The GGA Project -- Day #256 "Demented and *Sad*, But Social"

I've mentioned my friend Kenneth's unrivaled levels on the Dorkometer scale before, namely when he showed me how to play World of Warcraft just a month into this project.  Since then I've been witness to a few of his other special hobbies, but today I'd get to visit the legendary store where he used to work and which supplies him with all the little gnomes and other random accessories that make the Dork Nights (Tuesdays...yeah, no...Tuesdays are really called that in his house) possible.  Tonight he gave me the keys to the castle (er, Kastle) for


Today's New Activity: A Visit to Dork's Paradise


More than any other place I've been to, I can say I walked the length of Game Kastle in Santa Clara without having a clue what to do with anything contained therein.


There were miniatures

And role playing game guides

and board games of the kind you most definitely won't find at Target

and Warhammer stuff

and a whole set of rooms devoted to tournaments, where the dorks gather to get their game on.  A trio of middle-aged fellas allowed me to photograph their...their...well, whatever this was:

Ok, I have to disclaim now and say that I tease Kenneth (yes, to his face, and often) about his dork hobbies, but I'm really not trying to hate on the people who call Game Kastle [their second] home.  And the title to this post, borrowed from The Breakfast Club is said all in good fun.  I will say, however, that the evil fluorescent lighting alone may keep me from returning to this place.  Beyond that, it wasn't nearly as creepy or full or weirdos as I'd always expected, based on his descriptions.  My favorite part was the little food section, full of all the types of things I used to see Kenneth eat for breakfast when we worked together at Barnes and Noble (like Cheez-It and Mountain Dew Code Red, for example).  It seemed this and the neighboring racks would be plenty to keep the participants of an impassioned round of Dungeons and Dragons sustained and going for weeks!

Needless to say, I didn't buy anything.  Kenneth was there to pick up a paint he'd ordered for one of his miniature armies (part of this gaming thing that is truly cool and admirable--I can't believe the patience it must require to paint the tiny details of the tiny miniatures involved).  And he chatted for a while with a friend from there who I have to say seemed like a perfectly normal and well-adjusted individual.  Three cheers for the dispelling of prejudiced myths!  :)