I’m sure my husband’s 13 year old self would slap him silly if he somehow traveled through time and space to find said 31 year old self tapping away at his keyboard and violently clicking his mouse, when he had a perfectly willing sexual partner located 100 ft away. To a sexually frustrated teen, his behavior would seem unfathomable… or at the very least kind of wasteful. Not that the teenage boy my husband once was couldn’t appreciate a 7 hour gaming streak. After all, that’s how he kept himself sane when he wasn’t able to google “boobs”.
So what changes between then and now? What makes the once unattainable joy of sexy time second fiddle to game time? Okay, so I’m not saying men choose gaming over sex. But I think that there have been plenty of nights when my husband was so keyed in to his screen, that he wouldn’t have noticed Sasha Grey walking into the room licking an ice cream cone. “Hellooooo, Earth to gamer, hot porn star over here”. So, what…Is gaming better than sex? I can’t say I haven’t turned down sex for far more mundane activities, like sleep. But aren’t guys supposed to live and die by the penis? Isn’t that the running joke? If so, that begs the question… WTF happens to the penis when that console turns on?
My husband and I have been together for years. I’ve known about his obsession with gaming ever since we moved in together. Prior to that event, he made EVERY attempt he could to get into my pants. That ticking clock, that inevitable separation from my presence, made it all the more important for him to log in some sensual play time. Maybe that’s what happens. Perhaps once the threat of losing the sex is gone, men are able to relax and stabilize their time with their partner. They stop thinking with their one eyed monster, and start slaying monsters instead.
Don’t misunderstand; I’m not mad at my hubby for finding this outlet. I think it’s awesome that he gets time to play after a long day. I have to decompress from my day as well. I just can’t believe the days of him getting home and wanting to bang it out on the living room floor are gone so soon. I don’t think significant others should take it personally. There isn’t anything wrong. And no one expects you to compete with a machine. Just be certain to take some time throughout the week to remind your boy that you have some buttons you’d like him to push too.
