QUIZ: What Your Man's Video Gaming Says About His Potential

A la Cosmopolitan, answer these questions to discover what really matters about your man: his video gaming personality.    

1. When did your man start playing video games regularly?

A. At a young age, possibly under the influence of a Japanese friend, or other socially awkward companion
B. In high school or college because every one else was staying up til 2am doing it
C. In the womb

2. When your man is playing what do you have to do to get his attention?

A. Stand directly in his field of view
B. Wait until he dies and then say his name sharply and loudly
C. Nothing, it is impossible to get his attention

3. What is your man playing right now?

A. Skyrim in an attempt to beat it before Mass Effect 3 comes out
B. Modern Warfare 3 in an attempt to put that 12-year-old online snot in his place
C. What is he not playing?

4. When your man is playing games what does he prefer you do?

A. Sit close by, provide positive feedback and help him solve the puzzles
B. Simply share a snack or do something you enjoy on your own
C. Leave the house

5. How many pieces of video game inspired clothing does your man own?

A. A few
B. None
C. That is all he owns


Mostly A's: Video Game Geek - your man may be obsessed, but he is super cute.
the good: his hobby is harmless.  he has plenty of room for you.
the bad: you may hear more about the adventures from his latest video game title than his actual life.
the bedroom: blow his mind with 8-bit inspired lingerie. 

Mostly B's: Video Game Gangsta - your man may be charged with testosterone, but he has found an acceptable outlet.
the good: his drive will equal success in all areas of life.  stick with him and reap the rewards.
the bad: he may be using video games to compensate for a self-assumed shortcoming.  
the bedroom: stroke his ego.  or controller.  or both. 

Mostly C's: Video Game Goner - your man may be lost, but you can still show him the way.
the good: he needs you. 
the bad: he might not notice you.
the bedroom: dress up as Laura Croft, Catwoman, Princess Peach or similar.


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Gamer dads - (Matthew W.)

If this blog has any sort of mission or deeper meaning (or point at all, really) I would say it is to encourage wives to support their gamer husbands.  It is easy to sit around drinking chick cocktails cackling in a chorus about how he can't do this or that.  How cliche!  It is challenging to embrace our husbands for all that they are especially since it is usually nothing like us.  But, I believe we must. 

If the broader focus of my blog is about supporting the gamer in your life, well then my subtitle is "people, this means even after you have kids."  It requires refined acrobatic skills to juggle a decent commitment to a hobby while being a parent (and a spouse.)  I only recently discovered that I actually have time for a hobby. 

My husband, on the other hand, has fluidly maintained several hobbies, and not at all to the detriment of his job or our family (I would rather he take any anger/anxiety/angst he might have out on zombies and the like anyway.)  I respect him deeply for this.

If you consider my husband a gamer dad, you must also label him a drummer, an audiophile, a burgeoning woodworker, and a condiment-happy cook.  He is well rounded and this is one reason why I love him.  On a certain level, I share his interest in music,"crafts" and the kitchen.  It's a level on which we can relate.  When it comes to video games, however, I have had to step a bit (and sometimes way) outside of myself and my own interests and abilities to appreciate his. 

But simply stated, watching him play has led me to this blog and, subsequently, this writing challenge.  Both of which have brought me closer to him and (maybe more importantly this time) me closer to me.

Stupid Hot Girls on G4 - (Mark L.)

The Voyeur is sick tonight.  She has a bug of some sort that has relegated her to bed, with nothing to do but softly moan.  That is usually something I am involved with, but alas, 'tis not so this time.

This is her husband typing.  I am not sure how to refer to myself. If she is the Video Game Voyeur, what am I?  The Voyee?  I guess the "Resident Gamer" will do.

She made it to 28 in her 30-day challenge.  I am confident she'll be back tomorrow to finish things off proper.  Now, on to the topic...

What is the purpose of "stupid hot girls" on G4?  It seems fairly obvious on the surface.  Get guys to watch.  Get geeky guys to think hot girls are into the same stuff they are.  Build self-esteem and viewership.  The question is: Why is it working?

Mostly these women just come off as irritating.  They do not appear credible.  They make me want to change the channel. Whoever is in control of this corporate image (because that's really what it is) even makes me want to leave their website.  Right now I'm at G4TV.com.  Over on the right side of the page they have some host of some show and a quote.  The current quote is supposedly from Candace Bailey. 

"We've tried shotguns, Molotovs, and grenades and the zombies keep coming.  Can't we just hug it out?"

That's frustrating in a way that I'm not sure how to describe.  Yet, people watch Attack of the Show.  The way shows and their hosts are marketed must be having some positive effect, or they wouldn't be doing it.  This leads me to be more upset with gamers in general, who flock to this junk.

Maybe I'm just getting old.  Maybe I'm just not the G4 core audience anymore.  After all, I'm 30, and have a job.  I have a wife and kids and very little time to be wasted.  Any spare time I do get, I want to spend doing something I enjoy like playing games or music. 

Let's turn the attention somewhere else for a moment.  My wife.  The Voyeur herself.  She is almost the complete opposite of stupid hot girls on G4.  She is smart.  She is genuine.  She doesn't pretend to know about what she's reading off the teleprompter.  However, she is also quite the little hottie.  If someone handed me a block of clay and told me to sculpt the perfect butt, I would make her butt. 

In other words: I have what I need, thank you. 

The video game impaired - (Caela C.)

To determine your video game age, answer these five questions.  Try to be as honest with yourself as possible:

1. Back in the day, did you press "A" and jump the video game controller at the same time?

2. Do you still forget to use the whammy bar in Guitar Hero?

3. Are you unable to pat your head and rub your tummy simultaneously?

4. Is button mashing your go to K.O. move?

5. Do you find yourself wanting to move forward, but looking upward instead?

Now, record the number of times you answered "yes" to the above questions.  Please note: if you answered "maybe" or "uh, I don't know," that counts as a yes.  Multiply that number by 113 (you do something like this in golf so it must be accurate), add your age and then subtract 12 (my favorite number.) 

Did any of you actually do it?

Mine is 132.  My video game age is 132.  That sounds about right. 

Food pairings with video games - (Matthew W.)

For inspiration (and because the hubs is out tonight at a meeting) I watched the Thanksgiving episode from the third season of Gilmore Girls.  Somehow, they overbook themselves and agree to attend four different dinners during the day.

Lorelai: Rory what are we if not the world's champion eaters?
Rory: It's too much food.
Lorelai: It's not too much food. This is what we've been training for our whole lives. This is our destiny, this is our finest hour.
Rory: Or final hour.


Now, I enjoy eating, but not that much.  I am more of a grazer.  And, I shamelessly take advantage of the time my husband plays video games to eat what I avoid during the day for fear of having to share it with my toddler.

Beer - This is the official beverage of The Video Game Voyeur.  In the summertime I enjoy Corona.  In the winter my guilty pleasure is Woodchuck Cider (fake beer.)  Year round I choose Stella or Natty Boh (in a can in my purple Boh face cozy, thank you very much.)

Poor Man's Taco Dip - I did not invent this by any stretch, but I own it nonetheless.  Simply, this is sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheddar.  I don't know about you, but I don't have time for the four or so other layers.  Lime tortilla chips elevate this dish to satisfy any palette. 

Popcorn - First of all, I love popcorn.  It may be the perfect snack.  It is light, crispy, amazing for catching on your tongue and provides endless seasoning possibilities.  I am a fan of lightly salted or white cheddar.  Kettle corn is out.  Caramel corn is in.  Second, there is no shortage of popcorn in this house.  Unbeknownst to me (until recently), the Boy Scouts pimp popcorn like the Girl Scouts turn thin mints.  And, being an Eagle Scout himself, my husband has a soft spot for boys in uniform.  Ah, sadly, there was no better way to say that.  Long story short, we bought a lot of BSA popcorn this fall.

Oreos - Speaking of cookies, Oreos are by far my favorite.  I have never tried to make these at home because, well, they are perfect just the way they are.  While I am typically a savory snacker, I will always love me some cookies and milk.  The regular fat Oreos taste WAY better than the reduced fat, but you tend to forget that back at home.  Plus, if I get reduced fat I have permission to eat four instead of three and dunk them in the kid's whole milk instead of my usual skim.  I don't want to risk getting hungry in the middle of the night, do I?  No way, hons!

Back when I was in college - (Leisel A.)

Back when I was in college a gallon of unleaded gasoline cost roughly $1.50 and I only needed $5.50 to drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to get to school (Breezewood to Cranberry.)  I think both cost at least double now, only ten short years later. 

Don't worry I have absolutely no intention of waxing political or even economical on you.  I merely wanted to sound like an old lady.

Not that we have that out of the way, I feel the need to somehow sum up my entire collegiate experience in this one blog post.  Frankly, that is impossible.  Those four years were life changing for me as they are for most people.  I left home for the first time, almost moved back home after the first year, decided to stay after all, bonded with amazing people, changed my major, was "forced" to shop at Wal-Mart, and met my future husband. 

Though, come to think of it, there is one phrase I can employ to sum up college for you: Upper Class White Trash (UCWT.)  Before I elaborate, I must confess I am borrowing this idea from my good friend who coined it (she gave me permission to describe it here.)  I wish I had come up with it on my own.  It is classic.  It is exactly how college students live.  It describes what the inside of a tiny dorm room looks like (one that essentially costs 50 grand a year to live in.)  Maybe it would be more accurate to say middle class, but that's shrinking any way right?  (No politics, please.)

My favorite example is this: you know you are UCWT when you wear your 60 dollar bathing suit bottoms as under wear because you are too cheap to do laundry.  And one for the dudes (this one was not just inspired by my husband but precisely extracted from his college existence):  you know you are UCWT when you adhere a Pop Tart box to your bed post with orange duct tape to store all your various electronics remotes and controllers. 

Which gracefully (maybe) leads me to talk about my early days of video game voyeuring.  Since I did not grow up with video games (save my cousin's original NES and my neighbor's Sega), college was my first experience with their prevalence.  Yes, it was in those formative years that I developed a taste for not playing, but watching video games.  I guess you could call it the geek version of cheering on the jocks from the stands.  Though in my defense (and the gamer guys, too) I also quite enjoyed watching them all play frisbee as well.  With their shirts on, of course.

I just realized while proofreading, that it physically hurts me to read a sentence without a period  I can barely manage to keep on reading when they aren't there  Even when the double space is present and the other punctuation is intact, I highly desire the dot  Ugh, rereading this paragraph is barely short of torture

Our girls in 10 years (M. Kendall L.)

In ten years, our two little girls will be nearly 11 and 13.  They will be in the fifth and seventh grades respectively.  At the start of the following school year, they will be in middle school together.  Hopefully, they will be friends more often than not.  Maybe they will even share clothes and accessories.  Hmm, they might even be into makeup.  Oh jeez, they will be wearing bras at this age!  I sure hope we have more than one full bathroom by then.

In ten years, I pray that our older daughter still loves school as much as she does now (even though she has yet to start.)  I pray that she still loves her "orange" hair (though I hope she has outgrown correcting people when they call it red.)  I pray that she loves her sister, does not feel burdened by her, but still protects and teaches her freely.

I pray that our little one remains as laid back in her youth as she has been as a baby (that attitude will serve her, and her family, well as a preteen girl.)  I pray that she grows some hair by then (what blonde fuzz she currently has will not serve her well at this age.)  I pray that she loves her sister, does not feel forever in her shadow, but still emulates her willingly.

For my husband, I pray that our girls are pretty, but not too pretty.

Will they play sports?  Will they play music?  Will they like to read?  Will they like to write?  I don't want to project, but I hope they enjoy many things, all of these things and more.  Now...will they play video games?  I hope so, too.

I hope we will all play together.  I know my husband will certainly have a console or two or ten still lying around by then.  Maybe we will have a night set aside for video games.  Maybe we will all solve the puzzles together.  Maybe we will pop corn and make root beer floats and lie on floor pillows in front of the fire...

For me, I pray that our girls still want to hang out with us then like they do now. 

Matthew's Birthday - (Zach L.)

My husband and I have known Matthew and his wife for five or six years now.  I don't remember when we first became friends, exactly.  I do remember when we first met them, though.  It was at a surprise birthday party for a mutual friend.  I don't remember if I brought a gift, per se.  I do remember they brought a "katamari."

No, they did not bring a video game.  And, no, I do not recall if it was Katamari Damacy or I (Heart) Katamari that inspired their creative present.  What they brought was a hand made "ball" of junk all affixed to itself like one you might assemble when playing one of the above titles.  It was cute.  I am pretty sure a Panera cup was involved.  Remember when they used to have Styrofoam ones?  It was one of those. 

A "katamari" is a magical ball that allows anything smaller than it to stick to it and make it grow.  The more you stick to the ball, the larger it gets allowing you to pick up even larger objects with it.  In one of the games you start out by rolling over thumbtacks and dice and such and pretty soon you can pick up tables and people and buildings.  Matthew is an avid gamer and likes lots of different games.  However, I will always associate him with Katamari.

So, in honor of your birthday, dear friend, please picture yourself in a Katamari game that has been especially designed for you.  A sort of "This is Your Life" Katamari Damacy (which oddly roughly translates to "clump soul."  Who knew?)  And to help you envision this crazy scenario, here is a list of items (in increasing size order, of course) that you can pick up as you roll around your world:

- guitar pick
- Mario Kart 7
- broccoli
- capo
- sonic screwdriver
- iPhone
- 3DS
- volcano roll
- mint ice cream cookie sandwich
- Iron & Wine CD
- Belle & Sebastian CD
- Jared Anderson CD
- The Book of Jonah
- Bilingual Easy Readers
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Mo Willems books
- The movie Coraline
- Woodchuck cider
- champagne flutes
- pitcher of Winner tea
- fez
- Wii
- striped sweaters
- wedding cake
- guitar
- Berner
- Michael Cera
- Leslie 122
- TARDIS (viewed from the outside)
- Toyota Echo
- cherry blossom trees
- Record & Tape Traders
- IHOP
- Stone Chapel
- Longfellow Elementary School
- AMC Owings Mills
- San Antonio River Walk

Clearly, I had help with this list.  I look forward to sharing the details of who was involved with you soon.  In the meantime, enjoy the thought of a game like this.  Oh, and I almost forgot, in your game, whenever the katamari increases in size, you shall hear it exclaimed, "Oh my word."

Mini/micro vans (Mark A.)

I'm not feeling it tonight.  It's not that I don't have anything to say.  It's not that I don't love my microvan (if that's a term) or this blog, for that matter.  I'm just not sure I have anything to say on this subject that anyone would want to read.  I have felt this way other nights this month, but some how got away without saying (or writing) it.  I guess once out of 23 posts ain't bad.

Anyway, we have a Mazda5.  It is the car I drive.  We got it because it did for us what a minivan would do for us without being a minivan.  Cause, well, I really didn't want to have my second child, turn 30 and buy a minivan all in one year.  Plus, I can still pretend it's sporty.  zoom zoom.  

Here's a  review.  If you want one, buy one.

And, here's a peak at the inside of my van, er, I mean my sleek and sassy microvanesque car:

- a squashed box of tissues
- a nearly finished caffeinated beverage from last week
- multiple hand sanitizers tucked into strategic locations (mostly because I forgot where I hid the previous ones)
- a bag of clothes or other baby item that belongs to someone else and I have yet to return
- not my dashboard Jesus (He's in the kitchen...did I need to capitalize that?)
- an umbrella
- an umbrella stroller
- a double stroller
- CD's I never get to listen to because our toddler has gotten jiggy with age appropriate music
- at least 12 lost Cheerios and 9 lost Goldfish
- a pair of my husband's shoes (ask him)

Can I get an amen?!?

Stories/Plots and watching video games - (Matt A.)

I do not have an award winning attention span.  I prefer episodes of television to movies.  I love to read novels, but often take in no more than 10 pages at a time.  Magazines are more my speed.  In college, I required many study breaks to successfully prepare for any exam. 

This lack of concentration may be one reason playing video games is not my thing.  I simply do not have the breadth of focus required to a) learn how to play any game b) play a game with the commitment required to get truly engrossed.

My style of video game voyeuring reflects this as well.  I often move in and out of the room or look up and down from some other activity as I watch.  And, when I do find myself glued to the television it is not because of any storyline that I can recall.  In looking back at my top 9 games to watch, I discovered that plot, for me, has nothing to do with it. 

On the flip side, I know storyline can play a big part in my husband's gaming experience.  Of course, this depends on the type of game.  Right now, for example, he is playing Bayonetta, which he picked up for funsies as part of a buy 2 get 1 free pre-owned game sale.  He says the storyline is ridiculous, but fun and that the game doesn't take anything too seriously.  A lot of games these days take their story lines super seriously.  Let's be honest, how many times can you save the world, really?  It has to be exhausting. 

How about all of you out there, gamers and voyeurs alike:   How much does the plot of a game matter to you?  Which games have you gotten lost in thanks to their story?

Joystick - (Darcy B.)

This post is gonna be hard.  (that's what she said.)

Facts about joysticks:

A joystick is an input device.

Joysticks come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

Some joysticks function better than others.


Good joysticks have "throttle control". (This one is called the Thrustmaster.)

Some joysticks suffer from "dome contact fatigue failure (flatting out)"

Joysticks are often found in cockpits. 

Joysticks can be used in video gaming.

Console gamers prefer the use of two sticks while PC gamers prefer using one larger one.
However, PC gamers rarely use their joystick.  To them, it has become somewhat obsolete.

I hope you have enjoyed this gallery of gadgets.  I must admit that, at first, I was disappointed with myself.  One of my self-inflicted rules for this challenge was to hit at least 200 words per entry.  Then I remembered: a picture is worth 1,000 words.  I guess I have outdone myself yet again...

Potty Training - (Mark A.)

When I was pregnant with our first child someone "advised" me that early parenthood was "all about poop."  Surely, they must be exaggerating, I thought.  Clearly, they were just trying to be funny.  I was well aware I would have to deal with diapers and what they contained.  I was not aware of what all of this would look like.

Pretty much from the moment they hand you the baby bundle in the delivery room you become poop obsessed.  In fact, the hospital has you keep track of each occurrence; color, consistency, frequency, form.  It is truly amazing.  I still cannot believe how easily poop dictates my day, it can even determine the mood of the entire house.  I also cannot believe the ease with which I say the word.

Poop.  Go ahead, say it out loud, I dare you.  Poop.  Now whisper it.  Poop.  Wanna yell it now?  POOP!!!

I have no doubt embarrassed my younger sister, her boyfriend, myself and probably many others on countless occasions (this blog entry possibly being a prime example).  I know I talk about poop too much.  It is basically the reason I have stopped going to civilized gatherings.

Now that our eldest is potty trained we have experienced an excrement evolution.  I will not get into that right now.  As research for this entry, though, I did ask our nearly three-year-old daughter a few questions.  Her answers were, well, very three.  Here is a brief excerpt from our conversation:

Me: Do you wear diapers anymore?
Z: No.  I wear underwear!  With padapullers.  (caterpillars)
Me: Who in our house still wears diapers?
Z: G!
Me: Are you going to help teach G (now ten months old) how to go on the potty when she is old enough?
Z: I will
Me: When do you think she will be old enough?
Z: In six days. 

Potty training, my friends, is not just about ditching the diapers.

Soon after this fine moment, my husband came home in the loaner car we just picked up from the dealership.  As agreed, he took Z back outside with him to see it.  She was quite intrigued with the idea of a borrowed car.  The hubs let her climb in, sit behind the wheel and pretend to drive.  And then, our sweet little babe, who hadn't had an accident in weeks, proceeded to pee all over the cloth seat and herself.  Brilliant. 

 

Mobile gaming - (Zach L.)

Gather round, folks.  It's storytime!

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away (Owings Mills, MD) a young video game voyeur snuggled beside her avid gamer husband.  No baby monitors crackled or buzzed in the background.  The air was light, smelling nothing of diapers or formula.  The upcoming weekend held the promise of true rest and relaxation.  It was a quieter time, this time before children.  The nights were somehow boring.  But, not this night.

This night began like many others.  Gamer husband lay fondling his mobile gaming device while gamer wife watched drowsily from her pillow.  Occasionally she would lift her head to take in a glimpse or two.  The game being played on this historic eve?  The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. 

Unbeknownst to gamer wife, this title required more than just button tapping.  Unbeknownst to gamer husband, gamer wife had fallen asleep.  And then a seemingly innocent enemy rabbit with well endowed ears appeared on the screen.  Tactic required to defeat said rabbit?  Yelling into the Nintendo DS to scare the bully bunny.

This, simply, is how the rest of the scene unfolded:

GH: Hey honey, check this out...to beat this guy I have to...
GW:...
GH: (at top of lungs) AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
GW: (basically jumps out of bed.  heart basically jumps out of chest) What happened?!??!  Are you ok??!?!?
GH: I thought you were awake
GW: Um, nope
GH: I'm sorry
GW: Uh huh (mental head slap. actual blow to her husband's arm)

Please note: No children were harmed (or conceived) as a result of this interaction.

"There's an app for that." - (Mark A.)

Gotta tweet, search a recipe or restaurant on the go?
"There's an app for that."

Need to catch a lobster, raccoon or a mouse, oh no!?
"There's a trap for that."

Feel the urge to be an onstage ham?
"There's a tap for that"

Have a dreaded yearly exam?
"There's a pap for that"

Wanna emote ghetto-fabulous style?
"There's a rap for that."

Desire to look like an early Gentile?
"There's a flap for that."

Wow.  Well, that little game degraded fairly quickly, didn't it?  Fabulous.  If you have any more, I would love to hear them.  I had one for lap, but it really was not appropriate.  Moving on...

Right now, Instagram is my favorite app.  The 8 megapixel camera on the iPhone 4S is amazing.  I love having that at my fingertips to document daily delights.  Far from being obsessed with it, Instagram is simply a fun way for me to enhance what I capture and share it with all of you.  So, while understandably my favorite subjects are my two beautiful girls, I have something special brewing for my voyeur viewers.

Starting in February, I plan to present my "VGV Insta-G of the day".  Each day, I will share a photo through the eyes of the voyeur, all video game related and guaranteed to please.  Be sure to check my Facebook page for the photos.  (don't forget to give my page some "like" love so you don't miss any Insta-G's or other gems.)

And now, back to the game...here are some words for you to ponder...crap, lap, nap, slap, zap...

Cosplay - (Matthew W.)

Up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea what cosplay was.  I saw the topic in my list for this challenge and assumed it must be describing a type of bedroom shenanigan involving boldly patterned crew neck sweaters.  I have since educated myself a bit on the subject (thank you, as always, dear Internet.)

Come to find out, I already knew what cosplay was, I just didn't know what cosplay meant.  For years, I worked in downtown Baltimore, home to one of many conventions known as "Comic Con."  Every summer I watched cosplay play out in a magnificent fashion.  I rode into town on the Metro next to Superman.  I ate lunch as the nearby food court with Harley Quinn.  I may or may not have seen Bobo Fett in Banana Republic at the Gallery mall.  There was lots of makeup and weird weapons and skin, skin, skin.  These people are devout.

In case you have yet to catch up, cosplay is short for "costume play" and represents a type of performance art wherein participants dress up as characters from anime, graphic novels, comic books, video games, and the like.  I suppose it is a type of role play, though I do not know if any acting, per se, is involved.  However, based on some of these amazing photos I assume these artists full monty it in every direction. 

Though I can respect the amount of thought, time, and energy "cosplaying" requires, I am ridiculously relieved that my husband is not into this.  Though, if I had to guess, I suppose he might choose to dress up as Spike from Cowboy Bebop (an anime series he adores and, yes, I have watched.  Hmm, great blog topic idea.  Why didn't one of you think of it?!?)  If you know the character (and my husband), you realize this would not be a huge departure for him (Spike basically wears a suit and tie.)  Regardless, I vote cosplay as a deal breaker.

I mean, let's get real.  I would never partake in cosplay.  I don't even dress up for Halloween.  I used to, of course.  It was fun.  And, I guess I did dress up as She-Ra (Princess of Power) when I was six.  I don't think that counts, but if I revisited that costume again this year...thoughts?

Happy Zombie Tuesday!

Zombies are to video games as vampires are to movies.  So, naturally, when I learned about Zombie Tuesday I could not resist the opportunity to write.  Graciously, @MotherhoodTruth allowed me space on her blog.  Read my post (and all of her fabulous thoughts on everything from Mommies to Zombies) at Motherhood:Truth.

How I put too much pressure on myself - (Laura C.)

Laura is not one to offer unsolicited advice.  She is thoughtful and reserved.  However, she has, on more that one occasion, randomly reminded me that if I need to skip a day of blogging it would be fine.  Apparently, since the inception of this idea, she has been wary.  Perhaps she thinks that if I failed to follow my self-inflicted rules I would wither and wallow.   That little stinker, she really knows me. 

She knows I put a lot of pressure on myself.  She knows that I can be too hard on myself.  She was right to remind me.  But, Laura, I hope you think this has been a positive endeavor.  I do.  And I'll prove it. 

How?  A Pro/Con list, of course. 

Cons:

1. Daily blogging causes you to neglect your pedicure.  Toenail polish is one of my few guilty pleasures.  Year round, I love to keep my piggies pampered with paint.  I only indulge in a spa treatment a couple of times a year and keep them up on my own in between.  But, alas, my "Red Zin-ful" toes are leftover from the holidays.  The paint is chipped, dingy and sad.  I even bought a new color a few weeks ago that I have yet to use.  My feet might have to wait until February to drink in the beauty that is "Haute Chocolate."

2. I am a wittle bit sweepier than usual.  Granted, I have two young children, but they have been sleeping fine.  I, on the other hand, have been staying up later and dreaming in blog.  Some times I feel like I spent the entire night rolling ideas around instead of resting.  

3. Insecurity has set in, a bit.  I fear you all may be getting tired of me.  Is all this quantity harming my quality?   Are you considering breaking up with my blog?

Pros:

1. I am building amazing content on my site in just a few short weeks.  This has given me the confidence to promote my blog.  I feel like now, if I send some one here, they will have plenty to read and will really be able to get a feel for what I am all about.     

2. I have learned that I really could write every day if I wanted to.  I have the time.  I have the unique niche and voice.  I probably won't blog every day after the challenge is over, but I probably will blog much more often than before. 

3. Every night, after the girls are in bed, my husband makes a fire and I sit and write.  It has been a great way for us to unwind together.

4. Thinking about my blog, literally all day long, has sparked fresh ideas.  I feel like I will have plenty to write about for a long time.  I created a Facebook page for the blog (Please take a second to "Like" it) and I have even devised another challenge I will tell you about soon.

5. I have begun networking as a blogger.  In fact, tomorrow is my first guest post on another site.  I recently connected with a mommy blogger on Twitter who celebrates "Zombie Tuesdays."  Tomorrow, I am her guest writer (about video games, of course.)  Look for a link to her blog from mine.  

6. It has been fun conquering all of your clever blog topics and thinking about you as I write them.  Please send me more any time. 

So, to recap, I have gained a lot from this 30 Day Writing Challenge and I am only half of the way through it.  It seems that the only negative things coming out of this are shabby toes, insufficient sleep and lame insecurities.  What else is new?  Time for another beer.  Here's to 16 down and 14 to go! (posts.  not beers.)

Voice acting (or attempting) - (Matthew W.)

Video Game Voyeur Trivia: What does video game voice acting and the Golden Globes have in common?

One might be inclined to guess "absolutely nothing."  While the Golden Globes is known for parading talented movie and television stars, video games are not.  Video game voice acting is generally only mildly inspired and entertaining.  Video game voice actors (while becoming more well known) are often B-list at best.  For as much as I watch, I can not recall a video game voice performance that moved me.  In fact, I rarely even notice much of the dialogue. That is, unless it completely stinks.

So, do you know the answer?

I'll give you a hint: It's an actor
I'll give you another hint: He won an award at the Globes tonight
Ok, one more: His name rhymes with Fristopher Slummer

Did ya guess it yet? 

All joking aside, I just want to say well done Skyrim for hiring an award winning actor to elevate an already fabulous game.  And kudos, Christopher, for giving some credibility to video game voice acting.


Bonus questions from the voyee (is that a word?)

Which games do you play where the voice acting totally takes you out of the moment?  

Which games have voice acting that is so good you actually notice?

I'll give my answers in the comments tomorrow.

 

My dream video game - (M. Kendall L.)

I am torn.  There are too many ambitions to fulfill, too many angles to consider, too many fantasies to satisfy.  When it comes to developing my dream video game, I don't think I could create just one.  So, I won't.  Sing with me!  It's my blog and I'll do what I want to, dooo what I want to, dooooo what I want to.  You would do this too, if you happened to have a cool blog like miiiiine (or something like that).

My dream video game to watch

I would love to watch a game that took place somewhere breathtakingly beautiful, like a beach in Bali.  I would want to hear the sounds of the ocean, the waves, the birds, the wind in the trees.  In my opinion, tropical locales are under represented in video games.

Like my sister gamer wives, I prefer games with puzzles that I can help my husband solve.   Wouldn't it be nice to stroll along the shore unlocking riddles and uncovering clues?  Perhaps there is a loose story line wherein you are stranded on the island and need to solve the puzzles to earn food and clothes and other supplies, like frozen strawberry margaritas.  

My dream video game to play

I know, I know, I don't like to play.  I like to watch.  But, I feel like I am missing out.  My husband plays video games for many reasons.  One of which, I am sure, is to escape.  He has this vehicle that actively allows him to get lost in a different place, a different story.  I have never been good at doing that.  I read, yes, but mostly magazines and realistic fiction.  I write, yes, but mostly about his hobby.

Basically, I dream of a game that would open up my imagination.  One that would totally engross me.  My mind is so closed that I can't even fathom what I would want to do or accomplish or conquer in a game like this.  I do know that it would have to require a ridiculously simple controller, be side scrolling and by no means require me to change any camera angle, ever.   

My dream video game for the hubs to play

I dream of a game that has little dialogue of its own so my husband can actually talk to me while he plays.  I dream of a game that has many, frequent save points so I don't feel bad when I accidentally linger in front of the screen as the enemy approaches.  I dream of a game that, somehow, still allows my husband to play even though he is both helping me fold laundry and giving me a foot massage.  And, maybe, just maybe, when he beats it, people everywhere will finally be judged, not on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character.  Oh, and it also transports us to a beach in Bali.

Interview voyeurs and compare experiences - (Laura C.)

First, I want to thank everyone who responded to my email survey.  I really enjoyed reading what you had to say about how video games play into your lives.  Plus, you guys crack me up.  I am looking forward to directly quoting a few of you in a few. 

Second, while most of you are fairly affirming of your man (let's be honest we are all women married to men who play video games), some of you are not.  And, I some times got the feeling that I was the first person to hear some of your thoughts.  No one ever wrote anything close to, "This is what we have agreed on" or "after discussing this we decided..."  Please, please, please talk to your husband about his gaming.  He needs to know if you have an issue. 

Third, I want to take a minute to address the avid gamers in our midst.  I have your back.  You know I do.  Video gaming is a legitimate hobby.  But, golf is also a legitimate hobby.  I know douches who play both.  Do you catch my drift? 

Now onto the interviews:

Compliments
When asked what you ladies liked about video games, the majority of you mentioned helping to solve the puzzles.  So cute.  I am sure there is an anthropological explanation for this.  If any of you understand it, please fill me in.  I also got the impression that, while you are glad games bring him joy, you are also pleased it is a hobby that keeps him home, in front of the baby monitor, where he belongs.  Video gaming seems, to some, a lesser evil.

Communication
With the exception of a few newlyweds in the group, this is something all voyeurs have had to be creative with at some point.  Suggestions I received ranged in intensity.  Examples included: tapping his arm, sitting next to him and waiting, standing in front of the screen, looking for him to die, (and my personal favorite) stripping.  When we were first married, my husband had a man cave down in the basement complete with a projector and surround sound.  Once, when it was time for dinner (and no amount of shouting worked), I sent the dog down with a sign on his back.  I don't remember if it worked.  

Complaints
"Can't (he)  just play games rated E for Everyone when (the kid is) around? Is that really so hard?"

"Once he starts a game he cares about, it's pretty much 8pm - 2am until he's beaten it every way it can be beaten (dirty!)"

"I don't like when he gets angry with the game....cursing as if he really did get shot."

"Do you have any idea what I could do with $60?!?!? A bangin’ haircut or a dinner out! Or a new outfit. Such a waste."

From my point of view, I was pleased to find out that, in general, you considered yourselves to be video game voyeurs and tried to spend some time with your husband while he games.  You are all generally supportive (or working on it.)  Now I am curious, do your husband's agree?