Give Me a Little Quest
I sat down at a computer when I was about seven, and I don’t think I’ve ever really left the game.
Even as a kid, Dad used to say I had ants in my pants. And it looks like he was right. I just don’t know how to do nothing. Even when I go for a walk, I need a goal: get a coffee, stop somewhere, find something interesting. Just walk? Who’s going to finish the quest? 🙄
I’ve never wanted to become a superhero or reach some final destination, though. I enjoy the process itself. Finish a little quest, earn two XP, get 0.00001% better, and that’s good enough. On to the next one.
Maybe that’s why I never see video games as a waste of time. There’s always something happening: you explore something, learn something, beat someone. But just lying on the couch and staring at the ceiling... Hmm. What’s the loot drop? 😂
This love of efficiency even gave us family Saturdays. I play poker on Sundays and want to be as sharp as possible, so I decided not to play the day before. But just not playing on Saturday? No, I need to do something important!
That’s how our family breakfasts began: we go somewhere together, catch up, and often end up spending the whole day together. We might head to the mountains, go shopping, or come up with something else.
Sometimes, after breakfast, we each just play our own games. But playing games, as we’ve already established, is productive too 🙄 I cheer my son on in Fortnite, marvel at what my daughter creates in Roblox or Minecraft, and celebrate their achievements at school, in dance, and in everything else just as much.
I look at poker in much the same way. If I’ve made a decision with good EV and learned something new about the situation, that’s already a win. Whether I won or lost that particular hand doesn’t matter as much.
You can lose your loot. But the XP stays with you. And who knows: maybe that’s what will help you get that legendary item from the final boss in the next dungeon.
For now, I’m off to get a coffee. That quest won’t finish itself ☕️