That always seems to be the question lately – isn’t it?

What do I write about on this blog of mine?

My old standby – writing about running is rather difficult to do, and more than a little frustrating when I can’t run. Writing about the rehab process at this point is mostly – more of the same. Yes, it hurts, no I can’t run, so I do what I can.

Especially, since there hasn’t been any appreciable healing, err pain/discomfort reduction, since I injured my knee rototilling back on May 9th. Even if my Orthopedic appointment next week provides me with answers to why my knee still bothers me so much and if an arthroscopic surgery date is offered or not. I am still quite a ways away from training, much less racing again.

So, what do I write about?

Productivity or Technology for me at this point in my life is very different from what it means to most people. Plus, I am not interested in joining the hustle culture that seems to dominate either one. I got on the edges of this niche earlier this year and it isn’t the direction I am going.

Finish writing my book online – intrigues me. However, it would mean sitting my ass down to do the work, and I ain’t so sure that is what I want to do right now. I am enjoying the freedom to do what I want too much. If my heart isn’t into it why bother? Resistance wins this round. 

Hunting and Archery – neither holds the appeal or interest they once did. While I could use the skills I have in those areas if I needed to, I don’t need to at this point in time. Writing about them isn’t the direction I want to go. 

The daily grind – My life is too routine and boring to be of interest to anyone but me. 

None of those is the write one (yeah, I did that).

How about a total change of direction?

Back in the late ’70s and early ’80s, I DM’d and played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons original box set and 2e. I stopped playing D&D due to particular perceptions of more senior personnel, and their advice/very strong suggestion that playing D&D was supposedly not in keeping with the position I held at the time or might hold in the future. It was a career decision to not play and be seen as too weird to advance further. D&D had a stigma attached to it for many people back then and in some places/cases still does.

However, I kept reading fantasy books, watching that genre of movies, and playing RPG computer games. I loved D&D back then and have thought about going back to playing several times, but haven’t. Now that my time is my own and I have no one around to judge what I do or any particular need to please anyone (other than my wife, who is supportive of me getting back into it).

It is my time to do more of what pleases me.

My daughter, son-in-law, and their family play RPG games and gave me three 5e manuals for my birthday last month at my request. Not so subtly encouraging me to get back into it – like I needed a lot of encouragement. Since then I have been going through the manuals, watching YouTube videos, and visiting websites to learn more about the changes from the D&D 2e that I knew, to where it is now in 5e. Their presents definitely rekindled my interest in D&D but I haven’t done any adventuring – yet.

With COVID still hanging around more than people want to admit. It is something that continues to limit my willingness to go places and mingle with other people who may or may not view the pandemic in the same manner that I do. Playing online is an option and one I am exploring. I just have to find the right group of people in person and/or figure out the online stuff. Role20.com seems to be one place to look and I have subscribed to the One D&D website. Plus I found a gaming store in Augusta that seems to be a place where I would be comfortable spending a bit of time in the future.

If nothing else, for now, I am having fun creating player characters that I might want to use in the future. I am practicing my storytelling skills by creating backstories for the characters I create. Hell, I am even starting to paint miniatures again and that is proving to be quite an adventure in and of itself.

The idea of writing about going back to playing a game that I loved once upon a time and left for the wrong reasons is intriguing and something that I have been thinking about for a few days.

It is time to give it try and see where it leads. If you want to consider me rather weird, cool. I am and will be weird, it is a part of who I am. It no longer bothers me to be different.

This change to my writing niche is geared toward a different audience than those who have followed me over the years as a runner or even for productivity (note-taking apps). I am pretty sure that most of you who have stuck around this long wouldn’t bother following this change, which I understand.

However, with the idea that running isn’t going to happen for a while and nothing else has stuck, I need some outlet for my writing beyond a daily note in Obsidian or whatever my note-taking app is of the moment.

When – not if I get back to running, I will resurrect one of my old running blogs – if the Muses decide that I need to write about running again.

However, for now, the Muses are guiding me towards writing about my return to the Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, Eberron, and beyond. Something that will be more interesting for them and any readers I have left, than me writing, errr whining so much about how I can’t run. 

Now to figure out what ancestry, class, and skills I will develop in the adventures that will come my way. Also, I have to get my painting skills back up to where my miniatures don’t resemble blobs of paint.

I am sure that it will be a grand adventure, whatever the outcome.