Forgive me in advance for the rambling nature of this post.  Or, you know, don’t.  I’ll find the strength to survive. 

So awhile back I started a blog on Livejournal.  After having two updates in a row devoured alive by LJ’s ravenous hatred of successful posts, I opted to look for another host, and here I am.

So far, when I hit enter, the cursor doesn’t actually move to the new line.  Everything else seems good, though.  Maybe that’s just a visual thing. 

Okay, so – about me.  Or more appropriately, about this blog.  I’m expanding my horizons.  I originally set out to create a writing blog, dedicated solely to logging my startling revelations regarding the craft.  I’m still having those, though I do think most of them have been had before, by millions of other people over the years.  Nothing wrong with that; I’m an author – albeit an unpublished one – so it’s still important for me to get my thoughts down.  But I was also sort of tippy-toeing around doing anything too opinionated since the blog might end up being my “professional face”, perused by agents, publishers, or any number of other influential people who might decide they hate me without reading my material.

I’ve decided, fuck that.  I’ve pretty much settled on Kindle publishing my first book, which I’m discovering makes me a lot less nervous about coming off “wrong” to any prospective agent who might look at my blog (for whatever bizarre reason).  In that vein, I figure there are two other topics – in addition to writing – that I’m likely to want to mouth off about: politics, and games.

I’m a life-long game lover.  I’ve loved games of most stripes since I was old enough to watch them played.  The notable exceptions are traditional card games, including gambling, and sports – but everything else – collectible card games, video games, role-playing games, board games – I love.  I think there is something sacred about the act of playing a great game.  I want to explore that idea a bit more.  I may use this space to do it.  I may also just use this space to bitch about getting my ass nailed to the wall in Super Street Fighter 4.  No one said I had to be eloquent. 

I’m also a practical progressive (to steal a term from my wife).  Like many, I find my political outlook skewing slightly right as I get older, but it would be wrong to say I have much in common with the Republican party’s platform.  In fact, they infuriate me on a daily basis.  Sometimes, I need to bitch about it.  Sometimes, I need to bitch about the democrats.  I may use this space for both of those things, too.

Oh yeah, and I’m writing my second book.  I’m a little over halfway done with it.  The working title is Alex.  I’ll be posting updates on my progress on that here, too.  Along with whatever comes afterwards.

In any case, it’s writing night.  So I’m switching over to work on Alex now, but if I manage to hit “PUBLISH POST” and actually see this post appear without it getting devoured, I’ll most likely be back to post again.