Little Teapot

Adventures In Spoke Cards

2009-10-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

I really love decoupage and I have a healthy supply of Juxtapoz and other art magazines to pull really great images from. So, when Cranksgiving came up, I decided to get my glue stick out and scissors at the ready. I have quite a few friends in Milwaukee who will be doing the alley cat and may want a spoke card, or two, for their wheels.

Now, for those of you who don't know what a spoke care is, it's just a ... well ... CARD, that you put in between the spokes of the bike tire on your bike. They're used by cyclists participating in alley cat races (a race geared for bike messengers where you are given a list of items you must retrieve while racing from point A to point B.) to identify themselves. Traditionally tarot cards were used with the cyclists number written on them, but now days they've become very personalized. Recently, they've also become memorials of fallen cyclists.

Typically they're very card-like. Square or rectangle like this:

But, people do get creative. Like this:

Or even this, haha!:

Really, there is no wrong way to make a spoke card. You just have to make sure you laminate them, so they can stand up to the beating they'll be taking on the streets.

For mine, I found a quote, then a picture that ended up being perfect. "Fuck everything I'm doing at home, I'm going out late at night to have an affair with the streets."

I really love it, but I made a pretty big mistake. I used card stock as the base. It's what I always use for things like this. It gives it strength and really holds up to wet glue, but I didn't even think about having to shove this between the tight spoke wires. Take that thick card stock and pile on a couple layers of magazine grade paper on one side and another layer of paper on the other and you've got a problem. Then I still have to laminate it and then it's only going to be even thicker.

Next time I'll have to use just the magazine paper. I'm nervous, because that paper tends to get wavy when wet with glue and I'm not sure if laminating will fix that. I can experiment with Mod Podge and see if that helps, but I really doubt it.

But, I suppose at the end of the day, as long as it fits in there and people love it, then I'm happy.

Part of That Mentality.

2009-01-27T16:55:00.001-08:00

I've gotten almost all my music imported onto my now not so new macbook. I was being lazy. My goal is to get it all in there, back it all up, then sell off all my CDs. I want to be serious about living a greener life and winter is such a tough time to keep this all in perspective. It's so cold, all I can do to keep my sanity is to take long hot showers and use my space heater to warm up my room. So, to keep my thoughts on conservation I'm pushing to rid myself of all my plastic music.

This one is a difficult move to make. For anyone who's a music lover, there is something so wonderful ... so ... holy about having a physical disc in your hands. There's almost a cult sort of obsession around owning physical copies of music and I certainly have been a part of that mentality in the past.

But, honestly. Take a moment to really think about a CD and all the plastic and paper that goes into it. I don't even have a decent stereo in which to listen to my music on, so I end up importing it into iTunes and never using the disc again. It sits there, taking up space and ends up being a waste of money. I could have saved $3-$5 by downloading it on iTunes.

Selling CDs and buying others used is a great way to recycle. I appreciate that process and I will keep shopping used discs. The change will be when I can't find what I'm looking for used, I'll get it from iTunes instead of ordering a copy from Amazon.

It's going to be tough. I'll not feel complete, but it's just a better decision for the long haul. It really is. I truly believe this will help make a difference. Especially if we can start a movement and get artists into it, selling digital downloads instead of CDs.

*crickets*

I know. That'll never happen. Until then, I will do what I can to make a difference and hope that people see it and are inspired to make a sacrifice as big as this one.

Before You Know It.

2009-01-25T06:55:00.001-08:00

Well, ladies and gentlemen ... I did get a bike. Finally! A friend had seen a teeny tiny road bike on 24" wheels at the bike collective he volunteers at, so he grabbed it and stopped by my place with it. Turns out it's a perfect fit.

I'm a little afraid of it, HAHA! Just because it's winter and I know I'll need to get on it at some point to give it a test drive, see what parts aren't working and fix them.

The reason I have some trepidation is, I've always ridden a children's bike. First, the handlebars were upright. Second, the seat was always low enough to sit on while you were stopped. With adult bikes, the seat is much higher. You have to hop off the seat when you stop.

Between hopping on and off the seat and having my handlebars be so low AND have snow and ice all over the ground ... I'm a tad nervous about riding.

But, I know it's going to be really great anyway. I'll get use to it and I'll be a riding fiend before I know it.

My NEXT project ... search the internet for fixed wheels in 24". So far ... it's a total no go. But, maybe I'll get lucky, eh?

Let's hope so.

2009-01-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

Things are going slowly for my bike. I've given up on a road bike. I honestly don't think I'll ever find a 16" road bike. I could have one made for me, but it would be super expensive. Maybe some day. for now, it's a child's 24" cruiser or a 24" BMX.

Until then, here is something that keeps me going:

MACAFRAMA Trailer from MACAFRAMA on Vimeo.

I've Got Work to Do.

2009-01-11T12:03:00.000-08:00

So, in light of recent events involving my inability to find a decent bicycle (I do have a lead on a "small road bike" at the local bike collective), I've decided my life will be a life of building bicycles from scratch.

YES.

From scratch.

Someone hand me a blow torch, I've got work to do.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

2009-01-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

This is a little late, but better late than never, right? So, a whole week into the new year, I'll take a step back to christmas and the ornaments I made from shrink plastic for my family. We decided not to give gifts this year, due to the poor economy AND because our family of six grown to a whopping fifteen! It gets expensive trying to buy gifts for that many people! We all bought gifts for the little ones and since I had signed a pledge to buy handmade gifts this year, I decided to go ahead and take it to the next level by using up the shrink plastic I had left over and make the rest of the family ornaments. And not just any old ornaments. A homage to Wisconsin and the places we all have spread out to and made our homes in: Madison, Milwaukee and Kenosha. My brother just married Keely, who's from Illinois, so I had to make an extra state for theirs, but luckily it was just illinois and was easy to piece together.

So, here is exactly what I did!

Step One:
Once you draw on shrink plastic, it's hard erase your marks, so you want to make a template or pattern to trace. Since shrink plastic shrinks to 1/3 it's original size, you want to make sure your template is big enough to shrink. I didn't get any measurements for my templates, sorry. It never crossed my mind! I did, however, use up almost an entire sheet of plastic from the RoseArt shrink plastic kit. I put the state of Wisconsin towards the top and there was just enough room to fit the heart.

Step 2:
Once you've got your pattern all drawn out (I started with pencil, then re-traced it with marker, so it was easier to see.), but put your shrink plastic sheet down shiny side DOWN. You need to draw on the rough side and ONLY WITH PENCIL. No markers or crayons on this one. Carefully trace your image working hard not to smear the lead all around. It smears really easily. As a lefty I always fail big time on that.

Step 3:
Carefully cut your image out. My initial vision for these ornaments was that I would use a razor pen to cut them out perfectly, but shrink plastic tears easily and is hard to cut. I had to abandon my original plan in favor of just slowly cutting away at it with regular scissors until i most of the surrounding plastic was gone. I couldn't get a perfect cut, but considering all the times I nearly cut a finger off with the razor, I was happy. Then, using the razor, cut holes into the images. Wisconsin gets two: one at the top to hang it with, one at the bottom to tie the heart on. The heart gets the one while the Illinois gets two as well. Then you color everything. I colored the states first, Wisconsin was sky blue, Illinois grass green, the hearts read. From there you re-trace the outline of the states and heart, making sure the border has a nice dark, defined edge. Then you color in the hearts and write "HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS" in the actual heart.

Step 4:
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Now, i'm going to go out on a limb and say it needs to be an OVEN oven, not a toaster oven. My toaster oven, when heated to 350 degrees on the bake setting, didn't get hot at all. I could put my hands in the oven and touch all the metal and not get burned. I tried several different settings, positions and temperatures and got the same results: a)nothing at all, or b) everything curled up and got all melty. SO, maybe my toaster oven is just cheap and an asshole, but I'm going to say it was just the nature of it being a toaster oven. USE A REAL OVEN. As soon as that oven is pre-heated to 350, put your cut outs on a non-greased cookie sheet and put THAT into the oven for THREE MINUTES!!! No more is needed, they'll shrink in that short time. Take them out, they look cute and little, but let them cool!

Step 5:
Whip out your ribbon and tie those lil fuckers together! I used ribbon that had wire ... not such a great idea. I just thought the iridescent glitter went better with the sky blue and grass green colors better than traditional christmas colors. In hindsight, regular ribbon sans a wire would have been much better.

Step 6:
TAH-DAH!

this one is without Illinois ...

... and WITH Illinois

So, there are my ornaments. Between cutting my fingers to hell, then the first ones burning up in the toaster oven they sort of drove me crazy ... and took forever. I was a little bashful when giving them since they look like a 4-yr-old made them, because I'm not so good with my hands. But, everyone loved them and I personally just really love Wisconsin and my family. It made me happy to make them for everyone.

We'll have to see what I think up for next year, huh? Hopefully they look a little nicer!

33,182

2008-12-16T17:24:00.000-08:00

I am one of 33,182 people who made the pledge to buy handmade gifts this christmas season. And I am proud to say that I did just that. I bought all my gifts handmade from etsy and the others are being made myself.

It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. This year, with the tough economy, we decided only the kids should get gifts, so this made my task a bit easier ... sort of.

I have one nephew and four nieces. Two nieces I don't know very well. One because she's not even two-years-old and the other because she is a step-niece, brand new to the family since October.

First on the list is Michael. He is twelve, in middle school and in that painful 'tween stage of life. He comes from a family of nerds, so he himself is one. He loves video games, D and D and comic books. He's finally become aware of popularity, so he desperately wants to look and be cool. Michael likes clothes with guitars and skateboards on them and has recently discovered the store PacSun and Hot Topic. *shudder* Michael is also an artist with a pure heart and soul. He is empathetic and sensitive. Spends his time coming up with art projects that he never actually does. Be it a drawing, sculpture or story, he doubts himself and his talents. Many of Michael's other friends are avid sketchers themselves, so he compares himself to what they do and has deemed himself useless when it comes to art.

Michael once had an idea to decorate a pair of white chucks with a viking ship. One side would have an empty ship, giant octopus tentacles would be wrapping all around it, crushing it and pulling it under the water. The source of the tentacles could be seen on the other side of the shoe, where the body of the beast would be visible. The other shoe would show a fleet of vikings rowing away from the carnage in little row boats. And there, behind the last little boat would be a single tentacle sticking up out of the water ... waiting for the survivors to row right into it's clutches.

AMAZING! Right? Ahhhh, he never did it! Michael tried and tried and tried to draw it up, but he never liked what he saw. It didn't look realistic enough. I tried to tell him, to teach him, to coach him ... that it's not always about how GOOD it is, but what it's ABOUT! The story that it tells! ACK! He never believed it like I did and so ... He still calls me. He still tells me all of his ideas and he still ... never ... does them. And it still breaks my heart.

One place where you see a lot of art with "character" is in graphic novels and comics, so when I saw that Etsy had a section with independent/homemade comics and zines, I knew right away I would find something for Michael here. And i did! From a seller called Jim 8ball

It's a pack of his five best selling comics and five best selling pins all stuffed into a cute little stocking ($6 w/shipping) . The art is really clean and tight, but I'm still hoping it'll inspire him to make his own comics. He's a smart kid with a big heart and endless imagination. Doing something like this would make him so happy ... if only he could get past his fears.

Next on the list are the two older nieces, Jaime and Riley. Jaime is older, she's eleven. Riley is younger, but those two girls are very close, so I decided to try and do something matching for them ... which in hindsight was ridiculous. They're two completely different little girls!

Jaime is super silly. She'll put on a show for anyone that'll give her two moments of your life. She'll sing and dance and do cartwheels and whatever else she can possibly fit into those brief moments. She's very smart, very clever, loves to draw. She's one of the most giving people I have ever met. I lived with my sister and these kids for seven months and Jaime would do my laundry and rub my back for nothing. She'll do anything to help out. She likes rock and roll things too. Her favorite color may be green, but she loves all the others almost as much. Her sense of humor will blow your mind. She says things most adults wish they could think of while at parties.

Riley is just a sweetheart. She loves horses and chasing my sister's bunny around the house. My brother describes her has girly, though I feel I have never seen this side of her before. Her favorite color is pink and has a notorious sweet tooth.

For them, I decided to knit little "scarflettes" that will be pinned together with little cupcake pins I bought from Bamfkat ($4.50 a piece w/shipping)

They'll go on these scarves ... one of which I still have to finish OH MY!

Next is my seven-year-old niece Julia. Usually she is the easiest on my list for she is QUITE the character. Don't let her sweet name fool you! Julia Rose likes monsters, zombies, bugs, robots, super heroes, comic books and video games. She's very shy and not quick to play with other children. She lives in her own world where she is either the Incredible Hulk, Luke Skywalker, or Nacho Libre. She has a strange obsession with collecting pins, but never does anything with them. Usually I just get her some action figure or a costume (all the better for pretending to be a super hero!) BUT, I made a pledge to buy handmade this year and while people certainly make action figures, you can expect to pay anywhere from $90-$250 for one. I did not have that much money.

So, Julia I found a HILARIOUS tree monster pin I know she'll love from Loveleigh Junk ($6.50 w/shipping).

Then, to go with the pin, I bought her a monster coloring book from Pickled Punk

I splurged on this one. It came to $10.45 w/shipping, but I know she'll love it and I really loved supporting this artist.

My niece Rachel is another hard one. She'll be two on New Year's Eve and is at that age where she doesn't quite play by herself, or really at all. She'll bang on things, but she's still in love with the idea of being mobile, so she runs. a lot. Her favorite thing is to play loud music and dance (yup. she takes after me!) One thing she loves, loves, loves are her stuffed animals. She has a few she loves more than anything and she cannot live with out at least one of them. Her father is obsessed with planes. He works at an airport where he fuels them and is slowly, but surely getting his pilot's license. Every time there is a sky in the plane, Rachel is the first to spot it. She gasps, squeals, says, "DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" and then makes the buzzing sound of a plane.

So, when looking for a gift for little Rachel, i had wanted to get her a stuffed plane. These are actually pretty rare on etsy and the one that I did find was covered in buttons and very expensive. The store was Yoborobo and while I couldn't get Rachel that plane, I did find Rose.

I fell in love with her immediately and at $18 w/shipping, she was mine.

So, with everyone set with their own gifts, I decided to tie it all together a matching gift for all and Love and Sandwich had the perfect thing for me. I bought each kid one of of the below little monsters:

Michael got the Yetti with the beard, Jaime got the Yetti with the mustache, Riley got the pink Yetti and Julia got the "sad" Sasquatch. He's the one with on the far right.

So. That wraps up the kids. It took me a long time to find things that were affordable and suitable to their tastes and personalities. All in all I spent $87. That's $17.50/child. Not bad, huh?

My next project (besides finishing up that pink scarf for Riley), would be the ornaments I'm making for my Family. While we decided not to exchange gifts, I have a lot of shrink plastic sheets left over, so I thought I'd make some ornaments to give people anyway. It's not like I'm spending any money, right?

So, what do these ornaments look like?

Well, that's for another blog.

Don't Be An Asshole.

2008-12-14T07:49:00.001-08:00

I sort of lost my motivation for a while. Winter tends to kick my ass every year and this time round is no exception. I'm in a strange city, I have no idea where I can go to get away. There is no state street for me, with lots of friends to grab a cup of coffee with. There is no Sunday Morning every week to make me be productive. There is only me, trying to find where I fit into the scheme of life in Milwaukee.

Friday, after work, I came home and ended up sleeping the whole rest of the day away. From 5:30pm until 10am Saturday. After waking up and realizing what I had done, I decided I needed to start writing down things. Anything. Lists. Lists of everything. What I want, don't want, need, don't need, places and people.

It was the people that stuck out the most to me, so I made some calls and spoke with family. Caught up. Cemented myself back into reality. My sister Liz's job has been a nightmare, but through hard work she made a place for herself in the school and is now becoming a respected teacher. My brother had a fight with his wife. My mom had my nephew and nieces over. My sister Val is now the black sheep at work because she insisted on having the 31st of December off to celebrate her only daughter's 2nd birthday.

Some of us are having fun. Some of us are not. Life is life, we keep moving.

Only, I have not.

So, I moved on to Christmas. Scoured etsy and found some BAD ASS gifts for my nephew and nieces. Discovered the "Zine" section of etsy and was instantly inspired. After wrapping up my shopping and making my purchases online, I was off to Fuel for some brainstorming and a heart to heart with myself.

The product?

This video:

The (brain) Storm from stephanie riedel on Vimeo.

I have to remember who I am and why I'm here. Always. I had so much fun making this I made a promise to myself to keep a project going all the time. Short videos like this, knitting, blogging, I want to build a bike, make my own zines/comic books ... I want to learn how to cook amazing soups! I just need to never let myself be idle like I was before.

Idleness is badness. You're an asshole if you're idle.

Don't be an asshole.

Mmmmm, someday!

2008-10-19T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's time to get productive again, kids, VERY productive. Now, I'll be honest ... I'm a baby. I've been resistant to learning the bus system here in Milwaukee. Maybe "resistant" isn't such a great word, maybe BOYCOTT is. Coz, I think the price they expect you to pay for a ride that drops you off blocks away from your destination 80% of the time is unacceptable.

I could just be spoiled.

But, this is not the point of my blog.

I had access to a car (and the very best chauffeurs: my parents) this weekend, so I went SHOPPING! And what was I able to pick up? Well, card stock was first on my list. I love card stock, because you can make lick-n-stick stickers with them. The paper is thick enough and can stand up to getting wet with the gelatin you use to make the lick-n-stick part.

So? More drawing for me!

Also, my landlord STILL hasn't fixed my stove. She keeps telling me she's sending someone over and no one ever comes. EVER. So, fuck you, landlord, I got a toaster oven! It's much smaller, so I'm using less electricity to heat it up, it's easier to clean and I can make shrinky dinks!!! Shrink plastic, while not so good for the environment, is a cheap and easy way to make unique and clever jewelry. I'm very much obsessed with tattoo art and want to cover my body in tattoos. The problem? I am a person of immense change (and growth!) and it's hard for me to ever just pick a tattoo or style that I think will still be personally relevant even weeks from when I get it. I know people change all the time and that tattoos can be a monument to who you've been and a mark of how you've come to be who you are now, but ... I change a lot, a lot. Just ask my family and friends. I'm a little crazy.

So, what does that have to do with shrink plastic? I can take my tattoo ideas, draw them out on shrink plastic, cut them out, pop them in the oven and make them into pins, earrings and necklaces that I can wear, express myself, but take off when I feel that is no longer an expression of who I am.

With out a working stove, I couldn't make my shrink plastic tattoos, but with my toaster oven, I CAN!

Last, I picked up some more yarn. My goal is to make cheap, but adorable knitted skinny scarves and sell them on etsy. You look at most of the items that are knitted on etsy and they are EXPENSIVE. Scarves are one of my favorite accessories and not just because I'm cold ALL OF THE TIME (!!!!!), but because, I really feel that scarves are a great way to add color or a pattern to an outfit and I don't think you should have to spend a lot of money on this. Luxury yarn is WONDERFUL! It really is, but for a lot of people, it is unnecessary. Stock up on fun scarves that are machine washable and affordable.

My etsy shop will hopefully consist of lots of fun scarves, shrink plastic pins to add to the scarves and little gift of silly, nifty lick - n - stickers ... all for a price everyone can afford.

hopefully I can do this and be so successful, I can quit my day job and just focus on my shop! Mmmmmm, someday!

Until then, it's all about working my ass off and always keeping busy!

The Plastics Issue

2008-10-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

So, it's proving much harder for me to find ways to reduce, if not stop, the number of plastic bottles I bring into my house. EVERYTHING comes in plastic these days. EVERYTHING. And trying to find recipes for home made soaps ad shampoos is proving almost impossible. At least so far. There is a plethora of information on how to make your own house hold cleaners (pretty much just use distilled white vinegar for anything and everything. including in your rinse cycle for a clothes softener!), but they warn against making large quantities and storing them. It's not terribly safe.

So.

I'm taking a break from the plastics issue and even "celebrated" so by purchasing new facial cleanser and mouthwash with out feeling guilty.

I'll get there.

Eventually.

Until then ... I'll find ways to re-use what I do bring in and throw the rest in the recycling.

Until Then, Rock On.

2008-10-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

So, there is this change starting to take place in me. Not so much a CHANGE, but a ... a ... re-boot, if you will. I'm starting to have things to write about again. I'm waking up with ideas in the morning, things to research, implement in my life. It's been a while. I like it when the gears in my head and heart start to click together a little differently and I feel excited. Because, the past few months have not been what they should have been. My whole life changed radically from what it had been. I should have been coming to life, but instead, I hid myself in my apartment. Stayed away from a city bursting at the seams with possibility and promise.

There is too much for me to do and see to hide away any longer.

I think, in addition to spending my time trying to reduce my impact on the environment, I need to start increasing it on the community. I am a person full of passion and love, with ideas and things to say and a very loud laugh. I should be out there making my mark on them, and getting their mark on me.

New rule: I must go some where new every week. I don't know if I'll have time this week to start it, but I can certainly start making the list and setting up a plan.

If you live in Milwaukee and know of any great places I just HAVE to go see, drop me a note. I'd love to hear it.

Until then, rock on.

This Blows ... The Cold Wind, That Is.

2008-10-04T12:26:00.000-07:00

My winterizing endeavors have been squashed by a fever, BUT, my father and I managed to get FOUR WHOLE WINDOWS covered with plastic film. HAHAHA!!!! Every thing looks really good so far, though, and I couldn't be happier with the work that has been done. He plans to come back in from Madison some time late October to finish up the rest of the windows.

One thing that was interesting was that, as soon as we got the the four big windows covered, we noticed a significant drop in the temperature of the apartment. The temperature outside was noticeably warmer, but because of the coverings (and probably just the nature/architecture of the building its self) were keeping the cold air in. Which means, when we DO finally start running that furnace, that warm air will be kept in the house and that is a very good thing.

One thing we have to keep in mind is that we have a gas stove. That means at least ONE window must be kept unsealed. This will provide for some airflow and not allow gas to collect inside the house. I was worried about that one window causing some significant leaking, but a fellow local blogger, Sarandi (check out his BLOG it's really extrasupervery cool and interesting!) suggested that I make snakes for the window sills made of old clothing. That is not only a smart idea, but sounds like a great project to keep me busy. My only problem is, I just moved. I just donated all my old clothes, so I don't really know if I have anything to use. We shall see though.

So, that just leaves the ill-fitting front door. My landlord said someone would be over yesterday to check out, but problems arose and they were unable to make it, but hopefully sometime after 4:30pm on Monday. Once that problem gets put away, heating this old house should be pretty efficient. I am SO excited!

Now that I have a firm grasp on how I waste energy at home and what I can do to change that, my next challenge is to reduce the amount of plastics i purchase and bring into the house. There has to be a better way to get soaps and such with out having to full the recycling bin with plastic bottles. Reduce, reuse, recycle! I'll do the research and hopefully find places that use either plastic alternatives, or heavily recycled plastics.

I've already started reusing what I can at home, putting my sugar in my coffee canister and my rice in my spaghetti jars, but I'm sure there is more I can do and I plan to find it.

And So It Begins

2008-09-30T15:51:00.000-07:00

So, in light of my last post about wanting to lead a better life, one of simplicity and ecological responsibility, I've done an "audit" of my habits and my apartment.

Here is what I found:

First, my front door has a fairly large gap along the bottom. Sunlight leaks in and when winter rolls around, all our heat is sure to leak out. Not only will that make it harder to keep the apartment warm, that's going to make for one giant CO2 footprint! I'll have to be sure to call or email my landlord and let her know of this problem and I'll have to do it soon! It's already getting chilly.

Second, there is only one light switch for the light in the kitchen. And it's all the way across the room by that leaking front door. That makes for bad habits where I leave that light on ALL NIGHT because I hate walking across that dark room to turn it on and off. I have a flash light to help me through the dark, but it makes for spooky lighting, so I tend to abandon that method.

Third, just lights in general. I'm terrible at leaving my bedroom and hall lights on for no reason at all. And in the morning, I tend to forget that the bathroom light is still on. VERY bad.

Also, when it's warmer out, the fan in the living room gets turned on to help cool things down, which is fine! But then we go to bed with it still spinning outside our CLOSED bedroom doors. And if it's warm enough, we have our very own box fans running at the same time.

Another thing, I tend to leave the TV on all the time. I get too involved with my music, dancing and singing for hours, or remembering there was a band I wanted to check out. So, I get nothing done. TV tends to be my background noise of choice, but that uses up lots and lots of energy when maybe I should just get use to silence.

Finally, appliances in general. I leave a lot of appliances plugged in when not in use. Coffee maker, laptop (fully charged, still plugged in), my hair dryer some mornings, my heating blanket (trying to wean myself off that, but it helps reduce my aching hips), cell phone charger, LOTS and LOTS! Including a CD player and iPod I don't even use anymore (in favor of my laptop.)

My goals for the bigger picture and the approaching winter is to make sure i winterize my apartment. The house I live in was built in 1896, so the windows are niiiiiiiice and leaky. Not to mention that front door I already mentioned. My landlord just replaced it and the workers left that gap in there. It's only in 40's and we're already freezing our asses off.

So, I've done my audit. I've keyed in on my problems. The next step is to work work on reversing the bad habits and finding products/methods in which to seal up our leaky windows and save on heat while reducing the CO2 footprint I leave behind.

The Start to a Brand New Future.

2008-09-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

I've been watching "An Inconvenient Truth" over and over and over again. I just rented it for the first time. It's not that I didn't want to see it, didn't think it worth my time, or said anything that was relevant or untrue. It was just that I already knew global warming was a problem. I knew it and I didn't think there would be any information I hadn't already heard before.

And I was right.

What I wasn't expecting was how compelling and beautiful Al Gore is. I wasn't expecting him to feel SO STRONGLY about this issue, that it would radiate through my tiny television screen and shake me so hard, that it would bring me to tears.

He put me to shame.

But shame is a powerful motivator. You feel terrible and that lights a fire under your ass to change your thoughts, your heart ... your life.

What seems like a lifetime ago, i went through an extremely hard time in my life. One of the hardest I'll ever have to go through. Having spent most of my life with undiagnosed depression, the cheerful facade I used to hide behind took a hit I could not recover from when my 2 1/2 year relationship fell apart. It was the only thing holding me together and with out it, my life was in shambles. I was forced to face many factors in my life that helped contribute to my problems. Lost, I spent a financially crippling year unemployed turning desperately to school as a way to find myself again.

But I had spent the years of my life, where a young person typically forms their identity as an adult, in a relationship with a man who expected me to lose myself in his dreams and goals and life. And since my past was so full of sadness and pain, I gladly did so and abandoned myself.

And when he left me, for a woman he felt who could better melt away into whatever he wanted, I was left with not only the empty shell of who i use to be ... but with the shell of a girl, frozen in time from when I first let myself be lost. I had no direction, no focus, no dreams, nothing. I had NOTHING. School became impossible with no direction or idea of who I was. So, I dropped out. A lot.

And that year of unemployment and semester after semester of dropping out, I saw places so dark and felt things so painful, it terrified me, shamed me and pushed me to climb out. no matter what.

First thing I vowed to myself: never enter a relationship like that again. ever.

Second thing I vowed: fix yourself. now.

Third: GROW. Never stop for anything, or anyone.

Last thing I vowed: never let yourself fall as hard as you just fell ever again. never. ever. ever. end of story.

I set out to live a life of independence. To remember always, I must have a HEALTHY relationship with first, myself, then my parents and family, next my community, then, in time, a man. And the only way to enter a relationship that will last and be healthy and wonderful, is to be that individual and to have a life. A good life. With my own goals and dreams and hopes. And if I live in accordance to those things and keep myself always growing to be that person, then a man, the RIGHT man, will grow into me and my life. He will compliment me, not complete me, and I will have a life he will want to share WITH me, not give me.

This has been my life for a long time. A looooooong time. For 3 1/2 - 4 years, I have remained single. Seeking to make myself a strong person. An INDIVIDUAL.

And I feel, at 27, I have reached the point where I am strong. An individual.

But I have yet to find the life I want to lead.

The time I spent in Madison was lovely. I grew up there. I have almost all my family there, all of my friends. Great resources, an amazing art scene. But change must be made in my life. There must be MORE. I've outgrown my home town. Things were so tight, I could hardly breathe.

And just when I thought I was going to scream from being in Madison, my friend Natalee needed a roommate for her move to Milwaukee. Milwaukee was probably the LAST place I wanted to move to, but I love Natalee. She's one of those people who understands the importance of personal growth and she's the only person I know who can change and grow as much as me. Probably more.

Also, she's a person seeking to make the ecological changes in her life, to make less of a negative impact on the earth. Something I've been aware of, but haven't really known how to do myself.

And as luck would have it, we accidentally found ourselves living in Riverwest, a small neighborhood/community of DIYers, artists and politically aware people. People aware of the impact we have on our environment, who seek to change things.

And I sit here, tucked into this amazing little pocket of beauty and change, Al Gore's voice resounds in my head:

HOW SHOULD I SPEND MY TIME ON THIS EARTH?

This ... is not just a good question, or a compelling question. It is THE question. This is my compass that points me to North. This the question that both grounds me to reality, and give wings to my future.

How SHOULD I spend my time on this earth?

I tell myself every day, my goal is to live a GOOD life, an HONEST life, full of love and balance and peace, then I must live a life of simplicity. economically and ecologically. my life must be spent being an example to others that we CAN modify our lives to reduce our carbon footprints and our waste.

I've already gotten rid of my car. In madison, I took the bus on a daily basis. In Milwaukee, i walk every where. The last bus I was on was the Badger Bus that took me home to Madison, and before that, it was late July.

Unfortunately, I have yet to eliminate my footprint, by shopping locally, I am terrible at turning out lights (my roommate spends her weekends - thursday through late sunday night - in Madison, so I feel vulnerable.), i leave the TV running to create back noise and I'm guilty of leaving a lot of appliances plugged in that do not need to be.

I need to start setting goals for myself. One by one, knocking these bas habits out of my life. Turning off my lights, no matter what, I am perfectly safe with out them on. Unplugging anything doesn't need to be plugged in, shopping less and less at Pick-n-Save and more and more at the Co-Op (which is hard, since it is pretty darn expensive!).

I need to transform my life by starting small, then going big. And this means my life in the more distant future. Having a marriage and family that reflects these choices. Living in a community that supports this way of living. Starting a culture of youth that makes choices our parents should have made when they were younger, by making them now.

This is the life that lies ahead of me (and of you and of all of us) and this is how I will spend my time on this earth.

My family has always told me my legacy will be the family I will someday have. My goal today is to ensure that this someday family is one that makes the biggest impact it can ... and that is by not making one at all.

Tickle My Pickle

2008-09-09T07:36:00.000-07:00

I think I really need a tumble blog. Or whatever you call those things. Because, I don't ever really anything to SAY anymore (thanks to twitter, uhm, @lilteapot btw), but I definitely have things to SHARE.

I'm gonna look into that, but for the time being, I'm probably going to make this little do-hicky thing of a blog WANNA BE into a make shift tumble blog thing.

SO, things I've been looking at on teh interwebz (oh no she di'int!)

Senator McCain's daughter, Megan, has a really great blog that I love. I'm not really a supporter of the republican party ... in fact, I think I'm more of an independent, really, HOWEVER, I am for sure a supporter of people who are smart and have voices. And I think Megan has a voice worth taking a look at. It's political, but only by default, seeing as how she's on the campaign trail with her father, but really. This blog is about being a daughter who supports her father and I'm in love with it.

McCainBlogett.com

Her blogging style is really easy to follow when you're busy. She has 3 elements to it. A short blurb about what's going on and how she feels about it, a "song of the day," which I think is almost always country pop, and then she has pictures. Lots and lots of really great candid moments with her family.

Check it out! Really! It's worth at least once glance through.

Another website I've been on lately is Wordie It calls itself "flickr, but with out the pictures." So, basically, you're collecting words and lists of words. The people who use it are HARD CORE and it's actually very difficult to follow. Be prepared to see words you never knew even existed and be sure to keep wiki up. You'll need to look up a majority of the words. I'm in the process of making my own profile, I'll post more on that later when I'm done.

Otherwise, I've been on Etsy shopping and finding lots of amazing things. If you're unfamiliar with Etsy, it's an online store where artisans and crafters make home made gifts, upload their wares and sell them for usually, VERY reasonable prices. It's like a 24/7 craft fair. I love it.

Here are some of the things i've found:

This is a felted scarf that I MUST have. They're about $38, but can be a little more expensive if you've got more beading or design to them. Felted yarn is extremely warm and these designs are unique, feminine and totally practical. You don't have a long, snaking scarf to deal with. Just a wrap that hooks together and you are good to go.
Get yours from Rudman and Etsy

Also, I love these:

They're flatware sets that are made of wood, not plastic. You take them with you when you eat at a fast food or casual dining restaurant. They come with a fork, spoon, knife, linen napkin and sometimes with chopsticks as well. Some sets come with antique metal ware, some sets are for two, while others are for children. Its a great way to reduce our waste and they make adorable and affordable gifts.
Get yours at Ponyup at Etsy

I love Etsy. Don't forget to check out their entire site.

Kicking Ass, Every Day.

2008-09-06T16:33:00.001-07:00

Time flies when you're making a new home for yourself, huh?

Things have gotten a lot better since I last blogged. For one, my roommate moved in. That was nice! Now I'm not totally alone all the time. I've been using my stove. HA! Maaaaaan, I've NEVER had a gas range before! It was a little scary. I've been taught that the moment you smell gas, GET OUT and here I am lighting gas on fire??? The first couple times I'd get a little sick from the smell, but now I don't smell it at all. My oven still is not working. Not that I plan on baking much, but I totally want to make some shrinky-dinks, ya know?

I have plans to take a crochet class and I'm pretty excited about that. I'm learning how to use GIMP, so I can make a portfolio to submit to a local school for graphic design. That's been really tough. I'm really struggling, but I'll figure it out.

I've been on twitter like crazy of late. I've found so many amazing people to follow, it's really cool to look at one person's twitter page and just link from person to person to person and it's all very endless and inspiring to meet people like you who are out there kicking ass every day and documenting it.

Time for a nap, I'm feeling sick.

Potato Chips = Mark of the Beast

2008-08-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

Today is the start of my new life, so to speak. My new life here in Milwaukee. I've been here for almost two weeks, I know, but all I've done is laid around, feeling homesick and sorry for myself and time is a wastin', COME ON!

Yesterday I actually ventured out into my neighborhood. I live in RiverWest Milwaukee and its home to a plethora of artists, musicians and film makers. Its perfect for me! There is a cafe a few blocks away from me called Fuel Cafe and yesterday I decided to pop in for some coffee. It was great. The atmosphere in that cafe is very rock and roll, tattoo, graffiti, just wow. In your face. It really inspired me. I started a script for a short film and it feels fantastic.

Then I went to the RiverWest Co-Op for some soy milk and a really sweet guy there started a conversation with me, which was great. Really great. I needed to make contact with someone. ANYONE!

My goals for today are such:
1) Clean out the closet the last residents left full of trash
2) Empty my giant pail full of pinesol water and car hair (it'll be tricky coz the bucket is heavy and i don't have a proper hair trap for all that cat hair.)
3) Go to Fuel to do the following
a) Write my script for another 30 mins.
b) Work on my construction paper robot ... coz that thing is awesome. I'll take a pic later and post it.
4) Try and get over my fear of the gas range stove-top and make myself a decent dinner.

That last one is gonna be tough. Especially since "decent" means a can of nacho cheese Chef Boyardi and I've already put some weight on here in Milwaukee. I gotta start making better things for myself other than a bowl of Lucky Charms and a plate of potato chips. That last one is for sure the big no-no. I've eaten a family size bag of potato chips by myself in less than a week ... in 3 separate servings, OOOOH! I know. That is so bad.

NO MORE POTATO CHIPS!

i was all, WHOA!

2008-08-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hello dears. It's been some time since I have posted, shame shame shame on me.

My deepest apologies.

I once again find myself trying to find some gravity when I feel like I'm losing control.

I have moved to Milwaukee, WI. My room mate isn't moving until next month, so I am completely alone aaaaand, its making me pretty sad.

So, it is the PERFECT time to fire up the ol' blog and try to establish a sense of self through writing and finding goodies on the internet and, of course, locally here in Milwaukee.

Let me just catch you all up with what I'm into these days. I change constantly, so its hard to keep up!

I still love my tech stuff, I listen to TWiT and Diggnation, but right now I'm more into music and art and film. I've started a DIY art/craft group called Sunday Morning. I tried to get a following in Madison, but no one ever showed any interest. My goal here in Milwaukee is to establish myself in the DIY art community, make sure my voice is heard and hopefully end up in Portland, OR or San Fran, CA.

We shall see.

My interests are homemade stickers and greeting cards, but I'd like to expand into screen printing shirts, felted crafts (with a STRONG emphasis on R O B O T S.) and knitting.

I hope with this blog to always have a project going, to chronicle my constant projects, set up my own etsy shop www.etsy.com and get every one interested in the DIY culture.

This blog should be more fun since I just got a brand new MacBook, so I have Photo Booth, which means, of course ... pics AND video, HOORAY!

I've already started my first project, so keep an open for that blog which should be coming soon!

HOORAY!

She's One Tough Cookie

2008-04-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

So, I've had this one iPod Mini for over three years now. I've dropped the damn thing more times than I can count. And I don't mean a nice easy fall to the ground, I mean ... WOW, I THREW my iPod HARD onto the sidewalk, the street, my garage floor (lots and lots of times. Its amazing how many times my iPod managed to fly out of my car.), and now the isle of a bus. I had gotten onto the wrong bus last week sunday and had, at the last minute, decided to get off at the same stop a man was getting on. I jumped up and flew out of my seat to the door and in the process, snagged my headphones cord on some part of the seat. My ear buds got ripped from my ears and my iPod was ripped from my back pocket and was whipped across the bus, slammed onto the isle and down almost to the driver. Ugh, it was painful. Just, so painful. I picked it up and hopped off the bus, leaving my 31-day bus pass behind that was worth $47.

Looking at my iPod, it was not good. The wheel was stuck inside the body. I could use the volume and I could move from song to song, but I could not press the wheel down to pause the music, which was still playing! Well, it played for a minute or two longer, then it told me there was no more battery power and died right there in my hands.

With the power gone and me thinking it was just plain broken, I wasn't afraid to get aggressive with the machine and pound on the wheel until it popped out. I let the iPod be until I got home later that evening and plugged it into an outlet, where it worked just fine.

The next day i unplugged the iPod from the power source, but it only worked for a few minutes before dying again. Not sure what to do with it and assuming it was just never going to work on its own again, I plugged it back in to the outlet where I was at least able to get SOME use out of it.

Lo and behold the next day, I tried it again and was able to get several hours of play time out of it and its been working pretty alright ever since, though today it pooped out on me pretty early. I was left to deal with the bus ride and walk home sans an appropriate soundtrack.

The point of this story, though, is my iPod Mini is quite the tank! My iPod has lasted longer than anyone else that I know and I have to wonder if anyone else has had this experience as well with their Mini. Every person I know who's had a Shuffle has had it break after a very short time. The regular iPods lasted for a time, but not nearly as long as my Mini, though ... I think my brother has his original iPod still and its either as old as my Mini, or its older. I think older, though his Shuffle went to hell. My friend Natalee has had two iPods. I haven't heard anything about the new Nano's or the old for that matter.

But I'd really like to hear from other people who have or had iPod Mini's and if their's lasted as long or stood up as well to the abuse mine did. I still see them being used all over the place. More so than the older original iPods or the older Nanos.

While my Ipod is still working, its not working well, so I will be getting a new one. I'm looking to probably get an iPod Nano and I'm excited to get a video one, so i can watch Diggnation instead of just listen to it, but I've been looking at the iPod Touch, which, if its as cool as it sounds, would probably be a better investment for me. I'm with out a laptop now and I have zero time or energy to write the emails I need to write. It would be lovely to have a device to to that with now. As tedious as it would be, it would be SOMETHING!

Ya know?

And I have more thoughts on Twitter, though I think I'll wait to post them until later. I need to refine what I think and come to a point. Twitter interests me to no end simply because ... it's kinda its own noun and verb. It came out and you really can't tell people WHAT it is. Its not email, its not a blog, its not a text message, it's not Myspace, or Facebook, its ... Twitter. Just ... Twitter. And you tweet. That's all, you tweet, not text or blog or ... whatever. You tweet.

And thank GOD for the "undo" button, because I just accidentally deleted this entire post and spent the past 60 or so seconds freaking out before I remembered to right click and "undo" what I had done.

Whew!

Good night!

And Then There Were 1,475,475,197,921.

2008-04-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

So, as stated before, my new obsession is Twitter. I've been using it a lot of late for ... a purpose I'm not so sure of. Only two of my friends in Madison have Twitter accounts, but they never USE them. Both can't remember their log-in name OR password, so they are locked out.

I subscribe to some of my favorite tech journalists' feeds and a couple of "pen pals'," if you will. I have their tweets update to my cell phone and I get close to 30 in coming tweets in a single day. None of the information applies to my life, I'm not even 110% sure WHY i even follow them.

Maybe it's because I understand how cool Twitter can be when you have the right sort of network and I just really want to use it. I want to be a part of it.

There are however, some ... interesting things? maybe? That I see happening on Twitter. I say interesting because I think people are still trying to find their voice and function for twitter, so a lot of people are saying in their updates teeter on the ridiculous.

One particular conversation you see going on centers around the number of followers a person has. People constantly compare with each other how many followers they have, how much it jumps up every day and if the numbers are true and what they reflect.

As can only happen for any networking site, we're seeing the presence of spammers. I'm not sure what their purpose is, but they seem to think there is one.

With Twitter, you don't ADD people, which involves an APPROVAL step, you "follow" them, which doesn't include any sort of approval at all. So, this so called "spammer" can subscribe to your feed, but if you don't subscribe back ... you don't see a word they have to say. And if you look at their feeds, its always just news feeds and the only spamming you see is that the personal website they have listed in their mini profile is a website to buy or sell things.

If the idea of spammer being able to subscribe to your feed bothers you, you can block them. Twitter does, indeed, have that feature.

I had a bittersweet evening with Twitter a few days ago. The New Pornographers came to town with Okkervil River, whom i love, but I had decided to skip this show in favor of saving my money for a macbook I am in desperate need for. My phone started to update with the tweets of a guy in town who I follow who went to show. While I enjoyed reading his updates about the show, things started to turn for the worse when he mentioned Chris Pirillo was at the show and they were going out for drinks later that night. !!!!!!!

Fun to see play out on my phone, buuuuuut ... I was a tad jealous.

Another fun thing to see go on happened with one of my all time favorite tech journalists, Leo Laporte. His son made a snide remark about not believing his dad had some 10,000+ followers on Twitter, so Leo POSTED HIS SON'S CELL PHONE NUMBER ... on Twitter and said "go ahead minions! Show the kid just how much you love me!" Aaaaaaand ... they did. Almost instantly Hank's cell phone was flooded with text messages. It got so bad, they had to turn the phone off and I'm going to assume that entire line. Hank probably has a new cell phone number now.

It'll be interesting to see how this Twitter thing pans out. Its useful, addictive and just down right interesting. I'm in love with the idea that all the TWiTs talk to each other and the their conversations come right to my cell phone.

I honestly, just really wish more of my friends would give it a try. They all pretty much down right refuse. I've been trying for weeks now. My brother doesn't like it. His friends wouldn't use it either, so there's just no point.

I can't wait to see how it all pans out though. Clearly Twitter is just another step in the evolution of social networking on the internet. It'll be interesting to watch this grow into something else that we adopt and make our own.

Until then, Twitter on kids. Twitter on.

(follow me at www.twitter.com//ministeph )

tweet tweet twitter!

2008-04-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

Sssssoooooo, I have this new addiction and it's Twitter. I'm not sure exactly how to explain it, but it's sort of like quick fire blogging/text messaging/emailing with a sort of Facebook wall/Myspace comments sort of feel to it.

See, you make an account. You up load one small picture. You can tweak the back ground a bit to personalize it, you can add a URL and give yourself a one or two sentence bio, but that's it.

Then you start updating.

You've got 140 characters to work with and that is all you have. The whole update idea centers around a single question: what are you doing?

Your friends then "follow" you on Twitter using their account. They can either check your "tweets" via the web, or they can assign cell phone and have the tweets text them directly.

And you don't have to have everyone you follow update your phone at all. Pretty all of mine do, but there are two people who are ... just out of control. So, i had to turn them off.

You can update what you're doing by texting messaging Twitter, there are applications for Face Book and Mac users specifically and there are others. Lots of others, I just haven't looked into it. My Facebook app doesn't work at all. I hate it, but I almost never log into Twitter, I text everything I put.

This whole Twitter thing is pretty cool because the more people you follow, the more follow you until you're part of a large web of communication.

A perfect example of just how powerful Twitter is happened at SXSW when an interview being done by BusinessWeek's Sarah Lacy and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg took a turn the audience didn't approve of. They felt Lacey was soft balling Zuckerburg and flirting with him, so they all jumped on Twitter to express their frustration. Everyone saw everyone else's negative remarks and the interview ended with the audience literally "heckling" Lacey in real life and taking over the interview to ask questions they felt were interesting and important.

What makes this whole thing even more interesting to me is my favorite podcast, This Week in Tech, was being recorded and they picked up on what was going down at SXSW as it was happening ... all because they could see it playing out on THEIR tweets.

Its amazing to me. Social networking blows my mind.

Twitter is ... just so much fun! A quicker more evolved myspace. Try it out! If you do, be sure to folloe me, I'm ministeph.

It's Not Much

2008-04-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

Well, today I worked - ohhhhhhh, so hard - on getting my Google Reader back up and running. It was pretty exciting! I think one of the most amusing things that came out of it were the recommended blogs they had for me. One being DAVID JAFFE's blog aaaaand, another being a comic strip about ... math and love.

Yeah, math and love.

I looked at it with much excitement and was proud to be deemed "nerd" enough by Google to have them think I could handle a comic strip about math, buuuuuut ... when I started reading it, I quickly realized it was way, way, way over my head.

I should have subscribed to it anyway. I may be terrible at math, but I'm a smart girl. I catch on pretty quick, but ... I clicked "no thanks" anyway and now I regret it, if not to at least just post the link here.

If I can find that site again, I'll link to it on my blog, until then ... c'est la vie my loves ... c'est la vie.

2008-04-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

let it be stated,
here and now,
that i have lost myself
in world of possibilities.

BUT -

in other news,
its time to fire up the electric blanket.

i'm an old lady.
my hip hurts.
i'm too tired to party and rock out
tooooonight.

i'm going to bed.
i don't care that its 9:15.

a nice cup of hot tea,
last week's episode of This Week in Tech,
the blanket pre-heating at level 6,

who needs a party?
i'm falling asleep.

good night.

And So it Begins All Over Again.

2008-03-11T12:18:00.001-07:00

Hello one and all.

It's been quite some time for me. I've been busy with work, shows, friends and my Sunday Morning art group. For those of you who may be coming around who read my stuff a long time ago, you may have noticed a name change. Little Teapot instead of Littlest Ninja.

I've changed.

I'm still the little bad ass ninja I always was, but people call me teapot now, so I figured that was well enough for these changes in time.

I've been feeling detached from who I really am lately. I love a lot of different things, but tend to focus on only one at a time and let the others fall to the way side. I was hoping maybe meeting a guy who likes some of the things I like would help me tie up some loose strings, but I think that's a cop out.

I'm gonna return to blogging and try to tie up my own loose strings.

On that note I leave you. My bus will be here soon and I have some errands.

Until next time!

In My Opinion, the Drug is Ready

2007-10-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

So, it's been quite some time since I've updated the ol' blog here and I wish I could say it's because I got married and had lots of babies, or got my masters in museum studies.

No, sadly, I've just been ... around.

I've been trying to find who I am as a person.

And, it's involved less tech podcasts and more music and live shows.

A few that I've seen, in order that I can recall them:
Ryan Adams
The Decemberists
Say Anything
Mute Math
Bloc Party/Final Fantasy
mewithoutYou
Birthday Suits
Peelander-Z.
Brand New
Manchester Orchestra
Imogen Heap
Health/Crime Novels
Warped Tour '07 (which SUCKED)
Kevin Devine

Oh man, there is lots and lots more, I just can't think of the names right now.

I'm buying music like it's never going to be heard again.

In the past 2 weeks I purchased, in particular order:
Tragically Hip_Trouble at the Henhouse
Clem Snide_Soft Spot
Annuals_He Be Me
Feist_Let it Die
Zibra Zibra_777
The Faint_Wet From Birth
American Music Club_California
Arcade Fire_Funeral
Pearl Jam_Yield
Shipping News_Flies and the Field
Kevin Devine_Split the Country, Split the Street.
Iron and Wine_The Shepherd's Dog
Venice is Sinking_Sorry About the Flowers
Straylight Run_Prepare to be Wrong

I think that's all.

There are a few mix cds that were given to me here and there that were completely amazing as well.

I use to be very much all about video games and I still am ... it's just much much harder and more expensive for me.

I can't put a video game on my iPod and play it as I drive to work.

I can't go to a live video game show almost every night of the week for a just a fist full of dollars, like I can with music.

My dream would be to live in a house with people who like to play video games are smart about it. Love them for artistic and social reasons, who relate to and love geek culture, but have a deep seeded love for music and are just as involved in that and live shows as they are in video games and technology.

But, of course, I have yet to find that house.

Or even that one person ... wink wink, if you know what I mean.

Until then, I'll do what I can and try to keep a toe, if not a foot, in the gaming world and try to satisfy both sides of me.

Maybe ... hopefully ... discipling myself to write constructive things HERE every day will help me balance things out a bit.

Ahhhh, we shall see.

Take care!

Did you say MORE than 80%????

2007-07-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

I cleaned my life out today.

Well, it's been an on going binge from last night, really.

I was up until 4am deleting my old myspace page, backing up my ridiculously emo blog into another blog, working on THIS blog, seeing to my Facebook and Twitter accounts ...

Just trying to simplify.
(you know myspace is fucked up if I can say I simplified my life by deleting my myspace profile and replacing it with 1)Facebook, 2)Titter and 3) TWO different blogs!)

But ... I took one look around my room in the morning and I was right back at 'em at 7:30am.

My room was just STUFFED with old bills and ticket stubs and everything was just thrown around.

It was getting hard to live in here!

Recently I had helped my brother move and he is a minimalist. He never has more than he needs.

And it took us probably 15 minutes to move him into his new place. Felt like less.

Then, my friend Natalee met a guy who just moved back to Wisconsin from Portland, OR and he said he took the train and it only cost him @250 to move all his possessions via this train.

It just really got me thinking, coz I have way more than I need and I'm not happy at all and I've been thinking of moving out to Seattle, WA.

So, I woke up with the sun today and I quite literally threw away more than 80% of my bedroom.

I have just enough clothes to fill a suit case, 18 books I could not leave behind if I were to move, about 30 cds, my cd player, I have a thin/light weight comforter.

At this point, I can put all my essentials quickly into the trunk of my car and just be gone.

And ... it feels wonderful.

Because Mods Are Just So Damn Sexy

2007-07-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

I give you The Kowal Portable Typewriter and Adding Machine!

This has to be one of my all time favorite mods that I have seen on the internet. I got this from boing boing and Xeni Jardin did mention one little flaw. The buttons are made to look that way using STICKERS!!!!! So, one can only assume that over time and use, those stickers will be worn away.

Ohhh, but it looks so beautiful!

And if anyone is wondering ... YES, I would love you forever if you made one for me.

source: Boing Boing

I Heart ...

2007-07-06T22:08:00.000-07:00

Strange Weapons Through History.

2007-07-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

I was reading through digg today, something I haven't done in ages, and I came across a link to a story about the 10 strangest weapons in history.

Most of them are pretty strange, but one of them in particular was pretty interesting to me.

And that is, The Japanese Balloon Bomb.
"In late 1944, Japan sought to wreak devastation on American cities, but had no way to reach America via plane or boat without being shot down. So, it devised one of the strangest weapons to be deployed during World War II: the balloon bomb.

Japan sent 9,000+ balloon bombs across the Pacific Ocean with the hopes of causing large numbers of US casualties. Approximately 1,000 made it to the US but caused only six known deaths. The balloons were found in areas as widespread as Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan and Iowa, as well as Mexico and Canada.

The press cooperated with the US government by not reporting on the balloon bombs in the hopes of not panicking the American people, as well as not letting the Japanese know that any of the balloons landed on US shores. With little to no proof of their effectiveness, Japan ceased launching the balloon bombs after just six months."

I had heard about balloon bombs before, but never about some actually making it to America and certainly never about anyone being killed.

Six people may not be a lot, but ... it's still something.

You really have to wonder what would have happened if the Japanese decided NOT to stop sending the balloons over.

Not much, I'm sure. But still ... That's really interesting to me.

I'm so used to believing that America was so safe and untouched during WWII, but really. We weren't. And the public never even knew about it.

A real change from today, huh?

sources:digg, digitalbeat

Start Blowing Kisses!

2007-07-03T21:12:00.000-07:00

I left my cell phone in the car at work tonight and I got back to it, I was a bit perplexed to see a text from an unknown number that read:

FW: FROM: 9205559043 Msg:
MUAH! U have Been Blown A Kiss!
If u get back 1-3 ur Sweet
4-6 ur Adorable 7-12 ur Fine.
SO START BLOWING KISSES!

Oh, you have to be kidding ME!!!

It was from a number I didn't recognize, so I got really worried. I was wondering if people were getting a hold of cell numbers for the soul purpose of sending these mass texts out.

What would be next? SPAM texts???

Luckily, after I texted the person back, they had an old number and apologized, but all I could think was PLEASE GOD NO!!! THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!

It's still an awful idea and I feel sorry for anyone who have friends who do that.

Most things people text are pretty stupid anyway (I should know ... I am an avid texter), but that is just getting carried away.

I have a case of the iWants

2007-07-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

I didn't get too excited about the iPhone really. We all knew it was coming. There have been speculations practically since the first iPod was released.

It wasn't until a small herd of Apple employees came into the restaurant i work at, that I started to geek out and freak out of the iPhone's release.

Especially since we don't have an Apple store here in town and it was clear to me they were here to help out at the AT&T store.

And every single one of them were from a different state.
Missouri
Nebraska
Montana
California

Then I started to catch up on my tech podcasts. Their excitement started to get me going.

A video from Dvorak Uncensored showing people in San Francisco waiting in line (many of them extremely attractive men) made me green with envy.

And finally, there is the Boing Boing break down of the iPhone and the countless blog entries from people who actually have them in their hands.

I want a freaking iPhone.

The Sprint phone i once loved as one of my own, no longer looks or feel so wonderful.

The grass is always greener on the other side, isn't it?

Well, a hell of a lot sleeker and sexier at least.

the madness of 90 degree weather.

2006-07-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

so i was stuck in a small traffic jam on east johnson today in the mind boggling heat that blanketed madison.

there were these two shirtless, buff, extremely tan guys making their way from their apartment to the park by the lake and as they passed by my car, i doused one of them with water from my water bottle.

the guys stopped and looked at me like, "wft?!"

i looked the one who was still dry in the eye and said, "now lick your friend. that's right, i said lick him! lick that water right off him. DO IT!"

and he did.

no really. he did.

*sigh*

alright, you got me. that never happened. the guys were there, the heat was there and that stupid traffic jam was there, but i never threw water at them and they never licked each other.

but i bet leo laporte would've licked the water right off of john c. dvorak in a HEART BEAT.

he's kinky like that.

OW!

littlest ninja gets spiritual

2006-07-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

i set out on a mission today to find me some tennis shoes that kicked some SERIOUS ass, but cost less then $20, particularly around $15.

what i REALLY wanted was a pair of chucks and i saw that famous footwear had some styles in adult sizes, i thought maybe JUST maybe they'd have some in kid sizes too.

i went to target first, because i needed some items for the bathroom and because they have had cute little athletic shoes for less than $15 before.

but not today! (oh boy, not today!)

so, with a heavy heart, i made my way to famous footwear.

it took me forever and day to find the kids section and let me tell you, when i DID find it ... choirs of angels were singing. for lo and behold, right in the middle of the isle, on a stand ... hightop converse all star chucks ... in brown. my favorite color.

and it gets better.

$10 on clearance.

in my size.

fit me like a glove.

thank you god.

rock-n-roll has done sold out on us

2006-07-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

i never thought i'd see the day when tommy lee, jason newsted and gilby clarke were the judges on a rock-n-roll version of american idol, but kids, i bring you : SUPERNOVA. a show where said rockers audition lead singers american idol style and it's hosted by dave navarro and brooke burke.

i did indeed watch, but only out of morbid curiosity. that seems to be the theme of tonight since as soon as supernova was over, i watched 3 back to back episodes of the hills - the spin off show of laguna beach.

i fuckin' hate laguna beach and i fuckin' hate the hills and i really fuckin' hate that i end up watching them anyway.

i'll just blame it on terrorism. fuck, why not? that's what bush and the riaa does.

ya know what movie i LOVE?

2006-07-02T23:06:00.000-07:00

bram stoker's dracula. i remember when i was young, it was considered (at least by MY friends ... i was only 11) to be THE scariest movie EVER made!!! *gasp!* the reputation of this movie was such that i never saw it until last year.

oh, but did i love it and do i still love it more than EVER!!!

the accents are HORRIBLE!!!!! they cast the two worse actors EVER ... winona ryder and keanu reeves. but you gotta love the set designs and how they are a total throw back to really old school black and white movies with their painted back drops and horrible sound stage scenes.

and then ... there is gary oldman. *sigh* i LOVE his performance. he does such a great job of being so fucking sexy AND creepy at the same time. he is so compelling to watch.

damn.

he really does make this movie.

otherwise it's an over the top, crappy ass movie with horrible music, a man sized bat having sex with crazy red-haired women in gardens that stars KEANU fucking REEVES ... and winona ryder ... and cary elwes.

alright. that's all i got. good night.

so, i've been thinking about my life

2006-06-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

and i've been thinking about my passion and that is art. i don't want to make art to hang on a wall. i mean, sure. if that's how you want to use it, but i want to make art that can be applied to anything and everything. i want to make something on photoshop, slap it on a bag and a hoodie and a t-shirt and if someone says, "damn. i'd like that on my wall" then they got it. or if they says "damn. i'd like a collection of coffee mugs with your stuff on it." you got it. it's done. art is meant to be applied how a person sees fit to use it. i'd like to own a tiny boutique where i have stuff people can buy off the shelf, but they can also special order it onto whatever the fuck they want it to go on. playing cards, socks, thongs, plates, notebooks, whatever. and i'd make it as affordable as possible.

my dream is just to make images that people love, that lives in the imagination, that they can take with them and put it where ever and use it however they want. because, art and creativity isn't just about CREATING a piece of art. it's taking someone elses visions and make them your own. showing the world what's in your head and doing it in the most unconvential and creative way possible.

i've enrolled in my tech school's 2 year graphic design program. i'm going to apply myself and learn as much as i can. i wanna kick some ass in my lifetime, ya know? i'm so excited about getting into graphic design. i'm a very creative person, it's all i want to do with my life. i'm not happy if i'm not being challenged creativly and while i would've been happy as clam being creative in film school, i came to the conclusion that, realistically, when i graduate, i'll be holding boom mics and getting coffee for a VERY long time, if not forever. i feel i have a vision for film and screenwriting. i think my time will be better spent working my ass off in a different creative venue and then squeeze into the film industry through the back door. same for video games, maybe even music and fashion design.

i'm on a roll people. watch out!

i was thinking about how i wanna give up boys for a while ...

2006-05-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

and i thought, it would be like giving up meat (wink wink) and becoming a vegitarian, right?

i'd be a boyitarian.

but then i thought, that's not right, coz if you give up meat, you aren't a meatitarian, you are a VEGitarian.

i'd be a singletarian!

and then it hit me.

if i truly, TRULY gave up boys ... i'd be a

lesbian.

thus is the cycle of thought i go through pretty much every damn day of my life ... and why i'm a singletarian, not by choice, but by circumstance.

i got stuck in an automatic round-a-bout door today

2006-05-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

i did!

i was at the doctors office and there was a couple walking out of the automatic round about door, so i snuck in as they were leaving and the sensor never registered that i was there, so it just stopped ... with me stuck inside.

it took a couple mins for someone to realize i was stuck.

then, on my way out, i couldn't get the damn round-a-bout door to work again ...

... i'm too short for the sensor to see me.

i had to use a manual door that is almost too heavy for me to open ... which is why i went to the round-a-bout doors in the first place.

god, ya know, sometimes it sucks being small.

i need to learn how to play the guitar

2006-05-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

because my sense of humor is not too mature

2006-04-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

the naughty tomato OOH! OOH!

2006-04-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

the official song of STEPHANIE!!!

2006-04-24T12:09:00.000-07:00

it's called "gin soaked boy" and its by the divine comedy

I'm the darkness in the light
I'm the leftness in the right
I'm the rightness in the wrong
I'm the shortness in the long
I'm the goodness in the bad
I'm the saneness in the mad
I'm the sadness in the joy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
the gin soaked boy

babababada
babababada
babababada
babababada

I'm the ghost in the machine
I'm the genius in the gene
I'm the beauty in the beast
I'm the sunset in the east
I'm the ruby in the dust
I'm the trust in the mistrust
I'm the Trojan horse in Troy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
the gin soaked boy

(babababadadas again)

I'm the tiger's empty cage
I'm the mystery's final page
I'm the stranger's lonely glance
I'm the hero's only chance
I'm the undiscovered land
I'm the single grain of sand
I'm the christmas morning joy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
the gin soaked boy

(babababadas again)

I'm the world you'll never see
I'm the slave you'll never free
I'm the truth you'll never know
I'm the place you'll never go
I'm the sound you'll never hear
I'm the course you'll never steer
I'm the will you'll not destroy
I'm the gin in the gin soaked boy
yeah, the gin soaked boy

(bababadadas again)

I'm the half-truth in the lie
I'm the why not in the why
I'm the last roll in the di
I'm the "old school" in the types (i think thats what he says)
I'm the spirit in the sky
I'm the catcher in the rye
I'm the twinkle in her eye
I'm Jeff Goldbloom in the Fly

Well, who am I?

-- Divine Comedy

My Ultrasound Picture

2006-04-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

Here's my baby!!!!

What sex do you think it is?

align=left>
I adopted a cute lil' ninja fetus
from Fetusmart! Hooray fetus!

It looks like me.

Oh, Martha

2006-03-31T14:13:00.000-08:00

Martha Stuart is crazy.

Do you know what she did on her show today?

She dumped ELMERS GLUE all over an arm chair and covered it with gold glitter.

Martha Stuart GLITTERED a fucking ARM CHAIR. - She even pipped it with bronze glitter.

She also glittered a trash can.

But it gets better.

Do you KNOW who helped her glitter this arm chair?

Orlando Jones and Rob Estes from the new crime drama The Evidence.

Oh, it was hilarious. Best TV I've seen in a loooooong time.

Ya Know What I Wish I Could Do?

2006-03-28T09:31:00.000-08:00

I wish I could reply to spam.

No, really! I do!

Like, today I recieved a spam letter that had the headline "WE CURE ANY DISEASE!"

I wanted to to reply with:
"GREAT! Cos, this ebola is getting to be a real pain in my ass!"

Another spam said, "BE THE BIGGEST OUT OF YOUR FRIENDS!"

I wanted to reply with:
"Oh, but I already am!"

C'est la vie.

Anyone Need Some Snot?

2006-03-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

I seem to be in abundance of it today.

Maybe I can blow it to look like my favorite sushi rolls sitting in the kleenex.

Any requests?

Lord, I Can Relate!

2006-03-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're going and hook up with them later."
- Mitch Hedberg

Lick My Legs

2006-03-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

I need a beer.

I need two beers.

I need a bucket of beer.

I need a boy to smack me on the ass - HARD - repeatedly.

I need to paint my walls - they are too white.

I need to hang stars from my ceiling.

I need space.

I need independence.

Do You Smell Something?

2006-03-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

I really hate it when people try to make a point, but they don't have the balls to actually make it. John Q is a great example, but an even better example would have to be a commercial that's playing on TV right now. Now, I don't know if this is just a mid-west commercial or a national one, but someone has an anti-smoking campaign going on.

The commercial that's circulating now has a bunch of cows walking around what looks to be New York City, one of them is being ridden by a cowboy. A person with a megaphone announces to the general public that a cow farts methane gas and a cigarette also contains methane gas in it, so...

"Doesn't it make more sense for the Marlboro man to ride a cow?"

WHAT??!!

Now, come on! That's not what you are driving at! You are trying to tell people that they are smoking the same crap that comes out of a cows ass.

Get that cowboy off the damn cow, shove a straw up the cow's ass and tell that cowboy to SUCK.

THATS what your trying to drive home, so PLEASE. Just do it.

Fuckin' Fantastic Music

2006-03-01T10:49:00.000-08:00

So, I've, ummm, "befriended" a guy on myspace by the name of Sean and his friends list is a goldmine of great music. Seriously. I'm overwhelmed when I glance through it all. So, here is what I have to share for now. I'm sure there will be more later and YES...I still want to make love to Rocco's dobro. MMmmm.

FIRST and foremost is Matthew Sturm of Ft. Wayne, Indiana. I wish I had the words to describe him that Sean does. All I can say is that his music does thngs to me that I can't put down here...they are far too dirty. Check him out. He is...is...never mind.
MATTHEW STURM

And then there is Clem Snide. *sigh* Again, I can't put anything I feel into words. I don't understand music, I can only feel it. But Eef Barzelay has one of the most beautiful and interesting voices I have ever heard. I am completely captivated by him.
CLEM SNIDE

Eef Barzelay has a solo album. A couple of his tunes are for download. Check him out as well. He is amazing. I REALLY love the song "Wasn't Really Drunk"
EEF BARZELAY

Clem Snide is coming to Madison April 19th and I WILL be there. Oh yes indeed. I probably shouldn't see Mr. Sturm in public for a while...I'd get thrown in jail.

2006-02-28T00:06:00.000-08:00

"I have lost friends, some by death... others through sheer inability to cross the street."
- Virginia Woolf

For the Record

2006-02-22T15:40:00.000-08:00

If I was a lesbian and Denise Duhamel was a lesbian...we would sooo totally be lovers.

Ohhhhh, the Irony

2006-02-21T22:09:00.000-08:00

So, I went to the doctor today to discuss depression that I've had for at least 10 years now. She decided that it would be in my best interest to see a therapist.

So, I call the therapist and I speak to someone who does an "intake call" where they interview you and ask some very basic questions so they put you with the proper therapist.

Well, the point of my story is when the therapist transfered me over to the MENTAL HEALTH secretary to finish making my appointment, the hold music was...

MANIC MONDAY.

I wish I could've TiVOed that moment of my life. It was just too great. If I had seen that in a movie, I would've rolled my eyes and said "TOO PERFECT!" Yet there it was happening in my life.

It made my day. For a moment I felt like my life could be Ferris Bueller's Day Off, or some such classic comedy. It was just beautiful.

Yoohoo!! I'll Make Ya Famous

2006-02-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

Oh, my god! This is awesome! Young Guns II is on!!!

I didn't realize Viggo Mortensen was in this.
So is Alan Ruck.
So is Balthazar Getty.

When I was little my sister Liz had a HUGE crush on that kid and I was forced to watch Young Guns II over and over and over and over...

I couldn't say Balthazar Getty, so I called him Bowl of Speghetti.

*sigh*

I love this movie. I am so happy.

OH NOOOOO!!!! They just shot DOC!!!! *shakes an angry fist at the sky* DAMN YOU GARRETT!! Here is comes! Doc is gonna...finish the game *cue dramatic music* I love it when Doc comes running out, guns-a-blastin' and gets shot to pieces...

...oh Kiefer. You're hot even when you have blood spewing out of your mouth. You can stop by and finish my game whenever you like.

Here's to Swimmin' With Bow-Legged Women...

2006-02-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

...and getting bigger boats.

What ever happened to Hollywood? Wasn't there a time not TOO long ago when a blockbuster movie was a REAL blockbuster? It had thrills and spills and CONTENT? Do you remember when actors were ACTORS and made movies because they were actors and not because they were hot little blonds with TV shows, music CDs, make-up and clothing lines that this particular film was going to promote. I mean, I remember when I saw Young Guns II and my sister told me to look for Jon Bon Jovi in the final scenes because he had been given a CAMEO for writing a song for the movie. And there he was, popped out of a hole, got shot right away and fell back into the hole in...well, a Blaze of Glory (sorry) I was AMAZED.

I was only 8 or 9, so maybe it was just a matter of me being young, but then I see commercials for The Pink Panther with Beyonce and I think...maybe not. Maybe it's just as bad as I really think it is. Not that cross overs are bad. Jamie Foxx kicks ass and lord knows we wouldn't have 24 with out Kiefer being able to make that leap, but STILL! Has anyone noticed that anytime Mandy Moore makes a film, she gets a song on the soundtrack? She's a great actress, but a horrible singer. And what about TV actor's significant others getting guest roles, simply because they are dating? Or two lovers making a film together (BENIFFER! and she's doing it again with Marc!)It's insane, so let's stop all that foolishness right now, shall we?

I saw Jaws for the first time last night. I knew it was a classic, but all I had heard about it was how great it was back in 1975 and how cheesy it was now. I never really had any interest in it, so I never went out of my way to see it. I chanced upon it just as it was starting last night on A&E (HA!)though, so I stayed and watched it.

And so, I'm left to wonder, WHAT HAPPENED TO HOLLYWOOD???!!! Jaws is such a great movie! Cheesy, yes, but my god! It's so solid and the characters actually have meat and conflict...it's CONTENT! Brody, Hooper and Quint are amazing and compelling characters! I mean, they are all there for the same reason, have similar experiences with sharks (to a certain degree), but look at how different they are! So different, but obessed just the same. All three have these detailed and quirky personalities that you just don't see these days...I mean, not in the blockbusters.

That film has SO much heart to it. This is the Hollywood that I fell in love with as a child. THIS is the Hollywood that I wanted to be a part of, and THIS is the Hollywood that no longer exists today.

I dunno, Mo. Do you think you and I can revive this?

I kinda think we have to see Hollywood die completely before anything can be done to help it. But it's time like these, when I see the REAL Hollywood, alive and well in films like Jaws, that makes me want to reach for it and give it my best.

Who knows? Maybe I will after all?

It's Gonna be a Good Day!

2006-02-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Ohhhh ROGER MOORE. You are so sexy!

Not as sexy as SUSHI though.

Little Ninja's Dream Come True

2006-02-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl "Will you marry me?" The girl said,
"No" and lived happily ever after and went shopping, dancing,
drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, stayed skinny
and farted whenever she wanted.

THE END!

A Perplexing Problem

2006-02-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

There is an article in the paper this morning about a woman here in Wisconsin who needs a lung transplant, but her health insurance won't cover it. She and her family must must PREPAY $330,000 before they will do anything. She is down to 20% lung capacity and is deteriorating. She owns a substantial farm that she can morgage out, but with $330,000 loan, she will most likely lose the farm that has been in her family for 5 generations and that her son is poised to inherit.

There is a catch to all this though, and to me, it's a pretty significan catch.

This isn't just ANY lung transplant. It's the woman's THIRD lung transplant. The first two were payed for by her insurace company and were both done in 1997. The article is not stating whether this is all for the same lung or for two.

So the family is upset, which makes sense. This poor woman is only 44-years-old. Lord knows that American health insurance can be a cold place too. They are out there to make money off of you and if you are a risk, there's no way.

Here is my question:
Which is more important? You're farm or your life? Cos...if it were me, I'd say, sorry son, sorry ancestors, but I need me a new lung, so we are gonna sell this place so I can live!

Another VERY hard question:
If you sell the farm and get this third lung, when are you going to need a fourth and how will you pay for that one?

This has been on my mind all morning. There is the humane part of my brain that says this woman should be given the chance to live. Then there is the part that says, GOOD LORD! When is this gonna stop?

It's tough. My heart goes out to her and her family. They must be going through hell right now.

What....the...HELL?!

2006-02-09T06:46:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to the strange and annoying feeling of my undies wedged between my butt cheecks. This is a frequent sensation for me, as girlie boxers tend to really ride up through out the day and night. The first thing that came to mind was the word "grundy."

"Grundy" is the word we used for this phenomenon back when I was in middle school/high school (soooo, like, '92-'99?), and the word made me start to think. I thought, damn. I don't hear ANYONE use that word anymore. Am I the only one? Is "grundy" the new "groovy?" Am I totally dating myself here?

But then I thought about how I'm really the only person I know who announces that my panies are actually wedged up there in the first place as I shake my bootie in strange ways before I just give up and pull it out, right there in the middle of Target.

So, then I thought, well maybe I should make my new years resolution be to stop doing crazy shit like that.

But then I thought, hell no! That's uncomfortable. If my undies are wedged, I want them out now!

Then I got back to, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT CALLED?! Grundy? Wedgie? What the hell??!!

But then I somehow went from that to, "Damn, I should have wrote it like: Jamie Foxx roxx my soxx!"

And that was when I became painfully aware of what had just run through my head and a great and mighty "DAAAAAAMN" spilled forth from my drousy little mouth.

But seriously. What the hell is that called?

Don't Get Me Wrong

2006-02-07T21:45:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen Conan O'Brian in almost a year, but I'm watching it now and...does this man ever do anything different? He comes out, swings his arms around, jumps a couple three, four, five times. Runs off camera only to come back a few momments later an inch away from the lens. Jumps some more, does his hee hee haw haw thing...

...this is why I watch Letterman.

Oh, God

2006-02-05T19:32:00.000-08:00

My dad just gave me an article on new child safety laws going into affect in Wisconsin and I am left to hang my head after reading it.

The new law states any child less than 4'9" tall and 80lbs must be in a booster seat while in a car.

I am 4'7" and 70lbs...and will be 25-years-old next month.

*sigh*

I guess this means someone should buy me a car seat for my birthday, huh?

My Monologue

2006-02-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

I don’t know when exactly it was that I stopped missing you. It certainly happened in stages. It was really hard for me at first. You were the person who got me through my day. I’d wake-up every morning with you on my mind. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s true. I’d look at the clock to see if it was too early to call you or text you good morning. We’d try and make other plans. You needed to write and I needed to catch up with friends. But you’d always call me back in a few minutes claiming you were stuck in your story and needed my help. That was my favorite. You gave me purpose and a place to go to where I was safe. Life at home was always a struggle for me. It still is and it always will be. It’s a reality I’ve come to accept. Its painted scars on my heart that go so deep they touch my soul. Things between my father and I are getting better actually. I forget that he too is hurt. All he wants is for someone to acknowledge his existence in this world and my mother isn’t going to give it to him. Oh, no. It’s too late for all that now. I understand her complaints against the man. They are just and valid, but she also claims Christ as her Lord and for that she is suppose to forgive., but she won’t and I don’t think she ever will. This is why my relationship with her is falling apart. She tells me I don’t go to church like I used to and tells me all of my problems are because of this. This from a woman too full of herself to see the man she sleeps in the same bed with every night is pleading for mercy. Besides, I talk to God every night. He whispers in my ear and tells me that I am beautiful. That he gave me a rainbow soul, a head full of stars and womb the size of heaven. He collects my tears in a crystal bowl and tells me he’s gonna save them to baptize my first born in them. I asked him if I was baptized in my mother’s tears, and he said no. Her tears were too bitter. He used the tears of St. Lydia, patron saint of artists and that’s how I came to be a painter. He tells me my tears are sweet and that I shouldn’t worry. And as he leaves I would ask him to stop by your bed and whisper in your ear that I love you.

Do you remember that time when we were at Sarah’s when she was upset over her boyfriend and as we left her house, I gave her a hug and said “I love you.” She didn’t know what to say and it made for an awkward moment. Do you remember what you said to me when we got into the car? You told me I liked to throw that word love around. You said I degraded its meaning. But it was you who said that you loved me, that I was your heart and that you couldn’t imagine spending the rest of your life without me. It was also you who, two weeks later, said you loved me, but was no longer in love with me. You were in love with her and that you didn’t want to hurt me, but you just had to follow your heart on that. But, you said I was your heart and I’m sure you’ve told her she was your heart as well. Maybe it is you who degrades the meaning of love. I know what it is when I say it. I meant it when I said I loved you for your ability to put your soul in my head through your words. I meant it when I said I loved you for your laughter while I threw snowballs at you in the car. I meant it when I said I loved you when you cried about missing your father, despite how he treated you and your mother. I meant it when I said I loved you for the way you kissed my ear the day I picked up the paintbrush for the first time. I meant it when I said I loved you by coming to hospital every day you were sick. I meant it when I said I love you for telling me I was right. Pain isn’t just black or blue. It’s bright orange, pale pink, ocean blue, deep plum purple and moves in ways that can frighten and inspire all in one breath. I meant it when I whispered I love you into your ear as you slipped away from me and out into the blue.

I don’t know exactly when it was that I stopped missing you. You left me here and there and allowed me to take my life back piece by piece. I’m still at home, living with my shadows, painting with my colors, planning my great escape. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but something tells me you already know how this will all end.

I Trust You to Kill Me

2006-02-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

This is the name of Rocco DeLuca & The Burden's CD. I love it. "I Trust You to Kill Me" is the agreement that an artist has with the people who consume their work. When you bear your soul for your art you are, in a sense, killing yourself for it. And when you present that art, either hanging on a wall, fluttering around the room in your music, or printed on a page, you are asking people to relive that experience and to make it theirs. You are trusting them to kill you.

I was suppose to have a monologue for drama done last week, but I couldn't get anything out. I've been struggling with my poetry class as well and it's been bothering me a lot. So much so, I've been in tears at my computer. I knew last night that I would, for sure, have to present something to my class today, but nothing was coming to me.

So, I sat at my computer listening to DeVotchKa, contemplating the phrase, "I Trust You to Kill Me", because last night, I still didn't have a solid grasp on that concept. It was when I got on the theme of putting your soul and blood onto the page that my monologue came out. It took about 15 mins. I started with one thing I wanted to say, but it ended somewhere completely different.

I wasn't sure what to make of it, or if I should even take it into class to read. It was so personal! I couldn't even get through reading it once with out breaking down in tears, how was I suppose to do it in front of my class? But something was really pushing me to do it. So, I took it into class this morning and read it for everyone. I didn't break down, but my voice faltered and cracked a few times.

It was while I was reading my monologue that I realized I got the phrase, "I Trust You to Kill Me." I had killed myself last night on that page and I was doing it again in front of the class. I knew I was right when I looked up and saw the looks on everyone's faces. I can't describe it, but it is my most treaured moment now. I knew they got it and their discussion of it proved it.

They discussed the character and spitted back to me, my life. Everything about me, right there and they were excited to have gotten to know me. It was a little surreal. I've never had that experience before and I hope and pray that I get it again.

I need to edit just a few parts. Put some "and's" and "so's" in there to take the monologue less from just a list of things I want to say and make it more like a stream of conscious thought, but when I finish with that later tonight, I will post it. I'd like to share that experience with you all. But for now, I'm going to spend some time with my mother.

DeVotchKa(stephaniedosen)DeVotchKa

2006-02-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

Now, I know what you all are thinking. Your thinking, "But Steph, I thought you loved Rocco DeLuca and the Burden. I thought you wanted to make love to Rocco's fucking DOBRO and that you are in a state of constant euphoria, wriggling around on the ground while you listened to their music. What's all this, DeVotchKa and Stephanie Dosen bullshit? Damn, you are FICKLE woman!"

It's true that I have found some more arists that I am juuuuuust FLIPPING out over, but Rocco holds a special place in my heart. I am seriously condering moving to Los Angeles just for him, so I can see Rocco and his band every night they play. I'll be living in a van selling bags on the pier anyway, I can set my own hours, call in sick, run to be where ever they are, when ever. It's all good. The point is, I'm not over Rocco DeLuca OR The Burden OOOOORRRRR that damn Dobro that makes every inch of my flesh vibrate when Rocco strums it's strings. I still love them.

But Stephanie Dosen and DeVotchKa are far too amazing to pass up, simply because I am head over heels in love with a group of men I have never met and are making my plans to drug them and trick them into becoming my harem.

Stephanie Dosen has a voice that is as smooth as silk with lyrics to match. They bleed from one line to next. Her music moves effortlessly and paints colors and pictures in my head using real emotions. She blows me away.

DeVotchKa...damn you. You blow my mind. The onion said it best, they are "amazing and unpredictable" and that is just the absolute truth...unless you're Pinter, then you should give me a call, so we can discuss DeVotchKa. The # is 800-YOU-R-CRAZY.

Anyway, these other artists are just as amazing as Rocco and his Burden, so please check them out....I trust you to kill me.... (ooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOooooo, erica gets it.)

Stephanie Dosen
DeVotchKa
and of course,
Rocco DeLuca and The Burden
(and leave me comments. Let me know what you think about these guys! I'd like to know!)

ooooOOOOoooooOOOOoooo!!!!

2006-01-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

I found more awesome music! Myspace rocks for that, seriously.

Check out
Stephanie Dosen

and

DeVotchKa

Enjoy!

Just Promise Me This One Thing

2006-01-24T08:53:00.000-08:00

If anyone asks you to see the play "The Homecoming" by Harold Pinter...

..say NO!

Music for my Soul

2006-01-23T19:53:00.000-08:00

I think I have found THE best band EVER.

Rocco DeLuca and the Burden

They are AMAZING!!!! I LOVE Dope. That song rocks my teeny tiny ninja world.

Read about Rocco DeLuca HERE. His story is amazing.

Buy the album. Buy and listen to it EVERY day and if you are lucky enough to live in L.A. or be near a city they visit, go to their concert. This is what rock is about. This is true music.

For John

2006-01-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

I used a dirty spoon today and thought of you.

The New World: "Best Historical Romance Since TITANIC."

2006-01-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

Riiiiight. I guess that means I WONT be seeing that movie then.

But seriously, how do you get off putting the tragedy of TITANIC with "historical romance" anyway? Kinda blows my mind, really. It's like making a movie about a young accountant working in the twin towers 9/11 and how he saves the secretary he really loves, but dies as the towers collapse. SOOOO romantic. It would be THE date movie of the year. Oh yeah.

Terrorist or Activist?

2006-01-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

Madison, WI has been up in arms since December 26th when a pipe bomb blew up in a Madison parking ramp. There have been several more pipes found in other parking ramps and taped to mailboxes since then. None were actual bombs, but it is quite clear that whoever is doing this, wants people to think they are bombs and to be afraid.

What the hell is going on? What is this person...or people, trying to say? My mom thinks it's an activist from the area that doesn't want to see Madison get the "face lift" everyone is talking about.

Madison is a really neat city. We have a strong and active political culture. Lots activists that vary in their beliefs. You have a lot of enviromentalists who want to see the city stay small and intimate with lots of green space and a safe, nurturing place for independent artists. There are also a lot of enepreneurs who want to build Madison up. Madison has gotten a lot of attention in past for being a top city in the country to live in...so naturally, people have been coming. The downtown area has always been home to small businesses and independant artists, but the past couple of years has seen some VERY expensive, chic boutiques move in and push some of the other businesses out. While this has been exactly what some want to see happen, it's the exact opposite of what many others want.

With high end stores and million dollar postage stamp sized condos going up all over downtown Madison, are there people actually trying to frighten developers away? Or is just the work of some very bored, disturbed individuals?

All I know for sure, is that I'm annoyed and I'm frustrated. This is a horrible thing to do, regardless of the reason. I'd love to see Madison stay the same as well, but planting pipe bombs all over the city is soo WRONG! You can hurt and kill people! My dad works downtown and parks in a ramp. I'm confident that he is safe, but I still can't shake that little fear in the back of my head and it's not fair. We shouldn't have to worry like this.

UPDATE 1/14: I wasn't aware of this when I wrote this last night, but another pipe bomb went off yesterday. This time it had been dropped off on someone's porch. No one was injured.

I've Found My People

2006-01-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

Aliens and Children

Too Busy

2006-01-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

I've been busy trying to get back into my creative writing full time, so I haven't been reading my gaming blogs or trying to find some cool links to post about. I do want to still pursue games journalism, but I do have a video game idea and a pretty kick ass story going for a television series that I need to work as well. Besides, my writing has gone down hill since I've abandoned all my creative endeavors.

I do have another blog called Colored Prose with some of my creative ditties in it. Please check it out and leave me feedback. Not very many people look at it and no one has really left me comments. I'm not a great writer, so I need people to tell me what they think so I can adapt and grow. It is a must for any writer. Here is a story I wrote when I still using modblog. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Harriet (Part I)
Harriet always got chai from the "Cool Beans Cafe" that was nestled in the heart of downtown Chicago. The coffee shop was a warm place with gold tones covering the walls and plush purple velvet armchairs spread out all over. She would sink deep into a chair, turn on her iPod and listen to music as she watched people walk by the front window of the cafe. She wondered who they were, where they were going and what would happen to them through out their day. The men were the most mysterious to her. They all wore the same black or gray, or navy blue suits. They all carried their briefcases and talked on their cell phones. What were they like at home? What colors did they wear? What kind of women were they dating? Is this where they saw themselves when they were six-years-old? Harriet would've given anything to become invisible and follow one around to see what they were really like. Especially one in particular. He came to Cool Beans every day as well. He wore a black suit and tie and carried a suitcase. He was Harriest's most anticipated part of her day. He had a rebellious way about him. A spirit that longed to break out of the mundane and run free. This intrigued and excited the woman and she loved him for it. (10/12/05)

Will (Part II)
Will loved the city and he loved it best in October. The few trees that lined the streets would turn to colors of tawny yellow, amber and crimson. The leaves would stand out so vibrantly against the towering buildings. Then, as the month came to a close and the winds got stronger and colder, the leaves would fall and blow all around him. It was something that had excited Will even as a child. He didn't think he'd ever get over it. Today was a cold and windy day, but walking into Cool Beans, the smell of espresso washed over him and immediately warmed him through and through. The jewel toned hues that decorated this space were inviting, especially the giant over-stuffed arm chairs. They seemed always to be beckoning him to sit and stay for a while. Glancing longingly in their direction, he saw her. Cuddled up in her throne right in front of the window. She was always doing something different. Reading, writing, sketching, knitting. Today, she simply sat perched in her usual spot, listening to music and watching the people outside. Will found her mysterious and beautiful. Mahogany hair that fell around her shoulders in ringlets, pale, smooth skin sprinkled with feckles and she wore colors. Plum, emerald, gold, coral, cinnamon. Any color a human could possibly dream-up, she had worn it and Will loved her for it. (10/13/05)

Yellow (Part III)
A lone piccalo. A pinching tie. Smooth dark roast. A haunting melody. It's good to see you again! Baking cookies. Rising violins. Smiling baristas. Unfamiliar faces. Can you believe he said that? The weight of change in your hand. Horns and trumpets bursting forth. Would you like whipped cream on your mocha? Five senses completely bombarded by life inside the cafe, Harriet and Will must rely on their sixth sense. The one that knows when a kindred spirit is near. People rushing by. Screeching steamer. Sugar crystals cascading into a pool of foam. Thank you, have a good day. Chairs scraping across the floor. I'd also like a blueberry scone, please. The strings fade out as the horns hold a single chilling note. They feel it. Each accutely aware of the other. A woman's laughter. What can I make for you today? A single car horn. Forks clanking on plates. I've got a large soy latte decaf ready!

A baby laughs yellow.

It breaks through to Harriet and Will and speaks to their hearts. Both turn in search of the source of such joy and find each other's gaze. In an instant they can see the colors of each other's soul. Vibrant and warm the colors tell their stories of purple birthdays, orange holidays, yellow friendships, grey confusion, black despair and green healing. Every color reaching out to the other. Their colors bleed together.

Smashing glass. The gaze is broken. Harriet and Will look away. The piccalo returns. The paper cup burns the hand. Harriet closes her eyes and rests her head on the chair. Will prepares for the cold, gusty wind. And as he leaves they both can feel it. They have been forever changed and they love each other for it. (10/15/05)

L'attesa, risulta che Jesus Christ era reale?

2006-01-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right my little google translator. Prove Jesus Christ was real. Whatever.
clicky

A Very Merry Dvorak Christmas

2005-12-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

First, my sister is doing fine. A little shaken, but ok. I guess they didn't just get a gun shoved in their faces, he actually started to beat one of Liz's friends! He clobbered her on the head and then stangled her! When I first heard of what happened to my sister and her friends, I attributed it to desperation. Now that I know all that happened I am upset. Desperation doesn't drive someone to stragle a woman for her purse. That is just plain malice. But at the end of the day, everyone is safe for Christmas and for that I am thankful.

Alright, just wanted to post some good stuff from Dvorak Uncensored. Enjoy and I hope everyone has a happy holidays!!!!

France has legalized online file sharing! What I love is that the amendments were endorsed by "rebel conservative lawmakers." Yeah.
Rebel Conservative, HA!

Well, it is on. Microsoft bought Opera. *sigh* I personally think this sucks, but whatever. Lord knows the game console wars will be over soon enough. Might as well get riled up over a browser war.
Bring it On

On the topic of browsers, I was checking my stats and the majority of you who visit my blog still use Internet Explorer. SHAME ON YOU!!! Don't worry. I have decided to get you all Firefox for Christmas, so enjoy!
Firefox 1.5

And now, a Christmas present for myself. Scientists believe they can cure my pesky MENSTURATION by this time next year! Sweet. Now I can text myself all month long. Life is good.
Click for teh cure, baby

This one is for Dutch:
Life keeps getting better for Stephanie. You all know my desire to live in Tokyo for a year or so with my Nintendog and robot baby. Now, ladies and gentle, I can share all my love with a robot girlfriend. Oh the joy!
HOT

The Reason for the Season

2005-12-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

My sister and two of her friends were just held up at gun point while Christmas shopping at the mall. The man only got one of their purses and they were able to get his license plate number. She is with the police now and they were able to find the car, but it appears to have been abandoned.

*sigh* I'd like to have a happy holiday this year, so would the psychos of the world just calm the fuck down for the next couple weeks or so? I'd really appreciate that, thanks.

A Great Holiday Read!

2005-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

I was reading this week's issue of The Escapist Magazine and there is a really good article called, The Games of Christmas Past. It was written by Michael Zenke who is the editor of Slashdot Games and much to my surprise and delight, a citizen of Madison, WI! That's where I am!!! HOORAY! Michael reminisces about past holidays and the games he got that led to his career as a journalist and it features little blurbs from others like Penny Arcade, AFKGamer, and Heroine Sheik. I'm sure it will bring back many good memories for you all.
The Games of Christmas Past

On a similar note, I have a new poll up at my old blog. Hop on over and vote for:
What do YOU want for the holidays?

Un-freakin-Believable

2005-12-20T20:36:00.000-08:00

Does anyone watch Xplay? Did anyone watch it tonight? If you didn't, you really need to check out iTunes and look for Xplay's review of The Warriors. It's a great game, blah, blah, blah...that's not my point. You need to see it for the first 5 seconds and for the last 10 seconds of the review.

And just know, that I will be walking around, for the next month and half, crooning:
Warriors! Come out and play! Waaaaaaaarioooooooors! Come out and plaaaaaay! WARRIORS-alright, you get my drift. I just wish I could find some bottles to stick on MY fingers and rattle around. THAT would be awesome.

But seriously, watch that review. It's friggin' hilarious. WARRIORS!!! COME OUT AND PLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! (oh god! I can't stop laughing!)

I Stand Before You a Failure

2005-12-20T12:27:00.000-08:00

I am a disaster in the kitchen. It's not even funny. I have that rare gift of being able to ruin everything I touch, and cooking is no exception. My pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving came out in three different colors. All I had to do was mix some spices into some canned pumpkin pie mix and add some eggs. I didn't even make the pie crusts, my mom did. I cannot be trusted with that task. They would've come out green, with my luck.

Baking the pecan fingers was a sinch...cinch..it was easy and they came out beautifully. This time I'm not so lucky! The first batch was ok. The butter never really warmed up, but I wanted to have these done and cooling by the time my mom got home. I wanted to prove that I CAN do something right in the kitchen. So, I add the powdered sugar and corn starch to the butter and start to mix it, but since the butter is still kinda cold, it's not mixing so well. When the pecan fingers didn't mix well, I just rolled up my sleeves and dove right in with my hands. So, I figured now was a good time to get good and durrty with the melting moments, so I stuck my hands in and started massaging. Ahhhhh, this is where my poor brain doesn't seem to work as well. I didn't think about flour. Next thing I know my hands are COVERED with butter and it won't come off. It just smears all over the place. I take a butter knife and try to scrape the butter off my hands, but I end up getting the handle of the knife globbed full of butter. Then, I grab a paper towel and use it to get my cup of flour and pour it into the bowl, thinking this will cure my problem. I figure it will keep the rest of the butter from getting on my hands and take what's already on my hands off. Not so. I decided to jump ship and just wash my hands, which contained a good portion of the butter on them. I did and carried on and I think the dough is going to be ok. It's out in the garage "chilling" for an hour.

The second batch of dough hasn't been so lucky. It tastes the way its suppose to, but it wont stick together. Rather, it's in a pile like flour. I put in the two sticks of butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 3/4 cup corn starch (I think that's what that was. It's right, whatever it is) and 1 cup flour. I mix and mix and mix, but it just gets crumblier and crumblier (is that even a word?) I think I can put a teaspoon of water in it and it will moisten it enough to make it stick together, but I am SPENT. This has been an emotionally tying day! Sure, I spent most of it belting out Christmas carols and was laughing my ass off when the butter was all over my hands, but this last batch pushed me over the edge. I just walked into the corner and started licking my wounds. No, really. I'm actually licking them. They are covered with dough and are yummy. Mmmm.

Oh, yeah. I also broke a spatchula...spatula. I broke a spatula. That butter is HARD man! I don't dare microwave it, because I always end up with a puddle, no matter what. Dammit, I'm a ninja, not Martha Stuart! We use dough from a can and pass it off as our own. There are too many people for me to spy on and asassinate for me to be wasting my time with the butter and the flour and the mixing. GOT IT??!!

These cookies better come out, or I am gonna go all ninja on someone's ass and since my brother is usually the first one over on the holidays, it's prolly gonna be him. Merry Chritmas Chris. Booya!

Pardon the Randomness

2005-12-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

I was sooooo upset over the final episode of G4tv.com last night, that I forgot to take the butter out of the fridge so it could soften over night. *sigh* That is some HARD butter, my friends. I'm thinking of putting it in front of the fireplace for a little while so I can get to making the melting moments. I'm not terribly fast in the kitchen and I still have some other stuff to do. Hoooooooraaaaaaay.

Anyway, Del.icio.us is up and running and I have just a few things to share. Not as much as I thought there would be, but thats jut the way it goes around the holidays, I guess. Things slow down for the baking, the shopping and the wrapping. I'm sure the goodies will flow after everything has settled.

First, there is GOOD NEWS for Pokemon and BAD NEWS for Barbie. I hate Barbie.

Second, 4 color rebellion has a link to an AWESOME flash movie called Ryu v.s. Scorpian. Yep, that's right. Ryu v.s. Scorpan, oh my!
clicky

Now for some oldies: I bookmarked these before de.icio.us went down, so please forgive their staleness, but they are still very important reads.
--First is an article written by Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku and he explains why all the hype surround the Xbox 360 is not just hype, but very important for Microsoft.
clicky
--Next is an article from Gamasutra that takes a look at the game rating systems of several countries, including ours. It was very interesting. I highly recommend it.
clicky

Now for some Christmas gaming goodness, YES!!!
--Joystiq has a link to some hilarious 8 bit Christmas music. It's definatly worth a once through.
clicky
--Game Politics is much respected blog in the industry (Yes, Sir David Jaffe, in the INDUSTRY)and they love their readers. They had industry leaders phone in holiday greetings and made it into a 9 minute podcast. It brought a HUGE grin to my face and put in me right in the mood...for Christmas, jeeze people! Ya blog about on little blue tooth enabled vibrator and everyone starts thinking you've got one thing on the brain...wireless technology, duh!
clicky for the podcast

Sad Day for G4

2005-12-19T19:35:00.000-08:00

G4 media has issues. Deep, deep issues that, unless they are resolved, they will cause that company to tank like nothing we've ever seen before.

It all started when G4 media bought out and eradicated TechTV, firing some of the brightest and most talented people in the tech industry. Then they changed The Screen Savers into Attack of the Show. A fine show in it's own right, but nothing that should have replaced TSS. Calling themselves an all video game channel, they grossly mis-judged their audience when they inroduced "The Whip Set." There are gamers who would like to watch half-naked women dry hump tricked out muscle cars, but it just so happens they do not NOT watch G4. Then the network bought Fast Lane. A show that only lasted 4 episodes on FOX. FOX you guys! If a show can't even last longer than a month on FOX, chances are that show SUCKS and should be avoided at all costs. Not so if you are G4 media, though. Nooo, you must shell out millions for it AND really old episodes of The Man Show, none of which have any relevence to the channel at all in the first place.

The network has been able to keep some good shows around, like X-Play, Icons, Nerd Nation, they aquired Call for Help (a show they cancelled in the first place.) and G4tv.com the show.

But, sadly, word went out last week that G4tv.com the show had been cancelled. One of the last shows in their line-up that actually was about video games and it was good too! They had talented people including Geoff Keighly! How do you fire the "dean of the gaming press?" I just don't get it. It was quite obvious that Tina Wood, Laura Foy and Geoff Keighley had a lot of passion for video games and their show. You can also tell by their co-workers and guests that they were loved and respected.

I am sad to see the show go. I feel like I didn't get to spend very much time with it and I really wish it was still on. They discussed issues in gaming that were important, relevent and made me think critically about the industry. That is an important element to have in your line-up and G4 is now seriously lacking. Lord knows they aren't gonna get it from Attack of the Show.

So, goodbye Tina, goodbye Laura and goodbye Geoff. Sorry G4 had to ruin your Christmas and rest assured that you will be missed.

Whew!

2005-12-19T17:59:00.000-08:00

Well, my pecan fingers are done and let me tell you, they are looking gooooood. I can safely say to my family that they are going to be yummy. And I only ate about half, so there will still be some for you guys on Christmas, I promise. (HA! Yeah right!)

I've also finished most of my podcasts. Just a few of the more recent ones left, so I'm thinking I may just leave those for a little later. We'll see. I still have some Christmas mischief up my sleeves for tonight and those podcasts would be great company while I work away. We shall see.

Alright, expect a bigger post from me later. De.icio.us has been down for the last couple days, so I haven't been paying much attention to google reader. I use del.icio.us as a bookmarker, so I didn't want to lose any good stories to link to. Now that it's up and running I can get down to business again.

Jeeze, baking takes a lot out of me and I still have to make and frost the melting moments. *sigh* But they are a favorite, so it must be done. I'm gonna don...donn...dohn...put my little santa hat on and get to those damn cookies! Huzah!

Podcast Overload

2005-12-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

I love podcasts, but I think I'm going overboard in a big way. I've been too busy in the past couple weeks to listen to many, and due to my man Dvorak getting slammed by Dutch, I have to listen to a couple of old ones to try and defend him. (Though John does tend to dig himself into some pretty deep holes and I fear this one will be too much for me). I have a lot of catching up to do today! Luckily, I have Christmas cookies to make, so it shouldn't be too hard. Here is my line-up.

Diggnation:
Episode 23 UPDATE: Done!!
Episode 24 UPDATE: DONE!!
Episode 25

TWiT
Episode 33 (re-listen for Dutch)UPDATE: DONE!
Episode 34 (re-listen for Dutch) UPDATE: DONE!
Episode 35

The Digital Blast (Dutch's podcast)
Episode 15 UPDATE: DONE!

The Escapist Magazine
Episode 0 UPDATE: DONE!!!

Wil Wheaton's Radio Free Burrito
Episode 1 UPDATE: DONE!
Episode 3
(Episode 2 seems to be MIA)

I'd also like to give Martin Sargent's another try as well. His first one drove me crazy becuase he wasn't watching his levels. I hate having to keep adjusting the volume, ya know?

Whew! I'm both extremely lucky and extremely overloaded. Not that I'm complaining. Lord knows I love my podcasts! Its gonna be a nice day for baking to be sure.

Reflections from a Christmas Shopper

2005-12-17T10:28:00.000-08:00

My mother and I went out for some Christmas shoopping and have come to several conclusions.

First, toys suck. Well, girly toys suck. The baby dolls look like children of satan, the "barbie" type dolls look like sluts and the plastic acessories (crowns and clip on earings, mainly) are so painful to wear, your daughter will have to hold back tears while she plays princess.

Second, action figures ROCK!

Third, my nephew is easy to shop for, but it's not necessarily any fun. He likes pokemon, pokemon, pokemon and, for something a little "different", neopets. Blah.

Fourth, my niece Julia is probably, hands down, the easiest and the most fun to shop for. She likes monsters. The more outlandish, the better. She also likes super heroes, but even then, its always the freaky looking ones like The Hulk and The Thing. My mom got her this hideous King Kong toy that pants, howls and roars when you push its chest in. The toy is a no brainer. She'll love it.

Fifth, my niece Jaime, is by far the hardest and the least fun to shop for. Though she is equal parts diva and tomboy, they mix in an indescribable way. There are no gifts for her! My mom was able to find a kareoke machine she'll love. Her dream is to be a pop star after all. But other that, we were both at a loss. It was torment and it was all PINK!!!!! I'll have nightmares for months now.

Sixth, well. You're gonna have to wait for this one. It's about a certain someone who reads this blog and they can't be seeing this stuff too soon, if you get my drift!

Last, people go to crazy lengths to sell off beat gifts, for reasons I will never understand. Case in point, the egg plant. Its an egg that...I have no idea. I guess you break the top part off to reveal that the bottom part is full of soil. You water it and a plant grows. Now for the weird part (that's right, NOW for the weird part), apparently, when the plant pops out of the soil, there will be a little plastic doo-hicky attached to it with a message. I have no idea how this works. Frankly, it boggles my mind. The display model had a plant with a plastic thingy that reads "message here," but fails to explain if you put a message in yourself, or if it comes with one. I have no idea how you'd get one in there since its buried in the soil. I dont even know how the plastic thing gets onto the plant since it starts as a seed. Again, it boggles my mind. Needless to say, they didn't seem to be selling very well.

I guess the moral of this story, or lesson, or mindless rant, is that when I have kids, I'm gonna find new and creative gifts to give them. Every toy in Toysrus really was a piece of crap that you only feed your to child satiate their lust for things. It's an easy thing to fall into and it is expected of you, as America is a nation of consumers. I just hope I can break that when my time comes...well...I'll still have my games. Oh, god. There is my kryptonite, for sure. My kids are gonna be hippy gamers, I can just see it now! HA!

Nerd Nation

2005-12-15T07:05:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this show. Everyone should watch it. I do believe its on Thursdays after Call for Help (I heart Leo!!)on G4. Its a series of documentaries about, well...nerds. One episode was about comic book nerds, one was about hackers (that one was GOOD!) and today's poses the question: What IS a nerd?

That's a good question. I've always considered myself a nerd, but when I watch this show...I'm not so sure I come anywhere close. I loved Star Trek. I've been to a Star Trek convention with "Dr. Troy." I played with Star Trek action figures (in private, mind you). I went to school on halloween dressed as Major Kira and my friend was Dax. I still watch DS9 and TNG on Spike TV from time to time. If I catch it, then I'm hooked and watch all 4 hours. Its pretty bad. *sigh* I had such a crush on Wil Wheaton and Dr. Bashir. Anyway, I went to school dressed up as an X-Files agent on career day and wrote a paper on how I was going to be one when I grew up. I got bullied...a lot. HA! Yeeeeaaaaah. I was a nerd.

But some of the stories that people are telling on Nerd Nation right now are far worse than mine. One girl had a popular guy tell her she needed a new face and dragged her face across the sidewalk! Another guy was sexually assaulted by a man who preyed on his insecurities and lured him to his house with promises of coffee and deep conversation. See, I can laugh at all the times my hair was pulled and my butt was kicked, but that stuff is just wrong!

What was really interesting about this show is that, you can't quite put your finger on what exactly it is makes these people nerds (or maybe it was. Maybe I just love all the things they loved too, so I thought they were cool), but at the end of the day it was unmistakable that these people were nerds and still are nerds. I wonder if I'm still a nerd.

Are or were any of you nerds?

ModBlog Favorite-I'm a Naughty Girl

2005-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today was a bitch. This is all I could muster, sorry. Here is a "favorite" from my old ModBlog account.

God, this is so narcissistic:

I'm a Naughty Girl
I was walking over to the escalator to go up to the second floor of MATC where my State and Local Government class is and accidentally ran into a girl who was walking to the escalator with her boyfriend as well (I was putsing with my iPod.) I felt like an ass and apologized politely and laughed.

She called me a bitch.

So I stared at her boyfriend's ass the whole way up to the 2nd floor. In fact, I followed them up to the 3rd floor just for fun. The boy's ass was nice. Very sexy.

10/12/05

Christmas Came Early for ME!!!

2005-12-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe not. But today was a great day for my video game blogs! I found some really cool things to share with you all. I am super, duper...umm...DUPER excited about all the little gems I found...well, that the likes of Kotaku, Joystiq and Gamasutra found.

First, there is a pretty funny article about nerds who have tatooed themselves with the apple logo and video game characters. The article it self is pretty cool, but I really liked the pictures. I saw a lot of the Miami Ink shows and have since come to really respect tatoo artists and those who get inked. I much prefer smaller tatoos, but some of the big ones are really cool! Especially the science and computer nerds. There is one of a DNA stand that goes all the way down a guys back. It is BEAUTIFUL! So, to my future husband, whoever, where ever you are...that DNA strand kicks ass, GO FOR IT! (I also like the Mario mushroom) Very sexy! *raises eyebrows a couple times* MmmHmmm!
Tatooed Nerds

Here is a fun site...kinda. Its GOOGLE FIGHT and Steve Jobs pwned Bill Gates man. YES!

Alright, next up is a great article that takes a look at last year's hardware, how things sold and discusses market share. I haven't had time to take an in-depth look at it, but I plan at eating and breathing the information. Its going to be important to keep in mind with this next generation of consoles. It'll be interesting to see how it all shakes out!
Hardware Year in Review
Joystiq's link

Capcom has unveiled a new game called Lost Planet: Extreme Condition and will be an Xbox 360 exclusive. The part that I love the most is that there will be "snow pirates" in this game. HA! SNOW PIRATES?! I can't wait to see what those are like!
Capcom's new game

There is a new fan made 2D Halo game out called Halo Zero and guess what? You can download it for free!!! YIPEE!! AND, you can get it: HERE

Gamasutra has an article about the Independent Games Festival finalists that have been announced and they look GOOD! Sadly, I've only played the Weird Worlds demo, but it was awesome and the article provides links to all the finalist, plus others to consider! They are either free, or have free demos, so you can take them for a spin before the winner is announced at the Game Developers Conference in March. IN FACT, if you get a chance to play these, drop me a line, either via email or AIM or as a comment on any post, as to which one of the nominees you'd like to see win. School is almost over, so I will get a chance to play them and hopefully write a post about my experiences.
2006 Independent Games Festival Announces Finalists
UPDATE: Joystiq has a really great, organized list of the finalists HERE

I was watching Call for Help this morning and they showcased a really cool website called Language is a Virus. Its full of games, free software and writing excercises to help you through writer's block. I've played with a few of the games and, though its kinda weird, I can see how it really gets you thinking creativly. So, for all the writers in my life (Mo, Zodiak/John, Chris, Dutch, and anyone else I forgot), ENJOY!
Language is a Virus

How kick ass was that my friends? Some really cool stuff...well...I think so at least. But, I'm pretty big nerd, so I'm sure everyone else is left looking at their clocks lamenting the 5 minutes they just wasted on my blog. And for that I say: Dood, you're the one who keeps coming back! You can't blame anyone but yourself! HA!

A Quickie Before Bed

2005-12-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

I really like THIS site. I found it off Kotaku and their coverage of the Xbox 360 release in Japan. I haven't been able to devote much time to really digging around in it and getting to know who the writers are, but I love how they (or he) write and I do believe everyone is in Japan. Its just a very different type of gaming site and I really enjoy it.

And last, I wanted to post this kick ass review of Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones. Its a very well thought out article/review by Gamasutra. Read it and bask in its glory. The game sounds amazing!

Alright. Thats all I got this evening. Red Assed Baboon kept me busy today, as did THIS guy, hence the short, teeny tiny post. Hey man, its HARD work to keep a monument to blogorrhea. Sometimes, a girl just needs a break, alright? Now shut up!

Some Goodies

2005-12-10T17:22:00.000-08:00

The Xbox was released in Japan today...I think. I'm a little lost on the time difference, so maybe its being released...tonight? Either way, someone has a VERY interesting article that talks about how the sales of the new console is doing so far. Things are looking good for the 360 in Japan guys!
clicky

A California judge is now looking into the new video game legislation in California and is asking some very good questions:

1. "The parties have submitted substantial amounts of footage from seven games: Postal II, Resident Evil IV, Jade Empire, Full Spectrum Warrior, God of War, Rainbow Six 3, and Medal of Honor: Frontline. The court would like the parties' opinions as to which of these games would be covered by the definition of violent video game in (the CA law)"

2. "One of the definitions of violent video game in the act refers to 'prevailing standards in the community as to what is suitable for minors. The Act can be enforced by 'any city attorney, county counsel, or district attorney.' Would it present constitutional problems for the Act to be enforced as to a certain game in some cities and counties but not in others? "

3. "If the Act is not vague, what test should be used to evaluate whether there is a First Amendment violation? If it's the test from Ginsberg, does the rationale behind restricting a minor's access to pornography translate into a restriction that can be adopted to restrict access to violent video games? If it's strict scrutiny, is there a way that the statute could be narrowed so that it would pass constitutional muster? Under strict scrutiny, how is the court to decide whether there was enough evidence to justify the Act? "

4. "If there was evidence that certain video games promoted disloyalty, selfishness, or spitefulness, could a government restrict minors' access to those games? If not, how does aggression differ from disloyalty, selfishness, and spitefulness?"

5. "Governments may mandate package labeling in other contexts. Would a requirement for a package of cigarettes or a magazine cover to have a two-square-inch sticker on the front violate the First Amendment? How does the First Amendment prevent California from requiring labeling of video games?"

So far things are going well for the ESA and the judge is to give a ruling by the end of next week. Check out the rest of the article HERE.

HERE is a really crazy Zelda commercial. The video has been out for a while, but I wasn't in the mood to update my blog with all my internet goodies. I love this because I can totally see Jack from Will and Grace directing and staring in this. Oh, god, I wish he had. That would have been even better. Anyway, ENJOY!

Its Been a Rough Day

2005-12-09T17:44:00.000-08:00

As you all know, I recently came out of the closet on a very hard issue in my life: My love for "celebreality" TV. I'm currently seeking counsel for it and things are getting better.

But tonight, I've come to a realization about another issue in my life and it led to an emotional break down. I've decided that I need to come to terms with it and the best way is to pull this skeleton out of my closet and lay it out for all to see.

So, I stand before you all a small and vulnerable girl. I ask for your mercy as I confess that I, Stephanie Frances Riedel, have a security blanket. And I'm not talking about the little ratty thing that sits in the corner of my room collecting dust. I mean the little ratty thing that, at the age of 24, I cannot live with out. It is attached to my hip, and was my best friend when John dumped my ass. There are many tears in this thing. My ex was very patient to put up with sleeping with it in bed with us. I'd be in his arms and my blanket would be in my arms.

I'm sure you're wondering what about this secret could upset me so much. Its not the secret itself. Its a part of who I am and I love it. What frightens me so, is that my blanket is knit...and is beginning to unravel from all the years of use and love.

I was sitting on my bed, having a pouty day (I'm a little sad today.) and I realized how bad its getting and I panicked...paniced...I started to panic. I can't live with out my blanket and I dont want to replace it with another. THERE IS NO OTHER!!!

Well, I've come to the conclusion that I must ween myself off my blanket to prepare for its inevitable disintegration. *SOB!* Wish me luck. It will be tough times for me, but I am strong woman. With some self dermination and whole lotta vodka, I can over come this. Yes I can!

The Winter I Love--Kinda

2005-12-08T14:32:00.000-08:00

I just got home and the roads are getting bad. Its snowing a really wet, heavy, slippery snow. Its flipping cold too! For some reason, I hardly notice the cold when it snows.

Tonight will be beautiful. Its going to keep on snowing until it piles up and blocks all the noise from echoing. It brings the sky down and closes you in and you feel like you are in a sound stage. The snow will be brand new and white and it will stick to everything. Your shoes, your pants, your mittens. You roll around and around and around on the ground until you look like a snow monster and its time to come in.

But its not night, not just yet and I am inside and I'm in front of the fire. The christmas tree lights are on and I've pulled open the patio door drape. Outside is sparkly, pure white landscape and it sets off the tree beautifully.

This is what I'll miss when I make the move to California.

Delicious TWiTs

2005-12-07T11:36:00.000-08:00

The TWiTs have their own "My Delicious" and it rocks! I love digg, but sometimes its a bit much and I HATE having to sort through The Family Guy podcast info and some of the other crap that actually makes it to the front page. I'll always listen to diggnation, but I'll be checking out the TWiTs' favorites instead, thank you!

Delicious TWiTs--Mmmmm, yummy.

Littlest Ninja-Rated M for Mature

2005-12-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

It was my brother-in-law's birthday yesterday and I wanted to make a nice little post just for him. So, I did what only made sense. Did a google image search for nerd birthday. Apparently, nerd + birthday = THIS

On a different note, Martin Sargent has a post on his blog that made me laugh for a solid 15 minutes. Its SUPER crass and may offend the weak of heart, but it is sooooo TRUE!! Oh, Marty. I'm so glad you found your way to blogging. I've missed you.
God Bless You, Internet
I don't understand the last images and that's ok. I dont think I want to.

Here's a story from Dvorak Uncensored about me. Crazy, I know!
Clicky
I LOVE Eideard's comment at the end. That guy is HILAROUS!

The Escapist has a blog now!! YAY!! They new I couldn't get enough of this magazine and decided to give me more, I just know it!!
The Escapist Lounge

I'm Serious This Time Guys!

2005-12-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

I want THIS for Christmas. I swear. And if you love me, you'll get it for me!!!

A Smart Boy and a Sexy Boy. Oooh!

2005-12-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

There are certain voices in the video game community that just HAVE to be heard. Many of those voices belong to The Escapist Magazine, but there is another who writes on his own time and his gift is amazing. This man's ability to take a step back and take a critical look at the industry is inspiring. Who am I speaking of? Well, Danc of Lost Garden. While I personally enjoy reading the thoughts of all gamers, Danc truly puts in the time and effort to research what he is interested in. He finds patterns and trends and follows them. He has a true passion, love and respect for gaming, the community and the industry. And it shows in the essays he writes.

I've read several of Danc's past pieces and learned a lot and his newest essay is no different. With the industry reporting an over all drop in sales and the word "crash" on everyone's lipsk Danc takes a look at stats and gives his two cents on what's going to happen.

With a statement like this:

Profit equals return on investment. If profits are low for a product category, then investments in new products will also often be low. Low profitability threatens the entire industry and makes it far less likely for there to be support for artistic innovation.

The culprits for low profitability are slightly more nuanced than the “increasing technology costs” that everyone is so quick to blame. Rational companies only invest in technology when there is competition forcing their hand.

We have hundreds of teams pursuing a mere half dozen highly saturated product categories (aka game genres) in which there are only one or two market leaders possible. It doesn’t help that most current genres are mature and their population is fixed or contracting. Also that ‘rationality’ of game industry management is questionable. Poor management practices, a lack of mature product design processes and a fixation on technology for the sake of technology also contribute.

You KNOW he's someone to listen to.

Check out the entire entry HERE. Its A great read!

On another note, Game Politics is reporting that a political science professor at DePauw Univerisity, named Ted Reuter, has written a an article proclaiming that video game degrees have kidnapped American education. Yep.

He says that video game design degrees are:

yet another sign of the coming of the apocalypse. Schools of higher learning are simply cashing in on a fad that is destructive to society.

Yeah. Great how Reuter himself seems to be "crashing in on a fad" himself, with bashing something he OBVIOUSLY has no real knowledge of. Way to go!
Full story HERE--Check out Ted's pic. He's a sexy boy! MmmMmm!

UPDATE: Game Politics just posted THIS story that give a look at the other side of the coin. HOORAY!!

Boiling Points

2005-12-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

There is an extremely interesting and disturbing story on Dvorak Uncensored about a European suicide bomber, but after reading article, I found that the comments on the blog were just as good!

As much as I love Kotaku and Joystiq, the heated debate that has been going down over this story is AWESOME!!! Politics is a tough thing to keep civil and let me tell you, the gloves were off people.

God, I love this blog.

Suicide Blond

There was a point in the comments where I wanted to interject with "I have boobs." I wouldn't, but I sure as hell wanted to.

OMG! I'm Blind!!

2005-12-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sometime around Thanksgiving, my brother unwittyingly discovered that if you forget the "S" in craigslist, you get a fabulous pr0n site.

I totally forgot about this when I decided to pay craigslist a visit to look for a job. Lo and behold, "craiglist" was the first option that was still saved in my address bar and when I clicked on it I saw images of women...ummm...doing mommy things and making babies...sometmes with daddies and other times with other...ummm...mommies. Sometimes they were just by themselves.

Squeeling with shock and delight, I mean horror, I tried again and again to click on the correct spelling of craigSlist, but kept accidentally clicking on craiglist. I must have done it 5 times before I got the right one.

Those damn animated gifs...they sure are distracting, aren't they? I felt like a moth attracted to a bright light in the night.

I am Happy Today!

2005-12-05T07:53:00.000-08:00

Kotaku posted a google map on their site that shows all the companies that make RPG games. I was SHOCKED to see that there are actually three game makers in Wisconsin. But it gets better boys and girls! TWO are located in MADISON!!! One of them is Raven Software, the guys behind Soldier of Fortune 1&2, X-Men Legends along with many others AND they are working on QUAKE 4!!! I've been reading their website and it looks like they've just opened the office and they have some job positions open! But wait, I did say we have TWO developers and the other is Human Head Studios. They've made a bunch of board games, PC games and one for Xbox, but they announced in April, 2005 that they are working on Prey for the PC and they too are hiring.

Now, if any of you who read my blog qualify for any of these games, I recommed trying for them. Even if it means a significant relocation for you. Madison is such a great place to live and do things like this. We have really affordable living, a great bus system, a huge university that attracts people from all over the world, so we are a really diverse city. Winters SUCK, but if you like the cold, then there ya go!

I just can't stress enough how great I think it is that we have some here. I'd like to see more. I love Madison during the summer and like I've said before, its a great place for film makers and game developers. I hope that more come in. Again, I'll prolly be in L.A. with the ocean, the palm trees and mudslides, but still. It'll be fun to see the place I grew up get put on the map in my two favorite industries.

Google Map--Anyone cool near you?

A Shmorgasboard...Smorgasboard...ShmorgASSbored...a Smattering of Random Goodies!

2005-12-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

1. Wil Wheaton has a podcast now! I listened to it and it was VERY nice. People wrote in to him and he answered their questions. He's an extremely interesting person with a lot of passion. I certainly recommend it.
Wil Wheaton's Radio Free Burrito: Episode Zero HOORAY!!!

2. *sigh* I have a MYfuckingSPACE account now. Two of my friend's made one and I wanted to comment on their blogs, sooooo...here it is.
clicky for teh SUCKAGE!!! (Erica and Emma! You guys should get blogger accounts!!)

3. I am behind on my reading (DOOD! Finals are coming up, leave me alone!)BUT, MTV has a little article that is about Nate Bihldorff, the script writer for Mario: Partners in Time. As a screenwriter, video game scripts are quickly becoming a fascination for me. Yes, people want their games to be built around compelling stories, but at the end of the day, a game is all about game play. Its a struggle to write good dialogue that is interesting, establishes the character, sets/defines objectives, and at the end of it all,is brief. If you wanted to watch a movie, you'd be watching a movie, not playing a video game. I saw the Kotaku story on it yesterday and just now got a chance to read it, but it didn't really have much to it. That's the second MTV article I wasn't impressed by. The writing style is great, but there isn't much content. A whole lot of fluff though! I think I see a trend starting.
Mustard of Doom

4. Again, I've had a hard time with my readings, so I just finished a piece from Netjak that is really interesting. Rick Healey compares today's home console games to those of early home console and arcade games. In his opinion early games were shorter, but a lot harder and today's games are easier, but a lot longer. His reasoning behind this, which makes complete sense, is that with an arcade game, the more you mess-up, the more quarters you have to put in and the more money is made from you. With a home console, a customer only needs to make the initial investment and after that, its out of the game maker's hands. The games need to be easier, so we can breeze through them and buy the next game to satiate our lust. Sure the games are longer, so we don't feel ripped off, but they are easier.At least this is Mr. Healey's opinion on the matter and it makes perfect sense.

I find this interesting. I have a splotchy gaming history, so I can't really relate to this story. I never got a chance to play the early arcade games and I didn't play much as games progressed. I started to get a little interested with gaming through my now ex boyfriend, but was quite put off because I felt like they were too hard. This is something that Spanner of The Escapist has picked up on as well while gaming with his young niece. His article for The Escapist, called The Third Generation, flips the issue calling today's games too complicated and isolating. The games he and his niece end up playing are always the good ol' arcade games. This makes a whole lot of sense to me as well.

But I find myself a bit confused and frustrated with my lame n00b ass. Which is it? Can a game be easy and complicated at the same time? Rick Healey points out in HIS article that a game should be a balance of skill and length, but about complexity? And, oh my god, I totally can work the REvolution into this as I ALWAYS do! GO ME!!! Will Nintendo's Revolution controller be a step closer to this? Is it really just a matter of making the controller more intuitive to use? Will the ladies of Wisteria Lane finally have an orgy???!!! Wait...oops. Wrong melodrama.

Read the articles and leave a comment. Each article is VERY well written and have a lot to say. You'll really enjoy them.
Netjak
The Escapist

5. In 1993, I was in love with Alexander Siddig, who plays Dr. Bashir on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Now, after 12 years of wondering what hell he has been doing (besides being married to Major Kira) I saw him!!!! He's totally in Syrina! I looked him up on IMDb and he was also in Reign of Fire and Kingdom of Heaven. GO DR. BASHIR!!! YES!

6. Last, but certainly not least, THIS is why I love Kotaku. *sigh*

Thoughts on Today

2005-12-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

I love kids. I really, really do. But I am not having ANY until I am at least 30 years old. Maybe 32. Just walking through a mall with a 5-year-old is a task. She can't step on any cracks, nor can she touch a certain color on the carpet or tiles. I know its a game she has to play to keep her sweet little sanity, but good lord! Julia wouldn't pay attention to what was going on around her and crash into people. Most people thought she was adorable, but some would be annoyed and I felt bad. Christmas shopping is a stressful enough thing. Sometimes you'd rather not have to watch out for children.

GIFT CARDS. Best present EVER. No hassle and the person gets exactly what they want. They take 5 minutes to buy and you have the rest of the season to make cookies with friends and family and THAT is what the holidays are really about. End of story.

Another note about kids--I am not having babies in Wisconsin. I refuse to putz with a baby seat in below zero weather. It is HORRIBLE! I'll do it in the rain and mudslides and earthquakes of California, but not in the freezing temperatures of ANY cold state.

Well, thats all I have right now. I have some stories to read from my reader from yesterday and I have yet to check it today and I have school work AND Julia is still here. Time for me go!

YES!!!

2005-12-02T06:45:00.000-08:00

Gentlemen, THIS is how you get your girlfriends into gaming.

I can't think of a better way to REALLY show her you love her.