There's going to be a little Destroyer in the future...

September 08, 2011

My wife and I are expecting a child around May. As such, my submissions will probably drop below a trickle to almost nothing at all.

Is it the end of my writing/gaming career? Hell, I don't know. We'll see. I have talked to quite a few gamer parents, and it is possible to maintain such a lifestyle while remaining a good parent, albeit very tricky. To be honest, I'm more excited about being a parent than I am worried about not having free time anymore.

Most recent blog posts from Joseph Shaffer...

This Is It

You win this time, but I'll be back!

Games I've Been Playing in 2024

Most recent blog posts from Joseph Shaffer...
This Is It You win this time, but I'll be back! Games I've Been Playing in 2024

Feedback

jerec - September 08, 2011 (02:48 AM)
Congrats, Mr Destroyer!

And you know, when the child gets old enough they can play games with you.

Masters - September 08, 2011 (06:37 AM)
Congrats, Joe! That's awesome news. Too bad the site will likely wither up and die in your absence! ^_^

fleinn - September 08, 2011 (06:49 AM)
:D I was going to ask when I saw you reviewing Smurf Dance Party, but I didn't dare lol

Congrats, Joe :)

(Sucks if your reviews are going to dry up, though. Don't be such an ego! Think about us as well!)

Suskie - September 08, 2011 (08:10 AM)
Congrats, Joe.

wolfqueen001 - September 08, 2011 (08:14 AM)
Hey, good for you! Don't worry about the site. It probably won't go anywhere, though we will miss you. Regardless, this is a significant and ultimately (I assume) far more rewarding chapter in your life. Good luck!

overdrive - September 08, 2011 (08:32 AM)
Hey, I saw that one post on your FB announcement where someone said you'll always have a willing overnight babysitter. You're not going anywhere from here!

honestgamer - September 08, 2011 (12:16 PM)
Congratulations on the impending family expansion. At the pace you've been going with reviews, something was bound to happen to slow you down... and this is the best possible "something" I can think of! I hope that until that point--and after it, as time and luxury permit--we'll continue to see you around here, reviewing and chatting with us, but yes... freshly born children tend to suck up one's time and there's barely a parent in the world that minds! Congrats again!

SamildanachEmrys - September 08, 2011 (12:21 PM)
Congratulations. Get some sleep while you can. :p

JoeTheDestroyer - September 08, 2011 (01:58 PM)
Thanks, everyone!

I've always been told that I know how to squeeze leisure into a busy schedule and still remain effective and productive. You know, working on reviews while on 15 minute breaks at work, or jotting down ideas for a novel/short story while on the can. I learned this method from Stephen King, who said he found time to read by doing so during mundane times, like waiting to check out at the grocery store. Of course, it'll be a bit hard to discuss key points of a game while changing a diaper, but I'll find a way.

That, and as Jerec said, I'll be able to game a little with my kid.

honestgamer - September 08, 2011 (02:36 PM)
You strike me as the sort who will expose his kid to the right games first--the classics--and in so doing make the world a better place.

Genj - September 08, 2011 (02:37 PM)
Congratulations. Don't let your kid jump right to Xbox. Kids gotta work their way up from the NES. Definitely.

JoeTheDestroyer - September 08, 2011 (02:42 PM)
Retro freak that I am, Gaming 101 will start with NES and Atari 2600, maybe even trips to random arcades if I can find Ms. Pac-Man, Centipede, Galaga, etc.

WilltheGreat - September 08, 2011 (02:45 PM)
Way to go, Papa Destroyer.

You should start an Italian restaurant or something.

threetimes - September 09, 2011 (06:59 AM)
Congratulations! Lots of late night sessions await, and short, turn-based games.:D

joseph_valencia - September 09, 2011 (10:50 AM)
Congrats!

jerec - September 09, 2011 (03:24 PM)
Will you get your kid to review each game once they finish it? Good way to teach writing, critical analysis and how to express their opinions properly. :P

honestgamer - September 09, 2011 (03:33 PM)
You joke, Jerec, but there's a certain element of truth to it! If a kid grows up loving games, teaching critical thought and such through game reviews would be a valid and perhaps effective approach. It's always worth tying learning to something that has extra meaning to the learner.

jerec - September 09, 2011 (06:37 PM)
It worked for me when I was 15. I was absolutely terrible at writing (reviews, essays, fiction). But because of the help and feedback I got for reviewing, it helped me improve my writing in other areas. There was a definite jump in my writing ability in 10th grade (2000) when I really started to improve. I have the Reviewing community over at GameFAQs to thank for that.

overdrive - September 09, 2011 (06:57 PM)
Jerec, you're still terrible at writing.

dementedhut - September 09, 2011 (09:54 PM)
Atta boy, Joe!

.... what? Everyone else already used co...

Congratulations.

jerec - September 09, 2011 (10:47 PM)
I'm leaving this site forever thanks to Overdrive.

overdrive - September 11, 2011 (02:23 PM)
This is strange. Second time my name has been used to type comments I didn't type. And I changed my password between the first time and this. I'm the only one in my house, so I'm confused.

Other than knowing someone needs to die.

jerec - September 11, 2011 (03:03 PM)
You could just blame the alcohol.

WilltheGreat - September 11, 2011 (10:04 PM)
I've had that happen to. Someone is having great fun with their mod powers, methinks.

jerec - September 12, 2011 (12:36 AM)
It's probably EmP. Mod Abuse is his middle name.

WilltheGreat - September 12, 2011 (01:12 AM)
On the contrary, Jerec. I think it's YOU!

jerec - September 12, 2011 (01:58 AM)
I'm only a mod over at GameFAQs. I have no power here.

WilltheGreat - September 12, 2011 (02:09 AM)
And yet SOMEHOW, SOMEONE has manipulated HG user accounts to set YOU up for punchlines ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

I smell a rat here.

jerec - September 12, 2011 (04:57 AM)
Rat is EmP's other middle name.

Halon - September 12, 2011 (05:13 PM)
Congrats! Haven't been around much lately so I'm a little late to the party.

Seems like OD left a mess. I knew this custodian kit would come in handy. :)

Feedback
	jerec - September 08, 2011 (02:48 AM) Congrats, Mr Destroyer! And you know, when the child gets old enough they can play games with you.
	Masters - September 08, 2011 (06:37 AM) Congrats, Joe! That's awesome news. Too bad the site will likely wither up and die in your absence! ^_^
	fleinn - September 08, 2011 (06:49 AM) :D I was going to ask when I saw you reviewing Smurf Dance Party, but I didn't dare lol Congrats, Joe :) (Sucks if your reviews are going to dry up, though. Don't be such an ego! Think about us as well!)
	Suskie - September 08, 2011 (08:10 AM) Congrats, Joe.
	wolfqueen001 - September 08, 2011 (08:14 AM) Hey, good for you! Don't worry about the site. It probably won't go anywhere, though we will miss you. Regardless, this is a significant and ultimately (I assume) far more rewarding chapter in your life. Good luck!
	overdrive - September 08, 2011 (08:32 AM) Hey, I saw that one post on your FB announcement where someone said you'll always have a willing overnight babysitter. You're not going anywhere from here!
	honestgamer - September 08, 2011 (12:16 PM) Congratulations on the impending family expansion. At the pace you've been going with reviews, something was bound to happen to slow you down... and this is the best possible "something" I can think of! I hope that until that point--and after it, as time and luxury permit--we'll continue to see you around here, reviewing and chatting with us, but yes... freshly born children tend to suck up one's time and there's barely a parent in the world that minds! Congrats again!
	SamildanachEmrys - September 08, 2011 (12:21 PM) Congratulations. Get some sleep while you can. :p
	JoeTheDestroyer - September 08, 2011 (01:58 PM) Thanks, everyone! I've always been told that I know how to squeeze leisure into a busy schedule and still remain effective and productive. You know, working on reviews while on 15 minute breaks at work, or jotting down ideas for a novel/short story while on the can. I learned this method from Stephen King, who said he found time to read by doing so during mundane times, like waiting to check out at the grocery store. Of course, it'll be a bit hard to discuss key points of a game while changing a diaper, but I'll find a way. That, and as Jerec said, I'll be able to game a little with my kid.
	honestgamer - September 08, 2011 (02:36 PM) You strike me as the sort who will expose his kid to the right games first--the classics--and in so doing make the world a better place.
	Genj - September 08, 2011 (02:37 PM) Congratulations. Don't let your kid jump right to Xbox. Kids gotta work their way up from the NES. Definitely.
	JoeTheDestroyer - September 08, 2011 (02:42 PM) Retro freak that I am, Gaming 101 will start with NES and Atari 2600, maybe even trips to random arcades if I can find Ms. Pac-Man, Centipede, Galaga, etc.
	WilltheGreat - September 08, 2011 (02:45 PM) Way to go, Papa Destroyer. You should start an Italian restaurant or something.
	threetimes - September 09, 2011 (06:59 AM) Congratulations! Lots of late night sessions await, and short, turn-based games.:D
	joseph_valencia - September 09, 2011 (10:50 AM) Congrats!
	jerec - September 09, 2011 (03:24 PM) Will you get your kid to review each game once they finish it? Good way to teach writing, critical analysis and how to express their opinions properly. :P
	honestgamer - September 09, 2011 (03:33 PM) You joke, Jerec, but there's a certain element of truth to it! If a kid grows up loving games, teaching critical thought and such through game reviews would be a valid and perhaps effective approach. It's always worth tying learning to something that has extra meaning to the learner.
	jerec - September 09, 2011 (06:37 PM) It worked for me when I was 15. I was absolutely terrible at writing (reviews, essays, fiction). But because of the help and feedback I got for reviewing, it helped me improve my writing in other areas. There was a definite jump in my writing ability in 10th grade (2000) when I really started to improve. I have the Reviewing community over at GameFAQs to thank for that.
	overdrive - September 09, 2011 (06:57 PM) Jerec, you're still terrible at writing.
	dementedhut - September 09, 2011 (09:54 PM) Atta boy, Joe! .... what? Everyone else already used co... Congratulations.
	jerec - September 09, 2011 (10:47 PM) I'm leaving this site forever thanks to Overdrive.
	overdrive - September 11, 2011 (02:23 PM) This is strange. Second time my name has been used to type comments I didn't type. And I changed my password between the first time and this. I'm the only one in my house, so I'm confused. Other than knowing someone needs to die.
	jerec - September 11, 2011 (03:03 PM) You could just blame the alcohol.
	WilltheGreat - September 11, 2011 (10:04 PM) I've had that happen to. Someone is having great fun with their mod powers, methinks.
	jerec - September 12, 2011 (12:36 AM) It's probably EmP. Mod Abuse is his middle name.
	WilltheGreat - September 12, 2011 (01:12 AM) On the contrary, Jerec. I think it's YOU!
	jerec - September 12, 2011 (01:58 AM) I'm only a mod over at GameFAQs. I have no power here.
	WilltheGreat - September 12, 2011 (02:09 AM) And yet SOMEHOW, SOMEONE has manipulated HG user accounts to set YOU up for punchlines ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. I smell a rat here.
	jerec - September 12, 2011 (04:57 AM) Rat is EmP's other middle name.
	Halon - September 12, 2011 (05:13 PM) Congrats! Haven't been around much lately so I'm a little late to the party. Seems like OD left a mess. I knew this custodian kit would come in handy. :)

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