when games are like crack

I uninstalled Age of Empires 3 because I was wasting bucketfuls of time on it. Its safe and mindless entertainment, but a little too much so. Its one of the closest equivalents I have yet to find to a fast forward button to life. I think I could waste many more hours trying out all the combinations and permutations of different nationalities, maps, tactics, difficulty levels, etc. It would be fine, but I am left feeling empty afterwards. I pay my time and have nothing to show for it.

I was doing this with Starcraft 2 for a while, some time ago, and I thought I learned my lesson then, but it didn't stick. This is the dark side of gaming, or any hobby, where it becomes mindless rote, instead of an experience. Something to keep watch out for, I doubt this is the last time.