Category: Alpha Girl, Beta Max and Me

Alpha Girl, Beta Max and Me, Review, Writing4 Comments

Finding Disney (or, feeding the beast with two ears)

Laidback DM

I remember a time when Disney was home to saccharine kid’s movies and animated classics. I remember a time when I used to watch the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday night, replaying their catalogue of old movies in two parts, once a week. There weren’t that many Disney products around at the time, aside from a glut of lunchboxes, books and viewmasters (those 3D viewer thingies with the round picture wheels – remember them? Probably not). Disney was just a struggling movie company with some interesting theme parks. Continue reading Finding Disney (or, feeding the beast with two ears)

Alpha Girl, Beta Max and Me, Mental Health, Training, Writing3 Comments

The Ballad of Long Term Systemic Gym Junkie Injuries

Laidback DM

I’m just finishing my fifth set of weighted pull ups – that’s where you hang a 20 kilograms barbell from your belt and do correct form pull ups from a suspended chin up bar – when Alpha Girl enters and stands with her arms crossed. “You sweat a lot,” she says. “And do you have to grunt so loudly?” Continue reading The Ballad of Long Term Systemic Gym Junkie Injuries

Alpha Girl, Beta Max and Me, Music, Review, Writing4 Comments

The Muso Who Said: No More! Or was it no, more…

Laidback DM

I have been a serious musician for about 25 years or so. I play guitar, drums, bass, keyboards and sing. I write my own music and have made seven albums. (And, yes, I’m a bit of a control freak when it comes to my music – so, sue me.) I have very broad musical tastes; I like metal, punk, jazz, pop, funk, rap, classical, and opera, to name a few styles. But in all my time as a serious muso, I have never, ever admitted to liking the music of Taylor Swift. Continue reading The Muso Who Said: No More! Or was it no, more…

Alpha Girl, Beta Max and Me, Christianity, Dating, Writing11 Comments

The Perils of Christian Dating (or “ask questions first and shoot after you’re married”)

Laidback DM

Alpha Girl reclines on the lounge and eyes me venomously. “So when are you going to get out and meet someone? I know it’s hard, you being a loser and all, but other people do it.”

Beta Max thumbs his Xbox controller and nods. “She’s right you know. You’ve been a hermit for too long, man.”

Through artful manipulation of multiple controller buttons I eliminate his on screen avatar, turn and smile at them both. “I’ll have you know that I’ve thought about that. I’m writing a blog about it later.” Continue reading The Perils of Christian Dating (or “ask questions first and shoot after you’re married”)

Alpha Girl, Beta Max and Me, Books, DM Hints, Role Playing Games, The Laid Back Dungeon Master31 Comments

Real Men Play D&D (when their girlfriends aren’t looking)

Laidback DM

Like many young nerds, I played Dungeons and Dragons, a tabletop fantasy role playing game and glowing beacon for nerdity everywhere. Now some of you reading this blog (if there are actually any of you), may be wondering just what this D&D thing is. Continue reading Real Men Play D&D (when their girlfriends aren’t looking)