I came across this quote on Uru Obsession, and the original poster found it on eBay, I think. The first few lines are so true:
I used to think of myself as immune to addiction. I’ve never been ensnared by alcohol or drugs, never run up huge credit-card balances with compulsive shopping, never smoked — I don’t even gamble. Watching various friends battle their own habits, I’ve occasionally envied them the drama of it all, but mostly I’ve felt a little (well, maybe more than a little) superior.
That was before I found Myst…
I’ve recently realized just how obsessed I am with the Myst series. I really am obsessed. I spend most of my free time on Uru Obsession, I have a massive collection of Myst games and collectible items, I even have two original concept sketches from Myst.
In a discussion I was having with a friend of mine two days ago, I mentioned how much more obsessed with the series I was than him (however, we met on UO, so we both must be pretty obsessed) and he said “yeah, I’m not as obsessed as you are. I get bored the third time through the games”. This made me stop and realize the extent of my obsession.
Am I sorry? Do I wish I wasn’t obsessed/addicted?
Hell no.
It would be interesting (and probably important to your spiritual growth)to tease apart this obsession and understand what it represents for you. What is its meaning, psychologically or emotionally speaking? What need do UO and Myst fill for you? How do you feel, most of the time, when you are logging in and beginning? How do you feel when it is over?
You don’t have to share your answers with anyone. I just thought it would be healthy to understand it better, since you are using words like “addiction,” and “obsession,” which are normally perjorative. I don’t judge you for it, in fact I am proud of your centeredness and your character in general, but I hope that you understand the whole of the experience it gives you.
You call yourself obsessed?
Have your learnt three programming languages because of your obsession? 😛
At least being obsessed with Uru is cool 😀
~Paradox
I learned modeling and texturing (and one programming language) because of my obsession. Does that count?
I own about the same amount of stuff you do (where’d you get concept sketches?!) but it’s not neatly arranged like that. The shear reason that they aren’t is because I don’t like to expose my precious MYST collectibles to sunlight. Fades the boxes and stuff, over time, I suppose. Not taking chances. 😛
Well ok, I never said I was the MOST obsessed person out there, just that I was really freakin’ obsessed.
I got the concept art from Robyn Miller along with my second 10th anniversary edition and Riven Collector’s Edition. I just got the sketches framed yesterday 😀
(also, check way back in my archives for the post about my discussions with Robyn Miller that ended with me getting the sketches)
Wow that was seriously misquoted. 😛