the (financial) dungeon master

James Rodgers

My life can be broken into two stages. The first began when my brother Paul and I purchased the game called Risk by Parker Brothers.  I was 12 at the time. We played this game in the back of the station wagon as our family drove to Vancouver and back. Later my brother purchased other war games like Tactics 2, Panzer Blitz, and Tobruk by Avalon Hill Games. Although he beat me in every game we played, it opened my mind to games beyond the simplicity of Sorry and Monopoly.

In grade eight I met a friend that introduced me to the game Dungeons and Dragons by TSR. This launched me into the imaginary world of sorcerers and mystical beasts. More importantly though, I met hundreds of people with similar interests and created friendships that have lasted as long as 50 years.

The second age of my life began when I moved to Winnipeg to attend Red River College and take a course called Computer Analyst/Programmer (CAP). Here I met my future wife and her two young daughters.

After graduating we got married and we found jobs in Winnipeg. It was never our plan to live in Winnipeg but nonetheless we settled here and raised a family and added one more daughter to our family. It was not always easy, and we faced many challenges but during this time my wife and I became close friends.

Now, as my children are all adults my relationship with them is also changing from guardian/teacher to friend. The arrival of grandchildren is a blessing that has resulted in another form of friendship that I never expected possible.

In short, my life has been one of forming friendships. Even my work life has resulted in unexpected friendships. If I had one golden rule to life it is this, “Not everyone will like me, but those that do should be treated as precious.”