I take everything back. Substituting sucks.

@ W3Rk

So im at the high school right now subbing for a spanish high school class. All i do it folow the lasson plan, so its pretty easy. I met one douchebag of a bastard but since it was less paperwork to send him to the office and the was only being a retard to me when i talked to him, I chose to leave him alone. Other than that, everyone seems nice and understanding that its my first day. I've been talked to by a few teachers to stop letting kids call me by "Henry". I look like a rebel by letting them apparently. What a fucking badass I am.

In my free time I've been fleshing out the mythical part behind vggdrasii's universe. It's not too in depth and will be revealed throughout the story. I read Mark's comments, and dont worry, almost all of it was explained beforehand when i was taking an independent study with Jonathan, and theres only one part that seems as if its going to take place in the afterlife. I love you so much Mark.

Photography!

Went out and took some picture at dawn this morning. A heavy fog rolled over the marsh and i got a few keepers.

The Demon

“The stories are true. The Black Demon from the South dives into our ranks and emerges unscathed. From my gate I could see him cutting our men down, as many as five in one blow. It was at this moment that I realized we have overstepped the boundaries of humanity. At this moment, that I knew our city of rock was to be relinquished to the Velic people... When I stood imprisoned before him and his ‘Vggdrandi,’ I looked up to the Demon, and there was nothing. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was a bright blue, and there was nothing but a maddening void of blackness within his helmet. Of this I am sure. Of this, I am cursed to dream for the remainder of my days and beyond.”
-Jameson Gatemar
Tepotian Gatekeeper

Tepotia Vs. Velatia Vs. Reality

So I haven't updated my blog in a while. Things haven't really been crazy, i've just been lazy. Sort of.

I've applied to about five different places for work, and have been utterly unsuccessful. Its been quite depressing and boring. THe depressing side of it sucks, but the boring side was exactly what i needed to motivate myself to start creating things. I've got two projects going on right now. One is small, one is big.

The small project is a rock garden. I'm going to build it right behind a creek that runs though my backyard. There's a large open space that would look beautiful with a raked pebble garden. THe first step is clearing out the brush and vines and basically clearing a path that would lead to the garden. That's what I'm still doing. Weedwacking, weeding, and wheelbarrowing undesirable plants. After a few days of work, I'm about a 4th of the way there, but if everything comes together, it will be georgeous.

The bigger project is a book. I want to write a book about Velatia and Tepo and everything stuck inbetween. When I'm bored, my best work comes out, and by that logic, I will be the fucking lovechild of Vonnegut and PIcasso by the end of the week. I've been wanting to do this for a while now, and I'm beginning to feels its finally time to buckle down and make this thing happen. It will take a long time, but honestly, it's not like I'm doing anything else. I'll be posting excerpts from the history thats already written about Velatia, and once in a while i'll post excerpts form the actual book itself (like last week).

MUch of it will be unedited, and simply a way for me to post specific parts of the story that i am focusing on at that period of time. Kind of like this post! Here i go.

Vggdrassii's means to an end.

A crooked man stood there. Sticks and scribbles. His movement was ancient and slow. His head swayed unnaturally as he looked at the demon. Not unlike the white stones the demon was searching for, his teeth were small and beady, tinted yellow. His eyes seemed to refuse to look in the same direction. As the boy moved closer, one eye focused on his bow the other into space. The old man turned and fished four cards form his pocket. This was the dealer.

“Why have you come here, Heathen?” His appearance betrayed his thunderous voice. It was not as direct and impressive as the Demon’s, but its element of surprise took the beast aback. The decrepit thing seemed to put forth a mighty effort into keeping one eye focused on the sword, as if expecting the blade to thrust forth an answer.

“I am no heathen. I bear no ill will towards you, dealer.” The Demon straightened his back. “I come with an offer, more accurately a wager.”

“A wager? Ha!” There is nothing that you people have that I could ever find worth in.”

“This is a wager that even a miscreant such as yourself cannot forgo.” The dealer hobbled over to The Demon, and looked into his eyes. He was not lying. But the dealer couldn’t think of anything that he needed or wanted.

“Humph. What would you have that I would want? I have no material possessions, and I desire nothing from your cities. Therefore, it cannot be wealth. I have loved over one thousand maidens in my lifetime. Therefore, it cannot be love. I have the power to control and influence the fate of most mortal men. Therefore, it cannot be power.”

The dealer looked up at the demon’s face, and knew. “Such gall you have, Demon of the South. Only the most wicked and damned creatures have offered such a prize to me and all have failed to produce. I must ask, what shall you request if perchance you win?”

“A means to defend my people, unparalled prowess in combat, and a boy from the ranks of the enemy."

The old man cackled sickly. “A boy you say? Do your people know of your flavor and desire? They would neve-“

“You know of whom I speak, wretch!” The monster stepped towards the dealer. “If it is jest and chuckles you wish to engage in, I will find another means. I will revoke.”

Again, the dealer sensed no deception. “Let us begin, demon.”

COD 4 Beta

THe other game that took over, moreso than bioshock even because I'm afraid to play Bioshock at night because its so fucking creepy, is Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. I had been following the game for a long time, and lucked out to get in the first wave of entrants in the beta.

It's a very solid shooter. Thats all I can really say about it. When i say solid I mean SOLID. Not liquid, SOLID. Not gaseous like Jupiter, SOLID like an igneous rock.

Its a really fast paced game too, but there is a lack of variety in the gametypes. Team deathmatch can only hold me for so long. THat said, its REALLY fun and very addicting. If you are going to rent it, you might as well buy it, because you're probably not going to want to bring it back if you like console shooters.

I've been cruising forums here and there and everyone who likes the game says it is going to be the "official" Halo Killer. This probably Isn't true. I've been following both games closely and, other than perks, COD4 doesn't bring anything new to the FPS genre. Its like COD2 with perks and modern weapons (which is sweet). Its a great game, but I'd put Bioshock over it for GOTY.

The perks are cool and they do have a heavy impact on the individual's gameplay. It would have been cool if there were team perk bonuses like if everyone picked sonic boom (better explosives) they would start out with more grenades or something like that.

It's a great game that's a SLIGHTLY overhyped. For me, it might have been better than Halo3 if it wasn't for Bungie's new map editing tool, Forge. Which basically is the same thing as Myth II's Loathing.

Sorry for the comparison to Halo3, but I've been seeing it everywhere, and the freakin' game Isn't even out yet.