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Plus c'est la meme chose, plus ça change
By Deggy
I love this time of year me and it's not because the sun is (mostly) shining and lots of womens' clothes fall off. It's not because the football season starts up again and everyone seems to be in an all-round much better mood. And it's not because you can sit outside in the garden with a beer for more than ten minutes without getting rained on. It's mainly because the six-week school holidays are in full effect and boy, does that evoke some wonderful memories.
1989, in particular, seems to stick out first and foremost. It doesn't seem that long ago when you say it but it's almost twenty years ago now. Twenty fucking years ago and I can remember it like it was yesterday. Not surprisingly, a lot has happened to me since that time. I've made my way through secondary school, college and university, become eligible to vote, been introduced to the wonders of alcohol, held down a number of part and full-time jobs, lost my virginity, shared a house with my girlfriend then bought a new one together, become a father for the first time (with another one on the way), gained and retained friends and loved and lost relatives.
Despite these, quite frankly, life-altering series of events, two things have always remained constants - music and games. The former is understandable - it touches millions upon millions of people in many varying ways on a daily basis and I'm no exception. Instead of walking to school with 'Now 16' on my Walkman, I'm walking to work with 'Now 67'* on my iPod. Games, on the other hand, were something of an acquired taste, or at least it seemed that way back then. Yeah, there were definitely a couple of dusty old Spectrums and C64's knocking about, but none of our friends were really that interested - they were something of a novelty, a joke even. Bikes and football was where it was at.
iPod. 1989
Regardless, between 1989 and 1991, my brother and I we were fortunate enough to gain an Amiga 500, a Megadrive, a Game Gear and a Gameboy - acquired mainly via Christmas and birthdays (the latter through a winning Match football magazine/Quavers competition entry.) The phrase "It'll have to be a joint present" was often heard prior to such an occasion.
Hour after carefree hour of soaking up the sun, occupying ourselves with 'Rally' or 'Manhunt' or taking sneaky unauthorised trips to town or the reservoir were interspersed with the drinking in of digital rays - speeding through Sonic in the fastest time possible, desperately trying to keep our vehicle on the tracks in Stunt Car Racer, or obliterating a couple of hundred lines on Tetris. This is what the school holidays were all about and the arrival of a SNES in 1992 only compounded the situation.
Deggy. 1992.
The thing is, why bother with the physicalities of sport when we could strain ourselves to the delights of Kick Off or Speedball 2? Why wander off on a magnificent adventure armed with crisp butties and sticks when we could find out the Secret of Monkey Island? Why go to all that time and effort of finding some pram wheels, building a 'bogey' and chucking it down the biggest hill on your estate when you could play a bit of Super Mario Kart and save getting your hands dirty?
I'm proud to say that games have been a part of my life ever since and I can't imagine a time where they won't be. Yes, I still went out and climbed trees, knocked on people's doors then ran away, and played football until it went dark - all the usual things that kids do. Games were just a small part of that, but they've helped make me into the person I am today. The six-week school holidays may not apply to me any more but booking two weeks off work to plough into that pile of unplayed games certainly does! A summer wasting? Possibly. Plus c'est la meme chose, plus ça change? Damn right!
Deggy. 2007.
*This is a blatant lie. I'll fully admit to listening to 'Now 16' but 'Now 67'!?! Give me some credit!
2007
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