And we're counting down, down, down...

When Pat and I... hang on. I should probably apologize for how long it's taken me to get this post up. After three days of one or even two posts daily I expect the ten-day lapse was pretty jarring to our loyal readers (hi, Norway! Thanks for paying for Internet!). Truly, I have no excuse; I was busier than usual last week but not too busy to sit down and get my typey-type on. More accurate would be to say I balked at the idea of maintaining the pace we'd set. What on earth can we talk about on a daily basis for the next half year, I asked myself? When Pat and I talk about Gen Con (which we do. Often) we cheerfully rehash subjects and ideas over and over again, but that seems like poor blog etiquette. So I expect the occasional week or two space between posts won't be unusual, at least in times like these where there isn't really any news to impart. 'Round about mid-April there will be a flood of posts about event sign-up, I'm sure, and if we've the energy to manage it there will be posts a-plenty from Indianapolis itself. Outside of that, hopefully Pat and I can keep being interested enough in seeing what the other has to say to keep a steady post rate about things Gen Con-ish going so that it stays the other person's turn. It worked at Affina, after all.

Anyway - as I was saying. When Pat and I first registered for Gen Con, lo that long fortnight ago, Pat noted that it was basically six months away. 180 days, he said. Wow, that's a whole school year. I agreed that it seemed like a long time and we were sad together. Later in that same conversation, though, it got re-spun. It's only six months, Pat said. That's 180 days - only the class days part of a school year! That's nothing! And again, I agreed (apparently Pat's temporal perceptions have a powerful influence over me). 180 started to seem like sort of a magic number, really. It wasn't quite 180 days away yet (this being a couple of weeks ago), but once it was it would start to feel like it was really on the downhill slide. 180 days - not even half a year! So I went out into the Internet and found some free "post a countdown timer on your blog!" code and lo and verily didst I post a countdown timer on the blog. And we're under 180 days now, and counting our way merrily down. I predict crossing the 100 mark will also be exciting for me. I may add another one counting down to the events registration day; thoughts, Pat?

To my assigned posting topic, now. I agree wholeheartedly with Pat's post. Role-playing is a way for kids with abilities in areas less socially favored than athleticism to have a thing they're good at and find camaraderie. And even a team feel - "it's only a game" and all, but while you're role-playing you're traveling with a group of friends who'll put their lives at risk for you without a moment's hesitation. It's a way for those who don't belong to belong for a while.

I think you can spin it another way, though. There are certainly lots of role players who decided they enjoyed role-playing because they were good at it (I, perhaps immodestly, tend to include my two role-playing circles in that group), but there are also people for whom role-playing is more of a social crutch. People for whom it becomes more than a game; for whom social interaction around the dice and handbooks is the only kind they're comfortable with. Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons in a real-life setting.

What's the difference? Let me quote Pat's post - "To be able to drop the constant downplaying of something that's important to your life, to stop being embarrassed and actually celebrate how you are for four glorious days." Well said, sir. Most people I know who role-play never got over the idea that it wasn't something best discussed in open social forum. It's not fair - the football team can certainly discuss their game but we can't talk about how Devon Lancer killed three dragons before realizing he wasn't wearing pants - but I don't recall ever challenging it. For those to whom it's more than a game there is no such stricture. Devon is part of their ideal social world; why not tell his story? I remember several times having to saying words to the effect of "Not now, [Franklin]" when he would choose the Fine Arts Center lobby before band rehearsal to regale me with his latest tale of conquest and mayhem. It makes me a little embarrassed to admit I was, at the time, embarrassed for him.

So there's another side of Gen Con. There are many people out there - I can think of a dozen just from the small college I went to - for whom being surrounded by the thing that anchors their social world must be a thing of priceless value. And if I see Franklin at Indianapolis and he starts telling me the story of his character's foot race with a troll to save a harem of buxom maidens, I'll be able to give his tale the respect it deserves.