Comic Con (Haiku)

Now it is over.
I did not go. Wish I had.
Hopefully next year?

Ramble on

Yesterday was fun, in a way. I vacuumed, washed some dishes, played through another chapter of Half Life (1 not 2), and had some wine and conversation with Chris and Hortensia. It was good. I did notice that I now have trouble relaxing during movies and conversations, not so much with games. I'm not sure why, but the whole time I was doing either, I kept thinking about doing other things, instead of just being in the moment, even though the moment was enjoyable. Hurm.

I have trouble sleeping. Wait, let me rephrase that. I have trouble waking. I feel like it could be that I don't get 8 hours of sleep, but if I want to wake up at 6am, I'd have to go to bed at, what?, 10pm. That means be asleep by then, and that just seems an impossibility. We usually end up getting ready for bed around then, so it's not all bad, but it's not a full 8 hours either. Maybe I should try to reschdeule the day instead. Make plans assuming that I wake up at 6:30 or even 7.

Ok, I'm calling it now: we're playing Battlestar Galactica on Thursday. Even if it is just Emily, Alex and myself. Even if, for some strange reason, 10 people show up (it says it plays from 3-6 players). We are playing it. We'll make it work some how.

Morning Pages

As I have mentioned before, I have trouble with mornings. In the book The Artist Way, they talk about morning pages to help clear your head each day. Basically you just write down whatever's in your head. It seems easy enough, so why not give it a go right? I'm not saying I'm going to do it everyday, but maybe. And it almost never will be the 2 pages it asks for either, but something's better than nothing.

Last night we played D&D. I'm the GM and we've been going through the Keep on the Shadowfell module. My players finished off the story, defeating Kalarel in the end which helped reseal the rift to the Shadow realm. I noticed I need to work on my storytelling skills. At some point they thought they had to travel to Thunderspire to stop him, but that was a hook to another adventure. Maybe they're not used to hooks popping up that lead to other stories while fighting in the middle of one. Anyways, it was a long battle but our heroes pervailed. Now I have to buy the next module to continue the story. I'll be honest, I think these early modules could have used a little more polish, at least this first one. I haven't checked out any of the more recent ones, but I hope that they're a little more fleshed out.

I know that yesterday would be considered a "fun" day and so that would make today a "work" day, but I want to play some video games. Although, I would also like to get the dishes done and vaccuum the living room. Kids can really make a mess. But then again, so can cats, so it's not like we're not used to it. You know I can probably get all of those done today without much strain.

Excitebots is here!

So, Excitebots: Trick Racing is finally out. It seems to have been recieved well. It's gotten some fairly good reviews, a couple of so-so reviews, and at least one interesting one (to me at least). This being my first game to have done any work on, I find it all very exciting. I'm glad to see that it has gone over as well as it has. Here's hoping the momentum keeps up (I'll also except it if the momentum picks-up as well).

Monsters vs Aliens

Emily and I went to see Monsters vs Aliens the other night. As an animated children's movie I thought it was ok. It's very silly and makes some off the wall jokes. The story's pretty predictable and easy to follow. It's no Pixar movie but it does provide an enjoyable time.

We didn't see it in 3D, but there were some scenes that were in there solely to take advantage of the 3D technology (a paddle ball coming towards you and things like that). Emily doesn't get any extra enjoyment out of 3D movies and they cost a bit more than their 2D counterparts.

Emily couldn't get over the fact that the main character's head (the 49 foot woman) was proportionally larger than her body and no one else had the same affliction. I chalked it up to the animators trying to make her look "cute." My favorite parts were the parts that included Stephen Colbert playing as the president personally.

All in all, if you're a big 3D fan then go see it for that; but purely for the movie, I'd say it's worth renting if you have kids, but you're not missing much if you skip it.

VGO progress

So a friend of mine at work hosts a party every year called the Video Game Olympics. A large group of us get together at a lodge for three days and do nothing but drink beer, eat food, and play video games. There are brackets and teams and trophies. TVs and projectors are set-up all over the place. It's pretty fun. Last year (the 2007 VGOs) I came in 10th and won Rookie of the Year, but this year I came in 1st in a two events (Wii Home Run Derby and Legends on Wrestlemania) and I think I have a good chance of coming in 2nd overall. It was a blast.

Prioritize

I'm not sure if you know this about me, but I have a hard time prioritizing. Doesn't matter whether it's time or money or whatever. But I am taking steps. And one of them is to stop with the facebook games. They have no real use for me. Some are fun and only take a minute or two of my time, but these games that require you to interact with them everyday and penalize you if you don't, I'm done with. That's not a fun amusement, that's work. And I saw "No more!" If I want to play a game, I can play on the Xbox 360 or the Wii or even on my computer. I have way too many games piling up that I want to play. I should put my goofing off time into those.

That's all. Let me know if you have any other helpful tips.

It's almost Thanksgiving?

Crazy, but there's like only a week or so before Thanksgiving. We're having Em's family over again, like usual, but this year my mom's coming over as well. To be honest, I feel pretty good about it. I think this year will go better than any of the others. We have a menu planned out. Th house is starting from a cleaner condition than ever. Best of all, I only have 1 job and will probably be able to take off a few days before to help cook and clean.

Oh, about that. It seems like Nintendo is pushing us to get this game done by January. I'm not sure how these things usually go, but it seems a little fast. At first I didn't think so, but as the time goes by, there just seems to be more and more that needs to be done. We'll see how it goes.

Yea-ness!

Yeah, so if you didn't hear, Emily is working full time now at Just Food and got a raise to boot. This means I'm down to working one job now. I have all kinds of free time now, though most of it has lately been devoted to sleeping.

The odd thing is, that even with more time available now, I still have trouble getting ready in the morning and getting projects done. Any suggestions?

Iron Man

I saw Iron Man the other day. And yes I am a big fan of comics and comic based movies, but I've never been a big fan of Iron Man. I don't hate the guy, I've just never really had any interest in him. The movie, though changed that, somewhat.

First off, it's a well-done fun movie. As is popular now, and for good reason, the movie focuses on the man behind the mask. This was a great way to take the movie, but that's where all the interesting parts are. Yes, I go to see explosions and special effects, but lets face it, most of them are shown on the preview so by the time I see it in the theaters, I've already seen the effect 8 times. Robert Downey Jr is superb in his fleshing out of Tony Stark, Jeff Bridges plays up the villain to almost-over-the-top perfection, and for the most part Gwyneth Paltrow displays Pepper Pots, the love interest, as a strong independent woman (at the end, for some reason, her character deteriorates into a dumb blond). Obviously I would recommend it. And for those comic book fans out there, be sure to stick around after the credits for an amazing surprise.

Bit of trivia for ya': I believe this is the first movie fully funded by Marvel's movie department, which might explain that care that went into it.

Birthday Party

Ok, so I'm planning on having a birthday bash on June 28, 2008 at my house. It'll be like a game fest. There'll also be food, booze, cake, music, and games. I've been thinking about getting a few prizes together for the events as well. I haven't finalized all the events yet, but so far I was thinking of having maybe Super Puzzle Fighter, Mario Kart, Smash Brothers, ab roller racing, Munchkin, Chore Wars, Pacman CE, and whatever else I think of. Undoubtedly, there'll be some Rock Band playing as well. Party should start around noon, award ceremony around 10pm or so and end when it's over. Mark your calendars.

Rock Band got Better?

For those of you completely out of the loop, Rock Band had an update recently that made it even better. It makes the talking sections of singing easier to accomplish and it's now much easier to perform at all of the venues in Band World Tour. But the part that excited me the most is the addition of the Rock Band store. It had been possible to download songs for the game before, but it was fairly annoying. Now you can preview a song before buying it and it's all but eliminated double purchases. Way to go Harmonix!

Overdue Overview

Let me post a quick update for those few that might actually pay attention to this:

Work - I'm working at Monster Games in my dream job as a video game designer. I'm also working another second job at the James Gang Coffee House to help pay-off some bills, but am no longer going to school. Emily's still working at Just Food, but only as an office assistant, and for very part-time. She's also working at her acupuncturists as a receptionist. They've worked out a deal where she gets acupuncture and Chinese medicine in lieu of money. It actually works in our favor this way, plus she seems to be getting healthier.

Home - We're attempting to rearrange and organize our house, but it's slow going. We're cleaning out what used to be our studio so that David has his own room (our friend David has moved in and is now our roommate). We're attempting to convert the office into more of a gaming/studio space. We hope to finish out the garage and turn that into a more workable space. Emily would like to have a more defined garden this year as well.

Fun - I have an X-Box 360 now and have been playing on it some. Alex started DM'ing a D&D campaign that we meet together for once a week; I'm playing a female half-orc Cleric. So far it's been pretty fun. Emily's started to get back into her art, hence the changes in the house. She'd like to go back to school to learn more along the lines of graphic design, but we haven't worked that out quite yet.

That's a good dose for now. I plan on trying to post once a week, even if it's random thoughts.

I GOT IT!!!

I have a new job now! YEA! I will be working at Monster Games starting October 29th. I’m so excited! I’ll be working like 2 miles or so away from my house and working on video games as well. This is so awesome. I’ll have I job I don’t hate in some regard. What a novel idea. I haven’t met everyone there yet, but so far the few people I have met I get along with really well. The pay will be close to what I’m making now; technically it’ll be slightly less, but since they don’t deduct anything from your paycheck for benefits (which I’ll have as well) it’s quite possible that I’ll be bringing in more money than before. Score! It’s like a dream come true.

My position, if I remember correctly, is Assistant Producer. I’ll be helping with the design of game: the sounds, the colors, the game features, the tracks, etc. I’m not sure exactly what my day-to-day activities will be, but I’m sure I’ll pick it up in no time. I bet with my schooling, they’ll let me update their website, because it could use some help. Maybe even their logo. Man, I can’t wait!

New job?!?

On a lark, and because I’ve started to take as much from my current job as I can, I sent a cover letter and resume to Monster Games. As it turns out, they had a postion open and they asked if I wanted to apply, so I did. I’m very excited about all of this. The position is Assistant Producer/Design Intern. Basically you try to refine all kinds of aspects of the game to make it better (eg. item placement, sound effects, item colors, terrain refinement, etc.) This is like my dream job, ok it’s almost my dream job. My dream job would pay way more and it’d be a higher up position, but the activity is exactly the same. This is too awesome.

Plus, they’re located in Northfield, so I’d get to see Emily every day for lunch at the very least. I could bike to work on nice days. I could run errands before, after, or maybe even during work. They have flexible hours, so they won’t jump down my throat for being 10 minutes late occasionally. Plus I already have a friend working there.

I’ve only had one interview so far, but that went really well. It seemed like their only issue was that the position would be step down on the corporate ladder for me, but I explained to them that was not an issue for me. I’d rather being doing something I enjoy and support but have a lesser position than be management for a company who’s practices clash with my beliefs. Call me crazy.

My only problem is not getting too excited about it all. They’ve haven’t called to schedule a second interview yet, and until they actually offer me the position, I don’t have it. But I can’t help but daydream about working there. Hell, I’ve been daydreaming about working there for at least a year now, and there wasn’t even a position involved then.

Honeymoon Camping Trip

I’m so excited. Emily and I are about to take off on our Honeymoon camping trip. We’re going to drive from Northfield, MN into Massachusetts. I think we’re spending a week at Myles Standish and then another week at Nickerson State Park. Then we’ll head back to Northfield. I don’t think we have many plans. There are a few places we want to visit, a few places we want to eat at again. If anyone’s in the area, feel free to stop by and say hey. Maybe, with enough notice we can stop along the way.

We’re also a little nervous because we didn’t exactly plan this out or save up it for it the way we wanted. We got hit hard by some unexpected medical bills beforehand. I think we’ll be able to make the most of it though. It won’t be an extravagant outing, but then again most camping trips aren’t.

It doesn’t matter really. It’ll be our first vacation away with just each other. Plus, it’s 2 weeks away from work and house projects and school. A chance to relax, rest, and get an idea for where we’re at and where we want to go. I am so looking forward to this.

OMG It’s Back!

I had to go in to work this Saturday, which was crappy because 1) it’s work on Saturday and 2) I still need to work on this massive final project for my design class. I went in and brought up Winamp to listen to the mp3’s I have on my computer when I thought, for a lark, I’d try the internet radio stations again. IT WORKED.

EGG RADIO is back on the air. I can’t tell you how excited I was to find out that it was back and that I can still listen to it at work. It’s only up in a beta/test sense, so not all the cool features are back, but that’s fine. I’m just glad to have some nice tunes to listen to while in my cube again.

YEA!

What’s going on with me?

My first semester at the Art Institutes International in Minneapolis is almost finished. I’ve enjoyed my Design class, as challenging as it is, and my Drawing class has shown me that I can draw, even if it didn’t really teach me all that much. When I get pieces back I’ll try to scan them or photo them and post them up, for you amusement.

Work has been going much, much smoother than it did last year. Maybe it just seems more relaxed because of how hectic it was last year. Maybe the weather has been perfect and provided for an evened out year. Maybe everyone has a better understanding of what to do and how to do it and isn’t running around with their heads cut off. Or maybe it’s a long quiet before a big storm. God, I hope not.

Work on our house has started again. Hopefully we can finish it up before not too long and get the rest of that insurance money. David’s been re-doing the deck, which it sorely needed. After that all that’s left is the gutters, I think.

Emily’s been doing really well with her healing. She’s been able to more things and isn’t in constant pain anymore. She’s even lost some weight. She’s become more frustrated with her job though and we have plans to get her a car. She really wants a Fit, but she’s thinking it might take too long to save up for something like that (can’t really find used Fit’s yet), so she might go another route.

We’re both REALLY excited about our planned road/camping trip to Massachusetts at the end of June. We’ve already reserved camping sites and have some loose plans of what we want to do. We might stop and see some people along the way. It hasn’t really been fleshed out that much. This’ll be our first vacation together.

That’s a quick run through of what’s been going on with us, for those that are interested.

Better than Guitar Hero?

Have you heard about this? Harmonix is teaming up with MTV and EA to take the concept of Guitar Hero to the next level. The game is called Rock Band and you can team up with up to 4 friends to create a band: drums, bass guitar, lead guitar, and vocals. You all play simultaneously either on one system or online. That’s all I know about the game so far, but I have to say that I’m down right giddy whenever I think about it. Oh, did I happen to mention that the songs will be done by the actual bands, not just covers. On top of that, there are rumors that bands will release new songs through the game. How awesome is that?

You Tube recoginition

I came across this video one morning and thought nothing of it, until it hit me that this happened at the Gameworks in downtown Minneapolis. I've been there, so I know that the stupid guy must have been hammered.

It's just kinda crazy, you're watching a video and all of sudden it becomes connected to real life. Puts it all in perspective.