I spend too much time playing video games. There I said it. I've played games for over 24 years with any amounts of time ranging from 15 minutes to marathon days where that's all I did (I'm looking at you FFX).

I've been in trouble a number of times thanks to the time I spend in the games, including getting sacked from a job from being late (just one more save point) to getting into a huge knockdown drag out fight with my fiance because I lied to her about what I did that whole day (once again with FFX).

Thanks to this addiction I've spent virtually years of my life not living my life, or did I. You see, I don't see any amount of time that I've spent gaming as forfeit. I think it has done a better job of raising me than my parent's did. Apologies to my mom and dad, but in all honesty video games were an escape from dreary life and were always there in ways that you weren't.

Let's say that I had a horrible day at school, where I was once again impressed upon that I would never amount to anything. When I got home and was in my sanctuary, I could escape to Zebes where it was just me and Samus Aran against a whole world of hurt. Immediately life got better, nothing mattered except the link between me and the virtual world.



For those few hours everyday, I was someone else. Someone who was desperately needed to save the world, save the princess, investigate wrongdoings, and rescue people who needed help. I was no longer that chubby kid who was always afraid of getting his ass kicked.

Luckily, this was all a phase. Games are no longer the escape mechanism that I needed to survive. Life is pretty damn good. I've got a great job that lets me write on Destructoid all night long, I've got someone who loves me for who I am, and have actually developed a sense of self-worth coupled with a great self-esteem.

If it weren't for the games of my youth, I honestly believe I wouldn't have made it this far in life. Who knows what could have happened? I could have become a psychotic murderer, joined a gang, started using drugs, or many many other ways of self-destructing as a youth.

Now, I'm sure that there are many of you here that have had tough lives to live through and I'd like to say that I know what you're going through, the feelings, all of it. This statement is false, there's no way that anyone else can feel exactly what it is that you're feeling, anyone who tells you different is a liar and is trying to tell you how you SHOULD feel.

Video games were the friends that never left me behind, no matter how many times my family would have to move; I knew that Mario, Samus, and the entire cast of Chrono Trigger would be there wherever we'd end up. They are most definitely the foundation that I have built my life upon.

I don't know about you guys, but I look forward to getting up every morning, grabbing a bowl of cereal, and begin browsing Destructoid among all of the game websites in the hopes of catching some breaking news in this industry. In fact, the first thing I do is to check my comments that might have been left in my absence. I'm not lying there people, I get all excited when I see that there's been new activity on my blog.



I'll attempt to wrap this up nicely as I can. Video games are more than just games to me, they were my lifeline. Coming here and having the ability to share my opinion and stories with an audience who will more than likely "feel me" when I write is just icing on the video game cake. For all of you younger generation of gamers out there, keep your head up. There is much more to life than what you see everyday. Never forget that when you play games, you're a kid all over again. Nobody can ever take away your youth unless you let them.

Thanks for reading my rant for tonight. I promise that there'll be a Top 10 tomorrow night. Maybe now you'll understand a little more about why I call them "A Weird Kid's Top 10", when I play games, I'm a kid all over again. Nobody can ever take that away from me. See you all online.