On the Olympics...

(Reposted from my Facebook entry of Jan 26, 2014 https://www.facebook.com/Grayhawk/posts/10202543147396625?stream_ref=10)

So, the Olympics are coming up in less than 2 weeks. Once again, I am certain we will be watching. I've always enjoyed the winter more than the summer. More of a hockey fan than basketball, and skiing, bobsled, luge, etc always appealed more to me as a spectator than track and field.

But with the Olympics comes a slew of bullshit. Yes, I am aware of the hideous Russian laws. And no amount of people watching or not watching will change them. Only the Russian people can do anything about this - the rest of us are flapping our gums in the wind.

In the meantime, our athletes, who have spent a lot of time preparing, are competing on a grand stage against others who may have nothing else in common but their sport. And at the end, they (usually) set a good example for the rest of us by congratulating each other after a hard fought competition. THAT is one of the things we should be taking away from this - that we can find common ground and respect for one another regardless of political boundaries, geographic differences, skin color, ethnic persuasion, or any other difference, real or imagined.

Even during the height of the cold war, there was respect for the Soviet Bloc athletes. Sure, it was grudging at times, but it was there.

I think the world in general could stand to learn this lesson: There is always something that we can use to bridge the gaps and come to an understanding, to come together in peace and fellowship - even when competing with one another.

That, to me, is the Olympic Spirit.

D&D 40th Anniversary Bloghop Challenge: Day 5

Day 5: First character to go from first level to highest level possible in a given editon? Or, what's the highest level character you ever ran?)

Here's the thing: I've spent most of my time behind the DM screen. I don't get to *play* all that often. The highest level character I've started at 1st level was the aforementioned Gelentan - got him up to the low teens, IIRC, but that was a homebrewed system loosely based on D&D.

More interesting is the high level character I played once at a con - a dwarven Monk/Drunken Master (5/10) with an ever-full icy burst mithral tankard +5. Played him with a bad scots accent and always at least a bit tipsy.Had a great amount of fun interacting with the Minotaur warrior (who spoke no common) with lines like :"Wai' Wai' - I know hae ta talk ta 'im! Moo!")



(x-posted to my FaceBook)

D&D 40th Anniversary Bloghop Challenge: Day 6

Day 6: First character death. How did you handle it?

First character death? My first character. As I've said in previous entries, my first character was a thief (Not a "rogue" damn you! We were thieves and PROUD of it. Young whippersnappers...) by the name of Laggamundo. He perished in the caverns of Quasqueton, unhallowed and unremembered by most.

How did I handle it? I have no idea. This was more than 30 years ago, people! I'm doing good in my dotage to remember 30 days ago!

That said, I couldn't have taken it too hard. After all, I'm still playing, right?



(x-posted to my FaceBook)