Growing up is waaayyyy overrated.

"When are you going to stop being such a skanky whore?"

"Would you rather I be out at the bar with the guys, or on the couch drinking a beer where you know exactly where I am?"

That usually gets them to STFU.

I usually just start drooling and yell, "I POOPED MY PANTS!" And I did. Oh, how I did...

Actually, in all honesty I have never been asked that question. My mom once asked me on a visit home, "Do you think you'll ever get tired of playing video games?" But she didn't ask it in any sort of way that implies that I should get tired of them. She was just genuinely curious, as if she wanted to understand what it is about video games that she's just not getting.

I just answered that I sometimes get tired of all the repetitive crap out there and sometimes I just don't feel like playing them, but ultimately there's always something interesting and new that draws me back in. I equate my love of games to something like a director's love of movies.

So, yeah, no one-liner from me. If I were to ever be asked that question, I'd probably just explain why I'm so passionate about games. For eight hours. She'll never ask another stupid, belittling question again.

I'm never going to grow up completely and I'm never going to stop playing videogames. I have enough "adult" time in my life to let go of the times I'm a kid.

And remember, as a wise man once said, "You're only as old as the woman you feel."

I've been lucky in that respect regarding significant others; I don't think that I've ever had a girlfriend that belittled my gaming hobby. My girlfriend actually, I excrete-you-not, proposed that we go in halfsies on a 360 together for Valentine's Day (she's just about as big of a culdcept freak as I am). That took all of three seconds to come to a decision (used to process the possibility of it being a trick).

My parents are the only ones that express any sadness over my gaming; I just don't mention it to them because it upsets them. They generally seem to think that 14 (for whatever the reason, probably saw something that mentioned that age on 60 minutes) should be the hard-and-fast cutoff age for video gaming. However, I think that my mom's heart may be slowly changing; I've caught her playing Atomica a couple of times and even caught my dad stopping once to look at a PS3 demo screen.

I thought a nice image to give us all the courage to 'never grow up' might help also. For some reason, maybe based on my safety settings, this is the first image that popped up for me doing google's image search for never grow up

There was a period where there was concern, mostly from my parents. With peers, not just the gaming ones, playing games is normal. I have had non gaming room mates who liked to watch and might pick up the mouse or controller.

But my parents mellowed on in because I am a good contributing member of society. I was good in school, work, etc. My love of games has led to the successful launch of three separate web sites(I hope that this last one lasts me), the unsuccessful launch of one, and my current working on another. I find it strange that my game related web ventures have carried a higher air than my game ventures. My mother rather flipped when I mentioned that I spent 1200 dollars building my current gaming PC(I omitted that I spent 80 bucks on a mouse for the package). Which flabbergasted me. This is the woman who bought me a warranty and strategy guide for Halo 2 when it was given to me as a Christmas present.

It is funny because when I sold my Xbox 360, about 6 months after launch, on Ebay, it was seen as a mark of growing up. I was "giving up on games." Then I spent the proceeds of that on my new PC.

My advice to all the kids who game, and get crap for it is to take up smoking or become an alcoholic. Both will help greatly. But these vices exacerbate whatever concerns your loved ones have for your gaming. I kicked the extraordinary booze habit, but taking up cigars has really helped get my mother off my back as far as games.

You want to grow up so you can get old, see your dreams unrealized, and die? Sounds like a great plan.

Oh, I also get to the gym 6-7 days a week.

On the one and only podcast of one of my failed web ventures, I covered how I apparently live in a 36 hour day. I take my classes, get work done, manage a web site or two(or three), I still play 4 hours a day, read a book or two each month, read a half dozen webcomics each day, spend an hour perusing news, etc.

I do not mean to slag other people, but my dad probably watched 5 hours of TV each day. My mom spends 3 hours on the phone, 4 or 5 e-mailing and f*cking around online.

In the epic words of my Uncle Hank, "why the hell do you care how I waste my time?" How I spend my leisure time, is my business.

Yeah, but did it work? Can you still attend family gatherings?

Correct response: "When you let me stick it in your pooper." Unless she already does. In which case: "When you invite your most attractive female friend(s) for a hot and sweaty orgy." Unless she already does. In which case...

What the $&@( are you playing video games for?!

King, I actually meant Sonic's girlfriends. That's interesting too, though.

I have to say that I agree.. I have been asked this question by people in numerous forms.. (not the numerous forms of people ... but the question)

My answer is always tailored to the person:

"Whenever you stop (x) for (y) a day."
where x = leisure activity, y = amount of time...

sometimes x = bi@#$*&^ at me & y = what seems like hours
sometimes x = watching "reality" TV & y = hours
I could go on, but you get the idea..

Everyone has something that they do as much as I play games. This response will 98% of the time trigger a response of "well that's different, I'm not wasting my time", or something similar. Take this opportunity to explain how games are simply another form of entertainment and how actually if they are watching TV, they are actually using less of their brain than you are playing games. (Unless they are a big fan of educational TV, history channel, etc.) If they can't see games as an equal leisure time activity because I'm an adult, that's their problem... Not mine. Games are not a children's activity any more. Sure, there are plenty of games for kids. But I don't generally play them. And if it is ever pointed out to me that games are for kids then I assume that the only television they watch is "teletubbies" and "sesame street" and I tell them to simply grow up and watch big people TV.

I mention TV because most of the people who ask me this question have this type of day:
while(alive){
wake up;
work;
come home;
for(hours = 0; hours <= 4; i++){
watch TV;
}
sleep;
}

rantOff();
sorry, I guess I've been asked this a few too many times and I always get pretty annoyed by it... I'll stop now..

I think I just won Out of Context Theater...