New Retrogasmic column up at Secure Immaturity. This one’s on Dragon’s Lair and games with quick time events.
For Just a Moment
I walked outside, carrying my laundry basket and it hit me. The wind was blowing and a cat romped in the vibrant green grass and it astonished me. For just a moment I had it. I knew that being alive was enough and the simplicity of existence was something I had unlearned. Every other meaning, every desperate grasp at what I thought was important, was something I had grafted on to life. I felt a heart inside the thing I called my heart. A secret heart that could barely take in the fact that trees exist.
And then it was gone and I had to do my laundry.
Retrogasmic 1.4 – You Have the Power of Ameritrash
Visit the Secure Immaturity site to read my latest article on early Ameritrash board games and the geek who loved them.
As usual, please comment at the Secure Immaturity site.
Important Pronouncement!
I am at peace with being single. No, really. It’s cool. I am appreciating all of the extra time I have to focus on my creative pursuits/drinking.
This announcement should not be construed as a cheap attempt to use reverse psychology on the Universe. The Universe is far too clever and would instantly pierce through such a flimsy façade. The Universe is also looking mighty fine in that dress tonight. You been working out?
Ahem.
Being single is awesome.
That is all.
So Dry
I haven’t had any nightmares that I remembered for quite some time. In last night’s dream, my ex-wife had decided to return and move in with me. It was nice to see her, but I had moved on in my life and I was trying to think of a way to break the news to her that I didn’t want to be with her. I discussed this with my friends who were saddened by my decision, but also understanding.
I went to the bathroom to take a shower. While looking at myself in the mirror, I noticed that my skin was extremely dry. Marbled veins of dryness covered my body liked cracked earth during a drought. I frantically slathered moisturizing lotion all over me, spreading it on so thick it looked like I had crawled out from a vat of pancake batter. The pressure of this rubbing caused my skin to burst in places, sending heavy streams of blood down my face.
This was too much to handle so I called for my mother, who happened to be at my house at the time. She came into the bathroom and promptly slipped on the floor, falling, hitting her head on the edge of toilet. I carefully turned her around and propped her up. Her eyes were milky and opaque. She was blind.
Then I had some other dream, but this one stuck with me.
2008 Movie Wrap-up
I don’t expect to see anything else this year to break into the top ten, so that leaves us with:
1. The Fountain
2. Brothers Bloom
3. Blade Runner
4. The Dark Knight
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
6. There Will Be Blood
7. Batman Begins
8. Justice League: New Frontier
9. Moulin Rouge!
10. Ghostbusters
And for the movies that were released in 2008, there’s a list for that as well:
1. Brothers Bloom
2. The Dark Knight
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Justice League: New Frontier
5. Slumdog Millionaire
6. JCVD
7. Zack & Miri Make a Porno
8. Wanted
9. Hancock
10. WALL-E
Retrogasmic 1.3 – My Primitive Ancestry
My latest article is up at Secure Immaturity. It is on early, pre-graphic games and their modern descendants.
I’ve closed comments here to encourage responses at the Secure Immaturity site.
Earworms
We all get songs stuck in our head. Here’s my mental soundtrack of tunes that got stuck into heavy rotation this year.
So to Speak – DJ? Acucrack
Falling Slowly – Glen Hansard
Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well – Mike Doughty
Tender – Blur
Lollipop – Mika
Going On – Gnarls Barkley
Chase the Morning – Sarah Brightman
That’s Not My Name – The Ting Tings
Quirkyalone
Sometimes I wish I could just date. Sometimes I wish I could just be the person she needed, whoever “she” happened to be at the time. Sometimes I want to ignore the extra layer of information I see superimposed over the world, my soul’s HUD for navigating waking life. But the pull of that silver path is too strong. And I want to follow it, even if it leads to my nemesis. No one wants to face rejection because of an aetheric arrow. No one wants to hear about time out of phase. My criteria is beyond unreasonable and I find this offends those who hear it. Simply put: She lights up. And I … ignite.
So this is an apology to all of the wonderful women who just seem so right, who just make so much sense. I’m sorry. Just think of me as a visitor to your planet, bound by alien directives and customs. It will be easier to explain my behavior that way. I’m sorry. You did not stand a chance against the avatar, the one I am moving toward as the sun moves toward the sea. I don’t want you to save me.