Why I Don't Talk Much While On XBL

After a mention by someone last night as to how I was running in "Ninja mode", I figured I should offer an explanation as to how I can be so talkative in the forums, yet be so quiet while on XBL.

In reality it has a lot to do with my wife.  But, part of it does have to do with my own insecurities.

Reason #1: Approximately 50% of my playing time on XBL is during non-waking hours for my wife.  Pretty much any time after 11:00 CST, my wife is gone.  Generally she falls asleep on our big cushy chair and a half as I am playing KoD4.  It is amazing how the loud explosions and rat-a-tat-tat of the guns really does nothing to prevent her from falling asleep.  But, as soon as I say something, anything really, she'll pop her head up, "Wha?  Huh?  Did you say something?"  So I generally keep my mouth shut so as not to wake her up.  For you ladies that read this, I know, I am sweet.  For you guys, I know, I am whipped.

Reason #2: Although my wife does not have Tourette's Syndrome, she does occasionally scream sexually related words or phrases for no apparent reason while I am on XBL.  There actually is a reason.  There are very few things that embarrass me at all.  She has discovered that one of those things that does is when I am playing with the Duty mates, have my mic hot, and she screams the words penis, or cuntlicker, or blow job and my mic picks it up.  It really is kinda funny.  She finds it hilarious.  But, it is also a bit embarrassing.  So I generally roll with my mic muted until I need to call out a position, etc. in game.

Reason #3: I'm one of the newer guys in 2o4D.  I know my place, so I generally keep my mouth shut unless spoken to.  I'll speak up on occasion.  But, generally keep my mouth shut in the lobbies.  Besides, that is pretty easy to do when in a lobby with Mass, or Peep, or a few select others.  Plenty hard to get a word in, so no point in trying.

Reason #4: With the significant head trauma I have suffered in my life, I regularly give my wife an abundant amount of ammunition for making fun of me.  I have discovered that when I speak up quite a bit during games or in lobbies, this adds fuel to the fire of her poking at me.  "Are you having fun with your gay nerd friends playing your silly war game?"  Not really a big deal at all. But worth mentioning at least.

Reason #5: A lot of times I am multitasking while on XBL.  Whether I have snuck home early from work and am answering emails or on the phone while playing, or it is late in the evening and I am getting ready for bed, or some other random time I am on and the wife asks me to help her with something, or one of the dogs has gotten sick, or one of my friends has popped in and I am letting him play for a bit.  My playing time is way more limited than I wish it was.  So anytime I can sneak in a game or two, I do.  A lot of times that means I have other stuff going on and can't pay as much attention to the game as I want or am unable to speak at all, for  whatever reason.

I promise I am not stuck up.  I really do like you guys that I play with regularly.  As my work begins to settle down, and as I convince my wife that it is OK to actually get in the bed when she wants to go to sleep, and as I get to know you Duty folks better, I will begin to speak up more.  For now, I'll remain the silent killer. 

On a side note, if it wasn't so stinkin ghey, I would use that as my Gamertag.