Nov 28The basics of math-based improvDungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a collaborative storytelling game. This collaboration can take many forms. It doesn’t matter what skills you have (or don’t have); you can contribute! Artists, writers, musicians, and voice actors get much of the glory on social media. But, I argue that mathematicians are the unsung…Ttrpgs6 min readTtrpgs6 min read
Nov 9Reflections on a month of InktoberInktober is an annual art challenge that started in 2009. Every October, millions of artists come together to draw a new prompt each day and share the results on social media. …Drawing6 min readDrawing6 min read
Sep 26There are no pacifists in Baldur’s GateNote: I wrote this primarily to help Dungeons & Dragons players who want to play pacifist characters. However, the introduction and conclusion to this post contain minor spoilers for Baldur’s Gate 3. There are no atheists in foxholes. I posit that there are no atheists in the Forgotten Realms, either. …Dungeons And Dragons8 min readDungeons And Dragons8 min read
Jul 28Dungeon Master Screens are designed backwards. I fixed it.I’ve played tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons for almost a decade. And I’ve been professionally running games for several months. And I now believe that Dungeon Master screens were designed backwards. For the uninitiated, Dungeons & Dragons is a collaborative storytelling game. The Dungeon Master (DM) is the…Dungeons And Dragons3 min readDungeons And Dragons3 min read
Jul 20Six Reflections on Six Months of FreelancingThe word freelancer has its origins with mercenary warriors: they were quite literally a free lance. They were free, as in available; not bound by oath or slavery or any other bond to any patron. And lance described their weapon, both the tool and service they provided as lancers. Six…Freelancing8 min readFreelancing8 min read
Jul 1I’m an Etsy Star Seller. Here are five things I wish I knew before I opened my shop.Today marks four months since I opened my Etsy shop and the first month I’ve been eligible for the Etsy Star Seller badge. I’ve shipped over 100 orders across the United States, Canada, England, and Australia, all while maintaining a near-perfect 5-star rating. I’ve learned a lot on this journey…Small Business6 min readSmall Business6 min read
Apr 21Every player deserves a table, but not every table needs to take every playerI think tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) should be for everyone. There are few ways to get to know someone better than by playing improv games with them. …Dungeons And Dragons4 min readDungeons And Dragons4 min read
Mar 25I’m a paid DM. I still think D&D should be free.I’ve written before that D&D can be a free game. I am also a dungeon master for hire. I don’t find these two facts to be contradictory. A home game between friends can and should be free. Everyone has the right to the playfulness and creativity and community that a…Dungeon Mastering3 min readDungeon Mastering3 min read
Mar 23I’m an American small business owner. Here’s what I wish congress knew about TikTok.Like many Americans (150 million of us), I joined TikTok during the pandemic. We can debate whether social media is a healthy coping mechanism (or you can read Stolen Focus by Johann Hari). But that’s not why I’m here. Note: I earn a very small commission for all the Amazon…Ti̇ktok7 min readTi̇ktok7 min read
Mar 3You don’t need to sing to play a bardTable-top role-playing games (TTRPGs) like Dungeons & Dragons let you reprise the role of just about any character you can imagine. No one blinks twice at a purple-skinned lizardfolk swashbuckler who backflips into every battle. Everyone blindly accepts the 38-pound, 3-foot-tall halfling barbarian who can bend steel beams with her…Ttrpgs5 min readTtrpgs5 min read
