Runescape

(My Avatar a few months ago on Runescape)

Runescape, now, what comes to your mind when you think of it? A smaller version of World Of Warcraft or something like that? Yes, probably. Runescape is a online MMO or a Massive Multiplayer Online Game which basically means that you play with real people. Now, so that you don't stop reading this, this post isn't exactly about the game, as more it is how I feel about it.

Many people, feel that people get addicted to online games, such as Runescape, which is true about many people. But I do not feel that I am personally. My parents think differently though, they keep telling me how bad computer games are and limit my time on the computer (I find my ways around =D.)

There is one thing, that many people do not know about my relation to Runescape. I do not just play for the heck of it, or for fun. Ok... Sure I do, do some fun things in the game, but that is not the part that I really like.

The real reason I play Runescape, is to learn a few things (believe it or not.) Runescape has so many people playing it, from so many places in the world, it is cool to talk to people in places like Brazil and hear about what they think on things. I have befriended (never met in person, but met in things outside of Runescape and voice chat) some very nice people, that I would have never met outside of Runescape. I find it really fun, talking to people from other places, like a "Pen-Pal" and learning their opinions.

On Runescape, there are many groups, or "clans" which are groups of people that do things together. More rarely, there are companies. They help a huge scale of people, sometimes up to over 10,000! Since I joined one of the largest companies on Runescape, I have learned to manage people, and how to tell them what and where to go. Also to have a job and have people rely on me.

Even though I love playing Runescape, and helping people, my parents think differently. They say "It is just a computer game, you don't have to help them right now, get off and read!" I don't think they understand the point. Sure, it is just a computer game, but it is giving me more and more pointers for what to do in real life.

So, think twice when you start blaming all your problems on video games. They could be helping you more than you think.

Frustration

Many times, I feel frustration, a feeling, so annoying that I do not know what to do about it. I feel frustrated in many of my situations right now, I do not know what to do. I get mad, about my parents, who cannot even take the moment to listen to what I say, or how I feel about things. All I get is "Yes Noah..." but I can tell it has not registered. I feel frustrated when I try as hard as I can on a test, but still do not get a good grade. I feel frustrated, when I try to hard to fit in, knowing that I never will. I feel frustrated with my situation, and I feel that no one really cares about me. Or maybe they do, and do not show it at all. I feel frustrated when the people I try to befriend most, become mean and come after me. I feel frustrated that no one listens to my opinion on anything. I feel frustrated.

Terrorism, What Should We Do?

Well, i've been thinking about how the united nations and many other countries are approaching the terrorists. Mainly, terrorists are considered a major target, someone to kill off or jail to reduce trouble. When I think of the word "terrorist" I usually think of the stereotype that many people are taught. A middle eastern Muslim man of about 25-35 years of age who wants to kill everyone in the USA. This is very stereotypical and is probably not exactly right. Sadly, this is the way most of us think. To be honest, I feel that we have taken the wrong approach against the terrorists. I feel that we are taking the wrong approach and making more people hate us. "As we strike Afghanistan it is worth remembering that not a single Afghan has been tied to a terrorist attack against the United States." (http://www.fareedzakaria.com/ARTICLES/newsweek/101501_why.html) In some ways, I feel that we should show the terrorists that what they are doing isn't right and set an example instead of trying to kill all of them. Some Terrorists have only joined the groups because they are tired of America attacking their country and in some cases, killing their families. They want to seek revenge. If this keeps going on, all this is. This is a war about vengeance, because we attack them, they seek revenge, they attack us, we seek revenge and so on. This can get very messy. I think that we should set the example before we wait for them to.