JohnnyBGamer

Things I’ve Loved in April

I finished another book last night. A book that is a part of a series I’ve loved. This perfect mixture of humor, drama, and thoughtful science fiction. So why haven’t I talked about this book series here? I think, deep down, I’m afraid too.

I fear being judged by things that I love. So I keep them close to my chest. I don’t want to cause any fellow Christians to stumble or friends to be all like, “Whoa”. I’d much rather be silent, free of causing anyone harm, and free of being judged; free to just enjoy something.

“But this is your blog”, you might say, “Why not write about what you actually love?”

Why not indeed.

Things I’ve loved in April

Awhile back, I had a co-worker introduce me to author John Scalzi. Now Scalzi is known for his novel Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas. But I jumped into his Old Man’s War series at my co-worker’s suggestion. Tabitha bought me all six of the books for Christmas. I have a good wife. 🙂

Initial Premise: Imagine a world where you have a choice to live out the rest of your life among the stars. Once you turn 75 years old, you are eligible to join the Colonial Union as a recruit. Leaving Earth behind forever to fight against the horrors of space. A 10 year tour, if one survives, that ends with retirement on a human colony.

I have loved the way Scalzi has built his world, characters, and then interwoven them throughout the Old Man’s War series. Pure popcorn reading at it’s best. Sure, there are a few questionable things… BUT I’ve enjoyed the literary escape Scalzi has created.

I just finished up book three, The Lost Colony, and will continue on with Zoe’s Tale. I’ll let you know how it is!

Guildmaster Story (iOS) also consumed a bit of my time in April. I love the writing; not super hot on the puzzles. The protagonist reminds me a lot of Fozzy Bear’s character from Muppet Treasure Island.

What have you been enjoying this past month?

Been reading or playing anything good?

Let me know in the comments below.

On My Radar – BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL!

Picked up BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL! over the weekend. Tried the co-op out with Wyatt. Gameplay is tight AND requires a bit of communication (re: patience). 😛

Looking forward to trying out the single-player.

Homecoming: Why are video games so hard to come back to?

A long time ago (2014), in a living room far far away, I asked Wyatt to help me create my Dragon Age: Inquisition character.

We created a:

Scrawny Elf
With a facial tattoo that covers his entire face
Who carries a two-handed sword
And has a deep voice

I loved playing as him.

I sunk hours into Dragon Age: Inquisition until I hit the wall and got stuck in the game. At this point, I am sure, a new game entered my orbit, and I blasted away from my elf and the inquisition.

I loaded Dragon Age: Inquisition once more last night. Combat/gameplay rhythms were unfamiliar after being away from the game for so long. My elf had not changed… but I have.

Unlike reading multiple books at the same time, I think video games are harder not to play fully invested in. With big AAA games, I tend to forget about the:

Controls (muscle memory does help with skill-based games)
Story (I’m thankful for the games that feature a story recap)
How much I cared/was invested in characters

So I wanted to ask you:

How long is too long to come back to a game?
At what point do you give up/delete/move on because you simply do not care anymore?

Let me know in the comments below!

Death of a Modern Woman

A daughter got up to speak at her mother’s funeral recently. She talked about how her mom was a “modern woman”. Her unspoken words silently screaming that her mother resented staying home and raising her and her siblings.

The funeral continued with another daughter stepping up to the lectern to speak. She mentioned that her mom was a life long member of the church they attended. She also talked about current tensions between siblings and made a sideswipe at her brother for his lack of talent.

Sitting there, I noticed that nothing was said of the deceased woman’s faith but only of her membership. As another daughter’s words were read aloud by the pastor, I felt grossed out by the tension in this family. The bitterness smothering any love that might once have existed between them.

As Tabitha and I walked out of the church, we held hands while walking out to the car. Trying to imagine living in family, having siblings, that were so torn up and hurt by one another. In the privacy of the car, we talked about how we want to be remembered. How we want people to speak of us at our own funerals.

I walked away thinking about what holds our family together. The faith and values that Tabitha and I surround ourselves and fill our home with. I would hope that Wyatt would grow up and look back on his childhood with fondness. I also realize that we can do EVERYTHING we’d consider right and things can still go sideways. I am thankful that God is bigger than any of my own parental missteps.

I want people to remember me for my actions and not my accomplishments. I want to be remembered as more than just a life long member of a church.

From Across the Net – “Five Specific Ways The Current Approach to Church Seems Badly Outdated”

I have always been impressed by pastors and church worship leaders who allow for God to move. Thankful that my church’s Worship Arts Pastor naturally builds in time to pray during the music worship portion of our service.

One of the best questions you can ask as a church leader is “If people show up on a Sunday, have we left enough room for them to encounter God?” That can be done through music, through prayer, through silence and even through the way you preach. It’s a posture as much as it’s programming.

Too often, people show up at church hoping to find God. Instead, they find us.

You can read more here