Old Age/ New Age Gaming- Juneau Ak

I've spent a lot of my life as a quasi shut in, mostly because crowds make me a bit anxious and I don't really enjoy public speaking or making a spectacle out of myself. In the past I fought this by participating in small social events where I and a few friends would get together and kill stuff (D&D). Later I graduated to small groups of friends getting emo about killing stuff (Vampire, Mage, Wraith etc). As I hit my 30's I find that I have fewer chances to gather with others and play these games but it hasn't stopped me from investing a great deal of time into game books, mood music and fiction. 

I've been getting new RPG books lately and a lot of it is some retro/ old school done well. Like basic AD&D old school. Two games that capture that feel are Torchbearer and Lamentations of the Flame Princess. Both games create a similar feel but are totally different mechanically. Torchbearer uses a tweaked Mouse Guard/ Burning Wheel system and is a game where you play a murder hobo (adventurer) who thinks he or she is trying to get rich, but is actually moments away from grisly death from monsters, starvation or thirst. 

LOTFP is described by the creator as a Grindhouse weird fantasy game that uses tweaked D&D basic rules to play murder hobos in way over their heads, who will probably die in horrid horrid ways. 

Both games rock but I think LOTFP would be easier to introduce players to because the Burning Wheel system might be less intuitive to play.

My big challenge to myself is getting a regular game of something going even if I have to GM it myself. This could be tricky in Juneau, but it has to get done. 

Two weeks in

So after a long harrowing flight to Dutch on the 15th which wasn't really that harrowing (only the two gut wrenching near landings) we had to abort and fly back to Anchorage. Two hotel days later I got a chance to finally get into the elusive Aleutians and get my boots on the ground. Of course my luggage had to wait for the next day. So I was a little inconvenienced but not totally put out.

How can I describe Unalaska (which is the name of the City I'm technically in)... um its... small but not as small as I had thought. Dutch Harbor and Unalaska are on the north part of Unalaska Island and Amaknak Island. Our little shop is on Amaknak Island about a quarter mile from the Airport and a quarter mile from the Safeway and Alaska Ship Supply Mega Store. We're connected to Unalaska by the only strip of paved road on up here and a pretty modern bridge.

Some things I've learned about up here.

1.) The weather channel is full of it. Our weather reports are of the look out the window variety. I might get a weather station set up in the future just to have an idea whats coming. A barometer at least.

2.) The people are awesomely friendly

Seriously, this is a big small town atmosphere... oh ok a small big town... er look its just nice. The community is open and supportive and if you want to be involved your time up here is going to be great!

3.) Come prepared to work.

Lots of stuff for 7 Coasties to do up here... though not so much that they cant have fun. However if you think coming up here is a good way to cut work and get slack... well your going to have a long long year.