deviantART: by:coshdaddy

`coshdaddy 2007: In Silico http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11330933/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11330933/ Fri, 05 Jan 2007 22:27:24 PST
Spent New Year's Eve on Teamspeak, which was relatively interesting. Nothing like a group of sauced soliloquysts all gathered into one spot. It was very funny. Make sure to drop by #dAlit often enough to catch people doing it. Don't worry, though, we never talk about anything too important.

After that, I headed out to a local club, where hundreds of people packed into a spot where merely dozens could have fit before. I've actually never heard half the songs that played that night, either, though I've been told they were the top tunes of the year. I had no idea Justin Timberlake was bringing sexy back. Who can keep up?

If there are any lit issues, please see me. Two out of the four GDs are on holiday, of sorts, and I am mostly around to handle any issues, suggestions or gripes that you may have. Just shoot me a note anytime.

I will be more sparse in just hanging around here for a while. I'm sick. I'll be spending a lot of the day not in here, but I always check up every little while. Currently self-employed, so I have the means to be around whenever I need to during the day.

So, what are your resolutions?

I couldn't figure out mine on the 31st. It's the 6th now, or so I've been told, and my perspective on my future has been altered in a dimension that I didn't expect. I'm not really sure what's happening now down the road, but it's not like I've given much indication to anyone around here what it is I am talking about at all.

My dA resolution is to post things more. I read pretty much whatever I can that comes through here. The lit forums are my homepage, and I travel from page to page all the time, checking up on things and reading the latest deviations all around. I just need to actually start vocalizing those critiques instead of just keeping them.

I resolve to never bet on red.

UPDATE:

I did forget to mention. Canada won the gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden yesterday. They faced off against the Russian team for the third time in a row, and for the third time in a row they won to retain the title and their third straight gold. They've matched a record, set by an earlier team Canada, with 18 straight wins. It was great to watch these guys play since Boxing Day. I expect that a lot of these kids will end up doing very well in the NHL in a couple years.

But, god...it makes me feel old. Most of these kids can't even grow beards yet and they've got contracts with major league teams. I have never dreamed of being an NHL star or anything (never played as a kid) but it makes me think.

lyrics

I know we're takin' chances
you told me life was a risk

]]> `coshdaddy 2006: In Review http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11259638/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11259638/ Sun, 31 Dec 2006 14:19:10 PST
None of these are in any real order, unless I actually say so.

Top Life Events:
1. Kicking ass in school. This was set-out to be one of the most difficult years of my life academically. I had a lot on my plate in second year, taking on student government and support a part-time job while running a club and trying to stay on honour roll. I gave up all of that for third year, save for the latter two, and did actually survive it.

2. Moving out of my apartment. I had been stuck in a "temporary" home for 3 months too long already when the year began, so walking into another guaranteed few months of living there was something I was never happy about. When I got out of there, although it wasn't too the ideal situation, I was very pleased. Where I am now is working out for me.

3. Washroom Gate. This story still comes up from time to time. I actually told this just the other night to some positive fanfare. It's pretty much my favourite personal "you idiot" moment from the year. Good times.

4. Halloween. A year that seemed to go by in a day, really. And the day still goes on, and I'm always glad that it does.

5. As of the 18th of this month, I've been a GD here for a year. I've definitely been more of an aide than a leader, and I think that a lot of the great initiatives that have gone on here in the last little while that I've helped support have given me the most satisfaction. Working with ^imperfect, `MinorKey, ^PoeticWar and ^adrift has been an interesting experience. They are all overwhelming people who know their stuff to an extent that I can't even fathom. They've been great, and even with drama here and there, have stepped up when they can to do their best around here.

Top Movies:
1. Little Miss Sunshine. I reviewed this earlier in the year, and of the flicks that I caught this year, it stood out as the purest, simplest candidate for the best I've seen. Maybe not the funniest, but it definitely catches that dark comedy niche that is alway good to fill.

2. Borat: Etc, etc, etc. Funny, controversial, and is probably the defining comedy of our generation. Sorry, our generation, and sorry, Jackass. Your relevance has basically gone the way of furby in terms of fad.

3. Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles. Although I didn't get a chance to review this one formally, this was one of the more peaceful and captivating films I was lucky enough to see this year. I can't recommend it enough.

4. A Scanner Darkly. After reading the book, I'll take the pages over the silver screen, but I still have to give this one ups for exceeding my expectations.

5. Silent Hill. This is more of a disappointment than anything else. I was really looking forward to this, and it had a lot of potential. It started fantastically, but it went downhill really quickly really fast. Will a video-game to movie ever be truly good?

Top Musical Moments:
1. If I had to name my favourite disc of 2006, I'd be hardpressed to give you a clear answer. If you had a gun to my head, though (or a bowl of Skor Bites) I'd have to say Hawksley Workman. And before you cry fowl, hear me out. I'm not talking about his latest release Treeful of Starling, oh no. I am talking about his shadow release, only given out on tour, that was basically told off by all his friends and relatives and record label as "far too dark". My Little Toothless Beauties is a fantastic disc, and if you can find it (No, you can't have mine. No, it's not on eBay.) you must pick it up.

2. Billy Talent II. I'm still mixed on this. It was a good disc, but I guess I expected more, or something. Definitely something I was looking forward to in a big, big way, though.

3. Alexisonfire. I'm going to put this down as one of my biggest disappointments of the year. This album just shows a real descent in their quality of work. It feels rushed, too safe, and just not frantic or lively enough to be Alexis.

4. Big Surprises: Wolfmother, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Raconteurs, which I didn't expect much of and turned out to be a solid, indie release. Ghostface Killah, who I didn't think could live up to his last epic, but did.

5. Saosin. Their debut LP is actually pretty strong, and is growing on me.
<... ]]> `coshdaddy Happy Boxing Day! http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11210821/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11210821/ Wed, 27 Dec 2006 11:49:08 PST
Unlike most years, I asked for pretty much nothing and got exactly what I asked for, plus more. I got a season of CSI on DVD, and some blockbuster gift certs so I can get another season, lots of clothes (which I really needed) and a new remote for my Wii (which I was shocked at because they are rather hard to find).

Boxing Day, my favourite day of the year, was interesting, as well. I was almost suckered into buying an Xbox 360 and Gears of War, but managed to snap myself out of that. I also had a friend find and buy a PS3 with Resistance: Fall of Man. The kid is delusional, however, to believe that he has an HD TV (It's 5 years old, full screen, and barely supports component) and tells me that he is going to get the best out of it. I told him to wait, but alas.

I'm getting slowly back on to dA, though, after some rest and relaxation. I'm done work for a while, so I'm planning on taking a good vacation to work on a business project, which I'll probably talk about a little later on.

The real question is:

How was your Christmas?

lyrics

one has lived for longer still
the other longs to break until
the wind can lift it in its hand
a stone is not a grain of sand

]]> `coshdaddy Merry Litmas! http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11141943/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11141943/ Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:01:51 PST That's right, it is that time of year again.

This year, it's all about giving. We know you've been wanting to get someone on dA the perfect gift. We know that you've been reading a lot this year (if not, better get to it or you'll be getting coal). We also know that you're not made of money, and it is the thought that counts, right?

Well, get thinking, get reading, and start writing critiques. This year we're doing a Secret Santa project, were you can give someone the gift of critique under the guise of the festive =FatherLitmas, who will be taking your notes and dispensing your critiques under his name.

And, we all know that in giving we receive, so there will be prizes for the top entries. Give a little this holiday season, and you might get a lot.

Merry Litmas, Everyone.

Read the article here for more information on how to get involved.

lyrics

oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life

]]> `coshdaddy Learning, life and leadership http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11020540/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/11020540/ Sun, 10 Dec 2006 17:46:51 PST Learning

Well, if you haven't already heard (and there may just be a chance that you haven't) ^imperfect has finally created and released a collection of poetry. learning to walk in heels is an almost coming-of-age styled look at life and love and growing up. Comprised of pieces from her gallery, and things you may not have seen before, it really is a great book, and now for sale through her website.

There's something special, though, that you should know. She's released 56 signed copies of the book, that also come with a special "found poetry" edition of the book. This copy gives you a section to add to, and then leave for someone else to find. The books will be tracked, and you can check up on where the books are and what has been added. It's really a great project idea, and there aren't too many left (as far as I know) so I'd get to getting if you want to get yourself a little Christmas gift.

It's £12.99, and you can buy it by clicking here

You can also get a normal version of the book, not signed, from lulu for $15 by visiting that site. Or just by going to lulu.com and searching "twee".

Life

Right now I'm just finishing up a very difficult semester of work. I've had a project that I've been working on non-stop since I started in September, and it's getting to crunch time so I'm a bit sparse in answering notes and comments as of right now. Many apologies for that.

I am renovating, as well. This has not only taken up a larger part of my time, but also stopped me from playing with my Wii. It's going to be pretty sweet when it is finished, and right now I'm expecting to be done by next Monday. We'll see if that works out.

Leadership

Canadian politics time. All other citizens of the world can stop reading.

The Liberal Party of Canada recently held their leadership convention to determine who would replace former PM and Finance Minister Paul Martin. With the Liberals falling further behind than ever, it was an absolutely important event for the landscape of Canadian politics.

The top two candidates were two people that I would never ever want to see even in the runnings for Prime Minster. The first was Michael Ignatieff, a man who has spent most of the last 10 years outside of the country, teaching and basically ignoring the political landscape. He seemed to be very opportunistic, and loved the attention more than he wanted to actually make any kind of a difference. The second is Bob Rae. The man who pretty much destroyed the province of Ontario by putting them in billions of dollars in debt and leaving it to the incoming Conservative Government who took all the slack for the cuts that were necessary to make the province livable again.

However, there were two I liked. Gerard Kennedy and Stephane Dion. The former was a no go, because he can't speak french. Sorry, you lose. The latter, however, was a decent choice given the spread. Dion was a minister to the Chretien government as well as the Martin government. He had the experience, didn't screw up too badly (see Kyoto) and legitimately seemed like he wanted to change things. Guess what, he won. Go figure.

Their party and the system is still in general disarray. They all seemed so interested in "winning" elections and the people that they forget that politics should NOT be a contest. They should be more focussed on fulfilling the needs of the country, and less focus on sugaring up voters just to get attention and then basically saying "Oops, turns out we can't do that."

Ugh. Good luck, Canada.

lyrics

oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life

]]> `coshdaddy Head first http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10836520/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10836520/ Fri, 24 Nov 2006 16:17:46 PST
I was going to spend some time fancying up this journal with some new CSS, but it was really impeding my ability to actually write the damn thing, so I have changed that. Besides, if my idea had panned out, I would just be bragging.

Casino Royale

Well, there's a lot to be said about this flick. Which, I guess, shows one of two things. It's a movie worth talking about, or I'm clearly too obsessed with the nuances of James Bond. That or I just like pedestrian flicks and movie contemporaries would look on my analysis with disgust. I'll be brief, regardless.

Daniel Craig is not James Bond. Pretty simple statement. He's got the intensity, that's for sure, but he lacks the subtle humour of Bond, and takes on a much more direct approach to the laughs. I think if I was going to applaud anything, I would applaud the writers for getting the dialog down extremely well. It just wasn't executed in the same swarthy mannerisms that Connery, Moore and others have done it so well in the past.

The movie itself is a fine action flick. As a Bond movie, though, it lacks. For one, continuity. For some reason, the later M of the series (Judy Dench) is meant to be the first. The technology does not reflect the original cold war start of the series that was more strongly depicted in the original story by Fleming.

Poker in the movie was predictable and anti-climatic. And considering it composes 40 minutes of the movie, not really something I'd prefer. Villain was fine, although the story and desperation of his actions made him kind of weak in the end. The plot itself is alright. Follows the story well enough, I suppose. Cinematography is definitely up to snuff, and the action is intense. The Parkour scene at the beginning is wicked. Best scene, really.

So, I'd recommend checking it out. It's better than the last 3 movies for sure. Sorry, Pierce, but they put you in the biggest flops ever.

Wiiiiiiiiii

Yes, I'm a loser. Yes, I'm a geek. Yes, I waited almost half a day in a line-up in the bitter Canadian cold to get a Nintendo Wii. Yes, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

After seeing the movie, my friends and I (all of us) headed to a nearby retailer in order to ready ourselves for a night of madness and Tim Hortons runs. We showed up at about 10:30 PM or so and there was already a line-up. My original intention was to come by early in the morning, but with a line-up forming and I already knowing how many were coming in (talked to the manager). So, we all broke out the prepared folding chairs and laptops and set out for a night of pizza and donuts. Long story short, I got mine.

It's a lot of fun, the few times I've already played it. I had a moment the other night, while playing Legend of Zelda, that just kind of dawned on me. Just looked at how I was playing the game, and really understood why I was so excited about this thing. It's really a lot of fun. And already knowing about 20 people who own one makes it really easy to prepare for online play when it launches next year.

Task

I'll end this off with a favour to the loyal reader. You may ask me any question you want, and I will do my best to answer as honestly as possible. Ask away.

lyrics

oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life

]]> `coshdaddy Between the crosses... http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10662534/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10662534/ Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:43:34 PST Remembrance Day (or Armistice Day for you Brits, apparently). It's always been a day that I've embraced, both for family history and my respect and fondness for history in general.

I don't have anything in particular to announce, otherwise, and I'll have information on the subject when the date (November 11th) approaches.

For now, please go show some love for Literature Gallery Update #8, which gives you the lowdown on the latest in literature.

thanks

I want to thank `newklear for his excellent CSS tutorial that helped make this journal possible. You rock, kind sir.

I also should thank stock.xchng once again, as well as muetze777 for the fantastic stock photo I was provided.

]]> `coshdaddy Please to be reading my journal http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10638017/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10638017/ Mon, 06 Nov 2006 15:21:30 PST
BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

Back on track, though.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Yes, I did type that without looking it up. How I can remember that but forget to bring my wallet to work 3/5 days a week, I'll never know. I had been looking forward to seeing this flick for quite some time. Being one of the 8 people across the globe to actually find Ali G in da House funny, I figured that this would be another refresher for me. Difference here is, though, that almost everyone was finding this one hilarious. I guess that raises expectations a little bit.

The movie was exactly as I'm describing it: a movie. That, beyond all other things, surprised me to death. It had a healthy combination of interviews and accosting random people, along with some plot involving Borat and his pursuit of Pamela Anderson for to make his wife. Had all the highs and lows that you'd expect of a normal, cliché drama, and because it was clearly a farce, that made it just too funny.

For big Borat fans, they will probably have seen most of the interviews and jokes that arise from them. However, the actual scripted work is just as funny, especially to those growing bored of watching the same Borat videos on YouTube every week. It was outrageously offensive, gross in a lot of places, and meant to make you turn away or just cringe at least every 20 minutes or so. Overall, though, it accomplished what it needed to. Didn't draw on too long, either, as I never found myself looking for my watch (I do that a lot) and got in all Borat's best up to know + lots of new, terribly offensive and hilarious material. It's scary, but this is pretty much the defining comedy of our times. It's Jackass, without the self-serving "Look at me!" attitude. It's American Pie, without the uninteresting wide-eyed characters of bored stereotypical 20-year-old teens talking about sex (Yeah, I know, I took a lot out of the movie there, didn't I). If you're a big movie buff, you won't walk away with a lot, but if you haven't already, it's about time you got a look at how people react when the blinders are taken off, and at just how ridiculous we all look sometimes.

CHANGE PLACES

I finally got a new chapter of The Messenger written. There are some errors that I need to fix, and some continuity problems that made me twinge when I re-read it this morning, but there was a very weird feeling I got when reading it over again. For some reason, all the quotations and apostrophes had a \ added to the front of them. This was an error that used to occur when submitting during the pre-v3 era (I believe). I have always thought that the first two chapters were the best in the series, and they were the original ones to suffer this slash-fest. Seeing this chapter with that, and reading over the style, it brought me back to that original focus I saw when I first started. I might actually end this well. But, who knows.

HOUSE NOOOOOOOO

lyrics

There's a TV in every room
And it's free, even pay-per-view
Which you'll need if no one's going to visit you
Animal, fucking animal

]]> `coshdaddy Bump in the note http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10516980/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10516980/ Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:45:04 PDT
I've been experiencing a couple of weird problems over the last few evenings. I basically came home and had about 100 notes, a very big abnormality for me, I assure you. All of them from Nobody, an even bigger normality. All of them with the exact same text:

From the Lost Castle came
Walking two by two
The Devil Hunter and the Monkey King
Searching on the Winterfall
For the Sinner and the Queen
Of Eternity

Your guess is as good as mine. I've heard there are some spooky things going on these days, as it does happen to be that time of year. I know I had my share of haunting toils last year.

Good luck.

lyrics

Smooth isn't effortless, soon doesn't wallow
In a poet's hands awakened
She's a moderate sexual artist

]]> `coshdaddy I don't even know 11 people... http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10476014/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10476014/ Sun, 22 Oct 2006 12:39:14 PDT

My hand has been forced by that girl holding all the cards. Stolen from ^imperfect.

The rules:
* List 11 things you want to say to 11 different people.
* Don't say who they pertain to.
* Feel free to comment, but don't confirm or answer anything.
* Never discuss it again.

1) I don't call you because I'm frustrated. I hated the fact that it was, for years, me phoning people up after I left and never getting so much as a "hey" back. So I gave up. I'm glad I did, too, because the people that actually have called me are the people I really want to see. Happy Birthday, though, we had some good times.

2) I'd enjoy your company more if I didn't resent you so much sometimes. I often wonder if I really dislike you, or all the people around you who just let you act the way you do without caring, and even, in fact, encouraging. I'm worried you'll crash, and I'll just not care.

3) We need to talk more, if at all. You probably don't know it, but a lot of what you did set me up for a lot of good, and I've never thanked you enough for that.

4) I hope you're feeling happier, like you're letting on. We all get like that, sometimes, and it's not worth tilling your own grave over. Things'll work out if we put the effort into them.

5) I know we kind of brushed off what happened. Well, maybe it seemed like I did. I'd forgotten for a long time. You need to stop beating yourself over it, I think, or maybe you've already stopped. I think whatever force out there made the rules made them for us to be happy, not to be as guilty as we make ourselves out to be. Be happy, damnit.

6) I am probably a source for your seeming unhappiness. Or at least part of it. I'm sorry for that, but I'd rather know if you're really pissed, so let me know. I can deal with outward anger, but the kind that sits in the corner glaring and spitting without emerging fully is the kind that'll eat you up.

7) You're good people. even if you don't think so. Being a good friend is more than most people can do, so props to you for being that and more to a lot of people.

8) I do feel guilty for not laveshing attention publically over you more often, you know. I'm more of a coward than I let on, but I think you might know that by now. I'm still strong enough to say I love you and mean it, though. And I do, as crazy as it makes us, love you.

9) You know more about me than most people, but still not very much at all. I value my own company more often than most others, because at least I get my own jokes. Funny thing is, you tend to, as well. I'm not trying to shut anyone out, there's just nothing to let in.

10) As much as you piss me off, we get along when other people aren't around. You need to stop thinking about how other people perceive you more, as much as you think you don't, before you shut everyone out and end up thinking that's just because you're better. You're not.

11) If I've gained anything from our encounters, it's that money doesn't make people happy on its own. If you've got the ability to get whatever you want, it makes getting it less fun. I've always been happy with my menial purchases, like a coke or a good meal, and will be gloating for hours or days. Don't know why that is, because it's not like I don't spend money on useless, expensive things. I just know that eventually, those will be replaced. Some things you can't replace, and those tend to be the little ones.

And the second is this:

I have desperately tried to see two movies, that I have been waiting for for ages, and have been completely unsuccessful. Out of all the crap I've waded through for the last year, I manage to miss out on two films I am actually genuinely interested in. These, of course, being The Departed and The Prestige. Bah. I've also kind of wanted to catch Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, but that was a long shot.

I've decided I am saving my story for NaNo, and I will finish it. I've also got another one I've started, which was inspired by some song I heard, and can't remember which one. No matter, it's grown on me now and isn't going away.

I am going to offer a years sub to anyone that comes up with a cool CSS for me. That's not saying I will give it to anyone that comes up with just anything, but something that makes me go "Holy crap!" and fits my style effectively. Otherwise, I'll just it myself, and then no one wins. This is a nonchelant contest that I'm just making on the spot, but it'll give someone a chance to have their own CSS skills to work on. I've already helped a few people out in this regard, so you should ha... ]]> `coshdaddy Into the pocket http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10324752/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10324752/ Sun, 08 Oct 2006 11:44:07 PDT Well...mostly.

2. The Tragically Hip are releasing their newest album on October 17th. World Container looks to be a lot like their last venture, but the newest song almost has me thinking of Phantom Power's really light, but fun, sound. So, I look forward to it, and so should you. You will become attached at the hip.

3. Contests, contests, contests! Yes, we're having a couple of those. Right now, I am helping out =GunShyMartyr with his prose contest, and I'm simply being a happy onlooker for ^imperfect/^PoeticWar's new poetry one. Give them both a try, if you can. Should be awesome.

Also, in terms of dA stuff going on, *suture is back in some capacity and we should all be excited. I am, so do as I say. Check out their latest journal to get involved in their newest work. I know a lot of people are interested in helping out on dA, and the people involved are very interesting, well-respected folk around here, so it's a win-win.

4. Uhm, I'm forgetting something... oh yeah. HOCKEY!!!

Yes, I'm fulfilling my stereotypical obligation to be overly excited towards our unofficial national sport. I'm in a variety of pools, but if any dA fellows want to start a Yahoo! pool, let me know and I will take you on. Maybe, anyway. No promises!

5. This article on Wired.com has kind of shown me the obvious path for advertising I've had in mind for a long time. I've had long conversations with my friends in or going into the industry that the future of immersive gaming would involve more ad integration. I, personally, have never seen a problem with this. I think in the right settings, it might actually help the consumer (cheaper games, no monthly fee for MMOs, etc.) and create a certain level of realism if done correctly.

6. My new job has started out with less a bang than a BANG! It's tough, it's rough, but it's a lot of fun and my boss really wants me to do well and learn. Good thing I'm pretty much ready to do that. Problem is, I need to learn a lot of new things, and there's always a curve associated with that education that is not condusive to a quick moving project. Needless to say, I'm going a bit loopy. Things should slow down soon.

7. I have slowed down buying CDs recently. One, it's expensive. Two, not a lot of good ones have arisen recently. Three, I've picked up another habit. I've been reading a lot of books, mostly ones that people tell me to. On ^imperfect's suggestion, I purchased the parallel novels Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow by Orsen Scott Card. Both very good, though I preferred the former a bit more. Found Ender to be a stronger character, personally. I might hold off on reading the others now, and move on to something a bit more traditional. I picked up A Scanner Darkly after having wanted to read it from seeing the film, and `fleet21 saying it was "The best eva'". I'll be getting The Crying of Lot 49 via =vivus' thumbsup, and =sumants said that Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance was greatly superior to Such a Long Journey, which I greatly enjoyed, so I'll be grabbing that one in due time. Needless to say, I'm a bit busy.

On the CD track, though, I did buy Straight Outta Lynwood after happily learning that not only was Weird Al not dead, he was making some of his best work ever. Good tunes.

8. I'm planning on writing a short story called The Wishing Tree for this fall. I know, I know, the name is pretty lame. I may change it, for that fact and that it is a book by Marjarie Darcene Person. I was originally planning to have it as part of the next Vintage, but alas, I have not had a chance to get it rolling since I have been on the move.
`coshdaddy nextmap http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10219569/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10219569/ Thu, 28 Sep 2006 20:07:33 PDT best behaviour.

I'm going to be switching IPs, so to speak. Not sure when I'll be back, or under what circumstances, but it'll be new and interesting.

It's been a wicked month, and it's not slowing down yet. This week has been especially trying, but I expect once I get into my new place, new locale, that I'll be much better.

lyrics

Smooth isn't effortless, soon doesn't wallow
In a poet's hands awakened
She's a moderate sexual artist

]]> `coshdaddy Wiiflections http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10113135/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10113135/ Mon, 18 Sep 2006 15:26:37 PDT
Well, if you're a big video game fan you should already know this. If you're not, you won't care. So, my audience at this point is rather limited, but I figure at least I'll read this a year from now and shake my head at the poor ignorant fool, so hopeful and wide-eyed for the year ahead.

Nintendo finally unveiled their hand at a press conference last week, showing their mild set, that may just beat Sony's current cards in the race for video game supremacy, but maybe people at this point thought that they could've had a straight-flush and have bluffed out their fanbase in a big way. I'll drop the poker reference now.

Wii. The aptly titled next-generation console from Nintendo will be launching this November 19th, a Sunday, in North America. Followed shortly by a December launch for Japan and Europe. The price for their system? $249.99 USD.

If you're like me, you basically shrugged at this news. For most hopeful, salivating fanboys, this was pretty much the worst case scenario. When Nintendo promised a system before Thanksgiving (US) and at a price lower than 250 dollars, it wasn't the hope that they'd cut it that close. But, alas, for those eager to get their hands on this era-ushering hardware, it matters not. The long, lauded wait is coming quickly to a close.

But once the weight of that sinks in, we're faced with more questions than ever. We're also given more answers, and most of these are what make my faith in Nintendo's future waiver significantly. What of the brilliant colours promised? Nope, you're stuck with white on launch. Hey, doesn't sound like a big deal, right? Yeah, we'll let it slide. Metroid, it's still launching with the system, right? Nope. Oh, well, are the games region encoded? NOPE! Oh, wait, yes they are. Oops. Online right out of the box, so when can we expect to play online? Next year, with Pokémon's newest release. Are you kidding?

This shouldn't sound too unfamiliar to anyone who has followed the company like Lemmings since their own conception. With the release of the Nintendo 64, and especially with the Gamecube, Nintendo showed at E3 the most impressive line-up, with the most fabulous ideas for innovation that made the crowd jump and cheer. Funny thing was, we never saw half of it. In fact, some of it is still riding into this generation without full integration into Nintendo's product line, like online gaming, like the new Zelda game, like more interaction with their handheld system (The Nintendo DS / GBA [for Gamecube]).

An article on GameInformer Online goes into better detail about these things, as I was a bit young and naive to really catch on to anything other than "OMG PILOTWINGS" back in those days.

Alright, so, we should be cautious. We now know that. But what about the competition? Surely Sony and Microsoft can not compete with this new system, offering a totally new way to experience gaming. Well, you'd like the think that, but you're wrong.

I hear a lot of people saying that this is the end of the road for Sony, and as much as part of me wants to believe that, as the company has been stifling innovation in the industry for a long time now, it's just not going to happen. People said the same thing about PS2 when it first came out. With barely any games to speak of, and greatly reduced graphical power compared to the initial specs, PS2 was supposed to be the last boat of their videogame fleet. Who knew that with a weak line-up, slow start and significantly higher priced software and hardware that they would end up trouncing Nintendo in a way that no one could ever expect? Why? Nintendo gave up.

Microsoft, who I shunned from a very early stage as having no business in the industry, is now promoting more growth from the independent programmer. Microsoft, what?! Exactly. Their system got the year head start, has pushed out some bestsellers and must-haves before the other guys have even pushed out of the starting line. Their online service is simply the best available right now, is profitable, and offers the ability for the independent programmer to make their own games in their Live Marketplace Arcade. Console utopia can't be that far away. Nintendo is still on shaky grounds in this case, and Sony (although recently acquiring xFire, a very solid, online system) has professed that they are keeping their initial stance of "Let the other companies take care of it." Both are begging to trip over their own feet.

Nothing is a better symbol for this than the Wii. People think this was a masterful device, something that will shape the industry, but when it comes down to it, it was Nintendo's... ]]> `coshdaddy Rebirth http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10018861/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/10018861/ Sat, 09 Sep 2006 11:43:46 PDT
Renaissance Contest

This thing is a pretty cool little exercise. Basically, you write a short story in the setting of the film (You can check out the press notes for a whole lot of details about the movie that you might not get from the news article). There's some digital art stuff, too, movie posters and comics, both of which are pretty cool endeavours. I saw the trailer for the film a while back, so getting involved in this was quite an exciting prospect. I encourage everyone to give it a try so I can scrutinize what you do with extreme prejudice.

And now:

Life things. Started my new job, and it's been a rather slow paced beginning. Days in the office are not great, but my team is awesome and I hope that things will pick up soon. I'm working with a lot of stuff I know, Java, Ant, JUnit, etc. My programming teacher would be proud.

Crank

Well, it very much accomplished what it had set out to do. Silly, fast, action-filled movie. It had some just absolutely stupid moments, but it more than made up for it in senseless, fast-paced action. Director tries some interesting techniques, that usually just look like bad trailer fodder. Some of it works, some of it is just blantant DePalma rip-offs. All and all, a movie based on the premise that a hired killer has to keep his adreneline flowing or he dies, what do you really want? Some guy with the power of invincibility on a revenge-inspired rampage with no sense of his own safety destroying everyone and everything he can? Yep, and that's what you get. Action junkies will enjoy.

lyrics

I, I feel like I wouldn't like me if I met me.
And I, I feel like you wouldn't like me if you met me.

]]> `coshdaddy Oh No! http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/9935588/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/9935588/ Fri, 01 Sep 2006 22:51:46 PDT
I do not normally post links to this website, so please forgive me. However, I've found a pretty cool band thanks to the miracle of advertising, and would like to share it. They are called Oh No! Oh My! and are from Austin, Texas. It's been great music to end off the summer with, very upbeat, very They Might Be Giants almost Eels and edges a few other bands I like, as well. I'll be ordering their CD some time in the future. You can check out the link under their name there, which leads to a spot you can listen to a few of their tracks at.

Speaking of spending, I've dropped a bunch of my hard earned cash on some useless things that will make me happy. A bad-ass fleece sweater and very overpriced comic collection that I already own in paperback.

I'll go into my movie bit now:

Little Miss Sunshine

This was one of the more satisfying movies I've caught this summer. Very offbeat dark comedy that kept me grinning. I'm a growing fan of Steve Carrell's, and he continues to impress me and most critics in general. The movie basically follows a family on an unlikely roadtrip to appease the dreams of the youngest, Olive, in her dream to be a beauty pageant queen. Not without it's very silly jokes and situations, the movie tends to focus a lot on the character's interactions to develop the humour, and since the whole family is basically insane in their own way. I'm keeping this one on my top recommendations, but it's not for everyone. If you're not into comedy, it's sure not going to turn your head, but it's a great indie flick and worth a watch for most.

Beerfest

Well, there's not alot you can say about Beerfest. I went to see it with a few of my friends who every year celebrate our own Beerfest to kick off the summer, so the title and content suggested that this was a have to watch rather than a simple want to watch. It's very stupid. Stupid, but funny. Give it to Broken Lizard (writers/stars) for getting the odd joke in there that just kills, but the movie as a whole has some very face-palm moments that are hard to get over. Could've been better, but it had beer, babes, and beer, and that's what it advertised. You get what you pay for in this one, so if you're not interested in drunken humour, belching, random scenes of nudity and general lowbrow comedy, you should probably stick to your Zimas and Smirnoff Ices. Ja.

I'll be seeing the Illusionist and Crank sometime soon, so that'll probably be the next set. Nothing is definite, though, and if I can manage to find a theatre or showing of This Film Is Not Yet Rated that'll be my one pick of the week.

lyrics

Whatever is in front of me, is colouring my view
So I can't see what I'm seeing, in fact,
I only see what I'm looking through.

]]> `coshdaddy Of Surveys and Snakes http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/9816186/ http://coshdaddy.deviantart.com/journal/9816186/ Tue, 22 Aug 2006 13:07:51 PDT