IRL: Best. Uncle. Ever.

I have about eleven different blogs started that need finishing, and at least as many comics. But, since real-life is a bitch of a mistress that insists on me doing crazy, mundane tasks like "paying the electric bill" and "eating", I have only been able to retreat to world of gaming in short bursts lately. The majority of that has been in EVE Online (of course), but that had recently taken on the dreaded 'part-time job' status as I worked my alliance diplomat role for the past month (that spurned a couple of blogs coming soon, too). Along with full-time classes and a veteran's club to run I feel a tad overwhelmed. But, things are beginning to wind themselves down and I'm looking forward to getting things off my plate.

Speaking of getting rid of things, I was a little shocked to get a text message from my 15 year old nephew Billy this morning asking if he could buy my old Xbox. You see, when my wife and I moved out to California a couple of years ago, I dropped off my Xbox and my old games at my mother's house so that the grandkids would have something to do while when they get dumped at Grandma and Grandpa's. I didn't play it much anymore - Steam had corrupted me and I rarely touch consoles anymore - and I figured it would get some use there than if I hauled it to CA with me. Since then, I'd gathered that it rarely got touched since the only two big gamers in the herd of nieces and nephews were my nephews Jake and Billy (both 15 now, and cousins). When they were there together, they'd sometimes pop in Grand Theft Auto and slaughter waves of non-suspecting hookers (which always bugged me - you'd think the prostitute community would have started an information campaign once their murder rate jumped 4567 percent in a single afternoon), but mostly it was left alone. Except for when Billy was over. He'd discovered a little game called The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. He'd never really played anything besides FPS because, well, that's what his dad plays. My brother actually refers to anything that is RPG or Fantasy as "games for losers" (he'll spend hours fragging his kids toons in Call of Duty, though), so Billy has never had a chance to play much else. EVE is even outside his reach - the kids in the house aren't allowed to 'play' on the one computer in the house. Once Billy had discovered Morrowind and began playing it, he was looking for every excuse to go to Grandma's just so he could continue unraveling the prophecies of The Nerevarine. I had commented once that the game would get laggy and that he must have think the graphics seem archaic. His response? "Yah, but it's all about the gameplay." Sniff.... I've never been so proud.

I texted to tell him he could have it for free. His response was "Best. Uncle. Ever." Yah, that's worth giving it away.

He also texted back that he couldn't wait to play Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2 on it. Again, only because he understands and appreciates that a great storyline arc and immersive environments are more important to him than anything else. My brother might be an FPS jock, but he definitely did something right raising Billy.

EDIT (KOTOR SPOILER ALERT): 9/12/2013 - I just wanted to add that Billy texted the following to me the other day: "HOLY SHIT!! I'M REVAN!! MIND BLOWN!!" I was wondering when he'd get to that part :)

Just wait till I introduce that kid to games like Chrono Trigger, The Last of Us, and a few select Legend of Zelda titles.