Tonight is effectively the last night of Winter Break. Although the kids don’t go back to school until Monday, that makes Sunday night a school night–and therefore tonight the last break night. It’s been a busy, fun couple of weeks, but I’ve not gotten as much work done as I’d hoped.

I love having the kids around–maybe too much. They’re just so much more fun than work, and the pull between the two urges (Fun, Involved Dad vs. Responsible, Unavailable-at-the-Moment Dad) can sometimes stretch me thin. (Although not all that thin, given the numerous baskets of goodies our neighbors have dropped by. Have I mentioned I love our new neighborhood?)

Anyhow, I’m working late to try to get back on track. Looking at the schedule, I see a jam-packed start to the new year. In a time during which many people are out of work, this is a problem I’m happy to have, but I’m determined to solve it despite that.

Here’s hoping you all had great holidays too and that there’s a better 2009 ahead for us all.

Top 1d4 Reasons Why Santa Must Be a Gamer

1. He’s surrounded by munchkins he calls “elves.” (Come on. Real elves [4E: eladrin] are much taller, specialize in more than “toy magic,” and are wicked with a bow.)
2. Collects magic items and mounts. (A bag of holding [for the toys] and a sleigh of flying, plus eight flying reindeer led by a boss reindeer with a glowing, red nose.)
3. He only gets out once a year, but he stays out all night long talking about paladins. (Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good knight!)
4. He’s a fat white man with a beard–and he likes it that way!

Happy holidays to you all, and may those lumps in the bottom of your stocking be dice rather than coal!

My latest essay, “Noncompulsive Writing,” is now up at Storytellers Unplugged. It’s about how I motivate myself to write when I rarely find that just can’t do without it. Stop by and give it a read!

Will Hindmarch‘s latest in his series of excellent articles on The Lord of the Rings Online has been posted to the game’s website. “Hero’s Guide to Zelem-melek” takes you on a guided tour of one of the coolest parts of Moria.

I edit many of these articles, so I know how much sweat Will puts into every bit of his work. He always impresses me with the great screenshots he gets. This is much harder to do than you might think. Just try grabbing a well-framed image with everything you need in it–characters, monsters, UI, etc.–at just the right moment.

There should be a proper name for this sort of activity, which we’re only going to see more of in the future. I suggest “screentography,” if only because it’s less of a mouthful than “screenshotography.”

Anyone else have better suggestions? I’d love to hear them.

I have a lot of games, and not enough room for them all. It makes me sad to know they’re stuffed away in boxes in my attic like refugees from the Island of Misfit Toys that came just this close to being useful and then failed. I want them to find good homes with gamers who will play with them and give them the attention they deserve.

That’s where you might be able to help.

With the able and eager assistance of Marty, my eldest son, I’m going to start listing all sorts of games and other stuff on eBay on a regular basis. I’m setting the bids low with no reserves because this isn’t about making money.

Well, I won’t toss the money away, and Marty is getting a cut. All right, it’s not all about the money. It’s more about finding happy and loving homes for my long-neglected games.

So, if you’re interested, or if you suspect you know someone who might be, be sure to check out my eBay page to see what’s up. Or glance at the snazzy new eBay widget page here on my site for some fancy browsing.

If you have any requests for particular items you suspect I might have, just let me know. And if you care to have me deface a perfectly good book, autographs (as always) are free and available upon request. I’ll even sign things I didn’t write! And Marty and I will keep putting up games and more until the attic is bare–at least until we fill it up again.

Will Hindmarch‘s latest article about The Lord of the Rings Online, “Hero’s Guide to the Foundations of Stone,” is now up. Will’s words (which I edited) and screenshots capture one of the strangest and deepest parts of the new Mines of Moria expansion. Be sure to check it out.