I am getting increasingly frustrated with the prospect of getting a job. It seems that there is no way to begin a profession without first purchasing something. Forgive me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that people were hired for a position and then paid for their service. What are all of these jobs that require you to have a start up fee or a membership or training?
I am online looking for freelance writing jobs to bring in some dough and there they are! These “memberships” that look strikingly like scams. Buy the membership and be able to work for all of these companies. This seems like a legitimate way for companies to get writing work done have a third party solicit and hire agents, but it looks so fishy. Have the scams become so sophisticated that they look legitimate? Or is it that the real work has to, now, cover its own ass so well that it looks like a hoax?
Why isn’t getting a jobs as simple as submitting an application, going to an interview, and training for the position? The whole process is so laden with bureaucracy that it becomes impossible for people to jump through all of the hoops. I am all for being fully trained for a job, but taking a battery of classes so that you are qualified for a position… classes that are non-refundable, is unacceptable to me. I did that it was called college. My degree should tell employers that I am qualified. Hire me and see! I dare you!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The Durst Clock
Many people have seen the Durst National Debt Clock. It is iconic. It shows passer’s by in New York City what the rolling national debt is as well as the amount of that debt that is “Your Family’s Share.” The clock is mounted at 43rd street and the Avenue of America’s. This clock was the idea of real estate developer Seymour Durst in the 1980’s. It is a calculator of America’s success or failure.
Now our National debt has reached an all time high, over 10 trillion dollars. This is a number that wasn’t even conceived of in the 80’s when the clock was being built. As a result there is no longer room on the debt clock for our debt. There are plans, enacted by Durst’s children and grandchildren, to have the clock revamped.
In other locations similar clocks have taken away the dollar sign to make room for the extra digit. We owe a lot of countries a lot of fake money right now and no one seems to be bating any eyelashes.
The presidential debate last night never even glanced over this subject. Not that there weren’t questions in the audience that were related, they were just never addressed because of the candidates disregard for the rules. The discussion last night was all about whose platform was more consistent with his record. The answer was neither. The truth is that Congressmen vote with the interest of the moment. They are every bit as impulsive as the average American citizen. On Election Day how many people are still undecided and go in there and pick randomly? I’ll bet more than we care to think about.
The point is there is a real issue that keeps getting pushed back into the background. Debt. Not just the mortgage crisis or bail out but the National Debt. How much of this country is owned by ‘Not US’. We have mortgaged our country’s future wealth so far into the trillions that soon the Durst clock will have to come up with yet another new clock. We are talking about $15,000 in 25 seconds. Who is going to bail us out of that? Are we going to throw more fake money at it?
Last night Tom Brokaw asked the candidates to order these three issues: Healthcare and Social Security, Education, and Energy. All that McCain could talk about was the mortgage bail out and how he was going to expand upon that bail out. This is the only time I will say this, yay for him for thinking about the economy. But come on! How did this question even make it into the line up? These two have said what they are going to do, we know their platform. The question opened it up for them to simply blather on for another two minutes about their proposals.
Look, this is an opportunity to see these men think on their feet, to see them how as our future presidents. This is a real time issue. Instead of looking like FDR they ended up looking like Barney the Dinosaur. Before they are able to think about saving healthcare they are going to have to deal with that debt clock. They both failed us miserably. I would not vote for either of them based on last night’s debate.
More about the Durst Clock: http://www.observer.com/2008/arts-culture/debt-clock
Now our National debt has reached an all time high, over 10 trillion dollars. This is a number that wasn’t even conceived of in the 80’s when the clock was being built. As a result there is no longer room on the debt clock for our debt. There are plans, enacted by Durst’s children and grandchildren, to have the clock revamped.
In other locations similar clocks have taken away the dollar sign to make room for the extra digit. We owe a lot of countries a lot of fake money right now and no one seems to be bating any eyelashes.
The presidential debate last night never even glanced over this subject. Not that there weren’t questions in the audience that were related, they were just never addressed because of the candidates disregard for the rules. The discussion last night was all about whose platform was more consistent with his record. The answer was neither. The truth is that Congressmen vote with the interest of the moment. They are every bit as impulsive as the average American citizen. On Election Day how many people are still undecided and go in there and pick randomly? I’ll bet more than we care to think about.
The point is there is a real issue that keeps getting pushed back into the background. Debt. Not just the mortgage crisis or bail out but the National Debt. How much of this country is owned by ‘Not US’. We have mortgaged our country’s future wealth so far into the trillions that soon the Durst clock will have to come up with yet another new clock. We are talking about $15,000 in 25 seconds. Who is going to bail us out of that? Are we going to throw more fake money at it?
Last night Tom Brokaw asked the candidates to order these three issues: Healthcare and Social Security, Education, and Energy. All that McCain could talk about was the mortgage bail out and how he was going to expand upon that bail out. This is the only time I will say this, yay for him for thinking about the economy. But come on! How did this question even make it into the line up? These two have said what they are going to do, we know their platform. The question opened it up for them to simply blather on for another two minutes about their proposals.
Look, this is an opportunity to see these men think on their feet, to see them how as our future presidents. This is a real time issue. Instead of looking like FDR they ended up looking like Barney the Dinosaur. Before they are able to think about saving healthcare they are going to have to deal with that debt clock. They both failed us miserably. I would not vote for either of them based on last night’s debate.
More about the Durst Clock: http://www.observer.com/2008/arts-culture/debt-clock
Life Insurance Anyone?
Currently I am on the job hunt. A recent graduate, you would think that there are plenty of positions available for a willing candidate like myself. No, no. There really isn’t. I have been working retail to have some income and the store that I have been working for the past few months has just closed due to economic turbulence. (I blame Bush because he is the correct person to blame) I pouted for a while. Then I got really, really angry. Ran away from home, came back, and have been on the warpath ever since.
Here is the deal. There are no jobs for qualified candidates. You are either over qualified or under qualified. I, being just right, have no position in the world. (Pardon the pun.) Well, desperate to make myself feel as if I am doing everything in my power to get a job took an interview that was not a real interview. This “interview” was one of those corporate things were they want you on their team because they are desperate, but they need to spend money or take a class or buy in. I tried to convince myself that this one would be different.
This “interview” was most defiantly different. This one as infinitely worse! In other circumstances such as this I would dress nice, go in and watch a presentation for an hour, and fill out a card that says “I am really not interested,” and leave. This unique gathering included a meet and greet… I was stuck for 45 minutes talking about my education, where I grew up, and why I am Vegas and I am telling all of these thing to perfect strangers. Not only that but it was a tiny room with about 50 people all greeting away! So I had to yell my life story 37 times and try to hear the other people’s life stories as they yelled them at me.
I began to amuse myself about saying things that were completely fictional or not even say words at all and see how many people caught on. I also began introducing people I had just met as if I knew them. This was my favorite game. I told new faces about other people’s kids and where they grew up and placed myself neatly into the story. The most interesting part is that none of the people who heard my real life story ever decide to correct me. They thought it was a gas. I did get one off hand comment about how well I was going to do in the world of business. Oh, how well I would do.
Like I said, this was a 45 minute venture so I had a lot of time to think and daydream while I repeated people’s life stories back to them. I imagined myself as a new business upstart just breaking into the world in the early 1990’s. I visualized myself in a three button suit and Jimmy Chu stilettos. Watched as the third insurance sales man looked at my legs and ass and smiled. I think I would make a very sexy business woman. Hair all wound up tight with brief case in hand.
Well the meet and greet was ended by a bout of ferocious hand clapping. I thought I was released… but then I got to watch the aforementioned presentation. A stirring video about struggling families and hear very nervous people talk about money. I counted the Um’s there were 37. I counted the misspoken words, there were 18. I even counted the nervous laughs, 7. All and all it was a very successful presentation.
But wait! There is more. There is always more. After the presentation there was a card handed out to every participant (captive). I filled in my name and who had referred me and tried yet again to escape. This woman, looking over my card, and noticing that I never wanted to see them again chased me down the hall. She asked me if I had any questions and I said no. She led me to a small conference room where I thought she was going to murder me and told me to wait. She was going to go get the person who invited me to the meeting and have them talk to me. When my recruiter came in I had had enough. I very pointedly explained that I was here for a job. Not to buy insurance or start my own insurance agency.
Finally she let me go but not with out assuring me that my information would be kept on file for future reference and she hunted down a brochure and a business card so I could keep them in mind. Oh, I have. They have been on my mind since last night when I was nearly accosted by a 5’1” grandma in a two-sizes-too-big-plum business suit from Dress Barn. I am thinking about it so much that it warrants a blog. I am thinking about it so much that I no longer want a job…
Wait, what? Maybe some of their brainwashing did get to me.
No. I do suggest that you go to one of these things. It is a free way to entertain yourself on a Wednesday night. Bring a friend; make a game out of getting business cards. It is an experience.
However, if you are looking for a job and you are easily frustrated after looking for career opportunities all day, do not go to one of these. When the recruiter emails you do not respond. Go to the bottom of the email and click on the “do not contact me ever again” link. It was only through the process of writing this that I have come to find the humor in the situation. Last night, I was pissed.
Here is the deal. There are no jobs for qualified candidates. You are either over qualified or under qualified. I, being just right, have no position in the world. (Pardon the pun.) Well, desperate to make myself feel as if I am doing everything in my power to get a job took an interview that was not a real interview. This “interview” was one of those corporate things were they want you on their team because they are desperate, but they need to spend money or take a class or buy in. I tried to convince myself that this one would be different.
This “interview” was most defiantly different. This one as infinitely worse! In other circumstances such as this I would dress nice, go in and watch a presentation for an hour, and fill out a card that says “I am really not interested,” and leave. This unique gathering included a meet and greet… I was stuck for 45 minutes talking about my education, where I grew up, and why I am Vegas and I am telling all of these thing to perfect strangers. Not only that but it was a tiny room with about 50 people all greeting away! So I had to yell my life story 37 times and try to hear the other people’s life stories as they yelled them at me.
I began to amuse myself about saying things that were completely fictional or not even say words at all and see how many people caught on. I also began introducing people I had just met as if I knew them. This was my favorite game. I told new faces about other people’s kids and where they grew up and placed myself neatly into the story. The most interesting part is that none of the people who heard my real life story ever decide to correct me. They thought it was a gas. I did get one off hand comment about how well I was going to do in the world of business. Oh, how well I would do.
Like I said, this was a 45 minute venture so I had a lot of time to think and daydream while I repeated people’s life stories back to them. I imagined myself as a new business upstart just breaking into the world in the early 1990’s. I visualized myself in a three button suit and Jimmy Chu stilettos. Watched as the third insurance sales man looked at my legs and ass and smiled. I think I would make a very sexy business woman. Hair all wound up tight with brief case in hand.
Well the meet and greet was ended by a bout of ferocious hand clapping. I thought I was released… but then I got to watch the aforementioned presentation. A stirring video about struggling families and hear very nervous people talk about money. I counted the Um’s there were 37. I counted the misspoken words, there were 18. I even counted the nervous laughs, 7. All and all it was a very successful presentation.
But wait! There is more. There is always more. After the presentation there was a card handed out to every participant (captive). I filled in my name and who had referred me and tried yet again to escape. This woman, looking over my card, and noticing that I never wanted to see them again chased me down the hall. She asked me if I had any questions and I said no. She led me to a small conference room where I thought she was going to murder me and told me to wait. She was going to go get the person who invited me to the meeting and have them talk to me. When my recruiter came in I had had enough. I very pointedly explained that I was here for a job. Not to buy insurance or start my own insurance agency.
Finally she let me go but not with out assuring me that my information would be kept on file for future reference and she hunted down a brochure and a business card so I could keep them in mind. Oh, I have. They have been on my mind since last night when I was nearly accosted by a 5’1” grandma in a two-sizes-too-big-plum business suit from Dress Barn. I am thinking about it so much that it warrants a blog. I am thinking about it so much that I no longer want a job…
Wait, what? Maybe some of their brainwashing did get to me.
No. I do suggest that you go to one of these things. It is a free way to entertain yourself on a Wednesday night. Bring a friend; make a game out of getting business cards. It is an experience.
However, if you are looking for a job and you are easily frustrated after looking for career opportunities all day, do not go to one of these. When the recruiter emails you do not respond. Go to the bottom of the email and click on the “do not contact me ever again” link. It was only through the process of writing this that I have come to find the humor in the situation. Last night, I was pissed.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
How To Get Lost in Las Vegas: It's easier than you think!
I mentioned before that I was having trouble adjusting to living in Las Vegas. That is not because of the fact that I moved here during the summer and nearly died of heat stroke every time I went outside. It is not because the people in Las Vegas think that they need to over compensate for the heat by having the air conditioning set to exactly 50 degrees F. It’s not because there is no way to get a job in this town unless you know a guy who knows a guy. It is not even because I just finished college and have no idea what I am going to do next. No, the thing that I have the most trouble with is getting driving directions in this town.
Las Vegas was one giant planned city right? All the roads run toward the cardinal directions right? Well yes, that is how it appears on maps and that is how it was explained to me when I began driving in this city. What they fail to mention, and what is not clearly marked on the map is the fact that certain roads just end. They dead end at a community or a patch of desert. When you find yourself in these predicaments you think to yourself: How can this be? I know that there is more of this road further to the North. Could I really have gotten that lost that I found the end of this road? Am I even in Vegas anymore? Your mind starts to go into a blind panic and you start to hyperventilate. You call your boyfriend at work and he has no idea where you are! Great, the local telling you that you are even more lost than you thought you were.
Or how about this one: You are driving. You actually intend to leave town. Boyfriend tells you where the freeway is and you go toward it. It isn’t there because, instead of saying, “There be the freeway,” the freeway has a name. You have to get on the named part of the freeway to find the interstate. Interesting, no?
Another beauty point is the fact that no one seems to know cardinal directions. North, South, East, West, are all foreign. Instead they give you the intersection of two streets. This is incredibly useful if you know where both of those streets are and the approximate location of point of intersection. If you have a vague impression of where those streets might be you still end up getting lost.
The signs in Las Vegas are posted at the intersection only. This is a problem if you are the 56th car away from the stop light and you are not in the lane that you need to be in. There is the potential, at any given point on a road, that there will be five lanes. Inevitably, the one that you need to be in, the right turning lane also carries through traffic. These people get very snippy if you have to slow them down so you don’t have to power skid around the corner.
I am the type of person that needs directions to be very precise and descriptive anyway. Not only do I need cardinal directions but I need land marks. I need approximate mileage and a safety check like, “If you hit x, then you have gone too far.” I also need alternative directions so that if I do hit that check point I can navigate my way back on course. Even if those alternative directions are, “turn around you have gone too far.” If ever there was a person who needed a Global Positioning Satellite System in their car it is me. I nice pleasant voice that says: In .27miles you will need to make a left turn.
I am from Minnesota originally. This is how we give directions. “You going to WalMart?”
- Take a left out the driveway. That is County Road. 6.
- Take that about 3 miles to Hwy. 15. Take a right on 15. (actually we wouldn’t say 3 miles we would say 3 minutes)
- 15 will take you all the way to Buffalo. It is about 12 miles. (again 12 minutes)
- When you get into town there is an Arby’s on your left and a Perkins on your right. You want to get into the left turning lane at the stoplight and take a Left.
- This road will take you to Wal Mart.
- It will be on your left hand side and it will have its own stoplight. The middle school will be on your right.
- Don’t worry if you miss the stoplight there is second driveway about 100 yards away, you can get in there.
I am of course paraphrasing. I am also giving the most simplified directions. I could have taken the back roads and the whole trip would have taken 8 minutes. I am happy to say that I am getting better at driving around. I have learned which roads dead end and which roads intersect. The only thing that still bothers me is that all the roads are named random names. I think that they should have some named and some numbered. That way you can tell if you are on a North/South road or if you are going East/West. You would also be able to determine where they intersect by how high or low the number is. That is just my Midwestern logic though. I also approve of the way they do it in some California Cities. If they are expecting a high volume of traffic on the road they have pre-warning signs. “The road coming up is called Nextroad.” That way you have time to get into the correct lane before the intersection.
It could really just be me. I may be exceptionally bad at following directions. Somehow, I really doubt it.
Las Vegas was one giant planned city right? All the roads run toward the cardinal directions right? Well yes, that is how it appears on maps and that is how it was explained to me when I began driving in this city. What they fail to mention, and what is not clearly marked on the map is the fact that certain roads just end. They dead end at a community or a patch of desert. When you find yourself in these predicaments you think to yourself: How can this be? I know that there is more of this road further to the North. Could I really have gotten that lost that I found the end of this road? Am I even in Vegas anymore? Your mind starts to go into a blind panic and you start to hyperventilate. You call your boyfriend at work and he has no idea where you are! Great, the local telling you that you are even more lost than you thought you were.
Or how about this one: You are driving. You actually intend to leave town. Boyfriend tells you where the freeway is and you go toward it. It isn’t there because, instead of saying, “There be the freeway,” the freeway has a name. You have to get on the named part of the freeway to find the interstate. Interesting, no?
Another beauty point is the fact that no one seems to know cardinal directions. North, South, East, West, are all foreign. Instead they give you the intersection of two streets. This is incredibly useful if you know where both of those streets are and the approximate location of point of intersection. If you have a vague impression of where those streets might be you still end up getting lost.
The signs in Las Vegas are posted at the intersection only. This is a problem if you are the 56th car away from the stop light and you are not in the lane that you need to be in. There is the potential, at any given point on a road, that there will be five lanes. Inevitably, the one that you need to be in, the right turning lane also carries through traffic. These people get very snippy if you have to slow them down so you don’t have to power skid around the corner.
I am the type of person that needs directions to be very precise and descriptive anyway. Not only do I need cardinal directions but I need land marks. I need approximate mileage and a safety check like, “If you hit x, then you have gone too far.” I also need alternative directions so that if I do hit that check point I can navigate my way back on course. Even if those alternative directions are, “turn around you have gone too far.” If ever there was a person who needed a Global Positioning Satellite System in their car it is me. I nice pleasant voice that says: In .27miles you will need to make a left turn.
I am from Minnesota originally. This is how we give directions. “You going to WalMart?”
- Take a left out the driveway. That is County Road. 6.
- Take that about 3 miles to Hwy. 15. Take a right on 15. (actually we wouldn’t say 3 miles we would say 3 minutes)
- 15 will take you all the way to Buffalo. It is about 12 miles. (again 12 minutes)
- When you get into town there is an Arby’s on your left and a Perkins on your right. You want to get into the left turning lane at the stoplight and take a Left.
- This road will take you to Wal Mart.
- It will be on your left hand side and it will have its own stoplight. The middle school will be on your right.
- Don’t worry if you miss the stoplight there is second driveway about 100 yards away, you can get in there.
I am of course paraphrasing. I am also giving the most simplified directions. I could have taken the back roads and the whole trip would have taken 8 minutes. I am happy to say that I am getting better at driving around. I have learned which roads dead end and which roads intersect. The only thing that still bothers me is that all the roads are named random names. I think that they should have some named and some numbered. That way you can tell if you are on a North/South road or if you are going East/West. You would also be able to determine where they intersect by how high or low the number is. That is just my Midwestern logic though. I also approve of the way they do it in some California Cities. If they are expecting a high volume of traffic on the road they have pre-warning signs. “The road coming up is called Nextroad.” That way you have time to get into the correct lane before the intersection.
It could really just be me. I may be exceptionally bad at following directions. Somehow, I really doubt it.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Warhammer: This has potential for addiction...
A relative stranger to the world of PC gaming, I have an astounding observation to make: I never got to appreciate how blissfully atrocious World of Warcraft was (is) as a game. While the world was playing Diablo and Ultima Online I was (silly me) playing Dungeons and Dragons like a good and most would contest true gamer.
When I began playing WoW two years ago it was to spend more time with my boyfriend. I figured: Games are games and if I am to bring my gaming into the next generation I might as well jump in feet first and discover what all the rave had been about. Well, of course, I thought it was me. I thought that my lack of experience and lack of respect in the game made me hate every arduous moment I spent in font of the computer. I fought my way to level 70 in the last year only to find out that there was nothing beyond that. The instances were the same, simply scaled to fit the same set of scaled spells. The players were the same, they had simply spent as much time (oh, but defiantly more) time in front of the computer as I had.
Of course I thought I must have been failing at being gamer because I could not appreciate this bit of fluff they passed off as a game. This game which 10.9 million people play. Eight hours a day. Seven days a week. Barely eating, hardly sleeping, with occasional bathroom breaks. Teaching their heart to pump less frequently in order to conserve energy and stay up that extra 87 minutes because they got the boss to 36% on the last run before they wiped. Oh how I wanted to find the secret. That clue which explained why the accumulation of gear was the driving force in a game. The factor that flipped my attitude and made me understand why my fingers were numb and my eyes were bloodshot and my left shoulder was cramped.
Blessedly, then came Warhammer. Oh that shining beacon. I learned something this weekend that explained something to me. No, I didn’t get The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything. But I did suddenly appreciate my two years lost in bewilderment while playing WoW. You see, there are a few PC gamers who understood what they were doing when the converted to WoW. These were the precious few who were Diablo pioneers; Ultima Online homesteaders; and yes, even the patriots of Dark Age of Camelot. They knew that what they were doing on WoW was not gaming. No, WoW was a brief stopping off point. It served as a bridge from Dark Age, to the beautiful revolution that Warhammer has brought.
Now, when I say these gamers knew what they were doing that is to say this. They knew that nothing would ever beat Ulitma Online. It will be immortalized in history as the single game that “got it right.” They also knew that with the upgrades in computer technology and that the programmers of PC games would never be able to keep up.
WoW was a mildly amusing game which kept them entertained while technology was built and game developers build platforms. It was a game in which to conserve old gaming relationships, garner new ones, and even learn new techniques from people. It even served as a place to bitch about how bad WoW is and reminisce about older PC games. In essence WoW was a social networking site for PC gamers. Want to keep your old friends close? Form a guild! Want to see who has the most time to play? Look at their gear. Need to interview new players for future game action? Group with them!
People didn’t love WoW, eat sleep and breathe WoW, this wasn’t some strange addiction which I was apparently immune to. Nor was the move to WoW a grudging one because “there was nothing better.” (There wasn’t) No, this was a strategy. Keep your friends close, form new connections, build an army, and take over the next generation with vigor. These people weren’t mindlessly button mashing. They were making connections.
Now when I say I never go to appreciate how atrocious WoW was as game, I mean I never understood the beauty in it. I was just enough game to be mildly entertained. It was an easy game so good gamers could buzz through the levels and get on to the important business of interviewing friends. It was a good training game for the next generation of up in coming gamers to learn to do mindless tasks for very little reward. Finally, you could weed out all of the fucking idiots.
You know who they are. They are still playing WoW at this very moment. So, I say I am glad that I had my minor experience on WoW. I am better for it. I appreciate good games so much more now. I simply wish that someone had clued me in sooner. So that instead of cursing the idiot who pulled too soon, I could have just filed it all away as a learning experience. No, I applaud those entrepreneurs who saw that game for its full potential…. Kinda makes me want to go back and maybe even try my hand at playing an Alliance character (Tori the Gnome). Who knows? Maybe even Everquest?
Oh, just made myself laugh so much I peed a little bit. No, I’m good… I really don’t wish that much pain on myself.
I say to you, gamer, play Warhammer.
Warhammer, not just another social networking site, they let you kill people before maximum level! (tooth sparkle)
When I began playing WoW two years ago it was to spend more time with my boyfriend. I figured: Games are games and if I am to bring my gaming into the next generation I might as well jump in feet first and discover what all the rave had been about. Well, of course, I thought it was me. I thought that my lack of experience and lack of respect in the game made me hate every arduous moment I spent in font of the computer. I fought my way to level 70 in the last year only to find out that there was nothing beyond that. The instances were the same, simply scaled to fit the same set of scaled spells. The players were the same, they had simply spent as much time (oh, but defiantly more) time in front of the computer as I had.
Of course I thought I must have been failing at being gamer because I could not appreciate this bit of fluff they passed off as a game. This game which 10.9 million people play. Eight hours a day. Seven days a week. Barely eating, hardly sleeping, with occasional bathroom breaks. Teaching their heart to pump less frequently in order to conserve energy and stay up that extra 87 minutes because they got the boss to 36% on the last run before they wiped. Oh how I wanted to find the secret. That clue which explained why the accumulation of gear was the driving force in a game. The factor that flipped my attitude and made me understand why my fingers were numb and my eyes were bloodshot and my left shoulder was cramped.
Blessedly, then came Warhammer. Oh that shining beacon. I learned something this weekend that explained something to me. No, I didn’t get The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything. But I did suddenly appreciate my two years lost in bewilderment while playing WoW. You see, there are a few PC gamers who understood what they were doing when the converted to WoW. These were the precious few who were Diablo pioneers; Ultima Online homesteaders; and yes, even the patriots of Dark Age of Camelot. They knew that what they were doing on WoW was not gaming. No, WoW was a brief stopping off point. It served as a bridge from Dark Age, to the beautiful revolution that Warhammer has brought.
Now, when I say these gamers knew what they were doing that is to say this. They knew that nothing would ever beat Ulitma Online. It will be immortalized in history as the single game that “got it right.” They also knew that with the upgrades in computer technology and that the programmers of PC games would never be able to keep up.
WoW was a mildly amusing game which kept them entertained while technology was built and game developers build platforms. It was a game in which to conserve old gaming relationships, garner new ones, and even learn new techniques from people. It even served as a place to bitch about how bad WoW is and reminisce about older PC games. In essence WoW was a social networking site for PC gamers. Want to keep your old friends close? Form a guild! Want to see who has the most time to play? Look at their gear. Need to interview new players for future game action? Group with them!
People didn’t love WoW, eat sleep and breathe WoW, this wasn’t some strange addiction which I was apparently immune to. Nor was the move to WoW a grudging one because “there was nothing better.” (There wasn’t) No, this was a strategy. Keep your friends close, form new connections, build an army, and take over the next generation with vigor. These people weren’t mindlessly button mashing. They were making connections.
Now when I say I never go to appreciate how atrocious WoW was as game, I mean I never understood the beauty in it. I was just enough game to be mildly entertained. It was an easy game so good gamers could buzz through the levels and get on to the important business of interviewing friends. It was a good training game for the next generation of up in coming gamers to learn to do mindless tasks for very little reward. Finally, you could weed out all of the fucking idiots.
You know who they are. They are still playing WoW at this very moment. So, I say I am glad that I had my minor experience on WoW. I am better for it. I appreciate good games so much more now. I simply wish that someone had clued me in sooner. So that instead of cursing the idiot who pulled too soon, I could have just filed it all away as a learning experience. No, I applaud those entrepreneurs who saw that game for its full potential…. Kinda makes me want to go back and maybe even try my hand at playing an Alliance character (Tori the Gnome). Who knows? Maybe even Everquest?
Oh, just made myself laugh so much I peed a little bit. No, I’m good… I really don’t wish that much pain on myself.
I say to you, gamer, play Warhammer.
Warhammer, not just another social networking site, they let you kill people before maximum level! (tooth sparkle)
Friday, October 3, 2008
Am I talking to myself? Narcissism and other things.
Since I believe that this blog is going to be all about the things that flit through my mind throughout the day, and since I have a huge list of things that I have already decided would make good blogs, I am going to simply write a preface blog and then commence with the blogging. Things that you may need to know in order to navigate an archive that may exist in the future:
I recently moved to Las Vegas and am having a very hard time adjusting.
I am from Minnesota originally. This is only important if you know anything about Minnesotans. It plays into my thought processes.
I am an abstract random personality type with type A tendencies.
I think fast, learn fast, talk fast, type (a little slower than I used to), and have no constructive outlet. Instead I choose a creative outlet, writing. With time you will come to discover that these two synonyms are not mutually inclusive.
I am very into numbers: 3, 5, 9, etc. This means that I had to make up a fifth thing to put on my list.
Confession: I have no idea how to begin a blog. I feel as if I should have begun when I was fifteen and actually had something to say. I am really playing this whole undertaking by ear. However, I want to leave no literary avenue untapped. This means making myself very uncomfortable in font a (potentially) expansive audience.
As you read I am sure you will notice several asides in parenthesis (). I assure you that this does not mean that I do not know that those ideas can be integrated into the sentence or omitted. This is the prescription that would be recommended by any high school English teacher, and indeed college English Professors. I write these asides because that is what they are, asides. Alternatively, one learns the rules in order to break them.
This brings me to my first point: The narcissism that is required to build a blog. You have to have some balls to start a blog. (Or you have to be very angry at something.) Let us examine this notion for a moment. I am writing to you, a potential reader. You do not exist, but I have to assume that you will read this in order to write to you. This is a completely different approach to writing than we have had before. We see hints of this in journalism; editorials are a good example of a medium which a single author is writing to a readership. However, blogging is different because I/we are not writing to an existing readership.
I suppose my contemplation of the subject speaks to my inexperience and I will be getting a few angry comments (I hope) saying that I have completely missed the point of blogging. Their comments will be along the lines of: “You should write as if you are writing a news article,” “It’s about a need to express yourself, not about a readership.” Sure. I welcome your comments and hope it ignites ferocious conversation. So much conversation that you have to monitor what I write just to tell me what an incredible moron I am.
I suppose I am doing this simply to stroke my ego. I suppose I am doing this to get things off my chest. I supposed I am trying to get a feel for blogging. If it sucks, I’m out.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
A Preliminary Congratulations
I wanted to hand out props early for those who stumbled upon this blog due to its name. If you have recognized the title of this blog as a line from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 10 points. For another 10 points you may post the season, episode number and title, and speaker of the line. Please feel free to discuss the significance of the episode as well as any other tid=bits about Buffy. I assure you I am willing to discuss any related material.
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