The End of the Beginning of the End

When life finally starts to fall into place, it does it all at once. It's really starting to feel that way.

It's been a while since I posted anything on this here blog and it's been with good cause. I've been swamped. My personal life - or reality, since we're all online to escape from it, I imagine - has been ripe with responsibilities and adjustments that have taken priority as my family and I attempted to get ourselves back on track. Along the way, I've attempted to juggle a few other projects, run some games, play in others, and make it all work without going crazy.

I'm happy to say it may finally start paying off.

Not going into any great detail, but if you know anything about the struggles we've been going through then I can say they're finally coming to an end. Not starting to come to an end… coming to an end. For the first time in years, I feel as if I have control over my life and some room to maneuver. The timing couldn't be any better as I'm planning to officially announce my next personal RPG project in two weeks. Yep, the one I've been documenting on my Under the Hood column on Roleplayers Chronicle (hence the reason why I've barely posted here). Add to that my wife starting a new job tomorrow, a raise at my job, and so many other tiny details…

There's still some shell-shock, I'll admit. Sometimes you're down in the gutter so long that it's impossible to remember what it's like at ground level. That's all we've ever wanted, to stand at ground level for a while. Now it seems we'll have that chance. Sometimes it's not about carrying on the good fight against all odds because determination is not a guarantee for success. Sometimes it's about knowing what matters most and learning when you've been punched in the gut enough to walk away and show dignity in defeat. Sometimes that makes you a better person than sticking it out to the bitter end. Sometimes you just want to be normal again.

NOTE: One of those aforementioned projects was Mercenary Breed 2.0, a science fiction RPG project I worked on with Aaron Huss and his team from Mystical Throne Entertainment. As of yesterday, it's officially complete and ready in both Savage Worlds and Legend editions, so check it out and see if it's up your alley. My own credits include one-half of the writing team for Xenopedia (an alien guide/bestiary) and editor for many different chapters throughout the entire saga. 

Real Decisions

I am The Warden!!

Yeah, it's been pretty quiet around here for a while, hasn't it? If you haven't been following me on Twitter (maybe even Facebook or G+), you'll know I started working at a real job two weeks ago. And seriously, if you're reading this and not following me on any social media… c'mon!

In fact, I'm at work right now, but the networks are down (ahh, that familiar feeling) and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to post something I've been wanting to write about for days. The fact that I've been wanting to post this for days is just a prime example of the reason for this post. Taking on a real job has been incredibly demanding.

First off, the job itself. As the Graphic Designer/Social Media Specialist (yep, I tweet for a living now) for Calabogie Peaks Resort, I am responsible for all graphics and online content produced for this ski resort. On their own, either aspect of the job would occupy a full 8-hour day, but together makes for a crazy learning curve. The design hurdles are similar to many other places: learning where files are kept, how they are processed, learning to reflect your employer's values in your designs, and more are all here and more. There are many other side projects and committees on the go that I am involved in, including one for the new website design and working on developing a revised strategy for those handy little monitors you see in many resorts today.

Now let's get to the Social Media Specialist aspect. Um, there's never been one here before. It's building up a social media presence from (almost) the ground up and that's a full-time job on its own. After a couple of weeks, I've been able to develop a three-phase strategy for getting our social media presence as a strong representation for the resort's customer service and sales force, a process that will take months, if not a year, to reach full effect.

The Next Step

Behold the splendour of Calabogie Peaks!
This is not only the general location of where I'll be working,
but the very building where I'll be plugging away. 

I am The Warden!!

Anyone who's been a regular reader or occasional peaker may know it's been a while since my life was normal. A good career with a stable income and the ability to life a healthy life were both out of my reach for a time. It's been an uphill struggle, but it all comes to an end today. 

This morning, I was offered the Graphic Designer/Social Media Specialist position for the Calabogie Peaks Resort and Conference Centre, a year-round outdoor heaven for skiiiers, golfers, hikers, and more. It isn't something I've mentioned on this blog before because I intentionally kept it to myself. When I discovered the want ad for this baby, I knew it had to be mine. Not only would I be able to use my newly enhanced graphic design skills before graduating, I'd get to tweet/post/blog for a living. Gee, doesn't that suck? <end sarcasm>

There's still paperwork to review and I'm not scheduled to start until the 14th (the previous two days will find me in Hamilton for some unwanted, yet required, follow-up tests), but this job is in the bag. And the best part? The true reason why I got this job? 

Killshot.