What the F is Mana?

I’m trying my best not to let things get to me. I need to vent. I’m about to lose my mind.

Cowboy built a computer. Yeah. That’s my man!

To build a computer, he had to spend countless hours at Fry’s Electronics buying, exchanging and updating parts. Last Sunday, I spent four hours at Fry’s with him waiting for the customer service to diagnose what was wrong with the new hard drive he just bought the day before. I’ll say it, I’m such a good girlfriend. Girls have no business hanging around Fry’s all afternoon. Unless you are into that sort of thing, then I take that back.

He’s been building this computer since the Monday he came back. It took him six days to do it. It took that long mostly because of Fry’s. I knew while we waited on them, that I should sponge up all this time with him because once that computer was built, it’d be Golightly no more. I dislike World of Warcraft moreso than I dislike Xbox Live. For all you World of Warcraft fans, I’m sorry but I am done with this. For all you people that don’t know what I speak of, World of Warcraft is an online role-playing game set in the Warcraft universe. This is the time to laugh.

When Cowboy first told me of the game, last year, I laughed out loud. Seriously? Like Dungeons & Dragons? Yes. I immediately pictured him with the group of kids back in high school that would huddle in front of the cafeteria and throw down some Dungeons & Dragons, instead of eating lunch. I kinda made fun of that group. Turns out I still do.

So…he is built this computer to be a super gamer computer with super duper components that are going to enhance game playing. What. Ever. He even bought surround sound speakers for this thing. The whole shebang costs him about two month’s rent. Why would you do this when Dell makes them for you for a third of the cost? But, then again, I am no gamer. He explained to me when you build your own computer whenever there are any updates, all he has to do is replace a system instead of having to go out and buy an entirely new computer. I still say, What. Ever.

Computer was finished Sunday night. Monday morning he went and bought the newest baddest version of World of Warcraft. When I came home from work, our apartment was booming from the bass. And he was yelling into the phone. He had to yell over the speakers for his brothers to hear him.

And this is how it goes down. All three boys, Cowboy and his two older brothers. Wait – you need to know, one brother is 38 and works from home, the other is 35 and has no job, a wife and three kids. I add that in, just so your mind can catch up with mine. And we have Cowboy who is on vacation until mid October. Now, I’ll lay it down for you. They all play at the same time, together online and on the phone. ALL DAY.

But wait, I have another one for you – in the middle of all the waiting for Fry’s to get this computer built, those two brothers were biting at the bit for Cowboy to get online and play. You see, Fry’s had to order a new part that they were out of stock on while they diagnosed his computer’s hard drive. They had the computer for a good half of last week. During this time, Cowboy’s brothers thought that it was ridiculous for him to wait that long on Fry’s. Mind you, Fry’s told Cowboy it would be three to four days. You may want to sit down for this next part – the oldest brother, the one who is 38 (I’m just sayin’) called our local Fry’s to complain. That brother lives in Phoenix. He called Dallas’ Fry’s. Are you laughing or shocked? I did both. I have tons of stories on how Cowboy’s brothers are complete babies, but let’s just roll with this one. Older brother calls Fry’s to complain that Cowboy is waiting too long for a computer, just so Cowboy could get online quicker to play the dumb ass game World of Warcraft. (FYI - the call did nothing.)

Now that all is well in the world with the brothers because Cowboy is online playing this game all day and a good chunk of the night. The game playing doesn’t stop just because I come home. But, I’ve been smarty. I didn’t cook dinners, forcing us to leave the apartment to go eat. I asked him for a lunch date yesterday, just to know that at least for two hours he was not playing that game. You have no idea how happy that made me. I should give him small props because every twenty minutes or so, he realizes that I am in the apartment, pauses the play and will come chat with me some. And, he wakes up at 5:50am to go running with me. So, I’m not completely neglected, but still. As soon as us time ends, he is back online with his brothers. Don’t they have a life? I understand Cowboy is bored, he is home all day vacationing until October. But the brothers?

So, that’s how it goes in our apartment. I try to let it not get to me. I do. And then he throws another bomb at me.

His younger brother is coming in today to spend the rest of the week to Sunday with us. Oh God help me.

His younger brother is 16 years old. He came to visit Cowboy at least once a month when I had my own apartment. They'd spend all weekend playing Xbox, eating Buffalo Wild Wings, pizza, going to bed at three in the morning and sleeping in to two in the afternoon. All to wake up and do it again.

You don’t know the best part of this one. The younger brother brings his own Xbox and television with him when he comes to visit. They set his stuff up in one corner of the room and connect his and Cowboy’s Xbox up with some special cord that lets them play each other via Xbox Live. They will play all day and night like this. They will stop for any quick greasy food they can find, keyword quick because nothing can get in the way of all this gaming. (I don't even know if they stop for hygiene)

Is it wrong for me to so not look forward to this at all? I’m already done with the dumb computer and World of Warcraft. Now, this? And I bet you, both gaming will be happening at the same time. Do you know how much electricity that is? Or how messy our apartment is about to become? Or smelly? Oh gosh. I need a drink, a brunch, a dinner and a sleepover to keep me faraway from my own apartment.