It looks like it's time to say my goodbyes. Tomorrow, the sun shall set on a day of endings and goodbyes, but will also mark a new day of beginnings and hellos.
Tomorrow will be my last day of work. Over 3.5 years of working 60-100 hr weeks, and now it's just hitting me that I'm finally leaving this place. I'm getting a little choked up just thinking about it. I've done some great things, have great relationships with my boss and managing director and coworkers, but now it's time to say goodbye to all of that.
And at the same time, that will mark my last day of SC2. It was an eventuality, to be honest -- I'm 27, hitting 28 in a few months, and while this may sound like blasphemy to most of you (this is a videogamer's forum after all), I'm getting too old to be spending my life on video games now. I plan to propose to my gf in a couple of months, and once I become a family man, I won't and shouldn't have the time to play video games. And above all of that, I want to do something meaningful with my life -- I want to make it count. (Note, this is for me. Some of you, this is not the case. In fact, I find Day9 to be utterly inspiring. If you love video games and it is your calling, then be proud of it, and go all the way!) But, it was fun, very fun while it lasted.
And with that, I will be embarking on a new journey, and after that I have no clue where or what. In a week or two from now, I'll be roadtripping by myself across the US for about 50 days. I'll be going hiking and camping all along the South and Midwest, stopping by to see friends and attend weddings along the way. Hopefully, somehow, I will find myself again, and...find God again. And from there, who knows?
And so, I must also bid thee farewell, TL. I'm happy to have met and known you guys, my life has been enriched for the better because of it. Shoutouts go to the EVE guys (Cael, Ebola, Harrari, and Kwark to name a few), to the NYC guys (Bereft, Poke, JJ, Fana, LGY to name a few), and to the stream chatters and streamers (Eldaflash, GAYOUNG SO BEAUTIFUL). Mods and admins, thank you for making TL into the place it was and is today.
Happyft1, after burning out from 3.5 years of soul crushing work that was only temporarily alleviated by the joys of SC2 and TL, searches for his true passion in life and the reason of his existence. Little did he know, the fate of the entire world was about to be placed in his hands...
I don't quite agree with the "I won't and shouldn't have time to play video games", I think everyone should have enough free time to enjoy themselves with their family.
If you think video games are not a good way to spend some of this time, it's your decision :}
Good luck on the proposal, may little nerds rise happily in a few years!
On July 21 2011 23:59 Grettin wrote: Good luck. Disagree with "I won't and shouldn't have the time to play video games".
if his gf doesn't play video games then I think its pretty easy to find other ways to spend his time that would be more enjoyable for them both. Good luck man
since when are married people and people with children not allowed to have hobbies? If you hobby is playing a game or watching VOD's, then do that. It would be silly not to do what you enjoy.
On July 21 2011 23:59 Grettin wrote: Good luck. Disagree with "I won't and shouldn't have the time to play video games".
if his gf doesn't play video games then I think its pretty easy to find other ways to spend his time that would be more enjoyable for them both. Good luck man
Thanks for the well wishes. Haha, I knew I'd get some backlash on this part of my blog =) Two things -- this is a personal conviction, as I easily get addicted to video games and it can easily consume my time to the great detriment of everything else in my life. And my older brother has a 1 yr old kid, and talking with him and seeing how his life has changed over the past few years from single man, to husband, to father, I'm convinced that it's not practical that video games can be a substantial part of your life as you mature into a father. (He used to play regularly, but has since stopped)
On July 22 2011 00:22 LML wrote: since when are married people and people with children not allowed to have hobbies? If you hobby is playing a game or watching VOD's, then do that. It would be silly not to do what you enjoy.
Completely agree. My dad is 51, happily married, and probably one of the best Left 4 Dead 2 players on the East Coast. He's also set up a whole shop for woodwork and has worked to become an awesome guitar player. Mom doesn't care about any of that stuff, but they still do a lot of things together like camping and traveling.
When I visited home last, my dad had on an Aperture Science T-shirt.
There's nothing wrong with playing video games as you get older if you enjoy it, but there's also nothing wrong with changing your life around and moving on to other things.
GL, HF out there. I hope you live happily ever after.
I don't really understand why one needs to declare that he/she will stop playing and such. Sure you'll be a family man soon, you have a lot of commitments but that's what a casual gamer is like. Playing just a few hours a week or even less. When he feels like, and have the time. But it's your decision, gl then.
No, don't leave the Starcraft community! Take White-Ra for an example, he's married. Also, BoxeR is over 40 years old. People of all ages can play video games, and it's perfectly fine and normal. Good luck with your proposal and future life, but I as well as many of us really hope you continue doing what you want, and if that doesn't involve gaming, farewell.
Good luck!! I wish the best going forward man. As a side note Seiken Densetsu 2 was the one released in America as Secret of Mana right? With 3 only being released in Japan? Or am I thinking of another series?
Do what you got to do. I hope you find what you're looking for, I know the feeling. Way to go out and take steps to get where you want to be. Best of luck, and if you find yourself with spare time you can always come back :D
On July 22 2011 00:45 Cofo wrote: There's nothing wrong with playing video games as you get older if you enjoy it, but there's also nothing wrong with changing your life around and moving on to other things.
GL, HF out there. I hope you live happily ever after.
This is exactly what I meant to convey =)
But at the risk of alienating almost all of TL... =P My own personal conviction is that for those who use it as a means of escapism, video games is a detrimental waste of time. For light entertainment, I think it is okay, much like watching sports, a movie, or TV. But for some I think it is a problem -- using it to escape from life's responsibilities, not as a hobby or recreation -- and I include myself here.
For DJWheat and WhiteRa, SC2 is their passion, and I am inspired by their example to find my own passion. But neither equity research nor video games are it. I must go find it for myself.
As a side note and as a Tyler fan, I want to say, Tyler! Follow your heart and your passion! Defeat and losing is nothing if you have your heart!
Also, Seiken Densetsu 3 was released only Japan, but there are English ROMs out there. If you like Secret of Mana, and you havent' played SD3 holy craaaaap you are MISSSING OUT
On July 22 2011 01:24 happyft wrote: Also, Seiken Densetsu 3 was released only Japan, but there are English ROMs out there. If you like Secret of Mana, and you havent' played SD3 holy craaaaap you are MISSSING OUT
I still haven't played all the way through Secret of Mana.I have too many games for the SNES so I end up just bouncing between a lot of them. I need to knuckle down and finish it.
It always amazes me how some people say that at certain age they will stop playing games because they are too old for that.
So what, you wake up, go to work then come back home, and if you have 1 spare hour you just say to yourself " I am now (insert age here), I can't play video games", and then what? You go watch TV because thats what you are supposed to do when you have free time?
On July 22 2011 00:45 Cofo wrote: There's nothing wrong with playing video games as you get older if you enjoy it, but there's also nothing wrong with changing your life around and moving on to other things.
GL, HF out there. I hope you live happily ever after.
This is exactly what I meant to convey =)
But at the risk of alienating almost all of TL... =P My own personal conviction is that for those who use it as a means of escapism, video games is a detrimental waste of time. For light entertainment, I think it is okay, much like watching sports, a movie, or TV. But for some I think it is a problem -- using it to escape from life's responsibilities, not as a hobby or recreation -- and I include myself here.
For DJWheat and WhiteRa, SC2 is their passion, and I am inspired by their example to find my own passion. But neither equity research nor video games are it. I must go find it for myself.
As a side note and as a Tyler fan, I want to say, Tyler! Follow your heart and your passion! Defeat and losing is nothing if you have your heart!
Also, Seiken Densetsu 3 was released only Japan, but there are English ROMs out there. If you like Secret of Mana, and you havent' played SD3 holy craaaaap you are MISSSING OUT
I love the music from that game. It's like "dunnn dunn dunn dun dundundun dun dunDUNNNN dundundun dundundun dunnnnn dunnnn DUNNNN DUNNN DUN DUN DUNDUNDUNDUN"
na na na na... nanana na na na na na naaaaaaaaaaa NAAAAAAAAAA (na na na na... nanana na na na na na na, na, na, na, na!
I just handed in my official letter of resignation, and starting to clean out my desk. Damn it, I'm getting choked up and all nostolgiac and scared and crap =P Can't believe I'm really doing this...
Hongo, I'm leaving because I'm burnt out from working 60-100hrs every week for the past 3.5 years. About 2 out of every 3 months I'm working 7am-7pm, every third month I work from 7am until anywhere from 10pm to 12am including weekends. The past 3 months have been especially brutal, it's been 100hr weeks every week.
Physically, it is definitely possible to work those hours forever. You get used to the long hours, to the point where when you get out early, it feels really weird and you don't know what to do. However, mentally and spiritually I was being worn down. I used to hangout with my friends a few times a week, have actual real dates with my gf once a week, was heavily involved with church work and volunteer work. ALL of that ended when I started this new job, everything ended. I've stopped all church activity, all volunteer activity, lost touch with all of my friends except one, and go on actual dates with my gf only once every few months.
This all built up slowly over the past 3.5 years. Like I said, it's bearable, but it builds up. And the final tipping point was the incessant thought in my head, "this can't be what I'll be doing for the next 30 years of my life... is it?" With morning after morning of waking up to that thought, I've finally made the leap of faith that this isn't my passion in life, and that I need to find it, because I know it exists. And the leap of faith that the intangibles that I've given up in my life are precious and irreplacable, and should not ever be sacrificed.
On July 22 2011 02:11 Jimmy Raynor wrote: It always amazes me how some people say that at certain age they will stop playing games because they are too old for that.
So what, you wake up, go to work then come back home, and if you have 1 spare hour you just say to yourself " I am now (insert age here), I can't play video games", and then what? You go watch TV because thats what you are supposed to do when you have free time?
You're totally right. And I'll be (hopefuly) spending my time on things I used to take deep and quiet joy in, like spending time with my close friends, seeing new things with my gf, getting reinvolved with church, getting reinvolved with volunteer organizations, and getting back to spending a material amount of time in prayer each day. (hope I'm not weirding you guys out with my religious talk, haha)
Damn it, I'm going around the dept saying my goodbyes, and I just have this weird feeling rising up from my stomach and getting lodged in my throat. You know, when you work at a place long enough, you develop a comfort zone no matter how bad the job and company is, you find ways to cope and get used to things and establish a relationship with the company and your coworkers. And now all that's being uprooted...
My father still plays video games and he's a cardiologist. At the age of 50-something, his colleagues bought him Mario Kart for the Wii. The game was made for him because 1. He has an eye condition that makes his eyes completely paralyzed, so he has to move his head in order to look around.
2. When we played Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64, he would always swerve the controller like he was driving the cart.
3. He can only play on Moo Moo Farm due to his condition, its wide road and easy turns. Everything else is too difficult for him.
He also likes war games and sports games, but as expected, he's terrible (though he's decent at the Madden games). Hockey, for him, is just too fast but he enjoys it anyways.
On July 22 2011 02:52 Torte de Lini wrote: My father still plays video games and he's a cardiologist. At the age of 50-something, his colleagues bought him Mario Kart for the Wii. The game was made for him because 1. He has an eye condition that makes his eyes completely paralyzed, so he has to move his head in order to look around.
2. When we played Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64, he would always swerve the controller like he was driving the cart.
3. He can only play on Moo Moo Farm due to his condition, its wide road and easy turns. Everything else is too difficult for him.
He also likes war games and sports games, but as expected, he's terrible (though he's decent at the Madden games). Hockey, for him, is just too fast but he enjoys it anyways.
Oy I miss him.
Sorry to hear about your dad, but he sounds like one awesome guy! Maybe my dad will get into games too one day...
On July 22 2011 02:52 Torte de Lini wrote: My father still plays video games and he's a cardiologist. At the age of 50-something, his colleagues bought him Mario Kart for the Wii. The game was made for him because 1. He has an eye condition that makes his eyes completely paralyzed, so he has to move his head in order to look around.
2. When we played Mario Kart on the Nintendo 64, he would always swerve the controller like he was driving the cart.
3. He can only play on Moo Moo Farm due to his condition, its wide road and easy turns. Everything else is too difficult for him.
He also likes war games and sports games, but as expected, he's terrible (though he's decent at the Madden games). Hockey, for him, is just too fast but he enjoys it anyways.
Oy I miss him.
Sorry to hear about your dad, but he sounds like one awesome guy! Maybe my dad will get into games too one day...
Oh, he's not dead. I just haven't seen him in years. I sort of took over the topic, my bad :x
i'm sad to hear that you're leaving!! and i am flattered by the shout out -- i know i'm a fucking terrible PM correspondent (my friends can tell u how truly horrible i am at replying to texts/emails/phone calls), but i really did appreciate the discussions we had. i hope you find what inspires you, and that you and your gf lead an amazing life together. lots of respect at your conviction to quit your job and pursue an alternate lifestyle!
(but just as a side note-- like others have said, there's no need to give up your hobbies as long as you pursue them only in moderation!)
Some of my fondest memories as a kid were playing video games with my dad. I got my first Nintendo for Christmas when I was 5. It was to late in the evening and I was going to have to wait until the next day to play it. My dad was pretty excited about it too I guess because he woke me up in the middle of the night and said "hey, you wanna go play some Nintendo?"That started something for me and my Dad.
For years after that playing video games was just something that we did together. Mario, Zelda (the original one with the gold case), Link (the 2nd zelda game on NES), Double Dragon 2, and then Street Fighter2 on SNES. We had some really great times and 22 years later we still bring it up and talk about how much fun we had together.
Good luck to you, but don't ever think that video games are inherently a bad thing for a Husband and Father.
This guide was made for you . I recommend using it to quit permanently. Other wise you will return. If you get addicted when you return then your life may be screwed so do yourself a favor and use the guide. Farewell fellow gamer. We Will Remember You!
EPT
I need to knuckle down and finish it.
. I recommend using it to quit permanently. Other wise you will return. If you get addicted when you return then your life may be screwed so do yourself a favor and use the guide. Farewell fellow gamer. We Will Remember You!
