About _______ __ __ | _ .-----.---.-.-----.-----| |--.-----| |_.-----. | |___| | _ | _ |__ --| | _ | _|__ --| |____ |__|__|___._| __|_____|__|__|_____|____|_____| |: | |from the |__| |::.. . |Shadowlands `-------' --- Hey, my name is Rob. I'm a part-time writer and full-time nerd who grew up in the Midwest way back in the eighties. As such, I tend to write about things I remember fondly from back in the day as well as stuff that captures my interest nowadays. With a little luck you'll find something here to enjoy, but be aware that I make poor attempts at creative writing from time to time. Really, this blog just exists as an excuse for me to practice my writing skills, such as they are. I dig a variety of stuff, everything from movies to video games to anime -- some old, some new. I have a particular fondness for 8-bit era personal computers and old school tabletop gaming. I like filk. I love roguelikes. I live for sailplanes and soaring. I'm also an advocate of free and open source software, and a supporter of the Free Software Foundation. "Snapshots from the Shadowlands" was originally the name of the 'zine my mother, Mary, published during her time in the "Robert E. Howard United Press Association" -- better known as "REHupa" to its members and fans. She lost her battle with breast cancer on October the 20th of 2019. I owe her more than I could ever say, not the least of which is a passion for writing. This blog is dedicated to her memory, and lets me keep a part of her with me.