The Friday 56

I found this via my lovely wife's blog of randomness and she found it on Shiloh Walker's blog who found it at The Bookaholic Zone who got it from Storytime With Tonya & Friends which, as far as we can tell, seems to be the originator.

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Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

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Equally distant from me are the Final Fantasy Tactics Strategy Guide, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, and my PRS-505 e-reader. The FFT Guide is slightly closer than the others but page 56 only has four sentences. And since the 505 has hundreds (or at least dozens) of books, I think I'll go with Twain's classic:

"All mines were royal property, and there were a good many of them. They had formerly been worked as savages always work mines--holes grubbed in the earth and the mineral brought up in sacks of hide by hand, at the rate of a ton a day; but I had begun to put the mining on a scientific basis as early as I could."

I love this book. I haven't read all of Twain's works yet ("Joan of Arc" is next in line) but this is my favorite so far.

Shield Monkey Holiday and Rememberance

Happy GM's Day, fellow gamemasters.

The 4th of March is set aside to show our gamemasters how much we appreciate all the work they put into preparing and running the games we love.  So do something nice for your GM this week. Even if it's a simple "Thank you", it will be greatly appreciated.

Today is also, coincidentally, the second anniversary of the passing of Gary Gygax, the father of tabletop roleplaying games as we know them.  We salute you, Gary, the greatest GM of us all.

Getting Out of the Basement

Happy Read an RPG Book in Public Week.

For many people, roleplaying games are something to be hated or hidden. But in reality, trpgs (Tabletop RolePlaying GameS) are simply childhood games of cops and robbers with rules to avoid "I got you!" "No you didn't!" arguments. It's not only an entertaining hobby, but it helps keep the imagination active so we don't stagnate as adults.

RaRPGBiP week is a triannual event that encourages roleplayers to bring their hobby out of the basement and into the light of public view. The hope is that the event will increase public awareness of the hobby.

I am unable to participate simply because I'm rarely out in public long enough to read a book unless I'm already at our FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store) which would kind of defeat the purpose. But for those of you who do have a life outside the home, take your books with and read them on your lunch break, or between classes, or any other time you can. Who knows? Maybe you'll round up some new players.

Come to think of it: I could use a few more players for the low-fantasy GURPS game I've been itching to run. Maybe I'll take GURPS Martial Arts with me to read while I wait for my prescriptions at Sam's Club tomorrow...