Just a little something to lighten the mood.

I put this on a T-shirt for my brother. He's a big DC comics guy. I always leaned toward Marvel more myself.

There's been such a run of bad news for gamers lately. I never met Dave Arneson, or J.R. Mapes, or even corresponded with them. I can't help feeling like I've lost allies though, you know? I read their posts on forums with great interest and appreciation. I just never had any direct communication. It seems that I just can't type fast enough to get a post in before everything I was going to say, or ask, has already been covered.

I think alot of would-be forum posters get that late-to-the-party syndrome.

I lurked at Knights-n-Knaves for years before I finally registered, same for Dragonsfoot.
It kind of freaks me out to see us keep losing members of the Old Guard, but it's going to keep happening. Our only real defense against the slow attrition of time is new recruits. The Renaissance is growing in size and power, but I want to make sure that it's not just reactivated grognards picking back up where they left off years ago. It's not even good enough for us to turn on current new school gamers to roots gaming, though,of course, that's a good thing.
I think the most important group to bring into the Renaissance is the young first timers.
They are the ones who will take gaming into the future. If we teach them, or leave it in the past if we ignore them.
We have to do everything we can to make sure there are kids the same age we were when we started, who are learning the game, and having a great time doing it. As much as I love the Renaissance, I won't be content until it becomes a Restoration.

This stupid game is unreasonable important to me. I really require the sort of complex mental diversion it provides. People deride "Escapism", but if I didn't have a safety valve, I'd have climbed a bell tower with a rifle a long time ago. I suspect alot of you guys are the same way.

I think it's important for gaming to be there for the kids growing up now, who are like we were then. Sure, there are lots more choices for diversion and release now than there were then, but The Game requires the sort of deep consideration and effort that certain minds need to keep from throwing a rod. Or am I just projecting here? Like the man said, " I require brain work!"

Well, crap. This was just going to be a quick and funny post to buy some time while I work on other things and here I've gotten all touchy feeley. You never can tell what's going on in your own head sometimes.