2017 in the Rearview

To say 2017 has been a rough year for a lot of people would be an understatement. I could cast about for something to blame but it’s life. It will happen regardless if we are here or not. Best to not dwell for man may delay but time does not.

The hardest challenge of the year was my Dad’s passing. It was sudden. I thought I would have him for another 15 years. That he would live to 100 like his father did. That didn’t happen. You could argue that it was denial and you wouldn’t be wrong. In April, we learned that he had bladder cancer and in the middle of May he was gone. One day I will write a blog about how it made me feel but suffice to say it sucks and not only for me. It sucks for his grandkids too.

On top of my father’s passing, we had to move because the rental we lived in was being sold. The Landlord was going through a divorce and part of that procedure was selling the house. Obviously, we don’t have the market cornered on hardships this year. We weren’t too concerned about the move as we had been planning on moving anyway. The hard part was that we had to show the house while Dad was in hospice care in the house. We decided the best way to handle it was to put up signs on his room door saying SICK PERSON INSIDE. DO NOT ENTER. Or something to that effect. Weird isn’t the word for it. I can’t imagine what people thought when they ignored the sign and walked in on my dad struggling in his sickbed.

All has not been bad though. We managed to move into a nicer house and neighborhood. It’s like a nature preserve with a river, deer, moose and lots of children. Yes, children are animals! I should know. I have four of them! The kids seem to enjoy the area too. This spring they’re hoping to explore the river and the local parks.

Besides the move the other big news of the year was my daughter entering college. She seems to love it. Her favorite classes are the equitation class and outdoor adventures program. She’s made some decent friends and is out there doing things that make her happy. Seeing her grow into a wonderful human being is all a parent could ask for.

Books!

I managed to surpass Goodreads 2017 Challenge. This is my 6th year of beating it. Though I don’t read nearly as much as I should. Here are the best books I read this year:

Sam Shepard Motel Chronicles. We lost Sam this year. Out of all the celebrity deaths this year, his passing struck a chord. I’ve always enjoyed his movies but never knew he was a writer or playwright. My loss because Motel Chronicles is one of the best road books out there.

Consider Phlebas by Ian Banks. Elon Musk got me into Ian Banks but this book was so depressing that I have held off on reading any more Culture books. That said, READ THIS BOOK! It’s an amazing story and Banks was a master of his craft.

Desert Oracle. By far my favorite find of the year is the “Voice of the Desert” edited by Ken Layne. A survival guide for Desert Rats and Non-Rats alike. There is even an awesome podcast to go with it. Check it out!

Videogames!

This is the year I finally managed to catch up on all the Xbox 360 Games that I missed will working at LSSC. Here is the best of the lot:

Red Dead Redemption by Rockstar. Holy Shit this is gooood! Go out and play it now if you haven’t. And The sequel is hitting next year and it looks equally good!

LA Noir. Another Rockstar game but this one is set in LA in the early 50’s. It’s Chinatown as a videogame and you know what, it works. I love it!

Music of the Spheres: The Music for Destiny. No, this isn’t a game but the music written for the Game that Destiny should have been. It’s pure bliss. Here, listen if you don’t believe me! LISTEN

 

Movies!

The Last Jedi: Bantha Poodoo! Do yourself a favor and watch something else.

Bright: This was a fun Will Smith movie. Ignore the bad reviews! Unlike the Last Jedi, this movie is fun! Magic, Elves, Modern, Urban! Think Two NPC Townguards dealing with D&D Player Bullshit Plot.

Thor Ragnarok: The comic movie I have always wanted and I was so happy it happened with Thor. The third time is the charm!

 
And with that, I’m off to the Desert Southwest! Well, I will be off to Joshua Tree Park in January but by time I write my next blog entry I will be there.

See you in 2018!