Slacker!
I'm falling behind on updates for this blog. I need to rededicate myself to this project, as well as to others. Mostly, though, it's just because I'm so damned busy. Between working 30 hours per week at two jobs and taking a full-time courseload of 12 credits of upper-division history classes, I don't have a whole lot of extra time left over for, well, anything, and most of what little free time I do have gets eaten up by playing video games. (Star Trek Online is, in fact, a key offender in that area.)
These are a few of my favorite things
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 1984. I’m six (“and a half!”) years old, and this is the year I would discover some seriously cool stuff: Transformers and G.I. Joe. While G.I. Joe had debuted two years earlier, and my older brother, Kevin, doubtless had some of the toys, I didn’t really notice that stuff until after I’d turned six. At this point, I was beginning to become one of the “big kids,” and my tastes in toys reflected that. The fact that, a year later in 1985, both toy lines would have TV shows – which were, really, little better than half-hour-long daily commercials for said toys – certainly aided in my discovery. That year also saw the release of a new cartoon in the U.S.: Robotech, and by 1986, I’d also discovered Voltron, another Japanese import. Add these to my existing love of the Star Wars toys, and I’m shocked my mother was able to refrain from causing physical harm to myself or my brother whenever we happened to pass a toy aisle when we’d go shopping.
My First Video Game System
Nintendo 3D Mario by NES--Still-the-best
For years, I'd wanted one, and my mom always said "no." But now, it was Nineteen-Ninety-FREAKIN'-One, and I was thirteen, baby: finally old enough to get a job on base! With my own job, I would be absolutely rolling in the dough! I could buy myself that Nintendo Entertainment System I'd been dreaming of for the last six years. And what a job I had! Bagging groceries at the Shoppette in Smith Housing, in Baumholder, Germany!
Oh. Right. We're taking a trip to London this year with the band. OK, after paying for that, I'd get myself that sweet, sweet NES I'd been wanting since 1985. Months passed. I put one on layaway at the Sound Center. Being an impatient little geek, I couldn't wait to get my new NES home... so I, er, made one out of cardboard, so I could... pretend... to play... Super Mario-- hey! Squirrel!
My prior experience in gaming, to this point, was, to put it kindly... limited. Mostly, I'd played board games with my family: the usuals, like Monopoly, Battleship, and Scrabble, as well as more advanced games like chess and Chinese checkers. I even got to play some video games, like Pong, when I'd visit my grandparents in California during the summers before we'd moved to Germany, because they had an Atari at their house. By far the geekiest games I'd attempted were RPGs (that's Roleplaying Games for the uninitiated), but even though I owned copies of Top Secret/SI and FASA's Star Trek RPG, there weren't many opportunities to play RPGs in Baumholder.
But time passed, as it inevitably does, and finally, in late July 1991, I was the proud owner of my very own Nintendo Entertainment System! After six long years, I'd finally done it! And I'd gotten that sucker the old-fashioned way: I'd earned it! With my very own NES, I'd finally be one of the cool kids! I'd-- wait, what? Super what?!
Ah, the impatience of youth. If I'd even bothered to read any kind of news related to video games at all, I'd have known that, just three months after getting my very own N-E-Frickin'-S... Nintendo would be releasing the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. D'oh!
I still have my NES to this day, and it still holds a special place in this geek's heart. It mostly sits in storage now, still in the original packaging, which I'd saved because I'd learned from experience just how frequently I'd be moving in my life. But every now and again, I'll bust that puppy out, dust 'er off, and kick it really old school with some 8-bit Super Mario Bros. action. Boo-Yah!
Nintendo 3D Mario image by NES--Still-the-best
Star Trek Online, all night long…
I couldn't sleep tonight, so I decided to take on a mission in Star Trek Online... seems I bit off more than I could chew on that one.
Oh, it started off just fine. In fact, I had no problems at all until the end of the mission, when one of the Klingons turned out to be an Undine shapeshifter and it sent me up against an Undine dreadnought and four frigates. Alone. In a light cruiser. Oh, yeah, that ended well... after getting my @$$ thoroughly kicked about a dozen times, I finally dropped the mission; I'll have to try it again once I've got a (much) bigger ship.
But, alas, I couldn't end the night like that. Despite the fact that it was by this point nearly 2 am, I still couldn't sleep, and I didn't want to end the game on a sour note. So I took on a simple patrol mission. Patrolled four systems. Simple stuff. Ended up getting promoted from Lieutenant 4 to Lieutenant 5. Unfortunately, now it's 3am, I still can't sleep, and my alarm's going off in 3 hours so I can be awake by 8, out the door by 8:30, and in class by 9...
Star Trek Online: Head Start Launch
Open Beta is over, and now Star Trek Online is in "Head Start" for all of us who pre-ordered the game, giving us the opportunity to get a head start before the game officially launches on Tuesday.
In the Open Beta, I planted my tongue firmly in cheek and named my character Captain Dunsel, a tip of the hat to the classic Star Trek episode "The Ultimate Computer." This time, however, I was somewhat more serious. As in the Open Beta, I named my ship the U.S.S. John Rodgers, after my ancestor and the U.S. Navy vessels likewise named in his honor, but my character was decidedly different. Now that the game is launching, several new options are available, and more will be available on Tuesday; I used the option to make my character a liberated Borg drone named Thirteen of Forty-Seven. Okay, so there's still a bit of in-joke in the name, but it's not as readily apparent. At least I didn't name him Forty-Two of Forty-Seven; that would've just been excessive.
Joined the Star Trek Online Open Beta
Today, I installed and began playing Star Trek Online, which is in Open Beta until the end of the month. I'm very impressed; Cryptic has done an outstanding job translating the world of Star Trek into game form. After only a few hours playing the game, I'm already willing to shell out the cash for a Lifetime Subscription when it goes live in a couple weeks. It's really that good.
Because it's Open Beta, our settings won't be retained when it switches over, leaving us to be somewhat whimsical with our name choices if we desire. One of my friends, Winston, decided to use the opportunity to name his ship the USS Lollypop (It's a good ship, he insists). I decided to give a nod to the Original Series by naming my character Captain Dunsel. TOS fans will get the joke immediately. I was somewhat more serious with my ship name, the USS John Rodgers; there have been two US Navy ships with that name, in honor of one of my ancestors. I may reuse it when STO goes live; I haven't decided yet.
Anyone who's also playing in the Open Beta, I invite you to send me a friend request. My username is @jharlan1977.
Qa'pla!
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-07-25
- Spent 5 hours working on an English paper with my group, but it's done now. #
- Marvel Movie Marathon: watching Marvel Comics movies in chrono order. Blade & X-Men down; watching Blade II. Spider-Man & Daredevil up next #
- @gadgetdoll Having some trouble? #
- OK, we've got Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern... My vote goes for Willem Defoe as Sinestro! #
- Watched the first 5 movies in my Marvel Marathon, spanning 1998-2002; after midnight, calling it a night. Probably watch some more tomorrow #
- Figures. The college dropped phone registration this year, going web-only... and the server crashed from everyone trying to register at once #
- Need to head to school soon... supposed to have an in-class essay today or tomorrow, & a final on Thursday. Speech class ends next week. #
- @BrentSpiner I'd verify my account if it gave me the option. I'm the Harlander... There Can Be Only ONE! #
- @BrentSpiner how can you be sure Harlander isn't my real name? #
- Four more days of English class... starting in 30 minutes. #
- Talked to VA rep on campus; got hold put on my acct so I don't get dropped from fall classes before new GI Bill takes effect. W00t! #
- @wilw Hopefully that's an indication of how small a percentage of hoax believers are in the population at large... #
- Had a very strange dream. In it, I was reading a book. It wasn't even a very good one. #
- @COEDMagazine Never understood how one can "discover" place w/ pop in millions. It's like putting a flag in my yard & claiming it for Spain in reply to COEDMagazine #
- Finished the 1st of 2 in-class essays. Get it back at 4. It's basically the rough draft for the big essay due tomorrow #
- WTF? DHS thinks a strategy guide for a game about giant monsters is a threat to national security?! http://tinyurl.com/kraybk #
- Got an A on my in-class essay today. Got another on Thursday for the final, plus a persuasive speech for my Speech final next week... #
- WTF? Hit with overdraft fees on an acct that wasn't, which caused it to become so, thus more fees... $175 in fees, my balance is now -$150 #
- Used coupon for $1 lunch at kfc. Can hear girl getting job interview. BS detector going off scale #
- English final today. Final essay finished, ready to turn in. Need to pick up a blue book before class though. #
- @BrentSpiner One more reason I should be like Brent. He's got so many assistants. Guten Morgen, Ernst. #
- Finished my English final. Gonna get some lunch and prepare for speech class in 3 hours... That one doesn't end until Wednesday. #
- Think I did well on English final but bombed my speech. I can do some extra credit but my grade's still going to suffer #
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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-07-18
- Finally watched the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still. WTF? Klaatu as interstellar Greenpeace?! #
- @dannymcguffin You do realize that they make screens for your windows to keep the bugs OUT, right? in reply to dannymcguffin #
- Sitting at Starbucks, paying $8 for Internet & waiting for my group to get here so we can get ourselves ready for the midterm tomorrow #
- Today, amazingly, was fairly productive. Did some gaming, studied for the midterm, did laundry, even got my pirate on and watched Trek XI #
- Midterm debate for English 103 went OK. Speech class in 30 minutes, w/ midterm on Wed; my speech is on zombies in pop culture! #
- @BadAstronomer Let's just ignore the half-dozen instances during TNG when Troi tells Riker she never kissed him with a beard before. in reply to BadAstronomer #
- Bleh. Not feeling up for class this morning. Overslept, running late. #
- Rather surprised that I got an A on my last English paper (the one I turned in late). I didn't put as much into it as I should have. #
- Off to school again in about 15-20 minutes. Midterm for Speech class today. "Zombies in pop culture." Hope I do it justice. #
- Accidentally deleted midterm for Speech 10mins before class while trying to print... Tried undelete but no luck. Prof gave me an extra day. #
- Reading: Glitch hits Visa users with more than $23 quadrillion charge - http://bit.ly/2i4BF #cnn #
- Got an A on my speech! #
- Figures. Get an A on the midterm, and find a dead battery in my truck. Waiting for a jump start #
- Battery was fine. The starter on the other hand... Push started the truck to get home but need to get it fixed asap #
- Dammit. Replaced the solenoid relay and it STILL won't start, even though everything seems to indicate that's the problem. #
- Can't wait til it hits its optimum orbit. (via @BadAstronomer) Apollo landing sites imaged by LRO! Incredible images! http://tr.im/sOCn #
- Went to a baseball game with Darren & Chris; minor league team, the OC Flyers. Had a good time, planning to do it again Wednesday. #
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Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-07-11
- RT @USATODAY Lawyer: Roger Clemens didn't test positive in 2003 http://tinyurl.com/nq3d6n (Yeah, he tested Not Negative...) #
- Leftover mac&cheese w ground beef FTW. Can't afford gas to visit family, so I'm staying home. Wish my comp would stop overheating & dying #
- Started locking my room 'cause landlord's toddler figured out doorknob. Heard a knock, opened door & she's standing there grinning & waving #
- Helped break the record for the world's largest Zombies!!! game. One guy provided us with enough "remember him?" stories for years to come #
- @tymethief Looks like @BrentSpiner is starting a new Twitter novel LOL #
- Page updated: Games I Play http://jeffreysworld.net/172 #
- Great. The Twitter Friendly Links plugin for WordPress doesn't seem to be working anymore (at least not on my site) #
- OK, Twitter Friendly Links seems to be working just fine for POSTS, but not for PAGES. Weird. #
- Crap. Final draft of my paper is due at 10:30 and it's not finished. It's 3:30 and I need to sleep, though. At least my speech is ready... #
- Didn't get the paper finished. At all. I can turn in one late assignment for full credit in the class, and I guess this one will be it. #
- Pedro's wife is blasting "Funkytown," which is coming in loud and clear through the wall. So much for having some quiet to work on my paper #
- Got an A on my speech. Still nothing on my GI Bill check; rent was due NLT today. Pedro's not happy, but nothing I can do until it arrives. #
- If SciFi Channel wanted to change their name they should've just gone with SFC instead of SyFy, which apparently is Polish slang for an STD #
- Turns out my English class was canceled yesterday anyhow, so it didn't matter that I wasn't there. #
- Watched Warehouse 13 after playing NES games on my Wii. Didn't realize it was 3 hrs long; now it's 1am and I still have homework to do. Ugh. #
- Off to school once more in a few minutes. The cosmetology dept was giving free haircuts yesterday, just when lil broke me needed one. W00t! #
- @Tymethief And now I've got that song from the Electric Company going through my head... ("1 2 3 4 5! 6 7 8 9 10! 11 12!") Gee, thanks. :P in reply to Tymethief #
- @dannymcguffin @Tymethief Personally, I want to see how nuts Germany gets at 11:11:11 on 11/11/11 in reply to dannymcguffin #
- Thank God for the post-9/11 GI Bill RT @LATimes Cal State university system may raise student fees up to 20% more: http://bit.ly/13VmTw #
- Throat's been hurting since last night. Hope it's just allergies. #
- Took a 45 min nap in my truck. Feel slightly more human #
- Speech class in an hour. Finally got today's speech memorized this morning #
- @brentspiner tweeps complaining about what you have to say? That's the best part about following you! #
- Crap. So much for transferring. (via @abc7) Cal State to stop accepting almost all applications for Spring 2010 http://tinyurl.com/lhutq6 #
- OMG! FailWhale! Noooooo!!! #
- GI BIll check finally hit! Paid rent through Aug. Need to get groceries, pay phone bill, reregister truck, pay insurance--crap. broke again #
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Help feed my caffeine addiction
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Random Quote
Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
— , Foundation
- So apparently my school is streaming my graduation this morning at http://t.co/j2bir62y
- So this is happening now http://t.co/B1flb6l4 http://t.co/qHMyUhFU http://t.co/XzmFvrfq
- Done with school. About to see Avengers with a few friends...
- Just turned in my final paper. Tomorrow morning, I graduate. It still doesn't feel real yet.
- 3 classes done: 1 grade posted, 1 known, & waiting on the 3rd. Final paper for 4th class due tomorrow. Graduation in 26 hours... Bring it.