Rob's Update: Ch-Ch-Changes!

Welcome everyone to the new and updated version of my email list. As I mentioned in my last email through MailOctopus, I’ve now switched to Substack.

If you didn’t get that post, which describes what I’m doing, what I have planned, and why I’m switching things up, here’s a link to it: https://robhowell.org/blog/?p=3769.

However, the TL:DR version is that I want to interact with you guys more. I’m doing a podcast now, plus a weekly update, and a variety of other things here on Substack. Basically, in the past, I sent you stuff and didn’t provide you a great opportunity to participate. I’m upping my game so we can all have more fun together.

Here’s a link to my introductory podcast, where I also talk about this sort of this and what I have planned for the podcast itself:

By the way, one of the reasons I did that introductory podcast is so I can figure out some of the bugs. Like for example finding a better place to mount my camera.

The first real podcast will come Tuesday at 6pm Central where I’ll get to host the amazing Kacey Ezell. I’ll be sending out an email on Tuesday with a link where you can watch it live and make all the snarky comments you want about me. Careful doing that with Kacey, though, she’s not one to trifle with!

Now for the real update for this week. As you’ll see, this update is different than my previous ones in that it’s just the top part, the part where I talk about what’s going on in my life.

I’ll be setting up a pinned post with all the “Business Stuff” like where I’ll be, what I’m working on, and all my links. The goal of the new, improved update system is to be less about “Buy my stuff” and more about “Let’s geek out about cool stuff.”

So the last few weeks have been me setting this up along with working on an extra special Sooper Sekrit Projekt that’s coming out in April. I’ll talk to you about that down the road, but for now, I’ll be mysterious.

MYSTERIOUS!

I’ve also done more stuff in Okkorim, having editing two different G20 modules during this time. Ravages of Time is one of the most interesting ones I’ve ever seen. It relies on a good GM, but it’ll be a blast for someone who can dodge, spin, parry, ha-ha, thrust, KAPANG!

It’s been a great month with family. There are several birthdays and we had a fun birthday party where I made beef bourguignon and I tried a new baked potato recipe that came out great. Yes, I improved on the basic baked potato, and I’m kinda smug about it. Plus the wife made great homemade cupcakes.

We were sort of lazy over the weekend with the snow. We actually got 4-5 inches, which is a lot for southern Kansas. The wife made homemade sourdough bread and I made stew one day and she made a chicken mushroom bake. Between the two of us, we eat really well!

Now we’re watching Deep Space Nine again. This is my favorite Star Trek show, in part because I love Avery Brooks. An actor can struggle to find a great role. Brooks has both Hawk and Sisko. Soooo good. Plus Rene Auberjonois and Armin Shimerman are especially great in this show, along with a bunch of other fun characters.

But the most fun we’ve had this month is hanging out with the grandbaby! We took her to her first Korean BBQ. That was an absolute chaotic mess and soooo much fun.

The only bad thing this month is that my wife twisted her ankle and I’m dealing with tendon fatigue in my right arm. I guess I’m leaning how to use my mouse left handed.

I also watched a lot of football these last few weeks. Man, that Indiana story is pretty darn amazing. And I can’t help rooting for Fernando Mendoza. What a neat story.

I’ll watch the Super Bowl, and I’m sure I’ll do a 2025 NFL recap in a couple of weeks. However, to be fair, a New England - Seattle Super Bowl is really not exciting to me, but honestly, I’ve not missed a Super Bowl since 1975 and I might as well keep it going. Even if all I do is make snarky comments and eat queso.

This week, I’ll continue to work on a project that’s been nibbling at the back of my mind. I’ve written about 5000 words in that, though it’s odd, I may never even publish it. However, the words are coming out and I might as well put them on the page.

This is also giving me a chance to learn LibreOffice. I’m migrating away from Microsoft products to Linux and other open source stuff.

Well, I think that’s enough for now. Thanks for your patience and thanks for following along as I move to Substack. Please let me know if you run into any issues with this move, as I’m still learning this platform.

Have a great week everyone!