br />
<br />
Thank you, Aaron.<br />
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<br />
Other recommended reading:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aaron-Allston/e/B000APRR4M">Aaron Allston List of Novels</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.forbeck.com/2014/02/28/goodbye-aaron-allston/">Matt Forbeck: Good-bye Aaron Allston</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theforce.net/story/front/Author_Aaron_Allston_Has_Passed_Away_156868.asp">The Force.net: Aaron Allston has died</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.locusmag.com/News/2014/02/aaron-allston-1960-2014/">Locus Online: Aaron Allston (1960-2014)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bigshinyrobot.com/57094/memoriam-aaron-allston/">Big Shiny Robot: In Memorium: Aaron Allston</a>Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-68927823007098123052014-01-31T11:47:00.002-08:002014-01-31T11:54:43.062-08:002014: A Month in Review<div>
So far this month I've:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>...completed a two-year project at my hospital that streamlines our electronic medical record system.</li>
<li>...presented said project to our hospital council and earned a promotion.</li>
<li>...had two game developers contact me to review their games.</li>
<li>...been asked to assist on a new RPG development project.</li>
<li>...was recommended to a new video game company for help with their character development.</li>
<li>...been hired for and completed an editing/development project for <a href="http://www.roguegeniusgames.com/">Rogue Genius Games</a>.</li>
<li>...picked up three new freelance RPG development projects.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
I couldn't be happier.</div>
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<div>
Addendum, 1/31/14: I just finished the first meeting about a new RPG and I must say the system impressed me. It's midway through development so I can't elaborate, but the mechanics are sound, unique, and potentially far reaching; making it a <a href="http://richplayingitforward.blogspot.com/2013/03/gateway-strategy-smallworld-2-5-players.html">Gateway Game</a> for RPGs. What gamer doesn't want that?!?</div>
Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-66245986586843581362014-01-26T14:24:00.000-08:002014-03-21T14:27:44.992-07:00Happy Birthday Dungeons & Dragons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ehIkherpeY4/UuXN3ZsYSxI/AAAAAAAADHs/xq7WwcByf4w/s1600/D&d_Box1st.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ehIkherpeY4/UuXN3ZsYSxI/AAAAAAAADHs/xq7WwcByf4w/s1600/D&d_Box1st.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
January 26th, 1974.<br />
<br />
I've already written about some of my <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2012/08/playing-it-forward.html">earliest experiences with the game that changed the world</a>. I still run into people who don't even know that roleplaying games exist, much less understand how they could influence a life as passionately as they have mine. It's been 40 years since the hobby was invented, and 36 years since I experienced it for myself. There is little success I can't attribute to my time around the table. As I say on my <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/p/about.html">About</a> page:<br />
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"It teased my curiosity about the world, then pressured me to meet new people and share experiences with them. It fed my addiction to storytelling, compelled me to draw out people's emotions, gently manipulate them, then put them back in a way they would tell their friends about for years. It forced me to read about culture, and history, and mythology, and science, and religion, and forensics, and linguistics. It relentlessly bullied me into becoming a better writer and then pressured me to introduce it to other people. One game is even directly responsible for my ability to do math."<br />
<br />
There will be scores of posts today about D&D and the positive influence it's had on the lives of those who've played. I'm honestly not sure I can add much more. RPGs are my life, personally and professionally. They form the foundation for my closest friendships and will be the tool I use to bond with and inspire my children and their friends (at least until they find their own outlets). If you want to know more about why I love games, and RPGs specifically, check out the Popular Posts on almost any of my blogs. I write about them all the time.<br />
<br />
So all I can say today is, thank you Gary and Dave, for the incredible life I've lived. Happy Birthday, D&D.</div>
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Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-14227899040282979272013-11-27T14:25:00.000-08:002014-03-21T14:16:37.133-07:00AfterlifeYesterday I spent a few hours rearranging my office. A few hours won't be nearly enough, but it started the inertia on a Honey Do I've been wanting to finish for the last year. There's a lot to do, but the physical work isn't what takes up all the time, it's revisiting bits and pieces of your past while deciding which to keep, which to pack, and which to throw away. I have a lot of memorabilia; I'm a geek, it's what we do.<br />
<br />
One of the more difficult decisions I made was to pack away things I inherited from <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2013/09/an-annual-sadness-i-had-dream.html">my friend Matt</a>--a small box of knick-knacks from his house, souvenirs from games long past, and file folders of characters and stories. While digging through his old writing, I came across a collection of typed poems I'd never seen before. I grabbed a random one from the stack and read it.<br />
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AFTERLIFE<br />
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Do not stand at my grave and weep;<br />
I am not there. I do not sleep.<br />
I am a thousand winds that blow.<br />
I am the diamond's glint on snow.<br />
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.<br />
I am the gentle autumn's rain.<br />
When you awaken in the mourning's hush,<br />
I am the swift uplifting rush<br />
of quiet birds in circled flight.<br />
I am the soft stars that shine at night.<br />
Do not stand at my grave and cry:<br />
I am not there. I did not die.<br />
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<br />
This was exactly how he would feel about his own death. The timing of finding this while digging through his old things was an emotional land mine.<br />
<br />
At first I thought it was Matt who wrote this, but some Google Fu revealed that it was written by a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_Not_Stand_at_My_Grave_and_Weep">Mary Elizabeth Frye</a> in 1932. He must have typed it up as a writing exercise during one of his classes, or maybe he just liked it and copied it from a book at the library. I've been known to do the same in the days before the internet and, well, printers.<br />
<br />
It was a perfectly timed message and one I need to remember, not just for my friends and family who have passed, but for my patients and their families.<br />
<br />
I finished packing up the box of Matt's things, lighter in the heart reminded how he, <a href="http://www.richhowardauthor.com/2013/02/an-act-of-love.html">G.G.</a>, and so many others are still with and around us and their lives don't truly end until all the lives they've touched have passed away.Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-11589595616477225792013-11-04T12:38:00.003-08:002013-11-04T14:30:25.872-08:00My Life, Part 2Up to age 40, my life has been pretty amazing; not that I've always recognized that.<br />
<br />
I've had my battles with depression, particularly in high school and university. I've had more relationship ups and downs than I care to talk about. Most of us have. Still, there's no doubt that when I look back on my life, the friends I've made, the family I've kept, the places I've seen and the geeky things I've experienced would make 10-year-old Rich very proud. What I didn't expect was that my life would get a reboot halfway through.<br />
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Having a daughter has recharged my life in a way I couldn't have understood until it happened. Yes, I'm tired. Yes, doctor's appointments, worrying, soothing, changing, and pretty much every event we want to participate in takes more time. Yet, somehow, we get out more than we did before. My wife takes Ro on walks nearly every day. We're lucky to live in San Diego, with one of <a href="http://www.sandiegozoo.org/">the best zoos in the world</a> as well as excellent weather. Tomorrow we're going to <a href="http://www.balboapark.org/visit/tuesdays">Free Museum Tuesday at Balboa Park</a>. Thursday we may take her to <a href="http://www.mtrp.org/">Mission Trails</a> or <a href="http://www.torreypine.org/">Torrey Pines</a> park. We could have been doing these things before we had Rowan, and we did from time to time, but now I want to do them more than ever before.<br />
<br />
I'm obsessed with the lemonade stand I'm going to build for her; I'm already perfecting a recipe using the lemons from our new tree. I love snuggling up next to her and reading "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Book-Elephant-Piggie/dp/1423133080">We're In a Book</a>"* and "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Llama-Red-Pajama-Anna-Dewdney/dp/0670059838/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1383596254&sr=1-1&keywords=llama+llama+red+pajama">Llama Llama Red Pajama</a>". When she smiles and giggles I honestly don't know what to do with myself. Everywhere we go I get to describe the world and see it again in a way I haven't for years. As a writer, that's one of the most precious gifts someone can give and she can't even talk yet.<br />
<br />
This morning I told her, "Thank you for coming and spending this life with us. We're so glad you're here." Yeah, I'm a hippy, no argument, but this is honestly how I feel. The rest of my life will have this person in it that didn't <i>exist</i> a year ago. I get to influence how she sees, feels and experiences life. When she thinks back, my wife and I will be the earliest things she remembers and she'll carry those memories, good or bad, with her into the world for the rest of her life. What an honor. What a privilege.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQJqp7Bu8-0/UngAMCUW8OI/AAAAAAAAC-Y/jF73f6iib4s/s1600/IMG_0518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQJqp7Bu8-0/UngAMCUW8OI/AAAAAAAAC-Y/jF73f6iib4s/s320/IMG_0518.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ro at the San Diego Zoo</td></tr>
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--------<br />
<br />
* = "We're in a Book?" by Mo Williams blew my mind. Give it a read. Twice, actually. It takes a subtle writer to put that much fun into such a simple presentation.<br />
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Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908510840659506547.post-30921877652612695872013-09-19T00:17:00.001-07:002013-09-19T08:57:30.062-07:00An Annual Sadness (I Had a Dream)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyt0S-jUb90/UjqgaQ55dCI/AAAAAAAABfA/vtvST7mwHGg/s1600/Matt+Fire+Dragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cyt0S-jUb90/UjqgaQ55dCI/AAAAAAAABfA/vtvST7mwHGg/s400/Matt+Fire+Dragon.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
April 15th, 2007, my blood-brother and best friend of 20 years, Matt Welty, died of an unexpected and massive heart attack. He was 45 years old. October 18th is his birthday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
It's not uncommon for me to feel down around these days and I often don't realize why until I look at a calendar. Matt was one of <a href="http://mattandrich.blogspot.com/2007/10/epic-adventures-of-jackson-and-toby.html">the first people I met</a> when I moved from small-town Kentucky to big-city Orange County. Matt was my backup. My safety net. He was one of the few people who witnessed my transformation from naive country boy to...well, naive and educated world traveler. I have a few friends I've known longer, one in particular is very dear to me, but none of them watched me struggle to figure out the world outside of the romantic fairy tales I'd built around myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2B82LFPSLVw/UjqinQKbR7I/AAAAAAAABfY/LygSMcIygHA/s1600/Matt+and+Rich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2B82LFPSLVw/UjqinQKbR7I/AAAAAAAABfY/LygSMcIygHA/s320/Matt+and+Rich.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A few months ago I went on a camping trip with some friends. Traffic slowed on the 405 just before the exit to Matt's place. For months I'd been feeling this impending sense of doom. The feeling was inexplicable--I had an amazing wife, I had a baby on the way, my job is incredibly satisfying and I'd finally picked up freelancing work in the gaming industry. Things could not have been better. Still, something was wrong. Just before the trip I'd realized that I've been so trained as a writer to invoke the Success-Failure pattern in my stories that I'd internalized it. Things were so amazing that something, somewhere, was going to go horribly wrong. And after Matt died, my sense of personal mortality had never been more real. Sitting within sight of the Jeffery Street exit, minutes from Matt's apartment, I broke down and cried.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
By the time I got to the campsite I felt better than I had in months. I've made several close friends recently who never knew Matt and I got to share <a href="http://mattandrich.blogspot.com/2007/11/mini-matt.html">stories about him</a>, which always makes me happy. I hadn't talked about him in a long while and remembering the half-my-life influence he had on me was cathartic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />When it comes to memories like these, having a powerful imagination can be both a challenge and a blessing. For example, I don't simply remember events like Matt's death, I relive them with much of the psychological and emotional trauma they generated the first time. Yet, I also remember the good times with the same vividness and emotional involvement. I can close my eyes and put myself in Matt's apartment again, hear his voice, feel his hugs. Sometimes, in my dreams, I get to spend time with him in such detail that the experiences form new memories, new smiles, new happiness. It's as if he comes to check up on me and to let me know he's okay. A few nights ago I had one of those dreams.</span><br />
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I miss you, Bud. Thanks for stopping by.</span></div>
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Sept 16th, 2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s2"><br />
</span><span class="s1">Last night I had a dream.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
Matt and I were taking a tour of African wildlife rehab facilities when our friend Alan Fatarini shows up on a convertible magic Caddy. I didn't know the Caddy was magical at the time but that thing drove across the rutted wilderness like the savannah was a fresh highway. We went up and down steep hillsides and across muddy flats like a roller coaster. Once Alan drove us downhill and launched off a cliff and over a lake. We were going so fast that we drove across the surface of the water for a good hundred feet until we hit the far bank. I've never been one for roller coasters, but Matt and I laughed with adrenaline-fueled passion.</span></div>
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<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Alan chauffeured us from one wildlife center to the next. The owner of one particularly elaborate high-tech place was a beautiful red-head that had a thing for Matt. He talked to her while I snorkeled through a huge maze of lake-sized pools, guided by the owner's young son and a pair of curious and friendly dolphins. One of the numerous outlets dumped me into a beautifully manicured forest. I climbed out of the water, dried off and changed clothes in instant dream-time, just as a guide came to introduce me to the workers, a mixed trio of Asian handlers, and the chimpanzees they were rehabbing.<br />
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When we left there, Alan once again drove like a Zen maniac through the wilds. I gripped the dashboard and tried to tighten my seatbelt. Matt and I laughed our faces off while Alan went on and on about the doctors at all the facilities being quacks.</span></div>
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Just before I woke up, we were back in civilization. We parked the car in a structure as high-tech as it was run down--automatic doors, elevator placement, digital interfaces, all covered in graffiti and worn concrete dust. We hopped out of the car, Alan grumpily rambling about how the doctors didn't know what they were talking about. Matt and I laughed at him, then sandwiched him in a huge hug that pulled him off his sizable soap-box. "Take that, you quack," I said as we squeezed the air out of him.<br />
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As the Caddy lifted away on an elevator, Alan dropped the keys in some kind automated storage bin that looked like a mailbox. I remember hoping it knew which car and driver the keys were supposed to be for.<br />
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Matt and I were still laughing as we walked toward the parking garage exit, and though I could see and smell and touch him, a part of me knew this adventure was one-time only. My brain nagged at me that Matt was dead and I needed to enjoy this moment for all it was worth. I didn't know it was a dream at the time, but I knew that, somehow, Alan was helping us relive past glories by chauffeuring us on one last crazy road trip.<br />
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We left the parking structure and found a retro 50s dinner to get something to eat and as we went through the double doors into a blindingly bright light I hugged Matt around the waist and smiled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span class="s1"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Im6L6IDRtQ/UjqhOWjRIVI/AAAAAAAABfM/3wXGN7vxqCI/s1600/Matt+and+Elvis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Im6L6IDRtQ/UjqhOWjRIVI/AAAAAAAABfM/3wXGN7vxqCI/s320/Matt+and+Elvis.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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Rich Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06235467601059472682noreply@blogger.com3