Day 77: TAG Drama

Sandy got mad.

Sandy realized he posted in haste.

Sandy felt better.

Sandy had to cancel on In A Wicked Age.

Ryan got mad.

Ryan got to play In A Wicked Age anyway.

Ryan felt better.

What’s the lesson here?  Don’t post while angry.  Both Sandy and I already know this, but did we do it? Nope.

Did I act any smarter because Sandy had just gone through the same thing?  Nope.

People criticize the Dalai Lama for talking about things like “be nice to people” and “practice compassion in your daily life.”  People complain that this kind of stuff is in any Sunday school pamphlet, or the boy scout handbook.  People complain that such a highly focusing figure is telling us stuff we’ve heard before.

But clearly, we still need to hear it.  Can you really say we’ve all got the whole basic “be nice to people” thing down cold?  Are you as caring, responsible, clear-headed, and generous as you could be?  Are you resilient against things that bother you – can you stay caring, responsible, clear-headed, and generous when you’re having a bad day, or when someone is yelling at you? I do what I can, but I definitely could be better.  I really don’t see those qualities reflected in the media or the people we give power to.

The Dalai Lama keeps talking about the same stuff because he recognizes that we all could stand to work on the basics.

The moral of this story is: We’re human, we make mistakes, we pick up and try to do better.  Meanwhile, we’ll keep practicing the basics.

Day 55: Bullshit #2, Organizers should Organize.

So, basically, I tried to be nice while I was there but D&D game day at the Aurora Public Library was essentially a disaster.  I had come out to try to meet new gamers, and I did, so in that way it was a success.

But here’s some tips if you’re organizing a game event.

1. Give a shit about whether anyone besides you has any fun.
2. You’re expected to try to make the game better, not be a distraction.
3. Don’t invite someone who you know will be a disruption at the table.
4. If it’s a public library, reserve a room.
5. A constant stream of talking might be a problem.

Now here’s the “are you fucking kidding me?” bit.   So the event was booked at the Aurora Public Library, but the organizer decided that we didn’t need to book a room.  This means the librarians have to come and threaten to kick you out – not the best atmosphere to introduce new players and make a first impression.  ”Hi, I like Roleplaying Games and I’ve set up an event.  First, I’m going to make you very uncomfortable.  If you get excited about something, make sure to keep it to yourself because we need to be quiet.  I’ve also talked over the GM, disrespected the other players and the game, and acted like I’m 5 years old.  By the way, I’ll spend a good part of the game scolding my son who’s being almost as obnoxious as I am.  I don’t care whether you’re having fun.  Want to invite me to your game?”

So this manages to be Toronto Gaming Bullshit, #2, totally unplanned.

Day 28: Venue Quandary

Finding a nice place to sit down and play a game in Toronto is harder than you think.
Most public places are parks, and most places where it’s nice to sit are places where they expect you to buy drinks and food.
Does anyone know good places to sit down and play a game, for free?

Day 22: Toronto Gaming Bullshit #1

I’ll be doing these pieces of off-the-cuff analysis of the Toronto scene mixed in with the regular diary. You can take this to mean that the gamer stuff I’m doing is stuff I can’t talk about (like session prep).  Toronto Gaming Bullshit is pretty insidious – in fact, it might even be inside you right now.

Today’s Toronto Gaming Bullshit can be summed up in one phrase:

“I don’t know any gamers.”