Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
@improvgm.bsky.social
Improvisor, actor, director, GM, stand up
https://linktr.ee/mikelmatthewsjr
https://linktr.ee/mikelmatthewsjr
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
Important to do this press conference about a mass shooting from behind a comic book convention’s folding table inside the hotel from The Shining.
“You’re a stupid person” — Trump lashes out at a reporter who presses him on the fact that the suspected DC shooter was actually thoroughly vetted before he was let in the US from Afghanistan
November 28, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Important to do this press conference about a mass shooting from behind a comic book convention’s folding table inside the hotel from The Shining.
Someone remind me how many Walmart employees are also in government assistance because of their wages.
While work-life balance may give you a sense of happiness and fulfillment, it isn’t always realistic, says Walmart executive vice president and chief people officer Donna Morris.
Walmart exec: ‘I’ve never believed in the term work-life balance’—this is the mantra that made her highly successful instead
Many professionals see work-life balance as a non-negotiable. Walmart CPO Donna Morris says people should practice work-life integration instead. Here's why.
cnb.cx
November 28, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Someone remind me how many Walmart employees are also in government assistance because of their wages.
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
Homeland Security doesn’t grasp the fact that the first Thanksgiving was about making “room at the table” for European “invaders.”
November 27, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Homeland Security doesn’t grasp the fact that the first Thanksgiving was about making “room at the table” for European “invaders.”
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
if you steal a cell phone or wallet in paris they kick you out of the french thieve's guild for insufficient whimsy
Thieves have stolen €90,000 worth of fine French snails destined for some of the country’s most prestigious restaurants
Thieves take €90,000 of snails meant for Michelin-starred restaurants
French police are on the trail of ‘experienced’ criminals who stole a whole year’s worth of produce from Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne’s L’Escargot des Grands Crus
www.thetimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 9:45 PM
if you steal a cell phone or wallet in paris they kick you out of the french thieve's guild for insufficient whimsy
There was a Quinns Quest video about romance in ttrpgs and this is inspired by that
Romance started becoming a much bigger part of my games. Apocalypse World, by having sex moves, reminded us that sex is a part of that kind of fiction. We'd 'fade to black' and assumed prior relationships thing
Romance started becoming a much bigger part of my games. Apocalypse World, by having sex moves, reminded us that sex is a part of that kind of fiction. We'd 'fade to black' and assumed prior relationships thing
November 27, 2025 at 2:46 PM
There was a Quinns Quest video about romance in ttrpgs and this is inspired by that
Romance started becoming a much bigger part of my games. Apocalypse World, by having sex moves, reminded us that sex is a part of that kind of fiction. We'd 'fade to black' and assumed prior relationships thing
Romance started becoming a much bigger part of my games. Apocalypse World, by having sex moves, reminded us that sex is a part of that kind of fiction. We'd 'fade to black' and assumed prior relationships thing
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
Get past the profanity and violence, and you'll find Dispatch doesn't have a single mean bone in its body.
It's less Invincible, and more Astro City.
It's less Invincible, and more Astro City.
November 27, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Get past the profanity and violence, and you'll find Dispatch doesn't have a single mean bone in its body.
It's less Invincible, and more Astro City.
It's less Invincible, and more Astro City.
The number of times I've said "People would have more fun if they were playing the game they were playing."
That said... if the game system isn't helping everyone get coordinated on what that's supposed to look like and to help make "the fun happens easy" then probably some or everyone at the table is playing the wrong game for their needs.
bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/t...
bankuei.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/t...
The Same Page Tool
(Hi, if you’re first encounter my site through this page, which is my most linked post, welcome! I’ve recently summarized the whole point of the Same Page Tool to counteract some of the…
bankuei.wordpress.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:57 PM
The number of times I've said "People would have more fun if they were playing the game they were playing."
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
#deadweightrpg available now at Imaginationarcade.itch.io
November 26, 2025 at 8:31 PM
#deadweightrpg available now at Imaginationarcade.itch.io
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
Unironically, this is what I'm going to point to from now on when I talk about the core issue with the RPG scene. This is peak 'GMs are responsible for everything and subservient slaves to the players.'
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Unironically, this is what I'm going to point to from now on when I talk about the core issue with the RPG scene. This is peak 'GMs are responsible for everything and subservient slaves to the players.'
38
The Guess The TTRPG challenge I brought to PAX Unplugged is now available online! Can you identify one hundred tabletop RPGs featured on @partyofonepodcast.bsky.social?
There's also a link to a spreadsheet with links to every featured game! Have fun :D
www.sporcle.com/games/Wintry...
There's also a link to a spreadsheet with links to every featured game! Have fun :D
www.sporcle.com/games/Wintry...
November 26, 2025 at 4:54 AM
38
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
I see some book piracy discourse, and, to make a positive argument in favor of buying books, your marginal ability to influence what books get published and support the careers of writers you like is massive compared to most other forms of media.
November 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
I once asked a bookseller at a large indie store how many people would have to buy a book for it to get the attention of the store buyer and cause an additional order and they said: Three.
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
Megyn R. Kelly!
November 26, 2025 at 2:35 AM
Megyn R. Kelly!
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
It hits different when they're arresting white women. They signed up to terrorize Black and brown people.
“We’ve tried to not have to do it, but we've got direct orders,” the masked ICE agents told them www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/i...
November 25, 2025 at 5:37 PM
It hits different when they're arresting white women. They signed up to terrorize Black and brown people.
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
This is my favourite game. Every part of it sucks, but each part sucks in a way that GESTURES TOWARD something that would be awesome were it not undermined by every other part. It can't be improved because everything that's terrible about its load-bearing. Did I mention it's the best game ever made?
November 25, 2025 at 1:43 AM
This is my favourite game. Every part of it sucks, but each part sucks in a way that GESTURES TOWARD something that would be awesome were it not undermined by every other part. It can't be improved because everything that's terrible about its load-bearing. Did I mention it's the best game ever made?
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
This is basically the reason why no attempt to hack Shadowrun into a different system ever catches on
This is my favourite game. Every part of it sucks, but each part sucks in a way that GESTURES TOWARD something that would be awesome were it not undermined by every other part. It can't be improved because everything that's terrible about its load-bearing. Did I mention it's the best game ever made?
November 25, 2025 at 6:30 AM
This is basically the reason why no attempt to hack Shadowrun into a different system ever catches on
last night, during our Ars Magica game, they went after some bandits who were driven out of the nearby city because of other PCs the players used the week before. They slaughtered the bandits and found another piece of a frame.
The look on their faces when they found it was priceless. “It’s back”
The look on their faces when they found it was priceless. “It’s back”
November 24, 2025 at 4:10 PM
last night, during our Ars Magica game, they went after some bandits who were driven out of the nearby city because of other PCs the players used the week before. They slaughtered the bandits and found another piece of a frame.
The look on their faces when they found it was priceless. “It’s back”
The look on their faces when they found it was priceless. “It’s back”
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
We exist in the stupidest timeline.
November 23, 2025 at 11:13 AM
We exist in the stupidest timeline.
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
this just shows how the Western family unit has completely broken down because in Asia we all have uncles to fulfill this function in our lives
November 23, 2025 at 11:21 AM
this just shows how the Western family unit has completely broken down because in Asia we all have uncles to fulfill this function in our lives
First episode of Plur1bus. Even knowing the concept (and it would have been cool if I didn't), the mounting horror of the first episode works really well
November 23, 2025 at 1:07 AM
First episode of Plur1bus. Even knowing the concept (and it would have been cool if I didn't), the mounting horror of the first episode works really well
Ars Magica: S2E2 A Plague of Bandits
The road to the Covenant has been busier than it should be lately with all kinds of thieves. The disruption in Demetrias, caused by PCs, has driven a lot of the criminal underworld out of town.
They're not alone, however
Sunday 7pm Central
twitch.tv/improvgm
The road to the Covenant has been busier than it should be lately with all kinds of thieves. The disruption in Demetrias, caused by PCs, has driven a lot of the criminal underworld out of town.
They're not alone, however
Sunday 7pm Central
twitch.tv/improvgm
November 22, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Ars Magica: S2E2 A Plague of Bandits
The road to the Covenant has been busier than it should be lately with all kinds of thieves. The disruption in Demetrias, caused by PCs, has driven a lot of the criminal underworld out of town.
They're not alone, however
Sunday 7pm Central
twitch.tv/improvgm
The road to the Covenant has been busier than it should be lately with all kinds of thieves. The disruption in Demetrias, caused by PCs, has driven a lot of the criminal underworld out of town.
They're not alone, however
Sunday 7pm Central
twitch.tv/improvgm
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
The next time you look at a book or film or game and sneer at how being very smart and very charismatic just makes the whole plot go by in Easy Mode for a character, I need you to remember that WH meeting yesterday.
November 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM
The next time you look at a book or film or game and sneer at how being very smart and very charismatic just makes the whole plot go by in Easy Mode for a character, I need you to remember that WH meeting yesterday.
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
“THE NON-ARTIST FIXATION ON HYPERREALISM AS THE PINNACLE OF ART IS CLEARLY PART OF THE REASON SO MANY ADULTS THINK THEY CANNOT DRAW OR CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE FAILURES, KAWAII, FOLK ART, DOODLES, OR OTHER EASIER ENTRY POINTS ARE CONSIDERED CHILDISH, WHICH IS WHY JAPANESE DRAWING BOOKS ARE BETTER…”
November 21, 2025 at 9:24 PM
“THE NON-ARTIST FIXATION ON HYPERREALISM AS THE PINNACLE OF ART IS CLEARLY PART OF THE REASON SO MANY ADULTS THINK THEY CANNOT DRAW OR CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE FAILURES, KAWAII, FOLK ART, DOODLES, OR OTHER EASIER ENTRY POINTS ARE CONSIDERED CHILDISH, WHICH IS WHY JAPANESE DRAWING BOOKS ARE BETTER…”
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
![II. Credibility
The Court next addresses the credibility of the parties’ evidence and witnesses. After reviewing all the evidence submitted to the Court and listening to the testimony elicited at the preliminary injunction hearing, during depositions, and in other court proceedings, the Court finds Defendants’ evidence simply not credible. [FN 6]
Plaintiffs submitted a mountain of evidence, providing the Court with over eighty declarations, numerous videos and articles, and other evidence. Defendants did not rebut anything that Plaintiffs set forth in their declarations or testimony, even with BWC footage.
[FN 6] In another case considering some of the same evidence presented to this Court, another court in this district also found that the perceptions of certain of Defendants’ declarants, such as Hott and Parra, were not reliable. See Illinois v. Trump, No. 25-cv-12174, 2025 WL 2886645, at *5 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 10, 2025) (noting a “troubling trend of Defendants’ declarants equating protests with riots and a lack of appreciation for the wide spectrum that exists between citizens who are observing, questioning, and criticizing their government, and those who are obstructing, assaulting, or doing violence”), motion to stay denied in part, 155 F.4th 929 (7th Cir. 2025).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2vtbmhmrwzbqcfv4we4uxzzt/bafkreifpyry2il5toxbr3iejgrsxs6kmnwve75qwnhebfp44ieyjrfpsdu@jpeg)
November 20, 2025 at 11:04 PM
THREAD: Judge Ellis is the first federal judge to review extensive body cam video of DHS's actions in Chicago. She finds that DHS *repeatedly* misled the public and made claims that were disproven by agents' own videos.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
I'll go through some of the most egregious ones here.
Reposted by Mikel L. Matthews Jr.
The president is calling for members of Congress to be executed.
Also known as Thursday.
Also known as Thursday.
November 20, 2025 at 2:33 PM
The president is calling for members of Congress to be executed.
Also known as Thursday.
Also known as Thursday.
When I asked about this, elsewhere, most people who replied said it was because it gave them a chance to play the downtime for the PCs and not be in ‘quest mode.’
I like to run games where we hit family/friend life of PCs fairly often so this kind of session doesn’t tend to be needed in my games
I like to run games where we hit family/friend life of PCs fairly often so this kind of session doesn’t tend to be needed in my games
I fully do not understand people who enjoy shopping in TTRPGs. I can go shopping in real life. The mall is right there and I have the entire internet on my phone. Why would I also go shopping in a fictional world? That's a chore! I don't want chores, I want adventure and drama.
November 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
When I asked about this, elsewhere, most people who replied said it was because it gave them a chance to play the downtime for the PCs and not be in ‘quest mode.’
I like to run games where we hit family/friend life of PCs fairly often so this kind of session doesn’t tend to be needed in my games
I like to run games where we hit family/friend life of PCs fairly often so this kind of session doesn’t tend to be needed in my games