http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:ANewChallenger&section=today deviantART RSS for by:ANewChallenger en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:17:39 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/20113995/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/20113995/ Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:29:49 PDT
MEME
The rules:
- The person whose name is written in this notebook shall die
- Choose a singer/band/group
- Answer using ONLY titles of songs by that singer/band/group
- Tag 6 more people (let them know they've been tagged)
- If this is your first night at fight club you have to fight

My Singer: David Bowie [Editor's note: Picking a singer with longevity helps ]

01. Are you male or female?
Boys Keep Swinging

02. Describe yourself.
I'm Deranged

03. What do people feel when they're around you?
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed

04. How would you describe your previous relationship?
Absolute Beginners

05. Describe your current relationship.
Glad I've Got Nobody

06. Where would you want to be now?
Dancing In The Street

07. How do you feel about love?
It's No Game

08. What's your life like?
Day In Day Out

09. What would you ask for if you had only one wish?
Sound and Vision

10. Say something wise.
Never Get Old

I'm not tagging people because I suck.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/19798585/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/19798585/ Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:18:25 PDT
]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/16873255/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/16873255/ Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:29:09 PST
Don't pee on anybody's parade!

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/16352622/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/16352622/ Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:34:28 PST Death Note

A Shonen Jump manga series-turned-anime that isn't about fighting (or maybe a challenge.) I don't know how when the manga started publishing in the US, but the English dub of the anime started airing Saturday nights on Adult Swim back in October. It's about 11 episodes in right now, so you're going to have to buy the DVDs (which are out, at least a couple volumes) or resort to other means to catch up. Oh, what's it about? Basically, one day a top-of-his-class arrogant high school student finds a notebook, labelled "Death Note" in the school courtyard. He soon discovers that by writing someone's name in the book he can kill them, and embarks on a self-righteous quest of assholery to rid the world of criminals. His actions do not go unnoticed, and soon the police have called in a mysterious detective with a reputation for cracking the hardest cases to discover the source of these killings. Things escalate nicely.

Zack & Wiki: Quest For Barbaros' Treasure (Wii)

Point 'n' click puzzle solving, treasure hunting, piratey goodness from Capcom that only sold a dismal 35,000 copies in its first month, while dreck like Chicken Shoot and Hannah Montana flew off the shelves, thus condemning human society to the bowels of Hell. If you own a Wii and want good original games for it, pick this game up. Not only will you enjoy it if you like puzzle solving, but you'll vote with your moneys that good games are actually desirable and profitable on the Wii.

Blankets

It's damn cold right now.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/15840692/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/15840692/ Fri, 07 Dec 2007 21:13:02 PST
If you're unfamiliar with Secrete Santa, here's how it works:

1. I ingest large amounts of Christmas (Cap'n) Crunch.

2. My body breaks down the delicious cereal into pure holiday cheer.

3. I lay under the Christmas tree, bathing my body in the warm glow of colored lights.

4. Presents ooze from my pores.

5. Giftees approach me and lick up their winnings from my glistening figure.

I know it's short notice, but who wants to join the fun?

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/15414522/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/15414522/ Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:29:50 PST
-David Bowie, "Up The Hill Backwards"

Boy, what a summary of my life since getting my BS in math last year. I've been thinking ever since that, as much as I liked the subject, perhaps I'm not cut out for a career involving math, or, perhaps more pertinently, going back to school to get a graduate degree in the field.

In fact, I have very little idea what I want to do next. It was so nice living as I did for 16 years, knowing in general what the near future would bring in terms of tasks to be accomplished (school, school, and more school.)

I'm sure this applies to a lot of people, and this is probably an everything/nothing post. But it's almost midnight and I'm tired, so I'll keep typing anyway. Anyone who's had the pleasure of reading my midnight writing will understand why I don't drink (or will be surprised to learn that this is the case.)

Right... I'm in a rut, basically. I've been squandering an opportunity that many in their adult lives would relish: a year (and counting) with no great obligations to anyone but myself. Rather than use this time to get my life up to speed in areas I'd neglected (learning to drive, a social life) I've taken things one day at a time, and more often than not the only thing I can muster any will to do is play videogames.

What's more, I even fail at that, leaving several unfinished or perhaps not even starting them in a timely fashion.

It's either that, or hop on the Internet. I don't think I'm addicted, as I can spend days away from the computer without negative effects on my mood. It's just there and it's easy.

I have little self-discipline. I've toyed with the idea of starting some kind of rudimentary schedule for myself in absence of any such agenda being provided to me, but I can't even get to bed at the same reasonable hour each night.

It's not as though I'm completely ignorant of steps I could take to break out of this rut, either; I simply choose not to do them, because it's easy. "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." Oh God more song lyrics, if you've made it this far I admire your fortitude.

To muddy things further, I don't believe I'm afraid of hard work, and I have a piece of paper signed by The Terminator that attests to that. Concretely, I'm talking about literal employment. The thought of working doesn't appall me. But searching for a job that I'm suited for and can tolerate? That's just a pain in the ass. Hell, I did have a part-time job at the fair right out of school. It wasn't the most constantly demanding job, but there was hard work to be done, and I did it.

Anyone sigh yet at my talking of working at some non-career job as merely an option and not a necessity? I don't know how I can take myself seriously some times. Maybe I don't, and maybe that's tangled in the problem.

Returning to the beginning a bit, if I'm not cut out for what I spent four years studying, then what? Over the past year and a half or so I've kept my eyes open to things that seemed interesting to me (anything: hobbies, news, crusades) but nothing has grabbed me unequivocally. Not that I don't remain interested in anything, but it all seems peripheral to my daily life, except for videogames, a lifelong interest I haven't figured out what to do with outside of entertain myself. Expecting a bolt of the blue is too unrealistic, certainly.

Okay, my eyes are really heavy now, and I've rambled enough. And now the chorus, to provide myself with some assurance:

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Up the hill backwards
It'll be alright

Random comments on an entry as random as this are welcome.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/14134685/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/14134685/ Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:24:03 PDT The 'mpysaurus on Friday. I'd forgotten about the large outdoor pipe organ until we both heard it being played. We headed over and listened to civic organist Dr. Carol Williams rehearse a piece for Sunday's (today's) free summer weekly 2:00 p.m. concert. It was beautiful. I hope to catch one of the full concerts one of these days. There's a lot here in San Diego that I've never experienced despite living here for 22 years.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/13849217/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/13849217/ Mon, 23 Jul 2007 16:38:28 PDT
Finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows today. Good luck to everyone avoiding spoilers, especially those of you who are trying to drag it out because you don't want it to end (Hello, Jacqueline.) You may not want to scroll past the end of this journal entry in case trolls post lovely comments. I had one minor spoiler hit me, but with all the fake stuff floating around I wasn't sure if it was indeed a spoiler.... at any rate, major as it seemed, in the grander scheme of things it was a drop in the bucket.

Part of the reason I hurried is that Comic Con is this week, and spoilers are bound to be within earshot at such a gathering. Time to spend a lot of money I don't have, woooooo!

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/12996038/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/12996038/ Fri, 18 May 2007 01:21:26 PDT
I'll miss him.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/12844894/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/12844894/ Fri, 04 May 2007 20:26:33 PDT
Yes, including the Sonic/Harry Potter fans.

I may only be a hack with a few half-decent ideas and a severe lack of followthrough, but every time I upload something and it gets a view, a comment, or the occasional favorite (usually from a sibling, but not always!) it's a wonderful thing, and seeing others create is amazing.

Apologies for the gushing and a bit artificial tone. What I mean to say is: this place kicks ass, and I wish I'd have been a bit more creative earlier in life instead of a passive recipient of media.

Apologies again; Cory Doctorow gave a talk at the local college a couple weeks ago, and I'd all but drank the Flavor-Aid before that on the DMCA and media corporations being douchebags, etc. I think that accounts for my somewhat idealistic tone. The sentiments are real though.

I should go create some more.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/12014727/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/12014727/ Thu, 01 Mar 2007 14:24:14 PST
It's the kind of work that both inspires you and makes you want to throw in the towel at the same time.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/11215903/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/11215903/ Wed, 27 Dec 2006 20:35:34 PST
Meanwhile, Christmas brought Elite Beat Agents, which is awesome. Thank God Jumpin' Jack Flash is the final song, because it's incredibly catchy and there are very few songs I would enjoy listening to 100 times in a row as I try in vain to beat a level.

Yoshi's Island DS is also nice. The music is nowhere near as catchy as the original, but it gets the job done and the gameplay is intact.

And as I said before, everyone go play Rez. Oh, and Psychonauts.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/11098188/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/11098188/ Sun, 17 Dec 2006 19:02:19 PST
]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10955666/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10955666/ Tue, 05 Dec 2006 01:45:19 PST
I've had my own little plan for a synaesthetic project brewing for a number of weeks now, but it's too ambitious for my lazy ass at the moment. I think I've mentioned something about it in the comments for one of my pictures, and there's another clue in the title of this journal. I should probably find gainful employment first. Really need to start looking harder on that.

I really should upload something. Alas, it's 1:40 AM and I want to get some sleep. I've taken some pictures recently, I'll see tomorrow if any of them are good enough to throw up on here.

EDIT Dec. 7 1:51 AM: Saw this [link] in the Target ad on Sunday and it immediately made my Christmas list.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10339538/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10339538/ Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:24:05 PDT
What I'll probably end up doing is finding something to convert .mp3 to .swf and then upload. Once I stop being lazy.

]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10010176/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10010176/ Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:55:56 PDT ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10009878/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/10009878/ Fri, 08 Sep 2006 14:26:13 PDT
Time to rectify the situation.

Also, I've shaved and had my hair cut. New ID soon. ]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8822106/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8822106/ Sat, 20 May 2006 02:34:04 PDT ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8651333/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8651333/ Tue, 02 May 2006 11:39:20 PDT
[link] ]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8633698/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8633698/ Sun, 30 Apr 2006 17:45:09 PDT ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8520921/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/8520921/ Wed, 19 Apr 2006 12:54:50 PDT
Six things people don't know about me:
1. As soon as I post this entry, the above sentence will be a lie, as then people will know these things about me.
2. That is, assuming they read this.
3. Okay, these first 3 things really don't qualify for the list, do they. Guess I have to take it to #9.
4. I'm not as confident in myself as others are in me.
5. I'm intimidated by pretty women, unless I know they aren't single.
6. I'M SO EMO, WATCH ME BLEED.
7. Okay, not really, but 4 and 5 made me sound really pathetic so I thought I'd lighten the mood. So that's 2 real things total, looks like I'm going to 11.
8. I enjoy observing coincidences of all sorts, they amuse me. I never take them too seriously though.
9. After 16 years of education without a break, I'm sooo tired of school.
10. Videogames are actually starting to bore me, to some degree, though I don't think it's particular to them; I just notice my recent boredom more in the context of games because they are something I enjoy, and I've defined myself in terms of them to a scary degree.
11. The two recurring dreams I have are a feeling that all my teeth are loosening and falling out, and my having the ability to levitate, apparently by tightening my gut in some fashion. Or something.

I guess that's something. I can't tag 6 other people because I don't know 6 other people. ]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/7986247/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/7986247/ Fri, 24 Feb 2006 00:12:47 PST
Just a couple of links to things some of you out there in deviantLAND might find useful or fun:

The Rasterbator. Takes an image file and converts it into a PDF, which you can then print out and tape the pages together to form GIANT rasterized posters for your wall/ceiling. Check it out.

ACME.com, home of the Custom Conversation Heart image maker. Yes, I know it's over a week too late. Start early and make some funny ones for next year.

Make your own motivational posters.

Faststone. I use the photo resizer all the time to batch convert images from my digicam. Looks like they've got a few other cool tools as well.

Have fun. ]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/7562957/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/7562957/ Tue, 10 Jan 2006 10:04:14 PST
The title of this journal comes from the bootleg pottery figures available at a Shell station in Gila Bend just off of Interstate 8. Might put a pic up in Scraps. ]]> ~ANewChallenger http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/7422232/ http://ANewChallenger.deviantart.com/journal/7422232/ Mon, 26 Dec 2005 11:45:01 PST
In short, if I get too terribly bored in the next 3 weeks, expect to see silly photos of my toys up here. ]]> ~ANewChallenger