11.29.2009

Red vs. Blue Lives!

I've recently rediscovered Red vs. Blue again. I had no idea they were up to season 7 already and working on season 8! That's a long ass series! Even if a few episodes were actually just miniseries. I'm thinking of getting the DVD's for my brother for Christmas, but I don't think he'd understand what they were. In short, I'd enjoy them more than him. Anyway, if you haven't seen it in a while, then now is the time to catch up. The team at Rooster Teeth really fleshed out the whole story surrounding the A.I.'s and the mysterious Director behind the Freelancer Project. In case you're wondering Seasons 6, 6.5, and 7 are:

11.13.2009

The Buzz

Don't really feel like gaming tonight, since I have to wake up at 5am tomorrow. Might try to make it anyway. I always lose. Like last place on the board, man. That's another thing, we started out learning how to do RPG's, but a few people stopped coming because of school. Now the few who are left, along with some new ones are doing boardgaming. It's all right, but I'd rather be able to use the $80 in D&D 4th edition books I bought. I have gotten to see a glimpse of the immense boardgaming world.

I've been obsessed with Tem Fortress 2 lately, and I don't even own the game! I've been watching the various machinima for it, particularly this one. I liked the song, Sound of Madness, so much that I went out and bought it on iTunes. I also enjoy the "Meet the...." series Valve has put out for it. As someone else described them: "they're like dirty Pixar cartoons." I've asked my mom to get me the Orange Box (PC) for Christmas. However, I'm a little nervous about entering into this arena. Unlike my anime hobby and art, gaming is a bit more aggressive. It demands better technology, more time, more money, and an especially thick skin. Some people take it seriously and get frustrated with us more casual gamers.

Coincidentally, this is also the reason I'm hesitant about getting into costuming. Despite the fact that everyone I know has sewn a costume for some kind of cosplay before.

PC gaming in particular requires upgrading or out right buying or assembling a new computer just about every 2 years, or so. I try to make my machines last as long as possible. You gotta remember, I'm living int the Capitol City of Wisconsin, thus I have to pay high rent and prices. My first concern is keeping a roof over my head. That's one thing I hate about modern fandom. If you don't keep up with the herd, you get lost in the dust. Maybe boardgaming isn't such a bad thing. Yeah, there are collector's editions and stuff, but in the end, it's usually all the same game.

Some other machinima you may want to check out are:
Freeman's Mind
Ignus Solus (Team Fortress 2 Day of the Pyro)

11.08.2009

Off for Sunday

Haven't had Sunday off for a while. Metcalfe's is having their Holiday Demo fair through the weekend, but I had to work late. By the time I got out, the vendors had already packed up for the day. I'm going to walk around with my friend Carol, who gives voice lessons.

Then it'll be off to the Geek.Kon meeting at Humanities. We've gotten a few rooms reserved with projeotrs for presentations on the big move. The Sheraton is unavailable for September or October for 2010, so we'll have a decision to make between the Marriot West and the Alliant Energy Center. If we choose Alliant, we'll have to be careful no to be on the dates Madcon has it reserved. I'm just looking at their at the door rate. $75 for the weekend...Damn! They have some good Sci-Fi guests, though. I'm sure Geek.Kon can beat them at pricing, but if we can get different dates, we shouldn't have a problem.
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11.05.2009

On Gaia Again

I've poked my nose in on Gaia today, just to check out what was going on. I'm tempted to come back, but if I do so, it's going to have to be without purchasing online items. I guess the main reason why I quit before, aside from not getting anything important done, was that I was spending far too much money on the monthly collectibles. It used to be that I could spend maybe $25 and get a couple of the MC's for my avatar. When I was last on, I was dropping $100 or more for the aquarium items, MC's sets, and Evolving Items. All this just to furnish a fake world for myself! Without another word, I dropped it and didn't look back for a good 6 months, or so. Out of curiosity, and probably a desperate need to connect to others, I checked up on my main account.

It's been a couple weeks now since the Geek.Kon 09 convention ended. I've gone from being a somebody involved in an entrepreneurial endeavor: strolling the halls of the con, checking up on vendors and Geek Theater, and beaming over the success of Iron Butt Challenge, to a nobody working in a grocery store, passed up for promotion time after time. Working on Geek.Kon, especially the 2009 con, proved to myself that I can do better. That I'm worth more than some kitchen drudge job. Granted at $10+/hour plus benefits, this is the best job I've ever had, but I can do even better.

Anyway, off topic again. Other avenues of socialization are opening up for me. I'm on City of Heroes again, contributing to the House of the Wayward Soul (more on that later), and I'm still on staff for Geek.Kon. I've stopped going to the UW Anime Club, since the guy running it isn't really what the club needs to survive. Talking during the show, then chastising people who tell you to shut up does not a good president make! I also might be doing stand up comedy again at the Open Mic on Comedy Club on State Street on Wednesdays, too. I just have to get over my fear of crowds.

Geek.Kon 2009

Well, Geek.Kon '09 was another great success. We were expecting 500 people, and got 1,036 instead! We're looking at possible locations for next year, so stay tuned!