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| Photo courtesy slate.com |
It’s been quite a year hasn’t it? With 2014 almost over, a lot of publications have been talking about how terrible this year has been all around. Whether it was police violence and the ensuing riots, North Korea cancelling our free speech, ISIS giving Al Qaida a run for their money as the most evil organization on the planet, #GamerGate proving that the video game industry still has some wrinkles to iron out, or the ebola threat in America – it does sound pretty bad when you list it all out.
But I’m a glass half full kind of guy. 2014 felt like a year that hit America with that half full glass of cold water in the face. It felt like a year Americans woke up from their social network slumber to toss aside complacency and irony for activism and change. Maybe it’s just a coincidence, or maybe it’s just a passing fad, but it’s hard to ignore the changing climate in 2014. Instead of sitting back and simply coasting through life, it seems that people young and old have started to stand up for what they believe in.
Maybe it shouldn’t take innocent people being killed by police to incite peaceful marches for racial unity, but people marched regardless. Maybe people should donate to charities like ALS on their own accord, rather than when friends dare them to over Facebook, but the ALS society raised record amounts this year regardless. Maybe #GamerGate showed the ugly side of gamers, but it also showed the positive side as thousands of people voiced their support for female developers and other individuals under attack by the extreme right side of the debate.
And I’ve personally had a landmark year. I’ve made a lot of strides on bettering myself and defeating some of my personal vices. I had daughter in January and have spent the subsequent months discovering the joys, challenges and utter chaos that is parenthood. I married a woman that I’ve loved for years but never allowed myself to accept into my heart. I finally found peace with myself. And I’m writing again, thanks to the few readers who stop by to pick up the Weekend Paper every week.
With the holiday almost here and the end of the year barreling closer, I’ve had a little less time to write. Also, because I have a whirlwind Christmas weekend, there won’t be a Weekend Paper update next weekend. I’ll return in the new year. - I saw The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies this week. I wasn’t too pleased. So I decided to travel back in time to warn my past self about it.
- Wolfenstein: The New Order is one of the best pure shooters I’ve played in ages, with a phenomenal story and tight gameplay, it’s one of my favorite games this year.
- The Last of Us: Left Behind may be a downloadable add-on to my favorite game from 2013, but it stands well on its own as a heart-warming and gut-wrenching experience and one of the best I played all year.
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