Welcome to the first installment of the monthly column – Who the Hell is this Guy?  Basically, I look at real life NPCs, those behind-the-scenes stars that shine even though the spotlight is not on them.  We’ll start with this guy (thumbnail on the left).

So … who the hell is this guy?

[Read Column]

It is the off season for the major soccer leagues in Europe, so they are traveling about the world to showcase their skills, build brand recognition, and add a few more quid to their bulging coffers.  You didn’t ask, but before I go any further, I’m officially ranking the best leagues as: Premier, La Liga, Bundesliga, and finally Serie A (cheaters!).  For the US soccer league, MLS, its mid-season.  Makes perfect sense to schedule exhibition matches, right?  Right. [Read Column]

The general theme of Dungeons & Dragons since AD&D has been simplification.  Make sense because nothing could be more simpler than “basic” D&D.  Gary Gygax, legend that he was, loved rules, rules, rules.  For instance, do you remember that each weapon had a specific modifier against each Armor Class from 10 to -10?  Oh, the wonderful bo stick, the gift that kept on giving.  Each time you went up a level, every weapon (or magical variant) in your arsenal had 20 numbers or more that needed modifying. [Read Column]

I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of jobs in my brief tenure in the working world: paperboy, dish washer, accounting clerk, pizza cook, janitor, help line technician, lawn mower, computer tech, office assistant, legal aide, caterer, developer, graphic designer, and online marketer.  Since I’ve married a prosthodontist, I can add a new role to that list: dental assistant. [Read Column]

The Scarlet Letter is one of those books on the short list for high school class rooms.  One of those books that is touted as a literary masterpiece, but is read under protest by pimpled-faced teenagers across the world.  A story based on the puritanical virtues of the founding of our country and forbidden carnal desires.  For today the A does not stand for adultery alone.  It stands for A-Rod. [Read Column]