[Essay] "Too Old for Magic" - An adult's rant.

[TheDarkshineKnight]

Personally, I think you're never to old to do what you enjoy; aside from having sex with minors. :P

[TeenieBopper]

Personally, I think you're never to old to do what you enjoy; aside from having sex with minors. :P

And even then...

[Cait_Sith]

The trick is blaming it on the minor when you get caught. I think the same thing can be said for homicides.

[noobslayer]

18 going on 19, currently attending a state school (SUNY Fredonia) for a degree in physics. I'm a huge geek. I play DnD (not as mcuh as I used to because of college), I play Smash Bros like it's my job, and I've been playing magic as long as I can remember (my oldest cousin got me into the game, as well as DnD). My parents have given me flack, my sister has given me flack, and my school mates have given me flack. I really didn't give a shit. Personally I don't see it as a game of wizards and magic. To me it's all about math, and strategy, similar to many other games. The only difference is it's incarnated into a trading card game.

I balanced myself out by running cross country for 6 years now, and outside of gaming, being a very social person, dating, going out partying, and being very involved in my community (I'm a recently awarded Eagle Scout), as well as being a fairly average student. If anything, gaming has made me smarter, more mentally able to formulate ideas, and allowed me to process data at a higher level.

[advisory6000]

I'm 24 been, computer tech/part-time cook for waffle house aka what pays for magic. Started playing 8 years ago, back when i was 15 and 16 was a hardcore drug user, i was at the point where i was looking for a change pretty much. I was working down at a toy store and run in to a name pops, talk with him about some random topic about games. He told me about a TCG called magic the gathering, i was watching some of them play i was like this is chess with cards. They showed how to play first game i was hooked, played for a couple weeks learning the game, then it was a bolt of lightning hitting i have a new drug now, so long story short magic was my rehab, if i did not meet pops no clue where i could be now. Jump 5 years summer of 2004 I'm teaching kids how to play magic, running local tourneys and meeting new people. Jump to 2007 i have local player base of around 30 active people and I'm of the respected persons in my local magic community. So if someone tells you that a game cannot change you life, tell them to come talk with me.

Sorry for pouring about my soul, i'm done ranting.. laters mike

[blitz]

21...

I just partake in competitive things in general, magic just happens to be one of them. Go, Chess, guilty gear, smash bros M, MvC2, Third Strike, Counter strike, ping pong, snowboarding, skiing, fencing, okok the list goes on...

The point is: balance is balance, so here's one more guy that doesn't give a **** about mainstream anything. My character should speak for itself, and as far as my peeps go, it does for them.

[Maldur Sven Vedukor]

I know lots of adults that play magic. I'm 30. Never is too old to play magic.

[SpatulaOfTheAges]

I agree with outside angel. It's not a sign of immatury(not automatically, anyway), but thinking that its a good thing to wear on your sleeve is pretty naive.

Heh. That rhymed.

[Ebinsugewa]

I'm currently 18, and I started playing in the cutoff between Urza's Destiny and Mercadian Masques. I started playing as a way of making friends; all the older kids would play Magic before school and I saw the opportunity to play a game while branching out. I never spent much money, and I still don't to this day, because the game is not my entire life. Certainly, it is one of the major things I do for entertainment, but I also play poker, hang out with friends, listen to music, you know.. Anyways, the game has been anything but bad to me. It has taught me the concept of money management (when you're like 10, you have to budget that allowance, right?) and also offered me a great opportunity. I currently am making my career working for a wholesale Magic company. I'm a buyer, shipper, order puller, sorter, whole nine yards. Magic has offered me the ability to make back all the time and effort I put into the game with gainful enployment. Never do I feel ashamed telling people where I work or what I do with a lot of my free time. We also sell comics, video games, and other stuff, so when people see Magic in this light, there is never a stigma attached to it. I know plenty of people (Andy Stokinger, my boss, for one) that have rewarded me with their friendship or other help in school, or some sort of opportunity as a result of playing Magic and being friendly. I gladly help newer players because I have the collection to, and it can only return itself in good karma when they get more comfortable with the game and maybe make deck suggestions or card choices that you never would have considered. These are the reasons I still play Magic over any other hobby or interest I have, and I will never quit playing or stop being the way I am because of how misinformed people are.

- Brendan

[Nightmare]

...but thinking that its a good thing to wear on your sleeve is pretty naive.

I'm failing to see how taking pride in your accomplishments and free-time endeavours is naive. I'd say it's naive to think that what your hobbies are has any bearing on your employability whatsoever.

[SpatulaOfTheAges]

I'm failing to see how taking pride in your accomplishments and free-time endeavours is naive. I'd say it's naive to think that what your hobbies are has any bearing on your employability whatsoever.

Then why would you be proud of it?

[Nightmare]

Then why would you be proud of it?

Because employability isn't the only thing effected by your self-confidence? Being ashamed of, or even hiding, your hobbies is only going to make you less sure of yourself. If you have to question what you do for fun, it implies that it either isn't healthy or that you shouldn't be doing it. Magic fits neither of these.

I'm internationally known for my skill at this game. So are you. There aren't very many people out there who can make that claim about anything, let alone something they do in their free time. Why shouldn't we be proud of it?

[jamest]

I know plenty of people (Andy Stokinger, my boss, for one) that have rewarded me with their friendship

Funny, Andy Stokinger was the biggest asshole I've ever run across in a Magic tournament (GP Philly). I remember, after I won our match, I extended my hand for a shake and he yelled "No!" and stormed off. Gracious loser. Anyways, he made at least one enemy that day.

[Jim]

story time...

I'm almost 24 and have being playing magic since a free period in the 4th grade, when two of my friend let me watch them play a few and then let me try to see if I got it. I've been playing since 1994-5, but didn't own any of my own cards really till the next year. I borrowed cards to play in my first tournament and I got 2nd playing a deck that would be illegal by today's restricted/ban lists...it was great. I ended up trading my game boy and games to my friend for his whole collection in the 5th grade. I still have all the duals I got from him, but I trade the Chaos Orb immediately, even then you knew it was going to get banned soon.

My parent's have, and will always, be awesome when it comes to Magic. Whenever they know I've been to a tournament they ask me all about and let me tell them stories about it. Just throwing it out there, my dad is 64 and my mom is 59, so they're no youngsters. I taught my dad how to play one evening after getting done with a long game of rummy and that was like 6-7 years ago. So, my dad understand what's going on when I tell about tournaments and new stuff in the game.

Funny thing is, in college, at work or wherever, I always get more flack about another facet of my life which is endurance running, then I do about anything geeky. It's amazing how normal playing a fun fantasy card (etc.) seems to the average person when put next to doing 100k or 100-miles runs. I guess it's all about perspective.

From my experience people are usually really cool about Magic and such, mainly because there's ALWAYS some part of another person's life that is equally as eccentric, in it's own right.

[SpatulaOfTheAges]

Because employability isn't the only thing effected by your self-confidence? Being ashamed of, or even hiding, your hobbies is only going to make you less sure of yourself.

Yes to the former, no to the latter. Realizing that almost any social or professional situation is a poor one to bring Magic into it says nothing about a lack of self-confidence. It says that you know that A)the topic is almost assuredly irrelevant, and B)negative associations with the game do exist, and for legitimate reasons. A great many Magic players are unhygenic, socially inept people, and are frequently arrogant. A great many others are simply young children or are younger people without gainful employment.

Discussing a hobby with far more negative associations than positive ones for no discernable gain is just bad policy. If you think someone may actually have some interest in it, then that's fine, but the vast, vast majority of the time, acquaintances have no idea I play Magic, and that suits me.

I'm internationally known for my skill at this game. So are you. There aren't very many people out there who can make that claim about anything, let alone something they do in their free time. Why shouldn't we be proud of it?

"Internationally known" is very misleading in a little-played constructed format of a hobby game where the majority of participants don't know any actual "professionals" besides possibly the Invitationals. The international Legacy community would be lucky to top 1,000. I'm not trying to be negative or say that playing Magic is shameful. But it's not a bragging right, either. It's just a hobby. I wouldn't mention collecting spoons on an interview or a date; Magic is no different.

[Jak]

There are definite stereotypes. You look at the kids who play during lunch at my school and they are definitely the gamers stereotype. This is mainly why I don't go around flaunting that I play a card game because the first thing people think of would be something like Yugioh or Pokemon which are more for the younger crowd.

But anyways, my parents don't really care that I play or anything they just hate that I spend so much money on it. At first my dad didn't really like me playing or on forums about it all the time, but he has warmed up to it. I just explained to my parents that there is more to the game than playing with little critters and such. I just think it is a very fun hobbie, but it definitely is not my whole life. I play many sports and hang out with friends. Magic is on the side.

[TeenieBopper]

something I noticed a while ago and was reminded about in this thread- you tend to notice two different types of people in the magic community. To put it simply, they are the competitive people and the casuals. The competitive people don't usually fit the gamer stereotype of socially inept and unhygenic geeks, whereas you might do that for a lot of casual players. Compare two different magic tournaments; the pro tour and the pre-release. Take most people who attend the pro tour and stick them in a public setting, you probably aren't going to be able to tell that they play magic. This really isn't the case at a pre-release. If you're competitive at magic, chances are you're fairly "normal", you just channel your energy, skills, and talents into a non-standard medium. I think it's probably the same for most geeky or dorky hobbies. I'd be willing to bet that a great majority of WoW players in cutting edge, end-game guilds lean more towards a jock stereotype than a gamer one.

[on1y0ne]

Even though I have read this thread and pointed it out to several of my friends, I have not posted until now. I am 30 and I play Magic. I have been playing since Ice Age with a brief bow out during Odyssey block. Though I have sold my collection several times, I was never able to leave the game completely.

Right now, I try to play in at least on Limited event every week. That may become more difficult with the new job I have taken. To be honest, I would love to spend more time playing or judging events, but I know that there are responsibilities that I have that must be attended to before Magic.

With my new job, a decision has to be made, which is a difficult one. One of the requirements is working weekends, and it is very lucrative to do so. Since I judge at Pre-Release events, though they are only a few times a year, the financial aspect of that decision can be harsh. It is not a decision I want to make, yet it may be necessary for me to discontinue my involvement in such events.

About seven years ago, I spent quite a bit of time playing Magic. Actually, I was playing Magic every night save one. At that time, I was well respected in the area as a good player in 1.5, Type 2 and Limited. When I met the young lady I eventually married (and divorced), that all changed. My Magic playing dropped to a single day of the week, most weeks, and I initiated the first liquidation of my collection.

She was supportive of my hobby as long as it didn't interfere with my life outside of Magic. She understood that Magic was a part of my life, and it helped make me who I am. Every single one of us would be different if it were not for Magic. Granted, I don't openly talk about the game in other social circles, but it is not for fear of rejection, but due to the misinformation and lack of knowledge in the world about the game. Too often has the question been posed, "How do you play?" Generally, my response includes the fact that the game takes many of the strategies involved in Poker and Chess and blends them in a fantasy theme. I don't like explaining it to people who may not be interested.

Does playing Magic make me a bad person? Absolutely not. And if I were talking to people I knew and respected, if the topic of Magic worked its way into the conversation, I would lose respect for anyone who judged me because of my hobby. Dungeons & Dragons or YuGiOh are the two most common associations people think of if they don't know our game. With D&D, people associate non-hygenic players huddled together in a dark basement pretending to be wizards and not being able to distinguish real life from their fantasy world. YuGiOh is associated with little kids. Neither of those is an accurate description of most Magic players, nor is it even close to what I am.

I am a Magic player. Though many people don't understand what it means, it is still who I am. I even spoke of it in my interview for the job I now have, due to needing time off for tournaments. I am not ashamed of what I do, and neither should anyone else be. I am most dissappointed in the fact that I may not be able to play much any more. Magic is not my life, but it is a part of me and I am a part of it. That's the bottom line, and my two cents on the subject.

[cupajoe]

Spatula is on to something here

How many of you folks mentioned Magic when you went on a first date?

If you did, how far down the list of hobbies did you go before you mentioned it?....Most guys would probably mention weightlifting, any number of manly hobbies etc. before listing Magic....Even if you played Magic several times per week and in reality it was clearly your favorite hobby

Talk all the brave talk in the world about how you proclaim the greatness of Magic to the masses, but I'm betting you do it far less than you claim you do.....

Let's face it, it has a negative stereotype, however wrong it might be....As Spatula was saying, people tend not to bring up negative stereotypes in many social settings....I talk to many people out in the public for my job, and I've almost never mentioned it.....

Here's another problem with talking about Magic, even if the people you're talking to don't have a negative stereotype about Magic....People can't relate to it....It would be like saying your hobby is studying Latin....People would go, "oh," and then move on.....But if you say, "Oh, I collect classic cars" or "I love to golf or scuba dive," or even "I'm really into poker" or "traveling to Europe" that gives them something to talk to you about.....

Saying you play a game they don't understand, and then you have to explain it to them....It's a conversation killer

By the way, Magic has less of a negative stereotype than D&D....At least with Magic you've got the poker and chess comparisons, and the competitive aspect, which everyone gets.....

Friends, that's a different situation....Of course I'll mention Magic to my non-Magic-playing friends, and they don't think anything less of me for it....

To the married dude: Just wait until you have a baby, then you'll be lucky to play once a month...But it's all good....I think you appreciate your hobbies more....and at least for me, if I was away from my son too much I'd feel guilty anyway....

[Anarky87]

Personally, when I went on the first date with my now current g/f, I believe it was one of first few things I mentioned. It was obvious that I wasn't a weight lifter from my physique (Not that I'm obese), I'm not a big fan of car races or whatever, not that big of sports fan, nor do I care for poker all that much. I don't understand why people are letting it become a conversation killer. My g/f even asked one time to go with me when I went to play. Because all she saw it as was me going with about 4-5 of my friends to hang out and do something we liked.

I probably wouldn't list it as one of my life's accomplishments, but I do throw it out there sometimes in conversations when people ask and it has never utterly killed the conversation. But I don't dwell on it while talking about; I usually just give a few words about it, make them understand that travelling to play can usually yield several hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. That way they can maybe relate it to poker with its large prize payouts.

I think the balance is to not make Magic your life. I go to college, work a job, maintain a relationship (that's coming up on a year and half), I enjoy music and playing guitar, writing, and a lot of other things. If you don't let it become an obssession and the only thing you do, you're good to go and there should be nothing wrong with mentioning it in a conversation really. It probably wouldn't be good to delve into the whole concept in detail unless you're asked, but a general summary I can't see being a bad thing.