Days 1-2 Good morning. Today I start my journal. I think my subconcious may have picked this week to be the start of my game-quitting journey due to how busy I am. I'm working both jobs back-to-back, but that leaves me with a long weekend, which is going to be the first hurdle in this 90 day detox. I know there are going to be times that I'm tempted this week. Yesterday my mind was idly sifting through the conditions it would take me to "cheat" on the detox I'm working to prepare myself for the free time. I bought a few books I've been meaning to get to, I talked to a new acquantance I'd like to become friends with and invited them to grab a beer, and I started writing my first submissions for a publication I've always wanted to write for. I'm surprised at how easy it's been the last two days to think of other activities to fill my free time with—I guess I never realized how the immediate rush to fire up my game systems when I got home limited my ability to plan and care about my environment. It's a huge reassurance that I'm doing the right thing being here. I spoke with my girlfriend the day I took my pledge to quit and discussed my intentions. She was skeptical. She believes I'm overly self-critical to the point that I torment myself with my own flaws (I kind of do) and though quitting cold turkey is unnecessary. She knows that gaming is how I've always unwinded, so I think she was worried about me seeing me wound up. She's a sweet girl. I essentially explained how addiction, formation of habits, etc. work in relation to gaming and how I feel that I'm wasting potential that I could be using to better myself and she ended up saying she'd support whatever decision I think is best for me. Another big challenge I've identified is what I'm replacing my time with. I don't want to completely eliminate entertainment—that's not what this detox is necessarily about, but I don't want Netflix to become my substitute for gaming, etc. etc. I'm debating placing a time-window restriction on myself for those things (I can only watch TV from 5 - 8 p.m., or something) to try and control that habit. I also see a need to start developing a list of short/long term goals and create a timeline for how to organize them (if anyone reading this has any suggestions on planning, schedules, what works and what doesn't, I'd love some advice). And that's it for today. In about an hour I'm going in for an interview at my internship to see if I can extend my stay into the fall. I'd be competing for the slot with another intern, (who I genuinely like), so it's bittersweet, but I'm going to do my best to convince my supervisor that I deserve the spot. Wish me luck! - FifthEstate