My apologies for the lack of updates the past week as the holiday weekend has hit me like a hurricane along the coast of Florida. It was great to make the trek to see my parents in Alabama and my sister’s family in Georgia it was also a very tough adventure both mentally and physically in many ways.

Physically the travel and sleeping in a double bed compared to our own king bed was draining over the past few days and 16+ hours of road travel can also be tough on you. Combine that with allergies namely my mother still smoking adds to that and amazes me that I survived being around my folks during my earlier years with their heavy smoking. Word to the wise, don’t smoke and if you do smoke, give it up. Save money and the health of yourself and your loved ones.

Mentally it was rough to see my folks still fighting as they are around their 70’s like a cat and dog always going at one another. It drains you to see people always scrap and fuss at one another that managed to raise three good kids and had a career, now they piss away their retirement in hate and spite. It was also tough to watch my sister’s family struggle on 1/3 of their old income. She lost her job several years ago due to a business she had been with for around 20 years closed and her husband is already on disability. Now her own health has factored in and she is fighting for disability now in this half assed economy. I wish I had the money to help them out but my wife and I make enough to get by as it is.

Where is this rant going? I am being thankful now as this has given me cause to think of everything in the grand scale. I have a great and loving wife, three great pets (despite their flaws) and a home. While we would love for it to be bigger or at least several home improvements it is our spot in the world. We pay our bills, we eat well and at this time we still have jobs in the craptastic economy. We have our health and my wife and I have most of our family in our lives despite all the troubles and woes that go on.

I have also been blessed with many long years of gaming since the early age of 13. With everything from board games, to RPG, CCGs and miniature games this has always been my grounding stone in my life with a wealth of friends and new faces always in my life to help understand that one can only enjoy what you have now and that gaming offers you a relaxing escape for a few moments of the stressful things in life. For that outlet, I am thankful and I am looking forward to the holidays and where I can take my passion for my hobby to.

During these holidays be thankful for everything in your life, both the good and the bad in everything. Take time to do good things if you can and support charities that are important to you.

For me this year, I helped at work with the FSECC fundraising drive with the State of Florida that helps support over a hundred charities that solicit the state for donations to support their cause. I also helped my local gaming store start up the Toys for Tots box to help children out this year have a few smiles on Christmas day. Last, my wife and I bought some toys for a foster child that does not have a family of her own to get gifts from this year and I think this little girl will enjoy what we got for her.

Stay tuned as we return to our regular scheduled gaming blog!