Make my way back home and learn to fly

Oh, internet. It doesn't seize to amaze me.

There I was, for two weeks searching stores for a Wii. Sold out everywhere. No word on when they would get more. None at Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, Gamestop, ToysRUs, or even Wal-Mart. Not any of these stores in Las Vegas had any in stock! It's crazy that these things are still selling out everywhere.

Since I wasn't about to pay $400.00 or more for it on Craigslist, I thought there has to be someone out there who has done the work for me. I googled "finding a wii" and came up with this result near the top. Okay, so these tips are a start. Hopefully this can lead to somewhere.

So last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings I woke up early to search stores for it with no luck. Then Sunday, the 24th, I decided to take a rest. At 2pm I eventually came across this Amazon forum thread: Wii at Target, Sunday February 24. First, I did not believe it. Perhaps in other cities but so far everywhere I looked has been sold out. Second, I considered that even if they did have Wiis in stock, it was already 2pm, so they would have probably been sold out. Twenty minutes before I had to leave to work I decide to just give it a shot.

I called the nearest Target and the lady on the other end confirmed that they did in fact receive a shipment of Wiis that morning.

"You did?! Do you have any right now?"
"Yeah, we still have a couple more."
"Thanks."

Alright, internets! You paid off! I then raced to Target as the minutes counted down before I had to be at work. A thought crossed my mind as I was driving. What if they sold out by the time I got there? What if they only had like one left?

Relieve, I actually found myself standing in front of a display case with 12 Wiis just sitting there like nothing! It was as if I was the only one that knew they were in stock. I mean, I thought these sold like hotcakes the minute the doors to the store opened.

Ah, well, what matters is that I picked one up along with a copy of Mario Galaxy and then sped off to start my day at work. Thanks again, interwebs. Not only for stupid videos and pirated music but also for being creatively useful and helpful.

Blaming gaming

A lot of things have been blamed for corrupting the youth. It used to be that heavy metal made kids misbehave and dress weird. Then violent movies were believed to be the cause of so much violence among teenagers and young adults. Then it was rap music and after that Marylin Manson. These days, the cross-hairs are lining up on video games more and more.

Opportunistic individuals like Florida attorney Jack Thompson continue to perpetuate the myth that video games are one of the main causes for violent events such as the Columbine shootings and the recent university shootings in Illinois. There is no evidence to suggest that playing video games will turn you into a murderer. Yet, people will jump to this conclusion based on this flawed logic.

It's very irresponsible for Jack Thompson to continue to say the things he does and it's ridiculous that media outlets take people like him seriously. I cringe when people who are otherwise level headed thinkers will accept this argument simply because some idiot with a supposed sense of authority is saying it.

The fact is playing Wii, Xbox, or Playstation games is not going to cause people to take a gun and go on a shooting spree. Even if you limit the argument to just violent games, the conclusions do not add up. Thousands of people get online every day to frag the crap out of their friends on Halo 3 and Call of Duty. If what Jack Thompson is saying was true, there would be numerous incidents of violent crime happening everyday all committed by gamers. But look! That's not true.

Scientific studies conclude that playing violent games does indeed increase aggressiveness in players afterwards. But there is evidence that this will lead to violence. It's the same thing as listening to Metallica at high volume or watching Saw II, Fight Club, and 30 Days of Night in one sitting. Yeah, you feel excited afterwards and your adrenaline pumps up. But you're not going to go put a bullet in someone.

News reports tell people that the killers from Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University were avid gamers who spent hours playing Call of Duty and other first-person shooters. Yeah, and so do thousand of other college kids! I mean, why mention that background info without any sort of context? It's irresponsible. If playing Resident Evil 4 makes you load up a shotgun and plan to aim it randomly into your classroom tomorrow, then you obviously have some deeper issues underlying your actions.

But it's like I mentioned before. Video games are the new scapegoat. There's currently no call to ban violent movies or to ban heavy metal but there is one to ban violent video games. It's a stupid move that isn't really solving anything and is standing in the way of having a real discussion of why this sort of violence occurs at a higher rate in the US than in any other country in the world. Well, at least Thompson is being held accountable for his behavior.

Additional reading:
Off Target: Games Leading to Violence
Fox News Headline - Video Gamers Leave Baby to Die
After Shootings, Illinois Campus Prepares to Mourn Victims

Late nights

Tonight is one of the few times I've actually seen a lunar eclipse occurring. I think the last time I did was when I was a child. Watching something like this makes me realize the sheer massiveness of our planet and the galaxy. I mean, it's a shadow being cast by Earth onto the moon! Watching such a cosmic event happening is just cool!

Anyway, what I wanted to write about was nighttime. While I was watching the rabbit on the moon I recalled many nights spent up late. I've been quite a night owl since I started college. I always wanted to stay up late as a kid as well. My current job schedule fits perfectly into this lifestyle. I work the night shift from 4pm to midnight!

There's a quality to the night that makes me feel comfortable. The twilight hours always feel calm and I enjoy watching the way the sky changes at those moments. Maybe its the moonlight or the glow of city lights that brings on a serene mood.

Of course, staying up late isn't without its downside. It does knock my circadian rhythm off track and if I'm not careful, I end up feeling tired during the day. Not many places are open if you get the urge to eat a good meal after midnight. Plus, I remember I read somewhere that people who work late into the night tend to be more susceptible to certain diseases. Really, it's not the healthiest lifestyle to maintain.

I suppose it all depends on maintaining a balance. It certainly does feel more refreshing to get a full nights sleep and wake up ready than to stay up real late and spend the day sleepy. Let's just say that sometimes, watching the stars and just being in the atmosphere of the night hours can be very relaxing every now and then.

Signals and voices

You ever feel that life is telling you to do something? That signs appear telling you to take a chance and accomplish a dream that you've held onto for a long time? That message hit me today when I least expected it.

Actually, I believe I've been seeing these signs more often lately. It's a constant yet subtle voice pushing me towards a certain path. An inner compass of sorts directing me towards a road I've always wanted to travel but for whatever reason I haven't. Every time I hear it, I feel the onset of an adrenaline rush. Maybe this voice has been speaking all along, I've just recently began paying more attention to it.

It's just that today, that voice seemed to be shouting at me. Revealing the elusive obvious. "If you ever want to reach this goal, chase it down now, not later." Now, its midnight and my mind is racing. Fireflies appear and I have to catch them now or watch them drift off into the dark. Again, the phrase "now or never" comes up.

Yeah, I know it's a lot of metaphors. But then again, this really happened to me. I know I'm not a lunatic but sometimes life insists on a crazy risk. I understand this may all seem a little cryptic to you but I've decided to keep this vague. At least for now. I'll explain it a different way.

Imagine you're a writer. Maybe you have a newspaper column or you write book reviews. You're good at what you do and you get paid well to do it. You enjoy your job and practice your craft to get better. This is the path you're on; the one you have prepared for.

Of course, like anyone else, you enjoy other activities. On weekends you like to go hiking. It's your hobby, it's your thing. You're pretty knowledgeable about the outdoors and know good hiking spots.

One day you're driving from work. A large semi passes you on the freeway and on its side is an advertisement that catches your eye. But it's not the product you pay attention to; the advertisement is a photo capturing a giant rock face rising up out of the woods. It's bold and majestic and it's staring at you right in the face. You know, because it's on the side of a large semi. You think about that picture the rest of the day. Because you want to be a rock climber.

This is a desire you've held for a long time, you realize. In fact, you've done it once before and wanted to do it again. You realize that your hikes have provided great views of impressive rock walls towering above the land. You also remember that rock climbing in general has seeped into your writing for some time now. The words "mountain", "challenge", "adventure", and others related to rock climbing have appeared in your articles.

The hiking has been a subconscious attempt to get you closer to your goal of being a rock climber. In fact, you now have a stronger desire to be a professional rock climber. Despite the fact that it would be a radical career change and something that you are not sure you are quite prepared for, you want to do it.

Now we arrive to the point where the path splits into two. On one side you have the path you know and understand continuing on. It's familiar and you can kind of see where it goes. It feels safe. Choosing this path would be perfectly acceptable.

On the other side you have a different path altogether. You don't know where it leads to. You don't feel ready to head in there. Strange yet amazing things can just barely be glimpsed further down this path. It's a little reminder of a place you've always wanted to go to. "What if?" It's enticing but seems to be a somewhat dangerous road. Still, it sounds like a fun risk.

I suppose everyone goes through this feeling as well. Perhaps more than once. It's as if the cosmos are aligning to direct your compass. But how many people do we know actually follow this guide? I want to know whats down the second path.

The image up top comes from this Wikipedia article.

Who taught you to drive?!

I've been doing a lot more driving around lately. This includes trips to and from the Strip. I really have to plan my commute because traffic can get annoying. First of all, local drivers here aren't the best. These idiots switch lanes without looking or signaling and generally behave like brainless monkeys behind the wheel driving over curbs and sidewalks. It's not possible that the DMV gave these morons a license!

To further add to this, we have the tourists aimlessly driving down Las Vegas Boulevard. Look, I understand that this may be your first time in the glitzy lights of downtown but when the light turns green, move your stupid car! I don't care if you block the intersection; you have to in order to get anywhere through the Strip. Quit being a wuss and drive! These timid drivers make it frustrating for others to drive around here. And don't give me dirty looks when I honk the horn at you; move your stupid car, you idiot. I'm late for work.

Finally, some of these taxi drivers are also morons. Most are pretty skilled at maneuvering through the maze of traffic and I learned by watching them. But don't get mad at me if you're trying to get in my lane without signaling. And every time you honk at me to hurry up when I obviously can't move an inch forward I'll purposely drive slower.

So for those that drive sanely, thanks. You other idiots shouldn't be allowed to sit in a motor vehicle. You know how many people get killed in traffic accidents here in Vegas? Learn to drive!

"Traviesa!"

Ever since I moved to Vegas I've been doing a lot more driving than when I was in school. I've recently been hearing the radio advertising Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up going on Friday and Saturday. He's not the best comedian out there but these excerpts did make me laugh:

"Having a two year old is like having a blender in the house, only you can't find the top for it."

Small children are very messy but it's not like you can be a mean jerk to them. I took a quick nap today on the couch and a small hand slapped my face with strawberry jam. Then when I got up I stepped in more jam mixed with saltine crackers on the floor. If your roommate did this, you could punch him/her in the nose for being an idiot. Certainly can't do that to a two year old. In fact, she won't even care if you yell at her. She'll just slap more jam on your jeans. I just washed those!

"Why would you want someone in your house...who craps in their pants...while they're looking you RIGHT IN THE EYES?!"

I kid you not, this actually happened to me a couple days ago. When a baby stares at you with a serious look on their face and they're just standing there and you know they're taking a huge poop, you can't help but crack out with a gut-busting laugh! At least that's what I did. I laughed HARDCORE.