Monday Musings #111 🤬

Musings on my states of play

Good Monday, Gamer!

The dance of death. Cruikshank

"You may delay, but time will not."
— Virginia Woolf, Time Domain Cleric

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Playing for time

My kid’s out interviewing for his first part-time gig. He also chose to punch out of high school band for his senior year—wasn’t happy with the new direction, and he stood by it. The job hunt? All his initiative. I figured we’d get there eventually, last bird in the nest and all. But here we are. This summer.

And with that, this probably marks our last summer break with a flexible game schedule. So we’re hitting the table hard—Mekton, Heavy Gear, Lancer, Threads, TBZ (Mecha), Return to Dark Tower, and even the long-haul: Burning Empires (Mecha).
Playing like we’re outta time.

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Works in motion

Lifted is deep in layout and final edits. Natha and I are pushing this through, even while juggling other freelance fires. Feast or famine, as all self-employed folks know.
We're always behind on art, but honestly, I’m happy with the words. And the direction.

Working on Roll For Origin with Lowell Francis has got me musing. We just recorded our episode on Base Raiders RPG, and now I’m wondering: how would I do it differently? What’s next for Lifted after this first release? When am I gonna start that Supers podcast?

Also trying to clear space to attend both RinCon and Burning Wheel Con… but they fall in the same month. Might have to choose one. Any word on what’s happening in the con-verse this November/December? 🤷🏾‍♂️

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On the Shelf

I’m elbows-deep in the Coriolis: The Great Dark read-along by Life and Times of a Philippine Gamer. My physical books haven’t landed yet. Still, I went in big for the Kickstarter. I loved OG Coriolis and hoped this new edition would bring some mechanical tweaks closer to Twilight: 2000. I’m anxious to see what’s inside and how it plays differently. Dark space + desperate folk = my jam.

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Sundays Are Sacred

I cannot express how much I’m loving my Sunday games. Between Flying Circus and Mythic Bastionland, I feel like I’ve found a groove: the right day, the right rhythm, the right people. Now I just need the Right Dice! ❤️

I do miss a steady IRL group— I’ve got more open-table one-shots spinning these days, and that’s its own dance. Still, I digs it.

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ICYMI

• NDP Design
  Nathan’s RPG zines landed in my mailbox this week! We’ve collaborated on three (maybe four?) projects over the years.
  I first got pulled into a World Wide Wrestling one-shot at Games on Demand—a big table, 7-8 players. I was skeptical, but it turned out to be one of the best con game experiences I’ve ever had❣️

  • Carry is still a favorite.

  • Imp of the Perverse is a very close second.

  • Highly recommend picking up anything NDP puts down.

  

• Judd’s “What Do Seers Say” Post
  Mythic Bastionland GMs, don’t miss this. It’s a solid way to handle Seer questions and mystical guidance in play. Judd’s always bringing the Wises. Read it here

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It’s wild how fast things change. One minute you’re planning summer break full of games. The next, you’re watching your kid walk into a job interview while you dust off Burning Empires like it’s the first time. There’s something about the fleeting nature of a last summer that makes every roll, every session, every story hit harder.
So —play like you’re outta time.

And hey, I’d love to hear from you:

• What are you playing this summer?

• Got any “last hurrah” games lined up?

• What’s on your bucket list before the season shifts again?

Hit reply or drop a comment if you’re reading on Substack. I read them all.

Thanks for reading, thanks for playing, and thanks for supporting the strange stuff.

Catch ya next week!