Taking the Black: A Nuzlocke Prologue

Nuzlocke runs are the Pokémon games' version of your local dominatrix. Apart from turning an already fun series into something out of the bowels of Hell, it's a great way to get into the psyche and mindset of the persons involved. It binds you into a routine that has you pulling your hair out of sheer agony, yet at the same time leaves you begging for more pain.

However, there's one glaring difference between a Nuzlocke run and a domme. One has you tied up against your wishes (even though you wanted it to begin with) and proceeds to put you through a session so blisteringly painful you wish you set up a safe word beforehand. The other is a dominatrix.

Lame bait-and-switch joke aside, I've played a few Nuzlockes (my first two are still ongoing as of this day). I've suffered minimal casualties on those runs (so far *crosses fingers*), and it helps that the games I'm running in - X and Omega Ruby - are games I've technically played before (via Y and Ruby respectively). Thing is, I don't think I fully appreciate the serious business that Nuzlockes are supposed to generate. And like a certain father voiced by Mark Hamill once said, "[I] will learn respect, and suffering will be [my] teacher." (Cue scar being made on the wrong side.)

Just hit "A" already...

This is why I'm going to start a blind Nuzlocke run on Pokémon: Black Version 2. Before I begin the prologue though, I think I need to explain a few things. I'm pretty sure I have so, considering that the average stranger probably has no idea what any part of that first sentence even means. So, we'll take a quick musical break and I'll explain both myself and those words above in greater detail in a bit.

Curse of the Eight

It seems fitting how recent circumstances in my life have culminated in me making this entry. As evidenced by the previous... well, lacking quality entries, it's surprising to see me finally post something. And of all days for me to type, it had to be this one - a Friday the 13th.

Now, I know I'm an anomaly when it comes to my beliefs. I don't follow any religion, yet under certain circumstances I get spooked by (childish) superstitions. I'm sensible enough to realize that the "bad luck" today supposedly unleashes is only what we make of today's events. Despite this, I can't help but feel that something conspired to punish me today.

I haven't been posting like I said I would. I feel stupid for failing to do so. But if there is/are (a) god(s), there must be some kind of schadenfreude-styled puppeteering going on here. If not, then it's karma biting back for some event that I've forgotten... or a set of poorly-timed events that spiraled into the topic of today's entry.

And this is how the fates saw fit to punish me - with a migraine.

Today's story warrants the use of a TL;DR notification now - before I even explain what the hell is going on. Most average people who read this blog don't even need the TL;DR if they view the above picture - they're now asking one question:

TL;DR: "You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"

The answer is "yes," by the way. Sans the moon. *cringes*

Próto Savato

Now that my birthday has passed, it's time to get serious. Seriously silly.

I did say yesterday that I'd try to get us back to our regular schedule, and this is my attempt at doing so. (It's also an effort at getting back to typing decent entries more often.)

"Happy birthday to me" indeed.

Well, let's not keep you waiting. Keep on reading if you feel like finding out what happened during my birthday!

Trolling for Shoes

I found this little gem in my documents a little while ago: a pre-typed response to this... (counter-)troll (for lack of a better term) I encountered long ago in World of Warcraft. Now, I'm usually not one to post anything on Trade Chat. If I do, I'm looking for business offers or trying to make money by Alchemy.

The Top Twenty: Favorite Video Games

After talking about reviving my writing (as well as this blog) almost two weeks, I told myself that I'd get working on a brand-new Top Ten list and have it up here within the following two weeks. It's just about now officially that deadline, so I figured I'd get to work on it. And after two six day's two weeks' worth of typing, searching the web for good photos to use for this entry, and getting distracted by clicking fifteen thousand too many links on Wikipedia and TV Tropes, it's finally here! (Seriously this time.)

The last time I threw a Top Ten List on here was back in May of last year - roughly ten months ago. After noting that rather large gap, I told myself that needs to be patched up now. So, what to talk about? While there's plenty of subjects and plenty of lists I have compiled for just the occasion, I decided to go with a rather unique challenge: my favorite video games. I say "challenge" because this was honestly one of the more difficult ones to rate. There were so many games that made some kind of impact on my life, many more that gave me joy in my younger days, and still many that I have played altogether. So what to choose...?

Initially, my plan was to write a list of every game I remember playing to date that I love(d), narrow the selection down to ten games, and introduce a new "honorary mention" section alongside the list. Seemed really simple and easy on paper. When it came down to performing the task, however, I couldn't bring myself to thin the ranks. Many of the games I wrote down were games that I carry soft spots for, because they were the games I played as a child, a teenager, an adult. They brought joy, sadness, fury, understanding, clarity - and to deny the most influential games the right to have their name be heard? I couldn't.

So I decided to try two new tactics:

1. Narrow any video game series present down to ONE game.
2. Expand the buffer to twenty slots.

The end result is today's entry and the very first Top Twenty list featured on this blog. Now, I could pay my respects to all of the important games I've played and love(d).

Of course, one question remains to be asked: What twenty games made their way onto my favorites list? You'll have to read on below if you've any interest in finding out!

The Pacific Media Expo 2012 Entry

Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh MAN. Pacific Media Expo this year was just amazing. This opinion may seem quite biased, but believe me when I say that it was nothing short of extraordinary for this Veterans Day Weekend.

(Yes, I'm too lazy to actually type anything new. In case you didn't notice, the above paragraph was taken from 2011's Pacific Media Expo entry. Oh, sue me!)

The floor of the Los Angeles Airport Hilton during Pacific Media Expo 2012.

With that said, I'm going to put a disclaimer right now stipulating that 2012's PMX entry will not be as long as 2011's. I was enjoying myself too much to accurately remember every fine detail that happened - mostly because if I wasn't sleeping, I was likely on duty. That, and I wasn't able to get enough pictures (I'm going to blame me working way too hard this year.), so there's not enough things for you lazy Americans to "not read."

However! This does not mean I'm going to cop out of making a decent entry! No, no... rather, you'll get to see and hear about some cool things.

Just one of the many items I procured for future use against you.

No, I'm serious; you'll see/hear cool and awesome things in this entry. Should you not believe me, then go ahead and let me know. I bought myself a sentry turret from Aperture Laboratories and I'm just dying to give it a field test.

So, without much further ado (and so I can complete the opening with a pun), let's gun our way through my memories of Pacific Media Expo 2012 (for science)!

Saluting Farewell

Work was tiring last night - and I found that out the hard way as I drove home from work. So as I was getting myself home, I sort of drooped around but was able to keep conscious for two reasons:

1. I was chatting with my girlfriend on the phone. (I had a headset.)
2. Sleeping on my bed sounded wonderful.

Despite my best efforts to stay 100% focused, I was tired. Tired like you could not believe. I mean, I was at that point where the moment I walked into range of my bed, I'd lose consciousness and just fall asleep right then and there. Truth be told, I almost did - and if it weren't for the fact that I was on the phone with my girlfriend, I'd probably be drooling on top of my bed until 1000... and then wake up wondering why my car is upside-down and tail-end first through my room's window.

Don't worry; I got home perfectly fine. If anything, you should laugh - Murphy's law kicked in and instead of falling unconscious instantaneously, I shot up wide awake with energy. Don't know where it came from, but it just showed up out of the blue. Rather than curse my luck for this adrenaline rush (I for some reason have a shift starting at 1100 today), I decided to embrace it.

So as I was chatting on the phone, I figured I'd somehow kill the unknown amount of time I was blessed cursed with. I grabbed an Arizona Orangeade I had sitting in the fridge, booted up my laptop to browse the Internet, and began debating with my girlfriend on what to do. To that end, I usually have three primary methods of killing time using the Internet:

1. Randomly shuffle through Wikipedia entries. (Learn something new.)
2. Trap myself in the wonderful world that is TV Tropes. (Read something silly.)
3. Scope Facebook to see what's up with everypony. (Stalking!)

For some reason, the latter option sounded like the best way to deal with this sudden surge of... insomnia? Adrenaline? Lords know, but either way, Facebook ended up being my decision. So I took a few sips of my orangeade and logged on. Seconds later, I was off to lurk on the social network site like the sneaky, devilish bastard I am see what was going on in everyone's lives.

Little did I know that I'd find out something that would alter how the rest of my night played out.

A Story Cometh

This is a story about how nothing became something, and how I was able to type despite an adverse case of apathy and confusion over what to do with myself.

By the Light... w-what happened to Theramore!?

And maybe a story on why nuclear(-esque) weapons (even virtual-style ones) are bad.

Curry Blues

The day started like any other day: me waking up wondering what I'd be doing, a few minutes of lying there in bed, some thoughts on what I did yesterday, a brief moment of lament for myself and my current status. This process normally takes anywhere from thirty seconds to ten minutes, but for some strange reason today it felt as if it was a half-hour. I could tell because that's how much time it took for my alarm clock to finally ring.

So after I smashed my alarm clock (greaaaaat; I gotta buy myself another) I asked myself what I had planned out for today, and this was the list that popped up:

• laundry
• work
• something involving buying bread, bologna, and toilet paper
• music
• sleep

Well, I certainly had my work cut out for me. So as I laid there telling myself to get up and start my day, the thought of breakfast drifted into my mind. It's something I haven't had in a while, and I was really craving something to eat. Plus, I know how important the first meal of the day is.

Curry. For breakfast. Mmm.

After all of that, I decided to get up and cook up some curry. It's not my ideal breakfast of choice, but the thought of eating some warm curry poured out over rice sounded really appealing to me at that precise moment. (Plus, I have no money, so cooking at home with stuff beats going out and spending much-needed moolah.)

The problem with making curry (or at least the curry I was preparing) was that I had to manually cook some rice, boil some water to warm up the curry packets, and then wait in the meantime for both to finish. So I sat at the kitchen alone and began to drum my fingers on the counter.

It was at this point that my laptop decided to casually play some music from a playlist I usually blare whenever I'm mindlessly working. It was nothing special - just tracks from video games that somehow got my adrenaline to rise back in the days where I rocked out homework. Now it was just mindless notes and bleh (not to say that the stuff itself is "mindless notes and bleh") as I sat there, waiting for my stuff to finish cooking.

Twenty-Third Sixteen

The first post made as a freshly-upgraded 23-year-old hits the Internet today. While yesterday could count, today's the day where I can comment on me being 23 and everything that goes along with it.

This photograph proves how silly it is to use a small Pokémon (like a Horsea) as your Surfing Pokémon.
Consequently, this also applies to your Flying Pokémon. Admit it; you used a Pidgey! Argue all you want, but it's not a question of where it grips it - it's a simple question of weight ratios! A four pound bird could not carry a hundred-plus pound Pokémon trainer!
(Yes, I just subtly referenced Monty Python and the Holy Grail.)

So mount up and lock and load, readers, and prepare for my first quality entry as a 23-year-old! ¡Ven conmigo! *rides off*

Reconstruction of Deconstruction

It's a pretty warm day, don't you think? And as such, I felt that it was necessary to construct something decent despite the fact that I'm on vacation and I have plans for today.

Toast gets plain ol' boring after a while. So right when I figured it out, I decided to try something new: slap on some butter and some kind of salad dressing before tossing it into the toaster oven.

So, without further ado, let's get this entry started! Right after I finish this toast...

The Story of Josh

You ever have one of those days where you wake up and you just don't feel like doing jack shit for the entire time you're awake? Where you regret waking up, lie in bed for what feels like an eternity, and sluggishly get yourself "motivated" to do things?

Today's one of those days for me today. It sucks, because it's also a day off for me as well. (Wait, what? Two days off in a row that I didn't ask for?) I'm doing my best to get myself up and running, but it's been a doozy to do so.

So what to do, what to do? Well, for starters, lying here will get me nowhere (literally), so I guess I'll go out and do something. Something involving hanging out with friends, maybe some Valkyria Chronicles, some other things, and me not posting anything. Like always.

But sometimes, a message from the past might be enough. What follows is one such message about a certain boy's past.

Twist Purchase

It's been a while since I've dedicated some time to playing some video games. It's been a luxurious time thus far, and it's helping me stay sane and happy. Well, a lot of things help me stay sane and happy, but video games... they're a class of their own. The sheer amount of enjoyment I get from turning on a game console, popping in a disc or cartridge and letting it load, and then experiencing the fun, the intensity, and the challenge it offers me... there's not much else in the world than can offer that kind of entertainment.

Gods... the watercolor style used in Valkyria Chronicles just amazes me. It makes an already-beautiful game even more beautiful.

Last week I got my hands on a Sony PlayStation 3, but it's only now that I've had some time to get it installed and ready to play stuff.

Now, I know some of you out there who know me well enough are asking if this was such a wise decision - at least from a financial standpoint. I'm going to cut to the chase and say: "Yes. It was a wise decision." I had been looking to buy a PlayStation 3 for a while now, and with my current scenario, I had some leftover funds that I figured would be good to spend on myself. (I think I deserve it.)

If you're still doubting my words, then I think the rest of this entry ought to ease your worries somewhat - because they will show that this was money well spent. (The experience, on the other hand...?)

Adventures Nowhere and Everywhere

Afternoon, everyone. Today's proving to be quite an interesting day so far. Today's July 14, and as the second half of the year continues to make its opening, I think it's time we start by getting in touch with the rest of this entry.

When in doubt, pinky out.

Of course, we can do that in a second. And that second begins now after I'm done sipping my Kyoto Sunset tea.

Montage of Mystery

So I haven't really been motivated to get out of bed today.

I had to tell myself to get up. It took a while because I was comfy texting lying there listening to music content with how the morning was going.

It's been somewhat rough these past few days. It's been apparent on the blog here - short entries, a lack of concentration, thoughts drifting elsewhere when I should be working on things...

...oh, wait. That's what I've been exhibiting in real life? Uh... riiiight. *sheepishly clears throat* Ignore all this, then. I'm just spouting nonsense that can't be explained and won't be explained for now. (Or can it and will it...?)

The Bridge of Fate: 1000 Words

Today began as a (somewhat) normal day for me: alone in my bed, sweat on my forehead from a nightmare I once thought vanquished, my phone's alarm ready to go off in ten minutes, the daylight trickling through my window, my iPod shuffling through my "Sleepytime" playlist.

I wasn't particularly feeling inspired to do anything yet, because I knew I had to type something big to bridge the first and second halves of 2012 together (much like I did last year). So, I decided I'd go through my "slowly waking up" routine: lurking on the Internet and keeping a window on standby in case I came up with something to type. Now, this process takes about two to three hours, depending on what my plans for the day are and when they kick off. For this particular day today, my confirmed schedule involves work at 1500, with nothing else in hand. So I figured, "two hours ought to be enough."

That was 0800. At the time I began to write this entry out, it was 1127.

Now, usually, when I'm going through this slow wake-up, I'll more often than not have no less than fifteen tabs open on Google Chrome. More often than not, a decent portion of 'em will either be pages on Wikipedia or TV Tropes, two of the Internet's biggest time-sink websites in history. (Not that that's a bad thing...)

Somehow I ended up on the real life section of the "Crowning Moment of Heartwarming" page on TV Tropes. As a known cynic with occasional misanthropist thoughts, I was stunned to see that there are still people willing to help others out there in their own way. Naturally, reading a page like this would stun anyone with any degree of misanthropy, and while I know that for all my sarcasm and jackassedness I'm still a good guy (I hope, because your mileage will vary.), there are moments in life that force me to stand back and wonder why I'm still kind at times. Reading stories like these remind me that the world is worth living in and that people still deserve kindness - even if they do deserve a .50 caliber bullet to the face.

However, that's not the story I'm here to talk to you about. I'm here to tell you about one particular entry I read that shook my very core and reminded me about my past, the present, and the promises I intend to uphold in the future.

And to think it all started with a picture.

Hypocritical Humor

Once upon a time there was a guy who wrote on a blog on a daily basis. Let's call him Josh.

Stories on Wheels

Good night Afternoon, everyone! Time to sit down, log in, and prepare to race... off...!

I've always loved games that let you leave your initials as a record statement for the whole world to see.

Oh, what the hell; a login screen!?!?!? *sigh* Fiiine. Let me get through this security stuff. Give me one second. Entertain yourself with the Current Music while I do this. *types furiously*

Afternoon Morning Countdown

All it takes is a little bit of rain to ruin your sandwich day...

Sometimes, life just wants to rain on your parade. What happens next is up to you - if you decide to take to take action. This was my mission for today, and as can be seen with the rest of this entry, I chose to accept it.

Saturmonday

Well, lookie what we got here, reader of mine, it's the same in every town - readers with shriveled minds, bored looks, and not a drop of laughter to be found!

Maybe they're not aware that there's really no need for this teary despair. (That the key that they need to solve this sad laughter shortage you and I will shaaaaaaaaaaaare!)

"Folks, it's the one and only, the biggest and the best!"

Yeah, that wasn't a flimflam introduction at all.