Good morning, everyone! Husband and I went to TotalCon in Mass. and played DnD 12+ hours a day for 4 days. It was without a doubt the *geekiest* weekend of my life, and I loved every minute of it! I mean, it only takes a few dragons, drug-addled barmen and plague-changed tentacle-thingys before you are all friends, right? :)

If you know what I'm talking about, then you're already ahead of the game -- if not, check out Wizards of the Coast, your one-stop shop for Dungeons and Dragons knowledge and info on how to start playing.

Anyway, I took a quick peek at the tech headlines of the day, but there isn't anything out there that trumps DnD for me this morning, so that's what we're going to talk about. Riding the fence on this one? Well, don't make fun of me until you've tried it!

How's DnD work? It's like mixing a board game and a video game together, only you're playing the video game in your mind. OK, weird explanation, let's try again ...

Imagine you're sitting around a table. There are little miniatures showing your piece on the board, and there is a little path your mini has to follow to win and rules of what kinds of movements you can make. Roll your dice, make your move, then the next person goes. Pretty standard, right? These, my friends, are the rules to DnD, too, only much cooler!

Instead of a metal top hat, you get to create a mini avatar to represent yourself -- you can be an elf ranger who shoots arrows, a gnome sorcerer who casts wicked spells, a halfling thief with a dagger, a big brutish fighter with an ax ... the possibilities could go on for hours. You have a bunch of fun, colorful dice to roll for all of your moves and attacks (really simple instructions with them, too ... mine are sparkly).

The board-game aspect of it is simple: There is a Dungeon Master (the most experienced person who knows all the rules) who plays the story narrator. This person will take you through the story and tell you everything you need to know. Oh, and they control all of the monsters, so they're also trying to kill you :) Games take 4 hours and will be the most fun you've had playing a game in a long time.

Girls, may I suggest 'Confessions of a Part-Time Sorceress' for your reading pleasure? The author is a true girly girl, with her Prada pumps, her Gucci purses and, you know, optimal personal hygiene. She worked for Wizards of the Coast as a PR rep, and ended up being invited to play a game one night. Needless to say, she's totally hooked, and she shares her gradual acceptance of the game -- and her friends' acceptance of her new hobby! -- in this hysterical how-to. (Click the link box to check it out!)

We'll be back Wednesday for some real news, but thank you for allowing me to indulge and share my weekend hobby with you all! Email me if you have more questions or want to know more!