I decided last year to give up video games for 2008. There were a couple of reasons for this: 1) I had played most of the games I wanted to for my original Xbox; 2) As stated below, time is short -- plus, I was attempting to clear space in my schedule for writing fiction, with an eye toward finishing the final draft of The Brooklyn House, the best book I've written; 3) I lusted after an Xbox 360 and the numerous incredible games available for it, but wouldn't spring the $350.00 for a toy; 4) I was and am a little ashamed of the fact that I like this quintessentially adolescent pastime so much -- as a 38 year old man, shouldn't I really be interested in collecting wine or studying the stock market?
Until a week or so ago, the quitting was going swimmingly. I didn't miss video games at all. I even wondered a couple of times if I would ever climb back up into the saddle of that hobby-horse. Then it occurred to me how cool it would be to have a mobile internet device. Although I'd love an iPhone, I decided to research cheaper alternatives. That led me to the Sony PSP, pictured above, and its rival in the marketplace, the Nintendo DS Lite. Both wi-fi capable machines that can slip into your jacket pocket -- and both video game platforms.
Innocently, I decided to do a little research on these intriguing machines, to see which had the better browsing experience. That done, I thought: "Well, if I end up getting one of these, I might as well know which has the better games -- just in case I ever feel like doing a bit of gaming." And before you could say "Miyamoto," my video game interest, which had burned down to a lukewarm bed of coals beneath a downy layer of ash, was a raging conflagration.
Last night I talked with brother Scott, who has two PSPs in the family, and he mentioned that one of his sons (he wasn't sure which) had lost interest in the PSP and might be interested in selling it for $50 or $75.
I said, casually, "Well, sure. Let me know."
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