First Impressions: Skyrim

[Warning: This could possibly be the nerdiest post I've ever written.]
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Oh, but how beautiful it is!  The ragged peaks, the deep valleys, the shimmering falls.  Everywhere you look in Skyrim you see the beauty of nature.  But wait, is that a dragon?  Oh lordy lordy.

So I wasn't planning on buying the fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim, which released last Friday.  Instead, and smartly, I went to the Redbox and actually rented the game.  Whet my appetite, enjoy a weekend with my little brother-in-law immersed in a new game.  Little did I know that the masters from Bethesda Studios were so devious.

My history with RPGs goes back to when I was a wee lad first discovering FFVII, which led to an unhealthy habit of staying up very late and saving/destroying imaginary worlds.  This habit thrived throughout adolescence and the teenage years, and I spent a lot of time with them.  Then came college and adulthood, where I (mostly) learned to relegate my time and act responsibly.  Sure, I might have blown off a class or four whenever KotoR II came out, and Fable held me spellbound for way too many hours, but by and large, I was getting out of my RPG phase.  My tastes were changing to something more active, less expansive, less turn-based.

The shift in preferences came with Fallout 3, a game my best friend purchased.  I loved the open-world, non-linear style it offered, and behold, a new obsession was found.  But it could last only so long, and soon college days ended and we moved several hundred miles apart.  And a year or two passed without me playing much of antying.  I bought FFXII, but only spent an hour or so with it.  And all was well.  Then along came a game called Oblivion, from the same company that made Fallout, and again my preferences were tingled.

I put a lot of hours into Oblivion.  It was humongous, but it had its flaws.  Fastforward to Fallout: New Vegas, which was/is definitely fun and immersive, but not as much as its predecessor.   Fastforward another year, 11/11/11, and Skyrim is released.  I'd read the buzz.  Followed the videos.  It looked great, but I didn't have the ummph to spend $60 on a new game, plus the time I knew I'd spend in it.  So I rented it and kept it for two days.  And in those days, escapism reigned, heroics flared, and Keisha tells me that I was smiling like a little kid.

I made myself a Wood Elf, complete with pointed ears, a thin nose, a dirty face, deep eye shadows, one dead eye, and oily, black hair.  Named him Clögan Darkhair (original, I know, but Clint+Logan can only yield so much). I've a fondness for Sneak, Stealth, Theft, and the general skullduggery of a petty criminal when it comes to these games, yet I don't (rarely) kill innocent civilians. Still, the dark look suited us, and we were off.

The opening scene was wonderful, and I loved how you get the vantage point from the headblock after watching a fellow criminal get beheaded. I've been mesmerized by the enormous size of the world, made even more so by the 3d elements of mountains and caves. It's definitely the biggest game I've played, and likely the most beautiful video game world ever created. I've already done several side quests and feel like I've not even put a toe in the water yet. The game is much less glitchier than New Vegas (one of its major weaknesses), and so far I've only had one instance of freezing. The giants are intimidating, and I've foolishly fought and died many times over because of them. (Anyone (Dave, I'm guessing, is the only one down here) actually killed one yet?) Trolls are somewhat of a challenge, too, but I've got a slash-block-flee combo down that proves mostly effective.

In short, Skyrim seems to take Oblivion and put it to shame, and pretty much treats almost every other game similarly.  I've never been more impressed by a game in all my years, and that's saying something.

I took Skyrim back to the Redbox yesterday. While at Walmart, I purchased a copy of the game for myself. I'm on vacation next week, so I'm hoping to get some time there, but Real World still takes priority. I have a lovely and wonderful wife that supported my decision in buying the game (Thanks!), and a beautiful daughter that still gets all my love. Still, Skyrim won't save itself.

Anyone else get this game yet?

Cool & Uncool Stuff

One amazing trailer below.  Possibly the coolest video game trailer I have ever seen.  Even if you don't play video games you should watch this.  Beautiful, tragic, awesome.  I've never seen nothing like it in this format before.  Original article here.

Two perspectives of the same game.  Same thing as above but told in reverse.  I think I prefer the first one, but dang, they're both powerful trailers.  I may have to check this out some time.

 

Three times have I submitted short stories now, and thrice have I been rejected.

Four big events on the horizon.  I'm going to see Pat Rothfuss in Lexington on March 11, which is quite exciting.  I'm going to be going to see the Decemberists in concert April 26 in Louisville.  Super excited about this.  I'm also going to see Joe Purdy again, in Nashville, June 8.  I'm going to see my daughter by June 30.  Ultimate excitement levels for this one.

Eleven is the Chapter Borders has filed.  This has long been my favorite book chain to visit.  Now it's closing a large chunk of its stores, one of them being the one nearest me.  What a pity.

Seven rings were there for the Dwarf lords in their halls of stone.  Apparently there was a Lord of the Rings re-telling from Mordor's perspective written in 1999 to somewhat high praise.  Originally published in Russian, it's just now making its way into English.  You can download the novel as a PDF for free from here, the apparent translator.  You can read the article here if you're curious.  I think I may give it a go, just not sure when I'll find time.

Eight tracks on the new Radiohead album, The King of Limbs.  Out of nowhere the band announces their new album is available for order (here) and as an immediate download today (a day earlier than previously mentioned), though the actual release date for physical material is still a few months away...  I've never been disappointed in a Radiohead album, so this'll likely grow to be fantastic.  I've only listened to it once through, but as a first impression, sounds like Radiohead.

Five endings for this post.  So long.  Adios.  Farewell.  Goodnight.  Later on.

End Note: In case anyone inferred from yesterday's post that I am an awesome, super Christian, let me assure you that I in no way meant to imply that.  Like Paul, I consider myself the worst of sinners and nowhere near the level I need to be.  SO, in short, that post was written as much for me as for anyone else.

Dead Space 2, a Review

In the year 2511 in a densely populated city called the Sprawl, Isaac Clarke wakes up wearing a straight jacket.  Things are disorienting and dark.  A man is standing in front of him talking quickly as if something is wrong.  He's telling Isaac that he's got to get out of the Sprawl, that they've got to go now.  Before he has a chance to free Isaac's bonds, a necromorph attacks the man from behind, impaling him with its razor-sharp limbs.  Isaac shrugs the man and monster aside and begins running for his life, through dark and ruined corridors.  All around necromorphs are appearing, snarling and pursing Isaac as he flees.  So begins Dead Space 2.

The game is a direct sequel to the bestselling Dead Space.  It continues the story that began with the events that happened aboard the USG Ishimura and the return of the Marker.  The Church of Unitology is expanded more, as is the science and culture of the times.  The Sprawl is located on a shard of Titan, a moon of Saturn, and this metropolis is basically one large space station.  Schools, hospitals, churches, malls, and many other sites exist in the city and all fall to the destruction of the necromorphs.

Throughout the game, Isaac makes his way around the city, looking for a way to stop the dementia affecting his mind and to stop the affects of the Marker.  On his journey he must work out many puzzles (good thing he's an engineer) to get through the wasted city. 

Many things are similar between the first and second games.  Gameplay is practically identical.  Isaac still walks around in his rig, armed with stasis and kinesis modules, as well as any weapons he may find along the way.  Unlike the first game, Isaac talks this time around, and this change adds more tension to the story I believe.  Also, simple jumps in zero gravity are no longer limited to linear directions, as Isaac's rigs have thrusters in their boots that allow for full 3d movement in space.  Another difference is the increased graphics and sounds.  Dead Space 2 offers a much richer A/V experience, many of which grip the player with fear and tension.  Muffled screams and babies crying behind sealed doors are somewhat unsettling.  Also with DS2, Isaac can use kinesis to pick up rods and impale the necromorphs if he's running low on ammo, or he can just tear a limb from a dead monster and use that.

Another major addition to this game is the creation of an onlline multiplayer option.  The multiplayer has two opposing teams: CEC troops and necromorphs.  Like a standard capture the flag game, the CEC team has tasks that need accomplishing in order to win the round.  The necromorphs task is always to thwart the humans.  Playing as both teams is fun, especially since the necromorphs can see where CEC troops are located, while CEC is forced to trust their instincts.

I was very pleased with the gameplay and plot of Dead Space 2.  The campaign takes about 13-15 hours to complete, but replay-ability is a certainty.   There are many new types of necromorphs, like the Swarm (see right), little children that are now lethal little pests that swarm and overwhelm Isaac. Several difficulty modes exist, from easy to hardcore, which allows the player only three save points and no checkpoints, less ammo & health, and more difficult enemies.  There is the right amount of sci-fi and horror blended together to make the game very fun, and I suspect any fan of survival horror (which, oddly enough, I'm not) would enjoy this.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Dead Space 2.  One does not have to be familiar with the first to enjoy this, as there is a "Previous on Dead Space" menu option available to bring newcomers up to par; however, to get the most from the story, I would highly recommend it.  Now I'm ready for the next chapter...

Updates! Baby, Life, Movies, Games, Etc.

Chiefly being that we found out yesterday the sex of our baby, plus some ultrasound pictures, and other stuff.
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1.  Stewart Little, as we've affectionately been calling the fetus, is now sexed, or at least is now sexed to us.  Keisha and I are proud to say that we're having a GIRL.  So it's gonna be me, Keisha, Stewart Little, Stella, and Sofie.  I say I'm vastly outnumbered here...

Aren't those images crazy?  Watching the little bugger squirm and kick and move and punch and everything yesterday was quite surreal, and it's amazing to know that I helped make her.  See the little feet!  The face still looks alien and skeletal, but I'm smitten.  It was funny how hyper and active she was, too, but everything looked great and healthy, and we thank God for that.

2.  We ordered our crib, changing table, and dresser last night from JC Penny.  I applied for a credit card to save an additional 10% off, was approved, and then found out my limit was $50 less than what the total cost was.  So I called Penny's and requested an immediate credit increase of $100 and got that taken care of.  Then I went to finish the purchase and was asked to enter my credit card info, which I didn't have as I had no card yet, so I made another phone call.  Everything was going well until my phone died about 20 minutes into the call, so I had to call back and repeat the entire process.   All said and done, I spent about 45 minutes on the phone working it all out, but in the end we got our stuff ordered and now we're waiting for the backorder to fill and ship.

3.  My paycheck is currently 19 days late, which is to say that I'm technically due two checks, as another is now 5 days late.  This is confusing, as my firm was awarded a 10+ million dollar contract recently (though obviously we've seen no money from this yet, as the project is in its early infancy).  I simply ask for your prayers in all this stuff, knowing God will provide and take care, but it's quite stressful, too.

4.  My brother returned from Afghanistan over the weekend, and I got to see him on Saturday.  We spent an hour or so sitting around and just talking, and it was great.  I'm very thankful God watched over him and kept him safe.  His unit encountered Taliban forces 41 times, and he was part of about 35 of those encounters, so God definitely saw to him.

5.  My reading life is hectic.  I'm listening to an audio book at work (Terry Brooks' Bearers of the Black Staff), and nearly finished.  I'm finally reading a STAR WARS book that I've been waitlisted on for a while.  I also checked out Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes (so many great reviews already) yesterday, which was purchased by my request to the library.  I really want to start this soon, as I won't be able to renew it, since its waitlist is already growing.  And then I'm reading an unpublished manuscript for someone, which has been quite enjoyable so far, and I'm about halfway through that.  And then there's the smattering of graphic novels and comics I need to read and return.  (Oh, and let's not even consider the time I'm spending playing Dead Space 2.)  All of this on my plate and knowing Pat Rothfuss' The Wise Man's Fear will be shipped to my house come early March.  So much to read...

6.  As for Dead Space 2, it's been phenomenal.  It's captured all of the terror and features of gameplay the first one had and upped the graphics and added better controls.  The plot has been crazy; the necromorphs plentiful; the fear tense.  I've only got a chapter or two left before I beat the game, and I've really enjoyed this play through.

7.  We watched two James Bond films over the weekend: Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace.  Neither Keisha nor myself have seen much (or any) of Bond, but we both liked these movies.  Daniel Craig does great, and I'm looking forward to diving into more Bond, especially adding the older ones onto my Netflix queue.

8.  So much going on in life right now that there's no way I could cover it all.  At times I'm stressed.  Other times I'm amazed.  Sometimes I'm sickened and dismayed.  Through it all I look to Jesus and try to live like Him.  I fail, I know, but I try.

First Impressions: The Decemberists, Iron & Wine, and Dead Space 2

The King is Dead

 The Decemberists have been one of my favorite bands since I discovered them a year or two ago.  I love practically every song in their catalog.  The King is Dead was getting mad reviews before the album came out a week ago, and now after listening to the thing several times, I know why.  The opening song "Don't Carry it All" sets the pace & tone for the rest of the album.  Fun, light-hearted, and very Americana in sound, the entire King is Dead is a showcase of American roots prog-folky songs.

This album features Gillian Welch singing alongside Colin Meloy's lead vocals, and their combination is nothing but wonderful.  Evidenced by the first single, "Down by the Water," this album is different from the typical Decemberists sound.  The band returned to a mostly stripped-down set of songs, forsaking their typical lengthy ballads for something tight and solid.  This album is a great mix of musical genres, sounding like a cross between sea shanties, highlands folk, Celtic diddies, classic country music, and REM.  While this isn't my favorite album in the Decemberists catalog, it's excellent, and I think any fans of the band would like the songs here.

Kiss Each Other Clean

 It's no secret that I love Iron & Wine.  When I saw them in concert back in November, they sampled a few of their new songs that would be appearing on their new album Kiss Each Other Clean.  This album was released this week, and I've listened to it a few times since Tuesday.  It's starkly different from any previous album I&W has released, but this time, different makes for a very fun and funky departure.  The first single, "Walking Far From Home," is a beautiful song reminiscent of "Trapeze Swinger," but more upbeat and catchy.  In fact, most of this album is catchy, mixing pop sounds with the familiar acoustic-folky songs I&W is known for.  Sam Beam's lyrics are still as strong as ever.  Another song that I really like on this is "Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me," a seven minute diptych that starts off slow but explodes into something that sounds straight from a 1970s anthem. 

Part of the fun for this album is that it is so different from anything Iron & Wine has released.  Traditionally I think of soft acoustic stuff, occasional banjos and electrics, and quiet lyrics.  With Kiss Each Other Clean, Beam has dove into heavy synth sounds, weird funky noises, and a much more upbeat experience.  If you're an Iron & Wine fan, definitely check this out.

Dead Space 2

Uh, I died within ten seconds of starting my game.  My post yesterday about wearing a straightjacket and hallucinating practically mirror how this game begins.  Isaac Clarke wakes up three years after the events of Dead Space to practically be thrown into the same types of situations.  Gameplay doesn't change much at all from the first, but dang it if it's not ten times as terrifying and twenty times more beautiful.

Dark corridors.  Lurking necromorphs.  Breaking glass and muffled screams.  And a protagonist that's suffering from dementia.  It's crazy how a game about survival and terror can make the heart pump and make you feel alive.  So far I've only put an hour or so into the game but it's been intense and I've jumped once or twice.  In short, any fan of Dead Space will probably like this, in addition to anyone that enjoys survival horror games (which I don't).  For me, it's the perfect mixture of sci-fi and zombie-alien-religious story arcs that make Dead Space such a success.

Where I'm At

I feel like my life is at the confluence of a great and mighty river.  Ahead I see the waters flowing off as one single stream, fuller now than ever before.  Behind me there are many waterways, some stretching beyond the horizon, others springing out the ground.  Sometimes I am floating in these streams, meandering and twisting with no particular care or aim.  Other times I'm aboard a vessel and taking charge of my course.  And then there are times when I'm struggling to stay afloat, fighting with every last breath to rise above the rapids and gasp down air.

The past is an interesting thing.  Dwell on it too long and you find yourself waxing nostalgic, wishing for the impossible, and mostly disappointed.  That's the thing about the past: it's full of disappointments.  A favorite sports team losing a pivotal game.  An automobile accident that cost hundreds of dollars.  A friend letting you down.  But mostly I think we're disappointed in ourselves.

As we age, we hopefully grow wiser.  This isn't always the case, and too often we're forsaking the safety of the ship for a leisurely swim in the treacherous currents.  Sometimes we can get sucked under and end up lost at sea and away from the ship.  For me, my past seems to be a constant teeter-totter of on-board/at-sea, one minute helmsman, the next a piece of jetsam. 

I've always held fast to optimism, and I still do.  I'm a strong believer that thinking positively drastically affects one's well-being and global view.  Of course, thinking positively can only go so far, but still, it's a better position than being a constant pessimist.  This type of thinking helps no one.

A cynic may suggest that pessimism is a more realistic view of life, and that may be true, but I don't think so.  Life is a matter of subjectivity, and it's only as good (or bad) as we make it.  I'm comfortably and optimist and a realist.  I'm 20% laid off, but I'm confident that God will take care of me and mine.  I struggle with knowing whether or not I should keep my job, cause late paychecks and uncertainty is stressful.  I have financial worries--mortgage, student loans, and general debt--but God will work in this, too.  I love my house but want to sell it to save money.  My health insurance has a $7000 deductible and Keisha's pregnant.  I'm expecting my first child, and I could despair at thinking How could I bring a child into this world?, but I leap at the excitement of becoming a dad.  I have daddy issues a-plenty and the relationship with my father pains me to no ends, often sending me into a dark place whenever I even think about him, so I long to be the best dad I can be to my child.  I am now teaching (as of December 26) my Sunday School class, and this somewhat terrifies me, but at the same time forces me to grow and step up.

Honestly, somewhere along the way these past few months my mind has slowly switched to a more Jesus-shaped view.  I've found myself wanting to read and study the bible.  I've grown to love Christian non-fiction.  The other day I found myself thanking God for my blood type (I'm O-Neg, so I can give to all people), and this realization struck me as profound.  In all I do I am seeking to glorify God and to act as Jesus would.  Do I succeed?  Heck no, but I'm trying.

So where am I at in life?  I'm at a place where the future is opened up before me, filled with possibilities and excitement.  I have no idea what it looks like.  Sometimes the weight of it all is threatening to drown me, but then I remember that I'm on the ship and in no danger.  The future is bright, the water is clear, and grace abounds.

Bits & Pieces

• We're starting back up the worship service at the Pitino Shelter.  We took a little break (a few months, actually), and hopefully the cold weather will have more people in attendance.  
• We've been selling things on ebay to make some extra cash.  We've got rid of a lot of textbooks, the PS2, and some N64 games.  Still more to go.
• I would give my left arm to pre-order Dead Space 2 and buy it on January 25.  The first game was my favorite FPS of all time, and probably my second favorite PS3 game I've played.  (Reviewed here.)
• Anybody play Rook?  
• Anybody wanna surprise me and buy me a copy of Dead Space 2?  You'll have my eternal gratitude.
• The MENSA desk calendar William got me for Christmas has proven quite fun this new year.
• Dave is risen and blogging again!  Go. There. Now.  (What, Dave? Even after my eulogy for you? So if you die again, do I have to do another one?  Grr... Is there a book on blogging etiquette?)
• Seriously.  Dead Space 2.  Anybody?

Initial Thoughts on Fallout New Vegas

Fallout 3 is one of the greatest games I've ever played.  I put in around a hundred hours without any DLC on William's PS3 (this was 'ere I owned a PS3), and I never grew tired of exploring the Wastes.  Then I bought a PS3, lost all of my trophies, and lost the free time college afforded.  But when I heard New Vegas was coming out, I knew I'd be getting on the post-apocalyptic train again.

New Vegas is essentially one gigantic expansion to Fallout 3.  Graphically, the games look almost identical, with the newer release having slightly better graphics with the environments.  The story has so far been very interesting, but I've barely done anything related to propelling the plot, instead focusing on the enormous landscapes ripe with unexplored territories.  Fallout New Vegas is so far a beautiful game that's offered the same fun-factor its spiritual predecessor did.  If you loved the retro music from Galaxy News Radio and Three Dog, then you'll also love the new tunes of New Vegas.  There are a few new additions, like gambling, factions, a traveling card game called Caravan, and lots of weapon customization, but mostly, if it was in Fallout 3, it's in New Vegas.

Some have expressed issues with the game glitching worse than Fallout 3, but so far I've not experienced this.  (I think I only had one problem with Fallout 3 glitching on me and that was it.)  I believe the glitch problem is more for the 360 and PC, but I'm not sure.

Already I find my mind roaming back to the harsh Mojave wastelands, aching to see what else I can find.  If you loved Fallout 3, then there's no question that you'll like New Vegas.  The "new game" price tag may be a little steep for the lack of innovation, but I happily paid it anyway, knowing that I would easily get my $60 worth of enjoyment.  Now, back to the screen!

A Few Timely Updates

It's been a while since I've posted anything personal about my life here on the blog.  Pretty much everything has been either a review or some of my writing.  As one of the purposes of Rememorandom is to chronicle my life, and considering the items on the following list, I think it's time for an update.

• I will be leaving for a short vacation next week.  The wife and I, plus the In-Laws, are all heading down to the Smoky Mountains for a few days.  We've got a cabin reserved, and now that autumnal weather has finally arrived, it'll be a perfect and much-needed escape.  Hopefully I'll get in some heavy reading time.
• I found out last week that I made an error at work a few months back.  This error is basically at the Step One level of my project, and everything that's done afterward (and based on said error) is also incorrect.  Because of that, I've been terribly busy, scrambling to correct my mistake and get this thing finished.
• Netflix has got to be the coolest thing ever.  I'm not sure why it took me so long to sign up for it, but it's awesome.  Not only is every season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer available for Instant Streaming, but it's letting me catch up with other shows that I wanted to watch but never could (i.e. How I Met Your Mother.)
• I bought Red Dead Redemption a few weeks ago, but have yet found time to play it.  My Dragon Age: Origins ground to a stop about the same time.  However, with Fallout: New Vegas soon to hit shelves, and my deposit already down, I'll be getting back into gaming relatively soon.
• Keisha's been called to substitute teach for seven days in a row now, which is awesome.
• I found out that, for some reason, I've not been paying property taxes.  My house was built in May 2009, and since taxes are assessed on January 1, my 09 taxes were on undeveloped land.  However, as of January 1 2010, the land was developed and, apparently, my escrow was supposed to have gone up.  As a new homeowner, as well as someone who is competent with money but doesn't necessarily understand insurance and taxes, this error went unnoticed until Sunday.  I'm not sure what's going to happen, and frankly I'm a little nervous, but I know it'll all work out.
• Finally, I recorded a new cover that I'm mostly proud of.  You can watch it here or on the video below.

I've not had time to really finish the planned next installment of my Writing Wednesday's The Reformed, but I've got a piece that should work for tomorrow.  Hopefully I can find time to finish the planned piece and post it up next week.

Nothing Important

These past two weeks have been nothing but busy.  I've just been trying to stay in front of the wave, but I'm worn out.  I was in a wedding over the weekend, so that pretty much took up my free time.  The wedding was fun, though, and it's always a pleasure hanging out with old friends that I don't get to see as often as I'd like.  Now Spense is on his way to Cancun, hopefully before Tropical Storm Hurricane Mess Alex arrives.

I'm progressing steadily through my multiple books I'm reading.  Hopefully The Eye of the World will be reviewed by Friday.

I've got another Monday Night Tennis match scheduled for tonight.  Hopefully the storms stay away, cause I really enjoy playing every week.  (Excepting last week.  It was fun to be playing, but the guys we played were jerks and cocky.  One of them was very good and talented, but he was so full of himself that it wasn't really that fun.  We wound up winning and that guy acted like he was unfamiliar with losing.  Then he whined.  What a load o' crap.)

I got all the DLC for Fallout 3 over the weekend.  I'm not going to play any of it until I've progressed in my new game, but I've got it, so that's fun.  But I've been playing Dead Space.  I just love that game.  I'm playing through on Impossible mode, and it's quite difficult if you're not careful.  Once I beat Impossible I'll have everything beat, 100%, and be done with it.

Dave's back.  Good.  Reading your blog is always a highlight of the workday.  Did you get the package I sent you?

Not much else to offer other than Keisha and I are starting to watch Monk and she's fallen in love with Glee.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Pat Rothfuss Contest

Nintendo unveiled the next game in the powerhouse Legend of Zelda franchise yesterday at E3.  The new game, dubbed Skyward Sword, looks promising and unique.  Using the precision from the Wii's Motion-Plus device, the player has quick controls of Link and his arsenal.

I've always been a Zelda fan.  From an early age I've played the games and I've always enjoyed the challenges each game offers.  The main reason for me buying my Wii was for Twilight Princess, and really the big reason I've kept my Wii is for the next Zelda game.  By the looks of it, Skyward Sword will be true to the series, filled with a beautiful world, complex puzzles, and a fun gameplay experience.  I personally like how the screenshots appear to blend the realistic Twilight Princess graphics with the cell-shaded style of The Wind Waker.

You can find several articles about the preview/demo from E3, or you can check out this one or this one if you want to ramble on immediately.  The game is scheduled for release next year.

Everybody's favorite Pat posted on his blog last week a new contest, similar to the amazing photo contest of yore.  He's having a t-shirt design contest, and the winner can get some sweet swag as well as have the self-smugness of having designed the winning shirt.  The contest ends soon if you're interested in submitting something.  I sent in two ideas.  Whether I win or not, the entries should be cool to look at whenever they're posted.

I finally got the Internet re-established at Stewartland last night.  My switch from cable to DSL was not very smooth, mostly because dealing with my cable provider always puts me in a sour mood.  I guess they have to be rude and uncaring if they're going to talk on the phone and work there.  Plus, they cut off my cable 16 days before it was scheduled to be cut off.  Anyway, I'm done dealing with them and now I have my DSL connection up and running.  I think when Keisha gets home we're going to start a free Netflix trial and see how well that goes on the slow speeds, and if we like it, well, hey, who knows?

I started a new book yesterday.  (I mentioned my excitement about it here.)  It's a short story anthology edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio titled Stories.  Several prolific authors are featured in it, and after having read the first two stories, I am very excited to read the rest of it.  It basically puts aside all of the norms in the genre and focuses on the important part: the story.  So far, so good.  That makes three books I'm currently reading at the moment.  Hmm.

I still can't get my trophies to activate in Fallout 3.  I don't know what's going on there, but I don't want to keep playing and not get any of these trophies.  Grumble grumble.

The Weekend Account of Firefly, Tennis, Beer, Church, Shoes, and Avatar

WARNING: A LONG POST BE AHEAD.

Keisha left for a week on Friday at noon o’clock, heading down to Daytona with her family while I stay here in beautiful, warm and humid Kentucky.  My friend Adam came over Friday afternoon and we hung out until last night.  It’s always enjoyable hanging out with friends you don’t see too often.

We drove up to Evansville on Friday night.  There are two nice used bookstores up there that I had a coupon for and wanted to look for some graphic novels.  Sadly, neither had what I was looking for, though I did get Keisha an Anne of Green Gables book for her collection.  When we were done with that we came back to Owensboro and stopped by the comic store, spending an hour basking in the glow of geekery.  I fully admit that I’m a geek.  I’m weird.  I’m odd.  But walking into the comic store on a Friday night when there are different role-playing games and Marvel Clicks events unfolding on the tables makes me feel a bit more normal than I normally do.  Though, honestly, I think I could relate to those people more so than I could to the other end of the social classes.  I’ve never really been one to fit into a clique.  Cliques are scary.  Anyway, I picked up the latest issue of Star Wars Legacy (#48) and we headed to Stewartland. 

At home I wanted Adam to watch Firefly, as he’d never seen it before and I just got my blu-ray in the mail.  So we started the ill-fated, beloved show that night and wound up staying awake until 3am watching Mal and the gang.  I still don’t understand why the show got the axe, just like Arrested Development, and I never will.  Nevertheless, Adam enjoyed it.  At some point Stella started yelping and barking in agony and it scared me pretty bad.  At first I thought Sofie had bit her, then we thought she might have been stung or bit by an insect.  She was limping and quite pitiful.  So I rubbed on her leg and she finally calmed down after several minutes of tenseness.

Saturday morning I woke up early and decided to play Heavy Rain while Adam slept.  I wound up beating the game and was mostly satisfied with my performance.  There are a few things I’d do differently, but overall the game was fun and the story was certainly intense.  The temperatures soared to the hundred degree mark and over with the heat index around lunch time, but that didn’t stop us from playing a little tennis and disc golf.  I think this was my first disc golf outing since January or February, and I pretty much sucked the entire course.  Still, it was fun.  We watched some more Firefly that evening and wound up talking about different things.  I had never had a beer or an ale before, and Adam wanted to take me to a bar and buy me one.  I agreed, but if I didn’t like it he was going to drink it.

The bar was nice.  Very clean.  Well-lit.  Excellent decor.  Beatles music was playing.  Charlie Chaplin was on the big screen.  He picked me out a drink (he wanted me to try Blue Moon, but the bar didn’t have it, so instead I got Indian Pale Ale) and the bartender put the foamy beverage in front of me.  I have to admit, the smell was much more pleasant than I was expecting, something akin to apple juice and white wine.  Unfortunately, the flavor tasted like drinking carbonated water, of which I am not a fan.  His drink also tasted like crap, though again the smell wasn’t that bad.  I sampled one other thing, some sort of really dark-like-Coke drink, and did not like it either.  I guess I’m just a wine and liquor kind of person if I’m to drink.  I wound up just drinking water, something much tastier than all that other junk I tried.

We were getting ready to leave when Adam struck up with a loner sitting beside him.  The man was from New Zealand, currently living in Kentucky working for a farm entrepreneur.  We wound up talking to this guy for three hours.  The man, Matthew, was hilarious.  We talked about the differences between New Zealand culture and American culture.  Differences between words we use.  Life in the country and life in the cities.  All in all the conversation was fun, funny, and pleasant.  Plus, I’d never met anyone from NZ before, so that was cool.

After midnight we headed home and finished off disc two of Firefly, finally falling asleep near 2am.  Stella had another incident like Friday night, though this time I was watching her when it happened.  The dogs were playing and Stella moved somehow that popped her knee out of place.  (Her other back knee used to do this, but it never pained her.)  I’m guessing this knee joint is tight and the thing is hurting her more than the other leg did.  I put the thing back in place and he immediately quit yelping, though she walked timidly.

Sunday morning Adam went to church with me.  Our normal pastor, Bro. James Dean, is gone on vacation right now, so the youth pastor led service.  Bro. Will preached a strong message on faith and church and the mediocrity of most American Christians.  It was an exceptional and challenging message.  At the end of the service he untied his shoes and placed them at the altar, telling the congregation that Christianity is a challenge to be active.  He was walking out without his shoes and invited the rest of the congregation to do the same.  The shoes would be collected and taken to the local shelter (which happens to be the one me and Alex lead worship at). 

How many pairs of shoes do we have and how many do we need?  How many people walk around without them, or with shoes that are held together by a thread?  It’s odd.  That morning, before church, I actually took the time to think about wearing my favorite New Balances or just some simple sandals.  I opted for the tennis shoes.  And then during the service I remember crossing my legs and thinking, I like these shoes.  They’re in good condition and look pretty good.  Then we get the challenge at the end of the service and I put my shoes at the altar.  Truly, how many pairs of shoes do I need?

Worship at the shelter was a bit disheartening.  No one showed up, music practice was rough (I forgot my thin pick and had to use some horrible thick thing), and it was hot.  They were thankful for the shoes, though.  Three garbage bags were collected.  That’s around 50 pairs of shoes.  In some ways that’s impressive, that fifty people would remove and give away their shoes for someone else who needs/wants them.  On the other hand, there were between 200-300 people at the service, and the 50 pairs is rather indicative of our good ole American Christian Culture.

Sunday night service was equally impressive and more moving.  Instead of a normal song-prayer-preach formulaic church service, we had a time of prayer and worship.  We played music continually, lifting up songs and praising God for His majesty.  We prayed with purpose, with passion, with determination, with faith.  I felt worship, in my heart.  It’s hard to play and pray and sing and keep an eye on the worship leader.  The service lasted around an hour, and I loved every minute of it.  To me, that is what church is.  Desiring God, longing to bring Him glory and honor, desperate to give Him praise.  He is worthy of it all, and I don’t think our church (or many others) truly worship Him on Sundays.  We get into familiar patterns and repeat familiar songs and pray familiar prayers.  This is not worship.

After the night service I went and ate with Alex and Rachael and then went home.  I was exhausted.  Staying up late like that is something I rarely do.  I’m usually in bed by eleven or midnight, so I guess I was just groggy over the lack of sleep.  Nevertheless, I had my final season of Avatar: The Last Airbender to start, and I couldn’t go to bed without watching at least one episode.  I popped in the DVD and snuggled up on the couch with the dogs.  Episode One, “The Awakening,” was great, and I’m eager to finish the series.  It’s definitely joined the ranks of being one of my favorite shows.  Hopefully the show ends on a positive note, but I’m expecting dark things for the future. 

So the weekend was long, but it was fun.  I was busy, but in a good way.  Throughout the days we worked several crossword puzzles, watched some good television, played some humid tennis, and glorified God.  All in all, a very good weekend but for one thing.

I miss Keisha.  Her absence hit me Saturday night when I lay down with the dogs.  I couldn’t begin to imagine not having her in my life.  I love her more than I love any other living person, and I know I don’t tell her enough.  She truly is my best friend, and I’m ready for her to get home again.  Of course, with her gone down to Florida, I can play all the video games I want to and not worry.  Woe is me.

Home Made Animated Video, Mortal Kombat, Fallout 3, and Free Brandon Sanderson

Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions of this post in no way reflect the thoughts and opinions of the site but are the sole property and ideals of the author.  Please direct all concerns to the appropriate places.

I recently found this awesome website that lets you animate and create your own movies.  It's pretty simple, too, so I made one.  Give it a watch and enjoy.  The script is a little weak, but I think it's a tad humorous.  Good enough for a spur of the moment kind of thing.  You can check out the site here.



Remember those Mortal Kombat movies?  I try not to, but they're there, taking up useless brain space.  The Geeks of Doom put up this amazing discovery of what a Mortal Kombat movie should be, complete with a dark and gritty trailer.  Check out the article and watch the video here.  The embed is too big to post.

Looks pretty cool to me.  Too bad the likelihood of it actually being developed is rather low, but if it ever did, I'd definitely watch it.  I have too many fond memories of playing MK.  I've played practically every one of them up to Deception, and most of them have always been enjoyable.  Sigh.  They just don't make wantonly violent games like they used to.

"I don't want to set the world on fire..."  Clint and I started a new game of Fallout 3 last night.  I haven't played in a long time (and never on my PS3), so it was fun to start.  I transferred my saved game file from William's system and the thing loaded right up on my system.  I really wasn't expecting that.  However, I didn't unlock any of the trophies I was supposed to unlock from when I started a new game, so I'm wondering if the transfer has anything to do with it.  Anyway, the last time I played through Fallout I ended up being the Scourge of Humanity, but that was the plan all along.  I just couldn't help myself when it came to Megaton's fate...  So this time I'm on a path of righteousness, trying to do things good for the most part.  So far, so good.  Of course, I only just started last night and I've still not beat Heavy Rain (which will happen either this weekend or next week while Keisha is gone), so I have a long road ahead of me.

I think my friend Adam is going to hang out with me this weekend.  Maybe we can get in some disc golf or tennis if it doesn't rain.  I still don't have internet connection at home (it's been gone since 5/26), but that's supposed to be remedied by this weekend or next.

Ooh.  I think my Firefly blu-ray should be arriving today...

Finally, Pat from the Hotlist posted up a link that Tor.com is offering the Prelude, Prologue, and first three chapters of Brandon Sanderson's epic work The Way of Kings.  Read 'em all right here and get excited with me.  I can't wait for this series.

Heavy Rain and Firefly

Without going into too much detail, Heavy Rain is a groundbreaking game.  It’s ingenious, even.  Like many games before it, every choice affects the overall story, some causing little ripples in the yarn and others completely changing the outcome.  There are four main characters, each with different things going on in their lives.  Gameplay is essentially controlling everyday actions of the characters, from cooking food to taking a shower.  You control what they say, what they think, and how they act.  Basically, it’s a very personal and engrossing game, and I can’t help but feel connected to these people. 

A serial killer, dubbed the Origami Killer, has kidnapped one man’s (Ethan) son.  He gets a box full of clues that pose the question “how far would you go to save your son?”  Meanwhile, a private detective is investigating the killer by interviewing past victims’ parents.  Another character is an FBI profiler, and the last is an insomniac woman.

I haven’t played the game much, actually I’m only a few hours in, but I’m already loving it.  I’ve never been so tense and cautious about my characters.  See, in Heavy Rain, there are no do-overs, no restarts.  The game saves automatically after everything, and if one of the characters die, the story continues on.  This may cause you to miss vital clues to unraveling the Origami Killer’s identity, or it might result in the death of Ethan’s son, but it doesn’t matter.  To my understanding, the game can be completed with any combination of any characters surviving, from all to none.

I say all this because as I was playing last night, I had two moments that made me shake my head and groan.  First, I was playing as the insomniac for the first time, and she woke up during the middle of the night.  She walks around the apartment, trying to get sleepy.  After a shower she steps out of the bathroom and something runs across the screen.  She notices the fridge door is opened and she tenses up.  In these tense moments, the character’s thoughts and actions are very important, but they’re also more difficult to control.  Menus get blurry and shaky, and it’s a bit harder to decide what to do.    She goes to close the fridge, freaking out but thinking she’s dreaming from her lack of sleep.  Unfortunately, she wasn’t, and some masked men suddenly attack her.  I start fighting them, but miss a few buttons off and on.  Eventually I run into a room and look for something to defend myself, but someone sneaks up behind me and slits my throat.  I can’t describe the sickening feeling in my gut knowing that I just killed a main character the first time I used her!  (Thankfully, that’s not all to the story, so I’ll keep the rest a secret.)

The second thing involved the FBI profiler.  He entered a man’s house to ask him some questions.  The guy is a bit loony, evidenced by a house full of crucifixes hanging everywhere and covering every square inch of the walls.  Eventually the agent’s partner threatens the man to try and get a confession and the man feels scared and pulls a gun on my partner.  I pull a gun on him and we’re in a bit of a stand-off.  This guys convinced my partner’s the antichrist; I’m trying to talk him out of it so no-one gets hurt.  All the while, the only thing keeping the man alive is me not pushing the R1 button.  After several very tense moments of conversation, I convince the man to put his gun down and turn around to be cuffed.  At this moment I turn to tell Keisha something, as she’s engrossed as well, and the music suddenly tenses.  I look back to the screen and see the R1 button still up, and not thinking, I press it, instantly putting a bullet through the now weaponless man.  The shock on both my face and the character’s face was identical: open mouthed and silent.  I honestly felt horrible after killing the man, all because my lack of focus.

I don’t know how my game will end.  There are like nine different endings or something for Heavy Rain, and I plan to try and play through them all.  For now, I’m stuck with my actions, and hopefully will find out more later on tonight.  If you’re looking for a game that’ll keep you glued to your seat, Heavy Rain is it.

Firefly is one of the best television shows ever, and currently Amazon is running a special on the Blu-ray set.  I’m pretty sure I’m going to get it, as it’s only $27 for the entire series, and that’s 60% off the list price.  If you’re looking for a great deal on this series and you have a Blu-ray player, you might want to check this out before the deal expires.  Anyway, I need to get a Blu-ray for myself, cause the only ones at Stewartland right now are Snow White and New Moon.

Weekended, a Video Game Aside, and the Winner

Wow, what a weekend.  Drove down to Nashville and spent all day Saturday at the mall, scouting for things to bring and wear on our cruise.  Spent a little money, but got a ton of excellent deals.  Had fun spending the day with the wife, even if it was at the mall.  Normally when we go to the mall I bring a paperback with me and read (after I’ve finished my browsing).  This time, however, I forgot, so I walked around and pestered Keisha.  But we had a good time.

Sunday was a blur.  Praise band practice at 8:30, Sunday School breakfast at 9:15, special church lunch at 12:00, pastor’s special meeting at 12:40, attempted nap at 1:30, give up on nap at 2:30, PS3 until 3:25, homeless shelter worship service 3:45, choir and music practice at 5:30, church at 6:00, and Easter music practice at 7:00.  It was a constant moving, busy day.  I had the light off and was in bed before 10:00pm.  But even though yesterday was hectic and busy, I smile thinking back on it.  We’ve searched for a church to call home for many years now and we’re blessed to be involved at Macedonia.  We’ve been here for about eight months and we’ve met a lot of great people.  The preaching is solid and foundational.  I love my SS class.  We just got a new worship minister in January and our church has grown tremendously in worship.  All things considered, it’s great, and I’m okay to wear myself thin every once in a while.

I was playing Final Fantasy last week when I suddenly had a burning desire to shoot some undead space zombies.  I whipped out Dead Space, one of my favorite games (reviewed initially here), and have been playing it ever since.  I miss FF, but I just have a desire to play a FPS for now.  And even though I’ve already beat Dead Space before, I still really enjoy the game.  The story is still gripping; the gameplay is still fun; the mechanics are still awesome.  Also, this is the first time I’ve played it on my own PS3, so I’m getting to unlock all the trophies and stuff for my own system as opposed to William’s.

The autographed book contest ended yesterday.  So, to be completely random, I wrote down all the entrants names, cut out little pieces of paper, lay them down and shuffled them around and let them simmer for a while.  After an hour or so of basting I then picked up the entries and shuffled them around some more.  After a bit of humbleness from one of the entrants, the entries dropped from twelve to ten.  Sadly I received no funny email entries.  Ultimately, I cast the slips around like casting lots from the Bible, and the last slip to remain in my hands won.  That winner is…

Krista, from Life, or Something Like It…, who actually had a 30% chance of winning, and, in this case, the statistics proved true.

So, Krista, if you could email me your mailing address I’ll put the book to post soon.  You have 72 hours to respond or there'll be another drawing.  To everyone that entered, thank you.  You fought hard, but in the end, statistics kicked you upside the head.

I should have a book review up soon.  Take care.

What If… Episode One: Knock Off Christian Video Games

I may star a What If… series here on Rememorandom.  If so, don’t count on it being frequent.  Who knows, I may just have good intentions but decide not to do many, or any, more.  We’ll see.  Here’s episode one.

--------------

My friend Alex and I have talked about this on more than one occasion.  What if there was a Christian version of popular video games?  What would the ideal Christian RPG look like?  What about a fighting game?  Side-scrollers?  First person shooters?  The possibilities are endless.

1.  World of Christian Warcraft, Final Fantasy Biblical Edition, Daniel in the Dungeons & Dragons Den, etc.

The Christian RPG would be loaded with classical Bible characters.  The main party would be led by the Apostle Paul, a simple tentmaker with a dark and bloody past.  His sidekick, the short, musically talented David, would be armed with his harp and sling.  Together, they would set off in a world corrupt and brewing with literal evil, battling their way through the realms to bring down the Dark Lord.  Oh no, a random encounter!

*Paul & David vs. 3 Lesser Maniacs of the Gadarenes

Paul, equipped with White Garb (HP +50, Holiness +3) and a steel tent-peg (Damage 47, Weight +12).  David wears Saul’s Armor (HP +15, Speed –7) and has his sling (Damage 30-100, Weight +2) and arsenal of stones with various magic effects.

The Maniacs pool their attacks together and create a Legion.  Looks like the battle will be fierce, but in the end, the trusty team surely will win.  I mean, they have plenty of Lazarus Downs to use in case things get dire.

Who else will they meet along the way?  Surely Moses would have a staff…

2.  Kristian Kombat

KK is exactly what it sounds like it is.  A knock-off of the immortal Mortal Kombat, KK would pit fights to the death between Bible characters and other holy men & women of the past.  Just imagine the possibilities.

Cain vs. Abel, King Saul vs. Saul of Tarsus, Kiriath-jearim vs. John the Baptist, and so many more!  Characters a-plenty.  Button-mashing galore.

Then, at the end of each fight, there would be the “finishing moves,” too.

Peter with his ear-cutting sword.  Samson with his “Imma tear your arms off cause I’m so strong” fatality.  The centurion’s Crucifixion.  Jezebel’s deadly kiss.

3.  Psalm Hero or Psalm Band

This one definitely would be a powerhouse seller.  All 150 Psalms, put to the tunes of popular music, from Big Band era to neo-classical-prog-rock-alt-folk-yodeling.  Everything you could ever imagine rolled up and packaged into a pretty sick deal.

Instead of the typical guitar and drum controllers, the players would get to play with things like the psaltery, trumpet, and 35-button-giant-harp.  Can’t you picture the strolling music bars, prompting you to think ahead and press the buttons at the right time, missing a key button and screwing up your x7 (cause this is Biblical, so all multipliers are x7) combo, getting angry at yourself while the screen blares “Rejoice in the Lord…”?

Oh, such fun.  Psalm 119 would last 20 minutes.  It’d definitely have to be to the tune of “Freebird.”

There you have it.  Three small glimpses at what Christian knock-off video games would look like.  And if that’s not enough to get the hard conservative legalists riled up, then I’m also going to recommend (and embed) this video.  It’s hilarious.  The whole points not to make fun of Christ, but to make a point that Christ isn’t concerned with the trivial things we are.  Instead of WWJD, it’s WWJND.  Watch it.  Laugh at the funny sayings.  It’s long, but it’s very worth it.  Video #2 (@1:42) is great and Video #3 (@3:19) is priceless.

The obligatory ending question: What type of Christian Knock-Off video games did I leave off?  Have I offended you?

A Toilet-Bowl Swirl of Thoughts

Racism will never end as long as we use the identifying label “Race.”  Why are racial statistics even aggregated?  It seems counter-productive to me.

I’ve lost most of my interest in Oblivion.  Truly, the most fun I’ve had has been doing the quests for the Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild.  For some reason, the main quest just isn’t that attractive any more.

I bought a PS3, and it came with Dragon Age and Dante’s Inferno.  I’m selling my XBOX, which I bought less than 2.5 months ago, and definitely Dante’s Inferno, cause that just looks stupid. 

I love hot tea.  My friend from Iran introduced me to hot tea a few years ago and I’ve loved it ever since.  Boiling a pot and making a cup from fresh tea leaves is the way to go, but sometimes it’s an instant-tea day.

Google Wave.  Google Buzz.  Google Reader.  Gmail.  Google.  Google Calendar.  Picassa.  Dang.

Area of a full flowing circular pipe, A, is equal to
                       A=(πD2)/4

Area of a partially full flowing circular pipe, with the height of the water, Yo, over halfway full, is equal to
            A=(1/8)[2(π-arccos((Yo-r)/r)-sin(2(π-arccos((Yo-r)/r)))]D2

Area of Kentucky is equal to 40,409 sq. mi.

I’m about a third of the way into Best Served Cold.  Abercrombie sure knows how to write, that’s for sure.

In all, we got around 6-8” of snow or so from the other day.

Valentines Day draws near. 

I’m not crazy, I’m just a little unwell.  No, seriously.  But I am getting better.  Maybe when I do I’ll have something better to say.  Something that makes more sense.  Cause really, if you boiled this post down, the only thing worth saying was the top point.  The rest is just chaff.  Worthless chaff.

If you don’t have anything meaningful to say, then keep your mouth shut.  Yeah…

Green, A Review (May Contain Spoilers)

Green is a prequel and/or a sequel to Ted Dekker's The Circle series. To me, I can't consider it a prequel, as there is too much extra information that would have me feeling lost without having first read the other books. That said, I have read Black, Red, White, Showdown, Chosen, and Infidel, and I enjoyed the original trilogy immensely.

I was excited to learn that Green was coming out, eager to dive back into the life of Thomas Hunter. While Thomas is a main protagonist of this book, he's not the only POV character, and (at times) I felt like the story suffered some because of this.

The book takes place ten years after White. The Circle is suffering. They've been hunted and hounded by the Horde for too long. Their resolve is failing. Many are struggling to follow the command from Elyon, to love the Horde. All are beginning to doubt the existence of Elyon and wonder if he's forsaken them. When Samuel, Thomas of Hunter's son, decides to take up arms against the Horde, Thomas decides to issue a challenge to Elyon, hoping to prove to everyone that he still cares.

Meanwhile, back on earth (2000 years in the past), a strange man walks into Raison Pharmaceuticals and proclaims he has a strange power: the ability to read minds. He wants to travel to Thomas' world and demands the man's blood. Events unfold that will leave both worlds shaking.

The story of Green is about the end of all things, as well as the beginning. Throughout the novel, Dekker alludes to Christian theology (Great Romance, drowning, etc.), offering that the faith and hope of the Circle is the only good. Teelah's power and influence is prevalent and taking over the world, similar to earth today. For the most part, I really enjoy the symbolism and allusions.

For the most part.

There was one large element that didn't quite fit with the theology, in my opinion. The idea of reincarnation. The idea of a second chance. When the Battle of Migdon climaxes and everything ends, I felt let down. Not only was the battle hastily written (and slightly confusing), the aftermath was unexpected. Christian theology was replaced with something akin to Hinduism. Thus, a unsatisfying and predictable ending was thrown in the book.

Overall, I liked the story, but it fails to capture the power and originality the original trilogy held. I felt like some scenes were rushed or pointless, as were some characters. I felt like Dekker dropped the ball at the end. Our life is a one-chance deal, and I think thinking otherwise could be dangerous to a Christian mindset.

This book was provided by Thomas Nelson publishing house free to me.

Random Bits and Pieces

• New Fallout: New Vegas trailer available here.  Coming this Fall!
• Rain, rain, rain today.  Grey, grey, grey.
• Busy weekend ahead.

Blog Updates and a Poem

If you read my blog on my actual blog page, as opposed to Google Reader or Facebook, then you’ll definitely notice the change in colors that you’re seeing.  The background changed from the dark green to an even darker green and the header changed a bit, too.  I’m not afraid of change; in fact, I try to embrace it whenever I feel I should.  Being the new year and all, I figured I should change up a few things here.  For one, I’m not sure if I’m going to continue posting weekdaily, but for now I am.  We’ll wait and see, eh?

I also added a Creative Commons license at the bottom of the page, but I’m not really 100% sure why.  Whatever the case, it’s there.  And I’ve removed my 2009 Reads (so far) and replaced it with 2010 Reading Deck and 2010 Reads.  I also updated my Otherwheres section, complete with many of the blogs I frequent.  Check out some of the new ones if’n you’d like.  (If ya liked it then ya shoulda put a ring on it…)

It’s cold here in good ole Western Kentucky.  The wind chill right now is –2, and the actual temp is 12.  And it’s supposed to snow up to 4 inches tomorrow night.  At last the harshness of winter is upon us.  Nothing like a good, cold winter day, though.  It’s the hard season.  The dead season.  The mean season.  And I like it.

So I wrote a series of related poems the other day.  They’re a bit on the darker side of life, dealing with things that old folky songs tend to deal with.  There are four parts total.

"see the man" or "isabella's secret pt. 3"

in the black of the night
through the woods filled with fright
see the man!

down the road of despair
through the winds of stale air
see the man!

how he dances
how he writhes
how he twists
how he cries
see the man
see the man
see the man!

in the room of bloodied walls
through the doorway past the halls
see the man!

'neath the floor of wood and stone
through the dirt that's white with bone
see the man!

how he snarls
how he screams
how he shudders
how he dreams
see the man
see the man
see the man!

in the house of isabella
through the lies and in the cellar
see the man!

in the room rests a skeleton
through the scent of the smelly one
see the man!

now he's silent
now he rests
now he sleeps
now he's dead
see the man
see the man
see the man!

And now a part no one will care about except Dave.  I’m slowly filing my way through Oblivion.  I can’t decide whether or not I want to cure my vampirism.  I like the perks of the stat boosts, and feeding doesn’t really pose much of a problem for me, either.  The sunlight thing is kind of annoying, but only in the upper stages.  The weakness to fire, though, just plain sucks.  It just hit me how massive this game is.  I’ve only completed around 35% of the game’s quests, and I’ve been playing for many hours.

That’s really about it for today.  Writing Wednesdays up tomorrow.  I hope you are enjoying the tale, if you’re reading it.  I’m having loads of fun writing it, which is really the more important thing, methinks.  But I want the readers (the few of you that there are) to like it, too.  (If ya liked it then ya shoulda put a ring on it…)  It’s different and original, but at the same time I’m making use of clichés and tradition (thanks to The Odyssey for inspiration).  There are models and there are creations, and you can probably see both, maybe, if you squint and get the right light shining on it.  Blah.  Now I’m blushing.  It’s too hard to talk about my own work.

See the man!

Desultory Thoughts About Diddly Squat

There are times in life when you feel like Bono, walking through the empty streets of London searching for something that you can’t find, knowing that you never will find what you’re looking for. Or maybe you feel like a scarecrow that’s scared of the crows, which is really quite inefficient. But we’re talking kings and successions, even you can’t be caught unawares.

Don’t you hate it when the book your reading turns out to not be what you’re expecting? It’s like taking a big drink of pop, expecting the full richness of Mt. Dew and instead getting Coke or tea. While there’s nothing wrong with Coke or tea, there’s nothing good about that false excitement and sudden revulsion, either. Treasured is about finding tangible reminders of God’s active presence in our lives through life stories of the author. So far, I feel like I’m reading chick literature, which is a definite let down. Maybe it’s because I’m still coming off the high of Last Argument of Kings?

So prepare for the coup of the century, be prepared for the murkiest scam. Have I ever pointed out my favorite Disney movie of all time? It’s Aladdin. I love it. The comedy still cracks me up every time I watch it. Genie and Al are too funny. I’m glad Disney made good cartoon movies back then instead of this weird stuff they’re making now. My second favorite Disney movie? You’d never guess it in a million years.

Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning… Where does that leave us? In the dregs of the soup bowl? In anticipation for Thanksgiving? In the throws of the soul of music, floating on like Modest Mouse? We look into the mirror and see not ourselves staring back but the Witch King of Angmar, blade aglow and flail a-ready. (You have to admit, his design is awesome.) Startled at the sight of the Black Captain, we jump back and stumble into Outkast, which startles them into an outburst of “Hey Ya!”

Decades of denial is simply why I’ll be king, undisputed, respected, saluted, and seen for the wonder I am. Tearstained cheeks with mascara streaks make us all eke out own. The terror of everyday living, of everyday knowing, is enough to drive even the stoic up the wall of emotion. There is no sanctuary. There is only Australia, the last great hope for man. How sad would I be if I dropped my favorite coffee cup, the handcrafted one from the pottery place, and it shattered at my feet?

Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared. The Ciabatta sandwiches for supper last night were really good. Heroes was okay, but only okay. Big Bang Theory was funny, as it always is. I was eschewing Black Friday deals (I have to work), but I saw that Best Buy is selling Fallout 3 GOTY Edition for $20. I can’t pass that up. They’ve also got Dragon Age for $40, but I think I’ll let that one slide for now. Of course, on the flip side, I always have my calculus.

Be prepared!

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First and foremost, you should watch the film below.  My friend Bill shared this with me and I loved it.  It presents what The Matrix would be like had it been done in the silent film era.  Trust me, it’s fun.  Especially if you like The Matrix, silent films, Russia, or general comedy.

Did you like it?  If you’re on Facebook, then you can’t see the embedded video because Facebook sucks.  If you want to watch the video, and I strongly recommend that you do, then click HERE or HERE.  You won’t regret it.

I cannot express how excited I am to be Nashville bound next weekend.  I’m going to see Joe Purdy in concert.  I’ve been wanting to see him live for a long time now, and the 2-3 hr drive will be completely worth it.  If you’ve not heard of Joe, you should check out his website, where you can listen to all of his music for free.  The concert tickets are cheap ($10) and the venues are small, so if he’s coming near you, you may consider a trip.

Have any of you played Oblivion?  Is it just me or is the lockpicking feature a lot harder than it was in Fallout 3?  I’m not sure I even understand it really.  I just throw the tumblers up and try to lock them in place when it hits the top, but this just doesn’t seem effective.  Bah, I’m sure I’ll figure it out eventually. 

I hoped to have a review of The Last Argument of Kings up here today, but I couldn’t finish the remaining pages last night.  I have about 50 pages or so left, so I’ll definitely review it on Monday.  Next up comes the STAR WARS Deathtroopers book mentioned a while back, since I’ve got it checked out from the library and it’ll need to be returned relatively soon.

Wasn’t The Office funny last night?  Speaking of The Office, here’s another rather interesting video.  It’s a morphing blob robot thing.  It’s actually quite astounding.  It confirms that our technological skills are slowly reaching Skynet levels and Terminators are coming.  Terminators and zombies…  awesome.

Okay, I guess that’s about it for the day.  My NaNoWriMo idea took a dramatic (is that a pun?) turn yesterday in the cogs of my head and I think I decided to change a few things in the character’s futures.  Press on everyone that’s doing it.