NEWS: Wil Wheaton's Geek in Review: A Mind Forever Voyaging

As always, another high quality column from Wil.

One of the things I love about commuting in New York city is that the 45 minutes each way that I spend (3 hours each way on thursdays) to get to and from work is not time wasted, but time spent reading books. I've averaged 40-50 books read each year since I moved to NYC, almost exclusively from reading on the subway.

An additional benefit is that it gives me actual free time to waste on video games. I have TiVo so I watch a few shows every now and then on TV, and I'll go to the movies every once in a while (mainly so I can eat pot brownies and make fun of what I'm watching) but I'd rather spend my recreational time engaged in an activity rather than passively viewing one.

By the way Wil, have you played Portal yet?

Re #1: I'll tell you the same thing I tell everyone else about going to theaters for movies: go for matinees or weekday shows. It's cheaper and you're a lot less likely to hit irritating people. I was going to a movie a week for most of the past several years and I almost never paid more than $6 for a ticket nor had problems with the other humans nearby unless it was a "kids movie" (i.e., Harry Potter, Pixar.) and not much even then. In fact, around here you can often get in for $4-4.50 if you time your moviegoing right. Also, skip the concession stand (that's where they really gouge you), and pee during the opening commercials or time your arrival to miss them (not that hard, really).

Granted, I don't know how much of this holds true outside the Twin Cities (a lot of the people complaining about how crappy the moviegoing experience has become seem to live in California, which may say more about California than it does about moviegoing.). And none of that helps the periods when the studios refuse to release anything worth watching. But that's another issue entirely.

Re #2: Hell, I just wait for everything on DVD. With Netflix, it's way cheaper and a much more convenient and pleasant experience, especially for someone like me, who hates getting drips and drabs of a serial story and prefers to get big bucketfuls at once.

Re #3: I work at a library. Imagine my backlog of books.

1) Movies: You cannot be a true geek if you are going to the movies when everyone else does. I and several geek-looking people I see when I go, see movies at 10am or noon while the kiddies are in school on opening day/morning.

Alternatively I go after the movie has been playing several weeks and I can get a theatre all to myself, or perhaps 10 other people. Of course, I sit FRONT ROW, CENTER. Most annoyances don't sit that close unless they have to. I have not had this problem yet.

2) I don't watch TV anymore. Last year's season was my last. I now devote all my time to TV shows on DVD. As I write this I'm simultaneously watching Season 2 of The Munsters, Herman is trying to take pictures - I don't believe I have ever seen this one before...

My friend John has not had a TV in years. This year he discovered that at least 3 networks have their new shows online within a day after they aired on TV. There are NO Commercials (except for a 20 second blurb at the usual intervals). This sounds better than Tivo as you don't have to remember to tape the show and you can pause it.

3) Read. With all that I do, I still find time to read. Every other day at least, if not daily.

4) Play games. I have not turned on my PS2 in 2 years, and this was the last console I've bought. I played Guitar Hero II at my nephews house a year ago, and except that I can't bring myself to buy the game to play, or buy a console just to play Hero III, I would play this often.

As it is, I play online games several times a week. I spent $40 for Call of Duty 2 over a year ago and play CTF to this day... while watching tv shows on DVD. I'm in the middle of ST TNG season 2, alternating dvd's daily. I start disc 6 tomorrow. Eventually I'll get to whatever contributions you did for the 20th anniversary collections... after I get through season 7, which at this rate should be in about 2 weeks.

5) Door # 5 for me is my being stupid time. Like going to the nudie bars. This is wasted time for me.

it's all just a matter of where you put your satchel and what you put on it, isn't it?

[edit]
in retrospect, the book door is always the best way. and on a somewhat related note, i finally finished salmon of doubt yesterday. kind of sad, really.
[/edit]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this column. The internet eats up all my time, and now you've taken your first bite. I hope you chew carefully and savour the taste. ; )

Loved this article. It broke down our use of our limited free time in an entertaining and thought provoking way and , I look forward to the next entry of Geek In Review.

I actually unplugged from my virtual black tar heroin which is also known as World of War Craft to read this article.

I got teary eyed with memories of Zork and console games.

As escapism goes, it's hard for me to beat an mmorpg.

I do still read books occasionally when my mind tells me I can't handle anymore mmo or when I am at work on my breaks.

I normally only check my email, the forums, and fun sights like suicide girls.com or ask a ninja.com when I shell out because I am flying from point A to point B in WoW.

I also realize that I have an addictive personality.

Then again, at 40bucks for the game and 15 a month, I would say I get my moneys worth if you look at a dollar per hour value. It definitely beats how you broke down a movie (which I completely agree with).

Sadly at the same time, I sometimes feel I should be doing something more creative with my time. Like painting a self portrait, or writing the next big hit for Broad Way or knitting or some shit like that.

Oh well, back to doing the daily quests to ensure I have enough gold to cover my repair costs for raiding tonight in Serpent Shrine Cavern. Hrmmm, I will be damned if that doesn't sound almost like work

Great read as usual.

I understand and relate..Just last night (as this seems to happen every night) after working 11 hours I come home and have 3 friends asking me to play a different game, 2 phone calls I need to return, 1 project I have to finish for work, and 3 bills that still need to be paid.

I have so many unfinished games I want to play, so many "I'm going to buy this book so I read it" books piled up..and I promise you not one movie or tv show I'm dying to finish.

I love going to the movies. I still feel it is the best way to experience a film. That said, here in Holland our move theaters tend to be cleaner and the no cell-phones (and other) rules pretty well enforced. So even on a packed night the movie remains enjoyable.

As for TV... well, i hardly watch it really. We don't have anywhere near as many commercial breaks here as you get in the States and I have yet to see a scrolling commercial come by in the middle of a show*. It's just that most of the stuff on TV these days is total crap. Downloading what you want to see is the best solution IMO

The volume thing was a major problem here a few years ago as well. Though I think we solved it before it got as bad as what you're describing. There are now laws/industry regulations fixing volume levels so commercials no longer blow out our ear drums. Maybe you could petition someone??

"You are likely to wake up your wife, who will feed you to a Grue."

Zork reference!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, I'm so tempted to take that class when I get there, but...it's so risky. "Oops, I've stubbed a toe. I will now wipe out my entire party."

Even these channels are getting bad about commercials.

Excellent use of that response. This column was so good I could..

I hear in the distance the chirping of a song bird.

twilight zone geek...

Yay! Zork!

Good stuff, Wil.