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[Ycore Rixle]

I love D&D.

I loved getting Dragon and Dungeon in the mail in the 80s, curling up on my couch in my internet-less living room, and reading them cover to cover. Sometimes my mom brought me orange juice.

I loved playing D&D in my 80s bedroom with Bard's Tale posters on the wall, comics and BB gun in the closet, and the whole neighborhood on my desk chairs, bed, floor, while I DM'd the hell out of any module I could find.

I loved playing D&D in college in the Student Union with cheeseburgers only two steps and a card swipe away. I loved making new friends through D&D.

I loved starting my first teaching job, mentioning D&D, and having a kid come up to me after class and say, "Hey, the social studies teacher plays too. You guys should hang out." We did. D&D is the best ever for making friends.

I loved going to my first Gen Con and feeling what it's like to be surrounded by 30,000 people who share your favorite hobby. I loved walking into the dealer's hall and hearing five adult men rush past me giggling about free t-shirts and dice like they were 10-year-olds running to the tree on Christmas morning... and I felt the same exact way.

I loved walking into Neutral Ground in New York with the gaming club from my all-girls Upper East Side school and watching every one do a double-take. I loved watching the most gung-ho student pump the air with her fist after a crit on a Living Greyhawk Keoland wight ("There are no undead in Keoland... at least not anymore!").

I loved writing for WOTC and walking into Borders and Barnes and Nobles and seeing my names on books on the shelves. I loved contributing to the game I love.

I loved that in the hardest times in my life the game has always been there. No matter how bad the day or week is, I can always work on the campaign. I can always look forward to the next game day.

I love that my current school has gamers who are just as enthusiastic as I am. I love seeing the next generation pick up the mantle, text me about their campaigns, and me text them back during our teachers-only game about how their math teacher just foiled the nalfeshnee's illusion trap. I love that one of them beats me to every thread that I want to post in, including this one!

I love that the community is filled with people like Kevin Kulp and Scott Rouse who give away free products - their hard work - to Vicars in Tutus who love D&D.

I love that the future is so bright. I've had a great life with D&D so far, and I don't even think I've seen the half of it.

I love D&D!