Dangerous Business

Yesterday was the opening of Transformers 2, all across America. Everyone was flooding to see it, including me and my two best friends.

We were thinking that we were just going to go down, and be a couple minutes early to the theater, and get our tickets there. My friend Lauren told us that we should buy our tickets online before hand, because it was most likely going to be sold out. This seemed logical, so we did just that.

Because of this, we were a couple minutes late, but no big deal. I drove a little faster than I probably should have, but it wasn’t anything too worrysome. We stopped in Chatsworth on the way to get pizza, because we hadn’t eaten dinner yet. Of course when we pulled up, there was a line of cars at the drive through. Luckily it didn’t take too long for the guy to come to us and ask what we wanted. We ordered our pizza, and he said it would be about 5 minutes.

5 or 10 minutes later we pull out of the parking lot on the way to Dalton. We’re running a little behind, but still not too bad. We figured we would have time because they always show 45 minutes of previews before the movies anyway.

We arrive at the movie theater and walk in, there is a mile long line up to the counter to order tickets. We smile, because we got ours an hour before… Then we read that you have to get your actual ticket at the counter. The Fandango page is just a place holder, really.

5 minutes later, we get up and get our tickets. We go into the theater, and they are just starting the previews. Not too bad, we wound up timing it just about right.

Only problem was… the show was over sold. That’s right, the movie theater sold more tickets than they had seats for. Well, no biggie… we’ll just sit on the stairs like the other people are doing. More people came in after us, and did the same thing. We settle in for our two and a half hours.

Clint turns to me 30 seconds later and says, “This is probably a fire hazard.”
I smile, knowing all too well that he is correct, and hoping no one will say anything about it. The previews end and it doesn’t look like they’re going to make us move. I was quite happy.

20 seconds later, an employee rounds the corner of the stairs and looks up. Aha.
He makes his way up the stairs stopping at the people in front of us and telling them something. They slowly make their way down the steps. I know what’s coming, but I don’t want to believe it.
He makes it up to us, “Find a seat, or get out. You can’t sit here.”

They make an offer at the bottom of the stairs saying that if we can’t find seats, they’ll let us get a refund for our tickets. We opt to do that after much talking and decision making. We’re not the quickest decision makers in the world.
So, we head out front and get an “IOU” type thing from the theater, so we can go back any time within a month and watch any movie playing.

Alright, well… that sucked. I know what happens in the first 20 seconds of the film, but nothing else. We mope around in the car for a few minutes, eating pizza, then head into the mall. We walk around for about 45 minutes or so, then head on home. We make a split decision (shocker!), to go to Wal*Mart.
Detour ensues, we walk around there for a while… hang out in electronics… then we leave.

We stop at a convenient store to get something to drink, only to soon realize that they apparently only like beer in the south, and nothing else. Everything there was just… not too enticing… so we split.

Convenient store number two. We pull in and five people are standing outside the door smoking their life away. The lady that works there, kind of gives us a cold stare… wondering why we’re there to interrupt her break. Again, the inside is filled with beer. At least they had a slightly bigger selection of other products.
I pay with a 20, and the lady looks at me coldly again. I just smiiiiile…

Finally we’re on the road again. We are almost home… five minutes out, and there is a truck parked in the other lane. He flashes his lights at me, and I just think that he thinks I had my high beams on, so I don’t pay any attention. Right before I pass by him, I see this woman walking on the white line and I swear, I almost hit her. I swerved (what felt like) pretty sharply away from her and then put my breaks on. It scared me half to death.

Tonight was just… bleh. So was this post. It doesn’t seem to flow very well. Anyway… yeah…
Maybe Friday, I’ll get to see Transformers… Ha…

Why is it that I get so much spam here on my journal? I get pretty much one spam message a day. They tend to not attack the older posts, but the latest two or three posts, they just bombard.
The latest spam I got, was for an escort service in the Ukraine or something. Classy.

So, I am going to keep this post updated on how much spam I get for this post, alone. I would post all the spam in the comments, but I am afraid that would draw attention to the site and flood it with even more. So, I’ll just write what the spam was about in an edit of this post.

Ah, the joys.

Numero uno:
Pretty good post. I just came by your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your posts. … — Mary

I go in, get the case… walk up to the front counter. There is another woman standing there in line as well. We wait around for about 5 minutes. No one. The phone starts ringing… No one. Nothing.
People coming in, the door chime going off… Nothing.

Finally, I go to the back and hear voices. It sounded like they might have been having an argument or something, I have no idea.
So, I call back.
“Heellooooo?” and finally a young lady comes out.
“Oh, sorry. I was in the back cleaning the tanning beds.”
Ah-ha. Okay.

So, we get up to the front… I let the other lady go first. She gets done and it’s my turn. The girl looks around for the game, and then gets on her cell phone and calls her boss or something to see if THEY know where the game is. Nothing. Can’t find it.

She looks around for a little while longer. Then she asks me if I want the Wii version. I told her no… So then she asked me if I would like to leave my number and she’ll call me when she finds it.

I opted out, told her not to worry about it, and left.

Well, this has really been an interesting show. Some really good things, and some really bad. Which of course is like any other E3.
This year E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) has moved back towards it’s roots a little bit and has opened the doors to a wider audience. They still are not allowing general admission, but it’s close. They estimated that there were roughly 40,000 people at the show this year.

I personally have to say that I think Microsoft took the cake out of the three big names (Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony). Microsoft revealed a couple new games that are going to wind up being big sellers, and demoed a couple of games that gamers have been waiting for, for a while.
I was really impressed with the Modern Warfare demo, and cannot wait to play the game when it comes out.

Microsoft also revealed their new motion capture device (known as Project Natal). At first it was not all that impressive, especially the debut.  The big cheese behind it came out and was showing off his avatar with it, and it was freaking out pretty badly. Contortionist extraordinaire.
From there they showed off a simple paint program (that worked pretty well) and a game that’s a cross between soccer and breakout. Both seemed to work fairly well, but they still weren’t anything to really write home about.

Then they revealed the new project by Lionhead Studios called Project Milo. If that wasn’t scripted, then that is one scary program. I caught myself thinking “Terminator” several times. It was a boy that would interact with you, and could read your emotions. He could recognize your face and call you by name. You could hand him sheets of paper that you had drawn things on, through the sensor at the top of the screen. If this truly does work like the demo did, then it is beyond anything I thought was possible right now. It seriously gave me chills.

Next in terms of how well their show went, was Sony. They had a very slow start, and things were not looking well for them. They finally saved themselves when they brought out their motion capture wands. It looks like an advanced version of the Wiimote. It did have some pretty wacky balls on the top of it too, which made it look kind of retarded. Then they went on to show some demos and trailers for what will probably be some really good games.

The one thing that annoyed me greatly about Sony’s show is that they kept on repeating the lines “This is only possible with the PS3″. That is the biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard. They had nothing to back it up with, not to mention that a lot of the things they were saying that about… were not all that spectacular. The PC could easily outdo it, and the 360 could have done it just as easily. I really hate when people say something and then can’t back it up with facts.

Nintendo came in last out of the big three, not really having much to show for themselves other than the new Metroid game, and Mario Galaxy 2. It continues to be the console for the entire family, but seems to lack in very many games that really catch your attention. Most of what they showed was geared more at physical fitness and tween girls. Physical fitness is fine, but they shouldn’t try to make it seem like a game… because it’s not.

I was severely disappointed with the Ubisoft conference. They had James Cameron come on and pretty much open the show. By the time he was done, I think most of the people watching had probably tuned away. He talked for (probably) about 30-45 minutes about nothing in particular. He stood on stage and droned on and on.

From there, things didn’t get much better. The best thing they had was game play from Splinter Cell: Conviction, and it had already been shown earlier in the day. They tried to save themselves with a pre-rendered trailer to Assassin’s Creed II, but it fell flat after the torturous 2 hours of absolute nothingness. So, it started as crap… and ended as slightly better crap.

So, all in all… Microsoft and Sony are taking the lead. We’ll see who else can pull some tricks out of the hat, as we still have a couple days to go.

Games to watch out for:
Alan Wake
Assassin’s Creed II
Arkham Asylum
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Shadow Complex
God of War 3
Crysis 2
MAG
APB
Forza Motosport 3
The Last Guardian
Uncharted 2

I need to get some contacts. Yes, I think I am actually going with those evil things. I am tired of how rough I am on glasses. Every pair I have owned have come out catterwompus, discombobulated, cockeyed, and wompy-jawed.
The pair I have right now, I have to tighten the screws on them every single day. I am sick of it.

Drastic times call for drastic measures. Indeed… Contacts. (sigh)

I should totally get red tinted ones.

It’s been a while since I have posted anything, so I guess I should catch everyone up on what’s been going on in my life. There’s not a whole lot to tell, but for some reason I keep getting the feeling that this could be a semi-long post. That could have something to do with the fact that I have recently had two cokes, and I feel chatty. I also am feeling in a fairly chipper mood. Yes, chipper.

Shall I take the most recent thing, then work backwards? That might make it too confusing on you as the reader, much less me the writer. I don’t know if I could keep up with it in my current state of mind. (You know, out of my mind.)
So, I guess that means that I need to backtrack and try to come up with what I have done in the past two weeks. Which, will most likely be really easy to do, as I have nothing that I am doing during the week, really.

So, since Thursday two weeks ago…
I went down to Berry and helped Lauren move out of her room. We had a pretty good time, full of laughs… like not having a screw driver to remove her mirror off her closet, so I had to use a butter knife. Yeah, that’s right. I am awesome.

Kyle and Clint joined us a short time later and sat through the graduation ceremony with us. They were bored to tears, but… we all survived. Then we went and searched around town for something to eat. Finally wound up at Panera Bread. Rachel found us while we were there, and we started the long voyage to Dalton.
After getting turned around about 50 gazillion times, we got on the right road to Dalton. Sheesh.

We crammed all of Lauren’s stuff into her room, then drug her off to Ellijay. We all went up to the Blizzard’s house and watched the Italian Job. That was a pretty good movie. We finally left the Blizzard’s house at like… 2:30. Lauren and Rachel went home and talked until 5:00… I came home and watched Space Cowboys with dad until 5:00.

Sunday the next morning was pretty rough. We all survived it though… I do think Rachel fell asleep though. I believe that was Mother’s day.

The week was pretty dull, except for Tuesday/Wednesday morning… Which was not nice.

Wednesday afternoon, we celebrated Rachel’s birthday. Kyle and Clint got her a PS2 and Guitar Hero. (Lauren and I got her dancing shoes the week before.) We then took her out mudding in Cashes Valley, and let her drive. That was scary. I am surprised that I survived it. There are some pretty awesome videos of it on facebook.
We then came back and picked up Lauren and went to Longhorn for dinner. Craziness ensued.

On Friday we all met up in town, and headed down to Atlanta for the swing dance at Georgia Tech. I danced horridly, or at least it felt that way. AJ wasn’t there, so I couldn’t get any tips from him. A fairly decent time was had by all, untill I got a migraine and stopped dancing. Fun fun.
From there we all went to Papa John’s pizza in the sketchy part of town. The dude had to buzz us into the store. The doors stayed locked (of course this was really late.)

We then headed over to Rachel’s aunts house and spent the night. Kyle, Clint, and myself felt like we were on fire all night it was so freaking hot. The fan also didn’t work unless you had the light on. So yeah, we slept with the light on all night.

On Saturday we went to the Renaissance Festival in Atlanta. It rained aaaaaaall day. When we first got there, it was actually a thunderstorm. We waited in the car for a while untill it passed, then headed out into the pouring rain. We refused for it dampen our day, and overall enjoyed it quite muchly. Clint and I each enjoyed a funnel cake. I had to have the obligatory ginger beer, of course.
They had a couple new venders that I don’t remember from years past. It was pretty neat, and not crowded at all. Not to mention, I got to see pirates taking a bath in a muddy water puddle.

We then came back to Ellijay and had a bonfire and smores, or at least… would have, had the skies not opened up 20 minutes after we got the fire going. Just as the fire was starting to get good, it got put out. So sad.

When we realized that plan was defunked, we all headed up to the Blizzard’s house again, and played Guitar Hero till about midnight.

On Sunday the five of us all went to church, and had lunch there. It was pretty awesome.
Lauren left directly after church, and so then Kyle, Clint, Rachel, and I went to the Leslie house and hung out for a while. Went trying to find a mudding trail, but it was blocked off by a bunch of trees. So, we headed back and had dinner (yummy grilled salmon, wild rice, asparagus, salad, and toast) and watched “Blackbeard’s Ghost”. Then had a huge wrestling match. It was quite awesome.

Again, the middle of the week was pretty boring. Tonight the Blizzard’s and I (and maybe Lauren) are going to watch Terminator Salvation in Dalton. Then tomorrow we’re all headed up to Dollywood for the day. Sheesh, I have a social life! :O

I guess I will have to update more often so that it’s not so hard to remember all of this stuff! Thanks Clint for helping me keep everything straight!

Well, that was fun! Just got back from a local writing group that is meeting at our Starbucks. It was pretty neat, writing and then sharing. It was something I never thought I would be able to do, but I did. Yay!
It was also very nice, being able to listen to other people’s stuff… and them talking about how they also get into writing blocks where they can’t think of anything. I’m not in this desolate pit alone!

So, tonight we did writing rounds, where someone would suggest a topic and then we would write about it.
The three topics were as follows:
I remember
Music
Mirrors

We wrote for roughly ten minutes, anything that came to mind, and then shared it. It was cool…
So, here’s what I came up with…

I Remember

I remember when the flowers bloomed in the spring and the taste of strawberry jam on warm toast as my grandmother sang songs of days gone past.

I remember the comfort I felt when my brother came back from the war. The safety of having him back home safe and sound.

I remember the darkness of those stormy nights and the chill of the rain as I danced with God.

Forever in my memory shall be the hill in the country where we buried my grandfather then years ago.
Of the sleepless nights as my soul mourned the loss of that which was dear.

The sunrise of a new day dawning, the memories that I knew I would create, and the adventures I would have.

Forever in a day, and a day in a second.

Love, life, the pursuit of happiness. These are the good memories.

Death, life, forever and always will I remember.

Music

Music – The nectar of life. Rythm and soul poured into an instrument. Poetry sung with friends.

Things of the past, of the present, and future.
Dancing to the smiles and cheer of joy. Forever will music be the one thing that binds us together.

The international language. Friendship formed over strings and laughter.

No matter the type, you will have comradery, those who also enjoy your style. An instant bond in a fast paced world.

What would the world be without music? Is it even possible to avoid it? Does the earth itself not sing out even without us?

Will not the rocks even sing if we forget how?
All we need to do is listen for it, and it will always be there.

Even when the forces of ill try to repress us, still we will sing. Just ask the Scots if they will be silent. War has broken out over such things.

We will not be silent and forever shall we sing!

Mirrors

I look into your depths and what do I see? You are a piece of glass with a reflective coating, but you are also so much more. Do I often stand in front of you and truly see what you are showing me?

So often I stand in front of you momentarily just to see my appearance.

How often I miss the more subtle things you show me. You give me a daily look into my very soul, and yet I never see it. Once in a while I might catch a glimpse of it, but it’s gone in a flash.

Am I secretly trying to avoid what you’re showing me? The eyes are a window to a man’s soul, and yet I so often miss what is shining back at me.

For something so simple, you know people most. You see them at their best and worst, and show them for who they really are. You are the brutally honest friend. Yet we take you for granted.

Maybe from here on out, I will pay more attention to what you’re trying to tell me.

Why do they test you on these things on the ACT? It’s not like you REALLY use them in every day life. I have been able to get by for the past 4 years without really using them. Why do I need to know about isosceles triangles and the mass of an orange? WHY?! Who cares how much wind resistance a car has at 35 mph?!
I mean, even fractions. In the real world, people don’t worry about reducing them… why should I?

It’s just stupid. I don’t understand it.
Not to mention the way they go about teaching it, is all wrong. The teaching system is broken… but that’s a whole other topic by itself.

Insanity ensues.

I just saw this on someone else’s journal… it’s freaking hillarious. I don’t know how the guy taking the order kept up with it, without having them repeat it. He’s amazing… hahaha… He totally needs a pay raise.

These are a couple of poems that I wrote while I was getting my oil changed the other day… I like the first one better.

Hell–
Always falling
ever weeping
pain and torture
no rest for the weary
what repreave
none I see
If only I had
made him my king
riches untold
water abound
loving father
solid ground
I refused him
now I fall
forever and always
will I crawl

Life–
In this world
I will travel
always looking
through the rabble
forever looking
for my place
will I find
that amazing grace
I was told
of amazing love
how can this be
for a sinner
like me?
does he know
of my foolish pride
when he comes
will I hide?
maybe I shall
take his hand
he shall lead me
to his promised land
I have found him
or has he found me?
Dark and disparing
I felt lonely
but now I know
the truth of life
a sinner needs
not to strife
he’s always waiting
with open arms
he will not let you
come to harm