daines'n around

I have time to play video games again. More than play, I have the time and patience to enjoy them again. Throughout college I worked two jobs and went to school full time. Any relaxing time I had was spent sleeping, studying or being social.

Working in a full time salaried position provides a surprisingly unique opportunity for me to develop hobbies -- or lose old ones. I've taken up riding my bicycle, tinkering online, watching as many movies as I can and more. One purchase I made right at the end of 2007 was a reward for myself.

A PLAYSTATION 3. One coworker wondered why I would do such a thing, I wrote a 500 word essay on why I would dare make such a purpose -- the gist of which being that I could so I did.

It started out with Guitar Hero III. It took me back to old days of playing in bands and having fun. I missed out on much of the social interactions with the first two iterations of the game, and didn't pass up this chance. I beat the game quickly. I don't remember beating games very often when I used to play. Who really has the patience to finish a game all the way any how?

But I had it now -- the patience. Age has given me more patience, and determination to do the asinine timed puzzle with murderous consequences and pinpoint accuracy. Dodge bullets? Yes! Storm terrorists that have taken over Las Vegas, I love doing that in my spare time.

And the escaping. Video games provide an even bigger escape than movies and music. While movies and music allow your brain to be massaged and relax in an actively observant state, video games engage the senses. They challenge your brain, eyes and fingers in unison.

That is of course until you play multiplayer versions of some first-person shooter game online and some 12-year-old elite sniper curses about your mom while dancing on your grenade-riddled corpse. When that happens you laugh and quit because, really, who needs more things to feel down about?

I'm eating my Wheaties. Hear that Mr. potty mouth? I'll be ready to kick your trash one day. The silly artificial intelligence just doesn't quite have your pwning abilities for me to practice dying with more style in single player competition.

If only I could move my fingers faster.