I used to be a football expert. Growing up, every Sunday we’d go to church from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., and on the way home we’d stop at Captain D’s to pick up lunch. I had just the right amount of time to get changed back into my pajamas and get my food set up on a tray in my parents’ bedroom (my parents were in the living room, and I didn’t have a television in my room) to watch the pregame NFL shows at 11 a.m. I’d flip back and forth between CBS and Fox to watch as many segments with retired players and coaches as I could.

I got all of my football information from those shows. By the time the games actually came on, I’d pull out the Sunday paper and start reading. I never really intently watched the games because I wasn’t particularly loyal to any of the teams. Besides, the pregame and postgame shows were going to tell me everything I needed to know anyway.

My fixation with sports happened during these late middle school/early high school years, I believe, because my parents decided we didn’t need cable television. They said it wasn’t a necessity and was a waste of money. We changed to a basic cable plan, which was the end of my world at the time. We actually got more channels then, than my apartment offers here now.

Basic cable offers a lot of sports and I would watch them because it was one of a few options I had. I would intently teach myself a multitude of different games by watching the causes and effects of the athletes’ actions. Obviously, I was lazy and uninvolved and probably should have spent my time better. Nevertheless, I became enamored with sports.

Another reason I became captivated with the game is because my parents bought me a PlayStation 2 around this time as a surprise Christmas gift. I didn’t grow up with videogames and never had much interest in them, but in an effort to keep me surprised my parents bought the console. It can be argued it was more for my dad than me.

The only game that came with the PS2 on Christmas morning was Madden, the 2001 edition I believe. I played my dad pretty often. It’s the only videogame I’ve ever been able to actually play.

When I went to college the gaggle of guys who followed my roommates around were astonished to find the quiet girl was willing and able to beat them on the game. They even congratulated my mom when she came to visit for my incredible Madden skills.

I don’t know what happened, but somewhere along the way I lost my knowledge. Life got in the way I guess. Social media took over. The PlayStation got old and was not replaced.

This year, I am playing fantasy football for the first time, and I have no idea what is going on. The draft was a complete free-for-all, and each week I check my numbers with no clue as to what they mean. Somehow I’ll have the third most points in my league and still lose my weekly matchup.

I still keep up with NFL games here and there when I get a chance, but I miss having all the information and knowing records, matchups and players.

I can’t speak for everyone, but for me as I’ve gotten older I’ve lost touch with a lot of the hobbies and activities I use to enjoy doing. It seems like there is less time, but really I’m just more aware of time.

In the coming days and months I want to take back my life. I want to spend less time on Facebook or staring at the television and more time doing yoga, going outside, reading and maybe figuring out how to play Fantasy Football.

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Alana Norris is a staff writer at The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at alana.norris@vicksburgpost.com.