The little bit of space available in the 'Profile' area doesn't really allow a person to provide much detail about themselves...ok, well, yes it does, but it is sort of out of the way, and sandwiched in between a lot of other information, which makes it hard to find; and in truth, my mini-bio isn't that interesting.  So, I thought I'd take a bit more space to introduce both myself, and the topics that I may cover from time to time.

I guess the first question I need to answer is: Who am I?  As Gag Halfrunt says, "Vell, [he's] just zis guy, you know?"  In truth, I'm nobody special: just a guy with a family, some pets, a job that makes everyone pretend to hold out crosses to ward me off (that's what I get for working in a tax department, although I don't do tax collections anymore), and an interest in gaming (tabletop rpgs, and strategy games, mostly, with some card-based games involved), bad movies, science fiction & fantasy literature, food, tax policy, and single malt whisky...and not necessarily in that order.

In theory, the aim of this blog(?) / journal is to provide my friends and whatever other reader(s) I may have (and hopefully I have some!), with my, possibly cynical, take on a number of subjects such as board games, role playing games, movies, books, food, whisk(e)y, etc., etc. (see my earlier post, here), that is wholly independent, and, most importantly, amusing (I hope...if you at least get a laugh out of what I have to say, even if you disagree with me, then I've brightened someone's day).  Please note that I do not work in the recording / film / publishing / gaming / restaurant / event planning / or whisk(e)y industry, and am therefore somewhat free to comment as I see fit on issues relating to these subjects (provided, of course, that I don't say something which may result in my being sued for libel); although, as a public servant working for an unspecified level of government, I will (must?) refrain from making any kind of comment about the government(s) of the day, except in situations where a decision made by a particular level of government actually affects me as a consumer of government services (as opposed to as an employee), in which case I am more than free to criticize the system (provided I don't publish any potentially confidential information).

As I have no professional connections - or even any non-professional / highly questionable / back-alley connections - to the various industries that I may ramble on about from time to time, I can promise - with a vaguely clear conscience - that I will probably not recycle any mind-numbingly bland industry press releases, overly "friendly" reviews from less than reputable sources, and/or other soul-draining pre-canned industry marketing spiels (although I may occassionaly point you in the direction of such material for background reading, if only to help you understand my point of view).  If a movie / whisk(e)y / restaurant / event / recipe / book / game / gaming system that I comment on, write about, and/or discuss in some way or another is good, bad, ugly, terrible, or somewhere else on my obscure rating continuum, then I'll let you know, and I certainly won't mince words in doing so (although I may ramble on quite a bit).  Questions?  Comments?  Rants?  Torches, Pitchforks, and Angry Mobs?  Feel free to post a comment...I may get back to you...