Editor's note: I would love to put pictures and show spoilers, but this twelve hour work schedule and my internet savy is not up to par

So I love Call of Duty Black Ops. I wasn't going to get it until I read up on a Kotaku review. I didn't want to support the so called "evil empire" that is Activation, but when you make a good product it deserves all the credit it can get. Blacks Ops is by far what every current gen game needs to be. And yes I paid full retail, but big ups to Kmart Gamer for the 25 dollar gift card. Which will be used to get Call of Duty World at War. Yes I sound like a fanboy, but who cares. I played the Modern Warfares and love what Infinity Ward created. Loved it so much I didn't give Treyarch a chance. But shame on me and you if you did the same. Black Ops trumps everything that the MWs do.

First off, I started by saying that this is what every current gen games needs to be. The story was great. I pushed my way through because it...

Beyond graphics and controls, how will gaming evolve?

We all know that the polygon counts will increase and virtual reality will look closer to actuality. I'm not too sure the controls will change though. I am satisfied with an analog stick and buttons. Motion controls are a needless luxury. I have the Wii and some of its best games require little to no use, and yes, even its first party games. So where does the industry go from here?

Graphics are one thing, but it seems like this generation has took advantaged of the definition of televisions rather than actual graphical prowess. And take my opinion lightly because I am not a PC gamer and know not of the likes of Crysis...I look at a game like FFXIII or NBA 2k11 and cannot imagine how you would improve on graphics. Then again I had the same feeling playing 2k on the Dreamcast back in the day. And honestly, will 'real' graphics be an upgrade. The blurring of reality with gaming, I think, dumbs down the experience...

It was a wild ride to get this job, and with this economy, I hope that no one has to go through what I went through, although it seems that many are. To sum it up, it was just a wild mix of emotions. Sometimes I'd get depressed, frustrated, or angry. Other times I'd try not to think about it, or I'd try to just keep a positive outlook on life. Not having a job was something I had little control over. Sure I did the prerequisites; I had said degree and field experience, but if the HR department doesn't see what they want in you, and you don't know what it is they are looking for then what can you do? Ultimately, the positive outlook won out.

There were things that I realized that I had complete control over. My health for one. I wasn't noticing it, but once I saw a picture of myself, I didn't like what I saw. In college I got up to 190. Dropped by down to 170 by doing simple crunches and kicking un-diet soda to the curb. Also, I should give a little credit to my Nutrition course...

What kind of gamer are you? Is that really a simple question? You here some athletes say, "Hey man, I just go out there and play." I think the same thing holds true to me. It's funny how my current gaming situation became to be as it is now. Lots of little stories.

When you sign on to Xbox Live I believe it asks you the same question. Microsoft then gives you three options, I think: family, casual, pro/hardcore. When I first got my Xbox 360, I had a hard time of deciding which one. Under each category there are little descriptions of what it means to be that type of gamer. Still this only made it harder for me to pick one. Me, I love gaming, I grew up in '85, so gaming and me have grew up together. If I were to describe myself I would say I'm just a gamer. I would love to delve into every single gaming category, but unfortunately I am not that eclectic with games as I am with music (sorry MMOs and Farmvilles).

I consider myself to be a good gamer too....

I buy used and I am proud of it. I can be a little picky though; it has to come with the original cover and most of the time, have the manual. This is a must. Last generation I threw out the boxes. Placed everything into dvd binders. Got to have the box. Enough about that.

Used is the way to go. Especially when you build up a collection. Games, in my opinion have the worst stock. They depreciate in value so quickly as we all know, since we frequent this site. If I wait a month or so 60 dollars becomes 40, another month or so 30, then another 20. And the used games have to keep up with pricing. If you are patient enough you get more bang for the buck.

My fear is with the talk of DLC (or games all going downloadable) and 10 dollar strategies. I got caught up with Mass Effect, bought the Collector's Edition full price. But while I sit here and think about it, the box was cool, but the 10 dollar subscription...meh. It was a great game, don't get me wrong. But for...

I frequent the site daily but lately haven't been chirping as much. If you look at my first, and only, until now that is, blog. There is an update. I have found a job . Totally am overqualified, but the pay is nice, benefits are great, and there is room to move up the ladder. But here's the thing...

When I was laid off I had so much time to play games, but just wouldn't bother. Now that I have a job, I find myself wanting more time. Maybe it's a result of this website. I see more and more deals and I have to jump on the offer. In fact, I don't think I buy games unless they are in packs of threes. Like the craze with buy 2 get 1 free that we've been experiencing recently.

Another thing is I don't know whether I'm a cheap ass gamer or a cheap ass collector. I love media. Books, blu-rays, and video games. So I stock up on a lot. Books and videos I'm good with; those get completed, 100% achievements and trophies unlocked for them. Games..... Backlog....

Gaming. Love it. Takes me to places that I want to be. More importantly it takes me to places that I want to get away from.

A little about me. I've been an avid gamer since I was 4. Back then it was Atari. Then NES and genesis. Which begot Super NES. Which begot PS1 followed by PS2; and the short lived Dreamcast. The PS2 I grew wary of and went to Gamecube. Then dorm life hit and Halo was all the rage and the Xbox hit the scene. Oh yeah portables. Gameboy color, Advance and now DSi. And where are we at now?

As of now I am unemployed. This economy I tell you. I have a four year degree from a good university, graduated with a 3.2 GPA, and have a nice resume for being only two years in the market. What's a guy to do? Well instead of being depressed, I play the waiting game, pursue other options (American Idol perhaps ), and game. Yes gaming. Even though I have free time it's hard to just game for hours. Even with all the uber titles on the 360 and PS3 they have...