Playing Games

Since I'm on holiday I thought I would buy a video game, and spend pointless hours sitting in front of my computer. (Hey -- that sounds sort of like what I do at work!!)

The sad truth, though, is that I'm bad at picking video games. I like first-person shooters best, but somehow I usually get seduced by "brain games" -- the simulations, puzzles, and strategy games. Instead of playing I get frustrated, and walk away with the game maybe 5% played. In the past I've bought (and hated) Myst and The Sims and even Rollercoaster Tycoon.

This year, though, I've been doing pretty well. I bought Gun and F.E.A.R. and (my favorite) Total Overdose. (Funniest, best storyline, best side missions, best kick-ass Tejano soundtrack!!)

But today . . . Call of Duty 2 was on the shelf. Beside Counter-Strike Anthology and Half-Life 2. So what do I pick up?

Civilization IV.

I opened the box ten minutes ago and knew I had made a mistake. The manual is 224 pages. It comes with a complicated-looking poster describing different relationships between things. And I've opened it, so a return isn't possible.

Certain people just shouldn't be allowed to make choices. Some people shouldn't dress themselves, others shouldn't have control of their own finances, and my mother should never, ever, ever be sent to Blockbuster alone. (One example: Soul Man.)

And I, clearly, should not be allowed to buy video games for myself. I should hire my brother-in-laws to buy games for me instead.