This past weekend, DeeAnn and I watched 5 episodes of Deadwood (ending with the season 2 finale), and even more time playing video games-- Halo (the original, in campaign mode) for me, Sims 2 for her.

In those latter endeavors, she was frustrated by one of our cats, Jasper, stepping on the power button of her laptop docking station and shutting down the computer in mid-play; I, by the zombie-infested Library level, which, no, I haven't cleared yet.

I get bored pretty quickly with most "action" video games because they're so damn repetitive. But I've learned something else about myself after Sunday's Halo marathon: I don't like resource management. This is why I always play on the "easy" setting, and don't tend to go for strategy games.

I enjoy the tactical dimension of being an operator-- exploring the map, learning the controls, gaining skill-- but I have no patience for busy work, like blasting my way through endless hordes of enemies. It gets in the way of what I actually enjoy about the game experience: exploration. Having limited ammunition makes it even more annoying. Go ahead, ask me how much I loved the "god mode" in Doom.

I do want to be challenged by a game, but I prefer searching to button-thumping. I like running around the ringworld, finding hidden chambers, using my intellect more than my instinct. I don't like having to shoot things all the time. It's fun for the first few minutes, but after that? Repetitive, repetitious, and repeating.

Playing Halo 2 against other humans is, of course, another story. I'm also told I might enjoy Splinter Cell online. Right, as soon as I get through the dozen or so other games I never finished playing. Maybe I'll start with, I dunno, Starcraft?

I am not the target audience, but I do enjoy reaping the side benefits.