There’s not much to say about living in Chicago (or Chi-town, as the locals call it). It reminds me of living in New York, but people seem more inclined to look at you while they are walking. You don’t see too many people wandering around alone, either. In NYC, you have the power-walkers, in their self important buisiness suits, carving a speed-run down Canal St. with the dim blue of their headsets tinting the 99% recycled paper cups of their Starbucks coffee. Here, even the messenger boys have partners riding down the streets with them. A dynamic duo of coked up college dropouts earning cash to support their studio flats and extensive record collection. Most notably, presses of Pavement and Wilco decorating their walls.

It’s a bit lonely up here. Moving from an urban area that I grew up in, to a faux-urban area I went to school in, to an urban area with a clean slate is a bit of an undertaking.

I don’t really feel like becomming a bar rat and hunting down friends.

I’m not saying it’s not my fault, I’m just saying I’m lonely.

I’m writing more on my other blog. If you know where to find it, enjoy. Otherwise, hold your breath.

I’ve been trying to get back into art, especially after talking with someone who happens to be an exceptionally talented artist. Here’s my insomniac sketch.

So I apparently suck at keeping this up to date, so I guess I’ll try to play a bit of catch up for the moment.

I went to GDC (www.gdconf.com) and it was amazing. I’m hoping to hear back from some of the companies before I have to start pestering, because I don’t want to seem overly desperate to get a job. Even though I guess I am.

School’s done for me, all I have to do is walk now and grab my diploma cover. I guess that makes me a college grad, which is kind of a weird proposition.

I’m starting to fill my life with new, interesting, and less dangerous people. I won’t go to in depth into that so I don’t get my hopes up too high.

I just got over a horrible cold, and now I’m feeling fresh, and ready to face the world, whatever it can throw at me.

So I guess that’s about all I have. I spend way more time writing on my “fiction” blog, so if you want to get a skewed view of what I’m up to, or maybe a good laugh or cry, go ahead and have at.

Let’s celebrate this time, now.

Here ya go kiddo:

1.) Mix Tape – Brand New (this is only because I didn’t have a good version of Mix Tape by The Ataris )

2.) This is Our Commitment – AtomBombPocketKnife

3.) Bad Sects – Cursive

4.) Special K – Placebo

5.) The Face of the Earth – The Dismemberment Plan

6.) Worked Up So Sexual – The Faint

7.) Do You Still Hate Me? – Jawbreaker

8.) Midwestern Stylings – glassJAw

9.) Treehouse – Nada Surf

10.) So Down On – Rival Schools

11.) Birdhouse in Your Soul – They Might Be Giants ( I had to, the song has been stuck in my head for months)

12.) Every You, Every Me (remix) – Sneaker Pimps

13.) Fans – Kings of Leon

14.) After Hours – The Velvet Underground

Hope you like it, or at least get a kick out of it. I don’t think I could create something so messed up ever again.

http://partyvan.info/index.php/Project_Chanology

I may not agree with their motivations, but I’m sure as hell down for their fight.

I’m finding it hard to keep up with both fiction and fact, and I’m starting to let the two blend together in my mind. I’ve been writing more earnestly on my other blog, but it may just be out of familiarity with the subjects I like.

Another writer once told me that I should be comfortable in “writing what I know”, and not so preoccupied with how it comes out. She had some trouble trying to come out as funny, even though she can be quite funny in person. I like to think I can be as well, but rarely (if ever) do I get the chance to use wit in my ramblings and streams of consciousness. I feel that the less preoccupied with delivering a punchline I am, the more likely I am to strike at someones heart or mind. I like feeling like I can affect someone other than me.

I’ve been quite under the weather, and I think I’m being distant. Sometimes I like leaving others wondering if I’m alright, so long as they don’t ask me all the time. It’s an atrocious habit, but a hard one to break.

I finally went out and bought an HDMI cable for my PS3, which in turn means I no longer feel guilty about buying blu-ray Disks. Between the three stores I’ve visited, I’ve already got a couple of hundred dollars of movies in Hi-Def. Here’s a couple of my favorites:

Paprika

The story was about a machine that allows you to go into another persons dreams, and share it with them. The machine gets into the wrong hands, and a supposed “Dream-Terrorist” starts manipulating and imposing dreams on people.It gets to the point that the affected people start having dreams while they are awake. The animation was crisp and beautiful throughout the film, and the characters are some of the best I’ve seen thus far. Any fan of Perfect Blue or Paranoia Agent is sure to love this film, and thats about the best recommendation I can give.

The Fountain

This director is another one of my favorites, and as such I walked into this movie with a huge bias. That being said, I found the visuals stunning (especially in High Definition) and the story line moving. Both of the stars of the movie take on their roles amazingly, which is surprising because I consider Hugh Jackman to be the Kevin Bacon of this current generation. That man is in everything, and I want to hate him based on that, but looking at some of his more recent films, it’s not a bad thing. I’d suggest it as a renter unless you have an HD capable player and television, or you just really like walking out of movies heartbroken and melancholy.

Quick Hits:

Aeon Flux – Story line made me want to die, but the movie is gorgeous. Awesome for HD, don’t bother in standard def.

Ultraviolet – Same as Aeon, enjoy it in a theater.

300 – I still want to fight Persians.

A Scanner Darkly – Such a great movie, if you don’t own this or haven’t seen it, we can’t be friends.

Resident Evil Trilogy – I’ve only watched extinction on BDVD, but it looked great, and the story wasn’t as terrible as 2, or any of the games for that matter. A guilty pleasure, sure, but thats my thing (see Aeon Flux and Ultraviolet).

I never check my pockets for loose change and receipts when I put them in the wash. I tend to take out my bad days on those around me. When other people tell me to lose hope, I do. I’m not brave every day. I can be stuck up. I think of myself first. I can’t cook a meatloaf. I can’t smile when I’m upset.

There’s far too many reasons that she is the most amazing, beautiful, talented, funny and charming person on the planet, and for those of you that don’t know her, just know that she is the reason I’m here today, in more ways than one.

I love you Mom, Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday dear me, Happy Birthday to me!

…and many more.

Between the short-sighted shenanigans that happened with our beta turn-in (Note to fellow programmers. If your boss wants you to have your game running on a test machine, I don’t care how many different machines you test it on, just make sure you run your build on the test machine BEFORE you pull an all-nighter adding in finishing touches). and the immense amounts of “I’m sorry, I can’t make it out this weekend” pitches that I’ve been getting, I’ve attempted to remove myself for  day. I’m fighting to get my head straight, and I think I’m winning.

BIRTHDAY INFO:

As much as I love planning my own birthday madness, I can’t come up with any definitive plans due to the random statuses of everyone who I’ve invited. So far I think the plan is as follows:

Get Together in a couple of cars (anyone want to DD?)

Head to a bar (Rivals off of alafaya is one of the few bars I’m cool with in the area, though I’m down for whatever)

Drink.

Pirate Shots.

Drink.

Go somewhere with everyone and continue drinking and bullshitting until people pass out or leave.

Clean, simple. Let me know if you need any more details, or if you want to come.