What's The Frequency, Kenneth?

A friend of mine asked what began as an innocuous question about the frequency of my APBA game playing regimen.

She had read some of my previous posts here about the zen of this game and she knew I was obsessed with the dice rolling hobby and the historical knowledge it provides.

But she didn’t know how often I played and that was the basis of her query. 

“So, do you only play the games on the weekend?” she asked.

“No,” I replied, somewhat surprised by her supposition. “I play every day. I roll four or five games each day.”

She paused and then continued on to the next subject. But I knew what would have come next. I’ve been there before. There are some who think this game is child’s play and a waste of time and that I should be doing something better with my time. In the past, I’ve had former girlfriends tell me that had I spent as much energy on, say, writing a book or curing cancer as I do on the game, I’d be rich.

Notice, these are “former” girlfriends I’m talking about. They didn’t get the peace the game brings and the feeling of accomplishment it gives when you complete a season. And if they don’t get that, they ain’t for me.

Of course on the inverse, had I spent more time solving the world’s problems than juggling the 1981 Minnesota Twins’ anemic batting lineup or scheduling the rotation of the Dodgers’ 1964 pitching staff, I may have become rich and been able to keep any  one of those exes from gaining the moniker “former.”

But this game is important in my routine of life. And the fact that I play it nearly every day may ease the problems I have for not being rich and not winning the Nobel Prize for fixin’ diseases. At least it brings a sense of satisfaction and soothes the fact that, nay, I’m not going to be able to afford a new car every other year.

“You need to get out more,” the same friend who questioned my game-playing schedule once said. And I thought, “What are you talking about? I go places every night.” I’m at several ballparks nightly while playing the games. If Delta gave out frequent flyer miles for the stops I’ve made while replaying the 1981 season alone, I’d be able to fly to the moon and back for free.

Other than when I was sick earlier this year, or on the rare occasion  if I have a very early morning news assignment, I grab the dice each day.

And it’s become a part of my daily habit. Wake up, roll two or three games, go to work, come home, eat, roll two or three games, go to bed, lather, rinse, repeat.

When things change, it affects me. Today, for example, I fell behind while writing a seemingly endless barrage of news and stayed at work late. There were three murders in the area and I had to chronicle each one. When I finished writing one, a police department would issue a news release on a second killing. That done, a third release would appear, all while I watched the clock. I felt like yelling out, “Stop getting whacked! I’ve got games scheduled for tonight.”

But, like most days, I made it home and eventually drifted back to the room where the game lies and got in a few games.

Tomorrow, it’ll be the same. And, although I’m not spending my time curing cancer, at least I’m not out there killing folks.