Took my visual communications teacher's advice and did a bit of wandering and looking today. I like to wander and walk in the first place, but I paid more attention to the things around me this time. Well...most of the time. Seemed like the only time I ever completely zoned out was in the middle of a busy street. Probably not a good place. I walked for about an hour and a half from my doctor's office, ignoring all the buses on one street. I was tempted to walk all the way home, but the bus that goes to my house pulled up just as I was walking by the stop. Anyhow, I looked at the fronts of people's houses. These houses were the small, boxy and rectangular kind, but it was amazing how different they were. I saw at least 2 bright purple houses, a lime green one, more pink ones than I thought existed, a REALLY bright blue one and another in which I spent a few minutes deciding whether it was yellow or green (I settled on grellow). A lot of people had cute little bird-baths, wooden crafty things, wind chimes, and ceramic animals, which told me someone who likes nature, crafty items or decorating lived there. The houses with little upkeep, overgrown yards, worn-down siding, rotting porches and sidewalks with weeds growing between the cracks told me the owners were either busy, old or lazy (or all of those). One house was the perfect "I capture and eat children for breakfast then use their bones to build common appliances and furniture". I'm not exactly sure how you'd build an appliance out of bones...but definitely furniture. The entire house was run-down, bushes growing over and covering the path leading up to it. Weeds were everywhere and the grass was already starting to get unruly. Cracks in the wall, broken shutters on the windows, a very steep grey-shingled roof and a very un-kept sidewalk. Might have been a little creepier because the sun was blocked by clouds and it was raining. All that was missing was the thunder and lightning. Running away from that tangent before it gets any longer...I also saw houses that were perfectly clean, up-kept, plain, painted, and had straight, even and evenly green lawns. I'm guessing neat freaks and perfectionists live in those ones. A lot of them had sitting areas and lawn chairs out front for people who like to sit and relax, watch the world and chug coffee. People who had kids were easy to identify when toys or bikes were lying out front. Not too many of those. Another rarity was houses with nice gardens. I only saw about two or three of those. I guess people are too busy to work for hours on those things. Either people who love to garden or old people lived in those ones.
All in all I just found it interesting. I may do my coms project on it, but I'm not too sure yet. I keep getting new ideas. I think I'm just excited about running around taking pictures of random things, creeping people out at the same time. I just love how our prof is encouraging us to stare at people at school or on the train, and look at things we normally wouldn't. And that sounds really...creepy. Muaha
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Bitterness, Laziness or Sparcity
Because I really can't tell anymore. I need to find a job, but here's my problem: Calgary seems to suck for the kind of jobs I want. My only option seems to be retail, and I'm sick of retail. I'm also running out of money. Calgary is a good city, but the job focus here is on oil, business and all the jobs that go with it. That and the only other jobs offered are mundane, repetitive, require X amount of years in experience, or skills I don't have. Working with kids, pets and plants would be interesting. There are some jobs in those fields, mostly camp directors, recreation workers and landscaping (I highly doubt I could do landscaping). The only problem with these jobs is that it involves LIVING things. I have good intentions, but knowing me I'd accidentally hurt, kill or face a law suit. Maybe with a little training and slightly more sleep I could pull it off....but I need to find it first. I'm staying away from the food industry unless it involves candy. I'd get tables, food and orders confused. AND I'M A CLUTZ. I'd spill half the stuff I carry.
Then to add problems to my job search, the workplace must be withing walking distance or close to transit, and if that's the case I couldn't work at night...because I meet tons of weirdos on the train IN THE DAYTIME. I remember taking the bus at 11pm with a friend one night, and a guy was on the phone talking about finding a guy and beating him up. Then two drunk girls got on. My point is that Calgary transit sucks, and that I can't work 1 hour away from my home, and it cannot be an evening shift (unless it's a bus...buses are safer than trains...most the time). Honestly...I could write a whole other entry about all the strange people I've met on the train. Creepy Zoo guy, spitting man, crazy neurotic lady and her escort, praying out-loud lady, and that creepy young guy who always smiles at you...and doesn't stop.
If I had it my way I'd be writing, reading, editing, making videos, designing layouts, researching cool things, working at a museum, working at library (prolly my last choice...too quiet...), working in a bookstore, working in a game store, reviewing things, cateloguing things, organizing stuff, running tours, working at information desks, playing video games all day...(yeah you're already doing that hun...just aren't being paid for it). I know what I like, I know what I want to do, it's just finding a way to do it is so difficult, and it recquires a bit of motivation. I NEED that motivation.
So what does a English and History major do in such a stiff, business city? Complain a bit first. Then run around begging companies completely relevant to your interests to take you on, even for FREE in hopes that they'll eventually pay you. After that doesn't work start looking for semi-relevant jobs with the same false hopes. Then look for anything that pays something other than minimum wage. That will probably work, but if all else fails I'm resorting to my back-up plan. To become a traveling hobo. At least I'll see the world ;)
Then to add problems to my job search, the workplace must be withing walking distance or close to transit, and if that's the case I couldn't work at night...because I meet tons of weirdos on the train IN THE DAYTIME. I remember taking the bus at 11pm with a friend one night, and a guy was on the phone talking about finding a guy and beating him up. Then two drunk girls got on. My point is that Calgary transit sucks, and that I can't work 1 hour away from my home, and it cannot be an evening shift (unless it's a bus...buses are safer than trains...most the time). Honestly...I could write a whole other entry about all the strange people I've met on the train. Creepy Zoo guy, spitting man, crazy neurotic lady and her escort, praying out-loud lady, and that creepy young guy who always smiles at you...and doesn't stop.
If I had it my way I'd be writing, reading, editing, making videos, designing layouts, researching cool things, working at a museum, working at library (prolly my last choice...too quiet...), working in a bookstore, working in a game store, reviewing things, cateloguing things, organizing stuff, running tours, working at information desks, playing video games all day...(yeah you're already doing that hun...just aren't being paid for it). I know what I like, I know what I want to do, it's just finding a way to do it is so difficult, and it recquires a bit of motivation. I NEED that motivation.
So what does a English and History major do in such a stiff, business city? Complain a bit first. Then run around begging companies completely relevant to your interests to take you on, even for FREE in hopes that they'll eventually pay you. After that doesn't work start looking for semi-relevant jobs with the same false hopes. Then look for anything that pays something other than minimum wage. That will probably work, but if all else fails I'm resorting to my back-up plan. To become a traveling hobo. At least I'll see the world ;)
Friday, May 8, 2009
Silly Computers
They never like to work. I've been surprisingly lucky in getting mine to work over the last two years. Gary (my computer) has survived 2 serious viruses, multiple game crashes, overheating, battery issues, corrupt files and my attempts to run many high-capacity programs at once. I don't know as much as I'd like about how computers work and how to fix them, but I have certainly learned a lot about getting video games (especially old ones) to work on my computer. I think I've just been hella lucky! I've been trying to help a guy on YouTube get Dungeon Keeper 2 working for the past little while. The game didn't work for me either until I installed a NoCD patch, which fixed the game completely (though I still have no idea how). My problem however was that the game wouldn't even start. It would start loading, and then crash. Many people seem to have problems getting the game to work on Vista, which I too run. So I'm not exactly sure why my game runs nicely while others try the same fixes and continue to have issues. This hasn't just happened with DK2 though...Warcraft III, Half Life 1 and Dungeon Siege all have worked the same. Same with other programs like GIMP, Skype and some media players. I heard the version of GIMP (image editing program) isn't even compatible with Vista. So I think I've been hit with some sort of luck bolt. My computer runs fine (most of the time) and I've gotten a ton of things to work that others can't. Maybe it's a good combination of sound and video cards, maybe a well-built computer, or maybe I just installed/downloaded the right things at the right time in the right places...all by accident. Now if I were only that lucky in my searching for a job...
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
ARGHHHH
Sain died. Stupid Endgame level on Fire Emblem. It's late, I'm not tired, no one is on MSN, I don't feel like recording mission 15 and I need a break before I try the level from hell again. So I came here to complain about it. Yay!
Yeah so this is the last level in the 2003 Gameboy version of Fire Emblem, which is pretty amazing I must say....but I think that about all Fire Emblem games I come across...so far. That is the game is amazing and not the level, although I do get a pretty intense adrenaline rush.
*Spoiler alert*
In case you haven't played the game and want the ending to be a surprise, I'd stop reading because I'm going to be complaining about it in detail for the next few paragraphs.
ANYHOW. I sit down, turn up some epic music on my laptop and then put my headphones on when I began to get complaints seeing how it was past midnight at the time. I pick all my favourite/tough units and prepare myself for what is to come. The level is a "surprise", so you don't get to view the map before playing (although you can just start the level, have a good look and restart if you wish to do so). I threw weapons, elixirs and items at my dudes and prepared myself for what turned out to be a very long cut scene, followed by one of the more difficult final levels I have ever played. I really should make a top ten hardest final boss/endgame level list. Out of other Fire Emblem games that I have played so far I am guessing Radiant Dawn would be another hard one...because I never really reached the end because of the level before it. Sacred Stones and Path of Radiance weren't that bad. I'm currently on the final level in Shadow Dragon, but I haven't finished it yet. I'm not sure how hard Medeus is yet. The boss for Lost Kingdoms on the Gamecube would probably take number 1 and I could probably rant for hours about that as well...BUT THIS IS ABOUT FIRE EMBLEM! FOCUS!
So I watched the cutscene involving weeping merchants, a touching speech about companions and friendship by Eliwood and Nergal spewing something about power, death, my inevitable defeat...blah blah blah. I was then taken to a medium-sized rooms with seven locked doors. Three on each side and one at the very end. Nergal left you to play with his "morphs", which are like undead versions of a handful of bosses you have defeated throughout the game...with super advanced weapons, stats and skills. Imagine a tough boss, multiply it by eight (how many there are), add each weapon class (sword, axe, lance, bow, magic), throw in a couple of tough goons and it all equals to a bucket of sweat and swearing.
Every turn one of the doors is unlocked and the units in each room are unleashed. Nergal doesn't like to wait for you to finish up with the rooms one at a time. If you don't defeat the units in the room when it opens, they will continue to come after you as other doors open. Well all except the bishop dude (forget his name). He just sat there and picked his nose the whole time. Instead one of his sages ran around trying to electrocute Sain the entire time. I defeated 5 of the 8 bosses quite well. The only things effective against them seemed to be the legendary weapons and high level weapons effective against what ever weapon type the bosses were wielding. Then Linus and Lloyd came. Only about three of my units could do considerable damage against them...so an attack was inevitable during their turn. I ran out of space to run, so I decided to attack with everything I had. Athos does a lot of damage, but not enough to kill one or the other. The only chance would be if he did critical damage on his attack and killed one of the units while I focused the rest of my power against the other. I think it was Lloyd who had the brave sword....but it allowed him to attack maybe about 3/4 of my units FOUR TIMES. I can survive 2 maybe...not 4. Not only that I had no one adept with lance...meaning no one with level S lance. That would be the only other thing effective against Linus and Lloyd whom are both sword-wielders. Man...
Also...NILS IS TOO SQUISHY. You are forced to take him along, which makes sense since he's a key story character, but it doesn't really work for my strategy. I was really aggressive in this Fire Emblem. I liked to smash, squish and run-over before asking questions. In other words I'm in favour of the "rush and crush" strategy (which I mentioned on YouTube, and fail to apply in games like Starcraft...). He is a useful unit in that he can buff your units, give them extra turns etc., but he is easy to kill. When the sage pops out to fry your units with lighting, Nils is at high risk. Not only that other ranged bosses will try to kill him as well. For a short time I needed to rescue Nils. I have a feeling he is the key to defeating Lloyd and Linus, but unfortunately Lloyd killed Sain before I could play with it a bit. Why did he die? Well, let me just say I learned a valuable life lesson. 19 + 19 does NOT equal 36.
Yeah so this is the last level in the 2003 Gameboy version of Fire Emblem, which is pretty amazing I must say....but I think that about all Fire Emblem games I come across...so far. That is the game is amazing and not the level, although I do get a pretty intense adrenaline rush.
*Spoiler alert*
In case you haven't played the game and want the ending to be a surprise, I'd stop reading because I'm going to be complaining about it in detail for the next few paragraphs.
ANYHOW. I sit down, turn up some epic music on my laptop and then put my headphones on when I began to get complaints seeing how it was past midnight at the time. I pick all my favourite/tough units and prepare myself for what is to come. The level is a "surprise", so you don't get to view the map before playing (although you can just start the level, have a good look and restart if you wish to do so). I threw weapons, elixirs and items at my dudes and prepared myself for what turned out to be a very long cut scene, followed by one of the more difficult final levels I have ever played. I really should make a top ten hardest final boss/endgame level list. Out of other Fire Emblem games that I have played so far I am guessing Radiant Dawn would be another hard one...because I never really reached the end because of the level before it. Sacred Stones and Path of Radiance weren't that bad. I'm currently on the final level in Shadow Dragon, but I haven't finished it yet. I'm not sure how hard Medeus is yet. The boss for Lost Kingdoms on the Gamecube would probably take number 1 and I could probably rant for hours about that as well...BUT THIS IS ABOUT FIRE EMBLEM! FOCUS!
So I watched the cutscene involving weeping merchants, a touching speech about companions and friendship by Eliwood and Nergal spewing something about power, death, my inevitable defeat...blah blah blah. I was then taken to a medium-sized rooms with seven locked doors. Three on each side and one at the very end. Nergal left you to play with his "morphs", which are like undead versions of a handful of bosses you have defeated throughout the game...with super advanced weapons, stats and skills. Imagine a tough boss, multiply it by eight (how many there are), add each weapon class (sword, axe, lance, bow, magic), throw in a couple of tough goons and it all equals to a bucket of sweat and swearing.
Every turn one of the doors is unlocked and the units in each room are unleashed. Nergal doesn't like to wait for you to finish up with the rooms one at a time. If you don't defeat the units in the room when it opens, they will continue to come after you as other doors open. Well all except the bishop dude (forget his name). He just sat there and picked his nose the whole time. Instead one of his sages ran around trying to electrocute Sain the entire time. I defeated 5 of the 8 bosses quite well. The only things effective against them seemed to be the legendary weapons and high level weapons effective against what ever weapon type the bosses were wielding. Then Linus and Lloyd came. Only about three of my units could do considerable damage against them...so an attack was inevitable during their turn. I ran out of space to run, so I decided to attack with everything I had. Athos does a lot of damage, but not enough to kill one or the other. The only chance would be if he did critical damage on his attack and killed one of the units while I focused the rest of my power against the other. I think it was Lloyd who had the brave sword....but it allowed him to attack maybe about 3/4 of my units FOUR TIMES. I can survive 2 maybe...not 4. Not only that I had no one adept with lance...meaning no one with level S lance. That would be the only other thing effective against Linus and Lloyd whom are both sword-wielders. Man...
Also...NILS IS TOO SQUISHY. You are forced to take him along, which makes sense since he's a key story character, but it doesn't really work for my strategy. I was really aggressive in this Fire Emblem. I liked to smash, squish and run-over before asking questions. In other words I'm in favour of the "rush and crush" strategy (which I mentioned on YouTube, and fail to apply in games like Starcraft...). He is a useful unit in that he can buff your units, give them extra turns etc., but he is easy to kill. When the sage pops out to fry your units with lighting, Nils is at high risk. Not only that other ranged bosses will try to kill him as well. For a short time I needed to rescue Nils. I have a feeling he is the key to defeating Lloyd and Linus, but unfortunately Lloyd killed Sain before I could play with it a bit. Why did he die? Well, let me just say I learned a valuable life lesson. 19 + 19 does NOT equal 36.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Just Finished Exams
Is it bad that I am already excited for my spring courses? They aren't even degree requirements really; they are options I WANTED to take. Ever since I heard about Game Theory and Strategical Thinking in economics I was all over it. Seems like the perfect class for a person who plays video and board games half the time. Of course it isn't all about games like that, it's political, economic and diplomatic situations as well. The textbook even goes through an example concerning relationships. All really quite fascinating. That and I'm a huge geek. So now that I have confirmed my geekiness (and the fact that I'm overly proud of it), it is time to talk about my other spring course: Visual Communications. I signed up for this class because I liked the textbook. It was pretty...and really random. If the prof asks the class why we are taking the course, I will actually say that too. The book "The Art of Looking Sideways" is a random collection of...STUFF. It's like picking up a stack of papers with everything from your history notes to your racey magazines to your pathetic attempt at drawing a horse, and having it bound together and sold off the shelves for a ridiculous price (well not so ridiculous compared to my Game Theory text books...). I think it's absolutely fantastic. So the History/English major who desperately needs to take course requirements and who is continually having their GPA brought down by options...is taking an economics and communications course...which are both options. And I wonder why I'm so confused and lost all the time. I think there's a section of my brain that's constantly working to torture the other sections while they run around in circles trying to figure out what's poking it. Yeah I'm going to go play some more Fire Emblem now.
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