Category Archives: essays

Post about my essays. Or essays about my posts maybe.

Ponderings As I Near 50

Posted on July 10, 2026 by Jason L Blair

The world is not waiting for me. I used to know that. I used to hustle. I strove. I put it on the line. Now, after 25 years of working, succeeding, I feel as though the world should meet me … Continue reading →

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Where’d You Go, Zoë Mode?

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Jason L Blair

The mid-to-late 2000s were a special time for gaming. If you weren’t there, this may seem quaint. If you were there, this may seem delusional. But, for me, as someone who was still new in the gaming industry and who … Continue reading →

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Childhood Adventures

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Jason L Blair

These days, with the stresses of life and the world bearing down with unprecedented pressure, I find myself seeking comfort from my entertainment. I have never been against challenging media but I have been very selective about the stories I … Continue reading →

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The Key Beats of Interactivity

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Jason L Blair

Back in the Summer of 2021, I taught two courses on Critical Game Analysis for Bradley University. My friend David got me connected there. I took over the classes he originally intended on teaching but couldn’t due to the workload … Continue reading →

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The Danger of Forever Games

Posted on December 30, 2024 by Jason L Blair

From video gaming’s earliest days, designers have been imagining a dizzying array of worlds, play styles, and ways to entertain. From Pong to Zork to Adventure to Mega Man to Halo and far beyond, gaming has been a platform for … Continue reading →

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Old Man with a Dream

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Jason L Blair

In many ways, the past few years have been wonderful to me. Far beyond my dreams, in fact. A newfound love, an ever-strengthening bond with my kids, new friends and family, and new opportunities all provided light to me after … Continue reading →

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Things I Wished I Had Said to My Dog as I Drove Her to the Vet to Be Euthanized

Posted on October 15, 2020 by Jason L Blair

I love you. I have loved you since I first saw your wide grin and big brown eyes. Since the moment you flopped over on the pet store floor and demanded scritches. You were loving and playful and ready for … Continue reading →

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The Allure of New Horizons

Posted on April 18, 2020 by Jason L Blair

I have always been plagued by the demon known as Ambition. As a youth, I never felt at home in the place I grew up in. I always wanted more. I knew my life was elsewhere. I wasn’t entirely sure … Continue reading →

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Roots Pushing Through

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Jason L Blair

I think I’m starting to understand the concept of putting down roots. Staying in a place for a while. Staying at a job, a company for a long time. It’s…weird for me. I never felt a connection to my hometown. … Continue reading →

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Operation Awesome: Revelations on Story

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Jason L Blair

This is gonna be mostly old hat to most writers, I reckon, but every author goes through their own journey and such so this is new and revelatory to me, at the very least. I’ve been doing a lot of … Continue reading →

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