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Wow. I never looked at games as an escape. More of an addiction in my case. Yet after reading your story has made me realize that games are more than a quick distraction from life. But a paradise where everyone is safe.
Until I kill them with a grenade. :)
Until I kill them with a grenade. :)
I may sound horrible when I say I just play video games just to kill time with my life, in a way its almost more or less the same as escaping reality. I do sometimes forget fanboyism when playing on my Wii, ps3, or my 360 *not now but I'm getting a new one some time later D:*, Its a sad and stupid world out here, not there we just want to pass the time so we don't have to deal with it all at once.
I think I just shed a tear
That was a great story as during my elementary and middle school years I was constantly tormented about how I never out grew Pokemon. Some ass stole my ds lite the year it came out which my parents paid their hard earned money on.
Also I like to read music more than write it as I tried and sucked at trying to compose my own piece.
That was a great story as during my elementary and middle school years I was constantly tormented about how I never out grew Pokemon. Some ass stole my ds lite the year it came out which my parents paid their hard earned money on.
Also I like to read music more than write it as I tried and sucked at trying to compose my own piece.
A wonderful blog!! I think that bullying can even be rougher on young girls than it can be on young boys. From what I remember and have seen, it seems that young men are more physical in their bullying, but young girls can bring an entirely new level of torture because of the mental anguish they are able to cause in addition to the physical fear.
It's wonderful though that gaming was able to not only give you some solace and escape during that time.. but also led to you discovering your future career!!
Fantastic story!! Thanks so much for sharing this!
It's wonderful though that gaming was able to not only give you some solace and escape during that time.. but also led to you discovering your future career!!
Fantastic story!! Thanks so much for sharing this!
You are amazing Kerry. While I have heard parts of this before, it was good to see all together. Now I just want to give you a hug. :)
Another great blog!
I said this before but it fits well here:
I enjoy the escape from reality that gaming provides as you can leave all your worries and stress at the start menu.
I said this before but it fits well here:
I enjoy the escape from reality that gaming provides as you can leave all your worries and stress at the start menu.
@Mix: I think some people need that. Some people read books to deal with that, others watch movies. I happen to play games.
@Technophile: <3
@Technophile: <3
Was cool to hear about the story behind your avatar. Glad you found that one friend that saw you through the hard times!
Sorry it took me so long to read this, I was away from a computer for two days. Really great read, and no one blames you for a self fap.
Wow, I couldn't imagine getting bullied as severe as you have been, it must have been tough, but you were able to come out of that tough time with a best friend and a passion for something you've made a career in.
Thank you for sharing naia.
Thank you for sharing naia.
Safe.
Can agree with some points, the escape is a ironic one for me as i escape to games away from people and things to play online/multiplayer games, you see the irony now? But its serious.
Sharing is caring.
Can agree with some points, the escape is a ironic one for me as i escape to games away from people and things to play online/multiplayer games, you see the irony now? But its serious.
Sharing is caring.
wow, what a great article. thank you for being so open, I'm sure a lot of Dtoiders can relate. Video games helped me get through deep suicidal depression in elementary and middle school. and have continued to be a positive outlet and stress reliever in adulthood (no smoking or drinking for me), and now I'm passing it along to my children (I am glad its a little cooler to play video games now for their sake) thank you again.
Thanks for sharing such a story. I've used games as an escape as well, but I've never had such a bullying situation as your own.
Naia, A wonderful read and I can *sort of* relate, although the reason for much of my bullying was because of the fact that I played video games. You'll have to forgive the old cynic in me, as I see people wear NES shirts and all that bullshit paraphernalia, claiming to be "old school nintendo" Really? Then where were you jerks when I was getting torn apart by wolves for my love of the 8-bit arts?
I help pave the way for these ungrateful assholes, and what do I get...
AHEM! Angry rant aside: Like yourself, those older games had this immersible quality to it that sucked you in alive, despite all the technical limitations. When the world took a shit on me, all I wanted to do was crawl back home from school and liberate the streets of River City. I don't get how anyone would call it 'running away', because beating the shit out of these dumpy little 8-bit men and stealing their money provided more of a healing and natural release than anything I could have ever hoped to do. Getting lost in the worlds of Wizardry, Final Fantasy, and many others was more help to me than any shrink could have ever done for me.
Now, you have to worry about bullying online from other gamers, but as far as soothing goes: There's nothing like the single player RPG experience to calm the nerves.
PS: Paladin's Quest had SUCH over the top art direction, but it was wonderful! I wish they did more with that series.
I help pave the way for these ungrateful assholes, and what do I get...
AHEM! Angry rant aside: Like yourself, those older games had this immersible quality to it that sucked you in alive, despite all the technical limitations. When the world took a shit on me, all I wanted to do was crawl back home from school and liberate the streets of River City. I don't get how anyone would call it 'running away', because beating the shit out of these dumpy little 8-bit men and stealing their money provided more of a healing and natural release than anything I could have ever hoped to do. Getting lost in the worlds of Wizardry, Final Fantasy, and many others was more help to me than any shrink could have ever done for me.
Now, you have to worry about bullying online from other gamers, but as far as soothing goes: There's nothing like the single player RPG experience to calm the nerves.
PS: Paladin's Quest had SUCH over the top art direction, but it was wonderful! I wish they did more with that series.
@Diverse: they talked about getting rid of the dog, but may parents didn't have the heart to do it. He ended up only living until age six because of the his health problems.
@SourGr8pes: They did make a sequel, but only in Japan. If you look you might be able to NOT find a NOT translation for it.
@SourGr8pes: They did make a sequel, but only in Japan. If you look you might be able to NOT find a NOT translation for it.
Adding another "I can relate". What sucked was my middle school years were spent in a small town of about 2000. One of those kinds of places where everybody is related to everybody and knows everybody. One of those kinds of places where everybody collectively picks on someone as a large group effort and that torment can be relished by even more people.
Middle school is a terrible age for anybody. We should get rid of middle school.
Middle school is a terrible age for anybody. We should get rid of middle school.
Reminds me of how in school, I always dealt with my friends' bullies.
"Excuse me, were you insulting Kelly? *CHOKE* I hope we don't meet like this again."
"Excuse me, were you insulting Kelly? *CHOKE* I hope we don't meet like this again."
Can't relate too much, despite living in a "ghetto city". Since oddly enough even us geeky kids could fit in and be the "cool clique". Hell, we had a gay prom king and 3ft prom queen. (Both deserved it)
Then again, people thought I knew kung fu and once upon a time tapping on someones shoulder saying excuse me, he gets scared.
But, still I can relate in the way that gaming kept me outta trouble. Who knows, it might've saved my life by keeping me in my room over the dangerous street.
Then again, people thought I knew kung fu and once upon a time tapping on someones shoulder saying excuse me, he gets scared.
But, still I can relate in the way that gaming kept me outta trouble. Who knows, it might've saved my life by keeping me in my room over the dangerous street.
I had the same problem, except it was in second and third grade.
I had no friends and it was just me and my mum.
I usually had to go to my grandparents on the weekends and holidays because my mum would have to go work as a waitress at a nightclub.
The game that helped me through that was Ocarina of Time, not my favorite game, but it certainly was back then.
Basically, the same feelings you had toward Rydia I had towards Link.
Just cause he was on his own and had to do things himself.
That was years ago though, my mum eventually (after a year of practicing on a computer) got an office job, and our lives got better from then on.
Now she's happily married and I only have to go to my grandparents if I want to.
My mum doesn't like videogames vey much, little does she know about how much it helped.
I had no friends and it was just me and my mum.
I usually had to go to my grandparents on the weekends and holidays because my mum would have to go work as a waitress at a nightclub.
The game that helped me through that was Ocarina of Time, not my favorite game, but it certainly was back then.
Basically, the same feelings you had toward Rydia I had towards Link.
Just cause he was on his own and had to do things himself.
That was years ago though, my mum eventually (after a year of practicing on a computer) got an office job, and our lives got better from then on.
Now she's happily married and I only have to go to my grandparents if I want to.
My mum doesn't like videogames vey much, little does she know about how much it helped.
I can recall many times when picking up a controller for me was definitely a way out of my life that felt overwhelming at times. Slipping from my world into theirs gave me an escape route that was sorely needed at times. It is good to see that you also found some solace in another world. Books or movies do this for others in their own way. We all need our escape routes sometimes. Therapeutic one might say.
Thank you for sharing that. I can't think of a better response to this month's musing. It helps put a little more personality behind a name I heard frequently on RFGo.
I had a friend like your Jen. I am so thankful that I had someone like that to help me through a difficult period in my life.
Great writeup, and you're amazing! <3
Great writeup, and you're amazing! <3
I guess I grew up at just the right time. Only five years later than you, videogames weren't a huge stigma for me. It most likely has to do with the gender issue, I'm sure, but it has definitely become more acceptable to be a gamer in society. Today, bullying gamers is almost nonexistent. Kids these days all play videogames.
Wow, I am a million years late to the party on this entry, but I just read it now and you captured a lot in here that reminds me of my own childhood, and my own experience with games. Here's to outlasting bullies, and here's to "escapes" that actually lead to new and exciting places in the real world too.
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