gaming monkey

While Anne and I drove down the freeway today, Just Like Heaven came on the radio.

"This was my first CD," I said.

"I know," she said. "You tell me that every time we hear a song from it."

"And one day, you'll hear it, and I won't be here for some reason or another, and you'll wish I was here to tell you."

While we both pondered the macabre nature of that particular thought, I realized that not only was this album forever linked to my first CD player, but it also gave me hypernostalgic memories of gaming with my group of friends in high school.

"I don't know what it is," I said, "but lately, I've wanted to get together with geeks and do a weekend of serious nonstop gaming."

She glanced over at me. "Oh?"

"Yeah. But this is more than the usual 'I want to play Car Wars' thing. This is a serious --" I searched for the exact word to describe the overwhelming longing, approaching psychophysical need to play, and settled on, "Jones. Like an addict, you know?"

I wiggled around in my seat, and faced her, "It's like there's -- hey, aren't we taking the 110?"

"Whoops." She said, as she quickly changed lanes.

"It's like there's a monkey on my back. A gaming monkey, and he's rattling dice in my ear."

"Like he's shaking them in a Yahtzee cup?" She said.

"Gamers don't use Yahtzee cups," I said, as patiently as I could. "It's more like he's holding a bag of dice in his hand." I held my hand up, and felt the invisible bag in my palm. "And he's rattling the dice around."

"Is it your bag of dice?" she said.

"Yeah! It's totally my bag of dice!" I paused for a moment, and added, "but he's not opening it. Because if he opens it, and touches my dice, I will fucking kill that monkey."

Comments

[thespian]

TOUCH NOT THE MONKEY.

[Snowball]

It's that damn Evil Monkey thats been traveling from closets to closets, except now he's migrated to backs!

The Evil Monkey must be stopped!

[SorenT]

Give in to the monkey, Wil. Game.... GAME.... Your dice miss you. And you don't want your dice to miss, do you?

Besides, you can't beat the monkey (uhm, what?). Give in to the monkey

[Clay]

Wil, that just made me laugh almost loud enough to wake up the housemates.

Thank you.

Clay

[Kidda]

Its better than the work monkey being on your back! Game on :)

[David Gallo]

I have also been feeling the gaming bug bite hard - I've been going up to Game Empire about once a month and picking up various board & card games.

What about trying to do a game at Game Empire? I'd be willing to drive up from the OC to play.

[demonseedgfx]

haha its that 35 year old thing my friend. I to (35 oct 15th 2007) feel the urge to don the table with crystal dice and white lead soldiers of the dungeons. I yearn to gather forth my pals of years past and once more march upon the evil that lurks in the tower. But my girl, well she would kick my ass if the books rose from the cask the dwell in at the moment. But one day, oh yes ,one day they shall return for the profits have told me.

[MikeN]

We got a nice new kitchen table earlier this week and dammit but that sucker is gonna feel the rattle of dice across it in the near future. Even if I do have to cave into my wife's demand that I "put a sheet over it" for gaming.

[rmd]

IS THAT MONKEY FONDLING YOUR PENDULOUS DICE SACK?

damn you for making me think disturbing thoughts like that at this hour of the morning. *shakes fist towards the west coast*

also, i may have to hunt up my well-worn chivas regal bag full of dice this morning and touch it. just a little bit.

[Mr. Wright]

www.geekson.com Wil.
They're geeks, they live in your area, they are "Hollywood professionals" like yourself...also they have a podcast where we could all hear about your gaming exploits.

[Belial]

Don't touch my dice!

Isn't it odd how gamers are so superstitious about our dice? I mean, I used to sort them and line them all up in a particular order before every session.

[Mr. Lizard]

It's also a 48 year old's thing. A while back, a group of friends allowed me to join their play-test group. It was a blast, even when the game wasn't working the way it should have. I really miss those nights staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning trying to come up with better suggestions for a Role Play game rule or the text on a Collectible Card Game card. And, you're absolutely right... There's nothing so great as the sensation one gets when gently squeezing one's dice though a cheap suede draw-string bag!

[Scath]

Just wanted to say, that last line cracked me the hell up. =)

[starshine_diva]

*points in angry rage*

I'll have a LAN party with you... Care to fly me to California?

[Jessika]

Hubby and I have been wanting to game lately, but it's hard coordinating when you have a 1.5 year old. Also, we can't convince the gaming group our friend DMs sometimes to stop chasing elves (we're not wanting D&D...blasphemy I know...) and come game some All Flesh or CoC. They keep saying they want to game those, but it's been like trying to herd cats.

[Banzai]

The Monkey will win in the end. But you must control him.

Until then you can game vicariously. Here are some of our game logs.

Hollow Earth Expedition (ongoing) Exile Games

Firefly (over?)(homegrown but ultimately a variant of Dogs of the Vineyard by Lumpley Games)

Ravenloft (completed) the classic, now released by WotC

And a beloved playtest which lead to a game called "Midnight" by Fantasy Flight Games (thumps his weapon against the ground twice)

plus a few others we've played over the years.

[Daniel Sroka]

I know what you mean by jonesing. I haven't had a good gaming session in years, YEARS I tell you! Wouldn't even know where to find like-minded people if I could find the time.

[fairnhite451]

My old D&D group (plus a few new folks we've brought over from the dark side of table top sports games) gets together twice a year.

It started with a planned weekend retreat in the fall, has grown to include a summer weekend at my place, and word has it we're adding a spring one to the rotation next year in a 3rd city where some of us live.

Yes, as your kids get older, and your relationships grow that "bedrock solid" quality to them ... gaming makes a comeback.

Me very happy.

[YMM]

I've been an avid reader for some time, but this is the first time I've posted, simply because you've touched a potent topic for me.

I've been without my home PC for a couple of months, desperately trying to get it up and running and get back on with my games. Jonesing isn't the word, I'm dieing a slow death because I've had to turn back to TV for a modicum of entertainment.

If you get a chance to get in that gaming session, do it. And just think of the many of us who can't but are dieing to.

[VT]

You should totally have a gaming weekend, dude.

I've been trying to find an open group to game with in LA/OC without much luck. Playing with people I don't know in the past has been a big hassle; overcoming the 'OMG a woman who games!' hurdle isn't too much fun.

In the meantime, I've started playing board games with Geektitude (http://geek.meetup.com/1/) and the OC board gamers (http://boardgames.meetup.com/40/).

You know what I've really been jonesing for? A good solid day of playing cooperative Diablo II.

[Squirrelgnome]

I haven't laughed so hard at one of your posts in a long time. I can relate so much it hurts. I wish I could go back and tell my high school self to truly appreciate all the time gaming with my best friends. The unfortunate thing is that I don't know where half of them are today.

Did anyone else try to cook the opposite end of the 20 on a die 20 so it lands on an automatic hit more often?

[Alan]

I've been wanting to have a marathon co-op session of the original Gauntlet on the 360 arcade. If you are game then you know how to get in touch with me.

[kristinalead]

Boy, you really left that one open for those of us with dirty minds as well as gaming minds - I will restrain myself from expressing all of my bad thoughts...

[solace]

It must be that time of year. I'm not into D&D but those cards are shuffling awfully loud in that Carcassonne box downstairs. I'm totally calling my friends after work to get together this weekend! Thanks for kick starting the fall board game "season" with your post.

[Brad]

This reminds me of the marathon weekends my buddies and would have playing Super Techmo Bowl in middle school. My parents dreaded those nights. I swear we would wake them up every couple of hours with our obnoxious yelling and taunting.

I also can't forget those crazy benders of FFIII and FFVII. Ahh, those were the sleepless nights :)