Hi, my name is Nicole (She/Her). I am a multipotentialite, world-traveler, podcaster, aspiring comedian, and nerd just trying to make the best of life in this mortal realm. One of my favorite pastimes is getting together with friends and playing board games or D&D, it’s a great way to connect with others and disconnect from everything else. You can find me on social media as @itswafflebitz.
Nicole, you have said that you enjoy playing D&D “with the right crowd.” I can definitely relate! What does that mean to you?
Those rare times I play D&D, I love for the energy in the room to just be sort of… chaotic. I really enjoy being able to just be silly and do absurd things in-game and enjoy it even more when the people playing with me can match that energy. Feeling this “vibe” in the group creates a judgment-free, safe space to just let go and have fun for a few hours.
As a queer person, have roleplaying games helped you explore or express your queer identity?
When I first started playing games like D&D, I experimented with my different character’s gender expression & identity. I was still trying to figure myself out in real life, so playing those characters and seeing how supportive the people around me were of that helped me become more comfortable in real life.
We love a gamer at Roar Cat Reads, and you are into both board games and video games! What are some of your favorites, and why?
I have played 100’s of board games so it’s hard to name just a few, but some of the games I keep coming back to are: Parks, Betrayal at House on the Hill, and Codenames. These have a lot of replayability and are easy to teach. As for video games, I enjoy a game with a well-written story. One of my favorite games is the Walking Dead series from Telltale Games and a great co-op game I played recently is “It Takes Two”.
I hear you’ve got a podcast in the works. What can you tell us about it? When can we expect it to be released?
My friend Allonté and I are in the process of creating our podcast, The Imperfect Matters. In our podcast, we talk about societal issues that are far from perfect but really matter. The tone is a healthy balance of informative, comedy, and satire. There is no release date yet, but we have a few episodes already recorded and aiming to release this year (2022).
In addition to your nerdy interests, you’re a frequent solo traveler. What are some of your favorite travel destinations? Do you find that you travel differently when you’re on your own?
On my first solo trip, I spent 2 months traveling around parts of SE Asia. It was so nerve-wracking leaving the comfort of my country and having to figure things out in a completely new environment. That trip holds a special place in my heart because I literally consider it life-changing. I now love and prefer traveling solo because not only is it easier to meet wonderful people along the way, but also it feels so empowering, especially as a female. Traveling with others can be fun, but there’s always the issue of managing multiple itineraries and schedules, and it’s more difficult to be spontaneous and take as long as you want to do certain activities. Meeting new people can also be difficult when traveling with others because you’re more likely to stick together. I have solo traveled to Mexico, Germany, and Sweden since that trip and have many more to come.
Do you have any recommendations of queer nerdy content that you would like people to know about?
YES. I’m a huge fan of the Avatar the Last Airbender & Legend of Korra universe. There is a TTRPG from Magpie Games coming out very soon that I backed on Kickstarter set in this universe. I’m really looking forward to playing it.
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