Phendrana Drifts

Before I take them back to Ye Olde Roger's Video Store, I thought I would comment on my two most recent game rentals. First, we have Cheltenham Studios. I've rented this game before, and with an orignal score of 8.5 at IGN, it certainly is not a bad title, certainly worth the rent. But it hasn't aged incredibly well, and I certainly remember it playing much better when I rented it for my GameCube at launch than it played this time around. The good stuff - it looks great, the sound is cool (although all futristic racers have techno music, so hard to judge), and the thing is so freaking fast, that at times you are truly in awe at the sense of speed. The bad stuff - the motorcycles hadle, well, poorly. And the game is short - the Career mode can be finished in a weekend if you try. I sure did love playing multiplayer with Allie though. Still, I would save my money if looking to purchase for F-Zero AC, developed by Sega and published by Nintendo, this racer's pedigree will keep me occupied for months to come.

Also I rented Gunvalkyrie for the xBox. Developed by my fifth favourite developer, Smilebit, I have been thinking about this title ever since I bought my xBox. Upon renting, I can say I want Panzer Dragoon Orta much more. But that isn't to say it lacks style, finesse, and sweetness. It is a very pretty title, and I love the story. It involves a different timeline where humanity becomes much more advanced much quicker, and in 1906 we are running around in Mech-like suits on other planets shooting bugs. Now I know, this sounds weak, but it really is quite developed and presented. The story goes a great deal deeper than that, with a mythical God-like figure who starts this hyper development and it goes on and on. Problem is, the camera sucks. I can't stand it. Controlling my hot chick in a tech suit is like controlling a turtle with a jet pack. It is hard. Very hard. But all around a decent effort like a lot of xBox titles - pretty, adult-oriented (which is good), and lacking... something. Be it camera, gameplay, story, graphics, etc. I have yet to find the perfect xBox title that sucks me in completely (except Splinter Cell, whose coolness transends the xBox). For the curious, IGN gave it a 9.0.

I am not sure if everyone has heard the news, but Mr. Rogers passed away earlier today at the age of 74. This is quite sad, especially coming so soon after the death of Mr. Dressup, who passed away last year. I hope that we all do something neighbourly today in respect to Mr. Rogers, and have a small thought for him in our days.

So, there are those who are making fun of me right now. This instant, as I am writing this. Of course, Allie claims that she is not making fun of me. But that is such a crock. There is much of me being made fun of. I watched E.T. tonight with Raven which was fun and interesting, yet sad. Hmm... if E.T. can get drunk, I wonder if I should? I'm not sure that was the lesson Spielberg wanted me (or Raven for that matter) to get out of E.T., yet there it is. If you want to get home, you need to get wasted and then call home for a ride.

So I actually had a wild thought this morning on the bus ride to work - I could get my master's degree at Athabasca University. But in the end, it didn't work because there are no graduate programs I am interested in (I think). But it might have worked out well, I could still go to work, etc. Alas, it is not to be. I spent a great deal of time last night working with Allie on her web page (check it out, but only if you are using Internet Explorer, as it doesn't work with Netscape). I also visited Wil Wheaton's blog, which had both some weirdness and some neat things. It is quite interesting how simultaneously he has fallen so far and reached so high. I certainly encourage you to check it out. For the uninformed, Wil Wheaton is the actor who was the main character in Stand By Me and played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

So, after being defeated by Athabasca - they offer a general M.A. program, a Master's of Distance Education and a M.B.A. program plus a whole bunch of graduate programs I am completely disinterested in - I am forced to catalogue my options. They are, in no particular order with associated deadlines:

LLB at a Canadian university (become a lawyer) - Nov. 1
BEd at the U of C or similar institution (become a social studies teacher) - May 1
MLIS at the U of A (become a librarian) - July 1
MA at some Canadian university (become a graduate student) - Now, or next Feb. 1
Look for a real job (that pays and offers an environment I like) here in Calgary - Now
Same as above, but somewhere else in Canada - Now
Start a business (but what?) - Now, with plan

Hmm... I will continue to ponder.

I am watching our provincial question period, which you can catch online (audio only) at the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, watching my government face the "opposition". You will note I use quotation marks as the opposition here in Alberta is truly hapless. I do not know what other words to use to describe them - my government is doing all sorts of things that should be rigorously questioned, if not opposed, and they are here asking all sorts of stupid questions that do not relate to the current situation. Such is politics I suppose.

I did a bit of redesign graphically on this blog - can you see the new banner at the top? - and will continue to perfect it. I kind of like the beautiful Samus Aran, as I am sure you can imagine. I suspect I will keep it, or a variant, in the end. I certainly hope to make my blog beautiful enough to publicize (should I choose to do such a thing) by the end of next week. I also must check on Zoe's blog, my cat and make sure that all that can be done is being done. Nevertheless, I am at work and am limited to some extent by how into I get into editing, as I do have to be productive here. I have drafted one letter today, read quite a bit, wrote a quick report on last week's office communications and have done so more research on Alberta's natural gas policies as it applies to consumer pricing.

Oh, in other news, I am seriously debating joinging the federal Progressive Conservative party and supporting Jim Prentice or Scott Brison for leader. I have never been a member of a federal party, and I have always found myself in this odd position in federal politics. I believe in certain things strongly - for example being fiscally conservative. I also believe that there is no good place for social conservativism in politics, the main reason I have never joined (and likely never will join) the Reform party/Canadian Alliance party. I also would never classify myself as a Liberal - way too much mistrust, baggage and poor decisions to support that. So why not the PC party? I voted conservative last election, and likely will in the next one too. But that certainly isn't enough. The PC's do have some poor qualities - an almost regional party with only a lacklustre track record of getting high quality people in the recent decade. Also, I simply don't have enough faith in them to be fiscally conservative when in power. And Elsie Wayne frankly scares the crap out of me. So, where does that leave me?

As for the individuals, I've met Scott, and I like him. I've in fact met him three times, and each time he struck me as smart and sensible, and someone who could truly lead a government I could work to elect. I have yet to meet Jim, but I know lots of people who support him, and he is Calgarian, which is always a bonus in my book :-). Bah, maybe I will sit this one out.

Ah, Mondays. Most people dread them, but little known fact is that I get Mondays off. That is right, my week starts on Tuesdays. I generally slack and do errands this day and this certainly is the plan for today too. I hope to complete my student loan forms (yes, please take $422 from my account every single month for the next 11 years) and pick up some dish soap and Bounce sheets. Originally I was planning to go into work for a few seconds, but that seems more and more distant as I judge my mood and the weather. Other than that, dishes (with the new dish soap) and thinking about an e-mail I have to write to an old friend. Still no idea what to do with the rest of my life...

I know, it has been awhile since I last wrote, and to be honest I don't have a good excuse. I went to my cousin Grant's birthday on Friday - he is now 10 - and did a major grocery shopping yesterday. But nevertheless, now it is Sunday, and I have little else to do but write.

The reason I started a blog, as I sort of talked about in my first post is I am at a sort of crossroads in my life. I would like to say I just finished university, but that has been almost eight months ago - regardless, I now have two degrees, one in history and political science. Also, a relationship I was in for 7 years ended last June (but fortunately I found Allie, the love of my life). That is all well and good, but I don't have the foggiest idea what to do with the rest of my life. The problem isn't pressing, as I have a job (I'm an assistant to the Alberta Minister of Energy) but I really don't like it a whole bunch. Not that the work sucks, there just isn't a lot of it and I'm all alone in his Calgary office so I get, for lack of a better term, lonely. There also is zero prospect of advancement in this position as it stands (it will be a long while before I can run for a spot in the Legislature) so, I feel a lot like I am treading water.

So what do I do? I have more than considered both law and teaching, or possibly getting my masters. Law is probably the one I have most seriously considered, but the main dilemma associated with it is that I really don't know if I want to be a lawyer. I know, I know, I don't have to be a lawyer with a law degree, but getting that degree is a lot of effort. A lot of effort. For those who don't know, here in Canada a law degree takes four years (three years of school and one year of articling); is tough, gruelling and competitive; costs about $34,000 in tuition; and perhaps most worrisome, is designed to fundamentally change the way you think. I do know that my talents for the most part are well suited to the law - I like the law, I feel like it is a profession where I can do some good in my community and there certainly is, for lack of better words, cash and security in it. Noth that cash is supposed to be a major concern, but I am some $55,000 in debt all told and I would love the opportunity to retire early.

Many people have told me to stop worrying about it, that I am young, and that the answer of what am I going to do the rest of my life isn't as pressing as I am suggesting. I don't doubt my youth (although that slips away a little bit each day) but I still feel like I am standing still. It isn't that I want to move as fast as possible, but I want to feel like I am contributing both to my community and my future, and I am not sure I am doing that right now.

Nevertheless, that is it in a nutshell. When I am writing in my blog purposefully, that is most certainly the topic of discussion. Well that and video games. You can never take video games too seriously.

So yesterday was a long ass day, so long in fact that I didn't get a chance to post. There was lots to do at work, the new electoral boundaries were published, I had a PC party meeting at night... etc., etc., etc. So, I am at work now, and will post more when I get a chance, but for now, suffice to say I am busy.

I can now certainly say that the GameCube version of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is much better than the N64 version. Better graphics, better sounds (although I'm not sure about using the c-stick to replace the c buttons on the N64 controller). Don't be expecting the world if you got this pre-order bonus from Nintendo mind you - the graphics are not updated, rather they are run on a higher resolution on the GameCube resulting in a more crisp and sharp picture. I noticed upon comparison that the graphics were also richer - greens greener and etc., but this might be a result of using a S-Video output on my GameCube than anything else. The sound is considerable in its difference, with the use of surround sound in the GameCube version. I don't know for sure if it is true Dolby Pro Logic surround sound, but the quality difference is certainly palpable. On the whole, it is certainly worth the nothing I paid for it, and aside from getting used to the controls (which I have to for The Wind Waker anyway) and the amount of memory it uses (15 blocks!), it is the best version to play the Ocarina of Time on (plus you get the Master Quest as a bonus). 9/10

Regardless, I'm off to watch Total Recall now. TTFN.

Well, day two of the blog. I have spent today at work, moving paper, answering e-mails, and moving more paper. I rarely bring a lunch to work, so as I sit here writing this I am quite hungry. Soon enough, I will be heading out though - to go to EB Games and get my free copy of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for my GameCube! This is very exciting news, as it not only is a new game (well, an old N64 game, but new for the GameCube), but it is also a step closer to the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker being released here in Canada. I will write later on tonight with my impressions of the GameCube translation of this masterpiece.

This is my first blog entry. What else is there to say? For the record, today I went to work, did a few things out of the office, watched half of Grosse Point Blank (starring John Cusak) and will likely watch the other half tonight when Allie gets home from taking Raven to dance. There isn't much else to say - Allie suggested I write some thoughts down, and I liked the idea of doing it online, so here we are. Stay tuned for some more adventures and thoughts. Also, there was a new Onion today for the interested. It was also Federal Budget Day here in Canada, and Throne Speech Day here in Alberta.

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