Monthly Archives: April 2008

Personal Blog

Animation

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Hey Internet, I wanted to show off some of my classmates’ work, and get you guys to give them some feedback.

This student group worked this semester to create a 4 minute animation addressing issues that come up in working in cross-cultural environments. In particular, it talks about language barriers. It’s done in a “Creature Comforts” documentary/interview sort of style..

Please watch it and fill our their survey so they can polish it off…

http://www.etc.cmu.edu/projects/cultural/finalCut.html

I’m very proud of them, I know they worked their asses off to put together this animation in such a short time, and I think they did a great job!

Personal Blog

I figured out how to lure my appetite back

Explain to me.

Why on earth do people buy disgusting flour tortillas at the grocery store when they can so easily make DELICIOUS homemade corn tortillas that are an order of BIZTRILLIONS times better and tastier and more wonderful?

Why?!?

You need corn flour and a cast iron skillet. You could not possibly ask for a more simple recipe. Ah, well, it is the loss of the world! *devours*.

EDIT: I guess I could actually, you know, give the recipe.

First, get ye self to the grocery store and the ethnic food section and buy some corn flour (Masa Harina).

At home, start heating a cast iron skillet, dry, on medium high heat.

Mix 2 cups of corn flour with 1 1/4 cup of water (you may need a little more water, but only add it a tablespoon at a time as you knead). Knead that sucker for several minutes until it is deliciously elastic.

Break off a ball and roll it flat between two pieces of wax paper, using a rolling pin or whatever else you have to get the job done. (To avoid breaking your tortilla, peel the wax paper off the tortilla vs. peeling the tortilla off the wax paper).

Throw the tortilla on the hot skillet for 30 seconds each side.

Done. The end. That’s it. SEE?!?!

You can cut them up into wedges and fry them in vegetable oil to make tortilla chips, but they are just as delicious plain and soft and dipped in salsa.

….ah, salsa….Homemade salsa! My next project!

Personal Blog

A Sad Day for Tears

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I know that I don’t have as much pull as some when it comes to asking for financial help from the internets, but my friends are in a pretty dire situation and I am asking for help for them.

Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears, a fantastic band and great group of people, were on tour on the west coast when their van and trailer were stolen (including all of their musical instruments and equipment). They are now stuck in LA, and are trying to get home. This is a particularly devastating setback for them, as things were starting to seriously look up with the release of their second album, and it pains me to see such sucky stuff happen to such wonderful people.

If any of you internet folk have money to spare for helping people out, and would like to donate some dollars on my behalf, that would be considerably awesome. There is a paypal donation button on their myspace page:

http://www.myspace.com/bryanscary

The saddest part of this story, to me, is that poor Bauer lost his 42 year old drum set that belonged to his grandfather. Alas, sentiment cannot be replaced, but some spare bucks can at least get them back home!

Personal Blog

WoW Geekery

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For a long while, I’ve had my eye on a hawkstrider mount for my mage in WoW. The pink and purple plumage on the silly chocobo things would match my troll’s hair so well! Well, after much effort, I finally obtained my oversized chicken.

But, something peculiar happened along the way. Somehow, I managed to get good at PvP. Go figure?

I’m so happy!

Personal Blog

Insomniac! (double meaning!)

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I signed the offer and faxed it away on Monday, so it’s official: I’ll be spending this summer at Insomniac Games as a game design intern.

I am EXTREMELY excited about this internship! Insomniac has always held a special place in my heart, as it was Spyro the Dragon which nudged me back into console game obsession in high school (my Playstation was my very first console which I purchased with my own money, aww). The Ratchet and Clank series has also captured my imagination, and I’m always a little wistful that I never have time to devote to any of those games like I was able to with Spyro.

Anyway, this will definitely be a big exciting adventure of a summer, and I’m looking forward to it! If anyone has tips on finding temporary living quarters in LA, I’m all ears.

On the topic of insomnia, I seem to be suffering from it. I’ve had trouble sleeping as of late, which I’ve blamed on a number of things (mostly the weather) and I’ve tried to alleviate it through a number of means. I rearranged my room (moving my bed has always helped sleeping issues in the past) but to no avail. I even tried sleeping on the couch, remembering the time that Scott mysteriously couldn’t sleep in his own bed, and so slumbered on the couch for a long while. Today, I didn’t even take any afternoon naps!

I’m not sure what the deal is. Perhaps I am nervous about this summer? Perhaps I am merely stressed out from project work? Perhaps it truly is the weather? Hmph, I just wish it would right itself!

I did make myself useful in these past wee hours by cleaning and purging my belongings. I’m hoping to get rid of a good deal of “stuff” so I won’t have to deal with dragging it to California and back. I did wind up with about four bags of Goodwill fodder, so that’s a start.

As long as I’m seeking advice, if anyone has insomnia cures or tips, I am listening!