« Reading and Studying the Textbook | Main | The Genius of Steve Perry »
January 18, 2006
Geek Malaise?
Categories: Gaming
For the past month or so, I've been decidedly uninterested in most things geeky -- comics and RPG's in particular. I noticed in before Christmas, when I was heading to Heroes Aren't Hard to Find to pick up my comics. En route, I realized I had little to no interest in actually getting and reading the comics. I was just going because I needed something to do and didn't want my stack of saved comics to pile up. Some of those comics are still sitting on the floor of my study, unread. My RPG desire has simialrly waned. I haven't bought any new gaming material since November. I pretty much gave up trying to find people here to game with. I didn't make the requisite visit to some very good game stores in Dallas when Sarah and I were there over the holidays.
I'm not really sure why all this has happened. It could be the lack of contact I have here with geek-minded folks. I don't have any comic or gaming realted friends like I did in Charlottesville. It could be the pressures of a new job and new living situation. Lots of changes going on for The Popes and something had to give. It's probably both of those things, plus others I am not even aware of right now.
The geek malaise disturbs me, because things like comics and gaming have been fairly constant sources of enjoyment for me since high school. Both were intermitent in college, but gaming, especially has been consistent over the past eight years or so (and, honestly, has been more important to me than the comics). It scares me a little that my enjoyment for something like that could just go away.
I'm not saying it has gone away, yet. Tim is doing some cool things with Risus that keep me interested at Risus Monkey. I'm on the listserve for a Winthrop gaming group; I keep thinking I should send out a post and try to recruit players. And, this weekend, I'm going to NC Game day in Raleigh to hang out with Rich and some ENWorld folks and game a bit. I see this weekend as a bit of a litmus test for my gaming enthusiasm. It may rekindle the fire. Or I may go, have a pretty good time, but still not be terribly interested in gaming when I return. We'll see.
This may just be a consequence of me getting older. I turn 30 in two and a half weeks. If so, it's a crappy consequence. Give me all night D&D sessions in John's garage and a case of those fake kool aid drinks in the little plastic jugs!
Has this happened to anyone else? Something you enjoyed for a long time just stopped giving you enjoyment?
Posted by Nakia at January 18, 2006 11:23 AM