The First day of Summer is June 21st - right?
Midsummer's Day is June 24th - right?
Taken to its logical conclusion, that means Summer ends on June 27th.
(that's tomorrow)
Right?
I hope you all enjoyed our summer
Is it autumn now?
Friday 26 June 2009
Tuesday 23 June 2009
Where have I been?
Not sure really, just busy.
Too busy to spend time surfing blogs.
Too much paddling?
Too much Wow?
Too much work?
Probably all the above.
Thoughts for the day:
Why are there 5 syllables in the word 'Monosyllabic'?
(and no, I don't want a lesson in classical language, please)
... and why is Dyslexia such a difficult word to spell?
Too busy to spend time surfing blogs.
Too much paddling?
Too much Wow?
Too much work?
Probably all the above.
Thoughts for the day:
Why are there 5 syllables in the word 'Monosyllabic'?
(and no, I don't want a lesson in classical language, please)
... and why is Dyslexia such a difficult word to spell?
Saturday 11 April 2009
Anarchy
Thought for the day:
Why do Anarchists need organised events in which to demonstrate their anarchic tendencies?
Why do Anarchists need organised events in which to demonstrate their anarchic tendencies?
Monday 30 March 2009
In Praise of WOW
Much has been written, sage advice given over gaming addiction, but what is it really like to live with WOW in your home, and how do you continue to live with and interact with loved ones afflicted by this phenomenon?
For the uninitiated, WOW stands for World of Warcraft, the world’s most popular online computer game. Players are online, interacting with others, thus you can see characters running and flying past you. There are Cities, towns and villages, mountain ranges, lakes, deserts, an entire world, on 4 continents (so far). You can take on and complete quests, which are often puzzles to work out; you can group together with other players and complete harder quests in dungeons. You choose your character from a range of races, and play either Alliance or Horde side (loosely like the Lord of the Rings).
My own sons played computer games as children, occasionally I would take a passing interest, but it mostly left me uninterested. They are (legally) grown up now, and have (mostly) left home, except for the occasions when the Bank account is empty, or the washing basket full, at which times we expect visits. My problem was less about the empty home (hooray, food in the fridge, the house stays clean and we can afford exotic holidays at last!) than about the lack of communication I had with them when I did get the chance to see either or both again. At family meals, I had no idea what they were talking about; I didn’t even understand the language they used. We had grown apart and the gap was widening.
The range of acronyms used by our children is dizzying to those who did not grow up in the computer age; I felt alienated. They refused to come to meals as they were ‘in a raid’ or ‘instance’ despite my hours of cooking. A row ensued after I removed the main fuse in an effort to disconnect them from this online umbilical cord that seemed to take over from a family life.
How did we turn it around? Not by trying to compete for attention; that approach simply didn’t work. It bred resentment and further alienated those whose love and attention I was seeking. The solution was thought up by my younger son, who hit upon the idea of getting me, his mother, to play WOW. I was reluctant to say the least; I simply didn’t see the attraction, it was an alien world, I didn’t ‘do’ gaming. They persisted, and I agreed to give it a try. They bought the game for my birthday present, and I began, hesitantly at first, I was intruding into another world; I might not be accepted. I might not like what I found.
I was soon captivated by the sheer complexity of this online world, where your character can be a hero, become adept at trading skills, travel and meet others at any time, with players from all over this fantasy world. The ideas, skills, trading and teamwork amaze me. Two years on, I still admire the graphics. The perspectives as I fly past woods or mountains is fantastic, beautifully done, and all in 3-D. The artwork becomes more detailed with each upgrade, and although I know it is ultimately a row of 0’s and 1’s inside a distant server, WOW is truly a magnificent creation.
My hesitation was unfounded; my children and their contemporaries, the guild members encouraged and advised me at every turn. They diverted their time and energy to ‘boost’ me through lower level instances, often with hilarious consequences. I found myself laughing so hard, I could hardly see through the tears. During University vacations, we began to play with two or three players in the same house; this actually became a family social activity – I was getting to know the new language, and enjoying myself at the same time!
After 3 months of playing, my older son was married. Now I was a WOW-playing mother-in-law! Several of the wedding guests introduced themselves by their online character names in the receiving line (bizarre), I still struggle to remember their actual names, but I know them all online. They were sworn to secrecy in case the bride's mother found out, she might not have understood...
Mealtimes became less contentious; now I understood why an instance meant you couldn’t just leave the game – the times I was left in the middle of a dungeon because someone said: “Sorry, Dinner’s ready” and left four others stranded are many. If you do that, you let your friends down; it really isn’t done; it’s downright irritating, and you don’t get asked again. It would be like starting a round of golf, and leaving at the third green because dinner was ready at home – you wouldn’t do it and expect to be asked to play again. Now, we plan ahead, and agree not to begin instances at certain times, we may plan meals and other things around it if really necessary, but this is negotiated, and they know I understand. Raids are planned on certain nights only, with plenty of notice, since they take several hours. Mealtime conversations are lively; we talk nineteen to the dozen, about everything, not only WOW. I am friends with my children once more, and we have something extra in common. They take pride in advising me, and celebrate my achievements, as I do theirs. They’re proud their mother plays WOW. I’m over 50, and I’m cool!
I now have a top-level character, I raid regularly. I may never be as quick or as good as some of them, but it doesn’t matter, I have other skills they need, and we work as a team. It is possible to play with others from all over the world at the same time; I have played a raid in the UK with three from Denmark, and one in San Francisco on a business trip, all at once - incredible.
WOW is an absorbing hobby; whilst playing, I have learned a new language, made new friends, I am welcomed into a whole new culture and it’s fun. I make interesting and humorous observations, causing laughter across the whole group. Many know I’m the mother of two guild members, and the mother-in-law of another, and get this: It Doesn’t Matter! The jokes and innuendo fly across the chat pane, and I’m one of the crowd. They laugh with me, not at me. It’s unexpected, but I belong.
I still have other hobbies. I have a real life that includes a job, a sport and plenty of other pastimes.
If your nearest and dearest has an absorbing hobby, be it football, soap operas, golf or WOW, and you want to be part of their lives, you can join in, or find something else to enjoy.
Can it become an addiction? Of course it can, just as many other things can, but that is about the individual’s personality as much as anything else. Mostly it is another absorbing hobby that is great fun, and something I do whilst my husband works away from home.
It’s more fun than watching Television!
For the uninitiated, WOW stands for World of Warcraft, the world’s most popular online computer game. Players are online, interacting with others, thus you can see characters running and flying past you. There are Cities, towns and villages, mountain ranges, lakes, deserts, an entire world, on 4 continents (so far). You can take on and complete quests, which are often puzzles to work out; you can group together with other players and complete harder quests in dungeons. You choose your character from a range of races, and play either Alliance or Horde side (loosely like the Lord of the Rings).
My own sons played computer games as children, occasionally I would take a passing interest, but it mostly left me uninterested. They are (legally) grown up now, and have (mostly) left home, except for the occasions when the Bank account is empty, or the washing basket full, at which times we expect visits. My problem was less about the empty home (hooray, food in the fridge, the house stays clean and we can afford exotic holidays at last!) than about the lack of communication I had with them when I did get the chance to see either or both again. At family meals, I had no idea what they were talking about; I didn’t even understand the language they used. We had grown apart and the gap was widening.
The range of acronyms used by our children is dizzying to those who did not grow up in the computer age; I felt alienated. They refused to come to meals as they were ‘in a raid’ or ‘instance’ despite my hours of cooking. A row ensued after I removed the main fuse in an effort to disconnect them from this online umbilical cord that seemed to take over from a family life.
How did we turn it around? Not by trying to compete for attention; that approach simply didn’t work. It bred resentment and further alienated those whose love and attention I was seeking. The solution was thought up by my younger son, who hit upon the idea of getting me, his mother, to play WOW. I was reluctant to say the least; I simply didn’t see the attraction, it was an alien world, I didn’t ‘do’ gaming. They persisted, and I agreed to give it a try. They bought the game for my birthday present, and I began, hesitantly at first, I was intruding into another world; I might not be accepted. I might not like what I found.
I was soon captivated by the sheer complexity of this online world, where your character can be a hero, become adept at trading skills, travel and meet others at any time, with players from all over this fantasy world. The ideas, skills, trading and teamwork amaze me. Two years on, I still admire the graphics. The perspectives as I fly past woods or mountains is fantastic, beautifully done, and all in 3-D. The artwork becomes more detailed with each upgrade, and although I know it is ultimately a row of 0’s and 1’s inside a distant server, WOW is truly a magnificent creation.
My hesitation was unfounded; my children and their contemporaries, the guild members encouraged and advised me at every turn. They diverted their time and energy to ‘boost’ me through lower level instances, often with hilarious consequences. I found myself laughing so hard, I could hardly see through the tears. During University vacations, we began to play with two or three players in the same house; this actually became a family social activity – I was getting to know the new language, and enjoying myself at the same time!
After 3 months of playing, my older son was married. Now I was a WOW-playing mother-in-law! Several of the wedding guests introduced themselves by their online character names in the receiving line (bizarre), I still struggle to remember their actual names, but I know them all online. They were sworn to secrecy in case the bride's mother found out, she might not have understood...
Mealtimes became less contentious; now I understood why an instance meant you couldn’t just leave the game – the times I was left in the middle of a dungeon because someone said: “Sorry, Dinner’s ready” and left four others stranded are many. If you do that, you let your friends down; it really isn’t done; it’s downright irritating, and you don’t get asked again. It would be like starting a round of golf, and leaving at the third green because dinner was ready at home – you wouldn’t do it and expect to be asked to play again. Now, we plan ahead, and agree not to begin instances at certain times, we may plan meals and other things around it if really necessary, but this is negotiated, and they know I understand. Raids are planned on certain nights only, with plenty of notice, since they take several hours. Mealtime conversations are lively; we talk nineteen to the dozen, about everything, not only WOW. I am friends with my children once more, and we have something extra in common. They take pride in advising me, and celebrate my achievements, as I do theirs. They’re proud their mother plays WOW. I’m over 50, and I’m cool!
I now have a top-level character, I raid regularly. I may never be as quick or as good as some of them, but it doesn’t matter, I have other skills they need, and we work as a team. It is possible to play with others from all over the world at the same time; I have played a raid in the UK with three from Denmark, and one in San Francisco on a business trip, all at once - incredible.
WOW is an absorbing hobby; whilst playing, I have learned a new language, made new friends, I am welcomed into a whole new culture and it’s fun. I make interesting and humorous observations, causing laughter across the whole group. Many know I’m the mother of two guild members, and the mother-in-law of another, and get this: It Doesn’t Matter! The jokes and innuendo fly across the chat pane, and I’m one of the crowd. They laugh with me, not at me. It’s unexpected, but I belong.
I still have other hobbies. I have a real life that includes a job, a sport and plenty of other pastimes.
If your nearest and dearest has an absorbing hobby, be it football, soap operas, golf or WOW, and you want to be part of their lives, you can join in, or find something else to enjoy.
Can it become an addiction? Of course it can, just as many other things can, but that is about the individual’s personality as much as anything else. Mostly it is another absorbing hobby that is great fun, and something I do whilst my husband works away from home.
It’s more fun than watching Television!
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