Deej's definitions

dungeons and dragons

The world's most popular pen & paper Role Playing Game (RPG). Created in 1974 by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) combines role-playing with turn-based tactical combat. In a D&D game, one player is the "dungeon master" (DM) and the rest of the players are "player characters" (PCs). The PCs assume the role of adventurers (using fantasy archaetypes such as elves, wizards, halflings, barbarians, etc) while the DM creates challenges for the PCs to overcome (such as monsters and traps).

Over the years, the D&D game has been revised and published in multiple editions. The rights to Dungeons & Dragons are currently owned by Wizards of the Coast (creators of Magic: The Gathering) and Hasbro.

"We played Dungeons & Dragons for three hours. Then I was slain by an elf."

-Homer Simpson

by Deej July 20, 2004

blowhard

A person who takes great pleasure in boasting or bragging about themself.

"The professor's tendancy to always bring up his credentials in conversation gave him a reputation as an egotistical blowhard."

by Deej July 19, 2004

katana

A slightly-curved, single-edged sword carried by the samurai in fuedal Japan. Contrary to popular belief, the katana was not the primary weapon used by samurai, and was mostly used only for dueling or ceremonial purposes. Over the last few decades, movies and anime have exaggerated the sharpness and durability of the weapon to a point where many people now believe katanas to be some kind of indestructable super-sword.

"Following World War II, many American GIs brought home katanas looted from Japanese officers."

by Deej July 16, 2004

Magic: The Gathering

The original collectable card game (CCG), where players purchase packs of randomized cards and assemble decks used to compete against others. Created by the Washington-based company Wizards of the Coast, Magic: The Gathering achieved great popularity in the early-to-mid 1990s, and paved the way for other CCGs such as Legend of the Five Rings and Pokemon. Magic: The Gathering still remains popular to this day, although not to the same level as it used to.

The player's Magic: The Gathering collection contained over a thousand cards.

by Deej July 29, 2004

Sour Grapes

In an old fable by Aesop, a hungry fox noticed a bunch of juicy grapes hanging from a vine. After several failed attempts to reach the grapes, the fox gave up and insisted that he didn't want them anyway because they were probably sour.

Nowadays when somebody expresses sour grapes, it means that they put down something simply because they can't have it.

The phrase is often used incorrectly as another way to express bitterness or resentment.

"Winning a million dollars would just be a big hassle anyway."

by Deej October 12, 2004

optimism

Optimism is trust that things will get better no matter how bad they seem, looking for the best aspects of any situation, and the belief that good will inevitably triumph over evil.

An optimist looks at a rose and ignores the thorns. A pessimist focuses on the thorns, oblivious of the rose.

by Deej July 24, 2004

japanophile

A non-Japanese person who has a near-indescrimate love of all things from Japan. Japanophiles watch anime religiously, import overpriced novelty items from Japan, collect samurai swords, play untranslated Japanese video games, eat large amounts of Japanese food, rave about how Japanese culture is superior to every other culture on the planet, etc.

See also wapanese, egg, and otaku.

The japanophile believed that a samurai sword could cut through solid steel like a blowtorch through butter.

by Deej July 29, 2004