Game Shame

I have always wanted to share my ideas about gaming and finally I have an out let. So why haven't I talked about gaming before now; a little thing I like to call game shame. What is game shame? Let me explain through the muse of a story. Shortly after I graduated from high school I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I decided that I wanted to go out and buy a new video game. I bought the game on a Friday and didn't leave my room until Sunday, at which time my parents forced me out of the room so I could attend church. On Monday my younger brother was quick to announce to all of my friends that I had literally spent the entire weekend playing a video game. I was so embarrassed that I told my friends I had only played a couple of hours and that my brother was exaggerating the amount I had played. It was rather sad because my brother was actually doing me a favor by claiming I had only spent 24 hours playing where the closer number was 36 hours. It wasn't like I had never played video games like that before, in fact, unknown to most of my friends, I had frequently pulled all-nighters trying to get past one more level.
I was what most would call a closet gamer, and it wasn't only video games that I would play. Unknown to most of my friends, I also played D&D and had a rather impressive board game collection. I can hardly remember a year that I didn't ask for some sort of game. I dressed normally and could sit through "the game" without embarrassing myself too much. I talked normally and even participated in a lot of sports. I showered regularly and used deodorant. But deep down inside I wanted to grow a long beard and braid it with golden rings, swinging my greataxe to fell my opponents. I never told anyone this because it was not socially acceptable. The gamers were the bottom rung of the social ladder.
When I went to college little changed, the gamers were still mocked, though videogames had become vouge. I began to play online and gave my dice a break, not that the games I played were any different, Diablo, warcraft, heroes and other equally nerdy games. I still kept up the appearence of coolness, dating whenever a girl expressed interest, going to all the social activities, ect. It wasn't until I met my wife that I started to let my gaurd down, but you'll have to wait for the rest of the story until the next time I post.