The end is approaching.
How long can professional wrestlers perform in the ring until they decide it’s time to hang up their boots? We will get to this answer shortly.
Summer of 1999: 20 APM. Where it all began. My dad introduces me to computer gaming with the Brood War Expansion Set. This battle chest was a surprise to a new upcoming guest. Mesmerized by the graphics, I thoroughly enjoyed playing through the very first Terran campaign where Samir Duran introduces himself in the snow terrain.
Winter of 2001: 45 APM. Two years pass by and I am relying heavily on these single player cheat codes. From showing the money to modifying the phase variance, I had to breathe deep because what’s mine is mine in the gathering. Power overwhelming. The command center sure is burning but won’t be exploding.
Fall of 2006: 70 APM I joined my first clan and I fall in love with a girl named DBZGT-Bulma on the US East server. I do my best to impress her by entering the inaugural clan tournament: DBZ Budokai. 14 year old me should’ve known better to practice a few games before signing up for failure. Truthfully, I got eliminated in the first round by another clanmate who went by the name of DBZGT-Algee. He ended up dating DBZGT-Bulma, and soon, they were both nowhere to be found. I stayed in Clan GTX loyally for another 6 years without the love of my life. I vowed from then on I will give DBZGT-Algee a taste of his own medicine.
Winter of 2012: 130 APM From spam bots to trivia bots, these bots are like iRobot as they greet each human being to the channel. I found that quite annoying as the days progressed. I switched up clans ever since GTX slowly digressed to death. I developed some micro sense as a vulture took on all four zerglings. Whoa who would’ve known that you can save money when you control your army?
Spring of 2018: 175 APM All I wanted was to have DBZGT-Bulma back in my life. I trained vigorously and practiced many games just to show her how much I improved and changed. I wanted to tell her that I’m no longer that kid who got his butt kicked in the first round. On second thought, Algee is a prick for hiding her from the rest of the world. I used this rage to fuel the flame within me as I began to grow old age…
Fall of 2023: 230 APM Former clanmates and old friends are gone forever. The only feeling that grows deeper is bitter. As I finally understand it all. Blizzard Entertainment, it does get more cold the more you learn the ropes. The igloo is built by an eskimo whose heart froze. As I move my four starter probes. I hope to snowball over the pitfall. This is present me in the present tense presenting the facts. Bulma ain’t coming back and I had to live with that. Another day and I continue to play the role of an advocate. Some days I wish I can unlearn everything and go back to the kid unwrapping that Brood War Expansion set. Just so I can stop that because now I’m trapped. I know I can never get my life back as I continue to figure out this crap. Only to find out from a friend of a friend that Bulma and Algee are married now and have two kids.
So now to answer the question: How long can professional wrestlers perform in the ring until they decide it’s time to hang up their boots?
When their backs are laying flat on the mat for over 10 secs.