This weeks obsessions: Blutengel, Combichrist, Beyond Good & Evil, Uncharted, RE5, Killzone 2, food, cigarettes (or lack of them)
I'm having some relative success with quitting smoking, it's been just about 2 weeks since my last cigarette, I've fought off a few cravings with a prime time every now and then, but it's been going well, naturally my appitite has increased, and I've been pigging out lately with food, which really doesn't help me much with my already distorted view of myself. I've become a royal pain in the ass to deal with, my hyperactive mood swings are pretty hard on Nadya I'm sure. I'll get really sad and depressed for no reason at all, or the polar opposite, happy and full of energy! I must say it's been amazing though, all my senses seem to be hightened, and kissing is amazing let me tell you, I feel like a little kid again. I guess I sort of am like alittle kid, but I don't think I'll ever really grow up. Whether or not that will be problematic I'm not sure. I have been thinking about something else lately, my obsession with video games, sort of annalyzing myself a little because gaming has been a past time of mine for practically my entire life. I don't know if it's a child hood issue or not though, because I always feel like someone is going to get mad at me if I play video games, I always felt that way as a child too. In my household video games were pretty much banned, aside from Commander Keen, we never had a Nintendo, or Sega, I would play over at my friends house all the time, and made them promise not to tell my parents so that I wouldn't get in trouble. In time my parents relaxed and were cool but still, I to this day no matter what always tend to try to hide my gaming excitement, and enthusiasm. I know it's become much more socially acceptable, but it wasn't the case back in the day. I want to make it more prominent in my life though, and feel more comfortable about it, because I want to work in this field, and I am proud to say that I am a gamer, and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that. Ahem, anyways.. Some would call it a time waster, and that they'll rott your brain, but it's just not the case.. Given I'm not going out to buy the latest Dora the Explorer game or anything, and you do have to still think about what you're spending your money on, but I believe games should be looked upon as a piece of art, or like literature. Most people think I'm just an over grown nerd, but look around you, pay attention more specifically to what your kids are playing, reading, watching, if your kid is playing Left 4 Dead, instead of punishing him or her, why not pick up the controller and slay some zombies with them? Don't ostrisize them, bond with them. I would have been awesome as a kid if I knew my parents were cool with what I liked. Fear consumes us all on a daily basis, stability, the future, the economy, and millions are retreating to the internet, to gaming, to movies, ever notice that? How much time do you spend in online or in a game each day, and just how much different is it than anything else? I could just be rambling about nothing, but it's nicotine stains on my brain.
I guess when it comes to gaming it's more about personal preference rather than prejudice and ostracizing. I do agree with you that video games have indeed become pieces of art but I think they're still stuck in the entertaining section of art and that's where the problem emerges. Parents don't think video games can be educational, therefore they're a waste of time for their kids. I agree and disagree with that at the same time. I can definitely see why video games can be considered noneducational ... just look at my brother failing at school just because of his PS3 obsession but at the same time I do believe games are a perfectly reliable educational source when it comes to aspiring game designers. So it's all about whether you're just having fun or learning about the industry.
ReplyDeleteIn your case, I can justify the obsession you have with games just because game design is your dream job. In my case ... I play them to relax and have some fun, I have other things to obsess about (like help files :D)
Well as long as you can justify it somehow. I just call it obsession on one level or another which I know you're very apparent of. It's a dream of mine to work in the industry yes, and that is what I'm aspiring towards, but rationalizing it is very hard to do, and that's where it becomes even more difficult because there is just that inner child inside of me that will never let this go.
ReplyDeleteIsn't weird how all the things we dealt with as kids somehow seem to resurface over and over again? I think that's part of why I never want to have kids. I'm sure I'll give them a life-long morbid sexual fear of bunnies or something. As for the gaming- DO WHAT YOU LOVE. Period. I think life is too fucking short to spend it sitting around always wishing we did that "one thing". You've got amazing talent and I'm sure it would be awesome to see some of the stuff in your brain transformed into a game. I agree, gaming truly is an art and I'd love to see yours there someday.
ReplyDeleteIt is weird, and it's ever present, sometimes we just don't think about it. Yeah the morbid sexual fear of bunnies is something I wouldn't want to give to anyone, lol! I'll end up doing that "one thing" you'll see.
ReplyDeleteHey Bro!
ReplyDeleteJust stumbled upon your blog!
It is funny to see how Mom and Dad's perspective has changed on video games... some good, some bad. And I used to get pretty mad when I'd see the younger kids getting to do all the things we couldn't...
I think Mom and Dad were just scared to death...(maybe of that sexual fear of bunnies.. ha ha!) and were just trying to protect us. True... they might've been a little overprotective at times... but now that I'm a parent... well... it's pretty freakin' scary... and not just bunnies, man!
For the record...
I thought you were a pretty awesome kid! Still do!
So... I won't be offended if you go private... blogging is my guilty obsession, and it bugs me when people I don't want to, find my blog... so I thought I'd post a comment, rather than spy on you without you knowing!
I sure miss being able to hang out around you... and I'm totally jealous that Mo is getting to hang out with and get to know Nadya, and I can't because I live so far!
You both totally need to come visit!
-Jodi
Jodi - I welcome your comments on my blog, and it's good to get your pov on subjects like this, I think it's a pretty big debate, because in the day and age, things have gone completely digital, but the human experience is still prominent, because people are still connecting in these forms, either between a video game experience online, or a blog, or through text msg, but people are completely retreating, so as a person who is obsessed with gaming, and electronics, computers etc, I love the convenience of it all, all those kids who grew up playing mario brothers, are just evolving.. They never stopped playing games.
ReplyDeleteToo true!
ReplyDeleteI doubt Alexander Grahm Bell had any clue what he was starting...
Josh and I were talking, and we think that eventually we won't even have paper-form books... it will all be digital, in some sort of hand-held where you just download the book... I think we have things like that now... but in the future they won't even make books as we know them today... (to save trees or something...)
It's a quickly evolving world...
Most blackberry's or iphones can open pdf files, and you can upload most ebooks to them, also amazon created the kindle, which is a reader specifically for books, with a wifi connection where you can dl books instantaneously, so yeah we are pretty much already there, but just think about what will happen when technology fails, we'll all be stuck with sticks and stones.
ReplyDelete*giggles* That makes me think of what Asimov said: "I do not fear computers, I fear the lack of them."
ReplyDelete