Speaking from the Old Country with a New Tongue

In a general state of affairs, I have indeed returned to this place that, in recent years, has become my home. Much to my chagrin, I will admit - I feel pained to leave that which was so joyous, but that is how it goes. Enough of that, at the very least.

I have been watching the World Cup with unrestrained fervour, if you must know. As if part of some religious ritual, I place myself in front of the viewing portal, ready to consume whatever the soccer gods deem me worthy of witnessing. There have been a lot of totally amazing games and some that have been ... well, not so impressive. Yet I am here all the same - it may be muted and on the periphery of my vision - but it still remains in my consciousness.

I am NOT a summer person. I cannot stand the sun or the excessive heat that it provides in these dreary months. I may cringe and whine during the winter, but bring on the cold and I shall be a happy man - armed with the right wardrobe, of course. Of course, indeed.

The latest acquisition in the world of games is that of Loco Roco on the PSP. First off - HUZZAH! A game has appeared in Europe before the US (preceding the US release by at least 3 months according to the current schedule) and I have been here to claim it for my own. This is the justification for owning and hanging onto the PSP. Many a time over the past few months, I have wondered and considered why I own this device even though it offers me nothing entirely special. Intentional or not, on the part of Sony, this game is one of those reasons to have a PSP. Created with such polish and ingenuity - a simple enough design that uses just Two buttons to play and is so endearingly cute - one would be a fool to deny it.

Granted, last week, I was treated to owning the Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic Novel on the PSP, which is also a stellar creation, combining Ashley Wood's dramatic artwork with some cool technical tricks and a fairly in-depth and comprehensive look at the world of Metal Gear Solid Circa ... is it the Outer Heaven incident? Yeah, so I'm not too familiar with the timeline or its classification, I'm sorry.

In the spirit of Art, I shall mention a visit to Karen Miller, not a usual haunt by any stretch of the imagination. In this particular branch that I did step into, I witnessed something rather neat - a large, oval pillar that was covered with thin vertical strips of convex 3-way mirrors, not too dissimilar from what you might see in a fitting room, only convex in set-up and really thin strips - no wider than 2 or 3 cm. Now what was really cool was the representation of the world and the self in these. As you would move to and away from; from side to side; the world would seem to disappear and appear. The self apparates and disapparates - as if its all a figment of a semi-conscious imagination. It was quite beautiful.

And now I shall depart before the lag induced by the not-so-pleasant skies drags me into a drooling state of slumber once more.

To reaffirm that which may be lost

Good morning and Welcome.

I return. Now with the intention of remaining. For as long as this may "be."

I suppose it prudent to explain the reasons for the absence. If this would not interest you, so be it. I believe it serves to give context to future actions and, at the very least, present train of thought.

There has been a paradigm shift in this life that I call my own. One that I did not believe would have such a stark effect and surely not this that it has had, but that is in the past. It has been enough to make me question a lot - including this. The reasons for writing here have, in recent times, become very different from what the original intention was. It was to be a forum for my mind and for anyone who would choose to speak. Instead, it has morphed into a bitching session - a reaffirmation of how confused I feel with the world at large and the associations that I have formed within it.

There has been much pride and, what would amount to, conceit within me that was shaken loose - the thick sludge that hung over my eyes is not entirely gone, but it has been shaken off to at least inform me that my vision was well and truly obscured. What I believed to be faith in my abilities was shattered in the face of an insurmountable "foe" ...

Change has to be made. And as large a change as I can manage too. This is to once again be a forum of thought and opinion. Of belief without prejudice of baseless dreams. Of dreams without the sludge that obscures the focus granted by reality. Of that which I love and is of importance to me, without denial.

I am to write about videogames here with greater regularity. I realize that I have not spoken of these to appeal to an audience that does not and could not exist. But they are of importance to me. The discussion of this grand and modern art form is something that space should be devoted to and will be, from this point on.

I shall no longer waste time on the inanities of the days. Whilst entrenched in this reality and the context that it provides for my actions and thoughts, I am no longer concerned with the extraneous information that is to be disseminated - too much is revealed and wasted. The futile attempt to be cryptic is tiresome and grows old. Truth should be the name of the game, if only that sold as well as Grand Theft Auto. It's only a matter of time, I suppose.

Another blog will be born soon. As soon as I figure out how to link and craft one from these two, it shall be a place for fiction to reign supreme, where poetry and prose are joint rulers. And fact is as welcome as a forum for opinion. This is who I am. And that shall be who I write and dream of.

I have written and phrased too many sentences and lines for this return. Gargantuan essays on change and ... things that shall not be spoken of at this time. A lot of confusion that I have not been able to equate, no matter how much I ponder, reformulate and seek answers to in various meditative states. Perhaps at a later date, I shall post these, as a remnant of what was.

I thank you for your time and hope you'll return as the evolution seeks to continue.

I have returned

From my little hiatus from this machine that is ever so faithful.

However, I will be off this place for a while. My words will be limited to the people who they are meant for. If you wish to reach me, you know where to find me, else any comments made will make their way to my eyes.

Farewell, till next temptation drives me to speak.

Diary of a Pleonast

There was a quest today. One that has been ... 5 days in the making. Finally, the drama, or at least my immediate part in this chapter of it has come to a close. By the time that 16 days from this one rolls around, I will have the result. I'm sure that there will be something, some small dissemination of information earlier. Perhaps what I would not want to hear. But at least there's the maximum time delay before an answer reaches these eyes and ears.

There is little else that I would dare speak of at this moment. For such a grand variety of reasons that ... well, I won't bother with right now.

I thought that there was more on my mind to share.

Till another day ... dawns.