This is part of the Blaugust series!
Note: If you don’t need to hear about someone being bummed by first world problems today, please don’t read. This warning has been a message to promote an overall happier Internet.
A number of folks have written about their gaming regrets. Today I’m struggling with gaming disappointment.
I don’t like to write about negative situations. To me, blogging is about encouraging, inspiring and finding good things to say about the world, gaming and other people. But as an extremely emotional person, even I can’t be 100% sunshine all the time. Today is one of those days where I’m just too bummed to pretend to be otherwise.
I’ll keep things very vague cuz I’m not much into posting real life stuff, even on my microblog. However, I’m a believer that writing is a therapy, and I need some of that release right now.
To start, things at work have taken an unexpected turn. This will lead (and already is leading) to an avalanche of responsibility invading my more or less peaceful and fairly low-stress work situation. These things happen in the adult world, I know. I love my job and the place I work for, but I don’t always adjust to unexpected twists easily. I know I’ll be fine in the long run, but I have concerns which are causing some stress that didn’t exist just a few days ago.
I was hoping to turn to gaming for a bit of fun and to shake off the work concerns. However, a differing in gaming philosophies between myself and folks I usually enjoy gaming with semi-regularly shattered those hopes.
Struggles with Disappointment
I know myself well enough to know that one emotion I don’t deal with well is disappointment. I’m not sure if “disappointment” is even the right word to describe the emotion, though.
I’m a creative person, and I tend to get really excited and inspired by things (including games). When I get passionate and inspired, it’s a great feeling, and I go out of my way to share that feeling with people I play with or just folks who read my blog.
There’s a lot to be inspired about in the gaming world now days. It’s easy to get hyped, and honestly, getting hyped is fun. I find myself pouring over Reddit and forums and wikis just to know more, and counting the hours till I can come home and try new and fun things.
I love to explore and I love games that allow me to build, because building something is a way of giving the people I play with a bit of myself and my creativity. It’s kinda an artsy thing, like drawing something for someone, or writing something for someone. And sometimes I feel quite proud of the neat things these games allow me to build for other people.
So, when my sharing is met with the opposite reaction, it feels kinda like:
The problem with letting myself feel so excited is that when something busts that emotion, the feeling of disappointment following is twice as intense. Then, it’s hard not to look at something that had previously been so much fun and so exciting with anything but a soured and crestfallen feeling.
So, yesterday what I was excited to go home and do, today I’m just bummed out about and have no motivation to do at all.
Bummed Out Writing Prompt
Because I may as well make something constructive of this post.
Am I alone in feeling bummed about being excited for something that falls through? Do you have any bummed out gaming stories? If so, how did you deal with disappointment?
If you made it down this far, thanks for listening to me vent. You win Internet points.
I think we’ve all been there – having responsibility we don’t want, and can’t accommodate, dumped on us at work. I believe the standard response is to counter with a request for a raise. Mine is to shoot for a compromise, failing which, I move to adjust accordingly. Most recently, that adjustment meant clinching a new job. So… yeah.
As for the part about sharing your creativity, I give you the words of Seth Godin: http://bit.ly/LAVhCt
My workplace gives raises regularly, and on a timed schedule, though I’m actually not too worried about making more money. I’m pretty confident that if I work hard, it will be noticed. I work for a very fair place and I have little to complain about. It’s more the worries of the unknown, and how things are going to balance out, I guess.
What I’d give to be in a place like that. Professional writers really have it different the world over.
I think we’ve all been there as gamers–where we build up a title in our heads and then get burnt by the reality and so approach everything after the event with cynicism and regret. It’s kind of a natural thing.
The point, though, is to not let that cynical edge steer all thinking. It’s an edge–you use it to cut through the crap….but then you also have to use your eyes and mind and even a bit of your heart to process everything a game can offer to decide if it will become enjoyable.
Also, hugs to you.
Aw, thanks for hugs. 🙂
It wasn’t the game that disappointed (I’d still love to play the game), but it was the interactions with people that bummed me out. I wasn’t super clear on that, but that’s because I didn’t want to make this a drama piece.
I’m okay if a game is disappointing cuz there’s lots of other games out there that I can give my time. I usually research quite a bit before I put money into a game, so I don’t often buy a game that disappoints me. However, in some cases, I’ve bought games that I was happy with to start, but later disappointed me with how they continued to develop.
Sorry to hear you being bummed. Thanks for the internet, though, it’ll be used for good things. 🙂
I got a little bummed out yesterday after losing a couple hours of video recording on Trove I did. I shut down, booted up fallout shelter, and made myself a chocolate cake with extra chocolate chips, cuz screw everything else, I wanted it gosh darnit. Afterwards, I felt a little better and decided to do another recording (after making dang sure it was this time). Hopefully this little story of bummed-outness makes you feel you’re not alone in it.
Oh no! Losing video is the worst! But chocolate cake sounds good.
Hopefully your video came out the second time!
Thanks. The video did record the second time. And the cake was goooooooood.
Then there was a silverlining to the story. I’m happy to hear that. 🙂
I get the workload thing, even if I have capacity to handle more, it’s the upset in my train of thought and re-ordering things in my head. Ultimately if there is no clear priority and I believe that I will be overwhelmed, I make my boss decide :).
But it’s not fun and can be stressful but each of them go towards my evidence of my work this year. Which will get the recognition.
I hope things get easier.
Thanks for the encouragement! I also hope things are good for you at work this year.
My name is Ysh and I am excessively emotional. I am also excessively empathetic and enthusiastic so it’s not really a bad thing, except when it is.
I won’t say “don’t be bummed” because that’s super not helpful. I will say (even though I hate it), This Too Shall Pass. You just have to give it time to do that.
If you need hermit-mode with people, I do haz private ARK server, as you know. PM me on Twitland if you want the super-seekrit code.
I’m about to fire it up because I finished work early (YAAAAY!) and I feel the need to get eaten by dinosaurs while building houses.
Thank you Ysh! It makes me feel better that other people know about that “hermit-mode with people” need. My playtime may be sporadic, but I might take you up on your server offer sometime. I think we both put our settings on easier-mode (which is good). XD
I do enjoy getting eaten by dinos while building a house!
Awww, that’s too bad… I’ll admit, I’m not a particularly emotional person, so I can’t really say “I understand” in all honesty… but I empathize?
I get that deflated feeling too, it sucks. It makes you feel guilty too, like you’re coming across as sulking when you aren’t. You’re just having to rebuild all that excited energy again.
Hope you get your mojo back soon. Added work stress doesn’t help. You know how to find me if you want company or someone else to enthuse at. 🙂
You’re definitely not alone there. It happens to me all the time. The trick is knowing how to bounce back from the kick in the gut 🙂
I hope things smooth out for you at work! x