Deranged Ramblings

Every now and then I get e-mailed a random survey to fill out, which usually takes only a few minutes. The one I got today wanted me to actually write something down in answer to almost every question, which I thought was annoying. I was having a bad day at work too. So here's what they got: We are interested in your feedback on an innovative new product. Introducing PERFECT MEATLOAF - Tender, Juicy, Pefect Meatloaf! Just BAKE, LIFT, & SERVE! Stop letting your meatloaf soaking in fat and getting mushy! Introducing PERFECT MEATLOAF, the specially designed pan includes an air bake lifting tray that allows for fat to drain to the bottom of the pan. Not just for meatloaf, the pan is great for roasted pork, stuffed peppers, and so much more! Take The Below Survey: * 1. Would you personally BUY the PERFECT MEATLOAF PAN? MY RESPONSE: NO Please explain why below: I don't often prepare meatloaf, though in general I do enjoy a good meatloaf despite the fa...

So I'm nearing the end of this little experiment and I have learned a few things! First, quitting video games was surprisingly easy. I always used to say "I can quit any time I want!" which sounded hauntingly like an addict's cliche. But it turned out to be true. Perhaps my addiction was not as bad as I feared - and learning that, if nothing else, was a great result from this experiment! Second, video games are not the problem in and of themselves - I mean, I never thought they were, I just have more proof now that they are not. I quickly found that, without games, I was no more motivated or productive than before. I just found other ways to burn through my free time instead. If my next goal becomes "to get more stuff done" then giving up video games alone will not be enough - I need to set up a schedule and routine that encourages productivity. So I get distracted easily and have a hard time being productive - this is the problem so many of us are facing no...

It's been a week fraught with emotions. I've felt like an unhinged person, all over the place. One minute I'm happier than I've ever been before, and the next I'm full of angst and crying over nothing. It took a while before I connected this behavior to my lack of video games this month. It's almost like playing games was the thing that allowed me to hide from stuff, to self-medicate into a state of equilibrium where I was distracted enough for all unpleasantness to be pushed aside. Without that crutch, I'm finding I don't have other strong coping mechanisms for things I've been holding back all this time. This is a problem, but an exciting one. I get a chance to really face anything that's been bothering me and develop new, healthier habits for coping with stress and anxiety. It's been eye opening to see how I've used games a cork in my emotional bottle, so to speak. Again, this doesn't make games intrinsically bad. What was bad was ...

I had my first dream about video games last night. Quite revealingly, in the dream I had a vague sense of uneasiness and guilt about playing and kept saying "Just a few more minutes!" to some companion whose face I do not now remember. I woke up and laughed, but felt a little uneasy. My resolve has still been strong, but there has been some temptation, usually in a quiet moment when I'm not sure what else to do. It's been an amazing experience having to choose how to spend my free time, rather than defaulting to habitual behavior. Even if I just end up watching some dumb TV show (Babylon 5 is surprisingly fun!) it's out of a choice and for just a small increment of time. By and large, though, I've been more productive in one weekend without video games then I was in the previous month! I've written a bunch and, most impressively, suddenly found myself with a stronger urge to be social. I actually went dancing all night with a group of friends and not ONCE...

My name is Matt. I am thirty years old, and I am a video game addict. To be fair, I doubt I currently play games more often than the average American watches TV and movies, and certainly there have been many times in my life when I was playing even more than I am now. But that doesn't change the fact that what I always thought of as an entertaining pastime and a fun hobby has actually been dominating my life for the better part of twenty years now. Playing video games is my default behavior - that is, it is what I will almost certainly be doing with every moment of my time in which I don't have to do something else. On my days off, during my free time, if I'm not at home playing games I start to get a slight itch that slowly grows into a low-level panic, feelings that invariable distract or ruin whatever else I happen to be doing. During intense gaming weeks I can clock up to 20 hours playing games, and the only reason it's not more is because of a full-time job and a ...