How we LARPed

So. All this LARP business finally makes sense. After four events, two years (and I'm still a total newbie), $ spent on armour and foam latex weapons, and hours spent standing around in fields wondering "why the hell have I paid £80 to play an extra in a three-day amateur dramatics production of Lord of the Rings - with no audience?", I finally get it. Why? Well, mainly because the weekend was an unadulterated 24 carat fun-fest. And when you reach adulthood, it's not often you get the chance to spend four days of play-time, doing things that have no purpose in the wider world. Putting some distance between yourself and reality IMHO is a great cure for 21st-century angst (academic support: I read this book recently and the author basically says the same thing - stop being a consumerist twat by finding time to be playful.)
And that is basically what LARPing is all about. But I only gained that epiphany after stealing an enemy standard and legging it across a busy battlefield with two other lads, whilst being chased by a disgruntled gang from the enemy faction. You probably needed to be there, but it *was* a right laugh.
Something else worth mentioning is the sheer variety on offer: the hobby (for want of a better term) is a bizarre and addictive fusion of: fancy dress, extreme sports, re-enactment, drama, make-believe, camping, drinking, diplomacy, politics, shouting, and talent contest. If you want to sit in the beer tent getting drunk - that's cool; if you want to become embroiled in plot-based intrigue, inter-faction politicking, or random acts of in-game violence, that is cool also.
With so many disparate interests in one place, you can imagine the gargantuation challenge in keeping a rabble of 40+ LARPers occupied for 16 hours a day. So huge props must go to Charlie, Andy and others from our adoptive unit for conducting and maintaining the riotous assembly over four days. There were lots of other reasons for the increased enjoyment (rule enhancements, superb weather etc.), but on the whole, the people made it what it was. The only downside is work - which kicks in again tomorrow and will seem fairly sucky in comparison (note to self: find a way to make a living out of LARP.)