socializing

OK so that's a broad topic, but I want to look at a tool and aspect that I've only recently begun to appreciate and utilize again.

I collect, and will soon again, play with toy soldiers. On and off I've been doing it for 15 years, and I've made some solid friends through it during the years.It has been characterized as a waste of money and time by some, but I am about to swing it to my benefit.

I have been involved with the 'gaming' scene for at least ten years in my home country, I even wrote a blog about it (don't look, I've locked it away). Gaming for those of us who don't know is anything like Dungeons and dragons, role play, computer gaming, table top war gaming etc etc etc. I've stood in muddy fields facing shield walls, I've sat around a table while a friend delivers fiery exposition and I've stared down opponents across a miniature battlefield. I've never won anything.

I've charged headlong back to the hobby for one reason and one reason only: having written this blog for less then two months I've realised that all of my social interaction almost exclusively comes from work. This needs to change, mainly because work isn't a social situation. I know from years of gaming that the hobby is littered with Aspies and others of our ilk. I may also have discovered an army that finally captures me and looks fun to build, paint and stomp my enemies with. Also I have a giant gaming hall down the road (hint, hint). This gaming business will get me out of the house, have me meet new people, and I already know loads of people in the hobby.

As an Aspy I don't realise I miss things (friends? who the hell wants them? ME!) until I sit down and think, and that is what this blog is forcing me to do. It is highlighting issues I hadn't even realised I was having. Just from the amount of times I've mentioned work so far made me realise that my life is currently work, eat sleep, university, eat, sleep, work. That's not really healthy.

With the hobby, I have an easy in, I already own an army to get me started, I just need to build it and paint it (*SIGH*), and I know people who can teach me the new rules and then whip me round the hall like the dog that I am.

All this talk of hobby is getting me into a hobby frenzy, better procrastinate some more......