Written by Duane Beckett
As I picked up another collection of one dimensional distractions from the app store all I could think about was the good old days. As I sat fiddling with this charmless technological wonder I found myself void of the motivation that once made me scream the house down just to play one more level before lights out.
That very evening while chatting with old friends (literally), the topic of getting older wafted up from the pit of self-loathing. As my friends listed their ailments like hairy ears and slippy knees, they looked at me. I was silent. You could see in their eyes, the wonderings of whether I was the one with the serious concern. Looking up from my Guinness, I bravely said “I’m… too old for games!” They took it in turns, calling me a loser and then began trying to understand why more hair grows in Mick’s left ear than his right…
That night I made it home fueled on Guinness and found myself standing on the landing, pondering. Do I try and convince the misses I’m sober using an old Jedi mind trick? Or, do I call my gaming life to a close by completing Deus Ex Human Revolution? So, having been told to shut up by the misses (and I even had my Jedi bath robe on), I staggered into my personal domain and powered up the PC.
It wasn’t until the sunlight started pouring into my personal hideaway that I found myself gazing at the clock. Had I been abducted? I seemed to have lost nearly five hours of my life. Between Deus Ex Human Revolution and Rift my “too old for games” thought had been killed. It’s a fact. I love games, but I’m just too old for distractions.
Tags: duane beckett, My Escape, My Escape Games, op-ed