Reflections on time

Greetings from the other side.

The weekend has just flown by, it feels like. Can hardly believe Monday is almost here again. In general it feels like time has passed really quickly since I got here. I mean, it has already been 3 weeks since I moved here, I started my new job last week, and yet it feels like I've only been here a few days. Kinda strange how the perception of time can be so seemingly different depending on what is happening in your life, how you are feeling, etc. Yet at the same time I know that, logically, whether I feel like time has moved quickly or slowly, the same amount of actual time has still passed. It is a fascinating thing when you think about it. Like a lot of things in this world are, when you actually stop to think about them. Even things that may seem as mundane as time can be a fascinating thing when you actually think about it. We have watches, or keep track of time in other ways, for example on our mobile phones, etc. We schedule our days according to what time it is. We eat lunch and dinner at certain times, there is a certain time we start working or go home from work, etc etc. Whether a work day feels long or short can vary depending on a lot of factors, like how much we enjoy what we do, how much stuff we feel we need to get done in a day, etc. Yet, regardless of how long the workday felt, the same amount of time has passed regardless. Time is a fascinating thing, I think. It plays such a big part in our lives, yet we have all become so accustomed to it that we don't really think about it most of the time.

In tabletop roleplaying, especially world-building, time is an interesting factor to play with as well. Depending on whether you want to go really detailed on the world-building, or not, of course. If you don't mind it however, thinking about things like what does the world's calender look like? How do they measure time? Is a year the same length as it is for us here on Earth? What, if any, significance does time have in a culture? Does the view on time differ between different cultures and/or races? I love thinking about things like that, though I understand if it isn't for everyone. :) You can also think about whether you want to ever have time as a factor in a roleplaying game. There's things you can do, like timed challenges or pussles for the players to deal with, or perhaps introduce festivals or other things and events that happen at specific times of the year. An event doesn't necessarily need to be a festival or other "man-made" occasion, it can also be a natural phenomenon that happens in the world every year at a certain point in time. It can help give more flavour to the world. A good rule is to introduce it if you like it and it makes sense in the world you are creating.

I have also gotten back into map-making again. Still trying to learn the program, but I am making slow progress. Just need to keep ignoring my own inner wish to just ignore the training and get it done. :) lol Better to learn step by step in the long run. I have made basic maps, just detailing the landmasses, of two of the continents I have been working on. Still need more practise before I can add mountains, forests, etc. Though I can always practise that on other maps and then come back to these.

See you all on the other side!