Blog Fodder

This week in class we learned about interactive media narratives. Basically, the chapter was about how video or computer games are made to keep the player involved and make choices. I have never played a game like that and really don't have a desire to do so. I'm more a Solitaire gal. I suppose Solitaire is somewhat interactive because I get to choose whether to play a card in a certain place or keeping turning over the next three cards available. Still, I don't think this is the kind of interactivity the chapter was going for.

                                        
http://www.isolitairegames.com/

The chapter spoke a lot about Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and how you could manipulate the main guy named CJ. I've heard that game is pretty violent, and why would I want to play a game that shows me how to steal cars and probably commit other crimes? Well, it probably is fun, but it's just not my type of game. Maybe it's an age or gender thing.





Seems I've sparked my interest in playing a game. I think I'll say good-bye and go play Solitaire City on my iPhone. Now THAT'S a game.

An E-mail from the Girl Child: Her Quest for True Love and Happiness

This morning, I received an e-mail from the Girl Child that recently moved to Ohio. This is the e-mail, or conversation, any parent would want to receive from a child. It is a message I will keep forever. It made me laugh, but mostly it made me cry -- not from sorrow, but for real joy! For all the ^&($ she has been through in her life -- from mistakes made by me, others, and mostly herself -- she has realized that most everything I did for her was out of love. By finding true, unconditional love, she has finally seen why I invested so much of myself in her life, my marriage(s), and her sorrows/mistakes. The man she is with has shown her what real love in a relationship is all about and that it didn't have to be that she was the only one in the relationship putting forth any effort. It took her moving a hour and a half way to someplace she knew nothing about and to people she didn't know, to find out what life is all about.

There is a whole lot more to the message, but for the most part, she is finally at peace with herself and her life and for once, today I felt like I could breathe a little and not worry so much about her and where her life was going or wasn't going. My work as a parent is not done, but it just became a little easier today.

God, I thank you for hearing my prayers...and hers.