Skip forward a while, and I've been to 40 countries / 6 continents. My photography is awesome. I've become an iconic video game reviewer with a huge readership for over 20 years. I have 3 degrees and love learning. I was an exemplary family caregiver. No one will ever stop me.

Las Vegas. I don't drink or gamble, so I have no interest in casinos. I've walked The Strip to do photography. Whenever I go, I use it as a starting point to visit nearby state and national parks. The last time, I didn't even go to the city; I was there because my dad was dying.

Travel is also one of my motivations. I love exploring the world, so it's important that I stay healthy enough to see it. People younger than me already complain about their backs/joints. Meanwhile, I spend much of my free time hiking and taking photos. It's beautiful outside.

Can confirm, there are a lot of trees in my part of California. I've seen and taken photos of thousands of them. Including General Sherman, the biggest tree on Earth by volume.

I came across a woolly bear in Skagway, Alaska.

The kid never saw it coming.

Shinjuku. Wandering around that part of Tokyo at night is unforgettable.

Yup.

San Francisco. I used to work in the financial district, but never got to explore the city until years later. The scenery, museums, parks, hikes... everything.

Almost a year later, I've settled enough to unpack my consoles. My 20 year old CRT still works, albeit without the remote. But more importantly, my Wii still works perfectly! Wii and GameCube discs, and a slew of Virtual Console games! I can finally play MGS1: Twin Snakes again!

Here are my nine books that I'll never forget. It was hard to narrow the selection down.

Oh hey, an Amazon sale!