If you are reading this blog then the chances are excellent that you have more than a passing interest in video games. That's well and good, and serves as common ground for a conversation, but sometimes it becomes a little too easy to see a blogger or guest as a one dimensional creature, driven by gaming and not much else. That conception, however, is far from the truth in most cases.

So, a question for you: Do you have a hobby that trumps video gaming? Is there an activity that you engage in that makes you set everything aside, including your games, when the time is right?

If not, feel free to chime in with the hobby that places second behind gaming. Don't be shy!

My addiction
It would be unfair to pose this question without fessing up myself. Personally, my main addiction in life is ultimate frisbee, and I will literally rearrange my entire schedule in order to make my weekly games and attend tournaments. I play all three seasons (summer, fall, winter indoors) multiple nights a week (right now twice).

I can't remember if I actually hung on to this disc - click to enlarge

Now, most people who have heard of ultimate think that it's a hippie sport, but these days that couldn't be farther from the truth. Ultimate is a game of constant sprinting, hard directional changes, precise throwing, and often times some acrobatic catches. A spaced out hippie would have a tough time competing in a modern game.

My first time on the field I nearly died - I couldn't believe the pace of the game, and thought my heart would explode. These days I can handle tournaments of six games spread over two days without too much hardship, although the second morning always comes as a shock.

During my three years playing World of Warcraft my raiding schedule was strictly dictated by the evenings that I played ultimate. If I had a game scheduled, I wouldn't sign up for a raid - it was simply no contest. The rush I get from laying out and catching a poorly thrown piece of plastic eclipses even my most memorable raid take-downs. Vashj has nothing on a hard-fought game that ends on universe point.

Since ditching WoW I haven't had to make any real sacrifices for ultimate: my wife is happy enough to let me run out my aggression, and I think she even enjoys the hours of guilt free T.V. that my scheduled absences afford her. Of course, when the children finally arrive, all bets are off.