Good Omens Con was last Saturday. We had 14 games and somewhere around 50 players. Included in that roster was guest GM Carl Rigney who ran Don’t Rest Your Head in two sessions. Also we had the author (Paul Tevis), editor (Ryan Macklin) and photographer (Jeremy Tidwell) of A Penny for My Thoughts there to sign the game.
Put all that together at EndGame (who graciously hosted us) and you should have a rocking good time. For me though, there was something else going on. All the work I had put in to making this con happen had paid off and I felt like I was walking on air that day. Every time I got to see a gamer that I knew who told me a story about what happened in their game, or that I didn’t know and we were introduced for the first time, I felt a little more content, a little happier.
I was watching everyone gaming at one point, seeing faces of people laughing, sniggering, thinking or anticipating and thought THIS is what I was meant to do. I work a 9 to 5 job in IT that pays the bills. It’s not half bad, but it’s not what I love. I’ve been self employed before (for a little over a decade in fact) and I know that it isn’t and easy lifestyle. Work is never done and at the end of the day, you’re always the one on the line if something goes wrong. All that said, I never feel as happy working IT/IS as I do running games and putting events together.
Something that Paul Tevis has said a number of times. “A lot of people want to have written a book, but don’t want actually write a book.” I feel that about a lot of things. Sure I’d like to have written a game, or published a game, or created some great piece or art work but I don’t have any inclinations towards actually doing those things. What I do love doing is making things happen. I love the prep, the execution. I even love the wrap up (breaking down tables and all).
Will I lose my love if I turn it from hobby to career? Maybe, but I doubt it. I know cool people like Fred Hicks and Chris Hanrahan who have forged a career out the gaming industry and still love to play. So for me, Good Omens Con 3 was a great time but it was also a wakeup call. I’ve GOT to do this more than once a year.
Thanks everyone for making the con not only a great success but also a very clear message to me: “Sean! Do what you love!”
