Yielding of a Solo Man

As you may have read before, my undying passion towards Left 4 Dead remains evident. L4D is by far one of my most beloved video games, and not solely based on it’s zombie-bashing weaponry or putridly designed enemies. The story of triumph and brotherhood (including a lady) is an encouraging tale to follow. Watching four characters with different personalities come together as one team to survive the zombie apocalypse is raw indeed, unabashed sentiments and the chronicle of their four lives colliding together. It wasn’t enough to just enjoy the video game; I had uncover their journey to collectivity.

 

During my search for the tale of how these four non-infected citizens met, I discovered each of their back stories in an online comic called The Sacrifice, which I recognize as no coincidence to the story’s dismal but glorious ending. For those of you who are reading this and are unsure of the premise; I’ll leave you the tale for your own discovery. After enjoying the petite-sized comic, I came to the realization that stories behind character interactions hold more excitement than just playing a game to ‘hit the bad guys’. It was rewarding to see their courage under a horde of ‘brain-thirsty’ zombies, of which not all enjoyed the brain--an arm or leg would often do. Their valor was truly a spectacular image to behold; one of which will be difficult to forget.

 

Experience this quick tale of each individual’s life before and after the virus invasion for yourself: http://www.l4d.com/comic/

It’s All About Dem Wolves

As yet another bookstore travels down the highway of not…two things immediately come to mind, ‘yay!’ and ‘not again…’ I begin to ponder on the thought - “Cheap books and other goodies to help ease the pain of my boredom”, but then the feeling of sadness slowly creeps in.

There is some sort of connection made when you physically flip through the pages of a book, novella, or comic that makes the whole experience that much more exhilarating. Giving your favorite stories dog ears as you await the next day just so you can open the pages to the same adventure from the day before is something you cannot get from any electronic device. Running your fingers down the page as you keep your place or using your favorite old or new bookmark creased neatly between the pages you wish you didn’t have to abandon. That’s a great feeling. Not being able to resist one more peek at the story’s next events, leading you right back to the alternate reality the story and your mind have created.

It’s always a terrible feeling when a bookstore has to go out of business, but there was a gleam of light shining that day as I leafed through the leftover delicacies they still had to offer. One of the stories I found called Werewolves by Paul Jessup caught my eye. I naturally cling to any media that involves mysterious or mythical creatures, except Twilight, sorry…I know that must bum someone out…somewhere? But- I thought I would give this short tale a try. After reading the back cover, interest swallowed my fear of just another typical read.

This tale is a narrative account of the transformation a sister and brother go through as their normal teenage lives turn from focus on their high school angsty situations now to their voracious appetites and large destructive paws. The entire encounter is through the eyes of the sister, Alice, who is not aware of the changes that are already overpowering her full anatomy. The story leads one to believe that this is in fact a genuine anecdote by explaining the events that led up to the finding of this journal. Throughout the retelling, you see the physical and mental changes the characters experience as their normal lives fade away. The circumstances that arise can originate feelings of curiosity, sympathy, or even sadness throughout the happenings of this great tale.

This story may be short but well worth the read, giving the reader more of a realistic depiction of what could happen if werewolves did exist…or do they?

“Hey, You Hear When the Water’s Gonna Come Back On?”

I’m what you would call a casual gamer, if there is a name for it. I started my gaming experience playing mindless match 3 games, point-and-clicks, and the occasional puzzle game. Aside from the infrequent run-in with a crazy airtight game (i.e. Limbo), I felt myself reaching a dead end. I’ve always hesitated playing anything more difficult than these three great but limiting alternatives, due to the fear of failure. Lame, right? I hate the feeling of losing and do not take the disappointment lightly.  

In an attempt to put these notions aside, I agreed to try my first crash course in Borderlands. I had enough courage to play Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance for Game Cube by myself, simply due to the fact that I played a hack n slash character, which is my chief MO. So, I figured I could enjoy time spent with this video game as well. The opening is pretty much amazing as well as the menu and character options. As per usual, I chose the tank character that takes and deals a massive amount of damage, Brick. I was ready to start this party. We even had this cute little metal contraption, Claptrap, greet us at the gate - man, I was getting excited. While preparing myself to have a mind-blowing experience, I enjoyed all the beginning encounters the game had to offer, especially the scavenged, post apocalyptic environment. Then Claptrap gave us a pep talk, opened the gate and we ran inside…and it quickly went downhill from there. I couldn’t figure out how to aim and shoot, and ended up frantically spinning in circles looking at the sky. Which resulted in myself literally throwing the controller to the ground in frustration and walking away with a little more hatred in my heart.

After some time passed, weeks or months, I caved in and decided to give the game another try, and have never looked back. It’s super fresh and really addicting! The fact that I gave this amazing game another chance makes me smile a little brighter, and because I use whitening paste, but mainly the second one. Borderlands reminded me of how much fun shooters can be, taking me away from my thought that RPGs are always better than shooters. From the creative thought up enemies to the tormented inhabitants of the land, this is a game worth the sacrifice. I encountered the feeling of failure and did not squint in fear or feel overcome with fret. I no longer had to drag others into playing continuous matches of L4D, although L4D 1 and 2 are definitely in my top 3 games of all time. A small accomplishment was undergone that day, as well as the reward of achievements to boot! Because of this gaming experience; I have opened my mind to almost all other forms of video games, other than racing and sports games, I just can’t do it. You get to meet some pretty interesting characters and get to blow up all kinds of stuff, which is my favorite part. This really is a game for anyone.

Unfortunately, the day will soon come when we will beat Borderlands, but no worries, games are meant to be replayed. 

Today, Leave Good for Great

My ears were first graced by the rhythmic beats and witty lyrics of Matt and Kim about two years ago. I first heard of the talented duo when one of my top-notch pals, my boyfriend, introduced me to their “Yea Yeah” single on Youtube, from their self-titled album; where the pair participates in a chaotic montage of food throwing magic. I had to know more!

After rummaging through cyberspace, I then discovered another one of their singles, “Daylight”, off of their Grand album. And my experience was ‘grand’ as I played that song over and over and over again; blaring from my car stereo, dancing to it in my room, and flexing my vocal cords while getting ready for the day. Shortly after, I decided that it was best to venture into more of their lyrical masterpieces than let them remain as unknown gems. I was not let down as I excavated the crevasse of their musical genius. Sadly, as time passed, Matt and Kim became “one of those great bands I used to listen to”, with the fix of their upbeat charm.

But wait!, Could this be?!, A new album…but not entirely new, released at the end of 2010 to be exact. Immediately my interest in the band was rekindled. I started listening to their most recent album Sidewalks only a week ago, and have listened to it every day since then. They’ve done it again; they’ve released another supercharged, musical magnum opus. I hate to pick favorites but this album is crazy fresh, from slow rhythms to upbeat jams. One of my favorite songs from the album, “Cameras”, has one of the best music videos I have seen for a while (aside from Katy Perry’s “ET”). While the remaining songs on the album all measure up to the creative genius displayed by this great single. I can’t wait for future melodies from this rad twosome.

Their fresh beats and sharp linguistics always put a smile on my face and a tap in my foot.

I Think I'm Going to Boston

Recently, I packed up my bags with few in tow to venture to the ‘oh so sweet, sweet’ land of Boston. It wasn’t the architectural allure, or the historical ambiance; it was the general movement of the city that I fell in love with. I know that I may pose some bias with this assessment, being that I have not yet voyaged to many of our nation’s great cities. But I found it difficult to leave such a great city behind for the journey home.

Boston shows its own personality, with its small-town charm and adventurous experiences that continuously await. The structural design of the city contributes to the amazing feeling you get when you walk its streets, enter its shops or enjoy its times past. You can almost hear the city whispering to you, “It’s okay to unwind, indulge, and soak up whatever the day has to offer.” One day you may enjoy shopping for trinkets in Chinatown’s marketplace, and the next day you may tap into your historical vein by walking the Freedom Trail, taking in the sites along the course. I was surprised to find that walking in and out of all the old structures and enjoying all the history was my favorite part of the entire visit. Shopping even took the back-burner! Although that's always a lot of fun, with street vendors on almost every corner trying to haggle some sort of great deal.


We were also able to experience the famous Boston Market! As you first approach this chaotic hall, your stomach is soothed by the delicious aromatics running through the air.  You can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people bustling through to find some sort of yummy treats for lunch. However, there are plenty of places to choose from and the ordering process reminds you a little of the big city feel. I enjoyed my first city authentic panini and it was delicious! I couldn't tell you what meat was on the sandwich and for some reason, I didn't care; which is unusual for such a picky eater as me. The entire experience was amazing and I would love the thought of being able to visit the great city of Boston again.


Regardless of how you may feel about Boston, or even your own hometown, learn to take a minute to just slow down and marinate in the town’s offerings. You may find something new, exciting, and worth the adventure. 

...And So It Was

Alright, here it goes. It's finally time to share my opinions with the world, as if I haven't secretly tried already. But, I'm limited to those around me, not specifically 'proximity' of course. I began another blog adventure but sadly left it to surpass its limits of mega 'webs'. Now it's time to get serious. I plan on providing you, the general public, with my valuable thoughts on...everything, or anything more accurately put. What I mean is, I plan on reviewing about anything I feel may be useful or that I just find fascinating. I may also get sidetracked with an occasional post about something else super-awesome that I feel I must share with all of you.

Stay 'posted'! These are the jokes...