Notes from the Mainstream
So you probably are aware of this already, but if not, check it out:

Sherman Alexie's "How D&D Saved My Life" (Gen Con, 2004)
Sherman Alexie is a novelist, poet, screenwriter (Smokesignals), and author of numerous short stories. He's also a D&D player. Come hear in this funny, touching presentation how he learned to play D&D while growing up on a reservation outside Spokane and how the game sparked his imagination and that of those around him.

This sort of thing lights up my day. Repected folks recognizing that fantasy gaming made a difference in their lives --- that's a big issue for me.