To live without “that”

Who could ever think of it? Who could ever suggest that it would happen? Who could ever think that I, the one and only dech2410 could do it? But even worse, who could ever know that I haven’t done it for over 3 months? And no, I’m not talking about THAT, you dirty-minded person. What I am talking about is the thing that a lot of people worship the most.

All happened after the summer vacation. After 10 weeks of non-stop working and gaming, working and gaming, and repeating that a lot of times, my new study called “bachelor of organic synthesis and microbiology” kicked off. Finally, no more frustrating teachers, no more history, geography and all that crap. Just the things I like. And of course, a study costs money, so I maintained my job as vegetable-salesman in a supermarket to fund everything. My hobbies like music and sports fill the evening, and Sunday is of course the time to spend with my beloved family. So, and of course in that time one of my biggest hobbies kind of got lost in time. Being a busier person, gaming dropped from hobby #4 to hobby #76. At this point, my Wii stands dusty and non-attached next to my even dustier television in my dusty mess which we call a bedroom. The only two things that I use in that room are my computer and my bed. And why? Because there is absolutely no time for anything else. But Dennis, can’t you do the other things in your holidays? Uhm, unfortunately, then I have to work, since I can’t pay all the other things just by my study funds. A decent student from Leiden needs money for clothing, food, Saturday nights off, presents for birthdays, my website, vacations, music, drinks, family, school supplies, study communities and so on. All with all, that kind of leaves me with 20 euro a month, not even enough to buy a MMORPG-subscription for a month. Still wanting to buy a game that gives my bank account a nice red color. Which proves that time is money. Unfortunately…

is money, money is time, that’s the way life is, that’s the way the cookie crumbles and that’s the way my spare time is gone. So I’m not gaming anymore at all. I’m not even having time to write this column, but hey, I’m in the train to home, coming back from school anyway. Notebooks, what an invention. From one point of view, it saddens me not to hear the great music from the games, not to play the most addictive games alive, and not to satisfy my need to grab a controller and having to play. On the other hand, it isn’t a problem at all. In return, I got so much nice hobbies that I don’t even think about gaming anymore. But every time I’m in my room, looking at that poor console, I miss it too. But hey, what’s the point; I don’t have money for that stupid thing. But still, I miss it. What to do?

And that is how the cookie crumbles!

At this point, there is nothing to do about it at all. We’ll just wait for that moment, that my spare time will come back to me again. Embrace your spare time while you have it, enjoy it, and use it wisely. And if you don’t have money, why spending it? Gaming isn’t fitting in my life at this moment. We’ll just wait, wait really long for it.

To live without it… I never thought it would be this hard…