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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 03:45:09
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Well, I am sitting here polishing up the Ixinos project, figuring out if I can convince my players to start back in our 1st Edition game, working on my new campaign world, drawing up a contract for someone to look over to do work for me, trying to pay attention to my daughter, her two brothers, my wife, watch the Universe on the History Channel, play a game of Total War: Rome (as the Greeks and kicking butt), planning my schedule for next semester, helping my wife choose a Nanny for our kids...
My brain is a frickin' mess!
Seriously, those of you who have some true focus: is it a natural trait or a learned one? I am wondering if anyone here knows of a good book that can help a fella focus! 
Most of my life I have spent gaming...from the time I was seven years old or so on...and most of that time has been spent playing D&D; but I am now getting slapped in the face with the fact that I may be getting to the point where I'm bored with D&D!!! 
Burn out...
Does anyone know maybe of a cool new "thing" in D&D that might get me back into the swing of my oldest love in life? 
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The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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dwarvenranger
Senior Scribe
USA
428 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 04:18:24
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| Stop playing for a while. After a bit you're more than ready to go again. At least that's been my experience. |
If I waited till I knew what I was doing, I'd never get anything done.
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 04:41:16
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Dunno if its D&D you are bored with, exactly. Just sounds like you have a lot going on right now. I know the feeling.
Between classes, holidays, weekly errands like grocery shopping/paying bills/etc, reading, computer games, etc, somethings just have to be pushed back/removed. I don't have any books that could help you out but my advice is to focus on the more important things and fade out the others that aren't as important.
Which was why I disappeared from WoW during the semester or hardly even turned on my xbox or ps3. I was just to overwhelmed and or tired, so something had to go and it was my computer/console games.
Probably not much help here. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6643 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 04:52:17
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Try something different. At the moment I'm engrossed in Axis and Allies Miniatures (land and sea) which is a pleasant, albeit costly, diversion.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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Zanan
Senior Scribe
Germany
942 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 09:49:19
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Chuck the Total War for a time. You see, it will never go away. Get that nanny in place to take care of the kids (for certain times only), leave the TV off (the History channel won't go away either and they'll repeat all the movies anyway!) too. D&D will also not go away.
Your family is your greatest treasure and nothing should interfere here. Such hectic a schedule won't last forever and it is important to distinguish the important bits in life from the not so important bits. (If you manage how, tell me ;) ) |
Cave quid dicis, quando et cui!
Gęš a wyrd swa hio scel!
In memory of Alura Durshavin.
Visit my "Homepage" to find A Guide to the Drow NPCs of Faerūn, Drow and non-Drow PrC and much more. |
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Ionik Knight
Learned Scribe
USA
222 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 12:54:46
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Listen to Zanan.
This time of year is family time in pretty much every religon and culture for good reasons. Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, etc...they are all perfect reasons to spend as much time with the family as possible. All your hobbies will be waiting for you after the season.
Heck the only reason I'm doing anything but family right now is I was layed off and need something to fill the time. Can't wait until tomorrow when my kids get out for xmas break. |
Fools to right of them,
Jesters to left of them,
Clowns in front of them
Pun'd and parody'd. |
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Gelcur
Senior Scribe
502 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 13:07:53
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You sound very busy. And since you asked for a book to help I would like to suggest "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" by Dale Carnegie.
I took a course a while back and this was one of the books in it. I honestly did not read much of it since I was there to learn about another aspect they were teaching but Dale Carnegie's other book that was assigned reading was excellent and worked and what I did read of this book sounded good.
I know my problem with focus is depth. I delve too deep into things, deeper then needed, and end up waisting time reading access material. If you have the time its great if you don't its horrible.
Hope this helps. |
The party come to a town befallen by hysteria
Rogue: So what's in the general store?
DM: What are you looking for?
Rogue: Whatevers in the store.
DM: Like what?
Rogue: Everything.
DM: There is a lot of stuff.
Rogue: Is there a cart outside?
DM: (rolls) Yes.
Rogue: We'll take it all, we may need it for the greater good. |
Edited by - Gelcur on 17 Dec 2008 13:08:43 |
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Alisttair
Great Reader
Canada
3054 Posts |
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Pandora
Learned Scribe
Germany
305 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 15:25:09
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| I have to agree with Zanan here fully on the Total War part. Computer games are nice (and many are addictive), but they dont give you memories worth keeping. Roleplaying games on the other hand can do that just like any time spent with other human beings. It doesnt matter that you can play MMORPGs and chat to your friends on Teamspeak at the same time, it still isnt the same quality of experience as spending time together in real life. "Body language" and most emotions simply get lost over TS and you cant convey the same depth of detail. So computer games are nice for a time, but you should not make the mistake and get too deeply "addicted". |
If you cant say what youre meaning,
you can never mean what youre saying.
- Centauri Minister of Intelligence, Babylon 5 |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 16:40:11
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| -If you're getting burned out on a single project, that (as far as I know) hasn't been going on for too long, that's not good. You, indeed, do need to refocus. Choose one: video games or the project. The TV, I find that not too much of a distraction, and that it can be put on in the background, or whatever. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 18:20:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Dagnirion
-If you're getting burned out on a single project, that (as far as I know) hasn't been going on for too long, that's not good. You, indeed, do need to refocus. Choose one: video games or the project. The TV, I find that not too much of a distraction, and that it can be put on in the background, or whatever.
Nah, I'm not really getting burned out on the Ixinos Project...it is just suffering from my current general malaise I think.
I think I'm just unhappy with the way D&D in general has taken a course on.
Take for instance my character Dalor Darden. I have always, with the release of every new addition, gave him a "reboot" so to speak. In 1st Edition he was a 17th lvl Illusionist and mid to high 20s Wizard. In 2e I made him into a 20 something Wizard with a lot of illusionist spells as primary. In 3e he essentially became an Epic character, again with a focus on Illusion magic. Now in 4e, well...there is just no way to bring him over to the new rules really...heck, I haven't even found many Illusion magics at all!
That is just one example.
As for the other things...I guess I could cut out Total War for a while...although it is my favorite game.
I gave it a lot of thought last night and this morning, and I think I'm just ticked about 4e in general and looking to find a fun game in an earlier edition. Maybe after the holidays I will enjoy playing in the Exodus online group.
Well, back to work on Ixinos and getting it done...I'll try not to drag feet too much.
As for my own project, it is coming along much faster and it is an entire world...it is just easier to create your own world than it is to work on something that doesn't truly belong to you I guess. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Nerfed2Hell
Senior Scribe
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 21:40:12
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When I go through periods of burnout, I indulge in some old fashioned Marvel Super Heroes RPG.  |
Some people are like a slinky... not good for much, but when you push them down the stairs, it makes you smile. |
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Brynweir
Senior Scribe
USA
436 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2008 : 22:20:26
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I have to admit to currently going through a bit of the "general malaise" myself. I actually quit RPing all together for a while. The only thing I have to do with D&D any more is periodically checking this site and writing. I'm not even currently reading any FR - I've gone Battletech for the moment. The break seems to be helping overall and I'm sure that eventually I'll move past whatever caused the problems in the first place.
I also have to agree that it's much easier to create your own world than it is to work on something that doesn't truly belong to you... especially when you don't even understand the reasons behind a lot of it  . |
Anyone who likes to read something that's really dark and gritty and completely awesome ought to read The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. You can check out a little taste at www.BrentWeeks.com I should probably warn you, though, that it is definitely not PG-13 :-D
He also started a new Trilogy with Black Prism, which may even surpass the Night Angel Trilogy in its awesomeness. 
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Neil Bishop
Learned Scribe
Singapore
100 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2008 : 02:23:38
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Do you exercise? I find one of the fastest cures for a "general malaise" is getting back to regular cycling. Getting your heart and lungs back to true working order seems to have added benefits psychologically, emotionally and mentally.
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Regards
NXB |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2008 : 02:57:36
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-Personally speaking, the more "extraneous" stuff you pile on, the less you'll get done. Structure works. Myself, I get "fixated" on a specific thing for a couple of days, burn through plenty of it, and then move on to something else, not always finishing whatever it was I was doing. For example, I'll spend a bunch of days fixated on mechanics, working on Elven/Kara-Tur mechanics. Then, I'll burn through some lore, writing up some stuff about whatever. And then, and then, and then.
-As it is, I just finished with a massive amount of lore, regarding Kara-Tur, and I am moving back in the mechanics direction, having looked back at some stuff I did, and liking it less, in hindsight. |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2008 : 06:10:16
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quote:
Originally posted by Neil Bishop
Do you exercise? I find one of the fastest cures for a "general malaise" is getting back to regular cycling. Getting your heart and lungs back to true working order seems to have added benefits psychologically, emotionally and mentally.
Well, no...I don't exercise. I knew that would come up from someone!
Of course, I have a bad heart that gets quite a bit out of sorts if I do much more than walk or anything that gets my heart racing. I can lift weights pretty safely...but anything Cardio is kinda taboo. I had surgery back in 2000, but it didn't fix it for good.
That is neither here nor there though...I've always had a lack of exercise since I was discharged from the Army back in 1991 because of the heart... |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2008 : 06:11:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Dagnirion
-Personally speaking, the more "extraneous" stuff you pile on, the less you'll get done. Structure works. Myself, I get "fixated" on a specific thing for a couple of days, burn through plenty of it, and then move on to something else, not always finishing whatever it was I was doing. For example, I'll spend a bunch of days fixated on mechanics, working on Elven/Kara-Tur mechanics. Then, I'll burn through some lore, writing up some stuff about whatever. And then, and then, and then.
-As it is, I just finished with a massive amount of lore, regarding Kara-Tur, and I am moving back in the mechanics direction, having looked back at some stuff I did, and liking it less, in hindsight.
I like this idea...thanks!
I'll just focus on one thing til I don't want to do it any longer and then come back to it later while I do something else. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
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Lemernis
Senior Scribe
378 Posts |
Posted - 18 Dec 2008 : 10:41:54
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FWIW, here's how I would prioritize your list:
1) trying to pay attention to my daughter, her two brothers, my wife
2) helping my wife choose a Nanny for our kids
3) drawing up a contract for someone to look over to do work for me
4) planning my schedule for next semester
(everything below this a matter of personal taste and interest)
5) working on my new campaign world
6) watch the Universe on the History Channel
7) play a game of Total War: Rome
8) figuring out if I can convince my players to start back in our 1st Edition game
9) polishing up the Ixinos project
The secret to setting priorities and optimal time management is elusive for many people; in large part, I think, because it varies greatly depending on individual strengths and weaknesses. If you can, learn to identify those in yourself. Honor your natural strenghts and learn to apply them even more effectively. Gain better insight into your deficits so that you can improve in those areas.
Try Googling "setting priorities, time management."
Hope that helps. :) |
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ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2008 : 08:04:51
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I'm lousy with time management. When I want to focus on writing or working on my website, the best way to do it is what I'm doing right now: Staying up until 3am in the morning. It's so hard to get things done when the kids are running around, and the wife's coming in and asking me to check the damn weather online. (Umm... look outside, I'm busy.) Staying up late only causes more problems down the line though.
So if you figure it out let me know. :)
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Erskine Fincher
http://forgotten-realms.wandering-dwarf.com/index.php |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 22 Dec 2008 : 22:49:27
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quote:
Originally posted by ErskineF
I'm lousy with time management. When I want to focus on writing or working on my website, the best way to do it is what I'm doing right now: Staying up until 3am in the morning. It's so hard to get things done when the kids are running around, and the wife's coming in and asking me to check the damn weather online. (Umm... look outside, I'm busy.) Staying up late only causes more problems down the line though.
So if you figure it out let me know. :)
Aye, our recent move into a smaller place (with no office!!!) has really cut into my ability to hide in my cave...
I'll let you know if I find a solution OTHER THAN sending them all out to go shopping or to visit friends and family! |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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ErskineF
Learned Scribe
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2008 : 01:56:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
Aye, our recent move into a smaller place (with no office!!!) has really cut into my ability to hide in my cave...
I have the cave, I just don't have a big rock to roll in front of the opening. :)
quote:
I'll let you know if I find a solution OTHER THAN sending them all out to go shopping or to visit friends and family!
Hurrah for Christmas shopping!!
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Erskine Fincher
http://forgotten-realms.wandering-dwarf.com/index.php |
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Losing Focus...Too Much To Do...
