Big Move, Little Game

It's been like, forever, since my last blog.  That's because I've moved out!  After 20+ years of living in the same place with my parents, I've finally moved in with my girlfriend into our own place.  How is it?  Wonderful!  We've only been living there for less than two weeks but already I can start counting the blessings.  We bought ourselves a brand new condo and the best part about picking your own place is enjoying the stuff we picked.  For instance, I love being able to use a glass shower every night rather than a tub and shower curtain (it's got that hotel feel that I love).  The floor to celing windows still give me pause whenever I look at them because they are just gorgeous at night (at least until the neighbouring condo gets built and cover up the view.  Booo!).  While the place is on the small side, I'm growing onto it because it can also be described as cozy.  Everything is within a few seconds walk from everything else, so grabbing something when thirsty is easy, and it's great knowing that everything you need is 'within reach' so to speak.

 

The best part, however, is getting to spend more time with my girlfriend!  We're both getting along splendidly, and we each contribute our share to the home chores.  After all these years living with my folks, I can't imagine anyone I'd rather spend time with than with her.  Of course, we give each other our space too, so we're not always in each other's faces.

 

The actual moving and preparation was pretty exhasting, and during that time, I went days on end without playing a single video game.  I never would have thought it possible had I not done it.  If it wasn't for the portability of the 3DS (and Fire Emblem), I would have gone weeks without gaming.  As it was, I only got to play Fire Emblem maybe two hours tops during the busy days.  Normally, I try to spend at least a couple hours playing games a day, with weekends maybe double that.  Yet, here I went for weeks without my daily gaming bread.  Not only did I survive, I also thrived.  The amount of stuff my girlfriend and I got done for the move was Herculean.

 

We each took a week off to prepare our new home.  Normally, whenever I have days off, I would naturally play games.  It's not unusual for 12 hour marathon sessions for times when I don't have to go to work.  This time, though, we spend 12 hour days just getting our new place ready.  Within a week, we bought furniture, built furniture, set up our internet/tv/phone, bought a matress, and managed one very big move and a million smaller ones.  With all this comes the logistics:  the planning, the deliveries, the waiting, hand wringing when problems inevitabily occurred…  It was pretty insane.  And all that, without me even so much as touching a controller (at least, not without packing it!).

 

I honestly don't know WHAT I'm trying to say with this blog.  Am I saying that gaming has become less important to me?  No, because I've been back on the scene now, with DMC and Tomb Raider.  Am I saying that there are tonnes of stuff I can accomplish if I weren't playing games?  I guess so.  But I don't think I ever want to give up gaming! 

 

I think what will happen now is that with home ownership responsibilities, I will HAVE to play less games.  But the ancilliary to that would be the enjoyment which comes from having one's own home.  And with that comes the ability to shape one's destiny.  Whatever happens next… more games, or less games, the important thing is to remember that the future is in noone's hands but your own.