When it comes to gaming…
I’ve taken down Dragons mid flight..
I’ve scaled the backs of towering colossi in order to defeat them…
I’ve fought crime lords hand to hand on top of burning buildings…
I’ve been in fights that decide the fates of entire planets…with enemies with overwhelming power…
My most difficult challenge? Love!
My goals used to be ambitious…at times boarder line delusional… as a youth I was looking specifically for a girl who was into video games as much as I was…the elusive and much sought after “hot gamer chick” who would want nothing more than to eat pizza, make out with me, and discuss the best practices for dungeon looting, or which stats provided the best DPS (damage per second)…all while using red Solo cups as Nerf gun target practice…
In my minds eye, she probably looked a little something like this:
This later gave away to finding a girlfriend who would simply tolerate my love for video games…
On several occasions I thought I found this sought after cutie…I remember lines such as;
You play video games? Oh I love video games too!
I came to realize later, that these were merely lines from her representative…you know…that person that everyone presents to the opposite sex in order to appear likable or relatable?
I’m lucky enough to have been blessed with reasonably good looks, which only made the problem that much more difficult! There in lies the problem with trying to find a meaningful relationship in High School…the only factor that’s taken into consideration is weather you’re ‘hot’ or not, and weather they’d be OK being seen holding hands with you in the quad…even after High School, life just seemed like one big beauty contest at times…but I digress.
I’ve lost count at how many times the representative gave away to the real person underneath, who really just underestimated my love for video games…only to hear:
“You waste a lot of time playing video games….you know that will rot your brain right?”
“Do you do anything other than play video games?!”
“No I don’t really feel like playing today…(or ever)”
“I don’t like video games as much as you do…sorry…”
“You’re a nerd….”
Ah yes…I remember the days when playing video games made you a nerd…
I never really took offense to this…apply whatever label you like to me if it helps you to understand…just don’t pretend to be on my level…it’s insulting!
Needless to say, I finally met the right girl many many years later…she’s pretty much perfect in every way to me…she loves me for who I am, she’s way cool with my love for gaming (she’s willing to hold drinks up to my mouth, when I’m neck deep in a Call of Duty match…THAT’S love)
The only thing is, she’s not into video games…in fact, she wasn’t allowed to play video games when she was a kid!
This however, didn’t bother me…not one little bit.
There’s a ton of other things we have in common, and we both love each other…so what else could a man need? What’s it matter that there’s one specific interest that doesn’t align? It would be very nice if she was into video games as much as me, however in the long run it’s not a deal breaker…
Quite the opposite…
I’m turning 30 this year, and it’s definitely been quite the adventure. One thing I can say for certain that fills my heart with joy, is that I have found the person I wish to spend the rest of my life with…weather she’s a gamer or not.
Besides…I have the rest of our lives to teach her how to love video games…but that’s a story for another day
P.S. I love you forever, Tanya…
*The photograph of the proposal was provided by my buddy Sean of SR Photographic Art. I’m so very fortunate to have a good friend who’s an amazing photographer to capture one of the greatest moments of my life.*
Check him out, he does amazing work.
Nero The Hero 
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