Whispers of the Muse
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Muse" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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11:38 am
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On Vox: Little Brother & Independence Day
So,I've been meaning to post about this book for awhile, but the Fourth of July seems like the perfect opportunity to finally go for it, given the central commentary Little Brother makes about our country's conflicting obsessions with freedom and security. I don't say this lightly, but this is a book that everyone should pick up and read as a primer on current technologies, considerations of the predicted evolutions of "The War on Terror", and just as an entertaining story to boot. In near-future San Francisco, Marcus Yallow and some of his friends get hauled in by the Department of Homeland Security for being at the wrong place and the wrong time when a terrorist attack destroys a bridge. Though not guilty of the terrorist attack, Marcus's interest in technology and cryptography makes him a primary suspect, which leads to harsh "questioning" by his captors. After he his finally released, he decides to turn the tables on the paranoid police state crackdown of his hometown by creating a stealth network, which ultimately propels the plot to an inevitable confrontation between the forces of security and the forces of privacy. This is Orwell's 1984 for the next generation (as is obvious by the allusion in the title). Like its predecessor, Little Brother raises troubling questions about a government gone too far, which ultimately feels familiar to any modern American. If you're looking to do something really patriotic this Independence Day, it might be worth putting down the sparkler for a moment and picking up a copy of this book, even if only for future insight into the complicated times in which we all live now.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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09:33 pm
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On Vox: There's A Reason They Call Them The HARD-y Boys
As I was going through my shelf of mending materials earlier this week at the library, I came across an unexpected find. You see, one of the books awaiting my attention was an older Hardy Boys mystery titled The Hooded Hawk Mystery. Even in my childhood, I'd never ever read a Hardy Boys mystery (though I went through most of the Boxcar Children), so I've never really looked at one closely. After opening this book, however, maybe I should have been aware of this smut sooner. As I turned to the part of the book where the page was ripped out (and hence on my mending shelf), I scanned the chapter title. And I did a double-take. I had no idea that the Hardy Boys had such a smutty mind. Parents are worried about Grand Theft Auto while pushing books with chapter titles like these onto their children? Truly, this is a messed up world that we live in. Don't believe me? Here's the offending page, as dutiful recorded for the ages. (And yes, I know that the word can also mean "a mistake or blunder", but you have to admit it's a pretty funny way to title a chapter taken in our modern context.)
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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07:44 pm
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On Vox: Frak, When Do We Get More Battlestar?
L and I just finished caught the most recent Battlestar Galactica episode, "Revelations", over at my favorite TV-on-the-Internet website, Hulu.com. This was the last episode created before the Writer's Strike started, meaning we won't be getting any new Battlestar Galactica until 2009 at the earliest. Just what the frak do they expect us to do? Do any other TV shows really compare with the awesomeness that is the new Battlestar Galactica? Maybe we'll take Anthony up on his offer to rewatch the Terminator movies, which might inspire us to watch the Sarah Connor Chronicles. I still have to get L through the last two seasons of Six Feet Under, but I don't think that will take us long. (And there's still season five of Babylon 5, but it's tough to watch since it pales in comparison to the rest of the seasons of that great scifi epic.) So, any suggestions on TV shows we might try watching? We tend to prefer serial-type shows, rather than episodic ones, as we prefer our storylines to be long and complicated, but I'm game for any suggestions. I guess what I'm saying is: has anyone seen anything good lately?
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:04 am
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On Vox: No, I Don't Want to Buy an Edge Card!
L and I hit the Mall yesterday to do a little shopping. While she was busy getting some cute shirts, I trekked over to GameStop to hit up their video games. Normally I avoid GameStop (and all their other differently named franchises) like the plague, since I hate constantly being asked to purchase their customer loyalty card and to pre-order games I have no interest in, but this time I was a man on a mission. I'd noticed on Cheap Ass Gamer that they were offering a $10 trade-in bonus for trading in two games, which meant I could get rid of two subpar games and pick up a case for my PSP and maybe even a little extra. After turning down their customer loyalty card half-a-dozen times and refusing to pre-order any games, I jettisoned Ass Defect (aka Mass Effect) and Wii Play to pick up a simple GameStop-branded PSP case and the full version of the Spore Creature Creator. You see, L and I had played around with the Spore Creature Creator demo a little last week and we'd had a great time making freaky creatures with the limited number of parts, so we were itching to try the whole enchilada. L tooled around with the full version we purchased last night, cranking out a dragon-gryphon-creature and a fugly goblin. I gave it a spin this morning and tried my hand at spinning out one of my favorite iconic D&D creatures, a displacer beast. The tools are amazingly versatile and I can't wait to see what else our careless hands will wrought.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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09:53 pm
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On Vox: Change
"There must be some way out of here,"
said the joker to the thief.
"There's too much confusion.
I can't get no relief."
--"All Along the Watchtower", Bob Dylan
I had an epiphany driving home from work yesterday; a realization that had long been brewing in my mind but finally percolated to conscious thought. It's time for me to step away from the library profession and walk a different road.There are many things I love about working in libraries: finding answers to tricky questions, helping others find what they need even if they don't know what that is, and much more. I've also met a great many awesome people while working in libraries, as well as made some close, trusted friends, and hell, even found my wife. But the thing is, right now, I'm pretty sure I'll never be completely satisfied long-term working in libraries. I've slowly discovered that I need a career that is constantly challenging me intellectually or at least keeping me on my toes. That doesn't happen often enough in the field I am now (or at least not in the way I need) and I don't expect it would change much even if I stick with it. I don't yet know where I'll look to next, as I have some soul-searching to do first, but there are plenty of possibilities. And that thought alone gives me the courage to start anew.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com</em>
Current Mood:  contemplative
Current Music: All Along the Watchtower -- Bear McCreary
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11:30 am
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On Vox: 2007 Game of the Year: Revenant Wings
I've been meaning to get around to this post for awhile now, so you'll just have to forgive me that I'm announcing my own personal video game of the year for last year a few weeks late. The year two-thousand-and-seven was an amazing year for gaming. I've posted about many of my favorite games this year, including Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales, The Legends of Zelda and Spyro: Phantom Night, Pokemon Diamond, and Wario Ware: Twisted! I also didn't post about some game I really enjoyed, like Super Paper Mario and Halo 3. But although all those games rocked my socks, my personal pick for video game of the year can go to only one game: Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings for the Nintendo DS. My wife gave it to me in the middle of December as an early Christmas present and as soon as she did, I was hooked. Although it's both a sequel to a game I hadn't ever played AND in a series that I swore off after terminal frustration with random battles, this game captivated me completely.
What's not to love? The art and visual design of the game is gorgeous (with cute, retro sprites for the characters you control); the music is amazing for a portable game, the story has surprising twists and turns (and was far more compelling to me than the much-lauded Mass Effect, which I consider to be an Ass Defect); and the gameplay, though repetitive, was fun throughout (the difficulty did vary widely throughout the game, as the final missions were insanely tough, but even that didn't damper my spirits). Honestly, I can't think of a better game I've played in a long, long while. My highest praise is that I'm looking forward to playing through it again soon and I never ever play through games twice. But now I'm curious, my video game playing friends, as to what your personal Game of the Year would be? I know that L's involves assassination, and the Pants might go with one that involves rocketing around as a slime, but I'd love to see a blog post or two about them. What game of 2007, in your opinion, was super special awesome?
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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09:47 pm
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On Vox: Picture Perfect
Users of the Internets, fear me (and my wife). For, with many thanks to my mother-in-law, L and I are now armed with a... digital camera! And we shall proceed to clog your tubes with the many frightening photos. This is only a small preview of the terrible digitized wrath that is to come. But if you aren't afraid yet, you should be. For, L and I will soon unleash our greatest weapon of doom upon the hapless citizenry of the world. Prepare yourself, if you can, for... LOLBILBOZ:
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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09:49 pm
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On Vox: Reflecting on Northern Lights
A whole troop of folks (including L, Kris, Anna, Erin, Julie, Melody and Anthony) trekked over to the downtown Edwards 9 to see The Golden Compass on opening weekend. Somehow, I was expecting that the theater would be as packed as it usually is for blockbuster fantasy releases like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, but it seemed less than half-full when the movie started. Perhaps that's because of the nature of Boise (unfounded or not, some mainstream religions have made themselves into an enemy of this film) or that we hit an early afternoon matinée. Whatever, the reason was that people weren't showing up in droves to see this movie, they were really, really missing out. It's been a few years since I listened to the amazing audiobook production of the series ( His Dark Materials), but I was not disappointed by this adaptation. The acting was phenomenal and the special effects were beyond impressive -- I'm still not sure how they pulled off all those deamons as well as they did. The movie suffered a little for an incredibly rushed storyline (but at least it didn't bog down) and some of the music was simply atrocious in a movie of this caliber. I'm eager to see how the second and third books are rendered into films and I can't wait to see how they'll deal with some of the more challenging issues that crop up further into the series. I'm also looking forward to rereading (or perhaps re-listening to) the books, to see how they really measure up with their movie counterparts. Speaking of the movies, have you all seen The Spiderwick Chronicles trailer? I haven't read the books for that series yet, but it looks like fun. Plus, a gryphon! (What more do I need in a movie? I mean, I suffered through Narnia for just a few gryphon cameos, proving that I will watch just about anything for some sweet, sweet gryphon action.)
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:50 am
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On Vox: The Legend Of
Two "legendary" games have been simultaneously occupying my greatest video game console for the past month. I picked up The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass primarily on Matt's recommendation in a comment on one of my earlier posts, though if I hadn't have bought it then, I definitely would have after Jay's positive review. Though I didn't like the Twilight Princess installment on the Wii (and hadn't experienced any other Zelda incarnations), the Phantom Hourglass has quickly become one of my favorite DS games of all time. Hardcore gamers might complain that it is too easy or too short, but those are both aspects I appreciate. I still haven't quite finished the game after playing it on and off for the past several weeks, but I'm still loving it. (If only I could get all the Demon Ship parts, my heart would be filled with joy.) The other "legendary" game I picked up was The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night at the urging of one my favorite gaming blogs, DS Fanboy. I steered clear of the purported crap that was the DS version of the game and went straight for the super special awesomeness that was the Gameboy Advance version. This game has been touted as possibly the "last great GBA game" and I find nothing lacking in the game's greatness. The gameplay is just awesome fun, with a cleverly designed one-button combo attack system that is gorgeous to see and enjoyable to play. I beat the game on "normal" difficulty with a little bit of a challenge and now I've gotten myself stuck on "hard" difficulty, but I haven't thrown in the towel yet. Definitely some of the best thirteen dollars I ever spent for a game. I need to follow in Matt's footsteps and post my own autobiographical retrospective on (video) gaming, so look for that when I have time to take 20. In the meantime, let me share my recent good news: a video game grant I wrote for my library was accepted. This means I get to buy SIX more Wiis for my library (along with six digital projectors) along with SIX copies of Mario Party 8, Super Smash Bros Brawl, and Mario Kart Wii. We'll also be giving away a Wii and DS (among other things) next year for this program. Gametastic, right?
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:07 am
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On Vox: WWJD? WWDDGD!
Anthony and I hit our first ever Worldwide Dungeons & Dragons Game Day yesterday at Empyre Games and we surprisingly had more fun than we would have expected. We were a little worried at first when we found out that we were the most experienced D&D 3.5 players in the group (except for possibly one other player), as the DM had only run 1st Edition D&D games. However, the one-shot adventure designed for the event (The Fall of Frostsilver) really turned out great for what it was. The DM in particular did an awesome job at keeping everything moving along and staying fun. One of the best things about the event was the diversity of players there. There was a four person family (a dad, mom and two teen/preteen boys) who all came to learn D&D 3.5 together that were completely hilarious. The two boys were completely bloodthirsty and in it for their own characters (as they tend to be at that age), which made for some pretty hilarious exchanges. The younger one that was playing a half-elf rogue/sorcerer kept wanting to search all the bodies of everything we killed (even while a combat still raged) and the older one who was playing a dwarf paladin (ostensibly the brother of my dwarf cleric of Moradin) threw away his paladin class abilities when he kicked his mother's halfling away from a corpse he wanted to loot instead (and he only got 30 gold pieces in exchange for all his paladin class). Because Wizards of the Coast sent more free stuff than there were players at this event, we managed to walk away with some pretty good loot as well. I managed to add an assortment of new miniatures to my collection and got another set of dice for the wife. One of the most interesting things was the 4th Edition preview stat card of the Spined Devil promotional miniature. The stats look much more streamlined than 3.5, but I'm more wary than ever. Will Dungeons & Dragons turn into a tabletop MMORPG experience? If so, I think I'll be sticking with 3.5.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:29 am
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On Vox: Geek My Costume
Alright, my friends and fellow geeks, I need your help to decide which inexpensive
Halloween costume I should go with this year. Here are the two best
ideas I've come up with so far:Please comment and let me know which idea you like best! Also, if you come up with a different geeky costume that you think would be great for me, please suggest it in the comments as well. I promise that whatever gets chosen, I'll post photos of myself in my costume on Halloween.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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04:16 pm
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On Vox: See Ya Seattle (For Now)
My crazy exciting intense busy super special awesome week-long residency for my first week of graduate school at the University of Washington in Seattle is near the end. Right now, I'm chilling in the iSchool computer lab, tuning into Pandora and surfing the Web on one of the brand-spankin'-new 24" iMacs running Windows Vista. It seems like a fitting end to a busy week full of long school days and exploring a little of Seattle via death marches and mass transit. Outside of class, hitting the Seattle Public Library was at the top of the list of things to do for Anna, Melody and myself. We hopped a bus to downtown on Tuesday evening and with a little walking, we soon found ourselves confronted by a futuristic glass-and-steel structure. On the outside, it sure didn't bear any resemblance to any other library I had seen. After we entered, it turned out the interior was even more confusing, with minimal signage and bizarre layouts. After trekking from bottom to top, we were all rather disappointed with this public library that could have been so much more (with less money even). I've had some great food while I've been here and met some great people within my graduate program. In a way, it's been like a combination of work and vacation, experiencing the best of both worlds all week long. But, as the saying goes, it's good to go, but even better to come home. And so today (as it does change day by day) the aspect of my distance graduate program that I'm relishing most is that being on campus is only a fleeting thing. It's been a great trip, but I can't wait to be home, hitting the books and coursework in my pajamas on my own time while enjoying the comforts of home.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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12:16 am
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On Vox: My School is the iSchool
I just finished my first day of class for graduate school and to paraphrase a certain song, damn, it feels good to be a student (again). However, I don't know if I'd be feeling that way if I hadn't taken three years off from academia. The (approximately) thousand day break gave me plenty of time to recharge my personal batteries for another stint at formal education (along with other important things, like nabbing my first full-time library job and getting married). Because I took some time away, it's great to feel like I can (and want to) hit the books on my own terms. I've got to say that another huge plus to this program is that I get to share it with two great friends and fellow first-year graduate students, Anna and Melody. I feel extremely lucky to have my very own support group to brave this whole experience with (not to mention the support of my other friends, my family, and especially my wife). Sure, it's going to be hard work and stressful at times, but because library and information science is one of my intellectual passions, it is also going to be totally worth it. No pain, no gain. All the blood, sweat and tears (and fistfuls of cash and loans) are going to be a small price to pay for what I'll come out of this program with. My school is the iSchool. What's yours?
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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11:16 am
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On Vox: iSad Until iTouch
Can practicing Zen save me from being iSad for the next month? Wait, let me back up for a moment. My first iPod, a refurbished silver 4GB mini purchased two years ago, started showing signs of battery deterioration a few weeks ago. (Which didn't surprise me too much, since I use the thing like crazy.) It wasn't completely dead however, so I was determined to squeeze as much life out of it as possible. That is, I was until the following four seemingly unconnected events occurred: - Apple announced their latest "refresh" to the iPod lineup where the Nano got fat, the Classic got more storage, the Jesus Phone got cheaper, but most importantly, the iPod Touch was announced. Music, video, the Internet and YouTube all in one super sleek and touchable device? Activate technolust!
- Being a volunteer in SPLAT (for the Idaho Commission for Libraries), I received a "free" 1GB Creative Zen V. (The only catch is that I have to demonstrate the new statewide downloadable e-audiobook service through NetLibrary, which is something I was going to do anyway.)
- I received confirmation that I would be receiving a $500 scholarship from the Idaho Library Association for my graduate school tuition. I'll be receiving the check at an awards ceremony in early October.
- My mother-in-law's birthday is rapidly approaching and the thing she wanted most was an iPod. (And it's just tradition for me to get everyone iPods, since I've helped spread the iLove to my wife, Anna, Drew and Erin so far.)
Using my super special awesome powers of craftiness, I quickly concocted a plan to combo all these seemingly unrelated events together for maximum damage. I shipped my dear iPod Mini to the tech doctors at Apple for a battery replacement so I can give it my mother-in-law for her birthday as a like-new iPod. Then, while iPod-less, I leverage my little Zen V to keep my necessary flow of portable music and podcasts going. Finally, once I receive my scholarship check, I will dub it my "iPod Touch scholarship" and use it to purchase a brand-spankin'-new 8GB iPod Touch. So, with my perplexing iPod problem solved, now it's on to lesser difficulties that plague humanity. Do you think I should work on solving world hunger next or finding a cure for cancer? (And how about a bonus question for the audience? What is the device name of your iPod or your inferior non-iPod music player? My iPod Mini was dubbed first Serenity and then Gryphon, while my Zen V is currently known as Dragon.)
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:07 am
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On Vox: D&D 4(TW??)
Wizards of the Coast has done the inevitable by dropping the first press release announcement for 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. What do all you D&D players out there think? Will you upgrade to the latest and greatest(?) when it hits store shelves next year? As for myself, I think that D&D 4th would have to offer substantial improvements over D&D 3.5 to make me even consider moving up. I've already sunk a fair bit of cash into purchasing books and supplements for 3.5 and I'd be really loathe to do it all over again (unless the improvements are really, really good). ————————- August 16, 2007 (Renton, WA) – Whether you storm a mad wizard’s
tower every week or haven’t delved into a dungeon since you had a
mullet and a mean pair of parachute pants, one thing is certain -
millions of D&D players worldwide have anticipated the coming of
4th Edition for many years. Today, Wizards of the Coast confirms that
the new edition will launch in May 2008 with the release of the D&D
Player’s Handbook. A pop culture icon, Dungeons & Dragons is the #1
tabletop roleplaying game in the world, and is revered by legions of
gamers of all ages. The 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons game includes elements
familiar to current D&D players, including illustrated rulebooks
and pre-painted plastic miniatures. Also releasing next year will be
new web-based tools and online community forums through the brand-new
Dungeons & Dragons Insider (D&D Insider) digital offering.
D&D Insider lowers the barriers of entry for new players while
simultaneously offering the depth of play that appeals to veteran
players. The 4th Edition rules emphasize faster game play, offer exciting new
character options, and reduce the amount of “prep time” needed to run
the game. D&D Insider includes a character creator that lets
players design and equip their D&D characters, dungeon- and
adventure-building tools for Dungeon Masters, online magazine content,
and a digital game table that lets you play 24/7 on the internet — the
perfect option for anyone who can’t find time to get together. “We’ve been gathering player feedback for eight years,” said Bill
Slavicsek, R&D Director of Roleplaying and Miniatures Games at
Wizards of the Coast. “Fourth Edition streamlines parts of the D&D
game that are too complex, while enhancing the overall play experience.
At its heart, it’s still a tabletop game experience. However, D&D
Insider makes it easier for players to create characters, run their
games, and interact with the rest of the D&D community.” Wizards of the Coast will release two 4th Edition preview books in
December and January — Wizards Presents: Classes and Races and Wizards
Presents: Worlds and Monsters. The first live demos of 4th Edition will
happen at the D&D Experience gaming convention in Washington D.C.
in February 2008. The full scope of 4th Edition books, miniatures, and
adventures will be available in the spring and summer of 2008. Since its first release in 1974, the fantasy roleplaying game
Dungeons & Dragons has taken millions of players on imaginary
adventures of epic scale. Today, D&D is universally regarded as the
original game that created the roleplaying game category, and the
inspiration for generations of game designers. D&D is enjoyed by
millions of players worldwide, while countless more remember it with
fond nostalgia.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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11:49 am
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On Vox: Celeres Just Can't Wait To Be King
Polymorph Any Object is one frickin' badass eighth-level arcane spell that can royally fuck with your favorite PCs. Did you want a save with that? Suck it up (at least in the realm of Paragon). How about at least getting to use your defense against a touch attack? Not with this one. Ironically however, this insane transmutation spell can also backfire on game masters when they least expect it. Case in point was the use of this badass spell on my primary PC in Anthony's long-running Paragon campaign. The rakshasa uber-villain opted to use this on my bronze dragon (formerly griffon) Celeres to turn him into an adorable little lion cub instead. However, rather than viewing this magical mishap as a setback, I quickly realized it was the perfect opportunity in disguise. You see, Anthony's campaign now bore a striking resemblance to a certain 1994 Disney feature film. So rather than bemoan my character's loss of draconic abilities and the nuking of his physical ability scores (except dexterity), I ran with it as a full-round action. It would have been awfully hard for a large-sized bronze dragon to hop on top of the Counsel Meeting Table, but it's no problem for Celeres to do so in order to belt out his best rendition of I Just Can't Wait To Be King! It's just like they all say: hakuna matata. Or, in Paragon-terms: hakuna ma-lemon.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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03:24 pm
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On Vox: It's Not Fun Until Someone Loses an Eye
I had a frickin' awesome splashtacular time at Roaring Springs yesterday with L, Anna, Erin, Julie as evidenced by the numerous minor injuries we all suffered. (Though it was touch and go for awhile, I think I will be able to keep all ten of my toes.) Ostensibly we were celebrating my and Leslie's one year anniversary, but really it was just an excuse to have a kickass time! Here are some of the highlights... in bullets!
- Myself ordering and failing to consume in its entirety the saltiest pretzel ever created. I think I've exceed my recommended intake of sodium for the rest of my life.
- Anna introducing the rest of us to the crazy deliciousness of funnel cakes. Erin remarked that they were as good as "melted babies".
- Myself and Erin surviving the Avalanche ride, despite my split-second belief that we were assuredly going to die. The photo just doesn't do this insane thrill ride justice, trust me.
- L and Erin nearly drowning themselves in the wave pool before being narrowly rescued by myself and Anna. After that, we all decided that we'd inhaled enough chlorinated water for the day and decided to head home: mission accomplished.
Following the fun-and-injury-filled times of Roaring Springs, we grabbed dinner at Red Robin where I discovered the most phenomenal (non-alcoholic) drink ever created: berry limeade! Between the two of us, I'd swear that Erin and I drank a half-dozen of these amazing beverage concoctions. We also had superb service and tasty foods, rounding off an excellent day spent with good friends.
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:51 pm
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On Vox: Scared, Potter?
Without much time to spare before the release of the seventh book, I finally finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince a couple of weeks ago. That means I'm all set for the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on July 20th. It's a good thing too, because we're hosting a Harry Potter midnight release party at my workplace and there's just one tiny, nagging little issue: no one else in the Children's Department has friggin' read through the series! (What's your excuse, Pants?) At least I'll be on hand to (try) and handle any book-related questions or speculations at our library Potter party. Not only that, but it turns out I'll be trying my hand at imitating everyone's favorite (former) Potions Professor at the party by putting my chemistry education to use. Now I've merely got to bone up on my knowledge of flashy experiments that use common household chemicals, get some black hair dye, and perfect my long slow blink. This creates a bit of a dilemma for me, however, since L and I were planning on dressing up as Hermione and Ron for the premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (Which apparently opens on my birthday?) Thus, if I still follow through with that, I'll have to dye my hair red one week and black the next. I guess I'm making up for never doing that as a teenager? Anyone else planning on dressing up (or doing something wizardly and awesome) for either the new Harry Potter movie or book? (I just know that we're going to have to do another showing of Wizard People, Dear Reader for Anna and Erin's benefit.)
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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10:43 am
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On Vox: Get the Phone, it's Nintendo!
So apparently word of my library's video game programs somehow filtered back to top men at Nintendo of America. While setting up for my school-age video game program last Tuesday, my coworker Jessica grabbed me and told me that I had a call from Nintendo of America. I shot her a look of disbelief and asked her if she was messing with me. She assured me she wasn't, so I picked up the phone in the office and sure enough it was frickin' Nintendo! Actually, it was someone from a PR firm working for Nintendo, who told me that he'd heard about my library's video game programs. He was collating data in order to put together some sort of package (possibly including product) to send to a few libraries that had been these sorts of programs. He asked what sort of video game programs we've had, how many people have attended, and what games we played. He didn't have a whole lot of information to give me at the time, but he assured me he'd call back in a week or two with more information. So now I'm anxiously awaiting another call from Nintendo like a kid impatiently waiting for Christmas. I pretty much share T-Rex's sentiment: "NINTENDO. I guess they got me when I was young and uncritical, but I really LIKE them, you know?" More updates when I have them!
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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11:25 am
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On Vox: The Tale of Eric and the Dread Gazebo
ED: It's a gazebo, Eric, a GAZEBO! If you really want to try to destroy it, you could try to chop it with an axe, I suppose, or you could try to burn it, but I don't know why anybody would even try. It's a @#$%!! gazebo!
ERIC: (Long pause. He has no axe or fire spells.) I run away.
ED: (Thoroughly frustrated) It's too late. You've awakened the gazebo. It catches you and eats you.
ERIC: (Reaching for his dice) Maybe I'll roll up a fire-using mage so I can avenge my Paladin.
In lieu of a "real" update, definitely enjoy The Tale of Eric and the Dread Gazebo. (It also brought to mind Ernie's post about ga... loshes and other fun to say words, like gazebo.) It's almost as good as trying to save against a scene change. (Ask Matt or Anthony to post about that one!) (Via DM of the Rings CXV: Misunderstandings Abound on Twenty Sided.) L pointed out to me last night that I've been neglectful of my blogging, so I'm going to do my best to remedy that! I've already got a few post topics in mind, including an exciting conversation I had with Nintendo of America about the library's video game programs and thoughts about Living La Vida Facebook. Stay tuned!
Originally posted on grifflet.vox.com
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