You ever get stuck in gaming mode?  Coming off a nice 6-hour spree of games, Mt. Dew, and Cheetos, my whole world becomes cartoonized.  I mash the gas pedal against the floor, hug the wall of the freeway entrance; my name is Yoshi, and I’m a drift-a-holic. 

It’s not a bad thing; in fact, it makes a lot of boring life moments a bit more exciting.  When you’re shopping or at school or just sitting quietly at church, you see your target: a random passer-by in the distance, his little round head bobbing up and down (hopefully bald, because it makes for a better shot).  Your imaginary crosshairs turn red, glued to the soft spot in the middle, ready to fire.  It can be fun suddenly saying to your friends, or your mom, or your next-door neighbor, “See that guy down there?  I could totally snipe that guy right now.” After the initial shock, I bet they silently indulge in it themselves; you can see it on their face.  The corner of their mouth turned up, as they squint over at your target, then they say “I was aiming at that guy,” nodding toward a jogger by the canal.  See!  We all do it!

I found that a long dull line at Costco can send my heart racing in anticipation when I visualize an approaching ne’er-do-well, trying to steal my 5 gallon tub of mayo.  An MK48 materializes in my hands; he’s hamburger in slow-mo… along with everyone else in line.  Oopsie!  Of course, I have to throw my head back and scream as I do it, splattering blood all over the conveyer belts and carts full of bulk groceries.  It’s kinda embarrassing when I do it out loud accidentally.  (This must sound gross to you, I’m not a disturbed person… I’m actually very sweet.  Promise)

The GTAs, FPSs, MMOs… even the addictive puzzle games we play, they naturally incorporate themselves into our lives.  I play the puzzle games on my New Super Mario Bros. game for DS and in some instances I have found the match game component present itself while performing regular daily activities.  I’m sitting at a red light, my blinker is keeping a rhythmic steady pace, when I notice the car in front of me.  Their blinker is going too, but at a slightly faster speed.  I stare at it, with my blinker in sight from the corner of my view.  I feel like if I stare at them both, joining them with my eyes, I can unite the lights into a single harmony of blinking, each light in agreement with the other.  And at that moment when I almost loose hope of their converging before the red light changes to green, they meet!  Their flashes become one!  I did it!  A lot of extra points and maybe even an extra guy (I mean, 1up ) are awarded to me for my accomplishment. 

And right now, you guys are all saying, “I thought I was the only one who did that!”