I used to do a lot of PC gaming and still do but a lot less. For over 2-3 years i've gotten into the Arma and Total war series. I tend to go for them as they offer a more 'real' or a simulation experience. If I play a first person shooter, Arma is the benchmark. I don't think there is any other game in which the 'map' can stretch out for kilometers. Most fps game tend to focus on quick reflexes and familiarity with a particular area whereas Arma includes an entire new set of variables. I don't play multiplayer but have played some mmorpg's in the past. The Total War series is a strategy genre game which offers eye candy yet requires you to think. Its a 'big picture' type of game where winning the battle doesn't necessarily win the war. I used to play Starcraft but turned away from it after seeing how narrow the gameplay was in its reliance on quick reflexes and predictable gameplay strategies. I wanted more depth. Most of the gaming years were back in high school and at this stage i really didn't have financial freedom nor did i really venture beyond my local area so i think it's safe to say gaming was a good outlet for my lack of 'exploration' or movement. Now my PC gaming has gone down as i've come to the realization that what i experience in the game is just that and that what i could be doing is applying my approach to gaming to real life. What is real life, but an super military simulator without the emphasis on military.

It's also interesting to note that i didn't drive and still don't but during my high school years i didn't have confidence on the road and my road rule knowledge was shocking. One of my friends had actually taught me the route to school via bicycle and i never deviated from that route due to not knowing how to act if i ever ended up at a strange, busy intersection. I only began to gain road confidence when i started tertiary education which required a commute to the central city which forced me to learn.

I'm quite into bicycles and this had gone on for 2 years. I used to commute via cycle for years but have only recently actually become interested in them. This began when i experienced problems and I became frustrated as i didn't know how to do repairs myself + the price and hassle of going to a mechanic was too much. I started to do some research on the internet, trying to pinpoint the problem and learn about bicycle 'anatomy' and eventually purchased a replacement part and did the work myself. From this point on i begun to take pride in the operation or state of my bike and i began to clean and maintain it and learn more. I started my collection of oils, degreasers and tools aswell slowly acquiring information of the different components of a bicycle and how to service them and it's while doing this i stumbled across the single speed / fixed gear subculture. From this point it really became an actual hobby and part of my identity - as if i now had knowledge and experience in a particular field which was not known to everyone . I would start purchasing old bicycles online, do obsessive research, source my own parts online, dismante and rebuild bicycles and later on, even sell parts online. I take pride in having a bike with an immaculate well maintained drive-train. I make an effort to acquire spare parts to have on-hand. So you could say i like the mechanical side of things because of self sufficiency.

Recreational riding is something i also started. I have a general interest in most forms of bike riding but I have a different approach. I like to ride fast but i don't race. I'm the sort of person who really works up a sweat even on errands or a commute but i'm not a fitness freak. I like the feeling of riding fast through traffic, overtaking moving cars, or descending down a hill because of that risk yet i don't do downhill or 'enduro' biking - Its expensive and i'm somewhat scared of the risks which is a little bit contradictory. My recreational rides involve exploration and adventure. I do a bit of planning the day before - a general route on google maps, what sort of terrain, weather conditions, gear check. I do leave a lot to improvise though such as a few sidetracks. The best rides are when i end up in places i can only describe as solitude - Places like abandoned villages/ suburbs and difficult to access hilltops. It's places like these where you actually become disconnected from the familiar world and become a little bit lost.

At the moment i'm looking at the possiblity of building up a cargo bike which will require welding equipment and skills. Welding is actually something i have been keeping on the back burner as i can really see some good benefits from that skill.