I've concluded Lie To Me. I won't say much since my thoughts on Kdramas have been thoroughly covered in previous entries. I will say, however, that I've started a new one called City Hunter. My experience with City Hunter is limited to Jackie Chan turning into various Street Fighter characters, so it's fun to watch a Korean version. The beginning lacks a lot of comedy I associate with the franchise though.
Lately, I've been making a conscious effort to eat a whole lot more. I feel my stomach expanding and my constant measurements show decent progress. Slowly but surely, I'm getting heavier. I'm also increasing my workouts. It could be just mental, but I feel better and I think I'm looking better too. There's always room to improve though. I'm not sure if I'll ever arrive to that point of satisfaction or if I'll stall later on. I'm limited by my funds.
Speaking of funding, I need to get a new shaker cup. The cap for my shaker cup cracked. I've barely had the thing for more than a month and I paid over market price for the damn thing. If that's not a bad omen, I don't know what is. What a piece of crap. I taped over the cracks and I'm thinking of using it until I run out of protein powder. Unless it's rendered completely unusable, there's no need to go replacing it.
After a week-long break, we went back into the field of battle and got trounced four straight, then got our groove back five-straight. The tides of battle are forever shifting. Victory is a fleeting triumph. We always gotta carry. Where's the back up, yo? Yeesh.
/eventlog
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
Event Log: 8/28/14 - I Want Some More
Today was the same as yesterday. It shouldn't be so easy to watch Kdramas. I watch the first episode just to check things out and before I know it, I'm already ten-deep and I've got no way out except to finish it. How frustrating. As I'm indulging, my projects are languishing on the wayside. Aish! I wish I didn't have this kind of personality. I can't drop things on the drop of a hat.
Today's latest distraction? A drama called Lie to Me, which reminds me of that short-lived show with Tim Roth on Fox. Even having never seen it, I can confidently say they're nothing alike. The leading girl in this one is annoying. She's a selfish, insecure brat, but then again, aren't they all? The more of these I watch, the more the formula unfolds. They're modern day fairy tales but I can see the cultural restrictions. For instance, loyalty to family, company, and country seem to trump personal independence, and the people in these shows always suffer from severe communication handicaps. There's a line in which dramatic license turns into possible diagnoses of mental retardation. I shouldn't say things like this because there are probably millions out there in committed relationships who can't say the simplest things to their partners just because.
It's hard being human.
/eventlog
Today's latest distraction? A drama called Lie to Me, which reminds me of that short-lived show with Tim Roth on Fox. Even having never seen it, I can confidently say they're nothing alike. The leading girl in this one is annoying. She's a selfish, insecure brat, but then again, aren't they all? The more of these I watch, the more the formula unfolds. They're modern day fairy tales but I can see the cultural restrictions. For instance, loyalty to family, company, and country seem to trump personal independence, and the people in these shows always suffer from severe communication handicaps. There's a line in which dramatic license turns into possible diagnoses of mental retardation. I shouldn't say things like this because there are probably millions out there in committed relationships who can't say the simplest things to their partners just because.
It's hard being human.
/eventlog
Event Log: 8/27/14 - End of the Road
I finished Wild Romance. Kdramas are funny. When I'm in the middle of one, everything seems so entertaining, but when it's over, and then I think about it, it actually wasn't as good as I thought. Maybe it's just me and the embarrassment of watching something so melodramatic catching up. At first, it was good for getting ideas for my own stories, but my brain has deteriorated past that point where I can justify my lack of production. My mind is comfortably numb. It's why I've been one step behind in these Event Logs. Not only is all my time being eaten up by these Kdramas, but I haven't really been doing anything other than watching these Kdramas--besides working out. Sure sounds like I'm taking it easy, and that's because I totally am. I know I'll run out of dramas to watch eventually, but I legitimately fear for my life once September 9th rolls around, because on that day, I have a date with Destiny.
/eventlog
/eventlog
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Event Log: 8/26/14 - Sidetracked
About halfway in the construction of my nightclub fantasy, I decided that my story must end on a troll ending. I don't mean something ridiculous, just a conclusion that is unwarranted or unearned by the preceding events. Considering my reception consisted of jack squat, I realized that my concept is too niche. It's unfortunate when a community can't support genres beyond the conventional. What was once The Hangover has turned into Shutter Island.
In my story, the girl is aggressive and that made me wonder if there were any K-dramas with aggressive leading women, and that led me to a show called Wild Romance. Needless to say, I got majorly sidetracked and I am firmly in the middle of a K-drama kick.
/eventlog
In my story, the girl is aggressive and that made me wonder if there were any K-dramas with aggressive leading women, and that led me to a show called Wild Romance. Needless to say, I got majorly sidetracked and I am firmly in the middle of a K-drama kick.
/eventlog
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Event Log: 8/25/14 - Fictional
It's always scary to confront the idea that we are slowing down with age. It shouldn't take an entire day to write 3000 words, but that's exactly what it took. Writing isn't exactly an athletic activity, and even if it was, I'm supposed to be in my physical prime anyways, so why I am slowing down? I tell myself that even if I'm writing less, it's actually more in quality, but who knows if that's true? I've got a friend 7 (or 6?) years my junior pumping 10,000 word behemoths while juggling part-time jobs and now school. Me? I've got all the time in the world.
I've been writing for years and I still haven't figured out the elusive formula for guaranteed production. It's a maddening dilemma. At best, when the mood strikes me, that's when I'm at my best. I don't think it's a matter of refining technique then it is about refining the source--my thoughts. A cliched as it sounds, I might have to change the way I think about things. In the old days, I envisioned my stories visually, like a movie. But today? I think up stories in words, ready to be put down on paper. The struggle is holding on to those words as the letters leak out of my head.
I'm sure I'll get it right one of these days, and when I do, the world probably end before I get a chance to show off.
/eventlog
I've been writing for years and I still haven't figured out the elusive formula for guaranteed production. It's a maddening dilemma. At best, when the mood strikes me, that's when I'm at my best. I don't think it's a matter of refining technique then it is about refining the source--my thoughts. A cliched as it sounds, I might have to change the way I think about things. In the old days, I envisioned my stories visually, like a movie. But today? I think up stories in words, ready to be put down on paper. The struggle is holding on to those words as the letters leak out of my head.
I'm sure I'll get it right one of these days, and when I do, the world probably end before I get a chance to show off.
/eventlog
Monday, August 25, 2014
Event Log: 8/24/14 - Ongoing
I had no idea that "It's Okay, That's Love" was currently ongoing. I thought I was jumping into something complete, so imagine my shock when the episodes dried up. I'm ten-deep, which means I'm committed. No backing out. If I bailed out now, it'd be with a bad taste in my mouth. I hate to leave things hanging.
I don't know if it's just me, bad translation, or Korean semantics, but sometimes, the dialogue in dramas makes absolutely no sense. It's a phenomenon I describe as talking "at" each other instead of talking "to" each other. The finer subtleties are probably lost in translation.
Unfortunately, there's not much I can say about the show. I'm not invested enough to start writing up detailed critiques about plot, characterization, or any of the other elements that constitute a good drama, and it's not like I'm keeping a record of all my thoughts as I watch it. I suppose the quality of a drama depends on how many times I think "WAT" as I'm watching. Less is better. And the actor pool is super-limited in Korea. I see the same people everywhere. Where's the variety?
I had a late night BF4 session and it was probably the worst one we've had in months. It was so bad, my friend called it in early. He couldn't handle the obscene levels of nonsense that were going on, which included a terrible spawn into a knifed animation. I don't know what was going on that night, but it was straight bollocks.
I've been in the middle of a story written by a good friend. The writing is quality but there are some things that make me wanna barf, not because it's bad, but because it's fundamentally opposed to my unsentimental view on romance. I'm not a big fan of weaksauce. Even in the lowest of the low, those who exert some form of willpower can look cool by virtue of self-propulsion. We could all use help sometimes, but this is fiction; I wanna read about somebody who can do it on his own--or at least try--even when he can't. Whether he or she succeeds or fails, it doesn't matter. They're still cool in my book.
/eventlog
I don't know if it's just me, bad translation, or Korean semantics, but sometimes, the dialogue in dramas makes absolutely no sense. It's a phenomenon I describe as talking "at" each other instead of talking "to" each other. The finer subtleties are probably lost in translation.
Unfortunately, there's not much I can say about the show. I'm not invested enough to start writing up detailed critiques about plot, characterization, or any of the other elements that constitute a good drama, and it's not like I'm keeping a record of all my thoughts as I watch it. I suppose the quality of a drama depends on how many times I think "WAT" as I'm watching. Less is better. And the actor pool is super-limited in Korea. I see the same people everywhere. Where's the variety?
I had a late night BF4 session and it was probably the worst one we've had in months. It was so bad, my friend called it in early. He couldn't handle the obscene levels of nonsense that were going on, which included a terrible spawn into a knifed animation. I don't know what was going on that night, but it was straight bollocks.
I've been in the middle of a story written by a good friend. The writing is quality but there are some things that make me wanna barf, not because it's bad, but because it's fundamentally opposed to my unsentimental view on romance. I'm not a big fan of weaksauce. Even in the lowest of the low, those who exert some form of willpower can look cool by virtue of self-propulsion. We could all use help sometimes, but this is fiction; I wanna read about somebody who can do it on his own--or at least try--even when he can't. Whether he or she succeeds or fails, it doesn't matter. They're still cool in my book.
/eventlog
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Event Log: 8/23/14 - Making Stuff Up
It's scary how much time writing takes up, especially a story. I only wrote about 3000 words but it took me an entire day to make sure those 3000 words weren't crap. I wasn't even going for good, just not crap.
It didn't amount to anything in the end. Starting from the bottom is terrible. The days just seem to slip when I'm crafting these narratives. With my trip still fresh in my mind, I'm trying to capture that atmosphere--the heat, the lights, and the people.
I haven't been at the bottom looking up for a long time. It's good every once in a while to climb down and see the struggle for myself. Nobody cares. Nobody notices. And you try everything to grab their attention but it doesn't work unless your core concept holds natural appeal. There are ideas that immediately grab attention because of its dramatic simplicity. I've never been a simple guy. Don't get me wrong, I like all my things to be simple, but when it comes to my creations, they're anything but.
I don't like to declare my intentions upfront. I've always got an ulterior motive behind everything. I like to peel back the layers of my plot slowly and steadily. Nothing is ever as it first appears. That's always been my strength. I just like to surprise people.
I was feeling down because of the non-reaction to my story, so I sent a distress signal throughout Tumblr for a suggestion on a good drama. I got one reply, and it's something called It's Okay, That's Love. I watched two episodes and its formulaic to a fault, but with psychiatric twist that reminds me of my friend's occupation and, of course, Hannibal. It's actually been a very fruitful endeavor because ideas for my own story keep stacking up. I find inspiration anywhere so the content doesn't matter so much as the thoughts they evoke. When you're spectating, the mind can wander into some pretty far out places. I also can't help but notice the parallels to Love Sick. Basically, everybody's screwed up one way or another.
Maybe I'll watch the rest of it later.
/eventlog
It didn't amount to anything in the end. Starting from the bottom is terrible. The days just seem to slip when I'm crafting these narratives. With my trip still fresh in my mind, I'm trying to capture that atmosphere--the heat, the lights, and the people.
I haven't been at the bottom looking up for a long time. It's good every once in a while to climb down and see the struggle for myself. Nobody cares. Nobody notices. And you try everything to grab their attention but it doesn't work unless your core concept holds natural appeal. There are ideas that immediately grab attention because of its dramatic simplicity. I've never been a simple guy. Don't get me wrong, I like all my things to be simple, but when it comes to my creations, they're anything but.
I don't like to declare my intentions upfront. I've always got an ulterior motive behind everything. I like to peel back the layers of my plot slowly and steadily. Nothing is ever as it first appears. That's always been my strength. I just like to surprise people.
I was feeling down because of the non-reaction to my story, so I sent a distress signal throughout Tumblr for a suggestion on a good drama. I got one reply, and it's something called It's Okay, That's Love. I watched two episodes and its formulaic to a fault, but with psychiatric twist that reminds me of my friend's occupation and, of course, Hannibal. It's actually been a very fruitful endeavor because ideas for my own story keep stacking up. I find inspiration anywhere so the content doesn't matter so much as the thoughts they evoke. When you're spectating, the mind can wander into some pretty far out places. I also can't help but notice the parallels to Love Sick. Basically, everybody's screwed up one way or another.
Maybe I'll watch the rest of it later.
/eventlog
Friday, August 22, 2014
Event Log: 8/22/14 - Overdrive
I got carried away with my workout. I woke up feeling tired and I made it my mission to make sure I'd go to sleep tired too. I tried out a couple new exercises and worked some muscles that were fine with not being worked out before. Sorry, but when it's your turn, you gotta step it up.
Everything I've read points to the same conclusion: it's not what you do that matters so much as what you eat. The more I look into diet and nutrition, the more I want to bail out. Do people really think this deeply about their food? Of course they do. All things considered, what we eat is probably the biggest contributor to how we feel physically, emotionally, and mentally. It just goes to show that effort is required to get anything done, whether it's to look your best or make money.
I wonder if I'm still suffering from residual exhaustion from my trip to Vegas. I did stay up last night to play some BF4 with my friend, but that shouldn't account for this sheer fatigue. I worked on a little story inspired by Vegas. I want to capture the essence of friendship between guys. I don't feel like it's being done justice--at least in writing. Since the bulk of my readership is female, I think it's fun to give them a taste of the other side.
I still got a long way to go.
/eventlog
Everything I've read points to the same conclusion: it's not what you do that matters so much as what you eat. The more I look into diet and nutrition, the more I want to bail out. Do people really think this deeply about their food? Of course they do. All things considered, what we eat is probably the biggest contributor to how we feel physically, emotionally, and mentally. It just goes to show that effort is required to get anything done, whether it's to look your best or make money.
I wonder if I'm still suffering from residual exhaustion from my trip to Vegas. I did stay up last night to play some BF4 with my friend, but that shouldn't account for this sheer fatigue. I worked on a little story inspired by Vegas. I want to capture the essence of friendship between guys. I don't feel like it's being done justice--at least in writing. Since the bulk of my readership is female, I think it's fun to give them a taste of the other side.
I still got a long way to go.
/eventlog
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Event Log: 8/21/14 - The After Party
I don't think today would've been much different if I had been chained to a bed, wrapped up in bandages, with only an IV drip to keep me alive. I've made my peace.
I will have to start from the bottom. I thought I could find a ledge to grab onto while in this long and controlled descent, but it turns out, they're all illusions. The last time I scraped from the bottom like this, I came up vastly improved. Better to start now than never, right?
/eventlog
I will have to start from the bottom. I thought I could find a ledge to grab onto while in this long and controlled descent, but it turns out, they're all illusions. The last time I scraped from the bottom like this, I came up vastly improved. Better to start now than never, right?
/eventlog
Event Log: 8/20/14 - Stopping Short of the Climax
When something sounds too good to be true, it's best to bail out.
Event Log: 8/19/14 - A Tiring Road Trip
That's the problem with road trips to Vegas. By the time you get there, you're so tired, the night gets written off as a loss. For all the excitement leading up to it, we ended up staring out the window with our souls razed and skulls hollow. Dark and empty desert everywhere. At least the stars were pretty.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Event Log: 8/18/14 - Echo into the Void
I took it easy today, at least, mentally. Physically, I did more than I usually would during my workout. I'm trying to make up for lost time in advance since I will be sucked into the void known as Vegas. I'm not going to be splurging on food since my previous experience taught me that I lack the requisite taste buds to truly appreciate fine cuisine, but I will definitely be deviating from my usual diet. Then again, one of the friends I'm going with has become particularly picky about his food and I don't expect my deviations to be too excessive because of that--if we're all eating together anyways.
Early in the day, I organized my clips of BF4. I mistakenly deleted a great clip with me going crazy with the MG4. This means I have go online and recapture that moment again by going on another spree. Too bad the PS4 doesn't have a trash folder. If I can only recover that footage... Well, I can't go around crying over spilt milk.
I took another step in advancing my routine. It's easy to see the path ahead but it's much harder to traverse it. That's how I felt when I first started running, but after a while, my body got used to it. Now I'm trying to get my mind used to it. It helps to take a break and wonder how far I've gone. Seeing that progress really helps and provides more motivation. I can't stop now. If anything, I want this upcoming trip to galvanize everything that I've been working toward. I don't know how, but I just want it to.
I will temporarily drop off the face of the planet in the next three days. I'd like to say that I'm ready, but I'm still not there yet. I'm besieged by visions and delusions of grandeur, but I will focus on the most likely outcomes and make sure that as long as I can achieve the bare minimum, I won't be coming back with regrets.
It's going to be a long night.
/eventlog
Early in the day, I organized my clips of BF4. I mistakenly deleted a great clip with me going crazy with the MG4. This means I have go online and recapture that moment again by going on another spree. Too bad the PS4 doesn't have a trash folder. If I can only recover that footage... Well, I can't go around crying over spilt milk.
I took another step in advancing my routine. It's easy to see the path ahead but it's much harder to traverse it. That's how I felt when I first started running, but after a while, my body got used to it. Now I'm trying to get my mind used to it. It helps to take a break and wonder how far I've gone. Seeing that progress really helps and provides more motivation. I can't stop now. If anything, I want this upcoming trip to galvanize everything that I've been working toward. I don't know how, but I just want it to.
I will temporarily drop off the face of the planet in the next three days. I'd like to say that I'm ready, but I'm still not there yet. I'm besieged by visions and delusions of grandeur, but I will focus on the most likely outcomes and make sure that as long as I can achieve the bare minimum, I won't be coming back with regrets.
It's going to be a long night.
/eventlog
Event Log: 8/17/14 - A Miserable Waste
I'm writing this on my phone since I shut down my laptop after installing updates. I don't feel like turning it back on. I used to have an app for this but since it didn't store drafts locally, it was useless. At least I don't have to grapple with constantly shifting window sizes like right now.
The day started off as a miserable waste of time. I tried to complete an assignment in BF4 that requires five kills in a round using a jet. I followed the advice of this girl on YouTube who made it look so easy. Instead, three hours go down the drain. The pilots are too pro. I'm taken down before I can do anything.
By the end, I just played regularly as an infantryman and tore it up. I know my place on the battlefield--it's on the ground. Vehicles can go die in a fire, courtesy of my rocket launchers.
Afterward, I worked on various posts for tumblr and WordPress. I had to do something productive to make up for my previous waste.
Overall, a very unexciting day.
/eventlog
The day started off as a miserable waste of time. I tried to complete an assignment in BF4 that requires five kills in a round using a jet. I followed the advice of this girl on YouTube who made it look so easy. Instead, three hours go down the drain. The pilots are too pro. I'm taken down before I can do anything.
By the end, I just played regularly as an infantryman and tore it up. I know my place on the battlefield--it's on the ground. Vehicles can go die in a fire, courtesy of my rocket launchers.
Afterward, I worked on various posts for tumblr and WordPress. I had to do something productive to make up for my previous waste.
Overall, a very unexciting day.
/eventlog
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Event Log: 8/16/14 - Variation
The more I thought about it, the simpler my incantation had to be. While it'd be cool to recite ice cold words, Pulp Fiction style, I don't need poem, song, or chant. I'm not trying to preach; I just need something to give me motivation. So I've boiled everything down to a single sentence.
I won't tell you what it is. Don't be disappointed. Like all things on the internet, it's subject to change at a moment's notice. Besides, this is personal. I can't let random people steal my material. Not for commercial use.
I put the finishing touches on my playlist by putting them in a set order. Shuffle is too random. It can put two songs that have no business being next to each other, next to each other. If I listen to songs in the same genre one after another, they blend together and lose their identity. Variation is necessary for impact. Having something slow play after something energetic allows me to appreciate the unique flavors and accents of each song.
It took me a lot of time to put things together. First, I had to break the songs into smaller categories like "upbeat," "relaxing," "chill," etc. Then I had to space each song out. I tried to mix it up between lyrics and instrumentals. It probably won't matter. Long road trips make everybody zonk out anyways.
My friends came over for a final preparation session. I don't want us to leave only for one of us to bring up something that we haven't prepared for. Even if there was nothing to discuss, at least we can hang out. Secretly, I called them over just so I could get a free trip to Target. I had $55 on a gift card which I spent on a pre-game bottle of Grey Goose, a pack of gum, and Old Spice deodorant.
Things have gotten so hot, I'm forced to take off my shirt, and you know things are serious when the shirt comes off. If I'm sweating like this in my room, I can't imagine how hot Vegas will be. I just got my clothes dry cleaned. I can't mess them up now. I want to enjoy my freshly cleaned clothes for a little while longer.
The only thing I'm missing that I'm sure is completely unnecessary but might be nice to have is cologne. I recently completed an online test involving advertising for a brand of perfume and I can't lie, I got wrapped up in the exercise and the idea of bringing class where ever I go with a sophisticated scent is a bit alluring. Smell your best for only $130!
Our preparation discussion interrupted my BF session with another friend. Once night came, I asked for round 2. It was bad. I can't remember a crappy run like this in a long time. We squeezed out some wins, but our losses were incredibly lopsided. I checked the battle reports and we barely came out positive, 10 wins to 9 losses. The losses felt worse because they were blowouts.
I looked over my assignments and I had some stuff still locked. I tried to give it a go but it's too annoying. I'm just going to ask my friend for help and trade kills. I ain't got time to get this crap legitimately.
/eventlog
I won't tell you what it is. Don't be disappointed. Like all things on the internet, it's subject to change at a moment's notice. Besides, this is personal. I can't let random people steal my material. Not for commercial use.
I put the finishing touches on my playlist by putting them in a set order. Shuffle is too random. It can put two songs that have no business being next to each other, next to each other. If I listen to songs in the same genre one after another, they blend together and lose their identity. Variation is necessary for impact. Having something slow play after something energetic allows me to appreciate the unique flavors and accents of each song.
It took me a lot of time to put things together. First, I had to break the songs into smaller categories like "upbeat," "relaxing," "chill," etc. Then I had to space each song out. I tried to mix it up between lyrics and instrumentals. It probably won't matter. Long road trips make everybody zonk out anyways.
My friends came over for a final preparation session. I don't want us to leave only for one of us to bring up something that we haven't prepared for. Even if there was nothing to discuss, at least we can hang out. Secretly, I called them over just so I could get a free trip to Target. I had $55 on a gift card which I spent on a pre-game bottle of Grey Goose, a pack of gum, and Old Spice deodorant.
Things have gotten so hot, I'm forced to take off my shirt, and you know things are serious when the shirt comes off. If I'm sweating like this in my room, I can't imagine how hot Vegas will be. I just got my clothes dry cleaned. I can't mess them up now. I want to enjoy my freshly cleaned clothes for a little while longer.
The only thing I'm missing that I'm sure is completely unnecessary but might be nice to have is cologne. I recently completed an online test involving advertising for a brand of perfume and I can't lie, I got wrapped up in the exercise and the idea of bringing class where ever I go with a sophisticated scent is a bit alluring. Smell your best for only $130!
Our preparation discussion interrupted my BF session with another friend. Once night came, I asked for round 2. It was bad. I can't remember a crappy run like this in a long time. We squeezed out some wins, but our losses were incredibly lopsided. I checked the battle reports and we barely came out positive, 10 wins to 9 losses. The losses felt worse because they were blowouts.
I looked over my assignments and I had some stuff still locked. I tried to give it a go but it's too annoying. I'm just going to ask my friend for help and trade kills. I ain't got time to get this crap legitimately.
/eventlog
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Event Log: 8/15/14 - My Not So Infinite Playlist
It's complete--my playlist. It contains a grand total of 153 songs. The only thing I have left is minor tweaking. I handpicked each song but I didn't have enough time to vet them completely. Why would I need to vet them? Because most of it came from my little brother's collection.
This endeavor showed me just how little I've expanded my taste since I was a kid. I'm easy to please. I can listen to the same thing for days and not get tired. I'm economical with my listening. It's not like I need hours of music since I hardly go on trips that last longer than thirty minutes. It's only on rare occasions that I have go out of my way and scrounge up material. Last time, I slapped together a lame list and it really soured the trip, even if it was just me.
My playlist this time leans heavily into indie, so I balanced it out with some club/dance/electronic/whatever the hell you call it. I added some video game tunes because they're awesome. After that, the instrumentals seemed overpowering, so I sprinkled in some classics to keep us on our toes. We could always use a bit of cheese during the trip.
My most glaring omission is the lack of hip hop. What can I say? It's not that I don't like it; I'm just not a fan. Anyways, the theme of the trip is hype, energy, and a bit of relaxation. It has to get us into the correct frame of mind. By the time we get there, we would have absorbed enough music to paint the town red.
Now, it's just a matter of ordering them. Yeah. I don't do shuffle.
/eventlog
This endeavor showed me just how little I've expanded my taste since I was a kid. I'm easy to please. I can listen to the same thing for days and not get tired. I'm economical with my listening. It's not like I need hours of music since I hardly go on trips that last longer than thirty minutes. It's only on rare occasions that I have go out of my way and scrounge up material. Last time, I slapped together a lame list and it really soured the trip, even if it was just me.
My playlist this time leans heavily into indie, so I balanced it out with some club/dance/electronic/whatever the hell you call it. I added some video game tunes because they're awesome. After that, the instrumentals seemed overpowering, so I sprinkled in some classics to keep us on our toes. We could always use a bit of cheese during the trip.
My most glaring omission is the lack of hip hop. What can I say? It's not that I don't like it; I'm just not a fan. Anyways, the theme of the trip is hype, energy, and a bit of relaxation. It has to get us into the correct frame of mind. By the time we get there, we would have absorbed enough music to paint the town red.
Now, it's just a matter of ordering them. Yeah. I don't do shuffle.
/eventlog
Friday, August 15, 2014
Event Log: 8/14/2014 - Jomatto Productions Presents...
I spent the entire day putting these videos together. I've pretty much got ShareFactory down pat. The biggest challenge is getting decent material; I'm limited by my skill level. I put so much time working on these videos, I couldn't run until the evening.
I forgot to mention yesterday that a giant barrel of protein powder was delivered to my doorstep. I wasn't expecting it until next week. Who needs Amazon Prime when free shipping is this fast? I've tried it a few times with water and it tastes like watered down chocolate shake. I mixed it with my cereal milk this morning and it tasted amazing. Too bad water is more effective. The protein is absorbed faster. On the flip side, drinking it with milk at night is good since the body absorbs it during sleep. It'll be my new dessert from now on.
When I came back from my run, I realized how I've integrated something I didn't like into my routine. I don't bat an eyelash after the first mile anymore. If I can cut out an hour of my day to get tired as hell, surely I can spare another hour to look for a job. It's a motivation issue. I keep getting distracted. At least today wasn't a total waste. I spent a couple hours to produce about 6 minutes of content, but it just goes to show how much I value quality over quantity.
I replied to a random interview request over Odesk and I remembered why freelancing sucks. I thought my rate of $2/hour was low enough, but they had the audacity to request $1. Screw that. I'm not that desperate. My education, skills, and competency are worth more than that. Honestly, that's about the most insulting offer I've ever received. Let's hope I can use this anger as a catalyst.
/eventlog
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Event Log: 8/13/14 - A Fleeting Impression
All I've been doing is following up on the P.T. demo. People have already beaten it, but they don't know how. Cue experimentation on a mass scale via streams and message boards. Did they solve it? Apparently, the solution involves the microphone but it's not 100% consistent. A lot of people were finally able to beat the game because of it though.
I've watched so many streams that my mind has fallen into the gap. Whenever I close my eyes, apparitions appear in the dark. I can't help but imagine a pale silhouetted woman in a nightgown standing out in my front yard. It's just that kind of day.
I watched a livestream of The Phantom Pain presentation with Geoff Keighley and Hideo Kojima. There wasn't much new content since it was the same demo from E3, just slightly different. The most interesting tidbits involved PT but not much was said. The whole event was a tease. We'll just have to wait for another show--like TGS.
I started putting together my Vegas playlist. I was alarmed by how many of my songs lack the requisite energy to pump us up for the trip. I had to borrow music from my little brother. We share similar taste, although he leans heavily into the indie side. I'm just cherry picking upbeat and energetic songs from his folder. I want variety, energy, and just something to keep the mind occupied while we watch large swaths of desert pass by.
In the evening, I jumped into BF4 with my friend, whose new schedule precludes playtime before midnight. Yikes. We had a decent run. The session marked my 200th hour in BF4. Talk about value. Now I don't feel so bad paying $110 for the game and premium. After we finished up, I named my clips to get ready for editing tomorrow. It's time to put together some new compilations.
/eventlog
I've watched so many streams that my mind has fallen into the gap. Whenever I close my eyes, apparitions appear in the dark. I can't help but imagine a pale silhouetted woman in a nightgown standing out in my front yard. It's just that kind of day.
I watched a livestream of The Phantom Pain presentation with Geoff Keighley and Hideo Kojima. There wasn't much new content since it was the same demo from E3, just slightly different. The most interesting tidbits involved PT but not much was said. The whole event was a tease. We'll just have to wait for another show--like TGS.
I started putting together my Vegas playlist. I was alarmed by how many of my songs lack the requisite energy to pump us up for the trip. I had to borrow music from my little brother. We share similar taste, although he leans heavily into the indie side. I'm just cherry picking upbeat and energetic songs from his folder. I want variety, energy, and just something to keep the mind occupied while we watch large swaths of desert pass by.
In the evening, I jumped into BF4 with my friend, whose new schedule precludes playtime before midnight. Yikes. We had a decent run. The session marked my 200th hour in BF4. Talk about value. Now I don't feel so bad paying $110 for the game and premium. After we finished up, I named my clips to get ready for editing tomorrow. It's time to put together some new compilations.
/eventlog
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Event Log: 8/12/14 - P.T.
I woke up early to watch Sony's Gamescom Press Conference. I liked what I saw. It reaffirms Sony's dedication to fresh, unique, and compelling content. I'll probably won't touch half the stuff though, unless it pops up on PS+ somehow. With my already extensive backlog, it's hard for me to look forward when I'm being dragged down by the past. I gotta increase my gameplaying production. On the other hand, I don't want to start up anything new until after my Vegas trip.
The most interesting thing to come out of the conference was an "interactive teaser" available for download that promised to redefine horror. The announcement came with cheesy reactions of random people hamming it up for the camera. Little did we know about the horrors that were about to be unleashed. The teaser turned out to be an obtuse, utterly baffling, and completely terrifying experience through an infinite corridor. The internet quickly jumped on it. Through multiple streams, people watched as players attempted to complete this demo.
As it turns out, the demo was a secret announcement of the next Silent Hill game, and not only that, it's a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro, starring none other than Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead fame as the main character. Almost immediately, I thought of Reedus in John Carpenter's episode of "Cigarette Burns" in Masters of Horror, which is probably the closest role he's done to a Silent Hill protagonist. He was serviceable, but I'm not sure how he'll pan out in a full fledged game.
My entire day was basically following everyone's thoughts on this surprise reveal and the implications of those involved. Will it be a return to glory or a spectacular failure in the making? Kojima is one of my favorite game designers of all time and Del Toro's strengths lay in elements that would contribute heavily in a video game, namely set and creature design.
Honestly, I think it's going to be amazing. I've never held the original series in high regard, but I can't say I wasn't engrossed by the mythos. I've pretty much done everything with the originals except play them. I've read about them, I've watched them, but I've never done the thing that matters most. Okay, that's a small lie. I did play Silent Hill 1, but I got stuck in a particularly distressing sequence and didn't have the heart to figure out what I missed. I never played 2, but I did play 3, 4, Origins, and Homecoming.
The most perplexing element of the teaser is the ending. There's no surefire way to trigger it. In today's age, when solutions are disseminated instantly, the complexity of unlocking the ending is refreshing. It shows that mystery can still exist, and in terms of game announcements, doing it in such a roundabout way is vintage Kojima and mad genius.
Since I was exhausted from waking up so early, I went to sleep early. This was around ten. I haven't slept this early in months. It feels good.
/eventlog
The most interesting thing to come out of the conference was an "interactive teaser" available for download that promised to redefine horror. The announcement came with cheesy reactions of random people hamming it up for the camera. Little did we know about the horrors that were about to be unleashed. The teaser turned out to be an obtuse, utterly baffling, and completely terrifying experience through an infinite corridor. The internet quickly jumped on it. Through multiple streams, people watched as players attempted to complete this demo.
As it turns out, the demo was a secret announcement of the next Silent Hill game, and not only that, it's a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo Del Toro, starring none other than Norman Reedus of The Walking Dead fame as the main character. Almost immediately, I thought of Reedus in John Carpenter's episode of "Cigarette Burns" in Masters of Horror, which is probably the closest role he's done to a Silent Hill protagonist. He was serviceable, but I'm not sure how he'll pan out in a full fledged game.
My entire day was basically following everyone's thoughts on this surprise reveal and the implications of those involved. Will it be a return to glory or a spectacular failure in the making? Kojima is one of my favorite game designers of all time and Del Toro's strengths lay in elements that would contribute heavily in a video game, namely set and creature design.
Honestly, I think it's going to be amazing. I've never held the original series in high regard, but I can't say I wasn't engrossed by the mythos. I've pretty much done everything with the originals except play them. I've read about them, I've watched them, but I've never done the thing that matters most. Okay, that's a small lie. I did play Silent Hill 1, but I got stuck in a particularly distressing sequence and didn't have the heart to figure out what I missed. I never played 2, but I did play 3, 4, Origins, and Homecoming.
The most perplexing element of the teaser is the ending. There's no surefire way to trigger it. In today's age, when solutions are disseminated instantly, the complexity of unlocking the ending is refreshing. It shows that mystery can still exist, and in terms of game announcements, doing it in such a roundabout way is vintage Kojima and mad genius.
Since I was exhausted from waking up so early, I went to sleep early. This was around ten. I haven't slept this early in months. It feels good.
/eventlog
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Event Log: 8/11/14 - Let There Be Water
I feel bad today. I woke up early, went back to sleep, then woke up late. Not a great start. I skipped a couple daily showers since the tub upstairs went out of commission. This means I go to bed feeling dirtier than usual, and this pretty much throws my biorhythm out of whack, rendering me susceptible to dumb mistakes.
Just a while ago, I held my plate at an angle and all the liquid from the boiled vegetables started dripping on my chair and on the carpet. I tried to dry it with my tissues but since they're so cheap, residue showed up where I wiped. I can't do anything right today.
Then I get this review that states that my story is everything that's wrong with fanfiction. My mind wasted valuable time and energy refuting every single point even though I wasn't going to acknowledge or reply to it in any meaningful way, because getting into an argument online is one of the most pointless things anyone can ever do. I lacked energy overall and it was a mighty struggle to go through my workout routine. I didn't eat on schedule and my diet was crap.
I spent most of the day watching Digimon. I wish I was a kid again. It's so easy to watch what you want. I can't believe I had to wait a week in between episodes. I marathon everything these days. I can't go back to waiting. Game of Thrones was hard enough. I'd rather the entire first season finish before I start any series nowadays.
My brother-in-law finally installed the shower doors and I could now return to my regularly scheduled routine.
/eventlog
Just a while ago, I held my plate at an angle and all the liquid from the boiled vegetables started dripping on my chair and on the carpet. I tried to dry it with my tissues but since they're so cheap, residue showed up where I wiped. I can't do anything right today.
Then I get this review that states that my story is everything that's wrong with fanfiction. My mind wasted valuable time and energy refuting every single point even though I wasn't going to acknowledge or reply to it in any meaningful way, because getting into an argument online is one of the most pointless things anyone can ever do. I lacked energy overall and it was a mighty struggle to go through my workout routine. I didn't eat on schedule and my diet was crap.
I spent most of the day watching Digimon. I wish I was a kid again. It's so easy to watch what you want. I can't believe I had to wait a week in between episodes. I marathon everything these days. I can't go back to waiting. Game of Thrones was hard enough. I'd rather the entire first season finish before I start any series nowadays.
My brother-in-law finally installed the shower doors and I could now return to my regularly scheduled routine.
/eventlog
Monday, August 11, 2014
Event Log: 8/10/14 - Hey Digimon
I jumped into the past on those Saturday mornings when me and my brother would wake up early to watch cartoons. I'm talking about Digimon. Interestingly enough, my nostalgia trip quickly turned into an academic study on the finer points of localization. I'm actually watching each episode twice, one in the Americanized dub and another in the original Japanese. There are quite a few differences. It's interesting to see the choices the American writers made in order to make it more culturally adaptable, needless censorship aside.
This fundamental difference is encapsulated in their approach to a scene where Davis has to make the decision to fight MetalGreymon, who is under the control of a dark spiral. Davis doesn't want to hurt him, but he must fight in order to save him. In the American version, everybody yells angrily, telling him to stand up and fight. In the Japanese version, everybody yells encouragement, saying things like "Believe in yourself!"
In terms of tone, everyone is more confrontational in the dub, but in the sub, they're more supportive. The dub also introduces "unnecessary" jokes in serious moments while the sub plays it straight. Honestly speaking, I'm biased towards the dub since that's how I grew up watching it. I can see how the writing destroys the intent and spirit of the original, but at the same time, the dialogue is a lot more fun than in the sub. The jokes and the puns are stupid but they are legitimately, intentionally, and unintentionally hilarious. I could do without the constant references to sweaty socks and toilets though.
The biggest thing I can't get over is the age difference. Having watched a thousand different slice-of-life school animes in recent years, it is impossible for me to accept that these kids are in junior high, if only because the art obviously portrays them as grade schoolers. It's weird when people start shipping these characters because they're just kids. I blame the localization for enabling this disturbing trend.
Another thing that drives me bonkers about the dub is the inconsistency of attack names. Why does Flamedramon yell "Fire Rocket!" for all his moves when one is a fireball and the other is a flame charge? It'll be like Ryu yelling out "Hadouken!" when he's doing hurricane kicks and dragon punches. You can't do that. I think they were trying to simplify things but they made everything more confusing instead.
I like the songs in the dub but prefer the ambient soundtrack in the sub. In the dub, the music is generic Saturday morning cartoon background noise. I watch an episode of the Amazing Spider-man and it's the same thing, so it lacks identity. Funnily enough, it feels more appropriate in Digimon.
As strange as it is to say that a children's show changed my life, it's not when you consider that I was a kid at the time. Besides, at that age, anything can change a kid's life. If it weren't for Digimon, I probably wouldn't have gotten into anime, and if it hadn't been for anime, I wouldn't have gotten into fanfiction, if I didn't get into fanfiction, I probably wouldn't have gotten into writing in general.
So thanks a lot, Digimon, for all the good times we shared together.
Since I'm home this time, my family presented me with a birthday cake. I kind of wish they didn't bother because they were no more into it than I was. It was the very definition of "going through the motions." My sister got a new phone and everybody seemed more enamored with that than with me reaching the milestone of 25, but whatever. My mom cut me a huge slice of chocolate cake that got repetitive three bites in. Amazing night before, crappy night after. I guess it all balances out. I just expected better from my family. At least I get $100 off the rent next month. Thanks, sister!
/eventlog
This fundamental difference is encapsulated in their approach to a scene where Davis has to make the decision to fight MetalGreymon, who is under the control of a dark spiral. Davis doesn't want to hurt him, but he must fight in order to save him. In the American version, everybody yells angrily, telling him to stand up and fight. In the Japanese version, everybody yells encouragement, saying things like "Believe in yourself!"
In terms of tone, everyone is more confrontational in the dub, but in the sub, they're more supportive. The dub also introduces "unnecessary" jokes in serious moments while the sub plays it straight. Honestly speaking, I'm biased towards the dub since that's how I grew up watching it. I can see how the writing destroys the intent and spirit of the original, but at the same time, the dialogue is a lot more fun than in the sub. The jokes and the puns are stupid but they are legitimately, intentionally, and unintentionally hilarious. I could do without the constant references to sweaty socks and toilets though.
The biggest thing I can't get over is the age difference. Having watched a thousand different slice-of-life school animes in recent years, it is impossible for me to accept that these kids are in junior high, if only because the art obviously portrays them as grade schoolers. It's weird when people start shipping these characters because they're just kids. I blame the localization for enabling this disturbing trend.
Another thing that drives me bonkers about the dub is the inconsistency of attack names. Why does Flamedramon yell "Fire Rocket!" for all his moves when one is a fireball and the other is a flame charge? It'll be like Ryu yelling out "Hadouken!" when he's doing hurricane kicks and dragon punches. You can't do that. I think they were trying to simplify things but they made everything more confusing instead.
I like the songs in the dub but prefer the ambient soundtrack in the sub. In the dub, the music is generic Saturday morning cartoon background noise. I watch an episode of the Amazing Spider-man and it's the same thing, so it lacks identity. Funnily enough, it feels more appropriate in Digimon.
As strange as it is to say that a children's show changed my life, it's not when you consider that I was a kid at the time. Besides, at that age, anything can change a kid's life. If it weren't for Digimon, I probably wouldn't have gotten into anime, and if it hadn't been for anime, I wouldn't have gotten into fanfiction, if I didn't get into fanfiction, I probably wouldn't have gotten into writing in general.
So thanks a lot, Digimon, for all the good times we shared together.
Since I'm home this time, my family presented me with a birthday cake. I kind of wish they didn't bother because they were no more into it than I was. It was the very definition of "going through the motions." My sister got a new phone and everybody seemed more enamored with that than with me reaching the milestone of 25, but whatever. My mom cut me a huge slice of chocolate cake that got repetitive three bites in. Amazing night before, crappy night after. I guess it all balances out. I just expected better from my family. At least I get $100 off the rent next month. Thanks, sister!
/eventlog
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Event Log: 8/9/14 - My Silver Jubilee
I'm not in the appropriate frame of mind to do justice to today, and I will no doubt go back and revise this at a later date, but to give the barest sense of today's events, I started out by working on the latest chapter of Love Sick. Then I played BF4 with my friend. We lost a lot. It was the worst session we've had in recent memory. Then I went out to Mesa with my friends. It was a great time. It's hard to believe that I"m in my mid-twenties surrounded by friends who have long since shacked up with a significant other or have had children already. For a fleeting moment, I felt like I was in an episode of How I Met Your Mother. Reminiscing about those high school days really was reminiscing about a time long past. I'm glad everybody went out to celebrate my birthday. Thanks a lot, guys. I really appreciate it.
/eventlog
/eventlog
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Event Log: 8/8/14 - A Cycle Anew
I take back about what I said about Digimon fanfiction being garbage. Okay, most of it still is, but there's some quality out there. I was fortunate enough to discover two such stories. The fans really did grow up and they're around my age. We've finally achieved baseline competency, and the only things I can complain about now are the stories instead of the writing. Nice to be liberated from mechanical criticism. I swear, the next time I see someone use a period instead of a comma after a quote, I'm gonna choke somebody.
I did the same thing as last night and stayed up until 7 reading a fanfiction. I don't know what's wrong with me. I either can't sleep or I've started a new cycle. It's funny because I haven't enjoyed reading another story in a long time. Whenever I read something enjoyable, I try to learn from it and see why I like it. I'm always trying to add to my arsenal.
In this case, what I liked was that it was solid. That's it. It didn't try to reach for the stars with hyperbolic descriptions and sweeping metaphors. I appreciate the restraint. Like with every story, I have qualms, but the fact that I could read a paragraph without stumbling upon an error is somewhat of a miracle in this cesspool of fan-driven fiction.
After finishing the story (it's still not completed and it was started in 2008), my friend hit me up for some BF4 action. I swore up a storm even through my Battlelog reports show that we won the overwhelming majority of our matches. Still, there's something about this Dragon's Teeth expansion that infuriates me. Even when we win, we still lose. In either case, I added some nice clips to the collection. Mostly cool snipes and a couple killing sprees. Most BS moment was getting killed by a supply drop.
News of the Digimon revival series definitely rekindled my interest, and I'm interested in seeing how things turn out with Tai in high school. It seems like they wanna dip into the latest trends in anime. I'm wondering if it's going to be a kid's show or is it being upgraded to shounen? Maybe incorporate more interpersonal elements. It can't all be about digivolution levels.
Man, I'm such a nerd.
/eventlog
I did the same thing as last night and stayed up until 7 reading a fanfiction. I don't know what's wrong with me. I either can't sleep or I've started a new cycle. It's funny because I haven't enjoyed reading another story in a long time. Whenever I read something enjoyable, I try to learn from it and see why I like it. I'm always trying to add to my arsenal.
In this case, what I liked was that it was solid. That's it. It didn't try to reach for the stars with hyperbolic descriptions and sweeping metaphors. I appreciate the restraint. Like with every story, I have qualms, but the fact that I could read a paragraph without stumbling upon an error is somewhat of a miracle in this cesspool of fan-driven fiction.
After finishing the story (it's still not completed and it was started in 2008), my friend hit me up for some BF4 action. I swore up a storm even through my Battlelog reports show that we won the overwhelming majority of our matches. Still, there's something about this Dragon's Teeth expansion that infuriates me. Even when we win, we still lose. In either case, I added some nice clips to the collection. Mostly cool snipes and a couple killing sprees. Most BS moment was getting killed by a supply drop.
News of the Digimon revival series definitely rekindled my interest, and I'm interested in seeing how things turn out with Tai in high school. It seems like they wanna dip into the latest trends in anime. I'm wondering if it's going to be a kid's show or is it being upgraded to shounen? Maybe incorporate more interpersonal elements. It can't all be about digivolution levels.
Man, I'm such a nerd.
/eventlog
Friday, August 8, 2014
Event Log: 8/7/14 - Scrub a Dub Dub
With bad endings come bad starts. It was so hard to fall asleep, my brother left for work before I did. What kept me up all night? A fanfiction. Yeah, I know, but this one was pretty good. It should be, considering the author graduated with a BA in English. Glad to see she's putting her degree to good use. It was a Digimon story and I'll leave it at that.
After expending so much energy cleaning that thing, I wondered if I had enough in the tank to go run. Spoiler alert: I did. I usually tap out near the end but today, I felt like I had some reserves in the final stretch. I'm glad my stamina keeps increasing.
Whenever I get nostalgic, I see if there's anything good in the category. My first ever story was a Digimon fanfic. Not too long ago, I managed to find it hidden in some dark corner of the internet: Angelfire. Remember that? It's old school. You actually had to know html to even post stuff. Thank god for blogs these days. Anytime I look at my first story, it's like reliving a childhood trauma, so it's best buried in whatever dark pit it spawned in.
I wasn't looking forward to today. That's probably why it was so hard to sleep. My brother-in-law wanted me and my other brother to scrub the tub in the upstairs bathroom. Every time he knocks on my door and asks "Can you do me a favor?" I die inside. He's called in so many favors, the next time he asks, I'm gonna cash in and say, "Don't ask me for another one." You can't keep calling for favors without giving something in return, and I haven't asked him for a damn thing since we moved here.
No matter how much I hate it, I usually fall in line. No use getting mad. When I wake up, I don't feel like doing anything. After I go through my morning routine, I become more agreeable. I just wanted to finish this as soon as possible.
The tub keeps getting dirty since the drain gets clogged. It takes forever for the water to drain, which allows gunk to settle into the tub. If the drain worked properly, the tub wouldn't be dirty at all. Unfortunately, one of my brothers has no concept of "cleaning up after himself," and he leaves a filthy pool of grime whenever he finishes. If he actually took all of ten seconds to spray that nasty crap with hot water, I wouldn't have to be scrubbing the tub today.
I won't bore you with the details. It was a tedious, irritating, and sweaty task that ate up my entire afternoon. Even worse? We can't use the tub until Monday. The reason we scrubbed it down was so that my brother-in-law can apply a new finish. In hindsight, it wasn't that bad, and on the plus side, it looks whiter than Matthew Mcconaughey's smile.
After expending so much energy cleaning that thing, I wondered if I had enough in the tank to go run. Spoiler alert: I did. I usually tap out near the end but today, I felt like I had some reserves in the final stretch. I'm glad my stamina keeps increasing.
I proposed to my online writing friends that we create a joint fanfiction account for shenanigans last night. They agreed and I went ahead and made one. There's nothing in the pipeline for now, but I'm planning on using it as a pit. All those ideas that I never fleshed out, I'll just throw them in there to burn. The new account needed an avatar and one of my friends suggested I draw it. I haven't used my tablet in a long time so this was a good chance to polish my drawing.
I don't know how it happened, but my tablet pen was sticky all over. It's like the exterior rubber melted away leaving nothing but an adhesive under layer. I tried to rub it off with a towel but it just made things worse. In the end, I wrapped it in plastic wrap. I used a razor blade to cut a small slit for the switch on the pen, but other than that, it works perfectly. I wish I had thought of using plastic wrap earlier. I haven't touched the tablet in almost a year just because of that stickiness.
Yes, I am fully aware of the euphemism potential with some of my wording, but I won't go there.
Nobody wants to come for my birthday.
/eventlog
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Event Log: 8/6/14 - Catching Up
I am drained, physically and mentally. The physical part is obvious. I worked out early in the day. Mentally, though? That's what happens when I attend to tasks that I've left hanging for the last three days because I was too obsessed with destroying Golden Sun. I worked out early because of an article I read last night. Those who work out earlier have a higher chance of sleeping soundly. I want to fix my sleep schedule.
I started my day by working on the next chapter of Love Sick. I published it about three years ago one day before my birthday. So it's kind of an anniversary update. I essentially threw out everything I had in the beginning and substituted it with stuff I thought up last night. I'm telling you. I'm at my best in bed...
That's what she said.
I've got about 1000 words finished and strangely enough, I feel that's the perfect length. My readers won't be happy about the brevity but screw them. It's my birthday. I do whatever I want.
The unattended tasks I mentioned previously were three jobs I was interested in. I could just send my resume and be on my way but I wanted to this thoroughly. This required my full attention. I spent a lot of time writing cover letters specifically tailored for these organizations. I don't know if my effort will pay off, but it's better than shooting blind and hoping for the best. The most important thing in advertising is controlling your message. I can't add more to my resume without resorting to outright deceptions. So I focus on cover letters.
I also wanted to complete the last entry of my work history at Jomatto Pro, my professional website on Wordpress. It was a detailed description of my time as a Uteach instructor at UCI. If I were to look in my history and tell you which job was the best, that would definitely be it. I've got didactic blood flowing through my veins.
More than anything, it was the opportunity to present every week that I appreciated. I'm not saying I've got charisma, far from it, it's just that when I've got the stage, I will take full advantage of my time in the spotlight. It's funny, because I'm shy on the ground level, but you put me up there, and I am an entirely different person.
With this entry completed, the foundations for my professional website have finally solidified. I reworked it at the beginning of this year but only updated periodically. I've finally got my full work history up along with many samples. Now, it's just a matter of generating self-promoting content. I was waiting for this. Because every time I go running, my head conjures up these amazing monologues that, if committed to paper, would really show off how special I am. I just needed the right platform for it.
As I was brushing my teeth, I saw a premonition. I know how my future looks. Everything up until this point has been preparation for this cycle I'm about to embark on. If there's anything I'm proud of, it's the fact that I've managed to write an entry for just about every day of this year so far. Sure, some of them may have been short and I was forced to combine a couple days in one instance, but other than that, I have done a stellar job with this.
The reason for these Event Logs is to make writing routine. I once said that worked on waves. This was an exercise in generating waves. I don't want to wait for the tides if that's what it takes for me to become productive. Today's a turning point. I have effectively created a self-sustaining routine of productivity. I have three outlets for content on the internet: this blog for personal day-to-day matters, my Tumblr for creative and fun endeavors, and my Wordpress for my professional articles. In addition, I want to apply to at least one job every weekday.
The last thing I have to do is use my Odesk account to earn money. It's fine to be generating so much content on a daily basis but I have to survive too, and my coffers aren't looking too pretty at the moment. I just need to earn enough to pay my keep every month. Until then, I'll keeping swinging for the fences on the job market.
Before, it was a matter of willpower and personal strength. Now? It's just a matter of time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to let up. There's still a lot I have to do, like create material for my interviews. That's where I've been getting hosed. I've been trying improvise but that doesn't work if I don't actually know my stuff. It's about time I create a solid foundation for that. I already started somewhat with my work at Senju Sprinkler. I just gotta take it to the next level.
Then there's Vegas. Honestly, that's the real catalyst for this burst of activity. Maybe all I needed was some sort of event to get me going. If that's the case, Vegas has definitely charged me up. I'm not expecting some kind of crazy ass trip. My expectations are relatively mild. If anything, all I want to do is eliminate that mental block that prevents us from carrying out the simplest of actions like saying "Hi" to a cute girl.
I've got about a week and a half to get ready. To start, I'm going to catalog those missed opportunities. There's still one fresh in my mind that stings when I think about it. Last week, during my usual walk around the Santa Ana river, two attractive ladies stepped into the trail. I wanted to say something but I just kept running. I think if I tallied up all those missed opportunities, my excuses wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. I spend about 90% of my day inside. That obviously doesn't give me many chances to meet girls, which means I can't let those rare moments slip away without a fight. But the equation changes significantly once I find a job, so that's my number one priority.
Last, but not least, I still have to put together my Incantation of Invincibility. I truly believe that this is the magic sauce that will unlock my true potential beyond my wildest dreams. In every situation, there is a sequence of words and events that lead us to certain outcomes, favorable or not. That's the entire premise of dating sims. But with this Incantation, I'm hoping it will become my cheat code and allow me to bypass all that psychological nonsense. I'm obviously exaggerating for comedic effect, but wouldn't a little chant that gives you courage sound like something that everybody should have?
You know what? Let's do this. Let's put it together right now. I'm obviously in the mood to write so let's see what I can whip up. Then again... This is something intensely personal. The thing about this Incantation is that it's for me and not anyone else. If you were expecting jazz, sorry to disappoint you. I will, however, outline several rules of which to frame my composition.
For one, it has to be short enough to be deployed quickly. I don't want to stand there like an idiot reciting this in my head as opportunity walks away. Secondly, it has to work in any situation. If it's not effective 100% of the time, then it's useless. Okay, even at 90%, it'd be extremely useful, but it has to be a sequence or an idea powerful enough to override any sense of propriety I may hold at the moment. That's probably the biggest challenge. Thirdly, it's gotta be repeatable. It can't be one-time use. It has to be my bread and butter, something I can rely on during dark times.
There's definitely a lot to chew on, and this may possibly be my longest Event Log yet. I'll just sleep on it.
/eventlog
I started my day by working on the next chapter of Love Sick. I published it about three years ago one day before my birthday. So it's kind of an anniversary update. I essentially threw out everything I had in the beginning and substituted it with stuff I thought up last night. I'm telling you. I'm at my best in bed...
That's what she said.
I've got about 1000 words finished and strangely enough, I feel that's the perfect length. My readers won't be happy about the brevity but screw them. It's my birthday. I do whatever I want.
The unattended tasks I mentioned previously were three jobs I was interested in. I could just send my resume and be on my way but I wanted to this thoroughly. This required my full attention. I spent a lot of time writing cover letters specifically tailored for these organizations. I don't know if my effort will pay off, but it's better than shooting blind and hoping for the best. The most important thing in advertising is controlling your message. I can't add more to my resume without resorting to outright deceptions. So I focus on cover letters.
I also wanted to complete the last entry of my work history at Jomatto Pro, my professional website on Wordpress. It was a detailed description of my time as a Uteach instructor at UCI. If I were to look in my history and tell you which job was the best, that would definitely be it. I've got didactic blood flowing through my veins.
More than anything, it was the opportunity to present every week that I appreciated. I'm not saying I've got charisma, far from it, it's just that when I've got the stage, I will take full advantage of my time in the spotlight. It's funny, because I'm shy on the ground level, but you put me up there, and I am an entirely different person.
With this entry completed, the foundations for my professional website have finally solidified. I reworked it at the beginning of this year but only updated periodically. I've finally got my full work history up along with many samples. Now, it's just a matter of generating self-promoting content. I was waiting for this. Because every time I go running, my head conjures up these amazing monologues that, if committed to paper, would really show off how special I am. I just needed the right platform for it.
As I was brushing my teeth, I saw a premonition. I know how my future looks. Everything up until this point has been preparation for this cycle I'm about to embark on. If there's anything I'm proud of, it's the fact that I've managed to write an entry for just about every day of this year so far. Sure, some of them may have been short and I was forced to combine a couple days in one instance, but other than that, I have done a stellar job with this.
The reason for these Event Logs is to make writing routine. I once said that worked on waves. This was an exercise in generating waves. I don't want to wait for the tides if that's what it takes for me to become productive. Today's a turning point. I have effectively created a self-sustaining routine of productivity. I have three outlets for content on the internet: this blog for personal day-to-day matters, my Tumblr for creative and fun endeavors, and my Wordpress for my professional articles. In addition, I want to apply to at least one job every weekday.
The last thing I have to do is use my Odesk account to earn money. It's fine to be generating so much content on a daily basis but I have to survive too, and my coffers aren't looking too pretty at the moment. I just need to earn enough to pay my keep every month. Until then, I'll keeping swinging for the fences on the job market.
Before, it was a matter of willpower and personal strength. Now? It's just a matter of time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to let up. There's still a lot I have to do, like create material for my interviews. That's where I've been getting hosed. I've been trying improvise but that doesn't work if I don't actually know my stuff. It's about time I create a solid foundation for that. I already started somewhat with my work at Senju Sprinkler. I just gotta take it to the next level.
Then there's Vegas. Honestly, that's the real catalyst for this burst of activity. Maybe all I needed was some sort of event to get me going. If that's the case, Vegas has definitely charged me up. I'm not expecting some kind of crazy ass trip. My expectations are relatively mild. If anything, all I want to do is eliminate that mental block that prevents us from carrying out the simplest of actions like saying "Hi" to a cute girl.
I've got about a week and a half to get ready. To start, I'm going to catalog those missed opportunities. There's still one fresh in my mind that stings when I think about it. Last week, during my usual walk around the Santa Ana river, two attractive ladies stepped into the trail. I wanted to say something but I just kept running. I think if I tallied up all those missed opportunities, my excuses wouldn't hold up under scrutiny. I spend about 90% of my day inside. That obviously doesn't give me many chances to meet girls, which means I can't let those rare moments slip away without a fight. But the equation changes significantly once I find a job, so that's my number one priority.
Last, but not least, I still have to put together my Incantation of Invincibility. I truly believe that this is the magic sauce that will unlock my true potential beyond my wildest dreams. In every situation, there is a sequence of words and events that lead us to certain outcomes, favorable or not. That's the entire premise of dating sims. But with this Incantation, I'm hoping it will become my cheat code and allow me to bypass all that psychological nonsense. I'm obviously exaggerating for comedic effect, but wouldn't a little chant that gives you courage sound like something that everybody should have?
You know what? Let's do this. Let's put it together right now. I'm obviously in the mood to write so let's see what I can whip up. Then again... This is something intensely personal. The thing about this Incantation is that it's for me and not anyone else. If you were expecting jazz, sorry to disappoint you. I will, however, outline several rules of which to frame my composition.
For one, it has to be short enough to be deployed quickly. I don't want to stand there like an idiot reciting this in my head as opportunity walks away. Secondly, it has to work in any situation. If it's not effective 100% of the time, then it's useless. Okay, even at 90%, it'd be extremely useful, but it has to be a sequence or an idea powerful enough to override any sense of propriety I may hold at the moment. That's probably the biggest challenge. Thirdly, it's gotta be repeatable. It can't be one-time use. It has to be my bread and butter, something I can rely on during dark times.
There's definitely a lot to chew on, and this may possibly be my longest Event Log yet. I'll just sleep on it.
/eventlog
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Event Log: 8/5/14 - 100%
Since my ear got cut yesterday, I consciously avoided lying on my right side. By the time I woke up, my neck felt strained. I looked in the mirror and it's mostly scabbed. I recalled that grade school advice, "Never pick a scab." It's a small cut and barely noticeable. Others have gone through much worst and recovered remarkably. Still, there's something about an injury that makes me squeamish. How would I react if I was shot? I'd probably be panicking out of my mind. Let's hope I get nothing more than scrapes in the future.
In my best Bonesaw impression, I said to my DS, "I'm coming for you, Dullahan, and I've got you for three minutes." The fated encounter with the most powerful boss didn't go as smoothly as anticipated. He was a bit irritating, but I knew I had him. It was just a matter of waiting it out. It must have taken me 20 minutes. With him defeated, I am officially, 100%, done with this game, and not a moment too soon, because now I can concentrate on things that matter...like Vegas.
My friend and I started up Borderlands 2 again. After being duped into buying the season pass, I want to get my money's worth. There's still DLC I haven't played yet. I continued where I left off, which was right before what many consider to be the best DLC in the game, Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon's Keep. From what little I've played, I like it. Unfortunately, I had to cut our session short since today is a running day.
I had more stamina than usual, which meant I ran more than usual. Hopefully, I'll still have enough in the tank for Thursday. It turned into night halfway through my run. Three patrol cars with blaring sirens drove down my usual route along the riverbank. Talk about good timing. If I didn't have that extra stamina and ran as much, I would've missed this event. I wonder what they were up to?
When I eat dinner, I usually watch Chris Smoove videos. After watching his UFC series, I've gotten more interested in the sport. If I played the game, I'd actually have something to add when conversation steer into this territory. There's no better way of becoming an expert in a sport than by playing a simulation. I can hang around if it's the NBA or NFL, but the UFC? Sorry, but I'm out of my depth there.
I've been working on (and by that, I mean thinking about) something called an Incantation of Invincibility. Words hold power. It's why we pray, chant, and sing. It's how sports teams overachieve, running off the energy from the crowd. Individually, we should be able to motivate ourselves in the same way--through sheer willpower.
"I believe in you."
How often have you heard that? I'm talking legitimately, and not in a post-ironic way. If there was somebody encouraging us every step of our lives, we could do anything. Unfortunately, most don't have the luxury of personal cheerleaders. We have to find inspiration within ourselves.
Hence, the Incantation of Invincibility. If I can concoct something to read, to refer to every time I needed a boost, some confidence, or an infusion of giant brass balls, then I'd be set for life.
/eventlog
Event Log: 8/4/14- Endless RNG Battle
My entire day has been a struggle against that infernal thing known as "RNG." RNG stands for random number generator, and it's just a fancy way of saying "luck." Games are governed by probabilities. It determines whether this enemy will drop something awesome or diddly squat. When the odds I'm facing are 5% and .7%, it becomes an exercise in frustration. Any crafting system that forces players to reset to get what they want is in need of serious renovation. Don't get me started on the ridiculous drop rates. Less than 1%? That's insane.
I suppose that's why the definition of insanity is repetition. Fortunately, I'm a certified nutcase, so something like impossible odds doesn't deter me. It just makes me stronger. After all, how can you explain those three items in my inventory with .7 % chance of dropping? Okay, I cheated a bit. With a special technique, you can quadruple the drop rate, bringing it up to 3%. It's still amazing that I got my first one raw without using the technique. I was trying to get a sword called the Tisiphone Edge. It's apparently the best weapon for three characters in my party. Getting one is already a pain, but getting three? I can't believe I did it.
Did I forget to mention I'm still playing Golden Sun? I've already beaten the game but I don't consider it complete until I've cleared the secret and most powerful boss, Dullahan. Before I fight him, I'm gonna need the best gear. Commence the grind. I don't mind grinding out enemies for rare drops because I'm gaining experience and leveling up. What I hate is savescumming for crafting. There's a sword called Excalibur with 5% chance of being crafted from a rare material. I literally reset my DS for two hours until I got it. After that, I had to go through the same routine for my other materials. The developers must know players are gonna savescum for this. They should've made a crafting system that doesn't require exploitation.
In preparation for Vegas, I ran a few errands today. I took my shirts and blazer to the dry cleaners. My collars were filthy. The only time they got burn was during job interviews. Since I'm still jobless, they were wasted trips.
Target was running a promo on gaming cards. It was buy one get the second one 25% off. It's not brilliant savings but I'll take what I can get. I bought two $50 PSN cards for $87. That money went directly into a preorder for the Destiny Digital Guardian Edition. Before I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, my friend recommended using protein shakes as a substitute for small snacks. I still had money on my gift card balance, so I bought a four pack. I gotta say, this stuff is real heavy. It definitely works as filler.
My older brother got home early today, and since he's my barber, I asked him for a hair cut. I gotta look my best for Vegas. Unfortunately, he did something that hasn't happened in all 20 years of cutting my hair--he cut my ear. The ear is mostly cartilage and there's hardly any nerves so it felt like a pinch. It bled for awhile though. My brother panicked more than it actually hurt. I guess when I'm bleeding all over the place, it tends to scare people.
I'm thought about some things I'd need for the trip. Maybe I should get some swimming trunks for a dip into the pool. I don't know how to swim, but my friend assures me that nobody actually swims in a swimming pool. When I was walking through the aisle at Target, I eyeballed a nice bottle of Grey Goose. Costs about $30. The same bottle would run you $300 in a night club--probably more. That kind of pricing is absolute nonsense, but it works. Never doubt a wannabe's propensity to look the part, which, of course, requires spending the part.
It's funny that I spent the entire day grappling with computerized luck. I'm just getting my feet wet for the real deal. What is Vegas, if not one giant roulette wheel? I hope the RNG gods will be smiling on me that day.
/eventlog
I suppose that's why the definition of insanity is repetition. Fortunately, I'm a certified nutcase, so something like impossible odds doesn't deter me. It just makes me stronger. After all, how can you explain those three items in my inventory with .7 % chance of dropping? Okay, I cheated a bit. With a special technique, you can quadruple the drop rate, bringing it up to 3%. It's still amazing that I got my first one raw without using the technique. I was trying to get a sword called the Tisiphone Edge. It's apparently the best weapon for three characters in my party. Getting one is already a pain, but getting three? I can't believe I did it.
Did I forget to mention I'm still playing Golden Sun? I've already beaten the game but I don't consider it complete until I've cleared the secret and most powerful boss, Dullahan. Before I fight him, I'm gonna need the best gear. Commence the grind. I don't mind grinding out enemies for rare drops because I'm gaining experience and leveling up. What I hate is savescumming for crafting. There's a sword called Excalibur with 5% chance of being crafted from a rare material. I literally reset my DS for two hours until I got it. After that, I had to go through the same routine for my other materials. The developers must know players are gonna savescum for this. They should've made a crafting system that doesn't require exploitation.
In preparation for Vegas, I ran a few errands today. I took my shirts and blazer to the dry cleaners. My collars were filthy. The only time they got burn was during job interviews. Since I'm still jobless, they were wasted trips.
Target was running a promo on gaming cards. It was buy one get the second one 25% off. It's not brilliant savings but I'll take what I can get. I bought two $50 PSN cards for $87. That money went directly into a preorder for the Destiny Digital Guardian Edition. Before I saw Guardians of the Galaxy, my friend recommended using protein shakes as a substitute for small snacks. I still had money on my gift card balance, so I bought a four pack. I gotta say, this stuff is real heavy. It definitely works as filler.
My older brother got home early today, and since he's my barber, I asked him for a hair cut. I gotta look my best for Vegas. Unfortunately, he did something that hasn't happened in all 20 years of cutting my hair--he cut my ear. The ear is mostly cartilage and there's hardly any nerves so it felt like a pinch. It bled for awhile though. My brother panicked more than it actually hurt. I guess when I'm bleeding all over the place, it tends to scare people.
I'm thought about some things I'd need for the trip. Maybe I should get some swimming trunks for a dip into the pool. I don't know how to swim, but my friend assures me that nobody actually swims in a swimming pool. When I was walking through the aisle at Target, I eyeballed a nice bottle of Grey Goose. Costs about $30. The same bottle would run you $300 in a night club--probably more. That kind of pricing is absolute nonsense, but it works. Never doubt a wannabe's propensity to look the part, which, of course, requires spending the part.
It's funny that I spent the entire day grappling with computerized luck. I'm just getting my feet wet for the real deal. What is Vegas, if not one giant roulette wheel? I hope the RNG gods will be smiling on me that day.
/eventlog
Monday, August 4, 2014
Event Log: 8/3/14 - Sol Short
That was anticlimactic. You ever go through the motions and things just suddenly end? That's what happened to me in Golden Sun. I mean, yeah, I went through a fairly complex dungeon and fought a big boss for like thirty minutes, but I wasn't ready for things to end yet.
Playtime was around the same ballpark as the first Golden Sun, 30 hours give or take. Having put the nail in several console RPG's since then, I was really surprised when the credits started rolling. I was getting used to 50 hour plus affairs. If this was Persona, 30 hours is when things finally get rolling.
There's a light crafting element in the game. It's an incredibly simple but frustrating system. The item you craft is randomized according to percentages. This meant I had to reset every time I didn't get what I wanted. There's a weapon with only 5% chance of being crafted. I didn't get it since I settled for the next rarest thing, which was 10%. I'll try again once I get more materials, which can only be found in the endgame dungeons.
The key to unlocking these endgame dungeons is a sword called the Sol Blade you get ten minutes before you fight the final boss. Having spent an hour solving puzzles, the last thing on my mind was spending another thirty minutes backtracking to access those locked areas. I assumed this was the penultimate dungeon. As it turns out, game over.
Nintendo had to be dicks and put a cliffhanger at the end too. There's not hint of a sequel in sight. Maybe I should take matters into my own hands?
Nah.
/eventlog
Playtime was around the same ballpark as the first Golden Sun, 30 hours give or take. Having put the nail in several console RPG's since then, I was really surprised when the credits started rolling. I was getting used to 50 hour plus affairs. If this was Persona, 30 hours is when things finally get rolling.
There's a light crafting element in the game. It's an incredibly simple but frustrating system. The item you craft is randomized according to percentages. This meant I had to reset every time I didn't get what I wanted. There's a weapon with only 5% chance of being crafted. I didn't get it since I settled for the next rarest thing, which was 10%. I'll try again once I get more materials, which can only be found in the endgame dungeons.
The key to unlocking these endgame dungeons is a sword called the Sol Blade you get ten minutes before you fight the final boss. Having spent an hour solving puzzles, the last thing on my mind was spending another thirty minutes backtracking to access those locked areas. I assumed this was the penultimate dungeon. As it turns out, game over.
Nintendo had to be dicks and put a cliffhanger at the end too. There's not hint of a sequel in sight. Maybe I should take matters into my own hands?
Nah.
/eventlog
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Event Log: 8/2/14 - It's Happening
I managed to wake up early. I was afraid I wouldn't. The last couple mornings, I totally slept through the alarm. I don't know how that's possible since it plays music with increasing volume for an hour straight. I must be real tired these days. It's probably because of my new workout routine.
The reason I got up early was to watch Guardians of the Galaxy with my friends. Not a fan of waking up before noon. At least I squeezed in cereal. We didn't go to our usual theater at Century. We went to The Block, aka, The Outlets at Orange (terrible name). It was mostly out of consideration for our other friend, who lives five minutes away from AMC.
It was unusually packed for an early showing. The crowd was more expressive than I was used to. They laughed at everything. It almost felt like they were trying too hard. The movie was amusing, but I didn't think it was laugh out loud hilarious. I couldn't shake off how lazy the alien designs were. They were essentially human palette swaps. Where's all the tentacles and weird appendages? Thanos was the only guy who looked like a legit alien. Ronan was just a dude in body paint. He's a weak villain. I'd say he was post-twist Mandarin levels of lame.
I was waiting for things to kick into high gear but it never happened. It just kinda cruised. It's a good movie, but it lacked a defining moment. Things could've been tighter. Not bad for a first go around, but still room for improvement.
This was probably Vin Diesel's easiest paycheck ever. He only had one line, with one variation, where "I" became "we." Considering the level of modulation and post-processing on the voice, I don't know why they didn't just pull an everyday cartoon voice actor for the job. Hell, even I could do it.
I love the soundtrack. Sometimes, I wonder if the entire movie was just an excuse to play classics in a sci-fi setting. Especially, Ooh Child. I listened to that song nonstop after beating GTAV. I recognize and appreciate all the songs in the movie. It's my jam!
After the movie finished, we went to eat at In N Out. We broached a topic that was merely brought up earlier. It's finally happening. Not completely, but it's the first step. Following a series of events, we have reserved a three night stay in Vegas. I can't believe it. This is it--the dream.
One of things I'm worried about is the trip not living up to the hype. Vegas is one of those recurring topics that I always bring into the conversation because I want it, that definitive Vegas trip reminiscent of The Hangover. Okay, maybe not that intense, but somewhere in that ballpark.
For me, what it's really about is the chance to be different. This isn't about change. That happens at home during a long agonizing period of living. This is about instantaneous transformation. Into what? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. It just has to be something not entirely us--something different. This trip isn't so much about me than us. There's a lot I have to prepare for. I'm going to be doing things that I haven't tried before, but I'm doing it anyways. Because I need to know just how far I can get on my own.
You best prepare yourself.
When I got home, my friend and I played BF4. It started off standard, but there's this one map, Propaganda, that we keep losing on no matter our team composition. It's dumb because we always start on the same side of the map, and by all accounts, it's the losing side. We couldn't find a decent game with the maps we wanted so we jumped into a Metro 24/7 server. Our team dominated every round. It was boring until we got creative.
Initiate EOD bot shenanigans. Some of the kills I got were straight up ridiculous. Luckily, I recorded a bunch of good clips. After some fine tuning in SHAREfactory, you will get a glimpse of my mad genius. On the battlefield, he who improvises, wins. My friend started a new trend of setting a mortar in front of the elevator. He launches the shell directly into the ceiling, damaging anybody around. As soon as the elevator doors open, bam! He managed to get one kill with this method. Imagine my surprise when I go down the elevator in an EOD bot and find an enemy mortar doing the same thing. Bunch of copycats. Even my teammates were copying me.
You don't go 16-0 without a robot, bro.
/eventlog
The reason I got up early was to watch Guardians of the Galaxy with my friends. Not a fan of waking up before noon. At least I squeezed in cereal. We didn't go to our usual theater at Century. We went to The Block, aka, The Outlets at Orange (terrible name). It was mostly out of consideration for our other friend, who lives five minutes away from AMC.
It was unusually packed for an early showing. The crowd was more expressive than I was used to. They laughed at everything. It almost felt like they were trying too hard. The movie was amusing, but I didn't think it was laugh out loud hilarious. I couldn't shake off how lazy the alien designs were. They were essentially human palette swaps. Where's all the tentacles and weird appendages? Thanos was the only guy who looked like a legit alien. Ronan was just a dude in body paint. He's a weak villain. I'd say he was post-twist Mandarin levels of lame.
I was waiting for things to kick into high gear but it never happened. It just kinda cruised. It's a good movie, but it lacked a defining moment. Things could've been tighter. Not bad for a first go around, but still room for improvement.
This was probably Vin Diesel's easiest paycheck ever. He only had one line, with one variation, where "I" became "we." Considering the level of modulation and post-processing on the voice, I don't know why they didn't just pull an everyday cartoon voice actor for the job. Hell, even I could do it.
I love the soundtrack. Sometimes, I wonder if the entire movie was just an excuse to play classics in a sci-fi setting. Especially, Ooh Child. I listened to that song nonstop after beating GTAV. I recognize and appreciate all the songs in the movie. It's my jam!
After the movie finished, we went to eat at In N Out. We broached a topic that was merely brought up earlier. It's finally happening. Not completely, but it's the first step. Following a series of events, we have reserved a three night stay in Vegas. I can't believe it. This is it--the dream.
One of things I'm worried about is the trip not living up to the hype. Vegas is one of those recurring topics that I always bring into the conversation because I want it, that definitive Vegas trip reminiscent of The Hangover. Okay, maybe not that intense, but somewhere in that ballpark.
For me, what it's really about is the chance to be different. This isn't about change. That happens at home during a long agonizing period of living. This is about instantaneous transformation. Into what? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. It just has to be something not entirely us--something different. This trip isn't so much about me than us. There's a lot I have to prepare for. I'm going to be doing things that I haven't tried before, but I'm doing it anyways. Because I need to know just how far I can get on my own.
You best prepare yourself.
When I got home, my friend and I played BF4. It started off standard, but there's this one map, Propaganda, that we keep losing on no matter our team composition. It's dumb because we always start on the same side of the map, and by all accounts, it's the losing side. We couldn't find a decent game with the maps we wanted so we jumped into a Metro 24/7 server. Our team dominated every round. It was boring until we got creative.
Initiate EOD bot shenanigans. Some of the kills I got were straight up ridiculous. Luckily, I recorded a bunch of good clips. After some fine tuning in SHAREfactory, you will get a glimpse of my mad genius. On the battlefield, he who improvises, wins. My friend started a new trend of setting a mortar in front of the elevator. He launches the shell directly into the ceiling, damaging anybody around. As soon as the elevator doors open, bam! He managed to get one kill with this method. Imagine my surprise when I go down the elevator in an EOD bot and find an enemy mortar doing the same thing. Bunch of copycats. Even my teammates were copying me.
You don't go 16-0 without a robot, bro.
/eventlog
Event Log: 8/1/14 - The Golden Sun
Waking up is exciting. I open my bleary eyes, look to the side, and when I see the time, my heart skips a few beats. "Is it really that late?!" I panic, but then I realize that I've got nothing to do, nowhere to be, and no reason to be worried. But in that one moment, I remember what it was like to be busy.
The reason I woke up late was because I stayed up until 7 playing Golden Sun on the DS. I started my file a long time ago, but I've only played in short bursts since. I finally racked up a decent playtime: over ten hours. I just had to get into the groove.
So far, Dark Dawn is one of the weaker entries in the series (which says a lot since there's only three of them). I like that they continued from the previous storyline since we play as children of the original cast. The soundtrack is a step down though, especially the dungeon music. It's lame ambient noise with an ominous flute, nothing like the melodic themes from the previous games.
My biggest disappointment is the brain-dead battle system. I just mash A all day. The frequency of battles is considerably light too. Dungeons seem to have no monsters whatsoever. It becomes a puzzle game at that point.
I don't expect an amazing story from a handheld game, but one of the characters, Tyrell, is an absolute moron. You can only push the dumb muscle trope so far. It's at times like these I wish everyone was a silent protagonist.
I was still reeling from yesterday's run, so I engaged in passive activity--watching A-Channel. My tastes have really changed. I used to be so wrapped up in power levels and contests of strength, but I'd rather watch girls go to school these days. Man, I becoming one of those people.
I was floored to learn that Digimon was coming back. The first series was my jam. The only reason I give the second one the time of day was because it was related to the first. Otherwise, it's kind of awful...
Daikari for life.
Oh, and Taiora.
My friend wanted some Dragon's Teeth action but I bailed out because I had to work out. He called it early since he had a morning shift tomorrow. When I got the text, I was watching the archived stream of The Last of Us One Night Live. I wish I could've been there. It seemed like a lot of fun. I watch a couple videos of Gento playing through the beginning of the game but he's definitely a noob.
I checked out this shoujo called Ookami Shoujo To Kuro Ouji. It's difficult for me to understand. It's probably the same with girls and shounen harem mangas, but I can't see the appeal of the douchebag love interest. Only in shoujos can you act like a dick and be charming, but act nice and you're up to no good.
I picked up the DS again and reached the part where the world is finally open to exploration. I dread these parts because I have no clear direction. It's just hitting random towns and hoping I trigger the correct sequence of events. It doesn't help when the monsters get massively upgraded and I'm still trying to master all the weapons with this new team addition. I'm trying to balance the levels between my party members too. I'm probably putting more effort into this than I need to. If I'm gonna be sinking twenty plus hours into this, I might as well go all the way.
/eventlog
The reason I woke up late was because I stayed up until 7 playing Golden Sun on the DS. I started my file a long time ago, but I've only played in short bursts since. I finally racked up a decent playtime: over ten hours. I just had to get into the groove.
So far, Dark Dawn is one of the weaker entries in the series (which says a lot since there's only three of them). I like that they continued from the previous storyline since we play as children of the original cast. The soundtrack is a step down though, especially the dungeon music. It's lame ambient noise with an ominous flute, nothing like the melodic themes from the previous games.
My biggest disappointment is the brain-dead battle system. I just mash A all day. The frequency of battles is considerably light too. Dungeons seem to have no monsters whatsoever. It becomes a puzzle game at that point.
I don't expect an amazing story from a handheld game, but one of the characters, Tyrell, is an absolute moron. You can only push the dumb muscle trope so far. It's at times like these I wish everyone was a silent protagonist.
I was still reeling from yesterday's run, so I engaged in passive activity--watching A-Channel. My tastes have really changed. I used to be so wrapped up in power levels and contests of strength, but I'd rather watch girls go to school these days. Man, I becoming one of those people.
I was floored to learn that Digimon was coming back. The first series was my jam. The only reason I give the second one the time of day was because it was related to the first. Otherwise, it's kind of awful...
Daikari for life.
Oh, and Taiora.
My friend wanted some Dragon's Teeth action but I bailed out because I had to work out. He called it early since he had a morning shift tomorrow. When I got the text, I was watching the archived stream of The Last of Us One Night Live. I wish I could've been there. It seemed like a lot of fun. I watch a couple videos of Gento playing through the beginning of the game but he's definitely a noob.
I checked out this shoujo called Ookami Shoujo To Kuro Ouji. It's difficult for me to understand. It's probably the same with girls and shounen harem mangas, but I can't see the appeal of the douchebag love interest. Only in shoujos can you act like a dick and be charming, but act nice and you're up to no good.
I picked up the DS again and reached the part where the world is finally open to exploration. I dread these parts because I have no clear direction. It's just hitting random towns and hoping I trigger the correct sequence of events. It doesn't help when the monsters get massively upgraded and I'm still trying to master all the weapons with this new team addition. I'm trying to balance the levels between my party members too. I'm probably putting more effort into this than I need to. If I'm gonna be sinking twenty plus hours into this, I might as well go all the way.
/eventlog
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)