When I checked my Zellers work schedule, I was delighted to see that there was a lull in my work schedule between Thursday and Saturday afternoon. It meant that, aside from the occasional tweak of the Warrior Council website, my time would be spent relaxing. It also meant that the only event I had to look forward to before work began anew was the weekly gathering of friends at the local coffee pub.

Andreas and I talked before we set out, establishing that we would meet eachother there. After I arrived and stalked through the place with Nathan’s smelly shirt in hand, I was disappointed to find no one there. So, I waited outside for a bit before driving home. It was an utter disappointment. When Andreas surfaced on MSN again, he told me that he had gone to Williams and waited for 40 minutes. I asked what time he got there. It was around the time I drove away. I felt kind of bad for leaving him there alone.

It turns out that fate conspired against us. Shortly after I left, Andreas arrived. Shortly after Andreas left, Caleb arrived. Nathan and Aaron - I believe - were at the concert in town, while Blake had informed me ahead of time that he wouldn’t be coming. And, of course, Jenn only works Sundays.

In addition to this disappointment, I missed the Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale…again. I missed it last year too, and I swore that I wouldn’t miss it this year. Instead, I slept in, and awoke to be mocked by Josh’s news of mere pennies spent on a book buying splurge. He came home with a hefty stack of books - probably a tree’s worth. I asked if they had any sci-fi (because sci-fi rocks) and he said that he didn’t check. He recommended - as an alternative to the book sale - a place called Yesterday’s Things and Books. I wanted to go before work, but I was running late because I stayed in the shower too long.

And the work day was fucked. However, a guy in Merch Ops convinced me to sell my DS and buy a PSP. I think I just might. Damn you Conrad, you deceptive bastard.

Act One: Template

Well, the new layout is nearly completed. My attempts at using dual sidebars on the Resident Evil template (the red skyline) has proved absolutely fruitless. Instead of a nice elegant spread like that of Joshua, I am met with a horrific pile of mush that resembled a banana left out in the sun…during the running of the bulls.

Since it is unlikely that Josh and I will be online at the same time until Thursday night, I will have to be patient and wait for his quick and helpful assistance.

One the plus side, I do have this template. It features WuZiMu - also known as Woozie - from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Any triad or fan of Asians would kill to have this background in their template. I should know. They did it to me. Thrice.

In all seriousness, if anyone amidst our little blogcircle would like this template, I’ll send it to you via the Internets.

Act Two: Pointless Activity

When I returned to high school on Tuesday, I felt incredibly low. There was a certain aura in the air. There was a very strong feeling within me that said I shouldn’t be there. The atomsphere felt charged with wrongness, and I was compelled to leave. Children in the hallway turned and pointed, laughing their insidious laughter and hurling their insidious refuse.

Studies in Literature is as I expected. The course has a pleasant odour to it, but I am waiting for the fouler deeds underfoot. After all, it is an English class. Mr. Esposito tells me that writing for the Guardian will be a top priority. That ought to be fun, as I was hankering to take a crack at that newspaper anyway.

Data Management is what makes the return easier to tolerate. In simplest terms, Data Management = math. Jordan loves math. Jordan loves Data Management. It is a nice class. Some cute girls who returned for a fifth year. Josh and Amy are in that class as well. No. They aren’t cute fifth year girls. Barf.

The only problem with Data Management is Ort. He teaches us math as if we were retarded, and spends an excessive amount of time being a “know-it-all”. My irritation knows no limits when he is at the front. Oh, who would I kill for one final math class with Mr. Denstedt? The list would be numerous, provided it presented me one more opportunity to be taught by the caesar of the math department. Alas, Mr. Denstedt’s fate in teaching appeared to be the same as Julius’ in politics.

Anyway, that is all for now. I’m going to play the demo of Indigo Prophecy I just finished downloading. Thanks to Tycho for pointing out that it was up in the first place. Am I a dunce? No. I’m a character actor.

– Jordan

“That’s the bone-pealingly difference between you and me.” - Phil

Act One: What Have I Done?

Right now, I’m unfathomably depressed.

It may strike the average person as odd that the cause of my anger is a simple seven digit number found in many people’s MSN names, but it is a sign of their next step. I am, of course, talking about the people who have gone off to university and are leaving this notation as directions to their new home.

Mere moments ago, I was talking with Andrew about his new abode and all the experiences it has led to. Hearing stories of a female don who owns Duckhunt and the noble project begun by Binkle and Jenn that culminated in fitting two pickles into a condom began to nudge at my own sense of self-worth.

I began to feel pathetic. Everyone else had taken a step up on this staircase of life, while my feet seemed to be glued down to the previously trodden path of high school. It has all left me with a sense of inferiority and loss. My friends have all moved on, yes, but many of them are still together.

Where am I?

I’m curled up in the shadows, hiding from a fear that the others have skillfully parried and conquered when the challenger arose. When my turn had come, I merely whimpered like an infant, hurtled my sword and shield to the ground and begged for mercy. The task of moving on clearly bested me, and now I lay on my belly like a snake, kissing the dirt that fear walks upon.

Heinsight is such an enemy in these situations. The decision is clear to me now, and the others - if and when they read this - will surely engage in a expelling of “I told you so” variants. And it is true that most of them did “tell me so”, but I wasn’t ready and I didn’t want to listen. I acknowledge that. I’m an absolute fool for staying behind. My marks were excellent. My reputation with teachers was commendable. From an outside viewer, I was a man who had only but to reach out and take university in one swift grasp. But I handcuffed myself to the past and threw away the key.

Now I’m stuck here for one more year. Already, I can feel it is going to be grievous.

I’m a fool.

You’ll notice I’ve changed the look of this place. Thanks to Josh for helping with the minor tweaks. Your patience to browse through the StyleSheet exceeded my own.

The background is from the cover of the Resident Evil 4 PAL version. I merely blacked out the man holding a chainsaw who stood proudly in a break between the trees.

— Jordan

I had just finished polishing up “Dauphin” and was preparing to add it to the Chiseled Quill site when I began to think about something stupid I said, and something Blake said afterwards at Williams. It made me think the story might be a little too inappropriate. Not because of the content, but because of the scenarios contained within and how they relate to their real-life counterparts.

So, I’ll refrain from posting it. I’ll write up something else, and I’ll see if I can find “My Demons” which I wrote along the lines of some song from a Legends Alliance contest.

Act One: Operation Desert Breakfast

Today is the day.

Everyone is going, going, gone.

Yesterday, I met with Andrew and Stu at Features for a goodbye breakfast. My original plan was to simply have Andrew, Binkle and myself present - on account of our long lasting friendship - but Binkle was unable to attend. So, we invited Stu to fill his place. Unfortunately, Stu was unable to simulate the authentic Binkle experience due to a lack of facial hair, head piece, and appetite. Nevertheless, we had a good time.

Before I went to Features, I pondered whether I should tell Andrew about this blog and all the topics contained therein. The idea was tempting, but it would have meant sacrificing a great many things. Firstly, Andrew would be privy to everything I’ve said about him in my frequent rages throughout the past year. While I have no problem with him being aware of the truth, it would surely devestate our friendship. Furthermore, my blog links to Binkle’s blog; needless to say, it is not my place to give up Binkle’s treasure trove of secrets. It would be truly tactless of me.

Despite all of that, I was quite sure that Andrew wouldn’t be a consistent reader, nor would he browse the archived entries at any significant rate. Andrew is the type that doesn’t seem to truly desire any knowledge about those he calls friends. It seems - to me at least - that he would be much happier in the darker recesses outside of the blogosphere.

Yet, there was always the gnawing feeling telling me that this blog needs to attract more viewers besides those who are senselessly loyal to my ramblings. Joshua has developed a significant hub of activity at his blog by merely tapping into the seedy political underbelly of our fair country. God Bless The Red, White…and Red.

And that is why I’ve begun to consider the purpose of my blog. Josh tends to highlight other blogs, newsites, and other niches of the internet pertaining to politics. And people love him for it. My blog has had no truly consistent theme in all the long months of its existence. So, I am beginning to wonder what it should be about. There is really nothing to me. I’m a white slate - composed of 75% idle boredom and 25% too much free time. Politics bore me to tears, and it has since the Controversial section of Legends Alliance exhausted my passion for intelligent debate. I think that my mental fatigue stemmed from the fact that there was no intelligent debate whatsoever on those forums.

On the other hand, video games interest me. The only problem is that they have an acquired ability to bore others to tears. Melissa is a gerd - if I may use that nomenclature - and she was bored by my extensive complaints about CAPCOM’s brand of idiots.

Perhaps, after a bit of thought, I’ll be able to find some topic or strand of thought that is savoury to both my readers, and myself.

Until then,

– Jordan

I was looking through some portable DS RPG releases, and I stumbled upon something magical.

The previously unreleased “Tales of Eternia” is going to be released on a portable console!

Here’s the dilemma.

That portable console is the Playstation Portable, and not my beloved DS.

Congrats Sony. You’ve won. I’ll play your twisted little game.