So, I've got a new girlfriend. She's a truly amazing woman who I really enjoy spending time with. For any gamer, getting a girlfriend is a life-altering event. For someone who isn't as hardcore as most gamers, it doesn't affect my gaming time as much as it would some others. I don't  really spend the countless hours most other gamers (and gaming writers) do playing. I wouldn't classify myself as a casual gamer by any means, but I'm not extreme either.

What has been interesting for me is that she actually has been an impetus for me to do some gaming (and not in the "my girlfriend is driving me nuts, I need to get my game on" way, either). After a month and a half of not gaming really at all, we trotted out Rock Band the other night. We'd been talking about it for a couple of weeks, and being a pretty serious music fan, she was anxious to give it a try.

It turns out that she has pretty damn good rhythm, as she has settled in as the drummer and driving for behind the "Brule Blues", our drum and vocals combo, currently playing the seediest clubs of Europe. After catching the Rock Band bug, she even wanted to play a late session the night before we had to get up at 4:30 AM to get her on her way out of town for the National Championship game. She's more into the faster rock songs, so we're a ways from hitting our stride as a band. As we unlock more tracks (and download a few), I think we're going to continue enjoying a couple nights a week of rocking out.