For some reason at times I like to practice self deprivation. Being American, most of the time I enjoy over indulgence to a sickening extent and I don't really feel guilty about that, but I like to try to "go without," as it were.
A few months ago I decided, in a dual attempt to see if my random upset stomach attacks were dietary, I gave up alcohol. It took me 24 years to even get into alcohol, so I wasn't too attached to it.
Though I do love scotch. mmmmmmm
So a few weeks of that, there was no real progress either in depriving myself or with the stomach. So I stared down the big bear. The one thing I have ever been addicted to; caffeine.
That's a tough one to give up, my dad drinks more Mountain Dew in a day than the whole of the Mid Michigan area and on certain days I have put quite a few down myself.
It's ingrained in Evon DNA, I'm sure, to imbibe carbonated, caffeinated liquid goodness until there is nothing left at the bottom of that green bottle and then look longingly into said bottle like it just shot your puppy.
"How could you do it Dew? We had such a good time together and now you are gone! Oh, here's another bottle. I love you, Dew."
I wasn't a take-anything-I-could-get, sell-myself-on-the-street kind of addict. I was more of a cocaine connoisseur who only takes blow made from the best coca the Upper Huallaga Valley in Peru has to offer. (HonestyCheck: I Wiki'd that. I don't know jack crap about real drugs, now back to my fun)
I only dabbled in the off brands in my youth, when cares were free and money was scarce; Kick, Faygo's Moon Mist and Mountain Lightning were cheaper choices than the almighty Dew.
In my teens however my taste buds matured and grew to quite large size and couldn't even drink Dew that was a few days over it's expiration or had been shaken too much. (Which has also hindered me in my scotch enjoyment. Blended scotch? What is this, the Great Depression?)
Single malt is Dew. Blended scotch is Coke's random attempts to copy Dew. Mellow Yellow had not only a unappealing name, but tasted like a Dew left open in the basement for 12 years. Surge...terrible. Vault, meh. Entertaining commercials don't a good product make.
But now I have stopped. I had a Dew yesterday, actually, and it was quite the sad addict moment. In the office, things were stressed and I needed one. I could just feel it in my bones that everything would be better if I could have one; I just gotta get my fix and none of this will matter.
So about once a week now, I'll have something with caffeine, more often some carbonated, decaf trickery to fool myself. Squirt, Root beer, Sprit. Decaf Coke. I saw a 12 pack of Caffeine free Mountain Dew, once. That was several years ago. It did taste different, doesn't seem like it should; Coke does but only a tiny bit.
But I'm recovering. Don't know if it was the caffeine or just all the sugar, but I feel...lighter, in mind and body. Minus the crippling head aches the first couple days, it has gone smoothly.
How long I keep clean, we'll see. One day at a time.
About Evon
- Ryan Evon
- I am a photographer, a sometimes writer, a gamer, a driver and more. I graduated from Central Michigan University with a double major in Journalism(Photo) and English(Creative Writing). Any Photos are copyright Ryan Evon, The Facts or the Morning Sun 2010/2011/2012. All words by, representing and claimed by Ryan Evon & only him, unless in quotation marks & specified otherwise.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
That's a moron in your mirror
Yesterday on my way home I saw something that I have seen before, but every time I do I feel like it is the first time. It is something so stupid that my brain puts on a coat on and leaves for a week.
A woman driving in front of me had her rear view mirror turned so she could look at herself. Plus she was on her damn phone!
That's unsafe and stupid as hell. That mirror is there so you can see other motorists or a crazed axe murderer in your backseat, NOT YOURSELF!
If you are doing your makeup that is worse. It's one thing if you are a vain harpy and can't stand not seeing yourself every five minutes, but looking in the mirror long enough to do your makeup is completely careless.
If I were the king of the world people like that would have their license taken away and likely be sterilized. That way their overwhelming stupidity could never spread.
A woman driving in front of me had her rear view mirror turned so she could look at herself. Plus she was on her damn phone!
That's unsafe and stupid as hell. That mirror is there so you can see other motorists or a crazed axe murderer in your backseat, NOT YOURSELF!
If you are doing your makeup that is worse. It's one thing if you are a vain harpy and can't stand not seeing yourself every five minutes, but looking in the mirror long enough to do your makeup is completely careless.
If I were the king of the world people like that would have their license taken away and likely be sterilized. That way their overwhelming stupidity could never spread.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
GAMES: Viva Revolucion, or the Asian equivalent - JUST CAUSE 2 for XBox360
The original Just Cause is one of my favorite open world games. The sheer fun of the game cannot be explained by the simple words of man, but I'll give it a shot.
Excitaxplosion parasailgrappletastic.
Had to make that crap up. I rented it when it came out and played it for several skipped classes and wasted homework hours. Now, I'm an adult and I can play video games whenever I want! Except I have dishes to do, a load in the dryer and bills to pay. But video games are fun and I like fun more than real life. HA! Take that stupid responsibilities!
The problem is that Just Cause 2 doesn't demand my attention as much as the first one. It is essentially the same game. Yes it is newer, has better graphics, new features and a beautiful large map. The key difference is the Chaos factor. In order to progress through the main story line you have to blow stuff up!
But JC2, the game...not Jesus Jr., is like Just Cause's little brother, yeah it's newer and can do some different stuff, but it's just not as cool. Sure it has a varsity jacket and a red mustang, but they are hand-me-downs.
In fact, there are some uncool parts. Taking over towns is a bit harder now, you have to blow up all the little pieces of government equipment. Some times that is kind of tough, flying over a facility in a helicopter cursing the pixels of the world below because you are 15% away from clearing the town.
The first game had compounds to storm and bosses to take out. Not the most story oriented, but simple fun.
The strongholds now are towns or military and everyone you must escort a team of dudes so one can hack some terminal. After the fifth time it gets a little old.
The voice acting is god awful. "I'm Bolo Santosi and I'm the leader of the some southeast Asian gang but I sound Jamacian. Mista."
It does something new with the grapple, being able to hook two things together. When you have the chance there is nothing like hooking one end to an enemy and the other to a propane tank that rockets into the sky. Good fun.
I want to like JC2 and I'm trying, but for some reason it doesn't have the drawing power the first one. Maybe I've evolved. But that is unlikely, I don't have much room for growth and most of it is currently taken by giving up caffeine.
Still, it's fun. Definitely worth a rent.
Just Cause 2
Returned after 1 rent, possibly re-rent later.
3 out of 5 as a sequel
4 out of 5 if you haven't played the original
Excitaxplosion parasailgrappletastic.
Had to make that crap up. I rented it when it came out and played it for several skipped classes and wasted homework hours. Now, I'm an adult and I can play video games whenever I want! Except I have dishes to do, a load in the dryer and bills to pay. But video games are fun and I like fun more than real life. HA! Take that stupid responsibilities!
The problem is that Just Cause 2 doesn't demand my attention as much as the first one. It is essentially the same game. Yes it is newer, has better graphics, new features and a beautiful large map. The key difference is the Chaos factor. In order to progress through the main story line you have to blow stuff up!
But JC2, the game...not Jesus Jr., is like Just Cause's little brother, yeah it's newer and can do some different stuff, but it's just not as cool. Sure it has a varsity jacket and a red mustang, but they are hand-me-downs.
In fact, there are some uncool parts. Taking over towns is a bit harder now, you have to blow up all the little pieces of government equipment. Some times that is kind of tough, flying over a facility in a helicopter cursing the pixels of the world below because you are 15% away from clearing the town.
The first game had compounds to storm and bosses to take out. Not the most story oriented, but simple fun.
The strongholds now are towns or military and everyone you must escort a team of dudes so one can hack some terminal. After the fifth time it gets a little old.
The voice acting is god awful. "I'm Bolo Santosi and I'm the leader of the some southeast Asian gang but I sound Jamacian. Mista."
It does something new with the grapple, being able to hook two things together. When you have the chance there is nothing like hooking one end to an enemy and the other to a propane tank that rockets into the sky. Good fun.
I want to like JC2 and I'm trying, but for some reason it doesn't have the drawing power the first one. Maybe I've evolved. But that is unlikely, I don't have much room for growth and most of it is currently taken by giving up caffeine.
Still, it's fun. Definitely worth a rent.
Just Cause 2
Returned after 1 rent, possibly re-rent later.
3 out of 5 as a sequel
4 out of 5 if you haven't played the original
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Old > Young: addendum
I was considering posting a dissenting opinion to my own post with the point that old people are bad drivers. Indeed some of them are, BUT so are young people.
There are some bad and some good in both groups.
So it's a draw.
There are some bad and some good in both groups.
So it's a draw.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Old People > Young People
Disclaimer: I'm not going to say "elderly" or "progressively aged" or "age enhanced." I'm going to say old people. Hope it doesn't bother you, if it does...it shouldn't.
On a whole, I like old people much more than people my age.
There are many reasons for this, some of them are random and confusing to people that don't master a brain quite as unique as mine. Other reasons are easy to understand.
An easy reason that some might not think about, especially young jerks, is respect.
"Respect your elders" is an ideal I do not believe. I don't respect someone because they have been alive longer than I have. That doesn't warrant respect. What does is the strength and character that most young people don't have, and I'd bet my money they'll never have. But if you went back 30 to 50 years good old people now would be good young people then.
An odd reason I like old people are their words. I hope when I get old I say "warsh" instead of "wash" and "progrum" instead of "program." Why? Well, the weird brain probably, but still...can't wait.
Old people have character, Bill Burden has been alive for over 101 years, so it is obvious the man has stories.
He sure does, but he also has character. Talk to him, or anyone else with true character, for more than a few minutes and it can't help but radiate from their skin like the warm light of a candle.
Old men have strong handshakes, if they don't now I'd bet they damn sure did when they were young. So many young people give you their hand and it goes limp like a dead fish. It's disturbing. Sack up, you nancies!
Toughness was apparently given out by the barrel full in previous generations.
My grandma is a tough lady, but I'm not calling her old, because she could probably kick my butt.
I think my generation and the generation before shared one barrel, because most whine and complain about everything with no gumption to get the job done. Gumption, that's an old people word and I love it. Even if you don't like what you are doing you get it done and you do it well.
There are more reasons but the point is old people > young people.
On a whole, I like old people much more than people my age.
There are many reasons for this, some of them are random and confusing to people that don't master a brain quite as unique as mine. Other reasons are easy to understand.
An easy reason that some might not think about, especially young jerks, is respect.
"Respect your elders" is an ideal I do not believe. I don't respect someone because they have been alive longer than I have. That doesn't warrant respect. What does is the strength and character that most young people don't have, and I'd bet my money they'll never have. But if you went back 30 to 50 years good old people now would be good young people then.
An odd reason I like old people are their words. I hope when I get old I say "warsh" instead of "wash" and "progrum" instead of "program." Why? Well, the weird brain probably, but still...can't wait.
Old people have character, Bill Burden has been alive for over 101 years, so it is obvious the man has stories.
He sure does, but he also has character. Talk to him, or anyone else with true character, for more than a few minutes and it can't help but radiate from their skin like the warm light of a candle.
Old men have strong handshakes, if they don't now I'd bet they damn sure did when they were young. So many young people give you their hand and it goes limp like a dead fish. It's disturbing. Sack up, you nancies!
Toughness was apparently given out by the barrel full in previous generations.
My grandma is a tough lady, but I'm not calling her old, because she could probably kick my butt.
I think my generation and the generation before shared one barrel, because most whine and complain about everything with no gumption to get the job done. Gumption, that's an old people word and I love it. Even if you don't like what you are doing you get it done and you do it well.
There are more reasons but the point is old people > young people.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
"Heavy Rain" will soak you to the core
Heavy Rain has been described among posts on the wide webs of inter-networked computation machines as one of the most story oriented video games to date. “Interactive movie” was one phrase tossed around a few times. So I tried to avoid exposure to spoiler monkeys, as I do in regard to movies… and jungles.
If you haven’t played it yet then stop reading now and go play, I’ll wait for you.
If you are uninterested in video games or wouldn’t be able to understand how a game could invoke real emotion then leave, I won’t wait for you.
I am not going to give away the ending but I will discuss points of the story that are best played as surprises.
The story line in Heavy Rain is a four playable character revolution around the hunt for the Origami Killer, a serial killer who kidnaps young boys and then drowns them after a few days.
Penny Arcade’s Tycho posted that the game experience is heightened if you are actually a father. I borrowed a PS3 to play the game and should have tried to borrow a child, I suppose, but if I were going to do that I would have liked to just get them both from the same guy; unfortunately his wife isn’t done making their first child yet, so I had to go without.
Luckily I have a niece and nephew, each easily transposed in the chambers of my heart as my own child.
Ethan Mars, the tormented father character, lost one son at the beginning of the game and has his remaining son kidnapped by the previously mentioned killer. Unknown to others in the game Mars is given tests to discover the location of his son, who is trapped in a cage filling with rain water.
In one quite sadistic test Mars is told to cut off one of his fingers at the first knuckle in front of a web cam to get his next clue.
At this point I was deep in what I will call “game drunk.” It had my complete attention and I shuddered at the thought of losing part of my pinkie. But for real life nephew or niece I’d chop away, so off it went.
Through use of date and time, inches of rainfall, music and heartbeat vibration in the controller the game has a sense of urgency. This is especially true in heightened situations like fights or escaping from danger where precise button combos mean succeeding or failing.
This is where Heavy Rain stands alone with one of the best features of the game. “Old” games, ones released before and after Heavy Rain, no matter how open had a linear story line. Complete A to get to B, if not try A over and over and over.
Heavy Rain works more like life; try A if you can’t get it then you’ll have to find a different way to B. The story adapts to your screw ups, even when you die. The game will continue if one of the four characters falls into an industrial chipper.
It took me a little while to get used to the idea that failing didn’t mean Game Over.
The controls can be a little like wrestling a bear sometimes, even when just trying to walk in a house, and I had issues with audio glitches holding up game play, but those two things aside Heavy Rain is the new gold standard for story oriented games.
Yes, the graphics are amazing, the interface is very unique and the presentation is done well. But the story is gripping and intense. That even feels like an understatement, glue is gripping, this story has claws that will dig into your face and hold on until you finish.
Sure, it’s just a game, but it is just like a good movie or book, you are immersed. Heavy Rain might not be a long swim, but the water is deep and after you get out you feel soaked and cold for sometime.
If you haven’t played it yet then stop reading now and go play, I’ll wait for you.
If you are uninterested in video games or wouldn’t be able to understand how a game could invoke real emotion then leave, I won’t wait for you.
I am not going to give away the ending but I will discuss points of the story that are best played as surprises.
The story line in Heavy Rain is a four playable character revolution around the hunt for the Origami Killer, a serial killer who kidnaps young boys and then drowns them after a few days.
Penny Arcade’s Tycho posted that the game experience is heightened if you are actually a father. I borrowed a PS3 to play the game and should have tried to borrow a child, I suppose, but if I were going to do that I would have liked to just get them both from the same guy; unfortunately his wife isn’t done making their first child yet, so I had to go without.
Luckily I have a niece and nephew, each easily transposed in the chambers of my heart as my own child.
Ethan Mars, the tormented father character, lost one son at the beginning of the game and has his remaining son kidnapped by the previously mentioned killer. Unknown to others in the game Mars is given tests to discover the location of his son, who is trapped in a cage filling with rain water.
In one quite sadistic test Mars is told to cut off one of his fingers at the first knuckle in front of a web cam to get his next clue.
At this point I was deep in what I will call “game drunk.” It had my complete attention and I shuddered at the thought of losing part of my pinkie. But for real life nephew or niece I’d chop away, so off it went.
Through use of date and time, inches of rainfall, music and heartbeat vibration in the controller the game has a sense of urgency. This is especially true in heightened situations like fights or escaping from danger where precise button combos mean succeeding or failing.
This is where Heavy Rain stands alone with one of the best features of the game. “Old” games, ones released before and after Heavy Rain, no matter how open had a linear story line. Complete A to get to B, if not try A over and over and over.
Heavy Rain works more like life; try A if you can’t get it then you’ll have to find a different way to B. The story adapts to your screw ups, even when you die. The game will continue if one of the four characters falls into an industrial chipper.
It took me a little while to get used to the idea that failing didn’t mean Game Over.
The controls can be a little like wrestling a bear sometimes, even when just trying to walk in a house, and I had issues with audio glitches holding up game play, but those two things aside Heavy Rain is the new gold standard for story oriented games.
Yes, the graphics are amazing, the interface is very unique and the presentation is done well. But the story is gripping and intense. That even feels like an understatement, glue is gripping, this story has claws that will dig into your face and hold on until you finish.
Sure, it’s just a game, but it is just like a good movie or book, you are immersed. Heavy Rain might not be a long swim, but the water is deep and after you get out you feel soaked and cold for sometime.
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