The Donut Guy Blog

I find many people struggling in the world today. I talk with my parents and family about how easy it is to stay connected now, especially when we think about the power of the Internet compared to when I was a kid. Even with that, I’ve lost track of classmates, colleagues, and former students when I could easily keep in touch better. I have friends who say they have trouble making friends, and communicating with them can feel scary. My kids don’t wanna make a phone call. It seems like that’s the way the world is going. People can feel alone, isolated, and ostracized when left to it. I don’t want that; for me or for anyone else. This is the core of helping people.

Helping people can look like showing them amazing places all around them. I love to travel, and I’ve had the privilege of seeing a lot of different places and spaces. From the beauty of state parks to connections with thousands of people at conventions, there is opportunity in helping people figure out where they wanna go as much as how do we get there in a reasonable way. I also can help people find a donut that way. Those videos, I hope, help people see what’s out there but not make them feel like they can’t reach it themselves.

Helping people can look like finding joy in simple things. I have found joy in games my entire life. Different games mean different things, from solo games that make me think and contemplate for myself to games where the table is filled with smiling faces of those I care about. There are some people in the world who don’t play games because they think there is not something out there for them. GAMA has a goal of a game for every table. That’s true with people as well. There are games out there for everyone, but they may not have discovered what’s right for them. By exploring games with people and sharing them with the world, I hope that we can connect people to the games that will matter to them. It doesn’t have to be a big event, and might just be the five minutes of peace you have on your phone while you smash blocks with your finger. I hope finding games meaningful for people will mean more to the edges of their lives.

Helping people can look like finding ways for creativity to shine and connect. This past Gen Con, I was lucky enough to meet a gentleman named Alton in a Trading Spaces kind of moment. Huddled in a basement through a tornado warning, we found ourselves talking about people, family, and doing our best for others. He shared that his family were the creators of Ravenloft, Tracy and Laura Hickman, and inspired by them, he wanted to make something better for them. His wife grew up with them going to conventions and seeing them connect happily with the fans that played in their world. Alton explained that he started a company to better connect creators to their fans in a meaningful and memorable way. Beyond standing in line for a signing for five hours to meet them for five seconds, he wanted to give fans and creators a way to make and celebrate the depth of their connection. It felt so inspiring, both in what they were doing for the people they loved and what it could mean for other creators and fans. I’m proud to have made the connection, and I hope that I can help their idea soar for the good of everyone.

Helping people can look like doing things in the community that help others and yourself. I met the owner of my friendly local game store years ago when we were both in different places in our lives. After he started his own store and I became a regular, we each went different ways successfully to help the community. He started businesses that would bring different things to people and jobs to the community. I worked hard on bridging connections in education for those who needed it. Now, with both of us older and wiser, and life a bit different, I asked if he needed help while I had some time. That has led to me taking over and running board game events at the store starting next week. I hope this will help others find games and experiences within our community, while giving me a time to explore what I love in games and what I am going to continue moving forward with.

Helping people can mean a lot of different things. The new norm for me is balancing getting things into a starting pattern for finances and the new schedule. It’s talking to people in my community about where I can help since I have the time. It’s spending time with my online community and checking in on people. It’s helping a friend in a crisis. I will never have a shortage of things to do, but I want those things to start with helping people while I help myself.