Level Up

There is a very addictive game I recently downloaded.... I mean, purchased legally...... The Sims 3. I'm addicted for various reasons- one, it's an addicting game plain and simple. It is the kind of game that never ends- your sims and the circle of life means you can continue playing for generations. Goals continue to change and develop. It's a little life. A life you can control. That's where I really get into it. In this hectic lifestyle of college and upheaval, having  somewhere I can have that outlet. A little fantasy life where my sim is a famous actor, lives in a big house I designed and built, is married to a handsome fella (who I created with proper traits, of course), three dogs, a cat, and a son named Max. Oh, and my sim is a vampire, but that's just for fun. I'll say this again: I'm not stupid. I know it's just a game. But I'm a gamer girl through and through. I  like fantasy games where I'm a hero, either the chosen one or with special powers, off to save the world. I like new worlds and new creatures and magic and all that jazz. But I also like reality. Reality is pretty okay. But how about an alternate reality? There is a difference between fantasy and alternate reality. I know fantasy is completely impossible. I'll never fly or summon magical deities to defeat evil. But maybe in some form of reality, I really can become a famous actress, be married to a perfect someone and have three dogs, a cat, and a son.

Everyone needs that outlet. That something they have control over in this crazy world. We need to feel we are in control of something. And it's best that thing isn't in this reality. Because you can't control this reality. At all. But that alternate reality where you can feels pretty damn good. It also gives me that confidence that I can have a little sanity in the real world as well. I can face reality because of my accomplishments in my alternate reality. In my games, there's immediate satisfaction: I work hard, I gain exp, I level up. I level up, I can beat monsters easier, then go fight harder monsters. Instant gratification. Then maybe I can face the not-so-instant gratification of the real world. Where you work, and work, and work, and all that blood, sweat, and tears seem to go unnoticed. It'll be noticed, somehow. So I gotta work harder in reality for that level up, but so be it.

And sometimes you're missing the level ups when you're so focused on being strong enough to beat the boss. So the boss may be level 50, but don't forget to be happy with level 41, 42, 43 and so on. In broadsword class on saturday, I touched my toes during the leg stretch. I've never been able to touch my toes before. I don't mean bending forward. I mean sitting on the ground, one leg outstretched, and leaning over and grabbing your flexed foot. When my hand grabbed my toe, I wanted to dance (but of course, I was stretching, so I couldn't just stop to do a jig). That little level up, from being unable to finally grabbing by foot, was a huge victory for me. If my goal for my athletic ability is level 50, that was I'd say a level up from 41 to 42. Still worth a celebration.

Every level up is worth a celebration.