Winter boredom

Fighting the 'Winter blahs' can sometimes be a chore in itself. This Winter was no exception.

I'd kicked around the notion of taking my kayak down hill sledding, but opted against it in the event I might meet up with a tree, thus negating any usage out if it this summer. So instead, I gave into a suggestion a friend of mine had been beating me about the head and shoulders with for quite sometime:playing D&D.

D&D, or Dungeons and Dragons, as it's formally referred to, is a game dating back some thirty years. Essentially, it's a fantasy role playing game where you create heroic characters and embark on any of various scenarios in search of treasure, rescuing fair maidens, or slaying monsters.
Or as the official website describes it:
D&D is an imaginative, social experience that engages players in a rich fantasy world filled with larger-than-life heroes, deadly monsters, and diverse settings. As a hobby game, D&D is an ongoing activity to which players might devote hours of their time —much like a weekly poker game, —getting together with friends on a regular basis for weeks, months, or even years.

I've taken on the role of a Dwarven-Druid. Basically, a short nature-boy capable of using magic spells and talking to animals. A bonus to this character is that it is awarded an 'animal companion' which fights along side. Picture "BeastMaster" meets "Lord of the Rings".

I must say that in the beginning, I'd held off playing due to the fact that this game requires a LOT of imagination, memory, and creativity.
Now, I possess a pretty good imagination, but not much common sense. Meaning, I could picture a monster, but short of wetting myself, wouldn't know much of what to do.

When chosing what character and class you wish to be, some deal of thought should go into it. EVERYone wants to be the Barbarian. Smashing, killing, creating havoc appeals to just about anyone and truthfully, it's pretty much the easiest character to play. Not much thought goes into how to deal with a monster when playing a Barbarian.

I chose a Druid because by nature (no pun intended), I'm kind of a nature-boy at heart. I couldn't survive in the wilderness, but I sometimes enjoy watching the fauna and strollig around the flora. So a druid seemed the right course of action. As for taking on the race of a Dwarf, I'm short. 'Nuf said.

I've met with a group once a week for the past few months and I must say that I really enjoy it.
It's kinda geeky, yea, but it sure beats the hell out of staring at a video game for several hours at a time doing the exact same thing I can do with a small group AND I get to use my brain! (bonus)

My character has achieved Level 5 which basically means he can use a certain amount of spells per day, has a strong animal companion (which at present is a rather large badger), and now has the ability to morph into an animal once a day, which will certainly come handy.

So anyone wanting to do something different, check out D&D for yourself.

And yea, I pretty much have given up getting laid ever again.