Magic Potion

Had a great couple of days off for Thanksgiving. A lot of relaxing, eating, spending time with friends
and family and a LOT of drinking. Didn't do any traditional shopping on Black Friday, instead opting
for online and shopping at small businesses. Took care of a chunk of Xmas gifts. Barnes was in
town so there was some reveling and bad decisions made.

Found time to work on my long list of ongoing projects. I really wanna get back into some other
creative outlets. Writing and Gaming do some of it for me, but i really need to draw, sketch,
shoot more photos and be more creative. My soul has been crying out for it… like a voice in
the distance. And I am running towards it!

3 More for the Road

In this time of thanks, I cannot say I'm thankful for the way the Chargers have been playing the last few weeks.
After their losses to the Jets and KC, we continued our slide by losing to Green Pay, Da Raiders (best team in
the AFC West, except the penalties) and now Da Bears.

I cant pinpoint all the ways that the Bolts frustrate me, or how they lose games. It is a combination of sloppy play,
bad play calling, dropped passes, hurt players, bad passes or whatever is wrong with Rivers, and a plethora of
other things.

Part if the blame rest with Norv and AJ Smith. I think that if this season goes where I think it is (right in
the toilet bowl), changes will need to be made.

With only 6 games left, and 2 of them are divisional ones starting with the Donkeys this week, I feel the icy grip
of death around our necks.

omedetou gozaimasu

Here's to the 2 year anniversary of my current SHOGUNATE campaign and I get
to celebrate an idea I had some 22 years ago to have a better game, with fast moving
combat and an obsession of mine - Feudal Japan. With many changes, additions,
revisions, re-revisions, I feel the game is still one of the funnest I can say I am
part of. I thoroughly enjoy the creative and storytelling part of it. It helps me
in my everyday work as well.

I'm happy to share these memories with great friends and people I respect and admire.
For many years of fun, fights and many more to come.

The Upwards War & Downwards Cycle

After many years of being a designer, working in many industries including Marketing, Advertising, I have seen
a lot of things, things I would swear civilized people would not do to their fellow man. But the world I work in is not
always Black & White. Really just a lot of shades of Gray.

I wish I could say "I will be at this company forever", or "I never want to leave", but like a lot of ups-and-downs
at companies I have worked for (Eight in 17 years), sometimes the stability or security isn't always where you
want it to be.

Currently, my job is good and safe - partially because I'm a hard worker, partially because I can do things that the
Art Director above me cannot do, and partially because of my creativity, forward thinking and design ability.
But lately (after an "incident") I have started to re-evaluate the whats and whys of my work there and in the
bigger picture - what is next for me, my future of design and my company visualHYPE.

Not that I share a lot into the deep recesses of my brain, heart & soul but here you go:

I've been kicking around the idea of taking my company out for a real drive… out on the open road. No safety net of
a daytime job, but just me, a partner and some support. Can it be done? Can I be successful at it? Will it last?
Is it my future? Many restless night ahead if I move forward with it. Let's say - I'm thinking about it but making it
a reality - not just yet. It is always about cycles and I can't say I'm feeling it.

But you never know what the future holds or what road we will be on.

PJ20

Had a chance to finally watch the Pearl Jam 20th anniversary movie over the weekend. Cameron Crowe
(Singles, Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) did a stellar job, not that I thought he wouldn't, being a music guy
and close to Pearl Jam for almost their entire career.

The footage and interviews is awesome. The special memories with the band members, their friends, and moments
they have shared are great. A lot of it made me appreciate that special time I got to share in the early 90's with
them and the bands of that time. The shows that will be with me forever and the friends I share those memories with.

Check out the movie if you haven't yet. Great documentary and story of a great rock band.

Bolt from the Blue - Game 7

F@&K ME!!! What a piece of shit game that the Chargers not only deserved to lose, but earned it.
We were down 13-3 and 20-12, but came back to tie it late in the game. All thy had to do was kick
a field goal to win the game. They decided to run another play to center the ball…
Then Philip fumbled the snap.

UUUUUUGH!!!!!

Game goes to overtime but just like the rest of the day (and season) the Bolts can't finish.

One of the only redeeming things to come from this game is Curtis Brinkley, coming in as our RB
and kicking ass and taking names. Unfortunately, he got hurt and will be out.

So now we play Green Bay (The BEST team in football) on a short week, and then 4 days later
another division game against Carson Palmer and Da' Raiders on the first Thursday night game
of the season.

If we aren't careful we will be 4 - 5 after all is said and done. Time to get back to basics, fundamentals,
whatever you call it… and play some Charger football. Lots of points. And Just Win.

4 - 3
Final Score - 27-21
Loss to Kansas City Chiefs