Looking back at my younger years, it's amusing to think about those gaming moments that felt larger than life. When I first got my hands on "Super Mario Bros." after my parents introduced our home to the NES, it was nothing short of magical. There I was, failing repeatedly at the hands of the first goomba, but in my mind, I was in a different world—a captivating realm of pixels where I had to leap over adversaries and collect coins.
Even though I wasn't the best player and couldn't quite piece together the storyline, sitting on our living room carpet, I felt a deep connection to this new universe. It was an experience so profound that it kindled a passion I knew would stay with me. Fast forward to age 46 (Actually I'm about to turn 47 tomorrow! Happy birthday to me!), and it hasn't wavered a bit.