A seriously outdated film once exclaimed, "You are not your f***ing khakis!" Fair enough, I suppose. That said, I figured a tally of what makes me tick is a great way to know the why behind the guy.
Liam Neeson once said that thing about skills, and most would lay claim to similar sensibilities when it comes to hobbies. But me? I guess you could say I'm not particularly particular, save for the fact that when I add something to my list of loves, I tend to go all in. Here's a few highlights.
I'm currently in recovery from my pandemic peak (where I nabbed a PS2VR and 30+ games, a Meta Quest, a PS5, Xbox Series X, and a Steam Deck), but I still mash a button or two every now and again, including MINTROCKET's mini-game magnus opus, Dave the Diver (pictured above) and Starfield on Xbox Cloud Gaming. I love emerging platforms, digital distribution, and VR with a passion, and am actively avoiding Baldur's Gate 3 in order to finish this portfolio. Is it as good as I think it is? Yeah? Gudamnit.
Though I got a late start relative to most of my friends and colleagues, it turns out I am a massive animation nerd. As a rule, I pick my poisons there by utilizing Brandon's Unified Law of Lengthy Titles, and when I'm not revisiting those dirty domestic ditties like Owl House, Hit Monkey, or Adventure Time (pictured above), I am marathoning the likes of I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World andBecame Unrivaled in the Real World, Too, Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of an Otome is Tough for Mobs, and Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill.
You don't work on video games for the NFL and not develop a bit of love for the eggball. Or then move to Cincinnati just to watch the Bengals (pictured above) in person. Or end up liking the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Red Sox, and Boston Bruins because you lived there and people kept giving you tickets. Wait..that's exactly what happened. So yeah, GO TEAM!
I used to read. A lot. Then the pandemic hit and I had to drive across Texas and Oregon a lot for work and fell in love with people reading to me, instead. My Audible library has become downright shameful, and thanks to my partner and their spooky son, the likes of Behind the Bastards and The Magnus Archives (pictured above) are quickly devouring every last second of my free time.
I'm an old fool, so it's no surprise that my love for gaming came from the old school. Board games with friends take up a lot of my time, but when it comes to the main method behind my desire to DM, it has to be the RIFTS franchise (pictured above) from Palladium Books, which narrowly edges out the likes of D&D and Shadowrun for my favorite foundational fulcrums. Wanna run a campaign? Get at me, dawg!
If it's awesome and streaming, chance are I have seen it 1.5 times. It would be two, but my partner actually has a life and it takes us forever to get through a full season. That said, I consume a stoopid amount of media when it comes to movies and TV. My current favorites are Foundation, From, Ted Lasso, The Idol, Yellowjackets, Ahsoka, Ragnarok, Twisted Metal, The Walking Dead: Dead City, Invasion, Only Murders In the Building (pictured above)....you know - just a few things to keep me busy while I wait for the new season of Loki 🤷🏻
When I'm not publicly shaming my boo thang via sing-a-longs at Emo Bingo or live renditions of The Humpy Dance or Part of Your World at our local karaoke bar, we like to take in live shows. Next up? Amigo the Devil (pictured above), Shakey Graves, and my little brother's debut in the cast of Dreamgirls! Let's goooooooo!
Last but not least, I am slowly but sure working on my first full length novel. No spoilers, but I cannot wait to share it with the world!
I could obviously ramble on about riding bikes, (eventually) taking hikes, and playing with fuzzy tykes. I could share my love for cooking, hotel booking, and international house looking (vicariously, of course), but you get the idea. Cool stuff is cool, and I likes it.
Feel free to take a look at other random bits that make up the ABCs of me.
