I first “met” Minecraft around when I was 9, which happened to be 2012, grade 3. I can remember the first time I got a glimpse at the first few pixels. I was at my parents friends house, whose children were probably in their teens (I haven’t seen them for many years now). The older boy sat down on his computer, to show off this cool new game he found. He showed us his cobblestone house, full of chests and paintings. This was one of the most distinct memories of the game. He walked out of his “base” to find a creeper. Later that evening, being a 9 year old kid, got bored, and asked “Can we see the game with the explosion again?” I am amazed how simple, insignificant moments in ones life can stick around for so long. I guess this was when I knew I liked the game. The next memory I have of the game, happened to be when I was at my mum’s school (excuse my Australian spelling). It was most likely a weekend, where my mum was stuck at school, marking her students work. Me and my two older brothers got permission to go find some entertainment while we waited for the sun to disperse into the horizon. We walked over to my mum’s classroom. A row of computers, almost appeared to shimmer a beautiful reflection of fun and enjoyment into our faces. We each logged in, using our own special login’s our mum had organized with the school. I remember our password was “Zac” followed by the current year. Zac being the miniature poodle who brightened our lives with happiness. We all found our way onto the minecraft website, downloaded and opened the game for possibly the very first time. I remember discovering the hidden secrets to the game. Yelling out to my brother, “How do you fly! Tell me please!” as he roamed around in the nether. This is the end of this memory, and sadly one of the only of all three of me and my brothers enjoying quality time together. My next distinct memory was a short one, however I feel like it reflects my developed bond with the game, which became an unhealthy addiction. I was sitting on my dads 2008 laptop, playing the demo version, fiddling with the sponge blocks and a bucket of water. My parents, telling me I have to get off the game so we can leave for our holiday. I can remember the time I bought my account. The first time I played on my very own minecraft account. It was a great feeling, not having to rely on my older brothers absence so I could use his account to play minecraft. I find it strange, how I can remember when I first bought minecraft on that account, yet cannot remember the last time I played. Next came the hours of game play I watched on YouTube. Some memorable ones being Hunger games game play, along with the occasional “stampy long nose” If I can remember the name correctly. After this memory came the time when I was on holiday to the coast. My dad brought his laptop and I watched my oldest brother build a new house in a desert. I forgot to add the fact that my older brother had build a large world, which he seemed to spend most of his time playing. My 2nd oldest brother never really clicked with minecraft, and I feel like that really changed who he became today. He is graduating year 12 in 3 days, so it will be sad to be the only sibling at school now. I developed a friendship with a boy in year 4. He became the best friend that I have ever had to this day. We had sleepovers constantly, playing minecraft all day long. it was the only thing we did. The only thing we had in common, which bonded us greatly. Grade 5 was a difficult year. My friend had left for a different school, and I didn’t have a best friend any more. I talked to him as much as I could, and our friendship lasted a while after. Year 6, term 4, I had a parent teacher meeting. My school work results were dropping. My mum brought up the fact that I was addicted to minecraft. I got told to stop playing it. I did. To this day I still remember the phone call I had with my friend. Telling him I was going to stop playing. He questioned why I had to stop playing completely, and not just reduce my time playing. I remember telling him how I wanted to see how long I could go without playing minecraft. A few weeks past, and I went to his house. We talked, and then went down to a public swimming pool. This was the last time I shared a memory with him. He didn’t die or anything, I just never went back to his house. Its as if I felt like I didn’t belong there anymore, or if I went there I wouldn’t have anything to do. So I waited for him to call me. I waited so long, that eventually, I forgot what I was waiting for. I guess the same happened to him, but I will never be so sure. Maybe my phone number was accidentally wiped from his home phone. Maybe he only wanted to be my friend so he could play minecraft with me. Well, that’s what my older brothers told me for a few years. In grade 9, he changed schools again. How do I know this? Oh, it’s because he changed to my school. I remember sitting at the back of my new science class, seeing the back of this boys head. Seeing his feet more under his chair, the exact way my old friend used to move his feet. I found a chance to see who this person was, and it was indeed him. My reaction wasn’t yelling out his name in joy, running over and hugging him. It was looking the other way and hopping he didn’t know I was in the same room as him. It was weird. Anyway… Since then I have talked to him once, when I was left alone on the terraces with him. He told me he didn’t realize I still when to the school. I chuckled, quickly ate my food and left. You still remember my dog? Zac. He died a few months ago. We put him down because of his age. This remains the saddest day of my life. I’m now at the end of year 10, with exams next week. I just spent an hour typing this instead of editing my film or writing my English. So if you made it all the way to the end, I take my hat of to you, good sir. I