ninja_chihuahua

holy shit this is awesome:

i've updated the look of my journal, but i don't think i'm going to start posting here so much... a lot of it has to do with the fact that i don't think anyone reads this and i don't really want to link to here from myspace :P i did add this video to my 'heroes' section of my profile (on myspace) and i thought i should share it here too?

i remembered that i had an lj today. i went back an read all of my posts. maybe i'll link to this from myspace, but i don't think i should upkeep two different accounts. maybe i'll just link to myspace from here, but i'm pretty sure that no one reads my lj so that might be pointless. well, just in case:
www.myspace.com/ricklessabandon

That is all.

Yeah, so I started school up again... out of the blue. I'm taking English, Math, OLS, and CPT classes right now. I've started on the first three and I'll have my first CPT class on Saturday.

English class seems cool because it's being taught by the same professor that taught my last English class and this time the 'theme' is the Education system with a focus on Research and Arguements. Already it seems very nice.

Math is retardard, but seems right for me. Both times I took the math class that I tested into I didn't do so well because I've been out of it for so long. I haven't finished a math class in like 6 or 7 years and I've dropped out of two (200-level Calc at BSU and the Trig level math at IUPUC). So, now I'm taking Intermediate Algebra so I'm guaranteed a win here and I'll actually stick with the next level instead of dropping. Also, this professor actually collects/grades homework everyday so I'll have a reason to do it. Also he doesn't quiz. 85% of my final grade is made up of tests and the other 15% is homework. Sweet.

OLS is nice. It's an Organizational Behavior class which is just what it sounds like, an Anthropology/Sociology/Political Science class that focuses on the Individual/Groups/Structures of the business world in an attempt to make things more efficient. So, this is stuff that's been shoved down my throat for the longest time and also some stuff that's just 'common sense.'

CPT will probably be nice since it's a computer technology class with a focus on web development. The CPT major (mine) will eventually be spec'd for DBM (if you caught that spec'd reference and know what it's from it's okay to club yourself now... Stove). Since I'm going into Database Management, I'm hoping the web dev class will focus on that, but looking at the required text all I know for now is that it will teach my some DHTML, which would assume HTML learnings, and another one... I think it was XHTML. So if anything that'll be more languages that I'll be familiar with.

Speaking of computer languages, I'm reading a MUD dev book and subsequently a C++ book. The MUD book has already taught me a crapload about networking and different protocols and whatnot and hopefully soon I'll be able to do something with all this reading that'll be going on.

I guess that's it... Now I just have to wait for the ritual month or two period of me not posting before I update again.

Well, I pretty much never post... I think I'm going to either start posting more or keep doing the same thing... Happy New Year!

Karaoke Revolution Party (X-Box)
Mario Party 7 (Gamecube)
Guitar Hero (Playstation 2)
Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan! (Nintendo DS)
Awesomely didn't get suckered into buying a (PSP)

I now pwn all games that rock for all systems! Stove is sad and ruined! God I'm awesome!

Yep... Sitting at the restaurant now... This is awesome...

I've been kinda bored and kinda busy lately. It's weird to be both. I feel both detached from everything/everyone, but at the same time feel like I'm in too deep which is also weird. It seems like there's no one to talk to when I'm so busy "socializing" that I can't get anything done. Being in "limbo" must be worse than being in hell.

My life's great right now, but at the same time there's SO much dragging me down that I can't enjoy it.
Whenever I sit around and sulk though I can't do it for more than a few minutes it seems before something fun and awesome happens. This sucks.

If anything now, I've done more reflection than I have in a good long while (maybe more than I ever have before) which is a good thing. Watching "I Heart Huckabees" about 5 times in a week helps that along though :)

That's a good movie btw. It makes a lot of solid points and at least for the time being, the cycles presented in the film seem to hold up to what I'm going through right now, but then again I think that you can take almost any "model" and apply it to a situation and make it work with enough spin.

A summary (for those of you that haven't seen it) of the cycles is that in life we will be drawn into "human drama" (by desire) which will lead to "suffering." That suffering is the "manure" that fertilizes universal "connectivity" in which everything is connected. *Within these moments that we're connected I think is suppose to be the time that we're happy, but happiness isn't a point on their time line which might leave it to say that someone could be happy/unhappy all the time I guess* And sometime during all the connectivity we will be drawn back into "human drama." There is no way to avoid being drawn into the drama which in turn leads to suffering, but without the drama and suffering there wouldn't be those moments when we feel connected to others and feel like there's purpose in life. Reflecting upon the cycle (or anything for that matter) and reaching a point of clarity/enlightenment may make it seem as detached from the cycle and may also make you feel wonderful as if all of your burdens and hardships were lifted from you and you would never be drawn into human drama again. They call that period or sensation "pure being." The movie also goes on to say that even if you were in a constant state of pure being, you would inevitably be drawn back to human drama (and out of your state of pure being) and that the suffering would not be any less.

That's pretty much how I feel. Never getting permanently better, never getting substantially worse. Just a perfectly balanced cycle and it's driving me mad. Like I said, I'm not even upset with this fact because I think I can make it better. Whenever I do make it better, I'm never really happy because there's always something else.

So, I'm never sad and never happy. At least not in a "set" manner. I go back and forth depending on my situation and what I'm thinking about at that time. Not only that, but I don't think that that is a special circumstance. I think that's pretty much how most people are and they just have different outlooks that determine how happy they are in life. I think the only reason I feel so tortured right now is because I'm so neutral. You might be thinking "How can he be neutral if he's tortured? He's obviously not happy." I guess that's fair. The thing is, I also don't think that I'm really tortured, I'm just being a baby about some setbacks in life and that every thing's going to be cool if I just smile and tough it out.

Overall, this might sound like a depressing journal entry, but it's not. It's so damn neutral. Like I said, that's my hell right now, but I don't think it's hell because it could be worse and honestly I have it pretty good. It's only during these states of "pure being" or "connectivity" when I feel great. Things like going to a sports bar Friday night after seeing "Waiting..." and playing Halo at some guy's house Saturday night and watching two guys box (with gloves and everything" on the lawn until like 3:30 in the morning and playing WoW with my brother are all really fun and there's not a thing wrong with the world when that's going on. Also, times like this when I'm reflecting and writing are fine too, because I'm detached from all this. Whenever I'm done I'll feel great too and probably play some more Castlevania (which is bitchingly awesome btw) or watch Arrested Development. Then there are other times...

I would say that the restaurant is one of those bad things, but at the same time it's a good one. It's a drain on time, but it could be a great source of income (and money makes everything better). Just another completely neutral situation, perfectly balanced and driving me crazy. Work is another. I like the job, but it's also kinda shitty right now. Things are a mess and it's showing improvement in a lot of areas, but there's also forces at work that are messing things up to counteract all of my work (and the work of others, I'm not the only one who works).

So, any solutions? I've got one. Detach myself from everything. Not just mentally, but financially too. If I had freedom again, I could pursue the connections that make me happiest and the drama wouldn't be nearly so bad (with very little suffering). The only problem is that I don't have the money to just buy my way out of my "problems" and to do that I'd need to work a lot more (which I don't have time to do because of this restaurant that isn't making huge wads of cash atm).

Also, I just took a 10 minute break to talk to the landlord and pay the restaurant's rent. Every time I talk to people about the restaurant they tell me about all these great things people say and how people want us open for lunch and everything. I'm going to open for lunch Thursday, Friday, and possibly Saturday. We'll see how much people respond to what I've been told is what they want.

If lunch goes well I'll switch my work hours. Which means I can fix a different set of problems (and maybe prevent all the ones that are being started every day). Then again, that means that there will be one less person fixing things in the day time, and that's when a good chunk of problems get fixed. It'll probably work out better though.

So, why am I writing all of this? Because I don't think anyone will read it. And I don't think it'll matter if they do. It's just sorting out everything in my head out on "paper" so I can have yet another state of pure being. Then I'll go eat food that Erin cooked up at the restaurant and then go watch Arrested Development with LJ and enjoy those "connections" and before you know it BAM! human drama/suffering.

I often have conversations with people in my head as if I'm framing up the situation before I talk to them. The thing is, I NEVER talk to them. The conversations never happen. I have lots of conversations with lots of people, but the ones I frame up never happen. Also, while I'm "viewing" the conversation in my head, I'll realize that it's yet another one of those conversations and I'll say to the person in my head "but none of this matters because we'll never have this conversation." And it never does happen. Even this segment started out as one of those. I thought about explaining this at the beginning of the post but kept writing whatever I was writing at the time. I finished the post and nodded to myself saying "yep, I didn't have that conversation again" and decided to add in a paragraph before the last one. Also, several times during this post I've thought that I'll finish up and not actually post. Or if I do try to post it'll be too long or something and not work. Then it really would be yet another confession I'll never make. Another hypothetical that will never see daylight. We'll see what happens. If you get to read this though, you'll actually get to see a little of what goes on in my head when I'm not playing a video game. Those are my "meds" that keep me sane. And knowing that makes me feel a little depressed because it sounds like I have a problem, but lots of people have hobbies to take their minds off of the world. Probably everyone does. So instead I'm proud that I can be perfectly happy while playing a game no matter what just happened. If I found out that everything I had was gone, and then pulled out the DS and started playing Advance Wars I'd probably feel better since I was detached from that painful world I just entered. Not that I'd be instantly happy, or that I'd even have to will to start playing a video game, but if I did play and actually get into the game it would distract my mind enough to not feel pain anymore. Sounds kinda sick, huh?

So, what's the lesson in all this? Buy Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. It's awesome.

Okay, Battalion Wars came out today. I was really excited except for the money thing. So, I decided to hold off since I could pick it up at work any day I work this week *read: everyday* and I wasn't in TOO big of a hurry. I get home and check the GS review and see that it did okay with an 8.x score but reading the review made me decide not to buy it until it drops in price. I guess the gameplay and everything is great, but after you beat campaign mode there's nothing left to do. No multi-player, no hundreds of hours spent trying to unlock things... Nothing. Almost the exact opposite of Advance Wars. I'd rather play a short campaign mode just to unlock the first of many side modes than to play a lengthy campaign mode and then cry. I guess that's one off the list of many to buy.

Not nearly as many things happened at work today, but a few did:

1) Sims 2 Expansion released
2) I found out that Sony had a recall on certain PS2 Slim AC Adaptors
3) I found out about Intel's Retail Site

Outside of work, two much cooler things happened. I started DL'ing Advent Children and also DL'ed the soundtrack to Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan! thanks to Stove. Advent Children should be done in about 2 hours which leads me to believe that I shouldn't open the store. Also there are gnats here... lots of them... and I don't know if I can "bug bomb" them, but some keep flying around/in my nose which is gross (especially for a restaurant). I would love to just interview this girl that's suppose to be here in about 5 min, run to wal-mart and get some groceries and bug bombs, and nuke this place so we can have a great weekend of pleasing customers. The down side is that I would miss out on possible customers, although if the gnat situation is as bad in the booths as around the front door I'm boned today and the weekend because no one will stay/come back... I hate those business decisions because the right decision means that anyone coming by today will think we suck because we're not open when we're suppose to be. I guess that today would be a light traffic day anyway since it's only Thurdsay and it's lightly raining (just a mist really). I don't know for sure though since we haven't had enough traffic to accurately gauge that sort of thing.

Well, that girl and Maddox should be here about now... and I should be turning on the lights for customers... I don't know what to do... Steve's here now so I'll ask him.

Okay, at work today there were a few things that happened:
1) Burnout Revenge was released
2) Stupid gay Everquest and Everquest II got expansions
3) I got to play with a Gameboy Micro and put my Play-an in it and watch a little bit of Family Guy with the Take On Me video
4) I got to mess around for a VERY short time with the new Gamecube demo disc
5) I got some GBM lanyards and soon Nintendo will be sending a GBM to the store on a lanyard so that one employee gets to walk around with it around their neck and show it off to customers to promote it so everyone wants one when it launches Sept 19th.

Details:
1) Burnout came out on PS2 and X-Box and a different version of the game came out for PSP. I put the X-Box version up in a demo running an HDTV with up to 1080i res, but I think Burnout is only 480p (720p max, but I doubt it). The game looks amazing, but I don't think I'll buy it. It's not on my list of things to buy and that list is already too long...
2) They're stupid and gay... End of story.
3) The first time I tried to take my 15 minute break and run to Taco Bell I saw the Nintendo Rep carrying a bunch of stuff in on my way out so I stopped in my tracks to make small talk. She had a GBM around her neck which I took an interest in (the GBM, not her neck). She had DK King of Swing in it, but I asked if she would hold on while I got my Play-an. She didn't know what that was but she did agree to wait. I ran to the car and ran back and took the sexy little hand-held in my paws and put in the play-an. The screen is impressive. You'd have to see it to believe how much nicer it is than a standard GBA SP. I loaded up the only Family Guy episode I had on my SD card at the time, which was 409. I watched the Take On Me part and was very sad because the speakers on the GBM kinda suck. It's really clear, but very quiet. Much more quiet than the GBA SP. It could have been that I didn't know how to work it right because the volume isn't on a slider switch anymore. The GBM uses a single bar button that will click in on either the top or bottom end for Vol UP and Vol DOWN. The power switch on the GBM is where the volume bar is on the DS, so when the Rep tried to turn it up she almost turned it off until I showed her that it used the buttons on the side. I SHOWED THE REP. I do that a lot...

She doesn't know much at all about Nintendo products, but she does still get the perks. She was wearing a brown Nintendogs polo for one thing. She also went to a national convention for the Reps in Arizona recently and she showed me that she had her picture taken with "Zelda." By "Zelda" she meant "Link," and by "she" I meant "that one dumbass that has the job I should have." To her credit she did know the cost of the costume the guy was wearing. That number is $25,000. I'm guessing it cost so much because of the mask. The mask was a perfect mold of what would have been a real-life Link from Twilight Princess. It looked amazing for something that a person in a suit was wearing. She showed me the pictures too. I could kill her and wear her skin for her job and she flaunted pictures at me.

Another little diddy she let loose was that when she tried to put DK King of Swing back into the GBM, she accidently put in Fire Emblem: Sacred Stone. Whenever she noticed that, she made the comment "Oh, this is Fire Emblem. Yeah, Nintendo has a lot of cool things coming out soon, but I'm sworn to secrecy." WTF? What the hell is that suppose to mean? I want her job and need to find out how to apply and what requirements Nintendo has for it... Seriously, that lady has no right...

4) The demo looks really cool and has some games on there that I wasn't expecting, but more on that when I get to play it more...

5) The Rep let me in on this little bit o' info. I'm hoping I get to keep the GBM, but there's a couple other people to worry about. Jary is the Media Supervisor, so he may be up for it because of his position. He doesn't play Gameboy games, but he did keep one of the free SPs and gave it to his brother. I don't know if he'd pass up this one, but there's a chance. The other one to watch out for is Jason. He's been there longer than anyone and is the only other gamer besides me (that is as avid about the whole thing). So, Jary would have to pass and I'd have to get priority over Jason. If Jary gets to decide, I may get it because I would win in favoritism. Also, I'm going to lobby to be the one to wear it if we're both there and my Play-an will be the leverage. If I don't get it, I won't be upset since I don't plan on buying one (again, I have an SP and a DS, plus I'm going to be tight on cash), but I still really want one even if it's not high on my priorities list.

I guess that's it for today. I have to make some Lasagna for work... I'll post later maybe?

I was looking up release dates on gamespot and found an update for Battalion Wars. Check this out:
http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/action/advancewarsunderfire/preview_6132558.html?q=1&tag=gs_gc_flashtop_read
It's a preview, but if you watch the video it's narrated by a british guy... awesome!

So, i want that game now. i have to ration out my cash and do it seriously. here's my 'wish list' that i'm going to try to stick to and even cut some off because i don't think it's possible to afford it all:

Gamecube
--
Battalion Wars
*DDR w/ Mario
*Mario Baseball

PS2
--
Soul Calibur III
Shadow of the Colossus
Kingdom Hearts II

X-Box
--
Karaoke Party
Stubbs the Zombie
Ninja Gaiden Black

X-Box 360
--
Dead or Alive 4
Blue Dragon
Lost Odyssey

Nintendo DS
--
Trauma Center
Pheonix Ace: Attorney
Castlevania
Mario Kart
Animal Crossing
Ultimate Card Games DS
Electroplankton
Mario & Luigi 2
Viewtiful Joe

Gameboy Advance
--
Riviera

Yep, that list will KILL me to buy everything. so, i have to make some sacrifices, but i can't decide what to cut... any suggestions anyone?

Since I should use lj more often, I guess I will. Today I did a bunch of stuff for the restaurant that was important like paying the rent and mortgage... It was boring.

Also, I'm still slowly powering up Sasha and Colin in AW:DS. Sasha is like rank 8 and Colin is 2 or 3. I just finished a Dual battle and they have a funny dialog of

Colin: H-how was that, Sis?
Sasha: Meh. Good. Not great. I can do better.

I got that off of a Rank S 295. I guess it's justified since Sasha gets 300 on her own.

What else, what else. Oh, the house is clean now. Kinda still getting used to it, but there's open floor and seating now all the time which is very nice. I hope to keep it this way this time, but I say that every time... I mowed the yard too, which is another rarity. Not because I dislike it, just because it doesn't fit into my schedule very often. I also need to ask Vectren to turn on our gas again so I can take a warm shower at home. Some guy was doing something to the line outside one day and asked if it was cool if he could turn off our gas while he worked. I guess he never turned it back on. Jerk.

Well, I guess I'll go make some spaghetti now since I am at work. Oh, btw, there's a new penny-arcade comic up about "Bullshots" which is a word I may have to start using since it's related to my hobby/professional interest.

See subject. Rank as follows in mission, rank, score format:

01 s 300
02 s 300
03 s 300
04 s 300
05 s 293
06 s 300
07 s 296
08 s 300
09 s 293
10 s 282
11 s 290
12 s 300
13 s 293
14 a 273
15 s 300
16 a 267
17 s 281
18 s 300
19 b 218
20 s 293
21 a 272
22 s 300
23 s 300
24 b 216
25 a 277

Top COs Used:
Jake 20
Rachel 15
Max 6

Overall Campaign Rank:
S Rank

OWNED!

Now I've got to run through War Room a bunch of times and power level Sasha and Colin up to Rank 10. Then I've got Hard Campaign mode to go through... I'm not sure if there's something special I get for Rank S on Hard Campaign, but there probably is and that makes me sad because I'll have to try a bunch.

Gotta go to work now

Steve eats poop! LOL, IMHO :)
Questions? Comments?

Here's the list from last time:
Final Fantasy XI (quit since the game was too party dependant)
Star Wars Galaxies (quit since there wasn't much of and end game)
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (quit the PC version since I don't game on the PC much)
Civilization III: Conquests (reformatted and lost newest expansion, down to CivIII + PTW)
Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield (stopped playing since the levels took forever and weren't really difficult)
Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (haven't played the PS2 in a while, I still want to finish this though)
Final Fantasy X-2 (see above for Castlevania)
.hack//Infection (see above for Castlevania)
Dark Cloud 2 (see above for Castlevania)
F-Zero GX (I beat more of every mode available, still not done though)
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (unlocked everything, done)
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (my friend beat it at my house I think, so I guess I'm done?)
Animal Crossing (play rarely, I'm waiting for the DS version)
Resident Evil 0 (Zero) (haven't played the Gamecube too often, I should finish this one)
Sword of Mana (Oh yeah! I still have a GBA, don't I? I haven't played the GBA since I got PuyoPop Fever back)
Advance Wars 2 (Can't remember what's left, probably most of the War Room)
Metroid Fusion (Got a few more Energy Tanks and Missiles. I think I've gotten 100% out of a sector or two now)
Castlevania: HoD (Haven't played this for over a year I think... Damn thing has me stuck)

Okay, the games that I'm REALLY playing now:
Ninja Gaiden (X-Box)
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (X-Box)
Star Wars Battlefront (X-Box)
The Sims 2 (PC)

KotOR is just a damn good game. It's the same on the PC, but I like playing it on a console better. Ninja Gaiden is freaking awesome. This is the ninja game that needed to be made. Tenchu is great for several reasons, but having to fight head to head is kinda crappy and definitely not fun (and thus taking away from the XBL playability). Ninja Gaiden takes care of that easily. Killing swarms of enemies is the meat of the game and it looks neat doing so. It's so fast and pretty too! I hear that they're making a game starring Ayane (of DOA fame) and what she's doing during Ninja Gaiden. Let's hope so! As for SW Battlefront, w00t! I've been wanting a Star Wars game like this forever. I kinda see the different Rogue Squadrons as failures just buying time until something great could come along. I've always hated the Hoth battle in every Star Wars game, but in Battlefront it's some of the most fun I've had playing ANY game. Using the headset to get a Rebel Pilot to land his craft as he was leaving the docking bay so I could hop in the gunner spot just like our good friends Dak or Wes was neat, what ensued was wonderful. I recommend that everyone get this game for whatever platform they could most easily get online with (it's available for PC, PS2, and X-Box).

Since people ask me which games I have for X-Box Live, here they are:
Amped 2
Crimson Skies
Star Wars Battlefront
Tenchu Return From Darkness
Star Wars Clone Wars
Tetris Worlds

The other non-XBL games I have are:
Dead or Alive 3
DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball
Halo
Jet Set Radio Future
Ninja Gaiden
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
The Sims
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

I do have XBConnect so I have played Halo online (and was pwned everytime doing so), and I recommend that everyone else try it at least once (be warned of the worst lag I've seen in a game under certain circumstances). There were lots of assholes that would kick you out of rooms for no reason, and people that take forever to get started, but gameplay itself is nice.

So, it's been more than a while since I've updated... It seems to be the cool thing to do so I have to follow suit. Recent happenings:
1) Got promoted at work. I'm now in a salary position. Yay me.
2) Bought an X-Box in anticipation of Halo 2. The reason I bought it so early was because my wife loves to play Dead Or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball. I also wanted to give Ninja Gaiden a go since it looked so good. I think within 48 hours, I bought the X-Box and 8 games. I then afterwards bought a 2/3-pack game. Here's the rundown:
1]Amped 2
2]Dead Or Alive 3
3]Dead Or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
4]Jet Set Radio Future
5]Ninja Gaiden
6]The Sims
7]Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
8]The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
9]Star Wars Clone Wars/Tetris Worlds (w/ Mech Assult?)
The Mech Assult is X-Box Live only, and I haven't signed up yet. So I don't know how much of the game is on the disc.
If you're wondering how I could go from nothing to 9 so quickly, here goes.
I bought the system with a blue controller and the Platinum Hit SW:KotOR ($150 + $30 + $20). I had to have at least one game and DOAX wasn't in stock at Best Buy. The next morning we went to Wal-mart to get some groceries and I saw Morrowind as a Platinum Hit. I had heard good things, so I picked that up ($20). I now had 2 RPGs, but my wife didn't have anything. The next day we went to check Best Buy again and I bought The Sims ($20), which is a game both the wife and myself enjoy. It was only $20 and if we couldn't find DOAX she's still have something to play. We then hopped across the street to GameStop. They were having a Buy 2 get 1 free sale and I went nuts. I bought Ninja Gaiden and DOAX ($45 + $25) and got Amped 2 for free (instead of $18). I also bought an anime DVD (Azumanga Daioh $12) and DOA3 ($18) and got JSRF for free (instead of $8). Since I was spending $100, I bought a $10 card that gives me 10% off (so that was free) for 10-months. So, $160 and 8 Games later, I was 'content' with what I had. I didn't have X-Box Live nor did I own many games that used it (Amped, Gaiden, and KotOR do). At Half Price Books I saw the Star Wars/Tetris combo for $15 so I snatched that up. I didn't really want either game, but having more stuff for Live when I got it would be nice.

So, yay for blowing money. And earning more!

You know what I don't do?
Update my freaking journal...
I guess I should sometime...