Yesterday was International TableTop Day and I found myself in not one, but two shopping malls in our city to run games. Both malls are places that I frequented at various points in my life for working, socializing, and shopping. One I even remember how it looked as a field before the brick and mortar monolith spread across the area next to the highway. At our second stop, we were inside a gaming store, surrounded by board game boxes, minis to be painted, and bound gaming books. I walked with my children through the half filled space to purchase cookies and wondered at the store fronts that were unchanged from their original intent, but occupied by retail squatters - a once upon a time Disney store that now sports a dance floor and would be ballroom dancers; a dress store that houses the EMS and Fire services; and a green marble lined game and ride arcade, with jewelry display windows still intact. I felt like I was walking through a post apocalyptic mash-up of my childhood and my children's future. With the internet so accessible, we no longer need to go to a store to find that perfect pair of earrings or shoes for a big date, home decorations and trinkets can be delivered right to the home in question and placed right on the shelf needing an uplift, gone are the days of going to Sears across town because they are the last store in the area with the washer and drier on sale in stock.
I found myself sitting at a pair of folding tables, looking at tangible copies of Pathfinder books that I own and realizing that without gaming, we would have even one less reason to get together as real people, in real places, to interact with one another in real time. Gaming brings us out of our comfortable caves to gather, share laughter and stories, and be the social creatures that human beings are meant to be. I struggle with leaving my house due to my anxiety issues, the simple act of leaving my safe surroundings is the biggest hurdle, because once I'm out, I have fun and I love being somewhere new and I wonder why I don't do it more often.
I hope you played something yesterday with people that laughed and generally experienced what it means to be a gamer and a human being. Do that regularly, because we are meant to be with others, sharing experiences. Support your local gaming locations, go to places where you can hear other conversations and learn about people who aren't like you. Be part of a gathering and love it.
I found myself sitting at a pair of folding tables, looking at tangible copies of Pathfinder books that I own and realizing that without gaming, we would have even one less reason to get together as real people, in real places, to interact with one another in real time. Gaming brings us out of our comfortable caves to gather, share laughter and stories, and be the social creatures that human beings are meant to be. I struggle with leaving my house due to my anxiety issues, the simple act of leaving my safe surroundings is the biggest hurdle, because once I'm out, I have fun and I love being somewhere new and I wonder why I don't do it more often.
I hope you played something yesterday with people that laughed and generally experienced what it means to be a gamer and a human being. Do that regularly, because we are meant to be with others, sharing experiences. Support your local gaming locations, go to places where you can hear other conversations and learn about people who aren't like you. Be part of a gathering and love it.
