Happiness

Happiness is always a by-product. It is probably a matter of temperament, and for anything I know it may be glandular. But it is not something that can be demanded from life, and if you are not happy you had better stop worrying about it and see what treasures you can pluck from your own brand of unhappiness.

Robertson Davies

Taken from the daily quotations RSS I have on my home page; I think this to be a very clear distinction on what happiness really is. It is listed under their 'cynical' quotations and it is as such because of the last bit of unhappiness. Although I take issue with it being listed as cynical, I can see their point. It isn't cynical, however, because if you take the quotation in full the use of unhappiness at the end is layered in plurality: it is not really unhappiness but the personal label that one gives it that makes it so, it's semantic, signified by the use of "brand."

Chico - Half Life?

I had never really noticed before how much many parts of Chico looks like Half Life 2. Perhaps it is just my fandom kicking in and triggering hypnagogic images, but I think the evidence speaks for itself. While my wife has the car I have made a few walks from our apartment to the university to attend some study seminars on the upcoming GRE test. These were actually taken on a day that I went for the walk just to see how long it would take me and to clear my head of a lot of studying. It was very short. This made me realize that it is often a case of habit to simply drive everywhere when walking, escpecially in Chico's best season, Fall, can be very rewarding. Look, it can even trigger the inner gaming imagination.

 

Fuse

Meh.: October 2006

My good friend's blog, looks like it is under works in the best way. If it is one thing that can bring me to feeling giddy it's knowing my friends have found happiness. This looks like a wonderful post.

Michel Ancel Interview

This trailer is worth the entire last few seconds. Genius. I will be getting this game, go Wii. Hail Launch Day.

And he's French, tre chic. I have always loved the work of Prevost, so why not this guy?

Gaming Couples Event

Ruby Skye Calendar

Never thought I would see an event like this. Suppose it would fit in with our latest stint (or longer) in WoW. An interesting choice of venues given that Ruby Skye is the traditional site of world renown DJs and the like.

I am not thinking very seriously about going, in fact not at all. I will either be vacationing with my inlaws or hosting a friend. Events like this one should be something I attend in the future if I hope to get into the gaming theory industry.

World of Warcraft Music Video

Simply Amazing.. To critics of the game, ahem, I present this work of fine, nay, exquisit art. Listen to the words and let them take you away to 'whole new worlds' perhaps. Quite well done. To Tim; yes man, I remember the glory, and then I remembered some of the droll repetition and endless minor tweeking and lack of social interaction, well, not to go on a tirade, but needless to say, at least for now, it is time to move on. Only side effect of WoW so far is really long, sometimes too long, run on sentances, especially in instances where one or two short ones would do, like this one here.

WoW - Beginnings

As is said: "It Has Begun!"

This weekend marks the first time I have logged on to a persistent world MMORPG and I had the extreme pleasure of doing so with my wife. Here we are at a well outside of the main city, forgot the name but I am sure I will pick them up in time. It was a thrill and I am sure that I will blog about it from time to time. As Brett told me when I informed him, "Say goodbye to your life." I am sure it will not come to that and, although I am sure we will enjoy it often, it shouldn't dominate our lives. But I think some fandom might be cool to get into. More about my video game theory ideas later, however, I thought that, should I go into speaking/writing about them in the future, this is probably one game I could not excuse myself from not having played; and so I have begun.

Ah sorry, no Wii

Well, it is my sad news that I was unable to get a Wii Preorder this morning. Camped out in front of Gamestop this morning, although camped is used a little weakly in my case. Fact is my fervor was not strong enough, got there sometime around 7am, not early enough. The front pair has camped since 11:30pm the night before, then on down to two in front of me got there at 5am. Parents for their kids seemed to trump true fandom in this case. Although there was some controversy about their being all from the same household (as in limit one per), but they went ahead and did it anyway.

No matter; I had a really good time. The event helped me to see that I have really missed regular friendly contact. Sure, I have my friends, but these were people I just met, under similar circumstances, and we really enjoyed each other's company. Topics ranged quite a bit but all within the general interests of people who would camp for a Wii, although some went a bit further; not surprising given the higher age of gamers nowadays. We discussed regional traits, gentrification, homelessness, etc. on top of games, movies, and shows.

It was a very nice experience. I was even asked to exchange numbers with one attendee who thinks we might be able to organize a campout on launch day. This time, perhaps it will be truly epic (in length as well as grandeur).

Professor on Credentialism

I think for the most part this clip is spot on. I should have more to say on this but at the time I don't. There are, of course obvious exceptions, but in large part this is a facet of the University that I do not think is being fully discussed.

Added to that, my degree in particular is mentioned. hehe, bit o sting? nah, I would love to teach English.

The Vanity of Human Wishes

from *see above, by Samuel Johnson (lines 323-342)

Ye nymphs of rosy lips and radiant eyes,
Whom Pleasure keeps to busy to be wise,
Whom Joy with soft varieties invite,
By day the frolic, and the dance by night:
Who frown with vanity, who smile with art,
And ask the latest fashion of the heart;
What care, what rules your heedless charms shall save,
Each nymph your rival, and each youth your slave?
Against your fame with Fondness Hate combines,
The rival batters, and lover mines.
With distant voice neglected Virtue calls,
Less heard and less, the faint remonstrance falls;
Tired with contempt, she quits the slippery reign,
And Pride and Prudence take her seat in vain.
In crowd at once, where none the pass defend,
The harmless freedom, and the private friend.
The guardians yield, by force superior plied:
To Interest, Prudence; and to Flattery, Pride.
Now Beauty falls betrayed, despised, distressed,
And hissing Infamy proclaims the rest.

I encountered this while studying for the GRE subject test. I am taking it, for the third time, in November. I am really aiming for a higher score to aid in getting into a PhD program. This is just as excerpt, as the lines indicate, from Johnson's larger work, but how telling of our modern times. This is, of course, aimed at beautiful women, whom I believe are captured here in startling clarity given our 'modern' times. So often this is the case that is is a grief to remember it. How, so often, beauty is ruined in these ways. Not to mention how torturous the fall, especially given Johnson's verses. Previous to these lines he calls on the new born scholar, the recently graduated. I shall have to quote those lines in the near future and make some comment as to their relevance to my life. For now, I think these lines speak well to my perspective when encountering beauty in our culture.

The Beans That Bind

What I often find myself missing the most from friends that I cannot spend time with is the coffee that is shared. Phone conversations are terrific in their own right and a marvel of our modern times. But indeed, sharing of the perky beverage seems to have something of the mystical about it. Starbucks may have to start servicing something like a coffee-chat channel, but even with video feeds and an audio channel I think the effect would be lost somewhere in the middle.

This just came to mind after having a very nice conversation with Brett on the phone and, being a little drowsy, I brewed a pot in the coffee machine often used when we were pulling all nighters or staying awake for get together or party later that evening. The energy before going out was always highlighted intensely with the caffeine and a good night was generally assured. Good times. Somewhat startling to me what this thought. I know I am a pretty nostalgic person, but having these emotions about a coffee machine... hmmm well, nothing new on the grand stage of it all. Great authors muse about the pens they shared with colleagues; walking sticks that carry special honor et cetera.

I can still tell however, that despite this evening's coffee jumpstart I am still falling into the, I guess I should say new habit of writing in a little formalized style not quite conversational. I wonder: is this common of many people who start blogging? heh, perhaps it is.

Masters in Hand

It is a good day when something like this arrives in the mail. The experience of finishing the degree was a little convoluted. There were many instances of being "done." I know, despite what Michael from The Office says, that things on paper do not fully capture or signify what they represent. But I am always capable of looking deeper into the concept of representation: this, for the moment--and all the moments it stands for--feels very nice to hold.

Masters Degree in English -- Check

(kudos go out to the Office of International and Graduate Studies at Cal. State University, Chico who processed my degree, from final approval to the printed for depicted here, in about one month. Nice.)