The Mind Gone Mad

I am asking for a challeeeeennnngggggeee!

Here is what I want. Nay! Here is what I demand!

I want everyone to ask me…anything. Any question or questions you can think up to ask me. They can be as personal as you like. Go for broke. Anything you have been curious about, anything you are interested to know, anything you just haven’t gotten around to asking, ask it! Whatever it is! I don’t care! And yes! I will answer it with complete and honest truth. No loopholes, no ways out, no half truths, just complete, 100%, honesty.

Leave me a comment with whatever it is you can come up with. Even if you really don’t care to know, think something up. Whatever it is. As many as you can. I will answer it. The only things I will not answer would be something that might violate the privacy of someone else. But don’t let that stop you from asking. I’ll be the judge of it.

Why am I doing this? Because I fucking can. That plus I like putting myself out there. I don’t like keeping secrets from people. This is my way of fixing that. So whatever you got, give it! And don’t be a bore and think “I don’t really have anything I want to know.” You suck if you’re like that.Even if you have to ask something for the fuck of it. Do that! Besides, anyone who knows me, I doubt there isn’t at least one thing you haven’t been curious about. Everyone has at least one question for even their closest friends. So come on!

I’ll wait awhile and answer when I feel like I got enough.

Let’s catch up. But let’s not only catch up. Let’s do it in an angry, rant style. Why? Because it’s so much more fun.

Movie Time

Saw Across the Universe. Even though it was a musical, it didn’t feel like one. Yes, there were times when they broke into song for no real reason, and they danced around as they sang, but it just didn’t feel like a musical. Probably because when you think music you have to sit through original songs that are complete crap whereas this was a fucking 2 hour tribute to the Beatles. Nice.

One character’s name was Jude the other was Lucy. It took all of 30 seconds after hearing their names that you could figure out what songs were guaranteed to be sung. But still, even with that oh so obviousness, it was great stuff.

Like I said, there were times when the songs were completely unnecessary. I mean, really unnecessary. There was this scene with Eddie Izzard. Sure, sweet, Eddie is in the movie. Clearly I’m happy. But what the fuck?! No joke, this scene was really an acid trip. I mean fucked up, out there, dancing midgets, creepy mustache, weirdo Asian chick as a horse, flying around, and the blue people! Did any of that make sense? Fuck no! Why? Because it was a fucking acid trip! And I wasn’t even on acid! But it was still pretty damn cool!

I don’t think there is any accurate way to describe this movie either. Yeah it deals with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, but its not just about that. It deals with New York, Vietnam, and the protesting, but its not just about that. It deals with torn friendships, young love, and the draft, but its not just about that. It’s about….all of it. At once. From a really cool perspective. Like you weren’t getting this time period from the point of view of a historian. You were getting it from the point of view from someone who lived it and they were still tripped out while they were telling you. I think that’s as accurate as I can make it. So fuck off!

I’m Involved

Yeah. OK?! It’s true. Mr. Big Love over here has finally fucking found himself a girlfriend. And I’m sure you are all laughing, rolling your eyes, whatever at the “Mr. Big Love” line, but oh fucking well.

Yes, I found myself a wonderful, beautiful, amazing, smart, funny, I can go on and on, girlfriend. Her name is Sarah (you see her comments here as Lavender Ana), and I’m a lucky little feck to have wound up with her. We just started dating a couple weeks ago, so go ahead and start the pool to see how long it will last until it some how fucks up most likely because of me. What? Oh. There already is a pool. OK, well put me down for….what do you mean I can’t enter? Bastards! Fine! Moving on!

Class

Mmmm. So good to be able to have that not plural. Yep, I’m still taking a college class. What? You didn’t know? Pay attention!

Though I have graduated college, I’m taking a single class over at a local community college. I’m taking it as a prerequisite for graduate school. The course is Abnormal Psychology, and it’s all pretty much shit I already know. But is it bad that I get the feeling that I’m smarter than the teacher? And I mean really smarter. Not just in the subject, but in life itself. This woman has only been on time once and we’ve had like 10 classes already.

But at least she seems pretty cool. She’s a teacher and only a teacher. She isn’t a doctor turned teacher. I hate those types. Because when I look back over the four years of college, I realized that most of the teachers I really couldn’t stand were the doctors. Teaching was like their day job. They didn’t know how to teach. They knew how to lecture, but if all there was to teaching was reciting shit from the book, then they wouldn’t have a goddamn job! It would just be “Here is this book come back in 4 months for a test.” Which wouldn’t be so bad an idea. Why couldn’t they do that? I’d get a lot more shit done.

Playoffs!

For the 13th year in a row, the Yankees are going to the playoffs. I personally prefer the wild card because as it stands, the wild card faces the Indians. I really don’t feel like facing the Angels….again. And losing to them….again. Yankees are 6-0 vs the Indians this season. And I understand, that in a short series anything can happen. Plus I don’t think they faced C.C. Sabathia once during the regular season, but I still take my chances with them than the fucking Angels. Damn those guys know how to win ball games. Fuck!

The Mets. Enough said.

OK not really. Even though that is kinda funny. I do want them to make the playoffs. I really do. But way back at the end of April, my darling sister catches me online while she’s at work. Now I love my sister, but she doesn’t really know a whole lot about baseball. Sure she watches some games and she is smarter than your average bar hopper, but standing next to me she’s a moron. Which is probably why she always calls me when she’s trying to win a baseball debate with her drunken friends. I think that shit is hilarious. One day I’d like to tag along just so I can put all her Met fans friends to shame. But I digress.

Like I said, she talks to me in late April asking why the Mets are doing great and why the Yankees suck. I tell her simply “Because it’s April. The Yankees are a second half team. The Mets are a first half team. Come back and see how things are in September.” Well look where we are now. The Yankees just clinched and the Mets are praying they don’t fuck it up. Now as I said, I do want them to make it. But a small part of me wants them to lose the playoffs altogether. Why? Because I’d look like fucking Nostradamus and never let my sister forget it!

OK! That’s it! I’m done!

Stealing this from Sarah and taking all the credit

What did you do last night?
Hung out with Sarah and watched House, M.D.

The last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
A map for Jedi Academy. Have yet to play it though.

Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery?
Yes. It stung. I was one of the stupid kids who did that. And in case you were wondering, I have also eaten dirt, sand, and playdough.

Last time you swam in a pool?
In June at Woldwood. That was fun.

What are you wearing?
Very tempted to say “nothing,” but the honest answer is cargo pants and a Life is Good t-shirt.

How many cars have you owned?
Technically none, but it’s understood that the “company perk” (aka the Camry) is mine.

Type of music you dislike most?
Techno. Is there ever a good time to hear that stuff? If you are listening to it casually then you have issues. If its at a party then its more than likely being blasted far too loud as the D.J. wants you to go deaf.

Are you registered to vote?
No and doubt I ever will. Mostly because I don’t ever find myself agreeing with any side and cannot bring myself to aiding in this people becoming my representative as a leader.

Do you have cable?
Yes….I’m uncomfortable with this question. It’s like what the serial killer asks to determine which victim he is going to kill and live in their house for a day.

What kind of computer do you use?
HP laptop. I love my lappy.

Ever made a prank phone call?
I may have, but I can’t recall any in particular.

You like anyone right now?
Indeed I do.

Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
Sky diving. I’ve wanted to do that for so long.

Furthest place you ever traveled?
Distance wise: California. Other country wise: Toronto. Yup, my travel habits are quite boring. But I’m thinking about going to Ireland in a year or two.

What’s your favorite comic strip?
Get Fuzzy. That shit is so much like my life when it comes to the over the topness and the random ass shit.

Do you know all the words to the national anthem?
No. And in fact, I prefer it that way.

Shower, morning or night?
Whenever I feel stinky.

Best movie you’ve seen in the past month?
Bourne Ultimatum

Favorite pizza toppings?
Pepperoni.

Chips or popcorn?
Mmmmm. Chips.

What cell phone provider do you have?
Verizon. They have yet to piss me off.

Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
Who have you been speaking to?

Have you ever been in a beauty pageant?
Only if you count when I’m out and think to myself “I look better than that guy, and that guy, but not that guy.” as a beauty pageant.

Orange Juice or apple?
Orange! Don’t know why I yelled that. But I did. Deal with it.

Who were the last people you sat at lunch with?
My brother. We had pizza. It was good.

favorite chocolate bar?
Snickers.

Who is your longest friend and how long?
I guess you could say DD. It was the making fun of people in vocab class that made us friends and I became friends with Teesa through her.

Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
Now I think it’s a little foolish of you to assume I have ever eaten a homegrown tomato. Because I haven’t. What is this? A farmer’s survey?

Have you ever won a trophy?
If you want to count those trophies that everyone gets in sports when you’re like 6, then sure.

Favorite arcade game?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. If I have a bunch of quarters, I’m settled in at whatever arcade I’m at.

Ever ordered from an infomercial?
No. I have a life.

Sprite or 7-UP?
It’s the same and you know it.

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?
Uniform from Kindergarden – high school, uniform when working at the theater, uniform at the hospital.

Last thing you bought at Walgreens?
Again, you are making an assumption. One of these days it’s going to get you trouble you damn survey people!

Ever thrown up in public?
Not that I recall.

Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?
If I’m a millionaire wouldn’t I be able to find my true love a lot easier?

Do you believe in love at first sight?
No because if all you’re going on is what you see wouldn’t that just make you vein?

Did you have long hair as a young kid?
OK this is another question that bothers me. Why are you trying to find out if my hair was young as a KID? What the fuck kinda pedophile question is this?!

What message is on your voicemail machine?
I honestly don’t remember. I set it over a year ago when I was applying for a volunteer position and didn’t want them to hear my “Leave a message and make it quick, I don’t got all day.” I changed it to something short and boring and haven’t changed it since.

Where would you like to go right now?
Out with friends.

What’s the name of your pet?
Joe.

What kind of back pack do you have, and what’s in it?
I have a small, blue bag by Nike, and a shoulder bag that came with my laptop. I use the backpack for work to carry change for the vending machine, a notepad, my cap, and a radio. The shoulder bag I use for class and it has a notepad, pens, and my text book. Fascinating isn’t it?

What do you think about most?
How I can further improve on my clan and what we need to do next to make it happen.

This is a little weird.

Thursday night into Friday I had a strange dream. I was at work and my pager kept going off. I was getting call back numbers I never saw before and when I called those numbers I was being asked to go places I had never heard before. And while this was happening my pager just kept going off. Over and over and over. I finally woke up and had to make sure it was a dream. Thankfully it was.

Now let’s fast forward to Friday evening. Mere hours after this dream took place. It’s about 7:00 PM. Work has been steady to this point. Then it goes quiet. It’s about 8:30 and a call finally comes back in. I’m on the floor that paged me I go see what’s up only the person who paged me isn’t at the desk. Then another page comes in. I call that floor and they tell me there is a discharge, so I say I’ll be right there. I take two steps and the first person who paged me steps out and asks if I can take a patient to CAT Scan in 10 minutes. I say sure no problem, I just need to discharge someone.

I get down a floor to discharge this patient and they tell me they are not quite ready. They ask if I can wait 10 minutes. Uh-oh. Now I got two floors that need me at the exact same time. I ask the soon to be discharged patient’s husband if they can wait a few minutes as I have to take care of another floor (taking a patient to somewhere like CAT Scan has priority over a discharge). They say no problem.

I go back up a floor to see if the other patient is ready. They are in a few minutes. I then ask the attending nurse where CAT Scan is exactly because I had never been there before. And for the record: I don’t normally do things like that. A patient being brought from a unit to a elsewhere in the hospital is almost always a job for Patient Transport. I’m Transportation Aide. There is a difference and they know this. But they call me anyway? Fine. I find out where CAT Scan is, bring the kid down (it takes more than 10 minutes) and half way there, my pager goes off….twice. I call the numbers back a few minutes later when I get the kid to CAT Scan. I tell them at CAT Scan to call me when the kid is finished. I leave them my pager number and take off for the other floors.

I still have to ignore the discharge because one of the floors is having an emergency and needs a code cart tray stat. Now this unit had a really bad week. Four deaths in a week to be exact. I think they were about to have their fifth. So they need me to bring a tray to the pharmacy and get it replaced. I race off and do that. I get a call on my way down. Gotta ignore it. I get a call on my way up. I drop off the tray. Check both the calls. One of them? The kid at CAT Scan is ready to go back. Fuck. I still haven’t gotten the discharge at this point.

I bring the kid back (oh and by the way, it’s basically from one end to the other end of a very long hospital this kid’s room to CAT Scan so it is a long walk), and fucking finally get to that discharge. I apologized and explained that there were a few emergencies I had to answer. They said no problem and that they weren’t ready after the first 10 minutes anyway. I get them to the lobby and get ANOTHER call. Now it’s been about 30 minutes since the first one. It’s been around 10 calls. 10 calls in about 30 mintues. I’m in an elevator on my way back to the pharmacy for another floor and I say to myself “This is my fucking dream.”

The first call came in at 8:30. I finally finished everything at around 10:00. That’s right it took me and hour and a half to finally get everything out of the way. It really does take that long. In total, I say I walked about 2+ miles. I went from each floor of the building I work in. I was called by Peds Onc, Mother-Baby twice, Labor and Delivery thrice, NICU, PICU, and CAT Scan.

I have this fucked up dream and then it practically comes true the next day. What the hell?

It’s nearly 3am and I just can’t sleep. So I decided to give a shit and write something.

Each Monday Nintendo releases new games on their virtual console. I’ve been keeping up with it through my wonderful friends at Wikipedia. Makes it a lot easier to check that one bookmarked page rather than load the internet store on the Wii. But for several weeks now they haven’t put out anything I like. All this has made me stop and think what I would like to see released. Then that got me thinking about my favorite games. I have many. But now, since I’m quite bored, awake, and alone at this hour, I’d like to stop and figure out my top ten favorite video games of all time.

Here we go:

10- Kirby Super Star
Platform: SNES
It was labeled an 8-in-1 game, but it really had two games on it worth playing. The rest were either too short or just mini games. But those other two? Epic! You can solo the game gaining all kinds of great powers or create a buddy that can be controlled by the computer or by a second player. It’s rare to have two player adventure games anymore. That one was one of the last great ones.

9- Megaman X
Platform: SNES
No, not Megaman 10. That’s just the letter x. Not a Roman numeral. I was never into the Megaman series much, but the Megaman X series, I loved from day one. Megaman was a series about a robot in modern times who was basically like a kid robo cop. Megaman X was a robot created by the same dude who create Megaman only he was sealed away, discovered, and activated in the future. His discovery prompted the creation of similar robots. Robots, the future, can you see where this is leading? Yes, they take over and a war breaks out. Some robots are good, most are bad. Guess who one of the good ones is? Megaman X! And that’s the game. Run around as a robot dude and battle other robots. Defeat bosses and claim their weapons as your own. Good stuff. Hard as hell. I’ve still never beaten the final boss. He just has too many phases!

8- Super Mario Bros. 3
Platform: NES
My favorite of the Super Mario Bros. series. It set the tone for the future of Mario. Not just with the flying, but with it being not as linear as the two games before it. You could skip levels around levels (and I don’t mean warping), but actually pass a level completely in some stages. But the warping was also great. Who doesn’t know about the flute on top of the castle or behind the black part if you hold down on the white box? Classic. But what I love most about it is giant world. World 4. Where everything is freaking huge. They wanted to get creative with it and they did. From that point on they were taking Mario into an interesting direction.

7- Metroid Prime
Platform: Nintendo GameCube
The only first person shooter I have on here. But it wasn’t your ordinary shooting game. It was the thinking person’s shooting game. It was designed like a first person shooter, but played like an RPG. The more you took your time to look around the more you would discover. That in turn gave you more upgrades and made you stronger. That plus the fact that the game had this creepy isolation feel from start to finish.
The plot is you are Samus Aron a bounty hunter who is tracking down her favorite enemies: the space pirates (because let’s face it, you gotta have pirates in space). It ends up taking her to the planet of the alien race that saved her after she was orphaned: the Chozo. Now it’s the future, an brilliant alien race…yes, they are all extinct. Naturally. It’s a just a rule!
It’s basically you running around this world completely alone save for all the creatures and pirates that want to kill you. There are also remains of the Chozo all around and you learn a bit more about their past as well as Samus’. Good stuff.

6- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Platform: Nintendo 64
Quite possibly the greatest game ever created. Then why is it only my sixth? Because I’m not listing the greatest games. Only my favorites.
This was the game that did it all for the Legend of Zelda series. Everyone knew the series and loved it, but it only had three games out on consoles. Many people played them, but this game put the series on a level it has yet to come down from. The Legend of Zelda series has a lot of firsts. This was the first 3D, third person, sword fighting RPG, and it did amazing.
I don’t think I have to explain it to you. You all know the plot and the story behind Zelda. But what it ended up doing was it made people realize that the Series was more than just a bunch of games. It was a long, drawn out, cohesive story. All the games are tied together one way or another. That had the planned from the beginning, but this game is what was finally able to set it all into motion. Well done.

5- Super Mario 64
Platform: Nintendo 64
Damn was that game good. Much like Ocarina of Time, it pushed Mario into a whole different place. What’s funny is when you think about it, it was still just like the original game. In concept anyway. What did you did in the first game? You ran through the level and made your way to the end until you could fight and defeat Koopa. What did you do into Mario 64? Ran through the level and made your way to a star, collected a whole bunch until you could fight and defeat Bowser. And yet the two games feel completely different as though they are light years a part. It’s a wonderful example of keeping it simple and adding onto the same great idea.

4- Super Mario RPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars
Platform: SNES
I don’t care what anyone says, this is the greatest Mario game ever invented. The characters, the plot, the design, all amazing. What’s even more amazing? Their are characters in that game that they have not once ever brought back and they some how got away with that. We love those characters and yet know we can never see them agian. Why? Because this game came out of left field and can never be sequeled. It was just a one time thing that we’d love to see done again, but they’d just screw it up.
The game started out like any other Mario game. The dumb fuck Princess gets kidnapped by Bowser and Mario has to save her ass. You go on and do that, but then something new happens. Creatures take over Bowser’s castle. As the game progresses Mario and Bowser have to team up. Princess Peach makes her first playable appearance since Super Mario Bros. 2. All new kinds of characters are introduced (Mallow and Geno rule), and it’s the first battle screen RPG in the Mario Series. One that I like very much. It’s just one of those games that no matter how many times I beat it, if I start playing again, I’m not going to stop. It’s like crack.

3- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Platform: PC (though also out on Xbox 360, I prefer the PC version)
I first played this game on my brother’s Xbox 360 and was hooked just from watching him play. After I played it myself, I was never looking back. I ended up getting it on PC because let’s face it anything that is on Xbox and PC, the PC version is almost always better. And for me, this was true with this game.
Though it is part of a very large series, this game can be played and enjoyed as a stand alone game. I never played any of the other Elder Scrolls games and I had no problem following this one and loving every second of it. I still play it, but in on and off phases. Right now I’m off, but I do feel the impulse coming back around. I figure in a couple weeks I’ll be playing it again. I mean any game where I can cast spells, fight zombies, and cross swords with dark lords….golden.

2- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Platform: Wii
Why do I like this game more than nay other in the Legend of Zelda series? Because I never played a harder, more intense, darker, and creative plot in the Zelda series. It was solid from start to finish, had all of the classic Zelda bits to it, then one up’d itself. he puzzles were harder, the dungeons were insane, the switching from human to wolf made you think that when you were stuck you had to look over everything again as a wolf then you find out that you really just missed a switch and that makes you feel stupid (happened far too often).
And then…there was the final battle. If you are playing this game, haven’t gotten there yet, and don’t want it ruined, then skip ahead. Done? Good. It was everything I’ve wanted in Zelda since I was 10. The fight they’ve never done and the one I had been waiting for. What is always the last fight in Zelda? Link vs Ganon. Of course Ganon is the pig monster that Ganondorf turns into. The only times Link fights Ganondorf is when he uses magic. They never had a one on one, sword clashing fight between Link and Ganondorf. Wind Waker came close, but Link was just a kid and he got help from Zelda. Twilight Princess gave you that pure man to man battle.
It was epic. It was the force of good vs the force of evil each with a sword in hand. No magic, no tricks, no outside help, just duel it out and let the fate of the world be decided on the outcome.

1- EarthBound
Platform: SNES
I’m sure you are thinking to yourself right now, “What the hell game is that?” Not too many people know if it. Usually its just people of my general age who happened across it one day and slowly discovered they were playing the most elaborate, hard, fucking awesome game ever created.
EarthBound has everything. And I mean everything. It starts with a meteor crashing on a hill near a young boy’s house and ends with that boy doing battle with three newly acquired friends 10 years in the past as they are all living in robot bodies to stop an evil being. How do you get from A to D like that? With the B and C being 50 kinds of amazing.
The game has talking animals, teleportation, telekinesis, cursed statues, hippies, zombies, ghosts, snakes, robots, aliens, baseball bats, guns, bombs, cults, sea monsters, pirates, swamps, cities, deserts, giants, dinosaurs, cave men, monkeys, space ships, and so much fecking more. Its a simple third person walk around game, with battle screen fights. Gain experience points to level up, and all that, but all those who played it, loved it. I’ve not ever played a game that just drew me in like that and probably never will.

YAY! I’m done.