Though it was a bit of a headache, our ordeal with a financial planner has helped us evaluate our choices about money and — at least for myself — choices about time. As with many other resources at our disposal, it seems that the more time we have, the less we value it; and with less time, interesting dilemmas present themselves. For many of these choices, it would be unfair for me to pronounce judgment prematurely; but a few things have been clear: I have been spending less time watching sports and playing video games.

Since I got married, I’ve stopped watching sports altogether. I watch a few random tennis matches here and there, and maybe bits and pieces of a basketball game. I rarely go to ESPN.com anymore (perhaps more as a protest of them hiding content behind paid subscriptions), but I do visit Yahoo! Sports once in a while. I’ve stopped updating my fantasy basketball teams months ago. And honestly, I don’t really miss it.

Watching sports, for some, is an obsession, but as for me, it is no longer worthwhile. I’m finding it harder and harder to care. My apologies for sounding cynical, but why should I care if the Clippers make the playoffs, if the Angels are going to be good this year, if the Patriots can win it all, or (I’m bracing for the backlash) if USC or UCLA will win a game against each other? If they lose this year, there’s always next year. Even if they win it all this year, they have to start all over next season. So why am I spending so much energy willing someone to win? Why did I care so much to see the hated Lakers during the Phil-Kobe-Shaq era lose? And to relate it to the topic of this post, what do I gain from investing my time in watching sporting events? One standard answer would be for the pure enjoyment of sport, the celebration of human achievements. But sadly, I’m looking for something more than just that these days. It’s funny, because I was once quite a basketball junkie and a big football and baseball fan, too! Heck, I even followed Japanese professional baseball.

So before I’m forced to re-title this post “Confessions of a former sports junkie,” I’d like to comment on the other activity I’m spending less time on: gaming. It’s a little different here, since I still enjoy some Friday night alien butt-kicking on Gears of War with Chan (oh how romantic). No, this actually is directed more at one game in particular, the one game that robbed me of three months of my life: World of Warcraft. I was promised a world of exploration and interaction, one where a player can have fun at any level. Instead, all I got were infinite, boring variations of “Go fetch 5 of these items,” put forth with the promise of attaining the next level. What is this, corporate America? Once it dawned on me how futile this was, I quit the game. And since then, I’ve looked at games differently. These days I opt for games with a fast learning curve and minimal time commitment. It’s also worth pointing out that many people I know who played the game have quit and are now seeking better fun.

I realize the sports bit can be controversial. If you’ve managed to read this far, chime in.

Virb. It’s better looking, uses up-to-date technology, and has an user-interface we can actually understand. In other words, it’s everything MySpace is not. Go sign up, and tell your friends. Even if you’re not into this stuff, do it just to stick it to that horrible tangle in the web that is MySpace. Add me as a friend, if you like.

Previously I lauded the story writing in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. May I present another gem:

Loki: Thor’s over-developed physique is no match for my conniving intellect!

It’s that much better when you hear it in context.