I have actually been playing a lot of games lately. For the first time that I can remember in years, I actually spent 22+ hours in a row playing a game, a tour de force. Metal Gear Solid 4 was absolutely spectacular in nearly every way. I could not help but be impressed with that as a singular work of art. Astonishingly, I think it had over 6+ hours of cutscenes, really making it something of a playable movie. And what a movie. Controls were tight, atmosphere was realistic and compelling, and the story was engaging. I highly recommend the game, even if it means picking up a PS3 just to do so.

Also about 2/3 of the way through Gears of War (the original). Will definitely have to pick the sequel sometime this fall for a play through. The game has a great co-op mode, and that might possibly be my favorite way to play through a game. It's surprising how few games have a good co-op mode. The Halo series did, and Gears of War, but other than those, I can't think of a great deal. I think it's rather difficult to program, and so it's often left out. Which is too bad.

Perhaps it's no great secret why I haven't accomplished a whole lot lately...

I normally only run alone, which I suppose is perhaps a metaphor for the life I live as a bachelor. But this afternoon I went for a good run with my roommate (well, one of them). Such a beautiful day to run, too. Temperature was about 16° C. and as can be plainly seen, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was a good hard run, and made a bit more interesting with the complement of conversation. Normally, I get lost in some sort of cerebral height, only to get knocked down by traffic.

Whether running or walking, time passes inexorably, without regard to those that walk in its ways. I am somewhat more aware of the time that passes while I run, often thinking that it isn't moving quite as fast as I'd like, but for the most part, it moves past me in a blur. Humans are fairly resourceful creatures, a quality I'd like to think that I possess, but the best we have been able to do with time is to make perceptual changes. Most find this less than satisfying, but of course it's the best that we have.

There is a certain sort of clarity that comes in a run, with it's clear objectives and straight forward execution that I find refreshing. The only point of contention in a run is the route and the speed, which are easily defined in scope by the runner's ability. But other than the vector, the only thing that's really needed is dogged determination. I don't always have this, but sometimes it's possible to cheat by making certain that there is some sort of pressing deadline or the distance is impractical to allow walking back. After that, life and running can almost be reduced to placing one foot in front of the other.

I once heard someone tell me jokingly that one should never trust a runner, that they are all running away from something. There's something to this, although I might have pointed out at the time that almost every runner I have met eventually turns back to the point of origination. You can only run so long...

Tags: running, Edmonton, jogging

It's been literally years since I last went golfing. But I had the opportunity to hit the course again in Vernon over the weekend. Despite a fair bit of apprehension, I had a good time out there, though I could really use some quality time at a driving range before I would be willing to pick up another club in the light of day. The course was thankfully by far the shortest I have ever played, where each hole was somewhere between 60 and 110 yards long or so. The course was built on the side of a small mountain, you could say, so it's quite a hike, but has very scenic views...

I was out there celebrating the wedding of a good friend of mine, in what was my big vacation of the summer. Vernon was truly gorgeous, and I regret not having gone out there earlier. The weather was thankfully perfect, and the wedding went off a hitch (thought there were of course a few minor glitches). The only problem with that weekend is that it was way too short for what is an exceptionally long drive (we spent about 20 hours on the road for the four day weekend). But I have to say, it was even better than I thought it might be running into a lot of friends that I hadn't seen for years. I attacked that weekend. So many friends that I will not see again...

It's one of those times that generates more flux than usual. I am in a position where once again I need to make many long term structural changes, at the same time that many other people do. This, though painful, is perhaps for the best, as it is far too easy to try to seize the familiar. I just celebrated my 24th year, and married off my good friend. Though I attempted vainly, it is difficult to suppress the natural thoughts that bubble to the surface. Namely, what am I doing, exactly? That's a question that's difficult to answer. Years of teenage angst give way to confusion and wandering. It seems that I am not alone in this either, as I watch films like Garden State...

I guess I am looking for my "personal legend", as Paulo Coelho might call it.

I spent the most recent weekend at the Heritage days in Edmonton, which is an annual event up here. They take one of the larger city parks, shut it down, and then host dozens of different ethnic and cultural groups. Each will generally have kind of an informational area, some presentations (often dancing), and then the food tents. It's a great opportunity to wander through and have foods or hear music that you really would never hear in the course of a normal year. I took advantage of the opportunity to try some Russian Kvas, some Turkish coffee, and many many more very odd foods. Broodje Haring for the non-Dutch among you is a bun with salted herring and a lot of onions. It sounds a little weird, perhaps, but tastes delicious. I was quite disappointed that the Peruvian tent ran out of Inca Cola.

In the picture above, they are playing panpipes, and other traditional South American instruments. Pretty neat really, I almost bought one of their CD's, but they're $20 a piece, and I didn't have that much cash on me. In any case, it's an all around pleasant way to spent a weekend and one of the better festivals in town for me. This coming weekend is the Edmonton Folk Festival, which I am tempted to go to, but these things aren't cheap, and I think Folk Fest is about $35 a day. Still, I am a pretty big fan of folk music, so maybe I'll still make it there.

I am reading Tête-à-Tête right now about Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. It's a fascinating book, as I had no idea about any of the personal circumstances surrounding the writing of some of his more famous works, like Being and Nothingness and Ethics. Perhaps more on that once I have finished reading it.

I am hoping to get out camping fairly soon, as it's summer, and I really didn't get an opportunity to go last summer. Convalescence and the great outdoors as experienced in a tent are not necessarily the most agreeable of companions. However, it is a new year, and I am more then eager to make up for lost time. Fitting it into our already somewhat conflicting weekend schedules could be interesting, but I am sure there is enough time in there for two trips out to the mountains. And I have one in there guaranteed, as I am heading out to Vernon, BC in August to attend a good friend's wedding. The bigger problem is perhaps finding someone to borrow a tent from for a couple of these excursions...

And as odd as it sounds, I have been gaming a lot more recently. I had been fairly tied up with academic duties, and groups that I had joined during most evenings during the semester, but the abrupt and somewhat unsettling dissolution of said schedule left me with an abundance of time in the evenings and the weekends. I have taken the opportunity to continue my more academic pursuits (Freud) and the lesser so (Rainbow Six: Vegas and Rallisport 2). It is nice to start playing so many of these games I had previously lacked the time for.

GuluWalk

It's been quite some time since I last posted, but suffice it to say that it hasn't been a particularly eventful winter in most senses. With a dash of angst, I am back to working full time in Human Resources, which has been going well. It feels odd to make the transition from student to working full time, but it had to happen some time. I just now need to pay back a lot of my loans and figure out exactly what I want to do with myself. Both of those are, of course, easier said than done. It really doesn't feel like I am making progress on either one, and I suppose it might be quite some time before it does.

Blogged with Flock

Tags: edmonton, weather, life

As is painfully evident from the picture, I received the license plate that I have been so desperately seeking around 8 tonight. This is, of course, deplorably late. What was supposed to be five or so business days according to USPS turned out to be about 2 weeks. In fact, it is so late that I had already paid Fedex and the Secretary of State to get a 30 day plate overnighted to me with Saturday delivery. It's painful just thinking about it. I put in official complaints with both of the offenders, but thus far I have heard a lot of hemming and hawing about whose fault it is. This is why, I am happy to report, that credit cards are the best way to pay for most things. One word: Chargeback.

Regardless, I am absolutely going to leave Canada tomorrow for what has become a brief sojourn in Michigan to quick see some of the relatives. I found and bookmarked all the sites that give road conditions, bought a few audiobooks, and picked up a ton of music from Rhapsody. I am praying for smooth sailing, because heaven knows I have earned it. This frozen road trip has brought some non-trivial angst to the people that I have notified about it, and I'd like to prove them all wrong. Hard to do since I missed Christmas, but I digress.

I am curious as to who everybody is going to vote for in the primaries. The next few days should be fascinating as the race tightens up and the second tier candidates drop off. Personally, I have not really decided on any one candidate, but since my voter registration was in MI, it doesn't matter anyway. Our votes were disqualified by an over eager legislature, eager to cash in on Iowa and New Hampshire's share of electoral funds. I guess I'll watch and see what they come up with.

In one of the odder holidays that I have experienced, I spent Christmas in Edmonton. This was of course not my preference but I lay the blame at the criminally incompetent USPS/Canada Post that stranded me here. Despite what you may have wished to believe about our postal services, I have come to realize that they are appallingly bad. So bad, in fact, that I wonder why people would willingly consign items and packages that they are care about to these bumbling oafs. We may all have wished to believe that the express service (3 to 5 day) meant just that, but as I have so recently found out, one needs to at least triple that time frame. So, I have been waiting in Edmonton since Tuesday last week when I finished my exams to receive my license platein the mail. It, of course, has been completely and totally absent.

So I spent my Christmas in Edmonton. It was certainly peaceful. It's surprising how much this neighborhood clears out around the holiday season. I wouldn't necessarily say that everyone left, but if I had to put a number to it, I'd guess at least 80%. It was quite different than the normal, which is caught up with family and parties. I would ideally not like to miss out on New Years festivities, but of course that completely depends on when I receive that plate. As far as I am concerned, it could not arrive here soon enough. I have lost more than enough time as it is.

The tube you see above is a tube of mayonnaise that my roommate brought back from Switzerland. I had to throw it up here, because I have never in my life seen a tube of mayonnaise. He insists it's pretty close to the stuff that we keep over here in a jar, but I am mistrustful of anything that looks like its container was more suited to toothpaste. Heh. Anyway, I am going to get some sleep.