Give Thanks...For A Video Game?

I've blogged about it before...once, back when my son's artwork showed up in a real life, actual, "able to purchase" video game. The game's called Fruit Salad, and I finally got to play it.

Darn MacBooks!

Sorry, scratch that. It's not the MacBook...well, actually it is. The game came out and they had to do a little more work to get it up and running on my Mac. Tonight was the first time it actually worked and I got to play. I know I'm biased, but...

It's a great game!

I'm already addicted, which isn't necessarily a good thing.

We have four children, each have their strengths, and the opposite. Each have strong personalities. Each bring unlimited possibilities to the table. And since life seems to be racing--not walking, jogging, or running, but racing--by, for me it wasn't that long ago when my children were young, sneaking treats from the pantry and laughing at Spongebog Squarepants. When they're young, you're doing everything to keep them alive, but occasionally, I found myself wondering how they'd turn out, what they'd end up doing, where would they live, work, marry (if it's in the cards...)? If you told me fifteen years ago, what they'd be doing now, I'd have been shocked.

But, not overly. 

I know I'm biased, but they're great kids.

Plus, they're not done with their stories, with what they'll become, how they'll turn out, where they'll live, work, marry (half have already decided that question...). 

My son's game is available on Steam. Just search for, "Fruit Salad" and you'll find it. And, it's only a buck fifty to buy. I'm thankful to live long enough to see my children answer some of those questions. The game is just one of the things I'm proud of...there's so much more, things maybe only I see, things that will not change the world. I'm thankful to be their dad, and thankful to brag about them on this blog.

Give Fruit Salad a try. Maybe you'll get addicted, too.

Son's Big News...Well Done!

I'm going to crow about my son for a bit. I do this occasionally, brag about my kids. Probably not as much as I should, but bragging about your kids gets lost in the social media universe quite easily. It's probably the second-most popular thing on the internet, just behind cat videos.

This past week my son received some amazing news. he and another individual won first place in a MoonJam video game contest. My son was the artist, the other the programmer. Together they spent several days working their tails off and they won. The first prize was a sizable amount of money--not life-changing, but I would not turn it down.

My son was all smiles for several days afterward.

As a father, you worry about your kids, at least, I do. I hope they find a vocation where they can support themselves and possibly a family of their own. I'm sure I'm not the only one who, if their children say they want to work in the video game industry, cringe a little bit. Yes, there is money to be made, but with billions of young men who would also like to make money working with (i.e. playing...) video games, competition is tough.

I'm not saying my son is going to do this as a full-time job. He understands the logistics, the realities of the industry, but it is fun for him to enter a contest, work like the devil, and be rewarded for his hard work.

Life is at times really great and at times really not-so-great...the whole "opposition in all things" stuff going on. For a few days my son was experiencing one of those 'really great times. As a parent, I love that.