151: How To Bite The Head Off a Chicken

[Colin Rowsell]

How To Bite The Head Off a Chicken

"It's small by overseas standards - this isn't ComicCon - and there's an extra emphasis on kids. Downstairs they go batshit for the laser tag and wrestling; upstairs there are long avenues of Magic: The Gathering tables. One of Armageddon's biggest moments sees two dozen sugar-fed little buggers onstage for the Dragon Ball Z Kamehameha contest. What better way to spend a Sunday than shooting a giant imaginary fireball out of your arms and screaming like a Japanese cartoon?"

Read Full Article

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think this is why Gaming etc. get all the bad press. (And that's not to say it's a bad thing)

People have been told that work is good, work is right, work is serious.

And they all know it sucks.

That's why, when you get your happily married friend with 4 kids coming up to you; there's that little look in their eyes as if to say "Haven't you grown up yet?"

And further back, locked away, behind armed guard, "I wish I could do that."

Let the prisoner free IMHO, before it frees itself at the next office party; and you find out how expensive restraining orders can be.

 

[Incandescence]

People have been told that work is good, work is right, work is serious.

I agree. People in general also have very strict boundaries between what they do for work and what they do for fun; they've also been told that work and play aren't supposed to mix, which is what makes someone like Bill Gerhardts "weird." Somehow, he's managed to make a living out of something that he loves, and I think the typical reaction to that is somewhere between jealousy and skepticism.

 

[sammyfreak]

Great article, but I don't really have alot to add.

*bites a checken head off*

 

[Simalacrum]

People have been told that work is good, work is right, work is serious.

I agree. People in general also have very strict boundaries between what they do for work and what they do for fun; they've also been told that work and play aren't supposed to mix, which is what makes someone like Bill Gerhardts "weird." Somehow, he's managed to make a living out of something that he loves, and I think the typical reaction to that is somewhere between jealousy and skepticism.

Much agreed! fortunately, im only 17, so i haven't had to make a choice on a career yet. I really, REALLY, however DON'T want to go to some boring desk job for a living... they keep on saying in my school "its only the lucky ones that get to enjoy their job". Well, why? according to them, my dear father is one of hte "lucky" ones. lucky to have CHOSEN his career choice as a performing artist. "luck" and "choice" are contradicting words. I intend to CHOOSE to enjoy what i do for a living, not be lucky

*come here, chicken! CHOMP*

 

[CanadianWolverine]

I always found the term 'geek' to be some what of an oxymoron, because literally anyone can be one; attach the word geek to any of the following:
Automobile
Rocket
Game
Comic Book
Sci Fi
Fantasy
Medieval
Computer
Survivalist
Baseball

...

I think you get the point, _anyone_ can be one if they have a passion for something, anything at all. What can be rarer though, is someone who manages to find a passable or even thriving way to channel that passion into a way to support one's ongoing need to physically survive.

 

[maantren]

My grandfather worked his entire life in two jobs. He had more or less complete security, and I think saw it as the thing he did to pay the bills.

I have virtually no job security, and no real idea what I'll be doing in 10 years. I also don't have children, which would introduce a very different balance of responsibility to things. It's weird, and a little terrifying but I like it. The article was intended to reflect that, and from your great comments, seems like that's working.

Chicken burgers ahoy!

Cheers

Colin Rowsell

 

[maantren]

I always found the term 'geek' to be some what of an oxymoron, because literally anyone can be one...

I entirely agree. Julianne is arguing about this in her editorial thread at http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/6.60798

Cheers

Colin

 

[Deatre]

The Dragon Ball Z Kamehameha contest has got to be the most hilarious thing I have ever seen, bar none.

Fond memories... Fond memories.

 

[usernamed]

What can be rarer though, is someone who manages to find a passable or even thriving way to channel that passion into a way to support one's ongoing need to physically survive.

I think this is the crux of the problem for a majority of people, supply and demand in the labour market and fear of trying to strike your own path and failing. People have their obsessions and can't find a way to make their knowledge and passion for a subject pay. There are people out there for whom work is not a necessity and can choose what they do without wondering where the rent money is coming from, but they are a minority.

It's easy to have an obsession turned into a neglected hobby by the demands of the job that's necessary to pay the rent, then later by a family that need their requirements prioritising over personal desires.

There's an argument that says if you take the safer option you just didn't want it badly enough, but I think that's sometimes unfair, personal circumstances come into play. You'll find plenty of advertised vacancies for desk workers of various flavours, far fewer positions exist for people who want to specialise in a small sub-section of the entertainment industry.

Most of the time you have to create a position, and it's best to have evidence that there's a product or expertise that people will pay for, before setting off down that road. The highs are higher, the lows are lower, everything gets more intense.

I wish you every success Colin, thanks for the article.

 

[Novan Leon]

I always found the term 'geek' to be some what of an oxymoron, because literally anyone can be one; attach the word geek to any of the following:
Automobile
Rocket
Game
Comic Book
Sci Fi
Fantasy
Medieval
Computer
Survivalist
Baseball

...

I think you get the point, _anyone_ can be one if they have a passion for something, anything at all. What can be rarer though, is someone who manages to find a passable or even thriving way to channel that passion into a way to support one's ongoing need to physically survive.

To that point, check out Scott's geek montage which is hitting the top Diggs list these days:
http://digg.com/people/56_Types_of_Geeks

But you're right, pretty much anyone who has an obsession (or passion) can be called a geek these days.

 

[josh797]

i wish i had something else to say but i just want to give you my most sincere thank you. that article was beautful and something we dont have all the time on the escapist. thanks a lot for a great read relating to video games but really taking it to the next level

 

[maantren]

i wish i had something else to say but i just want to give you my most sincere thank you. that article was beautful and something we dont have all the time on the escapist. thanks a lot for a great read relating to video games but really taking it to the next level

Hey Josh,

I really appreciate you saying this. One of the best things about The Escapist (and in particular my man Russ Pitts) is that they've let me go off on some fairly odd tangents, it's a very unusual mag that can just say 'go for it' and doesn't require everything to fit into a nice tidy box...

Cheers

Colin Rowsell

 

[Conqueror Kenny]

Great article, but I don't really have alot to add.

*bites a checken head off*

I concur.

 

[Spacelord]

In a kamehameha contest, no-one wins.

 

[karmapolizei]

People have been told that work is good, work is right, work is serious.

I agree. People in general also have very strict boundaries between what they do for work and what they do for fun; they've also been told that work and play aren't supposed to mix, which is what makes someone like Bill Gerhardts "weird." Somehow, he's managed to make a living out of something that he loves, and I think the typical reaction to that is somewhere between jealousy and skepticism.

Personally, I have a very different approach. I was very determined for some time to become a music journalist, but once I'd tried it, I found out it didn't work. First of all, because I don't have what it takes - I can't conduct a meaningful interview with a musician because I don't really care what he has to say, and reviewing records soon turned out to be a fruitless effort to me. Sure I could do it, and the outcome was kind of nice, but I finally found out that my devotion to music (which is definetely there and strong) is not the kind that would make me want to write about it. I like music, and I like artists, and others I don't, and I have something of a dedicated taste - but I don't think there's anything more I could seriously say about it. It's kind of pointless.

That also spoilt my devotion and interest for music for some time. I found out that getting professionally involved with something I like, thus making it 'work', turns it all work and no fun. Psychologists call this 'corruption of internal motivation through external motivation': When you do something just because you like it, it becomes less interesting once someone expects you to do it.

This applies to a host of other things, too: At school, I always hated math, and the math I had to in college I hated, too. But recently, I started programming, and suddenly, all the same things that I had hated for the far better part of my life became incredibly interesting - just because I had chosen that I wanted to to them, instead of being made to do it.

To drive my rambling's point home: Some people just have to seperate work and their personal interests in order to make both work out. I'm perfectly happy to make my living with serious, 'boring' stuff as long as the actual work is challenging. (It's kind of seeing life as a game) Then I can go home and spend my time with things that I really enjoy and do them for nobody else than myself. It's rewarding.