Game Collecting and Family

[The Coop]

Both men and women need their own "stuff" as George Carlin might have put it. Whether it's movies, cars, tools, games, curtains, pillows, clothes, music, shoes, books... it all comes down to each person having "stuff" they enjoy using or just looking at. You won't like everything they enjoy, and they won't like everything you enjoy. That's natural, as no two people always get along on everything. But to tell someone "You can't have them anymore now that you're with me, so get rid of them," is incredibly selfish, regardless of which side says it. Any relationship is a give and take, and both sides need to remember that you can't give them everything you like, and take away everything they like. To do so will only breed resentment, and lead to many arguments and bitter feelings of, "I gave all this up for you, but you didn't give up anything for me."

So yeah, if your lady/man tells you that you have to get rid of most of/all your games/movies/pillows/books/whatever, then it's time for a discussion to be had. Yes, no hobby or past time should dominate the house, and each person should be willing to make concessions and realistically look at what they do and don't use or need. But unless it's proving to be something destructive (out of control buying, over drinking, the house is utterly cluttered with your/their stuff, etc.), no one should accept an ultimatum, or give one, about something you enjoy. You're sharing a house, not handing it over. So share. Give them a little, and take a little for yourself. And if they refuse to budge on their ultimatum, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate the lifespan of your relationship with them, because you're not being considered by them.

[Falucho]

Marriage is a contract between two parties. Any difference of interests you have, you can negotiate. While we have the will to express ourselves clearly, and try to listen and understand the other hand, I do not see why there has to be problems. Our apartment is very small: a room, a dining-kitchen and bathroom. So, the TV went to my parents house and all consoles were given away, sold or loaned for indefinitely time. With the exception of the desktop computer i don't have any medioum for video-games

So I use emulators, I don't have any problem with that. The truth is that I don't miss consoles at all. I fully understand those who feel a great pleasure playing with the original hardware, siting on the floor with the controller in your hands... But now my life is different from that wich i had, when i was 10, 15 or even 20. I have other priorities. I'm in college, I have to read A LOT, and I can go months without touching any video game. And when if I have free time, i feel its a waste of time if I stay playing. Always feel much better when I use that time to play guitar and compose, draw, cook something good for my wife, go biking, do something for the house, etc... Only when my wife is asleep I get to play (with headphones of course). Or when my head is short-circuit by reading so much. There I recharge neurons with Road Rash or something similar

But that's on me. She understands that sometimes a person does not feel, or can't attempt to capitalize their time. Shit, last year she saw all the seasons of The Nanny entirely. And as for stay a couple of hours at night, there is no drama. Our internal clocks keep different hours. We talked, we understand it and tried to take the best of it.

[cleeg]

I recently scored a big black widescreen CRT TV from work. We have a small house. It's being stored for posterity, when I have the room to set it up. I can just tell she's thinking 'For better for worse.'

She's really nice though.

[Dragonyeuw]

My wife doesn't care as long as I keep it neatly packed away. I'm working on a mancave this summer, so I should have my own space soon. It will only be a problem for her if I had games all over the place, or if buying games was taking precedence over our financial commitments. Otherwise, we have 'our' money, and we each have our own money in separate accounts. We don't consult each other on small purchases( shoes, games, purses,etc) but on stuff that will have impact on the space in our house( large tv or appliance, furniture etc). Otherwise its all good.

[SegaSonic91]

I could never be with a guy that was not into games. They would not have to be as big a game geek as I am but it has to be there on some level. I read all the time about guys selling their collections and shit "because their wife told them too". Fuck that!

[Murphy245]

Collecting anything can get out of hand quite easily and you can become blind by what your doing to yourself,you might think that having a room full of video games is cool but it isn't,would you like it if your wife filled the house full of teddy bears or something? i always say that everything is ok in moderation,but it can quite easily go to the extremes especially with collecting video games.