Video games over time have changed and evolved drastically over the last 30 years to say the least and so have I. I used to play video games when I was younger because that was the thing to do. We went to school, played outside, ate dinner and then played video games before bed. I have always been a gamer since I was young but it wasn’t until I hit my 20’s where I started using video games as a relaxation point. Everyone has their “thing” and for me it is video games. I have always made it a point to get a few hours of gaming in a night to just unwind and relax from the crazy world we live in. To some people they look at video games as a waste of time and that it is mindless fun. Well think again studies actually show there are benefits to playing video games and just to name a few we gamers will have better hand-eye coordination, motor skills and fine spatial skills. Also our communication and team work skills are very high as well. I can talk about the benefits of gaming all day but we can save this for another article. Video games to me is like a book to someone who reads. They immerse themselves into another world and play out in their mind what the story would look like. For me I have the story animated in front of me while I am playing through it. Although some games don’t have stories to them such as sports games but I still have visions me and some friends winning the Stanley Cup while playing and NHL video game and it’s still pretty awesome. Video games for me are a way of connecting with old friends as well as friends who have moved to another country. Also making new friends around the world is pretty awesome as well. I have friends in Chicago, Minnesota, Colorado and even some from Spain. We have actually become really close friends that we send Christmas gifts and Baby gifts seeing that most of us are now young fathers. So maybe video games are more than just mindless fun if you were to give them a try if you haven’t already done so. Why I play video games is because it does in fact relax me and with how busy life is I can connect with friends over social chat and we hangout that way by challenging our minds to some good gaming fun. This also beats sitting in front of our phones texting back an fourth or chatting on the phone. We can simply make a party chat online and we can all join in on the conversation. I get this a lot where people tell me that video games aren’t a real hobby which is absolutely insane because a hobby is something you do for fun or pleasure and well video games are my hobby because I do it for fun and for pleasure to relax my self. I have never once bashed anyone for what type of hobbies they enjoy or their forms of relaxation so people need to take it easy when they bash people who use gaming as an escape. I can play video games for hours because of how relaxing it is to me and no one will ever change that. You should always take time to relax and do something that disconnects you for just awhile from the crazy busy life you live in. It’s not all about work or hectic lifestyles. Enjoy your time to yourself some nights and pick up that one thing that relaxes you and make you forget about stressful things even if it’s just for an hour. Gaming will always be my escape and relaxation point and I will always have fun doing it.   Cheers Folks!