A Toast to Lives, Old and New

To say that today's entry was going to be a swirling vortex of heartfelt string-plucking and geeky ridiculousness is a complete understatement.

The storyboard says Starbuck flies into this maelstrom as the camera flies head-on into her Viper. That's what you'll be doing as well today - metaphorically speaking, at least.

To say that today's entry is going to be waxing pseudo-philosophy in regards to friendships and gaming... yeah, that sums it up quite nicely, I'd say. Don't take my word for it, though - read on and see for yourself.

A Hero to Rise

Ideally, this post would have made a lot more sense if it had shown up two days ago. As you probably saw, that wasn't the case - I felt that I lacked sufficient time to post everything that's going to be on here today. You'll see why in a few minutes if you're not one of those jerks who skim this blog.

Anywho, two days ago was June 6, and if you remember your world history, it's the anniversary to World War II's famous "D-Day" - when an Allied invasion force consisting of thousands of Allied soldiers, sailors, and airmen break through Nazi Germany's "Fortress Europe" and breach the Atlantic Wall. The eyes of the world were upon them. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march[ed] with them. In company with their brave allies and brothers-in-arms on other fronts, [they brought] about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

(Author's Note: Eisenhower had a pretty good speech, I'd say.)

As a bit of a World War II buff, I happen to enjoy reading about the history and the (military) technology and I think remembering the sacrifices so many made on that day 68 years ago (or any day, really) should be something everyone should do - from thanking a living veteran for their services to their country to having a moment of silence remembering those who've died for theirs. (Yeah... I totally remembered to do that last year. *headdesk*) And yes, I mean everyone. Note how I didn't specifically say "Americans" - while I believe most of my fellow countrymen are taking every bloody thing for granted, we're not the only country that seems to forget about the past (though I have to say that we're just the country with the most obnoxious citizenry).

In memory of the patriots who saved the world.

While I wanted to do my own special thing to commemorate the events of June 6, 1944, I lacked the time to compose this said thing on Wednesday. Alas, this is Thursday Friday, and that means that I should have the day off (at least in theory) I'm working later on today. Seeing as how it's holding true thus far, I think it's time we gave a salute to the men and women in uniform (before I put this off again). I don't care what country; I don't care what war - just give them some kind of respect or sign of gratitude.

Disproportional Return

You know it's going to be an interesting day if the first five seconds of your day started with a tired sign and the words: "I need a drink."

Sunday night looked something like this. Plus three friends. Plus beer. Plus fun.

In all honesty, I didn't drink anything today. (Not yet, at least.) However, it got me thinking about some things, which as we all know leads into more thinking about more things. And then it hit me like a slippery fish: I haven't posted anything yet. Frak! *downs a screwdriver and begins typing furiously*

The Top Ten: Fictional Females

Time for another Top Ten list from yours truly, everyone! *fires confetti gun*

For today's segment, we'll be taking a closer look at various works of fiction and observing which characters are my favorites. More specifically, I'll be analyzing those who lack a "Y" chromosome - in other words: the females.

Now, keep in mind that there will most likely be spoilers - especially if the character in question goes through some scary things in the plot. Don't say I didn't warn you...

Anyway, let's go ahead and find out the fictional ladies who've earned a spot on my Top Ten list!

The Top Ten: Video Game Bosses

Yes, folks: you're reading that right. After a long drought, there's finally another Top Ten list here on The White Knight Chronicles! I told you I'd have something cool for you today! (Just ignore the fact that this was supposed to be up yesterday and everything will be peachy. *winks*)

This time, we'll reminisce over some of those amazing/harrowing/nasty/tense video game (mini-)boss fights that really impressed me. Remember, this is not just focusing on the gameplay of the fight itself (although it is a decent factor I consider). Again, as mentioned with my Top Ten lists, feel free to (dis)agree with my choices or wonder why I chose whoever I chose. It's my list after all, so I'm obviously going to have differing tastes than you.

As some of these fights are driven by the plot, there are bound to be spoilers. I won't black them out. You have been warned, so read at your own risk!

Anyway, who are they, you ask? Well, keep on reading this entry and find out for yourself!

A Productive Record in Life

"He's targeting us!"

It's a new month! You know what that means? It means it's time to step in gear and get something moving! Time to read! Time... to... RIGHT-CLICK CHARGE!

Carving the Books of the World

initializing startup... done.
accessing rogue protocols... done.
establishing mainframe connection... done.
running command firewall lines... done.
starting up defensive system...

Welcome to the WeißeRitter Defense Mainframe
Powered by Gründer Industries
user:
> wkc8942
pass:
> ********
code:
> angels ten

...authenticating...

Good afternoon, White Knight! Query?
> run "blogPublic"
initializing... done.
BLOG of the PUBLIC... open. Query?
> code "masteraccess"
> upload "20111030"
...I'm sorry, we do not have a file "20111030" in the servers. Query?
> code "TSleak"
please provide security confirmation:
> code "backdoor021903"
command authorized. upload and download of top secret data is authorized
> create "20111030"
creating new file "20111030"... done:

The Fifty Skies of Emotional History

Evening, everybody. Let's go ahead and make yourselves comfortable as you read this. First things first, though - we gotta have the pre-blog stuff waste your precious time entertain your mind as I prep up.

*cough*





CURRENT MUSIC:
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - "All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan Cover)"
Electric Ladyland

Often associated with Vietnam-based media (or anything related to the end of the '60s), Jimi Hendrix's famous cover of "All Along the Watchtower" is one of those great songs you just can't really get tired of listening to. It's so good of a cover that even Bob Dylan himself feels as if it's a tribute to Hendrix.

Part of the reason I'm listening to this is because Battlestar Galactica used a cover of its own at the end of the third season. It varied greatly in style but it still got the job done. While it's a great cover of its own, it obviously is out-trumped by this variant.


KCE Japan Sound Team - "REX's Lair"
Metal Gear Solid Original Game Soundtrack

Ah, the music of Metal Gear Solid. It takes me back to the days where I spent countless hours playing one of my favorite video game franchises to both enjoy the cinematic quality and master the sense behind the complex plots.

"REX's Lair" plays in the maintenance facility that houses the superweapon known as Metal Gear REX (just in case the title didn't tell you anything). An ominous-sounding piece, the somber choir (and the electronic accompaniment) puts a heart-stopping chill in your bones as you navigate your way around the area. If anything, the music aurally represents the doom that could be launched from REX if you don't take it out in time.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots featured a re-done version of "REX's Lair" as Snake revisits Shadow Moses Island in Act IV. While the piece is no longer reliant on the ominous-sounding chorus, it still manages to get the same chilling feeling you got from the first game as you sneak your way through the area once more.

I'm going to admit that when I was younger (read: "more depressed in the past"), I had this on heavy rotation on WinAmp. Frankly, this track amplifies any depression held within a person's heart, and the more this plays, the more that depression exponentially grows. Try not to listen to this if you're not in a happy place, mm'kay? =D


Bear McCreary - "Roslin Confesses"
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2 Original Soundtrack

With the weather being how it is today, I felt that this was an excellent track to help me convey the mood the overcast skies was throwing out at us here in my part of California. A string-dominant piece, "Roslin Confesses" feels like one of those musical interludes that definitely fit some kind of heart-to-heart scenario you'd see in film or television (gee, I wonder how I figured that one out). Strings slowly reveal the drama and close with a snippet of the "Roslin and Adama" leitmotif.

Maybe I have something to confess today. Maybe I don't. You'll just have to read on and on, I suppose. All I can say is that this is a nice song to have in the background if you have something important to say.


Yoko Shimomura - "The Edge of Green"
Radiant Historia Original Soundtrack

One of the tracks from the Nintendo DS RPG Radiant Historia, "The Edge of Green" does its job in elevating the tension one would normally get when in a stronger fight. While this music pretty much goes for fights that aren't so crazy, when this plays, you know you're in for something interesting.

It's a pretty good soundtrack - and the fact that Yoko Shimomura (famed for her work in Super Mario RPG and the Kingdom Hearts franchise) composed it makes it even better.



"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions, and not on our circumstances. We carry the seeds of the one or the other about with us in our minds wherever we go."
- Martha Washington

The day is indeed what we make of it. Now here's a question for you. It's an overcast day outside. Do you let it aid the day in mucking up your mood, or do you fight the skies and yell "Screw you and your depression" and flip off the clouds?

I'll let you decide what I chose as you read today's entry.

The Top Ten: (Epic) Battle Music

Sometimes in life, there are those moments where tensions are high. It's at the point where if your life was a metaphorical war, guns would be sounding off all over the place, people would be slain left and right, and chaos is your only friend (aside from the guy in your foxhole). Now, fortunately very few of us have actually been exposed to a real-life war, so we naturally have no idea what to feel.

That's where music comes in. Hollywood studios and amateur filmographers alike have long since portrayed combat in film. Most times the scenes of battle have been accompanied with situationally-fitting music to heighten the mood and help immerse the viewing audience in the visuals. Sometimes it's classically orchestrated and denotes a climatic assault. Other times it's fast-paced electronica meant to stress to the listener that it's a highly-tenuous attack against a large amount of enemies. Of course, there are many ways to present a musical theme when in combat not limited to these two examples. Some make use of a tragic sound, while others make it a high-strung rock rhythm meant to get you in a "kick ass and chew bubble gum" mood.

And sometimes, the music itself kicks ass and chews bubble gum.

Regardless of what the type of music is, when used properly it can make any barbaric display of bloodshed into something surprisingly eloquent. As such, I decided that I'd go through some of the music I have and sort out which of these were battle-tested and capable of representing a combat scene. Of the mass list I created, I had to pick ten, and so below are the ones that I believe held the essence of war in their melodies.

Now, notice carefully how I said "(Epic) Battle Music." While some songs out there are fully capable of use in a combat setting (be it a tavern brawl or a full-scale battle), I decided to stick with just musical pieces (that is, music that doesn't technically fit the modern "definition" of a song with lyrics). Also, a welcome surprise to some of you who still have a negative disposition towards video game music: it's not all video game music on this list.

So sit back, grab something to eat, and listen along if you wish to choose (each entrant has a YouTube link to the piece in question). Enjoy reading!

Sorting Madness from Cylon

A second "life stream" - an entry where I just type what comes to mind and fight every urge to second-guess what I typed on here. It works a lot better if I have alcohol in my system, but seeing as how I have work in a few hours (and more importantly: seeing as how I'm out of beer), I'm going to need to stay sober for this.

*shakes violently* Frak; this is a lot harder to do sober.

Okay, okay... I can get through this. I'm not going to second-guess anything I type here today. I'm just going to type it up and leave it as is (minus the post-typing grammar/spelling check, of course). I don't think I'm going to censor myself.

Part of me wants to do this so that if a psychologist or someone of the sort stumbles upon this when seeing me as a client/patient/money pot, they might be able to understand me a bit more (sort of).

*clears throat* Okay... time to get started. Let's see what my mind churns up...

Sonata of the High Noon

I don't know what it is about today in particular, but I found it very hard for me to wake up and get myself woken up. So, to prepare me to haul ass for tonight at work, I figured I'd get this mid-morning and early afternoon cranked out by listening to music that'll slowly get me primed and ready.

Yeah, this is gonna be one of those aurally-inclined entries loaded with a bunch of music, but hey - I like the stuff. =)





CURRENT MUSIC:
Bear McCreary - "Pegasus"
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2 Original Soundtrack

This is the first music piece I listened to today. I'd say it fits, as it begins slowly and peacefully. As time progresses, the calm feeling slowly begins to crescendo and then peaks at the end, all the while maintaining a calm and even hopeful tone.

It fits quite well with where it was used in the series. As an unknown ship jumps into DRADIS range, Galactica and the civilian fleet prepare to jump, but the moment that this unknown ship begins pinging Colonial transponders, Adama orders the fleet to hold position. "Pegasus" begins to play as Adama attempts to communicate with the ship, which claims to be the Battlestar Pegasus. The music continues and rises as Pegasus code-confirms what it really is, and Apollo, sent to investigate in his Viper, visually confirms the claim ("It's like a dream...!").

With that in context, I'd say this is perfect background music for those of you looking for a bit of calm music that builds up and gets you ready to begin the day. For those of you looking for background music for your home projects: if you have a scene involving a reunion of people long thought to be dead, "Pegasus" might just work.


Reel Big Fish - "241"
Turn the Radio Off

A bit of an interlude, "241" (which lasts 2 minutes and 41 seconds, by the way) is just perfect for those moments when the music needs to kill time somehow. Or if you felt like aurally announcing that you are so bored, watching paint dry seems like something you'd like to see.

Regardless of your boredom status, "241" is a pretty fun piece to listen to. All the elements of ska without the lyrics and it still feels like a fun way to use up almost three minutes. Heh.


Sugar Ray - "Someday"
14:59

Mellow, relaxing, and old-school. Helps get me up if I hear it. Of course, I don't listen to this often unless I need something silly in that moment of my life.

How is this song silly, exactly? Well, those of you familiar with my "Songs Inappropriate for the Zombie Apocalypse" playlist know what's up. For those of you who don't: picture a scene where zombies are being slaughtered en masse... or a scene where humans are being consumed by zombies en masse. Bet you couldn't picture either scene without breaking out into some sort of laughter, right?


Uniting Nations - "Ai No Corrida (f. Laura More) (Chaz Jankel Cover)"
One World

Pretty catchy song to dance to. Those of you familiar with the silly randomness of Japanese culture (and those of you who know who Danny Choo is) may have already heard this song without knowing it. A remix version was used in that "Toyko Dance Trooper" video on YouTube.

Listening to this song makes me want to get Stormtrooper armor even more every time this plays. The fact that I once had this on repeat for... like, an hour... probably means that I need to get my own plastic mold injection kit now. And lots of plastic. And time to make it all. Just imagine if I were to walk around my city with this armor. Man, it'd be silly.





Well, that's it for now. I'll see y'all tomorrow. Same site, same silliness, same... uh... mindless humor.