Day 55: Goodbye Treehouse

With the rhythmic clicking of each set of breakers I bid our place farewell. I was reminded that the very first thing I did when I got the key to the tree house was to flip those breakers in the opposite direction. They hadn't been touched since then, so it seemed fitting that the first thing I did in the house was also the last thing. 

I thought about all of the happy and terrible things that had happened in the time between flipping those switches in two different directions. The house was now so empty and impersonal, but the smell reminded me of when I first passed the threshold with my things from Florida. It was the smell of freshly cleaned carpets, chemicals and unlivable vacancy. Sometimes it's sad to leave things or places behind. But if we never left our Hobbit holes, moisture farms or tree houses, then we'd miss out on further adventures.

Here's to new beginnings!

Day 54: The Eagle

Ever since I was young, the bald eagle has been my favorite animal. In fact, my sisters and I started a company called "The Bald Eagle Center" when we were youngsters. Of course The Bald Eagle Center wasn't just about bald eagles, we sold seeds from the local trees and childish paintings of our favorite Disney characters or creatures we had seen on animal planet. It was quite the business venture, but unfortunately it never really paid off. But that's a whole other story...

I think my obsession with bald eagles started when I was 3. I loved watching nature documentaries and my mom or dad would often find one for me to watch on TV. I watched one at that time on The Discovery Channel about bald eagles and I was hooked. I remember watching the eagles pick salmon out of the water in slow motion and fly away with them in their talons. They were so majestic and powerful. After watching that documentary, whenever I was outside playing I was ever on the lookout for one flying overhead.

Family trips to Washington State solidified my need for bald eagles in my life. They were everywhere and I was constantly watching for them as we traveled around the pacific northwest. I only saw a few, but they were enough to hold me over.

Whenever we went to the zoo, I knew exactly where I wanted to go first. I had to see what the bald eagles were up to. Growing up, our local zoo had a great program for rehabilitating and caring for injured birds of prey and it was always the highlight of my zoo visits. Upon returning there a few years ago, I got some really great shots with my camera of the eagles. They're still some of my favorite photos.

Day 53: Cold

There's more cold on the way. I thought after the last major snowstorm that spring was on the way. However, a low of 25 tonight means that winter is not yet over. On top of it all, I already packed up my winter clothes, so when I was at our storage unit tonight I dug through them to pick out something for the morning.

Despite some of my complaints about the cold, I really have enjoyed winter here in Georgia. The cold weather and snow stirred something deep in my viking blood. Some kind of ancestral memory has kicked in. For some weird reason I don't get as cold anymore. In fact, sometimes the house is too warm for me and I need to go outside to chill out; especially after work. I honestly think I would enjoy living further north someday.

Day 52: Games I'm Looking Forward to This Year

These are just a few games coming out this year that I'm excited about playing. I know there are some that I'm missing, but here they are in no particular order.

Destiny


I am a huge fan of Halo so when I heard that Bungie, Halo's original developer, was working on a next gen game I was hooked. What is it? It's a next gen massively multiplayer first person shooter. I love Bungie's art style and gameplay, so I can't wait to see what they are able to accomplish on the next gen systems and also with a new intellectual property.

Titanfall 

Titanfall is already being heralded as the Xbox One's killer app. I for one am saving up for an Xbox One in the near future for this particular game. With a fairly disappointing lineup, Titanfall might just be the title to sell the Xbox One before more great next gen games come out. I didn't play the beta, but from videos I've watched and conversations I've had it looks awesome.

The Elder Scrolls: Online

I have longtime been a fan of The Elder Scrolls series. It's depth, attention to detail, and numerous hours of gameplay have sucked me in with every iteration. One thing that has been obviously vacant from every game though, has been a multiplayer facet. Well The Elder Scrolls: Online is going to remedy that disservice to the franchise with an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game) that takes places across many previously discovered lands. I love MMO's (even though they can take up too much time) and I think this one has the potential to be great.

Alien Isolation

With the exception of Alien vs Predator 2, I have been left extremely dissapointed with games based in the Alien universe. Maybe this one will be the same, but it looks like Alien Isolation might just break the mold set by it's predecessors. Isolation pits you against a single alien on a ship that is more authentic to the source material than anything seen on console or PC. The concept sounds good, but I want to see if it will live up to the hype surrounding it.

Day 51: The Empty House

So many memories for just a few years. I can see them, dancing around the floors of the empty house. Cardboard boxes, random items, tape, and hangers are scattered around the carpet now. But I can still see them past all the physical things. I remember guests we had over for dinner, an intimate Thanksgiving for four, and the hustle and bustle before a wedding.

How many other people, who have lived in this very spot, have memories associated with this place? Do they think about it often in fondness? Or have they forgotten as their lives have continued on, past the little townhouse above a lake in Georgia? I don't think I'll ever forget our first place. Above the lake, where our dreams and physical items collided.

Day 50: Halfway Point

So as of this very post I have done exactly 50 consecutive days of blogging! It's been so much fun to write something every day. It has stretched me as a writer and forced me to reach for different subjects to write about which sometimes leads to some deep thoughts and introspection.

I definitely have to thank Corinne (Corinne's Blog) for coming up the idea and my wife Katie (Katie's Blog) for encouraging me to go for it. It's been fun when we both make some time after work to write for our respective blogs. It's calming in a way and I always look forward to reading what she's written.

Well today and yesterday sure have been eventful. All of the furniture is out of the house and we are sleeping in front of the fireplace in the living room. It's pretty cozy even though the house looks like a tornado tore through it. We still have quite a bit of packing to do and some storage building runs to make, but I think the hardest part is done. We both are pretty exhausted and sore, but we're feeling better about getting out of here before the time is up.


 

Day 49: Feeling Blue

Blue really is the best color. I often find my self drawn to blue things. In fact, the other day I was at the gas station and I was compelled to buy a drink solely on the fact that it was blue. As it turned out, it ended up being really good too. It was lemon flavored, which when you think about it is kind of strange for a blue colored drink.

As I'm writing this, I'm looking at my hands as they're tapping away on the keyboard and there are still little slivers of blue paint around my fingernails from painting our new room last night. Of course we painted it blue. Robin's Egg blue to be exact - which is really one of the best blues you can choose.

Did you know that blue is the most popular color among the world's population? The runner up is purple (for some reason that is beyond me). Why do people like blue so much? Perhaps it's because it's the color of the ocean and of the sky. Two things that we humans rely on for survival; air and water.

Well anyway, I'm looking forward to living in a blue room now.  

Day 48: Origin Stories

Whenever I'm watching a movie with a famous actor or actress as the lead character, I am inclined to watch it from the perspective of it either being an origin story or a sequel to another film (or films).

For instance, who would have thought that the singing and dancing young WW2 survivor trying to sell "papes" in NY would later become Batman? Or that Jack actually survived the sinking of the Titanic but was left with damage to his language processor which meant he could only speak in Shakespearean English. "Thou art a villian!" Fortunately for him, later he was able to regain use of modern English via dream therapy.

Speaking of which, Alfred has also come a long way. From the psychotic break he had where he was surrounded by felt puppets, he went on to become the butler for Bruce Wayne. After living a life full of secrets protecting The Dark Knight, he followed Jack's footsteps and escaped into the dream world.

But of course there is also the timeless tale of none other than The Wolverine himself. After a brief stint in a french prison for stealing a loaf of bread, Logan made some friends and then most of them ended up dying. Also, being in a French jail makes you sing uncontrollably.

After minding his own business in America for a while in the 1870's, he time traveled to the 2000's with a man who looked eerily similar to his brother. Then Wolverine goes back in time to become a magician and inadvertently became entangled in a rivalry with none other than Bruce Wayne himself.

Eventually Logan met up with the X-men and had some adventures. At one point though he smoked some south farthing pipe weed with Magneto and had the strangest visions. He was a doctor in the dream. The girl from the mummy was there and there was a floating tree with hair on it. Also, he was bald. Weird right?

And that's just how it happens....    





   

Day 47: Monolith Part II

To read the previous entry click here

 

The tall figure crouched down near the bubbling pot and locked eyes with the girl as he slowly sat down. As he looked at her, she noticed that something was trembling beneath his beard. His dark eyes strained in concentration as the erratic motion intensified. He leaned closer to her and something unexpected happened. A deep gravely sound filtered through his beard from his shaking lips. It was long and drawn out, but discernible nonetheless. 

"Mono.....lith," he said slowly and with great difficulty.

His voice was rough like a sewer grate being pried open and dragged along concrete. The girl was deeply startled by the sudden utterance. She opened her mouth in surprise and began to speak, but realized that she had forgotten how. Perhaps she never knew how to speak. Now that she thought about it, it occurred to her that she never remembered talking out loud to anyone before. Especially not him. But if she was able to converse, she would have asked him if that was his name. Monolith.

She stared intently at him. Trying desperately to ask the question without words. But she saw something in his eyes, a thing that scared her to the core. In the dark reflective orbs, she saw a face. Her heart began to race as the features forcefully conjured up memories that she wasn't able to make sense of. Large fleshy hands tightly gripped around a wooden rod. A scarf around her mouth, broken bottles on the floor. A blazing fire and noise, so much noise. Suddenly she was looking down into the dark swamp water, as she often did. Her reflection was different though. More lines played across her face and the eyes smiling back at her were of a different color. Nor was there any mud blemishing her pale skin. It wasn't her. 

The woman mimicked her open mouth as she tried to scream, but no sound came out from either of them. Black tar began to trickle out of the woman's eyes, covering her pupils until they were swallowed up. A beard sprouted from the clean face and began to crawl downwards, covering the her neck. Mud quickly started coating the slightly-wrinkled fair skin. The girl was staring at him again. He had transformed in front of her eyes.     

She got up quickly, knocking over pots and letting dust loose in the air as she backed away from those dark revealing eyes. He slowly began to raise himself up, which hastened her retreat. She tore out of the cylindrical room, but came to a screeching halt to avoid the blanket of darkness that was parked at the threshold.

As she stood there not knowing whether she should proceed into the darkness, or return to the tower, she heard strange noises coming from the swamp. It may have been the wind slowly weaving through the thick moss, but perhaps something more sinister. She thought she heard inhuman whispers underneath the incessant drone of the various swamp insects. Her skin began to tighten and gather together as tiny hills forced their way across her very surface.

In the indistinguishable sea of voices, she swore she heard, "Audrey.........Audreeeeey."

Her eyes began to adjust to the lack of light and she thought there were shapes moving around the swamp. Or maybe it was just the phantom flames from the fire she had been beside moments before. She became extremely frightened as the dark shadows seemed moved closer and the whispering sounds began to thwart the insect sonata. 

She backed away slowly and ran into something behind her that was hard and felt like an unshakable tree. Terrified, her eyes darted up to confirm what she had run into. Of course, she already knew what it was. It was him. She found a strange comfort, once again, in those dark eyes that had caused her to flee moments ago. He looked out into the darkness for a moment until his black marbles darted back down at her. She understood what his look was saying, this is why. 

This is why he always beckoned her to return to the tower. No matter where she went, or how long she was gone, he always found her when it was time to return to shelter.

To Be Continued...         

   
 

Day 46: Another Short Post

This week has been insane. I've started transitioning at work from a Quality Assurance Associate position, to a full-on Laboratory Technician. While it has been challenging learning the new equipment and how it all works on a scientific level, it makes it all that much harder when at home we have to get the place ready to move by the end of this week.

I know it's a first world problem and there are so many other important things going on in the world, but this thing really snuck up on me. Time just seems to flow faster as an adult and I'm still not used to it. It seems like it hasn't been that long that we've been talking about moving at the end of February, but as I signed the date (probably a hundred times) on paperwork today I realized that we are pretty much there.

Well the office is almost done, so that's good because that's probably the worst of it. Hopefully we can get this place moved without too much stress.

Day 45: Of Laundromats and Snow

There are still a few random patches of snow outside. On my drive to work this morning I saw them scattered around town, picking up the early morning rays. I still can't believe that they've hung around for so long. I was even more amazed when I saw them on my way back home from work too. My thermometer in the car was reading 70 and yet there they were. Tucked in corners of yards and roofs.

I had to go to the laundromat today after work. I never had to go there growing up, so that's been a cultural experience since moving into a place without a washer and dryer. There are some "interesting" people that frequent there. Sometime I'll have to share the story about how I broke up a fight there.

Laundry is done, but there are still quite a few things to do before we're ready to move. All in good time though. 

I didn't put much thought into this post. It's just a stream of consciousness really. Ain't nobody got time fo' that.  

Day 44: Monolith Part I

 
Moss dripped down from the sickly branches like stalactites hanging in a forgotten cave. Fog drifted aimlessly, parting around the the feet of giant cypress trees that jutted out of the water. The sun was nothing more than a myth to this land and the crickets played their eternal songs in the darkness, ever unaware of the time of day. Or that day even existed. The thick trees with their draped moss blotted out any direct light in the stifled water-soaked woods. Nothing ever really changed in the swamp. It was as if it were trapped in time, forced to replay the same segment over and over.

An old crumbling tower stood watch in the middle of a small island surrounded by dark swamp water. Its aging circumference was girdled in moss and stifling clusters of fungus. A small girl draped in a mud-stained and tattered blue dress, crouched at the edge of the water. The star patterns barely revealed themselves behind the swampy veneer. Her face was partially obscured by her matted dark hair as her green eyes peeked out and pierced into the muddy water. Her shoes were also caked in mud, save for a few bits of bright red that glimmered through.

The girl once had a name, but she couldn't recall it anymore. The only thing she remembered before the swamp was getting lost in the woods. She thought she would remain lost forever, but then she found him. Or it. She didn't know what he was. Sometimes she thought he was a tree and other days she thought he was a man. A giant beard sprouted from the bottom half of his face and trailed down to his midsection. Whether his beard was moss or hair, she couldn't decide. His hair was the same way; long, curly and in some places seemed as if it merged with his beard. His clothes, if you could call them that, were of roughly hewn material. Possibly from some sort of giant reptile like an alligator, or something larger. They clung to him and yet looked as if he clung to them as well. She couldn't tell if it was his skin or not.

The girl had been lost a long time. The sun had since forsaken her, so she had no idea for how long she had called this place home. She was nameless and because of the mud and dirt, she was becoming more and more faceless as each day went by. Perhaps someday, she would become like him. A nameless, faceless, creature who was hardly discernible as human. She didn't want that, but she still liked him despite his human-less form.

As she continued to stare at the water, a bulbous muddy and moss-draped hand rested on her shoulder. She tensed for a moment and turned to look up at him. His dark, pupiless eyes were mostly shrouded by the mossy hair as he gazed at her. He never spoke a word, but the girl knew the meaning behind the look. He wanted her to take shelter in the ancient tower. She got up quickly and followed the tall figure through the dark opening.

As she turned the corner she was met with a roaring fire that sent dark odorous smoke spiraling up the inside of the tower, coating the inner stone with a black tar-like substance. A little bed was pressed up against the corner nearest to the fire. It was nothing more than a burlap sack stuffed with moss and an old tattered quilt neatly folded on top. Various pots and pans littered the floor around her sleep space. 

A bubbling pot hung over the fire, the smell emanating from it was something that the girl was very familiar with. She didn't know what was in it, and she never attempted to ask. She just ate it. The taste was akin to the smell of the swamp water once it was stirred. Dark chunks floated on the bubbling surface, bouncing to and fro in the viscous uproar. These were her favorite bits. They were slightly spicy and tender. They vaguely reminded her of something from life before the swamp. She couldn't put her finger on it though. Just like everything else before she became lost.

To be continued...

Day 43: Movies I Want to See This Year

2013 was a great year for movies and 2014 looks like it might follow suit. So here's a list, in no particular order, of a few that I am looking forward to this year.

The Wind Rises

I love Hayao Miyazaki; he's one of my all-time favorite story tellers and 2002's Spirited Away still remains as my favorite film. I am excited to see his final project, The Wind Rises. The film is about Jiro Horikoshi, the inventor of the Japanese Zero during WWII. It was released last year in Japan and the US Disney release is do to hit theaters on the 21st of this month.

Muppets Most Wanted 

  

I was a little apprehensive about the 2011 move The Muppets. I didn't get my hopes up and was extremely pleased with the movie. Even if it made watching How i Met Your Mother different afterwards. I am really excited about the next Muppet movie, Muppets Most Wanted. It's being brought back by the same crew and it can't go wrong with Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey. I want to go to there. 

Godzilla

I really couldn't stand the version of Godzilla that featured Ferris Bueller. He should have just played sick instead of acting in that film. It left a bad taste in my mouth. However the reboot looks like it might stick closer to the original Japanese version that I love so much. Add Walter White in the mix and I'm in.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

I love the X-men movies, even the bad ones. So I'll probably go see this. Wait... Captain Picard and Mr Tumnus are in this? Gandalf and Michael Fassbender? Jennifer Lawrence too!?!? SOLD.

Guardians of the Galaxy

I know nothing about the original source material. Literally nothing. Well except that there is a talking raccoon. But it's a Marvel film and I'll watch all the Marvel films. 

The Hobbit: There and Back Again

I have really enjoyed the previous two Hobbit films and of course I am looking forward to the conclusion, even if I don't know how they could craft an entire film out of the remaining material. But hey if it just Benedict Cumberbatch talking for an hour, I'd go see that!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I

I love the Hunger Games and I'm glad that they're splitting this last one into two films. Also it's being filmed here in Atlanta, so that's cool. Yeah I probably should read the book too. 

Of course there are many other films that look great, but these are the few that I know I'm going to see this year.

Day 42: Avocados

Avocados. No, I'm not talking about the fruit that commonly gets mistaken for a vegetable; I'm talking about our favorite local restaurant. Since we first discovered the little place on the Gainesville square, Katie and I have had countless dates there. It's our go-to restaurant. The food is ridiculously good and an ever changing menu means that the chef is constantly creating delicious new dishes.

With a name like Avocados it only seems natural that they would have the best guacamole I've ever had. Their burgers are also (in my humble opinion) the best in town. Or maybe anywhere. Pair the two and you get one of my favorite things on the menu: a burger smothered in the house guacamole. I'm salivating while writing this.

Katie and I went last night for their special valentines day dinner and we were not disappointed. We were given a couple different choices on the menu of different appetizers and entrees. Of course they also had an all-you-can-eat dessert table as well.

For my appetizer I chose the artisan steak salad with sliced avocados and Katie chose the steamed mussels in creamy basil sauce. For our main dishes I chose the T-Bone steak topped with caramelized peppers and french fries. Katie got the beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and scallops. It was a hard decision because I would have easily eaten any of the items on the menu.

We were both pretty hungry and it didn't take very long for our appetizers to arrive. It was the first steak salad that I had ever had and it was delicious. There was just enough steak and avocado on it to get a portioned amount of each in every bite of salad. The steak was tender and the avocado was perfectly ripe. The salad dressing was some sort of balsamic dressing with cilantro. I tried one of Katie's mussels and it was also really good, particularly the cream basil sauce it was served in.

Shortly after finishing our appetizers, we were brought our main dishes. I ordered my steak rare, because that's the way I like it, and it was very delicious. It was cooked just the way I had asked and it was a very large piece of steak. They also have the best fries in town and I was delighted to see that the rest of the plate was populated with them. I would go there just to get the fries, seriously. I tried a few bites of Katie's plate and hers was fantastic as well.

I hate to say this and it may just be because I'm still sick, but I was not able to finish my entire meal. As I was trying to finish it off, it occurred to me that there was still a fully-loaded dessert table in the room. I tried a little bit of everything on that table and I hurt myself, I really did. I passed the point of being full by a mile, but I was also very satisfied.

We had such a great time there. The atmosphere was very romantic and the food was, as always, amazing. If you live here in Georgia, or are just passing through, you should definitely give them a visit. You won't be disappointed.


      

Day 41: The Snowcation

Katie and I really enjoyed the time that we had off due to the second coming of the snowpocalypse. It was like a much needed and unexpected vacation. We sat back and watched the snow, caught up on TV shows, played some video games, talked to family and friends, read some books, and cooked great food. I think I caught the sickness Katie had during the downtime, so there was plenty of time to rest and take it easy.

When we finally ventured out to Kroger yesterday, some of the ice and snow had started melting. Going out was an adventure though as the roads were still a bit dangerous. Kroger was fairly busy and their stock had seen a fairly significant decline because of the treacherous conditions. We picked up all of the necessities and some nice things for dinner and went back to our little place.

I made it back to work this morning after not having been there since Monday night. The roads were a little icy and scary, but I made it without incident. Being back is strange though, because nobody else had been here and several people are also feeling a bit sick. It's nice though because it is Friday. 

The weekend is almost here and it's Valentines Day. I'm really looking forward to taking my bride out on the town tonight for a date at our favorite restaurant!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!       

Day 40: More Snow

The bird feeder swayed back and forth as the snow-filled wind rocked it slowly like a baby's cradle. A small orange cat stepped timidly across the deep snow, leaving a trail of tiny footprints in the powdery turf. Frozen beads of rain played their music on the clay pots as they were buried in white. 

Trails of smoke escaped chimneys of the surrounding houses where people were cooking hot food and reading books. As the sun set, the lamp posts began to spring on one by one. They created round orange frames that were highlighting the falling snow in perfect orbs.    

Day 39: Scrawlings

Wax dripped below the tiny flames and trailed down the long waxy stems to settle in place like hardened lava. In the candlelight, there sat a boy dressed in dark robes. His eyes were fixed on a piece of parchment as he stuck his tongue out in concentration. His small hands slowly and carefully dipped a large quill into an inkwell and brought it back to the parchment. His fingers turned white as he tightened his grip and began to strike characters unto its empty surface.

The moon peeked through the lone empty window and spread a pale blue light across the floor in a perfect square. The trees whipped around outside causing the window to intermittently shake as if the wind were knocking on it and trying capture the boy's attention. Despite the wind's best efforts, the boy's thoughts remained unbroken as his quill continued to scratch across the paper purposefully.

The boy was writing about an extraordinarily strange dream he had the night before. There was a bespeckled man sitting by a frosted window, watching as snow slowly danced down from the wintry-clouds above. He had a square book-like item in his lap and a tapping sound could be heard as his fingers danced over what could only be described as small misplaced piano keys. An astounding light emanated from the flat music-less piano and reflected in his glasses. 

The man continued to make the tapping sounds with random pauses in-between where he would suddenly stop and stare out the window to watch the winter storm. The boy thought that the music the man was trying to make by tapping his fingers was terrible - there was no reason or consistent rhythm to it. The boy finished writing his story, let out a sigh and sat back in his chair. He wondering what it all meant.          

     

Day 38: Favorite NPC Game Characters

The other day I was thinking about stories in video game and how important NPC's (or non-playable characters) are to driving the narrative. Since your character is usually the everyman, it's the NPC's job to bring you into the story and make you sympathetic to your cause. 

So here are a few of my favorites that stand out. I know I'm missing many others but these were the first ones that came to me (in no particular order btw). 

   

Cortana from The Halo Series

In the Halo series you play as Master Chief, a cyber-genetically enhanced super soldier. Like the Spartans of old, he was taken from his parents and trained for battle since he was a child. Cortana is an artificially intelligent being that is constantly on-board with Master Chief during his escapades. 

She acts sort of like his inner-monologue. Even though she is calculating and logical like him, she brings a more emotional side to the story. She's there to help Chief realize the big picture and the consequences that winning or losing will hold for humanity. Her role is so vital in the game that they few times she's absent from master chief's helmet, it just doesn't feel right without the sense of security that her constant calm and fluid logic imbues.

Wrex from The Mass Effect Series

Urdnot Wrex seems like an unlikely addition to the crew of the starship Normandy, where you get fill in the role of the captain. Wrex is a Krogan, which is basically a bullfrog-like Klingon equivalent for the Mass Effect universe. He is first and foremost a fighter, and an exceptionally brutal one at that. If you can keep him under control, he is probably one of the best members you can take into battle with you.   

   

Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite

I don't know if I've ever played a game where I cared so much about protecting another character. The game I'm referring to is 2013's Bioshock Infinite. You're thrown into a floating steampunk-inspired city above the clouds with the goal of kidnapping a girl named Elizabeth. You soon realize that there is more going on in the floating city of Columbia than meets the eye. You end up trying to escape the city with said girl.

Elizabeth is probably one of the best AI creations in current memory. When fights take place, she doesn't get in the way like many other AI counterparts. In fact she is extremely helpful, both in battle and out of battle. Thanks in part to the wonderful dialog and also her naivety, Elizabeth brings the wonderment of the setting to life as well as providing a compelling reason for leaving the seeming paradise.




GLaDOS from Portal

Probably one of the greatest things about the Portal games is the disembodied voice of the antagonistic female robot overlord, GLaDOS. Her dark sense of humor is one of the single most compelling tools driving the story's puzzle-centered narration. There are many moments during the game that will literally make you laugh out loud at its clever writing and brilliantly performed delivery.




Epona from The Legend of Zelda

Epona is your faithful steed as you battle the forces of evil in an attempt to save the mythical land of Hyrule from the grasp of Ganondorf. Whenever your equine friend is required, you need but to pull out your ocarina and play a tune to summon her. Epona is welcome company as you swiftly journey around the vast landscape upon her saddle. She's an ever silent but supportive companion.   

Day 37: Hanging Overhead

I hate that feeling when you have unfinished business hanging over you. You have so many things to do and not enough time to get them all done. My work days are usually pretty hectic, which is great because it makes the day go by fast. The bad thing though is that I just don't have much time to do anything else. I run the finances, so when I need to make a call during regular work hours (and I have to make several a week) I can only do so in the half hour during my lunch break. Usually it involves me stuffing my face with food while waiting for the person on the other end.

Then after work you need to find time to do things like pay bills, talk to customer support, speak to health insurance, finish taxes, and talk to rental people. I can't get all of these things done at once and I hate that, because like I said at the beginning of this post I can't stand the feeling of things hanging over me.

Well today I feel pretty good because I got a really big chunk of those things done. Granted I still have a lot to do before we move out at the end of the month, but I am so glad that I eased the burden a little bit tonight.  

Day 36: Seasons

The flowers on one of my succulents just started fully blooming today. It makes me happy to know that at least one little plant is acknowledging the coming season. One of the things that I love about living farther north is actually being able to see the seasons change.

Growing up in Florida we had a couple trees that were deciduous, but for the most part the passing of the seasons went unmarked. Up here the trees explode with color during the fall and then they are stripped and silent during the winter. However life returns in a brilliantly vibrant way when spring comes around. That time will be here soon.

Day 35: Childhood Shadows

Darkness engulfed the child as the candle momentarily struggled to stay lit and then finally died out in a swift puff of smoke. The dancing warm light that was captured in his wide glassy eyes was diminished. He sat in his bed shaking for a moment and then plunged under the covers to seek shelter.

While the candle was alight, it kept the monstrous children that adorned the walls from creeping past the dark edges of the warm flickering. The children were trying to board the train, over and over in the mural as it crossed one wall and intersected another. A different child smiled creepily from a black frame that was mounted high above. She rocked back and forth slightly as she continued smiling in her blue dress, like some ghostly figure forced to maintain the same composure until her painting finally crumbled and turned to dust.

In another frame sat a clown in a chair. The clown looked friendly but also sad, as if the features of his face held many secrets. Or perhaps he was sad that the children were constantly missing their train. The frightened child under the covers didn't fear the clown, perhaps the clown would actually come to his rescue. No, it was the children. There was something wrong with the children. The little boy did not want to be friends with them.

The boy was considering his options. Should he attempt to go awake his parents and tell them about the moving people and their plight against him, or should he wait to just fall asleep and hope that they don’t meet him in his dreams. If the boy were to run to his parent’s room, there was always the chance that the children would stop him before he made it out of the room. Also his mother and father’s room may be locked. No, he had to wait it out.

As the boy was contemplating these options, the door opened suddenly and the room was flooded with a light that was brighter than the candle ever was. The light splayed across the dark blue and red walls of the room and the people in the paintings came to a frightening halt.

A silhouette entered the room. The little boy peered through a slit in the covers and noticed that it was his mom and that she was holding two cups of water as she neared him. A small figure in the bed across from him stirred under the blankets as she woke up, disturbed from the sudden brightness.

“I forgot to give you your “bity” water before bed”, the calm voice of the mother said.

She set the cups down on the nightstand that stood between the beds under the window and noticed that the boy was frightened as he peered from under his covers with wide eyes.

“Are you okay”, she asked.

“I’m scared,” the boy replied.

The boy explained, from under the covers, why he was afraid and the little girl in the bed across from him nodded fervently as he spoke. The mother sat down on the boy’s bed and motioned for his sister to join them.

“Let’s pray”, she said.

Afterwards, without the light of the candle, the boy was able to sleep once again.

Day 34: The Sparse Room

A long day means a short post.

Our living room seems so bare now that the TV, dining room table, chairs, and bookshelves are all gone. I had some friends from work come and pick them up this afternoon. We were so blessed with those things as wedding gifts and are glad to pass them on to someone else who can use them.

Katie has been feeling sick today and so instead of going out to eat, like we usually do on Friday nights, I got Chinese takeout. We sat at the couch and used the coffee table as a dinner table. We watched Netflix on my iPad that was sitting on top of already-packed boxes. It reminded me of the first meal we had together in this place. We sat on the floor and ate sushi off of the same coffee table.

Day 33: Home on the Waves

 

During the summer of 2001, my grandparents invited my family and me to embark with them on an incredible journey. The plan was to travel from Anacortes, Washington, up to Princess Louisa Inlet, in Canada. However, what made the whole ordeal special was the fact that we were going to do so without ever leaving my grandparents’ house. You see, my grandma and grandpa lived on a 48 foot yacht. 

My grandfather, who was always very careful with his money, had planned a wonderful retirement for him and my grandmother. Since he was young, my grandpa had been interested in boats and living on one had been a dream of his. Through careful planning and hard work, my grandfather was able to realize that dream and share it with others.

That summer was filled with so many incredible stories and adventures, that I could probably fill a whole book with them. But for me, one of the main characters of the story was the boat itself. Grandpa appointed me as the deckhand and in doing so I was bestowed with several major responsibilities on board the ship. I tied ropes, threw over buoys and kept the deck clean and tidy, all while the ship heaved and turned in the rolling water. Growing up, I had a certain fondness for books that dealt with life on the ocean, most of which usually involved pirates and buried treasure. So for me, it was a bit of a dream come true.

The ocean was a completely different sea than the Florida water I was accustomed to. It was cold, but nonetheless filled with life. Since I was on deck so often, I was given an awesome opportunity to spot seals and whales in the water. The sea was like our own personal grocery store, in that it provided food for us. We caught crab, clam and fish as we traveled its waters, taking shelter in coves along the way. But we were never too far from the comforts of home.

The first floor of the boat had a full sized kitchen, where my grandma was often busy concocting some delicious seafood meal. On the other side of the kitchen was the dining room area, complete with a full sized dining room table. When it wasn’t being used for meals, the fluttering sound of playing cards could be heard, mixed with an occasional yell of victory or cry of defeat. Card games quickly became a favorite activity on our trip, especially when the boat was cutting through the waves. It really helped keep those of us who struggled with seasickness occupied.

Directly across from the dining room table, there was a small staircase that led into the downstairs room. That was where my family and I stayed during our voyage. There was a small bathroom, four bunk beds and a closet. Light filtered through the many portholes, casting moving reflections on the ceiling and walls. It reminded me of an aquarium. The portholes were at eye level with the sea and looking out, you could imagine what a killer whale might see when it surfaces from the cold depths of the ocean.

The boat would sway back and forth ever so slightly and the sound of the waves could be heard as they lapped up against the walls. At night, you felt like a baby being rocked to sleep by the ocean. Sleeping in that room was pure bliss.

But the comforts and splendor of living and traveling on a boat paled in comparison to the excellent company. It wasn’t often that we were able to spend time with my grandparents, since they lived so far away, but they always made it clear how much they loved us.

A few years after our summer voyage, my grandparents found that looking after a boat had become too hard on them at their age. So they ended up selling it and moving back onto land for a quieter retirement life. But the things we did that summer will always stay with me and I will never forget the memories that were made on that boat. During that trip, my grandparents were fulfilling their dream, as well as ours.