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Podcasting D&D Games
Reader PoC wrote to give us a heads up on RPGmp3.com, a site that (wait for it) allows you to download reviews of D&D modules in audio format. These include live, unscripted excerpts from gaming sessions trying out the modules. If you've never played D&D before, this is a safe and cheeto-free way to check it out. They even have exerpts from sessions in the awe-inspiring ($100 US) World's Largest Dungeon.
I don't really care what your hobby is - there are going to be "normal" people doing it, and some rather extreme people. Whipping down a hill at 100mph on nothing put a board of wood or two is not exactly my favourite activity, but skiing at normal paces is fine. Heck, I know people who ski 3 times a week - how do they do it when they have jobs or girlfriends?
Answer: as with anything else in life, it's priorities. For those who don't spend time organising their priorities before doing them, the priorities naturally gravitate to things you feel comfortable doing, and that you are good at. Some people aren't comfortable in social situations as themselves - e.g., low self-esteem. Don't deny them their hobby just because they ain't like you.
The group that I currently game with involves: one MBA, one elementary teacher, one pre-school teacher, one engineer, and one tech graduate. The two teachers are women. We play once every few months. No harm, no foul - keep your paranoia and delusions to yourself.
Mind you ... none of us were anywhere near those 30th anniversary games.
Not to feed a troll, but... Gaming is a hobby with a 'loser' repuation. You might recall that, up until fairly recently, reading SF, tinkering with computers, and electronics had that same reputation-still do, to some extent. It's a pretty safe bet that anyone here does at least one of the three, and likely more than one. My gaming group consists of seven people. WE play once a month or so, because of our personal and professional lives. The group has a test engineer, a project manager, a software engineer, an avionics tech, a special ed teacher, an accountant, and a stay-at-home mom (two young kids). None of these are exactly name tag and paper hat professions. In the relationship area, the group is 3 couples and one single guy (me) who's single because I like my toys (Cars, computers, bikes, and paintball) and the ability to play with them freely more than I like relationships. I've had the experience to tell, too. Any hobby has its 'off' people. Tell me what your hobbies are, and I'm sure I can kick an unsavory stereotype at you; it will be at least as true as the ones about gamers...