Talk Shows on Mute

An Introduction

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 20:06:42 -0500

I was looking through my old posts and realized I never really introduced myself. So, here’s me:

My name is Jalen. I’m studying microbiology at Michigan State, but I really have no idea what I want to do with my life. One of the biggest parts of my life is music. I’ve been a huge Foo Fighters fan for years, but I do have a pretty diverse library. I’ve picked up a few instruments over the years and hope to start a band one day, just for fun. Gaming is also something that eats a lot of my time. I got an N64 for christmas when I was a kid and the rest is history. Right now I’m on an rpg kick, but I can enjoy pretty much anything.

There’s a lot more I could put here, but I know you guys don’t want to see a wall of text for an intro. So, that’s all for now. See you guys later.

This Semester

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 11:59:49 -0500

My schedule has given me a lot more free time, so I think I’m going to try putting more stuff up here. I’ve said that about a million times, but maybe it’ll actually happen this time.

Time to be productive again...

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 17:37:06 -0500

I guess I can only be lazy for so long. Besides, I feel better when I’m getting stuff done.

FINALLY DONE WITH FINALS!

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:09:29 -0500

The next three weeks are going to be bliss

Your blog is pretty awesome and I loved your post on 'Time for a Change'. Are you going to update on how it goes?

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:44:07 -0500

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it :)

I do plan on updating at some point, but I want to wait a little longer before I do. I’m really busy with finals coming up, so I don’t plan on posting anything that long until the semester is over. I wrote that post on the fly when my emotions were all over the place, and I want to stop doing that because I’m more likely to say something stupid (and forget stuff as I’m writing).

I’m still new to the whole blogging thing, so I’m just playing with different ideas right now. I want to start up a real blog someday, so this is just a kind of experiment. I’m not really sure where it’s going, but I guess we’ll find out pretty soon.

Finals

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:56:48 -0500

I have two calculus exams in the next week. Chem final next Thursday, plus two papers, five internship applications, a college of music app, and an audition to prepare for. Not to mention keeping up with this fight against (what I think might be) depression.

Know what I say to all of this?

"Good is better than perfect."

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:30:48 -0500

“Good is better than perfect.”

- Regina Spektor

It's calculus time, motherfuckers

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:52:16 -0500

mythicalhymen:

Some bitches are about to get integrated. Stand back, everyone.

I am about to make math happen.

brenda-makes-things: (via “From Pallet Town With Love” T-Shirts...

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:17:24 -0500

brenda-makes-things:

(via “From Pallet Town With Love” T-Shirts & Hoodies by Snellby | Redbubble)

New shirt in the store! Just in time for Skyfall. Has anyone seen it yet?

Time for a Change

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:49:41 -0500

Today I was feeling depressed. Really depressed. More than I normally do. Normally I just tell myself “You’re always like this. It’s normal. Don’t worry about it.”

Well, today I started worrying.

Lately I’ve been so messed up that I think I may actually have bipolar depression. I’m upset almost all day every day, and there are random times where I will suddenly be the happiest person in the room for no reason at all. The thing is, it only lasts for about five minutes at most, and my mood ends up being even worse than it was before. I didn’t think much of it before; I assumed I was just having ups and downs just like everyone else. Well, today I realized that I wasn’t. My grades have been dropping, I haven’t been sleeping, I’ve lost most of my friends (I didn’t have many to begin with), and I’ve lost touch with my family. I don’t even feel motivated to play music anymore. Almost every thought that goes through my mind is something about hating myself. I tell myself I’ll get better but never do anything to make that happen.

Today I realized why.

I’m afraid to be happy. I’m afraid that if I let myself smile just for one second everything will come crashing down soon after. I use my introversion as an excuse to stay away from people, even those who are closest to me. I obsess over how alone I feel, when I’m too much of a pessimist to even talk to people. When I’m put into social situations I hide my true self and alienate myself even more. I don’t say what I think and feel like a coward because of it.

Today is when it all changes.

Today I will try to be happy. Not just in a good mood, but actually happy. About an hour ago I made a list of all the things I hate about myself and a list of all the good things I need to realize about myself. I’m going to look at this list every day ant try to add as much as I can each time. I know that isn’t much, but it’s a step. I’m ready to face my problem and do something about it.

Yes, I’m still afraid. And yes, I will feel like giving up at some point. But I won’t. If I do, there’s no going back. It will take time, but one day I will be able to wake up and say

I am happy.

So tell me...

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:33:07 -0400

What’s the price to pay for glory?

The End of an Era: Goodbye, G4

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:49:37 -0400

So today I was browsing G4tv.com as usual and found something that really got to me. There was a news post saying that Attack of the Show and X-Play are going to be ending at the end of this year. Why, I have no idea, but there are rumors going around that G4 is in the process of becoming some kind of “GQ” channel; as in, “a network for the modern male”. I don’t know if that rumor is true, and I don’t really care.

The fact is that an entire generation of gamers is losing something that defined the last decade for us. AOTS and X-Play were the only things left at G4 that gave it its identity, and those shows were already on the rocks with everyone leaving. People are saying that G4 is becoming the MTV of gaming. Instead of everyone saying “Remember when MTV played music?”, in a few years we will all be asking, “Remember when G4 was about gaming?”

I starting watching G4 when I was just a kid. A lot of my generation did. We remember the days of “Portal” and “Cinematech”. We even went through the merger with TechTV and all the changes that came with it. I feel like G4 helped to create a tighter community of gamers. Not only that, it often got millions of people to come together and use our knowledge of tech to help support good causes (such as the Extra Life Charity streams last week). It was always there to keep us in the loop about what was going on all over the world. I wouldn’t know most of the things I do about games and tech had I not found G4. Hell, there’s a chance I probably wouldn’t still be a gamer.

Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t a hate post. I’m happy for all the hosts that are leaving, as they are really advancing in their careers. This has happened before, and will probably happen again. The only thing I am worried about is the future. To me, it seems like almost everything in the gaming world is going downhill. Every game released these days is a sequel, developers are disowning their hardcore fan base, and the entire industry is becoming a huge gimmick. We are living in a world where phones are competing with consoles and games like Angry Birds get more press than the entire seventh-generation console war. I don’t mean to say there is no innovation left, as a lot of things are changing dramatically and there are great new IPs out there, but they are very hard to come by anymore. Everything is about money now, and many of the developers who still care are getting nothing but crap from the companies they work for.

I have always believed in video games being an art medium, and I always will. It’s just like the end of the 90s in rock. Most bands didn’t survive the turn of the century, but some remained and many great new artists emerged. The same thing is happening here. To many of us, the gaming industry is our lifeblood, and it just lost a major component.

There is a lot more I could say about this, but I think I’ll just stop it here. If you want to hear me rant some more, just drop an ask in the box. Otherwise, thank you for reading this far. I’m glad that someone still cares.

So I bought Dark Souls yesterday...

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:22:25 -0400

And it’s hard as fuck. Great game, though. I don’t think I’ll be leaving my room anytime soon.

g4tv: A million times YES. Video Game Christmas Cards by...

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 15:28:41 -0400

g4tv:

A million times YES.

Video Game Christmas Cards

by GamerPrint

Whether we like it or not it’s fast approaching that time of year again!

To offer gamers something a little unique I’ve designed a set of original Christmas cards inspired by some of the most famous video game characters of all time

With 10 designs there’s bound to be a card to suit every type of gamer in your life.

Check them out >

Are Modern Games Being Dumbed Down?

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:41:30 -0400

Are Modern Games Being Dumbed Down?

Photo

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:32:53 -0400

lithuanialove: Before you play Amnesia After you play Amnesia

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 22:06:44 -0400

lithuanialove:

Before you play Amnesia

After you play Amnesia

tiffawa: A Man Chooses A Slave Obeys. <3

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 20:27:51 -0400

tiffawa:

A Man Chooses A Slave Obeys. <3

They offered you the city… and you refused it. And what did you...

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 20:27:12 -0400

They offered you the city… and you refused it. And what did you do instead? What I’ve come to expect of you. You saved them. You gave them the one thing that was stolen from them: A chance. A chance to learn, to find love, to live. And in the end, what was your reward? You never said it, but I think I know: a family.

chocolatebabygamer: Anticipated Games for 2013: Bioshock...

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 20:26:20 -0400

chocolatebabygamer:

Anticipated Games for 2013: Bioshock Inifinite

Platform(s): Playstation 3, Xbox360, PC

Release Date: February 26th, 2013