Phenomenons

Great night. Great, fun conversation. Cool atmosphere. All with really good people…

It’s just too bad when the occasion is to say goodbye to a person you really enjoyed working with and being around…

* * *

As the basis for an upcoming story, I went to a “gaming” store last night. I of course was easily captivated by the walls of sports cards and magazines and collectibles just inside the door. The owner quickly started showing off some of his best items and we swapped stories about our own collections…

But that’s not why I was there…

I was there to explore the phenomenon of gaming, particularly online gaming …

This store, located in a small, aged but refurbished downtown building, was divided in two halves. On one side was a series of tables, set up with various board games and surrounded by a handful of teens playing Yu-Gi-Oh or some other popular collector card game…

In the other half of the store -- the coolest part --was a softly-lit room filled wall to wall with sleek computer terminals and comfy leather desk chairs -- all for online gaming. A full-out Internet café …

Although, the place draws people of all ages, races and genders, the owners tell me it’s teaching the youth social skills because they’re making new friends every time they come to the café and, while they’re playing the games, they’re competing and communicating with people across the globe (which is pretty awesome in itself. This one kid told me he’s learned some German …). Plus, the gamers are learning teamwork skills and they’re staying out of trouble …

Now, I’ve haven’t been caught up in this whole online gaming thing -- yet -- but man, if I ever did get into it -- and I was 14 years old again, and rich -- I’d probably be at this place for several hours every night.

OK, maybe not that much…

But I just might take my $25 and spend a Saturday there for sure. That would be cool …

* * *

After being out late last night, I stayed up even later trying to catch up on ‘Lost’ and ‘Invasion’ because lord knows my cohorts would be talking about them today …

‘Lost’ continues to move at a snail’s pace, yet we love and suck up every second of it because we know (or at least hope) it’s all going to lead to the completion of one gargantuan puzzle in the end. My favorite part last night: The end! Jack looking at Ana and asking how long it might take to train an army was priceless (although the whole ‘James’ and Locke thing was good too, and I enjoyed seeing more of Jack’s backstory with Sarah -- but that’s just because I like Julie Bowen …).

And ‘Invasion’!?… Whoah. Last night’s episode was more like a horror movie than a mediocre primetime drama! …Now, we’re getting somewhere with this show!!!