Fuck You, Wizards of the Coast

I have been playing Dungeons and Dragons for roughly half my life. There are two kinds of people in this world: those who have never played D&D, and those of us who weren't like other children. I'm considered 'old school' because I prefer the Advanced D&D 2nd edition over the redone, revamped, and totally incomprehensible 3.0 or 3.5 editions. I recently read "Celebrating 30 years of D&D." And that's why I say fuck you WOTC. Gary Gygax (for those of you who don't know--first of all why are you reading this post, and 2nd of all, he's the father of D&D and RPGs in general) is mentioned about twice in the whole book. It's like WOTC is saying, Gary Gygax didn't invent the pen, he just found a way to put the ink in it. They give him no credit at all. WOTC bought out TSR during desperate times, and personally I think they destroyed it. Commercialized it. Let's face it. ( And I can say this because I am a gamer) D&D is not a hip cool game for hip cool people. D&D is a game that requires creativity and imagination. It's for us people with pale skin who weren't that great at sports to unleash themselves into a world of complete fantasy. If you ask me, there is still nothing more fun then sitting down at my kitchen table with 4 or 5 friends with character sheets, dice and pencils for a marathon gaming session. If you've ever played you know. If you haven't, then you never will.

Don't complain to me, complain to the manufacturer

I'm now 6 1/2 months pregnant and I still smoke. I've cut down, but I haven't quit. Mainly, I don't smoke in public anymore, because my belly is finally starting to poke out, and I get sick of the dirty looks and rude comments. But honestly, I know I don't have the only bad habit. Because my insurance sucks (state issue medical card) I am forced to go to the clinic at the hospital instead of seeing a private doctor. It's horrible there. A giant, unprofessional cattle call. Me and 30 other pregnant women. The nurses frown at me and give me lectures when I say I'm still smoking, but they say nothing to the girl sitting across from me with a 1 liter of Mountain Dew in her hand. No one says anything to a pregnant woman sitting in Burger King with 2 Whoppers, a super size fry and soda in front of her. Or to the pregnant woman who sits on her ass watching Dr Phil and Ricki Lake all day. I don't drink soda or eat fast food. My kids and I walk everywhere. So you're saying that me smoking 8 or 10 cigarettes a day is killing myself and my baby?!?! Back in the 50s, smoking was vogue. It was in. It was cool. Everyone did everywhere. You smoked in stores and doctors offices. Babies were born looking around the room for an ashtray to park their Lucky Strikes. Now don't tell me cigarettes are any worse today than they were forty years ago. The dangers are all still there. Yet surprisingly, we have a whole generation grown up whose mothers smoked and they are fine for the most part. Let me sum this whole rant up with one example, one that I know personally. I smoked during my 1st pregnancy (pot as well as tobacco), but I also filled myself with the best foods I could get my hands on. Lots of milk and oj, fresh fruit & veggies, whole grains and lean meats. No caffeine, no sugar. Plenty of exercise. My kids are 2 of the healthiest specimens you will ever see. My sister-in-law smoked cigarettes, drank soda by the quart, ate fast food, pizza, cookies and chips everyday. Her idea of home-cooking or fresh food was frying the fish sticks and french fries herself. Both of my nephews are behind developmentally. WAY behind. The 8 year old has major hearing & speech issues, and the 4 year old has the mentality and behaviour of a 2 yr old. There's my example, make of it what you will.