The Quest for Gronk: Blogging Around with Rommy, week 8


Love’s work
sometimes requires adventures
you’d never dare take on your own.


This poem is linked to Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads' Tuesday Platform and Poets United's Poetry Pantry 442.

Liner Notes for this Groove:



For anyone new to this blog, I ought to point out that there is high geekery ahead. You have been warned.

My husband and I cemented our college relationship with activities like dressing up in medieval garb and playing Dungeons and Dragons together. He was among the first DMs I had (that’s Dungeon Master to you non-geeks. Also that title has nothing to do with any sort of shades of gray, so get your mind out of the gutters๐Ÿคฃ). A DM’s job is to create an overarching story/plot that acts as a framework for players to interact with. Being a DM not only requires a lot of creativity (to set up the details of the adventures – what places might they visit, what is the main situation the players have to deal with, who will they interact with in that situation and what are their motivations, etc.) but it also requires patience. Because as meticulously as they might set up their world, there’s always one giant variable – the players.




So on one of our recent morning walks my husband told me about his latest gaming craziness. It seems one of the player characters made some exceptionally terrible decisions and ended up in a hell dimension. My husband expected the rest of his party (the other people playing that particular game) to heroically sally forth and rescue their poor friend. The party took a vote and decided on, “Nah, we have better things to do.”

As you might imagine, the player trapped in the hell dimension was miffed at the lack of concern. He went onto a gaming website, describing his plight and got several people saying the plot sounded interesting enough that they’d be willing to save him if they were playing the game. My husband, who really did feel bad for the player as it was one of his oldest friends, also commented and said he’d be willing to run a side adventure if people we serious about saving the guy.

He got 40 responses (DM’s usually run 3-5 people per game. 10 is a lot). The end up is my social media hating husband now is in a Facebook group trying to herd 40 people he’s never met before through a system that is random enough when only a tenth of that amount plays. Well, 40 plus his one goofball friend who should have not messed with mystical items that are known for randomly dealing out catastrophic problems.

What keeps me from laughing too hard at my poor beloved’s plight is that I’ve often bit off more than I can chew with some of my interests. For instance, when my writing partner and I were poking sharp sticks at my latest writing idea, she pointed out that I will need to do no small amount of research to get things right. “Not a problem,” I told her. I love reading up on new topics. Well, my “To Read for Research” list is beginning to resemble starter hoard for a young dragon.

I foresee several afternoons with my husband and I sitting side by side with our laptops, healthy snacks placed between us (we’re old, we can’t pound back chips and soda like college kids anymore), sharing some of the highlights of what we’re currently working on and griping about these damn characters who have minds of their own. Fortunately for both us, we are both fond enough of our interests that we can handle it when they take us on odd tangents. James Boswell once wrote, “I am so fond of tea that I could write a whole dissertation on its virtues.” If he can manage a dissertation, I can do some reading on high renaissance weaponry and do a deep dive into steampunk. We’ll see how the husband manages a 40 person rescue crew. 

So dear Groovers, has what seemed like a simple decision ever led you to bite off more than you could (or should) chew? Or are any of you table top gamers out there? Tell me about a time the game went in a completely crazy direction. Or just talk to me about what’s new in your world. The comments section is open for conversation. As always, if you have a cyber home you want to continue the conversation in, talk to me about it in the comments and hit me with a link.



59 comments:

  1. That's right- thinking pulling together a manuscript would be easy!!! More like a high speed roller coaster ride! :)

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    1. LOL, ah I remember the days when I thought it was just as easy as getting my thoughts down. Good times ๐Ÿ˜‚

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  2. High geekery indeed! My new obsession at the moment is tai chi. I've learned Wu style, Yang style, am in the midst of learning Tai Chi Sword and have just yesterday started learning Tai Chi Fan. Yowza!

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    1. I've started Tai Chi at various points in time, and always enjoyed it, but life always ended up happening so I had to drop it. That's so cool you've gone to deeper levels. Tai Chi Sword? Man, that sounds hella cool.

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  3. This is duch an interesting post. I enjoyed reading it immensely.

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  4. Ha! I loved your tale. Have never played D&D but I can totally empathize with the friend who found himself in that messy zone.
    It's good that you know what and how you are getting on with your research. It reminded me of the time when I was doing this Media Research Project back in college and I had so many secondary sources that even after cutting down, I had this burgeoning Excel spreadsheet for putting together just a ten-page chapter.

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    1. I do not miss the days of writing research papers. I'm slightly terrified at needing an excel sheet to manage a small chapter!

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  5. I love that you and your husband dressed up in costume for gaming back then, and that your interests still carry you along now. His predicament with the rescue party sounds rather busy. LOL.

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  6. Ohh wow a dissertation on the virtues of tea ... now that would be interesting!!๐Ÿ’– Between you and me nothing has ever been simple in my life ๐Ÿ˜› it has been one rollercoaster after the next!

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    1. But sometimes those who survive the rollercoasters have terrific stories to tell later.

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    2. No doubt!๐Ÿ’– *hugs and kisses*

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  7. I'm the player in question. Hello!
    We have it narrowed down to a 6 person crew, much to the dismay of many volunteers. My single post has encouraged a community to not only rescue my character, but create a group of adventures on standby to help out characters who have been abandoned. A kind of D&D A-Team. I've lit a poweder keg and it's quite overwhelming.

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    1. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

      Thanks for the update Gronk! I actually think the D&D A-Team idea sounds really neat. Gamers on standby for missions- I'm not surprised its turned into a thing. :D

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    2. I shouldn't be surprised. This is a community that just raised 4.5 million dollars in less than 24 hours to create an animated short of a streaming D&D game.

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    3. *Now ponders creating a role playing system for the Yuuki-verse with the husband*

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  8. Well, I'm writing a novel. So I decided to create some cover art for it. "Not a problem," I thought. I'll just whip something up in Photoshop. Well, i did some research, and it looked like the sort of art I wanted to create -- some badass fantasy art kind of thing -- could be created with a program called Daz Studio Pro. So Idownloaeded it -- it was free to use, so why not? -- and then I discovered the Daz 3D store. Full of 3D models, sets, hairstyles, costumes for your 3D characters . . . and I was hooked. I made a few test renders, and started really getting into 3D graphics and design. Now I do 3D art full time along with my writing as a hobby, and am STILL plugging away at writing that novel on my laptop while my main computer renders the art project I'm currently working on! And I've spent nearly $10,000 on Daz3D content. I am such an addict. :-) (If you want to see some of the cool art I've created in my dawdling away from my writing, just hop on over to my blog; Rommy's given me permission to drop the following link into this comment: http://www.williamahainline.com .)

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    1. You definitely went down the art rabbit hole, but I know you're having a blast seeing what you can do with all the cool stuff on the software. I like seeing your creations of Facebook - whenever the damn algorithm decides to show it to me that is. *shakes fist at FB*

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  9. Oh, and the novel is two-thirds completed . . . it's going to be downright awesome when it's done. Rommy can attest to this. :-) She helped beta-read the first draft of the first two-thirds of it, and helped me spot several GLARING flaws it had, which I'm in the process of fixing as we speak. :-)

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  10. First, I must say that the intro poem must be read with an eyebrow raised in The Rock style. There is just something about the tone--maybe the sarcasm--that says that something hysterical will follow. Speaking of hysterical, I laughed so hard reading about the DM's troubles (does that make me a horrible person?). I hope he doesn't pull his hair out. I also hope his friend appreciates the efforts being made. If not, well... there is always another hell dimension to throw him into *cough*. 40 people... wow!

    To answer your question, well... maybe a time or three, especially when it comes to deadlines.

    Here is my bit for this week: https://magalysblog.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-power-of-handmaking-and.html.

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    1. Oh the guys will good-naturedly bicker about this one for years to come if my Facebook wall is any indicator. And don't feel bad about laughing, because I sure as hell did too. :D

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  11. I came here looking for your reponse to the Sound Of Blues prompt on TOADS?

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  12. I misunderstood that Tuesday on TOADS is an open link. My apologies, Now that I am straightened I like your post here, very much.

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    1. It's OK. I spoke with a close friend of mine who had the very same thing happen to her ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

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  13. Your post made me grin widely as it brings back memories of playing D&D through the night with friends. Unfortunately we haven’t played in the past few years, and not likely to resume anytime soon; life got in the way. But all the best to your hubby. Trying to herd 40 plus online sounds like fun!

    Ah, you plan on diving into Steampunk? It's one my favourite genres to read. I can’t wait to hear more about your renaissance weaponry reading. :)

    As for biting more than I can chew, it seems I haven’t learnt enough lessons. I thrive on stress. :(

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    1. Ooh! Give me suggestions for some of your favorites. I have to admit, this is the fun part of the research.

      And that's so cool you're a former gamer too. I don't get to play very often either, but it's something I keep in the back of my mind to do regularly when I retire.

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  14. Nicely put, Rommy! Those adventures are wonderful to explore in conversation and poetry with you can't quite manage physical adventures any more.

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    1. The husband and tried a LARP (live action role playing) together ages ago, but even then we really couldn't hack a whole weekend playing schedule on very little sleep. I'm nearing 50 and I need a comfortable bed plus guaranteed quiet.

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  15. I want to see pictures of the costumes!! I am not familiar with D&D but it sounds interesting. How funny that he got caught up in the middle of saving his friend on the game who went down the rabbit hole he shouldn't have to begin with.

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    1. LOL, I'll have to dig through the photo albums for those! His friend got caught into one of those weird little details of story that he never thought anyone would really try. The husband introduced something called a deck of many things into the story - basically a player pulls a card at random and the card could cause something really wonderful, like getting your own castle, or something truly terrible, like getting stuck in hell. His friend drew 6 times from it! My husband was sure they'd leave the thing alone! :D

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  16. I'm an amateur photographer who doesn't know crap about camera settings. I sit down to learn more about that black lens box and feel like I have been forced to do trigonometry. I think I need to stay in the slow lane. Fast tracing all I don't know is well, like trying to drive a NASCAR race at 45 rpm. lol

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    1. My daughter just started a photography class in school! LOL, I think she does prefer it to trigonometry (she also has that this marking period) but she assures me it isn't as simple as point and shoot. Good luck and I hope you master the mysteries of the black box. :)

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    1. I'm glad my ramblings are helpful, even if in a small way.

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  18. The message in your poem is so true

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  19. The best three lines of wisdom I've read in a long while, Rommy - Timeless...

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  20. I love your "Love's work" poem, and laughed at your husband's dilemma (or should I call it his "new life's work?" LOL.

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  21. I think if we love it, most of our work will take us out in the tangent sometimes...

    As long as there is a way to get back on track diversions are part of the road.

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    1. Yeah, there's always the danger of diversions becoming full bown distractions.

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  22. You really never know where love's work will take you. It can be quite an adventure, but the result (wherever one ends) is usually worth it!

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    1. You always have good stories to tell afterwards too.

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  23. The pleasures and temptations of research! An old project is still spawning additions to my reading list. :)

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    1. My to-read list is a multi-headed hydra :D

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  24. A wise - and cleverly droll - senryu that dovetails into some wonderfully written prose. A good read!

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  25. Ah! The poem is mere prelude to the tale!
    It is definitely a charmer to work side by side knowing what the other is going through. I'm reminded of Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet when he talks about mature love emerging where 2 (I suppose there could be more) work on their own paintings side by side, ever clear on respect and binding and releasing.He says it better. I have discovered I like inviting two or three writers over to work together separately. As in a library, it creates an undeniable atmosphere of "Ok, let's do it." Thank you for these words.

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    1. LOL, I think I need to add that book to my reading list too.

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  26. How curious to read a blog and somehow get involved in something that you have no interest in all and get swept away into your husbands involvement in a game he has no great interest in and which I have even less whilst trying to catch up with commenting on at least three poetry blogging sites that I was unable to do on Sunday! (As I live in Australia and we are a long way ahead of you in time and it is Monday here!)

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  27. I'm vastly amused at such a short piece of poetic wisdom being followed by such a long and detailed back story! Love the image of you and hubby being contentedly geeky side by side. (My firstborn and a small circle of friends he's known since schooldays still play D&D regularly, in their 50s.)

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    1. There is no such thing as a short gaming story. ๐Ÿ˜‚ My husband and his buddies are exactly the same way. He's been playing D&D with some of them since high school.

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  28. You and your husband are adorable! I love this! Sometimes, if we just go with the flow, even if we thought we bit off too much, it all just seems to work out right! Big Hugs!

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