I am a gamer.

I have always been a gamer.

It is my oldest, most treasured, hobby.

In fact it’s more than just a hobby. If tomorrow I discovered that I could never game again it would be as if someone had told I could never drive again. It is that integral a part of my life.

Well what is this gaming stuff anyway? Well that depends on who you talk to. The stereotype is the typical geeky guy playing Dungeons & Dragons and while I certainly do that my identity as a gamer is by no means defined by my love of the D20. Not only do I play other role-playing games such as Exalted, Hero Games, and Earthdawn, but I also play computer games such as World of Warcraft, Star Wars: Empire at War, all things Sid Meirer, and the occasional one off for flavor.

Now to compound things a bit my gaming habit also includes some pretty spiffy board games. I have played and enjoyed everything from Axis and Allies to Monsters Rage Across America, the Arkham Horror to Clue and Monopoly. And let us not forget the many card games of the world. Amongst my collection of Collectible Card Games I include a copious number of cards for Magic the Gathering, Net Runner, The Decipher Star Wars CCG, and the Star Trek CCG as well as a multitude of other games I have enough for 1 or 2 small decks of. Then there is Texas Hold ‘em, Euchre, Cribbage and other games you just play with a normal deck of cards. And we mustn’t forget the all powerful Munchkin, it’s assorted offshoots, nightmare chess, etc…

And oh but it gets better. Really things like Darts, Pool, Snooker, Bowling, and Ping Pong are really all gaming too. In this case the props needed for the game are different and the skills are certainly physical but nothing I would consider an out and out sport. (Differentiated primary on grounds of whether the game is skill intensive or physically intensive. The one’s I’ve listed here aren’t..)

I have done, and do, all of these things to varying degrees. Now any one of them is something a person might consider a hobby in and of itself. In fact the only facet of gaming that I do not indulge in is Miniatures gaming. To much inherent snobbery and front end expense for my tastes.

I am a gamer. And I’ll bet you are to.