stories – Robert Raymond’s Blogtorium

December 10, 2020

Stories (DOG EAR)

as out cycling today and saw a big pickup rounding a corner into Baldwin Park, a snobby upper-class neighborhood just up the road. And I had to think – why would a rich bastard who probably couldn’t lift a bag of mulch himself (as if he didn’t have gardeners for that) need a pickup truck? It’s got to be his story about himself. Down to earth practical, right? My own cars tell stories about me, sporty, economical, fun and nostalgic. Yes, those are the stories I want surrounding me. In ancient times (like those in the books I’ll be plugging […]

February 9, 2023

Untold Stories (DOG EAR)

love finding the irony of events around me and composing a story around them. And I love good stories, where things happen and there is a humorous/moralistic/ironical meaning to them. I’m not keen on the “why I was great and everyone else is an idiot” stories – usually these involve straw men and simplistic one-upsmanship that serves no purpose outside of self-gratulation. However, every so often a story comes up that I’m reluctant to share. Often it will hurt the other person by telling it (even though, if it involves me or takes place around me, I’ll consider it public […]

July 6, 2023

Good and Bad Stories (DOG EAR)

as facing a two mile walk home while running (or walking) errands the other day. Decided that talking to a friend on the cell would make the distance shorter and the heat cooler (what?). Rang up a buddy. And he started telling me about his Moby Dick struggle. With a Kia. Really, the whole thing came down to him finding a Kia on an open stretch of road, coasting along in the left lane. For some reason, he found this actionable; he whipped around the other car, slowed a bit (i.e. brake check) and threw a jaunty bird. As I […]

August 23, 2023

Game Story (DOG EAR)

here is a term in gaming, “One more turn”. It’s pretty much for turn based games where you are managing or building something with the revenues and technologies you are gaining. Every turn, you almost have the next thing you need. Reminds me of the night I started a game of Railroad Typcoon. After a while in my game, my wife passed by and told me she was going to bed. “Sure, hon. Just another turn or two”. But then those new heavy steam engines came out – perfect for those heavy coal hauls. And then another tycoon employed a […]