Thursday, June 16, 2011

Which Came first: Gamers with no friends, or Single player games

Well this entry probably isn't going to connect with everyone, but it's a conversation I've found myself having over and over, and I'd love some feedback.

The issue is of gaming.

And no, I don't consider myself to be a "gamer". (though I can be found playing hours of Madden)
And no this isn't a criticism the violence, sex, and drug use in video games "brainwashing" our children into making babies at 13 and joining games.
(Not yet......)

I think in order to talk about my issue with today's video games, I need to take y'all back to a simpler time. Not the times of pong (I'm not that old). I'm talking about nintendo, super nintendo, and n64. You see, back then, and still today, my father ran a pawn shop. So I, being the envy of my friends, got to use my dad's store like a library. I swapped out games and movies as I pleased.

Unlike my friends, I was never really into games like Zelda, or Mario Brothers, but I never really knew why.

But now I think I do.....

You see, looking back on what my favorite games were, it was always things like Super Smash Brothers, and Goldeneye. And no it's not because I'm particularly into violence, it's because my memories of those games always seemed to share one common theme.

Hanging out with my friends.

I loved having all of my friends sleep over, playing video games til 5 a.m,. drinking soda, eating snacks, laughing at each other, and having a great time.

So what's the point of this entry? Forcing others to read about your reminiscing? Well that'd just be cruel.

I was in my dad's store the other day looking at games (I don't get them for free anymore....) when I realized something. Not a single ps3 game on the shelf, there were about 30, was multiplayer.

Sure there were plenty of games that you could play against your "friends" online, but no games that you could play with someone sitting right next to you.

Who made that decision? That no gamers had friends? That people don't like to sit around next to eachother and play video games anymore?

Sure, I have friends that it's cool that I can play games against them when they live in other cities, states, countries, but it's sort of irrelevant if I never played against them when they were sitting right next to me.

I am one of those people that unfortunately believes that one day society will be made up of people sitting in their own houses doing everything from their own computers. Every action from a single chair. Never moving.

But today is not that day.

We have to stop buying these anti-social one-player games. That's the only way to let the game makers know.

If we want more multiplayer games, we have to do something about it! I refuse to resort to going back and buying the old systems and the old games. Whether or not people want to believe it, the prices on those have started going back up.

However, if things don't change I'm pretty sure I have an old n64 in my parents attic. It might just be time to dig that old thing back up.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Confessions of a Virgin

Anyone that knows me knew this entry was coming.

Yes. I, Matthew Pearson, am a virgin.
Yes, I realize I've been in a  relationship for 5 and a half years.
Yes, I also realize I'm 22 years old.

So what is this entry going to be about?

A boasting of holding on to my V-card until marriage?
Nope

a judgement of those who didn't?
Not at ALL

A preachy social commentary on my disappointment in the expectations of society......?
Well, I mean, don't act like you've never read my blog before ;)

While risking offending most of societies progressive movements, what I really want to talk about, is the stigma on remaining abstinent.

How super conservative of me, right?

Here's the deal. There are programs that teach safe sex, and there are programs that teach abstinence. There's really no middle ground, at least in Arkansas. Yes, if we are taught safe-sex, we are also taught that the "safest"-sex is no sex. But, of course, the instructor jokingly says it.

But why does it have to be a joke? It is completely possible to wait. And while I completely understand that no one HAS to wait, I don't understand why we have to "expect" that young people are having sex anyway.

My landlady came over the other day and told me we had to remove the infamous "that's what she said" poster. For those who don't know, it's a giant poster on the wall that is covered in "that's what she said" quotes that get mistakenly said in the house. My landlady began to justify herself by saying "I know you're young, and you're having sex, but I don't want to read about it on the poster." Well my immediate reaction was shock that she thought we were doing the things written on the poster. Hahaha.

Second reaction: Offense. I made sure to correct her. "Actually we're waiting until marriage."

And as most people react whenever I make the proud declaration, she was silenced.

As all journalists know, Never ASSUME, it makes an ASS (out of) U (and) ME.

Here's the deal: Ashley and I are waiting until marriage (two more days!) to have sex. Could we have had sex a LONG time ago? Absolutely. But we didn't, we waited. We learned about each other. We learned to appreciate every aspect of the other. When others were loving and losing, when relationships played musical chairs all around, we remained together. We were best friends. I am not ashamed of it at all. I don't feel any less of a man. We are still very physically attracted to each other. We have passion, we have love, our relationship is much deeper than I think a lot of people have experienced. Much further than physical.

Do I believe in the physical aspect relationships? Sure. But to put it on an elementary level. The penis does not have to enter anything to have a strong physical relationship. I think that concept tends to get lost, yet couples wander aimlessly spending ungodly amounts of money wondering why they've lost the passion. Why she's no longer being satisfied.

We worry about why children are reproducing. I admit it's a problem. But maybe shoving condoms into their pockets isn't the answer.

Maybe preaching abstinence isn't the answer.

Maybe these single parent children just need to be taught to love, not only others, but themselves.

The love of my parents was rivaled by no other. Growing up I didn't looked for a girl that I could use a condom on. I looked for a girl that would love me like my mom loved my dad.

I think I found her.


p.s. in two more days it's my turn :)