• Gaming,  Geekery,  General Jane

    Rolling Dice in Anger

    Heromeet takes place in bar uno at Bangor university it is part games soc reunion part games fest.  I’d been invited to go along by friends who are long time gamers, we boardgame with them quite regularly and had been told that we would be very welcome to join them at this meet. Friday night was spent playing board games, Ticket To Ride, Seven Wonders at least that’s all that I remember playing there was a lot of general catching up with folks we knew and general merriment. But Saturday was mainly taken up with playing Dungeons and Dragons.  Oh my freaking squee. Its worth pointing out at this point…

  • Geekery

    On Fandom, snobbery and other ills

    I’ve been thinking about fandom and the arbitrary hierarchies that are constructed by the tribes within. I’ve written before about how I find it problematic and one thing I really dislike is the way some people like to laugh at ‘lower/less worthy’ fandoms. I’ve been guilty of it myself I have rolled my eyes at someone else’s and I have come to the conclusion that it really is just not on to harsh on someone else’s squee. Which brings me to Twilight. I read the books and the first film and decided it was not for me. It made me feel all kinds of wrong. However, an awful lot of…

  • Geekery

    Gatekeepers and why I'm not a fan

    I have a problem with Gatekeepers in geekdom and fandom. Self-appointed guardians of what it means to be a fan. Those who have a personal credo and if you don’t know the answers to the questions or you weren’t there at the beginning then you can’t be a real fan. I’m quite a sensitive person, I’m a survivor of bullying and I hate us and them mentalities. I understand the need for folks to create their own communities where they create safe spaces and the desire to control that space by building walls around it and pulling up the drawbridge. I am someone who usually ends up outside the castle…

  • Geekery

    Ten things you should do to survive at a convention

    Having just got back from Nine Worlds I’ve been reflecting on Conventions of this type and how just attending can really impact on your body.  Folks tend to push themselves beyond their normal capacity for doing things because there are so many shiny things to do happening from dawn til dawn if we’re honest so here are some tips that have helped me. Pace yourself.  It sounds lame but it really helps survive the cons that run over several days.  Don’t get stupidly drunk, try to grab some sleep you will handle everything better. Plan your panels and have back up choices.  Try to get to panels early and if something…