Geneology of Gaming

For Christmas, my Mother In Law, a student of Geneology, gave all her children and spouses a chronological digest of her life. I have been inspired, and with the encouragement of my Father In Law, have started one of my own, however, what would a complete history of Coulow be without the gaming chapter? All dates are approximate as my memory receeds with age. Oh joy.

A footnote in history, the geneology of Coulow's gaming.

Spring 1986. Age 8. The next door neighbor's Grandparents have bought him a Nintendo. Coulow spends her afternoons after school at his house learning the new world of Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. Damn that dog. The Nintendo accessory Gun was forbade, it was "too violent" for the 7 and 8 year old friends.

Fall 1988. Age 10. Buying your children is an advent that I shall bring into my offspring's lives. For my Mother promised a brand new Gameboy for a entire 5th grade year of straight A's.

Summers 1987-1993. My Father had an Air Force buddy owning a black angus cattle ranch in Torrington, Wyoming. Every summer, we would visit, where I could learn new ways to cause scars. 3 and 4 wheeling, maiming rabbits and snakes with shotguns and blunt objects. Best of all was enjoying the company of their sons, one my age, the other 2 years younger, and their Nintendo. They had the "risky" games, Jason, Mike Tyson Punch Out, and NES Hockey.

Christmas 1989. Grandparents, much to my parent's chagrin, caught word of my desire for a computer. They took it upon themselves to be hosed by a greedy salesman and I had a Tandy. Robocop on a 8 track-like player seemed decent enough to past the time.

Summer 1989. Age 11. Super Mario World was dominated on every family car trip by the original timmy. The vivid orange screen came to life with every smashed button. Times beaten: approximately 110. All other games were on hold, since my Mom was spurred by my Father for buying that "brain rotting toy."

Fall 1991. Age 13. The Gameboy was losing it's fanbase, or my Father discovered computer Solitare. Can't decide which happened first. "Somehow" DOOM (or Wolfenstein 3-D?) mosied it's way into the house and a FPS lover was born.

Christmas' 1988-1994. Las Vegas. My Father had some sort of emotional disability. We would not have any decorations, nor exchange presents. His idea of Christmas was depressing. However, I did some serious time in the Vegas Arcades, challenging teenage boys to Virtua Fighter playoffs. Poppin quarters!

Spring 1995. Age 17. The advent of internet reached our household. Parent's were divorced, so I had the lay of the guilt trips. Computer games entered my life. Virtua Fighter on my screen! I currently have played/owned every version of this game.

1998. Gotta love toys. The original Playstation debuts and Cool Boarders with Grand Turismo throw Virtua Fighter to the curb!

2001. I finally buy my own system. PS2. Grand Turismo, PaRapper the Rapper and Grand Theft Auto are my late night junk fix.

2002. Moved to Malden, MA to further my career, and lived with computer nerds. No date? Alright guys, it's WarCraft night! Consider this my first lan party. I always came in 2nd...out of 3. HA.

2003. Xbox? What is this thing? The man of the time enjoys some weird ass game called Halo, and I ignore him to play Fable.

2005. Playstation 2 reenters my life, along with Saint's Row. Computer games not to be left out, I begin the addictive world of World of Warcraft. Many a breakup was caused by that game...Coulow has her first online name:  BilboFunBaggins

2006. GOTTA HAVE THE Wii! Primarily spent drunken nights with friends trying to bowl, since I was the cool kid with the latest toy.

Fall 2007. Moved to Arizona since my family moved here several months earlier. I tire of snow. I needed a change. Little did I know, I'd meet a gamer. Several weeks into courtship, I sneak into his room waiting to leave for a movie and what is he doing? Yelling into a mic, staring at his screen.

Meet duchee. Halo 3 fan.

"Wanna try it?" he smirks in my direction.

Our relationship progresses, and in February 2008, I buy an Xbox 360. I sell my Wii, along with my spotless copy of Guitar Hero 3 and guitar controller.

The rest...is still being written.