Another Game Review On Confessions, And Teenage Sex!

Just posted my thoughts on "DC Universe Online."  Not as favourable as I would have liked it to be, but truthful over and above everything else.  As usual, follow the link to the blogsite via the title, Confessions Of An Achievement Whore.

A comment on my "Global Pussification" post reminded me about an aspect of it that I totally forgot to mention, that of the idea that medals for winners are a horrible idea for children, that everyone should get a medal because they participated.  Fuck that action.  Could you imagine how well that would go over at the Olympic Games?  For that matter, reverse it - how are today's children going to feel when they don't get a medal simply for participating in an Olympic event?  Or probably that's too high-faluting for today's kids, so let's put it in real terms:  You don't get a paycheck just for appearing at a job interview.

I really can't understand the logic behind parents these days.  Not all parents, just the ones who are vocal about how dangerous life is, and how we should never discourage children from accomplishing anything.  Why not add the fact that we should also never push them to deal with disappointment, failure, sadness, or loss?  After all, everyone will become a great author, actor, dancer, astronaut, President...and they'll never have anything bad happen because humans live forever and never fail at anything!  How can that message possibly backfire?

Seriously, I have some very liberal views when it comes to certain things.  Like sex.  My children are going to know all the ins and outs, pun most certainly intended, at a young age.  Like, before they are 10.  Why so young you ask?  Simple:  Studies have shown that young girls are not only developing younger, they are also having their periods younger, and are becoming sexually active as young as, wait for it - you got it, nine years old.  No kidding.  So, I figure, if they can do it, and they are in danger of getting pregnant while doing it, they should be fully aware of all of it before trouble comes a-calling.  My planned method of teaching them about it will be controversial, but given that pornography is so prevalent in society now, regardless of whether I censor it at home or not, the likelihood of them seeing hardcore penetration at a friend's house, a library, at school, etc.. kind of makes me feel that if they are going to be exposed to it, at least have them learn about it in a controlled manner with the ability to ask important questions on the spot.  Same with having sex - if they are going to do it, I'll provide the bedroom as well as the contraception.  I would never urge them to do it, but if they are going to do it, at least make the environment as safe (in every way) as possible.  Would I rather have them watch it on a computer monitor or try it out themselves before they even get to high school?  Well, neither, actually, but that isn't the world we live in, and burying my head in the sand won't change that.

If you think I'm overstepping some boundaries here, ask yourself this:  Do you have any friends/relatives who were given a sample of beer when they were under-aged?  I was, by my father when I was maybe 7 or 8.  Do I drink beer now?  Not unless I'm already so far in the bag that I couldn't care less what the alcohol I'm imbibing tastes like, and that doesn't happen often at all.  Now, drinking underage is a serious offence, and some would argue that drinking when in single digits age-wise is totally irresponsible...however, I argue that I was in a safe environment, surrounded by people who (said that they) loved me, and I'm not a heavy drinker now (I can honestly say I've been actually drunk, I mean bad, exactly 4 times in almost 40 years).  If you don't think this is a good comparison for allowing teenagers to have sex in their bedroom in their own home with protection, think about them getting arrested for fooling around in a car and then having to consider the pros and cons of adoption.

No, I want my kids to learn about all the bad things I can possibly conceive of (yup, pun intended there too) at home, with my wife and I, with frank and open discussion as early as possible in their lives.  I also want them to learn some self-defence at a young age too, so they can fend off anyone trying to make any of these bad things happen to them against their will.  I am nothing if not a realist, and all the soccer moms in the world couldn't stop me from believing, plain and simply, that children are a parent's responsibility, for good and for bad, and they must be taught about all things bright and beautiful - and most things foul and frightening as well.  Not to deter them from ever drinking, having sex, or even smoking - no, I'd never force them to not do anything as long as it would not hurt anyone else.  I just want them to know fully what real life is all about: Unplanned under-aged pregnancy, drunk driving, throat cancer and traumatic head wounds.

Bring them up aware, never have a scare; raise them unprepared, horrors everywhere.  That's my child-rearing motto, copyright forthcoming.  As usual, angry comments welcome below.

Oscar Nomination Morning

Greetings all.  Just dropping in to remind those of you who are of an awards-show bent that this morning the nominees for the Academy Awards are announced, at 8:30am Eastern.  As of that time, I will be starting a Real To Reel blogsite post, and as soon as it is done, the title will become a live link to the list of who's up for the Oscars this year.

Otherwise, enjoy your Tuesdays, one and all.

Oh, and I did post more rumour information yesterday on the movie blogsite, but can't remember if I posted a link to it here or not.  If not, sorry about that - if I did, then ignore this message.

Too Early For Thoughtful Blogging

Once again, I am awake at a ridiculously early hour, for no reason other than bad dreams and bad back.  I need a new mattress and a psychiatrist like Dr. Drew to get me through.  Unfortunately, I'm not a recovering addict, and I don't have a few hundred dollars just lying around waiting to become something soft to lie down on.  More and more, I think that a person my size is doing themselves a disservice buying an Ultramatic adjustable bed, because when you get right down to it, it really is just a flexible board with a mattress on top.  It really would be the same if I just put the mattress on the floor, since the lack of any kind of springs is what is killing me.

Every time I am awake this early, I swear I can feel the strain it puts on my heart.  These are the hours that my CHF really worries me.  For those just joining the blog, CHF is short for Congestive Heart Failure, which is a fancy way to say my heart has grown so large that it is inefficient at pumping blood throughout my body.  My heart is larger than a canned ham.  Not familiar?  How about two big cans of apple juice standing side-by-side?  Does that put it in perspective?  Anyway, it really sucked turning 30 and knowing already what the most likely thing to kill me was going to be, and now I'm facing down 40 ten years later and things have actually gotten worse overall rather than improved.  I'm facing more stress now than when I was diagnosed, I'm getting way less rest than when I was diagnosed, I am confined to my home tons more than when I was diagnosed, I get way less 'incidental exercise' than when I was diagnosed, and since I learned of my disease I have watched my support drop to that of three people, one of which I hardly communicate with.  Each and every one of these factors, according to my doctor and everything I've read, is extremely vital to my putting this behind me and surviving.

What really fucking sucks is that every time I have a slight pain in my chest area, mainly from my left side, I wonder if this is it, is this the start of the failure I've been waiting on for a decade?  Try living life with that kind of burden hanging over your head.  I feel like a very specific hypochondriac, who only worries that he is dying every time his chest goes thump.  To top it all off, and to me the worst two things about the entire situation, are that I feel like an enormous burden to the two wonderful people living with me, and my depression (caused by all this shit) makes me constantly lash out at them seemingly for no reason whatsoever.  I spend so much of my time apologizing and wishing things were different...

Anyway, I'm sure I'm alienating anyone who is actually taking the time to read this, so I guess I'll bugger off and play some of my Big Fish Games titles for the next few hours.  Maybe go back upstairs after the rest of the household is awake, so I can stay out of everybody's way.  Probably the best way to live my life nowadays.  Take care, Good Readers, and I'll try and get out of my funk for you for next time.