The Letter G

(Another Encyclopedia of Me blog

G is for Games
In the last decade, console games like X-Box, Nintendo 360, Playstation and Wii have overtaken pc games in popularity. But darn it all, I miss those old computer games!

They were a pain to install – drivers to download, graphics cards to tweak or upgrade – and by today's standards, they were clunky and slow. Yet I have such fond memories of them.

Okay, to look at me, you wouldn't think I was a computer game junkie. But let me tell you, I spent more hours than you might imagine, late at night (and the kids were in bed) trying to work the catapult in BIT, wandering the lonely, spooky levels of Myst, and following clues to the underworld of Grim Fandango with Manny. Hours I will never get back - but oh so much fun. The games I liked best were puzzle oriented. I wasn't good at shoot 'em up or sports games. Give me a good puzzle any day.

A few of my all-time favourites (in no particular order):
  • Myst
  • The Dig
  • King's Quest V, VI and VII
  • Buried In Time
  • The Curse of Monkey Island
  • Grim Fandango
  • Zork
. . . and I finished them all!


G is for Gorgeous George
Does anyone remember the wrestler Gorgeous George? I watched him on TV near the end of his career in the early 60s. My grandmother was a wrestling fan (don't ask) and I'd watch along with her, supposedly to translate, but you don't really need to translate wrestling do you. He died at age 48 in 1963.


G is for Girls
When we decided to start a family, I didn't want girls. In fact, I was afraid of foisting my own growing-up insecurities onto them. As it turns out, we had two boys. It worked out for the best. Now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, I'd be fine with girls – but not back then.

When I look at pictures of myself from childhood, I don't appear nearly as ugly, geeky and awkward as I thought at the time.

Girls: That's me on the left

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love this post, Ell! I used to get addicted to games --until another would take it's place. I still love puzzle games and do mi Sudokus daily. I wasn't sure how I would do with girls either but I got a tomboy type like me and fortunately, she's a very strong woman. You were a little cutie. And yeah, I remember Gorgeous George. He was a hoot!
February 06, 2008 8:09 pm
Anonymous said…
Oh, you're so cute! I remember Gorgeous George, too. I played with my grandchildren's Wii and really liked it but still do crossword puzzles in the newspaper and play Spider Solitaire on the computer.
February 09, 2008 12:54 pm
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