I found your entry interesting so I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog …

We all suffer from inertia at times. We know we really should do something, but we can’t get ourselves to get around to do it. It’s the difference between “should do” and “want to do.” Most people don’t seem to want to make a difference.

However, if those of us who really do care and are willing to act on our beliefs reach out to educate and encourage others, well, just maybe we’ll tip the scales.

It’s like the song “Alice’s Restaurant” by Arlo Guthrie, where he talks (in a very rambling and entertaining fashion) about how to avoid getting drafted into the army.

“And the only reason I’m singing you this song now is cause you may know somebody in a similar situation, or you may be in a similar situation, and if you’re in a situation like that there’s only one thing you can do and that’s walk into the shrink wherever you are, just walk in say “Shrink, You can get anything you want, at Alice’s restaurant.” And walk out.

You know, if one person, just one person does it they may think he’s really sick and they won’t take him. And if two people, two people do it, in harmony,they may think they’re both faggots and they won’t take either of them.

And three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people walking in singin a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and walking out. They may think it’s an organization.

And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said fifty people a day walking in singin a bar of Alice’s Restaurant and walking out. And friends they may thinks it’s a movement.

And that’s what it is , the Alice’s Restaurant Anti-Massacre Movement.”

The “Tipping Point for Heroes” is really one of the basic premises of this School – by reaching out and encouraging people across the world that they can be a Hero in every day life, and that there are many others who believe the same way they do, we can all make the future better for everyone.

All I can say is don’t give up trying to convince your friends to act. Don’t lose hope that you can make a change. Sometimes, change, true change, takes a long time.

“Alice’s Restaurant” was written in 1965. They ended the “Draft” in 1973, and have not tried to reinstate it. Attitudes do change.

Standing up for what’s right and trying to make a difference using connections with other people can be frustrating to the point of giving up. It seems that for every one Hero, there are a thousand others too afraid, too blind, or too apathetic to join you in taking that stand to make a real difference.

Personally, I have an extremely wide circle of friends from all walks of life, but more often than not I am the only or one of a very few who will put my foot down or draw that proverbial line in the sand when I see something wrong happening. People I know are so wishy washy, so mind bogglingly frustratingly NEUTRAL. They don’t want to take a stance, pick a side, or cause any ripples because they don’t want to deal with the consequences of that. I get looked at like I am the asshole of the group, the outspoken and brash stubborn guy because I won’t just “let it go” when I feel passionately about something.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s just too hard to tip those scales and get others to join you when we live in a world ruled by apathy and fear of reprisal.

I first played Hero’s Quest (that’s right) back in 1992 on a beat up old Tandy my best mate’s uncle revamped for us. We soon found a pile of AD&D 2e books at a garage sale and that, as they say, was that.

Now, many years later, we have come full circle and I have run the Quest for Glory campaign on table top for our children, nieces and nephews.

Thank you for all your hard work and for giving me oodles of material to entertain the kiddos with

I found your entry interesting do I’ve added a Trackback to it on my weblog …

A point / achievement system would really help me organise myself in a fun way. and if it’s more then just a fun thing for me, then maybe it could be for others as well. The achievements are a fun way to give myself positive feedback, and hopefully it will show me I’m not as useless as I think I sometimes am, when I’ve got something to back up my claims to productivity. And wouldn’t it be cool if someone noticed my efforts and struggles and feel motivated to give me some useful tips?

I’m really curious if this achievement idea could extend to relationships. I would love to achieve a 10/10 rating streak, and have my girlfriend’s feedback to back it up.

I’ve googled a couple of times to find a website that I can register to that would let me start on something like this, but none that come near, and ones that are slightly relevant seem unorganised or not really thought out.