tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72972077562833075372024-02-18T22:21:13.099-07:00Sporadic Zen“Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is ajar” - Waldo ButtersSmurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-64935175889602325642020-04-12T14:26:00.001-06:002020-04-12T14:26:42.089-06:00"All men whilst they are awake are in one common world: but each of them, when he is asleep, is in a world of his own." - PlutarchDreaming is a dream of mine (pun intended). I am one of those people that it doesn't happen often too. I might have one three or four times a year, if that. I know that there are ways that you can program yourself to have more, and if you really want to, control what happens in them. But I haven't been bothered enough to look into at all in any detail. I'm certainly in the camp of it'd be nice to dream more, but the desire to make it happen isn't quite there yet.<br /><br />The end of last year, fate would have it that I had two nights in a row were I dreamed. To me, at the time, it was really, really weird. It was like I didn't know my brain anymore. I don't know what the mitigating circumstances where that lined up for it to happen.<br />
<br />
Both weren't that long, but each seemed impactful, and have stayed with me since. Because heaven knows that been plenty of the few I have had over the years have dispersed within short time of waking up. Which kind of seems like a waste, because I want to remember!<br /><br />Of the first, I was with a few friends with a few other people around, and this person I didn't know very well comes up to me and hands me a book. Look one of those big, fat tomes you see at libraries, churches and in private collections. My soggy bowl of thinking matter impressed on me that this book was the complete history of said person, and it gave me such a insight of them, I now had the deepest connection I ever known with said person. And that was just upon receiving the book, not having to read it. I remembered being really flattered that they would give such a thing to me. I don't know why they did, but there it is. Upon waking for the day, it had put me in a decently good mood for the rest of the day.<br /><br />Now for the second. And wow. This one kicked me in the mental pants. Again, I was surrounded by a group of friends, and one approached me to say that an extremely close friend of mine just died. This was such an emotional blow to my sleeping brain, that it physically woke me up crying. It probably took me close to twenty minutes to calm back down enough to try sleeping again. Even going through the next day, just thinking back on it, it would make me become verklempt for a bit. <br /><br />
Now, it didnt feel like those two dreams were connected. But who knows. Theres been enough time thats passed, that I can look back on it and talk about it. But, for awhile there, I was really tight lipped about the subject. It amuses me to think of what Freud would to say all about those two nights. But knowing him and my brain, theyre both kind of dicks.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-22820673417062838032013-08-08T16:49:00.001-06:002013-08-08T16:51:20.433-06:00“Perhaps it's impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you
pretend to be.” ― Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game<p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Since the live action movie of the popular book, "Enders Game", is hitting the theaters this summer, I decided to reread the book. Mainly to give myself a refresher before I go see the movie, so I can yell at the screen how inaccurate it is, and since it was one of my favorite books growing up. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also, I never read the 4 books following Enders Game, which I always kind of wanted to, but never got around to it. The most prelevant reason being that I kept hearing that it got weird, and promptly followed by it wasn't written as well. I always thought that these where good reasons to stay away from them. But lately I've been trying to take my reading habits and try to branch out a little so I'm not just retreading the same books all the time. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I should've listened to everyone. The series is exactly what the plethora of people I know said they where. I think the main problem with them is that Card tries to wax philosophical way to much. To the point where the story becomes very monotonous. It really ruins the pacing for me. I'm not trying to say what he's trying to get across is wrong, Card just does it in away that I find really boring. If he would brake it up with some action, or really anything for that matter, I think my interest would be more engaged. But the series so far has felt more like a chore to read then anything else. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; "><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Plus, I feel no real connection to any of the characters. They come across a little bland and boring. But since I hate not finishing a series more than it being badly written, I'm resolved to finish "Children of the Mind", the last book in the series. The older I get, the more I think Enders Game is getting "meh" on me. It's not horrible, but the last read through of it, it's gotten a lot more average then I remember. It's hard for me to think of it as the great and wonderful piece of literature that I once did. But that shouldn't stop you fromocing it all the more. </span></p>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0Americas (null)41.918645 -111.386228tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-80140252791126928082013-07-03T13:57:00.002-06:002013-07-04T02:39:13.170-06:00"It's never as bad as it seems. You're much stronger than you think you are. Trust me." - from All-Star SupermanIf you haven't seen the recent "Man of Steel" movie, the following<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>***</b><u><b>Contains Spoilers</b></u><b>***</b></span>. You've been warned.<br />
<br />
<br />
I've never been a big Superman fan. The older movies aren't really that great (yeah, I said it), and the character always seemed to be to perfect and "goody two shoes". I like my superheroes flawed and prone to making mistakes. That's why I found the newest Superman movie, "Man of Steel" to be a pleasant surprise. Its not a perfect movie by any means, by I went back and watched it a second time, and wouldn't mind owning it when it comes out on DVD.<br />
<br />
The movie isn't going to win any awards. But it did some things pretty dang good. Like how they characterized Clark during the movie. I enjoyed how they used flashbacks opf him growing up so we didn't have to spend to much time on a young Clark Kent (plus I've never been a fan of child actors, because they usually suck). Also, Michael Shannon did a hell of a job bring General Zod to life. It was one of the best portrayals of a comic book villain I've ever seen. Because of all this, I thought the end of the movie was fan-freaking-tastic.<br />
<br />
But I think Im in the minority in this. I know of a few friends that didnt like it. And it seems some people on the internet are in some sort of nerd rage over it. Because no one thinks that Superman snapping Zods neck at the end of the movie is, well, very "Superman" like. But let me try and explain why its important.<br />
<br />
The Superman we get in this movie isn't your Boyscout, a standup citizen of America. Someone that doesnt kill. Instead of the confident, in front of the camera do gooder that everyone is use to, we now have an awkward, shy and somewhat of a loner Supes. And he doesnt know his place in the world quit yet. But that comes to a resolution by the end of the movie. In killing Zod, Clark firmly casts himself into the corner of the Humans. I think in that act he finds his place here in Earth. But since he did have to kill Zod, I think you'll be seeing more in the other movies (if they DO more) that he wont be killing anyone. Because Zods death is still going to be weighing on him, and he'll turn from any such acts in the future. <br />
<br />
For future movies, I'd like to see the following. Sadly, we're not going to have a Superman Trilogy without having Lex Luthor in at least one of the movies. I think they can do the character right if they step away from the damn "wringing hands and a evil maniacal laughter" type of villain they generally type cast Luthor with. They need to portray him as the super intelligent, arrogant egotist that he is. Since he has a harder time standing up physically to Superman, it would be very easy to bring Luthors power armor into the picture. He could've got his hands on the armor that Zod drops when he starts to fly, and Bam! Basis for Luthors power armor.<br />
<br />
And for a third movie, Id like to see them bring in Doomsday. Since he was genetically engineered, (I know this deviates from Superman Cannon), have Lex escape from jail ('cause he does that), and have him start tinkering with another "Acquired" alien tech, the Genesis chamber that got wrecked. Have Lex be the one that makes Doomsday. But that's just my rambling. Im sure they're going to do something completely different, but one can wish, right? Either way, Im looking towards more...Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-81444880399356950232013-04-26T11:18:00.000-06:002013-04-26T11:18:00.304-06:00"Imagination is the foundation of reality."YouTube Friday. Huzzah! As I've mentioned a few times on this blog, I love me a good soundtrack. If then can whip up a good one, I can listen to for hours. Some of my favorite composers are ones you will most likely recognize, like Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Howard Shore and James Horner to name a few. But some might not recognize composers that dont work directly on big budget movies. One of my favorite off screen composers is Jeremy Soule. Hes orchestarted some of my favorite video games. Like Guild Wars 1 and 2. Skyrim. Neverwinter Nights. This song is from the Guild Wars 2, and I find it quite beautiful. Sit back in listen.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qOMQxVtbkik?list=FLClxDip6cY9pDTKgkQqB1tw" width="500"></iframe><br /></div>
Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-41475537744214156702013-04-19T10:56:00.000-06:002013-04-21T11:02:10.391-06:00"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.” - Samuel Johnson After the some what of a tearjerker of a video I posted last week, today I'm posting something funny for YouTube Friday. I swear I couldn't breathe for 15 minutes after I watched this one. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cZO9tMetxno?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-60138842351963814792013-04-12T10:48:00.000-06:002013-04-12T10:48:00.039-06:00"Nothing ever goes as you expect. Expect nothing, and you will not be surprised."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Its been awhile since I've done a YouTube Friday clip. And as such, I
have gathered a few more videos to share with you over the next couple
of weeks. <br /><br />This weeks video is going to tug at your Heart
Strings, but that's why I liked it so much. So, please watch. And try
not to cry. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eRsGyueVLvQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-55464179570406003462013-04-09T11:49:00.001-06:002013-04-09T11:49:14.897-06:00"There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time." Wheel of time; A Memory of Light.23 years. 11,575 pages.<br />
<br />
I cant believe its finally over. What a ride.<br />
<br />
I finally got around to reading the last book in The Wheel of Time series, "A Memory of Light". I can't believe how much I loved this series. That's the only way I can explain how I read a 900 page book in 18 days. I've never been a fast reader, but when a book grabs a hold of me, it doesn't let go.<br />
<br />Understandably, not every one likes the series. Most complaints I hear is the size of the series. Granted, its huge. But that's one of the reasons I love it. I don't like when series that I love end. People also have said that they don't like his writing style or they cant connect with it. And that's a fair criticism. It actually took me a few attempts, spanning over a couple of years, to read the first
book. But its not a perfect series. At times, it feels like the story got away from the author, Robert Jordan. But I just love the scope of it. The history of the world just seems epic to me. <br />
<br />
I can see myself rereading the Wheel of Time series. Ive been tempted to see how fast I could read the whole series from start to finish. Its most likely going to take the better part of a year. I'm OK with this.<br /><br />But until then, what do I read? Luckily the series has made me a fan of a new author, Brandon Sanderson. For when Robert Jordan died 5 years back, they got Sanderson to take over and finish the series. I've read close to a half a dozen of Sanderson's books so far, and I got to say I'm pretty impressed with his work. Especially with the book "The Way of Kings". And apparently its going to be another huge series of 10 books. Which just goes to show that there is no endings to the Wheel of Time.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-36666661369632473132012-08-05T12:29:00.001-06:002012-08-05T16:15:05.228-06:00Get your ass to Mars - Total RecallI recently saw the new Total Recall movie this weekend, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not really seeing why it's received the negative reviews. Granted it's not the best movie ever to come out, but I didn't want my two hours back and I'll most likely buy it when it comes out on DVD. <br />
<br />
After the matinee I went and rented the old "Classic" version of Total Recall. I've forgotten how cheesy it really is. It's campy, filled with classic one liners but overall not that great anymore. I don't think it's held up that well at all. <br />
<br />
The new version, I feel, holds actually pretty close to the same story. Granted there's no Mars and no mutants, but thats the only really differences. It really adapted well without those. The acting is solid, but compared to Arnold that's not saying much. <br />
<br />
There are those that are going to get there panties in a bunch when they watch the new one because they probably believe that they can't match the old one. But it's really wasn't that great to begin with. <br />
<br />
I have a theory about this. People are going to love movies/tv shows/(insert favorite thing here) from there childhood and teenage years. For example, take the old G.I. Joe and Transformer cartoons. As a kid, you loved them. And if you want them to remember them with fondness and greatness, you should never, ever watch them again. Ever. Because they're awful. Truly. I watched a half a dozen of the old Transformers cartoon a few years ago, and I had trouble getting through them they were that bad. Nostalgia does weird things to you. <br />
<br />
Granted some things from your past hold up and you can still watch/play/whatever with them on a frequent basis. And to be honest, usually when Hollywood execs remake an old movie it's just to make a quick buck and aren't that great. But sometimes the original movie isn't that great to begin with, that the new one can't help but BE better. So put your nostalgia aside and go see it.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-87550054952350911182012-07-01T17:12:00.000-06:002012-07-01T17:12:22.036-06:00"You know my methods, Watson." - Sherlock HolmesIve been rather lackadaisical about posting of late (if you haven't noticed). Ive stopped doing YouTube Fridays because 1. I ran of cool videos to share and 2. It didn't seem like anyone cared.
Through some prodding by a friend, Ive started watching the BBC series "Sherlock" a week or so ago. Ive got to say that its been one of the best produced shows that has come out of England Ive seen in a very long time. The acting and writing has been superb. Sherlock is a Highly intelligent prick, Watson is quite likable, and Moriarty is the weirdest, most unstable bastard that Ive ever laid my eyes on. He WILL cut you if you meet him in a dark alley. The stories originate from the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, but with modern flourishes, which I approve. For instance, in The Hound of the Baskervilles, their whole case is centered around a Top Secret Government compound that was into genetic experimenting and making weapons.
Each episode is 90 minutes long, which is kind of nice actually. It allows for a better story, so don't be dismayed about having each episode being the run time of a short movie. I don't think it would've been as good if they did it a shorter amount of time. If you can track it down (I think its on Netflix), I highly recommend watching it.
Last year I started a Pharmacy Technician program at my local Technical college. The school hours wrapped up the begging of March, and since then, Ive been busy with doing Internship hours. The culmination of all this is that I had to take a National Exam so I can be "Certified" as a Technician. Ive never been a strong test taker. I get really bad test anxiety. I signed up to take the test this last Saturday but since I like to worry about tests, I didn't sleep good that Friday night. Plus, I had to be up at 5:30 in the morning, because the nearest testing Center is about 80 miles away from where I live, and I had to be there at 7:30. I didn't feel like I was going to do that well because honestly, I didn't really prepare all that well for it. But apparently I remembered a lot more information from the class than I thought I did, because it said I passed at the end of everything. I wont know what my finally score was for a few weeks (because it takes them that long to process you and ship things out). Either way, Im happy.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-8612545741529271522012-06-01T13:13:00.000-06:002012-06-01T13:13:00.237-06:00"He conquers who endures.” - Anon.I dont know where I get or find videos like the following on YouTube. But Im glad I do. I can listen to songs like it all day long. I'm a big believer in Music and the emotional impact it has on a person. But I digress. Todays YouTube video is an animated music video by independent artist, and thought that it was just simply amazing. So here it is:
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wiWnWtl8070" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-44297845561480946142012-05-25T20:58:00.000-06:002012-05-25T20:58:38.862-06:00"I jes trying to get on without shovin' anybody, that's all." - Henry Fonda, The Grapes of WrathIts YouTube Friday! Today's video is another one based on Skyrim. Its funny because it wraps all of the weird and humorous stuff that comes out of the game into one, hilarious video. So enjoy!
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tlC6Z0iRoOA" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-40463040915791527102012-05-18T23:45:00.001-06:002012-05-18T23:45:29.877-06:00"Quoting one is plagiarism. Quoting many is research." - AnonI didn't hear about this song, or the band "Axis of Awesome", until late last year. Then I put it on repeat for like a week straight. I never realized that a lot of songs had such an underpinning of.... Sameness. It goes to shows that its hard to be original now a days.
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5pidokakU4I" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-36501652476447268132012-05-11T23:37:00.001-06:002012-05-11T23:37:58.569-06:00"We have one simple rule here: Be kind." - Sam Jaffe; Lost HorizonIf you havent seen "The Guild", "Eureka" or never heard the name Felicia Day, youre probably not a nerd. And thats just fine. But seriously, after this, you should track down a few episodes of The Guild on YouTube if you get a chance. Theyre rather excellent. Todays clip is by the talented Felicia Day and her fellow cast members of The Guild. If you were a "Nerd" back in High School, teased relentless and shunned, this might hit home for you.
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jFhgupR565Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-16606081372001301872012-05-04T23:25:00.000-06:002012-05-04T23:25:10.959-06:00"Music melts all the separate parts of our bodies together." - Anais NinIts Friday again, and you all know what that means here on Sporadic Zen. YouTube Friday! This week Im spotlighting Ronald Jenkees. I first heard about him from a fellow coworker,who told me to go and look him up on YouTube. I absolutely love his music! So much so, that I actually bought his CD through iTunes. Hes so energetic, its infectious! You can tell he loves pounding out music on his keyboard. I hope you listen to at least a few of his songs. I dont think youll be dissapointed. So enjoy!
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/smE-uIljiGo" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-71343396887992222052012-04-27T22:53:00.000-06:002012-04-27T22:53:24.713-06:00“Do or do not... there is no try.” - YodaIts Star Wars week on YouTube Friday here on Sporadic Zen. No matter how much people think that George Lucas has screwed up the Star Wars series, the fans always stay with it. I love the tenacity of it. No matter how much they get crapped on, the fans have always persevered and thrived. They make fan videos. They write fan fiction. They get together and do charity events (Like the 501st does) so they can share the love they have for the Star Wars universe. It makes me smile to see such dedication. The two videos today are two of my favorite fan made videos that Ive seen. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uMXpokrfblM" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6wjf_lWxqyI" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-8356442285915612662012-04-20T22:26:00.000-06:002012-04-20T22:37:27.758-06:00"I may fall, I will enter Odin's Hall, I will die sword in hand, My name and my deeds will, Scorch the land' - Manowar: Sons of OdinToday on YouTube Fridays here on Sporadic Zen, we're going to take a break from posting Music type videos and try an animated short. The first time I saw this it made me laugh hysterically for at least 10 mins. Sometimes its hard for things to do that. On a side note, if I wasn't a member of the Religion I am now, I would seriously consider the Norse Religion. I love the feel of it for some reason. So, without further ado, here is "The Saga of Biorn":
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MV5w262XvCU" frameborder="1" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-81035047300711551302012-04-13T10:17:00.000-06:002012-04-13T10:19:25.349-06:00"Ever wonder what the speed of lightning would be if it didn't zigzag?"On YouTube Friday, Behold the power of SCIENCE! This makes me smile. If a friend and I both had the superpower of electricity, instead of saving the world, or taking advantage of people, we would go around doing dumb stuff like this. But is that really a bad thing?
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9ovcwnBaOMI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-36253841516161289872012-04-06T12:11:00.000-06:002012-04-06T12:11:00.079-06:00"What was a prayer, if not creation? Making something where nothing existed. Creating a wish out of despair, a plea out of anguish. Bowing one’s back before the Almighty, and forming humility from the empty pride of a human life." - The Way of KingsOnce again, its YouTube Friday!!! The chick that made this weeks videos Ive become totally smitten with. Shes just so damn cute! And extremely talented besides. So, get watching!
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dQiNVk_u0po" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b3KUyPKbR7Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-59155374656834871772012-03-30T15:44:00.000-06:002012-03-30T21:36:14.094-06:00“The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.” - Eddard Stark; Game of ThronesWelcome back to YouTube Friday here on Sporadic Zen. As you've all probably gathered, I'm a big Game of Thrones fan. This Sunday, Season 2 of Thrones starts on HBO! HUZZAH! I'm a little excited. I loved what they've done with season 1 and cant wait to see what they do with it in season 2. So for the videos today, Ive got the trailer for season 2 and a couple covers of the intro song to the show. Enjoy:
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UV3RflsNxak" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GC-ZmlwBWKM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/95B58os7pfk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-43501095832687987432012-03-23T22:00:00.000-06:002012-03-23T22:00:00.983-06:00"I use to be an adventurer like you, until I took an arrow to the knee" - City Guard; SkyrimAs kind of a way for me to get back into the routine of trying to Blog on a regular basis, Im gonna start doing some short little posts every Friday called "YouTube Fridays!" Yeah, I know. Real original. But whatever. They're just going to incorporate one or two videos every post of Videos that I thought where entertaining. You might not think so, but that's your loss. In my last blog, I mentioned that I have been playing a lot of Skyrim, so for this weeks YouTube Friday, Im posting a couple of covers of different songs found in the game. So, enjoy:
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UW7EnixZVNI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="500" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4z9TdDCWN7g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-38882253890285992632012-03-21T14:40:00.001-06:002012-03-22T01:17:13.633-06:00“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon. Too often, we forget that.” - Wit; The Way of KingsWow. Its been a long time since Ive posted. But what you gonna do when life gets in the way? (that's what I'm blaming it on because Ive been lazy) Lets see, whats happened since last July... I went and got myself some learning over the last 6 months. I enrolled in a local program to get certified as a Pharmacy Technician.
Its been a real eye opener. Who would've thought there would be so many different drugs! And I have to know what they do?! Brain almost asploded everywhere! Lucky, it didn't. Would've been messy (or not, depending who you talk to). I got done with the course work March 1st, and since then Ive been trying to get done my internship hours I have to do. Why you have to do 180 hours is beyond me. And I wont lie, it kinda sucks that you don't get paid to do it.
There has been a few things that helped me get through it all. I bought a PS3 on Black Friday last year ($200?! Yes please!) along with a copy of Skyrim. Best. Game. Ever! At least it was the Game of the Year for last year. Which is still pretty awesome. There's been plenty of nights where I went to bed around 4 in the morning.
Actually, one of the main reasons I purchased a PS3 is so I could have access to a blue-ray player. I got a bundle of the first 6 Harry Potter movies a few years ago for Christmas, but I had nothing to play it on. Now I do. So who's up for a Potter Marathon? :)
Ive read some excellent books the last little bit as well. I made it through a rereading of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, capped off by reading the latest book that came out last year for the first time. One thing that pissed me off is that I read a spoiler about Jon on the interwebs before I even reading it. So note to self. Don't read through forums about new books that you haven't read yet. And I don't really want to give anything away, so Ill just say it was decent. Not great. Just decent.
For my book club, we read Elantris, by Brandon Sanderson. I loved what he did with the Wheel of Time books and was excited to read one of his original books. And it didn't disappoint. The characters where likeable, entertaining, and believable. Since that went over so well, I started reading Sandersons monster of a book, The Way of Kings. It actually took me awhile to get into. I think one of the marks of a good book is how relateable it is. Because the quicker you can start relating with the characters and imagining yourself in that world, the better experience you're going to have. The world Sanderson built for this book is, well, foreign, and it took me awhile to wrap my head around it. One of my friends said it best "There are at least two moons in the sky, the weather would make the eye of Jupiter feel like kite flying weather, and his taxonimy includes flying eels and Jurrasic sized crabs. It is an interesting crosspollination of fantasy and sci fi. You have knights in armor competing for control of a very midieval feeling feudal society, but the armor is some sort of alien armor infused with electricity." But once I got into it, it was great! Now to read his Mistborn series.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-16521511061350836162011-07-31T23:23:00.000-06:002011-07-31T23:23:31.981-06:00“I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain..." - Roy Batty; Blade RunnerWe had a nice little thunder storm roll through my neck of the woods this afternoon. I love thunderstorms. I could just sit and watch one for hours. The whole atmosphere of a good storm makes me day. From the way it just makes everything seem... Fresh. And the energy of it! Its great.<br />
I went and finally saw the last installment of the Harry Potter movies. I'm a fan of the book series and the movies didn't disappoint. This last movie made me tear up, had me cheering for the good guys and made me feel glad to have Voldemort finally get his ass handed to him. If you like the series and you're one of the few people that haven't seen it, go now and watch it.<br />
And here is a little something to tie this post together:<br />
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BXwLLlM6XJA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-17096117121818991812011-06-15T22:51:00.002-06:002011-10-11T20:33:52.868-06:00“A government is a body of people usually notably ungoverned” - Sheppard BookIve been wanting to do a Political themed post for awhile. But Ive been delaying it forever because 1)People get needlessly angry when the talk of Politics ever comes up, 2) I'm still sick of hearing all the needless slander from the <i>LAST </i>election cycle, and 3) I'm been trying to iron out what I would like to see happen in the Government.<br />
I guess the real point behind this post is to see if I can get my thoughts down so I can pound out reason number 3 a little. If you want to have a grown up discussion about this and you think you can add something, by all means, post something in the comment section. If not, Ill have no problem deleting your ass (I mean that in best way possible :)).<br />
<b>Health Care</b><br />
Id like to see the Government get involved in this, but the current bill that's in place is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Premiums and such are getting way to high. I think Part of the reason is because you have these people that always get sue happy around doctors. We need to fix that. Do I think the Government can Help? Absolutely. Lets try hammer it out please.<br />
<b>Immigration</b><br />
A touchy subject where the term Racist gets thrown around a lot. Am I racist? No. But that doesn't mean that I think that the people living here illegally should get amnesty. Those people here illegally should try to rectify the problem through the proper channels. I think the government <i>could</i> make it easier to get worker permits if that's all they want to do. No problem with that.<br />
<b>Military</b><br />
Im a big fan of the Military, so I don't want you all to take this the wrong way. I think that it could have a lot more accountability in the way it spends its money though. I don't think a little defunding would hurt it at all.<br />
I would stop sending those that are enlisted for the National Guard to serve in wars over seas. Its the national guard for a reason. They need to be here. And I certainly wouldn't mind putting them on the Border.<br />
<b>Foreign Police</b><br />
I would like to see more foreign help in Wars and problems overseas. That doesn't mean we need to be totally out of the picture. But I don't think America needs to be heading every operation and being world police men. <br />
I think we should cut way back (and I mean wwaayyyy back) on foreign aide. How many trillions of dollars are we in debt?! And how many billions do we give in aide?! I wouldn't blank it all out entirely, but a large amount of it. Some countries certainly need the help. Countries like Iraq. If we blew up half a country, we can help rebuild it.<br />
<b>Size of Government</b><br />
I so think think that it could shrink in size a lot. But on the other hand Local Government could grow a little bit. Instead of one big central Government, I think it could be more localized.<br />
<b>Taxes</b><br />
Im not threatened by having to pay taxes. Its how things get done and payed for. But I think we could switch to a flat tax. No loop holes so you can pay less, no deductions, no return at the end of the year. Just set it at like 20% of what you make (By no means that percentage is backed by anything. Just throwing it out there to make a point). <br />
<b>Welfare</b><br />
By no means is the Welfare police perfect. I don't think it helps anyone out. It seems like when people start getting it, people just stay there. There's no good draw for them to get out of the position. Its like "Hay! Free money!" Who would WANT to leave that? I think it should be remodeled after the LDS Welfare program. Welfare should be there for People to help themselves out of the position they're in.<br />
<br />
I guess that's a start. If you want to ask question, Discuss why I'm wrong and why a certain thing wont work, and remember to talk nice.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-18679500982297944562011-06-12T19:19:00.000-06:002011-06-12T19:19:38.776-06:00"Either way it is a historical fact: Sharing the world has never been humanity's defining attribute." - Professor XIve seen X-Men: First Class twice now, and Ive found it rather enjoyable. I thought they did a great job with the movie, but there was a couple of things that just bugged me. Going to gripe about those just to get them out of the way.<br />
Kevin Bacon as Nazi? Oh hell no! Once he got the German vibe out of his system, I thought he did a wonderful job. It was either the acting or the writting that bothered me. But it did. Actually that whole 'get Magneto to use his powers' scene bothered me. And the two kids that portrayed both Xavier and Magneto respectfully, I could've taken a wiffle bat to both of them and I would've felt like I was doing the movie a service. I also would like marvel to hire someone to help with the continuity in between the movies.<br />
Now, on to the positive, It was really well written. The guy that played Magneto Did an excellent job and I thought he nailed the part. He was definitely did the bet acting wise. I also like how they portrayed Xavier. Instead of the the faultless leader being we usually get, he wasnt perfect in the movie. A skirt chaser with mental powers? I bet you all wouldn't loved that when you were young and single. Im also glad that they kept it in the same time period of the actual comic where. That was a nice touch. I dont think ut wouldve worked other wise.<br />
Not a compliant per say, I didnt know a third of they mutants they used. There was some major time spent on wiki after the movie. This kind of brings up another thing. hat other mutants would I like to see in future installments? (and there will be. I went Last night and it was still sold out. And how long has it been out?)<br />
For me I would like to see a young Havok/Cyclops family dynamic, and I think they could easily play off it with throwing Mr Sinister in to that mix as well. He has a unhealthy obsession with those boys. If not that itll be interesting to see more of the 'regular' Hellfire club members, and not ones that just stand around looking menacing. On the same thread of "Family", they could do Polaris and/or Legion if they want to bring any of Magnetos and Prof. X's kids into it. What mutants would you all like to see in the next movie?<br />
And kind of Off topic, I would to see them try and tackle the Age of Apocalypse for the big screen (on the account its my favorite X-Men story arc), but Itll probably never happen.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7297207756283307537.post-20837152896170850692011-02-09T23:38:00.000-07:002011-02-09T23:38:30.985-07:00"So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All you have to decide is what to do with the time given to you." - GandalfYep. Today was the annual celebration of the day I came crying into the world. Birthdays haven't really meant much the last few years. Nothing really happens. No family gatherings, no cake, and the occasional card. I must be getting old. Especially when conversations like having kidney stones, health insurance, and earning potential keep on cropping up. Most of the types of conversations can be contributed to my homies of my local Beard Group.<br />
What is a Beard Group you ask? Well its a group of guys that I hang out with. And, well, we all have beards. And its great. We glorify the beard. With random websites like <a href="http://www.thebeardly.com/">The Beardly.com</a>. Yeah, the Beard Group is that awesome and kind of a big deal. At least I think so.<br />
The group has changed over the last year or so. In its earliest conception, it was Poker Night, and there was the occasional woman. And it has slowly evolved into playing all types of board games soaked in an atmosphere of testosterone.Smurfs O'Malleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00158709156713677929noreply@blogger.com2