Hi Guys, 
 
Happy New year to everyone first. Some people may remember I posted a forum message throwing out there the idea of giving gaming for a month. After a large amount of people telling me where to go shove the idea and the few people that thought it perhaps was not that crazy, I have undertaken the challenge and am currently half way there [sing Boni Jovi here]. 
 
Here is the back story, over the Xmas period I spent a huge amount of my time friends and family, though during those periods where there was nothing on the agenda, I found myself spending increasing amounts of time in front of the TV with a controller in my hand. I was using the console to eat up time and felt like I was playing because there was really nothing else to do and looking over 2010, I have used gaming as a crutch, skipping gym sessions, nights out and even family interaction. I love gaming. It is my passion to the point where I worked in the games industry for a short period of time. My best friend and I, who usually meet up during the week to play games were discussing what we would do if we didn't play games and it got me thinking about if I could do it. 
 
So to today. I currently have AC: Brotherhood, NFS: Hot Pursuit and a vast array of 2010 games that I feel that I need to finish, on top of Mass Effect 2 coming to the PS3 this month and Torchlight 2 in February. I have the urge to play games and it is not made easier by the fact that my friends play them in front of me, so terribly that I want to grab the controller of them, but I am getting through the month with surprising results. 
 
I have been to the gym and average of every other day, read my way through most of a book that was barely touched until Xmas and enjoyed watching The Wire. I am losing the urge to go to the controller when I have a spare second and thinking about February when I can sit and truly appreciate my time gaming. 
  
I could never give up gaming for a long stretch of time though this time away has been eye opening as to how many hours I do spend gaming. I would highly recommend stepping away from gaming for anyone who feels like the first free moment they get, they grab a controller, or people who find that they losing hours when they only wanted to play a quick game. 
 
 So until the end of Jan good gaming to you all. 
Vivek "Rean"