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Message: <blockquote data-quote="cougent" data-source="post: 4453867" data-attributes="member: 48665">I have never hidden it, but neither have I made it public knowledge either.  Most of my family and friends know that I play D&D because they have either heard about it, played it with me, or at least been asked if they wanted to join a game.  However there are professional people and acquaintances that I have known and associated with for years who don't know anything about it (to the best of my knowledge).  If asked about it specifically I would not lie, but I will probably never volunteer it to certain people either.I don't know if it is because I care about what they think or not.  I tell myself that I have a good relationship with them at a certain level and there is no reason to tell them about D&D or several other things either (religion, politics, etc.) and threaten that relationship.  I just consider it private and personal information that I will pass along to those that I decide are on a "need to know" basis.  However I am a fairly private person and follow this same pattern with much about myself, so it just fits my personality.The "thing" that still does concern me is that while we may talk about it freely, and use terms like geek and nerd to describe ourselves (I do not) these are all still perceived as negative accolades by the so called mainstream world.  When writers / journalists want to create a slam / hit piece about our hobby the phrase "living in parents basement" and the words geek or nerd or both are copiously sprinkled all throughout the articles, and D&D will usually be highlighted with bold text to further underscore the perceived stigma.  I simply don't want to get into that whole debate, so I call myself a gamer.  Just as in my professional life I call myself a techie.  Maybe I am splitting hairs, but it just doesn't feel right to me to accept intended derogatory and insulting treatment and take pride in it.  I just can't do it.</blockquote>

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