Spartan Racing, Dungeons and Dragons, and a Longhorn Steakhouse.

What a week it’s been. Honestly, it feels like we’ve crammed a month’s worth of living into the past seven days—and I mean that in the best way possible. Between moving a ton of stuff out of our office, helping a friend with a real estate event in Dalton, Georgia, and diving headfirst into hours and hours of interview footage, we’ve been busy. And that’s not even half of it.

There’s something about physically packing up and relocating that makes you reflect on how far things have come, and where they’re headed. For us, this move is about making space for the future. Literally and metaphorically.

Then midweek, we got to support a friend at a real estate event. It was good to step into their world for a bit, help out, and reconnect with people in Dalton. It’s easy to get caught up in your own grind, but showing up for friends—especially when it’s their moment—that’s important.

The Heart of It All: Ernie Gygax’s Footage

Now, probably the most meaningful part of my week was spending a full day and a half with footage of Ernie Gygax. Between his gameplay and the interview we filmed with him, I was just floored. I’m pulling clips from that now that will absolutely be in the final cut of our documentary, 50 Years of Fantasy, because honestly… his words, his presence—it’s beautiful, it’s powerful, and it hit me harder than I expected.

I’ve always believed that when people sit down and share their stories, it’s sacred. But this was something else. Watching him talk about games, family, and the joy of playing with others—it reminded me why we started this whole project in the first place.

D&D as a Tool for Connection and Education

That deep dive into footage also sparked a new segment we’ve started building for the film—about how role-playing games like D&D have become tools for education and connection. What used to be this niche hobby (and at one time, was even demonized during the whole Satanic Panic era) is now being played by kids at school. My 12-year-old has a D&D club at his middle school in Tennessee. Multiple tables going at once. It’s wild. And my 16-year-old? Same thing at his high school.

Me? I never played D&D growing up. I came to it later, and I’m so glad I did. Watching my kids dream up wild scenarios and creative solutions, seeing them be themselves in these fantasy worlds—it’s helped me understand them better. It’s opened up conversations we never had before. It’s not just a game; it’s this bridge between us I didn’t know we needed. And that, to me, is magic.

Vinnie + Micro Equity

My friend and business partner Justin told me something this week that stuck with me. His kids usually can’t sit still for anything. But when we were down in Jackson, Georgia, a few months ago filming with our buddy Vinnie, those kids were locked in. Vinnie spun a story that just grabbed them, and they sat there the whole time, totally glued. That’s the power of storytelling—it cuts through everything.

Speaking of Vinnie, we met up with him again this week in Conyers after filming at the Spartan event. We had dinner, caught up, and talked about the movie. Big news: Vinnie’s coming to Gary Con with us, and he’s officially our first micro-equity holder in 50 Years of Fantasy. He’s joining the team in a real way—helping with historical transcripts, updating our website with who’s in the film, and yes, he’s going to be the first person outside of me to see these interviews in full. He’s a superfan, and getting to give him that access? Man, it feels right.

Spartan Race and Lion Hearts Fitness: Mud, Kids, and Alliteration

So let’s talk about the mud. We’ve been out here in Conyers, Georgia, at the Georgia International Horse Park (yep, where they held events during the ‘96 Olympics) filming with Lion Hearts Fitness at the Spartan Atlanta event. Lion Hearts is a free gym for kids, and they train some seriously amazing young athletes. They bring these kids to Spartan events and run special Spartan Kids races—scaled-down, age-appropriate obstacle courses for kids 4 to 14.

Lionhearts Movie follows a young man who suffers a devastating loss and goes on a mission to build a community of people around his passion for Obstacle Course Racing.

We’ve been in the mud, trekking through culverts filled with water, rolling through fields and forests in a 4x4 with friends. And yeah, I just did all that alliteration on purpose—because why not? It’s been a blast. Tomorrow we’re filming again, and with rain in the forecast tonight, we’re expecting it to be even messier. From a filmmaker’s point of view, that’s gold. Sunshine today, mud and chaos tomorrow—that contrast is going to look amazing on screen.

What’s Next: Gary Con, Saying Goodbye, and More Filming

Next week, we head to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for Gary Con. It’s going to be an emotional one. Ernie Gygax passed away a few weeks ago, and we’ll be attending a memorial service on the Sunday of Gary Con. This is about celebrating a man who lived for games, for connection, and for the joy of creating worlds with others.

Our D&D Documentary hits the road this month to promote the upcoming film.

While we’re in Lake Geneva, we’re also filming a special game session at the Geneva Lake Museum and making a short promo video for them. Shoutout to Sonja Akright and her team—she’s been incredible, sharing historical insights and artifacts, especially about the old sanitariums of Lake Geneva. If you want to dive into some of that history, here’s a good read from TMJ4: The Sanitariums of Lake Geneva.

And yep, Vinnie’s coming with us.

Wrapping Up

So yeah. It’s been a week. Full of movement, mud, memories, and meaningful moments. And next week? We get to keep it going, honoring a legend, telling stories that matter, and soaking it all in. Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Let’s go make something amazing.