Dungeons, Dragons, and the Challenges of January

The first week of January has been quite busy for me. Days 1-5, significant other and I had a guest over, an old friend of mine and new friend of SO. SO and I determined to show friend all the local best spots for hiking, hanging out, eating, etc. It was fun!

But it certainly did take up some time. I haven’t been keeping up-to-date with this lil’ blog. Been thinking maybe it needs a new theme to pep it up a bit. I’ve been feeling quite pepped up for this new year! I feel happier, more motivated, and more determined to meet my goals. I haven’t made any strict New Year’s Resolution that I’ve told anyone…I just keep little mental notes to myself. I like it that way, so there’s less pressure and inner anxiety.

One of my challenges to myself is: I joined the Twitter January Writing Challenge! It’s 500 words a day or 1 hour of editing a day. So far, because of guest, I haven’t got much to show. But today I did some work on a new project, and I’m about to do some work on the editing/revising/writing of my fantasy novel (2nd draft, right now).

Another challenge is health. I am not very good at keeping an exercise routine. A drop of yoga here and there is all I do for myself, usually. It’s not enough. I had tendonitis towards the end of 2014 in one ankle, which hurt and made anything past a slow walk painful. I also haven’t had the best digestive history, after a trip to India late 2013. So…something’s got to change. I want to sign up for a gym, or at least a yoga class, and be strict about it. Take a pinch of salt with this, but…I had an Ayurvedic doctor in India, or Kaviraj, check my health. He said I’m prone towards osteoporosis when I get older, unless I exercise. Yikes! Better get cracking. I’m young, but time flies.

My new writing project(s) bring me joy. I’m dabbling at a YA scifi when I get bored with revising my second draft fantasy novel. Guest friend who I’ve been running through the wringer in this post so far, introduced myself and SO to a great bit nerdery: Dungeons & Dragons! I’ve heard of it, seen it played, and pretended to be playing it when I was 10, but this is for real.

Eberron D&D world art, by Wayne Reynolds Credit: Dungeonsmaster.com

You’ve got a set of weird dice, no board, a pre-made or self-made sheet with a character profile, a couple rulebooks and…boom! You, as your character, venture through strange lands and fight with great evils, with your friend’s characters as company, and the mastermind of the adventure’s setting, monsters, and events (aka, the Dungeon Master, or DM, another friend). You don’t have to play with friends, but everyone agrees it’s more fun that way.

It’s great! It reminds me of writing, in a way, except as the DM you can’t control your character (well, sometimes you can’t even as the writer!), and as a character you can’t control your setting, narrative, or villain. So I’ve been developing my D&D characters to play in the games with my friends…who knows? Maybe some of them will become characters in future books.