Friday, September 14, 2007

A Happy Day and Then You Pay

I posted this photo once on my old blog, but I thought it was time to show it off again. This was in Life magazine in 1983 when my town was named "The Video Game Capital of the Universe" or something like that, and housed the video game olympics. It was a great marketing ploy by the guy who owned the arcade in town. I just thought you'd like to know that I come by this video game playing honestly, and I'm sure none of you are surprised that I wasn't a cheerleader in high school or a good enough Centipede player to be in this photo.

And on Friday, I rested. Surprisingly, I wasn't hungover so much as tired and all socialed-out. I never heard from my friend tonight, so I had almost all day and all night to myself. It was exactly what I needed. In the afternoon, I drove the girls around to all their things, and then I was at home, enjoying my lair and messing around on XBox Live downloading demos and trying to remember all the little strategies I used when I obsessively played Centipede in high school at the arcade from the Life magazine photo.

I also finally watched Pan's Labyrinth and it was just as violent and depressing and amazing and wonderful as I had heard it would be. I feel like I need some emergency therapy after it, though.

This was the first time since I've had my own room that I've been able to spend any real time in it. I think it's going to work out just fine. I did a lot of lounging and living in my own world, and not even running. (if you can believe that) My window faces out to the street, and at one point I saw this other woman jogging by who, in the past, has stopped me to tell me that I'm her running inspiration and I didn't even feel the least bit guilty. I needed a day off and I took one and I am so much the better for it, so there.

10 comments:

matt said...

I remember when that story came out! Wasn't there a video arcade called "The Outer Limits" downtown. I went there a couple of times.

When I was in HS we snuck into the the "Horseshoe Club" strip joint. We must have been 16 or 17 and we got drunk and watched the strippers.

Ottumwa was more than that but well that's kind of what we were into.

Do you remember a kid from Ottumwa HS named Kevin Shirley?

Anonymous said...

I got scared for a minute and thought you were going to say you were one of those cheerleaders.

congrats on the day lounging.

Mr Atrocity said...

Everybody needs some quality den time every now and again. T is out all day so today will also be my den day once the chores are done. This book I'm half way through isn't going to read itself and there are some zombies in Resident Evil 4 who need a stern talking to also...

Stepping Over the Junk said...

sounds nice...I love lounging in my room too and never feel the least bit guilty, since I spend most of my free time in my studio and office working. As for running, well, it goes slowly and steadily but not as well as I would like, but refuse to feel guilty...I am doing more now than I did all summer in that regard.

The Lady Who Doesn't Lunch: said...

Off topic, but I really enjoy your blog - I've never piped in to make a comment before, but thought you might enjoy knowing that I think yer funny.

Poptart said...

Is it sad that I'm like "Oh yeah, that picture!" and all happy when you repost the pics from the old blog? As if it's an old friend...


I love the video game peeps. Think of how much preproduction and schlepping of heavy giant games went on for that photoshoot.

Churlita said...

Matt,

I think the arcade from the article was called Twin Galaxies. There were probably more than one, but that's where I went to get my fix.

Kevin Shirley sounds familiar. I think he was a year or two older than me - either in my brother or sister's grade. I'll ask my sister about him.


Not,

Oh, you can rest your fears on that one. I'm not perky enough.

Mr Atrocity,

It would be kind of creepy if your book read itself and the zombies committed suicide...Creepy and not very much fun either.

Stepping,

I'm sure if I lounged in my room all the time, I'd get tired of it...Or would I?

Lady,

Thanks so much. I checked out your blog and enjoyed it very much as well.

Poptart,

Yeah, and I think they flew most of those geeky guys in from California and stuff. I would have liked to be one of the people who rolled out the Donkey Kong machine.

Anonymous said...

I love a good day off :)

My ex had picked out Pan's Labyrinth when we went to go see it at the movie theater, and his description of the movie to me was, "Oh, it's based on a revolution that happened in Spain, and I heard it has really cool graphics. A feel-good kind of movie."

I did not expect the evil Vidal to kill the poor farmer with a broken glass bottle.

Although I wish I had been more, ahem, prepared for the violence, I thought it was a wonderful movie, definitely one of the best I had seen last year!

laura b. said...

You totally had this day coming to you! Glad you got to relax and bond with your room.
I thought Pan's Labyrinth was amazing.

Churlita said...

Michelle and LauraB.,

I thought it was amazing as well. It sure stays with you, doesn't it?