'Ask Anne'

Chapter 1
The Video Game Addict – Part 1

Dear Anne,

My husband recently quit his job, claiming that he’s bored and wants to try something new. While he insists that he’s enrolled in an online postgraduate degree program, most of the time I see him glued to the TV playing “World of Legends”, a virtual world where he is a warrior named legendarynazar and runs around slaying hordes of monsters.

While I really want to be supportive, his unexpected decision has brought a lot of stress and chaos into my life. I barely scrape by as a writer, and have been forced to take a second job as a waitress to make ends meet. I’ve also had to put my dream of starting a family on hold as I simply cannot afford to raise a child on my income alone.

It doesn’t help that he does not seem to care at all about my needs and feelings. I’m trying to write a novel, but all that noise from his game just grates on my nerves. I regard my home as my inner sanctum, and am tired of finding the floor strewn with dirty laundry, mayonnaise split all over the counter-top, and ghastly smells pouring out from the bathroom.

I’ve already begged him many times to improve his behavior, but he adamantly refuses & has even started yelling at me. Last night, when I interrupted his game, he actually threw a beer bottle in my direction. I’m really at my wits end, Anne. What should I do?

Yours,

Tortured