January 02, 2011

How do I Justify my Hobby?

I like playing WoW for the following reasons:

It's cheap.  You know how much dinner and a movie costs for 2 people? About $40.  And that's for...4 hours of entertainment, tops.

It's fun.  There are things to DO in game. Quests, farming, flying around...

Socializing!  Friends from all around the country.  Families who play WoW.

So why do people who sit and watch television for three hours every night before bed feel the need to rain on my parade?  What is so perfect and wonderful about your hobbies that mine is not as good as yours?  Is it because all of mine is digital?  Intangible? 

I have intellectual hobbies and I have relaxing hobbies.  Writing, gardening, cooking, and reading are my intellectual hobbies, and WoW is my relaxing hobby. Bubble baths.  Hot showers.  Jogging, walking, hiking, visiting state parks (when I have money) and working out.

When I get home from work every day, all I want to do is shower and do what the F#$@ *I* want to do.

I'm single.  I have many friends. I visit these friends.

I'll probably be UNFORTUNATELY having to move to Houston to get a better job and stay with my *UGH* aunt. 

This aunt is superficial, too concerned with what other people thing about her, too worried about what people might say, too materialistic, a pessimist, a worry wart, a social butterfly, a drama queen, someone who blows things out of proportion, and will probably hold her tv watching, movie watching, money blowing (on dinners/alcohol) as a "better" hobby than mine. 

I like to work out in the morning.  She likes to work out in the evening. I get my shit done early.  If she forces me to go waste my time in the evening, time that *I* earned by working some shit office job, I will be thoroughly pissed.

On top of that, the internet in Houston is cable and B-L-O-Ws. 

I like my WoW hobby. When I get home from work, I get to do what *I* want to do, because I earned it all day.  Sure, I'll clean, but for the most part I'm a SMART person who washes dishes immediately after dinner.  Wednesday and Thursday evenings, I will be in my room, doing what I earned the time to do. 

And if anyone gives me any shit for it, I will immediately move back to to my old town.  Or home. 

On top of that, she basically insinuated that if I don't get back into University this summer (I will) to finish my last class (1 class left for my degree, and it's not required) that I'm going to be a loser working in an office, and that I'll have to be a "secretary" as if that's a terrible job.  It's a great job, to be honest.  To all the secretaries out there, keep on keepin' on. 

I'm pretty infuriated with my aunt right now, and I know if I move to Houston, I'll be stuck with some superficial obsessed crazy fifty year old who wants to micromanage every aspect of MY life.  I'm 25.  All I want is a place to sleep for 6 months where I can go to work, come home, and do MY shit until my university says yes.  Then I'll be in my old town.

I just have to make it until May. I hope I last that long.

And if they say no, well, fuck 'em, I'll just move to Michigan.

So, what do I say to my aunt IF I have to go to the shittastic, nasty, smoggy, people-crowded, ARMPIT of TEXAS called Houston?

9 comments:

  1. I agree... I have a grandpa who'd get a heartattack if I told him how many hours per day I spend on playing. But he of course spend equally many hours watching TV, which is tooootally ok. Bah.

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  2. No wow player should feel the need to justify their hobby, but unfortunately we often do anyway. there's the same variety of legitimate reasons to play games, just like there are reasons for other hobbies or interests, in fact a hobby needs no other justification than "because I enjoy it". but gamers are still met with double standards in that respect and feel the need to come up with some productivity about playing videogames and even if they manage that they are usually met with scepticism.

    western society and culture are simply lagging behind when it comes to intergrating and accepting gaming as a mainstream pastime. but we'll get there eventually, it's just a matter of time. ;)

    I've written an article about pretty much this thing a while ago by the way, not sure if you've seen it:
    http://raging-monkeys.blogspot.com/2010/10/so-whens-last-time-you-played-game.html

    I think some of the comments I got there really spoke for themselves. that said, more power to us, never feel ashamed for who you are or what you enjoy! :)

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  3. Stay strong and hang in there! I can very well understand your situation from your explanation and feel the same way. but have patience, having a shitty aunt hanging over you for half a year might be worth it later when you get your degree and can stick it in her face. your way of life DO work, you got a degree, did she? no? then bummer for her, your'e on plus, shes down. I so hate people forcing on their worldly opinions on to me, let me be like I want to be, as long as it's working, whats the frikin' problem??

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  4. Well if anything you can always move up to Abilene with me, Llani. LOL.

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  5. This is Andar, BTW.

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  6. Thanks guys for the comments/advice/support, I appreciate all of it!

    I think I was still feeling the aftereffects of her phone call. Basically, I felt like she was trying to make me feel like I'm doomed to be a secretary. She does have a degree, but it's in business. That's fine, but since she was married for so long and a stay at home mom, she never built up a career until a few years ago. She's a secretary and she seems to think I'm going to be stuck with the same job and is trying to destroy my optimistic outlook.

    Well, I'm here to prove her wrong. I took a science degree with a minor in English, and when I graduate, I'm going to get a technical writing job in a science field.

    AND I'm going to play WoW whenever I feel like it when I come home, AND still see my friends and be social. I'll just be doing it when *I* want to.

    And Andar, I just might! :-P I'm sure you wouldn't mind me sleeping on the couch, right?

    I decided, for now, to keep my job in my college town until the end of the month. It's cashiering, and I have to commute twice a week, 140 miles roundtrip, but for now it's $220 bucks a week and that's enough to pay the bills.

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  7. You have every reason to enjoy your time how you want.If its this game, then other can go piss up a rope if they don't like it.

    I totally agree with you and one of the great things about blogging is, you have a place to vent either in game or not what is going on and in some small way it helps.

    I hope all works out for you the way you want it too. Good luck in that last class.

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  8. On a similar note ;)

    http://unleashedroidrage.blogspot.com/2011/01/for-love-of-wow.html

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