I got home late last night from work. Hungry. Irritable. Exhausted.
As soon as I crack the front door I am overwhelmed by the strong aromas of cheese, garlic, and toasty bread. You know that delicious smell of buttery bread baking to a flawless brown? The way it smells right before it burns? YUM. I make my way upstairs and spot my boyfriend through a cloud of billowing steam over the stove. My inner secret agent surfaces … I semi-subconsciously start taking notes of all the things in my peripherals that were not present when I left the house 12 hours ago.
He smiles. I smile back.
While looking directly at him, I walk toward the kitchen as the mental list begins to compile: one bottle of uncorked wine – a glass has been poured from it – another unopened on stand-by, the floors are shiny, candles are lit, pillows from upstairs are piled on my favorite comfy chair, those imported olives from the nearby Italian store (that are absolutely to-die-for) are arranged in an accessible dish.
Wait, have I mentioned that my boyfriend doesn’t cook? Yeah … he doesn’t cook.
Look at all this! Did he charter a plane and fly Paula Dean in to whip up some feel-good food? I read somewhere that she has sons, she probably told him what to do in order to make it look like he really is the chef of this chicken pasta? Paula squeezed into my closet to hide just as I was entering didn’t she? She’s hiding in there as we speak isn’t she?
“Hi,” he says. My brief trance is broken. “Hi back,” I say. He takes my heavy, supersized work bag and replaces it with a glass of 2005 Rombauer Chardonnay chilled to perfection. I have no objections. A sip reveals the crisp and flavorful layers that make this one of the few Chardonnays that I genuinely enjoy. He knows this. He leans in, kisses me on the cheek and says, “I’m glad you’re home.”
Is he seducing me?
Or worse …
He’s guilty of the unthinkable and is about to drop the bomb on me?
None of the above. I knew exactly what was going down when I first smelled the damn garlic and cheese downstairs. My boyfriend is romancing me at 7 o’clock so that by 10:30 I’ll be knocked out, giving him the opportunity to morph into Illidan and retreat to the Ironforge, to engage in some creature-on-creature combat with thousands of his fellow nerds from around the globe.
Yes, I am dating a nerd and not just any nerd, but a WOW nerd. The worst of their kind.
If you are not (and don’t care to become) familiar with the phenomenon that is World of Warcraft, I will put it to you briefly and bluntly. WOW is a sophisticated game played online by dorks across the planet. Its challenging tasks, or “quests”, are extremely tough for even the most experienced gamer. The game has many tiers, owned and operated by a steep hierarchy of bosses who have had to earn their powers and abilites. Abilities are gained in a variety of ways, but really, it breaks down to the hours and levels at which you play. Like in the real world, the need to be powerful is strong and once you find a way to achieve that power … it’s dangerously addictive. Nerds who play WOW are holed up in rooms for days … did you hear that? Days. Think I’m exaggerating?
A friend of mine lost 35 pounds. Not from excercising or eating healthy foods, he just played WOW so much he forgot to eat. My best friend, who is a third grade teacher, watched a member of her own staff sell his car. He said he had “no need for it anymore” … he’s always at home playing WOW. My co-worker’s cousin actually quit his job, as it was obviously interfering with the World of Warcraft. Yikes.
Cut to my yikes moment in the kitchen last night. I’m sipping wine and sampling alfredo sauce from a giant wooden spoon, knowing damn well that this fancy evening is designed to leave an imprint on my brain … an imprint so distracting that I’ll forget — or simply won’t care — that in a few short hours my boyfriend will be downstairs wearing a headset commanding his virtual staff of managers to attack monsters, cast spells and deliver damage.
Guess what? It totally works.
What do I care if my BF gets his kicks from a server? He’s a bonafide dork, I knew that when I met him. I’m no uber chic glam god myself and I’ve got the dvd and book libraries to prove it. Discovery and History channel documentaries in alphabetical order, stacks of autobiographies written by unheard of people – and we won’t get into my secret obsession with Ewoks. Another topic for another blog. I’m barely escaping, perhaps even brushing the nerd title, so who am I to judge?
If BF wants to pull an all-nighter to crush some monsters, it’s fine by me. If one day I come home to find no pre-WOW seduction because BF is unemployed, riding a bicycle, and battling with an eating disorder unrelated to body image … well, that’s another story.
One thing I know for sure … the face-to-face time we spend with our loved ones — whether it be family or significant other — is what really matters. So if you’re finding yourself dedicating the majority of your hours to your job, your virtual friends, your computer, your Wii, your crackberry, etc … you’re gonna miss the love boat. I promise you, the captain won’t wait.
Prioritize. Wake up and smell reality. Kick bad habits that are hogging your precious time.
Or there’s Option D, the one my BF has selected. Divide your time … aka hypnotize your honey with chores, wine, a candle-lit dinner, and some quality one-on-one before you log in to your underground lair … she’ll notice and appreciate that you care enough to take the time to dismount from your burning phoenix — the Ashes of Alar — and put Warcraft aside to let her know you do, in fact, give a sh–.
Just remember all you WOWers … life is short and mana can’t buy love.
That is so nice of your BF to do what he did. Sounds like a keeper LOL
It’s good to hear a non-wow-gamer point of view. I myself play WoW and I am not going to deny that sometimes I would rather play WoW than watch a movie with my BF or something (well, my defense? Have you seen what movies he like to watch? snorefest!)
Your BF gave me a good idea. Maybe I should find a way to show my boyfriend some appreciation for not getting too ticked off about my wowcrack-addiction. You’re right, there is just too little time in everyone’s day with work and personal matters.
You have made really good points in your blog and I commend you for that.
Mebe you should try to play too Nicole? ask him about making your own Toon? then you guys can share wine cheese and snacks whith all the nerds around the world!
But your def right – balance is key
GREAT story…something every gamer should read!
or option E.
Be an even more awesome gf, like my gf.
See what it is all about and give it a shot.
My girl used to rip on WoW. Then i told her to give it a shot, not for 5 – 10 minutes, cuz it has a huge learning curve, but commit for a few lvls.
now she is a bigger addict then me, but we restrict it to what fits our schedule, but we always play together.
Except when other players hit on my girl… that makes me ANGRY!!!.. VIVERI SMASH!!!
Your boyfriend sounds like a loser. And he probably wrote this article. Good luck in life.
Obviously mana can’t buy love because rogues and warriors fall in love too!
Sweet article.
I’m a wow-head and a loveless, but I think there is a lot to be had from wow. I’ve met a lot of people from it, made great friends, gone to weddings of my guildmates, learned how to manage a large group of people, build webpages and the list of personal REAL achievement goes on and on.
I suppose too much of anything can be bad, though.
wtf your BF has the a’lar mount??
Really the best evening would be if your sweety cooked you dinner and then you both played wow….you know, cause nothing is better than virtual blood elf love.
Awesome post. I went with option E. I got my wife an account and we never looked back. After our 3 kids are down we can now choose from romantic Movie, time wrapping presents, chatting, or fragging stuff in Azeroth. As she has always said “I’d rather have him home playing video games than at the local bar.”
Great writing! Came from reddit and really enjoyed this article. I’m going to bookmark your site, good work and keep it up!
ps. please post about ewok’s
Cheers
I don’t think you are painting a fair portrait of WoW. I know many casual players who are not addicted, and who do it as a social activity with their real-life friends. In fact, many of Blizzard’s recent changes make the game more friendly for casual players, and it is an acknowledgment of the size of their user base that doesn’t play obsessively.
So, while it is true that Warcraft is an online game played by dorks across the planet, it is also played by a large number of non-dorks, like my young cousins and (for a while) my mother-in-law, who enjoyed running around and exploring the game world.
Nice post, but you are indeed a dork, don’t give us that barely escaping/brushing nonsense! Admit and accept.
Mana can’t buy you love, but gold can…
why can’t i meet girls like this? I don’t even game very much anymore, but she’s a keeper!
If he really has the Ashes of Alar I’m totally jealous. That’s still my favorite mount in the game. It’s gorgeous.
One correction though, I’m heavy WoW player myself who juggles a family and job and WoW and I’d say that while spending a lot of time playing is important for the most extreme players, the ones going for world firsts, etc. the real challenge hidden behind the objectives in the game is teamwork. In that way I think WoW is deeply good for the nerdiest of nerds who often times have trouble finding a setting in which they can develop the interpersonal skills that are so important in life.
LOL, Nerds just totally ROCK don’t they? Gotta love em.
jess
http://www.privacy.de.tc
[...] I Heart Nerds … WOW « Riley’s Ride [...]
this is awesome, love the story
*sigh* For many of us it’s not a matter of choice. We either spend a ridiculous amount of time in wow interacting with people we’ll never meet IRL(in real life) or spend that time watching TV alone.
That’s not to say I never get out of the house, I try to spend a good deal outside at least once a week time permitting as I do have a full time job.
But the people I’m interested in meeting must be back home playing wow themselves because I’ll be damned if I’ve ever met one.
I gave up, wow’s not going anywhere.
+1 for “chic glam”
Show him that you are better than him by playing EO
I have to agree with everything you’ve said here. I’ve seen relationships ruined by the game and your BF is definitely doing things right. He obviously loves you and pays attention to you outside of the game or he wouldn’t know your favorite foods and wine.
I do something similar: I refuse to ever play WoW in the first place. I know it would take over way too much time and I have no desire to do that.
I completely disagree with the people who say that you would be a “better gf” if you played the game. It’s just as fantastic if you have your own hobbies and friends.
Anyways great post.
If your first few entries are any indication, I suspect you’ll become a blogosphere permanent in short order. Incisive, funny, yet not too bleeding blasé like so many clever writers around. Don’t play WoW personally (still in the Starcraft age myself), but your depiction of one who does, despite it being fact and reality, was an interesting read.
Cheers,
Jason
That’s almost not fair. Wine and WoW to a true nerd means he seduced you to using linux. But, congratulations. You have a good boy there.
MISTAKE!
Your boyfriend may be a nerd, BUT he is NOT a WoW Nerd. He is a WoW Geek. To be a geek is to be super interested in something arcane or not usual, like WoW, but to be a nerd requires that interest in arcane things (most likely science) AND intelligence AND social awkwardness.
Although, nowadays there are nerds, like me, that can be termed “cool nerds” (and I know this because I took the Nerd Test v2.0 and it labeled me as a “Cool Nerd God.”
that’s nice
this is amazing. loved the narrative!
Hmm…it sounds like you did well with this one. Keeper!
What the hell is wrong with riding a bike? You want your boyfriend to play make-believe but there is something wrong with him if he rides a bicycle?
You seem to be an amazing writer.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I know what its like to try and balance work, love, and game – try mixing school & kids in too!
(I’m sure you already do this but just to reiterate) Make sure you let him know you appreciate his efforts! Nothing will encourage him more to keep it up than a little ego stroke every now and then. We males are simple creatures
i just recently left the game due to GF issues, i played for hours on end, but decided to put it to and end for good and focus on my life, amazing daughter, and my loving GF. i never lost weight or a job but i lost alot more important things cause i couldn’t balance it. ps if my gf read this, i would never hear the end of it LOL she hates the game
but everything you said she would say herself godd reading
both are probably the tubbiest of the tubbies.
“What the hell is wrong with riding a bike? You want your boyfriend to play make-believe but there is something wrong with him if he rides a bicycle?” ~ be
Yeah chief, way to go, massive reading comprehension fail. She means if he was riding a bike because he’d sold his car because he didn’t need it because he was playing WoW too much.
I’m not so sure finding “love” is what life is about. If someone enjoys online gaming more than interacting with people face to face, what’s wrong with that? I’m an avid gamer, but I still find time to do things with real-world friends.. But I see nothing wrong with those who’d rather spend time *only* gaming than trying to find a mate. There is plenty of social networking going on in these games, and just because it’s online doesn’t give it any less worth than friending strangers on the street.
Great to see this perspective. I play WoW and other online games, but no online game is more important than the ones I love. I mean when it comes down to it, what kind of idiot would ignore his wife/gf to play WoW, etc.?
If spending time with your wife/gf is not as enjoyable as thrashing some enemies, you’re doing it wrong.
That was great. Very well written (told).
OMG… your boyfriend has the ashes of a’lar!? SWEET!
That was great.
I second y8. T’was great.
Omg, he has the phoenix mount? *jealous*
Fantastic post.
I know a couple of them WOW nerds, too so can totally relate!
haha, I love nerds too, and know the bane of WoW. You got a good one, though.
Women come and go but WOW epics are soulbound.
[...] read for the ladies By jaded you have got to read this person’s post = i <3 wow nerds…..dam funny and yet, my bf is like that too…..!!!! when he does the dishes which i [...]
Great writing. I’m jealous of your writing skills and your boyfriend’s mount.
P. S. Ewoks rock!
You do seem like a keeper, but then I’m not the first person to say that. I’m a WoWhead myself, so your bf sounds like a keeper too! Let me know if another one like that comes along.
On another note, there’s a lot of cute couples that I meet in-game. Like married couples that play together. Very cute. Let me know if you ever start to play!
And seriously….Ashes of Al’ar?? That’s so hot.
thanx alot! that was great!
it’s true that some people take it too far, and it is definitely better for them (and often for people around them) to stop (sometimes even get professional help).
i play wow, and consider myself a responsible player (and gamer in general).
i like to see non-wow’ers see the reality and speak out, because it’s not all bad ^^
ps: i resent people calling me a nerd (cuz im not an exceptionally intelligent bookworm and i hate studying) and im not a dork (cuz im not a complete idiotic imbecile). i am a geek, and always will be
Nice; an enjoyable read.
I only just started playing Warcrack, and I can see how it could be addicting. It takes FOR-EVER to get anything done. I don’t even know if I’ll keep playing, as I already have a job and a gf and a few other hobbies.
Romantic dinner is a good idea though… now to find a little Italian market…
I tried to get my girlfriend to play world of warcraft with me, but she didn’t want to be “mean” to the mobs by hurting them. Then she got jaded by the whole experience when her character starting looking too manly (with the gear upgrades). I think she made it to what… level 6? heh.
Don’t know whether he’s lucky (that he has a GF) or unlucky (that he doesn’t realise value of love).
:-/
We love WOW and we love the story. You deserve to be given 5/5 cola drinks from our writers.
Much a Cola,
CUBICOLA
nice story
He’s definitely a keeper. Hmm.. can you tell me where I can find one like your BF? *wink*
thanks for a good read! that was a sweet thing for your bf to do. yes i do agree, i like nerds too
love your writings … i’ll syndicate this blog thx!
wonderful..plz kindly visit my blog and comment me.I’m new here and..will be happy to get friends
Nice post.
Enjoy reading it…
I was a game addict too, but then I chose to fall in love and never try another game, just to prevent the addictiveness.
But now, we’re on Long Distance Relationship,, should I go back to the game…? instead of cheating, try to fins a hottie???
Heheheh.
lol so true
A wonderful piece of work. Your blog and your BF. He thinks enough of you to make you happy too. He’s a keeper. You are keeper to too by letting him have his time as he chooses. Go Girl!
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WOW is waste of time…..i mean seriously…..don’t get me wrong, i play video games too…especially shooters……but i only play for a while…and if i play is to play online on the xbox with my friends that live pretty far away…If you use WOW as way to socialize then you need some help….remember it is just my opinion and i’m not here to offend anybody in any way possible….and if you feel that i offended you in any way then i’m sorry…
Although I’ve cut my WoW waaay back to once a week or so, I can appreciate this!
There’s nothing wrong with a little tit for tat in these cases. And perhaps he can then indulge your nerdy obsessions from time to time. Reconciling your nerd/geek loves with the geek you love can be challenging but ultimately rewarding if we take even a small interest in each other’s passions.
Great writing – really lured me in! Your loving and joy were starting to ooze through, the romance was drawing to a rising note, and then it turned sad.
If the simulation is more compelling than the reality of YOU, how are you going to handle it when he’s looking for an upgrade? Let him go to gf 2.0?
http://epicslut.ytmnd.com/
Gold can buy you love, fact.
[...] other news, I want to give a shout out to Nicole Riley, who hearts nerds, as should we [...]
wow! (as in- what an amazing boyfriend you have!) well-written post, i look forward to reading more. cheers, R
This is a great guide for people like me. I’m not into WOW, I prefer to shoot my enimies with guns, but it’s a similar addiciton none the less. If I take some advice and do some sweet stuff before diving into my virtual world, I’m guessing it can go a long way.
HA, HA best line: Just remember all you WOWers … life is short and mana can’t buy love.
I played it, and it is addicting, but I could stop myself. Fam is first
hey congrats on making it to the hawt post… thats how i got here
love the post… and totally agree about the balancing act part.
good post
most enjoyable.
Jeez Louise! I am dying to see what this game is all about, sounds like this could be the end of a beautiful relationship.
My man Dave, recently discovered little Big planet, now I doubt its anywhere near as intricate as WoW, but he is totaly hooked, he has already clocked it, but now he is collecting all the little stickers… weirdo boyfriend. So when he is not working on his video blog or the website he is playing one or another game.
http://www.from-the-couch.com/
but it’s all good, I go out alot. Actually makes me wonder sometimes why we work?
But I have a vivid imagination, and I enjoy my own company…
Great story. Had to pass this on to my girlfriend. She calls me a nerd and I am, but I have to admit WoW never grew on me.
Riley this cracked me up! Hope the meal was good!
Lol, I only just found your blog (on the WP frontpage no less!) and thought this post was hilarious!
I especially liked;
“My best friend, who is a third grade teacher, watched a member of her own staff sell his car. He said he had “no need for it anymore” … he’s always at home playing WOW.”
As long as you’re bf hasn’t resorted to wearing ‘man nappies (diappers to you guys in the US!)’ and getting sustanance from an IV drip, things probably aren’t too bad.
Forget about the meek, the geeks shall inherit the Earth (well, a pretend one in a game)!
cuuuuute! : ) i enjoyed reading this.
ROFL. Great article! My wife would shite. Keep up the good work
Bummer
ipullaggro.wordpress.com
i was once addicted to wow. this was a grreat! post
Love the title. My friend’s motto is, “marry the nerd” and I agree. We both married nerds, in fact so did all our friends and we are all happily married. A nerd will never cheat on you (because he knows he’s a nerd and thinks he can’t get the girl) a nerd will worship you (because they can’t believe someone actually likes them). A nerd makes a great dad and often, a great cook (proven true in my case). So go for it and join the club who knows!
Great post…but I’m advising against joining in. I’m offering this advice as someone who has been married for over thirty years and still finds the stuff he does in his world to be part of the attraction. I think it makes those couple of hours you spend together before he goes back to Wow, the football game or the marathon training all that much hotter.
I just came across your blog on wordpress and really enjoyed this post. I don’t know anything about wow, so I won’t try to comment on that. I just wanna know, since your bf doesn’t cook, was the dinner good?
Great article–as a female player I enjoyed reading it. I hope your BF can continue to juggle his priorities as adeptly as he has so far.
“and we won’t get into my secret obsession with Ewoks. ”
I am intrigued. BTW, if you haven’t noticed you’ve been dugg. Gratzi.
“” sfrack
December 12, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Love the title. My friend’s motto is, “marry the nerd” and I agree. We both married nerds, in fact so did all our friends and we are all happily married. A nerd will never cheat on you (because he knows he’s a nerd and thinks he can’t get the girl) a nerd will worship you (because they can’t believe someone actually likes them). A nerd makes a great dad and often, a great cook (proven true in my case). So go for it and join the club who knows!”"
You are a sadistic user who takes advantages of another’s weakness instead of helping them overcome it. Much hate.
Sounds like a perfect example of the emasculated boy-men that comprise the majority of the current generation of “Gamers” (read: losers addicted to porn and video games with zero social skills).
Awesome. This has to be one of the best things I’ve ever read, honestly, and so true. Great story!
I was totally blown away by your article. Very good read indeed. I, too play WoW. So does my wife. We have friends across the US, and even across the pond in England that play with us. Ventrilo is one heck of a tool that helps all of us stay together and in tune while we play. Vent(as us gamers call it) is a voice program that lets us talk to each other, and is cheaper than the phone~all while playing, so the social interaction thing is always there….
All in all, a great read for gamers and GF’s.
Sneaky, but sweet.
Option D is a perfectly viable strategy for people who need to balance things out. It’s certainly not easy, but with a little ingenuity (and dorkiness), you can succeed in having cake and eating it, too.
sexy lady.
Ha ha great story yes nerds have game too
A pleasant read. Thanks for sharing.
ur the most understanding girl i have ever heard of, hands down
Ah a WOW widow…GliderFTW!
Hamut
I think you are a great writer. I once was addicted (along with my wife) to a game similar to WOW.. A free to play, pay for premium (Knight Online). I have for the past year and 1/2 had absolutely no interest in this game however my wife is still very addicted. I would agree wholly that it can be a very addicting game almost to the point of someone needing “help” to break the cycle.
Cheers.
Ellen~
thanks for being the FIRST FEMALE GAMER to comment on my blog! Love your brutal honesty and your obvious passion for WoW! Please stop by my live webcast some time (Weekdays 3pm-6pm PST) and tell me more about the crack!
~n
Thanks Geebs! Are you a gamer too? What’s your poison?
~n
Hello Roy …
GEEK, not nerd. I stand corrected!
Love your blog btw
~n
LOL. Thanks Detox!
~n
Hi Jason,
I really really really appreciate your comment. I’ve been getting RIPPED to shreds by so many (pro) bloggers/writers/i-reporters. Which makes me wonder how they can afford the time in their busy elitist-author days to make notes on each of my grammatical errors … hhmmmmm. LOL. I’m no pro, just a girl spitting out thoughts.
Seriously, thanks for the praise and cheers to you!
~n
Hi Seekid!
Thanks for taking the time to write and I love a person who has the cajones to write a sentence that begins, “I completely disagree with the people who say …”
Thank you!
~n
+2 for you for taking the time to write! Thanks Mudkips!
PS – what’s EO … or do I want to know??
~n
Because obsession of WoW is a disease you are born with, not something that can be cured… aye?
Hello Z~
I totally feel you on the full time job front. It’s tough finding time to do ANYTHING when you’re clocking 40+ hrs a week! I completely understand, I’m a 50-60+er myself.
Please don’t *sigh* SMILE instead…k??
Thanks for writing,
~n
Hi Aaron!
Thanks for writing! You a gamer?
~n
Hi Jess!
Yes they do! Yes I do!
Thanks for the comment
~n
Dugan!
You MUST call into my webcast or write in the chatroom … you have great insight and such important things to contribute!
Selfishly, I want to borrow your family’s recipe of how to make all of it work to perfection; the job, the family time, and the raiding. And you definitely have a point on the development of interpersonal skills … I’d love to hear more about what you have to say. You and your significant other are welcome to check out my show and share your stories, this topic ALWAYS comes up!
Thanks for the comment
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
LOL Weasel!
You had me at “Yeah chief, …”
Thanks for the comment!
~n
Josh~
Thanks so much for this response. I have so much respect and admiration for people who know what they want — no matter what it is. Good for you for going after what, to you, are the most “important things.”
I have no doubt that your amazing daughter and your loving GF are worth it.
Cheers
~n
iamhrh~
I have NO IDEA how I would even attempt to manage work/love/game/school/kids … you’re my hero. I’m not being sweet.
When the hell do you sleep? Do you eat? How do you maintain patience and perspective?
Making it through one day with those 5 things in your life is nothing short of miraculous! Kudos.
~n
PS- I tell BF, and show him, everyday that I appreciate him. We’re very lucky.
This makes me so happy that you wrote about this. I’m sitting at a LAN party right now with my bf and his best friends while they play wow. This is a typical Friday night for me.
I, like you, don’t feel the need to play wow. Instead I blog, facebook, play spider solitaire, snood, online scrabble, and keep their drinks full.
Why do I do this?
1. It gives me bargaining power.
2. I know that I can threaten to take wow away and he’ll do whatever I want him to.
3. A typical Saturday night consists of doing absolutely whatever I want to do.
4. Watching ppl “nerd out” fascinates me.
Hi Ultimate Dreamer!
Thanks for the compliment. My writing is a work in progress … have a great weekend!
~n
Thanks Karli!!
Stop by my live webcast next week when you have a chance … http://www.rileysride.com weekdays 3pm – 7pm PST
~n
Hi Christy!
Yeah, he’s a good man. Our fights are about who has to walk to the fridge to fetch the next two beers, if that last word played on the Scrabble board really is a word, and who’s turn it is to eat the last nacho. I’m very lucky. Have you found your keeper?
Come chat with me some time live on my webcast, http://www.rileysride.com Mon- Fri 3pm-6pm PST.
Thanks for taking the time to write!
~n
Hi Varda,
I found him at the beach if that helps …?
Thanks for writing,
~n
Um, WoW nerds aren’t the worst out there. Ever heard of furries? How about conspiracy theorists, FOSS zealots, Pokemon geeks, hardcore Trekkies, and many, many others? Believe me, WoW nerds aren’t even close to those guys. The percentage of people who get that immersed are a small percentage of the 12 million or so people that play. Heck, the wife and I play together. We also have time for many other activities outside the game. If some people get way too wrapped up in the game, then it’s their own damned fault. I don’t know how people can do that. I can play WoW for a few hours on some days…but not all day every day. That would get real old, real fast.
And WoW really isn’t all that challenging, especially to hardcore gamers. Some endgame stuff may be, but quests are usually pretty simple.
Hi Cubicola!
Thanks for taking to the time to write. Where do I go to collect my prize??
Can I mix this “5/5 cola drinks” with Grey Goose??
~n
Hello Ronak,
I believe in my heart of hearts that my BF knows he’s lucky. I know I’m lucky to be his GF.
You make a good point about recognizing the VALUE of love, most people don’t think about relationships that thoroughly or clearly.
Cheers to you,
~n
Hi Josiah
WARCRACK. I love it. You mind if I borrow that one?
~n
I think nerds and dorks are cool … but maybe not as cool as your name: OOBYDOOB BALOOBY. That is awesome.
Can you please log in to my chatroom next week under that name?
Thanks for commenting Ooby!
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
Hi Calley!
I will definitely keep my eye out for another one like him to come along, should be fairly easy to spot the only other burning pheonix flying over San Francisco drinking a 40oz.!
Seriously Calley, come by website and chat it up with me sometime!
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
[...] that were not present when I left the house 12 hours ago. He smiles. I smile back… I Heart Nerds … WOW Riley’s Ride I love… [...]
Hello NobleX!
My BF’s mount is cooler than my writing! But, EWOKS are way cooler than my BF’s mount! (Sorry BF)
Thanks for writing. Come back soon,
~n
I’d dump his ass after the wine and cheese. I’d tell him to pack up his things and move to his WOW world because that is just ridiculous.
OMG Melandgetz … why aren’t we having drinks right now????
I’m going to read your comment out loud on my show on Monday, you have to watch. We might need to start a support group, a movement, or perhaps a REVOLUTION!
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
PS- LOVE your reasoning list. HOT (not HAWT).
Very enjoyable read! Kudos to ya.
LOL Sturmeh.
Thanks for the comment!
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
Thank you Arlan!
I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.
Cheers,
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
I thought this was going to be a linux article or something. To some nerds wine means something else other then fermented grapes.
Hello Bill (and Wifey),
Thank you so much for taking the time to write! I’m fascinated by gamer couples … life is so busy and complicated as is, I find it refreshing and SO inspiring that it is possible to have it all; love, family, work, and gaming. That’s awesome. Hats off to you two!
Cheers,
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
LOL. Sorry Mang.
~n
Thanks Kola!
Backatchya.
~n
http://www.rileysride.com
Thank you so much
[...] Nerd seduction 13 12 2008 Lol! I started reading this article on WoW nerd seduction and just cracked up. Not that I am a WoW nerd, but I know several. One got his significant other [...]
Very funny post. Thanks.
This is cool because its funny.
Romantic gaming couple at it,
and munches.
thanks from tony
Thank you Lynne!
~n
A romantic gaming night with munches.
Very cool.
thanks from tony
Haha! I totally agree!
You put a smile on my face today
Congrats!
Kelly Crumpets
It’s like you wrote this as a biography of my life. Only my wow bf hasn’t quite got the hang of the romancing prior to ‘raiding’.
I don’t get it.. i tried to play it when I was bed ridden (due to the flu) and yep still don’t get it.
It comforts me to know others exist out there sharing my situation.
Your bf’s actions give me hope that one day my bf will do the same.
I don’t know why but I don’t find WoW remotely interesting. But that’s not to indicate that I’m not a gamer. I have played GTA2 on my Pentium 3 500 mhz till my eyes couldn’t keep themselves open any longer, and I have put my life on the line to buy a geforce 400mx 64 MB only to run 3D games at decent resolution and graphics settings, and recently I went as far as shelling out 6 grands for the Dell XPS 730, and I spend hundreds of hours on FPS games, but this WoW hype never fazed me.
What could be so interesting about it? Why would one be so interested in being ’somebody’ that ultimately would have no real value in real life? For example, I’m currently vying for an admission into the US Airforce and my very ultimate ambition is to be an airlines pilot for a decent airliner in the US or UK, and for that reason I would have to dedicate sufficient time into studies, training and what not. But how could this mammoth amount of time that this so-called ‘nerds’ spend on WoW be possibly useful for their real-life carriers?
To put it briefly, the game is an utter waste of time, but people addicted to it just don’t realize it just like heroine addicts don’t want to admit that what they are doing is wrong. The original poster won’t admit it either.
Last but not the least, a lot of time spent on a video game doesn’t necessarily have to be considered time misspent. For example, pilots spend x amount of time, or time unknown to me (non-pilots or non airline pilots) on simulators that are run by software that nearly resembles modern video games. There is this game called X-plane that anyone can buy but this very same game has been certified by Federal Aviation Administration for flight training purposes. The cerfiticate can be found on their site, if in case any retard wants to challange me. Now, if person X spends 10-12 hours a day on this game, I wouldn’t say that he/she is misspending or abusing his time, because at least the game/software he is addicted to somehow relates to real-life and would get him somewhere. You only have to ask a real life airline pilot to know how a simulator, which is almost like a video game, can assist him in learning what to do in case of emergencies and such.
But in the end, it all boils down to this: who am I to say who should do what? I’m not paying bills for anyone’s WoW addiction, am I?
I feel for ya. I really do. Mostly cause I go through the same … only worse …
As someone who spent a year playing WoW (and cleared all raids available then) I can say it is most definitely not a “sophisticated”, “challenging” or “extremely tough” game.
It’s extremely simple and repetitive in all aspects. The game-play is largely hitting the same three or four buttons, the end-game opponents are just the same thing over and over with only slightly different graphics and tactics. The only hard part is building a group of 25 people with IQ above 80.
What makes it addictive are the social relationships you build and the false notion of not wanting to throw away what you’ve “achieved”.
I play WoW and I’m not addicted. I play maybe 3 times a week at best and I have more than enough time on my hands to spend with my better half. I am employed full time and make a decent living.
Ever think that maybe he’s not buttering you up? That maybe he’s just being completely romantic simply because he cares about you, and not just so you won’t get pissy if he “morphs” into his nerd form? Just sayin’.
Oh, and…
“I’ve got the dvd and book libraries to prove it. Discovery and History channel documentaries in alphabetical order, stacks of autobiographies written by unheard of people – and we won’t get into my secret obsession with Ewoks.”
You’re not fooling anyone here, you’ve had the title of “nerd” for a LONG time lol.
I think gaming addictions are really just addictions.
You should help him get rid of it.
I played WoW for like 10 levels until i realized its just a waste of time. I dont want to wake up 10 years older seeing that my best moments in time were in WoW. When he does something nice just because he knows he will be able to play without being disturbed means his addiction is strong.
Its basically like the matrix. Do you want the real steak or the one that tastes like one?
What about waking up in the morning next to the one you love? Or feeling that sense of security because you’re going to bed with his arms around you? Don’t you feel like he is kind of “checking the box” to get you out of the way so he can go do what he really wants to do?
Don’t get me wrong, if you’re cool with it than more power to the both of you. I just remember the days that I tried to balance both a relationship and gaming. I didn’t give her the attention she deserved.
Maybe because I can’t always spend the night with the woman I love I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t want to.
i lol’d on the inside with this one. thanks for the great idea. except i’ll get my gf to play with me too.
~*repping sen’jin realm. wewt.*~
Haha, great turn. And yes it’s true, WoW is addictive. But what about other games? Like Call of Duty or Need for Speed?
Great post! Eloquently written and true to the heart, sending it to my wife, she’ll get a kick! Consider it Dugg!
Well written ;-D
Terrific pandering.
I really enjoyed both pieces to this. Thanks. As a hardcore gamer, I think sometimes we can get lost in our virtual social realm…its important to remember that the “RL” social realm is just as important. Thanks for posting – Keep it up – loved the show too!!
WoW is a hobby like any else, other boyfriends sit in front of the tv watching mindless football for hours, or just sleep on the couch.
The social part of the game is pretty much the reason why im still there, you get to know so many great people. And its all good as long as you can balance it out with time spendt with your RL-people, wich your bf seems to be able to do
[...] 13, 2008 Very sweet and romantic – you just gotta read this. For all you lovestruck and kicking ass with your mice and keyboard – “life is short and [...]
Great read… smiled the whole time. =)
I’m a WOW head as well. I own an IT business, have a long term relationship (she plays wow too) and have played in the same rock band for over 10 years.
Everything in moderation.
Addictions are personality disorders… not activity disorders. If your the kind of person pre-disposed to addiction then you’re probably going to get hooked on something with or without WOW.
BF sounds like a great guy (with an uber sweet mount) that loves you and wants to please you and that’s good stuff. If you consider his actions bribery then maybe you should question your own motives. Everyone needs time to do their own thing and shouldn’t have to bribe anyone to get it. Balance is dictated by the needs of BOTH of you.
Again really good read!!
Great Story! Keep writing!
Warcraft, as well as many games, can suck up your time.
I know…I used to play them.
http://ccaries.wordpress.com/
Well, it was a nice move from your BF, but imagine how life was like if he wouldn’t play WoW at all. A normal guy with normal life and plenty of spare time to do something more “constructive”.
You can argue that Wow is a kind of hobby and everybody has something similar, like watching movies, reading books, or even listening to music. But here is the question, which of those hobbies helps you more in your real life? I am pretty sure that WoW doesn’t …
Haha, nice post!
dopplegranger@gmail.com
My Warrior > Your BF’s wow Character
This was very well written and entertaining – you’re a very talented writer.
My boyfriend playing WoW doesn’t really affect me because I play WoW with him. Romantic, right?
I think your article is pretty awesome. I am a girl gamer, and I think a balance between real life and the virtual one is central to living healthy.
As far as nerds – I personally think they are HOT. There is just something about smart, tech-savvy, cultured guys that makes them so impressive and magnetic.
I see that a lot of the comments suggest that you try WoW as well. I think it is a good idea, but might be dangerous, because people DO get sucked into leveling and acquiring power.
I personally do not play WoW, but I am a Guild Wars fanatic. ^^ I think it is a better game in a number of ways:
1. it is free to play.
2. it has better graphics.
3. you can save your progress and drop it and pick it up pretty much anytime, which makes it easier to live your life when needed, but still play.
Take care,
Lenna
What a sweet story! Now how can you not love nerds?
Nice story.
Have you seen Role Models? You and the bf might enjoy its humorous take on a similar addiction.
[...] read a post recently [here] that gave me a bit of a wake up call. Looking at my life through this lens, and coupled with a [...]
Thanks for a really interesting post that bridges the shared lifestyle/individual hobby-craze gap, and offers a bit of humour along the way.
cheers
Tim in Australia
hi Riley; If the rich people who don’t need to work for a living get addicted then may be many of us would be saved from the extra harms generated from greed. I think addiction to good food and wine when back from work is lovely; it is an excellent way to pray and readjust and reflect as a normal individual. Lovely article; I didn’t think people take time to read long articles and then reply and you replying back.
Reading, writing, and publishing on wordpress.com is becoming full time to me: is that addiction? Is checking the stat twice a day an addiction? I never tried games because one of them might be addictive and this is not the sort of temptation you want to indulge in.
It is always interesting to see how computer activities take such a strong hold in a person’s life. I barely go anywhere without my laptop. Don’t play any online games like these mentioned, but I could see myself doing so. I did take a crack at Second Life but stopped because I found myself spending far too much time there.
simply awesome..and enjoyed the read and ur experiences..great
hah, entertaining read, and very well written. Grats on getting the link on bluesnews. I’m sure many nerds will come read this.
Your Bf has got it just right, it takes some doing and some maintaining, its easy to slip one way or another, loosing yourself in your partners life, or not being there enough for her in my experience, i am glad he has got the ballance right though Kudos to him
Luke Slomka
Haha, ewoks. They are cute. It’d be cool to have one as a pet
Silly girl! Mana doesn’t buy things!! (see I read the entire article from top to bottom).
Superbly written. I digg it. Back to wow!
Ah a WOW widow…GliderFTW!!!
I love that post!
So very true.
Although no one can be bothered to wait three hours for the latest WoW patch to download, so I haven’t played to for months. I miss my Night Elf… *sniff*
I’m going to e-mail this to my WoW addicted friend.
WOW wasn’t the enemy of my healthy family life, it was an online intellectual forum.
Now, instead of attending online meetings, I attend as many offline meatings as possible. We are social animals and shooting the shit and breaking bread together outdoes anything the internet offers.
I saw the webcast!! was awesome!!
Every boyfriend I’ve ever had has had a history with WOW.
And seriously….Ashes of Al’ar?? That’s so hot…
Haha! I totally agree!
You put a smile on my face today
Congrats!!!
Wow…awesome article.
It’s nice to see a girl that doesn’t ask for too much. There are girls out there who will get that, and still demand their BF to get offline, because it’s not an image they want to be associated with…
I tried to read this, but I only had enough cloth for 50 heavy bandages. I have a 50 bandage rule when it comes to reading posts while playing WOW. Fellow ‘nerds’ understand
I’d dump his ass after the wine and cheese. I’d tell him to pack up his things and move to his WOW world because that is just ridiculous…
Sweet article
Your bf is definitely a keeper and obviously you are, too. I’m a Wow player and I’m married to an avid gamer (formerly silk of zEx, which probably won’t mean anything to you) and it’s nice to read the perspective of a woman who accepts WoW as a hobby.
PS: His “seduction” was a nice trick. Hope guys learn from this!
Lmao, wow owns and even more so on private servers, cos it’s free and easier!
the only solution is deleting all his characters. It’s painful, but it helps.
I remember how furious I was about my fiance (by then) spending a lot of his time paying wow. Before, we always fight about the very little time he has for me until he asked me to try playing the game. I seriously got irritated with him at first but when I started to get a hook of it, even him couldn’t stop me from playing. ROFL! I started to understand the urge to play long hours, earning gold and leveling up. Until now that we’re married, we haven’t stopped playing. It’s great to know that beyond our world,we have another world to share, even if it’s just virtual. =p