Category: Photography

04/01/24 New Month, Old Routines, Gamer News!

Starting the day with an event I wish was more of a routine and a more visually-inspiring moment: greeting the dawn on my property.

There’s a slight worry about the dead branches way up there.

It’s slightly frustrating to know that there’s a gorgeous sunrise in the distance, but you live in a sparsely wooded area.

The biphasic sleep pattern konked me out before 10 and back in at 2, so I managed to get a bit of writing work done. Part of that was wrestling with the ever-present self doubt of writing a sci-fi story, wanting to provide a “hard” science for that story, but unable to present that science as plausible.

I could’ve written some great stories back in the 60’s.

Following up on that desire to get back into old routines, I’ve made it back home from the mail route, tumbled the kids into their beds, did the ‘responsible adult’ thing of paying a few bills (I still mail out my payments and work through a ledger…I know, but it’s comfortable), and now I have time to write!

Which means I’ll be shutting off social media for a couple hours and fighting my executive dysfunction to get at least five pages!

Since the main project for tonight is the SWRPG story, I thought it’d be appropriate to list upcoming sessions, campaign news, and story news!

We have four(!) upcoming sessions: focusing on Zino’s further delving into making a Star Wars version of James Bond (“Secrets of Csilla: From Here to Yaga Minor” will be written up shortly), hopefully followed up this Thursday (I’m really hoping I didn’t mess up my calendar); Beak learning more about his enigmatic past with his new companion, Sion; a first-time session with a new character, the Wookiee’s take on Druidism named Li (Liakdrrl); and the Main Arc session that (unfortunately) was put on hold due to adulting (third time rescheduling’s the charm, or so my fellow insane GameMasters say).

Yes, my performance anxiety as a ‘professional’ DM is ramping up just thinking about it.

Personal Note: I really want to work on the Orada Novella, which would be a great standalone story, but I’m trying to be responsible with my writing time.

We also now have a Campaign Artist! I’ll be releasing more information on them soon, especially when I can show off their artwork here and help promote their work (expect a link to their social profiles soon), but expect a few changes to the SWRPG section of the website it becomes more and more personalized as a fan-fiction writing.

With that, it’s time I turned off social media, plugged in my headphones, and whittle away at the keyboard until I either accomplish my goal or wake up in the middle of the night with a crick in my neck.

Stay safe out there, readers.

-JB Swift

03/31/24 Happy Easter, folks

Due to a clerical error of epic-level proportions, Jesus’ death certificate appears to have a mistake on the dates and…

Happy Easter, folks.

I’m tempted to delve into an essay about faith and the modern world, but I’m not informed enough to give a strong opinion.

After an initial round of egg-hunting at the house and an early-morning Mass at the school (we gotta change our home church to get the parishioner tuition), it’s off to the family obligations for the day!

It’ll be a mandatory day-off from writing, but I’ll be putting my foot down this evening and shutting off social media until I make some progress in the stories. Also going to take a look around here and see what needs fixing, like the rest of my property in my spring-cleaning mode.

Also, obligatory “We Dressed Up!” photo!

Stay safe out there, folks!

-JB Swift

03/30/24 Good Morning, New Orleans

It’s 10 minutes after dawn, and just before the people are out and about.

I’m not a big-city, crapton-of-people-around-me person these days, but this tiny moment of quiet before the street cars start rumbling and the noise begins is when I’m comfortable with a metropolis.

Of course, as I type this out, the city wakes up. Time to start the day.

Stay safe out there, folks.

-JB Swift

08/20/2023 Books, Writing, and Gaming!

I maintain that I would be starting this Sunday for weekly posting, but I have to admit that I only gave myself three days to start the routine, so this one will be a little rough.

We managed to get to the SWRPG Main Arc session on Saturday, but after 5 days of 10hr shifts, I barely made it into 3 hours of the game before the party, in their wonderful graciousness, flat-out told me to go to bed and rest.

(I slept for 11 hours, so maybe they were right)

Now, I will continue to host sessions through September and hopefully into October, but they’re going to be sparse leading up to the real Heavy Season time. I’m hoping to finish Arc 3 “War Diaries” before the cut-off time, so we’ll have to see how well I plan out my sessions in that time.

Meanwhile, I’m wanting to also finish Zino’s Solo Arc “Trouble in Ord Trasi” before that cut-off time, so Zino! Be ready for a session soon!

A quick aside, but Han has reached the point in here Kung Fu training that she’s ready for weapons, so the Sifu and I got her a gift: her own staff.

I’m going to get hit in the head so many times.

Writing-wise has been hit-or-miss this week, unfortunately. When the day job shifts were more consistent with the 8hr limits, I was more inclined to whittle away at my stories, but now that it’s looking to be more like 10hr shifts for the rest of the year, I’m going to have to use an older method to parcel out my writing times. I’ll be setting aside each day of the week for something to write in, except for Sundays (as that is for here).

And that is also being besieged by a very fun distraction: D&D world-building and Creation Mythology crafting thanks to picking up a book that I knew, I just knew, would put these ideas in my head.

Can you tell I’ve read this a few times?

In an odd way, the Dungeon Crawl campaign world is based off one of the Creation Myths I had written some years ago, but never got around to finishing. But as I’m getting back to Fantasy writing, that old, old itch has come back and I went through my bookshelf for one of my oldest surviving journals.

A gift from my brother and his family; I’ve added to it slowly over the years.

I expect this little craze to die down over the next few months, but it will result in a few nights of not adding to my current stories while I keep figuring out a Tolkien-esque mythology that is also completely ‘my own’. Yes, I’m also writing out a new language, just to see if I can.

There’s also a new challenge for me! The SWRPG campaign has a PODRACE!

LINA! Study this course!

There are no real rules withing the Revised Edition for podracing, so I’ve been having to make my own! Will it work? Well, I tried it once before, but that was very much-so a draft idea, so I’ve been researching to perfect the challenge.

(Pray for Lina, folks)

With that, I’m off to cook a dinner and plan out my week.

Stay safe out there, readers!

07/23/2023 Full House once more

We got home way too late to pick up the animals from boarding, but I made sure that everything was ready for them when they arrived.

After the initial ‘why are y’all acting like puppies still, you’re both over ten years old’, the Goldens got right back into their routine.

That routine being absolutely adorable.

Gonna be a quiet night for me, folks. Campaign writing.

Stay safe out there, readers!

-JB Swift

07/22/2023 Homeward Bound

It was fun, Richmond. But it’s time we were home.

Louisiana sure knows how to welcome its people back.

We have settled back into home, having tumbled the kids into their beds. I’ve managed a few writing sprints and am debating having one more, but as tired as I am, I should admit that I’m done and just head for bed.

I’ve now jinxed myself and will be asleep at my desk this evening, but if I manage to get something else written down, it will be a remarkable achievement. Tomorrow will be a day of site maintenance and scheduling the next sessions.

Stay safe out there, readers.

-JB Swift

07/21/2023 The High Kings!

It’s been a hell of an evening, everyone!

We went to see the High Kings!

(Irish supergroup known for playing a lot of the older folk music)

Sarah was gorgeous and ready, I was running on the ‘get ready in 5 minutes’ mindset.

But I did make myself ready, and if I’m going to see a group of Irish singers, I’m going to make the effort!

I felt relaxed and confident. Also very breezy.

It was a couple hours of old music that I’ve memorized years and years ago, but damn good to finally see it played live.

Personal funny note: when we were getting the shirts signed, I said ‘thank you’ in Irish, and introduced myself as Jacob. The singers gave me a smile and said ‘Well done, Seamus’, which was my nickname while in Ireland.

A damn good night, all in all. But it’s now late and I’m exhausted. Gonna fall asleep watching “The Day After Tomorrow” and enjoy making the commentary the film provokes.

Stay safe out there, readers!

-JB Swift

07/20/2023 The History Nerd Wanders

Having arrived in Richmond, Virginia, we decided to spend the first day indulging my nerdy heart in an area of pure history.

It was very badly needed to keep me from worrying about the kids back home. Thankfully, they were behaving well enough, but still!

Concerned Swift is concerned.

I have to note the irony of a former adventurer being already done with the large number of people nearby, but I would remind everyone that those days are years and years behind me.

Small town ‘kid’ is slightly overwhelmed.

This city has so many points of history attached to it that I was a bit emotional, I must admit. For everyone who has not delved into United States History, Richmond was the capital city of the Confederacy. When multiple states decided to secede from the Union (because their economy was tied to the abuse of Black slaves to farm their crops and serve their houses, don’t let anyone tell you different), Richmond was chosen to be their focal point of trade, policy, and culture.

That didn’t end well for the Confederacy or the city of Richmond. When it was captured, it had been set fire and mostly destroyed. But in the centuries since, it’s been rebuilt and now is a fiercely progressive town (again, don’t let the grumblers tell you otherwise) that made even this weirdo feel welcome.

Not even two hours since arriving, we went straight to the park surrounding the State Capitol Building.

I had to smile at seeing this. We’re still fighting, Barbara.
This is a quote that’s been with me for years, and I was happy to see it on a monument.
Hello, old friend. Thank you for the stories.

We wandered wide and far in the city, but now that it’s late in the evening, I’m exhausted but will get at least one writing sprint done.

Stay safe out there, readers!

-JB Swift

07/19/2023 Virginia Bound

It’s been over 20 years but I’m off to see Richmond, Virginia again. Last time I was here, I was 15 years old and part of my high school’s JROTC program, heading for Norfolk. We were about to endure a week of US Marine Corps training, but our teacher, USMC Colonel Martin (Ret) asked that we stop in Richmond for the history.

I’m looking forward to wandering that city again.

Should be both nostalgic and shocking from all of the changes. I’ll find out soon enough.

Stay safe out there, readers!

-JB Swift