Writer's Block!!

Writer's Block!!  That is probably the best way to describe my absence from Seeking Positivity in the Galaxy.  The month of July brought a lot of distractions with cycling, the Tour de France, baseball, the Olympics, family and summer events and so much more.  I am sure that I am not alone.  That isn't really an excuse, but my brain hasn't been able to put together cohesive thoughts worth sharing.  What do we do when that happens to us?  

I have tried a few things like just free writing in a journal with paper and pencil.  Many times those entries get going,  but then they wander all about with what my head "spilled."  This didn't quite satisfy my need for breaking out of my writer's block, but it did help me to reflect on what was on my mind.  This wasn't an overall bad thing.  

Another technique that I tried to break out of writer's block was to walk around with my phone and take pictures around the house and yard.  My goal was to try to find something that would be the catalyst for an idea.  Again, this was fun, and looking at my picture roll is interesting, to say the least.  For some reason, the dark, dirty cobwebs in my garage must have been on my mind.  I snapped a picture, then swept them down with a broom.  Some of those pictures may make their way to this blog, but it didn't do much for me in the month of July.  

My last technique was to just write about writer's block.  Hey, that is this entry!  My hope is that addressing it directly and sharing it will help me and my mind to move on.  We will see if that helps.  

Some good can come from bad.  The time I took away from writing helped me to brainstorm some ideas to develop my writing and share ideas with all of you.  Even in the dark of writer's block, stay positive and open to what may come. 

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for some exciting news that will be coming to Seeking Positivity in the Galaxy.    

2021 Personal Stats Update - July 6

I hope everyone is enjoying summer and taking some time to read and watch some great summer content.  I wanted to take a minute to update the stats on my entertainment consumption.  This includes the first six months of the year.  

Have you ever gotten in a funk where nothing seems to satisfy your entertainment enjoyment?  I hit that moment late in May when I was caught up on my print comics, I had finished a book, and I was just starting a comic event (X of Swords).  I just couldn't get into anything and I found myself spending more time playing mobile games instead of reading or even catching up on some shows.  It was really frustrating!  To shake things up, I checked out a book of short stories from the library thinking that I could get through some quick stories and maybe get into a groove.  Basically, do something different.  This plan worked beautifully!  I got through some great short stories by R.A. Salvatore and that got me back on track. Therefore, there is now a new category on my stat sheet: Short Stories.  I imagine I may return to those before the year is out.  

Movies watched: 17
Rewatch: 11
First time: 6

TV series (streamed):
Episodes: 38
Rewatch: 15
First time: 23

Books read: 11
Graphic Novels: 3
Fiction: 11
Nonfiction: 1
Pages read: 3088

Short Stories: 7
Pages read: 196

Comic books read: 81
Digital: 45
Print: 36

Once again, I am really enjoying this process.  It has continued to motivate me to continue with more intentionality to enjoy the stories I love!  

I have read some really enjoyable books like, Sorcery of Thorns, The Bridge Over the River Kwai and short stories from R.A. Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt Anthology.  I have enjoyed on Disney+ Star Wars: The Bad Batch and Marvel's Loki.  I would like to finish the second season of Star Wars: Resistance and on Netflix I have seasons of She-Ra and The Last Avatar to finish up.  I would love to get those done before I head back to the 2021/2022 school year.  I also need to keep moving forward with my rewatch of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that I started in January with my daughter.  

There is so much great stuff to enjoy and share!  

If you would like to see the original post, check out this link of the original post. 

If you would like to see the first-quarter numbers, check out this post from April.

Alpha and Omega: The Bad Batch

I have been thinking a lot about the newest character introduced to the Star Wars galaxy in The Bad Batch, Omega.  We learned in the first half of the season, that Omega is a likable character who is curious, charming and quick to learn the ways of the galaxy.  While she is wise for her age and follows the lead of the members of Clone Force 99, she is still a kid.  Omega comes from Kamino where she was being raised by Nala Se.  She joins Clone Force 99 after one of its members, Crosshair, loses his independence to the inhibitor chip and follows the directive of Order 66.  Tech informs us in an early episode that Omega is indeed a clone just like they are.  What has captured my curiosity is her name.  Does it mean more than we might think?  

Why Omega?  Omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet and often referred to as the end of something, commonly paired with Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet.  What kept running through my head was that maybe she was the last clone grown which would explain her young age.  That didn't seem quite right as Lama Su, the Prime Minister of Kamino, continued to promote cloning with Tarkin and Rampart of the Empire, so surely the Kaminoans were still developing clones in hopes that the newly formed Empire would continue purchasing them for troops.  

Episode nine gives a little more insight on who Omega is that may lead to an understanding of why her name may mean more than we might know.  Tech explains that he did more DNA testing, and he discovered that she is a pure, unaltered clone from the original host, Jango Fett.  His research found that there is only one other pure clone named Alpha also known as Boba.  Tech goes on to explain that Boba went missing during the war, so now Omega is highly valuable and sought out because of the purity of her DNA to the original host.  

It seems that this gives a bit more meaning to her name.  Omega is the second and last pure, unaltered clone from Jango Fett. Boba is the first, Alpha, and the last pure clone from Jango Fett is Omega.  It explains why Omega remains a child and did not grow like the rest of the clones.  I still feel that there is more to the name that will be revealed as this story unfolds.  Will Alpha play any kind of role in this story?  There is a heavy sense of bounty hunting going on in regards to Omega, will the team that Boba was with last, get the call?  What would happen if Alpha and Omega came face-to-face?  This is speculation that will likely not happen, but it is interesting to consider. 

What are your thoughts on the meaning of Omega's name?  What clues did I miss?  Comment here or on Twitter and tag me @draftline

Dark Alliance: My first impressions

I just downloaded the Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance game to my Xbox a couple days after its release. Regular readers of Seeking Positivity in the Galaxy will know that I am a huge Dungeons and Dragons fan, but I am light on being skilled in today's video games.  Nevertheless, because of my excitement for Dungeons and Dragons adventures, here are my first impressions of the game.  

First, I am super excited about the options of characters available to play.  They are the characters made famous by R.A. Salvatore's Drizzt Do'Urden adventures, so of course, we are able to play Drizzt with his loyal, magical companion Guenhwyvar, Wulfgar, Cattie-Brie, and King Bruenor Battlehammer.  You know that I had to play Bruenor.  Where is Regis you might ask?  I suspect he will show up somewhere as an NPC, but that is just a hunch.  He is too important to just be left out. 

The game begins at Kelvin's Cairn in a safe spot where there is a merchant, a world map where you can designate locations to travel, a chest to collect treasure gathered in battle, and a teleportation platform that takes you to the locations designated on the map.  The game leaves you to figure out the mechanics of how to equip items, sell and purchase items, collect from the chest, choose locations on the map, but trying things, reading the screen, and pushing random buttons seem to achieve the basic functions of the game.  At least I was able to quickly find a battle tutorial on the map and give that a try.  

In the battle tutorial, the basic attacks are pretty easy to master.  The tutorial, however, gets a little crazy after that.  As the information of what different attacks do and how to do them pop up in a text box in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, you are still in active combat.  In the battle tutorial, you fight two goblins at a time and while they amusingly taunt you with threats and bottom slapping while asking if you like the scenery, you have to read the directions and, for someone like me who apparently cannot tell the left side of the controller from the right, figure out the button combinations and dodge the attacks all at once.  I am sure this is not a problem for this generation's videogamers, but for this guy, it wasn't impossible, but it took all the time I set aside to play to complete the tutorial and feel comfortable that I knew all the available combat maneuvers for Bruenor.  There are about 12 maneuvers.   

With all that, Dark Alliance is a fun combat-oriented game.  I have no doubt that there will be a story to follow, it is Dungeons and Dragons after all.  I look forward to actually entering combat in the story and seeing if I can apply the tutorial lessons with some of the really cool special attacks, or if I will just resort to the basic maneuvers of the game.  I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fantasy combat game but especially recommend to anyone who has enjoyed the R.A. Salvatore books because we get to do some really cool combat with these loved characters.  I will give more impressions as I dive deeper into the game.  

For the D&D players out there, this game will be perfect for those game sessions that get canceled at the last minute and you need to blow off some D&D steam.  Log in, choose Bruenor and swing that axe at some pesky goblins.  

New Magic the Gathering set in D&D!!

I started playing Magic the Gathering and collecting the cards about 12 years ago when I fell in love with the art and the fun text on the cards.  I played for several years, then moved on still attracted to the art on the cards.  My attention has returned to this great game as Magic the Gathering is now bringing a Dungeons and Dragons set "Adventures in the Forgotten Realms."  

There is so much I want to say about this that I will save for when I actually have the cards in hand, but once again the art is pulling me back.

One notable example of this is the Legendary Creature card that has the iconic character Drizzt Do'urden.  Anyone who has listened to the podcast CWK Pourover, will know that Drizzt Do'urden is my favorite fictional character of ALL literature I have read.  So, when in mid-May the original art for the Drizzt Do'Urden painting by Tyler Jacobson sold, I wasn't surprised at the price.  According to the MTG Art Market, the original painting for the card sold for $155,000.  It is a beautiful card with Drizzt and his magical companion panther Gwenhuvar leaping into battle.  

My fear with such interest in this set and the price of the original art is that the card will be impossible for ordinary MTG players (like myself) to attain.  I have no idea what the production rate of this card will be, but we have seen what secondary markets can do to trading card game assets like this.  My fear, however, leads to the excitement of more people discovering not only Drizzt Do'Urden but Dungeons and Dragons overall.  I hope this crossover brings MTG players into the role-playing game.  D&D has been slowly bringing Magic the Gathering into its lore with a couple settings books, Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica and Mythic Odysseys of Theros which I'm sure has brought D&D players to the MTG tables.  This collaboration makes a lot of sense, and I am really surprised that it has taken this long,.  Both of these games have long-standing players with a little crossover players, but this effort, I believe, will bring many of us together.  

Bottom line: this is an exciting time for both D&D and MTG players.  Keep an eye out for announcements from the Wizards of the Coast about this set which is to release on July 23.  

My Top 5 Most Exciting MLB Players to Watch

This baseball season has, in short, been amazing! There are teams that are exceeding expectations like the San Francisco Giants, the Chicago Cubs, and the Tampa Bay Rays.  There are players who we expected to be amazing and exciting like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Dante Bichette.  There are players who have made incredible comebacks like Trey Mancini and Kris Bryant.  And, there are players who have popped onto the scene like Yermin Mercedes and Akil Badoo.  

I love the game of baseball for the competition and the loyalty of cheering for a team, but one aspect of the game I really enjoy is seeing postive individual achievement contribute to the overall team success. Here are the Top 5 players I am most excited to watch and follow at this point in the season.  

#5  Matthew Boyd  Detroit Tigers

He doesn't throw 100 mph.  He doesn't have a sub 1 ERA. He doesn't have the flash and flair that East Coast and West Coast team aces have, but Matthew Boyd gets the job done.  He also does it on a pretty bad Detroit Tigers team.  His record isn't great 3-6 but his ERA is respectable at 3.36.  He averages just under 6 innings a start, so he is keeping his team in the game every time he goes out there.  I enjoy his poise on the mound, and I love cheering for the underdog.  To me, Matthew Boyd is an old-school, "get the job done," pitcher who is fun to watch.  

#4  Kris Bryant  Chicago Cubs

Bryant won't win MVP as some have talked about, but he certainly should be considered for a comeback player candidate.  He is a significant part of the resurgence of the Chicago Cubs.  He is batting .297 with 13 HR and 39 RBI, but what is even more valuable about this guy is his positive presence on the field and in the clubhouse.  I really like it when I see Bryant in the line-up.  

#3  Brandon Crawford San Franciso Giants

Catcher Buster Posey is getting all the press and should be in consideration for the comeback player along with Bryant, but Brandon Crawford is who I like to watch when staying up late for a West Coast game.  Add this guy to the "All Dirt Team."  He is always getting his hands, jersey and hat dirty while making some really amazing plays look easy.  It feels like he has been patroling that space between second and third forever, but this nine-year veteran gets it done not only in the field, but also with his bat.  Even though his average is .251, his hits always seem to come at clutch moments.  He has also sent 14 HR's into the seats and knocked in 41 RBI.  Stay up late to see this guy play in the bay.  

#2  Cedric Mullins Baltimore Orioles

Once again, here is another guy who is getting overshadowed by a comeback player.  But if you look quickly, you will catch this center fielding, lead-off hitter in Baltimore.  It seems like every time I catch the MLB Instagram Reel, there is Cedric Mullins with a stolen base, home run or amazing running catch.  This guy is fast, skilled, and fun to watch.  

#1  Fernando Tatis Jr.  San Diego Padres

It isn't an exciting pick (he leads everyone's lists), but he is an exciting player to watch.  You never know what you will see with Tatis Jr.  Will he do something to challenge the baseball norms?  Will he pick a scorching line drive or make an off-balance throw for an out?  Will he simply "jack" the ball out of the park and let everyone know about it with a styled bat-flip?  Somehow, even when FTJ does something ordinary, it has a flair that just makes him special.   

Fantasy Baseball: June 1 Update

The Major League Baseball season is in full swing!  It is June 1, and it seems like a good time, being 1/3 of the way into the season, to do a Fantasy Baseball check-in.  If you missed the opening post from April 11, check it out here.  That the Kid's manager's thoughts at the top of the season and a look at the team as it was drafted.  

Here is the roster of The Coca Cola Kids on June 1: 

C: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

1B: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox

2B: Ryan McMahon, Colorado Rockies

3B: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

SS: Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays

OF: Nick Castellanos, Cincinatti Reds

OF: Trey Mancini Baltimore Orioles

OF: Nick Solak, Texas Rangers

Utility: Javy Baez, Chicago Cubs

SP: Lucas Giolito, Chicago White Sox

SP: Nick Eovaldi, Boston Red Sox

SP: Matthew Boyd, Detroit Tigers

SP: Michael Pineda, Minnesota Twins

RP: Yimi Garcia, Miami Marlins

RP: Alex Reyes, St. Louis Cardinals

P: Giovanny Gallegos, St. Louis Cardinals

P: Tejay Antone, Cincinatti Reds

Bench: Adalberto Mondesi, SS Royals; Josh Rojas, 2B, SS, OF Diamondbacks; Brian Reynolds, OF Pirates; Gavin Lux, 2B, SS Dodgers; Luis Garcia, SP Astros; Diego Castillo, P Rays; Michael Kopech P, White Sox.

Injured List: Luis Robert, OF White Sox; KeBryan Hayes 3B, Pirates; Ryan Jeffers, C Twins.

The Coca Cola Kids have taken their beatings early in the season, but as the weather is heating up so are the Kids.  Just 2 weeks ago, the Kids were sitting in 9th place several games under the .500 mark thinking it would be time to start looking at buyers for some draft picks next year, but then the hitting and pitching have come around.  The team is really coming together.

An early-season trade giving up Ketel Marte and Michael Kopech for Ryan McMahon and Eddie Rosario, worked out well as Marte is on the DL, Kopech was dropped by the team picked back up by the Kids.  Kopech is a nice back-up on the bench and Ryan McMahon took the starting 2B position and  hit really well in May!  The Kids did pick up Nick Solak and a hot-hitting Gavin Lux as bench back-up  if McMahon cools off or there are injuries. 

The Kids also picked up Trey Mancini off the waiver wire early in May and dropped Ian Happ who is difficulty finding his stroke from last season.  Mancini has been the hottest hitter on an Orioles team who is having a hard time winning games this season.  

The Injured List has been tough on the Kids this season with Jose Abreu, Buster Posey, Kris Bryant and Javy Baez all hitting the Day-to-Day status or 10-day injured list.  Mondesi, second-round pick, Luis Robert, and keeper from last season Ke'Bryan Hayes have been out almost the entire season.  Mondesi just came off the list on May 31. 

As of June 1, the Kids currently sit in 6th place overall in the league and 3rd place in their division.  They have managed to bring their record above .500 with a record of 75-69-16.  They are 8.5 games out of first place.  The last two weeks they won their match-ups 11-5-4 and 13-6 respectively against current 9th and 5th place teams.  The first week of June the Kids face off against the current 4th place team.  This will be a good test, and the Kids manager will be looking to see where the team is deficient against upper-tier teams.  Stay tuned for another Fantasy Baseball update in July.