1. What are your hobbies?
This site (not just this page, but the whole site) summarizes my hobbies pretty well — it’s really the reason I decided to buy a domain in the first place. I’ve been running RPG’s (role-playing games) since I was 10, so… call that about 21 years — still not grown out of it, mom — sorry. Regurgitate whatever you’ve heard about role-playing games, but I’ve found them to be a very social, friendship-building activity. I think almost everyone I’m friends with (see: Dave, Margie, Randy, Rey, Lori, Clovis, Rooba, Meera, De, Percy, Mike, Jackie (post-introduction), Virg (post-introduction), Malone, Ian, and some OTHER people in my comment windows) came to my attention in some way through an RPG. That’s a hell of a lot of friends I’ve met through my hobby, and I’ve never been in a steam tunnel once.
Aside from that, I write fiction, poetry, game-related stuff, and reviews for gameplayersnetwork.com. I’m sure there’s some other stuff time-killers in there, but that’s most of it. (Whatever I forgot is probably parenthetically related to the above, anyway.)
2. Do you collect anything?
I sort of collect bears, but I’ve had to ask everyone to reign back on that sort of thing since I’ve literally run out of shelf space. Jackie likes dolphins, but she’s very very picky about what is and isn’t a ‘good’ dophin to own, so I never recommend people get them as gifts for her. Many little figurines I’ve pointed out to her don’t appeal to her at all.
We also collect television episodes — anything I’m really into I will tape, and I feel compelled to get EVERY episode. Currently, this includes Buffy (all six seasons), Angel, Gilmore Girls, Alias, and Farscape.
3. Is there a hobby you’re interested in, but just don’t have the time/money to do?
I’ve got a couple hundred metal miniatures that remain unpainted. I love doing it, but I much prefer doing it as a family (Justin and Jackie are both really quite good), and getting everyone in the same place, at the same time, for several hours, with nothing interrupting us is pretty difficult most of the time. It’s not restricted out of monetary considerations (although it should be).
I would be much more into comics than I currently am if it weren’t for money considerations and the very serious consideration of shelf space, which I’ve already mentioned I’m out of.
4. Have you ever turned a hobby into a moneymaking opportunity?
Not yet. I’ve got some editting creds in a few published works, and I’m working on stuff having to do with Strange Weapons (not talking about that). We’ll see.
5. Besides web-related stuff, what clubs do you belong to?
Again with the roleplaying: I organize gamedays (and do other stuff) for the House of Dragons, which is a well-organize RPGA club in Denver. It’s been a great way to meet people around town and keep in touch with events going on in my area. I’m probably a little more heavily commited right now (see all my recent bitching about not having enough time to do stuff), but changing my level of involvement requires several months to take effect.
