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Pretty much exactly three months late, I have finally managed to complete and release RPG Review Issue 46, with a special emphasis on the Fate game system. My own contributions include reviews of FUDGE 10th Anniversary edition, Spirit of the Century, and Fate Core, along with an article on a few rule hacks for Fate Core. The next issue, which hopefully will come out at the end of next month, will be on "Health and Healing". In addition RPG.net has published my reviews (now a couple of years on) of the New Zealand horror RPG, EPOCH, and a quirky science-fantasy RPG from Australia, Sol. Actual play this week consisted of a session on Thursday for Cyberspace and on Sunday for Eclipse Phase.
Because AU (and NZ) has managed to largely avoid the worst effects of COVID-19, I've had the opportunity for a couple of dinners with old friends this week. Shupu W., was going a bit stir-crazy and wanted a drink, so we found quite a delicious Korean restaurant and chatted about Australia-China foreign affairs and French films, because that the sort of quality discussion topics we have. The following night caught up with Miriam G., whom I hadn't seen for almost a decade for a southern-hemisphere winter solstice wine and cheese feast. Quality discussion of that night was mostly around event management and the arts in social engagement which M., specialises in, applying Bloom's taxonomy from education theory (I am particularly interested in a revision by Iowa University's Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching). But the virus being what it is has found new vectors to come out in my home city and as a result stringent enforcement of existing rules have to be applied.
All of this pales into some insignificance with the news I received this morning that a very dear friend had taken a few too many medications and has found their way to hospital. People in such situations do feel that they just want the lights to turn off, and many of us feel that way sometime in our lives. My libertarian side has always supported voluntary euthanasia on a political level (with third-party assessment, time-delays etc) because keeping people alive against their will in some situations is akin to torture. But on a personal level, I am trying my utmost to offer said person hope, reassurance, and support, despite my own fears and pain over the situation. Despite the burdens they carry they have achieved so much good for others already. It may not seem like it to them at the moment, but there are good reasons for future optimism. And they'll do it in their own time, and along their own path. All I can and should do is offer whatever support is needed and to carry a sword by their side; for they have a big heart and a fighting spirit.
Because AU (and NZ) has managed to largely avoid the worst effects of COVID-19, I've had the opportunity for a couple of dinners with old friends this week. Shupu W., was going a bit stir-crazy and wanted a drink, so we found quite a delicious Korean restaurant and chatted about Australia-China foreign affairs and French films, because that the sort of quality discussion topics we have. The following night caught up with Miriam G., whom I hadn't seen for almost a decade for a southern-hemisphere winter solstice wine and cheese feast. Quality discussion of that night was mostly around event management and the arts in social engagement which M., specialises in, applying Bloom's taxonomy from education theory (I am particularly interested in a revision by Iowa University's Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching). But the virus being what it is has found new vectors to come out in my home city and as a result stringent enforcement of existing rules have to be applied.
All of this pales into some insignificance with the news I received this morning that a very dear friend had taken a few too many medications and has found their way to hospital. People in such situations do feel that they just want the lights to turn off, and many of us feel that way sometime in our lives. My libertarian side has always supported voluntary euthanasia on a political level (with third-party assessment, time-delays etc) because keeping people alive against their will in some situations is akin to torture. But on a personal level, I am trying my utmost to offer said person hope, reassurance, and support, despite my own fears and pain over the situation. Despite the burdens they carry they have achieved so much good for others already. It may not seem like it to them at the moment, but there are good reasons for future optimism. And they'll do it in their own time, and along their own path. All I can and should do is offer whatever support is needed and to carry a sword by their side; for they have a big heart and a fighting spirit.
