Edward's December 2012 Mix

 

 

I'm sitting here, a midwestern blizzard outside my window, with Christmas less than a five day week away from me. And all I've been doing is working. I work for a strange company that finagles my hours around to where if  I work overtime one day, they send me home early the next day, so in effect, I don't get overtime. How convenient for the bookkeepers! And guess what? I'm working Christmas AND New Years both. The average European gets 6 weeks a year off from work with a 35 hour work week.  The average American worker gets 3 weeks (including sick days) and is expected to work overtime every week. What is wrong with us? Why am I a shmuck because I'd rather be off of work than work to line some corporate suit's pockets? And the salt on the wound is I make slightly more than minimum wage. I don't think I'll ever understand it. It won't matter for much longer anyway. Trust me on this. Wait and see, this issue will swell like an Indonesian tsunami and will make homosexual marriages and marijuana legalization look like a four year old's request to get up to get one more drink of water. Well, despite our Americans' perverted work habits, I still have to feed my hedonistic habits, and I did so this month. Okay, I lied to you. I'm sorry. I TRIED to. I'll put it that way. I actually quit a hell of a lot of stuff this month. For starters I quit my second job. It just wasn't worth it. The money wasn't all that, and I was tired of walking around looking like an extra from The Walking Dead. I quit a few games, too. And you know how much I hate doing that stuff! Well, maybe you won't hate me when I tell you why. Keep reading. :P


1. Terminator and Terminator 2 on DVD

Ah, a return to the classics! I'd not seen these in years, and they're both still enjoyable to watch. Arnold was in his prime in the first movie, and it's interesting how even he didn't take it seriously while they were filming it. According to Wikipedia he called it a "shit" movie. But this, in actuality, was the movie that made the name James Cameron a meme for me. Who can ever forget the haunting photograph of Sarah Connor sitting in the CJ-7 as the storm clouds are gathering on the horizon? The second movie exuded style and techniques that revealed the shortcomings and "low-budgetism" of the first, (though even a jaded critic could see the sincerity that went into the first one.) Robert Patrick was perfect in the role of the T-1000. And even to this day when someon mentions a Harley Fat Boy, how can you not think of Arnold on the one he "borrowed" from the biker in the bar?

2. Lost on Blu-Ray
If you've been following me this far, you know how much I hate television. As a matter of fact I boycott it. I haven't watched network/cable television in many years. I hate commercials that much. When you break them down into what they really are, they are an affront to human intelligence: a vehicle designed to interrupt your viewing experience in a beggar's attempt to get you to buy something. Utter crap.
And that is why I love optical and digital media. I love DVDs and Blu-Ray. And what has me hooked now is Lost. I never watched it the first time around because of my eternal television boycott. But now, getting to see every episode on my terms, commercial free, is something that is almost a utopia of sorts. This stuff is digital crack so far. I've only watched the first two episodes, but the white sands and green water, the green leafy palms depicted on the Blu-Ray disc make me want to go there. It kind of reminds me of Battlefield 2's Wake Island. And those of you know who know what this is can stop laughing about now. Heh. But seriously, is there any other place you'd rather be marooned?

3. Twins of Evil on Blu-Ray
Hammer Films ruled the roost when I was a kid as far as horror movies went. Today, if it's not a homocidal maniac with superhuman strength wreaking havoc it's a teenager spending the first hour of a ninety minute film convincing his peers, "yes, it's true, it was a vampire! I saw a vampire!" Not so with the old Hammer films. These movies opened up with the populace holed up in the local inn at moonrise BECAUSE there are vampires lurking outside. Despite the almost melodramatic tone of these movies, many of them were rated R at the time they came out, and me being a ten year old kid = me not being able to see them. And now obtaining this beautiful transfer onto Blu-Ray of two twin girls, one almost a saint, and the other a conniving little she-devil who falls into the guiles of Count Karnstein who lives in the castle upon the hill and becomes one of the sexiest vampires on film is something I never imagined I'd see. And Peter Cushing, who had just lost his wife, and looks absolutely grievous with his sunken cheeks and cadaverous countenance is grand in his role in this film.

4. Platoon on DVD
In 1986 I had no idea who Charlie Sheen was. All I knew was I went to see this movie that was getting good reviews, and it was about Viet Nam. I was just out of the military myself and somewhat fired up to see something like this. I walked out of the movie disturbed and it wasn't until Spielberg's venerable Saving Private Ryan that I would feel anything similar over a movie. My emotions are easily toyed with via the written word; I'm a bookaholic, but via movies, not so much. Well, not like this movie did anyway. Stone's vision in this movie was dismal, forlorn, almost without hope. But beyond that, it just felt so . . .true. I was a little kid when my parent's friends were all getting drafted to go to Vietnam, but I remember the way they talked. I remember the vernacular, hell, I still use it myself to this day. I still say, "man" when I begin or end certain sentences. This movie makes Coppola's Apocalypse Now look like the parts of Disney's Peter Pan that ended up on the cutting room floor. I'm sorry, Frankie, but this movie made me feel like I was carrying around an anvil in my stomach.

5. Appleseed Cast Sagarmatha on CD
I just happend to hear this band on radiotuna or Pandora, not sure which one now, but it doesn't matter. At times I feel as if I go through life as an automoton, an object under some cruel kid's magnifying glass, walking in a straight line like some Frankenstein monster. And then something comes along, a giant hand or whatever, that picks me up and turns me to the left or right. Suddenly I'm heading into a new direction. This month, this album was that. I'm probably going to have to order another copy. I'm wearing this one out in my CD player. These guys are a cross between Explosions in the Sky and an American version of Sigur Ros. How is it possible to listen to a tune and be moved to tears, then hit repeat and the next time it makes you into the coolest joe on the planet, Ray-Bans on and convertible top pulled down? So odd, how the songs on this album do this, but even moreso odd, how it does it when I'm not paying attention. Heavy on the bass and with a flighty Fender Stratocaster set to full "chorus" and reverb that makes you think of white sand beaches, coconuts about to burst on palm trees and skies so blue they make your chest ache, this is good stuff. The best. I defy you to listen to "Raise the Sails" and not think about running across a spacious green lawn, spreading your arms, raising your face to the sun, eyes closed in glee and preparing to take flight.

6. Titan Quest on PC
Edward Pyro, my esteemed fire mage who lived in this galaxy a long, long time ago, about 5,000 years to be exact, during the Grecian empire, is now level 19 and soon to be level 20. I have about 25 hours into the game. The game is good despite it's age, and, yes, it could be construed as a true Diable II competitor, but I'm ready for it to be over with. I just ran into my first impossible boss in which there was no possible way of defeating him. I mean, how do you beat a guy who when you expend every ounce of energy (mana) and strength (health) you have, his lifeline hasn't moved at all? I began looking for cheats and walk throughs, and unfortunately, couldn't find any. But those old Grecian gods were smiling on me because after a reload the game was bugged, and I simply stood there and wailed melee on the boss culprit and he stood there and took it like a mortal man. I beat him, scored the loot, got the XP (and the level) and discovered I had two more lands to visit.

7. The Black Shrike by Alistair MaClean
"Research scientists needed by top rocket project overseas. Top priority work, highest salaries. Box 41." Would you respond to an ad like this? Unfortunately some scientists did, and now it's up to counterespionage agent Bentall and his cohort, Marie posing as husband and wife to begin at a Fiji hotel to find them. Written in 1961, this book is adventure with a capital A. Part Ian Fleming, part Jules Verne, and a whole lot of Battlefield 2's Wake Island. (There I go again with that weird allusion.) I can't help it, I love the place. I'd move there tomorrow if I could. Google it. You might find yourself wanting to move there as well.

8. Tron 2.0 on PC
This PC game was quite the number back in good ol' 2003. Geeze, was that almost ten years ago? Really? Well, with Monolith's ingenious cartoon/bright graphics/Syd Mead look the game still looks as fantastic as it did when it came out. The Disney movie wasn't all that great, no doubt, but Monolith took the game and made it a continuation of sorts, and it shines. The game is a simple FPS with different nomenclature, and a thinly veiled storyline. Hard to believe I rage quitted this game years ago, but it was one of those games that seemed to hearken to me from its lofty perch on the shelf. So I thought I'd give it another try. I won't say it's a must play game, but I will say it's an important game that won numerous awards upon its release. I try not play games in the dark anymore, it's just murder on the eyes, and with today's LCD screens it really is unnecessary, but this game screams to be played in the dark. Syd Mead's (Blade Runner) influences bleed from this thing like coolant spewing from a liquid cooled i7 processor.

9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on PC
After recently trying GTA III on my PC and finding it wholly incompatible with my operating system I decided to try a more modern version of the game. I found that in GTA:SA. I loved the tone and setting. This was "Sanford and Son" that lost its innocence. Hell, this was "Boyz N the Hood," ripped off. I'm not a fan of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre gangsta rap, but this stuff was tight as I rolled low in my '63 Chevy chop top popping rivals and taking missions from neighborhood gang leaders. This game captured southern LA in 1992 perfectly. And then I discovered something not so perfect. The game was flawed. The game was designed/created/released with  the PC as an afterthought. I aggressively avoid games that eschew my enamored platform like this. Had I known. The game played perfectly, despite the lack of quicksaves I still found it manageable. And then came the the one mission where I had to pose as a limousine driver picking up a famous rap artist at the local awards show (Grammy's anyone? it smells it, looks it, tastes it.) So, I pick the guy up and instead of taking him to his MTV crib, I drive off a local pier with his doors locked while I dive out and swim to shore, mission accomplished. So, I crawl out of the surf, my jam trunks clinging to my skinny legs and butt like flypaper, and what awaits me, but the rap artist's bodyguards. They unload their Uzis into me. So, I had to start the mission over again because they saw me. No big deal, right? Wrong. I had to start the mission all the way over from the VERY beginning. We're talking a three tier mission here with no saves in between. Screw that noise. I played this game because I wanted to ultimately play GTA IV despite its draconian GFWL sign in and mandatory membership/sign in to Rockstar Live or whatever the hell it's called. But I won't now. I'm done with Rockstar. GTA began on the PC. Rockstar, you betrayed us. Now, I never knew you.

10. Gun on PC
I have seen the movie Tombstone ten times. That's not an exaggeration. I have seen The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly also ten times. Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove was one of the best novels I've ever read (and well worth its 1974 Pulitzer). And yet, I don't consider myself a fan of westerns. Gawd, I hate country and western music! But there's something in the writing of these aforementioned vehicles that compel them to me like nothing else can. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly bond me and my stepfather like nothing else ever can. And someday when my beloved stepfather is gone I wonder if I'll be even be able to watch that movie again. When Gun was released in 2006 I had high hopes. Lance Henrickson and Tom Skerritt were voicing major characters in the game, and the game was itself penned by a Hollywood screenplay writer. I picked up the game and installed it, and not soon afterward rage quitted it and uninstalled it due to it's obvious issue with "consolitis." This month I decided to give it another go. I got to the part where I had to race an old prospector named "Honest Tom" to acquire a horse. Impossible. I tried it with the keyboard, and reluctanctly attempted with an Xbox controller. I finally went to the forums at www.gamepressure.com where some idiot going by the name of "Thermos" had to say this about it, "dis mission is so easy dat if u cant do it just dont bother with anymore of the game at all." Kids today. Are our schools that bad? And then someone else, Dark Tom7, (must be Thermos's brother had this to say when asked for advice, "oh yeh if u still cant do it after sell the game and buy crash bandicoot." What? Is this guy texting in on a Walmart buy the minutes phone? The bottom line is, this game like GTA:SA suffers from another case of "consilitis." I'm done with such games. PC games outsell every console game on the planet (yes, all consoles put together. Google it.) Let the consoles' high production values and kiss ass licensing fees sink right along with them. I'm done playing console games that are lazily ported over.

11. PC Gamer Magazine 2010
Still perusing my PC Lamers--this is a magazine I truly love. I get really nostalgic poring over my old issues. Gary Whitta, EIC who penned the truly epic movie, The Book of Eli, Greg "the Vede" Vederman who remains to this day one of the best PC hardware writers I've ever encountered, William R. Trotter who penned the wargaming column for so many years and has penned some bestselling war fiction on his own, Andy Mahood, who writes the sim colum to this day (and who has personally emailed me to answer questions) these are all men after my own heart. I love PC games not only because of their very substance, but also because these are the men who made me fall in love with PC games.

Edward's November 2012 Mix

Another busy month, what with the elections and the end of the world next month. And then the end of the American economy as we know it in January 2013. But I still managed to drink my fill of cultural media. Speaking of the election,  I kind of got into it with my family over my own personal political affiliations. I became a party man in 1992--a straight party man. Despite I'm always being told, "no, you can't vote that way! You'd better vote for the lesser of two evils." Like my personal friend, Michael Badnarik who ran for the US Presidency in 2004 said, "How can I vote for the lesser of two evils and face myself in the mirror the next morning?" So, what if the Libertarian party doesn't have a snowball's chance in Phoenix of filling the White House, I do vote with a clear conscious.


1. Guild Wars 2 for PC

Like I said last month there really is no comparison to other MMOs as far as Guild Wars 2 goes. My golden hearted necromancer, Edward Odious, hit level 80 and I've traveled through several of the game's instances. All really good stuff, and I'm still amazed at how 100% of my grouping has been with PUGs (random pick up groups) and nobody bickers, nobody calls anybody else retarded or n00b, people are kind and helpful. I've never seen such amiability in any other game. Oh, and I looted my first Legendary item, but wouldn't you know it, I wear light armor, these were big steel Herman Munster boots that my class couldn't use. Go figure.

 

2. Street Fighter IV for PC

 

Capcom released this game way back in 1987. I never played it in the arcades, but I peeked over a lot of shoulders of those who did. And in 2009 the game was released for PC. I'm always a little behind the times when it comes to PC games (though I always get to them eventually) so I didn't get the game until 2010 and I almost immediately rage quitted. I've since picked up an Xbox controller, and yeah, it makes a night and day difference. I'm playing it on "Easiest" level. Shhh! and I do okay until I get to the liquid metal guy who kind of resembles a kid's Saturday morning version of the T-1000 Terminator. This guy just mows over me, but I don't care. I'm too busy laughing at his spectacular moves.

3. Codename: Panzers for PC

I played this little gem of game back in 2004, but lost interest all too quickly. I'm giving it another go. Finished the German campaign, and I'm on the last Russian battle, and then it's onto the Americans. I'm portraying a disillusioned Russian officer named Aleksander Vladimiriov who writes such things in his journal, "Strange, the silence that surrounds us has something threatening. From my tent I see the birches next to the dusty pathway. In the sunlight, their leaves are shining like millions of gems." This coupled with the unintentional comedic cutscenes where the guys move around like Gerry Anderson's "Supermarionation" characters in Thunderbirds Are Go! make this game a must play. Shiny crisp graphics and enough authentic details on the war weaponry to satisfy the diehards, this game is a baby version of Company of Heroes. I recommend you pick it up on eBay for seriously dirt cheap.

 

 

4. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

 

Michael Valentine is a Martian on the planet Earth. He's the FIRST Martian on Earth, and he decides to show people the Martian way. Simple words do not convey; he takes these people under his wing and through osmosis "indoctrinates" them into being Martians much like himself. How to do? He becomes the world's biggest cult leader, advertising free love and unconditional physical affection, communion is held by the simple passing back and forth of a glass of water where "brotherhood" is earned. And in the end we realize Valentine is far greater than the sum of his parts.  I know this is the most "classic" of Heinlein you can get, but I still find his vintage SF more appealing. This book, when written in 1961, was filled with controversy. Today it offers a mere PG outlook. Entertaining, and an obvious vehicle for Heinlein's Libertarian views, but slow in parts and not one I would read again. (This stolen from my review on Shelfari.com.)

 

5. My War Gone By, How I Miss It So by Anthony Loyd

 

"There is no God behind me, and I have strong doubts concerning the existence of a soul these days, but when I look at a corpse it always seems as if there is more than simply life missing. There have been a few disturbing exceptions when death gives more than it takes. I once saw a dead Russian girl. In her early twenties, long haired and lithe, she had caught a bit of shrapnel in her chest, one of those tiny wounds that you would not believe could take a life but does. Alive she was strikingly pretty. Dead she was so beautiful you could have raised an army to sack Troy just for possession of her casket." And so begins the journal of a bored British soldier who joins up in the life and death struggle among the Serbs, Croatians, and the Bosnian Muslims. I've only begun this book, but I haven't read any war story so bleak yet poignant since Guy Sajer's classic, The Forgotten Soldier years ago.

 

6. Preacher Gone to Texas by Garth Ennis, illustrated by Steve Dillon

 

I'm not a fan of graphic novels, not really. But my daughter picked this up somewhere, not sure where. I found it while perusing one of our bookshelves the other day, and when I saw the introduction was written by Joe Lansdale it stuck to my fingers like glue. This thing is wild and crazy at best. An angel and a demon fall in love and produce a well, an anti-superhero whose strength knows no bounds? And the zany trio who come together to destroy this thing, are the most unlikely people in the universe to even be capable of such a thing. Like Kevin Smith says, "More fun than going to the movies." I'm only halfway through this, volume 1 (of nine). I'm concerned at this point where I'm going to find the other volumes.

 

7. Titan Quest on PC

 

Still enjoying this brother with a different Diablo mother. My fire mage, Edward Pyro has recently hit level 13 and figures he is halfway completed through his tour of ancient Greece fighting undead soldiers and fatal creatures of Grecian lore. Medussa anyone? His fire flinging skills and lighting staff are becoming incredibly powerful. Now if he could just find some legendary loot.

 

8. Alien Quadrilogy: Alien 4: Resurrection on DVD

 

I have not seen the newest Ridley Scott Alien remake, Prometheus. Yep, it's true. I really am looking forward to seeing it, but in the meantime I did manage to watch this last old school Alien movie for the first time. It's always a pleasure to see Michael Wincott in anything. This guy is the ultimate bad guy. (Superb casting him as the evil gangleader in The Crow.) Sigourney Weaver played her part amazingly well as her newly resurrected former self. And the discovery of the android was a pleasant surprise. I think the real star of this one though was the half human/half alien. That look on its face when it was being sucked through the bulkhead leak was pitiful. Looking at Sigourney Weaver its "mommy," with such sadness. Unforgettable.

 

9. Ten by Pearl Jam on CD

 

When Pearl Jam formed in 1990 many thought they were simply a "cash-in" of the quite popular grunge movement hatching in Seattle, Washington. Funny, they've outlasted so many bands of their ilk. This, their first album, still holds up great. The bass on "Alive," sounds incredible on a good audio system, and Eddie Vedder's haunting "Black," is a perfect PJ song. Strange that they hail from the same stomping grounds as the venerable Jimi Hendrix, and they have such Hendrix overtones in their songs. Almost spooky.

 

10. Audioslave by Audioslave on CD

 

Their videos depicting hot lemon sunshine and dusty country roads and classic muscle cars is the perfect backdrop to this LA based rock band. Their unusal sound of 1970's hard rock melded with 90's rock is an interesting but quite effective marriage. I've been spinning this first album of theirs a lot lately. There isn't a bad song on the disc. Chris Cornell sounds like a man with a very old soul, or at least one who's walked a lot of highways and seen a lot of truck stops and roadside motel rooms. Good stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward's October 2012 Mix

Strange month for me, really. Well, as far as interactive entertainment goes anyway. I finished number 7 in the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles (it was okay, not her best) and as far as gaming, well, about the ONLY thing I've been playing is Guild Wars 2, and this past week I've been slacking off on that. I've been watching numerous Blu-Rays and I still very much love the technology. Now if I could get a wall mounted 60" screen with 7.1 digital surround sound to fully enjoy it in all of its glory. I did manage to get published in the December 2012 issue of PC Gamer. Hooah! I've taken on a second job, and yeah, it's only one week a month, but that week is a hell week because I get basically no sleep. I even turned my computer off for 3 days straight, imagine that. I've not done that in . . .hmm... years?


1. Guild Wars 2 for PC

There really is no comparison to other MMOs as far as Guild Wars 2 goes. It's like an MMO in the perfect state. PC Gamer magazine awarded it a 94% and my cousin's husband recently told me all of his World of Warcraft friends abandoned that game to migrate over to Guild Wars 2. Really, I'm not surprised. Edward Odious has hit level 79, and isn't far from the level 80 cap. Just like I said last month, this is the finest PC game I've played in two years. I can't imagine playing another MMO. Ever.

2. Six Feet Under: Season Two on DVD

In actuality this show isn't fit to watch as far as decency and decorum. Michael Ball really pushes the homosexual thing, and the amount of f bombs in the show make me think their staff of dialogue writers are a freshmen class at a UCLA Screenplay writer's class, but once in a while someone says something so profound it just makes me think about it the whole rest of the day. I haven't watched anything on television that has changed the way I look at the world like this show. I've grown fond of the characters, well, except for Brenda, Nate's girlfriend. She's totally screwed up and classically blames it on her parents. Okay, so now do something about it instead of demand the world feel sorry for you. Well, in the final episode she packed her bags and went. Maybe it's permanent. Fingers crossed.

3. 2001: A Space Odyssey on Blu-Ray

Like a friend of mine on Facebook recently said about this movie. It's one of the most boring great films of all time, and it is. I remember it came out when I was a kid, and I later got to see it in full 70mm at an eclectic movie theater in San Diego, California, but I have to admit, I wasn't braced for the beauty of the film on Blu-Ray. I may not watch it again, but it makes me warm and fuzzy to know I have it on my shelf. It really is an important film, one every SF fan should have.

4. The Book of Eli on Blu-Ray

Penned by a personal familiar, Gary Whitta (former editor of PC Gamer Magazine) I had heard this was a great movie. It may not be a religious movie, per se, but it's definitely one of the more spiritual movies I've seen. Whitta was playing a lot, shoot, a whole truckload of Fallout 3 when he wrote this, and you can clearly see similarities. I've read on blogs that numerous people now play FO3 while listening to the soundtrack of this movie (and yes, the soundtrack is amazingly a world unto itself--it's only shortlist of CD's to buy.) Read numerous reviews of this film and it's funny how some of the athiests who watched it and reviewed said it's not a spiritual movie at all, ha!

5. Drag me to Hell on Blu-Ray

A nice take and homage to the old style horror flicks, be a bad person or do a bad deed and terrible things happen to you. This involves a rather charming young loan officer who denies an old Russian immigrant an extension on her home mortgage. And this, after two previous extensions. So the old woman puts a curse on her and she gets harrassed and terrorized by a demon until supposedly the third day when the demon drags her down to Hell. Well, first, didn't the old woman realize that's the way it works, you pay your mortgage or you lose your house? And she said she had nobody to help her out, but yet when she dies, and our illustrious loan officer goes to her house it's filled with happy Russkies celebrating a wake. This seemed like a slippage in the shooting script to me, heh, but hey, it was fun to watch, and looked great on Blu-Ray. It's a keeper. Perhaps one of the better Sam Raimi movies I've seen: chills, thrills, and the same gross humor that you'd find in one of his Bruce Campbell vehicles.

6. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

This has been on my reading list for years, and if you go to my bookshelf on  http://www.shelfari.com/o1516830181 you can easily see I'm a Heinlein fan, albeit more for his older stuff. You can't beat Red Planet, Space Cadet and Starship Troopers for good ol' rock'em sock'em science fiction that's fun to read. This novel, however, has been declared one of the best SF novels ever written. It's much too soon to tell, only about 1/5th of the way into it, but it's moving well, and involves the titular Martian brought to Earth for the first time.
 

Edward's September 2012 Mix

Edward's September 2012 Mix

 

 

 

 

A landmark month actually--I turned half a century old today. Quite sobering to realize I have many more years behind me than I do ahead of me. If I'm lucky I'll have 20 to 30 more Christmases. I guess it doesn't sound too bad when you think of it like that. Actually, that's a ton more Christmases. Speaking of Christmas I've felt just about overwhelmed this month with something quite comparable to Yuletide joy, and that is total ebullience with a RL event I attended and a great new game that released. Details below:

1. Guild Wars 2 for PC

There really is no comparison to other MMOs as far as Guild Wars 2 goes. It's like an MMO in the perfect state. Imagine, a massive multiplayer game that lovingly persuades total cooperation and participation. You get XP for every single thing the game has to offer whether it be crafting, exploring, crafting or even reviving fellow players who've fallen. The loot drops are spectacular, and simply grouping up with one other person, hell, you don't even need to officially group up, just fight alongside them, and it causes the loot quality to ramp up even more. There is no typical dungeon run with the holy trinity (tank, dps, and healer.) This game goes beyond that. Everybody is a hero, and nobody is a failure. My necromancer, Edward Odious, is making his own history with his band of mishapen mongrels and animated flesh fiends. Feel free to join me on the Dragonbrand server. This is, clearly, the finest PC game I've played in two years. I can't imagine playing another MMO. Ever.

 

2. Titan Quest for PC

 

I failed at Neverwinter Nights. Actually, let  me rephrase that, I believe it's more like Neverwinter Nights failed me. I was midway in Chapter 3 (of the game's 4 chapters) and I just got bored out of my skull. I encountered a dragon that continually chewed up me and my henchman over and over and over and over and over, and I just decided, okay, 66.5 hours of this is enough. I admire what NWN did at the time for storyline and graphics, but I will never finish it. Bioware, you stomped my butt with this one. I loaded up Titan Quest to play on my laptop, and I'm already engrossed. It moves fast, it's flashy, it's easy (so far) and I find the early Greek/Roman setting fascinating. It's like a Diablo game played in the sunshine.

 

3. Blood & Gold by Anne Rice

 

I love Anne Rice's vampire chronicles. Her characters have always appealed to me with their quiet dark sadness, and how immortality traps them and most of them eventually fall into madness because of it. In this novel, book 7 in the series, we accompany Marius, a Roman senator, from his days of watching the Roman Empire fall to modern times. I'm a fourth of the way into it, and I'm already sucked in (pun intended) by Marius's quiet dedication to his state of being as a vampire charged with overseeing The Ones Who Must Be Kept (the original male and female vampires that birthed the first vampires in the Anne Rice kingdom.)

 

4. Achtung Baby by U2 on CD

 

I've always felt this album and Zooropa shared the same engineered fuzzy guitar intros that sounded as if they were amped through tin cans on a string and were probably siamese twins miraculously separated at birth, but this one truly wins out being produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. Some of the best lyrics I've ever heard vocalized by Bono, and definitely some of the finest bass I've ever listened to compliments of Adam Clayton. Clayton's technique is honey to my ears. He makes me want to go buy a bass guitar. I liked U2 in the early years, but it seemed to me they got way too commercial way too fast. This album is a testament to that, undoubtedly, but it stole my heart anyway. And knowing that Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois produced it makes the icing almost surpass the cake. This is not just some good stuff, but some of U2's best stuff in my opinion.

 

5. Metaphor by Patrick O'Hearn on CD

 

The former bassist for the early 80's band, The Missing Persons, and pretty much a household name in the world of New Age music, bassist and musical maven, Patrick O' Hearn was nominated for 2 Grammy's over the years. It seems his newer works have gotten sunnier in tone, yet more complex. This one was released in 1998 and just seems to capture that perfect pinnacle when O' Hearn transformed his music from the somber dark stuff to more upbeat pieces of music. It's currently on auto-repeat on my car's sound system and it's really giving my subwoofer a workout. Listening to this album you can actually hear the transformation taking place. "The Women of Lachaise" might very well be the most beautifully haunting song on the planet.

 

6. PC Gamer Magazine 2008

 

I'm going back over issues for the year 2008. Ah, who could forget Left 4 Dead and Age of Conan? I totally fell into the hype surrounding Age of Conan and got immolated for it. I swore never again. (I didn't buy into the GW2 hype, but found I didn't need to.) I did, however, victimize myself to the Battlefield 3 hype and then met with an unrequited experience when I was unable to purchase a computer to play it on.

Seriously though, The Witcher came out in 2008, and that was a grand game to play through.  

 

7. Wes Craven's Horror Collection: 3 movies on DVD

 

The Serpent and the Rainbow, Shocker, and The People Under the Stairs. Only the first movie, starring a very early Bill Pullman (and his hair) has any sense of credibility to it. And it is downright eerie, involving Haiti and voodoo.

 

Shocker seems to be Craven's attempt to shoot a movie and have a ball at the same time. A boy discovers his family brutally murdered by a serial killer, and then in the very next scene we hear him grunting and straining as he's exercising so he can stay in top form for the local college football team. The guy who plays Walter Skinner in the X-Files (Mitch Pillegi) is the serial killer, a rockabilly badass who's too goofy to seem truly evil. Watch this movie, but first buy a hernia belt.

 

The People Under the Stairs was a strange movie inspired by a news story Craven read about a mother and father who kept their children trapped in the house and never let them outside. This one was the disappointment of the three. I wouldn't say it was outright bad, but not sure I'd sit through it again.

 

8. Ohio Renaissance Festival 2012

 

I got to attend this gala event with some very good friends, and it's the most fun I've had in the real world in a long time. Imagine a 30 acre field mowed down with a medieval village built in the center of it. The atmosphere was spot on, the ladies, (er . .uh, wenches) looked ravishing in their costumes, and I even got to see armored knights joust. But the tall dark mage I saw with the batwing cloak and the tall staff with the crystal ball atop it supported by the talons of a crow's foot truly made the day. I want to go back next year. As a matter of fact, I think I want to go back every year. I've become a real fan.  

Edward's August 2012 Mix

Edward's August 2012 Mix

The summer for the history books is behind us. Of course, since I work inside it really seemed to be little more than a blur for me, something happening to everybody else. Were I ditchdigger or a landscaper I'd probably feel differently. Oh well, it's been another busy month nonetheless. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2008 and I had a bad parting of the ways. 140 hours and 2 years lost. Down the tubes. The game glitched and corrupted. I tried everything. I tried a reinstallation. I even tried a system restore. For some reason my rig thinks the game has cooties now. It simply will not boot up whatsoever. And to think I was 3 guys away from the monster himself. Fate, honestly, has a gross sense of humor.

1. Battlestar Galactica: Season 3 on DVD

So much has happened in a mere 3 seasons of this incredible show. The humans have landed and settled on a serendepitiously discovered planet they christen, New Caprica. And all is golden until the cylons discover and invade it. Allegiances come into question as Gaius Baltar turns traitor and the Galactica makes a bold rescue. The cylons turn Baltar over to the Colonials, and he is put on trial. The court room episode is truly some of the best writing on television I've ever seen. And then who can forget Admiral Adama's heart rending speeches.

2. The Mary Onettes on CD

Take a little known band from Norway, throw in a bit of The Church, and a pinch of The Jesus & Mary Chain, and top it off with an icing made of The Cure and you have this wonderful band who sound as if they stepped out of an 80's time machine. You can't help but feel totally cool when people ask you, "Hey man, who is that band you're playing?" Spinning this CD I've gotten that a lot lately. Look up "Lost" or "Explosions" on Youtube. You'll see what I mean.

3. Manny's Search by Edward C. Burton

My novel. It's done! Yay! Well, not 100%, but the manuscript format is completed and has been accepted. Next comes the cover. My friend Michael Tran crafted it for me with his uber artistic skills. Unfortunately, saved as a .pdf file created from Photoshop Elements it's entirely too big. I'll have to work on getting the file size down without sacrificing resolution. I don't care; I can do this. The hard part was getting the manuscript down to 0 formatting errors so CreateSpace (who finalizes it for Amazon.com) would accept it.

4. Back When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler

Maybe she's a chick author, but I love Anne Tyler's writing. I fell in love with The Accidental Tourist years ago. Her characters are the people next door, and she writes them with such aplomb--all the little daydreams, the regrets, the woulda-coulda-shouldas. She writes passages that make me grin silly and reread them over and again. I've said it before, but she reminds me of a female counterpart to Norman Rockwell with the blank page being her slate. This novel concerns a 53 year old widow who lives with her deceased husband's family because she feels so much a part of the family. It's an endearing tale already, and I'm only 100 pages into it.

5. PC Gamer Magazine 2007

I'm reading my back issues of the year 2007 now. Ah, a rather memorable year, actually. Who could forget the release of Windows Vista, nothing short of a complete train wreck. (Although I did like DirectX 10 and the new Games Startup Menu.) And lest we not forget Bioshock and Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl. Will Wright released Spore, which was speculated to be an almost Sims killer, but that didn't happen. Instead the game had DRM that launched a cavalcade of Amazon 1 star reviews.

6. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl on PC

Speaking of Stalker, yes, I'm attempting to tackle it again. Easily one of the most haunting games I've ever played I first started playing it on release (2007) and found it simply too difficult. I got angry and uninstalled it. Then I tried a year later and like an idiot got far into the game and forgot to save. I saved right before an untimely demise. And then I got pissed and uninstalled it again. Well, now that I'm 4 years older and more mature I've decided to reattempt it. I've made great progress; I'll get it this time. It has all the eeriness of a X-Files episode mixed with the design path choices of Deus Ex coupled with the loneliness of Fallout 3. It's a game well worth playing.

7. Battlefield 2 on PC

This is one of my favorite games of all time. I started playing it again to get used to my new Razer Naga mouse which I purchased for Guild Wars 2 when it ships. (You need it to survive PvP.) Battlefield 2 is truly one of the only online games I'm good at but only because I've played it for so long. I've played it since its release in 2005, and it will always be on my hard disk drive as long as the breath of Life resounds in its servers. Crazy as it may seem, the maps in the game always exude a sense of home for me, and I find myself thinking about them even when I'm outside and away from the game. Is this even possible, can you be homesick for someplace that exists only virtually? This game is my Matrix. And it probably always will be.

8. Prison penpals

I write to two people who are incarcerated. One is a distant relative and the other is a family friend. I can't imagine living life like a caged canary, but these two people do it everyday. I think I'd be headed for a padded room. I wrote the relative the other day and explained how DVDs have been surpassed by Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray is being surpassed by online streaming. That totally blew his mind. My letters seem to be a ray of sunshine to these people, or at least that's what they tell me. Do I really make a difference to these people? In the grand scheme of things, maybe not. But I feel like I do. And in the immortal words of Emily Dickinson, "If I can save one heart from breaking, my life will have been worth it." I think my letters save lives.

Edward's July 2012 Mix

Edward's July 2012 Mix

It's been an unusually hot summer. And how best to avoid the simmering sun by staying inside? I did manage to finish Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 3. Wow, what a cliffhanging ending!! Captain Picard, a Borg? I finished reading Michael Chricton's first novel, The Andromeda Strain. Great book, and despite being published in the early 1970's not nearly as dated as you might think. Okay, without further ado, this is what I've been into this month.

1. Northern Exposure: The Second Season on DVD

I wasn't an avid fan of this back when it originally aired back in the mid nineties. Goodness, did I miss out. I adore this show. The writing exudes profundity, and the slightly quirky characters remind me of when I was a kid and thinking The Robinson family of Lost in Space literally lived in the television set. This show affects me in that same strange way. Each episode I get to peer in on the character's lives and their idiosyncrasies. I'm so intrigued I can't help but to quietly root for them. Chris's observations he so wisely puts into words as he dj's at the radio station is the icing on the cake.

2. PC Gamer Magazine 2006

Reading through my back issues of this grand magazine I'm now in the midst of 2006. The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and Company of Heroes. These two games alone defined great gaming in the year 2006. I still play these games today. I have yet to finish Oblivion. And Company of Heroes will always reside on my hard drive. I've said it before, I think it's the best RTS ever made. Bar none.

3. Never Winter Nights on PC

I'm still weaving my way through this game. I'm at the tail end of Chapter 2 and my stately paladin, Edward Dogooder, is doing just that. Saving damsels in distress, defeating evil and lining his pockets with gold along the way. He's delivered the cure to the plague that was the scourge of the land, and has become a local hero of sorts. 45 hours and at level 11, I still have far to go.

4. Need for Speed: Carbon on PC

Occasionally I get an itch for simulated car racing. The last NFS speed game I played (NFS: Most Wanted) took me 130 hours to beat and, well, actually, I didn't beat it. I mean, I beat all the street racers, working my way up the ladder to the final boss. But then there was an APB put out on me in the final cut scene and when the AI turned the car back over to me I had twenty plus po-pos on my tail and despite numerous attempts to thwart them I couldn't do it. So, I didn't beat the game. It beat me. Oh well, I got to watch the final scene on Youtube, and now I've started the sequel. So far it feels considerably easier than Most Wanted was, but I know the AI in these games can ramp up rather quickly. Still, it feels good to be back in the saddle again, amongst the tricked out cars and some hilarious cheesy blue screen actors, and of course, the beautiful babe who's my flippant sidekick and always leaves me wondering if she's really on my side.

5. The Bottoms by Joe Landsdale

Joe Landsdale is a good ol' boy southern writer from the great state of Texas. I've followed his writing since the late 1980's. He's one of the more underrated writers who's entertained me like no other. This novel concerns a boy and his sister during the Great Depression that discover a dead body in the creek near their house and the ramifications this find has on their small community. One reviewer said this novel was like "an X rated Andy Griffith episode." I'm not that far into it, but so far I can see it's going to be a humdinger of a novel, no doubt.

6. F.E.A.R. 2:Project Origin on PC

Regarded to be not nearly as frightening as the first one, I wholly beg to differ. The original F.E.A.R. had awkward music queues and a tell tale grind of the hard disk drive as it loaded components of the game into RAM, so you  always knew when the crap was about to hit the fan. The sequel offers no such advantage. This is the best horror game I've played in a long time, with some of the best jump out of my seat moments since Dead Space. The script is as convoluted as the first game, but it's not a big deal. You'll spend far more time trying to shake the lead feeling of dread encompassing you than worrying about the plot line.

7. The Annual Summer Sale on Steam

If, as a pc gamer you're not familiar with Steam I must ask you from which cave did you emerge or from which rock have you been living under for the past seven years? Steam is having a hellacious sale and I've already purchased 3 games with no let up in sight. It's a miracle if this sale doesn't bankrupt me, seriously. Prices are low, and they allow user members to vote on select titles to offer at even lower prices. This is Black Friday in July. If you don't check this out then the bottom line is simply this: you are NOT a gamer.

8. Magic: The Gathering on pc and the collectible card game

I've been playing quite a bit of Duel of the Planeswalkers 2012 on my PC. And this has led to a blessed reuinion with my old Magic buddies (these are the guys who taught me to play way back in 1995.) It's great to be playing again after a many year long haitus. It's frustrating that my old cards get steamrolled by the modern decks, but then it's great to hear such comments as, "Dude, do you know how much that card is going for that you have?" Heh. Good times.

Edward's June 2012 Mix

Edward's June 2012 Mix

I got a few things finished this month. I finished Syberia, the last time I finished a "point & click" adventure was back in 1992, LucasArt's wonderful gem of a game called The Secret of Monkey Island. And even to finish this one I had to have a walkthrough minimized on my task bar, still, no complaints--even as a guided tour the game was spectacular to behold. I also knocked out Clive Barker's Undying. Kinda creepy, (not as much as System Shock 2), but spooky nonetheless. I felt the game got repetitive, but definitely an eerie spookhouse ride. Summer is here, yay! I've been logging some serious miles on the bike. And though I forgot to include its inclusion in the photo, a good buddy of mine gave me an old CD he wasn't listening to anymore. It just happened to be one of my favorite bands. The Birthday Massacre. Goth? Not really. Industrial? hmmm. . . maybe not. But chances are if you like Goth or Industrial music you will love The Birthday Massacre.

1. An American Werewolf in London on Blu-Ray

John Landis originally wrote the screenplay for this cult film in 1969 while working as a "gopher" on the set of the Clint Eastwood movie, Kelly's Heroes. It took him that long to get a studio fired up about his plan to make a movie that was too comedic to be considered a horror film and too horrific to be considered a comedy. This movie is black comedy at its best. The movie was also the first time an Academy Award was given for Best Makeup Effects. The transformation is worth ownership alone. And the movie looks splendid in the Blu-Ray format.

2. Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt on DVD

Alfred considered this his favorite film of all time. He did so all because of the setting: a mass murderer living amongst us in a quiet neighborhood adorned with maple trees and porch swings. Joseph Cotton gives a sinister performance as the murderer hiding out with his sister and her family, and lionized by his niece. There is nothing more disappointing than someone you're close to who ultimately reveals him or herself to be not what you expected. This suspenseful film explores that concept brilliantly.

3. World War Z by Max Brooks

I'm a fourth of the way through this book, and I can already say it's one of the best books I've read this year. It's entirely coincidental that I began reading this (I promise) as all of the crazy Internet posts concerning drug fueled sickos attacking people or indulging in self mutilation are being compared to zombies straight out of the walking dead lore. This book is told in an interview format about a not too distant future in which a plague slowly engulfs the world and produces dead people intent on eating the living. Carmack McCarthy's epic The Road was uncannily quiet. This book is insanely loud. A must read.

4. The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum on Kindle

This is book number 5 in Baum's magical children's series. Once again Dorothy returns to Oz to see all of her old friends (and to make some new ones.) This time she "accidently" gets to Oz by becoming lost in a cornfield. These books undoubtedly have a repetitive tone, but I still find something captivating in them. And Amazon's Kindle is a wonderful way to become acquainted with them.

5. Star Trek: The Next Generation -- Season 3 on DVD

The first two series laid the groundwork, the stage is set in concrete, and the characters in the series are showing depth in deep gulf levels. More than a few of the episodes revolve around Data exploring venues to "becoming human," and these are done so remarkeably well that my fondness for this series is surpassing my love for the classic episodes. I've had a catch in my throat a few times while watching this season, and the episode "The Defector" concerning a defecting Romulan (or is it a Romulan trick) could easily have stood alone as a movie. "Booby Trap" and "The Offspring" in which Data creates an android who becomes his "daughter" are two episodes I simply did not want to end.

6. Tiger Woods' PGA Tour '08 on PC

Yes, I know. You're getting tired of seeing this one turn up month after month. Well, it's been a long run, no doubt. I have over 120 hours in this game now. But I am in the Q tournament now, and doing fairly well--about halfway through the season. I'm sponsored by Oakley now, and I'm only three guys away from Tiger himself. By this time next month, I should be about finished with the game.

7. Oblivion on PC

Still a long ways away from the ending in this game. I'm over 50 hours in and I've not even started the first quest in the storyline. I'm still struggling to find a damn cure for vampirism. I just need to find some bloodgrass, and then I need to sneak into somebody's humble cottage, steal away to their basement and take a few bulbs of garlic. Easier said than done, in this game, for sure.

8. Neverwinter Nights Gold Edition on PC

Since I finished Syberia I needed a good game to load on my laptop. I had never finished Neverwinter Nights when it came out. I thought I'd give it another spin. I'm glad I did. I forgot how fun this game is! My paladin, "Edward Doogooder" is level 5 now, blatantly destroying all forms of evil in his path, and he's about to step out of the prelude into Chapter One. MMORPGs are an eternal grind, and a constant struggle of one-upping. This game is so the opposite. This is pc gaming at its purest and a testament to the simple fact that I love flying solo.

9. PC Gamer Magazine 2004

It's been a blissful memory overload reading my favorite computer gaming magazine, the entire 2004 year run. With so many PC games now being platform jumpers or Indie games cheaply purchased via Steam, 2004 was pure heydays of PC computer gaming. Doom 3, Half Life 2 and Far Cry (my favorite FPS of all time) ruled the day. Truly, it never got any better than this.

10. Manny's Search by Edward C. Burton

The awful monster of procrastination sunk its gleaming fangs into my buttocks thereby preventing me from working on getting my manuscript to market. Amazon's file scan found six discrepancies with the manuscript. I finally converted it to a workable .pdf file and reran the scan. I've narrowed it down to two issues. Amost there.

Edward's May 2012 Mix

Edward's May 2012 Mix

This has been another busy month, mostly watching DVD sets. I finally finished all of Seinfeld. Good stuff. I’ve been aggressively working out, trying to get the elusive “six pack” abs and bulk up the arms and chest a bit. It almost feels as if I’m playing tug of war with myself. I walk on the treadmill 35 minutes to burn calories, the very calories I need to build the muscle for my upper body endeavor.  I’m still trying to get my book out on Amazon, but I keep running into one stupid obstacle after another.

1. Six Feet Under on DVD:

Many critics regard this as the best television series ever created. I’m not sure about that, but I will admit is has some of the most profound dialogue I’ve ever heard. Allan Ball has produced a dark strangely comedic and morose compelling series based on a family run funeral home. I like the characters, but they sure do drop the f bomb a lot. And it’s too frequent to be effective, unfortunately, delving into the territory of the ignorant or uneducated, although these characters seem intelligent. I guess it’s my own catch-22. I’m working my way through season one, so far so good.

2. Alien Quadrilogy on DVD:

Just finished the third movie, Alien3. Effectively directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Seven, and a thousand and some MTV music videos) the film returns to its horror roots. I think Sigourney Weaver displayed a broader range of acting capabilities in this, and the characters on the prison planet in which this movie takes place were cast well. From what I read about this movie it wasn’t a big commercial success. Personally, it’s been my favorite of the series. (So far.)

3. Thor by Wayne Smith on Amazon’s Kindle:

Still working my way through this unusually written horror novel. The movie, which has sort of a cult following came out in 1991 and starred Michael Parre as a werewolf hiding out in plain site by staying with his sister and her son. Thor, a German Shepherd, is the family pet. He was more of a minor character in the film. In Wayne’s debut novel Thor is the main character. The whole story is told through the eyes of a dog. It’s a gimmick that works, and Wayne pulls it off exceedingly well. I still find it mysterious that the book is out of print and sells used on Amazon for almost $160.00 but you can get if for under three bucks for the Kindle. Definitely a good read.

4. Syberia on PC:

I’m still tackling this adventure game on my laptop since it seems to run it just fine. Tackling might be the wrong word, since I’m basically “touring” this game. There is no way I could finish it without a web based walk through minimized on my desktop computer. Still, the storyline is compelling and Syberia’s strange and funky world of old trains and abandoned factories makes this trip worthwhile. I can see why it was PC Gamer Magazine’s Adventure Game of the year for 2001.

5. The Somme: Heroism and Horror in the First World War by Martin Gilbert:

The notion you have of machine guns, tanks, mustard gas and rolled barbed wire more than likely came from the bloodiest and bleakest part of World War I which occurred near the Somme River in northern France. This book details all aspects from the generals planning strategies on map covered tables to the lowliest private in the trenches chewing mud, blood and barbed wire. I’ve recently started this book and it’s already changing my perception of that terrible war forever.

6. Seinfeld: Season 9 on DVD: 

TV Guide declared this wonderful series as the best comedy on television of all time. I’m not sure I don’t disagree. It’s been a wonderful run, and oddly, looking back, it doesn’t seem like I watched a complete nine seasons. The old maxim holds true, time flies when you’re having fun. The way it ended with Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer getting what they deserved for being shmucks was a bit unexpected, but it was a fitting end nonetheless. I won’t watch it again, but this was a great series well worth my time.

7. Clive Barker’s Undying for PC:

This old school classic shooter may not be the scariest game I’ve ever played (not so far, anyway) but it is definitely dark and creepy. The whole dread mood thing going on may pale compared to newer games (Dead Space, Doom III) but playing it with the lights out and a good set of headphones can be a bit unsettling, especially walking through a long dark hallway with moonlight shining in through the windows and gossamer curtains dancing in the breeze, and then a ghost whisper pierces the quietude, “Looook around!”

8. A Perfect Circle: Thirteenth Step on CD:

I’m not a big Tool fan, and to be honest I’m just not that familiar with the band, but Maynard James Keenan’s side project which has pretty much become a lateral project, A Perfect Circle, has made a fine album. Most of the songs seem to be focused on addiction and redemption. I’m not in agreement with Keenan’s personal beliefs (he seems to be atheistic not out of scientific or philosophical self reasons, but purely out of anger) but this album is a great listen. I think “The Noose” is probably one of the most haunting rock songs I’ve ever heard.

Edward's April 2012 Mix

April and March decided to go nutso this year and switch places (it's annoyingly cold here) and that is my perfect excuse for staying indoors this month and losing myself wholly to all sorts of indoor goodness. You will see this has been the busiest month I've had as far as activities. I've been engrossed in good tunes, good books and games that started out good, but sheesh, at this point I just wish they were over with! I'm hopefully two months away from my new uber gaming PC, and when that beautiful day comes that the FedEx man knocks on my door I can't be still playing these old games. 

1. Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour ’08:

Okay, yes, I'm embarassed. I should have been done with this a long time ago. But hey, I'm 3 golfers away from Tiger! It's still pretty much been easy so far. 114 hours so far. Let me see if I can knock it out in less than 120. I am still in the amateur tour. And I'm not sure I'm going to make to the pro tour before I get to Tiger. Oh well, far be it from me to brag (excessively),it will be cool to say I beat Tiger Woods while wearing my K-Mart polyester pants and Wal-Mart windbreaker and using clubs I picked up at U Get Credit Pawn stores while still in the amateur circuit.

2. Thor by Wayne Smith on Kindle:

In 1996 Morgan Creek Productions made a tiny sleeper of a film starring Michael Parre about a werewolf seeking refuge from his blood crimes by hiding out with his sister and her little boy. The movie was surprisingly good, based on a young author's first novel. That novel is now available on Amazon.com for a lowly $157.00. Good luck finding it for much cheaper on eBay. I picked it up for a mere three bucks for my Kindle, however, and it's entertainment value so far has blown away the movie. The novel is told through the eyes of a German Shepherd named Thor, and Wayne Smith should get kudos for his handling of this type of narrative. Smith makes me want to get a German Shepherd! If you're a fan of horror in general or if you love dogs you'll enjoy this amazing novel.

3. Tomorrow's Technology and You by George Beekman & Michael J. Quinn

This was actually a textbook my daughter left behind from one of her college Computer Science classes. I started it and couldn't put it down. Being the hardcore gamer I am, granted, I have more than a passing familiarity with much of the material. (I don't know any dedicated PC gamer that doesn't know his or her way around a desktop computer like the back of their hands) but this book has been very enlightening. It's filled with all kinds of great historical footnotes about the beginning of the Internet, and small bio's about the man who invented the World Wide Web, and even touches upon Bill Gates' rather unscrupulous business practices that got him to where he is (and the fact that he may have indeed redeemed himself through his charitable foundations.) Fascinating reading.

4. Eluviam "Copia" on CD:

An ethereal ambient tour de force by solo musician Matthew Cooper. Stunning work, and truly magnicent what this guy can do with a piano. The album contains such wondrous titles as, "Reciting the Airships," and "Indoor swimming at the Space Station." The music is as haunting as these titles evoke. If you get a chance go to Youtube and look up "Hymn #1" and try not to think of the movie, The Road. Beautiful heart-rending tuneage to say the least.

5. Gravitational Pull vs The Desire for an Aquatic Life by Stars of the Lid on CD:

Austin, Texas duo Adam Wiltzie and Brian McCbride are prophets to the electronic ambient music which has become my religion. Hard to imagine a guy playing a single synthesizer note for a minute straight coupled with a guitar on heavy reverb can have the effect it does on me, but I could toss my collection of 200 plus CD's and keep SOTL and be happy about it. Their songs take me back to 1st and 2nd grade, riding my bike to school, racing home to catch Dark Shadows on TV, and Saturday morning cartoons, distant summer lawnmowers and doves sadly cooing on telephone lines.

6. Second Life:

I spent six months of the year 2006 unemployed. But I certainly was occupied. I stumbled upon Linden Labs' virtual environment inspired by the metaverse in Neil Stephenson's epic novel, Snowcrash.  Pablo Picasso once said, "What you imagine is real." Truer words were never spoken especially when it comes to Second Life. The whole world is created by the very occupants who live in the environment. People are agog about Minecraft because of the same conventions, but Second Life was first. Some dismiss it as a 3D chat program, and some a cyber sex simulator, but I've made friends for life in this software program. I've made RL money writing for publications within the game, and the September 2006 issue of Computer Games Magazine published an essay I wrote about a sad but beautiful experience I had within the game. You probably won't get this game, but if you do, its hooks are worse than chocolate meth.

7. PC Gamer Magazine 2002:

Still reading through the year 2002 PC Gamer Mags. This was definitely a good time to be a gamer. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Ghost Recon (probably my favorite game of all time) had been published, and the top games on the horizon were such wonderful titles as Deus Ex2: Invisible War, Everquest 2, Halo and Rise of Nations, not to mention Doom III,  Rainbow Six 3 Raven Shield (my favorite in the series) and World of Warcraft (which didn't release until 2005). Still, a great time to be a gamer. Ah, times were much simpler back then. 

8. Napoleon: Total War on PC:

I'm still slogging through the European campaign. (On EASY, mind you.) But I'm starting to feel like a staggering old captain who's not seen his family in four years and looking out on the grey horizon from the black dirt trenches at a terrible winter approaching and knowing the damn war is far from over. This game has been fun to play, but frankly I'm getting my ass stomped. I'm about to lose and I don't know whether I'm going to try the campaign again,  hopefully having gleaned some lessons from this epic failure or just delete the game from my hard drive and try something else. I love the Total War games; I just wish they weren't so difficult.  

9. Seinfeld: Season 8 on DVD:

Enjoying this penultimate season of my favorite modern television sitcom. But I do have a confession. I think Season 7 was funnier. It seems like Kramer's physical comedy isn't as prevalent in this season, and George is, well, I don't know . . .different, as if he stepped into a time machine and came back out of synch. Newman has definitely lost weight since the last season. All good things must come to an end, and it's kinda sad really, because I can discern the end of this great show looming in the distance.

10. Company of Heroes on PC:

Been playing this a tad, and convinced an online friend to purchase it, and I'm looking forward to playing with her. Despite being PC Gamers Magazine's 2006 GOTY, I still think this game holds up quite well to the test of time. I think it will always remain on my hard drive. I can beat the AI consistently on Normal. Going to be interesting to see if I can even come close when I bump it up to Expert. Still the most fun I've had even when I lose. Grabbing a buddy and playing co-op on Xfire voice or Teamspeak against the AI is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday evening.

Edward's March 2012 Mix

I'm coming up on being a century old and I have to say this has been the most unusual March as far as weather is concerned I've ever experienced. So, my mix this month has been intermingled with getting back on the bike and hitting the fitness center. Every day exudes that tingly wonderful thread of uber excitement like back in high school when you only had two weeks left of school and all you could do was stare out the window and try to keep your joy from bursting out of you like Mount Vesuvias But on the few rainy days we've had and the late nights I have been able to indulge my cultural diversions. And without further ado, here they are:

  

1. Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour ’08: 

I’m still working my way through. I have 5 golfers left until I confront Tiger Woods, himself. It's been a great game. 103 hours so far and I'm beginning to wonder if there is a longer sports game on the planet. I'll keep driving through (pun intended) to get to the end of this thing. I suppose I should relish it because this will probably be the last golf game EA makes for the PC.

2. Dorothy and the Wizard in OZ by L. Frank Baum on Kindle: 

This is the 4th book in the series, and I wasn't prepared for how really dark this series of books is. I can see why it met with the same controversy the Harry Potter books did by the right wing denizens. This particular book finds Dorothy returned once again to Oz by way of a San Francisco earthquake in which she is swallowed up by a crack in the earth. The threat of death ever looms, and Dorothy and her companions (no Toto this time, but a kitten named Eureka) narrowly escape each time (so far.) Good reading.

3. Syberia:

Plodding along on my laptop with this one. I've actually stooped so low as to use a walkthrough, but sheesh, the game would be impossible to play without one. But don't take my word for it, all the forums concur wholeheartedly. Still, it's a tour de force as far as adventure games to, even if I do have to play it like a cheap Dollar General paint by numbers paint set.

4. Adventures in my Youth: A German Soldier on the Eastern Front 1941- 1945 by Armin Scheiderbauer on Kindle:

“Harrowing account of a Wermacht's account of the Russian retreat which was a fighting retreat all the way. The author gets windows glimpses of the life he left at home and what's happening on the Western Front through letters from his parents. Odd how the Germans seemed to almost revere the Americans and Brits in direct contrast to their thoughts of the Russians being almost monsters. This account details the author's reminiscences on from what it was like to kill someone to the dreaded uncertainty of his future as a Russian POW. Powerfully written. The book could have used an appendix of maps. It does, thankfully, have a glossary of German words."  (Plagiarized from my very own review on Shelfari.com. Heh.)

5. The Iceman Cometh by Eugene O'Neal on DVD:

My parents have been hounding me to watch this with them, so reluctantly I went over and sat through it. It's a play created for television in 1960. I'm not a fan of plays (especially televised ones) but Jason Robards was excellent in his role, and it was cool seeing Robert Redford playing a guilt ridden youth driven to suicide. The whole play occurred in a run down bar populated by hopeless drunks filled with lost hope. If you feel like being depressed check this one out.

6. Levi 501 Classic Button Fly Jeans:

Been looking forever for a pair of these classic jeans. My wife found them through JC Penny online. Putting them on for the first time was a sort of homecoming. I suddenly felt very cool again. Hard to believe a pair of pants a peddeler introduced in a mining camp in the 1870's became such a legacy. On a sour note, these pants were made in Mexico. "nihilne sanc­tum est?”  

7. PC Gamer Magazine 2002:

Reading through the year 2002 PC Gamer Mags. This was definitely a good time to be a gamer. Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Ghost Recon (probably my favorite game of all time) were fresh off the burner. These magazines bring back oh so sweet memories.

8. Memoir from an Antproof Case by Mark Helprin:

I'm engaged in this tome about a man whose adventures and misadventures have led him from everything from being billionaire to being a pauper, of being shot down as a WWII fighter pilot (twice) to carrying out a multimillion dollar bank heist. Helprin's metaphors and use of language makes me grin all over. If I could only write half as well. Sheesh. "I was not constructed to celebrate the senses. I could never celebrate anything. Nor have I ever wanted to, as celebration has always seemed to me to be the merely mechanical replication of a vital moment that has fled."

Edward's February 2012 Mix

This has been a most interesting month to say the least. I finally finished King’s Dark Tower series. Like I’ve said before, I didn’t harbor much love for the characters with their dark moody mean ways, but had to find out what happened in the end. And I must admit the last 100 pages of the book made it all worth it. I also finished Dirt 2 this month. It only took me 90 hours total. Codemasters does it right, great game and highly recommended. Well, no, scratch that. They’ve since released Dirt 3. That’s the one I’d pick up. I tackled the original Fallout this month, but it crashed on my laptop and wouldn’t reload. I’ll try it again at a later time (probably when I finish Oblivion) on my desktop.

 

1. Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour ’08:

I’m still working my way through. Moving right along now, though. I’m dominating in the amateur tour and mowing down the professionals like crabgrass with a Bush Hog. I have the feeling Tiger will not be such a pushover, however. Still looks like I’m on solid course to finish the game this year. 

2. Battlestations: Pacific:

An RTS played with an Xbox controller. HUH? Whoever heard of such a thing, but guess what? It works! This is a strange hybrid of a game, really. It has all the elements of an intense war game, but also the excitement of a real time strategy game with a blend of simulation. You can command, calling all the shots from a standard satellite like view and you can jump into any plane, submarine, ship, or AA station at any time. The game is brutal, but doable. I’m struggling in some missions, but the payoff makes me feel like king of the world. Good stuff. 

3. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick:

The year is 1962. Japan and Germany kicked our asses in World War II. Jews live in hiding with assumed names and changed faces. And slavery is legal. The continent of Africa has been used to continue the Nazi’s human experimentation to the point of near genocide. Probably the most controversial science fiction novel I’ve read in a long time. Philip K. Dick won a Hugo for this work. It’s a good story, but Dick is not my favorite writer by any stretch. His most famous Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep which was turned into the beautifully done film, BladeRunner is testament that a movie really can transcend the book that spawned it.  

4. Alien Quadrilogy on DVD:

Just finished the second movie, Aliens. It’s definitely an adventure movie more than a straight horror flick like the first one directed by Ridley Scott. James Cameron created this one, and after having watched it along with the “behind the scenes” disk it makes me wonder just how fun it would be to work 14-16 hour days with Sundays off (but not all Sundays) for 10 months straight. And to top it off, Cameron was like the worst boss in the world. I thought Scott was bad, but looks like Cameron was much more the perfectionist. The end result paid out though. Aliens was a great film.

5. The Wizard of Oz Omnibus on Amazon’s Kindle:

I recently picked up a Kindle, and I’m loving it. My first purchase was The Wizard of OZ The Complete Series by L. Frank Baum. I started these books when I was a kid but never got to finish them, and now not only can I enjoy them discretely (without looking like a weird old geezer reading a children’s book) but I got the entire collection for a mere 95 cents on Amazon. The book is already a 180 degree difference than the movie which obviously saccharined over everything. So far, sad and depressing. Yay! Just my kind of book!

6. Syberia: 

I haven’t played an adventure game in years, a lot of years. Hmmm . . .actually 2005, I think with Funcom’s venerable The Longest Journey. Great game, but I never finished it. Now I’m tackling another adventure game on my laptop since it seems to run it just fine. The game involves an American attorney who ventures to Europe to execute a will involving the takeover of a toy company that manufactures clocks and “automatons.” When she arrives she discovers much more than meets the eye. So far, the game has one of the most odd and memorable opening scenes I’ve seen in a game in some time. The sole heir to the toy company’s funeral coach somberly ambulating to the cemetery with an entourage of automatons and wind up toys leading the procession.

7. Napoleon: Total War:

Still whittling away in the European campaign. It seems each turn pisses another country off and causes them to declare war on us. But Napoleon Bonaparte shall prevail! Well, I hope he will. I still have much to do to own the whole of Europe, and time is passing. We shall see.

8. WarCraft III:

I thought I was done with this after finally finishing the Orc campaign. Nope. Now I’m faced with the plight of the Night Elves. Looking forward to getting it over with. One definitely gets his or her money with this game; it has so much to offer. I’ve not even tackled multiplayer (and I won’t.) Unfortunately, I had to utilize a cheat code for two missions in the Orc campaign. Hopefully I won't have to resort to such henious methods in the Night Elf campaign.