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Flood 'o Posts

2009-07-30T12:58:00.002-07:00

You may have noticed that I just flooded my blog with 13 new posts. I just imported them from Examiner.com, who I am doing freelance "self-published" work for as the Tucson Video Game Examiner. So check me out on there when you get the chance, and more geekiness on here to come!

<3 Tara

An Interview with Kyle Kulakowski - Black Velvet Painter

2009-07-30T12:52:00.003-07:00

An interview with Kyle Kulakowski - Black Velvet painter
July 30, 8:12 AM

Black Velvet Dragon's Lair by Kyle Kulakowski

Kyle Kulakowski is a resident Tucsonan who paints on black velvet. So what is the Video Game Examiner doing interviewing him? Well, he only paints scenes from video games! I was able to ask this artist a few questions about his work and how he got started. Keep reading to find out what he answered!

Black Velvet Senorita by Kyle Kulakowski

Q. What inspired you to paint on black velvet?
A. I was wandering in a desert South of Tucson one day and I saw a stack of 10 black velvet canvasses. Each painting was the face of a crying woman. Right then, one of our patented Tucson monsoon downpours started. I grabbed a velvet painting to use as an umbrella.

When I got home and the painting (and my clothes) dried, I was intrigued by the style of the painting and saw the event as a sign to become a velvet painter.

When the rain let up, I went back to try to retrieve the other paintings. Sadly, they were all gone. Local legend says that someone else stumbled across the paintings and distributed them throughout Tucson. You can see one of the velvet paintings of the crying woman hanging up in the Surly Wench Pub.

Q. When did you decide to do this?
A. Using the monsoon event as a catalyst, I started painting on black velvet late 2006. I completed my first painting, Black Velvet Dragon’s Lair, in January 2007.

Q. Why do you paint video game themes?
A. Most of the old 80’s era video games have black backgrounds, so they lend themselves to be painted on a black surface. Other than that, I am a gamer. Video games are a genre that I saw rise to form throughout my life. Heck, I remember playing games on 5 ¼ inch floppy disks.

Q. What is your favorite piece and why?
A. That would have to be Black velvet Señorita. The painting is based off of a level from the video game Psychonauts. The game has an entire level styled like a velvet painting. To illustrate, here is a video clip from that level:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&hl=en-GB&v=UnueGSD_2ZQ
It is my way of paying homage to the one video game that featured black velvet art.

Q. What's the hardest piece you've ever painted?
A. The hardest work was You are Standing. It was a tribute to the old text-based adventure game Zork and every part of it was painted with tiny words (using a sewing needle). It took over two months to complete and has given me a lingering fear of paint covered sewing needles.

Angry Egg by Kyle Kulakowski

Q. Which 3 pieces are hanging in the Solar Culture gallery?
A. Evil Robots, You Are Standing, and Cat’s Paw. Respectively, the paintings are based off of the video games Berzerk, Zork, and Fallout.

Q. Where else have you showcased your work?
A. Dapper Grooming Lounge and Shot in the Dark Café have both shown my paintings. Both places are very supportive of local artists and I recommend purchasing goods or services from them. ;)

Q. I noticed quite a few of your works include the use of blacklight. What inspired you to take such an action?
A. Black velvet painters of the 60’s and 70’s used black light paints to achieve a unique artistic effect. The contrast of the dark velvet and the black light reactant paints cause the colors to become more vivid.

As many of the games I paint have a black background, it just seems a natural fit. When black light reactant paints are used, style is reminiscent of a darkened 80’s arcade - with pixels glowing against a black screen.

Q. What's your favorite video game?
A. Of all time? Now that’s a hard question…I would have to say that the title be shared between a few titles: Grim Fandango, Fallout 3, Silent Hill 2, and Psychonauts.

Q. Do you do commissioned work, and if so, how can people reach you?
A. I do indeed do commissioned works – with one caveat: the works have to relate to video games (although, I can make about any topic relate to a video game). Price depends on size and complexity of the painting. Just drop me an email with what you want painted and we will see what we can work out.

Q. Anything else you would like to tell the public?
A. Painting on black velvet is harder than most artists think. I highly recommend that others in the art community give it a whirl.

For more info: Visit Kyle's deviantart site, email Kyle, or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Ides of Gaming

2009-07-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

Tucson: "Ides of Gaming" provides free games every third Saturday
July 29, 1:40 PM

Thanks to Tucson on the Cheap for the heads up on this.

"Ides of Gaming" is an event held by the Southern Arizona Gamers Association every third Saturday of the month at Espresso Art on University. The games, held upstairs, include board games, family games, video games and more! Drinks and games are provided, and prizes are available as well.

For more info: See Tucson on the Cheap, Southern Arizona Gamers Association, Ides of Gaming, or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

UO Update

2009-07-30T12:50:00.002-07:00

Mythic Entertainment announces UO: Mondain’s Legacy expansion pack is available now for free
July 29, 1:26 PM

New 14-Day Free Trial Entices New & Returning Players with Vast RPG World and All Seven Ultima Online Expansion Packs

Mythic Entertainment has just released that it's game Ultima Online's 7th expansion, Mondain's Legacy will be offered for free. For current players of UO, the game will be automatically updated with the expansion. For new or returning players, 14 days are offered for free of UO with all the expansion packs. This comes right before the release of the 8th expansion, Stygian Abyss, which comes out this summer.

Mondain's Legacy is the expansion which introduced the Elven race, new human racial abilities, and new dungeons for players to explore. Now all players can experience these changes.

“Mythic is extremely excited about offering Mondain’s Legacy as a free upgrade to all Ultima Online subscribers, as well as new players who sign up for the 14-day free trial,” says Jeff Hickman, Executive Producer for Mythic Entertainment. “Our goal is to continually provide fresh and rewarding experiences for our thriving UO community. By opening up our 7th expansion to all players, we hope to get everyone excited for the upcoming summer release of our 8th addition, Stygian Abyss.”

Stygian Abyss introduces the new playable Gargoyle race, new areas, and new dungeons, to include the Stygian Abyss, the largest dungeon ever introduced to UO.

To download Ultima Online at no charge or to find out more information about Ultima Online and the additions from Mondain’s Legacy and Stygian Abyss, please visit: http://www.uo.com .

For more info: Visit the Ultima Online site, or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

What Game Character

2009-07-30T12:50:00.001-07:00

What character would you be for a day?
July 28, 9:35 AM

Would you rather run from ghosts eating everything on the way, or dive down pipes to try and save the princess?

There are many, many different video game characters that have been created over the years, from relatively normal looking human types (Mario, Link), to alienesque cartoony types (Toejam and Earl, Rayman).

If you could be a game character, from any game (Intellivision to the PS3) which one would choose? Why?

Would you choose StarFox because you get to do a barrel roll? Would you choose Cloud because he has a giant sword? Let me know, and it could be featured in a future article!

Make sure to include your name (either fake or real, as long as there's a name), and answer the question above. Email it to tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Coming Soon: What's new with the upcoming Zelda title? Interviews! Contests! Subscribe if you like, and keep updated on the latest in video games here in Tucson!

Stop Camping, and Frag

2009-07-30T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tucson Gamers: Stop camping, and frag!
July 26, 9:03 AM

Let's go get 'em, boys!

You're right in the middle of all of it. Bullets are whizzing past your head and explosions are bursting ten feet away from you. Your heart is pounding as you cross the minefield, with only minutes before you and everyone else on your team is potentially dead. You must stop the threat of your rivals, and protect your teammates lives.

Well, at least that would have been the scenario.

Instead, you don't know your teammates at all, so you don't particularly care if they live. Instead of being in the action, and being part of a team, you've decided to put yourself up in a nice little hidden corner, so as to get the greatest amount of headshots. If you knew people in the game you were in, you might actually have a little more fun.

There are three ways to meet people to game with. One is the good old fashioned way of talking your friends into playing the same game you're interested in. The downside to this is maybe your friends don't play games, and if they do, they have a totally different genre that they're into. The second would be to actually participate in game and make friends that way. But then you never actually meet these people, and you could find out you're playing with someone totally out of your age range, and it's usually people you may never associate with in real life. Then, there's the third option that's a little bit of a combination of options one and two.

You can meet people online with similar interests, who are looking to play the same games. One such website you can go to for this is Meetup.com, where you can find different groups, or even sign up on a waiting list for a group that hasn't been created yet. Get in touch with these people, make friends, and frag together!

So stop being a loner and camping, and get in the action! Promise, it makes gaming a lot more fun that way. And it makes it a lot more fun for everyone else too!

For more info: Email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Beat the Heat with Free Online Games

2009-07-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

Beat the heat with free online games
July 25, 10:17 AM

Free online games (aka casual games) are more than just a way to pass your tuesdays during patch day on WoW. They can actually be a good way to beat the heat for free!

It's hot outside here in Tucson, and it's going to get even hotter in the next week or two. It's also almost the end of the month, which means most people are running low on cash. So if you want to find something to do, you may want to try one of these 10 sites out.

1. Andkon Games - Andkon is a culmination of many, many free games from all over the internet. There's everything from puzzles and arcade style, to action and fighting games. This is where you should go first to find a game. There's a collection of thousands of games, and you won't be dissappointed.

2. Free Online Games - Provides a lot of online games for you to try out as well. Provides Editor's Choice picks, as well as Most Popular.

3. Evony Online - Evony is a strategic game, in which you create a city, build that city and its resources, and build an army. You can invade other cities, eventually, and grow your empire. The downside? Starting off is easy, but after a couple of days it takes longer and longer to build. Its free for the most part, but to enhance your gaming, you pay for gold from the site.

4. Requiem: Bloodymare - This game is rated M for a reason. There is a lot of blood and grotesque monsters abound. This is a MMO game that's free, and well worth it. Of course, you can pay to get the goodies, but you really don't have to to enhance gameplay. Set in an apocalyptic fantasy world, this game is well worth giving a shot.

5. Sword of the New World - Another free MMO game, in which you can pay to get extra resources. Play with your friends and greate a guild, slay monsters, and explore the beautiful landscapes. Very detailed in the artwork, but there's very little in the way of customizing your character. It's set in a Victorianesque type of era, so the music and the art is very cool.

6. Mabinogi - I really like this game, but you do have to pay to get "reborn", or anything else that's good. You can go from age 7 to age 21 for free, and after that you kind of just roam around. The jobs are actually more fun than the quests, but I still recommend this game if you just want to kill some time.

7. Aeria Games - Aeria has an assortment of free games, most of them are MMOs. Quite a few of them are still in beta, but that shouldn't stop you. They allow almost everyone to join open beta and play with everyone else. Most of the games have beautiful artwork, but some of the controls have a bit to be desired.

8. Maple Story - Cartoons, monsters, free. What else could you ask for? Another MMO in which your avatar is a cartoon with a big head. Fight monsters like mushrooms and birds, and customize your character with different clothing and weapons. For the best clothes and weapons, though, you have to pay.

9. My Brute - Okay, so this is kind of an online game. You create a brute to fight in an arena against other brutes. Each level you get a new ability or weapon. The first day you create one you get 6 tries in the arena, and every day thereafter you get 3. There's also daily tournaments you can enter. You can make several under your main, and make them underlings to give your main more experience when they level. Not a bad game, but you can't play it all day.

10. Nationstates - Another "kind of" game, but who wouldn't want to rule their own nation with an iron fist? Create your nation, and then choose legislation for different bills proposed to you. Depending on what you choose is how your nation turns out.

Well, I hope this list helps a few of you out. Remember, there are several online sites you can play for free that I didn't even mention. Give them a try, as they may actually suprise you.

For more info: Email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Instant Coffee Day

2009-07-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today is "Instant Coffee Day" gamers!
July 24, 3:38 PM

Gamers, today is "Instant Coffee Day", the day to celebrate caffeine. There are more than a few places here in Tucson to get your caffeine on, to include chains like Starbucks. But there are several, very good, locally owned coffee shops as well. There's Avenue Coffee, The Safehouse, Bentley's, Javalina's, and more!

And so, these questions are posed to you, the readers:

1. What keeps you awake and gaming?

2. What's your favorite local coffee shop, and why?

3. Do you ever play video games via Wi-Fi at this location?

Answer this question in the comments section below, or email Tara, and it could be featured in an article in next week! Make sure to put your name (either real or online name), and answer the questions above.

For more info: See the Zany Holiday calendar, or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

WSG Celebrates its First Anniversary

2009-07-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

World Sports Grille celebrates its first anniversary
July 24, 10:07 AM

The World Sports Grille, located up at the Foothills Mall, will be celebrating it's first anniversary through the month of August up until Labor Day.

The festivities will kick off on August 1st, with coupons of $10 for the 6000 sq.ft. state of the art game room from 1pm to 2am. There will also be free cake, prizes and giveaways, and you can also meet Tuffy the Toro from our local Tucson Toros team. Also, from 1pm to 7pm there will be half priced beer, wine, well drinks, and appetizers.

Starting August 18th, WSG will be holding a triathlon tournament on three different games: NFL 2 Minute Drill, Taiko Drum Master, and Outrun 2 SP. These tournaments will run until September 5th, when the grand prize winner will recieve two $100 cards, one for WSG, and the other for video game play. The festivities will go out with a bang on September 5th, with the Football Kickoff party, the Triathlon Tournament finals, and more prizes and giveaways courtesy KLPX-FM.

World Sports Grille is owned by SEGA. If you're ready for some arcade style gaming, you may want to check this out.

For more info: Visit the World Sports Grille Anniversary site, or email Tara tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Video Games Live to Perform in Tucson

2009-07-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

Video Games Live to perform at TCC in March 2010
July 23, 2:50 PM

Most of us have seen the videos. Full orchestras playing the most haunting and the sweetest tunes from our favorite childhood memories. All performed by a group named, "Video Games Live". The best news of all? They're planning to head out here to Tucson in 2010.

According to their official website, they will be holding two shows (and only two shows) at TCC on March 13th and 14th of 2010. Tickets for the show go on sale August 24th, so if you're planning on going to either show, you should get them as soon as possible as they tend to sell out quickly.

VGL has never before performed in Tucson, although they have previously performed in Phoenix (two shows). They've become a hot commodity over the last few years for the excellent way that they play some of our favorites from Megaman, Mario, Zelda, etc.

For more info: Visit Video Games Live or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Local Man to Prove Pokemon Skills

2009-07-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Local Tucsonan to prove Pokémon skills
July 23, 12:25 PM

What will you be doing in August? Getting ready for school? Working? Waiting until after Thanksgiving for all the hot new releases to come out?

Well, not Steve Wasserloos. He'll be proving his gaming skills in a Pokémon tournament in San Diego. He, along with 15 other Americans, will be battling it out against other competitors from Europe and Japan to prove who is the best Pokémon master in the world. The tournament, which will be held in San Diego, gives the winner an invitation to the 2010 World Championships, a trip to Tokyo, New York, or Hawaii, and a customized DSi.

But what does he have to do to win? The competition will consist of choosing 4 Pokémon and going head to head with other contenders. All 30 players will have to use their wits and skills to beat eachother down until it comes to the last two.

Good luck to Steve! Let's hope he wins!

For more info: See the article by Phil Villarreal from AZ Daily Star, or email Tara

GamerDNA

2009-07-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

Attn: Tucson Gamers... have you tried GamerDNA?
July 23, 10:25 AM

Have you tried GamerDNA yet people? No? What is it you ask? Well, GamerDNA is a website that allows you to track your video gaming, as well as your friends. You can see what kind of gamer you would be considered and also track your friends personalities.

Basically, it's a social networking site (think Myspace or Facebook) for gamers. As of this posting, in Tucson alone there are at least 70 members, and throughout the network there are over 330,000 gamers registered.

There's a section on the site titled, "Now". This section brings you the latest conversations from gamers around the world, and you can track the progress of these conversational threads in real time. You can go to different gamers profiles, and see their progress in the games you love most.

One of the only drawbacks is that the site is technically still in beta phase, so they change things around on the site quite frequently. This is not usually a problem, however, as it is usually changed for the better.

For more info: Try the GamerDNA website or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Pima County Libraries to Conduct Video Game Tests

2009-07-30T12:41:00.001-07:00

Pima County Libraries to conduct video game tests
July 22, 4:29 PM

According to KVOA News here in Tucson, AZ, Pima County Libraries are going to be involved in a series of tests to conclude whether or not video games actually make kids smarter. Pima County is one of a dozen counties involved in a nationwide test to see if video games improve children's literacy put on by the American Library Association.

In one library on Wednesday afternoons, children can now go and play games such as Guitar Hero. One child in the article, Austin, 11, says, "Usually I don't really like to come to the library because it's kind of boring. But since they have video games and stuff, I like coming to the library a lot."

Depending on what the test concludes, the American Library Association may create video game curriculum to use in public libraries. So far, children have come to the library just to "play games" and have learned other skills of value such as filmaking and volunteerism. All games that are provided for the children are rated "E" for everyone. Most library branches here in Tucson are participating in the program, and have designated days for video games.

For more info: Visit the KVOA article above, contact your local library branch, or email Tara at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Economy Hits the Video Game Market

2009-07-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

Economy hits the video game market
July 22, 3:27 PM

It appears that the economy has finally hit the video game market. As reported by the Wall Street Journal here, video games have seen a decrease in sales for four months now. There were some that thought that video games would slump right away with the rest of the economy, while still others felt that video games were untouchable in the volatile market.

At first, video games seemed to be able to rise above the failing economy, as more people stayed in with friends at home playing their favorite games instead of going to the bar. But, much has changed, and now video games are being affected as well.

It seems that most gamers are waiting to purchase "must-have" titles as opposed to whatever game comes out, in order to save money. With the length of time that it takes to create a game, this is hurting the gaming industry as a whole. As people wait for games such as Starcraft 2, Diablo 2, the new Zelda title coming out in 2010 (look for an article on this in the near future), Left 4 Dead 2, and others, they don't want to spend their money on games they have never heard of, or are not interested in.

Lets hope that the gaming industry comes out of this slump by the end of the fall season. Some of the highest anticipated games that are coming out do so at this time, and can be found here at VGReleases.com in a dated list.

For more info: Click the links above, or email Tara Foulkrod at tucsongamer@cybergal.com

Laziness, Weather, and School

2009-06-20T09:59:00.003-07:00

It really astounds me how lazy some people can be. They just half-ass things, hoping nobody will notice what a crap job they've done on whatever they've been assigned to do. I'm gonna slap the fire out of someone someday for that.

In other news, the weather is finally coming along great here in Tucson. Starting to see some clouds building overhead, and yesterday we received a nice amount of rain (Nice miss on that, btw Southwest Zone. That's right, I called you out.), which was a nice change.

School's been pretty tough, but now I have a pretty good flow into what I need to do for each day, so really it's gotten easy. My biggest issue was just trying to prioritize my time. Now I'm bored most of the day. Go figure.

BTW - I was able to obtain a beta key for CitiesXL. Due to the non-disclosure agreement that I had to sign, I cannot as of yet report or criticize it yet in any way. All I CAN say is, for you sad people who didn't get a key, I feel bad for you.

Been a wild couple of months...

2009-06-02T15:17:00.004-07:00

So, it's been awhile since I posted anything, huh? Well, I moved, had a baby boy, and started college, which is a lot to do in a couple of months.

Anyway, I'll get back onto posting more geek-chic stuff soon. Just wanted to update on why the hell I was gone for so long.

Oh, and here's a pic of CJ. :D Ciao!

A NEW GTA.... for the DS???

2009-03-13T15:17:00.004-07:00

The new Grand Theft Auto game is just about here. It comes out on March 17th... on the DS?

That's right, GTA on the Nintendo DS. GTA: Chinatown Wars.

Direct from the website:

"LEFT FOR DEAD IN THE WORST PLACE IN AMERICA Following his father's murder, Huang Lee has a simple mission: deliver an ancient sword to his Uncle Kenny to ensure his family retains control of the Triad gangs of Liberty City. Huang is a spoiled rich kid who expects everything to run smoothly, but his trip does not go exactly as planned. After being robbed and left to die, he will search for honor, riches and revenge in the most dangerous and morally bankrupt city in the world."

With a stat tracker, Wi-Fi multiplayer options, a replay feature for missions, and a kickass story line, I can't wait to pop this into my DS and try it out. It comes out on St Patrick's Day, March 17th, 2009.

Check out the official website HERE.

Quick Update

2009-03-11T11:01:00.002-07:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a bit, but I've been trying to clean my apartment and get everything ready to move. We're moving into our first house! We're still renting, but it's definitely a step up from a one bedroom apartment.

Anyway, I'll be back on and surfing the net for the geekiest stuff in a bit. Just hold tight! Thanks!

<3 Myssiing

Geeky baby products

2009-03-05T12:20:00.004-07:00

One of my favorite sites to peruse and shop from is Thinkgeek.com, and recently, they've given me yet another reason to view their site on a regular basis.

BABY PRODUCTS!

It's not a brand new feature, per se, but it's something that has only been on the site for a little bit. They have everything from temperature color changing bottles, star wars costumes, and a dress up pirate doll, to an intriguing mobile, a baby care timer, and baby's 1st Mp3 player.

What's really caught my eye and made me lol irl is this product:

It's the "Baby Owner's Manual". An actual instruction manual of sorts, it tells you everything you need to know on how to take care of your little minion.

Thinkgeek.com, you make me smile.

Working from home?

2009-03-05T11:56:00.003-07:00

I'm finding it really difficult to be at home all day, every day, with nothing to do. I've been trying to find a job to do from home, so that way I could start now, and continue after the baby is born.

But most of what I'm finding are scams. It's really hard to find a good work from home job. What I'd REALLY like to do is find something where I'm drawing either tattoos or some type of cartoons for shirts or something, reviewing or writing up descriptions for different products, proofreading, or (the best one imo) to be an online moderator either for a video game or a chat room.

What's out there are call centers for customer service, telemarketing, or these scam sites that pay you for reading advertisements. I'd do mystery shopping, but you have to use your own money in the beginning, which is not what I need right now.

What would be absolutely awesome would be to make money off of my blog, but that's not going to happen. I'm not really all that interesting enough for people to really want to read every day, and I realize this.

What's a geek to do? I would find a job on the outside, but let's face it, nobody's going to hire a chick that's a month from her due date. And, personally, I wouldn't either. So I figured working at home would be the easier option, because I would be able to supplement my income and continue to work up until the geekling is born. After he's out in the world, I would still be able to work, even within the normal "6 weeks" that women usually get for maternity leave.

Anyway, I'm rambling on now, and if I don't stop then ninjas are threatening to take my last piece of cheese pizza.

If you know of anything I could do at home, or need some type of commissioned artwork, please let me know, as it would be greatly appreciated. I can do anything geeky that you need me to. Trust me. I can do it. :D

Shaving my cat

2009-03-04T10:57:00.004-07:00

Get your mind out of the gutter. :P I really did have to shave my cat, Shiva. She had the worst case of dreadlocks and matted fur that I had ever seen, and I don't know how I let it get so out of hand.

So, I took her into the bathroom and proceeded to cut off all of the fur that was matted to her back. One of the problems is, she's so fat, she can barely get back there to clean herself. Another is that we just don't brush her enough, which is probably going to be resolved now that I've had to do this to her.

Overall, she was very good. I was really nervous about doing it, because some of the dreadlocks were so close to her skin. Also, she doesn't like to sit still, and she hates it when we poke and prod at her. I just knew she was going to impale me with one of her claws, or somehow hurt the baby I'm carrying, but she just sat there and licked me while I cut everything off.

The end result is patchy fur, but it's only been a couple of days, and it's already starting to grow back. She seems so much happier now, and that makes me happy too.

Spawning a Geekling... Part 1

2009-03-04T00:55:00.003-07:00

So here I am, at 1am, and I'm wide awake. I can't sleep because the little minion I'm cultivating in my womb is going off. It's probably because my heart rate increased from picking off noobs in battlegrounds, or it could be just that he's a night person too.

This got me wondering, how am I going to balance my geekiness with parenting?

You would think any kid would be happy over the fact that their parent plays video games, but I think it'll be a double edged sword for the poor little dude. I know the content in every game out there, and I know which ones I'm going to let him play, and which ones he's really going to want to play. There's a big difference there.

Also, I can't help but wonder if he'll turn out to be an uber jock just to spite us. I have nothing against sports or anything, in fact, I love playing a lot of different sports. I'm just more into computers and video games and stuff. I think he'll either be a geek like his parents, or be completely opposite. One or the other.

Also, I already know that my play time is going to be severely diminished with the onset of having a little one in the house. Even as he grows up a bit, I play a lot of games that he doesn't need to be watching until he's much, MUCH older.

A few other things I've noticed is that I want him to be a geek like us, to the point that I was ready to name him Link until my husband put the kaibosh on it. I've already gotten a couple of geeky type outfits for him (I TCP/IP, but mostly IP... V2.0...I'm a fungi) and I really wanted to decorate the baby room with Super Mario Bros. decals.

And have I been playing Mozart and Beethoven for the child, you might ask? No, I have not. Instead, I'm playing Dragonforce, Fhqwgawds, Vadrum, Tenacious D, Europe (he loves The Final Countdown), and other songs of my choosing. I'd really love to get those "Rockabye Baby" CDs, with Nirvana, Green Day, Metallica, etc.

So, being a geek parent seems like it'll be cool... for us anyway. The kid might hate us for it for a long, LONG time to come...

More later.

Requiem: Bloodymare

2009-03-03T10:30:00.005-07:00

So, my husband and I were sitting there over the weekend thinking, "I'm tired of grinding for meat and other retarded items for dailies in WoW. Is there anything we can play just to play?"

We'd tried other free online games, such as Mabinogi, Sword of the New Word, Maple Story. None of them cut it. Mabinogi was kind of cool at first, but you had to pay money to get anything cool. Sword of the New World was beautiful, but the storyline was weak, the control was awful, and after the beginning quests, you realize it's just another grind. And I'd rather not talk about Maple Story.

So we're flipping through an old edition of PC Gamer, and looking at some of the free MMOs they suggested. This one caught our eye. It's called "Requiem: Bloodymare" by Gravity and Havok. It's rated "M" for violence, partial nudity, and being awesome.

In this post-apocalyptic horror MMO, you play one of four races, either male or female. Each race can choose one of two professions after level 10, and further specify their job after level 50. There are 70 levels total. You can choose to quest, grind, go into dungeons, do battlegrounds, etc.

For a free game, it really doesn't get any better. Of course, you can always pay real money for special packages and whatnot, but you don't lose any gameplay value by not purchasing these items either. The graphics are really spectacular, and the blood (though in major excess) is cool as well. The people who play come from all over the globe, and it's neat to see people's different naming conventions for their characters. There have only been a couple of @$$holes, the majority of players leave you alone, or help you out if you need it.

Another cool feature is "nightmare creatures". For a certain amount of time, during nighttime in the game, difficult monsters come out of the ground to attack you. They are hard to beat alone, but they give out better loot when you do decimate them.

So far, I love this game. As does my husband, brother, brother in law, and my brother in law's friend.... yeah, we've been promoting. :D

If you would like to download this game, go to www.playrequiem.com for the free torrent. I highly suggest that you do. The wiki can be found here.

(As for the M rating, it is deserved. Personally, even as a gamer, I would not let a child play this. Maybe if they were mature enough for it, and I was watching, and they were like, 15 or something, then maybe. But, don't let your 9 year old play this alone. That's just stupid. There's a rating for a reason.)

The NEW Nintendo DSi

2009-02-28T09:37:00.003-07:00

I just received an email this morning from Nintendo, unveiling the new Nintendo DSi. An updated version of the DS, the new DSi has some new features. Among them, and probably the most prevalent, is two integrated cameras. One on the outside for taking pictures of friends, family, your cat, whatever. The other camera is inside the DSi when you open it, so you can take pictures of yourself while you're playing. My guess is that they're going to include games in the future which harness the power of the camera for gameplay.

"Originally, the DS touchscreen was its sense of touch, and the microphone input was its ears. I remember this time hearing someone suggest early on that we should give the console eyes." -Satoru Iwata/President of Nintendo

So what other changes have they made?

"We adapted it for SD memory cards. To be honest, there was a time during planning when we weren't sure how much that would enhance the possibilities of play, but in the end we were glad we had done it." -Masato Kuwahara/Development Engineering Dept.
"What I remember most with regard to the SD cards is how forcefully Shigeru Miyamoto pushed for them." - Satoru Iwata

So, cameras and SD cards? There are other changes as well, but those are the two major ones. To see the entire transcript of how the DSi came to be, you can go here.

Eee PC S101 (DO WANT)

2009-02-26T11:19:00.004-07:00

I have been fascinated with these tiny laptops since I saw one in BestBuy awhile back. Well, it seems that in October of 2008, the Eee PC S101 was unveiled in Taiwan. And now, I find myself compelled to go get one once I get the money for it.

The specs for all of the Eee PCs can be found here.

The thing that draws me the most is the price. The laptops can be bought for $350(US) and up, and they're all pretty decent computers. That's a really affordable price for a laptop, IMO.

Incoming 3.1 WoW Patch...

2009-02-26T10:57:00.004-07:00

MMO Champion has a pretty thorough breakdown of the changes expected for WoW's 3.1 patch that's now up on the test realm, that you can see here.

And just after I got enough money for epic flying, now I have to get another 1KG just for duel speccing? Why not have a questline or something... -_-

I'm also pretty sure that I'm going to have to work on updating addons and dealing with impossible lag, especially in Dalaran, for a week or two after it comes out. Yay for updates!

There ARE a lot of cool changes though, so check out the patch notes, and take it all in.

(Though the tier gear looks gay for hunters again... )

What I'm looking forward to in 2009...

2009-02-25T14:53:00.003-07:00

Ok, so I'm a little late with this. So sue me. (Ok, don't really, because I probably wouldn't be able to pay you.)

Here are 10 things I'm looking forward to this year... 2009.

1. Bringing my little geekling spawn into the world.
2. Moving into the new house. It's so much bigger than this apartment. So much better for LAN parties.
3. Going back to school. I want to finish off my Associates in Meteorology, and start working on my Psychology degree.
4. The new president. It'll be a challenge for him, but I like the fact that he's way more updated on how things go in today's world and he's a hundred times geekier than, say, our last president.
5. The Sims 3. 'Nuff said.
6. The Stupid Mario Brothers "movie" due out fall of 2009. I don't really know why I think these guys are funny, but I do.
7. Two real movies: Star Trek and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
8. A turnaround in the economy... I hope.
9. Conan O'Brien's move to The Tonight Show.
10. Even smaller cars. The micromachines ones are already adorable...

I know people like this...

2009-02-25T14:14:00.002-07:00

So this video makes me lol..

If you like drums as much as I do...

2009-02-25T09:32:00.003-07:00

Then you'll love this guy. These are just a few of his videos. Check him out on YouTube. His name is Andrea Vadrucci aka Vadrum, and he rocks.

Up and Coming

2009-02-20T08:57:00.005-07:00

If you haven't heard of Brandon Hardesty yet, then you need to. I suggest you take a look at his YouTube channel found here CLICK ME , or his personal blog here NO, CLICK ME and check him out. Also, he has a movie coming out as well called "Bart Got a Room". One of the people in the film is none other than William H Macy! I've watched the trailer for this movie 4 times now, and I really want to see it.

You can check out the "Bart Got a Room" trailer here ~~~> WATCH THE TRAILER

Hope you enjoy!

~Myssiing~

A new life in a recession....

2009-02-20T08:17:00.007-07:00

My last post was over a year ago, while I was away from home at continuation schooling in Mississippi.

Now, I'm almost 8 months pregnant, and things have changed.

I'm no longer in Active Duty, but I have signed on with the Air National Guard. My art, writing, and other hobbies have taken a backseat to finding a new place and preparing for our firstborn.

I'm scared. Mostly because of reasons that other couples have been scared when they were pregnant with their first kids. But with the economy the way it is, I'm even more scared.

Who's going to hire a pregnant chick to work for a month or two, when she's just about ready to pop? This, technically, would be against the law, but it's hard to prove and I can't really say I'd blame anybody for not hiring me based solely on that aspect. If I were an employer, with two people who had the same skillsets, I would probably hire the non-preggo one, based on the fact that while preggo may be awesome for the job, she'd only be able to work a certain amount of time before bailing out, while non-preggo would be able to work normal hours for a longer period of time.

Then, there's the aspect of the house. Currently, we're living in a one bedroom apartment. We got lucky, though, and found a 4 bedroom house to rent that's only 50 bucks more a month than the apartment.

We have 2 cars and 2 motorcycles. But, really, we have 1 mostly working car, and 1 working motorcycle, with 1 car that we don't know what's wrong with but hasn't been able to drive in a year, and a motorcycle that hasn't been started because I can't ride it and has a flat tire.

Now, I am by no means saying that I am the worst off in this economy. People all over the place, to include my closest relatives, can't find jobs, pay their homes and cars, feed their children. We're actually very lucky. My husband is still working, we were able to find a place for a good price, our cars are almost paid off, and generally we're doing ok. It's just the prospect of not doing "ok" that scares me. Especially with a little one on the way.

How are you handling this recession deal? Has it really hit home with you or your family? Your friends? Have you found a way to budget and schedule through it, or are you scrambling to find a way out of this dark time? Comment below, as I'm really interested to hear the stories of others on this subject, and sometimes it really does help to rant a bit.

Myssiing Sings

2008-01-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVWDlol9kt0

So, here I am...

2008-01-22T18:26:00.000-07:00

...back in Biloxi, MS. And you know what? It's better the second time around. I've had so much fun while I've been out here, even though I've been studying my ass off as well. For example, there is a place here (in Ocean Springs, actually) called "The Shed", and it's just that. However, it has the best BBQ I have ever tasted in my life, and live blues/rock music. If you're ever in this area, I suggest you go there and go often. Another amusing place is the Hard Rock. They hadn't finished building it before I left, then Katrina hit, but it's back and making a stand. I would say it's probably the best Casino out here in the Biloxi area.

Even though there's a lot of stuff to do out here, a lot of things that I remember have been destroyed or rebuilt differently. Take, for example, Treasure Bay. It used to be this really cool casino out on the water that looked like a pirate ship. It didn't take Katrina too well, so they've rebuilt it as this boring building across highway 90. Gators is gone, as is Sharkheads, with little remaining to let passersby know there was anything there in the first place.

You know what the funniest part is? Even though everyone saw how destructive Katrina was, to the point that it's still affecting the community a couple of years later, someone had the bright idea to start construction on condos all along the beachfront. -_- Some people are just complete morons I guess.

Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. Oh, and if you're near the Fort Polk area of Louisiana (or at least relatively close) I'll be seeing you soon.

Ciao~

Myssiing

What do you do when you're bored?

2007-11-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

When I'm bored, I look at a number of sites that I know have new material on them everyday. If I'm tired of the computer entirely, I'll read, draw, or clean.

So, what do YOU like to do when you get bored? Comment here and let us know!

Do you have anything entertaining to talk about? Do you have a blog? If so, link us to your blog! I know I'll visit. ^.^

Thanks!

Myssiing~

Satisfaction WoW

2007-09-20T19:22:00.001-07:00

Benny Bennassi - Satisfaction Just so you know, I am a girl. So please no female protesters or anything. Music Video for Satisfaction starring the women of World of Warcraft.

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How Tay Zonday Got Discovered: The Truth

2007-08-12T03:03:00.000-07:00

I was there the day Tay Zonday was discovered. What I mean by "there" is that I was sitting at home in early July, browsing the internet and going to all my websites that I usually peruse when I get off of work. And "the day he was discovered" was actually a span of about twenty minutes.

On one of these websites, I happened across a post that caught my eye. It was a picture of Tay (unbeknownst to me at the time) in a red Hawaiian shirt and a fedora, in front of a microphone. It said, "watch this video. funniest thing ever." and gave the address to a video of Tay singing (not Chocolate Rain at this point). It was, in fact, a karaoke cover of Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up", a song which is considered by many to be a "Rickroll" and a meme. By the time I arrived at the video, he already had a modest amount of views and comments, most of which he was trying to answer. Most were directing other viewers to watch "Chocolate Rain", which I did.

I don't think I will ever get this song out of my head. All I can remember is the amount of comments. I know, for a fact, that they were all from the same source. A lot were asking for a cover of "Fresh Prince", which is also a famous meme in the internet community. Most, though, were telling others to comment to get Tay to the front page of Youtube. In a matter of about 15-20 minutes, Tay's "Chocolate Rain" arrived on the front page, along with other videos spoofing it that were just created.

So, Tay's fame is really all down to this. He sang a song by Rick Astley that a lot of people think is funny to direct people to watch (Rickroll), and viewers from this particular group moved on to Chocolate Rain, and decided that Tay was worthy of becoming an overnight internet celebrity. And now, instead of being "Rickrolled", people are now "Tayrolled" and tricked into going to either the cover of "Never Gonna..." or "Chocolate Rain". Thousands of parodies and covers have emerged. Even my mother knows Tay.

If you were a part of this, or know about who was a part of this, I'm sure Tay thanks you. As for Chocolate Rain... well, practically everyone knows it now. If you don't, you're definitely out of the loop.

FoxNews: ANONYMOUS Hackers on steroids terrorize the Internet for epic LULZ

2007-07-31T00:41:00.001-07:00

FoxNews Investigates: "ANONYMOUS are antisemitic Hackers on steroids and domestic Terrorists. They invade children games,spread spoilers,hack MySpace,ruin lives,do not forgive and blow up vans to get epic LULZ. Better close your curtains and buy a dog!" FoxNews information source is of course anonymous, too!

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Greatest Commercial Ever

2007-07-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

Check out this video: the greatest commercial ever

Add%20to%20My%20Profile | More%20Videos

MilkandCookies - Ripped Pants Prank

2007-07-26T11:05:00.001-07:00

lol funny prank

http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/64952/detail/

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Growing Pains

2007-07-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

What has happened to Pop Culture? What has happened to our innocent girls? They grew up.

For international pop sensations and kid movie stars alike, it seems that stress is taking a toll and that they're having mid-life crises in their early to mid 20s. Lindsay Lohan just got arrested Tuesday for drinking and driving. Britney... well, I think everyone has heard all about her erratic behavior. Do we really need our young teenaged girls looking up to these individuals? These people that go into rehab twice a month and leave just as much in a mess if not worse? These are the types of questions plaguing the rest of society.

My question is, where are their families? Where are their friends? Where are the people who care about them enough to get them to stop killing themselves and their careers? And the paparazzi. Can't they, for just a month or so, leave them alone? Celebrities are people too, and we don't need to know everything about their lives. Honestly, I don't care that "Brangelina" is adopting another kid, that Madonna is buying another one. I don't care if David Hasselhoff is drunk on camera or that Andy Dick got the snot beat out of him. (Well, that last one was highly entertaining, actually.) But seriously, we don't need to know where celebrities go to the bathroom, which side of the bed they woke up on, how much of a bad hair day they had last week.

What happened to the days of Marilyn Monroe and JFK? Is there no privacy anymore?

FOR THE READERS:

Discuss your view on the Paparazzi and today's celebrities. Do you think they impact the stress they're already under? How do you feel about the reactions of celebrities to the paparazzi? Could we live without rag mags, or are they an integral part of today's society?

7 yr old Drummer/Singer

2007-07-23T14:51:00.001-07:00

SO CUTE!

Study Finds Truth: Gamers Have Friends, Girls Like Grand Theft Auto

2007-07-08T03:17:00.001-07:00

New research dispels the well-worn stereotypes that computer gamers having no social skills and girls avoid violent games like Grand Theft Auto.

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My Name is Myssiing :: Home

2007-05-28T01:35:00.001-07:00

My new web comic. If you like web comics, I hope you'll check it out. There aren't many yet, but I update 3 times a week or so!

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Concept Cars

2007-05-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

Wow, this is a beauty right here...

This is the Buick Riviera Concept car that was shown at the 2007 Shanghai Auto show. To read more about this car, and to look at some more beautiful photos, you can go to the link posted below.

http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/coverage/112_0704_buick_riviera_concept_gallery/

Another Concept car that I absolutely LOVE is not even really a car at all...

Meet the Carver One. Half car, half motorbike, all attitude. It has amazing cornering skill, handles like a bike, and drives like a car. The two back wheels stay on the road, while the cabin and front wheel can lean to a 45 degree angle. Now, I ride a motorcycle, but this thing is awesome. You can even fit a friend in the back! To find more videos, pictures, and specifications on the Carver One, you can go to their website, which I have conveniently posted below.

http://www.carver-worldwide.com/Home/index.asp?L_ID=1

Have you found any interesting modes of transportation via the WWW, or have seen one in your town? Send me some pictures, and I'll blog about them here!

And then it hit me...

2007-05-22T16:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever known anybody who was killed in Iraq? I hadn't, until today.

I've been in the military for 3 years now, but because of my occupation and branch, I don't normally interact with anybody who has deployed to Iraq regularly. I know a few who have deployed for a few months there on special assignments, but that's it.

Last night, the names of three men who were killed last week in Iraq were revealed. One was a native Arizonian from my hometown. Spc Coty Phelps. He was 20 years old, and his birthday would have been in a couple of weeks.

Now I know what it feels like, if ever so slightly, to have lost someone in this war. And it's not a good feeling. So to all of the sodiers and their families, I salute you and pray for your wellbeing. May we all make it out of this alive and in one piece.

Love,

Myssiing

This is me, and this is my life...

2007-05-18T14:50:00.000-07:00

My name is Myssiing. I'm a real person, with real things that I do when I don't work. One of these things will be this blog. I figure that I have a lot on my mind, just like everyone else I imagine, so why not write it into one of these famous "blog" type atmospheres?

The first thing I'm posting here will actually be a recap of things that I have posted in my MySpace blog prior to the creation of this one. I hope you enjoy, and look for further postings on down the line.

Thanks for visiting me. Have a good day. :D

***RECAP***

14 May 2007

22:09 - Living with John.
Current mood: drained

It seems to me that no matter how much I clean, everything is still dirty. I like to keep my place relatively neat, but I'm married to someone who thinks we're still in college, so that'll happen.

It's gotten to the point that I'm about ready to throw everything I own away. I work quite a bit, so I don't really have the time to clean on my days that I work, and the days that I don't work, John somehow finds a way to get me out of cleaning. And so, this is my third week of "spring cleaning" and it still looks the same.

I think it would help, actually, if he'd help out more. When we got married, we arranged that I would cook and clean, and he would do finances and take the garbage and catbox. He usually neglects the last two, unless I attempt to do it, then he's all over it.

When he does try to help, he ends up making more of a mess than when he started. For instance, dishes.

He starts rinsing and putting dishes away, when he bends over and knocks over something behind him. He goes to grab some paper towels, ripping them off of the wall and into the sink with the dirty dishes. After swearing a few times, grabs the paper towel, and angrily throws them into the trash can with such force that he knocks over the trash can, emptying it's contents onto the carpet. After putting everything back into the trash can, runs to get the vaccuum, rips out the hose, turns it on, and dust/dirt begins to spray everywhere. It's at this point that I usually step in, say, "lemme handle it" and he goes away, leaving his mess and the dirty dishes for me.

I've found a simple solution to this problem... I need a maid.

Currently Listening :
Hey There Delilah
By Plain White T's
Release date: By 09 May, 2006

10 May 2007

14:34 - Check out this video: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Pirate Lords

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Pirate Lords

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08 May 2007

06:39 - Today
Current mood: blank

Today I will begin a weekly blog.

08May07

It seems like such a long time since I've truly been able to be myself. Personality-wise, I think I've actually become nicer and more understanding, but I just haven't been able to be who I want to be for so long, I'm not even sure who it is I am anymore.

I'm sure that others feel the same way as I do. Some more than others. So, at least I know I'm not alone. Meh. I still have my family and my husband, and it's always comforting to know that they'll be there for me, even if all my friends abandoned me.

I'm also starting to feel anxious about moving to the other side of the country. I know it's still awhile off, but it's kind of scary for me. I'm used to dirt, sun, heat. I'm going to be moving to trees, rain, and humidity. All in all, I think it will actually be a good change of scenery for me, I'm just concerned about seeing my family when I move so far away.

Well, I'll write more at a later date, but now I think it's time for me to go to bed. I hope whoever decides to read this has a good day.

~Tara~

Currently Playing :
EVE Online: The Second Genesis
Release date: By 06 May, 2003

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21 Mar 2007

13:23 - Check out this video: The 2007 Broadband Emmy Awards - Entertainment - Comedy

The 2007 Broadband Emmy Awards - Entertainment - Comedy

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19 Mar 2007

05:26 - My Name is Myssiing
Current mood: cheerful
Category: Art and Photography

So, I've started my own webcomic, and it seems to be doing pretty good. To check it out, go to:

My Name is Myssiing

I also started my own deviant art page, which has some of my better work on there. I still need to find some of my stuff to scan in though. If you'd like to see that go here:

My Deviant Art Page

Thanks for reading!

~T~

Currently Playing :
Tropico 2: Pirate Cove
Release date: By 08 April, 2003

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12 Jan 2007

13:07 - Check out this video: World of Warcraft - Fall of Kruul

World of Warcraft - Fall of Kruul

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09 Jan 2007

14:18 - Stuck
Current mood: aggravated

I've always been the type of person to try to stay in the spotlight. I wanted to be the singer up on stage. Looking at my life now, I shy away from most everybody. I don't care what people think about me. I see all these casting calls for things that I could do, I KNOW I could do, and I can't even think about doing them. I would love to go on American Idol, or try out for several different programs. But I'm stuck here. I can't do a god damned thing. And so, I just live my life from day to day. I play my video games and drown in a virtual reality that is so much more amazing than my own. I write stories about people who will do things I will never do. I look at my friends and old schoolmates, people who have traveled around the globe, done amazing things like modeling or getting a contract with a big cd company. I just wish that could be me. It was supposed to be me. What went wrong?

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