Chits & Bits

Busy week this week, been scrambling to start planning next year's Tabletop Game Marathon. We've had great success so far, getting a rather large donation from a surprise donor that we'll announce later AND locking in a sponsor for our t-shirts (previously I paid out of pocket for them). One of the things that has also happened is that we've renamed the marathon to something a little more catchy and with a bit more identity. Rob came up with the name, which I absolutely love. With the new name, also comes a new logo, designed by Mike, one of the talented people helping me plan the marathon this year. Here it is -

Other exciting news, my blog(s) have been picked up by a new website and organization called Hiking Forward, which will be spreading my posts throughout the blogosphere (wherever that is). I'll have more information at the beginning of next year, but that's pretty exciting news. Spreading the word for Extra Life is always a good thing.

Speaking of Extra Life, got a little positive reinforcement on why I started the Tabletop Marathon yesterday. The first year I held it, it was supporting Child's Play which a charity started by the guys at Penny Arcade to support Children's Hospitals across the country. I was able to put Child's Play in touch with The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital here in Portland, and as a result, BBCH is getting a yearly award from Child's Play. With that award and some help from Microsoft, BBCH is putting Xbox One's in every child's room at the hospital, which will provide a great source of distraction for the kids. To have a distraction during some times of extraordinary pain and stress will be a huge boon to those kids and their families. It goes to show that a little effort on your part can end up making a huge impact. It definitely recharged my batteries to hear that positive news.