Starting February Early

One of my current undertakings is to give up something for a month that I feel possibly doesn’t serve me any positive purpose. The thing I have given up this month is drinking. Documenting this will come at the end of the month, but through this experience I obviously spend time thinking about what I will give up the following month. I decided long ago that I would give up video games in the month of February, but in preparation for that I think about the pros and cons of the activity.

If you have read my blog from the beginning then you know that video games are something I have enjoyed for probably the better part of 18 years or so. Through them I have made friends, developed leadership skills, mental astuteness, etc. I have also wasted a considerable amount of time. They say for one to master something they have to have been doing it for 10 years. While I wouldn’t consider myself a master at any one game I have an ability to get fairly decent at any game that I decide to undertake. So then the question becomes what benefit are games serving me? Aside from the enjoyment of the experience the real answer is not a whole lot. Many of the things I would gain with the amount I’m playing now (about 4-5 hours a week max) I have already gained. As this has been one of my primary points of entertainment for the better part of my life it’s time to say goodbye. Well I never play again? I don’t know because I have for so long that I don’t know what life is like without it.

Either way I have resolved to stop playing games for the time being and do something else. For the first month that will be learn the piano. I have talked about doing it but have never fully resolved myself to undertake the task. At the end of February I will reassess.



Update:
I wrote the above last night and when I went home I turned on my computer and preceded to uninstall every game that I had. It doesn’t really seem like a big deal, but in a way it is for me because I have essentially decided that this isn’t my backup form of entertainment. My two planned methods of utilizing the time right now are piano (for at least a month) and reading (if you want to be in the book club holla back)