31/05/2023
Hey guys!
Thank you for taking the time to like, view, and join my page!
For those who don't know me.. I'm Dani! 🙂
I have been meaning to make this post for a while and I get a bit overwhelmed and I'm unsure where to start.. my ADHD brain can't focus a lot of the time on things like this. but weirdly enough i can focus on board games 😛
Firsty.. this group i have created 'board game lovers perth' started with just me and my 15 board games i owned.. I also didn't know anyone!! I was speaking to my boss/best friend at work one day... and I ended up randomly saying.. you know what... i'm going to create a post in 'be her friend' perth and see if any other girls are interested in playing board games frequently cause im craving to play balderdash.. I put up a post within 5 minutes of saying this passing comment... and the post went off!! i said to Pete "I'll be happy if i get 3 people to join in and play with me".. i ended up getting 100's of comments and friend requests and i was thinking 'oh my god i can't believe how many others want to play board games too that just don't have anyone to play with''
So i made a group 'board game lovers perth' and it started getting more and more popular.
I put up a post in this group november 2021 saying I was going to host my first ever event at my house, without knowing anyone. I think 10 or so girls came along also who didn't know each other.. a step out of everyone's comfort zone. However luckily for me I've always felt confident being the party starter, conversation starter, and basically just go out of my way to make sure everyone feels welcome that steps foot into not only my house but my life..
The first event was a hit! So I started doing them every week! every friday night and sometimes even friday saturday and sunday! We couldn't get enough and we couldn't believe how much fun this was, and how we were all making friends amongst each other. The girls started bringing other girls and it just got bigger and bigger.
a girlfriend who i met through this group and i decided to host some events at a pub in the upstairs function room.. this was also a hit! however this time we made it male friendly! so girls could bring along partners. So now the group was welcoming males, which became even more popular!
I was still running events at my house every Friday night.
Fast forward to May 2023 i now own over 200 games (and a million trestle tables and fold up chairs haha) and i have hosted more games nights than i can count, have been on holidays overseas and interstate with girls i've met, have been camping, to karaoke, spent christmas, gone on nights out, quiz nights etc etc. This board games group isn't just for 'board games' it's literally bringing people together and people are forming so many friendships. i have 3 months worth of events planned and organised to do with this amazing group of people.
my heart is literally bursting with happiness, it's unexplainable.
I have always had this passion of bringing people together, people from all walks of life, all different ages, male, female, big small etc etc you get the picture; but basically forming friendships with people you would never meet out in the real world.. everyday life. This is what makes this group so special. The non judgment, the way everyone just gets along, are able to laugh and play together and feel like we've all known each other for years.
I hope to eventually bring this hobby and passion into life by running a business hosting events, planning and organising events from outdoor gatherings, murder mystery nights, themed dinner parties, karaoke, hosting quiz nights, teaching games... the list is endless with things i want to do and am passionate about.
my aim is to connect with people who find it hard to make friends in perth, people who have just moved here and don't know anyone, people that love playing games and don't have anyone to play with, people that never have plans during the week or on the weekend, people who have unreliable friends that bail on them all the time, people who want to feel like a kid again, people wanting to try something new and learn a different hobby, people that want to be more confident and step out of their comfort zones..
I have met the most amazing people through this group, male and female. I'm sitting here getting teary just writing this.. This group I have created has filled a hole in my heart I never knew I had. And the fact it's just growing and growing every week excites me so much!! the fact that I could meet another best friend at my next event is such a cool feeling!! you just never know who you're going to meet and who is around the corner.
i have been told my events are the highlights of peoples week, ive been told im a life enhancer.. and that my love and energy is contagious and addictive.. i live for being told these things.. i honestly love hosting and putting on these events for everyone. knowing that people leave my house happy after these events warms my heart more than you guys will ever know
growing up... high school in Tasmania... i was bullied allllll the time, i never felt like i fit in, i never wanted to go, i never had a group of girlfriends, i got picked on for having 'big ears' and i always hung out with the guys kicking the footy and trading pokemon cards so i was always called a 'skank' and a 'sl*t' when i'd walk by the girls at school.. sometimes i was even followed around, with them trying to intimidate, belittle and scare me by threatening to bash me. I moved interstate and did year 10-11 on the Gold Coast and was also bullied, i'd walk into a classroom and 'the cool kids' would laugh at me.. i recall spending almost every single day crying my eyes out in the guidance counselor's office because of this.. and i considered him to be my best friend cause i didn't feel i had anyone else. high school truly was some of the worst years of my life. I wish I knew that fast forward 12 years I'd be surrounded with love and the best people ever.
I moved to western Australia only knowing my brother.. he eventually moved back to the Gold Coast and I stayed.. as I had made friends working hospitality.
What i'm trying to get at is... i never ever ever want anyone to feel the way i did during those horrible years, and never want anyone to feel like they can't make friends, especially having just moved to a new state and wondering if they made the right move or if they should move home cause it's too hard to make friends. I will happily take anyone under my wing and be their friend.. and i promise if you come to my events you will feel so welcome and wholesome and promise you'll make friends..
i have a passion i can't even explain to want to make a living out of bringing people together, creating events that everyone is welcome to come to every damn week
I have never sat and journaled or written anything this long about myself ever in my life and it feels good to get this off of my chest and put it out there for anyone that is interested in knowing a bit more about me and my life.
I'm about to follow my dreams like i've never followed them before (okay besides going to nashville hehe), and i honestly love all of you for the support and for coming along on this ride with me on this crazy thing we call life
Love Dani,
The Board Game Queen
