Maps for Heroes

I normally don't share posts between blogs, but I thought this was worth it.

An Internet Associate of mine.....I don't have a better way of putting it, likes to draw maps. I like to draw maps too, but he's just much better at it. I used to be in the military, working with the Army, but he's actually in the Army. I like to think I do things to help others, but once again I find myself falling a bit short in comparison.

I'm OK with that as I've learned I have nothing to gain by comparing myself to other's standards, but enough about me.....

Matt Jackson has decided to put together a cool little fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project. It is a cool organization (though I wish they wouldn't limit themselves to just helping post 9/11) and Matt decided to organize a bunch of respected RPG map-makers to contribute a map for his fundraising campaign:

+Mike Schley 

+Carl Bussler 

+Gus L 

+Simon Forster 

+Monkeyblood's Model & Map Mayhem 

+Rob Conley 

+Logan Knight 

+Tim Shorts

Now putting together this effort is cool enough on his own, but Matt has also decided to donate any of the July proceeds from his Patreon campaign to the fundraiser as well. The goal is $1K, very reasonable.

I'll go one step further than just suggesting a donation.....I think you should donate at least $8. Eight map-makers, at least eight maps, at least $1 a map. Totally reasonable and it will only take 125 of us...maximum..to make that goal.

Come on....you do have $8 lying around, right? It is totally a Win-Win here.... 

Zen Pencils

Thanks to a post from a Gawker Media Site, I managed to stumble upon Zen Pencils from Australian artist Gavin Aung Than.

Zen Pencils are interesting, often inspirational, quotes taken from a variety of sources and put to a more graphical form. Than makes a lot of his work available as print posters and even has a few free ones available as well (download & print off yourself).

There were a few Zen Pencils that I really wanted to be able to use as desktop wallpapers, which wasn't easy to manipulate because the art is often oriented vertically, which doesn't always work for my widescreen monitor.

After making a couple of wallpapers I discovered that Than already had a few fan-made wallpapers that he graciously makes available to anyone who wants it. I found that pretty cool, so I made sure to email him with the wallpapers I made:

I made these to fit my 1600 x 900 desktop, with some allowances made for my menu bar. I don't know how well Blogger handles the pictures, but this should give you a snapshot of Zen Pencils and I'm sure someday Than will make them available for download.

Almost Better Than a Chimichanga

First off: THANK YOU GEEKPREACHER! If you hadn't posted a link on Google + I probably would have never seen it....

....and my life would be a little poorer because of it.

Well, maybe not poorer, but when something this cool is done regarding my favorite "super hero" I just gots to see it.

I highly recommend this video depiction of Batman vs. Deadpool even though I have to call BS on the outcome. Obviously thing went down the way they did for dramatic effect. I don't want to post any spoilers, at least not any outright ones.....

Courtesy of Machinima (& Geekpreacher):

Idaho Youth Ranch Readers Program

I know that all too often I'm apt to rant a bit on this blog and I'm not as quick to rave about some of the cool things I come across offline.

This morning I was needing to kill some time and I stopped at one of the Idaho Youth Ranch locations.  If you aren't familiar with the Idaho Youth Ranch, for most it is just a chain of thrift stores around Boise....which already has a lot of thrift stores.

In actuality the thrift stores are a fundraising element that support actual youth homes here in Idaho, some of which are actual youth ranches.  You can read more about the mission of the Idaho Youth Ranch here.

Today when I was at one of the stores I noticed a sign stating that they were giving away free books

to kids.  I thought that sounded cool.  My grandmother taught me to read well at an early age and as a kid I never had enough books.  This effort to get kids books seems cool enough on its own, but when I got to the register (I bought a couple magazines) I saw this bookmark that took the "free book" thing to a whole new level.

Basically not only can a kid get a free book, but in order to encourage youth reading the Idaho Youth Ranch will keep giving kids books as long as they read them.  If they read five books then they get some "fun" prize.

This just seemed to me to be a good, practical way to encourage children to read.  It makes me wish I had more extra books to donate to this cause, but I've already dropped off a couple of boxes worth.

If you've got some kids who like to read, or who you would like to read more, stop by one of the Idaho Youth Ranch locations. They also take book donations, among other types of donations.

I'm a little biased, but I think youth literacy is the key to adult success in life.  Even if you disagree you'd probably have to admit that illiteracy is a huge barrier to success in life.  That may not have been the case 100 years ago, but it today's time.....

Dutch Bros Coffee Gives Back to the Community

There is a "new" coffee shop on the lot where my wife's Fred Meyer store is.  I'm not much of a coffee drinker because it spins me up far too fast, but I do like my chai tea.

On the rare day I had a couple of extra bucks and the need to chill before what was going to be some stressful exams, I stopped by to check out this new Dutch Bros. location.  I had a blended (iced) chai tea with coconut milk....awesome by the way, thanks for asking.

As they were making my drink I noticed that they are having a special fundraiser tomorrow, Friday March 8th, at all of the Boise Dutch Bros. locations.  They are raising money for a little girl's experimental leukemia treatment.  It struck me that not only did this place serve great coffee and tea drinks (my wife gushes about their coffee, so I'm using her opinion on that side of things), but they give back to the community as well.  When I got home I popped onto their website for details.

Now this little girl, Avrey Walker, is the niece of Dutch Bros. owners, which for some might be a bit of a detraction, and if this is the case for you, please head over to the Dutch Bros. News & Events page and prepare to have your mind blown.  You'll find ten (10) other assorted fundraising events from this year alone!  

Now I knew that when they open a new location drinks are free that day.  When they opened this location I avoided it like the plague because everybody and their dog was lining up for free drinks.

I just hope that all those folks who got their free drinks when this place opened come back to buy drinks tomorrow.

Of course it would be even cooler if these folks got their drinks while on the way to get registered for the National Marrow Donor Registry.  Then they could help not only Avrey, but all the children with leukemia.