I know there are a lot of girls out there who wish their boyfriend would just put down the friggin controller already and step away from the Playstation. I get it – no one likes sitting around watching their boyfriend play videogames for 4 hours. I can’t imagine anything more boring. But (and yes, this is the nerd in me talking), maybe instead of standing in front of the TV or tearing the controller out of his hand, you should join him!

My boyfriend and I are both gamers and, trust me, it’s a lot of fun to play together. (Seriously, there’s a reason he plays so often. These games are addicting.)

Video games are a great way to unwind after a long day of class. Especially when the only shows on TV are repeats of The O.C. (from the 3rd season when it sucked) and Judge Judy. They also happen to be a great way to take out some boyfriend frustration in a healthy way. Instead of yelling at your man because he forgot your birthday (because he was so busy playing Halo…), you can just beat the crap out of him in a game of Super Smash Brothers.

Also, much like any activity you do together, playing video games is a good way to get closer with your BF. You’re showing your guy that you’re interested in his interests and that’s something he’ll definitely appreciate. Probably not enough to let you play all the games he’s obsessed with (he doesn’t want to affect his standings), but there are tons of games out there that he won’t mind playing with his girl. Read More »

Having just “celebrated” banned books week in America, I started thinking about the importance of reading, the beauty of stories and how much books enrich all of our lives. And most of my thoughts came back to one single theme:

W.T.Eff?

Banning books? Seriously? First Obama gets attacked from those crazy moms who think he’s out to brainwash children by giving them talks on the importance of education and now reading is bad for children, too?

The whole thing is just absurd. Have people even read the books they’re trying to ban? How can a story about a pooh named Winnie who likes to eat honey and play in the woods with his other anthropomorphic friends possibly be bad? It seems like a book that is deemed “good” and “appropriate” these days is a book that will not inform your child of the existence of sex, racism, violence, homosexuality, the devil, bad language, and any other concept that will cause children to ask you awkward questions. The whole banned books thing will probably cause my AP Literature class to be renamed AP Literature That Will Morally Damage Your Soul.

Does this mean we should ban Pokemon as well, since the little animals “evolve,” which therefore enforces the idea of evolution and is therefore anti-Christian and therefore is Satanic? Winnie the Pooh may be the poster child for the obesity epidemic, his friend Eeyore for depression, and Kanga for single moms everywhere, but that doesn’t mean our younger siblings can’t read about them. I happen to like Tigger, even if he does have ADHD. And although Harry Potter may have “witchcraft and wizardry” and whatnot, it’s still one of the most significant contributions to literature in our lives, and as such, should be available to anyone who wants to read it.

So let’s take the attention and money away from banning books and focus on some more important things that should be eradicated from this planet. Because in 2009 there are so many things worse than kids in capes flying around on broomsticks or finding a lion in your closet. Read More »

So I was browsing the shelves of Gamestop the other day and noticing that Nintendo was putting out a slew (well maybe not a slew so much as a few) of games that were Gamecube games remixed for the Wii’s controls. I was totally stoked because one of them is Pikmin, which I love. Yes, fight for my supplies my colorful horde. . .

In any case, it got me thinking back to the systems of ancient times. They were fun weren’t they? And so cheap now. So, if you are looking for something to do when you come home from the bar or when you don’t want to study, here are my top five not-really-so-retro-games for your playing enjoyment. Grab one of the gaming systems online and have a grand ol’ time. Read More »

College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to, there are same characters on every campus. The frat house groupie, the sensitive all American, and The Cool Girl.

When walking around campus, you see her. She’s rocking the casual look like it’s nobody’s business. And she’s doing it well. Her bootcut jeans are accompanied by a perfectly worn-in t-shirt layered under a zip up hoodie. She’s wearing black Converse or a pair of well-worn sneakers, the laces tight enough to keep them on, but loose enough to allow her to slip in and out of them easily. Her haircut is low maintenance, but totally chic.  She’s rocking plastic rimmed glasses, no contacts; a watch, no jewelry.

You don’t know her, but you want to.

This is one co-ed who has got it together. She is the kind of girl who is naturally pretty, has a killer body and is completely oblivious to it. She is friendly, kind, and her easygoing, low maintenance attitude makes it easy to get along with her. Even her professors are drawn to her, always chatting with her before class and helping her after.

She has a large circle of friends, filled with a variety of different types of people. Girls love her, guys love her, nerds love her, athletes love her. And though you don’t know her, you kind of want to love her too. Read More »

I enjoy exercise. Jogging, cycling, badminton and even the odd hula hoop are my preferred method of bum-firming and serotonin. I also enjoy videogaming. A lot. And an increasing number of people of all ages are merging these two seemingly opposing interests and turning to the one media previously chastised be the media for nurturing a nation couch-potato children; they are turning to computer games.

The Nintendo Wii has revolutionised the way we play, entertain and now how we keep fit. Forget a pricey gym membership and soggy tracksuit bottoms as you jog through endless muddy puddles, the most convenient – and fashionable – way to get fit is to get Wii Fit. There has even been a blog set up by an enthusiastic gentleman, dedicated to discovering the possibilities of weight loss in conjunction with daily exercise from the comfort of his living room.

Upon its release in various countries, Wii Fit has sold out in record time, much to the frustration of those who are in desperate pursuit of a copy. Despite the slightly steep price tag, the supplied board and range of mini-games coupled with fitness routines and personalised health information have proved a winner with individuals you would normally never find in your local games store. Read More »

Maybe I’m not the norm.

I like (okay, love) video games. I admit it! I think it goes back to childhood when I was forced into playing (but, mostly watching) them with my brothers. But let me tell you, after a good 15 years of playing everything from Super Mario to the underrated (and hilariously ridiculous) Burgertime, I know a thing or two about gaming.

And yes, while there are certainly hundreds of games that feed into the typical male shoot-‘em-up mentality, trust me, there are games for the girls that will blow your mind.

Like what, you ask?

Wii Fit! I know, we’ve mentioned it before, but it’s totally worth another discussion. It’s not scheduled to be released until 2008, but Steve and I got to play a demo of it yesterday and my inner-geek was overjoyed! Read More »