http://www.december212012.com/
I got a message for all of you 2012 believers;
So far, the world was suppose to end over 20 times since the beginning of the 20th century. Just because the Mayans got board writing down dates doesn't mean that the world is going to "Come to an end."
Look at it from a logic viewpoint. Do you really think that calendar companies who put out the calendars with those cute puppies on them have a big warehouse the size of Jupiter with calendars printed that go all the way to the year 3000? No, they do not. Does that mean that when they do print a calendar for a year, that the planet isn't going to end for another year? And when that company goes out of business, then the world will end?
I'm sorry, but as with Heaven's Gate, their is no mother ship coming for you.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
My first blog on here (it includes the word zombie!)
Ever since I created an account with Blogger.com, I've been trying to rack my brain to figure out how to break in my blog. My original plan was to post my experiences at the Professional Photographers of Ohio show, and how I got to meet Jay Stock and his good friend Rebecca Anne, and how I met Elizabeth Callahan of Callahan Photography (who has quickly become a very good friend of mine).
But for some strange reason, that wasn't feeling right. Especially since I planned this to be a photography blog.
Brain: But hey! Your title is "the photo geeks blog." A big part of it being the "G" word.
Me: You're totally right! What would I ever do without you, brain?!
Brain: Be safe from zombies?
So after a failed attempt at trying to keep my brain while still being safe from zombies, I decided to do a repost of a blog that is very dear to my heart, and also shares some of the most cherished memories from my childhood.
Enjoy!
-
"Remembering my roots" original post on myspace September 30, 2008
Being able to download a lot of retro arcade games on my 360 has set my mind into a vintage whirlpool of memories. I've played a lot of games in my day. A Lot of games.
My earliest recollection related to gaming is from when I was around two years old. My family whet to visit my uncle one summer, and as most parents do they try to find ways to keep young children occupied for a long as humanly possible. My uncle, being the intelligent man that he is, mentions that he has an Atari video game system that my brother and I can play with. So, my parents left us not so much to our own devices, but one that would form the basis of the years that would come.
I don't remember much about playing the actual system. I have flashes of everyone gathered around the small TV watching me play Pitfall. My uncle having a big smile on his face, and my brother, with his arms crossed, having a salty look on his face (as he often did when I was the center of attention). From what everyone tells me, I was the only one who has ever played that Atari who could get past the first alligator in Pitfall. YAY!
Their use to be a gaming store near Huber Heights called "Troll and Unicorn" that sold exclusively RPG's and related items. I remember going in there with my father and brother to pick up a limited release special edition Excalibur MKIV mech statue/toy for my brother. It was first run, and met its fate at my hands years later. But RPG's weren't going to be the reason why Troll and Unicorn was going to become one of my most treasured memories.
As every geek knows that the movie TRON came out in 1982. I was born in 81. I didn't see TRON until it aired on the Disney channel around 84 or 85. It is my number one favorite movie of all time. Shortly after the movie came out, they released the TRON arcade game. You played as the hero of the movie (the TRON program) and advanced through various stages themed from the movie; battling grid bugs to reach the IO tower, battling game grid tanks, defeating the MCP, and my personal favorite… Lightcycles!
All of the times that I went into Troll and Unicorn, I didn't know that they had an arcade game in there (turns out, they had only enough space to have one game at a time, uprights only), until one day the owner showed my father his newest machine.
It was the TRON arcade game.
The owner handed me a dollar in quarters and pulled out a step stool for me to stand on so I could play easier. I was in heaven! What made this whole event better, is that the first stage I played in the game, was my favorite scene in the whole entire movie, and all sequels to the game that where to follow… LIGHTCYCLES! Needless to say because of my young age, and this being only the second time that I remember ever playing a video game (I think I may have played the blue edition hand held of "missile command a few times) I died. I was unable to beat the lightcycle stage even with four quarters. But that didn't matter, because I got to play the most awesome arcade game ever! And it was in Troll and Unicorn!
I played TRON a few more times before they got rid of it. I always complained when the joy stick wasn't glowing. I vaguely remember refusing to play it once because the stick wasn't glowing. Eventually they replaced it with "Return of the Jedi" upright machine. I was confused when I got there, and didn't see TRON. But since it was ROTJ, I thought I would give it a shot.
It wasn't a bad game. The graphics where better than TRON, somewhat between the NES and the SNES in comparison. The controls looked like the steering wheel from Knight Rider. But I missed my TRON.
My parents told me years later when I asked what ever happened to that store, that they didn't know why it closed down. But every Saturday I would ask if I could go and play TRON.
After my brother and I's new found love for video games took off, our parents took us shopping one day. Back then, the place to go for anything in New Carlisle was one town east, in Springfield at the Springfield mall. We entered the mall at the Sears entrance. And wouldn't you know it. On an end cap, they had a display of "the most advance game system in the world!". The Nintendo Entertainment System. My brother asked if they could get it, and my mother replied "maybe for Christmas." Which every child knows means no. The only thing I remember of that day is seeing the box, and remembering that brand new, the system cost $125.99.
So, my mother kept to what she said might happen and got us an NES for Christmas. I don't so much remember opening the present as I do seeing my parents confused as hell trying to figure out how to hook it up to our TV in our bed room.
Growing up, we had a couple living in a house that was behind ours down a long lane that connected to our drive way. They had a son that was close to my brother's age at the time, and they also had a Nintendo. They had a lot more games than we did, and every now and then, they would let my brother and I borrow some games.
One of the games that they let us borrow was "The Legend of Zelda", the grey cartage edition. This game had it all! Action, adventure, myth, lore and even a princess to save! Problem solving that didn't involve math! OMFG! I had to own my own copy… but how?
I asked my parents if I could get my own copy of the game. The next thing I remember is the whole family going to the mall, and letting me pick out my very own copy of The Legend of Zelda. I vaguely remember something about the clerk suggesting that I try to find the gold cartridge. I also remember looking through the window of the box and seeing gold. When we got home, I opened it up, and BLING! I was holding in my hands a first run LOZ gold cartridge.
I got the game in 1987. In 1991, four and a half years later, I finally beat it with almost non-stop playing.
To this very day I play that game. And to this very day it is still my number one favorite game of all time.
That was a major turning point for me as far as video games go. Very few games I've played after LOZ have posed a much of a challenge as Death mountain (which ate up the majority of the game play, that's where we get the 4 years). Zelda 2 is impossible, and A link to the past was equal in fun, but easier in the grand scheme of Zelda games. Ocarina of Time took one week to beat. Enough said.
"But what about 'Twilight Princess'?" I hear you asking.
What about it? Since 1987, Link has been able to withstand the forces and energies of evil many, MANY times over. And you are wanting me to accept the fact that Link is now weak?! That when evil gets to strong that we cowers into the form of a wolf?! Is that what you're asking?! I think not my friend. Twilight Princess looks amazing, don't get me wrong there. But I refuse to accept TP as an official continuation of the Zelda legacy. Maybe someday I will look past it's character flaws and try it. But for now, it's right up there with the Oracle series, Majora's mask, four swords and wind waker.
With Zelda beaten, I was free to finally play some of the others games that my parents bought for my brother and I. And out of the majority of those, Iron Tank was the only one that I still can not beat! Though I do get a since of self satisfaction playing a game that lets me run over nazi fucktards =)
Christmas of 1991 was a big year for my gamer development. The challenge of LOZ was a plesent memory, TMNT 2 was getting old with the discovery that the Contra code worked on it, and I was almost grown out of my Knight Rider PJ's.
While opening up our presents, my mother gave Devin and I each presents that where shaped the same. I was praying that it wasn't another pen and pencil set, and I was equally hopeful that it was the Nintendo Zelda game watch to go with my Mario Bros. Game watch that my teacher took away from be because I was more worried about saving the Mushroom Kingdom than learning math.
We opened the gifts, expecting the worst. Then, confusion filled our minds. We looked at each other, then back at the gifts that we just opened. They where Super Nintendo games. I had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time in my hands, and I forget what Devin had in his. We told our parents that we Didn't have a Super Nintendo. They said that the guy at the store told them that they would work in the NES. So, I cominced to explain to my parents the technical differences between the NES and the Super NES.
Our mother left the room. I was thinking that I hurt her feelings. Then she came back in with a smile on her face.
"Maybe this will help." She entered the living room with a ginormous box wrapped in black wrapping paper.
"*GASP!* OH MY GOD! A SUPER NINTENDO!" I yelled at the top of my lungs while jumping up and down repeatedly jarring the entire house. Our father laughing at my reactions. Devin was excited as well, but I don't remember him being as orgasmic as me. We rushed at our mother and tore open the paper as fast as we could. Once we saw it actually was a Super Nintendo and not a large pen and pencil set, we bother jumped up and down again.
After Christmas dinner, my mother hooked up the Super NES to our TV in Devin and I's bedroom. The first game we put in was Turtles in Time. We knew it was made by Konami, but we where in for a shock. A purple bar streaked across the top of the screen. It moved down revealing a darkened Konami logo. It got brighter and brighter, then it chimed! My brother and I nodded at the same time and we both said in unison… "Cool." without looking away from the screen.
A Christmas or so later, my Uncle called and wanted to know my opinions what system to get his daughters for Christmas; the SNES or the PlayStation. I didn't know much about the PS1, so I told him that the Super Nintendo was the better choice because it had more games (at the time).If I knew that they where going to make a PS2, I would have told him differently. Actually, as a matter of fact, shortly after the PS2 came out, I apologized to him about my poor decision. He said to not worry about it, because they had fun with the Super Nintendo. And I felt a little bit better.
When the N64 came out, I didn't know what to think. Mario 64 looked like shit compared to Super Mario World, and their wasn't that many titles for it at launch. But my mind was soon made up after one visit to Sears.
They had a demo of StarFox 64! One of my favorite titles on the N64! Fuck yeah I'm getting this thing! So I quickly did the math in my head… with my mothers help. If I sold our go-kart for no less than $175, I could get the system and StarFox 64 all in one trip. So my mother drive me out to Best Buy, and I got my N64 with StarFox, and after paying cash, I had 75 cents left over.
After several great titles, such as Mario Kart 64, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, StarFox 64 and a few others, the N64 slowly fell prey to more advanced systems. I later got a PS1, then a PS2, and now I enjoy the Xbox 360. From the Atari 2600 to the PS3, every system has their pluses and minuses. Remember the Virtual Boy?
It's amazing how far the video game industry has come since Pong was first put into a bar in the early 1960's. Now we have MMO's where people can interact across the world. No one ever thought that would be the future of gaming. It's refreshing to look back and see where it all started. Am I happy with the video game industry at the moment? Mildly yes. But, it's still young in the grand scheme of things. I'm personally waiting for the fully interactive VR game system that will be like the matrix. That would be as cool as the Konami logo!
But for some strange reason, that wasn't feeling right. Especially since I planned this to be a photography blog.
Brain: But hey! Your title is "the photo geeks blog." A big part of it being the "G" word.
Me: You're totally right! What would I ever do without you, brain?!
Brain: Be safe from zombies?
So after a failed attempt at trying to keep my brain while still being safe from zombies, I decided to do a repost of a blog that is very dear to my heart, and also shares some of the most cherished memories from my childhood.
Enjoy!
-
"Remembering my roots" original post on myspace September 30, 2008
Being able to download a lot of retro arcade games on my 360 has set my mind into a vintage whirlpool of memories. I've played a lot of games in my day. A Lot of games.
Sherman, set the way-back machine to 1983 to see where it all began.
My earliest recollection related to gaming is from when I was around two years old. My family whet to visit my uncle one summer, and as most parents do they try to find ways to keep young children occupied for a long as humanly possible. My uncle, being the intelligent man that he is, mentions that he has an Atari video game system that my brother and I can play with. So, my parents left us not so much to our own devices, but one that would form the basis of the years that would come.
I don't remember much about playing the actual system. I have flashes of everyone gathered around the small TV watching me play Pitfall. My uncle having a big smile on his face, and my brother, with his arms crossed, having a salty look on his face (as he often did when I was the center of attention). From what everyone tells me, I was the only one who has ever played that Atari who could get past the first alligator in Pitfall. YAY!
Now, let's revisit 1984/'85
Their use to be a gaming store near Huber Heights called "Troll and Unicorn" that sold exclusively RPG's and related items. I remember going in there with my father and brother to pick up a limited release special edition Excalibur MKIV mech statue/toy for my brother. It was first run, and met its fate at my hands years later. But RPG's weren't going to be the reason why Troll and Unicorn was going to become one of my most treasured memories.
As every geek knows that the movie TRON came out in 1982. I was born in 81. I didn't see TRON until it aired on the Disney channel around 84 or 85. It is my number one favorite movie of all time. Shortly after the movie came out, they released the TRON arcade game. You played as the hero of the movie (the TRON program) and advanced through various stages themed from the movie; battling grid bugs to reach the IO tower, battling game grid tanks, defeating the MCP, and my personal favorite… Lightcycles!
All of the times that I went into Troll and Unicorn, I didn't know that they had an arcade game in there (turns out, they had only enough space to have one game at a time, uprights only), until one day the owner showed my father his newest machine.
It was the TRON arcade game.
The owner handed me a dollar in quarters and pulled out a step stool for me to stand on so I could play easier. I was in heaven! What made this whole event better, is that the first stage I played in the game, was my favorite scene in the whole entire movie, and all sequels to the game that where to follow… LIGHTCYCLES! Needless to say because of my young age, and this being only the second time that I remember ever playing a video game (I think I may have played the blue edition hand held of "missile command a few times) I died. I was unable to beat the lightcycle stage even with four quarters. But that didn't matter, because I got to play the most awesome arcade game ever! And it was in Troll and Unicorn!
I played TRON a few more times before they got rid of it. I always complained when the joy stick wasn't glowing. I vaguely remember refusing to play it once because the stick wasn't glowing. Eventually they replaced it with "Return of the Jedi" upright machine. I was confused when I got there, and didn't see TRON. But since it was ROTJ, I thought I would give it a shot.
It wasn't a bad game. The graphics where better than TRON, somewhat between the NES and the SNES in comparison. The controls looked like the steering wheel from Knight Rider. But I missed my TRON.
My parents told me years later when I asked what ever happened to that store, that they didn't know why it closed down. But every Saturday I would ask if I could go and play TRON.
Christmas, 1985
After my brother and I's new found love for video games took off, our parents took us shopping one day. Back then, the place to go for anything in New Carlisle was one town east, in Springfield at the Springfield mall. We entered the mall at the Sears entrance. And wouldn't you know it. On an end cap, they had a display of "the most advance game system in the world!". The Nintendo Entertainment System. My brother asked if they could get it, and my mother replied "maybe for Christmas." Which every child knows means no. The only thing I remember of that day is seeing the box, and remembering that brand new, the system cost $125.99.
So, my mother kept to what she said might happen and got us an NES for Christmas. I don't so much remember opening the present as I do seeing my parents confused as hell trying to figure out how to hook it up to our TV in our bed room.
Sometime after August 22nd, 1987… and several beaten games…
Growing up, we had a couple living in a house that was behind ours down a long lane that connected to our drive way. They had a son that was close to my brother's age at the time, and they also had a Nintendo. They had a lot more games than we did, and every now and then, they would let my brother and I borrow some games.
One of the games that they let us borrow was "The Legend of Zelda", the grey cartage edition. This game had it all! Action, adventure, myth, lore and even a princess to save! Problem solving that didn't involve math! OMFG! I had to own my own copy… but how?
I asked my parents if I could get my own copy of the game. The next thing I remember is the whole family going to the mall, and letting me pick out my very own copy of The Legend of Zelda. I vaguely remember something about the clerk suggesting that I try to find the gold cartridge. I also remember looking through the window of the box and seeing gold. When we got home, I opened it up, and BLING! I was holding in my hands a first run LOZ gold cartridge.
I got the game in 1987. In 1991, four and a half years later, I finally beat it with almost non-stop playing.
To this very day I play that game. And to this very day it is still my number one favorite game of all time.
That was a major turning point for me as far as video games go. Very few games I've played after LOZ have posed a much of a challenge as Death mountain (which ate up the majority of the game play, that's where we get the 4 years). Zelda 2 is impossible, and A link to the past was equal in fun, but easier in the grand scheme of Zelda games. Ocarina of Time took one week to beat. Enough said.
"But what about 'Twilight Princess'?" I hear you asking.
What about it? Since 1987, Link has been able to withstand the forces and energies of evil many, MANY times over. And you are wanting me to accept the fact that Link is now weak?! That when evil gets to strong that we cowers into the form of a wolf?! Is that what you're asking?! I think not my friend. Twilight Princess looks amazing, don't get me wrong there. But I refuse to accept TP as an official continuation of the Zelda legacy. Maybe someday I will look past it's character flaws and try it. But for now, it's right up there with the Oracle series, Majora's mask, four swords and wind waker.
With Zelda beaten, I was free to finally play some of the others games that my parents bought for my brother and I. And out of the majority of those, Iron Tank was the only one that I still can not beat! Though I do get a since of self satisfaction playing a game that lets me run over nazi fucktards =)
Christmas, 1991
Christmas of 1991 was a big year for my gamer development. The challenge of LOZ was a plesent memory, TMNT 2 was getting old with the discovery that the Contra code worked on it, and I was almost grown out of my Knight Rider PJ's.
While opening up our presents, my mother gave Devin and I each presents that where shaped the same. I was praying that it wasn't another pen and pencil set, and I was equally hopeful that it was the Nintendo Zelda game watch to go with my Mario Bros. Game watch that my teacher took away from be because I was more worried about saving the Mushroom Kingdom than learning math.
We opened the gifts, expecting the worst. Then, confusion filled our minds. We looked at each other, then back at the gifts that we just opened. They where Super Nintendo games. I had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time in my hands, and I forget what Devin had in his. We told our parents that we Didn't have a Super Nintendo. They said that the guy at the store told them that they would work in the NES. So, I cominced to explain to my parents the technical differences between the NES and the Super NES.
Our mother left the room. I was thinking that I hurt her feelings. Then she came back in with a smile on her face.
"Maybe this will help." She entered the living room with a ginormous box wrapped in black wrapping paper.
"*GASP!* OH MY GOD! A SUPER NINTENDO!" I yelled at the top of my lungs while jumping up and down repeatedly jarring the entire house. Our father laughing at my reactions. Devin was excited as well, but I don't remember him being as orgasmic as me. We rushed at our mother and tore open the paper as fast as we could. Once we saw it actually was a Super Nintendo and not a large pen and pencil set, we bother jumped up and down again.
After Christmas dinner, my mother hooked up the Super NES to our TV in Devin and I's bedroom. The first game we put in was Turtles in Time. We knew it was made by Konami, but we where in for a shock. A purple bar streaked across the top of the screen. It moved down revealing a darkened Konami logo. It got brighter and brighter, then it chimed! My brother and I nodded at the same time and we both said in unison… "Cool." without looking away from the screen.
A Christmas or so later, my Uncle called and wanted to know my opinions what system to get his daughters for Christmas; the SNES or the PlayStation. I didn't know much about the PS1, so I told him that the Super Nintendo was the better choice because it had more games (at the time).If I knew that they where going to make a PS2, I would have told him differently. Actually, as a matter of fact, shortly after the PS2 came out, I apologized to him about my poor decision. He said to not worry about it, because they had fun with the Super Nintendo. And I felt a little bit better.
Fast forward to sometime after Sept. 29th, 1996
When the N64 came out, I didn't know what to think. Mario 64 looked like shit compared to Super Mario World, and their wasn't that many titles for it at launch. But my mind was soon made up after one visit to Sears.
They had a demo of StarFox 64! One of my favorite titles on the N64! Fuck yeah I'm getting this thing! So I quickly did the math in my head… with my mothers help. If I sold our go-kart for no less than $175, I could get the system and StarFox 64 all in one trip. So my mother drive me out to Best Buy, and I got my N64 with StarFox, and after paying cash, I had 75 cents left over.
After several great titles, such as Mario Kart 64, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, StarFox 64 and a few others, the N64 slowly fell prey to more advanced systems. I later got a PS1, then a PS2, and now I enjoy the Xbox 360. From the Atari 2600 to the PS3, every system has their pluses and minuses. Remember the Virtual Boy?
It's amazing how far the video game industry has come since Pong was first put into a bar in the early 1960's. Now we have MMO's where people can interact across the world. No one ever thought that would be the future of gaming. It's refreshing to look back and see where it all started. Am I happy with the video game industry at the moment? Mildly yes. But, it's still young in the grand scheme of things. I'm personally waiting for the fully interactive VR game system that will be like the matrix. That would be as cool as the Konami logo!
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