So, When You're Not Playing Roleplaying Games...

[Rich Stokes]

Work: I'm in tech support.  Really not that exciting.  Used to be a web designer/programmer until the company I worked for got sold out twice in 3 months, then got shut down by the buyers.  Now running general IT support for a yachting company, and loving the quiet life.

Entertainment: I have a huge TV, biggest of anyone I know, but do not watch TV at all.  I don't actually own an aerial.  Anything that's good I'll get the DVDs of or download, saves me having to watch adverts etc.  The TV also gets used largely for Videogames.  I have pretty much every console ever made, although they see less use now that they used to.  I still keep up with the weirdass Japanese imporst and everything I have is chipped so I can get things that don't come out in the UK.

Comics: I love comics, but I never really got the Superhero comic bug as a kid. Recently started actually liking some of that stuff.  That said, I've been reading comics since I was 5, but sci-fi and noir stuff rather than supers, really.  2000ad and Aliens, more recently Transmetropolitan (if you haven't read that you really oughtta), Halo and Sprocket and Stray Bullets really rock my world.  I really don't buy comics all that much anymore.  I realised that the comic publishing model used in the US doesn't really appeal to me one bit (ie, pay 2 quid for 24 pages, wait a month, repeat) so I've switched to buying almost exclusively collections.  Some people moan that people like me are killing the industry by not buying individual issues, but frankly it's not my responsibility to prop up a failing industry because it's business model sucks.

Gaming: I have a regular group on Tuesdays.  There is also the odd weekend game.  currently running Shadowrun, and actually having a really good time with it.  Also been playtesting Danger Dudes, which has been going better than expected.  Also to my shame I play Heroclix regularly.  I wouldn't say I was obsessive about it though.  I've never really played a collectable game before, and, y'know, getting Hellboy to beat up Spider man has always appealed...

Music: Industrial, verging on noise.  Hate Goth music that calls inself industrial, but this is a long and boring argumunt.  Cannot and will not listen to the radio because pop music make me actually feel sick in my stomach.  As a result I acnnot go shopping with my girlfriend, which is a bonus :)

Social: I live in the UK and so drink heavily by some standards.  Actually I drink heavily by British standards too.  Since the last Forge Birthday I've split up with my longterm girlfriend and started a relationship with another girl I've known for some time.  We're both very happy with the arrangement, but she lives in London and I live in Southampton, which is a fair old distance by our standards.  She runs a marketing company and so isn't around all that much, which suits me as I can spend plenty of time gaming and still be in a loving relationship with a non gamer.  Recently had to stop drinking for a month.  I also had to give up caffeine.  Anyone who knows me will know that this is a really big deal.  I found out all kinds of things during this period: For instance, there's a Sunday morning, apparently.  I also lost loads of weight.  I don't weigh myself, but I did notice an extra hole in my belt that I hadn't ever been able to use before.  I'm not exactly what you'd call fat, but a little overweight maybe.  Now less so.

Toys: I'm a total techno toy geek.  I Have a treo600 phone pda thingie which i love hacking to do things it shouldn't.  I have about 3 different MP3 players and such.  Several gadgets for things like programmable remote controls and such.

Bad habbits: I smoke (because I like it, not because I have to.  I often don't bother to buy any for weeks at a time), swear and drink like a fish.  I also don't do all my washing up ontime.

Interesting (?) factoid:  I still use a Dvorak keyboard.

[Malechi]

In between weekly games I usually try not to get kicked out of Med School again...long story.  The rest of the time (if there's such a thing as "the rest of the time") I usually hang out with the_girl who I've been with for 6 years.  We live together and have a dog.. half Staffordshire Bull Terrier/Half English Bull Terrier.. both the_dog and the_girl are insanely cute.  

I play guitar and write songs, which couldn't be said to approach actually playing or writing in any truly competant form.  I jam with some friends occasionally.

Occassionally I draw/sketch

I worry about my hair, spin objects around my fingers, check my email and post on too many forums neurotically.