In gaming news today, with Persona 4 on the horizon, Persona 2 says, "Not so fast, big brother!" Nintendo says, "Wii, Wii, Wii all the way home... and stay put when you get there."
Atlus' Persona 4 is due out on the PS2 this in jsut a few short weeks. I'm hyped, even though I haven't gotten around to finishing Persona 3 yet. But Atlus, true to form, decided to make a re-releease of the game Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. Old school Atlus fans, true to form managed to sell out the entire reprint run in just under an hour. I was bummed out that I didn't even have a shot at snagging a copy, but then I remembered that I already had one. One more in a big pile of RPGs that I never finished. But that's better than the pile that I never started. A sad, terrible pile indeed.
In other news, Nintendo has apparently decided that it's new Wii Speak peripheral (the one seen being pimped during some of their Animal Crossing commercials) is so cool you should buy it twice. Or as many times as you have consoles, anyway.
According to reports, the Wii Speak comes with a code that lets you download the Wii Speak channel (which you obviously need to do to use the device). The downside? The code can only be used once. That means that the mic is useless if you were to buy one used, which I guess is supposed to be the goal. On the other hand, it also means that you can't take the mic with you on a trip or over to a friend's house with another Wii. In theory, you could take your entire Wii over to their house, but who's really going to bother to do that?
I understand the principle of wanting to restrict secondary market sales, and really this is just a fancy microphone we're talking about here. But this sets a bit of a bad precedent for future hardware as well. Hopefully no one comes up with a nifty party or social game off of any new peripherals that might get handcuffed like this.
A party or social game... on the Wii? Never happen.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
General HouseKeeping
You see what I did there? I... yeah, it's stupid.
First, a few general notes about the site. I'm right in the middle of doing some minor renovations. For one, I'm playing around with the template code so that the site generates read more tags and restricts part of the post to its own page. I'm doing this mainly because I have a tendency to get long winded at times, and it helps keep more posts near the top of the page.
What this does mean, however, is that now every post has a "Read More!" link at the end of it whether it has more post left or not. I may figure out a fix for this, but until I do I'll make sure to note when a post has more text beyond the front page.
I've got some more things planned, but they'll probably have to wait for another few weeks. My life is NaNoWriMo and sporadic posts here until the first of December.
First, a few general notes about the site. I'm right in the middle of doing some minor renovations. For one, I'm playing around with the template code so that the site generates read more tags and restricts part of the post to its own page. I'm doing this mainly because I have a tendency to get long winded at times, and it helps keep more posts near the top of the page.
What this does mean, however, is that now every post has a "Read More!" link at the end of it whether it has more post left or not. I may figure out a fix for this, but until I do I'll make sure to note when a post has more text beyond the front page.
I've got some more things planned, but they'll probably have to wait for another few weeks. My life is NaNoWriMo and sporadic posts here until the first of December.
Nano: Day 18 Update
First the good news. I'm currently at about 26,700 words. That's back on pace for finishing things, and if I can keep surging like I have been it shouldn't be a problem. The bad news? I've gone and scheduled to have my wisdom teeth removed next Monday. Which means that I will no doubt lose any chance to work on Monday, and probably not feel all that much like working the next few days, either. That means I'm going to have to work my tail off to get this done. But hey, I'm already 24,000 more words into this than I thought I would be, so more power to me.
Speaking of which, I believe I did say that I'd show you a little something of my work. Be warned: it only gets wordier from here...
(Click 'Read More!' to read the excerpt)
Prologue: Shadow in the Fog
"Farley!"
In the woods outside of the city, drifting just past the safety of the gates and the within earshot of the walls, Larry's voice echoed softly in the small wooded patch he was in. He stopped along the path and turned to one side to shout again. "Farley! Where the heck are you?" Larry wiped the sweat from his brow with his hankerchief and adjusted the balance of the basket he was carrying. He had performed his early morning foraging outside of the walls like clockwork three times a week for as long as he could remember. It was a gently brisk morning, thick with the humidity of the morning fog. His proximity to the security gate had more or less made him complacent in the endeavor. That, and the security his dog Farley brought him.
"Farley!"
He'd provide much more security, Larry thought, if the dumb mutt would actually stay near him.
"Farley, I swear I'm going to leave you out here if you don't..." A shuffle from ahead drew Larry's attention. He looked forward into the shifting mists and strained to see what it was.
The dim light of the early morning conspired with the lowly clouds to prevent visibility beyond 20 feet, but still Larry strained to see anything. He heard another shuffle from the same area, then looked again to see nothing. But slowly, ever so slowly, something began to appear. At first, Larry thought that maybe he was imagining things. A glimmer of the early morning lights combined with the opaque of the mists to create some sort of optical illusion. But then, as more seconds went by, he could make out a form. Not enough of a form to see exactly what it was, but a shadow. A shadow in the fog.
"Farley?"
Larry thought that it could be his pet. The shadow, after all, was relatively low to the ground. And it stood in place as he watched it. Farley wasn't the kind of pet to be overly disobedient, but he might stand in place if he had found something.
"What is it, boy?" Larry asked jokingly, "You find some nice 'shrooms over there?" The shadowed form remained still but still somehow shifted, almost as if moving on its own. Larry found the entire situation odd. He wanted to think that it was his dog ahead of him in the path, but at the same time he had a feeling that something just wasn't right. Almost without realizing it, he began to reach down towards the utility knife tucked into his belt. Normally it was only there for cutting loose a pesky root or clipping a mushroom, but Larry was slowly beginning to fear that he might need if for something else.
A sharp growl from behind nearly caused Larry to leap out of his shoes. He turned his head without turning his body, not willing to give up his position to whatevere was in front of him, but desperately needing to see what was behind him. There, another shadowy form had appeared almost an equal distance away as the one ahead. But unlike the one in front of Larry, this one slowly began to move closer. Larry was just moments away from truning in earnest to defend himself when his sense of recognition kicked in.
"Farley!" Larry cried out as his mutt of a dog stalked its way up behind him. The dog had an uncharacteristic snarl on his face. Larry had seen Farley worked up over things before but never like this. The animal's growl was guttural, the kind of noise that immediately reminded one, be they man or beast, that the animal still remembered its primal roots.
Slowly Farley treaded up to and just past his master, his gaze locked on the uncertain shadow in front of them. The shadow endured with no actual movement, its image still seeming to flicker in the morning haze.
"Come on, Farley..." Larry spoke softly as he still fingered the hilt of the blade in his belt. "Let's get out of here before..."
But it was too late. The shadow in the foggy path lunged forward with a sudden bolt. Almost as quickly, Farley leapt forward in defense of his master. Before Larry could try to stop him, Farley was on top of the mystery creature. Larry struggled to make out what was going on, but all he could see was that there was a struggle. Farley's vicious snarling growls could be heard, but they were met by an equally vicious set of growls from his opponent.
Larry chanced to move a few steps closer. The shapes in front of him began to take more recognizable forms. There was of course, Farley, bounding and grappling tooth and claw with another creature. As best as Larry could make out, it appeared to be a wolf or something similar. Larry thought about running for help, but he was much too far from the main gates to reach them in time. Not to mention the fact that there was no guarantee that he could even lead anyone back to this one spot, and on top of that it was unlikely that anyone would even help him save his dog from a wild animal.
Worst still was the other thought that Larry had, mainly that he should just run away and leave Farley to his own fate. He could never face his wife Gertie once he got home if he left Farley like that. The dog meant too much to him and to her to not at least try to help. Larry drew his knife and attempted to steel himself enough to approach the fighting animals.
The situation was close to being taken out of his hands. Before Larry could think to approach closer, the two beasts carrie dtheir fight further into the mists away from him. Larry stood frozen for a few more moments before finally chancing a few steps forward. The growling and snapping continued on, the sound drifting further away until finally it died down with a single sharp yelp.
Larry stood frozen in concern and fear. He waiting silently for what seemed like an eternity, afraid to move for fear of discovering what may or may not have become of his canine companion. Slowly he found his voice again, and called, his voice barely a whisper, "... Farley?"
The ground crackled ahead of him. Again a scant twenty feet ahead of Larry, a shadowy form appeared. Larry gripped his knife tighter, his hand trembling as an indication of just how woefully equipped he was to do any sort of real fighting.
The shadowy form began a slow approach. Larry's arm poked forward as if he expected to cause damage to something by having it run into his knife by accident. But alas, that would not be the case.
From amidst the fog, the familiar form of Larry's dog Farley came into focus. The dog, its spirit as worn as its body, limped ahead weakly. Its body had several scratches and bite marks, most notably a large gash along its left side.
"Oh, Farley!" Larry practically dropped his knife as he ran to be at his friend's side. "What were you thinkin', fella? You didn't have to do that. Are you, okay, boy? What did that thing do to you?"
Farley whimpered quietly, struggling to move closer to his master but not able to make it due to his wounds. His body collapsed into a furry matted pile on the cold wet earth.
Larry fell to his knees, his eyes starting to mist from the emotion. His body began to tremble as he tried to tend to his fallen pet. His knife fell from his hands as he sought to stop the animal's bleeding. His hands moved forward, gently lifting the dog into his arms and bringing it close to his body.
"Don't you worry, boy..." Larry whispered. "I'm not going to let you... You're gonna be okay, boy. You're gonna be just fine." The animal whimpered in his arms. Larry felt the trembling of its furry body and the warmth of the blood flowing from its open wounds. And then, much to Larry's horror, he felt its teeth.
The attack was as viciousas it was sudden. The animal that he'd raised since it was a puppy had inexplicably rebelled. He tried to calm it with soothing words dripped in panic, but to no avail. The animal was beyond reconcile. Larry felt the claws of the beast gripping into his chest , its teeth driving themselves into his neck again. His flailing arms reached for the knife that he had just discarded, but it was too late. With a greusome snarl and brutal tearing at the man's neck, forceful attack was over. The man was mortally wounded.
Larry's body collapsed into a limp pile on the cold soil. His mind was adrift, spiralling through its final confused thoughts as the warm fluid of his life drained from his form. He thought of Gertie, the wife he would never see again and prayed for her happiness. He idly thought of the basket of roots and mushrooms that wouldn't go on sale today and prayed for the peddlers who would come up short. He found that thought in particular oddly comical and out of place given the one that had come prior to it. He prayed for the sick, the young, and even his enemies. And then finally, he prayed for his longtime companion Farley, and silently forgave him for losing control as he did. He was after all, just a foolish animal, and even if anyone found him he would surely be put down for having attcked his master as he did.
He could feel his last gasps coming. His body registered no pain, and he found himself at peace among nature. The gentle morning breeze gave him comfort. The cooling mist of the morning drifted away as the new day, his last day, began to start in earnest. Larry, through the haze of his mind, saw another shadow in the fog above him. A familiar shape that was followed by the familiar feeling of a furred paw upon his bloody chest. Gone was the bestial ferocity that had occurred just a few moments ago. All that seemed to remain was the last traces of loyalty between owner and master. The last pages of a tragedy of small scale, but a tradgedy noentheles.
Larry's mind swirled peacefully downward. The thought of reaching out and giving his pal a final pet. The random guess of which pie his wife would fix for Sunday dinner. His first kiss. His last confession. That little blinky gadget he could never get to work properly. Awake.
The dying man's senses were stunned by the sudden interjection. While he knew full well that his mind was practically dreaming itself to death, his heart pulsed one final sharp tone as he realized something far more disturbing. The last thoughts... the final thoughts of his life... were not his own. The paw on his chest began to press onto his heart with an awful, immeasurable weight as his thoughts once again began to speak on their own.
Finally... finally awake...
But for Larry, the burden of this terror would be fleeting. His body wounded, pressed and failing, Larry finally surrendered to what could have been a far more merciful death. In the woods outside of the city, drifting just past the safety of the gates and the within earshot of the walls, a shadow in the fog howled omninously, its scream drifting into the early morning light and changing... changing into something far more ominous.
(Ooo-oooooh! But the rest of it isn't nearly as creepy as all that. Note this is just a draft. It's all just a draft. But this part felt like it was put together well enough to show the curious public. With any luck, I'll feel up to showing more of it later.)
Speaking of which, I believe I did say that I'd show you a little something of my work. Be warned: it only gets wordier from here...
(Click 'Read More!' to read the excerpt)
Prologue: Shadow in the Fog
"Farley!"
In the woods outside of the city, drifting just past the safety of the gates and the within earshot of the walls, Larry's voice echoed softly in the small wooded patch he was in. He stopped along the path and turned to one side to shout again. "Farley! Where the heck are you?" Larry wiped the sweat from his brow with his hankerchief and adjusted the balance of the basket he was carrying. He had performed his early morning foraging outside of the walls like clockwork three times a week for as long as he could remember. It was a gently brisk morning, thick with the humidity of the morning fog. His proximity to the security gate had more or less made him complacent in the endeavor. That, and the security his dog Farley brought him.
"Farley!"
He'd provide much more security, Larry thought, if the dumb mutt would actually stay near him.
"Farley, I swear I'm going to leave you out here if you don't..." A shuffle from ahead drew Larry's attention. He looked forward into the shifting mists and strained to see what it was.
The dim light of the early morning conspired with the lowly clouds to prevent visibility beyond 20 feet, but still Larry strained to see anything. He heard another shuffle from the same area, then looked again to see nothing. But slowly, ever so slowly, something began to appear. At first, Larry thought that maybe he was imagining things. A glimmer of the early morning lights combined with the opaque of the mists to create some sort of optical illusion. But then, as more seconds went by, he could make out a form. Not enough of a form to see exactly what it was, but a shadow. A shadow in the fog.
"Farley?"
Larry thought that it could be his pet. The shadow, after all, was relatively low to the ground. And it stood in place as he watched it. Farley wasn't the kind of pet to be overly disobedient, but he might stand in place if he had found something.
"What is it, boy?" Larry asked jokingly, "You find some nice 'shrooms over there?" The shadowed form remained still but still somehow shifted, almost as if moving on its own. Larry found the entire situation odd. He wanted to think that it was his dog ahead of him in the path, but at the same time he had a feeling that something just wasn't right. Almost without realizing it, he began to reach down towards the utility knife tucked into his belt. Normally it was only there for cutting loose a pesky root or clipping a mushroom, but Larry was slowly beginning to fear that he might need if for something else.
A sharp growl from behind nearly caused Larry to leap out of his shoes. He turned his head without turning his body, not willing to give up his position to whatevere was in front of him, but desperately needing to see what was behind him. There, another shadowy form had appeared almost an equal distance away as the one ahead. But unlike the one in front of Larry, this one slowly began to move closer. Larry was just moments away from truning in earnest to defend himself when his sense of recognition kicked in.
"Farley!" Larry cried out as his mutt of a dog stalked its way up behind him. The dog had an uncharacteristic snarl on his face. Larry had seen Farley worked up over things before but never like this. The animal's growl was guttural, the kind of noise that immediately reminded one, be they man or beast, that the animal still remembered its primal roots.
Slowly Farley treaded up to and just past his master, his gaze locked on the uncertain shadow in front of them. The shadow endured with no actual movement, its image still seeming to flicker in the morning haze.
"Come on, Farley..." Larry spoke softly as he still fingered the hilt of the blade in his belt. "Let's get out of here before..."
But it was too late. The shadow in the foggy path lunged forward with a sudden bolt. Almost as quickly, Farley leapt forward in defense of his master. Before Larry could try to stop him, Farley was on top of the mystery creature. Larry struggled to make out what was going on, but all he could see was that there was a struggle. Farley's vicious snarling growls could be heard, but they were met by an equally vicious set of growls from his opponent.
Larry chanced to move a few steps closer. The shapes in front of him began to take more recognizable forms. There was of course, Farley, bounding and grappling tooth and claw with another creature. As best as Larry could make out, it appeared to be a wolf or something similar. Larry thought about running for help, but he was much too far from the main gates to reach them in time. Not to mention the fact that there was no guarantee that he could even lead anyone back to this one spot, and on top of that it was unlikely that anyone would even help him save his dog from a wild animal.
Worst still was the other thought that Larry had, mainly that he should just run away and leave Farley to his own fate. He could never face his wife Gertie once he got home if he left Farley like that. The dog meant too much to him and to her to not at least try to help. Larry drew his knife and attempted to steel himself enough to approach the fighting animals.
The situation was close to being taken out of his hands. Before Larry could think to approach closer, the two beasts carrie dtheir fight further into the mists away from him. Larry stood frozen for a few more moments before finally chancing a few steps forward. The growling and snapping continued on, the sound drifting further away until finally it died down with a single sharp yelp.
Larry stood frozen in concern and fear. He waiting silently for what seemed like an eternity, afraid to move for fear of discovering what may or may not have become of his canine companion. Slowly he found his voice again, and called, his voice barely a whisper, "... Farley?"
The ground crackled ahead of him. Again a scant twenty feet ahead of Larry, a shadowy form appeared. Larry gripped his knife tighter, his hand trembling as an indication of just how woefully equipped he was to do any sort of real fighting.
The shadowy form began a slow approach. Larry's arm poked forward as if he expected to cause damage to something by having it run into his knife by accident. But alas, that would not be the case.
From amidst the fog, the familiar form of Larry's dog Farley came into focus. The dog, its spirit as worn as its body, limped ahead weakly. Its body had several scratches and bite marks, most notably a large gash along its left side.
"Oh, Farley!" Larry practically dropped his knife as he ran to be at his friend's side. "What were you thinkin', fella? You didn't have to do that. Are you, okay, boy? What did that thing do to you?"
Farley whimpered quietly, struggling to move closer to his master but not able to make it due to his wounds. His body collapsed into a furry matted pile on the cold wet earth.
Larry fell to his knees, his eyes starting to mist from the emotion. His body began to tremble as he tried to tend to his fallen pet. His knife fell from his hands as he sought to stop the animal's bleeding. His hands moved forward, gently lifting the dog into his arms and bringing it close to his body.
"Don't you worry, boy..." Larry whispered. "I'm not going to let you... You're gonna be okay, boy. You're gonna be just fine." The animal whimpered in his arms. Larry felt the trembling of its furry body and the warmth of the blood flowing from its open wounds. And then, much to Larry's horror, he felt its teeth.
The attack was as viciousas it was sudden. The animal that he'd raised since it was a puppy had inexplicably rebelled. He tried to calm it with soothing words dripped in panic, but to no avail. The animal was beyond reconcile. Larry felt the claws of the beast gripping into his chest , its teeth driving themselves into his neck again. His flailing arms reached for the knife that he had just discarded, but it was too late. With a greusome snarl and brutal tearing at the man's neck, forceful attack was over. The man was mortally wounded.
Larry's body collapsed into a limp pile on the cold soil. His mind was adrift, spiralling through its final confused thoughts as the warm fluid of his life drained from his form. He thought of Gertie, the wife he would never see again and prayed for her happiness. He idly thought of the basket of roots and mushrooms that wouldn't go on sale today and prayed for the peddlers who would come up short. He found that thought in particular oddly comical and out of place given the one that had come prior to it. He prayed for the sick, the young, and even his enemies. And then finally, he prayed for his longtime companion Farley, and silently forgave him for losing control as he did. He was after all, just a foolish animal, and even if anyone found him he would surely be put down for having attcked his master as he did.
He could feel his last gasps coming. His body registered no pain, and he found himself at peace among nature. The gentle morning breeze gave him comfort. The cooling mist of the morning drifted away as the new day, his last day, began to start in earnest. Larry, through the haze of his mind, saw another shadow in the fog above him. A familiar shape that was followed by the familiar feeling of a furred paw upon his bloody chest. Gone was the bestial ferocity that had occurred just a few moments ago. All that seemed to remain was the last traces of loyalty between owner and master. The last pages of a tragedy of small scale, but a tradgedy noentheles.
Larry's mind swirled peacefully downward. The thought of reaching out and giving his pal a final pet. The random guess of which pie his wife would fix for Sunday dinner. His first kiss. His last confession. That little blinky gadget he could never get to work properly. Awake.
The dying man's senses were stunned by the sudden interjection. While he knew full well that his mind was practically dreaming itself to death, his heart pulsed one final sharp tone as he realized something far more disturbing. The last thoughts... the final thoughts of his life... were not his own. The paw on his chest began to press onto his heart with an awful, immeasurable weight as his thoughts once again began to speak on their own.
Finally... finally awake...
But for Larry, the burden of this terror would be fleeting. His body wounded, pressed and failing, Larry finally surrendered to what could have been a far more merciful death. In the woods outside of the city, drifting just past the safety of the gates and the within earshot of the walls, a shadow in the fog howled omninously, its scream drifting into the early morning light and changing... changing into something far more ominous.
(Ooo-oooooh! But the rest of it isn't nearly as creepy as all that. Note this is just a draft. It's all just a draft. But this part felt like it was put together well enough to show the curious public. With any luck, I'll feel up to showing more of it later.)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
NaNo: Day 16 Update
Okay. I got things rolling today my word count is just under 23K, but I'm going to count it as 23K because I can pretty much drop the 50 words I need to get there right after I hit enter on this bad boy. Today was good because I really got some wordage in. Furthermore, I feel like I might just be able to get that much done again a few more time. If so, then I'll be able to do this thing.
Booyaka, baby!
Somewhere in the next day or two, I'm going to try to post a snippet or two. But only if I can find a good section (I.E. one I don't need to edit to kingdom come to be legible).
Booyaka, baby!
Somewhere in the next day or two, I'm going to try to post a snippet or two. But only if I can find a good section (I.E. one I don't need to edit to kingdom come to be legible).
"The father of the boy that does not win..."
In a brilliant display of athletic prowess, two NFL teams today showed that proving who was the better team isn't always an acheivable goal.
Yes, the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles combined for 26 points and were nice enough to split them evenly among themselves. While I'm sure there were plenty of lowlights to be had, my favorite snippet of the day came from Philly QB Donovan McNabb coutesy of ESPN:
"I didn't know that," said McNabb, who played a leading role in keeping it tied. "I've never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately with the rules, we settled with a tie."
Yeah, Donovan. It was the rules that failed you in this game. But in his defense, it's not unreasonable to think that he wasn't aware of it. After all, most games have a team that's capable of scoring at least 2 points in the course of 15 minutes. Why you seemed to think that you needed another chance to redeem yourself after having to fail so many times prior to that, I'll never know.
Then again, I do have trouble imagining that no one on the sideline pointed out a tie was imminent. I'm sure there was a geek somewhere oover there that should have been spreading the info around. That third string receiver that nobody really talks to... pay attention to him when he's pulling on your sleeve next time. He might have something to say that you'll want to hear.
But hats off to the Bengals and Eagles. There were no losers in that game you guys played. Except, of course, for any fans that managed to watch it.
Yes, the Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles combined for 26 points and were nice enough to split them evenly among themselves. While I'm sure there were plenty of lowlights to be had, my favorite snippet of the day came from Philly QB Donovan McNabb coutesy of ESPN:
"I didn't know that," said McNabb, who played a leading role in keeping it tied. "I've never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately with the rules, we settled with a tie."
Yeah, Donovan. It was the rules that failed you in this game. But in his defense, it's not unreasonable to think that he wasn't aware of it. After all, most games have a team that's capable of scoring at least 2 points in the course of 15 minutes. Why you seemed to think that you needed another chance to redeem yourself after having to fail so many times prior to that, I'll never know.
Then again, I do have trouble imagining that no one on the sideline pointed out a tie was imminent. I'm sure there was a geek somewhere oover there that should have been spreading the info around. That third string receiver that nobody really talks to... pay attention to him when he's pulling on your sleeve next time. He might have something to say that you'll want to hear.
But hats off to the Bengals and Eagles. There were no losers in that game you guys played. Except, of course, for any fans that managed to watch it.
Wanda at Large... Indeed.
So, I'm sitting on a slow news day, as usual, and something inevitably comes out of the blue and clobbers me. Case in point, in the aftermath of the Prop 8 vote in California, Wanda Sykes has decided to come out in favor of gay marriage. Actually, she's decided to come out. Period. Here she is at a rally speaking her mind:
This falls in pace withan old familiar pattern with me. Because unlike every woman in America who is lying, I actually do find a sense of humor attractive. Which is why I am almost bummed to run into of female comedians that I have found in some way attractive only to find out later that they are lesbians. But it's not like I had a real shot with her to begin with it, so it's not a huge loss.
(Thanks to Sam Johnson for the news link above. You're my buddy, and I commiserate with you and point that although we both had no shot, you had even less of one. Because even in a girl-on-girl world, the lure of the Mocha King still eclipses all other males.)
This falls in pace withan old familiar pattern with me. Because unlike every woman in America who is lying, I actually do find a sense of humor attractive. Which is why I am almost bummed to run into of female comedians that I have found in some way attractive only to find out later that they are lesbians. But it's not like I had a real shot with her to begin with it, so it's not a huge loss.
(Thanks to Sam Johnson for the news link above. You're my buddy, and I commiserate with you and point that although we both had no shot, you had even less of one. Because even in a girl-on-girl world, the lure of the Mocha King still eclipses all other males.)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Strike! And Strike! And Strike Again!
Anyone that knows me knows that I'm not a big fan of college football. I'll watch a good game if it's on and I have nothing else to do (when do I ever?), but I don't follow it religiously. I did, however, happen to catch something that I thought was very cool this morning.
ESPN College GameDay, which always does remote shows Saturday morning at various sites, did their show this morning from the campus of Florida A&M University.
This is great to me for two reasons. First, FAMU just happens to be my alma mater, so it's cool to see the school on the big screen and in a national spotlight. Second, it's the first time in the history of GameDay that they've done the show from the campus of an HBCU. That's any HBCU. And while some may argue it was just because it was a slow week nationally, I'm quick to point out that they could have just as easily drove the mile and a half down the street they would have needed to to hang out at Florida State. So kudos to ESPN and the gang.
And for fans of GameDay that know that Lee Corso puts on a mascot head at the end of every show, I'm sure that you can understand why I found this moment at the end to be particularly satisfying.
And since Lee the added snake strike, I feel contractually obligated to add this:
ESPN College GameDay, which always does remote shows Saturday morning at various sites, did their show this morning from the campus of Florida A&M University.
This is great to me for two reasons. First, FAMU just happens to be my alma mater, so it's cool to see the school on the big screen and in a national spotlight. Second, it's the first time in the history of GameDay that they've done the show from the campus of an HBCU. That's any HBCU. And while some may argue it was just because it was a slow week nationally, I'm quick to point out that they could have just as easily drove the mile and a half down the street they would have needed to to hang out at Florida State. So kudos to ESPN and the gang.
And for fans of GameDay that know that Lee Corso puts on a mascot head at the end of every show, I'm sure that you can understand why I found this moment at the end to be particularly satisfying.
And since Lee the added snake strike, I feel contractually obligated to add this:
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday Night Nonsense
Submitted for your Friday viewing pleasure, a snippet of something that actually aired on Comedy Central today. Tenacious D at their finest. Search for Part 1 if you'd like, but Part 2 is where all the action is.
And then, simply because I can... Japanese Bruce Willis.
Why must Japan make everything better?
And then, simply because I can... Japanese Bruce Willis.
Why must Japan make everything better?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
HouseTV: Chase: Not Exactly Logan's Run...
...although a palm crystal really would have been overkill.
So this Tuesday, the SciFi Channel premiered their new reality game show Chase. The show touts itself as a real life video game, and in truth it's probably about as close as you can get to one. While I watched it primarily out of morbid curiosity, I ended finding the show oddly compelling.
The premise is simple enough. The entire thing is basically a grown up game of Tag on crack. Ten contestants called Runners are set loose on the selected "game board" in an attempt to win money. They win money by finding money flags along the routes and by evading the Hunters, people designed to track down and capture the Runners, which they do by "tagging" them (like I said, Tag on crack).
It's these Hunters that make the show entertaining. Each one has a specialty, be it speed running, agility, endurance, or stealth. There's even one that's only job is to act as a spotter, calling in the location of Runners to the other Hunters but unable to capture them himself. Each Hunter roams around the board in shades and a suit. Yes, they look like rejects from The Matrix, but there's a reason people dug that film.
Furthermore, the Hunters literally prowl the game board like drones or zombies until they find a Runner, at which point they take off in a full blown sprint towads them. The myriad of "I'm okay, I'm okay... Oh, **** he sees me!" moments are more than worth the price of admission.
Also entertaining is the small arsenal of items that the Runners can pick up along the course of the game. My personal favorite is the Deflector, which automatically forces a Hunter to reverse direction. This is made more entertaining by the Hunters, who on cue stop their chase, turn, and walk away as if they'd never seen the person they were just stalking.
But lest we forget the Runners, who are supposed to be the true stars of the show. They're good for only one thing: the epic ways in which they fail. Yes, this is one of those shows where the true joy is not in witnessing the success, but in mocking the failure. Players will trust each other even though there's no reason to. Players will have the genius notion to hide somewhere even if it doesn't really benefit them. Players will fail to read their maps properly, lose their maps, waste their scarce supply of tools, and any number of other miscues that make you point and laugh. All while being stalked by men (and women) in black.
I'm not saying set your TiVo or anything, but if you happen to have a free hour and it happens to be on Chase is bound to be a pointless distraction for your life.
So this Tuesday, the SciFi Channel premiered their new reality game show Chase. The show touts itself as a real life video game, and in truth it's probably about as close as you can get to one. While I watched it primarily out of morbid curiosity, I ended finding the show oddly compelling.
The premise is simple enough. The entire thing is basically a grown up game of Tag on crack. Ten contestants called Runners are set loose on the selected "game board" in an attempt to win money. They win money by finding money flags along the routes and by evading the Hunters, people designed to track down and capture the Runners, which they do by "tagging" them (like I said, Tag on crack).
It's these Hunters that make the show entertaining. Each one has a specialty, be it speed running, agility, endurance, or stealth. There's even one that's only job is to act as a spotter, calling in the location of Runners to the other Hunters but unable to capture them himself. Each Hunter roams around the board in shades and a suit. Yes, they look like rejects from The Matrix, but there's a reason people dug that film.
Furthermore, the Hunters literally prowl the game board like drones or zombies until they find a Runner, at which point they take off in a full blown sprint towads them. The myriad of "I'm okay, I'm okay... Oh, **** he sees me!" moments are more than worth the price of admission.
Also entertaining is the small arsenal of items that the Runners can pick up along the course of the game. My personal favorite is the Deflector, which automatically forces a Hunter to reverse direction. This is made more entertaining by the Hunters, who on cue stop their chase, turn, and walk away as if they'd never seen the person they were just stalking.
But lest we forget the Runners, who are supposed to be the true stars of the show. They're good for only one thing: the epic ways in which they fail. Yes, this is one of those shows where the true joy is not in witnessing the success, but in mocking the failure. Players will trust each other even though there's no reason to. Players will have the genius notion to hide somewhere even if it doesn't really benefit them. Players will fail to read their maps properly, lose their maps, waste their scarce supply of tools, and any number of other miscues that make you point and laugh. All while being stalked by men (and women) in black.
I'm not saying set your TiVo or anything, but if you happen to have a free hour and it happens to be on Chase is bound to be a pointless distraction for your life.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Reasons to be Done With Fast Food (Part 7)
(I'm going with a smaller font, because this might take a while.)
I know this is technically the first post I've made on the subject, but I assure you that 1) there had to have been no less than 6 other events in my life that should have convinced me that it was a good idea to quit it and B) there is no way on earth that you'd actually want me to recount all of those stories. For starters, some of them are horribly boring.
But this story involves this afternoon, and why not even the lure of the almighty barbeque glory will get me to revisit a certain store again in the near future.
First, the backstory. There are several seasonal things that occur in life that always grab my attention. Some grab it obssessively so, and most revolve around some sort of foodstuff. Of the many things I become incredibly excited over are the return of egg nog to store shelves in November (an event counterbalanced by the sadness of its departure almost exactly at midnight January 1st) and... the McRib.
Now I know that the McRib is not a quality sandwich. It's probably more hip or foot than rib (assuming that it's even meat to begin with) and there are any number of barbeque sandwiches that would be considered better. Still, for reasons I can't fully comprehend, I truly enjoy the "limited time only" that the McRib exists on the McDonald's menu. Perhaps it's the memories of being treated to the specialty sandwich as a child (I have similar memories of the McDLT) or even the pitch offered by the stores themselves (the signs proudly proclaim "McRib is back", which sounds like the start of a great blaxploitation movie, by the way).
So it is with great joy that today, having encountered the perfect combination of availability, global postioning, and hunger, that I found myself at the McDonald's on Victory and Montgomery. Mind you, I don't stop there often; I much prefer the other stores to begin with. But it is the closest McD's to my house, and it gives me the opportunity, upon leaving, to have a near straight shot to said house. Yes, I am that lazy.
For whatever reason (let's call it that laziness thing I just referenced), I decided to make use of the drive thru. There are several reasons I tend not to do this, the most prevalent being that entering the building tends to give you some idea of who might be working there and in what environment. Sometimes all it takes is the right eye contact to convice you that maybe a PB&J at the house is a better idea. But we forge on here, since my love of McRib is worth the risk.
So I'm at the drive thru speaker, and I get prompted for my order. I, of course, order a McRib extra value meal (but what a Shamaylanian twist it would have been if I hadn't, huh?). The young man coming through the speaker then asks me the question that is the cornerstone of this story:
"Medium or Large?"
Now, I should note that I really couldn't care at all about fries or a soda at this juncture. I'm getting them just because it's cheaper to pick them up, and I can almost convince myself that this passes as a real meal. It's at this point that I opt to go for the Medium, because hey, it's not like I need to go large on this one.
I'm halfway to picking my beverage of choice when I look at the LED screen (provided, by the way, to allow you to check your order, and notice that the cost seems to be higher than I had guesstimated. The reason? From looking at the screen, my guess would be this: "1 MCRIB ML-LRG". Now, I'd like to think that LRG stood for "Looking Really Good", but I know that it stands for Large. So I go against my natural instinct not to raise too big of a fuss at a drive thru (because I know I can't see what anyone's doing in the building there), and I ask.
"You do have that as a medium, right?"
"Yes, it's a medium."
Now I know the kid is full of crap, because I'm looking right at the screen and it's saying that it's a large. It's also saying that I owe them 50 cents more than I expected to pay, which is aggravating me to no end. But again, this is about the McRib. So I suck it up, and decide to ask about it when I drive around to the first window. The conversation goes something like this:
"That'll be $5.61."
"Are you sure that's a medium and not a large?"
"Yes."
"Because the screen back there said it was a large, and this costs more than the medium."
"... $5.61."
At this point, I'm incredulous. I'm actually in a zen state where I cannot conceive that the events that happened just happened. I understand fully how the Jedi mind trick works now, since I was so stunned that I paid the poor kid and pulled ahead. So now I'm at the pick-up window, and I get my food, and... big surprise here... large fries, large drink.
At this point, I don't particularly care that it's a large. All I need is for someone to tell me that I'm not crazy. So I ask the guy at the second window if this is a medium or a large. He tells me, of course, that it's a large. I tell him that I asked for and was told that I had a medium. He tells me that he can refund me difference.
Now I know that in theory that would be fair compensation, but I don't want fair compensation at this point. I don't particularly care that I bought more than I actually wanted to (it's just 50 cents, and I can actually afford that). What I care about is that in the back of the store is some kid who either is so woefully trained that he can't find the right button to press on the register or so blatantly deceitful that he's upsizing people for no reason. That, and the fact that I'm the only one that seems to care about the fact that this kid effectively called me a liar by insisting that he was right.
So Kudos, you wacky McDonald's. For screwing me out of 50 cents when all you had to do is admit that you were so very wrong and that I'm not stupid, you earn the right to have me not stop at your restaurant in the near future. That's right. You've lost all of my McRib business. I'd rather pick up one at some further away location and have to reheat it at my house than give you any more business. But thank you for giving me yet another... Reason to Be Done... With Fast Food!
I know this is technically the first post I've made on the subject, but I assure you that 1) there had to have been no less than 6 other events in my life that should have convinced me that it was a good idea to quit it and B) there is no way on earth that you'd actually want me to recount all of those stories. For starters, some of them are horribly boring.
But this story involves this afternoon, and why not even the lure of the almighty barbeque glory will get me to revisit a certain store again in the near future.
First, the backstory. There are several seasonal things that occur in life that always grab my attention. Some grab it obssessively so, and most revolve around some sort of foodstuff. Of the many things I become incredibly excited over are the return of egg nog to store shelves in November (an event counterbalanced by the sadness of its departure almost exactly at midnight January 1st) and... the McRib.
Now I know that the McRib is not a quality sandwich. It's probably more hip or foot than rib (assuming that it's even meat to begin with) and there are any number of barbeque sandwiches that would be considered better. Still, for reasons I can't fully comprehend, I truly enjoy the "limited time only" that the McRib exists on the McDonald's menu. Perhaps it's the memories of being treated to the specialty sandwich as a child (I have similar memories of the McDLT) or even the pitch offered by the stores themselves (the signs proudly proclaim "McRib is back", which sounds like the start of a great blaxploitation movie, by the way).
So it is with great joy that today, having encountered the perfect combination of availability, global postioning, and hunger, that I found myself at the McDonald's on Victory and Montgomery. Mind you, I don't stop there often; I much prefer the other stores to begin with. But it is the closest McD's to my house, and it gives me the opportunity, upon leaving, to have a near straight shot to said house. Yes, I am that lazy.
For whatever reason (let's call it that laziness thing I just referenced), I decided to make use of the drive thru. There are several reasons I tend not to do this, the most prevalent being that entering the building tends to give you some idea of who might be working there and in what environment. Sometimes all it takes is the right eye contact to convice you that maybe a PB&J at the house is a better idea. But we forge on here, since my love of McRib is worth the risk.
So I'm at the drive thru speaker, and I get prompted for my order. I, of course, order a McRib extra value meal (but what a Shamaylanian twist it would have been if I hadn't, huh?). The young man coming through the speaker then asks me the question that is the cornerstone of this story:
"Medium or Large?"
Now, I should note that I really couldn't care at all about fries or a soda at this juncture. I'm getting them just because it's cheaper to pick them up, and I can almost convince myself that this passes as a real meal. It's at this point that I opt to go for the Medium, because hey, it's not like I need to go large on this one.
I'm halfway to picking my beverage of choice when I look at the LED screen (provided, by the way, to allow you to check your order, and notice that the cost seems to be higher than I had guesstimated. The reason? From looking at the screen, my guess would be this: "1 MCRIB ML-LRG". Now, I'd like to think that LRG stood for "Looking Really Good", but I know that it stands for Large. So I go against my natural instinct not to raise too big of a fuss at a drive thru (because I know I can't see what anyone's doing in the building there), and I ask.
"You do have that as a medium, right?"
"Yes, it's a medium."
Now I know the kid is full of crap, because I'm looking right at the screen and it's saying that it's a large. It's also saying that I owe them 50 cents more than I expected to pay, which is aggravating me to no end. But again, this is about the McRib. So I suck it up, and decide to ask about it when I drive around to the first window. The conversation goes something like this:
"That'll be $5.61."
"Are you sure that's a medium and not a large?"
"Yes."
"Because the screen back there said it was a large, and this costs more than the medium."
"... $5.61."
At this point, I'm incredulous. I'm actually in a zen state where I cannot conceive that the events that happened just happened. I understand fully how the Jedi mind trick works now, since I was so stunned that I paid the poor kid and pulled ahead. So now I'm at the pick-up window, and I get my food, and... big surprise here... large fries, large drink.
At this point, I don't particularly care that it's a large. All I need is for someone to tell me that I'm not crazy. So I ask the guy at the second window if this is a medium or a large. He tells me, of course, that it's a large. I tell him that I asked for and was told that I had a medium. He tells me that he can refund me difference.
Now I know that in theory that would be fair compensation, but I don't want fair compensation at this point. I don't particularly care that I bought more than I actually wanted to (it's just 50 cents, and I can actually afford that). What I care about is that in the back of the store is some kid who either is so woefully trained that he can't find the right button to press on the register or so blatantly deceitful that he's upsizing people for no reason. That, and the fact that I'm the only one that seems to care about the fact that this kid effectively called me a liar by insisting that he was right.
So Kudos, you wacky McDonald's. For screwing me out of 50 cents when all you had to do is admit that you were so very wrong and that I'm not stupid, you earn the right to have me not stop at your restaurant in the near future. That's right. You've lost all of my McRib business. I'd rather pick up one at some further away location and have to reheat it at my house than give you any more business. But thank you for giving me yet another... Reason to Be Done... With Fast Food!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Nano: Day 11 Update
Okay, so it's day 11. By anyone's sensible schedule, I should be a good third of a way through my project.
I'm just under 14,000 words.
I know, it looks terrible. But you have to remember I'm working from in a hole. A hole that still threatens to swallow me, but I'm going to keep fighting this one. My big plus is that I have a huge amount of free time over the next two weeks, so hopefully I can bridge the gap here. If not, well then I'll just have made more headway with my writing than I've ever made before. And that's worth something, too. But I'm not giving up yet. Not by a long shot.
I'm just under 14,000 words.
I know, it looks terrible. But you have to remember I'm working from in a hole. A hole that still threatens to swallow me, but I'm going to keep fighting this one. My big plus is that I have a huge amount of free time over the next two weeks, so hopefully I can bridge the gap here. If not, well then I'll just have made more headway with my writing than I've ever made before. And that's worth something, too. But I'm not giving up yet. Not by a long shot.
HouseTV: Ninja Advisory
As many people should know, I'm a big fan of televised insanity. As those same people will probably know, I am a huge fan of Ninja Warrior. G4TV's adopted Japanese import of the show Sasuke has its own crazed and deranged fan base here in the states.
What I love about the show is that it basically writes itself. 100 competitors of various ages, occupations, and levels of physical condition run the obstacle course from hell. Four stages of progressively more greuling challenges that most of the course runners never even see.
Sure, there are many other shows that embrace the concept. Most recently, the US show Wipeout did a pretty good job of garnering my attention for the summer (and hopefully many more to come). But what makes Ninja Warrior stand out from the others is that despite the humor that shows up, the show takes itself seriously.
Sure, there are any number of competitors that are there merely to evoke laughs (some classic legends never make it past the first obstacle). But there are also the elite of the elite - the All-Stars. Repeat performers whose personal stories are just as intriguing as the course itself. Shingo Yamamoto, a man who can track the course of his carrer at a gas station (from attendant to manager) through his course appearances. Shiratori, Nagano, and the tradgedy that is Yamada... the all have a place in my heart. And to this day, I occasionally will still scream, "Paul Hamm!" as loud as humanly possible.
The only downside to the series is that it covers a competition that lasts for one day and occurs (at best) semi-annually. That means that after just a few months of wacthing the show, you can theoretically watch every single torunament that has ever happened (since each tournament covers only 2-5 episodes on average). So, having sadly caught up completely with all of the episodes, my only solace comes from when there is a new tournament in Japan. G4, in their infinite wisdom, bottles up each and every episode from said tournaments and airs them in one big money shot that they call Ninja Fest.
And said Fest... occurs tomorrow.
I want to tell you that I'm not a sucker for this, but I am. And on top of it, not only is there an American Ninja special that covers the adventures of the American challengers sent by G4 ("There's four this time, so one of them's bound to have a personality!"), but Attack of the Show (which I've already stated is a guilty pleasure of mine) is doing a one-hour special that they filmed in Japan. On top of that, both Kevin and Olivia are supposed to attack the Ninja Warrior course.
I don't think I can sell this any more than I have now. Four and a half hours of Japanese stuff, followed by some American guys breaking things with their bare hands. What more do you want out of life? Tivo the Knight Rider for just this one night and check it out. Or do the opposite like I probably will. But make sure to check it out.
What I love about the show is that it basically writes itself. 100 competitors of various ages, occupations, and levels of physical condition run the obstacle course from hell. Four stages of progressively more greuling challenges that most of the course runners never even see.
Sure, there are many other shows that embrace the concept. Most recently, the US show Wipeout did a pretty good job of garnering my attention for the summer (and hopefully many more to come). But what makes Ninja Warrior stand out from the others is that despite the humor that shows up, the show takes itself seriously.
Sure, there are any number of competitors that are there merely to evoke laughs (some classic legends never make it past the first obstacle). But there are also the elite of the elite - the All-Stars. Repeat performers whose personal stories are just as intriguing as the course itself. Shingo Yamamoto, a man who can track the course of his carrer at a gas station (from attendant to manager) through his course appearances. Shiratori, Nagano, and the tradgedy that is Yamada... the all have a place in my heart. And to this day, I occasionally will still scream, "Paul Hamm!" as loud as humanly possible.
The only downside to the series is that it covers a competition that lasts for one day and occurs (at best) semi-annually. That means that after just a few months of wacthing the show, you can theoretically watch every single torunament that has ever happened (since each tournament covers only 2-5 episodes on average). So, having sadly caught up completely with all of the episodes, my only solace comes from when there is a new tournament in Japan. G4, in their infinite wisdom, bottles up each and every episode from said tournaments and airs them in one big money shot that they call Ninja Fest.
And said Fest... occurs tomorrow.
I want to tell you that I'm not a sucker for this, but I am. And on top of it, not only is there an American Ninja special that covers the adventures of the American challengers sent by G4 ("There's four this time, so one of them's bound to have a personality!"), but Attack of the Show (which I've already stated is a guilty pleasure of mine) is doing a one-hour special that they filmed in Japan. On top of that, both Kevin and Olivia are supposed to attack the Ninja Warrior course.
I don't think I can sell this any more than I have now. Four and a half hours of Japanese stuff, followed by some American guys breaking things with their bare hands. What more do you want out of life? Tivo the Knight Rider for just this one night and check it out. Or do the opposite like I probably will. But make sure to check it out.
Monday, November 10, 2008
I Really Do Wish It Was Longer...
In a noble effort to end the day on a positive (if not disturbing note), I decided that it was time to revisit an old classic. This has almost nothing to do with Sam costing me another week of my sanity by reminding me of this song's appearance on Family Guy.
So now, I present to some and introduce to others a little ditty from Lamb Chop's Playalong, a show that was refreshingly entertaining for a kid's show.
A few things to note. First, don't fault me for having watched this show. It came on back in the days before I had 8,000 channels of cable to go through, and many days it was either this or a soap opera (we won't discuss the period where I was obsessed with soap operas, especially since it may, at times, include now).
Second, I found myself inpressed with the production effort for this ending. My favorite part? Shari Lewis inexplicably assaulted by the children she would call her friends, seemingly on the verge of being pulled apart. DC Comics would later use this as the basis for Final Crisis, with this song as the true form of the Anti-Life Equation.
Last but not least, I cannot for the life of me figure out why so many people on YouTube inexplicably misname this as "The Song That Never Ends". They only sing the title 7 times.
And yes, I did count it.
So now, I present to some and introduce to others a little ditty from Lamb Chop's Playalong, a show that was refreshingly entertaining for a kid's show.
A few things to note. First, don't fault me for having watched this show. It came on back in the days before I had 8,000 channels of cable to go through, and many days it was either this or a soap opera (we won't discuss the period where I was obsessed with soap operas, especially since it may, at times, include now).
Second, I found myself inpressed with the production effort for this ending. My favorite part? Shari Lewis inexplicably assaulted by the children she would call her friends, seemingly on the verge of being pulled apart. DC Comics would later use this as the basis for Final Crisis, with this song as the true form of the Anti-Life Equation.
Last but not least, I cannot for the life of me figure out why so many people on YouTube inexplicably misname this as "The Song That Never Ends". They only sing the title 7 times.
And yes, I did count it.
What a Great Monday.
Sarcasm intended.
First of all, I have to go into work on my vacation day to handle something that only I can handle (ah, the joys of promotions). This ends up taking the better part of morning, and is not counting the entire day (still from my vacation time) that I'll have to spend Thursday conducting interviews.
But on top of that, after I've finally managed to unwind a little, I go to drop by the site of my favorite miniatures game HeroClix and read this. Long story short, the game's kaput. And while sales and such gives it a chance to be picked up by some other company, there's absolutely no telling what they'll decide to do with it or when, if anything.
I want to say I'm broken up about it, but I'm actually okay. Sensible people have always known that this could happen, and most can accept that the game has had a more than viable run for more years than some games can ever hope to have. Still, I can't help but feel like somewhere in the next day or so, I'm going to have one of these moments:
I better stay away from fragile objects.
First of all, I have to go into work on my vacation day to handle something that only I can handle (ah, the joys of promotions). This ends up taking the better part of morning, and is not counting the entire day (still from my vacation time) that I'll have to spend Thursday conducting interviews.
But on top of that, after I've finally managed to unwind a little, I go to drop by the site of my favorite miniatures game HeroClix and read this. Long story short, the game's kaput. And while sales and such gives it a chance to be picked up by some other company, there's absolutely no telling what they'll decide to do with it or when, if anything.
I want to say I'm broken up about it, but I'm actually okay. Sensible people have always known that this could happen, and most can accept that the game has had a more than viable run for more years than some games can ever hope to have. Still, I can't help but feel like somewhere in the next day or so, I'm going to have one of these moments:
I better stay away from fragile objects.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
"Venting the Plasma" on the Upcoming Presidency
In the spirit of my associate Sam Johnson, his associate (who will hopefully be my associate at some point, too) Ivan, and no doubt any number of other people who are in the same boat, I'm going to attempt to turn the page on any major poilitcal ramblings for a while. I'm going to go one last round with all of this stuff, and then hopefully be done with it for a good long while. Yeah, hope springs eternal.
Now, speaking of hope... I'm about to speak to all of my fellow Obama supporters. We've all had proper time to celebrate, reflect, contemplate what has happened and what will happen. I hope that you're still feeling good, but this is the part where I speak to the people that should know better.
Obama is not going to change everything. The man himself has said that much, and it should be pretty obvious. When he gets into office, he's going to have his hands full just trying to keep things afloat. Over the course of this term (and possibly, hopefully the next) I'd like to believe that there's going to be some change. And you most definitely are going to see it. But this bizzare notion that things like racism, discrimnation, and having to listen to "white folks" is out the window because the man was elected is not only ridiculous, but makes us all look bad by comparison. (And by "us", I mean Obama supporters, not just people on my side of the Mocha Line).
If you do want to walk with a little more swagger in your step, so be it. It's your moment, it's your time, it's your right. But please, please remember that you have no special exemption/protection from idiots and small-minded people on the other side of the fence (this is especially true for anyone in my neck of the woods in the Deep South).
Now then, I'd like to take a minute or two to talk to all the people who supported that other guy. First, I know you're disappointed. That's only fair. But life goes on, and there are worse things in the world than not being in the majority of a popular vote (and yeah yeah, not truly popular, electoral college, etc. etc...). Now is the time to do as your candidate told you and give your support to the man that has been elected. That's my message to the rational part of this group.
Now, for the other part of the group that, like I stated in my earlier breakdown, should know better. First of all, take a deep breath. There yet? Take another one. All right. Feeling a little better? Good.
Now suck it up, and deal.
I get that you bought into the hype, and you somehow think that the country is coming to an end. Get over it. The only reason the country hasn't gone completely in the crapper yet is because even with all of his power and influence, the President can only do so much damage from the White House. That you somehow instantly think that this man (and yes, he's just a man like you or me; not some secret Muslim (like that would matter) or hidden monster (where do you get this **** from?) or whatever) will run the country through a worse crap-storm than it's already in amazes me.
But even if you did, the fact remains that he was elected. He will be the President, and you might as well embrace that. Saying that he's "not your President" means that either you don't believe in the democratic system that you claim is your heart and soul or that you only believe in it when it does what you want it to. That's a great thing to teach the children of the country, by the way.
So deal with it. Mope if you must. Groan quietly if you have to. But please stop acting like this is the single worst thing that's ever happened in life, because when you do with little to no basis for it, it just exposes how shallow you can be. Give the man a chance to do the job before you start up with all the negativity and every talking point you've willingly swallowed the past few months.
And if you really can't do that, and embracing President Obama is something you truly can't deal with... you know where the exits are. You have Canada, Mexico, or your choice of oceans. Don't let the country hit you in the @$$ on the way out. (That's the single meanest thing I hope I ever have to say with regards to this matter.)
I think that may have done it. I'm going to try to stick out of the main issue at least until Obama's term starts. Wait, one more thing. The next person that tries to point out to me the percentage of white people that "voted for Obama, too" as if I or anyone else owes them a thank you card will taste a blazing fist. You'll hear the "Shin-" the "Shouryu-" and then possibly if you have enough life bar left, you'll hear the "Ken" right before the screen starts flashing.
Have hope, people. And don't fear change so much. There. Now I'm done.
Now, speaking of hope... I'm about to speak to all of my fellow Obama supporters. We've all had proper time to celebrate, reflect, contemplate what has happened and what will happen. I hope that you're still feeling good, but this is the part where I speak to the people that should know better.
Obama is not going to change everything. The man himself has said that much, and it should be pretty obvious. When he gets into office, he's going to have his hands full just trying to keep things afloat. Over the course of this term (and possibly, hopefully the next) I'd like to believe that there's going to be some change. And you most definitely are going to see it. But this bizzare notion that things like racism, discrimnation, and having to listen to "white folks" is out the window because the man was elected is not only ridiculous, but makes us all look bad by comparison. (And by "us", I mean Obama supporters, not just people on my side of the Mocha Line).
If you do want to walk with a little more swagger in your step, so be it. It's your moment, it's your time, it's your right. But please, please remember that you have no special exemption/protection from idiots and small-minded people on the other side of the fence (this is especially true for anyone in my neck of the woods in the Deep South).
Now then, I'd like to take a minute or two to talk to all the people who supported that other guy. First, I know you're disappointed. That's only fair. But life goes on, and there are worse things in the world than not being in the majority of a popular vote (and yeah yeah, not truly popular, electoral college, etc. etc...). Now is the time to do as your candidate told you and give your support to the man that has been elected. That's my message to the rational part of this group.
Now, for the other part of the group that, like I stated in my earlier breakdown, should know better. First of all, take a deep breath. There yet? Take another one. All right. Feeling a little better? Good.
Now suck it up, and deal.
I get that you bought into the hype, and you somehow think that the country is coming to an end. Get over it. The only reason the country hasn't gone completely in the crapper yet is because even with all of his power and influence, the President can only do so much damage from the White House. That you somehow instantly think that this man (and yes, he's just a man like you or me; not some secret Muslim (like that would matter) or hidden monster (where do you get this **** from?) or whatever) will run the country through a worse crap-storm than it's already in amazes me.
But even if you did, the fact remains that he was elected. He will be the President, and you might as well embrace that. Saying that he's "not your President" means that either you don't believe in the democratic system that you claim is your heart and soul or that you only believe in it when it does what you want it to. That's a great thing to teach the children of the country, by the way.
So deal with it. Mope if you must. Groan quietly if you have to. But please stop acting like this is the single worst thing that's ever happened in life, because when you do with little to no basis for it, it just exposes how shallow you can be. Give the man a chance to do the job before you start up with all the negativity and every talking point you've willingly swallowed the past few months.
And if you really can't do that, and embracing President Obama is something you truly can't deal with... you know where the exits are. You have Canada, Mexico, or your choice of oceans. Don't let the country hit you in the @$$ on the way out. (That's the single meanest thing I hope I ever have to say with regards to this matter.)
I think that may have done it. I'm going to try to stick out of the main issue at least until Obama's term starts. Wait, one more thing. The next person that tries to point out to me the percentage of white people that "voted for Obama, too" as if I or anyone else owes them a thank you card will taste a blazing fist. You'll hear the "Shin-" the "Shouryu-" and then possibly if you have enough life bar left, you'll hear the "Ken" right before the screen starts flashing.
Have hope, people. And don't fear change so much. There. Now I'm done.
Did I Just Hear That?: Anime Edition
I just happened to be up at 2:30 in the morning.
For some reason, I decided watching Shin Chan for the first time in over a year was a good idea.
Now I know that most schools of thought seem to think that the human soul is effectiely indestructible, but I feel part of mine burned off while watching this shizzle.
I need balm. Balm... for my soul.
For some reason, I decided watching Shin Chan for the first time in over a year was a good idea.
Now I know that most schools of thought seem to think that the human soul is effectiely indestructible, but I feel part of mine burned off while watching this shizzle.
I need balm. Balm... for my soul.
Friday, November 7, 2008
How Could I Forget?
Seriously, I knew I forgot to mention something about today. The most important part about the day. The part that made me go and do a search so that I could dig this song up:
Yeah, even after having just come home from a party and bootlegging extra cake on top of it, I still almost forgot to mention on the blog that I'm taking such care to find things to post on everyday that today is my freaking birthday!
I have to admit that I was sorely tempted to go with this version of the song, if only for the joy of the alternative imagery. It's nice to see MC Chris in front of the camera. That's exactly what I meant. It's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
(And I certainly hope that the song's implication that I'm a robot in no way influences anyone's betting on my fight with the dragon. Which is still tenative, and may not happen at all.)
Yeah, even after having just come home from a party and bootlegging extra cake on top of it, I still almost forgot to mention on the blog that I'm taking such care to find things to post on everyday that today is my freaking birthday!
I have to admit that I was sorely tempted to go with this version of the song, if only for the joy of the alternative imagery. It's nice to see MC Chris in front of the camera. That's exactly what I meant. It's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
(And I certainly hope that the song's implication that I'm a robot in no way influences anyone's betting on my fight with the dragon. Which is still tenative, and may not happen at all.)
Made of Win.
I know that I haven't posted anything else thus far today. And to be honest, I may not post anything else the rest of the night, either. But as sure as post this, provide a link, and know full well the people who may show up to read this (the number of which I can likely count on one hand), I think... nay, I know... that I have won the night with this one.
Ladies, gentleman, other assorted creatures... I give you... Super Obama World.
Yeah. Yeah.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Day in Review
I spent most of the day just checking out a few shows of note and seeing how they were reacting to things. I checked out the Daily Show/Colbert's Election Special. Granted, it was just a smidge anti-climactic seeing it after the fact, but there were a few good bits there. In particular, it was entertaining to see Stephen Colbert interact with John and the rest of the Daily Show crew. It's almost like he's a guest star or something, but in a good way. It also makes you appreciate that Stephen does most of his show with almost no on camera support (he, of course, has the same corps of writers).
Much like fellow blogger Sam Johnson, I found myself hopelessly intrigued by what The View would offer up today. And boy, howdy. Sherri Shepherd had a breakdown just talking about the whole thing. Whoopi talked about how she cried the night before. Then Barbara talked about how she cried the morning after while seeing a clip of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech... then she showed a clip from said speech and dang!
And that was just the first fifteen minutes.
Elizabeth took a cue from John McCain and was disturbingly calm and congenial the entire show, and said she planned to support the new president. So if everyone follows The View's pattern, we'll all be one big happy family sometime in the next few days. And then suddenly, we'll be boring and no one will care about us anymore.
Then, of course, I goofed around too long, overslept, and didn't have enough time to go cross town and pick up my precious comics before work. And you just know I had prime reading time at work today, too. Ah, well. All the better to write with, I guess.
Much like fellow blogger Sam Johnson, I found myself hopelessly intrigued by what The View would offer up today. And boy, howdy. Sherri Shepherd had a breakdown just talking about the whole thing. Whoopi talked about how she cried the night before. Then Barbara talked about how she cried the morning after while seeing a clip of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech... then she showed a clip from said speech and dang!
And that was just the first fifteen minutes.
Elizabeth took a cue from John McCain and was disturbingly calm and congenial the entire show, and said she planned to support the new president. So if everyone follows The View's pattern, we'll all be one big happy family sometime in the next few days. And then suddenly, we'll be boring and no one will care about us anymore.
Then, of course, I goofed around too long, overslept, and didn't have enough time to go cross town and pick up my precious comics before work. And you just know I had prime reading time at work today, too. Ah, well. All the better to write with, I guess.
And since everyone else has an Obama image of some sort up, I might as well drop one, too.
Hump Day Means Scheduling..
Okay, so while I'm still pretending I have enough looking at this to care about what I plan to do with the rest of the week, I'll also use this as a note to myself in case I get lost before the end of the week.
So, things I plan to have up here by the end of the week:
So, things I plan to have up here by the end of the week:
- The last of my political musings for the week (and possibly for a while, so long as no one goes too nuts the next few weeks... What are the odds?).
- A "return to normalcy" if you will, which only sounds odd because you don't know what normal is yet. A little more of me talking about comics and TV and other goofy things that I like.
- Specifically, some handy, dandy comic reviews, an op/ed maybe, and the start of a semi-regular discussion of what I like to watch.
- An update on my NaNoWriMo project, which depending on the next few days may be the most epic recovery of all times or the most epic fail (ooh, drama!).
- I will fight a dragon. Okay, that probably won't happen, but let's see where the rest of the week takes us.
We'll see what's up, and see you in a bit. Hang loose (or tight, depending on your needs).
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