I am the type of person who hangs back from the crowd in order to take in the full experience, who stands apart just so she can see the small, outside things that may escape notice when one is in the thick of things.

There are always several special things in one particular instance.

For example, right now, I am quietly typing up this blog while my brother plays “Call of Duty 4” and my cousin watches.

In my silence, or reflection, I appreciate the familiar nuances arising from this episode, how it takes us back to a time in our childhood when we spent nearly every day together, either playing video games or hanging out with the other neighborhood kids.

Simpler times. Moments when we could hardly imagine that we would all be driving, earning our own money and only seeing each other every month or so.

Yet even as I am reminded of our childhood years, I am struck by how much we have grown in the last decade. No longer is my cousin the quiet toddler willing to follow our example. My brother is no longer the “I’m-always-the-leader” kid who drove me nuts because he would never let me play as Leonardo on Sega Genesis.

And I am not the same shy, bookish girl who preferred to remain unnoticed, face stuffed into some giant tome.

Certain things have remained the same, though. Video games are still a focal point of all our lives, though I must admit, much less so for me these days. We used to come together over games such as “Super Mario Bros.,” “Golden Eye,” “Super Smash Bros.,” “Mario Party,” and a whole slew of other nauseatingly addicting multiplayer games.

A few games we’re excited about:

– “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” for Xbox 360
– “Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles” for the Wii
– “Heavenly Sword” for PlayStation 3
– And “Mass Effect” for Xbox 360

Oh, and there is a Ghostbusters game coming out soon that looks pretty amazing. And I am ridiculously excited about “Assassin’s Creed,” which seems like it will be an immensely entertaining game. And we must not forget “Super Smash Bros. Brawl,” which I’m sure will bring on another intense wave of nostalgia.

Now, if only I had more time to play all of these games. Meh.

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I went off on a lame tangent. Ah, well.

All in all, this Thanksgiving was not too painful. I had a bit of merlot at my Auntie Ellis’ house. I only had a little bit of food there though, because I’m not a fan of that side of the family’s cooking expertise.

However, Nathan and I stuffed ourselves at Auntie Cherry’s house. She’s an awesome cook, and we look forward to her Thanksgiving fixings every year.

I always dread the holidays. I’ve expounded on why before, yet it never gets any more bearable.

The only enjoyment is spending some time with my brother and my cousins, even if I find them a bit annoying sometimes.

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Meh. I’m distracted by CoD4. Adios.

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