DEAR INTERN JEN,

I'M SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD AND I PLAY MAGIC, D AND D AND VAMPIRE AND I'M THE ONLY GIRL IN MY HIGH SCHOOL GAMING CUB. NONE OF MY GIRLFRIENDS ARE INTERESTED IN ROLE-PLAYING SO I SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH GUYS WHO GAME.

WHAT'S IT LIKE ACTUALLY WORKING AT A JOB FOR A GAME COMPANY THAT IS ALL GUYS?

SINCERELY, NICOLE A.

WELL NICOLE, SINCE YOU'RE A VAMPIRE PLAYER, LET ME PUT THE ANSWER IN TERMS YOU CAN UNDERSTAND. TWO TERMS TO BE PRECISE: NOSFERATU AND NERF.

A COUPLE OF THE AEG GUYS THINK THEYRE TOREADORS, AND ANOTHER ONE IS TORN BETWEEN BEING A BRUJAH AND AGENT MULDER. IN THE LAST 72 HOURS, THE CARD GAME HAD TO GET TO THE PRINTERS, THE MAGAZINE WENT TO PRESS AND THE SLEEPING BAGS WERE LAID OUT UNDER THE DESKS, WHILE THEIR APARTMENTS (WITH A FRESH CHANGE OF CLOTHES) ARE IN SOME OTHER COUNTY. THEY ARE NOSFERATU, EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF THEM.

THEY'RE ALSO INSANE WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY SECOND POINT: NERF. THEY DUEL THROUGH THE OFFICE WITH NERF SWORDS AND LAY IN AMBUSH FOR THE POOR UPS GUY WITH THEIR NERF GUNS. IT'S AMAZING WE GET ANY MAIL AT ALL. ALL OF THIS SHOULD NOT IMPLY THEY ARE NOT CULTURALLY INCLINED, THEY JUST KEEP ALL THEIR CULTURE IN THE BATHROOM (LIKE THE 9X12 PH0TO OF PRINCESS LEIA THAT HANGS ACROSS FROM THE JOHN AND THE HANDY BATHROOM BOOK: SINGLE-SITTING SUMMARIES OF ALL-TIME GREAT BOOKS). BUT DESPITE ALL OF THIS, ITS STILL A BLAST TO WORK WITH THEM AND THAT'S WHY I HAVEN'T RUN AWAY SCREAMING. YET.

--INTERN JEN

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