Thursday, July 30, 2009

An Open Apology to the Faithful

This has been weighing on me a little bit as of late, so I’d just like to offer my apologies whether anyone feels they’re required or not. I feel like I’ve been phoning in posts for the last two weeks and this is undoubtedly true to some extent. A wise man (Maimonides? Jeremy Bentham?) once wrote that it is hard to blog and write a book simultaneously. This is true. For the past two weeks, I’ve been pounding away at the Stonehell compilation, trying to get it to resemble something akin to a finished draft. My thoughts have been on the blog in a tertiary manner at best.

This aforementioned half-assery of the most recent of posts should not be misconstrued as a loss of interest in the blog or a deficit of creativity. We’re rapidly approaching the one year anniversary of this little endeavor of mine and, although my plate is much more overloaded than it was at the start of this venture, I’ve not lost any interest in continuing to chronicle my weird design projects and the half-baked philosophy that accompanies such efforts. I’m just simply trying to husband my energies and direct them to the most pressing of matters for the time being. The blog suffers the most for that rationing.

I’ve been remiss in making my rounds of my contemporaries’ blogs this past week. From the few that I’ve seen, it seems I’ve blissfully missed some recent cannonade across the Old School bow, but I can’t say I’m much inclined to find out what exactly that was. I don’t seem to have taken any damage in the latest exchange so I’ll assume nobody was aiming specifically in my direction.

The good news is that I’m very close to completing the lion’s share of the work needed on the Stonehell compilation. Fear is playing a few towns over from me on Monday and I’ve made a gentleman’s agreement with myself that I don’t get to see them perform unless the draft is completed to my satisfaction. This has been a most persuasive of arguments to keep me on track and to get things finished. I’m hoping to share the completed draft with my Three-Headed compadres in the next day or two to start the feedback machine running. A post regarding the state of Stonehell should be appearing on the THM Games blog in the near future.

I just wanted to keep my regular readers informed as to why things have been a bit subpar these past two weeks and why I’ve been woefully neglect in responding to comments about what has appeared. There will be a new post tomorrow as scheduled, but whether it’s more of the same or actually has something of value, I’ll let you be the judge of.

One Word Hint: “octopus.”

9 comments:

Pulp Herb said...

Uhm, given your recent posts on the dream setting are some of my favorites on your blog, keep phoning it in.

Timeshadows said...

Have a Beer with Fear!

Hang in there, Mike. :D

Ragnorakk said...

like Herb said, and also the weird woods with teleporter game fragment.

I've got to ask you a question that's been on my mind since your posts on characters creating spells and generally influencing the gameworld (a month or two ago) - Who the heck do you play with? Seems to me that you've been very fortunate with creative, collaborative players.

(I hope you don't have to go to New York to see Fear, that's where the saxophones are if I remember correctly.
Maybe Belushi will show up!)

Michael Curtis said...

Who the heck do you play with? Seems to me that you've been very fortunate with creative, collaborative players.

In this regard, I do indeed feel as I've been blessed in the past. But I'm not convinced that I've just been lucky. It is my heartfelt belief that "like attracts like" and I make it a point to be accessible and willing to collaborate and share the game with all my players. Once they see that I enjoy this hobby because I use it as a creative outlet and not an excuse to indulge in some God complex, they usually take the same attitude.

I think that the pools from which I tend to draw players from also has a big impact on my games. I usually extend an offer to join in on a session to people who are by second-nature creative. I've recruited players from the theatre departments in college, musicians and music afficianados, iconclasts, dancers, artists, writers, etc. A sure way to get me NOT to ask you to come and play is to start telling me about your uber character you played back in high school and all the cool adventures you had. While it's a valid reason to like this hobby, power-gaming and munchkinism is not what I here for, nor is it what I want to encourage.

JimLotFP said...

Dude, what are you apologizing for? You're now part of the Goodman Games stable! Of course you won't have so much time for blogging, what with hanging out at the country club, taking trips to Cancun and Monte-Carlo and Vegas and all the big Hollywood premieres!

Take your time and sleep off that 72-hour coke binge (tax deductible for artistic endeavors, I should remind you). The proles will understand. :D

Chris said...

Huh? You're apologising for being busy making more stuff for us to enjoy, and for having a life of your own? 0_o

"Readers are entitled (entitled I say!) to their money's worth from this blog, and I for one demand and expect regular content of market value equivalent to the entry price paid ($0.00)."

One Word Hint: “octopus.”

I am now grinning so much my face hurts. :)

AndreasDavour said...

Take your time to clear that plate Mike We'll be around still. :)

Michael Curtis said...

what with hanging out at the country club, taking trips to Cancun and Monte-Carlo and Vegas and all the big Hollywood premieres!

Shush! They seem to be buying this whole "over-worked" angle.

And remember it's your turn to bring the panda filets to the next Goodman Games BBQ aboard the hidden luxury space station.

Michael Curtis said...

In all seriousness though, thank you all for reassuring me that I'm either not letting anyone down or that I'm allowed to slide one in awhile.

At one point in my life, I feel that I disappointed a great many people and I've resolved to never be that guy again. This makes me hypersensitive to feelings that I'm failing to uphold my end of things, even when I'm the only one who feels that way. It's quirk of mine and certainly not the worst one to have.