Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band

I haven't updated in a while, and I actually have legitimate things to post about (Fathers day quad rally!), but I haven't gotten around to it... But in the mean time, I wanted to share this awesome that I just stumbled upon on the Interwebs! Ahh, the power of Wiki!
There's a band called Easy Star All-Stars, and according to the wonderful Pedia de Wiki, are "a reggae group who are signed to their own Easy Star record label, which is based in New York City.^[1] They specialize in covering popular albums in a reggae and dub style". And they ROCK. I probably don't look it, but I'm a sucker for reggae music. It puts me in an awesome mood. If I'm feeling down, there's one thing that's almost guaranteed to cheer me up. Some nice reggae. And I think this might have just become my go-to when it comes to picking myself out of the gutters. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of my favourite albums... Evar. Now, imagine the awesome that is Sgt. Pepper, put it next to some reggae, and ask yourself; will it blend? *blender noises* FEW! Awesome smoke! Do breathe this! I swear, this is one of the greatest things I've ever listened to. Well, maybe not. But it's putting me in such a great place right now. I really think everyone should check them out. This is their website, and this is a YouTube playlist of Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band. Check them out. ASAP. This is going on my Zune right away.

That's all for now. I think this is a good idea though, posting about the music I stumble upon and people introduce to me. I don't know if this will become super regular, but I think it's a good excuse to get out smaller, more frequent updates. I can only twitter so much!

In Soviet Russia, Blog updates you!

Well this has been a long time coming, hasn't it? (I've just now been asked if I'm updating my blog. That's how unusual this has become). I suppose a lot of things have happened since I updated last. Obviously I haven't updated as often as I intended to do. I still want to try and get into that swing of things. It's hard to say what's happened between then and now, I'm sure there has been quite a lot. Too much to try and recap. I'll try and stick with some current events then.

Lately I've been hanging about in the basement, watching various DVD's with Karli and Riley. Lots of different things, TV shows; jPod, a little bit of King of the Hill (though that was at work, not in the basement), and a lot of movies; Phantom of the Paradise, Anchorman, Amadeus. Honestly that hardly scratches the surface. Karli and I went to High Tech and did one of the 7 movies for 7 days for $7 deals and we watched all but one. We're trying to watch as much a variety as we can, things that at least one of us haven't seen, as well as things that we all have and all like very much. There are so many different films that need to be seen. They're like books in a way. There have just been so many produced throughout the history of the medium, but at least films only take a around 2 hours to watch, where a book would take me almost a month sometimes. Speaking of film and books, Watchmen has been released in theatres. I have to say it's probably one of the best graphic novel to film translations I've ever been able to see. Actually that isn't really saying much. There aren't a very big handful of those types of films around. Lets just say that it's fairly amazing. I did my best to read the novel before the film came out, and did pretty good considering I only actually started reading it two days before the film came out. Still have about a quarter left of it to read I'm afraid, hopefully I'll finish soon. I'd like to make a post soley about Watchmen and how I feel about it once I've finished so I can comment having read as well as seen. But back on topic. We're just now in the basement watching the last episode of The Beatles Anthology, going through the history of The Beatles from their perspective. It's very interesting. Lots I didn't know, and since Karli is a huge Beatles fan I'll finally be able to know what she's talking about most of the time.

I've also been putting my time into school, though not enough time I'm sure. I dropped below full time status this term, which really hurt me a lot, my school year is considered unsuccessful by the student loan department in the government. But I've finally declared a major, which I think will really help get and keep me on track for next year and beyond. And what is it that I've chosen as my major of study? Archaeology! I'll be a regular Indiana Jones! Minoring in philosophy. I think it'll be a good time, archaeology was one of the classes I think I enjoyed the most during first year, and philosophy has always been one of the things I've felt is both interesting and important. If the archaeology part doesn't go so well I think I could fall back into political studies, I did well in that course this year and also found it pretty interesting.

I've also been trying to get into and discover new types of music lately. Shae has been helping me out with that a lot, she seems to be one of the most fantastic repositories for music that I've ever come across. There's been quite a number of bands that I've picked up on from her suggestions, the only one I can bring to mind right now though it Blitzen Trapper. They've got a nice and unique sound, I'd almost want to say that it's post-modern 70's classic rock. I'm not music expert though, and I'm sure what I've just said doesn't really work as a good description. The Eagles are in town right now, and we saw them. That was one of the best shows I've been to since the Barenaked Ladies came to Saskatoon. Neil Young is also coming in April, which I'm also looking forward to. I'll never claim to be a huge Eagles or Neil young fan, but their music has been around as long as I can remember, and I recognize a lot of it, maybe not as their, but I recognize it. I think that to be able to see it performed before me by it's originators is something that I've come to really enjoy. And it goes along with what I think is my only new years' resolution: Do More Stuff.

I think that's about the only thing that I really want to accomplish with this year, looking forward. I want to do more stuff. See more things, experience more of the world. For as long as I can remember, whenever something has come up, no matter what it's been, I've always hesitated about it and in most cases I've found an excuse not to do it. That's something that I really want to work to move away from. Karli asked if I wanted to go to the Eagles, I said yes without putting much thought to it. I'm glad I did, I got to listen to the band that recorded a lot of the songs I grew up liking, and also had a really good time. It wasn't worth the price of admission for me, but sometimes that happens. Besides, I didn't go to Bob Dylan, and I still haven't heard the end of it. Karli and I also went to Regina a couple of weekends back for a literary conference hosted at the U of R. Last year I would have thought of a reason not to go, but this year I want. I'm really glad I did. I had a great time, met a lot of new and interesting people, saw another campus, did some scienceing, and over all just had a good time. I always say how much I want to go on adventures, but I never do. And that's what I want to change. The hard part is going to be balancing my thirst for adventure with the real world, work and school. But with luck, that won't be too tough.

I should stop for now, I'm quickly running out of things to say. I'm going to say again, though, that I want to update once a week. I meant it last time and still mean it now. Hopefully I can stick to it, and keep what's going on in my life in perspective. I also hope that it will help me not forget things that happen to me, as is what so often happens. The details, anyway. But that's all for now. Hopefully there will be more soon. Tah tah.

Fooled you! (Not dead)

Haha! I had you all fooled didn't I! I'm not dead (yet)! Though I have been having some strange dreams... But that's beside the point. HERE is the point!

I'm going to start posting again! Woot! So here's the plan: I'm going to try and update every Friday. Try and recap the week prior, go over that weeks comics (At least I'm a cute geek). And if I've picked up a new game (Which rarely happens), I'll let you know what I think of it. And music too. I guess anything new that I come across, really.

Which brings us to this picture here. This is Kyle Hyde (Nice name, eh?). Kyle Hyde is an ex New York cop in 1979. Now he's a travelling salesmen who seems to locate lost items for his boss as a side job. He's the main antagonist of a new game I picked up, Hotel Dusk: Room 215. Hotel Dusk is an adventure game for the Nintendo DS. I think it came out earlier this year, but I've just picked it up last week. The story centres around Kyle Hyde as he stays at Hotel Dusk, in room 215, a room with a history; it grants wishes. Or so he's told. Hotel Dusk is a mystery adventure, akin to games like Broken Sword or Sam and Max (Though without the nonsensical humour that Sam and Max are pivotally known for). Hotel Dusk is divided into chapters. I'm not sure yet how many chapters there are, but I've just started Chapter 2. Thus far, Hotel Dusk is full of charm, colourful characters, and a rich environment. Like any good adventure game, everyone has a story. From the hotel owner, Dunning Smith, the maid, Rosa Fox, and even the bellhop, Louis DeNonno (who has a bit of a history with Kyle), everyone has a story to share, all you have to do is lend them your ear. There are many more characters than these, I've encountered twelve already, and each is very distinct from the last, and none of them give the impression of existing just for the sake of having a large cast.
Gameplay is very reminiscent of older style adventure games, but updated to take advantage of the unique features of the DS. On the touch screen, you are given a map view of your present area, and on the other screen you see your current location from a first person perspective. Movement is handled with either the touch screen or the control pad, and when inspecting items the interface is extremely intuitive and resembles playing an adventure game with a mouse, just like when we were kids.
The music is rich and appropriate for the situation that it conveys, and never seems repetitive or out of place. Graphically speaking, the art direction is utterly fantastic, in my opinion. The 3D renderings are top notch for something on the DS, and the art direction of the characters is extremely unique and gorgeous, featuring rotoscoped actors and suburb animation. Menus are easy to navigate, and you can always tell what you're looking at without having to consult the manual or try and figure out exactly what it is you're looking at before you think of how to use it.
Like any good adventure game, Hotel Dusk features a number of puzzles to progress through the story. I've played a few adventure games in my time, and there have been quite a number that feature very illogical puzzle solutions that I can never imagine myself finding the solutions for. Thus is not the case with Hotel Dusk, with each puzzle I've encountered making perfect sense for its solution. I appreciate that (I don't want to have to figure out that I should dismantle the candle stick so I can build a new curtain rod so I can put the curtains back up because I needed the actual curtain rod to use as a lever to lift a box and didn't want to not have curtains as to not raise suspicion, that's just asinine).
I've only put a couple of hours into Hotel Dusk, and so far I'm really enjoying myself. I can see myself becoming very engrossed with this one, much like I did with the original Broken Sword, something that hasn't happened for quite a while. I'll keep you updated as I progress through it, and share my final impressions once I've made my way to the end.

That's about it for now, so untill next time I'll leave you with the following completely errelevant statement that will make absolutely no sense to anyone: Pie glows past the painful hazard. Cake complements pie next to the dedicated diner. Cake camps! The overwhelmed nightmare profiles the paragraph. Whatever shot strains behind a pub! Pie expects cake.

Happy Earth Day

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The Confession

By Steven Zerr

Setting: Addicts anonymous meeting, basement of a church. Not very well lit, slightly smoky due to cigarettes. Table with coffee and donuts behind the circle of chairs.

Characters: five to seven attendees, plus a preacher running the meeting

Two or three people stand up one at a time, state their name and problem, and how long they’ve been sober. Typical AA stuff.

The main character stands up:

“Hello, my name is Gary (‘Hi Gary’, says the room back to him). I’m an addict. I’ve been an addict for the last 14 years. At first it was okay, pleasurable, controllable. Slowly it became a need, not an indulgence. I couldn’t control myself anymore. Last year I took a life for it. For years they just kept asking me, ‘What would You do for a Klondike bar? What would YOU do for a Klondike bar?’ Well, I killed a man for a Klondike bar! I just couldn’t take it anymore! I snapped. I just need somewhere to go, someone to talk to”

He sits down. Everyone looks shocked as they think about what he said. The preacher clears his throat and says:

“Well, I don’t think we’ll be going for ice cream tonight. Can I get some volunteers for cleanup and we’ll see you all next week.”

Gary raises his hand enthusiastically.

Fade to credits.

Spring is coming

Spring is coming
Originally uploaded by Steve Z.

Spring is on its way! It's hard to believe, isn't it? March already! And April is quickly on its way. Spring is coming, and there's no way to stop it. Well, I'm sure we could think of a way to stop it, but then where would we be? Still in winter, and a lot of people don't seem to like winter all that much (I rather enjoy it, really). But with winter almost over, think of all the winter activities that we missed this year (Or at least that I missed, anyway); skiing (And snowboarding too, if that's your bag), sledding, skating, building snowforts (we built one, but that's singular, we needed at least one more so that we could have snow fights and snow siege. Nothing beats siege!), getting our tongues stuck to things (Don't tell me that never happens to you, I get my tongue stuck to ice all the time, I'm not denying it), and most importantly of all, making snowmen. I don't think I've made a snowman in years, and I really miss doing it.

Honestly, I'm still hoping that we get one good snow before spring comes. Then we'll be able to get some of the things that we missed done, especially going sledding. That's the one thing I miss the most. Nothing beats going sledding on a sunny winter day. What could be better? You get to bundle up in tonnes of layers of clothes (That makes it nice and padded when you hit the tree), and wear a silly hat. No matter how much of a goof you look like while wearing a snowsuit it's guaranteed there's at least 2 other people who look just as bad or worse than you. And it's just an excuse to wear the most ridiculous hat you can possibly find, in fact I think it's a requirement.

Climbing to the top of the hill. It builds anticipation. And it's usually hard too, if you've got a good hill anyways. It's so satisfying to make it to the top. And look how far you can see! And then you get to slide down. The rush of snow and ice beneath you, the wind on your face. Lets out a cry of joy! Exhilarating! But, you'll eventually come to a stop. And look how far you've gone! Ultimately, someone will try and go farther than you, but isn't that the whole idea? And back to the top we'll go.

I didn't get to go sledding this year. I'm a bit sad because of it. But I hear it may snow again soon, which I'm looking forward to. And it means that we'll get to have Sarah come sledding, and perhaps Tabi as well. The more the merrier! And afterwards comes the best part. Hot chocolate. Well, I'll be having Milo, but you get the idea. I don't think there's anything better you can do during the winter. At least nothing better that I've ever done. so I say let it snow! Just don't start singing about it. Haha. Catch you next time!

I lost The Game

You Lose The Game
Originally uploaded by skyo

Well, it's official. I just lost the game. I can't say I'm not surprised, but it was a little unexpected really. Although, I will say it's a rather fun game to play, and quite challenging. I think we should all try and play, really. C'mon, give it a go! Here, I'll even give you the rules;



RULE 1: You are playing The Game.
RULE 2: Whenever you think about The Game, you lose.
RULE 3: Loss must be announced.

See, it's easy to play. Now lets all go out and try to play together!

And if anyone is wondering, I just lost the game. Again. But I'm going for another round. Catch you next time!