Podcast of the Month: Hex Encounter

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     What’s going on my people?  If you’re a wargamer (I’m kinda in that mode these days), listen up, because I’m back with a podcast you need to add to your bookmarks or iTunes playlist.  I’m talking about the Hex Encounter wargame podcast.

     Currently up to thirteen episodes, H.E. has been around for a little while.  However, I think they recently changed hosts/updated their website, so the publish dates listed aren’t necessarily accurate.  However long they’ve been doing it, they’re doing it well.

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Growing a Grognard–The Seed Has Sprouted

I need to get those counters clipped, but this is a real page turner.

I need to get those counters clipped, but this is a real page turner.   

Grog • nard  (noun)  1. An old soldier 2. Someone who enjoys playing board wargames, particularly the counter-heavy strategy games from the 1970’s & 80’s. 

     I’ve probably mentioned before how my son has embraced the gaming hobby full force.  He’s all about military stuff and thus, war games are right up his alley. He’s been tearing up the iTunes App Store looking for strategy games for his iPod Touch.  I honestly think I could break out Advanced Squad Leader and he’d be, “OK Dad, infantry and armor is great, but when do we get to the Off Board Artillery rules?”

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I Even Dream In Nerd…

     You know that old saying, “Beauty is only skin deep but ugly is to the bone?”  I think the same thing applies to being a nerd.  The “to the bone” part that is. Even at age 43, I still find myself getting excited about the new Iron Man film, a particular game or comic book that’s coming out, or reading Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time.

     If you’re like me, you’ve seen the eye rolls when certain friends or family glimpse your nerd cave, catch you reading a comic, or when you talk about the new superhero flick.  Am I rocking a Peter Pan complex or something? In the end, I really don’t care.  I love what I’m doing and frankly, the eye rollers are some of the most boring people I know.

     That being said, I do find it interesting that my identity, personality trait, or whatever you want to call it, even manages to permeate my dreams. I’ll explain…

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Welcome to Kickstarter–Lincoln’s War

Lincoln's War by Multi-Man Publishing

Lincoln’s War by Multi-Man Publishing

     I’ve mentioned that I’m something of a “late-adopter” when it comes to new technology.  Often, my worldview can be summed up by the saying, “I fear change.” But sooner or later, when I can’t ignore the chatter about something, I’ll go check it out.

     Such is the case with Kickstarter. If you’re not familiar with the website, it’s basically a site set up to allow “crowd funding” of a huge variety of creative projects. It’s pretty simple–you find a project that appeals to you, then you pledge a certain amount of money. The more you pledge, the more you get. IF the project meets the minimum funding requirement set by the creator(s). There’s also something called “stretch goals” which is bonus swag and/or content if a project get’s funded beyond the original goal.

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Turn It Up And Rip The Knob Off! Podcasts for Nerds

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     I work inside a 100+ year old building.  I don’t know what’s in the bricks they used back then, but whatever it was, it isn’t conducive to great radio reception.  Luckily, I’ve got an office in the dungeon that I share with no one so I can pretty much listen to podcasts on my computer all day long. If you could sit and talk about your hobbies and interests for hours on end, then the next best thing while you’re shackled to your desk or stuck in traffic is firing up a podcast.

     Here’s a laundry list of eight podcasts I regularly tune in to during my mind-numbing workday… Continue reading

Welcome to IT CAME FROM THE NERD CAVE

     Welcome to the first installment of It Came From the Nerd Cave.   If Seinfeld was the “show about nothing,” then this will be the “blog about a whole bunch.”  If it falls into the realm of nerd culture, then I’m likely heavily into it, have dabbled in it at some point, or have it sitting in my Amazon.com shopping cart ready to be dabbled in.  I’m new to blogging but I’ve been living the nerd dream since the early 1980s when I discovered comics, Frank Frazetta, Dungeons & Dragons, and a ton of other really cool stuff.

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