99 Days of Emotional Video Game Blogging

Day 99: The Audit

April 15^th is a day most grown ups dread and like other procrastinating adults we were derailed from gaming by the taxman.  The only gaming that took place yesterday was a few moves of mobile Carcossone.  But the government is not the only reason we were distracted we have also spent much of our downtime watching an episode of the new Netflix show DareDevil. 

There are 24 hours left until “D-day.”  I euphemistically referred to tomorrow, or the end of 100 days, as when I would make the choice between Diablo and divorce.  And it is probably a good sign that over the last few weeks I have stopped labeling my blog posts with the word divorce but as every good researcher knows, current trends do not determine final outcomes.  Today the plan is to get the hubs the moment he gets off work and get as much gaming in as possible.

I have been working on an audit about how this experiment has changed me emotionally, my relationship with the hubs, and if it provided any insight into what to do with our broken marriage.  The thing that surprised me the most is that I wrote as much about my feelings as I did what games we played.   

I have decided to map my blog.  To create themes and sub-themes of the topics and emotions that have filled the last 100 days.  I placed asterisks next to my favorite post in each category.  

Guess what I am thinking about (hint: not taxes). 

The Experiment

Quitting my Marriage and Picking Up a Controller- Day 1

Why Play Games Instead of Getting a Divorce?-Day 4

 Can Video Games Save a Marriage?- Day 10

 12 Years of Holding Hands and Holding Controllers-Day 11

Gone Girl the Game- Day 13

The Husband's Side of the Story- Day 18

Why I don't just play games for my husband.-Day 23

Treacherous River in Kern: Love and aBroken Marriage- Day 39

Love and Legos- Day 41

My Centennial(100th) Blog Post dedicated to Wil Wheaton- Day 43

**The Laundry Goblins- Day 51

Warmachine Widow- Day 54

Helldivers- Day 61 

Married People Play Video Games in a Scandalous Way- Day 65

The Hubs Guest Blog 2.0- Day 67

Far and Away from my PS4- Day 77

Video Games and Indoctrinating our Youth-Day86

Emotional Venting

Bring it on

Why Play Games Instead of Getting a Divorce?-Day 4

The Hardest Thing I Have Ever Done in MyLife- Day 16

Things that are Hard 2.0 –Day 17 

**Why I don't just play games for my husband.-Day 23

Gear is Better than Roses- Day 37

Living in the Shadow of a Kick A$$ Wife- Day41

My Centennial(100th) Blog Post dedicated to Wil Wheaton- Day 43

Tales of a Wannabe Slayer-Day 47

Tales of a Wannabe Slayer Part 2- Day 48

Warmachine Widow- Day 54

Helldivers: Survive the hard stuff and don't shoot your wife-Day 63 

Spit, Teach, Love: Today's Rant about Hope instead of Gaming- Day64

Gamer Family and Geek Parenting

I hope you dance- Day 8

Leaving My Family- Day 29 

Rapists, Video Games, and Valentines Day- Day 35

Love and Legos- Day 41

My Centennial(100th) Blog Post dedicated to Wil Wheaton- Day 43

**The Hubs Guest Blog 2.0- Day 67

Video Games and Indoctrinating our Youth-Day 86

Chronicles of  Gaming Mommy - Day 93

Geek family FTW

Romance

I hope you dance- Day 8

12 Years of Holding Hands and Holding Controllers-Day 11

Gone Girl the Game- Day 13

Leaving My Family- Day 29 

Rapists, Video Games, and Valentines Day- Day35

Gear is Better than Roses- Day 37

**A Treacherous River in Kern: Love and aBroken Marriage- Day 39

Kissing brown hair 

Kissing blue hair 

Love and Legos- Day 41

Big Eyes, Small Mouth- Day 52

Married People Play Video Games in a Scandalous Way- Day 65 

Far and Away from my PS4- Day 77

Video Games and Indoctrinating our Youth-Day86

Beauty and Self Esteem

The Infamous Blue Hair

**F-ck Tropes and Resolutions- Day 3

Things that are Hard 2.0 –Day 17

Living in the Shadow of a Kick A$$ Wife- Day41

Tales of a Wannabe Slayer-Day 47

Tales of a Wannabe Slayer Part 2- Day 48

Glitter vs Jem Part 1- Day 52
 
Glitter vs Jem Part 2- Day 53
 
Helldivers: Survive the hard stuff and don't shoot your wife-Day 63
 
Glitter vs JemPart 3- Day 68

The Hubs

DM with a Hairbow

The Husband's Side of the Story- Day 18 

Why I don't just play games for my husband.-Day 23

Gear is Better than Roses- Day 37

A Treacherous River in Kern: Love and a Broken Marriage- Day 39 Love and Legos- Day 41

Warmachine Widow- Day 54

 **Helldivers- Day 61

Married People Play Video Games in a Scandalous Way- Day 65 

Video Games and Indoctrinating our Youth-Day 86

The Hubs Guest Blog 2.0- Day 67

Warmachine

Things that are Hard 2.0 –Day 17

Rapists, Video Games, and Valentines Day- Day35

**Warmachine Widow- Day 54

Wil Wheaton

**The Return of Hope aka Wil Wheaton –Day 27

Upgrade your phone, not your wife- Day 30

My Centennial(100th) Blog Post dedicated to Wil Wheaton- Day 43

Helldivers: Survive the hard stuff and don't shoot your wife-Day 63

Buffy

Living in the Shadow of a Kick A$$ Wife- Day41

**Tales of a Wannabe Slayer-Day 47

Tales of a Wannabe Slayer Part 2- Day 48

Community of Play (#gatheryourparty) 

Love and Legos- Day 41

**Big Eyes, Small Mouth- Day 52

Far and Away from my PS4- Day 77

 

Travelling

Gone Girl the Game- Day 13

Things that are Hard 2.0 –Day 17

Leaving My Family- Day 29 

Upgrade your phone, not your wife- Day 30

**Far and Away from my PS4- Day 77
 

Shopping and Money

Trade-In Underwear for Games- Day 9

**Gone Girl the Game- Day 13

Shooter Games 

I tried… but I still hate Shooters

Helldivers- Day 61 

**Helldivers: Survive the hard stuff and don't shoot your wife-Day 63

Far and Away from my PS4- Day 77

The Hubs Guest Blog 2.0- Day 67

Chronicles of a Gaming Mommy

Day 93: Its the final countdown 

The Wicked Witch of Bakersfield

What is with random crap falling from the sky?

I wish I could equip red-stripped socks in the game Helldivers because then I would resemble the Wizard of Oz witch both physical and in the way we both meet our untimely deaths.  During Helldivers strangers keep joining our campaign and every time they drop from the sky they crush me.  I never saw it coming, all three times I did not see the heavy metal human carrier falling from the sky.  And yes I did change my settings so that only people I know will join my party.

Diablo Treasure Goblin

It has been hard to get solo time on the PS4 because every spare moment is usually spent with the hubs.  But the other day he had a conference call and I got to log some Diablo time.   My 6-year old

Diablo Treasure Goblin 

is an avid spectator of treasure goblins in Diablo.  This kid is like a lucky charm because even though I only played solo for an hour I killed four different treasure goblins.  The hubs was super jealous and our tiny son was so elated each time he spotted a new troll he would start pointing and screaming, “that way, follow the gold, go go, faster mommy.”  Although some might question letting my kid observe Diablo, I say this kid is my lucky charm and it would be stupid to play without him.

Support Good Developers

My kids call my iPad the “Buffy Player” or “PvZ” machine.   Technically they aren’t wrong ,I do partake in both of these activities daily. 

This is going to sound like a really stupid realization to other gamers but I need to give more money to good developers.  My kid was highly motivated to behave by playing seasonal piñata levels multiple days in a row in PvZ.  The latest piñatas were all easter egg themed and my kid could not wait to see what the new daily challenge would be. 

My realization came to me after a conversation with the hubs.  I was talking about how we are hording our gems to buy new plants and he reminded us that we could always buy gems with RL money.  At first this seemed frivolous to me, but on further reflection I realize how stupid that is.  I play PvZ almost every day on my iPad.  I got the PvZ app for free and really spending six bucks to get a few upgraded plants is a small pittance.

My Plan to Torture My Teenagers

Like other holidays we do not just leave gifts for our kids to pounce on but make them do some work.  This Easter the hubs used his new calligraphy pen to write bunny notes and leave them hidden around the house. The scavenger hunt was a huge success but a major source of pride is that my six an eight year old kiddos were able to puzzle out the LotR clue in less than 30 seconds. As I mentioned in my previous post, sharing, creating, and playing games is a family affair.  For my entire life I will always remember the excitement as the kids collaborated and reveled in hunting together.  And even when they are moody and angsty teenager I have every intention of making them search for their gifts through a series of cryptic clues.

The kiddos & their loot on easter 

I know todays blog was all over the place, even more so than usual.  But I have a very busy brain and I needed to get some of my reflections written before I go crazy.  There is only one week remaining of our 100 day experiment and I can't say anything about its outcomes yet other than I have no intention of putting down my controller.  

The hubs distracting me while I blog 

Yo Ho Ho...Geek Parents Plan a Disney Scavanger Hunt for Christmas

Nathan (4) and Inara (6) got tickets to Disney Pirate Princess Jr. Live from Santa. As parents, we were worried that they would be under whelmed by an envelope from Santa. Peter Pan left a series of clues for our kiddos that sent them on a pirate adventure. Four treasure chests, 1 mile, a sunken bottle and some pixie dust later and our kids saved Christmas. Hook had stolen both their present from Santa and the puppies gifts: they had to follow the clues to save Christmas.

First, the kids found a box with instructions that they had to find 3 gold doubloons and hand them to their 6 foot tall grandpa to retrieve their first clue (it was on top of the tree). In line with the magic of Christmas, the children did not attempt to ask grandpa to get them their clue without paying Peter Pan’s requested toll.
 

We are very lucky to have a relative within walking distance. The first clue told the kids they had to walk 4 blocks to their great-grandma’s (GG) and save her from dragons. When they arrived she informed them the dragons were shy and they would have to find them. They found the clue and the box informed them they had to find a bridge (back to our grandparents house).


As the kids, still in their PJ’s ran enthusiastically back to their starting point. Our son hit every passing bush with his sword just in case Hook was hiding. Our daughter sang Jake & the Neverland pirates song at the top of her lungs. Neighbors arriving to celebrate Christmas in their driveways waved and laughed as though children in their PJ’s dressed like pirates is perfectly normal.

As we walked home the magical iphone informed us that the next clue had sunk. Grandpa saved the day and pulled it out to shore before the little ones arrived.

When we arrived back at the driveway our 6-year old remarked “why did we just walked all that way, instead of taking the car?”

After providing the puppies with their Christmas treats the kiddos returned to the map.
 

It took a little searching but they found their bottle washed ashore which prompted them to follow the pixie dust to the final clue. The final box was suspended in air and the kids had to chant



“Yo Ho, Hook Let the Box Go” -- 3 x’s - while throwing pixie dust everywhere.

It will likely not surprise any parents that our kids were much more excited about the treasure chest and gold chocolate than the tickets to the show. It is almost 10 am and they have not opened another gift. They are still relishing in the excitement of their adventure to save Christmas.



Thanks to all the relatives and friends that helped coordinate. Thanks to my awesome partner who painted treasure maps, rigged up floating treasure chests, used his modeling paint to decorate authentic chests.