My introduction to video games started in the late 70's. We got a Pong game for our TV. It was really cool for the time, and every one wanted to have one. It was basically a tennis game that you and another player could play against each other. I would spend hours on that thing. As I grew older and the games developed, I remember getting an Atari game system. I'd come home from school and hop on it, but Mom would only let me play for a little while, after dinner and homework were done, I'd go back in and play till bedtime. As I got older, I started going to the arcades. At lunch, when I was going to school, I'd go to this place, that I can't remember the name of, on North Porter, just a couple blocks away from school. Dad would give me $2 or $3 for lunch and I'd go up there and get a hot dog and a coke for $1 and spend the rest in video games. There was also a little shack across from our school called The Cubs Den. I'd go there, and get a Kit Kat and a coke for lunch and spend the rest in games. If that wasn't bad enough, I would go to the Gold Mine in Sooner Fashion Mall. That was my favorite! Wall to wall games. All the latest and greatest. I could play there all day.
When I hit high school and I started making my own money, I'd go whenever I got the chance. When we'd stop after our ball games in high school, instead of sitting with my girl friend, I'd play games till I was broke, then go sit with her. She'd get so mad at me at times, I still think I'm very lucky she married me. When we were dating, I'd drop her off at her house by 11 p.m. and then stop down the block from our house and play video games till 1 or 2 in the morning. Mom got worried about me once and got out to check on me about 2 in the morning. She drove down the road, saw my car at the convenience store, turned around and went home. She never worried about me partying or getting drunk. That would get in the way of my games!
After we got married, we went over to a cousins house. He had a Nintendo. Me and him stayed up all night playing Mario Bros. I saved up all my money. I had to get me one too! I lost many hours of sleep but I had cto rescue the princess! After that there was the Sega, than the Playstion, the Nintendo 64, the Xbox, the Playstion 2, the Xbox 360, and then my last one, the Playstion 3, which I've owned for a couple of years. My youngest son bought himself a Playstion 4, and I'd play on it quite a bit too. If he was at work or asleep, I'd jump at the chance to play for a little bit. I would always jump at a chance to play video games! I feel video games were a big factor into my becoming obese. I'd like nothing better than to sit for hours and play games uninterrupted. Over the years the amount of sleep I've lost would be staggering. I've gone to work too many times after getting only 1 or 2 hours of sleep after staying up all night. My constant sitting around, and lack of proper rest, and eating all different hours, I feel, is what put me in the predicament I'm in.
I hadn't played in a while when I joined Weight Watchers, that was till my son brought home a game called Fallout 4. I had played the previous 3 and was looking forward to playing this one. Over the last couple of weeks, my routine took a hit. I started changing things so I could play it. I didn't change my eating habits I had started, but my gym time became game time. For the first time since I started my jpurney, I was feeling tired and sluggish all day. I wasn't losing alot of sleep, but I thought is was just the stress of Thanksgiving week. After talking to some co-workers, I came to the logical conclusion that I was tired because of the video game. I will sit for hours in the same position and not move a muscle other than my hands or head. I will get so caught up in a game, that I will lose aspect of time. I thought that was okay. Till today.
My journey took a hard right and veered of the road. I hit the biggest wall yet. How can I get past this wall? It goes up as high as I can see, and as far wide as I can see. This wall has been being built for almost 40 years, so it's huge! The only way I can get through it is to ram a hole right through it, and the only way I can do that is to stop playing games. I've got to quit doing the thing I have been consumed with! That's the only logical way I can see it. To take all my energy that I used to p,aye games with, and focus it into my health. When I bored, leave the tv off, and go to the gym, or go outside. I'm really wanting to buy me a bike and start riding it, so maybe that's something I can focus on. I like to write and I have a song that I've been messing with in my head, so maybe I can write it now. Who knows what I can do now, but it won't be video games! Wow! I can't even believe I'm saying this! I am giving up video games! I've got to! I made a pledge to myself to get healthy no matter the cost! That game cost me .4 lbs this week, but no more! I'm still over 50 lbs lost, and I want to keep it that way!
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